WILDFIRE (aka Jim Hammond)

[Black Sam]

WILDFIRE


CHARACTER NAME: Wildfire (a.k.a. The Human Torch)
SECRET IDENTITY: Jim Hammond; James Horton
SPECIES: Synth
GENDER: Male
HAIR: Blond
EYES: Blue
HEIGHT: 5' 11"
WEIGHT: 185#

ABILITIES
INTELLIGENCE: 5
STRENGTH: 4
AGILITY: 4
SPEED: 4 
HEALTH: 4 
ENERGY: 6 (18)
REGENERATION: 7 

ACTIONS
Close Combat 5 (3w) CL 0

• Strength bonus or weapon modifier
• Combat using body or melee weapons
• Split stones for multiple targets
• Specialties: American-style boxing; disarm/takedown; street fighting; trained by Captain America; USMC multi-style

Flight 5

• Flight Speed up to AN
• Add stones for weight carried
• Power deactivated if Mastery is deactivated

Leadership 4

• Improve efforts of teammates
• Assign up to 2r/character, total limit per panel = AN

Mastery of Fire 6

• Manipulate heat/fire/plasma
• Absorb element
• Accumulate energy for greater intensity or the “nuclear option” (nova burst)
• Plasma blasts (x2 Damage or Area Affect)
• Requires oxygen to use
• Accumulate energy disables Mastery for Accumulated Stones = Duration

Private Investigating 5

• General investigative skills
• Specialties: finding people; hacking; interrogation; security; spotting clues

Social Skills 4

• Interact with NPCs
• Specialties: charming when he wants; law enforcement; military protocol; streetwise

Technology 4

• Intelligence bonus
• AN + Intelligence vs. Difficulty of tech

Vehicle Operation 3

• Operate vehicles up to AN difficulty
• Specialties: cars; military vehicles; Quinjets

MODIFIERS
Cybernetic Senses 2

• Full-spectrum sensory enhancement

Energy Defense 3

Healing Factor

• Heal 1w/hour
  

Immolation 6

• Range =Touch -1CL
• Instant damage option: compare Hardness of attack before defense; if MN is higher, the object/attack is destroyed
• For attack, stones = MN (must overcome defense – does not combine with CC)
• Only active when stones in Mastery (though it doesn't have to be)

Mental Defense 1

Photographic Memory

Wealth 4

• War bonds
  

GEAR
Communicator

Costume

• +1 Defense

Fireproof Wallet

CHALLENGES
Borderline Burnout +1 For more than 80 years, the original Human Torch has been through it all. War; loss; mistakes; death – and he’s been duplicated many times in between. Sometimes he’s tired of it all. He’s tried retirement, but there’s always another crisis…

Deadly Frenemy +3 The Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner go way back, and though they’ve cooperated in the past, they’re guaranteed to try and kill each other every time their paths cross.

Man With a Past +2 The Human Torch is a household name these days…but it's no longer his name. If anyone remembers the Original Human Torch its usually for things like duking it out in public with the Sub-Mariner, burning down parts of New Jersey, and always for being The First Android. Nobody ever remembers that he fought Nazis beside Captain America or sacrificed his own life to save others – plus he’s not an android! The last time he retired, he even took his creator’s surname for his alter-ego just to distance himself from all the baggage. It isn’t all bad, of course – the Avenger’s Initiative apparently named a training facility after him, a fact that he finds vaguely embarrassing.

“My Dad Buried me in Concrete When I was Born…” +2 Then a mobster put him out with a fire extinguisher and buried him in the desert. Then he buried himself in the desert to avoid blowing up the American Southwest…Jim is a tad claustrophobic.

Synthetic Man +2 Jim is a living, breathing man, but he was built with advanced techniques developed centuries in the future. His meat and bones were grown from advanced synthetic substances in a chemical vat, then later assembled in a laboratory, to be wrapped in photoelectric skin and pumped full of sanguineous nanites. His artificial nature tends to come up in conversations more often than he cares to discuss.

[Black Sam]

WILDFIRE - BACKGROUND
The original Human Torch’s story began in 1929 ten years before he was born, with a young genius by the name of Dr. Phineas Horton. Dr. Horton was a new employee at the Wisconsin headquarters of Timely Industries, where he worked with science beyond anything he’d ever imagined. His employer, it would later be revealed, was a time-travelling conqueror known as Kang, who was building a beachhead of technological resources for a future invasion.

