Here are some facts characters and NPCs might know about Hell Rider if they succeed with an appropriate Skill Roll:
N/R: Hell Rider is a supervillain who’s some sort of demonic assassin. He wields a weapon that changes shape and powers at will, and rides a demonic steed.
-6: Exposure to holy water, symbols, or ground causes Hell Rider pain.
-8: Hell Rider suffers pain when subjected to Adjustment Powers that affect magic.
-10: His Secret Identity is William Wade; he used to be an investment broker before he was financially ruined.
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Background/History: Far from Earth, on the other side of the Milky Way’s galactic core, lies the Velarian Confederation, a union of several species and dozens of inhabited worlds. By the time of Earth’s late twentieth century, the once-peaceful Confederation was wracked by interstellar civil war. Two species, the Renghadi and the Fassai, were fighting with three other species for political and economic control of the Confederation.
Unfortunately, the war was not going well for the allies. To make up for their losses of ships and men, the Hundred Houses of the Fassai embarked on a program of genetic mutation to create super- powered soldiers. Each House agreed to volunteer one of its children for the program, so that their sacrifice would inspire the people to fight harder.
House Dazeur, a proud and ancient family fallen on hard times in recent centuries, chose Tren Tarrec, fourth son of the Dazeur patriarch. A computer scientist by profession, Tren Tarrec had no interest in becoming a soldier, but his honor and obligation to his family dictated that he obey without question.
He reported to the United Fassai Army Medical Complex and was sent to a lab. The technicians strapped him down, injected him with certain chemicals, bathed him with special mutative rays, and sat back to watch the results. Within three hours, Tarrec’s muscle mass had increased exponentially, and he’d developed the power to leech an enemy’s strength, agility, or stamina into his own body! Christened Du’sai Gett’ta (roughly, “Sergeant Strength”), Tarrec was given a costume and sent to the front.
One taste of battle was all Tren Tarrec needed. Terrified by the sounds of blaster fire, the screams of the wounded, and the thunder of artillery, he ran to an escape capsule, punched in a random direction code, and left the Velarian Confedera- tion behind forever as he drifted off into cold sleep.
Years later, he awakened to find that his journey had brought him into what was once the territory of the Malvan Empire, but was now a lawless hinterland — the Malvans had long ago abandoned their empire to devote themselves to hedonistic pursuits. Tarrec soon learned one of these “pursuits” was watching gladiatorial combats... and that superpowered gladiators were in great demand.
The battlefield was frightening, but with his powers, Tarrec had no difficulty participating in one-on-one duels against other superpowered foes. Before long he was one of the most popular of the combatants, with only the Dorvalan metal- man, Drogen Lar, and the fire-wielding Malvan Ariax Thone, to rival him. Tarrec grew to hate them both, particularly Lar, who handed him several humiliating defeats. Still, these were good times.
But good times always come to an end. As the years passed, the gladiatorial battles became bloodier and bloodier, as the Phazor of Malva demanded greater spectacle. Tarrec became disgusted; he may have abandoned his honor to flee his homeland, but this was not for him. He could tell that his rivals felt the same way.
It was not long afterward that Drogen Lar stole a Malvan starcraft and escaped from the Phazor’s clutches. Realizing that if Lar could do it, he could, too — and unwilling to let his hated rival leave him behind — Tarrec formulated his own plan. Late one night he overpowered some guards, then used their security passes to get into a restricted area and steal a starship. The Malvan security grid tried to stop him, damaging his ship in the process, but he escaped. Programming his ship to follow Lar’s energy wake, he found himself hurtling across the Galaxy at speeds far greater than any Fassai had ever attained before.
As he approached the end of Lar’s journey — a blue-green planet its inhabitants called Earth — he discovered to his horror that the damage from the Malvan attack was more serious than he’d thought. He was going to crash! It took all his strength, agility, and luck to land the one-man scout ship without destroying it or injuring himself.
With proper military discipline, the first thing he did was go look for the replacement parts he’d need to fix his ship. All he got was stares of disbelief and terror; people on this world weren’t used to seeing aliens. Nor was their technology advanced enough for him to use. He returned to where he’d left his ship, only to find a group of these primitive natives demolishing it — appar- ently they thought it was part of an “alien inva- sion” or something.
Angered to see them destroying his one way off this planet, he struck one of them. To his dismay, they proved as fragile as they were stupid; he nearly killed the man. Soon the newspapers and television reporters were talking about “hostile aliens,” and somehow his strength earned him the nickname “Herculan” (whatever that meant).
Well, so be it, he thought. No one insults a Fassai of House Dazeur! If that’s how they were
going to treat him, he’d show them what an “alien invasion” was like — and in the process show Drogen Lar who was truly the better warrior.
