Hostile Intent

[Dominique]

Okay, I posted this over on an other message board I frequent and figured I post it here as well. It's an overview of a villain group (They're for M&M, but it could also be used for Champions or any other four color superhero game).

 

HOSTILE INTENT

 

Overview: Hostile Intent is a powerful, well organized, and extremely successful villain group operating predominately in North America, Western Europe, and Japan. However, they have recently begun to expand their area of operations. These operations, were mainly designed to "test the waters", and have taken place in South America (Brazil, Chile, and Argentina), South East Asia (Singapore and Malaysia), and most recently, South Africa.

 

Officials at the US Department of Justice's Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) consider Hostile Intnet. to be one of the major metahuman threats facing American law enforcement today. Despite their best efforts, federal law enforcement agencies have repeatedly been unsuccessful in their attempts to disrupt the group's operations. Other North American and international agencies, such as the RCMP and INTERPOL, have also grown increasingly frustrated in their inability to bring the group to justice.

 

Unknown to law enforcement officials, there are several factors contributing to the groups amazing success rate. The first being that while many of their members may not personally like each other, or agree with the others personal aspirations, chosen lifestyle, or political views, they have all managed to reach the same conclusion. They have a much better chance of achieving their individual goals by working together, than they do by operating separately.

 

Unlike many of the more conventional villain groups operating today, the team doesn’t have anything to prove. They share no vendettas against any specific person or group, and are primarily out to make their lives as comfortable as possible, by any means they deem necessary. They want to get in, accomplish their mission, and get out before the authorities, or some local do gooders, have a chance to respond to their presence. They try to avoid lingering at their target, getting into a slugging match with the authorities or a local hero group(s). When conducting an operation they try to keep collateral damage to a minimum, unless doing so would hinder their ability to complete their mission, or slow down their escape. While, as a whole, they are not a particularly bloodthirsty bunch, they have absolutely no qualms with harming anyone who stands in their way.

 

The second one being the meticulous planning they undertake before actually launching an operation. It's not unusual for them to spend months planning and rehearsing their actions and accessing possible responses by law enforcement, the military, or other metahumans. During this prepatory period, the team will try to gain as much information about their target as possible. They will make several contingency plans just incase some unforeseen event arises, and they find it necessary to scrap their original plan. Most importantly, they will plan their escape. Once a plan is finalized, they implement it. Striking with such speed and power, that in most cases, the local authorities are simply overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation.

 

To aid them in their preparations, the team has a huge number of corrupt government and law enforcement officials on it's payrolls. These officials provide them with up to date information on their potential targets, feeding them information such as the various threats they may encounter; the response time of law enforcement agencies; the capabilities of any specialist law enforcement unit; or if the military will likely respond. Another valuable function they perform is a source of personal information on their victims. Such as the fact that a married bank director is known to frequent a certain brothel. The team has used such information in the past to successfully blackmail several high-profile authority figures into cooperating with them. It's so much easier to have someone open the bank vault for you, than to have to have the door blasted off it's hinges. As a last resort they maintain a small army of lawyers to help fend off any legal difficulties that may arise due to their illegal activities.

 

As part of their on going efforts to stay several steps ahead of the law, the group has seen fit to maintain dossiers on may of the worlds law enforcement, security, and intelligence agencies. They have also built up and an extensive database detailing the powers, weaknesses, and operating methods of some of the more powerful metahumans, both heroes and villains alike, especially those beings that they are likely to encounter (and for a substation fee, they are more than willing to share this information with anyone willing to pay their asking price or at least seven figures).

 

The third and final factor attributed to their success, is the fact that they have managed to maintain a relatively stable team membership, rarely loosing or admitting members. In fact the group has only lost three of it‘s original members, since its inception. They are very careful in their selection of new members, and only grant admittance after a through screening process is completed. They wish to avoid he problems they experienced during their first growth spurt.

 

The team maintains a network "safehouses" located at various locations across the globe. The safehouses are for the use of any team member who wishes to make use of them during their "off duty" travels. After all, what good is it to have all this wealth at your disposal, if you can't enjoy it. In the event that a team member leaves the group, or is captured by the authorities, the current safehouses will be closed, cleaned and sanitized to prevent anyone from tracking the team's whereabouts. The team currently has safehouses located in the following cities and countries:

 

USA - New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami

Canada - Montreal, Quebec

Mexico - Acapulco, Cancun

Jamaica - Kingston

Brazil - Rio de Janeiro

UK - London

Germany - Bonn, Berlin

Italy - Rome, Milan

Switzerland - Zurich

Japan - Tokyo

South Africa - Johannesburg

 

History: Hostile Intent was initially formed, in the late 1998, as a loose association of supervillains operating along in the US. The initial group consisted of Megami, Oscillator, Overdrive, Dark Cloud, and the battlesuit wearing, Heartbreaker(yeah I know Aaron, but I really like the name). They were soon joined by the size changing Tower.

 

The group’s original intent was to allow its members to share information, tactics, and, if the situation proved beneficial, to occasionally conduct joint operations. Within a short period of time, they realized that they were on to something. Why not develop their association into something more formal? Why not capitalize on the skills, knowledge, and resources of other like minded criminals? They conceived the idea of forming a vast criminal enterprise unlike anything that had come before it. They would establish one of the greatest criminal organization known to man. Using Megami's knowledge of the Asian underworld, Oscillator's business skills and finical resources, and Overdrive and Tower’s contacts within North America's organized crime networks, they set out to lay the ground work and formalize their organization.

 

Several successful criminals were contacted discretely. Those willing to set aside any previous differences and abide by the group's charter, were offered formal membership. Membership would not only grant them protection from the various law enforcement agencies, and criminal organizations pursuing many of their initial members and problems with, but a provide them a safe haven where they could recover their strength and enjoy their ill gotten gains. The original group consisted of: Megami, Overdrive, Oscillator, the Japanese villain, Tsunami, Dark Cloud, Heart Breaker, Horde, Nox, Preus, and Tower, with Megami, Oscillator, Overdrive, and Dark Cloud being the group’s core members.

 

Their ranks now swollen with a cadre of carefully selected recruits, they undertook a series of small, but well planned robberies in the heart of New York City's finical district. With those operations successfully under their belt, they set about planning what was to be it's very public debut. Bursting onto the scene during a daring day light assault on Rodeo Drive, they managed to ransack several upscale stores and make off with their booty before several local heroes could respond. Within a short time frame they had established a reputation as a force to be reckoned with, swooping in, smashing any resistance they encountered, and departing just as quickly as they had arrived, leaving a trail of misery and destruction in their wake.

 

Soon a number of personality conflicts began to arise. Tsunami, one of the more powerful members, found herself having trouble reconciling her racists beliefs and her continued association with the group. It became increasingly difficult for her to suppress her feelings towards the group's non Asian members, and left the group within a few months it's formation. She was soon replaced by two up and coming young villains who had come to the group's attention.

 

The first new recruit, Pit Bull, was a low level metahuman working for a Jamaican drug gang in Miami. After chance encounter with the group, and being on the run form several law enforcement agencies, he approached Overdrive and petitioned him for membership, which was granted within a few weeks.

 

Their second recruit was a young female mutant named Panic. Panic had just made her debut in Los Angeles, during the middle of a major movie premier, when Megami saw one on television. Realizing that her abilities could prove useful, she was discreetly contacted and accepted Megami’s offer for membership.

 

Unfortunately, within a few short months another problem arose. Heartbreaker, never one to share the limelight, especially with a man, felt that her contributions to the team were being overshadowed by Tower's work. While not true, she too left the group and resumed her solo career. She’s recently formed her own all female group, “The Sisterhoodâ€.

 

In early 2001, they suffered a major setback, when Tower was accidentally killed the hero group, the Guardians, during a massive battle in the streets of Los Angeles. At that same time they were contemplating their initial foray into Canada. Not wanting to undertake such an operation without more detailed knowledge of the area, and needing a replacement for Tower, they contacted a relatively new Canadian villain, Runt. While Runt didn’t have Tower’s technical skills, he more than fit the bill as a replacement for a new team “Brickâ€. After a short negotiation he was eventually granted membership.

 

In late 2003, another valuable recruit was added to their ranks. A petty thief named “Jumpâ€, ended up saving three members of the group from capture. After several heating arguments about the usefulness of his abilities he was finally offered probationary membership, with the understanding that he would be expelled, or worse, if his performance was found lacking. Within the first few month he proved his worth, "jumping" team members in and out of various hotspots, transporting them out of trouble, and basically ensuring the team could always make a clean get-a-way.

 

Since that time, their lineup has remained unchanged, although they are constantly on the lookout for new "talent". One need that they all feel should be addressed soon, is the team's lack of mental abilities. As a result, they are actively in the process of trying to recruit some type mentalist, preferably a telepath. The group is also seriously considering the possibility of adding a mystic to their ranks, after engaging in several nasty encounters with magic welding heroes. The group's current roster consists of the following members:

 

Megami: (Aya Takashi) - A shape changing Japanese metamorph and former Yakuza assassin. Extremely cunning and manipulative. She’s the current team leader and Overdrive's lover.

 

Overdrive: (Marcus Jamal White) - An African /American super-speedster, with an enhanced constitution, a superhuman level of dexterity, and a rapid healing factor. - From Chicago, IL. He’s a former track star, a compulsive gambler ( mostly sporting events), and former drug addict. The team's second in command, field commander, and Maou's lover. A tactical planner. He enjoys his current position as field commander and takes it quite seriously.

 

Oscillator: (Lord William Richard Whitehall III) - Member of the British aristocracy. With the ability to generate and control electrical fields. He’s sadistic, and enjoys causing pain to his victims. Feels that it's his God given right to lord over "lesser" beings.

 

Runt: (Leslie Roy Richards) - Canadian. Runt is five feet, three inches of pure mean. Even though he was always small for his size, he made up for it with attitude, which was always bad. He was repeatedly disciplined for fighting and bullying the other kids in school, including one who was twice his size. But all that changed when he hit puberty, that‘s when his mutant abilities kicked in. Runt can alter his body’s weight and physical density. His skin becomes super tough, it’s almost impossible to move him unless he wants to move, and his strength increases to super human levels. Runt still has a “little man†complex and will always go after the strongest heroes first. He doesn’t like loosing or comments about his size.

 

Pit Bull: (Desmond Fields) - Is a Jamaican mutant who displays abilities similar to a dog. He has enhanced strength, constitution, speed, and reflexes. Enhanced senses of smell, taste, and hearing that extends into the ultrasonic range. Clawed hands and fangs. And an enhanced healing ability. He’s currently wanted in New York City and Miami for the attempted murder of several police officers and on federal charges for assaulting a federal agent. He’s hyperactive and during battle he’s a one man killing machine tearing through opponents like a like paper.

 

Horde: (Unknown) - Very little information is known about the mutant known as Horde, other than he’s reportedly from the former East Germany and he’s wanted by several European law enforcement agencies for various crimes. He has the ability to create exact duplicates of himself. The maximum number of duplicates he can create is not known, but during one encounter with German police, he produced well over fifty such duplicates. If knocked unconscious, these duplicates will disappear. During battle, he’ll create large groups of duplicates, and try to physically overwhelm as many opponents as he can.

 

Jump: (Ronald Marian Hutchinson) - "Ron" is a teleporter and former petty thief form New York City. After bungling his way into one of the group’s operations, he realized he was not using his abilities to their full potential. Feeling his powers would make a valuable addition to the group, he requested membership., and after an intense internal debate, he was granted membership. Normally Jump stays out of battle. His primary purpose is to ensure that any group members captured by the authorities are successfully rescued. He’s their ace in the hole.

 

Wildfyre: (Mary Ann Green) - A pyrokinetic from Manchester, England. She can cause inanimate objects to burst into flame simply by thinking about it. The easier it is for an object to burn, the easier it is for her to cause it to ignite. Blaze is greedy, vain, and self centered. She is under the impression that everyman wants her, and should be willing to do her bidding.

 

Preus: (Hans Barlow) A former German scientist. He generates fields of intense cold. He’s the father of villainess Shiver. Cold, and clinical. When not engaged in an operation, he spends his time in doing research.

 

Nox: (Nancy Davis) - A female mutant who’s able to create objects form a solid form darkness.

 

Dark Cloud: (George Black) - A Native American mutant with the ability to fly and control weather patterns.

 

Panic: (Abigail Rogers) - A female mutant from Los Angeles, California with the ability to cause panic attacks in her victims. She must have eye contact with her intended target to do so.

 

*Note* BSI is my government sponsored supers agency.

 

I'm still working out more detailed backgrounds and write ups for the group, including ones for former members Tsunami and Tower, and I'll post them later.Until then, look it over and let me know what you think of it.

[Dominique]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

64 views and not a single comment? How about a little feedback guys? Do they suck?

[MisterBaldy]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

The first new recruit' date=' [b']Pit Bull[/b], was a low level metahuman working for a Jamaican drug gang in Miami. After chance encounter with the group, and being on the run form several law enforcement agencies, he approached Overdrive and petitioned him for membership, which was granted within a few weeks.

A well organized, one step ahead of law enforcement, supervillian group...but one chance encounter, and this character was able to find them, and petition them over a few weeks time...and allowed to join?

 

Aparently they are only one step ahead of law enforcement...and not supervillians.

[Zed-F]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

I've never been particularily fond of the uber-merc team that explicitly can't be caught by GM fiat. I've never found the idea that traditional law enforcement organs are that corrupt / incompetent to be particularily appealing. If they are so smart, why haven't they gone legit and/or retired? If their egos are big enough to get in the way of going legit, how can they work together that well? Real criminals survive by keeping a low profile and trying to avoid coming to the attention of law enforcement in the first place, not by 'striking with speed and power' and escaping before they can react, and not by infiltrating every major government agency in the world. It just doesn't strike me as all that likely.

 

But then I guess that incompetent law enforcement organs and uber-mercs are something of a 4-colour trope. Clearly you've put a lot of work into the team, so good luck with them.

[Vanguard00]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Depending on the campaign I don't see anything wrong with the write-ups. It's a good team with a lot of plot potential.

 

That being said, I'd probably never use the team as-is for much of the same reasons Zed-F stated. I don't see them being that successful in the long run. If superheroes don't get 'em, other supervillains will. I can't imagine a team like that having "safe" houses in Europe...Eurostar would kick their butts.

 

But again, it depends on the campaign. If this is the premiere villain group then yeah, it rocks. It would also be cool to build this up over a period of time while the campaign was in progress. Have the founders meet because of something the PCs did. A few background news reports of their activities during regular missions add a bit of flavor, then HI suddenly shows up in an adventure. You could run their entire history as background flavor during other adventures/campaigns and end up with a very cool nemesis villain group.

 

But to more-or-less drop them into a Champions Universe campaign...not really practical.

[Dominique]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Okay, all you guys have some good points, and a even a few good ideas on how to work them into the game (I'm never above steal, er...barrowing a good idea). I have yet to actually run these guys, so I may make several changes to them. I just wanted to see what someone else thought, and get some feed back on the initial write up for the group.

 

As far as them never being caught, I never said they couldn't, I just said that so far no one's been sucessful. I figure my players will eventually shut them down. I also don't beleive law enforcemet agencies are run by idiots (unless you count a few of my former supervisors), but it works for the game. On the villain front, I figure they have pissed off a few along the line, I just need to work out a backstory, and a few of their enemies. (Although, I think it would be fun to have them in a knock down, drag out fight with Eurostar.)Once I work out the rest of background, I'll post the stuff here,If you guys are interested.

[Matt Frisbee]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

I thought it was an excessively good write-up (and I tried to Rep you for it, BTW, but I'm new), I think the angle my characters would have to take is to take out small parts of the organization until they attracted some attention from the heavy hitters, and then get the fight of their lives from the reserves. After they lick their wounds, they'd probably try to fight this group with brains as well as brawn (which is always something I reward).

 

Like I said before, this a great write up and I do intend to use this group in my campaign, with your permission, of course, when the characters have built up enough experience to start doing things on a worldwide stage.

 

Matt "Lickin'-his-chops-for-the-conflicts-to-come" Frisbee

[Dominique]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Matt, since I routinely steal, beg, and barrow inspiration and/or ideas from others, feel free to use what ever you want from the write-up. As far as duking it out with them, I'd prefer that my PCs (were still in the process of setting up this new campaign) use there brains first, and fists (heat rays, nuclear breath, or what ever) second.

 

If it were me, I'd never try to take these guys on at full strength, but that's just me. I prefer the hit them where they aint strategy.

[MisterBaldy]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Matt, since I routinely steal, beg, and barrow inspiration and/or ideas from others, feel free to use what ever you want from the write-up. As far as duking it out with them, I'd prefer that my PCs (were still in the process of setting up this new campaign) use there brains first, and fists (heat rays, nuclear breath, or what ever) second.

 

If it were me, I'd never try to take these guys on at full strength, but that's just me. I prefer the hit them where they aint strategy.

My dear Dominique...

 

First...I am REPPING you for your post. I know I kind of "poked" at it in my first post, but you deserve some REP all the same.

 

I think that part of the great thing about the Hero Boards, is that it's a place for gamers to freely exchange ideas, thoughts, concepts, and the like. It's fine to take the ideas many of us express here on the Hero Boards. Most of us (I can't speak for the total group), are fine with that...this is why we put in our "two cents worth". Use what you want...and no apologies or explanations are needed.

 

Although you have a good write-up, my first post to the thread was to make a point...although be it a sarcastic one. Here is some plain, simple advice from a long time GM (27+ years of RPG GMing)...

 

Never create the "I'm uber-cool and you can't catch me" group, unless...your intent is for the PCs to be the ones to break-up/catch the team. Part of the concept of the "I'm uber-cool and you can't catch me" group, is their overconfidence...which will be their ultimate downfall. As a GM, you can't be afraid to let the PCs destroy your creation. That doesn't mean that you have to make it easy for them. MAKE THEM WORK FOR IT!!! Although they are the main characters (a.k.a., the "stars of the comicbook"), this doesn't mean that you should serve everything to them on a silver platter...now does it?

 

In my first post to this thread, I pointed out a flaw in your write-up, so...develop that flaw as the "fatal one", the one that will bring about the teams untimely demise. Any chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. So maybe the character that recruited Pit Bull (or for that matter Pit Bull himself) who is that weak link in the team, and the PCs can exploit it to bring down the team once and for all.

 

Ultimately, any RPG is about the group, as a whole (that's also you included) "having fun". Make sure that this is your goal...and all will work out fine.

 

A FEW WORDS OF CAUTION ABOUT POSTING "CAMPAIGN IDEAS" ON THE HERO BOARDS:

 

Remember, your players can also visit the HERO Boards as well...so once you introduce the team into your campaign, all bets are off. They will already know a bit about your plans, even though they may not let on.

 

So, keep this in mind Dominique...OK?

[Dominique]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Thanks for the replies and advice everyone. As I said, I expect my PCs to be able to take the group down at some point, but I do want it to take a while. I also want them to have to think their way through the problem, and come up with a solution. Not bust through the door guns blazing.

 

I'm not planning on dropping the whole team on them like a load of bricks, think it would ruin the game for them and just piss off the players. I'd prefer to drop a few hints, let them have a run in or two with a few group members, and then let the PCs start piecing things together. So that's the direction I'll try to stear the players in. I'm also plan on working in a few of the various villains flaws into the games (things like Overdrives gambling). Not to mention the fact that various memebers of the group have a landry list of enemies who would be more tahn happy to see them go away.

 

As far as posting info here goes, if they want to get a sneak peak, its fine, but hte minue they try to use info that their character couldn't have had access to, well then I go into the nasty GM mode and come up with a few suprises to keep them honest next time, (ever since your one night stand, you've been feeling a little off, itching and burning in the genitals, or some other little surprise).

 

Once again, thanks gentlemen.

