APPROVED: BACKGROUND_1 From Nothing…
Parker Robbins was a Nobody.
He wanted to be a Somebody.
Growing up in New York (the Bronx), he came from a lower-class family - single mom, two jobs, struggling to make ends meet - and he dreamt of something more. Robbins pulled out of school in his mid-teens to find work, and help support his ailing mother - life was not easy.
Worse than that, it was boring.
Before too long, Robbins had turned to petty crime to supplement his mothers paltry income, and also to liven up his hum-drum days and nights somewhat. Given the absence of superheroes - and supervillains - crime seemed to be an easy choice: no one with the power to smash walls down, or see through them. Surely that would make the odd thieving job a bit simpler? And more profitable? Alas, Robbins petty crimes stayed… petty. Never achieving very much, he did manage to help make a dent in the medical bills, but hardly enough to knock them out completely.
And the bills kept on stacking.
In his early 20s, Robbins married Sara - a girl who was much, much, much too good for him, and he knew it. Sara already had full-time work as a nurse - a job that kept her out of the house a great deal. Robbins loved her, but had a hard time coping with the notion of monogamy - and the desire to give her more than his own sporadic income would also.
Also, monogamy (rather, fidelity) was boring.
After the Spectres Judgement passed, things began to change. Following up on an opportunity (brought to his attention by his cousin, Jack King), Robbins raided an old warehouse that was meant to be filled with the ill-gotten gains of other independent businessmen such as himself. What he found… defied reality as he knew it.
Robbins had interrupted what looked like a seance. Reacting purely by instinct, he killed the practitioners and a figure cloaked in red that screamed inhumanly as it fell. People were dead before he knew it - but there were no ill-gotten gains with which to line his pockets. Thinking he had to come away with SOMETHING, Robbins took the crimson cloak and boots off the creature he had killed, and put them on.
And that is when the fun started.
APPROVED: BACKGROUND_2 …To Something!
A few random encounters with law enforcement and other criminals alike revealed to Robbins the powers that came with his cloak and boots - initially, these were limited to temporary invisibility and air-walking, but soon more powers began to manifest. He foiled a number of attempts to capture (and kill) him, and the press began referring to him simply as The Hood.
He liked that.
He liked that a lot.
Robbins first big break as The Hood came when a rival band of criminals - eager to please the Kingpin of Crime, in New York City - stole a vast sum of money, and then attempted to double-cross the Kingpin. Into this hornets nest of backstabbing and betrayal stepped The Hood. Robbins did not know about the other thieves attempt at double-crossing Wilson Fisk (the Kingpin) until he was already neck-deep in the affair.
Long story short: he lured cops (who were chasing The Hood) to the same meeting place as the rival gang, and representatives of Wilson Fisk. By air-walking - upside down - above his off-sider, a wickedly talented female assassin, in the other gang, Robbins was able to drape her in his cloak. The cops believed that SHE was The Hood, and opened fire.
She died. Hood lived.
The real attention-getter of the evening was Hoods choice regarding the stolen goods. Instead of taking them for himself, he gave them BACK to Wilson Fisks representatives, stating that he wanted no quarrel with the Kingpin. THAT caught peoples attention (in the underworld at least - the cops believed they had killed The Hood, case closed).
That was in 2010.
APPROVED: BACKGROUND_3 Long Live The Hood
For a while, there seemed to be no side-effects whatsoever to Robbins continued use of the cloak and boots. He had no idea where they had come from, or how they gave him their powers - he chalked it all down to just magic. But little did he know that there were eyes on him - inhuman eyes - watching his every move, revelling in his every mistake, and savouring his every success: the eyes of Dormammu, a demon-lord of his own hellish plane of existence - with a mind for subjugating the physical.
Robbins activities began to make his wife suspicious - and they had a 5yo daughter to care for, as well. Robbins found himself having to lie a great deal about what job he had, and how much it paid. Then of course were the lies about his activities with prostitutes. These sorts of lies he managed relatively well - it was the insanity that cost him his family.
He didnt notice it himself - and it only cropped up on occasion - but Robbins would sometimes break into manic chuckles, or talk to himself. The real crazy kicked in when he spoke to himself…in DEMON. If people were nearby, they would oggle at him, but he himself remained unaware of exactly what was happening.
Then came the creatures - demons (apparently).
