The Scarecrow (Straw Man) from Marvel Comics

"Heeheeeheheeehehehehee"

 




The Scarecrow/The Straw Man/countless other names throughout history

F: Rm (30)
A: Rm (30)
S: In (40)
E: Am (50)
R: Gd (10)
I: Rm (30)
P: Mn (75)

Health: 150
Karma: 115
Popularity: - 5 (As an eerie avenger), - 10 (To occultists) - 30 (To the cultists of Kalumai)
Resources: Depending on the version depends on the resources. Normally not applicable in the Earth dimension (See below)

Talents:
The Scarecrow is a spirit of vengeance and fear, and has displayed the following talents:

• Mystic Origin*
• Psi-Screen*
• Unarmed Combat
• Acrobatics
• Tumbling
• Knowledge: Demonology
• Knowledge: Mystical Cults

Powers:
Spirit of Vengeance: The Scarecrow is clearly of vengeance, tied to the mortal world through a large painting of itself. Roused when the blood of innocent is shed against the painting, the Scarecrow animates a lifeless body made of straw and sand to act as a proxy or avatar. The spirit itself is immortal and incapable of being destroyed through normal means, and possesses the following abilities while in its avatar form:

• Unliving Body: The Scarecrow's avatar is essentially unliving matter - pr (4) material strength to be specific. The Scarecrow is immune to toxins, disease, poisons, sleep or unconscious effects (such as stun), and simply ignores damage effects done to it, unless by fire. The Scarecrow's health can still be reduced to 0, at which point the body collapses and the Scarecrow is sent back to its own dimension for some time. The Scarecrow is essentially immortal: It cannot lose Endurance ranks or suffer from vampiric effects that would drain Endurance ranks as its avatar is only a link to the material world, which can be remade/rebuilt after a period of 24 hours (usually).
• A being of Fear: The Scarecrow can cause Am (50) fear by laughing, and can freeze individuals in place by locking eyes with them (which forces an opposed Psyche FEAT). The Scarecrow actually thrives of fear, which allows it to raise its FASE when it generates significant fear in a target or targets. For every five (5) targets affected, the Scarecrow gains a +1cs to its Fighting and Agility (Maximum Mn (75)). The Scarecrow can also enhanced or cancel fear effects simply through an act of will if generated by someone else.
• Plant Control: The Scarecrow seems to have complete control over vegetation, granting it Am (50) plant control, growth, and shrinking. The Scarecrow can twist normal vegetation into horrific shapes (Trees growing gigantic thorns and the like).
• Telepathy: The Scarecrow doesn't speak (in its first few incarnations) but seems to completely understand and anticipate the actions of those around it 'as if it can read our minds'. For the purposes of this write-up, it is suggested that the Scarecrow has Rm (30) telepathy.
• Weather Control: The Scarecrow can control local weather patterns with Rm (30) ability, most favorably creating storms and large fog banks in which to strike.
• Stealth: The Scarecrow has the unnatural ability to not be detected - completely able to get the drop on experienced individuals suggesting it possesses the stealth power and Rm (30).
• Animal Control: Crows: The Scarecrow has shown it can control crows with Mn (75) ability, allowing it to summon large murders of crows to do its bidding.
• Other abilities: As it is suggested, the Scarecrow is actually a dimensional entity which acts in the world of man. As such, it possesses a far greater range of abilities in its home dimension or when it can manifest them.

Contacts:
The Scarecrow is connected to three humans who currently share custody of its portrait - Brothers Dave and Jess Duncan, associate Harmony Maxwell, The Thing, and Doctor Strange could be called on as allies.

Limitations:

The Scarecrow has shown several key vulnerabilities:

• Fire: Fire quickly destroys the Scarecrow avatar, doing an additional +2cs damage and removing an Endurance rank permanently from the current avatar when burned. Fire is the easiest and most direct method of destroying one of the Scarecrow's avatars.
• Linked to portrait: The Scarecrow is directly linked to the large portrait of itself, artist unknown. The portrait serves as the Scarecrow's conduit between its home dimension and Earth, and it is through the portrait that is is able to draw itself into the world of man. As shown by the team-up with the Thing, the portrait is the sole means the Scarecrow can access our world.
• Avenger: the Scarecrow is a dedicated protector and avenger of the innocent, and will kill to protect and avenge those who have been wronged. The Scarecrow will not hesitate to do this.
• Mute: The Scarecrow is mute (Although yes, later, it can 'speak' telepathically).
• Hideous: The Scarecrow is obviously not human, suffering a -1cs to reaction bonuses.

U-198 and crew from 'The Night Boat' (1980)

“You glimpsed Hades, Moore. You saw the place of eternal torture and damnation. And yet you are a fool to think it was a nightmare, to think you are safe, because the things you fail to understand cannot reach you. But I tell you, they can!.”

