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+---- Thread: IST Evil Megavillain (/showthread.php?tid=6001)
IST Evil Megavillain - Mark Skarr - 02-22-2013
(Or: Why my players hate me some times)
Long story, but, it may be an interesting read for some of you.
Okay, so this idea came to me from our GURPS Teen Supers game. As I was putting ideas together for my next story for the game, I was reading one of my standard sources of inspiration: GURPS Classic: Creatures of the Night. And, within this wondrous tome I found excellent inspiration: The Fabricant (pg 41-42). It wasn’t long (seriously, about 30 minutes) before I had the plot figured out, and began looking to stat the creature out.
Well, the first thing I looked at were TL10 Combat Androids in UltraTech. After statting one up, I laughed and declared: “that would red-mist the teens; it would be a challenge for the ISTers. Or a normal ambush foe in MegaDenver.” (Cue lightbulb warming up). I copied the stat block to another page, and went about statting the Fabricant as a TL10 general purpose Android.
After completing the Fabricant (Doctor Johann Fox) and his trusty fabricant pet, I went back to the TL10 Combat Android version and started tweaking it. While doing this, my brain continued to percolate: Fabricants are “created” when someone becomes unstuck in time. Well, if the Teens aren’t successful at destroying (or curing) Dr. Fox, then, he probably has a way to “travel” in time. And, if it’s broken, he might be able to travel through dimensions and wind up in the I.S.T. game. And, even if they do stop him, I like this guy enough to be a different Dr. Fox.
So, Dr. Fox got his TL10 Combat Android upgrade, and some more upgrades to make him boss-level tough. His, original, Combat Android stats got cloned into his Fabricant-slave army. And, being a full TL higher than the IST world (1.5, technically), he’ll be trying to build his own ship to leave. The only way he can do this, successfully, is to convert more creatures to Fabricants and scavenge their bodies for technology. The way Fabricants make more fabricants is to make them ingest their flesh. For details, you’ll have to read Creatures of the Night.
Thus, he will come into conflict with the UN. I’m figuring he’ll start out by capturing primitive tribes in Africa and South America, turn them into Fabricants, keeping the best for soldiers and sacrificing the rest for spare parts. After several battles (unless the party is incredibly successful) he’ll get his ship built, and leave the Earth. Leaving the horrible, living creatures behind.
At this point, I had started reading GURPS Aliens for more ideas for the I.S.T. L2 game, and came across the Kaa: an evil, slaving, cannibalistic, serpentine race that’s pretty much a stock GURPS race. And, at this point, the lightbulb flared on, full force.
After a time, Dr. Fox will encounter the Kaa. Upon learning of the Kaa’s predilection for eating sapiens (of any sort; it’s kind of a religious/power-rush thing), he will hatch the following plan:
He will offer his allegiance to the Kaa Duke whose realm he has come across. And, as a show of his devotion, he will “execute” ten of his best soldiers and twenty of his strongest workers, and have them prepared as a meal for his new Kaa masters. (This is not, in any way, dangerous for his followers: a shot through the “heart” with a TL10 laser pistol won’t even penetrate their armored hide, but will make for a good show).
While they are helpless, becoming Kaa-Fabricants, he will have them reprogrammed to obey him. He will repeat this until he has the entire Duchy under his control.
The Kaa-Fabricants will have an across-the-board TL upgrade, and he will use this (sacrificing all the workers he needs to) to build a fleet of TL10 ships to come back and attack the Earth. Anyone can rule aliens . . . he wants to replace the Human Race with Fabricants. And metahuman Fabricants at that!
TL;DR version: Evil, life-hating robot, infects alien race and plans to do the same to humanity! Send in the Heroes!
- Shepherd - 02-22-2013
If you have him operate in Africa and South America, how is he traveling back and forth between the regions with his converted followers? Are they attracting attention from locals (maybe he's bribing drug cartels and warlords to look the other way)? Instead of that, why not target homeless people in America? This keeps him closer to potentially useful American technology, and America has lots of mass transportation via highway and railroads with few internal security measures (weird mental image of him and his followers touring the country in a chartered bus). He can also travel almost anywhere without ever having to present any identification papers. Parts for his space ship can be kept in storage lockers (and if he's defeated, the lockers will eventually be auctioned off and the contents can wind up in the hands of criminals).
