Jet City Champions Campaign Log

[jackalope]

This is the official thread for the Jet City Champions Campaign.

Jet City Champions is a Thursday night table-top game hosted at Arcane Comics in Seattle, WA. The GM is Ken Adams (jackalope), and the players are TBA.

This is a Four Color Campaign, with Standard starting characters built on 200 points plus 150 points in Disadvantages at Standard power levels. Jet City Champions takes place in an alternate version of the Champions Universe.

Campaign Introduction:
It's been twelve years now since the Battle in Seattle, when Doctor Destroyer raged through the city and razed much of it to the ground. The city had no superheroes at the time, PRIMUS had seen to that. But when Destroyer destroyed the entirety of the PRIMUS Seattle Base in one attack, and the Vancouver UNTIL team was forced to break international law and violate US borders to initiate rescue services, it spelled the beginning of the end for PRIMUS. Seattle's Silver Avenger had kept the city superhero free for years, and so it was PRIMUS that took a lot of the heat for Destroyer's attack. With UNTIL now operating freely within the US, PRIMUS nows finds it harder to justify it's own exsistence.

The city is mostly rebuilt now, better than ever, and with a new name: Jet City. There is a UNTIL SubStation in the city, and a small but growing segment of superhumans. But with growth comes pain, and the now booming bioresearch and high tech development has attracted the attention of more and more super criminals and villainous agencies. Everyday VIPER grows more arrogant in their plunder, and to those who pay attention to these sorts of things it seems ARGENT agents are easier to find than sticks.

People are starting to talk, there's a rumble in the streets. It's good that Jet City has it's superheros, but some of the menaces that have been showing up are obviously more than any one hero can handle. The city has become a major player, as big as New York, as LA, as London. It needs a superteam it can call it's own. Local politicians have heard the rumblings and responded. Money is being set aside to build high tech facilities, to hire the best personal, to retain top experts.

All the people of Jet City need now are a group of Champions...

[jackalope]

The following rules were swiped and modified from Worldmaker's incredibly excellent Global Guardians site, which I highly recommend to anyone who likes to take shortcuts and save time.

All players will be provided with a printout of these rules.

JET CITY CHAMPIONS HOUSE RULES

The Basic Rules

1. Please treat all other players with respect: Come prepared to play, pay attention, don't be disruptive when the focus is not on you, call if you aren't going to make it, and most of all: be cool!

2. Please treat our hosts with respect: Scott and Kevin are kind enough to allow us to use their store to play, let's repay that kindness by not leaving a mess, disposing of trash properly, etc. Buying comics from them wouldn't hurt either.

3. Please treat your GM with respect: If you disagree with a specific ruling I have made, please make a note of it and discuss it with me after the game.

The Game Rules

Unless otherwise specifically altered or contradicted in these house rules, the rules found in the 5th Edition Hero System apply at all times.

Source Text: Unless specifically contradicted or altered by a house rule, all material found in the following sources is to be considered official for the purposes of the Jet City Campaign. This list can be added to at any time:

* The Hero System 5th Edition Book (sometimes called the "Green Man Book", FRED, or the GMB)
* The Hero System Bestiary
* The Ultimate Brick
* The Mystic World
* Gadgets & Gear
* Galactic Champions
* Until: Defenders of Freedom
* Viper: Coils of the Serpant

The material found in the following books is presumed official for the purposes of the Jet City Campaign, but has not actually been reviewed by the GM. Players wishing to use special rules from these books must inform the GM and make said rules available to him before play. This list can be added to at any time:

* UNTIL Super Powers Database
* The Fantasy Hero Grimoire
* The Ultimate Martial Artist

The material found in the following books cannot be considered official for the purposes of the Jet City Campaign. This list can be added to at any time:

* Champions Universe (specifically sections dealing with agencies and alien races)
* Millenium City

In addition, certain sections of Fantasy Hero, Ninja Hero, and Star Hero may be taken as official for the purposes of the Jet City Campaign on a case by case basis.

Definition of "Attack Powers": The following are considered Attack Powers: Darkness, Dispel, Drain, Ego Attack, Energy Blast, Entangle, Flash, Hand-to-Hand Attack, Images, Killing Attack, Mental Illusions, Mind Control, Suppress, Telekinesis, Telepathy, Transfer, and Transform regardless of advantages or limitations purchased on them. In addition, any power not in the previous list that has been purchased with the Useable as an Attack advantage. Lastly, any power not in the list above that is purchase with the Damage Shield advantage.

Definition of "Magic": In the Jet City Campaign, magic is defined as any power, skill, or other ability that has magical or divine origins, regardless of other special effects. A character who possesses such abilities is by definition magical.

Definition Of "Mentalist": In the Jet City Campaign, a mentalist is defined as any character who not only possesses mental powers (inclusing Mental Awareness and some forms of Mental Defense), but has special effects that are mental or psionic in nature as well. A character who possesses mental powers that do not have psionic special effects is not considered a mentalist.

Definition of "Mental Powers": A mental power is any power, skill, or other ability that has mental or psionic special effects, regardless of any other consideration. In general, any power purchased with the advantage Based on Ego Combat Value or the limitation Psionic are automatically mental powers, though there may be some exceptions based on the special effects of the individual power. All rules regarding class of mind and visibility normally applied to such "standard" mental powers as Telepathy and Mind Control apply to such powers.

Experience Point Awards: Experience points are to be awarded at the completion of an entire storyline, not the completion of a move.

Writing fiction pieces featuring your character is worth 1 experience point per story. Likewise, writing a journal that covers everything important that happens to your character is worth 1 experience point per written page (maximum of 3 pages per week). Fiction and journal entries you wish to collect experience points on should be emailed to Ken so he can put them on the website. Particularly artistic writing can earn an extra point. Drawings featuring your character or other characters from the game are also worth 1 experience point per drawing, 2 if the drawing is exceptionally good.

Massive Damage: A character who suffers more than half his normal Stun and/or Body score in damage in a single attack must make a successful Constitution roll to remain conscious. If rendered unconscious by such an attack, the character recovers on his next phase unless the massive loss put him below 0.

Minimum Cost: The absolute minimum cost for anything, regardless of any other modifiers, is 1.

Minimum Endurance Cost: Unless a power has an Endurance Cost of 0, it requires an expenditure of at least 1 point of Endurance per character phase to maintain. For example, a flying character is required to expend 1 point of Endurance per phase to hover in place.

Pushing A Power: Characters may only push their powers when it is appropriately dramatic to do so. They may not push their powers just to get "a little extra edge". A pushed power counts as a presence attack, when appropriate. Powers which have an Endurance Cost of 0, or which have a set cost (like Desolidification) cannot be pushed.

The Rounding Rule: With the single exception of Speed, fractions are always rounded off to the nearest tenth. Speed does not round. Fractions of precisely ½ are always rounded in favor of the player. The Rounding Rule comes into play the picosecond a fraction of a whole number is encountered, not at the end of the calculations.
Characteristics

The Rule of 23: In general, the maximum primary characteristic score for any normal human being is 23. If a character has no concept-driven reason to exceed the normal limits of human ability, those limits should not be exceeded.

Selling Back Characteristics: No more than two characteristics may be sold back per character. Characteristics so sold can never be lowered below 0. Characters who sell back their Endurance are not permitted to purchase the Endurance Reserve power, and vice versa.

Speed is the one Stat that cannot be sold back. The fractional part remains, affecting either the cost of the next point of Speed during construction, or the use of Adjustment powers upon this Stat during the game.

Dexterity: It is difficult to train a person to be more agile and dexterous. Rather than spending experience points to increase a character’s Dexterity, it is recommended that the player purchase skill levels instead.

Constitution: Only To Determine When The Character Is Stunned is a -1 limitation.

Body: Only To Stave Off The Point of Death is a -1 limitation.

Body is immune to harmful adjustment powers such as Drain, Transfer, and Suppress. Such attacks are cheesy, overly lethal, and not welcome in the Jet City Campaign.

Ego: Characters who do not qualify as mentalists or mystics are limited to a maximum Ego of 23.


Skills
All characters are required to spend 35 points on skills. The following Skills do not count toward this total: Autofire Skills, Combat Skill Levels, Cramming, Defense Maneuver, Martial Arts, Penalty Skill Levels, Power Skill, Rapid Attack, Skill Levels, Two Weapon Fighting. While constructing their characters, players should remember that this is a role playing game, and all characters should have a well-rounded background. Thus, it wouldn't be out of line for a character to have skills which would prove totally useless combat situations.

For the purpose of this rule, points spent on Packages count only as the points spent, and not as the total points gained by the package.

If a character has spent at least 3 points on a Skill that is either a specialization of another skill, or is obviously closely related to another skill, the character effectively has an 8 or less roll with the Skill of which the first Skill is a specialization or close relation.

