Phalanx: Difference between revisions

Phalanx
Phalanx
Author	/u/Magos_Nashoid
Civilian name	Jasper Newchapel
Alignment	Hero
Affiliation	Protectorate Captain (Devilfish)
PRT Classification	Tinker, Master,
Born	Devilfish, Minnesota
Status	Active
	v; t; e;

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VisualWikitext

Revision as of 11:22, 4 July 2023

Phalanx is Captain of the Devilfish Protectorate, having formerly been a core member of the Minneapolis Protectorate prior to his promotion and transfer. Phalanx is one of the Premier Artificial Intelligence Tinkers, and has served the Protectorate Faithfully for the past 6 years, and even longer if you count his time as a PRT trooper.

He has been upfront and clear to all who would fight him, that excessive force against his Android Daughter Pleiades will be responded with both the unrelenting force of a Protectorate Captain responding to violence against a Ward, as well as a very angry father with readily accessible Death rays.

He and the majority (but not all) of his gear is Greco-Roman themed, something he has mentioned is in honor of his heritage. Being both ethnically Greek, and a Hellenic Pagan.

Character Sheet

Appearance

Civilian: Jasper Newchapel is a lithe but incredibly fit individual. Phalanx's skin is olive, having been the children of Greek Immigrants. He has light hazel eyes, and black hair. Standing at roughly 5'9 in height.

Costume: Generally speaking Jasper wears a suit of Power-armor. Typically the exterior plating is made of a polished golden-bronze material, with a red plume on the helmet.

Mundane Equipment and Resources

Wealth Level: 7

Primarily lives at the Protectorate HQ, but has a well furnished/stocked Family Home ,conveniently down the street from his own parent's house.

Has a slightly-higher than average Tinker budget, to account for expensive-but essential components in his Robots CPUs.

Has an extremely hardened set of Databanks for backing-up the digital half of his androids consciousness, backs them up every night before heading home from work.

PRT-issue Radio
PRT-issue Medical Kit
Zipties
Set of Handcuffs
Multi-tool
Police Truncheon

Skills and Specializations

Understanding of Government bureaucracy
Understanding of criminal and conspiratorial behavior aka basic level criminology.
High speed pursuit vehicle training
Basic first aid
Understanding of basic human intelligence gathering.
Basic Forensic Knowledge
Understanding of laws and legal procedures
Navigating his way around quickly with maps, charts and tables, orienteering, instruments, or dead reckoning.
Searching a room, vehicle, or person for weapons and contraband.
PRT Self Defense training in unarmed combat
PRT Self Defense training with PRT weapons
Skilled Use of Antiquated weaponry, and associated tactics.
Basic PRT/Police Squad Tactics
Customized Squad Tactics (Devised by Phalanx for himself and his AI)
Can play the Piano.
Is a pretty good Dungeon Master.

Mentality

Jasper is a relatively jovial person, greatly respecting his co-workers, Protectorate, Ward, Trooper, and Clerk alike. They do their best to remain professional whenever possible, but have trouble not looking at the team like a big family. Feeling somewhat parental over the Wards at time, though they keep this to themselves usually.

Jasper has changed since their trigger, having mellowed out oddly enough, compared to the more serious person they had been when working as a PRT trooper pre-trigger.

Heroism is not just a job for Phalanx, they are genuinely called to be the best they can be, and while heroism is a major part of their life, they consistently endeavor to not let it consume them, or to let it be the sole focal point in their life.

Jasper is a follower of Hellenism, though they aren't usually forward about it. They are also Transgender and Pansexual, the later two being clear if you pay attention to context clues, thought they are a private person about Religion, Gender, and Orientation.

Power

Trigger Type: Single Natural Trigger.

Phalanx is a tinker, specifically a variant of a 'Theme Team Tinker' (Controller X Free) Capable of building Artifical Intelligence.

Consisting of Virtual Intelligence (100% digital), Robots (100% hardware), and Androids (A mix of both), each type of which can have countless variations, and are more broad categories than strict ones.

He touches on Free tinkering, but not with as much depth as others. He can build lasers, hard-light, anti-gravity, Meta-Materials, Power sources, and other science-fiction staples...