And so it went for nearly half a decade. Herculan became a supervillain and fought in numerous super-battles (including several against Ironclad). On a few occasions he was captured and spent some time in Stronghold. During his periods of incarceration he was required to undergo therapy. Since he wasn’t really a criminal at heart, just overly proud and racked with guilt at abandoning his people, his therapists found ways to help him. He was released from his last period of incarceration in 2007 and has been under carefully-maintained watch (including electronic monitoring) ever since. His modified Fassai space armor remains in government storage until he successfully completes his parole (and with his permission, the Goodman Institute has studied it).
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So far he’s stayed on the straight-and-narrow, even using his super-strength to get some high-paying work in various fields... but it remains to be seen if his reformation sticks or he falls back into his old ways.
Personality/Motivation: Herculan used to be extremely aggressive, touchy, and hostile, quick to take offense at supposed insults and resort to force whenever he perceived a “challenge” of any sort. But the truth was that he was angry at himself more than the world. He ran from his family and his obligations because of his cowardice, and he just can’t consciously face up to that disgrace. Therapy has helped him come to terms with a lot of this, significantly reducing his temper and pridefulness... but not eliminating them.
Although he’s learned a lot about Earth and has come to appreciate many things about Humanity, to some extent Herculan still holds Humans in low regard. His first contact with them didn’t exactly go well, and his interaction with them over the years hasn’t always improved his opinion of the “barbarians.” He finds a lot of Human customs faintly ridiculous (at best) or suicidal (at worst) — things like smoking, professional sports, and movies don’t make much sense to him. He some- times entertains hopes of enlightening Humanity... or at least finding a way to return to a more civilized planet.
Herculan tries to follow the traditional Fassai code of honor, which dictates that he must not settle for anything less than the best he deserves. That means he’s always striving to prove himself, though these days it’s not as a warrior but as a dedicated, tireless worker and “good citizen.” If he doesn’t think he’s earned whatever reward was promised him (for example, a paycheck), he won’t take it. Furthermore, Fassai warriors don’t kill their enemies unless the enemy refuses an offer to surrender. If he has to fight Herculan accepts requests for mercy, and expects his (should he ever have to make one) to be honored as well.
Quote: “Even barbarians such as you must be fought honorably.”
Powers/Tactics: Herculan is a mutated alien with three distinct sets of powers. The first are his generally enhanced Characteristics; he’s much stronger, faster, and tougher than the average Human (or Fassai). Second, he can, by touching another person, cause the victim’s strength, stamina, or agility to transfer to him (thus increasing his STR, DEX, or STUN). Third, before his reformation he wore a suit of Fassai Space Armor that Fassai technologists modified to draw off his own personal energy instead of a built-in battery. The suit allows him to fly, fire force-blasts, or project a multi-spectral “blinding pulse.”
His military training and years of gladiato- rial experience make Herculan a cagy, effective combatant. He prefers to fight hand-to-hand, using his Strength to punch and crush. He uses his Strength Leeching against other “bricks,” his Agility Leeching against martial artists and energy projectors, and his Stamina Leeching against just about anyone. A Grab, followed by Strength or Stamina Leeching (or combined with the Grab as a Multiple Attack), is a favorite tactic.
Like all Fassai, Herculan’s mind is unusually susceptible to the effects of Mental Powers. He’s well aware of this problem, and tries to hide from or avoid a mentalist foes.
Campaign Use: Herculan is an example to your PCs that not everything they do is futile — that not all villains will eventually return to fight them again, and again, and again. But of course, Herculan’s reformation is fragile; there’s still some temper and Fassai pride in him that might tempt him back into criminality somehow. It may fall to them to prevent that from happening... or at least make sure Herculan doesn’t totally derail his chance at a better life.
If you think it will make more of an impact, turn back the clock a little and make Herculan a villain again. Then let your PCs capture him and put him on the road to reform. A few years of campaign time later, he’s out on parole and you can work him back into the campaign.
Additionally, Herculan can tie in to many plots or story ideas involving aliens. Maybe he wants to find a ship he can use to get home, or the Fassai somehow track him down, or Tateklys kidnaps him to fight in the Forum Malvanum.
If Herculan isn’t tough enough to challenge your PCs, increase his STR or the number of dice in his Transfer. You might even consider making the Transfer a Ranged attack. If he’s too tough, get rid of his Modified Fassai Space Armor Multip- ower, and maybe reduce his Transfers to 2d6 each.
Associates, Allies, And Adversaries: Herculan has deliberately cut off contact with villains he used to associate with or work for, mostly due to the terms of his parole but partly because he genuinely wants to reform. The one thing that might cause him to make an exception would be if a reliable, trustworthy villain could promise him a way to return home (or at least send him to a “civilized” planet). If and when he learns about the Forum Malvanum on the Moon he’ll do whatever he can to get there — not because he wants to fight in the arena (though he would if he had to), but because he thinks he can find someone who’ll give him a lift home.
Appearance: Herculan is a Fassai, a humanoid species with dark skin, noted for the furrowed ridges and relative lack of hair on their heads. He wears a black and grey suit of modified Fassai space armor with prominent blasters and jetpack.