Bringing the Thunder

[Razorwing]

For a while now, I have been working on a character inspired by Thor (the Norse God, not the Marvel Hero), but with a few threads being locked for Converting things from other settings into Palladium equivalents, I wasn't sure if this character would be seen as being inspired by this legendary character or merely as an attempted conversion. In the end, I've decided to present the character and let other decide.

Before I present the character, I decided when I created it that I would go with the idea that Thor, at least in this setting, wasn't a God (even though there is a write up for him in Rifts) but rather just a champion empowered by a Mystical Weapon. Considering that the Palladium Megaverse contains an infinite number of alternate Earths that the true God known as Thor couldn't have been to all of them, then it is a fair assumption that at least some of the stories about this legendary figure could have been inspired by super humans rather than the actual God. It is in this ambiguous area that this character exists.

And now, may I present:

Mjolnir
Real Name: Erika Wagner
Alignment: Principled
Attributes: IQ- 13, ME- 14, MA- 12, PS- 23 (43 Supernatural), PP- 26, PE- 25, PB- 20 (27), SPD- 33
Hit Points: 30 SDC: 80 (790) PPE: 25
Race: Human Height: 5 ft 10 in (6 ft 6 in) Weight: 135 lbs (200 lbs.) Age: 22 Sex: Female
Disposition: Erika is generally open and friendly to most people, willing to give others a chance to prove themselves as friend or foe. While she does enjoy being around people, she is not one to “take charge” of a situation unless there is no one better suited to do so. She feels more comfortable following orders than giving them, but when push comes to shove, she will make her own decisions and live with the consequences. While far from a “party girl”, Erika does know how to unwind and have a good time with friends.

As Mjolnir, Erika displays a little more confidence in her actions… mostly because she feels she is generally more suited to any situation that requires this form. Even so, she will defer to others who clearly have a better understanding of the situation or have clear authority in the area.

Appearance: In her normal form, Erika appears as a very athletic and beautiful young woman with lightly tanned skin, red hair that comes down to the small of her back (often tied into a ponytail) and bright green eyes. She prefers to dress in functional clothes (jeans, t-shirts, a light jacket and sensible shoes) but will dress up when the occasion calls for it (though she will feel less comfortable in such attire). In this form, Mjolnir often takes the form of a pendant worn around her neck (made of an unknown grey metal that doesn’t register in most metal detectors).

As Mjolnir, Erika grows in stature to the proportions of a demigoddess… with her eyes taking on an electric glow while her hair also grows in length (down to her knees). Her physique takes on a more muscular appearance, though she is clearly still very athletic while her appearance (as much can be seen) is almost enchanting in its beauty. Her costume in this form takes the appearance of leather and chain armor that both covers and reveals her attractive form in equal measure. She also wears a winged helm with Nordic influences that has a half visor that conceals the upper half of her face (from forehead to nose, including her cheekbones) while doing little to hide her obvious beauty. Her long, free flowing red hair almost acts as a cape or cloak. In many ways she personifies the Valkyrie warrior image. In this form, Mjolnir appears as a one handed war hammer made from a rectangular block of unidentifiable greyish metal with runic script along the sides and top of the hammer. The front and back striking heads are slightly tapered to help focus the striking force for maximum damage. The handle appears shorter than it should and is wrapped in leather from some unknown beast.

Experience Level: 1st level Mega-Mystic Weapon
Skills of Note: 4 years of College (+20%)
Scholastic:
Physical Program: Acrobatics (sense of balance 80%, walk tightrope/high wire 80%, climb rope 90%, back flip 70%), Boxing, Wrestling, Kick Boxing
Science Program: Computer Operation 60%, Math: Advanced 65%, Chemistry 50%, Anthropology 40%, Archaeology 40%, Astronomy 45%,
Technical Program: Research 70%, Buisness/Finance 55%, Law (General) 45%, Mythology 50%
Basic Skills: Math: Basic 45%, Pilot Automobile 60%, Native Language/Literacy (English) 75/50%
Secondary: Athletics, Climbing 55/45%, Dance 30% Prowl 30%, Physical Labour, Running, Swimming 50%, Wilderness Survival 30%,
Weapon Proficiencies:
WP- Blunt: +1 to strike, +1 to parry
Special Abilities:
Major: Weather Control
Weapon: 6d6+6 damage, See the Invisible, Resistance to Fire/Cold (1/2 damage); Spits Lightning (6d6+6 damage), returns when thrown (100 ft range), Fly, Mystic Shield (200 SDC; 10/day), Healing Touch (3d6 hp/SDC; 10/day), Damage Bonus (+6 to all attacks).
Mega: Has all the standard Mega-Hero enhancements plus Tremendous PS and Tremendous SDC
Achilles’ Heel: Must transform into an inhuman form to use powers (Angelic Demigoddess). Deadly Metal (Cold Iron).
Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Basic
Attacks per Melee: 5
Combat Bonuses: +6 to strike, +9 to parry, +9 to dodge, +8(28) to damage, +7 to roll, +2 to pull, +20% vs. coma/death, +5(9) vs. magic, +2 vs. possession, +5 vs. poison, +2 vs. horror factor.
Other Info: 50(83)% to charm/impress; Restrained Punch*: 4d6, Full Strength Punch*: 1d6x10+28, Power Punch*: 2d6x10+28 (2 attacks). *- This is the base damage for these attacks when Erika is transformed into her Mjolnir persona; when striking with Mjolnir, she will do this damage in addition to the damage Mjolnir would inflict (the damage bonus Mjolnir provides has not been added to these damages but has been added to Mjolnir’s usual damage).
Weapons: Enchanted Hammer (Mjolnir; +1 to strike, +1 to parry)
Other Equipment: None, tends to rely more on skills and the powers the enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, grants her.
Body Armor: When transformed into her heroic persona, Erika wears a combination of leather and chain armor (AR: 10 SDC: 50) that is lightweight and virtually noiseless (only -5% to prowl). The armor always appears undamaged when she transforms into Mjolnir. Her transformation also provides her with a winged helm with a half visor/mask that makes it difficult to identify her (though it doesn’t hide her obvious beauty)… even so, few would mistake Erika’s athletic build for this powerful looking demigoddess.
Money: Erika has about $1,000 in ready cash and a savings of $7,000. She is currently working part time as a student intern for a local museum while attending college (currently working towards a Bachaelor’s Degree in Archaeology), which earns her a modest $500 a week (housing and basic needs are provided).

