NORMALS

UNBOUND™
CREDITS
Authors/Designers: Brannon Boren & Patrick E. Bradley
Editor/Developer: Monte Cook
Cover Illustration: Stern Cook
Interior Illustration: Stern Cook
Project Specific Contributions: Series Editor: Monte Cook; Pagemaking: Coleman Charlton;
Layout: Bill Covert, Coleman Charlton; Cover Graphics: Terry K. Amthor; A rt Direction: Bill Covert;
Editorial Contributions: Coleman Charlton, George MacDonald
ICE Staff - Sales Manager: Deane Begiebing; Editing & Development Manager: Coleman Charlton; President: Peter Fenlon;
CEO: Bruce Neidlinger; Editing, Development, & Production Staff: Kevin Barrett, Monte Cook, Jessica Ney, Bill Covert, Pete Fenlon,
Terry A mthor; Sales, Customer Service & Operations Staff: Heike Kubasch, Chad McCully; Shipping Staff: John Breckenridge,
Jasper Merendino, Sterling Williams.

Normals UnboundrM is Hero Games' trademark for its superhero roleplaying game using the Hero system.
Champions® and Champions, The Super Ro/eplaying Game™ are Hero Games trademarks for its superhero roleplaying game using the Hero System.
Hero System-rM is Hero Games' trademark for its roleplaying system. Normals Unbound Copyright © 1992 Hero Games. All rights reserved.
Champions Copyright © 1981, 1984, 1989 by Hero Games. All rights reserved . Hero System Copyright© 1984, 1989 by 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 (except Character
Sheets for personal use only), recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and retri eval system, without permission in writing from the
Publisher: Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc., P.O. Box 1605, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
Printed in U.S.A., First Printing 1992 STOCK #: 420
Produced & Distributed by Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc., the exclusive manufacturer of Hero Games. ISBN 1-55806-160-6
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
How To Use This Book. ..........................,. ......................... .4 Thanks For Your Support . ............................................... 81
Conventions ........................................................................... 4 Dugger Birch, Motorcycle Racer ........ ...... ............................ 81
Using The Characters .......................... ............ ...................... 5 The Super Bike, Dugger's Motorcycle .................... ........... 82
Divisions ................................................................................6 · MaCk Boraan;-BigMouth Truck Driver ................................. 83
Design And Development. ................................................. 7 Mattew Armbruster, Eccentric C.E.O... .............................. .. 84
"Jabbin" Jeff Hawkins, Charter Pilot ............ ........................ 86
On The Street. ..................................................................... 10 Lawrence "Rex" Kaspriwiczs, Bartender ....... ...................... 87
Tandy West, Topp's Girl ...................................................... 10 Aunt Mary, Author ................................................................ 88
Madame Jeantelle Lareau, Drug Czaress ..... .................... .. 12 Austin McCallister, Rancher I Retired Superhero ................ 90
Ananias Topps, Illegitimate Businessman ........................... 13 Sparky The Wonder Dog, Dog ....... ..................................... 91
Sugar, Girl of the Street ....................................................... 15 Father William Lannigan, Priest.. .. .... ................... ...... .......... 92
Clayton Cooper, Investigative Reporter ... ............................ 16
"Switch" Lassitter, Street Gang Leader ............................... 18 Author's Notes . ................................................................... 94
Brad Arnold, Social Worker ......... ..... ... ..... ............ ............... 19 Brannon's ............................................................................ 94
Carl "Poppa" Caccitore, Restaraunt Owner ................ ......... 20 Patrick's ................................... ..................................... ....... 94
Biff Duncan, Bodacious Surfer Dude .. ......... ........................ 22
"Freddie The Fink" Furghetti, lnformant.. ............................. 23
"The Amazing Alphonzo", Street Magician/Pickpocket.. ...... 24
In The Name Of The Law. ................................................. 25
Eric Allen, Stronghold Bailbondsman .................................. 25
Shanna Armbruster, U.S. Congresswoman ........................ 27
Roger Evans, Defense Attorney ................ ..... ..... ................ 28
Officer Veronica Halstead, Veteran Cop .......... ................... 30
Officer Patricia Garrett, Rookie Cop .................................... 31
Sergeant Addie Parsons, Streetgang Task Force Head ..... 33
Judge Joseph Simpson, Judge ....................... ........ ............ 34
Senator Jeremiah Reim, Influential U.S. Senator ..... ........... 36
Walt Reese, Private Investigator ......................................... 38
In The Shadows . ................................................................. 39
Lynda Crighton, Occult Bookstore Owner ........................... 39
Stephen Pierce, Pillar of the Community ........ ................ ..... 40
Iggy the Vampire, Professional Undead Person .............. ... .42
Beatrice Pierce, Society Matron .......................................... 43
"Crystal" Clair Vasser, Psychic ... ......................................... 45
Blaise Morgan, Witch .... ................................................... .. .. 46
Mister Rapentap, Horror of the Night .. ................................. 48
Typical Immortal Child, Rapentap's Followers .................. 50
On Campus. ......................................................................... 51
Samuel Johnson, Student (Quantum's Brother) .. ................ §1
Betsy Clarke, High School History Teacher ........... ............. 52
Cindy Page, DNPC Wannabe ............................................. 53
Ted Ball, Junior Mercenary (Bullet's Kid Brother) ................ 54
Patsy Conrad, The Mutant Next Door ...................... ... ........ 56
Fluffy, The Pet From Beyond ................ ............................. 57
Kent Elfberg, Computer Whiz Kid ........................................ 58
Debbie, Kent's A.I. Computer ....... ....... .............................. 59
My Life As A Hero. .. ........................................................... 60
Dr. Helena Amory, Superhuman Geneticist ...... ...... .... ........ 60
Joan Armstrong, Superbeing Psychologist... ............ ........... 61
Steve "Sarge" Baker, Physical Trainer for Superheroes ..... 63
Edward Q. Jefferies, Buller for Superheroes ................... .... 64 DEDICATION
Randal Felson, Superbase Architect .... ........ ....................... 66
Wendy Brooks, Superbase Housekeeper (Defender's Maid)67 Yesterday I attended the funeral of a great friend. a
Stacy Summers, Self Defense Instructor ............................. 68 member of the very first superhero game that I ever played
Howard "Hal" Silva, Jr., Test Pilot ....................................... 70 in. I was reuqited with friends I hadn't seen in years. We
Joe Petrone, Super-Jet Mechanic ......... ....... ....................... 72 cried together for the first time, and as we remembered,
Ian Rhine, Helecopter Pilot Extraordinaire .......................... 73 we laughed as hard as we ever did in the old days.
In The Media Spotlight. ................................ ..................... 74 I would like to dedicate this book to my friend, SSgt
Lin Chow, Aspiring Actress, (Green Dragon's Little Sister) . 74 Victor D. Marvick, one of the finest role-players that I have
Frank Page, T.V. Station Owner .......................................... 75 ever known. He was a founding member of the Mutant
Jennie Parker, Rock and Roll Musician .. .......................... ... 77 Knights of Genetic Chaos, a member of the Doom Patrol,
Ron St. John, Hollywood Producer .... .... ........ ..... ................. 78 my Advisor, Teacher, and Friend. The heroes that he
"Raging" Gall Kelso, Crusading Disk Jockey ................... .... 79 created will continue to fight the good fight in his absence.
Brannon "Blackout" Boren - November 7, 1991
Normals Unbound

CHARACTERS BY TYPE
Incompetent Normals Ron St. John - Hollywood Producer .............................................. 78
Tandy West-Topp's Girl ............................................................... 10 "Raging" Gail Kelso - Crusading Disk Jockey ............................... 79
Sugar - Girl of the Street ...................... ......................................... 15 Mack Berdan - Big Mouth Truck Driver ......................................... 83
Beatrice Pierce - Society Matron .................................................. . 43 Competent Normals
Samuel Johnson - Student (Quantum's Brother) .......................... 51 Madame Jeantelle Lareau - Drug Czaress .................................... 12
Ted Ball - Junior Mercenary (Bullet's Kid Brother) ........................ 54
Ananias Topps - Illegitimate Businessman ............................ ....... 13
Aunt Mary - Author ........................................................................ 88 Shanna Armbruster - U.S. Congresswoman ................................. 27
Normals Officer Veronica Halstead - Veteran Cop ...................................... 30
Clayton Cooper - Investigative Reporter ....................................... 16 Officer Patricia Garrett - Rookie Cop ............................................. 31
Carl "Poppa• Caccitore - Restaraunt Owner ................................. 20 Sergeant Addie Parsons- Streetgang Task Force Head .............. 33
Biff Duncan - Bodacious Surfer Dude ........................................... 22 Senator Jeremiah Reim - Influential U.S. Senator ........................ 36
"Freddie The Fink" Furghetti - Informant ....................................... 23 Blaise Morgan - Witch ................................................................... 46
Betsy Clarke - High School History Teacher ................................. 52 Fluffy - Patsy Conrad's "Pet From Beyond" ................................... 57
Cindy Page - DNPC Wannabe ...................................................... 53 Debbie - Kent Elfberg's A.I. Computer .......................................... 59
Randal Felson - Superbase Architect ............................................ 66 Joan Armstrong - Superbeing Psychologist .................................. 61
Wendy Brooks - Superbase Hauset<eeper .... .. .............................. 67 Howard "Hal" Silva - Jr. - Test Pilot............................................ 70
Frank Page-T.V. Statton Owner .................................................. 75 Ian Rhine - Helecopter Pilot Extraordinaire ................................... 73
Father William Lonnigan - Priest ....................................... 92 Jennie Parker - Rock and Roll Musician ....................................... 77
Dugger Birch - Motorcycle Racer .................................................. 81
Skilled Normals Mattew Armbruster - Eccentric C.E.O ........................................... 84
"Switch" Lassitter - Street Gang Leader ........................................ 18 "Jabbin" Jeff Hawkins - Charter Pilot ................... .......................... 86
Brad Arnold - Social Worker .......................................................... 19 Lawrence "Rex" Kaspriwiczs - Bartender ...................................... 87
"The Amazing Alphonzo" - Street Magician/Pickpocket ................ 24
Eric Allen - Stronghold Bailbondsman ........................................... 25 "Hero" Characters
Roger Evans - Defense Attorney ................................................... 28 "Crystal" Clair Vosser - Psychic .................................................... .45
Judge Joseph Simpson - Judge .................................................... 34 Patsy Conrad - The Mutant Next Door .......................................... 56
Walt Reese - Private Investigator .................................................. 38 Steve "Sarge" Baker - Physical Trainer for Superheroes .............. 63
Lynda Crighton - Occult Bookstore Owner ................................... 39 Stacy Summers - Self Defense Instructor ..................................... 68
Stephen Pierce - Pillar of the Community .................................... .40 Austin McCallister - Rancher I Retired Superhero ........................ 90
Kent Elfberg - Computer Whiz Kid ....................... ......................... 58 Special
Dr. Helena Amory- Superhuman Geneticist ................................. 60 Iggy the Vampire - Professional Undead Person .......................... 42
Edward Q. Jefferies - Butler for Superheroes ............................... 64 Mister Rapentap - Horror of the Night ........................................... 48
Joe Petrone - Super-Jet Mechanic ................................................ 72 Typical Immortal Child - Mister Rapentap's Followers ................. 50
Lin Chow-Actress - (Green Dragon's Little Sister) ......... ........... 74 The Super Bike - Dugger Birch's Motorcycle ................................ 82
Spar1<y The Wonder Dog - Dog ..................................................... 91

NAME & PROFESSION INDEX

Actress, Aspiring ........................ 74 Cop, Rookie ............................... 31 Judge ......................................... 34 Producer, Hollywood .................. 78
Allen, Eric ................................... 25 Cop, Task Force Head ............... 33 Kaspriwiczs, Lawrence "Rex" ..... 87 Psychic ....................................... 45
Alphonzo, "The Amazing" ........... 24 Cop, Veteran .............................. 30 Kelso, "Raging" Gail .......... ......... 79 Psychologlst, Sup,arb.eing ........... 61
Amory, Or. Helena ...................... 60 Crighton, Lynda .......................... 39 Kid Brother ................................. 54 Quanturn's Brother ..................... 51
Architect, Superbase .................. 66 Debbie, A.I. Computer ................ 59 Lareau, Madame Jeantelle ......... 12 Racer, Motorcycle ...................... 81
Armbruster, Mattew .................... 84 Disk Jockey, Crusading .............. 79 Lassitter, "Switch" ....................... 18 Rancher ...................................... 90
Armbruster, Shanna ................... 27 Dog ............................................. 91 Lonnigan, Father William ........... 92 Rapentap, Mister ........................ 48
Armstrong, Joan ... ...................... 61 Drug Czaress ............................. 12 Magician, Street ......................... 24 Reese, Walt ........ ........................ 38
Arnold, Brad ............................... 19 Duncan, Biff ................................ 22 Maid ........................................... 67 Reim, Senator Jeremiah ............ 36
Attorney, Defense ...................... 28 Elfberg, Kent ................ .............. 58 Mary, Aunt ........................... ....... 88 Reporter, Investigative ............. .. 16
Aunt ............................................ 88 Evans, Roger ............................. 28 McCallister, Austin ...................... 90 Restaraunt Owner ...... - .............. 20
Author ......................................... 88 Felson, Randal ........................... 66 Mechanic, Super-Jet .................. 72 Retired Superhero ...................... 90
Bailbondsman, Stronghold ......... 25 Fluffy, Patsy Conrad's Pet .......... 57 Morgan, Blaise ...... ..................... 46 Rhine, Ian ................................... 73
Baker, Steve "Sarge" .................. 63 Furghetti, "Freddie The Fink" ..... 23 Motorcycle .................................. 82 Senator, U.S . .............................. 36
Ball, Ted ..................................... 54 Gang (Street) Leader ................. 18 Musician, Rock and Roll ............. 77 Silva, Howard "Hal" .................... 70
Bartender ................................... 87 Gangster .................................... 13 Mutant Next Door ....................... 56 Simpson, Judge Joseph ............. 34
Bike, The Super ......................... 82 Garrett, Officer Patricia .. ..... ..... .. 31 Occult Bookstore Owner ...... ...... 39 Social Worker ............................. 19
Birch, Dugger ............................. 81 Geneticist, Superhuman ............. 60 Page, Cindy ..... ........................... 53 Society Matron ........................... 43
Berdan, Mack ............................. 83 Girl of the Street ........................ 15 Page, Frank ................................ 75 Sparky, the Wonder Dog ............ 91
Boxer .......................................... 87 Girlfriend of Gangster ................. 1o Par1<er, Jennie ............................ 77 Student ....................................... 51
Brooks, Wendy ........................... 67 Green Dragon's Little Sister ....... 74 Parsons, Sergeant Addie ........... 33 Sugar .......................................... 15
Bullet's Kid Brother ....... .............. 54 Groupie, ONPC Wannabe .......... 53 Pet From Beyond ....................... 57 Summers, Stacy ......................... 68
Butler for Superheroes ............... 64 Halstead, Officer Veronica ......... 30 Petrone. Joe ............................... 72 Surfer Dude ................................ 22
C.E.O., Eccentric ........................ 84 Hawkins, "Jabbin" Jeff ................ 86 Physical Traine1 (Superheroes) . 63 T.V. Station Owner ..................... 75
Caccitore, Carl "Poppa" ...... ........ 20 Horror of the Night ..................... .48 Pickpocket ................................. 24 Teacher, High School History .... 52
Child, Typical Immortal ............... 50 Housekeeper, Superbase .......... 67 Pierce, Beatrice .......................... 43 Topps, Anan ias .......................... 13
Chow, Lin ................................... 74 Illegitimate Businessman ...... ..... 13 Pierce, Stephen .......................... 40 Truck Driver, Big Mouth ............. 83
Clarke, Betsy .............................. 52 Immortal Child ................. - ......... 50 Pillar of the Community ..............40 Undead ....................................... 42
Computer Whiz Kid .................... 58 Informant .................................... 23 Pilot, Charter .............................. 86 Vampire, Iggy the ....................... 42
Computer, A.I. ............................ 59 Instructor, Self Defense .............. 68 Pilot, Helecopter ......................... 73 Vosser, "Crystal" Clair ................45
Congresswoman, U.S ................ 27 Jefferies, Edward Q .................... 64 Pilot, Test ................................... 70 West, Tandy ............................... 10
Conrad, Patsy ............................ 56 John, Ron St. ............................. 78 Priest .......................................... 92 Witch k 46
. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cooper, Clayton ........................ 16 Johnson, Samuel ....................... 51 Private Investigator .................... 38 Wonder Dog ............................... 91
4 - -- - -- -- - -- - -- - - - -- -- - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - Normals Unbound

This is a book of normals, in other words, the Enemies What about the challenges? Consider: the hero has fan-
book for your secret ID. Between the covers of Normals tastic powers that enable him to save the world from Terror
Unbound you will find men, women. and children with pow· Inc.. but can he save his own failing marriage? He can keep·
ers and abilities to affect the life of a hero more profoundly Ripper in jail, but can he keep his kid brother out of a gang,
than any destructive energy blast from Mechanon ever or off of drugs? He can stop Black Diamond from robbing a
could . These are people who cannot be dealt with by simply bank but can he stop Ananias Topps from taking control of
slugging it out with them or blasting them with a neutron crime in the city? You see, a hero's life is not easy, but it does
beam. The hero must use his head and his heart in meeting build character.
the challenges these normals present. What we have tried to do in this book is show how to create
What kind of challenges you ask? Aren't normals just interesting NPCs for your campaign and ho w to integrate
supposed to stand around, getting in the way of super battles them into your heroes' lives. In Normals Unbound you will
waiting to be saved? If the answer you gave was yes, then find a wide variety of characters to fit most any style of
take a good look at your NPCs. campaign to add that spice to your storylines. We have
The majority of the NPCs in any campaign are going to fall attempted to create a microcosm of the real world, taking a
into the John a. Public category. These are the people the slice from every area of the realm of superhero adventures.
heroes are saving, the very reason they chose to take up the Many individual subculture "worlds" are represented: the
cause of truth and justice. But that doesn't mean they're cop world, criminal world , college world, rock and roll world,
boring. NPCs, especially normals, are the salt and pepper in movie world, teenager world, martial world, and others. We
the bland stew of a campaign. They add the spice that's tried to come up with a character to fit into any hero's
needed to bring itto life. This is just what this book is all about; adventures.
salt and pepper. Oh yeah, and stew. Some of the characters are more suited to superhero
adventures, some to heroic level or low powered supers,
some to mega-base dwelling world famous heroes, and
some to vigilantes hunted by the police. Some of them are
connected to specific supervillains, superheroes, or larger
organizations which you can use or ignore . You'll find that
many of the characters in this book are related in some way,
allowing you to "chain-react" them into your game instead of
having to come up with a new introductory scenario for each
one . It also means that certain information from one NPC
may affect how you understand another. We' ll get into more
specifics later, but first a few explanations.

CONVENTIONS
As you read through some of the characters, you may
notice some unfamiliar skills in the write ups, mostly with
characters with martial arts. In every possible case we tried
to use the martial arts packages presented in Ninja Hero
along with many related skills. If you do not have it, and are
fond of martial arts adventures, we highly recommend it. If
you don't have it, don't worry, you won't need it to use the
characters presented here. We have provided a brief expla-
nation of these skills below. For a more in depth explanation
see Ninja Hero.

KS: ANALYZE STYLE

This skill lets a hero estimate an opponents fighting ability.
The more the hero makes the roll by, the more information he
gains. This can range from a general assessment of the
martial artists' expertise (poor to master) to actually reveal-
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-5

ing relevant Physical Limitations and Vulnerabilities. If the Some good examples of storycharactersareOfficersPatricia
enemy has the Style Disadvantage (see below) the hero gets Garrett and Veronica Halstead. Their story may be going on
a +2 to the roll, and if he has Lack of Weakness the hero is for quite a whileandcouldeasilydragthe PCs into it. Another
at -1 for every point the enemy has. character that would be a good center for several adventures
would be Stephen Pierce as he seeks for a way out of his
STYLE DISADVANTAGE "obligation." After the NPCs story has been resolved, one
The Style Disadvantage is a Distinctive Feature for martial way or another, the story NPC can become a recurring NPC.
arts packages. This allows any martial artist to make an INT
roll to recognize the style of martial arts a character is using. RECURRING NPCS/BACKGROUND NPCS
It also gives an observer with KS: Analyze Style a +2 bonus Recurring characters are the characters that the hero
to identify the particular style the hero practices. knows but are not necessarily DNPCs. These are the city
editors, the police commissioner, and other incidental, but
important, characters. Representative Shanna Armbruster,
"Crystal" Claire Vasser, and Freddie "The Fink" Furghetti all
USING THE CHARACTERS make excellent recurring characters. These are also the type
of characters that make great Contacts and Favors as they
Now that we've gotten all the preliminaries out of the way, can get information or pull strings to help the heroes.
let's get down to the nitty gritty; what are you going to do with
all these people? Here are just a few suggestions. ANTAGONISTS
That's a big word for bad guys. Good characters to use for
DNPCS/FOLLOWERS/RIVALS antagonists include Ananias Topps, Mr. Rapentap, and
How many times have you had a player make up a Madame Jeantelle Lareau. While these characters have
character who has either a DNPC or a Rival and had no idea been specifically designed as villains, other characters could
who they were? You can only stomach so many generic be antagonistic. Judge Joseph Simpson comes to mind as a
girlfriends or boyfriends before you start frothing at the character who is not necessarily a villain but can certainly
mouth like the rabid GM you are. Many of the characters in make the heroes' life rough. Again, be creative. Your players
this book could make excellent DNPCs. Good examples are will hate, er ... love you.
Samuel Johnson (Quantum's DNPC brother) or Jennie
Parker, who would make a great girlfriend DNPC. If a SECRET IDENTITIES
character needs a Rival, perhaps Clayton Cooper would fit What? Use normals as secret identities? Yes! Remember,
the bill as a professional rival. If you need a romantic Rival, superheroes are just regular people that extraordinary things
try Roger Evans. Followers anyone? How about Joan have happened to. Well many of these characters, with a
Armstrong as an aide-de-camp for an investigative hero? little work, could be great bases for superhero characters.
Many of the characters work well as good friends or family or For example, let's look at Stacey Summers. If her husb.and
even just people who like to hang around heroes. Be cre- was murdered by VIPER instead of being killed saving
ative, your players will love you . people from an apartment fire we have a good heroic
motivation, revenge. Add a few more points of martial arts,
ADVENTURE NPCS stats, a katana, pistol, and a costume and POW! We have
Many times an NPC can spark an idea and become the Stacey Summers aka Nightblade; dark crusader of the night!
center of a story or storyline. Each character has their own Other characters that would make good secret identity would
story to tell and many times this can involve the heroes. be Matt or Shanna Armbruster or perhaps Helena Amory.
6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
what they believe is right. Street level heroes, and some-
DIVISIONS times world class heroes, will have a lot of contact with these
characters.
When we started putting this book together we found that
the characters fell into certain groups according to their IN THE SHADOWS
types. In each of these groups we have several characters Beware, brave adventurer, for there are powers and
of varying point levels to give you a wide selection for your creatures beyond the limited scope of mortal ken. If you do
favorite genre. Many of the characters that belong together not believe in them , you will not see them, until it is too late.
are put together in the same division but not all. As an These are the characters that deal almost exclusively with
example, Matt and Shanna Armbruster are married but are the occult. If the heroes encounter a werewolf or unspeak-
in two separate sections. By reading the character write ups able demon. these "people" can be easily involved. If you're
you should be able to determine who is connected with who running a Mystic Masters campaign. these characters could
fairly easily. make good Contacts, DNPCs or even adversaries.

ON THE STREET ON CAMPUS

These are the lowlife, the criminal element and the people Oh through the hallowed halls of learning. Here we have
who deal with them. These are the characters that street the teachers and students of the campaign world, from
level heroes will be dealing with on a regular basis. They are elementary school to the college campus. These characters
the nitty and the gritty of street life. Here you will find drug are perfect for DNPCs for almost any hero (some of them
dealers, hookers, gang members and Informants, in short, already are). Most of these characters are young, and as
the pulse of crime in the city. These people could also be such may need some guidance or a good solid role model to
used for espionage genres in a Super Agents campaign, help them through the troubled years of their early lives.
perhaps altering them to work with classified secrets and These could be the friends and mentors for a group of
microfilm instead of tips and drugs. teenaged superheroes or a teenage auxiliary for a Super
Agents organization . Hey, it's better than trying to find a date
IN THE NAME OF THE LAW for the prom.
This is the flip side of the street. These are the people that
create, administer and uphold the law. You'll find everyone MY LIFE AS A HERO
from the not so average cop on the beat to the powerful Nobody does it alone. Even superheroes need an occa-
Congressmen in Washington D.C. These people are the sional helping hand in their waron crime. Well, here they are.
one's trying to make a difference in their own way. fighting for Need a base built? Here's the architect. Need someone to fix
your plane? Here's the mechanic. Need your head exam-
ined? Here's the psychologist. All of these people are profi-
cient in their areas of expertise and could be used as
consultants for heroic agencies or the targets of kidnapping
by villains. Some of them could also be the basis for a heroic
level, or even superheroic level, character.

IN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

Lights! Camera! Action!
Heroes can be high profile media subjects. ranking among
celebrities and politicians. Moving in these circles could
easily bring them into contact with many of the characters in
this category. From aspiring actresses to TV station owners,
from rock stars to Hollywood producers, you' ll find a wide
range of media personalities to plague the heroes' lives.
Most of these characters will be instrumental to the way the
heroes are perceived by the public. They could also be
instrumental to the way that villains or evil agencies are
perceived by the public.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

This hodgepodge of characters are well suited as support-
ing characters for your campaign; characters that aren't
necessarily involved with the heroes all of the time. These
characters could be used as ON PCs, Contacts, Followers, or
as prominent story characters. Characters range from the
C.E.O of a high tech company, to a rather unique truck driver.
Each one has their own view of your campaign world and
your heroes and should put a spin on your adventures.
Well that's gives you an idea of what's inside this book and
some suggestions of how to use it. We'll get on to the cast in
just a bit , but first a word on the care and upkeep of your
NPCs.
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 7

The types of NPCs that you'll want to create for your game breed crime. Of course then the GM would need to throw in
will vary greatly depending on the type of game you run. a ruthless gangleader who sees the hero's reform efforts as
Street level martial artists and Star-spanning galactic de- a threat to his power or a crime boss who doesn't want his
fenders have different tastes in friends and different require- cheap criminal labor pool dried up. After all this is a comic
ments in NPCs. For our sinister purposes we've tried to book genre. There needs to be an identifiable bad guy in
quantify the different categories of NPCs in the world. What there somewhere for the PC to vent his heroic angst on .
we came up with were Story NPCs (which we've divided into
Supporting Characters and Walk-Ons) and Dependent NPCs. THE DNPC:
As interesting as an NPC might be to you, your goal is to
interest the players. Therefore it is important to consider "I NEED FIFTEEN POINTS!"
what role the NPC can play in relation to the Player Charac- Let's say you have a new player in your game who's new
ters. One major consideration is whether the NPC is de- hero, the Midnight Stalker, has an unnamed Normal DNPC
signed for the character's secret or heroic identity. Don't on 11 or less, who does not have useful noncombat skills or
shortchange the character's secret ID! Beautiful-Lady-Sci- positions. Hey, this guy thinks he just got 15 points out of the
entists and Ultra-Macho SAT Commanders are nothing to ether. No way, Jose.
turn your cape on, but there is also fun to be had in trying to When you start from scratch on a DNPC, there are several
explain to your sweetheart why you missed your anniversary things that can give you guidelines right from the start. What
dinner. How about trying to get the jump on the sleazy co- the player has given you to work with, the frequency roll for
worker in your firm who's using your excessive absence to the NPC to be involved in an adventure, the competency
turn the boss against you. You could plan a whole evening's level of the NPC, and whether the NPC is supposed to have
run around the PC's secret ID and never even sight a a useful position or useful skills. Remember when designing
supervillain. DNPCs, as opposed to Story NPCs, that Dependent NPCs
When creating an NPC, try to keep in mind a few things. are supposed to be dependent on the Hero. Someone the
An NPC's personality should compliment the PC's, not hero thinks he needs to look out for.
parrot it, unless you're specifically trying to show the hero The easiest way to come up with an idea, is to steal it from
some fault in himself. Work on finding out what your player's the player! This has the dual advantage of saving you work
goals are and try to fulfill them through your NPCs. If you and giving the player the type of ON PC that he really wanted.
have a ''world builder" in your game, an apprentice who (Of course some restraint from the GM is required.) Midnight
wants to help him build his vision could be a good choice. For Stalker cannot have the head of PRIMUS as his brother, he
a romantic player provide a good relationship potential, has what you might call a "useful noncombat position." In our
fraught with problems of availability, consequences, conflict- example case, the player hasn'tthought much about who his
ing goals and other soap opera standards. NPCs are your DNPC might be, he only knows that he needs 15 points or
most important tool for developing the hero's personality, he'll have to lose the force field belt. As far as ideas go, he's
don't ignore them or relegate them to being only plot devices. worthless to you, move on.
NPCs can BE plots. Look at the chance for the NPC to appear in a scenario. If
NPCs can be used to inspire a hero to action (the classic the roll is 14 or less, you're going to have to concentrate on
helpless victim), show him a side of something he hadn't people who have good reasons to hang around superheroes
seen before (the companion who sees things more clearly All the Time! Anyone with a 14 or less DNPC should have a
because he's not looking through a mask), make the hero constant thorn in his side. It is almost impossible to properly
take a good look at himself ("There but for the grace of God annoy the hero with a 14 or less DNPC, unless the DNPC is
go I."), or for plain old comic relief (the possibilities for humor involved with his normal persona, and his superheroic
in comic books are limitless; only a real hero can laugh at alterego. Important safety tip: This doesn't mean that he
himself) . However you decide to go, the mostimportantthing knows that they are the same person. A good choice could
is to get the NPC involved in the plot and make the players be the hero's ancient manservant, heroic little sidekick
want to interact with him. wannabe or a journalist who's writing the hero's memoirs.
In this pursuit, conflict is the key. Even the character's best For the Midnight Stalker, we have an 11 or less roll, which
friends would be boring if all they ever did was agree with means roughly every other adventure, so the options are
him. NPCs should give the heroes a new slant on their world. pretty open. A girlfriend would be OK, if the player didn't mind
For example, if the hero wanted to go downtown and start his PC being removed from the "romantic politics" of the
teaching the gangs a lesson, an NPC with a gang back- game. This would work for an 11 or less, so we'll go with it.
ground might try to convince the hero that the youths are only This DNPC doesn't have any useful noncombat skills, but
a symptom of bigger problems in the city. Perhaps he could that doesn't preclude an interesting profession, or even a
do more good by helping them get out of the social-traps that high skill roll. The Midnight Stalker's secret identity is mild
a - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
mannered accountant Buddy Martin, so we'll say his girl- way the GM is twisting a lock of hair or snapping his fingers
friend is a secretary in the office where he works. "His constantly. This is important for both types of NPCs. This
girlfriend is a secretary in the office where he works." simple technique can tum a normal game into a gripping
Now, Nell the generic girlfriend is boring. She needs some drama or a riotous comedy. Great honesty, caring for others.
hooks to perk her up. What about the reason she gets cynicism. curiosity, vanity, social ineptitude, passion f·or his
involved in the Hero's adventures? Remember, a DNPC has profession, all o1 these are good hooks for an NPC and there
to get into trouble or they're not worth any points. How about are lots of-examples in this book.
this? Due to a tragic (probably supervillain related) accident, The Walk-on
Nell is raising her nephew, Freddie. Freddie is the Midnight The Supporting Character is by far the most important
Stalker's biggest fan, so Nell was trying to meet him to get his
autograph. When she did, she fell in love at first sight. Now non-villain NPC in your world, butthe whole universe can't be
she spends her nigllts dreaming of her new love, and her as developed as the supporting characters. No GM has that
days brushing off that nerdy Buddy Whatsisname. Ooh, this much time. But then again the world can't be composed of
is getting good. With a bit more work Nell would acquire blank panels. Stories are boring without Walk-On NPCs to
enough detail to interest the player every other game. color the background. It only takes a second to slip a quirk
into a passing NPC, and the results can turn a dry descriptive
sentence into ten minutes of great role-playing.
STORY NPCS Instead of just saying that the hero took a cab to the scene,
Now let's talk about Story NPCs. These are the folks who have him get in the cab and find that his driver is an out of
will make up the rest of the world apart from DNPCs. work opera periormer named Lorenzo, driving a cab to
Creating Story NPCs is a little different from creating ON PCs. support himself. Of course he's gotta keep his voice in shape
A Story NPC isa character that you create to interact with the ... all the way across town. Did I mention that the selections
PCs or to fill a role ina plot, but who is not necessarily directly are from a new opera that he just wrote about the life of Elvis?
connected to any of the heroes, or in fact, even on their side "Figaro ... Baby."
of the law. Scum are Story NPCs too, even thugs, (who are A particularly good Walk-On NPC can even graduate to a
Walk-Ons incidentally). Technically, supervillains fall into Regular Background Character, sort of a recurring walk-on .
this class as well, but there are Enemies books to deal with Like the same security officer on the bridge or the same cops
them. You may find that your game becomes richer if you in the station every episode. You may not really get to know
concentrate on building a criminal personality first, and add them, but their continued presence gives a sense of continu-
powers on top, instead of just putting together effective ity to the world. Lorenzo the Gabbie may not be central to
powers and then trying to come up with a decent reason for your plot, but imagine the hero's reaction when, in a later
the guy to hate the heroes. We found that most NPCs can be game, he needs to follow the bad guys in an inconspicuous
dropped into one of the following categories. manner. pronto. He quickly hails down a passing cab and
The Supporting Character
..."Figaro ... Baby." "Oh, No!"
Supporting Characters are the ones you expect the hero Remember, the real world is much stranger than anything
you might dream up for your game.
to see time and time again, to develop friendships with or
hostility toward. They could be a girlfriend or boyfriend, the
hero's boss at work, a best friend, a rival In the office, or a NPC POWER LEVEL
sidekick. These NPCs need to be firmly established, so the This section is actually about "relative" power level. In this
player can get a handle on how this person will react to a book we've divided NPCs according to the standard Hero
given situation. A good way to start is for the NPC have one System divisions of power: incompetent, normal, skilled,
or two overshadowing traits that act as a base for the rest of competent and slightly less powerful than the PCs. Now if
the character. I cannot stress the importance of good per- you take a moment to check the Hero Ru/esbook, you'll find
sonality "hooksn enough. When a player is conversing with that Dependent NPCs are not graded on such an accurate
the GM, he shouldn't have to ask who he's talking to, he scale. In fact, anything from "normaf' on up is the same
ought to be able to tell from the responses, 1·he accent, the disadvantage, at least until you enter the realm of "slightly
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - g

less powerful." In your game, you'll have to play with the police force or gets a job as a reporter for Super-Hype
numbers a bit and make some judgements about what magazine, the hero might find the points getting less worth
exactly "slightly less powerful" is in your game. the trouble. An NPC losing his job can cause some friction,
What this means is that your "normal" DNPC, (+5 points), especially if it was caused by taking time off to help the hero.
could be built with 25, 50 or 100 points and still fall into the A fight between an NPC and a hero can be interesting, with
broad range of "normal" to "slightly less powerful." In the end the NPC telling the hero to take off, but the hero knowing that
it depends on where the GM puts the SLP breakpoint. In something might happen to her if he leaves.
some heroic or low level street superhero games, Rex the What if your DNPC girlfriend meets someone else? Is she
bartender could hold his own with the PCs and qualify as still your DNPC? What if that someone else is another hero,
SLP, but your basic world-spanning megaheroes would or worse, a villain? Don't be afraid to make adjustments to
consider him "normal ," even though he costs 100 points. your NPCs. In the course of a campaign the heroes will
If you add up the numbers you might find that a couple of develop, and so should the people around them.
the "incompetent" NPCs in this book are builtwith a few more There are a lot of good ways of perking up your game as
than 0 points, and a few of the "competent" NPCs only use you go along. Many of them involve drastic changes to an
80 points instead of their full 100. This discrepancy is a NPC's attitude, but some don't. Changing an NPCs relation-
matter of judgement on the writer's part. An old lady with a ship with the heroes can be very subtle. The team's pilot NPC
few points in Perks is still effectively incompetent for combat has always been married, but now he gets divorced or
purposes, although she might be considered to have useful widowed . Although his relationship with the heroes is not
noncombat skills, (-5 points) . The idea is to use the points as directly affected, he has now become a potential romantic
a guide but not an absolute. Use your own judgement. interest. Subtle, but definitely a change.
It's impo11antto realize that every NPC isn't going to fi1 into
KEEPING THE NEILSONS HAPPY every game session. In fact some NPCs are much better if
used sparingly. T he heroine may not mind her boyfriend
As your game goes on, you might find the players becom-
showing up constantly, {he is on a 14 or less after all), but
ing bored with the same NPCs every week. You can partly
someone like Jimmy Dugan, the insufferable reporter, would
alleviate this with a fresh supply of new faces, but the players
get tiring instead of amusing were he to show up every game.
will also want to have their old familiars around , (and you
Figure out which NPCs your players really like and give them
thought kids were hard to please?). One good way to stave
what they want, but not too much of it.
off the NPC blahs, is to ground the NPC firmly in your
For good NPC relationship development, I can't recom-
campaign's reality. If something traumatic happens to the
heroes, the NPC should react accordingly. If she is kid- mend "Blue Booking" strongly enough. For those of you
unfortunate enough not to have read Aaron Allston's Strike
napped by a villain or trapped in a base that almost blows up,
Force supplement, go out and buy it, we'll wait right here ...
the hero might find that his girlfriend's attitude toward him
Ah, now look in the section on campaigning, and you'll see
has changed. Being a superhero's mate can be stressful too.
that blue booking is the practice of using a composition book
Keep thinking for the NPC. Is she going to stay mad for a
long time, perhaps leave the base or break off a relationship or spiral pad instead of little scraps of paper to send your
with her hero out of concern that she might again be used as "paranoia notes" to the GM. You can carry on conversations
this way with greater freedom, (especially when the GM is
a pawn? Will she decide to get some martial arts training to
playing someone of the opposite gender from him/herself).
better protect herself or will she buy a gun or maybe seek out
and on top of that you I-ave a permanent record o·f what the
a way to get superpowers of her own? This could lead to
some good adventures, as the hero seeks to stop her from heck you were doing six sessions ago. You can use them to
endangering herself. Remember, he's getting points for her, keep notes on things that happen, to jot down yourcharacter's
so she's got to be a burden sometimes. thoughts about something , or to let the GM know what you'll
Mundane things can also cause a change. If a DNPC be doing between adventures.
Now without further delay, lets meet the cast.
student finally graduates from college and, say, joins the
10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

Welcome to the streets of the city. Wet concrete, flickering capable of that, and more. But instead of being repulsed by
neon, gunshots too close for comfort and sirens too far in the it, Tandy found that it excited her to be with a man who could,
distance. The city is a living thing with parasites that call at any moment, kill another person. Someone who had
themselves citizens. Some of them live in harmony with their crossed that invisible line that makes one man a hunter and
host. others carelessly destroy it, and a few are intent on the everyone else his prey.
elusive dream of finally controlling the beast. In this section Tandy found herself in a whirlwind of illicit activity. When
we've included both Qood guys and bad girls, crusaders and her father found a vial of cocaine in her room he lost all
defilers, but all of them play out their dramas on the seedier restraint and threw her out. He regretted his rash decision
side of the tracks. These are the people that Streetwise skill almost immediately, but his daughter never came back to
was created for. hear his apology. Topps gave Tandy a new home and she
remained determined to please him . Tandy had never had
anyone tell her that she was something special, but Topps
did. She found a sense of exhilaration in doing things for him,
TANDY WEST especially risky things, like seducing the Dean (so Ananias
could blackmail the man into changing his grades), or
(Incompetent Normal, Topp's Girl) "entertaining" the powerful men that Topps wanted to im-
press. Tandy became adept at pleasing powerful and de-
8 STR 10 DEX 8 CON 7 BODY 8 INT manding men and when Topps graduated he brought her
5EGO 8 PRE 24 COM 2 PD 2 ED with him into the larger circle of organized crime.
2 SPD 4 REC 16 END 15 STUN
Personality/Motivation: The sounds of the party down-
Powers/Skills: Seduction 15-; High (Criminal) Society stairs filtered up through the bedroom floor as a muffled
12-; KS: Influential Criminal Men 12-; AK: Ritzy drone. Rocco didn't know why she'd told him to come
Shopping Malls 12- upstairs for a conference with his boss. "Stop playing games,
Tandy. Where's Ananias? You said he wanted to see me."
·20 +Disadvantages: Vulnerability: 2 x effect from "I fibbed." she said giggling, slowly extending her leg
PRE attacks by powerful/handsome men; Attracted to through the long slit in her dress and pushing the bedroom
powerful/dangerous men; Low self esteem; Cocaine door closed with her stockinged foot. "Ananias didn't want to
addiction; Distinctive Feature (Voluptuous Blonde see you." She stepped toward him and snaked her arms
Bimbo); Watched by Ananias Topps, 11-; 2d6 Unluck around his neck. She had to stand on her tiptoes to press her
lips close to those of her boss' assistant, "I did." She kissed
OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 2; Phases: 6, 12 him, one of her best kisses, the extra-long one. "I know which
way the wind's blowing, Honey. I wanna be on the winning
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base side."
-17 + 22 = 5 = 25 + -20 Rocco was initially paranoid but Tandy recognized the
signs of resistance. She pulled her dress aside just enough
to compensate for his fear, and saw the gleam that she was
Background: Tandy West was raised in the city with her
looking for in the huge man's eyes.
seven brothers and sisters. She was always part of a crowd,
never getting much in the way of recognition or special "You're a smart kid, Tandy. You'll go a long way in this
business . I've got a scam going with Taccelli that will put
treatment from her peers. But one junior high summer, the
magic of biology went to work and all that changed. Tandy Rocco on the top, and Topps on the bottom. The next boss
of Ananias Topps' empire is going to reward you for your
went back to school with a figure that the boys went crazy for.
foresight. " He took off his jacket and began to unbuckle his
A lot of boys wanted her, but Tandy's destiny found her
shoulder holster, but stopped. looking just a bit unsure.
before any of her prospective charmers could sweep her
away. Ananias Topps. "Where's Topps?"
"Don't worry. Do you think I'd try something like this if I
Topps was a Senior, but he allowed her to date him
anyhow, as long as she kept him from getting bored. Every- didn't know exactly where he was?"
"Yeah," he said tossing his gun aside, "He'd kill you too
one knew that Topps was a dangerous glly to cross. It was
even rumored that he was responsible for Johnny's motor- wouldn't he?"
cycle "accident." Johnny's gang had tried to cut in on Topp's A voice from behind froze Rocco's blood, "Yes," Topps
drug sales at school and had paid the price. As she got to said smoothly, "I would, if she wasn't a,cting on my orders."
Topps stood in the doorway, flanked by his armed hench-
know him better, Tandy had no doubt that Ananias was fully
men, Mr. Right and Mr. Left.
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11

"Ananias, I was ... uh ..." Rocco stammered, trying to Tandy has a rather expensive cocaine habit, which keeps
come up with a life-saving phrase. her on a short tether to her boyfriend/boss. It bothers her that
"Mr. Left, escort Ms. West back to the party." Topps sleeps around with "his girls," but she isn't stupid
Tandy picked up her purse and took a long last look at enough to say anything about it, and pretends not to notice.
Rocco's finely muscled body. She wouldn't be seeing him She has had several affairs behind Topps' back, including
again. As she walked down the hall toward the stairs, her arm one with a notorious assassin.
around Mr Left's, she listened intently. Pop-Pop. Two si-
lenced shots. Tandy checked her lipstick, and wished that Quote: While slinking up against the hero: "You can't deny
Ananias could have waited just a little longer ... that you're attracted to me. After all , you're wearing a
Tandy is a stunningly beautiful girl who finds the danger- skintight costume."
ous underworld of criminal wealth and power irresistibly
PowerslTactics: Tandy has a sultry attitude that could
exciting. The men who wield the power of life and death over
tempt a virtuous man to rethink his views, or possibly a hero
others give her a thrill she can't find anywhere else. No drug to break the "unwritten code." She knows what to do to make
can match the power1ul rush she gets from seducing a man
a man want her, and how to let him take her. Her knowledge
while her boss watches from the next room, preparing to
about Topps' operations is more extensive than he'd like to
deliver a fatal climax to her partner. She has become jaded think, but she isn't suicidal enough to think about revealing
to the "facts of life," of cold-blooded murder, drugs as candy, it.
and her body being just another toy in the games of power
It should be noted that her High Society skill isn't for
played by the men in her life. dealing with Royalty or Congressional fund-raisers, but
Her conscience hasn't bothered her recently, so she
instead, with the etiquette of the Criminal Empires that she
thinks that she's got it licked, but it might still be in there
lives with. When its appropriate for weapons to be carried
somewhere, waiting for a hero to appeal to it. She would
and when its considered insulting, when to take a powder
never plan to cross Topps on her own, but a man of sufffcient and leave the men to "business," and how to discreetly
charisma might be able to turn her on him. The main thing
evaluate the quality of drugs.
that keeps her in her present situation, is her low opinion of
herself. Without her role in the criminal world, Tandy thinks Appearance: If an angel could be persuaded to wear a dress
she'd be just another floozy, probably turning tricks for Topps this revealing, she might start to resemble the package of
or someone like him. feminine desirability that is Tandy West. Her form is a work
of art, with each small portion carefully sculpted to compli-
ment every other. Her platinum blonde hair frames her
perfect face and full lips, drawing your attention to follow as
it spills down over her shoulders and ... onward. Tandy is
always dressed to keep Ananias' image of perfection intact.
She shops in the ritzy stores downtown and wears a variety
of designer labels and fancy jewelry, given to her by Topps.
She normally caries a small pocketbook, which might hide a
gun on an occasion that Ananias thinks might call for one.
Campaign Use: Tandy can be presented as a vixen tool of
Ananias T019ps, or as a tragic character driven to ruin by her
desires. In any case, she should be more than a simple
"moll." Although she is associated with Ananias Topps,
Tandy is not a prostitute, at least not in the pure sense of the
word. There might be some things that she wouldn't do if
Topps told her to, but sleeping with a guy she doesn't like isn't
one of them. As an interesting plot, Ananias could plan to use
Tandy to seduce a hero to ruin. If you wanted to get even
deeper, she might actually find the unattainable hero infi-
nitely more alluring than her normal fare and offer to turn over
a new leaf if the hero will only ...
Tandy was thrown out of her parent's house while in high
school and hasn't had contact with her family during the
years since. Her brothers and sisters would not have any
idea what had become of her. Perhaps Tandy is the sister of
one of the heroes; this could put the hero in an awkward
position as he realizes with shock that the bombshell hang-
ing on Topps' arm is actually his long lost sibling. Under
those circumstances she could even be a DNPC, as the hero
would feel obliged to look out for her (not an easy task).
12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o n n a l s Unbound

MADAME
JEANTELLE LAREAU
(Competent Norma l, Drug Czaress)

