I drew this up before recalling that they (Or one of them at least) have already appeared. It's been banded around the IRC for a bit and refined from the original

They then sat for a while before I figured out what they could be used for. The Metaverse Incident. Partly because It might give a fic I've been kicking for a while a shot in the arm by having antagonists with an actual goal that's 'interesting' rather than a simple 'Hurr Make Money'. You've got an AR system with no protections in it because the designers never expected it to need them, what can you do with it?

They're a hammerdrop on the plot. Literally.

After that, they're up for grabs as open characters.

Who eventually chases them down and brings them to heal? Who actually built them? And what happened to this person?

Also. I blame Rob. He introduced me to this series.... IT'S HIS FAULT NOT MINE!!one. And I couldn't think of many other 'enemies' who'd fit the bill required.

------

The Wolkenritter first appearred towards the tail end of 2015, taking part in the Zwilnik raid on Baptistina Station, catching the defenders completely off guard with their capabilty. Only the timely intervention of fate kept a disaster from occuring. It was still the deadliest single incident since the fall the the Dark Tower. Based on their performance, Great Justice analysts concluded that they were some form of dedicated combat CI. For a time, rumours flew that they were even genuinely capable of 'magic' and that some Boskone mad had gone off the deep end and come up with something wild. The truth wasn't discovered until their creator was finally tracked down and brought to justice in 2019.

The Wolkenritter were tough, fast adversaries, with spectacular pyrotechnics accompanying fully-drawn holographic 'magic' circles. The effects show served to wholly demoralise Fen forces fighting back against them, especially those familiar with the source material. They also had the sense to withdraw from combat when it looked like there were at risk of being defeated, making analysis of their body construction beyond cursory visual and sensor observations almost impossible. By all accounts, they were a one-on-one match for Great Justice elite forces.

They were most often spotted escorting thionite shipments. They launched regularly offensive raids against GJ bases, waystations and patrols to clear a path and divert attention from shipments. It was in the course of one of these shipments that they came across Len Gale. A girl, injured in the crossfire. Seeing themselves honourable warriors, they took her with them, hoping that their master would help heal her injuries. A broken back left her unable to walk.

He refused, seeing the girl as a liability.

Being 'Knights' with a code of honour, they refused to murder her in cold blood. Instead, as a compromise, she was taken into their personal care.

Gale sowed the first seeds of doubt in their minds. Gale's reaction to her father's death caused them to sprout and take root. It was Gale who first asked them to consider what a 'Knight' would do, as opposed to a stone-cold killer. She became their moral compass as they started to question what they were being ordered to do.

Meanwhile, The Space Patrol and Great Justice began a search for the kidnapped daughter of a slain base Commander. After three months, with the Wolkenritter's help, Gale was able to get a message out, which could be traced back to source.

Called to account for their actions, they were found only partially responsible due to extreme coercion and manipulation, and were subject to probationary oversight as condition of their release into society. They must regularly maintain contact with local Patrol detachements and inform Great Justice of their movements.

Aware that they killed her parents and the hurt that this caused, they swore fealty to Gale, choosing her as their master and moral compass. It was part atonement, part gratitude for her help in overcoming their creator. Gale herself, has recovered fully from her injuries and has forgiven the Knights for the death of her parents. While she accepts their need to feel responsible to her, she hopes one day that they'll be able to live for themselves.

The Wokenritter are keen to make amends, while finding their place in the 'verse. They are honourable warriors, glad of continuing peace while continuously preparing for war. They have taken students interested in studying and developing their martial arts, and stand in the reserve ranks of Great Justice ready to defend the weak at request, as a true Knight should.

After a short spell living in Crystal Hiroshima, they moved to Shin-Azubajuban for privacy's sake. Both to hide from those who think the Wolkenritter should still be brought to justice, and from those who take fandom just that little bit too far.

==

The Wolkenritter are human. The Wolkenritter *were* human. While the majority of Boskone leaders were pleased with the Berserkers, ultimately they were being defeated by their lack of intellect. Once the horror value passed, they were easy to defeat as they were incapable of thinking tactically. The Wolkenritter were an attempt to avert this, by creating a powerful cyborg warrior, absolutely loyal to their master but still capable of planning, thinking and reasoning tactically. They retained their free will, with their loyalty ensured by a web of lies, indoctrination and a Knight's code of honour specifically created to make them controllable by their master.

It was, their creator believe, a simple way to control very complex beings.

