Slaymaster
(Profile #1 - the 1970s)
Context
Slaymaster is an early, 1970s foe of Captain Britain. Back when it was only published by Marvel UK, and was written by Lawrence and Lieber.
The character was almost entirely reinvented later, while Moore was writing. This is covered separately, in the second Slaymaster character profile.
Background
- Real Name: Unrevealed.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: None.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile, principally United Kingdom.
- Height: 6’3” Weight: 178 lbs.
- Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
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Powers and Abilities
Though he’s not as dangerous as he will later become, Slaymaster is a master martial artist, assassin and weapons specialist with extensive access to advanced technology.
Most contracts are too easy for him. Therefore, he enjoys spicing things up, adding to the difficulty to prove that he’s smarter than his opposition and the police.
He may be the designer of the technology he uses. It’s implied once, but that remains unclear.
History
Slaymaster already had a career as a mercenary and an assassin in the UK and abroad by 1977. He reputedly learned his trade in Africa, Việt Nam and the Middle East.
His first documented contract was a series of assassinations and thefts in the UK for shipping magnate Konrad Kharkov, who wanted to procure world-famous collections from their wealthy owners.
To spice things up, Slaymaster themed the killings on the last name and occupation of each victim. Sir Thurlow Archer, a collector of rare weapons, was killed with a bow shot. Major Jock Gunn was killed when the pistol he used to start races was booby-trapped, etc.
Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), then inexperienced and mistrusted by the police, tried to stop Slaymaster. But he kept failing, though he did come close to ruining his plans almost every time.
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Catch me if you can
Slaymaster captured Britain in his sewer base. He left him in a deathtrap involving a shark. But our hero escaped and determined who Slaymaster’s employer was.
Captain Britain stormed Kharkov’s yacht, running into such issues as a robot octopus and the obligatory tank full of hungry piranhas. Meanwhile, Kharkov offered the best stolen collection pieces to a variety of wealthy foreign collectors, in exchange for promises to harm British economy.
However, Kharkov foolishly tried to kill Slaymaster rather than pay him. He was swiftly slain in return. Minutes later, Captain Britain rushed in. During the course of this fight Slaymaster was thrown overboard, right into the pack of sharks eating Kharkov’s body.
Slaymaster was believed dead. But he actually spent five years reinventing himself as an even deadlier, gimmicks-free assassin. This reinvented killer would eventually come back to confront Captain Britain – with dire consequences.
Description
In the 1970s, Slaymaster wore a costume that looked almost halfway between Bull’s Eye’s and Bullseye’s, plus Errol Flynn’s facial hair. He occasionally smoked cigarettes.
Personality
A Silver Age -ish, campy, moustache-twirling comic book assassin. He is out to prove his superiority in terms of both skill and intellect.
He does the campy themed murders, the deathtrap thing, etc.. Think of a late 1960s or early 1970s Batman villain and you should be close.
1970s Slaymaster sees himself as a dashing, charming but deadly rogue… and the deadliest assassin on Earth.
Quotes
“I could easily have killed Captain Britain ! But it will be more amusing to match wits with the UK’s superhero — as he vainly tries to stop the master assassin of our time !”
“You’ve been outfoxed, chum ! And this is only the beginning !”
“These explosive bullets will atomise even steel !”
“You may well ask, my blundering friend ! You are now in a London sewer main ! At the mercy of the world’s foremost killer !”
“Surprised to see me still standing ? Fool, did you think the world’s greatest assassin would fail to wear bulletproof gear ? You money-grubbing berk ! While you were cheating for the soft and easy life, I learned my trade of killing in Africa, Việt Nam and the Middle East ! And now you’re going overboard to feed the sharks !”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
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Slaymaster
| Dex: 07 | Str: 04 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Thrill/Mercenary |
| Int: 07 | Wil: 06 | Min: 05 | Occupation: Assassin |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: 008 |
| Init: 023 | HP: 035 |
Skills:
Acrobatics: 04, Artist (Actor): 06, Gadgetry: 04, Martial Artist (incl. Techniques)*: 07, Military science (Demolition): 05, Thief: 06, Vehicles (Air, Land, Water): 04, Weaponry*: 07
Advantages:
Familiarity (Quick change artistry), Lightning Reflexes.
