Marvel Superheroes TSR rpg?

[Powersurge]

Issue #21

Arriving at Gentech early the following morning (Sunday morning), Thunder undergoes his physical. The results are in by early afternoon and show what Dr.Stone had already guessed; that the synthoid was in no-wise carrying any viruses or "leaking" any sorts of other dangerous contaminents into his environment. All was A-Okay!

No sooner had Thunder finished at Gentech when his beepeer once again went off, indicating a call on his Thunderline. Making his way to Police HQ, Chief O'Roarke informs Thunder of a tip they just received of a meeting taking place this very night between a Fabricator Inc. liason and a Russian mobster by the name of Victor Stalinsowich in room 518 of the Monarch Hotel. As samples of the goods were to be involved, the authorities had decided to nip things in the bud.

And so it was that Thunder was given the word at 10:15 pm that night, smashing through the hotel room's window to land amidst Victor and his two Slavic thugs, a welldressed business of middling years and short, slicked back blonde hair, and none other than Jackhammer. Before any of them could react, Thunder clapped, but somehow, not only Jackhammer, but the businessman as well resisted it's effects. The Russians on the otherhand were knocked for a loop. Before Thunder could follow-up however, Jackhammer was on him. Their battle quickly carried them from the 5th floor of the grand hotel straight down to it's basement, and Jackhammer nearly escaped when Thunder was distracted with saving a woman from a nasty fall and falling debris. Once he saw said woman safe however, he pursued the villian into the street and quickly caught up to him. For a short time it seemed as though Jackhammer might out-finess Thunder, but the tide quickly turned with two well placed blows that nearly took the foul-mouthed villians head off.

Regrouping with the rest of the force, power-dampening bonds were quickly brought to the scene to place on Jackhammer. Not only did they have have this superpowered enforcer, but the bust also yielded Victor and his goons, a large some of money, and two familiar energy weapons, for all that the liason escaped. As Thunder escorted Jackhammer back to Police HQ, the villian boasted that he would be out within the week, and that once he was out he was going to track down that woman Thunder had saved and show her the other reason he was called the Jackhammer ... going into graphic detail of what a man his strength would do to a regular woman. Thunder was not pleased with the threat, but knew that Jackhammer was powerless.

So, after filling out his reports, Thunder bid the police a good night and returned to Gentech to get his car, before returning home. Early the next morning he learned that about an hour after he left the Police HQ Jackhammer escaped with the help of a man they thought was his lawyer, but who was actually a super-villian capable of hurling bolts of lighting.

Going out on patrol later that day Thunder prevents a "band of unruly youths" from mugging an old man in the park, and later that night witnesses an energy blast rip out of the passenger side of a sportscar and into a crowd before a nightclub. Thunder quickly chases down this car and brings it to an abrupt hault. An energy blaster is seized from two members of an Asian youth gang.

The following morning Thunder is once again called in by the Chief, who informs him that Major Mapleleaf II has come through again. A large deal is to be going down at the old Drummond Factory at 11:30 pm in three days time, ie. Friday. The synthoid hero will, once again, be playing a crucial role in the takedown.

Thunder patrols tirelessly.

The following day he saves a couple of highrise window-cleaners from falling to their deaths, and then later that evening is attract by the sound of panicked screams, and both the screech of car tires and the crash of car parts, all in the direction of the harbour. Racing toward the lake, Thunder is terrified as he beholds an enormous, spiney backed, dinosaur like creature, some 30 stories high with glowing red-eyes, rising up out of the water. Throwing its head back, this creature lets out a deafening roar to be followed by a skyward blast of radioactive fire. Seeing little other option as the behemoth begins to move toward shore, Thunder climbs high in the air, building up his full speed, before circling around and flying at this Godzillian-like monstrosity in an all-out kamakazi death dive. However, even he slams into the creature it suddenly vanishes as though it had never been, sending Thunder straight through the street, into the sewers beneath, and a good block worth of street down on top of him.

After filling out his report, Thunder discusses the matter with Dr. Stone, believing that either someone is messing with the space-time continuum, or perhaps using the power of illusion to mess with him. He leaves messages at both Stark Industries HQ and Freedom Four Plaza in hopes in brining in the aid of either Tony Stark or Reed Richards.

Returning home the next morning, Nathan runs into Sue and learns that Brent took ill again a couple of days ago and is back in the hospital. With bills threatening to pile up she couldn't afford to keep her car on the road and so asked if he could give her a ride to the hospital later. Having agreed, Nathan drives Sue over to the hospital before noon. When they arrive, Sue is approached by a man and woman who claim to be Social Workers with the Ministry of Children and Family Developement. They also have a police officer with them. The woman asks to have a word with Sue in private and they go off to antoher room. Nathan attempts to go into Brent's room to see him but is forbidden by the cop. When Sue at last returns some 15 minutes later see is in a major huff and nearly in tears. She tells Nathan that they are accusing her off child abuse and taking Brent into their custody pending further investigation. She falls into Nathan's arms, and he seeks to comfort her, assuring her that she hasn't been abusing Brent, that he will testify to her good character, and that he might know some legal-type people who can help.

