That is so cool, what a way to end this month. :D
Glad you like it!
I really wanted to end the month with something that could go toe to toe with Invirodan from October 1. Plus, who can resist the alliterative appeal of The Titanic Typhon versus The Insidious Invirodan?!
Ohh, I see your game now! :V
As we put away the jack-o-lanterns and delve into our full sacks of candy, we bid a fond farewell to Monster Mash October.
Now, we welcome to No-Powers November: a whole month of adversaries who don't rely on fabulous mystic powers or phenomenal technology. Rather, they use their wits, their cunning, and a few tricks to make life aggravating for our heroes.
* * * * * * *
Villain of the Day: November 1 (Riposte)
You might say that Donald Marozzo has something of a fixation.
Even as a teenager, Donald--"Donnie" to his friends--was an active member of his area's medieval reenactment scene, as his parents frequented the Renaissance Faire circuit. Donnie swiftly immersed himself in fencing and heavy combat training, which he took to like a fish to water. Within a few years, he had made a name for himself on the jousting and heavy combat circuit, winning numerous championships.
Luckily for Donnie, he was savvy enough to turn his passion into a career. Hiring an agent, he began auditioning for stunt double and other minor roles in various action movies, which quickly evolved into roles as fight choreographer for the "Legends of the Blade" trilogy of films and its subsequent spin-off TV series: "The Axeheart Legends". Marozzo swiftly became known for striking a firm balance between authenticity and 'flash', as well as his easy-going nature behind the scenes and his ability to work with even the most tempermental actors. When pop diva Bellatrix was cast as Red Mariah in "Legends of the Blade II", Donnie quickly became one of her closest confidantes, with director Hugo Mattings often making requests for Bellatrix through Donnie.
However, Donnie's interest in swordplay was no mere career or personal hobby. As he grew in age, his carefully cultivated sword collection--all hand-forged, all as 'authentic' as possible--grew exponentially, with the walls of his Megalopolis loft covered in blades of all shape and sizes. That, in fact, is when the trouble began; when Donnie began to descend into mania.
The discovery of a Viking era sword in a Scandinavian lake made headlines the world around, as a ten-year-old girl discovered the blade while on a family day trip. While the family donated the sword to the national museum, Donnie knew that this artifact must join his collection. Disguising himself as the rakish Riposte and arming himself with all manner of blades, Donnie traveled to Norway to relieve the museum of the newfound prize. The theft, of course, made international headlines, as Riposte eluded authorities and the sword seemingly vanished.
Since that day, Donnie has sought blades across the world, using his unique skills in combat to elude and humiliate any who might stand in his way. As Riposte, he has stolen the 2000-year old Sword of Goujian, an authentic Aztec Macuahuitl, and a sword believed to be owned by Salah ad-Din which was lost during the Battle of Jaffa in 1192. However, his greatest prize still lays before him: the rune-carved blade of Absolution...
Villain of the Day: November 2 (Clevon Washington)
Whatever happened to Clevon Washington?
Once one of the baddest mutha- ("Shut yo mouth!) to strut down Rook City's south side, Clevon Washington was best known as the guy who always had whatever you need. Need someone to watch the street while you have a chat with a store-owner? Clevon was out front, eyeing up the street for you. Need to bust some heads in a back alley? Clevon was there with his big .357 and a tire iron, ready to whup upside some heads. Need a way into that nightclub? Clevon's got a VIP ticket.
Then, he vanished.
It was no surprise that a bunch of bad muthas had Clevon Washington on their hit list. Clevon walked on the lean side of the law, with the NCPD itching to find something they could take him downtown on. However, Clevon also managed to interfere with The Chairman's operations enough to make more than a few enemies amongst The Organization. Not the least of these was the late Contract, whose hired guns took a hefty beating from Clevon down at the South Street Laundry. The Contract had personally planned to take on Clevon, but that was before an encounter with a crocodile-shifted Naturalist had left The Contract broken in the Rook City sewers.
One would figure that Mister Fixer might have kept tabs on Clevon, especially given that they'd worked together on a few rare occasions, but after Slim's brush with death and resurrection, the zombified Fixer never cared to make contact with Clevon. The one person who may have an idea of where Clevon has gone might be Black Fist's old squeeze, Sweet Miss Coffee Brown, but she herself has all but disappeared from the Rook City streets. If nothing else, any would-be vigilante on the Rook City streets may find themselves asking the question, "Whatever happened to Clevon Washington?"
