Let's build Chicago 5E

[Hermit]

Okay. On another thread many expressed their love of Chicago as a setting. The City of Big Shoulders, it would seem, has quite a following. Others have already done work on their own Chicago campaigns (Hey Nato :) ) , and I hope they and those who know more about the real city chime in on this thread.

As a kind of group project, I want us to build Chicago for 5th Edition in a completley unauthorized with faux official status. :) I'd like to take what the Champion's Universe has given us and run from there. That way, anyone who comes on this site and wants a setting to run from based on a real city can just look up this old thread, and it will help them out. Thus spreading the good will towards the HERO system, and eventually leading to our domination of the World!
MWHAhAHAHAHA!

*Cough* Sorry, got carried away
If those of you who have the current Champions Universe book would turn to page 69, you'll see a brief but info full paragraph on the current state of the "Windy City" as far as super heroes goes.

In brief summary for those who don't have that lovely book (and shame on ya):
1. Chicago has one of the most active superhuman communties in the United States.
2. Despite that, there's only one team: The Peacekeepers, who are based in the top floors of the Kettrick Building.
3. For some reason, the bulk of Chicago's supers prefer to go it alone.
4. The Peacekeepers have been around for two decades. Their main enemy seems to be VIPER, and they recently lost their leader in battle with that loathed group.
5. A Peacekeeper named Dwarfstar has taken temporary leadership, and they maybe recruiting one or more members.

And I believe that's it!

We've got a lot of room to work with.

So, where should we start? Facts about the city that would affect the types of heroes there? How about we guess how the Chicago public would react to superhumans (Would they support a Hero team, compalin, both?)? What would the organizations, good and bad, be like? Where are the best places for bases/hidden lairs? How would heroes get around?

Let's build this thing :)

[Mightybec]

The cubbies have a pitcher that's hiding his powers (mild TK) and they still can't make it to the playoffs.

PS...GO GIANTS!

Mightybec

[Hermit]

Originally posted by Mightybec
The cubbies have a pitcher that's hiding his powers (mild TK) and they still can't make it to the playoffs.

PS...GO GIANTS!

Mightybec

You're a very bitter man... ;)

Found this site, that might help us get inspired...

http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Tourism/

[Mightybec]

An Irish mob would be a good edition. A fiery villain would be ironic.

[Lord Liaden]

With Chicago, it's more a matter of what would not be appropriate to it as a game setting; it has a huge multiracial population base, widely diversified economy, is a transportation and freight moving hub, has universities, museums - pretty much anything you'd expect in a large American city, including such negatives as crime and ethnic tensions. About the only thing it lacks is major connection to ancient occult sites (but I have a suggestion about that).

Because it's so archetypically big-city America, I have difficulty thinking of heroes or villains who would be singularly appropriate to it outside of stereotypes like gangsters. Perhaps someone with more first-hand familiarity could contribute to that. What occurs to me is more along the lines of potential plot elements. For example, with its proximity to Lake Michigan a nearby underwater base, hero or villain, would seem reasonable. As I understand it Chicago also has a lot of old abandoned underground freight tunnels which could be the site of bases, or perhaps hideouts for one of the hidden or refugee paranormal societies that seem to crop up in comics.

In conjunction with that, I'm not sure of the current status of the "Deep Tunnel" project, an underground network of tunnels, reservoirs, and pollution-control systems designed to hold excess storm water and sewage. Deep Tunnel, begun in 1976, is the largest municipal public-works project in the history of the United States. If the project is fully completed, it will comprise 210 km (130 mi) of tunnels, but as of the late 1990's it was suspended due to lack of funding. (Or... maybe the excavation uncovered something that the authorities didn't want discovered - or to escape.)

I was intrigued to discover that Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Haitian trader, established the first permanent dwelling near the mouth of the Chicago River in the late 18th Century. Perhaps Point du Sable brought along some of the religious practices of the African slaves in Haiti, which might still have secret adherents today - or maybe he participated in rituals which have left a residue of occult forces behind...

[Enforcer84]

Make the characters based on Styx song titles...<Duck and cover>



:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D




No really, I have.

[Mightybec]

Originally posted by Enforcer84
Make the characters based on Styx song titles...<Duck and cover>
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
No really, I have.

Why not try Black Sabbath song titles?

Warpigs
Ironman
Sweetleaf
Paranoid
The Fairies Wear Boots
Electric Funeral

Mightybec

[Enforcer84]

Is Black Sabbath from Chicago?

Styx is.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Enforcer84
Is Black Sabbath from Chicago?

Styx is. I guess that leaves the band Boston out.

I'll think on this but I know you have to do something with the EL.

[Worldmaker]

The heroes that would be best received by the public in Chicago would be the ones that made an effort to be seen as part of the public, regardless of ethnicity... blue collar heroes who deal with the everyday as opposed to big money white collar heroes who tend to handle the larger threats.

Not that the public would turn their backs on Reed Richards in favor of Spider-Man, but the feeling would be that Spider-Man is a regular guy from the neighborhood, while Richards is part of the uptown artsy-fartsy crowd.

[allen]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
About the only thing it lacks is major connection to ancient occult sites (but I have a suggestion about that).


none of these are ancient...

mortared into the wall of the Tribune Building are chunks of other famous buildings and sites. for some reason, this always struck me as vaguely occult.

some of the skyscrapers have vaguely gothic architecture, ie the Wrigley Building, (i can't recall the name of the school of design right now)... easy to apply the occult properties attributed to cathedrals to those buildings.

also there's a proliferation of five points on the north side... mainly where Clark Street intersects with main North-South and East-West roads, ie Clark-Broadway-Diversey. (there's another street, west of Clark, that does a similar thing -- for the life of me, i can't remember the name right now -- but it runs through Bucktown.) i've always thought if you stared long enough at a map you could find a pattern to the five points.

[winterhawk]

I am currently running my campaign in Chicago and live in the area. I've done quite a bit of research on the city and its history. Some of the details of the campaign:


Originally posted by Hermit
1. Chicago has one of the most active superhuman communties in the United States.

No problem. As with any Champs campaign, there are tons of supers floating around.


Originally posted by Hermit
2. Despite that, there's only one team: The Peacekeepers, who are based in the top floors of the Kettrick Building.

I've actually combined Ketterick and Darryl Kendrick of Kendrium fame. The Peacekeepers are headquartered in the Kendrick Building. Darryl Kendrick was the great Silver Age hero Doc Atomic (a cross between Superman and Reed Richards) who founded the Peacekeepers. He died in the Secret Crisis, but his team lives on. As Worldmaker commented, they are all 'heroes of the people' with one exception.


Originally posted by Hermit
3. For some reason, the bulk of Chicago's supers prefer to go it alone.

All of the players and several NPCs are independent heroes for one reason or another. Several NPCs are 'neighborhood heroes' and restrict themselves to operating in certain areas of the city.


Originally posted by Hermit
4. The Peacekeepers have been around for two decades. Their main enemy seems to be VIPER, and they recently lost their leader in battle with that loathed group.

VIPER and DEMON have both allied themselves with various factions of the Mafia, which is still fairly powerful in the city.


Originally posted by Lord Liaden
About the only thing it lacks is major connection to ancient occult sites (but I have a suggestion about that).


I noticed that too...so I improvised. Chicago sits atop of a dimensional weak spot that acts as a membrane, which allows many extradimensional mystical forces (especially the forces of Hell) easy access. The Old Water Tower (the only structure to survive the Great Fire) is atop an intersection of Ley Lines and is the mystic center of the city.

Enforcer: Black Sabbath is from England.

allen: That is a really cool idea...might have to steal it!

I have a Yahoo Club for the campaign with a timeline, some art, etc...Please feel free to join. I don't have stats posted in the club, but would be happy to post them here.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/heroicchicago/

[JmOz]

One idea, is that theere are really two teams, the second one is the Power Brigade is really an informal group of heroes that work togther. Essemtialy all they have is a coffy shop meating place and a type of emergincy beacon (Press the button, everyone gets a voice message on where the problem is)

[Hermit]

Good stuff so far guys. I think one thing we probably need to try to capture the "Chicago mindset". Now, while while it's wrong to generalize too much, there are advantages to having molds before you start breaking things :)

Worldmaker already pointed out a 'Blue Collar' preference for it's super heroes. I like that.

