the Pinball Prophet

F
Gd 10
A
Ex 20
S
Ty 6
E
Ex 20
R
Ex 20
I
Ex 20
P
Ex 20
Res
Gd 10
Pop
Fe -2

*off
Ty 6
*dex
Rm 30
*mgt
Pr 4
*res
Rm 30
*log
Gd 10
*alt
Ex 20
*will
Rm 30
*mat
Ex 20
*pub
Fe -2

*def
Ex 20
*bal
Gd 10
*vgr
Gd 10
*sta
Gd 10
*mem
Rm 30
*awr
Ex 20
*pre
Gd 10
*$
Ty 6
*sec
Sh 0

Health:
Karma:
56
60
NH:
MH:
42
42

Origin:

Morris Niver is a strange little man who developed a curious form of magic with the help of his similarly strange mentor. This mostly unique magic form is what sets Morris apart from others, for he wields magic powers that are above and beyond those that evolution granted mankind.

Known Powers:

Schooling: Disciple / Eclectic Magic:

With the aid of a mystic mentor who encouraged him to do his own thing, Morris evolved a unique style of magic based on his favorite thing in the whole world: pinball. All of his spells involve chromed spheres in some manner or another, and he's designed the following spells thus far:

Armor (p): Morris' magical armor consists of a field of pinballs that float around him in an orbit that resembles that of electrons around an atomic nucleus, which move around to block any attack aimed at the man. His Remarkable (30) ranked armor breaks down as follows:

Rm 30 / Gd 10 / Rm 30 / Sh 0 / Sh 0

Eldritch Bolt (u): wielding this spell, Morris can conjure forth a volley of steel balls, balls that appear in an accelerated state. This makes for a powerful attack that simulates automatic gunfire, and Morris can inflict Incredible (40) ranked Shooting damage with each bolt.

Empowerment (d): a powerful spell indeed, this allows Morris to manufacture temporary and/or permanent magical items, though he generally sticks to the manufacture of his magic wands. He can use this spell at Remarkable (30) rank, giving items magic powers of like intensity.

Magic Sense (p): while holding one of his mystic spheres in each hand, Morris can perceive the presence or absence of magical energy in a person, place or thing. This spell functions at Amazing (50) rank, and helps him to avoid magical traps, invisible opponents, and more.

Teleportation (u): by throwing a sphere onto the ground, Morris can cause it to explode in a large burst of smoke and fireworks-like lights. When this clears, the man will be gone, having transported anywhere within 1,000 miles of his person (Incredible (40) rank).

Variable Spell (s): this school spell allows Morris to copy another wizard's magic. When cast, he can duplicate another spell by putting one of his pinballs between that spell and its target, copying it at Amazing (50) rank. He can then use said spell until he copies another.

Limitations / Enhancements:

(none)

Equipment:

Magic Wands: using a bit of alchemy his mystic mentor borrowed back in the day, Morris can produce magic wands, sticks about one foot in length, and topped with a metal ball one inch in diameter. Morris can enchant these wands with 1d10 uses of any spell currently at his disposal.

This comes in handy when used in conjunction with his variable spell. Morris has built up a small arsenal of magic spells that he's duplicated in the past, though he has to carry around all of his wands if he wishes to have access to them at any given time.

Morris usually has at least six wands on his person, though he likely has several extras of each hidden somewhere for use at a later date. Wands he is known to have made in the past have included the Annulment, Healing / Self, Summoning, and Topological Manipulation spells.

Pinballs: while these objects themselves have no magical powers to speak of, Morris' spells are primarily dependent on them; all of his magic utilizes or involves pinballs. If he has no pinballs handy, Morris is limited in his spell casting until he uses his eldritch bolt.

Quirks:

(none)

Talents:

Lore: while he had one, Morris' mystic mentor taught him well in the principles of magic, not to mention various areas of mystic expertise. The man should make any Reason FEAT in the areas of magical secret societies, history, physics, and entities of power at a +1 CS.

Sport / Pinball 2: not really a true sport, per se, it is a fact that Morris is one of the world's greatest pinball players. Morris can play like a true pinball wizard, even if he isn't deaf, dumb and blind, and should receive a +3 CS bonus on any related FEAT rolled during play.

Thrown Weapons: if all else fails, Morris can usually throw his pinballs at an opponent; say what you will about them, but steel balls one inch in diameter hurt when thrown. He can throw these, not to mention most other weapons designed to be flung, at his Agility (dex) +1 CS.

Contacts:

Morris has contacts in several areas of mystic society despite being on 'ice' for so many years. Furthermore, as a member of the new Boogie Brigade, Morris can rely upon his perverted, unstable allies for assistance should he need it; he's the sane one on the team, after all!

Costume:

When in action as the Pinball Prophet, Morris wears a sufficiently wizardly uniform. It consists of a rich, kingly purple robe, with all kinds of stars and moons and horse shoes and clovers scattered throughout. Not to mention his big pointy purple hat, and purple shoes with the curled toes.