Background

Erika has long been interested in archaeology and mythology, particularly that of the Vikings and the Norse Pantheon they worshiped. This isn’t surprising since she can trace her own ancestry back to this ancient culture. However, in a world where super heroes and villains are real, she wondered if the ancient myths of Gods and Heroes might have been their way of explaining the same kind of beings in ancient times.

Earning an athletics scholarship to attend college, Erika sought to learn as much of both modern and old school archeology and anthropological methods while furthering her understanding of mythology of multiple cultures. While her theories of ancient supermen wasn’t well received by many who still revered the ancient Gods and Heroes, it was enough to get her noticed by the curator of a local museum who was intrigued by the idea that the modern Superhero could be seen as a God or Heroic individual by less developed civilizations. He offered her a paid internship with the museum and modest living arrangements as she continued her studies… and in time became a close friend and mentor to Erika.

This past year, as she finished her undergraduate studies, she was offered the chance to join an expedition in the mountains of northern Norway to excavate a recently discovered Viking settlement. Grateful for the chance to participate on a real excavation, Erika soon discovered that real archeology wasn’t quite like it was in the movies… with more hard work than tomb raiding. Still, she enjoyed the experience as it brought her a closer understanding of the life her ancestors had lived… and how they could come to revere any super humans amongst them as heroes and gods. Of course, that would only be the beginning of her experience.

Ever since she arrived in Norway, she felt as she was being called somewhere… as if something were drawing her to it. This calling only grew stronger as she traveled to the excavation site. At first she tried to pass off the sensation as merely an echo of her ancestral connection to the area, but as the days grew into weeks, the sensation grew stronger. Talking with some of the locals, she learned that it was believed that many of the Norse Gods once roamed the lands of the area and may even have left relics of their passing… though few believed they would find or even recognize any. When she was able to determine the direction the calling seemed to be coming from, she asked what lay in that direction, to which many merely said it was rumored that the area was said to be where legends live and few mortals ever returned from.

That night, a thunderstorm woke Erika from her sleep. Leaving her cabin, she noticed that the storm seemed to be coming from the area of the calling. Stranger still… no one else seemed to have been awoken by the lighting and thunder. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to investigate the calling she had felt since she arrived. Taking a jeep, she traveled as close as the road would take her to the area before continuing on foot. Once she was out of sight of the jeep, she began to feel as if she was being followed by someone or something. With little other choice but to see this through, she followed a trail that lead up to one of the mountains in the area… all the while the sensation she was being followed grew as did the calling she felt drawing her ever onward.

The trail eventually lead her to a clearing at the top of an escarpment in the shadow of a large mountain. Ringed by trees all around, the area seemed to have been maintained by someone for the grass was too short for the season and the trees were only thick enough to keep anyone from below from seeing what was upon the escarpment. In the center of the clearing was a set of standing stones… very much like those found throughout the rest of Europe, though these had Norse runes carved upon them. As if guided by some unseen hand, Erika continued towards the stones, running her hands along the runes that seemed not to have been touched by the weather since the day they were carved. As she began to explore the stones, she began to hear a new sound… one that sent a chill down her spine for it was the low growl of a wolf.

Turning towards the sound, she expected to see a pack of wolves surrounding her… instead she saw a massive wolf-like creature towering over the stones... almost as if the legend of the Fenris Wolf had come to life. Startled and terrified by what she was seeing, she fell against the central alter stone and hit a hidden trigger that caused the ground beneath her to collapse. Picking herself up off the floor of the cavern she was now in, she looked up and saw the monstrous wolf looking around the area she had been… almost as if it were looking for her but hadn’t seen where she had gone… not that something so big could follower her down the small hole she had fallen through. Unfortunately, the opening she had come through also seemed to be the only way out of the cave… save for a small opening in the far wall of the cavern that seemed to lead towards a tunnel. Reaching for a glow stick from her pack, Erika cracked and shook it so that the combined chemicals would provide at least a small amount of illumination in the darkness.

Following the tunnel, it lead her deep beneath the escarpment to another cavernous chamber where another stone alter lay under a shaft of light (though she couldn’t figure out where the light was coming from). Resting on the alter was a hammer that looked much like the description of Mjolnir, the legendary weapon of Thor, God of Thunder. It was resting with the handle stretching to the sky… almost like it was waiting for someone to pick it up. Before she realized what she was doing, Erika had crossed the chamber and was reaching for the hammer’s hilt. The moment she touched the hammer, lightning seemed to leap from it, blinding her while thunder deafened her.

When her vision cleared and the ringing in her ears faded she saw that the hammer was now floating in the air above the alter. Before she could understand what was happening, a voice like thunder bellowed from the hammer. “At last a worthy vessel has heeded the call! Do you, mortal, choose to take up the mantle and power of my might? Will you fight in the name of Mjolnir?” Stunned by what she was seeing and hearing, Erika merely nodded before whispering as single word.

“Yes.”

“Then accept my gifts, my burden and the responsibility of being my champion,” the hammer bellowed as it flew into her hand. The moment she held it, lightning once more crashed into the chamber blinding her as the thunder deafened her once more. When she again recovered, she could see that she had been transformed… she was taller, stronger and dressed in leather and chain armor similar to, yet distinct from what she knew Viking warriors to wear. A helmet was upon her head with a visor covering much of her face, while her hair had lengthened to be come almost like a cape or cloak. In her hand the hammer felt light and well balanced… almost like a natural extension of her. She even seemed to know the abilities it had granted her the use of.

Erika didn’t have long to study her transformation… for soon the cavern started to collapse… as if something above her were trying to punch or dig its way down to her. It was then she remembered the massive wolf-creature she had seen above and guessed it had finally realized where she had gone. Rushing back to the cavern she had fallen into, she saw that the creature was trying to open the small hole she had fallen through so that it could enter the cavern. Instinctively, she pointed Mjolnir at the beast and a bolt of lighting shot out, hitting the beast and forcing it back from the hole long enough for Erika to fly out of the cavern and confront it on more equal footing.

As she floated above the circle of stones, the wolf-beast seemed to grow even bigger than before, now it was over five times her size. It tore through the stones, knocking them over or shattering as it swung its clawed hands at her. Realizing what those claws could do if they hit her, she flew out of reach and threw Mjolnir at it with all her strength. When Mjolnir hit the beast, the strike sounded like thunder and staggered the massive creature for a moment. Taking advantage of the stunned creature, Erika dived bombed it, catching Mjolnir as it flew back to her hand and landed another thunderous blow against the beast, forcing it back a few yards and further stunning the beast. Blow after blow, Erika forced it back to the edge of the escarpment before calling on Mjolnir’s lighting one last time to force the creature off the cliff. With the battle won… at least for the moment, Erika flew down to the where the creature had fallen to try and figure out what it was and where it came from, but while she could find the crater it left when it landed, she could find no trace of the creature itself.

With no other reason to stay in the area, Erika flew back to where she left her vehicle and asked Mjolnir if she could change back to her original appearance. With a flash of lightning and thunder, she was transformed back to the woman she had been before… save she now wore a pendant in the shape of Mjolnir. She returned to the excavation encampment and found that no one had even noticed she had been gone. A week later, the excavation was finished and Erika returned home. Since then, she has decided to keep her transformation a secret (though she wonders if her mentor might have his suspicions about what happened to her). For the time being, she tries to keep her exploits as a superhero under the radar until she can figure out what the creature that attacked her was… and why she still has the feeling she is being followed. Meanwhile, Mjolnir has confirmed to her that it has had previous champions over the last few thousand years… and many of the legends of Thor are embellishments of the adventures those champions have had.

So there is the character... what do the rest of you think? Would you say this character is inspired by the legends of Thor or merely a conversion of the character? I have been thinking of writing some fiction with this character as a central character... possibly to post here or submit to the Rifter (in the same way that the Hammer of the Forge was serialized by that publication)... but I thought I would at least test the waters here first to see what kind of reception I may get.

[BookWyrm]

Nice interpretation!

[Daniel Stoker]

I like her and I'd say she's a little of both, inspired by the legends and comic.


Daniel Stoker

[Razorwing]

To be honest, I don't think there was any way around having some of the comic version of Thor inspiring some of her development... but I tried to keep it to a minimum and focus more on the actual Norse legends.

As of right now, I am currently working on the adaptation of the Fenris Wolf-Beast she fought in her background. I think the rest of you are going to enjoy my take on this legendary monster.

[NMI]

I see no violations in this post. As an Admin, I am A-OK with it.
As a gamer - rock on! She seems cool to me!

[Razorwing]

There are times when it is hard to be sure what others will see as being inspired by something and what will be seen as a conversion of it (or even as a copyright infringement or plagiarism). With the locking of a few threads that sought the Palladium equivalent of items from another system, I think my initial concern was at least reasonable considering how popular the subject matter tends to be. Still... it is nice to see that I haven't violated any of the forum rules, even unintentionally.

[SittingBull]

Well done.

[say652]

Massive cool.

Is this a shared template or are you keeping the character for your self??

[Razorwing]

While I can't stop anyone from copying this character from a public forum, I would at least ask anyone who uses it in their games to give credit where credit is due.

That said, I would like to reserve this character for any official submissions for myself... I do have some story ideas rattling around here for this character (and her supporting cast).

[Sir_Spirit]

Mjolnir was one of the first weapons I made when I saw the Mystic weapons category.
IIRC, I had it give increased strength in stead of healing/shield, as this was before megaheroes.
Personally, never liked the weather control power.
Might give a nonmega-healing factor and battle fury/rage(?), and a mega-conduct lightning and battle fury instead.
Like the mega-power options.

[Razorwing]

Mjolnir was one of the first weaponsI made when I saw the Mystic weapons category.
IIRC, I had it give increased strength in stead of healing/shield, as this was before megaheroes.
Personally, never liked the weather control power.
Might give a none mega healing factor and battle fury/rage(?), and a mega conduct lightning and battle fury instead.
Like the mega-power options.

I also am not a huge fan of the Weather Control power as presented in Rifter 39... which is why I rewrote the power here: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=148621 to bring it more in line with other powers that manipulate the weather. While a God of Thunder and Lightning, many legends of his abilities suggest that he can do much more than merely throw lightning bolts. As such, a character based on this being would also need to influence the weather as well. Before Rifter 39, I probably would have settled for CEF: Air.

As for altering the Power it grants... Mystic Weapons are very limited in the actual Super Powers they grant... 1 Major or 2 minor. While battle rage would make sense considering that Thor was often seen as a Berserker in battle, I wanted to distance this character from that image which has already been presented in the Thor write up for Rifts in Pantheons of the Megaverse. In the long run, I see the Battle Rage power working against the character, putting her in situations where she has to deal with the consequences of what she does in her rage... which can cause her alignment to begin a slow decent (and weaken powers like the Call Lightning). While this could create some interesting stories... and could also be seen as a curse that previous wielders of Mjolnir have had to contend with... it would come at the price of sacrificing the character's ability to manipulate the weather. In the end, it came down to a choice of how I want to present this character... as a weather goddess or as a berserker warrior.

