Campaign Setting: The Returned

[Steve]

No one knows exactly when the first case of Summoning Syndrome happened, but the first documented case was on New Years Eve, 1990, in Times Square. On that night over a hundred people suddenly vanished from amidst the throngs there to celebrate the holiday. They were only the first.

 

For over twenty years now, men and women up to their early thirties and adolescent children as young as twelve have simply vanished from sight. The number varies each year from as few as two thousand to as many as ten thousand. The reports of each disappearance are always the same. At first there is a brief, telltale flickering, a sight that has been recorded numerous times over the years, showing the afflicted person briefly transform into a photo negative of themselves for exactly one second as they apparently freeze in place.

 

Then they vanish.

 

It has happened all over the world, on every continent, from every social class, and roughly half of those abducted never returned. Those who did came back... changed.

 

The first of the Returned arrived two days after the Times Square abductions, suddenly appearing in the midst of London, naked, right at the foot of Big Ben. Onlookers reported that he briefly babbled something about another world and then collapsed into a coma that lasted for almost three days.

 

Doctors examined him and the authorities were eventually able to determine his identity, one of the people taken from Times Square, a Nebraska high school student named Peter Clark, age fifteen.

 

Since then, each and every Returnee's story follows a similar pattern. They are taken for a time and then reappear in a random city, having only tattered memories of where they have been. Comparing their stories over the years yields commonalities of descriptions for hundreds of different worlds. The duration of an abduction has been as little as a day to as long as a year.

 

Each of them still clearly appears to be a normal human, looking much as they did before except for being in markedly improved physical shape and lacking any physical ailments or deformities they may have had before vanishing. This actually delayed Peter Clark's identification, since his dental records did not match a person with flawless teeth and the nearsightedness he had suffered since childhood was cured. Since then, the authorities have learned better methods to identify the Returned.

 

What was most marvelous, and terrifying to many, every one of them came back a superhuman, possessing powers and abilities like those out of comic books. The only limitations upon these superpowers is that they were all internal to each Returnee. There are no super-geniuses with wondrous technologies like powered armor or individuals wielding magic rings or staffs of power. Within that limitation on powers, each is superhuman.

[bubba smith]

does that mean the powers are physical abilities ONLY?

[Steve]

Each Of the Returned is built as a Low-Powered Superhuman on 300 Total Points and 60 Points in Complications with the following further limitations.

 

Persistent Powers are limited to 20 Active Points, usually things like Enhanced Senses, Regeneration and Life Support abilities. This means that Powers like Armor are limited to a maximum defense level of 6/6.

 

Powers above that Active Point level may be bought with the Nonpersistent Limitation up to the campaign maximum. Scientists theorize that this means that superpowers must be some sort of psychic ability.

 

Characteristics may be purchased up to the Competent category as Persistent abilities (up to 20s for STR/DEX/CON etc, 7 OCV/DCV/OMCV/DMCV, 5 SPD and 10 PD/ED). Characteristics beyond that range must be bought as Nonpersistent.

[Steve]

Superpowered criminals exist among the Returned, but police lack prison facilities sufficient to contain an awake and active superhuman. The current solution is to keep prisoners drugged in order to suppress their abilities, and the most dangerous are kept in medically-induced comas. There are court cases in process as to whether such restraint methods constitute cruel and unusual punishments.

[Steve]

dows that mean the powers are physical abilities ONLY?

Characters don't get their abilities from Foci of any kind. They are all internal to the superhuman.

[bubba smith]

like mutants you mean? or the TV  shows HEROES or ALPHAS?

[LouGoncey]

This idea is now STOLEN for my next Hero campaign.

[TheQuestionMan]

CHARACTER BUILDING GUIDELINES
• Starting Points: 300 (Sixth Edition) 
• Complications: 60
• Normal Characteristic Maxima: Not Required
• Combat Hit Location Rules: Not Required
• Knockdown Rules: Not Required
• Long-Term Endurance Rules: NO
• Limited Push: YES


CHARACTER ABILITY BUILDING GUIDELINES

Power Levels Beginning Range Maximum Minimum
Characteristics: 10 – 40 60 10
Speed: 3 – 6 8 4
Combat Values: 6 – 9 12 6
Damage Classes: 6 – 12 16 8
Active Points: 30 – 60 80 --
Skill Points: 20 – 60 80 --
Skill Roll: 11- /15- 18- 8-
DEF/rDEF: 20/10 30 6/6

HOUSE RULES: (Special Restrictions, Requirements and Exceptions)
• No Foci of Super-Technology.
• All player characters should have a Psychological Limitation concerning Killing.
 

 

How about something like this for character creation guidelines. 

 

 

QM

[Steve]

I'm still formulating the power level of the setting in my head, but it borrows a little from the RPG Godlike when it comes to power levels. Characters have been taken for some unknown purpose to other worlds, Summoned essentially. They return with abilities gained in that other world. Some have "Mystic Masters"-style magic, others have what seem to be natural "mutant" powers, etc. It's a little like Gestalt in having a single power source that allows a range of archetypes.