[Powersurge]

Powerblast
Franklin "Frank" McKenzie (hi-tech)

F - Ex (Rm)
A - Gd
S - Gd (Rm)
E - Ex (Rm)
R - Gd
I - Ex
P - Gd

Health: 60 (100)
Karma: 40

Known Powers
Battlejacket: This hitech jacket amplifies the wearers upper-body strength, and utilizes both onboard combat computers and injections to increase the wearers combat ability and endurance to the above listed ranks. While the increase in upper-body strength allows the wearer to punch and grapple with greater strength, actual lifting capacity remains unaltered. Above and beyond the physical enhancements the jacket is capable of generating bolts of Incredible (43) concussive force, which strike with +2 CS accuracy due to the suits onboard targetting system, while the suit itself provides Excellent (23) protection vs. all physical and energy attacks. Its helmet and visor also provide Amazing protection vs. sound and sight based attacks.

Talents
Military
Guns
Martial Arts B


Fist
Thomas "Tom" Harrison (altered-human)

F - Gd
A - Ty
S - In
E - Am
R - Ty
I - Pr
P - Pr

Health: 106
Karma: 30

Known Powers
Body Resistence: Fist has Ex (20) resistence to all physical and energy attacks.
Growth(permanent): Fist is permanently trapped at 8' tall and weights in at roughly 1000 lbs, affording opponents a +1 CS to-hit him. However, his forearms and hands are much bigger still, affording him a +1CS to his Slugfest damage.

Talents
Military


Diehard
Mark Osbourne (altered-human)

F - Rm
A - Rm
S - Gd
E - Rm
R - Ty
I - Gd
P - Gd

Health: 100
Karma: 30

Known Powers
Body Resistence: Typical (6) vs. physical attacks.
Regeneration: Remarkable (30).
Energy Manipulation: Diehard has the Remarkable ability to form various hand-held and/or thrown weapons out of energy. He can solid weapons of Remarkable material strength, or non-solid weapons that strike for Remarkable energy damage. He is immune to the energy he produces, solid or otherwise.

Talents
Military
Weapons Master
Martial Arts A, B


Frank, Tom and Mark were raw recruits with Epsilon Flight when the old order was dissolved a few years back by the goverenment due to questionable training tactics and ethics. When they heard of how a good number of the veteran Epsilons went rogue, stealing a number of power-suits in the process (the Renegades), they were inspired to attempt something similar with an experimental battlejacket that was being developed, and which they formerly helped protect. During the robbery however, Frank punctured some strange canisters with an powerblast from the battlevest. These canisters leaked out a strange gas that enveloped his two friends. It was not long afterwards that their powers began to emerge.

[Powersurge]

Thunder #22 (continued in Alpha Flight #99, Alpha Flight #100)

As Nathan escorted Sue out of the hospital to his car, his beeper began to go crazy with multiple messages from his "Thunderline" and it was not long after that he noticed something had blotted out the sun. That something was an unimaginably huge alien vessel that was settling over the downtown Toronto!

Getting in touch with Dr.Stone and learning the obvious, Nathan next loaded the emotionally overwhelmed Sue into his car and raced her back to her apartment ... some half hour in the distance. With the sounds of an all out war resounding for several minutes already, Nathan at last got Sue home and hit his apartment to change and put on his transceiver. No sooner had he left however, when he saw several alien fighter craft begin to strafe the surrounding neighbourhood and a transport desposit a motley mess of alien troopers on the streets.

As he fought his way through these alien stormtroopers, Thunder could hear (over his transceiver) Alpha Flights leader Vindicator calling for the Alphans to regroup with the Avengers on the ground. The sounds of their battle echoed from the downtown core, a mile or so off, where the air was a buzz with alien fighters.

And so it was that alien infantry fell to Thunder's blows by the dozens, and nor did he fail to down a few fighters as he worked his way toward his fellow heroes. When at last he arrove, the heroes were surrounded on almost all sides by a motely assortment of alien infantry, their ranks nearly a block thick, but the gathered might of the heroes was great indeed. Before long, those alien ranks had thinned and the aliens began to fall back. Thunder was soon greated by the massive Sasquatch, and they joined a group that consisted of Vindicator, Guardian, Northstar, Puck, Windshear, Box, Diamond Lil, Captain America, She-Hulk, Hercules, Vision, Sersi, Quasar, and the Black Widow. Also there was a tall golden skinned woman whom the others addressed simple as Her. She mourningfully told a story of how she had saved a distant alien planet from tyrannical rule and ecological collapse only to find herself villified by an intergalatic business conglomerate called the Consortium. They claimed she had placed the planet in breach of some contract. She thought to come to Earth and muster the power needed to opposed the Consortium for the sake of this planet, but somehow the aliens had managed to track Her.

No sooner had she finished when a blue skinned alien appeared over head. He introduced himself as the Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium, and offered a complete withdrawl of Consortium forces in exchange for Her, but also threatened that if the heroes of Earth did not comply, then the Earth would be taken in lieu and pillaged of all its resources.

