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This week's first COTW is from my mytho-supers Chaos
Continuum campaign... A super-villain who lurks in the
background below the radar of the PCs, who have truly
important work to do. He is broken into several sections, to
keep the installments of manageable length.
Shark; metahuman hydrokinetic eco-terrorist and
super-criminal
(c) copyright 1984-2001 andi jones
Total Points: 12,450 Points
Age 28; 8'1"; 1,525 pounds; a massive humanoid with
shark-like features - an elongated head with black lidless
eyes, a mouth of serrated teeth, talons on his hands, and
greyish-blue sand-papery skin which is criss-crossed with
scars, scrapes and ugly, discoloured patches.
See a colour illustration of Shark here.
ST 126 [233] - thrust 13d, swing 15d
DX 20 [175] - basic speed 12.25, move 12,
dodge 15*
parry
(brawling) 18*, parry (water cannon) 14*
IQ 14 [45] - senses 25, smell 55
HT 25 [250] - hit points 60, stun 750
WL 20 [175] - immune to fright checks
*includes bonuses from Combat Reflexes and Passive
Defence
ADVANTAGES: Acute Taste/Smell +30 [60]; Alertness
+11 [55]; Ally Group (Elementals Elite, 15-)
[150]; Amphibious [10]; Body of Scales x6
[30]; Cast Iron Stomach [15]; Combat
Reflexes [15]; Damage Resistance 10 (Hardened x2,
+60%) [48]; Damage Resistance 250 (Ablative, loses 1
per 5 taken, -45%; Regenerates, 1 per minute, +10%; Hardened
x2, +60%) [938]; Discriminatory Smell (With Empathic
Sense, +50%) [23]; Disease Resistant [5];
Early Maturation x2 [10]; Extra Hit Points +35
[175]; Extra Stun +510 [1,020]; Field Sense
[10]; Filter Lungs [5]; Flight (Affects
Others, +40%; Area Effect, +50%; Selective Effect, +50%;
Only near body of water or in rain, -20%) [88]; Full
Coordination x2 [100]; Gills [10]; High Pain
Threshold [10]; High Technology (TL+5; Limited to
20th century resources, -25%) [375]; Higher Purpose
(Protect the Oceans) [5]; Hyper-Strength (Link, to
Immunity to Pain, +10%; Temporary disadvantage, Berserk,
-15%; Temporary disadvantage, Bloodlust, -10%; Temporary
disadvantage, Weak Will -6, -48%) [12]; Immunity to
Pain (Link, to Hyper-Strength, +10%; Temporary disadvantage,
Berserk, -15%; Temporary disadvantage, Bloodlust, -10%;
Temporary disadvantage, Weak Will -6, -48%) [2];
Increased Speed +1 [25]; Injury Tolerance (No
Cutting/Impaling) [30]; Invulnerability (Kinetic;
Affects Others, +40%; Area Effect, +50%; Attack does not
cause knockback, +20%; Increased Area +20, +400%; Selective
Effect, +50%; Instantaneous, +20%; Must make Sense and DX
roll, -50%; Requires 10+ hexes of water, -15%)
[1,845]; Iron Hand [15]; Nictating Membrane
x6 [60]; Night Vision [10]; Passive Defence
+2 [50]; Patron (The Sextet, 9-) [60];
Pressure Support [15]; Radar Sense (Low-res, 10
miles; Only during heavy rain, -25%) [45]; Recovery
[10]; Regeneration (Instant) [100];
Resistant to Poison [5]; Strikers (Impaling Bite;
Armour Piercing (10), +120%; Limited Use, depletes, -10%)
[21]; Strikers (Long Talons; Armour Piercing (10),
+120%; Limited Use, depletes, -10%) [116];
Single-Minded [5]; Subsonic Hearing (Underwater
only, -20%) [4]; Super-Flight x4 [80];
Super-Flight x2 (Underwater flight only, -50%) [20];
Unfazeable [15]; Very Fit [15]; Walk on
Liquid (Water only, -15%) [13].
SUPER-POWERS: Control Liquid (Power 25; Extended Duration
x4, +120%; Increased Area, +270 hexes, +5400%;
Instantaneous, +20%; Movable Area, +40%; Wall x2, +60%;
Affects only water, -15%) [2,863]; Control Weather
(Power 20; Extended Duration x5, +150%; Increased Area, +7,
+140%; Movable Area, +40%) [430]; Dehydrate (Power
15; Ignores DR, +150%; Ignores Invulnerability, +200%;
Ignores PD, +200%; Costs Fatigue, 10 per use, -50%; Takes
Recharge, 15 seconds, -20%) [696]; Mind Shield
(Power 20) [40]; Water Cannon (Power 50; Fan x10,
+100%; Increased Knockback x4, +80%; Instantaneous, for
Defence only, +10%; Rapid Fire x4, +160%; Exclusivity, Fan
or Rapid Fire, -10%; Reduced Range x1, -10%; Requires 1 hex
water per attack, -10%) [1,260]; Water Jet (Power
20; Area Effect, +50%; Homing, linked to Knockback Only and
Costs 2 Fatigue, +0%; Increased Area, +11 hexes, +220%;
Selective Effect, +50%; Reduced Range x2, -20%; Requires 3
hexes of water per target, -20%) [380].
