FROM THE FOLDER FRIDAY - STICK (NO NOT THAT ONE)

 

Jokingly refered to in our games as the "West Coast Stick" this character was made for a street-level crime-fighting campaign that took place in Los Angeles. As the power level of that campaign was low, she has no powersand just a lot of fighting abilities. As you can also see, some ofthe language in the character write-up is perhaps a bit dated but it reflects the time when I wrote up the character and my limited experience and knowledge at the time. Stick went on from this humble beginning to become a costumed sidekick ala Robin and then to becoming her own solo costumed street hero and even ended up being a mind controlled villain at one point. 

STICK

Tracy Yin, human hero

F    RM (30)

A    IN (40)

S    TY (6)
E    RM (30)

R    TY (6)

I      RM (30)

P    EX (20)

Health: 106

Karma: 56

Resources: TY (6)

Popularity:  -5

Known Powers: 

Stick has no special powers. 

Weapons: Stick fights with her staff mostly and is skilled enough that it inflicts Good (GD) blunt damage. she also carries a number of knives, for both melee and throwing, that inflict Typical (6) edged damage. 

Talents: Stick is skilled in the use of all martial arts weapons, thrown weapons, blunt weapons, sharp weapons, and thrown objects. She specializes in fighting with a staff. She knows Martial Arts A, B, C, D, acrobatics, tumbling, crime, trance, artist (painting), language (Chinese). 

Contacts: Bronze Dragons (street gang), Dragon, LAPD.

Background:

Born Tracy Yin, the hero known on the streets as Stick lived a very typical life for a girl of her age. Born to immigrant parents, she was raised on stories of the American dream and parents that sought yo raise their daughter with a combination of traditional Chinese values and American ideals. Much to her family's dismay, she found kinship among the Bronze Dragons, a local street gang in LA's Chinatown. 

The gang was not a criminal gang, but more so a guardian gang, protecting locals from predation by other gangs, criminal organizations, racist neighbors and the police. She spent most of her time with them training and mastering several martials arts and weapons, all under the tutelage of an aging master known simply as Dragon. Dragon had been a costumed crimefighter in China when he was younger, bringing his ideals and system of honor to Chinatown when heremigrated to the United States. 

Stick eventually became the sidekick to a costumed hero named Nosferata, a dark avenger who stalked the city streets at night. This is when she picked up the itendity as Nightengale, a homage to her heritage but distinct from her uncostumed street identity. As Nightengale, she benefitted from an arsenal of high-tech equipment provided by Nosferata including a staff made of advanced materials and capable of several tricks. 

As her career progressed, she eventually found herself in Asia, tracking down a killer who had murdered Dragon and decimated the Bronze Dragons. Her missions led her to Madripoor where she found the killer had been sent by an enigmatic woman knowned as Madame Shimaze. It is here where Tracy fell to the villainess, ending up her mind controlled minion. during this time, she served as a hired assassin.

Tracy was later freed from Madame Shimaze's control by the spirit of Dragon who came to her, inhabitting her body and bestowing mystical  powers on young Tracy. Tracy was able to defeat the evil Madame. After that she returned to the United States, having avenged her master and, her new powers at hand, took up a career as a costumed crimefighter, this time going by the name of Black Dragon. 

Notes: I could provide additional profiles for her later incarnations but some notes here should allow those interested in using her to do so. As Nightengale, she had equipment very similar to the Tim Drake Robin from DC Comics. Her staff could taze enemies, create bright flashes to blind, had restractable hooks that could also be fired as a grappling line. She also carried numerous throwing knives, secdonary blades as well as flasckbangs, smoke bombs, gas pellets, and a full climbing kit. 

As the Black Dragon, she possessed chi-based powers allowing her to energize her body and weapons for greater striking ability as well as stealth powers that shrouded her in darkness. She was also resistent to damage and could used her chi-based powers to heal herself.

FROM THE FOLDER FRIDAY - TANKER

The character of Tanker was inspired by a couple of existing Marvel characters - Cypher and Madison Jeffries. I combined those two character into my own character. the concept for this character was a young mutant, with a mastery of machinery, who idolized armored heroes like Iron Man. He was a member of a short-lived team, we cme up with, called the Regulators where he was the "tech guy". The illustration shows his first sut, put together with scavenged parts. He later got more refined suits as his available tech increased. I'm pretty sure the inspiration for this particular look was the classic Mandroids of Marvel fame. 