Every so often, at a heist somewhere or a back alley, a seemingly harmless person would turn out to be a monster. Now, given that this was a new era for the weird and wonderful to step into the light and be counted etc etc, Robbins thought little of it… at first. Soon after his big break, he encountered another demon almost identical to the one he had killed when he first claimed the cloak and boots.
The battle was fierce. Intense. It marked the first manifestation of Robbins force-lightning powers, and teleportation. He killed the demon, and fled to a different city altogether - San Diego. Surely San Diego would prove safe from whatever was haunting him.
And it was.
Until part of it sank in the sea. This ruined a wonderful attempt at a heist for The Hood, and now Sub Diego is on his I Hate This Place list. He left for Metropolis, chasing dreams of alien tech, shady (but wealthy) buyers and retiring on a little island of his own…
Only to find the technology he did manage to steal wouldnt work outside of Metropolis. Another bust.
In the end, Robbins returned to New York for the time being, feeling drawn there for reasons he could not explain. Whatever plans Dormammu has for him, they will surely prove to be bad for Parker Robbins - and added to that, there are plenty of others out there who want a piece of The Hood. One way or another it is bound to be a thrill -
And who says crime doesnt pay?
APPROVED: PSY1 Savvy
Parker Robbins may sometimes LOOK like a common thug, but he is anything but. The man is quite smart, especially when it comes to getting around - pulling off heists, making contacts, furthering his reputation.
APPROVED: PSY2 Soft Spot
Robbins does have some good points; he is not entirely without principle. He genuinely cares for his ailing mother (and pays all her medical bills). He is loyal to his cousin, John King (who provides him with job recommendations), and he loves his family (wife, Sara, and daughter, Breanne), estranged though they may be. Robbins also has a soft spot for other people in similar situations, and may do the odd heroic thing - especially if it confuses the so-called heroes trying to track him down.
APPROVED: PSY3 Vengeful
Dont ever cross The Hood. Crossing The Hood is bad. Robbins can hold a grudge, eeeasily, and he has no qualms about making revenge very, very painful.
APPROVED: PSY4 Crime
It pays! Most of the time. Okay, some of the time. Truth be told, however much crime pays or not, The Hood enjoys being bad (as in badass - and not good too). He is in it for the THRILL. And the money. Robbins isnt terribly greedy - greed is a surefire way to get dead (as is wanton slaughter). Dead aint fun. Dead is dead.
APPROVED: PSY5 Snarky
Parker Robbins is, if anything, snarky. He loves snark. His favourite heroes are the ones who love snark as well - and those that get really, really angry from it.
APPROVED: PSY6 Motivation
Why turn to a life of crime? It began with paying his mothers medical bills. It continued with stickin it to the man (which is always fun). Then, he found that not only did he ENJOY the thrill of crime, but he was really GOOD at it. The Hood wants recognition, fame - or INFAMY - and the means to go his own way. He could be the next Kingpin!
APPROVED: PSY7 Goals
The next kingpin. Someday. Maybe. As for more short-term goals: pull off some high-profile heists, boost his rep a bit, eliminate some of the competition, and find out more about this Dormammu and the source of his powers (after all, MORE POWER can never be a bad thing, right?)
APPROVED: POW1 Levitation
The gift of the Boots of Dormammu. Air-walking is how he uses this ability to travel, and he can fly as fast as he can run (even walking vertically or upside down). The boots do not allow for sustained flight (i.e. Superman style).
APPROVED: POW2 Invisibility
Originally, this power was limited by however long Hood could hold his breath (a few minutes), but this can now be triggered by thought alone (breaking concentration will end the effect). The cloak bends light around the wearer, but does not conceal his heat-signature.
APPROVED: POW3 True Sight
When he is wearing the cloak and boots, Robbins can see through illusions (even illusions as powerful as those created by master sorcerers). He is able to detect shape-shifters, be they metahumans, holograms, or aliens.
APPROVED: POW4 Lightning-Blasts
Not much is known about this ability, except that Hood has it - and it's nasty. He has only been able to use this power (to discharge lightning from his hands - think 'The Emperor' from Star Wars, or Dr Doom from the Fantastic Four movie) when angry or desperate, and it always results in his showing signs of 'possession' (his eyes change form, and sometimes his facial features). This power is medium-range (about the same as Iron Man's repulsor-blasts), and has an effect similar to being struck by lightning (and just as devastating)…
APPROVED: POW5 Teleportation
Very similar to Nightcrawlers teleport-abilities, except that Hood opens a portal that passes through a hellish dimension, and leaps through it. He could theoretically take someone with him by holding onto them. Opening a portal is an almost instantaneous process, and he can manage several (4-5) in quick succession before tiring too much. The given range appears to be anywhere on Earth.