Before a decisions could be reached, a strange energy engulfed a good number of the mightiest heroes, Her amongst them, and those so engulfed where seen to have disappeared as the energy subsided.

With only Thunder, Sasquatch, Diamond Lil, Puck, Northstar, Cap, She-Hulk, and Back Widow left behind to guard both Toronto and the Earth, the Chief Executive of the Consortium, enraged over Her's sudden disappearance, ordered the Consortium fleet to attack.

As the battle began to rage once more, the heroes were soon joined by none other than Powersurge, who appeared to help cover the heroes in their retreat into the sewers beneath the war-ravaged streets. He received a cold greeting from the Alphans, though Cap hailed him as an old acquaintence. Anyway, within the sewers a plan was quickly arrived at ... Powersurge, Thunder, Sasquatch, She-Hulk and Diamond Lil were to turn around and face-off against the alien fleet with all they had, while Cap would lead the others through the tunnels and behind the frontline of the fight, where they might nab a fighter or troop transport. They would use this to sneak aboard the Mothership and then take it from there.

And so it went, as Thunder and his fellows turned to face the ground forces that had at last caught up with them before busting through the street and engaging the main force. The battle raged for nearly 30 minutes and both hundreds of infantry and dozens upon dozens of fighters fell to the combined might of the heroes, but the enemy just kept coming. Even as Powersurge, who thus far had given the alien invaders a clinic, retired to catch his wind, the mighty Thunder at last succumbed to overwhelming odds and was taken down. Thankfully, with everyone standing on shakey knees, the hordes at last subsided and began to lift. The alien fleet was in full retreat!!

As Thunder began to stir, Sasquatch made his way over to throw off the rubble and help the synthoid to his feet. He noted that the Mothership no longer hung in the sky over Toronto. And even as the huge, orange furred mammoth began to extoll their victory here today, all the heroes who were not present, from those who had first vanished to Cap and his party, appeared in their midst. All save one. Vindicator.

Apparently, Vindicator had been hijacked, along with the others, via somekind of cybernetic components installed in him by a group of aliens. These aliens had saved his life in times past, and now Galactus was coming to consume their world, so they sought a return on the favour. And so it went, that the gathered heroes managed to not only save this world from Galactus' hunger, but also to deliver the Consortium Mothership into the hands of the World Devourer to boot ... as an appetizer or something. However, all of this came at the price of Vindcator's life. All of it was accomplished by virtue of his heroic self-sacrifice.

With that, Powersurge came forward. He had been speaking with Captain America. Now, he placed himself into the custody of Alpha Flight, to face whatever charges he might be found guilty of. Thunder was very pleased with this, but his mind was presently filled with concern for both Brent and Sue. And so, after bidding farewell to his fellow heroes, Thunder flew off to see to their wellbeing. To his relief, he found all was no worse off then when he left.

[Powersurge]

Issue #23

Thunder uses his super-strength and sonic powers, ie. (comicbook?) sonar, to aid in search and rescue throughout downtown Toronto. Many lives are saved.

After working so for 24 hours straight, Thunder is given some down time, which he spends drinking special carb-concentrated shakes and sleeping at Gentech. A few hours later, he is called into Police HQ by the Chief. He is informed that, according to Major Mapleleaf Jr.'s last report, the deal involving Fabricators Inc. is still going down tonight (Friday) at the old, abandoned Drummond Industrial Plant.

So, that night as the clock approached 11:30 pm, two Uhauls were seen going into the plant's shipping/receiving area. As various units, each backed by S.W.A.T., moved into place to cut off all escape, Thunder was given the go ahead to move in and secure the weapons shipment. Smashing into the plant however, Thunder found the receiving warehouse empty save for the two UHauls. A moment later Jackhammer stepped from behind one of these, stating that Thunder was hurting business in the region so the boss had at last ordered his elmination. Thunder cut him off, quickly hoisting the other Uhaul and hurling it at Jackhammer. As the battle began, the ligthing bolt hurling Voltiac also appeared, to back up the foulmouthed Jackhammer.

Much to their dismay, Thunder dropped all pretenses to flash and finesse, and in doing so fought to his full potential. The battle was carried into the open air, where Voltiac was dealt with in short order. Jackhammer was soon to follow. However, before power inhibitors could be placed on Voltiac, he transformed into living lightning and arced skyward at the speed of .... lightning. Thunder attemptted to grab him, but received a massive shock that left him stunned and with a very nasty burn.

Accompanying Jackhammer back to the station, Thunder decided he would spend the rest of the night at the precinct this time around. Just in case.

[Powersurge]

Hey!

It recently occurred to me that some folks might like to know what this Thunder chump looks like. I was going to send in a Hero Machine generated pic -- which can make an alright Thunder -- but figure I'd send in an Artpad transcribed version of my first hand-drawn pic instead.

It is in the Photo Album section of this forum, and this link should get you there ...

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=396

[Powersurge]

Howdy folks,

I just uploaded another Thunder pic. to the Photo Album. Here is a link for your viewing convenience ...