I saw a show where one Chicagian mentioned other towns accused Chicago of having a "Chip on its shoulder" about being the "Second City" to NYC, and (now adays) even behind L.A. etc.

I recall on the news back during and after 9-11 many folks of Chi-town were expecting to have one of their many tall buildings a target as well. They didn't seem espcially fearful (Not any more or less than the rest of us at that time) but they didn't see their own sites as any less important to America than NYC's world trade center. At least that's the impression I got.

I have heard Chicagoins love to gripe, but are fiercely devoted to their town and get defensive if someone ELSE gripes about it. Though I've heard that last about other cities' natives as well. :)

From this, and I'm generalizing here, it sounds like the natives of Chi-town are proud of their city, consider it the 'working joe' of America's cities, and resent it if their town gets overlooked.

This sound right Winterhawk(and any other Chicago residents)?
(Went to your site btw, interesting stuff)

[Hermit]

I have a theory about why few 'teams' form up in Chicago. This is still rough, so anyone who has further input on it is welcome to polish it up a bit.

There have been several attempts to form up organized super-hero teams in the Chicago through it's history. Up till 1979 or so, Always, ALWAYS something would eventually go wrong by the third year for any Chicago team that tried. The team would be torn apart by internal troubles, or have to move away from Chicago to another town for personal reasons, get swallowed by an extra dimensional vortex..or ... uhm well, die.

While's it's said criminals are a 'superstitious and cowardly lot' ; superheroes, while brave, can be a bit superstitious themselves. Rumors of a "curse" on all super hero teams in Chicago began to arise. Independent super heroes were more reluctant to join forces on a permanent basis because of this, I mean, better safe than sorry. There is no evidence that there really IS a curse, at least if you ask any mystic who's studied the darn thing, but the tale has taken a life of it's own.

Only one team, the Peacekeepers has really managed to evade "the curse". Though, it is pointed out that every three years, something tragic hits them (This maybe an exageration).

Other 'not quite a team' teams are out there, on and off, staying loose and informal, either for their own reasons, or to avoid risking 'the curse' (thus making JmOz's idea of a more relaxed informal second team even have another reason for being so).

What do you all think?

[allen]

if you really want the difference between Chicago and NYC, IMHO, people in Chicago are less abrupt (more friendly is how some would put it, but i think it's more a politeness thing than a friendliness thing).

here, to stray a little off topic, is an example. if you stop a Chicagoan to ask for directions. he will stop and listen. if he doesn't have time to give direction, he shrugs and says, "Sorry don't know how to get there." and continues on his way without pausing. EVEN IF HE KNOWS HOW TO GET THERE.

New Yorker just shrugs while he keeps walking. he doesn't stop, doesn't say sorry.

see how polite the Chicagoan is when he blows you off?

(should also add: my experience though is it's more an East Coast/Midwestern difference. people from Boston and Philadelphia are just as... ummm... brusque as folk from New York.)

concerning LA: no one in Chicago really cares. everyone knows LA isn't a real city.

concerning 'second city' status to New York: it isn't that chicagoans have a chip on their shoulders. it's that New Yorker's insist the world revolves around New York. (haha)

[Barton]

Chicago also has a very long abandoned underground freight tunnel system (built about 1900) which I have as the site of several villian bases, and the hideout for several hidden refugee paranormal societies. This tunnel system covers most of downtown and was last used to deliver coal and packages in the late 1950's via a small electrical railway. The frieght tunnel system "flooded" about 15 years ago when a piling in the Chciago river was forced through it. It has been repaired. According to the Tribune it is clean, smell free, and creepy quiet. What a great place for monsters to lurk!

Also Chicago has wonderful suburbs. The north shore is very high class and trendy. The south side is more run-down. The western suburbs (I live in Lombard about 20miles due west of downtown) are mostly middle class and full of houses and shopping centers. Of course we have many superhighways (great for chases!).

Our mayor for life Mayor Daley (son of famous mayor, brother to politically connected Billy Daley) runs the city. He recently closed the downtown airport by sending demolition crews in the dead of the night and destroying the main runway! He is quite a character in himself!