But these tend to be more limited/weaker than you'd see in a specialized tinker, or a Free Tinker with a stronger drawback, and tend to manifest as components or equipment for outfitting his Minions.

He his however heads and tails above most others in the field of Software and AI, even compared to other tinkers.

His more complicated AI are rather Alien in Mindset, though he excels at coding filters that allow these Mindsets to function akin to a human, animal, or to specific specifications.

For the sake of balancing, I have devised a method of categorizing his creations, and an associated point system, based around the Complexity of his creations, and the associated Maintenance.

He has a total of 12 Points to spend, on AI, Code, and Equipment, and I will be marking all his tech submissions Accordingly.

Type	Points
Complex	2
Moderate	1
Simple	1/2
Stable	0

Backstory

Like many children, Jasper wanted to be a Hero when they were a kid. Things didn’t work out that way though. But a successful career in the PRT was rewarding in its own way. Jasper would even argue that putting your life on the line to help others meant more when you weren’t a bullet-proof Modern-day Demi-god.

This wasn’t just a job for Jasper, it was a life-calling. But on Earth Kaff, all good things must end in tears. During one fateful operation Jasper and his squad was disabled by a potent emotion-manipulator. To this day Jasper is uncertain why it affected him so much more than his squad-mates (not that they didn’t have a rough time too).

The others took sometime to recover from the long-term negative effects, perhaps a month of downtime on average. Power-induced PTSD was no joke after all, but it seemed that the effects wore off with time with minimal lasting effects.

Not so for Jasper though, perhaps Jasper was simply more inclined towards Agoraphobia, but the PTSD had left Jasper a grade-A agoraphobe and Insomniac. They were able to tough through things at first, so they returned to active duty (barely passing psych checks) but their performance quickly dropped. His comradery with his co-workers fizzled out, and their combat effectiveness was hampered. The PRT discharged Jasper, putting them on reserve, so that Psychiatric help could be given.

Months passed, with minimal progress, Jasper isolated themselves from civilian friends, and family, video calls with their Therapist continued, and Jasper found some solace in the form of digital media, but things remained stagnant, and alone. Efforts to improve were continually met with setbacks, this continued for months.

TRIGGER

The PRT Therapist was alarmed when Jasper ceased communications, concerned that Jasper had taken their own life, they called the police, and the paramedics.

Jasper was not dead, but had simply dismantled every electronic device he owned in a fugue-state, having constructed most of a Bipedal Robot. Jasper remained unresponsive to the Police and Paramedics in his home, and the PRT were dispatched when it was clear this was a parahuman matter.

Their Trigger had left them different, they still had agoraphobia, but something had fundamentally changed, that allowed a gradual recovery. Legally they were now a member of the Protectorate, and while it took over a year and a half of concerted self-improvement to recover to the point that they were allowed on active duty. Jasper flourished as a protectorate hero.

Tinker Tech

Elysian Steel (Stable)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = A Meta-Material alloy that has an appearance somewhere between gold and bronze, though it is somewhat more dull and less-reflective.
Abilities = A Tinker-Meta material supplied by Phalanx's shard for armor plating, weaponry, and general construction purposes.

Its physical properties are akin to high-grade steel, with any small differences being negligible. With Its most notable and unique property being that it is entirely 100% non-conductive, and does not rust. Making it all but immune to electrical attacks. Produced by Phalanx in large batches that can be stored in one of two ways, Ingots that can be melted down by himself or allies for later use in special molds, or in large containers of metallic powder for use in a metal 3d printer. Phalanx has taken the liberty of forging a supply of melee weaponry. swords, knives, pole-arms, and shields of varying sizes. As well as a couple of Gladiatorial nets woven from the material. Set aside in the Armory.

Duration = N/A
Notes = Shelf-stable, requires no maintenance, with a small supply of Ingots and powder set aside for his use, and his allies (with permission) in a locked storage locker in the tinker-lab

Chthonic Steel (Stable)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = A Meta-Material Alloy that has an appearance resembling oxidized Copper, dull green with an odd sheen to it. Reflective in a way that oxidized copper is not.
Abilities = A Tinker-Meta material supplied by Phalanx's shard for shielding sensitive equipment, especially delicate computer systems like the brains of his Androids and Robots.

Its physical properties are akin to high-grade steel, with any small differences being negligible. With Its most notable and unique property being that it acts as a perfect Faraday cage and radiation shield

With Phalanx encasing his most valuable systems with this material to protect them from EMPs, and dangerous radiation. Blocks all but the most esoteric of wavelengths. Produced by Phalanx in very small batches usually for a specific project, usually computer systems as well as the brains and processors in his androids and robots

Duration = N/A
Notes = Shelf-stable, requires no maintenance.

Bubo MK2 (Complex)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = Bubo is a gigantic mechanical owl, he stands at a little over 4 feet tall, with a 9 foot wingspan, weighing several hundred pounds easily.
Abilities = Upgraded from a mere robot, into a full-fledged Android. Increasing their mental faculties by a huge margin, though Bubo was based upon the brain of a Crow/Raven rather than a human. Capable of speech, though usually only single words in a basic Text-to-speech voice.
MK2.5 Positronic Brain = Human level Intelligence. Alien thought patterns forced through a Corvid filter, has quirks. Full Corvid emotional capacity. Coated in Chthonic & Elysium steel to protect from Electricity, EMP, and Radiation.
MK3 Thunderbolt Generator = High powered Bullshitium tinker reactor. Can power Bubo Indefinitely. Has built in power banks, with secondary batteries distributed across the body. Coated in Elysium steel for Electrical protection.
Construction = Reinforced Steel/Titanium Skeleton. Super-dense Synthetic Muscles. Secondary Hydraulic system (with Tinker Tech Antifreeze). Has the strength of a Human. And the bite/claw strength of a bladed hydraulic press.
Armor Plating = Reinforced steel armor, with an exterior layer of Elysium steel. (IV on chart). Waterproofed & Air-tight. With leak sensors.
Flight Systems = Using a combination of wings, thrusters, and anti-grav cores, Bubo can reach a maximum of 100mph, acceleration is 20mph per round of continued flight. With a Parachute activated at-will, or automatically via a clockwork timer if he loses power for a set period of time. (IE hit with EMP mid flight)
Carry Capacity = Can carry up to 600 pounds while flying.
Sensors = He has 16x zoom, Infrared, ultraviolet, thermal , and human spectrum's of vision (stack-able), Olfactory Sensors, Ultrasonic Microphones, A barometer, and a radar array like you’d see in a Fighter jet.
Weapons = Tasers in the beak and talons, razor edged feathers (Can be tucked under non bladed feathers when unneeded)
Communication System = Radio and Wi-fi, has an ‘Airlock’ with a small VI, if it detects intrusion of any kind (IE anything not on approved list) it pops a fuse, that mechanically disconnects Communications system from the rest of Bubo.
Duration = His power source will last indefinitely, limited only by its need for maintenance.
Notes = He is a good boy.

Dasher MK2 (Moderate)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = A large pony-sized mechanical Hound.
Abilities = Transplanted from his previous body. Dasher has been given a more traditional, albeit larger Canine form.
Positronic Processor MK2 = Not as powerful as a proper Positronic Brain, but powerful by non-tinker tech standards. Intelligence and Emotional capacity of a very gifted Canine. Coated in Chthonic & Elysium steel to protect from EMP, Radiation and Electricity.
MK3 Thunderbolt Generator = High powered Bullshitium tinker reactor. Can power Dasher Indefinitely. Has built in power banks, with secondary batteries distributed across the body. Coated in Elysium steel for Electrical protection.
Construction = Reinforced Steel/Titanium Skeleton. Super-dense Synthetic Muscles. Secondary Hydraulic system (with Tinker Tech Antifreeze). About as strong as a horse, with the bite/claw strength of a bladed hydraulic press.
Armor Plating = Reinforced steel armor, with an exterior layer of Elysium steel. (IV on chart). Waterproofed & Air-tight. With leak sensors.
Carry Capacity = Can carry about as much as a horse can.
Sensors = He has 16x zoom, Infrared, ultraviolet, thermal , and human spectrum's of vision (stack-able), Extremely powerful Hound-like Olfactory Sensors, and Ultrasonic Microphones
Weapons = Tasers in the Jaws and claws.
Communication System = Radio and Wi-fi, has an ‘Airlock’ with a small VI, if it detects intrusion of any kind (IE anything not on approved list) it pops a fuse, that mechanically disconnects Communications system from the rest of Dasher.
Duration = Power source will last indefinitely, limited by its need for maintenance.
Notes = He is a good Doggo now.

