Royalty Character

[Tech]

First, this is for a Champions character.

 

I've thought on & off about creating a princess in the modern world of the Champions campaign I'm in, complete with gadgets. The land ruled would be some obscure European land. Now, it's not the gadgets/powers I'm concerned with but more of the following:

 

-Has anyone done something like this, where a PC that's royalty joined a supergroup?

-Should someone with the Head Of State fringe benefit be allowed to be created? Personally, I don't see why not but I'm asking your opinions soooo...

-What problems could someone with the fringe benefit cause in a campaign?

-What fun complications can occur with such a person? That's actually a big question now that I think about it...

-Would this cause any problems, such as making things too easy for the group. (ex. I can buy the group a jet to fly in.)

-Would the character necessarily have Public Identity?

 

Answers and comments to these and anything else is appreciated.

[gmurie]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Princess Doomarina?

 

Had to be said, though the vision of Dr Doom in a taffeta ball gown and one of them traffic cone hats is a touch disturbing.

[Shaft]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Having royalty on a supers team is definitely in keeping with the genre. The Outsiders had Geo-Force, who was a Markovian prince. Crystal & Medusa were both Inhuman royalty when they were members of the Fantastic Four. Even the 4th generation Champions' own Obsidian was an alien prince.

 

You'd probably want 10 to 15 points of wealth, a 5 to 10 point "nobility or head of state" perk and the appropriate contacts and followers. Of course if you are an exiled member of the royalty, that changes the requisite perks as well.

[bubba smith]

Re: Royalty Character

 

and the silver age legion of super-heroes had the ilusion casting PRINCESS PROJECTRA

[Clonus]

Re: Royalty Character

 

First, this is for a Champions character.

 

I've thought on & off about creating a princess in the modern world of the Champions campaign I'm in, complete with gadgets. The land ruled would be some obscure European land. Now, it's not the gadgets/powers I'm concerned with but more of the following:

 

-Has anyone done something like this, where a PC that's royalty joined a supergroup?

 

Not as such. I had a character who had royal relatives but he was born on the wrong side of the sheets. Still once it was publicly revealed it did boost his social standing a mite.

 

-Should someone with the Head Of State fringe benefit be allowed to be created? Personally, I don't see why not but I'm asking your opinions soooo...

 

The major issue with Head of State is that it should probably be combined with some kind of official obligations.

-What problems could someone with the fringe benefit cause in a campaign?

 

It makes his fights potential diplomatic incidents. It also gets him more media attention.

[Werehawk]

Re: Royalty Character

 

The Countess in my FORCE OF NINE campaign that I use for GenCon (and this year at Origins since I'm out for GenCon) is a princess of the planet Krystalaan and third in line of succession. Although technically not royalty, Dreamwalker is a member of a planet's ruling counsil.

Black Panther in the Avengers is the ruling monarch of Wakanda.

[yamamura]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Of course the head of state and the actual ruling body don't need to be the same thing. After all members of nobility can just be figure heads normally assigned to performing official ceremonies and saving the Earth.

 

Why has everybody on your super team been knighted? Ask the Princess!

[Vann the Red]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Of course it could be quite a complication if the team is a global traveling one, as every hostile act on foreign soil could be considered an act of war...

 

Certainly has many comic book roots as cited above. Plus Namor as King of Atlantis, of course, while he was a Defender.

 

VtR

[JohnTaber]

Re: Royalty Character

 

My favorite superhero...

 

Black Panther

 

Nuff said.

[DusterBoy]

Re: Royalty Character

 

I'd go for HRH Zara Phillips as my model. She's Queen Elizabeth's eldest granddaughter and and accomplished, medal winning equestrienne, like her mother Princess Anne, the Princeess Royal.

 

She's not a princess, but she is a bona fide member of the royal family and one of the most photogenic.

[BNakagawa]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Starfire (teen titans) is a princess of Tamaran. There was quite a bit of complication brought on by her position, her older sister was disowned and came back to haunt them repeatedly.

[Maelstrom]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Princess Doomarina?

Had to be said, though the vision of Dr Doom in a taffeta ball gown and one of them traffic cone hats is a touch disturbing.

 

[The Monster]

Re: Royalty Character

 

If she's from "some obscure European land," you might not even need to go all the way to Head of State - since her status as princess would rarely if ever come into direct play. Diplomatic Immunity might be enough for game purposes, and would avoid the complications and duties HoS would imply: she'd still be a royal and probably even have some kind of ambassador/consular title.

