The fact that Boa Constrictor’s mutation lay dormant for so long may indicate there could be quite a few potential snake-men out there. VIPER has been investi- gating the possibility.... Boa Constrictor terror- izes a city mall — but when he’s captured, it turns out this Boa Constrictor is not Jack Dunnet, but someone else who was in prison at the same time as Dunnet (and who vol- unteered for the same medical experiment) who mutated into an almost identical man- serpent. The PCs have to find out what happened in that prison and how many other Boa Con- strictor-level mutates might be out there. It’s a wrestling challenge like none before when Bulldozer (“that’s Mr. B-U-L-L-Dozer to you, pal, because the first syllable in Bulldozer is Bull!”) decides to chal- lenge VIPER’s most notorious wrestling villain to a match in a ring that he’s set up in the busiest intersection in town. Will Boa Con- strictor accept the chal- lenge? Will any traffic be able to move in the downtown core for the next hour? Will VIPER use this “battle of the century” as a diversion to stage a real opera- tion? Will the match last long enough for the PCs to wolf down a tub of popcorn? And just how the hell did Bulldozer manage to set up a wres- tling ring in the middle of town anyway?
DIAMONDBACK
Val Char Cost Roll Notes
50 STR 40 19- Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [5] 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 30 CON 40 15-
20 BODY 20 13-
10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3
23 PRE 13 14- PRE Attack: 4½d6 8 COM -1 11- 25 PD 15 Total: 25 PD (20 rPD) 20 ED 14 Total: 20 ED (20 rED) 5 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 20 REC 8 60 END 0
60 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 199 Movement: Running: 9”/18”
Leaping: 10”/20” Swimming: 6”/12”
Cost Powers END
16 Poison Spittle: RKA 1 point, Continuous (+1), NND (defense is Force Field; +1), Does BODY (+1); Limited Range (8”; -¼), 8 Charges lasting for 1 Turn each
(neutralized with vinegar; -0) [8 x 1 Turn] 22 Claws: HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR), Armor
Piercing (+½) 2
10 Fangs: HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR),
Penetrating (x2; +1) 1
35 Venom: Drain CON 3d6, Delayed Recov- ery Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Fangs Must Do BODY (-½) 1 Martial Arts: VIPER Brawling
Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort 4 Dodge — +5 Dodge, Affects
All Attacks, Abort 4 Punch +0 +2 12d6 Strike 3 Throw +0 +1 10d6 + v/5;
Target Falls 20 Scaly Skin: Damage Resistance
(20 PD/20 ED) 0
60 Tough Body: Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 0 6 Serpentine Form: Life Support (Extended
Breathing: 1 END per Turn; Immunity to
Zootoxins) 0
6 Serpent’s Speed: Running +3” (9” total) 1 4 Serpent’s Speed: Swimming +4” (6” total) 1
Perk
5 Fringe Benefit: Membership (Dragon Branch)
Skills
20 +4 HTH
2 Animal Handler (Snakes) 14- 3 Concealment 11-
3 Fast Draw (Small Arms) 13- 2 Gambling (Card Games) 11- 3 Interrogation 14-
2 KS: The Superhuman World 11-
2 KS: VIPER 11- 3 Paramedics 11- 3 Security Systems 11- 7 Stealth 15- 3 Streetwise 14- 3 Tactics 11- 3 Teamwork 11-
Total Powers & Skills Cost: 258 Total Cost: 457
200+ Disadvantages
20 Hunted: UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 20 Hunted: Champions 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 10 Hunted: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching) 20 Psychological Limitation: Ruthless, Cruel,
And Sadistic (Very Common, Strong) 20 Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer
(Very Common, Strong)
15 Reputation: VIPER supercriminal, 11- (Extreme)
20 Social Limitation: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, Major)
15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Bernard Jamison) (Frequently, Major)
117 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 457
Background/History: VIPER’s experiments with creating superhumans often focus on the organiza- tion’s namesake — snakes. VIPER scientists work with serpent genetic material, poisons, and organs
to find ways to enhance normal humans into the realm of the superhuman.
