Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 13 STR 3 12- Lift 151.6 kg; 2 1/2d6 HTH Damage [1] 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 20 CON 20 13- 13 BODY 6 12- 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- 25 EGO 30 14- ECV: 8 25 PRE 15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6 16 COM 3 12- 8 PD 5 Total: 8 PD (8 rPD) 8 ED 4 Total: 8 ED (8 rED) 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 7 REC 0 40 END 0 30 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 125 Movement: Running: 0" Flight: 9"/18" Leaping: 0" Swimming: 0" Teleportation: 18"/18" Cost Powers & Skills 10 Claws: HKA 1d6 (1 1/2d6 w/STR); Reduced Penetration (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4), END 1 5 Supernatural Resistance To Harm: Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED); Set Effect (Not Versus “Spirit- Cutting” Weapons and Techniques, Or Magic Powers; -1/2) 80 Supernatural Resistance To Harm: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Set Effect (Not Versus “Spirit-Cutting” Weapons and Techniques, Or Magic Powers; -1/2) plus Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Set Effect (Not Versus “Spirit-Cutting” Weapons and Techniques, Or Magic Powers; -1/2) 15 Already Dead: Does Not Bleed 15 Sense Of Purpose: Mental Defense (20 points total) 10 Already Dead: No Hit Locations 32 She No Longer Walks: Flight 9", Position Shift, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Invisible to Hearing Group (+1/4), No Turn Mode (+1/4); Only In Contact With A Fairly Horizontal Surface (-1/4), END 1 -12 No Longer Walks: Running -6" -2 No Longer Swims: Swimming -2" 31 And Just Like That, She's Gone: Teleportation 18", Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4), Invisible to Hearing Group (+1/4); Only To “Vanish” When No One Is Looking (-1/2), No Noncombat Movement (-1/4), END 5 5 Can See In The Dark: Nightvision 23 Cannot Die Till Her Purpose Is Done: Healing 1 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2); Extra Time (Regeneration- Only) 1 Minute (-1 1/2), Self Only (-1/2) 50 Undead Vitality: LS (Total (including Longevity: Immortality)) Perks 5 XSWAT Officer: Fringe Benefit: Concealed Weapon Permit (where appropriate), Federal/National Police Powers Skills 16 +2 with All Combat 12 +2 with HTH and Ranged Combat 3 Bureaucratics 14- 2 CK: Angelus 11- 3 Combat Driving 13- 3 Criminology 12- 2 CuK: Angelus 11- 3 Electronics 12- 3 Interrogation 14- 2 KS: Angelus Criminal Underworld 11- 2 KS: Assorted Irish and Japanese Folklore, Legends, And Myths 11- 2 KS: Criminal Law And Procedure 11- 1 KS: Entities 8- 2 KS: The Law Enforcement World 11- 1 KS: The Occult World 8- 2 KS: The Yakuza 11- 0 Language: English (idiomatic; literate) 2 Language: Irish (basic conversation; literate) 4 Language: Japanese (completely fluent; literate) 3 Lockpicking 13- 3 Paramedics 12- 2 PS: Police Officer 11- 3 Security Systems 12- 3 Streetwise 14- 1 TF: Spinner 3 WF: Small Arms, Clubs (Tonfa/Nightstick/Stunstick), Maser Weapons Total Powers & Skill Cost: 350 Total Cost: 475 200+ Disadvantages 20 Distinctive Features: Stark White XSWAT Uniform (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 15 Hunted: The Yakuza 8- (Mo Pow, Harshly Punish) 20 Hunted: XSWAT 14- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching) 5 Physical Limitation: Reduced Leap, cannot leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: Susceptible To Various Religious Wards (Infrequently, Fully Impairing) 20 Psychological Limitation: Must Make Up For Her Perceived Failure (Very Common, Strong) 15 Reputation: The Ghost Cop of XSWAT, 11- (Extreme) 20 Social Limitation: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, Major) 145 Experience Points 475 Total Disadvantage Points
Background/History: To the Angelus Police Department she’s just an Urban Legend, a story told to rookies who think XSWAT isn’t all special. To XSWAT, however, she’s considered to be as real as any other officer, even if only a small handful have ever actually encountered her. She’s Miyako Benedict, and she’s a ghost.
According to her file (which is now sealed and requires the Director’s approval to view), Miyako and two fellow officers were killed investigating a case of blood magic. Their bodies were never found, apparently devoured by whatever horrors the blood magic had summoned. However Miyako -- or more accurately her ghost -- appeared at her precinct the next day where she wrote an AAR (After Action Report) describing the events surrounding her and her fellow officers deaths.
