In need of a good origin story

[RPMiller]

I am creating a speedster character for an early Marvel style game, and was wondering if any of you creative types could give me a few ideas.

 

I'm looking for something that will provide some possible NPC's, a "reason" for his powers, no mutant stuff, and some personality.

 

I'm just looking for ideas, not the whole background. I've tried a couple times to come up with something and it tends to quickly veer into the more "modern" style of Marvel.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Start with providing us with the 20 Questions on Character Background and we'll run away with it from there

 

Cheers

 

QM

[Trebuchet]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Consider having your PC be a physicist experimenting with time dilation effects. He's not actually moving fast, instead in Hero ID he's partially in a slightly-out-of-phase dimension where time flows much (20%? 40%? 50%?)faster.

 

Gives you a good reason to give him a few interesting science and technical skills.

[OddHat]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

So non-mutant early Marvell origins?

 

Cosmic Rays, Gama-rays, radioactivity, secret formulas, finding a divine object, being a robot.

 

Chad Schmidt was a gifted young athlete and science-wiz using the ROTC to help pay for college. His patriotism and natural skills got him assigned to Project: Hindsight, a joint Army-Air Force project designed to unlock the secrets of a strange, indestructible winged helmet uncovered in an archeological dig in Arizona. Chad was just a lab assistant, but he found the helmet inspiring, and he was sure he could figure it out. Sneaking back into the lab one night, he decided to try bombarding the helmet with experimental Zeta-Rays! The aparatus exploded, and Chad, dying of radiation exposure, tried to get the helmet safely out of the lab before the entire building colapsed into radioactive rubble. When he took the helmet in his hands, Chad felt a sharp pain as the edge of the helmet cut into him! Chad's vision cleared, and his radiation burns healed! Moving with impossible speed, Chad fled the scene, helmet in hand! So long as Chad is in physical contact with the helmet, he is no ordinary man! Insead, he is, the Messenger!

[Hermit]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

A young man is on Cherokee lands when he finds a rabbit in an illegal trap. He lets it go, and it turns out he has freed Rabbit, the totem spirit. Rabbit rewards him with superspeed, and superior senses. Of course, it also turns out that those who caught Rabbit are nightmare walkers... and our hero now has a hunted. Fortunately, a medicine man is willing to help him out as is a friendly scientist who doesn't believe in magic and is SURE there is a 'logical reason'.

 

A teenager who lost his father when he was younger lives with his mom. Mom NEVER wants him to take risks, thrillseek, or any other 'nonsense'. Arguements get heated and storming upstairs, the boy finds an old box of his father's in the attic. There's a strange vial in it..newspaper clippings, and more... our hero to be discovers that his father was the golden age hero "The Zipper!" (Hey, they had dumb names like that sometimes) and this was the source of his superspeed. He takes the formula to a chemist hoping to get help, but the chemist turns out not to be a nice guy. He recreates the formula from the sample present, drinks it, and attempts to kill the kid. The new villain fails to realize that his assistant, a lovely young lady, wants none of this...and helps free the boy and creates yet another batch. Now, there are two speedsters in town, one good, one evil...

 

OR...

A golden age speedster tries to carry a bomb away where it won't hurt anyone else... he then tries to run from it... but the blast propels his already amazing speed into the future... and he has NO idea how to get back. Now he's in a more cynical world that needs heroes more than ever. (Think Captain America if he were a speedster)

 

Ironically, the only Silver Age speedster that immediately sprang to mind for Marvel WAS a mutant... Quicksilver.

[Sketchpad]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

How about:

After the death of his single-parent mother, Jake Felton was about to move out of his family's house when he discovered his father was a superhero. Finding all of his equipment, Jake donned the outfit and, with the help of his Dad's booster belt, followed in his father's steps as a new silver age hero.

[assault]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Hmm... Marvel has had a few speedsters over the years. The main ones are Quicksilver (as Hermit has pointed out) and the various Whizzers.

 

Of these, the Squadron Supreme Earth's one ran through a strange fog one night. The Golden Age Whizzer was given a blood transfusion from a mongoose! One has to wonder if the mongoose was radioactive...

 

There was also another Whizzer, also known as the Speed Demon, who was created as a playing piece for one of the Grandmaster's little games.

 

As you can see, Marvel didn't try too hard to give their speedsters particularly clever origins.

 

Basically I would pick something that is metaphorically related to speed and get bitten/hit/exposed to it. Or you could have a supernational bestowal - maybe you find the Sandals of Mercury or something.

 

Oddhat and Hermit's suggestions are all perfectly fine. I would avoid Trebuchet's since it feels a little too "modern".

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Well, if you want some high-powered NPCs, you could always be the child of one of the 'immortal' speedster types ... Hermes (Olympian), Hermod? (Asgardian), Makkari (Eternal).

[steriaca]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Well' date=' if you want some high-powered NPCs, you could always be the child of one of the 'immortal' speedster types ... Hermes (Olympian), Hermod? (Asgardian), Makkari (Eternal).[/quote']

 

It is so oveous. The hero was given his powers by Loki, in hopes of using him as a pawn agenst his half-brother Thor. Acualy, Loki was going to give the powers to some carear criminal, but somehow his aim was off, and got the hero instead. He would try this tactic again later on Carl "Crusher" Creel, beter known as The Absorbing Man.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

It is so oveous.

 

Huh?

[steriaca]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Huh?

 

You should know by now I can't spell.

[Storm Shadow]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

What about divine powers given by Mercury?

 

He's a crazy for the speed. He always drive at high speed without careing about other people on the street. One day he crashes with his car and many people dies because his stupid speed crazyness So a God identity appers and lets him live again if he uses the rest of his life to be the good. + speed powers

 

Damned Quick

[CBikle]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

About 2/3rds of silver-age Marvel origins can be summed up as:

 

Radioactive materials with insufficient safeguards.

[steriaca]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

About 2/3rds of silver-age Marvel origins can be summed up as:

 

Radioactive materials with insufficient safeguards.

 

Defently the orgins for most of the silver age Marvel. In fact, it would be easyer just to list thoes superheros without radiation os their orgin.

[devlin1]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

You should know by now I can't spell.

Hey, you nailed that sentence.

[Rikathos]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

An explorer/Mountain Climber who upon reaching the summit of the Himalayans(sp) or your own creation is caught in the tail of a comet passing close to earth.

 

OR...

 

People have been sighting Hermes and other God like beings.

They were known for mingling with Mortals. Perhaps He/She is the product of that. Caught between the mortal world and the gods.

 

OR...

 

Picture a Kid who helps his Father who is a curator of a Museum.

The Father is taken hostage by criminals robbing the Museum

Meanwhile...

The Kid was busy opening crates that just arrived from Greece?...he finds a dusty old pair of strange sandals...It is then he hears his father in distress!

A voice booms in his head to put the sandals on. And...Tadah!

[devlin1]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

"PUT ON THE SANDALS."

"Whoa! Who said that?!"

"IT IS I, HERMES, MESSENGER OF THE GODS. DON MY SANDALS, YOUNG ONE."

"What gods?"

"WHAT?"

"Massager of what gods?"

"THE GREEK GODS! 'WHAT GODS,' HE SAYS! WHAT DO THEY TEACH KIDS THESE DAYS? AND I'M THE MESSENGER, NOT THE MASSAGER-- ALTHOUGH THERE WAS THAT ONE TIME...."

"Hey, Herman, I'd love to stay and talk, but my dad's in big trouble!"

"I TOTALLY KNOW THAT! PUT ON THE SANDALS!"

"I dunno... these look too big. They'd probably fall off or--"

"SERIOUSLY! KID! PUT ON THE DAMN SANDALS!"

[Kirby]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

It is so oveous.

Huh?

Oveous - full of ovens. Sort of like porous is full of pores. Either that or full of overs.

 

 

Don't mind me.

[assault]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Oveous - full of ovens. Sort of like porous is full of pores. Either that or full of overs.

 

 

Don't mind me.

 

No, it's full of eggs - ova.

[gojira]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

What about divine powers given by Mercury?

 

He's a crazy for the speed. He always drive at high speed without careing about other people on the street. One day he crashes with his car and many people dies because his stupid speed crazyness So a God identity appers and lets him live again if he uses the rest of his life to be the good. + speed powers

 

Damned Quick

 

I like this one a lot.

 

However, I haven't seen anyone mention being an alien yet. Either he's from a race that is naturally fast (cat people, mongoose people, or just some sort of natural time manipulators) or he's got IIF gagets that allow him to speed up or otherwise manipulate time. Anything besides a surfboard....

 

Call him ... um... Alien Fast Guy... or something.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

I like the origins so far. This is simular to Trebuchet's.

 

I would suggest the classic, boy is dying on a disease, the proposed cure is to speed up his metabolism to help him fight the disease. Well... amazingly it cures the disease, but the dosage needed was a little higher than expected.

[RPMiller]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

What about divine powers given by Mercury?

 

He's a crazy for the speed. He always drive at high speed without careing about other people on the street. One day he crashes with his car and many people dies because his stupid speed crazyness So a God identity appers and lets him live again if he uses the rest of his life to be the good. + speed powers

 

Damned Quick

This one is actually similar to one my GM suggested. Although I like this version a bit better.

 

I want to thank all of you for contributing ideas. I'm going to reread them and pic the one that I connect with the best.

 

I'll be repping all of you that gave an idea as the rep becomes available.

[RPMiller]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Ok gang since you were all so helpful with ideas I thought I would share the origin story I came up with. It was vehemently approved by the GM with much applauding. It will seem unfinished, but that is because we are going to be roleplaying the actual acquisition of our powers and what not. Hope you enjoy it, and I would be happy to read your feedback.

 

==========================================================

 

Zack was always looking for the next big thrill. First it was dirt bike racing, then skiing, then motorcycles, then jet skis, base-jumping, and other extreme sport that he could find. No matter what he was doing, he did it to its fullest. Nothing or no one could get in his way. Truly all he cared about was living from one second to the next, and getting there as fast as he could with a care or worry about the rest of the world. His friends started calling him ‘X’, short for extreme because that’s what he was, and extreme games were fast becoming his life. It was a good thing that he had such caring friends too. There were more times then he could remember when he got hurt and it was those friends who ran for help, or took him to the hospital. He learned to really love his friends, but that was where his caring usually ended.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

His friends loved him and his adventures too. Mostly they would just sit back and watch or record his escapades, but every once in a while they would join him in his reckless abandon. Zack always enjoyed that the most. He was able to share the thrills he experienced, and relish in the looks on his friends’ faces as they ran at their fears head-on. It was during one of these “stunts†of his that his life, and the lives of his friends all changed.

 

Zack had been planning the stunt for weeks now. He pulled in the resources of all his friends to help him. Mike, the geek of the bunch, had calculated the speed that would be needed, the elevation of the ramp, and how far the car would go before landing. Steve, whose dad owned a lumberyard, had managed to “borrow†enough lumber to build the ramps. Craig, the groups jack-of-all-trades had built the ramps and installed the roll cage. Kevin, the resident videographer, had figured out where the cameras would have to be placed to catch all the action. Lastly, but not least Steph, Zack’s girlfriend and fellow thrill junky, helped get the train schedules, and timed how long it took for the train to go through the intersection. Everything was coming together, and Zack was growing more and more anxious every day.

 

Finally, the big day arrived. They drove up to the intersection before dawn pulling a trailer that had everything they needed. They quickly went to work setting up the stunt. The ramps were rolled into place on the marks that had been spray painted a couple days before. The tripods and video equipment were put into place. Everyone took their places at the cameras surrounding the scene and waited in anticipation.

 

Zack disconnected the trailer from the car, and checked to make sure that everything was running like it was supposed to. It would be a long 15 minutes before that train got to the intersection, and he could barely contain himself. He put on his helmet, and gave Steph a kiss and hug promising her that everything would go perfect. Hopping in the car he drove off to the spray painted start line a quarter mile up the road, and checking his watch saw that it would be only another couple minutes. His adrenaline was already pumping and the world around him shrunk into a tube straight in front of his face. He could no longer hear the sound of the cars engine, or see the sun cresting over the horizon. Oh, how he loved this feeling. Sixty seconds now. Thirty.

 

At that moment Steph saw and heard the train barreling down the tracks, but something was odd about it. It wasn’t the same train that she had seen for the last month. This train looked very different. It was brightly colored orange and had some sort of emblem on it. It was moving fast too. Then she saw it. There was a huge tanker car in the middle of it, and it was at least six feet higher than a standard railcar! She had to do something, and quick!

 

10… 9… 8… Zack was gunning the engine, fingers tightening around the steering wheel. 7… 6… 5… His heart was beating a million miles an hour, and now all we could see was the road immediately in front of the car. 4… 3… 2… He threw the car into first, holding the car in place with the brakes as billows of smoke rose from the rear tires. 1… He let off the brake and went flying down the road.

 

Faster and faster her went, flying through the gears. The world on either side of him was a blur, and he felt so alive, so free… Wait, something was wrong. What was it?

 

Steph ran as fast as she could and stood in front of the ramp waving her arms like someone drowning. Jumping up and down frantically. Hoping that Zack would see her and turn away.

 

The train’s horn blared and the ground shook as it entered the intersection. Steph glanced over her shoulder and saw that the emblem was a radioactive symbol. “No, not now!†she screamed. Mike and Steve, realizing what was happening ran to her side. The others were on the other side of the tracks and trapped there.

 

Suddenly Zack appeared, engine roaring loud and tires clawing at the road as he raced straight for them.

 

“There was something in front of the ramp,†thought Zack to himself. There wasn’t supposed to be anything in front of the ramp. Then everything went crazy.

 

Zack felt something bounce off the front of the car. Then the car went up the ramp. The train was straight in front of him. “That’s not right,†was the last thing that went through Zack’s head.

 

“Horrible smell. Pain. Noise. Stop that incessant beeping.†Zack came to and found he was staring up at a stark white ceiling. Looking around he saw strangely garbed people staring at him through plastic hoods. His whole body tingled and burned with a strange coldness.

 

“What’s going on?!†he screamed.

 

“Just relax, everything will be ok.†came a reply from someone.

 

Then he felt a warmth flow into his arm, and darkness came.

 

Opening his eyes, he realized that he was floating in some sort of liquid, and there were plastic walls surrounding him. He began to panic and move, but felt something pulling at his head, arms, and legs. Raising his arm he discovered several needles had been inserted into his arm, and his arm was… different. It had the appearance of having been rubbed raw. Suddenly a face appeared directly over him.

 

“Hello son. Are you feeling ok?†said a stranger dressed in a white lab coat.

 

“I’m fine. Get me out of here!†Zack shouted back the sound echoing inside the plastic coffin he was laying in.

 

“In a little while. When you are ready. I promise.†came the reply.

 

Again the warmth came.

[assault]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

Ok gang since you were all so helpful with ideas I thought I would share the origin story I came up with. It was vehemently approved by the GM with much applauding. It will seem unfinished, but that is because we are going to be roleplaying the actual acquisition of our powers and what not. Hope you enjoy it, and I would be happy to read your feedback.

 

It's a good story.

 

My only reservation is that Zack comes across as a bit of an idiot. I prefer my own PCs to be more sympathetic. But that's an irrelevant matter of taste.

 

You've certainly established a striking image - it's easy to imagine the artwork.

 

Well done.

[RPMiller]

Re: In need of a good origin story

 

The thing to keep in mind is that this is the "pre-heroic" Zack. What happens next is he discovers what has happened because of his idiotic ways, and finally realizes that you can't just go through life doing as you please and hurting and bullying people.

 

Thus a more heroic and responsible Zack will be born. Steph was injured in the accident by him and so feels a great deal of guilt for that as well, and you get the whole "Spidey guilt trip" thing going. So I'll be turning him around 180 and probably over compensating for his previous life until he balances everything out.

 

What sort of artwork do you picture BTW? I'm not an artistic person and can't picture a costume or anything for him. I'm not even sure what his "super hero" name is going to be. I was considering Ballistic.