Dome City

[BoloOfEarth]

Regarding the dome -- I did something similar once, with the dome being self-regenerating.  So if enough damage was done, it could open a hole - which would close again relatively quickly.  This allowed the heroes to get inside after making an effort, but they couldn't, say, bring in an infantry division very easily.

 

RP   AP   Sample Gadgets                                                                                                       

25   148   Victor Von Dome:  Barrier 12 rPD / 12 rED, 8 BODY, 6 km Long, 3 km Tall, ½m Thick, Hardened (+¼), Impenetrable (+¼), Stops Teleport (+¼), Megascale (1m = 1 km; +1); Fixed Shape (Globe;   -¼), OAF Immobile Fragile (-2¼), Dome Drops if OAF Destroyed (-½), 1 Charge (-2)

24   100   Dome Repair:  Healing 2d6 BODY, Constant (+½), AoE (4 km Radius; +¼), Megascale (1m = 1 km; +1), Decreased Re-Use Duration (1 Turn; +1½), 0 END (+½), Persistent (+¼); OAF Immobile Fragile (-2¼), Only affects von Dome (-1)

 

This was for a game where the max attacks were about 12d6-14d6.  If you're going to provide a writeup of the dome, feel free to use this or something similar; you may want to increase the size, maybe make it Configurable (+1/4) so the Skull can open and close holes in it, and add Affects Desolid.  Also remove Fragile so the "dome generator" would have a massive rPD / rED itself - instead of 30 rPD / 30 rED, I'd make a GM call to allow it to be 20 rPD / 20 rED, Hardened (+1/4), Impenetrable (+1/4).  Sure, the heroes can figure out where the dome generator is located, but can't easily trash it before the Skull's forces converge.

[steriaca]

Thinking of how to introduce Chaos...

 

Considering the team's nature, they should be the first supervillain team encounter once the dome is up. They were empowered by the dome's energy, so were normals before the dome was up.

 

The heroes meet them while they were searching for them by The Skull. Right now, they are ordered to fight the heroes, not to kill them or capture them. The Skull wants to test the powers of his new toys to get an idea on how to use them in the future.

[Ninja-Bear]

Steriaca I had a similar idea with KRONOS. He was a scientist at heart and was using agents to test Heroes Powers. The agents even had cameras and a van that recorded information.

[steriaca]

17 minutes ago, Ninja-Bear said:

Steriaca I had a similar idea with KRONOS. He was a scientist at heart and was using agents to test Heroes Powers. The agents even had cameras and a van that recorded information.

 

Well, the Skull is supposed to be hyper smart. In fact, that is his main "power". If he wasn't insane, you should get the impression that he is probably going to win. And since it is early in the adventure, he should be played as being really logical, if amoral and vengeful.

 

By episold two, his paranoia starts kicking in. He starts taking what the heros do personal. And he starts seeing enimies out of his agents.

 

By episold three, what he has left is only loyal out of fear, and will defect if they can do so with minimal damage to there selves. Chaos, who really was only in it for fun, is just as likely to turn on the Skull if pushed too far. More than half of his agent pool litterly killed off thanks to his paranoia.

 

He started out with the numbers and stragity to win. Then slowly makes it so the heros can, and will, win.

[steriaca]

5 hours ago, BoloOfEarth said:

Regarding the dome -- I did something similar once, with the dome being self-regenerating.  So if enough damage was done, it could open a hole - which would close again relatively quickly.  This allowed the heroes to get inside after making an effort, but they couldn't, say, bring in an infantry division very easily.

 

RP   AP   Sample Gadgets                                                                                                       

25   148   Victor Von Dome:  Barrier 12 rPD / 12 rED, 8 BODY, 6 km Long, 3 km Tall, ½m Thick, Hardened (+¼), Impenetrable (+¼), Stops Teleport (+¼), Megascale (1m = 1 km; +1); Fixed Shape (Globe;   -¼), OAF Immobile Fragile (-2¼), Dome Drops if OAF Destroyed (-½), 1 Charge (-2)

 

24   100   Dome Repair:  Healing 2d6 BODY, Constant (+½), AoE (4 km Radius; +¼), Megascale (1m = 1 km; +1), Decreased Re-Use Duration (1 Turn; +1½), 0 END (+½), Persistent (+¼); OAF Immobile Fragile (-2¼), Only affects von Dome (-1)

 

This was for a game where the max attacks were about 12d6-14d6.  If you're going to provide a writeup of the dome, feel free to use this or something similar; you may want to increase the size, maybe make it Configurable (+1/4) so the Skull can open and close holes in it, and add Affects Desolid.  Also remove Fragile so the "dome generator" would have a massive rPD / rED itself - instead of 30 rPD / 30 rED, I'd make a GM call to allow it to be 20 rPD / 20 rED, Hardened (+1/4), Impenetrable (+1/4).  Sure, the heroes can figure out where the dome generator is located, but can't easily trash it before the Skull's forces converge.

Thanks Bolo. I don't think it is feasible to stat it out. (Yes, players might call bullshit, but for the story to progress, the dome must stay up, and there must be only a limited way out of it.) All attacks will simply bounce off it, he will threaten the safty of everyone inside if the army/outside supers don't back off, nukes will take the dome out BUT kill most everyone inside.

 

Technically it becomes vulnerable once the heros find either a battery (outside dome) or the projector (inside). And should do some prep work before hand (evacuating the most vulnerable part of the city).

 

If the heros don't have the resources, let the citizens and even Chaos help out. And don't forget (to the Captan Caveman cry) CapTon ClueBat(end Captan Caveman cry) and MuckMan.

[Duke Bushido]

okay, had a few minutes inside my own head today (can't recommend it   ), and I had a thought I'd like to run by the folks chipping in:

 

I mentioned that I'd like the Skull to get away at the end, and I gave my reasons why.  I even mentioned that I am not generally a fan of a long story in which the bad guy gets away.  I don't like it in fiction (Moriarty was the worst thing to happen to an otherwise fun series of stories), and I _really_ don't like it RPGs.  

 

Why?

 

It's damned unsatisfying, that's why.  And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks like this, as the idea of the Skull getting away (just this once, mind you) was met with mixed reception.

 

So how do we make that satisfying?

 

 

I think the cyber-powers guy is the key.  After that attack at Prince A. Pal's joint, the players will learn that someone can control animatronics.  Hopefully the will "unmask" Big Bubba, and discover that whoever did this can make essentially robot puppets out of anyone.

 

And we know what a trope the robot duplicate is (even Superman had one, for Pete's sake!).

 

Let's combine the two for something that puts a satisfying close to this adventure:

 

The find the Skull's body-- he has fled, or is preparing to flee, or lurking and watching-- it doesn't matter.  They find the Skull's body.  And it is -- dunh-dunh-DUUNH!-- a robot, badly damaged, destroyed in the climatic combat, whatever.  It's a robot.  If we want to put a body count here (not my favorite thing, but hey; apparently I'm in the minority of grizzly deaths for NPCs.  I prefer "clean kills" for NPCs, when it just has to happen), then so be it.

 

This will lead the characters to believe that the whole thing has been an elaborate ruse by Cyber-guy.  They can (or perhaps already have) take down "the villain" to much satisfaction and rejoicing.  Dome's down; villain's captured; Hepzibah, Colorado is once again a great and wonderful place to live.

 

 

The truth doesn't have to come out until we're ready to re-introduce the Skull, in the story where he will in fact be thoroughly caughten.  

 

The robot can either by a traditional comic's "robot decoy," or it can be one of the gruesome Cyber-guy things with a random NPC in there-- perhaps even someone they've met, if we want to up the pathos-- made by Cyber-guy at the request of the Skull, ostensibly for the purpose of "suppressing the masses" while he was dealing with "other things" important to his plan.

 

Cyber-Guy will _not_ fess up that the dome was not his doing, out of sheer overwhelming fear of what this forward-thinking, intricate-planning genius lunatic will do to him should he not take the rap.

 

 

unbeknowst to Cyber-guy, this is the _worst_ possible thing for his health, as hearing several months of media coverage of Cyber-guy and his technological genius that created the dome and held the city in terror----

 

well, we know what happened to the _last_ people that tried to take credit for something the Skull had done himself!

 

This nicely paves the way (and reason) for the Skull's return (and defeat and capture), when he places Minerva, Wisconsin under a giant dome, destroys the nearby damn, and televises via satellite hijack how the town is completely impervious to the ravages of the flood water, protected by his powerful genius-- then the camera switches to shots from under the dome as the water rushes by, twenty-feet high, people staring out their windows or even gawking in the streets.  "And for all those who _deny_ my genius...."  and the cameras watch, mutely, as the dome

 

 

 

turns off....

 

 

But that's for later, though.

 

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

6 hours ago, steriaca said:

Thanks Bolo. I don't think it is feasible to stat it out.

 

 

Just like Steriaca (I can't believe I've been spelling that right! ), I, too, thank you for the trouble, Sir; it is well-appreciated.

 

And still like Steriaca, I don't think it's necessary to stat out, either.  It's just a plot device:  get out of / rid of the dome, and there are established methods (or will be) by which this can be done.

 

Further, this is intended to be "an intro to Champions," with some characters you can look it (relatively simple builds), some "build guides," to help new players grasp character creation a bit more, and of course: some combat and Skill practice.   I think stating out the dome is a complication we don't need yet, particularly since stating it out will do little more than create problems with actually destroying the accursed thing.  Either it's too easy or too hard or can't be done or.....

 

You get the idea.  

 

Still, it's a pretty sweet build, and I really appreciate you offering it up.  

 

 

[steriaca]

20 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

okay, had a few minutes inside my own head today (can't recommend it   ), and I had a thought I'd like to run by the folks chipping in:

 

I mentioned that I'd like the Skull to get away at the end, and I gave my reasons why.  I even mentioned that I am not generally a fan of a long story in which the bad guy gets away.  I don't like it in fiction (Moriarty was the worst thing to happen to an otherwise fun series of stories), and I _really_ don't like it RPGs.  

 

Why?

 

It's damned unsatisfying, that's why.  And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks like this, as the idea of the Skull getting away (just this once, mind you) was met with mixed reception.

 

So how do we make that satisfying?

 

 

I think the cyber-powers guy is the key.  After that attack at Prince A. Pal's joint, the players will learn that someone can control animatronics.  Hopefully the will "unmask" Big Bubba, and discover that whoever did this can make essentially robot puppets out of anyone.

 

And we know what a trope the robot duplicate is (even Superman had one, for Pete's sake!).

 

Let's combine the two for something that puts a satisfying close to this adventure:

 

The find the Skull's body-- he has fled, or is preparing to flee, or lurking and watching-- it doesn't matter.  They find the Skull's body.  And it is -- dunh-dunh-DUUNH!-- a robot, badly damaged, destroyed in the climatic combat, whatever.  It's a robot.  If we want to put a body count here (not my favorite thing, but hey; apparently I'm in the minority of grizzly deaths for NPCs.  I prefer "clean kills" for NPCs, when it just has to happen), then so be it.

 

This will lead the characters to believe that the whole thing has been an elaborate ruse by Cyber-guy.  They can (or perhaps already have) take down "the villain" to much satisfaction and rejoicing.  Dome's down; villain's captured; Hepzibah, Colorado is once again a great and wonderful place to live.

 

 

The truth doesn't have to come out until we're ready to re-introduce the Skull, in the story where he will in fact be thoroughly caughten.  

 

The robot can either by a traditional comic's "robot decoy," or it can be one of the gruesome Cyber-guy things with a random NPC in there-- perhaps even someone they've met, if we want to up the pathos-- made by Cyber-guy at the request of the Skull, ostensibly for the purpose of "suppressing the masses" while he was dealing with "other things" important to his plan.

