Let's build Chicago 5E

[Hermit]

Okay. On another thread many expressed their love of Chicago as a setting. The City of Big Shoulders, it would seem, has quite a following. Others have already done work on their own Chicago campaigns (Hey Nato ) , and I hope they and those who know more about the real city chime in on this thread.

 

As a kind of group project, I want us to build Chicago for 5th Edition in a completley unauthorized with faux official status. I'd like to take what the Champion's Universe has given us and run from there. That way, anyone who comes on this site and wants a setting to run from based on a real city can just look up this old thread, and it will help them out. Thus spreading the good will towards the HERO system, and eventually leading to our domination of the World!

MWHAhAHAHAHA!

 

*Cough* Sorry, got carried away

If those of you who have the current Champions Universe book would turn to page 69, you'll see a brief but info full paragraph on the current state of the "Windy City" as far as super heroes goes.

 

In brief summary for those who don't have that lovely book (and shame on ya):

1. Chicago has one of the most active superhuman communties in the United States.

2. Despite that, there's only one team: The Peacekeepers, who are based in the top floors of the Kettrick Building.

3. For some reason, the bulk of Chicago's supers prefer to go it alone.

4. The Peacekeepers have been around for two decades. Their main enemy seems to be VIPER, and they recently lost their leader in battle with that loathed group.

5. A Peacekeeper named Dwarfstar has taken temporary leadership, and they maybe recruiting one or more members.

 

And I believe that's it!

 

We've got a lot of room to work with.

 

So, where should we start? Facts about the city that would affect the types of heroes there? How about we guess how the Chicago public would react to superhumans (Would they support a Hero team, compalin, both?)? What would the organizations, good and bad, be like? Where are the best places for bases/hidden lairs? How would heroes get around?

 

Let's build this thing

[Mightybec]

The cubbies have a pitcher that's hiding his powers (mild TK) and they still can't make it to the playoffs.

 

PS...GO GIANTS!

 

Mightybec

[Hermit]

a link to get started

 

Originally posted by Mightybec

The cubbies have a pitcher that's hiding his powers (mild TK) and they still can't make it to the playoffs.

 

PS...GO GIANTS!

 

Mightybec

 

You're a very bitter man...

 

Found this site, that might help us get inspired...

 

http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Tourism/

[Mightybec]

An Irish mob would be a good edition. A fiery villain would be ironic.

[Lord Liaden]

With Chicago, it's more a matter of what would not be appropriate to it as a game setting; it has a huge multiracial population base, widely diversified economy, is a transportation and freight moving hub, has universities, museums - pretty much anything you'd expect in a large American city, including such negatives as crime and ethnic tensions. About the only thing it lacks is major connection to ancient occult sites (but I have a suggestion about that).

 

Because it's so archetypically big-city America, I have difficulty thinking of heroes or villains who would be singularly appropriate to it outside of stereotypes like gangsters. Perhaps someone with more first-hand familiarity could contribute to that. What occurs to me is more along the lines of potential plot elements. For example, with its proximity to Lake Michigan a nearby underwater base, hero or villain, would seem reasonable. As I understand it Chicago also has a lot of old abandoned underground freight tunnels which could be the site of bases, or perhaps hideouts for one of the hidden or refugee paranormal societies that seem to crop up in comics.

 

In conjunction with that, I'm not sure of the current status of the "Deep Tunnel" project, an underground network of tunnels, reservoirs, and pollution-control systems designed to hold excess storm water and sewage. Deep Tunnel, begun in 1976, is the largest municipal public-works project in the history of the United States. If the project is fully completed, it will comprise 210 km (130 mi) of tunnels, but as of the late 1990's it was suspended due to lack of funding. (Or... maybe the excavation uncovered something that the authorities didn't want discovered - or to escape.)

 

I was intrigued to discover that Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Haitian trader, established the first permanent dwelling near the mouth of the Chicago River in the late 18th Century. Perhaps Point du Sable brought along some of the religious practices of the African slaves in Haiti, which might still have secret adherents today - or maybe he participated in rituals which have left a residue of occult forces behind...

