adding the Jack Ryan universe

[Mark Rand]

James Collingsworth is out as my fictitious President. Jack Ryan is in. The incidents in Debt of Honor occurred between February 10 and March 10 of 2008. The destruction of Denver, by terrorists, using a nuclear weapon, occurred in early February of 2006.

 

We are giving Jack and Cathy a daughter who works for the Ross Brothers Circus. Here's the chronology. Jack's (non-canon) brother, Carl joined a circus in 1982 and began working elephants. Despite some comments from her family, he married Maria Vasquez, a 6th generation circus performer in 1983. Their daughter, Holly, was born in 1985.

 

She grew up in the circus, began performing at age 10. Being bilingual, and half-Hispanic, she celebrated her quinceanera at age 15. Two years later, in July of 2001, her parents, who were on their way to a laundromat, were killed when a drunk driver smashed into their car. (At that time, Holly was setting up her trapeze rigging.)

 

Jack and Cathy adopted Holly, but agreed to let her stay with her grandparents. Three years later, she marries James Nelson, the circus's ringmaster. With that marriage, the Ryan family becomes quite large.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Looks good, but what does this have to do with Champions?

 

 

Jack Ryan character created by Tom Clancy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ryan_%28Tom_Clancy%29

 

 

QM

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Looks good, but what does this have to do with Champions?

 

 

Jack Ryan character created by Tom Clancy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ryan_%28Tom_Clancy%29

 

 

QM

 

Jack is President of the United States in the four-color campaign I'm going to, hopefully, start soon.

 

We will have Buffy-style Slayers in the campaign. Jack and the Secret Service find out about them from Admiral Robby Jackson, whose adopted daughter, who lives with her mother's parents, is a Slayer in the campaign city.

[Sweeper]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Jack is President of the United States in the four-color campaign I'm going to, hopefully, start soon.

 

We will have Buffy-style Slayers in the campaign. Jack and the Secret Service find out about them from Admiral Robby Jackson, whose adopted daughter, who lives with her mother's parents, is a Slayer in the campaign city.

 

Wow, I'm glad you can keep tabs on such things.

 

Are you going to have John Clark, 'Ding' Chavez, and the rest of Rainbow Six make an appearance? Maybe some Vampire activity is mistaken for terrorist action...

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Wow, I'm glad you can keep tabs on such things.

 

Are you going to have John Clark, 'Ding' Chavez, and the rest of Rainbow Six make an appearance? Maybe some Vampire activity is mistaken for terrorist action...

 

John and Ding, yes. Rainbow, no. In the campaign, Rainbow 6 hasn't been formed, yet. That doesn't mean it won't be formed in the future.

 

As far as the book Executive Orders goes, only some of it will be used in the campaign.

 

Jack will run for a full term as President as an independent. Robby will be his running mate.

 

In Debt of Honor, the Ryan family receives Secret Service protection because Jack is the President's National Security Advisory. Gina Tuscano will be Holly's agent and join her at the circus's winter quarters. She will be the head of Holly's small detail when Jack becomes President of the United States. An advance agent will travel with Mary "Cowgirl" West, the show's 24-hour advance agent (and another member of the Ryan clan).

 

Due to several marriages, the part of the Ryan clan at the circus consists of the Nelson, Reese, West, and Vasquez families.

 

Edit: I suspect that federal law enforcement, intelligence, and anti-terrorist agencies will keep in touch with the new Watchers Council (headed by Rupert Giles) and exchange information.

[Sweeper]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

I have to confess that the only Clancy book I have read in it's entirety is Rainbow Six. I found that Clancy tends to be a bit long winded for my tastes. I don't doubt his ability as a storyteller, but I sometimes found myself thinking "Get to the *&%%^$#( point already!!!"

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

I have to confess that the only Clancy book I have read in it's entirety is Rainbow Six. I found that Clancy tends to be a bit long winded for my tastes. I don't doubt his ability as a storyteller' date=' but I sometimes found myself thinking "[i']Get to the *&%%^$#( point already!!![/i]"

 

I have to agree with you there.

