Kestrel
(Annie Jones)
Context
Kestrel was part of obscure Marvel Comics UK team the Gene Dogs.
This profile is meant to be read after the S.T.O.R.M. and Gene Dogs profile, which has all the context.
Background
- Real Name: Annie Jones.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Gene Dogs (S.T.O.R.M. superhuman squad).
- Base Of Operations: S.T.O.R.M. Central, Northern Wales.
- Height: 5’7” Weight: 130 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Light brown.
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Powers and Abilities
When part of Team Omega, Jones was the tech and computer hacking expert. She has been a computers prodigy since childhood.
She also had enough military training to keep pace with the rest of the unit during commando ops, and engage in combat.
They’re like crystal, eeeehhheeehh
As Kestrel, she can generate planes of a crystal-like substance (or is it some sort of hardened resilin ?) from her hands and her back.
The slivers she generates from her hands are fed into custom-built bracers. These can shoot the slivers like bullets, usually in volleys.
Our game stats *assume* that she could also grow dagger-like weapons in her hands, or some sorts of claws.
Kestrel generates larger, wings-like planes of crystal from her back. She can use these to fly and hover. This likely means that her crystal has some sort of anti-gravity properties. If so, this presumably also helps with the ballistics of the slivers she shoots from her bracers.
Kestrel’s wings emerge from a device she carries on her back. This sort of nacelle might be necessary to grow proper, usable wings. She also wears armoured pads on her shoulders, presumably to protect herself from the edges of her own wings.
Kestrel’s wings are quite sharp along the edge (in DC Heroes RPG terms, Claws). Furthermore, these can be interposed between herself an an attack (shield-like manoeuvres). Kestrel can regrow damaged bits of her wings as needed.
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Tactics
Kestrel prefers ranged combat. She’ll hover above the scene and shoot her opponents. Being in the air also means that she’s an harder target. But when annoyed — which is often — she’s likely to close in for a punch.
When attacking people, Kestrel avoids using lethal attacks.
History
Kestrel is from Manchester.
Description
Presumably, Jones speaks with the distinctive Mancunian accent .
She’s also likely younger than the rest of the team.
Personality
Kestrel talks a lot. Usually to spout long-winded, stilted trash talk at the opposition. Her constant blathering in combat tends to get on the nerves of friends and foes alike.
She seems to prefer to engage other young women in combat, and comes across as judgemental.
Quotes
“You may not know us, Firestrike — but we know more than enough about you and your buddies — and frankly, we’re not impressed !”
“You caught us on the hop, toots ! But don’t rest on your laurels just yet !”
“Remember the plan, team — keep Hurricane guessing — don’t give him time to bring his powers to focus !”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Kestrel
| Dex: 04 | Str: 02 | Bod: 04 | Motivation: Mercenary |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 05 | Min: 04 | Occupation: S.T.O.R.M. operative |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 04 | Resources {or Wealth}: 003 |
| Init: 013 | HP: 015 |
Powers:
Projectile weapons: 04
Bonuses and Limitations:
Projectile weapons has No Range (but see the BRACERS below).
Skills:
Acrobatics (Climbing): 03, Evasion: 05, Medicine (First aid): 03, Martial artist: 03, Military science: 03, Scientist (Computers): 05, Thief (Stealth): 04, Thief (Security systems): 05, Vehicles (Land): 04, Weaponry (Infantry weapons): 04
Bonuses and Limitations:
Evasion – must wield WINGS (below).
Advantages:
Credentials (S.T.O.R.M., Low), Familiarity (Military equipment and protocols), Misc.: S.T.O.R.M. sensors can focus on the Gene Dogs’s gene chips to monitor them and their vital signs.
Connections:
S.T.O.R.M. (Low, from Credentials).
Drawbacks:
Fatal Vulnerability to lack of specialised genetic maintenance.
Equipment:
- BRACERS [BODY 03, Range: 04, Advantage: Scattershot, Note: The Range is attached to Kestrel’s Projectile Weapon Power].
