City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

[MisterVimes]

In my new campaign (as some of you know) I plan to wipe Philadelphia off the map and build a brand new Utopia (Metropolis-like) on the ruins and a Distopia (Gotham-like) where Camden, New Jersey is today.

 

I didn't want to go with a Supervillain. I wanted something cataclysmic that was done by the nature or the common man. So, I did the research and realized that some of it had already been done in the Apocalyptic Hero area. But most of those cataclysms are world killers and, as much as the Verneshot appealed to me, I just need to kill a city.

 

I also wanted plausible science/nature in my disaster. Also, looking at Philadelphia, I realized I wanted to preserve the Historic District while wiping out the rest of the city. It would be a crime to destroy the Liberty Bell, all the Masonic/Illuminati mythology, and all the potential mysticism of the Historic District.

 

I am open to this idea evolving. I am only wedded to the idea of destroying the city and rebuilding it, preserving the Historic District (which lies on the Delaware River), and not having Aliens or Superhumans to blame. So, please, hit me with your best shot.

 

The Historic District is right across the River from Camden, NJ. As I want to preserve them both I can have the Histroic District be on the surviving edge of the event.

 

The Event: Spacetime event that erases reality

The Cause: I think I am going to use a modern boogey-man, the Super-Collider. In a Champions world, science is always a little bit ahead. So, the University of Pennsylvania Physics Department is ground zero. (It's located about 3 miles from the area we want to preserve.)

The Science: The Super-Collider (a bit more advanced than ours) creates a Naked Singularity that is so super-dense that the resulting spacetime dimple erases an area surrounding it. What exists after the event I am a little blurry on. The event lasts around 5 microseconds. The resulting wave traveling about 3 miles before it stops. When the singularity ends, ground zero is gone and in a 3 mile radius everything that was -- isn't.

 

What do I need?

• After of the erasure, what is there?
  
• Is there a better method of doing this?
  
• What other results could I get?
  
• Is it logical that all business shifts to Camden and then shifts back once the city is rebuilt?
  
• Who rebuilds Philadelphia?
  

[Hermit]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Why not reverse tropes a bit? Superhumans will not be the cause of the disaster, but why not have one (or more) be the reason the historic distract was saved? Frex, Maybe some Force projector put out a dome as far as she could sparing a large chunk of the city, but not able to save it all. For extra tragic hero moments, the strain killed her, but she saved thousands. Or maybe, oddly enough, it was a super villain who had threatened Old Philly himself, but was determined to use his super science to keep 'His' city from being destroyed... and he partially succeeded!

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Why not reverse tropes a bit? Superhumans will not be the cause of the disaster' date=' but why not have one (or more) be the reason the historic distract was saved? Frex, Maybe some Force projector put out a dome as far as she could sparing a large chunk of the city, but not able to save it all. For extra tragic hero moments, the strain killed her, but she saved thousands. Or maybe, oddly enough, it was a super villain who had threatened Old Philly himself, but was determined to use his super science to keep 'His' city from being destroyed... and he partially succeeded![/quote']

 

I started shaking my head when I was reading this and then you said Super Villain and I started nodding. A statue of the Evil Doctor Snakeface (whatever) in memory of the ultimate sacrifice. Maybe even make it a second-rate villain that never was much of a threat. In the end the Villain was the city's greatest hero. I love it.

[Hermit]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

I started shaking my head when I was reading this and then you said Super Villain and I started nodding. A statue of the Evil Doctor Snakeface (whatever) in memory of the ultimate sacrifice. Maybe even make it a second-rate villain that never was much of a threat. In the end the Villain was the city's greatest hero. I love it.

 

Thanks to your description, I have this image of a statue depicting a scrawny ugly mad scientist, his bony arms out in classic 'Rocky Balboa' pose.

 

Cue motivational music

[Blue]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

I'll just throw things out there in order to throw them out there...

 

•After of the erasure, what is there?

