Vigilante Campaign Settings

[Alverant]

I'm working on a DC campaign setting for my gaming group. Before I get too far into it, I want to poll the players and find out what they want/expect in such a game. I put together this questionnaire with scales from 1 to 5 with extremes on both ends (a little tongue in cheek). Since the players have different interests and preferences, I divided the "superpowers" section into separate aspects. I'm looking for a peer review for anything I missed or suggestions. If you like it, swipe it!

 

Dark Champions Campaign Poll

 

Relationship With Authorities

How do the PCs want to be treated by law enforcement (at first)?

1. Dangerous criminals to be actively hunted down and arrested (or killed)

2. Criminal nuisance who should be arrested if the opportunity presents itself

3. Glory hounds who make the real police look bad (but do the dangerous work)

4. Unofficial allies who give the police a much needed hand

5. Sanctioned members of law enforcement and our brothers/sisters in arms

 

Relationship With Public

How do the PCs want to be treated by the public (at first)?

1. Worse than the criminals they fight

2. About as bad as the gangs

3. A necessary evil

4. As good as the cops

5. Every Christmas Walmart runs out of “Harbinger of Justice” action figures

 

Lethality

How easy is it for the PCs to die in combat? Or be seriously wounded?

1. Level playing field, PCs can die just as easily as anyone else.

2. A rare event reserved for dramatic climaxes (and changing characters)

3. Shouldn’t happen but a PC can be put in the hospital for a while

4. Occasionally a PC will have to take it easy for a few sessions to recover from wounds.

5. Deux Ex Machina restores the PCs to nigh-perfect health between fights

 

Outlook

Who can be trusted? Can the world be changed?

1. The best you can do is slow the descent to the 10th level of hell

2. Keeping the status quo will be a struggle.

3. Everyone has their own agenda. All depends on who can advance theirs.

4. The PCs are a part of a larger plan to lift mankind from the muck

5. The PCs are the saviors of civilization as we know it

 

Seriousness

How realistic should the campaign be including how the PCs act?

1. The fallout from an adventure has severe negative unintended consequences

2. A bad blunder can change the course of the campaign for months

3. Minor mistakes are soon forgiven and likely forgotten too

4. Things blow over quickly

5. Cities can be destroyed and rebuilt in a week, tops! And no one notices.

 

Things that go bump in the night

Does the supernatural or superscience exist in the campaign world?

This is a catch-all of everything paranormal from psionics to voodoo magic to aliens (both from outer space and other dimensions). I would like to have the PCs only buy super-skills and not pure powers or spells. Also if the antagonists can harm the PCs then they can be harmed by the PCs. No threat will have Desolid and rolling a 3 on the Hit Location chart will ruin anyone’s day no matter if they’re a werewolf, Evil Nazi Robot (patent pending), or PC. The first four Batman movies provide a nice framework for most of the scale.

1. Everyone is a regular human (insane or disfigured or has wonderful toys but still human)

2. Minor mutants with unusual limited abilities (Penguin’s deformity and ability to “control” penguins)

3. Weird science (E. Nygma’s box that let’s him read people’s minds)

4. Low-powered superhumans (Bane, Mr.Freeze, Poison Ivy)

5. Urban Fantasy where the paranormal is common and part of society (in this case, the PCs will be permitted to buy superhuman abilities)

 

This scale will be applied with respect to several aspects listed below. The 1-5 scale may not be the best tool in which case a description will do in place.

Magic/Psi/Paranormal

This includes all aspects of the supernatural: forgotten or new gods, rare psychic talents, astrologers, past life experiences, bad luck cleansing rituals, real magic, and more. Adventures could potentially take on a more metaphysical slant as the PCs try to figure out how to fight a dualistic god of consumerism (no one gets through life without consuming) for example. Or something less epic scale as stopping the spread of a new kind of the drug angel dust made from the dust of angels.

Alien/Superhuman

Not the people in the city are human. Some may be from a planet orbiting a sun on the other side of the galaxy or from the 5th dimension or a monster that would give Lovecraft nightmares or a mutant that puts them above humanity. There will be limits to keep the campaign from becoming comic book superhero style. Is the latest wave of missing homeless caused by a hungry alien animal or a dimensional lord seeking new slaves?

