characters and NPCs might know about Herculan if they succeed with an appropriate Skill Roll:
N/R: Herculan is a supervillain with enhanced strength, the ability to “leech” the power from other people, and a suit of light powered armor.
K/R: His real name is Tren Tarrec Dazeur; he’s an alien, a member of a species called the Fassai who live on the other side of the Milky Way Galaxy. Since 2007 he’s been reformed and hasn’t gotten into any trouble with the law.
-8: Mental powers have a particularly strong effect on Herculan.
Champions Villains Volume Three: Solo Villains n Herculan 157
Val Char Cost Roll Notes
40 STR 30 17- Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 HTH damage [4] 24 DEX 28 14-
30 CON 20 15-
20 INT 10 13- PER Roll 13- 15 EGO 5 12- MCV: 5 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 9 OCV 30 8 DCV 25 3 OMCV 0 4 DMCV 3 6 SPD 40 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 15 PD 13 Total: 21 PD (6 rPD) 15 ED 13 Total: 21 ED (6 rED) 14 REC 10 60 END 8 20 BODY 10
56 STUN 18 Total Characteristics Cost: 268
Movement: Running: 12m Leaping: 16m Flight: 20m
Cost Powers END
81 Metabolism Leeching: Multipower, 81-point reserve 4f 1) Strength Leeching: Drain STR 3d6 8
Unified Power (-¼)
plus: Aid STR 3d6 (standard effect: same result as Drain roll)
Trigger (when character uses Drain, activating Trigger takes no time, Trigger immediately automatically resets; +1); Linked (-½), Unified Power (-¼), Only Aid Self (-1)
4f 2) Agility Leeching: Drain DEX 3d6 8
Unified Power (-¼)
plus: Aid DEX 3d6 (standard effect: same result as Drain roll)
Trigger (when character uses Drain, activating Trigger takes no time, Trigger immediately automatically resets; +1); Linked (-½), Unified Power (-¼), Only Aid Self (-1)
4f 3) Stamina Leeching: Drain STUN 3d6 8
Unified Power (-¼)
plus: Aid STUN 3d6 (standard effect: same result as Drain roll)
Trigger (when character uses Drain, activating Trigger takes no time, Trigger immediately automatically resets; +1); Linked (-½), Unified Power (-¼), Only Aid Self (-1)
41 Modified Fassai Space Armor: Multipower, 62-point reserve
All OIF (-½)
4f 1) Gauntlet Blazer: Blast 10d6 2
Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); OIF (-½)
4f 2) Blinding Pulse: Sight, Hearing, And Radio Group Flash 10d6 6
OIF (-½)
2f 3) Jetpack: Flight 20m, x4 Noncombat 1
Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); OIF (-½)
12 Modified Fassai Space Armor: Resistant Protection (6 PD/6 ED) 0
OIF (-½)
11 Modified Fassai Space Armor: Life Support (Self- Contained Breathing; Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 0
OIF (-½)
5 Fassai Eyes: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 0
Skills
4 +2 OCV with Punch 3 Computer Programming 13-
1 Language: English (basic conversation; Fassai is Native) 1 AK: Malva 8-
2 KS: Earth’s Superhumans 11- 2 Navigation (Space) 13- 2 PS: Gladiator 11-
2 PS: Fassai Military Commander 11- 3 Tactics 13-
2 TF: Science Fiction And Space Vehicles Total Powers & Skills Cost: 194
Total Cost: 462
400 Matching Complications (75)
15 Hunted: PRIMUS (Infrequently, Mo Pow, NCI, Watching) 10 Psychological Complication: Fassai Code Of Honor
(Common, Moderate)
10 Psychological Complication: Overly Aggressive; Can’t Show Weakness, Refuse A Challenge, Or Accept Defeat (Common, Moderate)
15 Social Complication: Public Identity (Tren Tarrec Dazeur of the Fassai) (Frequently, Major)
30 Vulnerability: 2 x Effect from Mental Powers (Very Common)
Total Complications Points: 75 Experience Points: 62
158 n Hornet Hero System 6th Edition
Background/History: After watching his mother die slowly of cancer, Gerald Byrne was determined to find some way to keep that sort of tragedy from affecting others. He began to study medicine, but an interest in entomology eventually sidetracked him into becoming a research biologist instead of a doctor.
One day, he heard about a tribe of Indians in the Amazon Jungle that suffered from almost no diseases because of their diet, which included several types of unusual insects. Intrigued, and thinking perhaps he might yet find the cure for cancer he’d always sought, Byrne journeyed deep into Amazon to find this tribe and learn if the rumors were true.
Before he encountered the tribe, he came to a strange clearing in the jungle filled with mounds that looked like crosses between the nests of wasps and termites. Intrigued, he investigated, only to arouse the inhabitants. A bizarre form of flying insect, unlike anything he’d ever seen before, swarmed out of the mounds and began stinging him. Crazed with pain and fear, he ran until he came to a spring, then dove in and remained submerged until the bugs flew away.
By the time he crawled out of the spring, he was already feeling ill. The next several days were a blur of pain and misery. Finally, his symptoms began to subside, and with them much of his humanity ebbed away as well. Somehow the insects’ venom had transformed Byrne into a man-insect hybrid. He no longer felt sympathy or compassion; now he regretted all his attempts to help others, and decided the world owed him for all his efforts. Returning to civilization, he became the Hornet, a fearsome costumed criminal.
Over the years since he first joined the Super- human World, to his simultaneous fascination and concern, Hornet’s body has continued to mutate, slowly but surely. This has made him even more powerful in some ways (such as his new Chrysalis Blast), but part of him is concerned that the muta- tions may continue until he’s some sort of hideous, six-limbed bug-man. Part of him doesn’t care.
Personality/Motivation: Hornet is filled with a bitterness, hatred, and rage whose causes he can’t fully articulate (primarily because they come from his half-insect nature, not any legitimate griev- ance). He feels he’s been taken advantage of and abused, and that he’s entitled to hurt people and steal to make up for it. He doesn’t take any respon- sibility for bad things that happen to him, or even just shrug them off as unlucky breaks; he finds a way to blame someone for his every misfortune.
At times (particulary in battle), Hornet’s general loathing for humanity takes control of him, making him lash out with his most powerful attacks. Once or twice he’s ruined an employer’s plans by succumbing in to these impulses, giving him a poor reputation in the supervillain community.
Quote: “Not bugging you, am I?”
Powers/Tactics: Ordinarily, Gerald Byrne looks like an ordinary person. When he activates his powers, he unleashes his “insect nature” and becomes a half-human, half-insect hybrid. His skin becomes hard and chitinous, his eyes bulge out and become multifaceted, and insect-like wings sprout from his shoulderblades when he wants to fly. As the Hornet, he can fly, shrink down to insect size, “sting” his enemies by touch or from a distance, or encase his foes in a cocoon- like substance. His other insectile powers include the ability to see all around him, detect minute changes in air patterns that alert him to danger, and cling to walls and ceilings. Unfortunately, his altered metabolism is much more susceptible to chemical weapons, including drugs and poisons, than a normal human’s.
Hornet prefers to remain in the air during combat and attack with his Sting Blast and Chrysalis Blast; he’ll only get close to his enemies if he has to use his Sting. He usually activates his Shrinking as well, though he has to be careful because of the extra Knockback he might take. If fighting in a group, he keeps an eye on the entire battlefield with his 360 Degree vision, and alerts his teammates to potential surprise attacks.
Campaign Use: The Hornet is a useful mercenary villain for some scenarios, but can also serve as the main villain of a story if you give him the resources he needs to take on an entire team (like a horde of giant insects). This Hornet is not related in any way to the Hornet, the infamous superhero active in New York City during the Sixties and Seventies, but you could design a scenario that exploits any confusion about the two of them.
To make the Hornet more powerful, give him more insect powers: stings with deadly venom (RKA, NND, Does BODY, No Range), powers derived from stink bugs or bombardier beetles, and so forth. He might also gain the power to summon, control, and even mutate insects. As noted above, he’s becoming more and more insect- like, though this is a slow process; in time he’ll lose the ability to return to normal human form at all. If he’s too strong for your game, reduce the Active Points in his Multipower reserve (or at least some of the slots) and get rid of his Danger Sense.
Associates, Allies, And Adversaries: Hornet worked with VIPER for a while early in his career, but eventually decided he was sick and tired of taking orders from idiots and left. Now VIPER wants him back so it can experiment on him and perhaps find a way to give its agents some of his powers.
The villain Dragonfly was created in one of Hornet’s schemes and now wants to kill him, pref- erably in as painful a way as possible.
Hornet thinks MantisMan deliberately copied his powers when building the MantisMan armor, and if he ever gets the chance he’s going to beat him bloody to teach him a little respect.