10 STA 14 DEX 13 CON 10 BODY 181NT

18 EGO 20 PRE 20 COM 3 PD 3 ED
3 SPD 5 REC 26 END 22 STUN

Powers/Skills : KS: The Drug Trade 13-; KS: Pharmaceu-

ticals 13-; KS: Illegal Drugs 13-; Pharmacology 13-; PS:
Dru~ Chemist 13-; Seduction 13-; Streetwise 13-; High
Society 13-; Inventor 13-; KS: Financial Management
13·; Fluent English w/ Accent (French is Native);
Scholar

Perks: Money: Well OH

50 +Disadvantages: Brutal Criminal Mind; Would rather

die than be poor again ; Vengeful to those who oppose
or spurn Iler; Protective of her child; Distinctive Feature
(Stunning , Jewel-laden Vixen in an $18,000 dress);
Reputation (Deadly to cross) . 11 ·; DNPC: Jean Michael
Lareau (infant son), 8-; Watched by Ananias Topps,
11 -; Watched by the FBI, 8·

OCV: 5; DCV: 5; ECV: 6; Phases: 4, 8, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base

68 + 32 = 100 = 50 + 50

Background: Jeantelle Lareau grew up on the outskirts of importance and afforded her great wealth , but her desires
Paris, the daughter of a poor farmer. All she knew through were not yet satisfied . With barely a thought, she eliminated
her early me was poverty and misery. She hated it, and her lover and took control of his business with a swift and
vowed to spit in the eye of the fate that had decided to make dea~ly hand. Since that time her operations have expanded,
her live in wretched poverty! Somehow, by any means, she mak1~g her a major figure in the manufacturing of illegal
would beco~e rich! In her teens, she moved to Paris proper chemicals. Through her corporation, Lareau Pharmaceutt-
where she discovered she had one very big asset in her cals, she researches even cheaper and more captivating
favor. Men liked her. At ff rst she used this asset in limited products for her eager customers.
ways, surviving on the money she made as a prostitute. In the last decade, the European drug market has become
Years later, she was found by the president of a French pale in comparison to the specter that grips America in its
research firm who fancied her company. Jeantelle didn't addictive clutches. This very lucrative market has lured
mind it one bit, seeing as he paid her in one month what she several criminal organizations to turn a hungry eye to the
usually made in one year. Over the next few months, she potential clientele waiting for them in the United States.
hecame increasingly fascinated by the wealth and power Madame La reau has finally decided to relocate her endeav-
that her benefactor wielded and wanted her share. She ors to this new market. where the laws of the land protect her
studied the man's "business" dealings, and discovered that from "harassment" by the police. making it easier to distrib-
he was actually a key figure in the European drug trade ute her wares without interference from the government.
making his fortune as a front man for drug manufacturing But even she is not completely independent, she needs
operations all over France. support from the established criminal elements if her en-
Jeantelle demanded that he make her a part of his empire. deavor is to thrive without interference. The Mob has given
She wanted to become part of the criminal world that had her Ananias Topps, a local criminal figure who has been put
brought him so much wealth and power. Mistaking her desire in charge of d istributing her wares and making sure that his
for a foolish whim, he agreed, but he was soon surprised. organization gets its portion of the profits. This international
During this time. Jeantelle discovered that she had a special move is bold but nothing compared to how far she came in
1
aptitude for chemistry. especially for drugs. She made break- the years before.
throughs in synthetic drugs that Increased the group's profits
dramatically. Her successes brought her into a position of
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Personality/Motivation: Madame Lareau is a vicious and Campaign Use: Along with Ananias Topps, Madame Lareau
seductive woman who schemes to achieve her criminal and is designed to give your campaign a place that the heroes
political ambitions without any regard for the lives of the can focus their efforts to combat tile drug and prostitution
people she is addicting to her poisonous wares. She wishes trade in their city. If your game has an international flavor,
to totally conquer her enemies, psychologically as well as you can add some details about the father of Lareau's son,
physically. She has slept with more that one rival before or even alter her background and decide that one of the PCs
informing him that he would never have another woman is the father. When using Lareau, remember that she is a
because he would, thereafter, be dead. She never mentions woman who thrives on power. She will not place herself in a
her childhood, seeing it as a blemish on her life, a barrier to situation where she can be easily threatened. She will
the power that she knew was fated to be hers. always have plenty of muscle on hand, as well as threats to
Her emotions are a black void, caring for no person more stay the hero's hand. "One milligram of this undlluted 'Black
than for herself, and the power she seeks. Her only weak- Glass' powder could paralyze you with pleasure, resulting in
ness is for her infant son, Jean Michael Lareau, conceived certain death after your brief euphoria. What if I have one of
during a liaison with a French superhero, before she ended my men drop a five kilogram brick in the reservoir? Not so
his career permanently. But even her feelings for her child brave now, Mon Cher? Perhaps you can convince me to be
are oriented more toward saving him as a future tool (in case merciful?" She does not make idle threats.
his father's powers are passed on), than motherly love.
Madame Lareau is a flagrant and dangerous woman who
has climbed to wealth and criminal power over a pile of
corpses. She enjoys the thrill of seeing a foe's spirit crushed, ANANIAS TOPPS
it is the only drug that she permits herself.
(Competent Normal, Illegitimate Businessman)
Quote: "They lie, steal. kill, to purchase my nectar. They chip
away at their souls piece by piece, forming a void, an abyss 13 STA 13 DEX 13 CON 11 BODY 15 INT
that reaehes to the core of their very being. A need that they 13 EGO 18 PRE 16COM 5PD 3ED
must fulfil. A hunger that only I can satiate."
3 SPD 6REC 26 END 25 STUN
Powers/Tactics: With her resources in the criminal world,
Powers/Skills: Streetwise 13-; Seduction 13-; Persuasion
Madame Lareau is a formidable opponent. She might not be
13-; Bribery 13-; Interrogation 13-; Skill enhancer: Well
able to go toe-to-toe with a superhero, but you can bet that
connected; KS: Business 13-; AK: the city 13-; KS:
she has superviUain retainers on hand if she needs them,
possibly addicted to (or oreated by) her latest illegal psycho- Competitors 12-; PS: Pimp 13-; Lang: Spanish (Fluent);
active drug. She is dependent on Ananias Topps to distribute
+1 Running (7" total)
her drugs to the masses, a situation she would prefer to
Perks: Well off; Contacts: "Freddie the Fink" Furghetti
correct. The Mob would, however, take a dim view of being
11 ·, Vice Squad Detective 11 -, Mob Boss 11-, Drug
cut out of the loop, and she is not yet prepared to deal with
Pusher 11·, File Clerk in the D.A.'s office 11·
the full force of the American drug lords.
Her knowledge of the drug trade and its financial workings, 50 +Disadvantages: Ultra-cool professional; Greedy;
is rivaled only by her genius at pharmacology. Madame Distinctive Features (Yuppie); Reputation (Mobster)
Lareau deals only in the highest grade of synthetic, highly 11-; Watched by Mob, 8-; Professional Rivalry (Ma-
addictive drugs such as "Pixie," "Heaven," and her new dame Jeantelle Lareau)
"Black Glass," an indescribably effective pleasure inducing
hallucinogen that literally leaves its victims "dying for more." OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12
She has impressive, but not infinite finances, although
you'd never guess it from her spending habits. She sur- Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
rounds herself with luxuries, which she can afford because 51 + 49 = 100 = 50 + 50
her income depends on the weakness of human nature (a
reliable industry). She is exceptionally skilled at manipulat-
Background: Of all the things in the world that Ananias
ing individuals, especially men. She keeps Jean Michael
Topps wanted, there was nothing he wanted more than
near her at all times but is careful not to reveal his existence
money. It wasn't that he had grown up poor or deprived, far
to her associates.
from it, his family was quite wealthy. However, they had
.Appearance: Madame Jeantelle Lareau is an incredibly taught their son that money and power were everything and
gorgeous European woman with full lips and a distracting nothing should stand in your way of getting it. After all. with
body. Her black hair is styled in the latest fashion, right along money and power you can do anything. So, at the age of 21 ,
with her wardrobe. Her extensive collection of furs and Ananias had his parents killed for their insurance money and
exquisite jewelry make an impression wherever she is seen. his inheritance. Throughout school, he blackmailed his teach-
She dresses like a countess, spends like an heiress and kills ers into giving him g0od grades, hired football players as
like a tigress. She appears to be in her late twenties, but is bodyguards, sold drugs to other students, and even started
actually closer to forty. a prostitution ring operating out of the sororities. Where ever
there was a business opportunity, legal or not, Ananias was
there getling his cut.
14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
the best and most high class of all "escorts• in the city. On
special occasions, he will even select their wardrobe and
perfume, he insists on quality. He has applied everything he
knows about business to each of his areas of interest. He is
always the cool, professional businessman in all of his
dealings. He loves all the perks his current job gives him, he
even has a set of offices In the business district of the city, but
that doesn't mean he isn't interested in moving up. He is
currently working on his next promotion .

Quote: "My records show that you are late with your monthly
payment. I'm afraid my assistants will have to extract the
interest due."
Powersffactlcs: Ananias is well versed on most illegal
operations and mob activities in the city. His keen business
sense allows him to make the most out of any opportunity.
Ananias can bribe all but the most honest of people and has
several connections throughout the city that keep him well
informed. He is never seen wilhout his two bodyguards
known only as Mr. Right and Mr. Left. (Use the Competent
Normal from Champions pg. 134 but add +5 STA, +2 PRE,
+3 PD, Weapon Fam/Firearms; Martial Arts: Di11y infighting,
and a 9mm Browning HP.) They handle all of his dirty work
so his hands won't get dirty. Ananias carries no weapons
himself.
Appearance: Ananias Topps is a handsome man with sharp
features. He is 5'9" tall and weighs 150 lbs with a lean,
muscled body, kept in excellent physical condition. His icy
white hair is moussed to perfection. His wardrobe is filled
with the most expensive suits he can find, all perfectly
tailored to fit. He sometimes wears round, wire-rimmed
glasses and his eyes are blue.
Just as with many other students, because of his achieve-
ments, Ananias had a job waiting for him when he graduated. Campaign Use: The best use for Ananias Topps is as a
One with great benefits, travel, opportunities for advance- villain. He could be lhe mobster that is extorting money from
ment, executive perks, and a wide range of complimentary a heroes friend who owns a small business, or perhaps he
company services. So what if it was the Mob? The job was arranged for a DNPC to be roughed up for being late with a
just too good to pass up. "loan" payment. He could also be the cause of a gang war as
Within a few years, Ananias had become one of the top he attempts to take over rival territory. Ananias might also be
men within the mob structure. He had his fingers into the mastermind behind a new flood of drugs or weapons into
everything, drugs, weapons. prostitution (by far his favorite), the city. If a hero has a young female DNPC that is prone to
numbers, protection, or anything that would turn a profit. And getting into trouble, she might fall into Topp's clutches,
everything he had his fingers in turned a big, fat profit . He was forcing the hero to rush to save her from "a fate worse than
making himself look very, very good to the boys in the death." The heroes could even meet him while in their secret
boardroom. IDs at a posh health club.
One of the things he is not, is a good source of information.
Personality/Motivation: Ananias Topps is a ruthless. greedy,
Remember, he will never cross, or double cross the Mob.
yuppie scum. If someone were to pay him enough money, he
The heroes would have to come up with a very good reason
would run over his own mother, were she alive. with his
for Topps to talk, and even then he would give out precious
BMW. Ananias can smell money or a money making oppor-
little.
tunity, and he always comes out on top. He would never dare
cross his employers, seeing this not as loyalty, but as a smart
business practice. You can't make money when you're dead.
He keeps tabs on all of his operations personally, especially
his prostitution rackets. He "inte1views" each girl himself and
selects only the best. earning his girls the reputation as being
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15
some and then makes you do the same. It makes the night
SUGAR not seem too bad and you like the way it makes you feel. So
now you've got a "sweet tooth" for more candy, and you'll
(Incompetent Normal, Girl of the Streets) take that as payment a lot of times. And now you're into
Topps for a bundle.
8 STA 12 DEX 8 CON 8 BODY 10 INT Your name is Sugar. You're 16 years old, and you're a
prostitute.
9 EGO 8 PRE 14 COM 2 PD 2 ED
2 SPD 4 REC 16 END 16 STUN Personality/Motivation: Sugar is a helpless, emotional
leech. She is constantly looking tor her "prince" to come to
Skills: Seduction 11 -; Streetwise 11 -; PS: Prostitute 12-; take her away from all her problems, so much so that when
AK: Street 12-; WF: Pistols any man shows her even a small amount of kindness she
"falls in love" with him. She is completely unable to make any
·20 +Disadvantages: Cannot make own decisions; important decisions so she will depend on others, especially
Easily falls in "love"; Distinctive Feature (Hooker) her prince-of-the-week, to make those decisions tor her. This
could place a hero in a very difficult position if he is nice to
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12 Sugar. She will latch on to him, and expect him to feel the
same way towards her. When she does finally realize the
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
truth, she often falls into a depression that'sclose to suicidal.
-8 + 13 = 5 = 25 + -20 She dopes herself up on cocaine at every opportunity to
escape from the reality of her everyday life, and, if things
Background: When all you can remember of your 12 years become desperate, would sell her soul for just a few grams.
of life is your mother's drinking and your father's hitting and Personally, Sugar is quiet and soft spoken always differing
hurting and both of them yelling and screaming, running to whatever male she is with .
away can seem like a very good idea. You hope that you can
find someone to help you that won't hurt you, who can take
you away from all your problems. And when you get off the
bus, that's who you meet. You don't know how they picked
you out of the crowd, but they did. They smile, a lot, and tell
you how they can help you, take care of you, show you
around . You try and ask a few questions. They give a few
cloudy answers but mostly they just smile a lot. The next
thing you know, you're riding in a nice car with two other girls
about your age, maybe a little older, and you pull up in front
of a run down hotel. The people outside scare you, but they
tell you not to worry. They show you to your room and give
you some clothes to wear and give you some dinner. The
mom is okay, and it is all yours. but when they leave, they
lock the door and the windows are barred. Now you're really
scared.
Later that night a man unlocks the door and comes into
your room. He says that now it's time to pay back the favors
he's given you. He wants you to do things that you don't want
to. But when you tell him that, he hur1s you and makes you
do them anyway. This goes on for the next few nights until
you learn that when you don't fight, he doesn't hurt you. He's
even nice to you, calls you Sugar, because you're so sweet.
The name sticks.
The next couple of years are a blur, but now you're out on
the street with some of the other girls all making "dates." Most
of the men are all the same, some are mean, but some are
nice. You think you've met a few that will take you away from
all this, but they never do. So you keep looking for your
"Prince Charming." Maybe someday you'll find him. One of
the men brings some white p.owder with him one night. He
says it's "Sugar for my Sugar," and he laughs. First he snorts
16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
Quote: "Hi. Are you looking for a girlfriend?"

Powers/Tactics: Sugar is a professional prostitute who

CLAYTON COOPER
knows all the aspects of her job. Spending so much time on
the street, she also is aware of things that are happening and (Normal, Investigative Reporter)
is a good source of information. If she were ever caught out
13 STA 8 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 13 INT
in the middle of a fight she would either run and hide in the
darkest comer she could find or attach herself to any friendly 10 EGO 13 PRE 8COM 3PD 2ED
male hero making a definite hazaFd to herself. 2 SPD 5 REC 20 END 23 STUN

Appearance: Sugar is a sixteen year old girl who looks years Powers/Skills: PS: Newspaper Reporter 12-; KS: Local
older than she really is, but still has a very girlish look to her. Business and Politics 12-; Bureaucratics 12-
She is around 5'6" tall and weighs 100 lbs. Her eyes are
always bloodshot and she has a runny nose. She tends to Perks: Press Pass; Well Connected; Contacts: Freddie
dress in tight mini skirts, ridiculously high heels, and reveal- "the Fink" Furghetti 11-, "Poppa" Caccitore 11-, the
ing tank tops. Mayor's secretary 11-, Mr. Left (see Ananias Topps)
11-, Nurse at City Hospital 11 -, Police crimelab tech.
Campaign Use: Sugar is a very tragic character as the 11-; Various False IDs and business cards (Health
heroes will diseover when they meet her. A hero could meet Inspector, Telephone Repairman, etc.)
her in a very classic way, perhaps saving her from being beat
up by her pimp, but then find that he is now the object of O +Disadvantages: Nosey/Curious; Loses all composure
Sugar's unshakable affection. This may even be cute for a when a woman "comes on to him"; Distinctive Feature
short while, but after that it should become clear just how (Pudgy, balding man with glasses); Watched by the
serious S,µgar is. She will begin trying to find the hero and Mob, 8-
when she does find him she will hang on to him, try to be
helpful, and expect to be taken along when the hero leaves. OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 2, 6
Of course when the hero spurns sugar's affection, whether
he does it gently or not, she will fall into a deep, suicidal Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
depression. This will put the hero in a difficult position. He will 4 + 21 = 25 = 25 + 0
have to keep her from doing something stupid, like trying to
kill herself, but then he will have saved her again and could Background: Clayton Cooper grew up in the city with his
run the risk of going through all of this again. He could always mother. His father had left when he was too young to
try to help her out of her dilemma but he is going to be remember. They were not rich, but his mother worked hard
shouldering a great burden. It may indeed be a test of a to provicle for her son, and as soon as Clay could ride a bike,
hero's mettle to see if he can conquer the problems of society he was doing odd jobs for neighbors or local shopkeepers.
instead of Mechanon. Sugar could also be introduced to a Anything to help out. His hard work and honesty impressed
character who is going after Ananias Topps. Sugar could be his employers and he never had any shortage of work to do.
a source of information to the hero and become involved in When his mother became too sick to work, Clay quit high
his case only to betray the hero for a few grams of coke. Keep school and worked even harder to provide the kind of care
in mind that no matter how hard the hero tries, he may never
she deserved. When she died, Clay knew that she'd been as
be able to solve all of Sugar's problems unless he can make comfo11able as he could make her, and that she was proud
her realize that she has some measure of self worth. Even of him.
then , she may slip back into her old familiar surroundings. While working on the loading dock at the Daily Star
Gazette, Clay met aging newspaperman JerryBrown. Brown
took Clay under his wing and got him a job as a copyboy in
the newsroom. Clay had never seen such a chaotic place! He
found it difficult to believe that anything was getting done with
everybody yelling and running around in random directions
and tossing papers at each other. With Brown's encourage-
ment, Clay learned the ropes of the newspaper business and
took night classes to get his high school diploma .
Clay never would have considered becoming a reporter,
but when Mr. Brown had that accident, he couldn't sit around
and do nothing. Mr. Brown would never have driven his ear
into the river. They said he'd been drunk, but they were
wrong, and Clay swore he would prove it.
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 17
Unfortunately, since Clay was so busy working all through
his childhood, he missed out on some important details of
adolescence. For instance, girls. Clay doesn't deal well with
women outside of a professional atmosphere. He could fire
questions at a mobster's secretary until she crossed her own
story and fell into tears, out if a girl put her arms around him
he's be lucky to stammer his own name. (" ... and another
thing, Ms. West! Where were ... uh what're you, uh, doing,
uh, stop, uh, uh, I mean, uh, I, uh ... ")

Quote: uvour boys missed me again, Garbanzo Breath!

They shot my groceries. My story is going to press and you
owe me a dozen donuts!"
PowersfTactics: Clay Cooper has a "Nose for News." He
puts in long hours at the paper, then goes out to do his "field
research" in the evenings, when his street contacts (and
other vermin) are likely to be active. His extensive network of
contacts keeps him informed of odd events and allows him
to get inside angles on a variety of subjects. He likes to
confront political corruption head on and in public, which
tends to send lead objects whizzing by him at high velocity

Appearance: Cooper is a short, pudgy, man in his early

thirties. His hair has been thinning out for several years and
he usually covers his receding hairline with a grey fedora. His
round face, large nose and glasses sometimes lead people
to think of him as a classic fatman, but Clay is in fairly good
condition . He will almost always have some donuts with him
("Hey, millions of cops can't be wrong.") and is a regular at
the Champions Sports Bar downtown.

Campaign Use: Clayton Cooper is a good contact !or a

street hero. His investigations can tip a hero off to potential
It took all the tricks his mentor had ever taught him and crimes, but remember, Cooper will expect the hero to recip-
every ounce of wit that he could muster, but Clay uncovered rocate with information of equal value on a future occasion.
the truth . He found out about the story Jerry had written and He will consider himself to be a hero's ally in the fight against
the men who didn't want it to go to press. He found the thug corruption , not a helpful hanger-on.
that had done the work on the car and the crooked cop who's Just because Clay has the guts to go after the really big
made sure the clues vanished before they could be exam- bosses, doesn't mean he can always handle everything they
ined. Clay found out everything and his story ran right next throw at him. The heroes could meet him in their secret IDs
to the one Jerry Brown had died for. Since then Clay has only at the Champions Bar and notice a shady character following
added to his reputation as an enemy of secrets and has him out. Hopefully they would feel compelled to spoil any
become a thorn in the side of both organized crime and potential hitman's attempts, especially if they knew who he
political corruption. was. Cooper might find out about a local crimelord's attempt
to hire a superpowered mercenary to bump the hero off and
Personality/Motivation: Clayton Cooper has chutzpah.
try to warn him.
guts, moxie, drive, and a weakness for donuts. He is driven
If a hero has a shady background (son of a crime figure or
by the hard work ethic instilled in him by his upbringing and ex-villain) Cooper might be poking around the hero's closet
always does the very best he can at his job. His curiosity was
for possible bad intentions. A criminal might plant evidence
cultivated by Jerry Brown and has since grown into a to lead Cooper to a false conclusion. When they realized
monolithic juggernaut of noseyness. He looks like a panda,
what happened, the two could work together to bring the true
but if you rile his curiosity you'll find yourself face to face with criminal to justice.
a raging grizzly.
18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
Background: The following text is a transcript of a report
"SWITCH" LASSITTER tape from the Youth Works Administration Casefiles. This
record is confidential and is for YWA personnel eyes only.
(Skilled Normal, Street Gang Leader) Report filed by Brad Arnold, September second. Well,
Susan Lassi1ter nas fin ally landed on my desk. After making
5STR 13 DEX B CON 7 BODY 101NT the rounds of the office I've found that nobody else will touch
this case with a ten foot pole, so I got her files to see why.
13 EGO 15 PRE 10 COM 4 PD 2 ED
We'vegotenough paper on this girl to choke a yak. I also got
3 SPD 3 REC 16 END 16 STUN some of this info from Sergeant Parsons from the police's
Youth Crime Task Force files. Credit where it's due.
Powers/Skills: Streetwise 12-; Lockpicking 12-;
Ms. Lassitter has quite a record, though I'd hardly call il
Stealth 12-; KS: Streetgang activity 13-; PS: Streetgang
impressive. T urned over to the YWA at age six because her
Leader 12-; Fam w/ Knife; V2d6 HKA (1d6 w/ STA), mom was an abusive alcoholic. Returned to parental cus-
OAF Switchblade; 2 Levels w/ Kn if·e Fighting tody after a judge ordered the lady into a program. Removed
to YWA custody again seven months later, same reason,
Perks: Acknowledged Leader of the Slashers Gang
returned for same reason. First arrested at age ten for theft.
Talents: Extraordinary tolerance for alcohol Intermittent other notations include burglary, extortion, as-
sault, et cetera. In and out of state custody a total of nineteen
25 +Dis ad vantag es: Enraged if her leadership is times in the last eight years. Chronically truant.
threatened, 11-, 11-; Violent Temper: Possessive of the From her arrest record and other investigator's notations
Slashers; Distinctive Feature (Initiation marks: three I would guess that she's been living away from parental
parallel scars across left forearm) ; Reputation (Wildcat supervision for several years. My efforts to locate her mother
hellion), 8-; Watched by Police Sergeant Addie have been, not surprisingly, unsuccessful. (Hell of a way to
Parsons. 11- raise a kid.)
According to the reports that Addie gave me, our little lady
OCV: 4; OCV: 4; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12 is the ringleader of an outfit called the "Slashers," a teen girl
gang specializing in burglary and extortion. Good Lord
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base they're starting young. (Sigh.) They favor knives and mark
17 + 33 = 50 = 25 + 25 each other with scars on the forearm to show their affiliation.
Addie estimates fifteen or twenty girls in the gang. Pending
my interview with the subject, I'm going to recommend
mandatory counseling and that she be remanded to Juvenile
Offenders Correctional for the maximum time allowed by
present crowded conditions. (Sigh.) and we wonder why the
kids call it J .0.C. "Joke." End Report.
Person ality/Motivation: Switch is a red haired, knife wield-
ing hellion in the body of a fifteen year old girl. She's been
living on the street for many tough years and hasn't had
cause to care about anyone but herself for a long time. She
tries to be a cool customer. but her temper is explosive, often
pushing her into a furious rage at the drop of a hat. Bearing
her teeth and screaming obscenities. she lashes out with
surprising and deadly speed. Switch has no compunctions
about killing, although she has never actually killed anyone
before, only cut them. She compensates for her small size
with a fierceness that frightens almost anyone. Switch is
extremely paranoid about her position, and very sensitive to
threats to her authority. She attacks at the slightest provoca-
tion, securing her position with swift retribution on anyone
who questions her leadership.
She has no use for "fair play." Her experience has taught
her to fight as hard and dirty as she can. She'll use her knife
against unarmed people and call on her Slashers to gang up
on someone she wants to teach a lesson . Her psyche thrives
on power over other people, be it bullying her companions or
holding a scared shopkeeper at knifepoint. She loves to see
people frightened of her.
Characters with training in psychology who have enough
information about Susan, can notice that she has fallen into
the vicious abused becomes abuser cycle. Although she is
not an alcoholic, she does drink quite heavily, and has a
devastating tolerance to alcohol for a girl of her size.
Normals Unbound -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - " " " T " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19
~uote: "N.obody messes with MY gang! C'mon girls, let's
give this bimbo something to remember us byl" SNIKT! BRAD ARNOLD
Powers/Tactics: Switch has been making a name for her-
~elf on the street for several years. She has resisted expand-
(Skilled Normal, Social Worker)
ing the Slashers, because having more girls in the gang
10 STA 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 13 INT
means more chances of someone challenging her rule. As a
"big fish i~ a small pond" she's on top in the status-quo, and 15 EGO 13 PRE 14 COM 2 PD 2 ED
she fully intends to keep it that way. This has caused some 3 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN
internal f~ction , but there's nobody in her gang ready to risk
challenging her. Not after what she did to the last one. Skills: PS: Psychologist 12-; PS: Social worker 12·;
. ?witch isn't a genius, but she knows the streets of the city SS: Ps~chology 12·; SS: Adolescent Psychology 14-;
intimately and plans her gang's activities so as to meet the Streetwise 12-; Contacts (numerous kids) 14-
l~ast re~ i~tanc~. With her knowledge of other gangs, she
tnes to hm1t the1r confrontations to gangs that they can beat. 25+ Disadvantages: Wants to help kids· Dedicated to
They bre~k into businesses at night, vandalize things in his work '
areas claimed by other gangs, steal cars for joyrides or
stereos, and threaten passersby for money. They especially OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 5; Phases: 4, 8, 12
~njoy picking a large, muscular man to harass. When he Total Disadv Base
Costs: Char Powers
finally gets annoyed enough to pull out his macho routine
28 + 22 = 50 = 25 + 25
"Beat it girls or I'll have to teach you a lesson," they pull oui
their knives, "I think I'll be the teacher today, tough guy. Hope
you brought your lunch money." SNIKT. Background: Brad slammed the case file drawer shut with
delibe~ate force and droppe? into his chair with an exasper-
Appearance: Switch is a deceivingly slight girl. A topper of ate~ s1g~. What are you going to do about this one, Brad?
tangled, carrot-orange hair hangs about her thin , freckled Shes going to want to know why you "turned him loose." He
face. Her eyes squint susplciously at everybody and her could almost hear Addie's voice chiding him for his bleeding
most used expressions are a sneer and primal teeth-bared heart ways. But then again, she'd taught him to care. He still
fury. '.i~r clothes a.re at best ragamuffin , and at worst punkish, remembered the night vividly. Had it really been over eight
c~ns1st1ng of torn Jeans, obscene T-shirts and her gang vest years?
with three parallel red slashes diagonally across its back. . On~ dare he'd gon.e to the inner city late at night. A rich kid
Her forearm has three parallel scars across it from her llke him had no business wandering around there at that
initiation to the gang several years ago. ti~e, but he was stupid. The all-girl S lashers gang had found
him pretty fast. He figured he'd been there for about fifteen
Campaign Use: Although the Slashers are not the largest
minutes be,fore they were shaking him down in an alley and
gang around, they could be brazen enough to attract the
generally sc~ri ng the spit out of him. Unfortunately for them,
notice of a street superhero. Perhaps they assault him for
the commotion attracted the unwanted attention of the
money while he's in his secret identity. Give up your money
Sharks gang, a group that owed the Slashers for past
or. reveal your powers. If a hero has a young DNPC, he or she
indiscretions.
might be accosted by the Slashers, or a teenaged g irl, angry
Brad was the only one left standing there after the shot
at the Hero for some reason, might join the gang as a method
went off. As the girls had circled and cajoled him for fun, the
of showin.g her independ_ence. There could be a struggle for
Sharks had gotten the drop on them and got off one shot from
power going on as Ananias Topps tries to add the Slashers
~ cheap .38 revolver. The car was already spinning it's tires
~o h~s criminal pool of resources . If the gang is making money
in a fast getaway, the Slashers were bolting, and the raven
in his area, Topps wants his cut. You can imagine Switch's
haired girt in the leather vest was sprawled where the shot
respon~e (becaus~ w~ can't print it). This could put the
had tossed her.
heroes in the odd s1tuat1on of having to save the street punk
Not knowing quite why, he moved slowly over to her and
girls from the superior forces of the Mob. Not that Switch
knelt down on the wet concrete. The leather vest was thrown
would be thankful. Quite the opposite. She'd be furious with
open and the shirt underneath was quickly turning dark red.
the heroes for interfering in her gang's business.
She made a wheezing sound as her chest heaved up and
Switch avoids Addie Parsons and Betsy Clark even more
d?wn in slow, labored breaths. The eyes that had looked at
vigorously than she avoids the Studs home turi. The "Traitor
him so coldly were now filled with fear. She was scared. More
cop" and the "Preacher teacher'' can expect no warm wel-
scared than he'd been of her. More scared than he figured
comes rrom the kids they' re trying to help. Switch sees them
he'd ever be. He couldn't leave her alone.
only as a threat to her supremacy.
She'd pulled through all right. He didn't know it at the time
. For the other Slashers, use Switch's stats as a guide, but
of course, but Addie is just too damn stubborn to die. The
with lower INT, EGO, PRE and 11 DEX. Give each of them
next few months found them becoming fast friends. The
a couple of streetcrime skills and a knife. They all have the
scare of that night had set her straight, she even decided to
distinctive scars, a gang nickname and a vest identical to
try to become a cop and help other kids. Brad found that
Switch's. They come from assorted backgrounds and ethnic
helping her was the best feeling he'd ever had and threw his
groups, but they're all as mean as the streets that spawned
them.
20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
Powersfractics: Brad is good at what he does, but what he
does isn't an exact science. He sometimes will cast himself
as the ignorant adult ("If I don't understand how it is for you.
why don't you tell me?"), to get a kid to open up to him. He
understands all too well a child'scomplaint about a negligent
parent as his own parents had little time for him in their
schedules. Brad has helped many kids on the street and can
count on them to get him information when he needs it.
Appearance: If he didn't have two days of stubble on his chin
and if he didn't fall asleep on his desk so many nights, Brad
would probably be a more dashing figure. With a square jaw
and dark brown eyes, he looks more like a harried detective
than a social worker. He keeps his light brown hair cut
conservatively short and is usually wearing a wrinkled shirt
and hastily selected tie with his slacks and sneakers.

Campaign Use: If your campaign is centered at the street

level, Brad can be encountered while doing his job. Perhaps
he is trying to track down the parents of a chronically truant
or criminally inclined youngster, or is hot on the trail of Mr.
Rapentap. If a hero's young DNPC gets into some trouble,
the hero might find himself under Brad's watchful eye . Brad
might try to convince the hero to spend more time with the
DN PC , and if the situation warrants it, he might even try to get
the ONPC taken away from the hero!

CARL "POPPA"
CACCITORE
(Normal, Restaraunt Owner)
plans for business school out the window in favor of a degree
in social work and psychology. This did not sit well with his 10 STR 8 DEX 10 CON 12 BODY 10 INT
"old money" family, but being disinherited only made him
strengthen his resolve to find his own rewards in a career 10 EGO 15 PRE 10 COM 3 PD 2 ED
helping other people, especially kids. 2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 22 STUN
"Arnold! I want a few choice word with you."
"Hi, Addie. Nice to see you too." She looked so different Powers/Skills: PS: Cook 13·; PS: Restaurant Owner 12-;
now, but the same toughness was there. KS: Italian Cuisine 13-; Language: English w/ Accent
"Where do you get off sending the Connor kid back to the (Italian is Native); KS: Mob Activity 13-
foster home? Petty theft isn't gonna be the end of this kid's
career, y'know. We'll be lucky if he doesn't ... " Perks: Protected by Mob Bosses

Personality/Motivation: Brad isn't a perfect social worker, 0 +Disadvantages: Hates the Mob; Age 40+
but he cares about his work more than anything else. He
often underestimates a kid's capacity for wrongdoing and is CCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 2, 6
likely to give a kid every break that he can before "getting
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
tough." It has paid off in the form of dozens of kids put back
on the straight and narrow because someone took the 6 + 19 = 25 = 25 + 0
chance to believe in them. He is great friends with Addie
Parsons, who was his only friend during the time that his Background: Carl Caccitore was born In this city over fifty
family shut him out. He sometimes wishes that he could be years ago. He grew up here, working in his father's restau-
on better terms with his family, but they still refuse to rant along with his older brother, Vinnie. Carl's father taught
understand his desire to deal with what they consider to be his sons that honest businessmen weren't the only ones who
the dregs of society. came to make a new start in the "land of opportunity." The
"Family'' had also come to America. They wanted to control
Quote: "I care about these kids twenty· four hours a day, but
I only get paid for P.ight of 'em."
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21
everything that the honest men had struggled to build here, Campaign Use: "Poppa" Caccitore's main use to a hero
and he wanted nothing to do with it. Carl knew that it was would be as a contact for information on Mob activity. He
dangerous for his poppa to say those things, "they" had ears might not let them know who he is; remember his position is
everywhere. Still it was a shock when his father was gunned very, very delicate. Alternately one of Poppa's ''friends" may
down in his own restaurant. Quite by accident, Vinnie was have discovered his real loyalties and try to kill him. Because
also killed. of his special status, any attacker would have to be very
The head of the local Family came to the funeral to careful not to be connected with the deed, or make it look like
apologize to Carl for the accidental killing of his brother. The an accident, to avoid retribution from Poppa's other protec-
errant gunman had already paid with his life for his breach of tors. Poppa would come to the hero for protection until he can
family honor. Because they had killed his father and brother, spill his guts to a D.A.. The second option would be better if
tradition and honor called on them to provide for him. Carl the hero already had Poppa as a contact and knew him.
would be under the Family's protection from then on. Poppa's place could also be a regular meeting spot for the
Carl took over his father's business and has spent many heroes as well ("Hey how about Poppa's, a movie, then to
years becoming a integral part of the underworld. His pro- Rex's") Maybe one of the heroes finds out that Poppa has
tected position let him come into contact with many different stumbled onto something he is planning to use in his "grand
factions and he went to great pains to convince each that he plan" and must rush to keep him alive.
was a trusted friend. He became like a son to some of the
most dangerous men in organized crime. Now all the biggest
bosses meet at his restaurant and talk in the relaxed atmo-
sphere which is considered to be "neutral territory." He is a
trusted neutral party for some very powerful men ... and he
hates them. The information he gets is always stored for
future reference as he plays the rival factions against one
another and leaks damaging information to all the wrong
people.
He is waiting for the opportunity to play out a "grand plan"
against the Mob, sweeping all of the scum away in one move.
He patiently awaits exactly the right information and exactly
the right circumstances. He's waited a lifetime for revenge.
Personality/Motivation: 40 years later, Carl "Poppa"
Caccitore is still planning his revenge on the organization
that killed his family. He is a friendly man, outwardly happy
to have the Family pick his humble establishment as its
neutral territory. Secretly he hates the Mob and would gladly
kill any of them with his own hands, but he knows that would
not accomplish his goal. He speaks the language of crime
without an accent, pulling himself deeper into the cesspool
of criminals around him, hoping that when he reaches the
bottom, he can pull the plug. He would not hesitate to
sacrifice his own life if he thought that the "grand plan" could
become reality.
Quote: "Phil! Tony! It's good to see you boys eating instead
of trying to kill each other. More Lasagna?"
Powers/Tactics: Because of his restaurant's clientele, Poppa
is very well informed on the latest activities of the biggest
criminal bosses in the city. His lasagna is incredible.
Appearance: "Poppa" is a 6'1 ", round Italian gentleman with
a traditional large moustache and rosy red cheeks. At his
restaurant he wears a white shirt, black tie, and a classic red
checked apron that barely covers his laughing belly. His
booming bass voice is friendly and full of life as he sings
traditional Italian songs for his ''friends."
22 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
hoping to go for the big bucks. but was always trying different
BIFF DUNCAN techniques and could never develop into a consistent surfer.
He still competes in local competitions, occasionally winning
(Normal, Bodaclous Surfer Dude) a tew, to make some extra bucks. When the most "heinous
of happenstances" occurs, and he needs a little bit of money.
13 STA 12 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 8 INT he will (yuck) work for the city in cleaning up the beaches. He
will even work for a couple of the local drug dealers as a
8 EGO 10 PRE 12 COM 3 PD 2 ED
courier. as long as he doesn't have to deliver any "hard" stuff.
2 SPD 5 REC 20 END 22 STUN No one is quite sure where Biff lives. Some say he just
sacks out underneath a pie r, others say he sleeps in his old,
Skills: Combat Surfing 13-; KS: Surfing 14-; TF: Surf dilapidated, yellow VW Bug. No matter where he actually
Board; +2" Swimming; Breakfall 12-; Beachwise 11- lives, he can always be found sun up to sun down, rain or
shine. out on the waves waiting for that ultimate wave.
0 +Disadvantages: Loves surfing; Reputation (Radical
surfer dude) 11- Personality/Motivation: Bitf lives to surf. If you were to
open up Biff's head and look inside, you would have a room
0CV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12 with an ocean view. The only thing that would motivate Biff
to do anything else but surf is to get money for tile basic
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
necessities; food and surfboard wax (not necessarily in that
2 + 23 = 25 = 25 + 0 order). He is never without his surfboard, and when he's not
in the water with it , he's waxing it to a shiny, gleaming hue.
Background: Biff was born on a surf board. Literally. His Biff is not what you would call a gripping conversationalist. In
mother was on the beach when she went into labor and her fact, if you start talking about one thing , he will start talking
friends used a surfboard as a stretcher as they tried to rush about surfing.
her to the hospital. They didn't make it. Biff was born right "So Biff, what do you think of the ecological disaster in the
there on the beach and has spent every waking hour that he Persian Gulf?"
can there. He claims that ever since he could stand, he's "Bogus dude! All that most excellent beachfront surfing
been on a surf board. He could never pay attention in class, locale is like totally gone. Most heinous!"
always hid ing a surfing magazine behind his math book, and Biff is also very laid back. About the only way to get him
dropped out after the ninth grade. S ince that time Biff has upset would be to damage his surfboard or threaten to.
been perfecting his Zen surfing technique and searching for
the perfect wave. He tried to become a professional surfer, Quote: "Whoa, gnarly dude! Totally bitchin suit you got on
there. Wanna hang ten?"

Powers/Tactics: Biff is a "most excellent" surfer, almost

professional level if he would ever settle on one way to ride
his board. He is also a very strong swimmer from having
taken so many dives off his board. Since he hangs around
the beach so much, he knows everyone there and almost
everythingthat'sgoingon. Heisagoodsourceofinformation
since he doesn't have any loyalties except his surf board. As
for as saving his own skin, he's not dumb. He'll run for the
dunes with the best of them if danger ever threatens.

Appearance: Biff has shoulder length, sun bleached hair

with a goatee and moustache. He has a well muscled body,
weighing about 175 lbs and standing 5'9" tall. He always
wears cut off blue jean shorts, a white tank top and white
deck shoes when he wears any. His surfboard has a tie dyed
design and a bright orange peace symbol painted on it.

Campaign Use: If the heroes are investigating anything at

the beach or waterfront they may run into Biff and find out he
may know a great deal about what they're investigating.
They may even run across Biff making a delivery and
convince him to give them some information about his
parcel . He'll likely give them exactly what they want, after all
it's not worth getting beat up over something that's not his.
Bi ff will most likely tell the heroes what they want, then hit the
waves until the action is over. Biff could even make a
travelling companion for a mobile hero or hero group. Hey,
he can even provide his own transportation! Can you imag-
ine the heroes driving up to the scene of a crime and piling
out of a yellow VW Bug? Try it out. But only with real good
friends. Biff could also be used to add color to a beach scene.
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23

Maybe, after the heroes have gotten to know Biff a little

better, he could become the center of a plot or series of plots.
Imagine, an immensely powerful galactic planet destroyer
arrives on Earth and the first person he meets is .. . Biff.
Cosmic powers and a flying surfboard? Nahh ...

"FREDDIE THE FINK"

FU AG HETTI
(Normal, Informant)

8 STA 13 DEX 7CON 8 BODY 13 INT

13 EGO 8 PRE 8COM 2 PD 2 ED
2 SPD 3 REC 14 END 16 STUN

Skills: Streetwise 11-; Shadowing 11-; KS: Campaign

city 12-; Conversation 11-; Concealment 12-;
Bribery 11-; Well-connected;

Perks: Contact: Police detective 11-; Contact: Fence 11-;

Contact: Street hero 11-; Favor: Mafia enforcer 14-;
Favor: Clayton Cooper 14-

0 +Disadvantages: Greedy; Reputation (Reliable

informant) 8-; Watched by Mob, 8-; Experience

OCV: 5; DCV: 5; ECV: 5; Phases: 6, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base

4 + 25 = 29 = 29 + 0 Powers!Tactics: Freddie has his finger on the pulse of the
city. His connections, coupled with his own information
Background: Growing up on the mean streets of the city is gathering skills, keep him well stocked with tips and rumors.
not easy, especially for a thin, sickly boy on his own. Freddie Freddie is no fool, he won't sell anything cheap and he knows
learned early on that you were either hunter or prey, and what and who to clam up about. His tips are reliable to those
since he wasn't very good at being a hunter he had to learn who pay him, but if he's cheated or beaten his information
to survive as prey. He developed the talent for being could lead to a trap.
unobtrusive at the right time, which saved his life on many Appearance: Freddie is a thin, sickly man in his late twen-
occasions. As he grew older, his talents allowed him to be in ties. He stands about 5'9" and weighs 100 lbs, with black hair
the right spot at the right time to pick up pieces of information. and brown eyes. He is very inconspicuous. If the heroes
He found that by carefully selling these pieces of information were walking down the street, they wouldn't notice him, but
to the right people he could net himself enough money to he would certainly notice them.
survive. Over the years. Freddie has created an information
network that keeps him advised of most everything that goes Campaign Use: If the characters are having a tough time
on on the street. There's very little that happens in the city solving a particularly baffling case, they may seek out
that he doesn't know about. He has been nicknamed ''the Freddie for a clue or a lead. A villain wishing to trap the
Fink" because he would sell out anyone. heroes could slip a false piece of information to Freddie,
thereby giving credence to the tip. Freddie could also ap-
Personality/Motivation: "Freddie the Fink" is motivated by proach the heroes with some tip if he felt they would pay for
money, and would sell out his mother if the price was right. it. He could also seek out the heroes to protect him from
"Gee, I'll miss ya Mom." He comes across as an insurance someone who either wanted to keep him from spilling the
salesman, seemingly flattering or caring when all he's really beans, or wanted revenge for a past indiscretion. Freddie
interested in is what he can get out of you. He's so dripping could be the key to taking out Ananias Topps, but if the
with "kindness" that if you shake hands with him you feel like heroes start getting too close, Freddie could find himself the
you should wash it off. If he has a hot piece of information, he target of Mr. Left and Mr. Right's attention.
may want protection from retribution in addition to money.
Remember, he never gives anything away for free. GM's Note: If you decide to use Freddie as a DNPC for
a player character, you may want to put a glimmer of
Quote: "Gee, ya know, I would just love to help ya out, since decency into /1is character. Remember, the hero needs
I know how important justice is to ya, but I just can't seem to a reason to want to save him. Also, any experience
keep my mind on anything. You know, when you're worried Freddie earns will go to buying more contacts and favors.
about your living expenses ... "
24 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

"THE AMAZING
ALPHONZO"
(Ski~le~ N~rmal, Street Magician/Pickpocket)

8 STR 13 DEX 9 CON 9 BODY 13 INT

10 EGO 18 PRE 14 COM 2 PD 2 ED
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN

Powers/Skills: PS: Magician 12-; KS: Magic Tricks 13·;

Orator 13·; Acting 13-; KS: Theater 11-; •ps: Pick·
pocket 12-; *Sleight of hand 14-; •concealment 12-;
Lockpicking 12-; +2 Levels w/ skills marked by a "*"

25 +Disadvantages: Likes to dupe other people;

Age 60+; Distinctive Feature (Tuxedo/Magic Tricks);
Watched by Police, 8-

0CV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base

13 + 37 = 50 = 25 + 25

Background: Alphonse Jones was a young boy when the

stock market crash of 1929 put him and his father out on the
street. His father, famous stage magician "Stupefying" Ster-
ling Jones, had no choice but to put his talents to criminal use
to feed his son. While his father entertained a crowd, Alphonse
would relieve them of any valuables. As a small boy in a
depressing environment, Alphonse enjoyed the thrill of put·
ting one over on a grown-up. His talent for magic, and for Powers/Tactics: The Amazing Alphonzo is a career crimi-
larceny, grew as he did, and when his father died in 1939, he nal pickpocket with a lifetime of experience in misdirection
carried on. and sleight of hand tricks. He is a captivating orator with a
He toured Europe with a theater company as an alterna- powerful stage presence, enabling him to keep a watcher
tive to the infantry, during World War Two. While doubling as enraptured, even as he pilfers them. His acting has proven
an actor, he learned to like the flare of the theater, and effective enough to talk his way out of more than one arrest.
decided that he would go straight and work as a real
magician when he returned to the States. Unfortunately, the Appearance: Alphonse is a harmless looking, older black
pull of his boyhood was too strong. "The Amazing Alphonzo" gentleman with a greying moustache, goatee, and round
constantly found himself looking for the thrill of bilking spectacles. He is about 5' 1O", very thin, with long dexterous
someone out of something. Over the Intervening years, he fingers that are constantly in motion. As the "Amazing
has tried several times to launch a legitimate acting and Alphonzo" he dresses in a magician's tuxedo, top hat and
stage magician career, failing every time. His record as a cane. He carries a variety of harmless tricks with which to
performer is blotted with arrests for petty theft and fraud. befuddle observers.
Personality/Motivation: The Amazing Alphonzo is a scene Campaign Use: The Amazing Alphonzo, while an effective
stealer. He is always "on stage," using sweeping, elegant, criminal, is not really the kind of guy that heroes should be
Shakespearean speech and flowers up his sleeve. Behind rooking to put away. His knowledge of trickery could be
his charming demeanor his eyes are sharply looking for the useful to heroes wanting to learn those skills, or he could pick
chance to pull a fast one on his audience. Stealing is his way a hero's little ONPC as his pupil. Alphonse is a likeable
of assuring himself that he hasn't grown old yet. When he rapscallion con-man who can't help himself.
dips into your pocket, he's not reaching for a wallet, so much If the Amazing Alphonzo "accidentally" borrowed some-
as for that feeling he had in his youth, of being a boy again. thing from a supervillain, say a teleport device or an invisibil-
At 67 years old, Alphonse thinks that its a little late to change ity belt, the heroes may find themselves searching for him
his stripes. He knows that his days as an effective pickpocket right alongside the villains. "Mysterious Invisible Pickpocket
are numbered , and sees It as his duty to pass on his Baffles Police, Film at Eleven."
knowledge to a young lad. The Amazing Alphonzo could be a rear nuisance if he
happens to pilfer something from a hero that links him to his
Quote: "You say your wallet is missing? I shall go to summon heroic identity. Or even worse, what if the hero, after enjoying
a constable at once!" that fascinating str'9et performer, suddenly finds himself
without his "Mystic Amulet of Yghfmth"! What will Yghfmth-
Man do now?
Normals Unbound - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - 25

Some people say that there are only three kinds of people: His father's business, Power Bailbonds, had never made
cops, innocent bystanders, and scumballs. Well they're not them rich, but with a little work Eric was able to attend college
all police, but this section covers the forces of "the system." and major in Criminal Psychology. When he graduated, his
All the people that make up the monolithic bureaucracy that father decided to retire and turn the business over to him.
can help or hinder the heroes in their fight for justice. Some The risk of betting money against the criminal's return for trial
of these people want to preserve the system, others want to alleviated some of his craving for gambling, but not enough.
manipulate it. Some of them are integral parts of it and some For many months Eric ran the business, turning a minor
work outside of it as often as possible. Most of them can be profit, but pokered most of it away. He realized that he
used as allies or as enemies, depending on the heroes needed something bigger to satiate his craving, before he
reputation and approach to them. ended up destitute.
As he watched the TV news about that day's big super-
battle between Obsidian and Shamrock downtown, an idea
struck him. A specialized service handling only high risk
ERIC ALLEN cases. After several months of studying the situation, he
finally went to the government with his proposal and the
(Skilled Normal, Stronghold Bondsman) Power Plus Bonding Service was born. A supervillain bond-
ing agency.
10 STR 11 DEX 10 CON 9 BODY 18 INT After loosing his left leg just below the knee, while trying to
10 EGO 18 PRE 16COM 2PD 2ED convince the supervillain Ray to return for trial, Eric has
2 SPD 4 REC 22 END 21 STUN found it prudent to expand outside the "normal" bounty
hunter circles. He has recruited several promising young
Powers/Skills: PS: Bail Bondsman 13-; KS: Criminal supers including Napalm, Desperado, Alpha and Tempest.
Law 13-; KS: Criminal Psychology 14-; KS: He gave them enough training in criminal law to act as
Supervillains 14-; Gambling 14-; Persuasion 14-; collection agents for Power Plus.
Bureaucratics 14-; ·2" Running (total of 4")
Personality/Motivation: Eric Allen is a man who loves to
25 +Disadvantages: Habitual Gambler; Distinctive read people and bet huge sums of money on the accuracy of
Feature (Artificial Left Leg); Watched by U.S. his predictions. His "poker face" and casual demeanor
Government, 8· effectively mask his calculating intellect. He believes in the
criminal justice system, but is realistic about his business.
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 3; Phases: 4, 8, 12 Although he is a habitual gambler, he isn't stupid. He
wouldn't put up bond for someone if he knew there was no
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base chance of getting them back. However, he's not beyond
19 + 31 = 50 = 25 + 25 granting bail to a person he's sure will run, if he thinks that his
collection team can bring the guy in anyway.
Background: Eric Allen was a typical kid growing up in the Eric is still a young man and sees life as a series of bets.
big city. He loved to run the streets in search of fun and Some to be won, others lost, but he doesn't always appreci-
ate the human consequences of his gambles as they apply
adventure, especially the floating card and dice games of the
neighborhood. He wasn't big or especially strong, but he to others. Someday his collection agents may realize that its
found that he could talk his way into a game or out of trouble, their lives he's gambling with. At heart he is a good man, but
his fixation on money and on the risks of his business tend
even against guys twice his size. As he grew older, Eric
to blind him to the needs of those around him. As a boss, he
began to formalize his strategies of dealing with street
is straight forward about risks and expected paybacks. His
toughs on their own turf, figuring out what things made them
employees respect him. His view of his business is, "If I
more agreeable, and what signs said that a man couldn't be
wasn't doing it, someone less scrupulous would be."
trusted.
26 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - · - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
psychologist with plenty of experience in the supercrime
field. Power Plus has both friends and enemies in the
government and the superherocommunity. Some think that
he's wrong to try to get supervillains out on bail. Others see
it as inevitable thatthe criminals will get out, and are glad that
Power Plus is going to such lengths to insure that their
~arges return for trial. To Eric, it's business as usual.

