Campaign Guidelines/Setting for review/my players

[Fireg0lem]

Okay, I'm posting this so that I can get feedback from others, and so that my players have a place to look at it and comment on it easily.

This is an ongoing process, not set in stone. What you see is my first draft. And I've never done this before, so bear with me.

The intention of the history/worldbuilding is to provide a context for the characters to operate in, and become part of. New characters who "tie in" with background elements are apprecciated.

To my players/prospective players - there's nothing here I don't want read. Also, if there's something you really don't like, or you think is missing, please tell me. If there is something you do like, please tell me so that I know I should keep it and use it, maybe even expand it a bit. Keep in mind that this will be added to as the campaign progresses. If you want to leave comments here, you need to register (easy) and hit "reply." Otherwise, email me. If you want a word document version, I am attaching it right here.

EDIT: NOBODY IS EXPECTED TO READ ALL THIS OVERNIGHT. I don't expect a book report handed in next week or anything else. That said, reading the Millenium City entry is a good idea, and checking out other stuff that interests you is, too. In the long term, reading more would be good.


To everyone else - uh, yeah. Feel free to comment. I'm looking for any constructive feedback I can suggest. Also, if you do think something is a good idea, please tell me so I know what I'm doing right as well as doing wrong.

[Fireg0lem]

Characters

I need to review all characters before they enter gameplay. Running a general idea by me early on is a good idea. I will either need you to email me the character (fireg0lem@aol.com), or have you show up a bit early so I can look over it.

Keep the background and setting of the campaign world in mind. When making characters, feel free to add to the background of the campaign world. However, don't take away from it. For example, if I haven't already supplied information about the history of Norwegian superheroes, and you want to make something up for a character you're playing from Norway, check with me and then do it.

Characters should not be killers - lethal power sets, lack of at least "Reluctant to Kill," or disadvantages such as an easily triggered Berserk are not permitted for superheroes. Also, no clowns or Mystery Men candidates. PCs may be funny or amusing, but not silly.

Characters should be heroes. They don't have to be law-abiding do-gooders, but they should generally be good people with good motivations. Moreover, characters who are loners, who would be annoying/frustrating to interact with or run for, who are insane, etc. are not permitted. "Flawed heroes" are ok, as are misguided but basically good people (however, there is already a PC in the latter category). A good rule of thumb is that if your character would not be able to team up with Batman and Superman for a good cause, you should rethink them.

"Plot-killers," that is, PCs whose design makes it impossible to run, or guarantees that they will always be the center of attention for any investigation, are not permitted. A telepath is fine. A precognitive who gains unclear visions of the future is fine. A precognitive who can see any point in the future on command, perfectly, is not. If you’re not sure, ask me. If you have a cool idea that you think might be disruptive, talk to me and see if we can work things out. On a similar note, some things work well in fiction, but are difficult or impossible to use well in an RPG - time travel, for example. Things like these need to be handled carefully, and should be planned out beforehand.

Background Information

Required information: Code name, real name, height (in meters and feet), weight (in kilograms and pounds), hair and eye color, nationality, place and date of birth. Feel free to include more "vital stats" if you want, like blood type.

Background information that explains who the character is, why they act the way they do, how they got their superpowers (of course, "I was born this way" is perfectly valid, but requires an explanation of what growing up with powers was like), and so on. The more information the better.

An explanation of the characters personality. I don't need a psychoanalysis, but how they act, what motivates them, their outlook on life, etc. The more, the better.

A description of what the character looks like, in and out of costume (if applicable).

A description of what the characters powers and abilities are, and how they work. Of course, it's not required that there be entirely realistic reasoning behind them, but psuedoscience is appreciated, where applicable. Characters whose powers follow a theme, rather than an archetype, are preferred.

Any other information you want to include (info about individuals and groups in the background, quotes, pictures, etc).

Character Generation

There are no hard and fast limits on anything - I will be conducting all character reviews on a case by case basis. There are, however, guidelines. At this point, there are no houserules.

Cheese is for pizzas, not PCs. I don't expect to have to say anything more about this.

Guidelines:
DC: 10 to 13
AP: 90 is the standard upper limit
Defenses: 20-35 (any amount can be resistent) for PD/ED, 0-15 for MD/PowD/FlashD
Maximum CV: (Base OCV+Base DCV+All Levels+Best MA manuever): 18-26
change: Skills: 11- to 17-. 11- is competent, 13- is good, 15- is great, 17- means you are one of the best in the world.

I will be evaluating the whole PC, not just these numbers, and will be taking into account things like Find Weakness, all-around defenses, flexibility, Desolidification, etc.

Characteristics: Even without superpowers that would normally affect characteristics, superpowered individuals who have chosen to live as heroes or villains frequently have very high statistics. For instance, a superhero with ice powers might well have a 20 in Dexterity and Comeliness, despite being neither a supermodel nor an Olympic athlete. However, characters who are entirely normal physically should stick with NCM, and those who are not, but whose powers wouldn’t normally be expected to grant unusually high characteristics (a character who is made of living flame, for example) should keep close.

Skills: Characters should have varying amounts of skills, based on their background. Less than 10 points is probably too low, more than 50 or so is probably too many (but maybe not). If your character has a small skill-set, though, you'll be expected to improve it during gameplay with experience. Useful noncombat powers would also be a good idea if your character has few useful skills. Also, keep in mind that someone who has been a superhero for a while is likely to have skills like Deduction, KS: Known Supervillains, etc.

EXP: Expenditure of experience requires GM permission; I don’t want everything to go nuts after everyone earns a few XP. That said, common sense should suffice here.

[Fireg0lem]

The World

The world in which we play is similar to the real world. The time will follow the real-world calendar as adventures start, progress in game time, and then we will “skip� time to the next game session. IOW, if we begin an adventure on Friday, February 18th, 2005, then the adventure is assumed to begin that same day. As the adventure progresses, the game world calendar will take precedence (for example, if two days pass in game that session, the next session will pick up on the 20th, regardless of the time in the real world). When, between adventures, there is room for time to pass, the date will catch up to the real world.

Obviously, this isn’t going to work all the time. The plot and fun take precedence, and if it’s needed we can let the calendars go as out-of-sync as needed.

The Ultimate Questions of Life, the Universe, and Everything

This is the big, general, important stuff. Most of it will have more details elsewhere.

The game world has the same history as the real world, except that superhumans influenced the events. However, the end results come out the same almost all the time. For example, supermen fought on both sides of the Battle of the Bulge, but the Allies still won. Hiroshima and Nagisaki were destroyed by nuclear weapons, but they were delivered by a superhuman, not a plane. I’m not going to rewrite every little bit of history, but will instead “fill in� this information as we progress. If you want something to have gone a specific way, check with me first, but it’s generally allowable. For example, if you want to tie your character in with the Cold War, and I don’t have information on superhuman spies, check with me and I’ll probably let you supply what information you need for your character.

People have superpowers. About one person in every ten thousand people has innate powers. Typically, if you have powers, your powers are useful. There are exceptions, but individuals like Arm Fall Off Boy, Zeep the Living Sponge, and Matter-Eater Lad are actually rarer than “standard� superheroes. About four fifths of those gifted with superpowers will not become either superheroes or supervillains, either because they lack the non-superpowered abilities needed to back them up (sufficient health, aptitude for combat, bravery, and so on), or because their powers are too narrow, too dangerous, or have too serious side effect. Those that do make a career of their powers tend to be very much above-average in many ways, both mentally and physically.

Not all superpowers are innate, or work the same way. There is no known source for powers – no gene, no midichlorians, no alien energy source, no divine intervention. Numerous scientists have sought the answer; none have found it. EDIT: By this I do not mean that the aforementioned sources are unacceptable backgrounds, merely that there is not a single, unified, all encompassing reason for superpowers. Some people are born with mutations as the source of their powers, others get them through exposure to cosmic rays, a few have found hidden alien artifacts mysteriously left on the Earth from millions of years ago, and others have superpowers with no known cause. And of course, this list isn't all-inclusive./EDIT

Characters can be born with powers. Characters can acquire them through accidents with radiation or chemicals. Powers can appear mysteriously in times of stress or danger. Psionics are like any other power.

As far as anyone knows, there have always been occasional superhumans. Caped crusaders and masked villains didn’t appear in large numbers until the 20th century, however.

Magic exists. It always has. Use of magic requires innate talent and training, although some beings have innate magical powers. Psychic powers (clairvoyance, communication with spirits, and so forth) are “magic� for this purpose.

There is no incontrovertible proof of any sort of divinity anywhere. Demons exist, but it isn’t clear who (if anyone) they ultimately answer to. Angels may exist, but they act cautiously and indirectly. In fact, nearly every religion or system of mythology has some of its elements in the game world – typically confined to the area those beliefs originated. India has a few Nagas in its rivers, and the USA has animal spirits roaming some sites held sacred by American Indians. More than a few superhumans claim divine origin for their powers, and they might not all be wrong. If you wish your character to have a divine, mythological, or otherwise religion-related background (regardless of whether that religion is currently practiced), you MUST discuss it with me first.

Technology is a bit more advanced than in the real world, but mostly by bits and pieces. Ray guns are not available on the open market, but rich and powerful nations have elite troops armed with them. Humans do not have access to interstellar travel by any reliable means. “Everyday� technology – cell phones, computers, cars, and such – is at the same level of advancement as the real world. National governments, international corporations, and extensive, rich criminal organizations can go one step further. Individuals with talent for building unusual technology can go even beyond that.