Praetorian Armor MK3 (Moderate)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = A suit of stylized Power Armor based on the appearance of a futuristic Greco-Roman Armor. has a small holo-projector in the faceplate that can project digitized faces, emoticons, and small bits of text.
Abilities =
Positronic Processor MK2 = Not as powerful as a proper Positronic Brain, but powerful by non-tinker tech standards. Intelligence is limited to diagnostics, number crunching, and a number of utility features, like note-taking, sending messages, searching databanks/internet, translation software, ETC. Basically a Powerful Computer/Smartphone. Coated in Chthonic and Elysium Steel to protect from EMP, Radiation, and Electrical Discharge.
MK3 Thunderbolt Generator = High powered Bullshitium tinker reactor. Can power the Suit Indefinitely. Has built in power banks, with secondary batteries distributed across the body. Coated in Elysium steel for Electrical protection.
Construction = Heavy Steel/Titanium Armor, with an Elysium Steel plate coating. (IV on chart) and immunity to electrical attacks. Hydraulics (with tinker tech Antifreeze) with a secondary Synth-Muscle system allow them to lift roughly 1000lbs and strike hard enough to shatter masonry and bend commercial steel.
Secondary Systems = Helmet has a Gas mask and 2hrs bottled oxygen (located on the small of the back, IV on chart). Can manually open panels on the faceplate to allow unimpeded access to the mouth and/or eyes. The suit has a high powered (and nearly silent) cooling system, for keeping systems cool, and for comfort.
Sensors = 16x zoom, Thermal, Infrared, Ultraviolet, and Human spectrum vision, Ultrasonic microphones, Geiger Counter.
Communication Systems = Radio and Wi-fi, has an ‘Airlock’ with a small VI, if it detects intrusion of any kind (IE anything not on approved list) it pops a fuse, that mechanically disconnects Communications system from the rest of the Suit. Extra Fuses are stored in a spare compartment, easy enough for Phalanx to replace.
Weapons = Deploy-able blades built into each arm with 6 inches of usable length. Tasers in the knuckles and fingers.
Movement = The suit can cancel out its own weight, allowing Phalanx to spring/leap as well as he could without the armor on. Built in Flotation Device in shoulder blades, and parachute in the spine. Possesses a Grappling hook in each arm. [See grappling hook tech post]
Jump Jets = Uses weak anti-grav cores and micro thrusters, all hidden beneath retractable panels. Allows jumping up to 3 stories, or jolting forward in a burst of speed. Can reach 5 stories if used in conjunction with Grappling hooks. Has a ‘Feather-fall’ setting that allows them to safely reach the ground when falling from any height.
Duration = Power Source lasts indefinitely, limited by its need for Maintenance.
Notes = Has a Plug-and-Play Virtual Intelligence, with all the modules.
Unofficial notes for myself = 600lbs (phalanx=200 / Armor=400)

(6) Grappling Hook (Simple)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = It looks like a grappling hook gun. Large by the standards of a pistol, more like a hand cannon or SMG, but clearly a grappling gun even to a cursory glance.
Abilities = Allows a user to scale buildings much much easier, up to two (2) stories. Able to support up to 700lbs of weight. (One round to go up two stories)

The grip is full of powerful electromagnets, designed to 'lock' into the grip of a metal gauntlet or glove. This allows it to not be yanked out of their hand when the cable retracts.

Could theoretically be used as a weapon, firing it towards an opponent, hitting about as hard as a beanbag from a shotgun when its prongs are retracted, or like a harpoon gun if the prongs are deployed. Is able to retract to fire again in only a handful of seconds.

