Suggestions for CU villains to use in a Maltese Falcon-style plot.

[drunkonduty]

Hey there folks.

 

I've just started running a new campaign with a couple of friends. It's a Heroes for Hire style game, 2 heroes operate a super detective agency. I'm sure you've heard the concept before.

 

So I've decided to run an adventure that rips off The Maltese Falcon. I'm thinking it will go something like this:

 

3 treasure hunters are looking for the fabled Eagle of Rhodes, a fabulous artifact of inestimable value. They each know about the others and are trying to get an edge on them somehow. Treasure Hunter 1 approaches the Heroes and sets them after Treasure Hunter 2 with a story about him running off with her sister. 1 hopes to keep 2 too busy to follow up on the leads to the Eagle.

 

Later Treasure Hunter 3 approaches the Heroes. 3 is more open about what is going on and the Heroes will now realise that they're being played. 3 will offer a good reward for the Eagle, if the Heroes can get it. They should then follow up after 1, tracking her down and confronting her. 2 will show up during the confrontation and tell them that 3 is in town. Both 1 and 2 panic and ask the Heroes for help against 3, saying that he's a true monster, and come clean with what they know about the Eagle.

 

The Eagle is supposedly in the private collection of a former Soviet general, now living in New York. (It was but is not anymore.) It turns out that 1 has managed to get the Eagle but had to stash it when 3 (or 2 or the Heroes) got too close. She should have just gotten it back when the Heroes twig that they've been set up, again, and go after her. At this time 3 shows up, having been led to 1 by 2, and we have ourselves a tense climax. (A stand off, a brawl, a tense negotiation, whatever the players do.)

 

So my question is, which CU villains should I use to fill the roles of the treasure hunters?

 

Treasure Hunter 1 is already picked, Cataran. She's got just the right amount of larceny and charm. She's Mary Astor.

 

2 should be able to give 2 starting heroes a lot of trouble. Not necessarily a fight, 2 may simply be hard to capture. This is the unctuous Peter Lorre role. The character should be quite unlikable, but not actually awful enough to provoke extreme retaliation from the players.

 

3 should be scary. And also have access to fabulous wealth/resources. And be more inclined to talk first. This is the Sidney Greenstreet role.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm running 5th Ed but suggestions can come from 4th - 6th edition.

 

Cheers all. :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lord Liaden]

I love a GM willing to crib from the classics.

 

For Treasure Hunter 2, I would suggest Mindgame. His 5E write-up is in Villains, Vandals, And Vermin, while 6E is in Champions Villains Vol. 3: Solo Villains. Mindgame wields a versatile and formidable array of illusion Powers, making him difficult to catch, locate, even identify. His primary desires are to get rich and to show his own intelligence by making others look foolish. He's deceitful and manipulative, but not violent. In fact he greatly prefers not to involve himself in combat, considering the need for fighting a failure on his part. He traveled extensively in the Orient, so an artifact with Russian connections could have come to his attention.

 

For Treasure Hunter 3, I recommend Slun, "The Bishop" in English (5E Champions Worldwide; 6E Champions Villains Vol. 1: Master Villains). Slun is the dominant figure in Russian organized crime, and as such has vast wealth and political influence. He is also expanding his operations beyond Russia's borders. Slun fosters an image of cruelty and wickedness; the latter is mostly an act, the former very real. He's a sensualist and glutton, and is notably portly. Slun is a mutant with narrow but powerful abilities of mind reading, mind domination, and pain infliction. He tries hard to keep these abilities a secret; only his closest underlings know it, while a few of his enemies suspect it.

[Lord Liaden]

On reflection, it occurred to me that you might prefer one or another of these villains to be more of a physical threat than those I suggested above. Here are a couple of alternatives along those lines.

 

Tartarus (5E Arcane Adversaries; 6E Champions Villains Vol. 2: Villain Teams) is a member of the supernatural villain team, the Devil's Advocates. In the guise of a normal human he's an expert art historian and authenticator, often providing his services to the black market; but he also lusts to possess historical works of fine art. Tartarus can transform himself into a fearsome demon with a variety of Powers, including rapid Flight to facilitate escapes. If the Eagle of Rhodes happens to have magical properties, that would only heighten his desire to possess it.

