Penalty of Death

[Silversmith]

I have a Champions Campaign premis I need help fleshing out.

 

The PC's are supers who start as normal prisoners under a sentence of death. They are given the opportunity to have their sentence postponed, not set aside, by volunteering for a government program (Dirty Dozen?).

 

Still under penalty of death they are give superpowers (Thinking robot bodies here). A micro chip is placed in their brains that will cause a synaptic overload and kill them instantly if they attempt to rebel or escape.

 

So far that's what I have. Thinking fairly near future. USA based. Possibly an anti-terrorist squad battling super terrorists who gained their abilities in some un-thought-out way as of yet. Not necessarily Islamists. Neo nazis, commmunists, IRA (the Irish terrorists not your retirement) are also some possibilities.

 

I would like to hear thoughts on the premis and possible villains as well.

 

Thanks.

[Pogo]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

I have a Champions Campaign premis I need help fleshing out.

 

The PC's are supers who start as normal prisoners under a sentence of death. They are given the opportunity to have their sentence postponed, not set aside, by volunteering for a government program (Dirty Dozen?).

 

Still under penalty of death they are give superpowers (Thinking robot bodies here). A micro chip is placed in their brains that will cause a synaptic overload and kill them instantly if they attempt to rebel or escape.

 

So far that's what I have. Thinking fairly near future. USA based. Possibly an anti-terrorist squad battling super terrorists who gained their abilities in some un-thought-out way as of yet. Not necessarily Islamists. Neo nazis, commmunists, IRA (the Irish terrorists not your retirement) are also some possibilities.

 

I would like to hear thoughts on the premis and possible villains as well.

 

Thanks.

 

It's an intriguing premise; here are some things you may want to consider. If the characters have robotic bodies, then the microchip doesn't need to be in the brain. The government might be better off using a combination of methods: a remote shutdown procedure, a tracking device, and some sort of rare fuel as a power supply. The disadvantage is that if the bad guys figure out the shutdown signal or the tracking device, then the PCs aren't needed any more. Explaining why the robots can't just be remote controlled is left as an exercise for the GM Another wrinkle to consider is what if the players slip their leashes. They're now hunted by terrorists, government agencies, and retirement accounts, oh my. As far as villains go, what are their resources? If they can outfit people with artificial bodies, suicide bombers just got a lot more dangerous -- appropriate for at least some Dark Champions campaigns.

[Silversmith]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

Interesting ideas here. I was thinking that possibly the only part of them that would still be human would be the brain. The destruct mechanism was the failsafe that would carry out the death sentence. My idea was that someone has stolen a prototype powersuit from Lockheed or Northrupp. It is thought that Terrorists are the thieves and they have already failed to set off a nuclear bomb in Atlanta just by sheer dumb bad luck. I had also thought about the possibility of the PC's overriding the control chip and figured if they could figure out a creative way to do it I may allow it (with significant penalties to the attempt) and then add the Hunted if they succeed. If they don't, the PC dies and they get to make up a new character. I had thought of the problem with the badguys getting the signal but as I am the GM I would only allow that with serious thought.

[Steve Long]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

I've moved this because it seems to be something that belongs in the Champions board, not Dark Champions. Please carry on.

[Silversmith]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

What, if any, powers should I disallow based on the premis? I've kinda decided to go with the human brains in the robot bodies. Should I make them take a certain limitation or have a specific disadvantage other than distinguishing characteristic: robot?

[Vanguard00]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

You know, as I read the premise the first thing I thought of was "Suicide Squad", DC Comics kinda-sorta version of the same thing (but without the robot bodies). Then I got to thinkin' about the robot bodies, and how silly an idea that was...

 

...until I thought about Ender's Game. Don't ask me why it popped into my head, but it did. So bear with me a second while I see if I can babble my way through this.