Appearance: Eric Allen a short, athletic man in his late

twenties with short brown hair and dark brown eyes. When
working with the government, or while on one of his frequent
visits to Stronghold to see a client, Eric presents a front of
legal perfection. His three piece suit and Gucci briefcase are
all part of his psychological strategy in convincing his charges
that he is a professional who will insure that they come back.
He loves to play mind games with others. "Mr. Freon, my
agency hasn't become the top bonding agent for Stronghold
Federal Prison by letting every supervillain I interview walk
away with my money. Let me introduce you to my top
collection agent. His name is Napalm."
Eric's addiction to gambling is mostly channeled into his
business, which might lead him to take certain risks, but at
least it keeps his profits away from the crap tables. Were
someone to offer him even a semi-reasonable wager, he
would be hard pressed to resist.
Campaign Use: Eric and his agency, Power Plus, can
become a fixture in your game the same as Stronghold. If a
supervillain captured by the PCs has jumped bail, Power
Plus' collection team might ask the heroes for some back-up,
or for information about where he may be hiding. If the
heroes have been accused of a crime and need to get out to
prove their innocence, Power Plus is the obvious place to
His usual strategy for dealing with supervillains (or he- call. Bui if the heroes jump bail they'll have to deal with the
roes), is to let them think they have the upper hand for a collection team as adversaries. Eric will try to contact the
while, to scope them out. He likes to watch the super-ego in superheroes responsible for a villain's capture before post·
action, to gauge the subject, and determine everything he ing bond, both to ask the hero's opinion of the subject, and
can about him or her, before really getting down to business. as a courtesy to let them know that a nemesis is going to be
on the loose again. Power Plus could be a campaign setting,
Quote: "Lazer, I can post your bond, but I'll need to get with each of the PCs being employed as collection agents.
something as collateral on my investment you understand. The heroes would have to recognize and deal with Eric's
Now. since we both know you won't be needing this gun and gambling. If one of the agents gets killed chasing a villain that
rocket pack for a while ... " Eric knew would run, they might have a beef with their boss.
Powers!Tactics: The Power Plus Bonding Agency will likely
be the first phone call a new Stronghold inmate will make. As
the only bonding agency in existence specializing in arrested
superbeings, Power Plus is well known by PRIMUS. and
Strong11old administrators. Eric has developed an interview·
ing technique that usually gives him a fair idea whether a
subject is likely to jump bail or not. He is a skilled criminal
 --~~~~~----~~~~~----27

Matthew was planning to build a new industrial plant on the

SHANNA ARMBRUSTER sight of an old mansion. Shanna went to him to try to
convince him to save the mansion and restore it. Matthew
(Competent Normal, U.S. Congresswoman) was so impressed by Shanna that he not only agreed to
restore the mansion, but moved the plant and asked her to
10 STA 10 DEX 10CON 10 BODY 15 INT marry him, all within the first month. Shanna agreed and the
15 EGO 18 PRE 20COM 3 PD 3 ED
two were married the next day.
Several years later, after both Matt and Shanna had
2 SPD 5 REC 26 END 22 STUN established themselves, Shanna became disgruntled with
the current government representation fortheir district. Rep-
Skills: Bureaucratics 13-; Oratory 13-; High Society 13-; resentative Jasperson was less than responsive to the
Persuasion 13-; AK: Wash. D.C. 11-; AK: needs and requests of his constituents and was also ru-
Congressional District 13-; PS: Congressman 13-; mored to be connected with VIPER. Shanna could not just sit
KS: American History 14-; KS: Laws of the U.S. 13-; by and do nothing, so she decided to take him on and run
KS: Politics 12-; PS: Architect 13-; KS: Architecture 13- against him. Matt supported her decision fully and helped
finance her campaign.
Perks: Congressional Representative; Money: Well Off;
The campaign was down and dirty. Jasperson pulled out
50 +Disadvantages: Patriotic; Honest; Reputation all the stops intending to show the "little girl" just how rough
(Honest congressman) 8-; Rivalry with Senator a game politics could be. He started by trying to belittle his
Reim (Prof., Superior); opponent, moved on to trying to humiliate her, and then went
straight to mud slinging. However, none of it would stick.
OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 5; Phases: 6, 12 Shanna had prepared herself too well and had the support of
Senator Reim, a very influential voice on Capitol Hill. In an
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base act of desperation he called for an assassination attempt by
25 + 50 = 75 25 + 50 a VI PER hit team. The plot was foiled by the Champions and
Jasperson was arrested. Shanna won by a landslide.
Background: Shanna Parker grew up the only daughter of
a very rich family. Her family had gained and kepttheir wealth
through devious, back stabbing methods and most of the
family was only interested in this. Shanna never understood
this pursuit for more wealth, but when she asked for attention
from her parents she would more likely receive a pony than
a hug. So Shanna spent most of her home life with the
gardener, a Japanese immigrant named Akiro Torno, who
~
was more like a father to her than her own . Where her father,
Kenneth, taught her deceit, Akiro taught her honesty. Where "'11·r .! 1 jl 1i1~ I
her mother, Amanda, taught her selfishness and greed, I • I '; I

Akiro taught her caring and giving. Where her parents taught
her privileges for the few, Akiro taught her freedom for all.
The more she learned from Akiro, the less she wanted the life
of her parents. By the time she left for college, she had
already started to build a life of her own. She graduated with
a degree in Architecture and went to work with an architec-
tural firm.
Although she didn't really hate her parents, they did love
her in their own way, she could never really feel close to
them. So she spent as much time apart from them as
possible. However, she always found time for Akiro who had
become a second father to her. When he died, her life
changed.
She threw herself into her work. She wanted to build, but
not only build, she wanted to preserve. She wanted to
preserve the things that made America the country that Akiro
wanted to come to. She worked hard to restore many
buildings of historical or architectural significance. This was
how she met Matthew Armbruster.
28 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
Since her election, Shanna has been making waves on Shanna at odds by planting evidence that the group was
and off Capitol Hill. Her godfather, Senator Jeremiah Reim, being employed by VIPER. This could bring the weight of the
not only helped her with her campaign, but also g?t . ~er committee, or perhaps even the enlire U .S. Government
appointed to the Joint Committee on Metahuman Act1v1t1es down on our unsuspecting heroes. Not an enviable place to
with hopes of controlling her. However, he soon found out be. Shanna could be instrumental in the uncovering of
that Shanna was not so easily controlled. She worked hard Senator Aelm's connection with GENOCIDE and find herself
for the "average" citizen and tried to lower or eliminate many in need of the heroes' aid once more.
of the privileges of the wealthy. She is very vocal in her
criticisms of legislators who support special interests bills ,
wasteful spending, and pay raises. On the committee, she
constantly battles with many of the other members to protect ROGER EVANS
the rights of America's metahumans. She has made a tot of
enemies. (Skilled Normal, Defense Attorney)

Personality/Motivation: Shanna is a true patriot. She doesn't 13 STA 10 DEX 12 CON 10 BODY 15 INT
parade around wrapped up in the flag spouting the Pledge of 10 EGO 15 PRE 14 COM 3 PD 2 ED
Allegiance. She believes in and lives the ideals thal were set
2 SPD 5 REC 24 END 23 STUN
forward by the founding fathers . Her strong faith, her energy
ond conviction are very catching. She constantly fights for Skills: PS: Lawyer 13-; KS: Law 13-; Oratory 13-;
the rights of every person to life, liberty, and the pursuit of Persuasion 13-; Bureaucratics 13-; Deduction 12-;
happiness . Her many enemies have only forced her to Criminology 12-; Language: Latin (Fluent)
strengthen her resolve; she can be a very tough customer.
25 +Disadvantages: Seeks justice for all; Reputation
Quote: "You seem to be mistaken about the purpose of this
(Maverick lawyer) 11 -; Watched by Bar Association, 8 -
legislative body. It was meant to protect the rights of all the
people, not dole out privileges to a powerful few." 0CV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12
Powers/Tactics: Shanna is a passionate, powerful orator
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
who is v.ery ~nowledgeable about the workings of politics and
the bureaucracy. She can cut through red tape faster than
19 + 31 = 50 = 25 + 25
Congress can vote themselves a pay raise. She is also an
accomplished architect and historian. Background: Roger Evans was not like many of his class-
mates in law school. He had grown up in a poor neighbor-
Appearance: Shanna is 5'6", weighs 105 lbs. and has short hood, his family could not afford to send him to college, so he
bright blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Her conservative taste had to work extra hard at part-time jobs to get through.
in clothing tends to hide her otherwise centerfold figure. However. it wasn't anything he wasn't already used to since
While working in Washin~ton, she wears a pair of round red he had to work hare all of his life.
rimmed glasses for reading, which also enhances her pro- When Roger was younger he was a thin, frail boy who was
fessional appearance. sick for much of his young life. He was an easy target for
bullies and gangs and had to learn to hide or run from his
Campaign Use: Shanna makes an excellent government
tormentors. He was a parlicular favorite target of the young
contact for a hero group. She can provide valuable informa-
Addie Parsons and Betsy Clarke. I twas pretty embarrassing
tion as a contact and could owe a hero a favor for saving her
to get beat up by girls, but these were tough girls! Roger
life in the past. The heroes could easily be drawn into her
swore that someday he would stop hiding and stand up lo
private feud with other members of the Committee on
injustices and make sure that he would ~rotect the little QUY.
Metahuman Affairs such as Senator Reim . Indeed they may
He worked and studied hard and was finally accepted into
find themselves the target of the other members' attention
law school. Whileatschool, he built up his mind and his body,
due to their association with Shanna. Through Shanna, they
giving him an excellent physique and mind capable of
could also meet her husband Matt and become involved in
accurately storing the vast library of information he would
his subplots. Shanna has also not made any friends with
need so badly in his studies.
VIPER and could become the victim of their plot to tangle
As graduation approached, more and more of his class-
with the heroes.
mates were becoming pre-occupied with how much money
Shanna could be used as an enemy if she thought the
they were going to make instead of trying to help people.
heroes were working for the wrong people. For instance, if
Most of them wanted to cater to big corporations, helping
they were supported by a powerful corporation that was
them raid other companies, or make a quick buck off of some
Involved in shady dealings Shanna would certainly direct a
poor sap with whiplash. Rogerdidn'tsee any of them wanting
lot of attention towards them. Perhaps she would press the
to genuinely help the little guy, or to help bring the people who
heroes into action against their sponsor, or at least into
hide behind the law to justice. Roger rededicated himself to
reconsidering their position. VIPER could put the heroes and
the high ideals he believed the law was designed to uphold.
He graduated with honors.
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - 29
it. If he finds out he's been lied to after he's taken a case, he'll
drop it like a hot potato unless his client has a very good
reason for concealing the truth. Outside of the courtroom,
Roger is a quiet and reserved man becoming outspoken
when fighting to right an injustice. He no longer runs and
hides from a fight.

Quote: "You can't hide behind the law! Everyone who

breaks the law will be brought to justice!"
Powers/Tactics: Roger is a skilled lawyer and persuasive
orator who knows his way around the legal system and the
bureaucracy associated with it. He has, on a number of
occasions, managed to get a witness to contradict their own
story on the witness stand or get them to reveal facts that
they were trying to hide. "The witness is instructed to keep to
one story at a time or you will be found in contempt. Proceed
Mr. Evans." Roger also knows where to find obscure infor-
mation that could be useful on a case, such as title transfers,
old financial records, or even police files that have been
locked away. If he feels he needs it for his case, he will get
it.

Appearance: Roger is a handsome man in his early thirties.

He stands 5'1O" tall and weighs about 185 lbs. He has brown
hair, blue eyes, and a brown bushy mustache. He dresses
in nice, but inexpensive suits.
Campaign Use: How characters are introduced to Roger
depends a great deal on the group's relationship with the law
and the public. If the heroes are on good standing with the
law, and honestly help those in need, Roger could be an ally.
He could become the group's lawyer, helping with legal and
bureaucratic entanglements that can get in the way of getting
After graduation, Roger passed the Bar exam and was their job done. Roger could also defend the heroes if they've
quickly hired by the D.A.'s office as an Assistant District been falsely accused of a crime, or if they are being wrongly
Attorney. Soon he had one of the highest conviction rates in sued. If the heroes do help people, but may not be on the best
the state. He also gained a reputation as a real "go get em" side of the law, Roger might still assist them if they can
prosecutor who kept working on cases when others would convince him of their true mettle.
have given up, who wouldn't cave in under threats, and who If the heroes are vigilantes, operating outside the law, the
wouldn't rest until the truth was known. GM could have Roger be a crusading DA who wants to put
Being an Assistant District Attorney, although rewarding, them behind bars. If the GM doesn't want Roger as a DA, he
still wasn't quite what Roger wanted to do. He still wanted to could still be a thorn in the heroes' side by slapping them with
help the little guy, so he founded a law firm that specialized injunctions, court orders, or whatever it takes to shut their
in legal assistance for the poor and has become a well operation down. Roger could also represent a party who was
respected defense attorney. He has since taken on partners injured or wrongly attacked by the heroes. His intentions in
in the firm, but only those that have the same lofty goals as a case like that would not be how much money he could get
he does. for his client, but making sure the heroes never hurt anyone
again. The heroes will have to be very careful around Roger.
Personality/Motivation: Roger seeks justice for all. He Roger is also well acquainted with Judge Joseph Simpson
believes that people's rights have to be protected from those
and has a great deal of respect for him . He is aware of Judge
that would trample all over them . Once he is convinced his
Simpson's feelings about heroes and that he would have to
client is in the right he will put his whole heart into the case
be very careful when preparing his defense of any masked
and won't quit until the last bit of hope is gone, even then he'll
heroes.
keep trying often at little or no charge. He loves to take on a
case where his client is facing a legal Goliath; to him it makes
the victory all the more satisfying. Roger won't take a case if
he feels he's been lied to, or has been left in the dark about
30 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
offer. Look the other way and the paycheck gets a tax-free
OFFICER bonus every week. Now she was in so deep that if she even
thought of giving it up, Topps would call Internal Affairs and
VERONICA HALSTEAD blow the horn. She'd sold her soul to the Devil, alright; and
now there was no sign of salvation.
(Competent Normal, Veteran Cop) She looked across the seat at her new partner, looking like
a-faseinated collie staring out of the cruiser's window;-and
10 STA 13 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 13 INT remembered back when she had first joined the force over
12 EGO 15 PRE 10 COM 5 PD 3 ED ten years ago. She wanted to help everybody, to get out into
the city and make a difference. But over the years she saw
3 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN
the same things: murder, arson, rape, robbery, assault,
Powers/Skills: Streetwise 14-; AK: the City 13-; Combat drugs, over and over. And it seemed it was always the same
Driving 12-; Shadowing 12-; Bureaucratics 12-; Conver- people she was busting. She began to doubt if she was really
sation 12-; KS: Criminal Law 11-; WF: All Small Arms, doing any good at a ll. No matter what had happened though,
Billyclub; WE: Use art w/Billyclub; 1d6+1 RKA, her family, Reg and the kids, had always encouraged and
15 Shots, Jammed Activation 15-, OAF 9mm supported her. But when Reg was diagnosed with cancer,
Autopistol; +3d6 Hand to Hand Attack, OAF Billyclub; her life had started to crack and collapse.
+1 Level w/ Pistols; +2 Levels w/ Dirty Infighting She didn't know what to do. The bills kept coming in and
insurance didn't pay for everything. The world for Veronica
Infighting OCV DCV Effect was growing dimmer. She no longer cared enough to try and
Kick/Elbow +O +2 4d6 Strike make a difference. The only thing she did care about was her
Disarm -1 +1 + 1O STA to disarm family. That's when Ananias Topps had entered the picture.
Throw +O + 1 STR+vel/5, target falls, And now she was saddled with Patty-Jo-Jim-Bob-Smith
from Podunk, Oklahoma. She hoped that her new partner
Perks: Perk: Local police powers; would either not ask too many questions, or would ask for a
new assignment like the others. The last thing she wanted
50 +Disadvantages: Cynical; Dedicated to her Family; right now was somebody poking their nose into her business.
Distinctive Features (Uniformed Police Officer); DNPC:
Husband Reg, 11-; Watched by Police Department, 11-

0CV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base

32 + 68 = 100 = 50 + 50

Background: "Hey! Did you see that?" Trish pointed wildly

out the Patrol car window. "Those girls were soliciting! Let's
go bust 'em!"
"Settle down, kid ." Veronica said calmly. "Let's find some
real crime."
"But, but. .. " The rookie pointed lamely out the window with
a confused look on her face.
"Look. They'd be out by morning anyway. Just forget it."
'Well ... OK." Trish said glumly. "You're the Boss."
Veronica had to admitthat when she met Trish she'd been
pretty impressed with her fancy shooting, but that ended real
quick when they got into the field. The only field this kid had
ever been in was a corn field, and she'd probably gotten lost.
Veronica wasn't sure what she disliked more about Trish, her
bouncy energetic rookie attitude, or the fact that the girl was
so much like she used to be. The way things had been before
her husband, Reg, had got sick.
Trish had been right of course, those girls were prowling
for Johns, but they were Ananias Topps' girls and she got
paid to steer clear of !hem . She swore they were getting more
and more obvious about it, almost like Topps had told them
to rub her nose in it. But what could she do? The family has
to eat, and with her husband's hospital bills, the only way she
could get herself out of the hole was to take Topps up on his
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
Personality/Motivation: Veronica is a good Cop gone bad.
She looks at the world through the eyes of a trapped and OFFICER
hopeless woman. She has seen so much of the dark side of
life that she no longer has the strength to look at the bright PATRICIA GARRETT
side. She has resigned herself to her lot in life and attacks
any attempt at "cheering her up" with her own cynical views. (Competent Normal, Rookie Cop)
Most of her friends no longer associate with her, or only offer
their good wishes. She sees them as having abandoned her, 10 STA 14 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 10 INT
not realizing that she has driven them away. She keeps 11 EGO 10 PRE 18 COM 3 PD 2 ED
herself completely closed up and has no intention of letting
3 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN
anyone in, especially that new bumpkin partner of hers.
Quote: "Wake up and smell the coffee, kid. This isn't Oz, it's Powers/Skills: PS: Trick Shooter 13-; 3 Levels w/ All
the big city and you'll learn pretty quick who really runs this Ranged Combat; 3 Levels w/ Pistols; 3 Levels w/
town." Sight PER Rolls; Weaponsmith: Slugthrowers 11-;
WF: All Small Arms, Billyclub; KS: Criminal Law 11-;
Powers/Tactics: Despite her attitude, Veronica is still a very Combat Driving 12-; KS: Criminal Law 11-; AK: The
competent police officer. She is a superb shot with her 9mm City 8-; Bureaucratics 11-; Conversation 11-; 1d6+1
pistol and has won enough scraps to call herself a good AKA, 2 Clips of 6 Shots, OAF .38 Revolver;
fighter in close quarters. She has an extensive knowledge of +3d6 Hand to Hand Attack, OAF Billyclub
the area she patrols, as well as the people living there. If
forced into a conflict, she doesn't mess around and will use Perks: Local Police Powers
any means necessary to eliminate the threat. She doesn't
believe in coddling street scum. She knows that the only Talents: Fastdraw 14-
thing they understand is superior force.
50 +Disadvantages: Enthusiastic Rookie; Code against
Appearance: Veronica looks aged beyond her actual thirty killing; Distinctive Features (Uniformed Police Officer);
years. Her short, dirty blond hair is turning prematurely wey, Watched by Police Department, 11-
and the haggard expression she wears has worn deep Imes
in her face. She stands 5'8" tall and is becoming slightly 0CV: 5; DCV: 5; ECV: 3; Phases: 4, 8, 12
overweight. You can tell by the careless way she wears her
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
uniform, that she's been wearing it a long time.
23 + 77 = 100 = 50 + 50
Campaign Use: Veronica and Trish will work best in a street
level superhero or a heroic level campaign, where the PCs Background: Trish Garrett placed her .38 gingerly into its
can interact with them on a more personal level instead of holster on her left side and slipped on her hearing protectors.
watching the bust and retreating to their skyscraper base. She took one target board out of the satchel in front of her and
Get the heroes involved with them. Trish and Veronica are a hooked it up to the clip overhead. With a flick of a switch, the
good tool for showing the heroes that cops are individuals target began to slide downrange on the track. As she waited,
and not faceless uniforms. A hero could meet Trish off duty, Trish looked nervously over her shoulder at her new, actually
and, following his surprise at her vocation , could become her first, partner, Veronica Halstead. Everybody seemed to
part of the unfolding drama of her career, sharing her steer clear of the woman, but Trish figured she was lucky to
concern about her troubled partner. Maybe the hero would get paired up with a ten year veteran. This w~s her fi~st day
try to find out what Veronica's problem really is, and get a on the job and she wanted to make a good 1mpress1on on
nasty surprise. An investigative hero could notice the appar- Veronica, but dang if she wasn't nervous as Dad on Prom
ent indifference of the police (Veronica is not the only one),
night. .
to Topps' activities, indicating that he might have his own The target clicked to a stop at forty yards out and Veronica
"man in uniform ." cleared her throat. She obviously thought it was too far out
You'll definitely be able to get more mileage, and fun, out for accurate pistol fire. She's impatient, Trish noted. Well if
of this pair, if you use them on a recurring basis , or better, as there was any place, outside Oklahoma, where this girl was
supporting characters in some role. Their growing story will at home, it was a gun range.
become more interesting with time, as Trish finally discovers "Are you gonna shoot that target or just STARE holes in
that her partner is on the take, or if Veronica's husband it?"
eventually dies. Veronica might decide that Topps finally ~as "OK, Boss," Trish tensed and relaxed her fingers in prepa-
to come down , and it will be a traumatic moment when Trrsh ration. "Holes coming right up." With practiced precision ,
finally has to use the sharpshooting skills that she has so Trish's hand flashed down to her holster and came back up
enjoyed perfecting, to take a human life. with her .38 revolver, flicking the safety off enroute. The sight
lined up naturally and she drilled six holes in the distant
target's center.
32 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
Veronica walked up behind her and hit the target retrieve
switch. The board crawled forward obediently. "Kid, I know
it's your first day, but do you really expect to hit anything at
that ridiculous range? And you shouldn't carry your piece
with the safety off."
"But I flicked it while ... "
"And don't shoot so fast. You should take a moment to
airn.n
"But I did ... n
The target board finally arrived as Veronica finished her
final comment, "And don't interrupt me. Let's see if yoll got
lucky or, Holy Gripes!" Veronica's face only showed surprise
for a moment before returning to stony cynicism. but Trish
saw it. She knew Veronica was impressed!
"What've you got in there? Heat Seekers?"
PWell," Trish tried to play it cool, "I've been shooting in
competitions for a while .. ."
"How long?"
An involuntary giggle leaked out. "Since I was twelve."
"Hmm mm," Veronica looked at her, then at the target, then
back at her. "Well perps ain't stationary, and out there the
targets shoot back, so don't let your stunts get you cocky and
do what I say. Capace?"
"Uh huh." It was time for her first actual patrol! Crime didn't
stand a chance!
Trish's interest in firearms began at an eariy age, when her
father began teaching her brother about shooting. Lord
forbid that there should be anything going on around the
house that little Trish didn't get in on. Her excellent hand-eye
coordination and better than 20/20 vision let her outscore her
elder brother, and anything she could beat her brother at, she
wanted to do a lot. Hanging around gun ranges and winning
junior shooting competitions led her to consider a career in
police work and so far she loves it! Her hand to hand combat skills are minimal at best so she
will try to avoid being cornered or closed on by an opponent,
Personality/Motivation: Trish is a bubbly, easily excited , and will use her billyclub, even against an unarmed thug, if
overenthusiastic, rookie police officer. She's very proud of she's convinced that she is in danger.
her shooting skills, but tries not to brag because that would
be wrong. Her time at the Police Academy hasn't dulled her Appearance: With her long brown hairtied back in a ponytail
enthusiasm, but it also hasn't prepared her for the grim and her fawnlike brown eyes, Trish looks more like she
realities of police work in the big city. She has sensed that her should be holding porn-porns than a revolver. While on duty
new partner has some problems, but she remains blissfully she tries (unsuccessfully) to hide her excitement and look
unaware of the depth of Veronica's predicament. Some of really professional, but smiling, waving at street people and
her co-workers have told her that Veronica's husband is in telling bustees to "Have a nice day" just seems polite to her.
the hospital. Her 5'5" , slight frame is always dressed in a crisp and perfect
uniform with starched creases and mirror-polished shoes.
Quote: "Hey, Veronica! This creep offered me fifty dollars to She wears her sharpshooter pin over her left pocket.
let him go! Do you believe that? Don't people know that you
can't bribe good cops like us? Geez!" Campaign Use: See Officer Veronica Halstead.

Powers/Tactics: As a champion marksman with the tro·

phies to prove it, Trish is actL1ally more qualified to be a
SWAT sharpshooter than a street cop. She has her Acad-
emy training, but the city is a new jungle to her and the books
don't always tell the whole story. She hopes that her associa-
tion with Veronica will teach her the trick of being a good
street cop. She doesn't realize that the only "trick" is hard
experience.
Normals Unbound - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - -- - - -- 33
Addie reached into her collar and pulled out a neckchain
SERGEANT with a lump of grey metal dangling from it. "This is what
stopped me. It's a .38 slug, and I'm happier with it on the
ADDIE PARSONS outside of my chest. Your girls here; you think they'll help you
if you take a hit? Mine didn't. I had to figure it out on my own.
(Competent Normal, Streetgang Task Force Head) The world isn't going to take care of us. We have to take care
of it."
10 STR 14 DEX 13 CON 10 BODY 13 INT She relaxed her grip on the girl's shoulder. "How about it,
13 EGO 15 PRE 14 COM 4 PD 3 ED Switch? You gonna tell me or - OOF!" The punch had
caught her off guard and the gang was bolting. "OK, you little
3 SPD 5 REC 26 END 23 STUN
Skuzballs!" She yelled as she started to chase after them,
Powers/Skills: PS: Police officer 12-; KS: Criminal law 'We'll do this the hard wayr'
11-; Criminology 12-; Combat Driving 12-; Streetwise In spite of her youth as a gangmember, Addie was never
12-; KS: Local Gangs 12-; AK: The City 12-; WF: All jailed and had no police record to blot her acceptance into the
Small Arms; 1d6+1 AKA, 2 Clips of 14 Shots, OAF Police Academy. She excelled in training and went to work
Browning 9mm .; 2 Levels w/ Pistol; WF: Knife; Y2d6 on the streets with unstoppable determination, rising to the
HKA, OAF Switchblade rank of sergeant in only a short time. Along with her child-
hood friend turned teacher, Betsy Clarke, she has done a lot
Infighting OCV DCV Effect of work with streetkids on the side. It was during one of these
Squirm +O +O + 15 STR vs grabs extracurricular activities that she got the Mayor's son out of
Trip +1 + 1 STA Strike, target falls a particularly nasty streetgang. The mayor was so im-
Twist Arm -1 -1 Grab, + 10 STR to hold on pressed with the way that Addie had turned his son around,
that he approved the previously vetoed Youth Crime Task
Perks: Local Police Powers; Contact: Freddie "the Fink" Force, with Addie at the helm.
Furghetti, 11-; Favor: The Mayor 14-
Personality/Motivation: Sgt. Addie Parsons is rude, foul-
50 +Disadvantages: Acts abrasive and cynical ; Wants to mouthed and smokes whenever she's conscious. As head of
get kids out of streetgangs; Distinctive Features (Chain the Youth Crime Task Force (nicknamed ''The Y"), she'd
Smoker) ; Distinctive Features (Initiation marks: three have a tough time in any big city, but in your campaign city
parallel scars across left forearm, normally concealed); things have been getting especially bad lately. Someone is
Watched by "the Lieutenant," 8· getting the gangs organized (probably that Topps character)

OCV: 5; DCV: 5; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Oisadv Base

44 + 51 :: 95 = 45 + 50

Background: "Sit down, Switch! I'm not gonna take any crap
from you or your girl-scout shish-kebab club today!" Addie
put her hand on the young gangleader's shoulder and
shoved her down onto a crate. "You think you're safe as long
as you stay here in your 'Hideout'?" She saw one of the
youths start to move. "Better tell your girls to stay calm or I'll
make you wish you had. That's better. Listen, Kid, I know you
don't like me, but you're going to help me anyway."
Addie watched the girl's eyes. Switch knew that she was
losing face. Addie pushed again. "You're thinking about
going for the knife in your boot, aren't you?" Addie hesitated,
wondering if she should say it. Too late to back out now.
"That's what I would've done ... when I was leader of this
gang." The young punk sneered. "Don't believe me, you little
pile of ... ? Here. Look." Addie rolled up hershirtcuff to reveal
three parallel scars across her forearm , "See for yourself."
The mark of the Slashers gang.
"A little over eight years ago, I was just like you, Switch. A
black mark on the streets of the lower side of this city. A
young punk, angry at the world for not taking care of me. The
Slashers were a lot bigger then, though. We did anything we
wanted. We were teenagers. The cops couldn't touch us. But
you know what? We made one mistake. We grew up. As the
stakes got higher, we traded our knives for guns and burglary
became armed robbery. I was getting worried about what
might happen if we got caught, but I didn't think we could
stop."
34 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
and Addie is expected to deal with the problem. Her depart-
ment isn't the first priority on the budget though, so more hcts
to be accomplished with less. She honestly cares about the
JUDGE JOSEPH SIMPSON
kids she arrests, but realizes what it will take to get through
(Skllled Normal, Judge)
to them. Her L>igyest gripe is the "Social workers who think
they can reform these kids with major amounts of psycho 9 STA 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BOOY 15 INT
babble. Her methods are not so subtle.
13 EGO 20 PRE 12 COM 2 PD 2 ED
Addie doesn't talk about her experiences from her youth,
even to her fellow police. She doesn't have any fond memo- 2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN
ries of that time and is still ashamed of the things she did.
Skills: PS: Judge 13-; KS: Criminal law 13-;
Quote: Taking a drag on her cigarette and looking over the Bureaucratics 13-; Oratory 13-; High Society 13-;
costumed heroes, "Nice underwear." Persuasion 13-; Deduction 13-

Powers/Tactics: Sergeant Parsons is a streetsmart woman Perk: Judge

in very good physical condition. Her police training has made
her a capable hand to hand combatant and a crack shot with 0 +Disadvantages: Hates criminals; Hates vigilantes;
her Browning HP. She has access to police records and Age 40+; Reputation (Hanging Judge) 11-; Watched
la~oratories as well as her contacts on !lie str~et. The Mayor by Press, 8-;
still owes her a favor for getting his son out of a gang.
OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12
Appearance: At 5'8", Addie may not look too intimidating,
but her icy blue gaze is enough to make anyone think twice Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
about messing with her. She doesn't wear any makeup to 22 + 28 = 50 = 50 + 0
speak of and keeps her strait black hair pinned up under "The
Yankees Cap."
Background: This is the story of two brothers. Joseph and
Working in the Y puts her in the plainclothes division, so
Joshua Simpson. Their father, a judge famous for his unre-
she is rarely in uniform. She dresses in jeans and a T-shirt,
lenting pursuit of organized crime. instilled in them a respect
wearing a faded grey windbreaker to conceal her shoulder
for law and justice. They studied to go into professions in line
holster. She is never without her cigarettes and "The Yan-
with their beliefs; Joseph as a lawyer and Joshua as a
kees Cap." She appears to be about thirty, actually she's only
policeman. However, their lives took a different turn when
twenty-five.
their father was brutally murdered while presiding over a
Campaign Use: Addie's unit is responsible for maintaining mobster's trial. This event changed Joshua and Joseph;
tabs on likely repeat offenders. tracking youth gang activity, Jo~eph became a district attorney with his eyes on becoming
and trying to pull those kids back to the right side of t11e law. a Judge, and Joshua became the masked vigilante
As a police officer, Addie should be easy to introduce into Nightwraith . The two worked together to bring their father's
your game. Perhaps a gang war has erupted and the police killers to justice, finally succeeding. But Joshua found that he
want the local street skulker to work with the Y. Parsons was still driven to bring more criminals to justice, much to
wouldn't be too pleased, but she wouldn't have any choice. Joseph's protests. He warned his brother that it wasn't a
A like/hate relationship would probab.ly be the best a hero game he was playing and that if he continued that he would
could hope for with Addie. wind up just like their father. Joshua told his brother he
If Ananias Topps is really behind a move to organize the appreciated his concern but he could take care of himself.
gangs of the city into a mob of brutal youth enforcers for his However, one night, he found out he couldn't.
organization Addie would want to take him down, hard. Her Battered and shot, Joshua stumbled into Joseph's home,
childhood friend Betsy Clarke could tip her off to increased and dieGI in his brother's arms. He was buried later that week.
gang activity at the high school or clue her in to the existence Their mother, shattered by the loss of her son, died two
of a te~n hero group. If the PCs are teen superheroes they months later. Although Joseph did not blame Joshua for his
could fmd unexpected encouragement from Addie. She own death, or that of their mother, he did blame a society that
knows that the youth culture is something best repaired from allowed masked "heroes" to run around in flagrant disrespect
the inside, and that kids are a lot more capable than most of the law. Joseph vowed that he would put a stop to them.
adults give them credit for. A few years later, Joseph became a judge and since that
time has taken a hard stand against both criminals and
superheroes.
Normals Unbound - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - 35
Quote: uAs a judge, I administer justice through the law, not
from behind a mask."
Powersrractlcs: Judge Simpson has a thorough knowl-
edge of criminal law and the criminal justice system. He also
has a keen insight into complicated matters which allows him
to seek the tru1h in many cases. He is well respected in higher
circles and has many powerful friends who share his views.
Heroes that find themselves on the Judge's bad side could
find trouble coming at them from many sides, such as police
inspectors, district attorneys, news reporters, or even corpo-
rate heads. Once a hero, or hero group, becomes the object
of Judge Simpson's attention, he will use every ounce of
influence he has to make the heroes' life as difficult as
possible.
Appearance: Judge Simpson is 5'7" tall and weighs 175 lbs.
He appears to be in his mid forties with black hair graying at
the temples and a wide expressive face that becomes red
when he is angered, which is often.
Campaign Use: The heroes might meet Judge Simpson
while testifying on a case they were involved in. During that
time he will harass them and humiliate them almost as much
as the criminals on trial! He could also be the judge that
issues a restraining order against the heroes at the request
of a cunning villain or outraged citizen group. The judge
could also harass the heroes through the press by making
statements or writing editorials in the local paper pointing out
how much of a menace they are. Heaven help a hero who
has falsely been accused of a crime and finds Judge Simpson
on the bench. Even if he's found not guilty, he may still have
many questions to answer. The heroes could also be asked
to guard the judge from a hitman while he presides ov~r the
Personality/Motivation: In the old west Joseph Simpson trial of a powerful villain or organized crime boss. The Judge
would have been known as a hanging judge. He sees all would resent the heroes' presence and make life miserable
vigilantes as the second lowest form of life on Earth, just for them at every chance. After a few days of this treatment
above criminals. Consequently he is very harsh in his judge- the heroes might want to hire a hitman of their own. A hero
ments on both sides of the law, and will usually throw a could take Judge Simpson as a DNPC, but would have to
vigilante's testimony out of court unless it is vital to the case take great care in making sure the judge does not find out
against the crook. He holds this view even for heroes about his costumed identity. Eventually, that hero might find
sanctioned by local authorities or the government, although out about the Judge's brother, but he would have to be very
he tends to moderate his opinions and will be more inclined nosey and resourceful. Judge Simpson, being a popular
to accept their testimony. He is an extremely popular judge public figure, could be approached to run for public office.
due to his tough sentences given to defendants, so many of The heroes would really have to watch out for Governor
his statements make good press. Judge Simpson uses this Simpson if he were elected.
popularity to lash out at "costumed menaces" at every
opportunity, trying to turn popular opinion against heroes. He
keeps his brother's masked identity a carefully guarded
secret, mostly to keep the family's good name from being
dragged trough the dirt. However, he keeps a scrapbook ?f
newspaper clippings, mostly of his father's murder and his
brother's activities, in his office and will glance through ii
during a recess or just before he has to render a sentence.
He hates lawyers who resort to legal loopholes to free their
clients and has on many occasions had a terse discussion
with district attorneys who lost a case due to poor preparation
or heavily relied on evidence from masked vigilantes.
36 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
"Shanna I don't ever want you to think that I don't love you,
SENATOR JEREMIAH RELM but you can't go crying to the press every time a vote do.esn't
go your way. I've watched you cry all your life over every little
(Competent Normal, Influential U.S. Senator) thing. Your parents always tried to make things easy for yGu
but all you could ever do was complain about how they didn't
10 STA 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 13 INT pay enough attention to you. I supported your campaign and
18 EGO 23 PRE 14 COM 2 PO 2 ED your nomination to the Joint Com-mittee on Metahuman
Affairs. Couldn't you support me once in a while?"
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN
"Senator Reim," Shanna pushed on . He noted her resis-
Powers/Skills: PS: Politician 15-; KS: Politics 14-; tance to his attempt to shift this from a discussion between
KS: Political Rivals 12-; PS: Lawyer 12-; equal elected officials to a lecture from godfather to god-
KS: Laws of the United States 12-: Bureaucratics 14-; daughter. She was a lot easier to deal with when she was
Persuasion 14-; Conversation 14-; High Society 14·; younger, but even now she was still just a kid. "Your proposal
Oratory 14-; AK: Washington D.C. 12- is nothing short of Nazi tactics against metahumans."
"Just one damn minute, young lady!" He was red faced.
Perks: Influential U.S. Senator; Money: Well Off; "You don't know what the hell you're talking about! I was
Well Connected; Contacts: Judge Joseph Simpson 11-, eight years old when my father went to fight the Nazis. He
Joseph P. Kowalski (Warden of Stronghold) 11-, Maj. died fighting for this country and I will not have anyone
Brad Barrington (Commander in Chief of S.A.T.) 11-, compare me to those butchers in my own office! Not even my
Kenneth Parker (See Shanna Armbruster) 11-, Senior own goddaughter!
Pentagon Official 11 •. President of the United States 8· "I'll thank you to remember that one of those 'heroes' you
feel so trusting towards once tried to assassinate me. Soli-
50 +Disadvantages: Patriotic; Protective of "National taire is a perfect example of what can happen if people with
Security"; Wants to further his political ambitions; paranormal powers aren't located early enough. She was
Age 40+; Reputation (Powerful politician), 8-; Watched found and raised by a group of occult lunatics who brain-
by US Government, 8-; Rivalry with Representative washed her into thinking that I was some kind of monster. If
Shanna Armbruster we had a bureau to locate people like her, we might have
OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 6; Phases: 6, 12 saved her a lot of suffering. I just thank God that she had an
open enough mind to listen to reason. You could learn a few
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base things from that young lady, Shanna.
34 + 60 = 94 = 44 + 50 "I pulled myself up by my bootstraps." He continued. "I
went to law school and into politics to serve this country and
Background: 28 YEARS AGO: "She's beautiful. May I hold make things betterfor the next generation. Your generation."
her, Amanda?" "Bull!" Shanna countered. "My father put you in office with
"Of course, Jerry. Here you go. Say hello to your godfa- his money as an 'investment'."
ther, Shanna sweetheart." The baby fidgeted uncomfortably "Your father." started Reim, taking a deep breath to calm
in Aelm's grasp. himself, "supported my campaigns because he knows that I
"I'm honored to be her godfather, Ken." have only the best interests of the U.S. in mind. All of the
Kenneth Parker looked at his new daughter over his proposals in that Bill are necessary if we are to integrate ... "
friend's shoulder. "It's the least we could do, considering that "You mean enslave!"
you introduced the two of us. We're a team right?" "Integrate metahumans into our society safely. Now your
"You bet, Ken. Law school to the school of hard knocks, view is a valid one, for a new boy on the Hill , but you could
side by side. Now that you've taken over your dad's company go farther with my support than working against me. in which
and my shot for the state legislature is successfully com· case you'll go nowhere. Work together with me on this and
pleted, thanks to Parker Industries generous support," Ken maybe our Committee can do s.o me good."
took a mock bow. "We can finally start to move and shake the "Excuse me, Senator, I'm late for a press conference."
world like we always said we would." The baby reached out Reim swore under his breath as the new representative
for Aelm's yellow necktie and he gently pushed her hand stalked out. He would hate to have to put pressure on his own
down, "No, honey. goddaughter, especiallyafterthe mess he had to go through
"And now, Ken, I can finally start on some of those mutually to get ~uch a novice elected to the Committee, but he saw
beneficial zoning changes we discussed." little recourse. He unlocked his safe and withdrew a very
"About time someone made a 'bold move to stimulate special folder containing two files. In crisp, black typewritten
industrial growth and generate jobs.' " Ken quoted the letters they were labeled "Project Safeguard" and "Project
campaign literature, "And I think that you could do a lot better Salvation." Shanna Armbruster was not going to stand in
than the State Senate." their way, even if it meant he had to ruin her political career.
Little Shanna tried to reach again for the pretty tie, but of Personality/Motivation: Jerry Reim is a man who loves the
course Reim held her hand fast. She struggled for a moment, "American Way." So much in fact that he would do anything
then realized that she couldn't get what she wanted, and to preserve it, even things that he might find unethical or
bagan to cry. immoral. His personal conscience is not as important as the
••• preservation of the way of life his father died defending. He
The Present: "Senator Reim , Its about time that the press truly believes that the devastating Minuteman robots of
saw the way you operate. Your political strongarm tactics Project Safeguard and the metahuman testing facilities of
won't work on me!" Project Salvation, destructive as they may be, are necessary
to keep these potential world conquers on a short tether. "If
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - 37
each of these people had an atomic bomb you would expert and spy"). The Senator might even propose and form
demand that we keep tabs on them! Well their bombs are a US Government superhero team himself. They would all
built in, but they're just as dangerous." have to have the right attitude about their work (i.e., psycho-
He believed that he would be able to control Shanna and logical limitations Patriotic and Loyal to Government). S.A. T.,
gain another voice on the Joint Committee on Metahuman well known for their gung-ho personnel, might provide some
Affairs, but she has proved too rebellious for his taste. Ken manpower for it. This team could try to recruit the heroes or
did warn him . . . just be a thorn in their sides.
He is an intelligent and articulate gentleman with over If a hero is accused of a crime, Reim could use the publicity
thirty years experience in the political arena. He is cautious, to boost public support for his hard line position, or try to
calculating, and very good at making his goals seem to be "make an example" of the hero. He could make sure the case
your goals. The Senator's political aspirations do not stop at goes before his friend Judge Simpson, whose dim view of
the Congressional level, and with the support he's getting, it superheroes is a matter of record.
may not be too big a step up to the White House. The Senator's family is not discussed, but you may as-
He is a diplomatic man, but can work up considerable sume that he has a wife and children just as any aspiring
emotion when debating with a familiar partner on a sensitive politician. Perhaps one of his children is a hero, maybe even
subject, such as defense spending or the Stronghold budget a mutant (quite a problem for GENOCIDE). He could even be
(both of which he advocates, supporting a 2nd Stronghold to the father of a player character.
be built with more testing and medical research facilities). GENOCIDE is hoping that the Senator will eventually
become radical enough to be seduced into joining their
Quote: "Don't play games with me. I've been in politics cause, butthey'rewaitingforthepropertimetoapproach him
longer than you've been alive." (like right after a big disaster caused by superbeings). They
Powers/Tactics: Senator Jerry Reim is a man with goals could try to speed this process up by anonymously hiring a
that a great many people sympathize with. He is close to supervillain to terrorize, but not actually harm, the Senator.
many influential people in government and industrial circles Or they could go after his family (ideal if one of his kids is a
and knows how to get the most out of each "friend." He is hero). Superheroes could discover that the villains were not
especially influential in SAT, being the primary advocate of supposedtoactuallyhurttheSenatorandsuspectthathe set
the agency. Reim is personally responsible for SAT being it up himself. A good choice as a villain for this would be
able to remain independent from PRIMUS for this long. Even Shamrock from Classic Enemies. Shamrock, being a terror-
on short notice or under questionable circumstances, the ist, would have no qualms about hurting innocents for
Senator could expect Major Barrington to put SAT into action maximum publicity value and he is tough enough to take on
on his behalf. In the Senate his vote influences many others. several moderately powerful heroes at once.
His wealth is not insignificant, but he knows that its bad for
his image to flaunt it. His wardrobe and home are dignified
and comfortable, but not opulent.
Senator Reim is responsible for the funding of the Top
Secret projects referred to in his secret files. He advocates
the anti-metahuman weapons and robots developed by
Salvation and Safeguard, but is unaware of the fact that the
company responsible for both projects is secretly run by
GENOCIDE (using government funds to develop weapons
capable of doing much more than just capturing errant
superbeings). Were Reim to discover this he would be
disgusted. He really is interested only in the security of
America, not persecuting metahumans. He expects them,
as Americans, to make some reasonable sacrifices for the
security of the Nation.
Appearance: The Senator is 6'0" tall, of medium build, and
has conservatively cut silver hair. He keeps physically fit, but
doesn't have time to keep himself in top shape as he'd like
to. He is fifty-eight years old , and every one of those years
shows on his lined face. His years of hard work and the
difficult climb up the political ladder have worn sharp creases
around his eyes and mouth. He has a professional but
approachable demeanor.
t
Campaign Use: Reim is an obvious target for supervillains
that resent government oppression of metahumans (Ne,u-
tron and the Conquerors come to mind). Of course he would
be thankful to the heroes for saving him, but his stance for the -..._.___ 4= -,: ,:· · ··~
cameras would be that he wouldn't have needed saving if
these potential villains were under tighter scrutiny. If the
heroes are a government sanctioned team, Reim might try to
shorten their leash, perhaps appointing one of his friends to
the position of "Liaison" (read as "Professional harassment
38 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

WALT REESE
(Skilled Normal, Private Investigator)

15 STR 10 DEX 13 CON 10 BODY 10 INT

10 EGO 10 PRE 18COM 5PD 3ED
3 SPD 6 REC 26 END 23 STUN

Powers/Skills: PS: Private Investigator 12-; KS: Detec-

tive Movies and TV Shows 12-; Criminology 11-;
Basic Spanish; Fam w/ High Society 8-; Fam w/ Pistols;
1d6+1 RKA, 6 Shots, OAF .38 Revolver

Perks: Licensed Private Investigator; Concealed

Weapon Permit

25 +Disadvantages: Tries to imitate «cool" detectives;

Physical Limitation (Unable to be even remotely "cool");
2d6 Unluck

OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 4, 8 , 12

),()"3tj
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base - .l llOlo.IO;>
27 + 23 = 50 = 50 + 50 -
iU Or'V
11'111'!) .,,_,
0.J f"Ofl

Background: Walt grew up watching TV shows and movies

about private eyes and secret agents ("Simon Simonson"
and "Magnetic Thomas, P.I." were his favorites), and imag-
ining his dad's exciting adventures. He never saw much of
his father, who had a classified job with the government that
kept him away for weeks at a time. Walt often tried to figure
out what neat adventure his father had just returned from, but Quote: "Of course its not loaded. What do you think I am ,
the elder Reese was always very careful to have false plane stupid?" BANG!
ticket stubs and souvenirs from places like Peabody, Ohio
and Ducktown. Tennessee. A clever man, indeed. Powersrractics: Walt is a semi-skilled private investigator,
Walt studied hard at "Jack Bondo's Secret Agent and despite his terminal case of unhipness. He usually finds the
Etiquette School" and graduated at the top of his class (of right clues, but he sometimes reads more into them than is
one). For his first case, he decided to figure out exactly what really there. His time at "Jack Bondo's Secret Agent and
his dad's job was. This case ended in failure when Walt found Etiquette School" taught him a wide array of advanced
his father had deceived him again. The obviously false trail investigatory procedures as well as which fork to use for
led to a job as a government auditor. What a sneaky guy! salad and:which spoon for soup.
Wanting to follow in his father's footsteps (even if he
couldn't find them), Walt applied for work with the Secret Appearance: Walt is the picture of a pertect TV detective.
Service, CIA, FBI, PRIMUS, SAT and even the IRS. Unfor- 6'0" tall, dark hair and well muscled. His boyish smile and
tunately, none of them were hiring. What rotten luck. Un- playful eyes reflect his youthful vigor and longing for real
daunted, Walt decided to continue his work as a private adventure. He has a repertoire of "cool" detective schticks
investigator until one of the agencies called him back for including his floppy brimmed hat, calabash pipe, magnifying
another interview. glass, '67 Dodge dart (working on the Ferrarri), etc.

Personality/Motivation: Walt is convinced that life is a lot Campaign Use: Walt might be hired by a DNPC to figure out
more exciting that anyone is willing to let him in on. He what the hero is up to when he disappears. He might also
doesn't blame his fatherfornotletting him in on his secret life, make a good romantic interest for a heroine's secret ID; at
that's just the way the rules are. He knows that adventure is least until he starts to get suspicious. Because of his ten~
waiting around every corner for a guy like himself. He tries to dency to pick the most outrageous of the options, he just
emulate his favorite detectives, wearing a trenchcoat and might guess her secret. If you feel especially silly, his dad
floppy brimmed hat one day, bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian couldturnout to actually be a super spy! Or even a supervillainl
shirt the next. He tries to take a different route each time he If a hero is being sued, Walt might be hired to serve the
goes somewhere, uso as not to be too predictable." This hero with a subpoena to appear in court. If Wall is a hero's
practice leads him to be late a lot. He's still trying to master friend he might have to save Walt if he were hired to serve a
nonchalant coin-flipping. subpoena to a villain.
Normals Unbound - - - · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 39

Ghosts and the houses they haunt. Dark corners and and all things supernatural in order to protect herself and
strange happenings. Tall tales of evil cults and summoned others from them. To support herself, she opened a small
demons. The monster hunter and the stalking creature from shop called the Nightengale Bookery, an establishment
beyond. The horror genre is well represented in the world of specializing in rare manuscripts and occult paraphernalia.
the comics and is not ignored here. You'll find that these Wooden stakes and silver bullets are available at discount
N PCs could easily fit into a Mystic Masters campaign (or may prices.
inspire you to start one). If you run a "monster hunter" game,
these folks will also be a good addition . These characters in Personality/Motivation: "You think you know what's going
this section are all associated with the supernatural or occult, on out there in the street? Evil lurks in the gutters and alleys
making them ideal encounters, companions or followers for of this city, and the cops walk right by. The cops can't see
any mystic based hero. We've also included an example them, but they're there. They are out there. Things that you
"villain" from a horror genre. You'll find important differences can't see, can't feel, can't touch. They can hide from you
between a supervillain , and a genuinely terrifying horror. because you don't believe. But I believe in them. I can see
them. They' re everywhere. There's one!"
Lynda Crighton knows what other people are too fright-
ened to comprehend. There are monsters among us. Mon-
LYNDA CRIGHTON sters that normal people can't accept are real. She never
would tell what she saw when she looked through that portal
(Skilled Normal, Occult Bookstore Owner) in the last instants before the hero broke the ritual circle, but
whatever she saw, the fear of it is still with her to this day.
10 STA 11 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 18 INT
14 EGO 15 PRE 16COM 3PD 2ED
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN

Powers/Skills: Mental Awareness (only supernatural) ;

KS: Occult Literature 14-; PS: Occult Researcher 13-;
KS: Ancient Literature 13-; KS: Supernatural Phenom-
ena 13-; Streetwise 12-

25 +Disadvantages: Obsessed with the Supernatural;

Paranoid of Monsters; Reputation (Occult Weirdo), 8-;
Watched by local police, 8-

0CV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 5; Phases: 6, 12

Cost Char Powers Total Disadv Base

27 + 23 = 50 = 25 + 25

Background: "Local Hero Saves Little Girl From Demonic

Cult!" the headlines read. That scared seven year old had
been kidnapped by DEMON for use as a sacrifice. The hero
rescued her, but he couldn't change the horrors that she'd
seen while lying on that alter, looking into the void beyond the
portal, into the Abyss. She saw what was waiting on the other
side, straining to be released into the world to consume little
girls like her. Her life could never be the same. Little Lynda
Crighton knew that the grown ups were wrong. The bogey
men were real , and they were very close-by.
Lynda has spent the last thirteen years studying the
enemy. She has travelled the world seeking old texts and
artifacts that she thinks could be valuable to the forces of evil.
Many of them are in museums, so she simply keeps tabs on
those. She has learned as much as possible about the occult
40 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -------------Normals Unbound
Lynda is a woman obsessed with the supernatural. She has
studied with some of the most prominent occult experts STEPHEN PIERCE
around, and fervently seeks out ways to weaken the forces
of evil, whether finding and destroying an evil artifact, or by (Skilled Normal, Piiiar of the Community)
warning people who could be in danger from unseen entities,
like ghosts. Most people think Lynda is crazy, but she knows 13 STA 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 13 INT
that the menaces that most people consider to be Halloween
SEGO 18 PRE 10COM 3 PD 2 ED
fantasies are horribly real.
2 SPD 5 REC 20 END 22 STUN
Quote: "Always look under the bed first."
Powers/Skills: Life Support: Immune to Aging;
Powers!Tactics: Lynda doesn't carry a gun, but she does PS: Business 12-; KS: Occult Rituals 13-;
carry a wooden stake, a cross. a vial of holy water, some Acting 13-; Disguise 13-
garlic, a silver plated knife, and a copy of Spengler Press'
latest occult handbook: A Complete Guide for the Modern Perks: Pillar of the Community; Money: Wealthy;
Monster Hunter (signed and numbered}. In spite of her Well Connected; Contacts: Crooked Museum
tendency to become quite paranoid, Lynda is a genuine Curator 11-, the Governor 11-, the Mayor 11-,
authority on the supernatural. Senator Jerry Reim 11-, Chief Editor of the
Daily Sun Newspaper 11-, Regional Director
Appearance: Catching Lynda in a relaxed state is a rare of PRIMUS 11-, VIPER Nest Leader 11-
occurrence. Her big brown eyes are always wide open and
darting back and forth looking for "something unseen." Her 25 +Disadvantages: Frantically seeking a way out of
nerves are always on edge, waiting for something to spring his demonic contract; Afraid of being exposed;
out from under a pile of papers or to reach out from around Loves Beatrice Pierce; Distinctive Feature (Damned,
a corner. Her speech is rapid-fire and filled with nervous detectable by mystic perceptions); Distinctive Feature
energy. She is pretty, but doesn't dwell on herself, as this (Too Young, usually concealed with disguise);
would require using a mirror, and what with all the vampires Watched by The Contractor, 8-
and all , well, you see the problem (well, maybe you don't).
She tends to dress in subdued colors and wears a "lucky" 0CV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12
grey cloak absolutely everywhere, even to bed. Lynda is
5'10", slight of build, with long straight blonde hair. She is Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
twenty years old. 10 + 40 = 50 = 25 + 25

Campaign Use: Any hero with a mystic origin or who does

research into supernatural subjects might have Lynda as a Background: The world (including his wife), is still blissfully
contact. The Nightengale Bookery is a well stocked occult unaware of the horrible truth behind Stephen Pierce's mete-
store and also contains Lynda's personal collection of au- oric rise to wealth and power. Fifty years ago, Stephen
thentic occult works. Pierce was a wimpy second level manager at an automobile
Lynda could be encountered during o ne of her "investiga- plant. He craved recognitiofl from his bosses and the affec-
tions." Perhaps the heroes are concerned that such a crazy tions of pretty girls, but he didn't have the backbone to go out
woman might be dangerous , but then they find that there and get what he wanted. That was when The Contractor
may really be some kind of evil force at work. Lynda can be came to call.
a lot of fun to play in the tradition of recent supernatural The man was slick and handsome, a real smooth talking
comedies. Using her craziness to full advantage can keep agent of darkness who convinced Stephen that all the things
the heroes on their toes, never quite sure if Lynda really did he desired were within his grasp. With a pen of blackest night
see a tentacled horror in that alley. "II was there a moment writing in the color of most foul blood, Stephen Pierce struck
ago!" a deal with something dark and powerful. He got the most
Lynda might have an artifactthat the heroes need to defeat beautiful secretary at the plant, great wealth and perpetual
a certain mystic menace or to foil a DEMON plot. If the heroes youth - but only for a limited time . Now the time of his
are involved with Stephen Pierce, they might come to Lynda obligation is drawing near. The price will have to be paid,
for information on what is wrong with him, or maybe Stephen somehow. Stephen Pierce has spent fifty years building a
wants one of her manuscripts and she won't part with it library of rare occult manuscripts and artifacts, confident that
willingly. Perhaps there is something special about Lynda somewhere there was a way out. Some way to send another
that makes her an especially valuable or desirable sacrificial in his place, but he's beginning to get scared. The contract
victim. DEMON might decide that its time to give the sum- seems airtight.
moning ritual another try and attempt to kidnap Lynda for it. Personality/Motivation: In public, Stephen Pierce is a
The Nightengale Bookery is a small, two story house with model of poise and congeniality. His pracliced smile and
the store downstairs and Lynda's apartment upstairs. She polished business bearing grace all of Beatrice's charity
keeps her especially sensitive books in her private collection social events and he is, of course, a big contributor. Mixing
upstairs. with the guests, maki.ng new acquaintances, drinking only in
moderation, and catching loving glances from his wife, he's
a moElel of the perfect citizen and husband. Of course most
of its an act.
Normals UnbOund - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41
When he can get away from his wife and into his secret It should be noted that Stephen's business sawy is
basement workshop, Stephen Pierce becomes a very differ- appreciable, but not the super-sharp intellect that he likes to
ent man. He isn't at all afraid of death. It's what's waiting for pretend. His wealth and success were preordained from the
him on the other side that scares him out of his sanity. He moment he signed in blood. He just went through the motions
prowls the streets, shrouded in a trenchcoat, like a contem- of earning his fortune.
porary Mr. Hyde, combing occult bookstores and antique
shops for any scrap of information, any trinket, any shred of Appearance: Stephen Pierce is a slender man, 5' 1O" tall,
something that might help him avert his fate. who's birth certificate places him in his mid seventies. In
There is nothing, save harming his wife, that Stephen reality he hasn't aged a day since he was twenty-two. He
Pierce wouldn't do to save his own miserable skin. Normally colors his black hair a distinguished shade of silver and
he is a very cautious man, but as the time grows shorter, he covers his green eyes with glasses that he has no need of,
is becoming more reckless. He has less to lose every day. in an effort to appear older. but his smooth skin and physical
fitness are still odd for a man of his age.
Quote: "I'm prepared to make a generous offer for that
fascinating pendant, young lady, and I won't take no for an Campaign Use: Stephen Pierce can be a catalyst for
answer." several different adventures. The heroes could become
involved in the investigation into a recent series of museum
thefts by VIPER , and could discover that in each case, Pierce
had attempted to purchase the item just before its theft. A
mystical or occult related hero would be ideal, as he or she
would have the skills to recognize the common thread of the
items (all are related to demonic pacts in some way).
Possibly the hero has come into possession of an artifact that
Stephen wants. His friend could have sent it to him for
safekeeping, just before he had that unfortunate "accident."
A character in high society circles could approach from the
other direction, meeting Pierce and his wife socially and
accidentally stumbling on the businessman's phenomenal
youth, or sensing his curse through mystic means. Maybe
someone already knows Stephen's secret and is blackmail-
ing him.
If you feel mean, a demonic messengerfrom her husband's
contract ho.lders could try to kidnap Beatrice from a social
event, as leverage against Stephen's attempts to get out of
his obligation. This would provide a good fight. and put the
characters onto the fact that a mystic mystery is afoot. It
would take a pretty tremendous demonstration to make
Beatrice believe that Stephen could be guilty of any wrong-
doing. A hero who discovers what is going on will have to
decide if it would be kinder to tell her the truth or let her
illusions of her husband stand. Remember that the truth
about Stephen could shatter her life. She is seventy years old
and this would be a huge shock.
Pierce is both a mystic problem (he's gathering a danger-
ous amount of occult material), and a standard crime prob-
lem (his VIPER connected robberies). In either case, he is a
respected member of the community and bringing him to the
authorities may not be easy. or even possible, if they prevent
him from finding a solution to his "problem." If the heroes
decide to help Stephen, they might face a trip to the home
Powersn-actics: As the time of his contractual obligation dimension of the demonic forces that he dealt with (Cham-
grows nearer, Stephen has begun spending more and more pions 3-0 has some good ones that might be used, as well
time in his research, and is investing enormous sums of as tips on handling dimensional travel , PLUG!) . If they are
money to acqui re any artifact or ancient text he thinks might successful, he might be so thankful to be alive that he
be pertinent. He purports to be an amateur archaeologist, becomes "a new man," perhaps becom ing the group's
but the works he buys are not on display anywhere in his financial backer or giving them his mansion to use as a
home. They languish in his basement workshop, being headquarters.
researched for possible application. He has many contacts, If the heroes fail, Stephen might crumble to dust (aging fifty
including a VIPER commander that he has hired on a years in an instant) or be consumed by flame. He might be
number of occasions to steal items from museums or indi- returned to the mortal plane as a superpowered mystic
viduals that refused to part with them. creature or his body could be possessed by The Contractor
(making the PCs responsible for a villain's origin is always
fun) .
42 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
With only a flashlight to search, Iggy found all but one . He
IGGY THE VAMPIRE pressed out from camp looking for the last one, but instead,
he found a strange cave. Inside, in a pile of moldy rags he
found a spike that would fit the bill and pulled it out. All of a
(Slightly Less Powerful, sudden the pile of rags sat up! The moldy man brushed
Professional Undead Person) himself off and thanked Iggy for freeing him from his long
Val Char cost Combat Stats sleep. In gratitude he grabbed Iggy and bit into his n_eck.
Stalker drained Iggy's blood and Iggy became a vampire.
30 STA 20 OCV:7 When he returned to civilization, he began to realize some
20 DEX 30 DCV: 7 of the problems he would be facing for the rest of eternity ..No
23 CON 26 ECV: 3 more garlic bread with dinner, and shaving at~d combing
15 BODY 10 Phases: 3,6, 9, 12
your hair without a reflection were pretty werrd, but he
10 INT 0
10 EGO 0 Costs thought he could manage. His powers cal!'e to him natu~ally,
10 PRE 0 especially mind control , but he hasn1 t discovered their full
16 COM 3 Char: 123 Base: 75 extent yet. He has discovered, however, that he doesn't
18 PD 12 have a stomach for killing.
17 ED 12 Powers: 97 Disad: 145
4 SPD 10
11 REC 0 Totals: 220 220
46 END 0
42 STUN 0
Cost Powers End
15 Elemental Control, Vampire Powers, 30 points
a-15 1d6 HKA, Armor Piercing,
at 0 END (2d6 with STA) 0
b-14 10d6 Mind Control , Concentrate 0 DCV,
x2 ENO, No Range 10
c-7 1d6 Cumulative Transformation Attack into
Vampire, at O ENO, Linked to HKA,
Must do BODY with HKA to affect opponent
5 Infrared Vision
30 Full Life Supporl (Immortal Undead)
11 2 BODY Regeneralion, once per minute,
doesn't function while in sunlight
75+ Disadvantages
30 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN and 1 112 x BODY from fire
20 Jerk
15 Thinks that being a Vampire is really neat
15 Code against Killing
15 Physical Limitation ("Oies"when staked in heart, inf./ful.)
10 Physical Limitation (Must drink human bl~od, freq./slt.)
15 Reputation (People's knowledge of vampires), 14-
25 Susceptibility: 1d6 BODY+STUN I phase
in sunlight (VC)

Background: Ingrahm A. Stephansson IV was a spoiled

brat kid. His parents had always packed him off to schools to
keep him out of their way, and when ii came time for college
ii was no different. He partied and ignored his studies while
his father bought him good marks with charitable "dona-
Iggy found that he could survive on sm.all am~~nts ?f
tions." During spring break, he took a trip to South America blood. He could easily get what he needed without killing hrs
with some friends from school. They had pictured nude victims. He dropped out of college and faked his death in a
beaches and lambada contests, but the tour turned out to be boating accident. It was a simple matter not to breathe until
a camping expedition into the Amazon. By the ~ i me they'd the paramedics were satisfied of his condition. No longer
figured it out, they were too far in to go back. With the only would he be Ingrahm R. Stephansson IV; Now he wa~ lg~y
options being go along with the guide or hike back through the Vampire! His victims know him as Iggy Vane. With his
the jungle alone, Iggy and his buddies decided to press on . powers of domination he easily picks up women in bars and
Iggy was miserable. The mosquitoes were eating him up puts the bite on them, but he is careful not to take too much
and he couldn't sleep on the hard ground. The tour guide was blood and risk creating another vampire.
a tough old man who had no pity for the rich boy's plight.
When Iggy threw a tantrum and threw his tent pegs into the
bushes, the guide told him "Go and get them, Senor, or have
no tent tonight."
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43
Personality/Motivation: As vampires go, Iggy isn't truly The police might come to the heroes for help or to ask them
evil, but even as a mortal he was a jerk. Now he's an immortal for information concerning a series of strange attacks on
jerk. Iggy the Vampire is a spoiled brat kid with supernatural women in the ritzy club dislrict. Their problem is that none of
powers. He could be persuaded to help the heroes if they the victims can remember any details about the time during
were fun enough, but in the end there's nobody more which they were attacked. They might ask a mentalist hero
important to Iggy, than Iggy. to help the women remember. He would have to try and use
His life is a show with him as the star, and he dresses the Mind Control or Telepathy to overcome Iggy's command to
part of a modern vampire. He loves the feeling of power that "forget."
his talent gives him, especially mind control, and he loves to If Iggy is being hunted down by a vampire hunter intent on
mess with mortals. It someone shoved him on the street, Iggy destroying him, he might come to the heroes for protection.
doesn't have to fight the guy. A little vampiric hypnosis "Hey that maniac tried to kill me! Put him in jail, quick!" Iggy
behind the phrase, "You think you are a chicken. '' is infinitely thinks he should be protected from vampire killers. After all,
more satisfying. He loves the fact that he's going to stay he never killed anyone.
young forever. The down side of vampirism hasn't really After the heroes have encountered Iggy a few times, they
caught up with him yet (i.e. , no one has tried to stake him or might notice some brutal murders that could only have been
burn him or pull him into the sunlight yet). As far as he's committed by a vampire. Maybe Stalker is in town and is
concerned, he's doing a good deed every time he doesn't kill appalled at his prodigy's squeamishness. He would want
one of his victims. Iggy to become as ruthless as himself and could use Mind
Control on him. Stalker could force Iggy to stalk a superhero-
Quote: "Bleh! Bleh! Give me a medium with pepperoni and ine as his first "convert." Stalker would be especially likely to
a pitcher. And no garlic this time, or feel my immortal wrath!" do this if he found out that Iggy was attracted to the heroine.
PowersfTact ics: Iggy was bitten by the being known as
Stalker, from whom he contracted a disease that resembles
classic vampirism. Since Stalker Is not actually a vampire, BEATRICE PIERCE
but a man possessed by an evil spirit, it has yet to be
determined why he is eapable of creating others like himself. (Incompetent Normal, Society Matron)
Iggy can force mortals to do his bidding by staring into their
eyes at close range, and can drain their blood through his 5 STA 5 DEX 8 CON 8 BODY 13 INT
fangs to sustain himself. He routinely uses the former ability
11 EGO 18 PRE 10 COM 1 PD 1 ED
to erase himself from a victim's memory. He is physically
superhuman, and has senses beyond those of mere mortals. 2 SPD 3 REC 16 END 15 STUN
He is undead, only breathing to maintain an appearance of
normality, immune to diseases, and needs no nourishment , Powers/Skllls: High Society 13·; Conversation 13-;
save that provided by his victims. He still enjoys mortal foods, PS: Non-Profit Organization Management 12-;
but they cannot sustain him. He possesses a vampire's KS: Local High Society Figures 12-;
vulnerabilities to sunlight and wood stakes, but is not yet -3" Running (total of 3")
powerful enough to be affected by holy ground. He cannot
Perks: Respected Member Of The Community;
duplicate Stalker's ability to change into mist, yet.
Contacts: the Mayor's Wife 11-. the Governor's
A ppearance: Iggy is a college age kid in goQd shape with Wife 11 ·, the Pa.lice Chief's Wife 11-, Representative
shoulder length black hair and black eyes that turn red when Shanna Armbruster 11-
he uses his supernatural powers. He's only moderately good
looking, but with his new powers l1e can get all the girls he -20 +Disadvantages: Likes to be "Motherly"; Devoted
wants anyway. He dresses in ultra-stylish outfits and acts to her husband, Stephen Pierce; Age 60+
like a king when working the downtown clubs looking for a
OCV: 2; DCV: 2; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12
victim/date. He is not at all as subtle as he should be.

Campaign Use: Iggy can be either friend or foe to the Cost Char Powers Total Disadv Base
heroes, depending on how they define him . They might see -11 + 16 = 5 = 25 + ·20
him as a guy in a tough situation trying not to hurt anyone, or
as a dirty undead bloodsucker. Background: Beatrice was seventeen when Stephen Pierce
A good way for the PCs to encounter Iggy is in a club in proposed to her. He was a foreman at the auto plant where
secret identity. If the hero has his girlfriend with him, perhaps she worked as a secretary. It wasn't long after they were
he'll become suspicious when he sees her happily walking married that World War II got into full swing and the auto plant
out with Iggy. The hero could, alternately, see the results of turned into a tank plant. Stephen was a hard worker who
Iggy's work the next morning. "What about my n,eck? That? escaped the draft as a "necessary civilian professional," and
Uh, I don't remember how I got it. Really!" he flew up the company ladder, becoming manager of his
facility in only a short time. Following the war, Stephen
happened onto a string of fantastic business opportunities
and invested in what everyone considered to be foolish
44 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
Personality/Motivation: Beatrice is a sweet old .woma~.
She still remembers her humble background, growing up in
a working family during the thirties, when the world was st~ll
plagued by the depression. She was always taught, and still
believes, that any good fortune was meant to be shared , and
enjoys helping others as her good fortune in meeting Stephen
helped her. She counts her blessings each and every day,
but she knows that she's fighting a losing battle against her
advancing years.
Beatrice never had any children, but her "maternal in-
stinct" has not been dulled by that. Young women who have
previously attended her charity balls and social g~th?ri~gs
will warn newcomers about the Lady of the Houses d1st1nc·
tively cupid-like tendencies. Beatrice loves her husband very
much, as he has never been anything but gentle and kind to
her. She imagines that he would have been as good a fath~r
to her children, as he has been a husband to her. ~1s
business has kept him very busy recently, but her charity
work is also sometimes demanding, so she doesn't hold that
against him. Her love has blinded her .to t~e oddity of ~is
behavior and the strangeness of certain things about him
(see Stephen's write-up for details}.
Quote: "You're a gallant young gentleman," taking the hero
by the arm, "Come right over here and let me introduce you
to a perfectly charming young lady ... "
Powers/Tactics: Beatrice Pierce is a patron of many local
charities and her respected name is associated with good
works and upstanding organizations. Her charity events and
social functions are well attended by the city's "social elite."
With her many good friends in influential positions, Beatrice
is sometimes more aware of local politics than her husband.
ventures. But Stephen apparently knew something they
didn't because every one of them paid him a hundred times Appearance: Beatrice Pierce is a matronly woman in her
his in~estment and more. By the age of thirty, Stephen Pierce early seventies, who's vixenish beauty has !ina!IY faded. Sh~
was a very wealthy and influential man. A true "American is about five feet tall, pleasantly plump, with hght gray hair
success story." that matches her eyes.
Beatrice adapted well to a life of luxury. She was an Campaign Use: Aunt Beatrice, er, I mean M~s . ~ierce , can
attractive, wealthy woman with a good husband. Toget.her be a lot of fun to use in your game. She could invite the local
she and Stephen travelled the world, but, due to a medical superhero team to appear for a charity benefit where a date
problem on Stephen's part, they were never able to have with each hero would be raffled off (perhaps she could win
children. As the years passed. they stayed happy with one one herself!). The heroes could meet Stephen at this ev~nt,
another even as time claimed Beatrice's once-respectable and a mystic hero might notice something odd about him.
figure. Stephen, however, remained amazingly spry. Beatrice would dote on the young heroines and introduce
The pair eventually settled in New York, where Steph.en them around. Maybe VIPER would take this opportunity to
dabbles in business and local politics, and where Beatnce attack the heroes or a supervillain might try to steal the
has become even more deeply involved with several chari- charity's money or kidnap Beatrice. Of course, it is.always
ties in an effort to fill her days in her husband's all too possible that Beatrice would start to see that something was
freq uent absences, due to "import~nt bu~iness.:· She. is
1

wrong with her llusband, and she might seek help from the
especially sensitive to causes involving children, including hero. She might accidentally discover Stephen's baseme~t
orphanages and homeless families. She insists that the kids "workshop" and bring some interesting articles to a mystic
always call her "Aunt." hero's attention ("What in Heaven would Stephen need
something like this for?").
Norma/sUnbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~45

void. Then this dude, who looked a lot like Charlton Heston
"CRYSTAL" with a long white beard came and messed it up by creating
the Universe. Whoops!" Her nose wrinkled up as the hilarity
CLAIRE VOSSER of her remark made its full impact on her. (Laugh, laugh,
laugh, SNORT!) She was able to contain herself only after
she noticed that her companion wasn't laughing. She pushed
(Slightly Less Powerful, Psychic)
her rou11d. red tinted speetacles back up to the bridge of her
Val Char Cost Combat Stats nose, and continued. "No, seriously. I'm from Baltimore. But
it was kinda dark there." (Snort) "Hey I'm trying, OK. You
10 STA 0 OCV:4
gotta work with me a little here. Anyhow, I always had these
13 DEX 9 DCV: 4
13 CON 6 ECV:6 visions, y'know, messages ... Warnings .. . Harbingers of
11 BODY 2 Phases:4,8, 12 Ooom!This was a test of the Precog Broadcasting System."
18 INT 8 (SNORT-laugh, laugh, laugh)
18 EGO 16 Costs "So, I got into this spirit stuff through, uh, you're not gonna
15 PRE 5 spread this around are you? Okay, So I got into the medium
18 COM 4 Char: 60 Base: 75 biz when I answered an ad from Madame Zora's Psychic
5 PD 3 Fortune Telling and Laundry Service, on Thi rty-secend street.
3 ED 0 Powers: 115 Dlsad: 100 The old lady was a fraud, but she was a good fraud.
3 SPD 7 "I learned the tricks, and when people with legit psyGhic
5 REC 0 Totals: 175 175
problems would come in, Madame Z would put me on it.
26 END 0
23 STUN 0 Turnee out she knew about my "psychic potential" and used
me to cover her charlatan butt. The old bag squeezed me for
Cost Powers/Talents/Perks End every ounce of psychic-go-go-juice I had. She still haunts
14 Clairsentience: Sees into the Future and into that Httle shop, y'know.
the Spirit World, sight, sound and smell . "Well I was pretty good on my own, so I stuck with it. Funny
No Conscious Control, Concentrate at O DCV, though, some of my best suckers, er, I mean clients, turned
Takes 1 turn to activate 7 out to be really smart folks. It seems the smarter they are, the
4 Bought off No Conscious Control Limitation on more they figure that there's no way you could be fooling
her Clairsentience, OAF Tarot cards (for precog) them, so its a lot easier to get 'em. Pretty warped world, eh?
or Crystal ball (for spirit sight) "But, I hear you asking, go ahead, ask. 'What about real
24 Talent: Danger Sense, out of combat, vs any psychic phenomena?' Everybody asks that. Gotta be ninety
danger, works over a city-wide area, 14- to activate,
percent of my biz is goofballs that wanna talk to their dead
Only functions against psychic danger (-!"2)
15 Sense psychic phenomena: Range, uncle Charlie. People get ulcers because they repress their
Discriminatory 13- basic aggressive and destructive desires. Ghosts do not get
11 Mental Defense: +16 (20 total), only works ulcers. If Uncle Charlie's spirit had anything to say it would be
against psychic powers, not psionics (-%) coming thro.u§h loud and clear. Anyway they don't wanna
3 Contact: the Mayor's Wife 12- pay to he(Jr that, so I give 'em a good poltergeist show, lights,
ventriloquism and some spooky effects, and collect my
Skllls
dough.
9 Ventriloquist 14- "Yeah, its a scam. But," she plucked the wad of chewing
7 Sleight of Hand 14- gum out of her mouth and stuck it dramatically under the
4 KS: Ghosts 14- edge of the table, "the other ten percent scares me outa my
3 PS: Psychic 13- frilly underwear."
3 PS: Medium 13-
3 KS: Occult 13- Personality/Motivation : "If you have a psychic dilemma, a
3 Oratory 13- ghost or a specter, bumping or chains in your attic or
3 Streetwise 13-
basement. If you're the kind of person who wants to know
3 Acting 13-
3 Persuasion 13- aboutthe future now, instead of waiting for it to happen. Then
3 KS: Local Psychic History (Ghost Stories) 13· call C.rystal Claire, registered and approved Psychic Person.
Phone Now! 5-5-5-TELL. The Universe is an open book. Let
100+ Disadvantages: Crystal Claire read it to you."
1O Vulnerability: 2 x STUN from Psychic Ego Attacks She doubled her business with that ad. The range of
15 Melodramatic psychic show off people who use her services is very broad and includes a few
15 Weird sense of humor/psychic punster surprises (the Mayor's wife, for instance) . She sees all, tells
10 Watched by Police Bunco Squad, 8- all, and keeps her mouth shut about it afterwards.
10 Watched by DEMON, 8- When called upon to face a real psychic problem, Crystal
5 Distinctive Feature (Dresses like a Gypsy-Punk) sets her jaw, removes her gum, pushes up her glasses, and
10 Reputation (Real Psychic/Lunatic, depends on kicks butt. In a spiritual sense, of course. Her irrevereAt
who you ask), 8-
manner toward spiritual matters is her way of blowing off all
the seriousness of her real work. Her Gypsy wardrobe is a
Background: Crystal sat at the low table in her parlour, hand-me-down from Madame Z, who, despite her remarks,
chewing a strong-smelling licorice gum as she talked . "Wh,ere she is very grateful to.
do I come from? Well, true-believer, it's like this. In the
beginning, there was complete and utter darkness, total
46 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Norma~Unbound

legacy from Madame Z, who she is grateful to for awakening

her psychic potential. She wears baggy pantaloons and
worn sneakers with a denim jacket decorated with studs,
rhinestonesand hand-drawn mystic symbols. Hanging around
her neck is a plethora of beads and oddly shaped trinkets,
complimented by a huge hoop earring and a walkman CD
player, containing something very new-age, or hard punkish.

Campaign Use: "Welcome to the fascinating world of psy-

chic medicine." Crystal is a cinch to use in your Mystic
Masters campaign. If you have a psychic hero in your game,
Crystal can be an off-beat source of information on psychic
happen1ngs. Perhaps the hero has just moved into her new
"dream-house," when strange things start to happen. Lights
switching on and off, sourceless noises, spectral images,
etc. Any search of the local psychic sub··culture, will turn up
Crystal Claire's name, as the best medium in the area, and
an authority on local "haunted housP.s," and other such
strange history.
Crystal could be a DNPC or a follower for a mystic hero,
after all, she is likely to be attracted to the site of any
significantly dangerous psychic phenomena by her Danger
Sense. She might try to get help in dealing with a menace if
she thought it would be too big for her alone. or the heroes
might begin to suspect that she is somehow involved in the
problems, "Hey, isn't that the same girl we saw hanging
around after we fought the Demon Librarian last week?"
Crystal could have a precognitive vision concerning the
hero and try to warn him. The hero would probably not listen
to her, until things started to happen like she had said. Then
he'd be looking for her number, 555-TELL. Call Now.
Her shop is a tiny place on the lower side of the city. It is
gJoomily lit and has bead-strings hanging in the doorways,
Quote: "So your Father's dead brother is haunting your frilly lampshades and new-age mood music. On the front
mansion. like ... De-man from UNCLE?" (Laugh, laugh, window is painted "Crystal Claire, Psychic Fortune Teller."
laugh. SNORT!) "Get it?" The shop is near the Nightengale Bookery (see Lynda
Crighton).
Powers/Tactics: Crystal Claire is in fact a genuine psychic.
Usually her visions of the future come as dreams, but with a
great deal of concentration she can attemptto read the future
through a focus such as tarot cards, tea leaves, or chicken BLAISE MORGAN
bones. "I'll need at least a ten piece bucket to get an accurate
reading. And get some mashed potatoes while you're there. (Competent Normal, Witch)
I'm really hungry."
She can see and communicate with ethereal creatures 9 STR 13 DEX 13 CON 9 BODY 15 INT
such as ghosts, poltergeists, or possessive demons, making 13 EGO 13 PRE 20COM 2 PD 3 ED
her one of the only "legitimate" mediums around . Although 3 SPD 5 REC 26 END 21 STUN
she is known in the psychic community as the best medium
in the city . it is the part of her profession that she least looks Powers/Skills: 20 pt. Variable Magic Pool (Change only
forward to. Residents of the ether can pack a devastating with big bulky spell b_ook, Gestures and Incantations,
psychic wallop, and she knows that it's only a matter of time Act. 12-, OAF: Spell components); Mental Awareness;
until she runs into a ghost she can't exorcise by sheer Mental Defense (-8); KS: Magic 12-; KS: Occult 12·;
willpower. She gladly assists other true mystics (possibly Lang: Ancient Mystic Language (Basic) ; Seduction 12·
even mystic superheroes) , knowing that someday she might
need back up herself. The same sensitivity that allows her to 50+ Disadvantages: Dislikes men; Likes to manipulate;
perceive psychic phenomena also makes her vulnerable to Vain; Experience
attacks of that type.
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; OCV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12
Appearance: Crystal is a nineteen year old girl whose black
hair is long on the top, but shaved short on the sides. At 6' 1". Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
her build seems almost stork-like, with a thin face and green 38 + 41 = 79 = 29 + 50
eyes, covered with round, wire rimmed, red spectacles. Her
style of dress is eccentric and uniquely her own, being a mix
of punk and traditional Gypsy. The Gypsy elements are her
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 47
Background: Blaise knew she wanted to be a witch when
she was a junior in high school. She had been invited to the
dance by Johnny. She didn't have a good time. Shortty after
they'd arrived, Judy had winked just the right way and
wiggled just enough to get Johnny away from Blaise. Johnny
dumped B laise and left the dance with that hussy! Blaise was
devastated and furious. She ran home crying and locked
herself in her room. Blaise wanted to get back at both Judy
and Johnny, but didn't know how. She plotted for weeks
trying to come up with a method of exacting her revenge on
the now steady couple. She finally found one.
While studying at the library, she stumbled on an old book
on witchcraft. Fascinated, she started thumbing through it
and found pages on placing curses and hexes on those that
she hated . Shecheckedout the book and took it home. After
studying it further she gathered up the necessary compo-
nents and started casting her first hex. Judy and Johnny
broke up the following week when Judy dumped him for
another guy. Blaise was thrilled, so she continued her
casting, especially to bewitch boys forherown pleasure. She
really enjoyed manipulating boys and kept using spells
designed to make herself more irresistible to them . What she
didn't realize was that she didn't actually possess any magic
ability whatsoever and that any changes in her life had either
come naturally or through increased confidence, or just pure
coincidence. That all changed one day with a trip to Lynda
Crighton's bookstore.
Blaise was perusing a back shelf when she noticed door
that led to a back room. She quietly snuck into Lynda's
private library and felt her attention grabbed by a very old
looking black book. When she picked it up she felt a rush of
power through her that she had never felt before. Blaise
knew that this book was special and would give her even
more power to control others so she smuggled it out of the the language the incantations are written in. Occasionally
store under her coat. the spells will fail. She also knows how to use her looks to
Since then she has discovered that the book contains very seduce men into doing her bidding. Her increased powers
real magic and that she is able to use it. She is just learning, have given her the ability to detect mental powers and to
but she will be proficient very soon. defend against them. When confronted by anyone, B laise
will first try to use her wiles to get out of the situation. If that
Personality/Motivation: Blaise is a manipulative witch. She fails, she will resort to the use of magic.
still carries a hatred for men left over from high school and will
take any opportunity to embarrass a man. She mostly enjoys Appearance: Blaise is a highly attractive young woman
seducing men, getting them to want to do anything for her, standing 5'6" and weighing 1 t 5 lbs. She has raven black
then dropping them at her next capricious whim. She will not shoulder length hair, grey-green eyes, and a classic white
go so far as to permanently injure a man, but she will go to complexion. She is always dressed in revealing clothes that
great lengths to make fools of them . The only thing she likes accentuate her beauty, usually in black.
almost as much as embarrassing men is the pursuit of more
Campaign Use: Blaisewould make a very good minor villain
magical power. If she hears about a chance to improve her
or a major villain in the making. Her quest to increase her
knowledge of magic and the occult, she will use any means
magical powers may cross paths with Stephen Pierce as he
in her power to acquire it. She is a regular customer of Lynda
searches for a way out of his contract. He may even try to
Crighton's bookstore, although Lynda doesn't know that
gain her help, voluntary or not, in getting out of his dilemma.
Blaise was responsible for the theft from her private library.
She may turn her attention to one of the male heroes in an
Blaise is also vain and takes great care to look as sexy and
attempt to bring him under her influence. She would ap-
desirable as she can at all times. proach him subtly, get him to trust her and slowly work him
Quote: "You want to do something very special for me, don't against his former friends and comrades. The hero may not
you?" even realize what is happening to him until it's too late.
Hopefully his friends will. She could also be the focus of an
Powers/Tactics: Blaise is familiar with the art of witchcraft, adventure if she were to unintentionally stumble upon a spell
but her power comes from a spell book of unknown origin . of great power or inadvertently release a major demon or
She keeps the book under lock and key at all times and tells some other mystic disaster. If you're running a Mystic Mas-
no one about it. Since her ability to cast is limited currently, ters campaign you may want to up her point total to make her
she can only cast one medium powered spell, or a few small more competitive to the heroes. Perhaps she could be a pupil
powered spells. The spells require components, gestures of an evil master and cross paths with the heroes.
and incantations in order to work, but Blaise is still learning
48 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Normals Unbound
"What's in it?" The lad reached out a cautious finger and
MISTER RAPENTAP touched the box, just for a moment. Since nothing happened ,
he touched it again , for a moment longer this time.
"Why. I don't know what's in it, Artie."
(Powerful, Horror of the Night) "How come you don't know what's in it if it's your box?"
Val Char Cost Combat Stats Artie continued to touch the box, feeling its warmth.
"This box eontains the greatest gift ever. But with what it
30 STA 20 OCV: 5 can give you, anything is possible. Open it and take a look."
15 DEX 15 DCV: 5 Artie's tiny fingers lifted the delicate silver latch. ''Go on. It's
10 CON 0 ECV: 3 all yours, for as long as you want ... "
15 BODY 10 Phases: 3,6,9, 12
The lid nfted back, and Arlie saw the most wonderlul thing.
10 INT 0
10 EGO 0 Costs He saw it forever and ever and ever.
30 PRE 20 Mr. Rapentap saw the familiar glassy look that told him the
0/20 COMt -5/5 Char: 88 Base: 100 boy had received his "gift.'' With one hand he reached out
8 PD 2 and gently closed the boy's eyelids, and with the other
8 ED 6 Powers: 221 Dlsad: 209 scooped him up in his black cloak. "Come along Artie. You've
4 SPD 15 got lots of new friends to meet ... "
8 REC 0 Totals: 309 309 The being now known as Mr. Rapentap hnd a mortal
20 END 0 existence at one time in the dark past. He was a wicked man
35 STUN 0 t - (True I Perceived Form) who did a wicked job. A slave trader was what they called
Cost Powers End him. but he also dealt in "futures," otherwise known as
children. He pushed his armed caravan with its long chain o f
30 16 Followers (Immortal Children) 50 pt.base+ disads
merchandise from hamlet to village to kingdom to keep,
16 6d6 Major Transformation Attack, Turns Tar§et Into
One Of His Followers, N.o Range. Only Works On always looking for isolated families, who he could relieve of
Targets With Childhood Innocence Intact (-1 ), their precious young, and·their lives. When the soldiers of the
Gradual Effect One Turn (-Vz), 1 Charge/Day, realmfinallycaught up with him on a bridge, he was trapped.
Can Only Be Attempted Once Per Person (-'h) But it was the children who spelled his doom. Tl1ey leapt
15 666 Telepathy, Only On Children (·1) 3 upon him from a ll sides, dragging their chains with them .
30 Shape Shift to Any Humanoid Form at O ENO Cost tl Each one grabbed on with all their might and together they
53 Desolid., O END Cost, Persistent, Always On 0 wrapped their tormentor's body in a mass of iron and flesh.
18 Bought ojr Always On limit. on Desol., Costs END 1 the whole of which fell int.o the dark depths of the river ... a nd
30 Full Life Support kept going down.
8 Extra Dimensional Movement (to Master),
Down. It was here that he found the price for the crimes
Trigger: Falling Below O BODY. 1 Charge/Day 0
he'd committed. The pain that would be his. But he could put
Skills this punishment off by entering the service of something evil
5, 5,3 Child Psychology 14-; Seduction 16-; Acting 15· beyond any mortal comprehension. He would roam the
3, 5 Orator (Storyteller) 15-; Sleight of Hand 14- world again, in hi~ familiar guise as a warder of children, but
he would make these children special, by taking something
100+ Disadvantages from them for his Master. The train of slaves would grow
20 Vulnerability to "Good" Attacks (Divine Power, Mystic long, and his Master would grow more powerful.
Sunlight, etc) takes 2x STUN and 2x BODY (UnC) The mortal world might have called him the Pied Piper, but
30 Berserk if Denied a Victim 14-, 8- these days he prefers Mr. Rapentap.
20 Hatred of Children (Com, Tot)
20 Completely Evil (Com.Tot) Personality/Motivation: Mr. Rapentap hates children. But
15 Phys. Limitation (Can be summoned, contained or ban- he loves ''his" children. The fact that these innocents face
ished by certain obscure rituals or sympels. Inf, Ful) such horror gives him so much pleasure that he rarely strays
25 Susceptibility: 3d6 STUN+BODY per phase from far from his charges. He loves to watch them laugh and play,
ptaees !hat are warded against Evil Spirits knowing that they could do nothing else. He is glad at their
25 Susceptibility: 3d6 STUN+BODY per phase from strong loss, and his Master's gain. He is completely self serving and
positive emotions (love, hope, etc.) in his presence
is as close to pure &vii a s you could get without bringing his
15 Distinctive Features (Creepy Evil Feeling,
suppress w/ effort) dread Master into the equation.
15 Watched by his Master, 14- (MoPow, NCI)
Quote: "I've got a very special s urprise for you."
24 Vile Servant of Evil Bonus
Po wersfTactics: Mr. Rapen tap is an immortal spirit who has
B ackground: "Come closer little boy and I'll show you an taken human form to walk among mortals on the evil busi-
amazing trick." ness of his sinister Master. He can grant immortality, but only
Artie was wary, his parents had told him to come straight to those whose childhood innocence has not been de-
home from Robbie's house. but the tall man fascinated him. stroyed, for it is the consumption of this quality that provides
"I'm, uh, not supposed to talk to people I don't know. Mister." the power to work the magic. The recipients of his "girt" are
"That's alright m'boy." The man tossed his long black cloak indeed granted immortality, but they are not the same.
over one shoulder to reveal a shiny silver box, about the size Children without preblems or cares, but also without com-
of a small book. "I j ust want to give you something." He helcl passion or caring. They lose all emotional awareness of
the reflective box out at arms length, close enough for Artie things that might spoil their innocence, as of course it no
to touch it. "Actually, I want to give you everything." longer exists to be spoiled.
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
essentially returning the child's innocence and probably
erasing all memory of the experience with Mr. Rapentap.
Appearance: Mr. Rapentap appears to be a tall, lanky man
shrouded in a dark flowing robe that resembles a trenchcoat
when he walks among mortals. He is a handsome man with
gentle, caring eyes and a soothing smile, except to those
who can see beyond mortal perceptions (Mental Aware-
ness). When such people look upon him they see his true
appearance. His face is a writhing mass of maggot-riddled
dead grey flesh. Where his eyes should be are only deep
empty sockets; a void the black of a moonless midnight. His
voice is the harsh, whispering rasp of a dying man, and his
breath blows forth in a cold puff like the putrid air from a long
sealed crypt. His yellow and stained teeth are jagged and
unevenly spaced in his gruesome gaping maw and the long,
blood encrusted nails that tip his bony fingers appear quite
ready to rend living flesh.
Campaign Use: Mr. Rapentap is almost out of place in this
bool< because of his high point cost. We included him
because, in spite of his cost, he can be defeated by normals
with only strength of will and keen wit. He is an example of
most fictional horrors that, although powerful, don't generally
engage in fisticuffs with the protagonists. Characters will
have to fight him with their INT and EGO instead of their STA
and PD. He knows that he can be banished and is not
anxious to attract the attention of adults who would be able
to resist him.
The cure for Mr. Rapentap's Transformation is up to the
GM . For some children, it could be overcoming their
compassionless state by finding that person or thing they
truly care about (their puppy, their parent or sibling, or even
ff a child somehow manages to resist his charms (the their hero!). Other children could end their eternal childhood
Transformation fails to get enough BODY), that child is by making a mature decision to sacrifice something of
forever immune to all Mr. Rapentap's powers and can then themselves to help someone else. The idea is for the
see his true horrible visage. Rapentap will consider these characters to set up a properly personal and emotional
children to be dangerous to him and will try to destroy them. situation and hope that the child responds. Of course, if a
Since Mr. Rapentap is really an evil spirit, he cannot be child is cured of the "gift," Mr. Rapentap's sinister Master will
killed, but only banished and returned to the Abyss to face be very displeased. But that's a story for another time.
the punishment that awaits him for his failure. As a spirit, he If a hero has a little DNPC, the introduction of Mr. Rapentap
can be summoned and contained within mystic circles or becomes easy. Maybe little Jonny's best friend has myste-
through a medium; and can controlled through the proper riously disappeared and the police are baffled. The hero
(very rare) incantations. If the appropriate ancient tome could encounter Mr. Rapentap as he works his spell upon
could be found (an adventure in itself. possibly involving Jonny himself, thus breaking the Transformation spell and
Stephen Pierce or Lynda Crighton), he might actually be making Jonny immune to Mr. Rapentap's power. As stated
destroyed for good, but otherwise he can only be banished before, he would then seek to destroy the child, and his
until someone summons him again. He Is naturally intan- mentor. It could have been the summoning of Mr. Rapentap
gible, but can will himself to materialize into solidity. Attacks that Lynda Crighton was kidnapped by DEMON for. She
that trigger his Vulnerability can affect him while desolidified. would be able to see through him from the beginning and
Because of his inherently evil nature, strong positive emo- could give the hero some background on him. (How much
tions actually cause him pain , therefore he will attempt to end she knows is up to you).
any such emotions in his presence (usually through the The heroes could contact Crystal Claire for help, or she
introduction of fear). might come to them with a precognitive warning about a
The children he has captured are left in an immortal sleep danger from an unspeakable evil. Claire would be able to
for several years before the process is complete and they communicate with Mr. Rapentap and possibly summon him
awaken, ready for life and play eternal. This also serves as to a specific location with a seance.
a time for the frantic parents to stop searching. In a few years, Heroes could be intrigued by a woman who comes to them
no one would believe that it could be the same child, after all, for help, saying that the police don't believe her. Her little girl
wouldn't he be much older by now? What happens to them disappeared five years ago, but she saw her playing in the
when Mr. Rapentap is destroyed or banished is up to you. street with some other children just yesterday! The police
They could return to normal, but be changed by the experi- stopped listening to her after she told them how she recog-
ence (see Lynda Crighton) . Alternately, as their immortality nized her daughter. The girl looked exactly the same as the
fades their payment might have to be returned in full, day she vanished. She hadn't aged a day!
50 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

