Chronology, Continuity, Comics and Champions

**Supreme** · Feb 13th, '03, 04:24 PM

Anyone ever been tempted to play out a retcon? Do a Crisis on Infinite Earths game?

***Hermit*** · Feb 13th, '03, 04:28 PM

VERY tempted.

I am considering explaining the seemingly abrupt change in the Champions Universe (4th to 5th) by running the "Secret Crisis" mentioned in CU 5th. I envision some sort of sacrifice of some heroes own personal destinies to make the 'survival of the multiverse' possible

**Mutant for Hire** · Feb 13th, '03, 05:58 PM

There are a bunch of reasons that Marvel and DC characters don't age, none of which apply to a superhero campaign. Personally, I like the idea of superheroes having a shelf-life and then going off and retiring.

It allows for all sorts of things with new champions characters like having one or both of their parents be retired superheroes. Makes for some great roleplaying opportunities, as well as allowing for inherited enemies. Old geezers saying that this young pup isn't a patch on the hero's grandfather, now there was a real hero...

**lemming** · Feb 13th, '03, 06:15 PM

Sam Bell and I once did a massive retcon on the shared Universe we had. We wound up retconning some teams back a few years and this timeline was a result.

It wasn't kept up (my fault) after that last entry in '88.

**MisterVimes** · Feb 13th, '03, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by Supreme
Anyone ever been tempted to play out a retcon? Do a Crisis on Infinite Earths game?

Doneit. Combined Four seperate campaign (under three GMs) into one campaign world. Only one Universe could survive as the Chronovore ate time from the beginning. When the Heroes from many worlds (different sessions with each of us playing mixed teams from different campaigns) stopped the Chronovore. When it was done, the final team of Heroes had to sacrifice themselves at the Heart of time to jump start the universe...

I was pretty proud.

**MisterVimes** · Feb 13th, '03, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by lemming
Sam Bell and I once did a massive retcon on the shared Universe we had. We wound up retconning some teams back a few years and this timeline was a result.

It wasn't kept up (my fault) after that last entry in '88.

*Stolen for my own evil purposes*

**lemming** · Feb 13th, '03, 07:09 PM

Originally posted by MisterVimes
*Stolen for my own evil purposes*

Mwa ha ha! They've taken the bait!!!

damn. I'm shouting out loud to myself again.

**Agent X** · Feb 13th, '03, 07:44 PM

We have had a very stable gaming group that has even had players return from out of state multiple times! There are five core players who have been gaming together for 13 years and 3 of those have been gaming for 17 years. Another "latecomer" has been gaming with us for about 7 years. Other players come and go but we have remarkable stability, probably because the game is secondary to our friendships.

As for Crisis, we only recently had a time-shifting event that has permanently altered our universe. It was, of course, played out and we still haven't returned to the game to see what has changed. This is not a retcon with an excuse. This was a time travel story that exploded in the players' faces! And for some reason we are all very enthusiastic to see what has changed.

**st barbara** · Feb 13th, '03, 11:28 PM

Interesting thoughts. I must admit that I hadn't thought much about the ageing process with regards to characters. I suppose that I should have. "St Barbara" was eighteen when the game first started but without asking the referee I can't be certain how much time has passed, particularly as we are "off dimension" so I can't be sure how old Pia is in "Earth prime" as our ref refers to it. (In case I didn't mention it earlier, Pia Elfstrom is "St Barbara's" real name). I assume that we have been playing for a year, maybe two, in "game time' so I suppose that she is about twenty ? (She still looks about fifteen or sixteen however!)

***Hermit*** · Feb 14th, '03, 12:53 AM

Originally posted by MisterVimes
I do that... Heh. Suck it up Man! Wear a Helmet, carry weapons... Hire bodyguards... GM via sattalite!

or not...

Let me guess, you find you can bear my endangerment with great fortitude?

**Thirdbase** · Feb 14th, '03, 01:00 AM

The group I belong to uses a single calendar, that has no bearing on the current date. This can cause problems, because I believe at one time there was 4 separate campaigns with 4 GMs operating on 4 different dates.

What ussually happens is at the end of a major storyline, a large period of time passes, bringing the campaign up to the current date, and new characters come and go.

**Tom McCarthy** · Feb 14th, '03, 06:24 AM

We played out Wings of the Valkyrie recently (a time travel adventure in which time changes, then is changed back). I've used it to retcon some things (a player who moved away, new team name, Millennium City, etc.).

**MisterVimes** · Feb 14th, '03, 06:43 AM

Originally posted by Hermit
Let me guess, you find you can bear my endangerment with great fortitude?

Yes... I'm willing to sacrifice you for the greater good

**MisterVimes** · Feb 14th, '03, 06:44 AM

Originally posted by Tom McCarthy
We played out Wings of the Valkyrie recently (a time travel adventure in which time changes, then is changed back). I've used it to retcon some things (a player who moved away, new team name, Millennium City, etc.).

What I wouldn't give for a copy of that module. I saw it ONCE at Lou Zocci's booth at Dragon*Con in the late 80's... I should've grabbed it.

**Jhamin** · Feb 14th, '03, 06:56 AM

Originally posted by Supreme
Anyone ever been tempted to play out a retcon? Do a Crisis on Infinite Earths game?

Just did it. When I converted from 4th to FREd I had the Despoiler damage the Keystone of Reality in the Outback. His entropic powers were vastly increased as the universe unraveled, but an alliance of heros and villians were able to contain him (with a little help from Mrs. Miegs from Horror Enemies)

The real fun was the jockeying for supremacy by various cosmic forces while the crystal healed. The heroes eventually got things mostly back in the right place by the end. There are just a few hiccups, like Millenium City, the new (CKC inspired) rosters of a few teams, and the return of a couple enemies they thought gone for good.

It was great fun. My players have also demanded a temporary moratorium on time and dimension travel stories.