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Jkeown

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Posts posted by Jkeown

  1. Mystery Mustache Monday

    The Coverage

    [Opening shot of a newsroom, the banner "Breaking News: Mystery Mustache Monday" flashing at the bottom of the screen. Poppy McCauley, a seasoned news anchor with a professional demeanor and bright blonde mustache, sits at the desk. Despite the gravity of her role, there’s a hint of amusement in her eyes as she adjusts the papers in front of her. The camera zooms in.]

    Poppy McCauley:

    "Good morning, I’m Poppy McCauley, and this is Retropolis Now. In an unprecedented event that has citizens baffled and barbers busy, a mysterious phenomenon has occurred citywide. At precisely 9:03 am today, people across a 25-mile radius found themselves sporting a brand-new mustache. Yes, you heard that right—a mustache. From the young to the old, regardless of gender or previous facial hair proclivities, everyone now has what can only be described as an overnight lip toupee."

    [Cut to a series of images showing a diverse array of people, all with mustaches, ranging from the pencil-thin to the full handlebar. Some are laughing, taking selfies; others look bewildered, even annoyed.]

    Poppy McCauley:

    "Folks on social media have named it #MysteryMustacheMonday, and it's the top trending topic worldwide. Local businesses are seizing the moment, with pop-up mustache grooming stations appearing on street corners and in malls, offering styling, trimming, and, for those not so fond of their new facial accessories, swift removal."

    [A video plays showing a queue outside a barber shop, a street vendor selling mustache combs, and a group of teenagers comparing their mustaches and laughing.]

    Poppy McCauley:

    "While the cause of this follicular phenomenon is currently unknown, Hemlock Creed suggests magical mischief may be afoot. He is urging the public to remain calm and is assuring everyone that he is working tirelessly to uncover the source of this spell—if indeed it is a spell—and how to reverse it."

    [The screen splits, showing Poppy on one side and a live feed of Hemlock Creed on the other, surrounded by ancient tomes and magical detectors.]

    Hemlock Creed:

    "The transmutation of hair across a cityscape is no trivial matter. While some may find humor in the bewilderment of a mustachioed morning, let us not forget the underlying currents of power at play. Such a widespread enchantment speaks to a potent and mischievous source, one that must be approached with caution and a keen understanding of the arcane. Rest assured, the Council and I are delving into the weave of magic that has spun this unexpected tapestry upon the faces of the unsuspecting. We will seek to unravel this spell, ensuring that the personal sovereignty of our citizens remains unviolated by whimsical sorcery."

    Poppy McCauley:

    "As we continue our coverage, we ask our viewers to share their mustache stories and photos with us. Local heroes are on high alert and investigating the situation. If this is the work of a rogue spellcaster, rest assured, they will face some serious questions, not least of which will be: Why mustaches?"

    [Poppy smiles, the broadcast returning to full frame on her.]

    Poppy McCauley:

    "For now, Retropolis, whether you love your new 'stache or hate it, it seems we're all in this together. We'll keep you updated with any developments. For Retropolis Now, I'm Poppy McCauley. Stay brave, stay bewhiskered, and stay tuned."

    [The camera zooms out, fading to a commercial break, leaving the image of Poppy McCauley trying—and failing—to maintain a completely straight face.]

     

    The Truth

    The Imp casts a spell that causes everyone in a 40km radius to grow a mustache at 9:03 am on a Monday morning. The spell cast by The Imp would result in a cascade of effects across the 25-mile radius, causing widespread astonishment and confusion. Here are some possible outcomes:

    Public Reaction: Residents would wake up to find themselves with sudden mustaches, leading to shock and bewilderment. Social media would explode with selfies and videos, and the phenomenon would likely trend globally as #MysteryMustacheMonday.

    News Coverage: Local and international news outlets would rush to cover the story, with reporters on the ground interviewing mustached citizens and speculating about the cause of this bizarre event.

