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Champions Universe: Unique Character Origins


Lord Liaden

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I found it interesting that in two DC/Marvel crossover miniseries -- the superhero "versus" series in the Nineties that led to the short-lived Amalgam setting, and the Avengers/Justice League series early in this millennium -- explicit parallels were drawn between Superman and Captain America. They're completely different in their origins and the type and magnitude of their abilities, but they share very similar ideals and values, and fill much the same role in their respective universes as the universally recognized and respected paragons of heroism.

 

Now, the Champions Universe gave us a bit of a hybrid of Supes and Cap in Captain Patriot (most recently written up in Golden Age Champions), America's first superhero, a young man from small-town Kansas who was imbued with low-level superhuman strength and durability due to the Walpurgisnacht Working in 1938. Captain Patriot donned a flag-suit and fought during WW II, and remained a loyal American patriot even after his powers faded; but over time he was increasingly viewed as outdated in his beliefs and attitudes.

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  • 8 months later...

The following suggestion has been added to the main list at the top of this thread.

 

Mythic Forces: Under the entry for "Divine" Intervention, above, is the story of how circus strongman Johnny Hercules received the Hercules Force in an amulet bestowed by Zeus. Johnny died in the Battle of Detroit, and his amulet, apparently powerless, was buried with him. But the Hercules Force continued to exist, and over a decade later "chose" another human vessel for its power, a student of Classical culture, who became the second and current Johnny Hercules. One of his greatest foes is the monstrous Typhon, once a bitter, angry archaeologist who was the recipient of the Typhon Force, a sort of balance to the Hercules Force.
The PDF book, The Hercules Force, which fully writes up both characters, suggests that other "forces" could exist based on other gods, demigod heroes, or divine-level monsters. The examples imply that these would be mythic figures who are either dead or imprisoned, e.g. Achilles, Python, Baldur, or Ymir. Powers granted would be consistent with the legendary abilities of those entities. The forces are most likely drawn to people with personalities similar to the original source being and/or familiarity and strong attachment to the culture it comes from. They would differ from empowerment directly by a mythic god in that there would be no potential meddling in the character's life by their patron divinity.

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"RADIUM-X Dr. Phillippe Moreau and his followers are fully written up in Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains, while both Leitstern and Liquifier are detailed in Golden Age Champions. Tiger has never been given a full background story or Hero System character sheet, but is mentioned and briefly described in CV Vol. 1, Champions Universe, and Book Of The Destroyer."

Radium-X! Wow, I missed those. I mean, I'm sure I read Golden Age of Champions at some point, but not carefully enough I guess. (Oh, wait, The Golden Age of Champions and 'Golden Age Champions' are different products.)

I made use of "Radium-X" in my Champions Campaign from it's inception, '83, I'd guess. In fact it was central, it fell to earth in the Tunguska event and catalyzed mutations of the 20th century, as well as powering super-tech and standing in for vibranium as the secret ingredient to make Adamantium. Thing is, I ripped it off from a much older source, Borris Karloff in "The Invisible Ray" (1936), which, I guess, made a real impression on me as a kid.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027800/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_Ray_(1936_film)

In the film, exposure to the mysterious extraterestrial element gave Dr. Janos Ruhk a lethal, glowing touch, that he suppressed with some sort of serum. It also powered a device capable of curing blindness, cancer, and other maladies - and disentegrating solid stone, though that was only used for dramatic effect.

I'd only ever met one other GM who drew inspiration from The Invisible Ray, it was a pulp Hero System convention game - I got to play The Shadow! - oh, more than a few years ago, and he used Ruhk, with his glowing, deadly hands, as a villain, a heavy, though, not a mastermind.


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3 hours ago, Opal said:


I made use of "Radium-X" in my Champions Campaign from it's inception, '83, I'd guess. In fact it was central, it fell to earth in the Tunguska event and catalyzed mutations of the 20th century, as well as powering super-tech and standing in for vibranium as the secret ingredient to make Adamantium. Thing is, I ripped it off from a much older source, Borris Karloff in "The Invisible Ray" (1936), which, I guess, made a real impression on me as a kid.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027800/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_Ray_(1936_film)

In the film, exposure to the mysterious extraterestrial element gave Dr. Janos Ruhk a lethal, glowing touch, that he suppressed with some sort of serum. It also powered a device capable of curing blindness, cancer, and other maladies - and disentegrating solid stone, though that was only used for dramatic effect.

I'd only ever met one other GM who drew inspiration from The Invisible Ray, it was a pulp Hero System convention game - I got to play The Shadow! - oh, more than a few years ago, and he used Ruhk, with his glowing, deadly hands, as a villain, a heavy, though, not a mastermind.
 

 

Darren Watts specifically credited The Invisible Ray for inspiring his use of Radium-X for Champions. Darren reportedly did even more with it in his Silver Age Champions campaign.

 

This movie has to be one of the earliest uses of a radioactive mutagen as a plot feature in fiction.

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  • 1 year later...

There is another origin concept which I derived from the history of the current Champions Universe, but didn't want to put it in the main list on this thread because it's never been officially published. But I do think it has intriguing potential, so is worth at least bringing up.

