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Typical statistics for Outcasts are presented below for use in crowded battles or as guidelines for the creation of new Outcasts. These statistics can be modified by rolling percentile dice and referring to the three columns after the ability to see if the result falls anywhere in them. There are three columns after the normal statistic: below, above, and way above. Below average means that the statistic should be one or two ranks below what is listed as average (there is a 50% of either). Above average indicates that the ability is one rank higher than the average listed. Way above average indicates that the ability is at least two ranks above average and possibly more (not to exceed Monstrous rank). Variable (V) indicates that variable abilities (Health and Karma) depend on the randomly rolled abilities above them.
ABILITIES AVERAGE BELOW (-1CS) ABOVE (+1/+2CS) WAY ABOVE (+3/+4CS) Fighting: Typical (1-5) (92-98) (99-00) Agility: Typical (1-3) (96-99) (00) Strength: Typical (1-3) (90-97) (98-00) Endurance: Excellent (1-5) (82-93) (94-00) Reason: Typical (1-5) (82-93) (94-00) Intuition: Good (1-3) (90-97) (98-00) Psyche: Typical (1-5) (82-88) (89-00) Health: 38 (Varies) Karma: 20 (Varies) Resources: Typical Popularity: 0
Special Powers: GD (10) Telepathy + one aditional power, roll for type and effectiveness.
History: The Outcasts are the mutated children of a group of scientists who disagreed with their nations policy towards nuclear weapons. Some of these scientists were connected with the creation of the first Atom Bomb -- Which they'd hoped would also be the last Atom Bomb. When the nation began to stockpile nuclear weapons, these scientists (along with others who believed as they did) sought a place where they could hide from the coming Nuclear War. Led by Professor Andrew Ross, they settled on a deep, twisting system of caves in New Mexico.
With the funding of multimillionaire "Abraham E Caldwell III", they built a vast underground city with a small, experimental power plant to supply energy for the citadel. A small NUCLEAR powerplant...
Andrew Ross was enraged, but Caldwell insisted. He needed a profit on his investment, so the scientists went to work on building the first Nuclear Powerplant in the world.
It worked...but much of what is now known about controlling nuclear fission was not known then. The plant leaked radioactivity -- and the radioactivity affected the citadel';s builders and inhabitants. Instead of normal children, the scientist citizens of the citadel produced monsters. These infants were possessed of mighty powers -- but at the time, this was unknown. All the citadel dwellers knew was that the children were mutating at an alarming rate. There were fifty-four births that first year. All were abnormal.
When Caldwell arrived for a progress report in December of 1956, he was met by a delegation that attacked him and his body guards...and tore them to pieces. When it was all over, Professor Ross and his followers were sickened by what they'd done. They'd vowed to surrender peacefully when the authorities came for them.
But Caldwell hadn't told anyone about his pet project in the desert, and the law never came. The secret citadel remained secret because Caldwell had never told anyone about its existance...not even his Board of Directors.
And by 1976 most all of the first inhabitants have long since died from radiation poisoning, and the citadel is inhabited by their mutated children. Children who do not consider themselves "Americans" or even "Humans" any more. They are the Outcasts now...and they're growing more and more worried about the military's encroaching Sub-Earth Base One Nuclear Test Site. Recent explosions have damaged the citadel in some areas, and while they are immune to the radiation, they cannot afford to rebuild anylonger. If the Army doesn't stop it's tests...the Outcasts will attack to defend the citadel.
The Outcasts usually clothe themselves in the the color-coded jumpsuits that their parents wore. Grey and Olive Drab being the lowest rank, going up in the primary color scale as the person gets more important. It's possible that the colors don't have the same meaning they had to the earlier generation.
Despite the fact that the Citadel was constructed more than 30 years ago, the Outcasts enjoy a very high level of technology. The Citadel itself is a vast landscape of towers and domes over which the mutated inhabitants soar in open air cars.
The only named Outcasts have been their leader Kronus, The Eye (who seems to be a second in command) and Sister Siren, who may be the mate of Kronus. Doubtless we'd have seen more if Destructor had run more than four issues.
