Web Woman

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Web Woman was my first attempt at a scrapper on the Virtue Server, City of Heroes. Her name was a gift from Bronze Juggernaut's Player. She's a nod to Marvel Comic's Spider Woman and Spiderman, but was originally conceived of as part of a Fantastic-Four-type team. That team never got off the ground and so this Web Woman was born...

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Web Woman
30 Science Scrapper
Player:
Activity Level: irregular
Real Name:	Has been identified as Theresa Webb
a/k/a:	Teri, Reese, Webs
Physical Identifiers
Species:	Homo sapiens
Sub-Type:	Purposefully modified
Gender:	Female
Apparent Age:	21
Height:	5'3"
Weight:	105 lbs
Build:	lithe
Complexion:	Caucasian
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Blond with platinum streaks
Distinguishing Features
None
Biographical Data
Birthdate:	1987
Birthplace:	Teri Webb was born in New Orleans, Louisiana
Nationality:	Citizen of the United States of America
Residence:	Kings Row
Occupation:	heroine, programmer, jazz dancer
Marital Status:	Believed to be single
Legal Status:	no criminal record
Relatives & Associates
Webs has been contacted twice by a young man who claims he is her twin brother, Terence. He has told her that their parents are Mary and Peter Webb of New Orleans..
Known Powers
Blades/Martial Arts
Skills & Abilities
programmer, dancer
Equipment
Spider Sting

Contents 1 Character History 1.1 Picking Up Her Life 1.2 Union Supreme 2 Powers 2.1 Other Abilities 2.2 Limitations 3 Paraphernalia 3.1 Weapons/Arsenal 4 Stories 5 Misc.

Character History

"Who am I? I don't know. A guy who claims he's my twin brother Terence says that I'm Theresa Webb, age 21, formerly a programmer at Orion Industries, Paragon City and student at Paragon University. He says that Teri was reported missing some 8 months ago. He says we were born in New Orleans, Louisiana -- and that fingerprint testing proves I am who he says I am. I can't remember. He is kinda cute."

"What I do remember is waking up in a hospital in Kings Row. The nurses there said I'd been brought in by a super hero who said I'd been found in a medical "tube" in a secret Arachnos Lab. The doctors said that it looked like Arachnos had started on altering me surgically and bio-chemically. When I improved enough to be released, Liberty Rose -- who apparently visits that hospital often -- suggested I start training my powers in Justiciar facilities."

"But I’ve got LOTS of question. Why me? Why’d anyone try to shanghai Teri Webb from an Orion parking lot and turn her into a monster? What is Teri Webb to Arachnos… or Orion Industries to Arachnos? I actually stopped by Orion Industries once I found out where it was. Asked to talk to anyone who had worked with Teri Webb – with me. Receptionist said that that name was no longer listed. Asked to talk to their hiring person. The gal in HR said “unfortunately” that division had been spun off and relocated and had gone out of business a couple of months back. “Sorry”. Asked to see the hiring record for Theresa Webb. Luckily Gods Speed had gotten me an identity card so the stuffed shirt agreed. The photo was out of focus. Might have been me – with longer hair. Maybe. Looked like she might’ve been smiling really big. The report said that Ms. Webb’d been employed there for about a year, at regular employee salary, under the presumption that she’d get her PhD from Paragon University over the next two years; assigned to Division 52. Terry said his sister’d always been the smart one."

"Saw him later in an even snazzier suit than Liberty Rose designed for me. He says HIS powers are all gadgets or something. Kinda vague. Wonder what sorta family I really do come from. The guys in the park in Skyway said we looked real cute together."

Picking Up Her Life

Web Woman became acquainted with Night Patriot towards the end of his time with the Justiciars, attracted by his singing voice. They have since met at the Tavern on the Edge and dated a few times. They are, indeed, quite interested in each other, but their contact has been limited by Theresa Webb's resources (and perhaps her pride or embarrassment thereabout). Her reintroduction to independent living came as the economy did a nose-dive. Not having any references to her abilities as a programmer, she was able to pick up only a few small contracting jobs. and eventually fell back on her natural abilities as a dancer.

Currently she does social dancing -- jazz, swing, and lindy hop -- as a "dance hostess" at a relatively low-class nightclub/bar, the King's Rose, not far from her apartment. She shares the apartment with Korythalia, an ex-Knife of Artemis, who also works at the Rose as a bartender. Financially, the two young women are barely scraping by, but they watch each other's backs and, so far, neither one has been compromised by any of the less savoury bar flies.

Because Theresa and Terence both can be shortened to Terry/Teri, Ms Webb has taken to using the nickname Reese. She would like to find Terence Webb again to learn if he was telling the truth, but her financial resources have prevented hiring a detective. The name is not in the Paragon City phone book... but then he claimed he'd just come in from LA. However, a chance dinner party encounter with the dark night detective Night Wonder revealed that Terence Webb under the code name Web Crawler is currently a member of the Union Supreme.

