Animate Image
This is a specialized form of Illusion-Casting that enables the hero to apparently bring any flat image to life. Whatever the original nature of the image—drawing, painting, photograph, print—the image gains 3-dimensionality and independent movement. A blank white area now fills the area formerly occupied by the newly solidified Image.
In actuality, the hero has created 2 Illusions. The obvious one is the Animated Image that has peeled itself away from its flat background and filled out into 3-D. The second, more subtle Illusion is the "blank white area." The hero automatically casts this Illusion to mask out the still-existing original picture; this secondary Illusion lasts for 10-20 turns or until the primary Illusion ceases to exist, whichever comes first.
The initial range at which the hero can Animate an Image is line-of-sight for 1 area. This is also the maximum range at which the hero can normally maintain the "realism" of the Image. Simply put, the hero has to be able to clearly see both the Image and its surroundings. When either is beyond his vision, the believability of the Image drops drastically. When the Image gets beyond the hero's field of clear vision, he can no longer make it realistically conform to the surroundings.
Example: Kinescope Animates a lion off of a circus poster and sends it after some muggers. The muggers flee around a corner, the lion in pursuit. Unbeknownst to Kinescope, the alley is full of trash cans, which the lion blithely passes through. The muggers see this and realize they've been had. Kinescope gets a surprise when he comes around the corner.
The Image can exist for as long as the hero concentrates on maintaining it (the Judge is free to determine how easily this can be done given the circumstances the hero finds himself in). Although the Image can only be realistically controlled within 1 area of the hero's location, the Image can be projected up to the full range for this Power. Once beyond the 1 area limit, the Image is easily perceived by others as a holographic projection. The hero can overcome this limit by extending the range of his own senses, either through artificial means (telescopes, remote TV camera, etcetera) or by using sense extending Powers. In such cases, the hero can extend realistic control of the Image up to the range limits for this Power and whatever means he employs to extend his vision.
Example: Kinescope has an Ex rank for this Power and can project an Image up to 25 areas (3300 ft) away. He also has Gd Clairvoyance with a maximum range of 2500 miles. By using both Powers, he can maintain the realism of his Images up to the maximum range of 25 areas even through any vision-blocking barriers.
The Image possesses whatever abilities or characteristics the original model possessed. At least, it possesses those abilities or characteristics the hero believes the model possessed. This is after all an Illusion that the hero has created. As such, it conforms to his expectations. What traits the Image has are determined by the hero's imagination and memory for detail. The accuracy of the Image is determined by the hero's Reason. A green FEAT creates an Image that is somehow flawed; it might move the wrong way, lack a shadow, have no surface detail, and so on. A yellow FEAT creates an Image that are nearly exact; a close visual examination is required to distinguish the Image from reality. A red FEAT creates a perfect Illusion.
The typical Animated Image is an intangible holographic projection. Since most people rely exclusively on their vision as the means of sensing their environment, the Animated Image is easily accepted as reality. Only when other senses are used does the Image get exposed as Illusion. Such Images are mechanically detectable and recordable by such means as photography and television. Images can also deceive the artificial senses of mechanical beings.
The Animated Image is initially strictly composed of light. It lacks the other sensory details of a real object, most notably the sounds and smells of the original. These can be simulated to give the Animated Image greater reality. The Talent of Ventriloquism or such Powers as Speechthrowing or Vocal Control can add speech and incidental noises to the image. Sensory Manipulation can create, deceptions of smell, temperature difference, and even tactile sensations. The coherent light of the Image blocks normal light and creates normal shadows.
Since the Image is intangible, it cannot directly do physical damage to a target. If the Image incorporates bright light, it has the potential of blinding the target. How ever, if the hero possesses certain other Powers that can be combined with the Image then it can do actual damage. If the hero also uses Energy Solidification or any of the Matter Creation Powers, the Image gains temporary solidity. This lasts for 1D10 turns, regardless of the normal duration of effect for the supplementing Power.Note: this is determined by the Judge, not the player. Any of the Energy Emission Powers can be apparently redirected through the Image.
For example, if the hero possessed both Animate Image and Fire Generation, he could create a hazardous simulation of the Human Torch.
This Power can be combined with certain Psionic Powers to create Images that do psychosomatic damage to a target. These Psionics include Telepathy, Mind Control, Hypnotic Control, and Neural Manipulation. Psychosomatic damage occurs because the target believes in the reality of the Image and thus the reality of any damage the Image is inflicting upon him.
For example, Kinescope combines his Powers of Animate Image and Neural Manipulation to create an Image of a boa constrictor. The boa enwraps Kinescope's opponent, who believes he is being crushed and passes out from his imagined loss of breath.
Psychosomatic damage can be resisted by any target who becomes aware of the Image's lack of reality. Be warned that psychosomatic damage can lead to fatal results if the target succumbs to a heart attack or stroke.Note: Psychosomatic damage cannot affect non-sentient minds.
Animated Images can be of any nature, but are generally used to simulate moveable objects and lifeforms. In all cases, the hero must have an actual image to work from. The Animated Image that results is the same size as the original image. Not all of the model has to be present in the original image; the hero can fill in the rest from his imagination. As he brings the Animated Image to life, it climbs out of the frame, revealing previously unshown parts.
For example, Kinescope Animates a head-and-shoulders portrait of Lincoln.The visible parts immediately spring out; the rest of Abe's body is revealed as he climbs out of the frame.
Animate Image can be used to alter images within the plane of the original picture. The hero can alter the placement of sections of the picture or give them flat animation, even making sections of the picture apparently withdraw from the depicted scene.
While the previous commentary has spoken of this Power in terms of translating 2-D images to 3-D objects, it can also be used to simulate animation for already 3-D objects, like statues or stuffed animals. This can be developed as a Power Stunt. The hero uses an existing object for a model to base his Illusions on. The primary Illusion is the statue or whatever coming to life; the secondary Illusion renders Illusory Invisibility around the original. The characteristics for the Image are a combination of the statue's material composition and those traits the hero imagines the model for the statue possessed.
Example: Kinescope encounters thieves outside the Cleveland Art Museum. He casts his Power on Rodin's bronze, "The Thinker," that sits in front of the museum. The Image that results is a 15'-tall man made entirely of bronze and consequently extremely strong and heavy.
By using his Power in this way, the hero can simulate any of the Matter Animation, Control, and Conversion Powers.
Optional Powers include either Telescopic Vision or Clairvoyance, Energy Solidification, and either Elemental or Molecular Creation.
The Nemesis Powers are either Sonar or Radar, combined with temporary blindness.
Range: Column B