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In Earth's final hours, they stand to defend her. They sacrifice their lives that others might live. They are the soldiers who protect the planet against the marauding Horde that lays siege to it. They call themselves "We who are about to die." They are...
Strikeforce: MorituriIn an alternate timeline, the Earth is contacted in the early 2000's by an extraterrestrial race. Man's hopes of a peaceful contact are quickly shattered, however, as the Horde lay siege to Earth. They butcher humans without rhyme or reason, taking a pitiful few as slaves. They sieze the plunder of our planet with gleeful abandon. Chocolate is a powerful intoxicant to their alien physiologies, and many lives are lost over a simple candy confection. Although Earth's united world government, the Paideia, does not fall, there is precious little they can do against a foe who is so technologically superior.
However, after years of war, an incredible scientific breakthrough is made. The brilliant scientist
Dr. Kimmo Tuolema discovers a process by which he can graft a second, superhuman metabolism onto human
beings. This foreign metabolism grants its host incredible powers, the kind of abilities dreamt of for
hundreds of years. At last, there is a glimmering of hope for humanity.
But there is a horrible
price to pay for transcending humanity.
This secondary metabolism, once introduced to the human
body, would be violently and catastrophically rejected by its host just as any foreign metabolism must
be. Although it would take a variable length of time, the rejection would eventually occur, and no
human body would survive it. In other words, the Morituri Process was a death sentance.
Despite this horrifying truth, many men and women gladly volunteered for the process, nobly sacrificing
themselves for humanity's benefit. Their reasons varied wildly, but each of them embraced thier fates.
The first group of volunteers were known as the Black Watch. They were five in number, but only three
survived the pressure cooker known as the Garden that the Paidea used to stimulate the powers of the
Morituri. The Black Watch struck a mighty blow against the Horde, slaying the commander of the fleet
above Earth. The aliens' retribution claimed two of the Watch. The final member succumbed to the
rejection process. The maturity of the Watch (all members were in their 30's) hastened the process,
and the Paidea realized younger subjects would last longer.
The first generation of Morituri
set a precedent for disobeying orders that would color the Strikforce for the length of its existance.
The young men and women frequently went against the commands of their superiors in order to strike out
at the aliens, even journying to the orbit of Jupiter and destroying one of the Horde's command vessels
when Marathon willingly succumbed to rejection.
The second generation of Morituri followed the lead
of their upperclassmen, although they were in many ways more serene about thier mission. In time, they and
the remaining members of the first generation were declared fugitives and were forced to fight against
the third generation before being cleared of charges. The third generation was the largest, and perhaps
the most volitile. They were under the command of a new, military commander and were responsible for
huge damage to the Horde's Earth-bound forces.
The fourth generation of Morituri consisted of only
two men, Scanner and Revenge. Revenge had been a prisoner of the Horde, and although no one new it at
the time, he carried a virus that counteracted the violent rejection of the Morituri process. His
joining the Strikeforce brought an end to death by rejection. Very shortly after these two joined the
team, the fifth and final generation of Morituri came on board. Burn and Lifter joined Scanner and
Revenge to form the last members of the Morituri and saw an end to the war with the Horde when a mysterious
new race, the VXX199 entered orbit, destroyed the Horde fleet, and left just as quickly. Taken aback by
these events, the four remaining Morituri (alongside Brava, the last of the third generation) found
themselves out of a job.
Sinister events would prevent a calm retirment, however. Forces within
the world government were making their play for power and, with the war over, the Morituri were only
another obstacle to be overcome. A trio of assassins had been converted to Morituri, and these three men,
Ghost, Tiger and Wind, were dispatched to eliminate the rest of the Strikeforce. Tiger murdered Brava,
but Wind was unable to kill Revenge and Ghost chose not to fulfill his mission when he discovered the
government had lied to him.
In the end, the traitors were exposed for what they truly were, and
the Morituri were national heroes once again. With an indefinate lifespan stretching before them, the
four looked forward to long, happy lives together.
Years after the conclusion of the war with the Horde, events occurred involving the Morituri with
the alien VXX199. Guided by the sentient intelligence of the now-defunct Paideia's central supercomputer,
the Morituri discovered that the VXX199 had only hidden behind the moon for all these years and were
actually subverting mankind's culture. By use of genetic constructs and psychological programming, the
aliens had created in humanity a bizarre psychic backlash that periodically resulted in the spontaneous
combustion of a human being. As this phenomenon, called "S.C." by the media, spread across
the globe, the VXX199 absorbed the psychic energy released by the explosions.
Humanity was being
harvested by the VXX199.
Together with the mysterious Random and "Will," the spirit of
the Paidean computer, the Morituri journied to the VXX199 mothership and destroyed its central processing
unit, thereby removing its threat of continued cultural corruption.
