from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

[bubba smith]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

i deleted the post you asked me to tqm i couldn't get online until today as my computer was offline

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

i deleted the post you asked me to tqm i couldn't get online until today as my computer was offline

 

Thanks I appreciated that

 

More on Champions of Vancouver later

 

QM

[bubba smith]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

you're welcome

[Lord Liaden]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Takofanes the Archlich

 

 

The Bone Circle

 

Takofanes wearies of trying to force the Crowns of Krim to his service, and decides to recruit a new cadre of lieutenants from among other occult villains of the modern world. With his unmatched skill at necromancy, the Archlich concludes that undead villains he can command, or other necromancers whose minions he can subvert, will be the easiest to control.

 

His "recruits" include the powerful body stealing immortal Necrull (Champions Of The North), the mysterious zombie master Rictus (Villains, Vandals, And Vermin), the lethal mummy called The Curse (also in VVV), the subtle vampire Stalker (Champions Universe: News Of The World), and the free-willed zombie assassin known as Dead Man Walking (Vibora Bay). Takofanes may supplement these monsters' powers with enchantments or artifacts of his own crafting.

 

 

A Tale of Two Lichs

 

Takofanes learns of the deceased occult master villain Archimago (described in The Mystic World), and concludes that a sorceror-servant more familiar with the modern world than he would be an asset in his campaign to re-establish his dominion over the Earth. Takofanes uses his vast necromantic powers to reincarnate Archimago in an undead form similar to Takofanes' own. The Archlich arrogantly assumes he'll have full control of his new creation as he always has over lesser undead; but the greatest sorceror of the Twentieth Century is not so easily bound. Archimago breaks free of Takofanes and tries to wrest control of the Archlich's dimensional strongholds and supernatural legions, leading to an occult war that spills over onto Earth.

 

The PCs have to minimize the collateral damage from the conflict while trying to find a way to neutralize one or both of these terrible mystic villains. It would be ideal if they could be "helped" to destroy each other, but either victor in their war might be weakened temporarily, enough for the heroes to defeat.

 

(BTW there's a full write-up of Archimago in the Fourth Edition Champions supplement Creatures of the Night: Horror Enemies, conveniently already in lich form.)

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Woo, scary.

 

Everything You Know Is Wrong (Dr. Destroyer)

 

Doctor Destroyer has an odd genetic makeup. It would be interesting to know more, and the CIA used to take blood samples during annual employee checkups, so a scientist of the PC's acquaintance grabs the latest one and carts it off to his lovely research campus in a quiet suburban industrial park.

Which is promptly vaporised by a small nuclear device --with Doctor Destroyer's signature, but hand-delivered in the CIA pouch.

And it turns out that all Dr. D's other blood samples are missing, along with huge amounts of his CIA file, and have been for years.

Counterintelligence expert John Christian Turnville puts it this way to the PCs: all signs point to someone high up in the intelligence community being behind Doctor Destroyer. Secretary-Marshal Eckhardt is the obvious candidate.

[bubba smith]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

why's that LB?

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

why's that LB?

Why Eckhardt? Turnville is modelled on a CIA counterintelligence specialist named James Jesus Angleton, who turned the agency upside down in the 1960s looking for a "mole" like the Cambridge Five. Most now agree that Angleton's fears were unjustified and that he was a purely disruptive figure, but in the final version of his theory, the mole has to be about the most prominent person possible just to survive the hunt for so long.

So my thinking is that the PCs will have to decide whether "Turnville" is right or not, and, if so, who could possibly be powerful enough and influential enough to be "behind" Doctor Destroyer:nonp:

 

Of course, it all turns out to be a massive Roynish infiltration...

[teh bunneh]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

You know, that got me thinking... what if Dr. Destroyer isn't a man, but a series of men? Like the old pulp hero The Phantom, the Ghost Who Walks -- when the old Dr. D dies (or is killed, or whatever), a new one takes his place. I mean, he could be just about anyone underneath that armor. Maybe that's where Professor Muerte went...

[bubba smith]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

hmm good point bunneh

[Boll Weevil]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

You know' date=' that got me thinking... what if Dr. Destroyer isn't a man, but a series of men? Like the old pulp hero The Phantom, the Ghost Who Walks -- when the old Dr. D dies (or is killed, or whatever), a new one takes his place. I mean, he could be just about anyone underneath that armor. Maybe that's where Professor Muerte went... [/quote']Or they retire like the Dread Pirate Roberts, "Good night Albert. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

[Lord Liaden]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

The DD description on Cryptic Studios' Champions Online website implies at least a strong possibility that the Dr. Destroyer returned after the destruction of Detroit may not be the original. From his remarks I suspect Steve Long differs with Cryptic on this point. We'll have to wait for BOTD to see how that falls out.

 

(And that's enough threadjacking from me.)

[DEFCON Clown]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

This one is primarily VIPER but does include the IHA and it works as a great way to introduce the IHA's militant side.

 

Breaking and Rescuing

The PCs are alerted to a break in at a high tech research facility. When they get there they find that VIPER has broken in, but strangely they've only left a small rear guard, there is no sign of the rest of the agents. Either by searching the facility or interrogating a VIPER agent they find out the rest of them are in the secret sub-basement. They find much heavier resistance here, but also a lot of downed VIPER agents and an other type of grunt they don't recognize. They come to a large lab with a lot of VIPER agents and a number of VIPER scientists and Medical agents too. They are gathered around a large vertical tube, before the PCs get a chance to interfere the scientists open the tube revealing Freon! The medical personal get him out of the tank and on to a stretcher and start treating him. And thats when the Minuteman robots crash in through the ceiling! Now its VIPER and the PCs versus the IHA! Make sure you have enough Minutemen that the PCs need help to take them down. And have Freon wake up in mid battle for extra fun!

[Kirby]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

We'll have to wait for BOTD to see how that falls out.

Book of the Dead?

[Hagadorn]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Book of Tile Darkness?

[bubba smith]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Iha?

[Kirby]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Iha?

Institute for Human Advancement - The 5th Ed version of Genocide. It's a "cover" company, so to speak.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

A land so white and savage

 

The PCs are on a road trip across the Prairies when Captain Chronos intercepts them. Someone has to get a package to the Beaufort Sea, even though Tillingkoot itself oppose them. If the players can do it, the Captain promises to use his temporal powers to grant them a "do over" on one great disappointment of their lives.

.

 

Those who knew her best

 

An attempt to salvage the freighter Mary Ellen Carter has run afoul of the evil of (choose one of Mantara, Leviathan or Murk).

 

 

 

Rose, shamrock and thistle entwine

 

Vector challenges the team to a transcontinental race from Bonaventure Bay in Newfoundland to Nootka Sound in British Columbia!

 

Skinner's Pond

 

Argosy contacts the PCs. The peace and tranquility of Skinner's Pond is threatened by the machinations of Thorn, who is growing a (toxic/mind controlling/parastic/whatever) oceanic moss in a quiet tidal pool.

 

There's work there in the fall

 

The PCs wake up one morning to find a badly beaten Winter Dragon at their doorstep. He warns them a mysterious menace named Sylvia who is planning to blow up North Edmonton Mall. But before the heroes can depart for Alberta, Zephyr, Tunderstorm, Monsoon and a mind-controlled Summer Cloud attack. Can the heroes defeat these four strong winds, release Summer Cloud from mind-control, and maybe patch things up between her and Winter Dragon?

 

Ce n'est pas un jardin

 

Mysterious, unseasonable weather has struck local truck farms, leaving Campaign City's vegetable gardens buried under serene white frost. Who is behind this, and can the damage be undone before the price of strawberries goes through the roof?

 

Like a bird

 

The PCs wake up one morning unable to remember where their home is . And they're powerless. Could it have something to do with their rough, rough one night stands at the bar last night? Might guilt about their "promiscuity" be at fault, so that admitting to their true feelings will magically restore their powers?

 

Stan Rogers gets star billing here. Now that I'm righting my explanatory notes, I am really second-guessing my decision to omit the better-known "Barret's Privateers," and the obscure "Not One in Ten Thousand Knows His Name." On the other hand, I went with popularity over preference in picking "Four Strong Winds" over "Summer Wages."

Stompin' Tom was not the puzzler you might think, given the way his anvilicious patriotism jars with my other selections, but "There's Moss in Skinner's Pond" is heartfelt.

