Riptide (Quela Vel)
PL 7 (110 pp)

Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 12 [24 pp]

Attack: Melee +2, Ranged +2, +6 with Blast or Dazzle [4 pp]
Defense: +4 (+2 flat-footed) [8 pp]
Initiative: +3
Damage: +3 hand to hand, +8 Blast, Trip or Dazzle
Saves: Toughness +8, Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3 [6 pp]

Skills: Acrobatics 2 (+5), Bluff 0 (+1), Climb 0 (+3), Computers 2 (+4), Concentration 0 (+2), Craft (artistic) 2 (+4), Diplomacy 4 (+5), Disable Device 2 (+4), Disguise 0 (+0), Escape Artist 0 (+3), Gather Information 0 (+1), Handle Animal 4 (+6), Intimidate 0 (+2), Investigate 2 (+4), Knowledge (physical sciences) 2 (+4), Knowledge (earth sciences) 4 (+6), Knowledge (life sciences) 2 (+4), Knowledge (history) 2 (+4), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 1 (+3), Knowledge (civics) 1 (+3), Language (Atlantean, native), Language (English), Language (French), Language (Hawaiian), Medicine 1 (+3), Notice 4 (+6), Perform (dance) 2 (+5), Pilot 2 (+5), Ride 1 (+4), Search 0 (+2), Sense Motive 2 (+4), Stealth 2 (+5), Survival 1 (+3), Swim 8 (+11)
[14 pp, 56 ranks in skills]

Feats: Animal Affinity, Attack Specialization (water attacks) 2, Environmental Adaptation (underwater), Favored Environment (underwater) 3, Move-by Action
[8 pp]

Powers:
Swim 4 (25 MPH, Power Feat:
Alternate Power - Speed 1 (10 MPH, ‘surfs’ on a wave of water),
Alternate Power – Flight 1 (10 MPH, rises on a waterspout, Flaw: Levitation)) [6]
Immunity 3 (environmental cold, environmental pressure, breathe underwater) [3]
Super-Senses 4 (low-light vision, scent, extended hearing 1, tremorsense (flaw: only underwater)) [4]
Blast 8 (water cannon, Power Feat:
Alternate Power – Trip 8 (storm surge, Extra: Knockback, Area (burst), Flaw: Range 1 (touch)),
Alternate Power – Dazzle (visual) 8 (blinding spray of stinging salt-water),
Alternate Power – Environmental Control 5 (hamper movement 1, distraction 2, driving rain over a 250’ radius)) [19]
Regeneration 10 (Recovery Bonus 2, Recovery Rate 7 (Bruised 3 (/round with no rest), Unconscious 1 (/round), Injured 1 (/20 minutes), Staggered 1 (/20 minutes), Disabled 2 (/hour)) [10]
[42 pp]

Abilities 28 + Combat 12 + Saves 6 + Skills 16 + Feats 6 + Powers 42 = 110 pp

The only member of the team not a member of the EU, Quela (pronounced Kayla) is from Atlantis and is an unofficial diplomatic point of contact between her people and the EU. She has the power to generate great quantities of water, and to propel herself through the water (or even overland, riding a wave of water), as well as the physical attributes to survive the ocean’s depths. Her body has adapted over time to the surface world, and she is currently not as physically powerful as she would be if she re-adjusted to her deep-sea home, when she initially appeared, she was stronger, but her powers were weaker, but of late, as the great strength she needed to function in the depths has faded, her water-manifestation powers have blossomed. (She does not have the traditional ‘Atlantean’ super-strength, as a result of this. Whatever process she has undergone to allow her to function for years on the surface world has diminished her physical strength considerably.)

Quela is perhaps a poor choice for diplomat, as the concept of deception has proven difficult for her to deal with. Yes, Atlanteans lie and intrigue with the best of them, but Quela herself finds such duplicity to be dishonorable. ‘When the world around you is dancing fluid, it is in our souls that we must stand like rock,’ she says. While she has learned to choose her words carefully, to avoid unintentional offense, she gets in trouble at times with her inability to lie. Worse, people will sometimes mistake a threat for a bluff, ignorant of the fact that she doesn’t bluff. If she says she is going to drown someone, she means it, and it is another facet of her culture that her team-mates have had to restrain, her willingness to use lethal force, even in situations where it might not be appropriate, let alone necessary.

Quela has flawless light green skin and a long flowing mane of bright red hair, wearing what looks like a two-piece bathing suit of a purple-gray fabric that appears to be some form of scaly hide and large ornate items of gold jewelry on her wrists, shoulders, ankles and waist. She originally appeared with various other items of gold, including rings, necklaces, hair adornments, a tiara, etc. but has over time traded some of this for surface world goods and services. Quela has little interest in human social norms, and wears the equivalent of a bikini most places, with a light ‘toga’ style dress her most concealing outfit. She never wears shoes.

She moves with an easy predatory grace, and is always doing something, drumming her fingers, twirling her hair, smacking her gum, *something.* She doesn’t sit still, and when she is talking, her hands are gesturing and she’s pacing all around. Her concept of personal space takes some getting used to, as Atlanteans tend to physically hold onto each other while talking, so that they don’t ‘drift apart.’ If she is talking to someone, she will generally hold their hand or wrist, or even just put a hand on their shoulder, having leaned that surface worlders don’t generally find a full-body hug to be appropriate for casual conversation. Due to her fidgety nature, while holding someone’s hand or wrist, or resting her hand on their shoulder, she’ll likely start massaging it or ‘playing’ with it, which many find distracting, as she has no clue as to the effects of her appearance, and proximity, to human males. She has ‘shot down’ a few romantic gestures in the past, and, tactless as usual, generally expresses scorn and disbelief at any man who hits on her, or mistakes her physicality as an invitation or expression of interest. She finds humans to have an offensive odor, and even if they smelled like pure water, she still can’t imagine why anyone would have a romantic liaison with a member of a different race…

(She has since learned to keep her assumptions to herself, which is probably the only reason she and Vulkan have not come to blows, as she doesn’t get the whole ‘gay’ thing, either.)