 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
              |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
Baron Blood 1 (deceased)
Origin:
Known Powers: Bio-Vampirism: the dreaded blood-sucking attack of a vampire, this allows John to, in addition to causing Edged Attack damage with his fangs, inflict additional damage due to blood loss. Possessing this power at Remarkable (30) rank, this allows John to typically drain normal humans dry in just one turn, which may very well kill them, thus creating another undead. Body Transformation: John had the ability to transform into at least three forms, two of which would be an animal, the last being a sort of misty cloud (of any preferrable color). However, in exchange for the removal of his vulnerability to sunlight, John has lost his wolf form and mist forms. Should he remove this treatment, he could once again assume all three of these forms: * Bat: while in a bat form, a vampire can utilize a Feeble (2) ranked claw and bite attack, as well as fly about at Feeble (2) speeds (about thirty miles per hour), and make use of a bat-like sonar sense. This sense works at a rank equal to the vampire's Intuition score (Excellent (20), in John's case), as it replaces the bat's typically rotten visual sense for the duration of the transformation. * Mist: this form grants a vampire complete (Class 1k) resistance to physical and energy attack, as well as Feeble (2) ranked flight, though it doesn't allow them to attack at all. However, some vampires have shown the ability to force their misty form into the lungs of an opponent, and thus gain mind control over them, per that power; of course, the would-be victim gets an endurance FEAT roll to resist this... * Wolf: though this form doesn't allow flight, it does offer improved attack and sensory capabilities over those of a bat. For one thing, a vampire can utilize a wolf's sense of smell at their Intuition score +1 CS, as well as Typical (6) ranked bite attacks (which can be used concurrently with their bio-vampirism powers). They can also run at Poor (4) ground speeds (thirty miles per hour). Fangs: John is equipped with retractible fangs, which grow out of ordinary teeth and allow him to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee combat without exterior weapons of any sort. John can use these deadly teeth to inflict his strength -2 CS Edged Attack damage per use - Good (10) for him - and if he inflicts damage, he can simultaneously use his bio-vampirism power on an opponent. Immortality: John is essentially an immortal being, in that he no longer ages whatsoever, and will eventually recover from most means of injury that would otherwise cancel the existence of mere mortal folks. However, John is not vulnerable to the standard means of eradicating immortal folks, really, instead having his own batch of supernatural weaknesses (see limitations for more on this). Mind Control: by achieving eye contact with a would-be victim, John can attempt to influence his or her mind at Good (10) rank. This often makes it extremely easy for him to dine for the evening. Furthermore, if John has created 'children', or has bitten a body who he let live, he can utilize this power against them at +2 CS, as his vampiric ichor binds their will to him somewhat. Regenerative Armor: vampires are exceedingly difficult to harm, in that they heal from inflicted damage at an astounding rate, and John is no exception to this. He wields this power at Excellent (20) rank, allowing him to instantly recover from like damage as if he had equivalent armor instantaneously. This protection, most effective against physical attack, is outlined as follows: * Ex 20 / Ty 6 / Fe 2 / Sh 0 / Sh 0 Furthermore, this power allows John to heal from damage at a rate of two Hpts, NH, and MH per turn. Alternately, if you utilize the standard Regeneration rules, this translates into a 20 Hpt gain per ten turns spent healing without injury. Similarly, if one uses the UPB regeneration method, this recovery is equal to .6 Hpts per turn (power rank x recovery rate per turn). True Flight: an appreciable amount of vampires have shown the capability of flight, without the benefit of any sort of wings or other mechanism, including John. Sure, a rare few actually wield batlike wings at all times, but John does not, an can fly about at approximately ninety miles per hour, or at Typical (6) rank. His odd costume adds to his maneuvarabilty, but isn't necessary. Weather Control: unlike most vampires, John has the ability to manipulate existing weather patterns to some extent. He wields this dangerous power at Excellent (20) rank, allowing him to create and modify weather patterns to destructive effect. He has no known power stunts based on this power as of yet, but he has an eternity to develop them...
Limitations: * Blood Lust: John must feed upon blood to survive. For each day this sick need is denied, his ability and power scores will drop by -1 CS. If they all drop to Shift 0, John will slip into a form of suspended animation until an immediate opportunity to feed presents itself; when emerging from such sleep, John is virtually mindless until he is sated. Now, normally twelve Hpts of blood gained is enough to sate a John for a day, but if he has allowed itself to fall into his hunger-induced coma from lack of feeding, he must drink much more blood than this. Essentially, he will only recover 1 CS of lost ranks per twelve Hpts of blood drained, meaning that he will have to consume the blood of several humans in order to return to normal. * Direct Sunlight: if exposed to direct sunlight (not mere daylight conditions, but actual rays of sunlight), vampires suffer an Amazing (50) amount of damage each turn. This is usually enough to turn most of these undead to dust within two turns, unless an exceptionally powerful specimen is uncovered. However, such beings still won't last much longer, unless otherwise protected. John is an exception to this rule, however, in that he has received special skin treatment from Nazi scientists that allow him to spend extended periods of time in raw sunlight. In fact, he can go over half an hour under the sun without undue discomfort, and can be active during the day. All day. However, this treatment has cost John his ability to change shape. * Holy Symbols: John is susceptible to the will of a faithful person, focused through some sort of symbol holy to their religion. If a body assaults him with such a device, he'll take an amount of damage equal to the Psyche rank of the offending faithful person wielding it, for each turn it is brandished at him. Furthermore, the vampire can't attack this person while he's holding said symbol. * Home Soil: John need a touch (several pounds) of his native soil with him for some unknown reason. If such soil isn't within inches of him while sleeping during the day, John cannot regenerate from his wounds, healing at a much slower rate than normal; it only progresses at a natural rate for a person of similar endurance until such soil is present... * Touch of Silver: the mere touch of any silver object will cause John to recoil. Furthermore, attacks made against John with silver weapons or projectiles will pierce his regenerative armor as if it didn't exist, and such damage cannot be regenerated; it will merely heal at the normal rate for a character of similar endurance. * Wooden Stakes: if John is pierced in the heart (with a killing blow) via some wooden object, he will instantly crumble to dust unless he can pass a red endurance FEAT roll. Even if this FEAT is made, John will be reduced to 1 Hpt, and must instantly remove the stake or die as described above. Of course, this is somewhat difficult when somebody's hammering the thing in...
Equipment:
Quirks:
Talents: Languages / English and German: John is native to the United Kingdom, of course, and as such, can speak proper English naturally. However, after offering his services to the German people for over ten years, John has managed to pick up German as a second tongue. Medicine: after his second ressurection, John pried everything he could out of the mind of Dr. Cromwell, an English physician. This took some time but John can now effectively act as a doctor, should he feel the need to. This could come in quite handy when raiding blood banks, etc... Occult Lore: being a magical monstrosity himself, and having studied the occult for years between the two World Wars, John can be considered an authority on occult matters. His reason score should be considered +1 CS in areas of this nature, even if he's just making an educated guess.
Contacts:
Costume: These improved his aerial maneuvering by +1 CS.
Personality:
Real Name: Lord John Falsworth
Height: 5' 10"
Story: You see, Falsworth believed that Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula, was a true account, and thought that if he found the monster that tome described, he could gain a powerful tool for the acquisition of power. However, upon finding Dracula's home, the elder vampire defeated John with ease, and drank all of his blood. Three days later, the younger Falsworth awoke anew as a vampire himself. Under Dracula's control, John was ordered to return to England in order to wreak havoc; the elder vampire's old enemy, Abraham Van Helsing, hailed from there, and Dracula wished to distract this foe for a time. However, John thought it wiser to offer his services to the German government, in order to gain the resources of a nation in his appointed task. Relishing their new, meta human agent, the Germans then dubbed him Baron Blood, gave him a frightening bat-inspired costume, and set him loose as a dangerous spy. During many of his missions against England, Falsworth ran afoul of a team of heroes known as the Freedom's Five, one member of which, Union Jack, was his brother! Battling these lovers of freedom in many nations, John was never able to win in any of these encounters. In fact, Union Jack managed to rout John permanently after assaulting him with silver weaponry, and after this final defeat, he fled to parts unknown until after the war. Between World War 1 and 2, John studied the occult in order to better understand himself and his powers. When the Nazi regime took control in Germany years later, the diabolical Baron saw its leaders as kindred spirits, and gladly volunteered similar espionage services to this new government. This time around, German scientists altered his body to make it highly resistant to the sunlight that would otherwise slay him in seconds. Of course, this boon cost him the use of his shape-changing powers. Nonetheless, John reveled in his newfound freedom of movement, and returned to England to cause havoc anew. However, John was once again opposed by his brother, Union Jack, and a newer team of super heroes, known as the Invaders! This conflict ended with John's first fatality, as he ultimately fell on a silver-laced stalagmite at the end of this conflict. This condition didn't last, however, and John was ressurected some time afterward by the evil Lady Lotus, who had dreams of conquest and wished to assemble a team of super-Nazi operatives to help her achieve her goal. This team, consisting of herself, John, Master Man, Warrior Woman, and the aquatic U-Man, was quite a force to be reckoned with. Lady Lotus' plot ultimately failed, though, and by the end of a battle with the Invaders, John was slain yet again, this time with a stake through the heart. Since he was a member of the English aristocracy, however evil and treasonous he may be, the second Union Jack had him entombed in the Tower of London, as he was technically royalty. John was not fated to remain in this state forever, however. You see, years later, one Doctor Charles Cromwell, at the behest of Dracula himself, managed to collect the remains of John Falsworth and revive them with Dracula's aid. Upon his second ressurection, John learned all he could of Cromwell's medical knowledge, and took control of the hapless man. He then situated Cromwell near Falsworth manor, and transforming the doctor into a vampire, set him loose on the local populace. Meanwhile, John himself began slaying several locals, and then draining their blood afterward, in order to prevent the creation of new vampires and to disguise his own presence. The locals eventually found Cromwell, however, and did him in by burning his house down. John's aging brother, despite appearances, believed his brother to be behind these vicious happenings, and called for aid from Captain America, an old ally. Upon his arrival in England, Cap found out that the skeleton resting in the Tower of London was false, and quickly made for Falsworth Manor. There, he discovered John, posing as the deceased Dr. Cromwell! John's plan, you see, was to wait until his brother was old and decrepit, and then to transform him into a vampire, so he would be forced to live out eternity as a shriveled up monster. Before he could accomplish this, however, Captain America managed to slay the Baron by severing his head with his shield, and then burned his body down to ashes. Making precautions against his further revival, Captain America then buried the piles of ash, one for his head and the other for his other remains, in two separate locations. Believing his brother's menace to be over at long last, the current Lord Falsworth was then able to die in peace, and did so very soon afterward; he'd apparently been hanging on to make sure this had happened.
Using Baron Blood in Other Stories: If Baron Blood is to appear in new tales, at least those set in the present, it is most likely that one of these two fellows would be filling this costume, as opposed to the original. However, if anything, vampires have the most dreadful tendency to come back from their apparent demise over and over, so one may be unable to tell just which Baron is in that suit... until it is far, far too late... |
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