- DORSAL NACELLE [BODY 04].
- WINGS [BODY 04, Claws: 06/09, Damage capacity*: 04, Flight (Winged): 06, Regeneration: 12, Bonuses & Limitations :
- The WINGS likely cannot be deployed if the DORSAL NACELLE has been wrecked.
- Claws can only be used at 9 APs against somebody right behind her (likely Wrestling or Grappling her), thought they can then use their APs as AV. Otherwise, it’s 6 APs with no intrinsic AV.
- Damage Capacity and Regeneration only apply to the WINGS, not to Kestrel.
- The WINGS can be used as a shield. The OV/RV bonus when using the Block Manoeuvre is 3 APs ; the OV bonus for the Shield Cover Manoeuvre is 3 APs.]
Design notes
Given the modest amount of material to benchmark them with, some of the stats are speculative. It has been assumed that Gene Dogs had the generic Special Forces Skills suite from the generic soldiers entry on writeups.org.
Kestrel might have some APs of Gravity Decrease (Self Only) that help her Flight, but this is getting into the realm of Speculativistan.
Game Stats — DC Adventures RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Kestrel (Annie Jones) — Averaged PL5.4
| STR | STA | AGL | DEX | FGT | INT | AWE | PRE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | 02 | 01 | 01 | 03 | 03 | 01 | 01 |
Powers
Crystals from her hands ● 8 points ● Descriptor: Genetic engineering
– Ranged slashing Damage 3, Accurate 1, Removable (needs her bracers)
– Strength-based slashing Damage 2
Crystals from her back ● 15 points (Removable – needs her dorsal nacelle) ● Descriptor: Genetic engineering
– Flight 5, Winged
– Strength-based slashing Damage 5
– Four more Ranks of strength-based slashing Damage and Accurate 4, both with Limited 2 (these are only useable against somebody next to her back (usually because they’re grabbing her))
– Enhanced Dodge 3, Enhanced Parry 2, Defensive Roll 1
– Protection 4 (Increased Action 1, Fades, Limited 1 (Fades also diminishes Flight and Damage Ranks), Feature (regenerates one Rank lost to Fades every other round).
Combat Advantages
Chokehold, Close Attack 2, Defensive Roll 1 (2), Move-by Action, Ranged Attack 3.
Other Advantages
Benefit 1 (S.T.O.R.M. sensors can focus on the Gene Dogs’s gene chips to monitor them and their vital signs.)
Skills
Athletics 2 (+2), Expertise (Commando) 5 (+8), Expertise (Compuers) 7 (+10), Insight 2 (+3), Perception 3 (+4), Ranged combat (Firearms) 1 (+5), Stealth 4 (+5), Treatment 1 (+4) (Limited 2 (Limited to Revive and Stabilise)), Technology 4 (+7) (Limited 2 to Operating and Security), Vehicles 2 (+3) (Limited 1 to land vehicles)
Offense
| Initiative +1 |
| Unarmed +5, Close, Damage 0 |
| Wings’ edges +6, Close, Damage 5 |
| Slivers jet +6, Ranged, Damage 3 |
Defence
| Dodge | 05/08** | Fortitude | 05 |
| Parry | 05/07** | Toughness | 02/04* |
| Will | 03 |
* Without Defensive Roll and Crystals from her back
** With Crystals from her back
Complications
- Agent of S.T.O.R.M. Kestrel works as a covert agent for an agency with a contrasted track record.
- Fitted genes Kestrel needs regular genetic maintenance or she’ll become very sick.
- Loudmouth Kestrel talks a lot to say little, and is frequently seen as annoying.
Powers Levels
- Trade-off areas. Attack/Effect PL 6, Dodge/Toughness PL 6, Parry/Toughness PL 5, Fort/Will PL 4.
- Points total 80. Abilities 24, Defences 11, Skills 13, Powers 23, Devices 0, Advantages 9. Equiv. PL 6.
Source of Character: Gene Dogs limited series (Marvel Universe).