M&M Space

"In Space, No One Can Hear Your Battle Cry": Cosmic Adventure for your M&M campaign

HELIOS: Earth's first defense against interstellar invasion.
The Marked Men: My take on the Space Police theme.
Entropos: It's hard to do Galactus without doing Galactus, but here I tried.
The Janus Moon: Earth's Moon, with a history, NPCs, and plots.

In 2003 Earth suffered an extended and well-supplied invasion by forces from another dimension. While the Iron Reich used gate technology to bridge the gap between worlds, their beachhead was located not on Earth itself, but in Earth orbit. Enjoying a considerable advantage in space, Iron Reich commanders destroyed Earth’s satellite network, created a large base on the moon, and launched invasions on Earth-based targets from safe positions in orbit. The Reich was eventually repulsed, but the weaknesses in Earth’s defenses had been made plain. In the past, humanity had relied on superhuman beings to protect Earth from space-based dangers; that could no longer be the case.

This was not to say that Powers were not going to be involved, or that their help would not be accepted. In the months after the Reich invasion, the White House met secretly with many heroes (and some criminals recently paroled under the Chain Gang program).In cooperation with American engineers, project HELIOS was born. HELIOS – Headquarters for Earth-Lunar International Orbital Security – is a grand space station housing an entire company of US Marines trained in space combat. It serves as the staging area for a wing of space-based interceptors which can patrol the solar system and maintain space superiority around Earth and the Moon. Finally, the station is equipped with powerful weapons that allow it to defend itself against all comers.

The station was constructed over several months, a Herculean feat accomplished only through the aid of Powers who could lift building materials into space without the need for costly rockets and fuel. Trusted Powers were also involved in the assembly itself, though most of this work was accomplished by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The construction was done at L5, a stable position in space equidistant to both Earth and the Moon (approximately 240 thousand miles from either). By June of 2004, roughly six months after the end of the Nazi invasion, the first station systems began to come online. Interceptors were just rolling off the assembly line down on Earth and were flown to their new berth by August, starting patrols almost immediately. The Marine contingent, which had been training extensively at Cape Canaveral, relocated in July to begin intensive zero-g drills and to assist in the final construction. In October the station was judged fully operational, though bugs were still surfacing.

HELIOS is commanded by Air Force Colonel Simon Boone, and the vast majority of the crew are Air Force personnel. Some civilian scientists, mostly NASA employees, are also in residence and there are always a few odd visitors. Powers are welcome aboard HELIOS provided they mind their manners; Commander Boone is fond of saying, “This is a military facility, not a coffee house.” Nonetheless, the station has benefited from the presence of space-worthy Powers and often works with them for Marine or fighter pilot training. The most important visitors to HELIOS, however, are alien. The station is the de-facto first stop for any extraterrestrial desiring contact with Earth, or even those who are just exploring the neighborhood. While the station is not truly designed for entertaining alien guests, first-contact specialists and several ambassadors from UN nations are housed on board and engage in continual meetings with alien representatives. The Emarians, Karazan, Telonai and the Versarae have all visited HELIOS and met with its commander and other human representatives; the Theusians and the Empire Arcane each have semi-permanent ambassadors to the station.

The staff of HELIOS cooperate closely with Moon Base Europe and, despite the American nature of the facility, it enjoys a favorable reputation in the international community ( due largely to the efforts of Colonel Boone and his first officer, Major Lisa Ford). However, the station is not without its secrets. In violation of international treaty, HELIOS is equipped with twenty four nuclear missiles. These are last resort weapons intended to repel full-scale invasions similar to that of the Iron Reich; the missiles can bombard the Moon or be directed against attacking space fleets. However, to do so would reveal the presence of the missiles, which would cause much discomfort back on Earth (after all, they could also be used to bombard America’s enemies). The nuclear missiles can only be unlocked by the combined efforts of the Colonel and Major Ford, using keys which they carry at all times. This system was used out of fears that an Earth-based authorization code could be forged.

Nuclear Weapons

Surviving a nuclear bomb is the ultimate test of superheroic might; only a few characters can do it, and it is never an easy thing. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States were equivalent, within the context of the Mutants & Masterminds rules, to +33 attacks. A nice round +35 can be used by GMs looking for something on the order of a 1 megaton bomb. Nuclear weapons of this sort are reduced in power by 2 ranks for every 1,000 yards of range. When using nuclear weapons, it is advised to also use the Massive Damage option found on p. 128 of the core rules. In summary: characters who fail their damage save by more than 10 are disabled; those who fail by more than 15 are dying; those that fail their damage save by more than 20 are killed instantly.

While this may seem so extreme as to be laughable (remember that a +35 attack prompts a DC 50 damage save) there are some heroes who can survive even an attack of this magnitude. Consider, for example, Centurion, who is described in the M&M Annual on p. 52. With a +25 damage save his minimum roll (assuming the expenditure of a Hero Point) is 35, which fails by 15 and leaves him Disabled. The following round, he can spend a second Hero Point to recover, provided he succeeds at a DC 20 Con check (his bonus is still +25). Two rounds after being at ground zero for a nuclear blast, Centurion walks out of the wreckage a bit worse for wear (and down two Hero Points) but otherwise in good shape.

The Station

HELIOS is a small town in space, complete with general store, post office, and movie theater, but it is dominated by its military mission. The station’s capabilities are outlined here:

Crew Complement: The population of HELIOS hovers around 500 people, including a company of over a hundred marines, two dozen fighter pilots, about 120 additional flight crew personnel, 160 station crew and command staff, about several dozen civilians and aliens. This stretches life support to its limit and keeping the station supplied requires constant work.
Sensors: Telescopic digital sensors aboard HELIOS are amazingly powerful: the station has Telescopic Sense (sight) +25, with a –1 penalty to Spot and Search checks for every 62,500 miles. Sensor operators can use Spot and Search checks around the station without a penalty, or observe the Earth or Moon with a –4. The station’s sensors are optimized for large targets and energy sources, however, and have a –4 penalty to Spot anything smaller than Large. Waive this penalty for targets covered in metal or other rigid surfaces (like a battlesuit, ice, or a force field) or for targets which are power sources (such as characters who can generate energy beams).
Defense and Hardness: HELIOS is a target of Awesome size with a Defense of 0 and hardness 13. If an individual can be targeted from outside the ship (for example, through a port) it provides Armor +11.
Taking Damage: When HELIOS takes damage, it rolls a damage save like any other vehicle, with a +13 modifier for its hardness. A failure by up to 4 indicates minor damage: the station has a –1 penalty on future damage saves and there may be some non-fatal injuries among the crew. A failure by 10 or more puts the station’s power offline; emergency power will sustain some lights and life support but the station cannot fire any weapons; there will be serious injuries and several fatalities among the crew. On any other result (a failure on the damage save of 5-9) roll on the following table:

Particle Beam off-line: The gunner has been lost, the weapon is damaged, or without power. The station may not fire one of its particle beams.
Defensive Batteries off-line: Due to damage, computer malfunction, or a serious hazard like radiation flooding the turrets, none of the laser weapons on one side of the station may fire. The damaged batteries are on the side of the vessel which faces the attack that just hit.
Long-Range Sensors off-line: While the station can still detect targets within a range of about half a mile, it cannot use its Telescopic Sense beyond that range.
Artificial Gravity off-line: The station is without gravity. Most military personnel aboard the station are trained in zero-g operations but other characters will have a –2 penalty on melee attack rolls, defense, Reflex saves and skill checks based on Strength or Dexterity.
Missile Batteries off-line: The nuclear missile launcher is jammed or damaged. There may be a radiation leak in the missile bay. The missiles cannot be fired until the launcher is repaired.
Communications off-line: The station cannot communicate with any other vessel or send messages to Earth or the Moon.
Launch Bay blocked: Damage to the launch bay or computer malfunctions prevent the station from launching or recovering any interceptors or other craft until repairs are completed.
Life Support off-line: Primary life support fails, probably due to power loss or destruction of a major supply storage area. Emergency life support can sustain minimal conditions for a few hours, but after that the occupants of the station must evacuate or perish.
Crew Casualties: Due to a radiation leak, structural damage that results in the invasion of vacuum, or other serious damage, 10% of the crew aboard ship perish and another 15% are seriously injured.
Major Damage: Roll again ignoring results over 8; any attempt to repair the damage will take one hour and the DC rises to 20.