However... now that you mention it... this does give me an idea for another Thor-inspired character... a competing character with a similar (though darker) theme. Where Mjolnir could represent the "nobler" aspects of the thunder god... who's to say there wasn't another object that was also linked to the Thor legend that represents the darker aspects of this being? This could explain some of the conflicting stories of Thor that show him as a protector of humanity in one story... and as a barely controlled berserker in others. It could also lead to an interesting confrontation between Mjolnir and this new character in the future... one where the outcome could have... spectacular results.

[Sir_Spirit]

Thor's two sons are Might(Magni), god of strength, and Rage(Modi), god of beserkers. Kinda matches up with what you are thinking....
You could have Mjolnir actually not be THE mjolnir, but a creation of Magni, while Modi might have his own Hammer(confusingly, also called Mjolnir) which focuses on Thor's darker side.

[Razorwing]

Actually, I was thinking more along the line's as Thor's metal gauntlets Jarn Greiper. While these legendary items are said to have protected Thor from how hot Mjolnir got when thrown... but I think we can work with that as a base. To be on the same power level as Mjolnir, I'm thinking each Gauntlet would be its own Mystic Object that when combined, makes the wielder a Mega-Hero/Villain. I'm thinking one gauntlet grants 3 minor powers (Healing Factor, Battle Rage and Energy Expulsion: Electricity) while the other grants 1 Major power (I'm thinking Massive Damage Capacity). One gauntlet also provides flight (like Fly as the Eagle spell) while the other provides Immunity to Fire). For Mega Powers, I'm thinking Tremendous PS and the Dual Class (a second Enchanted object to reflect the fact that he has two). As for vulnerabilities... God Syndrome and Vulnerability to Cold (given his immunity to fire) seem appropriate... though I was giving serious though of giving the gauntlets a mind of their own.

What makes these items especially dangerous to Mjolnir is her vulnerability to iron. True, these gauntlets aren't made from cold iron (they were forged and shaped), they can still do double damage to her (just not directly to her HP). Additionally, while wearing them, Jarn Greiper can even hold Mjolnir (the hammer) without taking damage (though he can't access any of Mjolnir's powers.

[Razorwing]

Well... I'm back with a new character based on concepts the conversation with Sir Spirit started... namely another character inspired by the legend of Thor... this time going more for his warrior aspect (and using his gauntlets, Jarn Greiper, as the focus).

Jarn Greiper
Real Name: Lief Donnar
Alignment: Miscreant
Attributes: IQ- 12, ME- 11, MA- 13, PS- 35 (supernatural), PP- 24 (28), PE- 25 (28), PB- 15, SPD- 30 (35)
Hit Points: 30 (200) SDC: 105 (1950) AR: - (11) PPE: 10 (each gauntlet has 240)
Race: Human Height: 6 ft. 10 in. Weight: 225 lbs. Age: 24y Sex: Male
Disposition: Lief Donner is a born bully who loves to physically dominate others, though he has found that the mere mention of physical violence from him is far more useful than actually using his muscles (and harder for others to prove when law enforcement gets involved). While he prefers to let the fear of what he could do to others motivate them into obeying him, he isn’t above demonstrating his physical might when he needs to teach people why they should fear and respect him. Since he aquired the magical gauntlets (Jarn and Greiper), his attitude has been getting even worse… to the point where he believes that ordinary laws are only meant for ordinary people… and he is no longer ordinary.

The gauntlets, Jarn and Greiper, also have a distinct personality… they are competetive and aggressive, and encourage such actions in the people who use them. Surprisingly, they are not competative with each other, as they know that they are far more powerful together than they are seperately (when used seperately, both have been defeated quite often, but when used by the same person, they have rarely been beaten). Both are also quite obessesed with the mystical hammer known as Mjolnir, believing that because they can render most of the hammer’s powers harmless, that they are meant to be the hammer’s master. As such, they will insist that their wearer target the current owner of Mjolnir every chance they get (the wearer will need to make an ME save each time for each gauntlet) and have been known to withhold some or all of their powers from the user to help encourage such actions.

Appearance: Lief is a powerfully built with well developed muscles that don’t seem to interfear with his agility or speed (much to the surprise of opponents who think he will be strong but slow; he loves the look of surprise on his opponent’s face when they discover otherwise). Even with his muscular build, he is still quite attractive, with steel grey eyes, short brown hair and a clean shaven face. He prefers to dress in a sleaveless muscle shirt and loose fitting pants (usually dark colors like black or navy blue), so as not to hamper his movements and to show off his impressive physique. His outfit is rounded out with military style boots and the metal gauntlets Jarn and Greiper (both appear to be made of an iron-like metal covered in runes that glow with a blue-white light when their powers are active that occasionally seems to spark and send streams of electrical-like energy across Lief’s body).
Experience Level: 1st level Mega Mystic (Object x2)
Skills of Note: Military Training
Scholastic-
Basic Military Program (x2): Running, Climbing 70/60%, Military Etiquette 45%, Radio: Basic 55%, WP- Rifle, Demolitions 70%, Demolitions Disposal 70%, Find Contraband 36%, Trap/Mine Detection 30%
Physical Program: Acrobatics (sense of balance 65%, walk tightrope/high wire 65%, climb rope 75%), Boxing, Gymnastics (work parallel bars/rings 65%, back flip 75%), Wrestling
Secondary- Wilderness Survival 30%, Prowl 35%, Swimming 50%, Athletics, Body Building, Law: General 25%, Buisness/Finance 35%.
Special Abilities:
Major- Massive Damage Capacity (Jarn)
Minor- Battle Rage, Conduct Electricity, Enhanced Leaping (Greiper)
Mystic Objects- Impervious to Fire (Jarn), +4 to PP (Greiper)
Mega- Awe/Horror Factor: 15, Dual Class (Enchanted Object)
Achilles’ Heel- Mind of their Own, God Syndrome
Combat Training: Hand to Hand - Expert
Attacks per Melee: 5
Combat Bonuses: +5(7) strike, +8(10) parry, +8(10) dodge, +20 damage, +9 roll, +2 to pull, +20(36)% vs. coma/death, +5(11) vs. magic
Other Info: Restrained Punch- 2d6+2; Full Strength Punch- 5d6; Power Punch- 1d6x10
Weapons: Generally prefers not to use any weapons, but has been trained in the proper use of rifles.
Other Equipment: While he may occasionally use a variety of equipment for specific jobs, he tends to rely on the powers that the gauntlets give him.
Body Armor: None, Lief relies entirely on the protection the gauntlets provide him.
Money: While Lief did earn a modest amount of money durring his time in the military (has an official life savings of about $10,000; with an additional $3,000 in available cash), the treasure found in the abandoned Nazi compund has netted him a small fortune of about 2 million dollars. However, as he becomes more and more convinced that he is the true heir to the legend of Thor, he sees this modest fortune as a paultry sum and invisions possessing a vast treasure worthy of a true god… and the fear and worship of millions of followers.

