Icarus Superhuman

If I had superhuman powers, who would I be?  Well, since I'm hard-wired to give a crap, I'd make the best go I could at being a super hero.  Of course, the world has such a love-hate relationship with heroes, that would go over just so awesomely well.  But, I'd try anyway.  So, here is who I might be, if I was a Savage Worlds Supers character.

Hortensia Mihaela Quinones

Background & Origin:  She is a native of Belgium, in the northern region, where Dutch is the native language, and French is spoken by almost everyone (Belgium has three official languages - Dutch, French and German).

She was working as a carpet fitter, when she had a mysterious radiation accident and gained superhuman powers.

She was born as a university hospital. It was the closest facility when her mother went into labor at the university library.  She was raised by close family members: grandparents, an aunt/uncle, or similar. They were royalty by blood. They are alive and well.

She has the following siblings:

• A younger brother that  she has lost touch with;
• An older brother that she is very close to;
• An older brother that she is very close to.

She has experienced the following important events:

• A serious relationship ended when her partner died, dying under mysterious circumstances;
• She became addicted to drugs.
• She made a friend; an old friend that she reconnected with. They have great personal power;
• She was involved in several casual relationships, each lasting a month or more, but none became serious;
• A holy man visited her home region, and she spent several months as a disciple, bolstering her faith;
• She made a friend, a relative. They are an important figure both locally and beyond the immediate area;
• She found that she has a younger brother that she never knew she had (see above);
• She made an enemy, people in positions of power, the authorities. She'll go out of her way to start a physical altercation with them. They are an important figure both locally and beyond the immediate area. The dislike is the result of a personal relationship.

Combat Tactics:  She is a skilled melee fighter, having studied various forms of close combat even before developing super strength.

Personality Traits:  Brilliant, arrogant, independent (that's what the random generator came up with, but yeah, yeah, it totally fits, I know).

Appearance:  She favors latex, because skintight stays out of the way, and it just looks good. She has wild, unkempt hair. She carries a locket, with a lock of hair from her partner who died. She wears it fairly prominently, and sometimes drops (fake) clues that it is the source of her power (motivation maybe, power no).

Powers:  She can run at 200 MPH, do tasks ten times faster than normal, regenerate, and lift a bus, while keeping her witty charm, good hair and cute butt.

Notes:  Model unknown.  

(model unknown)

Hortensia Mihaela Quinones  - Savage Worlds

Novice Human Heavy Hitter Superhero

Agility     d6

Smarts     d6

Spirit        d8

Strength     d12+6 (lift 10 tons)

Vigor         d8

Charisma     +2

Pace         96

Parry         7

Toughness     14

Skills

Fighting     d10

Intimidation     d6

Notice     d6

Persuasion     d8

Streetwise     d6

Taunt         d6

Knowledge (language) (Dutch)     (native)

Knowledge (language) (English)     d4

Knowledge (language) (French)     d6

Edges

Arcane Background (Super Human)

Attractive

Combat Reflexes

Dodge

Martial Artist

Strong Willed

Hindrances

Heroic (Major) - always compelled to help those in need and a sucker for a sob story

Big Mouth (Minor) - she talks too freely and doesn't edit enough

Wanted (Minor) - She pissed off the authorities in a couple Asian countries. It was all a "misunderstanding,"  of course, and really it wasn't that much property damage, but that whole "slavery" thing kind of pissed her off. 

Super Powers

Extra Actions 0 Modifiers: Fast Action (still only one action per turn at no penalty, but extended actions take significantly less time) (2 pp)

Regeneration 2 Modifiers: Recovery, Regrowth (natural healing roll every hour, halve time to recover from fatigue, permanent injuries are only temporary) (7 pp)

Speed Pace 96, Modifiers: Blinding Reflexes (240 MPH, attack penalty -4, might be able to dodge explosions) (12 pp)

Super Attribute 10 Strength +9, Vigor +1 (20 pp)

Super Edge Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Martial Artist (6 pp)

Super Skill 5 (5 pp)

Toughness 8 (+8 Toughness) (8 pp)

Sourcebooks Savage Worlds (PEG, 2015), Savage Worlds Super Powers Companion (PEG, 2014),   Savage Worlds Rifts The Tomorrow Legion Players Guide (PEG, 2016).