Damage Control: Each round, station engineers can attempt to repair one damaged system. The DC for damage control is 15 and the engineers have a +10 modifier.
Maneuvering Thrusters: HELIOS is not designed to move; its position in space is fairly stable thanks to competing gravity from both the Earth and Moon. However, the station is equipped with relatively small thrusters which can adjust the station’s position. Maneuvering the station is complicated work that should not be attempted quickly or without preparation.
Gravity: HELIOS uses artificial gravity generators designed by American super-scientist Powers. The Marines aboard the station are trained in rapid fluctuations of gravity and Colonel Boone has prepared signals which can inform the soldiers of upcoming gravity shifts. It is thought that controlling the station’s gravity at key moments might give the station defenders an edge.
Particle Beams: The main weaponry aboard HELIOS is a pair of heavy particle beam turrets reverse engineered from Tesla-based Iron Reich weaponry. Each turret has three barrels and is located at an end of the station, where each is capable of fire in a hemispherical arc. Each round a single turret can attack one target with a +15 autofire lethal energy blast (attack bonus +6/+6/+6). The beams have no range penalty out to their maximum range of two miles. They are usually manned by human gunnery officers but can be fired completely by computer, albeit at a –2 penalty.
Defensive Batteries: Secondary weapons on the station include a number of smaller laser turrets which can surround HELIOS with a screen of covering fire. This is intended to take out fighters and missiles but can be useful against superhuman beings. Any vessel detected by the station’s sensors can be attacked by a +13 multifire lethal energy blast (attack bonus +5/+5). The defensive batteries have no range penalty out to the weapon’s maximum range of half a mile. Like the primary weapons, these turrets are usually manned by human gunners, but can be fired on automatic at a –2 penalty.
Nuclear Missiles: The 24 nuclear missiles aboard HELIOS, once activated, can be fired once per round. Each missile can be treated as a vehicle with hardness 11, Defense 8, an initial speed of Mach 1 (1.25 miles in a single round) and Good maneuverability. Each round, however, the missile accelerates: to Mach 2 on the second round and then by an additional Mach 2 on every following round. Each round after the first, its Defense rises by 2, and its maneuverability decreases by one step (to a minimum of Clumsy). The warhead itself will not arm until it has traveled at least 3 miles from the station (halfway through its second round of movement). After twenty rounds, if the missile has not struck its target, it runs out of fuel. The missiles can be programmed to explode at a certain point in space, to explode on command, or to disarm themselves, and all these commands can also be issued from the station itself. Note that at top speed (Mach 37, assuming one round of fuel is saved for final targeting maneuvers) it would take one of these missiles about 8 1/2 hours to reach either the Earth or Moon. Attacks which overcome the missile’s hardness force it to make a damage save: failure by 1-5 gives the missile a -1 penalty on future damage saves. Failure by 6-10 will knock out the missile’s thruster and send it off course, while failure by 11 or more causes it to explode prematurely. Disarming a missile should be considered a DC 30 Disable Device check if performed manually, or a DC 40 Computers check conducted from afar.
Interceptors: 24 USAF Interceptors, the bulk of America’s space fleet, are stationed at HELIOS. They are divided into four squadrons (Red, White,. Blue and Gold) with one squadron on patrol duty and a second on two-minute stand-by. One squadron is usually down for routine maintenance and flight rotation, but can be activated given an hour or two.
Auxillary Craft: HELIOS carries six shuttle craft which are capable of atmospheric flight. Each has a cargo bay which can be configured either for payload or for personnel transport. HELIOS Shuttle: Huge Space Vehicle; Movement 110 ft air or space (tactical), Mach 2 (travel) (12 pp); Hardness 11; Armor +8 (8 pp); Ship Systems (Extra limb, immunity to suffocation, pressure, heat, cold and radiation, radio hearing and broadcast, darkvision; Flaw: Device; Cost: 1 each; Total: 9 pp). Total Cost: 29 pp
Heavy Weapons: The 4th MEF keeps a number of heavy weapons in storage throughout the station in case of boarding actions or offensive strikes against entrenched targets. These include tripod-mounted gatling lasers (+8 area attack) and 4-shot mini-missile launchers (+10 area attack).
Life Support: HELIOS uses advanced recycling techniques to extend its independence from Earth, but it is by no means self-sufficient. Every two weeks a supply ship arrives from Earth bringing vital water, food, air, and replacement parts. HELIOS does have a modest emergency store that can keep the station going for two weeks without re-supply, but in the event of a serious interruption in supplies from Earth, HELIOS would be forced to evacuate.
Lifeboats: HELIOS is equipped with dozens of emergency lifeboats which are pre-programmed to thrust away from the station towards Earth, release parachutes, and land in the ocean. Each lifeboat can hold up to 10 people and has emergency supplies for four days.

Colonel Simon Boone, Station Commander

Lieutenant Colonel Simon Boone was one of America’s greatest test pilots when a tragic accident cost him his legs, his right arm, and the vision in one eye. The Cold War was in full swing and American scientists had been trying to develop weapons against the Soviets for years. One of these secret programs was cybernetic reconstruction and, without his knowledge, Boone was volunteered for the project. Several million dollars later (a dollar went a lot farther back then) Simon Boone was a brand new man. He spent a very difficult few months in therapy learning how to use his new limbs, but he quickly became one of the nation’s greatest secret agents.

Time passed, and although Simon kept his skills sharp he had to work ever harder to make up for an increasing technological gap. Feats of superhuman strength that had seemed phenomenal in the 1970s weren’t much to write home about by the nineties. Young punks were stronger, faster, and more durable than Boone, even if he was more canny. His cybernetic parts, never particularly reliable, began to interfere with his health. With regret, he retired to a ranch in Oregon. When the White House authorized the HELIOS project, however, Boone got a new lease on life. Members of the administration had always been in awe of Boone’s heroic deeds during the Cold War and, seeking both to honor their childhood hero and capitalize on his decades of experience, they offered him the spot of station commander. Simon took one night to think about it and was on the plane to Florida the next morning.

Upon acceptance of the HELIOS post, Boone was promoted to full Colonel. At first he expected trouble with the Marines on board, and he got it, but when a cell of terrorists succeeded in smuggling themselves on board and nearly sabotaging the station, Simon’s lead-from-the-front attitude won him the admiration of the Marines in an instant. There is still frequent ribbing between the “flyboys” and the “jarheads”, but Simon gives as good as he gets and the veteran soldiers routinely thrash any newcomer who gives the Colonel lip.

Simon is very paternal towards his men. At the same time, they admire his former record and respect his leadership. His good humor and occasional jokes keep him from coming off as a grouchy old-timer and he remains popular with the women on station, despite his age. His physical abilities have deteriorated; he’s not as quick as he used to be and his cybernetics are fragile and accident-prone, but he is the unquestioned master of HELIOS and god help anyone who stands in his way.

Quote: “Y’know kid, you remind me of me when I was your age.”

Appearance: Simon Boone is a handsome clean-shaven man with brown hair going gray. As he aged he put on weight, giving him a thick-set build. While on duty he is usually in uniform, but he prefers to hang about the station in casual clothing, nursing a beer in his off hours.

Colonel Simon Boone: PL 10 Hero (152 pp); Init +5; Defense 14 (+3 base, +1 Dex); Spd 110 ft; BAB +6; Atk +8 melee (+10S punch), +7 ranged (+8L penetrating energy blast); SV Dmg +3 (Protection +5), Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +6; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 16. (51 pp)
    Powers: Cybernetics (Effect: Super-Strength +8; Extras: Running, Telescopic Sense (sight); Stunts: Darkvision, Leaping; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 6+12; Total: 60 pp), Super-Skill +3 (Effect: all Strength; Extras: all Dex, Int, Wis and Charisma; Cost: 6; Total: 18 pp).
    Skills: Balance +5, Bluff +7, Climb +14, Computers +6, Demolitions +6, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +6, Disguise +7, Drive +5, Gather Information +7, Hide +7, Intimidate +14, Jump +14, Listen +8, Medicine +4, Move Silently +5, Pilot +9, Repair +6, Search +6, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +5, Spot +10, Survival +7, Swim +14. (17 pp)
    Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Inspire, Iron Will, Leadership, Point Blank Shot, Toughness, Zero-G Combat.(16 pp)
    Weakness: Unluck (Cybernetic malfunction or damage; -10 pp)

Zero-G Combat (New Feat)

You are trained to move and fight in a zero-gravity environment.
Benefit: You can ignore the usual penalties for being in a zero-g environment.
Normal: Characters have a –2 penalty to melee attack rolls, to defense, to Reflex saves and to skill checks based on Strength or Dexterity when in a zero-g environment.

Executive Officer Lisa Ford

In World War II, Miss America was just one of many heroines who joined the Light Brigade and took the fight overseas to the Nazis. What distinguished her, however, was her immense popularity at home and among the soldiers. GIs kept photos of Miss America in their mess kits and taped to the inside of their helmets while, on the home front, her face decorated recruitment posters and bond rallies. In between her battles with the Nazi menace, she participated in USO tours and public appearances across the US. She was America’s darling.

When the war ended, however, Lisa hung up the star-spangled outfit to settle down with her long-time boyfriend, an Army captain. She had two children and watched the next generation of Powers fill her footsteps. Thanks to her semi-divine bloodline (Ford was the lost child of immortal faeries) she aged at only a fraction of the normal rate. She never stopped loving her husband, even though he died in 1986 of congenital heart failure. In the years that followed, Lisa tried to live a normal life, but something wasn’t right and in the early nineties she carefully began to make inquiries about returning to government service. But there were plenty of other Powers around and Ford had lost a lot of her edge: her abilities had weakened with time and her skills were rusty.

Working only a few cases a year, Ford nonetheless remained a semi-active Army agent until 2003 when the Iron Reich invaded. Suddenly her “quaint” experiences fighting Nazis sixty years ago seemed more relevant than ever, and her name began to be mentioned at the highest levels of government. The current administration included a lot of old men who remembered Miss America as their first crush, and when the HELIOS program gathered steam they offered her the XO position not only because of her proven experience protecting the Earth from Nazis, but out of boyhood adoration.

Regardless of the means of her selection, Lisa Ford has proven herself to be a valuable resource on the station. Her natural charisma charms visiting aliens and prickly UN ambassadors, allowing Colonel Boone to focus on the day to day administration of the station. She is the universal heartthrob of the station’s fighter pilots, while being strong and tough enough to fight alongside any marine.

Powers: Lisa Ford inherited superhuman strength, speed, and toughness from her immortal parents. Since adulthood she has worn a pair of iron bracelets, which she can use to deflect bullets and other attacks aimed at her. She can sense a lie the moment it is told. Finally, her faerie beauty makes her one of the most charismatic people on Earth. All of these talents are less than they once were, but Ford has been in a lot of training lately so that she doesn’t embarrass herself in front of her men. She’s especially good at grabbing and immobilizing her foe, capitalizing on her great strength.

Appearance: She may have aged, but Lisa Ford still has beauty pageant looks, including lustrous black hair, a stunning smile, bright blue eyes and an imposing height. She’s almost always in her Army uniform. Back in the day, she used to wear an outfit about the size of a one-piece bathing suit, complete with boots and belt, but she hasn’t worn it in decades. To change into her Miss America clothes, she spins in a circle, arms outstretched.

Quote: “That was a long time ago. I don’t really do the twirl anymore.”

Major Lisa Ford: PL Hero (162 pp); Init +2, Defense 16 (+4 base, +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft; BAB +6; Atk +7 melee (+6S unarmed), +8 ranged; SV Dmg +7, Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +7; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 18. (53 pp)
    Powers: Deflection +10 (Extras: Deflect Others, Rapid; Stunts: Deflection Bonus (bullets); Flaw: Ranged attacks only; Source: Training; Cost: 3+2; Total: 32 pp), Super-Skill +6 (Effect: Sense Motive; Source: Mystical; Cost: 1/2; Total: 3 pp), Super-Strength +5 (Extras: Super-Constitution, Super-Charisma, Super-Wisdom; Source: Mystical; Cost: 8; Total: 40) (75 pp)
    Skills: Bluff +10, Computers +5, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +10, Gather Information +10, Handle Animal +10, Jump +10, Medicine +8, Pilot +8, Repair +3, Ride +6, Search +3, Sense Motive +17, Spot +8, Survival +8. (14 pp)
    Feats: Attractive, Connected, Identity Change, Improved Grapple, Improved Pin, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Psychic Awareness, Rapid Strike (20 pp)

The 4th Marine Expeditionary Force

Members of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Force are hand-picked from the ranks of the Corps and directed to special training at Cape Canaveral before being transferred to HELIOS. Once there, they join an elite group of space-worthy soldiers specializing in boarding techniques and anti-alien warfare. Members of the 4th MEF rightfully consider themselves the best of the best, and they receive equipment to match. Each is armed with a microwave rifle reverse-engineered fromTesla-based Iron Reich designs and is protected by a high-density space suit with attached jetpack. The outfit is heavy, but remarkably durable considering the sensitive life support equipment stored within.