SCIENCE!

Weird technologies from esoteric scientists delving into That Man Was Not Meant to Know. There would be cybernetics, forced mutations, bending the laws of nature in the pure pursuit of knowledge. These scientists are more concerned with proving their theories and being recognized than with public safety. They would try and create a fully aware electronic intelligence out of the Internet or find out what the socio-economic-political effects of giving away several tons worth of illegal drugs in a well-off neighborhood.

Anomalies

This is the “other” in the “other” category; things that are too unusual for anything else. Here would be Magnifico, the city of malls, a collection of enclosed complexes and parking garages half the size of Oak Park. The PC’s headquarters may be a floating castle in a tesseract reached by walking through a doorway while shifting yourself half a second out of phase with the universe.

[Eosin]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

Dark Champions Campaign Poll - X-Files + Punisher + Batman meets Delta Green. Wow, you read my mind.

Relationship With Authorities

2. Criminal nuisance who should be arrested if the opportunity presents itself

 

Relationship With Public

3. A necessary evil but some wackos like the “Harbinger of Justice” action figures

 

Lethality

How easy is it for the PCs to die in combat? Or be seriously wounded?

1. Level playing field, PCs can die just as easily as anyone else.

2. A rare event reserved for dramatic climaxes (and changing characters)

 

Somewhere between these two.

 

Outlook

Who can be trusted? Can the world be changed?

3. Everyone has their own agenda. All depends on who can advance theirs.

 

 

Sometimes the 10th level can be a riot.

 

Seriousness

How realistic should the campaign be including how the PCs act?

2. A bad blunder can change the course of the campaign for months

Things that go bump in the night

3. Weird science (E. Nygma’s box that let’s him read people’s minds)

4. Low-powered superhumans (Bane, Mr.Freeze, Poison Ivy)

 

Right in between those two.

 

Magic/Psi/Paranormal

rare psychic talents, past life experiences, real magic (Cthlulu), and more.

Alien/Superhuman

Not the people in the city are human. Some may be from the 5th dimension or a monster that would give Lovecraft nightmares or a mutant that puts them above humanity.

SCIENCE!

Weird technologies from esoteric scientists delving into That Man Was Not Meant to Know. There would be cybernetics, forced mutations, bending the laws of nature in the pure pursuit of knowledge.

Anomalies

This is the “other” in the “other” category; things that are too unusual for anything else.

 

Nope don't like the Anomalies.

 

Nice guide!

[bubba smith]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

I'm working on a DC campaign setting for my gaming group. Before I get too far into it, I want to poll the players and find out what they want/expect in such a game. I put together this questionnaire with scales from 1 to 5 with extremes on both ends (a little tongue in cheek). Since the players have different interests and preferences, I divided the "superpowers" section into separate aspects. I'm looking for a peer review for anything I missed or suggestions. If you like it, swipe it!

 

Dark Champions Campaign Poll

 

Relationship With Authorities

How do the PCs want to be treated by law enforcement (at first)?

1. Dangerous criminals to be actively hunted down and arrested (or killed)

2. Criminal nuisance who should be arrested if the opportunity presents itself

3. Glory hounds who make the real police look bad (but do the dangerous work)

4. Unofficial allies who give the police a much needed hand

5. Sanctioned members of law enforcement and our brothers/sisters in arms

 

Relationship With Public

How do the PCs want to be treated by the public (at first)?

1. Worse than the criminals they fight

2. About as bad as the gangs

3. A necessary evil

4. As good as the cops

5. Every Christmas Walmart runs out of “Harbinger of Justice” action figures

 

Lethality

How easy is it for the PCs to die in combat? Or be seriously wounded?

1. Level playing field, PCs can die just as easily as anyone else.

2. A rare event reserved for dramatic climaxes (and changing characters)

3. Shouldn’t happen but a PC can be put in the hospital for a while

4. Occasionally a PC will have to take it easy for a few sessions to recover from wounds.

5. Deux Ex Machina restores the PCs to nigh-perfect health between fights

 

Outlook

Who can be trusted? Can the world be changed?

