Brainstorming CU Fan Fiction

[Lawnmower Boy]

So here's the premise. I have this "Tatammy High" setting where the children, grandchildren, other-dimensional alien clones, etc of Philadelphia's old Liberty Legion go to school. And not only does it have a secret "superhero stream," it also has an evil stream, since due to union rules, the school board can't fire Professor Paradigm, who joined the faculty last year as the drama teacher, and has gathered some Evil Teen Supers around him.

 

But, this is a summer story. Charlotte Wong, the protagonist, and her friends, Dora Guzman, Rose Eley and Bruce McNeely, are going to camp, and, of course, some of the Evil Teens will end up at the camp across the lake.

 

Now, because this is a super story, it is going to be camp taken to 11. Instead of going to upstate Pennsylvania, they will end up on a mysterious human colony on a distant star. Every year, a ship shows up with a bunch of new colonists. In previous years, these have included the entire populations of towns in Northern Ontario, Nicaragua, and Oceania, as well as numerous strangely identical, incredibly strong and fit young men and women, as well as a sprinkling of famous people. They bring a few tools with them, and the ships' crews will let the colonists mail-order stuff, if they can pay for it with gold and stuff.

 

I don't want to belabor the setting too much. Think of it as Fifties-meet-Frontier. Homes have pumps instead of taps, the only cars around have tailfins. There are guns and bushplanes and motorboats and chainsaws, but there are also horses, and no cellphones. The ecology is earthlike --weirdly earthlike. (Besides the clues I've already given you, think Warhammer 40k Dark Elves and check out Valdorian Age, and you have as much of the scenario as I've worked out for myself.)

 

The kids are kind of stranded. They have a spaceship, but its engines are damaged and it can't go fast enough to get back to Earth until it fixes itself in two months. (How convenie-ent!). They can visit nearby systems, though. Charlotte is a mistress of Eight Spirit Dragon Kung Fu, and has a magic sword of Turakian vintage. Rose is a cyberpath speedster from a postapocalyptic future. Dora is linked through a mysterious force called the needfire to a being called the Maid of Gold, who dwells on the "far side of space and time." Bruce is a member of a Batman family. He's got gadgets, and he's just naturally good at everything. He's also a bit of a goof.

 

Where I need help:

 

i) What mysterious evil forces should be at work in the forests? (Bearing in mind that I have my Big Bad worked out, so we're looking for Little Bads here.)

ii) What bits of Champions Beyond do you think are hella cool and should be worked in here?

iii) What parts of Earth's ancient CU past are cool and should be worked in here?

iv) I've got romantic arcs worked out for Charlotte, Bruce and Rose. (Thanks to the Arc for that one!) I'm still at sea for Dora, since she's a magical girl, and I don't know much about the conventions of the genre. Help?

v) Any classic bits you can think of that go into the opposing-summer-camps-theme?

 

[Cassandra]

Maybe the thing in the forrest is misunderstood. Perhaps it's a Dryad with a bad temper who might become a heroine if the heroes approacher her right.

[csyphrett]

So here's the premise. I have this "Tatammy High" setting where the children' date=' grandchildren, other-dimensional alien clones, etc of Philadelphia's old Liberty Legion go to school. And not only does it have a secret "superhero stream," it also has an evil stream, since due to union rules, the school board can't fire Professor Paradigm, who joined the faculty last year as the drama teacher, and has gathered some Evil Teen Supers around him. [i']But[/i], this is a summer story. Charlotte Wong, the protagonist, and her friends, Dora Guzman, Rose Eley and Bruce McNeely, are going to camp, and, of course, some of the Evil Teens will end up at the camp across the lake. Now, because this is a super story, it is going to be camp taken to 11. Instead of going to upstate Pennsylvania, they will end up on a mysterious human colony on a distant star. Every year, a ship shows up with a bunch of new colonists. In previous years, these have included the entire populations of towns in Northern Ontario, Nicaragua, and Oceania, as well as numerous strangely identical, incredibly strong and fit young men and women, as well as a sprinkling of famous people. They bring a few tools with them, and the ships' crews will let the colonists mail-order stuff, if they can pay for it with gold and stuff. I don't want to belabor the setting too much. Think of it as Fifties-meet-Frontier. Homes have pumps instead of taps, the only cars around have tailfins. There are guns and bushplanes and motorboats and chainsaws, but there are also horses, and no cellphones. The ecology is earthlike --weirdly earthlike. (Besides the clues I've already given you, think Warhammer 40k Dark Elves and check out Valdorian Age, and you have as much of the scenario as I've worked out for myself.) The kids are kind of stranded. They have a spaceship, but its engines are damaged and it can't go fast enough to get back to Earth until it fixes itself in two months. (How convenie-ent!). They can visit nearby systems, though. Charlotte is a mistress of Eight Spirit Dragon Kung Fu, and has a magic sword of Turakian vintage. Rose is a cyberpath speedster from a postapocalyptic future. Dora is linked through a mysterious force called the needfire to a being called the Maid of Gold, who dwells on the "far side of space and time." Bruce is a member of a Batman family. He's got gadgets, and he's just naturally good at everything. He's also a bit of a goof. Where I need help: i) What mysterious evil forces should be at work in the forests? (Bearing in mind that I have my Big Bad worked out, so we're looking for Little Bads here.) ii) What bits of Champions Beyond do you think are hella cool and should be worked in here? iii) What parts of Earth's ancient CU past are cool and should be worked in here? iv) I've got romantic arcs worked out for Charlotte, Bruce and Rose. (Thanks to the Arc for that one!) I'm still at sea for Dora, since she's a magical girl, and I don't know much about the conventions of the genre. Help? v) Any classic bits you can think of that go into the opposing-summer-camps-theme?

 

1) Wendigos. I have used them before as smart maneaters. Weird animals like unicorns. The whomping willow/tangle tree.

2) I dont have champions beyond so I dont know about this

3) The aleantean ages and sinking of lemuria maybe the Empryeans have a colony

4) Magical Girls have the same romantic conventions as other heroic archtypes. Pick any hero with a love life and a magical girl could do the same thing with the difference being what powers the magical girl.

5) naturally the rival camp will try to do better at local competitions than the hero camp. I assume that each camp will try to field a ringer in whatever contest they have

CES

 

 

[Lord Liaden]

Since you mention "Earth's ancient past," I'm guessing that whoever's behind this colony has been gathering races and creatures from our planet for a very long time. If that's the case, you'd be justified in transferring any extinct creature or race described in Hero Universe source books to this setting. The Hero System Bestiary (5E or 6E versions) and/or Monsters, Minions, And Marauders is loaded with great choices suitable for threatening young superhumans. Since you particularly mention "little bads" in the forests, Treemen, Forest Giants, and various Monstrous Plants from those books would all work.

 

I would also recommend shape-shifting races that used to inhabit the Earth. Nothing spreads paranoia in an isolated location like not knowing who's human and who's an imposter. You could use the Silyssen from Valdorian Age, or the Masquers who were active during the Turakian Age (see the 6E Bestiary or MMM for those).

 

From Champions Beyond, if you'd like to add a little more horror to the campsite (which is a classic horror-movie setting), there could be some transplanted Xenovores prowling around. The kids might wake a small nest of Elder Worms hiding on this world in suspended animation after their defeat by the Malvans. And speaking of Malvans, one eccentric member of that race might have set up a private estate on this world. His relationship to intruders could be anything you desire, and his people's technology would let him do all sorts of interesting things to his "guests."

 

EDIT: Now that I think of it, Malvans and shape-shifters could be connected plot-wise, since the Roin'esh are subjects of the Malvans, but scheme to free themselves.

[Lord Liaden]

 

Maybe the thing in the forrest is misunderstood. Perhaps it's a Dryad with a bad temper who might become a heroine if the heroes approacher her right.

 

 

The 6E Bestiary and MMM include write-ups for several magical immortal Nymphs: Dryads (forests), Naiads (lakes or pools), and Oreads (mountains). Some Nymphs could have been transplanted here from their Earthly homes. Besides possessing unique magic related to their particular environments, all Nymphs in these books have a few qualities in common: they act to protect their immediate enviromnent from harmful intruders; they often seek to seduce attractive males into becoming their servants and protectors; and they all have a powerful Mind Control which greatly facilitates their trapping men.