APPROVED: POW6 Enhanced Physique
As long as he regularly wears the cloak and boots, Hood enjoys peak physical conditioning, and has some ability to resist typical damage. Bullets will still pierce him, etc - but he can take more punishment than a regular human.
This power also refers to the occasional teeth and claws Hood displays in moments of heightened anger or stress - signs of demonic influence upon him.
APPROVED: POW7 Magical Resistance
This ability largely comes from the cloak, which seems to absorb a modest amount of magical energy when struck (i.e. lightning that should really turn Hood into a crisp - doesnt. It does, however, hurt like hell). The cloak appears to only take the edge off, rather than fully protect its wearer.
APPROVED: ADV1 Boots of Dormammu
The boots grant the wearer the power of levitation and flight.
APPROVED: ADV2 Cloak of Dormammu
The cloak grants a few different abilities: a) Invisibility, b) True-Sight, c) Demon-Speak.
APPROVED: ADV3 Garb of Dormammu
Robbins has access to a wider variety of powers if he has both the cloak and boots on. These include: enhanced physique, magical resistance, teleportation, "force-lightning"…
APPROVED: ADV4 Underground Contacts
The Hood has earned himself a reputation, and that reputation has begun to pay off. Most of the underworld has heard of him, and he is considered (by some) a rising star. He has small safe-houses all over the place.
APPROVED: SKILL1 Crime
The Hood is very good at what he does, from petty theft to complicated heists. He knows whom to hire and whom to grift. He is not overly greedy, if an alliance (or simply NOT aggravating a rival crime-boss) works in his favour.
APPROVED: SKILL2 Stealth
The Hood is not a techno-geek, but he will usually find *some* way to 'get in, get loot, & get out'. If he doesn't want to be seen (or heard), the chance are he won't be - the powers to become invisible and walk on air DO come in handy.
APPROVED: SKILL3 Combat
There is little finesse in Hood's fighting style ('anything goes'), but he can hold his own. He is more than happy to fight dirty, cheat, etc… whatever works. All that matters is coming out of the fight 'on top' or at the very least, alive. He is a very good shot with his pistols, but not the expert marksman that some others might be (i.e. Black Widow).
APPROVED: SKILL4 Survivor
Hood was nearly caught for a murder he didn't (well, not quite) commit, and was able to pin the homicide on Madame Rapier (another villain) by thinking on his feet. He has begun building his reputation, and proven before he has what it takes to "make it".
APPROVED: SKILL5 Pianist
Hood is self-taught, and has a good ear for music. He likes to listen to music (especially 80s rock), and replicate it while playing piano/keyboard. He won't be playing in any orchestras any time soon, but he can entertain when he wants to.
APPROVED: SKILL6 Demonese
Although he has no knowledge of ever learning it, there have been numerous occasions in which Hood has spoken fluent demon. Assuming there are other dialects, he speaks the language of Dormammus plane.
APPROVED: FLAW1 Only Human
Without the cloak and boots (and… to a lesser degree, WITH them), The Hood is still basically human. He can get hurt, die… just like anyone else.
APPROVED: FLAW2 Demon Possession
The demon-lord, Dormammu, is the true source of Hoods powers (channelled through the cloak and boots), and slowly, very slowly, Dormammu is asserting his will over Hood. Occasionally this shows (esp when Hood uses his more devastating powers): his eyes change colour, his teeth become fangs, his hands become talons, and sometimes his whole face resembles that of a Nisanti demon.
APPROVED: FLAW3 Gradual Insanity
A side-effect of possession. The Hood sometimes breaks into fits of laughter, or talks to himself.
APPROVED: FLAW4 Criminal
Self-explanatory. He is a crook, and proud of it. The Hood has been heard of, and there are law enforcement agencies, government agencies, and other criminal agencies out to get him.
APPROVED: FLAW5 Secret Identity
Most people do not know that 'The Hood' is 'Parker Robbins', and if they did it would put his family at risk.
APPROVED: FLAW6 Thrills
Robbins has a definite weakness for stunts, extreme sports, and doing dangerous things (no sports as such) for the thrill of it. One of the best ways to manipulate him into doing something, is to dangle a thrill in front of him (and then suggest hed never be able to pull it off).
A place to install your character's public reputation
