I thought he might be a nice character to include, but upon first seeing this 1955 story, I assumed Retribution was just a knock-off of a certain member of the Trenchcoat Brigade. Eventually, though, I found that this story actually reprints a much older tale from 1946:
The Unknown predates the Phantom Stranger by more than six years! Very cool, I thought! Welcome to Dogwood City, I said!
The Unknown has a short and sweet writeup over at the PDSH wiki. He's a horror story host that some speculate is an incarnation of the Unknown Soldier. I love the idea of the Unknown playing the role of observer, advisor, and sometime-participant in the mystical events that swirl around Dogwood City.
His appearance did change a bit over time, as later artwork showed him as more of a ghostly hooded figure...
I have to say, though, I really like the classic look with the fedora. I guess there's just something about trenchcoats that I've been conditioned to associate with magic.
The Unknown
Real name: Unknown (as in no one knows it; it's not "Unknown")
Level ?
20 Hero Dice
Defense 20*
Defense 20*
Wave of the hand (melee or ranged) +20 (1D damage)*
Mastery: Human nature, the occult, the cosmos
The Unknown can grant any other character a chance to rewrite fate. On a successful saving throw, the character's player may establish a plot point that must be worked into the story by the GM.
The Unknown can grant any other character a chance to rewrite fate. On a successful saving throw, the character's player may establish a plot point that must be worked into the story by the GM.
*The Unknown rarely engages in combat; when he does, he can only be hit on a roll of a natural 20. If the Unknown somehow reaches 0 hit points, he simply disappears.
I always love those cosmic observer types. He seems like a nice Phantom Stranger/Spectre hybrid.
ReplyDeleteGood point; I suppose his drive to ensure that folks get what they deserve has a definite air of the Spectre!
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