["V"]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

I have to confess that the only Clancy book I have read in it's entirety is Rainbow Six. I found that Clancy tends to be a bit long winded for my tastes. I don't doubt his ability as a storyteller' date=' but I sometimes found myself thinking "[i']Get to the *&%%^$#( point already!!![/i]"

 

I agree. I enjoyed Patriot Games for its unalloyed and unselfconscious "sucking up to the idea of royalty" tone, and I enjoy many of his books. He does tend to start quoting stats and specs for every item that's mentioned.

 

Not being a military man I tended to gloss over those parts anyway, but kind of assumed that maybe that's how military types talked.

 

And then one of his characters met a computer geek. More my field of knowledge. And the geek spake thus when handed a floppy disk (paraphrasing):

 

"Ah yes, it's a three and a half inch disk, double sided and high density. Can be formatted to hold one point four four megabytes of data. The tab in this position means it's write-protected."

 

Where I believe most techy types if handed a floppy disk, if they had chosen to mention it at all rather than say "thanks" would have said "Oh a disk" rather than quote the full catalogue description.

 

Maybe the military speak is a bit overdone too then I guess....

[Thia Halmades]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

I have to confess that the only Clancy book I have read in it's entirety is Rainbow Six. I found that Clancy tends to be a bit long winded for my tastes. I don't doubt his ability as a storyteller' date=' but I sometimes found myself thinking "[i']Get to the *&%%^$#( point already!!![/i]"

 

This is how I feel about Stephen King.

 

Mark: Not entirely sure why you'd take such a hard line DC character group and import them into a 4 Color Universe, but you know, whatever works for your campaign. But you're treading well into my territory, so let's go over a few things. Bear in mind that I don't read most Clancy novels, but I've played, oh, just about everyone of his games, which are great sources of inspiration in their own right. A swift primer follows:

 

-- You probably will want to include Team Rainbow. Don't even worry about putting them in "story arc one," but most assuredly by now Rainbow exists as a multi-national covert ops unit. They don't get sent in to negotiate, unless by 'negotiate' you mean 'fill everyone with a bunch of new air holes.' They're a tactical unit, trained to fight primarily in urban environments.

 

-- Ghost Recon is the team that the PCs will likely never meet unless they walk into a jungle out in the middle of South America or get into a large desert in Asia or something. GR tends to operate outside of US Territory, working in small groups of elite soldiers. Very much a gun-happy "Delta Force" but without the James Bond superspy feel. These guys are soldiers, through and through. Mostly enlisted men, and a standard unit consists of a pair of riflemen, a grenadier/demolitions specialist, and a sniper.

 

-- The one you're likely most interested in is Splinter Cell. A fragment of the NSA, a "splinter cell" operative is basically an American Ninja BS Machine. They have two tons of gear, are expert infiltrators, bug placers, and saboteurs. They exist to eliminate problems that the US literally can't touch, and leave no evidence whatsoever. If you need a film reference, Jason Bourne is a great example of a Splinter Cell agent gone rogue (except in the Clancy canon, they aren't mind-f***ed from some secret experiment).

 

From what I've read of your material, you'll want to look into Sam Fisher, and his general loadout. He has skills all over the map. I've done a quick write up of his character and attached in HDv3. Bear in mind, I don't generally do character design, so this is a rough draft, but fairly close to canon. He likely has more CSLs than I've given him, but that's up to taste. If you go by canon, his daughter, Sarah, is dead. However, knowing your penchant for everyone being related, you could easily make her an NPC Slayer, and thus drag Sam in (rewriting her to be aware of what her father does, putting her on an "NSA FastTrack" program to be trained up.

[Sweeper]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Not being a military man I tended to gloss over those parts anyway' date=' but kind of assumed that maybe that's how military types talked.[/quote']

 

Well I was, and he did overdo it. My time in the US Army was filled with plenty of military lexicon, but we got to the point pretty fast.