Villain of the Day: November 3 ('Deetz' Lorenzo)
If being a witness was a professional lifestyle, Tolito 'Deetz' Lorenzo would be a millionaire by now.
Born to a mixed race family in a less-than-savory portion of Megalopolis--his father was from the Dominican Republic, while his mother was African-American--Tolito practically grew up hustling. In elementary schools, the proximity of his name to a certain deep-fried snack product--"Hey, homes! He's the crunchiest!"--caused Tolito to take on the nickname of 'Deetz' to avoid merciless mockery and chip references. In high school, 'Deetz' did just enough to pass his coursework, while simultaneously selling cigarettes, stolen test keys, and any number of minor things that could earn him a fast buck.
Unfortunately, as Deetz graduated and was unable to find steady work, he found that there was always cash to be had moving illicit product, acting as a lookout, or otherwise aiding in some of the low-key crimes that tend to be overlooked by the costumed heroes of Megalopolis. Never managing to get rich, Deetz continued taking jobs for whoever needed a trustworthy set of eyes,
However, for some strange reason, Deetz always seems to be front and center for the most climactic events that confront Megalopolis. The 'Rat Plague' epidemic? Deetz watched those Revocorp guys hauling a way a giant mutant rat in one of their security trucks. When Baron Blade brought his goon squad through town, Deetz drove right under one of those giant Mobile Defense Platforms, as he went to pick up a few crates of stolen guns to sell from the pawn shop he was working in. As Progeny ravaged the city, Deetz had a front row seat from his apartment's fire-escape, watching all the carnage go down with some popcorn and a stiff drink.
While Deetz is strictly small-time in terms of crime, his propensity to be at the right place at the right time can potentially make him a useful informant to any would-be hero needing the low-down on what's going on in Megalopolis' underside. Getting Deetz to talk, though, is totally its own challenge; Deetz would much rather beat feet than talk to any "underpants-on-the-outside narc", especially if he's actively carrying stolen goods, selling drugs, or on the job for one of the gangers in Megalopolis. However, if pressed in the right way, Deetz might just provide the clue an investigator might need to crack open a case..
Villain of the Day: November 4 (Mai Rou Zhe)
Amid the chaotic markets of China, you can find almost anything. Bootleg DVDs of the latest Night Hunter movie (even before it's released!), exotic bits of animals roasted or fried before your eyes, and all manner of medicinal remedies to cure everything from anemia to yellow fever.
Mai Rou Zhe, however, specializes in something much more morbid.
The individual known collectively as "The Butcher" focuses their efforts on providing riffs on traditional home-recipies, made from the dismembered body parts from various alien species. Everything from an jerky made from Gene Bound Ruoenf Guards to Maerynian fin soup is available within Mai Rou Zhe's pop-up shops, which travel throught the whole of mainland China. For anyone who can pay The Butcher's exorbitant prices, Mai Rou Zhe claims phenomenal health and spiritual benefits willing to take his medication as prescribed.
The question, though, is *how* Mai Rou Zhe manages to acquire such esoteric components. The answer, while relatively mundane, is no less horrifying.
Mai Rou Zhe has a number of contacts throughout Asia and Oceana which actively hunt down alien or other esoteric creatures. Whenever they find such a creature--or sentient being, for that matter--they keep it on dry ice before delivering it to Mai Rou Zhe for butchery and preparation. Within a matter of hours, Mai Rou Zhe has those creatures up for sale to any who might be in need of their special medicines.
The Chinese Peoples' Armed Forces have been on the hunt for Mai Rou Zhe for numerous years, though Mai Rou Zhe has managed to stay ahead of them at every turn. Some have suggested that the Chinese PAF may be on the verge of reaching out to the superhuman community to help track down Mai Rou Zhe, though if past experience with China is any indication, it's not likely that the Chinese authorities will brook any outside interference, even if it does bring The Butcher to justice.
And I thought your October stuff was creepy. XD
Villain of the Day: November 5 (ArtBomb)
Liverpool hosts the single-largest fireworks display in the United Kingdom. Each Guy Fawkes Day, Merseyside alights with the sights of phenomenal pyrotechnics launched from a barge just off of the Royal Albert Dock. The thunderous cavalcade is accompanied by pulse-pounding music and a carnivalesque atmostphere.
This past year, Guy Fawkes Day brought a much more somber tone, as the terrorist called ArtBomb struck once more.