TANKER

Jamie Logam, mutant 

F    GD (10)

A    GD (10) / RM (30)

S    GD (10) / IN (40)
E    RM (30) / IN (40)

R    AM (50)
I      EX (20)

P    EX (20)

Health: 30/120
Karma: 90

Resources: GD (10)
Popularity: 20

Known Powers:

Intuitive Invention: Jamie is a mutant with Amazing (50) ability to comprehend and operate any device he comes in contact with. This ability also allows him to easily construct nearly any device or piece of equipment out of available parts. Under normaly circumstances, with common household and/or industrial  technology, he can make devices with Incredible (40) ability. If he has access to more sophisticated and hi-tech base components these devices can be constructed up to Monstrous (75) ability. It still takes him time to construct the equipment (see construction), though he can do it at 1/2 the normal time, or one 1/4 the time with proper facilities.

Psychometry: A more essoteric aspect of Jamie's machine affinity is the ability to communicate with them on a very basic, psychic level, readiong the psionic echoes and residue left behind on all inanimate objects throug htheir contact with living, thinking beings. This ability functions with Amazing (50) ability. This power is innate and works through touch. Jamie must concentrate or block skin contact to block out these psychic eminations. 

Telekinesis: Along with his other psionic abilities, Jamie has Amazing (50) ability to manipulate physical objects with his mind. 

Machine Link: Jamie is able to form permanent bonds with machines he has contact with, allowing him to operate them through a combination of his mental link and telekinesis. He also maintains a psychometric link with machinesh e is linked to, able to use them as spies and alarms or receive data and information from computer systems in real time. He does this over Incredible (40) distance. He has many weapons, tools, pieces of equipment and his signature battlesuits linked in such a way. If he teleports and object with contents, those contents are teleported along with it and arrive in perfect condition, allowing him to transport teammates, supplies, prisoners and rescued civilians.

Telemachination: Jamie can instantly teleport any device he is linked to him at Unearthly (100) range. Teleported equipment appears on his person or in an areas near him ready for use. Worn items appear on him and operational. 

Arsenal: Rather than list all his available equipment (that would be another post in itself), Jamie's early arsenal consisted of a number of weapons, armor, movement systems, sensors, tools and equipment of Incredible (40) ranks ability. Later in his career, after some adventures and contacts were made, he developed some truly powerful systems in the Monstrous (75) power rank. At one point, he was even issued a nuclear bomb by the U.S. government that was incorporated into a massive crisis suit. 

Psionic Screening Tech: Due to his psionic abilities operating constantly and needing concentration to shut off, Jamie has developed technologies that allow him to place a technological barrier between him and the psychic eminations of objects. This technology is built into his battlesuits and gives him Good (10) protection from mental attacks and manipulation. He can dim these screens at will, allowing him to access his abilities as needed. He does this through various touch pads on his armored hands and feet when in battlesuit. 

Weakness: Jamie psychometry is always active as if it were another sense. He must actively keep it from overhwleming him. Under normal, every day circumstances, this is no great feat for him. However, under emotional duress or extreme stress and fatique he must make a Psyche FEAT roll to maintain is control. If he fails, he will become overwhelmed by the food of psychometric information, stunning him, stunning him (see Stun effects on the Univeral Table).

Talents: Electronics, Computers, Physics, Engineering, Robotics, Music

Contacts: United States Government, MIT, FBI, Tony Stark.

Background: 

Born to a detroit family, Jamie was gifted at an early age. Born with his mutant powers active, he was already using them in limited fashion before he could walk. His parents recognized his gifts, though they thought they were manifestation of a high IQ and fast learning. As he grew, he excelled in technical and scientific pursuits but often seemed to have difficulty in his day to day expeiences. Because of this, he was sent to special schools that focused on his aptitudes.

By the time he was of high school age, Jamie had already completed all the requirements to graduate high school and moved on to college, selecting MIT and entering into one of their premier engineering and robotics courses alongside computer sciences. As these first two came os easily to him, he also picked up a science cource, focusing on both applied and theoretical physics. Jamie soon became a start student at MIT but the ease by which he picked up his subjects did cast some suspicion and he often had to defend himself against allegations of cheating. Being able to always prove his knowledge an ability, none of these charges ever stood though it remained undeniable that Jamie had a strange affinity for machines, often able to diagnose the undiagnosable. 

One of the earliest personalities to take notice of his abilities was Tony Stark, himself. Stark frequently visited the school, hoping to poach the best and brightest for himself and his company. Observing Jamie over about a weeks time both in his studies and his personal time, Stark was able to correctly deduce that the boy's abilities went far beyond simple aptitude, his career as a costumed hero affording him the insight to know superpowers when he saw them. Stark would mentor Jamie for some time until Jamie broke onto the scene as a costumed hero.

While Jamie was mentoring with Stark, he quickly gained an understanding of Tony's tech, using his powers, and found himself able to replicate it through the available components he could scrounge up at the school. He started with simple devices, testing his ability and eventually graduating to weapons systems and then to a fully functional, if not aesthetically pleasing armored suit. With this new equipment, he started sneaking out and engaging in costumed crime-fighting to test it and for the thrill of it. 

During his time at MIT, Jamie spent much of his personal time at music clubs where he often played in bands as a pick-up guitarist. In several of these instances, he encountered various locals and made friends in the city of Boston. Some of the most noteable encounters were with the Hellions on several occasions when they visited Boston at the same time as Jamie. This also brought him into contact with Emma Frost who, detecting his psionic abilities did try to recruit him but Jamie was leerie of the polished, posh woman and steared clear. This didn't keep Frost from wanting to add such a useful mutant to her roster and she would continue to make numerous attempts at changing his mind. 

Jamie's real debut, as a customed hero came when MIT found itself under attack by several costumed criminals seeking to steal valuable technology. Unwilling to let them destroy his school and being on site, Jamie jumped into action and donned his battlesuit, taking to the air to battle the attackers. His sudden andn early instant appearance shook the attacking villains and he was able to exploit the surprise to deal some heavy blows, sending them retreating.The school sustained minimal damage due to Jamie's intervention but his suit and other tech violated the school's code and rules and he was expelled from the school. 

After this, Jamie went home to California where he moved back in with his parents. He briefly considered taking Emma Frost up on her offer before moving back, but thought better of it. It was at this time that Jamie found himself under investigation by the FBI for his weapons design and possible distribution. Unknown to Jamie this wasa strong-arm tactic meant to push him to being amenable to working for the government. Jamie eventually took the offer and was recruited into a new government-sanctioned, mutant superhero team called The Regulators. 

FROM THE FOLDER FRIDAY - HARRIER

Another character originally conceived of as a Champions character, I never finished her write-up which is why you see and incomplete stat block for her. This is demonstrated most by the fact that her powers inclure slashing claws on her wrists but there are no attacks in her powers section.

The drawing is a freehand drawing, done by me, likely in the 90s sometime and clearly during the time when I was learning and experimenting with severe reflective textures. I recall drawing her in a way that heavily stylized, perhaps inspired by the comics of the time, thus her very unnrealistic anatomy, despite being a human being. Her face is not intended to look natural as her costume includes a facemask, done in a sort of artistic representation of femininity. This was to protect her face as she was a model and actress.

HARRIER

Eveline Brightbird, hi-tech human

F    EX (20)

A    EX (20)

S    GD (10)

E    EX (20)

R    GD (20)

I     EX (20)

P    RM (30)

Health: 70

Karma: 70

Resources: RM (30)

Popularity: 25

Known Powers: 

Body Armor: Harrier wears a protective costume that provides her with Excellent (20) protection from physical and energy attacks.

Gliding: Retractable winglets on her suit allow her to glide with Excellent (20) speed. 

Talons: Harrier's costume includes a pair of retractable steel talons, one on each hand. These talons are made of Incredible (40) Material Strength steel and inflict Excellent (20) edged damage.

Infrared Vision: Good ability to see in darkness.