AI capable of passing the Turing Test and simulating human intelligence exists and is within reach of skilled and rich super-geniuses, and those governments and individuals who are willing to pay exorbitant sums. Truly sentient, living machines are incredibly rare, but there are some. For the most part, they are accidents or serendipity involving superhumanly intelligent or gifted creators. No individual, organization, or government has anywhere near the ability needed to reliably produce sentient computers.

Aliens exist, but not too many have made it to the Earth, and none of them have arrived via a reliable technological means, or in large numbers. This doesn’t mean that none ever will, though. Accidents and magic have brought stranded beings from other civilizations, and the occasional being with innate powers that let it travel the cosmos has come.

Extradimensional beings also exist, but they are very rare. The technology needed to breach the walls between dimensions is incredibly uncommon.

Some people who are physically normal humans have sufficient trained abilities that are still within human limits that they can compete with superhumans. They are rarer than actual superhumans.

Most martial artists are simply well-trained but ordinary humans. Occasionally, though, superpowers will manifest in the form of abilities normally associated with the martial arts – ki abilities, for example. They are quite rare, but not unheard of. It isn’t clear whether anyone can learn these abilities, or only some people with existing potential. Super martial artists are more common in cultures whose traditions and mythology place high value on such abilities, such as Japan (which has the single largest number of superpowed martial artists per capita of any nation on earth) and India.

[Fireg0lem]

Superhumans, the Law, and Public Opinion

In short, everyone does it differently. Some nations have strict, even draconian rules about superpowers. Others have few or none. Some people love superhumans, others hate them. And the rules are typically different everywhere.

In the US, federal laws are written to give cities and municipalities as much freedom as possible to decide what they want. The legal codes are written to allow for very broad discretion in dealing with superhumans.

In Millenium City, the laws permit the police to work with superhumans at their discretion. Superheroes aren’t allowed to break the law, but because they aren’t actually police themselves, they can get away with some things an officer couldn’t.

In the US, public opinion varies widely on superhumans. Typically, areas will form opinions based on local heroes. San Francisco has suffered from the side effects of super-battles and “heroes� who were nothing more than costumed killers, and there superheroes are rarely trusted. Millenium City has a tradition of larger-than-life, responsible superheroes, and most people will treat the Millennium Guard well unless given reason not to.

The attitude of the police and the press are also important. Because of the high number of supervillains attracted to Millenium City, the police tend to appreciate superheroes very highly, and are often willing to bend the rules a bit, especially for a charismatic or helpful hero. Unless they abuse it, the PCs are likely to be granted access to information not available to the public, and can count on police help. Of course, all this is at the discretion of the police.

To the press, Millenium City’s super-battles are the biggest news around. They tend to play things up in a very black-and-white manner. So long as it’s clear who the good guys are, and so long as they act like it, they can expect to be regarded as heroes.

Mentalism bears special notice, because of its unusual legal status. Using mental powers to gain information is considered equivalent to an interrogation, but not (usually) torture. Most governments have a few mentalists on hand for important investigations. Mental evidence is allowed in court as though the mentalist were a witness, but generally taken with a grain of salt unless there are several non-affiliated mentalists making the same claims. Use of mental powers to deprive someone of free will is considered a form of assault, and thus is effectively restricted to emergencies and super-battles. It isn’t considered any worse than blasting someone with cosmic rays or tossing a car at them. Also, use of mental powers to permanently prevent mental function is legally equivalent to killing someone.

A final note is that sometimes, unusual situations will arise from magic and superpowers, such as the legal status of sentient nonhumans, testimony from spirits, and so on. These tend to have the effect of creating large legal morasses wherever they occur, and often resolve in unusual ways. Superhuman law is a popular field of study for lawyers. A few points of note that apply in the U.S.:

• Testimony can be given by people whose names are not known, but whose identities can be established (in other words, masked heroes).

• Using extraordinary means to restrain someone is not cruel and unusual punishment if it is the only way to do so.

• Persons who have multiple personalities, not all of which have committed crimes, are considered legally insane. If the offending personalities are permanently prevented from taking control, the individual may be considered cured. In any case, if there is an entirely reliable means to predict the appearance of dangerous personalities, those personalities that are not a danger to the public must be permitted freedom, although extraordinary measures may be taken to keep track of them. (What this boils down to is that in the case of a Hulk/Bruce Banner individual, he is treated as insane. In the case of something like a werewolf who transforms only under the full moon and is otherwise normal, the werewolf should be freed except under the full moon, and may be monitored to insure that he is always restrained during the full moon).

• Altered genetic code does not change the legal identity or citizenship of an individual.

• Citizenship may be granted to nonhumans, so long as it is proven that they are capable of the duties of citizenship. Rights of noncitizen nonhumans as compared to noncitizen humans is a very confused legal area.

• Immigration laws apply to other planets and dimensions, regardless of parallelism or the lack thereof. They apply to other times, unless in the other time the individual was also a citizen.

[Fireg0lem]

Politics and the World

The main political change caused by the existence of superhumans is a power shift in favor of more populous nations. In the real world, China is a potentially powerful nation that is held back by a lack of modernization and by communism. In the campaign world, China also has a standing army (the People’s Revolutionary Superhuman Collective) of over twenty thousand metahumans, including Proletariat, the strongest superhuman in the world who is under the control of a government. Obviously, this does not benefit countries that are large, but disunified or otherwise incapable of making good use of the presence of superhumans. Likewise, in the real world, the US wields international power disproportionate to its population, and so in the campaign world it is slightly less powerful.

Politically, superhumans have had various effects in various nations. Many people worry about them, but there is no widespread paranoia. Every nation has some form of anti-super interest group, but they are hampered by popular support for well-known superheroes and lack of a unified source for superpowers. In most first-world nations, these groups are about on par with neo-Nazis for popular support. France is an exception; there is a large movement for a national registry of metahumans and the means to enforce it. Many third-world nations have such registry laws, but few can actually enforce them. North Korea is constantly fighting to enforce its rules, and China drafts all metahumans with useful powers into the People’s Revolutionary Superhuman Collective.

History

As attempting to list the entirety of history, most of which is only slightly changed, would be an exercise in futility, I instead have drawn a broad outline. If something isn’t listed, that means that either it was very little changed from reality, or I don’t have any plans for it. If you want to incorporate something not listed into your character’s background, ask me.

A long, long time ago, strange things happened and the universe as we know it came into being. Galaxies and stars formed, then planets, including the Earth. Through an unknown process, life appeared on Earth, and other planets elsewhere in the universe. That life moved to the land, then became multicellular, and began to grow larger. Giant reptiles, now known as Dinosaurs, roamed the land, but became extinct after an unknown event, now believed to be a giant meteor, forced them out of their niche in the ecosystem.

An ice age came to pass, and mammals came to be the dominant life form. In time, primitive humans appeared, and eventually they became the homo sapiens that now dominates the planet.

At some point after homo sapiens appeared, both magic and superhuman power came into being. The supermen and wizards of past ages are buried in legends and half-truths: Beowulf, Herakles, Achilles, Ajax, Gilgamesh, Merlin, Alexander, Dracula, Aleister Crowley, Leonardo da Vinci; perhaps even some or all of the ancient gods, and doubtless far more men and women buried in prehistory.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that superhumans began appearing in relatively large numbers. Prior the outbreak of World War II, metahumans generally kept their powers under wraps, and they were also much rarer then in the present day – most estimates are that only one in every ten thousand people possessed any sort of power at all.

The hidden nature of powers changed when Germany began using organized units of supermen in their warfare. The rest of the world soon followed suit as supers on both sides began to volunteer for the war effort.

For the first time since the time of Greek mythology, battles were fought not only by armies but by heroes. Germany’s Vangaurd was the first organized super-team, followed by the West European (but mostly British) Knights, Japan’s Black Dragons, and the USA’s Liberty Legion. The early superhumans were in large “teams� of several hundred, ordinarily split up to cover larger areas. The few times, such as the Battle of the Bulge, where superhumans met in large numbers were some of the most destructive battles of all time.

As the war progressed, the superhumans began organizing into units of three to eight superhumans working as a team, frequently acting independently to battle other teams. These super-units were the forerunners of modern superhero teams.

In the end, the consequences of war were the same ones that we know. Germany was crushed in a bloody battle by the combined forces of several nations. The American hero Peregrine delivered nuclear bombs to Hiroshima and Nagisaki while covered by an airborne Liberty Legion unit, forcing Japan to surrender.

During the Cold War, both sides began building up and recruiting superhumans, for various purposes, and they quickly became more prolific. The threat of large scale super-warfare was considered a threat on the same level as global thermonuclear war, and with the eventual disarmament, superheroes were heavily deregulated, leading to the current state of the US with very wide-open, loose rules. Almost every nation, however, retains some superhumans for troubleshooting and national defense.

Super Power Levels
About one ten-thousandth of the population has innate superpowers (that is, ones not derived from magic, training, or technology). About one-fifth of them can be superheroes or supervillains – those that aren’t either lack the basic physical and mental abilities to back their powers up, possess powers not conducive to super heroics or super villainy, or are too old or too young. Not all of these people are active supers, though – some just don’t want to get involved.