Duration = N/A
Notes = Given to Acoustica, Retcon, Zeitgeist, Bluescreen, Two Extras.

Wrist Blaster MK2 (Simple)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = A chunky metal gauntlet, rather sci-fi in appearance.
Abilities = Can be fitted on a bare arm and use its battery, or slotted over the Praetorian armor (or Argus’s arm) and hooked to their power systems with a cord.
Thunderbolt Battery MK1 =A powerful battery that also generates a small amount of power overtime, at least enough to build back its charge when left alone. Sufficient for extended use of the Wrist Blaster
Grappling Hook = See the Grappling hook post.
Wrist Blade = Deployable blade, 6 inches of usable length.
Railgun Blaster = Fires BBs at hyper velocity. Two reservoirs of BB ammo roughly 50 each of Regular BBs, and Rubber coated BBs. Fires rubber coated with about the force of a 9mm rubber bullet. And Fires normal BBs at the force of a 5.56 AP round.
Laser Blaster = Fires Red Laser pulses, Infinite clip, 1 shot per round to allow recharge. 80 meter range. Single shot is 2nd degree burns and ignites flammable materials. Consecutive shots are 3rd degree burns and ignite less flammable materials.
Taser Knuckles/Fingers = Built in Tasers in the fingertips and knuckles, about on par with police standard
Duration = N/A
Notes = Phalanx carries this one with him in civilian guise, along with his helmet and a dagger, in a large canvas messenger bag.

Plug-and-Play Virtual Intelligence (Stable)

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/
Creator = Devilfish:Phalanx for himself and other tinkers
Appearance = Has no physical form since they are just code, the VI can be given the option of forming its own 'Avatar' overtime as its learning algorithm develops a sense of aesthetics. Or the User can design an avatar themself. Phalanx usually provides it to others initially downloaded on a simple but robust processor/hard-drive.
Abilities = Built as a customizable virtual intelligence, with extremely sophisticated learning algorithms, they are excellent number crunchers, and have some built in modules.

In addition the VI can grow and learn along with its user, and can integrate and form new modules overtime, or the user can design and add them manually.

When gifted to another tinker, phalanx provides a guide and debugging tools, along with occasionally giving them a flash drive with any new updates, though these are optional, and often sporadic.

Personal Assistance Module = Notes, alarms, reminders, internet and database searches. All the functions of a modern smartphone or a real life secretary.
Targeting Assistance Module = Trajectory calculations/predictions, Accuracy increasing with knowledge of the user, their weapons, and their powers.
Vital Signs Monitor = Requires pre-requisite sensors to monitor, but can monitor vital signs for fluctuations and discrepencies, can be set to do various things with that data.
Communications Module = Manage communication systems, Phone, Radio, Wifi, Email, basically any system that can connect to the hardware its based out of.
Duration = N/A
Notes = In addition to the one in Phalanx's Armor and each of his computers, Ammonite, and Acoustica each have a copy. He lets folks do backups of their customized VI on his secondary databanks as frequently as they wish.

Vibrato con Amore Mk. 1.0

Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/t6a01a/swords_and_shoes_acoustica/
Creator = Devilfish:Acoustica fo Devilfish:Phalanx
Appearance = A dull golden gladius that was ripped straight from Phalanx’s armory. Upon the hilt is a black metal case that goes around the hand, much like a rapier’s basket.
Abilities = The black case houses a sonic projector attached directly to the tang of the gladius, causing it to vibrate at a high frequency. This vibration allows for much easier cutting, to the point that organic materials can be cut through like warm butter. Rings slightly when swung through the air.
Duration = Without a power source it is still a sharp sword, but it will no longer vibrate. Connects to Phalanx’s suit power.
Notes = Gift to Phalanx for services rendered

Argus Mk2 Hoplite (Complex)

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/v3u0zl/rebalancing_and_resubmitting_all_of_phalanxs_tech/

Public Information

Publicly known as Phalanx's Android son, He has been reintroduced under the code-name Hoplite. Phalanx has explained that he is for all intents and purposes a Ward, and that he should be treated as one, with all the implied threats that come with that, if someone threatens or endangers a Ward.