Sargon the Sorceror II
(Beppo the Super-Monkey)
Context
This character is an original creation. We often call these “homemades” or “homebrewed” – think home cooking or craft beer.
Mostly it’s a strange joke about very old, semi-obscure DC Comics material getting absurdly blended together.
The illustration is slightly altered from Svjetlan Junakovic ’s riff off the famous Jan van Eyck Man with a red turban 1433 painting.
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Background
- Real Name: Beppo, the Super-Monkey.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Katie Jameson (owner), Bill and Michelle Jameson (Katie’s parents).
- Group Affiliation: None, though being considered for membership in the new JSA.
- Base Of Operations: Kew Gardens, Queens, New York.
- Height: 2’6” Weight: 20lbs.
- Eyes: Dark Brown Hair: Brown (Fur)
Powers and Abilities
First and foremost, Beppo is a Kryptonian monkey, and so, under a yellow sun, gains powers much like those of the Pre-Crisis Superman. However, his universe being ripped out from under him, and being in contact with so much magic has muted Beppo’s Kryptonian powers to a great extent.
Also, Beppo is in posession of Sargon the Sorceror’s Ruby of Life, and the original Spectre’s Ring of Life. The ruby gives Beppo near-mastery over all matter, and the Ring restores his lost physical attributes, while also giving him a special insight into the world of magic.
At least, it’s assumed that he has special insight. It’s actually kind of hard to tell, considering that he doesn’t speak English.
Oh, and Superman gets very nervous around Beppo. This is, perhaps, a sign that Kal-El still has some vague (though repressed) memories of his Pre-Crisis life.
History
After Crisis on Infinite Earths, having his history retconned away, Beppo found himself slowly fading out of existence. Unable to bear the pain, Beppo applied his full force of will to catapult himself into the new reality.
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Just as the Earth-1 Superman had followed Beppo into space, so Beppo followed the new Superman to Earth, landing in a Long Island park, just after dark.
The next day, the Jamesons took their daughter Katie to that same park.While climbing in a tree, Katie found Beppo, still dressed in his Superman costume. Katie figured out who Beppo should be immediately, and quickly took off Beppo’s clothes so that he would seem like a normal monkey.
She then carried Beppo to her parents, and begged them to let her keep the “injured” monkey.
My preciousss
Meanwhile, a shudder ran through the universe. Hal Jordan, once the greatest of all Green Lanterns, then the villainous Parallax, but now the new Spectre, learned of the Ring of Life. His predecessor, Jim Corrigan, once wore this artifact to greatly increase the power of the Spectre Force.
Hoping to keep such power and certain temptation away from Jordan, the Sentinels of Magic searched out the artifact. It and its twin, the Ruby of Life, had once worn by their comrade, John Sargent, a.k.a. Sargon the Sorceror.
They then cast a divination spell to find one so strong-willed, and so pure of heart, that this person could wield the Ruby and Ring, keeping them from Jordan, and still avoiding their own corruption.
It was a great shock to the Sentinels, however, when they were lead to the Jameson household, and discovered that their top candidate was, in fact, less than three feet tall, hairy, and was having a tea party with a six-year-old girl.
Monkey business
However, they had little time to debate the matter, when Klarion, the Witch Boy began rampaging through New York with a renewed version of the Kestrel spell.
As the Sentinels ran off to fight the agents of Chaos, Beppo took the ancient artifacts. He was immediately aware of how to use them, and set out to dispatch the Lord of Chaos and his creature before the Sentinels could arrive on the scene.
The Sentinels, impressed, left the artifacts in Beppo’s posession. They also left Beppo in Katie’s care (and she in his), knowing the legacy of John Sargent was alive and well in a higher primate.
Description
Beppo looks like a common monkey. Except, of course, for the yellow turban on his head, in which sits the Ruby of Life, the red Ring of Life on his left hand, and the blue shirt with the Superman insignia which he wears.
Quotes
“Ooh-ooh-eeek !”
DC Universe History
Bwah-ha-ha-ha! No, seriously…
On the other hand, that’s what I would have said if anyone told me that Hal Jordan would one day be the new Spectre…
I suppose that, if you must, Beppo could just move into Gorilla City or something. I mean, the JLApe crossover created so many other stupid simian characters that I’m sure nobody would even notice Beppo running around with the Ruby of Life…
Heck, maybe Beppo travelled back in time, and caused the incident that gave the gorillas their intelligence so that he could have some company. It’s definitely not the worst DC retcon I’ve ever heard of.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Sargon
| Dex: 12 | Str: 14 | Bod: 10 | Motivation: Redemption and Bananas |
| Int: 06 | Wil: 10 | Min: 06 | Occupation: Pet, Sorceror |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 06 | Resources {or Wealth}: 000 |
| Init: 024 | HP: 025 |
Powers:
Analytical Smell/Tracking Scent: 08, Directional Hearing: 06, Extended Hearing: 06, Flight: 13, Heat Vision: 11, Hypnotism: 06, Ice Production: 08, Microscopic Vision: 09, Sealed Systems: 20, Shrinking: 03, Solar Sustenance: 30, Super Breath: 08, Super Hearing: 06, Superspeed: 09, Systemic Antidote: 12, Telescopic Vision: 08, Thermal Vision: 10, X-Ray Vision: 13
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Vision Powers allow Beppo to see the entire electormagnetic spectrum.
- Shrinking is Always On, and is not considered a Power.
- X-Ray Vision cannot see through lead.
Skills:
Acrobatics: 18, Animal Handling: 07
Advantages:
Buddy (Katie), Confined Headquarters (Treehouse), Cute, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Rich Friends, Sharp Eye.
Connections:
Galaxy’s Mystical Community (Low).
Drawbacks:
Secret Identity, Fatal Vulnerability (Kryptonite, 2APs), Loss Vulnerability (lack of yellow sun radiation), Loss Vulnerability (see below).
Equipment:
- RUBY OF LIFE [BODY 20, Animate Objects: 10, Ice Control: 10, Plant Control: 10, Sorcery: 10, Sargon must touch an object in order to control it].
- RING OF LIFE [Body: 20, Awareness: 25, Magic Sense: 30, Occultist: 20, Sorcery: 45, R#3].
Buddy: Kathryn-Marie (Katie) Jameson
“Silly Beppo ! I love you !”
| Dex: 03 | Str: 01 | Bod: 01 | Motivation: Dessert |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 | Occupation: Elementary School Student |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: 001 |
| Init: 009 | HP: 002 |
Skills:
Acrobatics (Climbing)*: 03, Artist (Crayons): 04, Scientist: 01
Advantages:
Cute, Rich Family.
Drawbacks:
Age (young).
Loss Vulnerability state
Without the Ring of Life, Beppo’s Acrobatics Skill is reduced to 6APs, and his Attributes are reduced to:
| Dex: 04 | Str: 01 | Bod: 0 2 |
| Int: 01 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 00 | Spi: 02 |
| Init: 006 | HP: 005 |
Drawbacks:
SPR (Beppo cannot speak).
Design Notes
I took basic monkey-like stats, applied “Superman addition” to everything, reduced it (vulnerability to magic, after all), added Sargon’s Ruby of Life (World At War Sourcebook), and concocted the Ring of Life based on Spectre’s highest power level (same sourcebook, since that’s around when he had it).
New Advantage—Cute (5HPs)
Cute functions like a weaker version of Attractive. The Character is so adorable (in the “Precious Moments” figurine kind of way) that he gets +1CS to the AV of any Persuasion attempt. It, however, works on nearly all NPCs, except for those who are automatically opposed to cute (grouches).
Source of Character: Future DC, via nightmarish timewarp