Editing The Black Mantis

'''THE BLACK MANTIS'''

'''Name:''' Wilhelm Wilhelmsson, aka The Black Mantis

'''Background:''' Born as a son to the Swedish industrial magnate and philantropist Erik Wilhelmsson, Wilhelm was bred for a life of privilege while at the same time a recipient of his father´s teachings of the betterment of man. A tragic accident left him without his parents, brought up to a solitary life by his guardian.

Or was it an accident? He learned of deceit too late, it seemed, after drinking the poison that his guardian had prepared and slipped into his drink - with the young man gone, the villain would be the sole beneficary of the manipulated will, and own the entire Wilhelmsson Industries!

Only... the boy did not die. Balancing on the edge of death and madness, he gazed into the abyss and found something starting back. Whether a hallucinating state caused by the poisoning or something far more terrible, he stared into the face of an entity that called itself Justice. It´s red eyes and featureless, black face implored him to turn back - to take what was his own, and to honor its´ name. To do its´ work.

He awakened on the floor, weak but alive... and using what was at hand, he made himself a mask out of cloth, with the painted-on red eyes of justice and went out to face the murderer of his parents - the man who had tried to take his life. Panicking after being confronted with the young boy and terrified of the horrible way that he spoke to him about things that should have been buried secrets, the man threw himself off the roof of the building - thus closing the circle.

And Justice was done.

''Aspects: Heir to the Wilhelmsson Industries, Masked Face of Justice''

'''The Great War:'''
The young man could not find rest in his heart - and unsure of what to do, he travelled across the globe, hoping to find something that would catch his interest - some way to focus what he had seen and learned. He found - or rather, was found by - the great Doc Leviathan, Explorer of the Unseen and Sage of Mystery! Sensing the great destiny clinging to the troubled young man, Doc Leviathan took him under his wing and taught him the skills that he knew - shaping Wilhelm´s already sharp intellect to a scalpel´s edge. Leviathan also provided clues for Wilhelm to find other masters who could teach him the necessary skills for his chosen profession - deadly shadow warriors, accomplished scientists and more! When his takss were complete, Wilhelm decided to take up the mantle and metal mask of the Black Mantis - Masked Arbiter of Justice, Avenger of the Night.

''Aspects: Master of Mystery, Wandered the Earth''

'''Premier Novel:''' ''Black Mantis and the Machine Monks of Prague!''
The lights of the Age of Science are tarnished when a cabal of madmen sets their ghastly plans in motion! Half men, half machine, all evil - these villains will stop at nothing, and all that stands between them and their goal of universal annihilation is the new Defender of the Night - who aims to mete out final Justice at the business end of his blazing guns! The Black Mantis comes! Step in and take part as a legend is made - and the streets of Prague shall burn when evil is confronted by a new kind of hero!

''Aspects: A scientific mind, The City whispers its´ secrets''

'''Introduction to the Centurions:''' ''Doc Leviathan and The Infinity Engine and The Black Mantis in: Dark Corners of the Earth''
Flip-book extravaganza! Thrill at the experience of two adventures in one! Read about the famous Doc Leviathan, master of the Omni-Sphere, delves deep into uncharted territory when he brings his newest protegeé along on a journey of discovery! Will the two of them be able to stop the inversion of the Earth itself? Flip over the book to read the story from another angle - and step into the shoes of the Black Mantis as he follows his mentor on their greatest journey yet! You don´t know the whole story until you have read them both! Gasp as mad scientists tear the fabric of reality itself to fuel their mad schemes! Start as Doc Leviathan´s sworn enemy, the nefarious nihilist Akil-Amon, stains his hands with the blood of the innocent! Scream as the Black Mantis risks his very soul for the sake of this world!

''Aspects: Always prepared, Iced water in his veins''

Note: I´m thinking of Akil-Amon as a Shadow Centurion, a sort of evil Egyptian Doc Savage. Doc Leviathan caused him a wound that "no one could possibly survive" but suffered grave wounds as a result of their duel, causing him to withdraw from public life.