 

Invictus (5E Evil Unleashed; 6E CV Vol. 1) is the most prominent superhero-turned-politician in the world, in addition to being a child of wealth and privilege. Wielding very formidable solar powers, since retiring from his highly public superheroing career he's become a multi-term Congressman and very well connected. But his extremely secret agenda is to remake America into a new Roman Empire, with himself as President/Emperor. For reasons related to his origin Invictus is enamored of Roman history and culture, which the Eagle of Rhodes certainly sounds like it could be connected to. It would be even more desirable if it was magical, as that's the true nature of his power.

 

[Cassandra]

The Fox. He's follow the treasure hunters and then teleport away with the goodies.

[drunkonduty]

Thanks for the suggestions, Cassandra and Lord Liaden!

 

I like Slun for the Fatman. Works very well. Very well indeed. He'd also come with an entourage of cheap mooks. One of my players loves beating up cheap mooks.

 

Although I also like Invictus (I voted for him in the pole for favourite villain earlier this year!) He has the advantage of being a local bad guy the Heroes can expect to interact with repeatedly. Plus a corrupt hero-turned politician is pretty film noire. But I can't have him AND Slun. And Slun is just a better Sidney Greenstreet expy.

 

Still not decided on the Peter Lorre role. The Fox of Crime is good. Haven't thought of him in a while. He's very sneaky and clever and cowardly (and funny looking, sorry Peter Lorre.) I don't have a write up for him (I really thought I had Kingdom of Champions... turns out nope) but I can always do up a version of him myself.

 

Tartarus is interesting too. The Heroes had a run in with the Demonologist on their first outing the other day... Plus he has a magical multiform, just like one of the PCs. It's got a nice symmetry that will appeal to that player.

 

I think Mindgane is too difficult to pin down. The Heroes don't have any mental powers, he'd run rings around them. Also, since I'm using Slun another Mentalist is too much.

 

Thinking thinking thinking. Fox or Tartarus, Fox or Tartarus...

 

 

As to the Eagle of Rhodes... As well as being golden and studded with gems it should have some sort of unspecified magical powers. And yes, it should go back to Roman times, where it was the Eagle of a particularly gross and indecent Roman Governor of Rhodes. (Only Legions were supposed to have Eagles, he was a very naughty governor with Imperial ambitions.) It's origins may go back further than that though. Maybe even to Ancient Lemuria. Of course the one the Heroes and Villains are chasing after is a fake (as per the movie.)

 

Assuming schedules allow we'll be playing this one Tuesday. I'll post and let you know how it pans out.

 

Cheers and thanks again. :-)

[bigbywolfe]

The entire concept of this thread is brilliant, thanks DrunkonDUty. And LL, those suggestions are perfect.

[Lord Liaden]

The last official write-up for the Fox of Crime was actually in Classic Enemies for 4E. If you're at all interested in current official Champions Universe continuity, you should know that the Fox has retired from actively committing crimes due to age's effect on his body and powers. However, he is the secret patron of the team of superthieves called GRAB (as revealed in GRAB's background from CV Vol. 2).

 

I did notice one other intriguing detail about Tartarus in his CV 2 entry (p. 91) which might play into the plot you're going for: "Most recently, Tartarus learned to create any object that he wants, so he can tempt people with possessions they desire.Jos's skills, added to this power, make him a supreme art forger."

[assault]

If you add a Wilmer expy as a lackey for the Greenstreet character, you'll have a second villain to match up against the two heroes. That will help in fight scenes, and give someone to become the fall guy.

[Lord Liaden]

If you add a Wilmer expy as a lackey for the Greenstreet character, you'll have a second villain to match up against the two heroes. That will help in fight scenes, and give someone to become the fall guy.