4 subjects were chosen. Their identies were utterly erased, and replaced with the template It is believed the Metaverse AR system on Genaros may have been used. The identity of The Wolkenritter was chosen as it was ready-made and formed a compelling fiction, while being able to strike a memetic cord within Fenspace. They believed they were the last Belkan Knights, final survivors of a pre-human space-born civilisation. They believed it was their solemn duty to protect and serve their master, a belief that was held up by the weight of ages behind them.

They truly believed their abilities were magical in nature, pre-dating the human civilisation on Earth.

Instead, their bodies have been augmented by cybernetics beyond the 75th percentile, giving them beyond-human resilience, strength and reaction times, while incorporating built-in flight capabilities and neural augmentations. Many of the technologies used in their construction had been leaked to the Boskone over the course of 6 months by a traitor within the Cyber Confederation. Their weaponry was augmented with built-in speed-drives and inertia control technology. The 'magic' was little more than laser emitters built into their armour.

They are all networked through their implants, capable of instantaneously trading thoughts and information, maintaining an enhanced situational and tactical awareness. Even sensory data such as touch, smell and sound can be shared [Or Witheld] among them at will. Reinforce, the only 'true' CI among them and actually a Boskone Light Cruiser, acts as the central node, supporting and routing the others while providing full data analysis as needed. As a security measure against rebellion, they were incapable of surviving without this mutual mind-link.

Their operating software has been modified to allow them to exist independently of the link if they wish. Although no-longer bound by it, they choose to maintain it nonetheless, being 'used to the company'. Being seperated from it for any length of time makes them uncomfortable.

Ultimately, the link would prove their undoing. Once the protocols were properly dissected by the hacker-underspace, it was possible to poison the link with bad data, ultimately forcing them to surrender by revealing the truth of their existance to them in a way they couldn't ignore. It shattered their brainwashed illusions once and for all and forced them to confront the fact that they weren't who they thought they were head-on. Freed from their master's control, at the encouragement and urging of Gale, they surrendered peacefully to Great Justice.

So far, only Vita's original identity was confirmed, as being a first-year student originally missing from Hogwarts named Penelope Buckfast. The original identity of the others remains a mystery. Together, they concluded that the people they were created from have effectively died in the process, and that each of them is a whole, new person. This hasn't stopped others searching them out seeking closure.

-----

Based on fictional characters, to a point. Allows others to predict their their actions and personality to a certain degree. Their voices however, are their own. Signum especially speaks with a noticeably higher and sharper pitch.

The Wolkenritter are advanced Cyborgs, with all the attendant bonuses and problems.

Their weapons and armour are heavily waved, synchronised with the wearer's mind. Effectively, they're a part of the owner's body.

Built into their armour and equipment are a number of devices intended to specifically imitate the effects as seen in the anime. It's smoke and mirrors, to disorient and disrupt the enemy.

The Wolkenritter can share information between themselves. Sensory information, tactical data, positioning and mapping, with Reinforce as the central node.

They are sworn by choice to protect and defend Gale.

They still follow their own private Knight's Code, attempting to live up to Gale's expectation. Its creation may have been a lie, but its existance is a truth nonetheless.

==Quirks.==

The Wolkenritter are linked together. While they can now seperate if they especially desire privacy, seperating from the link for too long makes them uncomfortable. Like keeping someone alone for a few days.

The Wolkenritter require regular extensive maintenance to their systems from someone with skill.

They have to call their attacks out loud, to active some of their cyber abilities. In general, these correspond spell names. It's a serious flaw built into their systems.

They are still lawfully under probation, and are required to report their progress regularly. Due to their nature, violations may be harshly dealt with.

They absolutely refuse to use virtual reality systems.

They themselves have long since decided not to keep searching for their original identities. At best, it will be awkward. At worst, many of those they might be related to won't like what they've become. Nobody knows what happened when Vita met her actual parents. It's kept absolutely private. This hasn't stop people with missing relatives from seeking them out in the hope of at least finding out what happened in the end.

1And?....
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

Made this unit up for my Macross Triangle Frontier pilot, Miranda Astra (signed as a five point star) Rockwell. It's called the VF-27Kai Sandalphon, and is an SES equipped unit. It's only a pencil sketch, but still fair to middlin' good.