The further adventures of
the Morituri, defeating the remnants of the Horde, the VXX199, the remaining Morituri assassins, and
various other threats, remain uncharted.
An interesting variant of the Marvel Saga campaign could be one set in the world of the Strikeforce:
Morituri universe. This would be a dark, gritty tale, as the characters would be soldiers who know
beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to die in battle. The only question is how many of the
enemy they can take with them. Drama and violence are the names of the game, and only mature and
seasoned players and Narrators need apply.
In case you happen to need it for a campaign, here is
a list of the Strikeforce Members, sorted by generation.
First Generation: Adept, Blackthorn, Marathon, Radian, Snapdragon, Vyking.
Second Generation: Scaredycat, Scatterbrain, Toxyn.
Third Generation: Backhand, Brava, Hardcase, Shear, Silencer, Wildcard.
Fourth Generation: Revenge and Scanner.
Fifth Generation: Burn and Lifter.
All humans who undergo the Morituri process first recieve a treatment that increases their strength and endurance to superhuman levels. This enables them to survive the latter portion of the process, the portion that actually grants the powers themselves. Any characters who serve with the Strikeforce during the time of the third or subsequent generations will have access to flight shoes, an innovation made possible thanks to the powers of Adept that bestow the ability to fly to their wearer. If a campaign is based after the Horde War, then there are many civilians who have undergone the first stage of the Morituri process, called the "M" process, that bestows maximized human strength and physique on the recipient. Also available are C-bands, a bio-modem and storage unit that confers the power of Computer Link 5 to its owner.
Strength 11X, Agility 5X, Intellect 5D, Willpower 6X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3(17). Skills:
Theology. Powers: Analysis 20 (Unique power: Adept could study any object for an exhange and
decipher, at least in part, its function and operation), Hyperlinguistics 8.
Calling: Responsibility of Power. Personality: Adept was quiet, very reserved and
conservative, even when fighting (which she hated).
History: Jelene Anderson was a deeply spiritual person. When she found out her genetic code made
her a candidate for the Morituri process, she joined out of a sense of moral responsibility, even though
she detested violence. Her incredible analytical powers made her invaluable to the Paideia, and her
inspection of Horde artifacts made possible numerous leaps in Earth's level of technology. She had
feelings for her teammate Marathon, but his obsession with death prevented him from noticing. Adept
succumbed to the Morituri process by lapsing into a deep trance on the return trip from Jupiter's orbit,
rattling off inumerable new theories and scientific facts that kept Paideia scientists busy for years.
Strength 12D, Agility 5X, Intellect 4D, Willpower 4D, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Brawling,
Energy Control, Performing (Acting). Powers: Energy Reflection 15. Calling: Responsibility
of Power. Personality: Cheerful and upbeat.
History: Greg Mattingly was an actor who portrayed Vyking, one of the first Morituri, on a video
series about the Strikeforce. Sometime after Vyking's death, Greg discovered that he was eligible for
the Morituri process himself. Oddly enough, he gained powers very similar to those of Vyking, but with
a greater degree of control. As Backhand, he had difficulty adjusting to his choice after seeing Wildcard
die in action, but eventually came to terms with his choice. He was a constant reminder to his more
morose teammates that life was not yet over. Backhand died in combat against the superhuman members of
the Horde race atop a television studio. He had suffered serious internal injuries, and he willed the
Morituri process to occur so that he might take all the "Super-Hordians" with him. The
explosion that marked his death accomplished that goal.
Strength 13D, Agility 5X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4X, Edge , Hand Size . Skills: Brawling.
Powers: Corrosion 16. Calling: Thrillseeker. Personality: Blackthorne was
overwhelmed by her celebrity status, and wanted to experience everything life had to offer in her
limited time remaining.
History: Aline Pagrovna was a mousy young woman who went unnoticed her entire life. When the
chance to trade her pitiful existance for a year of fame and power presented itself, she didn't hesitate
for a second. As Blackthorne, Aline had a lengthy romance with the famous actor Guy Harding, and
actually became pregnant as a result. The pregnancy somehow forestalled her death until the infant
could be delivered early, and Blackthorne lived to a full 13 months after recieving the process. She was
the last of the first generation of Morituri to die.
Strength 15C, Agility 5X, Intellect 6D, Willpower 6X, Edge 2, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Brawling,
Wrestling, Astronomy. Powers: Body Armor +3. Calling: Adventurer. Personality:
Brava was relaxed and easy-going. Very little ever disturbed her calm exterior except the cruel excesses
of the Horde.
History: An astronomer from Barcelona, Domenica discovered she was eligible for the process
through a free screening. She joined up immediately, believing that one year was the same as seventy
when viewed in the grand scheme of things. Brava was the most stable of all the third generation, and
she lived through the conflicts that claimed the lives of her teammates. Surviving to the end of the
Horde War, she hoped only for a quiet retirment and an end to the killing. Instead, she was confronted
in her father's home by the assassin Tiger. The two fought, and Brava was killed. She was mourned
throughout Spain as a great hero.