Most superheroes have powers that are useful, albeit not always for what their owners want. Silly or worthless superpowers are rare, but ones that are hazardous to friend and foe alike – sometimes even to the user – are not that uncommon. For example, being able to induce large-scale explosions, or conjure (but not control) monsters are power sets that might be possessed but rarely used. Also, narrow power sets (invulnerability without super-strength, being able to fire force bolts from the eyes, and similar abilities) are more common than the broader-based abilities that more powerful superhumans, like the PCs, possess.

The PCs represent elite superheroes – most superhumans are noticeably less powerful. There are more powerful teams and individuals, but they aren’t common. The Millenium Guard is presumed to be one of the premier superhero teams in the U.S. However, because Millenium City is attractive to supervillains as well, they will often be fighting strong opponents. Only a fraction of superheroes are openly on a higher level of power than the PCs.

[Fireg0lem]

Important People, Organizations, and Super-Teams

If something isn’t mentioned here, you can assume that either I haven’t gotten around to it yet, or it works in about the same way as the real world equivalent. Check before including anything new in your background. Also, where applicable, names not in English have been translated into what they are called in English. However, phrases from other languages that are commonly used are not translated, such as Blitzkrieg or Pax.

People – Bad Guys

This list is, of course, incomplete and subject to being added to at any time. Published characters may be incorporated, possibly slightly changed, but don’t count on them being there – ask me first.

Akuma(Martial Artist/Energy Projector) - Akuma is one of the world’s most powerful martial artists. He’s shrouded in mystery, but it is known that he travels the world, seeking out and killing martial arts masters in order to steal their ki energy. He possesses a number of supernatural and trained abilities, including the ability to project ki out of his hands in the form of fire, teleport, and perform impossibly difficult stunts. His martial arts style is incredibly lethal, especially the Shun Goku Satsu, a series of lightning fast blows that has been known to kill even superheroes.

Doctor Atom(Gadgeteer/Battlesuit/Energy Projector/Metagenius) - His real name is unknown. Doctor Atom claims to be the world’s most brilliant man – whether he is or not is unknown, but it’s certainly possible. He is also doubtless the most arrogant man alive. A brilliant scientist with few scruples and high ambitions, he is frequently involved in strange plots involving bizarre science and inexplicable plans. His only goal appears to be furthering his own incomprehensible research, and acquiring the means to do so. He has been foiled many times, often shooting himself in the foot because of his overconfidence and pride.

Doctor Atom is always seen in a suit of heavy powered armor that can deflect tanks shells. He can fly, project bolts of electricity, generate radiation, and protect himself with an energy field of unknown origin – it isn’t known if these powers are natural or technological. He is also usually in command of a number of gadgets suited to his current plan.

Atom controls a great deal of wealth, and has numerous hidden bases and labs throughout the world. He is served by Warbots, mechanical creations armed with fusion rays, and armored soldiers that wear suits of light armor more advanced that anything the U.S. has managed to produce in bulk. Doctor Atom is currently believed to operate out of Millenium City.

Harzakhar(Metamorph) - Harzakhar is a strange extradimensional metamorph about whom little is known. Doctor Atom brought him into our world, but Harzakhar turned on his summoner. Needing Mendelevium to survive, he quickly came into conflict both with Doctor Atom and the Millenium Guard. He fled after obtaining only a small amount of Mendelevium, and his current whereabouts are not known.

Harzakhar is a shapeshifter, capable of changing into any shape he wants. His full abilities are not known, nor are his motives. He is intelligent, possibly very much so since he picked up human language and the basics of culture within less than a day of his arrival.

Rage(Brick) - Rage is a destructive entity that has appeared all over the planet. He is a giant, reddish monster, about fifteen feet tall and covered in muscle, armored plates, and spines. He is superhumanly strong and tough. He appears out of thin air, typically in dense population centers, and starts destroying everything nearby. For unknown reasons, he tends to focus more on attacking large buildings and structures than people, unless people hurt him. As he is attacked, his size and power increase exponentially until he reaches approximately sixty feet in height, then he suddenly disappears. It is assumed that he can only absorb so much energy before being forced to leave.

His origins, motivations, identity, and pattern of attack are all totally unknown. His exact level of power is difficult to measure, but at full height he might well be the world’s strongest being. Every government in the world lists Rage as a world-class threat, and in the event of his appearance, the entire city is to be evacuated and all supers and heavy artillery available are to converge on him and attack until he dissipates.

People – Neutral

All of these people are well-known individuals who are neither heroes nor villains, although many would seek to call them one or the other.

Authority (Mentalist) - Authority is a mentalist – he can read, control, and alter the minds of others. He is a controversial criminal who hunts down people he considers dangerous, and either alters their minds or kills them. His targets have included serial killers, ruthless dictators, the occasional lethal supervillain, corrupt businessmen, and a few people whose crimes aren’t known. He is also responsible for the current imprisonment of The Ripper (see Exile Orbital Prison). While he isn’t really a bad guy, his overly lethal and high-handed approach means that he isn’t a good guy, either. He’s also wanted for numerous crimes in several countries. Also, note that by all reports Authority is not actually particularly powerful – just motivated and ruthless.

Magnus(Martial Artist) - His real name and past are shrouded in mystery. All that is known is that he is rich, originally from Japan, and the best martial artist on the planet, with the possible exception of Akuma. Magnus is the sponsor of the International Fighting Championship, held on open water, on a large, stationary ship. Every four years, warriors from around the world gather to fight for a ten million dollar prize, and, of course, bragging rights. Magnus only fights in the final round, against the champion. Thus far, he has never lost. His fighting style is unique and self-made, similar to Karate but with some completely new elements. He also has impressive ki powers that manifest as superhuman physical abilities and the capability to perform physical stunts that would be all-but-impossible for a normal human – dodging bullets, catching arrows, and shattering solid steel with knifehand strikes.

The rules are simple – no magic, no technology, no superpowers other than those derived from training and ki. The match ends when one opponent gives up, is unable to fight, or leaves the ring. No other rules exist.

Monarch(No Archetype) - Monarch is a charismatic leader who has openly stated that he wishes to rule the world. He took control of Guinea from General Lansana Conte in 1999 through organizational skills and leadership ability. Although democratically elected, the laws have been rewritten to give him effectively dictatorial authority so long as he remains in power.

Monarch’s real name is public knowledge: he is Kuangana Ehlny, a Guinean native from a small, poor rural village. He is a superhuman with incredible charisma and subtle mental powers that reinforce it.

He has begun industrializing and modernizing Guinea, making excellent use of its natural resources. Thus far, nobody has managed to lay a finger on him for human rights abuses, corruption, environmental problems, or anything else. It is almost certain that he will begin meddling in African politics as soon as his own country is fully developed; he has made it clear that he believes the world would be better off with him in charge, but he denies being willing to use force to conquer other nations.

Internationally, Monarch is a critic of isolationists, and has repeatedly attacked the US for ignoring human rights abuses and dictatorships in some third world countries while meddling in the internal affairs of others. He has repeatedly exposed corruption and abuse in nearby governments, and has pressured the UN to intervene. Even with his ability, though, he’s had limited success.

People – Good Guys

Please note that characters in this section are not expected to show up and save the PCs every other adventure, nor is it impossible that they will wind up fighting with the PCs because of a difference in opinion.

Magister(Super Mage)- Magister is a wandering archmage who seeks to prevent the spread of harmful magic, dangerous artifacts, and portals to Hell. He prefers to offer advice rather than solve problems directly, and the actual extent of his powers isn’t known. He is essentially impossible to contact – he goes only where he feels he must be. His country of origin is not known.

Steven Caldon, AKA Major Victory (Brick) – Senator Caldon, an independent (with his own party, no less, the Victory Party) who hails from Kansas, was once known as Major Victory, a member of the Liberty Legion. Major Victory was one of the most celebrated heroes on the planet, a symbol of Truth, Justice, and the American Way. His powers were fairly straightforward – he could fly, possessed super-strength, and was all but invulnerable. Major Victory was the leader of the airborne squad of the Liberty Legion that escorted Peregrine to Hiroshima and Nagisaki, and its only survivor.

After the war, he retired and went into politics. With his status as a war hero, he was easily elected, despite his refusal to join a party. He’s been serving ever since, proving as adept at politics as at superheroics. He has been a leader in improving the laws concerning superhumans, and is largely responsible for the deregulated status of the rules in America.

Terra(Energy Projector/Mentalist)- Terra has power to influence the Earth, weather, plants, and animals. She travels around the world trying to protect the ecosystem, and runs several environmentally-oriented charities. She is also a political activist, and frequently gives speeches, holds events, and tries to influence public opinion. She has been known to use violence on occasion, but she won’t kill. Terra herself is powerful, but not overwhelmingly so; she frequently calls on other superheroes for help.

XLJ-845(Energy Blaster/Martial Artist/Brick)- A mysterious robot, the self-identified XLJ-845 (also known as “Robot X�) seems to appear sporadically, often in times of crisis, in various parts of the United States and occasionally the world. He hasn’t said much to the public, only his name. His motives aren’t very clear, nor are his larger goals, but he has never been seen doing anything but helping. He has very advanced technology, including an array of weapons, a teleporter, flight jets, heavy armor, and is one of the few sentient machines in existence. Robot X is a powerful combatant who is in the same realm of ability as the PCs.