    Economic Impact: Razor and shaving cream sales could skyrocket as people scramble to remove their unexpected facial hair. Conversely, some might embrace the change, leading to a pop-up industry of mustache grooming products and styling services.

    Workplace Disruptions: Offices might encounter a drop in productivity as employees deal with their new facial hair, with some taking the day off due to the distraction or embarrassment. Others might find humor in the situation, leading to a more lighthearted work atmosphere.

    Emergency Services: Hospitals and clinics could be overwhelmed with people seeking explanations or solutions. Meanwhile, emergency services would need to ensure that the mustache spell hasn't caused any health issues or accidents due to impaired vision or distraction.

    Political and Social Discussions: Debates would arise about personal autonomy and the ethics of widespread magical effects. Activists might protest against unsolicited magical interference, while some political figures could call for regulations on magic use.

    Cultural Impact: The event would become part of the cultural lexicon, potentially changing attitudes towards mustaches. It could inspire themed parties, art, and even influence fashion trends.

    Scientific Inquiry: Scientists and experts in the supernatural would seek to study the phenomenon, attempting to understand how such a spell was cast and whether it could be replicated or reversed.

    Hero Response: Local heroes might attempt to find the source of the spell to prevent further magical mischief. This could lead to an encounter with The Imp, resulting in either a confrontation or a negotiation to end the spell.

    Long-Term Effects: Depending on whether the mustaches are permanent or temporary, there could be long-term social effects. Relationships might be tested, individuals might undergo personal growth or crisis, and the collective experience could either bring the community together or sow discord based on the reaction to the change.

     

    Mass Mustache

    The mustache spell would be remembered as a peculiar but defining moment, illustrating the unpredictable nature of living in a world where characters like The Imp wield their powers with a whimsical touch, challenging the mundane reality of Monday mornings in your Champions campaign. I used it as a slot in her Variable Power Pool. 

     

    Mass Mustache:  Cosmetic Transform 8d6 (Clean-shaven person to person with Mustache, Shaving the mustache off), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), MegaScale (1m = 10 km; +1 1/4) (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60

  2. In Meta-Earth, we make armor from Bronsonite (3rPD/3rED), Collapsium (18rPD/18rED), Durium (15rPD/15rED), Flexalloy (10rPD/10rED), Orichalcum (12rPD/12rED), Questite (10rPD/10rED and it is comprised of dizzy molecules and fibers of raw confusion. It adapts to a meta-human’s power and abilities), Talosium (It has 20rPD/20rED and tends to hum Ronnie James Dio tunes when it thinks you aren’t listening.), Turgenevite (8rPD/8rED), Onyxium (9rPD/12rED and is totally blacker than black, providing Stealth levels in the right circumstances), and Multifarian Memory Metal (15rPD/15rED and is totally weird, often phoning up at night to ask if you're thinking of it). There are also generic materials that cover values in between these. 

     

    And... none of the stuff never gets torn up in any meaningful way. I'm too 1970s to scratch the paint. 

  3. 9 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

    At the absolute most, I would go to their most recent big battle.  They were captured during that battle (so they only have one thing that needs redoing, and they will have the advantage of being super-motivated to dish it out on the boss fight).

     

     

    They were beaten up in the aftermath of an illegal blood sport tournament held in a disused skating rink; the Mutant Unlimited Tournament International Event (MUTIE). Such fights are happening all around the world, not just Retropolis. Many heroes might go missing. However, to make the return rescue shiny, different, and lemon-scented...?

     

    I love the idea that they'll get the opportunity to return the favor, but in an upscaled fashion down the road. Especially the notion that the stakes are higher when that event occurs. With this idea, you really got into the player's heads. In a good way.

     

    From my notes, looks like the Slavers is the right place to pull this off. An alien probe was found in last year sometime... can't remember now, but it was a bit ago. Months after the discovery of a probe of alien origin, the Malachrons move in. The probe itself is not only self-aware but can possess minds that touch it, thus creating an agent for their evil. The vile Malachrons steal the entire population of a small Midwestern town. This is a bad thing. A few days later, a larger community goes missing. Can the heroes stop the escalation before the villains take a whole city? What of the folks they kidnapped? Can they be rescued? The green-skinned slavers have metas of their own to fight the heroes.

    Complications: Slaver Tech can be used to control the victims, turning them into weapons.

    Need: Malachron Villains

    Krastor Kefular - Slave lord

    Dom’Nort - Mind Controller

    Comet Boy - Speedster

    Ga’Gan’Ax - Brick

    Tych’ar - Blaster

  4. Crisis Patrol (my player's super team) has been defeated and is currently occupying some hand-wavey Dream Chamber that are pumping stimuli into them, making them think they are out in the world doing good as usual. I have a back-up team (the Impossible Squad) who will be raiding the World Crime League hideout in our campaign city of Retropolis. The PCs will be playing the Impossible Squad for an issue or two. Experience Points for those two issues go to the Crisis Patrol Characters if they wish. 

     

    This week, we're still in the Dream Chamber pretending as if everything is hunky-dorey. Recall that the PCs have no idea what's really happening. 

     

    Which is the better reveal? 

    Impossible Squad gets to the Dream-Chamber room and discovers the Crisis Patrol members in the booths, much to the surprise of the my players?

    Crisis Patrol wakes up inside the booths just as the Impossible Squad arrives, and we rewind to how the Squad got there? 

     

    There might be another possibility. You have my thanks in advance for any advice. 

  5. 4 hours ago, Legendsmiths said:

    @Jkeown I feel sorry that I somehow contributed to the shortening of your time on this big blue marble. But no hdc import yet. 

     

    Seriously, it was a well-meaning compliment in the form of a weird (bad?) joke. Please take all the time you need. I'm aware of the sheer unadulterated fun that is software development. I work for an invoicing and procurement platform. It can be awful. Your effort is appreciated and is way more fun. Electronic cXML-based invoices make poor character sheets. You can't even wad them up and throw them at your players. 

     

     

  6. On 8/10/2023 at 6:28 PM, cameronpants said:

    I'm just getting back into Hero after years on other systems. Foundry's getting a ruleset for Hero too?! That's awesome. I'd love me some VTT tokens!

    Then you'll love you some 1600+ tokens. It seems to be a bit of a habit... as in an addiction. I love making tokens more than I love sandwiches. If you knew me, you'd understand how big a deal that is. 

     

    Do some of them push the boundaries of good taste? Yes. Iniquity White is a way over the top sexualized joke, and the ones based on WaterLawOF's Rapper sets (from ArtStation) are a bit too stylized. I think some of my Malachrons (Meta-Earth_1176, for example) are absurd. Don't use the ones that bug you. 

     

    A good many of my mutants have white hair, so you'll see a lot of those. 

     

    And I didn't notice that I'd spelled Civilian wrong until I'd made a few dozen tokens. Stupid me. 

     

    Lastly.. I have a few thousand generations each month, so requests are quite welcome. 

     

    Champions Tokens

  7. 17 hours ago, Tech said:

    And yet another question: I hadn't heard of any 'Foundry module for HERO'. Soooo....what's that supposed to be?

    There are two Hero System modules, one official, the other not so much. I'm using the unofficial one for the time being, but I plan on upgrading as soon as I'm able. If none of us are using Foundry or other VTTs, this thread is of no use. 

  8. 20 minutes ago, steriaca said:

    Technically nothing. Your only defense RAW is to increase your DCV and avoid getting hit.

     

    Let's hope the GM has written the power with UAA with some "Does Not Work" power limitations.

     

    Edit: and of course the "reasonable defenses" defined by the GM.

     

    I'm the GM, actually. I'm hoping to give my Players some options. Just trying to think about the proper mechanics/effects when they inevitably give up a great hew and cry. A Barrier to prevent teleportation, flight to avoid being "flown," and perhaps Resistant Power Defense to prevent changes to one's density state. I was just hoping there was a more generic defense against such things that I'd missed. Few things in HERO have no defense. 

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