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That man is Doom. We will explore the mysteries surrounding this enigmatic warlord and his reign over the remaining minions of Karza on Rifts Earth.
Questions
Perhaps a better question could be, "What is he?" He appears in some ways to be a normal human, but appearances can be deceiving. Doom is no ordinary man, though, for he has shown abilities many would say to be "far beyond those of mere mortal man."
Where is he from?
Who is he?
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It's possible that he is a clone, a spawn of the Body Banks. But he displays a knowledge and savvy of Rifts Earth that makes that assertion difficult, if not impossible, to believe. Would Lord Karza really have chosen someone native to Rifts Earth to hold the Invid throne in his absence?
What are his plans?
Doom has kept his plans a secret, but he appears to be content with simply keeping the Invid colony of New Denver free from outside interference. There have been no attempts to conquer new lands. There has been little contact of any kind with other kingdoms and communities. It's been very quiet. Perhaps too quiet?
Answers
When Lord Karza set out to create his second, he decided to combine the best traits and abilities of some of his allies and enemies. He started with the genetic information of his former underling, the traitorous royal Acroyear Shaitan, but he knew that Shaitan's DNA alone could not give him the powerful warlord to rule in his stead. The clone would inherit the royal blood of the Acroyears, giving him toughness, power, and charisma.
But more was needed. But where would he find the necessary stock to give his people the leader they would need in his absence?
During the Mechanoids Invasion, he found who could provide what he needed.
Road Warriors Hawk and Animal, along with Erin Tarn II, accompanied Lord Karza life during the final battle with the Mechanoids. Karza took advantage of this situation, appearing to put himself in peril so Hawk could "save him," and then led Hawk to believe he felt indebted afterward.
He made a deal with Hawk to create a new body for him, to replace the robotic one he was trapped in. He simply needed Hawk to tell him where he had been abducted by SkyCom-1. Hawk reluctantly agreed and Karza dispatched Dog Soldiers and Invid Scouts to the old Chicago ruins to retrieve the bodies of Hawk and Animal.
While he created Hawk's new body, Karza worked on splicing the DNA of Shaitan, Hawk, and a stage five Invid prince, with some enhancements thrown in for good measure. Lord Karza's mastery of psionics, combined with the immense power he wielded as Lord of the Invid, allowed him to next accomplish the unthinkable.
For GM's Eyes Only
Doom is indeed the spawn of the Body Banks. But it's not as simple as that, just as nothing with Karza ever is. Should we be surprised?
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The Dark Lord of the Microverse removed Hawk's essence, his soul, from the robotic body and then managed to pull a sliver of it into the spliced clone, while transferring the remainder into Hawk's new body. When Hawk awakened, there appeared to be no ill effects from the transfer, and he was unaware of the other clone. He was unaware that part of him was missing and left to meet with Erin. It all seemed to be working perfectly.
When the other clone awakened, he was confused and disoriented.
"Who am I?" he asked his creator.
"Yes... a name is needed for you, my son." Karza replied. "What do you think it is?"
Confused, the clone was only able to say, "I... I don't really know."
He had no clear memories from Hawk's mind, only a jumbled mess of feelings and emotions. This was exactly what Karza wanted.
And Karza knew then the name that he should give this clone.
Karza used his tremendous psionic power to brainwash the clone, giving him the knowledge that he was the son of Karza, and heir to the throne of the Invid. Everything he needed to know, Karza implanted in his mind.
He created a special suit of armor for his charge -- essentially a suit of modified Stage Five Invid armor -- to both preserve his true identity and as a private joke for the Invid Lord himself.
"Your name," Karza said, "is Doom." And Karza let forth a deep laugh that seemed to be forged from darkness from behind his mask.
The memory implants gave him knowledge of all he needs to rule New Denver. Karza left, with Doom on the throne.
Recently Doom has been plagued by nightmares, however. Those nightmares are the fragmented memories of Hawk trying to break through the implants. Only time will tell if Doom will remain subservient to Karza or if he will break free of the Invid Lord's hold and set out to destroy him, just as Hawk would.
Doom
Real Name: Doom
Alignment: Aberrant
M.D.C.: 1000
Weight: 320lbs.
Height: 6 feet 5 inches
Attributes: IQ:17 ME:12 MA:25 PS:50* PP:20 PE:30* PB:13 Spd:40 (*denotes supernatural attribute)
Disposition: Doom is truly sadistic in battle. His enemies are treated with disdain and he shows no mercy. His decisions as Warlord of New Denver are made with cold, calculating ruthlessness. He is frustrated by the nightmares he suffers through each night, but is still unaware of their origin. He has taken a fascination with the exploits of Erin Tarn II, however, and is slowly becoming obsessed with her.
Experience Level: Ninth level Military Specialist
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Assassin; Boxing; Wrestling
Attacks Per Melee: Eight
Bonuses: +2 on initiative; +4 to strike; +7 to parry and dodge; +7 to roll with punch, fall, or impact
Other Bonuses: +1 to save vs. psi-attack/insanity; 84% trust/intimidate
Superhuman Abilities:
Superhuman Strength and Endurance: Doom's punches and kicks deal mega-damage in the world of Rifts.
Winged Flight: Doom's bird-like wings grant him the ability to fly at speeds up to 200 mph.
Invulnerability: This power grants makes him an MDC creature in the world of Rifts, and allows him to regenerate 1d4x10 M.D.C. per minute.
Horror Factor: Doom projects an aura of death, awe, and intimidation, giving him a Horror Factor of 12.
Telepathic Communication: Doom can communicate with any of his subjects simply by transferral of thought. This can be done instantaneously with any Invid or any of Karza's clones that are within Rifts Earth's solar system. This power costs no I.S.P.
Sense Protoculture Energy: Doom can feel the use of Protoculture energy within a 100 mile radius.
Psionic Blast: This power allows Doom to hurl a bolt of electromagnetic force at a living enemy. This bolt can inflict as little as 1d6 S.D.C., 2d6 S.D.C., 4d6 S.D.C., 1d4x10 S.D.C., 1d6x10 S.D.C., 1d6 M.D.C., or as much as 2d6 M.D.C., at a range of up to 100 feet. This power inflicts damage directly on the target, ignoring body armor or power armor. Force fields, mecha, and robot vehicles provide protection from this power.
Armor: Doom's unique armor provides 1000 M.D.C. and is armed with a variety of features.
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