Tullius Ballad
| F Gd 10 |
A Gd 10 |
S Gd 10 |
E Ex 20 |
R Gd 10 |
I Ex 20 |
P In 40 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Gd -10 |
| Health: Karma: |
50 70 |
Origin:
The literal evil twin of Doctor Lucian Ballad, Tullius Ballad was originally a normal, if twisted, human. Obsessed with killing Lucian to take control of what he believed to be their shared, conjoined soul, Tullius steeped himself in the darkest occult lore of Haiti. In other words, he is a two-handed Voodoo Houngan, which means he practices magic in a way that is selfish and evil.
Known Powers:
Schooling: Tullius is a disciple of Voodoo magic. This is because he has mastered several different magical spells from this school of sorcery, which is a curious blend of entreatism and alchemical magic, along with a little clericism thrown in for good measure. Tullius has demonstrated the following magical abilities to date, though he undoubtedly has access to more:
Vodun (s): this spell, intrinsic and vital to the Voodoo school of magic, allows Tullius to perform a special ceremony that invites a Loa, a sort of spiritual entity, to inhabit his body and 'ride' it for a time. While in this possessed state, Tullius may manifest special abilities based on the nature of the Loa 'riding' him, determined on a case by case basis. This is an Incredible (40) ranked spell.
If Tullius performs this ceremony for a mere round, it is likely that he will just attract a random Loa to 'ride' him for a time. In order to grab a specific Loa's attentions, Tullius must perform this ceremony for multiple rounds, each one improving the odds of success by one percent (simply roll percentile dice to see if this works). Or, he can learn specific entreaties, like the one below, to guarantee his success:
* Chain Beast Entreaty (e): while the vodun spell allows Tullius to perform a ceremony to attract the attention of the Loa in general, he knows how to invite a specific entity, the so-called Chain Beast, to inhabit his body. This Loa grants Tullius a +1 CS to his Strength score, as well as the ability to wield chains in battle as if he were a weapon specialist with them.
In other words, he wields them at a +2 CS to his Fighting rank, and has a +1 initiative modifier while the Chain Beast is 'riding' his body. If Tullius doesn't have any chains handy, the Beast will manifest some for him out of thin air, which will be attached via manacles to his wrists. These spontaneously created chains are of Remarkable (30) material strength, which is the rank of this particular entreaty spell.
Sympathetic Magic (p): by using a part of a person, such as a drop of blood or a lock of hair, Tullius can exert some influence over them. For one thing, he can attempt a red spell FEAT roll to peer in on what they are doing at any given time, or he can inflict up to Remarkable (30) - this spell rank - in damage to them before the spell is broken, and he must gain another bit of them.
Stereotypically, this involves grafting this part of the person into a 'voodoo doll' or some such, but it's really not necessary. The doll is merely a focus for the magic, and if he has one, Tullius may use this spell at a +1 CS. On the other hand, if he lacks an actual part of the person, but has one of their possessions, he suffers a -1 CS penalty to the use of this spell (but it is still functional).
Limitations / Enhancements:
Belief-based Magic: Voodoo is a curious form of magic, indeed, in that it is subject to the beliefs of those it would be used upon and those watching it in action. This is why Voodoo Houngans and mambos wear such garish, intimidating costumes - to make sure their magics work. If folks actually believe Tullius to be powerful, his magic can affect them as if it were +1 CS in rank.
On the other hand, should an opponent manage to make Tullius look foolish, stupid, or weak somehow, his magical power against the people involved will drop dramatically. In fact, against such persons (and the people who witnessed such an event), Tullius' magical powers act as if they were -2 CS in rank. As such, he goes out of his way to appear invulnerable and dangerous.
Weakness / Perfume: while he is otherwise possessed of rather high fortitude, Tullius Ballad (as is his twin brother, Lucian) highly allergic to a certain brand of perfume that is unrevealed, yet quite popular. When exposed to this perfume, Tullius will immediately break out in painful hives, his ability scores will drop to Feeble (2) in rank, and he cannot cast spells, all for 1d100 turns.
Equipment:
Humfo: this ceremonial area is Tullius' base of power. While within, he can cast his magic spells as if they were +1 CS in rank. As such, he often retires here to create alchemical consumables or when he knows a foe is after him. After all, only the most brave (or foolish) of antagonists would attack a mage - much less a Voodoo Houngan - in his place of power!