 

In the mid-1980s Dr. Sebastian Poe, founder of the villain group PSI, inventor of the Psi Serum, and father of Kevin Poe of the New Purple Gang, began his criminal career using his Psi Serum to create superhumans serving organized crime, in exchange for funding for his research into psionic mutations. In 1995 Poe was betrayed to law enforcement by his underlings Psimon and Medusa, who took control of PSI; and was sentenced to twenty years in Stronghold. Sebastian Poe was officially not one of the prisoners who escaped Stronghold in the major breakout of 2009, and remained in prison. Obviously, though, his sentence was up in 2015, so barring other unrevealed circumstances he should have been released.

A few years ago I asked Steve Long what he would have done with Dr. Poe in that situation if he was still making those decisions for Champions. He suggested that Poe would return to his original line of creating superhumans for pay, becoming a sort of "psionic Power Broker" (to reference a character from Marvel Comics). Only this time he would use refinements to his treatments devised over his years in prison (and not disclosed to new clients) to enable him to take mental control of the supers he creates, and/or build in ways for him to negate their powers. His ultimate goal would be to build an "army" of supers with which to destroy Medusa and Psimon and regain control of PSI.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Psi Serum amplifies even the smallest amount of latent psionic potential in a person, sometimes to a significant level of superhuman power. (The serum gives no benefit to the majority of human beings, who lack that potential.) The range of possible powers extends far beyond just some variation of telepathy. For example, Psimon can surround his body with powerful psychokinetic force in the shape of a translucent humanoid "giant." Current PSI member Soulfire has the power of "pyrokinesis," mentally exciting air molecules until they combust. He can also resist the effects of extreme heat and "see" gradations of heat. The possibilities are only limited by what someone can logically justify using "psionic energy" as its Special Effect.

 

The history of PSI is most recently written up in Champions Villains Volume Two: Villain Teams.

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On 1/23/2023 at 3:48 AM, Lord Liaden said:

There is another origin concept which I derived from the history of the current Champions Universe, but didn't want to put it in the main list on this thread because it's never been officially published. But I do think it has intriguing potential, so is worth at least bringing up.

 

In the mid-1980s Dr. Sebastian Poe, founder of the villain group PSI, inventor of the Psi Serum, and father of Kevin Poe of the New Purple Gang, began his criminal career using his Psi Serum to create superhumans serving organized crime, in exchange for funding for his research into psionic mutations. In 1995 Poe was betrayed to law enforcement by his underlings Psimon and Medusa, who took control of PSI; and was sentenced to twenty years in Stronghold. Sebastian Poe was officially not one of the prisoners who escaped Stronghold in the major breakout of 2009, and remained in prison. Obviously, though, his sentence was up in 2015, so barring other unrevealed circumstances he should have been released.

A few years ago I asked Steve Long what he would have done with Dr. Poe in that situation if he was still making those decisions for Champions. He suggested that Poe would return to his original line of creating superhumans for pay, becoming a sort of "psionic Power Broker" (to reference a character from Marvel Comics). Only this time he would use refinements to his treatments devised over his years in prison (and not disclosed to new clients) to enable him to take mental control of the supers he creates, and/or build in ways for him to negate their powers. His ultimate goal would be to build an "army" of supers with which to destroy Medusa and Psimon and regain control of PSI.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Psi Serum amplifies even the smallest amount of latent psionic potential in a person, sometimes to a significant level of superhuman power. (The serum gives no benefit to the majority of human beings, who lack that potential.) The range of possible powers extends far beyond just some variation of telepathy. For example, Psimon can surround his body with powerful psychokinetic force in the shape of a translucent humanoid "giant." Current PSI member Soulfire has the power of "pyrokinesis," mentally exciting air molecules until they combust. He can also resist the effects of extreme heat and "see" gradations of heat. The possibilities are only limited by what someone can logically justify using "psionic energy" as its Special Effect.

 

The history of PSI is most recently written up in Champions Villains Volume Two: Villain Teams.

 

I'd be shocked if Dr. Poe hadn't been exploited during his 20 years in prison, whether by the authorities or by some criminal organization.

 

Or both.

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I can see that as a credible direction to take the character, although by its very nature Stronghold makes it extraordinarily difficult for the inmates to connect with criminals from outside the prison. OTOH I could readily accept that Dr. Poe would be unwilling to give away his one option to regain power and gain revenge, particularly given that he isn't likely to be in a trusting mood after betrayal by Medusa and Psimon. But I'm certain Poe would have kept his knowledge of the underworld current as new prisoners were brought to Stronghold, so he could set up operations after he was released.

 

Dr. Poe's long-term goals could become a major surprise development in a campaign, if desired. Perhaps Poe could also reconnect with his estranged son Kevin, forming an alliance with the New Purple Gang against PSI. You could even adapt a few of the characters from Mind Games, the Fourth Edition source book for PSI, who didn't get updated for the 5E/6E version of the group, as assistants to Poe, bolstering his resources.