Background

Jarn has always been a bit of a bully. He was the typical jock who picked on anyone weaker than he was… and made sure anyone who tried to stand up to him would come to regret it. That he was rarely caught or punished for these actions (and usually only got a slap on the wrist when he was) only encouraged him to continue his behavior. If anything, the few times he was caught and punished only made him determined not to get caught the next time.

Despite an outstanding athletic record, Lief was unable to secure a scholarship for college, and thus opted to join the military, who would in turn pay for college after his tour of duty was finished. Surprisingly, Lief found that he actually enjoyed the military lifestyle… and as long as he used a modicum of discretion, was able to indulge his need to dominate others… especially civilians and those of lower ranks. He also discovered a talent with explosives; arming them, disarming them, detecting traps with them… and also how to get a hold of them (both through proper channels and by other means when necessary). By the time he finished his first tour, he had been promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

Electing to extend his time in the military, Lief accepted a position as a junior member in a covert-ops unit assigned to track down and capture targets of importance… whether they were human or locations. Lief took to his duties well… though he did chafe a little with some of his senior officers (who felt he could be a little brutal to civilians that might have information they needed; Lief felt intimidation was more effective than persuasion in getting information). Despite the occasional disagreement however, Lief performed his duties admirably and was under consideration for officer training… once their current assignment was completed.

His unit had come into possession of intelligence of some old Nazi black projects that had disappeared before the end of WW2; moved to a secret location deep within the jungles of South America (incidentally, not far from where a number of Nazi officers had fled following the war when they were eventually found and brought to justice). While it was believed that most of the projects were never completed, most of the information on them was of a nature that even unfinished they might pose a threat… especially if any of the many warlords in the contested region discovered the bunker’s location and accidently (or deliberately) unleashed them. Lief’s team was assigned to locate the bunker, secure any projects within (including any notes) and then make sure nothing was left of the facility for anyone else to use. Lief’s knowledge in demolitions was considered a prime asset for the mission.

Surprisingly, locating and reaching the bunker wasn’t too difficult as many in the area feared the location as a place of “dark magics”, and fewer ventured near the area. Even the warlords that fought over the contested area gave it a wide berth (the few who tried to claim whatever lay within never lived long enough to use whatever they may have found). Lief and his team soon discovered why the bunker was more like a forgotten tomb than a military base, for it had been a repository of many of the Nazi’s experiments with the occult. What information they were able to discover was that while the Nazi’s mystic research had made a number of impressive discoveries, most of them could not be easily controlled… at least not to Hitler’s satisfaction. When the Third Reich collapsed, many of the facility’s leaders initially tried to continue their research in the hope of rising from the ashes like a phoenix… but as the years passed, they grew tired and decided to close down the facility before taking a small portion of the funds contained within the facility to start new lives elsewhere in South America.

Further searching of the facility did reveal that there was a small fortune in stolen art and precious metals and stones within the compound… and a number of artifacts that supposedly contained “vast mystical properties”. One of these artifacts was a pair of metal gauntlets with what appeared to be runic engravings covering them. What information that could be found on them was that they were known as Jarn and Greiper… apparently named after the magical gauntlets worn by the Norse god Thor to protect him from the power of his legendary hammer, Mjolnir. The only other information was a warning that the gauntlets should never both be worn by the same person. Neither Lief, nor anyone else on his team actually believed in the occult, so the gauntlets were packed up with the rest of the items before Lief began setting the demolitions that would destroy the facility.

As the team prepared to leave the facility once they had secured as much as they could, they were ambushed by the men of one of the local warlords who had become curious as to what American soldiers might be interested in at such a dangerous location. When his team refused to give any answers that the warlord would accept, the warlord decided to make an example out of Lief’s team and take anything that they may have found. Not willing to be summarily executed, Lief’s team made a desperate move for their weapons, initiating a confusing melee where Lief found himself with the gauntlets they had found. With little other options, Lief decided that he had nothing to loose and put them on. The moment they were on, he could feel the power within them as they in turn filled his mind with the knowledge of their powers and their purpose. Lief suddenly felt stronger, faster and more powerful than he had ever felt before… and seeing the desperate fight his team mates were in, new just what to do with that power. In short order, his god-like powers allowed him to not only disarm the warlord’s men, but also cripple or kill many of them… all the while shrugging off any shots fired at him as if they were mere insect bites for all the damage they did.

