Dr. Kaufmann
| Dr. Kaufmann | ||||||||||
| Player: @kampfykaufmann | ||||||||||
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| "Trust me. I'm a doctor." | ||||||||||
| Biographical Data | ||||||||||
| Real Name: | Dr. Pascal Hugo Kaufmann | |||||||||
| Known Aliases: | The Doctor, Silver Scalpel, Surgeon General, Medicus, L'Angelo della Morte | |||||||||
| Gender: | Male | |||||||||
| Species: | Human | |||||||||
| Ethnicity: | Caucasian | |||||||||
| Place of Birth: | Unknown (Suspected: Germany) | |||||||||
| Base of Operations: | Millenium City, USA | |||||||||
| Relatives: | Unknown (Has alluded to having a sister) | |||||||||
| Characteristics | ||||||||||
| Age: | Unknown (Seems to be around 30) | |||||||||
| Height: | 188 cm | |||||||||
| Weight: | 90 kg | |||||||||
| Eyes: | Dark Brown | |||||||||
| Hair: | Black | |||||||||
| Complexion: | Unnaturally Pale | |||||||||
| Physical Build: | Athletic | |||||||||
| Physical Features: | White 'skunk stripe' in his black hair | |||||||||
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| Fame: |
Recluse | |||||||||
| Alignment: |
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| Identity: | Secret | |||||||||
| Years Active: | Unknown | |||||||||
| Citizenship: | Various (Fake identities) | |||||||||
| Occupation: | Unknown | |||||||||
| Education: | Unknown (Claims to be a medical doctor) | |||||||||
| Marital Status: | Unknown | |||||||||
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| MaekadaBoxSlim created by @Maekada | |||||||||
Contents
Appearance
Dr. Kaufmann is tall with the build of a man who exercises regularly. He usually has his shoulder-long black hair neatly combed and slicked back, preferring to wear it in a ponytail. He could be considered handsome if it weren't for his unnaturally pale skin, the prominent dark circles under his eyes and the highly visible veins on his neck. To make matters worse the stress of his work and lifestyle have given him wrinkles and gaunt features which make him look older than he actually is. Another prominent feature is a large streak of white running through his otherwise black hair, covering up a large scar on his scalp. Surprisingly enough - given his line of work - he does not have any other scars. He prefers to dress very classily in private and occasionally also sports expensive business suits on missions (which usually means that he needs a new one after the mission).
His common outfit on missions consists of a white dress shirt and black dress pants, both made of a special reinforced nanoweave fabric, which allows these clothes to withstand certain amounts of kinetic force. Underneath it he wears a state-of-the-arts kevlar vest for additional protection. He also sports black leather gloves with hidden knuckledusters and black dress shoes with a special sound-dampening sole, metal tips and a hidden spring-loaded blade for emergency use. He also wears crimson-tinted shades equipped with a combat HUD, target identification software and several switchable vision modes. They are made from a reinforced material to prevent them from breaking easily in combat situations. He completes his outfit with a crimson-red tie and a long black scarf, usually loosely wrapped around his neck to hide the veins. In the colder months of the year he also sometimes wears long grey or brown trenchcoats with many hidden pockets to store additional equipment.
History
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Johann and Dr. Marion Kaufmann just wanted the best for their boy. He was a successful businessman and she a widely known physician they were both proud members of the high-society of Munich and they planned the life of their son Pascal from the very start. Ensuring from the start that he had the best teachers, tutors and trainers, it was all to prepare him to carry on their own legacy of success. After the birth of his sister Kathrin, they did the same for her.
Pascal Kaufmann's childhood was characterized by hours upon hours of learning and training: He started learning English before he could even read and write, had boxing lessons almost as soon as he could stand, attended oratory courses as soon as he could speak and much, much more. His domineering and unrelenting parents wanted the perfect heir. And they got just that. It soon became clear that Pascal was a veritable genius, way above his peers and the few friends he had. But it also became clear that Pascal would one day become just as arrogant and cold-hearted as his parents. Following his parent's wishes, he had a flawless school career, graduating as the best of his year and head of the student council. After that he started to study medicine, just like his mother. But another trait had been passed down from his parents to Pascal: An intensive dislike of metahumans. His parents had always been adamant in their disdain and contempt for those who just got their power and position by doing nothing and the various metahumans in the world fit that description just right in their eyes. They taught their children from the beginning that metahumans were worth less than nothing, after all THEY did not work as hard for everything as the normal people did and thus deserved nothing too. In the eyes of Pascal's parents metahumans were parasites at best and a blight on society at worst.
Bloodsuckers
Pascal Kaufmann also finished his studies flawlessly, helped by his intelligence, natural talent at medicine and the various skills and advantages his privileged position had given him. He got his doctorate in medicine and was ready to revolutionize the medical world. Before that though, there was one last thing to do: The damned study trip of his course to Uzbekistan to research traditional healing methods of that area. Pascal dreaded it: His idiot coeds, his close-minded professors and a land full of sand, dust and nothing. Giving in to fate, Pascal went on the trip and it was just as terrible as he expected it to be. But as it was a study trip, Pascal decided that even though he hated it from the bottom of his heart, he would be the best, as usual. His professors had written out a competition for their students: Who would be able to make the most interesting medical discoveries during the trip? Of course it would be Pascal Kaufmann, that was clear to him. Pascal secretly gathered information about anything which could be of interest for his win and he did indeed stumble over something: An old woman told him about an unusual cave in the area of the town the study trip currently spent the night in. Against the warnings of his professors - metahuman bandits allegedly plagued the area - Pascal hired two guides and set out to find that mysterious cave in the middle of the night.
The trip was exhausting, but Pascal and his guides did reach that cave without any incident. Pascal was disappointed. It was a regular cave with an underground lake opening up into a large, dusky swamp. Nothing unusual. Cursing himself and his fate, Pascal already prepared to leave the place again, when he and his guides where ambushed by one of the metahuman bandits he had been warned of. Even though his guides were armed, the metahuman effortlessly shrugged off their bullets and killed them swiftly. Pascal had meanwhile fled deep into the swamp, hoping to get away from the bandit, all the while cursing the damn metahumans: Not only did they overshadow all the achievements he had ever made without working half as hard as he had, now one of them would kill him - Dr. Pascal Kaufmann - in some backwater swamp in the middle of nowhere. Even though Pascal made it deep into the swamp, the bandit caught up to him. Deciding to die standing, as it suited someone of his status, Pascal turned around to face his attacker only to experience something unbelievable. As the bandit attempted to kill Pascal he was suddenly attacked by a leech. But not a common leech: It was huge - almost the size of a cucumber - highly aggressive and its teeth were able to pierce the skin of the metahuman, which even the bullets of Pascal's guides hadn’t managed. The bandit killed the leech, but others followed. The whole swamp was swarming with them suddenly and they all single-mindedly attacked the bandit, not even realizing Pascal standing in the middle of the swarm. It was magnificent to watch. The swarm of leeches turned the metahuman bandit into a bloodless husk in less than a minute. And even after they finished they did not care about the human standing in their midst. Fascinated, Pascal caught some of the leeches and made his way back to town.
A Bloody Genius
Pascal hid his discovery well. He didn’t care about the idiotic competition anymore. He felt that he had literally stumbled upon something more important. And the experience he made in the wilds of Uzbekistan also revealed something else to him: No matter what he had already achieved and would achieve, there would always be metahumans who would be able to effortlessly swat him away like a fly. And he didn’t like that. He was DOCTOR Pascal Kaufmann and no metahuman was better than him! Smuggling the leeches he caught back to Germany he soon focused all his efforts on studying them, neglecting everything else.
And what he found was amazing. Not only where the leeches highly intelligent (for leeches), bigger, stronger and more resilient than common leeches, they also multiplied rapidly and had a relatively long lifespan. In fact Dr. Kaufmann soon had to set up a leech pond in the basement of his luxurious penthouse in Munich. After a few test he ran with metahuman tissue he bought on the black market Pascal also found out that they only preyed on metahumans, rejecting any other blood. After even more test he found the reason for the unusual characteristics of these leeches. Through certain enzymes only found in the bodies of them, the leeches processed a raw version of a potent super-serum from metahuman blood, granting them their enhanced physical traits. Sensing that he was on to something big, Dr. Kaufmann researched that serum further and soon discovered that turning it into a version usable by humans was not only possible but also relatively easy, at least for someone like him. Dr. Kaufmann now had his very own super-serum: The Aderlass Treatment.
Once You Taste Blood...
Now the successful young doctor had one problem: What to do with his discovery? On the one hand, he wanted to show it to the world and prove his genius once and for all, on the other hand he felt that the metahumans who held the world in their stranglehold would not only take his discovery away, but also exterminate his precious leeches to protect themselves from them. In the end pure pragmatism won: Dr. Kaufmann needed money. The research on the leeches had been expensive and his parents had stopped supporting him as soon as he started neglecting his career. But he didn’t need them. He needed nobody. He was Dr. Kaufmann.
Using the Aderlass Serum and simple disguises he conducted several bank robberies and managed to get away, his enhanced abilities too much to handle for the authorities in Germany, where metahumans were still a rare occurrence. But they were only rare and not non-existent: The superhero Bogenschütze managed to stop the disguised Dr. Kaufmann during what would be one of his last heists. While the Aderlass Serum gave Dr. Kaufmann a great physical advantage against the archer, Dr. Kaufmann was still just a enhanced civilian and had no chance against the experienced superhero. Dr. Kaufmann barely managed to escape anonymously and had to flee the country with the authorities on his heels. The only things he took with him were the money he had stolen and his precious leeches. On the run from the authorities now, Dr. Kaufmann disappeared in the criminal underworld of Eastern Europe.
While the money he had stolen lasted a while, it didn’t last forever. The additional research he put into the Aderlass Treatment ate his reserves up quickly and he had to find employment. Not in the position to open up a medical center as a wanted man, Dr. Kaufmann decided to sell himself out as a thug for hire, using the Aderlass Treatment to ensure his success. And not only was 'The Doctor' as he was soon called among criminals exceptionally successful due to his enhancements, he also started to like this kind of work, much to his surprise. No longer did he have to prove his superiority with empty words and essays, now he could go out and show his success to all those inferior idiots punch by punch, shot by shot. Picking up firearms he discovered that he was more than a decent shot. He started to learn Sambo and other close-combat techniques. He taught himself the ins and outs of criminal knowledge, from picking locks to using disguises. Over time he became one of the most demanded troubleshooters in the criminal underworld of Eastern Europe.
Blood, Sweat and Tears
Soon a year had passed and the Doctor grew bored. His studies of the hirudo mercatoris didn't really progress and night after night it was just the same old song of violence and alcohol. This couldn't possibly be all there was to his life? After he carried on for a few more weeks to get enough money together, the Doctor simply broke off every contact, packed his belongings and leeches and left Europe for good. Nothing held him here anymore: His family and home country were lost to him and he just couldn't see any future in the underworld of Budapest, Prague and Ljubljana. He set out into the world to find... what exactly?
The Doctor's travels led him all over the world, working for one client after the other. He assassinated renegades for the Yakuza in Japan, performed illegal cosmetic surgery in Hollywood, worked as a freelance 'medical advisor' for VIPER, fought in bloody civil wars in South Africa as a mercenary, hunted metahumans for the IHA and much, much more. It was a chaotic time for the Doctor. He drifted from place to place without any real goal or purpose. He learned much during his travels, made some important contacts in the criminal world and had some breakthroughs with his research, but nothing of it seemed to mean much to him, until he exited that plane on the Millenium City airport...
Out For Blood
...and promptly got pulled into the Qularr Invasion of Millenium City. It was the year 2009. The Doctor was indeed just waiting for his onward flight at the MC airport when the Qularr struck and engulfed most of Millenium City under a force-dome. Confronted with the prospect of becoming Qularr food - or worse one of their slaves - the Doctor decided to reskill to pest exterminator on short notice. Despite the fact that he mostly fought for his own survival during the invasion, leaving the hero-ing to the heroes, he did some good, but nobody except for those that actually own that lone mercenary their lives will ever know or remember it.
After the Qularr were defeated and driven off by the Champions, the Doctor would have preferred to hit the road as fast as possible. He had a schedule to adhere to after all. Staying in Millenium City was no good anyway. After all you cant swing a dead cat without hitting someone bulletproof there. Unfortunately the Millenium City airport had been damaged during the invasion, most other transportation options were overflowing with refugees and chaos reigned everywhere. Wether he wanted or not, he had to stay in Millenium City, at least until things calmed down. So he bought a motel room and accepted his fate.
Stuck in Millenium City with nothing to do, one evening the Doctor decided to simply go out, have a drink and maybe get an ear on the ground about what was happening in the criminal underworld of the city. After all information and contacts are always helpful in his field of work. It happened later that night in one particulary seedy bar in Westside. As soon as the Doctor entered, he was approached by a pretty young woman who needed his help. She was harassed by one of the other patrons and needed someone to play her boyfriend. Out of boredom (and because he found the girl quite attractive), the Doctor played along. After the suitor was dealt with, the Doctor and the girl started talking. She introduced herself as Janine Golami. It soon became clear to the Doctor that this girl wasn't nearly as harmless as she appeared. She had been running with almost every gang in Westside already, had a plethora of useful skills - both legal and illegal - from that time and was crazier than a bag of squirrels. They talked several hours, but in the end the he regretfully realized that he couldn't take her to his place. After all it could be a trap. They said each other goodbye and went their separate ways. The next morning she stood before the door of his motel room.
Still suspicious, he refused her offer to stay at her place while he was in Millenium City, but they still exchanged numbers. They met each other several times and it didn't take Janine very long to find out that the Doctor wasn't a representative of a big arms company, as he initially claimed. The Doctor was quite impressed of her. He was even more impressed that she didn't mind his true occupation. And when he mentioned along the way that he currently had a shortage of work due to being stuck in town, it took her only a few calls to her old gang friends to set him up with a contract. The Doctor and Janine made a great team and subsequently the Doctor was knee-deep in work. In Millenium City, which he actually had planned to leave as soon as possible. The Doctor bought himself an apartment (despite Janine's requests that he should just stay at her place) and settled down. He and Janine frequently worked together. She organized the contracts, the Doctor delivered and they both shared the profits. After some time they decided that it was time to take their business plan a step further, so together they bought an old book shop, refurbished it and used it as a front for their actual business. The book shop in Westside itself ran slowly with the Doctor and Janine as the only staff, but it didn't matter. What mattered were the deals and contracts that were negotiated in the back room of that shop.
And that's how it has been for several years now. The Doctor's and Janine's business as well as friendship has seen good times as well as bad times, but slowly and steadily they have carved themselves a niche in the criminal underworld of Millenium City. Nowadays their services are in high demand from criminal individuals and organizations from all over the nation. The Doctor is considered one of the most dangerous assassins on earth. Janine has become a shrewd and cunning businesswoman. Both of them live a life of luxury. And yet it's not enough. It will probably never be, because as long as there are still people left on this planet there will always be demand for a good hitman. And the Doctor isnt just good...
Personality
The Doctor is not an easy person to have around. He considers himself first and foremost to be a businessman and his work (and his research) are what matter to him mostly. This leads to a strict and professional attitude towards everything relating to his work. He has a reputation to lose after all. Another even less pleasant aspect of his personality is his arrogance. While most people think that the above mentioned cold professionalism is responsible for most of his attitude, it is actually his disdain for most people he does not consider his equals in skill, intelligence or simply style. He is also viciously intolerant of the more laid-back attitudes many of his competitors in the field of hired guns have. This is serious business.
The fact that he considers himself so highly above most people leads to a bad sarcastic streak, whenever he has the chance to do so, either towards henchmen or his enemies in battle, who usually get the worst of it. Some people say that he is even more precise with his insults than with his sniper rifle. He also hasnt too much patience, is quickly annoyed and even quicker to vocalize and show that fact. Things which annoy him include but are not limited to: Obvious stupidity, speeches about truth and justice, blind heroism, attitude from superhumans towards normal humans, operations which do not work out as planned, etc. Chances are that you will never see this side of him when dealing with him on a professional level though. If he has too he can be humble, charming and friendly, but always with an ironic smile.
