Post by Samaritan on Nov 27, 2004 19:49:31 GMT
The Ghoul, aka Dr. Mikhail Sokovitz
Dr. Sokovitz was never a very stable man, but when he discovered he had contracted a rare form of leukemia, he almost went crazy. He had allways figured he’d live forever, eventually, given that his specialty of research was life-prolonging procedures. The spectre of his demise loomed over him as he went from clinic to clinic, Doctor to Doctor, and recieved the same prognosis : He would be dead within two years. Frantically, Dr. Sokovitz delved into research that was becoming more esotoric, examining texts written by occultists and quacks. It was in one of these old tomes that Dr. Sokovitz discovered the plans and theories behind the Animatus Machine.
The Animatus Machine siphons some (or all) of the life force from one person to another, improving the recipients’ health at the expense of the donors’. It was incredibly expensive to build, forcing him to seek loan sharks and other unethical resources, but when it was finished IT WORKED! With a new lease on life, Dr. Sokovitz, now known as The Ghoul amongst the homeless he pays to “donate” to him, has thrown himself back into his research for a true cure. He pays for the equipment and the facilities he needs by selling his unorthodox medical treatments and procedures to gangs, criminal organizations, and supervillains.
Powers: The Ghoul isn’t a combat powerhouse, but has a few tricks up his sleeves: Hypodermic syringes filled with fast acting soporifics, a body that is very strong and resilient (a side effect of the Animatus Machine), and extensive knowledge of the devices he has created to help his operations (like the defrillibrator, machines with robotic arms, tables with automatic restraints, etc).
Where The Ghoul shines, however, is in his wealth of contacts and favors earned with organized crime. He’s never at a loss for bullyboys to do his bidding, and can pull some heavy hitters out of the bag in a pinch. All in all, an excellent recipe for a MasterMind
Appearance: Dr. Sokovitz is a tall, thin old man with wire rimmed glasses and a labratory overcoat. He is adept at hiding his predatory nature, but any facade he erects crumbles right before he does something diabolical.
Notes: Dr. Sokoviz’ first creation is the Lazarus Device, a spider-looking thing that is placed on the spine that can reanimate the dead.
Nicely Silent, AKA Nurse Anderson
Nicely Silent has allways been Dr. Sokovitz’ right hand man, even before his spiral into crime. Nicely is a seven foot tall hulking slab of muscle who is expertly trained as a nurse, physical therapist, and orderly. He has superhuman strength and durability, is an expert wrestler and can move so quietly he is nearly invisible to those who don’t know he’s there. His favorite manuever against weaker opponents is the choke hold, but against tougher opponents he will use a spine-popping bear hug. Rumor says he could even snap a mans’ neck one handed, if he so chose to.
Notes: Nicely Silent is a mute, but knows sign language and braille.. Curiously, Nicely doesn’t use sign language to communicate with The Ghoul – Dr. Sokovitz seems to know what Nicely is communicating through body language. Dr. Sokovitz might not even know that Nicely understands sign. Nicely also seems to be dead to mind-sensing and telepathy for some reason. Nicely is slavishly loyal to the Dr, with two exceptions. He won’t keep fighting after it’s obvious The Ghoul has been defeated, and he gets wicked mean when someone intentionally harms one of his patients (which Dr. Sokovitz is unaware of)
Appearance: Nicely dresses as your typical (huge) male nurse. He has broad features and is bald. His fingerprints have been surgically removed, and dental records are unable to identify who he might really be. He doesn’t smile or frown, but his eyes are very expressive and convey his emotions.
Buzz and the Ripsaws
Buzz was a small time gang member at one time.. Oh, he was a good fighter, but he never had that edge some of the more successful criminals had. He could think fast on his feet, though. When he agreed to score some optical quality rubies for The Ghoul, he knew this would be his chance. Upon returning with the loot, he declined payment and asked for an operation instead. With his new arm, he had no trouble at all cutting his way up to be leader of the gang..
Powers: Buzz had The Ghoul replace his left forearm with a cybernetic buzz-saw, capable of cutting through most materials given enough time. With just a swipe, he can cut through iron bars or an opponents armor. The gyroscopic effect of the saw makes it difficult to use versus a moving foe, so he watches for opportunities to gain an advantage in combat by attacking inanimate things (chains holding up heavy things that can fall on an opponent, water-retaining plexiglass windows, supports for elevated roadways, etc.)
Appearance: Buzz originally got his name from the short haircut he sported, but he thinks it’s much more appropriate now. He dresses in a leather jacket and artfully tattered jeans.. when getting into a particularly hairy situation, he dons a bullet-proof vest lifted from a dead cop. His hair is dyed blond, and his eyes are brown. Steel-toe engineer boots complete the effect he’s going for : Typical Badass.
Notes: Buzz is not particularly loyal, but he has a lot of confidence in The Ghoul. If he’s certain that things will end badly for him, he’ll bolt to fight another day. He’s a very canny fighter, and a successful gang leader. This new-found confidence in his own abilities is largely wrapped up in his buzz-saw arm, if it is removed he will become much more timid, eventually going to great lengths to recover or replace it.
The Ripsaws
The Ripsaws are basically generic thugs, about 30 strong – They wield bats and motorcycle chains, with a few pistols wielded by Buzz’ lieutenants.
The Ghouls Henchmen
These people, dressed as nurses and orderlies, are generic thugs with a medical shtick.. He usually has ten of these guys and girls at any one time. Their dedication to protecting The Ghoul is derived from desperation: They either want something from Dr. Sokovitz, are wanted by the law, or are being blackmailed by the Evil Dr.
Other NPCs
Fred and his daughter and her doctor can be customized for the adventure: They have no noteworthy abilities (yet).
The End
-The Samaritan
Dr. Sokovitz was never a very stable man, but when he discovered he had contracted a rare form of leukemia, he almost went crazy. He had allways figured he’d live forever, eventually, given that his specialty of research was life-prolonging procedures. The spectre of his demise loomed over him as he went from clinic to clinic, Doctor to Doctor, and recieved the same prognosis : He would be dead within two years. Frantically, Dr. Sokovitz delved into research that was becoming more esotoric, examining texts written by occultists and quacks. It was in one of these old tomes that Dr. Sokovitz discovered the plans and theories behind the Animatus Machine.
The Animatus Machine siphons some (or all) of the life force from one person to another, improving the recipients’ health at the expense of the donors’. It was incredibly expensive to build, forcing him to seek loan sharks and other unethical resources, but when it was finished IT WORKED! With a new lease on life, Dr. Sokovitz, now known as The Ghoul amongst the homeless he pays to “donate” to him, has thrown himself back into his research for a true cure. He pays for the equipment and the facilities he needs by selling his unorthodox medical treatments and procedures to gangs, criminal organizations, and supervillains.
Powers: The Ghoul isn’t a combat powerhouse, but has a few tricks up his sleeves: Hypodermic syringes filled with fast acting soporifics, a body that is very strong and resilient (a side effect of the Animatus Machine), and extensive knowledge of the devices he has created to help his operations (like the defrillibrator, machines with robotic arms, tables with automatic restraints, etc).
Where The Ghoul shines, however, is in his wealth of contacts and favors earned with organized crime. He’s never at a loss for bullyboys to do his bidding, and can pull some heavy hitters out of the bag in a pinch. All in all, an excellent recipe for a MasterMind
Appearance: Dr. Sokovitz is a tall, thin old man with wire rimmed glasses and a labratory overcoat. He is adept at hiding his predatory nature, but any facade he erects crumbles right before he does something diabolical.
Notes: Dr. Sokoviz’ first creation is the Lazarus Device, a spider-looking thing that is placed on the spine that can reanimate the dead.
Nicely Silent, AKA Nurse Anderson
Nicely Silent has allways been Dr. Sokovitz’ right hand man, even before his spiral into crime. Nicely is a seven foot tall hulking slab of muscle who is expertly trained as a nurse, physical therapist, and orderly. He has superhuman strength and durability, is an expert wrestler and can move so quietly he is nearly invisible to those who don’t know he’s there. His favorite manuever against weaker opponents is the choke hold, but against tougher opponents he will use a spine-popping bear hug. Rumor says he could even snap a mans’ neck one handed, if he so chose to.
Notes: Nicely Silent is a mute, but knows sign language and braille.. Curiously, Nicely doesn’t use sign language to communicate with The Ghoul – Dr. Sokovitz seems to know what Nicely is communicating through body language. Dr. Sokovitz might not even know that Nicely understands sign. Nicely also seems to be dead to mind-sensing and telepathy for some reason. Nicely is slavishly loyal to the Dr, with two exceptions. He won’t keep fighting after it’s obvious The Ghoul has been defeated, and he gets wicked mean when someone intentionally harms one of his patients (which Dr. Sokovitz is unaware of)
Appearance: Nicely dresses as your typical (huge) male nurse. He has broad features and is bald. His fingerprints have been surgically removed, and dental records are unable to identify who he might really be. He doesn’t smile or frown, but his eyes are very expressive and convey his emotions.
Buzz and the Ripsaws
Buzz was a small time gang member at one time.. Oh, he was a good fighter, but he never had that edge some of the more successful criminals had. He could think fast on his feet, though. When he agreed to score some optical quality rubies for The Ghoul, he knew this would be his chance. Upon returning with the loot, he declined payment and asked for an operation instead. With his new arm, he had no trouble at all cutting his way up to be leader of the gang..
Powers: Buzz had The Ghoul replace his left forearm with a cybernetic buzz-saw, capable of cutting through most materials given enough time. With just a swipe, he can cut through iron bars or an opponents armor. The gyroscopic effect of the saw makes it difficult to use versus a moving foe, so he watches for opportunities to gain an advantage in combat by attacking inanimate things (chains holding up heavy things that can fall on an opponent, water-retaining plexiglass windows, supports for elevated roadways, etc.)
Appearance: Buzz originally got his name from the short haircut he sported, but he thinks it’s much more appropriate now. He dresses in a leather jacket and artfully tattered jeans.. when getting into a particularly hairy situation, he dons a bullet-proof vest lifted from a dead cop. His hair is dyed blond, and his eyes are brown. Steel-toe engineer boots complete the effect he’s going for : Typical Badass.
Notes: Buzz is not particularly loyal, but he has a lot of confidence in The Ghoul. If he’s certain that things will end badly for him, he’ll bolt to fight another day. He’s a very canny fighter, and a successful gang leader. This new-found confidence in his own abilities is largely wrapped up in his buzz-saw arm, if it is removed he will become much more timid, eventually going to great lengths to recover or replace it.
The Ripsaws
The Ripsaws are basically generic thugs, about 30 strong – They wield bats and motorcycle chains, with a few pistols wielded by Buzz’ lieutenants.
The Ghouls Henchmen
These people, dressed as nurses and orderlies, are generic thugs with a medical shtick.. He usually has ten of these guys and girls at any one time. Their dedication to protecting The Ghoul is derived from desperation: They either want something from Dr. Sokovitz, are wanted by the law, or are being blackmailed by the Evil Dr.
Other NPCs
Fred and his daughter and her doctor can be customized for the adventure: They have no noteworthy abilities (yet).
The End
-The Samaritan
