Dr. Destroyer takes over Cuba

[Steve]

In my Champions campaign, Dr. Destroyer has taken over the country of Cuba, crushing any military forces or superhumans that attempt to oppose his rule. He took advantage of a power vacuum caused by a massive invasion of Earth by Empress V’Han that ended up in failure, and one of her warships detonated over Havana, destroying a large swath of the city, giving him a window of opportunity to seize power while the country was leaderless.

 

However, instead of instituting the brutal tyranny that most would have expected from him, over the course of the following days and weeks, he begins his rule by utilizing his technology to provide seemingly endless amounts of food and medicines to the Cuban people as he institutes a more benevolent form of dictatorship. His soldiers, robots and superhuman assets quickly become familiar sights in towns across Cuba, providing security and dealing forcefully with criminal activity.

 

His actions have left many in the world confused as to what he has in mind. Some are wondering if this is actually an alternate reality refugee from the invasion instead of the Dr. Destroyer that has terrorized the world for decades.

 

What other actions might he take as part of his rule? How might other countries react to Dr. Destroyer in charge of a nation?

[RDU Neil]

Cuba is right off the cost of the U.S., so the Americans would be at DefCon 3 if not DefCon2. International air travel to the Caribbean would probably be suspended, as well as the U.S. instituting a no-fly zone and naval blockade.

 

If your world's  Venezuela is anything like the real world's current status, then I could see either of a couple things happening. Either Maduro makes an overture of to Destroyer for an alliance, since he is what is left of Hugo Chavez' attempt to do there, exactly what you say Destroyer is doing in Cuba. Or, Destroyer might make his next move there, seeing as he could actually fulfill the promises that the past 25 years have failed to materialize in Venezuela (which has some of the riches oil, mineral and other natural resources in the world.)

 

The Zapatistas in Mexico would be in a similar vein, having waged a quarter century guerrilla war against the corrupt government and  the cartels.

 

I'd think he would be able to open build alliances in many areas in Central and South America, if not overtly expand out of Cuba. Specifically, if his forces just hopped over to Puerto Rico and started giving them the aid our govenment has failed to do in the wake of the hurricanes. 

 

Of course that would probably precipitate open war with the U.S.  I don't know how you've developed your world... what, if any supers are government sponsored, controlled, what military supers there are, advanced military based on super tech, etc. Are supers an established international "first response team" as an accepted modus operandi, or is deploying supers on foreign soil the equivalent of a nuclear strike and violates treaties, precipitates escallations, etc. 

 

Of course, there are all kinds of political issues internal to the U.S. Very likely a sizable portion of Cuban Americans would demand swift and overt action, and the current administration is... less than thoughtful or restrained... so I'd personally expect things to go nuclear (either literally, or the super equivalent of it) pretty quickly. 

 

What is your super-level like? Do you have Justice League level, near god-like Superman types, or are your more of a Champs Universe/Marvel level of characters? What is the state of the rest of the world after V'Han's invasion? What is the status of UNTIL and other such agencies after the war? What is their international status and efficacy? (Like, in my world, UNTIL was never allowed to operate on US soil, or in Russia, but had developed a significant power base in an EU that ended up much more united than our world, because it was supported by a unified military force and a large scale superteam (we called it UNITE) that became the real world super-power. 

 

If you have really high powered, DC like supers, then I'm thinking this spirals into a major cosmic like showdown. If this is more Champs/Marvel level, then I see it more of a protracted central aspect of a campaign that involves keeping certain leaders fingers off the button, overtures to Destroyer for peaceful negotiations via Atlantis or some extra-governmental power, dealing with the inevitable social unrest and likely military state of emergency that the US will be under, covert missions by supers who do that well to try and infiltrate Cuba and figure out what is happening, etc.

 

Personally, this sounds like an AWESOME campaign plot, which I'd find incredibly fun to play.

[Lord Liaden]

Real-world experience with such situations has taught us a couple of things. First, humanitarian aid on this scale can't be sustained indefinitely, even by the wealthiest countries. Sooner or later Destroyer is going to have to start rationalizing Cuba's resources in a more sustainable fashion, probably by force. That leads into the second point: the longer an occupying power, even a benevolent one, remains in a country, the more the natives grow to resent it. Those factors are likely to build whether or not the international community takes action. And remember, this is Dr. Destroyer. He won't tolerate displays of defiance or even criticism of his regime.

