Attack of the Non-Teutonic masterminds!!

[Hermit]

Recently, there's been some complaints about Teutonic supervillains being a 'dime a dozen' and Nazis being overdone. :)

By gum, this can't be allowed... I have a dream, a dream where all would be world rulers, where all delusional villains with global goals, will not be judged by their cheesy Europeon accents, but by the flow of their cape, and the devious underpinings of their mad schemes!

I have a dream!
;)

So, anyone have ideas for world conquerers and behind the scenes masterminds who can provide equal oppurtunity to our meglomanical needs?

[BishopofB&W]

How about a direct descendant of Alexander the Great who takes up his ancestor's goal of eliminating racial prejudice by forcing intermarriage until all are one ethnicity? All his henchmen wear sculpted masks depicting a computer composite of all known ethnic facial characteristics. Armored uniforms reminicent of armor in Alexander's army. The new Alexander would still be quite sexist, though. That should tick off any superheroines.:)
He uses any hi-tech he can get his hands on as well as some ancient Greek and Macedonian magic.

[OddHat]

Noy Thepsouvan was tired of the westerners acting as though they were the rightful lords of the Earth, sick of the Chinese and Japanese with there smug belief that they were destined to be the masters of Asia, and most of all enraged by his fellow Thai's acceptance of the roles of merchants and entertainers in place of the spirit of Imperial Destiny that had once guided their land. Now, with the power of dream spirits long neglected and technology forged by his own genius, Chao Naai Fan (Master Dream) will lead his people to greatness!

[Cyragnome]

Hrm...how about:

Jihad an Islamic "Manifest Destiny" type attempting to spread Islam worldwide...he can lead reverse Crusades...attempt to retake Moorish holdings, etc. Can also be involved in more mundane crimes to raise money. He doesn't have to be necessarily evil or a "terrorist," but it works either way. (In my old, old, old game, Jihad was actually a team consisting of Arc, Neutron, Dervish, Sufi and a couple others I forgot)

Great Zim an African Brick from Southern Africa (the area around the old Great Zimbabwe...or Great Stone Wall). Bent on a more local conquest taking back all the lands that were under the Zim Kingdom and driving out the "settlers."

Ixlan an ancient Aztec God (not really) bent on returning Aztec lands and the New World to the "natives." In my campaign he was a 40 ft Mummy God with cultists and a few other mystical guardians...

Totem an American Indian with shapeshifting powers, same goals as Ixlan above...maybe they team up :)

Powerbroker a more subtle, behind the scenes type. A business man with tons of connections that uses his money and power to take over the world...well the worlds corporations, because that's where he believes the power is.

My favorites...the Illuminati a group that actually works against each other in their individual attempts to take over the world...You could have greats like "the Gnome of Zurich," a midget using his economic power, "Majestic 12" an American using alien technology...or anything else...each one playing off and against each other...

Borealis was good from Champions of the North (I think that was his name).

Hrm...I think I'm tapped, for the moment :)

[Lord Liaden]

I wasn't actually complaining ;) , but as long as the subject's come up, I have to point out that the Oriental mastermind is almost as much of a cliche as the Teutonic/Nazi one: Fu Manchu, Shiwan Khan, the Yellow Claw, the Mandarin, even the CU's own Dr. Yin Wu. They're all fine characters in their own right, but they do follow a distinct pattern.

Here's one of the more interesting concepts to be developed through brainstorming on these boards, The Inquisitor:

http://www.herogames.com/oldForum/Champions/002165.html

[Agent X]

If you are inspired by certain silly science fiction novels - A Pacific Islander discovers there are other people in the world besides his people. His response, "They will have to go." Take it from there.

[Worldmaker]

Abyss is an australian aborigine in Doctor Destroyer's clothes who's lifelong goal is ending pollution worldwide... mostly through the ending of polluters. But his schemes are on a grand scale. Currently he's trying to seal the ozone hole by altering the chemistry of the earth's atmosphere.

Dr. Simian is a superintelligent chimpanzee who wants to make the earth safe for ape-kind by eliminating their biggest competitor. (Guess who...) He deals in a lot of biotechnology, and leads a team of mutant superapes named Prime 8.

