Mulholland Black
Context
The Order was a 2007/8 Marvel mini-series, following on the divisive Civil War event. It focused on a team with more realistic, fallible characters. But due to reasons, the series’ plug was pulled after but ten issues.
Which leaves those interested with the raw material for a C-list do-gooder team. These would be suitable as Player Characters , or as a rival team, as enemies for a none-too-legal PC team, etc..
Individual entries are best read after the team profile for The Order.
Background
- Real Name: Mulholland Black.
- Former Aliases: Holly.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Unnamed parents (deceased).
- Group Affiliation: The Order; formerly the Black Dahlias.
- Base Of Operations: LA.
- Height: 5’4” Weight: 117 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde
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Powers and Abilities
Connected to the collective unconscious of the city, Mulholland is able to share a psychokinetic link with historical events. Therefore she can tap into the latent psychic energy of an area, particularly that from disasters, and convert it into psychic energy.
She generally manifests this as a blast of mental force, but has also shown greatly enhanced reflexes. The latter were sufficient to tag Calamity.
She can also use her powers to talk with the ghosts of the recently deceased, although this does take some concentration.
While the SOMA process-replicated the powers she lost in M-Day, her original powers were later restored. With her mutant powers she could do far more with them than just brute force blasts. For instance, Mulholland Black could now generate force shields and move objects around.
Ezekiel Stane used her powers to cause riots all over LA, but these abilities were completely out of Mulholland’s control.
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History
(A general history of her time with the Order can be found in the team’s entry.)
The daughter of a pair of famous musicians, Mulholland went into care after her parent both died of an overdose. When her mutant abilities manifested themselves in a juvenile ward, she fled, and started living on the streets of LA.
She soon joined the vigilante girl gang, the Black Dahlias. Holly began a relationship with gang leader, Wendy. When Wendy found out about Mulholland sleeping around, she threw her off the team.
(“Mulholland” is also the last name of an architect who played a major role in creating L.A.. He’s chiefly remembered since the Mulholland Drive road is also named after him.)
(“The Black Dahlias” is a reference to the Elizabeth Short murder, which occurred in 1947. This murder had ample press coverage and a notable impact on popular culture. Among other bits based on this is Hieronymous “Harry” Bosch, a major detective novels protagonist).
S.H.A.D.O.W. War
Having stormed off after lashing out at Anthem when he questioned her about her connection to the Black Dahlias, Mulholland found herself abducted by her old gang. Her SOMA-derived powers were neutralized. Waking up in an enemy lab, she found her original powers had been restored and were slowly coming back.
A surge of her powers fried some of the Dahlias as they were getting power treatments, killing them. Mulholland broke free, battling the enemy forces until Stane took her down.
Awaking as he operated on her, Mulholland was unable to control her powers as he stretched them to their limits. This caused mass riots as he ordered LA to destroy itself. He left her in the middle of the city, with her powers growing uncontrollably as the surviving members of the Order arrived.
Anthem held her as she fought a losing battle against her powers. But as it became obvious they’d kill her and everyone in the city, he ended her suffering.
Personality
Defensive and rebellious, Mulholland is slow to trust. She tends to push those around her in a self-destructive manner.
Wanting to find somewhere that’ll accept her, she doesn’t really believe she can, or is worthy of acceptance. Therefore, she sabotages every chance she’s given.
Quotes
“It’s the desert, dude. My powers need people to pick up on, and not just — nothingness.”
“After M-Day I’ve been so lonely. I feel like I’ve been cut off from my dreams, you know ? Imagine a secret world only you knew about, and it’s only in that world that you made any sense, that you didn’t feel like killing yourself all day, every day. And then one day that world won’t let you visit anymore.”
“A lot of pain happened in this room, Wendy. A lot of terror. A lot of horror. They did things to people here. Awful things. I can feel them, Wendy. I can feel them all.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
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Mulholland Black
| Dex: 05 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 | Motivation: Thrill of Adventure |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 04 | Min: 04 | Occupation: Super-Hero/celebrity |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: 005 |
| Init: 014 (022) | HP: 025 |
Powers:
Enhanced Initiative: 08, Flight: 05, Mental Blast: 12, Postcognition: 16
Bonuses and Limitations:
All Powers but Flight must be Activated (-1, see below).
Skills:
Weaponry (Melee): 05
Advantages:
Special Credentials (Federal Agent), Expertise (L.A. history).
Connections:
The Order (High).
Drawbacks:
Limelight, Power Loss (All Powers are neutralized should she become drunk), Public ID.
Equipment:
- Communications Gear [BODY 03, Radio Communications (Scrambled): 10].
- Energy Mallet [BODY 08, EV 05].
Activation
Mulholland must concentrate to activate her Powers, and sometimes has trouble activating them at all. Much of her trouble is psychological, possibly due to the powers working differently to how her innate mutant powers did.
In game terms she has to make a Roll using the APs of the Power as the AV/EV and OV/RV. Any success means she can use the Power for the remainder of the encounter.
It is possible to spend Hero Points on this Action Check, as usual.
Mutant Powers
Her natural mutant powers seem more stable (when not being messed with by others) than the artificial ones she gained by the SOMA process. So she didn’t have the Limitation, and she exhibited a wider array of abilities.
These included Force Shield: 08 and Telekinesis: 08.
Source of Character: Marvel Comics.
Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet.
Writeup completed on the 25th of November, 2011.