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Phantom GM's Challenge: END OF THE WORLD! Scenarios for CHAMPIONS


PhantomGM2602

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Greetings Heroes and Heroines of Champions!

The Phantom GM spooking to you with a challenge for your super PCs in your campaign.

recently I've been studying the RPGs by Fantasy Flight games, the makers of the STAR WARS RPG books currently on sale. This game is called  THE END OF THE WORLD, rpgs in which your PCs face many apocalyspe events threatening the world at large ,the objective is to [a] fight the forces with active resistance till you beat it back and mankind survives or the event happens and you survive the aftermath with either your souls intact or changed by the event. There are three books detailing the events in different modes;

 WRATH OF THE GODS : The Earth is under assault by [1] Nature run wild[GAEA'S Revenge], [2] The Gods of Norse myth[RAGNAROK]

[3]The monster God of the Mayans[RETURN OF QUETZALCOATAL],events as foretold by the BIBLE [ REVELATION],And the creatures from the Cthulu Mythos[THAT IS NOT DEAD]  

 

ALIEN INVASION: Yes, your classic invasion from space scenarios including:

The little green[or grey ]men from Mars AND their enemies the Red monsters from beyond. [WAR BETWEEN WORLDS]

The Reptillian aliens from ancient times [bROTHERHOOD OF BABYLON]

Remember the plant creatures from INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS?[VISAGES]

Assault by giant insects [Ants to be exact] [sKITTER]

How about the ancient forces of Atlantis?[RISING TIDES]

 

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE : Ahh yes! who can forget the old standby from many classic movies and TV shows [WALKING DEAD anyone?]

We have your classic zombie attack influenced  by voodoo possession [iT ENDS WITH A WHISPER]

OR being rejected from the underworld [NO ROOM IN HELL]

OR a radioactive meteorite[NIGHT OF THE METEOR]

OR A parasite underground [uNDER THE SKIN]

OR an outright pandemic[PANDEMIC]

So Here's the Phantom's Challenge; since these three RPG books are available at your local bookstore or library, Study theme and apply these scenarios to your campaign. give your heroes a challenge.

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And you want ideas? Hows about Bio-Harm (a generically enginered disease strikes the Earth, and there may be no cure)? The Cure (a vaccine for AIDS has an extremely contagious and lethal side effects)? The Hivemind Flu (a mad scientist creates a disease which allowes him to mind control the population)?

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"Have you come to kill me?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Thank God."

 

The condemned man shuffles over to an open safe pulling out several leather bound log books and stacking them on the immaculate mahogany desk.  "I kept it all.  Much as I could, at least.  Not just my work, but Kirkland's and Smith's even some of White's."  Seemingly exhausted he slumps into the leather executive chair.  "It all seemed so simple then.  We were trying to build a better world, or at least that's what we told ourselves."  He snorts ruefully, "In all the history of the world was there ever a peacnik who could say no to a 'Defense Contract' to actually promote peace?"  He sighs heavily something catching in his throat starting a small coughing fit.  "We didn't see it...We didn't see because we didn't want to see."  He shakes his head starring at the ceiling remembering things not quite as they were.  "If you could see the good that we did."  Coughing again wet and hacking.  "Only fair, or at least poetic."  He turns to his killer with frantic eyes, "You must listen.  There is a cure.  Call it vestigial conscience, but Kirkland and I when we realized... Take the journals, it's in there I know it is.  We were so close, so close."

 

Thus died the creator the zombie plague.  Originally a "psychiatric preventative like fluoride for your teeth" compound PT-137 was a stable water soluble tasteless, odorless psychotropic drug designed as a non-toxic mood leveler.  No more sinister than people choosing to live near lithium springs and significantly less dangerous.  Or so they thought.  In all of the multiple animal and human trials there were no discernible health risks or cognizable side effects.  The law of large numbers, however, will always have its due.  Like all too many half backed ideas in those days some bureaucrat or executive took a portion of data (or all too often not) decided "Yep that'll get 'er done!" and instituted a nationwide policy.  In this case, the immediate infiltration of PT-137 in all of the freshwater systems in the United States.