As the dust settled, Lief saw that, of his team, he alone had survived the firefight. While he knew that he had done everything he could do to complete the mission, he also suspected that when the debriefing was done, his military career was also likely finished… so he decided to alter the facts of the incident a little. Using the surviving men of the warlord that ambushed him to bring most of the confiscated Nazi treasure to a secure location where it could be liquidated over time and funneled into new accounts to set him up with a secure financial future. Once that had been accomplished, he sent the men back to the site, promising them the could have anything that was left… before he detonated the facility to tie up those loose ends.

He then contacted his superiors for an evac and made his report… leaving out the discovery of the treasure (including the gauntlets)… stating that the facility had apparently been stripped over the years… either by the original staff assigned there when they abandoned it, or by any of a number of warlords who claimed the area in the following decades. He told them the truth that his team had been ambushed upon leaving the facility… with most being killed in the initial ambush. He had survived by tricking the warlord and his men into thinking there was valuable treasure in the facility that they couldn’t easily transport… and when they went in, he blew the facility sky high. He then spent the next few weeks trekking through the jungle to find a secure means of requesting an evac.

With no reason to doubt Lief’s story of what happened, his superiors filed the incident away. When he was informed that his superiors on the team had recommended him for advanced training, Lief politely declined and asked if he could resign from active duty… citing that the events in South America had made him rethink his involvement with the military. Reluctantly, his superiors accepted his reasoning and gave him an honorable discharge.

Since then, he has been careful not to draw too much attention to the small fortune he acquired in South America as he quietly practices with the gauntlets to master their power. He has also learned form them that they were actually created to contain and control the legendary mystical hammer, Mjolnir… not so much to protect the wielder from the hammers power, but to control and dominate the hammer as its masters. The power the gauntlets give him is surprisingly intoxicating and the idea of acquiring more power by dominating a mystic weapon is also appealing to Lief. He is beginning to think of himself as a modern day incarnation of the legendary Thor… a god among mere men… a god that mere men will one day fear and worship… and a name that will be as legendary as his predecessor's. All he has to do now is track down the wielder of Mjolnir and take the hammer from them… after all, no mere mortal should stand in the way of him becoming a God.


As you can see... this character has taken a few small changes from the early concept I came up with while discussing things with Sir Spirit... and a fair bit of it came about as I was trying to figure out the history behind both the objects (gauntlets) and their wielder. I hope you all can appreciate this character for the challenge he would likely bring when he and Mjolnir encounter each other.

[say652]

The goat pulled chariot next.

[Sir_Spirit]

That's more odin's schitk, but Thor does have a magic belt.....

[Razorwing]

@Sir Spirit,

Exactly what is more Odin's shtick?

I found that taking the gloves that legend said protected Thor from the power of his own weapon and turning it into a means of actually controlling such a weapon to be an interesting twist to the legend. It adds an interesting element to both these characters and the actual "Thor" who is believed to wield all of these objects (and the belt you also mentioned).

When I say "the actual 'Thor'", I am of course referring to the version of Thor that would have used these particular items in the creation of his Legend in this particular setting (though hardly an official version of HU). This "actual Thor" had a very powerful weapon (Mjolnir) that is capable of creating a powerful champion without the need of gloves to protect said champion... yet he also had these gloves that can protect him and control such a weapon... regardless of the weapon's desires, implying that while this "Thor" used Mjolnir, he may not have been chosen by the weapon itself.

It also sort of explains the inconsistencies within Thor's legend... where he can be a defender of man one moment... and slaughter entire armies shortly there after. More over, it also can explain the children of Thor's own abilities... as they would inherit a fraction of his power... each given one of his legendary artifacts (possibly to keep any one man from wielding such awesome power once more). Magni would inherit the belt Meginiord, and be seen as a god of strength and might; Modi would receive the gloves Jarn Greiper and under their influence be seen as a god of courage and rage (giving rise to the Berserker legends); and lastly, Thor's daughter Thrud (or Pruor) would take Mjolnir and become a legendary warrior... perhaps inspiring the legend of the Valkyrie (and maybe even changing her name in the process, thus explaining why these two figures are sometimes considered to be one in the same). That centuries later these legendary objects would once more be used in a similar manner as Thor's children might have used them (with one of the new owners determined to become a new "Thor" and wield all of them as a god) is both poetic and rather appropriate.

Now, I guess I should turn my attention to the last of these three items... Meginiord... the Belt of Might. The problem is that those blessed Mystic Objects are considerably weaker than most other Heroes (hence the reason I made Jarn Greiper into two enchanted objects to give the character a little more power). Still... I think I can figure out something that could be rather fitting.

[Sir_Spirit]

Just make the Belt an Indestructable item that Mega-Imbues a chosen hero with Superhuman Strength(Strenth-type physical Might), Iron WIll(mental Might), Healing factor(recuperative Might), Increased Durability(nonstrength/toughness-type physical Might). XPP( Mighty speed), Powerstomp(Mighty Legs), Energy Fists(handwaved as arm might instead of energy, or perhaps Lighting/thunder Might?), Enhanced Leaping(Mighty leaping/or also Mighty Legs).

1)I Was trying to work Lifting Field in there. There was a strongman type mega-imbued figure I was making up with a sword that gave him 4 "powers" and 4 "secondary strength stuff" I think he had SUperhuman str, healing Factor, XPP/Xspd, and mental thing(XME/ironwill/immunity ot possess and mind control etc...) and then Lifting Field, Power Stomp, Energy Fists, Enhanced leaping. Plus the mega's of tremendous SDC/Strength.

2)Not sure if he's tough enough for my liking, but he is an mega(or she if the Belt ended up in, say, the Amazons care, until Hercules tried to steal it-personally I like the idea that he did take it, but gave it back as he felt guilty for stealing it).

[Razorwing]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I will find my own take on Megingjord.

Besides... there is no way to include all 8 of the powers you've suggested within a single Enchanted Object (belt)... and I've already went with a double object character already (and even then, the most I could do is 6 minor powers).