The Tribune and Sun Times are the major newspapers. One of my characters has a contact as the society editor of the Tribune! This is a great idea! It allows him to get invites to parties and indirectly know all of the "in crowd".

Chicagoians love to gripe about the city, its politics, the sports teams, and the weather. But most love the city, as do I.

[Worldmaker]

Originally posted by Barton
Chicago also has a very long abandoned underground freight tunnel system (built about 1900) which I have as the site of several villian bases, and the hideout for several hidden refugee paranormal societies. This tunnel system covers most of downtown and was last used to deliver coal and packages in the late 1950's via a small electrical railway. The frieght tunnel system "flooded" about 15 years ago when a piling in the Chciago river was forced through it. It has been repaired. According to the Tribune it is clean, smell free, and creepy quiet. What a great place for monsters to lurk!

Currently in my campaign, I've put a community of "ugly mutant kids" (i.e., the ones whose appearance precludes adoption) who ran away. They've been befriended by the Guardians Universe version of the Incredible Hulk.

What's drawn the attention of the PCs is the pile of genocide agents found skished flat, piled next to the gunshot bodies of a pair of kids.

[Mark Rand]

Hi all,
Don't forget that "Early Edition" was set in Chicago. Gary Hobson could easily be running around, with his newspaper, helping people without the general public being aware.
Also, that dimensional weak spot sounds like a Hellmouth. If a campaign's set after the Buffy series ended, there are over 100 Slayers. One could be keeping an eye on supernatural things there. She might also be in contact with mystical superheroes.
Yours,
Mark Rand

[Barton]

I play the Chicago police as the locals think of them. No-Nonsense, not take any guff! The local saying is "give him a tune up" to mean the person mouthed off to one of Chicago's finest and that he was a little "roughed up" during arrest.
I also play the Chicago Police Dept. as not liking Federal or State or international interference. They like to do things the "Chciago way".
I also like the idea that was a short lived TV series "Unit Two". A elite secret police squad to battle supernormals. I am thinking of using this idea.

[Hermit]

Well, Mark, regarding the slayers... I'm hoping we stick to the 'official' CU as much as possible, so let's not drift into copyright infringements :)

[winterhawk]

Originally posted by Hermit
I have heard Chicagoins love to gripe, but are fiercely devoted to their town and get defensive if someone ELSE gripes about it. Though I've heard that last about other cities' natives as well. :)

From this, and I'm generalizing here, it sounds like the natives of Chi-town are proud of their city, consider it the 'working joe' of America's cities, and resent it if their town gets overlooked.

This sound right Winterhawk(and any other Chicago residents)?
(Went to your site btw, interesting stuff)

First of all, its Chicagoans :p

And we do love to gripe, but only Chicagoans can gripe about Chicago. The best way to illustrate this is sports. You can walk into any tavern and say "The Cubs/Sox/Bears/Bulls/Hawks are terrible", and you'll probably get a lively debate over a couple of beers. If an non-Chicagoan were to do this (we can tell), he would get an arguement if he were lucky, and a fistfight on a bad day.

We are a blue collar city, and are very proud of it. But don't forget that the University of Chicago have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other school. (I'm pretty sure the record still stands). If we have any chip on our shoulder about our 'second city' status, its probably because we are lumped into "the cultural wasteland between N.Y. and L.A.", and some don't consider us as cosmopolitan as those two towns.

And thanks for the compliment. I wish I was better at web design, so I could have an actual site.


Originally posted by Barton
I play the Chicago police as the locals think of them. No-Nonsense, not take any guff! The local saying is "give him a tune up" to mean the person mouthed off to one of Chicago's finest and that he was a little "roughed up" during arrest.
I also play the Chicago Police Dept. as not liking Federal or State or international interference. They like to do things the "Chciago way".
I also like the idea that was a short lived TV series "Unit Two". A elite secret police squad to battle supernormals. I am thinking of using this idea.

I play it the same way as well, with enough corruption to make things realistic. I have a "Special Investigations" Division, which specializes in investigating superpowered crime. I'm planning on a one shot in a few weeks, letting the players run detectives in the squad.