 

Cyber-Guy will _not_ fess up that the dome was not his doing, out of sheer overwhelming fear of what this forward-thinking, intricate-planning genius lunatic will do to him should he not take the rap.

 

 

unbeknowst to Cyber-guy, this is the _worst_ possible thing for his health, as hearing several months of media coverage of Cyber-guy and his technological genius that created the dome and held the city in terror----

 

well, we know what happened to the _last_ people that tried to take credit for something the Skull had done himself!

 

This nicely paves the way (and reason) for the Skull's return (and defeat and capture), when he places Minerva, Wisconsin under a giant dome, destroys the nearby damn, and televises via satellite hijack how the town is completely impervious to the ravages of the flood water, protected by his powerful genius-- then the camera switches to shots from under the dome as the water rushes by, twenty-feet high, people staring out their windows or even gawking in the streets.  "And for all those who _deny_ my genius...."  and the cameras watch, mutely, as the dome

 

 

 

turns off....

 

 

But that's for later, though.

 

 

Thoughts?

 

 

I don't mind Skull being caught. I don't mind him getting away either. Instead of CyberJack doing it, I vote for the Skull himself creating the double. The Skull IS smart enough to mimic his powers with technology, and can easily pick a person out at random for Freddy-fing. In fact, let's pick a 10 year old at random and stuff him still living into the thing till he is dead.

 

If the heros are paying attention, they notice how CyberJack went out of his way not to kill children. So they should know he didn't do this. But the media and the town and the law, on the other hand...

[Duke Bushido]

13 minutes ago, steriaca said:

I don't mind Skull being caught. I don't mind him getting away either. Instead of CyberJack doing it, I vote for the Skull himself creating the double. The Skull IS smart enough to mimic his powers with technology, and can easily pick a person out at random for Freddy-fing. In fact, let's pick a 10 year old at random and stuff him still living into the thing till he is dead.

 

If the heros are paying attention, they notice how CyberJack went out of his way not to kill children. So they should know he didn't do this. But the media and the town and the law, on the other hand...

 

 

I like it.

 

 

Done and _done_, Sir!  (Ma'am?  I really don't know, but consider yourself to have received the proper honorific!    )

 

Duke

 

[steriaca]

3 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

 

 

I like it.

 

 

Done and _done_, Sir!  (Ma'am?  I really don't know, but consider yourself to have received the proper honorific!    )

 

Duke

 

It's sir, othoe I do like to roleplay as female characters.

 

So, I was thinking, we need a disclaimer of sorts.

 

"Atention Game Masters.

 

My name is Steriaca, and I'm one of the minds behind this adventure. You may notice that some of our villains are really dark here. And some are rather light. With this series mastermind, the Skull, being an evil son of a bouch who is suffering from various sanity problems. As game master, your free to change and modify this adventure to your heart is content. If you rather not have person x killed, you don't have to have him killed. If you don't like person y, you need not use person y. It is your game, after all.

 

Now we return you to our scheduled adventure, already in progress."

[steriaca]

Thinking of the future of this.

 

"Return of the Skull" is a must. An elaborate plot to discredit, then ultimately destroy the heroes. We need something other than "trap them in a dome". That is simply repeating the plot of "City Under Glass" on a smaller scale. And the Skull might be smart and insane, but he is not a one trick pony.

 

"Heart of the Matter": the heros have to help new superhero Lady Heart from the dastery extradimentinal threat of Queen Nightmara and her Court of Hate. Designed to introduce anime style magical girl into the game, and also continue the training of new players.

 

"Having A Bad Time": Time traveling bad guy Malkronos tries to change the future by trying to break up the team.

[Hugh Neilson]

OK, some issues with the theories espoused:

 

 - The Skull would win if he did not author his own defeat - this means the PCs aren't really the force that brings him down.  Satisfying for the players?

 

 - I don't mind the Skull getting away.  I don't like the Heroes either being completely unable to figure out his background (so they know that was not just a robot puppet running the show for someone else) or letting the other villain take the rap.  And if our Heroes are not so clueless as to never discover any of the background, then I expect they may want to catch the psycho murderer, not wait until he happens to show up again, especially if we are going so dark as to kill off a kid.

 

 - It seems like we waffle between "the Skull is an emerging villain, an unknown at the start" to "Cyber is so scared of him that he will take the rap" and into "Skull can get him, even in a maximum security prison, and he knows it".  Which is he?

 

 - I like Chaos getting their powers  as the dome powers up.  Skull could predict this (he knows which of his minions are likely to be affected, and ensures  they get maximum exposure).  Now, if the Heros have to deal with them just as their powers are emerging, Chaos should not be skilled at using these new powers, and perhaps even surprised by some of them.  They definitely won't have tactics that involve these brand-new powers.  Perhaps they are a bit more powerful than the PCs, equal in numbers, but fairly easily beaten by the heroes using teamwork and tactics.

 

 - A further reason not to stat out the dome is sending the message that (contrary to some detractors) Hero does not require everything be statted out.  Sure, we could stat it out.  It can have enough points to be completely indestructible.  But what is the difference between a statted-out indestructible force dome and a stated to be indestructible force dome?  That makes for a decent sidebar.

[steriaca]

5 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

OK, some issues with the theories espoused:

 

 - The Skull would win if he did not author his own defeat - this means the PCs aren't really the force that brings him down.  Satisfying for the players?

He should author his own defeat ONLY to make it easier on new players. I consider his defeat as they turn off the dome, not if they capture or kill him.

5 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 - I don't mind the Skull getting away.  I don't like the Heroes either being completely unable to figure out his background (so they know that was not just a robot puppet running the show for someone else) or letting the other villain take the rap.  And if our Heroes are not so clueless as to never discover any of the background, then I expect they may want to catch the psycho murderer, not wait until he happens to show up again, especially if we are going so dark as to kill off a kid.