Finally... what do the Amazons or Hercules have to do with an artifact from Norse Mythology? It is more likely that if the belt ends up with a female, that it was through one of the Valkyrie rather than an Amazon.

[Sir_Spirit]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I will find my own take on Megingjord.

Besides... there is no way to include all 8 of the powers you've suggested within a single Enchanted Object (belt)... and I've already went with a double object character already (and even then, the most I could do is 6 minor powers).

Finally... what do the Amazons or Hercules have to do with an artifact from Norse Mythology? It is more likely that if the belt ends up with a female, that it was through one of the Valkyrie rather than an Amazon.

1) I said IMBUED not Object.
2)They have whatever you want to do with Norse Mythology. Unless you want to take the unorthodox step of saying Norse is the One True Religion(which is unusual for a superhero universe, but it is your universe), why NOT have them crossover in ways the players wouldn't know about by just reading the myths?

[say652]

Thor did have a chariot pulled by goats.

[Razorwing]

Sir Spirit...

I think we have very different ideas on how to create characters inspired by legendary heroes, gods and artifacts. I try to include the artifact that inspired the legend in some way... the hammer Mjolnir, the gauntlets Jarn Greiper, the belt Megingjord.., into the characters who are sharing that legend. Your idea of using an Imbued Character to give powers reminiscent of what Megingjord would provide (and even then... some of them are an extreme stretch) means that there is only a resemblance to the material that inspired the character... no actual link other than the name. Yes, your character could call himself Megingjord... or any of a dozen other names... some of which might have a better resonance with the character given its nature. There is nothing wrong with your approach... and could even make a very interesting character, but to me... it just wouldn't have the right resonance with the legend that inspired the name.

Now, as for the Amazons and Hercules... they really have nothing to do with the legend of Megingjord. This has nothing to do with whether or not Norse Mythology was or wasn't the "One True" religion. The legends are separated by thousands of miles and years. Why bring a culture that has nothing to do with Norse Mythology (and even predates it) and say that they now have one of the artifacts of a major figure in that mythology? That would be like saying that Raiden, the Japanese God of Storms got his power by stealing the Thunderbolt of Zeus... it kind of disrespects both mythologies.

[Razorwing]

say652

You are correct, Thor did have a chariot pulled by two goats... which could be eaten, their bones placed on/under a tarp/blanket and resurrected the next day.

Not really sure how such an item would translate into a character based off of this artifact though. Thor's weapon and equipment is a lot easier to base characters off of... this would require a lot more thought (and creative interpretation of the legends).

[Sir_Spirit]

say652

You are correct, Thor did have a chariot pulled by two goats... which could be eaten, their bones placed on/under a tarp/blanket and resurrected the next day.

Not really sure how such an item would translate into a character based off of this artifact though. Thor's weapon and equipment is a lot easier to base characters off of... this would require a lot more thought (and creative interpretation of the legends).

Also, he flys with is hammer, making the chariot irrelavant for getting around.

[Razorwing]

say652

You are correct, Thor did have a chariot pulled by two goats... which could be eaten, their bones placed on/under a tarp/blanket and resurrected the next day.

Not really sure how such an item would translate into a character based off of this artifact though. Thor's weapon and equipment is a lot easier to base characters off of... this would require a lot more thought (and creative interpretation of the legends).

Also, he flys with is hammer, making the chariot irrelavant for getting around.

You are confusing the Comic book version for the mythological version. The mythological version usually didn't fly without the chariot... hence his need for the chariot. Even so, the comic book version still has the chariot and goats... mostly for transporting comrades across vast distances, though he rarely uses it.

For Mjolnir... since her hammer only grants her flight for 30 minutes at a time at only 50 mph... having a chariot that could fly her much faster and for longer periods of time might not be such a bad idea... and having animal companions is a staple of quite a few comic book heroes (and heroes of legend too). For that matter, such a means of travel could also be useful for both Jarn Greiper and Megingjord too.

[Sir_Spirit]

say652

You are correct, Thor did have a chariot pulled by two goats... which could be eaten, their bones placed on/under a tarp/blanket and resurrected the next day.

Not really sure how such an item would translate into a character based off of this artifact though. Thor's weapon and equipment is a lot easier to base characters off of... this would require a lot more thought (and creative interpretation of the legends).

Also, he flys with is hammer, making the chariot irrelavant for getting around.

You are confusing the Comic book version for the mythological version.

No I am not.
1) Superheroes are Largely based on comics,
2) if you'd bother to read the thread, you'd realise that THIS Thor does infact fly.

[NMI]

Play nice before I pull out my hammer!

[Razorwing]

Play nice before I pull out my hammer!

Sorry... I will be a little nicer to Sir Spirit... I want to keep this thread open for more characters I have in mind.

Speaking of which...

Sir Spirit... you are incorrect... Superheroes aren't based on comics... except when a Hero from a comic is brought to a different medium (film, television, novels, etc.).

Now... exactly which Thor are you talking about? The original from Mythology... for he didn't usually fly (never really explains how he gets around when not using the goats and chariot in most of the myths); the one from Marvel Comics... yes, he could fly with his hammer, while his goats and chariot were uses mostly for transporting passengers and objects; or are you referring to Mjolnir from the beginning of this thread... who can fly... but not very fast or for very long (30 minutes at a time at only 50 mph... useful for getting around a city... but not much more).

In the last case, having a pair of goats and a chariot that can fly faster (Sonic Flight perhaps) and for longer (give them Extraordinary Physical Endurance) might actually be a boon to her. Yes she can fly on her own, but she would be able to travel faster with the goats and chariot. It would also be quite useful for Jarn Greiper who can't fly (though he can make great leaps)... and even Megingjord... who probably won't have any extraordinary methods of movement (still tweaking the character's concept).