[Hermit]

Originally posted by winterhawk
First of all, its Chicagoans :p

Mea Culpa. :)
I'll practice, Chicagoans :)



And we do love to gripe, but only Chicagoans can gripe about Chicago. The best way to illustrate this is sports. You can walk into any tavern and say "The Cubs/Sox/Bears/Bulls/Hawks are terrible", and you'll probably get a lively debate over a couple of beers. If an non-Chicagoan were to do this (we can tell), he would get an arguement if he were lucky, and a fistfight on a bad day.


Okay, nice to confirm that... going by the same logic, the various super heroes of Chicago might be constantly discussed, even derided, but staunchy supported against outside criticism.

"You want to repeat what you just said about Dwarfstar to my face?"
;)




We are a blue collar city, and are very proud of it. But don't forget that the University of Chicago have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other school. (I'm pretty sure the record still stands). If we have any chip on our shoulder about our 'second city' status, its probably because we are lumped into "the cultural wasteland between N.Y. and L.A.", and some don't consider us as cosmopolitan as those two towns.


Indeed. It sounds like 'radiation/lab accident' heroes are definitely likely in Chicago given it's academic side.

[allen]

Originally posted by Hermit
Indeed. It sounds like 'radiation/lab accident' heroes are definitely likely in Chicago given it's academic side.

one of the first (if not the first; can't recall) atomic piles was under the UofC football field (Stagg Field).

i think.

[incrdbil]

I'm happy to find this subject, having playyed, and ran, many games in Chicago. It had the style we always liked. I'll admit a heavy influence of variosu movies influenced us--be it qoutes from The Untouchables (many villains sadly found out what the Chicago way was like) or a Ferris Buellers day off inspired day in the life episode, to a Superheroic vehicle recreation of the Blues Brothers car chase scene. (mystic curses have been explained as centering on Wrigley field, among a few other places). Using the University of Chicago, or even northwestern Univerisyt gave us the Academic settings for the technological types--or the mystic types who used Indiana Jones old stomping grounds as place for the mundane jobs. Atmosphere set for the police by classic shows such as Hill Street Blues, heroes singing at Wrigley in the seventh inning..ahh.

Though Hudson Bay is the home for 'Dark Champions' Chicago seems like an optimal setting for very independent heroes who, scorning the metahuman registration act, do things their own way. This lack of official recongition would certainly explain why it would be hard for a team to form if they couldn't recieve any local, state, or federal recognition due to failing to register to the oppressive, and obviously waiting to be abused Metahuman Registration act (a Chicago her trust a politician?). So it seems fertile ground as a setting for more vigilante style temas of superhumans--maye not as likely to kill as a Dark Champions chgaracter, but still a very rough type of hero more concerned with justice than the law.

So far we've got a basis for
academic/techno types
Mystic supers
Vigilantes.

Chicagos adventuring strengths--transport Hub, huge buisness center, fairly central location in North America

Though due recognition to the offical chicago temas liek the Peacekeepers is good, I sen nothign wrong with some teams being made up here as part of the Chicago Underground.

[winterhawk]

Originally posted by allen
one of the first (if not the first; can't recall) atomic piles was under the UofC football field (Stagg Field).

i think.

Correct, where Fermi first split the atom. On the subject of Fermi and radiation accidents, don't forget about the particle accelerator at FermiLab south of the city.

[Barton]

The world's first atomic pile was under (YES under!) the University of Chicago stadium. Went critical for the first time in December 1942.
The waste (mostly graphite) was put into 55 gallon drums and buried in a forest perserve north of the city. A interesting plot starting point.....
Fermi lab also has a interesting story. Numerous (hundreds!) UFO are spotted around the labs. A interesting plot starting point... Fermi lab is very large and has a bison herd on its grounds. The lab has a beautiful 10 story building in Batavia (well west of Chicago). A great site for plot involving high tech thieft.

[Barton]

My formal training is in toxicology, and Chicago has a story to tell!
The CHA (Chicago Housing Authority) erected many high rises in the 1960's for the cities poor. Rodents (mainly Norway rats) were a problem. Warfarin was new, a blood anti-coagulant poison, and was widely used in the projects. The problem was the building gardens often had kale growing them, a source of vitamin K the antidote to Warfarin. This some theorize led to the "super rat" that exists in the south side of Chicago. They are very resistant to Warfarin and some other poisons. In fact to prove a new rodenticide works it must be tested in the south side of Chicago.
Lets take this a step farther....
Natural selection leds to better, smarter, more resistant rats. They expand to the tunnels under the city. Pets go missing and are found chewed up. Let the players investigate this and introduce them to giant rats.