In combat, space marines are trained to take cover and concentrate their fire, taking advantage of their highly accurate rifles to shoot into melee when necessary. Each squad should be led by an NCO or officer with Wis 13, Cha 13, +1 BAB, +1 Defense, and the Leadership feat (making him a PL 6 Minion of 90 pp).

Space Marine: PL 5 Minion (78 pp); Init +1; Defense 14 (+3 base, +1 Dex); Spd 30 ft, flight 50 ft; BAB +3; Atk +4 melee (+1S unarmed strike), +4 ranged (+8L penetrating energy blast); SV Dmg +3 (Protection +5), Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11. (25 pp)
    Skills: Balance +5, Climb +5, Computers +2, Demolitions +2, Hide +3, Intimidate +2, Jump +5, Medicine +2, Move Silently +3, Pilot +5, Repair +2, Spot +4, Survival +2, Swim +3. (19 pp)
    Feats: Endurance, Point Blank Shot, Toughness, Zero-G Combat (8 pp)
    Equipment: Man o’War Exosuit (Effect: Protection +5; Extras: Flight, Immunities; Stunts: Radio Broadcast, Radio Hearing; Flaw: Device; Cost: 3+2; Total: 17 pp), M1M Rifle (Effect: Energy Blast +8; Stunts: Penetrating, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot; Cost: 8+3; Total: 11 pp) (23 pp)
    Weakness: Quirk (Fanatical Patriotism – Minor; -2 pp)

The X-Jox

The Air Force has flown experimental aircraft masquerading as UFOs for decades, and this was the first training ground for the space pilots who now form the first line of defense for the planet Earth. The X-Jox, as they are often called, often have experience with one or two of Earth’s most frequent visitors, whom they have escorted out of the atmosphere rather forcibly. The pilots were blooded during the invasion of the Iron Reich, when many new recruits were gathered from National Guard units around the country. They have recently received new fighters armed with particle beam cannons reverse engineered from the Nazis. They are not equipped with nuclear-tipped missiles due to the fact that the US is party to international treaties which forbid the presence of nuclear weapons in space.

The typical X-Jock has an indefatigable confidence, is cool under fire, and loves his country. The pilots cannot speak of their work to civilians, who would be terrified to know how vulnerable Earth is to alien attack. They work long shifts on patrol through the solar system or around Earth, and party hard on their precious leave time. All are men, and many are in their 40s and 50s.

USAF X-Jock: PL 3 Minion (53 pp); Init +6; Spd 30 ft (run); Defense 15 (+3 base, +2 dex); BAB +2; Atk +3 melee (+0S punch), +5 ranged (+3L pistol); SV Dmg +1 (armor +2), Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12 (24 pp)
    Skills: Computers +3, Concentration +3, Medicine +3, Pilot +11, Repair +3, Science (Physics) +3, Search +3, Spot +3, Survival +3 (11 pp)
    Feats: Aerial Combat, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Pilot), Zero-G Combat (12 pp)
    Equipment: Flight suit (Armor +2; Stunts: Immunity (pressure, suffocation), Radio Hearing; Cost: 1+3; Total: 5 pp), Pistol (+3 lethal weapon; Cost: 1; Total: 3 pp) (8 pp)
    Weakness: Quirk (Overconfident; Minor; -2 pp)

USAF Interceptor: Large Space Vehicle; Movement 150 ft air or space (tactical), Mach 40 air or space (travel) (16 pp); Hardness 11 (-4 pp); Armor +6 (6 pp); Dual Particle Beams (+11 lethal weapon; Extras: Range--Sight; Stunts: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot; Cost: 2+2; Total: 24 pp), Missiles (+15 lethal weapon; Extras: Area; Stunts: Penetrating; Flaw: Must acquire target for full round action, Missile, Minimum range, Uses--4; Cost: 1/5+1; Total: 6 pp), Other Systems (Immunity to suffocation, pressure, heat, cold and radiation, radio hearing and broadcast, darkvision; Flaw: Device; Cost: 1 each; Total: 8 pp)
Total: 56 pp

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The Mark

Introduction
Marked: New Power
Ghostcomp: New Feat
Marked Men: Sen Sen Yar and Dora, Hera b'Katar and Mentor

By its very nature, the universe is a lawless place. When a criminal is pursued by authorities on one world, he can flee to another in search of safety. Outlaws may make their home in the space between worlds, thus making any pursuit so expensive that most planetary societies simply cannot afford to give chase. Sometimes the laws on two worlds are so different that an act punishable by death on one planet is not even a crime on another. Pirate groups, bandits, and interstellar syndicates can amass so much wealth and resources that they become nations in their own right, too mighty to assault and protected by an aura of fear and invincibility.

In all these situations, there is one organization to which the people of the galaxy look to for help. They are called the Marked, or the Marked Men, and they are named for the silver tattoo in the shape of a star which every one of them bears. The Mark grants its wielder tremendous power, but with that power comes a responsibility to travel the stars, pursuing criminals and dispensing justice. It is a lonely road, one with few rewards and many dangers, and not all the Marked travel it without regret. But travel it they do.

The origin of the Mark itself is not entirely clear. It is believed to have been developed as a super-weapon intended to give one race the power to control the universe. But it was too powerful, and caused the inventor’s sun to explode, killing all the race save for the inventor himself, who bore the Mark and was thus protected. Ashamed and guilty of the extinction of his people, this legendary Marked Man resolved to try and make up for his colossal failure by using his powers for good. He sought out men and women brave, honorable, and true, and shared with them a portion of his near-limitless power. Thus the ranks of the Marked were born.

There are hundreds of Marked Men now, which sounds like a lot until one realizes they are spread throughout the entire universe. Theirs is an informal organization with no set patrol routes or assignments; the Marked are traditionally very independent and loath to take orders. Instead, each is recruited for his individual initiative and allowed to more or less conduct himself as he thinks best. When the organization as a whole must come to a single opinion – for example on matters of disciplinary action – an ad hoc committee of a dozen or so Marked will form, composed of senior officers with respected records. News is passed among the Marked when two Marked Men meet and exchange gossip or rumors; it is not a terribly efficient way of doing business, but it preserves independence and flexibility, which have come to be seen as important values.

Not all worlds recognize the authority of the Marked; indeed, most Marked Men rely on good opinion and the respect their work earns them in order to get their job done. There is no galactic treaty which gives the Marked authority to track down criminals or cross planetary borders. This means that there are some places the Marked do not go unless it is in great numbers. However, this policy ensures that a Marked Man never forgets that he can only succeed in his task if he enjoys the respect of the people themselves: he is a public servant, not a government official. Indeed, many a corrupt government has been brought down by the Marked, a fact which earns them much love among the common people of the galaxy.

While the Marked Men generally resist too much organization, they do have a central headquarters of sorts: a lifeless planetoid known as Doje. It is believed that Doje is all that remains of the homeworld where the inventor of the Mark made his discovery. It orbits a feeble gray dwarf which is cooling from a nova that occurred some thousand years ago. Engineers on Doje have built a small outpost which houses the central archives of the Mark, training facilities, and a saloon. Whenever the Marked must gather, they usually do so at Doje, where they can ensure their communication is not eavesdropped upon.

The Mark appears as a silver emblem on the flesh of the bearer. It can only be wielded by living creatures; robots, beings of pure energy, and aliens with particularly unusual bodily makeup (stone-based life, for example) cannot bear the Mark. Anyone who bears a Mark can survive in space, fly, and control stellar energy. He is impervious to harm and possessed of great strength. But the Mark is capable of a diverse array of abilities, depending on the skill and experience of its wielder.

When a Marked Man dies, the energy of the Mark is released in a tremendous explosion. The size of the explosion and its lethality are highly variable, but are somewhat on the order of a nuclear bomb (though effects as small as a city block or as large as an entire planet have been recorded). The inevitable danger posed by this explosion to civilians in the area has led to the tradition that Marked Men should not allow their powers to perish from the galaxy. Instead, the Mark is “passed on” to a worthy candidate before the Marked Man’s own demise. This is accomplished by touching the intended recipient with the Mark itself. The recipient must be willing to accept the Mark, but understanding is not required! Many Marked Men have accepted the Mark without knowing what it was or what it stood for, only later discovering the true import of the Mark. Once the Mark is transferred, the original Marked Man perishes, his body giving up the last of its energy to fuel the transferal process. No explosion occurs.

There are occasional individuals who receive a Mark and choose to use it for personal gain. Marked Men are always on the alert for both “dirty cops” and for bearers of the Mark who simply ignore the tradition and make no pretense of enforcing justice. It is possible for a half dozen or so powerful Marked Men to strip another of a Mark, though the process is difficult and requires great coordination and concentration. Usually, however, the offender is hunted down by the ranks of the Marked, apprehended, put on trial and, if guilty, executed.

Marked (new power)

Cost: 8
Action: Varies
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies
You bear “the Mark,” a silver tattoo in the shape of a star which gives you the power to enforce justice and order in the galaxy. The Mark is fueled by the stars themselves and grants you the following powers:

You can survive in space and possess a number of Immunities (p. 51) equal to your power rank.
You can project stellar power as a stunning Energy Blast (p. 69) at your power rank, usually from your hand, eyes, or from the Mark itself.
You can Fly (p. 71) at your power rank.
You are highly resilient to harm, possessing Protection (p. 79) at your power rank.
You possess Super-Strength (p. 86) at your power rank.

You can transfer the Mark to a willing character by touch. This is a free action and results in your immediate death. If you should die without transferring the Mark, your body erupts in a cataclysmic explosion determined by the GM. (A general guide might be an explosion of 3x Marked ranks. Multiple ranks in Marked by 100 and use this as a range increment expressed in feet; for every range increment, reduce the explosion strength by 2. For example, Hera b’Katar’s death would result in a +30 explosion that is reduced by 2 ranks for every 1000 feet distance.)

All Marked individuals should purchase the Hyperspace Travel and Stellar Immunity stunts, below.

POWER STUNTS

Starburst: You can control your energy blast to such a degree that it is no longer harmful, instead blinding a target as Dazzle (p. 64) at your power rank.
Dual Damage: You can project stunning or lethal bolts of stellar energy, as you choose.
Hyperspace Travel: You can fly at faster than light speeds with Space Flight (p. 84) at your power rank.
Stellar Immunity: You are immune to the stellar energy of the Mark. This includes energy blast as well as power stunts like Starburst or the energy component of Stellar Fist, but the Super-Strength granted by the Mark will still work normally on you.
Stellar Fist: You can condense the stellar energy of the Mark around your hand, giving you Strike at your power rank. Note that these ranks will not stack with your Super-Strength beyond your power level.

EXTRAS

Mind Shield: You can tap the power of the Mark to protect you from mental attacks as well as physical ones. This gives you Mental Protection at your power rank.
Energy Manipulation: Your control over the stellar energy of the Mark is particularly noteworthy, and you can use it to manipulate targets at a distance as if you had Telekinesis at your power rank. You may also purchase any of the stunts and extras listed for Telekinesis.
Stellar Vision: You can see at incredible distance, possessing two ranks of Telescopic Sight for every 1 pp you spend on this extra.

Ghostcomp (new feat)

As one of the Marked, you have been entrusted with a powerful intelligent computer which assists you in your work.
    Prerequisite: Marked
    Benefit: You have a PL 6 Ghostcomp.
    Special: This feat may be taken more than once; each time you purchase this feat, the PL of your ghostcomp rises by 1.

Ghostcomp Abilities

The power of the Mark is great, but it cannot solve all of the problems which its wielders encounter in their mission to enforce justice in a lawless universe. A Marked Man may patrol dozens of inhabited worlds and be out of communication for months or even years, with no one to rely on for aid but local deputies or government officials of questionable ethics. To help fill this need, the ranks of the Marked rely on their ghostcomps.

A ghostcomp is an advanced computer with extensive data files going back for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years. Each ghostcomp has a unique interface: a single personality based on that of a former Marked Man (now deceased), imprinted into the ghostcomp itself. This artificial intelligence manifests as a ghostly image which speaks to the bearer of the Mark. It obeys the commands of the Marked individual and answers his questions as best it is able, but it cannot be circumvented. All uses of the ghostcomp must go through the interface personality.

Each ghostcomp has a unique appearance, usually as a small personal item such as a bracelet, watch, book or clasp. It is designed as an intelligent construct (p. 118), not as a construct character, with a minimum power level of 6 (90 pp). Marked Men buy their ghostcomps using the Ghostcomp feat. Being chosen to be the interface personality for a ghostcomp is the greatest honor of the Marks, but it is always a posthumous one.

Ghostcomps have the following abilities:

Ability Scores: A ghostcomp always has at least Int 13, Wis 13, and Cha 10, costing 6 pp. It could have higher values, however. It has Str 0, Dex 0, and no Constitution score, using its Int bonus on Initiative checks.
Manifestation: The ghostcomp appears as a ghostly hologram. Ordinarily, it can only be seen by the Marked Man. Likewise, anything it says can only be heard by the Marked Man, who must verbally respond to it. (The bearer of the Mark can whisper or otherwise try not to be overheard, but the ghostcomp does not always hear such concealed communication.) It is not possible to communicate with the ghostcomp unless it is manifesting and unless it is spoken to. Alternately, the ghostcomp can make its hologram form visible and audible to everyone in line of sight; this requires it or the Mark to expend a Hero Point. The enhanced manifestation lasts for one scene. Note that if the ghostcomp wants to communicate with anyone other than its Mark in any way, such as through radio or computers, it must spend this HP. (0 pp)
Hardness: A ghostcomp has hardness 5. This cannot be increased. (5 pp)
Immunities: As constructs, ghostcomps have all the Immunity feats listed on p. 51 of the core rules. (0 pp)
Repairs: A ghostcomp cannot heal from damage; it must be repaired using either Craft (computers) for physical effects or Computer for mental effects. (0 pp)
Powers: A ghostcomp has at least 5 ranks in Comprehend, Datalink, Mental Protection and Super-Intelligence, for a cost of 5 pp/rank (and a total cost of 25 pp). It may buy extras from the following list: Luck, Sensory Protection (2 ranks for 1 pp), Super-Charisma, Super-Senses, Super-Skill (3 ranks for 1 pp), Super-Wisdom, and Telescopic Sense (2 ranks for 1 pp). A ghostcomp may have no other powers.
Skills: A ghostcomp has at least 5 ranks in the following skills, purchased at the normal power point cost: Computer, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Knowledge (alien culture), Knowledge (alien races), Knowledge (galactic geography), Knowledge (galactic history), Knowledge (galactic law), Listen, Medicine, Pilot, Repair, Science (astrophysics), Sense Motive, Search, Spot (for a total cost of 40 pp). It may purchase additional ranks in any skill, but since it is an immobile construct, it cannot perform physical actions. This means, for example, that it cannot use Medicine to stop another character from dying or use Repair to fix a star drive; it can only tell its Mark what to do (perhaps allowing the Mark to gain a +2 bonus according to the rules for cooperation on p. 29 of the core rules). Sometimes a ghostcomp can use skills like Computer or Pilot by datalinking into a computer from a distance.
Feats: Ghostcomps have the Assessment, Photographic Memory, Psychic Awareness and Radio Hearing feats. They may not purchase additional feats. (10 pp)
Ghostlink: The ghostcomps can all communicate instantly with the central computer on Doje. (2 pp)
Detect Target: A ghostcomp can attempt to track a single target as if it had the Detect feat, using the Search skill with a –1 penalty for every 10 feet. This can be extended through the Telescopic Sense power. Every adventure the ghostcomp may select one target of Track for free, but changing the target once it has been selected costs the Mark or his ghostcomp 1 Hero Point. (2 pp)
Hero Point: The ghostcomp has a single hero point, which it may use either on its own behalf or for its Mark. (2 pp)

Marked Men

Sen Sen Yar: PL 20 Hero (306 pp); Init +6; Defense 19 (+2 dex, +7 base); Spd 30 ft, fly 140 ft, space flight 1.9 ly per hour; BAB +7; Atk +8 melee (+15S strike), +10 ranged (+14S penetrating stellar beam); SV Dmg +2 (Protection +14), Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +12; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 16. (71 pp)
    Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +9, Concentration +13, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist +7, Forgery +10, Gather Information +11, Hide +7, Listen +13, Medicine +13, Move Silently +7, Open Lock +8, Profession (Investigator) +20, Repair +10, Search +13, Sense Motive +20, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot +14, Survival +14. (44 pp)
    Feats: Attack Focus (ranged), Ghostcomp x4 (Dora), Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Track (20 pp)
    Powers: Marked +14 (Extras: Energy Manipulation, Grapple; Stunts: Penetrating, Snare, Space Flight, Stellar Immunity; Flaw: Tiring; Source: Alien; Cost: 9+8; Total: 134 pp), Super-Skill +4 (Effect: all Cha; Extras: Dexterity, Intelligence; Source: Training; Cost: 4; Total: 16 pp), Super-Wisdom +7 (Source: Training; Cost: 3; Total: 21 pp). (171 pp)

A legend among the ranks of the Marked, the ancient Sen Sen Yar began life as a simple magistrate in a remote province of a backwater world. He traveled widely, solving criminal cases without the aid of advanced equipment or labs, using only his keen intellect and calm demeanor. In time he rose to the attention of his planet’s Emperor, who lavished rewards on Sen Sen and arranged for the judge’s retirement. Yar tried to enjoy his new life of ease and contemplation, but he became restless, and was unable to tame his curiosity . He discovered that the Emperor had brought Sen Sen into retirement to prevent the famous magistrate from uncovering the influence of great criminal warlords who had all but hijacked the power of the Emperor for themselves. Once he learned the truth, Sen Sen was targeted for death and he saw no point in trying to evade the vast resources of the Imperial Police. He surrendered to his fate, but was rescued at the last minute by a visitor from another world who had an offer for Yar: join the ranks of the Marked.

Yar has been Marked for more than four hundred years, becoming one of the greatest members of the organization. Throughout his many adventures, however, he has remained humble concerning his own exploits and quiet in his character. Often his presence alone is enough to prompt confession, but usually he investigates in a traditional manner: questioning witnesses, examining the crime scene, reconstructing events and eliminating suspects. He has been deceived, but seldom for very long. After so illustrious a career, however, Sen Sen Yar is getting old. Though he conceals the fact from all but his fellow officers, using the Mark has become very difficult for him in the last few decades. (Each round he uses the Mark, Sen Sen Yar must spend a Hero Point or be fatigued.) He feels his time running out, and he wishes secretly that he might find a replacement.

Appearance: Sen Sen Yar is a slightly built purple humanoid with a shriveled but dignified appearance. He moves slowly and seldom without a walking stick, though his eyes are bright and his dry wit still amusing as ever. His Mark is located over his heart and is usually invisible, concealed beneath the many layers of his kimono-like garments. Yar has a weakness for children and is often found surrounded by youngsters, telling parables or handing out candy from the voluminous pockets of his robe.

Dora (PL 9 Construct)
Ability Scores
Str 0, Dex 0, Con --, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 10. (8 pp)
Hardness: 5 (5 pp)
Attack Bonus: 0
Defense: 10
Saving Throws: Damage +5, Fort --, Reflex +0, Will +1 (Mental Protection +10)
Powers: Ghostcomp +10 (Effects: Comprehend, Datalink, Mental Protection, Super-Intelligence; Source: Super-Science; Extras: Telescopic Vision; Cost: 5+7; Total: 57 pp)
Skills: Bluff +4, Computer +17, Diplomacy +5, Disable Device +17, Hide +4, Knowledge (alien culture) +17, Knowledge (alien races) +17, Knowledge (galactic geography) +17, Knowledge (galactic history) +17, Knowledge (galactic law) +17, Knowledge (games) +14, Listen +10, Medicine +6, Move Silently +4, Pilot +5, Repair +17, Science (astrophysics) +17, Sense Motive +10, Search +17, Spot +6. (50 pp)
Feats: Assessment, Detect Target, Ghostlink, Photographic Memory, Psychic Awareness, Radio Hearing. (12 pp)
Hero Points: 1(2 pp)
Description: In 1869 a band of Apache warriors attacked a remote family farm, killing everyone present save for a 12 year old girl who escaped by hiding inside a hollow log. The Apaches had already set fire to the wood when a falling star sent them scattering. Satisfied with their plunder, the raiding party headed home, but back at the farm Lodivar Ree, Marked Man, was crawling out of the crater. Ree had been ambushed by outlaws and gravely wounded. Fleeing through hyperspace, he had crashed on Earth and, with the last of his strength, extinguished the fire before the young girl was seriously hurt. Ree was dying and his ghostcomp had been destroyed; although he had sent a plea for help to Doje he knew he would not live long enough to greet any reinforcements. With no real options, he transferred his Mark to the survivor of the Indian raid, whose name was Dora, and instructed her that the Mark must be used “for justice—to right things that are wrong.”

Dora had no idea how her newfound powers worked, but she knew the Apaches had killed her parents, her brother, and baby sister. She went out after them, and in the cold Arizona night she found them and killed them. Her inexperience proved her death, however, when the outlaws who had killed Ree followed his trail to Earth. Although she fought bravely, little Dora was killed in battle. Sen Sen Yar arrived moments too late, having received Ree’s message on the other side of the galaxy. He was forced to kill the outlaws, but Dora was already dead.

It was Yar who ensured that Dora’s name was added to the illustrious ranks of the Marked, and she became the youngest being ever to wield that weapon. A committee of Marked Men elected to immortalize Dora as a ghostcomp in partial repayment for the loss of her life in service to the Mark.

Appearance: Dora is a twelve year old girl with long blonde hair, big blue eyes, and a variety of 19th century outfits appropriate to the American West. Her mark is located on the inside of her left forearm. She seems uncomfortable talking, even to Yar, instead communicating with gesture or a whisper. The memory of her family’s death has not left her, and indeed never will, making her a generally somber child. Nevertheless, long exposure to the wise Sen Sen has allowed Dora to come out of her shell a little, even sometimes laughing and playing as a little girl might.

Hera b’Katar: PL 13 Hero (195 pp); Init +4; Defense 19 (+4 Dex, +5 base); Spd 30 ft, fly 100 ft, space flight 2.8 ly per day; BAB +10; Atk +15 melee (+17S stellar punch or +15S unarmed strike), +14 ranged (+10S stellar beam); SV Dmg +7 (Protection +10), Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +0 (Mental Protection +10); Str 20, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 16. (77 pp)
    Skills: Gather Information +7, Handle Animal +7, Hide +8, Intimidate +19, Move Silently +8, Ride +8, Sense Motive +2, Spot +4, Taunt +7. (17 pp)
    Feats: Attractive, Ghostcomp x3, Power Attack, Toughness (10 pp)
Powers: Marked +10 (Stunts: Space Flight, Stellar Fist, Stellar Immunity; Extras: Mental Protection; Source: Alien; Cost: 9+6; Total: 96 pp)
    Weakness: Berserk (Minor; Will DC 15; -2 pp), Suspicious (Moderate; -5 on Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks; -5 pp). (-7 pp)

The Karangian Warlords are a wandering people, whose homeworld was long ago destroyed by the all-consuming hunger of Entropos. Now reduced to a large fleet of some two hundred vessels, they survive by selling their services as mercenaries in wars and smaller conflicts throughout the galaxy. Known throughout the cosmos for their reckless behavior, great courage, tenacity and brutal behavior, the Karangians are never hired without some misgivings, for they can make as much trouble as they cause, but their skill in battle ensures that they will never be without clients.

Hera b’Katar is the daughter of the leader of the Karangian nation, Katar ben Suto. She is a new recruit to the ranks of the Marked, having chosen to leave her people after a disagreement over her latest betrothal (the groom lost his head). In an attempt to curb her rash behavior and her tendency to think everyone guilty until proven innocent, she has been assigned a particularly wise and level-headed ghostcomp, a seasoned veteran of a thousand years by the name of Mentor. Nevertheless, Hera jumps to conclusions and has a habit of mistrusting exactly those people who most mean to help her, while simultaneously writing off as “harmless” precisely those who most mean to do her ill.

Appearance: The princess of Karangia is a striking female humanoid with pale blue skin and straight black hair, wearing the ceremonial regalia of her rank and station aboard the Karangia fleet. Though an expert with all weapons, she has left them behind in favor of the Mark, which is located on her right palm. Tall and physically powerful, Hera’s beauty is balanced by her aggressive demeanor and accusatory manner of speech.

Quote: “You expect me to believe that? The Karangians may be a simple people, but we are no fools, I promise you!”

Mentor (PL 8 Construct)
Ability Scores
Str 0, Dex 0, Con --, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 13. (16 pp)
Hardness: 5 (5 pp)
Attack Bonus: +0
Defense: 10
Saving Throws: Damage +5, Fort --, Reflex +0, Will +4 (Mental Protection +7)
Powers: Ghostcomp +7 (Effects: Comprehend, Datalink, Mental Protection, Super-Intelligence; Source: Super-Science; Extras: Telescopic Sense (sight and hearing); Cost: 6; Total: 42 pp) (42 pp)
Skills: Computer +12, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +12, Knowledge (alien culture) +12, Knowledge (alien races) +12, Knowledge (galactic geography) +12, Knowledge (galactic history) +12, Knowledge (galactic law) +12, Listen +9, Medicine +9, Perform (wind instruments) +7, Pilot +5, Repair +12, Science (astrophysics) +12, Sense Motive +9, Search +12, Spot +9. (43 pp)
Feats: Assessment, Detect Target, Ghostlink, Photographic Memory, Psychic Awareness, Radio Hearing. (12 pp)
Hero Points: 1 (2 pp)
Description: Mentor is a middle-aged humanoid with a full head of white hair and a white mustache. Kind and gentle, he was responsible for training new recruits before his death in an accident less than a century ago. Now he acts as chaperone and guide to Hera b’Katar, trying to curb her worst impulses while also encouraging her brave work as a wielder of the Mark.

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Entropos (the End of All Things)

Introduction
The Force Entropic: New Power
The Black Orb, Entropos' Starship
Captain Will Tanner, Earth Astronaut
The Night, Voice of Entropos

In all the universe there is no single name more dreaded than that of Entropos, He Who is the End. He is believed to be an incarnation of entropy, that cold and emotionless state to which the universe is destined, inevitably, to come. With each passing year, as the stars grow colder and more distant from one another, Entropos grows in power. But he does not wait patiently for the end; no, he hastens it, traveling across the universe in a colossal starship, absorbing the life and energy of entire civilizations. In this way he fulfills his cosmic destiny, and brings the universe one step closer to oblivion.

No one knows the exact origin of this cosmic entity, but rumors persist that Entropos is as old as the universe itself. Indeed, he may have been born in the cataclysmic explosion which scientists call the Big Bang. Back then, in the misty morning of the cosmos, Entropos was weak and small, barely even sentient, for the universe was full of energy and raw potential. But as time passed he gained first a body, and then a mind. For countless years he wandered planets as a mere mortal might, seeing the wonders of the galaxy and mastering countless fields of science. As his power grew, so his mind expanded; he built his mighty spacecraft, the Black Orb, and began to travel the cosmos, bringing his final end first to individual people, then to entire populations.

In time, Entropos grew so vast in intellect and might that he could no longer sympathize with the life forms that surrounded him; he became inscrutable and vast, less an individual than a force of galactic nature. No one can now tell what civilization will next draw his attention: usually it is a society that has grown corrupt and decadent, that needs only that last little push before toppling over into permanent chaos and decay. Entropos provides that push in a uniquely epic fashion, absorbing the world’s light, heat, and life energy until it is nothing but a barren ball of rock without atmosphere or hope. Entropos rarely meddles with societies which are active and flourishing, and for this reason many world leaders have tried to keep their societies constantly expanding, in an effort to keep the cosmic bogey-man at bay. But simple military might should not be confused with the vital energy that keeps a society from becoming stagnant; many a galactic tyrant has found his end in Entropos.

Entropos has no stat block; he is beyond such mundane quantification. While it is possible to startle or surprise him, or even cause him to feel pain, no amount of brute force can render him unconscious. A brief description of Entropos’ capabilities may be useful for GMs who wish to use him in a story.

Size: Entropos can control his size, appearing anywhere from thirty feet tall (Growth +8) to as large as the Earth itself (Growth +87). His traditional height is about thirty stories (Growth +20). This will grant him Super-Strength, Immovability, and Protection.
Invulnerability: If he is prepared against assault, Entropos is invulnerable to harm, having weathered both nuclear attack and orbital bombardment. When caught by surprise (that is, flat-footed), he can be momentarily distracted by attacks that penetrate his Growth-derived Protection. These attacks will not hurt him in any significant way, but Entropos will be Dazed by the sheer audacity of the attacker . As long as this Dazed condition persists, Entropos can be kept off-balance, but as soon as he is able to take an ordinary action he raises his defenses and becomes once more invulnerable.
Senses: Entropos can feel the presence of living things or activity, the generative force of the universe, anywhere in the solar system. The smaller the life source the more likely it escapes his detection.
The Force Entropic: Entropos is the premier wielder (some would say source) of the Force Entropic; his ranks in that power are incalculable and he has all the listed extras and stunts.
Cosmic Power: Entropos can sense cosmic power . Under no circumstances would be treat such a being as an equal, but he may deign to converse with one in the same way that you or I would talk to an animal (and with the same expectation of intelligent response).
Attacking: In the very unlikely event that Entropos is lured into actual combat, do not bother to roll to hit. His vast size would negate any attack bonus Entropos might have. Instead, treat all his attacks as area attacks and assume he misses his target, forcing everyone in the area to make Reflex saves for half damage. Entropos does not lower himself to hand to hand combat; instead, he will leech the energy out of vast swaths of his foes or lay down fields of debilitating anti-energy. His areas of effect will be as large as he wishes them to be and inflict as much damage as he wishes to inflict. Any attacks directed against Entropos automatically hit.
What He Cannot Do: Entropos is not omniscient: he cannot see the future or read minds, and usually is unaware of events going on elsewhere in the present moment. He is not omnipresent: he cannot be in more than one place at once, and he cannot perform multiple actions at the same time.
Fears: Despite his link to the entropy of the universe, Entropos has a very strong sense of self-preservation; he fears the possibility that the rise of entropy in the cosmos is, in fact, part of a pendulum-like motion which will return him to a state of weakness and impotency. For this reason, there are things in the galaxy which give even Entropos pause. The assembled might of the Olympian pantheon, all the forces of Hell, or Lovecraftian entities like Azathoth might deter Entropos from a chosen victim.

<>The Force Entropic (new power)

Cost: 8
Action: Varies
Range: Varies
Duration: Varies
You control the negative forces of the universe, giving you tremendous destructive power. The Force Entropic is somehow related to cosmic power, but the exact connection is unknown; it may be a form of ‘anti-cosmic’ energy. The Force Entropic grants you the following abilities:

You can Disintegrate (p. 66) nonliving objects at normal range.
You have Protection (p. 79) at your power rank.
You have Flight (p. 71) equal to your power rank.
You are not dependent on light, heat, or air, and so have a number of Immunities (p. 51) equal to your power rank.
You can Drain (p. 66) all of a target’s powers or physical ability scores by touch; you must decide whether you drain powers or physical ability scores when you select this power.
You can sense cosmic power, the Force Entropic, or living things with a Spot check (DC set by the GM). The base range increment is 10 feet, doubled for every power rank. You are –1 to your Spot check per range increment between you and the target. Accordingly, you can also be sensed by someone able to sense cosmic power.