 

We now know that in at least .1% of people PT-137 has the inverse effect.  Rather than leveling mood, it subjects it victims to a constant state of terrifying arousal, a persistent adrenal overload enhancing physical strength, dulling pain, absolutely preventing rational thought and imposing maniacal paroxysms of boundless violent rage.  Virtually the entire water table of the United States is contaminated with PT-137, prompting the usual "Just Us" problems as the preferred elite sequestered all known reserves of uncontaminated spring water leading to general civil break down on top of the zombie plague.  We have also learned that the .1% are only those that have near immediate reactions to PT-137.  In the weeks and months since the outbreak of the zombie plague more people have succumbed perhaps as their tissues become saturated with the contaminant.  Such scientists who survived the purges and still have access to equipment are no doubt frantically searching for the mechanism behind this "second plague."

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I've had a couple of apocalyptic events in mind based on elements in the Champions Universe that I wanted to run; but frankly, I'm unlikely to have the opportunity for the foreseeable future, so I might as well share them here.

 

In the first case, the official villain Kigatilik is a terrible god or demon of winter night from the high Arctic, who desires to torment humans with cold and darkness, and ultimately to turn the Earth into a lifeless ball of ice. He's been trapped for decades in a dimension called the Frost Tomb, but has been stirring in recent years. (See Champions Villains Vol. 1.) At nearly the opposite end of the world, Eclipsar is a supernatural entity from the pre-Columbian Andean region of South America, wielding devastating shadow powers, who hates the Sun and wants to extinguish it, either directly or by ending what she believes is its spiritual sustenance, the lives of every human on Earth. (You'll find her in CV Vol. 3.)

 

I was struck by the similarities in nature, powers, and motivations of these two beings, such that a team-up appeared easy to justify. Essentially, I would have Eclipsar sense Kigatilik's efforts to free himself, and journey to the North to add her power in opening the Frost Tomb. From there she would lead him to the heart of Antarctica during the dead of the continent's winter and months-long night, where their powers would be even greater than normally. Combining their might, Kigatilik and Eclipsar would bring unending cold and darkness across the whole planet, capable of ending all life if not halted in time.

 

PC heroes would have to trace these extreme conditions to their source, and assault the two mega-villains. I would have Eclipsar and Kigatilik raise a great fortress of ice the heroes would have to penetrate. The villains might be rendered more vulnerable by having to tie up much of their strength in holding cold and darkness over the Earth, making them easier for less-powerful heroes to defeat; or perhaps their world-ending spell can be disrupted without beating the villains themselves. OTOH they could have summoned supernatural creatures of similar nature to protect them and fight for them, adjusting the climactic battle for more powerful PCs. (Champions/Hero System materials offer a number of likely candidates.)

 

If a GM wants to make this into a more extended story arc, Kigatilik and Eclipsar could have released monsters of cold and darkness across the world to keep superheroes occupied elsewhere. Or perhaps existing villains with such powers would find them greatly enhanced as winter night falls across the globe. One could also play out the growing consequences of the extended radical environmental change: people in normally warmer regions without adequate shelter; crops and animals dying; potable water sources freezing; and mobs of panicking people to control.

 

It's a little late for me to start describing the second scenario; if there's interest I'll add it later. :)

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And you want ideas? Hows about Bio-Harm (a generically enginered disease strikes the Earth, and there may be no cure)? The Cure (a vaccine for AIDS has an extremely contagious and lethal side effects)? The Hivemind Flu (a mad scientist creates a disease which allowes him to mind control the population)?

If I were a GM i'd put those ideas under PANDEMIC as a scenario for your superheroes.

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How about this for a Pandemic scenario -- have the PCs deal with a virus which only affects metahumans (like the Legacy Virus

from the X-Men comics), but which has only just started to appear within the superhuman community. The PCs would be in the

position of having to rush to create or find a cure (or vaccine) for the meta-plague before it wipes out Earth's superbeings. As

an added twist, the meta-plague virus could be a ploy of an alien race that wants to invade Earth, but doesn't want to incur the

massive casualties on their side which would result from a confrontation with Earth's metahumans, so they develop a virus that

only attacks that particular segment of the planet's population (which also allows the GM to use the Alien Invasion scenario as

well as the Pandemic one).