[Mark Rand]

Hi all,
Sorry, I should have said that although the "Early Edition" and "Buffy" stuff shouldn't be in the 5E Chicago book, a GM could add them to his campaign. They will be in mine, which will be set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, my home town. Also, my campaign *won't* by in the Champions Universe. Hope that clears things up. I will, however, follow this thread. I'm sure I'll find good ideas here.
Yours,
Mark Rand

[Patriot]

The campaign I run (Team Vanguard), has been based mainly out of chicago for over 12 years. And I am Currently working on a sourcebook for the city, (yes it will be mostly for my team, but others may get some use out of it.)
I will let you know When I am Finished(who knows when) if anyone wants a copy, just ask.

The best thing about the city of Chicago(and its suburbs) is it literaly has everything, especially if you pull bits from other genres.



And every secret base has an enterance on lower wacker drive

[Doctor Agenda]

I like Hermit's curse idea. Our current Chicago campaign features a new team, Justice Watch (yeah, I know there's only supposed to be one team, you can guess how long that lasted--at least we've got a Chicagoan attitude about justice). The GM is using the original Champions Universe as history. So, the Freedom Squad is an example of the curse: they lost two members and disbanded years ago. The Peacekeepers aren't doing that well either, apparently. The GM hasn't revealed the membership of the Peacekeepers yet beyond their acting leader, but two NPC heroes have joined them so that's one way of filling up their ranks and recycling discarded heroes (the Peacekeepers being kind of like that island for broken toys and misfits). Leftover Freedom Squad members that aren't too geriatric might be in the Peacekeepers as well. Will the curse hit our team too? Maybe I shouldn't share this curse idea with our GM.

[Lord Liaden]

Barton or winterhawk: since you seem to be the most up on the Windy City, may I ask if you know of the current status of the Deep Tunnel project? Was it ever completed?

[Steve Long]

FYI, the VIPER sourcebook that Scott Bennie and I are currently writing has a lot of details on the main Chicago VIPER's Nest, including maps.

[DevoDog]

Originally posted by Worldmaker
Not that the public would turn their backs on Reed Richards in favor of Spider-Man, but the feeling would be that Spider-Man is a regular guy from the neighborhood, while Richards is part of the uptown artsy-fartsy crowd.

You obviously aren't familiar with Uptown.

[DevoDog]

Originally posted by winterhawk
Correct, where Fermi first split the atom. On the subject of Fermi and radiation accidents, don't forget about the particle accelerator at FermiLab south of the city.

Fermilab is in the far West suburbs (Batavia). Approximately half-way between Elgin and Aurora. Oops, Barton (from Lombard) caught that one also.

Batavia also has curium (safe levels) in the town's water supply. Not enough to be dangerous, but I was able to read in the dark as a child without using an artificial light source.

I grew up in Batavia (far west Chicago burb), move to W Trenton NJ for 2 months, then to Naperville (west Chicago burb), northern Japan, Germany, Arlington Heights (nw Chicago burb), then into the city itself (Uptown/Ravenswood areas).

[Worldmaker]

Originally posted by DevoDog
You obviously aren't familiar with Uptown.

I was using the term generically.

[DevoDog]

Originally posted by Worldmaker
I was using the term generically.

I was trying to be funny.

Uptown (capital U) is a neighborhood in Chicago. It doesn't have a great reputation. In fact, some of the newer condos going up in the area state that they are in Sheridan Park, which, AFAIK, isn't a real neighborhood in Chicago.