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=397

[Powersurge]

Issue #24

No sooner had Thunder finished writing up his report when the Chief called him into his office. There they discussed the bad intelligence, the ambush, and the significant likelihood that Major Mapleleaf Jr.'s cover had been blown. It had in fact been well over two hours since MM II's last scheduled check-in, with no word him. Thus, the Chief had already arranged with Dr. Stone for Thunder to travel down to Buffalo, NY under an assumed identity and locate the young super-mountie. He would be leaving within the hour onboard a Gentech helicopter.

When Thunder asked why he was going in unofficially, the Chief explained that the Buffalo PD could well be the source of the leak and they weren't taking any more chances; though naturally the city of Toronto would deny any connection to Thunder's activities in the unlikely event of his capture.

Before Thunder left for Gentech, the Chief furnished him with a small file. This contained a picture of Major Mapleleaf II, a brief outline of his investigation, along with the address of an electronics/robotics company called Event Horizon, which MM II strongly suspected to be a front for Fabricators Inc. The file also contained the name and address of the company owner, William Preston; though simply as a matter of fact.

Setting down in Buffalo with still a couple of hours to go before sunrise, Thunder (who was beginning to feel the weight of the last few days) chose to first pay Mr.Preston a visit at his mansion-home; convinced that the man must know what is going on in his own company. Making his way to the mansion, he arrived to find Preston about to drive off. Thunder landed beside the car, ripped the drivers side door off the hinges and pulled him out with one hand. He then preceded to shake him, violently, demanding to know what he did with Major Mapleleaf. When this met with little success, Thunder flew high up into the air with him, setting the man to shrieking and exclaiming that, yes, he did know where "Major Maplealeaf" was. So, Thunder landed on the mansion's third story roof, where Preston told him that "Major Maplealeaf" was in a secret room, sealed with a titanium door, and hidden behind a bookshelf in his basement rec room.

Leaving the man on the roof, Thunder entered the mansion, evaded an automated energy canon by smashing through the floor, and quickly located and tore through the titanium door. On the otherside he found a relatively small, but fairly impressive hi-tech workshop. He also quickly found himself under attack by a 10' tall robot (think Locust Battlemechs, or the 2-legged mechs the Empire used against the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, or "those robots" from Robocop) with 2 swivel mounted .50 caliber machine guns. While Thunder made fairly short work of the mech, he found no sign of Major Mapleleaf. And when he went to confront Preston, he found that the man had somehow gotten off of the roof and stolen off in his doorless car.

So, with the sound of sirens growing closer and closer, Thunder took to the air. His next stop, Event Horizon. En route, he spotted Preston's car, which was also headed for the robotics company, and ended up tracking him to a secret elevator hidden behind a stall in a washroom of the executive building. This elevator led to a secret sublevel within the facility.

Fighting his way through a number of robotic, vaguely humanoid sentries of lesser and greater sizes, Thunder found MM II already free and making short work of a troop of lesser sentries. He was a clean cut, wide-eyed young man of disturbing courtesy ... even by Canadian standards. He told "Mr. Thunder, sir" that Preston was making his way to his tran-station to make an escape, and it would be a great aid if Thunder could stop him while MM II went to rescue his local cop-friend, Detective Vanessa Richards, who was also being held in this facility.

And so it was. Armed with MM II's directions, Thunder fought his way past a number of automated energy canons, and managed to at last peel back a huge, thick titanium door and gain entry into the tran-station. However, he arrived just in time to find the tran-car speeding off down an underground railroad track. Standing between him and the tran-car tunnel, on the platform, was Voltiac and two mercs in hi-tech battle armour highly reminscient of that used by Little Princess "Chargers". These suits however were distinguished by a spartan paint job, a prominent serial number, and they were also equiped with arm-mounted .50 cal machine guns.

While Thunder was once again able to make short work of Voltiac, the battle-armoured mercs. proved to be formidable and their defeat was only accomplished thanks to MM II's timely arrival. He took a burst of .50 cal. that would otherwise have nailed Thunder, and was thus left laying in sorry shape.

Encourage by the young hero to give chase to Preston, Thunder sped off down the tran-track tunnel, and followed it for several miles. After fighting his way past another small mech. and smashing his way up an elevator shaft, he found himself at a small, private airfield. Unfortunately, the battles had held him up long enough that William Preston was able to escape. Or so it appeared anyway.

Heading back to check on MM II, Thunder found Buffalo cops begining to swarm through the installation with Det.Richards in the lead. She informed him that Voltiac had escaped, that MM II was being treated for some "flesh wounds" and would be okay, and then thanked Thunder for his help here this night. Then, in sincere gratitude, she encouraged him to leave before the Feds arrrived.

[Powersurge]

Here are some pics of Little Princesses thugs, the Cyberknights ...

the original ...

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=419

the upgraded Cyberknight proper ...

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=420

the Charger Battle Armour ...

http://forum.alphaflight.net/album_pic.php?pic_id=421

[Powersurge]

Issue #25

Making his way back to Toronto early the same morning, Thunder got the list of "illusionists" that Dr. Stone had promised him, but found it to be of little use.