 

However, germane to this topic, IMHO as an origin source for both villains and heroes, Poe works better as an independent contractor concealing his identity and the true nature of his empowering process, particularly to keep PSI from discovering he's active again. I would have introduced him into my game as "Professor Prometheus," a shadowy figure known within certain scientific and criminal circles, from whom anyone with enough money who knows the right people can arrange to buy super powers (provided Poe discovers they have psionic potential).


 

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There is someone I believe is being left out of this conversation. The Thugmaster. Sure, he might know Professor Pomegranate and his Ubermachine, but more importantly anyone with enough cash can enter his School For Thugs and learn various high level skills.

 

Besides, remember that it is not illegal to teach someone to pick a lock. If they use the skill to rob a safe, that is another matter. 

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That very old Champions concept (not for the current CU BTW) was obviously inspired by Marvel's Taskmaster. But it's specifically for "thugs," i.e. support agents for supervillains. Not an origin for supers as such. Could an aspiring supervillain learn useful skills from a person like Thugmaster? Sure, why not. Could Thugmaster alone make someone a super? Not in concept.

 

There are certainly "supers" who are products of advanced training, but the sources for that training are traditionally rare and exclusive, and those skills take time, talent and dedication to master. "Martial Arts Temples" on my list in the first post are one example.

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1 minute ago, Lord Liaden said:

That very old Champions concept (not for the current CU BTW) was obviously inspired by Marvel's Taskmaster. But it's specifically for "thugs," i.e. support agents for supervillains. Not an origin for supers as such. Could an aspiring supervillain learn useful skills from a person like Thugmaster? Sure, why not. Could Thugmaster alone make someone a super? Not in concept.

Quite true. But "superskills" do exist.

 

They just cost a lot of time and money. 

 

Also he knows Professor Pomegranate and his Ubermachine.  If he likes you and you pay well, he'll introduce you to him.

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I added to my previous post addressing the training points you raise while you were posting. ;)  Gist is, my list already covers that kind of training. As for Professor Pomegranate, particularly the way you describe him above, he's the same concept as Dr. Poe, a "power broker." For that matter, Teleios is too in a way, although his style is different, and his scope is much broader.

 

But Prof. P. was never written up in any published Champs book. We don't know who he is, what his priorities are, how he operates, or what the limits of his "Ubermachine" are. Under those circumstances I would be reluctant to recommend him as an origin source. In contrast, Dean Shomshak's "Dynatron" is essentially the same thing, but much better defined.

 

 

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Someone should write up Professor Pomegranate. Tiger already written up Doctor Lirby Koo. (Who would of thought he was slightly Raz Al Ghul? Well, Tiger for one.)

 

The Ubermachine? It is capable of infusing people with energy and altering DNA (Darkion, Jabberrok, Spectra, the so far unwritten The Blonde Bonbshell). But we only have four examples, with only three written up and one only by game rumors. 

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What we know about Professor Pomegranate. 

 

1) He is really smart.

 

2) He is not in his original body (he had his brain transplanted). This was explained in a big thing about subplots in the BBB (and was probably a reprint of something earlier).

 

3) He doesn't seem to have any superpowers of note (unless having a gadget pool VVP is enough to make him a supervillain as opposed to a villain).

 

 

4) We don't know exactly how the Ubermachine works, or why.

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1 hour ago, DShomshak said:

Aw shucks, I'm blushin'.

 

(But considering the nature of the thread, I must also remind people that these products are not official parts of the CU. Easy to integrate, but not official.)

 

Dean Shomshak

 

I should have done that myself, as it matters to some folks. Thanks, Dean.

 

But many Champions players, perhaps most, don't base their games in the official CU, or modify it for their use, or only borrow elements from it. (I admit I've tweaked the setting a fair bit myself.) "Easy to integrate" into other four-color settings was one of my priorities for the origins on this thread. I wanted stuff with enough background to understand its implications and suggest ways to use it, but not force a player or GM to substantially change their world to accommodate it. Which your Shared Origins booklets fit admirably.

 

My hesitation over Professor Pythias Pomegranate and his Ubermachine is that they're extremely light on the background part. Well, that and the names are really cheesy. :rolleyes:

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1 hour ago, Lord Liaden said:

My hesitation over Professor Pythias Pomegranate and his Ubermachine is that they're extremely light on the background part. Well, that and the names are really cheesy. :rolleyes:

Extremely understandable. As far as Joe Champions Player knows, he and his device are simply words in a book, if they even know of him at all.

 

In fact, he IS words in a book, as far as I know. And yes, he is a Full Pounder Cheeseburger With Extra Cheese And A Side Order Of Cheese With It's Own Side Order Of Cheese, No Room For French Fries, And Washed Down With A Cheese Flavored Soft Drink. The writer of the subplot example featuring him even said it was an extra cheesy plot.

 

That or the giant turkey. That was cheesy also.

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  • 2 months later...
On 1/25/2023 at 6:27 PM, DShomshak said:

Aw shucks, I'm blushin'.

 

(But considering the nature of the thread, I must also remind people that these products are not official parts of the CU. Easy to integrate, but not official.)

 

Dean Shomshak

They're still great pieces of writing. I love all three. Thanks for creating them.

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