Another notable aspect of the Doctor's personality is his intense disdain for metahumans. While he does not harbor a fanatical hatred for them, like the IHA for example, he is still firmly convinced that normal humans - and especially himself - are vastly superior to metahumans in every aspect. He is proud to be one of the most deadly men on earth, just through skill, hard work, intelligence and his research and superpowered individuals, especially those who are vocal about their natural powers or supposed superiority quickly get on the bad end of his verbal abuse. And his guns.
And then there is this last tiny little detail: The Doctor is insane. Despite the fact that he is incredibly good at hiding it, there is no doubt that he has several screws loose. First there is his gigantic superiority complex in regards to other people, which has been cultivated during his childhood by his parents. This is directly responsible for his actions as an assassin and scientist: The Doctor does not see most other people as equal to him, so there is simply no need to think about the rights or feelings of other people, as long as his own work, research and success is involved. While he has no restraints towards killing, he does not feel a compulsive need to do so. One could say he is simply completely amoral. And last but not least the Doctor is kind of a neat freak. While it's not full blown mysophobia yet, he's on his way of getting there.
In the end it's probably safe to say that he's an obnoxiously arrogant, amoral jerk with one or two screws loose.
Powers
The Doctor is not only a medical genius and master marksman, but possesses a variety of skills and other advantages which put him firmly into the category of supervillains and make him a veritable threat for any superhero.
The Aderlass Treatment
The Aderlass Treatment is the secret of the Doctor's success. During his study trip to Uzbekistan after receiving his doctorate, he discovered an until then unknown kind of rapidly multiplying leech in a swamp, which - as he found out as he got attacked by a supervillain - preyed exclusively on metahumans. Fascinated, the Doctor conducted further research on those leeches (who he called the Uzbekistani Superior Leech or hirudo mercatoris) and found out that those leeches not only preyed on metahumans, but were also 'meta' themselves, at least in comparison to normal leeches. They were bigger, stronger and more intelligent than normal leeches and also had an extended lifespan. Upon further reseach, the Doctor found the cause of these mutations: These leeches took the blood of metahumans and processed it in their bodies to a raw version of a potent super-serum, which gave them their superior physical characteristics. It didn't take the Doctor long to extract the raw serum and process it into a version usable by normal humans. Since then, the Doctor has improved the Aderlass Serum countless times and now it gives him the following advantages:
- Superior Strength: The first effect of the Aderlass Serum is the growth of new extremely dense muscle tissue, which replaces the old muscles completely. Additionally it causes the user to develop larger and tougher veins, which can deliver greater amounts of oxygen to the muscles through much higher blood pressure. This results in superior feats of strength. The Doctor is able to effortlessly lift a human off the ground with one hand, and send people flying with a single punch.
- Superior Durability: Just like the muscle tissue, bones, internal organs and skin of a user of the Aderlass Serum also harden, albeit to a lesser extent. Minor wounds like cuts and bruises can be shrugged off with ease, while more serious injuries still have a reduced effectiveness.
- Inhuman Speed, Agility and Reflexes: The enhanced circulatory system as well as the increased durability of muscles and tendons also allows for impressive feats of inhuman speed, albeit only for short distances at a time, which is caused by the fact that the joints of the user of the Aderlass Serum still lack sufficient lubrication to maintain such speeds for a longer time without an extraordinary amount of pain. Additionally the Aderlass Serum causes the growth of enhanced receptors in spinal cord, brain stem and cerebellum, which allow the user to 'access' these feats, including being able to effortlessly dodge bullets, conduct impressive acrobatic feats and even perform short burst of incredible speed which cause him to appear to be teleporting.
- Superior Stamina and Endurance: Through the changes in the circulatory system, the endurance of a user of the Aderlass Serum is greatly enhanced. Being able to go on and on for hours without needing rest is no problem. The more improved density of the body tissues also allow for a higher pain treshold.
- Inhuman Senses: While the Aderlass Treatment does not noticeably change the actual sense organs of the user, the growth of enhanced receptors in the brain and spinal cord allow information to be processed much more efficiently. The Doctor for example has shown improved reflexes and reaction time, inhuman accuracy and enhanced awareness of his surroundings. It is very likely though that these feats are a combination of the effects of the Aderlass Treatment, his combat drugs and his training.
All of these abilities come at a price though: The Aderlass Serum has to be taken regularly or the user loses all those advantages as his body begins to change back to its former state. This process is extraordinarily painful as the users tissue starts to soften and his veins tighten. Additionally the process is psychologically quite unpleasant: The user suddenly starts to experience the world 'duller' as his senses and brain revert back to normal and he feels insecure and vulnerable as his pain treshold and strength normalizes. Those symptoms would vanish after a certain amount of time, mostly two or three weeks after the body of the user has reverted fully back to its normal state. Additionally the Aderlass Treatment does change the appearance of the user: Veins start to get more visible, skin becomes unnaturally pale and prominent circles under the users eyes appear as the enhanced senses start to cause insomnia early on. Currently the Doctor has managed to improve the Aderlass Treatment up to a point where he has to inject himself with the serum once every 24 to 48 hours before he starts to lose his enhanced characteristics.
More difficult is actually processing the serum. The Doctor has to find a suitable metahuman, capture him and let his leeches drain him. The leeches then need about six hours to process the raw version of the serum. The Doctor continues to extract the raw serum from the leeches and treat it into the final version, adding combat drugs, stimulants, adrenaline enhancements and other substances. This procedure again takes about two hours. The Doctor gets the 'raw material' for his serum usually from the streets of Vibora Bay, kidnapping a random werewolf or - if he feels ironic - vampire. Lately he also has started to harvest various organs and tissues from different kinds of metahumans in order to further improve the effects of the serum and - more importantly - stomp out its disadvantages.
Skills and Abilities
Additionally to the Aderlass Treatment, the Doctor is a veritable genius and has learned a varitey of skills during his travels , which would put him beyond any normal human even without his enhancements.
- Genius: Even though he never took any test to prove it, the Doctor is certainly close to being a genius. His mind is as sharp as a razorblade, he has invented and continously improved the Aderlass Treatment, he picks up new skills very fast and is incredibly cunning, easily outsmarting most people he meets.
- Vast Common Knowledge: The Doctor has an excellent educational background. This has also proved useful on missions. Or did you know you could kill certain vampires by stealing his left sock and throwing it over your shoulder into a river which flows eastwards?
- Criminology: Over the course of his career the Doctor has learned much about modern criminological methods. Together with his intelligence this knowledge about crime scene investigation and forensic medicine have proven useful for him on many occasions. He can make any kill look like suicide.
- Hacking: He is no expert in this field, but over time he has gotten some experience with common security protocols, which allows him to infiltrate many locations without the need for specialized equipment.
- Medical Expert: The Doctor knows where it hurts. He has received extensive medical training, which goes along well with his natural talent and intellect. He is a veritable genius when it comes to the practical application of the knowledge in his chosen field of work too...
- Tactician: Whether it is his natural intellect or just years and years of experience on and off the battlefield and on missions, the Doctor has an uncanny grasp on strategies, tactics, plans and using his enemies' weaknesses against them in the most effective way possible. Still, when working with others he takes the role of the leader of a team only hesitantly, preferring to work from the background.
- Multilingual: The Doctor speaks German (his mother language), English on a native speaker level, Spanish on an advanced level, Japanese on a basic conversation level, Russian on a basic conversation level and bits of French.
- Military Training: The Doctor has been trained in the ins and outs of military combat and tactics by various experienced soldiers, tactitians and irregulars from all over the world turning him into a veritable force on every kind of battlefield.
- Black Ops Training: Years of travelling the world as an assassin, undercover agent and secret operative have granted the Doctor vast knowledge in nearly every aspect of stealth operations, from espionage, stealth, disguises, surveillance, infiltration, exfiltration, crime evasion, assassination to how to mix a damn good martini.
- Survival Expert: The Doctor is not fond of the various horror movie killer jokes, but nonetheless keeping him down is extremely difficult. After all, he has fought and survived in some of the world's harshest environments against many extremely dangerous individuals and organizations, superpowered or not.
- Stubborn Bastard: Whether it is a coping mechanism for his secret inferiority complex, a good bit of hidden insanity or something else, the Doctor is extremely stubborn if push comes to shove. He ignores pain that would incapacitate others and resists telepathy and other attacks on his mind from all but the strongest invaders.