As the rockets detonated across the November sky, the Liverpool installation of the famous Tate Gallery exploded into so much shattered mortar and brick. The ensuing fires and smoke damage left countless pieces of art and sculpture in shambles; art historians and appraisers have estimated that over $180 million in art was lost, including countless one-of-a-kind pieces from throughout British History.
However, at the Tate explosion, investigators noted something was awry. Within the explosion, a single art piece could not be accounted for, either destroyed or intact. That piece, a 400-year-old painting titled An Allegory of Man, managed to survive the Protestant Reformation, though its original artist was lost. As investigators started delving deeper, however, they soon found that at each of the other ArtBomb attacks, a single piece of art--all by anonymous artists--could not be accounted for. What ArtBomb does with this pieces, though, remains to be seen. The art never seems to appear on the black market, nor does any known collector seem to have possession of the pieces.
In light of ArtBomb's attacks, security has been stepped up for the opening of the 'Ancient World' wing at the Wagner Museum of the Fine Arts in Megalopolis. The new wing boasts over 800 unique pieces ranging from ancient Sumerian tablets to Etruscan statuary. While the museum staff is determined to go ahead with the planned opening, trusting security to their own staff and the Megalopolis PD, it remains to be seen whether ArtBomb will make an incindiary opening.
Villain of the Day: November 6 (The Chauffeur)
Getting from Point A to Point B is hard enough. Getting from Point A to Point B while eluding the police, Interpol, GLOBAL, and any number of superheroes with a load of illicit cargo is another degree of difficulty altogether.
That is, unless you're riding with The Chauffeur. Simply put, her skills behind the wheel are undeniable and she outright refuses to be caught.
None really know where she came from. She speaks English with just the slightest slight accent, as if she had lived in Greece or somewhere in the Levant, but spent most of her time in an English-speaking country. She has, on occasion, referenced spending some time on the racing circuit, but the nature of those races and where she might have raced still remains a mystery. The Chauffeur prides herself on being tight-lipped and focused on the job at hand, rarely sparing time for small talk.
Boasting a stable of technologically-augmented cars, trucks, and other vehicles, The Chauffeur offers her services to criminal cabals in need of transportation. Whether moving goods across borders, serving as a getaway driver, or any number of other roles, The Chauffeur provides her services at a premium price to whomever can afford her exorbitant fees.
Those that do pay for her services, however? They can't speak more highly of her. The Chauffeur managed to outrun a convoy of fifteen Megalopolis SWAT cruisers, themselves backed up by three police helicopters and a full blockade along Interstate 14. She managed to cross the full United States in 24 straight hours, ensuring that mob boss Enzo de la Porre was outside the country before he could be extradited. SWAT drivers and field agents tell of her car dropping EMP grenades that shut off their engines, her tires sprouting spines that enabled her to drive up vertical rises, and a hood-mounted ion cannon cable of taking out an armored military helicopter.
One clue, though, remains as to The Chauffer's true identity. One of her most recent jobs, working for a think-tank group affiliated with TALOS, was apparently done 'gratis'. The only payment The Chauffer asked for was the purchase of a vacant lot in eastern Colorado. That lot is now registered to one Josephine Weekes, a woman who was rumored to have been killed during the Deadline event. Josephine's father, Francis, was a noted racer on the French Grand Prix circuit...
Villain of the Day: November 7 (Martin Chakin, and similarly situated persons)
Martin Chakin lost everything.
His home was annihilated in the first attacks on Megalopolis during the OblivAeon event. His wife and middle-school-aged son, Jason, were both inside as cosmic energy ripped their split-level from its foundations. His daughter, a student at Overbrook University, was one of any number of students slain as scions rampaged through the streets of Rook City. Their timeshare condo in San Alonzo? Vaporized. His workplace? Demolished.
All that Martin Chakin had left were the clothes on his back, the $15.75 left in his wallet, and his cat, Tibby, who somehow survived the destruction of their home, meowing plaintively as rescue crews tried to extract the bodies of Miranda and Jason.
The photo of Martin holding Tibby, sitting on the curb of a Megalopolis street, won photographer Salvador Eckert a Pulitzer Prize. The headline in the Megalopolis Examiner in the days following the devastation--bold text hovering over Martin's head, reading "Now What?"--stands alongside some of the most recognizable, most historic newspaper headlines of all time.