Lord Doom is actor Avery Brooks (its a long story, but I actually have the actor's permission to use him as a supervillain as long as the supervillain in question is a "criminal mastermind of some sort, like Blofeld"; I asked him at a Con once, and those were his specifications), after he's gained god-like intelligence and technological savvy and after he loses his entire family in a terrorist incident. He wants to make the world safe again, and has chosen to eliminate war and terrorism by taking over the world and forcing his views of world harmony on everyone.

How's that for non-teutonic, non-Nazi?

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
I wasn't actually complaining ;) , but as long as the subject's come up, I have to point out that the Oriental mastermind is almost as much of a cliche as the Teutonic/Nazi one: Fu Manchu, Shiwan Khan, the Yellow Claw, the Mandarin, even the CU's own Dr. Yin Wu. They're all fine characters in their own right, but they do follow a distinct pattern.
http://www.herogames.com/oldForum/Champions/002165.html

True, but I've never seen a Thai Mastermind. :)

French might be fun, or Belgian.

"Yes soon I, Hercule Poirot, shall be Master of the World!"

Maybe not.

[Barghest]

No no no no no. Not French. Not Belgian. Luxembourg. Lichtenstein. Malta. Monaco. These are the tiny little countries that should spawn the next megalomaniacal jumped up little superpowered napoleon :D

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Barghest
No no no no no. Not French. Not Belgian. Luxembourg. Lichtenstein. Malta. Monaco. These are the tiny little countries that should spawn the next megalomaniacal jumped up little superpowered napoleon :D

"I am the Maltese Falcon, Master of all Birds! Fear my migh....Why are you laughing?"

[wcw43921]

Originally posted by Worldmaker

Lord Doom is actor Avery Brooks (its a long story, but I actually have the actor's permission to use him as a supervillain as long as the supervillain in question is a "criminal mastermind of some sort, like Blofeld"; I asked him at a Con once, and those were his specifications), after he's gained god-like intelligence and technological savvy and after he loses his entire family in a terrorist incident. He wants to make the world safe again, and has chosen to eliminate war and terrorism by taking over the world and forcing his views of world harmony on everyone.



Lord Doom, huh? Not Dr. Noah?

Well, you're not the first one to make Avery Brooks a villain--I recast the
Star Wars movies with Star Trek actors, and he was my choice to play Darth Vader.

Have you been keeping him apprised as to Doom's activities? ("Dear Mr. Brooks--Here's what Lord Doom did this week. . .") :D

[Worldmaker]

Originally posted by wcw43921
Have you been keeping him apprised as to Doom's activities? ("Dear Mr. Brooks--Here's what Lord Doom did this week. . .") :D

Nope... I'm not that much of a fanboy.

[umbra]

Originally posted by Barghest
No no no no no. Not French. Not Belgian. Luxembourg. Lichtenstein. Malta. Monaco. These are the tiny little countries that should spawn the next megalomaniacal jumped up little superpowered napoleon :D

Anyone read "The Mouse That Roared"?

[murdoch]

Some suggestions:

Timur Khan (Tamerlane, 1336-1405), the Mongol-descended conqueror of Inda and much of Central Asia, who was based in northern India:

Darius and Xerxes, the Persian conquerors who nearly destroyed the Greek city-states before being defeated by the combined forces of Athens and Sparta (400s BC):

Shaka Zulu (1785-1828), the conqueror of much of south Africa before the British/Dutch Cape Colony grew to power.

Just a few sparks for ideas...

[Agent X]

Originally posted by murdoch
Some suggestions:

Timur Khan (Tamerlane, 1336-1405), the Mongol-descended conqueror of Inda and much of Central Asia, who was based in northern India:

Darius and Xerxes, the Persian conquerors who nearly destroyed the Greek city-states before being defeated by the combined forces of Athens and Sparta (400s BC):

Shaka Zulu (1785-1828), the conqueror of much of south Africa before the British/Dutch Cape Colony grew to power.

Just a few sparks for ideas... Let's add Suleiman and Mansa Musa and Sargon

[Hermit]

La restauración : Carlos Mandago's older brother was accidentally killed trying to make it over the border so he could send money back to feed the family and put Carlos through college. Carlos went on to college anyways, but his anger at the United States to the North, and how Mexicans were treated in a land they once controlled much of only grew.