Assault makes an excellent point. Slun has the wealth to hire supervillain backup, and just about any super-thug would do as a Wilmer surrogate. However, I'd like to suggest a slightly different lackey: the powered-armor villain Devastator (5E Evil Unleashed, 6E CV 3). As a high-end international thief with infiltration and appraising skills, Richard Wittgenstein would be a logical person for Slun to hire to help locate and authenticate the Eagle, for a fee or a share in the return for its sale. And if muscle is needed (or you want more of a fight) he can don the Devastator armor. He even speaks Russian. (Come to think of it, Devastator could also work as Treasure Hunter 2.)

 

OTOH for more of a Wilmer analogue, I suggest Pulsar (5E EU, 6E CV3). Annoyingly cocky but a ready follower, with just enough power and skill that he can't be dismissed out of hand.

[assault]

Of course, now I'm thinking about how to use this type of scenario in non-Hero for Hire games. It's a perfect situation for a lot of small group (1-2 PC) games. Obviously it works well in the Golden Age (pulpy pulpy pulp of the pulpiest type.) It can be pushed into the Silver Age fairly unmodified - the basic technology and society is the same. It's a natural for street level heroes in any time period, although it wouldn't work with Punisher psycho types. And, yes, it would even work with Superman. (After all, it's not about punching people in the face.)

 

Treasure Hunter 1 approaching the heroes would work, assuming they are publicly known. The way she spins her story might need to vary.

 

A murder (like the one in the film, but perhaps involving a cop - definitely not a hero), or the theft of the Eagle itself, could be other starting points. Either of these could provide motivation for PC involvement. In fact, different PCs might become involved in different ways.

[Lord Liaden]

Of course, now I'm thinking about how to use this type of scenario in non-Hero for Hire games. It's a perfect situation for a lot of small group (1-2 PC) games. Obviously it works well in the Golden Age (pulpy pulpy pulp of the pulpiest type.) It can be pushed into the Silver Age fairly unmodified - the basic technology and society is the same. It's a natural for street level heroes in any time period, although it wouldn't work with Punisher psycho types. And, yes, it would even work with Superman. (After all, it's not about punching people in the face.)

 

Treasure Hunter 1 approaching the heroes would work, assuming they are publicly known. The way she spins her story might need to vary.

 

A murder (like the one in the film, but perhaps involving a cop - definitely not a hero), or the theft of the Eagle itself, could be other starting points. Either of these could provide motivation for PC involvement. In fact, different PCs might become involved in different ways.

Cateran isn't a casual killer, but she's not above taking out someone in her way.

[assault]

OK, generalising after some thought. If anyone with superpowers touches the Rhodian Eagle, things go pear-shaped.

 

All three of the Treasure Hunters have some magical ability. If the heroes work out what is happening and stop them, the first non-Batman/Green Arrow/whatever to touch it sets off a similar response. BIG MAGIC OOPS! You've got a magic monster with enough minion monsters to challenge all and any PCs and sidekicks available.

 

Sure, your PC telepaths can work out what is going on and circumvent the plot, but the bad guys don't know what will happen if the PCs touch it. They know, of course, what would happen if they touch it - POWER!

 

The bad guys don't have to be recognised supervillains.

[drunkonduty]

Hey there folks. Thanks to all for the replies and suggestions. So here's what I've got.

 

1. Cateran approaches the Heroes with a song and dance story to get the Heroes to go after Jos Terhune (Tartarus.)

 

2. Trail Tartarus. If he becomes aware of the shadows (and he probably will) he tries to lose them. If he can't he will eventually confront them, somewhere public Grand Central Station, as Jos Terhune. He might twig to Cateran's involvement, depending on what the Heroes tell him. If so, he will try to send them back after Cateran, saying she's playing them while she's got some high society theft brewing and offering them 5000 bucks for the "ceramic eagle." If they go after Cateran skip to 4. Otherwise on to 3. If forced to fight he transforms and gets stuck in, deliberately putting innocent by-standers in danger to distract the Heroes and escape.