Of course, Martin was not alone. Few and far between are the people who could not claim at least one casualty within their family or friends during the whole OblivAeon affair. However, Martin's accidental noteriety began a curious occurance. Grief counseling groups, community shelters and support groups, and relief stations suddenly started to become hotbeds of rage, of frustration, and of wretched loss.
That's when Martin was approached by one Kristoph Adams, J.D., LLP. A partner in the Adams, Brekker, and Coldwell law firm, Adams reached out to Martin at a Megalopolis-area shelter, eager to hear Martin's 'true story'. It was there, over a cup of reheated coffee and military-issue MREs that the first seeds of Martin's suit was planted.
In May of the following year, Martin Chakin was in the headlines once more. "OblivAeon Survivor Sues Supers" read the Examiner's top headline, with an image of a Martin with Kristoph Adams at their press conference on the steps of the US Circuit Courthouse. Listed as primary plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit, Martin and his team of lawyers have effectively taken a three-pronged approach: 1) insinuating the the overall OblivAeon attacks were instigated due to the involvement of the Freedom Five and their allies; 2) establishing that the destruction of property and lives were caused by the negligence of said superheroes, and 3) establishing that no restitution has yet been made for those affected by said negligence.
As of this date, over 12,500 signatories have added their names to "Martin Chakin, et. al. vs. Sentinels of Freedom" Adams and his law firm have expanded massively, bringing in some of the most notable, keenest minds within the legal field. Investigations have been launched into approximately 3,000 of signatories' individual circumstances, all funded by a series of angel investors and 'donors', eager to see Martin's suit succeed. Even the formidable Brianna Hawke, longtime lawyer to the Freedom Five, has noted that the situation seems to grow more dire by the day.
Villain of the Day: November 8 (Gravedigger)
Rumor abounds surrounding the Gravedigger, with little verified. But, rest assured that none rest easy when Gravedigger is involved.
A mysterious figure, Gravedigger is behind the kidnapping and premature burial of no less than eight known associates of various heroes. The first known victim of Gravedigger was Jerry Carlson, the long-time neighbor of the Parsons family. Jerry was rescued, luckily enough, by the Freedom Five, but he was found unconscious in a shallow grave, dug hastily in the Pleasant Rest Cemetary and Mausoleum. Carlson claimed to have been confronted by a man dressed in the cassock and hood of a medieval monk, before being slammed in the head with a spade-shovel. Carlson remembered nothing more of the incident or why he might have been targeted.
This pattern continued in the midwest, where Setback's sister, Sarah, was kidnapped under similar circumstances. She, however, claimed that beneath the hood, the man was wearing a cowled mask, inlaid with a series of skulls. It was Sarah that first coined the figure as Gravedigger. Luckily for her, a pocket of air in the grave-earth above her allowed her to breathe just long enough for her brother and the rest of Dark Watch to extract her.
Other near-victims of Gravedigger have been Tyler Vance's sister, Randall Butler's mother, and Hugh Lowsley's cousin. In all cases, Gravedigger specifically targets the family and friends of known heroes, attacking them from stealth, knocking them out, and attempting to bury them alive. Only one fatality, however, has come from Gravedigger's attacks: Gareth Huntley, the nephew of Paige Huntley. While KNYFE was most distraught by this death, Gareth's assassination did reveal a single clue: a hastily snapped cell-phone photo during the attack shows a distinctive metallic tattoo along Gravedigger's left arm. Needless to say, KNYFE and her allies are eager to find this individual and bring him to justice.
Villain of the Day: November 9 (Sjambok)
Some villains are out for wealth. Others, for glory or vengeance. Still others for power or dominance.
Sjambok is none of those. Sjambok is after one thing and one thing only: a thrill.
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sjambok takes her name from a traditional weapon still used by riot police in many African countries. However, Sjambok is an expert warrior with all manner of whips, flails, and chains, eager to take on all comers. While often acting as a mercenary for hire, Sjambok often aids other metahumans as a hired infiltrator and skirmisher capable of holding her own against even the most seasoned superhuman.
Lately, Sjambok has taken up with Riposte in forming something of a mercenary union. Acting out of a one time Catholic school in Rook City, Sjambok and Riposte keep the peace in a common ground where Rook City's most nefarious can make trades, hire muscle, or negotiate contracts for assassinations, thefts and more. None dare cross Sjambok as she keeps the peace; Heartbreaker did it once and still has the scar to prove it.
Villain of the Day: November 10 (Maneater)
Watch out boy, she'll chew you up...
