The concept
After building an android body for herself, Dana Arthur decided to create a biological son from her own DNA. The father is unknown. The son’s bloodstream has been infused with latent nanotechnology, programmed to activate under certain circumstances.
His brain is not a normal human brain. In fact, though biological, it has been designed to function more like a computer. The regions of the brain do not correspond to a human’s at all, so doctors would most likely not be able to treat him at all, and in fact would be flabbergasted. His mother is perhaps the only person fully qualified to "repair" him if something goes wrong.
Because his brain functions more like a computer, it’s possible he could run "programs" within his brain, if he ever learned of his true nature (he believes he is a normal human). He also does not know who his mother really is; she uses a different name while at home with him. He knows she works for Magitech but believes she is an office drone of some sort. She uses an AI while at work that simulates her doing office work and such, in case her son ever comes to work looking for her.
He may have the ability to split his cognitive functions into several separate processes (multitasking), with minimum overhead, like computers do. This could be represented in game-mechanic terms through the use of the Schism psionic power (as a non-magical, extraordinary ability), or perhaps some other way. He has very strong reflexes both mentally and physically and can control machines wirelessly much more efficiently than normal humans can (which is really saying something, because normal humans built the machines to be interface extremely well with their organic brains and cybernetic computer systems).
His amazing dexterity has allowed him to become a security agent specializing in physically breaking into secure areas to test them. This job also requires a high intelligence to fully explore all aspects of the security, including physical, technological, electronic, and mystic security (all of which play a part in this age).
Would your character (1=Never, 5=Always):
- Lie to a friend to protect his feelings? 3
- Help a frail old woman cross the street? 5
- Tell anyone if he saw something widely believed to be impossible? 3
- Give money to a beggar on the street? 5
- Seek vengeance if wronged? 4
- Steal if he thought he could get away with it? 3
Does your character believe in (1=Not at all, 5=Strongly):
- Aliens? 2
- Karma? 3
- Free will (i.e., many possible futures)? 5
- Time travel? 3
- Equality for all sentient beings? 5
- God or other supreme force? 3
What does your character think about the following statements (1=Strongly disagree, 3=Neutral, 5=Strongly agree):
- Now that machines are smarter than humans, biological life is obsolete. 1
- The Caretaker has no business meddling in our affairs. 3
- Those who can wield magic are obligated to use their power for the good of all Terrans. 4
- No matter how realistic the programming, machine intelligence is an illusion; thus, machines should not be afforded the same rights as true sentient life. 1
- Humanity has been rash in seeding other worlds with mystic energy before fully grasping the ramifications. 3
- Technology is more dangerous than mystic energy, and is more likely to destroy us some day. 3
M/F
Flaws: Enemy (level 3): Organizations in direct opposition to Matt’s employers. This includes organized crime syndicates whose efforts have been thwarted, as well as competitors in the field (sometimes the same organization)
Enemy (level 2): Governments and competitors to Magitech who would be very interested to get their hands on Matt for testing, should his true nature be learned.
Poor (level 4): Debts incurred by his education, along with the fact that P.I. work does not bring in a lot of money when you’re just starting out.
Social klutz (level 2, Cha of 8): due to the nature of his programming, there are a few kinks to work out in how he interacts with others. Coupled with the fact that most of his social skills were learned from interacting with Zuul, he can be a little abrasive at times. It’s unknown at this time if further interactions with persons outside the project will permit him to get around this disability.
Noncombatant (level 1): Due to his somewhat sheltered lifestyle, he still has a great deal to learn about close quarter fighting. It is unclear if it is required for him to make up for this deficiency during the implementation of the project. (bought off at level 10)
Vulnerable to specialist computer viruses (level 2): Due to the unique structure of his brain, and his `programming’, Matt is vulnerable to both biological and digital attacks. His defenses against the later are both the unknown nature of his condition, and a number of robust anti virus programs integrated from his system, however neither of these will be proof against a determined attacker.
