WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

[Hermit]

All over the campaign city, women begin to grow increasingly aggressive. Even normally demure ladies seem more confident, and more assertive. This wouldn't necessarily become a bad thing... at least for some. Many more, however, are becoming downright belligerent and dominant. As days go by, the women begin to question more and more why they aren't the ones in charge? If things progress at this rate for much longer, soon every woman in the city will believe her gender superior to 'mere males' in everyway. Those in love with male PCs or who work with them may still love or care for the men in their lives, but they'll no longer respect them as equals.

 

To make matters worse, female superheroines (be they PC or NPC) do not seem immune. Those of strong will (High Egos) seem able to resist their urges more easily, but even they feel the growing agression and impatience with the XY types. They may find themselves acting on impulses they normally keep in check (Telling off a boss, deciding to no longer wait for the man to make the first move on a date, beating the holy hell out of Bulldozer with a tireiron BEFORE he can open his mouth..etc.)

 

Clearly, something or someone is causing this, but in the mean time, What Would Your Character Do? and how would it most affect him/her?

[Marketeer]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Blackberry S. Firr would become very matronly and protective; can't let the boys get hurt now, can we?

 

This would be more annoying than anger-inducing; she'd be making sure her male comrades and teammates remembered to dress warmly for cold weather, and she'd start wondering why the boys don't learn how to cook proper meals.

 

Blackberry's generally just too nice to become physically vicious, but she might start slapping people, poking them in the chest, or stop hugging as things got worse.

 

At some point, she'd realize something is up--being warm and kind is so much a part of her nature that it would feel wrong not to be--but the affliction would definitely cause her to become very much a "nagging nanny" type.

[Zed-F]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Soulbarb: Ouch. She's not very resistant to mental attacks and so will probably be falling victim to this herself. While she's normally quite secretive about her abilities, this sort of influence could cause her to become a lot more open with them (and thus a lot more likely to panic the normals), which could easily let the cat out of the bag regarding her existence. It could also drive her closer to Iron-age vigilanteism, so it would definitely be something to watch out for if the GM wanted a more Silver-Bronze age game. Pretty much the only thing that keeps Soulbarb from acting on her vengeful impulses is her self-control, so anything that messes with that is definitely problematic from that perspective.

 

Sylph: What do you get when the maenad comes out, and won't go away?

 

Oh my.

 

If this were more specific to her, rather than something that applied to the general population, this could very well be tied into her own origin story. In some versions of the story, Dionysius does get killed by his maenads every year, only to be reborn again.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

War Wolf is a robot, and thus doesn't have a gender or really understand the concept, per se, at least when it comes to gender dominance battles ("So she has a different chassis design. So what?"), so it wouldn't affect him directly (presumably this effect only targets the Human class of minds). His one female teammate is a telepath and can't affect him (again, the 'human class of minds' thing), so if she does get out of control, he's the best one to deal with her.

 

Quantum Kitsune, on the other hand, is female and (essentially) human ... given her usual personality, her practical jokes would likely become more vindictive and cruel, and she'd start targetting the guys at Ravenswood more than the girls she has been

[Cancer]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Mr. Terrific would do some quiet investigation to see if there's a reason for the general change in attitude; he has a fair number of points wasted in science and investigatory skills, and his super-powers are most definitely not useful in this regard.

 

If nothing comes up from his investigations, though, then he'd split town. If half the population has decided it wants more political power, that's recipe for political struggle or perhaps outright civil war, and now any superhero in a democracy has a serious question about what his/her role ought to be in such a situation. That depends on campaign tone, which is a more general question than I think is being asked.

[BcAugust]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Hmm...

 

Cyrande: Most wouldn't notice the difference, she still considers most humans beneath her, socially. Though Horus might end up in some...awkward... situations.

 

Artemis: *twitchs* Okay, Bad things happen, especially as she tries to smother Hermes and Quetz under taking care of them, and goes completely into "Queen Bee" mode, after a while likely trying to track Telemachus down and trying to force him away from his path.

 

Nox(Street level): Admittedly, part of this determines on effect. Nox is very strong willed(EGO 23), but if it still effects her. Most of the team would notice her being more aggressive generally... which means she gets knocked out and we finally go to the exorcist.(When you're possessed by an evil aggressive spirit, and your normal personality is more "Let's work together.") Then, when we finally get back... oh, that would cause a lot of trouble, and we'd have to find out what's causing the general trouble.

 

Nox(Vanguard): This isn't effecting her. However, if it's happening in her "home" city(Tokyo), it become noticeable, fast. And a major crisis. She likely be busy looking for mystical causes, and trying to calm people down.

[Clonus]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Hellfire: Almost immediately gets into a brawl with a team-mate and ends up getting locked up.