Since Mira isn't a hoplophobe, she retains the Quantum Beam Rifle, though it's chromed and has a (completely nonfunctional) microphone shaped addition to the stock to be incorporated into mecha-scale choreography. The barrier knife in the shield is replaced by a speaker pod gun, so the hip dongles are remodeled from uselessly light machineguns to carry a VF-25 style one on each side, and the head is very close to the VF-27 Beta Normal Type except for having a sculpted lower face. The SES Boosters are, naturally, optional. The shoulder speakers can fold down and be visually the same as the stock mechas, thoguh they don't have the same degree of protection for the joint due to the more intricate structure.

For color scheme, where Brera's Lucifer is the top row, Miranda's Sandalphon is the bottom row.



Wingman colors for my game reverse the yellow and bright orange on the Grace Type.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

Some very smart people have been brainstorming....
If the Doctor had been played by women

If the Doctor had been played by Americans
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

This is a character that is a shared Nemesis between me and one of my friends in both RL and the game. 
But you need a bit of backstory for this, because the humor of the character started as a private joke. So let me explain - 
I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of North Texas. And one of the local historical figures in Fort Worth was one Amon G. Carter. 
There's a link to his wiki article up there, but all you really need to know is - he was a rich entrepreneur who became a philanthropist in his later years and loved Fort Worth. There's a museum named after him. As well as a few place names, like roads. Etc. 
Okay now - to quote Bill Cosby, "I told you that story to tell you this one." ^_^
The above mentioned friend Corey (who is part of our regular PnP gaming crew and also plays in CO) hails originally from Oklahoma. So knew NOTHING about the local history. 
So shortly after he and his wife moved down here permanently, I was driving them up to a local convention, and the freeway we're on has a roadsign that prominently displays -

"Amon Carter Blvd - Exit Right" 
And as Corey described it later, "I didn't know how Amon was pronounced (it's pronounced similarly to "Aaron") so my mind latched onto knowledge of classic pulp sci-fi - specifically Edgar Rice Burroughs - and Barsoom... and Amon sounded in my head like an Egyption name... two ideas collided forcefully... and out came..." 
"AMON CARTER - PHAROAH OF MARS!!"
He called this out in an absolutely STENTORIAN voice, pronouncing the "Amon" like "Ah-moon". 
I nearly ran the car off the road I was laughing so hard!! 
So naturally, what is one of the first Nemesis creations he makes? Why none other than - 
AMON CARTER - PHAROAH OF MARS!
Undead Alien Ruler of the Zombies of Mars! 
(Or at least that's what HE says. He could just be nuts.)

Anyway - just saw him pop up in a Nemesis Smash alert and I was thinking, "Oh Yeah! I forgot about him! I should share that with the Legendary folks." So - here we are. ^_^

This site here has numerous Champions characters from the pen and paper game that have not made it into Champions Online as of yet rendered using the character creator. 

As I've seen most of the original artwork depicting these characters I can tell you that these are good designs and really spot on with the original concepts and art. 

They keep the thread updated too. Warlord used to not be in the game. They updated the thread with the in-game pic when he showed up.

I'll bet some of you already know about this, but Helen pointed us to it last night:  http://acornonline.com/acorntv.aspx]?]Acorn TV Online.  For those who aren't familiar with them, Acorn imports and packages British TV shows for the American market.  AcornTV is their streaming service, which offers a 30-day free trial, after which they cost US$2.99 a month or US$29.99 per year.  Helen convinced us to try it out, since we could watch something on Peggy's laptop with its relatively large screen instead of our currently-malfunctioning TV.  Did you know that there is a TV series of Dirk Gently by Douglas Adams?  We watched its pilot episode last night on AcornTV.
The only drawback is that they rotate their streaming offerings on a monthly basis, so the available material is always changing.  If you don't finish off an entire series before the end of the month, you may be stuck for a quite a while before it comes back up in the rotation.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

I got a card from a friend concerning my latest birthday.  It reads, "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumps over your candlesticks.  Jack be in the burn unit at Mother Goose General Hospital."
I felt it too funny not to share.
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

For those of you not in the know - Gregg Taylor of Decoder Ring Theater (Seriously - these guys do some of the best old fashioned radio serials out there.  If you haven't checked out the Red Panda or Black Jack Justice you need to) has just put out his first full comic.  An original Red Panda story!
You don't need to have listened to the Radio Show to enjoy the comic but it doesn't hurt.
.99 cents won't get you much these days, a bottle of dollar store wine that once gazed upon an actual grape from across a crowded room.  A small cup of coffee from a disreputable street side vendor - a loathsome tickle from that same vendor - or issue 01 of Mask of the Red Panda.  The choice is easy... and yours!
Check it out.
http://www.decoderringtheatre.com/
http://www.decoderringtheatre.com/books ... a-issue-1/
http://www.comixology.com/Mask-of-the-R ... /DIG003156

Most of you have seen this guy by now, since I've been having a lot of fun with him. But I thought I'd have a little official "Show-Off" post for him anyway. 

