Artemus Gordon works for the United States Government, specifically the Treasury Department. As an agent, his particular field of expertise is in accounting and as an actuary. His branch in the Us Treasury is Financial Oversights and he is in Fort Ohm to oversee the Tesla Contracts.
Being able to step into the role of a Galvanic Engineer, has eneabled Artemus to assume the identity of Crankshaft, a tech head and Tesla fanatic. Now undercover he has joined a new set of recruits for the Tesla Rangers in Fort Ohm, where he anxiously setting about his fiscal and finacial duties, watching the flow of money and expenses.
Once the Rangers are equipped and ready, he will resume his full cover identity a Galvanic Engineer and go see what all the hustle and bustle is about Bot Masterson. Maybe there is a way to recoup the Government's losses by bringing him in. Certainly is enough mystique around Bot to make it worth his while to investigate.
Artemus has lived in a few locations. Washington D.C. for starters. Also spent a stint in Shoreham, New York @ Wardenclyffe Tower, the Tesla Tower.
Rutherford B. Hayes assigned Artemus Gordon to check on the expenses of the Tesla Ventures by being a Galvanic Engineer.
Armor Piercing (+1 To +3)
The attack is focused to defeat armor or seeks out a foe’s exposed areas. Each Power Point spent grants the power AP 2 (see page 65), to a maximum of AP 6.
Fatigue (+2)
Powers that drain or tax an opponent can cause Fatigue. This modifier may be attached to any power that can cause damage or is resisted by the target. If she’s affected by the power in any way, she also suffers Fatigue. This cannot cause Incapacitation, however.
Glow/Shroud (+1)
Glow gives off soft light of an appropriate color for its Trapping (or caster’s choice). This creates soft light in a Small Blast Template centered on the target, and lasts until the power expires. It subtracts 2 from her Stealth totals and negates 1 point of Illumination penalties for those attacking the glowing character.
Shroud dims and slightly obscures the target so that attacks against her suffer a −1 penalty and she adds +1 to her Stealth rolls.
Heavy Weapon (+2)
The caster pours his energy into the attack, creating a focused blast. The attack counts as a Heavy Weapon.
Hinder/Hurry (+1)
The target is slowed in some way, perhaps due to intense cold, a slippery surface, or even binding matter or energy. His base Pace is reduced by 2 until the power expires. A caster can Hurry the recipient instead. He might get increased energy, sure footing, or more powerful muscles. His Pace is increased by 2.
Effects of either modifier aren’t cumulative.
Lingering Damage (+2)
The target is hit by fire, intense cold, acid, gnawing insects, or some other Trapping that continues to cause damage after the initial attack. On the victim’s next turn, he suffers the power’s base damage minus one die type (one additional turn only). If hit with a 2d6 bolt, for example, the victim takes 2d4 damage at the start of his next turn. If the base damage is already a d4 die type, it loses a die instead.
Range (+1/+2)
Double the power’s listed Range for 1 Power Point, or triple it for +2. This modifier may not be used on powers with a Range of Touch or the Cone Template.
Selective (+1)
With intense focus, the caster can choose not to affect any or all individual targets within a power’s area of effect
(picking all enemies instead of allies in a blast, for example).
[OOC=Flavor Text]
Power Name:
Modifiers:
[*] Tesla Science (1d8) 1d8
[*] Wild (1d6) 1d6
[/OOC]
Next Level Heroics (Boost Trait; PPE) [Novice] Power Points Base: 2 Range: Smarts (10) Duration: 5 Trapping: Physical change, glowing aura, potions. Effect:
This power allows Crankshaft to increase a target’s Trait (attribute or skill). Boosting an ally’s Trait increases the selected Trait one die type, or two with a raise.
Additional castings don’t stack on a single Trait (take the highest), but may affect different Traits. Modifiers:
ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS (+1): The power may affect more than one target for 1 additional Power Point each.
Power Down (Lower Trait; PPE) [Novice] Power Points Base: 2 Range: Smarts (10) Duration: Instant Trapping: Physical change, glowing aura, potions. Effect:
This power allows Crankshaft to decrease a target’s Trait (attribute or skill).
Lowering an enemy’s Trait has a Duration of Instant and lowers the selected attribute or skill a die type with success, or two with a raise (to a minimum of d4). A victim automatically tries to shake off the effect with a Spirit roll as a free action at the end of his following turns. Success improves the effect one die type, and a raise removes the effect entirely.