 

Poet: Probably ignores it. While Sonnet is technically female she's a ghost and powerless without his cooperation. If it does work on her, then his powers go on the fritz anyway, and the effect probably doesn't work on ghosts anyway. He's concerned with the living only when they kill.

 

The Wizard of Oz Incorporated: Retreats into his lab, locks the door against his girlfriend and her bear, builds a gizmo to detect the broadcast and triangulates to find the source.

 

Riptide: Agrees he isn't fit to run the team and asks his female team-mate how she's going to go about tracking down the mental influence that is influencing men to make them more annoying and incompetent.

[jkwleisemann]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Field Test: Sweet zombie Jesus on a pogo-stick, he's *already* about as whipped as you can get! And she still tends to stick him into dangerous gadgets and send him out....

 

After a few incidents where she straps him into even more dangerous gear than usual, self-preservation kicks in, he steals his armor, jetpack, and blaster back from her, and goes out to find a more competent superhero to help him figure out a way to fix this before Sandra gets him killed - seriously this time!

[nexus]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Tao: Her mental programing would probably limit her to being more aggressive in asserting her "suggestions" to the team commaner and perhaps more insulting. Increasing her natural aggression in combat would make her more prone overkill when it comes use of force since she borderline in that area already.

 

Eve: Would it affect non organic females?

 

Valkeyrie: Would lose the meek, shy act and probably start acting ore likea "real" brick

 

Ivy: Would likely storm over to TAKE back her kids and might harm her ex in the process. Of course, she'd expect her daughter to hold up beter than her son but there's only so much you expect from men. You know how emotional they get.

[OddHat]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Style -Uses aura sight to try to see if he can identify any distinctive changes to the auras of the women of the city. Looks for signs of a spell, and tries to trace it to its source. If that doesn't work, contacts Tobias the Toad and finds out what the word is in the mystic community, paying what he has to for the information. If Tobias doesn't know, or if magic isn't the source of the problem, he casts urban divination spells (Tomorrow's Paper, The Right Now Show) and contacts his Viper informant to see what he can get. Anyone powerful enough to escape that kind of scrutiny is probably too powerful for Style to take, but he'll give it one last try by spreading the word everywhere that he's on the case and has a cure for the problem. Hopefully the bad grrl will send some thugs after him, and he'll get a lead that way.

Socially Conscious Man- Considers whether this isn't really better for the people of the community as a whole, while still being concerned over this un-natural influence. Surveys a random sample of 100 men and women to see if they're happier this way, and takes into consideration local and regional crime statistics. If the majority of those surveyed are unhappy with the situation, or if local and regional violent crime statistics show a significant upswing, he reverses the change; otherwise, if the majority seems to favor the change, or if no negative effects are obvious, he does the Socially Conscious thing and waits until it becomes clear that the needs of the people require him to act.

 

Flesh Gordon - Pursued by mobs of screaming women who alternately want to have their way with him or rip him to pieces, possibly both, Flesh takes refuge in what should be an abandoned warehouse near the reservoir. Inside, he finds muscular sorority girls pouring white powder into the water supply. "Ladies, I'm sure there are laws against that. I'll have to ask you to come with me." The sorority girls, thinking Flesh knows they're dumping Amazonium into the city's water supply as their initiation into the Sorority of Crime, attack Flesh with their youthful athletic prowess and enthusiasm, and the augmented strength that results from working directly with Amazonium. Flesh, unable to effectively defend himself without risking serious harm to the girls, is captured and taken before the Evil Professor Sappho. One death trap later (escaped with the aid of the innocent but curious coed lab assistant, Ms.Virginia Naughty), Flesh confronts Professor Sappho. "Whoa, momma," says Flesh, "why don't you give up all this Evil Science, and let me teach you sweet, sweet love?" Infuriated, Professor Sappho grabs her Emasculator Rifle and chases Flesh through her headquarters, firing wildly, accidentally blasting the highly flammable Amazonium storage tanks and blowing her entire operation sky high. Flesh and the girls survive, and the professor disappears. And in the darkness of the ruined warehouse, something stirs...

[Metaphysician]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

. . . he casts urban divination spells (Tomorrow's Paper' date=' The Right Now Show). . . [/quote']

 

Repped, for that alone.

[Hermit]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

I want a subscription to Flesh's comic book

[MilkmanDan]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Ms. Marvel would immediately advise every man she knows and likes to leave the city. Now. Before she gets angry.

[Vondy]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Well, the Freedom Patrol's roster has five women and three men, and with one exception all of the men are supernormals (the one who isn't is the world's most powerful brick), while all but one of the women and power-houses in terms of power-levels and suites. Of them, Liberty Belle, Red Glory, Aquarian, and Hotshot (a supernormal) would probably be affected to varying degrees - and Aquarian is host to a long-dead atlantean empress who, when she comes to the fore, brings her powers to a whole new level. Its possible whatever is causing it would break down the mental barriers that keep her "guest" in check - and that is bad. Very, very bad. On the other hand, Mind's Eye is a man trapped in a woman's body (literally), and is the team's mentalist (and a psychiatrist) with a truly massive Ego score (and impressive shielding to boot when she wants it). She would probably be minimally affected, if at all, and would end up being the "point-man" in terms of uncovering what was going on. Anthem and the other male members of the team would go to ground and work behind the scenes until the cause were isolated and could be dealt with. Its possible Mind's Eye could extend her shields to the other women on the team (she has a big psionics VPP defined as telepathy (no TK)). I doubt anyone on the team would think a confrontation out of the starting gate was worthwhile.

 

Also: if it has a biological as opposed to psionic cause then Red Glory is liable to be immune due to life support, as will a few other women in the game world.

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Blackcat would not really be affected (23 Defensive Ego, 12 DECV, 17 Mental D, 1/2 r Mental Reduction). Plus by SFX she is in complete control of herself. So she wouldn't get all aggressive, and if she started feeling that way, she'd meditate it out.

She would go on serious investigation, to find out who and why. She would also give classes in self control at her dojo.

 

Meeb probably wouldn't even notice that anything was different.

 

In the new Champs, Terminal Velocity (and the rest of the team) would work on what was wrong, while staying away from Jeopardy and Morningstar (the two females on the team, the two with the baddest temper anyway, and the heaviest hitters on the team - this one almost seems tailor made for this team). Trouble is Jep is also the team detective.

 

Sift would be affected - she is somewhat aggressive now, so she would virtually take over the team. And she would use her magic (and channel that agression) into finding out what was happening.

 

Smokeater would just assume it was something from the Aliens to disrupt things.

 

Of my 5 active characters I have a perfect gender balance- 2 male, 2 female and an it.

[jkwleisemann]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Agreed - I love Flesh's scenario... and am more than slightly scared of the sequel. *hides*

 

As for other characters of mine....

 

Razor: This is where things get ugly. Taking a young, psychologically unstable woman with *psychic control over knives* and making her super-aggressive?

 

The entire school would be cowering in their rooms until Outsider figured out a way to magic up a cure for her without shattering what's left of her mind. Of course, then she'd find who was responsible for this and beat the living daylights out of them, with the help of the rest of the team.

 

Sparky: Is probably being visited by an old suitor of his, and quietly whimpering in the corner.

 

Mind Game: If he was lucky, his girlfriend would just be aggressively over-friendly. If he wasn't lucky... she'd break free of *his* mental control, still be under the influence of the new one, and he'd be eating through a straw for the rest of his (no doubt limited) days.

[Clonus]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Mind Game: If he was lucky, his girlfriend would just be aggressively over-friendly. If he wasn't lucky... she'd break free of *his* mental control, still be under the influence of the new one, and he'd be eating through a straw for the rest of his (no doubt limited) days.

 

Sounds like a richly deserved fate.

[jkwleisemann]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Oh, it is. Mind you, he's not really a *hero* per se (certainly not in anybody's mind but his own). Character was an experiment in what would happen if you took the mentality of your typical Brotherhood mutant (XMen Evo edition), and put it in your typical mentalist, instead of a brick or energy projector.

 

The end result can be most easily described as "Menton Junior, but with a *hint* of soul left."

 

And, on the off-chance anybody's interested who didn't notice it before, can be found here.

 

He's not a thoroughly likeable soul... quite the contrary.

[ThatDarnCat]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Voltiac: having no close female friends it might take him a while to figure out something is wrong. It's like that when you are a social hermit and only interact with people when you have to. Once he did figure out something was wrong he would spend a lot of time desolid and try to contact heroes he has worked with in the past to find out what they are doing and how he can aid them with his multi-billion dollar company. As the ultimate in support heroes (90pt Cosmic Variable power pool) he isn't the most powerful guy, but he does have access to lots of powers and can do a lot to assist others.

 

Rakshasa is the ultimate Tomcat and would revel in the situation until things started to get violent, then he would use his keen senses to try and track the problem. Having a keen nose (discriminatory scent and tracking sense) might allow him to determine the change based on the known scents of the woman normally in his life compared to the scent they now exude. And the fact that nobody knows his secret ID and he is still very competent in said secret ID would be helpful.

 

Paladin would be pretty much hosed, since he is well known and good looking and he would never use his abilities on innocent women.