Due to the differences in culture, evolution, body language cues, and so on, a -2 penalty applies to all Interaction skills between Humans and Aliens. For example, a Human character trying to use his Persuasion skill on a Martian NPC suffers a -2 penalty because of the alien nature of his target. The same applies to a Martian PC trying to use Persuasion on a human.

All skills, whether background skills or not, maybe purchased at an 8 or less roll for 1 point, or an 11 or less roll for 2 points. The minimum skill roll for all Characteristic-based rolls is 11 or less when the skill is purchased for 3 points.

Everyman Skills: All characters may be assumed to have the the following skills at no cost. These skills cannot be improved (in other words, a character wishing to have a higher deduction roll than the one given above must purchase the skill again).

* Acting 8 or less
* Area Knowledge: Home Country Or Region
* Climbing 8 or less
* Computer Programming 8 Or Less
* Concealment 8 or less
* Conversation 8 or less
* Deduction 8 or less
* Language Skill: 4 Points With Native Language
* Paramedic 8 or less
* Persuasion 8 or less
* Shadowing 8 or less
* Stealth 8 or less
* Transport Familiarity: Small Ground Vehicles

Atlantean characters have the following Everyman skills:

* Acting 8 or less
* Area Knowledge: Home Region 11 or less
* Concealment 8 or less
* Conversation 8 or less
* Deduction 8 or les
* Language Skill: Atlantean - Idiomatic
* Paramedics (Healing) 8 or less
* Persuasion 8 or less
* Professional Skill: Any Professional Skill of the player's choice at 11 or less
* Shadowing 8 or less
* Stealth 8 or less

Alien characters have the following Everyman skills:

* Acting 8 or less
* Area Knowledge: Planet Or Region
* Climbing 8 or less
* Computer Programming 8 Or Less
* Concealment 8 or less
* Conversation 8 or less (Only with Aliens)
* Deduction 8 or less
* KS: Intergalatic Civilizations 8 or less
* Language Skill: 4 Points With Native Language
* Paramedic 8 or less (Only with Aliens)
* Persuasion 8 or less (Only with Aliens)
* Shadowing 8 or less
* Stealth 8 or less
* System Operations 8 or less
* Transport Familiarity: Science Fiction Vehicles


Language Skills: Characters automatically gain literacy roughly comperable to their speaking ability in any language at they have paid points for.

For Braille, American Sign Language, and other "languages" which are actually alternate ways to communicate with languages one already knows, a character should spend 1 Character Point for Literacy (Braille) or Fluency (ASL), or the like. That allows the character to use that method of communication with any Language he knows. For sign languages like the one used by the Plains Indians, which are separate and distinct languages of their own, normal Languages rules apply.

Humans and Aliens adds +1 to the cost of each level of fluency when learning each others languages. For example, a Martian would have to spend 5 points to speak English idiomatically.

Land-dwellers add +1 to the cost of learning Atlantean, and Atlanteans add +1 to the cost of learning surface languages.

Martial Arts: If a player wishes his character to have multiple martial arts packages, he is required only to purchase the unique moves and skills from the second package.

Professional Skills: A character with a Professional Skill is required to also possess other skills which are appropriate for that profession. For example, a character with Professional Skill: Auto Mechanic should also possess the Mechanics skill to at least some degree, as well as other appropriate skills, such as Knowledge Skill: Automobile Makes and Models, and so on.

Science Skills: Science skills dealing with medicine, biology, and the study of living beings in whatever fashion must be bought separately for both native Terran life and Alien life. For example, a doctor who wanted to be able to treat both Human and Martian patients would have to have both Science Skill: Human Medicine and Science Skill: Martian Medicine.

Skill Levels: Skill levels cannot be applied to Talents.

Skill Enhancers: Skill enhancers must be purchased during character construction or not at all. In addition, the possession of a skill enhancer must be explained in the character's background.

Transport Familiarity: The following are not considered modes of transportation and are thus not appropriate for Transport Familiarities: Any Riding Animal, Hang Gliders, SCUBA, Skis, and Surf Boards. For riding animals, take an appropriate Riding skill. Hang gliding, surfing, and skiing are Athletic Skills, and should be purchased as such. Scuba is a means to breathe underwater while the character is swimming. If the player wishes his character to be Scuba certified, he should purchase Knowledge Skill: Scuba.

Weapon Familiarity: Characters who regularly carry standard weapons (guns, knives, and so on) must pay the points for those weapons. In addition, they must buy Weapon Familiarity with those weapons.

New Skills and Skill Enhancers
Artist (3 Points): This Skill Enhancer lowers the cost of all Artistic Skills by 1. Note that in general, a character with this enhancer would most likely be a specialist in one type of art. For example, a character may be able to play several different musical instruments well, or be able to both sing and dance artistically, or be able to sculpt in a variety of materials. You rarely find artists who can cross wide artistic lines, such as a poet who is also a talented sculptor.

Artistic Skill: A character with this skill has a talent in a singular artistic area, and can create works of art, literature, dance, or music that are more than just amateur attempts. Each artistic skill costs 1 point for an 8 or less roll, 2 points for an 11 or less, and may be based on either Presence, Intelligence, or Dexterity (as appropriate) for 3 points. A +1 to the roll costs 1 point. Artistic Skills count as Background skills.

Athlete (3 Points): This Skill Enhancer lowers the cost of all Athletic Skills by 1.

Athletic Skill: This skill is the ability to perform a certain sport or other physical activity well. It gives a practical knowledge of the rules of the game, and some brief knowledge of its history (star players, famous arenas, etc.). Each athletic skill costs 1 point for an 8 or less roll, 2 points for an 11 or less, and may be based on either Strength or Dexterity (as appropriate) for 3 points. A +1 to the roll costs 1 points. Athletic Skills count as Background skills.

Cloak: This Ego-based skill is, in essence, a form of "Mental Stealth". It is used to hide the use of a character's mental powers from persons with mental awareness. It reflects subtle use of mental powers, so cautiously that no one notices them. Cloak cannot be used to hide a mental attack, any more than normal Stealth can be used to hide the effects of a regular attack. Cloak can be used to make mental signatures and traces harder to locate. If the mentalist uses Cloak when using a mental power on someone, another mentalist trying to use Telepathy in order to locate his or her signature must make a Perception roll in a skill vs. Skill contest with the first mentalist's Cloak skill.

Cloak does not hide a mental power which has the Limitation Visible from normal sight; it only hides mental powers from mental senses. Of course, as with normal Stealth, if someone who can sense mental powers is "looking" directly at the attack, Cloak will not serve to hide it from them. The Invisible Power Effects advantage is required to do that. Cloak is harder to use the more mental powers are used. The GM should apply a -1 to the Cloak skill roll for every 10 active points of mental power being used. Subtle uses of mental powers are easier to hide than high amounts of mental energy.

The GM should apply situational modifiers, both positive and negative, to the use of the Cloak skill. For instance, it is easier to hide your use of a mental power when there's a lot of psionic activity going on (a crowd, for example).

Facade: This Ego-based skill is, in essence, a mental form of the Disguise. It is used to change the "appearance" of mental signatures and traces. If the character makes his Facade roll, he may make his mental signature resemble that of another. Alternately, Facade can be used to simply muddle a mental signature or trace to the point that it is unrecognizable. Another mentalist using Telepathy to search for a signature or trace that has been covered up with Facade must first make a Perception roll to detect the fact that the signature or trace has been altered. This is a Skill vs. Skill contest.

Characters can more reliably hide mental traces with the Invisible Power Effects advantage. Facade can also be used to mask a character's surface thoughts from a telepathic scan. The character must make a Skill vs. Skill roll against the telepath's Ego roll. If the character succeeds, he may disguise his surface thoughts. Deep hidden thoughts and subconscious thoughts cannot be hidden in this way.

Spell Research: This skill is a magical analog to the Inventor skill. It is good for devising new spells on short notice and figuring out how to use captured magic items. Spell Research can also double as a magic Power Pool control roll. Like the Inventor skill or any Power Pool Control skill, Spell Research rolls take a -1 penalty for every 10 Active Points in whatever the skill is used upon. Spell Research has a base cost of 3 points for a roll of 9 + INT/5, +1 per 2 points.

Veil: An Ego-based skill, Veil is, in essence, a form of mental Concealment. It is used to hide mental signatures and traces. If the character makes his Veil roll, all signatures and traces are hidden. A mentalist using Telepathy to search for them must make a Perception roll to detect the hidden signatures or traces; this is a Skill vs. Skill contest.



Perquisites
Contact: A contact may be purchased without being defined. In the course of an adventure, when the players are trying to figure out "do we have a friend in such-and-such department of the government" (or profession, or country), the player whose character has an undefined contact could then ask the GM, "Is it reasonable for my undefined contact be someone who fits the bill?" If the GM agrees, the Contact is defined from that point onward.