Quirks:
Fanaticism 2: Ever since he was a wee child, Tullius has wanted to destroy his twin brother, Lucian, and claim his soul for his own, believing that Lucian was in partial control of the single soul that was supposedly split between them. If an opportunity to do so arises, Tullius must pass a Psyche FEAT roll at -4 CS to resist the urge to use it, should he so desire.
Talents:
Lore: formerly well-respected for his power, and feared for how he used it, Tullius is oozing with knowledge about the occult, such as how to identify magical societies and practitioners, information about various magical and deific artifacts, and other facts probably best left unknown. His Reason score in such areas should be considered +1 CS.
Martial Arts type C: Tullius seems somewhat capable in a fight, having demonstrated unarmed combat capabilities similar to those offered by this talent. As such, he is well-versed in using holds and escape maneuvers, gaining a +1 CS to Strength for the purposes of grappling attacks, grappling damage, and escape maneuvers, and +1 CS when attempting dodge and weave maneuvers.
Contacts:
None to speak of. After the incident where Nightmask defeated him with nothing but a bottle of perfume, folks throughout Haiti have lost their respect for the dark-minded Tullius Ballad, and nobody there would help him should he need it. This Ballad son is truly on his own, and is in real trouble should he get himself into trouble that he himself can't solve.
Costume:
While acting the part of the Voodoo Houngan, Tullius typically wears a pastel green cape with an exceedingly large collar, bright purple pants, and two strands of shark teeth - one around his neck and another around the belt loops of his pants. Further, as an accessory, he carries around a wooden staff, though this is mostly for effect.
Personality:
Tullius is evil. Not quite evil incarnate, but definitely up there. For one thing, his driving goal throughout the years has been the death of his twin brother, Lucian. To this end, he became a rather powerful Voodoo Houngan, a sort of priest, and has practiced dark magics to slay him at long last. With his recent defeat, he has also become resentful and hateful towards the world in general.
Real Name: Tullius Ballad
Occupation: Voodoo Houngan, outlaw
Legal Status: Haitian citizen with a rather long criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: Doctor Lucian Ballad
Group Affiliation: none
Height: 6' 0"
Hair: black, going gray
Eyes: brown
Weight: 170 lbs.
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: none
Story:
Tullius Ballad's story is one filled with poorly repressed rage, lust for power, and sullen envy. This state of affairs began during his childhood, when his feelings for his twin brother quickly turned to hatred. This was, of course, because Tullius believed that Lucian, his twin, held part of the soul they supposedly shared - and he wanted it all for himself, in accordance with Voodoo beliefs.
Lucian, on the other hand, thought Tullius ridiculous for this, and when he was of age, left for America with one Doctor Salinger to learn medicine - psychology, in particular. Left behind with only his seething anger, Tullius turned whole-heartedly towards the art of Voodoo, and he didn't use it nicely; in fact, he quickly became a Voodoo priest that practiced with both hands.
In other words, he practices the darkest of black magic.
Though the Ballad twins' mother kept Tullius at bay, she eventually passed on, and when she did, Tullius acted at long last. He traveled to America, kidnapped his twin brother, and took his place for a time, acting to sabotage his personal life before dragging him back to Haiti to destroy his physical existence. And, as insurance against Lucian's friend Keith, he took Teddy Remsen as well.
However, Mambo Matilda, one of Haiti's more powerful Voodoo priestesses, acted to prevent Tullius' plan. She sent her disciple, Martine, to bring Keith to Haiti, and once he arrived, he confronted Tullius in a special Nightmask costume made by Matilda. This suit allowed him to utilize his dream powers while awake, to an extent - abilities that Keith didn't yet know he had.
Once there, the two fought, and though he was doing well, Keith simply couldn't fight Tullius forever. As such, his sister, Teddy, threw Keith a bottle of perfume that Lucian had proven rather allergic to, and he sprayed it into Tullius' face. When it puffed up like a ripe fruit, his followers lost faith in his power, and as such, it waned to the point that Tullius had to flee.
He hasn't been seen since, in fact. However, he may eventually manage to rebuild his power base anew, and as such, the threat of Tullius and his dread Voodoo magics should not be underestimated. After all, who in their right mind would ever forget about a madman who could theoretically return with powerful and dark sorcery at his beck and call?
Extra Goodies:
Return to the Nightmask main page!
Interested in using Technoholic content in your own project? Please read this beforehand!