2
$\begingroup$

People in a modern setting have started gaining mysterious powers (you know how this goes), but they're pretty rare and they all have significant limitations. Our protagonist has the particularly rare ability to teleport (he's the only one with such a power as far as we're aware), but the downside is that he's limited to teleporting what he thinks of as his body. This means no other people, no tools and no clothing.

He can teleport to anywhere that he can picture well (having been there) or to anywhere with sufficiently detailed photographs (Google Street View suffices.) Standard hand-waving applies to prevent intersecting solid objects or other people upon arrival, though he doesn't have any remote viewing, so he isn't sure what he'll be jumping into. It requires a bit of concentration and time (maybe a few minutes), so it's not something he can use to jump around the room in a fight.

In other settings of this type, teleportation is often used productively to transport others, but that's not an option here. Given the limitations and how vulnerable his power leaves him upon arrival, how can he leverage this ability to good advantage?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
16
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ For starters, he's the perfect thief. "Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity, he's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity. His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare, and when you reach the scene of crime—Macavity's not there! You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air—but I tell you once and once again, Macavity's not there!" (T S Eliot, Macavity: The Mystery Cat) $\endgroup$
    – AlexP
    Aug 17, 2017 at 14:26
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @AlexP But how can he steal things when he can't take the loot with him? Sure, he can teleport into a bank vault if he gets a picture of it, but then he'd have to find a way to walk out of it. $\endgroup$
    – Dan Bryant
    Aug 17, 2017 at 14:28
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ As written this doesn't seem to be about worldbuildig. You've already created your rules of teleportation and are now asking what would somebody do. Questions asking "What would someone do?" are often closed as too story based. $\endgroup$
    – sphennings
    Aug 17, 2017 at 14:30
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ He doesn't teleport with the loot. He teleports into the house to be burgled, takes the loot and gives it to an accomplice, then teleports back to his hotel room in Honolulu. When the police identifies him he rightfully points out that he was booked in a hotel in Honolulu ten thousand miles away. $\endgroup$
    – AlexP
    Aug 17, 2017 at 14:31
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @DanBryant Okay so following this logic, if he put a couple hundred hours into it, he could pretty much carry anything as his standard set of gear. Wearing the same outfit, always strapping on a gun, etc would alter his perception of self. Pretty much anything he has on him that he forgets is there or feels wrong if missing (phone, wallet, keys) counts. For example, I feel naked without my watch. Also I would just go to Vegas and work out some weird Magic / Erotic show. Maybe with a gag about a never ending line of men running into a closet to have sex with [insert name]'s mom. $\endgroup$
    – user2259716
    Aug 17, 2017 at 15:01

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
3
$\begingroup$

Spying and Assasination.

Obviously, these are going to take a lot of prep, and if he decides to kill people for money, tons of hand to hand combat training.

for the spying, Since he can't teleport stuff with him, the only thing he could bring out would be information. So he jumps in, listens at the door or rifles through drawers, then jumps out. He's going to have a hard time getting started, but with a reputation he could make money as a professional fly on the wall.

Assassination is slightly different. He would have to train extensively to kill with bare hands. Also, he'd need stealth skills. After that it would be a matter of scouting, setting up an alibi, then popping in, killing someone, and popping back out.

Keep in mind that even these two are going to require a lot of prep to pull off. Even getting past the first few layers of security doesn't mean you get through all of them. Also, you arrive naked. If you want to wear clothes during the caper, you have to store them ahead of time. If you want to be camouflaged upon arrival, you have to tattoo...everything! OUCH!

Also keep in mind that you will be leaving behind forensic evidence, like sweat, hand, and footprints, so maybe measures against this would be a good idea. That means more preparation, salting the scene ahead of time.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
$\begingroup$

This seems like a great ability for someone who gets in trouble with the law. The person gets arrested and thrown in the back of the squad car. Cop does some other stuff. When the cop checks on his prisoner, he finds him gone, and only his clothes remain.

Eventually, this character would set up "safe houses" or places where he or she would have a change of clothes and whatever was needed to get by. Think Jason Bourne in the Bourne movies, where he would find lock-boxes randomly with passports and cash.

For a character with a more legitimate profession, try a private detective. Got a cheating spouse? He can teleport over and surprise that person in the nude. Other kinda legit professions would be information courier or spy.

Also, if this character is able to teleport anything he swallows (which he could consider part of himself), he would make an excellent drug mule.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
0
$\begingroup$

Vegas Baby

This skill set would be useful to magicians / escape artists. The fact that you are nude can be incorporated into the act.

Act 1: Invite an attractive female from the audience (preferably one with a date) up on stage. Wheel a standing box / closet out. Tell the audience that the two of you are just going to make yourself comfortable (wink at audience). Enter closet. Constantly teleport side stage, grab trench coat and giant prosthetic penis (like 3 feet long). Rush on stage and into the closet (prosthetic waving in the wind). Continue 20x.

Act 2: Create Certain Death Machine X place on stage and make a big deal about entering it. Teleport naked to a random table in the audience. Tap person at table on shoulder and ask "How you doing."

Act 3: You are now a weird sexy / silly magician. The audience will never suspect when you teleport to the Kremlin and strangle Putin. You were really working for the CIA all along.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .