IST Pittsburgh

[Mark Rand]

I've occasionally considered setting an IST campaign in Pittsburgh. Since the city's close to both New York City and Washington, D.C., there would have to be some reason why the IST has an embassy there. The heroes though, might not know the reason it was chosen.

 

The embassy wouldn't be in Downtown Pittsburgh. Instead, it would be on the North Shore, between Heinz Field and PNC Park.

 

Since the various area sports and culture venues would like to have the heroes visit, even if its just for the publicity, the embassy gets sent event schedules and promises of reduced or free admission with an IST ID card.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

I've occasionally considered setting an IST campaign in Pittsburgh. Since the city's close to both New York City and Washington, D.C., there would have to be some reason why the IST has an embassy there. The heroes though, might not know the reason it was chosen.

 

The embassy wouldn't be in Downtown Pittsburgh. Instead, it would be on the North Shore, between Heinz Field and PNC Park.

 

Since the various area sports and culture venues would like to have the heroes visit, even if its just for the publicity, the embassy gets sent event schedules and promises of reduced or free admission with an IST ID card.

 

What's an IST?

[jtelson]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Maybe something about the location of the embassy; An extra-dimensional fissure? The team might not be informed for security reasons and the sight would be a target that needs defending.

 

Alternately someone in Pitsburgh has a huge amount of pull with the UN and wants an embasy there. A potential Supervillian down the road looking to test his/her minons?

[jtelson]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

What's an IST?

 

International Super-Teams, a pretty good supers setting put out by Steve Jackson Games for GURPs

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

What's an IST?

 

IST is short for International Super Teams. It's the United Nations superpowered military force, kind of like UNTIL with superpowers. The concept was created for GURPS Supers, not Champions, but can be used with any system.

 

Any nation that accepts the IST agrees to disband all national military and law enforcement superhero teams. However, superpowered bodyguards are permitted. Most nations have an organization that sanctions superheroes.

 

In The United States, President Jimmy Carter used his power of executive order to agree to the IST plan. The DMI, or Department of Metahuman Information, is the American sanctioning organization.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

IST is short for International Super Teams. It's the United Nations superpowered military force, kind of like UNTIL with superpowers. The concept was created for GURPS Supers, not Champions, but can be used with any system.

 

Any nation that accepts the IST agrees to disband all national military and law enforcement superhero teams. However, superpowered bodyguards are permitted. Most nations have an organization that sanctions superheroes.

 

In The United States, President Jimmy Carter used his power of executive order to agree to the IST plan. The DMI, or Department of Metahuman Information, is the American sanctioning organization.

 

Okay. Do you insist on setting it in PIT because that's what you're familiar with? It would make more sense in a higher-profile area. Most supers teams have the ability to get to any point of conflict within their zone; it would make more sense to put them in Beantown, Philly, NYC or a similar, high-profile city. Unless you have some major plot reason for sticking them in Western PA.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Okay. Do you insist on setting it in PIT because that's what you're familiar with? It would make more sense in a higher-profile area. Most supers teams have the ability to get to any point of conflict within their zone; it would make more sense to put them in Beantown' date=' Philly, NYC or a similar, high-profile city. Unless you have some major plot reason for sticking them in Western PA.[/quote']

 

Yeah, I put it in Pittsburgh because its my home town.

 

The United Nations Security Council ordered IST Command to base a team there because, to quote them, "There's a probable threat to world security there." Of course, they haven't told anyone on the team what that threat is.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Some of the stuff from "IST San Angelo version 5.0" will be used with "IST Pittsburgh". Here is the building description.

 

IST Pittsburgh is composed of two buildings that are separated by the 15-foot wide alley that leads to the loading dock.

 

Here is the layout of the main building. The second building is the garage.

 

Sub-basement two has the fusion reactor, electrical generator, and water tanks.

 

Sub-basement one has 8 holding cells, the combat simulation chamber, long-term storage, the vault, and the morgue.

 

The basement has the loading dock and assorted offices as well as supplies and storerooms, including the ammo locker.

 

The ground floor has pay phones, a newsstand, gift shop, and a coffee shop.

 

The second floor has the mechanicals.

 

The third floor is used by the powered infantry.

 

The fourth floor has the administrative offices, an auditorium for press conferences, and the PC network, telcom, and cellular radio room.

 

The fifth floor has the personal quarters for the IST supers, labs, library, kitchen, and dining room.

 

The sixth floor has the gymnasium/CSC, showers, infirmary, conference room, labs, technical library, mainframe room, and command center.

 

The roof has elevator mechanisms, satellite dishes, and a helipad.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

While working, IST maintenance staffers wear black coverall-style jumpsuits. They're also worn by some IST technicians. Others wear a black turtleneck sweater and jeans.

 

Here are some IST staffers.

 

Sir John Royal is the team administrator. A soft-spoken career diplomat, he and his wife, Lady Elizabeth live in Fox Chapel.

 

Carol West, an efficient woman who is legally blind, is Sir John's secretary. Ginger, her guide dog, a faithful, and well-mannered, a yellow Lab, is always close at hand.

 

Kuntala Singh is the embassy legal attache. Born in India and Harvard educated, she generally wears Indian clothing.

 

Mary Anders is the team's lead electronics engineer. A petite, athletic-looking woman, she can often be found, when off duty, either doing gymnastics or sparing with Black Scorpion. (Mary, an Olympic champion, will be the next Black Scorpion.)

[Thia Halmades]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Again, Mark, I'm always impressed by your background material, but where are the plotlines? Environment and understanding the world you want to put the PCs in is king, but who are their adversaries? What are the core plot lines? What is the "thesis" for your campaign? Do you know what the national threat to security is going to be? Have you written that?

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Again' date=' Mark, I'm always impressed by your background material, but where are the plotlines? Environment and understanding the world you want to put the PCs in is king, but who are their adversaries? What are the core plot lines? What is the "thesis" for your campaign? Do you know what the national threat to security is going to be? Have you written that?[/quote']

 

I do know what the threat is, but I don't have the whole thing written up, yet.

 

The heroes will have plenty of adversaries, both major and minor.

 

I have some outlines of the plot lines, but I'm still writing them. There will be a few more background pieces, some of which may have plot line clues.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

In this campaign, James Marshall was elected President of the United States in 2004. He will be reelected in 2008. According to the press, he smokes a pipe, watches amateur hockey games, and walks with a cane because he was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis while he was governor of Maryland.

 

His wife, Grace, is a respected eye surgeon and assistant professor in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Currently, she travels there by military helicopter. While he was Maryland's governor, Jim Marshall had his physicals at Johns Hopkins and Grace picked up his prescriptions there. That might still be the case.

 

Their Marshalls have two daughters, two year old Kari and twelve year old Alice, living with them. Their eldest, Zoe, joined the Ross Brothers Circus as a showgirl after her father was elected President. Jim told the Secret Service to protect her without causing the circus any grief.

 

Kathryn Bennett is the Vice President and the former junior senator from Pennsylvania. She and her husband have one daughter, who lives with Katherine's parents and attends high school in Pittsburgh.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Here, for comment, is the IST Package Deal.

 

Although not shown, each hero should take at least 10-points of martial arts. (They take the fundamentals of their chosen martial arts in basic training and are required to spend at least 8 hours each week in physical training under the eyes of an embassy trainer or a skilled team mate.)

 

[b]IST Package Deal - [/b]

[b][u]VAL[/u]   [u]CHA[/u]   [u]Cost[/u]   [u]Total[/u]   [u]Roll[/u]      [u]Notes[/u][/b]
10    STR     0   10      11-       HTH Damage 2d6  END [1]
10    DEX     0   10      11-       OCV 3 DCV 3
10    CON     0   10      11-
10    BODY    0   10      11-
10    INT     0   10      11-       PER Roll 11-
10    EGO     0   10      11-       ECV: 3
10    PRE     0   10      11-       PRE Attack: 2d6
10    COM     0   10      11-
2    PD      0   2             2 PD (0 rPD)
2    ED      0   2             2 ED (0 rED)
2    SPD     0   2                 Phases:  6, 12
4    REC     0   4
20    END     0   20
20    STUN    0   20
6    RUN      0   6"                END [1]
2    SWIM     0   2"                END [1]
2    LEAP     0   2"                2" forward, 1" upward