 

3) The aleantean ages and sinking of lemuria maybe the Empryeans have a colony

 

Note that Champions Beyond and the overall Hero Universe deliberately leaves undefined the fate of the Ancient Empyreans, the first generation of their kind, who left Earth to seek their Progenitor creators.

 

[Lawnmower Boy]

Maybe the thing in the forrest is misunderstood. Perhaps it's a Dryad with a bad temper who might become a heroine if the heroes approacher her right.

That is a perfect way to wrap up a subplot. I'm looking for something a little more science fiction-y than a dryad, but one of my inspirations here is Andre Norton, and she wouldn't have hesitated for a second to say, "I need a dryad. Let's science-fiction-y her up a bit."

 

Probably as a metaphor for an LGBT coming out, which, now that I think about it, would work for one of the Evil Teens, who could be converted by the power of luurve.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Maybe the thing in the forrest is misunderstood. Perhaps it's a Dryad with a bad temper who might become a heroine if the heroes approacher her right.

The 6E Bestiary and MMM include write-ups for several magical immortal Nymphs: Dryads (forests)' date=' Naiads (lakes or pools), and Oreads (mountains). Some Nymphs could have been transplanted here from their Earthly homes. Besides possessing unique magic related to their particular environments, all Nymphs in these books have a few qualities in common: they act to protect their immediate enviromnent from harmful intruders; they often seek to seduce attractive males into becoming their servants and protectors; and they all have a powerful Mind Control which greatly facilitates their trapping men.

3) The aleantean ages and sinking of lemuria maybe the Empryeans have a colony

Note that Champions Beyond and the overall Hero Universe deliberately leaves undefined the fate of the Ancient Empyreans, the first generation of their kind, who left Earth to seek their Progenitor creators.

 

I've already chosen an Empyrean as my Big Bad. He's the guy behind Teleios (which is totally an idea I had independently of you, LL, I swear), and I have toyed with the idea that he is one of the Ancient Empyreans, returned to Earth in disguise without committing to it. (Whoever he is, his overall goal is to breed more Empyreans using recessive genes in the human population and use these more malleable Empyreans to, you know, conquer the galaxy and stuff.)

 

So I'm not sure I want an Empyrean colony, is what I'm saying. I had the Drindrish more in mind, transmogrified into Space Dark Elves, something the CU could use. Shape shifters, scary trees I can totally see. But are big competitions going to work with a girl-centric camp story?

 

[Lord Liaden]

"Space Dark Elves," huh? And suitable for a "girl-centric camp story?" I think I have something in mind that might work.

 

In the Champions Universe the Mandaarians are already very close to "space elves" in the Tolkienian sense: humanoid and attractive but obviously exotically non-human; almost unaging due to their highly advanced science, and with a significant percentage of them possessing substantial psionic powers, adding up to near-"magic" abilities. The default for their ancient society is enlightened, benevolent, peaceful, and fulfilled. However, as the story of the Sovereign in Galactic Champions illustrates, it's possible even for Mandaarians to develop a very different world view -- in his case, that the official non-interference policy of the Mandaarians doesn't help develop the "less advanced" races. They need direct guidance, discipline, and control, by force if necessary.

 

I propose a group of Mandaarians advocating a similar philosophy, who tried to take control of their world and turn it toward this more aggressive policy. They failed. I don't think Mandaarian society has dealt with anti-social "lawbreakers" in a long time, and I doubt they would support execution or imprisonment as punishment. Exile, though, to some primitive backwater planet...

[Lord Liaden]

[i've already chosen an Empyrean as my Big Bad. He's the guy behind Teleios (which is totally an idea I had independently of you' date= LL, I swear), and I have toyed with the idea that he is one of the Ancient Empyreans, returned to Earth in disguise without committing to it. (Whoever he is, his overall goal is to breed more Empyreans using recessive genes in the human population and use these more malleable Empyreans to, you know, conquer the galaxy and stuff.)[/quote]

 

Hmm... if we're talking breeding program, your guy might want to keep around specimens of other species from Earth's past that are interfertile with humans and Empyreans, to mix-and-match their genes. That would certainly include Neanderthals. But the possibilities are broader than that.