A hemispherical crater in the ground filled with water. You have to figure the radius impacted would not me a circle but rather a sphere, so things above and below would be impacted. It sits on a river, and thus the water filled in. The new city might be floating, what with the massive effort it would take to bring in that much dirt. (I'm guessing "erased" part is actualy floating in another dimension, a la Marvel's Asgard.)

 

 

•Is it logical that all business shifts to Camden and then shifts back once the city is rebuilt?

Logic? What kind of game are you running! Actually I think that business shifts for the obvious reasons: Nothing's there, then it comes back because the infrastructure of the new city way outclasses the city that had taken over. Plus the government would offer inducements, like what they sometimes call "Hub zones". Basically if an area is underutilized, the gov gives tax breaks or lessened oversight rules to businesses to open up shop in that area.

 

Heck, that last bit might work for your Distopia. When the Utopia opens, business shifts to the shiney new city. The abandoned areas become under-utilized and so to boost them, rules are stripped away. It becomes a crime hub.

 

 

•Who rebuilds Philadelphia?

The usual suspects. Rich benefactors (Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark types), the state, and the federal government. But there's usually a person who is the rallying point. In the real world this would be a philanthropist or a politician who knew how to make it look like it was all his/her doing.

[Black Ops]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Is there not a dormant Supervolcano close by ?

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Thanks to your description, I have this image of a statue depicting a scrawny ugly mad scientist, his bony arms out in classic 'Rocky Balboa' pose.

 

Cue motivational music

 

Philadelphia Museum of Art is too close to Ground Zero, so we'll have to locate it at the NEW Philadelphia Museum of Art

[Hermit]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

 

•Is it logical that all business shifts to Camden and then shifts back once the city is rebuilt?

Logic? What kind of game are you running! Actually I think that business shifts for the obvious reasons: Nothing's there, then it comes back because the infrastructure of the new city way outclasses the city that had taken over. Plus the government would offer inducements, like what they sometimes call "Hub zones". Basically if an area is underutilized, the gov gives tax breaks or lessened oversight rules to businesses to open up shop in that area.

 

Heck, that last bit might work for your Distopia. When the Utopia opens, business shifts to the shiney new city. The abandoned areas become under-utilized and so to boost them, rules are stripped away. It becomes a crime hub.

 

 

 

You can also twist things abit so that the city fathers of Camden, feeling the corporations had no where else close to go, were fair game and took them for all they were worth. The city government grew increasingly corrupt, and when Utopia (Or whatever you will call it) opened up, those same companies were glad to be rid of it. So in addition to what Blue says above, the corrupt government of this Camden helps to make a crime hub even more likely.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

You might take a look at the initial Ring of Fire event from the 1632 series of novels. An alien art/experiment swaps 2 time/space bubbles. I just started reading one of the newer offshoots called Timespike where some of the action takes place in modern times and talks about how the government has dealt with the original Grantville event.

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

I'll just throw things out there in order to throw them out there...

 

•After of the erasure, what is there?

A hemispherical crater in the ground filled with water. You have to figure the radius impacted would not me a circle but rather a sphere, so things above and below would be impacted. It sits on a river, and thus the water filled in. The new city might be floating, what with the massive effort it would take to bring in that much dirt. (I'm guessing "erased" part is actualy floating in another dimension, a la Marvel's Asgard.)

 

I was discussing this point with a co-worker and he headed the same way. That basically the erasure is an ice-cream scooper that shifts the space elsewhere (perhaps for the citizens to be saved at a later date). But what if something else is deposited in its place? Sure, it could be the vacuum of space or part of another dimension or another planet.

 

 

•Is it logical that all business shifts to Camden and then shifts back once the city is rebuilt?

Logic? What kind of game are you running! Actually I think that business shifts for the obvious reasons: Nothing's there, then it comes back because the infrastructure of the new city way outclasses the city that had taken over. Plus the government would offer inducements, like what they sometimes call "Hub zones". Basically if an area is underutilized, the gov gives tax breaks or lessened oversight rules to businesses to open up shop in that area.

