Space Wizards (character info)

[BobGreenwade]

For the Space Wizards setting, some of the major NPCs will be reworkings of already-published NPCs, updated for AD 3500. Some of those I'd like to include are:

 

Cateran

Mechanon

The Slug

Vilsimbra the Dark Elf

Viperia

 

Can anyone think of anyone else who might be appropriate? (Especially individuals who would deemphasize the magical aspect of the setting -- the magic itself will give enough of that. I'd like villains and other NPCs who remind the players that this is also a sci-fi setting, not just a fantasy setting in space.)

 

Before anyone suggests Firewing, I've decided to have the GC version die in the Andromeda War, with no replacement.

 

And I'll presently give some of my specific ideas on what I want to do with those listed. (Vilsimbra will probably wait a while, since I only know of her through The Mystic World; I'll figure out her specifics once I have Arcane Adversaries in hand.)

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Essentially we're looking at immortals or legacy characters, then.

 

Certainly Thalya and any of the Empyreans from Hidden Lands could have survived to this era. Sovereign from Galactic Champions could easily become one of the major master villains. And of course Istvatha V'han just never goes out of style.

 

Teleios is a master of cloning, so he could still be around. Maybe this would be the era in which we finally learn who gave him his secrets of genetics. For that matter, Captain Chronos might very well have come from this era originally.

 

How about continuing the succession of the Black Mask? We'd probably be up to #60 by then. You could also have the ring possessed by Meteor Man passed on to successive wearers, or someone in the future find a similar meteor fragment.

 

Speaking of meteors, kelvarite should still be on hand unless it's all gone inert over the previous 1,500 years. Perhaps you could create heroic versions of Tachyon or Thunderbolt II?

 

I should think that the Star*Guard would be pretty much mandatory.

 

Non-magical immortals are a little scarcer than magical ones, though. I'll have to sift through my books and get back to you.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Howabout a Gatchaman team lead by AD 3500's Nighthawk?

 

 

Foxbat: 3500 - maybe make Foxbat a crazed AI warship, the IKV Foxbat or something similar. Shows up to do seemingly random things due to severe issues with its programming and personality circuits.

 

 

Bulletproof in Galactic Champions established the hurled into the future premise - why not have some "victims" of the Battle of Detroit wind up in the future instead of actually perishing?

 

 

A frozen & hibernating King Cobra that gets thawed out would be a scary addition to a future setting, with all the genetic manipulation tech/access to reptilian aliens he could have. Especially if 20th-21st Century records have been lost, he could claim to be from the ancient past and set up even more of a cult than normal...

 

Dr. Silverback who transported his conciousness into a (frequently upgraded) android ape long ago?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Bulletproof in Galactic Champions established the hurled into the future premise - why not have some "victims" of the Battle of Detroit wind up in the future instead of actually perishing?

 

Very interesting notion, but you'd have to come up with a good rationale as to why a particular hero was transported, probably having to do with his powers and/or origin. Dr. Destroyer's death ray wasn't really a time-travel device. And we wouldn't want to cheapen the Battle of Detroit by sparing too many of the heroes who supposedly died there.

 

 

A frozen & hibernating King Cobra that gets thawed out would be a scary addition to a future setting' date=' with all the genetic manipulation tech/access to reptilian aliens he could have. Especially if 20th-21st Century records have been lost, he could claim to be from the ancient past and set up even more of a cult than normal...[/quote']

 

If he's discovered by Mon'dabi he'll think he's gone to snake heaven.

 

What would be truly scary would be either KC or Teleios getting his hands on ancient Xenovore biotech.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Thalya is definitely a possibility. The Empyreans are definitely around, and just as powerful as their Super days. For a write-up, though, I'd tend to gravitate toward an "evil" Empyrean.

 

Teleios and Black Mask would be quite logical, except that Earth is stuck behind a mystic shield. Nobody's coming, and nobody's going. They're probably down there, but the other people stuck there with them will get to deal with them.

 

Captain Chronos.... there's always a Captain Chronos.

 

Meteor Man, Tachyon, Thunderbolt... I'll take a look at them and get back to you.

 

Star*Guard is already planned. Naturally the organization has a different form than in the 20th or 31st centuries (and I have a write-up for the 27th century around here too.... I don't remember if I sent it to Dave for DH, though).

 

Foxbat... I love the guy, but in the anarchic Milky Way of the Fourth Millennium? No.

 

I was about to say the same about King Cobra, but the suggestions here make it a little more attractive... I'd have to think about it.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

One other thing, in case you hadn't noticed... conceptual ideas are always good too, as with the kelvarite idea LL came up with. Whatever helps to make this a true SF/fantasy fusion rather than just "Space Opera with magic" or "High Fantasy in space."