People – Historical

Charles Arthur Carmore (Deceased, Martial Artist) – Arthur Carmore was an adventurer and archaeologist in the style of Indiana Jones, a world traveler who searched out unusual artifacts and ancient mysteries during the 1940’s and 1950’s. He later retired to run the C. Arthur Carmore museum in Millenium City, and died in 1989 of natural causes.

Firestorm (Missing, Energy Blaster) – Firestorm is a famous metahuman who fought for the USA during the Vietnam War. A former Green Beret, his abilities developed during the stress of combat and he was reassigned. His real name was concealed at the time, but eventually came into the open – Alexander Hanson. Firestorm was constantly being attacked by the press as a perpetrator of war crimes, but in the end nothing came of it, because he disappeared without a trace during the Tet Offensive.

Justice (Retired, Martial Artist) – Justice is considered the father of modern superheroes, especially in the USA. He became active in the 1940s, and was the first to popularize the “hero’s code� – refrain from killing unless absolutely necessary, don’t abuse your power, and always put saving innocents before defeating villains. Justice used his superhuman physique, mastery of “pulp hero� style brawling, and good old-fashioned guts to stop numerous villains for over two decades. He announced his retirement in the 1960’s, and has been missed ever since. He has made only the occasional public appearance in costume, but is still alive.

Nikolas Balotsky (Deceased, Metagenius) – Doctor Nikolas Balotsky was a Soviet metahuman, a supergenius who created dozens of innovations – many of them related to nuclear research. He was feared by the USA, who had nobody to match him and worried that he would eventually allow the Russians to outdo them in military research. However, Balotsky was killed in an accidental nuclear explosion in 1986, at Chernobyl. Nonetheless, he made many important contributions to dozens of areas in physics, mathematics, and nuclear engineering.

Peregrine (Deceased, Speedster) – Peregrine was a World War Two era hero who fought for the USA. He could fly at supersonic speeds with near-perfect maneuverability, and also had abilities related to controlling momentum and kinetic energy that made him both resistant to collision damage, and able to carry very heavy objects so long as he kept moving. Peregrine had the distinction of being the one to carry atomic bombs to Hiroshima and Nagisaki. He died of heart failure in 1972, and his identity was revealed as Keith MacDouglas.

Organizations – Bad

Dominus – Dominus is an international association that wants to rule the world. They have numerous plans operating simultaneously, but all with that one goal in mind. Very much is known about them in some areas, and very little in others. Members come from all countries and all walks of life, some combat-based, and some not. They are led by an individual known only as Supreme – and that is all that anyone outside Dominus has on him. They are ruthless, well-organized, and one of the greatest threats to freedom in existence. Operatives include ordinary people, combat specialists (including infantry, as well as pilots of vehicles and battlesuits), spies, covert operatives, brainwashed agents, and supervillains. Known goals of Dominus include acquiring weapons technology, control of international trade, infiltration of worldwide governments, control of superhumans, and acquisition of wealth.

The Dragon of the Heavens – The Dragon of the Heavens is a rather straightforward evil organization – they want to destroy the entire world, including themselves. It is based in Japan, but includes members from all around the world and operates internationally. Most of the members are merely lunatics, but often very clever and talented ones. It has a number of metahumans working for it, although they are not a team.

Angel (Weapon Master) – An American, Angel is a religious fanatic who, like Dragon, seeks the end of the world. He believes that he is meant to be a harbinger of the End Times. Angel has light-based powers that allow him to create solid constructs out of thin air – armor, sword, shield, and wings. Angel is on the same level of power as the PCs.

Dragon (Energy Blaster/Brick/Super Mage/Metamorph) – the leader of the organization, properly known as The Divine Dragon That Cleanses the World, is one of the most powerful superhumans on the entire planet. He can alternate between the form of a fairly normal human and that of a giant oriental dragon. In either form, he can cast spells, and the dragon form is immensely powerful. In it, he can attack physically, magically, or with a breath weapon that is a blast of blinding electrical energy. Dragon is also insane; he believes that it is his mission to cleanse the world of all impurities…and everything is impure. Thus, all life must be extinguished so that the next phase of existence can begin.

Eternity (Brick/Martial Artist) – Eternity, if he is to be believed, is one of the oldest beings around. He claims to have seen over fourteen centuries – and is tired of it all. He cannot die – he is all but invulnerable, and regenerates from even the few wounds that he can recieve. Over the years of his life, he’s learned dozens of martial arts and mastered many weapons. He joined The Dragon in return for the hope of finally being able to end his existence.

Shiva (Energy Projector) – Shiva is a mysterious being whose true reasons for joining The Dragon are unknown. He may share the belief that the world must end…or maybe he just likes death. In any case, he is another of the more formidable superhuman operatives. He can control death energy, allowing him to weaken and eventually kill others while maintaining his own health. Given his chosen name, it is presumed that he is a Hindu, but that isn’t known.

The Lin Kuei – The lin kuei are the “forest demons� of China, precursors to the Ninja in Japan and sharing many of the same skills. They are known for the ability to project ki into thrown weapons, and their martial art, An Ch’I, makes heavy use of projectiles. Modern lin kuei operate internationally, working towards mysterious ends. Although their ultimate goal is unknown, it certainly involves wealth and power. The lin kuei are outlaws in China because they refuse to accept government rule or join the People’s Revolutionary Superhuman Collective.

Morte- There are people so deadly that no others can compete with them at assassination. Some of these people are free agents. They are Morte, the league of superhuman hired killers. They work for anyone who pays them, under a few rules. One tenth of all proceeds go to the league fund, no missions that interfere with or endanger another member, no missions involving more than three members, and anyone doublecrossing any member faces the wrath of the entire association. Most of the members of Morte are unknown, faceless killers for now. A few are famous, though.

Blitzkrieg (Brick/Speedster)- A German national and ex-Nazi, Blitzkrieg specializes in fast, straightforward assaults. Where other members will use stealth, he will attack head on, kill his target, and flee before he can be stopped or apprehended. He is a cyborg, endowed with superhuman strength and speed, along with deadly metallic claws.

Braindead (Mentalist)- A psychic killer, Braindead sends his victims into permanent comas from which they cannot awaken, leaving them helpless vegetables. His targets actually have all of their neural connections burnt out, making them unrecoverable.

Bullseye (Energy Blaster/ Weapon Master) – Bullseye is a master of improvised weapons – he can fight like a devil with anything from scissors to a lamp. His modus operandi is to approach anonymously and then kill his target with improvised weapons.

Longshot (Energy Projector)- Little is known of Longshot, except that he is the master sniper of Morte. He has been known to assassinate targets with high- powered laser beams from more than two miles away.

Shadow – Shadow is still just a rumor, a hidden, corrupt branch of the CIA that trains and brainwashes metahumans for use in covert missions of assassination, subversion, sabotage, and theft, serving an unknown purpose for an unknown master. Essentially nothing is known about it – not even the truth of its existence.

Organizations – Neutral

The Brotherhood – The Brotherhood (which despite its name, accepts female members) is a loose association of warriors that meets once per year for sparring, sharing of exploits, and induction of new members. The Brotherhood doesn’t have any real goals – they simply exist so that those who would otherwise have nobody to talk with have others who, while not truly friends, they can empathize with. Membership is by invitation only, and requires the approval of 2/3 of the existing members. The five longest-standing members are ostensibly in charge, although anything important requires a 2/3 majority vote.

Meetings are held on the first of June every year, at a different location each time. The membership is secret, although some don’t bother to conceal themselves. Magnus is known to be one of them, and Akuma is known not to be. In general, the Brotherhood doesn’t do much else, except for opposing Akuma (whom they all are in danger from). All of the members are martial artists or weapon masters, and none have powers they rely on besides subtle physical enhancements, training, and ki.

The Meta Foundation – An international science organization brought about for the purpose of explaining the appearance of superpowers. Thus far, it has had no actual success, though not from lack of effort. They have made great breakthroughs in detecting latent powers, curing some ailments related to superpowers, and related fields, however.

The People’s Revolutionary Superhuman Collective- China’s standing army of over twenty thousand metahumans, the People’s Revolutionary Superhuman Collective, is it’s largest deterrent towards any sort of hostility. Normally split up into smaller ten-man teams, the Collective is nonetheless immensely impressive. No other country in the world can match them for sheer number of superhumans. However, the Collective is normally occupied with the same tasks that less centralized superhuman defenders have – namely stopping (and, preferably, drafting) supervillains, investigating crimes, and protecting the nation. Few of their members, particularly the more important ones, have any meaningful background information known because China insists on the official biographies, which are, in the opinion of everyone else, total baloney, made obvious by the sheer number of Collective members that developed their powers after being brutally oppressed by capitalists.

Hammer (Brick) – The leader of the Collective, Hammer is an impressively powerful superhuman, slightly above the level of power of the PCs. Hammer is super-strong and invulnerable, and he can leap great distances. He is also charismatic, and totally loyal to his country – the reasons for which he is in charge.

Monitor (Mentalist) – Monitor is the head of a subdivision of the Collective composed of mentalists. They provide interrogation, mental tracking, and similar abilities to the rest of the Collective. Monitor himself is, by all accounts, a fairly ordinary mentalist with a talent for bureaucracy.

The Proletariat (Duplicator) – The Proletariat is the most powerful metahuman in the world to directly serve a government. As his name suggests, he is a duplicator of incredible proportions. The Chinese government claims he can generate over two million copies of himself, although they are careful to keep him under wraps and his ability has yet to be tested to its limits. He is enigmatic, considered China’s “secret weapon,� and used only in times of great need.

He has only been caught on tape once (that is, when the tapes weren’t confiscated) – when Rage attacked Beijing. The rampaging giant was buried under a living sea of copies – easily several thousand – and dragged to the ground despite his great size. In less than one minute, Rage disappeared from Beijing and Proletariat recombined and was hustled away.

The way his power operates isn’t entirely clear, but it is known (from the tape of his battle with Rage) that duplicates that are killed or knocked out simply disappear. The other copies seemed unconcerned about this, so it is posited that they are not permanently destroyed.

Sickle (Energy Projector/Martial Artist) – Sickle is the cold-hearted, professional-minded second-in-command, a dangerous woman who can surround herself with a razor-sharp force field. She can project sharp force spikes with points less than a picometer thick, and also clearly has military training (although her biography doesn’t mention it).

Organizations, Good

Defenders of Justice – Although it sounds like a superhero team, the Defenders of Justice are actually a legal defense fund and legal association that supplies aid to superheroes in need of assistance. It specializes in defending them from lawsuits related to super-battles and the like. They will not, however, provide help to those who don’t live up to their standards for heroes. Note that not everyone likes the DoJ; some people view them as shielding superheroes from the repercussions of their actions.

The Department of Superhuman Containment – Better known as the DSC, or “Disk,� the Department of Superhuman Containment is a government agency created in the 1940’s to deal with supercrimes. For the most part, Disk lets local superteams deal with individual villains – although they do have battlesuit-equipped operatives that can take down a superhuman or two in a pinch. Instead, they deal with gathering information on supervillains, running super-prisons, including The Bunker and Exile Orbital Prison, and “watching the watchers� to avoid out-of-control heroes.

Organizations, Historical

World War II Super Soldiers – During the Second World War, every country that could brought together a small army of superhumans. In the modern world, only China still maintains one. These groups were several hundred strong, and not all of the members were up to the standards of modern superhumans.

Standard procedure was to split them into smaller units of about six members with powers that complemented one another – the foundations for modern superhero and supervillain teams.

The Army of Steel - Russia’s super force, the Army of Steel fought bravely and with great casualties after Hitler invaded Russia. The unexpected strength of the Army of Steel, combined with the harsh Russian winter, pushed back the Germans and led to their eventual defeat. The Army of Steel was eventually converted into a peacekeeping force, and some members were retained as secret police. However, as Russia became less and less able to deal with the task of keeping superhumans under control, more and more went rogue. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Army of Steel was finally disbanded for good.

Black Dragons – The super force that Japan commanded, the Black Dragons are mostly forgotten. Many of them sacrificed their lives in suicidal attack near the end of the war, and most of the remainder simply hung up their uniforms and vanished. Some of the superheroes and supervillains that appeared after the war were doubtless former Dragons, but almost none admitted it.

Since World War II, along with other restrictions on Japan’s military, superhumans may not be employed by the government in any capacity related to the police or the military.

The Crusade – The superhuman warriors of Fascist Italy, the Crusade, like the Black Dragons, are mostly forgotten. The survivors mostly chose to bury their past and start new lives after the war ended.

The Knights – The superhero team of Western Europe, the Knights were mostly British, but included heroes from many countries, including a number of French expatriates who had fled their homeland but wanted to continue the fight.

The Liberty Legion – Upon entering the war, the United States fielded the Liberty Legion. Many of America’s first heroes were Legionnaires. After the war, the Liberty Legion became more of a reserve listing, and was disbanded completely at the end of the Cold War, with the modern Liberty Legion being a single superhero team.

Vanguard – Germany’s super soldiers, Vanguard, were decimated during the invasion of Germany. Those few that survived and were not captured, almost without exception, disappeared from public view – presumably leaving their identities as superheroes behind. However, there are doubtless a few Nazi loyalists hiding out there somewhere.

Super-Teams – Bad

The Black Hands – The Black Hands are a group of supervillains that are out for money, pure and simple. Normally they pull of bank robberies, kidnappings, ransom schemes, and the like, but they’ve been known to work for other villains…in return for large amounts of money. They operate internationally.

Ironclad (Battlesuit) – Ironclad wears a unique, high-tech suit of armor with jets, heavy armor, strength-enhancing pistons, and a weapons array. He is a technological genius, and frequently modifies his suit’s abilities to fit a particular mission.

Knockout (Drainer/Martial Artist) – The enigmatic leader of the Black Hands, Zero possesses the ability to suppress the “greatest power� of anyone else, superhuman or not. She also has displayed a high level of trained abilities, and is an expert boxer.

Mortar (Energy Blaster) – Mortar possesses super-keen eyesight, and can project bolts of raw energy out of his eyes. He is the lookout, scout, and fire support for the Black Hands.

Tank (Brick) – Tank is big, strong, and tough. He hasn’t displayed any abilities beyond that, but he is pretty good at what he does. He knows how to fight quite efficiently, and is also the combat driver for the Black Hands.

Homeland – Homeland is a group of American reactionaries who want to set the clock back years. They are fervent patriots, even though they see America’s values differently from almost everyone else. The government considers them domestic terrorists.

Their primary goal is to overthrow the current government, and then use their power to “fix� the problems preventing America from having a “proper� democratic government – namely, suffrage for minorities and women. They then want to conquer the rest of the world, bringing it under U.S. control and imposing the same standards everywhere else. At that point, they would return to democracy…although of course, they expect to be elected by the grateful populace.

Homeland operates out of the USA and is based in Houston, Texas. However, they have been known to leave the States on occasion, typically creating international chaos when they do.

American Patriot (Martial Artist/ Weapon Master) – A genetically enhanced super-soldier whose origins are unknown, American Patriot possesses superior physical abilities and incredible combat training. He fights with a special alloy shield edged with razor-sharp blades, a weapon with which he is an expert. He can even throw it and have it bounce back to him.

Uncle Sam (Brick) – Uncle Sam looks like he stepped right out of a recruitment poster – an old but healthy man with a neat white beard, dressed in Stars-and- Stripes in the form of a suit and top hat. He possesses inhuman strength that becomes even greater when he is hurt, and near-invulnerability.

The Voice of the People (Energy Blaster) – Voice’s roars can shatter concrete, and his shouts are deafening. Not much is known about him, other than that he touts his blue-collar origins.

White Wizard (Super Mage) – White Wizard has been around for a long time – he first appeared as an American superhero in World War II, back when his views were neither as well-known nor as totally unacceptable as the present day. He served with distinction during the war, and was even commended several times for his bravery, and was personally responsible for defeating the German super- commander Krieg at the Battle of the Bulge. However, by the end of the war, his time as a superhero was over. He found out that Monitor, one of his teammates, was black, and when Titan refused to remove Monitor, he left. He didn’t even show up to receive the Medal of Honor he was awarded for the Battle of the Bulge victory. White Wizard is the founder of Homeland.

The Lords of Chaos – A USA based anarchist super-team, the Lords of Chaos hate law and order and seek to bring down “oppressive institutions.� They are considered highly hazardous. Luckily, they don’t normally try to kill people – they prefer property damage, kidnapping, and similar means.

Captain Chaos (Reality Controller) – A conduit for vast power, Captain Chaos can warp the very world around him – but cannot control the results. He might do anything from cause explosions to conjure monsters to turn an entire city block purple. Captain Chaos is the leader of the Lords of Chaos.

Hato (Cyberpath) – Hato is some sort of a mechanical being whose exact origins are unknown. It has access to the internet, and first became known as a mysterious and highly skilled hacker. Hato is practically godlike in its power while within cyberspace. In the real world, Hato has a cybernetic body that is normally very heavily armed. The body changes from time to time, but typically looks very much like a human. Both male- and female-appearing forms have been seen.

It (Brick) – What exactly It is isn’t known, but It is large, strong, has tentacles, and generates a field of impenetrable darkness around itself. Normally, It fights from within the darkness field, lashing out with dozens of tentacles, and occasionally dragging targets inside the darkness field.

Mister Mayhem (Speedster) – Mister Mayhem is a super-speedster who specializes in creating cyclones and sonic booms with his movement. He currently holds the record for mass property damage, having blown out the windows of hundreds of buildings around Capitol Hill in a single run. Mayhem is a former heavy-metal musician who is believed to have gained his powers from abuse of illegal drugs; his pending arrest led him to join the Lords of Chaos. Some people still idolize him, and he is frequently pointed to by advocacy groups as an example of the evils of rock music.

Shamrock (Martial Artist/Weapon Master) – Shamrock is, well, lucky. She doesn’t seem to have any overt powers, but merely a talent for doing the impossible with astounding regularity. All sorts of unlikely occurrences happen around her, always to her benefit.

Super-Teams – Neutral

The Seekers – The Seekers are a group of traveling superhumans that are always in search of treasure – monetary, magical, or technological. They don’t break the law to get it, though they are quite willing to play dirty.

Explorer (Martial Artist/Weapon Master) – Roger Carmore, AKA Explorer, is the son of C. Arthur Carmore, the famous archaeologist of the 1940’s. He possesses no powers, but is well-trained and clever. He is the leader of the Seekers.

Hermit (Super Mage/ Gadgeteer) – Hermit is a powerful wizard who is particularly talented at creating and using magic items, in addition to spells. He is always hungry for more knowledge and relics, and has been known to take foolish risks for their sake.

Inspiration (Mentalist) – Inspiration is an emotion manipulator – he specializes in large-scale effects, but can also create targeted effects. He is not very effective in a direct fight, but is nonetheless quite powerful due to his ability to affect the entire battlefield. He is also handy for getting the Seekers out of sticky situations.

Tinker (Gadgeteer/Battlesuit) – Tinker is a tech wizard who commands automatons. He wears a suit of high-tech armor that is itself an AI for protection. It is equipped with a force field generator, and is actually capable of restructuring itself and repairing damage.

Super-Teams – Good

The Liberty Legion – Although named after the World War II organization, the modern Liberty Legion has no direct connection. It is a team, rather than an organization, and it is a peacekeeping group that is part of the DSC. It serves as the official superhero team of the USA, and is responsible for dealing with superpowered threats to the nation. The members of the Liberty Legion are about as powerful as the PCs. Traditionally, the Liberty Legion is composed largely of members of the police or military that developed superpowers.

Armor (Battlesuit) – Armor is one of only two wearers of the custom-made, multibillion dollar powered armor suits known as Adamant (the other is Metal of the Peacekeepers). Adamant armor is made only by the US government, and is the most advanced manufacturable armor in the world. The only problem with it is the immense production cost. However, the wearer commands immense firepower. Armor is known to be a member of the Special Forces specifically trained to operate Adamant armor.

Eagle (Speedster) – Eagle is a fairly straightforward superhero who can control the air, allowing him to fly at great speeds and fight with gusts, bursts, and walls of wind. He is often overzealous in combat, tending to shoot first and act questions later.

Grip (Brick) – The son of the World War II Liberty Legionnaire Titan, Grip possesses nonranged telekinesis that boosts his physical strength and protects him from harm. It also gives him an incredibly strong grasp, making him a very effective grappler. Grip is the leader of the modern Liberty Legion.

Guardian (Mentalist) – Guardian came to the Liberty Legion directly from the FBI. He is a powerful telepath, and is particularly adept at dealing with other mentalists. His areas of expertise include countering mental attacks, detecting and undoing mind alteration, and psychic surgery.

The Peacekeepers – The UN superhero team, the Peacekeepers, has been described as “the most powerful useless superhero team in the world� by its critics. Despite containing a number of very impressive superheroes, the Peacekeepers are limited by a combination of bureaucratic oversight and a lack of cohesion between different members. The Peacekeepers are slightly more powerful than the PCs.

Metal (Battlesuit) – wearing the suit that is twin to that of Armor of the Liberty Legion, Armor is the long-suffering combat leader of the Peacekeepers. She is a professional soldier and highly committed to the cause. However, she is not without her critics, particularly those who oppose the American influence over the Peacekeepers.

Fraternite (Duplicator) – France’s contribution to the Peacekeepers, Fraternite’s power is to absorb energy, and use it to copy himself. Moreover, energy absorbed by any duplicate is “fed� to the others, making him slowly get stronger as he fights and as more of him appear. Fraternite is known as being honest, very law- abiding, and a stickler for the rules. He is also very vocal, and has criticized the UN on several occasions. Nonetheless, France and Metal have both refused to remove him.

Sibertooth (Martial Artist/Energy Blaster) – Sibertooth is a white-furred, catlike humanoid with ice powers that Russia contributed. She is often overly aggressive, and doesn’t always obey orders properly. She and Metal don’t get along very well.

Mastermind (Mentalist) – Mastermind, a native of the UK, was a secret agent before joining the Peacekeepers. He is very competent, but also arrogant. He tends to think he knows best, and has gone over the heads of the other team members several times.

Light Speed (Speedster) – China’s contribution was Light Speed, a member of the People’s Revolutionary Superhuman Collective. He is a relatively new superhero, although he does have talent.

Super-Teams – Historical

Alpha Squad – Alpha squad is the famous international team that was assembled from the combined forces of the Liberty Legion and the Knights to take down the command unit of Vanguard during the Battle of the Bulge, the Warlords. They won, but at great cost, and are idols to superheroes of the modern age.

Brain Lord (Retired, Mentalist) – A British Knight, Brain Lord possessed formidable mental powers and was the second in command of Alpha Squad. He defeated Mindspike, and survived unhurt. He retired immediately after the war.

The Fist (Retired, Martial Artist) – The Fist was an American martial artist whose only superpower was an uncanny talent for finding weak spots in the defenses of his opponents. He was permanently crippled by Uberman during the battle, but won the fight.

Hyper (Deceased, Speedster) – Hyper was a British warrior with super-speed. She suffered from accelerated aging, and when she joined the knights at the age of 17, she was biologically middle-aged. She was killed in action by Krieg.

Force (Deceased, Weapon Master) – A French Resistance member and one of the Knights, Force could project solid fields that she used to make psychokinetic armor, shield, and sword. She was killed by Mindspike in combat.

Monitor (Deceased, Battlesuit) – A technological genius, Monitor built a heavy battlesuit that was years ahead of its time and piloted it into battle himself as a Liberty Legionairre. Near the end of the war, it was revealed that Monitor was black, and afterwards he became an important figure in the civil rights movement. He died of heart failure in 1988.

Sun King (Retired, Energy Blaster) – Sun King came from France, and was one of the first French Resistance members to join the Knights. He survived the Battle of the Bulge unscathed, and remained active after the war until the 1950’s, when he finally retired. He had solar energy powers.

Titan (Retired, Brick) – The leader of the Liberty Legion, Titan possessed personal telekinesis that allowed him to form a psychokinetic gestalt around himself in the form of a giant. He could remain within the center of the form, while moving around as though he was over eight meters tall. Titan retired anonymously to Millenium City, and is out of the public eye other than the occasional speech.

White Wizard – See Homeland, under Super-Teams – Bad.

The Warlords – The mightiest “heroes� of Nazi Germany, the Warlords were defeated by Alpha Squad during the epic Battle of the Bulge. They were the command unit of Vanguard.

Archangel (Deceased, Energy Blaster) – Archangel was an arrogant, proud German nationalist. She was captured, and in the end, despite objections because of her gender, executed for numerous war crimes. She could probably have managed to stay alive had she not insisted on holding the council that tried her in contempt, and acting brazenly unapologetic for her transgressions. She had light- based powers.

Blitz (Deceased, Speedster) – A lightning-fast fighter, Blitz was defeated in the battle and executed for war crimes. He was not insane, but was found to be disturbingly sadistic, and found to be responsible for torture of prisoners of war. Blitz fought with a pair of bladed gauntlets fashioned out of some unknown, super-strong materiel. Titan still has the gauntlets – nobody could figure out what they were, and so they were presented to him as the leader of Alpha Squad.

Krieg (Deceased, Brick) – The leader of the Vanguard, Krieg was a brutally powerful, all-but-unstoppable strongman. He possessed nearly limitless strength, invulnerability, and could fly at very high speeds. He fought Titan to a standstill, killed Hyper, shrugged off dozens of Brain Lord’s psychic blasts, and was about to finish off a downed Monitor when White Wizard blasted him out of existence with a powerful magic spell.

Might (Retired, Brick) – The only surviving member of the Warlords, Might was an immensely strong individual, even more physically powerful than Krieg. He was felled by psychic assaults from Brain Lord. After examination, he was found to be semi-retarded. He was tried and acquitted of war crimes, and released. He mysteriously disappeared shortly thereafter. There were no records of him to be found, so his true name was never discovered.

Mindspike (Deceased, Mentalist) – Nothing was ever discovered about Mindspike. He was a mentalist with deadly powers, and he burned himself out in a last-ditch attack against Brain Lord that left him a living vegetable.

Sturmfuhrer (Deceased, Energy Blaster) – the legendary Storm Lord, Sturmfuhrer was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and executed for war crimes. Sturmfuhrer possessed the power to control the weather, both on a local scale (summoning lightning and wind) and a global one – he destroyed countless
Allied planes with conjured storms over the seas.

Uberman (Deceased, Martial Artist) – a super-soldier with genetic enhancements dreamed up by mad Nazi scientists, Uberman was killed in action by The Fist.

[Fireg0lem]

Places, Events, Things, and Miscellany
Note that Millenium City is not included in this section; it is listed separately, as it is the campaign city.

The Battle of the Bulge – The largest battle of World War II in which America participated, and probably the most decisive, the Battle of the Bulge occurred between December 16, 1944 and January 28, 1945. A last-ditch offensive dreamed up by Hitler to save Germany, it committed a great many of the Vanguard, including the command unit, the Warlords, to the fast and furious attack.

At first, the Germans were winning, with the might and flexibility of Vanguard – particularly the all-but-unstoppable Warlords – swiftly overpowering the surprised Allied heroes and crushing conventional troops. However, the Liberty Legion and the Knights joined forces to stop Vanguard, forming the combined unit Alpha Squad to take down Vanguard. On January 2nd, in a deadly battle, Vanguard was finally repulsed and every member of the Warlords was either killed or captured, signaling the failure of Hitler’s last hope.

The Bunker – The Bunker is the USA’s maximum security superhuman prison. Located in Nevada, it is deep underground, accessible only by “the loop,� a strangely constructed elevator that runs in an ellipse rather than a straight line. There is only one car; the rest is solid steel blocks. The reason is to provide increased security – if the inmates manage to get loose, without access to the controls located aboveground, the would have to smash through hundreds of feet of solid steel. Moreover, there is no room for anyone to stand except in the lone car, so teleportation is incredibly difficult. The facility is run by pairs consisting of a guard and a simple, unarmed robot – both of them must clear any action, including opening and closing doors, or an alarm sounds and the whole facility, including the elevator, is locked down.

The Bunker holds, at any given time, between twenty and one hundred superhumans. Note that it is not the only super-prison – rather, it is used for those who could not be held in any other manner. Other super-prisons merely have specially constructed cells (for instance, opaque ones to prevent use of mental powers, or heavy alloy cells for super-strong individuals), and heavy security.

Exile Orbital Prison – There are a very small number of supervillains that are so dangerous that they must be contained, yet could not be held on any prison on Earth. They cannot be killed, or their death would have even worse results than their life. These are the people for whom Exile Orbital Prison was constructed. An automated, self-sufficient space station with unbelievably advanced technology, run fully by a triply-redundant AI, cut off from human contact, it contains some of the most frightening people from all over the planet. Nobody has ever escaped from Exile in the fifteen years since it’s construction, though it still has only four inmates. The Exile Project was funded and initiated largely by the US, but it is administrated by the United Nations, and it is available to any UN member that needs it. The current inmates of Exile:

Monster (Brick/Metamorph) – Originally just a poor, luckless farmer in a small village in Guyana, one day Orlando Nadir stopped, fell over – and became the Monster. A giant, amorphous creature able to change his body structure at will, he poured out all of his anger at his unhappy existence in a destructive rage that left nothing in his village standing. He escaped, heading to the capital and trying to take over the government himself with his newfound power. He was stopped, but not before causing a great deal of damage. It was found that he could not be killed – he could regrow any damage inflicted on him. Thus, he was sent to Exile, and imprisoned by freezing him solid at a temperature of less than one Kelvin.

Entropy (Energy Blaster) – Entropy, formerly known as Doctor Rei Shiro, a famous Japanese physicist, isn’t merely destructive – she is Destruction itself. Her power tears apart the very fabric of existence, shattering the atoms of whatever she comes in contact with. Wherever she goes, she is surrounded by a field of explosive radiance, and anyone who touches her risks death. Moreover, she can project her power at a distance, allowing her to create immense explosions at will or tear things apart at the atomic level. Lastly, Entropy, through her immunity to her own power, is immortal – she regenerates any wounds, no matter how severe, and even managed to reform after being blasted into ashes by a specially- made laser in a last-ditch attempt at execution. Entropy was carried up to Exile by Grip of the Liberty Legion, wearing a spacesuit and using his telekinetic powers to convey her without contact. There, she is imprisoned in a vacuum sphere with artificial gravity, kept in total darkness to leave her with no way to see in order to target her power.

Ripper (Weapon Master) – The Ripper is not a person. It is a knife – a short, ordinary blade with a simple, slightly dented metal hilt. It was not designed for combat – it resembles a simple tool. Nonetheless, it is arguably the most deadly weapon ever made. It cannot be destroyed, and it possesses anyone who touches it, turning them into a psychopathic murderer. Moreoever, it can travel through space, making it impossible to separate from its owner (or rather, slave). If they are slain, it merely disappears to find a new host.

Because of the nature of the blade, it has found countless owners in the modern age, before someone finally realized that it was not the owner, but the blade, that was the danger. That person was the renegade mentalist Authority. He found the current Ripper – a South Carolina dentist, Rodney James, and disabled him before handing him over to the authorities along with an explanation. Ripper is currently sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole, and held in Exile with an IV feeding into his arm, and the best in modern automated medical equipment to prevent him from dying. A doctor is always on hand to operate remote-controlled equipment in the event that an emergency requires medical attention for Ripper.

Soul Crusher (Mentalist) – Soul Crusher is already dead, but that’s not enough to protect the world from his evil. A deadly psychic with a talent for jumping from one body to another, his true identity is unknown. He was knocked unconscious and immediately shipped up to Exile, put in a room that had been specially enchanted by Magister just to prevent the entrance and exit of spirits. He was tried over a long-distance communication, although he held the court in contempt. He left his current body behind to rot shortly after waking up, but found that he could not leave.

Superhuman Combat Insurance – In the same field as fire insurance, citizens of areas containing metahumans pay to have their homes and property insured against side effects of super-battles. Under the law, Millenium City heroes are not liable for damage they cause in the cause of public defense, so long as it was necessary. This does not cover injury inflicted on citizens.

US v Rodney James AKA Ripper (1987) – In a precedent-setting case, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled only the current inhabitant of the body was relevant when determining liability for a crime. Previous rulings had stated that uses of mental powers to force behavior were the responsibility for the mentalist, not the physical actor; this expanded to include cases of possession.

US v Rodney James AKA Ripper (1988) – In another precendent-setting Case, the Supreme Court ruled that extreme measures to contain a superhuman, regardless of the inhumanity of those measures, were not covered under the “cruel and unusual punishment� clause if the government could demonstrate that it was necessary for the public safety and that there was no alternative.

[Fireg0lem]

Millenium City

Millenium City is the center of the campaign – it is the city the PCs operate in. Things that affect the PCs may occur outside of Millenium City, and sometimes the PCs will need to leave temporarily, but (at least for now) they will always return.

Millenium City is similar to places like Metropolis and Gotham in that it is not modeled on any specific real-world city. It replaces Newport News, Virginia, but is not simply a slightly different version from the real-world location where we play.

History

Newport News was renamed Millenium City in 1982, under the guidance of President Ronald Reagan. The Soviet Union had announced their intention to turn Moscow into a technologically advanced “Super City,� and the US vowed to follow suit. Newport News was chosen for a variety of reasons – proximity to several military installations, lack of national fame that would make it difficult to rename, presence of a few key donors that would be willing to contribute to the effort, and, most importantly, a simple statistical anomaly that gave it the highest concentration of metahumans in the entire United States.

The city was reworked from the ground up in an expensive, well-planned initiative that was expected to last 18 years (thus the name Millenium City). Within a few years, it became a beacon for superhumans even more than it used to be, leading to the formation of the Millenium Guard, a loose organization of superhumans devoted to protecting the city.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, interest in the project waned, leading to delays in the completion that held it back until late 2003. Once the city was finally complete, the current Millenium Guard stepped down (with the exception of Temprax, who remained as a partial member, having other commitments) to a new generation of heroes. The Millenium Guard was reformed with Rail and Black Owl (both already established heroes), although new members may be added (Rogue has already unofficially joined).

Important Places

The C. Arthur Carmore Museum – Founded by C. Arthur Carmore, this museum holds various items, including a number from the travels of the great adventurer himself (see under Supers – Historical).

Millennium University – although Millennium City contains several institutions of higher education, MU is the most important one. A nationally acclaimed college and Ivy League member, MU attracts students from all over the country, and even a fair number of international students. It also has an award-winning faculty, especially in the department of Metahuman Studies, and areas of Biology dealing with metahumanity. MU offers scholarships for metahumans, including ones for those who plan on superheroics as a career.

The current president of Millenium University is Andrew Alexander, a long-time faculty member.

Seth Stewart, AKA Iron Knight (Retired, Battlesuit) - The Dean of Metahuman Affairs is Seth Stewart, AKA Iron Knight, a retired superhero, and one of the key developers of the Adamant armor system (see Super-Teams – Good, under Liberty Legion and the Peacekeepers, for descriptions of Metal and Armor, the two wearers of the Adamant Armor). He is responsible for distributing and administrating the Super Scholarships, dealing with superhuman crime on campus, and providing for superhuman students who have special needs in education, housing, or other areas.



Important Normals
Anders Carranoma (Normal) – Officer Carronoma is responsible for super crimes. As a result, he is also the liaison to the Millenium Guard on behalf of the police. He can be recognized by black bags under his eyes and worry lines on his face. He trusts the Millennium Guard, and is not too proud to rely on them for help – though he and his men do their best.

“Crystal� Claire Vosser (Psychic) – A laid-back but genuine psychic, Crystal Claire offers advice on the supernatural, readings, and séances at 555-TELL. Claire can provide occult lore, contact spirits, predict (in a rather vague manner) the future (with tarot cards, or chicken bones – typically from the KFC across the street), and make bad jokes.

Gregory Jameson (Normal) – The mayor of Millenium City, Gregory Jameson is a consummate politician who tends not to focus to heavily on day-to-day affairs, but prefers long-term plans. Until recently, his main occupation was the reconstruction of the city, and he is still trying to decide future policy goals. Mayor Jameson is a heavily centrist Republican, and he has fairly strong popular support. He is a staunch supporter of the Millennium Guard – the previous members saved his hide more than once. Unless something ruins his reputation, he will likely remain in office for a long time.

Jack “Sprat� Boroughs (Normal) – The Millenium City police chief, nicknamed “Jack Sprat� for his beanpole-like appearance, is a competent and highly effective administrator. The Millenium City police are well-run and reasonably effective thanks to his work.