1. The best you can do is slow the descent to the 10th level of hell

2. Keeping the status quo will be a struggle.

3. Everyone has their own agenda. All depends on who can advance theirs.

4. The PCs are a part of a larger plan to lift mankind from the muck

5. The PCs are the saviors of civilization as we know it

 

Seriousness

How realistic should the campaign be including how the PCs act?

1. The fallout from an adventure has severe negative unintended consequences

2. A bad blunder can change the course of the campaign for months

3. Minor mistakes are soon forgiven and likely forgotten too

4. Things blow over quickly

5. Cities can be destroyed and rebuilt in a week, tops! And no one notices.

 

Things that go bump in the night

Does the supernatural or superscience exist in the campaign world?

This is a catch-all of everything paranormal from psionics to voodoo magic to aliens (both from outer space and other dimensions). I would like to have the PCs only buy super-skills and not pure powers or spells. Also if the antagonists can harm the PCs then they can be harmed by the PCs. No threat will have Desolid and rolling a 3 on the Hit Location chart will ruin anyone’s day no matter if they’re a werewolf, Evil Nazi Robot (patent pending), or PC. The first four Batman movies provide a nice framework for most of the scale.

1. Everyone is a regular human (insane or disfigured or has wonderful toys but still human)

2. Minor mutants with unusual limited abilities (Penguin’s deformity and ability to “control” penguins)

3. Weird science (E. Nygma’s box that let’s him read people’s minds)

4. Low-powered superhumans (Bane, Mr.Freeze, Poison Ivy)

5. Urban Fantasy where the paranormal is common and part of society (in this case, the PCs will be permitted to buy superhuman abilities)

 

This scale will be applied with respect to several aspects listed below. The 1-5 scale may not be the best tool in which case a description will do in place.

Magic/Psi/Paranormal

This includes all aspects of the supernatural: forgotten or new gods, rare psychic talents, astrologers, past life experiences, bad luck cleansing rituals, real magic, and more. Adventures could potentially take on a more metaphysical slant as the PCs try to figure out how to fight a dualistic god of consumerism (no one gets through life without consuming) for example. Or something less epic scale as stopping the spread of a new kind of the drug angel dust made from the dust of angels.

Alien/Superhuman

Not the people in the city are human. Some may be from a planet orbiting a sun on the other side of the galaxy or from the 5th dimension or a monster that would give Lovecraft nightmares or a mutant that puts them above humanity. There will be limits to keep the campaign from becoming comic book superhero style. Is the latest wave of missing homeless caused by a hungry alien animal or a dimensional lord seeking new slaves?

SCIENCE!

Weird technologies from esoteric scientists delving into That Man Was Not Meant to Know. There would be cybernetics, forced mutations, bending the laws of nature in the pure pursuit of knowledge. These scientists are more concerned with proving their theories and being recognized than with public safety. They would try and create a fully aware electronic intelligence out of the Internet or find out what the socio-economic-political effects of giving away several tons worth of illegal drugs in a well-off neighborhood.

Anomalies

This is the “other” in the “other” category; things that are too unusual for anything else. Here would be Magnifico, the city of malls, a collection of enclosed complexes and parking garages half the size of Oak Park. The PC’s headquarters may be a floating castle in a tesseract reached by walking through a doorway while shifting yourself half a second out of phase with the universe.

relations with athourites option 4

with public option 3

leathiality option 3

outlook option 4

seriousness option 4

bump in the night options 4&5 aliens 50-50 chance

wierd tech yes

anomolies maybe

sorry legatus it was easier to quote the originl post to double check my options

[Basil]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

And at last, someone comes along to comment on the proposed questionaire rather than answer it!

 

OK, some proofreading---

 

Under "Lethality," #1 and #5 should be switched.

 

Under "Magic/..." I think "bad luck cleansing rituals," should be "bad luck, cleansing rituals,"

In the same paragraph: "Or something less epic scale as stopping the spread of a new kind of the drug angel dust made from the dust of angels." Um,... HUH? Needs total re-write.

 

Under "Alien/..." "Not the people in the city are human" should be "Not all the people in the city are human."

