Seeking input for space story arc

[Trebuchet]

I'm planning to run a 7-9 session long story arc which takes our superhero team MidGuard out into interstellar space in a desperate race against time to save Earth from total destruction. The idea is to have some encounters with aliens and other exotic locales, plus introduce some game elements I don't want in my campaign back on Earth (such as aliens, which IMO are overused in DC and Marvel). Two of the other GMs (Mentor and Blackjack) will be involved in running a couple "side adventures" while I'll handle the initial crisis, most of the main story arc, and the final resolution to save Earth.

 

I'll start foreshadowing the upcoming story as of today and I hope to kick off the adventure in July or August and finish up next spring. I've never tackled anything of this magnitude despite 20+ years as a GM, so I'm seeking input on two particular things:

 

1) How to handle an extended story arc like this. I've never done any scenarios that took more than two or three runs to resolve. Is there anything I should specifically do or not do in a long arc? (Careful notes are obvious.)

 

2) How to handle Champions characters in space adventures. I'm specifically not trying to create "Star Hero in Spandex;" I'm trying to craft an adventure that will recreate the feel of an Avengers or JLA adventure in space, with a tip of the hat to Flash Gordon and the old pulp heroes. Our campaign is four-color, so I'm going to stick with a fairly light universe rather than a "dark" one.

 

Has anyone ever run anything like this, and what advice do you have so this story arc will be a rousing success?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Seeking input for space story arc

 

Here are a few things I've learned to keep an eye on in this kind of campaign:

 

The majority of superheroes tend to function at less than optimum efficiency in a zero-G vacuum. Make sure that many if not most of the adventures take place in environments where all the heroes have a chance to use their full abilities - on alien planets or aboard large spacecraft.

 

Take note of characters whose abilities or health require regular access to resources that may be in short supply among the stars: manipulation of "natural" elements, replacement of Charges or spare parts. Not to mention Dependencies that may be in short supply or Vulnerabilities/Susceptibilities that may be more common. This can be the chance to allow such characters to really feel the pinch of those Lims and Disads they took thinking they'd rarely come up, but be careful not to make them feel constantly helpless as a result.

 

Mentalists are a particular related issue. You should decide how many of the opponents they face will be of a class of mind that your PC mentalists can't affect.

 

Give some thought to how a prolonged departure from Earth is going to affect the characters' lives on their return: employment, loved ones, people and places they aren't there to protect, etc. Especially important for characters with a secret ID to protect.

 

I hope that's of some help.

[Hermit]

Re: Seeking input for space story arc

 

While you said you didn't want "Star HERO in Spandex" if you have a copy of it, don't be afraid to steal some of the races from Terran Empire. You'll need to adjust for time period, but there is some good stuff in there. Even at the start of the 21st century, the Malvan decadence and tech is a wonder to behold. One of the side adventures might include the heroes being in the same gladitorial arena where Firewing once fought.

 

The Mandaarians are also technologically powerful, and enlightened...they could make worthy allies, if your PCs can convince them to get off their duff and intervene.

 

Do you have a major threat picked out yet? Are you trying for something akin to the "Kree/Skrull" War?

[Trebuchet]

Re: Seeking input for space story arc

 

Do you have a major threat picked out yet? Are you trying for something akin to the "Kree/Skrull" War?

Yes, I've decided on the threat to Earth and even figured out a way for the heroes to stop it if they don't figure out a better one on their own (Which I expect they will, but I always leave a back door.) I won't go into any detail as others in my campaign read these boards and I don't want to give too much away.

 

I'm going to set the universe up with a sort of Babylon 5 feel rather than Star Trek or Star Wars. Only a few races, a couple of them rivals, and technology that is obviously better than most Earth stuff, but bleeding edge human super-tech will be competitive with most alien gadgets. The emphasis will be on hordes of Imperial Stormtroopers and robots rather than alien supers. The stardrive technology will be comparable to David Weber's "Honor Harrington" universe; hyperspace travel between stars plus some wormholes as instant travel. I'll need to design the heroes' starship prior to the game. In my campaign there are as yet no aliens on Earth, but some stranded time travellers from Earth's 410th century have an interstellar-capable scout ship the heroes can use if they can repair it and somehow provide an alternate source of power since the ship's quantum singularity power source is nonfunctional.

 

I have Star Hero (which is great!), but not Terran Empire. I'll check out Terran Empire at my FLGS.