DISADVANTAGES: Appearance (Monstrous) [-25];
Disturbing Voice [-5]; Enemy (The Phalanx, 6-)
[-15]; Enemy (Law Enforcement worldwide, 6-)
[-15]; Fanaticism (Environmental Manifesto)
[-15]; Gigantism [-10]; Intolerance
(Humanity) [-10]; Loner [-5]; Reduced Manual
Dexterity -10 [-30]; Reputation -4 (as brutal and
evil super-villain and terrorist, to all citizens)
[-20]; Sense of Duty (to the Elementals Elite)
[-5]; Sense of Duty (the Oceans) [-10];
Social Stigma (Mutant) [-10]; Vow (Destroy
ArchGenesis) [-5].
QUIRKS: Always travels under the cover of extreme weather;
Views other mutant humans as kindred spirits, begrudgingly;
Attains true bliss only in a state of Frenzy; Always goes
for the most lethal or damaging attack. [-4]
SKILLS: Acrobatics-20 [4]; Area Knowledge (North
Atlantic)-20 [12]; Area Knowledge (World Oceans)-18
[8]; Area Knowledge (Antarctic Coast)-18
[8]; Body Language-22* [.5]; Brawling-22
[4]; Botany/TL7-12 [1]; Demolition/TL9-12
[.5]; Diplomacy-11 [.5]; Ecology/TL7-13
[2]; Electronic Operations/TL12 (Communications)-14
[2]; Electronic Operations/TL12 (Computers)-14
[2]; Electronic Operations/TL12 (Security
Systems)-14 [2]; Electronic Operations/TL12
(Sensors)-14 [2]; Flight-26 [40];
Geology/TL7-11 [.5]; Intimidation-25**# [8];
Leadership-15*** [0]; Naturalist (Oceans)-13/19
[2]; Navigation/TL0-22## [14]; Scrounging-15
[2]; Stealth-25 [32]; Swimming-20
[1]; Survival (Ocean)-20 [14];
Tracking-30### [4]; Underwater Demolition/TL9-10@
[0]; Wrestling-22 [8].
*includes +11 from Alertness
**includes +7 from Appearance and Reputation
***default from ST
#bought from ST default
##includes +3 from Field Sense
###includes +15 from Alertness and Discriminatory
Smell
@default from Demolitions
LANGUAGES: English (native)-14 [0].
SUPER SKILLS: Control Liquid-20 [32]; Control
Weather-20 [32]; Dehydrate-17 [1]; Mind
Shield-20 [4]; Water Cannon-22 [16]; Water
Jet-22 [16].
CINEMATIC SKILLS: Mental Strength-20 [4].
MANOEUVERS: Choke Hold-18 [1]; Drop Kick-20
[4]; Ear Clap-20 [4]; Eye-Gouging-22
[16]; Face Attacks-22 [8]; Head Butt-20
[4]; Head Lock-20 [6]; Hit Location
(Brawling)-22 [4]; Knee Strike-23 [1]; Neck
Snap-129 [12].
CINEMATIC MANOEUVERS: Piledriver-20 [6]; Roll with
Blow-25 [12].
EQUIPMENT
Under most circumstances, Shark doesn't carry equipment.
Usually, he carries only a small TL12 communicator, with
which he can keep in touch with Atlantis (see below); the
communicator might be worn strapped to his wrist, or
disguised as a clasp on his cape (in "ceremonial" purposes).
Shark doesn't use weapons, but has robots that act as spies,
soldiers, couriers and labourers; called S.C.U.B.A., these
robots often accompany Shark in a support role (mostly to
maintain situational awareness). And in extreme cases, Shark
might be armed with TL9 micro-nuke warheads - probably
converted from the Trident II missiles he stole from the USS
Maine, or possibly manufactured from Atlantis' resources. He
tends to use .0001 or .001 kiloton warheads, though he will
use whatever size is most appropriate. (For more on
micro-nukes, see p.VE110.)