Robert McCammon’s 3^rd published novel back in 1980, The Night Boat had a very interesting premise – Nazi zombie submariners freed from 50+ years at the bottom of the ocean, the result of a voodoo curse which kept them between life and death, but still decaying and thirsting for both revenge and flesh. While not the greatest horror novel (and certainly not my favorite McCammon book…that write-up is for a later date), I found that The Night Boat offered something different and memorable. The zombies weren’t the traditional or typical undead, but a mixture of ghoul, spirit, and malicious tangible hate.

U-198 and crew

U-198:

U-198 is a German u-boat of the German VIIC, armored and able to withstand pressure and depth as well as armored with both torpedoes, an 8.8 cm cannon, a 28mm fixed cannon, and 2 C30 20mm cannons. Due to the damage and corrosion of being on the bottom of the ocean, the cannons are initially inoperable, but when capable are able to shell from ten areas away hitting two square areas for Am (50) damage. The light cannons and the fixed gun do from Rm (30) to In (40) damage, halving effective armor protection.

U-198 is initially unable to utilize its external weaponry, but its twin torpedo tubes are functional when unsealed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The U-198 has the following stats:

Control: Gd (10)/ Pr (04)

Speed: Gd (10)/Pr (04)

Body: Rm (30)

U-198 is considered to be externally damaged when encountered initially, hence the secondary stats. Once access to materials for repair, it can be repaired within 24 – 72 hours by trained mechanics (as seen in the book).

The Crew of U-Boat 198

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F: Gd (10)

A: Gd (10)

S:  Ex (20)

E:  Ex (20)

R: Typ (06)

I: Typ (06)

P: Typ (06)

Health: 60

Karma: 18

Resources: Fe (02)

Popularity:  -10* (See Limitations)

Talents:

The crew of U-198 have the same skills as they had in life, including:

Military

Navigation

Sailing

Vehicle Operations and Repair: Submarine

Firearms

As a result of their curse, the crew are considered to have Mystic Origin*

Powers:

Undead

Due to their actions during the war, the crew of U-198 were condemned to undeath, trapped in the bowels of U-198 for over forty+ years, rotting away and growing hateful towards the living. The crew’s perpetual state and cursed nature grants them their higher strength and Endurance, while their rotting nature has actually done very little to slow them down. As effectively cursed zombies, the crew are immune from poisons, toxins, disease, and normal environmental effects. The crew does not need to eat or breathe, nor do they require rest. The desire to eat the flesh of the living is more to do with the hate they possess and the curse they are under rather than a requirement.

The crew of U-198 shrug off most normal attacks below Gd (10), except for direct head-shots and fire, which can destroy them.  Due to their putrid nature, the Crew of U-198 are easily detected by smell, giving them a -1cs to all stealth checks. Finally, the Crew of U-198 are immune from effects which control or curse undead, as they are held in check only by their captain. The crew of U-198 only pause when their captain orders them to, and seemingly only listen to him.

Horrifying Appearance

Due to their rotting appearance, whenever a person first encounters the crew of U-198, they must make a Psyche FEAT vs Ex (20) intensity and require a yellow success or higher. Failure results in a round of abject terror from the sight of the creatures. In addition, each encounter with the crew of U-198 only lessens the effect only by degrees, requiring only a Psyche FEAT vs. Gd (10) intensity only requiring a Green result.

Group Attack:The crew usually attack in numbers of 3-4 or more, and are adept at using group tactics to attack and hunt. As such, unless impaired or wounded they will all act on the same initiative and attack as a coordinated group.

Contacts:

The crew of U-198 had various contacts in life, in death they have none.

Captain Wilhelm Korrin

The captain of U-198, Captain Korrin is the leader of the undead crew, cursed to wait at the bottom of the  trench until inadvertently freed.

F: Gd (10)

A: Gd (10)

S: Ex (20)

E: Ex (20)

R: Gd (10)

I: Rm (30)

P: Rm (30)

Health: 40

Karma: 70

Resources: N/A

Popularity: - 10* (See Limitations)

Talents:

Military

Leadership*

Firearms

Knowledge: U-boat operations

Knowledge: Allied shipping routes

Knowledge: Ships

Navigation

Mystic Origin*

Powers:

Captain Korrin has the same abilities and powers of the others of his crew.

Contacts:

During Life, the Captain had contacts within the German Navy. In death, the Captain has no contacts.

Limitations:

The crew and captain of the U-198 share the same limitations, born out their curse:

Cursed:The captain and crew of U-198 were cursed after their attack on the island of Coquina during WWII. While U-198 was sunk, the curse prevented the crew from dying, instead keeping them in a rotting undead state, trapped below the undersea shelf across an abyssal until freed. The crew cannot easily be killed, requiring the destruction of the U-boat in order to end it, although individual members of the crew were able to be destroyed by reducing their active health to ‘0’. The crew will continue to exist and are bound to continue their war until destroyed, and will focus purely on repairing U-198 and continuing their attack.  Due to the nature of the curse, Exorcism and similar powers do not work to free the crew…they must be destroyed individually or through the destruction of U-198. 

Hideous: While a benefit in some ways (terrorizing as it is), the hideous and putrid nature of the crew gives them a permanent -2cs reaction bonus for any interactions. Even those who knew the crew if are affected. 

Flesh for life: The Crew are not required to feed on the flesh of the living, but do so as if possessed by spirits and will kill and devour anyone who they can during their forays and attacks.   

Jake Kesey from 'The Wraith' (1986)

  “An evil force took his life, an unearthly power has brought him back, he is a phantom, a wraith, a cosmic spirit given another chance”

The Wraith is one of those odd movies which chooses an interesting premise and never fully explains elements of that premise. In the movie, the main hero is killed before the opening of the film, and it is his ghost/spirit/wraith that returns to not only seek vengeance but to get the love of life back, say goodbye to his brother, and return to parts unknown. It’s a different sort of horror film, and one that I had hope to cover last year.

Two things about The Wraith stand out – the very 1980s feel of the film (and cool soundtrack) and the car….the car is as much of a character as any of the others, and it certainly is both the tool of Jake Kesey’s revenge as well as the visual key of the movie. 

Jake Kesey

Jaime Hankins/Jake Kesey

F: Ex (20)

A: Ex (20)

S:  Gd (10)

E:  Rm (30)

R: Typ (06)

I:  Rm (30)

P: Rm (30)

Health: 80

Karma: 66

Resources: N/A in the traditional sense

Popularity:  5 (within his home area as Jaimie Hankins), - 10 as the Wraith (For law enforcement)

Talents:

Jake Kesey had several talents in his previous life that he maintains:

Auto-mechanics

Pilot: Street Racing

Pilot: Motocycle

Area Knowledge: Brooks Arizona

In addition, Kesey has gained the following abilities:

Combat Driving

Firearms

Mystic Origin*

 Powers:

Spirit of Vengeance:

Since Hankin/Kesey’s return from death, he has acted as a spirit of vengeance against his direct murderers. Although most of the time appearing as Kesey, when the Wraith chooses to act he appears in a black clad armored suit, surrounded by trauma braces and wearing a black featureless helmet. The Wraith also armed with a modified shotgun which seems to have unlimited rounds and can do Ex (20) shooting damage in a one area range (Rm (30) to materials).  In addition, the Wraith has the following abilities:

• Self-Revival: The Wraith will always appear to die in a fiery accident either crashing into one of his murderers or drawing them to a location and running through it. The accident will completely destroy the Wraith’s vehicle and in many cases himself….only to reform 1-4 rounds later completely unharmed and able to act. The Wraith seems to be able to reform himself and his car in the state that they were prior to the accident with no sign that they were ever in such an event.
• Justice of the Damned: The Wraith always knows where his targets are, possessing Telelocation specifically tied to those who were responsible directlty for his death. The Wraith will often silently give opportunity to the murderers to ‘race’ him, which results in their deaths, or the Wraith will antagonize his murderers with actions which would draw them out (such as destroying their clubhouse). As the wraith is destroyed each time he strikes, the murderer is also killed. The Murderer’s body is found always unharmed and naked, cool to the touch, and missing their eyes. All four of Jaimie Hankin’s murderers are found this way despite being caught in terrible explosions and/or massive accidents.
• Immunity: The Wraith is a spirit of vengeance, although he does seem to eat and breathe. Whether the Wraith is indeed immune to disease, toxins, etc. is up to the Judge and personal interpretation.

Contacts:

Jaimie Hankins had many contacts around Brooks, Arizona, including his girlfriend Keri and his younger brother Billy.  The Jake Kesey identity has no contacts, although by the end of the film he would be able to say that he had regained his former contacts.

Limitations:

• Need for Vengeance: The Wraith’s purposes in returning was to get revenge on his murderers. The Wraith is dedicated to that purpose and will stop at nothing to see justice done, although he is careful about it.  
• Secret Identity: The Wraith maintains a new identity of Jake Kesey, either due to the fact in his own words ‘This is as close as to who I can be to who I was’ or to ensure his actions are not immediately detected.
• Enemy: Packard Walsh and gang: The Wraith has several enemies in the form of his direct murderers – A man named Packard Walsh and his gang which operates a chop-shop and illegal racing group around Brooks Arizona.  
• Limited Time: Although not specifically stated, it is cryptically mentioned several times by Kesey that his time is almost up, that he’s only present for a short time, etc. It may be possible that Kesey has only a short time to put things right and settle his scores before he must leave the area or return to where he came from.

The Car

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Control: Rm (30)   Speed: In (40)   Body: Ex (20) Protection: Gd (10)

The Turbo Interceptor is its own vehicle, and as stated by Kesey has many unique and additional abilities when he leaves it for Billy Hankins. The Turbo Interceptor is faster and more durable than most cars, and when destroyed reforms itself as Kesey is able to. Eerie green lightning-like effects seem to arc through the car, as does an eerie red glow under the engine.