Monako, Prince of Magic
| Melee RV 10 |
Coordination RV 20 |
Brawn RV 6 |
Fortitude RV 20 |
Intellect RV 20 |
Awareness RV 30 |
Willpower RV 40 |
Lifestyle RV 30 |
Repute RV +20 |
| Health: Fortune: |
56 90 |
Origin:
The last bearer of a lost people's knowledge of supposed black magic, Monako is a sorcerer. A master magician, he wields astounding powers over the world of man, capable of bending just about every aspect of physical existence to his mercurial whims!
Known Powers:
Schooling: Master / Eclectic Magic: raised by a lost people of supposed black magic wielders in darkest India, Monako was trained in their ways since he was a toddler. Possessing all their knowledge, he is a true master of enigmatic sorcery, knowing these spells:
Ability Boost (p): when in peril, Monako can drastically increase his raw ability. Functioning at rank value 30, this spell can raise any one of his traits to its rank value, or by at least +1 RS, for 1d10 turns once each hour.
Alteration (g): this particular group spell has greatly expanded Monako's capabilities. He may wield any one of these spells each day, as much as he would like, at rank value 100: Contact Absorption, Growth / Self, Healing / Self, Invisibility / Self, or Shrinking / Self.
Animal Hybridization / Others (u): Monako has the power to transform living beings into other living beings, by either partially or fully combining their traits with another animal life form! Thus far, Monako can change other creatures into dogs, doing so with rank value 10 skill.
Clone Projection (s): far more potent than a mere astral projection, Monako can construct a duplicate of himself made from the imaginary form of matter known as psychoplasm, and steer it as if it were a spare, er, Monako. This spell functions at rank value 10.
Communication (p): thus far, Monako has demonstrated the ability to communicate with both objects and animals, though he may well have all four forms of this spell, really. He can use any of these communication methods with rank value 30 ability.
Illusion Projection (u): useful for befuddling the minds of the weak, Monako can insert false sensory input directly into their brains. This spell works with rank value 20 ability, enough to confound a small number of people with the subjective reality of his choosing.
Imaginary Doubles (p): when in danger, Monako can create a large array of illusory, duplicate selves. He can do this with rank value 10 ability, which forces his foes to determine which Monako is the real Monako before they can actually inflict damage upon him.
Inanime (g): this particular group spell has greatly expanded Monako's capabilities. He may wield any one of these spells each day, as much as he would like, at rank value 40: Conjuration, Glow, Kinetic Absorption, Object Animation, or Topological Control.
Mesmerism (u): the minds of lesser men are nothing before the mental might of Monako! He can mesmerize others with rank value 20 ability; while stronger individuals can likely shrug this power of suggestion off, Monako usually deals with ignorant thugs while adventuring.
Telekinesis (p): wielding the power of mind over matter, Monako can levitate objects at will, whether or not they are animate. He may do this with rank value 20 ability, which gives his telekinesis the equivalent Brawn to manipulate up to eight hundred pounds.
Teleport / Others (u): Monako can transport anyone or anything anywhere he wishes, anytime he feels the need. This can be a living being or an inanimate object, though the former can resist this power's rank value 30 by dodging the effects of this spell.
Transduction (u): though he doesn't use this spell offensively, Monako can wield it to glean information from his environment. One of his rank value 10 tricks includes transforming the heat differentials from footfalls into visible light, to track one or more individuals.
Transmutation (s): normally an aspect of alchemical magic, Monako has mastered this art as well. He can transmogrify the elemental state of one mass of material into another, as he sees fit, doing so with rank value 10 capability.
Witchery (g): this particular group spell has greatly expanded Monako's capabilities. He may wield any one of these spells each day, as much as he would like, at rank value 40: Density Control / Others, Growth / Others, Healing / Others, Invisibility / Others, or Shrinking / Others.
Limitations / Enhancements:
(none)
Equipment:
Wand: though it does not seem to possess power in and of itself, Monako tends to use his wand as a focus for his magic. He may still cast his spells without it, but will typically suffer a -1 RS on spell ACT rolls that he attempts sans wand.
Quirks:
Assistant: though he's not a side kick, and definitely not a partner in crime, Monako does have a trusty assistant. This man, Pere, usually accompanies Monako in all his dealings with the world, whether performing on stage or taking down various villains.