BIOGRAPHY
Shark himself does not remember the circumstances of his
birth; his earliest memories are of a time when he was
already a few years old, and nearly full-grown. In 1986,
however, New York journalist Ken Kennedy of the Metropolitan
Chronicle won the Pulitzer for the story that revealed
Shark's origins. It seems that in early 1972, a
recently-married couple moved to the northern coast of Nova
Scotia, Canada where the husband was to run the local
lighthouse. His wife was pregnant, and had been experiencing
complications - mostly excruciating abdominal pain. In May -
not yet in her third trimester - the expecting mother was
big enough to be at full term... And at high tide on the
night of the 28th, while a terrible thunderstorm swept in
off the North Atlantic, the woman's agony peaked; her water
broke, and it was red with blood. The frantic husband phoned
their physician, but the weather delayed his arrival. Only
minutes later, the woman's unborn child burrowed its way out
of the womb through the uterine wall... While his wife bled
to death in terrible spasms, the husband went into shock.
Still unclear on what was happening, he tried to pick the
baby up, and it tore out his neck. When the doctor arrived
several hours later, he found the two mutilated bodies, and
a trail of blood that led outside toward the ocean. For
reasons unknown, the doctor kept the grisly details to
himself, and they only surfaced after his death of cancer in
1985. The identities of the man and woman were never
revealed. Soon after the publication of Kennedy's story, a
popular (but almost certainly apocryphal) detail was added:
the newlyweds, prior to their arrival in Nova Scotia, had
lived in San Francisco (some variants claim the Caribbean,
or Sydney, Australia) where their child was conceived.
Allegedly, the woman suffered from a terrible dread of
sharks, and had survived a shark attack several years
earlier. Ken Kennedy himself dismissed this "attachment" as
urban myth, but was unable to confirm or deny its
authenticity.
The child was a mutant with a fin-like head, black eyes with
nictating membranes and a mouth filled with rows of serrated
teeth like those of a shark. Amphibious and equipped with
gills, the shark-child lived alone like a wild animal in the
cold waters of the Atlantic for the next few years. In 1976
he was four years old and almost fully-grown, and grew bold
enough to approach civilisation; he was intrigued, but
instinctively disliked and distrusted what he saw. As he
observed, the human part of his brain awakened. Very
quickly, he learned language, and found himself desiring the
luxuries and conveniences of the humans. But he was also
disturbed, perceiving the weak surface humans as filthy and
grotesque. His predatory instincts churned... And then he
learned that there were other mutants, many of whom were
feared, hated or persecuted for their metahuman abilities.
As his resentment grew, his path became clear: he would prey
on the humans, and profit from their weakness.
By his sixth birthday, he had matured to his full size of
eight feet tall, weighing in at 1,500 pounds. Unable to
contain his building resentment, he made his first public
appearance in the summer of 1978 when he attacked a
passenger liner in New York harbour. He murdered dozens of
people, and stole the contents of the ship's safes. His
monstrous countenance and brutal savagery caused not only a
frantic uproar in the media, but also scored him his name:
the headlines referred to him simply as "Shark". The attack
established Shark's burgeoning reputation, and by year's end
he was one of the most feared mutant menaces at large.
The next six months were busy for Shark; his continued
aggressions not only fueled his reputation, but made him
aware of his hydrokinetic powers, which he quickly and
intuitively mastered. In December 1978, Shark saw reports on
television about a dangerous pyrokinetic mutant on the run
in southern California; recognising an opportunity, he
travelled to Los Angeles, intent on finding the man before
the authorities did. He succeeded, and that night he had his
first real conversation with another human being. Stevie
Jones seemed to be a kindred spirit... a predator,
comfortable with his mutant supremacy. Shark and Jones
bonded instantly, and became partners-in-crime. For more
than a year and a half, Shark and Jones (who adopted the
code-name Flamethrower) engaged in a frenzied spree of
murder, robbery and destruction of property, easily dodging
the police, C.H.E.S.S. and super-heroes alike. But their
"act" didn't truly come together until October 1980, when
they encountered a fellow mutant calling himself Stratos.
Demonstrating a formidable array of metahuman
air-controlling abilities, Stratos proposed he join their
team. And more than that, he suggested their "angle" to give
to the media, to ensure maximum exposure and notoriety:
they'd call themselves the Elementals Elite, and bill
themselves as mutants taking advantage of their "natural
gifts" at the expense of obsolete mundanes. Shark and
Flamethrower agreed, the crime-spree continued, and Shark
was soon looking for their fourth - Earth - to round out
Water, Fire and Air.
Another fifteen months passed before the Elementals found
their man; in January 1982, the geokinetic mutant called
Landslide was brought into the fold. At the time, the
villains were using a WWII-era frigate as a base of
operations, but that changed when Shark made a fantastic
discovery on the fringes of the Great Coral Reef: an
artificially-intelligent alien spacecraft lying on the ocean
bottom. (The craft had been abandoned only months earlier by
a would-be alien conqueror, who would become known to the
world a year later as Octopus - one of the members of
Hexad's team of super-criminals, the Doom Crew.) Shark
became acquainted with the high-tech vehicle, and he and his
teammates began using it as a mobile underwater headquarters
- which Stratos dubbed Atlantis. The Elementals Elite
promptly resumed their riot of criminal activity, emboldened
by the advanced alien technology added to their arsenal.