The one issue that players should be aware of is that federal agencies, particularly the covert ones, don't communicate much and so often that creates a source of frustration itself. Anyone wanting broad and deep knowledge would need to cultivate multiple agency contacts.

Favors: It is possible to take a Favor without defining it when it is purchased. In the course of an adventure, when the players are trying to figure out "do we have a friend in such-and-such department of the government" (or profession, or country), the player whose character has an undefined favor could then ask the GM "Is it reasonable for my undefined favor be from someone who fits the bill?" If the GM agrees, the Favor is defined at that point.

Follower: A Non-Player Character may be a Follower, or he may be a Dependent NPC. He can never be both. While a Follower can sometimes get into trouble, and a DNPC can sometimes be helpful, for the most part if the NPC is primarily helpful he's a Follower and if the NPC is primarily a hindrance, he's a DNPC. Followers may never have Followers of their own.

New Perquisites
Advanced Technology (15 Points): The Jet City Campaign has a definite upper limit when it comes to technological sophistication. (The world is more advanced, but isn't Star Trek advanced, for example. A character with this Perquisite has access to technology that is more advanced than is standard for the everyday world. Examples of higher technology not available to the wider world would be portable teleportation technology, faster than light engines, monomolecular construction, longevity drugs, and so on.

Fringe Benefit: Top Man (5 Points): This fringe benefit indicates that the character is one of the "top men" so often referred to in the highest of governmental circles. In short, the Top Man is an expert kept on retainer by a government (or by a particular agency of a government) as a consultant and "problem solver". This Perk does not give the character access to just any information he wishes to look at. It means that he is on call and may be asked to help with a particular problem -- the GM control's the character's access to information.



Talents
Combat Luck: Player Characters may not begin with more than two levels of Combat Luck. Generally one level is sufficient for most character conceptions. Characters whose entire concept revolves around being lucky may purchase up to four levels with approval of an auditor.

Lightning Reflexes: Mentalists and Mystics can buy Lightning "Reflexes" which apply to EGO instead of DEX at the regular cost.

Minor Talents: For the most part, Minor Talents are a very limited form of Luck. Call them "Murphy's Law in Reverse." Its just one of those tiny ways in which life seems to work out for the character. Each Minor Talent costs 1 point. Some possible minor talents include: Always Gets A Good Seat At A Restaurant, And Never Gets A Bad Waiter, Always Has Correct Change, Always Picks The Fastest Line, Never Sunburns, Never Gets Picked For Jury Duty, Never Receives Junkmail Or Spam Email, Remembers His Dreams, etc. There are an infinite number of possible ways to define Minor Talents; however, these abilities should be too rare or trivial to be of much use to the character in anything but specific situations.

New Talents
Attractive (4 Points): A character with this new talent is attractive and knows how to use that asset. The character gains +2 with Presence-based skills. This bonus only applies when the person(s) being interacted with are attracted to the character.

Fantasy Hero Talents: The Animal Companion, Beast Speech, Evasive, Fascination, Fearless, Inspire, Magesight, Rapid Healing, and Skill Master Talents are available for use in the Jet City Campaign. Details can be found on pages 102-108 of the 5th Edition Fantasy Hero book.

Impressive (4 Points): A character with this new talent is incredibly impressive and understands how to best use that quality to get his point across. The character gains +2 with PRE-based skills when dealing with people who have a PRE less than his.

Natural Wit (5 points): A character with this talent can think quickly on his feet, and is a master of banter and give-and-take, friendly or otherwise. The character gets a +2 bonus to all rolls that rely on his verbal dexterity. If making a Presence attack verbally, add an extra die. This Talent was created by Shelly MacTyre and adapted for use in the Jet City Campaign.

Ventriloquism (3 Points): This talent allows the character to speak without moving their lips.



Powers
Absorption: A character cannot use his own powers and abilities on himself in order to absorb them. A single instance of Absorption cannot feed into itself.

Damage Resistance: Please note that Damage Resistance is not, in itself, a Defense. Rather, it is a modifier to the character's other defenses. Thus, advantages that are purchased on the actual Defenses (such as Hardened) are not purchased on Damage Resistance but rather on the defense itself.

Desolidification: A character who is Desolidified may be affected by any power purchased with the Affects Desolidified advantage, any non-physical power which does not cause direct damage (such as Images or Flash attacks) and mental powers. In addition, they can be affected by any attack power that is linked to one of those powers if the special effects would so dictate.

Characters who are Desolidified can affect the physical world with attacks that have mental special effects (with the exception of Psychokinesis), as well as any non-physical power which does not cause direct damage (such as Images or Flash).

Technically a character with Desolidification can turn his power on and off to make people miss as a zero phase action relying on a good Fast Draw or Dexterity roll. This is abusive and is not allowed. To represent this sort of fast Desolidifcation, buy Skill Levels with DCV with the Limitation: Cost END (-1/2).

Dispel: Characteristics cannot be dispelled. They may, however, be Suppressed.

Drain: BODY cannot be Drained.

Duplication: Note that if the original character is killed, but has at least one active duplicate in existence, that duplicate may take over as the "original character" automatically.

Enhanced Senses: Unless specifically constructed otherwise, all characters are assumed to have the five basic human senses.

Entangle: Entangles are automatically considered to have an Area of Effect: One Hex unless bought with the Limitation: Cannot Be Used To Form Barriers. Entangles may be targeted at a character or hex, with normal dodging rules applying.

Hand-to-Hand Attack: Strength is additive to the Hand-to-Hand Attack power as if the Strength had been with the advantages placed on the Hand-to-Hand Attack power. Example: Martial Arts Man buys +3d6 Hand-to-Hand Attack with the Armor Piercing Advantage. He has a 30 STR (#0 active points). He effectively adds 20 STR, meaning the final attack does 7d6 AP, not 9d6.

Hand-to-Hand Attack does not affect Hand Killing Attacks, NNDs, or anything other than Normal Damage done by the character's Strength and damage from Martial Arts maneuvers.

Life Support: Note that a character must have a very good rationale for taking Immortality. For the most part, either your character has a body chemistry based on or composed of a long-lasting substance, such as silicon, steel, or pure energy, or your character has Regeneration that allows you to regrow lost limbs or return from the dead. For most other concepts, the most that should be taken is Resistance To Aging.

Life Support (Longevity) cannot be taken with any variation of the Costs Endurance limitation, the Only in Hero Identity limitation, the Battlesuit limitation, or on only one form in a Multiform. Either the character is immortal, or he isn't; "part-time" immortality is not permitted. A character may purchase Immortality through a Focus with GM permission.

Mind Link: Mind Link does not cost Endurance.

Multiform: The most expensive form (not including the cost of the Multiform) pays the cost of the Multiform power. If two or more forms have share the distinction of being "most expensive" by having identical costs, the player may choose which one pays the cost of the Multiform.

Depending on the concept of the character possessing the Multiform power, the various forms may be required to share some or all Skills, Perquisites, and Psychological Limitations.

When a Multiform character earns experience, the points are added to the base form's total. Note that all the forms are still one character; a character with three forms does not earn three times the experience as a single form character.

Shapeshift: Shapeshifting cannot be made Always On, though it can be made Persistent.

Telekinesis: For the purposes of holding an object, Telekinesis is a continuous power. For the purposes of applying damage (such as when Telekinesis is used to throw, punch, or squeeze a character), Telekinesis is an instant power.

Telepathy: When used only for communication, using telepathy is a 0 phase action, just like any other soliloquy.

Transform: Transforms which can create anything useful will require an appropriate skill roll. For example, Transforming a cement block into a TV set would require an Electronics roll. If the roll failed, you’d end up with something that looked like a TV but did not actually work. Transforming your handwriting into someone else’s would require a Forgery roll, and so on.

Transformation attacks effect Entangles and can affect Force Walls depending on the special effects of each.

Transformation attacks against inanimate objects have an automatic doubling of effects. In other words, double the amount of Body rolled by the Transformation attack is considered changed by the attack when it is made against an inanimate object.



Power Advantages
Armor Piercing: Not Armor Piercing Against Resistant Defenses is a +¼ advantage.

Damage Classes: The following advantages increase the DC of an attack power: Armor Piercing, Attack Versus Limited Defense, Autofire, Based on Ego Combat Value, Cumulative, Does Body, Does Knockback, Double Knockback, No Normal Defense, Penetrating, and Variable Advantage.

Power Limitations
Always On: Powers purchased with this limitation cannot also be purchased with the Linked limitation. Similarly, no other power may be linked to a power that is Always On.

Focus: Any primary characteristics purchased through a Focus must No Figured Characteristics (-½). Focus cannot be taken on the same powers as the Battlesuit, Cybernetics, or Only In Hero Identity limitations. Elemental Controls and Variable Power Pools count as single powers for the purposes of focus destruction.

Increased Endurance Cost: 1½ x Endurance (-¼) may be taken as a limitation.

Linked: Enhanced Senses may not be Linked to other Enhanced Senses, and Life Support may not be Linked to other Life Support. Powers which are Always On cannot be Linked.

Persistent powers cannot be linked to another persistent power.

No Figured Characteristics (-½): Combat Values, Running, Swimming, Leaping, and other such effects derived from Primary Characteristics are never considered Figured Characteristics for the purposes of this limitation.

Only In Hero Identity: Only in Hero Identity cannot be taken on the same power as the Battlesuit, Cybernetics, or Focus limitations. Characters who have powers purchased with this limitation must include a clear and compelling role-playing justification for why they aren't in their "Hero Identity" 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Side Effects: This limitation may be taken on a power even if it doesn’t require an activation or skill roll. In such a case, the player must define a reasonably possible condition under which the side effect would occur. If no other definition is given, the GM should assume that the condition is Whenever the Power is Used.

Variable Limitation: Players are forbidden from making the limitation a situation such that the situation can never apply to the character. For example, you cannot make the limitation Does Not Work On Tuesday when it just so happens that today is Thursday.

Visible: This limitation cannot be taken on any Movement Powers other than Teleportation as the effects and source of such powers is almost always readily apparent to anyone watching.

New Limitations
Battlesuit (-½): The Battlesuit limitation functions similarly to the Focus limitation. However, it has several important differences, mainly dealing with defense and breakability. Instead of being breakable, a Battlesuit suffers a chance of system failure. The chance is a flat 5 or less, plus 1 per point of Body suffered by the character wearing the Battlesuit. The modifier is additive to itself, and remains in place until the Battlesuit is repaired. When system failure occurs, one power purchased with the Battlesuit limitation (determined by the GM) stops working. Until the suit is repaired, the character cannot use that power.

If the character wearing the Battlesuit takes Body damage, a Battlesuit system is affected (as per the Focus rules). Roll 3d6 and consult the chart below. (Note that the chart does have a cascade effect so more than one system can blow.) If the chart indicates system damage that is inapplicable to the character (for example, if his Battlesuit has no Life Support system), then the Body damage has no effect.

3 Life Support System (Random Life Support Power Destroyed)
4 Energy Source (Endurance Reserve Destroyed)
5 Minor Energy Systems Overload (Character Suffers 2d6 Stun Damage With No Defense)
6 Exoskeleton (Random Characteristic Enhancement Destroyed)
7 Motive Systems (Random Movement Power Destroyed)
8 Weapon System (Random Attack Power Destroyed)
9 Defensive System (Random Defense Power Destroyed)
10 Defensive System (Random Special Defense Power Destroyed)
11 Sensor Systems (Random Enhanced Sense Destroyed)
12 Sensor Systems (Random Enhanced Sense Destroyed)
13 Motive Systems (Random Movement Power Destroyed)
14 Weapon System (Random Attack Power Destroyed)
15 Defensive System (Random Defense Power Destroyed)
16 Defense System (Random Defense Power Destroyed)
17 Major Energy Systems Overload (Character Suffers 4d6 Stun Damage With No Defense)
18 Cascade (Apply Result 17 and Roll 3d6 Again; If 18 is Rolled a Second Time, Apply Result 16 and Roll Again;
If 18 is Rolled a Third Time, Apply Result 15 and So On Until a Result of 18 is No Longer Rolled)

Unlike a Focus, the Battlesuit cannot be removed from a character in a single turn. Removing a Battlesuit is more likely to take hours.

Powers purchased through the Battlesuit limitation may not also take the Focus, Only In Hero Identity, or Cybernetics limitations. All primary characteristics purchased through the Battlesuit limitation must also take the –½ limitation Does Not Affect Figured Characteristics. Multiforms, Elemental Controls, and Variable Point Power Pools count as a single power for the purposes of Systems Failure.

There are certain powers that should not be taken with this limitation, since they are not "systems" that can be damaged or manipulated in combat, but are rather inherent properties of the Battlesuit. (The best example of this would be Armor.) Where the Battlesuit limitation is not appropriate, the power should be purchased with the Only In Hero Identity limitation.

* New Limitations: Components Are Extremely Difficult To Repair or Replace (-½) indicates that the character will have to go to extraordinary lengths to repair or replace the component in question. It is built from rare technology, requires a lot of time and money, or otherwise will leave the character without the item for a while. The special effects and concept of the battlesuit will determine the actual effects of the device being missing. Components Are Impossible To Repair or Replace (-1) indicates that the components making up the Battlesuit are the only ones of their kind available to the character. If the components are lost, it cannot be replaced at all. The points spent on the device will have to be spent on something else. This limitation should only be used with the more exotic powers, such as Desolidification or Teleportation.

Cannot Attack If The Character Has Moved In The Same Phase (-¼): An attack power purchased with this limitation requires a stable platform to operate correctly. The player should determine the reason as part of the power’s special effects.

Cybernetics (-1/4) This limitation represents a system of technological implants and replacements for biological organs within the body of the character. Instead of putting the man into the machine, as with the Battlesuit limitation, Cybernetics means putting the machine into the man. The powers and abilities purchased with this limitation have the same system failure chances as with Battlesuit (see above). Cybernetic implants are automatically inobvious and subcutaneous (meaning "hidden beneath the skin") unless the player decides that the character’s implants can be easily seen.

All primary characteristics purchased through this limitation must also take the – ½ limitation Does Not Affect Figured Characteristics. Multipowers, Elemental Controls, and Variable Point Power Pools count as single powers for the purposes of System Failure. Cybernetics cannot be taken on the same power as Battlesuit, Only In Hero Identity, or Focus.

* New Limitations: Components Are Extremely Difficult To Repair or Replace (-¼) indicates that the character must undergo a complicated and possibly risky surgical procedure in order to repair or replace his damaged cybernetic systems. Components Are Impossible To Repair or Replace (-½) indicates cybernetic components that are so difficult to get to that the character would be killed in the attempt to repair or replace them. The damaged power is permanently gone, and the points spent on it must be used for something else.

Inaccurate (-¼ or -½): Powers with this limitation are difficult to target properly. At -¼, the character halves his OCV with the attack, and the base range increment for caluculating Range Modifiers drops to 3". At -½, the character has a 0 OCV with the attack, and the base range increment for calculating Range Modifiers drops to 2".

Knockback Only (-½): An attack power purchased with this limitation causes no Body or Stun damage. However, it can still potentially cause Knockback. The Knockback in question is calculated from the amount of Body damage the attack would have done. If the attack power normally does not cause Body damage, it may not take this limitation.

Lockout (-½): This limitation signifies that while a character uses a power, he cannot use any other powers. He also cannot maintain powers activated prior to activating the new power.

Must Be Aware Of The Incoming Attack (-¼ or –½): This limitation represents a defense which works only when the character can see the attack coming and can thus do something about it. Usually, this limitation represents willpower-based defenses, but can also represent superior dodging ability, the knack for finding quick cover, and so on. If the character has to only be aware of the attack, it is worth –¼; the character doesn’t need to take action to defend himself if he knows the attack is coming. If the character has to be able to actively defend himself, the limitation is worth –½; the defense power only works if he can make an action in order to defend himself.

Mutant Power (-¼): This limitation represents a power which is the result of the appearance of the Nth Factor in the character's genetic make-up. Any character that takes this limitation must also take the Disadvantages associated with being a Mutant. Furthermore, all of a character's Mutant Powers (which may include Characteristics bought above 23) are considered to be in one Elemental Control for purporses of Adjustment powers, and are considered to have the additional special effect: Mutant Power.

Not vs. Area-Effect Attacks (-½): Defense Powers purchased with this limitation only protect against attacks that are specifically targeted at the character.

Physical Manifestation (-¼): This limitation signifies a power that, while not built with a Focus, has some physical embodiment that other characters could attack. Examples include Flight built as riding on a column of force or Running built as skating along an ice slide. When a player applies this limitation to a power, he must define the exact nature of the physical manifestation. This limitation may require the application of other limitations to the power, as necessary. The manifestation is considered a Breakable Focus for the purposes of Body and DEF.

Psionic (-½): This limitation represents a power that can only work against a sentient mind. Against animals and non-living objects, the power is ineffective. By definition, a power purchased with this limitation is a Mental Power. Powers which already qualify as Mental Powers may not be purchased with this limitation, as it is inherent in the definition of a Mental Power.

Stops Only ½ Of Any Body/Stun Damage (-¼): Defense Powers taken with this limitation are not as good at stopping the one type of damage from an attack as they are against the other damage.



Power Frameworks
The First Rule of Power Frameworks: The auditors reserve the right to refuse to allow any Power Framework, even if the Framework in question is otherwise legally constructed.

