Leviathan
(Leonardo de la Rocha)
Context
Aberrant was a tabletop RPG published by White Wolf. It was part of a larger universe with three games retracing the emergence of superhuman on Earth, from the early XXth century to the far future. Aberrant itself is set 10 years into the future.
The setting featured superhuman in a realistic manner, without Golden Age and Silver Age comic book conventions. Super-powers had an unified source and significant costs, and the factions were based on credible politics and the reaction of ordinary people to superhumans.
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Background
- Real Name: Leonardo de la Rocha.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Teresa de la Rocha (mother).
- Group Affiliation: The Teragen, The Harvesters.
- Base Of Operations: The Bronx, New York.
- Height: 10‘+ Weight: 1500+ lbs.
- Eyes: None Hair: None
Powers and Abilities
(Adapted from Aberrant: Teragen)
Leviathan is perfectly amphibious. His elongated tail and heavily muscled spine grant him both unparalleled speed in the water and quick, snake-like ground movement.
Ten feet long, Leviathan is strong enough to lift tanks and extremely durable. He also possesses astounding regenerative abilities.
On land, Leviathan exudes a thick, gel-like coating. It prevents dehydration and makes him very slippery. He can also exude a secondary coating filled with free-floating nematocysts, which inject a paralytic agent into bare flesh. Leviathan often coats his hands with this toxin and tries to smear it on opponents.
Leviathan has no eyes, but “sees” through a highly acute sense of smell and electromagnetic variances on his skin.
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History
(Adapted from Aberrant: Teragen)
Despite the edict of the Pope, Teresa de la Rocha, a devout Catholic, still saw novas as the work of Satan. Living in Venice, Teresa was present when Leonardo, her American-born 14 year old son, erupted in to a reptilian hybrid.
Rather than give him the help he needed, she subjected him to an austere treatment of isolation, daily religious readings, and corporal punishment. Unbeknownst to either, Leonardo was wracked with taint, but his astounding regenerative abilities allowed him to control its manifestation.
Eventually, Teresa could no longer handle her son. He had grown to fill his bedroom, he defied her more openly, and she no longer recognized her child within the beast that haunted her. At her wit’s end, she set her home on fire and disappeared into the night.
Leonardo survived by beating down his walls and diving into the Venetian canals. He has lived there ever since.
Although Leonardo came to realize that he was not demonic, his taint has altered him to the point of being abjectly inhuman. He chose the name Leviathan to spite his mother, and although he looks and acts the part of a monster, he is not one. He has relocated to the Bronx, where he has become the de facto leader of the most radical branch of the Harvesters faction of the Teragen.
Description
Leviathan appears almost humanoid from the waist up, aside from his dinosaur-like head. He has six arms and a long, extremely powerful tail.
Personality
Paranoid, angry, and fully justified in both, Leviathan has known nothing but hatred and prejudice from everyone he has ever met outside of a small subset of the Teragen. He lashes out in anger over this – that said, he is by no means a “monster” – he is articulate and openly sensitive to the situation of his fellow taint-ridden novas.
Quotes
“Utopia is out to kill anything not square-jawed and shiny-toothed. Well guess what, I’ve got 200 teeth too many to be a Utopian poster boy and dabbling with Chrysalis makes each of you a killable suspect.”
DC Universe History
Remove the Aberrant world history and nova/baseline human tension and he can be transplanted in to the DC Universe as-is. He provides a reasonable challenge to any number of second and third string heroes.
Leviathan would make a decent opponent for Aquaman, particularly when he and Mera were living in New Venice. He likely would have been tricked or hired by the Ocean Master, but developed enough of a grudge against the Sea King to become a permanent part of his Rogues Gallery.
Due to the random fluctuations of Aquaman’s continuity, Leviathan spent about three issues as an Atlantean citizen, and was even the postmaster general for a while. OK, I’m just kidding about that last part, but it’s not like it’d be out of line…
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Leviathan
| Dex: 07 | Str: 14 | Bod: 12 | Motivation: Nihilist |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 06 | Min: 06 | Occupation: Leader of the radical Harvesters chapter |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 08 | Spi: 06 | Resources {or Wealth}: 002 |
| Init: 024 | HP: 065 |
Powers:
Analytical Smell/Tracking Scent: 08, Claws: 10, Enhanced Initiative: 06, Extra Limb (x4): 14, Extra Limb (tail): 16, Growth: 02, Paralysis: 10, Regeneration: 08, Running: 06, Skin Armor: 06, Sonar: 06, Swimming: 07, Water Freedom: 09
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Growth is always on and is already factored into stats.
- Paralysis has No Range and requires contact with bare flesh.
- Skin Armor is Always On.
- Sonar represents the electromagnetic variances on his skin that allow him to “see” things around him.
Skills:
Martial Artist (AV, OV): 09
Advantages:
Area Knowledge (canals and underworld of Venice), Lightning Reflexes, Miscellaneous: Leviathan has a slippery coating which provides him with a +3 CS to his OV against Grappling and Throwing attacks.
Connections:
Teragen (High), Harvesters (High), Geryon (High).
Drawbacks:
Attack Vulnerability (-3 CS vs. dehydration attacks), CPR (Blind), Minor Rage, Strange Appearance.
Source of Character: Based on character from Aberrant (White Wolf Games).
Helper(s): Roy Cowan, John Colagioia, Quote, History and Powers sections from Aberrant : Teragen.