Helter Skelter
Context
This character is an original creation. We often call these “homemades” or “homebrewed” – think home cooking or craft beer.
Many of these characters were created to take part in tabletop role-playing game sessions. Others were invented as a creative writing exercise, often as part of a community event.
As to this specific character – he’s the requested “Charles Manson” writeup I did many many moons ago. I’m not sure I remembered everything exactly right… but it should be close.
He was a main villain in a campaign that took place in MSH Classic . He was hideously effective, mostly because of his Neutralize Power (most of the group were mutants with mental powers, except for Night Ranger who was a normal guy with guns).
Anyone wishing to make use of him is welcome… If your players aren’t much for mental powers, merely alter the Limitation on his Neutralize Power to include all Powers. Nothing is as fun as watching your players try to cope without their powers against a guy who really plays for keeps. It really brought out my player’s creativity.
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Background
- Real Name: Charles Milles Manson.
- Marital Status: Divorced/widowed.
- Known Relatives: Kathleen Maddox (mother, Dc’d), Colonel Scott (possible father, Dc’d), Rosalie Jean Willis (ex-wife); Leona “Candy” Stevens (ex-wife), William Manson (stepfather D‘cd), Charles Milles Manson, Jr. (son, mother Rosalie Jean Willis, Dc’d ), Charles Luther Manson (son, mother Leona Stevens), Valentine Michael “Pooh Bear” Brunner aka Sunstone Hawk Manson (son, mother Mary Brunner) Possible children: Ivan Good (Son, mother Sandra Good.), Angel. (son, mother Linda Kasabian), Zezozoze Zadfrack Glutz (son, mother Susan Atkins) Note: These are only the known or suspected children of Charles Manson. There are up to 12 others who may be his children by various family members who are unaccounted for.
- Group Affiliation: Agent of A.R.C. One (former) the Family.
- Base Of Operations: Death Valley. California.
- Height: 5’4” (6’2” In armor). Weight: 120 lb (300 lb In armor). Age: 73 (looks no older than mid-40s).
- Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
Powers and Abilities
Without his armor, Helter-Skelter is an energetic, oddly charismatic cult leader. In the late 1960’s led a small congregation to murder with the object of igniting a race war of which his “Family” would be the only survivors.
Since the Invasion , Manson has demonstrated the ability to cancel the psionic powers of others, and to obscure himself from detection powers.
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Power armor
Not long after, Manson was gifted with the power armor which bears the name of his major philosophy. It makes him a juggernaut of physical combat prowess. With it and his natural powers he is virtually immune to the direct attacks of his main adversaries, the superhero team MATRIX, while being a serious threat to nearly everybody.
Helter-Skelter has been described as wearing “ginsu armor”. The surface of the silvery suit is covered with razor-edged overlapping scales of a substance which might be adamantium /ceramic micromolecular laminate. Combined with the extensive blades extending from the armor, physical attacks against him usually result in serious lacerations for the attacker.
The armor is equipped with large extendable claws which can rip through bank vaults or solid titanium with ease.
History
Endowed with superhuman powers after the Invasion, mass-murderer Charles Manson escaped from custody. He became a political assassin, determined to be revenged on society for confining him for most of his adult life.
Eventually he was contacted by agents of the future Computer Intelligence A.R.C. One. He was given a special armor and empowered to act in ARC’s interests. This primarily consisted of attempting to kill a major PC’s wife before she could give birth, and later attempting to kill his infant son. So far he has failed in his attempts.
Description
A huge figure in silvery, scaled and bladed armor, with red eyes.
Personality
Helter Skelter is obsessively unidirectional. Whomever he is there to kill, he will make every attempt to reach, until and unless it becomes obvious he is outmatched and cannot complete his kill. Then he will use his armor’s teleportation technology to retreat back to his mountain hideout and plan again.
All the while he is making his attempt at the kill, he will mutter vague and very obviously paranoid/psychotic ramblings about a coming apocalypse and the role he plays in the chaos. He has been known to claim to be an angel of destruction, a spirit of chaos, or the devil himself.
