TALON

TALON

Talon, shown here with hood up. In the background images of his alter ego Harlan, his mentor the Great Owl, and Talon's childhood sidekick costume

M&M2e Stats

PL: 9 (147 pp)

Talon Timeline

• 1945 - Harlan Robinson is born.

• 1955 - [age 10] Young Harlan began training with the Great Owl

• 1957 - [age 12] Harlan first puts on the Talon costume.

• 1957-61 - [age 12-17] Talon adventures with tGO for these 5 years in Boston.

• 1962 - [age 17] Eagle Owl First appears in the Pacific Northwest patrolling the city of Seattle for 3-4 monthes.

• 1962 - [age 17] The Great Owl disappears, Harlan rushes back to Boston. Distraught because he'd left tGO on bad terms and wasn't at his side when most needed.

• 1962-65 - [age 17-20] Eagle Owl ends his career after only 3-4 monthes and neither he nor Talon are seen in these years. Harlan scoures the city of Boston, then the East Coast, and parts of the world - but nothing The Great Owl is nowhere to be found. News media mourn the lost "great huntsman of crime"...

• 1965 - [age 20] The hero to be known as Strobe is born.

• 1965 - [age 20] Still distraught about letting tGO down Harlan returns to the streets of Boston as Talon, this time a little darker not talking to the press and having upgraded his wing-harness, equipment and skills.

• 1985 - [age 40] Strobe is in his college years. After 20 years of working the East Coast, fighting crime, defending Boston - Talon tracks down a lead for tGO's death that points to the West Coast.

• 1985-2006 - [age 40-61] Over the next 21 years he worked up and down the west coast working out of "the Roost" (an airfield in Seattle) but always calling Boston home.

• 2006 - [age 61] Talon begins work with a new group of supers, invited by Project Vigilance. He is reluctant to working with others (not wishing to let them down) but the cause is great - the team is set to find the missing Crusaders in LA...

Personality

Talon is a born hero and a natural leader. His tutalidge under the Great Owl taught him a great many things that he's used to grow from the young naive sidekick to the brooding but thoughtful man he is today. Harlan seems to take everything too seriously. This isn't his base nature, as a young sidekick he often made jokes and generally had fun being a hero's sidekick. Following the loss of his mentor Talon began to treat the heroic lifestyle with a more jaded eye. His thought - if he didn't someone else he loved might die because he wasn't there to back them up.
His intense training under the Great Owl and all subsequent training by world masters has built Talon into a hero worthy of the Great Owl legacy - but he will never take on that mantle... While the world may look at Talon as the jovial huntsman of right, he'll never see anything but his mistakes.
Talon is a natural leader with skills to backup fellow heroes on the battle field and during investigation, having trained with top criminologists, not to mention referencing the Great Owl's collection of detective techniques.
Gruff but caring. Direct but thoughtful. Now and then cracks of the young Talon seep through, but Harlan keeps this at close guard, so as not to cause another ameture mistake. A true Optimistic soul in a Pessimistic body.

Physical Appearance

Talon has a strong athletic frame even well past middle age. Training and vigilant care of his body has maintained the sharpest edge that a 60-year old could manage. His posture has always been ready for action, in crouch or usually on a lean (ready to push off). Harlan has an air of dignity and honesty about his face/body, although tainted with worry on his greying brow... His costume is an extension of the costume he wore as a teenage sidekick - but darker and subdued. White's lined with dark blues and reds, his flight harness wings stretch down the length of his arms. He wears a domino mask but his face/hair are usually shadowed with the addition of a hooded cloak.

Battle Tactics

Talon has mastered the ability to use the sky as his ally. "Hiding" in the glare of the sun in the day, using the shadows and his natural shaped wing/feathers in the night. In single combat he tends to avoid the opponent until the opportunity presents itself to strike a hard opening, using his long Quarterstaff to keep distance so that he can take to the air as needed. His most devastating attack is much like the hunter birds of prey - a swooping talon drop-charge from the sky will usually throw his opponents off balance if not taking them out completely.
Talon's tactics in group combat keeps many of the same principles if directly engaging however he tends to take more of a tactical leadership role, offering others the benefits of his experience and training - preferring to set opponents up for a teammate to take them down than doing his own grandstanding. Generally he knows that it's not as important to WIN a fight as it is to walk away with whatever the goal of the fight was - whether that be information or simple capture.

Heroic Motivations

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility ... Someone once said that to Talon. But as his mentor taught him, it's just as important to take great responsibility even if you do not have great power. Talon tends to truly believe in helping those that help themselves, yet his core morals would never stop him from rushing to the aid of someone in trouble beyond their capabilities. Talon is a hero at heart. The world often comprimises in the face of justice... For Talon, there is no comprimise. He isnot blind - but he won't stop until justice is served appropriately.

Allegiance

Talon is loyal to his own needs to be a hero, to help others. With that his allegiances fall with people that need his aid and direction. Talon regards the Great Owl as his guiding principle and would follow his former mentor into Hades. If your brand of heroics falls under this morality of justice, you will have his allegiance.

History & Heroic Origin

Talon started training with the Great Owl when he was 10 (1955) and first put on the Talon costume at age 12 (1957). He adventured with tGO for the next 5 years in Boston. The Great Owl disappeared when Talon was 17 (1962), the same year Talon appeared in Seattle as "Eagle Owl"! He had patrolled the city of Seattle for 3-4 monthes but then when the Great Owl disappeared he rushed back to Boston. Lost because he'd left tGO on bad terms and wasn't at his side when most needed Eagle Owl ended his career after only 3-4 monthes and neither were seen between 1962-65. Harlan scoured the city, then coast, and parts of the world but nothing... Strobe was born in 1965 - Talon was 20. Talon left the limelight for the years between 62-65. In 1965 still unhappy about letting tGO down he returned to the streets of Boston as Talon, this time a little darker not talking to the press and having upgraded his wing-harness, equipment and skills. In 1985 Talon when Strobe was in college Talon was 40 and after 20 years of working the East Coast, fighting crime, defending Boston - he tracked down leads that pointed to the West Coast. Over the next 21 years he worked up and down the west coast working out of "the Roost" (an airfield in Seattle) but always calling Boston home. The basic idea is that he was an AWESOME sidekick back in the day (for "the Great Owl - heroic huntsman") with a bunch of great feats to help teammates. I'll write up the story later but my idea is that Talon (also themed on the hunter owl style) was very much like Robin (Grayson) to Batman. But it was in later life, when Harlan was in his late teen rebellion phase (actually taking the name "Eagle Owl" for a short time), when tragedy struck and his master was lost to the world. Believing it his fault he searched for years and continues to do so... As time went on Harlan continued his training with some of his master's masters eventually using the little wealth left to him to stock the Roost, a small private airfield and the secret HQ of the Hunter Duo. In his prime some primary heroes would have said his abilities may have outstretched his masters... But Talon never dealt with the lose. His mentor was still alive to him. As time went on and other heroes came and went - Talon continued his lower profile seeking of truth and justice. Never one to look for the spotlight he was always cordial to the public but it was doing what is right that motivated him. He's worked with teams and other heroes on occasion, and has maintained his master's contacts with police/gov officials. His work for justice is traditionally solitary but deep down he knows that he works best in support to more powerful heroes. What they will give in sheer super power Talon will give back in presistence and honor. His most devistating attack is a sharp dive claw attack, striking from the air in surprise. He's also got several detection and intimidating type abilities based on hunter owl type abilities. In his non-heroic hours he runs the airfield for private and small commuter traffic. He also uses the facilities to continue upgrading the Wing Harness and his fighting skills.

3x3 NPCs

FRIENDS

• The Great Owl: aka. Castor Grace II [age 32, at time of death - 1962] Castor Grace became the Great Owl to fight the oppression that he endured as a child growing up in Boston following the Great Depression. Little is known about Castor Grace II, he made a fortune with his work in metalology, developing a heavily tested "Adamantium-Aluminum" alloy that is only now being seen on high end space craft and equipment in need of extremely light/thin but shielded metal. The Space Tether used this material to great effect. It is known that the Great Owl was a solitary man, married only once to his childhood sweetheart - but family don't even know her name. Castor was a master martial artist, tending toward pugilism and kickboxing - using his size and strength to intimidate Boston roughians. Nothing is known of his disappearance, but the city of Boston held silent vigil for the Heroic Huntsman in the monthes after the loss and most all heroes rever the name to this day. DECEASED or MISSING

• Eagle Owl: aka. Gael "Gracey" Grace [age 23] Gracey is the grand-daughter of the Great Owl, the daughter of Amanda Grace and Harlan Robinson!! Gracey grew up not knowing her father until just before her teen years when she stumbled on artifacts of the Great Owl (her Grandfather). When she had too many questions for her mother to answer they asked Harlan to step in. It was only meant to be for a short while to help her understand what this secret was and what it was about. They've maintained their monthly visits ever since. It made Harlan a little prideful but at the same time frightened when he heard about "the new" Eagle Owl... because without investigating he knew it was Gracey. She now prowls the streets of Boston where her father and grandfather did before.

• Dr. Nathaniel English: Dr. English is an atache of the greater Pacific Northwest Division of F.I.S.H. (the Federal Investigation and Security Headquarters). Nathaniel is director of forensics and investigation. He trained with Harlan in graduate school.

• Condor: Power-armored winged-flight suit, with low-levels of super strength. Older hero who is semi-retired. Operates out of New York City, NY. Condor has the Great Owl's basic flight harness principles and technology to thank for his own suit. Talon tracked down Condor when he came on the scene and developed a friendly working relationship with him. This is continued for decades and now the two are lifelong collegues.

CONTACTS

• Fitsgerald "Fish" Dodson: [age 52] Fish is the guy down at the trainyards that overseas the big train-cars and crates goin' on or comin' off the boats from the trains that skirt Seattle's ports. He's the kinda guy that'd help a workin' stiff cause he'd rather not have "the man" win one over on them. He ain't dirty but he ain't exactly clean. Fish is a big guy, fat around the middle but thick as a redwood and just as stubborn, sometimes it takes some shakedown to get any info out of him but when he gives it's usually good dish on what the "in's and out's" of Seattle are from the docks. Talon developed a mutual relationship with Fish, patrolling for lowlife scum on Fish's docks while Fish sometimes can offer some dirt now and then.

• Colonel Rutherford Langley: [age 54] Colonel Langley is a military liason assigned to the Seattle Space Tether secrutity force. Langely is a West Point man all the way, sharp and strict. He knows the dangers of the tether, were it to fail and he reminds himself and his men with his stodgey attitude daily. He was the first non-astronaut to ride the tether into space and loves the facility like family. Harlan works as a private contractor to Colonel Langley on occasion, flying the Colonel from Seattle to points across the map to visit family and other liasons that Langley would rather the military stay out of.

• Racheal Raine: [age 48] Racheal is the assistant director of flight control at SeaTac Airport. She and Harlan have developed a casual friendship over the years. While they live only 20 minutes apart in a decade or more they only have dinner a handful of times a year when Harlan comes to SeaTac for air-support, fuel and the like. If Racheal or Harlan wants more, neither have said anything to one another in all these years - it's almost not worth it anymore. That said, Racheal does act as a source of info for Harlan about the local happenings and hubbub at the airport.

ENEMIES

• Amanda Grace: [age 46] Mother of Gael Grace. Amanda had always secretly loved Harlan, and as she entered college on the West Coast she began "stalking" Harlan. Harlan did his best to decline her advances even though he did feel similarly, he knew with the age difference and his failure to her father - he couldn't develop the relationship further. Amanda distraught and scorned decided to use her knowledge of Talon, the secret identity and his failure of her father as a tool to "make him love her back". This did not work. Harlan convinced Amanda that this was the wrong thing to do, but it was a this time that Amanda took what she wanted, seducing Harlan in return! Becoming pregnant in their short but intimate relationship, Amanda was lambasted with criticism from her extended family and friends - citing Harlan to be too old for her (at 40) and was shamed into saying and doing things to push Harlan away. Although Harlan would come to have a secret friendship with his daughter Gracey, Amanda's shame eventually turned from feelings put on her to real feelings of hate. The only reason she hasn't used her knowledge against him is for their daughter's sake.

• Kingston Abrhams: [age 34] Kingston is the CEO and founder of "Funny-Bone-Toys". He'd always been a fan of the Great Owl and Talon, with a legacy collection of the various action figures, lunchpales, pez-despencers and the like gained from his father. It's well known that the Funny-Bone Forum, a mini-museum in the lounge of their Seattle Factory, contains the largest collection super-heroic memorabilia, focusing on the Great Owl and Talon. As founder of Funny-Bone Abrhams bought the old copyrights to the Great Owl's memorabilia estate out from under the family in backroom deals. Throughout the 80s-90s Abrhams made millions of dollars pushing Great Owl and Talon toys in every market. The height of this campaign was marked by the hit live action spoof-series "Birds of a Feather - the Owl/Talon variety hour". Toy sales remain constant today to Talon's dismay, and while the toys are now somewhat more "respectful" of the fallen hero and his old sidekick it's still a hard pill to swallow when the public still thinks of Talon as the "Golly-Gosh" kid-hero presented by Funny-Bone Toys. Ever since Talon unsuccessfully tried to convince Abrhams to stop production of Talon Toys the CEO has turned his love of Talon into bitter grudges that are satisfied by making more and more outragious toys.

• Death-Adder: aka. Terance Tessler [age 40s] A former villainous-sidekick, Death-Adder is a villain that seemed to follow Talon from coast to coast so many years ago, or perhaps Talon followed him. Talon never learned if it was Death-Adder's mentor that did in the Great Owl but his suspisions were strong. If it was Adder is not telling - he would rather let the "little birdy" languish in not knowing! Known for theft and larceny of valuable information, Adder has connections within S.C.U.M. but has also ventured into simple larceny when funds are needed to maintain his reptile preserve on the outskirts of Seattle...
  Adder has not inborn powers but has been trained in the most extreme martial arts and is uncannily flexible and dexterous. He is very viperlike in appearance, having triangular shaped cowl laticed with dense scales. His protective gear appears to give him vertical pupils and many small scales on the top of the head. Like a viper, he is rather short (5'2") and solid boned. His colors are black and red, with greenish-yellow.
  Tessler doesn't deal very well with people, because of this his minions - even his friends have likely been hired. In life and crime he is an ambush hunters, concealing his body under thick cover, with superb camouflage, this renders him nearly invisible to both predator and prey alike. When a potential victim is found, he strikes with lightning speed and nearly perfect accuracy. Venom, delivered through darts that string back to his wrist, makes his bite one of the most dangerous in the world. The venom is neurotoxic. It blocks the post-synaptic neuromuscular transmission from the acetylcholine receptor. One bite can causes paralysis. While this paralysis is very minor at first, it compounds on itself in the seconds to hours following. It can cause death from a complete respiratory shutdown in as little as six hours. Symptoms of envenomation can be reversed through the use of antivenom. While Tessler isn't a cold killer, he isn't likely to waste time worrying about those he "bites" with his fanglike retractable claws. He rounds his arsenal out with an amazingly compact set of catburglar tools and various gas grenades.

LOCATIONS

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ORGANIZATIONS

• S.C.U.M. (the Society Consicrated to Usurp Mankind): S.C.U.M. is an uncaring villainous organisation of assassins and spies sent out into the world to collect the knowledges of secrets for use in blackmail. The levels of their deceptions vary for the many causes individual hiarchy members set out to control. Formed as counter-culture in the 60s the organization generally used ninja-like agents known as "C.O.G.S." (Civil Operations Gentlemen in Service - the cogs in their machines), but more recently they have built a trust of supered villains and vigilantes. Taking roughians off the street and upgrading them with the Knowledge of Ninja! or at least a more tactical approach to their theft of information.

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V&V meets M&M in ... "PROJECT VIGILANCE"