Watchlord
Context
This obscure Marvel character was only seen in one 1971 story.
He is mostly remarkable for being an early enemy of the solo Black Widow (Natalia Romanova) and having a terrible costume. Howbeit, rework and improvement wouldn’t be difficult.
Background
- Real Name: Pieter Altmann.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: Unnamed father (deceased).
- Group Affiliation: None.
- Base Of Operations: New York state.
- Height: 6’ Weight: 180 lbs.
- Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
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Powers and Abilities
The Watchlord is a mutate with telekinetic and matter reshaping/animation powers. He has :
- Turned wooden planks into a straitjacket.
- Turned wooden beams into a sort of metallic cage.
- Blasted people with energy beams from his hands.
- Animated tree roots to hold prisoners.
- Set fire to buildings with his mind.
- That sort of things.
He was assisted by remarkably fit and skilled henchmen.
History
Pieter Altmann was but a child when Germany fell in 1945. His hometown was overrun by Soviet troops, and his father was killed despite being non-political. The boy fled to a church operated by a friend of his father, and the priest hid him in his warehouse.
Typical Watchlord henchman uniform.
Unknown to either the priest or the boy, one crate there was full of experimental radioactive isotopes abandoned by the Nazis. The lengthy exposure had a mutagenic effect. But this wouldn’t be apparent until Altmann was well into his teens.
When he discovered that he had powers well beyond those of normal men, he decided it was a sign that he should rid the West of “all of Stalin’s brood”. Meaning any person associated with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. He later moved to the US, and apparently was naturalized as a citizen there.
Itsy bitsy spider
In the early 1970s, the Watchlord captured Ivan Petrovitch Bezukhov. He then used Ivan to lure the Black Widow to an upstate New York chalet. Both Russians were left to die in the burning chalet. The Watchlord moved on to his next target, a nearby lodge owned by the Soviet embassy.
Ivan and Natalya escaped and took down the Watchlord’s henchmen. However the Widow fell into an ambush set by the Watchlord. She dodged the boulder he had blasted off-balance, but that left her open and Altmann’s shot grazed her head.
Out of power, the Watchlord walked to her and was about to execute her with his handgun. But he was caught in an avalanche triggered by the boulder he had previously blasted. The Watchlord was never seen again and likely perished in the avalanche.
Description
See illustration.
Personality
Dastardly !
Quotes
“If I had not taken a personal hand, it would have slipped thru your fingers. Quiet, you snivelling weakling. Let me savour this first, glorious moment of salvation. The nation can thank its lucky stars that the Watchlord was standing by !”
“And now, with my last current reserve of power… I shall warm your final resting place.” (Psychically sets fire to the chalet) “The Cold War… gets hot for a moment !”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Watchlord
| Dex: 03 | Str: 03 | Bod: 04 | Motivation: Psycho |
| Int: 03 | Wil: 03 | Min: 03 | Occupation: Vigilante |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 03 | Resources {or Wealth}: 005 |
| Init: 009 | HP: 015 |
Powers:
Matter Manipulation: 05, Mental blast: 07, Pyrotechnics: 07, Snare: 06
Bonuses and Limitations:
- All Powers are their own AV (+0 or +1 depending on your house rules).
- The Watchlord’s Powers all draw from his reserves. He has a reserve of 20 APs that he can spend – for instance taking a Dice Action with 5 APs of Pyrotechnics leaves him with 15 APs in his reserve. Once the “pool” is empty he cannot use his Powers anymore. His reserves replenish at a rate of 1 AP for every 15 minutes without genuine physical or mental effort. He can also burn Hero Points to replenish the reserve – 1 HP per AP.
Skills:
Weaponry (Firearms): 05
Advantages:
Language (German).
Connections:
None demonstrated.
Drawbacks:
MIH of the Soviets, MPI.
Equipment:
Handgun [BODY 03, Projectile weapon: 04, Ammo: 09, R#02].
Henchmen
The Watchlord is assisted by six henchmen – use the elite “Spandex-Clad henchman” statistics from our Stock Thugs And Criminals article. The have the following gear :
- Energy guns [BODY 03, Energy blast: 05, R#04].
- Gas grenade [BODY 02, Bomb: 05, Chemical attack: 06, Grenade Drawback, Note: Bomb and Chemical attack can and must be Combined].
Source of Character: Amazing Adventure v2 #8 (Marvel comics).
Helper(s): Kal El el Vigilante, Gareth Lewis.