 

 

Major Tom 2009 :eg:

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How about this for a Pandemic scenario -- have the PCs deal with a virus which only affects metahumans (like the Legacy Virus

from the X-Men comics), but which has only just started to appear within the superhuman community. The PCs would be in the

position of having to rush to create or find a cure (or vaccine) for the meta-plague before it wipes out Earth's superbeings. As

an added twist, the meta-plague virus could be a ploy of an alien race that wants to invade Earth, but doesn't want to incur the

massive casualties on their side which would result from a confrontation with Earth's metahumans, so they develop a virus that

only attacks that particular segment of the planet's population (which also allows the GM to use the Alien Invasion scenario as

well as the Pandemic one).

 

 

Major Tom 2009 :eg:

NOW that's what I call using a scenario by combining the two!

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"Have you come to kill me?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Thank God."

 

The condemned man shuffles over to an open safe pulling out several leather bound log books and stacking them on the immaculate mahogany desk.  "I kept it all.  Much as I could, at least.  Not just my work, but Kirkland's and Smith's even some of White's."  Seemingly exhausted he slumps into the leather executive chair.  "It all seemed so simple then.  We were trying to build a better world, or at least that's what we told ourselves."  He snorts ruefully, "In all the history of the world was there ever a peacnik who could say no to a 'Defense Contract' to actually promote peace?"  He sighs heavily something catching in his throat starting a small coughing fit.  "We didn't see it...We didn't see because we didn't want to see."  He shakes his head starring at the ceiling remembering things not quite as they were.  "If you could see the good that we did."  Coughing again wet and hacking.  "Only fair, or at least poetic."  He turns to his killer with frantic eyes, "You must listen.  There is a cure.  Call it vestigial conscience, but Kirkland and I when we realized... Take the journals, it's in there I know it is.  We were so close, so close."

 

Thus died the creator the zombie plague.  Originally a "psychiatric preventative like fluoride for your teeth" compound PT-137 was a stable water soluble tasteless, odorless psychotropic drug designed as a non-toxic mood leveler.  No more sinister than people choosing to live near lithium springs and significantly less dangerous.  Or so they thought.  In all of the multiple animal and human trials there were no discernible health risks or cognizable side effects.  The law of large numbers, however, will always have its due.  Like all too many half backed ideas in those days some bureaucrat or executive took a portion of data (or all too often not) decided "Yep that'll get 'er done!" and instituted a nationwide policy.  In this case, the immediate infiltration of PT-137 in all of the freshwater systems in the United States.

 

We now know that in at least .1% of people PT-137 has the inverse effect.  Rather than leveling mood, it subjects it victims to a constant state of terrifying arousal, a persistent adrenal overload enhancing physical strength, dulling pain, absolutely preventing rational thought and imposing maniacal paroxysms of boundless violent rage.  Virtually the entire water table of the United States is contaminated with PT-137, prompting the usual "Just Us" problems as the preferred elite sequestered all known reserves of uncontaminated spring water leading to general civil break down on top of the zombie plague.  We have also learned that the .1% are only those that have near immediate reactions to PT-137.  In the weeks and months since the outbreak of the zombie plague more people have succumbed perhaps as their tissues become saturated with the contaminant.  Such scientists who survived the purges and still have access to equipment are no doubt frantically searching for the mechanism behind this "second plague."

OH YEAHHH! Now that's what I'm talking about! So Where do the heroes come in?

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WRATH OF THE GODS: GAIA'S REVENGE!

 

SYNOPSIS: It was an ordinary day in the world, you were on your job getting everything done so you can get home and be with your family.

Suddenly you sensed something wrong around you,animals and birds started going berserk,plants started growing at an unusual rate,docile pets suddenly attack their owners causing chaos and confusion. On top of this whole craziness,the cities of the world[including your campaign city] is being buffeted by unnatural storms striking at buildings, streets and vehicles. It's as if Nature has risen up against mankind and it seems there nothing we can do about it. Worse some of your campaign's PCs who may have magical connections with the earth are suffering in it's throes of insanity. It's up to your heroes to solve this mystery before it becomes widespread! 

AFTERMATH:

Ten years later despite the efforts of the superheroes and some villians,the rampage of nature has placed man's civilization into ruin,all technologies and transportation has been swept away except in pockets of civilization in the form of hidden cities powered by clean energies in which all superhumans are safely placed there to insure survival.  Many treked the many miles to get to the hidden cities for a touch of civilization while others are content to make out a simple life in a idylliac Eden,Farming and hunting for food in the form of animals that went wild, IN short man is starting all over again.

