Triax the Terrible

Context

This obscure enemy of Marvel’s Adam Warlock first appeared in a 1973 storyline.

If you’re not familiar with Wundagore and the New Men, it may be better to first parse the High Evolutionary character profile for context.

Background

Powers and Abilities

Triax the Terrible is a New Man. Meaning an upliftedTurning an animal into a sapient, more human-like life form animal given human-level intelligence, the power of speech and a humanoid form.

It is possible that he has some animalistic abilities (such as a keen sense of smell). But that was never demonstrated.

In his natural form Triax is :

Though he’s descended from an animal that can be a powerful fighter, Triax is not a hardened combatant. He’s more like a Saturday brawler. He :

Other assets

His main asset used to be a super-submarine, described in the game stats section.

Triax can somehow take the form of a quasi-human person of more average stature. In this form he calls himself Apollo.

This form requires concentration to maintain, though. In stressful situations — such as combat — he’ll likely be unable to assume it.

Triax later demonstrated the ability to look completely human (as “Ralph Shaw”). The limits of this shape-changing power are unrevealed.

As Shaw, he could also hide the fact that he was wearing power armourStrength-enhancing body armour, like Iron Man’s. He seemed to only wear a business suit.

History

Triax is a super-evolved warthog  . He’s an animal uplifted to sapienceCapable of intelligent reasoning and humanoid form using a process designed by the High Evolutionary.

Such beings are called New Men.

Talkin’ ’bout my generation

It is unclear to which generation of New Men Triax belongs to. The two possibilities are :

Triax :

Therefore, C is the likeliest possibility.

People try to put us d-down

Our suggested No-Prize HypothesisA made-up explanation to plug a plot hole is that Triax is an Isotope C Man-Beast servant.

But the High Evolutionary called him “terrible” while fighting Man-Beast. Therefore, Triax renamed himself Triax the Terrible. So he could claim to have been named by the High Evolutionary – for religious reasons.

If Triax is indeed an Isotope C New Man, the first few hours of his life were being uplifted by the Man-Beast then fighting the High Evolutionary and his forces in Wundagore.

The Man-Beast and his servants were defeated, and the Knights of Wundagore boxed them into a spaceship. The ship was then sent toward the uninhabited Dromisana galaxy.

However, the Man-Beast and his servants were not interested in being settlers. What they wanted was… REVENGE !

They watched the High Evolutionary create a new world, Counter-Earth, and then they struck.

Counter-Earth

Man-Beast managed to infiltrate Counter-Earth. He became the serpent in the High Evolutionary’s Eden. He brought henchmen with him, including Triax the Terrible.

However, the cosmic hero Adam Warlock embarked on a messianic journey to save and redeem Counter-Earth. He defeated Man-Beast.

By that point, Triax the Terrible still commanded a super-submarine and a crew of Man-Beast servants. He therefore decided to make his own attempt at conquering Counter-Earth.

Being one of the very few superhumans on Counter-Earth, he assumed that it was just a matter of creating enough shock and awe to cow humans into submission.

As Apollo.

Phacochoerus africanus

Triax attacked Cape Canaveral  . As a demonstration of power, his flying submarine destroyed a rocket as it was launched.

Though Triax killed one of Warlock’s apostles, his self-confidence rapidly evaporated after he started fighting Adam Warlock one-on-one.

During the fight, Triax saw that Man-Beast was among the crowd, disguised as Presidential candidate Rex Carpenter. This destroyed what remained of Triax’s self-confidence, and he was soon defeated by Warlock. The New Man attempted to escape – and seemed to accidentally fall to his death.

Triax actually dragged himself away before the security forces could engage him.

Pigs in space

Triax was reunited with the Man-Beast under unrevealed circumstances. He resumed working as his henchman.

In 1992, the Man-Beast launched a new plot against Adam Warlock – who had recently assembled his Infinity Watch team.