Just because a character or hero can fly, it doesn't mean that they don't use other methods of travel from time to time. Iron Man can fly... as can Thor (Marvel), yet both still ride around in the Avengers' quinjet. Wonder Woman can fly under her own powers, yet still has access to an invisible jet in many of her comic incarnations. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) can fly at interstellar speeds... yet still chooses to fly a plane when on Earth (and not just because its his job). How many X-Men can fly using their powers... yet still ride around on that stealth plane of theirs?

[Cobalt-Blue]

As a follower of the Norse Faith, I'd say I haven't seen a build yet that even comes close, and the "official Palladium build of Freyja is frankly insulting to Asatru the world over. First off, discounting the BAD Comic interpretation as not close either, there is NO WAY to build Midgard's Warder in the Palladium system as per the legends without doing perverted simian carnal acts to the system. The REAL Midgard's Warder would get near Chi-Town and level it with a single blow no matter how powerful its defense or how many deadboy robots you threw at him.

According to the Lore, he's shattered mountain ranges with Mjolnir- Chi-Town would be nothing. There is no way to reproduce that level of strength in this system. He's fished for world serpent with a whale, and he's drunk down the tides. To be honest, gods should not be reproduced in the comics for the simple reason they are gods. How would most Christians feel if someone tried to give the stats on Yahweh, put a cape on him and have him join the World Justice Squad? Or how do you think the Hindu's feel about conversions or comics with Krishna? And we won't even get into the Muslim's reaction to anything depicting parts of their pantheon? Why is it okay to do this to Pagans and Heathens, and not Christians and Muslims? Because we're a minority? Because we don't deserve the same respect as the majority?

I know this will fall on deaf ears and be dismissed, but you brought it up. You can't even use this system to reproduce a certain rock skinned character's level of strength from the same comic company in this system, much less a god known for smashing mountain chains. You either have to be satisfied with the version of him from the comics which rejects his divinity in favor of an alien status invoking Clarke's Law, and then you can't reproduce the levels of strength as defined on their own database with HU; or you have to take the route that I do when I'm writing about his followers in my young adult novel series: The Kindred. In the word of one of those characters: "Thor is a god. He can do whatever he damn well pleases."

[say652]

So the chariot could prove useful to someone.
Goats minor heroes.
Chariot super invention.

[Razorwing]

As a follower of the Norse Faith, I'd say I haven't seen a build yet that even comes close, and the "official Palladium build of Freyja is frankly insulting to Asatru the world over. First off, discounting the BAD Comic interpretation as not close either, there is NO WAY to build Midgard's Warder in the Palladium system as per the legends without doing perverted simian carnal acts to the system. The REAL Midgard's Warder would get near Chi-Town and level it with a single blow no matter how powerful its defense or how many deadboy robots you threw at him.

According to the Lore, he's shattered mountain ranges with Mjolnir- Chi-Town would be nothing. There is no way to reproduce that level of strength in this system. He's fished for world serpent with a whale, and he's drunk down the tides. To be honest, gods should not be reproduced in the comics for the simple reason they are gods. How would most Christians feel if someone tried to give the stats on Yahweh, put a cape on him and have him join the World Justice Squad? Or how do you think the Hindu's feel about conversions or comics with Krishna? And we won't even get into the Muslim's reaction to anything depicting parts of their pantheon? Why is it okay to do this to Pagans and Heathens, and not Christians and Muslims? Because we're a minority? Because we don't deserve the same respect as the majority?

I know this will fall on deaf ears and be dismissed, but you brought it up. You can't even use this system to reproduce a certain rock skinned character's level of strength from the same comic company in this system, much less a god known for smashing mountain chains. You either have to be satisfied with the version of him from the comics which rejects his divinity in favor of an alien status invoking Clarke's Law, and then you can't reproduce the levels of strength as defined on their own database with HU; or you have to take the route that I do when I'm writing about his followers in my young adult novel series: The Kindred. In the word of one of those characters: "Thor is a god. He can do whatever he damn well pleases."

One of the premises I have been working with during the creation of the characters in this thread is that the Legends of Thor should not be seen as literal fact, but rather as embellished tales. It was quite common at the time when these legends were being told originally to embellish the tales one tells... to make the deeds performed more epic with each retelling. Where one warrior defeats another, the retelling of the tale may have the survivor facing off against a group or even an entire army... all to make his accomplishment sound much more exciting.

The same could be said of the abilities of Thor. While it has been documented that he has crushed mountain ranges with his hammer, those were not the original telling of the tale, rather the documentation of the legend after it had reached mythic proportions. How the original tales were first told is something we may never learn, but given the proclivity of exaggerating the deeds of men, heroes and gods at the time, the original tales may have been a lot less epic.

So... what does this mean for the game system? It means that while the system isn't designed to copy the abilities of such legendary beings as they appear in those legends... it also means that those legends may not be 100% accurate either. It gives me the leeway to adjust the capabilities of the legendary beings to fit within the confines of the system without breaking either the system or the legend to do so. In other words... creative license to create the characters as I see fit... while still remaining true to the source material that inspired them. It isn't going to appeal to everyone... and some may even take exception to my efforts. However, if you are unsatisfied with my attempts, then I have two suggestions.

1) Create your own version that better reflects your views of how a character inspired by such legends should appear... or...
2) Find a game system that better reflects the capabilities you feel such a character should have.

I don't mean to sound hostile with this explanation or with these suggestions. However, to say that one can't create such a character with in the system because the system doesn't allow for an accurate portrayal of a legendary being (who's abilities may or may not have been exaggerated) is a little hostile to begin with. I have done my best to create interesting characters that exemplify the legends, even if they are not 100% accurate to those legends.

[Hell knight]

Well said Razorwing cant agree more , in the move Hercules staring Dwayne Johnson . There is a Sean were one of his friends says , when you tell the tale make it bigger bolder . we want them to drop there weapons and run , not shacking in there boots . good move as an example of were his deeds were made more grand then they were.