Connections:
Underworld (Low), Mercenary scene (Low).
Drawbacks:
SIA toward Demonstrating his superiority.
Equipment:
- REINFORCED, BULLETPROOF COSTUME [/BODY/ 06, Blunting: 08]. This costume also includes a concealed toe-knife to more easily do Killing damage with kicks.
- ATOMIC WRISTLETS [BODY 03 /STR/ 07. Those bracelets look practically identical to the Black Widow’s classic Widow’s Bite] w/NOOSE [BODY 08, Snare: 06. A hangman’s noose stored into the WRISTLET, and normally used to strangle.]
- Radically Shortened Carbine loaded w/Comic Book Explosive Bullets [BODY 04, Projectile weapon: 09, Ammo: 10, Telescopic vision: 02, Bonus: Projectile weapon has an EV 04, 0 APs wide Area of Effect. If fired at a solid wall-like structure (not a Force Field or Force Shield or Force Wall) the Area of Effect instead becomes Sharpness (Projectile weapon): 02].
- Gas Pistol [BODY 03, Knockout gas: 09, Ammo: 04]. This seems to be the pistol in the holster on Slaymaster’s right thigh.
- JET BELT [BODY 03, Flight: 06, Fog: 06, Ammo (Fog): 01. The Fog that the Belt emits is white and very similar to clouds. With the cloudy British weather, it makes escapes in flight trivial unless he’s tracked non-visually.]
- Knife [BODY 05, Enhance (EV): 01 (Cap is 06), Descriptor: Piercing, Slashing]. Can be thrown.
- Sleeping gas cube [BODY 03, Life sense: 00, Knockout gas: 06, Ammo: 01. This electronic cube releases its charge of sleeping gas when it picks up something via Life Sense. It likely was an Omni-Gadget.]
- Acid bomb [BODY 01, Acid touch: 07, Grenade Drawback. This also was likely an Omni-Gadget].
- He will often carry a disguise and mask appropriate to his next operation – just in case.
- Omni-Gadget A (x2) (6 APs).
The Gimmick Killer
Aside from this arsenal, Slaymaster used a very wide range of situational gadgets, robots, vehicles, etc. during the 1970s. Documented examples of mission-specific technology include:
Minivehicle
SEA-AIR-LAND MINIVEHICLE [STR 04 BODY 08, Flight: 08, Projectile weapons: 09, Radio communications: 07, Running: 07, Sealed systems: 06, Swimming: 05. This minijet has three front-mounted canons, can dive underwater, and can also turn into a sleek sports car.]
The MINIVEHICLE will often be parked near a theatre of operations, where Slaymaster can reach it quickly via Jet Belt. Thus it can be used to flee, or to come back with more firepower, as appropriate.
Holograms
LASER PROJECTOR [BODY 02, Illusion: 06, Range: 10, Limitations: Illusion has no Range, use the listed Range instead ; Illusion only of subjects filmed in a special studio with lasers, such as an image of a flying Slaymaster.]
This sophisticated projector can remotely create realistic holograms of pre-captured subjects. Slaymaster used it to attract Captain Britain to the place of his next murder by projecting an image of himself flying to a carefully-chosen spot.
Venomous lizard
Mutant Gila Monster [DEX 03 STR 02 BOD 03, Martial artist (AV): 04, Poison touch: 05].
This creature is faster, bigger and much more venomous than normal.
Secure bases
Slaymaster usually operates from high-tech bases in the sewers. Two typical defence systems for those bases are the FLYING SKULL DRONES [DEX 05 STR 02 BODY 05, Energy blast: 08, Radio communications (incl. video feed): 05] and the GIANT MECHANICAL SNAKE [DEX 05 STR 09 BODY 08, Stretching: 06, Limitation: Stretching has no defensive application].
The SKULLS blast targets unconscious, while the SNAKE surges from a manhole, grabs stunned people in its jaw, and bring them to Slaymaster. Bases also usually include a getaway motorboat and the nigh-mandatory pool with a killer shark to dispose of prisoners (in London, it was a grey nurse shark).
Source of Character: Marvel UK and Captain Britain.