City-tier Power Level, Vigilante Theme, Breathtaking Comics sheet
The Fractal
A polymath vigilante with well-hidden duplication powers“Middle Eastern military explosives, modified by private military contractors. Of course I can disarm it.”
The woman known as the Fractal is, by her own choice, a complete mystery. She presents herself as a dark-clad vigilante with a small arsenal of useful gadgets, from grappling lines to forensic scanners. She’s able to disappear from locked rooms, recover from broken bones a day later, wield a dozen martial arts styles, employ top-level scientific knowledge from a dozen fields. Her great secret is that she’s able to duplicate herself. This, combined with her mastery of disguise and imitation, means that she has dozens of “doubles” out in the world - studying, learning, watching.
Her parents were researchers on the fringes of interdimensional science. An experiment blew up, thanks to a saboteur hired by a rival organization. It sent her parents into another dimension, and endowed their young daughter with the power to “fractal” herself into pieces, then recombine later. She can rescue them, though - if they’re still alive. She’s done the science. The saboteur is entangled with a unique quantum key. All she has to do is check every possible suspect for the signature. And there’s a world full of suspects…
She has a variety of secret identities, from college students studying a variety of subjects, to beat cops, criminals, detectives, and scientists. She is a student, adventurer, athlete, and more in her various incarnations. Her mind is spread across the duplicates, allowing her to instantly know what any of her selves are aware of.
Playing the Fractal
The Fractal is a take on DC’s classic hero, Batman. She is able to do everything a well-trained, seemingly invincible “dark avenger” could do, but she has a different reason for what makes her so seemingly superhuman. As a classic vigilante, her motivation is to strike fear into the hearts of the wicked.
Plots
- Thwart crime through fear and misdirection
- Restore order to a chaotic city
- Save lives, one at a time
Dialogue
“Don’t bother asking. I’ve already put my plan into action.”
“I appreciate your professionalism. This is why I tolerate working with you.”
“No… No. I can’t go ‘relax’ with your team. I have… obligations. Sorry.”
Comic Book Panels
The Fractal drops into a new fighting stance never before seen, or unveils a newly invented gadgets, and puts it to immediate and expert use.
The Fractal, a few paces ahead of her enemies, races into a room and slams the door behind her. As the bad guys barge in, they find the room empty. Where did she go?
Other heroes saw the Fractal take a nasty beating last night. This morning she’s rattling off a synthesis of three different scientific disciplines like nothing happened. Can she be hurt? Does she ever sleep?
Position: Cold-Hearted Mastermind
- You give an order that ends badly
- You give an order that nobody follows
- You miss a critical detail
Past: Student of Everything
- A villain received your training, but not your morals
- A rival wants to test themselves against you
- Someone failed to achieve what you did, and took a darker path to power
Personality: Aloof Asshole
- You failed to tell somebody an important detail
- You make a teammate or ally feel rejected
- You thought you could handle it alone, but you were wrong
Powers: Lifetimes of Crimefighting Training
- Your mortal body or fallible gadget gives out at a bad time
- You can’t do it without the right device
- You can’t get out of this without revealing your secret power
Problems: Secretive
- Someone’s fear or mistrust of you spoils your attempts to help
- Your actions reinforce or justify the thing that keeps you isolated
- An enemy or situation puts you in the spotlight
Variations
Wealth
- How does she get those wonderful toys? It’s possible she doesn’t have the fancy gadgets often associated with other vigilantes, and has to make do with a few key things like a grappling gun.
- On the other hand, it’s possible she’s turned her skills and power toward money-making on the side, letting her amass a small fortune.
Personal Life
- The classic vigilante is a dark and brooding hero who barely has time for love or relationships. The Fractal might follow that pattern, shutting herself off from close relationships in any incarnation. This might actually make her stand out.
- What if some of her incarnations are in some kind of relationship (romance, close friendship, mentorship) with someone? Might she feel conflicted, as her different selves go in different emotional directions?
Rogue’s Gallery
- The Fractal will go up against some heavy hitters, sooner or later. Do they have an adversarial relationship, built on hate and disgust? Or is she trying to help them, and how receptive are they to help?
- A hero’s rogues often learn their secrets, sooner or later. What would her rogues do with hers - try to out her, or keep quiet about what they know, for a day of reckoning?