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  • 3 weeks later...

THE RED TWILIGHT: A large object -- believed to be an asteroid somehow jarred loose from its position in the

Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter -- is suddenly detected less than a day away from a collision course

with Earth. While desperate plans are made in an attempt to divert the object from its course, the unexpected

explosion of the object into two seperate pieces -- each of which will pass the Earth to either side by thousands

of miles -- takes place, causing the world's population to rejoice over the near miss, a joy which proves to be

premature.

 

Just before both halves of the object reach the halfway point of their path past the Earth, both emit a blinding

red flash of light; virtually all of Asia and Europe is exposed to the light, while only the coastal regions of North

and South America are affected. The effect that the red light has upon the global population is catastrophic,

to say the least: everyone who was outside at the time of the red flash immediately perish, either where they

stand or in whatever vehicle they happened to be in at the time. Those who were inside their homes asleep

at the time of the flash -- but were still exposed to the red light -- also die, but return to a kind of pseudo-life

hours later; their oozing, blood-covered appearance and a mindless need to infect others with an identical

condition earns these poor unfortunates the name of Blood Zombies. Only those who were in their homes

asleep, with the blinds and shutters of their homes closed, survived the red flash unharmed.

 

The military forces of the various nations suffered much the same fate as their countrymen, with the survivors

falling into the same categories as the civilian population. The naval forces of the world's nations were the

least affected by the disaster, as only those who died aboard the various warships were those on the bridges

or outside on the decks at the time of the red flash; the majority of the crews were deep inside the hulls of

the ships, with their portholes closed. The submarine forces were the only units to avoid fatalities, as they

were mostly submerged at the time; only if an officer or other crewmember had been looking through a peri-

scope at the time would they have been killed as a result.

 

The metahuman community was least affected by the event, as most of them -- whether individually or in

groups -- were either inside their headquarters or had powers which protected them from the effects of

the flash. The only ones to die were the so-called "super normals" -- those such as masked vigilantes

who had no superpowers of their own, but who were very highly-trained to compensate for the lack of

such powers. This proved to be very fortuitous, as the metahumans became an important part of the

worldwide recovery efforts.

 

The red flash -- and the deaths of over 80% of the planet's population which were caused by it -- soon gained

a name, one which originated in the United States and was soon in use throughout the world: the Red Twilight.

 

Recovery efforts are underway throughout the entire planet, with the major nations giving aid to their less-

fortunate neighbors wherever possible; military efforts in this regard are focused on protecting the relief

workers from attacks by large gatherings of Blood Zombies. Roving groups of metahumans also provide

protection from such attacks as well; those who have members with medical and/or scientific backgrounds

are involved with the ongoing efforts to find a way to reverse -- and thus eradicate -- the cause of the

Blood Zombie plague.

 

 

Major Tom 2009 :cool:

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It's a little late for me to start describing the second scenario; if there's interest I'll add it later. :)

 

Phantom, for this thread do you want us to stay just within the parameters described in your first post? My other scenario doesn't quite fit those -- it's more of a cosmic end-of-the-whole-universe plot, also based on Champions Universe material.

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Phantom, for this thread do you want us to stay just within the parameters described in your first post? My other scenario doesn't quite fit those -- it's more of a cosmic end-of-the-whole-universe plot, also based on Champions Universe material.

Like I said you can adapt these scenarios to the Champions game. That means you can adjust it to your campaign .

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  • 3 months later...

The Return Of Quetzalcoatl Confronts the  the heroes With an unique apocalyptic  scenario in which the nature of the threats facing the Champions universe and the allies attempting to save it are blurred at best. Disasters wreak havoc  across the Earth while violent warriors from the past reappear as guardians of monumental temples. Weirdest of all ,a meteor brings with it an giant winged serpent. but is this being an alien or a god ,a friend or foe? 

Soon ,scholars,armchair archaeologists, and New Age Spiritualists  all identify both the warriors and the temples as being of the Ancient Maya dating from the Classic period and the 

serpent as the god  Quetzalcoatl. For some, like the Circle, this provides further reason to trust them, while others like the CIA, the KGB, PRIMUS,UNTIL, and others,only become more suspicious  and distrusting,not to mention outright hostile. Of course, a lot of people  have trouble accepting the existence of feathered serpent-god so there's some Cognitive dissonance going on.

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