Their ranks filled, the quartet of villains continued their
campaign of criminal enterprises. Responsible for hundreds
of deaths and billions of dollars in theft and damages,
Shark and his cohorts were wanted by dozens of world
governments, and clashed repeatedly with police
organisations. It wasn't long before some nations dedicated
military forces to the attempts to curb the Elementals... In
1984, Shark sank two British destroyers; the ships were
carrying experimental submarine-seeking sensors, but that
was unknown to the public, and Shark's attack drew
considerable outrage from the public. Efforts to the stop
the Elementals intensified, and that year C.H.E.S.S. pledged
the help of their eight-man super-team, the Enforcers.
Arguably the most capable super-heroes in the world, the
Enforcers battled the Elementals on several occasions, but
were never successful in bringing them to justice. But Shark
considered the Enforcers a potential threat, and in October
1986 he brutally murdered one of the heroes - the Japanese
martial artist called Lotus - in front of live television
cameras. Even for Shark, the killing was especially
gruesome, and the event refreshed his reputation for inhuman
cruelty. Over the next several years, the Elementals
continued to evade all their enemies, and they didn't ease
up until 1989, when they adopted a low profile.
After nearly two years without a public appearance, the
Elementals Elite returned to the world stage in March 1992,
when they assaulted (and destroyed) a top-secret C.H.E.S.S.
installation built into a mountain in northern Spain. The
attack was done for hire; Shark executed the offensive for a
group called the Sextet - a cabal of homonculi working in
the Sanctorium on behalf of the sorcerer Hexad. In exchange,
the Sextet bestowed extensive magical protection upon Shark,
to further safeguard the Elementals from the authorities.
That extra defence would be critical, for Shark was about to
take his fight with humanity to an entirely new level. Later
that month, the Elementals seized the USS Maine, one of the
United States Navy's Ohio class nuclear submarines (although
the villains' involvement was not known to the public). The
crew was recovered, but the sub's twenty-four Trident II
missiles - each holding as many as a dozen 100 kiloton
warheads - were not. Then, in June, Shark made an appearance
at the Earth Day celebrations in Rio, at which he announced
his Environmental Manifesto. In short, it called for all
developed nations to immediate suspend all industries that
polluted the environment, with the warning that he would
retaliate with a nuclear attack on a major city at the end
of six months if his demands had not been met. The Manifesto
caused widespread anxiety and there was much debate about
the demands, but no official action was taken. And on 29
December 1992, the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil and 12 million
of its citizens were incinerated.
As expected, the reaction to Shark's act of nuclear
terrorism was one of shock and outrage, and the Elementals
wisely kept out of sight. With the exception of a handful of
visits to the United Nations, they remained in retreat for a
year, hoping the legislatures of the first world governments
would make some progress on the issue of the environment.
They did not, and on Christmas morning 1993, Shark's nukes
killed two million people in Helsinki, Finland. Shark made
further attempts at diplomatic progress in 1994, but few
nations were willing to cooperate. They chose instead to pin
their hopes on a new team of super-heroes called the
Phalanx. Blessed with extraordinary metahuman powers and the
nearly-bottomless pockets of corporate sponsors, the Phalanx
devoted themselves to a very public war on the Elementals.
One of the heroes - a pyrokinetic called Hotspur - was a
young Brazilian man, whose powers manifested in the nuclear
firestorm that destroyed Sao Paulo. Hotspur was embraced as
a celebrity, and came to symbolise the public's cry for
justice. Several times over the following year, the Phalanx
survived brutal clashes with the Elementals, culminating in
two violent encounters that December. On the morning of 17
December, the Phalanx interrupted Shark's attempt to destroy
Seattle, Washington, and the warhead headed for the city was
detonated 20 miles out to sea. Later in the day, the Phalanx
herded the Elementals into a confrontation with a fleet of
US Navy vessels, and Shark retaliated with full force,
summoning a Category 5 hurricane... By the time the storm
clouds cleared, the USS George Washington (Nimitz class
aircraft carrier), the USS Shiloh (Ticonderoga class Aegis
guided-missile cruiser) and the USS Paul Hamilton (Arleigh
Burke class destroyer) were sunk, as were numerous smaller
support vessels, and the Elementals were gone.