Protected Senses: Lenses in her face mask provide her with Remarkable (30) protection of flashes, bright light, and other visions-effecting attacks. 

Stealth Camouflage: The material of her costume is normally a reflective black with a transparent section that shows her fair skin as her bir icon. On command, the suit can shift to a solid, flat black texture that aid stealth by absorbing light. While in this configuration, she has a +2CS when attempting to sneak.

Talents: Criminology, Finance, Martial Arts A, B, and C, Security, Drive, French, German, Spanish, Chinese. 

Contacts: Brightbird Modelling, Interpol, FBI, Power Man, Iron Fist

Background: 

Eveline was born to an upstate New York family of means, The Brightbird Family. Her father, howard, and her mother, Delores, cochaired the Brightbird Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping to provide opportunities to children of underpivileged families and at risk youth. Affored the best education and opportunities, Eveline inherrited her parents' altruistic nature and put in much of her time with the foundation, when not pursuing her own academic and extracurricular acitivies.

Eveline manged to finish high school already having started a career as a model and continued with this even when she went off to college where she acquired a degree finances and business. As she rose to fame and status as a highly sougth after and paid model and part-time actress, she never lost sight of the morals she had learned as a child, spending time helping others when she could. She also maintained a strong personal cotnrol over her finances and invested heavily.

When her parents were killed in an accident, she inherrited the family fortune, the business and the responsibilities. She also inherrited a suspicion that her parents' deaths were not an accident. This was only increased when several of the foundations partners attempted a hostile takeover. Eveline was able to halt the takeover but she grew increasingly suspicious of those whom her parents had once trusted as coworkers, partners and even friends.

While on a shoot in France, an attempt was made on Eveline's life, puttng her in the hospital. While she recovered, another attempt was made at a takeover of the Brightbird Foundation. This time, she barely defended the company and decided that she would need to take more drastic measures. She spent her time recovering, planning her strategy and thus the customed hero of Harrier was born.

Utilizing her family's and her own personal fortune, she had a high-tech costume designed and built for her. While the suit was in development and under construction, she doubled down on her own physical training as well as studying in various fields that would aid her in detective and investigative work. Som of this study took her to New York where she worked with street-level heroes, even fighting alongside Power Man and Iron Fist. Her wealth and status also afforded her opportunities to gain contacts in both the FBI and Interpol.

Once she was fully equipped and felt her skills were up to the task, she was able to investigate the partners of the foundation only to discover that they had secretly bee utilizing the resources of Brightwood to collect, traffic and exploit the very children the Foundation had been set up to help. She learned that the partners had been using the children they kidnapped in experiments to create superpowered beings, though their experiments had yet to produce anything of real consequence. 

Eveline, as Harrier located their facility, attacked it and managed to bring stop the operation though she could not bring them to proper justice as doing so would ruin the foundation. Instead, she used her contacts with Interpol and the FBI to have the partners taken into custody and quietly put away. Much to Eveline's dismay, the children who had been subjected to the experiments, those that had survived at least, were not allowed to return to any families they still had and were, instead, taken into government custody and care.

This initial sortie as Harrier left Eveline with mixed feelings. While she had succeeded in the stopping the partners and saving Brightbird Foundation, she was left with an unsettling feeling over the final status of the abducted children. From then on, she committed herself to a stronger sense of justice and dedication to making wgong-doers pay, herself. She would not rely on the clumsy wheels of justice to do the right thing. Future operations would see her helping victims through Brightbird which over time expanded its aid to people in need of all ages and requirements. This afforded her a better way to make sure that those wronged by criminals would not be further victimized by the systems put in place to help them.

FROM THE FOLDER FRIDAY - HIGHRISE

Those familiar with Champions nd the Hero System will recognize the stat block to the left on the image above. This is Highrise. He's a villain that I originally drew during our Marvel days but who was officially statted up for Champions as that is what the collective group was playing at the time I statted him up. Like many of my characters, he began with a random idea and a drawing, tucked away until I had an idea or need of a write-up. This is another character that was drawn in the 90s and who's costume and appearance reflects the style of the times. 

Presented here are MSHRPG stats for him, as that is what I will more likely be playing. If you would like to use him in your Champions games, you can go straight off the page. 


HIGHRISE

James Ryan, Altered human

F    GD (10)

A    PR (4)
S    UN (100)

E    MN (75)

R    TY (6)
I      TY (6)

P    GD (10)

Health: 189

Karma: 22

Resources: PR (4)
Popularity: -75

Known Powers:

Body Armor: Highrise's body has Incredible (40) resistence to physical and energy attacks.

Protected Senses - Vision: Hi eyes have Remarkable (30) protection from bright light. 

Regeneration: Due to the natura of his altered physiology, Highrise regenerates damage at Good (10) rate. 

Weaknesses: 

Huge Size: The science that created Highrise's powers and altered his body also made him incredibly tall. He stands 52ft tall, making him very easy to hit. All attacks against him made by enemies small than he is are at +2CS to Hit. 

Sonic Sensitivity: His large ear canals make him vulnerable to sonic attacks. All sonic attacks are +2CS in their intensity against him. 

Lack of Fine Dexterity: Highrises massive platform feet and chunky hands make it difficult for him to engage in any fine manipulation leaving him to clumsily graps and kick and stomp things. 

Talents: Martials Arts L

Contacts: Highrise has no contacts.

Background: 

Chronically down and out, James Ryan never ammounted to much of anything on his own. A high school dropout with no goals, motivation or dreams, he struggled through life, fired from one job after another due to his generally unpleasant personality. While this was likely a result of his upbringing and own lack of self worth, it nonethless gauranteed he'd be unable to hold any job. Even the most basic, menial positions seems to end with him mouthing off to the wrong person or getting into squabbles and even outright brawls with coworkers and, on more than one occasion, customers.

Over time, his innability to support himself through work led to him constantly falling on hard times, often homeless and engaging in minor petty crimes like shoplifting or mugging. Repeatedly spending time in jail and eventually sentenced to a short prison stay for his repeated crimes, he was approached by Dr. Noah Burstein, still working on his human enhancement project. The doctor offered Ryan an opportunity to improve himself, potentially even taking on a role as a hero. Ryan, always feeling he'd ammounted to nothing, jumped at the opportunity to make something of himself, even though he didn't fully grasp the decision he was making.

Dr. Burstein subjected James to a process to similar to that which he had used in his other experiments, this time using an experimental growth hormone derived from an unknown source. The experiment seemed to be an initial success with Ryan seeming to gain substantial muscle mass and physical hardening. With this clear success, Dr. Burstein had Ryan released from prison and remitted to his care for observation at Stark Labs. While Ryan wasn't overly keen on trading one prison for another, he couldn't argue that the accomodations would be better and so was transfered, without issue, to the Stark facility. 

As time went by, it became clear that the process, while seemingly successful, had not stabilized as it seemed it had. Ryan's body continued to gain mass, growing in size at a rate that wa measurable daily. Burstein determined that the cause must be the growth hormone that he had worked into the process. As the growth continued out of control, Ryan became more and more hostile, believing that the transformation had been intended and thinking the doctor had betrayed him. 

Lashing out, he broke free of the facility, rampaging across the campus as his still-growing body awkwardly moved and handled objects. Iron Man responded to the escape, but due to the damage to some building had to divert his attention to rescue rather than recovery. In the chaos, Ryan was able to slip away int othe surrounding area.

Over the course of the next few days, Ryan's body continued to grow and change, becoming the towering, stump-footed goliath he now is. Frustration and rage took over as his immense size made it impossible for him to carry on with any semblance of a real life. He took to hiding by day where he could, moving by night where his 50ft body could have some concealment. He tended to stick to rural ad outlying areas where he could steal livestock or ambush food deliveries to sustain himself. 

His current whereabouts are unknown.

FROM THE FOLDER FRIDAY - COLD FRONT

 

Cold Front was a team that I made in the 90s as can be seen by the lovely 90's style random geometric shapes on Ice Age's costume. This was done, I believe, at  time where I was really playing with drawing whole teams at once, often with a strong theme. The theme here, of course, is "cold".

This team was never fully developed at the time I drew it as was often the case. I would draw random characters and save them for later, writing them up when I planned to use them or when I had an idea for how exactly I wanted their powers to work. What I will do here is attempt to present stats for them, based on my memory of how I envisioned them. These will be short form presentations so as to not explode the length of this blog post too much.

WINDCHILL 
Anya Bremitz, mystic altered human

F        GD (10)
A        Ex (20)

S        TY (6)

E        RM (30)

R        EX (20)

I          EX (20)

P        IN (40)

Health: 66

Karma: 80

Resources: EX (20)

Popularity: -20

Known Powers: 

Wind Generation/Control: Windchill has the ability to generate winds of up to Incredible (40) rank force. She can manipulate these air currents to move objects, push, lift and even mannipulate more rudimentry devices and mechanicsm such as levers or buttons. 

Flight: Using her generated winds, Windchill can lift and propel herself at Remarkable (30) speed. She can do this while using her wind powers for other effects. 

Shield: By focusing her winds into vortexes of cohessive air, she can create shields of air that provide Excellent (20) protection over an area up to 2 areas. 

Temperature Control: The air around Windchill is constantly cooled to Excellent (20) intensity cold. 

Cold Immunity: Windchill has Incredible (40) immunity to cold and cold-based attacks.

Talents: Martial Arts A & B, Occult, Pilot, Computers

Contacts: Numerous occult dealers the world wide as well as several occult circles. 

Background:

Anya Bremitz is an American born heiress and occultist with a lust for power and prestige. Using gathered mystical and occult knowledge she managed to attain cold and wind-based powers which allowed her to further her endeavors to amass the the required magic and resources to bring about the coming of an ancient ice demon. She used her knowledge to free and bind the prehistoric winter spirit now known as Ice Age to her service.

KILLCICLE

Gregor Petrovski, altered human

F    RM (30)

A    EX (20)

S    EX (20)

E    RM (30)

R    GD (10)

I     EX (20)

P    IN (40)

Health: 100

Karma: 70

Resources: RM (30)

Popularity: -40

Known Powers:

Adamantium Spear: Killcicle's primary weapon is his "Killcicle", a long, pointed staff made of pure Adamantium. The weapon is made of Unearthly (100) material strength material and inflicts. While the weapon only inflicts Excellent (20) damage, it ignores any sort of armor of Unearthly (100) or less. 

Admantium Pauldron: Worn on his left shoulder, Killcicle has a detachable pauldron made of Adamantium. He has trained himself to use this as a shield to great effect, often resorting to impressive acrobatics to do so. the pauldron is of Unearthly (100) material strength and can be used when blocking. It can also be detached quickly and used as a thrown weapon, inflicting Good (10) blunt damage. 

Insulated Bodysuit: Icicle wears an insulated bodysuit that gives him Remarkable protection from heat, cold, radiation, electricity, fire, and corrosives. It also provides a filter of Excellent qualitty against airborn toxins. 

Talents: Martial Arts A, B, C, D & E, Edged, Blunt and Thrown Weapons, Security, Pilot, Drive, Computers

Contacts: KGB, Black Widow, Darkstar

Background:

Gregor Petrovski, former KGB assassin, no operates as an independent killer for hire, spy, and operator. He has engaged in esspionage for governments, corporations and organizations across the world but now focuses most of his time on providing the security and skill for Cold Front. He has clashed with the likes of Black Widow, Omega Red, Wolverine, The Winter Soldier as well as the Soviet Supersoldiers

ICE AGE

Real name unknown, demon

F    IN (40)

A    EX (20)

S    MN (75)

E    AM (50)

R    GD (10)

I     RM (30)

P    IN (40)

Health: 185

Karma: 80

Resources: RM (30)

Popularity: -45

Known Powers: 

Body Armor: Ice Age's demonic body gives him Monstrous (75) protection from physical and energy damage. 

Immunities: Ice Age's demonic form Has Class 1000 resistence to cold, poison, disease, and radiation.

Ice Breath: From his mouth, he can disgorge a deluge of Amazing (50) intensity cold and ice that blow with Monstrous (75) intensity force and inflict Incredible (40) damage. Those hit by the flurry must also make Remarkable (20) intensity resistence check or be temporarily blinded. 