Total (14 mp)
6 bouns merit points as of level 12
Merits: Dex of 20 (cost 12 mp)
Int of 18 (cost 8 mp)
Con of 12 (cost 2 mp)
Schism At will times a day (36 mp)
Perfect Coordination (3 mp)
Skill focus Stealth (1 mp)
Skill focus Balance (1 mp)
Skill focus Tumble (1 mp)
Skill focus Disable device (1 mp)
Skill focus Search (1 mp)
Skill focus Senses (1 mp)
Alertness (1 mp)
Stealthy (1mp)
Heroic Surge (1mp)
Fast Hero + (Movement +5)(1mp)
Contacts 3: Dana Arthur (3mp)
Nanite powers: Super fat (level four:4mp) -Organic Metabolisim (1mp) -Faster Recharge (1mp) Fast healing (level one: 1mp) Gecko Steps (2mp) Up the Walls (prerequisits waved, requires Gecko Steps active, 1mp) Chameleon (level five:5mp) Sensor Blind (level five:5mp) Sensor Cloak (level five:5mp) Increased Power Efficiency (level two:3mp) Hide in plain sight (2mp) Nanite sword (level four:4mp) Peko web control (on/off) (1mp)
Total (110 mp) (0 mp in Reserve)
Level 12 (3 Fast Hero, 9 infiltrator)
Selected class features: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge One, Personal Firearms Prof. (occupational), Stealthy (Bonus feat),
Languages: English,
Nanite Powers
The user has five slots for free. Using a standard action grants an additional five slots. No power may have more ranks than its prerequisite powers, and no power may have more than five ranks. Any power may function at a lower rank than maximum available when desired.
There are two kinds of effects: continuous and burst. A continuous effect must be paid each cycle. A burst effect is paid once, and its effects last for one cycle.
By default, a cycle is either one round or one minute (corresponding to what is noted in the power).
Vitality Storage (super fat)
Description: Nanite clusters within the body store energy that has been metabolized by the G.I. tract, and hold onto it until given the signal to release it into the system, essentially making "super fat" cells with a more efficient storage system that float through the system until they bind to body systems that in high stress situations use a great deal of energy (the brain, muscle clusters in the heart, diaphragm, legs, arms). Merit cost: 1mp per 5 "super fat" vitality points Effect: Super fat vitality may be used to power nanite abilities. Super fat recharges over time from a wireless power source, at a rate equal to one tenth maximum super fat vitality per hour – for example, if the character has 20 maximum super fat vitality, he regains 2 super fat points per hour. When vitality damage is incurred, super fat is not depleted until normal vitality first reaches zero.
Improved Vitality Recharge
Description: Increased energy exchange sites cause an increased level of recharge of super fat clusters in relation to their concentration within the host. Merit cost: 1mp Effect: Change wireless recharge rate cycle of super fat from hours to minutes.
Organic Super Fat Recharge
Description: Exchange clusters are created lining the GI tract of the host, allowing super fat to recharge using natural energy sources. Merit cost: 1mp Effect: Recharge one point of super fat per 100 calories consumed. These calories will not be available for normal energy storage, which will result in the host requireing to eat additional food.
Reinforced Skeleton
Description: The original skeletal structure of the user is permanently altered to be laced with metal reinforcing structures in and around the bone itself, increasing the overall strength of the user’s skeletal system, making them much harder to break. Effect: As damage reduction
Energy Absorption
Effect: As energy resistance; also possible is 1mp for 1 extra point of resistance to all five types
Subdermal Armor
Effect: As natural armor
Regenerative Tissue
Description: Specialized nanites are dispersed throughout the tissue and blood stream of the user, and assist in clotting and repairing of damage tissue. Merit cost: 1mp per point (instead of the usual 2mp) Vitality cost: 2 vitality per wound point recovered Effect: As fast healing
Increased Power Efficiency
Description: Power usage of the nanite powers have been fine tuned to not waste energy. Merit cost: 1mp the first time, 2mp the second time, 3mp the third time, etc. Effect: Each time this enhancement is taken, the duration of all other powers used is increased by one. For example, normally a power that has a "rounds" cycle would cost vitality each round. If this enhancement is taken once then the vitality cost (which remains the same) is paid out every two rounds. This applies to all powers used.
Chameleon
Description: Chameleon like fast acting pigmentation of the skin and sound cancelation or white noise generation near the feet and hands to negate any rogue noises encountered. Merit cost: 1mp per rank Vitality cost: 1 vitality per rank (continuous) Processing cost: 1 slot per rank Cycle: Rounds Effect: +3 Stealth per rank
Sensor Blind
Prerequisites: Chameleon Description: The nanites setting up emitter clusters that send out jamming signals on all desired spectra, causing an overload along all sensors that are using those spectra and blinding them for a period of time. Merit cost: 1mp per rank Vitality cost: 3 vitality times the total cost (burst) Processing cost: A number of slots equal to the total cost Cycle: Rounds Effect: Certain forms of sensory input no longer function while the user emits a burst when within detection range (or 50 feet, whichever is less). The forms affected are according to the following table: |Cost|Sensory input type| |1|Radiation (nonvisual spectra: IR, UV, radio, X-ray, etc.)| |2|Active (motion sensors, laser trip lines, etc.)| |3|Acoustic (radar, sonar, hearing)| |4|Visual (spectra between IR and UV)| |5|Mystic| Any combination of the above sensor types can be affected, but the user must possess at least as many ranks as the largest sensor type cost. To determine the "total cost" referenced above, sum the costs of the sensor types to be affected. Each affected creature is entitled to a saving throw, DC 10+total cost.
