An exercise in the creative process

[Atomic Ray]

Greetings, I am collecting my thoughts for a world where supers have been absorbed by the social machine. These super powered persons fill the various niches that super powered people would, from pro wrestling to super action rescue crew.

 

I will go with the 1:1,000,000 basic formula for how many super powered people are on the great blue marble.

 

The year is 2008.

 

Basic history is consistent with a few superhero inputs for key nudges, but nothing major like the Nazis won the war.

 

What I am looking for is the creative process of other thinkers to play with themes and names, best of the bunch going on to be recorded as character for the world at hand.

 

For instance:

 

1. Ocean themed super(s)...heroes, villains, good, bad, indifferent...but this would be a key player in which every aspect the character fits in society.

 

2. Elemental avatar theme...again any alignment choice...high profile...I personally would go with a single element but that is just me and I am asking for input

 

3. Genesis a world recognized character, enigma, larger than life even among supers, high point values but very little interest in the day to day of mankind...what does hold Genesis's interest? You tell me...

 

 

There is room for any type of hero...from two fisted street sweepers, organized agents, costumed adventurers, pro wrestlers, actors, vigilantes, killers (not tolerated and soon to be dealt with), etc..

 

But the world is no longer surprised by super presence. When there is a big fire it is expected that some super will show up to help, but not required. Not all crimes are going to be stopped by costumed adventurers but is they are then that's cool too it makes great TV/video. The world treats them as they warrant it for the most part...like pro sports heroes in some cases and public enemy number one in other cases. Some countries will end a super's life because of religion, culture, politics, etc.. Some countries will seek out supers and put them on public display/pedestal.

 

Anyway, I would appreciate any inputs.

 

Atomic Ray

 

PS

As I suspect some people need the points to help frame their character creation process I would say the ratio of the world's known supers are built on 15% <200pts, 20% 200-225pts, 40% 225-250pts, 20% 250-275pts, 05% 275+pts.

[Badger]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

Aww, man. I prefer playing character who dont deal well with society.

 

 

Though, I might be able to think of something.

 

 

Note: Before I posted I did think of one basic quick idea you could use. Firefighter with water-based powers.

[bubba smith]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

not bad a.r.

[Amused]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

Well, I know my character Tamlyn (whom is a shapeshifter, who holds a drain stun-only power). Would be great as an undercover police officer/detective (or an assassin if it's that sort of game). She has mimicry and other such complimentary skills.

She's arrogant, due to the fact that she is a fae, but thrown out of the fairy courts leaving her more than a little bitter. Working for the police gives her the strong command structure she needs to feel motivated and an outlet for her natural gifts.

 

I can also see Billy the pizza delivery boy with super speed who is desperate to get a pizza to the customer on time, but always manages to bungle right into whatever (super) battle is going on at the time. "I swear, I'm not a hero! I'm just trying to make a delivery!"

 

Hope these help. I'll try to think of more tomorrow.

[wrestlinggeek]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

I think that if supers were so incorporated into society, it would show up other places besides just the supers themselves. For example, one of my favorite issues of Astro City was the one that focused on an actor playing a superhero on a soap opera. I loved it, because it always seemed to me that things like that would happen in a world with supers. So, in your world, how prevalent are superhero characters in other forms of entertainment? Do they show up in sitcoms (either as the main character or a supporting character)? What about hospital dramas? Are there more or fewer superhero movies? And do the ones there are focus on real superheroes or fictional ones? What about comic books? Are superheroes so prevalent in the comics when they are also on the front page? Just some ideas that I always like to ponder when I'm designing a world where superheroes have been around longer than a few years.

[bubba smith]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

well said wrestlinggeek

[wrestlinggeek]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

well said wrestlinggeek

 

Thank you.

[jtelson]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

Just off the top of my head the first question I would ask is "How are super human abilities dealt with in the US/State legal system?" So

-Is there an ability set or level that requires disclosure? (Telepathy, Radiation, Does Manthrax need to register is someway?)

-How do super abilities interact with due process? Telepathy's probably out due to self-incrimination but how does super-hearing interact with expectations of privacy? (I'd porbably include a couple of SCOTUS ref's in the world description)

-Do secret identities need to be logged with some agency for accountability?

 

No matter how 'reasonably' such questions are answered there will be people who believe that supers have too many or too few rights. Disagreements about basic rights are always passionate. So as for inclusion in your world. The ASLU (The American Superhuman Liberties Union) a not for profit lobbying organization that helps to assure that Super Human rights are protected in the US, and Black-Meta a group that split off from the ASLU (and has been repeatedly criticized and denied by the ASLU), a militant organization that believe the Super Powered are above the laws of mere normals.

