the Human Torch

Powers:

Energy Sheath / Flames (a): in addition to his impressive fire manipulation abilities, Jim can surround his body with a fiery energy sheath, a sheath that substitutes its power intensity (15) for Jim's strength, for the purposes for defense against attack. If Jim takes damage from any attack, however, he must pass an average difficulty Willpower check in order to maintain the sheath.

Fire Control (i): his singular power, the Torch wields this ability at intensity 17. This allows the Torch to shoot a burst of flame from his body at this intensity, which automatically incinerates items of material strength 2 or less (like paper, glass, etc...). He can also raise existing fire sources to an intensity equal to this power intensity, or lower them by this amount. So far, he has shown these power stunts:

* Absorption / Fire (i): Jim can absorb an amount of flames into his body that is equal to his fire control intensity; this is intensity 17. Jim can absorb this fire from anywhere within firing range. Jim hasn't yet demonstrated any of the power stunts associated with the absorption power, though it may only be a matter of time before he does...

* Fire Elementals (i): Jim can conjure forth quasi-intelligent energy drones, composed of fire. These elementals function with intensity 17 strength and agility. It takes Jim one full exchange to bring these beings into existence, and they remain as long as he is conscious (or wants 'em around). They take double damage from watery attacks.

* Fire Missiles (i): Jim can command any existing source of flames, using it to strike out at any target within firing range of the flames. Unless he has already raised the intensity of the flame to 17 with his fire control power, Jim can only inflict an amount of damage equal to the intensity the flame already had. Still, this comes in handy as a surprise attack...

* Fire Restraints (i): Jim can create cages, spheres, or whatever similar shape he desires out of his or any other flames, in order to contain a person. He can do this if he passes an average difficulty fire control action, opposed by the agility of his target. These restraints will inflict no damage upon Jim's opponent, unless he crosses through the restraint; this inflicts the power intensity in damage to him.

* Flame Shapes (i): Jim can create 'objects' of flame, in any shape he desires, either from his own flames or from an external source. He can use these either as a form of art, or to write letters in the sky. Either way, these fiery object will remain in existence for a complete aura duration, or for at least as long as Jim continues to concentrate on maintaining their existence.

* Flight (a): by projecting his fire and heat behind him, Jim can achieve flight, of a sort. He can use this backward energy projection to fly at a speed of 140 miles per hour, which translates into a speed of 6, game-wise. As long as there is oxygen to burn around him, Jim can use this power to propel himself through the air.

* Heat Control (i): Jim can also manipulate sources of heat as well as flame. He can raise the temperature of any person or object (or everything within firing distance) by up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit; for example, he could raise a person's temperature from 98.6 degrees to 268.6 degrees -- this inflicts Jim's power intensity (17) in damage to people...

* Nova Flame (i): Jim could, if necessary, push his power in order to blast everybody within firing distance with his full intensity flame; this is an intensity 17 attack upon everybody within this distance. However, this also inflicts like damage to Jim, and he cannot use his flaming powers again until his full hand has been restored after this harm has been inflicted.

Resistance to Fire and Heat Attacks (s): as he wields these forms of energy naturally, Jim is almost completely immune to their effects, no matter who happens to be generating them. He possesses +10 resistance to fire and heat, making him virtually immune to the stuff unless they are actually even more powerful than his own, intense energies.

Resistances (s): as an artificial life-form, Jim Hammond isn't as susceptible to some types of damage as are normal humans. For instance, since his flesh is artificial, Jim has +7 resistance to disease, poison, and of course, aging; as long as he maintains his personal systems, he can continue to function indefinitely.

Hindrances:

(none)

Skills:

Energy Control / Fire (i): Jim has worked for years upon years in the refinement of his powers, both to be more effective with them and to reduce the risk of injury to innocents . He can make any action with his fire control powers (aside from his fiery blasts) at one difficulty level lower than is usual.

Law Enforcement (w): for years before he joined up with the Invaders, Jim was a member of the N.Y.P.D., and as such, he is familiar with law enforcement procedures. Furthermore, if he reenlists with a local P.D., he can even carry a gun and badge legally (not that he needs such things).

Military (w): having worked with the armed forces via the Invaders for years, Jim has a real understanding of the military mind, and what makes it tick. As such, he can attempt to lead military troops and understand the plans of a military commander at one difficulty level lower than is usually required.