Alexis Hall has always had strange tastes. As a child, she was institutionalized by her parents after numerous self harm attempts. However, as it came out during numerous counseling sessions, Alexis' modus operandi wasn't for harm itself, not for catharsis or the ability to feel, or for any number of reasons within the self-harm paradigm.
Rather, it was for the taste. She wanted to taste blood.
Alexis' sociopathic tendencies were believed to be under treatment for years, following a two year stint in Overbrook Sanitarium and a regular mental health medication regimen. However, after her coworker, Jon Balsom, went missing, few could hardly believe the truth. Jon and Alexis had been flirty at work, but even their closest coworkers didn't realize that Jon had accepted a dinner date at Alexis' suburban home. Jon himself didn't realize that he himself was in Alexis' dinner plans.
Jon was only one of 5 known victims to be slaughtered by the Maneater, as Alexis was billed by the press. But, within the three deep freezes in her basement, police found portions of no less than 12 separate bodies, all butchered impeccably and portioned for any number of meals. The bodies often bear few discerning wounds beyond Alexis' butchery; investigators surmise that she resorted to stealth or other subtle means to incapacitate her victims.
At court, Alexis was deemed unfit to stand trial, and was remanded back to Overbrook for mandatory treatment. But, with the carnage and cataclysm of recent events, Alexis has simply gone missing. A manhunt ensues for the Maneater, in the hopes that she goes hungry before a return to treatment and rehabilitation.
Villain of the Day: November 11 (G. Perry Ellsworth)
The Megalopolis Examiner has always been a bastion of truth in investigated journalism. Their editors-in-chief, dating back to the late-1800s, had set the proverbial bar for journalistic ethics and diligence. So many corrupt trusts, organized crime rings, and politicians on the take were exposed through the Examiner's pages. And, when he took the post of editor-in-chief, G. Perry Ellsworth swore that he would uphold the standards that his forebearers had set down before him. And, in his twenty years behind the editor's desk, he broke story after story exposing governmental and corporate corruption at every level.
Now? His sights are set clearly upon the Sentinels of Freedom.
Ellsworth received an anonymous tip through the Examiner's social media feed, claiming that the Sentinels of Freedom program was illegally holding untried, dangerous metahumans in a set of holding cells deep beneath Freedom Plaza. While Ellsworth himself responded to the message, the account had already been deactivated, with the message unable to be sent. Ellsworth, however, was not willing to let such a lead go unturned. Choosing a handful of his most trustworthy investigative reporters, Ellsworth has begun assembling a lengthy case file regarding the construction of Freedom Plaza, the numerous metahumans faced down by the Sentinels of Freedom, and any inconsistencies or testimony from former Freedom Plaza employees.
Ellsworth's Sunday editorial this past week marked a sea change in the Megalopolis Examiner's treatment of the world's superhuman. Often the first to celebrate the heroics of Legacy, the ingenuity of Tachyon, the resourcefulness of The Wraith, and all the rest. His editorial headline, "Questioning our Heroes" was the buzz of Megalopolis for the full news cycle, with major cable news venues expounding upon Ellsworth's editorial, with talking heads debating Ellworth's points as if they were they were incontrivertible truth.
While Ellsworth has few true details, he does have a name: a young man named James Keller. To date, the Sentinels of Freedom have refused to acknowledge any of Ellsworth's allegations and their press coordinator has not issued any statement regarding Ellsworth's editorial. However, radio silence has not deterred the truth: Ellsworth and his reporters continue their digging...
NPC of the Day: November 12 (Martin Liebowicz)
Either Martin Liebowicz is either the luckiest man on Earth, or perhaps the man with the best timing to have ever have lived. In either case, the universe may well have revolved around Martin.
When Baron Blade first menaced Megalopolis, Martin was there with his camera, providing the first pictures of Blade and his Battalions marching down Central Avenue. When Grand Warlord Voss offered peace in exchange for the life of the inhuman Tempest, Martin was comfortably seated in an adjoining Dad's Cafe, enjoying a patty melt and skinny fries. When Citizen Dawn and her legions held the mayor of Megalopolis hostage, Martin was stuck in traffic, just behind the armored cars filled with the ill-fated gold for the mayor's ransom. In every case, Martin managed to make it through with the help of a hero's timely intervention: Tachyon sweeping him up before Martin could be squashed by a walking tank, a well-timed ice wall from Absolute Zero to shield the adjacent buildings, and a quick extraction from Expatriette before the gold shipment was destroyed.
