Sovereign
Context
This is a homemade character existing in the RPG campaign of writeups.org contributor Azrael (“Universe AZ”). It is the local counterpart of DC’s Superboy Prime. Specifically, the post-Infinite Crisis and Final Crisis version of that character.
However, it is largely based on the 2-part episode Roads Not Taken of the 1988-92 Salkind produced Live Action Superboy TV series. The episode aired in the third season of said show.
Writer Mark Millar stated that the same episodes of The Adventures of Superboy inspired his story Superman: Red Son.
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Background
- Real Name: Kal El.
- Other Aliases: David Ellman.
- Marital Status: He takes what he wants.
- Known Relatives: Jor El (Father, deceased), Lara In Ze (Mother, deceased), Mark Ellman (Adoptive father, deceased).
- Group Affiliation: Viltrumite Military.
- Base Of Operations: Viltrumite Empire, The Planet R’hin.
- Height: 6’1” Weight: 200 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Black
Powers and Abilities
The Sovereign has the normal Kryptonian powers . He doesn’t have some of the powers that Superman of Earth AZ has gained, but he is still quite formidable.
He also usually wears an adamantium shelled battlesuit that increases his powers by a fair amount and protects him from Kryptonite and non-yellow suns.
History
On Earth-17 within the AZ Multiverse, one counterpart of Kal El did not land on the Kent farm. Instead he landed on the property of one Mark Ellman.
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Mark was a paranoid anti-government militia type, with a healthy dose of KKK member thrown in.
Naming the boy David, Mark raised him to embrace hatred, bigotry, and intolerance. Mark and David lived a sheltered life in what was practically an armed camp.
Joining the Watchdog Militia organization when David was 12 the two were uniquely positioned when David’s powers manifested. He was quickly taken under the tutelage of the organization’s secret master Johan Schmidt aka Red Skull.
As the Skull’s apprentice he was the defacto second in command of the Watchdogs, when Master Man protested, David killed him coldly.
I hate these guys
Adopting a blue version of a Nazi uniform, with a red, collared, cape David became the public face of the Watchdogs at the age of 17. Shortly thereafter Captain America attempted to bring down the Watchdogs. David eventually came into direct contact with Captain America and ultimately killed him.
After this victory the Skull saw no reason to hold him back any longer and within a year David had declared himself The Sovereign and had taken complete control of the US. In the process he killed or subjugated any and all costumed individuals he encountered.
There was a small revolutionary group led by Lex Luthor and Lana Lang but without any beings of David’s power level they were very limited in their ability to fight him.
After declaring himself Sovereign David added the symbol found on the ship he landed in to his uniform and required all citizens to wear a black armband with the symbol on it on their left arms.
By the time David was 19 he had conquered the world and was nearing the point of having wiped out any opposition. Then the first Kryptonite was found by Lex Luthor, who quickly learned what it was, and what it could do.
Luthor
Lex turned one of his resistance fighters into a cyborg with a kryptonite power source (Metallo) who he dispatched to try to kill the Sovereign. Though Metallo was able to kill the Red Skull he was unsuccessful in his attempt at the Sovereign.
At around this point in time on Earth AZ (Earth 1 of this multiverse) Professor Emil Hamilton invents a dimensional doorway based on research into earlier British forays into the larger cosmological realms. As it turns out Hamilton performs this feat simultaneously on Earth AZ, Earth 17, and Earth 16, possibly others.
After Lex Luthor of Earth AZ used the device to travel to Earth 16, Superboy followed him, and found himself in a world where Superboy had killed Luthor and Lex from his world was pretending to be a resurrected Luthor. After a brief encounter with his counterpart, Superboy went in search of Prof. Hamilton’s counterpart in hopes that he had also invented a doorway.
In fact he had, unfortunately he was also working for Lex, Hamilton subdued Superboy with Kryptonite and called Lex.
Superboy
Fortunately Superboy was able to escape through Hamilton’s dimensional doorway, he then emerged on Earth 17, where he was believed to be The Sovereign by the first people he met. In fact a group of rebels lead by Lana Lang attacked him shortly after his arrival.
