Champions Villain (Volume) 4: Organizations; What Do You Expect Out Of This?

[death tribble]

Where exactly does it say that this book is being produced or planned ?

[Nothere]

The Cable? Never heard of that one. Where are they from?

[steriaca]

The Cable? Never heard of that one. Where are they from?

They are mentioned in Champions Universe 6ed, but there are no write ups on them.

 

Let me do some search fu on my electronic copy...in suspecting a spelling error somewhere, but you should know me by now...

 

...still waiting for it to download to my phone...man, you got to love cell phones...

 

...55%...won't be long now...

 

...the Cabal...perhaps that is what I mean...thugs do work for TimeWarrner and Comcast...

 

Got it. The Cabal. Page 9 and Page 20 in Champions Universe 6ed. Formed publicly after the suppose of death of Professor James Moriarty. On page 20 it states "1891: Sherlock Homes 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." 

 

There is no proof that they still exist, but there is no proof that they are gone either. It would be something if the group was still around and lead by a certain professor and cournal (who somehow regained the leadership of said group at a later date...)

[Lord Liaden]

I don't own Masterminds And Madmen for Hero's pulp line, but The Ultimate Index lists the Cabal as mentioned on p. 67 of that book, implying it survived at least into the pulp era. Maybe someone who owns the book could track it down?

[Lord Liaden]

Where exactly does it say that this book is being produced or planned ?

 

https://highrockpress.com/blogs/news/high-rock-press-production-schedule-2

 

Scroll down to "2018 Q2."

[Nothere]

O.k. I do have Masterminds and Madmen so to answer my own question..

 

The Cabal founded in 1845 and in 1854 restructured itself to a total of 13 members at the top. Though during the pulp era they were down to only seven members. Origianally three Hudson City powerbrokers Shipping magnate Harrison Delmar, broker Charles Horton, and Industrialist Vincent Grove. They organized to plot criminal activites to augment their buisnesses. As membership expanded the leaders formed a club called the Elite. Infighting led to the restructuring of 1854. Their most notable activity during this period was the destruction of a Cavalry post and framing the Indians. Which proved to be a mistake as they failed to kill fort commander Major Lazarus Adams who would spend the next several years destroying their schemes. As of 1935 the Cabal was at a low ebb ground force wise, with the Elite Club at only half strength and them only able to keep a small group of trained fighters on call, and have to wait for them to recruit more men for any large scale operation. However their finances and political power were at a high ebb.

 

The Cabal isn't really interested in world conquest. Though they do like to manipulate world events from behind the scenes. They are mainly interested only in increasing their own wealth by any means neccasary. So the question becomes the Cabal in a champions supplement, or more of a Dark Champions supplement?

[death tribble]

https://highrockpress.com/blogs/news/high-rock-press-production-schedule-2

 

Scroll down to "2018 Q2."

Aha !

 

Many thanks.

 

The Strike Force Organisation book is also of interest.

[steriaca]

O.k. I do have Masterminds and Madmen so to answer my own question..

 

The Cabal founded in 1845 and in 1854 restructured itself to a total of 13 members at the top. Though during the pulp era they were down to only seven members. Origianally three Hudson City powerbrokers Shipping magnate Harrison Delmar, broker Charles Horton, and Industrialist Vincent Grove. They organized to plot criminal activites to augment their buisnesses. As membership expanded the leaders formed a club called the Elite. Infighting led to the restructuring of 1854. Their most notable activity during this period was the destruction of a Cavalry post and framing the Indians. Which proved to be a mistake as they failed to kill fort commander Major Lazarus Adams who would spend the next several years destroying their schemes. As of 1935 the Cabal was at a low ebb ground force wise, with the Elite Club at only half strength and them only able to keep a small group of trained fighters on call, and have to wait for them to recruit more men for any large scale operation. However their finances and political power were at a high ebb.

 

The Cabal isn't really interested in world conquest. Though they do like to manipulate world events from behind the scenes. They are mainly interested only in increasing their own wealth by any means neccasary. So the question becomes the Cabal in a champions supplement, or more of a Dark Champions supplement?

That would depend on who the current heads are right now, The Elite. I myself would love for at least six of them being six public domain villains from litterture, but that may not be likely. As for there scope, I would say "Pulp Hero", street level Champions and Dark Champions. But man, how many hero's can actually say they survived a game if wits with Professor Moreity?