[allen]

Originally posted by DevoDog
Uptown (capital U) is a neighborhood in Chicago. It doesn't have a great reputation. In fact, some of the newer condos going up in the area state that they are in Sheridan Park, which, AFAIK, isn't a real neighborhood in Chicago.

actually when i lived there (Lakeview, just north Clark and Diversey) i knew several artists who kept studios in Uptown (rent was cheap; not much worth stealing in a studio)... anyway...

i have to admit I have never heard of the Deep Tunnel project... the last thing I recall hearing about tunnels was in '92 (maybe; somewhere in there at least) abandoned tunnels flooded from the Chicago River (i think) and the flooding shut down the Red and Blue Lines (these two El trains are underground from the near-north side (actually northwest side for the Blue line) to just south of the Loop) and are major commuter lines. the Blue line runs from O'Hare to downtown (in neighborhood terms, downtown is the Loop although stretches into the Gold Coast (alternately called Streeterville)). afterward, they attempted to close up those abandoned tunnels.

to bring this back around to superheroes, the flooding tunnels phenomena always sounded like a good plot for an invasion by an aquatic race... Atlanteans or what have you...

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by Mightybec
A fiery villain would be ironic.

How about a flame projector in a cow costume?

Seriously, though, having only read the first page of this thread, this is some really good stuff, and something that might eventually need a Digital Hero article....

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by Barton
Natural selection leds to better, smarter, more resistant rats. They expand to the tunnels under the city.

Plot idea: The heroes are drawn into a long-running war between the mutant tunnel children and the humanoid rats living under the city. Peace must be worked out, one way or another, before the underground struggles collapse the very foundations of the Windy City.

[Hermit]

Originally posted by Steve Long
FYI, the VIPER sourcebook that Scott Bennie and I are currently writing has a lot of details on the main Chicago VIPER's Nest, including maps.

Cool! Thanks for the heads up!


Guys, that's one less organization we need to cover for this 'project' :)

[J4y]

FYI, the VIPER sourcebook that Scott Bennie and I are currently writing has a lot of details on the main Chicago VIPER's Nest, including maps.

Steve beat me to it. I was going to point out that:
1. Chicago has one of the most active superhuman communties in the United States.
4. The Peacekeepers have been around for two decades. Their main enemy seems to be VIPER, and they recently lost their leader in battle with that loathed group.

Despite an active superhuman community, VIPER comes out on top as the main enemy making one wonder what causes VIPER to be so interested in it...

[Hermit]

Originally posted by J4y
[b]
Steve beat me to it. I was going to point out that:
1. Chicago has one of the most active superhuman communties in the United States.
4. The Peacekeepers have been around for two decades. Their main enemy seems to be VIPER, and they recently lost their leader in battle with that loathed group.



This sounds oddly familiar ;)

The CU also mentions (I believe) that the Peacekeepers had shut down some Nests in the past. There's a darn good reason for the current nest to be hunting them :)

[Mark Rand]

Hi all,
Since I've finally, after days of research, decided to set my campaign in Gold Rush Games's San Angelo, I take my leave of this thread and wish all of you much happiness.
Yours,
Mark Rand

[Hermit]

I hear nothing but praise for that setting.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Hermit
I hear nothing but praise for that setting. Perhaps you guys need to set up a framework to compile all this data for everyone's perusal. That way everyone would be able to fill in the gaps and could get more use out of this exercise. Heck, maybe steal San Angelo's organizational structure.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Hermit
I hear nothing but praise for that setting. Perhaps you guys need to set up a framework to compile all this data for everyone's perusal. That way everyone would be able to fill in the gaps and could get more use out of this exercise. Heck, maybe steal San Angelo's basic organizational structure in the table of contents.

[Hermit]

Alas, despite the fact I've heard nothing but good about the product... I don't have San Angelo myself. Embarrasing, but true.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by Hermit
Alas, despite the fact I've heard nothing but good about the product... I don't have San Angelo myself. Embarrasing, but true.

This could work in your favor; now that Gold Rush Games has the San Angelo setting back in their control, they're planning to release a bunch of SA material starting later this year, including an update of the San Angelo city setting to 5E. Should be a good way to get in on the ground floor.

[Hermit]

Since VIPER in Chicago is going to be covered, I thought I'd carry on with a few other organizations as they might work in Chicago.

Tell me what you think.