Taking some time out to spend with Sue, Nathan learned that she had an appointment with a Ministry rep. on Monday and offered to drive her. She accepted the offer.

Over the rest of the weekend Thunder saved a good number of people who were stuck in a burning high rise, and also stopped a mugging. On Sunday night he was called to the scene of a massive explosion only to see the carnage disappear as he approached the scene. Then for a brief moment he thought he saw a very tall, lean and ghoulish figure standing in the street before it too vanished. Finally, as a baffled Thunder was about to depart he noticed an energy signature streaking across the sky towards him and soon found himself confronted by an enraged Powersurge, all dressed up in his old sky-blue costum. Without word or warning, the mutant attacked the hero. Thunder responded, expressing his belief that Powersurge was " ... in the custody of Department H or whatever?!?!", but his words fell on deaf ears. Soon enough however, Thunder struck the energy wielder a mighty blow that caused him to vanish.

With that, Thunder once again noticed the tall ghoulish figure standing just up the street. He had a familiar look to him, perhaps being one of the "illusionists" from the Doc's file, and Thunder immediately set after him. Following a brief chase, the villian was knocked to the ground, enabling Thunder to easily catch up to him. However, as he reached out for the ghoulish looking villian, he vanished, with a smirk, before Thunder's eyes.

Checking his file at the next available oppurtunity, Thunder found he was right. The illusionist had been included in the file. His name was Headlok. He had tangled with Alpha Flight not all that long ago and was taken into custody following that affair. According to all records, Headlok was still incarcerated somewhere in Canada.

On Monday, Nathan drove Sue to her meeting and learned soon after that a custody hearing would be held in a couple of weeks and until then Brent would be kept in the custody of the state. When Sue stormed over to the hospital, she found that Brent had already been moved and was no longer being kept there.

[Powersurge]

Issue #26

Dropping a very distraught Sue off at home, Nathan spent some time on patrol and then ended up meeting Dr. Stone at an upscale downtown restruant for dinner that evening. Over dinner the Doc asked how things were going with Sue and Brent, recommended a good, but affordable lawyer for her, and then told him of an inspection that the government would be conducting on GenTech next Monday. Nathan would be participating as part of the company's chaperone team and was to get in contact with Security Chief Jack Farhill to be briefed on the matter a.s.a.p.

The following day Nathan decided he would put in a regular day at work. And so he drove to GenTech, making his way through the group of religious fundmentalists who regularly protested outside of it's gates, and first paid a visit to the Security Chief's office. Jack Farhill was a big man, as big as Nathan, and dark of hair and eyes. He was also a stern man who resented what he percieved to be the undue preference Nathan was often shown by Dr. Stone. He gruffly informed Nathan that there would be a briefing taking place on Wednesday at 9 am.

Later that day Nathan enjoyed lunch with the Doc, but as they made their way back to the main lobby, he noticed a man in a long coat moving nervously and quickly from across the lobby toward the Doc. As the man grew closer and began to pull his hand out of his jacket, Nathan lept in front of the Doc, throwing his creator to the ground, and then suddenly found himself splashed with red paint. "Let the mark of the Beast be upon you, sinners!!!" the large man exclaimed, his eyes flaring with fury, "It is God who is the Creator and Steward of both Man and Naturrrrrrr .... umph!"

Two security guards quickly tackled the man before he could say much more. He was contained, the police were called, but under Dr. Stone's advisement, no charges were pressed. Afterall, no one was hurt, and there was no sense in ruffling the feathers of folks anymore than they already were.

And so the day passed. The next morning Nathan made it to the briefing. He found only a small number of security personel gathered, and they were informed that each of them would be responsible for escorting one of the governement inspectors through the areas designated. Nathan was abrasively assigned the least sensitive areas of the GenTech, storage and disposal, with Farhill patronizingly asking Nathan if he thought he could handle it.

Putting in another day of work at GenTech, it came to pass that afternoon that a massive tremor or explosion shook the facility. Rushing to the front lobby, Nathan saw a man outside, hovering some 20' in the air and dressed in the gard of somekind of Medieval knight. He hovered in the air preaching of the "Will of God", the "Apple in the Garden", "Sodom and Gamorra", and the fate of all who defy the will of the "One True God", even as he called light down from the heavens, into his gauntlet, and then unleashed it's destructive fury on GenTech's parking lot and buildings.

Quickly changing into his superhero garb, Thunder flew forth to confront the zealot, demanding that he cease and desist with this barbaric attack immediately so they might discuss the problem. The figure however, refused to hear Thunder's lies, introducing himself as the Puritan even as he struck Thunder with a bolt of his "Divine Radiance". As the battle began to rage, the Puritan began to preach and boast of how, even in the ignorance of his youth, his faith enabled him to contend with amongst the most powerful of earth's so-called "heroes", the Mighty Thor, and it was only by chance of his own err in interpretting the "Will of the True God" that the "False-Deceiver" was able to beat him. He claimed to suffer from no such self-deception now and that both GenTech and any who stood to defend it would fall before the "righteous wrath of God the Creator".