Defeating the rebels Superboy surprised them by releasing them. He asked a series of questions that both gave him a brief overview of events in this universe and would confirm to Lex later that he was not from this world.
Meanwhile the Sovereign’s soldiers had brought him reports of an “imposter” who looked like him and had powers. He sent out his top soldiers, Black Adam and Juggernaut, who engaged Superboy in an especially savage combat, The Sovereign assumed they could handle it.
Unfortunately for the Sovereign Superboy had defeated both of these opponents on his own world and was able to use that experience to bring them down here. Just after the battle ended the rebels approached Superboy and he met with this world’s Lex.
Sadly, The Sovereign was able to track them down and he attacked personally, Killing Lex rather quickly, he was attacked by Superboy, who took the fight outside.
Fight !
The two seemed perfectly matched as the fight raged on. Then, as Superboy was gaining the upper hand, Lana arrived with a Kryptonite bomb. Quickly backing the Sovereign into a corner she detonated the bomb. As Superboy watched the explosion coming closer to him he was rescued by the Superboy of Earth 16.
Unfortunately Sovereign was also rescued by a dimensional traveler named Alexander Luthor (from Earth 20). The two were not encountered by anyone from Earth AZ until 2007. They spent the intervening time in a base built outside of the timestream from which they recruited a large force of powered individuals from a number of time periods and dimensions.
Knowing that an attempt to change time on the scale they were planning would attract the attention of ALL the various superteams of Earth AZ (and probably other worlds within the Multiverse) from any time period capable of detecting what they were doing (in other words JLA to LSH and beyond) they carefully positioned their forces throughout the timeline.
However the early 21st century was pivotal for the plan to work and so they concentrated their most powerful forces there.
During the events that followed Sovereign nearly killed Superboy II (Kon El) and he did in fact kill several members of the GLC and damage the Central Power Battery on Oa. During the Battle on Oa Isaiah Bradley was badly injured.
Superman
Superboy was revived by Wonder Girl II and Valor while Superman pursued Sovereign, who had already reached Counter-Earth, where he was battling Invincible. The arrival of Superman turned the balance against him but he was able to maintain a fairly equal battle due to his suit.
The Champions’ arrival changed this however, and after several more minutes of combat, Champions member Disaster was able to get close enough to touch Sovereign’s armor, using his powers over metal to cause it to fly apart.
With his major advantage gone Sovereign fled, abandoning his allies, he simply flew from the system at full speed. Hunted by the Green Lantern Corps he began covertly seeking information on regions of space the GL’s avoided.
He got lucky early on when he met a human on another world who spoke English. The man said his name was Joseph, and he explained that he was himself trying to get away from the Corps. Joseph, who was cloned from Guy Gardner by the Manhunters shortly before the Lantern War, had acquired a Blue Power Ring and Battery before the Manhunters were defeated (for the moment).
Forming a partnership of mutual greed and self preservation, the two began working together.
Joseph
They eventually learned of a region far off that was off limits to Corps members. Quickly heading that way they first faced the newly returned Hal Jordan (not resurrected, rescued) along with Kilowog, Boodika, and Guy Gardner. They eventually escaped from the Lanterns.
Nearing the galaxy they had been looking for they were intercepted by Sodam Yat and another group of Lanterns who engaged them in a fierce combat that was ultimately undecided as the two fled through the outer edges of the forbidden area and escaped into a dense nebula.
Sovereign and Joseph eventually made contact with the Viltrumite Empire, the reason for the GL cordon, who rule a vast empire in a galaxy 73 APs distant from Earth. After they fought Conquest and 2 other Viltrumites to a standstill, the Viltrumites called a truce and they were brought before Regent Thragg.
Thragg
Thragg offered Sovereign a place as a member of the empire, as he believed the Viltrumites and Kryptonians were ancestrally related, and gave him an opportunity to earn his place by conquering the planet R‘hin. R‘hin was a planet under a Red sun but Sovereign was able to get a new suit of armor made to replace the one he had lost.