Random backstory generator - http://www.pbegames.com/lifepath/ .
Random name generator - http://www.behindthename.com/random/ .
Random job generator - http://writingexercises.co.uk/random-job-generator.php .
Random personality trait generator - http://writingexercises.co.uk/random-character-traits-generator.php .

I haven't played Savage Worlds yet, so I don't know what I think. I was kind of disappointed with how many hoops I had to jump through to get the exact character concept I was looking for, and I had to bump her up a power category (to Heavy Hitter) to get enough points for what seemed like a fairly basic concept.

I don't know. Maybe if I actually get a chance to play it, sometime, it will make more sense.

Grown-ups deal with reality, children pretend reality is a lie

Oh, Hell, "thinking" at all, seems to be a lost art form. A huge problem today is that people like to replace selfish emotional needs with thinking. People don't like the answers that come back, therefore substitute the answers they want and gyrate like crazy to justify it.

It takes real emotional maturity to be able to accept reasonable and honest answers and then deal with those answers. Grown-ups can say "I don't like that answer, but I will now deal with it," but children say "Nuh-uh! That's not the answer! I had the biggest inauguration crowd in history! Ever!"

See also

Root Cause: Rape happens, because people commit rape

Women don't get raped for wearing the wrong clothing, they get raped, because men rape them.

This is basic root cause for so many things. People get shot (or stabbed, or clubbed), because someone shoots them.

You get two basic reasons for trying to wave off the reality of rape.

1) blame the victim - often done as a way to justify it otherwise moralize the rape action. "Well, if she hadn't advertised she wanted to be raped, no one would have raped her." Obviously, this is bullshit, and somehow the would-be rapist never seems to catch the implicit insult about how he has less self-control than a mentally damaged dog.

2) Evil exists in the world and you need to try to protect yourself from it. This is a true statement. It should not be construed as an excuse for evil to be evil, that is, just because men sometimes rape women, does not absolve rapists of being rapists, if a women does not somehow prevent him from raping her.

So, just as the root cause of murder (deliberate killing action) is someone committing the murderous action, and failure to prevent oneself being murdered does not absolve the murderer of being a murderer, then rapists are rapists and we need to grow up and accept that rape happens, because men refuse to exercise even basic control over themselves.

But, you know, at the end of the day, grow up and take some responsibility for your actions.

I wanna punch someone - across the Internet

Once upon a time, because I'm anti-stupid, I wrote:

But, you know, this is the age of TL:DR, so 

I think that works beautifully.

#IAmIcarus

#RageOn

Republicans lack introspection

Yeah, no.  Republicans didn't "soul-search" when the GOP lost in 2008 or 2012.  They did double-down on their  racism, thumbscrews and false promises, though.  They did double-down on plans to screw Americans and tell them to beg for more, the ungrateful little turds.

I just don't feel like there is a lot that needs to be said here.  After #Electiongeddon2016, and millions of Americans stared at themselves in the mirror and asked "Oh, fuck, what have we done!?" and now, months later, it turns out that everything is worse than possibly expected from President Trump and the GOP, and - this is the kicker - the Faithful Flock, who - it turns out - are just as arrogant, self-centered, and self-delusional as we always knew they were.  Amazing.

Humans kind of suck.

Fiction Friday - Green-haired Marine Biologist (Aberrant RPG)

Eva Æbbe Arissen

Background & Origin:  She was a marine biology student, when a freak diving accident lead to her eruption. She continued her studies and is now working professionally as a marine explorer and salvage operator.

She knows people in the marine salvage community, where she works as a deep sea specialist, and in the marine biology academic world, where she contributes to research papers.

Combat Tactics:  She'll try to drown a foe into unconsciousness, then haul him to the surface and resuscitate him.

Personality Traits: Relaxed, easy-going, loves the ocean and can talk about it for hours.

Appearance: She is six feet tall, and her hair has turned green as a natural mutation.

Powers: She is perfect in every way, and also bullet proof. She is fully amphibious, and can survive at extreme depths indefinitely.  She is a professional Marine Biologist by training and vocation.

Notes: Model Victoria Van Violence. Character by I.A. Riley, August, 2016.