He is a sick puppy. The heros SHOULD figure out his background. The "robot double" and "sacrificial supervillain" is an option only. Sidebars on options for game masters. I honestly don't care if he gets captured. He can always excape later. I don't care if he gets killed off. Another person could put on the helmet later and take up his idenity. Or the Skull can be risen from the grave. Happens all the time in comic books, and while we are simulating comic book movies, we shouldn't toss out thoes options just because the MCU doesn't use them yet.

 

Remember the false Mandarin?

5 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 - It seems like we waffle between "the Skull is an emerging villain, an unknown at the start" to "Cyber is so scared of him that he will take the rap" and into "Skull can get him, even in a maximum security prison, and he knows it".  Which is he?

He is whatever we need him to be. He is new and emerging at the start. His actions during the adventure will earn him hos fearsome reputation later on. And the survivors of his agents earn the fear of him.

 

I do doubt that CyberJack would fear the Skull reaching into jail to kill him. In fact, he would feal safe in prison.

 

And untill "The Return of the Skull", we let him believe it. If the GM goes that route.

5 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 - I like Chaos getting their powers  as the dome powers up.  Skull could predict this (he knows which of his minions are likely to be affected, and ensures  they get maximum exposure).  Now, if the Heros have to deal with them just as their powers are emerging, Chaos should not be skilled at using these new powers, and perhaps even surprised by some of them.  They definitely won't have tactics that involve these brand-new powers.  Perhaps they are a bit more powerful than the PCs, equal in numbers, but fairly easily beaten by the heroes using teamwork and tactics.

Unlike the heroes, who have the maximum of 60 AP in there attack powers, each Chaos member has one attack power at 75 AP. Or in the case of Sin (whose body is changed to organic rubber like substance), 50 DEF as oppose to 40.

5 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 - A further reason not to stat out the dome is sending the message that (contrary to some detractors) Hero does not require everything be statted out.  Sure, we could stat it out.  It can have enough points to be completely indestructible.  But what is the difference between a statted-out indestructible force dome and a stated to be indestructible force dome?  That makes for a decent sidebar.

Agreed. Stat it out or not is not for me to decide, but for us.

[Duke Bushido]

Lots of things I'd like to get details on, but an impromptu game session came up, so I don't have much time. 

 

Still, I'd like opinions on something right off the bat:

 

I'm not keen on wrapping a kid inside the decoy robot.  There are two ways it plays out:

 

Cyber Jack absolutely _refuses_ to cop to _anything_, because killing a kid is so far out of bounds for him that he will risk retribution.  I have more thoughts on this, but no time just now. 

 

Second way it plays out:

 

Cyber jack still cops to it, but astute characters will realize that it wasn't him.  Maybe not in this adventure (unless they actually figure it out, let it lay for the Skulls reappearance).  The Skulls reappearance can be introed with one or more of them making this connection; whatever. 

 

Hugh:

 

You hit on something early in your post I really want to hear more about; I'd like to revisit it when I have more time.   For now, I'd like to point out that someone not being world famous doesn't preclude them from being scary as Hell itself.  Given familiarity, or even close quarters, some people just rub you that way.  It doesn't take much to make CyberJack, established local villain, an early recruit and general for the Skull, to spend some time, hear some plans or negotiations or whatever-- to realize that this guy:  someone both motivated by "worship my genius or die horribly" and dangerously capable of forcing that choice on anyone he pleases.  It's not really difficult (at least for me) to accept that he scares the absolute sanity out of CyberJack.  Who knows what sets CJ off?

 

Rwlly gotta run; more when I have time. 

[Asperion]

Regarding the dome, if it is going to be something used by the GM to stop every one from entering and going, then simply make it a mcguffin.  Anytime anyone attempts to pull an attack on it, move through it (including t-porting) then the GM will come up with some form of counter to what was attempted. No writeup is needed for the dome at any point.

[steriaca]

We cqn do away with the kid in the robot easily. Heck, me thinks it is going to be our 'girl ib the refrigerator'. So then, it can be an adult, or just a mechanical guts with a sign inside ("place tot here"). Or better yet, a Prince A. Pal character stuffie. We can also remove the gory surprise inside Big Buba.

[Hugh Neilson]

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

Hugh:

 

You hit on something early in your post I really want to hear more about; I'd like to revisit it when I have more time.   For now, I'd like to point out that someone not being world famous doesn't preclude them from being scary as Hell itself.  Given familiarity, or even close quarters, some people just rub you that way.  It doesn't take much to make CyberJack, established local villain, an early recruit and general for the Skull, to spend some time, hear some plans or negotiations or whatever-- to realize that this guy:  someone both motivated by "worship my genius or die horribly" and dangerously capable of forcing that choice on anyone he pleases.  It's not really difficult (at least for me) to accept that he scares the absolute sanity out of CyberJack.  Who knows what sets CJ off?

 

Scared to work with him because he's off his rocker and homicidal?  Sure.  Believes he has the resources to get him no matter where he goes or what precautions he takes?  That seems a lot more rep than a nut who has to rob junkyards for parts to make his supertech would generally merit.

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

Scared to work with him because he's off his rocker and homicidal?  Sure.  Believes he has the resources to get him no matter where he goes or what precautions he takes?  That seems a lot more rep than a nut who has to rob junkyards for parts to make his supertech would generally merit.

Well, yes. Skull is not that "all powerful world class villain" yet. So, while he is a careful, long term planner, he lakes the resources of a Doctor Destroyer, let alone Holocaust.

 

Give him time and a few years, and if his own insanity don't do him in, he should reach that lever of power, at least the lower end of it.

 

The thing is, the Skull should grow with the campaign.

[steriaca]

The protental outcomes.

 

The Skull Is Captured: He will be tried and found "Guilty But Insane" after a quick trial. He will be locked up in an insane asylum. Doctors will study him, and find out his mutations, which validates the existance of "the evolved".

 

Generally speaking, people will hear less about him over time as he bids his time inside the asylum. He sometimes leaves the asylum so doctors try to study him (a perfect excuse for him to set some work done on his revenge plan). One day, he just disappears from the place, without fanfare, and starts his next plot.

 

The Skull Is Dead: Scientist study his helmet, and are unable to figure out how it works. Then they study his body and find mutations. What happens next depends on the GM's plans. Skull's body could have a bad reaction to whatever chemicals they are using to study him, and he rises right in the middle of an examination of his brain (they poped off tge top, but have yet to cut the brainstem. Skull becomes an undead-ish thing, and has no more need of his skull mask (as he now has a skull face). Another posability is for someone else getting his hands on his helmet and taking up the name.

 

The Skull Excapes: He excapes by replacing himself with an anomatronic double. He then takes time out to work his plans of revenge as he recruits more agents (hopefully from regions who never herd of him). After 6 to10 months of plotting, he springs his plans into motion and anounces that he is still alive. Oh, and he kills CyberJack for taking his glory. Or, at least, to prove that he is serious.

[Hugh Neilson]

Thinking on one matter...how big is Hepzibah?  A town meeting in a local eatery sounds "D&D/Pathfinder small town" small - so small we can stat out most of the residents.  A larger present-day municipality would have municipal facilities (or even a high school gymnasium) capable of hosting more people than an eatery, and better suited for a public presentation.  

 

As a player, I'd certainly want details of the hamlet/village/town/city once the dome comes up, as that's my resources to work with as long as we're trapped.  Leaving the GM with no answers, or inconsistent answers, isn't very helpful, especially for an introductory adventure.  I don't see a city the size of Buffalo hosing a city meeting in a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant.  Seems like something players would question.

 

Maybe we need to destroy some civic infrastructure early on to create a reason, but it still seems like an outdoor venue (capable of hosting more people) would be more likely for an "all citizens welcome" event.

 

Of course, someone has to cater such an event - our eatery could have taken all of that on (locally owned; civic pride PR) or be one of many.

[steriaca]

10 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

Thinking on one matter...how big is Hepzibah?  A town meeting in a local eatery sounds "D&D/Pathfinder small town" small - so small we can stat out most of the residents.  A larger present-day municipality would have municipal facilities (or even a high school gymnasium) capable of hosting more people than an eatery, and better suited for a public presentation.  

True. Prehaps such areas were in the section destroyed when the Skull made his threat for the outside world to back off and demonstrated his power.

10 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

As a player, I'd certainly want details of the hamlet/village/town/city once the dome comes up, as that's my resources to work with as long as we're trapped.  Leaving the GM with no answers, or inconsistent answers, isn't very helpful, especially for an introductory adventure.  I don't see a city the size of Buffalo hosing a city meeting in a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant.  Seems like something players would question.

Ok. I'll give you that. Let's hold it in the park right across from Prince A. Pal's Happy Court. The anomatronics normally can't move from the stage they are displayed upon, but CyberJack (disguised as a hiered electronics expert hiered by the owners to improve them) made them so they can have some free range. Actually a bit more than he is telling the owners (they believe they are bound to the building, and can't stay out of it for more than an hour). In such a party, they would normally send an employee or two in costume and instructions not to speak, just give out the coupons for free tokens.

 

Oh, and the arcade is open during the party, with all games on "free play" during this time. With half the kids inside playing games, and the majority of the adults in the park, what can go wrong?

10 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

Maybe we need to destroy some civic infrastructure early on to create a reason, but it still seems like an outdoor venue (capable of hosting more people) would be more likely for an "all citizens welcome" event.

Ok. Any big enough to hold such a thing and is owned by the city was destroyed by The Skull's demonstration of 'back off'.

10 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

Of course, someone has to cater such an event - our eatery could have taken all of that on (locally owned; civic pride PR) or be one of many.

There might be more businesses involved. But for the kids, it is Prince A. Pal all the way. To them, who cares about Jeffrey's Golf Shack.

[steriaca]

Another way we could salvage the idea is to have it a "private" public party held and ran by the owners of Prince A. Pal's Happy Court without sponsorship by the city at all. Sure, the mayor is invited (and if it is an election year, will be there), but it doesn't have the city's approval as an 'offical' event.

 

That way, we can have our Showbiz, and eat the Cheeze also. (Showbiz Pizza Time Theater? Chuck E. Cheese? Anyone?)

[Duke Bushido]

On July 23, 2019 at 9:49 AM, steriaca said:

I see The Skull as an elaborate plotter. And with his insanity, his plots need not make sense.

 

I would suggest caution here.  Going to far with "insane" and "need not make sense" yields Foxbat with a real gun.  

 

I would, however, find "doesn't make sense without careful analysis" acceptable:  for example, if he's already working on step five while the heroes are dealing with step one, well it's certainly not going to make a lot of sense right away.  As sort of a 'frinstance, imagine finding a little boy hard at work in the woods with a folding shovel, digging a shallow trench eight feet long.  "Whatcha doin', Kiddo?"

"Missy Peters started a-goin' to my history class, and she's real nice, and I'm powerful sweet on her, an' I think she might like me, too, but I don't want her to go away until she kin make up her mind as to us maybe going steady 'er not."

 

??  que?

 

The young man becomes satisfied with his shallow trench, folds his shovel, puts it in his pack, pulls out a sandwich, and walks away, pleased with his efforts.  "that'll do it."

 

 

This makes _no_ sense.

 

Then the summer ends, and the rains and snows start, and the thaw comes, and the waters starting draining down the hills.  But that one trench-- that one little minor shift to the flow of runoff in this one spot--  the waters dig and cut and soften the soil around the roots of one particular tree.  And that three leans over and falls, ripping a staggering divot of soil and stone, creating a massive hole into which the water flows, repeating the process on a larger scale, and two weeks later a massive landslide cascades toward and into the river, creating a small flood and forcing the water to create new routes and new diversions, one of which runs across the Peters' farm.  For two years, Elmer Peters has struggled with his pivot system, and has been unable to produce a full, healthy crop due to poor irrigation.  If he had a third year of this trouble, he would lose the farm, and pack up his family and move southeast, where his brother has assured him he could find a factory job.  That's not an issue this year, though: there's a small stream running right through his land, and at the absolute worst, he can irrigate with nothing more than a gas-powered mud hog. Some strange act of Providence has bought him both the farm, the time he needs to repair his pivots, and the money with which to do it.

 

 

That sort of "crazed planning" I am totally cool with, particularly for a super-genius sort of character: he's way, way ahead.  Yes; he's insane.  But his "crazed plots" are, when studied closely, absolutely ingenious.

 

 

On July 23, 2019 at 9:49 AM, steriaca said:

 

 

As for the hired gun to reprogram the autonatronic entertainers, that would be CyberJack. He is another "evolved",

 

I am not calling you out on the term; I've used it myself in the past.  I _am_ calling out what modern culture has _done_ to the term.  Between Pokemon and other such "knock-off" structures, I'm not entirely sure people even _understand_ what actual "evolution" is:   they seem to think it's interchangeable with "metamorphosis."  I don't even know if the X-men are still using "the next evolutionary step" as their justification of mutants.  I'd rather like to just avoid the term completely.

 

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 - The Skull would win if he did not author his own defeat - this means the PCs aren't really the force that brings him down. 

 

This-- this is the part I wanted to hear more of your thoughts on.  If you find a minute, I'd like to know why you feel the Skull is directly at fault.  I grant the following:  he's taking home-brewed "brain expanders" and using a "cerebral enhancement device, side effects of which include paranoia and generalized insanity.  He may even be addicted to them at this point, if only because the heightened paranoia demands that he always be at his "utmost" mental capacity lest he miss some key 'thing.'  I find these to be interesting (and genre-appropriate) enough to like including them.  However, they are character flaws; not flaws in his plan.

 

And like Steriaca, I feel the destruction of the dome to be the condition of -- though I don't like using the word in an RPG-- "victory" for the players.  Everything else-- capturing various bad guys, saving various lives, figuring who is who and did what and how-- those are all a bit of gravy for the players who have enjoyed the game enough to want to dig into it a bit.  As to being the force that brings him down--

 

well, I'm not sure what you're driving at.

 

 I would like to hear more on both of these comments if you can find the time to elaborate.

 

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

Satisfying for the players?

 

I can't really answer that.  So much of "satisfaction" in an RPG is presentation, and presentation from start to finish.  If they find the rules cumbersome, they're going in with a negative "joy factor."  if the don't like the story, there's a negative factor.  unfortunately, we can only write the story: we can't tailor it for every possible audience (though that would be _awesome_!).  Case in point, it's already got the potential to be darker than I care for personally with regards to supers.  I'm not opposed to 'dark' at all; I just don't care to mix it with supers.  But if that's what people want these days, then that's what we should be looking at.

 

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 - I don't mind the Skull getting away.  I don't like the Heroes either being completely unable to figure out his background (so they know that was not just a robot puppet running the show for someone else)

 

To be honest, I would like to hear from more people on that-- for and against.  I can go either way, but if we look at it from the point of view of player satisfaction, it gets even trickier:  if the players do not figure out the Skull's background (and there's no reason they shouldn't, if they're interested enough to dig for it), and they believe that Cyberjack -- also a tech villain, of a sort-- really _is_ responsible, and they have captured him and he denies nothing (for whatever reason), then will they be satisfied?  If, to their minds, they have caught the guy behind it all, is that not a solid conclusion to their adventure?

 

As this is not an actual comic book, we can't "retcon," be we can, after a fashion "precon."  If we had written from the beginning that CyberJack set all this in motion and created a "dummy mastermind" in case he should be foiled, -- if we changed it right now, for that matter-- to that very thing, would it still present the same problems for you?  Granted, it would make it harder to learn the Skull's background, as he wouldn't have any at all, unless ol' CJ has been working this with a _major_ long game in mind.

 

Then, ten issues down the line, the editor says "No; this script is crap.  Give me something else by tomorrow so we can get the pencil guys to work!"  So the writer says "Hey!  What if, instead of Needlefoot being behind it all, we use the Skull?"

"The Skull?"

"Yeah-- you know back last year, when CyberJack put Hepzibah under a big dome and made that robot decoy to take the fall if it all went sour?"

"Yeah; I think so.  What about it?"

"Suppose it was the other way around?  Suppose there really _was_ a Skull, and CyberJack was _his_ puppet?  It would explain why CJ never put up a big argument that he _wasn't_ the mastermind, and it's like one of those twist surprises things that we can sell with four of five different covers."

"Well, I like that part.  I like people buying the five copies of the same book for no sensible reason.   But that means that CJ knew there really was a Skull.   Why didn't he protest such?"

"Who knows?  Maybe Skull has something on him, something really big.  Maybe he's just that terrified of the guy that he was scared _not_ to take the wrap!"

"Why would he be scared of a brand new villain?"

"Every time we make a new villain, we want them to be _threatening_.  We want them to be scary.  What's the point if they're not?  Do you remember how much we had to retune Sandman until he was finally something that people stopped laughing at?"

"Yeah; that kind of bit us in the ass, too.  By the time we used him as a movie villain, he was damned-near a good guy in the print.  But what makes CJ so scared of a guy without money and connections?"

"Jesus, Dude...  What makes the Joker scary?  A tall skinny guy?  You know-- like me and like Jeff in editing?  Both of whom got our butts kicked regularly all the way up until college?-- say....  By _you_ a couple of times!  What the Hell, Man?!"

"Forget it!  We were dumb kids.  Besides, you still got hair, don't ya?  See?  You win.  But people are scared of the Joker because he's scary.  We tell them that.

"The Skull is scary.  I told you that."

"But the Joker is absolutely _nuts_!"

"The Skull is absolutely nuts.  Not only is he insane, but he's insane and a _genius_; a man who can make his plans come to life."

"But the Joker doesn't have plans; he's just scary."

"Yeah.  Let's agree to disagree on that-- or anything else n the Joker, so we can move on."

"The Joker kills people."

"The Skull kills people."

"With a gun.  Joker shoots people."

"Forget the Joker!"

"Fine, but people like the Joker."

"Yes; there is a great deal of comfort in reading the same story over and over."

"So what's so scary about the Skull, then?  Why would CJ be scared of him?"

"What's the first thing the Joker did when he showed up?"

"Hell, I don't know.  I don't remember.  I'm not even sure I was born yet!  I'm only fifty-two."

"Right.  For the record, it was a series of lame practical jokes.  That's how he started."

"But he's come a long way, then, because people are terrified of the Joker."

"Right.  He went nuts, about the same time Batman did."

"Batman's not nuts!"

"Again, let's agree we're not going to agree, okay?"

"So what makes the Skull special?"

"The first thing he did was capture and entire city and kill a bunch of people.  He terrified an established villain and murderer so much that the villain himself took the rap."

"Why?"

"He started out crazy.  Serial killer, mass murderer insane.  _And_ he made his plans come to life, and did it with almost no resources other than sheer drive.  _Drive_, man.  An unstoppable, indomitable _will_ to subjugate all those around him."

"Who does that?  Who has that kind of will power?"

"Batman."

"No doubt.  Wait-- the Skull is Batman?!  We'll get sued!  Wait-- do we write Batman?"

"No, we don't.  But the fact is that "unconquerable will power" is something of a trope for comics--"

"I knew that!"

"That's why your the editor, Boss.  Problematically, our audience is primarily First-World people with enough disposable income to buy the same four-dollar comic book five times to get all the different covers.  They're generally soft enough to have forgotten that this sort of will power is _real_.  Look at those kids you see on those "adopt a child in horrible circumstances while still being able to leave them in those circumstances and not actually have to bring them into your comfy house or prepare meals for them" commercials."

"Hunh?"

"What I'm saying is that this kind of drive-- this will to live, to move on, to thrive-- it still exists; our audiences don't see it much in their own worlds--"

"That's _fine_!  The less interesting their worlds are, the more inclined they are to buy stories about ours!"

"Yeah; this wasn't about that, but sure; whatever.  What I'm saying is that it is a rare wallpaper hanger who gets rejected by a young lady and then spends the rest of his life attempting to wipe her entire ethnotype from the face of the earth."

"Do what now?"

"Let's just call that an example of the sheer, unstoppable _drive_ that is within the Skull.  It's so powerful that you can _feel_ it.  Combine that with barn bat crazy and super genius, and he's positively terrifying."

"Will it work?  Will it lead to a lasting and memorable character that people are absolutely terrified of?"

"Saul, I don't know.  I mean, it's no series of lame-assed practical jokes, but it might take off.  It might not.  But it does give a nice call back to a story we got some complimentary letters about."

"Okay, then-- the most important thing:  can you script it and have it on my desk by eleven tomorrow?"

"You have my firmest 'probably.'"

"Then make it happen!  Come on!  Get to work!"

 

 

 

 

okay.  Apparently I really needed that.      I haven't done one of those in a long, long time, and it felt _great_!  

 

That's the long way around.  if we're creating a new mastermind, one who will appear more than once in a series, and we want him to be scary, then I think the key is that people really believe he is capable of reaching his dreams.  No; I'm not suggesting "he's Hitler."  That example was chosen by one character above as an example that he was certain his target audience would understand (and he was sort of wrong).

 

I _am_ saying why can we accept that EGO means willpower and determination, but not accept that a 45 EGO is one hell of a lot of both of those things?  EGO-based Presence?  That'd be sweet.  

 

 

Anyway, this started as an example of how fans of the genre "buy it" every day.  But as we can't just go back and undo players' achievements (without being total dicks), we have to pre-include our retcons.  

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

And if our Heroes are not so clueless as to never discover any of the background, then I expect they may want to catch the psycho murderer, not wait until he happens to show up again, especially if we are going so dark as to kill off a kid.

 

If they are so clueless as to not find any of that, then there is no reason for them to not accept CJ as the primary villain.

 

 

Considering that I _personally_ feel (again, not a fact; just something I feel based on experience) that as the first game session is not going to be a truly memorable experience as there will be lots of uncertainty, lots of interruptions for clarifications and rules-checks, etc, it would be more satisfying to catch the mastermind when the players are more able to put their hearts into the play experience itself, whatever they have determined that play experience should be (tactical, immersive, or whatever).  I might be wrong.  For some, it might be a matter of taking all the stats and skills, entering them into a spreadsheet, and assigning EP based on how the totals fall out; game over.  Good session.  See you next week.

 

 

As for the killing a kid:

 

I'm not sold on that.  I'd like to hear a lot more feedback from a lot more people.  I can go either way, as I mentioned last night, but I think we should consider the ramifications for the guy being set up to take the fall, and the likely effect it will have on the progression of subsequent stories.

 

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 

 - It seems like we waffle between "the Skull is an emerging villain, an unknown at the start" to "Cyber is so scared of him that he will take the rap" and into "Skull can get him, even in a maximum security prison, and he knows it".  Which is he?

 

I'm not sure I understand why he can only be one of those things.  

 

Let me apologize:  at some point during my pre-practice dialogue bit above, I touched the screen wrong or my cursor jumped or something, and suddenly I was tying all that in the totally wrong place.  I didn't realize that until I just re-read where I broke your post above.  It's just a massive pain to put it back where it belongs, and the over-fifty-percent chance of deleting all of it during the attempt (I f'n _hate_ touch screen interfaces) compels me to leave it right where it is.

 

However, I apologize to you and everyone else about the mess it has made of this entire post.  I sincerely hope it hasn't been too much of an irritation to follow it.  

 

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 - I like Chaos getting their powers  as the dome powers up. 

 

I also liked this; I'll figure out how to work that in.

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

Skull could predict this (he knows which of his minions are likely to be affected, and ensures  they get maximum exposure).

 

I like this even more, first because it plays to "Skull is super-smart" and second because it plays to "Skull is a terrifyingly effective long-game plotter."

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

  Now, if the Heros have to deal with them just as their powers are emerging, Chaos should not be skilled at using these new powers, and perhaps even surprised by some of them.  They definitely won't have tactics that involve these brand-new powers.  Perhaps they are a bit more powerful than the PCs, equal in numbers, but fairly easily beaten by the heroes using teamwork and tactics.

 

Excellent points!

 

However, if we go with "slightly more powerful than PCs," we will have to wait to introduce them until we're certain that the PCs have had a couple of combats already and have had some time to practice their teamworks, etc.  Perhaps present them at two power levels, make one (or possibly two) encounters with them that are not tied directly to the chronology of the story, so the GM can insert the encounters where he feels his players will be the most "prepared" for such encounters?  You know: Chaos has been ordered to hunt down the heroes; they've been searching for a couple of days, but they don't happen to find them until the GM decides "I think my crew is ready for this"  as opposed to "as you round the next corner, you see movement-- a team of assailants has been lying in wait, and you've tripped the trigger for the ambush!"

 

At the end of the day, we, as the writers, don't know when the players will actually be ready, so I feel it's best to write the encounters so that they do not tie directly to the character's actions at a particular moment.

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

- A further reason not to stat out the dome is sending the message that (contrary to some detractors) Hero does not require everything be statted out. 

 

Hugh, my man, I want to hug you for this.  It's not the detractors, either: how many threads have we done over the years for statting out things that just don't need to be statted out?  How many of the old Circle of HEROes scenario offerings and equipment lists went all overboard with statting out cigarette lighters and other equipment that just didn't need it?  How many people have attempted to stat out cell phones and police scanners?  it's just unnecessary in all but the tiniest of cases (most of which involve "exactly how much damage do I need to break it?", and all of which can be played off-the-cuff, without rolls, etc. and be fair calls by any GM)

 

22 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

That makes for a decent sidebar.

 

I withdraw that hug.

 

I know those things are popular, but if I could point to the _one single thing_ i dislike most passionately about the last two editions, it's those damned sidebars.  Yes; I know I'm in the minority.  Put that Sh^( in a footnote, or it's own sub-section, but don't distract my reading with more reading that drifts down past where I was reading so that when I'm done reading I have to go figure out just where the hell I stopped reading and hope that it's not a reference back to a page I've already read or been referred to twice previously.  And nothing gives a more "damn!  I'm back in school!" feeling that those F*($%# sidebars.  Wasn't it Derrick that offered an indexing document for sidebars because of the number of them that aren't indexed or catalogued already?   I just hate them.    You can't have a decent conversation in a column that's two words wide and expect it to stay where it's relevant.  It's either not enough information to be of any real help, or so much information that you end up a page away from where you want to be.  Ditch the damned things, and format to allow that information to be properly placed in a "relevant notes" section of some sort, even if you have to put one within each section.

 

Gad but I hate them.

 

 

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

On July 24, 2019 at 9:18 PM, Duke Bushido said:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1apJUODa7wzi7hyYsUe-XWRUYo-BofZj55Tt0hNqKvUs

 

1 hour ago, Hugh Neilson said:

Thinking on one matter...how big is Hepzibah?

 

From the above link, it's the 84th-largest city in the US.  I rather wanted to avoid hard numbers for the same reason I don't want to stat out the dome:  it's unimportant.

 

 

1 hour ago, Hugh Neilson said:

A larger present-day municipality would have municipal facilities (or even a high school gymnasium) capable of hosting more people than an eatery, and better suited for a public presentation.

 

When originally presented, I saw it as one of those tourist-traps mini-themepark type affairs:  You know: mini-golf, two, maybe three small rides (knights and dragons themed, of course), a go-kart track, perhaps.  As it was presented as the place the mayor invited the city to attend, I rather instinctively assumed it was a place large enough for an appreciable amount of people to assemble.  I was fairly confident he wouldn't say "I think the eight thousand residents of this town should run to McDonalds and have a great time."   I also factored in the expectation that more than half would not attend, and that the "event" would run all day, or until supplies /resources ran out.

 

But that's just me. Steriaca didn't say that specifically: I just assumed the mayor wasn't an idiot.  (Though we could lighten the tone of the game by writing him as one, and have Prince A. Pals be an off-court eatery in the local mall.  That might actually be kind of fun.    )

 

 

[steriaca]

5 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

 

 

From the above link, it's the 84th-largest city in the US.  I rather wanted to avoid hard numbers for the same reason I don't want to stat out the dome:  it's unimportant.

 

 

 

When originally presented, I saw it as one of those tourist-traps mini-themepark type affairs:  You know: mini-golf, two, maybe three small rides (knights and dragons themed, of course), a go-kart track, perhaps.  As it was presented as the place the mayor invited the city to attend, I rather instinctively assumed it was a place large enough for an appreciable amount of people to assemble.  I was fairly confident he wouldn't say "I think the eight thousand residents of this town should run to McDonalds and have a great time."   I also factored in the expectation that more than half would not attend, and that the "event" would run all day, or until supplies /resources ran out.

 

But that's just me. Steriaca didn't say that specifically: I just assumed the mayor wasn't an idiot.  (Though we could lighten the tone of the game by writing him as one, and have Prince A. Pals be an off-court eatery in the local mall.  That might actually be kind of fun.    )

 

 

Well, think Chuck E. Cheeze times 10. There are more than arcade games there. They might be different floors, with each floor having there own sit down eat place and anamatronic monstrosity. Imagine not having to deal with one Prince A. Pal psudo robot, but three.

 

And let there be a go kart track and minigolf also. Why not. This IS the flagship resteraunt for a fledgling chain. One created by an almost millionaire who puts his own cash into the dang thing.