- Martial Arts: The Doctor does not like melee combat, plain and simple. He prefers the quick, precise shot of a sniper rifle or the subtle, clean work of a well-placed poisoned glass of water over the chaotic and often dangerous realm of melee. Unofrtunately you cant always get what you want and his dislike of melee combat hasn't stopped him from training in several martial arts and other close-combat techniques, just to be sure. Since his childhood he has trained in traditional Western Boxing (his father insisted on it) and during his time of travelling the world he has learned much about Sambo and Muay Thai Boran. Together with his enhanced abilities - mostly his incredible reflexes and speed - the Doctor manages to be a serious threat in close combat. Against many of those people who are significantly more proficient in close than he is - Sparrowhawk, Nytestrike or Ravener come to mind - he usually relies fully on his enhanced condition and his equipment. He also has a tendency to incorporate his specialized medical tools into melee combat: Syringes, scalpels, even his bone saw.
- Weapon Training: The Doctor also has received extensive training with various common and less common weapons. They include sniper rifles, handguns, revolvers, submachine guns, shotguns, explosives, knives, throwing knives... and quite a few more.
- Master Marksman: Part of it is extensive training, part of it is natural talent and a good part of it is his enhanced condition: The Doctor possesses an impressive proficiency and accuray with firearms. Shots that would be all but impossible for common people are not really a challenge for him. While he realizes that there are people who can easily outshoot him, for example Desperado, All-Star or Killshot, he manages to keep his game up by...
- Disguises, Deceit and Dirty Fighting: Possibly the Doctor's most dangerous skill is his readiness to do everything to win. He will take hostages, create morally-challenging scenarios for superheroes, exploit his enemies' personal tragedies and weaknesses, pervert medical knowledge, hire henchmen, use disguises and generally use every single dirty trick there is. Nothing is sacred. He also knows that kicking a girl in the crotch works.
Weapons & Equipment
The Doctor uses a wide variety of weapons and equipment to ensure his victory against his superhuman adversaries. Most of them have been supplied by various shady arms dealers, built by underworld weaponsmiths like Wayland Talos, Daedalus and Ixion or simply stolen. The Doctor's arsenal includes (but is not limited to):
- Hexenschuss: A heavily customized and upgraded Heckler & Koch Mark 23, mostly used with silencer. Wayland Talos designed this handgun for the Doctor with the goal of creating a classic kinetic firearm on the same level as the energy weapons of VIPER and ARGENT. Various upgrades, accessories and additional gimmicks make it a deadly all-around weapon and quite dangerous even against superpowered enemies in the hands of someone like the Doctor.
- Schreckschuss: A heavily customized and upgraded AMC Auto Mag. Also designed by Wayland Talos, this handgun is the pinnacle of firepower in a small package. When it became clear that even the powerful Hexenschuss was sometimes not enough to take down certain metahumans, the Doctor commissioned this firearm. The power of this weapon is enough to blow the heads of normal humans clean off and even punch very nasty holes into werewolves and other highly resilient targets.
- Blattschuss: Described as the 'ultimate sniper rifle' by Wayland Talos and Daedalus, who pooled their resources together to design it, this weapon may be one of the most advanced rifles on earth and is the Doctor's pick for long range combat. It has incredible firepower, a laser triangulation system, a high-powered scope with several vision modes and the options to outfit it with a laser sight, an underslung grenade launcher, a bipod or even a questionite-coated bayonet. Despite its impressive size it is extremely light-weight and accurate and can be disassembled and carried in a briefcase. In the hands of a marksman like the Doctor it becomes extremely deadly, even for superpowered individuals. Reinforced glass, common tanks and even most forms of standard power armor provide no shelter from the Doctor's favorite weapon. Rumors say that it is based on the Truvelo .50 BMG Caliber Rifle.
- Ammunition: The Doctor uses a wide variety of different ammunition.
- Normal Rounds: Including standard, full metal jacket, hollow point, armor piercing and incendiary.
- Depleted Uranium Rounds: Very expensive and very powerful.
- Remote-Triggered Explosive Rounds: Hold a powerful fordite charge, which can be detonated remotely.
- Poisoned Rounds: Break open upon penetrating the target and release a deadly mixture of the Doctor's poisons.
- Acid Rounds: Work in the same way as the poisoned rounds, but hold a potent acid instead.
- Holy Water Rounds: Work in the same way as the poisoned rounds, but hold holy water instead.
- Blessed Silver Rounds: Made out of blessed silver, these are used against supernatural targets.
- Hypervelocity Rounds: A special magnetic flux core allows these bullets to utilize the geomagnetic field of Earth to accelerate to incredible speeds, which allow them to penetrate almost every type of protection. Devastating in conjunction with the Marker Rounds. Limited numbers, designed by Wayland Talos.
- Phaser Rounds: These bullets contain a small teleportation generator, together with a simple AI. Those two devices allow the bullets to identify obstacles and 'phase out' before hitting one, effectively bypassing armor, forcefields and other barriers. Limited numbers, designed by Wayland Talos and Ixion.
- Marker Rounds: These bullets contain an array of monomolecular barbed hooks which activate upon penetrating the target, causing the bullet to be firmly stuck. A powerful magnetic beacon then activates, effectively 'guiding' any further bullets towards the target. Limited numbers, designed by Daedalus.
- Explosives: When discretion is not necessary, the Doctor prefers explosives to take care of his targets. Almost all explosives he uses are fordite, which has impressive destructive power, even against the most heavily defended targets. The Doctor uses grenades, mines and (his favorite) remote-triggered bombs. He also uses non-lethal explosives, namely flashbang, smoke or tear gas grenades.
- Medical Equipment: Despite the nature of his work he is still a medical doctor and carries a number of medical tools that have been adapted to his particular line of work with him.
- Scalpels: Of course. The Doctor's scalpels are his main close-combat weapon. They have been outfitted with silicone grips and the blades are made of surgical steel coated by a layer of questionite dust. Perfect for cutting through metahuman skin. He usually carries several of them with him.
- Bone Saw: Nasty piece of work. This tool is less suitable for combat, but it can leave some pretty horrific wounds when it hits. Silicone grip and a coating of questionite dust make it perfect for disassembling metahumans after a battle.
- Syringes: The needles of these stainless steel syringes are coated with questionite dust, allowing them to pierce metahuman skin in 99 % of all cases. The syringes themselves are filled with various deadly poisons or anesthetics, most of them adjusted to be able to affect metahuman metabolisms too. The Doctor has created some of them himself, like his personal favorite, the Gift of the Wurm (a terrible pun). It is a deadly mixture of highly reactive inorganic poisons, haemotoxins, aflotoxins, neurotoxins, phage cells and finally the saliva of the Uzbekistani Superior Leech.
- Sodium Pentothal: The infamous 'Truth Serum'. This term is a bit misleading though. After injection, the victim becomes less able to deceive simply because he lacks the will or creativity, rather than an actual compulsion to speak the truth. Despite the fact that spy movies often exaggerate the effects of this agent, the Doctor still likes to have some of it handy, in case needs to gather classified information.
- Geniurepam: This combat drug increases alertness, improves concentration and enhances reaction speed by speeding up the communication between the left and right brain halves. Taken in small doses for short periods of times, it is mostly harmless, but extended use can lead to paranoia and anxiety attacks. The Doctor uses it to boost his already impressive reflexes and dexterity in combat to even higher levels.
- Morphiosum: This drug is a potent cocktail of morphine and amphetamines. A single shot of Morphiosum is enough to surpress the pain from nearly any injury without the side effects usually associated with similar substances. Morphiosum has to be handled with great care, as it is highly addictive. The Doctor uses it in anticipation of a particulary hard battle, to prevent any sort of pain to interfere with his combat performance.
- Berserk: Berserk is a drug that stimulates the adrenal gland of the user with acetylcholine, causing it to substantially increase the adrenaline production. Users feel an almost instant boost in strength after taking it, along with increased aggressiveness. Berserk is easily overdosed and can lead to fatal heart attacks. The Doctor uses it as a last resort to surprise his enemies with a sudden burst of strength.
- Other Stuff: Other medical supplies he usually carries around are suture, bandages, disinfectants, surgical instruments, EMT shears, etc...