Eva Æbbe Arissen - Aberrant

Strength ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Might ⬤ [6])

Dexterity ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Athletics ⬤ [6], Martial Arts ⬤ [6])

Stamina ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤/⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5] (+4)
(Endurance ⬤⬤⬤⬤ [9], Resistance ⬤⬤⬤⬤ [9])

Perception ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Awareness ⬤ [6])

Intelligence ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Academics [Maritime Law] ⬤⬤ [7], Engineering [Marine Salvage] ⬤ [6], Medicine ⬤ [6], Linguistics ⬤⬤ [7], Science [Marine Biology] ⬤⬤⬤ [8])

Wits ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Art ⬤⬤ [7], Biz ⬤ [6])

Appearance ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Intimidation ⬤ [6], Style ⬤ [6])

Manipulation ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Streetwise ⬤⬤ [7])

Charisma ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ [5]
(Command ⬤ [6], Perform ⬤⬤ [7])

Quantum ⬤⬤⬤
Quantum Pool 26
Willpower ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤ ⬤⬤
Taint ⬤⬤
Combined Soak - Bashing 17, Lethal 10
Health levels - Bruised, Bruised, Bruised, Bruised, Hurt, Injured, Wounded (cannot sprint), Maimed (movement halved), Maimed, Maimed, Crippled (can only move one meter per turn), Incapacitated, Dead

Backgrounds
Eufiber ⬤⬤⬤⬤
Resources ⬤⬤⬤

Powers
Body Modification (Adhesive Grip, Extra Health Levels [+1 “Bruised,” +2 “Maimed”], Gills)

Mega-Stamina ⬤⬤⬤⬤ (Adaptability, Resiliency)
(heal six times faster than a baseline, lifespan 200+ years, dice pool penalties due to injury reduced by four, two extra “Bruised” Health levels)

Eva Æbbe Arissen - Mighty Protectors

Strength 18 (Carrying Capacity 480 lbs., Basic HTH d8+1)

Endurance 38 (Save 15, Heal 6.3)

Agility 18 (Save 12)

Intelligence 18 (Save 12)

Cool 18 (Save 12, Initiative d8+1)

Hit Points 41

Power 102

Physical Defense 2

Mental Defense 2

Move 25 ground, 24 swimming

Inventing Points 11

Wealth d6+1

Luck 11-

Weight 220 lbs.

Total Cost 110 + 212.5 - 27.5 = 295

Powers

Adaptation: Blood Loss, Disease, Drowning, High Pressure, Low Temperature, Poison, Radiation, Time, Venom (35 CP)

Armor: Kinetic 4, Energy 5, Biochemical 4, Entropy 5 (30 CP)

Durability: Hit Points +5 (5 CP)

Energy: Power +10 (5 CP)

Heightened Attack: Damage +1 all attacks (2.5 CP)

Heightened Endurance: EN +20 (included above)

Inventing: Inventing Points +2 (2 CP)

Invulnerability: Biochemical, Blunt Kinetic (30 CP)

Knowledge: Languages, Fluent, plus literacy, two additional languages (8 CP)

Life Support: 8 ten-hour charges, Protection 3, Modifiers: Not Gear (30 CP)

Luck: Luck +1 (2.5 CP)

Physical Ability: Wall-Crawling (10 CP)

Speed: Swimming Move 24, Modifiers: Fast Acceleration (2.5 CP)

Wealth: d6+1 Wealth roll (5 CP)

Willpower: Fortitude, Pain Resistance (25 CP)

Gear

Eufiber: Adaptation: High Temperatures, Low Temperatures, Armor: Kinetic 2, Energy 2, Biochemical 2, Entropy 2, Energy: Power +10, Modifiers: Multifunction Gear (20 CP)

Weaknesses

Compulsion: Considers Marine Biology the only worthy science (Rare, Character Hook) (-7.5 CP)

Distinctive Features: The height, green hair, tattoos, and disdain for shoes and clothing even in extreme weather conditions, stand out (-5 CP)

Nemesis: She has unhealthy fans (Less Powerful, Rare) (-5 CP)

Public Identity: She hasn't tried to hide it, but also just lives a normal lifestyle, instead of going out and picking enemies (-10 CP)

Combat Summary:
Initiative: d8+1
Unarmed: Attack 15-, Damage d8+2 (avg 6.5)

Boilerplate

Sourcebooks Aberrant RPG (White Wolf Publishing, 1999).