 

As far as Public Identity, I don't think it's necessary, depending on how you want to play it. If she constantly refers to herself (and is referred to in the news) as "Wondra, Princess of Upper Corruptia," then, yeah that's definitely Public. But if she goes just by "wondra, Woman of Spent-Uranium," and draws no attention to her royal status, you could get away without Public. Of course, anyone who looks into it at all (even a simple Wikipedia check) would spot a blurb on her social connection.

 

Complications caused by just having HoS might be as relatively light game-wise as the lesser-known British royals; a bit of spotlight always on, and some scheduled social/cultural appearances, but just bought as a Fringe Benefit, it should be primarily a benefit. Goodo for wangling invites to parties, cutting the line to nightclubs, opening doors, and so forth. It's an easy jump to building a whole set of disads, though, if you want to bring it in as a significant plot point: Watched/Hunted comes to mind, both by the 'secret service" of her country, US Departments of State and Homeland Security, as well as hostile agents from at-home rivals or rival nations. Her nation could have a reputation for poverty, violence, or disease ("Corruptia? Isn't that where the Melting Eyeball Plague came from? Eeew!" or "Oh, I've heard of that place - it's where the government tanks just ran over all those protesters a few years ago - it was all over Youtube."), which might lead to Reputation or even a Social disad. And, of course, you can take just about any level of DNPC the GM will let you, to cover anything from troubles at home to special requests by the nearby embassy to occasional tourists from home who suddenly appear on the battlefield.

 

There's lots of potential disads and plot hooks, depending on how you want to build it. But agin, a fringe beneift is supposed to be a benefit, so unless you take some disads, it should largely be a matter social status rather than a source of difficulties.

[freakboy6117]

Re: Royalty Character

 

one of the characters I'm yet to write up for my UK hero project is an exiled alien princess

going to be a character for a school for gifted people sort of a wonder girl analogue. in terms of the royalty thing I think it's going to manifest mostly as a few hunteds a reputation ( in space and selected government circles) and perhaps a few personality traits Imperious and sure of her own superiority

[Singingcrow]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Player strengths I see for a royal character;

1. A huge group of followers, with a wide range of skills to be tapped when needed.

2. Diplomatic immunity.

3. Large amount of contacts associated with home country.

4. Public image that a creative player can apply to a game.

 

Weaknesses for a royal character;

1. Traditional enemies of the country & royal family.

2. Public image.

3. Constant legal repercussions for actions done by character.

4. Paparazzi constantly pursuing PC.

 

Just a few thoughts...

[BNakagawa]

Re: Royalty Character

 

For me, the number one complication that is likely to apply to a character of royal birth:

 

High probability of being confronted with an unwanted arranged marriage.

[Shaft]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Another (obvious in reptrospect) character example is Wonder Woman.

[proditor]

Re: Royalty Character

 

One of my favorite NPC's is a port from my CoH charcters. Windsor, the Trick arrow weapon master sometimes called Harry by his chums.

 

Flag suit with a high tech bow and targeting monocole, and he had a secret ID until he had to go into action unmasked to protect innocents.

[Maelstrom]

Re: Royalty Character

 

One of my favorite NPC's is a port from my CoH charcters. Windsor' date=' the Trick arrow weapon master sometimes called Harry by his chums.[/quote']

 

Harry Windsor.

[QueenOfItAll]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Much depends on how much one's setting resembles the real world.

 

In the real world the Head of State is simply not going to be free enough to go "superheroing". However, members of the royal family very well migh be able to, especially if they are no closer to the monarch than second cousin.

 

For less realistic settings, do as you will.

[Maelstrom]

Re: Royalty Character

 

In the real world the Head of State is simply not going to be free enough to go "superheroing". However' date=' members of the royal family very well migh be able to, especially if they are no closer to the monarch than second cousin.[/quote']

 

Depends on the country. You could be the "True King" and still not rule, or even reign -- You could have been displaced by a dictator, for example, and living in exile. Romantic! I may use this.

[QueenOfItAll]

Re: Royalty Character

 

Depends on the country. You could be the "True King" and still not rule' date=' or even reign -- You could have been displaced by a dictator, for example, and living in exile. Romantic! I may use this.[/quote']

 

Ah, but can one be a Head of State if one has no country to be Head of State of?