Consistent and Tight Themes: All Power Frameworks, without exception, must have a consistent and tightly conceived theme. Throwing a bunch of powers together without a common thread is not permitted.

Focus Destruction: A Elemental Control or Variable Point Power Pool counts only as a single powers each for purposes of focus destruction. Multipowers may be considered as a single power, depending on how they are purchased. For example, multipower slots representing different settinsg ona blaster will be considered as one power, while slots representing trick arrows or utility belt component will not.

Restrictions: The following may never be purchased through any Framework: Automaton Powers, Duplication, Extra Limbs, Find Weakness, Knockback Resistance, Luck, Multiform, Naked Advantages, Perquisites.

* Variable Point Power Pool Only: The following may not be purchased through a Multipower or Elemental Control, but are allowed when purchased through a Variable Point Power Pool, assuming that said powers fit the concept of the VPPP: Endurance Reserve, Enhanced Senses, Flash Defense, Lack of Weakness, Life Support (Other Than Total Life Support), Mental Defense, Mind Link, Power Defense, and Skills.
* Special Exception for Skill Levels: Skill Levels are permitted in an Elemental Control or Multipower under one condition, and that's if they are bought as powers that cost Endurance to use.
* Special Exception for Defenses: Flash Defense, Lack of Weakness, Life Support (Other Than Total Life Support), Mental Defense, and Power Defense are permitted in an Elemental Control or Multipower under one condition, and that's if they are bought as powers that cost Endurance to use.

Elemental Control
Buying Characteristics in an Elemental Control: Only one characteristic may be purchased in an Elemental Control by a single character. In addition, only a single instance of the characteristic in question may be purchased by the character. The purchase of a characteristic within an Elemental Control must fit into the concept of the Elemental Control, and dependent upon the approval of the auditors.

New Advantage: Drains, Transfers, Dispels, And Suppresses Only Affect A Single Elemental Control Slot is a +1 advantage taken on the control cost of the Elemental Control

Multipower
Characteristics: Characteristics purchased through a Multipower are required to take No Figured Characteristics (-½).

Charges: If you take the charges limitation on an entire Multipower, the charges limit the total number of times that you can use the Multipower; ie: 4 charges on a Multipower containing an EB and a RKA, means that you can fire the RKA four times, the EB four times, or any combination between, but you cannot fire the RKA four times and the EB four times.

Movement Multipowers: These are generally cheesy and thus will not be allowed. The primary exception to this rule are speedsters, for whom Movement multipowers are incredibly in concept.

New Limitations: Full Phase Delay To Change Slot is a -½ limitation. Half-Phase Delay To Change Slot is a -¼ limitation.

Variable Point Power Pools
List of Powers: A character with a power pool is required to design a list of powers that are useable in the Power Pool. This list should be a dozen or so powers long to begin with, though the player is free to add more powers to the list as the campaign progresses at any time. During play, all of the powers the character uses in the Variable Point Power Pool must come from this list. Not being able to add to the Power Pool list counts as the Limited Class of Powers limitation, and is worth -½.

New Limitation: Adding Powers to the Power Pool List Requires a Skill Roll is a -¼ taken on the Control Cost of the Power Pool. Usually, the skill involved is Inventor or Power Skill.



Disadvantages
Dependence: Characters who are addicts are very rarely heroic. Please keep this in mind when choosing this Disadvantage. Atlanteans are, of course, required to take it.

Dependent NPC: A Non-Player Character may be a Follower, or he may be a Dependent NPC. He can never be both. While a Follower can sometimes get into trouble, and a DNPC can sometimes be helpful, for the most part if the NPC is primarily helpful he's a Follower and if the NPC is primarily a hindrance, he's a DNPC.

Distinctive Feature: Hair color is not distinctive enough to be taken as a Distinctive Feature, unless your hair color is a shade not normally found in human beings (such as neon orange or lime green). Belonging to a particular ethnic group is not distinctive enough to gain this disadvantage.

Hunted and Monitored: No hunted should be taken higher than 11 or less, or else the campaign will eventually evolve into "Which hunter is going to show up this week." Monitored may still be taken at 14 or less.
Any hunter that is specifically invented by a player for his character must be approved beforehand by Ken. If the new hunter is approved, the player of the character in question must provide a full background and character sheet for the hunter by the time the character enters play.

* Governments and Government Agencies: With very few exceptions (none of whom are Player Characters), no single being can marshal the power and resources of a government or even a government agency. Thus, any government or government agency taken as a Hunted or a Monitored by a character is automatically More Powerful, generally not restricted to a single area, and automatically has Non-Combat Influence.
* Groups In General: In general, a group has more resources than a single person, and is capable of causing more mischief to a character than a single person. Thus, group Hunteds are always considered More Powerful to all but the most worldshaking characters.

Normal Characteristics Maxima: Characters who take Normal Characteristic Maxima are basically normal people. They should never spend more points overcoming the limitations on Characteristics imposed by this physical limit than are gained by taking it. This rule only applies to inherent characteristics, and not to those characteristics gained through foci.

Physical, Psychological, and Social Limitations: It is highly recommended that the Master List of Limitations be consulted during character construction.

[jackalope]

JET CITY CHAMPIONS TIMELINE

To help you keep the events of the Jet City Champions Universe straight, here's a brief timeline of major incidents involving, or related to, superhumanity.

Circa 4 million BC: The mysterious alien Progenitors terraform Earth and Mars, and seed both planets with the rudiments of life. Over the next 2 million years, they slowly and gradualy shape the direction of life on both planets, before mysteriously dissappearing.

Circa 45,000 BC: The Hyborean Age: The beginnings of the first great human civilizations of Earth.

Circa 37,000 BC: The Dominion of Atlantis becomes one of the predominant political powers on Earth, and the next 5,000 years will be known as the Atlantean Age.

Circa 32,000 BC: The Lemurians use a potent magical weapon, the Mandragalore, against the Atlanteans, but it backfires, causing both continents to sink. Only the Mole Men, Lemurians who had already moved into the cave systems, survived.
Human civilization around the world collapses, and the humanity retreats into the Great Dark Age (not to be confused with the much milder European Dark Age).

Circa 9,999 BC: The Ending War breaks out on Mars, and life on Earth's sister planet is utterly destroyed. The fleeing survivors of Mars, the Commisee Va, settle on Earth

Circa 10,000 BC: The Era of the Gods: The Commisee Va explore Earth and mingle with now primative humanity, helping them to reestablish civilizations. Many of the Egyptian, Greek, Norse and other mythologies dating from this era actually recount (in stylized form) the exploits of the Va.

Circa 4,000 BC: Fearing that the are stunting human development, the Commisee Va construct a hidden city on the Dark Side of the Moon, and removed almost all traces of their stay on Earth. They institute the Halath, which forbids any contact with humanity.

Circa 460 AD: The first Shaolin Temple is founded in China.

490-540: King Arthur rules England from Camelot. Giles de Morphant, the Black Paladin, wreaks great evil, but is eventually slain by Lancelot. Arthur's realm, and his Round Table of knights, eventually fails due to the repercussions of Lancelot's affair with Queen Guinevere.

1090: The Ancient Order of Assassins is founded by Hassan ibn-al Sabah.

1199: Robin Hood is active in English countryside, bedeviling King John Lackland and the Sheriff of Nottingham.

1459: Vlad Tepes, voivod of Transylvania, becomes a vampire under uncertain circumstances. One legend suggests he is transformed by an Atlantean "dark mage:' Tepes is later known as Dracula ("little dragon:')

1749: John Ward, the first Black Mask, is born on a farm outside of Philadelphia.

1772: Ward first adopts the identity of the Black Mask, to protect his family while he performs acts of sabotage against the British Army.

1788: Ward retires the identity of Black Mask.

1797: John Ward's son, Timothy, a Boston silversmith, becomes the Black Mask and battles a band of criminals.

1818: Black Mask II is killed in action. The training of his son, Samuel, is taken over by his grandfather, the first Black Mask.

1822: Black Mask III debuts in Philadelphia. By now the legend has grown across the northeastern United States, and the first rumors of the immortality of the young nation's hero begin to spread.

1850: Sherlock Holmes is born in London. He and his brother Mycroft are raised by roving gypsies
after the death of their parents.

1852: John Watson is born in Coventry, England.

1853: Matthew Ward becomes Black Mask IV, at first operating out of Philadelphia.

1860-1865: The American Civil War. Matthew Ward, as Black Mask IV, fights alongside the Northern Army, while the mysterious Grey Ghost aids the Confederates.

1866: Captain James Nemo launches the first submarine, called the Nautilus. He preys on illegal slave-traders heading across the Atlantic to South America.
Matthew Ward moves to Chicago and continues his adventures as the fourth Black Mask.

1867: Oceanus ascends to throne the of Atlantis after the death of his father.

