Aquatic characters for campaigns

[DtMK]

The oceans can offer a lot of potential for settings and backgrounds for characters. Look at The Deadliest Catch for example. None of the people on that show may come close to being superbeings, but no one can doubt that the seasoned old salts on that show are a cut above the norm, dealing with conditions where many are called, but the chosen are few. And that's just on the surface of the waters! Military forces, free divers, treasure hunters, salvage hunters, all try to explore one of the last frontiers on Earth. It's no wonder that you can also mix in possibilities of aquatic and amphibian life to play or encounter like dolphins, whales, mutants, experiments, aliens who call the oceans home, and have an interesting addition to a group of adventurers or heroes in a game.

Unfortunately, comic books can tend to be hit and miss with beings who call the oceans home, and take it upon themselves to watch over the seas and its inhabitants, including their own people. Such legendary heroes who patrol 70% of Earth's surface can either be fodder for mockery as to their lack of functionality on land, or powerhouses that compensate for several possible shortcomings. But hey, at least it allows for the possibilities to create your own beings, including Megas who can be impervious to pressure, going to ocean depths where the pressure can reach several tons per square inch. Not something to be mocked when you think about it, but the potential of being the fish guy on a team of superheroes can be rife with mockery. Usually to offset this stigma a few aquatic heroes are given the titles of royalty, so one can respect the title if not the abilities. But me, I like to believe that once everything else has been done for characters on land or even calling the air or space their homes, why not give the seas a chance?

I know this is a Heroes Unlimited forum, and I considered putting this in All Things Palladium Books. But the best part about the HU forum is it's the most likely that one can bring such characters into a game setting aside from Rifts from all over in the available books! Dolphins and whales, Pneuma-Biforms, Amphibs, mutants, experiments, aquatic and amphibian aliens, immortal mercreatures, the Zaranceti and Kree-Lok from PFRPG to the Diatyas and Royal Diatyas in Pantheons of the Megaverse are all examples! The possibilities are only as limited as one's imagination and the vast resources one can find in Palladium Books.

Examples in Century Station that run the gamut of respectable to laughable would be the mutant Leviathan, a being whose power continues to change and grow, to The Cuttlefish. Normally a potent mix of powers, but the outcome is...well, Zoidberg's cousin gone bad. Out of boredom and curiosity, especially with Rifts Lemuria coming soon, this made me re-examine the potential for characters that call the water home. A few of my gaming friends used to alternate with me in running games, but the other GM's in the group for the system have moved away, leaving me to run the games every week. I wish I could play again some time soon, because I came up with a great character idea who may help break the mold of needing to be royalty, and not one to be mocked or underestimated.

There are some interesting aquatic aliens in Aliens Unlimited, although you may have to read them more closely to pick up the interesting parts. I can't tell you how many times I've flipped the pages past many of them, looking at the pictures and seeing what the races had to offer. And one that from first glance seemed to easily be a monster race actually took me by surprise. That race was the Nattereri. A proud, warrior race who have mastered their predatory emotions and have focused on protecting the weak and innocent, easily fitting in with knights and heroes in aspirations throughout the Megaverse. They're a big race bordering on giants, tough, strong, have natural armor ratings(as well as horror factors, they're not the prettiest sea dwellers to our eyes) and who have a few options for power categories without being overpowered. The race have the natural equivalent of Heightened Sense of Smell, warriors have the equivalent of Healing Factor, plus can pick one Extraordinary attribute. They can even get bionic lungs to compensate and breathe on land without having any adverse effect on their power categories. Also given that their running speed can be average but their swimming speed is multiplied by ten, I had an idea for what I'm currently working on. A Nattereri Physical Training character who also happens to be a bounty hunter. I have his focus on strength and endurance, making his strength equivalent to Superhuman, and aggressive and deadly combat. Given the Nattereri's appearance, powerful bite attack, I thought about what ability for his attribute would put him over the top! Extraordinary Speed!

We have a character with the equivalents of three minor abilities, and one bona fide minor power that on land can give him the edge, but in the sea, he would be the fastest being on almost any world's oceans. Of course this can be a double edged sword, if making an attack at that speed he'll take 1/3 the damage, which could make this a Kamikaze run if he's not careful. Now all I needed was a good name and background for this guy. I'm still writing up his skills and stats, but I'm planning on making him a Scrupulous bounty hunter acting more as a cosmic auxiliary lawman who comes to Earth to help fight threats that the planet isn't ready for yet, to warn humans about the Atorian Empire(Nattereri are the founders of the Niamese Coalition against them), and to try to get people to become desensitized to beings that aren't as attractive as they'd perceive, but their actions are what makes them who they are.