 

But sticking to how a RPG campaign could play out in most entertaining fashion , Dr. Destroyer is a world-class megalomaniac master villain. He thinks big -- he wants the whole world, not just one island. And his pattern has been to set up epic schemes designed to achieve his goals at a single stroke. If you have him follow that pattern, then seizing control of Cuba is only one step in his plan. I see two ways this could play out. One, Cuba is necessary to his plan in some way: either as a staging area for its next phase, or because it possesses some factor or resource which will assist him to reach his objective. The other possibility, one that very much fits DD's official history, is that this occupation is only a distraction, a way to focus the attention of the world and superheroes on what's happening in Cuba, while the Doctor's real, even bigger project is coming to fruition elsewhere.

[Steve]

Actually, the most powerful heroic character is the Archmage, but his hands are too full dealing with extra-dimensional nasties like Tyrannon and others to do anything about Dr. Destroyer.

 

The PCs (everyone is currently in the range of 700-800 points after a few years of play) are currently the most powerful heroic superteam on the planet. One of the things that happened during V’Han’s invasion was a massive culling of the superhuman population, thousands of them captured and taken away by V’Han’s forces or killed during the fighting. There were also a few refugees from V’Han’s forces that stayed behind, basically giving a number of CU supervillains a personality rewrite while keeping the same powers.

 

UNTIL never came to be in this world. Instead, regional powers like PRIMUS are the ones fighting against the likes of VIPER.

 

The Champions (the PCs group) are currently a team of four PCs and one NPC that was operating as a US superteam but is in the process of being upgraded to an international level as a result of the vacuum left by V’Han’s actions.

[Steve]

Dr. Destroyer is quickly consolidating his hold on the island, but he is not alone in his endeavors. In a surprising move that happened “off screen” for reasons the PCs will learn, Menton has chosen to assist in this endeavor, returning to Destroyer’s fold and apparently mending the rift between them. He has been working in the shadows with a number of lesser mentalists, locating points of resistance and either quickly eliminating them or rewriting their personalities into true believers supporting the new regime.

[Ninja-Bear]

Tragedy in Puerto Rico was the corrupt government in PR held back the resources sent.

[RDU Neil]

11 hours ago, Steve said:

Dr. Destroyer is quickly consolidating his hold on the island, but he is not alone in his endeavors. In a surprising move that happened “off screen” for reasons the PCs will learn, Menton has chosen to assist in this endeavor, returning to Destroyer’s fold and apparently mending the rift between them. He has been working in the shadows with a number of lesser mentalists, locating points of resistance and either quickly eliminating them or rewriting their personalities into true believers supporting the new regime.

 

Quick question as to how your game has played out, since you indicate a couple of years of play has passed. Are big events like you've described... Tyrranon randomly showing up, invasion by V'Han, Destroyer taking over a country... are these huge, earth shattering events pretty much an every month or so occurrence, or are they big deals? When this kind of thing happens, is it business as usual or a major event that changes the course of play? Comics tend toward the former... to the point where the Buffy joke, "The world is ending.  Again?" becomes common. The latter, if it were my world, would be that Destroyer doesn't show up unless something momentous is happening, and PCs will die, islands will sink, the world will change kind of deal.

Basically, has it become so that even the most cosmic of events, well, everything is back to normal by next week! Or should the players look at this series of events  V'Han annihilates much of the world's superhuman populace and rains destruction on the globe, Dr. Destroyer uses this as an opportunity to really make his first chess move (as Lord Liaden pointed out) to really gain domination, and holy cow!, Menton is suddenly acting publicly in concert with Destroyer... and pretty much realize that kid gloves are off, they better put their big girl tights on or the world might just get conquered this time. (Are you, in fact, as the GM, are entirely prepared for the game to go either way... PCs win and stabilize things... or Destroyer wins and the campaign becomes a "Lead the rebellion against the tyrant of Earth!" ??)

 

It just really helps to know the vibe of the game, because that would push certain "what happens next?" ideas over others.

 

Like, to the point of resources and humanitarian aid... if it is a more sci-fi, real ramifications campaign, then the question of resources and how he is managing it becomes really important in PC plans... "Ok, he can't keep this up, and we need to apply political pressure, insight rebellion, and generally outlast him" or "He is using technology of such advanced nature that he essentially has a Star Trek like replicator and can turn garbage into healthy food and clean water so people don't think he is being particularly villainous, and he could seriously take over!"... both are serious ramifcations. But if the players expect a more comic-bookey experience, where resources aren't really an issue (VIPER always has the next hidden base no matter how many losses they sustain, the supers or bad guys always have money and tech they need (unless their character is defined by the Peter Parker syndrome) etc. Therefore it is really about unraveling a nutso plot of mind control and supervillain team-ups that will only end in tears, etc.