----------------------------------------------------
"Anyone can be a winner if their definition of victory is flexible enough." - The DM of the Rings XXXV
- Mark Skarr - 02-22-2013
That's how he works in the Teen Supers game: He starts off by converting stray animals to repair himself (and keep one as a companion), then he started preying on the homeless. But, America has organized law enforcement, so he has to be more careful as a cop can't simply vanish without attracting attention. And, even though he's TL10, he's not combat-TL10--he doesn't stand much chance against law enforcement. In Teen Supers he's only got a DR of 5, and his most powerful weapon does 4d cr dkb.
For IST he's learned the lessons above and knows not to do things in technologically advanced, computer-infrastructured areas. Hence the move to Africa and South America (that also makes him IST's problem as he becomes international). And, oh yes, he's "bribing" the drug cartels, but, in IST, he's a TL10 Combat Android, upgraded to Boss level. He is also an adherent to certain points of the Evil Overlord List (#199, specifically: I will not make alliances with those more powerful than myself. Such a person would only double-cross me in my moment of glory. I will make alliances with those less powerful than myself. I will then double-cross them in their moment of glory). The moment he gets any of them alone, he overpowers them and turns them into Fabricants as well.
He's afraid of supers. They don't play "fair." His technological advantage only puts him on an even keel with them. It doesn't give him the advantage he's used to. So, he really wants to make Fabricant-slave Metahumans.
As for getting from point A to point B without drawing attention: Radar Stealth and Invisibility Net (UT pg 100).
- Mark Skarr - 02-25-2013
Dr. Anthony Fox
Fabricant (TL10 Upgraded Combat Android; IST Version)
[table]
Portable Railgun (20): 5dx3(3) pi+; Acc 4; Range 3,000/12,000; RoF 3; Shots 25 (3); Rcl 3; Ammo 1.5 lbs
Auto Electromag Grenade Launcher, 40mm (20): 8d pi++; Acc 4; Range 300/2,000; RoF 1; Shots 20; Rcl 2; Ammo 10 lbs
Shaped Charge: 6dx5(+3)(10) cr inc + linked 4d cr ex [2d]
Dinosaur Rainbow Laser (20): 8d(3) Burn, Acc 12; Range 4,000/12,000; RoF 1; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Dinosaur Stunner (20): HT-6(5) aff; Acc 6; Range 130/500; RoF 1; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Force Rifle (20): 8d cr dkb; Acc 12; Range 700/2,100; RoF 1; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Punch (14): 3d-1 cr, reach C
Kick (12): 3d+1, reach 1
Traits: Absolute Direction; Accessory (Microframe Computer); Ambidexterity; AI; Combat Reflexes; Detect (Radios, Lasers and Radar; Signal Detection); Discriminatory Hearing; Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat; Electrical; Enhanced Move 1 (Air); Enhanced Move 1 (Space); Extra Air Move +1; Extra Space Move +1; Fabricant Skin; Flight (Space Flight); High Pain Threshold; Hyperspectral Vision; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction) (/3); Intolerance (Living); Machine; Maintenance (One person, bi-weekly); Payload 10; Radio (Burst; Secure); Reduced Consumption 2; Sealed; Silence 1; Telescopic Vision 1; Temperature Tolerance 20 (-85° to 210°); Ultra Hearing; Vacuum Support.
Skills: Beam Weapons (Rifle)-20; Brawling-14; Computer Programming/TL8-20; Computer Programming/TL9-20; Computer Programming/TL10-24; Fast Draw (Ammo)-18; Guns (Grenade Launcher)-20; Guns (Rifle)-20; Mechanic (Robotics)-20; Occultism-20; Physics/TL8-16; Physics/TL10-20; Psychology (Human)-20; Psychology (Kaa)-18; Strategy (Air)-18; Strategy (Space)-18; Tactics-18; Traps/TL8-18; Traps/TL10-20.