ARGENT: Currently, ARGENT sees the Chicago situation as ideal for its own purposes. Using VIPER as a large green lightning rod, its own activities go relatively unnoticed: Chief among those activies are R&D and the selling of high tech equipment to various buyers. As crowded as Chicago is with super heroes, the city itself is seen as one large testing ground. ARGENT happily helps outfit any super villain that asks (and can pay) then watches the "practicial applications" of their attempts. ARGENT also takes advantage of the city's many fine universities for recruitment. Indeed, more than one college in Chicago has an ARGENT mole as a dean.

IHA: Chicago is currently the victim of a heavy marketting campaign. IHA spins to the audiance of the Windy City with surprising expertise. To the "blue collar" masses, the IHA sends out warnings of mutants and superhumans taking jobs from the "Average Joe" in a deliberate attempt to drive hard working normal people to 3rd tier citizens. On the other hand, at least one medical expert, Dr. William Danner, does the IHA's work among the scientific circles. Danner has proposed a theory that when two competing species must suddenly coexist, the newer one will have instinctive aggression towards the predecessor and its first subconscious priority will be to supplant and wipe them out. This two pronged marketting move is having a subtle effect. Only time will tell how much.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Hermit
Alas, despite the fact I've heard nothing but good about the product... I don't have San Angelo myself. Embarrasing, but true. They offer a free PDF of a San Angelo suburb that is essentially organized the same way as the book. That is all you would need for an "organizing principle" for writing up Chicago as a campaign city.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
This could work in your favor; now that Gold Rush Games has the San Angelo setting back in their control, they're planning to release a bunch of SA material starting later this year, including an update of the San Angelo city setting to 5E. Should be a good way to get in on the ground floor. Cool!

[Worldmaker]

Originally posted by Hermit
Since VIPER in Chicago is going to be covered, I thought I'd carry on with a few other organizations as they might work in Chicago.

Tell me what you think.


ARGENT: Currently, ARGENT sees the Chicago situation as ideal for its own purposes. Using VIPER as a large green lightning rod, its own activities go relatively unnoticed: Chief among those activies are R&D and the selling of high tech equipment to various buyers. As crowded as Chicago is with super heroes, the city itself is seen as one large testing ground. ARGENT happily helps outfit any super villain that asks (and can pay) then watches the "practicial applications" of their attempts. ARGENT also takes advantage of the city's many fine universities for recruitment. Indeed, more than one college in Chicago has an ARGENT mole as a dean.

IHA: Chicago is currently the victim of a heavy marketting campaign. IHA spins to the audiance of the Windy City with surprising expertise. To the "blue collar" masses, the IHA sends out warnings of mutants and superhumans taking jobs from the "Average Joe" in a deliberate attempt to drive hard working normal people to 3rd tier citizens. On the other hand, at least one medical expert, Dr. William Danner, does the IHA's work among the scientific circles. Danner has proposed a theory that when two competing species must suddenly coexist, the newer one will have instinctive aggression towards the predecessor and its first subconscious priority will be to supplant and wipe them out. This two pronged marketting move is having a subtle effect. Only time will tell how much.


I like it, though the IHA thing is going to make life interesting for a "background color" NPC I had in mind... he's a dockworker and a good union man whose specially licensed to act as heavy equipment. I'm thinking a hardhat with a 35 strength and absolutely no other powers, who works as a forklift.

[assault]

Originally posted by Worldmaker
I like it, though the IHA thing is going to make life interesting for a "background color" NPC I had in mind... he's a dockworker and a good union man whose specially licensed to act as heavy equipment. I'm thinking a hardhat with a 35 strength and absolutely no other powers, who works as a forklift.

It's a splendid opportunity to use him. I've considered similar ideas myself.

Unfortunately, in the real world, there has been a long history of racially exclusive unionism. There has also been a long history of struggles against this. This could be a very rich vein of inspiration to draw from, particularly if your players have at least a mild intellectual streak and are interested in anything beyond hitting bad guys.

An example: the incumbent union leadership are stereotypical corrupt labor racketeer types. They will not lift a finger to defend their metahuman/mutant members. If a challenge to their control of the union arises, they are likely to ally with the IHA...

I should point out that I am not a fan of the stereotype I mentioned above, but it works for generating the odd scenario.

Of course, you realise that the "pro-mutie" challengers are likely to be... Commies!

Yes, you have just added Commie Mutant Traitors to your campaign.

Have a Nice Day, Citizen.

Alan