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Thalya is definitely a possibility. The Empyreans are definitely around, and just as powerful as their Super days. For a write-up, though, I'd tend to gravitate toward an "evil" Empyrean.

 

Teleios and Black Mask would be quite logical, except that Earth is stuck behind a mystic shield. Nobody's coming, and nobody's going. They're probably down there, but the other people stuck there with them will get to deal with them.

 

So, I guess Arvad the Betrayer will be stuck on Earth too, unless he chose to give up rule of Lemuria before the barrier came down.

 

I'm not sure I follow the rationale for cutting off these planets from the rest of the galaxy. It seems to limit the potential elements that GMs could bring into the setting, as well as familiar Earthly elements of the CU that folks could relate to. But I would be prepared to be schooled.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

One other thing' date=' in case you hadn't noticed... conceptual ideas are always good too, as with the kelvarite idea LL came up with. Whatever helps to make this a true SF/fantasy fusion rather than just "Space Opera with magic" or "High Fantasy in space."[/quote']

 

Cool! I'll toss out some more.

 

Terran Empire mentions the "Golden Hunters of Malva" who led the fight against the Elder Worms, but doesn't say much more about who or what they were. For my campaign I decided that they were Malvan warriors who wore incredibly sophisticated suits of gold-colored powered armor. An alien archaeologist from the Velarian Confederacy discovered one of these suits intact at a dig on a world devastated by the Worm/Malvan War, and used it to become the hero Golden Hunter.

 

In Hidden Lands one of the potential plot elements for the Progenitors was that they might have experimented on other races in the galaxy, creating other "Empyrean" races. A few of these could still be around in the future. Some might have chosen to remain hidden, like the Empyreans on Earth. Others could have died out through mishap or aggression from their less powerful but more numerous kin. (In my campaign the Malvan Empyreans, called by them "the First Ones," perished fighting the Elder Worms.) Still others could have come to dominate their worlds, as tyrants or as benefactors. (In my campaign the "psionic" Mandaarians are of Empyrean stock - look at Sovereign's character sheet in Galactic Champions and tell me that doesn't scream "Empyrean!")

 

However, in many cases the first generation Empyreans of other worlds eventually did as the Ancient Empyreans of Earth did: head into space to find their creators, the Progenitors. Meeting their kindred from other worlds over the millennia, these diverse immortals eventually discovered an unoccupied but idyllic world hidden from all others, apparently prepared for them by the Progenitors, called "Amaranth." Naming themselves the "Amaranthine," the children of the Progenitors began to build a new society drawing upon their diverse traditions. New generations have been born, and given the technology that the Amaranthine have to draw on, crossbreeding has not proven an insurmountable challenge.

 

But of course, there are always a few who are not satisfied with paradise...

 

(And yes, I did choose the words "amaranth" and "amaranthine" deliberately.)

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

So, I guess Arvad the Betrayer will be stuck on Earth too, unless he chose to give up rule of Lemuria before the barrier came down.

 

I'm not sure I follow the rationale for cutting off these planets from the rest of the galaxy. It seems to limit the potential elements that GMs could bring into the setting, as well as familiar Earthly elements of the CU that folks could relate to. But I would be prepared to be schooled.

A big part of it is that post-apocalyptic Earth will (theoretically) be its own setting, dealing with the Earth-bound threats in a world somewhat reminiscient [sp] of Thundarr the Barbarian (among other magic-laden post-apocalyptic settings).

 

But that was just the original reason. I've centered on keeping Earth and other major worlds (Ecra-Shen, Mon'da, Malva, et al) cut off -- each by a different means and for a different reason, incidentally -- to keep any of them from becoming a natural governmental center. The only carry-overs from pre-war days will be the Catavalan and Roin'esh Unions; the rest of the galaxy, for the first century anyway, will be in anarchy, and that anarchy will be long in ending.

 

It's a part of the "darkness" of the setting, sort of the post-apocalyptic part of the flavor.

 

Oh, and I'm definitely allowing for "Empyreans" from all over....

[Lucius]

Space Wizards (character info)

 

Cool! I'll toss out some more.

 

[(And yes, I did choose the words "amaranth" and "amaranthine" deliberately.)

 

You deliberately named a paradise planet after the genus name of the common edible herb pigweed?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary notes that Lucius ate a lot of it, when he was that poor and desperate.....

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Plainly the palindromedary is not a poet.

 

Just in case that was genuine incomprehension, you can check the second definition in these dictionary entries for each of those words:

 

http://www.bartleby.com/61/91/A0239100.html

 

http://www.bartleby.com/61/92/A0239200.html

 

It's extrapolated from the fact that the flowers of the amaranth last an unusually long time before fading after being cut. Poets imagined an idealized version, as poets are wont to do.