Mighty Protectors and the Monkey House Games logo are trademarks owned by Monkey House Games, ©2017 Monkey House Games. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A.

Random backstory generator - http://www.pbegames.com/lifepath/ .

Random name generator - http://www.behindthename.com/random/ .

Lots of Mega-Stamina, by itself, isn't actually much use, since there are only two Abilities linked to it, and it's overpriced compared to Armor for the defensive benefits it provides. However, this character was specifically built around the premise of lots of Mega-Stamina, so there you go.

Eufiber is actually the cheapest possible way to boost soak, since five dots can be had for one nova point.

Deeply Held Beliefs Feel Good

"Deeply held beliefs" make us feel good.

"Deeply understood facts" are often uncomfortable, frustrating, or in direct opposition to humans feeling good about themselves.

Mock the Meme: the NRA trying to sell silencers

I'm totally fine as long as we're really talking about using them for hunting rifles, which is the story the meme is selling.

So, let's all agree to keep pistol suppressors off the market? Since no sane person tries hunting deer or rabbit with just a pistol, anyway, right?

I mean, a pistol as a backup, in case something goes wrong, absolutely, but anyone who wants to shoot the rabbit or deer up close and pistol personal in the first place isn't the kind of person I want having a gun, anyway.

By the way, apparently in the US, there is a $200 application fee to buy a silencer, aka firearm suppressor.  Given that most decent firearms can cost well in excess of $200, oh, boo hoo.  If you want it badly enough, do some paperwork, otherwise don't whine when "the criminals" start flooding the market with suppressors and shooting your "lawful gun owner" ass.

It's called "persuasive argument," and the point is to convince you of an idea. The meme presents the idea of firearm silencers as a good thing that every reasonable person would want.

What the meme deliberately ignores and deliberately misleads you away from is items I touched on above - pistols and all the other reasons silencers are currently illegal. They weren't designed as courtesy features. They were designed as military and killing features - imagine how much harder domestic violence case become when there are fewer witnesses because no one heard the gun shots the day before, so no one called the cops until the body was found long after the assailant fled the state.

This isn't rocket science. There are very good reasons that suppressors are not legal, and the NRA assholes are still selling the same old shit: get everyone terrified, so everyone jumps into the arms race out of terror, and the NRA owners - the gun makers - make shitloads of money off terrified peasants killing each other.

Focus, Berned, Focus - Electiongeddon2016 is OVER

“hillbots” - how quaint.

Listen, “Berned,” #Electiongeddon2016 is over. We have Trump.

Clinton is gone and relegated to the dustbin of history. Both of them. Let it go. We have Trump and the GOP.

So, you're mad at the DNC because you feel cheated and defeated by the 40 year slow burn of the GOP? You can point to the neo-liberal failings of Clinton and Obama? You’re mad that Obama wasn't radical enough.

That's nice. Remember the part where Obama spent 8 years barely able to get anything done at all, due to GOP obstruction? Oh, you've already forgotten because #Electiongeddon2016 left you feeling Berned and angry?

Where were you during the Clinton years? Where were you during the Bush years? Where were you during the Obama years? You do know the GOP were stealing your shit long before Bernie’s Kiss magically woke you up during #Electiongeddon2016, right, Berned?

Congratulating yourself that a Trump presidency is “punishing” the DNC is just plain stupid. The DNC still exists. The DNC will continue to exist. The DNC isn't “punished,” because you voted Trump, or Stein, or - this is my favorite - wrote in Sanders (after he dropped out and told you not to), instead of Clinton.

No, Berned, the DNC are doing just fine despite your choice. It's the rest of America that's getting fucked and that's why everyone thinks you're being an asshole, Berned.

What are you doing - TODAY - about GOP voter suppression, Berned?

What are you doing - TODAY - about GOP gerrymandering, Berned?

What are you doing - TODAY - about GOP brainwashing and gaslighting of America, Berned?

What are you doing - TODAY - in your district to unseat the GOP with candidates you do like, Berned?

In other words, Berned, what are you doing other than tearing down the only bulwark - shitty as it may be - standing between everyone in America and the naked fascism of the GOP?