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Cool ideas, Thia. Thank you.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Cool ideas' date=' Thia. Thank you.[/quote']

 

Not a problem, happy to help.

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

I see no reason to start the campaign, as Thia suggested, with Rainbow already active. Thus, it would start in July, just after Jack announced that he was running for the Presidency, on an independent ticket, with Robby Jackson as his running mate.

 

The NSA might send Splinter Cell in to lend a Slayer team a hand, especially if the daughter of a team member was a Slayer. Of course, when Robby becomes Vice President elect, his daughter gets Secret Service protection. If her agent doesn't know how to use Slayer weapons (stake, crossbow, and sword), she'll have to learn fast.

 

As far as Gina goes, she learned her second day at the circus's winter quarters that, like all performers, Holly, an aerialist as well as a showgirl, inspects and maintains her own rigging.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

I see no reason to start the campaign, as Thia suggested, with Rainbow already active. Thus, it would start in July, just after Jack announced that he was running for the Presidency, on an independent ticket, with Robby Jackson as his running mate.

 

The NSA might send Splinter Cell in to lend a Slayer team a hand, especially if the daughter of a team member was a Slayer. Of course, when Robby becomes Vice President elect, his daughter gets Secret Service protection. If her agent doesn't know how to use Slayer weapons (stake, crossbow, and sword), she'll have to learn fast.

 

As far as Gina goes, she learned her second day at the circus's winter quarters that, like all performers, Holly, an aerialist as well as a showgirl, inspects and maintains her own rigging.

 

You can pick and choose what you like; it's really a question of where you want things to fall. Ryan did not create Rainbow; it's a NATO/US Dept. of the Interior cross project, so says Wiki. Additionally, they aren't "just starting" in game one (98). They've been around for some time. And, it would probably behoove you to have an ace up your sleeve, even if the players don't know about it.

 

But then, I'm a DC guy, so whacha gon'do?

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

You can pick and choose what you like; it's really a question of where you want things to fall. Ryan did not create Rainbow; it's a NATO/US Dept. of the Interior cross project, so says Wiki. Additionally, they aren't "just starting" in game one (98). They've been around for some time. And, it would probably behoove you to have an ace up your sleeve, even if the players don't know about it.

 

But then, I'm a DC guy, so whacha gon'do?

 

Okay.

 

PRIMUS is unchanged. UNTIL is arranged like UNIT from Doctor Who. VIPER is realistic instead of four-color, but could have some surprises up its sleeves. DEMON exists, but it's controlled by the law firm of Wolfram and Hart, not the guys in the book.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Okay.

 

PRIMUS is unchanged. UNTIL is arranged like UNIT from Doctor Who. VIPER is realistic instead of four-color, but could have some surprises up its sleeves. DEMON exists, but it's controlled by the law firm of Wolfram and Hart, not the guys in the book.

 

When are you planning on starting this game? What do the audience members (your players) want to get out of it?

[Shaft]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Third Echelon and the Initiative could easily be merged. Sam Fisher and Riley Finn would work well together, I think.

 

If you want to toss in a "Heroes" reference into the mix, you can merge Forest Gates and DL Hawkins. Both characters are played by Leonard Roberts- I think a vampire-hunting commando with Desolidification would be a welcome addition to the team, especially if he's married to Nikki/Jessica the superstrong Slayer. "D.L." Forest is the man that they send when the vampire has Mist Form powers...

 

Of course, I imagine this organization might have oversight of that Stargate project out in Cheyenee mountain as well...

[Shaft]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

-- You probably will want to include Team Rainbow. Don't even worry about putting them in "story arc one' date='" but most assuredly by now Rainbow exists as a multi-national covert ops unit. They don't get sent in to negotiate, unless by 'negotiate' you mean 'fill everyone with a bunch of new air holes.' They're a tactical unit, trained to fight primarily in urban environments.[/quote']

 

In a campaing with UNTIL or UNIT, I can see the Rainobw team falling under their jurisdiction.