[Enforcer84]

Make the characters based on Styx song titles...

 

 

 

:D :D :D :D

 

 

 

 

No really, I have.

[Mightybec]

Originally posted by Enforcer84

Make the characters based on Styx song titles...

:D :D :D :D

No really, I have.

 

Why not try Black Sabbath song titles?

 

Warpigs

Ironman

Sweetleaf

Paranoid

The Fairies Wear Boots

Electric Funeral

 

Mightybec

[Enforcer84]

Is Black Sabbath from Chicago?

 

Styx is.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Enforcer84

Is Black Sabbath from Chicago?

 

Styx is.

I guess that leaves the band Boston out.

 

I'll think on this but I know you have to do something with the EL.

[Guest Worldmaker]

The heroes that would be best received by the public in Chicago would be the ones that made an effort to be seen as part of the public, regardless of ethnicity... blue collar heroes who deal with the everyday as opposed to big money white collar heroes who tend to handle the larger threats.

 

Not that the public would turn their backs on Reed Richards in favor of Spider-Man, but the feeling would be that Spider-Man is a regular guy from the neighborhood, while Richards is part of the uptown artsy-fartsy crowd.

[allen]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden

About the only thing it lacks is major connection to ancient occult sites (but I have a suggestion about that).

 

none of these are ancient...

 

mortared into the wall of the Tribune Building are chunks of other famous buildings and sites. for some reason, this always struck me as vaguely occult.

 

some of the skyscrapers have vaguely gothic architecture, ie the Wrigley Building, (i can't recall the name of the school of design right now)... easy to apply the occult properties attributed to cathedrals to those buildings.

 

also there's a proliferation of five points on the north side... mainly where Clark Street intersects with main North-South and East-West roads, ie Clark-Broadway-Diversey. (there's another street, west of Clark, that does a similar thing -- for the life of me, i can't remember the name right now -- but it runs through Bucktown.) i've always thought if you stared long enough at a map you could find a pattern to the five points.

[winterhawk]

I am currently running my campaign in Chicago and live in the area. I've done quite a bit of research on the city and its history. Some of the details of the campaign:

 

Originally posted by Hermit

1. Chicago has one of the most active superhuman communties in the United States.

 

No problem. As with any Champs campaign, there are tons of supers floating around.

 

Originally posted by Hermit

2. Despite that, there's only one team: The Peacekeepers, who are based in the top floors of the Kettrick Building.

 

I've actually combined Ketterick and Darryl Kendrick of Kendrium fame. The Peacekeepers are headquartered in the Kendrick Building. Darryl Kendrick was the great Silver Age hero Doc Atomic (a cross between Superman and Reed Richards) who founded the Peacekeepers. He died in the Secret Crisis, but his team lives on. As Worldmaker commented, they are all 'heroes of the people' with one exception.

 

Originally posted by Hermit

3. For some reason, the bulk of Chicago's supers prefer to go it alone.

 

All of the players and several NPCs are independent heroes for one reason or another. Several NPCs are 'neighborhood heroes' and restrict themselves to operating in certain areas of the city.

 

Originally posted by Hermit

4. The Peacekeepers have been around for two decades. Their main enemy seems to be VIPER, and they recently lost their leader in battle with that loathed group.

 

VIPER and DEMON have both allied themselves with various factions of the Mafia, which is still fairly powerful in the city.

 

Originally posted by Lord Liaden

About the only thing it lacks is major connection to ancient occult sites (but I have a suggestion about that).

 

I noticed that too...so I improvised. Chicago sits atop of a dimensional weak spot that acts as a membrane, which allows many extradimensional mystical forces (especially the forces of Hell) easy access. The Old Water Tower (the only structure to survive the Great Fire) is atop an intersection of Ley Lines and is the mystic center of the city.

 

Enforcer: Black Sabbath is from England.

 

allen: That is a really cool idea...might have to steal it!

 

I have a Yahoo Club for the campaign with a timeline, some art, etc...Please feel free to join. I don't have stats posted in the club, but would be happy to post them here.