Or, are you just hung up on Clinton and the DNC and feeling “berned,” so you’re just as useless to humanity as the Trumplings you congratulate yourself in being better than?

Focus, Berned, Focus.

Satan's Son - the GOP hate you

GR “The Liberal RN” B wrote:
(And, I mean, really, about the only thing I can add to this seriously epic rant is some amusing links. Sometimes a work of art is so beautiful, just don't fuck with it, you know?)

Satan's Son, Prince Reibus Claims #RepubliKlanners Never Questioned Obama's Legitimacy...

Wait! What? Repeat that, #PrinceReibus (R-Satan's Son)? You unmitigated fucksticks didn't question his legitimacy? For EIGHT fkn years, your #Klanbaggers demanded to "see the birth certificate" and calling him a secret Muslim/Kenyan. Shit, even that overweight glob of grease, former House Speaker Newt(ron) "Bomb" Gingrich (R-I Cheat On Sick Wives) said on TV that Obama had a Kenyan Colonialist mindset (and HOW the FCK would he know what Obama was thinking and thinking like? When did this slug become a mind reader?). And all of those "Birther" asshats were led by none other than Our Dear Leader, The #GiantOompaLoompa, The #NuclearCheeto, The #VulgarTalkingYam, #GoldenShowers, himself, Donald J. #tRump (R-Ferret-Wearing-Shitgibbon)...and you can sit there with a straight face telling that lie? Oh, let's not forget the notorious Joe "You Lie!" Wilson (R-I Have No Fucking Manners), who screams like a spoiled toddler in the middle of the State of The Union address. 

I could go ON and ON with plenty of documented statements by elected #Klanbaggers and #ReichWingDouchbags that attempted to delegitimize President Obama. Not one word from YOU, #PrinceReibus, nor from #MitchTheBitch "Mumbles" McConnell (R-Yertle The Turtle), nor #LyinPaulRyan (R-Eddie Munster)to EVER condemn that shit. No, not once. You sat there grinning on the sidelines, tacitly endorsing this shit, while the #Klanbaggers screamed "Take our country back". We all know that meant, "Take it back from the NITWH*".

So, to borrow a couple of movie quotes, #PrinceReibus:

"Don't tell me you're innocent. Because it insults my intelligence and makes me very angry." - Michael Corleone (The Godfather)

"Reap the whirlwind!" - Billy The Kid (Young Guns)

In other words, #PrinceReibus, "Go fornicate with thine ownself, injest excrement and expire" because "Thou dost protest too much".

#EvilGOPBastards, #ReichWingDouchebags #Klanbaggers #GOPFail

(source)

Trump Losing His Mind

Donald Trump is losing his mind on international television. The broadcasts are going into space. Even the Martians are seeing it. This isn't really open to debate. POTUS is coming unglued.

You know what makes me a decent human being? I wrote this sentence, I'll stand by it.

Still, and pathetic as [Trump is], and has been - and even if it is justified karma - it is always tragic and heartbreaking to watch someone publicly and high profile lose his mind.

Sometimes, I really want to be the bitch and not the principled person. But there you go.

Focus, Berned - Your Russia love is insulting Sanders

Look at the name of the collection he put the meme into. I don't ever want to hear anyone give me shit about my chewing out the Berned ever again.

Russia - the Cold War wasn't that long ago. Russia invaded the Ukraine to put $billions$ in oil money into Putin's personal pocket.

Russia and Putin have been reliably fingered for tampering with #Electiongeddon2016.

Some Berned wants to make a joke about trusting Russia more than US Citizens?

How very Trump Special Snowflake of you, Berned. You're an embarrassment to everything Bernie fought for.

(It stripped the poster's name, because this isn't about him necessarily, it's about the meme and the attitude, and that's my focus, because he and I agree on so many things. He can jump in here if he wants. I'm just explaining why I did it this way.)

That relationship has got to end

Listen, random lady overheard on the train: Any time you use the phrase "Well, he doesn't hit her..." you've just described a relationship that doesn't have "communication issues," (as you went on to say), you've described a toxic relationship that simply needs to be ended.  Ugh.

Is Common Sense dead, or what? Double Ugh.