Dr. Horton didn’t know any of that at the time, but the science he was introduced to was much more than cutting-edge; it was clearly centuries ahead of anything on earth at the time. Although he was initially assigned to work with solar gems, his hunger reached into many R&D projects at Timely. During his spare time at the lab, he developed the first “Horton Cells,” synthetic, microscopic, self-maintaining cells that would later become the basic building blocks of synthetic life and nanotechnology. He later left to start his own lab, using secret government funding. With a pair of gifted assistants, Horton began work on his grand vision, a “synthezoid,” which he hoped to present at the 1939 World’s Fair. The Human Torch’s public debut didn’t go as planned, however – people were horrified, authorities were alarmed, and a presidential order forced the frustrated scientist to bury his creation in a concrete tomb. Dr. Horton didn’t leave his synthetic son alone in the dark, however. He spent hours and months reading to him remotely, conversing, teaching, until one day the concrete cracked, and the Human Torch freed himself.

During his interment, Dr. Horton’s creation became instant friends with the son of one of his father’s assistants, a kid nicknamed “Toro.” When the synthezoid became free, the two ran away together to become a crime-fighting duo. The Human Torch assumed the alias “Jim Hammond” after a one-hit-wonder that was popular at the time. Jim was not an artificial intelligence like everyone always assumed, but an artificial mind, imprinted from his narcissistic creator. For his first several years of existence, Jim was essentially a hot-headed teenager, and it got him into trouble regularly. His inherited need to be successful, famous, and powerful was his primary motivation for years. Toro, who developed powers like his own after exposure to his Horton Cells, was his anchor. Still, Jim’s ego propelled them into action over and over, and eventually into the horrors of war, which changed his nature to be different from his creator’s considerably. As the Invaders, The Human Torch, Captain America, and the Sub-Mariner turned the tide of World War II and inspired generations of heroes. After the war – after Captain America died – Jim took a job as a regular NYPD beat cop, flying to the rescue as the celebrated Human Torch whenever the need arose. Without Captain America around to mediate between his hot-headed teammates, however, New York wasn’t big enough for both Jim and Namor. Eventually a spat over a girl led to a titanic battle across the city, and the two have been at each other’s throats ever since.

The Human Torch’s heroic career came to an abrupt (and embarrassing) end in 1949, when a regular criminal got the drop on him and buried him alive in the New Mexico desert. In 1953, the fire of an atomic detonation test freed him and supercharged his powers. Overwhelmed, Jim became a hermit, isolating himself until the power became too much to contain. Fearing that he would be the death of many innocents, Jim blasted his way deep into the earth, expending every drop of energy until his body shut down in apparent death.

His corpse was recovered soon after, however, and duplicated by the time travelling Immortus, who allowed samples of the former hero to be used to create more villains.

There was the enhanced doppelganger called Adam II, who killed the second Captain America. Some Nazis in hiding created their own Inhuman Torch down in South America. An unscrupulous corporation tried to make a weapon from his Horton Cells and ended up creating a monster named Pyronanos instead. And one of his father’s jealous assistants tried to make his own synth with a sample of stolen Horton Cells, a would-be hero he called Volton, whose mind swiftly became corrupted.

Not all of his clones were bad. The Mad Tinker fashioned an almost perfect replica of the original Human Torch to attack the Fantastic Four, but destroyed his creation when Jim’s morality couldn’t be suppressed – that one’s nanite component was later stolen by mercenaries from a U.N. lab and made into a lethal synthetic virus, “Compound D,” which was nearly unleashed on the world. The West Coast Avengers found a partially amnesiac version of himself, one that didn’t have any powers. That Jim married a flesh-and-blood woman and accepted a job offer from his old rival Namor as chief of security for Oracle, Inc. True to form, he later sacrificed himself, absorbing a plasma blast that would have killed his friends. That Jim Hammond was also the template for two more synthetic humans; the Vision, created by Ultron with an imprint of Henry Pym’s mind, and Tara, created by the Red Skull.

The Mad Tinker tried again a few years later, producing another copy of Jim Hammond for unknown purposes. This clone was invited to join the Secret Avengers under the code-name “Torch,” and was every bit the hero as his predecessor – until he encountered a secret colony of synths and his nefarious creator’s programming kicked in, prompting Torch to become their deranged messiah. Those synths were the imperfect legacy of one of his father’s failed experiments, all based on him. Siding with them against humanity, the Torch led an attack on a surface city, trying to assimilate organic humans into his synthetic crusade with his enhanced nanite blood before he was stopped.