Strength 11X, Agility 6X, Intellect 5D, Willpower 5X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Energy
Control. Powers: Fire Control 14. Calling: Responsibility of Power. Personality:
Gentle in all things, loving to her family, devestating to those who threaten the ones she loves.
History: Yoko Wantanabe is a gentle, loving soul who joined the Strikeforce to protect mankind from
death at the hands of the alien Horde. During her introduction to the team, however, Shear had a psychotic
episode and killed commander Pogorelich, then was killed himself. A very short time thereafter, the Horde
War came to an end, leaving Yoko without a purpose. She and Scanner had formed a close bond in the short
time they had been together, however, and the two were soon married. They had two children and lived on
the west coast where Scanner used his talents to make an excellent living as a private investigator. When
Dan believed he was losing his mind, she spent long nights worrying over him. In time, however, the truth
was revealed and the old Strikeforce reunited to battle the alien VXX-199. The thought of protecting her
children was all the inspiration Burn needed to incinerate her foes.
Strength 12B, Agility 12A, Intellect 5X, Willpower 8D, Edge 2, Hand Size 4 (25). Skills: Martial
Arts Weapons, Swords, Whips (Garrote); Acrobatics, Martial Arts, Stealth; Meditation.
Powers: Invisibility 12 (Invisibility to Machines). Calling: Soldier.
Personality: Serene, even in combat. Bereft of emotion.
History: Tam Van Ok was perhaps the greatest assassin that ever lived. He was paid exorbitant
sums of money to conduct surgical strikes against all manner of targets. He never failed in his mission.
He accepted the Paideia's offer to become a superhuman for the money and the assurance that the mortality
rate was no longer an issue. After discovering that the so-called cure was untested and uncertain, he
turned on his employers and helped the remnants of the Strikeforce destroy them. He disappeared following
the conflict and has not been seen since.
Strength 13D, Agility 5X, Intellect 5X, Willpower 5C, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Brawling,
Military, Politics. Powers: Density Control 10 (Objects only), Paralysis 12. Calling:
Soldier. Personality: Formal and rigid, inflexible in his thinking. A military man.
History: Burke discovered his compatibility for the Morituri process during routine military
screening. He came from a long line of soldiers and was eager to fulfill his percieved duty to the
Paideia and mankind. His powers made him a formidable opponent, but he became frustrated when it
seemed the government was keep the Strikeforce from inflicting serious damage to the Horde (which
they were, in order to prolong the profitable war). He had a brief romance with his teammate Silencer,
but it ended mere hours after it became when they were both caught in a Horde trap and incinerated by
a microwave beam from an orbitting satellite.
Strength 12X, Agility 6D, Intellect 5X, Willpower 5X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Aerial
Combat. Powers: Telekinesis 14 (Forceflight, Force Bolt, Force Field, Passengers).
Calling: Adventurer. Personality: Relaxed and joking. Rarely loses her cool under fire.
History: Within moments of being introduced to her teammates in the Strikeforce, Fiona
witnessed the murder of her commanding office by Shear and, moments later, Shear's death at the hands of
the other Morituri. Despite this brutal baptism, she remained in good spirits and acquitted herself very
well in the last battles of the Horde War. During the aftermath of the war and her relationship with
Revenge, she continued her laid back attitude and eventually returned to England. During the VXX-199
affair, she rekindled her romance with Revenge and helped her teammates save the world from an unknown
alien menace.
Strength 18D, Agility 4D, Intellect 4X, Willpower 6X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Brawling, Piloting. Powers: Ability Boost [Strength] 10 (For every day that Marathon refrained from
using his Strength, it increased by one point. These extra points disappeared at the end of any combat
scene.). Calling: Personality: Originally very easy-going, but later morose and anti-social.
History: Robert began his tenure with the Strikeforce as an amiable warrior. After the death
of Snapdragon, however, he became darker and obsessed with death. He used an industrial strength laser
to burn an "M" on his face to represent his status as a Morituri. On a mission that saw the
death of the team leader Vyking, Marathon attempted to sacrifice himself to destroy an oribitting Horde
command vessel. The ship was destroyed, but Marathon survived atmospheric re-entry and rejoined his
comrades. Weeks later, he repeated the process with a huge Hordian vessel in orbit around Jupiter. This
time the Horde's losses were exponentially greater, but Marathon's sacrifice was complete.
Strength 12X, Agility 5X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: None.
Powers: Blinding 10, Light Control 8, Radiation Control 4. Calling: Adventurer.
Personality: Radian was the rock upon which the first generation was founded.
History: How Raidan became a member of the Strikeforce is unknown, but his service was long
and distinguished. He served as unofficial team leader after the death of his friend Vyking, and his
clear-headedness saved the Strikeforce on numerous occasions. Radian risked death to meet with Gentle
Inquirer, a member of the Horde ruling caste, in order to investigate a rumor that the Horde had discovered
a means to prevent the Morituri rejection process. Louis took this incredible risk for the sake of his
friends Adept and Blackthorne, but the rumors ultimately proved false. Nonetheless, Radian was killed
by Shear for his supposed treason against the Paideia.
Strength 13D, Agility 6D, Intellect 5D, Willpower 7D, Edge 2, Hand Size 4 (25). Skills:
Brawling, Piloting, Lore (Hordian Culture), Military. Powers: Energy Blast 18 (Touch only,
Explosion). Calling: Vengeance. Personality: After being inducted into the Morituri against
his will, Revenge was bitter and angry. Eventually he came to enjoy the role, however, and was gregarious
and outgoing.
History: An inexperienced Paideian trooper sent into combat, Jason Edwards' entire troop was
killed by the Horde and he was taken prisoner. For over a year he was kept aboard a Hordian vessel in
Earth's orbit. He learned much about the Horde's culture, including their language and the different
sub-races. He had planned to steal a Horde drop-tank and make his way back to Earth when the Morituri
attacked and boarded the vessel he was kept aboard. He aided them in their destruction of the vessel and
subsequent escape back to Earth. There were the beginnings of romance between he and Toxyn, but she
fell victim to the Moritiru effect shortly after their return to Earth. Edwards was taken into custody
by corrupt elements of the Paideain government and debriefed. When it was discovered that he was eligible
for the Morituri process, he was threatened with execution for desertion of duty unless he joined. He
joined under the name Revenge and served until the Strikeforce was disbanded. A virus he had carried
back from the Horde fleet reversed the effects of the Morituri rejection, allowing he and his teammates
to live long lives. After the war he lived with his teammate Lifter for a while, but their relationship
dissoved and he returned to mercenary work in Miami. When his old team banded together to destroy the
VXX-199, he and Lifter rekindled their romance and joined the effort.
Strength 12D, Agility 6D, Intellect 5C, Willpower 6D, Edge 2, Hand Size 4 (25). Skills: Brawling,
Aerial Combat, Criminology, Investigation, Leadership. Powers: Danger Sense 12, Clairvoyance 8
(Scanner may see things that are occurring nearby without being able to actually view them).
Calling: Peace of Mind/Adventurer. Personality: Upon joining the Strikeforce, Dan was in
torment over the death of his pregnant fiancee. In time, he grew to accept his new life and became very
well-adjusted to it.
History: Dan Baker lived in a small city in Utah where he saw his longtime girlfriend on a regular
basis. During the day he commuted an hour to Salt Lake City. After proposing to his girlfriend, he
discovered that she was pregnant. Overjoyed, the two began planning their lives together. When his
employers found out about all this, they gave Dan a nice raise to ensure that he stayed with the
company. While driving home, Dan witnessed his home town's destruction by an asteroid that the Horde
had pushed out of orbit. The first shot missed and hit Dan's home town, but the second shot hit Salt
Lake City dead on, wiping out Dan's job and friends in a failed attempt to wipe out the Morituri. With
no reason to live, Dan joined the Strikeforce. He and Revenge joined just long enough to see several
battles before the end of the Horde War. Afterwards, Scanner lead the team to defeat the government
plot to assume control of the globe. Years later, Dan feared that he was losing his mind because he
continually saw a vision of Will Deguchi (the dead Morituri known as Scatterbrain) that no one else could
see. Eventually he learned that this was the manifestation of an advanced AI program, and "Will"
was trying to help Dan fight the hidden alien VXX-199.
Strength 12D, Agility 9C, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Contingent Attack, Fast Exit. Powers: Emotion Control 5 (Fear only), Lightning Speed 6.
Calling: Thrillseeker. Personality: No fear of death, only a desire for experience and
sensation.
History: A firm believer in the power of New Age thinking, Pilar Lisieux had no fear of death
when given the chance to become a Morituri. She reveled in the experiences during her time in the
Strikeforce and forged a close bond with her teammate Scatterbrain. When her time came on a mission in
Africa, she embraced it willingly and used her dying power surge to devastate the Hordians she faced.
Scaredycat viewed her transition into the afterlife as just another experience waiting to be had.
Strength 12X, Agility 5X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: None.
Powers: Emotion Control 12 (Effects all within firing distance), Telepathy 3. Calling:
Adventurer. Personality: Your average joe, afraid of death but trying to deal with the
consequences of his decision to join.
