Nightblade - Akasha - Seize the GM

As we keep looking over the characters possible from the Marvel FASERIP system, we now turn to Mutant origins. Akasha is a character that I didn’t have any inkling for before rolling up the random results and fitting him into this world. Clearly, there are some kinds of powers that have shown up as implied by Autobahn’s story in the previous write up. I looked at Akasha to fill the role of holding the team onto their good origins and also having a quasi outsider stance.

Design Notes

Origin: Mutant. Mutants carry a lot of baggage in the system, partially because this models the 1980s Marvel comic books of mutants being feared and hated. This origin includes the inborn powers that are not a result of being an alien and so can be quite broad when using it in different contexts. Each Origin has a different table for the range for their statistics which helps create some balance – Mutants use the same chart as Altered Humans as described in Chimera’s write up. As a Mutant, Akasha will get an extra power up to a maximum of 5 powers, his Endurance will be increased by one rank but his resources will be reduced by one rank; his Popularity starts at 0 and he has a harder time gaining popularity; and the powers should be mostly inborn and can be affected by devices and powers about mutant abilities.

Primary Statistics: As a reminder, this is the FASERIP of the FASERIP System – Fighting; Agility; Strength; Endurance; Reason; Intuition; and Psyche. The following shows the rolls, the Rank, and the Rank Number for Chimera

F – 92 – Incredible (36)
A – 91 – Incredible (36)
S – 11 – Typical (6)
E – 95 – Incredible (36) [Amazing (46)]
R – 22 – Good (8)
I – 35 – Good (8)
P – 56 – Excellent (16)

That’s a pretty impressive set of statistics! I like that the Fighting and Agility are so high as this means that Akasha will have a lot of Health and I like that the hopeful positive person is hard to put down in a fight.

Secondary Statistics: These include Health and Karma that are generated by adding FASE and RIP respectively, Popularity that is built from a standard base with some optional changes from the character’s history, and Resources which starts at Typical and is modified by a random roll.

Health – 124
Karma – 32
Resources – a Roll of 48 means no change from Typical and as a mutant, Akasha’s Resources are dropped to Poor (4).
Popularity – Popularity starts at 0. With a Secret ID, I will go ahead and use the same optional rules and give Akasha’s super heroic identity a -10 at the start just to be a cruel and uncaring GM/Judge.

Special Abilities are rolled to create a range of powers, talents, and contacts. There is a minimum number available, but a character may sacrifice Resource ranks for additional powers, talents, or contacts up to the maximum shown.

Powers – A roll of 53 means a result of “3/4” but as a mutant, Akasha will start with 4. Using the random tables, here is what results we get:

Matter Control – Air Control Good (8)
Energy Control- Light Control Good (8)
Energy Control – Magnetic Excellent (16)
Body Control – Invisibility Remarkable (26)

I don’t like that second Energy Control. It seems out of place. I am going to replace it with a different power:

~~Energy Control – Magnetic~~ Life Support Excellent (16)

That fits better for a cohesive theme in the power set. Air Control provides one free power stunt to start, so I am going to go with Flight so that Akasha can fly about especially as an invisible trouble maker. The overall power levels of these powers are low, but that also means that it will be much easier in advancement to even them up as going from a starting Good (8) to an Excellent (16) is about the same amount of karma as it takes for a starting Monstrous (63) to get to Monstrous (65). That also balances out some of the rather exceptional rolls for Primary Abilities we had!

Talents – a Roll of 27 means a result of “2/5” so at least 2 Talents, which are trained abilities, and up to a maximum of 5 if Resource ranks are sacrificed. Using the random tables, the results are:

Fighting Talents – Acrobatics
Professional Talents – Scientific – Chemistry

Acrobatics is helpful since Akasha has no armor or other ability to soak damage, unless he learns some power stunts later, so the +1CS to evasion and dodging is helpful. Chemistry … okay. He needs a day job and being a low level chemist works.

Contacts – a Roll of 22 means a result of “1/4” so a single Contact up to a maximum of 4. Someone friendly to Akasha, but for the fun of character development, and in the spirit of comic books, it will be a contact only for his Secret Identity who is unaware of his heroics and may not support him if they knew. His mentor from college sounds like a good one. A Professor bugging him to get to graduate school or do more with his life… actually his low resources make a good case to be a graduate assistant and work with the Chemistry Talent.

Weakness – Using the optional rules from the Ultimate Powers Book, a good Achilles heel for a hero is always useful. Darkforce or shadow energies should be his downfall. It is a good oppositional set up that works well in comic books! This is an energy allergy or weakness so his powers don’t work against it creating the classic light versus dark set up.

Character Notes

Navin’s parents were good people and they raised their son to be a good person. Navin grew up knowing that his parents wanted not only the best for him but the best for all of the world, even if they kept a secret or two from him. What good parents wouldn’t keep something about the world back from their kids?

One thing they skipped over, though, was that Navin came from a long line of powered individuals and that that history carried its own weight. The world was still trying to make sense of what was or was not true – powers that originated before Doughboy just lead to questions and distrust. To what extent did our past get shaped by these powers, and to what extent are they even human? Being alone in the 90s in the U.S. saw a great deal of opportunity for Navin’s parents, but also a great deal of stress. They constantly fought between the idea of hiding because of their past but also establishing their identity – an immigrant’s dilemma.

The one thing they did not question was the way they encouraged and pushed Navin to get an education. Education was the silver bullet, it was what would let Navin make his own path and way. Navim was bright, maybe not the brightest in his class but diligent and applied himself. He was in many ways a leader in his high school, and college proved no exception. Sure, he may have had his own moments like Gyges, even Plato asked what an invisible man would do, but he was by far a good person.

The problem is that Navin is restless and unsure. He could lead his students, make friends, and was otherwise a character almost from central casting playing sports, studying, being well liked … but his hidden powers gnawed at him. Instead of taking his undergraduate work in chemistry and going out into the wide world, he decided to stay in school and prolong having to make that choice. He became a graduate assistant, enrolled in post-graduate work, and instead of sleeping started to practice with his powers.

Dumb luck can only described what happened next – He was on the docks, practicing flight and pushing the winds around when the New Millenium Patriots cashed through the building across the docks. Chasing Chimera, they had managed to make a bigger mess of things then they wanted as the warehouse they smashed had a trio of powered individuals ready to leap to Chimera’s aide. Barracuda, Brique, and Gun Bunny wasted no time laying into the attacking NMP Blanks. Navin couldn’t stand by – the call to adventure roused in him … and he joined the fray.

Christened Akasha afterwards, he has been working with Nightblade to opposed the NMP and other factions at the behest of whoever is giving Barracuda his instructions … and funding. They have some ties to the college Navin still attends, but Dr. Simonson is getting suspicious. Akasha is the voice of moderation and reason often, somewhat of an “All-American” kid in their oddball bunch and that sometimes leaves him feeling more alone than ever before in his life.

Nightblade and FASERIP overview here

Akasha Character Sheet here.

Character Designs done on Hero Machine 3