 

-- Ghost Recon is the team that the PCs will likely never meet unless they walk into a jungle out in the middle of South America or get into a large desert in Asia or something. GR tends to operate outside of US Territory' date=' working in small groups of elite soldiers. Very much a gun-happy "Delta Force" but without the James Bond superspy feel. These guys are soldiers, through and through. Mostly enlisted men, and a standard unit consists of a pair of riflemen, a grenadier/demolitions specialist, and a sniper.[/quote']

 

On the other hand, Ghost Recon might be a good origin source for your equivalent of the Punisher/Frank Castle. If you PO'd one of these guys, they probably could take on the East Coast organized crime family in a FPS orgy of death.

[Shaft]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Well I was' date=' and he did overdo it. My time in the US Army was filled with plenty of military lexicon, but we got to the point pretty fast. [/quote']

 

Yup. There's a reason the army is full of abbreviations and acronyms.

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

When are you planning on starting this game? What do the audience members (your players) want to get out of it?

 

I hope to start it by March of 2008.

 

Since I don't know many Champions players in Pittsburgh, I don't know who will be in my group or what they want to get out of it.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

In a campaing with UNTIL or UNIT' date=' I can see the Rainobw team falling under their jurisdiction.[/quote']

 

Absolutely, depending on setting and structure, I don't think that'd be much of a leap at all. My 'problem' with four color (and why I prefer DC) is simply that everyone -- EVERYONE -- is a super. You can't buy groceries without Captain Blastomatic leveling the back across the street, dropping what you're doing, putting him down so he can get chucked in the paddy wagon -- by the only normals in the campaign. The cops, who thank you heartily, and you then go back to the supermarket, clean up the mess you left in aisle 4, pay for the damage you caused AND a new box of a dozen eggs.

 

ACK.

 

On the other hand' date=' Ghost Recon might be a good origin source for your equivalent of the Punisher/Frank Castle. If you PO'd one of these guys, they probably could take on the East Coast organized crime family in a FPS orgy of death.[/quote']

 

Actually that's an excellent point; although were it me, I would probably have him starting as a squaddie for Ghost Recon, and then getting elevated -- even if only briefly -- to Third Echelon, where something goes horribly wrong and he then takes the fight back to them. If I were to write the whole thing, I may very well have the NSA very quietly backing him, but without his knowledge so he doesn't depend on them. Make sure he has a contact (11-) to get him equipment, and so on.

 

That could be a really cool campaign, actually, for a solo venture.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

I hope to start it by March of 2008.

 

Since I don't know many Champions players in Pittsburgh, I don't know who will be in my group or what they want to get out of it.

 

Did you put up a post on Player Finder? Have you been to the local stores? Considered doing a PBEM or a... what, we have another thing around here for 'online' gaming. I'm jus' sayin'. You have options.

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

Did you put up a post on Player Finder? Have you been to the local stores? Considered doing a PBEM or a... what' date=' we have another thing around here for 'online' gaming. I'm jus' sayin'. You have options.[/quote']

 

I already put a post in the player finder and I'll put fliers up at the local stores one I get my copy of Fifth Edition Revised.

 

I prefer tabletop gaming, not PBEM and I don't know enough about online gaming to make a decision about it.

[Mark Rand]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

In truth, I'm wondering why I even added the Ryanverse in. It probably would just be easier to say, "It's the CU with two changes. UNTIL's like UNIT from Doctor Who and VIPER's realistic instead of four-color."

 

For this, the team's base is a large suburban estate, like the X-Men's, but without the lake and mountain, and the heroes don't know about Slayers and such.

[Shaft]

Re: adding the Jack Ryan universe

 

In truth' date=' I'm wondering why I even added the Ryanverse in. [/quote']

 

Translation: all the Ryanverse elements have now been classified above the PCs' clearance.

 

"Clark?" Never heard of him... Doesn't he write for the Planet?

 

Truth be told, based on what I've read re: your other posts on this topic, it sounds like Collingsworth is more interesting a choice as a President than Jack Ryan. You've put quite a bit into this character's background- I say go with your original creation.