 

Heck, that last bit might work for your Distopia. When the Utopia opens, business shifts to the shiney new city. The abandoned areas become under-utilized and so to boost them, rules are stripped away. It becomes a crime hub.

 

This was exactly where I was heading. That's good stuff. And as Camden is in another state (and Camden already was the number 2 most crime ridden city in America, despite a population under 1 million) we have competing local and state governance.

 

 

•Who rebuilds Philadelphia?

The usual suspects. Rich benefactors (Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark types), the state, and the federal government. But there's usually a person who is the rallying point. In the real world this would be a philanthropist or a politician who knew how to make it look like it was all his/her doing.

 

Or the Lex Luthor type? Or an amalgamation of all those. Also foreign aid. It may seem backwards but this event could shake up some global politics.

 

Thanks, you're getting my brain churning.

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Is there not a dormant Supervolcano close by ?

 

The volcaniacally active margin of North America is its western margin, and only the northwestern segment of it currently has the right conditions to produce volcanoes. The interior of North America and the East coast lie far from any currently active plate boundaries and therefore are not locales where volcanism can occur.

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

You can also twist things abit so that the city fathers of Camden' date=' feeling the corporations had no where else close to go, were fair game and took them for all they were worth. The city government grew increasingly corrupt, and when Utopia (Or whatever you will call it) opened up, those same companies were glad to be rid of it. So in addition to what Blue says above, the corrupt government of this Camden helps to make a crime hub even more likely.[/quote']

 

That's perfect. I was thinking Crime bosses, but if my Distopia is governed by the Crime Bosses, the heroes become the criminals as soon as they cross the Delaware.

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

You might take a look at the initial Ring of Fire event from the 1632 series of novels. An alien art/experiment swaps 2 time/space bubbles. I just started reading one of the newer offshoots called Timespike where some of the action takes place in modern times and talks about how the government has dealt with the original Grantville event.

 

I read the first few and another co-worker brought them up as soon as I said "ice-cream scoop" and "melon baller." I have not read the Timespike offshoot. I'll pick it up to see what I can mine from it. Thanks.

[Hermit]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

I was discussing this point with a co-worker and he headed the same way. That basically the erasure is an ice-cream scooper that shifts the space elsewhere (perhaps for the citizens to be saved at a later date). But what if something else is deposited in its place? Sure' date=' it could be the vacuum of space or part of another dimension or another planet. [/quote']

 

Mmm... this could lead to all sorts of comic book classics:

1) Monsters/Strange humanoids in our sewers

2) Mutagens or other substances that might be an origin source

3) Really GREAT top soil...

ok, maybe not that last.

[Cygnia]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

3) Really GREAT top soil...

ok, maybe not that last.

 

Well, if it's going three miles in ALL directions...

[Hermit]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

A MOUNTAIN of really Great top soil...

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Mmm... this could lead to all sorts of comic book classics:

1) Monsters/Strange humanoids in our sewers

2) Mutagens or other substances that might be an origin source

3) Really GREAT top soil...

ok, maybe not that last.

 

 

I like where this is going. That gives me interesting thoughts:

A) The density of the rock beneath Philadelphia can slow the wave and less of the crust gets grabbed.

There is a river close to ground zero, a new lake?

C) Extra-Dimensional replacement as mentioned above.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

There is a river close to ground zero' date=' a new lake?[/quote']

That was going to be my big suggestion. If the land-scoop is anywhere near that river, then water levels are really going to be the determining factor on how everything gets rebuilt. A brand new lake, with no native fish, would be a fascinating new prospect.

[Peregrine]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

The volcanically active margin of North America is its western margin' date=' and only the northwestern segment of it currently has the right conditions to produce volcanoes. The interior of North America and the East coast lie far from any currently active plate boundaries and therefore are not locales where volcanism can occur.[/quote']

 

Except for the Yellowstone caldera, but that's at least a continent-killer...

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

That was going to be my big suggestion. If the land-scoop is anywhere near that river' date=' then water levels are really going to be the determining factor on how everything gets rebuilt. A brand new lake, with no native fish, would be a fascinating new prospect.[/quote']

 

And the Tectonic plates are at about 7 miles. So 3-4 miles into the bedrock (and beyond) what does the east coast look like?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Philadelphia County has experienced a number of tornadoes over the years -- see the record here. Recently, with global warming, extreme weather has become more frequent around the world. In a comic-book world all you might need is a little scientific experiment in weather control, and an air mass more energized and unstable than expected, for a "perfect storm" to spawn a volley of tornadoes.

 

The tornado has definite advantages for what you want to do. The most powerful ones can level even the sturdiest above-ground structure while leaving the ground they rest on relatively intact -- see this description of the Enhanced Fujita Scale for measuring tornado effects. The path of their destruction is sharply defined and random, so they can avoid any area, building or monument you want to preserve, while devastating everything around it.

[jms1973]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Count this as a vote for the Ring of Fire option. Especially for the rest of the world not being sure exactly what happened. You bring in the super-science to study the mystery and the new industries trying to create a defense against it.

[Maccabe]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

<-- Born, raised and lives [currently] in Philadelphia.

The way things are going you wouldn't have to resort to something extreme to destroy Philadelphia. There were 3 major record breaking snow storms in the start of this year, the first one was bad enough to take up ALL the city's budget for the year. Mayor Nutter had to make serious cutbacks just to keep the city going. Next we have record breaking high heat waves, 100+ degrees, several days in a row. Many people have died this year from weather alone.

Neighborhoods have been changing in Phialdelphia, like the proposed casino. Alot of people are being pushed out of Philadelphia as the city seems to be turning into more of a tourist attraction. Not that July 4th isn't important but certain parts of the city are being remade into hotels for visitors. What about the citizens of Philadelphia???

Trust me when I say that with the right amount of effort you could turn Philadelphia into a wasteland without atomic weapons, killer viruses, or any other holocaust producing effect. Sad

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

<-- Born' date=' raised and lives [currently'] in Philadelphia.

The way things are going you wouldn't have to resort to something extreme to destroy Philadelphia. There were 3 major record breaking snow storms in the start of this year, the first one was bad enough to take up ALL the city's budget for the year. Mayor Nutter had to make serious cutbacks just to keep the city going. Next we have record breaking high heat waves, 100+ degrees, several days in a row. Many people have died this year from weather alone.

Neighborhoods have been changing in Phialdelphia, like the proposed casino. Alot of people are being pushed out of Philadelphia as the city seems to be turning into more of a tourist attraction. Not that July 4th isn't important but certain parts of the city are being remade into hotels for visitors. What about the citizens of Philadelphia???

Trust me when I say that with the right amount of effort you could turn Philadelphia into a wasteland without atomic weapons, killer viruses, or any other holocaust producing effect. Sad

 

That is very sad. I think my campaign world might be a better way to kill a city.

[MisterVimes]

Re: City Killer - Only you can destroy Philadelphia

 

Philadelphia County has experienced a number of tornadoes over the years -- see the record here. Recently, with global warming, extreme weather has become more frequent around the world. In a comic-book world all you might need is a little scientific experiment in weather control, and an air mass more energized and unstable than expected, for a "perfect storm" to spawn a volley of tornadoes.

 

The tornado has definite advantages for what you want to do. The most powerful ones can level even the sturdiest above-ground structure while leaving the ground they rest on relatively intact -- see this description of the Enhanced Fujita Scale for measuring tornado effects. The path of their destruction is sharply defined and random, so they can avoid any area, building or monument you want to preserve, while devastating everything around it.

 

Certainly a good idea for follow up in the campaign. A Windstorm storyline might be very appealing.