However, never let it be said that Martin was ungrateful. No matter how many times he managed to be in life-threatening peril, no matter how many times death stared Martin in the face, he never blinked. He knew that the heroes of the world were there for him, and for everyone. And what's more, no matter how dire the circumstance, Martin was always there to offer a few words of inspiration and strength. Tyler Vance still tells of the day he found Martin, trapped under his flipped car during a phenomenal windstorm caused by the Deadline event. His Bunker suit shredded by flying debris and hailstones, Tyler felt broken and helpless as he tried to shield the two of them with the remains of his suit. Martin laid a hand on Tyler's shoulder and told him, "You've always been a hero, Bunker. Suit or no, you're as tough as nails and you're one of the best this world has to offer. Let's get back out there and get the job done..."
When Martin was hospitalized three years ago with a degenerative heart condition, the Freedom Five and their allies were there in an instant, offering their condolences and any aid they could offer. If nothing else, Martin was someone who had shared their stories and had become nothing short of family.
(All our best to the family of the father of our heroes, Stan Lee. Valhalla awaits...)
Villain of the Day: November 13 (Little Udon)
When most people think of powerful martial artists, they think of the reaping blows of kung fu, the slow meditative strikes of tai chi, or the sudden, brutal strikes of krav maga. And, while few would deny that sumo are among the most powerful of athletes, only a scant handful would put choose a sumo wrestler as a champion over a mixed martial artist. The hired goon known as Little Udon would prove them all wrong.
Born Jinmaku Tanogoro, Little Udon was a classically trained sujmo wrestler, who reached the jonokuchi status of wrestler at age 19. He earned his nickname due to his voluminous size--even for a sumo, Tanogoro was massive, easily towering over both compatriot and competitor. By 22, he was ranked as a maegashira, and by 24, he had risen to become an ozeki, second only to the champion yokozuna, and had won the Grand Honbasho at Osaka. As an ozeki, Udon received special commendation for his efforts in promoting the art of sumo.
However, as his fame rose, so did the supposed needs of his lifestyle. Tanogoro had begun to make friends in all manner of low places, especially amongst the yakuza. While he stopped short of actively aiding the yakuza, Little Udon was sure to take every possible route to ensure his own winnings and that his opponents took the fall. Sakai-san is allergic to a certain type of shellfish? It just so happened that one or two slipped into the chanko for the group meal on the day of that sumo's match.
At first, these efforts went unnoticed; both Little Udon and his yakuza contacts profitted greatly from Tanogoro's actions and Little Udon rose through the ranks. However, the owners of Tanogoro's favored gym were having none of this. After logging a massive amount of Tanogoro's transgressions, they went before Japan Sumo Association and presented their findings. Little Udon was stripped of his title, his honoraries, and a phenomenal amount of cash--he was shamed beyond shame...and now, he was angry.
Rather than putting him on the straight and narrow, Little Udon delved even deeper into his role as a yakuza underboss. Both a physical threat and the possessor of a keen strategic mind, Little Udon began working his way east, overseeing operations from Polynesia all the way to the West Coast of the United States. Even now, his contacts scour the ruins of San Alonzo for lost technologies, art objects, and other artifacts believed destroyed, only for them to reappear on the black market. In recent months, this had led Tanogoro to spend more and more time in the United States, overseeing efforts and selling off his underlings' findings to the highest bidder. And surely, there's no room for any in the ring but him.
Villain of the Day: November 14 (Tangle)
Most times, taking down a supervillain is the most difficult part of an investigation. When dealing with Tangle, holding onto said supervillain is much more difficult than catching them in the first place.
Going by the name Reyn Magnimund, Tangle gained fame as a performer with the Cirque d'Lune on the Las Vegas strip. Reyn's greatest talent was as a contortionist; they were able to bend with phenomenal flexibility, performing stunts that few normal humans could even conceive of. Coupled with intensive training in gymnastics and acrobatics, Reyn became the toast of the strip, eventually performing on their own with a number of Las Vegas' most glittering headliners.
But, as it often turns out, a taste of fame was simply not enough for Reyn. Time in Cirque d'Lune was traded for duo acts. Duo acts were scrapped in favor of a solo feature program. And when Reyn couldn't fill the seats, they started turning to high-risk televised stunt events, such as leaping off of buildings while straightjacketed or escaping manacles while in a descending car crusher. But, even these were not enough. Reyn wanted more.