[MisterBaldy]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

No Problem...that's what we're here for!!!

[Dominique]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Just out of curiousity, how would your PCs handle this group?

[Vanguard00]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Just out of curiousity' date=' how would your PCs handle this group?[/quote']

Probably the same way they handle most villain groups. If my PC has some sort of connection with a law enforcement agency, then he'd work with 'em to try and at least limit their success, if not actively pursue them. Most of my PCs aren't in a position to do that, however, so unless they came across HI in the course of an adventure, it'd probably be a back burner issue.

 

One of my inactive PCs, however, would take a more direct approach. He's a super-soldier type by the name of Tempest, and he'd begin pursuit when and where he could, following up old leads, full case analysis of previous encounters, etc. Trying to establish any sort of pattern or useful dynamic he could use. If nothing else, he'd focus on taking them down one at a time, hit and run tactics and the like. If HI pops up, he's there, nails a guy, gets out. Success or failure of HI's mission is secondary unless civilian lives are on the line. As long as they're still out for cash and whatever else (as opposed to murder and other violent crimes) Tempest would pursue this course of action. The entirety of his plan is to make it too costly for them to operate, or to put a little fear into them. He's a great tactician with a number of useful contacts in the metahuman and law enforcement communities; he might be able to put a strike team together if it's practical.

 

But again, most of my PCs would likely only be in a position to stop HI's latest crime, not actively pursue them. Unless GM fiat put the two teams at odds, of course, or if it's part of the current campaign.

[Trebuchet]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Just out of curiousity' date=' how would your PCs handle this group?[/quote']First, let me congratulate you on creating an interesting and well-rounded group of villains. Nicely done; and consider yourself Repped. However, as a group to run against a typical PC team they create some serious problems.

 

First of all, they have an enormous number of members (12!) compared to most hero teams I've seen; which IME typically number from 6 - 8 members. So they'll almost always outnumber the good guys. This is further exacerbated by having a member with serious levels of Duplication. You've even got a "get out of jail free" teleporter to prevent a hero team from gradually wearing their numbers down by successively capturing members of Hostile Intent during several encounters. Were I playing in a campaign against Hostile Intent, I suspect I'd be terribly frustrated at constantly losing by sheer weight of numbers. (Our team MidGuard would probably fare OK, but without seeing their actual character sheets it's hard to be certain. But then MidGuard is the "Avengers" of our campaign world, and we do have one of the world's most powerful mentalists in our ranks.)

 

Secondly, the only real hole I see in their lineup is no mentalist. It would be better to have a few other shortcomings (and perhaps even a few outright weaknesses!) which PC teams might exploit. Even supervillains can't always pick who is available.

 

I can see two ways to make this team more interesting as opponents: 1) Keep them on the low side powerwise; perhaps 250 points average in a 350 base game; 2) Establish a "core" group of four or five members who are always present, plus one or two rotating "auxiliary" members tailored to a specific job.

 

Other than those issues, it's nicely done.

[Dominique]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

I only envision using them in small teams of 3-8 at a time, unless the PCs get a little to big for their britches, and start acting silly.

 

As far as their weaknesses go, I deliberately built in character flaws for the PCs to exploint (Overdrive's gambling, Oscillator is a pompus ***, etc.), and a few other details that I have yet to post here. Although I may go back and fill in the details later.

 

I also left out a magic welding character, and other than Panic, no real metalist. Both are mentioned as weaknesses in their write up.

 

While I'm at it, would you guys be interested in seeing my initial writeup for my government sponsored supers agency, the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI)? PRIMUS is okay, but I prefer building my own organization and customizing it to my tastes.

[Matt Frisbee]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

would you guys be interested in seeing my initial writeup for my government sponsored supers agency' date=' the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI)? PRIMUS is okay, but I prefer building my own organization and customizing it to my tastes.[/quote']

 

Personally, I'd love to have a look at it! However, it might be worth starting a seperate thread.

 

Matt "Waiting-for-the-goods" Frisbee

[Dominique]

Re: Hostile Intent

 

Will do. I'll get it up by the AM.