Union Supreme

Eventually Terence managed to knock the chip off of Reese's shoulder, convincing her to come work for him and to join the Union Supreme. He explained his absence as having been kidnapped by Arachnos in her place, during which time their parents, flying to be with their amnesiac daughter, died in an apparently unrelated plane accident.

In the wake of the meteoric destruction of Galaxy City, Web Woman has found herself temporary legal guardian of the newly powered teen, Bee Muse, whose mother - a secretary for Action Enterprises - apparently died with most of her co-workers when that building collapsed.

Powers

• A pair of bi-axial chelicerae (resembling energy blades) are imbedded in her hands and seemed to be triggered by adrenal response. Their strength seem proportional to that of the Australasian funnel-web spider (family: Hexathelidae), able to penetrate leather and some metal armor. A slash from these seem to occasionally release atracotoxins into her opponent’s system, opening sodium channels and causing excessive neural activity that can incapacitate her opponent’s nervous system.

• Under stress, her body generates a limited amount of a potent neurotoxin, chemically similar to the venom of some wandering spiders (family: Ctenidae). These venoms attack multiple types of ion channels which regulate the flow of ions across the membrane in all cells. As this can be incapacitating, Dr. Smythe of S.E.R.A.P.H. arranged for the construction of a siphon-staff which allows her to expel the toxin.

• Her reflexes are at the very limit of the human norm and, possibly, a bit beyond, allowing her to – a significant portion of the time – dodge bullets, blasts, and blows.

• When moving rapidly, her body generates fine, sticky, proteinaceous filaments that are chemically akin to spider web material of the tangle-web spider type (family: Theridiidae). She is currently working with S.E.R.A.P.H., trying to find someway to control and use them.

• She is able to leap distances that may be proportional to the ability of jumping spiders (family: Salticidae). She seems to share their well developed internal hydraulic system which alters the pressure of body fluid within the legs, enabling her to jump up to 80 times her body height without a concomitant increase in leg muscle mass.

• Has occasionally exhibited the ability to “cling” to walls, presumably an aspect of the proteinaceous filaments. ((If the power were in the game, she’d have it!))

• Strength levels are superior to a woman of her age and weight who engages in extensive athletic activity. Was last tested at bench-pressing 400-lbs and her strength seems to be increasing at the time of this record.

Other Abilities

• Either a “born genius” with numbers and computers, or the trauma she underwent at the hands of Arachnos did not touch the portions of memory for those learned applications. Is very skilled at cracking codes and ciphers.

• Appears to have training as a jazz and blues dancer, or has a strong natural ability in the art.

• Clearly has trained as a gymnast.

Limitations

Is not completely immune to the neurotoxins generated by her body. If she has not expelled the toxins in 12-24 hours, she may show signs of neuro-poisoning. As well, another person touching her skin may develop a rash or even symptoms of neuro-poisoning. Is a victim of total amnesia in terms of historical and social memory although her kinetic memories are intact or reprogrammed to an enhanced degree. Speaks with a trace of a southern drawl (which isn't necessarily a limitation.

Paraphernalia

Costume designed to prevent toxins in her perspiration from accidentally damaging people who touch her. Graphic red and black design inspired by the protective colouring of spiders in nature. Gloves and boots designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate her jumping and climbing skills, and display a random cobweb pattern that is only aesthetic.

Weapons/Arsenal

Siphon-staff which she calls her “spider sting”.

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Stories

WIP

Misc.

• A web of surgical scarring covers her hands, arms, shoulders, hips, and legs that appears to be healing more rapidly than their extensive surface coverage would normally allow. Her uniform covers the scars.

• Unknown to Web Woman, the brother she'd like to find is the hero who rescued Teri from the Arachnos Lab.

Union Supreme v • d • e
Councillors: Champion Woman • Doctor Spectro • Old Ranger • Raven Moonshadow
Hero: Amazing Trixie • Arcanist Ica • Blood-Eagle • Captain Midnight • Congressionalist • Diamondskin • Emerald Protect • Gods Speed • Gravijah • Heliodromus • Hero Paragon • Invictar • Moonlight Owl • Ms. Impossible • North Shield • Paradox Theory • Redbird • Shining Centurion • Solairis • Streetlight • Turbohawk • Winter Tornado

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Liberty Rose's Characters
Primals	Heroes	Afire • Bee Muse • Bright Lady • Ceiba • Coronal Light • Dee Nova • Detective Sanders • Dora Daring • Flitterby • Ghost Wife • Gravity Anomaly • Lady Aid • Lady in Green • Liberty Rose • Medikka • Oceanid • Opal Mind • Psilencer 7 • Sandcast • Sea Maiden • Stellar Beacon • Tesla Teen • Timelass • Web Woman
	Villains	Accountant • Mind's Psi • Weyrling
	Rogues	Radiation Rose
	Vigilantes	Korythalia • Mind Dance • Nocturne Falcon
Praetorians	Loyalist	Bleeding Lily • Wychery
	Resistance	Snik