Thunder retorted that God didn't create him, GenTech did, but this only served to enrage the Puritan, who began to pummel Thunder with blow after devastating blow. However, as luck would have it, the synthoid was able to turn the tables, laying into the Puritan with a succession of mighty punches that left the zealots face swollen and his behind planted on the pavement. Thunder then pleaded with the Puritan that this battle cease before any more innocents were hurt, but the Puritan spat back that there were no innocents, muchless at GenTech. There were only the repentent and the unrepentent. Rising to his feet, he began to draw his sword, stating that he'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, but that the Temple of Immorality that was GenTech must fall. He then began to charge at Thunder intent on taking his head off with the blade. Thunder timed this charge, reached down deep, and when the time was right launched a thunderous blow at the Puritan that knocked the zealot several blocks away to land in the street right beside a construction site. He did not rise to press the battle any further. When Thunder dug him out of the pavement, the knighlty vestments were gone, and there lay the man who had thrown paint on him yesterday.

Bringing him back to the muchly damaged Gentech, where numeorus firetrucks and police cruisers had begun to gather, Thunder turned the man over to the cops.

[Powersurge]

the Puritan (formerly the Crusader)

F - Am
A - Rm
S - Am
E - Am
R - Ty
I - Pr
P - Gd

Health: 180

Divine Radiance: Puritan is capable of calling down solar energy into his gauntlets or sword (the clouds actually open if present to let a beam of light cascade down) and redirecting it from there in bolts that strike with Am (50) force.

Levitation: Puritan has also demonstrated limited powers of levitation at Pr rank.

Armour of Faith: Puritan's armour is a phyiscal manifestation of his faith and has no actual existence. It is considered to be of Unearthly material strength, and provides rank level protection vs. edged, shooting, and magic damage, Am. protection vs. energy damage, and In protection vs. blunt or crushing attacks.

Shield of Faith: like Puritan's armour this shield has no actual existence but can be considered Unearthly material strength. It can be used to Block, using the material strength of the shield rather than the Puritan's.

Sword of Faith: Puritan's sword is also a manifestation of his faith, and can thus be considered to be made of Unearthly material Strength. He can strike with this for Am damage on the Edged Column.

Power of Faith: Puritan's powers are entirely fueled by his own hubris and singleminded conviction that he alone ("and maybe, hopefully, a few others") is privy to the Ultimate Truth and Goodness. When this faith is brought into question, Puritan must make a Psyche Feat roll vs. the Intensity of the challenge (which may vary with experience and subsequent rationalizations) or his FASE and Power ranks begin to fall at a rate of -1CS per turn. This continues until his FASE drop to their original levels (F - Ty, A - Ty, S - Gd, E - Ty) and his Powers effectively cease to be.

Influence of Mephisto: Puritan's other source of power is Mephisto, who shapes the energy of his misguided faith and enables the zealot to tap into it in ways palatable to his mortal thinking and his self-concept. If his faith is brought into question, Blackwood's critique of himself offers an oppurtunity, however slight, for him to not only see through his own line of BS (which might only lead to the formulation of another line of BS!), but also to perceive the influence of Mephisto and break the Devil's hold on him. Unfortunately, Blackwood's basic personality type and degree of mental discipline make this exceedingly difficult, requiring a Karma-free 00 Red Psyche Feat, ie. Psyche Feat vs. Incredible Intensity. It also prevents him from seeking the help of those best able to, eg. Dr.Strange-types, Thor-types, Professor X-types, Joe/Jane Wiseman-types, or anyone really who he would be willing to Combine his Psyche with, in a "counselling" type situation, in order to improve his chance at making the Feat roll.

Recent History

Following his battle with Thor (Issue #330), Arthur Blackwood (aka Crusader) drifted northward to the seclusion of the Canadian north. In time he came to the realization that the reason Thor did not die from the wound he inflicted on him, the reason why Thor was able to shattered his sword, was not because of the might of the "False-God" but because of his own eagerness to spill blood with so dire and heathen a weapon as a sword (a taboo amongst preChristian Teutonic priests incidently) and the disapproval of the Savior with that. Afterall, was it not the ancient worshippers of Thor and his "devilish ilk" that prayed to swords, that took oaths on swords, that worshipped a "devil" called Saxnote or Seaxneat, meaning the Companion of the Sword? Too eager was he to cut and spill blood with the heathen instrument, and such was his ruin. So he vowed never to use it again save in the most dire circumstances, lest goodness falter. This new belief was soon fortified in a vision Blackwood received, in which he was further guided back to civilization and into association with various religious fundamentalists groups active in Canada.

In time it came to pass the Blackwood caught wind of GenTech and its work via his associations. He had a vision in which a great voice from on high commanded him to go forth to GenTech HQ and use the might of God's Divine Radiance to reign down his vengeance upon that Temple of Blasphemey and leave it a pile of rubble. So, under the name the Puritan, Blackwood set off on yet another crusade.