One such human was Bernard Jamison. Recruited into VIPER in the early 1990s, Jamison fit the organization perfectly. He was tough, ruth- less, and cruel, but took orders well and had just the right touch of ambition. His ambition led him to volunteer for some of VIPER’s experiments to grant agents superhuman abilities. He figured superpow- ers would take him a lot further in the organization than his trigger finger.
He was right — though he hadn’t counted on all the consequences of the experiment. Through a series of operations and drug treatments, Dr. Timothy Blank and a group of Project Mendel sci- entists spliced Jamison’s DNA with that of several types of serpent. Over the course of several months, during which the scientists carefully observed him, he mutated, losing his hair and other mammalian features and replacing them with serpentine ones. His skin became scaly, and he grew claws and fangs. He also developed enormous strength. VIPER considered the experiment a rousing success. Dubi- ous at first, and angry that the scientists could not reverse the change at will, Jamison gradually came to accept his new body and the powers it gave him. After some years he was so comfortable with it that he wouldn’t have changed back even if he could.
Since then, Diamondback has been one of the mainstays of Dragon Branch. Strong, quick, and capable, he’s commanded teams of supercriminals and agents on dozens of missions, and participated in hundreds more as combat support. Superhu- mans have captured him several times, but with VIPER’s assistance, he always finds a way to escape. Because he has callously killed several UNTIL and PRIMUS agents, he occupies a prominent place on both organizations’ “Most Wanted” lists.
Personality/Motivation: Diamondback possesses all the mercy, kindness, and sympathy of his name- sake. He has no consideration for the lives and feelings of anyone else (except those more powerful than him, such as the Supreme Serpent). In combat, he enjoys fighting dirty and inflicting as much pain as possible. After the battle ends, he often turns his attention to the interrogation of captured enemies. After all, a few drops of spittle in the right places is enough to make just about anyone talk....
Though not cold-blooded, Diamondback has psychologically adopted certain snake-like traits as his own. He dislikes cold temperatures and loves heat; he spends much of his free time in VIPER’s saunas, hot tubs, and desert combat camps. He also enjoys swimming, or even just laying around in warm, shallow water.
Quote: “I don’t need a bite to poison you!” Powers/Tactics: By merging his DNA with that of certain ophidians, VIPER’s scientists gave Dia- mondback strength, resilience, and reflexes far in excess of human normal. He strikes with the speed of a cobra and the strength of an anaconda. He loves to fight, to feel his enemies’ flesh pulp beneath his powerful fists.
But that’s not all he can do. His powers also include certain venoms, perfect for use on oppo- nents who can stand up to him in hand-to-hand combat. One type of poison he injects with his fangs (which, thanks to his strength and durability, can punch through almost any flesh). This poison weakens his foes, making them more vulnerable to his other attacks. If he can’t get close enough to bite, he can also spit an acidic poison over a range of 8”. Able to eat through nearly anything (though not energy fields), it can cause severe burns and injuries to even the toughest superhumans. One particu- larly vicious attack Diamondback enjoys making is a multiple-Power attack where he bites a foe and spits on him at the same time.
Vinegar neutralizes Diamondback’s acidic spittle. Dousing a spittle wound with vinegar immediately stops the spittle from causing any fur- ther damage to the victim (though it does not heal burns already caused).
Campaign Use: There’s nothing much unusual about Diamondback — he’s tough, strong, and serves VIPER loyally. It’s unlikely superheroes would encounter him outside of specific VIPER combat missions.
To make Diamondback tougher, boost his SPD, STR, and DEX, making him more of a “brick.” You might also consider adding a few inches of Stretching; that would fit well with his other ser- pentine powers and give him a way to surprise his foes. To weaken him, get rid of his natural weapons and venoms.
Diamondback does not Hunt heroes on his own. He only does so when VIPER orders him to, how it orders him to.
Appearance: Like many other VIPER superhu- mans, Diamondback has a disturbingly serpentine appearance. A mesh of fine greenish scales, much tougher than leather, has replaced his skin, though somehow without diminishing his sense of touch. He has no bodily hair whatsoever, nor a nose, and his eyes are those of a snake. Claws tip his fingers, fangs fill his mouth, and his tongue is forked. Except in cold weather, he usually wears nothing more than a loincloth or kilt-like garment, plus metallic bracers on his wrists.