[Atomic Ray]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

Greetings,

 

Thanks for the input.

 

As for all the particulars of legality, ethics, moralies, etc. those are en flux.

 

I would say that laws bend to the waves of public outcry, usually quite a bit after the actual time of need...10yrs later a bill is passed to correct "insert"...but minor laws/ethic choices have already dealt with it and now the bill creates bad blood, red tape, all in all nothing good.

 

I would suspect that a good direction to go would be an underground of supers making strides to govern themselves with a UN of sorts...countries represented on equal terms with super reps. Creating two potential super agencies...one public and one not.

 

Public agency would be the media support keeping the masses fed with data, rarely real or complete.

 

And the other being a "lost the comic at the moment but it binds a large collection of agents, spys, craftsmen, politicians, scientists, military leaders, criminals, etc. within a group effort to maintain global balance" I think it was Global Frequency?

 

Anyhow this balance of public and covert agencies would make best use of the lower end powered characters, retired members, pretenders, etc..

 

So even speedy pizza boy would be well positioned as a speedy pizza boy, speedy boy working a covert angle, Speed Demon a truly powerful super hiding in plain sight waiting his time to act, etc..

 

 

For my name sake I will work on Atomic Ray:

 

Retired from decades of action, Ray (not his real name, but at this point no one wants to know his real name) appears to be 60-65yrs old with a serious limp and a well known battle with cancer...Ray is a public speaker traveling the globe spreading the good works of the public agency to the world at large; his frustration with the system is growing due to personal issues with certain laws, processes, and individuals so his time as the public voice of the agency is growing short.

 

In reality Ray is aging quite slowly and is in perfect health, ready for action at a moments notice. His actual mission is to maintain a finger on the pulse of supers worldwide, keeping contacts, finding new resources, and waiting to be approached by the dark side...there is a dark side to the covert super community but it is staying deep underground for now.

 

Atomic Ray (picture a modernized Rocket Man...picture soon to follow)

[Basil]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

Just off the top of my head the first question I would ask is "How are super human abilities dealt with in the US/State legal system?"

 

In line with that, how do unions (and laws regarding same) deal with supers?

 

With supers that can build houses by themselves (bricks, TK-ers), can move goods across the country in moments (TP-ers with apportation), take on any role in movies and TV (Shapeshifters & Multiformers), etc., there's the potential for many being thrown out of work, or having the conditions of their work changed drastically.

 

Given the power unions have in politics, you have to decide how your game world has handled things.

[Clonus]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

In line with that, how do unions (and laws regarding same) deal with supers?

 

With supers that can build houses by themselves (bricks, TK-ers), can move goods across the country in moments (TP-ers with apportation), take on any role in movies and TV (Shapeshifters & Multiformers), etc., there's the potential for many being thrown out of work, or having the conditions of their work changed drastically.

 

Given the power unions have in politics, you have to decide how your game world has handled things.

 

I don't think it's much of an issue. For a start the supers who can actually build houses by themselves are likely to be scarce on the ground even in a campaign where supers are dirt-common. Being a brick doesn't let you do the wiring or give you an unlimited number number of independantly controlled limbs. Bricks wouldn't replace regular workers. They'd replace heavy equipment and likely only to a limited extent. The guys who can actually conjure up entire houses or teleport across the continent with significant cargo aren't the guys who are going to be competing in the general marketplace against ordinary schmoes.

 

On the other hand, the SEC is going to look askance at any possible telepath or precognitive who wants to trade on the exchanges, just as casinos aren't going to welcome the arrival of effective psi powers. I could see a law making telepathic information privileged so it can't be introduced into the court or revealed at all without permission.

[Atomic Ray]

Re: An exercise in the creative process

 

There is no real way to consider every angle in regards to a fictional/fantasy element, so unions, guilds, and such are just another of those bits of fluff to be dealt with as they come up.

 

But as for this bit I would say the unions would only object if a given regulation or law was broken. As for the above reference I would say an individual super with the appropriate talents to do for themselves would be granted a waiver or be cited with the standard fines/community service.

 

As for any serious usage of ability to defeat a given union's venue services I would think an honorary status would be granted for the right to advertise the same...good PR and all.

 

I am trying to avoid all of the potential ugly, dirty, and bad that is easy to put a finger on. Instead I will focus on the force that drove comics to begin with the right against injustice in its many forms...even when the public doesn't know it.

 

A new age for supers:

 

Internet Age

 

 

 

What they do not know could easily hurt them, so we do what we must and tell them what they need to hear.

 

Atomic Ray