 

Under "SCIENCE!" "That Man Was Not Meant to Know" shoulde be either "What Man Was Not Meant to Know" or "That Which Man Was Not Meant to Know"

Same place: "or find out what the ... effects of ..." should be either "or find out what the ... effects of ... are" or ""or find out what are the ... effects of ..."

 

 

I think the 1-5 scale questions are fine, but I find the others a bit unclear as to what you're looking for. Do you want responders to copy&paste the ones they want or don't want, or do you want them to give a sentence or two describing their likes & dislikes on the subject? I'd advise a bit of rewriting to clarify what you're looking for.

[Alverant]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

And at last' date=' someone comes along to comment on the proposed questionaire rather than answer it![/quote']

Thank you. That's what I'm looking for.

 

Under "Lethality' date='" #1 and #5 should be switched.[/quote']

Why? I tried to get the 1 to 5 scale to be 1 means things like "none" or "pessimistic" with 5 being "very common" or "optimistic". With Lethality being killed is pessimistic and being at top health is optimistic. At least I think it is. Being killed is very bad. Ask almost anyone.

 

Under "Magic/..." I think "bad luck cleansing rituals," should be "bad luck, cleansing rituals,"

In the same paragraph: "Or something less epic scale as stopping the spread of a new kind of the drug angel dust made from the dust of angels." Um,... HUH? Needs total re-write.

The cleansing ritual is to get rid of the bad luck.

Would this sound better? "Or something that is less epic in scale, such as stopping the spread of a variety of the drug angel dust made from the dust of actual angels."

 

Under "SCIENCE!" "That Man Was Not Meant to Know" shoulde be either "What Man Was Not Meant to Know" or "That Which Man Was Not Meant to Know"

Same place: "or find out what the ... effects of ..." should be either "or find out what the ... effects of ... are" or ""or find out what are the ... effects of ..."

Is this better? "This is where you find weird technologies created by esoteric scientists delving into Things Man Was Not Meant to Know. There would be cybernetics, forced mutations, and other experiments that bend the laws of nature in the pure pursuit of knowledge. These scientists are more concerned with proving their theories and being recognized than with public safety. They would try and create a fully aware electronic intelligence out of the Internet or find out what are the socio-economic-political effects of giving away several tons worth of illegal drugs in a well-off neighborhood."

 

I think the 1-5 scale questions are fine' date=' but I find the others a bit unclear as to what you're looking for. Do you want responders to copy&paste the ones they want or don't want, or do you want them to give a sentence or two describing their likes & dislikes on the subject? I'd advise a bit of rewriting to clarify what you're looking for.[/quote']

When finished, this poll will be sent to my players to fill out. I posted it here to get feedback to find out what parts are good, bad, or needs changing. If they want to fill it out, that's fine. If other GMs want to use this poll for their own players, that's fine too. The only other thing I'd like to make clear is that the "Things that go bump in the night" 1-5 scale will be applied individually to the four sub-areas. A play may want a 4 in Science! and a 2 in Magic.

[Basil]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

And at last, someone comes along to comment on the proposed questionaire rather than answer it!

 

OK, some proofreading---

 

Under "Lethality," #1 and #5 should be switched.

Why? I tried to get the 1 to 5 scale to be 1 means things like "none" or "pessimistic" with 5 being "very common" or "optimistic". With Lethality being killed is pessimistic and being at top health is optimistic. At least I think it is. Being killed is very bad. Ask almost anyone.

 

Ah. In that case, reverse the order of #2 through #4. Right now it goes Worst, Pretty Good, OK, Bad, Terrific. Which doesn't make much sense.

 

Under "Magic/..." I think "bad luck cleansing rituals," should be "bad luck, cleansing rituals,"

The cleansing ritual is to get rid of the bad luck.

In that case, I'd advise "bad-luck-removal rituals".

 

In the same paragraph: "Or something less epic scale as stopping the spread of a new kind of the drug angel dust made from the dust of angels." Um,... HUH? Needs total re-write.

Would this sound better? "Or something that is less epic in scale, such as stopping the spread of a variety of the drug angel dust made from the dust of actual angels."

I would put quotation marks around, and capitalize "Angel Dust".

 

Under "SCIENCE!" "That Man Was Not Meant to Know" should be either "What Man Was Not Meant to Know" or "That Which Man Was Not Meant to Know"

Same place: "or find out what the ... effects of ..." should be either "or find out what the ... effects of ... are" or ""or find out what are the ... effects of ..."

Is this better? "This is where you find weird technologies created by esoteric scientists delving into Things Man Was Not Meant to Know. There would be cybernetics' date=' forced mutations, and other experiments that bend the laws of nature in the pure pursuit of knowledge. These scientists are more concerned with proving their theories and being recognized than with public safety. They would try and create a fully aware electronic intelligence out of the Internet or find out what are the socio-economic-political effects of giving away several tons worth of illegal drugs in a well-off neighborhood."[/quote']

I'd drop "esoteric" as its connotations don't fit science, even Weird Science, very well. I'd also change the 2nd sentence to begin "This covers cybernetics,...."

 

I think the 1-5 scale questions are fine, but I find the others a bit unclear as to what you're looking for. Do you want responders to copy&paste the ones they want or don't want, or do you want them to give a sentence or two describing their likes & dislikes on the subject? I'd advise a bit of rewriting to clarify what you're looking for.

When finished' date=' this poll will be sent to my players to fill out. I posted it here to get feedback to find out what parts are good, bad, or needs changing. If they want to fill it out, that's fine. If other GMs want to use this poll for their own players, that's fine too. The only other thing I'd like to make clear is that the "Things that go bump in the night" 1-5 scale will be applied individually to the four sub-areas. A play may want a 4 in Science! and a 2 in Magic.[/quote']

 

OK, then it needs more work than I thought. I didn't realize that "Bump in the Night" covered everything down to the end of the document. I saw the 1-5 with

1. Everyone is a regular human (insane or disfigured or has wonderful toys but still human)

2. Minor mutants with unusual limited abilities (Penguin’s deformity and ability to “control” penguins)

3. Weird science (E. Nygma’s box that let’s him read people’s minds)

4. Low-powered superhumans (Bane, Mr.Freeze, Poison Ivy)

5. Urban Fantasy where the paranormal is common and part of society (in this case, the PCs will be permitted to buy superhuman abilities)

and thought that was one question, and everything afterwards another 4 questions (though related). If you want the 4 questions to be answered (or answerable) on a 1-5 scale, I'd advise just saying "answer on a 1-5 scale where 1 is the most pessimistic/dark&gritty/'realistic' and 5 is the most optimistic/bright&shiny/'dramatic'." The way it is now, the examples are only related to (N)PC's power level/strangeness. Which isn't fully relevant to the following 4 items.

 

You can add something about "If you find the 1-5 scale insufficient for the following, feel free to add or substitute a short (1-3 sentences) description of how you feel about the subject. Notice that the specific items mentioned are only a representative sample; do not feel limited to the items mentioned. For example, mad scientists are sure to be into more than making an Internet AI or dumping drugs in affluent neighborhoods."

 

Or something like that. It's late, and my writing is going down the tubes.

[Alverant]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

Ah. In that case' date=' reverse the order of #2 through #4. Right now it goes Worst, Pretty Good, OK, Bad, Terrific. Which doesn't make much sense. [/quote']

I believe you misread. I think that "PC death is a rare event" goes between "PC death is a common event" and "PCs shouldn't die". 3, 4, and 5 deal with PCs being seriously wounded. In any case I need to be clearer about PCs being dead vs PCs being seriously wounded.

 

I'm in a pulp game where my PC has spent about half the campaign being at half BODY or less making that campaign between a 3 and 4.

 

I'd drop "esoteric" as its connotations don't fit science' date=' even Weird Science, very well. I'd also change the 2nd sentence to begin "This covers cybernetics,...."[/quote']

"Esoteric" means "understood only by a select few" and that does fit into Weird Science. Remember the archtype Evil Scientist who claims those fools at the university don't understand his brilliance?

 

I appreciate all the feedback. My writing skills are not what they should be. I find it disappointing that people at work are telling me I have problems communicating. I do want to write more as a hobby and I do write session summaries of the superhero campaign I am in. If I'm having problems communicating, I need to fix that. I think part of the problem is that I assume the reader knows what I'm talking about. It's like half my thoughts stay in my head and never make it to the page.