[steriaca]

I expect this book to have a good mix of agent characters. Some who work well in street level and Dark Champions campaigns, some which would be a force for a standard Champions campaigns, and even a high level agents for a high level Champions or Galatic Champions campaigns. The level of detail should be just enough for an average gm to run it in a campaign.

[BoloOfEarth]

Speaking of agent characters, this book would be a good place to include some suggestions / alternate rules for running agents in combat.  I use my own Mass Combat rules, lumping groups of agents into one "character," to streamline combat. I'm sure there are other ways to run agents more efficiently as well.

[DShomshak]

Just in the interests of completeness: The possibilities also include several organizations I mentioned briefly in The Mystic World, such as the Chunhu and the Magambo, or all the various cults of the Dragon. But I would not expect to see such "fringe elements" developed further in CV4 when the CU already has so many better-known groups.

 

I'd list VIPER, DEMON, ARGENT and the IHA as the most likely inclusions and to fill most of the book. Maybe brief treatments of a few of the less-well-known organizations.

 

One thing I'd like for the "new" 6th ed. VIPER: Don't specify who (or what) is the actual power behind it. Give a few options, perhaps with a short discussion of how to choose a "secret master" -- if any, it could in fact be an entirely human organization -- and how to make it matter for your campaign.

 

Dean Shomshak

[steriaca]

 

One thing I'd like for the "new" 6th ed. VIPER: Don't specify who (or what) is the actual power behind it. Give a few options, perhaps with a short discussion of how to choose a "secret master" -- if any, it could in fact be an entirely human organization -- and how to make it matter for your campaign.

 

Dean Shomshak

Dean, you know the Sepream Serpent is human, right? Oh...I get it...Nambu the Smartest Snake In The World.

 

Man, I waisted my post.

[Lord Liaden]

Just in the interests of completeness: The possibilities also include several organizations I mentioned briefly in The Mystic World, such as the Chunhu and the Magambo, or all the various cults of the Dragon. But I would not expect to see such "fringe elements" developed further in CV4 when the CU already has so many better-known groups.

 

From the High Rock Press production schedule announcement: "Champions Villains Four: Organizations will include brief chapters on such well-known groups as VIPER and DEMON, as well as a variety of new evil organizations contributed by the very best in Champions authors!" I happen to have heard that one of our forum colleagues has been tapped to write up a group from his own campaign to be included in this book. It sounds like the focus of CV4 will be more the detailing of new organizations than revisiting those already well documented in published source books. If so, any of your mystic groups would be at least possible, Dean. Perhaps you should let Jason Walters know if you'd be interested in tackling any of them.

 

I'm still hoping that the definition of "new" will include the IHA and ARGENT, since neither of them has received dedicated book treatment to date.

[Opale]

A book detailing VIPER, DEMON, ARGENT, PRIMUS, will be at least 600 pages heavy.

 

Plus, if you include "minor" organizations like CLOWN, GRAB, DEATHSTROKE, etc

 

Or am I misunderstanding the purpose of such a book ?

 

Opale, pondering her own weight for next summer

[TheQuestionMan]

I expect sample Super Agents and organizational structures of Organizations. 

 

I expect Campaign and Adventure ideas that dwarf everything before it. 

 

I expect multiple Authors for each Organization. To add their flavour to the game. 

 

Last, but not least I expect it to be hard work, but fun!. 

 

QM

[Lord Liaden]

A book detailing VIPER, DEMON, ARGENT, PRIMUS, will be at least 600 pages heavy.

 

Plus, if you include "minor" organizations like CLOWN, GRAB, DEATHSTROKE, etc

 

Or am I misunderstanding the purpose of such a book ?

 

Opale, pondering her own weight for next summer

 

Please note that the High Rock Press announcement specified, "brief chapters on such well-known groups as VIPER and DEMON." I suspect we'll be getting updates on what those groups have been up to since their source books were published, not all-new treatments. Whatever other organizations are included in CV4 may be on the order of what we got in Cops, Crews, And Cabals, i.e. ten to fifteen pages each. I also would not expect to see the likes of GRAB or Deathstroke here, since they're already in CV 2. Nor do I think we'll see PRIMUS or any other "good-guy" orgs, since this book is in the Villains series.

[steriaca]

A book detailing VIPER, DEMON, ARGENT, PRIMUS, will be at least 600 pages heavy.

 

Plus, if you include "minor" organizations like CLOWN, GRAB, DEATHSTROKE, etc

 

Or am I misunderstanding the purpose of such a book ?

 

Opale, pondering her own weight for next summer

GRAB and DEATHSTROKE are supervillain teams, not organizations. You want more information? Then buy Champions Villain Volume 2.

 

VIPER and DEMON he have there own 5th edition book. While I would love to see both updated, we might not get deeper than the standard agents.

[Spence]

I already have enough information on the big bads like Viper or Demon and so on. 

 

I'd like to see the books have several "usable" organizations from street level Tongs/Yakusa style organizations that employ supervillains in their ranks to actual full fledged organizations where the Villains employ mooks. 

 

By useful I mean not having ironclad purposes/intents/plans for the organizations.  One thing that, in my opinion, Hero suffered from, was too much detail in the plot/motivation department.   An organization whose history and plans are more vague to facilitate being easily inserted into a home campaign.  

 

I have dead paper of pretty much everything and e-copies of everything else so I can Viper all to.  Or CLOWN. Or Demon and so on. 

 

Some new detailed in organization, equipment, members, bases and logistics but sparse on major plot direction would be great.   The more detailed the plot the more threads have to be untied before adding it into your own world. 

[steriaca]

I believe DEMON 5th/6th was such a group which Spence is talking about. Besides being too focused upon 2012, there wasn't much in the ways of any other plans.

 

For street level organization, there are Card Shark, the Cabal, and while RAVEN is not on the streets (unless it is the streets of Rio), they do have mostly normals for agents.

[Ninja-Bear]

I would like to see Cult of the Red Banner in detail. And in my own games, Iron has his own criminal organization that indirectly benefits Red Banner.

[Ninja-Bear]

I already have enough information on the big bads like Viper or Demon and so on.

 

I'd like to see the books have several "usable" organizations from street level Tongs/Yakusa style organizations that employ supervillains in their ranks to actual full fledged organizations where the Villains employ mooks.

 

By useful I mean not having ironclad purposes/intents/plans for the organizations. One thing that, in my opinion, Hero suffered from, was too much detail in the plot/motivation department. An organization whose history and plans are more vague to facilitate being easily inserted into a home campaign.

 

I have dead paper of pretty much everything and e-copies of everything else so I can Viper all to. Or CLOWN. Or Demon and so on.

 

Some new detailed in organization, equipment, members, bases and logistics but sparse on major plot direction would be great. The more detailed the plot the more threads have to be untied before adding it into your own world.

That's why I like and use the original VIPER. I don't like this serpent lantern buiseness. I like that its generic enough and with the rational of any for power, i could justify any varient of Nest. Standard goons? Check. VIPER martial artists/ ninjas? Check. Even if I needed mystics, I could see that too.

[Lord Liaden]

I would like to see Cult of the Red Banner in detail. And in my own games, Iron has his own criminal organization that indirectly benefits Red Banner.

 

You can in fact see the Cult of the Red Banner in pretty substantial detail, including Iron's own criminal organization: http://www.herogames.com/forums/store/product/550-martial-enemies-vol-2-the-cult-of-the-red-banner-pdf/

[Lord Liaden]

That's why I like and use the original VIPER. I don't like this serpent lantern buiseness. I like that its generic enough and with the rational of any for power, i could justify any varient of Nest. Standard goons? Check. VIPER martial artists/ ninjas? Check. Even if I needed mystics, I could see that too.

 

Well, the 5E VIPER has all of those things too. Nama, the godlike entity who sponsored the creation of VIPER, has almost nothing to do with its operations. VIPER's leaders follow their own agenda, not his.

[steriaca]

Well, the 5E VIPER has all of those things too. Nama, the godlike entity who sponsored the creation of VIPER, has almost nothing to do with its operations. VIPER's leaders follow their own agenda, not his.

Nama mostly hibernates. How else can you explain why not everyone is in Nana's belly. Unless they are...You know how slow snakes digest there food.

[steriaca]

I would like to see a group which operates in the seven seas. A criminal salvage and pirate organization.