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/heroicchicago/

[JmOz]

One idea, is that theere are really two teams, the second one is the Power Brigade is really an informal group of heroes that work togther. Essemtialy all they have is a coffy shop meating place and a type of emergincy beacon (Press the button, everyone gets a voice message on where the problem is)

[Hermit]

Good stuff so far guys. I think one thing we probably need to try to capture the "Chicago mindset". Now, while while it's wrong to generalize too much, there are advantages to having molds before you start breaking things

 

Worldmaker already pointed out a 'Blue Collar' preference for it's super heroes. I like that.

 

I saw a show where one Chicagian mentioned other towns accused Chicago of having a "Chip on its shoulder" about being the "Second City" to NYC, and (now adays) even behind L.A. etc.

 

I recall on the news back during and after 9-11 many folks of Chi-town were expecting to have one of their many tall buildings a target as well. They didn't seem espcially fearful (Not any more or less than the rest of us at that time) but they didn't see their own sites as any less important to America than NYC's world trade center. At least that's the impression I got.

 

I have heard Chicagoins love to gripe, but are fiercely devoted to their town and get defensive if someone ELSE gripes about it. Though I've heard that last about other cities' natives as well.

 

From this, and I'm generalizing here, it sounds like the natives of Chi-town are proud of their city, consider it the 'working joe' of America's cities, and resent it if their town gets overlooked.

 

This sound right Winterhawk(and any other Chicago residents)?

(Went to your site btw, interesting stuff)

[Hermit]

"The Curse"

 

I have a theory about why few 'teams' form up in Chicago. This is still rough, so anyone who has further input on it is welcome to polish it up a bit.

 

There have been several attempts to form up organized super-hero teams in the Chicago through it's history. Up till 1979 or so, Always, ALWAYS something would eventually go wrong by the third year for any Chicago team that tried. The team would be torn apart by internal troubles, or have to move away from Chicago to another town for personal reasons, get swallowed by an extra dimensional vortex..or ... uhm well, die.

 

While's it's said criminals are a 'superstitious and cowardly lot' ; superheroes, while brave, can be a bit superstitious themselves. Rumors of a "curse" on all super hero teams in Chicago began to arise. Independent super heroes were more reluctant to join forces on a permanent basis because of this, I mean, better safe than sorry. There is no evidence that there really IS a curse, at least if you ask any mystic who's studied the darn thing, but the tale has taken a life of it's own.

 

Only one team, the Peacekeepers has really managed to evade "the curse". Though, it is pointed out that every three years, something tragic hits them (This maybe an exageration).

 

Other 'not quite a team' teams are out there, on and off, staying loose and informal, either for their own reasons, or to avoid risking 'the curse' (thus making JmOz's idea of a more relaxed informal second team even have another reason for being so).

 

What do you all think?

[allen]

if you really want the difference between Chicago and NYC, IMHO, people in Chicago are less abrupt (more friendly is how some would put it, but i think it's more a politeness thing than a friendliness thing).

 

here, to stray a little off topic, is an example. if you stop a Chicagoan to ask for directions. he will stop and listen. if he doesn't have time to give direction, he shrugs and says, "Sorry don't know how to get there." and continues on his way without pausing. EVEN IF HE KNOWS HOW TO GET THERE.

 

New Yorker just shrugs while he keeps walking. he doesn't stop, doesn't say sorry.

 

see how polite the Chicagoan is when he blows you off?

 

(should also add: my experience though is it's more an East Coast/Midwestern difference. people from Boston and Philadelphia are just as... ummm... brusque as folk from New York.)

 

concerning LA: no one in Chicago really cares. everyone knows LA isn't a real city.

 

concerning 'second city' status to New York: it isn't that chicagoans have a chip on their shoulders. it's that New Yorker's insist the world revolves around New York. (haha)

[Barton]

Chicago my world...