POWER STUNTS
You can gain any of the following powers as stunts for the Force Entropic at your power rank: Corrosion, Dazzle, Energy Field, Fatigue, Neutralize, Paralysis, Slow, Space Flight, Stun, Teleportation.

EXTRAS

Absorption: You can absorb physical or energy attacks and briefly channel that energy before it dissipates. You have Absorption at your power rank. Note that the Protection aspects of this power will not stack beyond your PL when combined with the Protection you already enjoy.
Bestow the Force Entropic: You can grant another person temporary use of the Power Entropic. You must touch the target and spend a half action; you “loan” as many ranks of your Power as you choose to the target. You lose that many ranks and the target gains them. Each round after the round of the initial loan, you regain one rank in the Power Entropic while the recipient of the loan loses one rank. As a free action, you can immediately reclaim all ranks from the recipient of the loan, stripping them of the Force Entropic and returning your power to its normal ranks. This power cannot be used on anyone who already has the Power Entropic. If you continue to touch a target and continue to spend half-actions, the target will keep all your loaned ranks each round (that is, the ranks will not return to you or fade from the target). For additional extras, you may extend the duration of the “loan” so that points do not return to you until you cease to Concentrate (one additional extra), until you cease taking a free action (two additional extras), or until you wish to end it (three additional extras).
Deflection: By absorbing their energy, you can deflect incoming attacks before they strike you. You have Deflection at your power rank.
Drain Life: For two extras, you can absorb the energy of a beating heart or breathing lungs, granting you the power to Suffocate at your power rank.
Entropic Body: You can make yourself a spirit of pure entropic energy, passing through all solid barriers and granting you Incorporeal at your power rank.
Entropic Field: You can surround yourself with a field of entropic force which protects you from harm, giving you Force Field at your power rank. Note that the defensive benefits of Force Field will not stack with the Protection you always enjoy, beyond your PL.
Heat Sink: You can drain the heat out of an area, granting you Energy Control (cold) at your power rank.
Immovability: By absorbing kinetic force when it strikes you, you become impossible to move. You have Immovability at 2 ranks for every 1 point you spend on this extra.
Invisibility: You can absorb light as it strikes your body, making you Invisible at your power rank.
Obscure: By absorbing all the light or sound in the surrounding area, you can create fields of impenetrable darkness or silence; you have Obscure at your power rank.
Regeneration: You can call upon the Force Entropic to replenish your reserve of negative energy, granting you Regeneration at your power rank.
Sensory Protection: You absorb the energy of incoming dazzle effects, gaining Sensory Protection at 2 ranks for every 1 pp you spend.
Transfer: When you absorb a target’s ability scores or powers using Drain, you can briefly use that energy to duplicate the target’s capabilities. You have Transfer at your power rank.

The Black Orb, Entropos’ Starship

While Entropos can travel through space at great speed, he generally finds it more convenient to use this moon-sized starship. It traditionally takes up an orbit around whatever world Entropos has targeted for destruction, eclipsing the nearest solar body. This has made the Black Orb one of the most feared sights in the cosmos.

The ship is completely immune to all forms of attack; entire space fleets have focused their firepower on it with absolutely no effect. While some of this is due to the ship’s armored hull, the greater part of the ship’s invulnerability is due to energy sinks which absorb all nearby energy in an effect not unlike that of a black hole. No one knows where the energy goes once it is absorbed by the Black Orb; it has no apparent engines or power plant.

The Black Orb is home to amazing computerized libraries and zoos. Many romantic poets and artists like to suggest that Entropos uses the ship as a museum to preserve the cultures he destroys. In fact, the opposite is in true: Entropos collects data on and life-forms from worlds he has not yet visited, using long-range sensors from his ship and picking up wayward travelers. Visitors to his ship are allowed to remain alive precisely until Entropos targets their civilization for destruction: at that time all data records of the world are purged and all representative life forms exterminated, so that the extinction of the target planet should be total.
Over the millennia, captured life forms have occasionally escaped and found temporary home in the labyrinthine corridors of the Black Orb. Indeed, entire civilizations have arisen and fallen in the shadow of Entropos. If he has ever noticed these ants scurrying around his feet, it is not recorded.

The Black Orb’s powerful technology enhances some of Entropos’s abilities, especially his sensory powers. Standing within his Dark Orrery, Entropos can detect and analyze sources of life energy on a galactic scale; this allows him to select new targets to absorb. Because his library has many gaps, however, and does not contain information about all possible target worlds, Entropos traditionally allows his chief servant, the Night, to explore target worlds first and appraise them as possible energy sources.

Captain Will Tanner

Few people remember Will Tanner, quarterback for the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide in 1934. The young athlete, a straight-A student, was recruited by the US Government for a secret project that was so crazy, most people thought is was pure science fiction: an effort to put a human being into space. Tanner found the challenge of training to be exciting and he warmed to it, becoming the pilot of an experimental rocket ship meant to fly between the Earth and the moon before returning.

Alas, there was a tragic malfunction, and Tanner’s ship entered a strange cloud of energy which froze him in time. His ship drifted and all communication was lost. Back home, US scientists informed Tanner’s sweetheart that he was dead; in space, the rocket drifted through a hyperspace warp and ended up on the other side of the galaxy. Eventually it was discovered by sensor sweeps from the Black Orb, which took the rocket in and filed the contents away in the Orb’s vast library. Tanner woke up in a recreated 1930s living room, but he swiftly escaped the zoo and began a series of adventures inside Entropos’ starship.

In the years since, Tanner has become the greatest hero of the Hollow World. He eventually got over his lost girlfriend and found love in the arms of Princess Kiwi, a warrior maiden from an alien world. Several times he has run afoul of Syrtis Khan, a warlord and tyrant who was born aboard the Black Orb and considers ruling it to be his destiny. The Khan has a veritable army of thugs, robots and other war machines which do his bidding, but so far Tanner and his rag-tag band of plucky allies have always managed to thwart them.

The Captain has had no contact with any Earthling since his flight in 1936. He doesn’t even know what year it is. He has seen Entropos but, like the rest of the beings who live a ratlike existence in the Black Orb, avoids the cosmic entity at every opportunity.

Captain Will Tanner: PL 9 Hero (136 pp); Init +3; Spd 30 ft; Defense 16 (+3 base, +3 dex); BAB +6; Atk +10 melee (+8L razorsword or +4S punch), +9 ranged (+6L raygun); SV Dmg +6 (Armor +2), Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +4; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 16. (61 pp)
    Skills: Acrobatics +5, Bluff +7, Climb +8, Computers +4, Demolitions +4, Diplomacy +7, Handle Animal +7, Hide +7, Intimidate +7, Jump +8, Listen +6, Medicine +4, Move Silently +7, Pilot +9, Repair +4, Ride +7, Search +4, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6, Taunt +7. (35 pp)
    Feats: Attractive, Expertise, Heroic Surge, Improved Disarm, Iron Will, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Quick Draw, Rapid Strike, Surprise Strike, Toughness, Two-Weapon Fighting. (24 pp)
    Equipment: Razorsword (+4 lethal melee weapon), Fighting harness (+2 armor), Raygun (+6 lethal ranged weapon; Stunts: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot; Cost: 1+2; Total: 8 pp), Gadgets +4. (18 pp)
    Weakness: Quirk (Chivalrous – never lies, won’t hit a lady; Minor; -2 pp)

The Night, Voice of Entropos

In recent centuries, Entropos has relied more and more on surrogates who travel more energetically than he, investigating worlds and reporting back to him on the state of their civilization. Traditionally, Entropos keeps no more than one such servant at a time, who is referred to as the Voice of Entropos. For the last twenty or so years, the office of Voice has been held by a warrior giant from a primitive world, known now as the Night.

The Night has left all vestiges of his original world behind him; it is commonly believed that his home was consumed by Entropos, but this is not proven. Already possessed of great strength and stamina, the Night has been granted the Force Entropic by his master and can now “ride” through space on a vaguely horse-shaped field of energy, drain the strength of his foes, disintegrate matter, and perform a number of other destructive feats. He recovers with phenomenal speed from any injury which manages to penetrate his armor.

Coming from a warrior culture which prized personal combat, the Night offered himself in service to Entropos out of a desire to pit his skills against the best the cosmos has to offer. When he arrives at a world, he identifies himself and his master, assuring the entire population of the planet that their fate is sealed. While global panic usually results, there are always some brave or foolish souls who seek to slay the Night, on the assumption that if they can kill the Voice, Entropos himself may never come to their world. It is these battles which the Night relishes.

Defeating the Night is a tricky business. Sometimes he has been so impressed by the skill and courage of his foe that he has voluntarily agreed to spare it from Entropos (he simply tells his master that the world he visited is not yet ready for destruction). But if his sense of pride is insulted, if his foes do not treat him with the respect he and his master are due (for example, any use of Taunt), he is just as likely to be petty and vengeful, directing Entropos against the planet at once.

Appearance: The Night is a 12 foot humanoid in fantastic black plate armor. His face can be partially seen through gaps in his helm, revealing skin that is also pitch black in color. His sword is a kind of reverse stellar effect: a white field with black suns and planets. When he speaks, the Night’s voice is deep and intimidating; when he smiles, it is a time for fear.

Quote: “People of Earth: heed me! The end of your world is upon you! I herald the coming of my master, He Who Is The End, he whom the universe calls ... ENTROPOS!”

The Night in Play: When he first appears, the Night will make foreboding pronouncements to world leaders, warning them of the coming of Entropos. He never attempts to prevent anyone from fleeing the planet he has visited, knowing that any attempt at evacuation will succeed in preserving only a tiny fraction of the world’s total population. Once his proclamation is delivered, the Night will retire to an out of the way place to await the inevitable challenge by the local heroes. He does not try to hide, but neither does he leave clues to his location, usually giving the planet about 24 hours to muster some kind of opposition. He will meet armies and remote assaults (missiles and bombs) with derision, often relocating himself to a populated area in order to insure he must be confronted directly. Only heroic combat will earn his respect. If he has to make this clear to his opponents he usually does so in a fatal way, killing some prominent political or military figure. While this may seem barbaric to others, the Night is still half-barbarian in his heart and a little blood means nothing to him.

