Pittsburgh: City of Champions

[SCUBA Hero]

10 hours ago, Scott Ruggels said:

Tying things in with the Champions Universe continuity?

 

Yes.  I plan to use Millenium City and Vibora Bay as models for P:CoC.  History and tie-ins to the wider Champions Universe, like those product have.

[steriaca]

We are already vearing awaybfrom proper Champions Universe by adding more media and places than what officially exists in the CU. But nothing exists that says we can't add to the CU.

[Mark Rand]

On 5/15/2022 at 5:43 PM, Mark Rand said:

Right now, Lady Heart and Sunspell are students at Pittsburgh's Point Park University.

Instead of Point Park University, they're going to be at the University of Pittsburgh, where I worked for 28-years before retiring at the end of June in 2016 at age 66.

[Mark Rand]

Three more NPCs.

 

Sharon Ten Bears and Donna Gray, who were on the Stage Crew while Rob and Tabitha were in high school, are Pitt students.

 

Sharon, who has been to Space Camp, is, like her parents, a member of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh (AAAP), is studying Astronomy, and is on the Theater Department Stage Crew.  She often wears her Space Camp flight suit to star parties at the Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Park and the Mingo Creek Park Observatory in Mingo Creek Park. 

 

Donna is a Technical Theater student and on the Theater Department Stage Crew.

 

Barbara Gray is a classroom engineer with the Engineering Department of Pitt’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Her red hair, the navy blue flight suit she always wears, and the three gear bags she has make her easy to recognize as she does classroom technical inspections.

[Mark Rand]

While college-age heroes are the default setting for this book, junior and senior high school students are possible.  A GM deciding to do so will have to create the school from the information on the Pittsburgh Public Schools website.

[steriaca]

Knight Terror.

 

Everyone believes that the Night Terror is some sort of supernatural knight undead thing haunting Pittsburgh. He steals valuables during the night and clames it is for a horrible spell he is working on.

 

In reality he is Melvin Pocks, the grandson of the villain Fearmaster, who frightened Pittsburgh during the Silver Age. He uses his grandfather's fear gas and pretends to be a supernatural being of elemental evil. His armor is designed to resemble a knight's armor with a skull for the head and glowing green eyes. He also carries a sword.

[steriaca]

Blacksight is a mysterious vigilante who clames to be able to view the future and is driven to kill people he views as going to do evil deeds in the future. His kill count includes various teen age boys and young men with access to guns, beginning drug dealers and other nodowells. Which begs the question, when exactly is the right time to do vigilante justice? Is it ok to punish someone for a crime they didn't commit yet? To sentence someone to death for murders which haven't happened yet?

[Mark Rand]

The Bathtub

WHAT IS IT? A depressed section of Interstate 376 where the highway passes very close to the Monongahela River and sometimes through it during periods of high water.

 

FUN FACT: About 40,000 vehicles pass through the area daily, per Steve Cowan, a PennDOT spokesperson.

 

BATH TIME: This section of I-376 was built as part of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway project in the 1950s, according to Cowan.

 

The problem with flooding dates back that far as well, per the Post-Gazette, though it’s unclear exactly when the nickname was first coined.

 

While “The Bathtub” used to flood when the river reached 18 feet — a fairly common occurrence — engineers installed a wall in the ’80s that raised the threshold to 24 feet — less common but not unheard of. Still, flooding remains a concern there and while PennDOT is aware of those concerns, it says further improvements have been impeded by logistical and financial challenges.

 

THE FIX IS IN? Cowan says it isn’t a plumbing or drainage issue that causes the area to flood, but rather it’s simply the positioning of the roadway there.

“Basically, the elevation of the road is lower than the elevation of the river during high river flows,” Cowan explained, adding that PennDOT is in the process of preparing a study for alternative solutions to the problem.

 

SEE IT FOR YOURSELF: You’ll pass through the bathtub on I-376. On certain days, though, you may need a kayak.  

 

Got a Pittsburgh term you’re curious about? Ask away.

 

 

 

 

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Mark Rand said:

The Bathtub

 

WHAT IS IT? A depressed section of Interstate 376 where the highway passes very close to the Monongahela River and sometimes through it during periods of high water.

 

 

FUN FACT: About 40,000 vehicles pass through the area daily, per Steve Cowan, a PennDOT spokesperson.

 

 

BATH TIME: This section of I-376 was built as part of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway project in the 1950s, according to Cowan.

 

 

The problem with flooding dates back that far as well, per the Post-Gazette, though it’s unclear exactly when the nickname was first coined.

 

 

While “The Bathtub” used to flood when the river reached 18 feet — a fairly common occurrence — engineers installed a wall in the ’80s that raised the threshold to 24 feet — less common but not unheard of. Still, flooding remains a concern there and while PennDOT is aware of those concerns, it says further improvements have been impeded by logistical and financial challenges.

 

 

THE FIX IS IN? Cowan says it isn’t a plumbing or drainage issue that causes the area to flood, but rather it’s simply the positioning of the roadway there.

 

“Basically, the elevation of the road is lower than the elevation of the river during high river flows,” Cowan explained, adding that PennDOT is in the process of preparing a study for alternative solutions to the problem.

 

 

SEE IT FOR YOURSELF: You’ll pass through the bathtub on I-376. On certain days, though, you may need a kayak.  

 

 

Got a Pittsburgh term you’re curious about? Ask away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plot Hook: A water controlling supervillain offers his services to keep water away from The Bathtub "for the bargain price" of one million dollars per year. He does a proof that his powers can in fact keep water away from the roadway, and suggest that if he isn't paid soon, there is no telling what may happen on the road.

 

He states that what he is doing is completely legal, since he is not actually blackmailing the city, simply offering his services...and like any good employee needs to be paid for doing a job.

[Steve]

Browns Island looks like it would make a terrific place for a hidden base from which to stage assaults on the city. VIPER could set up shop there, perhaps starting out with a submerged base underneath the river and then tunneling into the island to create a major complex.

 

Alternatively, there could be one or more bases left over from the Golden or Silver Ages out there. Such a base could be accidentally discovered by a hero or villain and appropriated for their own use. Perhaps it still exists because it has an automated repair system that is maintaining and maybe has even been continuing to expand the facility on its own over the past several decades.

 

An entire secret history could be built up around such a base. Recent readings of “earthquakes” in the area could lead to its discovery. If it’s VIPER doing it, they could stage cover stories to keep people away, something like a superhuman version of a Scooby Doo or Johnny Quest mystery.

[Mark Rand]

There's no Browns Island, but the Allegheny River has Herr's Island, Six-Mile Island, Sycamore Island, Nine-Mile Island, Twelve-Mile Island, Fourteen-Mile Island, and Jacks Island.  Sycamore Island and Nine-Mile Island are across the river from each other and Fourteen-Mile Island has homes on its downstream side and its upstream side is part of Allegheny Islands State Park.  An interesting note is that the C.W. Bill Young Locks and Dam runs between two of the islands.

 

The Ohio River has Brunot's Island, which is owned by Duquesne Light, Davis Island, and Neville Island, which is also Neville Township.

[Mark Rand]

11 hours ago, Steve said:

Browns Island looks like it would make a terrific place for a hidden base from which to stage assaults on the city. VIPER could set up shop there, perhaps starting out with a submerged base underneath the river and then tunneling into the island to create a major complex.

 

Alternatively, there could be one or more bases left over from the Golden or Silver Ages out there. Such a base could be accidentally discovered by a hero or villain and appropriated for their own use. Perhaps it still exists because it has an automated repair system that is maintaining and maybe has even been continuing to expand the facility on its own over the past several decades.

 

An entire secret history could be built up around such a base. Recent readings of “earthquakes” in the area could lead to its discovery. If it’s VIPER doing it, they could stage cover stories to keep people away, something like a superhuman version of a Scooby Doo or Johnny Quest mystery.

The 4E Champions base might be somewhere, perhaps with a full basement, or basements, along with nearby quarters for staffers and hangars for aircraft for when their jet isn't needed.

[Steve]

10 hours ago, Mark Rand said:

There's no Browns Island, but the Allegheny River has Herr's Island, Six-Mile Island, Sycamore Island, Nine-Mile Island, Twelve-Mile Island, Fourteen-Mile Island, and Jacks Island.  Sycamore Island and Nine-Mile Island are across the river from each other and Fourteen-Mile Island has homes on its downstream side and its upstream side is part of Allegheny Islands State Park.  An interesting note is that the C.W. Bill Young Locks and Dam runs between two of the islands.

 

The Ohio River has Brunot's Island, which is owned by Duquesne Light, Davis Island, and Neville Island, which is also Neville Township.

Sorry. I used Wikipedia to look at Pittsburg and didn’t realize it was a California city with that name that came up. That one has a Browns Island nearby.

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, Steve said:

Sorry. I used Wikipedia to look at Pittsburg and didn’t realize it was a California city with that name that came up. That one has a Browns Island nearby.

It's still a good idea Steve. Don't worry about it.

[steriaca]

It's time to speak of DEMON . 

 

The Pittsburgh high Morbain is David Weng Ho, an old Chinese American man in a wheelchair. He can cast various ritual spells. But sometimes he needs more power. When he does, he casts a powerful spell which exchanges his decrepit form with Nargar. Nargar is a three armed, three eyed floating terror who spits out various elements from his three mouths. One of his weaknesses is that he has to retreat and change back if he sees his reflection. In his Nargar form he is unable to cast pure magic, but Nargar is quite powerful and doesn't need his vile master's help.

 

Spoiler

Shades of David Lo Pan from Big Trouble In Little China and Mumra from the Thundercats.

 

[steriaca]

Ok...I did a local DEMON Morbain. Who wants to do the local VIPER Dragon Branch guy?

[Mark Rand]

2 hours ago, steriaca said:

Ok...I did a local DEMON Morbain. Who wants to do the local VIPER Dragon Branch guy?

I always liked the idea of VIPER as an international criminal cartel instead of an international terrorist group.

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, Mark Rand said:

I always liked the idea of VIPER as an international criminal cartel instead of an international terrorist group.

Did anyone say "Terrorist"? I didn't say terrorist.

[Mark Rand]

6 hours ago, steriaca said:

Did anyone say "Terrorist"? I didn't say terrorist.

Should've said "International paramilitary group".

[steriaca]

19 minutes ago, Mark Rand said:

Should've said "International paramilitary group".

That reminds me, who is the "kingpin" of Pittsburgh?

[Mark Rand]

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

That reminds me, who is the "kingpin" of Pittsburgh?

I think I'll let whoever writes that chapter decide that. 

[steriaca]

Prehaps one of the weirdest looking villains is Eyebite. Ivan Jones is a mutant able to project illusions directly into the sensory areas of the brain. Also, his face is literally upside down (his mouth and jaw are where his eyes are, his eyes are where the mouth should be). Beyond illusion casting, Eyebite can disconnect a person's ability to perceive (Sight Flash VS Mental Defense), the ability to make himself unprecevable (Mental special effect of Invisibility), and even create a passive displacement effect (Deflection). Eyebite has to make eye contact to cast illusions.

 

His goals is to get rich by thefts and shove it into the faces of those who tease him growing up (he especially hates the name "Flipface").

 

It should be noted...he doesn't exactly have a distinct feature because he can use his powers to make people believe his face is just like anyone else's face. Or if he does have one, since he can use his powers to eliminate that then it is to a lesser degree. 

[Steve]

Pittsburgh could have a local villainous agent group, like Card Shark is for Hudson City.

 

It would be a form of local color, rather than having DEMON and VIPER hog the spotlight.

 

Perhaps a restyled mafia organization?

[steriaca]

48 minutes ago, Steve said:

Pittsburgh could have a local villainous agent group, like Card Shark is for Hudson City.

 

It would be a form of local color, rather than having DEMON and VIPER hog the spotlight.

 

Perhaps a restyled mafia organization?

FIST is the local costumed criminal organization. FIST organization is more of a "crime union" than most mal-legal groups. The leader is known only as One. It is One who provides insurance and medical for the agents (the Many). Many is the backbone of the group. There is also Doctor , Professor among others.

[Mark Rand]

1 minute ago, steriaca said:

FIST is the local costumed criminal organization. FIST organization is more of a "crime union" than most mal-legal groups. The leader is known only as One. It is One who provides insurance and medical for the agents (the Many). Many is the backbone of the group. There is also Doctor , Professor among others.

Very nice.