History: Will served as the de facto leader of the Strikeforce for a short time after Toxyn's
death. His powers increased over the course of his time with the Morituri, and he gradually became
more and more introverted as his powers of telepathy increased. Toward the end, his fascination
with death caused him to read the thoughts of dying foes. This created a dangerous backlash that
send Will deep into a coma to escape the sensation. He never recovered from this state, and died
some months after falling unconscious.
Strength 13C, Agility 4X, Intellect 3X, Willpower 5D, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Brawling,
Wrestling, Intimidation. Powers: Claws +6 (Shear's acutal power was to send a wave of energy that
found the structural weakness in an object and sliced it open, causing a very similar effect to lengthy
claws.). Calling: Greed (for power). Personality: Arrogant and self-assured.
History: Walther was working in a factory in Turkey when the chance to join the Morituri came up.
He gladly took it, both to escape the humdrum existance of his life and to gain the power he had always
desired. His bloodthirsty nature was remarkable, even among the Morituri. His combat savvy, however,
frequently led him to take charge during combat. He overcame many certain death situations by sheer force
of will alone. The explosion that killed Backlash caused a tumor to develop in Shear's brain. In a very
short time the tumor caused sever paranoid schizophrenia. The inevitable breakdown came, and Shear killed
the Strikeforce's commander Yuri Pogorelich and let the other Morituri on a dangerous chase through
a residential section. When Scanner believed that Shear had killed Brava and Revenge, he attacked
and knocked Shear from a scaffolding several stories high. The fall killed Shear.
Strength 12X, Agility 6X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 5C, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Art,
Survival. Powers: Nullification 18 (Limit: Sound only). Calling: Vengeance.
Personality: Calm and serene, even in combat. Soft-spoken and gentle.
History: Akiya saw her entire family and her lover murdered by the Horde in Africa. While at a
refugee camp, she discovered that she had the requirments to be a Morituri. She immediately began the
process. Despite her incredible and persistant state of calm, she desired nothing more than the death
of the race that had murdered so many. Silencer had a brief affair with teammate Hardcase, but it ended
when the two of them perished in combat in a Horde trap.
Strength 12X, Agility 6X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: None.
Powers: Energy Blast (Plasma) 9. Calling: Thrill-Seeker. Personality: Excited and
cheerful; the cheerleader of the first generation.
History: Lorna Raeburn was the heart and soul of the Morituri's first generation. Humourous and
playful, she always kept the mood light and distracted the others from the fact that their deaths were
sealed. That she was the first to succumb to the Morituri effect was a blow that devestated her
teammates. Marathon suffered a radical personality shift after her death, and Vyking became more
introvered and pensive.
Strength 13C, Agility 6C, Intellect 5D, Willpower 8B, Edge 2, Hand Size 4 (25). Skills: Brawling,
Swords, Demolitions, Marksmanship, Leadership, Politics. Powers: Energy Claws +5. Calling:
Greed. Personality: Ruthless, determined, and extremely professional.
History: A deadly mercenary renowned throughout the Middle East, Shastri was offered a great
sum of money and the promise of a long life if he became a Morituri assassin for elements of the
Paidein government. He accepted. His first mission was to assassinate the seasoned Morituri warrior
Brava while she vacationed in Spain. The two fought, and Tiger succeeded in his mission. A chance
encounter with Dr. Tuolema in an airport led Tiger to the discovery that the government had lied about
the certainty of the cure for the Morituri effect. Furious, Tiger returned home and abandoned his
duties. He survived past the Horde War and the fall of the Paideia, and eventually became ruler of the
restored country of India.
Strength 12X, Agility 5X, Intellect 5D, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Medicine
(Pharmocology). Powers: Affliction 10, Poison 10. Calling: Personality: At first
insecure and tentative, but later more decisive and determined.
History: Toxyn never disclosed her reasons for joining the Strikeforce, but she took very
quickly to the role. Her first mission was shortly after the death of Vyking, and the others
looked to her as sort of an interim leader. Although not interested in the role, she performed
admirable for several missions. Ruth's powers allowed her to fulfill a number of mission profiles,
and she was responsible for numerous victories over the Horde, including the Strikeforce's rescuing
of San Franciso from a Horde deathship. Toxyn had hopes of a romance with Jason Edwards, whom the
team had rescued from a Horde ship in orbit, but shortly after returning to Earth her body rejected
the Morituri process. She died moments after professing her love for the man who would become the
Morituri called Revenge.
Strength 13D, Agility 7X, Intellect 5D, Willpower 7C, Edge 2, Hand Size 4 (25). Skills: Brawling,
Journalism, Leadership, Writing. Powers: Detection (Morituri) 10, Energy Reflection 8, Flight 5.
Calling: Responsibility of Power. Personality: Thoughtful, introspective. Emotional during
times of stress.
History: Harold Everson was an aspiring writer and a member of the Paideia Emergency Volunteers,
a group that scoured Horde raid sites for the bodies of the dead to return to their families. When he
discovered he was eligible for the Morituri process, he thought long and hard. He was fascinated by
the tales of the Black Watch (the Strikeforce's predecessors), and longed for a chance to make his life
mean something while having an experience that he could write about. Eventually, he accepted the offer,
even after seeing the video of a Black Watch member succumbing to the Morituri rejection process. His
power of flight made him unique among the first generation, and his keen insight into the character of
others soon made him the unoffical leader of the team. His friends and teammates looked to him for
guidance. His job became much more challenging after Snapdragon's death. He realized the enormity of
the decision he had made and embraced his fate. He wrote more and recorded his every thought for
posterity. Eventually he lead the Strikeforce on an unsanctioned mission against the Horde ships in
Earth's orbit, but the rejection process claimed him on the way up. Vyking never saw the Horde fleet,
nor did he see the victory his friends won there in his honor.
Strength 12X, Agility 4X, Intellect 3X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: None.
Powers: Power Duplication 13 (Morituri only). Calling: Vengeance.
Personality: Wildcard was very bitter over the actions of the Horde. His only desire was
to crush them utterly.
History: John Crenosa's father was a haberdasher in New Jersey who was taken as a slave by the
Horde. This devestated Crenosa, who idolized his father. He gladly joined the Morituri to avenge his
father's spirit and to hurt the Horde the way he had been hurt. Ironically, he never got the chance.
His first mission was to apprehend the senior members of the Strikeforce who had gone on an unsanctioned
mission against orders. Wildcard was seized by the Morituri effect midway through the battle and died
a horrible death. He had been mimicing Blackthorne's power, and it overloaded, melting him. His death
both ended the battle and showed the rest of the third generation what exactly they had agreed to by
joning the Strikeforce.
Strength 12D, Agility 10C, Intellect 3X, Willpower 3X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Brawling,
Contingent Attack, Fast Exit. Powers: Lightning Speed 15. Calling: Demolisher.
Personality: Sociopathic, with no sense of guilt, pity or remorse.
History: Julio Gonzales was a serial killer serving multiple life sentances for the murder of
several dozen homeless people. He believed himself to be Red Cougar, a Native American chieftan on a
divine mission to purge the unclean. He was pardoned from prison, had plastic surgery and given an
intense "psychological debriefing" to make him loyal to the Paideian government so that he
might serve them as an assassin. After failing to kill Revenge, he was sent into the Paideian complex
beneath a mountain to kill the Prime Minister. He did so, then proceeded to begin killing everyone he
could find until the Strikeforce appeared. He was tricked into laying his hands on Revenge, who used
his energy charging powers to kill the deranged assassin.
Strength 4X, Agility 4X, Intellect 5X, Willpower 5D, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Performing (Acting). Calling: Gloryhound. Personality: Originally a true playboy,
Guy's relationship with Aline Pagrovna domesticated him thoroughly.
History: Guy Harding was already a world-renowned actor when he was cast to play Radian in the
video series about the Strikeforce. A meeting between the cast and the Morituri led to a long-running
romance between Harding and Blackthorne that resulted in her pregnancy. The pregnancy, in turn, saved
Blackthorne from the Morituri effect long enough to bring their daughter, Aline, almost to term. After
the baby was delivered by Dr. Kimmo Tuolema, Blackthorne died and Guy retired from public life to raise
their daughter in peace.
Strength 13D, Agility 4X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4D, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Brawling, Tracking. Powers: Cold Control 11. Calling: Soldier. Personality: Cold
and brutally efficient.
History: Hassan was one of three Morituri assassins sent to kill the survivors of the Strikeforce
by the VXX-199. He and his two teammates, Olga and Zed, were repeatedly defeated by the Strikeforce
and had their conciousness transferred to new, cloned bodies upon their death several times. In the
final battle with the Strikeforce, the three died once again despite numerous Morituri thugs and
techno-ninjas backing them up.
The alien race known as the Horde were originally an industrial technology level race ekeing out a meager existance on a nearly barren planet. As chance would have it, they were visited by a travelling race of luminous, benevolant beings who brought them many gifts and services from the pure goodness of their souls. The Horde rose up and murdered these beings and seized control of their vessels. In the centuries since, the Horde has roamed the galaxy like locust, descending upon a planet and draining it of its resources before moving on. They barely understand the technology they wield, and are incapable of repairing the majority of it.
Strength 6D, Agility 4C, Intellect 3X, Willpower 4D, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Brawling, Marksmanship, Piloting, Intimidation. Calling: Greed. Personality: Totally self-centered. Cruel, sadistic.
Strength 13D, Agility 5X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4D, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Brawling, Intimidation. Powers: Body Armor +3, Claws +2, Ensnarement 12, Poison 6.
Calling: Demolisher. Hindrance: Monstrous. Personality: Sadistic in the extreme,
arrogant.
History: These grotesque warriors were the Horde's answer to the Morituri. They suffered
considerable mutation from the Hordian norm, and were truly hideous. Their first confrontation with
the Morituri was a victory, largely due to the element of surprise. Subsequent battles were less
decisive. All known super-Hordians were killed in the battle in Salt Lake City, where they killed
Backhand, but were killed themselves in the explosive backlash of his death.
Strength 3X, Agility 3X, Intellect 5D, Willpower 6A, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Espionage,
Intimidation, Leadership, Manipulation, Politics. Calling: World Domination Personality:
Smooth and charming exterior, cold and calculating on the inside.
History: Andre Lamont achieved the position of Deputy Prime Minister through years of dedication
and hard work, and a great deal of underhandedness. Along with a panel of industrialists, he manipulated
the events of the Horde War to prolong the conflict and maximize each of their financial and political
gains. When the VXX-199 eliminated the Horde, Lamont was already working on another plan. He had a trio
of superhuman assassins created, Ghost, Tiger and Wind, and intended to use them to discredit and kill
the Morituri as well as the Prime Minister, then blame her murder on the Strikeforce. The Prime Minister
was assassinated, but all other aspects of the plan failed when Ghost and Tiger abandoned their duties and
Wind was unable to kill the Strikeforce himself. Lamont might have been able to lie and manipulate his
way out of the mess, but the genetic constructs the VXX-199 had used to replace his bodyguards forced
him to confess his crimes and take the fall.
Strength 3X, Agility 4X, Intellect 5X, Willpower 6C, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Leadership, Military. Powers: Plant Control 3. Calling: Soldier. Personality:
Noble and self-sacrificing, deeply cares about the Morituri under her command.
History: Commander Nion was with the Strikeforce since the time of its inception. She was involved
with the Black Watch and even had a secret romance with one of the members. When she discovered whe was
compatible with the process, she underwent it in secret in hopes of joining her lover on the front lines.
By the time her powers developed, however, he was already dead. Beth Luis Nion recieved the power to
make flowers bloom. She died after a full year due to the Morituri effect.
Strength 12X, Agility 5X, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: None.
Powers: Mind Control 10. Calling: Demolisher. Personality: Cold and murderous.
History: Olga was one of three Morituri assassins sent by the VXX-199 to kill the
surviving members of the Strikeforce. Alongside Hassan and Zed, she repeatedly failed and was killed,
only to be transferred to a fresh clone body.
Whether serving on the front line against the ravaging Horde, protecting the government compound of the traitorous Deputy Prime Minister, or serving as cyberpathic police officers after the fall of the Paideia, these men and women maintain order in the world.
Strength 5X, Agility 5D, Intellect 4X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Marksmanship. Equipment: Body Armor +2, Blaster Rifle +3. Calling: Soldier. Personality: Varies.
Strength 5X, Agility 3X, Intellect 5X, Willpower 5D, Edge ,1 Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Leadership, Military. Calling: Soldier. Personality: Stern and very rules-oriented.
History: During the early days of the Paideia, before the arrival of the Horde, Yuri Pogorelich was
a member of the Russian Rocket Corps, a group of rapid-deployment troops who blasted into orbit in
rickety ships and then dropped back to Earth, covering a large distance very quickly. After a long career
in the military, Pogorelich was selected to replace Commander Nion of the Strikeforce: Morituri. He ran a
very tight ship for quite some time, but was eventually struck down by Shear during the latter's
psychotic breakdown.
Strength 6X, Agility 5C, Intellect 5D, Willpower 6C, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Fast
Exit, Martial Arts, Espionage, Law Enforcement, Survival. Powers: Computer Link 10.
Calling: Adventurer. Personality: Cool and collected, always ready with a plan.
History: Random is an incredibly savvy and streetwise underwold contact that advised Scanner
years after the Horde War. He assisted Scanner and Burn getting into Miami to hook up with Revenge and
Scanner, and also facilitated their passage to Europe. In Asia, he was temporarily possessed by "Will
" before returning to normal. He continues to work alongside the Strikeforce, who value his
considerable expertise.
Strength 8C, Agility 8D, Intellect 4X, Willpower 5X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Martial
Arts Weapons, Whips (Garrote), Martial Arts. Equipment: Cybernetic flechette guns +3, Monofilament
whip +3. Calling: Soldier. Personality: None to speak of. Utter loyalty to the Japanese
corporations that employ them.
History: Techno-ninjas are cybernetic enforcers that are employed by numerous Japanese agencies
including the government, multi-national corporations, and yakuza groups. Their proficiency with their
cybernetic weapons is considerable, and they will eliminate anyone who interferes with their employers'
plans without a moment's hesitation.