Weaknesses:  

Talents: Martials Arts L, N, Q, and R. Occult. 

Contacts: The demons of the Cold Realm.

Background:

The ancient demonic spirit, now known as Ice Age, hails from a Hell dimensions known as the Cold Realm, a place of endless, hungry, devouring cold and misery. He was trapped in stone ages ago in the steppes of what is modern Kazakhstan but freed and bound to service by Windchill. While he serves her obediently, he does not do so loyaly and is disdainful of being beholden to a mortal and only following her direction due to his bond and their shared goals of bringing the Cold Realm's lord to Earth.

Thermal

Dr. Poul Nakisos, altered human

F    PR (4)
A    RM (30

S    SH-0 (0)

E    UN (100)

R    RM (30)

I     RM (30)

P    IN (40)

Health: 134

Karma: 100

Resources: RM (30)

Popularity: 0

Known Powers: 

Energy Body: Due to his body having been transformed to pure cold energy, Thermal is unharmed by physical attacks (slugfest, blunt) and energy attacks, as they lack physical substance. He remains susceptible to magical, psionic, and plasma-based attacks. He can be trapped in special storage batteries.

Flight: As living energy, Thermal does not need to walk or even touch a surface to move. As long as there is an atmopshere, he may flight at Remarkable (30) speed. 

Heat Vampirism/Regeneration: Thermal must feed off the ambient heat of living creatures to sustain himself. He drains life away at Good (10) rate each turn her is in contact with a living creature. The Health he drains from them restores his own lost health. 

Phasing: His energy body has a limited ability to phase through solid objects. As thicker, more sturdy material often provide more insulation from temperature, he can only phase through materials of Excellent (20) Material Strength or less. 

Weaknesses: 

Vacuum Vulnerability: Thermal's living cold body requires an atmosphere to maintain cohesion. If he is subject to a vacuum, he will take Good (10) each turn until he either dissipates/dies or is freed. It is unknown if dissipation is a permanent death for Thermal or not. 

Talents: Cryonics, Bio-Physics, Energy and Particle Physics, Genetics, Immunology, Physiology, Radiology.

Contacts: Dr. Henry Pym, Reed Richards, Stark Industries

Background: 

Formerly and independantly contracted scientist working for Stark Industries, developing new cooling systems he secretly dabbled in strange sciences around cryonics with a goal of improving the human condition through the application of cold. Funding his personal projects was done by siphoning funds from his grants and endowments as well as the theft of key piecs of technologies from his employer.

His research went pourly and he realized too late that he had exposed himself to a degenerating sort of cryonic energy that was sapping the life from his cells and killing him. While he attempted to reverse the effects, his criminal actions had left him hesitant to reach out for aid and he eventually perished. What should have been death, however, was nerely the shedding of his physical form, leaving only living cryonic energy behind.

He was forced to live a live as a predator, feeding his need for thermal energy by preying on the homeless, unwanted, and forgotten. Often his victims appeared to perish from exposure and so these murders went unnoticed. He was later encountered by Killcicle while he was on a mission where the two clashed as heat vampire attempted to feed off the assassin. While they initially fought, Killcicle recognized the potential in the desperate being and recruited him to Windchill's team where his immaterial form has served them well.

TEAM BACKGROUND: 

Cold Front is a force of killers and criminals recruited by Windchill for the purposes of furthering her own lust for power and riches. It is Windchill who discovered and freed Ice Age from his mystical prison and who hired Killcicle as long-term muscle and expertise. Later, Thermal was discovered, having become hopeless and feral, feeding on vagrants to sustain himself. 

Most of the team's activities focus on thefts of artifacts and treasures that can further Windchill's mad pursuit to bathe the world in eternal Winter, making way for the coming of an ancient demon lord from a Hell dimension known as the Cold Realm. 

The team is based out of Windchill's Rhode Island estate where she maintains several civilian vehicles for use by the team or her agents. She also owns a private jet which se keeps hangared at a nearby airport. She has a small network of agents, paid for information, muscle, and other support roles. Each team member has their own room in the mansion, though Ice Age and Thermal have more utilitarian spaces in the sub-levels.