Personality:

Morris is a proud man, so sure of himself and his abilities that one could call him overconfident. He goes out of his way to prove himself against anyone he faces, especially if said foe has mystical abilities, and will generally mete out insults and snide remarks at every opportunity.

Real Name: Morris Niver
Occupation: miscreant, occult researcher
Legal Status: citizen of the United States with a criminal record via the BAH
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: the new Boogie Brigade

Height: 5' 7"
Hair: white
Eyes: brown
Weight: 120 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Morris wears a long, billowy beard to go along with his long, straight white hair. He feels this adds to his 'wizard' look, as if his uniform didn't already do that enough.

Story:

Morris grew up in the age before the video game - in other words, he was raised on pinball machines. He loved the things, playing them incessantly throughout his formative years. Sure, he did normal things when necessary, but the goofy kid obsessed on pinball.

By the time he'd graduated from high school, Morris was a veritable pinball wizard, possibly one of the best on earth. He tried to live a normal life though, getting a job after his parents kicked him out, and only playing as much pinball as he could afford after paying his bills.

Morris wasn't very happy with his lot in life, though.

He started engaging in 'get rich quick' schemes and other tricks that didn't pan out, as he desperately wanted the money he felt could make his life one he could enjoy. While money can't buy happiness, it sure as heck can make your world a better, more comfortable place.

His tricks caught up with him though, after a confidence game he was running caused him to cross paths with a sorcerer. He quickly realized that he'd been deceived by Morris, and decided to get even with him by cursing him. Before he did this though, Morris' victim read his mind.

He was looking for what Morris would consider the worst fate possible, but after looking into what made Morris tick, this wizard felt that he'd found a kindred spirit of sorts. Seeing this, he decided that instead of dealing with Morris harshly, he'd instead take him under his wing.

Explaining the situation to Morris, our 'hero' decided to go along with his new master's idea, since the alternative would be unpleasant. The only problem was that Morris' new mentor was an eclectic mage, a wizard without a school - in other words, he had no organized path of power.

Hoping to spur Morris on, he challenged him to come up with a paradigm that his own magic would work under. Always a fan of pinball, Morris decided to go with that as his theme, and worked from there to concoct magic that worked with pinballs - or any other handy metal spheres.

Thanks to his mentor's potent knowledge about the workings of magic, Morris indeed concocted his 'pinball magic'. Loosely naming himself after his favorite Who ™ song, he transformed over several years into the Pinball Prophet! Oddly enough, his magic was pretty effective, too.

Having taught him everything he needed to help him walk his own path, Morris' mentor then vanished, leaving him to sink or swim. Turning back to what he knew, Morris then descended into a life of crime, one that was backed up this time by his powerful, unique form of sorcery.

As the Pinball Prophet, Morris caused all kinds of havoc during the 1970s, amassing a respectable fortune and a confused notoriety; people usually didn't believe what he was doing before their eyes, and assumed he was some sort of stage magician - even while he robbed them blind.

Though he made a momentary blip in media circles, Morris was eventually perceived by the Bureau of Ascendant Humans to be a sorcerer of some type. At first, they debated whether or not he was some sort of high tech criminal or a troublemaking wizard at large.

Once this was decided, Captain Cocksure sicced Team Beta on him, and the BAH's magic control arm quickly put the smack-down on Morris. After a quick trial, they threw him into suspended animation, a sentence that was to last for thirty years. This was back in 1975, mind you.

Naturally, only a year before he was to be freed, Morris was broken out of jail by Disco Head, who had need of Morris' help in slaying Gerald R. Ford, who had been threatening the world for years with demonic sorcery. Morris wasn't happy about this at all - no sir!

He just wanted to just do his time and be done with it, and then start over somewhere with no ultra-covert super-human police force, such as Belize, but noooo. Of course, the idea of avenging his lost 29 years on Ford, the guy Disco Head said set the BAH in motion, appealed to Morris.

So, Morris went along with this scheme, and helped Disco Head abduct Ford, the only problem being that it was too easy. Ford displayed no sorcerous powers of any stripe, and Morris couldn't detect any. Regardless, they put him in a cage charged with an annulment spell.

That was when Captain Cocksure, leader of the BAH, showed up with several ultra-violent vigilantes. They came to save Ford, so Disco Head took off with Ford and Miss Behavin' Maven 2, leaving the Boogie Brigade, the team of BAH captives he liberated, to fend the heroes off.

As it turned out, the new Boogie Brigade was not quite ready to deal with the likes of Cocksure's thugs, and were soundly trounced by them. Morris in particular was especially injured in this confrontation, and couldn't get at his wand charged with a self-healing spell.

In his condition, Morris was not able to avoid recapture by the BAH, who showed up shortly after the fight to clean the mess up. They carted him off and returned him to his cryogenic storage, though it is unknown how long he'll be there.

He was pretty close to finishing his sentence before Disco Head broke him out anyway!

Extra Goodies:

Pinball Prophet Universal Heroes Text File Download

Return to the Boogie Brigade main page!

Interested in using Technoholic content in your own project? Please read this beforehand!