[b]CHA Cost: 0[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]POWERS[/u][/b]
8     [b][i]IST Communicator[/i][/b]: High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group) (12 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) - END=0

[b]POWERS Cost: 8[/b]


[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]SKILLS[/u][/b]
2      KS: chosen martial art(s) 11-
2      CK: host city 11-
2      CK: host country 11-
1      KS: United Nations & international history 8-
4      Language:  host country (completely fluent; literate)
3      Language:  English  (completely fluent) [Notes: Taking English is optional.]
3      Language:  French (completely fluent) [Notes: Taking French is optional.]
1      KS: history of host country 8- [Notes: Taking "history of the host country" is optional.]
3      Tactics 11-

[b]SKILLS Cost: 21[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]PERKS[/u][/b]
3      Access
11      Fringe Benefit:  International Driver's License, International Police Powers, IST Member Rank, Passport
33      Contact:  United Nations (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has extremely useful Skills or resources, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact limited by identity, Very Good relationship with Contact), Organization Contact (x3) (33 Active Points) 14-

[b]PERKS Cost: 47[/b]

[b][u]Value[/u]  [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b]
25     Hunted:  United Nations/IST Command 14- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)
20     Hunted:  Enemies of the IST/U.N. 8- (As Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)
20     Social Limitation:  Subject to orders (Very Frequently, Major)

[b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 65[/b]

Base Pts: 200
Exp Required: 0
Total Exp Available: 0
Exp Unspent: 0
Total Character Cost: 76

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

The University of Pittsburgh's mascot is the panther. The animal is also known as the cougar, mountain lion, puma, and many other things, some of which are regional, while others are unprintable.

 

There are two panthers. The person in the costume is known as Roc. The other, Patty, is the real thing. According to her handler, who wears an old-style cheerleader uniform, Patty is friendly and doesn't mind being petted.

 

A mermaid, who looks like Princess Ariel from The Little Mermaid, has been seen at various points in the rivers. All of these points have been within the pool behind the Emsworth Lock and Dam, which is 6.2-miles downriver from Point.

 

There are three venues for road racing in the Pittsburgh area. They are the BeaveRun Motorsports Complex (http://www.beaverun.com), Washington County Raceway, which is patterned after the final version of the now defunct Riverside International Raceway, and the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (http://www.pvgp.org). Of the three, only the first two are permanent facilities.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Under IST rules, at most two heroes can be from the region the team is in. The only mentioned team member, Black Scorpion (aka Mariko Yamashiro), is from Kyoto, Japan. There may be times when I let someone else GM an adventure while I just play. In those games, she will be my PC.

 

Sir John Royal is based on actor Michael York.

 

The team will consist of 8 heroes, 6 of which are on duty at any one time.

 

Since heroes transfer in and out all the time, NPC heroes can be used to fill out a team. All will be beginners. Look for a couple of concept threads.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

Okay. Do you insist on setting it in PIT because that's what you're familiar with? It would make more sense in a higher-profile area. Most supers teams have the ability to get to any point of conflict within their zone; it would make more sense to put them in Beantown' date=' Philly, NYC or a similar, high-profile city. Unless you have some major plot reason for sticking them in Western PA.[/quote']

 

In truth, I probably should've put in Seacouver, with that city being the universe's version of Seattle. Of course, that would've meant a whole different background and adjustments to some NPCs.

[Mark Rand]

Re: IST Pittsburgh

 

In truth, I had two plot points for Pittsburgh. First, there's a BtVS-style hellmouth close to the city. Second, Stargate Command is under one of the nearby mountains.

 

It would probably be in the Laural Highlands, which are considered foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. The Allegheny Mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountains.