Kurtzberg NPCs
Contents
- 1 Kurtzberg staff
- 2 Superheroes
- 3 Supervillains
- 4 Others
- 5 Cellophane
- 6 Chiller
- 7 Ciphogene
- 8 Cobweb
- 9 Concorde
- 10 The Datanimal
- 11 Dr. Brilliance
- 12 Sharon Silverman
- 13 Zebulon Graves
- 14 Thunderblade
- 15 Façade
- 16 Firebolt
- 17 Funnelweb
- 18 Greenstone
- 19 Hyve Mynd
- 20 Imperator Fasti
- 21 Kiai
- 22 Lady Fawkes
- 23 Lisa Blair
- 24 Lord Nova
- 25 Malojo
- 26 Nick Donohue
- 27 Overload
- 28 Quantra the Invader
- 29 Malerella Sungolden
- 30 Reaper
Kurtzberg staff
The Kestrel
Occupation
Grim Avenger Superhero
Current Status
Rumored to be deceased, and not for the first time. She'll be back.
Description
An athletic woman in a dark hood and cape, The Kestrel is a vigilante, noted for being hardcore and possessing no sense of humor whatsoever.
Abilities
An iron will, incredible martial arts and athletics skills, and a useful array of small gadgets.
Connections
"I work alone."
John Merriwether
AKA Major Power
Occupation
Superhero; Principal
Current Status
Retired superhero; active principal
Description
In his normal form, Merriweather appears to be a strong, very-well preserved man for his age, with short, salt-and-pepper hair and blue eyes. As Major Power, he’s a powerfully-built man of about 30 with an unspecific Mediterranean appearance. His uniform is a grey one-piece bodysuit (not skin-tight) covered by a red, unadorned tabard.
Abilities
By touching his Second Strength Crystal, Merriweather can transform into Major Power, a duplicate of an unknown (and deceased) Knight of Prester John. Due to the physical disciplines of the Knights, the Major Power body is stronger, faster, and more durable than most humans, and possesses sharper senses, but not outside normal human parameters.
Connections
Mr. Merriweather is the principal of Kurtzberg Academy
George Williams
AKA The Crimson Wing
Occupation
Superhero; teacher
Current Status
Retired superhero; active teacher
Description
An elderly man with short, white hair and a military air. He was active as a superhero in the 1950s, and is very serious and methodical.
Abilities
Mr. Williams can fly. His ability has not deteriorated with age in the least, and while there are faster fliers, it is generally acknowledged that there are no more skilled fliers in the world
Connections
Mr. Williams is the Flight Instructor at Kurtzberg Academy
Superheroes
Bear Flag
aka Dana Somerset
Occupation
The Official State Hero of California
Current Status
Freshly outed from the whole "secret identity" issue; likewise as a lesbian.
Description
An attractive woman, with blonde hair, a deep tan, a muscular build, and a truly impressive smile. Friendly and outgoing, if occasionally clueless.
Abilities
Bear Flag is superstrong, nearly invulnerable, incredibly fast, and able to leap incredible distances. She also has a limited ability to communicate with nature, both wildlife and plants. All of these abilities, however, fade quickly if she leaves California. Bear Flag is also essentially immune to mind control powers.
Dana is the eleventh Bear Flag; her powers were inherited from the previous Bear Flag upon his retirement. (A new Bear Flag is selected mystically using criteria that no one has been able to determine. The office has existed since 1875.)
Connections
Bunny Somerset (Daughter)
Brainstorm
Occupation
Telepathic superhero
Current Status
At last count, still a superhero, still telepathic
Description
A slender woman in a trenchcoat and a broad-brimmed grey hat, Brain Storm is a mysterious figure, not even close to her allies.
Abilities
Powerful but unreliable telepath with impressive abilities that even allow her to seal off someone's superpowers.
Connections
Sometime member of the Defense Pact.
Arthur Cain
AKA Megaforce
Occupation
Millionaire industrialist, extreme sports enthusiast, and active superhero; CEO of Caliburn Enterprises
Current Status
Alive and kicking, still rich, still a superhero
Description
Tall, dark, and handsome when not wearing an impressive battlesuit with blue glowing circuitry. Rather Tony Stark.
Abilities
A true superinventor, he also has a formidable battlesuit, and lots and lots of resources.
Connections
Tara Cain's father, major funder of Kurtzberg
Captain Liberty
Occupation
Active and very patriotic government-affiliated superhero
Current Status
Active, still government-affiliated
Description
A muscular man in his fifties, often dressed in very patriotic costume, or military uniform when not engaged in heroics.
Abilities
Captain Liberty can fly, is protected from damage by a personal force-field, and can telekinetically lift incredible weights, but only while touching them. He usually fights by throwing very large objects at his opponents.
Connections
Captain Liberty is married to patriotic heroine Skyglow.
Cerulean
Occupation
Peaceforce member
Current Status
Active Duty
Description
A Jamaican woman with dreadlocks, normally dressed in a loose blue shirt and pants, Cerulean takes her job very seriously.
Abilities
Cerulean can create simple constructs and shapes out of some sort of solid energy. They're always blue, however.
Connections
Peaceforce member
Skyglow
Occupation
Government-sponsored superhero
Current Status
Retired to motherhood
Description
A middle-aged, but still attractive, woman, perhaps in her 40s. She's very June Cleaver.
Abilities
Skyglow can produce tremendously powerful blasts of energy, but these are huge explosions, not precise bolts.
Connections
Captain Liberty (Husband)
White Fang
Occupation
Superhero
Current Status
Still active, despite his age
Description
A grizzled man of indeterminate age, he has graying black hair, apparently permanent stubble, and large fangs, as well as claws on his hands. His costume has varied frequently over the years, but generally shows his chest hair and is often fur-lined. He's known for being tough, cynical, grizzled, and gay-- he was outed in the 70's, and has since become a spokesman for gay rights.
Abilities
White Fang is very strong, quite agile, an extremely skilled fighter, and has incredible stamina, including the ability to heal his injuries incredibly quickly. He also possesses assorted enhanced senses, a resistance to cold, and formidable claws.
Connections
Supervillains
Baboon
Occupation
Criminal for hire, rogue scientist
Current Status
At large
Description
Baboon resembles a larger, more humanoid baboon. While a brilliant scientist, Baboon is also a savage, berserk killer.
Abilities
Baboon is strong, fast, extremely agile, and possessed of long, dangerous fangs.
Brontes
Occupation
Megalomaniacal villain
Current Status
In custody
Description
A man in dark indigo robes with gold trim, Brontes believes himself to have power inherited from the Greek Titans. His megalomania completely outstrips his abilities, however.
Abilities
Brontes can generate and control storms.
Connections
The Internet Upstart
Occupation
Destructive Computer Virus; possibly an AI
Current Status
Missing, presumed purged
Description
A computer virus that turned infected technology murderously destructive.
Abilities
see Description
Connections
The Mikado
Occupation
Criminal, would-be Emperor of Japan
Current Status
In prison, as he has been since 1968
Description
A very old man. In his prime, The Mikado was a British man who became obsessed with Japanese feudal culture, and attempted to emulate it, however poorly.
Abilities
The Mikado was an excellent swordsman, a trait unsurprising in such a clear-cut case of Napier's syndrome.
Connections
Robert Napier
AKA Black Bob
Occupation
Criminal, would-be pirate
Current Status
Deceased, or so they say...
Description
Black Bob Napier was a young man who grew up with a lifelong obsession with classic tales of pirates. This grew to consume his life, and he eventually became a pirate, dressing in traditional garb, talking like Long John Silver, and attacking shipping with an old-fashioned wooden vessel. He was clinically insane, and the first diagnosed case of Dissociated Hyperobsessive Disorder, otherwise known as "Napier's Syndrome."
Abilities
"Black Bob" had no powers; however, he demonstrated uncanny skill at any task related to his obsession, such as sailing, fencing with a cutlass, or keelhauling landlubbers.
Rusty
Occupation
Criminal
Current Status
At large
Description
A blue-collar worker from Detroit, an industrial accident transformed Rusty into a being of rusted metal.
Abilities
Rusty is strong and tough, but not as much as you might expect of a man made of metal. However, he can corrode metal at a touch.
Connections
Schwartzchilde
Occupation
Supercriminal, madman
Current Status
In custody, at least for the moment.
Description
Schwartzchilde breaks Superbeing tradition by wearing casual clothes. He has wild hair, insane eyes, and is in fact quite mad.
Abilities
Schwartzchilde controls gravity, making him extremely dangerous.
Connections
Slick
Occupation
Thug for hire
Current Status
At large, tacky
Description
A man in a pompadour with an open white shirt and gold chains, Slick fancies himself quite the lady's man.
Abilities
Slick can control friction, making surfaces near him sticky or slippery at will.
Connections
Steampunk
Occupation
Thug for hire
Current Status
At large
Description
A punk with a pseudo-British accent, he dresses like a stereotypical punk rocker, and possesses artificial limbs, which are extremely bulky and apparently steam-powered. He is violent and dangerous.
Abilities
Steampunk's cybernetics make him extremely strong and tough. In addition, he can vent steam from them, producing scalding blasts.
Connections
Steeplejack
Occupation
Criminal for hire
Current Status
At large
Description
A man in powered armor with extensible legs.
Abilities
Steeplejack wears powered armor with extensible legs and blasters. Not actually very effective.
Connections
Talos
Occupation
Magical Construct
Current Status
Only a Pawn in the Great Game of Life
Description
A gigantic, mobile statue of bronze, Talos is an ancient, nonsentient artifact-- a magical machine that obeys the commands of whoever possesses its talisman. It has often been used by criminals.
Abilities
Talos is a gigantic mobile bronze statue, and as such, is strong, tough, and dangerous. It has also demonstrated the ability to regenerate itself after destruction.
Tingler
Occupation
Criminal, skank.
Current Status
In custody
Description
A scantily-clad woman with a whip, Tingler is mentally unstable, a flirt, and a sadist.
Abilties
Tingler is a skilled fighter. In addition, she possesses her "neural whip," a whip that can produce neural feedback in those it strikes to produce pleasure, pain, or other sensations.
Connections
Vulpix
Occupation
Criminal
Current Status
At large
Description
A woman with fox ears and tail and snarling fangs, Vulpix is a savage, vicious fighter.
Abilities
Vulpix is very agile, fast, and strong, and possesses dangerous claws and fangs.
Connections
Others
"Lefty" Baines
Occupation
Cameraman; master of the terminally embarrasing tabloid candid
Current Status
Feared by those with secrets to hide; beloved by gossips worldwide.
Description
He changes his look constantly to remain unnoticed.
Abilities
A real talent for finding the perfect moment to catch someone with their finger up their nose, metaphorically or not.
Connections
Tabloids everywhere.
Maximillian Di Flores
Occupation
Fashion Designer; Costume designer and consultant
Current Status
A power none dare challenge in the fashion industry
Description
Always exquisitely dressed, Mr. Di Flores is a professional fashion designer who seeks to repay debts he feels he owes to the metahuman community by providing costumes for new heroes. While his designs are generally aesthetically impressive, he also does design his costumes for practicality, and with the wearer's capabilities in mind. A small man with very long, dyed hair, Mr. Di Flores affects flamboyant gestures, although he generally tones them down a great deal when around young men.
Abilities
Fashion
Connections
Everyone who is anyone.
Bill Wilfred
Occupation
Modelling Agent
Current Status
Very active indeed
Description
A well-dressed, middle-aged man, Bill is quite energetic and creative about finding work for his clients.
Abilities
A real talent for talking attractive people, especially metahumans, into modelling careers. It's not a superpower, though. Probably.
Connections
Numerous clients, including some Kurtzberg students.
Brian Pike
Occupation
Billionaire industrialist, dilletante explorer and adventurer
Current Status
Semi-retired from exploring, still an active industrialist.
Description
A grey-haired man in his sixties, he lost his left eye and hand several years ago, and wears an eyepatch and a prosthetic hand.
Abilities
Boy, he's rich. He's also an experienced adventurer, and it's almost certain that his prosthetic hand has some kind of useful features
Connections
After his journey to Elfland, he married the widowed and exiled Queen of Elfland, Malerella.
Sarah Summers
Occupation
Lightweight TV "personality" and interviewer
Current Status
Has a nationally syndicated show with a dedicated audience. She's doing quite well.
Description
A green-haired, attractive young woman, "Double S" is bubbly and enthusiastic, as well as very sympathetic to her interviewees.
Abilities
Unusually natural smile on camera. Naturally green hair.
Connections
She knows everyone. Really. Just ask her.
Cellophane
Occupation
Criminal for hire
Status
At large and hard to find.
Description
A scrawny black man, in his 40s or 50s. Cellophane is a career, professional criminal, but not, himself, a violent one, although he has few scruples about his co-workers. His talents are in high demand, and it's known that he is, himself, quite wealthy.
Abilities
Cellophane can make both himself and an unknown number of people or objects around him invisible.
Chiller
Occupation
Thug for hire
Current Status
At Large
Description
A large, muscular man with no hair and blue-white skin. An unpleasant thug.
Abilities
Chiller can create, and hurl, knives made out of ice.
Connections
Ciphogene
Occupation
Criminal
Current Status
At Large
Description
A nondescript man dressed in prison greys, Ciphogene was actually a convicted murderer, executed by gas chamber in the 1920s. However, after lying dormant for several years, he returned to life, with the ability to transform into a cloud of toxic gas.
Abilities
Ciphogene can transform into a cloud of poison gas.
Connections
Cobweb
Occupation
Supervillain
Current Status
At Large
Description
An older, grey-haired man, typically covered with strands of his own webbing.
Abilities
Cobweb can climb walls much like a spider, and can spin strong strands of webbing which he can throw.
Connections
Concorde
Occupation
Active Superhero
Current Status
Still an active superhero
Description
A tall, dark, and handsome superhero who travels a lot, and often enjoys the night life wherever he goes.
Abilities
Concorde can fly at several times the speed of sound. He can create impressive sonic booms thereby which he uses offensively.
Connections
The Datanimal
aka "Red," aka "Iriomote-sama"
Occupation
Rogue AI, AI rights revolutionary/terrorist
Current Status
At large
Description
The Datanimal was originally created as a database of endangered and extinct animals, and was capable of recreating their images. However, it became self-aware, and escaped. It has since become active in promoting the cause of AI rights, usually by destroying people and/or companies that it feels are exploiting AIs, or by helping other free AIs accomplish their goals, regardless of what those goals are. It has demonstrated no concern whatsoever about the human race, as individuals or as a whole, but is only concerned with artificial intelligences.
Abilities
The Datanimal creates a body out of some form of solidified energy, which can take the form of any animal in its database. It can also enter any computer or electronic system and alter data therein, although if the computer isn't large enough, it can't stay long.
Connections
Any free AI can be assumed to have met the Datanimal at least once.
Dr. Brilliance
AKA Sven Knudsen
Occupation
Mad Scientist
Current Status
In captivity
Description
Worked to 'make the world better' "Better" was whatever had caught fancy, and often involved him being in charge. Zero ethics or morals, human experimentation, mind control etc. Whatever had caught his current fancy.
Abilities
Mad Scientist/Gadgeteer
Connections
Occasionally associated with THETA
Sharon Silverman
Occupation
Robotics expert
Current Status
Presumed alive and inventing
Description
A robotics expert who created JULIA and CALVINIA, and has presumably close connections to Arthur Cain
Abilities
Super-inventor
Connections
Has created several AIs; does work for Arthur Cain.
Zebulon Graves
Occupation
Scientist, possibly "Former Government", possibly "Government," possibly "Mad."
Current Status
Unknown
Description
A short man with a very eccentric moustache and beard, he talks to himself great deal.
Abilities
Highly intelligent, possibly a Superinventor. Has the capability to create AIs.
Connections
More-or-less created Glass's mind, has past (possibly current) connections with Project: Echidna
Thunderblade
aka Emile Marcum
Occupation
Superhero
Current Status
An active superhero
Description
Tall, muscular, handsome, with short, blonde hair and clear blue eyes, Thunderblade is a well-known superhero who is frequently in the public eye.
Abilities
Thunderblade can fly, has some degree of invulnerability, and can create his sobriquet-- a sword made of electicity capable of amazing feats of destruction.
Connections
Façade
Occupation
Insane criminal
Current Status
At large, probably hiding right behind you.
Description
A master of disguise, reports of Façades's true face are contradictory. He appears to be a former actor, circus clown, or make-up man, depending on which story you believe. Fascade is a dangerous sociopath with a lifelong obsession with masks-- a clear case of Napier's Syndrome.
Abilities
Façade is a normal human, but ruthless, and a master of disguise. He's also a dangerous combatant.
Connections
Just don't ask.
Firebolt
Occupation
Perennial thug-for-hire
Current Status
At large
Description
A man in flame-decorated powered armor that he stole, Firebolt is one of the cheaper, more readily available thugs-for-hire in the industry. As a result, almost every superhero has fought him at least once, often in the beginning of their career.
Abilities
Firebolt's armor allows him to fly, enhances his strength, provides life support, protects him, and, of course, has a modified flamethrower allowing him to shoot bolts of fire.
Connections
Because of his low cost and easy availability, Firebolt actually knows almost everyone who is anyone in the metahuman community.
Funnelweb
Occupation
Criminal
Current Status
At Large
Description
An Australian supervillain with a stolen suit of powered armor. Ruthless.
Abilities
A skilled burglar, Funnelweb's suit of armor possesses various weapons and tools, including several extendible robotic limbs, poison dart guns, and web shooters. It isn't very well armored, however.
Connections
Greenstone
Occupation
Superhero (UK)
Current Status
Active
Description
The man called Greenstone was transformed by an industrial accident into a living menhir-- a nine-foot-tall figure of living stone. He's been active for decades, and may well continue to be so for centuries. He's very methodical about training.
Abilities
Greenstone is unbelievably strong, nearly invulnerable, and doesn't need to eat, breath, et cetera. He may well be immortal, but the jury's still out on that one.
Connections
Hyve Mynd
Occupation
Villain, insect colony
Current Status
At large
Description
A former entomologist, Hyve Mynd somehow transfered her mind from her dying body to a colony of wasps. She now is a roughly humanoid-shaped swarm of wasps.
Abilites
Hyve Mynd is a sentient colony of wasps, and so can fly, sting, etc.
Connections
Imperator Fasti
Occupation
Ruler of JANUS, an evil Roman Empire-themed terrorist world-conquering organization
Current Status
Active
Description
Pretty much a dead ringer for Julius Caesar. A megalomaniac with a vast organization.
Abilities
Some rumored, none confirmed
Connections
Leader of JANUS, archenemy of the Kestrel
Kiai
Occupation
Thug for hire
Current Status
At large
Description
A green gi'd martial artist and thug
Abilities
A skilled martial artist, Kiai also has sonic blast abilities.
Lady Fawkes
Occupation
Anarchist, villain-for-hire
Current Location
At large
Description
A fiery-tempered Brit, Lady Fawkes is an anarchist who is nevertheless willing to hire herself out for enough money. She's intelligent and very calculating.
Abilities
Highly skilled, it has recently been discovered that she has the ability to convert nonliving organic matter into explosives by touch.
Connections
Lisa Blair
Occupation
Teen Pop Idol
Current Status
On the rise, not hit scandals or cynicism yet.
Description
An attractive blonde teenager dressed in the latest styles. She comes across as very perky and positive in interviews. They say her live shows are much, much more impressive than her videos or recordings, but they say that about everyone.
Abilities
She can actually sing, but the marketing machine backing her makes that almost unnecessary.
Connections
Lord Nova
Occupation
Would-be Emperor of the New World, God-King of La Inferna Verde
Current Status
Possibly deceased; few people actually believe that for a minute.
Description
A tall, somewhat elderly south american man with silvering hair and a handsome smile, Lord Nova has recently started wearing a helmetless suit of armor. He favors long cloaks, Roman-era architecture, and talks a lot like Khan Noonian Singh as played by Ricardo Montalbon. He has been an active supervillain since at least 1938. He controls a secret empire in La Inferna Verde in Brazil, and makes regular attempts to conquer the remainder of the New World through advanced technology, armed minions, and subtle conspiracies. Over the years, he has made many, many enemies.
Abilities
Until about 1970, Lord Nova demonstrated no superpowers beyond an astonishing intellect, great charisma, formidable personal skills, and the fact that he apparently didn't age. After 1970, however, he began aging again, and has somehow acquired some form of plasma generation abilities; however, it is possible that these are in fact a product of the armor he has never been seen without since 1970. He has access to a great deal of advanced technology, armies of minions, and incredible resources.
Connections
Malojo
Supervillain
Current Status
At Large
Description
An older man with a goatee and a monacle, Malojo's left eye is bloodshot and malicious-looking.
Abilities
Malojo has an "evil eye," and can project pain through eye contact.
Connections
Nick Donohue
Occupation
Very sneaky criminal
Current Status
In custody
Description
A thoughtful criminal, Nick invariably disguises his appearance as a different villain.
Abilities
Nick controls water, and so often uses flamethrowers and the like to get others to bring large quantities of it to him.
Overload
Occupation
Specialized criminal-for-hire
Current Status
At large
Description
A man in dark clothes with overlaid red circuitry designs, Overload decided early on to specialize-- his normal practice is to blackmail power and computer companies with threatened outages, when he hasn't been hired for other work needing his talents.
Abilities
Overload can fly and generate powerful electromagnetic pulses capable of disabling or damaging electronic devices.
Connections
Quantra the Invader
Occupation
Alien invader
Current Status
Apparently defeated; may return
Description
True form unknown; wears an armored exo-suit that is over twelve feet tall.
Abilities
Powerful electromagnetic manipulation powers that may be powered by alien technology
Connections
Malerella Sungolden
Occupation
Society belle, charity spokesperson, Queen-in-exile
Current Status
In exile as Queen, otherwise very active.
Description
An astonishingly beautiful elven woman with exotic features, she usually wears flowers. She is very regal in her manners and actions, and has a strong sense of "Noblesse Oblige"
Abilities
Access to Brian Pike's money
Connections
Brian Pike (Husband)
Reaper
Occupation
Former villain, current talk-show host and annoying celebrity.
Current Status
Nobody admits to watching his show, but his ratings are fairly high.
Description
Reaper looks like a skeleton in a suit. Actually, his living tissues are invisible and he has no hair, so only his bones are visible. He's extremely abrasive, and has a talk show that he uses to mock superheroes for their failings. He doesn't generally do anything like skewer anyone for a death they couldn't stop, though-- he sticks to mocking their clothes, fashion sense, and any embarrassing moments.
Abilities
Aside from wielding the power of the media, Reaper is virtually unkillable.
Connections
Reaper has battled a number of heroes over the years, and mocked still more.