1868: Sherlock Holmes is tutored in advanced mathematics by Professor James Moriarty, later to become the greatest criminal figure of Victorian England.
Around this time, James Harmon I, ancestor of Defender, explores Africa and'begins building the family fortune.

1871: James Lee Ward inherits the Black Mask upon his father's death. He moves to Arizona and transplants the legend, acting as a vigilante lawman.

1872: Marvin Carr begins to act as Black Mask V's sidekick.

1876: Black Mask V is killed by the notorious criminal Sidewinder in a shoot-out in Show Low, Arizona. Since James's son Jason is only two, Marvin Carr becomes the sixth Black Mask and the first not to be part of the direct lineage.

1877: Sherlock Holmes opens his private "consulting" detective agency in London.

1878: Oceanus and Orana marry.

1879: The Empire Club, a private "Gentleman's Social Club" for adventurers, explorers, and other
daredevils, is founded in New York City.

1881: Sherlock Holmes and John Watson meet at St. Bartholomew's Hospital during the case known as A Study In Scarlet.

1883: Dr. Henry Jekyll first uses the mysterious chemicals he discovered to become the monstrous Mr. Hyde.

1887: Sherlock Holmes encounters Dracula in Transylvania for the first time.

1888: Jack the Ripper terrorizes London.Sherlock Holmes involved in the famous cases, The Sign of the Four and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

1889: Adolf Hitler born in Braunau, Austria.

1890: Count Dracula terrorizes London, before he is destroyed by vampire-hunter Abraham Van Helsing and young Jonathan Harker.

1891: Sherlock Holmes pursues his nemesis Moriarty to Switzerland, where they apparently both perish at Reichenbach Falls. In Moriarty's absence, the Cabal rises to supremacy in the European underworld.

1892: Mycroft Holmes becomes the director of the British Secret Service. He is referred to only as "M" (as have his successors).

1894: Oceanus slays the traitor Gangar. Sherlock Holmes returns to London after traveling the world undercover.

1896: Marvin Carr retires as Black Mask VI. The mask is given back to Jason Ward, son of Black Mask V, who moves back to Chicago. For a time, his partner is Andrew Carr, Marvin's own son.

1900: A group of German, Dutch and French sorcerors combine forces to form The Thule Society, and begin to hatch their plot for world domination.

1902: Sherlock Holmes is consulted by the police when a brilliant but deranged scientist, Hawley Griffin, develops the power to become invisible and goes on a rampage in London.

1903: Sherlock Holmes retires from public life.
Aliester Crowley recieves a shocking transmission for an extrawordly entity named Aiwiss. The transmission foretells of the dawning of a new age, an age of magic and heroism.

1908: A massive explosion occurs near Tunguska in northern Siberia, releasing a burst on energy the travels around the globe. The exact nature of the explosion remains unknown, though it levels trees for miles around. Scientist later theorize that a comet or meteor struck the Earth.

1917: Albert Zerstoiten is born in Bavaria.

1918: Corporal Adolf Hitler, serving on the Western Front in World War I, is temporarily blinded by mustard gas. While undergoing treatment, he has a vision that the Teutonic Gods have selected him for a great purpose, which he translates as restoring the purity of the Aryan people and bestowing on Germany the "Thousand Year Reich:' He gives up his career in art and goes into politics, becoming a leader of the National Socialist Party after the war.

1919: The Thule Society recruits Adolph Hitler to be the face of their new Empire.

1920: Mara (Sea Hawk) is born in Atlantis.

1924: Orana dies. Oceanus,grief-stricken, refuses to remarry. Mara begins her formal schooling.

1925: The Satanic cult DEMON is founded.

1926: The Raven is first seen fighting crime on the streets of Hudson City.

1927: First appearance of the Ravens partner, the Velvet Phantom, and his group of assistants, the Midnight Brigade.

1929: Black Mask VII dies, and the mask passes to his son, Jeffrey Layton Ward. Black Mask VIII operates in Chicago, but moves to Haynesville, Kansas when he joins the Defenders of Justice during World War II.
James Harmon II, Defender's grandfather, serves with Eliot Ness in the "Untouchables" in Chicago.

1936: Bill Jefferies declares his personal war on crime. He develops two alternate identities, the costumed avenger known as the Black Owl, and a common street thug called Lefty LeGrand. As LeGrand, he uncovers criminal activity that he then thwarts as the Black Owl.

1937: Oceanus is overthrown and killed by Dargon the Usurper. Dargon tries to wed Mara, who instead escapes. She later befriends several "landers" and becomes known to the world as the heroine Sea Hawk after she rescues the crew of a sinking destroyer.

1938: Robert MacDonald travels to Egypt. There, he encounters the mysterious ancient god Osiris, who grants him power over light and darkness. In Yellowstone National Park, Harrison Chase finds a mysterious rock that gives him fantastic powers when he is in direct contact with it.
In October, Earth is invaded by aliens who first land at Grover's Mill, New Jersey. A majority of the New York-area crimefighters team together to defeat the alien tripods. Optimus, Cowboy, Dr. Twilight and Sea Hawk form the Defenders of Justice.

1940: The Japanese sorceror called Iron Father works with the RSvKg to cast a series of spells protecting the Axis countries. Superpowered enemies of the Axis are unable to enter these nations' borders without succumbing to a "mystical weakness;' losing their powers and eventually falling into comas.

1941: The Haynesville Project, the top secret government program to study and employ superhuman powers, begins. The Defenders of Justice officially join the army, along with several solo heroes, and are divided into two separate teams: The Defenders, who protect the homefront, and the Freedom Battalion, who fight overseas (and are mostly made up of the sneakier mystery men and professional soldiers on the team).
Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese, and America is drawn into World War II.

1942: The first Russian superhero, General Winter, appears.

1943: James Harmon III, father of Defender, becomes a U.S. Army Ranger, and earns the Congressional Medal of Honor for his valorous conduct during the War. After hostilities cease, he becomes an industrialist and quintuples the family's already considerable fortune.

1945: World War 2 comes to an official end. The Thule Society continues to work in secrecy for another 20 years before it's ultimate defeat.

1948: The Haynesville Project officially closes its doors.
Princess Mara and Drake Wilson divorce. Wilson returns to the surface world and goes to work for the United Nations, later helping sculpt UNTIL into its modern form.

1949: Despising the Communists in China, Dr. Yin Wu moves to San Francisco, adopting the identity of an art supply dealer while working to restore the China he has known and loved for centuries. He later moves back to China, secluding himself in his castle.

1953: Black Mask VIII retires.The British government establishes Bureau S to study the country's superhuman resources (and threats).

1955: Mexican wrestler El Espectro receives his magical silver mask and begins combating supernatural evil while defending his heavyweight title.

1956: David Matthew Ward becomes Black Mask IX, while working full time during the day as a Chicago policeman.
The second MeteorMan makes his first appearance.

1959: Five Americans, entering space in a homemade rocketship to protect Earth from a comet, are exposed to strange radiation and transformed into the Fabulous Five.

1960: Princess Mara remarries, this time to Andros, Sub chieftain of the Moray barbarian tribe.

1961: The Sentinels form when the malevolent computer Ultivac attempts to take over the world. The original lineup, which will change constantly over the years, is MeteorMan II, Dr. Phantom, Microman, Beowulf, and Rocketman.

1963: Teen hero The Hornet begins his star-crossed career. The U.N. establishes a commission, the Tribunal on International Law, to study superhumans and related issues.

1965: Earth is invaded by the alien Qularr, who attempt to use giant monsters from alien worlds as weapons against it. Tokyo is nearly destroyed for the first time. After several attempts at conquest, the Qularr are finally defeated and driven from Earth's galaxy, though several of their monsters remain on Earth (most confined to the research facility on Monster Island).
UNTIL is created by U.N. treaty , a treaty not signed by the United States, which refuses to allow UNTIL agents to operate within its territory.

1966: In Great Britain, Bureau S becomes the Ministry of Superhuman Affairs, a publicly-acknowledged branch of government responsible for protecting British citizens from superhuman threats.
The surviving members of teh Thule Society, having lost their entire power structure, approach DEMON with an offer of arcane knowledge for asylum.

1967: The People's Republic of China establishes its own government superteam, the Tiger Squad.
The Fabulous Five thwart a second invasion attempt by the "Martians" of 1938, who are revealed to actually be from a planet in the Sirius system.

1968: The Iroquois superhero called Rainmaker makes his public debut.
Steel Shark, an Atlantean rebel and supervillain, temporarily seizes control of the Atlantean army and attacks Florida. He is narrowly defeated by the Fabulous Five and Queen Mara.
Under the guidance of former Thulists, DEMON steals the Basilisk Orb and becomes regarded by the world as a significant superhuman threat.
The Soviet Union establishes the People's Legion, its official superteam. The Legion disintegrates in the late '80s as the Soviet Union itself crumbles.