[Basil]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

Ah. In that case, reverse the order of #2 through #4. Right now it goes Worst, Pretty Good, OK, Bad, Terrific. Which doesn't make much sense.

I believe you misread. I think that "PC death is a rare event" goes between "PC death is a common event" and "PCs shouldn't die". 3, 4, and 5 deal with PCs being seriously wounded. In any case I need to be clearer about PCs being dead vs PCs being seriously wounded.

OOOPS! Yes, I did misread. I didn't catch on that you were changing from talking about death to talking about injury when you went from #2 to #3.

 

A suggestion, and worth every penny you paid --- change to something like:

Lethality

How easy is it for the PCs to die, or be permanently incapacitated, in combat?

1. Level playing field, PCs can die, or be permanently incapacitated just as easily as anyone else.

2. Death, or permanent incapacitation, is a rare event reserved for dramatic climaxes (and changing characters)

3. Neither should happen, but a PC can be put in the hospital for a while

4. Occasionally a PC will have to take it easy for a few sessions to recover from wounds.

5. Deux Ex Machina restores the PCs to nigh-perfect health between fights

I especially suggest this because, to me, "serious injury" automatically falls between 3 and 4, and I think you're covering much nastier results. Hence my use of "permanent incapacitation".

 

I'd drop "esoteric" as its connotations don't fit science, even Weird Science, very well. I'd also change the 2nd sentence to begin "This covers cybernetics,...."

"Esoteric" means "understood only by a select few" and that does fit into Weird Science. Remember the archtype Evil Scientist who claims those fools at the university don't understand his brilliance?

That's its denotation, but the connotation in what I've read is a reference to mysticism/spirituality/religion. It just sounds jarring to me to be applied to science, however weird. That's me, and YMMV.

 

I appreciate all the feedback.

My pleasure.

 

I think part of the problem is that I assume the reader knows what I'm talking about. It's like half my thoughts stay in my head and never make it to the page.

You are far from alone in that.

 

I think it's a great idea, and I think you've done very, very well with it. :thumbup:

[Alverant]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

I redid the sections for lethality and anomalies:

 

Lethality

How easy is it for the PCs to die or be seriously wounded in combat?

1. Combat is a level playing field. The PCs can die just as easily as anyone else.

2. Death is a rare event reserved for dramatic climaxes (and changing characters).

3. Death shouldn’t happen but a PC can be seriously wounded resulting in an extended hospital stay.

4. Occasionally a PC will have to take it easy and avoid combat for a few sessions to recover from wounds.

5. A Deux Ex Machina restores the PCs to nigh-perfect health between sessions.

 

...

 

Things that go bump in the night

Does the supernatural or superscience exist in the campaign world?

This is a catch-all of everything paranormal from psionics to voodoo magic to aliens (both from outer space and other dimensions). I would like to have the PCs only buy super-skills and not pure powers or spells. Also if the antagonists can harm the PCs then they can be harmed by the PCs. No threat will have Desolid and rolling a 3 on the Hit Location chart will ruin anyone’s day no matter if they’re a werewolf, Evil Nazi Robot (patent pending), or PC. The first four Batman movies provide a nice framework for most of the scale.

1. Everyone is a regular human (insane or disfigured or has wonderful toys but still human)

2. Minor mutants with unusual limited abilities (Penguin’s deformity and ability to “control” penguins)

3. Weird science (E. Nygma’s box that let’s him read people’s minds)

4. Low-powered superhumans (Bane, Mr.Freeze, Poison Ivy)

5. Urban Fantasy where the paranormal is common and part of society (in this case, the PCs will be permitted to buy superhuman abilities)

 

This scale will be applied with respect to several aspects listed below. For each sub-category, the 1-5 scale will be applied with 1 meaning “none” and 5 meaning “very common”. In some cases the 1-5 scale may not be the best tool in which case a description can be used in its place.

 

Magic/Psi/Paranormal

This includes all aspects of the supernatural: forgotten or new gods, rare psychic talents, astrologers, past life experiences, bad luck cleansing rituals, real magic, and more. A rating of a 4 or 5 would have adventures that could potentially take on a more metaphysical slant as the PCs try to figure out how to fight a dualistic god of consumerism (no one gets through life without consuming). A lower rating could have something that is less epic in scale, such as stopping the spread of a variety of the drug Angel-Dust which is cocaine mixed with dust made from actual angels.

 

Alien/Superhuman

Not the people in the city are human. Some may be from a planet orbiting a sun on the other side of the galaxy or from the 5th dimension or a monster that would give Lovecraft nightmares or a mutant that puts them above humanity. There will be limits to keep the campaign from becoming comic book superhero style. Is the latest wave of missing homeless caused by a hungry alien animal or a dimensional lord seeking new slaves? The high end of scale would be like the MiB films and animated series.

 

SCIENCE!

This is where you find weird technologies created by borderline insane scientists delving into Things Man Was Not Meant to Know. A high rating here would have cybernetics, forced mutations, and other experiments that pervert the laws of nature in the pure pursuit of knowledge. These scientists are more concerned with proving their theories and being recognized than with public safety. They would try and create a fully aware electronic intelligence out of the Internet or find out what are the socio-economic-political effects of giving away several tons worth of illegal drugs in a well-off neighborhood.

 

Anomalies

This is the “other” in the “other” category; things that are too unusual for anything else. A rating of 2 could have Magnifico, the city of malls, a collection of enclosed complexes and parking garages half the size of Oak Park. With a rating of 4, the PC’s headquarters may be a floating castle in a tesseract reached by walking through a doorway while shifting yourself half a second out of phase with the universe. At the highest level, Atlantian artifacts would be in every good museum in the world, Earth would have a third phantom moon, the Bermuda Triangle would be well defined with warning buoys, the UN would have recently sent a peacekeeping force to the Amazon rainforest to destroy the last known active Nazi fortress, and a herd of woolly mammoths would migrate across Siberia every year.

[Basil]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

Looks really, really good. A couple of proofreading comments

 

...bad luck cleansing rituals' date='...[/quote']

I still think this needs something. IMO it's clumsy as it stands.

 

Not the people in the city are human.

Should be "Not all the people..."

...or a mutant that puts them above humanity.

Should be either "...or have a mutation..." or "...or be a mutant that (is)/(thinks itself to be) above humanity" (Use either version).

...half the size of Oak Park.

Where? I suggest you use some place better known, or just give a size (in hectares, or, I suppose. acres )

...Earth would have a third phantom moon' date='...[/quote']

What is the second moon?

and a herd of woolly mammoths would migrate across Siberia every year.

This one made me laugh. Wonderful image!

[Alverant]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

Where? I suggest you use some place better known' date=' or just give a size[/quote']

All the players live in Chicagoland so we know the size of Oak Park. And if the campaign actually takes place in Chicagoland, then Magnifico will actually BE half of Oak Park (it's at the end of one of the L-lines and the west line commute train goes through it.

 

What is the second moon?

Cruithne. Maybe not so much of a moon but an asteroid that sort of shares our orbit. It's nicknamed Earth's second moon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne

 

I used the rest of your suggestions. "bad luck curses" sounds much more fitting, don't you think?

[Atomic Ray]

Re: Vigilante Campaign Settings

 

[Dark Champions Campaign Poll

Relationship With Authorities

4. Unofficial allies who give the police a much needed hand

 

Relationship With Public

3. A necessary evil

 

Lethality

2. A rare event reserved for dramatic climaxes (and changing characters)

 

Outlook

3. Everyone has their own agenda. All depends on who can advance theirs.

 

Seriousness

2. A bad blunder can change the course of the campaign for months

 

Things that go bump in the night

4. Low-powered superhumans (Bane, Mr.Freeze, Poison Ivy)

 

Magic/Psi/Paranormal

 

Alien/Superhuman

Not the people in the city are human. Some may be from a planet orbiting a sun on the other side of the galaxy or from the 5th dimension or a monster that would give Lovecraft nightmares or a mutant that puts them above humanity. There will be limits to keep the campaign from becoming comic book superhero style. Is the latest wave of missing homeless caused by a hungry alien animal or a dimensional lord seeking new slaves?

 

sounds like fun