'''Feature Novel:''' ''The Black Mantis in: the Armies of the Night!''
Drawn to the chaos of the struggling nation of Russia, The Black Mantis unveils a conspiracy that goes beyond murder - working his way through the clues, he steps behind the curtain to uncover a terrible truth! A shadow from beyond time works to bend the laws of science to harness the sun itself to bring endless night! How is the famed Dr. Excelsior involved in this nefarious enigma? Will the Masked Miracle be able to face a foe that has defied death itself? Will even the blazing guns of the Black Mantis be able to defeat... The Armies of the Night?!

''Aspects: One with the night, Sworn enemy of Koschei the Death-Less.
Guest-starring: Dr. Excelsior, Antonionus''

'''Guest Star 1:''' ''Black Mantis and Spring Heel Jack in Murderer's Masque''
After the disappearance of his mother and father, Spring Heel Jack goes searching for answers in Paris, where the trail leads him to the home of another man he once called father... And a cooling body. Meanwhile, searching for his old nemesis Shokap Re in the shadows of Paris, the Black Mantis discovers a trail of brutal daylight murders- committed by a man in a demon mask. Can Spring Heel Jack survive a deadly case of mistaken identity long enough to discover who's really at fault and find those he loves? Can Black Mantis unravel a thick web of deceit to uncover the deadly truth? And when an enemy more terrible than any they've faced before gets the drop on them both, can the two masked men overcome their distrust to stop him together?

''Aspects: Knows the criminal mind, Relentless hunter''

'''Guest star 2:''' ''The Black Mantis in The Man who Never Existed!''

The Black Mantis does not sit idly as a charlatan approaches the club, claiming the birthright of a nonexistient man. Something is definitely brewing inside the walls of the Century Club - and when Spring-Heeled Jack enters the fray, the Mantis is compelled to act! But the Master of Mystery will soon find that the very walls of the Club hides uncomfortable truths... and that his own memories might turn against him! The Vox faces a race against time - will he have time to save the dark investigator, or will the Masked Face of Justice fall prey to the unseen threat that is eating the Century Club from within?

''Aspects: None, since I´m one novel over the set number! Ooops!''


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'''SKILLS'''

Superb (+5): Stealth
Great (+4): Intimidation, Investigation
Good (+3): Fists, Athletics, Resolve
Fair: (+2): Guns, Empathy, Resources, Alertness
Average (+1): Mysteries, Academics, Science, Contacting, Burglary

'''STUNTS'''
Stealth: In plain sight, Master of Shadows, Quick exit, Vanish
Intimidate: Scary, Aura of Menace, Aura of Fear
Investigation: Quick Eye
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Category:Spirit of the Century]][[Category:PBP]][[Category:Player_character]]
+'''THE BLACK MANTIS'''
-==Character and Novels==
 '''Name:''' Wilhelm Wilhelmsson, aka The Black Mantis
@@ Line 54: / Line 53: @@
-==Skills==
+'''SKILLS'''
 Superb (+5): Stealth
 Great (+4): Intimidation, Investigation
 Good (+3): Fists, Athletics, Resolve
 Fair: (+2): Guns, Empathy, Resources, Alertness
 Average (+1): Mysteries, Academics, Science, Contacting, Burglary
-==Stunts==
+'''STUNTS'''
+Stealth: In plain sight, Master of Shadows, Quick exit, Vanish
-Stealth:
+Intimidate: Scary, Aura of Menace, Aura of Fear
+Investigation: Quick Eye
-*In plain sight
-*Master of Shadows
-*Quick exit
-*Vanish
-Intimidate:
-*Scary
-*Aura of Menace
-*Aura of Fear
-Investigation:
-*Quick Eye
-==Current Fate Points==
-==Additional material==
-[[The Black Mantis´Journal]]
-[[The Black Mantis - Roleplaying notes]]
-[[Mantis Operandi]]