City-tier Power Level, Mystic Theme, Masks sheet
Guardian Ghost
A modern-day Mystery Man from a weird family of crimefighters“The voice of justice has spoken!”
Guardian Ghost is a member of Generation Zeta.
Alejandro Murphy is the great-grandson of the original Guardian Ghost, Sam Murphy, who put on a coat and fedora and fought crime during World War II. Sam didn’t have any powers to start with, except that he heard a strange Voice, which he described as sounding like an old-timey crackly radio announcer. The Voice told him secrets, like where crime bosses were hiding out, and he’d go kick in the door and arrest them or whatever. And the Voice was always right.
Sam had kids, and he got killed, and then his actual ghost came back and started mentoring the family. And his kids had kids. And those kids grew up, and they had Alejandro. Somehow, Sam’s ghost was able to imbue the family with actual shadow-manipulation powers from beyond. And year after year, generation after generation, the Voice would tell them their purpose and lead them to crime, waiting to be fought.
Alejandro is the first of the line not to hear the Voice. He inherited the shadow powers, but they don’t work quite right. His mother Maria thinks this is good - maybe he hasn’t been called after all, and that means he’ll be safe and live a normal life. His father David is confident it’s just a matter of time, and pushed him into crimefighting anyway. The spirit of Sam Murphy is still with the family, watching - and judging.
There’s one other voice that isn’t being heard - Alejandro’s. But he doesn’t know what he wants to say. Not yet.
Playing Guardian Ghost
Alejandro’s dominant emotion is uncertainty. His motivation is to find his own path forward as a crimefighter. He has the powers, he has the training, but he lacks the one thing he assumes is most critical: the authority to do what he does. His story is about taking the initiative and making decisions on his own recognizance, even when everything says he ought not do that.
Alejandro’s obvious inspiration is the Shadow. That character’s various incarnations (with or without powers) are represented by the Murphy family’s generations.
Plots
- Defeat a major crime lord or supervillain
- Reveal a corrupt industrialist or politician
- Avenge a victim
Dialogue
“No matter how far you run, no matter how well you hide, I will find you.”
“Darkness isn’t evil. Darkness isn’t bad. Darkness just forces you to find your own way.”
“Don’t bother offering me a bribe. My soul isn’t for sale.”
Comic Book Panels
A figure emerges from the darkness, wearing a black hat and cloak, face covered by a red scarf. He raises twin pistols and opens fire, shooting special chemical rounds to take down a bunch of bad guys.
The Guardian Ghost wields shadow to obscure his presence, prowling through a warehouse. When a pair of eyes do find him, his powers affect their owner’s mind.
The Ghost engages in a furious bout of fisticuffs with a major enemy. He teleports around the boss, striking from surprising angles.
Background
Who are you?
Alejandro is the fourth generation of a family of crime-fighting “Mystery Men”. The patriarch started with a hat, a cloak, and a pair of pistols, guided by a mysterious “Voice” that led him to crimes in need of fighting. Since then, the family has gained actual superpowers, but their mission remains. Alejandro is the fourth in line, but the first not to hear the Voice.
When did you officially become a part of your legacy?
Alejandro’s father David is the currently active “Guardian Ghost”. He introduced Alejandro to other adult heroes on his 16th birthday, proud that the boy had already exhibited powers and would become the next Ghost. A few of Dad’s cronies know about the Voice, and asked about it. Both Alejandro and his dad were evasive. But as far as these adult heroes know, Alejandro has the job.
What’s the greatest achievement of your legacy?
The original Sam Murphy stopped an international spy ring from blowing up a fleet of American Liberty ships. That put the Guardian Ghost on the map, at least in the superhero community.
How does the public perceive your legacy?
While the public doesn’t know too much about the specifics of the Ghosts, or that they are the Murphy family, they are considered American patriots. A Guardian Ghost sighting is considered a sign that justice is on the job. Previous Ghosts have been unerringly led to dangerous criminals and anti-government conspiracies, so while their methods and powers are sometimes questionable, their results make up for it.
How does your legacy tie into your reasons for being a hero?
Alejandro is enough of a Murphy to feel obliged to use what powers he has in the cause of justice. But if he’s not able to hear the Voice, can he really be one of the Ghosts? Should he even try? Or - perhaps, like his mother wants - should he put it away, and live a normal life? For now, he associates with other heroes, hoping that maybe this will get the Voice’s attention, or at least give him some kind of direction.
The Legacy
Hero Name: Guardian Ghost
Real Name: Alejandro Murphy
Look: man, Latino/White, comfortable clothing, predecessor’s costume (coat, hat, mask), no insignia
Abilities: shadow portals, mind-clouding, shadow cloak stealth
Labels: Danger -1, Freak +1, Savior +2, Superior +0, Mundane +1
When our team first came together: All things considered, we did well and impressed an established hero. Who was it?
TBD
Relationships:
- You once got caught doing something that shames your legacy with TBD.
- You trust TBD and told them an important secret of your legacy.
Influence: Give three teammates influence
Legacy Moves
I know what I am (the one thing he knows is that he wants to help people)
Words of the past (figuring out what to do is a big deal for Alejandro)
The Guardian Ghost Legacy
Your legacy is an important part of Halcyon City. Name the different members of your legacy (at least two):
- David Murphy (Alejandro’s father) is still active and prominent in the city.
- Sam Murphy (the original Guardian Ghost) is retired and quite judgmental.
- Katia Murphy (Alejandro’s younger sister) is the next possible member of the legacy.
Other family members:
- Maria Baez Murphy (mother) - daughter of a Mexican super-scientist rescued by David
- Jesse Murphy (grandfather) - David’s father, retired, former Guardian Ghost
- Laura Kinsolving Murphy (grandmother) - David’s mother, retired
Variations
The Voice
- The truth behind the Voice, and why Alejandro doesn’t hear it, will largely define the character’s future.
- For example, there’s a version where the Voice doesn’t speak to Alejandro because it knows he doesn’t need it. He has both the detective talent and the inherent morality to do the job on his own.
- Alternatively, the Voice might be malicious - a trick played on Sam Murphy and his descendants - and it won’t contact Alejandro because it knows he’ll see through it.
- The Voice could also be a lie, told by Alejandro’s parents to the public to justify their actions. In this case, what will Alejandro do when his predecessors tell him the truth?