1969: Peter Renton, son of Amazing Man and Siren of the Fabulous Five, eventually to become the second Amazing Man, is born.
The United States reveals its first "official" superhuman, the All-American.
A Star*Guardian is assigned to our Solar System for the first time by the Odragans. Brin Rei Tarn, of the planet Dendris, establishes a base on Jupiter's moon Europa, and then comes to Earth regularly. While here, he becomes an unofficial member of the Sentinels.

1970: The Fabulous Five discover the Commisee Va on the Moon. Amazing Man and Siren retire from the team, and are replaced by Kestrel and Scirocco.

1971: The Ministry of Superhuman Affairs sponsors the creation of the New Knights of the Round Table, Britain's official superteam.

1972: Jennifer Anne Ward (Black Mask X) is born.
Dr. Yvette Ste. Germaine founds L'Institut Thoth, a think tank and research laboratory devoted to the study of all aspects of "para physics:'
The United States Department of Defense issues its first Superhuman Survey.
David Farquar begins the newsletter that will eventually become Super World Magazine.
Marduc, crown prince of the Commisee Va, defies Halath and comes to Earth. Adopting the name StarChampion, he battles superpowered menaces around the world.

1973: The Mandaarians, an enigmatic alien species, first visit Earth as peaceful explorers. Later visits
occur in 1979, 1984, 1991,and 1999.

1974: James Harmon IV (Defender) is born.
The Advanced Research Group is founded as a corporation.
The American superhero Ricochet, while working for the CIA, is killed in Paris by GRU assassins.

1975: Dr. Destroyer first appears. His attempt to conquer California and the world is narrowly defeated by a large group of superhumans; Kid Chameleon and Ocelot are killed.
David Ward's wife, Sharon, dies. David never remarries, and since he has no son, assumes the Mask will either pass to another family or the legend will end with him.
Mark Whitaker (Nighthawk) is born in Detroit.
Kenji Hayashida (Shugoshin) born in Japan.

1976: Queen Mara's twins, Prince Marus and Princess Thalassa of Atlantis, are born.
Your GM is born.

1977: The Gadroon attempt to conquer Earth and are driven off by a force of Earth's superhumans
that includes many supervillains (Dr. Destroyer among them).

1978: The United States completes the construction of Stronghold, the worid's first prison designed solely to contain superhuman criminals.
Canada establishes an official superteam, the Northern Guard.
Dark Seraph first appears.
Great Britain passes a law concerning the registration of superhumans.
Scirocco succumbs to mental illness and becomes a supervillainness.

1979: General Lorenco Joao Garrastazu e Silva takes power in Chfquador.
The Slug appears, and nearly succeeds in transforming everyone in New York City into Elder Worms.

1980: The Advanced Research Group changes its name to the Advanced Research Group Enterprises
(ARGENT) as a marketing ploy.
Following an attempt by Dr. Destroyer to conquer the United States using several supervillains as pawns, Congress passes the American Superhuman and Paranormal Registration Act.

1981: The gorilla who will be known as Dr. Silverback is captured by mercenary animal traders in Rwanda and sold to Dr. Phillippe Moreau.
Corazon Valenzuela (Sapphire) is born in Los Angeles.
DEMON lures four superheroes and several UNTIL officers into an ambush, slaughtering them all as a sacrifice to dark underworld gods.
The first Northern Guard team splits up.
Scandal rocks the New Knights of the Round Table, significantly diminishing the group's reputation.

1982: Don "Captain Patriot" Randall dies of a heart attack.
Annette Berkelheimer founds the Institute for Human Advancement (IHA) to champion the cause of "true humans" over mutants and superhumans.

1983: ARGENT is exposed as a criminal organization. Its leaders flee the United States.
All members of Ameriforce One, the United States's superhuman SEAL team, are killed when a Soviet sub they are trying to recover explodes.
Danar Nicole quits the European Parliament in disgust, undergoes the treatments that transform him into the villainous Fiacho, and begins forming Eurostar.

1984: Dr. Phillippe Moreau's experiments in "genetic advancement" have their first, accidental success when he grants superhuman intelligence to the gorilla who will become Dr. Silverback.
The second Gadroon invasion is easily defeated.
Canada forms a second Northern Guard.
Doctor Sebastian Poe founds the Parapsychological Studies Institute (PSI) to study superhuman phenomena.

1985: Mechanon first appears, attempts to destroy humanity with America's nuclear arsenal, and is defeated by the Sentinels.
Doctor Silverback is rescued from Professor Moreau's labs by the New Knights of the Round Table. He is taken in by Dr. Dina Morrison and other employees of Cambridge Biochemical Labs.
The Secret Crisis, a war across space and time involving almost all of the heroes that had ever existed, occurs.

1986: The United States government founds PRIMUS, an anti-supercrime law enforcement agency roughly equivalent to UNTIL.
A terrible industrial accident creates the monstrous Grond.
The French government passes a law requiring the registration of superhumans.
Thomas Cassidy founds SNN, the Super News Network.
Distressed by the growing popularity of cults dedicated to his worship, StarChampion returns to the Dark Side fo the Moon, though he appears occasionaly to team up with other heroes to battle alien invasions, demonic hordes, and other epic scale events.

1987: In a landmark ruling for nonhuman intelligences on Earth, Dr. Silverback wins his independence and legal status as a citizen of the British government.
Andros, Prince Consort of Atlantis, dies in a tragic accident while exploring.
Takofanes the Undying Lord arises in Oklahoma and begins marching toward the East Coast.
After he kills several superheroes who try and stop him at the Mississippi River, a larger group of superhoeroes band together to defeat him in eastern Kentucky.

1988: David Ward (Black Mask lX) retires from adventuring and becomes Police Commissioner of Chicago.
The Chaos-Beast and his horde of reality-warping demonic beings attempt to invade the Earth and are defeated by the Justice Squadron.
Eurostar first appears, releasing its Eurostar Manifesto.
UNTIL founds its own official superteam, UNITY.
The New Knights of the Round Table stop an attack by Samhain, thereby restoring themselves to the public's good graces.

1989: Kristina Pelvanen, formerly the superheroine Rowan, founds the Ravenswood Academy, nominally an ordinary (if highly exclusive private school), but secretly intended primarily to train young superhumans in the proper use of their abilities.
The second Northern Guard team splits up.

1990: Brin Rei Tarn dies. His replacement is the first human Star*Guardian, Andre Almena.
Juan Martinez retires as Secretary-Marshal of UNTIL, and is replaced by Wilhelm Carl Eckhardt.
The Great Stronghold Breakout occurs due to a series of unfortunate mishaps.
The Cottonmouth Incident: Authorities capture the VIPER supervillain Cottonmouth, who reveals much of the inner workings of the organization before being assassinated by his former employers.

1991: Doctor Destroyer launches his artificial island, Destruga, in an attempt to gain statehood. When that scheme fails, he turns toward Hawaii, but is defeated by the combined might of the United States military and American superheroes.
The California Patrol, an informal team of West Coast heroes, is founded.
The German government passes a law requiring the registration of superhumans.

1992: January 23 -The "Battle of Seattle": Dr.Destroyer is defeated battling Earth's superheroes, but activates a device that destroys most of Seattle. Later that year, the American government, several major corporations, and numerous charitable foundations form the Jet City Project to rebuild the city.

1993: As a response to public outcry over the destruction of Seattle, the United States signs the Tribunal Treaty, allowing UNTIL agents to operate freely in American territory.
Black Paladin first appears.
Eurostar launches an invasion of Poland with an army of cloned soldiers created by Teleios, the Perfect Man. Teleios's existence is revealed to the world in the aftermath of the thwarted attack.
Foxbat first appears and attempts to steal the Empire State Building.
Canada forms a third Northern Guard superteam.

1994: Dr.Silverback moves to Jet City to work at the American headquarters of Cambridge Biochem.
The Justice Squadron thwarts an ARGENT-sponsored coup in Guamanga.
Kristine Griswold gains solar energy powers and becomes the superheroine Victory, working for the United States Air Force.
Annette Berkelheimer dies and is replaced as the leader of the IHA by Archer Samuels.
PSI is revealed to be a criminal organization employing supervillains with psionic powers.
Project Sunburst takes place.
The Warlord first appears, and attempts to conquer Vietnam.

1995: Li Chun the Destroyer is accidentally freed in China. After defeating the Tiger Squad in a two-day running battle, he mysteriously disappears.
The United States Army initiates "Project Greenskin" in an attempt to take control of the supervillain Grond; the project fails, leading to a destructive rampage by Grond and the deaths of most of the scientists involved.
The FBI completes the Stalwart powered armor suit, thus giving it an official superhero to supplement its Hostage Rescue Teams.

1996: Jennifer Anne Ward, now a private investigator in Vibora Bay, adopts the identity of Black
Mask X, against her father's wishes (at least at first).
UNTIL completes the construction of its GATEWAY space station.
The "VIPER- Eurostar War" begins in Europe, and lasts until 1998.