Triax captured Infinity Watch member Pip the Troll while the Man-Beast (calling himself “Omega” for secrecy) caught the rest.

Adam Warlock stopped Omega’s attempt at killing a weakened High Evolutionary. He then attacked Omega’s spaceship.

While Warlock easily disposed of the robot defenders, Triax was wearing power armour and proved a much tougher opponent. Still, Adam Warlock knocked him out and went on to defeat Man-Beast.

Disunited

A few years later, Man-Beast attempted to gain revenge by manipulating the United Nations. He also mind-controlled the Avengers into attacking Warlock and the Infinity Watch.

Triax posed as his bodyguard, Ralph Shaw.

The plot failed. Warlock came to reveal the subterfuge in front of the UN, defeating Triax and the Man-Beast by himself after forcing them to shed their human disguises.

Personality

Triax has dreams of power and conquest. But he can’t walk the walk and remains, at best, a flunkie. In DC Heroes RPG terms, his Mental and Spiritual Attributes are far from the best – and it shows.

His morale tends to be all-or-nothing. Either he’s fighting ferociously and efficiently – or he gets nervous, hesitant and cowardly. Which way he’ll go at any given point is difficult to anticipate. Wild pigs can be unpredictable.

He seems afraid of Man- Beast. Therefore, Triax will fight to the bitter end if the Man-Beast can see him. Presumably to avoid his wrath.

DC Heroes RPG

Tell me more about the game stats

Triax the Terrible

Dex: 05	Str: 08	Bod: 07
Int: 03	Wil: 02	Min: 03
Inf: 04	Aur: 03	Spi: 02
Init: 013		HP: 015

Powers:

Chameleon: 02, Growth: 03

Bonuses and Limitations:

• Growth is Already Factored Into the stats above. Not employing APs of Growth means lower STR, Weight and RV vs. Physical Attacks.
• Growth doesn’t reduce OV vs. Physical and Energy Attacks.
• Chameleon cannot be maintained — and Growth cannot be suppressed — if Triax is too stressed, afraid, hurt, etc..

Skills:

Martial artist: 06

Advantages:

Insta-Change.

Bonuses and Limitations:

Insta-Change requires that Chameleon be active.

Connections:

Man-Beast (Low).

Drawbacks:

Strange Appearance (can be eliminated with Chameleon and no Growth).

Motivation:

Power.

Occupation:

Would-be conqueror.

Wealth:

006

Equipment:

• FLIGHT SUIT [BODY 04, Flight: 06]. This was worn on Counter-Earth and destroyed at Cape Canaveral.
• POWER ARMOUR [/STR/ 10 /BODY/ 09, Flight: 12, Radio communications: 12, Sealed systems: 14, Shade: 03]. The stats for the armour are tentative, since Warlock was recovering his abilities when he fought Triax.

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A dark submarine… which bears a striking semblance to a killer shark !

Triax’s chief asset as Apollo was his super-submarine. It was a craft the size of an attack sub, with a crew of maybe a dozen sailors, numerous weapon systems, and flight capabilities.

This craft was presumably designed by the Man-Beast.

It had the following stats :

DARK SUBMARINE [STR 13 BODY 16, Accuracy (Grappling/Wrestling using Extra Limbs): 06, Bomb: 11, Chemical attack: 08, Energy blast: 12, Extra limbs (x4): 07, Flight: 07, Fog: 08, Ice production: 09, Jumping: 04, Sonar: 12, Swimming: 06, Telescopic vision: 06, Water control: 06, Water freedom: 06, Bonuses & Limitations:

• Bomb represent actual bombs, which need to be dropped on the target.
• Energy blast can be used underwater without hindrance.
• Chemical Attack is Combined with, and Active Throughout, the Fog.
• Fog and Chemical Attack are only useable underwater – it’s ink with a corrosive effect.
• Ice production is its own AV (+0 or +1 dep. on house rules) but can only encase. It represents a fast-hardening gel.
• Jumping can also represent ejecting someone using the launch tubes.