The real Jim Hammond – the original Human Torch – was located and revived in 1986 by the brother he didn’t know he had, Vision, who was exploring his own origins. Jim was invited to join the West Coast Avengers, and he accepted. He reconnected with his old friend, Toro, which made him realize that although he was a living, sentient being, he’d never had much of a life outside the one that he was made for. His old friend, the original, resuscitated Captain America, invited him to join his team at the Avenger’s New York campus. He was a full-fledged Avenger for several months before making the decision to retire “for good.” He tracked Dr. Horton in Stamford, Connecticut. Despite the man’s achievements and adventures, Jim found his “father” living in poverty as a simple repair man, lost in depression and alcoholism. Jim created a new identity for himself as “Jim Horton” and settled down as a police office once again to be able to care for his rapidly declining creator.

At Dr. Horton’s funeral a few years later, Jim was approached by members of a superhero society called the Guardians. They pitched membership on their team as an opportunity to mentor upcoming heroes, tackle crises that regular law enforcement couldn’t handle, and be an example to the community at large – he was, after all, the man who literally killed Hitler. He refused, content with the life he’d made for himself, but from time to time he felt obligated to take leave and “suit up” with the Guardians as a reserve member. As so many others had borrowed his old moniker – and he felt like Johnny Storm was doing more with the name than he ever had – Jim adopted the code name “Wildfire,” playing down his connection to his own legacy.

That’s how he ended up with the Guardians during the Onslaught Event. He told his precinct captain that he was going camping for a weekend, then…the Guardians just never came back. Trapped outside of time, it took years for them to find a way home. And now everything has changed.

[Black Sam]

ORIGINAL CAD

[ABILITIES] [21w]
=========================

INTELLIGENCE: 5 (3w)
STRENGTH: 4 (2w)
AGILITY: 4 (2w)
SPEED: 4 (2w)
HEALTH: 4 (2w)
ENERGY: 6 (4w)
REGENERATION: 7 (6w)

[ACTIONS] [33w]
=========================

Close Combat 5 (3w) CL 0
-Strength bonus or weapon modifier
-Combat using body or melee weapons
-Split stones for multiple targets
-Specialties: American-style boxing; disarm/takedown; street fighting; trained by Captain America; USMC multi-style

Flight 5 (4w) CL 1
-Flight Speed up to AN
-Add stones for weight carried
-Power deactivated if Mastery is deactivated -1CL

Leadership 4 (2w) CL 0
-Improve efforts of teammates
-Assign up to 2r/character, total limit per panel = AN

Mastery of Fire 6 (15w) CL 6
-Manipulate heat/fire/plasma
-Absorb heat/fire/plasma +1CL
-Accumulate energy for greater intensity or the “nuclear option” (nova burst) +2CL
-Plasma blasts (x2 Damage or Area Affect) +3CL
-Requires oxygen to use -1CL
-Accumulate energy disables Mastery for Accumulated Stones = Duration -1CL

Private Investigating 5 (3w) CL 0
-General investigative skills
-Specialties: finding people; hacking; interrogation; security; spotting clues

Social Skills 4 (2w) CL 0
-Interact with NPCs
-Specialties: charming when he wants; law enforcement; military protocol; streetwise

Technology 4 (3w) CL 1
-Intelligence bonus
-AN + Intelligence vs. Difficulty of tech

Vehicle Operation 3 (1w) CL 0
-Operate vehicles
-Specialties: cars; military vehicles; Quinjets


[MODIFIERS] [16w]
=========================

Cybernetic Senses 2 (4w) CL 4
-Full-spectrum sensory enhancement

Energy Defense 3 (1w)

Healing Factor (4w)
-Heal 1w/hour

Immolation 6 (4w) CL 1
-Range =Touch -1CL
-Instant damage: compare Hardness of attack before defense; if MN is higher, the object/attack is destroyed +1CL
-For attack, stones = MN (must overcome defense – does not combine with CC)
-Only active when stones in Mastery -1CL

Mental Defense 1 (0w, 1r) CL 0

Photographic Memory (0w, 2r)

Wealth 4 (2w)
-War bonds


[CHALLENGES] [+10w]
=========================

Borderline Burnout +1 For more than 80 years, the original Human Torch has been through it all. War; loss; mistakes; death – and he’s been duplicated many times in between. Sometimes he’s tired of it all. He’s tried retirement, but there’s always another crisis…

Deadly Frenemy +3 The Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner go way back, and though they’ve cooperated in the past, they’re guaranteed to try and kill each other every time their paths cross.