William Wallace (Normal) – A key advisor to Mayor Jameson, Wallace is responsible for city policy and plans regarding superhumans. Wallace is a serious, rather dull career bureaucrat, but by all accounts a decent enough person. Wallace is the official liaison to the Millennium Guard for civil matters.

Other Super-Teams

The Nightshades – A villainous organization with varied goals, the Nightshades are key villains in Millenium City and some of the Millenium Guard’s main foes. They are interested in power, money, and fame, in that order. They are about as powerful as the PCs.

Big Daddy Pain (Brick) – A former professional wrestler, he worked as a superpowered enforcer for almost ten years before joining the Nightshades. He is strong and a skilled wrestler, and gets even more powerful as he’s attacked. He is very hard to hurt.

Kaandru (Super Mage) – The creepy, mystical leader of the Nightshades, Kaandru is an evil sorcerer who heavily favors destructive spells and black magic. He can teleport, leaving behind clouds of sulfur.

Midnight (Martial Artist/ Energy Projector) – Midnight is a relatively new supervillain. He is a quick and skilled combatant with power over darkness.

The Knights of Justice – Not villains, but hardly true heroes, the Knights of Justice are vigilantes as willing to kill a criminal as imprison them. They don’t feel any need to respect the law in their crusade for justice. They are less powerful than the PCs, and mostly focus on street-level crime.

Concrete Shark (Brick) – Concrete Shark is either a human capable of turning into a concrete-like substance, or a being made of living concrete. He is very strong, and can travel through the ground (including the streets of Millenium City, thus the name).

Manacle (Energy Projector) – Manacle is capable of projecting “clinging force fields� of black energy that he uses to protect himself and imprison others. He can also harden the fields and use them as bludgeons.

Moon Knight (Supernormal) – Moon Knight is an ordinary human with a particular fixation on guns. He is also a broadly talented individual, with skill in stealth, infiltration, electronics, and other areas. His costume is black on the outside and white on the inside, but he sometimes turns it inside-out when he wants to make a dramatic appearance.

Justicar (Mentalist/Powered Armor/Weapon Master) – The leader of the Knights of Justice, Justicar is a mentalist with a particular talent for mind-reading and ascertaining guilt. He wears a suit of psi-powered heavy armor, and a large scythe whose blade is made of raw psionic power.

Organizations

The Millenium City Police Department – The MCPD is much like any other city police department, except that it has to deal with an unusual amount of super crime. MCPD officers are brave and well-trained, but they are still just human and ultimately have to rely on the Millenium Guard for containment of supercriminals. They are, however, very good at holding captured supervillains.

The Mad Gear Gang – The only surviving major gang in Millenium City, the Mad Gears are a tough, nasty group of street-level criminals. Most crime in Millenium City is freelance, but any that belongs to an organization is probably part of the Mad Gears

Dream Lady (Teleporter/Martial Artist) – Dream Lady is one of three superhuamans who work for the Mad Gears. She can teleport, and is an expert at Kung Fu, working as an enforcer and, occasionally, assassin. She is less powerful than the PCs.

Handgun (Energy Blaster) – Handgun is one of three Mad Gear supervillains. He can surround his hands with pure force, and shoot bolts of razor-sharp energy out of them. He works as a hitman, primarily. He is much less powerful than the PCs.

James “Jimmy� Snyder (Normal) – The leader of the Mad Gears, James Snyder is wanted for numerous crimes. He has no superpowers, but is nonetheless dangerously ruthless.

Ton (Battlesuit) – The last Mad Gear supervillain, Ton wears a heavy, clunky, but tough suit of powered armor. He works as an enforcer.

[TheEmerged]

Just my opinions, no more and no less.

SKILLS. If I were one of your players I would definitely be asking you for a sense of scale with relation to skills. Some people believe 11- is professional quality; in my own campaigns I say 11- is burger-flipping quality, you really need a 14- to be considered "professional", and you need a 16- to "do the impossible".

BASELINE-TO-SUPER RATIO. 1 in 10,000 seems high to me in global terms, although some areas of my own campaign world have comparable figures (I'd post a link but I can't remember it right now)... although I include gadgeteers and wizards in my ratio.

PLOT KILLERS. Word of advice from my own bad experience -- post-cognition is just as dangerous as pre-cognition. Few powers can kill a mystery faster than the PC that can pick up a murder weapon and know who used it.

You might also find that you need to tighten your criteria of what is considered plot-killing too -- I had to disallow general Telepathy myself (limited forms allowed under right conditions, of course). As for precognition, my religious views interfere so it's always understood that it can only show *potential* futures.

Restriction against Clowns/Mystery Men. I dunno, some of my favorite characters have been creative analysis of "clown" powers

BALLPARK STANDARDS. Your maximum CV seems a little high: a 30 DEX character would still have an awful lot of room for skill levels. Your cap on Mental Defense *may* be a little low (unless Mental powers are less common than your world description implies).

Why such a large gap between DC's and Active Points? I can understand the reason why there would be a gap (I've used it before) but why so much of one?

================================================== ==

That's it for now, maybe more later.

[Fireg0lem]

Just my opinions, no more and no less.

SKILLS. If I were one of your players I would definitely be asking you for a sense of scale with relation to skills. Some people believe 11- is professional quality; in my own campaigns I say 11- is burger-flipping quality, you really need a 14- to be considered "professional", and you need a 16- to "do the impossible".

Good idea. I'll include that.

BASELINE-TO-SUPER RATIO. 1 in 10,000 seems high to me in global terms, although some areas of my own campaign world have comparable figures (I'd post a link but I can't remember it right now)... although I include gadgeteers and wizards in my ratio.

It is higher than the normal. I do include gadgeteers/tech-based heroes in that figure, but not supermages or trained supernormals, neither of whom are nearly as common as normal superheroes. Keep in mind, of course, that most superhumans are normal people with a single exceptional ability, and that 4/5 of superhumans just don't have what it takes to be an active hero or villain. But yes, I realize it's high.

PLOT KILLERS. Word of advice from my own bad experience -- post-cognition is just as dangerous as pre-cognition. Few powers can kill a mystery faster than the PC that can pick up a murder weapon and know who used it.

You might also find that you need to tighten your criteria of what is considered plot-killing too -- I had to disallow general Telepathy myself (limited forms allowed under right conditions, of course). As for precognition, my religious views interfere so it's always understood that it can only show *potential* futures.

I'll keep that in mind... I hate blanket prohibitions, though, so I prefer to leave things open and work on a case-by-case basis.

Also, I don't have a problem with small amounts of mental defense that are not a superpower but merely strong willpower (so long as the individual has a good EGO score too). That's a balancing factor.

BALLPARK STANDARDS. Your maximum CV seems a little high: a 30 DEX character would still have an awful lot of room for skill levels. Your cap on Mental Defense *may* be a little low (unless Mental powers are less common than your world description implies).

Why such a large gap between DC's and Active Points? I can understand the reason why there would be a gap (I've used it before) but why so much of one?

================================================== ==

That's it for now, maybe more later.

The suggested upper limit assumes that if you near the top in one place, other areas have to suffer. If someone has a 30 DEX and 6 levels, I expect them to have something at rock-bottom in another area, or a good reason why I should allow it.

The reasons for the gap are varied. A big one is Reduced Endurance Cost, and another is high-cost noncombat powers (high-powered Shape Shift, for example).

Thanks for the advice.

[TheEmerged]

If you feel END is a problem, consider being more generous in allowing END Reserves. This is one element I borrowed from Aberrant, for example -- that even most novas (super-powered people) have a "quantum pool". It can cause problems, but it has advantages too.

[Fireg0lem]

If you feel END is a problem, consider being more generous in allowing END Reserves. This is one element I borrowed from Aberrant, for example -- that even most novas (super-powered people) have a "quantum pool". It can cause problems, but it has advantages too.

It's less of a mechanical problem and more of a concept requirement. I don't have any problem with supers who have a END Reserve for their powers. Someone who spent 30 points more to make their EB 0 END, because they're robot's thorium fuel cell should never run dry, could (mechanically) also just have sunk 15 points into a 140-point END reserve with 1 REC, which lets them fight for around 4 turns with it - well over the length of a typical Hero System super-punchout.

[zornwil]

I made a note to come back to this later, too much for me at this point as I want to catch up on the Champions forum before leaving on a trip, but will come back to you later for sure. Thanks for sharing, I like guidelines/setting stuff.

[Syberdwarf2]

One personal note on plot-killers (to touch on what Emerged said earlier);
My champs campaign has a cyberkinetic. He has vastly powerful precognitive abilities which are basically focused through machines and the machine class of minds. Sort of a cyber-mentalist. This made it very difficult to keep secrets.

[zornwil]

Finally got back to this, looks pretty good. I don't really have anything to add, but would hope you'd add little chapters as you flesh stuff out, that's how I've done my world, provided generalities then as players get "near" interesting parts of the world I try to write up a little treatise on a particular aspect. I admit I didn't really read through the character stuff much, mainliy looked at the background.

One thing I would suggest - with a 1/10,000 ratio, there should be several "super-services" such as "Steam Clean Guy" who steam cleans your rugs in seconds, just as a sillier example. In general many people would take advantage of lesser powers for commercial purposes. And if you have a LOT of caped crusaders, you may have services such as in my prior campaign world which had a marketing (public image) company geared just to supers.