[Blue]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Anthem, being a girl, would switch her M.O. from chasing down any old street thug to smacking down anyone who specializes in exploiting women. Pimps, rapists, etc. Instead of merely turning them into the cops meekly she'd make it a point to point out to them that she is having to pick up the pieces for the inferior work of the male-driven police force. "It's time someone stood up for women while you concentrate on male v. male crimes."

 

Uncle Slam would have slightly more free time to investigate the problem, having recently resigned his commission in PRIMUS. He'd figure out the method of delivery of whatever chemical or bio-agent is causing this behavioral change. He'd test water, air, etc. He'd look for places where this isn't happening and determine why it isn't happening there--what's so special.

 

Audra Blue would begin by orchestrating the troops. She'd get together all her cyber-gang connections and orchestrate some demonstrations, but not peaceful ones. They'd be "Fight Club" style acts of civil disobediance, taking down the statues of unworthy men and she'd find ways to destroy any corporation that destroys women, via her cyber-activities. NOTE that while she has a high EGO, this presses a hot-button with her, so she wouldn't be doing a lot of "resisting" unless it came to killing folks.

[Drhoz]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

All over the campaign city, women begin to grow increasingly aggressive. .... downright belligerent and dominant.

 

Hmmm... Vitus, whilst wrestling with odd twinges from his ancestral genes (he IS an anthropomorphic hyena after all, and lady hyenas are NOT lady-like ) who probably park his furry butt on the edge of the roof and cheer the War Between The Sexes on.

 

On the grounds that whatever the result is, it couldn't possibly make Earth culture any more annoying.

 

He'ld probably approach them and offer to assist their cause with his Conjuration of Global Justice aka Summon Gonads, which instantly & agonisingly emasculates every rapist in the world. His mostly male teammates didn't appreciate the idea, so much

 

Truman/Zero would get nervous - more so - and hope it doesn't affect mummified parents currently sitting in the house up the hill from the motel

[Badger]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Frosty Bob- "yeah baby....."

 

 

Badger- Never really thought about it. Hmm, let's see. He cared deeply for his mother and sister (both deceased) but, he is of a recluse. Dating, never a factor, other than maybe being a little leary of the opposite sex (doesnt know how to interact well with women outside of organizing battle tactics with women who are allies). Truth be told, he has a bit of a coservative 1950s era view on morality. So, he is bewildered enough of the "modern woman's attitudes",(mother was an old-fashioned devout Catholic) as is He may just lie low in the cave until this all blows over (probably thinking this is some kind of global PMS thing ) Let the others handle this one. Note: His pride got him p!ssed over the "all men are jerks" male-bashing type statements one time.

[mikesama]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Jaguar Pequino If she ever finds the so and so who did this they're losing they're losing their lungs. After years of training and meditation she finally has the raging jungle beast part of her under control only to have someone muck it all up again.

 

Quantum would probably be a little behind on the uptake as the women he usually hangs around are already more than a little agressive and belligerent already, being from a female culture that is far more advanced than 'modern earth'. That being said most minor verbal abuse will roll off him like water off a duck. If he's threatened physically he will demonstrate exactly why it is not a good idea to push around someone who can concentrate his mass until he weighs 360 tonnes.

 

Corona much like Peter Parker she was always more confident with the mask on. What would really change is how she treats people at school, she still gets treated like some brain dead bimbo just because she looks like a comic book swimsuit model at age 15. That and Advesary that smug 'alpha male' jock jerk on the team. They will have the facts of life explained to them and the anatomically improbably acts that will go along with a failure to comply.

[Badger]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Forgot recent character.

 

Siren? (dont quite have name yet): Well she is a half-banshee. A bit on the timid/shy side, at least partly because of hiding out (from her Hunteds, long story). She wants to keep a low-profile (usually wont even use her mpre agressive powers if at all avoidable. SHe partly joined the group for protection for when "they" come after her. Anyway, the team would figure something was up when she started speaking up in team meetings. Using her sonic EBs with abandon in battle without restraint would also be a clue. It would be disastrous in the long run. Because those hunteds will be coming.

[Transit]

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr

 

Lets see..personally.. that could be interesting...the amount of non mainstream websites and literature about that very thing is staggering..but in any case.

 

Transit.... would be wondering who in the seven H****s turned his ex professional brainwashed mafia courtesan into domme mode... and after the first initial attempts to stab the party memebers she doesnt trust.. (ie ..everyone but him) would likely take her razor whip and untility belt away from her and be VERY glade his main power set is teleportation as he avoids the extradimensional dark force manipulating female and the nature loving cheyenne shape shifter...

 

 

Dragster.. would be in a great deal of trouble since he was raised as a gentleman and has a strong psyc lim..will not strike a woman...(course then that could be the one thing that gets him cut some slack)