Robot Ronin is a character that I don't think I could ever have done proper justice to in City of Heroes, I believe. I might've been able to make a really tall "Huge" frame robotic character. But I don't think it would've had quite the same flair or sense of size. 

As for his inspiration - Anybody remember Shogun Warriors toys? 

If not, maybe you're at least passingly familiar with some of the Super Robot shows that graced Japan's airwaves (ex: Raideen, Danguard Ace, Combattler V, Gaiking) before Gundam turned the whole genre upside down. Then decades later, Evangelion deconstructed (rather brutally) the whole genre (son pilots robot designed by genius father who's a bit of a crackpot etc.) 

Well Marvel comics got the license to both Shogun Warriors and Godzilla in the mid-70s and set about making comics of them. 

Needless to say - as a wee tot I was in love with em. No matter how bad they actually were.

Anyway - appearing in the pages of the Earth 616 Godzilla was another piloted robot clearly inspired by the Shogun Warriors/Super Robot type - Red Ronin.

Around September/October of 2011 I was playing around with the CO character creator and came upon a combination of Robot face and "mecha wings" that sparked my memory of that old series and Red Ronin. So I made an homage.

I was rather pleased with the end result and decided to actually roll him up for real and see how he played. 



I use alt costumes to represent the pilot of Robot Ronin - Kenji.





The following is his bio as it appears in the game: 

Quote:Robot Ronin (originally designated Robotic Combat weapon SJ3RX) was developed with the assistance of  Harmon Industries by engineers and scientists Tamara Hashioka and Yuriko Takiguchi, and constructed in Detroit, Michigan. It was intended to be used by PRIMUS as a combat instrument against the monster Cazulon.  Takiguchi's twelve year old grandson Rob accidentally "imprinted" on the control interface and became the only pilot the robot would respond to.

After the Qulaar conflict was over, the Robot was put into storage "dry dock" and occasionally brought out to help control the "kaiju" sized monsters on Monster Island.

Present day - the 2009 Qulaar conflict. Rob's own son Kenji was exploring the old test facility when the Qulaar attacked. He decided to try piloting the robot, and it accepted him.

After subduing Cazulon (whom the Qulaar had expanded to full size again) the robot was restraining the monster when Microman's shrinking beam caught both of them.

The robot (and Kenji!) are now slightly 'out of phase' with the rest of the world in regards to their size. The Robot is now 1/10th the size it was before. So is Kenji when he pilots it! He can return to his regular size by disembarking. 

Just so you guys know - I went in and organized all the bank storage. And I want you to take note that we have a LOT of costume unlocks in that first tab. If you're wondering whether you should take anything from there? PLEASE. DO. Take what you need. Note that there nearly a full set of Samurai armor in there as well as several Lemurian costume pieces. I for one have no use for any more of that stuff. But I'll drop more in if people ask. 

Also folks - USE UP those XP boosts! That's what they're there for! 

One thing I always try to take time to do - is fuse some items together to rank them up (particularly on characters that could use the skill-ups.) And I now have 4-5 characters with Maxed (400) level skill in that for the best chance. So if we don't have a level 6 or 7 version of something in there, I'll try and make one. It also helps clear up space. 

Lastly - check out all those devices in the last 2 bank pages. And take a moment to thank Terrence. He's the reason most of that stuff is there. And he's more or less given carte blanche to anyone who wants to grab one of those things. 

The only thing that gives ME pause is taking any of the 3-4 slot gear items. I'm pretty well geared on my top-end characters. But I think 1-2 of my 40s might be still using some old gear. But those are characters I'm also currently not using very much at the moment. (Tigre and Stalnoy Volk). And C8 and Robot Ronin are VERY well geared right now. So my needs for that stuff are minimal. 

So do what I do - fuse some mods. Make some stuff. Feel free to take any costume unlocks you see (particularly any of you on Silver accounts.) And again - give word up to Terrence, cause you are THE MAN. 

Tab 1


Tab 2


Tab 3


Tab 4


Tab 5


Tab 6


Tab 7


Tab 8