 

What if the 'volunteers' were simply put into some sort of hypersleep mode? What if, instead of robot bodies, there were genetically created living organisms specifically bred to have a variety of super powers? What if said genetic creations were created without a conscious mind? All the wetwork is there, but they're essentially brain dead. And what if, instead of inhabiting robot bodies, your 'volunteers' mentally controlled these genetic creations? They essentially inhabited the bodies mentally, for all intents and purposes becoming these genetic creations. Their own memories, their own personalities, their own quirks and foibles...everything, but in these new bodies?

 

Now what if they didn't know it was happening? What if, while in hypersleep, they never actually woke up in their own bodies, but were instead 'awakened' inside these creations? The creations have had minor plastic surgery to give them the same facial features as the 'host' so that they don't know what's going on. Even scars and tattoos are recreated to preserve the illusion. They don't know that their real bodies are in storage somewhere, kept alive by advanced technology, the same technology that allows them to mentally inhabit these creations.

 

Will they ever find out? What will they do if they do discover the truth? Is there a way to get their bodies back? Would they even want to trade bodies after days/months/years inside the creations? What happens if the host bodies die? Do they simply continue to inhabit their creations, or do they die as well? The safety controls by the government include those little microchips you mentioned, but also the simple expedience of being able to 'switch off' the transmission that connects the host to the creation. Of course, if that switch doesn't work who knows what'll happen?

 

Anyway, excuse the rambling, but I had the thought and ran with it.

[ThothAmon]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

One question that you do need to resolve is why the authorities are using criminals rather than well-trained agents.

 

Other than that, I've used the 'Dirty Dozen' hook successfully in the past and I'd recommend it

[eloch]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

Personally, as a player, I would not want to play this campaign. Let me see my character has the option of doing everything he is told or having his brains blown up? Hmm.... Let me think. Sorry but this just doesn't sound very fun to me. As a player and a GM I hate leading characters around by the nose. To me a lot of what is interestign about gaming is that you plan for options A,B, or C and your characters go ahead and make up their own option D. This scenario seems they can only do exactly as they are instructed, OR ELSE!! Not a lot of fun IMHO.

 

If you are dead set on this type of a campaign I would suggest a Strikeforce Morituri approach where characters are given super powers, but a very short lifespan in exchange to help out their country.

 

Sorry but I really can't wrap my brain around why you would use convicts to fight terrorism instead of S.E.A.L.S., unless it has somethign to do with the extended story arc of the narrative.

 

E

[Phil]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

I like the idea. Of course it must be a no-hope suicide mission, or else they'd use trained agents. So the real challenge is *not* defeating the terrorists, but (1) surviving, (2) figuring out how to disarm the self-destruct. Make it so that they need to defeat the terrorists to do so, and they should go along with things (turns out, unbeknownst to the government, that the terrorists happen to be holding captive a top cyberneticist, yada yada?)

[dbsousa]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

One thing I tried when I ran a game like this, I asked each player to tell me why their character was on Death Row, and why they shouldn't be there...

[Silversmith]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

You know, as I read the premise the first thing I thought of was "Suicide Squad", DC Comics kinda-sorta version of the same thing (but without the robot bodies). Then I got to thinkin' about the robot bodies, and how silly an idea that was...

 

...until I thought about Ender's Game. Don't ask me why it popped into my head, but it did. So bear with me a second while I see if I can babble my way through this.

 

What if the 'volunteers' were simply put into some sort of hypersleep mode? What if, instead of robot bodies, there were genetically created living organisms specifically bred to have a variety of super powers? What if said genetic creations were created without a conscious mind? All the wetwork is there, but they're essentially brain dead. And what if, instead of inhabiting robot bodies, your 'volunteers' mentally controlled these genetic creations? They essentially inhabited the bodies mentally, for all intents and purposes becoming these genetic creations. Their own memories, their own personalities, their own quirks and foibles...everything, but in these new bodies?

 

Now what if they didn't know it was happening? What if, while in hypersleep, they never actually woke up in their own bodies, but were instead 'awakened' inside these creations? The creations have had minor plastic surgery to give them the same facial features as the 'host' so that they don't know what's going on. Even scars and tattoos are recreated to preserve the illusion. They don't know that their real bodies are in storage somewhere, kept alive by advanced technology, the same technology that allows them to mentally inhabit these creations.

 

Will they ever find out? What will they do if they do discover the truth? Is there a way to get their bodies back? Would they even want to trade bodies after days/months/years inside the creations? What happens if the host bodies die? Do they simply continue to inhabit their creations, or do they die as well? The safety controls by the government include those little microchips you mentioned, but also the simple expedience of being able to 'switch off' the transmission that connects the host to the creation. Of course, if that switch doesn't work who knows what'll happen?

 

Anyway, excuse the rambling, but I had the thought and ran with it.

 

Interesting Idea Vanguard00. I kinda like the idea of the robot bodies, though. It will be a part of the premis set forth so anyone who wants to play knows what they are getting into. If I run this campaign it will be on HC so people will only join if they want to. I may use some of these other ideas though. Thanks for the input.

[Silversmith]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

One question that you do need to resolve is why the authorities are using criminals rather than well-trained agents.

 

A good question. I was thinking criminals mostly because I once read a Raymond E. Fiest (sp?) series with that as part of the plot. It was fantasy ot SF but the idea was intriguing. I was thinking that maybe this could be in a future where the govenment donates the organs of criminals who suffer the death penalty. As the idea gains popularity, society demands more and quicker death penalties. In response the government lowers the requiremnts for a death penalty case. To start with it just makes it mandatory for Murder 1. Then it adds rape and treason (unless treason is a capital offense still). Then it snowballs to include the three time loser law, then add all violent crime. After that it continues till finally it even includes tax evasion (Larry Niven plot device from known space, not the tax evasion but the organ donation). I was thinking of going into this idea a short way maybe to the violent crimes being worthy of death penalty. Anyway, to make a long story intolerable, the criminals are sentenced to death and as far as anyone knows they are killed. Their organs go into the organ banks and that's that. But we know better. The only way to get people desperate enough to give up their bodies to save America is to go to people who have nothing to lose really and give them something to lose. The criminals would, then, not be the worst society could produce but people who may be in prison because they defended themselves against the wrong person or killed their husband or boyfriend who beat them; pretty much anything but not knowing what a dirty golf ball is (don't ask you don't want to know). But I was going to leave the specific crime to the players.

 

The terrorist idea was just the first one off the top of my head. I would welcome any other ideas.

[Silversmith]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

This scenario seems they can only do exactly as they are instructed, OR ELSE!! Not a lot of fun IMHO.

 

I can understand that, eloch. The complete control would be relaxed little by little in campaign time. The people involved would eventually become prized agents of the government and technology would improve along the way so that eventually they may have some semblance of humanity restored. Or maybe they earn the right to have their brains put back into human bodies after serving their penance. The idea will be that they like being useful to society and therefore refuse to go back to being merely human.

 

Thanks for the input.

[eloch]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

Hey all,

 

Don't mean to be seen as picking on you but I have some questions about the gameworld you are designing.

 

A) If you are putting people to death to harvest their organs and then putting their brains in robot bodies, why not just put sick peoples brain sin robot bodies? Then they aren't sick and the medical profession doesn't get involved in questionable ethical organ harvesting. Doctors take oaths kind of seriously.

 

Plenty of people are willing to fight for their homeland. People needn't be desperate criminals with nothing to lose. In fact I would hazzard a guess that most citizens woudl be happy to help out in the fight against terrorists.

 

C) Death penalty for tax evasion?? WTF?? It sounds like te government is the one that needs to be fought against. Unless that is your story, the characters eventually side with the terrorists, relizing they are freedom fighters and the government is a bunch of tyrants.

 

I understand that any type of roleplaying involves a certain amount of suspensin of disbelief but you have to make a gameworld obey it's own internal logic. Unless I'm just not understanding you the premise seems needlessly complicated. Perhaps you overthought it?

 

I don't want to pick apart your idea, and I don't want to be seen as attacking it. I hope my questions help you and help flesh out the campaign more and come up with even better ideas.

 

E

[Silversmith]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

Don't worry. I asked for critiques and you are coming through. I don't feel like you are picking at all

 

True I believe that the whole organ harvesting for tax evasion goes a little far. It was, however, not an original idea (see Larry Niven). The idea is that it is popularly driven. It probably plays off the idea of a slippery slope being walked by a society from the beginning trying to use convicts for organ transplant. And the whole effect would not be seen for decades after the first organ harvest from death row. Law abiding people can live longer and longer using the organs of those who don't behave. As more and more people are helped, the "good" people demand harsher punishments for those who break the laws (thereby increasing their supply of raw materials to stay alive). The reason sick people wouldn't be put in robot bodies is that they would lose too much of the human experience. The sense of touch, smell, taste. No eating. No sex. The senses may exist but without a real human body they would only be shadows of what they once were. How much better to replace the parts that are diseased and live fully human? Besides, the campaign would start at a point in the timeline where only violent criminals were being harvested for the organ banks.

 

Thanks

[Pogo]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

Hey all,

 

Don't mean to be seen as picking on you but I have some questions about the gameworld you are designing.

 

A) If you are putting people to death to harvest their organs and then putting their brains in robot bodies, why not just put sick peoples brain sin robot bodies? Then they aren't sick and the medical profession doesn't get involved in questionable ethical organ harvesting. Doctors take oaths kind of seriously.

 

Plenty of people are willing to fight for their homeland. People needn't be desperate criminals with nothing to lose. In fact I would hazzard a guess that most citizens woudl be happy to help out in the fight against terrorists.

 

E

 

Perhaps the robots haven't been fully developed yet, and the side effects are bad (insanity after 6 months, which is why the bodies only have a 5 month power supply) or that most people don't have the psychological makeup to handle this sort of thing (e.g. Robocop 1).

 

I think the expiration date could make for an interesting campaign. The players think they're getting into the typical Dirty Dozen scenario, but leave hints about their eventual fate if nothing changes. Then let them devise a way out. I think this would be a very dark, perhaps even dystopian, campaign, but that appeals to some gamers.

[RDU Neil]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

I have a Champions Campaign premis I need help fleshing out.

 

The PC's are supers who start as normal prisoners under a sentence of death. They are given the opportunity to have their sentence postponed, not set aside, by volunteering for a government program (Dirty Dozen?).

 

Still under penalty of death they are give superpowers (Thinking robot bodies here). A micro chip is placed in their brains that will cause a synaptic overload and kill them instantly if they attempt to rebel or escape.

 

So far that's what I have. Thinking fairly near future. USA based. Possibly an anti-terrorist squad battling super terrorists who gained their abilities in some un-thought-out way as of yet. Not necessarily Islamists. Neo nazis, commmunists, IRA (the Irish terrorists not your retirement) are also some possibilities.

 

I would like to hear thoughts on the premis and possible villains as well.

 

Thanks.

 

I'm answering this without reading all the others yet... so I may be repeating others.

 

Great concept... but one warning. If you set up a situation where the PCs are in an "Against their will" type of situation... don't be surprised if they spend most of their time trying to break out of control, twist the situation to their advantage, find the loophole, etc. Especially when you've stated that all are "death sentence" inmates... so likely NOT the nicest bunch of team players.

 

Now... if everyone is up for this, and as the GM you are looking forward to handling underhanded twists and a mentality of the players trying to "beat the GM" to win their freedom... then cool. If everyone is into that and up front about it, it could be really fun.

 

If not... if you expect this premise to simply be a background element that just straight-jackets the PCs to do what you want... well then you might end up with a really ugly scene.

[GoldenAge]

Re: Penalty of Death

 

I been running a game with basically the same "Dirty Dozen" concept in a space opera setting for over 15 years. It's called NEMESIS Squadron.

 

Check out the packet, it may give you some ideas:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34853