And I make no apologies for including Nellie Furtado. Although I guess that is an apology now that I've written it.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Nice collection, LB. Let me just add for any readers not familiar with it, that these adventure seeds are set in Canada and use characters and plot hooks from Champions Of The North. Considering they're posted on Canada Day, that seems quite appropriate.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

And, of course, they take off [eh] from iconic Canadian songs.

And Nelly Furtado, who is just plain cute.

[Egyptoid]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Undead Allies

[FenrisUlf]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

I'd run the Undead Enemies of Takofanes as being out to destroy him so they can devour his power and collectively replace him. Oops, you beat Takky once and for all, but now there are five massively powerful undead replacing him. Great move, genius!

[Lord Liaden]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

I'd run the Undead Enemies of Takofanes as being out to destroy him so they can devour his power and collectively replace him. Oops' date=' you beat Takky once and for all, but now there are [b']five[/b] massively powerful undead replacing him. Great move, genius!

 

You know, I could see the five in-continuity undead villains I mentioned back on post #507 being assembled by Necrull or Rictus for just that purpose.

[Egyptoid]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Takofanes the Archlich

His "recruits" include the powerful body stealing immortal Necrull (Champions Of The North), the mysterious zombie master Rictus (Villains, Vandals, And Vermin), the lethal mummy called The Curse (also in VVV), the subtle vampire Stalker (Champions Universe: News Of The World), and the free-willed zombie assassin known as Dead Man Walking (Vibora Bay). Takofanes may supplement these monsters' powers with enchantments or artifacts of his own crafting.

 

that's great ! my idea was independent. (-2)

I never read this post, and had completely forgotten those guys also.

 

for a real sick twist, run the first five undead, then while the

party is resting up, wave 2 shows up...

[FenrisUlf]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Takofanes the Archlich

 

 

The Bone Circle

 

Takofanes wearies of trying to force the Crowns of Krim to his service, and decides to recruit a new cadre of lieutenants from among other occult villains of the modern world. With his unmatched skill at necromancy, the Archlich concludes that undead villains he can command, or other necromancers whose minions he can subvert, will be the easiest to control.

 

His "recruits" include the powerful body stealing immortal Necrull (Champions Of The North), the mysterious zombie master Rictus (Villains, Vandals, And Vermin), the lethal mummy called The Curse (also in VVV), the subtle vampire Stalker (Champions Universe: News Of The World), and the free-willed zombie assassin known as Dead Man Walking (Vibora Bay). Takofanes may supplement these monsters' powers with enchantments or artifacts of his own crafting.

 

 

 

Myself, I'm wondering if maybe Takofanes' mere presence in the world is what's causing so many death-powered/necromantic supervillains to show up. And as Takofanes is the Lord of the Undead, then maybe he can command them at long distance. Even when they don't realize they're doing his bidding...

 

Though for this I'd make a much more potent vampire than Stalker for use as Takky's chief bloodsucking stooge, something more along the lines of an ancient European vampire of the nosferatu/vrykolakas variety (no more sexy undead! ) with several millennia of power and experience. Go and check out the animated Batman versus Dracula film for some idea of what he should look and feel like.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share your ideas!

 

Myself' date=' I'm wondering if maybe Takofanes' mere presence in the world is what's causing so many death-powered/necromantic supervillains to show up. And as Takofanes is the Lord of the Undead, then maybe he can command them at long distance. Even when they don't realize they're doing his bidding...[/quote']

 

Dead Man Walking's origin is unknown, and I'd be willing to accept that Takofanes had something to do with his reanimation, directly or not. Rictus' background and origin hasn't been revealed, so if I was running him I'd make him a protege and lieutenant of Takofanes.

 

 

Though for this I'd make a much more potent vampire than Stalker for use as Takky's chief bloodsucking stooge' date=' something more along the lines of an ancient European vampire of the nosferatu/vrykolakas variety (no more sexy undead! ) with several millennia of power and experience. Go and check out the animated [i']Batman versus Dracula[/i] film for some idea of what he should look and feel like.

 

On several occasions I've run The Baron, aka "Baron Jean De'Lear", from The Mutant File, as the top vampire in my Champions campaigns. He's ancient, subtle, versatile, and the most powerful "gothic" vampire in any published Champions source, quite able to fight a whole team of starting superheroes by himself.

 

He is fairly sexy, though. Sorry.