Skills:
Languages / English and Hindi: born to English missionaries and raised in India, Monako naturally has a keen mastery of these two languages. Whether or not he has picked up any further tongues in his many travels and adventures remains to be seen.
Lore: Monako is a walking example of the occult lifestyle. Raised amongst sorcerers since he was a toddler, he was steeped in their knowledge, and knows all about the sorcerous arts. Monako's Intellect in such areas of knowledge should be considered +1 RS.
Piloting: though he does not own an aircraft, one of Monako's good friends does - and doesn't mind lending it out, apparently. Monako has learned how to use this technological contraption competently, and may attempt fixed-wing aircraft Handling ACTs at a +1 RS.
Contacts:
Monako can usually rely upon those he has aided in the past for assistance should he but ask; he generally declines rewards for the services he provides, after all, which often leaves others in his debt. He doesn't seem to know any of the other heroes of his time, however.
On the other hand, Monako has a devoted assistant, Pere, who helps him in most matters.
Costume:
Monako wears an ostentatious costume whether performing or adventuring. It primarily consists of a black tuxedo, black leather shoes, a black leather belt, and a large, billowing red cape. Depending on his mood, he may wear a black top hat or a red fez while going about his business.
Personality:
Monako is worldly and wise, and loves to demonstrate his mastery of occult knowledge. He also enjoys talking at length about himself, and will do so whenever the opportunity (or conversation) allows. Though somewhat arrogant, he never accepts reward for his good deeds.
Thus, despite practicing 'black arts', he seems to work for the good of all.
Real Name: unrevealed, even to himself
Occupation: adventurer, stage performer
Legal Status: it's... complicated. Monako was born in Morocco, raised in India, educated in the United Kingdom, and is now resident in the United States. Precisely which nation can currently claim him is something of a mystery.
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: the Prince of Magic
Group Affiliation: none
Height: 5' 11"
Hair: black
Eyes: black
Weight: 185 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Monako wears a pencil thin moustache.
Story:
Born in Casablanca, Morocco, the man who would grow up to become the Prince of Magic was quickly taken by his missionary parents deep into India. There, they went to work converting the populace, but were slain suddenly by a remote people who practiced black magic.
Sole survivor of these tribesmen's vicious assault, the Prince was taken in by those spellcasters, and taught in their dark ways. Given the name of Monako by his second 'family', the Prince had mastered their sorcerous ways by the time he was sixteen - just in time, in fact.
Shortly after, this tribe was slain to the last by a group of colonial soldiers, and Monako was taken to his ancestral home. Back in the Kingdom, Monako received a proper, modern education, which he eventually used to right several wrongs he'd encountered while living in India.
In the course of his travels, however, Monako made an enemy of the diabolical Mr. Muro. Tracking him to the United States, Monako worked at hunting this villain down. But a man's got to pay the bills, so Monako also did stage shows on order to pay for his food. And his assistant, Pere.
Monako had little luck finding Mr. Muro, at least until he stumbled onto his attempted abduction of Josie Nottington, an acquaintance. As it turned out, Muro wanted to get his hands on Josie so he could coerce her brother, Al, to give up his secret explosives formula.
Rescuing Josie, Monako began to pursue his enemy, but Muro made it to Al's house first. Though Al burned his notes on the explosive's formula, the compound's secrets still existed in his head, so Muro simply grabbed the chemist outright, and fled the scene.
Having his 'stunt double' follow Muro's car in his cab, Monako inspected Al's home, only to find the place had been thoroughly thrashed. Seeing nothing else for it, he peered in on his double's progress, following it to where Muro had secreted Al the chemist.
While he couldn't penetrate the reinforced door to Muro's lair with his double, Monako was able to shrink down to the size of an insect, to sneak through the door's keyhole. Though ambushed inside, Monako defied Muro's thugs with a bevy of illusory doubles.
Muro was ready for Monako's trickery, however, and trapped him in an iron cage. Placing him and Al under a pendulum in his pit of despair, Muro waited for Al to crack and spill his secrets, but Monako was able to animate the sharpened blade above them and make it cut their ropes.
Shrinking to avoid Muro's thugs, the duo were unable to stop them from abducting Josie, and placing her on Muro's nefarious tugboat. But Monako knew the score, and being aware that Muro would return to Al's lab, he and the chemist journeyed there to set up an ambush.
Chasing Muro off once and for all, Al and Monako patted themselves on the back proper, but nonetheless managed to hear Josie's screams nearby. Saving her from the bomb Muro had set in his own ship, the trio then left to clean up the terrible messes that Muro had made.
Some time later, Monako had lost Mr. Muro's trail once more, and found himself distracted when a random thug accosted a fine lady down the street. Growing to immense size to ward him off, Monako realized he'd rescued Josie once more, even as that scofflaw fled for his life.
Though that goon had her briefcase, Monako was able to put a stop to his flight with his telekinesis, and the two rapidly caught up to the floating man. Little did they realize, however, that Muro was waiting in the wings to seize the briefcase, and fled before they could react.
While Muro made his escape on his airplane, Monako was able to follow thanks to a buddy who owned a plane, and chased after the fiend. Muro maneuvered behind Monako's plane, however, and opened fire - though once again, Monako's telekinesis saved the day, reversing those rounds.
Forcing Muro to crash by enlarging several hills below his aircraft, Monako landed the plane to apprehend the fiend and his minion, Tashu. But Muro and company got the drop on Monako, and left him for dead, tied to a cactus with vultures circling overhead!
Luckily for Monako, speaking to animals was amongst his specialties, and he not only convinced the lead vulture not to eat him, but talked it into giving him a lift back up to his friend's aircraft, which had been stolen by Muro. Naturally, Muro was not amused by this in the slightest.
Gunning down his vulture, Muro thought Monako would fall to his death, but instead he grew to immense size, and actually seized the plane in his hands! Muro then tried to defuse this threat by pitching Josie out of the vehicle, however, forcing Monako to rescue the falling damsel.
Accomplishing this and ejecting Muro from his pal's plane, Monako returned to the vehicle, though Muro and his minion escaped by transforming into a strange, green cloud. This magic of his helped him to elude Monako once more, leaving the mystic hero in the lurch yet again.
Later, on a steamer bound for America, Monako was whiling away the time by performing stage magic for his fellow passengers, because why not. After the show, he was asked by Lady Anne and Lady Olga how he performed his tricks, which prompted him to relate his origin to them.
Astounded by his tale, Lady Anne then left, only to be abducted by villains who wanted her jewelry. Seizing it, they bound her up in a blanket and threw her overboard. Luckily for the good Lady, however, Monako heard the rumpus between them, and rescued her with telekinesis!
Stalking them across the ship, Monako found the first villain and teleported his clothing clean off his body. He couldn't find any of the jewelry in the first thug's attire, however, so he gave it back. He manifested bars from nowhere to contain the fiend, however.
Unbeknownst to Monako, however, that thug's cohort saw him being dealt with via sorcery most black. Trying to get the drop on him, he flung a dagger at Monako, but Monako used his object animation to redirect it back at its source, which allowed his very knife to mock him!
Seizing the jewelry from this benighted hooligan, Monako then returned the valuables to Lady Anne, who thanked him profusely. Of course, Monako waved away any thought of reward, for he exclaimed that he truly enjoyed retrieving Anne's riches for her - it livened up the day!
After his ship made it back to the States, Monako had another gig, this time at the Elite Theater off Times Square. During his act, however, Monako spied a seeming dead man, flanked on each side by two thugs. Manifesting a lion behind them, he chased them off in no time flat.
Realizing he'd only been drugged, Monako interrogated the poor fellow, only to learn that they'd targeted his sister, Louise Lareen. Incensed, Monako collected his assistant, Pere, and went to the Louise's home. There, he made the whole edifice momentarily invisible to find her!
Accosted by an old hag and those goons from before, Monako grew to immense size within the house, but they fled through a secret passage, one which inexplicably had a pit of vipers at its bottom! These snakes were no match for Monako, though, who turned them into puppies.
Waylaid by these fiends, Monako was unable to prevent them from seizing the girl, but followed them to their secret lair. Siccing the police on them, Monako caused them to fire on the authorities, but ended their threat by making them believe their secret hideout was suddenly ablaze.
When the kidnappers came running out in a panic, they were handily scooped up by the local constabulary, which left Monako to swoop in and rescue poor Louise. Refusing reward once more, he urged his assistant, Pere, to return to the stage with him for his next performance!
The further exploits of Monako have yet to be revealed, but as a sorcerer of his skill, it's a cinch that he's solved many, many crimes.
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