Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Oh yes, he was responsible for such amazing villains as the Rocket Skater and the Big Wheel.

 

There are some interesting examples of mysterious shopkeepers though: DC has the fairly enigmatic Barter, and Marvel had Mr Jip, each attending curio shops at different times.

Of course there are some more sinister examples from movies: Gremlins, Hellraiser, etc.

 

Might be interesting if there also occasionally were strange little trinkets available for "a certain price"...?

 

Well, Icons does have weapons available for purchase, from as simple as blasters to things like freeze guns and ping pong ball guns. I suppose I could have their stock include anything Focus-based, like powered armor and magic rings. All foci provided are personal ones, and taking them apart doesn't provide much information on how they work.

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Tailor: "Well, I wouldn't say that Icons promotes prudery. Behold one of our young lady customers."

 

 

Where do I sign up? (I'm assuming superwomen my own age might look as appealing?)

 

How about Rogues?

 

 

In fact what if the two "Tailors" are just a couple of "other-worldly" teenagers playing a RPG call "Icons & Rogues"

 

If they're playing an RPG how about Icons and Infamy©?

[Arkham]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Where do I sign up? (I'm assuming superwomen my own age might look as appealing?)

 

 

 

If they're playing an RPG how about Icons and Infamy©?

 

How about Icons and Iconoclasts? Iconoclasts would be a decent name for such a store for those on the 'rougher' end of the moral spectrum.

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Where do I sign up? (I'm assuming superwomen my own age might look as appealing?)

 

 

 

If they're playing an RPG how about Icons and Infamy©?

 

This is an interesting question. In the comics, they have what Champions (pg 11-12) called Perfect Superhero Body, one that "an ordinary active lifestyle maintains, that doesn’t gain pounds over the holiday feasting season, and that doesn’t suffer severe metabolism changes as the hero ages." In a standard superhero universe, a superhuman woman in her 40s or 50s would look older, maybe with graying hair or some changes to the face, but their bodies would still be fit-looking.

 

Since Icons is providing superhuman powers and abilities through costumes to otherwise ordinary human beings, perhaps some will look less than fit at first. Taking an earlier suggestion to have the powers gradually internalize over time, the new superhuman would look more and more fit as time went on. I still haven't decided if I want to go that way, but it would make for an interesting feel to the campaign.

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

This is an interesting question. In the comics' date=' they have what [i']Champions[/i] (pg 11-12) called Perfect Superhero Body, one that "an ordinary active lifestyle maintains, that doesn’t gain pounds over the holiday feasting season, and that doesn’t suffer severe metabolism changes as the hero ages." In a standard superhero universe, a superhuman woman in her 40s or 50s would look older, maybe with graying hair or some changes to the face, but their bodies would still be fit-looking.

 

Since Icons is providing superhuman powers and abilities through costumes to otherwise ordinary human beings, perhaps some will look less than fit at first. Taking an earlier suggestion to have the powers gradually internalize over time, the new superhuman would look more and more fit as time went on. I still haven't decided if I want to go that way, but it would make for an interesting feel to the campaign.

 

Perhaps the body instantly conforms to the new standard when the costume is donned, and changes back when it is (intentionally) removed? That way nobody will suspect that Joe Porkbutt is really Super-Physique-Man!

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

How about Icons and Iconoclasts? Iconoclasts would be a decent name for such a store for those on the 'rougher' end of the moral spectrum.

 

That's true, I suppose. I think I'll stick with just Icons for the store name and the RPG, if one is being played, that is.

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Perhaps the body instantly conforms to the new standard when the costume is donned' date=' and changes back when it is (intentionally) removed? That way [i']nobody[/i] will suspect that Joe Porkbutt is really Super-Physique-Man!

 

Heh. That would be true. Reminds me of the scene in The Incredibles when Mr. Incredible is putting on his costume after many years of a sedentary lifestyle.

[torchwolf]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Perhaps the body instantly conforms to the new standard when the costume is donned' date=' and changes back when it is (intentionally) removed? That way [i']nobody[/i] will suspect that Joe Porkbutt is really Super-Physique-Man!

(overheard from the dressing room in the Icons store)

"OK, this really is a wonder bra."

[Querysphinx]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Perhaps the body instantly conforms to the new standard when the costume is donned' date=' and changes back when it is (intentionally) removed? That way [i']nobody[/i] will suspect that Joe Porkbutt is really Super-Physique-Man!

 

This.

 

Plus you could play with unique complications, like costume that won't come off, so the freaky-looking hero can't turn back to normal.

 

Then there's the bad guy who steals your costume and your heroic identity. (This is a great time to discover that you have internalized some power)

 

The biggest problem with this game is that I'm not in it.

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Speaking of the Tinkerer, Icons would not be the only source of costumed heroes and villains for long. Following the appearance of real supers would be Kickass-type costumed crimefighters and villains. People who became Iconic gadgeteers might not be able to provide 'Icon tech' to others, but cutting edge realistic equipment is another story. Assuming Icons never grants the ability to give other people long-term powers, there would be two tiers of heroes & villains: the Icons, and the training/gadget types. Plus posers.

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Speaking of the Tinkerer' date=' Icons would not be the only source of costumed heroes and villains for long. Following the appearance of real supers would be Kickass-type costumed crimefighters and villains. People who became Iconic gadgeteers might not be able to provide 'Icon tech' to others, but cutting edge realistic equipment is another story. Assuming Icons never grants the ability to give other people long-term powers, there would be two tiers of heroes & villains: the Icons, and the training/gadget types. Plus posers.[/quote']

 

That's true. You'd have real superhumans, trained humans with weapons or gadgets, and the posers.

 

I like the name 'Icon tech ' to refer to the gadgets and equipment available only from Icons. Rep to you for that.

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Plus posers.

 

Bat-Manuel, anybody?

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

That's true. You'd have real superhumans, trained humans with weapons or gadgets, and the posers.

 

I like the name 'Icon tech ' to refer to the gadgets and equipment available only from Icons. Rep to you for that.

 

Your humble servant. (bows modestly)

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Since Icons Earth is meant to be a "Champions: First Wave" sort of campaign, I've been putting some thought into point totals and character creation.

 

Each player should begin by creating their character pre-Icons, to get a handle on the Peter Parker portion of the character before adding the powers that make the superhero. Who is this person? What brought them to the decision point of accepting an Icons costume and powers? Towards that end, I'm thinking to have each PC create a 50-point Normal with 25 Complication points.

 

A visit to Icons adds an additional 275 points and 35 more Complications points (15 points of which should be Social Complication: Secret ID). This puts each PC about in the power level of a Standard Superhuman. If they take all 275 points and run them through the costume at an assumed -1/4 minimum Limitation for IIF or "Only In Alternate ID", those points equate to roughly 345 Active Points.

 

At the start of the campaign, Icons has been around for about six months. The authorities are still scrambling to deal with superhumans, and the public is dealing with it on a city by city basis. My current idea is to have an Icons present in any city of one million or more people.

 

As far as numbers of superhumans go, I'm inclined to go on a sliding scale of one for every 100,000 people to one for every million people, depending on local conditions. Using the 1/100k number gives Los Angeles about 40 superhumans and New York about 85. But if I used that ratio for Tokyo, that would give that city over 300 superhumans, which seems way too high.

As

[greenbriar]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

I keep picturing the tailor shop from The Man from U.N.C.L.E., all you need is a secret panel in a fitting room that leads to the superhero base outfitting shop.

[novi]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Just to be pedantic, are you working off cities or metro areas? For instance, the population of the Twin Cities are is about 3 million, yet Minneapolis proper only has a population of 400,000. Would there be Icons there?

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

Just to be pedantic' date=' are you working off cities or metro areas? For instance, the population of the Twin Cities are is about 3 million, yet Minneapolis proper only has a population of 400,000. Would there be Icons there?[/quote']

 

Well, I was originally thinking in terms of 'cities' for my population centers of a million or more, but a look at wikipedia shows that there are only about 10 cities in America with a population of that level. I'm going to revise my setup to go with metro areas instead, since that seems to be a better gauge of population levels in a given area.

[Gideon]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

One question: You mentioned that if a character reveals his SID his powers get revoked. What happens if a character's SID is Forcibly revealed? Like, say a villain taking the mask off a hero, or the police taking the mask off of a villain.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

good question gideon what WOULD happen?

[Lucius]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

In a shop full of colorful and even gaudy fantasies, the costume John held stood out for plainness. It was a simple hooded robe that reminded him of the brief time he had spent in a monastery. The answers hadn't been there either. He stared transfixed as he stroked the materieal. He KNEW there was power in it. Power he needed. With this he could solve the Big Problems, and not just for himself...

 

Reluctantly, he hung it back where it came from.

 

"Are you sure?" asked the surprised Tailor, "It fits you perfectly."

 

"I'm sure" answered John. "I can do what needs to be done myself. I don't need any deals with the Devil - not metaphorically and not " and here he gives the Tailor a measuring look "Literally."

 

He was careful who he told of course - who would believe him? But inevitably word got out, and he was only the first and not the last to say "no." And everyone knew the new glut of Costumed Adventurers had to come from somewhere, so before long the "urban legend" got a lot more credible. Everyone had heard of Icons. And a lot of people didn't like the idea.

 

Thus, the Iconoclasts. Not truly an organization except in so far as some of them were organized and looked to John for leadership, not even really a "movement" - some really thought the Tailor was the Devil, some thought him an alien or mad scientist or wizard or even Oberon the King of Faerie, and some readily admitted to ignorance but thought it was vitally important to try to FIND OUT. Iconoclasts were newspaper editors writing columns warning of the dangers of too much power in the hands of too few, legislators crafting laws to restrict costumes or proscribe the use of "superhuman abilities," crackpots marching with protest signs, scientists intensively studying scraps of data as they become available and arguing over the implications, obsessives collating information on each new appearance of a Shop, each new Costume, trying to track down the mysterious Tailor or find answers to the burning questions: Who is he? What is he trying to do? What is he ACTUALLY doing? Some were even customers of Icons, unable to say too much directly but willing to let themselves, their abilities, their costumes, be examined and measured. And while the media labeled them all "Iconoclasts" they fought one another almost as much as they worked together.

 

What place a group like the Iconoclasts would have in the game would depend on what's really going on with Icons. They would almost have to be a mix of some of the best and the worst of people: from those moved by fear and hatred of the new and unknown, to the truly heroic examples of human self-reliance who simply argue that people should not be dependant on "supermen" nor on mysterious benefactors however benevolent. They could turn into worse antagonists than the supervillains, or if the nature of Icons is truly sinister they could be humanity's saviors, and then again they could just be comic relief. Maybe they could even be all three.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I found a palindromedary in the stable out back of the Icons store

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

One way to go on the issue of forceable unmasking is to rule that donning one's super identity is a physical transformation as well as a sartorical one, if the wearer fits the costume rather than vice versa. Although you need the costume to become your 'powered self', the transformation back could be entirely voluntary. Thus a simple unmasking won't rob someone of their powers. Of course there's no reason why mileage shouldn't vary on this matter, with some characters being vulnerable to unmasking and others not.

 

Your super self appearance could be based on a 'superized' version of your normal appearance, but maybe the appearance comes with the costume: no matter who wears it, they look the same.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

In a shop full of colorful and even gaudy fantasies, the costume John held stood out for plainness. It was a simple hooded robe that reminded him of the brief time he had spent in a monastery. The answers hadn't been there either. He stared transfixed as he stroked the materieal. He KNEW there was power in it. Power he needed. With this he could solve the Big Problems, and not just for himself...

 

Reluctantly, he hung it back where it came from.

 

"Are you sure?" asked the surprised Tailor, "It fits you perfectly."

 

"I'm sure" answered John. "I can do what needs to be done myself. I don't need any deals with the Devil - not metaphorically and not " and here he gives the Tailor a measuring look "Literally."

 

He was careful who he told of course - who would believe him? But inevitably word got out, and he was only the first and not the last to say "no." And everyone knew the new glut of Costumed Adventurers had to come from somewhere, so before long the "urban legend" got a lot more credible. Everyone had heard of Icons. And a lot of people didn't like the idea.

 

Thus, the Iconoclasts. Not truly an organization except in so far as some of them were organized and looked to John for leadership, not even really a "movement" - some really thought the Tailor was the Devil, some thought him an alien or mad scientist or wizard or even Oberon the King of Faerie, and some readily admitted to ignorance but thought it was vitally important to try to FIND OUT. Iconoclasts were newspaper editors writing columns warning of the dangers of too much power in the hands of too few, legislators crafting laws to restrict costumes or proscribe the use of "superhuman abilities," crackpots marching with protest signs, scientists intensively studying scraps of data as they become available and arguing over the implications, obsessives collating information on each new appearance of a Shop, each new Costume, trying to track down the mysterious Tailor or find answers to the burning questions: Who is he? What is he trying to do? What is he ACTUALLY doing? Some were even customers of Icons, unable to say too much directly but willing to let themselves, their abilities, their costumes, be examined and measured. And while the media labeled them all "Iconoclasts" they fought one another almost as much as they worked together.

 

What place a group like the Iconoclasts would have in the game would depend on what's really going on with Icons. They would almost have to be a mix of some of the best and the worst of people: from those moved by fear and hatred of the new and unknown, to the truly heroic examples of human self-reliance who simply argue that people should not be dependant on "supermen" nor on mysterious benefactors however benevolent. They could turn into worse antagonists than the supervillains, or if the nature of Icons is truly sinister they could be humanity's saviors, and then again they could just be comic relief. Maybe they could even be all three.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I found a palindromedary in the stable out back of the Icons store

 

good ond lucius

[Haerandir]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

One question: You mentioned that if a character reveals his SID his powers get revoked. What happens if a character's SID is Forcibly revealed? Like' date=' say a villain taking the mask off a hero, or the police taking the mask off of a villain.[/quote']

 

It would fit the background that if something like this happened, a version of the Icon Effect would prevent it from having long-term/irreversible consequences, just like the store itself is never mysteriously revealed. It could still be very awkward in the short-term, of course.

 

This interpretation would probably require that Steve reduce the value of SID for the campaign, though.

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

One question: You mentioned that if a character reveals his SID his powers get revoked. What happens if a character's SID is Forcibly revealed? Like' date=' say a villain taking the mask off a hero, or the police taking the mask off of a villain.[/quote']

 

That was part of my original conception to Icons, to keep the store mysterious and an urban legend by forbidding someone from revealing the existence of Icons or reveal their Secret ID on television or in a public location like Dodger's Stadium during a game in session, the penalty being permanent loss of powers. If a superhuman is unmasked in private, like a superhero by a supervillain in a lair, I would judge that to be that the identity is still not considered to be revealed to the public at large. I think I'm going to drop that penalty. Those who have accepted a costume just don't talk about Icons. Maybe I'll treat it as a 0-point Psych Complication for every superhuman.

 

One reason why I initially tied powers to costumes was to give a possible answer to incarcerating a supervillain. Out of costume, they'd be normal humans and could be locked up in a normal prison cell. An earlier poster gave a suggestion that I like, that the costume was actually a form of chrysalis, and the powers originally in the costume could gradually internalize to the owner and enable them to become a true superhuman. If this happened gradually enough, say over a year or two, Icon-enhanced supertechnologists would have enough time to come up with ugrades to prisons to allow for the incarceration of supervillains. I was thinking that Alcatraz would make for a good retrofitted prison site.

 

In the case of deaths, the Icon costume returns to Icons, able to be passed along to a successor. I'll keep that aspect of the campaign's initial premise. Maybe a new wearer gets 'reset' back to the starter status of the costume, and any additional powers a previous wearer obtained through alterations (and the spending of experience points) go away.

[Steve]

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

 

One way to go on the issue of forceable unmasking is to rule that donning one's super identity is a physical transformation as well as a sartorical one, if the wearer fits the costume rather than vice versa. Although you need the costume to become your 'powered self', the transformation back could be entirely voluntary. Thus a simple unmasking won't rob someone of their powers. Of course there's no reason why mileage shouldn't vary on this matter, with some characters being vulnerable to unmasking and others not.

 

Your super self appearance could be based on a 'superized' version of your normal appearance, but maybe the appearance comes with the costume: no matter who wears it, they look the same.

 

That's a good point. Maybe some are unmasked and lose their powers and others can be unmasked and don't. I'm still feeling out the ramifications of this issue. The idea that a costume has a set look for the person's appearance under the mask is interesting. That would be an intriguing addition to passing on a costumed identity in the case of death. Every wearer would look the same under the mask, which could actually help to preserve secret identities.

 

There is also the gender bender possibility. A male could transform into a female super identity.