A contriversial "Would your character...?"

[Maelstrom]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

At some point, your character has accquired a mega villian stalker type, utterly obessed with having your character physically. This lunatic has cooked up a scheme which will kills millions of people. Her or his demand? That your character conceive (and bear) their child (assuming the character is able). Not only this, but the conception has to be natural and will be wittnessed in some fashion (in public, televised, etc).

 

Yes, this is actually based on a situation that happend in a game I was breifly involved in. I think there was an old movie with a similar plot as well.

 

 

Assume the guy can't be easily "terminated" or even if he or she is the plan itself will still succeed.

 

Close your eyes, boys, and think of England!

 

Maelstrom wouldn't consider public shagging that big a thing, to save millions, and he's an egotist to boot.

 

Wolf would disappear -- leaving behind NO trace.

[caris]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

After reading some of the responses to this, I think some people are getting a little too hung up on some of the terminology being used in setting the scene.

 

If you are having trouble with the whole “have my baby by doing the wild thing†part of it, just change it to “agrees to be my wife,†because really that is all this story line is. Really, when one of those silver age (or golden age, for that matter) visitors from another planet show up looking for a “perfect mate,†are we supposed to think that they reproduce non-sexually? And some how when the Master Villain tells the female team member he will spare her male team mates that he captured , if she agrees to marry him, that he is planning on them sleeping in separate beds.

[Karma]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

At some point, your character has accquired a mega villian stalker type, utterly obessed with having your character physically. This lunatic has cooked up a scheme which will kills millions of people. Her or his demand? That your character conceive (and bear) their child (assuming the character is able). Not only this, but the conception has to be natural and will be wittnessed in some fashion (in public, televised, etc).

 

Yes, this is actually based on a situation that happend in a game I was breifly involved in. I think there was an old movie with a similar plot as well.

 

 

Assume the guy can't be easily "terminated" or even if he or she is the plan itself will still succeed.

 

Caress: Assuming that Mega-Creep is Mentally sheilded up the wazzo (otherwise he's going to publically do things to himself that will make men cringe for generations to come), she would agree then do said things herself when he's at his most vulnerable and laugh as she and millions of people died a horrible death.

 

Karma: [before conception] "O.k., sure, whatever. I can keep my mask on?" [After] "Alright [censored] you want to see me or the bundle of joy ever again I suggest you play nice from now on. I'll expect some steep alamony too... you'll hear my other demands later" (Teleports away)

[Wanderer]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

I was in a similar situation. Denver was full of porno magazines with pictures of my character (she is a 16 yrs old girl). The pictures were edited of course but my reputation went down because... I don't know! The GM never explained it.

 

PS: And the GM presented the magazine like this: "and in the cover it says: 'Dark Moon shows it all'. wink. With a big smile"

 

The unrealistic side of that was that her reputation went down at all. I'd expect that to happen only if she had came across as an hypocrite (e.g she previously was a stanch defender of traditional values). Otherwise, I'd expect her popularity to rise. I mean, young (just ignoring for a moment the extremely hot topic she was technically underage), heroic, saves lives, kicks butt, AND has a hot body AND flaunts it. I'd expect popularity among adolescents and young adults of both sexes to have a sharp climb. RL actresses and socialites whose hard-core bedchamber camrecords were released on the net gained in popularity, and in Europe at least, porn stars are often glamorous public figures who host or star in TV shows, regularly trail the talk-show circuit where they are welcomed eagerly, and so on. A couple were elected to Parliaments.

 

Had Dark Moon the specs to justify it all (a high Pre or Com) ? If yes, she could have easily justified getting a boost to Pre attacks and Seduction or Persuasion Attacks vs. people who would find her attractive (maybe also a boost to Reputation, if she had a compatible public image: eg a Champion character who would get an almost-sure boost in Rep from such would be Sapphire).

[Chimpira]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

I can only think of a single character of mine that would not let his personal discomfort get in the way of saving millions of peoples lives (and he has a hell of a good reason of why)

 

Jester: He would go along with and probably not know what to do after it is all said and done. He would hope that one of the smarter teammates came up with a plan to stop the baddy.

 

Bane:Who is really a later more experienced version of Jester would not be able to concieve because he was turned into a vampire. Nonetheless, his philosophy would be that no scheme is fool proof. He would not care a whit about the public seeing him in the altogether. His first priority would be keeping them alive, while his team, which he led, would use the distraction to the fullest. If all else failed, he would have to use his power of mind control. (He never used it as it was built as a powerful attack that would make any woman fall madly and obediently in love with him. He hated the power and only used it once. Coincidently millions of lives were at stake and he had lost several teammates. He always regretted having to alter (basically enslave) that woman's mind. His teammates did not know that he was capable of such a thing, so I highly doubt the foe would either)

 

Jack T. Chance:Would have to be constantly reminded that he is SUPPOSED to be doing this because she is not giving him any choice. He would be too busy tossing his clothes over his shoulder and doing the woo-woo noise like one of the three stooges at the end of the bed, to pay them any notice.

 

Daniel Knight: He would plot this out. His child might become the heir of his Heartstone and that could spell disaster for every sentient life in the universe. He, also, had a wife that would not be keen on this idea. He is the only character that I played that might doom millions to death because he protected trillions upon trillions. It would tear him apart but he would probably say no.

[Katherine]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

The unrealistic side of that was that her reputation went down at all. I'd expect that to happen only if she had came across as an hypocrite (e.g she previously was a stanch defender of traditional values). Otherwise, I'd expect her popularity to rise. I mean, young (just ignoring for a moment the extremely hot topic she was technically underage), heroic, saves lives, kicks butt, AND has a hot body AND flaunts it. I'd expect popularity among adolescents and young adults of both sexes to have a sharp climb. RL actresses and socialites whose hard-core bedchamber camrecords were released on the net gained in popularity, and in Europe at least, porn stars are often glamorous public figures who host or star in TV shows, regularly trail the talk-show circuit where they are welcomed eagerly, and so on. A couple were elected to Parliaments.

 

Had Dark Moon the specs to justify it all (a high Pre or Com) ? If yes, she could have easily justified getting a boost to Pre attacks and Seduction or Persuasion Attacks vs. people who would find her attractive (maybe also a boost to Reputation, if she had a compatible public image: eg a Champion character who would get an almost-sure boost in Rep from such would be Sapphire).

 

Depends. In the US and certain more conservative areas of other countries her Reputation might go down or she might pick a negative. Pamela Anderson and other stars that have "hidden sex" tapes come out have also become infamous more so that famous in certain circles. All in all, I think the character's reputation would break even. Some people would like it. Others would dissapprove. Unless you go by the idea that "Any publicity is good publicity" a not all together false idea. Even in Hollywood today, an ill chosen nude scene can break your career (Its actually gotten harder to get actresses to do nude scenes according to some directors).

 

Porn stars in US are not big name celebrities. Overall they are not highly respected (often considered "manipulated" or too limited or dimwitted to be in so called legitmate entertainment). I don't know about their status in Europe to comment, but if the game was set in States I could very well a heroines (particularly a heroine and yes its hypocritical) reputation be sullied by such an event. Its a difference in perspective and I really think that (all other things being even) the character's rep should have balanced out in the end after a breif media fervor. I can't honestly say because I wasn't there but it seems like Gm might have been pushing off his own values on the overall game situation.

[Wanderer]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Depends. In the US and certain more conservative areas of other countries her Reputation might go down or she might pick a negative. Pamela Anderson and other stars that have "hidden sex" tapes come out have also become infamous more so that famous in certain circles. All in all, I think the character's reputation would break even. Some people would like it. Others would dissapprove. Unless you go by the idea that "Any publicity is good publicity" a not all together false idea. Even in Hollywood today, an ill chosen nude scene can break your career (Its actually gotten harder to get actresses to do nude scenes according to some directors).

 

Porn stars in US are not big name celebrities. Overall they are not highly respected (often considered "manipulated" or too limited or dimwitted to be in so called legitmate entertainment). I don't know about their status in Europe to comment, but if the game was set in States I could very well a heroines (particularly a heroine and yes its hypocritical) reputation be sullied by such an event. Its a difference in perspective and I really think that (all other things being even) the character's rep should have balanced out in the end after a breif media fervor. I can't honestly say because I wasn't there but it seems like Gm might have been pushing off his own values on the overall game situation.

 

 

In the US (where people indeed seem to have more of a problem with public awareness of sex topics) her Rep might indeed break even. American society seems to have some unsolved issues with public awareness of sex issues.

 

Europe (especially Suothern Europe) is a wholly different world, though. It's simply unconceivable all that Janet Jackson wuss would have happened in my country. At worst, we'd have shrugged after a very brief controversy over the fact of it happening on public TV; at best, she would have got a transient boost in popularity from the publicity. In my country, major porn stars (especially females; males are much less in the public eye) are not big name celebrities either (with an handful of exceptions who are or were as popular as mid-level actors), but they are typically seen as minor glamorous figures (roughly similar to minor rock stars) who often regularly cruise the circuit of gossipy talk shows and not-too-rarely cross the boundary between hard-core and regular entairtainment (especially TV shows). They arise prurient ambivalent interest (again, much like rock stars), but are not seen as "manipulated" or dimwitted, much less despised. They are seen as people doing a job not everyone would be able to, but definitely interesting, like people practicing extreme sports. As far as I'm aware of, the situation is roughly much the same in all of Europe. Cranking up the sex quotient of their image (such as starring in soft-core movies and doing nude calendars) is an almost sure method to boost popularity for all kinds of women in entairntainment careers, be them actresses, TV hostesses, athletes, music stars, etc. There's almost of a competition for up-and-coming young actresses to do more hot and glamorous nude calendars for a boost in popularity these late years. It's exceedingly unlikely that a nude scene would have something different from a positive or at best null effect on an actress' career.

 

With this background, I can only figure that in Europe a superheroine whose Pam Anderson-like "hidden tapes" were released would in all likelihood gain a boost to popularity

[nexus]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

It also could be a high Silver Age, Early Bronze Age style campaign where things like that would be frowned on. Then again, something like that probably wouldn't in that style.

[Wanderer]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

It also could be a high Silver Age' date=' Early Bronze Age style campaign where things like that would be frowned on. Then again, something like that probably wouldn't in that style.[/quote']

 

I see such a plot fitting only in a late Bronze Age, or Iron Age campaign (not necessarily a gritty one; it might happen in a "bright" Astro city-like one) where contemporary liberal societal standards about sex would be in force, and sex-realted issues are accepted as a part of public awareness.

 

I mean, when the sex lives of single heroes became something acknowledged as a normal fact in mainstrem superhero comics ?

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Her or his demand? That your character conceive (and bear) their child ...

 

This is outside of what I am comfortable including in my entertainment. The Playboy bit was harmless and consensual: this isn't. As a GM, I presented a situation very close to this to a character once (the actual act was oral sex, in that case, and it wound up not happening because the villain was bluffing), and I have regretted it ever since. It didn't "turn bad", or cause any animosity among the players, or anything like that -- I simply realized that it made me feel queasy for doing it, that it didn't add anything worthwhile to the game, and that it was a bad idea.

 

On another occasion, I was playing a character who was captured and sexually brutalized (off screen, of course). I played along with it like a good player usually should, and the character wound up escaping from that situation, but afterward I found that I just couldn't enjoy playing that character anymore. I took the GM to lunch, and explained what the deal was, so there'd be no misunderstandings, and then I took a break from that game group for a while.

 

So if this came up during a game, I'd either ignore it (if it concerned someone else's character rather than mine), or explain to the GM that "I'm not cool with this".

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Real world always trumps role playing.

 

Amen.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Really' date=' when one of those silver age (or golden age, for that matter) visitors from another planet show up looking for a “perfect mate,†are we supposed to think that they reproduce non-sexually? And some how when the Master Villain tells the female team member he will spare her male team mates that he captured , if she agrees to marry him, that he is planning on them sleeping in separate beds.[/quote']

 

Well... yeah.

[Doug McCrae]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

The sex-focused nature of the villain's demand strikes me as being more in the style of internet porn than mainstream superhero comics from any era. It might happen in something like Marshal Law I guess. OTOH the DC character Maxima wanted to bear Superman's child I think. Her methods were a lot less extreme though.

[Chuckg]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Yes, she wasn't threatening to kill millions of people, IIRC.

 

Basically, Maxima was Superman's version of a Ranma subplot. Amazon-like stalker shows up, follows you around, tries to cut out your current intended, and is generally really really annoying.

 

She doesn't, however, threaten mass murder if you don't impregnate her in public, right then.

[caris]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Well... yeah.

So, what would your character do, if the choice was "marry me or I kill a million people, and there is no other way to keep them from dying. It is marry me or they die."?

[nexus]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

I see such a plot fitting only in a late Bronze Age, or Iron Age campaign (not necessarily a gritty one; it might happen in a "bright" Astro city-like one) where contemporary liberal societal standards about sex would be in force, and sex-realted issues are accepted as a part of public awareness.

 

I mean, when the sex lives of single heroes became something acknowledged as a normal fact in mainstrem superhero comics ?

