Villain A Day (Speed Demon)
A bit late, because this is our long weekend for Canada Day.
One-sentence summary: Burning rubber (and anything else) to support the fast life.
As usual, we look at the Aspects (specifically the Challenges) when trying to figure out the character. Edward is arrogant and a show-off; he has no identity; and he has tainted blood.
Being an arrogant show-off means that he's sure he will win a competition, and he will do it in a visible way. He's the man who challenges your player to a race or to "catch me on this cross-country run" while in front of the television cameras at the Thanksgiving parade; he's the one who makes sure that someone is present with a cell phone camera before he donates all the money from a bank robbery to the people (conveniently keeping the jewels for himself). He's the one kidnaps a blogger to show her a carefully-crafted "day in the life of a supervillain" to show that he's really misunderstood.
It also means that if he feels that someone is getting the attention that he deserves, he will act. He will challenge them. He will show them up.
Having abandoned his identity means that he cannot be pulled into public with the help of his family; they believe him dead, and the fact that he doesn't want them to know he's alive is probably why he stays near your campaign site (assuming your campaign isn't set in Spain). He's also a former Formula One driver. When he needs a pseudonym, his names will probably be other Formula One drivers, probably Spanish ones-perhaps Alex Soler-Roig, or Paco Godia; a smart detective character could get a clue regarding his identity from that. But the lack of an identity means that he needs to steal a lot, and it usually has to be precious gems or metals. (Though he must have a fireproof courier bag for when he's carrying documents.)
(What would happen if a small country agreed to give Speed Demon diplomatic immunity, in return for certain favors? Anything in his courier bag is considered secret. How would the PCs deal with it, or get the immunity removed from him?)
He's vulnerable to mental attacks, of course: an illusionist could make him think he's making his journey while he's been guided onto a special Mach 3 treadmill, or to attacks from someone with a high Prowess or Coordination. If he chooses to use his Fire Control for Defending, though, not much will get through, and the Fast Attack means that he can blast or punch with a flaming fist several times in a panel.
The two powers selected on "Fire Control" (Elemental Control of Fire) aren't specified. This is important only so that you can give the players Determination for any other power used as a stunt with Fire Control. If your group has powers to handle him easily, make the "standard" powers Attacking and Defending, because he'll be using them a lot. If they have some difficulty with him, Create fire and Control might be the two he has by default. He has nothing additional on the Super-Speed, so that any stunt he tries with Super-Speed (Phasing or Defending) generates Determination for the heroes.
Story Ideas
- The heroes know that Speed Demon has been contracted to courier something important (a deal between criminal groups? A device from Rex Mundi that grants superpowers?), and they have to stop him. Do they try to stop him where he picks up the bag? Along the way? At the destination? All of the above, by splitting into groups or by using a handy teleporter? (This would be an interesting convention scenario.) In any case, the villains know they know, and have hired other help to make sure that Speed Demon's way is clear. Perhaps at different locations they will have the Troll, Recluse, and Pulsar, so that the pair of villains (Speed Demon and X) will take on the heroes or subsets of heroes at different times. (Diamond is planning to show up at the very end, if it looks like the players are winning. With Flight 8, she's probably about as fast as Speed Demon, though she might be a bit slower or have an autograph signing in Topeka for narrative convenience.)
- Speed Demon has been forced by his Robin Hood guise and onlookers to give blood to save an injured child. (It seemed like a good idea at the time: if he didn't give blood, it would be a blow to his image.) Now he has to stay around to try and help the child through his or her first encounters with super-speed and fire control: a kind of Speed Imp. (He's arrogant, not heartless.) Make the child undergo dialysis and use that as an excuse to take away the powers. Can the players deal with two flaming disasters? And will someone notice the similarity between the disaster at a Spanish hospital and this one? (Well, Rex Mundi will…)
- Phasing is tremendously useful, and Speed Demon stunts it when he needs to, such as when he's asked to steal delicate electronic components hidden inside an Unobtainium vault. He has turned off his flame and is placing the delicate components inside his bag when the door swings open, and the Troll is standing outside. Turns out he and Arobas were asked to steal the same components. The resulting fracas should attract the heroes, and perhaps the villains will team up to fight them (always looking for a way to off their opponents and get what they are stealing).
- A Formula One driver is murdered in his car, while traveling around the track. How was it done? Speed Demon is an obvious suspect (he lapped the track several times to show that he was faster than the cars), but he's never committed intentional murder before. Speed Demon is forced to ask the players for help in clearing his non-name.