Once challenged, the Night will be eager to close to hand to hand combat, falling back on ranged powers only when his foe will not close or proves himself too nimble or resilient to simple sword-blows. His Drain affects all physical ability scores (Str, Dex, Con) and can be used at range. Note that he regenerates 3 Hits every 2 rounds. He often generates a +15 lethal energy field around his body which forces his foe to make a second damage save whenever the Night hits with a sword blow. With Villain Points, the Night can wield the Force Entropic in unusual ways, laying down clouds of impenetrable blackness (which he can see through with blindsight) or simply shutting off the powers of a particularly annoying enemy.

The Night: PL 24 Villain (372 pp); Init +2; Spd 40 ft, fly 150 ft, super-flight 1,000 mph, space flight 32,000c; Defense 21 (+10 base, +2 dex, -1 size); BAB +15; Atk +19 melee (+20L sword or +15S punch with 10 ft reach), +16 ranged (DC 25 Drain); SV Dmg +5 (Armor +5, Protection +14), Fort +15, Ref +2, Will +11; Str 20, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16. (100 pp)
    Skills: Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (cosmos) +11, Ride +6, Sense Motive +5, Spot +9. (20 pp)
    Feats: Blind-Fight, Blindsight, Indomitable Will, Infamy, Power Attack, Psychic Awareness, Takedown Attack. (14 pp)
    Equipment: Armor +5, Sword +5, Universal Translator +10. (20 pp)
    Powers: Amazing Save (Fort) +10 (Source: Alien; Extras: Will; Cost: 2; Total: 20 pp); Growth +4 (Source: Alien; Cost: 6; Total: 24 pp), Super-Strength +6 (Source: Alien; Cost: 4; Total: 24 pp), The Force Entropic +15 (Source: Alien; Extras: Regeneration, Sensory Protection +10, Super-Flight +4; Stunts: Energy Field, Fatigue, Range, Space Flight; Cost: 10+17; Total: 167 pp) (235 pp)
    Weakness: Addiction (Battling a worthy foe; Moderate; Will DC 25; -5 pp), Berserker (Minor; Will DC 25; -2 pp); Unlucky (-10 pp).

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The Janus Moon

Introduction
Getting to Artemisia
Diana
Gal Ileo

At about the same time that ultraterrestrials first altered human genes (approximately 100,000 years ago, see Prince Primeval), test subjects were taken to Earth's moon and genetically altered into a separate race which we know today as the Artemisians. The Artemisians dwelt on a lunar surface completely unlike that which we currently associate with the moon; it was a beautiful world dominated by large seas and sandy plains. The aliens soon left, but the genetic alterations they placed in the Artemisians continued to mutate them. They formed a civilization and explored science and mysticism in an attempt to control the dangerous powers which manifested in virtually every member of the race. Motivated by self-preservation and with occasional help from their own inhuman powers, the Artemisians achieved a high technological and spiritual state long before mankind, and twenty thousand years ago scientists discovered a way to eliminate the alien mutation strand from Artemisian DNA.

The process was a complete success -- almost. One Artemisian family proved immune to the DNA manipulation; their mutations would not fade. This family came to be seen as martyrs for the rest of the race, condemned to uncontrolled mutation for the rest of time. Over the generations that followed they proved themselves to be wise and honorable, selfless in their dedication to Artemisian civilization, and in time they were given the highest honor possible: they became the Royal Family, the rulers of Artemisia. By this time Artemisia had entered a golden age, divided into three great nations. These three realms still exist today and are ruled by branches of the Royal Family; they are Phthenoth, Methiax, and Akton.

The Artemisians watched the advance of human culture with some trepidation. They knew of alien civilizations, but it was easy to isolate themselves from cultures so far away. The aggressive, expansionistic, and above all numerous inhabitants of Earth made the people of Artemisia fearful, and they began searching for a way to hide themselves from human eyes. The most brilliant minds of Artemisia again put themselves to the task of saving the race, and as they had before, they succeeded beyond everyone's hopes. They discovered the existence of an entire dimension existing on an alternate psychic frequency than Earth: the realm of Yesod. In this realm there was a floating sphere of dead and desolate rock the same size and shape as Earth's moon, but completely lifeless. Designs for a tremendous machine began to be drafted, and that side of the moon which faced the Earth was entirely evacuated. Artemisian society moved to the far side of the lunar sphere while the machines were completed and trained members of the Royal Family learned the rigorous psychic techniques required to make the machines work. By the time mankind began to enter its Renaissance, the great project of Artemisia was complete.

When the machines were activated, a portal to Yesod was opened. Artemisian psychics aligned the moon and the lifeless orb that was its counterpart into perfect harmony, placing them in the same physical space but on different psychic frequencies. The polarity was then reversed and, at the same moment, the machines were switched off. It was a spectacular gamble ... but it worked. The "true moon" of Artemisia and the "false moon" of Yesod had merged and stabilized, trapped halfway between the dimensions. That part which faced the Earth was barren and lifeless, but existed wholly in real time and space. The part which faced away from Earth (the so-called "far side" or "dark side" of the moon) was the home of Artemisia, but had been translated to the dimension of Yesod. Artemisian society was now beyond the casual glance of human astronomers, and each half of the moon was accessible only across that easily-patrolled border which divides "near side" from "far side."

This is the state of the moon today. When mankind directed its first telescopes at the moon they saw only its lifeless face ... not the wide oceans that ancient astronomers had reported. A few earthlings caught sight of ruins or equipment left over from the hasty move to the far side: Baron Franz von Gruithuisen mapped an Artemisian city in 1824. Etienne Trouvelot saw the walls of solid diamond that run across Crater Eudoxus in 1877. Other observers noted pyramids, domes, obelisks, bridges, and more. None of these sightings were believed by the general public, though some in power did take note. When America sent its rockets to the moon's surface, the astronauts stomped through dust and over rock, apparently never realizing that a wondrous civilization existed just over the moon's short horizon (rumors that the Apollo landing was some sort of ritual intended to bring Artemisia back into our dimensional plane have not been proven). And when Russians sent a satellite orbiting the "dark side", an Artemisian-projected hologram convinced them that the far side was just as lifeless and dull as the near one.

The society of Artemisia has remained more or less stable for the last several centuries, since its translation to Yesod. It is a land of purple skies, suffused with a silvery radiance that comes from no discernible source. The land is sandy and pleasant of temperature, with many oceans and magnificent coasts. Phthenoth is ruled by Princess Shaliah, a young noblewoman with potent healing powers and a penchant for never wearing the same outfit twice. Her land is famous for its wine, its groves of apples, and its fields of lavender. Her ally in royal politics is the Princess Chabuiyah, ruler of Methiax. Chabuiyah is a centaur female, but this is only her most common form, for she is a master of shapeshifting and illusion. She is a great patron of the arts, especially theater, and is rumored to have brought human performers to her palace for exclusive engagements. Methaix is also the home of the Artemisian libraries and scriptoria, where the ancient records of this 100,000 year old race are preserved. Both these two nations live in fear of Akton, ruled by the seemingly-immortal Prince Naber. Possessed of an unquenchable thirst for cruelty, debauchery, and corruption, Naber has molded the people of his realm into an entire race of slaves dependent on his rule for survival. He patrols his borders through flocks of flesh-eating crows; his personal blazon is a black crane.

In the 1940s Nazi scientists experimenting with anti-gravity constructed the Flugelrad Dora, a saucer ship which reached the moon with construction workers and guards. A hidden redoubt for the survival of the Reich was constructed on the near side, but was detected by the Light Brigade in the last months of the war. A last-minute mission was launched to prevent the Nazis from bombarding the Earth with asteroids. None of the parties involved detected the Artemisians over the horizon, though a member of the Royal Family did monitor the raid and report on it to his superiors.

Getting to Artemisia

The most obvious way to get to Artemisia is to get to the moon and then just walk or fly over the hemisphere border that separates near side from far side. The sky turns purple, the ground turns to cool sand, and the breathable air now glows with silver light. Diana is very sensitive to interlopers and each of the three nations keeps a quick response force to investigate and, if necessary, capture trespassers. The forces of Prince Nader always attack to kill; the others will be more diplomatic, only reacting with force is threatened.

It is also possible to reach Artemisia and Yesod with conventional dimensional travel, by means of the Wine-Dark Sea, a vast interdimensional ocean which connects to the moon's many seas.

The palace of Chabuiyah in Methiax has a gateway to Faerie, with whom the Princess carries on an occasional flirtation. Prince Naber has constructed a dimensional portal to a vast psychic garbage dump he calls "The Abyss." Home to horrific creatures called Qlippoth, he uses it as a means of execution for disappointingly inept minions.

There are several gates to Artemisia directly from earth, though they are unknown to all but a handful of occultists, adventurers, and scientists. A vineyard in Turkey leads to the Royal Baths of the Princess Chabuiyah. The marshy island of Glastonbury in England can lead wayward travelers to an apple orchard inside the Royal Palace of Princess Shaliah. Finally, a grove at Nemi, Italy serves as Diana's last working holy site. To reach her, a pilgrim must go to the grove while the moon shines reflected in Lake Aricia, then wait for a stranger to come. The pilgrim must be killed by that stranger and, if he has done everything right, will be transported instantly to Diana's refuge in Artemisia. He hopes.

Prince Naber's Carrion Crows: PL 5 Minion (74 pp); Init +2; Spd 60 ft. (fly, 55 mph 'sprint'); Defense 15 (+3 base, +2 Dex); BAB +3; Atk +4 melee (+5L claws), +4 ranged (+8 Disintegrate or Disruption); SV Dmg +4, Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 6.
Skills: Hide +6, Intimidate +6, Move Silently +6, Spot +4.
Feats: Darkvision, Detect (Dead and Dying), Great Fortitude, Immunity (Exhaustion), Toughness.
Powers: Flight +6 (Source: Mutation; Extras: Super-Flight +1; Flaws: Wings; Cost: 1+1; Total: 7 pp), Natural Weapon +3 (Source: Mutation; Cost: 2; Total: 6 pp); Shapeshift +6 (Source: Mutation; Extras: Shrinking +3; Flaws: Limited x2--One form only; Cost: 1-1+3; Total: 8 pp), Telescopic Sense (sight) +3 (Source: Mutation; Cost: 1; Total: 3 pp).
Equipment: Blood-resin armor (+4 Armor; Stunts: Radio Hearing; Cost: 1+1; Total: 5 pp); Poison Rifle (+8 Disintegrate; Extras: Disruption; Flaws: Device; Cost: 2; Total: 16 pp).
Weakness: Disturbing.

Notes: The Crow's Intimidate skills are Strength based. Their ranged modifier for Spot checks (including Detect) is -1/80 feet. Note that characters with Immunity (poison) will take only Stun damage from the otherwise-lethal rifles the Crows carry. Their shapeshift allows them to adopt the form of a Small crow-like bird with Flight +6; in this form their weaponry and gear simply vanishes. Regardless of form, they are hideous and flecked with blood, making it impossible for them to pass themselves off as ordinary birds except at a distance.