 

When did you stop reading comics? The 1950s? The romantic lives of the main characters have coe up and been explored in quite a few of the more soap opera titles. It just hasn't been overly dwelt on in deep flesh toned detail. Because, well it didn't have to be. We're all adults and we know what goes on in the bedroom. I don't need to know if Wonderwoman likes to be on top or not. Hey, I like porn as much as the next guy and I'll freely admit it but its not what I buy a comic book for. In a different medium with more time to explore and develop it sex can be a interesting ingredient but in comics if its dwelt on it just comes across as gratitous to me.

 

This isn't a "normal liberal sexual situation" this is being coerced into humilating sitation (for most peole anyway) with the lives of millions hanging in the balance. Its the act of a mad(wo)man and is, basically, rape. No, its not something that would happen in a mainstream comic, but the game wasn't emulating a mainstream comic as I understand it.

[McCoy]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Snow Leopard, my only female PC, would agree on one counter-condition, they get married.

 

Stalker would then belong to the word's most disfunctional family, related by blood, marriage and fosterage to Sabertooth, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Rogue, and several others.

[Wanderer]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

This isn't a "normal liberal sexual situation" this is being coerced into humilating sitation (for most peole anyway) with the lives of millions hanging in the balance. Its the act of a mad(wo)man and is, basically, rape. No, its not something that would happen in a mainstream comic, but the game wasn't emulating a mainstream comic as I understand it.

 

It depends on what your definition of "mainstream" is. The "sex in front of millions" is indeed a bit risque, and I don't expect to read it in non-mange comics anytime soon, but I can easily figure a baddie issuing the "bed me or countless innocents suffer" threat in say, Witchblade, or any of Crossgen titles.

 

Not willing to go into the murky topic of whether it is really rape or a sick convolution of a "indecent offer" situation. Last misunderstanding and vicious discussion over "date rape" left me a bad taste.

[nexus]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Snow Leopard, my only female PC, would agree on one counter-condition, they get married.

 

 

And while the villain is stammering something "Not being ready to commit and how it wasn't her it was him" She can sucker punch him? Excellent use of reverse psychology.

[Wanderer]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

One of the most convoluted parts of the idea is the ultimate fate of the eventual offspring of such an union. Born from unholy union of righteous superhero(ine) sacrificing for the good of all and lecherous supervillain(ess), conceived before the eyes of the world, growing up with the heritage of both running in his/her veins, torn between opposite paths. Talk about a bizarre background. Luke Skywalker, eat your heart out !

 

The only mainstream comic characters I can think of with a similar background are Victoria Storm Von Doom, Orion from New gods, and Damon Hellstrom.

 

I'm curious about a detail of the scenario, though. What about the outlook of the baddie. Is (s)he a sick, twisted leering mad(wo)man no sane superhero(ine) might feel anything but revulsion, or a charismatic seductive handsome/gorgeous rakehell/siren a noble hero(ine) might outwardly despise, but unconsciosly be attracted to ? Richard III or Catwoman ?

[Metaphysician]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

One of the most convoluted parts of the idea is the ultimate fate of the eventual offspring of such an union. Born from unholy union of righteous superhero(ine) sacrificing for the good of all and lecherous supervillain(ess), conceived before the eyes of the world, growing up with the heritage of both running in his/her veins, torn between opposite paths. Talk about a bizarre background. Luke Skywalker, eat your heart out !

 

The only mainstream comic characters I can think of with a similar background are Victoria Storm Von Doom, Orion from New gods, and Damon Hellstrom.

 

I'm curious about a detail of the scenario, though. What about the outlook of the baddie. Is (s)he a sick, twisted leering mad(wo)man no sane superhero(ine) might feel anything but revulsion, or a charismatic seductive handsome/gorgeous rakehell/siren a noble hero(ine) might outwardly despise, but unconsciosly be attracted to ? Richard III or Catwoman ?

 

. . .

 

. . .frankly, if the player looks too willing in this scenario, I'd have it turn out the villainess' idea of "sex" is what most people would call "preying mantis style". . .

[Blue]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Not to sidetrack things too much, but I have an NPC in my game who actually was born in front of millions of people. Pathfinder was the first Earth child born in space, aboard a space station, to two astronauts. It was a NASA publicity stunt under the guise of "studying the effects of birth in space".

 

That's also why she wears a mask. By the age of 5 she was already tired of, "Hey, aren't you that space baby?"

[Kirby]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

If the character is male assume the stalker mega villian is Female and wants him to sire her child publically.

Hmm... very interesting situation. I must say Katherine -may I call you Katherine? - that some of your posts about your previous games have been a bit... different.

 

Okay, well, I haven't had a female PC before in Champions, but since you offered it up with the female as the villainess, let me see how my PCs would have acted. I've also noticed people not mentioning the team's reactions, so I'm going to include those with mine.

 

GOLDEN AGE:

Swashbuckler: Well, he's French, and a definite flirt and romantic, so he'd "sacrifice" himself for the pleasure, I mean millions. He would also probably bring candles and wine. His team might try and find a way to beat her and the team leader would use all his contacts to help thwart her plans. Swashbuckler might end up telling the lady "We must fight for our love" when it comes to the final conflict. (And he wouldn't have to worry about it being televised; being broadcast on the radio could add much to the encounter.)

 

Orion: He's a demigod from the Greek Olympians, so the threat to millions of humans wouldn't concern him. His team leader was Crimebuster (very 4-color) and would say to accept would be "very unAmerican" (which would get looks from Orion) and they'd have to formulate a plan. Orion would then probably end up telling her they were going to test her worthiness of bearing his child. (Olympians and their egos, you know - he is the only one to ever offer Virgo of the Zodiac to -how do I say this politely- "deflower her" [in case of people wanting to sacrifice her] to help protect her. Of all PCs & NPCs to offer her sex one way or another, he was the only one she didn't retaliate against.)

 

Modern Day:

Caliber: He would tell the team leader that they needed to come up with a plan to beat her. Once they attacked, if the team was thoroughly beaten, he would probably concede, but in the attack he would have used "Big Bertha" on his weapon setting [4d6 RKA energy].

 

Cobalt: A Guy Gardner type, but was a doctor in secret ID. He'd be in a conundrum between talking porn to her to challenging her for threatening millions. Unless it was a country he hated. He wasn't the greatest American hero. He'd be smart enough to contact the villainess and have her recant her statement about killing millions and she'd have to ask him publicly. Then he'd publicly accept. (If she didn't then the team would go for the fight.) Dang, his team would probably want to kick him out because he'd keep bragging about how he was the one who she chose. Not Thor, not Nocturn, him. He'd probably even invite one of the ladies on the team to come along to watch or join.

 

Orion: Same opinion he had in Golden Age, just a different team.

 

Cavalier: He was a college pervert, though a chivalrous bravado type as well. He'd probably see it as a big honor or big mark on the bedpost. His team would have to remind him of the "threat to kill millions" to keep him on track. Maybe when the team was making it's attack, he'd use his N-Ray vision to tell her what she looked like underneath, to try and off-balance her (if that would work, if not, his female teammates would probably tell him to shut up!). Unfortunately, he died, so she may not have made this during his time. His death led to the introduction of Checkmate.

 

Checkmate: He would call a pow-wow with the team to discuss a pre-emptive strike on her. If it seemed feasible that she would easily best the team, he'd talk to his girlfriend (who is also the mother of his child) to get her input. If worst came to be, he'd probably end up making sure he died instead of give in. His team would definitely help try to beat her down. Though if this happened after he left the team, then it would be Alloy's decision.

 

Alloy: He'd have to go to the team and ask them what to do. Alloy's background was that his parents supported Genocide and both father and sister secretly worked for RAVEN. His sister tried to shoot him when his mutant powers were discovered. Well, she did shoot him, it just didn't hurt him. Alloy was cut-off from all funds and became homeless until the "PC team" recruited him. Having been rejected by the family he grew up with simply for being something he couldn't help, he might develop Stockholm syndrome for the villainess. Yikes!

 

FUTURE:

Valor: He's a 4-color naive good guy. If such a thing happened in his genre, he'd absolutely resist to his last fiber. He'd give a long speech about how her concept was wrong. He'd feel much about all of this since his girlfriend is on the team.

 

 

Now, having stated those, as a player, I'd have to know if this type of thing was normal for the GM to do. If it was, then I'd talk to the GM about it and if it kept up, I'd leave the game. It is a very heavy-handed way of the GM to do things, but I could understand if it were a plot device designed to create a confrontation as opposed to the GM getting his/her thrills off from trying to not only humiliate the character, but the player.

[Kirby]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Oops. Sorry, I didn't mean for it to go so long. I can get long-winded sometimes.

[Katherine]

Re: A contriversial "Would your character...?"

 

Oops. Sorry' date=' I didn't mean for it to go so long. I can get long-winded sometimes. [/quote']

 

No problem. It was fun to read and throughly answered the question. I hope haven't given the wrong impression about the GM. He's not into humilating people. Even if it had played out, he wouldn't have made the player RP it out or anything. He just likes to take things to the extremes and isn't shy about risque stuff. He also ran the game where we played what boiled down to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. It was a dark game, but fun in a cathartic way to let your dark side out to play a little.