MP Villain Spotlight: Citizen Crane

Origin: Forester Charles Crane was a successful businessman who owned and operated the Crane Construction Company. At one point when business was slow, vulture capitalists swooped in and took over the company. Crane was devastated and his mind snapped.

He now uses what's left of his fortune to commit the crime of property destruction, almost exclusively against buildings owned by the raiders who ruined his company.

Tactics: Crane is not subtle: he drives his modified crane to a target, usually a building for which he has antipathy, and begins to destroy it using the crane's wrecking ball (which does 2d10+d8+1 blunt kinetic damage). His crane is modified to include an electrical field. He uses this field to keep unwanted enemies (heroes, police, paparazzi, etc.) off of his crane.

Crane is wealthy and will sometimes hire thugs (60-70 CPs) to provide extra protection from police and/or heroes.

Quotes: I'm Forester Charles Crane and I built this city. Now watch me destroy it one building at a time!

Notes: This character is comedic in nature. Crane is not really evil, and doesn't want to kill anyone (with the possible exception of the men who ruined his company). The PCs should want to apprehend Crane and make sure he has a nice padded cell in an insane asylum.

PDF Character Sheet

PDF Vehicle Sheet

Image Character Sheet

Image Vehicle Sheet

Citizen Crane is copyright by B.K. Adams. Mighty Protectors is a trademark of Monkey House Games.

Superman 1938

I recently subscribed to the DC Universe Online, mainly because I wanted to read DC comics; something that I didn't really do during my comic book reading days.

I started with Superman #1 (which premiered June, 1938) and read up to issue #9. I have to say that this version of Superman is quite a bit different than the silver or bronze age depictions. In these early issues, Superman's origin is different, his powers are different, and his personality is different.

His planet of birth, Krypton, dies of 'old age.' A friendly scientist -- not his father -- places the infant Superman into a space-ship, sending it to Earth.

A passing motorist discovers the space-ship with the infant Superman and places the child in an orphanage. There is no mention of Ma and Pa Kent.

As an adult, Clark Kent works for the Daily Star, not the Daily Planet.

Superman can't fly, doesn't have heat-ray vision, doesn't have x-ray vision. There's no mention of super-breath, super-speed, or any of a dozen other abilities that he would later employ. There's no mention of him being harmed by kryptonite. He's strong, capable of bending steel bars. He can leap 1/8 of a mile! And he's bulletproof, with only a 'shell-burst' capable of piercing his skin.

Oh, and this Superman is a jerk, doubtless because he grew up in an orphanage... and by the way, Lois is a jerk too! Superman spies on people -- a lot. He's a bully, who terrifies ordinary citizens as well as crooks, and he casually beats up on people, usually mocking them as he does so.

Notes: On the first page of issue #1 it is stated that Superman can leap 1/8 of a mile, or 132" in Mighty Protectors terms. I therefore tried to get his leaping distance as close to this number as possible.

Superman 1938 PDF

Superman 1938 Image

Superman Origin

Superman is a Spy

Superman is a Jerk I

Superman is a Jerk II

Superman is a Jerk III

Lois is a Jerk Too

Superman #1 Cover

Superman is a trademark of DC Comics. Mighty Protectors is a trademark of Monkey House Games. This write-up is by B.K. Adams.

MP Villain Spotlight: Vortau

Origin: The "Vortau" is an alien assassin who was born on a world whose dominate life form is a strong insect-like species. As all of the Vortau's race are mute; they communicate by means of telepathy.

The Vortau's true name and features are unknown, as it has never been captured and has never volunteered this information. It is rumored that there are other bounty hunters and assassins just like the Vortau.

Campaign Use: The Vortau makes a good villain to use against the player superheroes, usually after the heroes have meddled with other alien entities.

Tactics: When the Vortau takes a contract he will do his utmost to fulfill the bargain. The Vortau uses his shape-shifting and telepathy to good effect, spending a fair amount of time gathering information on his target(s). Depending upon how deadly the GM wants to make this character, the Vortau may or may not take called shots against a target's head.

The Vortau may use his miniaturized communicator devices to spy upon his target.

If faced with a group of superheroes and/or their base, the Vortau will use his vehicle, the Hek-Zeksar (see sheet) in a military-style assault, opening his attack with a volley of missiles. Should his vehicle be disabled, the Vortau will fight outside of his vehicle.

Should the Vortau start to lose a fight he must make a CL save at -4 to attempt to flee the scene. Should the roll be made, the Vortau will try to get out of sight then shape-change to an inconspicous form.

Telepathic Quote: --I am the hunter and you are the prey and I shall honor my ancestors by burning a hole in your shell and letting your life-liquid drain--

Notes: The picture shown is one of Vortau impersonating a male human while on a mission to eliminate certain Earth superheroes.

Vortau PDF

Vortau Image:

Vortau Ship PDF

Vortau Ship Image

Vortau is copyright 2018 by B.K. Adams. Mighty Protectors is a trademark of Monkey House Games.