The SUBMARINE could launch two huge (about five metres long) heat-seeking missiles. It seemed to have but two, and they had to be launched in a pair that does a Team Attack. MISSILES [DEX 05 BODY 02, EV 15, Flight: 10, Grenade drawback].

1992 power armour.

DC Adventures RPG

Tell me more about the game stats

Triax the terrible — Averaged PL 7.2

STR	STA	AGL	DEX
08	06	02	01
FGT	INT	AWE	PRE
06	00	00	01

Powers:

30 to 50 feral hogs ● 1 point ● Descriptor: Uplift
– Feature — Triax has three extra Ranks of size over the Human baseline. He *can* disengage these to be more discreet, but each disengaged Rank removes a Rank of Strength and Stamina.
– Protection 2 (Limited 1 to attacks that aren’t energy-based, though concussive energy doesn’t count).

Illusory disguise ● 5 points ● Descriptor: Psionic ?
Morph 1.

Devices:

Flight suit ● 8 points (Removable) ● Descriptor: Technology
Flight 5. This was worn on Counter-Earth and destroyed at Cape Canaveral.

Power armour suit ● 43 points (Removable) ● Descriptor: Technology
– Enhanced Abilities (Strength 2).
– Impervious Protection 2.
– Flight 11.
– Enhanced Advantage (Second Chance (Bright lights)).
– Radio Communication 3.
– Immunity 10 (Life support).

Dark submarine that bears a striking semblance to a killer shark ● 74 points ● Descriptor: Technology
Colossal, Strength 16, Toughness 16, Defense -8. Capabilities include :

• Flight 6.
• Leaping 4, Feature 1 (can also use those Ranks to launch something from the tubes).
• Swimming 6.
• Immunity 10 (Life support).
• Sonar — Senses 4 (Ranged Extended 3 tactile).
• Optics — Senses 2 (Extended 2 visual).
• Weapons array (30 pts):
  • Energy cannons — Ranged energy Damage 12.
  • Robo-tentacles (Close Attack 4, Snare 06).
  • Bombs — Burst-Area 2 explosive Damage 11, limited 2 (only two bombs, which must be dropped from the air).
  • Corrosive ink discharger — Burst-Area 2 visual Concealment, Linked w/Burst-Area 2 Affliction 8 (Dazed, Senses Disabled, Unaware). Both Limited 1 to unerwater usage.
  • Fast-hardening gel discharger — Snare 8.
  • Move object 6 (Limited 1 to water).
  • Big missiles (Ranged Attack 2, Ranged explosive Damage 14, Limited 2 (one attack)).

Combat Advantages:

Close Attack 2, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Move-by Action.

Other Advantages:

None demonstrated.

Skills:

Deception 1 (+2), Insight 1 (+1), Perception 2 (+2).

Offence:

Initiative +2

Unarmed +8, Close, Damage 8.

Defence:

Dodge	07
Fortitude	10
Parry	09
Toughness	06*/08
Will	02

* Against energy attacks.

Complications:

• I troll to disbelieve If Triax is too stressed, scared, hurt, etc. his Morph power will likely break.
• Poor morale Triax lacks courage, consistency and resolve.

Powers Levels:

• Trade-off areas. Attack/Effect PL 08, Dodge/Toughness PL 08, Parry/Toughness PL 09, Fort/Will PL 06.
• Points total 75. Abilities 48, Defences 13, Skills 2, Powers 6, Devices 00, Advantages 6. Equiv. PL 05.

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Notes

As you can see above, the PL computations do *not* include his Devices, which were adventure-specific. If he gets Man-Beast-issued gear, his PL components will rise accordingly.

By Sébastien Andrivet.

Source of Character: Adam Warlock books (Marvel Universe).

Writeup completed on the 10^th of June, 2011.