- Microfilament Wire: A length of very sharp but still very durable microfilament wire, the Doctor keeps the wire on a coil under his sleeve. His gloves can emit a tiny electric charge which activate certain magnetic properties in the wire and allow it to stick to his fingertips. That way the Doctor can handle the deadly wire without danger of hurting himself. The Doctor uses the wire as a garrote, whip or to set traps.
- Doppelganger: This useful little device known as the 'Doppelganger', is a high-tech holographic projector. The Doctor uses it in combat to trick and deceive his enemies. It has a wide range of pre-recorded situations and movements of the Doctor available, complete with audio and video. One of his favorite tactics is to let one of his holograms 'shoot' at the enemy, while he synchronizes his shots with the hologram from a completely different direction, confusing the enemy and bypassing shields, armor and other defenses. Designed by Wayland Talos.
- Assassin's Outfit: While he prefers not to get hit at all (which works most of the time), the Doctor's usual clothing is made of a reinforced nanoweave fabric, which allows it to withstand certain amounts of kinetic force. For additional protection, the Doctor wears a state-of-the-arts Regor kevlar vest beneath it. The clothes also have limited thermal regulation abilities, which allow the Doctor to wear them in moderately hot or cold enviroments, but extreme conditions still require him to wear specialized clothing. They also house numerous pockets and secret compartments to hold his equipment. His gloves are made of resilient black manimal leather and contain electric emitters which can be used as a taser, as well as tiny compartments of metal to protect the Doctor's hands and give his punches a little more force. The shoes are also made of black manimal leather, but with a special sound-dampening sole, metal tips and a hidden spring-loaded combat blade coated with questionite dust. The Doctor's scarf houses a hidden rebreather. All of his clothes are flame-retardant to a certain extent.
- Assassin's Shades: These crimson-tinted sunglasses are a marvel of technology and used in conjunction with the Doctor's enhanced eyesight allow him spectacular feats of accuracy. The sunglasses are equipped with an advanced combat HUD, several vision modes, including night vision, thermal vision and sonar vision and have magnifying properties, allowing the Doctor to perceive even miniscule details accurately. They are also made from a reinforced material to prevent them from breaking easily in combat situations. The Doctor possesses several designs purely for style, but prefers the round 'John Lennon' version. Designed by Daedalus.
- Wrist Computer: On his right wrist the Doctor wears an advanced wrist computer, slightly larger than a common digital watch. It houses an encrypted access link to his personal databases, a web-browser, GPS and a unique almost hack-proof operating system programmed for the Doctor by the super-hacker Ixion.
- Cell Phone: The Doctor's cell phone is a standard business blackberry improved in numerous ways by Ixion. It is heavily encrypted and features a satellite uplink as well as an universal detonator for the Doctor's explosives. It also has a high-tech version of Tetris.
- Other Equipment: The Doctor also sometimes uses other, more common equipment. He possesses a notebook with the same capabilities as his wrist computer, high-tech binoculars with similar vision modes as his sunglasses, an extremely powerful flashlight with UV capabilities, a lockpick set, questionite zipcuffs stolen from Special Unit Omega of the MCPD, a small rebreather, duct tape (of course), a multi-tool and several other more or less useful gadgets.
Biomedical Enhancements and Achievements
Over the years the Doctor has experimented A LOT with different medical procedures, body parts of metahumans and various kinds of substances and often the test subject was he himself. Most of those experiments only gave him pain-racked nights, a noticeably shortened life expectancy and a kick down the slope of sanity, but some of these experiments also yielded fascinating and useful results, which the Doctor still utilizes today. Like the Aderlass Treatment, most of the following equipment and enhancements are at best in prototype stage and thus one-of-a-kind.
- Hirudo Mercatoris: As the Doctor discovered, the Uzbekistani Superior Leech has nearly unlimited practical applications. Since he discovered them, the leeches have not only supplied the Doctor with the Aderlass Serum, they were also useful on several other occasions. A hirudo mercatoris can smell metahuman tissue from up to one mile away (up to 2 miles if the subject is currently bleeding) for example; the Doctor has used them as metahuman detectors from time to time. He sometimes carries a reinforced jar with at least three hirudo mercatoris with him. He is sure that they will save his life again someday.
- Ghost Touch: Early in his career the Doctor figured that something which put most professional killers behind bars - fingerprints - would not be a weakness for someone like him. He smoothened the tips of his fingers in a painful procedure using specialized biological acids, so his fingerprints disappeared forever. The tips of his fingers are now completely blank and leave no fingerprints at all.
- Subdermal Pockets: A professional is nothing without his equipment, but sometimes you just cant bring your briefcase full of murder tools and surgical instruments with you. The Doctor found an ingenious, but horrifying way around this problem. Making a small incision on a suitable part of his skin, the Doctor was able to insert some small pieces of equipment under his skin and let the wound heal, creating a subdermal pocket to hold that item. Currently the Doctor has four of them. One on his left thigh holds a high-tech lockpick and two on the inside of his upper arms hold a capsule of emergency Aderlass Serum each. Nobody knows where the fourth subdermal pocket is and what it holds though.
Weaknesses
Despite his own claims, the Doctor is not without weaknesses.
- Not So Super...: Despite the fact that the Aderlass Treatment puts him above 90 % of all other normal persons on the planet, the level of enhancements it provides is actually quite low compared to most metahumans. In terms of raw power, the Doctor is still on the lower end of the scale.
- The Aderlass Treatment: While it is his trump card, it is also a big weakness. It has some rather uncomfortable side effects, it has to be taken regularly and the withdrawal symptoms are very dangerous. Not to mention it is not the easiest super-serum to process.
- Enemies: During his time in 'The Business', the Doctor has made a lot of enemies - heroes and villains alike - mostly by assassinating people he shouldnt have. There are many individuals and groups who would love to get their hands on him and then make sure nobody else ever does again.
- Big Ego: Arguably the Doctor's greatest weakness is the fact that he is incredibly convinced of his own superiority - intellectually and otherwise - towards metahumans (and most other people) and goes out of his way to prove it, which often makes his jobs much, much harder than they would have to be.
Allies
Despite himself claiming otherwise, the Doctor would be nothing without the following individuals. Some of them he considers his friends, some of them work with him on a business relationship only. In any case he can rely on them.
((Should this category be edited with one of your characters? Tell me!))
Janine Golami, the Doctor's Secretary
Janine Golami is a Westside girl. Born to a family deeply in leagure with the Combination, the Italian Mafia of Millenium City, she experienced crime from a very early age on and got used to it as a part of her life. For as long as she lived in her parent's house it was clear that her only option in life was to marry a mob boss, just like her older sister. Janine wouldnt have any of that. As she became older it became clear that she was just as intelligent as she was beautiful and being a pretty accessory for some crimelord was not what she wanted. She ran away from home when she was 18. Westside reality hit her hard. She had to run with the gangs of Westside to simply survive. But that changed when she met the Doctor.
Becoming the Doctor's secretary and right hand was the best deal of her life. The Doctor was someone who respected her for her skills and intelligence, not just for her pretty face. They are partners in crime, booze buddies and best friends, despite the fact that their personalities couldnt be more different. Where the Doctor is overly serious and reserved, Janine is freaky and flirtatious. Where the Doctor is strict and grim, Janine is easy-going and carefree. Where the Doctor is cold and calculating, Janine is fiery and vivacious.
Janine's primary job is to handle the small book shop she and the Doctor use as a front for their business. She also does most of the paperwork for their contracts, negotiates with clients and intermediaries, makes sure that new contracts come in constantly and generally keeps the Doctor's business running. He'd never admit it, but without her he wouldnt know what to do anymore. She is one of the - if not THE - most important person in his life (despite the fact that she sometimes drives him crazy with her zany antics) and he would do everything to protect her from harm. That doesnt mean that Janine herself is a helpless damsel. That couldnt be farther from the truth. Janine has spent a long time running with the gangs of Westside and picked up a thing or two. Additionally the Doctor has taught her a few of his own dirty tricks. While she is no match for any superhero or vigilante, gangbangers or even just drunkards in bars have learnt the hard way that staring is permitted, touching not so much.
The Middle Men, Organizers of the Mercenary Underworld
((OOC Note: The Middle Men are not my invention, but that of @swedsman. Ask him for more info!))