Sensor Cloak
Prerequisites: Sensor Blind Description: Uses the emitter clusters to send the inverse waves of what the user would normally be putting out, canceling out the emissions almost completely. The end result is that certain spectra emission detectors will be unable to detect the user. Merit cost: 1mp per rank Vitality cost: 1 vitality times the total cost (continuous) Processing cost: 1 slot per rank Cycle: Rounds Effect: Certain forms of sensory input no longer detect the user. The forms affected are as given for Sensor Blind, and the total cost is computed the same way.
Collapsable Body
Prerequisites: Vitality Storage, Reinforced Skeleton Description: The nanites collapse bone and large tissue structures, taking over the functions of essential organs as the user is in this state, allowing the user to squeeze through areas that his or her body type would not normally permit. Merit cost: 1mp per rank Vitality cost: 2 vitality per rank (continuous) Processing cost: 1 slot per rank Cycle: Minutes Effect: +5 bonus to Escape Size per rank. Size category drops by one for determining areas that are still accessible, and for speed of movement.
Nano Muscles
Prerequisites: Reinforced Skeleton Description: Nanites create clusters of pseudo muscle fibers in the legs and arms which are fueled by the nanite "super-fat" cells that bond automatically to them. During normal use, the PMFs are inert and no additional strength is applied. When activated the muscle fibers assist and enhance the overall muscle strength of the user. Merit cost: 1mp per rank Vitality cost: 5 super fat vitality per rank (burst) Processing cost: 1 slot per rank Effect: For each rank applied, the user receives a +2 bonus to Strength or a +5 to Jump for his next action.
Gecko Steps
Description: Nanite clusters on the feet and hands create nano-fibers which act with the same property of a gecko’s feet (branching fibers that set up Van Der Walls forces between the fibers and the surface being climbed on. One square inch of this surface of fibers will be able to suspend one metric ton, providing the supporting surface can handle the weight) Merit cost: 2mp Vitality cost: 2 vitality (continuous) Processing cost: 1 slot Cycle: Minutes Effect: Providing the surface has no special properties to counter the effects of this power, and the user has both his hands and feet bare, the user is considered to automatically pass all Climb checks, and may climb the surface at twice the normal rate (no need to look for hand holds). To use this power the user must be able to bring his toes and fingers in contact with the surface he is climbing.
MonoEdge sword
Description: The same nanite clusters that create the nano-fibers can also be programed to make larger, and more complex structures. In this case, they create a mono edged sword, essentially a blade with an edge one molecule thick. Nanites that run along the structure can create further structures from available materials as the blade is used, creating fractal patterned barbs along the blade that cause further injury. If the barbs, which are also approximately one molecule thick are given enough time to grow in complexity, they can increase the friction coefficient to the point where severed material superheats, becoming a plasma. Merit Cost: 1mp Vitality Cost: 4 vitality per level to create the blade, 2 vitality per level to maintain, (continuous) Cycle: Rounds Effect: Manifesting the blade creates an 18" sword in either hand (user’s choice) that does 1d6 damage per level manifested. This sword has a x3 critical wherein a third of the bonus damage dice (and other bonuses) is fire damage, and has a critical range of 20, that will drop by one for every odd level of manifestation (e.g. a level 5 manifestation would have a critical range of 18-20). The blade has an enchantment bonus of +1 per even level manifested (level 2 is +1, level 4 is +2 and so forth). The blade will ignore 5 points of hardness per level manifested, and will strike as a melee touch attack. At level 3 it will grant the user the cleave feat for free.
Infiltrator notes
Level 3, 6, 9: Uncanny Stealth (p. 34 in d20 Future – at level 9, no penalty is suffered for running) Level 5: Uncanny Hide (Star Wars book) Level 7: Skill Mastery (computer use) Level 10: Without a Trace (automatic success on listed skills)