Little does Arthur Blackwood realize that the spirits and visions he has hithero thought were his Catholic ancestors and sent by virtue of Christ have actaully been sent by Mephisto. The arch-fiend is well aware of the patronizing arrogance and contempt many so-called Christian harbour toward their fellow man -- like they themselves are something more than the glorified primate that is man -- and that these "virtues" exist in spades in Blackwood. Thus, the Fiend has periodically used them all, but especially Blackwood and his ilk, to serve his will in sowing division and strife and disbelief throughout the world.

In the words of Mephisto, "The greatest trick the Devil ever ochastrated was NOT to teach man that the Devil does not exist. Rather, the greatest trick the Devil ever orchastrated was to teach man that that the Devil was actually a god. And not merely a god, but the One and Only True God and source of Goodness!!" (close up panel of Mephisto, his sneering grin, a twinkle in his cruel eyes).

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Department H

I used the write up at the old Guide to Alpha Flight website as a template for this, maybe even word for word in some less significant places, but it is primarily a description of my vision of Department H as it has come to exist in the Thunder campaign.

Also, for point of reference sake, while I incorporate stuff from volume 2 of Alpha Flight and beyond, the Thunder Alternate continuum is presently hovering at around the equiv. of issue 100 of the first run of Alpha Flight and 270-something of Uncanny X-Men. I think that is Avengers 330-something. Anyway, thats the general ballpark. So, without further ado ...

Department H was originally a top secret branch of the Canadian Ministry of Defence named after it’s top employee, James MacDonald-Hudson, and aimed at developing Canada‘s super-powered potential. Using the Federal government’s resources Hudson recruited the super-powered beings that came to form the original Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Flights.

While Department H has been shut down and restarted a number of times in the official Marvel continuum, the “Thunder continuum” posits that it has enjoyed a continuous existence within the Ministry of Defence, even if at times this was as nothing more than a severly underfunded intelligence resource on potential superhuman threats. Its heart and soul continue to be based in Ottawa in the Thunder continuum.

Following it’s first cut-back, which saw the dissolution of the “Flight Program” (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma), the government began to toy with the development of the “Epsilon Program”, as a more obedient, technology-based, and human answer to the ever rising threat posed by mutants and superhumans. While the Epsilon Program has also enjoyed a rather rocky existence within the Department, it’s troopers have become an integral part of both Department H and national security.

Only in relatively recent times, following the incident that has been dubbed the “Sorcerer Affair“, has Alpha Flight again entered into the fold of Department H; on a contract basis.

The ultimate head of Department H is unknown. All that is known is that he is designated “Director X”. He operates primarily through General Jeremy Clarke, an amoral man of great influence who believes that the ends justifies the means, but who has consistently produced results in his work. He seems to have been an influence in Department H from the earliest of times. He is the author of the Epsilon Program and presently the Director of Department H’s Super-Hero Development and Deployment Program.

Department H is also known to have a Super-Hero Youth Acceleration Program. The Chief Administrator of this program is Coordinator Proctor, who operates a complex operation that yokes the Ministry of Children and Family Development, has feelers spread throughout the Ministry and Public Education system, and which devolves upon a small orphanage in Orloo, Ontario called Hull House. The Headmistress of this orphanage, a strict disciplinarian named Beatrice deLaSalle, is also an employee of the program.

Other personnel of note are ...

Dr. Horatio Huxley, Head of Department H’s Superhuman Research Division, whose zeal and cunning has been known to carry him well beyond the boundaries of acceptable ethics. A former colleague of Dr. Albert Stone, Huxley formed a significant part of the reason why Stone left the Department to help found Gentech.

Chief Engineer Ko Bin Su, who is responsible for both the design and maintenance of much of the technology used by Alpha Flight, the Epsilons and Department H in general.

Lt. Oculus, Head of Department H’s Monitor Division, which, amongst other things, had "once" been ordered to spy on Alpha Flight 24/7.

Mr. White, an agent in the Monitor Division, currently assigned to oversee the activities of Gentech and it’s super powered synthoid, Thunder.

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Here is a brief description of the Epsilons ...

Originally developed as an alternative to superpowered defenders, Epsilon Flight is composed soldiers drawn from throughout the C.A.F. and currently serve as the shock-troops and security guards of Department H and associated programs.


A group of 10 Epsilon troopers and 1 Epsilon Shuttle can be found at the main C.F.B. in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. Saskatchewan is served by the Manitoba squad, the Maritme provinces by the Nova Scotia squad, and the northernly provinces and territories by adjacent southernly provinces as necessity dictates. Furthermore, Department H's main base in Ottawa is staffed by numerous Epsilons as is the newly completed superpowered containment facility known as the "Dungeon" in the northern Rockies of B.C.


Following the Sorcerer Affair, an investigation into the training practices and initiation techniques of Epsilon Flight led to a complete overhaul of it's personel and resulted in over a dozen ex-Epsilon's going rogue with their Epsilon gear in tow. The most prominent of these rogues are known as the Renegades.


Each Epsilon trooper wears a set of hi-tech armor and carries an energy weapon.

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Here are 3 more pics ...

Powerblast

Fist

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Cheers!

