I keep forgetting that this thread exists....
Here's a SHAZAM inspired character, first posted at
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,25409.msg1078814.htmlName: William Justice Smith (Goes by Billy J Smith) or Justice Knight
Template: Scion (or other - he doesn't know for sure)
High Concept Aspect: I Am the Justice Knight's Disguise
Trouble Aspect: I'm Just A Kid
Background:
Long ago there was the embodiment of Justice, known as the Justice Knight... Maybe. Or maybe there was an aspect of justice that was tied to an old god, or maybe it was something from the Nevernever. The memories are vague and only come in dreams.
More importantly, this is the story of Billy J.
He was dropped off at a children's services office as infant. The only clue to his identity was card that said "Hi. My name is William Justice Smith. Please care for me.". After an inconclusive investigation it was assumed that he was the product of a teen pregnancy and he was sent into foster care. Six months later he was adopted by the Smith family (was the name a coincidence?), and would have had a happy childhood, save for a car accident that happened when he was 7. Billy J has no memories of that day or how he survived when the car had a head on collision with a semi, but his parents weren't so lucky.
After losing his parents, Billy J ended up with his mother's family, passed around between aunts and uncles and cousins. Most of them living on the wrong side of town and couldn't really afford to support another kid. It wasn't that they didn't like the boy, but Billy J wasn't a blood relative.
Passed around, Billy J got used to being overlooked
Phase Aspect: No One Notices Me
Rising Conflict:
One day, when Billy J's cousins were being mean to him just cause, he broke into tears. Finding a quiet place to hide he sob away, but then a sound penetrated his sorrow: gunshots. Someone was shooting. Power flooded through Billy J and with that power came a rush of memories. Memories of another place. Memories of being hunted, of needing to hide, of that hiding place being Billy J.
Something happened. Billy J disappeared and in his place was an adult clad in glowing blue armour. Justice Knight walked once more.
Justice Knight dealt with the shooters... Well, he chased the car that the drive by shooters had used. He didn't catch it, but he drove the shooter off (actually they were leaving anyway and didn't notice him). Once they were gone Justice Knight returned to where Billy J had hidden and Billy J was back.
Back with his clothes soaked through with gunk. It was evil smelling and bad looking gunk. As Billy J was trying to deal with the revelation that he was Justice Knight, one of his aunts found him and scolded him for getting so dirty. The gunk didn't last long (it was concentrated ectoplasm) but it lasts long enough for Billy J to get a bath and clean clothes.
Phase Aspect: Justice Knight Is There When Needed
The Story: Justice Knight Steps Out
After that first time, Billy J tried to call up the powers of Justice Knight. With practice he found that he could call the being out, but each time he changed back to Billy J he was covered with that strange gunk. At least his clothes were. A couple of times he changed nude behind closed doors and the gunk didn't appear when he changed back. Billy J has thought about buying clothes for Justice Knight, but the roadblocks proved too hard to overcome. In Billy J's mind, the problem is clear: "I don't have the money to buy clothes, and if I did then I wouldn't know the size to buy, and if I knew the sizes I'm not sure that the clothes would become blue armour, and even if I could do all that I don't have a place to change.". There may be more problems with the idea, but that's the list Billy J made.
With the controlled shifts came dreams. Dreams of a weird place, and of a different place, and of generally weird stuff. Billy J hasn't been able to make sense of everything, but what he does know is that Justice Knight is hiding from something. He's not sure if the Justice Knight turned into baby Billy J or Billy J is his son and is slowly growing into another Justice Knight.
Either way, it doesn't matter. Billy J can turn into a cool adult at will and then rush out to save the day. What kid could wish for more?
As he mastered his powers, stories started to spread about the head case dressing in plastic blue armour who stuck his nose in the wrong people's business. A whacked out nut job vigilante who was going to get himself killed if he messed with the wrong people.
Roughly a month after he mastered his powers, he had the chance to impress someone. *Guest Star* happened to take the wrong turn down the wrong street. Maybe *Guest Star* could have handled the situation, or maybe not, but Justice Knight was there to save the day. Justice Knight thumped the muggers and hit it off with *Guest Star*.
In short Justice Knight made a friend. Billy J hadn't (and felt that *Guest Star* wouldn't accept him if he knew that Justice Knight was really a small boy) so for a while he was Justice Knight far more than he was Billy J. For a week he spent most of his waking time as Justice Knight.