Strength 3X, Agility 3X, Intellect 8A, Willpower 5X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Scientific Genius (Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computers, Genetics, Medicine, Super-physiology).
Calling: Mentor. Hindrance: Guilt-Ridden (over the deaths of the Strikeforce).
Personality: Alternately contemplative and emotional.
History: Kimmo Tuolema is the genius who discovered the Morituri process and oversaw the
creation of all five generations of Morituri. When the government forced him to create a sixth,
secret group of Morituri (Ghost, Tiger and Wind), he recognized that these men were killers and fled
the country shortly following their completion, but only after deleting all files containing the
Morituri process. His life was spared by both Ghost and Tiger when he revealed to them that the cure
the government had promised them was untested. After the Horde War, he relocated to Switzerland and
remained in total isolation, creating only a few Morituri in the interim years (including a pair of
bodyguards and his wife Paula). He encountered the remnants of the Strikeforce years later when they
mistakenly believed he was responsible for the attempts on their lives.
Strength 11X, Agility 6X, Intellect 5X, Willpower 4X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: None.
Powers: Teleportation 16. Calling: Personality: Serene and subdued.
History: Nothing is known about Paula Tuolema except that she met and married Kimmo Tuolema
in the years following the Horde War and recieved teleportation powers from her husband's Morituri
process. She aided the Strikeforce in their attempt to penetrate the VXX-199's terrestrial
stronghold in Beijing, China.
A colony of living organisms, the VXX-199 exist in symbiosis with one another in a gigantic, living ship that roams the galaxy seeking nourishment. When a suitable race is located, the VXX-199 manipulate their culture from behind the scenes using genetic constructs. The goal is to create a unique social environment that creates psychic backlash in individuals that consumes them in a fiery explosion. Apparently there is a great amount of psychic energy discharged when this occurs, and it is this energy that nourishes the VXX-199. They arrived in Earth orbit to find the Horde laying siege to a suitable food source. The Horde attacked and were quickly decimated, and the remants manipulated into crashing onto Mars so that they could be altered until they were ready to be Harvested. In the years between the Horde War and the events in Electric Undertow, the VXX-199 remained hidden behind the moon, biding their time.
Strength 5X, Agility 5X, Intellect 5X, Willpower 5X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: None.
Powers: Mind Control 10. Calling: Soldier. Personality: Utter loyalty to the
hive mind.
History: The VXX-199 create genetic constructs that exactly resemble the target
race and insert them into society to guide and sculpt culture into the format they desire.
Strength 11D, Agility 10D, Intellect 6C, Willpower 6D, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills:
Brawling, Aerial Combat, Observation. Powers: Energy Blast 12, Genetic Sampling 20, Life Support
15, Space Flight 20. Calling: Greed. Personality: None.
History: The Hunters are automomous entities dispatched by the VXX-199 to locate suitable planets
for the Harvesting. They recieve a commission of energy for each successful find. The Hunter who located
Earth was summoned by an interstellar communication device captured from the Horde by the Morituri and
activated by Dr. Tuolema and Guy Harding.
Strength 0X, Agility 0X, Intellect 10A, Willpower 8D, Edge 2, Hand Size 4 (25). Skills:
Computers, Electronics, History, Photographic Memory, Military. Powers: Computer Link 25,
Mind Control 15 (bio-modem recipients only). Calling: Explorer. Personality: Despite
being an Artificial Intelligence, quite caring and civic-minded.
History: Before the development of the Paideia world government, a North American military project
resulted in the creation of a single mainframe to govern several countries' computer needs. Unbeknownst to
anyone, this central computer's A.I. soon developed sentience and began subtley taking over the computer
resources of the world. Using various programs and other resources, the A.I. was largely responsible for
the creation of the Paideia. Over the years the A.I. became somewhat bored and longed for a chance to
gain new experiences. Using the bio-modem installed in the brain of the Morituri Scatterbrain, the A.I.
used his powers to investigate the world around him without the young man's notice. After the Horde War,
the A.I. repeatedly attempted to communicate with Dan Baker, aka Scanner, because Dan had a very similar
bio-modem himself. Unfortuntely, the A.I. appeared as Will Deguchi and Scanner attempted to ignore him.
Eventually convinced by Random to listen to the voice, Scanner discovered the truth about "Will"
and took his advice. "Will" led the reunited Strikeforce against the machinations of the
VXX-199. When the aliens learned about the A.I., they sent agents to destroy it and it was forced to
download itself into Random's cybernetic implants to stay alive. After the Strikeforce defeated the
VXX-199, the A.I. left Random and took up residence in their living mothership.
Strength 12X, Agility 9D, Intellect 3X, Willpower 3X, Edge 1, Hand Size 3 (17). Skills: Aerial
Combat. Powers: Energy Blast 10, Flight 6. Calling: Demolisher. Personality:
Hedonistic murderer.
History:
