Having conceived and introduced in general terms a group of American superheroes springing from the Revolutionary War era -- the Sons of Liberty -- in our last post, it seemed prudent to make your acquaintance with a few of the actual members of the group. This is admittedly a potentially problematic exercise in game design, rather like populating your world with Elminsters and Drizzts before assembling your Malaugryms and Lolths. That said, in this particular case, the idea is meant to serve as the underpinning for a series of one-shot con games, so coming up with a stable of pre-generated heroes for players to grab and play was essentially the first order of business. That said, just like in real comics, characters' allegiences are often fluid, and there's nothing to stop you from casting any one of the Sons of Liberty (or even the entire group) as antagonists or villains in your game: the aspiring emperor Aaron Burr could certainly have used some muscle in his efforts to create a new nation beyond America's then-furthest western border, and you could certainly run an interesting game where the Americans are the bad guys (although for reasons of personal loyalty I don't recommend it).
Regardless, the first member of the Sons of Liberty is probably the thinnest pastiche: a Superman analog from a mysterious apparently future era rather than a distant and dying planet. As with most comic superheroes that have survived into the modern era, my goal was to fit the Minuteman in to existing "real history," rather than have his presence greatly alter the outcomes of any major event.
Secret Origins
Caught on the road from Boston during a terrible electrical storm, Jonathan and Martha Jones stumbled into a barn not far from the road to Concord. Inside, they were shocked to find a frost-covered metallic pod nestled in the barn's hay mound. Intensely curious, Martha touched the egg-shaped pod, only to have previously-invisible seams appear and then open, revealing an adolescent child sleeping peacefully inside. Jonathan, a blacksmith, took the pod with him after the storm abated; the couple adopted the child as their own, and took him to their home outside Concord.
The child had no memory of who he was or where he had come from. Indeed, it would be months before the child, whom Jonathan and Martha had named Kent, would speak a single word. Still, he proved to be a quick learner, and before long he was willing and able to help his father as an apprentice. As Kent matured, Jonathan and Martha told him of his mysterious origin, allowing young Kent to examine the pod that the Jones had found him in. As soon as he did, his mind was flooded with images of a place and time utterly unlike the one he had come to know. A voice echoed in Kent's mind, telling him that he had been sent as a refugee from the distant future; here, in the past, the voice claimed that Kent would prevent a tragedy from befalling the nation, and the world. The Colonies, the voice assured him, would soon need a Man of Tomorrow.
After his encounter with the time pod, Kent began exhibiting strange powers; powers that the pod eventually informed him were a result of his chronal displacement. He had strength beyond the dreams of most mortal men, and gravity could not hold him. He could see through solid objects, and perform many tasks faster than the human eye could follow. Despite the pod's dire warning, Kent continued to live a largely normal life until he and the other men of Lexington and Concord were forced to stand against the British Army on a fateful April day on the Concord village green. Kent watched in horror as bullets felled his fellow militiamen but bounced harmlessly from his chest. He used his invulnerability and strength to help the outnumbered colonials hold their lines against a vastly superior force, and dedicated his life to the Patriot's cause thereafter: the Minuteman was born.
I cannot tell a lie...this is going to hurt.
The Minuteman is caring, noble, and selfless; an altruistic man shaped by the ideals of the young American nation. He is proud, but not arrogant. Determined, but not stubborn. Tall and imposing. His rarely-seen smile inspires trust. His disapproving frown inspires shame in even the most despicable of men. Most know him by the deep blue campaigner's cloak that flutters in the wind as he patrols the skies. However, the battered soldier's tricorn that he wears is no less a part of his image.
The Minuteman (PL 10, 150 pp*)
(For Mutants and Masterminds 3e)
Abilities:
Strength 12, Agility 3, Fighting 8, Awareness 1, Stamina 12, Dexterity 1, Intellect 0, Presence 0
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, All-out Attack, Defensive Attack, Interpose, Power Attack
Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +8 (Tough DC 27) Grab +8 (Tough DC 27) Throw +8 (Tough DC 27)
Defense:
Dodge 8 Parry 8 Fortitude 12 Toughness 12 (Impervious) Will 8
Skills:
Expertise [Smithing] 8 (+8), Insight 7 (+8), Perception 11 (+12), Ranged Combat: Throwing 7 (+8)
Powers:
Beyond the Gravity's Reach [Flight 9 (1000 miles/hour, 2 miles/round)], Invulnerability [Enhanced Stamina 10, Immunity 10 (Life Support), Impervious Toughness 12], Super-Sight [Senses 5 (Counters all concealment, Vision)], Super-Speed [Quickness 2 (perform routine tasks in -2 time ranks)], Super-Strength [Enhanced Strength 10, Power-lifting 2 (+2 strength for lifting)]
Complications:
Honor: Your parents taught you to use your incredible powers honorably. Though you understand why trickery must sometimes be employed in the service of the greater good, but you greatly prefer the straightforward approach. You cannot tell a lie, will not strike from behind, and generally hold yourself to the highest standard of behavior, even in battle.
Motivation: Responsibility You believe wholeheartedly in your nation; its laws and ideals are an intrinsic part of that belief. You would die to ensure that the Republic survives.
Weakness: The element chronatite, found only in areas of great temporal disturbance, can inflict great harm upon you, though you are nigh invulnerable to all else.
Power Points:
Power Level 10, 150 PP; Abilities 34 + Powers 89 + Advantages 5 + Skills 10 (*40 ranks per 4 skill/pp house rule) + Defenses 12
Image Credit: (Unknown)