The Middle Men are a curious organization that handles a worldwide bounty hunter network known as the Bounty Board that works to bring contracts and clients closer to the actual bounty hunters. The Middle Men themselves work as messengers and liasons, taking the contracts from client anonymously and passing them onto an interested "Contractor", which is a universal name for mercenaries, contract killers, soldiers of fortune and bounty hunters used by the Middle Men. Once the contract is completed, the Middle Men pick up the money from their client and hands it over to the bounty hunter. If the client refuses to pay... well, then the Middle Men will give up their identity to the unpaid contract killer. That is the only time they will give out the client's identity. They all dress in a similar manner, fit for someone in mourning. A man only known as Smiling Man seems to be their de facto leader. All of them are believed to have been former assassins, and while noone can be certain they are indeed a force to be reckoned with and not to be taken lightly. That said, there seems to be few records of their actual work.
Wayland Talos, Underworld Weaponsmith
Wayland Talos is THE man you want to go to when you need a perfectly calibrated blaster rifle, a set of razor-sharp knives with questionite coating or a custom hoverdisc and dont want to worry about the legal intricacies of such gadgets. He is an arms dealer, inventor and technological consultant, who is eager to sell his wares and services to the highest bidder, especially if that bidder shares Talos' hatred of superheroes. Earlier in his life, Talos' wife Maria died in a terrorist attack a group of superheroes was unable to stop, because the terrorists were much better prepared and armed than the heroes expected. Talos blamed his wives death on the incompetent superheroes and let his hatred consume him. Subsequently he lost his job as a technology designer due to his obsessive hatred and brooding, which he also blamed on the superheroes. He was determined to get revenge on the so-called heroes who ruined his life and began to use his immense technological expertise to provide criminals, terrorists and anyone else who would fight against superheroes with weapons, gadgets and equipment.
Wayland Talos and the Doctor share a healthy business relationship. Introduced to each other by a mutual contact, Talos soon realized that by providing the younger man with high-end equipment, he could see many more superheroes suffer, while the Doctor is more than satisfied and grateful for Talos' excellent craftsmanship. The fact that the Doctor also hates superheroes on a personal level is another plus for Talos and has granted more than one discount. The two men generally interact friendly and politely, but still impersonal with each other. Talos has designed most of the Doctor's weapons and is always on call order if the Doctor needs a new piece of equipment or an upgrade to an older piece, if his current work schedule permits it.
Ixion, Master Hacker
Ixion is something of a cyberspace celebrity. He's known to most of the online community as the owner and operator of wheeloffire.net, a blog that comments on political and cultural issues with a sarcastic edge. But some - and only some - people admire and fear Ixion for something else. He is one of the world's most accomplished hackers. Actually he is so good, the FBI Cyber Division suspects that Ixion might have low-level cyberkinetic powers. It's quite simple actually: If it is somehow networked with ANYTHING, Ixion can hack it. And demand a hefty amount of money to keep any dirty secrets he may find secret.
The Doctor met Ixion - his real name is Rick Carver, but few people know or care about that - when the Doctor visited Hudson City. Only in this case 'met' means almost shot in the head with a hand cannon. While Ixion managed to hack the Doctor's blackberry with his LEET HAXOR SK1LLZ for kicks, the Doctor managed hack the front door of Ixion's apartment with a fire axe and kicks. Just as he was about to kill the hacker, the Doctor realized how useful someone with Ixion's skills could be. Instead of shooting him, he made the young man an offer to work together. Ixion was glad to be left alive and soon also realized how useful it could be to have someone like the Doctor as his ally. Subsequently Ixion became the Doctor's consultant for anything related to computer security and cyberspace. Ixion also designed and programmed most of the software the Doctor uses in his equipment. The two men share a friendly relationship. Ixion thinks it's totally 'badass' to work with an assassin, while the Doctor - despite sometimes being irritated by Ixion's antics - appreciates his expertise. Though the Doctor has until now declined every single one of Ixion's requests to 'come over for a round of Battlefield'.
Enemies
'Surprisingly' enough, the Doctor has made some enemies on his travels and missions, some of them good guys, some of them bad guys, some of them somewhere in between. The following individuals are still active and more or less dedicated on making the Doctor's life more difficult.
((Should this category be edited with one of your characters? Tell me!))
The Competition
The mercenary underworld is a dangerous place. Alliances are formed, then break up after a single quarrel. Partnerships are established before both partners stab each other in the back over the earnings of a job. Codes of honor are held up high, then discarded as the situation makes it necessary. Profits are shared brotherly, before everyone is out for himself again. Nothing is for sure in this world. People change sides faster than bullets and who is your friend today, might be your enemy tomorrow.
Devana Hawke, the Doctor's Personal Rival
Is a super-powered do-gooder constantly throwing a monkey wrench in your schemes? Need them taken down quietly? For the right price, (and if she's interested) Devana Hawke will take on the assignment. Not one to simply go in guns blazing, Devana will take her target down at the most opportune time. Usually when the target is at their weakest, physically and mentally. Whether it means orchestrating situations to break down heroes or get to them through their loved ones, Devana always completes her assignments by any means necessary.
Devana Hawke, master archer and recent addition to the Millennium City supervillain community is quite possibly the one person on earth the Doctor hates the most. Just like him, she is an assassin specializing in superhuman targets and the two instantly disliked each other over the simple fact that they were stealing each other's business. Since then their professional rivalry has grown into an absurd hatred and subsequent cold war, which turns searing hot instantly when they see each other. They have been fighting their personal little war in the criminal underworld of Millennium City ever since.
Bladed Jack, Mistress of Knives and the Cult of Blades, the Doctor's Great Mistake
There are some people you shouldnt kill. The man who is now known as Bladed Jack is one of them. Nobody remembers his real name. He was once an unimportant employee at a high-tech corporation in Millennium City who was assassinated by the Doctor, because he discovered the shady deals of the higher-ups in the corporation. Unfortunately, the night of the assassination was one of the first times a Blood Moon was shining over Millennium City. The resident magical energy caused by the cosmic event somehow reacted with the subconscious magical abilities of the employee and brought him back as a vengeful revenant a few days later. Driven completely insane by his undead status, he called himself Jack Knives and has made it his goal in unlife to get revenge on the Doctor and help the rest of mankind to 'ascend' to his plane of existence. His undead nature grants him exceptional physical abilities, great prowess with all kinds of bladed weapons (which he just picked for the terror they cause) and the ability to raise the people he kills as his undead servants. He started his revenge by convincing the suicidal telekineticist Melinda Rosefield - an outcast for her whole life due to her powers - to start a cult. Glad for a purpose in life the bipolar woman obeyed her 'master' and the Cult of Knives was born, a strange mix of biker gang and death-worshipping secret society. Officially led by Melinda Rosefield - who trained herself to use her abilities to fight with a huge number of knives at once and subsequently called herself the Mistress of Knives - it serves mostly as a recruitment pool for Bladed Jack's gang of undead enforcers. They've been terrorizing Millenium City out of the shadows ever since along with being a thorn in the Doctor's side.
Dr. Isabelle Locke AKA VIPER-A, the Mysterious Adversary
Who is Dr. Isabelle Locke? What's sure is that she seems to be a high-ranking VIPER scientist, who specializes in combining modern scientific methods with more mystical and esotheric practices. She claims to have managed to find a remnant of the legendary Serpent of Eden and utilize its power. Her ability to transform herself into a weresnake at will (she calls herself VIPER-A in that form) seems to confirm that claim.
But why is she an enemy of the Doctor? Did they work together on an unfortunate scientific project for VIPER? Did they meet during the Doctor's travels and crossed each other? Or is their enmity the result of a disastrous love affair? Neither of them will tell when asked. Fact is, when they meet there is bound to be bad blood.
Der Bogenschütze (The Archer), the Doctor's First Enemy
Der Bogenschütze is one of Germany's most well-known and respected superheroes. His secret identity is that of Ivo Baldner, heir to a wealthy family, who owned a company specializing in the design of vehicles. In his youth Baldner was a womanizer and party animal, not caring about responsibility or what was wrong or right. His only real interest was archery, a skill he mastered at the hands of several coaches who thought he could be Olympic material if he’d only commit himself to training. But Baldner had no interest in competition, preferring to practice alone in the large woods on his family’s estate. When he fell in love with a woman - Charlotte - who rejected him for his irresponsible and carefree nature, he decided to turn his life around by becoming a superhero, stylizing himself after the British superhero Scarlet Archer who freed his grandfather and many more out of a concentration camp in 1945. Calling himself der Bogenschütze he set out with a few trick arrows he designed himself to do good and impress Charlotte. He had a few unqualified successes, but when he presented them to his beloved, he discovered that she had became entangled in a relationship with the supervillain Fallensteller (Trapper). In the subsequent running battle between Bogenschütze and Fallensteller Charlotte was killed by the villain and after Bogenschütze finally managed to defeat the supervillain, he realized while he mourned for his beloved that his reason for becoming a hero was a wrong one. He reaffirmed his commitment to being a force for good in the world and has not wavered since.
Der Bogenschütze was the first superhero that the Doctor ever fought. Back then the Doctor was still inexperienced and the only thing he had going for him was the Aderlass Serum. Der Bogenschütze soundly defeated him and the Doctor only barely escaped. Even though the Doctor and Bogenschütze have not seen each other since then, Bogenschütze sometimes thinks about who that young villain was and what he might be doing at the moment, while the Doctor has not forgotten about the humiliation of that first battle with a superhero and sworn bloody revenge. Some day at some point the paths of the Doctor and Bogenschütze will cross again and now victory doesnt seem to be so certain for the archer...
Spiderling, the Matriarch of Spiders
A peculiar contract made it necessary for the Doctor to work together with a team of heroes, much to his dismay. Undercover he joined the heroes to help investigate the case of a disappeared SWAT team in the Duskview apartment complex near the docks of Westside. Not only did they find lots and lots of cobwebs inside the apartment complex, but also residents too terrified to leave their rooms of 'something stalking the halls at night'. For the Doctor this contract was beyond annoying. Not only did he have to skulk around in a dirty, low-class apartment complex, he also had to do it together with a group of superheroes he considered 'more than unprofessional' to use his least insulting thought. It all got worse when they were attacked by a huge swarm of spiders, led by their monstrous matriarch Spiderling. After a series of unfortunate incidents during the battle, like one of the heroes sending the Doctor falling down a set of stairs accidentally, Spiderling was still defeated. The finishing blow against the arachnid antagonist was struck by a at that point very angry and very annoyed Doctor, who used a well-placed high-powered explosive to bring a good part of the apartment building crashing down on Spiderling. She has been assumed dead since then, but is she? And if she still alive, did she take exception to being blown up with a thermobaric mine?
A Listing of the Doctor's Most Important Hits
- Mr. Grey / British Vigilante / Master Martial Artist, Gadgets, Master Detective / Neck broken
- Stone Judge / US Superhero / Earth Manipulation, Stone Body, Super-Strength / Headshot with handgun (Bullet coated with questionite dust)
- Phoebus / Demon of Fear / Fear Manipulation, Darkness Manipulation, Assorted Demonic Powers / Burned to death with flamethrower (Using blessed fuel)
- Fahariel / Angel of Death / Enchanted Scythe, Death Magic, Assorted Powers Of An Angel of Death / Poisoned with a flask of 'Water of Life'
- Supreme / US superhero / Super-Strength, Super-Thoughness / Headshot with sniper rifle (Bullet coated with questionite dust)
- Blaster / US superhero / High-Tech Firearms, Master Marksman, Technological Genius / Throat slit with scalpel
- Lamia / Ex-VIPER Superhero / Serpent Mage, Sibling Empathy / Blown up with fordite explosive
- Naga / Ex-VIPER Superhero / Serpent Mage, Sibling Empathy / Strangulated with microfilament wire
- Echidna / Ex-VIPER Superhero / Serpent Mage, Sibling Empathy, Immortality Talisman / Driven to suicide after the death of her sisters
- Brimstone / Demon Superhero / Fire Magic, Enchanted Battleaxe, Assorted Demonic Powers / Shot to death with handgun (Bullets filled with holy water)
- CLASSIFIED / CLASSIFIED / CLASSIFIED / CLASSIFIED
- Father Edward / British Superhero / Holy Magic / Strangulated with microfilament wire
- Kolro / Ancient Vampire Lord / Assorted Vampiric Powers, Darkness Manipulation, Black Magic, Soul Manipulation, Immortality / Unknown (*)
- Captain Eagle / US Superhero / Super-Strenth, Super-Thoughness / Blown up with thermobaric explosive
- Girlscout II / Captain Eagle's Sidekick / Master Martial Artist / Headshot with sniper rifle
- Princess Love / US Superheroine / Magical Girl / Killed with poison injection
- Solar / French Superhero / Pyrokinesis, Photokinesis / Killed with poisoned drink
- Ionizer / Japanese Superhero / Electrokinesis / Killed through poisonous gas and several severe bone fractures
- Mina 'The Bloody Rose' Rose / New Shadows Supervillain / Assorted Vampiric Powers / Unknown
- Forgemaster / Retired Superhero / Power Armor / Headshot with handgun (Outside of armor)
(*) Kolro's death is especially notable. This supervillain was known to be absolutely and completely immortal. It is not known how the Doctor managed to kill him. This shows well that this hitman is as resourceful and dangerous as he is insane.
Comments & Rumors
Do you have anything to say about this mysterious assassin? Rumors, gossip, leads for other heroes? Here's the place for it.
"Dr. Kaufmann, or simply "The Doctor" is considered the 5th best assassin in the world according to the Bounty Board, ranking just behind Jack Knife, Tallyman, Andres Panthanatos and of course, Taipan. He's closely followed by the likes of Devana Hawke, Mechassassin, Iroslav Vargas and Killshot, competing with the latter over the title "Meta Hunter", given to the assassin who has taken down the most metahumans in their careers." - The Middle Men
"Guy needs to remember what got him where he is today. He's holding himself back from what he's -really- capable of." - Clownface
"Zis man is a Monster, ich vill be on zee vatch for him, und ich vill stop him, ich does not vish for anymore lives to be taken." - Fräulein Uber
"He has a reputation, even if he tries to keep it quiet. Impressive. One day, we might have to see who is the better assassin, if a contractor so wills it." - "Crow"
Other Stuff
Trivia
- Dr. Kaufmann is not fond of any jokes comparing him with vampires.
- Dr. Kaufmann is even less fond of any jokes regarding his codename and a certain time-travelling doctor.
- Dr. Kaufmann is also not fond of any jokes regarding... Hell, just dont make any jokes on his expense.
- Dr. Kaufmann smokes. His favorite brands are Gauloises, West and Peter Stuyvesant.
- Dr. Kaufmann's favorite movie genre are horror movies, especially those involving ghosts, monsters and demons. While watching those movies he likes to think about strategies and plans, which would be used to kill or defeat the fictional monsters, just in case he encounters something like that in real life. In fact he really wants to see what happens if you force the girl from 'The Ring' to watch her own video.
- Dr. Kaufmann loves playing chess, but sucks at it.
- Dr. Kaufmann once caused an earthquake in Timbuktu. He is moderately sorry for it.
- Dr. Kaufmann is a very heavy sleeper. He once missed a turf battle between the New Purple Gang and the Cult of the Red Banner going on right next to his apartment. He also likes to sleep very long on his free days, often waking up at 1 or 2 PM. Despite this, he is quite the morning person if he needs to get up earlier.
- Dr. Kaufmann and his secretary Janine Golami were married for 8 hours. It was during a trip to Las Vegas. Both of them dont like to talk about it, courtesy of the fact that they both cant remember much of it.
- Dr. Kaufmann is very proud of the fact that during his long career in The Business he has never broken a single bone. However he has strained several joints, sprained his ankles numerous times, has been stabbed in several body parts, once caught an extraterrestrial cold, suffered from insomnia for 3 months after a battle against PSI and has been injured in many more more or less amusing ways.
- Dr. Kaufmann's birthday is April 18th.
- Dr. Kaufmann once managed to convince an alien warlord that his personal rival's underwear drawer is a 'strategically sound ambush position'. Devana Hawke was not amused.
- Dr. Kaufmann once killed a man using a trumpet, a cactus and a dropkick. He doesn't like to talk about it.