For Joseph Thragg made a much simpler offer, wealth, and power, as an agent of the Empire.
Once Sovereign’s suit was restored he had no problem laying waste to the planet and establishing Viltrumite rule. He continues to personally control the planet (a token of respect from Thragg) and act as a Viltrumite agent today.
Joseph meanwhile has become his right hand man and is also a valuable asset to Thragg. Thragg meanwhile is unwilling to risk the life of one of the few Viltrumites left to try to take Joseph’s ring.
Description
As an other-dimensional counterpart of Earth AZ’s Kal El The Sovereign is physically identical to Superman at the age of 19. His timejumping has kept him from ageing as much as Superman.
Personality
As long as Sovereign is in a dominant position he is confident and forceful. When things go wrong he tends to lose his confidence and has a distressing tendency to flee the area. He will always see such losses as the fault of anyone other than himself and he will plan elaborate revenge.
He is currently enjoying his status as planetary ruler and he has turned R‘hin in to a shipyard for the Viltrumites.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
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The Sovereign
| Dex: 14/16 | Str: 24/28 | Bod: 16/18 | Motivation: Power Lust |
| Int: 09 | Wil: 10 | Min: 13 | Occupation: Lord of the planet R‘hin |
| Inf: 10 | Aur: 12 | Spi: 09 | Resources {or Wealth}: 014 |
| Init: 046/48 | HP: 125 |
Powers:
Air control: 09/11, Analytical Smell/Tracking Scent: 08/10, Data Storage: 20/22, Directional Hearing: 08/10, Extended Hearing: 08/10, Flight: 30/32, Invulnerability: 19/21, Laser Beam: 14/16, Microscopic Vision: 13/15, Recall: 05/07, Sealed Systems: 19/21, Super Breath: 09/11, Super Hearing: 06/08, Superspeed: 11/13, Systemic Antidote: 15/17, Telescopic Vision: 11/13, Thermal Vision: 11/13, Ultra-Vision: 11/13, X-Ray Vision: 11/13
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Air Control is contingent on Superspeed.
- X-Ray Vision can’t see through lead.
- Laser Beam has no AV (-1 or -0 dep. on house rules).
- Recall and Data Storage must be used together (-1 both).
- Data Storage has No Transfer.
Skills:
Accuracy (Laser Beam): 08, Charisma (Intimidation, Interrogation): 12, Detective: 02, Gadgetry: 09*, Scientist (Incl. Computers): 09*, Vehicles (Land, Water): 04, Vehicles (Space): 06, Language (English, Interlac, R’hinian): 07
Advantages:
Area Knowledge (Viltrumite Galaxy), Rank (Major, Viltrumite Empire), Authority Figure (the planet R’hin).
Connections:
Quardian Lantern Corps (Low), Star Sapphire Corps (Low), Viltrumite Empire (High), The Planet R’hin (High), Grand Regent Thragg (Low), Joseph (High).
Drawbacks:
Attack Vulnerability (Magic -4 CS to OV/RV), Misc. Kryptonian Solar Package (See below), Misc. Diverse Kryptonite (See below), MPI, Serious Rage.
Equipment:
- BATTLESUIT [BODY 25, Power Reserve: 46, Bonuses & Limitations: Hardened Defenses. The suit blocks the effects of Kryptonite and negates the Kryptonian Solar Package. Power Reserve can only be allocated to Powers and Physical Attributes and only 2 APs can be added to each, except Str which gets 4 APs.].
- Telepathic Earplug [BODY 01, Comprehend Languages 12, Telepathy (No mental combat allowed) 03, Miniaturization 12].
Kryptonian Solar Package
Gradual Loss Vulnerability: Prolonged absence of Solar Radiation; Kryptonians are solar powered and as shown below can receive their energy from multiple sources. The best energy for them though comes from Yellow suns if they are removed from a Sol-type system for a period of more than 1 year they will begin to lose their powers as their cells exhaust their charge.
Power loss will progress at a rate of 1 AP from each power and physical attribute per month. Powers will eventually drop to 0. Physical attributes will level out at human norms for a person of their physical fitness level worked out like this.
A Kryptonian of STR 22 unpowered has a STR 02, A STR 24 equals an unpowered STR 04 and so on.
For Dex Attribute subtract 5 from the Kryptonian’s powered Dex ie. DEX 15 becomes DEX 10, DEX 12 becomes DEX 07 etc. For BODY subtract 12 from powered to get unpowered so BODY 18 equals BODY 06, BODY 14 equals BODY 02 and so on.
As you can see at an AP a week some attributes will last longer than others which is a reverse of the pace and order that they got them in as their powers first charged.
Some powers drop much faster, for instance, Flight at max for Kryptonians will reach 40 APs but without solar power it will drop to 30 after the first year and then by 1 AP per month for the next 5 months when it will drop by another 10 APs to 15 and it will then continue to drop by 1 AP per month for another 5 months after which it will drop to 0.
Returning to a Yellow sun system will enable them to recharge their powers in the reverse pace that they lost them beginning from the point that they were at. For example Superman has a Dex 15, Str 25, Bod 18, if he is out of the Sol system for 17 months his attributes will have dropped to Dex 10, Str 20, Bod 13. He would require 5 months of time under a Yellow sun to reach peak levels again. This pace can be artificially accelerated.
White suns will charge Kryptonians up in a matter of minutes and then continue to charge them to a level where they will explode (see below). Blue suns will charge them but their powers will be unstable as long as they are exposed (see below).
Orange Suns will halt power loss but usable power levels will be at half as noted below, powers below half will recharge to half at half the rate they would charge under a yellow sun. For other solar types use your discretion.
Loss Vulnerability: All Powers drop to 0 and Physical attributes drop to human norms for their fitness level (see above) under a Red sun.
Loss Vulnerability: All Powers drop by half rounded down (so 25 becomes 12) and all physical attributes drop according to the following under an Orange sun. Str and Bod will drop by half rounded down but Dex will drop by 3 APs.
Fatal Vulnerability: All Powers and Physical attributes begin to rise out of control under a White sun (If you’re wondering why this is listed as being Fatal watch season 8 of Smallville, same thing happened to Bizzaro but it was caused by Blue Kryptonite) They will explode in a matter of 6 APs meanwhile their powers will be rising out of control resulting in an uncontrollable energy release from their bodies as they instinctively try to survive every thing within 6 APs will be attacked by an energy burst with an OV/RV of 15, the explosion of the person will engulf an area of 7 APs with an OV/RV of 20.
Misc. Vulnerability: Powers and Physical attributes become unpredictable some can rise sharply or drop or rise then drop etc. (GM’s discretion) under a Blue sun.
Kryptonian Solar Package total Value: 3000.
Diverse Kryptonite
Fatal Vulnerability (Green Kryptonite, Range of 1 AP), Loss Vulnerability (Green Kryptonite, Range 1 AP, All Powers to 00, all physical attributes to human levels [as above] but the character is in intense pain and typically has difficulty even moving).
Misc. Vulnerability (Red Kryptonite, Psychological effects, Sovereign’s motivation becomes Thrill of Adventure, Range of touch), Loss Vulnerability (Blue Kryptonite, All powers to 00 all physical attributes to human levels, range of touch), Note: There are other forms of Kryptonite but they typically don’t affect Kryptonians.
Diverse Kryptonite total value: 3000.
Design Notes
Unlike many list-members I do not follow the “Superman’s Dex is 10” school, however, if using this character in such a setting simply lower his Dex to 9. Init would also drop to 41 or 43 with his suit.
Source of Character: The two-part episode Roads Not Taken of the 1988-92 Salkind produced Live Action Superboy TV series. The episode aired in the third season of said show. Also the DC Universe in general.
Helper(s): Danielle Mendus’s Superboy WU and all helpers associated with it. Adrian Tullberg, Dr. Peter Piispanen.
Writeup completed on the 31st of March, 2011.