1997: Los Defensores de Me'jico (the Mexican Defenders), a Mexican superhero team, disintegrates when several members are implicated in a corruption scandal.
Iron Demon begins fighting crime in the still- under-construction Jet City.
Following the death of his daughter in a New York City superbattle, Senator Phillip Glassman becomes an ardent campaigner against superhumans and a supporter of the IHA.
Black Rose and Amazing Man II re-organize the Sentinels; MeteorMan III chooses to retire from the team.
Daniel James Johnson becomes the Golden Avenger of PRIMUS.

1998: Canada's latest attempt to establish the Northern Guard, a team of official heroes, fails as the team votes to dissolve itself.
Istvatha V'han first attempts, and fails, to conquer Earth's dimension.
Scorpia and Feuermacher murder Professor Muerte, loot and destroy his facilities, and defect from Terror, Inc. to join Eurostar.
The United States Department of Defense reveals Janissary, a superhuman soldier it has succeeded in creating. A program is begun to test the feasability of creating more superhuman soldiers.
Thomas Cassidy launches the SNN Sidekick television network.

1999: Late this year, the rebuilding of Seattle is substantially completed, and the new metropolis is christened Jet City.
Defender becomes a part-time superhero in New York City.
Mark Whitaker (Nighthawk) is injured in a VIPER attack on Detroit City University; inspired by the event, he becomes a crimefighter.
Shugoshin receives his Spirit Swords and begins his crimefighting career in San Francisco.
The San Francisco-based Freedom Patrol suffers a major defeat at the hands of ARGENT.

2000: Dark Seraph and the Crowns of Krim steal a valuable book from a Paris museum, in the process killing 43 UNTIL agents and the French superhero Skydragon.
The Binary Corporation presents Binary Man, its official corporate superhero and representative, to the world. Binary Man begins fighting crime and performing heroic deeds.
Firewing comes to Earth to challenge its superhumans to combat.

2002: Firewing battles Hyperion in London; the fight ends inconclusively, but results in significant property destruction.
A surprising revolt breaks out in the small but relatively stable nation of Djibouti. International calls for action are largely ignored, despite mounting civilian deaths.

2003: Doctor Destroyer launches an assualt on the Djibouti, overwhelming both legitimate and rebel military forces in a matter of hours. Within days he has restored order to the area, and declares himself President for Life. Doctor Destroyer announces that Djibouti will henceforth be known as Mwangamiziland (Swahili, meaning "Destroyerland").

[SKJAM!]

Hmm. How, exactly, did the Silver Avenger keep Seattle "superhero-free?" I'm thinking he'd have to resort to some pretty Draconian methods to achieve that....

"Aww, look at little Billy, in that cape and mask, playing "superhero". Isn't he adorable? Say, isn't that a PRIMUS van? Why are all those agents getting out and pointing guns at Billy? Stop that, you horiible men! Quick, call the police, those men are kidnapping Billy!"

SKJAM!

[jackalope]

Hmm. How, exactly, did the Silver Avenger keep Seattle "superhero-free?" I'm thinking he'd have to resort to some pretty Draconian methods to achieve that....

Basically. Seattle's also a pretty small city (1.1 million), so it's superhuman population would naturally be low, and many of it's native born supers would tend to move towards LA where the supers scene is more signifigant.

In the official material, it mentions that the Seattle's Silver Avenger was very hostile to supers in general, so I decided that he was, in fact, in collusion with IHA/Genocide. Another key member of the conspiracy was Seattle District Attorney Mark Sidran, who managed to get a series of "civility laws" passed that signifigantly broadened the definition of vigilantism (sort of a Chamions version of the draconian anti-homeless and anti-teen ordnances Sidran actually passed), and led to the arrests of Seattle's few superheros. Though most simply chose to give up superheroing or move to more friendly climes. One local hero, a mutant brick named Dwayne Feldman aka The Seattle Sentinal, is still serving time. He leads a superhuman rights activist group from within the prison, and various activist groups (both left and right) consider him a "political prisoner".

PRIMUS was able to deal with the few minor supervillians who came through (Green Dragon frequently works for the heroin importers who use Seatle as a entry point to the US, Ogre used to have family here and so sometimes he wanders around trying to figure out why it's familliar and causes trouble), and VIPEr wasn't horribly active up there until the biotech boom attracted their attention (Dr. Moreau is HQ'd in a VIPER front company in Jet City, poised to take advantage of any stolen biotech).

It wasn't really a problem til PRIMUS tried to take on Destroyer and provoked a fight with him downtown. They pissed him off enough that he blew up their headquarters, and then rampaged unchecked for a good half hour before the first waves of heros from LA arrived, followed by New York's heroes, and so on.

[SKJAM!]

Hmm, are those "civility laws" still on the books, even if not actively being enforced right now? Because if they are, my characters are going nowhere *near* Seattle/Jet City.

[Acroyear]

I don't really care for the Dr. D as rampaging monster style of threat. Might as well use Godzilla if there's no actual tactical need for the action.

[jackalope]

Hmm, are those "civility laws" still on the books, even if not actively being enforced right now? Because if they are, my characters are going nowhere *near* Seattle/Jet City.

No, they are no longer on the books. They were repealed in 1995.

I don't really care for the Dr. D as rampaging monster style of threat. Might as well use Godzilla if there's no actual tactical need for the action.

Normally I'd agree, but I think the good Doctor was having a very bad day, having just recently lost Destruga and just needed to let off steam. He was just stopping off in Seattle to pick up supplies when PRIMUS agents attacked him, and he lost it. Dr. Destroyer doesn't deal with gnats, Doctor Destroyer has the power to level cities! In short, it was a world-conquering meglomaniac version of a temper tantrum.

[Acroyear]

I'd give it more oomf. Even secret oomf.

Some college kid figured out how to recreate Destreum or something. He could just bump off the kid, but then people would look into it, see what kind of files he's accessed on the net (world over) etc. This way here, Joe Kid is dead and no one even thinks to investigate his library record or what he's been looking at over the net/in other places. Since he's the one who took multiple sources and came up with the formula, no one else is any the wiser.

So Dr. D has to take out the kid, he leaks info to the authorities that he's (in the area getting supplies) and uses the battle to cover up that one, well placed shot "oops, missed that Primus APC" that destroys Joe Kid, his dorm room, and his computer & records. Boom.

There, now Dr. D is true to himself using smoke (and explosions) and mirrors to hide his true goals, protect himself (and his inventions) and so forth instead of just having a hissy fit or being a random city eating monster. Everyone can suspect his blatant actions were a distraction from something, but with that kind of damage and such... they'd never be able to put the pieces together. All they have is that terrible knowledge that he must have accomplished something.

[jackalope]

I'd give it more oomf. Even secret oomf.

That's not a bad idea. Not really an essential issue though. If the question of why Dr. D destroyed Seattle ever comes up, I'll make sure the answer is something more than "Bad Hair Day".

[PoorWandering 1]

So how is Sudi Arabia/US reacting to destroyer land. It looks like a godsend of an enemy in an election year. The Dr. may be good but he can only be in at most a few places at the same time. I could see the Dr. becoming a major target in the 'war on terror'. Think about it the US will not allow Dr. D to threaten the Gulf. Djbooti is in a near perfect position to do just that. A cynic could say that is why there are major US military bases in that tiny country. Btw what happened to those bases? I smell a gulf of Tonkin/remember the Maine sort of thing going on.

[PoorWandering 1]

Hmmmm. We have a dictator of a small-yet oil important mid-east country who personally destroyes/devistated a major US city. I think the only real question would be whether to use air/sea power to flatten the country or to move land forces from the Saudi bases.
Hmmm Roleplaying is strange in Bush doctrine post sept 11 america.

[bblackmoor]

JET CITY CHAMPIONS HOUSE RULES

I wish you luck with your game, but personally, that's about ten thousand times as many house rules as I or anyone I know would put up with. That's excessive even by the Monk-Unger scale.

I mean ... geez, man, that's just insane.

[bblackmoor]

JET CITY CHAMPIONS TIMELINE

Some fun stuff here: I've always loved timelines.

You might have gone into too much detail, if you intend any of this to serve as backstory for your game. For example, is it relevant to either your game or to your setting as a whole when Sherlock Holmes met Dr. Watson? That sort of thing is what I mean by "too much detail": if it doesn't matter to the game, and if the typical person on the street doesn't know it, you'd be better off keeping it in your GM notebook until someone specifically looks into it. If you overload the players with trivia, they won't pay attention to what's important, and your effort will have been wasted.

[PoorWandering 1]

If you overload the players with trivia, they won't pay attention to what's important, and your effort will have been wasted.[/QUOTE]


They may also wander into unintended socio-political sidelines.