Piloting (a): though he himself can fly with ease, Jim has been seen flying Namor's Atlantean aircraft on numerous occasions. As such, he can likely operate any aircraft produced to date, as that thing was rather advanced for its time, and he could fly it with ease.

Trivia (i): Jim was rather well-versed in 1930s and 1940s culture. After being taught everything he needed to know while in that cement vault by Professor Horton, and then living in that era for, well, that entire era, Jim can be considered an unabashed expert on those times.

Calling:

Vestiges of Humanity: though he's not human, Jim aspires to such a state. He does feel emotions and is fully sentient, however; he's just trying to fit in with the rest of society... which is hard when everyone knows he's an artificial man.

Costume:

When not wearing civilian clothes, the Human Torch is usually clothed in a red body suit, marred only by the yellow cuffs and collar. Of course, the vast majority of the time that you encounter him, he's ablaze - so you wouldn't really see anything but him inside his energy sheath.

Personality:

The Human Torch often felt loneliness, being the only one of his kind - much less an outsider in human society despite his many attempts to fit in. He's found friendship in the form of his fellow Invaders however, especially with his side kick, Toro - who he treats like a son.

Real Name: the Human Torch
Occupation: adventurer, former police officer
Legal Status: unrevealed
Marital Status: single (if applicable)
Alias(es), if any: Jim Hammond
Group Affiliation: the Invaders

Height: 6' 3"
Hair: blond
Eyes: blue
Weight: 300 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: none

Story:

The Human Torch was created in the laboratory of one Phineas T. Horton. He and his assistant were pioneers in artificial intelligence and robotics - truly decades before their time. Working in secret for years, these two managed to eventually produce a working android: an artificial being that mimicked virtually all of the normal functions of the human body!

The only problem was that this android would catch fire as soon as it was exposed to oxygen! Attempting to earn back some of his investment on all his work, Horton called a press conference to show off his new creation; this irked his assistant, who subsequently made off with a second, almost complete android body - and he proved to have been correct in doing so.

This was because the press reacted quite poorly to Horton's showing of this 'Human Torch', condemning it as a 'monster' and a 'menace to society'. Cowed by the press's reaction and threats against him, Horton locked the android away in a cement chamber underground, its only link to the above world a speaker with which Horton could teach this nascent entity about humanity.

Time passed though, and Horton's air-tight tomb proved to be not as sealed as he thought. Eventually, the Human Torch managed to break free of his prison, making his way through a New York City completely unprepared to handle such a freakish event. Panic ensued as the Torch poorly interacted with his surroundings, inadvertently setting fires and causing all kinds of damage.

The Torch eventually got control of his powers, however, and declared himself independent of Horton when the man tried again to cash in on his creation. In fact, the two had a violent altercation that seemed at first to kill Horton, but the man ultimately escaped to create further androids. The Torch, meanwhile, adopted the identity of Jim Hammond, and became a police officer.

He fought crime for a time in this role, at least until some manner of villainous threat would force him to catch fire and deal with it directly. On one such occasion, the Torch found out that the Asbestos Girl had targeted the Raymond family for their secrets in fireproof technologies. Though he routed her, the Torch couldn't prevent her from killing most of the family.

Save for the youngest member, Thomas - who, upon meeting the Torch, displayed fantastic fire-based powers of his own! Since the youth no longer had a family, the Torch took him under his wing, and the duo started fighting crime together. Though he was a human being, Thomas - who took to calling himself Toro - began to think of the android Torch as a father figure, and the two became best friends.

They would fight evil together wherever they could find it, whether alone or together. These feats of heroism included numerous clashes with the aquatic Sub-Mariner, who had a grudging respect for the Torch despite his opposition to assaults on the human world. Of course, the Torch would wind up working with Namor eventually, when the two were asked to join a team by Captain America.

Tasked with the opposition of fascist forces world wide, the Invaders would be the earth's premiere combat team. The Torch readily joined up with Captain America, taking Toro with him, as did Namor and the Cap's own side kick, Bucky. This team would grow over time to become as effective as planned, the individual members slowly learning how to fight alongside each other more efficiently.

And they were joined by others, including the second Union Jack and Spitfire, British siblings who both gained super-human powers; Union Jack 2 by a variant of the Super-Soldier Serum, and Spitfire by the mutagenic reaction caused by exposure to vampire ichor and a blood transfusion from the Torch himself. This team proved so mighty that no fascist threat could stop their onslaught.

Either with just Toro or the entire Invaders team, the Torch would continue to fight evil for the duration of the War.

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