 

Chicago also has a very long abandoned underground freight tunnel system (built about 1900) which I have as the site of several villian bases, and the hideout for several hidden refugee paranormal societies. This tunnel system covers most of downtown and was last used to deliver coal and packages in the late 1950's via a small electrical railway. The frieght tunnel system "flooded" about 15 years ago when a piling in the Chciago river was forced through it. It has been repaired. According to the Tribune it is clean, smell free, and creepy quiet. What a great place for monsters to lurk!

 

Also Chicago has wonderful suburbs. The north shore is very high class and trendy. The south side is more run-down. The western suburbs (I live in Lombard about 20miles due west of downtown) are mostly middle class and full of houses and shopping centers. Of course we have many superhighways (great for chases!).

 

Our mayor for life Mayor Daley (son of famous mayor, brother to politically connected Billy Daley) runs the city. He recently closed the downtown airport by sending demolition crews in the dead of the night and destroying the main runway! He is quite a character in himself!

 

The Tribune and Sun Times are the major newspapers. One of my characters has a contact as the society editor of the Tribune! This is a great idea! It allows him to get invites to parties and indirectly know all of the "in crowd".

 

Chicagoians love to gripe about the city, its politics, the sports teams, and the weather. But most love the city, as do I.

[Guest Worldmaker]

Re: Chicago my world...

 

Originally posted by Barton

Chicago also has a very long abandoned underground freight tunnel system (built about 1900) which I have as the site of several villian bases, and the hideout for several hidden refugee paranormal societies. This tunnel system covers most of downtown and was last used to deliver coal and packages in the late 1950's via a small electrical railway. The frieght tunnel system "flooded" about 15 years ago when a piling in the Chciago river was forced through it. It has been repaired. According to the Tribune it is clean, smell free, and creepy quiet. What a great place for monsters to lurk!

 

Currently in my campaign, I've put a community of "ugly mutant kids" (i.e., the ones whose appearance precludes adoption) who ran away. They've been befriended by the Guardians Universe version of the Incredible Hulk.

 

What's drawn the attention of the PCs is the pile of genocide agents found skished flat, piled next to the gunshot bodies of a pair of kids.

[Mark Rand]

Hi all,

Don't forget that "Early Edition" was set in Chicago. Gary Hobson could easily be running around, with his newspaper, helping people without the general public being aware.

Also, that dimensional weak spot sounds like a Hellmouth. If a campaign's set after the Buffy series ended, there are over 100 Slayers. One could be keeping an eye on supernatural things there. She might also be in contact with mystical superheroes.

Yours,

Mark Rand

[Barton]

Chicago Police in my world....

 

I play the Chicago police as the locals think of them. No-Nonsense, not take any guff! The local saying is "give him a tune up" to mean the person mouthed off to one of Chicago's finest and that he was a little "roughed up" during arrest.

I also play the Chicago Police Dept. as not liking Federal or State or international interference. They like to do things the "Chciago way".

I also like the idea that was a short lived TV series "Unit Two". A elite secret police squad to battle supernormals. I am thinking of using this idea.

[Hermit]

mmmm

 

Well, Mark, regarding the slayers... I'm hoping we stick to the 'official' CU as much as possible, so let's not drift into copyright infringements

[winterhawk]

Originally posted by Hermit

I have heard Chicagoins love to gripe, but are fiercely devoted to their town and get defensive if someone ELSE gripes about it. Though I've heard that last about other cities' natives as well.

 

From this, and I'm generalizing here, it sounds like the natives of Chi-town are proud of their city, consider it the 'working joe' of America's cities, and resent it if their town gets overlooked.

 

This sound right Winterhawk(and any other Chicago residents)?

(Went to your site btw, interesting stuff)

 

First of all, its Chicagoans

 

And we do love to gripe, but only Chicagoans can gripe about Chicago. The best way to illustrate this is sports. You can walk into any tavern and say "The Cubs/Sox/Bears/Bulls/Hawks are terrible", and you'll probably get a lively debate over a couple of beers. If an non-Chicagoan were to do this (we can tell), he would get an arguement if he were lucky, and a fistfight on a bad day.