A genius who embraced the latest technologies and improved upon them, Carlos soon gained acclaim world wide in the fields of micro circruitry and computer design. While many did not know was he had programmed some worms to siphon off money, bit by bit, from many organizations of North America. By the time a decade had passed... he was a secret Billionare. Now his real goals could begin.

Calling himself, La Restauraction, Carlos took the guise of not one man, but several men an entire 'Organization'. The Authorities both in and out of Mexico never realized that this 'group' was essentially one person. At least as first. Speaking of Mexico retaking it's own, La Resturaction continues to preach and plead to disgruntled and imporvished Mexicans gathering them as agents of his goal, a reconquest of all land lost to the United States.

While often engaging in terrorist actions, La Resturaction also has designed many robots, high tech weapons , and continues his computer piracy and hacking to sow maximum confusion.

Ironically, his most persistant enemies are the heroes of Mexico City itself. He considers them traitors one and all.

[Enforcer84]

these guys and gals (are there any gals yet?) are perfect as the council of Monarchs for my Divine Right organization.

Although my Lord of South America
who is still un named but I was considering using the spanish for "Golden King" even though I know not what that is...
He was smart, but a natrual Telekinetic. He recruits Giganto after the death of Muerte

[Vondy]

Why not make the mastermind...

CANADIAN!!!!

[WhammeWhamme]

Well, since his campaign seems to be canned like a ham...

And NZ is pretty far away from europe. :)

Dragon Lord:

University Student working with fantasy film work is hit by a freak accident, gets sucked into the computer, and emerges with 'Special Effects' powers. Sadly, this student also happens to be (my real life friend) Michael, who had already thought out a plan for world domination... And is definately evil.

Powers:
Hard to hurt due to digitized nature.
Some very big, very splashy fire, ice, wind... powers with a bizarre unifying SFX.
And, the killer: the ability to 'combine footage' and merge others into combined hybrid creatures.

He starts off seeming *very* fantasy themed, but all he needs to do is mentally reprogram himself and...

(heh)

Hey, I needed a MegaVillain for a local campaign, and, as Michael pointed out: 'is there anything other than LoTR that is cool like that here?' :D

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Enforcer84
these guys and gals (are there any gals yet?) are perfect as the council of Monarchs for my Divine Right organization.

There are precedents for female villains and masterminds in fiction. CKC has two major league female masterminds (that I can recall). The problem is avoiding making them stereotypically sexy and/or magic based. That said, Istvatha V'han would make a great silent backer for your council.

If you don't worry overly much about stereotype busting, Baba Yaga, Russian immortal witch has always featured prominently in my campaigns as one of the most powerful metahumans in Europe, possibly the world. Currently she plots and plans for Russia's return to power, and many former Soviets harbor a certain respect for the old woman of the woods...

[umbra]

How bout Grainne Mhaol or as the English called her Grace O'Malley the famous Irish Pirate/Freedom fighter? She fought the British during the 16th century.

[assault]

Originally posted by Enforcer84
Although my Lord of South America
who is still un named but I was considering using the spanish for "Golden King" even though I know not what that is...
He was smart, but a natrual Telekinetic. He recruits Giganto after the death of Muerte

I was considering Rafael Cortez, Muerte's younger brother.

He made his money legitimately, first as the timber king of the Amazon jungles, then as the cattle king of the Amazon plains. His only known connection to his brother's activities is that some of his security personnel may once have been agents of Terror Inc.

Recently, Giganto seems to have fixated on him. Cortez has rather reluctantly taken him in. He is only just beginning to suspect that something isn't quite right: the man-monster seems to engage in curiously intelligent but mysterious behaviour at night time...

Another possibility would be a New Zealander working for ARGENT or VIPER. Being far enough away from the power centres of these agencies might give her the opportunity to set up on her own behalf. The split might not yet be open.

Alan

[death tribble]

Don't leave the British out of it. Remember who had 1/4 of the Globe as their empire.

So how about Lord Cornwallis ? They defeated his ancestor and now the Americans and the French must pay !

[Crimson Arrow]

Originally posted by Enforcer84
these guys and gals (are there any gals yet?) are perfect as the council of Monarchs for my Divine Right organization.