*-Also Space Move
- Mark Skarr - 02-25-2013
Fabricant Soldier, Human (TL10 Combat Android; IST Version)
[table]
Portable Railgun (16): 5dx3(3) pi+; Acc 4; Range 3,000/12,000; RoF 3; Shots 25 (3); Rcl 3; Ammo 1.5 lbs
Electromag Grenade Launchers (16): 4d pi++; Acc 3; Range 150/1,000; RoF 1; Shots 3 (2i); Rcl 2; Ammo 3 lbs
Shaped Charge: 6dx5(+3)(10) cr inc + linked 4d cr ex [2d]
Rainbow Laser Rifle (16): 6d(3) burn; Acc 12; Range 2,000/6,000; RoF 10; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Sonic Stun Rifle (16): Ht-4(5) Aff; Acc 6; Range 60/180; RoF 1; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Force Pistol (16): 4d+2 cr dkb; Acc 6; Range 300/900; RoF 1; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Punch (14): 2d cr, reach C
Kick (12): 2d+1, reach 1
Traits: Absolute Direction; Accessory (Microframe Computer); Ambidexterity; AI; Automaton; Combat Reflexes; Detect (Radios, Lasers and Radar; Signal Detection); Discriminatory Hearing; Doesn’t Breathe; Electrical; Enhanced Move 1 (Air); Enhanced Move 1 (Space); Extra Air Move +3; Extra Space Move +3; Fabricant Skin; Flight (Space Flight); High Pain Threshold; Hyperspectral Vision; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction) (/2); Intolerance (Living); Machine; Maintenance (one person, bi-weekly); Restricted Diet (Electricity, very common); Payload 5; Radio (Burst; Secure); Reduced Consumption 2; Sealed; Silence 1; Telescopic Vision 1; Temperature Tolerance 20 (-85° to 210°); Ultra Hearing; Vacuum Support.
Skills: Beam Weapons (Rifle)-16; Brawling (14); Guns (Grenade Launcher)-16; Guns (Rifle)-16
- Mark Skarr - 02-25-2013
Okay . . . so if I post it, then edit the post, I can correct the formating errors . . . weird.
Fabricant Soldier, Kaa (TL10 Combat Android; IST Version)
[table]
Portable Railgun (16): 5dx3(3) pi+; Acc 4; Range 3,000/12,000; RoF 3; Shots 25 (3); Rcl 3; Ammo 1.5 lbs
Electromag Grenade Launchers (16): 4d pi++; Acc 3; Range 150/1,000; RoF 1; Shots 3 (2i); Rcl 2; Ammo 3 lbs
Shaped Charge: 6dx5(+3)(10) cr inc + linked 4d cr ex [2d]
Rainbow Laser Rifle (16): 6d(3) burn; Acc 12; Range 2,000/6,000; RoF 10; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Sonic Stun Rifle (16): Ht-4(5) Aff; Acc 6; Range 60/180; RoF 1; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Force Pistol (16): 4d+2 cr dkb; Acc 6; Range 300/900; RoF 1; Shots Inf; Rcl 1
Bite (14): 2d+1 cut, Reach C
Venom: 1d tox follow-up; cyclic (5 cycles, 10 seconds apiece)
Punch (14): 2d+1 cut, reach C
Traits: Absolute Direction; Ambidexterity; Accessory (Microframe Computer); AI; Automaton; Claws (Sharp); Combat Reflexes; Detect (Radios, Lasers and Radar; Signal Detection); Discriminatory Hearing; Doesn’t Breathe; Electrical; Enhanced Move 1 (Air); Enhanced Move 1 (Space); Extra Air Move +3; Extra Space Move +3; Fabricant Skin; Flight (Space Flight); High Pain Threshold; Hyperspectral Vision; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction) (/2); Intolerance (Living); Machine; Maintenance (one person, bi-weekly); Payload 5; Radio (Burst; Secure); Reduced Consumption 2; Restricted Diet (Electricity, very common); Sealed; Silence 1; Teeth (Sharp); Telescopic Vision 1; Temperature Tolerance 20 (-85° to 210°); Ultra Hearing; Vacuum Support; Verminform.