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Thunder #27

Late Friday night Thunder responded to a report of a gunfight at a local nightclub and casino, only to stumple headlong into an ambush. He faced a large group of thugs armed mostly with Uzis. However, two of the largest thugs (6'6", 300 muscular lbs.) were armed with K.A.K.s (Kinetic Amplification Knuckles), while two others were armed with elephant guns. While Thunder was momentarily stunned by both a perfectly placed K.A.K. blow, and then by an elephant-gun round to the face, he nevertheless quickly recovered his senses and made short work of the hired thugs.

The following day Nathan took Sue to a company Hallowe'en party. He went as Superman and she as Wonder Woman. During the party it came to pass that Security Chief Farhill, apparently a little drunk, stumbled over to Nathan and Sue as they stood at the bar. He knocked off Nathan's "Clark Kent" hairpiece and remarked that "Lex Luthor" was more like it with a chuckle. He then started coming on to Sue, to the point of brazenly eyeballing her admittedly ample cleavage and dragging her toward the dance floor while groping her, when Nathan at last interrupted; stepping between the two and warning Farhill to back off or he would inform Stone of his behavior. Farhill challenged Nathan to be a man and do something about himself, but walked away in disgust when the synthoid refused.

Sue was somewhat disappointed with Nathan as well, and said that she wanted to leave soon after.

After seeing Sue home in a taxi, Nathan returned to the hotel the Hallowe'en party was being held at in order to get his car. In the parking lot he overheard Farhill speaking on the phone with someone, discussing GenTech security protocol. Nathan immediately confronted him on the matter. Farhill retorted, saying that he was talking to another GenTech guard, but then began to push and poke at Nathan again. This time however, Nathan rose, with due restraint, to the challenge. And while Farhill did surprise him with some aikido and judo-throws, not to mention a steel pipe laid across the bridge of Nathan's nose and then several times upside his head, he at last left the drunken Farhill bloodifaced and sprawled across the hood of a car.

Nathan managed to get ahold of Sue the following day, inviting her out for lunch, a walk, and generally smoothing things over with her. He also got in contact with Dr.Stone about Farhill's phone conversation. The Doc said he would be speaking to the Security Chief about the matter following the inspection on Monday.

Making his way to GenTech early Monday morning, Nathan joined the rest of the crew in the main entrance lobby. There he was introduced to Henry Peterson, who would be handling the inspection of the storage and disposal areas. He was a slight, bookish man of serious, if not snobbish, demeanour. The inspection lasted many tedious hours. As they tied things up and gathered again with the others in the main lobby, somekind of quake or explosion was felt to rock the facility from somewhere deep within. Rushing to the security station Farhill quickly called out that they had a Code Orange Bio-Containment Breach on sublevel 4. Stone quickly joined Farhill at the booth where he began to hastily peck away at a keyboard, soon to exclaim that counter-measures had somehow failed ... perhaps as a result of the recent attack by the Puritan.

Racing down the hall with Farhill and Nathan for the environmental suits contained in the Biohazard Room, Stone explained that they were going to have to seal the breaches manually via a system of valves on sublevel 4. If they failed to do it, or failed to do it soon enough, they would likely have a Code Red breach on their hands, which could result in a major catastrophe for the surrounding community.

So, donning the protective suits, the trio next raced for the secure elevator that led to the sublevels. However, as a result of the explosion the elevator wouldn't go down past sublevel 1, thus forcing them to race through the complex for the maintainance shaft. They found a light, yellowish mist hanging in the air, and as they raced through the facility, they soon came across a scene of 2 lab techs literally tearing apart two others, while a third pounded ferociously on an office door.

As they approached, the aggressors turned to face them, revealing nearly demonic faces, with large mouths lined with wicked fangs, and their hands contorted into deadly claws. The demonic-maniacs immedaitely screeched with rage and fury as they lept to attack the new comers. Nathan's environmental suit was immediately shredded as two of the fiends attacked him, and he quickly learned their strength was fairly impressive. Thus deciding that he'd best not take any chances, he didn't hold back in his attacks and quickly dispatched both of his assailents. He then went to Farhill's aid and dispatched the final demon-maniac.

Within the office, they found a large group of tech.s. Farhill told Stone to get the people back up to the surface and that he and Nathan would handle the shut-down. So, after Stone quickly explained where they had to go and what they had to do, the lot of them were off in their respective directions.

Fighting their way past a couple of more demonic-maniacs, and stumbling upon a number of more fleeing lab tech.s, the two at last arrived on sublevel 4 and found the room they were looking for. They now had 8 valves to shut off and one minute to do it in. However, when but two valves remained to be closed, Nathan was suddenly attacked by Farhill. Apparently, his suit had been punctured in one of the fights with the demon-maniacs and he had fallen victim to whatever had transformed the others. Knowing he was short on time, Nathan held nothing back, but when Farhill proved to be considerably resilient and time kpet ticking, he at last resorted to a thunderpunch ... knocking Farhill through numerous walls and rooms to be buried beneath rubble and debirs.

Then, with but 15 seconds remaining Nathan managed to close off the last of the valves, thus averting certain disaster.