Although my Lord of South America
who is still un named but I was considering using the spanish for "Golden King" even though I know not what that is...
He was smart, but a natrual Telekinetic. He recruits Giganto after the death of Muerte

My Spanish is all but non-existent, but I think that would be Rey del Oro. Sorry if I've loused up there. Maybe someone can confirm/correct it. The literal translation (I think) is King of Gold, but I think that's how they would translate "Golden King".

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Crimson Arrow
My Spanish is all but non-existent, but I think that would be Rey del Oro. Sorry if I've loused up there. Maybe someone can confirm/correct it. The literal translation (I think) is King of Gold, but I think that's how they would translate "Golden King".

And let's not forget Terry Pratchett's King of the Golden River...

There's a set of death traps your heroes will never forget.

[steriaca]

Originally posted by Crimson Arrow
My Spanish is all but non-existent, but I think that would be Rey del Oro. Sorry if I've loused up there. Maybe someone can confirm/correct it. The literal translation (I think) is King of Gold, but I think that's how they would translate "Golden King".

Rey means "King" del means "of" and Oro means "Gold". So, your villian calls himself the King Of Gold? Sounds good.

[Enforcer84]

I like that. Ray Del Oro. I could use it.

[Vondy]

Non-Teutonic Masterminds... non-Teutonic or Asian Masterminds...

D-Man mulls this improbaly and highly unatural propostition over at some length.

Then D-Man exclaims: What are you smoking?!

You will go through three stages:

1) when you don't realize you are using a stereotypical cliche
2) when you do realize and try to come up with something "unique"
3) when you realize the stereotypical cliche is a totally cool schtick and you embrace it.

I recommend going straight from 1 to 3. Become one with the Cliche! The real test of creativity isn't always creating something new. Sometimes its about making something old seem new.

If they aren't a Von or a Fu they're a pretender and a chump. Where else can you apply purple prose like "yellow menace incarnate!" and "the monocole'd prinz of doom!"

[Black Rose]

Originally posted by D-Man
Non-Teutonic Masterminds... non-Teutonic or Asian Masterminds...

D-Man mulls this improbaly and highly unatural propostition over at some length.

Then D-Man exclaims: What are you smoking?!

You will go through three stages:

1) when you don't realize you are using a stereotypical cliche
2) when you do realize and try to come up with something "unique"
3) when you realize the stereotypical cliche is a totally cool schtick and you embrace it.

I recommend going straight from 1 to 3. Become one with the Cliche! The real test of creativity isn't always creating something new. Sometimes its about making something old seem new.

If they aren't a Von or a Fu they're a pretender and a chump. Where else can you apply purple prose like "yellow menace incarnate!" and "the monocole'd prinz of doom!"

But what about Russian masterminds? We could have some of those, right? I mean, not every European is Teutonic - anyone says otherwise and I think we'll get complaints.;)

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Black Rose
But what about Russian masterminds? We could have some of those, right? I mean, not every European is Teutonic - anyone says otherwise and I think we'll get complaints.;) All I can think of is Boris Badenov, not exactly a mastermind.

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Agent X
All I can think of is Boris Badenov, not exactly a mastermind.

Well there are always Napoleon, Alexander the Great, or Julius Ceasar...
:)

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Black Rose
But what about Russian masterminds? We could have some of those, right? I mean, not every European is Teutonic - anyone says otherwise and I think we'll get complaints.;)

For that matter, not every Asian is Chinese. See how well they react to you in Seoul, Tokyo, or Bangkok if you say otherwise.

[Agent X]

And not every Asian is inscrutable. Oh, yes they are. continue... ;)

[Hermit]

Originally posted by D-Man

If they aren't a Von or a Fu they're a pretender and a chump. Where else can you apply purple prose like "yellow menace incarnate!" and "the monocole'd prinz of doom!"

Then, clearly, our ideal situation is to make the Evil Lord VonFu! Born of German Chinese Ancestry, he now plots the overthrow of the world by use of long lost nazi super tech, but he insists his killer robots and secret bases follow the oriental philosphies of correct energy in their shape and flow. His Shoa-Lin trianed cyborg stormtroopers are among the most feared on the planet and his Panzer 2000 tanks can, of course, morph into mechanical dinosaur shapes!

[Vondy]

Originally posted by OddHat
Well there are always Napoleon, Alexander the Great, or Julius Ceasar...
:)

The Teutons were actually Italian [Catholic] Knights who conquered what would become Germany (1851) in the middle ages (1300's-1400's).

Caesar... Teutonic Mastermind of the preceding generations.

Napolean... from an Italian island only recently under French control.

Alexander the Great... coopted by the Romans, who were... see Caeser

All tertiary Tuetons.

[Vondy]

Originally posted by Hermit
Then, clearly, our ideal situation is to make the Evil Lord VonFu! Born of German Chinese Ancestry, he now plots the overthrow of the world by use of long lost nazi super tech, but he insists his killer robots and secret bases follow the oriental philosphies of correct energy in their shape and flow. His Shoa-Lin trianed cyborg stormtroopers are among the most feared on the planet and his Panzer 2000 tanks can, of course, morph into mechanical dinosaur shapes!

You see, now you're getting into the correct groove...

[GhostDancer]

For that matter, not every Asian is Chinese. See how well they react to you in Seoul, Tokyo, or Bangkok if you say otherwise.

We covered that a bit already, with Shiwan Khan, Tamerlane, and the Thai mastermind. Genghis Khan outmatches them.

[GhostDancer]

Anyone read "The Mouse That Roared"?

Oh, yeah, great read, fun movie.

[Log-Man]

Recently, there's been some complaints about Teutonic supervillains being a 'dime a dozen' and Nazis being overdone. :) ...

Interesting how an 8 year old thread can have such an apropos and timely first line.

[GhostDancer]

All I can think of is Boris Badenov, not exactly a mastermind.

Rasputin!

Stalin is actually a nickname meaning steel- what if he were a strange visitor from a destroyed planet...

General Winter, credited with defeating those who invade Russia (main exception being Mongols, who ruled there for ten generations- Mongolia is colder than Siberia, due to higher elevation).

Baba Yaga was already mentioned.

Also see the mysterious Baron Roman Ungern von Sternberg. The Baron, IRL, was a mystic who was fascinated by the beliefs and religions of the Far East such as Buddhism and Lamaism, and who believed himself to be a reincarnation of Kangchendzönga, the Mongolian god of war. Ungern-Sternberg's philosophy was an exceptionally muddled mixture of Russian nationalism with Chinese and Mongol beliefs. However he also proved to be an exceptional military commander and his forces grew rapidly.

[Lucius]

If you are inspired by certain silly science fiction novels - A Pacific Islander discovers there are other people in the world besides his people. His response, "They will have to go." Take it from there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinelese_people

Make it North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean.

And drop a maguffin on the island to give the whole local population a radiation accident.

Lucius Alexander

Palindromedary Accident

[Lord Liaden]

Some of you may be familiar with the classic series of Superman animated short films from the 1940s, created by Fleischer Studios. In one of them the antagonist is a Native American demanding that the island of Manhatten be returned to his people, its "rightful owners." He had created a sizeable laboratory complex underwater off New York harbor, the control center for an elaborate earthquake-inducing system with which to force the island's current inhabitants to evacuate.

Although this villain has clearly Amerindian features and skin tone, and slightly longish hair, he's otherwise remarkably un-cliche for an American film from that era. He wears a suit and tie, speaks educated English, and is obviously wealthy and well-versed in science. At one point Clark Kent even briefly acknowledges that his claim of ownership over Manhatten might have some validity.

[assault]

Captain Nemo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Nemo).

[Balabanto]

The Oligarch: The Oligarch lives at the Center of the Earth in a massive obsidian stalagtite/stalagmite that runs the length of the Hollow world. He controls the laws of magic and how they work, and his goal is nothing less than to remove Technology from the world and replace it with magic. Meet this villain soon in the supplement Hero System Boards fans demanded, Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Doctor Kukulkan: This armored supervillain would seem to be fairly middle grade, except that he has killed more members of the Super Powered International Research and Investigation Team than all other villains in the world combined. His Feathered Serpent theme combined with a brutal, savage intellect make him one of the globe's deadliest foes.