 

We are a blue collar city, and are very proud of it. But don't forget that the University of Chicago have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other school. (I'm pretty sure the record still stands). If we have any chip on our shoulder about our 'second city' status, its probably because we are lumped into "the cultural wasteland between N.Y. and L.A.", and some don't consider us as cosmopolitan as those two towns.

 

And thanks for the compliment. I wish I was better at web design, so I could have an actual site.

 

Originally posted by Barton

I play the Chicago police as the locals think of them. No-Nonsense, not take any guff! The local saying is "give him a tune up" to mean the person mouthed off to one of Chicago's finest and that he was a little "roughed up" during arrest.

I also play the Chicago Police Dept. as not liking Federal or State or international interference. They like to do things the "Chciago way".

I also like the idea that was a short lived TV series "Unit Two". A elite secret police squad to battle supernormals. I am thinking of using this idea.

 

I play it the same way as well, with enough corruption to make things realistic. I have a "Special Investigations" Division, which specializes in investigating superpowered crime. I'm planning on a one shot in a few weeks, letting the players run detectives in the squad.

[Hermit]

Originally posted by winterhawk

First of all, its Chicagoans

Mea Culpa.

I'll practice, Chicagoans

 

And we do love to gripe, but only Chicagoans can gripe about Chicago. The best way to illustrate this is sports. You can walk into any tavern and say "The Cubs/Sox/Bears/Bulls/Hawks are terrible", and you'll probably get a lively debate over a couple of beers. If an non-Chicagoan were to do this (we can tell), he would get an arguement if he were lucky, and a fistfight on a bad day.

 

Okay, nice to confirm that... going by the same logic, the various super heroes of Chicago might be constantly discussed, even derided, but staunchy supported against outside criticism.

 

"You want to repeat what you just said about Dwarfstar to my face?"

 

 

We are a blue collar city, and are very proud of it. But don't forget that the University of Chicago have produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other school. (I'm pretty sure the record still stands). If we have any chip on our shoulder about our 'second city' status, its probably because we are lumped into "the cultural wasteland between N.Y. and L.A.", and some don't consider us as cosmopolitan as those two towns.

 

Indeed. It sounds like 'radiation/lab accident' heroes are definitely likely in Chicago given it's academic side.

[allen]

Originally posted by Hermit

Indeed. It sounds like 'radiation/lab accident' heroes are definitely likely in Chicago given it's academic side.

 

one of the first (if not the first; can't recall) atomic piles was under the UofC football field (Stagg Field).

 

i think.

[incrdbil]

I'm happy to find this subject, having playyed, and ran, many games in Chicago. It had the style we always liked. I'll admit a heavy influence of variosu movies influenced us--be it qoutes from The Untouchables (many villains sadly found out what the Chicago way was like) or a Ferris Buellers day off inspired day in the life episode, to a Superheroic vehicle recreation of the Blues Brothers car chase scene. (mystic curses have been explained as centering on Wrigley field, among a few other places). Using the University of Chicago, or even northwestern Univerisyt gave us the Academic settings for the technological types--or the mystic types who used Indiana Jones old stomping grounds as place for the mundane jobs. Atmosphere set for the police by classic shows such as Hill Street Blues, heroes singing at Wrigley in the seventh inning..ahh.

 

Though Hudson Bay is the home for 'Dark Champions' Chicago seems like an optimal setting for very independent heroes who, scorning the metahuman registration act, do things their own way. This lack of official recongition would certainly explain why it would be hard for a team to form if they couldn't recieve any local, state, or federal recognition due to failing to register to the oppressive, and obviously waiting to be abused Metahuman Registration act (a Chicago her trust a politician?). So it seems fertile ground as a setting for more vigilante style temas of superhumans--maye not as likely to kill as a Dark Champions chgaracter, but still a very rough type of hero more concerned with justice than the law.

 

So far we've got a basis for

academic/techno types

Mystic supers

Vigilantes.

 

Chicagos adventuring strengths--transport Hub, huge buisness center, fairly central location in North America

 

Though due recognition to the offical chicago temas liek the Peacekeepers is good, I sen nothign wrong with some teams being made up here as part of the Chicago Underground.