When the issue was brought to the attention of Director Renuka, she was faced with a rather interesting quandary. Normally XSWAT eliminated ghosts, but on the other hand, the Director had to respect the drive and loyalty that brought an XSWAT officer back from the dead. So she took a chance and decided that considering all of the other officers who currently served in XSWAT, was a dead one all that unusual?
Personality/Motivation: Like many ghosts, Miyako is driven by the desire to complete a task she left unfinished in life. In her case, it’s her failure (or perceived failure) to protect a fellow officer and bring them out of a dangerous situation safely. This has made had her into a virtual paragon of the XSWAT code -- she’s the first in, the last out, and will never leave a fallen officer behind if she can help it. Miyako is also determined that no one will ever have to suffer what she went though, and considers it her personal responsibility to eliminate blood-mages and soul-devouring threats such as Entities and hungry ghosts. It’s not unknown for her to go after such beings on her own, even if ordered not to.
When not on patrol, Miyako tends to remain at her desk, writing reports. She no longer has much of a personal life, and even her fellow XSAT officers keep her at arms distance. Seeing as she no longer needs to eat or sleep, she often goes out on her own, to walk the streets of Angelus. More than once she’s assisted APD and XSWAT officers usually vanishing before her involvement could be confirmed. Naturally, this has done nothing to curb the stories of a mysterious ‘ghost cop’ patrolling the streets and saving other officers from dangerous situations.
Formerly a gregarious individual, Miyako has become withdrawn since her death and return. She says little, unless spoken to first, and is apparently slowly loosing her memories of her former life, unless they relate to her time in XSWAT.
Quote: “Sergeant Griffin! I’ve made contact with suspected supernatural elements and am currently returning fire! Back-up requested!”
Powers/Tactics: Miyako, due to her being a ghost, no longer needs to breathe, eat, sleep. She can go abroad by day, but lights to operate at night, as she feels it gives her an advantage over most foes. She can see perfectly well in the dark, while her footsteps are completely silent (in fact, witnesses have stated she doesn’t seem to walk at all, but stead ‘drifts’ along). She is nearly impossible to injure with any sort of conventional weaponry, unless confronted with magical weapons or powers specifically designed to affected the undead.
Normally Miyako carries an XSWAT-issue shotgun, as the rest of her gear isn’t ‘real’ but simply an extension of the thought form that is her body. Extra magazines for the weapon are kept on a secondary harness. If unarmed, Miyako has shown the ability to form her hands and fingers into sharp claws and is quite capable of rending an unarmored individual.
When on patrol, Miyako tends to take point, and will be the first to enter an unknown situation. By the same token, she’s almost always the last to leave, and will do her best to make sure her fellow officers and any citizens get out before her.
Because of her undead state, Miyako can be blocked by certain wards and seals. Various religious rites, relics, artifacts, and rituals can cause her discomfort and even harm, and in extreme cases will either force her to flee, or cause long-term damage.
Appearance: Miyako is of average height with a a fit build. Her jet-black hair is long and unkempt, and tends to fall across and shadow her face, allowing her red eyes to appear as glowing points. Her skin is very, very pale and cool, almost cold, to the touch. Her uniform is pure dead white, from the skinsuit on out to the armored jacket. In truth, Miyako doesn’t ‘wear’ clothes, as her uniform is part of her body. In fact, she doesn’t exactly have a body either, but instead is a solidified ‘memory’ (for lack of a better term) of what she used to be.
Designer’s Notes: The idea for Miyako came to me when I visited a showing of Japanese art at the Freer Gallery in Washington DC. One brush-painting was of a yurei (ghost). The combination of white robes, unkempt black hair, and red eyes struck a chord and made me wonder what sort of character an XSWAT ‘ghost cop’ would look like. I used my own Yurei character sheet from the Asian Bestiary II as a basis, added in the standard XSWAT package, and then went from there. Initially she had a lot more powers (such as Mental Illusions), but I finally ditched those as I felt she worked better as a physical, rather than a mental, combatant.
Miyako probably works best is she is kept behind the scenes. If she appears, it’s at a distance, or only briefly, the PCs getting a quick glimpse of a pale shape down an alley or some such. If she comes in close contact with the characters, don’t forget to emphasize her undead nature -- she doesn’t breathe, and is perfectly still when at rest.
You could make Miyako less powerful by reducing her defenses (specifically her Damage Reduction). To make her more powerful, add in various options yurei powers found in the Asian Bestiary II.
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