 

A game can have aspects of both (crazy mind control plots and real world political and economic ramifications) but the players are going to respond based on the expectations that have been built over time. If, in the past, swooping in with hands on the hips and "Halt Evildoer!" ending up in a super donnybrook is how things have been handled, suddenly changing the way the world works and making it a matter of deeply complicated and difficult to resolve machinations that require long, protracted and complex political and military solutions, then it probably won't go over well. What are your groups expectations for the seriousness and complexity of the plots you have laid out?

[Steve]

Actually, the PCs have been the unintentional cause of some events in the campaign. The Cuban plot development was a result of their actions during the war. When V’Han came, Cuba was one of her force’s major beachheads, and the PCs attacked the ship, which had a few of their alternate universe counterparts on it.

 

After V’Han was driven off, which some of the PCs felt might have been “too easy,” it was later discovered that many superhumans were now missing, and entire superteams were gone. The players are pretty sure this means they’ve been kidnapped by V’Han’s forces before her withdrawal. However, instead of diving right into that, the PCs have been getting run a bit ragged dealing with suddenly being the world’s most visible superheroes that are active. The V’Han War has been one of the more major events in my campaign.

 

Cuba was a V’Han beachhead, and the PC’s counterparts crushed the Cuban military at the head of V’Han’s soldiers in their opening move, which was one reason they decided to go to Cuba instead of one of the other hot spots. After the war was over, Dr. Destroyer made his first move, taking over the remnants of Cuba. His ability to produce food and medicine via his technology is pretty much equivalent to using a Star Trek replicator.

 

Instead of just beating the crook of the week, although some sessions are like that, the campaign’s overall story arc has been a series of events that slowly increase the stakes for the PCs and raise their visibility. They started out as one new team amongst many older, existing teams and their actions have gradually rewritten the campaign world, in one story arc literally when they went on a multi-session time travel odyssey and altered certain key events in the history of the Champions Universe, creating this alternate timeline version.

 

Their time travel adventures attracted V’Han’s attention, which then led to the war, which has led to the current events.

 

I always check at the end of each session if everyone is having a good time, and the responses have been positive. Everyone keeps coming back, and it’s been over two years now.

[RDU Neil]

1 minute ago, Steve said:

Actually, the PCs have been the unintentional cause of some events in the campaign. The Cuban plot development was a result of their actions during the war. When V’Han came, Cuba was one of her force’s major beachheads, and the PCs attacked the ship, which had a few of their alternate universe counterparts on it.

 

After V’Han was driven off, which some of the PCs felt might have been “too easy,” it was later discovered that many superhumans were now missing, and entire superteams were gone. The players are pretty sure this means they’ve been kidnapped by V’Han’s forces before her withdrawal. However, instead of diving right into that, the PCs have been getting run a bit ragged dealing with suddenly being the world’s most visible superheroes that are active. The V’Han War has been one of the more major events in my campaign.

 

Cuba was a V’Han beachhead, and the PC’s counterparts crushed the Cuban military at the head of V’Han’s soldiers in their opening move, which was one reason they decided to go to Cuba instead of one of the other hot spots. After the war was over, Dr. Destroyer made his first move, taking over the remnants of Cuba. His ability to produce food and medicine via his technology is pretty much equivalent to using a Star Trek replicator.

 

Instead of just beating the crook of the week, although some sessions are like that, the campaign’s overall story arc has been a series of events that slowly increase the stakes for the PCs and raise their visibility. They started out as one new team amongst many older, existing teams and their actions have gradually rewritten the campaign world, in one story arc literally when they went on a multi-session time travel odyssey and altered certain key events in the history of the Champions Universe, creating this alternate timeline version.

 

Their time travel adventures attracted V’Han’s attention, which then led to the war, which has led to the current events.

 

I always check at the end of each session if everyone is having a good time, and the responses have been positive. Everyone keeps coming back, and it’s been over two years now.

 

As I said before, this sounds very much like a campaign I'd really enjoy... and that helps to guide the ideas of "What next?"

 

I kind of think of it from the POV of "If I was one of your players, how might I want to act in the face of this..."

Since it doesn't appear that Destroyer is immediately going to blow things up, and I'm assuming nations and governments and world economies are still reeling from the V'Han invasion...

1) Determine the most robust government/nation that we are on good terms with, and make a proposition of alliance to rebuild and defend what is left

2) Part of that would be a cabinet level discussions on what are appropriate responses to Destroyer's actions

3) Try to build a coalition of nations, using the influence of being part of "the last best hope for Earth" and see what kind of global union could be built in the face of invasion and destruction

4) Start seeking out/recruiting/activating new metahumans... a call to those who can, to join and help... not just to rebuild, but to make a better world

5) Essentially, since it appears as if the world is looking to the PCs as the 'last best hope' then embrace that and see where it goes

6) on a tactical level, I'd be absolutely about publicly requesting access to Destroyer's replicator technology, because if he sees himself as a redeemer and benefactor for the world now, he should be willing to share with more than just Cuba

7) since he is unlikely to do this, in the background, help plan the most well supported super-infiltration team to get into Cuba and gain access to this technology and get it back out

 

I'd see it as either a) Destroyer is forced to admit he'll only give the replicator to those who submit to him, showing his true colors, or b ) we find out that he actually IS different than he was in the past (mind controlled by Menton, my first guess, or the alt-Earth version, etc.) and this really changes what tactics are used to deal with him. Is it possible to actually "GASP!" work WITH Dr. Destroyer? Has Zerstoiten (whatever his name was) turned over a new leaf?  Cool drama there.

 

I can tell you that my initial thoughts would be "rebuild the superhuman population" not just as costumed crime fighters, but as active movers of society... and being obsessed with the replicator technology, as that is truly world changing. The chance to leap frog to a semi-Star Trek Federation style world by reducing resource limitations so significantly... that would become my character's primary motivation.

 

Damn... I want to play this game.

[Cassandra]

Free Internet Connected Glasses that slowly transform the wearer to worshipers of Doctor Destroyer.

[Steve]

The campaign has actually reached a point where I am in the process of thinking how I could expand it in different directions.

 

You might call the current campaign Phase One, and it will very likely continue on past this summer, perhaps replacing existing characters with new ones as the point levels are starting to grow a bit excessive.

 

My current plans for Phase Two is either an "Agents Of PRIMUS" campaign and/or a Teen Champions campaign with a New Mutants kind of feel, both set in my revised Champions Universe. There has also recently been some discussion about putting together an expansion team, currently called "Champions West" and to be based in Los Angeles.

 

Getting back to the current campaign...

 

There was also more down to Earth trouble for the team going on in the United States, since half of them have Secret ID, and the other two are Public ID types. The leader of the team, who has a Public ID, was asked to appear before the Senate Committee on Superhuman Affairs. Due to the fears and uncertainty in the aftermath of the V'Han War shaking things up, he was ordered by the committee chairman to have his Secret ID teammates reveal their identities to the government. It later turned out that a large contingent of Congress has been replaced by fetches, magical copies of people. This plotline was discovered to be the result of earlier PC actions in dealing with the Shadow Queen from Faerie (one of the Master Villain baddies in the CU). She had been allied with Black Paladin, and the team turned him against her, giving him her kingdom in exchange for his vow to do no more villainy within Millenium City. He has honored that vow, instead using his new Faerie resources to take control of elements of the United States government. This has been another one of the distractions the PCs are currently dealing with, heading off to Faerie to find the kidnapped congressmen and senators.

 

Meanwhile, the United Nations has extended an offer of worldwide police authority to the team, expanding them out from working in Millenium City to policing the world.

[dsatow]

Interesting, in my current campaign, Dr. D has taken over North Korea.  He also is in control of all air space, shooting down anything larger than a twice the size of a person or flying faster than 300 mph.  The first thing the governments did was to test what they could do against Dr. D, sending an immortal up in progressively smaller personal aircraft and even some ultralights.  Similarly, they began sending spies into North Korea to extra info but Dr. D  began a stronger media blackout around the DPRK.  As far as is known, Dr. D. is switching over from robots to human military as the only thing preventing him from taking over the world isn't the heroes, but rather his fight with Mechanon.

[Lord Liaden]

I always have a problem with the notion that the only thing keeping supervillains in check is other villains. That's supposed to be the heroes' job. It's perhaps the most fundamental characteristic of the genre.

[Steve]

Mechanon’s origin actually changed as a result of the time travel story arc in my campaign. On one of their stops, they discovered Dr. Destroyer ruling over pre-Cataclysm Atlantis. He had been unwillingly catapulted there when the heroes destroyed a time travel device of his invention in an earlier stop (they ran into some of his agents arriving on a time platform at the start of the American Revolution). Blowing it up caused a temporal disjunction in the future, causing Dr. Destroyer to end up in Atlantis.

 

He went back to the future as part of an agreement with the team, and the heroes then had to get rid of all his tech to stop it from polluting the timeline worse than it already was. They ended up sending it all to the microverse with a simple caretaker robot invented by a PC to dismantle it. Mechanon was born of that garbage pile, and the PC who did it is now his enemy/creator, having been remembered over thousands of years of machine evolution in the microverse.

 

Mechanon became part of the group’s revised history when they eventually returned to the future. He strikes from the microverse now, using it as his home dimension to recover and upgrade himself for his next encounter with the PC’s team.