Still Bat-ty

[Mark Rand]

I admit it. I'm batty.

 

Batman was pursuing Joker when an explosion occurred. The Dark Knight was thrown back onto some metal rods, which pierced his heart.

 

He was pronounced dead, at the scene, by a doctor, who then unmasked him, revealing that Batman was Bruce Wayne.

 

In Wayne Manor, Alfred watched the news in shock before remembering that he had to retrieve the Batmobile (the Tumbler), secure the Batcave and switch the phone lines to a monitoring system that had been installed for just this purpose.

 

When Bruce's will was read, there were provisions for funding, through the Wayne Foundation, a superhero team, based in Wayne Manor and the Batcave, to protect Gotham City in the future.

 

Dick, Tim, and Barbara were at the funeral, but they have duties that will keep them from joining the team.

[mvoncannon]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

So where are you running this at? Herocentral? PBEM? The Greater Tacoma area (where I live)?

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

So where are you running this at? Herocentral? PBEM? The Greater Tacoma area (where I live)?

 

Nowhere, yet. The idea came to me today. I'll run it as a tabletop game here in Pittsburgh, either instead of, or on a different day, than the San Angelo IST game.

[mvoncannon]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Ok. That is not helping me much.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Ok. That is not helping me much.

 

Sorry. I've never played anything but tabletop.

 

Once I get her finished, I might play Sailor Sun in a game on Herocentral. If I like it enough, I might GM this campaign there, but I'm not promising anything.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Ok. That is not helping me much.

 

Clearly you need to move to Northern VA. It's where all the GOOD HERO GMs live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And by good I mean fundamentally evil. Like, truly evil. But I run one kick-ass game.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

The campaign will not be set in the DC Universe.

 

The layout of both Wayne Manor and the Batcave differ from their DCU counterparts.

 

There are no homages to the people involved in creating and writing the Batman-related comics in my version of Gotham City.

 

The federal government has an organization for sanctioning superheroes.

 

Gotham City is in New Jersey.

 

While Alfred may have been able to keep the mansion clean while Bruce was there, he can't with a whole team. He's been promoted to majordomo. Under him are a cook, butler, and housekeeper, who supervise the maids, housemen, and others. There is also a head gardener, who has his own crew. If Bruce had horses, someone will be hired to care for them.

 

The Wayne Foundation will provide the administrative, legal, and medical personal, as well as an engineer and, if no team member has the proper skills, a CSI type.

[Ocelot]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

... as well as an engineer and' date=' if no team member has the proper skills, a CSI type.[/quote']

 

Wait... So, the Foundation is providing both an engineer AND a detective?

 

...

 

That's kind of what defined Batman. So... Out of an entire team set against the backdrop of Batman, you're not going to have any characters who can fill the roles he did?

 

Even Robin and Batgirl could do some pretty serious CSI work...

 

Just sayin'...

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Wait... So, the Foundation is providing both an engineer AND a detective?

 

...

 

That's kind of what defined Batman. So... Out of an entire team set against the backdrop of Batman, you're not going to have any characters who can fill the roles he did?

 

Even Robin and Batgirl could do some pretty serious CSI work...

 

Just sayin'...

 

They'll provide someone to replace the late Harold. The forensics lab rat will be provided only if nobody on the team has the required skills.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

They'll provide someone to replace the late Harold. The forensics lab rat will be provided only if nobody on the team has the required skills.

 

This is where campaign ground rules come in handy. You can tell your story much more easily if your players come in knowing what to expect and in turn, what's expected of them.

 

One of you should be a martial artist; one of you a vehicle specialist, one a scientist/lab rat type, and one a gadgeteer who "builds" equipment for the rest of the team. You'll get your bases covered, and people like knowing that for sacrificing a little freedom (But I wanted to play an EB!! Er... tough) they get a better story. The Halliruch campaign is built on this premise. You give up a little freedom, I give you a kick-ass story.

[Vann the Red]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Sounds pretty great. I'd play in it.