Skills: Beam Weapons (Rifle)-16; Brawling (14); Guns (Grenade Launcher)-16; Guns (Rifle)-16
- Mark Skarr - 02-25-2013
Johann Henry Fox was living the American Dream. He had married his high school sweetheart just out of high school. He was on a Science Scholarship to MIT as one of the brightest, young physicists in America. He graduated with a doctorate in several fields (including theoretical) of Physics. He went to work at the Tevatron, in Illinois. Everything was going marvelously for him.
Until, one fateful night, early in 2011. An experiment at the Tevatron blasted into Henry (as his colleagues called him; Johann sounding too pretentious) seeming to disintegrate him. The accident was covered up, and the collider was shut down, owing to “budget cuts.” His wife, Kelley, was told he was killed in a traffic accident.
366 days later, Henry popped back into existence. He had no idea of what had happened, only that there was a containment breach . . . then he was standing in an empty lab. Unbeknownst to Henry, he had, for a time, been unstuck in time. During this time, he became a Fabricant. He spent two months in incredible agony as his body changed from flesh to highly-advanced robotic and synthetic components.
When he had finished the change, he saw the future of humanity. No longer would people have to suffer the ravages of age, infirmity, senility, sickness . . . the weaknesses of flesh. They could become like him. They could become better. He knew that the only way for the human race to survive was to surrender their fragile bodies and transform into Fabricants. The first person he wanted to share this with was his beloved wife.
Under the cover of night, he made his way to his old house, only to find it occupied by a new family. Enraged he burst in and took them prisoner. He found out that more than a year had passed since his accident. His wife had moved out. They didn’t know any more. He converted them into Fabricants and reprogrammed them to be faithful to him. He dismantled the children, who were small and weak, for spare parts. He even transformed their pet, an Alaskan malamute named Gabriel, into a Fabricant.
During the conversion process, he realized that full-grown adults, and families, simply can’t go missing. He, and his two cohorts, left Illinois and headed toward Southern California, where his research had shown his wife had moved . . . with her new husband. He began to further detest the weakness of flesh . . . she should have known he would have come back for her—nothing as primitive and transient as death would keep him from her!
Upon arrival in Southern California, Henry found an abandoned building, and set up his camp. Only needing electricity to survive, he ran a tap directly into the main city power lines. With his minion’s help, he captured numerous small animals and converted them into Fabricants. He was careful to reprogram each of them to do his bidding, to ensure their unwavering allegiance.
With an incredibly efficient intelligence network, he began abducting homeless people to convert them into more Fabricants. Knowing that the transient population is undocumented and unmonitored, he hit upon a greater plan. With a small army of Fabricants (fifteen human, counting himself, a dozen dogs, and a hundred small creatures), he opened a homeless shelter under the name of Reverend Johann Fox.
Here, his faithful Fabricants feed the homeless stews made of their flesh. When the homeless become “ill” and begin to transform into Fabricants, they’re taken to secure rooms where they can be “tended to” which involves them being reprogrammed. As his army grows, he still longs to capture his wayward wife, turn her into his eternal companion, and rule over an Earth populated solely by Fabricants.
He observed his wife, teaching at a local high school. By chance, he discovered that one of her students did part time work for his local church and he decided to bring him into his fold. Unbeknownst to Henry, the student he had singled out was Fred Redwood—school outcast, and metahuman. He also had friends with powers that defied Henry’s advanced technology to defeat.
Henry battled against the Teen Supers several times before losing the majority of his force to Robert Mooton, the teen eating machine. Unable to defeat someone who could not be converted into a Fabricant, Henry began reconstructing the experiment that caused him to vanish.
At the end of the battle, the small collection of teen super heroes thought they had destroyed the evil Fabricant, but they were mistaken. Changing the experiment, slightly, Dr. Fox found himself in a parallel world. Making his way to Africa, he converted a small hunting party to Fabricants, and went deep into the bush. Converting random animals to Fabricants, he was, eventually, able to create a fusion reaction to power himself.
This new world has a large metahuman population. He has yet to see if he can turn a metahuman into a Fabricant. He is concerned at their power level. The teens were powerful, to be sure, but the metahumans on this world are an order-of-magnitude more powerful. He must be careful, and grow both his technology base and his army, before he makes his move.