To make things even more interesting, I thought that an alien perspective can be interesting to play because it can address subjects and topics some may take for granted. My Nattereri believes in taking in prey alive as a show of honor, unless the prey are true monsters like the Lilliamok. But as part of his background, I thought of him becoming aware of a show featuring people trying to stop whale poaching and harming other aquatic races like dolphins. Thanks to Rufts Underseas, it lists one language a person can learn is Dolphin/Whale, which made sense to me for one that an aquatic alien would know. After all, humans aren't the only race on this planet who are sentient, intelligent and deserve respect. So imagine this alien knight-errant who can actually speak to such creatures, not to command them but to converse. Upon coming across such whaling vessels, he addresses the ships.

"Upon my planet, creatures such as these are the sages, the aids, the ones who understand your strengths and frailties simply by sensing you. In the spaceways between planets swimming amongst the stars are celestial beings known as Void Whales. One may equate them as the star faring cousins of these cetaceans. Like living mountains, living starships, these beings are rare, and wondrous to behold. But they are capable of rending ships apart should they approach their families and young with ill intent. The ones you hunt aren't as capable, but no less deserving of respect. And protection. Their ways are not your ways! They wish you no harm, but cannot fight you without harming themselves. However, I have spoken to them. I am a bounty hunter, someone who protects the innocent and am compensated for my efforts. Though I would be hard pressed to fight for them with no reward, they have told me things. They wish for you to cease your senseless slaughter of their races for your 'curiosity'. And as such, they have told me there are countless ships sunken beneath the waves with items that your kind would find to be valuable treasure. The whales have told me that there is a bounty upon YOU. Not your lives, but your ships. Turn and leave now, or the bounty will be claimed. The price: one ship for every whale you have slaughtered. In return, I will be told the locations of the lost treasure ships and permission to claim them as payment, the debris of gold and jewels means nothing to them. But lives do. If you leave now and never return, your ships will be spared from the justified wrath of the sea's oldest sages. But if you stay or raise a weapon to myself or them, man your lifeboats. Your ships will be lost to the seas." Nothing like a being who can create a whirlpool at 600 MPH to hammer the point across, eh?

Would he actually do it? Does he value sea life over human lives? Does he view them equally? Worse yet, does his claim of the whales creating a bounty on the whaling ships ring true, or is it a ruse to make humans think about their actions and treatment of non-human lives? This being would gladly fight to save humans, even risking his own life entering burning buildings to rescue lives. He can show that the heart of humanity can beat within a body that isn't human. And this being is good at his profession, hunting prey both human and alien who have threatened or harmed the innocent. A tireless hunter relentless in his pursuit of his prey, his tactics and ferocity gave him the earned name of a predator on his homeworld. Known for its endurance in stalking its quarry until it tires, then striking with blinding speed and legendary ferocity, such is the name of this Nattereri. He is known as...Shakuda, the Mer-Manhunter!

That's just my imagination, I'm making this guy never knowing when I'll get to play him. But I'm sure that I can't be the only one that has come up with, or thought about making a character that calls the seas home, capable of more than some may suspect due to the stigma of aquatic characters. So how about it? What have you created for aquatic characters, or what are you inspired to make to put your own twist on this sub-culture(pun intended) of heroes and villains? C'mon folks, unleash your aquatic creations!

[Iczer]

I've had 2 aquatic games for HU in the past.

One was pretty..um short, with three people playing ATB creatures (one squid, one dolphin and one sea lion) and an aquatic alien (and a psionic at that)

The other was pretty involved though. An experiment who was trapped in an undersea lab, who altered his own DNA to survive as the air began to run out. A girl with adaptation and CEF water (and an ninja). An alien shapechanger, claiming to be the last survivor of atlantis. And lastly, a mutant with electrical field, Animal abilities: fish and healing factor.

The group basically battled pirates (human and horune) Atlantean mutants, a cthulhu like squid beast and occasionally popped onto land to do some island based adventuring (befriending a hardware guy and gaining a tricked out submarine in the process).

It was wickedly fun for a year and a bit. I'm sad that it had to end.

Batts

[DtMK]

Sounded like fun, Iczer. Very nice! Did you have any favorite characters or moments in that game?

[DtMK]

You know, growing up and reading comic books like The Flash and Adam Strange made me interested in learning about the science fact behind the science fiction Looking at the potential for Shakuda's speed, I began to wonder about speed and possibly breaking the sound barrier underwater. Extraordinary Speed grants a character the ability to run at 220 MPH, + 20 MPH per level. With an aquatic being's swimming speed multiplying their running speed X 10, this means at first level, Shakuda could reach 2,400 MPH at first level. Bout would there be any underwater sonic booms? It looks like no, not until much higher levels.

Apparently sound travels much faster through water, around 4.3 times the speed of air in fresh water. In unsalted water, sound travels at 1,484 meters per second, or rounding down, 3,319.6 miles per hour. In salt water, the speed is even higher for sound to travel through, 1,560 meters per second, or 3,489.6 MPH! So it looks like I won't have to worry about Shakuda creating any underwater sonic booms until at least level 7. In the air, it's possible to get up to top speed underwater, then leap out into the air to make a sonic boom. But at that speed, I'd hate for him to hit into the water again. Or anything else for that matter. Yikes!

As it is, Shakuda looks like his greatest underwater gift could also be a curse. Going at top speed at first level underwater, Shakuda would be traveling at 2,400 MPH. speed bonuses for damage are +4 per every 20 MPH, or 20 points per every 100 MPH. At that speed, Shakuda could hit someone and transfer an extra 480 points of speed damage! Of course, the problem is that speedsters take 1/3 of that damage themselves, so Shakuda would be looking at at least 160 points of damage himself. This is why I made his Physical Training focus on endurance and strength, it's so he can survive impacts better. But I like the idea of making such a pronounced strength a potential weakness. He COULD hit someone at that speed, but he runs the risk of crippling or killing himself at that speed. And it increases every level. Thankfully Nattereri gain an extra 6 S.D.C per level and all warriors have the equivalent of Healing Factor. At higher levels, this move that I'm thinking of calling the Tsunami Strike could be a kamikaze run!

[NMI]

TAFfy [another user here] use to post his groups adventures here, and IIRC, he had his version of the "Lemurians" in them.

[DtMK]

Awesome! I'll have to search for that.

[Gazirra]

Hell, I had an idea for designing a race that evolved in deep ocean trenches, but it runs into some problems, like the pressure difference between the surface and the depths. That, and what do I call their homeworld? Aquatic or twilight?

[DtMK]

In Aliens Unlimited Galaxy Guide, they have optional rules for designing worlds with one or more types, like an aquatic world with higher gravity, twilight, etc. It might even be possible to make the race a Mega equivalent with the automatic Mega-power Impervious to Pressure. Just an idea.

[Gazirra]

Oh, I didn't know that

[Sir_Spirit]

TAFfy [another user here] use to post his groups adventures here, and IIRC, he had his version of the "Lemurians" in them.

Hmm, I tihn kyour thinking of Elmagico's game.
The lemurians (pacific blue skinned aquatic mhumanoids I believe) attack the surface world, all fo the surface world.
SO his team went to the captial and kicked their arses.

[NMI]

TAFfy [another user here] use to post his groups adventures here, and IIRC, he had his version of the "Lemurians" in them.

Hmm, I tihn kyour thinking of Elmagico's game.
The lemurians (pacific blue skinned aquatic mhumanoids I believe) attack the surface world, all fo the surface world.
SO his team went to the captial and kicked their arses.

I think you are right. I had looked for it based on Taffy' account name and could not find it.

[NMI]

DLDC's "Ameriforce / Lemurians"

[DtMK]

I like that version of the Lemurians, although it doesn't seem to cover the immense pressure of the Marianas Trench. Otherwise, they're pretty darn good. Makes me wish for Rifts Lemuria all the more!

[Sir_Spirit]

I like that version of the Lemurians, although it doesn't seem to cover the immense pressure of the Marianas Trench. Otherwise, they're pretty darn good. Makes me wish for Rifts Lemuria all the more!

Well, i'ts superheroes so it's handwaved a bit, but he actulaly had an underwater serum that I think covered it.

[The Oh So Amazing Nate]

The oceans can offer a lot of potential for settings and backgrounds for characters. Look at The Deadliest Catch for example. None of the people on that show may come close to being superbeings, but no one can doubt that the seasoned old salts on that show are a cut above the norm, dealing with conditions where many are called, but the chosen are few. And that's just on the surface of the waters! Military forces, free divers, treasure hunters, salvage hunters, all try to explore one of the last frontiers on Earth. It's no wonder that you can also mix in possibilities of aquatic and amphibian life to play or encounter like dolphins, whales, mutants, experiments, aliens who call the oceans home, and have an interesting addition to a group of adventurers or heroes in a game.

Unfortunately, comic books can tend to be hit and miss with beings who call the oceans home, and take it upon themselves to watch over the seas and its inhabitants, including their own people. Such legendary heroes who patrol 70% of Earth's surface can either be fodder for mockery as to their lack of functionality on land, or powerhouses that compensate for several possible shortcomings. But hey, at least it allows for the possibilities to create your own beings, including Megas who can be impervious to pressure, going to ocean depths where the pressure can reach several tons per square inch. Not something to be mocked when you think about it, but the potential of being the fish guy on a team of superheroes can be rife with mockery. Usually to offset this stigma a few aquatic heroes are given the titles of royalty, so one can respect the title if not the abilities. But me, I like to believe that once everything else has been done for characters on land or even calling the air or space their homes, why not give the seas a chance?

I know this is a Heroes Unlimited forum, and I considered putting this in All Things Palladium Books. But the best part about the HU forum is it's the most likely that one can bring such characters into a game setting aside from Rifts from all over in the available books! Dolphins and whales, Pneuma-Biforms, Amphibs, mutants, experiments, aquatic and amphibian aliens, immortal mercreatures, the Zaranceti and Kree-Lok from PFRPG to the Diatyas and Royal Diatyas in Pantheons of the Megaverse are all examples! The possibilities are only as limited as one's imagination and the vast resources one can find in Palladium Books.

Examples in Century Station that run the gamut of respectable to laughable would be the mutant Leviathan, a being whose power continues to change and grow, to The Cuttlefish. Normally a potent mix of powers, but the outcome is...well, Zoidberg's cousin gone bad. Out of boredom and curiosity, especially with Rifts Lemuria coming soon, this made me re-examine the potential for characters that call the water home. A few of my gaming friends used to alternate with me in running games, but the other GM's in the group for the system have moved away, leaving me to run the games every week. I wish I could play again some time soon, because I came up with a great character idea who may help break the mold of needing to be royalty, and not one to be mocked or underestimated.

There are some interesting aquatic aliens in Aliens Unlimited, although you may have to read them more closely to pick up the interesting parts. I can't tell you how many times I've flipped the pages past many of them, looking at the pictures and seeing what the races had to offer. And one that from first glance seemed to easily be a monster race actually took me by surprise. That race was the Nattereri. A proud, warrior race who have mastered their predatory emotions and have focused on protecting the weak and innocent, easily fitting in with knights and heroes in aspirations throughout the Megaverse. They're a big race bordering on giants, tough, strong, have natural armor ratings(as well as horror factors, they're not the prettiest sea dwellers to our eyes) and who have a few options for power categories without being overpowered. The race have the natural equivalent of Heightened Sense of Smell, warriors have the equivalent of Healing Factor, plus can pick one Extraordinary attribute. They can even get bionic lungs to compensate and breathe on land without having any adverse effect on their power categories. Also given that their running speed can be average but their swimming speed is multiplied by ten, I had an idea for what I'm currently working on. A Nattereri Physical Training character who also happens to be a bounty hunter. I have his focus on strength and endurance, making his strength equivalent to Superhuman, and aggressive and deadly combat. Given the Nattereri's appearance, powerful bite attack, I thought about what ability for his attribute would put him over the top! Extraordinary Speed!

We have a character with the equivalents of three minor abilities, and one bona fide minor power that on land can give him the edge, but in the sea, he would be the fastest being on almost any world's oceans. Of course this can be a double edged sword, if making an attack at that speed he'll take 1/3 the damage, which could make this a Kamikaze run if he's not careful. Now all I needed was a good name and background for this guy. I'm still writing up his skills and stats, but I'm planning on making him a Scrupulous bounty hunter acting more as a cosmic auxiliary lawman who comes to Earth to help fight threats that the planet isn't ready for yet, to warn humans about the Atorian Empire(Nattereri are the founders of the Niamese Coalition against them), and to try to get people to become desensitized to beings that aren't as attractive as they'd perceive, but their actions are what makes them who they are.

To make things even more interesting, I thought that an alien perspective can be interesting to play because it can address subjects and topics some may take for granted. My Nattereri believes in taking in prey alive as a show of honor, unless the prey are true monsters like the Lilliamok. But as part of his background, I thought of him becoming aware of a show featuring people trying to stop whale poaching and harming other aquatic races like dolphins. Thanks to Rufts Underseas, it lists one language a person can learn is Dolphin/Whale, which made sense to me for one that an aquatic alien would know. After all, humans aren't the only race on this planet who are sentient, intelligent and deserve respect. So imagine this alien knight-errant who can actually speak to such creatures, not to command them but to converse. Upon coming across such whaling vessels, he addresses the ships.

"Upon my planet, creatures such as these are the sages, the aids, the ones who understand your strengths and frailties simply by sensing you. In the spaceways between planets swimming amongst the stars are celestial beings known as Void Whales. One may equate them as the star faring cousins of these cetaceans. Like living mountains, living starships, these beings are rare, and wondrous to behold. But they are capable of rending ships apart should they approach their families and young with ill intent. The ones you hunt aren't as capable, but no less deserving of respect. And protection. Their ways are not your ways! They wish you no harm, but cannot fight you without harming themselves. However, I have spoken to them. I am a bounty hunter, someone who protects the innocent and am compensated for my efforts. Though I would be hard pressed to fight for them with no reward, they have told me things. They wish for you to cease your senseless slaughter of their races for your 'curiosity'. And as such, they have told me there are countless ships sunken beneath the waves with items that your kind would find to be valuable treasure. The whales have told me that there is a bounty upon YOU. Not your lives, but your ships. Turn and leave now, or the bounty will be claimed. The price: one ship for every whale you have slaughtered. In return, I will be told the locations of the lost treasure ships and permission to claim them as payment, the debris of gold and jewels means nothing to them. But lives do. If you leave now and never return, your ships will be spared from the justified wrath of the sea's oldest sages. But if you stay or raise a weapon to myself or them, man your lifeboats. Your ships will be lost to the seas." Nothing like a being who can create a whirlpool at 600 MPH to hammer the point across, eh?

Would he actually do it? Does he value sea life over human lives? Does he view them equally? Worse yet, does his claim of the whales creating a bounty on the whaling ships ring true, or is it a ruse to make humans think about their actions and treatment of non-human lives? This being would gladly fight to save humans, even risking his own life entering burning buildings to rescue lives. He can show that the heart of humanity can beat within a body that isn't human. And this being is good at his profession, hunting prey both human and alien who have threatened or harmed the innocent. A tireless hunter relentless in his pursuit of his prey, his tactics and ferocity gave him the earned name of a predator on his homeworld. Known for its endurance in stalking its quarry until it tires, then striking with blinding speed and legendary ferocity, such is the name of this Nattereri. He is known as...Shakuda, the Mer-Manhunter!

That's just my imagination, I'm making this guy never knowing when I'll get to play him. But I'm sure that I can't be the only one that has come up with, or thought about making a character that calls the seas home, capable of more than some may suspect due to the stigma of aquatic characters. So how about it? What have you created for aquatic characters, or what are you inspired to make to put your own twist on this sub-culture(pun intended) of heroes and villains? C'mon folks, unleash your aquatic creations!

Sorry to A. take up such space with a simple reply and B. be a latecomer to such an amazing thread, but I have to say this **** is inspired. Sadly as I've aged the creative part of my brain has atrophied from disuse. I doubt I'd ever be able to come up with something as interesting or back storied as "Shakuda The Mer-Manhunter" I just wanted to say Bravo and Thank you for setting my imagination awhir.

[DtMK]

You're quite welcome my friend! Glad to inspire!

[The Oh So Amazing Nate]

MOAR Creations! We (respectfully) demand Moar, (please)!

[gaby]

Well thers not one Aquatic race but a number of them, each having ther own City-states.
The Races are in a Cold War state for centuries,that why they have not attackes the Surface.

[Juce734]

I love when someone comes up with a new character type that nobody else is talking about.

The OP is something that can inspire some great creations. This thread has made me think of some underwater campaigns. Normally I would never consider an underwater game but there is a lot of potential in the ocean.