It was clear to Shark that he needed to up the ante once
again, and less than a week later the Elementals Elite took
their crusade directly to the industries at the heart of the
matter. On and off throughout 1995 and 1996, the villains
conducted a campaign of hands-on eco-terrorism - they
destroyed timber mills in the American northwest, sank
fishing fleets in Japan and the South Pacific, grounded oil
tankers and disabled oil wells all around the world, ruined
thousands of acres of cattle ranches in South America and
bankrupted industries of all kinds. Thousands died, and the
impact on the global economy was substantial. The pursuit of
the Elementals by the Phalanx and law enforcement
intensified, but Shark and his teammates eluded capture as
they always had.
But by the end of 1996, the global economy was facing a
threat greater than the Elementals: since the summer of
1995, the Earth's atmosphere had been undergoing a
super-natural transformation. A surge of magical energies
called the Demon Winds - originating in the cold heart of
the Abyss, and brought to Earth by the Egyptian dark god Set
- had pitched the Earth's weather system into a state of
chaos and disarray... Weather worldwide got more and more
extreme, and more and more violent, and each year the length
of winter grew. Around the world, winter raged for the
entirety of 1999. People claimed that the Earth was on the
eve of the Apocalypse, the Day of Judgement; they cited the
three-year winter of Norse mythology that preceded Ragnarok.
Shark watched with a mixture of caution and dismay as the
unnatural weather threatened to tear the ecology apart. And
when actual Demons began forming in the churning chaos
storms high in the atmosphere, he was unable to stand by and
do nothing. And in a surprising twist, he contacted the
alien sorcerer known as the Eliminator - world-famous
super-hero, former leader of C.E.R.B.E.R.U.S. Corps and
master of weather-controlling magicks. The Eliminator
captained the Storm-Chasers, a team of heroes - many of them
gifted with weather-manipulation powers of some kind -
dedicated to minimising the impact of the Demon Winds on
Earth's populace. (The Demon Winds, being an extra-planar
super-natural phenomenon, resisted most efforts to control
them. But the Eliminator found that a number of
weather-controllers acting in concert could affect the chaos
storms for short periods of time.) Shark offered to lend his
own weather-controlling powers to the Eliminator's
cause.
So now, Shark has abandoned politics, and abandoned his
attempts to coerce the nations of the world to heed his
demands. He lends his metahuman talents to the
Storm-Chasers' cause out of his own interest in defending
the planet, and he and the Elementals attack the Demon Winds
- and actual, living Demons they spawn - on their own. The
last sighting of Shark in 1999 was in China, where he
tracked a flock of thousands of winged Demons that had
congregated on a rural hospital, to feast on the dead and
dying. With the help of one of the members of the Juice
Gang, Shark destroyed the hospital with one of his
micro-nuke warheads. The Demons - as well as the patients
and staff - were all obliterated. It is unknown how many of
these tactical micro-nukes Shark has used against the
Demons...
ENCOUNTERED
Shark is a complicated creature, and isn't the mindless
killing machine many people think he is. Most of the time he
is quiet and tranquil, spending his hours drifting in the
currents, almost as if lost in thought. He seldom displays
any kind of emotion, and can go for hours without opening
his mouth, changing the gruesome expression on his face or
even twitching his empty, alien eyes. At times, he can be so
sedate that he even seems peaceful.
Which isn't to say Shark isn't a killer; he very much is,
one most dangerous and cruel. He has absolutely no regard
for the lives of others (save, of course, his teammates) and
will kill without hesitation anyone that gets in his way.
His attacks are sudden and savage - often made from above or
from a blind vantage - and he always strikes to kill. He
prefers claws and teeth over his fancier hydrokinetic
abilities, but will often use water to confuse or distract
his opponents, or to provide cover, or to conceal his
movements. For Shark, combat is about expedience and
survival, and he typically tries to keep it short. If
circumstances warrant it, he'll activate his Hyper-Strength
advantage and go into a Frenzy, during which he is stronger
and even more savage. But he is also less able to control
himself or his surroundings, so he won't use this ability in
a delicate situation - such as a fight with prominent
supers, a competent military force or an unknown quantity.
Despite his proclivity for lethality, it should be noted
that Shark does not attack indiscriminately, or for no
reason. Shark attacks when there is something to be gained,
or something at stake, however minor. He could, for example,
justify an attack against virtually any ocean-going vessel
on the grounds that he was defending his territory. But he
would be unlikely to drop out the sky two-thousand miles
inland and slaughter the residents of a small town. (Unless,
of course, they were involved in flagrant pollution.) But as
a rule, Shark kills when there's something to kill for; the
scary thing is that it's not always possible to know when
that will be.
So although unusual, it is possible to meet Shark outside of
a violent conflict; even so, most counters with Shark will
be terrifying experiences. Between his hideous appearance,
bestial and predatory demeanour and reputation for violence,
even seasoned veterans and combat-hardened heroes are often
gripped with fear, if not entirely overcome. If the GM feels
a game mechanic is required to justify this - beyond his
Appearance, Reputation and Intimidation skill - Shark might
be given the Terror advantage (see p.UN60) or the
Monstrosity advantage (see p.CM77); this wouldn't be magic
or supernatural, but perhaps the primal fear the shark seems
to stir in the human (collective) unconscious. But for those
able to contain their composure, Shark will probably come
across as oddly human, given his reputation. While
unemotional, he conveys a sense of intensity and urgency
when he deals with other, and it will be perfectly plain
that he feels nothing less than total contempt for most
everyone.
SHARK'S POWERS
Physically, Shark is possibly the most powerful mutant human
ever born; his combined strength, speed and resilience are
virtually unequalled. His unarmed attacks consist of two
claw attacks (14d(10) imp, 16d(10) cut) and a single biting
attack (6d+2(10) imp) each turn. (If he goes into a frenzy -
i.e., activating Hyper-Strength - his ST grows +50%, which
increases his claw damage to 20d(10) imp and 22d(10) cut,
and his bite damage to 9d+2(10) imp.) Shark's talons are
much like his teeth; as in real sharks, the razor-sharp
serrated barbs are an extension of his scales, and are
easily ripped out in use. The Limited Use limitation on
Shark's Strikers represents this; at the end of each turn in
which Shark uses his claws or teeth, roll vs HT at a
cumulative -1 per turn they've been used. Once five such
rolls have been failed, enough claws or teeth have been lost
to downgrade impaling damage to cutting, and cutting damage
to crushing. (A simpler solution is to give him about 20-30
seconds of clawing and biting before his unarmed attacks are
reduced to crushing damage; new teeth and claws will have
grown in in 1d hours.) Note also that Shark's armoured,
scaled fists will get a +2 damage bonus from his Iron Hand
advantage, even if his claws are gone.
These scales also provide Shark with considerable
protection; his base amount of DR is 13 points (DR 10 +3
from Body of Scales, with an extra +1 to the hands from Iron
Hand). Any damage that bypasses that DR is applied to his
250 points of Ablative DR, which is reduced by 1 for every 5
points of damage it takes. All of his armour is enhanced
with two levels of Hardened; see below for more on Ablative
DR and Armour-Piercing/Hardening house rules. Shark's scales
are so rough and sharp that unarmed attacks made against him
risk inflicting injury back on their attacker; hitting
Shark's scales does 1d-2 cutting damage to the appropriate
hit location (DR protects normally). Shark's mind is nearly
as well protected as his body; his bestial psyche and
indomitable willpower protect as per Mind Shield.
Most impressive are Shark's hydrokinetic powers. He is able
to control massive quantities of water: more than a
quarter-million square hexes, equal to a volume of 12.2
million cubic feet, or 100 million gallons. (Shark is able
to capsize a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in seconds,
simply by removing all of the water supporting the hull on
one side.) He manipulates the weather on a regional scale,
in an area nearly 900 miles across and with a duration of
roughly twelve hours. (Although he can create any form of
weather, Shark prefers hurricanes, thunderstorms and other
brutal combinations of heavy winds and even heavier rains.)
Shark's sensitivity to and control of water is so fine that
he can use it like radar while it is raining; he is able to
track objects as they move through the rain. To use water as
an attack, Shark must have water available; he cannot create
it. His Water Cannon can be used either as a fan-shaped 50d
crushing spray (to a range of 63 hexes), or as a cluster of
up to five individual 50d crushing missiles (to a range of
250 hexes). Either way, it results in one hex of knockback
per 4 points of damage done. To use this attack, Shark must
have at least one "hex" of water (roughly 42 cubic feet)
nearby - though not necessarily under his active control -
for each target attacked; it requires a turn of
concentration to attack, but can be used instantaneously as
a super-Parry. Shark may also attack with his Water Jet,
which launches a ring-like wave of water at targets within
15 hexes. A hit deals 10d crushing damage, which is
quadrupled for purposes of knockback. Optionally, Shark can
spend 2 Fatigue to make this attack do knockback only, in
which case it hits automatically. This attack takes one
second to attack, and cannot be used as a defence. The only
attack that doesn't require water on hand is Dehydrate,
which violently rips water from the bodies of his targets;
each hit does 15d-30 crushing damage.
In addition to its offencive uses, Shark is also adept at
using controlled water as impenetrable armour; this is
represented as Invulnerability, and is accomplished by
interposing controlled volumes of water between incoming
attacks and himself (or others). To do this, Shark must be
aware of the incoming attack (requiring the appropriate
Sense roll) and make a DX roll. Like many of his attacks,
this power requires a volume of water to be on hand and
under Shark's control.
Finally, Shark's means of locomotion is to fly by carrying
himself with trace amounts of controlled water; in
atmosphere, this can achieve speeds of 770 miles per hour,
and in water he can reach speeds in excess of 3,000 miles
per hour. In either medium, he can carry others with him
(though underwater passengers won't be able to breathe
without help).
SHARK'S MAGIC & TECHNOLOGY
Shark doesn't know anything about magic, but he and his
teammates have the benefit of magical protection, courtesy
of the Sextet. The specifics of the Sextet's gift have never
been revealed, but at the very least, the magicks cover
scry-proofing of all kinds, providing the Elementals with
immunity to divinations, and other seeking and information
spells. The Sanctorium's sorceries are the best on Earth, so
the strength of these enchantments is top-notch, and
possibly unequalled. Likewise, the Elementals have probably
been granted thorough mental protection, to make them immune
to the powers of hostile telepaths. The GM is free to expand
this, but the principle purpose of the Sextet's magicks was
to provide the Elementals with protection from threats
beyond the scope of their own powers and abilities - mainly
magic and telepathy.
Also largely unspecified are the capabilities of Atlantis,
the alien space-craft the Elementals Elite use as a mobile
base of operations. It has been rated as TL12, but doesn't
necessarily confirm precisely to the GURPS Tech Level
delineations. It moves (underwater) by reactionless
thrusters; it can probably leave the ocean, but there is no
evidence that it ever has (since Shark discovered it). If
the craft possesses any offencive measures (energy weapons,
missiles, torpedoes, etc.) they have never been seen. Its
defences seem capable, evidenced by the fact that no one has
found the craft in a decade of intense search. It is known
that Atlantis has advanced sensors, and the ability to keep
itself invisible from the world's most sophisticated TL7/8
technologies. The craft is also capable of manufacturing
ultra-tech devices - including the S.C.U.B.A. robots,
portable electronic gadgets, and demolitions accessories -
but probably depends on outside raw materials, at least in
part. Beyond that, it is up to the GM what Atlantis'
capabilities are; it can either be quantified and detail, or
kept vague and used as a plot device when needed.
THE ELEMENTALS ELITE
Flamethrower: It's quite rare that Shark has a kind thought
about another person, but his bond with Flamethrower is
oddly different. The night they met was Shark's first
non-violent contact with another human being, and
Flamethrower's immediate acceptance gave Shark
companionship. In two decades since, both men have been
through a lot, but continue to be devoted to their
partnership. While not "friends" in the conventional sense,
they share a strong mutual respect.
Stratos: Shark doesn't quite connect with Stratos, but has a
deep trust in his teammate's dedication to their cause.
What's more, he appreciates Stratos' shrewd (and somewhat
bizarre) insights, and has learned to trust the man's
instincts and opinions. Although they are not close, Shark
trusts Stratos unconditionally.
Landslide: Shark has a hard time identifying with
Landslide's dedication to his academic interests, and fails
to see anything of value in spending so much time and money
digging up the past. But he can find no fault with
Landslide's commitment to the team, and he is especially
appreciative of Landslide's unflinching belief in the
superiority of Mutantkind.
CANONICALITY
Shark's character involves a handful of house-rules and
minor rules "violations". He uses the "Will as fifth
attribute" option, but with a twist: the WL attribute is
bought from 10, and at same cost as all other attributes. He
is meant to be used with the QuadST rules. For purposes of
combat, his ST is 126; but for lifting and encumbrance,
replace ST with ST^2/10. (Shark's maximum lift is about 20
tons.) Shark uses a house variant of the Stun rules from
"GURPS Supers", available online (address at end of
section). Shark's Ally Group advantage has a base cost of 50
points (for allies built on more than 100 points); the
Elementals are built on well in excess of 100 points each,
but it's probably not necessary to increase the price of the
advantage. To simulate his sharp, scaly skin, Shark was
given an invented Body of Scales advantage. At 5 points per
level, every two levels of the advantage provide DR 1, and
for every three levels the character deals 1 point of
cutting damage to those who touch it in combat. In Shark's
case, those 2 points were converted to 1d-2 cutting. Shark's
Ablative DR and armour-piercing Strikers use variant rules
as well; see URLs at bottom of section. Shark's High
Technology models his possession of Atlantis. Normally, this
advantage is limited to TL+3, but Shark was given TL+5 for
an appropriately inflated cost. When in his Frenzy state,
Shark gains an advantage called Immunity to Pain, which has
a base cost of 5 points; this is simply the Macho Chip
(p.CY39) with a new name. And finally, Shark's Demolition
skills are at TL9 - even though the missiles he stole are
TL7/8, and his ultra-tech is TL12 - because TL9 is the
minimum level of technical proficiency needed to manufacture
micro-nukes (see EQUIPMENT).