NOTE : Dispute the story Kronus told Destructor ("We are peaceful people and your Army is trying to destroy us.") it's a good bet that the Outcasts aren't as sweet as they would like him to believe. In panels of the story, the Outcasts seem to be communicating telepathically while they look at or indicate Destructor. They all look sly and scheming - their faces twisted into exaggerated masks of cunning and contempt. It's possible that they were simply thinking things like "So that's a surface dweller, huh? I'm not impressed."...but they may have been using him to fulfill some plot of conquest. Also, I'm reminded that the Kronus of Greek mythology (called "Saturn" by the Romans) was the "most terrible of sons/The crooked-scheming Kronos." (from Hesiod's "Theogony" )
Using this analogy, I see the "Outcast" Kronus as the "Greek" Kronus who wishes to destroy his father, Ouranos (or in this case, the "Surface Dwellers")
Or that could just be my sloppy ideas getting in the way...
Powers: Reality Warp
Kronus has the shockingly powerful ability to teleport opponents into other dimensions. He raises his right hand (the victim resisting by matching their Psyche against his) and the victem fades from reality with a tearing "Skraaakkk!" sound. He is capable of keeping track of such people mentally, and can summon them back at any time. If he desires, he can teleport someone to a harmless dimension (to imprison them) or teleport them to a more dangerous location, where they'll take damage every round. The damage can be of any type (edged, blunt, flame, cold, etc...) and of EX (20) rank. This power has a very short range (two areas)
Telepathy: Kronus is a very talented Telepath, having this power with RM (30) ability.
Limitations: Kronus's left arm is fused to his midsection. Perhaps it wasn't Ditko's intention, but it make's him look a bit like "Napoleon" in that famous painting.
Talents: Leadership, possibly others.
Contacts: The Outcasts, Destructor.
Description: Kronus is a large, strong looking fellow with a short, brown beard and hair. His left arm is fused across his midsection, and he seems to have some mild facial deformity. He wears orange and blue garments.
Personality: Whatever Kronus real motovations and appearance, he seems to be a capable and intelligent leader. He was certainly charismatic enough to talk Destructor into attacking an Army base for him. He calls other Outcasts as "Brother", and considers Destructor an Outcast because of his mutations.
Powers: Eye Blasts
The Eye can fire a De-Molecularizing Energy Blast of AM (50) intensity from his single, huge eye with a range of 8 areas. This has the same effect as the power of Disintegration.
Telepathy: The Eye is a GD (10) Telepath.
Talents: None known. Perhaps Military skills, as he seems to be a warrior.
Contacts: Kronus, Sister Siren, The other Outcasts, Destructor.
Description: The Eye is a short, thin man with a possibly very distorted head (he wears a full helmet) dressed in a green, sleeveless tunic. His helmet has a large, red visor. He may have some vocal problems, as his first word balloons in the story waver with distortion. He's also probibly in his later years, as he say's to Destructor "One moment, youth..." before Destructor snaps "Tough!" and slugs him ;>)
Personality: The Eye seems to be a calm, rational sort of fellow. Still, he was willing to go with Destructor when he attacked the Army base.
Powers: Dream Song
Sister Siren's voice is weirdly seductive, capable of Stunning an opponant with AM (50) ability, or Mind Controling them with RM (30). This power has a 6 area range, and she must sing to use it. She can selectively decide who in that range is affected, as both Kronus and the Eye were closer to her than Destructor when she took him out.
Telepathy : Sister Siren is a GD (10) Telepath.
Talents: Sonics?
Contacts: Kronus, The Eye, The other Outcasts, Destructor.
Description: Sister Siren has long, black hair and a beautiful figure which she dresses to flaunt. However, she has wide, bulging eyes with tiny pupils. Aside from that defect, her face is quite pretty. She usually wears a purple blouse, short-shorts and high heels. It is possible that her name is simply "Siren" and that Kronus was calling her "Sister" the same way he calls male Outcasts "Brother."
Personality: Sister Siren is non-violent in nature, wanting to avoid a fight whenever possible. If battle is necessary she'll use her Dream Song to it's best advantage. She is very self controlled, and not without some cunning. When Destructor has already attacked the Eye and turned on her, she stands perfectly still and asks calmly "Will you also strike a woman, Jay Hunter?"