 

I like the feeling it gives that Powers are limited to 20 Active Points or less that can be Persistent. Asleep or unconscious, a superhuman is vulnerable.

 

The setting structure is also to encourage a "people with powers" feeling rather than a four-color feeling. There are no supertechnology gizmos or magic items. Other than the presence of superhumans, the world is normal.

[Steve]

Masked heroes would be rare or nonexistent since the assumptions of the comics aren't in play that preserve secret IDs. Like in Godlike, most superhumans would either be working for a government in some capacity (the adults) or attending a government-run school for honing powers (those under 18).

Since their power level is lower, that makes it easier for governments to control them. But their powers add to a nation's arsenal. Those performing military service are special forces like the world has never seen before.

After twenty-some years of accumulation, there are currently about one hundred thousand of the Returned in the world using their powers.

[bubba smith]

in other words its more a combination of godlike and ALPHAS if so wouldn't DARK CAMPIONS be a better setting?

[Steve]

Alphas would be too low-powered. I'm not aware of characters on that show being able to fire 10d6 Blasts from their hands, lift a car over their heads or other more four-color abilities.

 

It's meant to be closer to X-Men and Godlike, maybe with a mix of the TV shows Heroes and Fringe as well as DC's Suicide Squad in it.

 

People with powers and superhero-like code names act as police on those Returned who fall into doing evil. There would also be those who work for totalitarian governments as villains.

 

The abilities of Returned are genetic in some way, because there are documented cases of the children of the earliest Returned people inheriting similar abilities.

 

One of my plans is to have PCs work for the government in a PRIMUS-like organization, dealing with superpowered terrorists, criminals and agents of foreign powers. There is also the mystery of who is taking these people to be explored.

[Steve]

For Returned who are children, the power level would be dropped into the Teen Champions range, so probably 50-75 points lighter in build than adults have.

 

There would probably be laws on the books limiting Returned children to attending special schools, since they are so powerful. Maybe there is a teenaged adjunct organization to the one adults belong to, something like ROTC in the real world.

[bubba smith]

I imagine that some of the good guys might not appreciate being used as cheap labor for the feds

[Hermit]

I really like this concept, Steve

[Steve]

I imagine that some of the good guys might not appreciate being used as cheap labor for the feds

 

Depending on their powers and temperament, not everyone is used in a combat or law enforcement capacity. Some work in Search & Rescue capacities or superpowered firefighters augmenting normal ones.

 

I suppose there might be something like witness protection for those that just want a more normal life.

[Steve]

I really like this concept, Steve

 

Thanks!

[Steve]

With Persistent powers being so limited in Active Points, some powers need special considerations, like Duplication and Summon.

 

I would imagine Nonpersistent Duplicates and Summoned things would simply vanish upon the primary losing consciousness.

 

Multiform would probably be a case of reversion to base form when rendered unconscious.

 

The only Persistent power that might be allowed as an exception to this general prohibition is Regeneration with the Resurrection option, used for resurrection only for a Returned that is harder to kill.

[Steve]

Persistent defenses like Flash/Mental/Power Defense max out at 10 Active Points, but additional defense (maybe up to a total of 20) can be bought as Nonpersistent.

 

Extra Limbs exist, for two extra arms or a prehensile tail.

 

Weapons like swords and such might work as Physical Manifestations instead of Foci, but I'll have to re-read the rules to be sure.

 

The 1 for 20 option from "Kazei Five" would also be in effect (characters taking one BODY for every twenty STUN they take past defenses). This would make combat a bit bloodier.

[Steve]

Appearance as far as how muscular a character is would be determined by their Persistent STR score bought as regular characteristics, so a more toned look would be characters that are in the 14-16 STR range and a more heavily-muscled look would be those in the 17-20 STR range.

 

More muscular female heroines like She-Hulk and Power Girl would thus be built with higher Persistent strength scores than those who are more toned and trim in appearance like Rogue or Supergirl.

[Steve]

Linked might be an additional Limitation that should be applied to characteristics bought as superpowers. They thus all get turned on together as a single power. That would probably work better than the Unified Power Limitation due to how Drains now work.

 

Time Limit might be an interesting Limitation on some abilities, but that would probably seem too much like managing toggles in an MMORPG.

[TheQuestionMan]

Only in Alternative Identity - Colosus in Metal Form or Emma Frost in Diamond Form/Werewolf

 

Unified Powers - Body of Metal/Diamond/ Beast Powers.

 

Both meet the criteria of Nonpesistant Powers.

 

Question DEF/rDEF Campaign Level for Nonpersistant Powers?

 

Complication: Accidental Change: When Unconcious,14-

 

 

Living down my name.

 

QM

[TheQuestionMan]

Package Deal/Template

 

Sanctioned Superhero.

 

Superhero Liaison Program

 

Super Agent

 

Etc...

 

Super Human Operative (SHO or Show)

 

QM

[TheQuestionMan]

Delete Message

[phoenix240]

Very Interesting idea. It reminds of the 4400 except with more powerful characters.