 

One of the Empyreans alive on present-day Champions Earth, Brax, had an Empyrean father and an Orc mother from the Turakian Age -- and he looks the part. By implication Empyreans can breed with the same humanoids that humans can. At the very least that list would include those species who are noted in Turakian Age as able to produce half-breed offspring with humans, namely Elves, Orcs, and interestingly enough, Trolls.

 

If your big bad would consider bringing Elves to his world to experiment on, there could very well be descendants of the Drindrish there. He could be the reason they disappeared from history. He might even have kidnapped actual Dark Elves of Turakian vintage.

 

 

[bigbywolfe]

Adding to LL's Malvan suggestion, an eccentric, rich Malvan who has grown tired of watching the arena games might have set up a "The Most Dangerous Game" situation on this planet.

[Cassandra]

Sounds like Preditors.

[bigbywolfe]

 

Sounds like Preditors.

Good point. I was thinking classic lit but most people would jump to it being a Preditors knockoff which probably isn't the feeling the OP is going for. Oh well.

[Lord Liaden]

 

Sounds like Preditors.

Depends on how it's handled. If the Malvan is hunting prey himself and has geared up with weapons and sensors, then yes, the Predator parallel would be noted. That doesn't necessarily make it a scenario to avoid, though. OTOH he might just let a lot of different aliens and creatures loose into a preserve with the promise of freedom to whichever sapient faction survives. Groups of armed Xenovores, Ackalians, Qularr, Toractan shard-beasts, or Grenlak ulta-falcons would make tough foes for teen supers.

[Lawnmower Boy]

"Space Dark Elves," huh? And suitable for a "girl-centric camp story?" I think I have something in mind that might work.

 

In the Champions Universe the Mandaarians are already very close to "space elves" in the Tolkienian sense: humanoid and attractive but obviously exotically non-human; almost unaging due to their highly advanced science, and with a significant percentage of them possessing substantial psionic powers, adding up to near-"magic" abilities. The default for their ancient society is enlightened, benevolent, peaceful, and fulfilled. However, as the story of the Sovereign in Galactic Champions illustrates, it's possible even for Mandaarians to develop a very different world view -- in his case, that the official non-interference policy of the Mandaarians doesn't help develop the "less advanced" races. They need direct guidance, discipline, and control, by force if necessary.

 

I propose a group of Mandaarians advocating a similar philosophy, who tried to take control of their world and turn it toward this more aggressive policy. They failed. I don't think Mandaarian society has dealt with anti-social "lawbreakers" in a long time, and I doubt they would support execution or imprisonment as punishment. Exile, though, to some primitive backwater planet...

Exile, or a flight into hiding? And why here? Perfect. Alas, Drindarian space elves, I'm officially throwing you on the trash heap of my imagination and substituting Mandaarians, and the new question, "What happened to the Drindarians." The prophecy does say that they'll be back someday, after all...

[Lawnmower Boy]

"Space Dark Elves," huh? And suitable for a "girl-centric camp story?" I think I have something in mind that might work.

 

In the Champions Universe the Mandaarians are already very close to "space elves" in the Tolkienian sense: humanoid and attractive but obviously exotically non-human; almost unaging due to their highly advanced science, and with a significant percentage of them possessing substantial psionic powers, adding up to near-"magic" abilities. The default for their ancient society is enlightened, benevolent, peaceful, and fulfilled. However, as the story of the Sovereign in Galactic Champions illustrates, it's possible even for Mandaarians to develop a very different world view -- in his case, that the official non-interference policy of the Mandaarians doesn't help develop the "less advanced" races. They need direct guidance, discipline, and control, by force if necessary.

 

I propose a group of Mandaarians advocating a similar philosophy, who tried to take control of their world and turn it toward this more aggressive policy. They failed. I don't think Mandaarian society has dealt with anti-social "lawbreakers" in a long time, and I doubt they would support execution or imprisonment as punishment. Exile, though, to some primitive backwater planet...

Exile, or a flight into hiding? And why here? Perfect. Alas, Drindrish space elves, I'm officially throwing you on the trash heap of my imagination and substituting Mandaarians, and the new question, "What happened to the Drindrish." The prophecy does say that they'll be back someday, after all...