 

BTW did Lucius enjoy the flowers of the pigweed's cousin, the Love-Lies-Bleeding?

[Susano]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Terran Empire mentions the "Golden Hunters of Malva" who led the fight against the Elder Worms' date=' but doesn't say much more about who or what they were. For my campaign I decided that they were Malvan warriors who wore incredibly sophisticated suits of gold-colored powered armor. An alien archaeologist from the Velarian Confederacy discovered one of these suits intact at a dig on a world devastated by the Worm/Malvan War, and used it to become the hero Golden Hunter.[/quote']

 

In my Nehkojin article in DH #35, I have Malva using the Nehkojin as shock troops versus the Elder Worms. And in Bob's high-magic future, they would have something close to their legendary power levels of old. You're talking 1,000-1,500 point DBZ-esque super-powered warriors capable of single-handedly fighting entire armies!

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

In my Nehkojin article in DH #35' date=' I have Malva using the Nehkojin as shock troops versus the Elder Worms. And in Bob's high-magic future, they would have something close to their legendary power levels of old. You're talking 1,000-1,500 point DBZ-esque super-powered warriors capable of single-handedly fighting entire armies![/quote']

It's not actually supposed to be that high (a little below Champions level as I'm writing it, with most characters at the Powerful Heroic level most magic at around 45-50 Active Points), but conceptually at least this will be worth looking at.

[Susano]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

It's not actually supposed to be that high (a little below Champions level as I'm writing it' date=' with most characters at the Powerful Heroic level most magic at around 45-50 Active Points), but conceptually at least this will be worth looking at. [/quote']

 

Ah... well... I see. The thing is the Nehkojin power-level is linked directly to the magical count of the universe. So if it is high magic-era, they are going to be disgustingly powerful people. The 735-point Kayli from NH would be "typical."

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

Ah... well... I see. The thing is the Nehkojin power-level is linked directly to the magical count of the universe. So if it is high magic-era' date=' they are going to be disgustingly powerful people. The 735-point Kayli from NH would be "typical."[/quote']And she, as I'm conceiving it, would be about as powerful as "the villain who can take on the whole PC team" (at least, from what I remember from looking at her).

 

By similar token, Cateran (now just using her regular Human name of Heather McGowrie) will be something like a Disgustingly Powerful Ninja, with Characteristics only slightly below her Champions level but more martial arts abilities and tricks, learned across the galaxy, than you can shake a broadsword at (basically anything I can think of that isn't ch'i related).

 

NPC power levels can go quite a bit higher -- after all, we have the Empyreans, the Elder Worm, and Mechanon running around! (I'm even toying with the idea of Sharna-Gorak the Destroyer....)

 

PS: For those wanting Jedi-like characters, the Knights of the Mandaarian Enclave should fill the bill. They'll be the next step up on the power chart, with all the bells and whistles....

[Susano]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

And she' date=' as I'm conceiving it, would be about as powerful as "the villain who can take on the whole PC team" (at least, from what I remember from looking at her).[/quote']

 

That was her intent. It's just after GC came out, she really needed a power boost to be on par with the power scale I intended for her.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

That was her intent. It's just after GC came out' date=' she really needed a power boost to be on par with the power scale I intended for her.[/quote']I took a look at her NH write-up last night, and decided she'd be great as a major foe. I happen to have the HD file (as part of the NH/UMA pack) so I copied it into my Space Wizards subdirectory and played with it a little. Mostly I toned down the Aid, brought most of the Characteristics closer to the Heroic maximum, added some abilities (like Lightning Reflexes and a couple more Combat Skill Levels) to offset the Char reduction, and added Requires A Ch'i Powers Roll to the Multipower and a couple of other abilities. I may replace the extra DCs on her Martial Arts with two or three "attack multiple times" abilities, but overall I think she'll work out just fine in 3500.

 

With sufficient requests, I may even post her character sheet.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

I know you'd prefer suggestions on how to mingle non-mystic characters into your Space Wizards setting; but it occurred to me that while Takofanes crumbled to dust went the magic went away, his Dragon Crown and Scepter of the Undying King probably didn't. They could make for a good villain origin, or MacGuffins in an adventure.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Space Wizards (character info)

 

I know you'd prefer suggestions on how to mingle non-mystic characters into your Space Wizards setting; but it occurred to me that while Takofanes crumbled to dust went the magic went away' date=' his Dragon Crown and Scepter of the Undying King probably didn't. They could make for a good villain origin, or MacGuffins in an adventure.[/quote']I think they'd make wonderful MacGuffins!

 

In fact, I just got done watching The Librarian: Quest for the Spear for the ninth time (particularly enjoying fantastic performances by Bob Newhart and Kelly Hu), and was just wondering about that sort of thing in this setting....