One fine day–I got bored, so I opened up Carrara, the 3D art software I use, and started playing. I took a photo of the street outside our house as a backdrop (less work and less RAM) and created a couple supers and a “monster” for a fight scene. And this quickie art project inspired some Mutants & Masterminds characters.
First up is Obsidian, who, it turns out, may look pretty monstrous (the base model I used is called “Rock Demon”) but is actually a hero–when he’s not being mind-whammied.
OBSIDIAN (aka Ric Cameron) PL 10 (150 points)
Appearance:
Obsidian: Hulking (~ 7′ tall) humanoid made of what looks like obsidian rock (glassy and black)
Ric:Hispanic male in his mid 30s. Olive skin, dark bown hair and close beard, with hazel eyes. About 5’11 and 190lbs, fit.
Abilities [36pp]
STR 4/12 or 15*, AGL 1, FGT 6, AWE 1, STA 4/14**, DEX 0, INT 0, PRE 2
*Solid Form/Enhanced Strength & Power-lifting
**Solid Form/Enhanced Stamina
Advantages [2pp]
Extrordinary Effort, Ultimate Effort–Toughness cks
Skills [14pp]
Close Combat (unarmed) 2 (+8), Deception 4(+6), Expertise: Science 4(+4), Expertise: Teacher 4(+4), Insight 4(+5), Intimidation 6(+8), Perception 2(+3), Persuasion 4(+6)
Powers [88pp]
Igneous Rock:
*Heat: Ranged Damage 10, Accurate 5, Distracting, Tiring
AE: Cut Loose–Penetrating 10 Strength
*Reaction Damage 1, Penetrating 1
*Resistant: immunity 20–Alteration effects; Being moved (Sustained); Fatigue effects; Bullets
*Invulnerability: Immunity 10–Fire (descriptor)
Solid Form: Activation (Move Action, -1 point)
* Enhanced Strength 8
* Enhanced Stamina 10
* Immunity 2 (Critical Hits)
* Power-lifting 3
Faster Than He Looks
*Speed 5
*Fast recovery: Regeneration 4/Diehard (Enhanced Advantage 1)
*Initiative +8 (Enhanced Advantage 2)
Offense
Initiative +9
Unarmed +8 : Close, Damage 4/12**
Ranged +10 : Ranged, Damage 10
Defense
Dodge: 2 [0pp]
Parry: 6 [0pp]
Fortitude: 4/14** [0pp]
Toughness: 4/14**
Will: 1 [0pp]
Complications
Motivation: Pay It Forward–Superheroes rescued him from that volcano demon. Obsidian feels he should help others. Plus helping others is why he became a teacher.
Relationships: Students who get into trouble, of the teenage or super type. They may hate Mr. Cameron for being a “too-tough” teacher but many idolize Obsidian
Power Loss: Obsidian has a normal human form and costume until he activates the Solid Form or is forced out back into human form somehow.
Backstory: Ric Cameron is a high school physics and chemistry teacher and wrestling coach. A few years ago Ric lucked out and took a sabbatical to help a vulcanology research team on a remote island. The volcano hadn’t erupted for centuries but there were a few anomalies in seismic and other instrumental readings. Still, the violent eruption was unexpected. There was a blast of superheated rocks and boulders that seemed to take a vaguely human shape as they impacted!
Ric and the other scientists would have died if it weren’t for a superteam. Even if they had access to faster vehicles, the heat and violence of the eruption would have kept ordinary rescuers at bay. But Lightning Lancer and his teammates were able to pull off a dramatic extraction.
Ric didn’t escape uninjured. When Lancer and his friends blasted the thing they later described as a “Rock Demon” a few bits embedded themselves in Ric’s body. A super healed the wounds but the pieces had already been absorbed, enably Ric to turn into a being appearing to be made of volcanic glass, the igneous rock obsidian.
Lancer helped Ric learn to control the changes and use his new abilities. Now, he’s a surprisingly popular member of the team, in spite of his appearance, when he ramps up his powers. It probably helps that Obsidian stays human on patrol and only changes if he needs the extra power of the rock form.
Design Notes: I wrote the stats with a little help from the Quickstart Character Generator for M&M, included in the Gamemaster’s Kit and the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook. Some items were switched out or changed and a few things added, such as the Expertises.
Obsidian got his surname from my high school Chemistry II teacher, Mr. Cameron, and his given name from one of my gamer friends.
Techical Editing: Empty Bacta Tank
Artwork: “Super Street Fight” and “Obsidian” are © 2016, Linda Whitson
Linda Whitson
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