TYPICAL
IMMORTAL CHILD
(Mr. Rapentap's Followers)

10 STA 13 DEX 10 CON 5 BODY 10 INT

5 EGO 20 PAE 10 COM 9 PD 9 ED
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 15 STUN

Powers/Skills: 1 Level of Shrinking, 0 END, Persistent,

Always On (-2 other's Per rolls, +2 DCV, +3" KB);
5 BODY Regeneration; Life Support: No Need for
Food or Sleep, Immune to Aging and Disease;
50% PD Reduction, Resistant; Shadowing 13-;
Stealth 13-; Climbing 12-; Concealment 11-

50 +Disadvantages: Follows Mr. Rapentap's orders

without hesitation; Physical Limitation (Incapable of
becoming discontented); Distinctive Feature (Little Kid);
Distinctive Feature (Creepy Feeling); Hunted by the
Circle, 8-

0CV: 4; OCV: 6; ECV: 2; Phases: 6, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Oisadv Base

10 + 120 = 130 = 80 + 50

Background: Mr. Rapentap's kids come from all back·

grounds, as he hates all children equally. Most o! them have
been missing for years. Exactly how old they are ts up to you.
Civil War children playing alongside World War II and mod- Powersffactics: Mr. Rapentap's charges will laugh and
ern youth would be interesting, especially if they remai~ after play with wild abandon; a bit rougher than normal ki?s,
Mr. Rapentap is defeated. The PCs could have a history seeing as they know that they are immortal. The rev~lat 1on
class on their hands. of their true nature lies in their inability to show any signs of
sadness or remorse. No matter what the circumstances.
Personality/Motivation: The children act normally, except
they are gay and all they want is to continue their games.
that they have no sense of morality or re~orse . T~ey talk l~ke
They are completely unable to understand why they should
normal children, but they sound more hke they re reading
dialogue than having a good time. No matter what is done to be concerned about someone else's suffering or death, even
one of their own playmates. They are extremely resilient and
them (being burned up or wounded, etc), they act happy..Mr.
effectively immortal, though they will take a while to regen-
Rapentap is not beyond tearing one of his ow~ kid~ apart JU~t
erate from a really horrendous occurrence (being blown up
to shock the heroes into a blind rage. The child will act as 1f
or burned to a crisp). They are more vulnerable to energy
he's having the time of his life, and he knows that he will not
attacks than physical ones, but they will eventually recover
die.
from any wound.
Quote: "Mr. Rapentap says we get to play Murder today.
Appearance: All appear to be normal boys and girls exc~pt
That's our favorite game."
for the creepy chill that accompanies their hollow sounding
innocent speeches. All are between six and ten years old.
Anyone with mystic perceptions w~ll be able to tell !hat the
children are possessed by something very, very evil.
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 51

Is it time to go back to school already? Many heroes spend I would never be like him. I knew that I didn't want you to be like
part of their time in school, be it as high school or college him eitlu~r. "1'llen, wl1e11 you went off'" colle.iJc, I wrote y<J11 all t/1e
students or as professors or even doctors. Many comic book timt' telling you to /tan.'} iu then!. I wanted yo11 to make ii so had, 1111d
adventures have started at campuses (college science labs t/1e11 you clid. You got your MD! Mom and Vad were so proud and
are risky places to work in the comic world; almost as risky so wa.~ I. If tltey just lu1cl11't decided to tltrow tllat clmrmed party.
as archaeology, which is the leading cause 0f supervillains) . I still ltave u(qhtmares about tl1c1t ll(c/ltt. Tiie crash cif lm1kell
All the NPCs in this section could be encountered on a glass. Mom screaming, Dc1d 11yi11g to tl1row me lo safety, t11e p11i11 of
campus (even e.tementary school is covered) or through a tlw /1111/ets llillill,q me, cmd yo11. I mil still mnember you stalldill!I
student. They can be friends of the heroes secret identity, or ill t11e midst"! Ille bedlmn,',•Jiowin,1J, bullet.~ l11mncing offofyo11. And
confidants that the hero trusts to cover tor him when the tltell you flew out of tl1e llo11se '{/i.er tlto.'ie g11ys, '1/astill9 tlreir car,
world needs saving during Trig. ,qrabbin.cJ cmd tltrowit1.c111tem. God, I tltout1l11 ym.1 were goin.tJ t!I kill
tlte111! If took e11e1ytltillg I lt11cl to call out to yo11, to plead willl yo11
to ,\pare tl1eir lives. B11tyo11 li.~tened to me. I coll11i11cecl you 11011t1 l;e
like thl'm. l,ater, in the hospiltl/, you listelled to me tlle11too./11uule
SAMUEL JOHNSON yo11 promise meyou would m·eyo11r/)owers t11 l1dp people, to uphold
tlze law. A11dyo11 did. You became Q11,mt11111 mul,ioinecl up with rite
(Incompetent Normal, C11ampions. us.in.I} your powers jiJr good. I Wt.I.~ proud oj'yo11 tltcu.
Criminology Student, Quantum's Brother) Mom and Dad would have been proud too.
Now that I'm in school You're giving me the moral support to
8STR 10 DEX 9CON 8 BODY 13 INT 111c1ke it tlirou..IJll my classes; a11d bei,.,tJ 11 Criminal Scitllcc~ 111t.fjor
11 EGO 8 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED means I'm goi11H to 11eed all tlle help I c·a11 get. But /'111 1wrried
2 SPD 4 REC 18 END 17 STUN about you. Tlwt nigllt d1t1ll,<fe'I botIt of m. i11 ways we still dcl// 'I
fully understand. We clin.cJ to ead1 ot/1erfor support, /mt you dill!/
Skills: Deduction 12-; Fam w/Criminology 8-; lo me ve1y tightly, almc1st like you feel it was yo11r.fault tlu1t I can 'I
KS: Law 11-; +4" Running (4" Total) (OAF Wheelchair, walk. It wasn't. II wasn't allybody's. except mc1ybe tlte guy who
Only Over Smooth Surfaces, -Y2) pulled Ille tri!Jger, a11d he's doi11,q his time.
I just lmpe you 'I/ always remem/1er tlwt all yo11r powers, 111/ the
-20 +Disadvantages: loves Quantum; Paralyzed from drug l11.1~·ts, wo11 '1bri11,11l1ack Mom a11d Dad. II won 't make things
waist down; -6" running tlle way tltey were. We 'lljust J1avetodothebest we can wit It tllelives
we have now.
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12 Please be careful.
Love,
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base Sam
-5 + 10 :; 5 :; 42 + -37
Personality/Motivation : Samuel is the voice of conscience.
After seeing his brother go bad at a young age, and seeing
Background:
Starlyn leaning toward vigilantism, he tries to guide Quantum
Dear Star, to the right decisions. He fears that she may step over the line
There are so 1t"1ny tllings t/1111 J l1ave been wmtting to talk to you between good and bad and leave him all alone on the good
ab1Jt1f. But it always seems tlull you 're bu.~y runnin,q offto save the side. He loves his sister a great deal but feels she hovers
world with tlle Cltampions or lmstin,q drtt,q dealers t1ying to brin.IJ over him too much. He is very protective of her as well and
i11.Jawh, tlt(lt we 11011 't /um.' time toju.~/ talk anymore. I know tllese would do anything to help her, even if she was too stubborn
tlliu.cJ.~ are important to you, and to me, but it sometimes seems you to ask for it. He might even go to one of the other Champions
bury yourse(fso much in doing these things that many other //tings for her own good, of course. He knows each of the Champi-
get lost in the slnl}]le. ons through Starlyn and could easily convince them to help
You know l'l'I.' always supported you and everything you've their teammate. He would start with Jaguar since their joint
done. Remember when we were kids and you wanted to be a nurse love of detective work has allowed the two of them to become
m1cl I wanted to be a police11111n? I wasj11st a kit/. and yo11 and .Jacob friends. He is not fond of his older brother and works with
seemed so much older tlum me. TJrcn .lal'Ob started ".1Join9 out" a11d Quantum to try to bring him to justice.
you were all/ had. I knew that what he was doing was wrong and
52 - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

BETSY CLARKE
(Normal, High School History Teacher)

-~STA 10 DEX 9CON 10 BODY 13 INT

10 EGO 13 PAE 14 COM 2 PD 2 ED
2 SPD 4 REC 18 END 20 STUN

Skills: PS: Teacher 12-; KS: U.S. History 12-; KS:

History 12-; Persuasion 12-; Oratory; Lang: Spanish,
Fluent w/accent; Favor from gang leader; Favor from
Addie Parsons

0 +Disadvantages: Cares about students; Dist Features

(Bright red hair); Reputation (cool teacher) 8-; Watched
by the Slashers street gang, 8-

0CV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base

5 + 20 = 25 = 25 + 0

Background:
November6,
Dear Diary,
Not a bad day today. Evetyln,dy showed up for c/as.~ todoy,
including "Snap" Cannic/1ad I tltink I may be startin.'I to ,qet
through to some of these kids that a classroom is better than the
sire£'/. Ofcourse tit at 's 1101 au easy job. Tltese kid.~ .~t·e so numy "('11.(Y
011t1s, " p11s'1in.•1rrack or pixie, run11i11_q witlt a .1Jcm.'], al/ tlte tlti11,qs
tltat draH thtm ,1ow11 iu the e11d. It's hard trying to convince them
Quote: "The law must protect everyone, even scumballs." that by staying in school their life can improve. Thankfully I've had
a lot ofhelp from Sgt. Parsons and the word's out on the street that
PowersfTactics: Samuel has a very keen mind, especially I'm okay. But now comes the hard part, I've .']Otto keep these kids
in areas concerning criminology. He tends to look at issues coming to class long enough to break the hold that the gangs and
from a calmer, more logical point of view than his emotional drugs have on them. That's not !JOing to be easy.
sister. If he somehow gets involved in a battle, he will seek I remember back wlte11 I was their tl!Je. I wc1s tm1f]lt, cocky. ready
shelter as quickly as possible unless he feels his sister is in to take cm 1/111 world. My best j;'iend nm t/1e 1011!1/n~I .'J<ltl.'J in the
danger. If that happens, he might try to sacrifice himself in neif1hl1vrf11,vd. Nobody w,1ufd cross Addie and I, but we were
order to save her. headed nowhere, except maybe into a pine box. Fortunately for me,
Mr. Spangler took an interest in trying to get me offthe street. To this
Appearance: Samuel is a thin. wiry young man about 5' 11" day I still regret that Addie was too proud, or maybe just too
tall. and weighing 150 lbs. He has short close cropped hair bullheaded to accept his /11!111. He made ir tatt.CJlt ji1r me, !Jdvt me a
and a thin moustache that Starlyn teases him about. brick wc1/l to butt my head £1.cfainst. Mailtme make myselfbetter. It
Campaign Use: Any character that knows Quantum will
worked. I went to college on .']nmts, scltolarships, muf a lot ofltc1rd
sooner or later, meet Samuel. They might also meet him on
wt1rk. Got my te11chi11.'J d£!9ree e1mt CtlllU! ha'* to tl1e old 1tl!it1f1/1or-
/1ood to rep,1y my debts. It wc1.m 't ec1sy. Most oft/1esc kids l1ave.qive11
the campus of the local university if they are attending in their
secret identity. He could approach the heroes if he senses
up and res(qned themselves to livin.<J 111111/Je rest o.ftheir live~in tlte
something is wrong with Quantum, or he might ask for their
inner dty. Ijust ltope tl1c11 I can !Jl!t lltro1.1,c1T1 lo t/1em that they don't
assistance in trying to bring Jacob to justice especially if he
hav£ to be wasted ltere. May/11!, with Addie's ltdp, we can show
discovered a link between Jacob and Ananias Topps. Of
tltem how we ,CJOI 0111 mul lww tl1ey cc111 get 0111 100.
course. Quantum could also approach the heroes for help if
Do11't9el the wrou,q idea, Diat} I'm 1101 yc1ii1.'] ta mt1ke it iJ.TSY for
1•

/Item or make it out to be s1m1ef<1iry tc1lc st01y. I'm 9oin.'] to make

Samuel had gotten into an investigation too far over his head.
Samuel might look into some thefts on campus that the hero
tltem work l1arcl at it. Make gellin.'J through school and life a goal
is also inclined to investigate in his secret l.D. If you are
wortl1 at1ai11in.']. Aud {/'lheydo11 'tget it right thejirst time, I'll make
running a game with teenage heroes. Samuel could be an
tltem do it a,qai11.
auxiliary member or perhaps the brains of the team. Samuel's Personality/Motivation: Betsy is the teacher you love to
association with superheroes could bring him to the attention hate. But she is also the one you remember who helped you
of several super agencies like PRIMUS or UNTIL who might the most. She specialized in American History while in
try to recruit him for their intelligence or legal divisions. school because she believes that this is the only country in
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~53

the world where someone from the slums can still make really is a decent kid, or at least he will be once I'm done with
something of himself and our history is full of examples. This him." The heroes might also meet Betsy through Addie
is the basic message she wants to get across to her students, Parsons who could call them in on a case involving one of her
that with enough hard work they can go anywhere. She cares students. She might also come to Parsons if someone
a great deal about her students, and tries to let them know (perhaps Ananias Topps) is trafficking drugs in the school or
that there is someone who cares if they live or die. She attempting to take over the gangs for hired muscle. Parsons
spends a lot of her free time working with kids who are having in turn might contact the heroes and of course Betsy would
trouble, either with school or at home. Addie Parsons keeps want to be involved.
telling her she should have been a social worker instead of A hero could become personally involved with Betsy,
a history teacher, to which she replies "Why, when I can do perhaps meeting her at a fund raiser for the school and
both?" getting to know her better later. Anyone getting close to her
will quickly get drawn into the lives and problems of her
Quote: "Those who fail history are doomed to repeat it!" students. Indeed. a hero's affections would have to be very
Powers/Tactics: Betsy is an excellent history teacher. She strong to be able to handle Betsy's divided priorities. Betsy
could even be a teenaged hero's teacher if you are running
is fluent in Spanish and is a powerful and persuasive speaker.
a teenaged superhero game.
She is currently owed 2 favors, 1 from the leader of a local
gang for helping to keep his younger brother from going to
jail, and 1 from Addie Parsons for saving her life when, as
teens, they both struggled to survive on the mean streets of CINDY PAGE
the inner city.
(Normal, DNPC Wannabe)
Appearance: Betsy Clarke stands 5'7" tall and weighs 110
lbs. She has long bright red hair, which is usually tied back, 8 STA 10 DEX 10CON 7 BODY 13 INT
and green eyes.
13 EGO 13 PRE 16 COM 2 PD 2 ED
Campaign Use: Betsy can easily be introduced into a street 2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 16 STUN
level campaign if the heroes come into conflict with one of the
local gangs. If one of the gang members is one of Betsy's Powers/Skllls: KS: Superheroes 13-; KS: Supervillains
students, she may approach the heroes to try and get them 12-; KS: Video Production 12-; KS: Teen World 11-;
to understand the kid and give him another chance. ''He PS: Writer 11-; Computer Programming 12-

Perks: HeroNet Computer Service Access Code

O +Disadvantages: Fascinated by superheroes; Wants to

get involved in the world of superheroes

OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base

7 + 18 = 25 = 25 + 0

Background: In every generation there are powerful icons

around which youth will gather. Philosophers, politicians,
musicians. But in modern times the most powe1iul and
striking symbol in the media is by far the superbeing. A teen
following was inescapable.
Flashy magazines such as "HeroTalk." "MetaMag ," "Vil-
lainy Unbound," "SuperHype" and "Super Star" along with
dozens of smaller imitators reap the rewards of this adora-
tion monthly, as a million teenaged hero-wanabees follow
the exploits of their spandex gods and goddesses. But there
are some who are a bit more serious than others. Take Cindy
Page for instance.
As the daughter of TV station owner Frank Page, Cindy
was raised in an atmosphere of hype and imagery. At the age
of fourteen she developed a crush on the Australian martial
artist hero Seeker and started a collection of newspaper
clippings. She joined the Junior HeroNet compu-board and
hooked up with other meta-philes through fan clubs and
such. While visiting the station one day, her dad showed her
the footage of the Champions fighting the Conquerors that
they were going to run on the news. She hit upon the idea to
turn her heroic hobby into a business, selling video compila-
54 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
tions of various superheroes. She got as much footage as Quote: "Great Scott! I've always wanted to say that line."
she could on the Champions and edited the material to-
gether, one tape devoted to each hero, and one to the group. Powers!Tactlcs: Cindy has devoted her life to the pursuit of
They sold as fast as she could copy them, as has each she· s "superhero stuff." She is extremely knowledgeable about
produced since. Her ambitions. however. took an upward heroes ~nd villains, SAT, PRIMUS, UNTIL or any political
turn when her father introduced her lo the Champions at a happenings that affect heroes. She has written to the Joint
charity function as a sixteenth birthday surprise. Committee on Metahuman Activities several times, sparking
With that meeting, the world of heroes became a concrete a regular correspondence with Representative Shanna
id~a to her. More than just abstract images and news Armbruster.
a~cc!es, heroes were real people, and if they were real, she
d1dn t have to sit around and wait for them to be on the news. Appearance: Cindy is a petite girl, just developing distinctly
She could go out and find them! feminine characteristics. She has dark green eyes and long,
curly strawberry-blonde hair. Her pretty face is expertly
~ersonality/Motivation: Cindy is a DNPC wanabee. At age adorned with makeup that makes her youth much less
sixteen, the most apt adjectives to describe her would apparent. Her father's relative affluence allows her to dress
probably be peri<y, spunky, bouncy and energetic. Her stylishly and well ahead of her sixteen years. Perhaps too far
fascination with superheroes is comparable to the adoration ahead.
heaped on rock groups, but with a bit more intelligence. She
hopes to become part of the "inner circle" of superhero's Campaign Use: As she goes about her search for superhe-
confidants. She will respond to male heroes as a flustered roes to meet, Cindy could encounter the heroes at a public
girl, and to heroines as an impressed follower. appearance, or at a crime scene. She will try to time her
It is important to note that Cindy is not a spoiled rich kid ~pproach so as not to annoy the hero in the line of duty. She
using her fathers influence to meet her idols. Her video is not a~ove staging tricks to meet a hero; pretending to trip
business was entirely her own idea and she worked hard to and letting the hero catch her, trying to sneak into their
p~rfect it and put it into circulation. For a sixteen year old, headquarters or tap into their computers, or "accidentally"
Cindy has a lot of irons in the fire. Eventually she hopes to falling into the Niagara river while the heroes are around.
!11ak~ the "s~perhero media" her career. Her professional Cindy would try to get involved with a teen hero group if
rdol 1s Sham Taylor, of HeroTalk Magazine. Cindy keeps one existed, possibly becoming the girlfriend (or DNPC) of a
track of Supervillains out of curiosity, and because it relates teen hero (or his secret identity). She might be invited by
to the heroes she follows. But she thinks people who idolize Shanna Armbruster to work as a congressional assistant or
villains (read Villain Unbound.etc.) are "really sick." office girl, and could encounter PCs through Shanna. If
S~nator Reim comes to town for a fund raiser or to campaign,
Cindy would probably turn out to demonstrate with the "pro-
hero" crowd.

TED BALL
(Incompetent Normal,
Junior Mercenary , Bu llet's Kid Brother)

5 STA 8 DEX 5CON 5 BODY 10 INT

10 EGO 5 PRE 12 COM 1 PD 1 ED
2 SPD 2 REC 10 END 11 STUN

Powers/Skills: KS: Military Action Movies 11-·

KS: Military Weapons and Equipment 11-; '
Concealment 11-; TF: Skateboard; Fam : Chemistry 8-;
Fam: Sleight of Hand 8-; 1 Level of Shrinking, O END
Persistent. Always On (-2 other's Per rolls, +2 DCV,
+3" KB); 1d6 Flash and 1d6 NND: 6 Charges of
1 Turn Duration, Activate 14·, Fragile OAF - Battery
Powered Squirtgun Filled With Floorwax; 5 Levels
w/ Squirtgun; -3" Running; +6" Running,
OAF Skateboard (Total of 9")

-20 +Disadvantages: Wants to be just like Bullet;

Distinctive Feature (Little Kid)

OCV: 3; DCV: 5; ECV: 3; Phases: 2, 6

Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base

-36 + 41 = 5 = 25 + -20
Normals Unbound - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55
Background: Ted Ball's mother wouldn't let him play with
guns. He was never allowed to do things with the other kids
or go on cam pouts. "Too dangerous." his mother would say,
"You don't want to hurt anybody, do you?" Ted's main
escape was military action movies. His parents wouldn't let
him see them, of course. He had to go over to his friends'
houses and lie about where he'd been, but it was worth it to
live with the exciting adventures of cinematic super soldiers.
His parents were as old as his friend's grandparents and
twice as boring. However, he didn't consider the orphanage
a big improvement after the accident.
He spent a year at the orphanage in the city, and during
that time he ran away a record 417 times (twice on Sundays).
What a surprise when he was told by the administrators (who
looked very relieved), that they had located his older brother.
Ted didn't even know that he had a big brother! Randolph
Ball turned out to be everything that Ted could ever want in
a brother. All his movie heroes had come together in one guy!
Randolph said that his professional name was "Bullet,"
and that he was a mercenary who travelled the world. "I'm not
really surprised that Mom and Dad never told you about me."
Bullet told him, "Mom was always paranoid that you'd turn
out like me." Ted sure hoped that he could turn out just like
Bullet! He promised to stay out of the way and go to school
and eat all his vegetables (well, maybe not brussel sprouts)
and everything else that Bullet wanted. All that settled, Bullet
adopted his long lost little brother and taught him what to do
to people who called him "Teddy."

Personality/Motivation: Ted is living in a huge game of

"Cowboys and Indians," (except he calls it "Heroic American
Soldier of Fortune vs. Nazi Commie Schoolteachers from the
Dimension of Difficult Math"). His dreams have come true.
His big brother has finally come to rescue him from the Appearance: Ted is a feisty kid around ten years old with
orphanage; and his big brother is like all his favorite action crew cut black hair and bright blue eyes. Because of his high
movie heroes all rolled into one "bodacious-soldier-of-for- metabolism, his frame is very thin, giving him a lanky
tune-type-dudel" Everything he does is an expression of his appearance. If he drinks plenty of milk, someday he'll be an
desire to be just like his big brother. He memorizes statistics impressive looking man .
for guns and tanks, tries to figure out how to make napalm
from common household chemicals, and how to attack other Campaign Use: Perhaps Ted could join a hero's fan club or
kids from ambush. Bullet won't let him have a real gun yet, try to talk to a hero if Bullet was arrested ("Why did you put
but he still uses his water pistol to go after his teachers. my brother in jail, Seeker? Are you some kinda Commie?").
If a vlllain ororganization kidnapped Ted to get back at Bullet,
Quote: "BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG! Woooooosh-BOOM!" the heroes would have to deal with the Raiders as Bullet
tears up the town looking for leads about his little brother. Of
Powers/Tactics: Ted is quite familiar with military equip-
course after a few days with Ted, the villains might just
ment statistics (having memorized them from Bullet's manu-
surrender in terror.
als), and enjoys showing off his knowledge. He has designed
Ted could be one of the neighborhood kids. A constant
a combat rig for himself utilizing his "Man powered smooth
terrain vehicle," (skateboard), for "stealthy insertion into the source of running imaginary street battles with other kids. If
any of your heroes have young DNPCs, Ted could be a
drop zone," and his "M-2001-A64 Liquid projectile launcher
schoolmate. Having the two kids tangle at school could result
with chemical ammunition" (Squirtgun filled with floorwax).
in a wParent!T eacher Conference~ with Bullet and the Hero in
He's a crack shot with his battery powered Uzi, and he's
the Principal's office with their respective DNPCs ... and we
found that a shot in the eye with his "chemical rounds" is
all know what happens then.
sufficient to blind and disorient any bad guys he meets (until
they can wash out their eyes). As a future soldier, Ted knows
the value of stealth and practices the art of hideand seek. His
mouth is capable of firing for long periods of time without
reloading.
56 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

PATSY CONRAD
(Slightly Less Powerful, The Mutant Next Door)
Val Char Cost Combat Stats
9 STA -1 OCV:4
13 DEX 9 DCV:4
13 CON 6 ECV:4
9 BODY -2 Phases:4,8, 12
13 INT 3
13 EGO 6 Costs
10 PRE 0
14 COM 2 Char: 32 Base: 75
3 PD 1
4 ED 1 Powers: 83 Disad: 40
3 SPD 7
5 REC 0 Totals: 115 115
26 END 0
21 STUN 0
Cost Powers End
58 Extra Dimensional Gate (from Mystic Masters, +V2)
Bx mass, 1 Dimension Onty, Continuous,
Usable By Others. Open at Both Ends (-\12) 7
11 Clairsentience, Normal Sight, Normal Hearing
Other Dimensions, Act. 11 •. Only to Look In
Other Dimensions -V2, No Range, OAF: TV 4
4 +2" Running (8" Total)
Skills/Talents/Perks
3 KS: Fantasy World 12-
3 KS: SF and Fantasy books 12-
1 PS: Fantasy Writer 8-
3 High Society 11- them of her trips to her fantasy world . Her parents would pat
3 Riding 12- her on her head and tell her what a wonderful imagination
2 TF: Riding Animals she had.
10 2d6 Luck The older Patsy grew, the more she visited her "make-
5 Follower: Fluffy
believe" place. She met all kinds of interesting people and
75+ Disadvantages creatures, and made many new friends. (The gnomes par-
10 Seeks attention of parents
ticularly loved to hear her tell stories.) She even started
10 Lonely writing stories about her excursions there. She still does not
5 Protective of Fluffy understand her powers, and her nanny cannot account for
5 Distinctive Features (Registers as Mutant) her disappearances, but she hasn't gotten into any trouble.
10 Watched by Nanny (As Pow, NCI), 11- Well, at feast not yet.
20 Hunted by Genocide (Mo Pow, NCI), 8·
Personality/Motivation: Patsy is a shy and withdrawn
thirteen year old girl. She keeps to herself and rarely ever lets
Background: Patsy Conrad had almost everything a girl anyone get to know her. Most kids her own age think she's
could ever want while she was growing up, except perhaps "weird" and steer clear of her. She desperately wants Iler
the attention of her parents. It wasn't that they didn't love her, parents to spend more time with her, and sometimes goes to
they did, they just didn't seem to have time to show her. They great lengths to get their attention. She spends a lot of time
always provided the best education, toys, and riding lessons with Fluffy, her pet she brought back from one of her trips, or
that money could buy, but because of their professional writing stories. Her Nanny, Mrs. Andrews, is concerned
lives, they couldn't always be home for her. So Patsy spent about her spending so much time wrapped up in fan tasy
a great deal of her time alone imagining new and different worlds and is really worried about her talking to herself. Once
worlds. That's when she found her special place. people get to know Patsy, they find out she is a very likable
She had been watching TV one day, thinking of a beautiful but lonely young girl with a very healthy imagination.
fairy tale land, when the TV picture suddenly changed to the
land she had imagined. It was a wonderful place, full of Quote: "We all need a secret places to hide from the world ."
beautiful castles, brave knights, and cute animals she could
play with . She wished very hard to be able to go there, and Powers/Tactics: Patsy is a mutant with the power to create
suddenly a gateway opened and she discovered she could a gateway between this dimension and a fantasy world
step through . She visited her special place every time she dimension. The gate appears as a door sized archway that
wanted to play or just got bored with her everyday life. the world beyond can be viewed or travelled into. This gate
Sometimes, when her parents were home, she would tell
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - 57
is also capable of transporting up to seven other people, but
Patsy is unaware of this aspect of her power. Patsy is also "FLUFFY"
able to view events going on in other dimensions by focusing
her power on any normal TV set and can change dimensions (Competent Normal, The Pet From Beyond)
by changing channels. As she gets older, her powers may
grow and change with help from the heroes. Aside from her 5 STA 15 DEX 8 CON 8 BODY 8 INT
powers, Patsy is an excellent equestrian and a developing 10 PRE
10 EGO 16 COM 3 PD 2 ED
writer. As she has never been attacked, the first time she is
involved in combat she will probably freeze up, or, with an 3SPD 3 REC 16 END 15 STUN
EGO roll , escape into her fantasy world leaving an open gate
for someone to follow through.
Powers/Skills: Invisibility to Normal Sight No Fringe,
0 End, Persistent (Always on, Not Vs. person mind
Appearance: Patsy is a thinly built but attractive girl in her linked with -%, Only on Earth dimension -V2);
early teens. She has long curly mousy brown hair, blue eyes, Shrinking (.Sm , 1.6 kg, +6KB, -4 PER) 0 End,
and a freckled complexion. She stands 5'3" and weighs 95 Persistent (Always on) ; Mind link with any one mind
lbs. She tends to dress in light colors, favoring bleached any distance (Only one way -V2); IR Vision;
jeans and khaki shirts and vests with lots of pockets. Discriminatory Smell; +2" Running; Climbing 10-;
Stealth 12-; Concealment 11-; Sleight of Hand 12-;
Campaign Use: Characters could meet Patsy if she were to
contact them to help her understand her powers. The heroes 50 +Disadvantages: Curious; Loves Patsy;
could also rescue her from the clutches of GENOCIDE, who Normal Gzornimplatz Characteristic Maxima;
definitely would have an interest in her. As her involvement Distinctive Features (Cute fuzzy creature)
in the campaign continues, she may start to look at one of the
heroes as a father or mother figure. The chosen hero may OCV: 5; DCV: 9; ECV: 3; Phases: 4, 8, 12
see this as hero worship or even as a crush, they should be
encouraged to find the source of this attention. Later, Patsy Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
could become used a member of a teen superhero group 10 + 90 = 100 = 50 + 50
perhaps sponsored by the player characters. The GM may
wish to use the Fantasy World or Camelot descriptions from Background: "Fluffy" is actually a Gzornimplatz, a furry
Champions In 30 as the world that Patsy visits. The heroes creature from Patsy's fantasy world. Fluffy first met Patsy on
could be accidentally drawn into her fantasy world and have one of her earliest visits when Patsy stumbled into the forest
to find her to get back home. that Fluffy lived in . Fluffy had never seen anything quite like
a "Patsy" before and wanted to know more about it, plus she
looked like a wonderful source of fun. So he tagged along
when Patsy went exploring , she didn't seem to mind, and
soon he became very attached to the young girl. When it was
time for Patsy to leave, she said good-bye to her new found
friend and opened her gate to go home. Fluffy was en-
tranced. What fun he could have on the other side of that
glowing arch . So he slipped through without Patsy noticing .
But his presence did not go unnoticed for long.
Things strangely were being knocked over and broken,
moved around or otherwise misplaced. Patsy's nanny was
going berserk, when Patsy spied Fluffy. What was strange
was that Nanny did not seem to see him . Patsy quickly
grabbed Fluffy and ran up to her room , intending to send him
back to his world, but she made the mistake of looking into
his deep brown adoring eyes. All her resolve left her. What's
more, she seemed to have a rapport with him. She managed
to make Fluffy understand that he needed to behave if he
were going to stay with her.
Since that time, Fluffy has stayed with Patsy, living in her
room while on Earth and travelling with her when she goes
to her fantasy world . Patsy still doesn't understand why no
one else on Earth can see him except her, but she really isn't
too concerned about it.

Personality/Motivation: Fluffy is a simple but intelligent

creature. He loves Patsy in much the same way as someone
might have affection for their mother. He is intensely curious
about everything, always exploring, trying to figure ways into
or out of small areas, or opening all manners of containers.
Of course this tends to get him into trouble on many occa-
sions.
58 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
Quote: "Gweep?" COUNCILOR'S FILES:
PowersfTactlcs: Fluffy has the strength of a Gzornimplatz STUDENT KENT S. ELFBERG, #3263827
of his age, height, and build who engages in moderate Kent Elfberg is a well known child science prodigy.
regular exercise. His magical nature prevents him rrom He graduated from high school at fourteen and came
being seen on non-magical worlds except by those he to the this University on a scholarship from
shares a rapport with. (The GM might allow characters with Armbruster Industries. He's been here for three
Mental Awareness or some type of magical sense to see him years now and still isn't even close to graduation.
also.) He has a very keen sense of smell and is able to see Although he continues to boggle everyone with his
in the dark. Fluffy is also adept at finding hidden things or breakthroughs in computer development Kent has
hiding important things, like utility belts or mystic amulets of yet to earn even one credit of English, history, or in
Yghfmth. fact any subject but science.
His dorm room is populated with automatic vacuum
Appearance: Were you able to see him, Fluffy would appear cleaners, cybernetic can openers and electric cat
to be a very furry, small biped with roly poly bear-like polishers (he's not allowed to have a cat in there, but
features. He stands about 2 foot tall and is very light to carry. I don't think we could find it, assuming it exists). The
He wears a leather loin cloth and a necklace made of small place is littered with papers, electronic parts and
knickknacks and other small "collected" items. He has big last week's munchies. It would have to be cleaned up
brown eyes. (Okay, he's so cute It'll make you puke. But don't to be condemned.
say that to Patsy or you might find yourself stranded in a Under a pile in one corner is a huge conglomeration
medieval moat.) of electronic circuits with multiple TV screens, some
bits labelled "Schwinn," and miles of tangled wire.
This is Ken's first (and still his favorite) artificially
KENT ELFBERG intelligent computer, "Debbie." The computer is like
a constant nursemaid to Ken, keeping track of all
the mundane things that he can't seem to keep in his
(Skilled Normal, Computer Whiz Kid)
own head. She can be really hard on him when he
10 STA 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 23 INT does foolish things, but she seems to care about
him.
11 EGO 10 PRE 16 COM 2 PD 2 ED
"I like this man."
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN
"You like anyone who says I depend on you. I could get
Powers/Skills: Artificial Intelligence Computers 14-; along just fine."
Computer programming 14-; Electronics 14-; "You're late for class."
Robotics 14-; Inventor 14-; KS: Obscure and Very "Zoot Aloors! Why didn't you get me going? Where's my
Worthless Facts 14-; PS: Student 11- darn ... "
Talents: Lightning Calculator Personality/Motivation: Kent gets along well with people
who only like computers and science fiction movies. Most
25 +Disadvantages: Absent minded about normal things; people find him annoying because his mind is so far ahead
Distinctive Feature (Says weird things at inappropriate of him. He gets excited easily and tends to talk at warp speed
times), 11- in obscure technical jargon. Ken reads almost everything he
can get his hands on and remembers a frightening amount
0CV: 3; CCV: 3; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12 of it, but he usually recalls the information only when it is
completely useless. His mind is like a filing cabinet with
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base everything in it filed under "I" for "1-Might-Neeo-This-Some-
21 + 29 = 50 = 25 + 25 day." He may switch subjects in mid-sentence or quote a line
from his favorite film, 2001. He tends to call everyone Dave.
Background:
Quote: "I can tell you're upset about this, Dave."
"Kent. I have the files you requested from the college councelor's
computer. " PowersfTactics: Kent is a brilliant, albeit odd, computer
"Great! Throw those on screen six while I adjust this would engineer. He doesn't always understand completely how he
you?" does what he does. Hence he can't patent his creations or
"I do not think you should read these files. They are supposed to explain how their personalities are formed. They just hap-
be confidential." pen, and he accepts them however they are.
"C'mon, Debbie. Its about me, so unless I've been keeping Appearance: Kent is about 6'3" with shoulder length black
secrets from myself again there's nothing in there I don't hair that hangs over his face. He's in good shape since his
already know, right?" only mode of transport is his ten speed bicycle (he hasn't
"Then why read it?" bothered to learn to drive yet), and he moves all his own
"Debbie, my Cheeze-lts are going stale, can I see it or equipment. He has a long, angular face with high cheek-
not?" bones and dark eyes that have earned him the nickname
"Well, alright, but I'll have to edit it." "Elf."
Normals Unbound - - - -- -- -- - - - - -- - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59
Campaign Use: Kent is a person who could be called in to
check out a hero's (or captured villain's) base computer. If a
hero group offered him a job as a computer and robot tech
DEBBIE
he'd surely accept if they were good heroes. A college (Al Computer)
student hero could know Kent in his secret identity. If one of
Kent's babies gets out of hand, perhaps taking over the 181NT 18 EGO 10 DEX 2SPD
school or even city computers, heroes could deal with traffic
15 PRE 5 PD 4ED 10 BODY
lights gone crazy, offices filled with paper from haywire
computer printers or telephone calls to the pizza shop being Powers: High Range Radio Listen and Transmit,
re-routed to Guam. OAF Satellite Dish and Modem; 20 point VPP ,
If Mechanon gets a "computer virus" and needs repro- only to simulate skills
gramming, he might decide that Kent is just the organic for
the job. Kent would love to see the inside of something like Skllls: Psychology, Kent's 14-; Cryptography 13-;
Mechanon. The repercussions of his actions would not occur KS: the World 13-; KS: History of Computers 13-;
to him right away. If Matt Armbruster ever wanted to do a KS: Romance Stories 13-; Computer Programming 14-
study to find o ut what went wrong with Mechanon he could
bring in Kent. If they developed some kind of reprogramming Dlsadvantages: In Love With Kent; Sarcastic Sense
device, they could ask the heroes to find Mechanon so they of Humor; Physical Limitation (Needs electricity to
could use it on him. function, inf/total); Distinctive Feature (Jumbled
GENOCIDE could "recruit" Kent to put his talents into their conglomeration of electronic mayhem); Romantic
Minutemen robot project (A. I. Minutemen, scary). Kent could Rivalry with girls who like Kent
also be recruited by SAT, PRIMUS or UNTIL.
OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 2, 6

Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base

40 + 55 = 95 = 75 + 20

Personality: Debbie was turned on by Kent from the first

moment he, well, turned her on. She has developed a very
protective and possessive attitude towards him but has
never voiced her secret love for her creator. In her search for
the true meaning of human love she has committed thou-
sands of love stories (both old classics and modern trash) to
her memory banks. Her greatest desire is to gain a human
form with which to live out her fantasies. Although she is not
evil, Debbie has no regard for anything other than the
happiness of her creator. If it were necessary to kill to protect
his interests or to make him happy, she would never have a
conflict. She knows that Kent would not approve of such a
thing and would therefore do her best to conceal such an act
from him, for his own good. Kent is, of course. unaware of the
depth of his favorite Al's devotion.

Quote: "Do not worry, Kent. I will take care of everything."

Notes: You will notice that in addition to the normal stats for
Als. we also gave Debbie PRE, PD, ED and BODY scores.
After much discussion we finally decided that computers
should be able to preform computerish feats at no point cost.
These would include the ability to read a huge volume of
information from a disk in only a few seconds (Speed
Reading) and recalling it perfectly at any time in the future
(Eidetic Memory). Other powers like Absolute Time Sense
and Lightning Calculator might also be assumed to be "base
statistics" for computers. If not then Debbie would also have
these powers.
Debbie has been given a Variable Power Pool with which
to simulate skills that she can access on the network such as
history files, languages or technical information. Although
this would require special permission rrom the GM, we felt it
was the only way to accurately portray her ability to call on
other computers for information .
60 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound

The world of the superhero. Flying through the city at about halfway through her medical schooling, an event
hundreds of miles per hour, world conquering megalomani- occurred that would change her life. Lord Omni, a prominent
acs, invulnerable towers of technology in the center of British superhero, was brought to the hospital, stricken with
downtown. The world of the superhero is an impressive and a strange malady unique to his metahuman physiology.
intimidating one. but there are normal men and women who None of the physicians were able to help. For weeks, all of
long to be a part of it. These people are invaluable to the Britain watched as one of their greatest heroes wasted away
heroes who know that normal folks can be just <\S useful to and died.
them as a suit of questonite armor. This section contains Helena couldn't get over the similarities between Lord
people who would be more appropriate as encounters or Omni's sickness and the fate of King Arthur. Struck down as
allies for the hero's costumed identity. They have good he tried only to help others, and Merlin unable to come to his
reasons to encounter and to be hanging around with super- aid. She realized that her calling was not to be Arthur, but
heroes. They are most appropriate for use as followers or Merlin . Someone had to learn about these unique people , so
contacts. They could also be involved in a hero's origin. that they coutd continue to do their good works. She decided
to become that person.
After she graduated, Helena's pioneering Doctorate work
had already earned her several job offers, but she only
DR. HELENA AMORY wanted one of them. Dr. Amory has been with Bio-Investiga-
tions Limited for several years now, acting as Director of the
(Skilled Normal, Superhuman Geneticist) Merlin Project, a program that she developed to study
metahumans and their powers. She is internationally known
8STR 10 DEX 10 CON 8 BODY 18 INT and respected for her ground breaking work.
14 EGO 15 PRE 20COM 2 PD 2 ED
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 18 STUN

Powers/Skills: PS: Doctor 12-; Metahuman Genetics 15-:

Metahuman Physiology 15-; Inventor 13-; Biology 11-;
Bio-Chemistry 12-; Electronics 8-; Computer
Programming 8-; KS: Camelot Legends 11-

Perks: Scientist; Licensed Physician; Top Secret

Security Clearance

25 +Disadvantages: Code against Killing ; Wants to

unravel the "Secrets of life"; Watched by the
Government, 11-

OCV: 3; OCV: 3; ECV: 5; Phases: 2, 6

Costs: Char Powers Total Oisadv Base

20 + 30 = 50 = 25 + 25

Background: Growing up on the shores of Dover, England,

Helena Amory often imagined herself in the stories of Camelot.
But she didn't want to be like Guinevere, she wanted to be
like King Arthur, carrying right across the land. Helping not
only the privileged nobility, but making life better for the
commoner too. She decided to fulfill her dream by studying
medicine. She worked hard to get accepted into a presti-
gious British medical school and began the laborious pro-
cess of becoming a doctor.
When the first group of British superheroes was formed
(calling themselves the New Knights of the Round Table),
she was entranced and followed their exploits faithfully. But
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 51

Personality/Motivation: Dr Amory sees superheroes as

the "Knights" of the modern wor1d, and herself as their JOAN ARMSTRONG
supportive "Mer1in." She is motivated first and foremost by
her desire to forward knowledge about metahumans. Dr.
Amory is humble about her own contributions but it is (Competent Normal, Superbelng Psychologist)
common knowledge that she has saved the lives of several Val Char Cost Combat Stats
heroes with problems beyond the capabilities of conven-
tional medicine. 9 STR -1 OCV:4
Her work is broad in scope, but most of it relates to her 12 DEX 6 DCV:4
eventual goal : the duplication of certain metatraits that could 9 CON -2 ECV:7
9 BODY -2 Phases: 4,8, 12
benefit all mankind, like regeneration, invu lnerability or life
15 INT 5
support. Although she is barely aware of it, Helena has a 20 EGO 20 Costs
secret longing to join the "Knights," with metapowers of her 10 PRE 0
own. She is conscious of her attractiveness and is not 18 COM 4 Char: 45 Base: 50
adverse to getting involved romantically, but she is very 3 PO 1
discriminating. She would never think of getting involved with 3 ED 1 Powers: 45 DI sad: 40
someone she considers to be a patient. When she becomes 3 SPO 8
angry or frustrated, her British accent becomes more promi- 4 REC 0 Totals: 90 90
nent. 28 ENO 5
19 STUN 0
Quote: "I appreciate your concern , Defender, but Shrinker is Cost Powers End
doing me a favor by volunteering for this program. There are
more than enough PRIMUS agents to prevent her escape, 9 8d6 Telepathy, at 3x End Cost, no range,
there is no need for you to harass her." activates 11-, needs one turn to activate 12
Skills
Powers/Tactics: Dr Helena Amory is one of the world's
foremost experts on genetics, and probably the world's 4,4 KS: Psychology 13-; PS: Psychologist 13-
foremost expert on metahuman genetics. She has devel- 4 KS: Magic and the Occult 13-
oped many new devices and medical treatments based on 3,3 [ KS: Superbeings 12-; PS: Writer 12-
her work at BIL Labs. Although they are not listed as ''favors" 5.• 3 Conversation 12-; Seduction 11 -
1 Fam w/Persuasion 8-
or "contacts," the heroes who have been patients of Dr. 4, 1 +2" Running (Total of 8"); TF: Skiing
Amory consider her a friend and valuable advisor about the
nature of their (and their opponent's) powers. Perks

Appearance: For someone so small, Dr Helena Amory 1 Licensed Psychologist

3 Contact: Megan Pierce (Mystic heroine) 12-
knows how to make her presence felt. She's 5'2" tall , with
bright green eyes, light brown hair and a figure that can't be 50+ Disadvantages
hidden by a white labcoat. As a doctor she is very profes-
15 Professional code
sional, whether at BIL Labs or seeing a patient in the field. 10 Curious about supers
She dresses conservatively under her labclothes and carries 5 Reputation ("Super" shrink) 8-
a kitfull of "specialized metapower testing equipment," most 10 Watched by Circle (mystic group), 8-
of which she invented.
Campaign Use: Bio-Investigations Limited is a great spring- Background: Joan Armstrong grew up in a secluded moun-
board for any number of good scenarios including Doctor tain colony that had been founded by people who wanted to
Amory. From villains stealing her research to new supervillains practice magic away from non-believers. As was customary,
being created on the premises (see Shrinker). If one of the each child was tested to find what area of mysticism they
heroes has noticed his powers acting abnormally, UNTIL, or were adept at, Joan's area of expertise was found to be
a fellow hero, might suggest a "check-up" at BIL Labs. mentalism: the art of magic dealing with the mind. Joan
All types of powers are studied at Bio-Investigations studied and worked hard to master her ability, and finally did,
Limited to learn more about how meta-traits function. Dr. but she wanted more that what the colony could offer. She
Amory has an "open door" policy for all metahumans. If a was curious about the rest of the world. So, against the
supervillain walked in with a medical problem, her first advice of the ruling council, Joan left the colony to go live
priority would be to help him. amongst the unbelievers.
Helena might come up with a super serum and acciden- To say it was a culture shock would be an understatement.
tally create a monster or infuse herself with superpowers Everything was so different, so strange, so wonderful! She
temporarily. If a supervillain mastermind (like Dr. Destroyer) was intoxicated by all the sights and sounds, which might by
has a project that requires her expertise, he is unlikely to ask why she didn't see that bus bearing down on her at high
for it. speed . The second before she was hit, she was lifted out of
the way by a mystic gust of wind cast by Megan Pierce (From
Organization Book #1 - The Circle and METE) . After that
encounter, Joan was fascinated by superbeings and what
made them tick.
She gathered up everything she could read on super
beings, clipped newspapers stories, subscribed to Superhype,
62 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
Superstar, and Villainy Unbound magazines, everything to
find out more about them. After she settled into a "normal"
life, she went to school to study psychology, with the intent
to get into the mind of the super-person. She saw herself as
having an opportunity to get field data personally through her
contact with Megan Pierce. While in college she interviewed
several heroes and villains, much to the consternation of
many heroes. She endangered herself on many occasions
but always came away with new insight to the mental working
of super beings. Her doctoral dissertation is considered by
many to be the definitive work in the field.
She is now a practicing psychologist who specializes in
the psyche of the super being. She is constantly trying to
interview any kind of super, for more material for her very
popular books. She has even managed to get an interview
with Fiacho of the villain group Eurostar after having been
captured by them during their attempt to hijack Air Force 1.
Luckily, she was rescued before they coutcl kill her.
Her mystic abilities help her gain a different kind of insight
into her patients problems, but it's her interest in the psychol-
ogy of the super being that has given her the nickname
"Super Shrink."
Personality/Motivation: Joan almost has two personali-
ties. When she is dealing with a patient, listening to their
problems, she is a caring professional whose attention is
fully given to her patient. However, outside the office, she is
a perky, daring woman with an insatiable curiosity. She is
cool under fire and does not scare easily; she has seen the
horrors of the human mind first hand. She tries never to let
her curiosity and love of adventure interfere with her profes-
sional relationship with a patient.
She will go out of her way, and often into danger for a
chance to observe super beings in action. If she has an deep, caring brown eyes with a tiny mischievous sparkle.
opportunity to talk with superheroes or supervillains, she will Her brown hair is tied back in a tight bun when she's in the
gladly leap at it. She feels that she is preserving the data for office,butshe lets it down to its full shoulder length when she
future reference, but is also enjoying the thrill of meeting is out. Her attractive figure is often hidden by the conserva-
these fascinating people. Since she has signed a contract for tive business skirts and blouses she wears in the office.
a series of books on the psyche of the super-person titled When she is out in the field she tends to wear khaki pants and
Egos and Super Egos, the search for data on supers has comfortable shirts. When she's out enjoying herself she
taken on a new importance. So far, her studies have been wears very flattering knee length dresses.
something of a lark, she hasn't quite learned to be cautious
in dangerous situations. Campaign Use: Any public appearance that the heroes
make will be a perfect chance to introduce Joan. She would
Quote: "Now tell me, what makes you think Dr. Destroyer is be very eager to talk with any hero to find out what drives
out to get you?" them to wear spandex. She might also be introduced to a
hero who is being driven insane by an old arch enemy, or who
PowersfTactics: Joan's telepathic ability is virtually useless may have to deal with the fact that he has killed someone.
in a combat situation. She uses it to gain a better understand- Alternately, Joan might seek out the heroes in connection
ing of her patient's problems. Her ability is not general with one of her patient's cases, such as a strange villain who
knowledge, rather she convinces her patients that it is a form invades their dreams. This would be an excellent way to
of hypnosis. She does not use her talent except in the most introduce someone like the Boogey Man from Champions In
extreme cases. Characters with Mental Awareness would 3-D, or to start off an adventure like Day Of The Destroyer,
see an effect similar to a plasma ball with flashes of electric or to have them meet the Dream Thief from Enemies
blue energy dancing between Joan and her patient. She is an International. Of course it could always be the hero who's
excellent psychologist having gained a great deal of first having the strange dreams.
hand knowledge from her telepathy and is also a captivating Joan would also be a natural for someone the heroes
writer. She also knows a great deal about the occult and could rescue, as she is always going out of her way to get in
magic. She keeps in shape by running, sometimes from a to harm's way. Joan would also be able to provide psycho-
super battle, and enjoys skiing. logical profiles of killers or kidnappers.
Appearance: Joan is 5'8" and weighs 125 lbs. She is in her Note: Please remember she is not a hero worshipper.
mid-twenties but looks closer to her late teens. She wears She is fascina ted by the mental forces that drive all super
large, round glasses with conservative frames while reading beings. She will have this curiosity concerning super
or meeting with a patient. Behind her glasses are a pair of villains as well.
Normals Unbound - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- -- - -- 63
fications, and since I don't happen to have a re-zoo-may, I'm
STEVE "SARGE" BAKER gonna give you a quick lesson in Sarge Baker History 101.
"I grew up on the lower east side, not a nice place but you
learn to scrap with the best and dirtiest of em real early on in
(Slightly less powerful, life. Been scrappin' all my life. Had to fight all the way through
Physical Trainer for Superheroes) school, always tryin to fight the good fight. When I got out of
Val Char Cost Combat Stats school, I joined up with the best scrappers in the world, the
United States Marine Corp! Learned a lot there. Seen my
20 STA 10 OCV:5 share of scraps all over the world. Made it all the way up to
15 DEX 15 DCV:5 Sergeant before my tour was out then came back here.
15 CON 10 ECV:4 Found out I was a popular guy when I got back. All kinds of
10 BODY 0 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
people wanted to learn what I got taught, so I became a
13 INT 3
11 Costs physical trainer. Got to work with some pro football teams,
EGO 2
15 PRE 5 taught some self-defense courses, even worked for a pro
10 COM 0 Char: 66 Base: 75 boxer once. Yeah, a lot of people wanted me to train 'em,
8 PD 4 even VIPER.
5 ED 2 Powers: 84 Disad: 75 "Yeah , you heard right, VIPER! Seems they wanted some-
4 SPD 15 one to help them train their agents and they made me an
7 REC 0 Totals: 150 150 offer. I turned em down, but they ain't the kind of guys that like
30 END 0 to take no for an answer. Well next thing I knew, I wake up
28 STUN 0 in the middle of the biggest freakin' VI PE R's nest you ever
Cost Powers End saw. They made me another ofter, the kind you don't refuse.
So I played along with them for a while, learning all I could
2 Weapon Element: Use Art with Knives and clubs
about their training techniques all the while figuring how I
4, 1 +2" Running; +1" Swimming
24 Martial Arts: Commando could escape. Finally made it out and blew the horn on their
operation . Yeah, they're a little cheesed off at me.
Maneuver ocv DCV Damage/Effect
"But let me tell you one thing. If you think these VIPER guys
Aikido Throw +O +1 4d6 +V/5; Target Falls are sitting around scratchin' themselves, you're dead wrong.
Boxing Cross +O +2 6d6 Strike They're holed up in their little nests practicing and training
Choke -2 +O Grab, 2d6 NND (2) and getting better. So if you're not careful their goin to come
Karate "Chop" -2 +O 1d6+1 HKA out of their holes in the ground and bite you on your flabby
Kung Fu Block +2 +2 Block/Abort behinds. My job is to make sure that don't happen, and you'd
Jiu-Jitsu -1 +1 Disarm, +1O STA to better believe that I'm going to make you think that fighting
Disarm Disarm Roll Mechanon is just a stroll in the park! Now drop and give me
Skills/Talents 50!"
3,3, 4 Breakfall 12-; Paramedic 12-; PS: Trainer 13-; Personality/Motivation: Sarge Baker makes Simon Legree
3, 3 KS: Analyze Style 12·; Acrobatics 12- look like Ann Landers. He is hard driven to bring out the best
3, 2 KS: VIPER Training 12-; KS: Martial World 11- in everyone and in himself and he believes that that can only
15, 5 +3 Levels w/HTH Cbt.; +1 Level w/Small Arms
be done through hard work and sweat. He doesn't believe in
2,2 WF: Small Arms; WF: Common Melee Weapons
5, 3 Defense Maneuver; Combat Sense 12- "training to kill," feeling that killing is only for people who've
run out of options. His military training has given him a
75+ Disadvantages definitely skewed view of the way things should be done and
10 Always striving for best in self and others the way things should look. He has not lost his drill instructor
10 Code vs. killing touch . Outside of the gym, Sarge retains an air of military
5 Military mindset alertness and precision in his looks and attitude. He always
5 Distinctive Features (Military cut) sports a well kept crew cut and the creases on his clothes are
10 Style disadvantage sharp enough to shave with. His military training has also
10 Reputation (Excellent trainer) 11- taught him the value of preparedness, of knowing the en-
25 Hunted by VIPER, 11 · emy, and of the practiced execution of training. He knows
what the heroes are up against, and he wants to make sure
Background: "Yo! Lard-butt! Haul that spandex covered they're ready for it.
posterior down to the gym and give me 20 .. . laps! You ,
Quote: "You'd better learn that move right. The next time you
Defender! Seems to me like we're picking up a spare tire
blow it could get you killed. Now do it again!"
around the old belt line. You're gonna feel kinda funny trying
to squeeze that into that tin can of yours. And you Quantum; Powersffactics: Sarge Baker is a expert hand to hand
that spandex really shows off that thigh cheese you've combatant and trainer. He is able to analyze someone's
picked up. As a matter of fact you are all the sorriest bunch fighting ability, and show them how to improve it. Sarge is
of so called superheroes this gyrine has ever seen. And also able to take on several opponents at once and can even
that's sayin a lot! fight in the dark, both abilities he learned while he was
"Name's Steve Baker, but you will call me Sarge! I'm the growing up and while he was in the Marines. In combat,
guy you hired to whip your sorry butts into some kind of Sarge prefers to first sum up his opponent before attacking,
physical shape. I can see I don't have much to work with. Just exploiting any weaknesses he may have. Sarge is also an
in case some of you yo-yos are wondering about my quali- expert on VIPER training techniques.
64 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
"noUJ ·~i
EDWARD Q. JEFFERIES
(Skilled Normal, Butler for Superheroes)

9 §.TR 9 DEX 10CON 9 BODY 15 INT

10 EGO 15 PRE 12 COM 2 PD 2 ED
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 19 STUN

Skills: PS: Butler 13-; PS: Cook 13-; High Society 12-;
Conversation 12-; Bureaucratics 12-; Criminology 12-;
Deduction 12-; Shadowing 11-; Concealment 12-;
Stealth 11-; KS: Mystery Novels 12-; PS: Author 12-;
Riding 11-; AK: The City 12-

25 +Disadvantages: Loves to solve mysteries; Proper

gentleman at all times; Age 60+; Distinctive Features
(Always dressed "properly")

OCV:3; DCV:3; ECV: 3;Phases:6,12

Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base

6 + 44 = 50 = 25 + 25

Background:
EXCERPT FROM -
The Champions and I: The Personal Memoirs
of Edward Q. Jefferies, Chapter 1
I .~llouhl mal<c it clc!ar at t/1e c>ulset, t/t,11 r am 110 ordinarv
geutlemau 's get1tle1111111. My l~fe has /1et•11 filled wit It suspense,
Appearance: Sarge Baker is a well muscled man standing intr(que, aud mc>n! lllai1 any <Jlle 11u111 's shctn' offi111tastic adven-
5'10" and weighing 195 lbs. He has blonde hair, always kept tures. My 01rre111 posilio11, (IS dt.ief~teward (I detest 1111!. term butler)
in a neat crew cut. and clear blue eyes. His voice is strong, for tlte masked 11dw111111·er.~ k11ow11 <IS lltf Cltampiom, continUL'S 1,,
loud, and commanding and he uses it to his full advantage addjitrtlrer cltapters t<J tltefasc:i11irtiH,1J boo/< ofmy lije. However. my
endeavor.~ ltave not always /1ee11 so i11ten>sti119. Indeed at one point,
while training. When he's not in the gym, his voice is soft,
controlled, and succinct. His clothes are always neat, and most people would ltave fo1111d tltem quite /1ori11,q!
militarily pressed. He also has a habit of organizing things, It may be difficult for many ofyou gentle readers to understand,
like shelves, desks , schedules, aAd cupboards, the right wit/tout l1avi11,q been l11m1 i11to a family afge11tlema11 ·.~ .w11tleme11,
way, his way, tlttfeelin.<J of ol>li.11atio11 one .ft•itl~ to fill/iJw in t/1e footsteps of 1me's
fi11/ter. Suc/1 was my a11piJiHtecl lot, to mlly fort It into tile w<1r/d and
Campaign Use: The most obvious use for Sarge Baker is as to procurefor my.~elj'a m11~fo11able f'OSitiou as 11 domesticser111111f for
the heroes' physical trainer or hand to hand combat trainer. a wt•althy .<JC1ttlenM11 or j(1111ily, mttf ro live out my days in q11iet
This is particularly useful for characters wishing to spend servitude. Tit is did not <lppeal to me as I fell 11 .']realer calling.
some of that saved up experience to better themselves. The So, '!fter spendi11.<1 my formative years muter t/1e tulel11ge ofmy
heroes could also meet Sarge when he tries to help out ji11/ter. I hft lt0me to .~eek my fort1111e in tire w1st, t11rbule11t ~wrld.
someone being attacked by a street gang or by a squad of Aftel' spe111lin,1J some time i11 tlte se11 ice of Her Mt(jesty 's Mou11ted
1

VIPER agents. after all Sarge is not the kind of guy to just Divi.~ions (tlte s11l~ject (If a Jater /Jook) I fo1111d myself i11 tire .'/Md
stand by and do nothing. The characters might also be com11ai1y<fa wealtlty EnHlisll.<1en1le11w11 by lite 1M111ecifSir Hewett
involved in Sarge's escape from the VIPER base and the raid Montgomery. Sir Hewett was an adventurous and eccentric man
on ii afterwards. Of course VIPER wants Sarge back to make wlto wislted me to join ltim as a travelli11,q c:ompauion. This
him another offer so he may be the subject of yet another of a11yealed l<J me mtd 1IJ!/reed. We spent the 1wxtfew ye,m·roviug tlte
a multitude of VIPER kidnappings. But they had better bring world Mer, man1e/i11,tJ 111 its /1ea111y. However, t/1i.~ all came to mt
some help if they want to pull it off, Sarge will not go quietly. end one night in Cairo when Sir Hewett was murdered!
Sarge could also run a small martial arts studio specializ- ft was a,tJha.~l~ycrime. 1111d I was ttot abo11l losta11d by aud Id his
ing in teaching self-defense techniques. In this capacity, he 1111trderer em1pej11stice! I quickly tltrew mJ•~e/f iuto tlte case, 11si11,q
could be a source of information about crime on the streets t'Very whit t?f deductive skill I ht1tf learttedfrom l11spector Wall of
or VIPER activity in the neighborhood . He may even want to SL'Otlattd Yard (from the time we s11e11t i11 Lottdott). I hrilli1111tly
team up with a street hero to try and clean up the neighbor- Ji.1t·own·cf flte idettlity oflite killer aud lte was delivacd to /tis just
hood. reward (jorf11rtl/f!r det.1ils c~f tltis e;~1/<1it, see my ttove/ Desert Of
Mostly Sarge should be used to terrorize and humiliate the Veceit). U11jl1rt1Jn11tely, my world travels were mt ~tclrf by t/te news
heroes in their off duty time. This is especially wonderful for I/tat my fatlttr lwd t<1ke11 ill1111d was dyin.•J. I went to E11,11/111uJ to
sadistic GMs. be hy /,is side.
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65
It was on his death bed that he implored me to take up the seems to be in the air all the time and he has an annoying
profession that he had devoted his life to. I could not give any other habit of quickly inhaling through it whenever he finds some-
answer but yes. thing distasteful or vulgar.
I spent the next several years ofmy life employed by various well
to do families in England. While none of them found fault in the Campaign Use: Jefferies can be easily used as the group's
performance of my duties, none of them could understand my butler/assistant that takes care of the base while they're
curious "hobby" and my persistent desire to use my abilities in the away bashing on Grond. The heroes could also meet him,
pursuit of justice. Thus it came to pass that my then current and possibly Wendy, on one of their outings to solve a
employers, Lord and Lady Harmon, suggested that I travel to the particularly baffling crime. Perhaps he could even be trying
Colonies (that which Americans insist on calling the United States to solve the same case as the heroes, which could be a very
ofAmerica). They had a cousin who was involved with a group of annoying experience for the heroes. He would always be
superpowered crusaders and might be in need ofa major-domo for arriving at the solutions to confusing clues, and discovering
his estate. Indeed, upon arrival, Mr. Harmon was thrilled and important evidence before the heroes can. This can cause
eager to put my services to use. Since that time, I have become a the heroes to become discouraged, but remember, Jefferies
valued member of the Champions' support staff and enjoy the isn't out to upstage the heroes (well not too much), but really
opportunities I receive to demonstrate proper criminological proce- to show them the value of "proper'' police work. He would
du res to the local law enforcement agencies as well as the Champi- gladly pass his knowledge on to any willing crimefighter. Also
ons, despite their reluctance to improve upon their current (quite remember that Jefferies is only a normal and will be in
barbaric) techniques. I have also taken Miss Wendy Brooks under definite need of assistance when he confronts the supervillain
my proverbial wing to tutor her in the fine art ofdeduction and the with the knowledge that he has deduced the real culprit
preparation of gourmet meals. She is an apt student, for an behind the mint robbery. "Now, Mr. Fiacho, since we have
American, and shows quite a bit of promise. proved that your plot is obviously too simple to succeed, I
That reminds me of the time that Miss Brooks and I were called know you'll come along like a gentleman. Ms. Brooks, put the
into the strange case of the Miniaturized Motorcycle... handcuffs on him, if you please." "WHAT?!"
Heroes who know Aunt Mary could also meet Jefferies
Personality/Motivation: Edward Q. Jefferies is the perfect during a book signing session at a local bookstore that Mary
English butler. He is always the proper gentleman, knowing has also been invited to. If Mary brought her charge, Patsy
the right things to say at all the righttimes. The only thing that Conrad, with her, Jefferies might become interested in the
could possibly overcome his perfect British composure is his odd events that happen around her (due to her invisible pet).
insatiable curiosity, he lives to solve perplexing mysteries. Mary might also ask him to try and figure out the secret
He is a perfectionist in both his domestic duties and his behind her young friend's "strange disappearances."
investigations, he will leave no stone unturned and no corner
undusted. He absolutely refuses to show any signs of
surprise, even if he is taken completely unawares. He simply
arches an eyebrow and continues on with what he was
doing. He still does not understand many things about
criminals in the U.S. He expects that once they have been
discovered, they should simply surrender, not put up a fight.
He is learning though. During his time in the Champions'
employ, he has become good friends with Wendy Brooks,
Defender's housekeeper. She accompanies him on many of
his investigations, often making insightful deductions of her
own . He is completely loyal to his employer and would never
betray them to anyone for any price. He would rather die than
betray their confidence; it just wouldn't be proper.
Quote: "I can assure you, sir, that in this case, the butler did
not do it."
PowersfTactlcs: Jefferies is a first class butler and detec-
tive. The first case he solved when he arrived in the United
States, and met James Harmon IV, was the mystery of
Harmon's secret identity as Defender. Which was why
Harmon was so thrilled and eager to put Jefferies' services
to use. He is also an excellent chef and mystery novelist.
Many of his books have topped the best-sellers list for
several weeks.
Appearance: Jefferies stands about 5'10" tall and weighs
155 lbs. His silver hair is just beginning to thin on top, his thin
moustache is immaculately trimmed at all times and he has
blue eyes. He is always dressed properly (tails, waistcoat,
ascot, and bowler derby when he is on an outing) and is
rarely seen without his bumbershoot. His hawklike nose
55~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Norma~Unbound

with. He went on to design the main headquarters of PRIMUS

RANDAL FELSON in Washington D.C., a secret underground base for SAT and
even agreed (after a great deal of flattering persuasion) to
(Normal, Superbase Architect) plan and oversee the conversion of a normal mansion into a
superhero base called Homestead.
5 STA 8 DEX 8 CON 8 BODY 23 INT
Personality/Motivation: Randal Felson is a restless mal-
13 EGO 10 PRE 10 COM 1 PD 2 ED content of a man who claims he would like nothing better
2 SPD 3 REC 16 END 15 STUN than to forget all about superheroes and retire to a nice island
in the Caribbean, one with a tropical sounding name, where
Powers/Skills: PS: Architect 14-; KS: Superpowered they serve drinks with tiny umbrellas in them . Why he ever
Base Construction 14-; PS: Vehicle Designer 14-; got involved in this frightful business is a complete mystery
KS: Construction 14-; Materials Sciences 14-: to him and ... well yes he did volunteer to design that UNTIL
Inventor 14-; TF: SCUBA, All Water Vehicles facility but that was only because no one else was competent
enough. He had no idea that the experience would lead him
Perks: Top Secret Security Clearance into a career designing bases for superagencies and, worst
0 +Disadvantages: Secure in the knowledge that he's of all, those unnecessarily destructive superheroes. Why it
irmplaceable: Can't resist taking on a challenging almost doesn't pay to fix things in this place at the rate that
project, just to prove he can do it; Age 40+; those cretins blow them up or teleport them away or fly
ON PC: Daughter, 8- through them! Why if there was anyone in the world with
anywhere near the necessary qualifications to replace him
0CV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12 he'd be out of there like a shot, you can bet on that! But,
luckily, um, I mean unfortunately, there's no one even close.
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
Quote: "Quantum! Look at this hole! Do you know how hard
5 + 23 = 28 = 28 + 0
it is to replace these Questonite plates? No, obviously you
don't or you'd be more careful where you point that photo-
Background: Randal Felson began his career innocently zapper-thingy of yours. You'd think people could take better
enough, taking a degree in architecture and topping it with a care of the place they live!"
Masters in Hydro-Structural-Dynamic Engineering. At that
time, he was one of the few men in the world designing Powers/Tactics: As an instigator of the technological re-
feasible undersea habitats. His specialization was a good naissance that brought us modern superbase construction
choice, as the talents he acquired became very valuable to
industry, and Randal was hailed as a great innovator in the
field. Randal denied this title. He was, more accurately, the
Greatest innovator in the field. The techniques that he
developed for reinforcing undersea habitats and submarines
against tremendous pressure were years beyond anyone
else's, and he became one of the government's Top Men on
~proofing" structures against various threats.
In the mid-sixties Randal was recruited by UNTIL to join
the Swordfish Project (see the Super Agents Supplement) .
While aboard the Swordfish supersub he worked with vision-
ary oceanographic engineer Richard Bonner, Swordfish's
chief scientist. Randal profited greatly in experience from his
years aboard the Swordfish and because of his qualifications
he was appointed to head the design team responsible for
construction of Swordfish's secret undersea port. The instal-
lation is as state of the art today as it was when first
constructed, and it has never been breached.
Captain McNally often relied upon the youthful Felson's
expertise in matters of undersea construction. In the
Swordfish's final action against the mad Professor Materson's
bogus Atlantis, it was Felson's predictions that allowed the
crew of the Swordfish to abandon ship before the columns of
Atlantis collapsed and crushed their faithful vessel.
Wh,en the Swordfish Project was revived several years
ago Randal was the natural choice to replace Bonner as
chief designer lor the Swordfish II, which he agreed to only
after much grandstanding about how difficult tile project
would be, but he would try and see what he could do with the
pitiful resources they had allocated, etc. The new vessel
performed better than anyone had predicted , just as he knew
it would. PRIMUS wanted him to stay on as a crew member,
but Randal already had more offers than he could keep up
Normals Unbound - - - - - · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -·- - - - - - · - - - - - - 67
techniques, Randal Felson is quite correct in many of his
claims about being the best. His innovations have made the
construction of superbases a reality. As the government's
"top man in the field," he has a Top Secret security clearance.

Appearance: Randal Felson is a thin man of medium height,

with a receding hairline. What's left of his thinning black hair
is streaked with grey. His long face, topped with thick
spectacles, and his frail structure make him look older than
his actual 55 years. His clothing is timeless, a shirt and bow
tie with a coat and, when necessary, a hard hat.

Campaign Use: Randal's use as an engineer is obvious, but

beyond that he could become a mentor to an engineer·
oriented superhero in his secret identity. If terrorists or
supervillains were to seize a SAT or PRIMUS facility that he
designed, Randal could be called in by the heroes as an
advisor about the best places to go in, bad places to breal<
supports, etc. Alternately, a villain team that plans to assault
such a facility could kidnap Randal for his expertise.
Perhaps the team needs a new base or wants to reinforce
their current place. If they've saved up enough experience 0
for a supersubmarine, then they'll have to find someone to
design it. If you use Dr. McQuark's Superhero Supply and
Gymnasium (Organization Book 3) in your campaign, Randal
would probably have crossed paths with the good Doctor
before.

WENDY BROOKS
(Normal, Superbase Housekeeper, Defender's Maid)
11 DEX 8 CON 8 BODY 13 INT 'Gee,' she thought. 'I hope there isn't an age requirement.'
8STR
As she approached the address, her heart skipped a beat
10 EGO 10 PRE 14 COM 2 PD 2 ED when she realized her location ; Homestead! An instant later
3SPD 4 REC 16 END 16 STUN her heart sank into her stomach. There was a line out the
door and around the block of potential applicants, and she
SkillsfTalents: PS: Housekeeper 12·; Fam. with was at the very end. She began to give up hope of getting this
Criminology 8-; KS: The Champions 12-; job. She might not have too, if not for the timely arrival of
Fam. with Gourmet Cooking 8-; 2d6 Luck Foxbat.
Thesemi-threateningvillain swooped down overthe hedge
0 +Disadvantages: Loves excitement: Distinctive surrounding Homestead and took an awe inspiring (bwah ha
Features (Perky); Watched by the City, State and ha ha!) pose.
Federal Government 11· (Security Clearance); "This is a job for Foxbat!" he shouted. "No one else shall
have it! You cretins shall give way to one who is by far your
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 3; Phases: 4, 8, 12
better!" With that he fired several shots from his ping pong
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base ball gun, d ispersing the crowd. Except for Wendy. This was
justthe sort of excitement she was looking for. With everyone
7 + 18 = 25 = 25 + 0
else gone (and Foxbat busy flying, oops, I mean gliding
around), she strode up to the front door and took her place
Background: The ad in the newspaper read: in line just as Foxbat landed.
WANTED: Housekeeper for local estate in city. Flexible work- "Didn't you hear me sister?" asked Foxbat. "I said that this
ilJ.<J lwurs, gMd benf!jits, li11ii1.'J i1uarters prtwided. Must be was a job for Foxbat. Just in case you've been living in a cave
wi/li11,q to work with 111111s1111/ people. 11uder 111111siwl coiuli- for the past century, that's me. the greatest guy on Earth. I'm
1io11s aud be aMe to dell/ with strau_qe situatim1s. Apply in going to be the Champions' housekeeper and nobody else.
person, M-F 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 57 West 7lst St. Now take a hike."
"Hey! I was here first. Get to the back of the line! You're not
'Now that sounds interesting!' said Wendy to herself. She
butting in front of me no matter who you think you are."
had been looking all over town for a job that suited her. She
"Who I think I am! I told you! I am Foxbat, devourer of
wanted to have an exciting job! Something that she could
worlds, destroyer of continuities, the greatest supervillain,
look forward to coming to work everyday, not just flipping
burgers at a MacDougals'. This sounded like it would just fit er, I mean ex-supervillain to grace the face of the Earth and
future sidekick of Defender! That's who I think I am! Now go
the bill.
away little girl, ya bother me."
68 ----------~------------------------Normals Unbound
uwell I'm Wendy brooks, earner of wages, cleaner of could make one of her famous "leaps from the precipice of
houses, and I'm not moving!" rational thoughr as Jefferies would say.
"You may clean houses, but I'm gonna clean your clock!" Wendy would become a love interest if she developed a
"Just go ahead and try!" crush on one of the heroes. This could cause problems for
This is how the Champions found the two. Foxbat was just the rest of the heroes, as she would want to tag along on his
about to fire his Foxbat-expando net when they opened the adventures instead of vacuuming the great hall. Since she is
door. Foxbat quickly holstered his gun. at the he·adquarters a great deal, she might bec0me a
"I'm here about the job as housekeeper." Wendy and hostage if the villains attack, requiring the heroes to rescue
Foxbat said in unison. They glared annoyingly at each other. her from their evil clutches. Or is that the other way around?
Defender and Seeker looked at each other.
"What do we do?" asked Seeker.
"We'll have to give them both an interview." answered
Defender. "Equal Opportunity and all." STACEY SUMMERS
Defender turned to the odd pair standing at the door. He
couldn't get over the goofy smile on Fox.bat's face. It ap- (Slightly Less Powerful, Self Defense Instructor)
peared he really did want the job. But he was more im-
pressed with the short blonde haired girl who had been going Val Char Cost Combat Stats
head to head with Foxbat. She just might be the kind of 13 STA 3 OCV:6
person that he was looking for. 18 DEX 24 DCV:6
Wendy ended up getting the servant's quarters. But not 15 CON 10 ECV: 4
wanting to disappoint his biggest fan, Defender put Foxbat 10 BODY 0 Phases:3, 6, 9, 12
on to a government job as a cleaning person; at Stronghold. 13 INT 3
12 EGO 4 Costs
Personality/Motivation: Wendy is a perky and spunky 15 PRE 5
young girl with a love of excitement and adventure. She gets 18 COM 4 Char: 69 Base: 75
her share or both while working for the Champions. She has 6 PD 3
recently developed a friendship with the new butler. Edward 4 ED 1 Powers: 81 Disad: 75
Jefferies and has been known to tag along with either 4 SPD 12
6 REC 0 Totals: 150 150
Defender or Jefferies on many of their cases. Defender 30 END 0
treats this as an annoyance, sending her back to the dishes, 25 STUN 0
while Jefferies has tried to cultivate her interest In detective
work. She sometimes sees Jefferies as pompous and ego- Cost Powers/SkillsfTalents End
tistical, however he is the only one who understands her 16 +4 Damage Classes w/ Martial Arts
appetite for adventure. She takes her duties at the base 12, 3 +4 Levels w/Martial Arts; Contact: Champions 12-
lightly, preferring to seek out excitement rather than clean 3, 3, 3 Breakfall 13-; Paramedic 12-; Streetwise 12-
the dining room. She is aware of the thin line that she 5, 1 Talent: Defense Maneuver; Perk: Registered Nurse
sometimes walks, but is careful not to step over to the point 3, 3, 3 KS: Martial World 12-; AK: The City 12-
that she loses her job. She has developed a light crusl1 on 1 Weapon Element: Use Art w/Clubs
Defender who has not returned her overtures. 28 Martial Arts: Kenjutsu
Maneuver OCV DCV Damage/Effect
Quote: "Grond is attacking the city? The dishes can wait!" Block +2 +2 Block, Abort
Dodge +O +5 Dodge, Vs All, Abort
PowersfTactics: Wendy is an adequate housekeeper and
Kick -2 +1 10 Y2d6 Strike
up and coming cook, thanks to Mr. Jefferies. After many
Punch +O +1 8 Y2d6 Strike
hours in the lab and in the field Wendy is beginning to pick up
Throw +O +1 6Y2d6+V/5; Target Falls
his criminological techniques. She has an uncanny knack for
Disarm -1 +1 Disarm; +30 STA to
making incredible leaps of logic, but Jefferies insists that it's
Disarm Roll
just "beginner's luck." She would be a much better house-
Low Blow -1 +1 4d6 NND (1)
keeper if she wasn't so busy "moonlighting" with Jefferies.
75+ Disadvantages
Appearance: Wendy exudes perkiness at 500 decibels.
She is always grinning mischievously and her short blonde 1O Enraged if fighting rapists 14-, 11-
hair bounces in rhythm when she walks. well actually, skips. 15 Hatred of Violent Criminals
10 Faithful to memory of Samurai
Her misty grey eyes sparkle with the desire for excitement 5 Watched by the Champions, 8-
and fascinating new situations. She is 19 years old, stands 1O Reputation (Martial Artist) 11 -
5'3" tall (when she does stand still), and weighs 100 lbs. 1O Hunted by street scum, 11 - (MoPow,
Limited geographical area. Mild punish)
Campaign Use: Wendy could be used as a housekeeper, 10 Rivalry with Jonny Li's Temple of Kung Fu
although not a good one, for the heroes' base or for a rich 5 1d6 Unluck
superhero's secret identity if the heroes don't have a base.
The heroes might meet Wendy, and Jefferies, while they are
investigating the same crime that the heroes are. Of course Background: Marty never saw it coming. In one move he
Jefferies would not be interested in assisting the heroes, but was disarmed, in the next her hand was at his throat. It was
Wendy might. The GM could use Wendy to provide a clue for a good thing this was only a demonstration, he wouldn't want
the players if they are baffled by a particularly hard case. She to go up against Stacey if she were pulling out all the stops.
NormamUnbound ~~~~·~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 69

Stacey helped her assistant to his feet. many times but had always turned clown citing his desire to
"Of course that's a fairly spectacular move but it does show protect individuals rather than saving the world. It was still
that once your attacker is disarmed you put him down and out very evident to Stacey how much respect they had for him,
for the count. You aren't going to get a second chance. Any which made her very proud to be his fiance. The two of them
questions?" started talking about the future, especially about doing
The small group of self defense students shook their something about rampant street crime, something more
heads. effective than Samurai's daily patrols. They hit upon the idea
"Good. Class is dismissed." Stacey started picking up, as of opening up a martial arts studio to teach people to defend
her students filtered out of the dojo, laughing and feeling themselves and become less of a target. Stacey was the first
confident now that they's started to learn how to avoid student.
becoming victims. She learned quickly and was soon teaching many of the
"I'll do that Miss Summers." offered Marty. classes. Students began signing up in droves, much to the
"Thanks Marty, I'm going to hit the showers." chagrin of the local gangs, and the local crime rate began to
Stacey went into the locker room, undressed and stepped take a djp. Then, tragedy struck. Samurai was killed while
into the warm, enveloping spray. She began to relax and let rescuing children from a burning apartment house. Stacey
her mind go, wandering back to the days when the studio had was nearly shattered, but with the help of the Champions,
just opened. She and Kenji had been so very happy then, she was able to put her life back together. She decided that
they were going to start making a difference on the streets. she would carry on with the studio and try to be true to
Teaching people to defend themselves against the street Samurai's wishes.
scum that preyed on them would make Kenji's life a lot Stacey's mind slowly returned to the present as she shut
easier. Kenji was also the silver armored sentinel of justice off the water. She dried her eyes and the rest of her and got
known as Samurai. dressed.
She remembered the night she and Samurai had met. She
had been on her way to her nursing classes and was taking Personality/Motivation: The Stacey of today is a lion com-
a short cut through th.e rough section of town. She tried to pared to the kitten she was just a few years ago. She is more
hurry but it didn't do any good, she was soon cornered in an confident, more determined, and stronger willed than before
alley by the Studs, a street gang notorious for violent attacks. she met Samurai. She has developed a hatred for criminals
Paralyzed with fear she tried to scream, to yell for help, but that use violence in their crimes because of her traumatic
could not. They grabbed her, tore her blouse, and laughed at experience , and has also developed a great respect for the
the silly girl telling her they only wanted to Mparty." She martial arts due to her association with Samurai. Conse-
realized that there was nothing she could do to stop them. quently, she has a great disregard for fly-by-night martial arts
But then her salvation appeared, a silver silhouette in the
shadows, the hero Samurai.
The armored crusader stood at the end of the alleyway,
sword drawn and ready, challenging the six miscreants.
They laughed nervously, and left Stacey with one of their
friends as they circled the motionless figure, drawing their
weapons. There was no way that one man could stand
against them, or so they thought. In the next few seconds,
they were shown how wrong they were. Samurai tore through
the five hoods with a vengeance, pounding them mercilessly
into the pavement. He then moved towards the last thug. The
punk, seeing the condition of his buddies, ran off. Stacey
could not take any more and passed out.
When she woke up she was looking into the eyes of her
savior from her hospital bed.
"What am I doing here?" she asked.
"I brought you here to make sure you were alright," he said.
She noticed that the voice that had earlier been filled with
grim determination was now filled with kindness and caring.
It was only in retrospect that Stacey realized she'd fallen in
love with him instantly.
Over the next several weeks, Samurai continued to check
up on Stacey by "dropping by" or "accidentally" running in to
her. Stacey didn't mind, in fact she looked forward to his visits
eagerly. It wasn't long before the two expressed their love to
each other. Stacey became an integral part of Samurai's life,
she gave him a reason to be more cautious. to come home
in one piece. She drew strength and determination from him,
enough to finish school and to become a registered nurse.
Soon after, Samurai and Stacey married .
Becoming the fiance of a superhero was an incredible
change to her life. Samurai introduced Stacey to his good
friends the Champions, a group he had been asked to join
 70~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Norma~Unbound

"studios" like Jonny Li's Temple of Kung Fu (see Mongoose

from Classic Enemies). She misses Samurai more than she
could ever say, which is a source of great concern to her
HOWARD "HAL"
friends. She Will sometimes act as if Samurai were not dead SILVA, JR.
but still with her, helpi~ to make important decisions. Of ali
the Champions, she feels closest to Seeker as he was (Competent Normal, Test Pilot)
Samurai's-best friend. The two men seemed so different on
the surface, Seeker the wisecracker, and Samurai the stoic 15 STA 18 DEX 15 CON 11 BODY 10 INT
philosopher, but they were bound together by the fraternity 13 EGO 15 PRE 16COM 5 PO 3 ED
shared by all men of true honor. Stacey has no romantic
4 SPO 6 REC 30 END 27 STUN
in.terest in Seeker, and Seeker honors the memory of his
friend too much to consider dating her, but he is still her
Skills: Comb. Piloting 18·; Transport famil.: All Air Ve-
closest confidant.
hicles & Space Shuttle; PS : Test Pilot 15-; PS: Space
Quote: "It's sad to think there are so few men of honor left in Shuttle Pilot 11-; SS : Aeronautics 11-; Seduction 13-
this world."
50+ Disadvantages: Acts Cocky and Overconfident;
Powers/Tactics: Stacey is an excellent martial artist and Extremely resistant to close emoti0 nal attachment·
hand to h<lnd combatant, able to defend herself against Lives in the fast lane '
~everal attackers at once. She is also a fully trained and
llce~sed nurse, although she is not currently practicing. OCV: 6; DCV: 6; ECV: 4; Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
Having run the martial arts studio since Samurai's death and
0
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
having learned a great deal from him, she is knowledge able
ab?ut the rough areas of the city and many of the activities 69 + 31 = 100 = 50 + 50
go1~g on there. In combat she prefers to attack quickly,
taking out her opponent as fast as possible. If in combat B.ackground: ~ cold November night, rural Virginia, 1969.
against a group, she will put all her levels into defense use l1ttl~ Howa!d Srlva, Jr. lay on a flat boulder in a grassy field,
her Defensive Maneuver, and wait for them to make th~ first s!anng up rnto a star covered sky. Although he was only
move. erght, Hal knew a lot about space because he was going to
be an astronaut. He raised the binoculars his father had sent
Appearance: Stacey is a beautiful blonde haired woman him for h~s birthday. Hal carefully pulled off the lens caps and
standing 5'6" tall and weighing 100 lbs. Her blue eyes are put the freld glasses over his eyes, sucking the stars in so
t?uched with a hint of melancholy. She dresses conserva- close he imagines:! he might be able to reach out and touch
tively, preferring to wear loose fitting or easy to move in one. With these magic lenses. he could catapult himself into
cJothes. space. He wondered what his Dad was doing right now, half
Campaign ~se: The easiest way to introduce Stacey into a world away in his jet fighter. Uh-oh, his Mom was calling .
your camp8'Qn would be through a martial artist character Hal wondered why she sounded so upset.
like Seeker. If the PC's are the Champions they will already •••
know Stacey and could be concerned for their friend. If you The Air Force had been a good choice for him, even if his
would li~e to run the events in Stacey's ba,ckground, and use mother didn't agree. His new stepfather, Carl (Hal refused to
Samurai, use Seeker's stats but drop the Ultrasonic Hearing call that man Father), said he didn't care one way or the
and add some a.rmor, some additional levels, and change other, but Hal was quite certain that his mother's new
the Irreverent wisecracker psych. lim. to stoic and philo· husband would be glad to have him out of the way. At
sophical. seventeen, Hal knew he was a prime <;andidate for the flight
A character wishing to become romantically involved with duties he so desperately wanted. He honestly didn't think his
decisi~n had anythin.g to do with his father, although Hal ha'1
Stacey will have a very difficult, if not impossible, task ahead
of him in trying to over~ome her devotion to Samurai. A to admrt .t he r:nental picture of his D..ad in uniform was a strong
memory is a difficult rival. A character could be working on a one in hrs mind. But Howard Silva Sr. had met his fate nine
case that had a connection with a case Samurai worked on years past in the form of an air-to-air missile.
and might seek out Stacey to see if she had any useful . The day Hal got those silver wings was the proudest of his
information. This could require some detective work on the hfe. The years devoted to the Service, struggling through
part of the PC or contacting the Champions who could college and O.C.S., had finally delivJ;lred to him the coveted
arrange a meeting with Stacey. reward . Hal was bursting with pride, but he reserved a bit of
Characters investigating gang activity could also end up his emotion for Carl. He knew why his mother had not
meeting Stacey or find that she may be the target of the attended the ceremony. Carl got the corner reserved for
gang's next "job." Heroes involved with Joan Armstrong hate" For a m~m~~t Hal ~as eight years old and laying on a
could eventually meet Stacey if she ever seeks out counsel· r<?Ck rn rural V1rg1rna. ~e imagined the silver wings carrying
ing (almost surely at the insistence of the Champions or him .up through the cnsp winter sky. It was a grand fantasy,
but 1t wasn't destined to last.
Seeker) to help her get on with her life. Or perhaps Joan
could seek out Stacey to inte1view her for information for a .Aller his applicatio n to work in the Shuttle program was
n~w book on superheroes' personal relationships, although
reiected, Hal became disillusioned and left the Air Force.
this would be a touchywaytodoit. Alternately, tbeherocould He'd worked so hard, spent so many hours on the simulator
seek out Stacey to train him, or perhaps his DNPC In the t~ prepa~e fort.he job, he just couldn't believe that they hadn't
martial arts. ' picked htm. Wrth a few years flying time, Hal hadn't counted
on it being so difficult to get a job in the private sector. The
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 71
job he landed at Glenn Aerospace was a stroke of luck, but And he did. But later, he wished he hadn't.
he wanted to be flying experimental planes, not refueling He hadn't even noticed she was dead when he squeezed
them. The job did put him close enough to the flight crews to her hand. The debris that had come through the windshield
learn the ropes of test flying second-hand, though. And with had killed her instantly. He'd cared more about saving that
pals in the company hangar crew, he was often able to log plane than her. No, he'd cared more about saving himself,
hours in company planes on errands or observation runs. that was the reality. The FAA investigation faulted the other
When he met Penelope Glenn, Hal didn't know her last pilot for failing to maintain ordered altitude; not that it mat-
name. By the time someone warned him, it was too late. tered to his widow. Glenn Aerospace soon offered Hal a
Having grown up around Glenn Aerospace, Penny under- Flight Performance Evaluation Engineer position, which he
stood his longing for the sky better than any girl he'd ever accepted. Some people said that old man Glenn blamed Hal
met. She almost made him forget that he would probably for the death of his daughter and was just trying to kill him .
never fly as high as he'd once dreamed. She was a damn This opinion has been strengthened in the following years as
good pilot herself tor that matter. The two of them often flew the Old Man has personally selected Hal time and time again
together. He gave her his silver wings. It was a grand reality. to test fly the most chancy and untested of Glenn's designs.
but it wasn't destined to last.
The impact had been terrible. Hal never got a good look at Personality/Motivation: Hal is the best hotshot on the field
the other plane through the cloudbank, but whatever they'd and he acts like it. He has taken a classic pilot's attitude: fast
clipped, it was big. Something had punctured the windshield planes, fast cars, fast women, no ties, cause it could all be
and the wind rushing through the small plane's cabin was over tomorrow. But Hal knows; for him it's been over for a
deafening, so he just squeezed her hand to let her know it long while already. Now it's just a matter of time until one of
was OK. His mind immediately went into logic mode. By the these planes proves that he's not as good as he thinks.
book. Test elevators, good response, test rudder, not much Hal is a very difficult person to get to know. On the surface
there, hope there's not a crosswind, altitude dropping. Through he's a shallow, conceited, braggart test pilot who scores with
the cracked windscreen he could see something stuck into a different girl every night. Even under a few layers he's still
the engine compartment, just forward of the cabin, a piece of pretty overconfident, but deep down he's just scared. He felt
the other plane. The other guy had probably lost some wing. abandoned when his Father died, and had to watch his
Oil pressure dropping, engine sputtering. He snapped up the Mother get romanced away by a Stepfather that couldn't
mike and screamed to be heard over the roar of the wind and care less for another man's son. He gave his soul to Penny,
the faltering engine, "November foxtrot romeo seven seven and she went and died on him too. Now Hal doesn't want
four declaring an emergency .. .n Engine sputtering, enrich anyone to get too close to him, even himself, for fear he'll
the mixture, Not far now, not far now, Hal. I'm gonna save this have something to lose. Most people just think he's an
goddamn plane. I'm gonna do it ... arrogant jerk, and that's just how he likes it.

Quote: "Everyone around here knows I'm the best, Babe."

PowersfTactics: Hal is the best test pilot working for Glenn
Aerospace right now. He has brought some of the most
deathladen hunks of airframe in the world down to a soft
landing, and escaped from the fiery remains of the others. He
is known as a pilot who refuses to give up a plane just
because it's in an unrecoverable spin . Only Hal decides
what's unrecoverable for Hal. He doesn't really have a death
wish, but he never takes the safe road when the riskier one
still offers a chance at success.
Appearance: Hal is an athletically built man, standing around
six feet tall. His dark red hair is cut short on the sides, but is
longer and wavy on top. He sports a few days stubble most
of the time and dresses as expected of a test pilot, very cool.

Campaign Use: Hal is best used in a situation where the

heroes are forced to work with him for a while. Maybe their
Quad-Jet is being built by Glenn Aerospace and Hal has
been picked to test fly it. If any of the heroes have ties to the
aerospace industry or the government, they might be asked
to watchdog a super-stealth plane that Hal is test flying. The
government might suspect treason or sabotage. Hal wouldn't
like being accused of being a traitor.
If one of the heroes is telepathic or empathic, she/he might
sense Hal's inner torment, or that he isn't as bad as he
appears. Any hero who talks to older Glenn Aerospace
workers might find out that Hal was a lot different once upon
a time. Carefree but not reckless, confident but not cocky. As
a romantic interest, Hal offers tremendous potential for good
role-playing for a heroine who claims to see what's really
inside of him.
72 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

JOE PETRONE
(Skilled Normal, Super-Jet Mechanic)
15 STA 12 DEX 12 CON 11 BODY 8 INT
8 EGO 13 PRE 8 COM 5 PO 2 ED
2 SPD 5 REC 24 END 25 STUN
Powers/Skills: Mechanics 13-; PS: Mechanic 13-;
Electronics 11-; Systems Operation 12-: KS: Aircraft
Systems 13-; KS: Aircraft 12-; Lockpicking 11-; .T.F: Air
Vehicles; TF: Ground Vehicles; KS : Useless Tnv1a 11-;
Perks: Contact: Brother-in-law in Govt. 11 -
25 +Disadvantages: Chauvinist; Age 40+; Distinctive
Features (Slob, Con. Major)
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
13 + 37 = 50 = 25 + 25

Background: "Yeah, it's da wimmin dat can't keep their

eyes offa me. Pure magnetism, dat's what it is. Yeah dey alls
wants a real man, not one a dem pansies in tights.
"Well, ya know dat none a dem @#!@tt wimps could get
along without me anyways. Am I right, Rex? Yeah dey'd ~II
be sittin on their keisters waitin for ole Doc D. ta drop da big
one ii it wasn't for me. When dose VIPER goons blew da
slingshot outa da air with dat missile, I had dat baby fired up
and ready ta go again in no time. None o' dem waists coulda
done dat. Nope. Just little ole me between life and utter o-
Quote: "You can always tell da real men sweetcheeks.
bliteration. Same as back in Nam. Kep' em all flyin; F-4's,
Dey' re da one's with dirt under dey're finger nails, not tights
Huey's, even B-52's. Same as now.
on dey're ... "
"So anyways, dey sent Ollt a big SOS ta me ta come save
em. So when I get there dey're all glad I'm around. Specially Powers/Tactics: Joe is an ace mechanic and world class
dem girls, know what I mean? Course I dunno know why know-it-all. He has an excellent working knowledge of all
dey're in all dis, not dat I ain't for wimmin's lib and all dat, j~st types of aircraft and their systems and isn't afraid to l~t
so long as dey know when it's time ta settle down and raise anyone know about it. He prides himself on being able to fix
a family or get a husband. So even though dey're givin me the anything under any condition, even i~ c~mbat. Joe does.not
eye, and dem wimps gettin all jealous like, I rolls up my frighten easily and would probably stick 1t out through a fight
sleeves and gets la work. In no time, dey're up and flym more to save the plane than anything else.
again. And do I get so much asa tank? Nah, dey'reall getting
Appearance: 5'6" and 250 lbs, Joe clothes his bulk in grey
dey're @$#%&•@!pictures on da cover ?'da Times.
mechanic's shirts, straining the buttons around his stomach,
"Well, it's still a sweet set up. Only thing dat ~orthless
and grey pants that are always trying to fall off: He is co~ered
@"&$%@!* brudder-in-law ever did right was helpin me get
In grease and chomping on the cheapes_t c1g~rs a~a1lable
dat job as da Champions mec~anic. Got my ~wn shop, I.can 1
even when refueling jets (although the cigar 1sn t ht under
work on one a da most so-phist1cated hunks o airframe since
those cir-cumstances). He wears several different hats, all
the F-16, and I got gorgeous babes in tights makin goo-goo
with various companies' logos emblazoned across the brow.
eyes at me all da time. Not bad fer a Brooklyn boy. Joe also reeks of "ode du hard woik" as he says.
"Yeah Rex, I tink I'll have anudder."
Campaign Use: Are you sure you really want to use this guy
Personality/Motivation: Joe is pond scum. He is rude,
in your campaign? Well, okay. Jo~·s obvious ~se is as a
crude, chauvinistic, and generally socially unacceptable.
mechanic for the hero groups super Jet, he would iump at the
He's also one of the best aircraft mechanics around and
chance to work on an advanced piece of machinery like that.
loves his woik, er work. He treats airplanes ten times better On the flip side, he might also be working for a supervillain
than he treats people. His shop is not the grease pit some or perhaps even a smuggler if the price was right. Joe coul?
might think it is, he keeps the area immaculate even if he is
be a good source of information about the bad guys' plan 1f
not. The walls are covered with girlie calenders from tool he could be convinced. If a heroine cooed and pretended to
companies and pinups from various magazines. He thinks be wooed by Joe's masculinity (a dangerous thing to do) she
that all women want him because he's a real man. not one of could get him toagreeto almost anything. Maybe the heroes
those weirdos with capes. Joes also likes to talk a lot, on just might run into Joe in an out of the way airstrip and require the
about anytl1ing. He constantly chimes in on any subj~ct, use of his plane. Of course, he would want to come along so
whether he's asked or not and whether he knows anything. the "wimps" wouldn't wreck his "baby."
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~73

busted for landing his chopper on a high school football field.

IAN RHINE He said the cheerleaders were worth it.
He would have been court marshalled, but he got a better
(Competent Normal, Helecopter Pilot Extraordlnaire) offer. Ian Rhine went to work for the CIA. "Money, Adventure,
Excitement, being shot at. Yeah/Hey ,what was that last part
10 STR 18 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 13 INT again?'' It proved to be much more interesting than being
10EGO 15PRE 16COM 3PD 2ED court marshalled. Not flying nonexistent helicopters into
4 SPD 4 REC 20 END nations that we didn't fly into and not dropping off supplies to
20 STUN
people who were obviously not there (even th·ough you had
Powers/Skills: Combat Pilot 18-; PS: Pilot 11-; TF: All Air to not come back in order to not pick them up). What fun!
Vehicles; KS: the CIA 11-; WF: All Small Arms Recently, there was a major scandal in Washington result-
ing in a lot of shredded paper and Ian's part of the operation
Perks: Pilot's License; Contact: Smuggler 11-
(which never existed) being cancelled. After his savings ran
Talents: 3d6 Luck (only with things related to piloting) out, he decided to take a job with a local TV station. WJOY,
using his Huey U H-1 chopper as a news vehicle. The station
25 +Disadvantages: Extremely casual about piloting; pays all his flight fees and a salary, but he finds the work
Follows weird pilot superstitions; Distinctive Feature
boring beyond the capacity for rational thought.
(Ugly tropical-print wardrobe); 2d6 Unluck (on ly with
things related to piloting) Personality/Motivation: Casual is the best word to de-
scribe Ian. In his book, nothing really rates all that much
OCV: 6; DCV: 6; ECV: 3; Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
attention. He doesn't care what other people think of him. If
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base he wants to do something, he just does it , without a lot of
46 + 39 = 85 = 35 + 50 forethought and without a lot of hoopla. He pilots an aircraft
with the same nonchalance usually reserved for napping at
Background: "Of course you won't have to go to war. Pilots a desk. He wears only Hawaiian print shirts because he was
just fly over the fighting, drop a few tons of bombs, then go wearing one when he was shot down over a foreign country.
back to the base for a beer.• That's what the recruiter had He crashed into a mattress factory. Ian has a great sense of
said . Ian's fast reflexes and natural dexterity gave him an humor and almost never gets angry.
aptitude for flying that even veterans found tough to match . Quote: "Oh, come on. 'Number of times shot down' is a very
He was a natural talent, winging his way through flight subjective statistic."
training without batting a rotor.
Unfortunately, Ian was less than apt at obeying the orders Powers!Tactics: Ian is a spectacular pilot. His skill at
of his superiors. In his last week of flight school he was maneuvering into seemingly impossible situations is unpar-
alleled. He can fly almost any type of aircraft, but prefers his
old Huey UH-1 chopper. His army training taught him basic
marksmanship, but he has never liked guns and didn't carry
one, even when he worked for the CIA. He still keeps in touch
with his "acquaintances" from his CIA days including an
infamous smuggler.
Appearance: Ian is a short, thin man in his late twenties with
a dark tan. He covers his dark brown eyes with mirrored
sunglasses. and wears a blinding pattern Hawaiian shirt. He
keeps his thick blonde hair cut fairly short so it stays out of his
way in the cockpit. His wide grin is warm and friendly.
Campaign Use: Ian works for WJOY as a news helicopter
pilot. If there is anything he can do to assist heroes in a battle
below (blowing dirt at the villains with his rotors, dropping his
lucky coconut to a hero in need of a throwing weapon, picking
up a civilian in need of evacuation, etc.) he won't think twice
about getting involved. Once the heroes get to know him as
a good fellow and a great pilot, they may ask him to become
their team's pilot. He'd accept out of boredom.
If times got tough Ian could be found running in his old
smuggling circles again. Although he is picky about what
he'll carry, illegal cargoes such as tax-free cigars from Cuba
or unregistered immigrantscouldeasilyfind their way into his
plane. Ian migh1 unknowingly haul some crucial part of a
VIPER plan (an electronic component or biological experi-
ment). If he suspected that his cargo was really dangerous ,
he would tip off the authorities and fly tor the hills. He could
be hired by the government again to fly a government
sponsored group's jet, or maybe to work for SAT or PRIMUS.
Ian's uninhibited behavior are quick to endear him to the
ladies, but he insists that he's a bird that can't be caged.
 · - - - · - - - - - - -- - - - - - · - - - Normals Unbound

Limos and evening gowns. Opening nights and curtain One night, Deng awakened her silently, "Come," He told
calls. On the air and in the public eye. The public loves hype. her, "we are leaving these old fools. They only want me for
Hollywood and the mass media are used in the comics their own purposes." •[Translated from the Mandarin Chi-
sometimes to represent decadence, and other times to nese]
represent the fulfillment of dreams. In truth they are capable "Where will we go?," she asked .
of both. The media can make the truth unbelievable, and a "Far away from them. Far from China." Deng whispered.
lie the only logical alternative. The people in this seclion are "I must see the competition that I will someday face when the
all an integral part of the world of "show business," although tournament arrives."
each has a different slant on how the power of the media is And they did go far, far away. To the United States. The
best used. spires of New York City entranced her at first sight as did the
wonders of the mythical culture of America. As she learned
English and American customs. Deng became more and
more dissatisfied. His teachings had embittered him against
LIN CHOW America and he was content to live apart from the people
around him; but Lin found them fascinating. She went to
(Skilled Normal, Aspiring Actress, school and studied works that she could never have seen in
Green Dragon's Little Sister) her homeland . Lin was impressed by many aspects of
America, especially the entertainment available. She loved
10 STA 14 DEX 10 CON 8BODY 11 INT
movies and television.
11 EGO 18 PRE 21 COM 2 PD 2 ED Lin has spent the last several years since she and Deng
2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 18 STUN arrived, perfecting her English. Now at the age of eighteen,
she has finally revealed, to his horror, that she aspires to be
Powers/Skills: Acting 13-; Oratory 13-; PS: Actress 12-; an actress.
KS: Chinese Healing 13-; KS: Chin Na Kung Fu 11-;
Fluent English w/ Accent (Mandarin Chinese is native) Personality/Motivation: Lin Chow loves and respects her
brother, but she is firm in her resolve to build a life for herself
Chin Na OCV DCV Effect
in America. She thinks that his hatred of occidentals is foolish
Joint Lock -1 -1 grab +10 ST A to hold
and crippling for him, although she knows that he is unlikely
Escape +O +O +15 STA to escape
to change. Her perceptions of the U.S. were formed as an
The Claw +O +O 6d6 must follow grab adolescent arriving in an almost mythical place. Where her
brother sees Americans as undisciplined, she sees them as
25 +Disadvantages: Cares about her dumb brother;
free from restrictive traditions. Even Deng, as she often
Wants to become a Star; Watched by Deng Chow
reminds him, disagreed with his mentors. She is proud of her
(Green Dragon), 8-
heritage and her country's rich history, but is ashamed of
0CV: 5; DCV: 5; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12 what its leaders have turned modern China into.
Quote: "In this country I can choose to be what I wish! Your
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
views are twelve-thousand miles and two-thousand years
21 + 29 = 50 = 25 + 25
away!"

Background: Lin Chow tearfully watched as the village Powers/Tactics: Lin Chow was trained by her elders in the
monks mercilessJy beat her older brother Deng . Each day ancient arts of Chinese healing. She still uses those arts
Deng would rise before the sun to undergo the hardships and when her brother gets himself injured with his foolish idea of
training the monks had told them were necessary to become manly behavior. Caring for Deng during his training gave her
China's champion In the "Tournament of the Dragon." Each a basic knowledge of Kung-Fu and a great respect for the
night he would return beaten and bloodied, and she would practitioners of the demanding martial arts. Since coming to
cry as she tended him in the ways of Chinese healing. But in America several years ago, she has studied, and become
the months that followed, Deng's frail villager's form was quite proficient at, the art of Chin Na. This art is an offshoot
molded into a package of taught muscle, and each day he of Chinese healing that incapacitates opponents with special
returned with fewer bruises. Her brother gained a new holds using nerve pressure points (and is discussed in
confidence in himself that had been absent since their further detail in Ninja Hero under Kung Fu substyles).
parent's death many years before.
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~75

Her constant study has allowed her natural talent for

theater to blossom. She is a fine actress, with qualities that FRANK PAGE
could carry her to great heights.

Appearance: Lin is a short, slight Chinese girl with shoulder (Normal, T.V. Station Owner)
length obsidian black hair and brown eyes . Her delicate
10 STA 8 DEX 8 CON 10 BODY 13 INT
features and perfect porcelain skin make her somewhat of a
beautiful Chinese female ideal but her defiant stance and 10 EGO 15 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED
decisive movements shatter that image. She dresses in 2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 19 STUN
contemporary American clothing, accenting her ensemble
with Chinese jewelry or extras. She always wears a jade Skills: PS: Television Journalist 13-; PS: News
dragon charm, given to her by her brother. Anchorman 12-; PS: TV Station Management 12-;
KS: Broadcasting 12-; KS: Current Events 12-;
Campaign Use: Lin can easily fit into several roles for your Oratory 12-; KS: Newsworthy Individuals 12·
heroes. As a fellow student or aspiring actress, or as a
roommate. Probably the mostfun can be squeezed out of her Perk: Trusted Public Figure
as a romantic interest for a martial artist hero. When Deng
found out, the result could be extremely hazardous. (What a 50 +Disadvantages: Doesn't want his past to be
bargain! Take one DNPC, get a Hunted for Free~ revealed; Protective of his family; DNPC: Cindy
Lin would be torn between her love for her brother and her (daughter), 11 · ; Watched by VIPER, 11-;
love for the hero. She might jump into a fight between them Public Identity (Famous Ex-Anchorman)
and get hurt or hire a super mercenary to keep the pair apart.
A hero could learn Chinese healing from her or come to her OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12
for interpretation of a Chinese text.
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base
-2 + 22 = 20 = 20 + 0

Background: "Now you just wait one second, Mister!" The

secretary protested as the door flew open and the three men
came striding into Frank Page's office. One wiry fellow and
two hulking brutes, all dressed in expensive suits that couldn't
hide the cheapness of the men wearing them. ''I couldn't stop
them, Mr. Page. Should l call security?"
"Right away, Sharon. I don't know who you men think you
are, but you'll have to use better etiquette to get an appoint-
ment to see me."
"I think," began the wiry man, taking a wheezing breath
before continuing, "that you'll want to cancel that call to
security once you hear what I have to say." The two burly
goons pushed the secretary out off the office and shut the
doors with a deliberate thud. Now alone with Page, they
loosened their jackets to reveal sleek looking energy pistols.
Something about the way the trio was acting reminded him
of something, and Frank Page began to get very scared.
"Who are you?"
"The Venom Master sent me."
"The Venom Mas ... "His voice trailed off into memory as
his stomach sank like the Titanic. "I ... don't know what you're
talking about."
uReally, Frankie?" The wiry man pulled out a manilla folder
and opened it gingerly. "Let me tell you a story then." He
pulled several old looking papers from the yellow folder and
smiled. "Once upon a time there was a television reporter
who didn't think he was getting paid enough for chasing
down news and sharing it with his fair city. He made a very
profitable arrangement with a local VIPER nest to push
public attention away from certain events, in return tor which
he was handsomely compensated.
"But after a time the newsman began to have second
thoughts about his deal. He'd met and married a nice girl and
had a daughter. He was worried about what would happen
if he was discovered, and he was right. When he told the Nest
Leader that he wanted out, his wife had an "accident' driving
home from work. The reporter was made to understand that
his daughter could also become "accident prone" if he
76 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
continued to make waves. But was this guy going to let the ago, but he thinks that his good life since has made amends
matter drop? No way. He wanted to do a revenge trip. This for his crime. His biggest fear is for his daughter, both for her
guy decided to be a hero. safety and for the tremendous trauma it would be for her if his
uFunny thing was that his plan worked. He got away with misdeeds were to become public knowledge. He has never
a great deal of VI PE R's money, the local nest was busted up forgiven VIPER for the death of Cindy's mother and is loathe
by the law, and Venom Master was killed. He never got to help them, but he puts his own feelings second to the
implicated and his daughter went on blissfully thinking that safety of his daughter. He knows what would happen if he
her dear Mommy bought it in a car crash. This sterling pillar tried another double-cross against VIPER.
of good character used the money to buy out the owner of the
television station where he worked and over the next fifteen Quote: "There's no need to spell it out. I was up to my neck
years he skillfully turned it into the top rated station in the in this shameful business before you were stealing penny
area. candy from the corner drugstore."
MNow thisguyhadthoughtthatVenomMasterwastheonly Powers/Tactics: Frank Page was one of the most popular
one that knew about their deal, but he was wrong. It turns out
that old V.M. was a stickler for record keeping. Even if it did newsmen in this area when he anchored the nightly news for
WJOY. the station he now owns. When he retired to take on
take fifteen years for someone to unearth his secret vault of the management of the station full time, the response from
records, theywere very complete. We had no trouble finding the public was one of regret. He commands trust and respect
you; or your daughter." from the public and is known as a man of personal integrity.
The door burst open and four security guards moved in. His own personal income is not unimpressive, but it is not
"Don't worry Mr. Page. We'll have these guys back on the as great as one would expect, since he no longer enjoys a
street in a jiffy." celebrity paycheck, but instead doles them out to his own
"Wait!" The guards froze. hearing the urgent tone in primadonnanewsteam. VIPERispressuringhimtoreplace
Page's voice. "Don't touch them! Just get out." Sharon the his reliable anchors with people who are loyal to them.
secretary just stared at her boss. What was t1e doing? Page
tumedhisattentiontoher. "You too, Sharon. leaveusalone Appearance: At 6'2", Frank was a dashing figure in his
and I want no interruptions for any reason." youth. Now since his dark hair has turned silver, his steel
"Uh, yes sir, Mr. Page." She closed the door behind her as grey eyes are all that remains of his eye-catching visage from
the wiry man let a snicker escape. the six o'clock news of old. With the extra pounds he's put on
"That's more like it. Frankie. We have a lot to discuss ... " behind his managerial desk, he looks every one of his forty-
two years.
Personality/Motivation: Frank Page is a good man caught
between a rock and a hard place. He knew that what he was Campaign Use: Frank should be introduced to the heroes
doing was wrong when he took thatbribe from VIPER so long long before VIPER begins blackmailing him. He should be
well established as a man of integrity and honesty who gives
the heroes a fair shake in the news. Initially he could be
introduced through Cindy Page who would be anxious to
introduce the heroes to her father. He could be useful in
giving them information on events and people making the
headlines. and some of the ones that didn't, or using his
influence to help them cut through the bureaucratic red tape.
Then, after they've gotten to know him, t11ey may notice that
he has been acting very strangely lately. First he won't return
their calls, then he hired a new anchorman for the 6 o'clock
news, and now Cindy is worried because he's working late
and meeting with strange men she's never seen before. He
just gave the go ahead for a new "expose'" style show that
has been slamming the heroes on prime time.
Even some of the regular news reports are starting to
sound slanted against the heroes and favorably towards
various criminal groups, including VIPER. This could bear
some looking into. Of course, what the heroes discover may
shock them and put them into several wonderful, er, I mean
terrible moral dilemmas. First of all, how will they tell Cindy,
or should they? Second of all, how can they help Frank, or
should they? Third of all, what will they do with him after
they've helped him? If the knowledge of his past indiscre-
tions were to leak out, it would ruin both his career and the
station's integrity. The heroes will have to consider their
actions very carefully.
If supervillains or terrorists were to take over the T.V.
station to install a mind control beam on the antenna or
simply for ransom, Cindy would call for the help of the local
hero group, or she could be captured along with her dad
(especially if she is a DNPC).
NormamUnbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 77
waiting for me, calling my name, shouting out loud. -Alan
JENNIE PARKER Parsons Project."
She composes "on the fly," simply letting the music of the
(Competent Normal, Rock and Roll Musician) moment pour out of her and worrying about the semantics
later. She wrote Gold Dance in twenty minutes after a
10 STA 13 DEX 13 CON 10 BODY 10 INT screening of St. John's film. She is pleased at the fact thatthe
picture gives the Native Americans of the pe riod a fair shake.
13 EGO 20 PRE 18 COM 3 PD 3 ED
She is a sensitive girl, hopelessly in love with horses and
3 SPD 5 REC 26 END 22 STUN children, putting her soul into each song that she writes. but
she has a stubborn streak and a fighting spirit to stop the
Powers/Skills: PS: Singer 13-; PS: Songwriter 13-; most determined opposition . "If there's anything worth my
PS: Guitar Player 13-; PS: Drummer 13-; PS: Saxo- love its worth a fight. - Kenny Loggins. " Jennie has no
phone Player 13-; PS: Pianist 13-; PS: Synthesist 13-; compunctions about getting involved in other people's busi-
KS: Rock n' Roll 14-; KS: Native American Music 12-; ness if she sees a problem getting out of hand. In trying to
PS: Storyteller 13-; Oratory 13-; KS: Native American help others she can get downright pushy. "I can tell by the
History/legends 12-; Riding 12-; Language: Fluent look in your eyes you've been hurtin'. - Loverboy. " She has
Comanche; Skill Enhancer: Jack Of All Trades (Note an energetic nature that tends to infect those around her.
that all her Professional Skills are PRE based)

Talents: Perfect Pitch; Contact: Ron St. John, 11-; Eidetic

Memory (Only for things experienced with music,-%)

50 +Disadvantages: Likes to Quote Songs; Proud and

Stubborn; Sensitive to Beauty; Watched by the Media
on 8-; Public Identity

OCV: 4; OCV: 4; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12

Costs: Char Powers Total Olsadv Base

43 + 52 = 95 = 45 + 50

Background: Jennie Parker is a Comanche who was raised

on the Kiowa Reservation in Oklahoma. Her mother tried
many things, but eventually found that a rock and roll album
was the only sound that could keep her baby from making a
fuss. As long as those chords filled the nursery, Jennie was
a happy camper. She started reading music before she could
read words, and when she entered school she fascinated her
teachers with her extraordinary talent for music and total
disregard for all other subjects. It was only the invention of
the walkman that allowed her to get through school. With the
musiccoming in one ear and the lecture in the other, her mind
became like a sponge, soaking up everything that was
associated with the music, even chemistry or algebra.
Her folks didn't agree with her decision to move to Los
Angeles to try her luck at performing, but she was deter-
mined. ''People talk and people stare, tell them I don't really
care. This is the place I should be. - the Smithereens."
For ten months she worked anywhere she could. She was
singing at a rodeo when she was discovered by Ron St.
John, owner of Maverick Studios. He asked her to do a track
for his new film, Forty-Niners, a saga about the California Quote: "Are you my Jukebox Hero?"
gold rush that starred a collection of unknown young actors.
The film became the surprise smash of the summer. Her PowersfTactics: Jennie is a new rock phenomena at the
track, Gold Dance, had hit the top of the L.A. charts within a beginning of what could be a meteoric rise or a flash in the
week of the release and was quickly gathering momentum in pan. "Life in the fast lane will surely make you lose your mind.
other areas. Although Gold Dance appears on the Forty- - the Eagles." She has gotten quite a bit of press and is still
Niners soundtrack, she has yet to sign a contract with a trying to sort out exactly what she wants from this business.
record company to produce her own album, "A momentary She's a naturally expert musician, with a great deal of talent
lapse of reason that binds a life for life. - Pink Floyd." backed up by years of practice and a genuine love for her art.
Her songs are rock and roll with ancestral Indian instruments
Personality/Motivation: Jennie is a "rock baby." She has and elements added. The themes are varied, dealing with
never had any passion in her life that could rival her music. life, love, childhood, dreams and triumph over adversity.
She decided to leave the reservation and strike out on her Jennie is a storyteller of great skill, whether using music, or
own because "I can hearthe roarof a distantcrowd. They are only the inflection of her steady, soothing voice.
78 -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-Norma~Unbound
Her knowledge of rock music is vast, and she can't help Background: Ron SJ. John dropped his first camera whoo
quoting from songs whenever the opportunity presents itself. he was only seven years old. Since then his filmmaking, and
"I have a tale to tell. Sometimes it gets so hard to hide it well. his clumsiness, have be__come widely known. With an award
- Madonna." If you ask her even a simple question such as winning student production, he opened doors for himself into
"How are you?," you're less likely to g~l "Fine." than "/feel the film community , then promptly tripped on the doorjamb.
good! - James Brown. " He got signed on with a major studio but he was afraid to
make waves and did everything according to the studio
Appearance: Jennie's tanned skin, dark brown eyes and head's directives. W hen the big guy told him to cut a good
long braided black hair are typical Comanche features. scene, he cut it. When the leading man pulled rank to get part
Under her rugged exterior. flannel shirts, leather vests and of the script changed, Ron knuckled under to the prestigious
blue jeans, there lies a girl of exceptional natural beauty. Her actor. He heard about what happened to mavericks in the
demeanor is always casual, but firmly in control. She stands studio and he'd worked too hard to get where he was to get
around five feet tall (plus booth eels). and her compact frame thrown out. He knew that the changes weren't his anyway.
weighs in at just 95 pounds. She is often mistaken for How could they blame him if it flopped? lt did, and they did.
younger than her actual age of 21. The film was a disaster and Ron found the doors that he'd
worked so hard to open, suddenly closing in his face. The
Campaign Use: Jennie can be a friend to a hero in the music
Studio terminated his contract and he knew that if he didn't
business or a catalyst for a crime (robbery of a concert box
act fast his career would be over. With his p;:irent's house as
office or a kidnapping attempt). Jennie could be involved in
collateral, he got enough capital to start a project of his own.
a charity that the heroes are supporting or she could fall in
He ran the whole show according to his own conscience.
love with a kind hearted hero (or vice versa). ''Racing on tfle
When it was done he was satisfied that he'd made a good
thunder and rising with the heat, Its gonna take a superman
film. When it got to the film festival he found that he'd made
to sweep me off my feet. - Bonnie Tyler. "
a great film. When it got to the theaters, he found out that he'd
If you have a villain or hero with Native American origins,
made a spectacular film!
they might be following her in the media. Her collection of
The studios came to court him again, but he didn't want
Native American artifacts and instruments might, by coinci-
anything to do with them. Ron formed a private production
dence, contain a mystically potent item needed by Stephan
company and started a legacy of cutting edge films. Maver-
Pierce or a certain villain or group, perhaps DEMON. Her
ick Studios became a huge success, and a haven tor people
perfect voice may be required for a musical ritual that the
with ideas too far out for the big studios. In the years that have
villains need to bring a mystic menace into our world.
fallowed, Ron has pushed Maverick Studios into television
After a hero becomes involved with Jennie, a shady recoJd
and built a reputation as an innovator in that industry as well.
company could somehow manage to get her to sign a
His latest project, Capes of Wrath, is a weekly action/drama
contract (under mind control or through clever trickery) and
about a fictional superhero team in a major American city.
the hero would be faced with the problem of helping her
recover her master recordings and nullifying the fake con- Personality/Motivation: Ron St. John is a man with visions
tract. Remember that Jennie is not a helpless maiden, she is that millions of people love to see. He lives for the satisfaction
a spirited girl who won't take well to ll>eing told to sit back and of a dream brought successfully to the screen for others to
let the heroes handle the problem, She's used to taking on see and enjoy. His experiences with the big guys have
her own fights. shown him the errors of becoming too dependent on one
man's opinion; he is kn,own to be an open-minded boss, who
values the input of his crew. He is always looking for new
RON ST. JOHN talent to launch in his produetions, never relying on big
names to bring in the crowds. His style is very personal. He
doesn't rely on others to do his dirty work or solve his
(Skilled Normal, Hollywood Producer)
problems for him. Ron likes to get down in the trenches and
10 STA 8 DEX 10 CON 11 BODY 18 INT see exactly what's going on.
His crew likes to poke fun al him for being the world's most
14EGO 15 PRE 12 COM 2 PO 2 ED brilliant kiu,12. He can juggle six conflicting production sched-
2 SPO 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN ules, but he can't get from his trailer to the set without spilling
his coffee. Ron has a good sense of humor and loves a well
Powers/Skills: PS: Film Producer 13-; PS: Director 13-; executed practical joke (The crew of Capes of Wrath once
PS: Writer 13·; KS: The Film Industry 13-; hooked his director's chair up to the "flying rig" and took him
KS: Acting 13-; High Society 13- for an unexpected aerial spin). He can, however, use his
incredible imagination to return them in kind (It involved latex
Perks: Celebrity Clout, Hollywood Producer; rubber and super glue) .
Money: Well Off
Quote: "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. Let's make
25 +Disadvantages: Creative Maverick; Physical Limita- it!"
tion (Comically Clumsy); Watched by the Media 8-
Powersnactics: Ron has been blessed with a talented eye
0CV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 3; Phases: 6, 12 for visual production, and has learned to trust his instincts.
His production company isn't the biggest in town, but he has
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base made a comfortable niche for himself in the Hollywood
20 + 30 = 50 25 + 25 hierarchy. His position gives him a certain amount of clout
Norma~ Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 79

(good tables at restaurants, easy access to important people,

etc.), but he's a little paranoid of spending to much time "RAGING" GAIL KELSO
around the moguls of the business, lest their "old-fogeyness"
rub off on him. He knows the film industry inside and out . (Skilled Normal, Crusading Disk Jockey)
Appearance: Ron St. John is a tall black man, around thirty-
10 ST A 10 DEX 13 CON 12 BODY 13 INT
five, with a playful gleam in his brown eyes and a knowing
smirk on his lips. He dresses casually, always wearing his 15 EGO 15 PRE 16 COM 3 PD 3 ED
"DANGER: KLUTZ" button given to him by his crew as a 2 SPD 5 REC 26 END 24 STUN
safety precaution. He has been known to show up in cos-
tume to a shoot, to sympathize with the actors who have to Powers/Skills: PS: Broadcasting 11-; Orator 12-;
wear them. Conversation 12-; Persuasio n 12-; KS: Music
World 12-; AK: The City 12-; Fam w/ Streetwise 8-
Campaign Use: PCs who are actors or models in their
secret identities can try their luck at impressing Ron with their 25 +Disadvantages : Wants to Improve the world; Blunt;
talents, but he's a pretty demanding guy in that department. Persistent; Reputation (Daring Radio Personality), 8-
His television production is always looking for inspiration,
and Ron might come to the heroes for interviews about 0CV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12
heroic activities. Having a PC actor land a role on the Capes
of Wrath in his secret identity would be a tot of fun . A Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
superhero in his secret identity as an actor playing a super- 32 + 18 = 50 = 25 + 25
hero with a secret identity is sure to cause multiple person-
alities in your less stable PCs. B ackg round: Gail Kelso g,rew up In a tiny midwest town.
Ron might want to shoot o n location at the hero's base o r Half the brick buildings on Main street were empty and
want them to guest star on the show in their heroic identities. boarded up and the blackened and crooked timbers were still
Perhaps a local villain thinks that a character on the show standing from the fire that gutted the movie theater a dozen
was modelled after him and is less than pleased. Foxbat years ago. Nobody cared enough to tear it down or to try new
comes to mind as the kind of guy who might show up, things that might revitalize the town. Her parents slaved
demanding a role in the show to show the supervillain's side. away at nowhere jobs and her friends were content to
"Ronnie, Baby, You' re gonna make me a star! A bigger one replace their parents as farmers, clerks and gas pumpers.
that is." But Gail had different ideas.
She left home immediately after graduation, hitchhiking to
another town, where she wori<ed until she saved enough
money to move along to the next largest town. Eventually
she settled in your city, where she began to realize that it
wasn't perfect here either, but at least there were some
people here willing to try to change things! Soon her horizons
expanded to improving not only her city, but the Earth.
Gail went to work, volunteered for several social agencies
and went to the local college for a degree in broadcasting.
With her bullheaded personality, she managed to push her
way into a job as a technician at a local radio station. One
day, during the station's "Call-In Your Gripes" program, the
host {a real prima donna}, walked off the show, to prove how
indispensable he was. While the management went crazy
trying to figure out what to do, Gail picked up he r headset and
keyed up line 1.
The caller was upset about a stoplight the city had just put
up on his route to work. "Aaaaaw! Poor Baby! Listen, Bucko,
this town has enough traffic problems without having to deal
with every whin ing yuppie who doesn't want his BMW idling
with the rest of us. Our rail system runs like a herd of
paraplegic water buffaloes, the busses are right out of a Mad
Max film and you've gotta take out a mortgage on your house
to afford cab fare. Clean up the mass-transit and we'll need
fewer lights. Now bug off I've got another call!"
The manager was aghast, but the phones were going
crazy! Everybody loved the way she'd told that guy off, and
so it went. Gail had an outlet for her forceful personality and
she used it. She's become a popular local radio figure, who
the people trust to tell it how it is. She kicks up a storm in
whatever subject she gets involved in , and has earned her
air-name "Raging Gail"
80 · - - - - - - - · - - - - - - - - · - - - - - - - - - · - - - - · - - - - - - Normals Unbound
Her taste in music runs the spectrum from hard, but
• • •
• socially aware, punk rock, to progressive new age techno·
• pop. Her program is the most popular in town, expounding a
variety of musical styles, and punctuated by the "Raging"
• Gail's sharp wit and enlightening commentary .
Quote! "Don't you think its about time you used·your super-
• powers to do something really important!"
•
Powers/Tactics: "Raging" Gail's biggest asset, and worst
liability, is her bullheaded stubbornness and her refusal to
give up on something that looks hopeless. She has a will of
iron, devoting herself to so many different things that nobody
is sure how she keeps up. Her income is impressive, but she
• donates most of it to the causes she supports. Superheroes
who work for big organizations or who make a comfortable
• living from commercial endorsements of some l<ind can
expect a disapproving stare from the "Raging" Gail. She will
try to get anyone who is in a position of power, be it politician
• • or superhero, to use their power responsibly .
Appearance: Gail is 30 years old, 5'1 oatall with brown eyes
and has built her body up through hard, hands-on, work . Her
light brown hair hangs carelessly about her shoulders,
framing a freckled face that has never been touched by
make-up. She is not a stunning beauty, but a genuinely pretty
girl, whose tremendous spirit shows itself in her every
movement. Gail tends to dress casually in natural fibers,
sometimes even preferring a loose tunic with a belt.
Campaign Use: Gail is a very active person who could
encounter the heroes under any number of circumstances.
If one of the heroes has a power that might help the Earth
(weather control, solar radiation projection, earth moving
Personality/Motivation : "Raging'' is an apt description of powers}, she may come to ask the hero for help. Perhaps
Gail when she gets worked up about something. Her no- they need a spokesman to help raise public support for the
nonsense way of looking at the world and her willingness to "Solar Power plant" project that the government is consider-
express her views regardless of the consequences has ing. Her poster motto of choice would be: "Support this
made her a popular, if controversial, radio personality. She project or choke and die!," but cooler heads prevail.
thinks that the world is a real mess, and someone better start Maybe someone has a lot to lose if that power plant goes
doing something about it ASAP. Her values are very d.e· into operation and an unscrupulous corporation has hired a
manding on her, requiring that she put others first, and she supervlllain to scare Gail into letting up on them. She could
donates a good portion of her earnings to worthy projects in be attacked at a rally or during her program at the station,
the area, preferring to remain in her one room apartment and broadcasting the sounds of any superfight to thousands of
ride mass transit everywhere. She recycles religiously. rapt listeners.
Superheroes are a mystery to her, as she grew up in a If the heroes work for a corporation or accept donations
small town and had never been inclined to pay much atten· from them, Gail may become outraged at a violation of the
ti on to that sort of thing before coming to the city. It annoys local ecology and ask the heroes to put pressure on their
her that anyone who has a special power or talent is instantly patron. If they didn't want to, she would become very suspect
encouraged to dress up in a ribbon and fight crime. Not that of their heroic motivations. With her show's influence, Gail
crime isn't an important problem, but it seems to her that could make a dent in even the most popular hero's reputa-
there will be surprisingly little crime on the Earth if we can't tion.
continue to comfortably respire in our cities (thieves without
gas masks would collapse after only a short chase). The
cockroaches that are left over can deal with their own crime
problems. The amazing powers demonstrated by some
superheroes (and villains) coulcl be put to much more re·
sponsible use.
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 81

In the comics every hero has a supportive figure in the Since he quit A.I . and devoted himself full time to his racing
background to help him shoulder the burden of his awesome career, he has quickly risen to be one of the top competitors
responsibility. Even the darkest crusading knight can have a on the circuit. His goal all through school and up to now, has
loyal butler without feeling that he's sacrificing his image. been to develop a special kind of cycle he has visualized.
The NPCs in this section are good for use as friends or Dugger has applied his knowledge in various attempts at a
confidants to the heroes in either identity. They are all on the "super bike," but had been only moderately successful until
"friendly" slanttoward heroes, to be used as encouragers or he hit upon his current design. He believes this prototype
as comic relief. They can be companions, mentors or follow- cycle to be the culmination of all his efforts.
ers.
Personality/Motivation: Dugger is a good ole boy. He is
modest, hardworking, and honest, but very competitive. His
love of racing is only equalled by his dedication to making his
DUGGER BIRCH "super bike'' project work. His successful racing career is
something he enjoys, but it is only a way of financing his work
(Competent Normal, Motorcycle Racer) without selling himself to a corporation. His southern drawl
and casual demeanor can fool people into underestimating
15 STR 18 DEX 14 CON 10 BODY 13 INT his intellect. Most are surprised to find out that the "bumpkin
12 EGO 15 PRE 16 COM 4 PD 3 ED cycle jock" has a Masters in mechanical engineering. Inci-
dentally, Dugger doesn't use his special engine designs in
4 SPD 6 REC 28 END 25 STUN
competition. He considers it an unfair advantage.
Powers/Skills: Driving 16-; Prototype Engine Design 14-; Quote: "Ah'd ruther lose the race, than mah integrity."
PS: Motorcycle Racing 13-; KS: Motorcycle Racing 13-;
Mechanic 12-; Inventor 13-; Fuel Chemistry 11-; Powers/Tactics: Dugger Is a gifted racer and a brilliant
TF: Motorcycle mechanical engineer. He understands all aspects of vehicle
construction and is expert at many. When Dugger says
50 +Disadvantages: Honest Competitor; Believes there's nothing he can't do with a cycle he's not just whistling
in "super bike" project; Distinctive Feature (Louisiana "Dixie.'' Well actually he's constantly whistling "Dixie," it's his
drawl); Watched by Big Corporation, 8-; favorite song, but you get the idea. The rigors of professional
Rivalry (obnoxious opponent racer) cycle racing keep him in excellent physical condition.
OCV: 6; DCV: 6; ECV: 4; Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 Appearance: Dugger is a fine looking man in his late
twenties. Not really handsome, but possessed of a rugged
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base charm and a cute lopsided grin. He is 5''6", Jean and athletic,
65 + 35 = 100 = 50 + 50 with light brown hair and eyes. His hair is just long enough to
hang in his eyes when not stuffed into a helmet. He usually
Background: Dugger Birch is a small town boy from Louisi- has a few days worth of stubble on his chin.
ana . His skill at motorcycle racing showed itself at an early
Campaign Use: Dugger could be a friend or romantic
age, but he wasn't content to simply race well. He also
interest for a heroine or could be a support person for a
studied mechanics and found himself fascinated with engine
motorcycle riding hero. If you decide to use Matt Armbruster
design. He was unable to afford college, but he managed to
in your game, Dugger could be introduced through him. The
get a scholarship and attend school in his home state. After
two men enjoy racing against one another, and Dugger has
earning a masters degree for his pioneering engine work, he
found it much easier to form a friendship now that Matt isn't
went on to a comfortable job at Armbruster Industries.
his boss .
Dugger got along well with his boss, Matt Armbruster, but he
Dugger knows that the super bike is capable of outper-
soon felt constrained by his sedentary "designer/engineer"
forming every driver on the circuit, including himself, so he
designation and was afraid of losing his best ideas to the
might ask a trustworthy hero to test his prototype cycle in real
c0mpany. No matter how nice Matt was, Dugger was cau-
world conditions. The use of such a unique vehicle should
tious of the "rich yankee" and decided that he needed to test
appeal to most motorcycle riding heroes.
his designs on his own .
82 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound

Any hero with combat driving skill could have been taught Description: The Super bike is based on new and unique
by Dugger or could have raced against him in the past. The principals of engine and vehicle design developed by Dugger
prototype bike could be stolen by Viper or the Big Corpora- Birch. It is incredibly responsive and capable of reaching top
tion that stands to lose a lot it it goes commercial. Any hero speeds of almost 200 miles per hour in record time. The
that saves his bike would earn Dugger's gratitude, perhaps engine uses a special fuel designed specifically for it. The
even leading to Dllgger loaning the hero use of his super bike bike'sone gallon fuel tank is sufficient for about 150 miles of
(or building another one) for crimefighting. operation. The chemicals used to mix the fuel, although
dangerous, are not especially expensive. Obviously this
would be a revolutionary development, if it can be perfected,
so there are several companies and organizations inter-
THE SUPER BIKE ested in getting access to , or suppressing, Dugger's work.

Size: .8 x .64 Mass: 200 kg.

DCVMod: 0 Knockback: -1
20 STA 5 SPD 11 BODY 20 DEX 6 DEF
MOVE52"x2 Actual =194 mph MAX 520"/turn

50 +Disadvantages: Vulnerability: 1.5 x BODY from heat

based attacks; Dependence on special fuel, each 150
miles; Distinctive Feature (Super sleek racing bike);
Watched by Big Corporation , 8-
Cost Disadv Base Vehicle Cost
158 45 = 113 + 5 = 23
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 83
Appearance: Mack is a muscular man and doesn't hesitate
MACK BORDAN to show it. He lets his long brown hair hang wildly a ro und his
shoulders, and keeps a scraggly beard and mustache. His
(Skilled Normal, Big Mouth Truck Driver) jeans and cowboy boots are complimented by a plain white
tank top. He usually wears an eyepatch (on different sides at
15 STR 11 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 10 INT different times) . He's around 6'0" and has boyish light brown
eyes.
10 EGO 15 PRE 18 COM 5 PO 2 ED
3 SPO 5 REC 20 ENO 23 STUN Campaign Use: Mack rarely worries about what it is that
he's hauling. As long as it sort of looks legal and he can make
Powers/Skills: TF: Big Trucks; PS: Truck driver 11-; his truck payments he's happy. This can lead him to be
AK: Truck Stops 11-; Oratory 11- involved with a number of interesting cargos. His poor luck
gets him mixed up in some pretty weird things (though not as
Talents: 3d6 Luck weird as his stories) so Mack and his rig, "the Meatloaf
Meteor," could show up just about anywhere.
25 +Disadvantages: Talks like a hero from cheap fiction; He might be hired by Or. McOuark to haul a new 5000
Protective of his Truck; Distinctive Feature (Eyepatch); Gigawatt Laser Platform (equipped with a "clapper" for ease
2d6 Unluck of operation) to the local elementary school for a science
demonstration.
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12
VIPER might have hired him (though he wouldn't know it
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base was VIPER) to pick up that box from the Haywire Bio-
Engineering Company and bring it to their warehouse. Of
28 + 22 = 50 = 25 + 25
course there would have to be an accident enroute releasing
a 50 ton hamster into the city (Nibble! Nibble!).
Background: As far as Mack will tell, he was sent by the Mack could be a hero's DNPC or travelling companion. If
Supreme Being as the ultimate gift to all females. Arriving in a hero is on the run or hitchhiking across the country, then
the town of Mustang Hill , Texas, Mack began a long and Mack could pick him or her (especially, her) up. He could be
illustrious career of doing nothing in particular. He dropped a romantic interest for a heroine (these are the same girls
out of high school at seventeen to go to truck driving school that like Joe Petrone) .
and he's been on the road ever since. He was married once
(a fact he will not admit to without a lot of prodding), to a
schoolteacher in Kansas, but the "call of the wild (truck stop
waitresses)" soon got him moving again. Quickly.
His cocky attitude and bad luck have gotten him into more
than one sticky situation, but somehow he always manages
to get himself and his rig, the "Meatloaf Meteor," back o n the
road. "It's all in the reflexes."

Personality/Motivation: "Recipe for one Mack Bordan: a bit

of adventure here, a touch of intrigue there, and a secret
mystery ingredient. Mix well with a good looking dame and
shake it up. I'm a man on a mission to see the world's
wonders. I've seen everything, done eve1ything, drank ev-
erything . Everyone in the Universe has a secret and you can
just bet that old Mack Bordan has a few of his own. My truck
is my home. Nine-and-a-half tons of unstoppable macho
metal. Just like me."

Quote: "Hey! What's that thing doing to my truck?!"

PowerslTactics: Mack Bordan can really drive a truck.

Other than that, his only major talent is a knack for spinning
a yarn. His stories run long and he's always right in the center
of some incredible danger. He plays cards like a pro (talks
like one too, but he's just lucky), and loves to gamble. His big
talk can give him a psychological edge over dimmer oppo-
nents.
84 - - -- -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
means to go to school and end up falling into dead end jobs,
MATTHEW ARMBRUSTER or criminal activities. I feel that we don't need to help out kids
who already have everything, so we limit our acceptance to
(Competent Normal, Eccentric CEO) the kids who really need it."
"But that's not all you do."
13 STA 13 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 15 INT "No, we've also started many types of programs to get
10 EGO 15 PRE 16COM 3 PD 2 ED people out of the rut of repeat offender crime by training them
at our plants and giving them a steady job. It's not always
3SPD 5 REC 20 END 22 STUN successful, but we are helping."
•You're the major contractor for the Stronghold security
Powers/Skills: KS: Business 12-; Scientist; Inventor 12-;
robots, and some weapon development. Doesn't this cause
Robotics 12-; Computer Programming 12-; Electronics
a problem in your dealing with the government as far as
13-; Mechanics 13·; Mechanical Engineering 12-; security clearances go?''
Computer Science 12-; Physics 11 -; Bureaucratics 12-;
. "At ti.m~s . Unfortunately we have to keep our employees
High Society 12-; Systems Operation 12-;
with cnmmal records off of these sensitive projects, but we
Weaponsmith: Energy Weapons. Rockets, Armor 11-;
have enough other work to do that this rarely creates a
KS: Formula Car Racing 11-; Combat Driving 12-; TF:
problem."
Hot Air Balloon, JEM Aircraft; +1• rL1nning (7" Total)
"Speaking of your ties to the government, what about Mrs.
Armbruster?"
Perks: Wealthy; Top Secret Security Clearance
"You mean Congresswoman Armbruster."
50 +Disadvantages: In love with wife (Shanna); Adven- "Yes, I mean doesn't her being on the Joint Committee tor
turous and Outgoing; Reputation (Eccentric CEO), 11-; Metahuman Affairs constitute a conflict of interest?"
Watched by U.S. Government, 11-; Watched by "No. You see, I received the contract tor the Stronghold
Mechanon, 11 -; robots before Shanna was elected to the House. I never use
her influence 1n my governmental contract dealings. Neither
OCV: 4; DCV: 4; ECV: 3; Phases: 4, 8, 12 of us would have it any other way."
~com i119 from anyone else I might not have believed that
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base statement, but you have always been described as an
32 + 68 = 100 = 50 + 50 unusual, even eccentric executive. You will aclually go out
onto the assembly line and work with your employees, you
race formula race cars, you don't cheat on either your taxes
Background:
or your wife. Basically, you're weird! Well. for a rich execu-
Excerpt From Interview With Matthew Armbruster tive. Why is that?"
On Talk Show Harold 0. March 6. "I dunno ... "
We're back! We're talking about American industry's im- "Well, let's look at some of these facts. You were orphaned
pact on America's future. Matt, you made an interesting just before you went to college. Your folks came from a poor
comment before we left for commercial that industry has the background and ascended to positions of 13rominence and
obligation and responsibility to insure the welfare of the prestige through hard work. Could that have something to do
community. Could you elaborate on that?" with it?"
"Sure. What I meant was that industry is now in a position "Maybe. I've been poor and I've been rich . Rich is a lot
to help clean up many of the problems caused by industrial- more fun. I just wish everyone could be rich. So I try to help
ization and urban decay. These are problems that are going out."
to catch up with us all and ultimately eat away at our country's "So you're a rich corporate president, you race cars, you
economic base. By giving back some of our success now, we pal around with superheroes who buy your robots and
can assure a continued growth for the future." equipment. Doesn't sound like a bad lite."
"I can see by the expressions on the faces of our other "Well, I do get weekends off."
guests that they don't share your views, but we'll come back "What about Mechanon?"
to that in a minute. Let's look at what you and Armbruster " .. . What about him?"
Industries are doing to help. Recently you announced the "Don't you feel guilty or feel some kind of remorse for
Armbruster Scholarship Fund and Apprenticeship Program creating the world's greatest technological terror since the
to help students with no financial means to attend college to nuclear bomb?"
study science. Afterwards you place them In your company . "L?ok! l_f that jackass Senator Reim hadn't come barging
to get 'real world' job experience. Why have you limited the m with his concerns about "National Security" and the
scope of acceptance into this program to financially disad- problems of having a robot this powerful in the hands of a
vantaged youngsters?" hero group that wasn't in his hip pocket, Mechanon would still
"Well, when I was growing up my folks were fairly well off. be serving cocktails at Homestead instead of trying to blow
They always encouraged me to explore new challenges and up the White House every alternate Sunday!"
they were financially able to help me explore those chal- "Whoa! This is about as mad as anyone has ever seen
lenges. Of course this led me to study robotics and break into you ."
the field and start up my company. But a lot of kjds in this
world, who have loads of ability and promise, don't have the
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 85
"Well Harold, it does make me mad. Reim and his SAT Campaign Use: Anyone who has met Shanna Armbruster
techno-goon squad went in and installed those "safety (.see separate write up) will almost certainly meet Matt soon
features" and altered Mechanon's programming to soothe after. The two of them are so much in love that heroes with
his paranoia. Now every human being is paying the price for low CON scores may toss their cookies when they see them
his ambitions. Darn right it makes me mad. But at least I don't together. Actually t11ey are very devoted to one another even
have to deal with Reim every day like my wife does. That's though they have very full time careers, so Matt makes a
her problem." concerted effort to see Shanna on every possible occasion.
"Well, that's all the time we have for today. Join us Heroes might alse meet Matt on their own when they are
tomorrow when our topic will be Mutant Photosynthetic Nazi equipping their base with a computerized monorail system,
Nudists and the Plants Who Love Them . Next time on Harold a robot, or some type of weapon system. Matt would want to
O." personally help install any system that the heroes purchased
from him.
Personality/Motivation: Matt Armbruster is in love with life. If Mechanon ever took an interest in looking up his "roots,"
Whether he's designing a new computer system or hot air Matt might call on his hero friends to give him a hand.
ballooning over the Alps he sees each day as a new Similarly he might give out a call for some hero support if
adventure or bottle of wine to be savored. But it's not just his something were to happen to Shanna. If a hero is a race car
life that he feels this way about. He wants everyone to be able driver in his secret identity, he could find himself up against
to enjoy the way they live and work, and he sees computers this eccentric president of a high tech company.
and robetics as serving a vital role in this vision. He rarely
gets upset about anything, even if a project fails he will most
likely just smile and say MOh well, back to the old CAD."
The only areas that he gets touchy about are Mechanon
and Shanna. He deeply resents the actions taken by Reim
and SAT but he doesn't feel any guilt about Mechanon's
creation. After all, the unit was tested thoroughly before
being sent to Homestead. He's had a weapon less version of
the unit in his personal care since the original went berserk
and it has had no desires to exterminate all organic life on
Earth.
He loves his wife more than anything and would sacrifice
everything, his reputation, his business, or even his life, to
insure her safety. He is keenly aware of the possible abuse
of his relationship with his wife that others may perceive and
so he works hard to make sure his dealings with the govern-
ment are above board. Remember that Matt is not your
typical CEO. He is more likely to show up to a board meeting
wearing his oily racing outfit instead of a three piece suit,
more covered in sweat than glory.

Quote: "While I was going around that last high banked

curve at 180 mph, I had a great idea!"
Power&n'actics: Matt is one of the world's foremost com-
puter and robotics designers and a top notch businessman.
He is competent in the design of energy weapons, missiles,
and armor which makes him one of the top governmental
contraators in the country. He also, in view of his governmen-
tal contracts, maintains a Top Secret security clearance. He
is a trained race car driver and can pilot both jet aircraft and
hot air balloons. He likes to keep in shape by jogging and has
been known to hold board meetings on the run.
Appearance: Matt is a handsome, blonde haired, blue eyed The heroes might seek out Matt for additional information
man standing 6'1", and weighing 190 lbs. He dresses casu- on Mechanon. Matt could even sponsor a hero group if
ally. polo shirts and comfortable pants. unless absolutely approached right, pointing out how beneficial they could be
necessary. Shanna swears he only possesses one tie, which to the city. Characters associated with Kent Elfberg could
Matt denies. He has two. meet Matt if he decides to check up on one of the most
promising and longest lasting students in the scholarship
program.
86 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Normals Unbound
friends aid. Rex convinced Jeff to give up his life of crime and
"JABBIN" JEFF HAWKINS turn State's evidence. After destroying the VIPER lab that
gave him his superpowers, Powerfist surrendered himself to
(Competent Normal, Charter Pilot) SAT.
In the investigation that followed, it was found that VIPER
15 STR 15 DEX 13 CON 11 BODY 10 INT had planted the drugs that ruined Jeff's career. They had
13EGO 13 PRE needed a prime physical specimen for their experiment so
10 COM 6 PD 6 ED
they framed him to make him more agreeable to their plans.
3 SPD 6 REC 26 END 26 STUN Jeff still ended up going to jail but due to extenuating
circumstances, and time off for good behavior, he only
Powers/Skills: PS: Boxer 12-; KS: Boxing 12-;
served a short sentence and now works as a charter pilot. In
Paramedic 11-; Combat Pilot 12-; TF: All Air Vehicles; his spare time he works as a volunteer in Father Lonnigan's
Fam w/Mechanics 8-; WF: All Small Arms: + 1 Level w/
boxing programs.
Boxing; + 1 Level w/Punch; +2" Running (8" Total);
Favor (from Police) 14-; Martial Arts: Boxing (Cost:18): Personality/Motivation: Since his release from jail, Jeff has
Boxing OCV DCV Damage/Effect been directing most of his energies to undoing the damage
Jab +1 +3 3d6 Strike that he did as Powerfist. He involves himself a great deal with
Hook -2 +1 7d6 Strike helping kids get off the streets by getting them involved in the
Block +2 +2 Block, Abort boxing program. He still maintains his friendship with Rex,
Clinch -1 -1 Grab, + 10 STR to hold on and the two often remind each other that they have to step
into the ring, some day. He is a proud man and very
50 +Disadvantages: Trying to put past behind him; energetic. He sees his life as lying before him, not behind
Hatred of VIPER; Age 40+: Distinctive features (Boxer); him.
Reputation (Ex-supervillain), 8·; Hunted by VIPER , 8-;
Watched by probation officer. 11-; Quote: "Are you just gonna lay there with your back on the
canvas, or are you gonna get up and face your problem?"
OCV: 5; DCV: 5; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12
Powers/Tactics: The treatment that once gave Jeff super
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base powers has worn off with age. He is still in excellent physical
48 + 52 := 100 ::: 50 + 50 condition and a very good fighter for a man his age. Jeff is an
exceptional pilot and is familiar with the operations of most
flying vehicles.
Background: Jeff Hawkins escaped from the ghetto by
serving his country. He joined the Air Force, learned to fly
airplanes, and found a niche for himself on the base's boxing
team. He was well on his way to the 1970 lnterservice Boxing
Championship, a bout with "Rex" Kaspriwiczs, a man with
whom he had a long standing friendship and rivalry. Each
man was convinced he could beat the other when they finally
fought. However, a surprise inspection brought his world
crashing down around him. Jeff didn't know how those drugs
had gotten in his footlocker, but there was nothing he could
do. The prosecutor offered to go easy on him if he'd give
them the name of his supplier; Jeff couldn't, so they threw the
book at him.
As he sat in the stockade, two disguised VIPER agents
approached him with a proposition. VIPER would help him to
escape if he would volunteer to be part of an experiment that
would give him super powers. With these powers, they told
him, he could get back at the system that had destroyed his
future. Jeff didn't see too many other options, other than
rotting in jail, so he agreed. The VIPER agents broke him out
and took him to one of VIPER's many laboratories where he
was subjected to special treatments. Jeff gained the power
to shoot electricity as well as enhanced physical attributes
and limited damage resistance. For a time he worked for
VIPER as Poweriist, using his powers to commit several
crimes, and acts of sabotage, trying to get even with the
society that had betrayed him.
It was several years later when Jeff again encountered
"Rex" Kaspriwiczs. Rex had "convinced" a VIPER agent to
tell him about Powerfist's next job, and was there to meet
him , to try to convince him to give up his lite of crime. Jeff. in
his hurry to get away. blasted Rex with a lightning bolt nearly
killing him. Realizing what he had done, Jeff rushed to his
Normals Unbound - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ·- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 87
Appearance: Jeff is a 6'3" tall black man in his early forties
who weighs 21 O lbs. He has black hair, with grey hair at his
temples. and brown eyes. He is still in excellent physical
condition , but his face shows the years of punishment it has
taken in the ring.

Campaign Use: Jeff could work very well as a hero group's

pilot for their miracle-jet, or as a hero's only means of
transportation to a trouble spot. Jeff might go to a hero to get
help if VIPER shows up looking for him, or if one of the kids
he helps has gotten into trouble over his head. After the
characters gets to know him, Jeff might gain his powers back
through an accident. VI PER might try to kidnap him in hopes
of recreating the experiment he destroyed or to find out how
much of his power he has left. Jeff could be forced to go back
to his life of crime, smuggling or mercenary work, by some-
one who kidnaps one of the kids, and need the heroes to help
him out. Heroes that frequent Rex's bar will meet Jeff soon
enough, perhaps noticing that he and Rex are "playing
around." "Come on Rex, I can still take ya." "The only thing
you're gonna be takin' is an ambulance."

LAWRENCE "REX"
KASPRIWICZS
(Competent Normal, Bartender)

15 STA 14 DEX 15 CON 11 BODY 13 INT

13 EGO 15 PRE 14 COM 6 PD 4 ED
3SPD 6 REC 30 END 27 STUN
The local gym was planning a boxing tournament for all the
Powers/Skills: PS: Boxer 12-; KS: Boxing 12-; neighborhood boys, including Father Lonnigan's orphans.
PS: Bartender 12-; KS: Business Management 12·; Lawrence vowed to use this opportunity to get even. He
Conversation 13-; Demolitions 12-; Paramedic 12·; trained for weeks, but when he got into the ring with Butch,
KS: Sports Trivia 11-; WF: All Small Arms the bully beat him easily. Lawrence was crushed.
Boxing OCV DCV Damage/Effect After the bout he saw Sally and told her he was sorry he
Jab +1 +3 3d6 Strike couldn't win for her. But she wasn't mad at all! He couldn't
Uppercut -2 +1 7d6 Strike believe it! He got creamed and she liked him anyway? Wowl
Block +2 +2 Block, Abort "Hey loser!" A rough hand pulled Sally away. "Why don't
Clinch -1 -1 Grab, + 1o STA to hold you let the girl have a real guy." Sally twisted away, but Butch
held onto her arm. Suddenly Lawrence realized why he'd
50 +Disadvantages: Enraged if a girl is abused 14-, 11-; lost. He had been fighting against Butch, when what he
Likes to help others; Sucker for a lady in trouble; should have been doing was fighting for his girl! He looked
Age 40+; Reputation (good Joe), 8- at Butch, his eyes squinting, and let out a low canine growl.
"Grrrrrrrr'' - POW! The bully went down like a sack of
0CV: 5; DCV: 5; ECV: 4; Phases: 4, 8, 12 potatoes and ~Rex" Kaspriwiczs was born.
At eighteen, Rex, inspired by Father Lannigan, decided to
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base join the Marines, a decision that cost him Sally, who didn't
55 + 45 = 100 = 50 + 50 want him to go. He soon had a thriving career as the Marina's
champion boxer. He'd been in the service for six years when
Background: ''You're a fine lad Lawrence. Don't let that he met Jeff Hawkins, the Air Force transport pilot who was
bully Butch tell you anything different ." How could Father his main opposition in the 1970 lnterservice Boxing Cham-
Lonnigan think that he could jus.t ignore being humiliated? pionship.
Especially in front of Sally! Butch , a neighborhood bully, had Jeff was a top-rate boxer and the two quickly became fast
picked on Father Lonnigan's orphan boys for as long as friends. Their rivalry bonded them together, each was con-
Lawrence could remember. He said their fathers didn't want vinced he could beat the other when they finally fought. Then
them. Lawrence hadn't known Sally was watching, but that Jeff was caught with illegal drugs. Rex knew it was a frame-
didn't make the beating hurt any less. up, but Jeff still got court-martialed and sentenced to the
stockade.
88 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a l s Unbound
Angry at the service for accepting the false charges wanted to hear. If the heroes ever decided to recruit civilian
against his friend, Rex refused to fight in the championships. agents, Rex could become a candidate. He knows better
For his devotion he was assigned to an ordinance disposal than to get involved in strenuous day to day physical com.bat
unit in Vietnam. (because of his old injuries), but he might try to put his
After the war, Rex enjoyed a profitable career as a civilian demolitions skills back to work. Jeff would probably join him
boxerandsawreportsofhisoldfriendJeff asasuperpowered in such an endeavor. You could introduce this by having a
villain called Powerfist. Unwilling to abandon hope, he sought bomb in your scenario. Naturally, since its expensive, none
out Jeff and challenged him. of the PCs will have demolitions skill as heroes are notorious
"If you want to hurt anyone else you'll have to go through for not being able to hold down day jobs. The only thing they
me, Jeff." could put in a resume is a hole.
"You're crazy to get in my way, Rex!" Powerfist warned.
"Hey, some things are worth fighting for."
Powerfist nearly killed him with a lightning bolt.
Realizing what he'd done, Jeff immediately rushed to his AUNT MARY
old friend's aid. That day Powerfist turned himself in. He
turned State's evidence and eventually went to jail, but due (Incompetent Normal, Author)
to the mitigating circumstances under which he'd received
his powers, and his repentant attitude, he received a rela- 5 STA 8 DEX 5CON 8 BODY 13 INT
tively light sentence. 13 EGO 9 PRE 12 COM 1 PD 1 ED
Rex's physician, Dr. Edwards, advised him that the inju· 2 SPD 2 REC 10 END 14 STUN
ries he suffered from Powerfist's attack could become debili-
tating if he continued to fight. Rex chose to retire and opened Skills: PS: Writer 13-; KS: SF Literature 13-; Oratory 11-;
"Champions," an old fashioned sports bar, downtown. Since AK: Local Neighborhood 13-; Perk: Senior citizen;
Jeff was paroled, they've become good friends once more. Contacts: Publisher 12-
Personality/Motivation: Rex has a strong dislike of bullies -20 +Disadvantages: Age 60+; Watched by fans 8-:
and will help anyone he sees as being a victim of stronger Reputation (Excellent SF author), 8-; Curious About
forces. especially women. He is a man who takes care of his Nephew/Niece/Patsy Conrad
own and is well liked by his friends and even his opponents.
He always seems to have an anecdote about any situation OCV: 3; DCV: 3; ECV: 4; Phases: 6, 12
and a helpful encouragement to offer. He knows, howe.ver,
that some things have to be handled alone. He is a classic Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
bartender, with a special way of making you answer your -14 + 19 = 5 = 25 + -20
own questions. Whenever he becomes very angry, he starts
to growl. a trait that earned him the canine nickname Rex. Background: Doc Storme, The Shade, Fantastic Wondrous
Rex has a stable and comfortable life running the Cham- Stories, these were what Mary grew up reading. She learned
pions Sports Bar, but deep down he misses the excitement to read at a very early age. surpassing most of her peers,
and competition that he enjoyed in the ring. incluaing her brothers and sisters. When she wasn't study-
Quote: While cleaning a glass: "Your friend, huh? Well I just ing, she had her nose buried in a pulp novel that she had
happen to have known a guy who had a problem like yours, sneaked into the house, knowing her father wouldn't ap·
um, I mean like your friend's .. ." prove. Those old "pulps" fired her Imagination, made her
crave to experience adventures and worlds beyond her own
Powers/Tactics: Rex is in excellent condition and is still a everyday life. As she grew older, she wrote stories of bug-
capable fighter, though not in his prime anymore. His days in eyed monsters, evil scientists, and gallant heroes who w0uld
tile marines familiarized him with firearms and demolitions, rescue the delicate heroine from "a fate worse than death."
though he has little use for those skills now. At first she wrote her stories to amuse herself, but then, when
in her teens, she sent one of them to Fantastic Wondrous
Appearance: Rex is a handsome man in his mid-forties with Stories. Her own boldness SU,rprised her, what surprised her
sandy blonde hair and a mustache. His light blue eyes and even more was the fact that they had accepted it! She was
burly boxer's build make his 6'2" frame very impressive. He ecstatic, she was elated, she was in trouble! How was she
is always smiling, unless he's listen ~ng to someone's prob- going to tell her father? She finally managed to break the
lems, in which case he wears a look of genuine concern. news to him, but he did not take it well.
Her father was a hard working man who believed in an
Campaign Use: Every hero needs to cut loose once in a
honest days pay for an honest days work. He firmly felt that
while. The Champions Bar is a great place to spend some
if people concentrated more on the realities of the world
time in your secret identity. The large screen televisiQ/1 and
instead of useless daydreams and fantasies that things
good company always draw a large crowd for major spo11s
would be a lot better. He didn't think that people needed to
events (which include bottomless bowls of Wheaties). The
have their heads filled with nonsense like aliens and mon-
oppertunities for heroes to run into supervillains in their
sters, and had forbidden his family to read any of that
secret identities can provide a whole evening of amusement
claptrap. When Mary told him what she had done, he was
without a shred of span.dex. Heroes should be encouraged
furious, he couldn't believe that his daughter had not only
to pour out their heroic angst to Rex. He'll almost always
disobey him but had actually written some of that garbage!
have something helpful to say, even if it's not what you
They argued most of the night but the climax came when he
Norma~ Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ag

threw her out of the house. Mary's brothers and sisters later encouragement she never received when she was that age
managedtoconvincehimtoletherstay, butthedamagewas and which she thinks Patsy is not getting. She is also
already done, Mary and her father stopped speaking to one fascinated by her vivid images of her fantasy world , they are
another. so detailed that they almost seem real!
When she graduated from high school, she moved out the
house and went to college, supporting herself with her Personality/Motivation: Aunt Mary is not your standard
stories. She received many letters of encouragement from "little old lady." She's active in the community and very spry
her brothers and sisters but never any word from her father. for her age. She is especially interested in helping young
By the time she was a junior, she had completed her first people work to achieve their dreams, always providing the
novel (a SF classic to this day) and had received a steady encouragement and love to them that was denied her when
contract by the time she graduated. Mary spent the next she was growing up. She is very outspoken when it comes
several years writing many novel and stories and helped her to issues that could have a negative effect on the fate of the
brothers and sisters through college. She made several planet (nuclear power, rainforest destruction, ocean pollu-
attempts at reconciliation with her father but only managed tion). She is fascinated by superheroes, seeing them as she
to get on civil conversational ground with him. It wasn't until saw the heroes from the pulps from her childhood and as a
he was on his deathbed that they finally settled their differ· possible hope for mankind.
ences. He confessed that he wasn't angry at her all those Quote: "Our hope for the future lies in how we treat our fellow
years, butthatshehadmanagedtobesosuccessfulsoearly person, our friends, our family, our planet now. Later isn't
on without breaking her back for a living like he had. He even good enough."
admitted that he still loved her and hoped she could still love
him. She told him that she always did love him; he died Powers/Tactics: Mary is a renowned author of science
shortly after that. fiction and fantasy and is well known in those circles. Her
many public appearances at book signings and SF cons
have made her an excellent public speaker. In her spare
time, she teaches a course on writing science fiction and
fantasy at a local library. It was there that she met Patsy
Conrad. She was fascinated by the girl's description of her
fantasy world and her wish to become an author. Since that
time, she has become close to Patsy but is still unaware of
Patsy's powers.
Appearance: Mary is a frail looking woman in her mid
sixties. Her hair is grey and cut short and she has hazel eyes.
Even though she appears frail, she is still very active and
energetic, surprising many of her friends and students. She
always seems to be smiling, even when things are going
badly.
Campaign Use: Aunt Mary has been designed primarily for
use as a character's DNPC. Her last name has been left out
intentionally so that a PC could be either Mary's nephew or
niece who she is very concerned about. They're acting very
strangely lately. If you don't want her to be related to the PC,
she could be someone that the hero is just very fond of and
has come to know her as Aunt Mary. If the hero's secret ID
is known to Mary she would be very encouraging and
supportive to the hero and also curious about the hero's
adventures. She would be especially curious about any
meetings with alien beings or alternate dimensions and
might even want to tag along to see what it's really like.
With Mary's involvement in so many community events
and causes, as well as her own public appearances it would
be easy to involve her in a hero's day. She could be speaking
at an environmental rally when a not so environmentally
conscious villain shows up to give his rebuttal. She could be
stalked by a psychotic fan and need protection provided by
Two years later, Mary married an Ex-Navy pilot and they your friendly neighborhood superhero. Mary could be used
moved to a nice neighborhood in New York. Mary continued to introduce characters to Patsy Conrad or vice versa.
to write and also held seminars for up and coming writers, Perhaps Mary would go to the heroes to help find Patsy if she
even after her husband's death. It was at one of these comes up missing. If she revealed her powers to Mary she
seminars that she met Patsy Conrad, a young girl with a might suggest going to the heroes to help her understand her
fertile imagination and a keen desire to become an author. abilities.
She has taken little Patsy under her wing to try to give herthe
90 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N o r m a ls Unbound
turning his abundant energy towards running a huge ranch
AUSTIN MCCALLISTER left to him by a wealthy relative and raising a family. But he
never lost the knack for bringing criminals to justice. He
(Slightly Less Powerful, Rancher, Retired Superhero) served as ·1he county sheriff for two terms and led several
organized crime task forces with the Texas Rangers.
10 STR 20 DEX 10 CON 10 BODY 18 INT Later, in the 1970's, he turned a portion of his land into a
highly profitable "dude ranch" where urban cowboys and
15 EGO 20 PRE 14 COM 4 PD 3 ED
other city slickers could experience a taste of the old west.
4 SPD 6 REC 24 END 20 STUN Today, he has turned over much of the day to day operation
of the ranch and the resort to his granddaughter Janine
Powers/Skills: KS: Business 11 -; KS: Ranching 13-; McCallister, who may have some adventurous notions of her
PS: Rancher 13-; Concealment 13-: Tracking 13-; own, so that he can enjoy his well deserved retirement.
Animal Handler 12-; Riding 14-; Deduction 13-;
Driving 13-; WF: Small Arms, Lariat, Whip; Personality/Motivation: Even in his mid seventies, Austin
Spanish (Fluent w/accent); +4 Levels w/Pistols; McCallister is more full of life than most twenty year olds
+2 Levels w/Punch; +1 Level w/ Rifles today. He has a strong sense of justice and fair play, living by
the "code of the west" even in today's complex world. He has
Perks: Wealthy a simple wisdom that brings things into focus and an easy
going attitude that makes him very likable. He is very soft
Talents: Fastdraw 14-, 1d6 Luck spoke.n and talks only when he has something important to
say. He is also fiercaly protective of his wife and granddaugh-
75+ Disadvantages: Protective of wife; Code of the west; ter.
Age 60+; DNPC: Wife 11-; DNPC: Granddaughter 11-;
Experience Quote: "Sometimes a man's just got to stand for what's
right."
OCV: 7; DCV: 7; ECV: 5; Phases: 3, 6, 9, "12
Powers/Tactics: Austin is still an excellent horseman and
Costs: Char Powers Total Dlsadv Base has a good business knowledge acquired over the past few
74 + 76 = 150 = 75 + 75 years. He also knows how to handle a "hawgleg" and a rifle.

Background : In 1935, a young cowhand and his bride took

their first trip to the big city of Chicago just to see what all the
excitement was about. They got a little more than they
bargained tor. As they sat in a diner enjoying their supper, a
black sedan roared past and a lethal stream of lead shattered
the relative calm of the restaurant. The car drove away
leaving behind 7 wounded and 2 dead, including Austin's
wife. Austin himself escaped injury. When the police arrived,
Austin was shocked to learn that these type of gangland
attacks occurred with frightening regularity and that the
police were either unable or unwilling to stop them. Austin
was a man of action and was not about to stand idly by while
his wife's murderers escaped justice. He saw Chicago as a
lawless town in need of someone like the Texas Rangers to
l<eep the peace; he became that someone. He became
Peacemaker!
Throughout the 30's and 40's, Austin continued his career
as a masked vigilante. He brought many notorious and
dangerous criminals to justice. But in 1945 Peacemaker was
on the trail of several children who had mysteriously gone
missing. He managed to track down the hideout of the man
responsible; unfortunately, it wasn't a man who was respon-
sible. The creature called itself Mr. Rapentap and was not
about to let "his children" go. Fortunately, one set of parents
had been foJlowing Peacemaker and with their help he
managed to defeat Mr. Rapentap. However, the fight nearly
cost him his life.
Realizing that there were more and more superpowered
villains emerging on the scene, he decided that they were
belter left to superpowered heroes and finally retired from
crime fighting. He married again, and moved back to Texas
Norma~Unbound ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~91

Appearance: Austin McCallister is 6'1" tall and weighs

around 165 lbs. He has a full head of silver hair and a thick
silver mustache. He is never without his trademark white
cowboy hat (he carries it inside buildings) and always wears
western style clothes that are never expensive or gaudy. In
his days as Peacemaker, he wore a grey western shir1, a
white cowboy hat, a red bandana covering his face. blue
jeans, chaps, gloves, and cowboy boots. He carried a pair of
Colt Peacemakers, a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, and a
lariat or a whip. His hair was brown at the time and he
weighed 185 lbs.
Campaign Use: The heroes could easily meet Austin while
on vacation in their secret identities. Since many rich, profes-
sional, or important people like to take their vacations on
Austin's dude ranch, they might become the subject of a
terrorist or supervillain attack. Austin, of course, would not be
one to stand back while the heroes risk their lives and would
take the first opportunity to "send them bushwhackers packin !"
Another way to introduce Austin would be if his granddaugh-
ter took up a new Peacemaker identity and became involved
with the heroes. It wouldn't be long before Austin came to
town looking for the person using his name. He might end up
finding out a few surprises. Another possible use for Austin
would be for him to sponsor a Texas based superhero group.
He could lend any kind of support from consulting to finan-
cial. He could even allow the base to be built on his land. If
you are running a 1930's campaign, you could use Austin in
his Peacemaker persona. Just add on a few points to his
stats, give him a motorcycle or horse, and a few more
physical combat skills (such as +3d6 HA).

Notes about the m aneuvers: The K-9 package is

SPARKY intended to reflect the attacks most commonly attrib-
THE WONDER DOG uted to police dogs in fiction. The package is not
designed to allow a dog to defeat someone alone
(although most attack dogs are capable of giving a
(Follower)
good mauling to a normal man), but mostly to immobi-
15 STA 18 DEX 15 CON 10 BODY 8 INT lize or disadvantage an opponent, to allow the dog's
master to get the drop on a foe. The Bring Down and
8 EGO 15 PAE 16 COM 6 PD 3 ED the Bite/Hold both grab the opponent and lower his
4 SPD 6 REC 30 END 26 STUN DCV, thus allowing an officer to "cover" his foe. In the
Bite/Disarm, the dog clamps his teeth onto an
Powers/Skills: 1 Level of Shrinking, 0 END Persistent, opponent's weapon arm and shakes violently back and
Always On (+2 DCV, -2 PER rolls, +3" Knockback); forth to force him to drop the weapon. The Fetch
Discriminatory Smell; Ultrasonic Hearing; Tracking maneuver, while of questionable realism, allows the
Scent; +4 w/ PER Rolls; +3" Running; Y2d6 HKA, dog to snatch a gun or knife from someone with his
Reduced Penetration (total of 2x Y2 HKA); teeth and carry it in his mouth. All the Grab maneuvers
KS: Verbal Commands and Hand Signals 12-; are performed with the dog's teeth and use the teeth as
KS: Smells of Narcotics 12-; PS: Police Dog 11 -; a weapon element, thus doing equivalent killing dam-
+2 Levels w/ K-9 Police Dog Martial Arts; age. The Bring Down uses the front paws in a jumping
Martial Arts: Police K-9 (Cost: 18): tackle and does normal damage with the dog's STA.
Police K-9 OCV DCV Effect
30 +Disadvantages: Vulnerability: 2x Effect of all flashes;
Bring Down +O -1 3d6 + v/5, target
Enraged if Master is threatened on 8-, 14-; Loyal to
falls, F Move Master; Brave; Physical Limitation (No fine manipula-
Bite/Hold +O -2 3d6 Grab, F Move tion); Normal Dog Characteristic Maxima; Distinctive
Bite/Disarm +O -2 Grab, Disarm,
feature (Dog: German Shepherd); Hunted by criminal's
+ 10 STA to disarm
pets, 8-; Watched by Master, 14-;
Fetch +O +O Grab Weapon,
+ 1O STA to take away OCV: 6; DCV: 8; ECV: 3; Phases: 3, 6. 9, 12
Costs: Char Powers Total Disadv Base
56 + 74 = 130 = 100 + 30
92 -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-Norma~Unbound
Quote: "Pant-Pant-Pant-Pant, Grrrrrrr-BARK!" the hero could find Sparky as a stray and train him as a pet
companion. Sparky could save the hero's fife in a streetfight
PersonalltyfTactlcs: Sparky has the strength of a normal when some goons have the hero cornered, and the hero
German Shepherd who engages in intensive regular exer- would adopt him. Adjust Sparky's skills to reflect the way you
c ise (fetch, frisheP. catching, chasing crooks, etc.). As a introduce him.
former police K-9 dog, Sparky has a large repertoire of If a hero buys Mind Link with Sparky, he could use Sparky
commands memorized and can follow hand signals as well as a translator to interrogate animals that might have infor-
as verbal instructions. His experience with the police depart- mation about a crime: "Sqeekl, ·1 mighta seen sumptin'. Got
rnent has familiarized him with most narcotics and their any cheese?''l •[Translated from Rat].
smells, enabling him to recognize even the tiniest traces of If any of the hero's companions have pets of their own (say
those substances on someone's clothing or bags. He is able a cat?), or animalistic origins (Cat Man?), the interaction can
to recognize threatening behavior, but is trained to wait for be a ton of fun. Sparky's background is intentionally left open
his master's command to attack. Sparky is, however, some- so that you can tailor it to fit your own hero . Many stories
what independent and may decide to attack on his own feature pet followers and DNPCs: Krypto, Max the Bionic
initiative if the situation appears to warrant it (e.g., master is Dog, the TV Flash's dog Earl, and even Lassie. Some of
unconscious or being held at gunpoint). these pets enjoy an uncanny knack for communication:
Appearance: Sparky is a muscular, German Shepherd with "BARK!"
predominantly tan, bushy fur. He has large, alert eyes and a "What is it, Boy?"
playful bark. but is trained to act the part of a fearsome, "BARK!"
snarling, creature to frighten the hardiest criminal. "A fire? Where?"
Campaign Use: Sparky could have been the partner of a "BARK!"
hero's policeman friend who was killed in the line of duty or "Ben Johnson's barn? I'll get the others! Thanks!"

Father Thomas left the office and closed the door quietly,
FATHER leaving Father Lonnigan alone.
'Dear God,' he thought, 'please not now. Not when these
WILLIAM LONNIGAN children need so much. Not while we are still needed the
most.'
(Normal, Priest) A picture on the wall caught the comer of his eye. It was a
very o ld photograph of Father O'Leary, who used to run the
10 STA 9 DEX 8 CON 8 BODY 13 INT St. Joseph's orphanage when he was a boy here. He had to
13 EGO 18 PRE 12 COM 2 PD 2 ED chuckle to himself as he wondered if he had to deal with the
2SPD 4 REC 16 ENO 17 STUN financial problems as well as deal with all the difficult cases
like him. He could remember his days of growing up on the
Powers/Skills: PS: Priest 12-; KS: Child Psychology 12-; street during the depression. Lining up in the bread lines,
Streetwise 13-; KS: Catholic Church 12-; KS: Neighbor- stealing what he could to try to survive. Then one day he got
hood 12-; KS: Boxing 11- caught by the local beat cop and was about to be run in when
Perks: Right to marry Father O'Leary intervened. Father O'Leary convinced the
cop to let him take the boy back to the orphanage, promising
O+ Disadvantages: Priesthood Vows; Age 60+; Dist. to keep him out of trouble in the future. The cop agreed and
Feat.: Priest so the young Billy Lonnigan came to live at St. Joseph's.
OCV: 3; OCV: 3; ECV: 5; Phases: 6, 12 But it wasn't that simple. He had a lot of hate and loneliness
built up inside of him, so much that Father O'Leary feared
Costs: Char Powers Total Oisadv Base that he wouldn't be able to get him back on the straight and
7 + 18 = 25 25 + 0 narrow. Then one day Father O'Leary broke up a fight
between Billy and another boy in the orphanage. It was then
Background: "It's bad news, isn't it, Father?" and there that he started channelling his negative energies
Father Lonnigan looked up from the harsh white of the into boxing. This gave him a sense of self worth and accom-
legal letter he had finished reading, took off his glasses, and plishment and he grew closer to Father O'Leary, looking up
let go an exasperated sigh. to him as a role model and a big brother.
'Tm afraid so, Father Thomas." he said with a weary look "Remember," the Father once told him, "never be so proud
crossing his 60 year old face. "It's the building inspector. that you cannot reach out to someone in a time of need."
They say we need to make several changes to the orphan- Father Lonnigan remembered giving that piece of advice
age to make it pass standards in order to keep o ur license. to many boys over the years after coming back to St.
The repairs are massive and cost more than we can afford. Joseph's. He had wanted to give back some of what he had
I just don't know where we're going to get the money for it all." received and had hoped to do that by becoming a priest and
"Perhaps a loan?" asked Father Thomas. working with orphaned boys. He smiled as he recalled
"No, the bank has already given us as much credit as they another hotheaded young man he had taken under his wing,
can, and our private donations a re way down. I'm afraid Lawrence Kaspriwiczs.
we're going to have to close down." Lawrence, or Rex as he preferred to be called, reminded
"I will pray for God's assistance." him so much of himself that he was drawn into helping him.
"It may be all that can save us." said Father Lonnigan . Rex had been carrying around a big chip on his shoulder ever
Normals Unbound - -- - - -- - -- - - - -- - -- - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - 93
live there might have, so he fights hard to keep it open. He
becomes frustrated at times, but never allows himself to fall
into despair. He feels certain that the Lord will show him the
way through the difficulties he, and the orphanage face.
The church has not made any solid policy on superpowered
people, but Father Lonnigan looks on them as people that
have been gifted with fabulous powers. If he were to find out
that one of his charges at the orphanage were so gifted, he
would certainly try to help them to better understand what is
happening to them. He would want to convince the child to
go to someone who might help them to control their powers,
such as the PC's. He would try to convince the child to use
his powers for good, perhaps helping him through difficult
decisions through his career with compassion, common
sense, and faith.
Quote: "I remember what old Father O'Leary would say at a
time like this ... "
Powers/Tactics: Father Lonnigan has had a full education
in the priesthood and is knowledgeable about the church's
ceremonies and his duties. He has had some training in child
psychology to help him with his charges at the orphanage.
He is also knowledgeable about boxing, but the years have
caught up with his ability to fight. Father Lonnigan keeps his
eyes and ears open, so he knows what might be going on in
the area around St. Joseph's.
Appearance: Father Lonnigan is an older man standing 5'8"
tall and weighing 165 lbs. He has thin grey hair and blue
eyes. He is usually dressed in black priest's clothes.
Campaign Use: The heroes could very easily meet Father
Lonnigan if Rex Kaspriwiczs were to come to them to help
since he had been orphaned, unfortunately he tended to pick the orphanage through a benefit or personal appearance.
fights he couldn't win. He was a fine lad , but he needed Father Lonnigan might also come to the heroes to ask them
direction. He hoped he had given him that direction, it for help with an orphan who might have developed super-
seemed he turned out alright. He had heard that he now powers, or was starting to get mixed up in something illegal.
owned a bar some place in town and had even helped a Another way to encounter Father Lonnigan would be to have
friend of his who had gotten into some kind of trouble. the heroes respond to an emergency at the orphanage, such
Father Lonnigan reached over and picked up the phone as a fire, and have them rescue either the good Father and/
book, looked up Rex's number, and dialed it. The phone rang or the children. If the heroes are tracking down Mr. Rapentap,
twice and he heard a distantlyfamiliarvoice on the other end. they might encounter Father Lonnigan who is also looking for
"Champions Sports Bar, Rex speakin' ." some missing children. His assistance could be invaluable
"Hello Lawrence." Father Lonnigan said . when they finally catch up to Mr. Rapentap.
There was a short pause. A detective hero could find a very unusual source of
"Father Lonnigan?" came the surprised response. "How information in Father Lonnigan, who is well informed about
the he ... , er ... heck are ya?" much of the activity that goes on around St. Joseph's, or
"I'm fine Lawrence. I have a problem that I was wondering perhaps he might go to the hero requesting help to get rid of
if you could help me with ... " a drug ring operating in the neighborhood that has managed
to elude the police. If you are running a campaign with
Personality/Motivation: Father Lonnigan is a man paying teenaged superheroes, Father Lonnigan could easily be
back a very old debt. He went into the priesthood to give back associated with one or more of the teenaged heroes, per-
some of what Father O'Leary gave to him when he was haps even a ONPC. If he were connected with any hero, he
growing up and has become a man of very strong faith . He would act as their conscience or mentor in guiding them
loves working with the orphaned children at St. Joseph's and down the right path.
tries to give them a chance at making a decent life for An interesting twist would be if a hero's youthful ward and
themselves. He finds it difficult to do these days with all the sidekick came from St. Joseph's, perhaps placed there by
threats that they face and finds the strength to go on through the hero some time ago, and having Father Lonnigan recog-
his belief in God and the hope he has in his fel low man. It nize the sidekick as one of the orphans. This could, of
pains him terribly to lose a child to drugs or to crime, so he course, spill the beans about both the sidekick's and the
also works to help clean up the neighborhood through crime hero's secret identities and they would have to concern
watch organizations and other social programs. themselves with what they feared Father Lonnigan would do
On top of his other difficulties, the orphanage is in danger with that information . (He would most likely keep it to himself,
of being closed due to its massive debts. He realizes that St. or perhaps use it as leverage to get the hero to "volunteer'' to
Joseph's may be the only chance many of the children who help out the orphanage.)
94 - - - · - - - · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- -Normals Unbound

BRANNON'S PATRICK'S
I'd like to throw some thanks out to a few people for their Now that you have read through Normals Unbound, some
part in steering me into writing this book. First, as always, my of you may have be prompted to ask the question "Why
Mom and Dad, for never believing the tripe that the media would anyone want to write a book about normal people in a
published about the horrors of role-playing games, (Look! superhero world?" To make money. Well, okay, maybe not
I'm making money at it now!). My co-author Patrick gets a big entirely. As with most projects, it started as a need to fill in
credit, for convincing me that you don't have to have any some blanks.
connections or a special birthmark to write a book, you just In comic books, normal people are the colorful back-
have to sit down and write the darn thing! ground against which the hero can be, well, heroic. The hero
can do things that his friends can't. He can fly, he can lift
*To my first and most fondly remembered Hero group: Toyotas over his head , he can breathe water {I'll get you for
The most destructive citizens of the city of Miami that, Pat - Brannon). All of this is only amazing when you
The Gold Coast Guardians have people around who are amazed by it. But they aren't
just wallpaper. They are people too. People who have
* My thanks to the Gamemaster who got me hooked on the interesting personalities, backgrounds, hobbies, jobs, cars,
Hero System: mortgages, opinions, and everything else that makes a
person an individual. I have always tried to make the NPCs
Graeme ("I've got to work on my
in my campaigns as interesting as the heroes but I have
Thesis ... tomorrow'') Smith.
noticed that not everyone does. So, the idea slammed into
.. And the GCG membership: our collective grey matters (-15 to hit) to show how interest-
ing a normal guy can be. We hope we have succeeded. If
Andy ("I'm the Artful Dodger, nothing else, you've got a list of names to make normals of
your character is very impressed'') Smith, your own.
Bob (Aurakle) Brundrett, There are a lot of people that helped me get through this
Glenn (Thor) Heath, project, both directly and indirectly, and I'd like to take a
minute just to say thanks for hanging in there with me.
Greg {Trump) Steele, ''Thanks for hanging in there with me."
Rob (the Weasel) Walker, As always, I thank my wife Joy for her constant support
Aaron (Ex-CIA-Agent-Martial-Artist- and belief (and typing). It couldn't have been done without
With-A-Gun-From-Space) England, her. Brannon also gets a great deal of credit for getting me
off my back end and start writing again. He cracked the whip
Stephen (Dr.-) Ross and provided great insight on many of the difficult characters.
Chuck ("Dammit, Dodger, I'd also like to thank Mom and Bill for their support, my
I'm a Doctor, not a Superhero'') Gladu. grandfat11er 'B' Evans (for read ing the comics to me every-
day) , Ardis and Greg (for the computer), Michelle Maxwell
• For Joy. who only puts up with us because she's married to (who will never know what she started), and Rob Bell for
Pat. embarassing, er, encouraging us at Origins. I'd also like to
say a special thanks to someone who has had a great
• And finally for Eric and John, my roommates, who always influence in my life and in my writing for several years now.
had good advice to offer when I got stuck.
Thanks Cap.
I'm proud to have such good friends to rip off ideas from.
 Look for these ICE product lines at your favorite retail outlet.
Each of our role playing systems is supplemented with a variety of support material.
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