 

VtR

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

This is where campaign ground rules come in handy. You can tell your story much more easily if your players come in knowing what to expect and in turn, what's expected of them.

 

One of you should be a martial artist; one of you a vehicle specialist, one a scientist/lab rat type, and one a gadgeteer who "builds" equipment for the rest of the team. You'll get your bases covered, and people like knowing that for sacrificing a little freedom (But I wanted to play an EB!! Er... tough) they get a better story. The Halliruch campaign is built on this premise. You give up a little freedom, I give you a kick-ass story.

 

Cool. I just figured that there'd be someone on staff who took care of what Harold did.

 

Any problems with the medical, administrative, and domestic staffs?

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Cool. I just figured that there'd be someone on staff who took care of what Harold did.

 

Any problems with the medical, administrative, and domestic staffs?

 

Yes and no. If you're going on the "base as major hub" design, then unless someone wants to play the Batman equivalent of Beverly Crusher or Stephen Franklin, you aren't really missing much. A lot of those things I personally handle with NPCs, and let the PCs do the "fun" stuff; such as investigating crimes, taking on super criminals, and so on.

 

I think the only danger you may encounter is that you spend a great deal of time fleshing out your NPCs for the party, which is great, but not enough time working on plotlines and "PC interactive fiction." Much of your material seems to exist in-world, but outside of PC influence. One of my rules for good roleplaying is this:

 

The PCs have the power to affect change.

 

Very simple; if they encounter plots they can't move, they get cranky. They play the game to do stuff, so it's important to let them get to it. Admin, all that, you can have a faceless secretary until a PC starts hitting on her. But now we're getting into "my style vs. your style" and that's pointless. For simple, "Is it okay," though, I'd say yes. Just make sure that the frankly well written and deep history of your NPCs doesn't over shadow your PCs and what they wanna do. The game is about the players; not the world the players are in.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Most NPCs won't be made in depth. Something like "Sara, a nurse, has red hair and wears blue scrubs" would probably be enough. The PCs might find out more about her later.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Most NPCs won't be made in depth. Something like "Sara' date=' a nurse, has red hair and wears blue scrubs" would probably be enough. The PCs might find out more about her later.[/quote']

 

Give her a COM 14 and a pleasant disposition and someone'll hit on her. That's when she gets her plot line; not really needed before hand. I think your style would allow for an easy transition from 'year to year' as PCs get older, get married, bring in new people and so on. You could have a very "Babylon 5" or "Deep Space 9" feel to it, as the base is stable, comes under attack, people fall in love, people die; not my flavor of drama, but a very solid one that would work better with the kinds of stories I'm under the impression that you want to tell.

 

Sorry. Lots of caveats so I'm not putting words in your mouth.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

I had the following written down for the engineer and lab tech: Hal, the engineer, has a cocker spaniel named Lady and looks like Gary Sinise from CSI: NY. Jane, who works in the crime lab, looks like Anna Belknap from CSI: NY. (Hal is 5 foot 10 and Jane is 5 foot 3.)

 

Someone on the staff races a Toyota Corolla in SCCA-sanctioned events.

 

I have some notes on the Batcave layout. It is a rift with a river running along the bottom and bridges linking the sides. There are railings on all levels, along with restrooms, fire extinguishers, flashlights, and first aid kits. All vehicles also have flashlights, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits. One of Sara's jobs is checking the safety gear as needed. Stairs and an elevator shaft connect the levels.

 

The main level has the parking garage and vehicle repair area on one side and the computer/communications area and crime lab on the other.

 

Sub-level one has the training area on one side and the medical and emergency stores areas on the other.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

"And unlike the Enterprise, we had the common bloody sense to put bathrooms in the Batcave." -- Alfred, during the opening tour as the new team is assigned to the unit.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

"And unlike the Enterprise' date='[/i'] we had the common bloody sense to put bathrooms in the Batcave." -- Alfred, during the opening tour as the new team is assigned to the unit.

 

Yeah, they were missing from the latest maps of the Batcave that DC Comics showed us.

 

Railings, on the other hand, were in the comic book, but missing from the maps in the DC Heroes RPG. Go figure.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Here are the other levels. However, I'm not sure exactly how these floors are laid out.

 

Sub-level two has the tech shop, trophy room, and libraries.

 

Sub-level three is the expansion area. It can also be used for testing equipment or training.

 

Sub-level four has the living quarters and tunnel to the subway system. The Bat Subway Rocket is probably kept here, too.

 

Sub-level five has the Batcave's generators and power distribution systems. Other utilities are probably down here, too.

 

Sub-level six is the water-level entrance, where the marine vehicles are kept. It is 150 feet from here to the main level.

 

Most of the areas are tied into the Batcomputer. The lab and shops each have their own storage areas.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Gotham Harbor doesn't connect directly to the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, it connects to it through the Intracoastal Waterway.

 

The lighthouse closest to Gotham City is between the waterway and the ocean.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Bristol Township, just to the North of Gotham City, is the area Wayne Manor is in. It has yacht, tennis, and country clubs, riding stables, Gotham Motor Speedway (which is based on Indianapolis Motor Speedway), a complex consisting of a mall, hotel/casino (with a health club), convention center, a condominium tower, and private garages, Gotham Downs (which is based on Churchill Downs), and the Gotham Hunt Club arena (which has an outdoor polo field).

 

Thirty miles North-West of Gotham City is Eagle Air Force Base. Close to it are Gotham Park (a 5/8-mile harness racing track), Gotham Raceway (which is based on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), and the Gotham Horse Show Arena and Rodeo Grounds. The last three are owned by Wayne Enterprises companies.

 

One of Bruce's habits was treating patients at Gotham Children's Hospital (a part of the Gotham University Medical Center) to trips to Gotham Raceway when clubs were holding events there. The kids and escorts sit in Championship Row (the VIP area) and watch the events. The Wayne Enterprises board has decided to continue doing this.

 

Hal was going to be the staffer that races, but now it's going to be Sara. She either works in the track's medical center or on a safety team when she's not racing.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Time to meet some of the staff.

 

Alfred is the same as in the comic books.

 

David Anderson, the butler, his wife, Marie, the housekeeper, and his widowed mother, Helen, the cook, are all experienced workers. David is also a capable valet and Marie is a capable lady's maid. Under them are various maids, housemen, and other workers.

 

The grounds are tended (and the walks are cleared of snow) by head gardener, and landscape architect, Edward Williams and his family. They live in a house in one corner of the property. (The greenhouses and sheds are there, too.)

 

Two months before he was killed, Bruce hired Wendy Gray, a local horsewoman and certified veterinary technician, to care for his polo ponies. The equine area is near the one occupied by the Williams family.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

The team's staffers wear body armor and hands-free communicators and carry weapons with non-lethal loads.

 

Bruce's will suggested that the team should, if possible, work with the federal government. In the campaign, the Department of Homeland Security is the official sanctioning organization.

 

Samantha Mitchel is the DHS liaison. She's an attractive African-American woman with close-cropped black hair who formerly worked for the CIA.

 

She suggested to Sara that the two of them should wear black in the Batcave. That way, it would be harder for intruders to spot them.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

"Black scrubs, right?" Sara asked.

 

"No," Samantha replied. "We each wear a black turtleneck sweater, jeans, black running shoes and socks. We'll transfer your nursing gear into a backpack and make sure it's easy to get at as well as quiet."

 

"I guess it would make it harder for invaders to spot us," Sara admitted.

 

"We'll also wear black leather gloves and ski masks," Samantha said. "For the most part, we can keep the gloves in our pockets and the masks adjusted to look like watch caps."

 

"Wonderful," Sara said.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Still Bat-ty

 

Since this is a variant of the DC Comics Universe, I'm changing the rogues gallery. Joker, Penguin, and Riddler aren't changing. There's a different Catwoman. However, she's still a cat burglar.

 

More to come.