And, of course, that's when Tangle first emerged. Completing daring heist after daring heist, Tangle targeted the highest profile items on display from museums, art galleries, and private collections. Tangle actively targeted the most populous, most notorious areas, specifically so that they could show off their talents in new and unique ways. While captured no less than 15 times, Tangle eluded police, SWAT agents, FBI and GLOBAL operatives, and any number of superhuman heroes. No manner of handcuffs seem to hold them, no manner of manacles seem to keep Tangle in custody. Within mere seconds, Tangle manages to elude their bonds and escape within mere seconds of their capture.
Strangely enough, Tangle rarely ever takes any of the items they steal. Most times, the object of Tangle's heists are found blocks away, often in the hands of a bewildered bystander, eager to hand the item off to the proper authorities. For Tangle, it's all about the exposure and the thrill of the stunt.
Villain of the Day: November 15 (Peeping Tom)
Villains always seem to show up at the worst possible times. Celebrations, weddings, funerals, personal events--it always seems like someone's nemesis manages to show up just in time to cause a ruckus. How they manage to do this, of course, has always been up for debate. The answer, though, seems to revolve around a fellow named Thomas Nagy. Or, as he's known within more nefarious circles, Peeping Tom.
A private investigator with a penchant for his non-descript looks and attitude, Tom Nagy started his career for none other than Revocorp, as the corporation's underbelly attempted to locate the missing asset known as Setback. Tom trailed Pete Riske for over three weeks, learning his routines inside and out, learning about his relationship with the gun-toting vigilante Expatriette and his affiliations with several other heroes, all the way down to his favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni and black olives with extra cheese on thin crust, though he also likes the Supremo from Genoveses' Chicago-Style). It was through Tom's thorough reporting that Revenant and several other Revocorp-affiliated villains managed to corner Setback and Expatriette, nearly capturing the duo and severely injuring the hapless hero. Only through the barest of chances did the pair manage to escape the ambush alive.
However, with the fall of Revocorp and their corrupt CEO, Tom found himself out of his most lucrative employer. Lucky for him, however, his work for Revocorp has earned him a number of glowing recommendations over the years and, since that day, has had any number of would-be villains and crooks hiring him for background research, for access codes and floor plans, and for thorough dossiers on upcoming targets. Tom's knack for organization and categorization make him a favorite among several successful villain organizations, and the formatting of his profiles on heroes has become the gold standard for even those within the legitimate intelligence industry.
In recent days, though, Tom has gone somewhat quiet. One of his acquaintances at the Wrecthed Hive noted that Tom had gotten a plain manila envelope recently, apparently with a strange job offer. Could it be that the Peeping Tom has added his talents to the mysterious intelligence organization known as Scrutiny?
Villain of the Day: November 16 (Jadwiga Cirilov, aka Jadwiga Madman)
The battlefields of Eastern Europe have seen their share of strife over the years. From the urban warfare in the former Yugoslavia to Apostate's attack on the Vatican to the Sanctioning of Mordengrad, bloodshed has filled the streets and gutters of cities across Europe's eastern half.
The mercenary known as Jadwiga Madman has turned this strife into a profitable business model.
First identified as a Mordengradian-expatriate living in the Czech Republic, Jadwiga Cirilov served as a hired gun with a number of companies working for both the Serbs and the Croats during the Bosnian conflcts in the 1990s. However, company after company cut Jadwiga loose, as he regularly flaunted the so-called "rules of engagement", unafraid to destroy civilian buildings and to take non-combatant hostages as human shields in order to make his way through occupied territory. After doing this with a company known as Morgan's Fall, his company commander angrily confronted Jadwiga, only for the Madman to snap the commander's knee with a well-placed kick, then nearly behead him with a vicious throat-slashing.
Stealing as much cash and as many arms as possible, Jadwiga and some of his closest followers fled the field for Georgia, where they took on jobs for Russian black ops operatives along the borders of Georgia and the Ukraine. Jadwiga's legend grew significantly over this time, with refugees telling of the horrors Jadwiga and his men had wrought over the whole of the region. This also included a vicious takedown of the Sentinels of Freedom-affiliated hero known as Ki-Rin, which was later televised and broadcast over sevral Russian tv stations.
Jadwiga Madman has gone off the grid for a number of months, though some sources cite him as being active along the India/Pakistan border. What international carnage he might wreak there, however, remains to be seen.