- Dr. Kaufmann is an average cook and prefers to go to restaurants or even fast-food chains whenever he can. His potato salad is surprisingly delicious though.
- Dr. Kaufmann is turned on by red hair on women.
- Dr. Kaufmann's normal, unarmored business suits tend to have a spectacularly short lifespan. Somehow they always end up burned, ripped, dunked in strange liquids or otherwise ruined after two weeks at the latest.
- Inspiration for Dr. Kaufmann included Mr. 47 from Hitman, Albert Wesker from Resident Evil, Luke Valentine from Hellsing, Kiritsugu Emiya from Fate/Zero, Mr. Teatime from Hogfather and Hush from the Batman-verse.
- Three songs for the Doctor:
- Sent To Destroy - Combichrist
- Should there ever be a Champions Online Live-Action Movie, my picks for the actor of Dr. Kaufmann would be Adrien Brody, Justin Theroux or the German actor Jan-Josef Liefers.
Tropes
Appearance
- Sharp-Dressed Man - Do you see that outfit? The tie has probably cost more than your whole equipment.
- Sinister Shades - While he has several good reasons not to take his shades off in public, he actually likes wearing them just to look intimidating and mysterious.
- Scarf Of Asskicking - Nobody really knows why... And nobody has dared to ask yet...
- Skunk Stripe - The Doctor firmly refuses to talk about it, but his voice and eyes betray a certain anger and sadness when this topic is brought up.
- Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette - Long nights filled with secret operations, battles and other shady activities along with a diet mostly consisting of cigarettes and coffee have taken their toll on the Doctor's appearance. The Aderlass Treatment doesnt help.
- Tainted Veins - And here's yet another reason why the Aderlass Treatment is generally a bad idea.
Personality
- Deadpan Snarker - It's his way of dealing with the world. After all he thinks he is...
- Surrounded By Idiots - ...and often quite vocal about it.
- Smug Snake - In case you did not notice: He thinks he's better than you.
- Insufferable Genius - The problem here is: He is better at many things than most people, giving his ego at least some justification.
- Consummate Professional - In spite of his arrogant disdain for most people, he tries to appear as a professional and businessman most of the time. Leads to...
- Cold Sniper - ...this. The Doctor will shoot you without blinking twice and have forgotten about it moments later. It's just business.
- Wicked Cultured - Among the many things he enjoys are jazz music, modern art, fine wine or whiskey and feeding innocent metahumans to a swarm of mutant leeches.
- Neat Freak - "Wait, wait, wait... Did you just get blood on my suit? DID YOU JUST GET BLOOD ON MY SUIT?"
- Sophisticated As Hell - "...good, listen: I understand the necessity to vomit blood when injected with this kind of poison from a medical, professional as well as from a personal point of view. But that is MY SUIT, ASSHOLE!"
Personal Philosophies
- Muggle Power - The Doctor does not like metahumans. A good part of it is indeed not his, but his parents fault. But he has still enough contempt for them himself...
- What Measure Is A Metahuman? & Van Helsing Hate Crimes - ...which leads us to this. He views all metahumans as pathetic weaklings who do not deserve their powers and success and are far beneath him. And with that attitude it's no wonder that he treats them as such, no matter if dealing with superheroes or supervillains...
- He Who Fights Monsters - ...which leads us to this. There's no doubt that the Doctor is worse than many vampires, ghouls and werewolves you will ever meet.
- Pragmatic Villainy - The Doctor once refused to kill a defenseless heroine. Why? Because he might get a contract on her later.
- Mad Doctor - He sees the Hippocratic Oath more as a Hippocratic Suggestion. Not harming people would be counter-productive to his interests anyway.
- Pride - And here we have the Doctor's leading motivation for everything he is doing: His ego. Painfully obvious for everyone who has talked to him more than five minutes too.
- Corporate Samurai - Repeat after me, folks: "It's just business, nothing personal... unless it is."
Skills
- Professional Killer - He's one of the best available.
- Badass Abnormal - Exhibit D: A genius doctor injected with a super-serum and trained to be one of the deadliest men on earth.
- Combat Pragmatist - This is the Doctor's philosophy of fighting. Shoot them in the back , then shoot them again while they are down and then shoot the corpse for good measure.
- Lightning Bruiser - The Aderlass Serum allows him to punch you across the room before you can even react.
- Dodge The Bullet, Flash Step & Neck Lift - Aderlass Serum. Get yours today.
- Dangerously Genre Savvy & Seen It All - He has seen something like this back then in Malta already.
- Crazy Prepared & Flaw Exploitation - He has many other skills and weapons, but at the core this is how he wins his battles. Study, learn, exploit, kill.
- Improbable Aiming Skills - His favorite weapons are firearms and once he has the target in his sights, the client can already start transfering the money in 99 % of all cases.
- Firing One Handed - He trained for this. You can use the other hand to hold your blackberry and check your mails for example.
- Knife Nut - Well, those scalpels arent for show.
- Deadly Doctor - He did not study this stuff for nothing. Knowledge of anatomy, pressure points, weaponized medical tools, use of poisons, abuse of painkillers, combat drugs and more. You can make it far with a proper education.
- Fights Like A Normal - If he uses the full effects of the Aderlass Serum against you, feel honored. He doesn't need it against most opponents.
Weapons & Equipment
- Handguns - He has two: The 'Hexenschuss' comes with a silencer and the 'Schreckschuss' is just freaking huge.
- Sniper Rifle - The 'Blattschuss'. If I were you, I wouldnt ask if he is compensating for something.
- Depleted Phlebotinum Shells - The Doctor uses a wide range of ammunition, up to and including holy acid rounds, just in case he ever encounters demonically possesed robots. You never know.
- Razor Floss - The good old wire garrote, staple of assassins since the dawn of time. Now available with microfilament.
- Static Stun Gun - The Doctor has two of them built into his gloves.
- Handbag Of Hurt - The Doctor's briefcase has doubled as a melee weapon from time to time in addition to its other uses.
- Psycho Serum - The Aderlass Serum, Ladies and Gentlemen.
- Handy Remote Control - The Doctor likes to detonate his explosives with one of these, along with an arrogant smirk.
- Absurdly Sharp Blade - Most of his specialized 'medical' tools fall in this category.
Quirks
- Sickly Prodigy - The Aderlass Treatment is constantly eating away at the Doctor's health and by extension also his sanity. Ironically enough he is fully aware of that fact, but unable to do anything about it.
- Human Resources - ...but the Doctor is constantly trying to improve the Aderlass Treatment by experimenting with different kinds of metahuman blood and tissue. The donators arent always volunteers though. Sometimes he also simply sells the organs he doesnt need on the black market. There's always some mad scientist paying for spare parts.
- Professor Guinea Pig - For the Doctor it is standard procedure to test most of his combat drugs, experimental painkillers and new versions of the Aderlass Treatment himself. If it were not for the fact that he needs metahuman blood and body parts for his research, nobody would have any reason to bother.
- Rant-Inducing Slight - The Doctor has a lot of patience and nerves of steel, but when one of those happens the result is usually pretty impressive...
- Foreign Language Tirade - ...and one of those. While the Doctor speaks fine accent-free English, he tends to slip back into his native German when he gets really, REALLY angry.
- Extended Disarming - Dont ask him to drop his weapons unless you've got half an hour or so.
- Must Have Nicotine & Must Have Caffeine - He's addicted to both. As if the Aderlass Serum wasnt bad enough already...
- Noodle Incident - The Doctor has some of those in his past. He generally doesnt like to talk about them.
- Workaholic - The Doctor takes his job, his research and his reputation (and himself) very serious, rarely giving himself time to relax or have fun...
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl - ...which his secretary Janine is trying to change.
- Weirdness Magnet - Probably not remarkable in Millennium City, but this trope drives him mad at every occasion. How are you supposed to work if there's always some alien invasion getting in the way of your contracts?
- Horrifying The Horror - The Dogz and New Shadows of Vibora Bay are deathly afraid of a creature they call 'The Silver Doctor' because of the silver scalpels it uses to hunt and kidnap vampires and werewolves alike. Hmmm...
- Not That Kind Of Doctor - Although he is knowledgeable in many subjects this happens very often. Oh, and by the way: No, he is not and has never been in possession of a Sonic Screwdriver.