He has been known to go into combat singing old Beatles tunes (almost exclusively from the White Album ).
Quotes
“Do you, don’t you want me to make you ? ”
“Tell me the answer. You may be a lover but you ain’t no dancer.”
“Helter-Skelter is comin’ down fast.”
(In the middle of combat) “You don’t know what you’re doin to me, man ! I haven’t done nothing ! I have broken the laws of neither God nor Man ! *You’re* breaking the laws by keepin’ me caged up like this ! You are an affront to the world ! It hates you. The world despises what you have become ! My children are the ones who will inherit the world, rising up from the ashes of the coming Chaos !”
(Recognizes Tach among the combatants) “Your children are the ones who will destroy the world. I have to stop them. They have to die.”
(To his opponent, apparently a propos of nothing) “Look out.”
DC Universe History
Instead of ARC One, Helter-Skelter recieved his armor from Brainiac, and his armor’s sytems should be adjusted so that he is able to (barely) hurt Superman.
The armor should be given the following adjustments:
- Claws & Sharpness should be raised to 8 (minimum).
- Its Body should be raised to 12.
- Its Flame and Cold Immunities should be Raised to 6.
- It should have Enhanced Initiative: 14.
If the adjustments seem unreasonable, his natural Powers should be adjusted so they are effective vs Kryptonians instead.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Helter Skelter
A 1655 Point Character
| Dex: 05 | Str: 04 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Nihilist |
| Int: 08 | Wil: 10 | Min: 05 | Occupation: Former Cult-leader, Assassin |
| Inf: 06 | Aur: 09 | Spi: 07 | Resources {or Wealth}: 006 |
| Init: 019 | HP: 040 |
Powers:
Neutralize: 20, Obscure*: 10
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Neutralize: Psionic based Powers Only (-2), Area Effect, and Always On (+1).
- Obscure is Always On (+1).
Skills:
Artist (Musician): 04, Charisma: 10, Gadgetry: 04, Vehicles: 05, Weaponry (Exotic Weapons, Firearms, Melee Weapons, Missile Weapons): 07
Advantages:
Area Knowledge: City [California/Nevada Desert], Attractive, Headquarters: Expansive [Death Valley Hideaway], Iron Nerves, Sharp Eye.
Connections:
Powerful Connection: Low Level [A.R.C. One].
Drawbacks:
CPI (Homicidal), SIA toward Hunting/Killing the Children of Jeffrey Anderson Aka Tach, CIA toward Punishing Society, SIA toward Helter-Skelter, MIA toward the Beatles, MIH of “Straight” Society, Dark Secret: His True Identity.
Equipment:
HELTER-SKELTER ARMOR [/DEX/ 07 /STR/ 08 /BODY/ 09, Martial Artist: 08, Weaponry (Armor’s Weapons Systems): 09, Enhanced Initiative: 08, Claws: 07, Claws Being: 06, Sharpness (Claws): 07, Sealed Systems: 06, Thermal Vision: 08, Ultra Vision: 08, Telescopic Vision: 05, Regeneration: 06, Invulnerability*: 09, Flame Project: 08, Flame Immunity: 02, Cold Immunity: 02, Force Field: 08, Energy Blast: 08, Bomb: 08, Electromagnetic Pulse: 10, Projectile Weapons (Flechette Launchers): 07, Teleportation: 14, HP Cost: 800, Bonuses & Limitations:
- Force Field: User Only, Cannot Move while FF is up.
- Bomb: Represents C4 Gelpacks, Can be Used Only Twice before Reloading at Base.
- Regen/Invulnerability: Operates for both the Armor and the Wearer.
- Teleportation: The Base Unit is required to Teleport elsewhere. In the Field he Can Only Return to his Death Valley HQ].
Helper(s): wikipedia.com, Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi & Kurt Gentry.
Source of Character: MSH Classic RPG villain translated to MEGS.