Guest Witch Doctor Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 I'm trying to create a character for a golden age campaign. I want to create a character like the Phantom who is clearly inspired by pulp heros like Dr. Savage and Indiana Jones. I need to be clear in my own mind as to the differences between Golden Age and Pulp heroes so I can be sure to create a character appropriate for the setting. The rough sketch for the character that I have now is an archaeology professor who has discovered the location of a lost temple in India rumored to possess, what are essentially, weapons of mass destruction. He discovers that the Red Menace is looking for the same temple and he has to find it first. He and his sister end up in a big battle at the temple against the Red Menace and a bullet is fired which goes through his sister, through a temple idol, and into him. He lays dying and the god in the temple idol takes over his body to chase out the villains. The god, when it finishes, restores his health (it actually grants him the physical fitness of an olymplic athlete) and, from this point on, takes an interest in him. However, this god is actually ReeKee the Monkey God (who is a trickster deity) and his interest in the man fates him to "always live in interesting times". He is, now, a weirdness magnet with luck powers (in addition to being an olympic level athlete). I need help to turn this into a Golden Age character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? What makes you think that this isn't a Golden Age hero? Far as I can see it meets all the requirements. Lots of mythology and magic - no hard technology and an Olympic athelete. The difference between a pulp character and a Golden Age superhero is often simply the level of power that you are talking about. I don't think that you have anything to do but stat up what you have there. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koshka Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? One question -- does the sister die, or did ReeKee patch her up as well? I agree with Doc Democracy, the character sounds good as is. I might have Sis survive (or not get shot in the first place), unless you want some Batman edge to the character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxiekins Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? One major difference between the pulps and golden age, though... Killing... The pulps were a lot more lethal... Just account for that, and go for a clear good/evil split, no moral quandries, and you've got golden age... Like Doc says, just stat that all up, and keep the pulp/golden difference in mind when you do... If the sister survives, would she be a DNPC, then...? Or is he going to be driven by her death...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Witch Doctor Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? I wanted him to really, -really- hate guns. And I thought a good way to do that was to have his sister die by getting shot. I thought it was poetic to have her die in the same instant that he became the Avatar/kick-me doll of Reekee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxiekins Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? I wanted him to really, -really- hate guns. And I thought a good way to do that was to have his sister die by getting shot. I thought it was poetic to have her die in the same instant that he became the Avatar/kick-me doll of Reekee. Maybe he's haunted by her spirit...? A source of information, and something that makes sure he will never, ever forget... The hating guns works... I would list the Disad as "Hates Guns and the Cowards that Use Them"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug McCrae Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? Golden Age superheroes wear colourful circus costumes. Pulp heroes might dress a but funny but didn't have the distinctive superhero cut. Superheroes always have codenames, pulp heroes usually don't. If it ends in '-man' then it's a superhero - dead giveaway. Hating guns is a bit modern Batman-y, don't you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? If this is for a game, make sure you and the GM are on the same page as to what "Golden Age" means, and what types of characters are desired. For some, it's Mr. Terrific. For others, it's the Shadow. As for hating guns - may want to check on other characters/check with the GM about that. Especially if it's a "pulp" GA game, many other characters may use them. Even in "nice" GA campaigns, you might see PC's with gas guns, freeze rays, etc. and the GM might consider your hatred to extend to them. Check first rather than be surprised and disappointed later! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? i agree with doc democracy your hero's good to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? Golden Age superheroes wear colourful circus costumes. Pulp heroes might dress a but funny but didn't have the distinctive superhero cut. Superheroes always have codenames, pulp heroes usually don't. If it ends in '-man' then it's a superhero - dead giveaway. Hating guns is a bit modern Batman-y, don't you think? I would say Silver Age. Modern, everybody's got a BFG. Only thing I wonder about in the origin is Red Menace. If this is a commie, again, more Silver Age than Golden. More about the villian please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Certified Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? Just to reiterate the point, the Golden Age is filled with heroes who used guns and would kill. Keep in mind that there were a lot of war stories in this era and rarely is it wrong to plug a Nazi scumbag. With regards to the background story I think it has a lot of good elements for a Golden Age character. You may want to check with the GM as to what the starting year of the campaign is going to be however. Although the first "Red Scare" cropped up in the late 1910's this is primarily a fear of Communism as a form of government. However, this point may be off base if as implied by another poster the Red Menace described in the story is an individual. I really like the concept and look forward to seeing how he turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? Just to reiterate the point, the Golden Age is filled with heroes who used guns and would kill. Keep in mind that there were a lot of war stories in this era and rarely is it wrong to plug a Nazi scumbag. . In fact, most Golden Age characters rarely used guns to kill people because, then as now, people were worried about the more imitatable forms of violence. That's not to say that they didn't pile up a substantial death toll especially during the war, but it tended to consist of things like blowing up a dam and flooding Tokyo, getting people to kill themselves ironically, or making their planes crash. You can also be misled by Golden Age covers, which would sometimes show Captain America operating a machine-gun, say, when nothing of the kind occurs inside. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? Hating guns is a bit modern Batman-y' date=' don't you think?[/quote']Batman used guns for like his first three issues; then lost them permanently. Since that would have been back in 1939, I don't think that qualifies as particularly modern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? By 1940 they were making a big deal out of Batman's refusal to carry or kill people with guns. http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2005/08/batman-and-guns.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted April 12, 2008 Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? Only thing I would change is the "Red Scare" should become Goose stepping Nazi's, a circus costume of some nature and you should be good As for Bat's using a gun, he is seen carring it in a few (less than 6), but I know of only two stories where he actualy uses it, and it was to kill various monsters. edit: Wow, some great stuff on that link there I never knew about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQuestionMan Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Re: How do I make this a golden age character? Champions the Genre Sourebook has a good section on the Golden Age Superheroes. https://www.herogames.com/viewItem.htm?itemID=195688 Pulp Hero Great Early and Post WWII Resource https://www.herogames.com/viewItem.htm?itemID=196046 Pulp Hero Adventures (PDFs) Every GM should have at least one. https://www.herogames.com/browse.htm?keywords=&categoryID=220004&releaseDate=-1&available=Y&book=Y&pdf=Y&characterPack=Y&multiBook=Y&other=Y&damaged=Y Justice Inc. is the Classics Pulp Hero/Golden Age Champions Sourcebook. http://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetail.asp_Q_ProductID_E_1583594965_A_InventoryID_E_2147521255_A_ProductLineID_E_160_A_ManufacturerID_E_39_A_CategoryID_E_12_A_GenreID_E_ Golden Age Champions 4th Edition a Sub-Genre Sourcebook like Dark Champions, Teen Champions, Galactic Champions, etc... http://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetail.asp_Q_ProductID_E_13225_A_InventoryID_E_2147525630_A_ProductLineID_E_160_A_ManufacturerID_E_39_A_CategoryID_E_12_A_GenreID_E_ The Fires of War: The Algernon Files Volume 2 an excllent resource for GMs and Players looking for ideas to mine for years. http://www.blackwyrm.com/FOW.htm Jess Nevins's The Golden Age Heroes Directory (Thanks csyphrett) http://ratmmjess.tripod.com/gold/page.html and of coarse Golden Age Resources http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1536828#post1536828 Cheers QM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.