Character Creation Thread - jamat :)

Anything that you want The Watcher to know about your character, please copy it over to your character creation thread, rather than relying upon him to track down info in any other public or private thread.  He has taken on a populous game, so the easier we can make it for him, the sooner we can get up and running.  Many thanks. :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:10, Fri 07 May 2021.

I have really only 1 concept but two possible playbooks to use with it.

Rendal "father" was a demon lord from limbo who managed to open a rift temporarily to allow him and a hand full of generals to access earth. Through various means he conquered earth in the future  Ut this was not good enough for him so he created a son.
This child was a tool for the demon lord and he was created to act as a vessel to hold the powers of one of Magik's soulstones giving the demon the power to open a rift large enough to allow the elder gods through so he could conquer the universe

The ritual went wrong and Rendal showed more free will than his father realised. The boy created a portal that sucked him and the soulstone back through time to the present day. The soulstone and he merged but it scrambled his brain and now he only has visions of the future and vage insights in what to do to prevent his future happening

Now a slight play on this would be rather than coming from the future he managed to open a portal from limbo to earth and his father is now hunting him down to finish what he had started only with the ritual going wrong his father can only open small temporary rifts meaning only one or two can come through at any one time.


The first iteration of the concept would be using the harbinger playbook the second one would be using the newborn playbook as he in both he was created as a 14 year old  boy from magic

This concept also ties him in to Magik from the new mutants and thus the marvel universe

I quite like the newborn approach rather than the harbinger but any comments would be appreciated
This message was last updated by the GM at 16:10, Fri 07 May 2021.

Also sounds like he'd be connected to Dr. Strange, what with all the demons and dimension hopping. Speaking of, I suggest you follow your heart and go with the Newborn. Scratch the time travel stuff and replace it with Limbo and the Dark Dimension, have the "kid" be rescued with Dr. Strange's help and sponsored into our team as a means of protecting him and also teaching him what it means to be a hero, and boom, there ya go. TWO connections to the Marvel Universe, a reason for being in the team, a way to play up the Newborn elements rather than the Harbinger, and everyone goes out for ice cream! :D Whacha think?
This message was last updated by the GM at 16:10, Fri 07 May 2021.

In reply to Nintaku (msg # 3):

That's a fantastic idea many thanks :0)
This message was last updated by the GM at 16:11, Fri 07 May 2021.

Name: Rendal
Code name: Gateway
Playbook: newborn
Super abilities: Portals and infernal powers

Concept:

Rendal was created from dark eldritch magic by a demon lord of Limbo. He was made to be a vessel to store and amplify the portal powers of one of the soulstones belonging to the new mutant Magik.
Luckily or unluckily at the height of the ritual to bind the two together and open a portal that would allow the elder gods into the world and allow the demon lord to conquer earth. Dr Strange appeared to do battle with the demon and his horde.

To save the child and to remove the focus of the ritual Dr Strange opened a portal to his house and Rendal and the soulstone fell through. During the trip through the gate the wyld energies that formed the portal fused the soulstone into Rendal. The unconscious boy arrived just as Strange stepped through another rip in the dimensional fabric.

The boy, as for all intense and purposes he was a 14 year old boy, could not be left on his own and it was out of the question for Dr Strange to keep him with him due to the nature and danger of his work. But it was also impossible to allow the boy out into the world as he would be hunted down by the Demon Lord's followers still intent on completing the ritual and releasing the elder gods.

The only option was to foster him out to someone or a group of someones would could protect him, teach him the way of the world and train him in the control of his powers.

Dr Strange called in some favours and Rendal found himself at a school with other children of his age and older who also had strange powers.

Now Rendal has to find his place in the world, control the dark powers inside him that created him and learn  to defend himself from the hunters sent to bring him back to limbo. if along  the way the 14 year old makes friend even better.

Marvel Connections:
Dr strange
Magik from the new mutants

Powers:
Rendal can open portals between two locations to allow himself and others to pass through and He can open small portals to reach through and grab things from far away. The size of the portal he will be able to open when his power is fully developed is unknown but if the demon lord is after him it will be vast. It is also unknown what effect the soulstone will have on him in the future or to that matter on Magik.

As the boy was created from dark magic he has the ability to call up infernal powers. When he calls on these powers he takes on a more demonic appearance until he shuts them off. The full extend of these powers are yet to be gauged.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 16:11, Fri 07 May 2021.

Hero Name: Gateway
Real Name: Rendal (given to him by Dr Strange)

Looks: 14 year old pale skinned boy with long dirty blond hair and scarlet red eyes. He wears casual but plain clothes

Abilities:
Portals
Infernal powers

Labels:
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

Back story:

How created you and why?
A demon lord created Rendal to open a portal to allow the elder gods through

How are you different to humans?
Rendal looks human but he is moulded from dark magic when he uses his infernal powers he takes on a more demon like appearance. He also has part of another person's soul as his own (Magik's soulstone)

How outside the team is your caretaker?
Dr Strange the man who rescued him

What about humanity fascinates you most?
The need for humans to socially connect with one enough in groups called families

Why do you care about the team?
The team is the first family he's ever had

What does "infernal powers" mean? How do you envision that?

Any idea what Moves you'd like to take?

Who is the demon lord? What are they doing now? Have they any idea where you are, or are they still looking? Have they tried the plan again? Do you have "siblings"? Do they want you back? How do you feel about all that?

What effect does Magik's soulstone have on you? What is it? How does she feel about you having it? Does she want it back? How does she see you? How does she see the team? How do you feel about her?

Infernal powers : thinking he can call on the souls of those trapped in limbo so it manifests as a mass of screaming smoke like faces that can lift people off their feet, pass through people to drain them making them weak etc not totally sure fully this all comes from the fact he was created from dark magic.

Haven't thought of moves yet

The demon lord is from limbo.... (I need to read a bit more about Magik it might be one she has run into before)
They don't know where he is at present when Dr strange stopped the ritual he opened a portal and Rendal dropped through  strange his hiding him at the school they will still be looking for him
No siblings as far as he knows.. He was created as a 14 year old boy  but has only been in existence for a year or so
They want him back his powers make him the key for opening a large portal that will enable the elder gods into the world.

Magik had parts of her soul taken from her and made into soulstones that one of her enemies in limbo tried to use them for evil. One of them was being used by the demon lord to amplify Rendal portal powers   Ut when he fell through Dr stranges portal his dark magic body absorbed the stone giving his the enhanced portal powers

Not sure how Magik feels about it yet.

Any suggestions on any of this is welcome as it's still only a rough outline at present

Hm. Okay, so I kinda see two ways to tighten up the character. The first is to swap out the Newborn for the Doomed and really play up the demon child aspect and preparing for a coming catastrophe when daddy comes a knockin'. The other is to pick portals and one of the ability boxes from the Newborn playbook itself (maybe thermal control, to wield fire and ice, and theme the portals after those extremes?), then pick either Regeneration or A Mind of Their Own to represent general "infernal powers" rather than trying to define what that big umbrella would cover.

The Doomed suggestion is just if you want to focus on the demonic child element, while sticking with Newborn is if you want to focus on what it means to have been born yesterday and looking for a sense of identity.

And I'd definitely say that if you want to include Magik and having part of her soul, that should probably be more than just a quick "oh yeah also he has a massively powerful devil queen's soul" throwaway line. :P She should either be more involved or maybe cut out entirely.

Thanks for the suggestions :)

Given me something to think about.

The Magik thing isn't a throw away one line but I see what you mean might have to get rid of it if I can't make it fit

Cheers :)

Ok after reviewing Ricochet's suggestions I've revised my thinking slightly about Gateway.

Now he will be using the Doomed playbook as it does seem to fit more with the overall concept which hasn't changed.

I've dropped the Magik connection, as Ricochet pointed out, and after thinking it through was actually quite weak.

So his two marvel connections are Dr Strange his rescuer and Belasco the 13th Century sorcerer.

Comments welcome

Hero Name: Gateway
Real Name: Rendal (given to him by Dr Strange)

Looks: 14 year old pale skinned boy with long dirty blond hair and scarlet red eyes. He wears casual but plain clothes

Abilities:
Portals
thermal powers

Nemesis:

Belasco a 13th century sorcerer who worships the elder gods. After being trapped in limbo he spent years conquering it. After a failed attempt to use Kitty and Illyana of the X-men to free him he sent out agents into the world to find another way to escape.

An old manuscript talked about a spell that could create a vessel that could be used to open a gate from limbo to allow him to break free but it could also open a portal to the demonic dimension where the elder gods reside.

He tracked down the spell and created Rendal as the vessel to harness the powers in giving up a portion of his own black soul to power the ritual. Just at the moment it was to be activated Dr Stange appeared and fought off the demon hordes with his allies.

During the battle Dr Strange opened a portal to his own sanctuary and the young boy fell through and was gone.

The failed ritual weakened Belasco and he seeks the boy to finish what he has started. As long as the boy lives his plans for the universe, with him as its ruler, can still come true.

Doom:
Injuring innocents
Frightening loved ones

Labels:
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +2
Superior: -1
Mundane: +0


Sanctuary:

Features:
An aid ( a small demon who has been drawn to my eldritch essence)
Healing magic
A teleportal

Drawbacks:
Tied intricately to my doom
Easily damaged


Back story:

When did you learn of your doom?
After Doctor Strange Rescued me

Where did you get your sanctuary?
I found it when I first got wounded. My Portal powers created a safe haven for me

Why do you oppose your Nemesis?
If I ever fall under his Belasco’s powers again it could mean the end of the world

Who, outside the team, is crucial in defeating your nemesis?
Doctor Strange, with his guidance I will be powerful enough to defeat him

Why does the team matter to you?
The team is the first family I’ve ever had.

Sounds fun. Where is his sanctuary, exactly? Can he teleport to it pretty much at will (though, since it's tied to the Doom, perhaps that that risks drawing Belasco's attention...)? Actually, what is that connection exactly?

One thing that comes to mind is that he doesn't really have loved ones to frighten yet, does he? If he has just come to exist and his only human relationship is with his rescuer. Of course, it might not take long for that to change.

In reply to Counterforce (msg # 12):

Hi there thanks for the comments. :o)

The sanctuary is accessed via one of his portals, his power used a little of the dark magic to create a pocket realm within limbo where it draws on the dimension energy to heal him.
The teleportal is a gateway that allows him to exit limbo to anyplace he wants to return to on earth.

Its connected to his doom by the fact that it was created by the dark magic that Belasco used to create him and as Belasco used some of his own soul to do that the sanctuary is part of the whole thing.....it maybe one day Rendal will have to defeat the sorcerer for good but in doing so it might also kill him and destroy his sanctuary.

I might change his doom to facing danger alone.... as he's just found his new family he takes comfort from the team and it builds his confidence and makes him feel he can achieve anything with them round him.....If he has to face danger on his own he is filled with self doubt

Yes, or it might just rob him of his powers and the sanctuary while giving him a new lease on life (the change playbooks option). That might be fun to see. Though that confrontation won't happen for some time of course, how ever it goes.

I think Doomed works very well here indeed.

In reply to Counterforce (msg # 14):

cheers glad you like it and thanks for the help :o)

So far, Gateway looks great!  I'm going to let the other players catch up to actually making characters before I get into depth critiquing.  But it looks like Gateway is pretty much ready to go.  How wonderfully tragic. :-)

no reason for the post just realised my character thread had dropped onto the second forum page :o(

Hi! I placed you as one of my two Relationships in our team thread, and was hoping it worked for you. The idea is that Agent Venom has some connections that suggest you're of some sort of demonic origin, so he wants me to keep an eye on you to make sure that's kept tabs on. Is that alright with you?

I'm glad to see you back on the first page again, Gateway.  I know this game is a slow burn but this crew makes it worth the wait. :-)