Additional castings don’t stack on a single Trait (take the highest), but may affect different Traits. Modifiers:
ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS (+1): The power may affect more than one target for 1 additional Power Point each.
STRONG (+1): Lower Trait only. The Spirit roll to shake off the effect is made at −2.
Forcefield (Deflection; PPE) [Novice] Power Points Base: 2 Range: Smarts (10) Duration: 5 Trapping: Silvered US Treasury Seal Belt Buckle - Handling the buckle Texas style, a shimmering field of transparent silver appears before Crankshaft. Effect:
Deflection powers work in a variety of ways. Some manifestations actually deflect incoming attacks, others blur the target’s form or produce illusionary effects. The end result is always the same, however—to misdirect incoming melee and missile attacks from the recipient of the power.
Once cast, foes must subtract 2 from attack rolls directed at the user (or 4 with a raise). Modifiers:
ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS (+1): The power may affect more than one target for 1 additional Power Point each.
Flavor Text Here (Entangle; PPE) [Novice] Power Points Base: 2 Range: Smarts (10) Duration: Instant Trapping: Glue bomb, vines, handcuffs, webs. Effect:
Entangle allows the caster to restrain a target with ice, bands of energy, or other vinelike Trappings (Hardness 5). If successful, the target is Entangled. With a raise, he’s Bound.
Victims may break free on their turn as detailed under Bound & Entangled on page 98. Modifiers:
AREA OF EFFECT (+2/+3): For +2 points the power affects everyone in a Medium Blast Template. For +3 points the area of effect is increased to a Large Blast Template.
STRONG (+2): The entangling material is particularly resilient. Rolls to break free are made at −2 and its Toughness increases to 7.
Flavor Text Here (Healing; PPE) [Novice] Power Points Base: 3 Range: Touch Duration: Instant Trapping: Laying on hands, touching the victim with a holy symbol, prayer. Effect:
Healing removes Wounds less than an hour old. The penalty to the caster’s arcane skill roll is the victim’s Wounds, if any (to a maximum of −3 for those who can take more than three). A success removes one Wound, and a raise removes two. The power may be cast additional times to remove additional Wounds.
For Extras, the GM must first determine if the ally is still alive (see Aftermath, page 96). If so, a successful arcane skill roll returns the ally to action (Shaken if it matters.) Modifiers:
GREATER HEALING (+10): Greater healing can restore any Wound, including those more than an hour old.
CRIPPLING INJURIES (+20): The power can heal a permanent Crippling Injury (see Incapacitation, page 95). This requires an hour of preparation and only one casting is permitted per injury. If it fails, this caster cannot heal that particular injury (but someone else may try). If successful, the subject is Exhausted for 24 hours.
NEUTRALIZE POISON OR DISEASE (+1): A successful healing roll negates any poison or disease. If the poison or disease has a bonus or penalty associated with it, the modifier applies to the arcane skill roll as well.
Flavor Text Here (Smite; PPE) [Novice] Power Points Base: 2 Range: Smarts (10) Duration: 5 Trapping: A colored glow, runes, sigils, crackling energy, barbs grow from the blade Effect:
This power is cast on a weapon of some sort. If it’s a ranged weapon, it affects one entire magazine, 20 bolts, shells, or arrows, or one full “load” of ammunition (the GM determines the exact quantity for unusual weapons). While the power is in effect, the weapon’s damage is increased by +2, or +4 with a raise. Modifiers:
ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS (+1): The power may affect more than one target for 1 additional Power Point each.
Flavor Text Here (Object Reading; PPE) [Seasoned] Power Points Base: 2 Range: Touch Duration: Special Trapping: Touching the object, glowing hands Effect:
Object reading is the ability to see the past of an inanimate object, discovering who held it, where it’s been, and what it might have been used for. The object has no sentience of its own—the caster simply sees and hears visions of the past that took place in its presence.
Success allows the character to see events that occurred within 10 yards up to about five years past. A raise increases this to 100 years and 20 yards. The caster can “fast forward” and “rewind” as desired, skimming about 10 years of history per minute of real time. When watching an actual event, it occurs in real time, just as if watching a digital tape.
Modifiers:
AUDIBLE HISTORY (+2): The caster can now hear sounds and conversations as well.
