Astrologer
Context
As she began her career as a solo heroine, the Black Widow (Natalia Romanova) co-starred in the 1970 volume of Amazing Adventures.
This guy was one of her early foes during that run. He’s not amazing, but he more or less works and there’s good space to develop him further.
Background
- Real Name: Unrevealed.
- Other Aliases: Asty.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: None.
- Base Of Operations: New York City, New York.
- Height: 5’5” Weight: 148 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: White (sometimes orange).
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Powers and Abilities
The Astrologer was just a charismatic crazy with some astrology knowledge.
Unexpectedly, the Astrologer’s hippie henchmen were a genuinely tough and hardened bunch. His closest aides were remarkable athletes and combatants. Several of them seemed to be ex-military.
History
In the early 1970s, the Astrologer was the head of a commune in New York City. It was made up of random runaways, militant hippies and assorted antisocial types.
The Astrologer would “read the stars” to guide his associates in committing various small crimes. They considered these to be Robin Hood-like justice. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor, namely themselves.
In 1971, the Astrologer read in the stars that their fortune would be written in blood. His totally logical conclusion was a plan to steal the city’s entire centralized reserve of plasma for ransom. One member of the commune, a nameless young drifter, fled because he disagreed with the plan. The lad eventually came into contact with the Black Widow.
Itsy-bitsy spider
The Astrologer’s men attacked the Widow’s place, but were beaten back. Buring the fight the nameless young man sacrificed his life to save the Widow.
The Astrologer was determined to follow his “omens”, and only slightly modified the plan. His followers infiltrated the hospital as orderlies, but to steal a new plasma substitute being developed there. The Widow got wise on them, yet they managed to escape with the precious fluid and a key scientist, using the hospital’s helicopter.
The Astrologer sent one of his goons to relay their demands to the police for ransom. But the man was beaten up and interrogated by Ivan. Thus, the Widow followed them while they were moving the experimental plasma substitute, and engaged them on a pier in pitch darkness. She beat everyone up and rescue the kidnapped researcher.
Man overboard
During the fight the Widow and the Astrologer fell in the water. When the Astrologer tried to shoot the heroine with his blaster , the weapon exploded.
It is possible the Astrologer died from drowning while knocked unconscious by the detonation. He hasn’t been seen since.
Description
The blond guy in uniform is a typical elite hippie henchman. They had reluctantly shaved their beards to disguise themselves as orderlies.
Personality
The Astrologer is a nutter obsessed with astrology and pretending he’s Merlin or something.
He’s ruthless, perhaps even fanatical, and certain that the stars cannot fail him.
Quotes
“The stars do not lie, my children — nor my readings of same. If they indicate that our fortune is written in blood — then so it is.”
“That female is rapidly becoming a thorn in my tender flesh. Quickly, my son — take this wingless chariot up, as we planned.”
Zenobia: “Greybeard here fell right into our itchin’ little hands.”
Astrologer: “Naturally. That’s because I let the stars do my planning for me.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
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Astrologer
| Dex: 02 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 | Motivation: Power Lust |
| Int: 03 | Wil: 04 | Min: 04 | Occupation: Gang Leader |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 04 | Resources {or Wealth}: 006 |
| Init: 008 | HP: 015 |
Skills:
Weaponry: 02
Advantages:
Expertise (astrology).
Connections:
Street (Low), his so-called “family” (High), Underworld (Low).
Drawback:
Age (Old), SIA toward Astrology.
Equipment:
- Chloroform-laced cloth [BODY 01, Sleep: 05, Ammo: 03, Limitation: Sleep has No Range].
- When they were guarding their final heist, the Astrologer passed guns around and himself had a pistol. They were drawn like science- fiction guns, and the Widow referred to them as “blasters”. So, weirdly enough, he did seem to have access to Energy Pistols [BODY 03, Energy blast: 05, R#04] and Energy Carbines [BODY 03, Energy blast: 06, R#04].
Hippie thugs
| Dex: 03 | Str: 03 | Bod: 03 | Motivation: Mercenary |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 | Occupation: Hippie |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 02 | Resources {or Wealth}: 003 |
| Init: 007 | HP: 002 |
Skills:
Vehicles (land): 02, Weaponry (street): 03
Connections:
Street (Low).
Drawbacks:
Depends with individual, may include a SIA to some drug.
Equipment:
Saturday Night Special .38 pistol [BODY 03, Projectile weapons: 03, Ammo: 06, R#04].
Elite hippie henchman
“I can dig that, Astrologer.”
| Dex: 04 | Str: 03 | Bod: 03 | Motivation: Mercenary |
| Int: 03 | Wil: 03 | Min: 03 | Occupation: Hippie |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 03 | Resources {or Wealth}: 003 |
| Init: 012 | HP: 007 |
Skills:
Vehicles (land): 02, Martial artist: 05, Weaponry (firearms): 03
Connections:
Underworld (Low)
Drawbacks:
Depends with individual, may include a SIA to some drug
Note:
Some of the elite hippie henchmen had abilities even beyond such solid scores :
- Willie and Max had Acrobatics (climbing, athletics): 04. They attacked the Black Widow swimming down from ropes after having climbed her building. Willie was killed when the nameless young man sacrificed himself to save the Widow.
- Zenobia had Weaponry (firearms): 05 instead of Martial Artist, and a well-maintained .38 special revolver [BODY 03, Projectile weapon: 04, Ammo: 06, R#02].
- Waldo had Military science (demolition): 03. He used a tripwire-triggered gas bomb to stall the police [BODY 03, Fog: 05, Chemical attack: 05, Bonus : Fog and Chemical Attack can be Combined].
- An unnamed hippie did not have Martial Artist but Vehicles (land, air): 04 instead.
- Queenie, who looked like Zenobia’s sister, did not have Martial Artist but had Weaponry (firearms): 04 and a scoped M1 Garand [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 06, Telescopic vision: 02, Ammo: 08, R#02. Limitation: Projectile weapons has No Range – use the Range given next instead].
Source of Character: Amazing Adventures v2 (Marvel).
Helper(s): Frank Murdock.