Man With a Past +2 The Human Torch is a household name these days…but it's no longer his name. If anyone remembers the Original Human Torch its usually for things like duking it out in public with the Sub-Mariner, burning down parts of New Jersey, and always for being The First Android. Nobody ever remembers that he fought Nazis beside Captain America or sacrificed his own life to save others – plus he’s not an android! The last time he retired, he even took his creator’s surname for his alter-ego just to distance himself from all the baggage. It isn’t all bad, of course – the Avenger’s Initiative apparently named a training facility after him, a fact that he finds vaguely embarrassing.

“My Dad Buried me in Concrete When I was Born…” +2 Then a mobster put him out with a fire extinguisher and buried him in the desert. Then he buried himself in the desert to avoid blowing up the American Southwest…Jim is a tad claustrophobic.

Synthetic Man +2 Jim is a living, breathing man, but he was built with advanced techniques developed centuries in the future. His meat and bones were grown from advanced synthetic substances in a chemical vat, then later assembled in a laboratory, to be wrapped in photoelectric skin and pumped full of sanguineous nanites. His artificial nature tends to come up in conversations more often than he cares to discuss.

[Black Sam]

LINES OF EXPERIENCE
TOTAL LOE EARNED: 8

TOTAL LOE SPENT: 0

EARNED FROM:

• 4 LOE for game-start bounties: background; character portrait (in-costume); portrait (out-of-costume); relevant musical themes or other multimedia
• 4 LOE from Issue #1
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[Black Sam]

"I don't care who you're dating," Sue Storm yelled into the communicator as a sudden inferno enveloped her force field. "We're under attack by..."

A stone-crusted fist the size of a Volkswagen smashed into her invisible barrier so hard she dropped the device and stumbled back, buckling under the strain of the assault.

"...in...California..." the tiny voice answered from the device. "...on my way!"

"DID THAT PIPSQUEAK SAY HE WAS IN CALIFORNIA?" The Thing was wrapped around the Super Skrull's torso in a titanic headlock, pulling him away from the Invisible Woman. The alien villain's neck contorted as only he and Mr. Fantastic's could do, binding Ben's limbs and flipping him into the new coffee shop across the street from the Baxter Building.

"If we don't wrap this up fast, we won't be welcome in any of our neighborhood's establishments," Reed called out, gathering himself from the boughs of a nearby streetlight. 

"YAH, 'CUZ I WAS WORRIED I MIGHT NOT GET THAT FREE CUP-O-JOE ON MY PUNCH CARD TOMORROW!"

"It's no use, heroes," the alien's sibilant voice commanded. "This time vengeance will be MINE!!"

A light in the dark sky drew everyone's gaze heavenward as the Human Torch approached; a comet of red fire blazing towards them.

"Good!" The Super Skrull lauded. "Now you will all fall..."

A tremendous blast of fire rained down on Super Skrull, cutting him off. His copy-cat force field flickered in place against the attack, which increased in intensity.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WAS IN CALIFORNIA?" Ben called out with the same surprise that expressed itself on the faces of Sue and Reed.

"Fool!" The Skrull warrior raged. "My powers have been calibrated to counter your own. Your pathetic mastery of fire..."

The blazing man rocketed closer, his fire intensifying, redoubling in power, throwing off wisps of plasma that began to burn through the protective field. 

"Sorry," the Human Torch called out over the roar of flame, "You seem to have mistaken me for their Human Torch. I'm the original."

Super Skrull's force field cracked just as the Thing got the drop on him, clobbering the alien into unconsciousness. Jim Hammond landed nearby and extinguished his flames as he offered Sue a hand up. 

"Sorry to break up the party," he said, "but I was in the neighborhood and thought you could use a hand."

"Yes, uh, that's very kind..." Reed stretched in between Sue and Jim, shaking the older hero's hand even as an eyebrow arched upward. He was about to say more when Jim cut him off.

"Did you say that your Human Torch was out of town?"

"YEAH, THE KID'S NEVER AROUND WHEN YA NEED HIM. SPEAK'N OF WHICH, YOU AIN'T LOOKING TA JOIN A TEAM BY CHANCE, ARE YA? FROM WHAT I SEEN YOU'D DO A BETTER JOB!"

"Thanks, but no – your guy seems to be doing fine. Actually, I just signed on with the Avengers. I was hoping for a word with..."

"Johnny," Sue offered.

"Yes, Johnny."

"He should be back in thirty minutes or so."

Flames began to lick around the Human Torch's shoulders as his feet lifted from the ground.

"That's okay, I'll be in town for a few days. Tell the kid I wanted to have a word with him. I'll stop by another time...when you don't have company."

With that, the real Human Torch became another star in the distant sky.

"WELL," the Thing said after a moment. "THAT WASN'T AWKWARD AT ALL..."