 

3. On returning to their office the heroes find it has been professionally ransacked. Slun is sitting amidst the mess, quite at home and sipping good vodka. He is surrounded by half a dozen mooks. The Heroes' secretary is also there, clearly being held prisoner and looking nervous. Slun is chatty and fills them in (mostly) and offers a big reward for the Eagle. Among the obvious Russian Mafioso types is Pulsar. He stands out among the hard cases, enough to draw attention.

 

4. They track down Cateran at her hotel. (will need to leave some clues for her location. A matchbook? It's a classic. In the initial scene she can start to light a cigarette (in cigarette holder of course!) from a book of hotel matches, giving a Hero an obvious chance to do it for her and see where her hotel is.) They get there just as she's returning from stealing the fake from the ex- Soviet general (from some fancy 5th Avenue apartment.) She has to stash the Eagle quickly. She hides it in a room service trolley in the hallway in front of her room. The Heroes need a chance to know something suspicious just happened in the hall way. Cateran will be nervous and yet at the same time be eager to get the Heroes into her room. She then has to change her story (what to?) and keep the Heroes on side. She can't afford a super fight here, the Eagle could get damaged, the cops will show up, etc. etc.

 

 

[drunkonduty]

4a. Tartarus shows up at the hotel, still as Jos Terhune, in a panic. On seeing the Heroes he quickly twigs to what Cateran did to him but just as quickly realises it doesn't matter. They need to work together to avoid "The Fatman." He suggests to Cateran that they hire the Heroes to negotiate with "The Fatman" on their behalf: reduced payment for the forgiveness of their sins against him. And the Eagle of course. The Heroes should realise somewhere about here that Cateran and Tartarus were hired as agents by Slun. They should also get their hands on the Eagle by searching through the hotel kitchens (where the trolley ended up.)

 

(If 3 has not yet occurred, then 3 is next. Slun is not at his hotel when the Heroes go there. Because he's waiting ever so patiently at their office. If need be their secretary calls them and tells them they have a client waiting.)

 

5. If they have already met Slun then he is at his hotel now. If they hand over the Eagle (They shouldn't. I mean the guy is clearly bad. He threatened their secretary.) then Cateran and Tartarus crash in through the door. We can skip to the end. Otherwise Slun will inform the Heroes that the Soviet general's apartment was broken in to earlier today - a daring daylight robbery. The General is out of the country. As the Heroes were on Tartarus's back at the time Slun politely suggests that it was Cateran who did the deed and perhaps they should go talk to her.

 

6. Cateran is not at her hotel. No-one saw her leave but that's not so unusual. She isn't answering her phone either. Is she just avoiding them? Or is she in trouble? This is also the 2nd chance for the Heroes to get their hands on the Eagle. If need be the Hotel Concierge approaches them and, in a rather embarrassed way, explains that something of Ms. McGowrie's was accidentally taken by one of the staff. The item is now in the hotel safe but alas they have been unable to contact Ms. McGowrie. As they know she is a friend of the Heroes they were hoping that the Heroes might be able to help.

 

7. Pulsar and some mooks kick in the door and start shooting. Where ever the Heroes are, whatever they're doing in their bid to track down the Eagle and Cateran. The Heroes may wonder why they are suddenly targets: Behind the scenes Tartarus betrays Cateran to Slun. He is aware that the Eagle has been stolen and obviously suspects her and so hands her over to Slun. Slun has used his pain infliction to torture her. She eventually comes clean and tells where she hid it. The mooks followed the leads to the Heroes.

 

8. After the the fight (and when the Heroes are in possession of the Eagle) the Heroes can contact/be contacted by Slun or Tartarus. Cateran is still not answering her cell. They bring the Eagle to Slun's opulent hotel. There they will find Cateran is being held prisoner. This is it. The final show down. Some tense negotiation is in order. If things stay polite, the Ceramic eagle is broken open and everyone realises there has been a switch. Cateran, Tartarus and Slun quickly put aside their differences and decide to head back to Russia to find the General. If Pulsar has been arrested Slun leaves him behind. If Pulsar hasn't been arrested then Slun is more than happy to hand him over to the Heroes to face charges of Assault, Public Affray, Destruction of Property, etc. from the super fight in 7.