[Lawnmower Boy]

Adding to LL's Malvan suggestion, an eccentric, rich Malvan who has grown tired of watching the arena games might have set up a "The Most Dangerous Game" situation on this planet.

A rich Malvan who sets up his own game, yes. A "most dangerous game?" Something weird and atavistic, that's for sure, but the "most dangerous game" thing always struck me as a cliche before its time.

 

On the other hand, the rich and eccentric local who is sponsoring the Peach Festival Queen competition is getting to enjoy something that you would never see on Malva, I think it's safe to say.

[Lord Liaden]

For the identity of your Big Bad, I look to Empyrean history as revealed in Hidden Lands. When the two Ancients, Ogurn and Amlin, engaged in their struggle for leadership of the Empyreans, both had their followers. Ogurn's were "few in number," but "were all powerful" (HL p. 47). One of them might be seeking new followers for revenge against the other Empyreans, or for his own plan of conquest as you suggest. However, HL p. 87 reveals that Ogurn himself didn't die in battle as Amlin did. Unconscious, he drifted into an underwater cave, where he lay for millennia until he healed. Ogurn is now conscious, but the cave had sealed over beyond even his power to free himself. Of course, that was the state of affairs when HL was published eight years ago.

[Lord Liaden]

Adding to LL's Malvan suggestion, an eccentric, rich Malvan who has grown tired of watching the arena games might have set up a "The Most Dangerous Game" situation on this planet.

Imagine a bunch of teenagers invited to a party sponsored by a member of a race notorious for indulging in every decadent entertainment known in the galaxy. Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale dialed up to 11.

[Lord Liaden]

BTW does this planet have any aboriginal inhabitants? Interacting with the natives is a common feature in stories of being stranded at an exotic locale.

[Lawnmower Boy]

 

For the identity of your Big Bad, I look to Empyrean history as revealed in Hidden Lands. When the two Ancients, Ogurn and Amlin, engaged in their struggle for leadership of the Empyreans, both had their followers. Ogurn's were "few in number," but "were all powerful" (HL p. 47). One of them might be seeking new followers for revenge against the other Empyreans, or for his own plan of conquest as you suggest. However, HL p. 87 reveals that Ogurn himself didn't die in battle as Amlin did. Unconscious, he drifted into an underwater cave, where he lay for millennia until he healed. Ogurn is now conscious, but the cave had sealed over beyond even his power to free himself. Of course, that was the state of affairs when HL was published eight years ago.

In my last story, I had the Big Bad confront Enforcer Ashima, who asked him if he were Arvad. (Apparently, she doubts the sincerity of his conversion.) He denied it, and added, "Nor am I the giant, nor the crooked one. I am the last person you'd ever suspect." I'm still mulling that over, but my sense is that he is telling the truth

[Lawnmower Boy]

 

BTW does this planet have any aboriginal inhabitants? Interacting with the natives is a common feature in stories of being stranded at an exotic locale.

At first I didn't feel up to dealing with tortured or not-so tortured analogies to native rights and land claim issues. Now I'm quite taken with the idea that there are Neanderthals out there somewhere. So I'm splitting the difference by putting them on another continent somewhere, for later visits.

[Lord Liaden]

 

For the identity of your Big Bad, I look to Empyrean history as revealed in Hidden Lands. When the two Ancients, Ogurn and Amlin, engaged in their struggle for leadership of the Empyreans, both had their followers. Ogurn's were "few in number," but "were all powerful" (HL p. 47). One of them might be seeking new followers for revenge against the other Empyreans, or for his own plan of conquest as you suggest. However, HL p. 87 reveals that Ogurn himself didn't die in battle as Amlin did. Unconscious, he drifted into an underwater cave, where he lay for millennia until he healed. Ogurn is now conscious, but the cave had sealed over beyond even his power to free himself. Of course, that was the state of affairs when HL was published eight years ago.

Okay, Empyrean, not one of the usual suspects, apparently male, genetic experimenter, behind the origin of Teleios, last one you'd suspect... it really sounds like Noatar has been up to more than secluding himself in his extinct-species preserve. (I know he was my idea back when, but IMHO he sounds like the best candidate.)