Then the dreams became real. The hunters were out there and the longer Justice Knight was out the better the hunters could track them. When he sensed them getting close, Justice Knight became Billy J and wouldn't come out again for a while. That meant that he missed going for coffee with * Guest Star *, which in hindsight wasn't that bad since Billy J didn't have the cash for coffee and wasn't sure if they'd let him wear his armour in the coffee shop.
Phase Aspect: I Can't Be Justice Knight All The Time.
(Note: While this sounds great for self compels just for changing back, when it is used Billy J can't shift for at least a scene - possibly two. A scene where his clothes are a mess and no force in the world can make him shift again. At the end of that scene, have the player roll and if it comes up ---- then he can't shift for another scene.)
Guest Star: Whose Path Have You Crossed?(Details to be filled in later)
It depends on who he is going work with. Most people who meet him get the impression that Justice Knight is a mentally slow, developmentally challenged man with odd powers. There is debate whether his powers come from his armour or Justice Knight is just afraid to take it off.
At least one character should clue in on the fact that Justice Knight is really a boy in the 10-12 age range - otherwise it will be impossible to explain why Billy J is hanging around. Said character should be sworn to secrecy about it to protect Billy J from reprisals earned by Justice Knight's vigilante actions.
Sample aspects for these roles include "Justice Knight For The Win" and "The Superhero From The Short Bus".
Power Level: Up to Your Waist
Skill Cap: Great
Skill Points: 25
Starting Refresh: 7
Adjusted Refresh: 1
Skills (as Billy J)
Billy J is, at best, a jack of all trades. All of his skills are at average (it's impossible to justify them being higher than that). Alas, there are only 25 skills listed, and some of them are a stretch. Say he gets lore from his dreams, guns from an uncle who taught him to shoot, and while he can't see over the wheel he knows how to drive a bit if he has to. Give him Fair deceit to hide his secret and take the extra point for that from resources (he has no money).
Skills(shifted to Justice Knight)
Might: Great
Endurance: Great
Fists: Good
Athletics: Good
Conviction: Fair
Presence: Fair
Discipline: Fair
Alertness: Average
Deceit: Average
Intimidation: Average
Lore: Average (comes from his dreams)
Stealth: Average
Stunts & Powers
"Other Change" [-1] - a custom non-animal version of Beast Change [–1]. He's either Billy J or Justice Knight - and that's it.
Human Form [+1] - Billy J doesn't have any powers - only Justice Knight does.
Inhuman Speed [–2]
Inhuman Strength [–2]
Supernatural Toughness [–4]
The Catch [+2] - leather (common, unknown). Wrap a piece of leather around a baseball bat and it hurts Justice Knight - something that he discovered when fighting someone who had wrapped some leather around a bat to keep it from scuffing it when he whacked people. Billy J doesn't know why leather and leather wrapped items can hurt him - he just knows to avoid them.
"Blue Armour" [+0] - When he changes, Billy J's normal clothing is effused with ectoplasm - turning it into something that looks like Blue Armour. After Billy J turns back, this ectoplasmic residue is embedded in his clothing - looking like gunk and tagging him with the aspect "Eww - what happened to your cloths?". While this power means he ignores the "you have to change clothes" bit that normal shapeshifters deal with, I think this is balanced because after he uses it he is at a disadvantage in his normal shape. Plus you don't have to deal with a naked kid wandering around.
Notes:
Is Billy J a scion, spawned by a dying entity to be his replacement? Is Billy J the entity in hiding? The question is academic, at least for now. Maybe when Billy J is older and has more powers he will have to choose between being Billy J or taking up the role for Justice Knight - or maybe he won't have a choice. For now, he's a boy who can change into a superhero without having to say "SHAZAM".
Becoming Justice Knight doesn't change his aspects - the man in the blue armour is overlooked almost as much as the boy with the runny nose.
In the normal run of things, Justice Knight avoids those with guns and other killers, preferring to take on small time criminals. So far (thanks to his toughness) he's avoided taking physical consequences - except for that time with the leather wrapped baseball bat. That battle left people saying "Billy J, where did you get that black eye?". With 2 armour and 8 stress levels, physical consequences are for other people. Other people who have been punched by someone with inhuman strength, good fists, and great might.