Diana

When the Artemisians succeeded in "translating" their home across the dimensional threshold, they attracted the attention of another great being. Diana, known to the Greeks as Artemis, had already begun to despair, for the world was changing under the influence of the Christian god, and her support was at an all-time low. When half of the moon was sent to another dimension, to be replaced by a lifeless replica, she nearly died. Filled with wrath, she stormed Artemisia, determined to at least take a few thousand of these impertinent mortals with her into the underworld. What she found surprised her, and so long as she remained on the far side of the moon some shadow of her powers remained. She became a sort of unofficial guardian of Artemisia, using her bow and hunting skills to patrol the border with the near side. Though no longer empowered with all the might of a worshipped goddess, she found solace in this new duty and even some comfort in the long periods of privacy which it offered her. She continues her work to this day.

Diana, former Goddess of the Moon: PL 19 (285 pp); Init +11; Spd 90 ft. run, 60 ft. leap; Defense 29 (+7 base, +12 dex); BAB +10; Atk +13 melee (+12L knife or +9S unarmed strike), +15 ranged (+15L penetrating bow); SV Dmg +11, Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +17; Str 16, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 18. (90 pp)
    Skills: Acrobatics +12, Balance +12, Climb +10, Handle Animal +11, Hide +12, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (the Moon) +9, Languages (Artemisian, English, native Greek, Latin), Listen +20, Move Silently +12, Ride +12, Search +9, Sense Motive +18, Spot, +20, Survival +20, Swim +10. (16 pp)
    Feats: Attractive, Darkvision, Durability, Endurance, Far Shot, Headquarters, Immunity (age, disease, pressure, suffocation), Penetrating Attack (bow), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Psychic Awareness, Quick Draw, Rapid Healing, Rapid Shot, Track, True Sight (38 pp)
    Powers: Super-Dexterity +6 (Source: Mystical; Extras: Leaping, Running, Super-Strength, Super-Constitution, Super-Charisma; Cost: 13; Total: 78 pp), Super-Wisdom +12 (Source: Mystical; Cost: 3; Total: 36 pp), Telescopic Sense (sight) +6 (Source: Mystical; Cost: 1; Total: 6 pp). (120 pp)
    Equipment: Bow (+6 lethal ranged weapon; Source: Mystical; Extras: Mighty, Range--Sight; Cost: 3; Total: 18 pp), Silver Knife (+3 lethal weapon; Source: Mystical; Cost: 1; Total: 3 pp). (22 pp)

Diana appears as a pale blonde woman of heroic physique and otherworldly beauty, clad in a short white running tunic and golden sandals. A satchel over her shoulder keeps the few supplies she might require, and at her belt is a long sickle-shaped dagger. She is seldom without her bow, made of a white luminous substance. Curving in a perfect half-circle, it requires a Strength modifier of +6 to even pull. With it, however she can fire at any target she can see (with a sight modifier of -1 for every 640 feet and Spot +20, that's a long way).

While her reputation suggests that Diana will react violently to those who trespass, in truth she has gotten rather homesick and longs to be recognized. She warns intruders off with arrows while allowing herself to be glimpsed far-off, well aware that this will telegraph her identity to anyone with half a brain. Any brief conversation which follows will be welcome, though Diana will take the chance to make plain that no trespass into Artemisia is permitted. She can be persuaded, but aggression or disrespect will arouse her divine wrath. Wise heroes will flee an angry goddess.

Diana keeps a Greco-Roman pavilion organized around a large temple-like structure and surrounded by groves of trees and serene pools of reflective water. Treat this as a PL 19 headquarters with the following attributes: Dock, Holding Cells (using mystic chains), Isolated Location, Library, Living Space, Pool, Power System and Staff (several dozen nymphs from PL 1-5). It has a scrying pool with ESP, can cloak itself with impenetrable mists (selective Obscure, this counts as two powers), and can generate magical Illusions. While in her temple, Diana can use Astral Projection (this counts as 4 powers) and all languages are instantly translated (Comprehend +19). Any mundane object she needs is created out of thin air (Create Object) and by stepping into a special pool she can travel to other dimensions.

Gal Ileo

The other permanent resident on the moon is much more recent. Even before the Event the inventive genius known as Gal Ileo had begun to look for a place to construct a lab which would allow her unlimited space to work free of interference. She decided on the moon, and discovered Artemisia when her sensors penetrated that place's psychic illusions. At first her relations with the Artemisians were good -- Gal was curious, sociable, and admired the technological advances of the lunar culture. The Event changed all that. By this time Gal had constructed a remote research facility near the border, far from Artemisian cities. When so many of her former colleagues and mentors vanished, the young human inventor was crushed by guilt and the feeling that if she had only been on Earth surely she could have done something. Perhaps she would now be wherever they were. What Gal Ileo did not know was that the unusual psychic emanations of Yesod were influencing her mutated genius-level brain, pushing her farther and farther from eccentricity and into madness. She became totally focused on "solving" the Event from her lunar observatory, and yet utterly incapable of making the slightest progress towards this goal. In her work she casually discovers and then discards scientific miracle after miracle, considering them "useless" and "irrelevant" so long as her current goal eludes her. The last time a party of Artemisians came to pay a visit, she activated force fields and remote defense drones to drive them off. Even Diana gives her observatory a wide berth.

Gal Ileo: PL 13 (200 pp); Init +2; Spd 30 ft. (run); Defense 17 (+5 base, +2 dex); BAB +5; Atk +6 melee, +6 ranged; SV Dmg +0/+8 (Evasion), Fort +0, Ref +8, Will +4; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 20, Wis 14, Cha 12. (43 pp)
    Skills: Balance +10, Computers +30, Demolitions +20, Disable Device +20, Hide +6, Knowledge (moon) +20, Languages (Artemisian, Japanese, Latin, German); Medicine +10, Move Silently +6, Pilot +10, Repair +30, Science (Astronomy) +30, Science (Biochemistry, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Ecology, Exobiology, Genetics, Geology, Mathematics, Metallurgy, Nuclear Physics, Physics, Quantum Physics, Robotics, Zoology) +18, Search +20. 50 pp
    Feats: Assessment, Attack Finesse, Dodge, Evasion, Headquarters, Immunity (fatigue, starvation), Iron Will, Minions (Leadership score 18), Photographic Memory. 22 pp
    Powers: Amazing Save (Reflex) +6 (Source: Training; Cost: 1; Total: 6); Super-Intelligence +12 (Source: Mutation; Extra: Mental Protection; Cost: 3; Total: 36 pp). 54 pp
    Equipment: Force Field Belt (+12 force field (damaging); Extra: Subtle; Stunts: Immunity (pressure, suffocation); Cost: 2+2; Total: 26 pp), Jumpsuit (+4 armor; Cost: 1; Total: 4 pp), Personal Data Pad (+12 datalink; Cost: 1; Total: 12), Gadgets +12 (Source: Super-Science; Stunts: Heroic Surge; Cost: 1+1; Total: 13 pp),
    Weakness: Obsessed (Gal is obsessed with "solving" the Event, which apparently means figuring out what happened and reversing it so the heroes can return. She has to make a Will save DC 10 to do anything else, increasing +1 every 10 minutes. Note, she also has a mental block which prohibits her from actually succeeding in this task.) -10 pp

Gal Ileo is a startlingly thin woman with pale skin and white hair, dressed in an inky black jumpsuit (she looks like an anorexic Nagel painting). Three years of living on the moon has given her an easy grace but a distracted air. Born with a mutant brain that doubles in reasoning power every year, Gal first served with the Teen Machine, forging friendships that allowed her to keep social contact and some sort of normality. When the oldest members left after the death of Rush, Gal began to drift. She briefly returned to the team to act as a mentor for the next generation, but her alienation had already begun and she made decisions which seemed perfectly rational to her, but which were cruel and heartless to those under her command. Rejected by her own team, she left to build a research lab free of interference. Soon after, the Event occurred and Gal, whose brain was already being affected by the radiations of Yesod's psychic frequency, became obsessed with the Event's secrets. She no longer tolerates any disturbance of her work, replying to the slightest provocation with lethal force. The Artemisians, not a warlike people by nature, give her a wide berth.

Use Gal's Heroic Surge in tandem with her Gadgets to allow her to deploy weapons as a free action three times per day. Bend the PL stacking rule so that her force field and armor stack (for a total Protection value of 16).

Gal's observatory is located on the border between near and far side. It is a gleaming high-tech dome with a tower rising from its center, atop which an awesome telescope has been mounted. The interior of the dome is dominated by an immense model of the working cosmos, accurate to a degree only a madman would appreciate. The headquarters has the following features: Communications, Computer, Defense System (variable frequency lasers with a +6 attack bonus and +13L damage), Fire Prevention System, Hangar, Isolated Location, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, Reinforced Structure (hardness 20), Security System (DC 33) and two powers: a hardness 13 force dome which can be erected as a free action and a powerful telescope with Space Sense (vision) +13 (treat this power as a Space Flight version of Telescopic Sense, measured in light years, for a range penalty of -2 for every 4,096 LY.

With a free action, Gal can turn off the artificial gravity in her lunar observatory, making everything weigh one-sixth normal. Anyone without at least 5 ranks in the Balance skill will be at a -2 on attack rolls, defense and skill checks as long as the gravity is off. Anyone struck by an attack which inflicts a Hit is knocked back 5 feet for every rank in the attacking power. Knockback does no additional damage; it's purely for drama.

Her robotic minions come in an infinite variety of specialized shapes and sizes, but here is one common example. These are top-shaped floating robots with tentacles for limbs. Atop their body is a single glowing golden sensor which can fire a beam of deadly energy.

Robot Security Drone: PL 3 Construct (45 pp); Init +0; Spd 40 ft. fly (145 mph Super-Flight); Defense 10; BAB +1; +2 melee (+2S metal limb), +1 ranged (+8L laser); SV Dmg +0, Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 10, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 1. (7 pp)
    Hardness: 6 (6 pp)
    Feats: Attack Focus (ranged), Construct Immunities (all ten except heat), Darkvision (22 pp)
    Powers: Energy Blast +8 (Stunts: Point Blank Shot; Flaw: Full Power; Cost: 1+2; Total: 8), Flight +4 (Extras: Super-Flight +3; Cost: 3; Total: 12), Running -3 (the drones have no ground movement; Total: -3 pp)
    Weakness: Vulnerability--Electricity (-10 pp)

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