Variant
Stun Rules
Variant
Ablative DR Rules
Variant
Armour-Piercing and Hardening
Rules
WHAT IF?
Shark is, quite obviously, intended for a high-level supers
setting; in the mytho-supers Chaos Continuum campaign in
which he originated, he is a globally known (and globally
feared) mutant, super-criminal and terrorist wanted by the
civil and military authorities in dozens of countries. He
has been evading the law for twenty years, has never seen
capture, and there have been precious few super-heroes who
have been able to survive his attacks, let alone pose a
significant threat to him.
Unless the campaign is played at a very high level - in
which Shark would be just one more super-villain to duke it
out with the PCs - Shark is perhaps better used as a
background NPC, useful more for his political value than as
a monster to be defeated. Whether waging a war of nuclear
terrorism, a conventional hands-on campaign of eco-terror,
or even a political crusade to establish some part of the
oceans as a sovereign entity under his control, Shark can
create problems (and adventures) without getting involved in
combat personally; his battles can be waged by lesser
metahuman agents, humans sympathetic to his cause, robots,
etc.. His status in the campaign would be that of criminal
mastermind, or even evil foreign despot, battling the heroes
through an endless stream of underlings, henchmen and
mercenary soldiers.
Finally, Shark can be used for atmosphere, more of a
terrifying plot device than an NPC. He might lurk in the
campaign's background, pursuing his political goals and
creating plenty of havoc - but not a part of the PCs'
adventures directly. Shark's mere existence is capable of
producing adventures for heroes of any standing and calibre,
from world-saving demigods to the lowliest street
vigilantes.
ADVENTURE SEEDS
Heavy Weather: The day begins like any other, but before
morning is out the horizon has darkened, and by early
afternoon New York City is under siege by a massive
thunder-storm system. Torrential rain and near-constant
lightning strikes keep the civil authorities busy so that
Shark can come to town to deliver an impromptu speech (or,
more accurately, ultimatum) to the general assembly at the
United Nations. Shark's visit - which is fairly mundane, all
things considered - generates a variety of crises perfect
for super-heroes. The rains are flooding the subway tunnels,
stopping trains between stations; strap-hangers are in need
of rescue (especially if mutant Ratmen from the sewer
tunnels take the opportunity to attack the surface
dwellers). Lightning strikes have begun terrible fires, in
high-rise office buildings, in hospitals, in apartment
complexes. The heroes can do rescue duty, such as pulling
citizens from danger while dousing the flames, or ride
shotgun for emergency workers threatened by small-time
super-villains taking advantage of the storm to perpetrate
daring daylight crimes. Perhaps a power-outage results in a
security failure at the city courthouse, where several
super-criminals escape from their indictment hearings and go
on a rampage, seeking revenge on the heroes (the PCs,
naturally) responsible for their capture. Or maybe the PCs
are the city's top protectors, and feel compelled to go
directly to the United Nations... Will they go just to put
in an appearance, more a symbolic gesture than anything
else? Or do they want to be on hand to protect the assembly,
just in case something happens? Or might they have a plan to
take Shark, to finally end his reign of terror?
Terror, Exciting and New: The PCs are on a deep-sea
scientific research vessel, a state of the art floating
laboratory the size of an aircraft carrier. The heroes are
there because the ultra-tech agency which sponsors the
vessel (which could also sponsor the super-team's gadgeteer)
wants extra protection for the scientists: the ship is on
the ocean thousands of miles from land, attempting to
retrieve an unidentified extraterrestrial object that hit
the surface ocean days earlier. At site, the lab-ship finds
debris, and then brings a small egg-sized crystal on board.
Analysis of the crystal is underway when the water begins to
get choppy, and by nightfall the weather is storming
violently. Then all hell breaks loose in the lab, and
frantic reports from technicians indicate that some kind of
creature has attacked them, and has escaped. The heroes
scramble from the bridge, intent on finding the monster
loose on their ship. And they do, just not the one they
expect. Out on the deck, the PCs find a silent spectre
emerging from the rain and darkness - and come face to face
with Shark. He calmly explains to them that the crystal they
brought on board has attracted an alien being, currently
somewhere on the ship. The alien can't be allowed to spread,
so Shark gives the PCs six hours to find it and contain it -
otherwise he sinks their ship, and they all go to the
bottom. The heroes really have no choice but to accept his
"offer", but it raises some unsettling questions... Why
doesn't Shark just sink the ship anyway, rather than risk
the alien's escape? And why doesn't he battle the alien
himself? Maybe the answers to these questions are important,
and the PCs are in for more than a routine bug-hunt...
- written and formatted by andi jones
(andi@angelwerks.com)
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