SKJAM!

Re: Zen Team Reborn! - A Ninja Hero/Teen Champions Campaign

Re: Zen Team Reborn! - A Ninja Hero/Teen Champions Campaign Always glad to see someone enjoying the Zen Team (which came out the summer before Power Rangers went on the air.) Zen Scorpion might also still be alive somewhere in one of those mid-season surprise twists....

Re: WWY(Other)CD: If you became a villain? Rock Bottom: He'd probably become muscle for hire; the rest of the New Guard would find it pretty easy to corral him once they figured out what happened. (He's one of the least versatile members.) Calculus: Vanishes and becomes a criminal mastermind. His old teammates never find him, though eventually some heroes would catch up to him. Mask of Justice: May well lose his special powers, given that they supposedly come from the goddess of justice. As a crooked reporter, would have ample ways to abuse his contacts, however. The Crimebusters would beat him up in a terrific fight during which the Mask (powers or no) managed to hold them all off with his clever tactics, then figure out how to remove the Mind Control. Kira Midori: Probably goes vigilante. The rest of her team would initially assume this is all part of some clever plan to catch crooks. They'd probably be right. Talion: Arguably a villain already. Would make a horribly useless criminal. The other New Legends would have no problem fighting him though, once they figure out a way to do it without triggering the side effects.

Re: "the Governmput put a Chip in my Head!" Presumably the spelling is how it would appear on a cardboard sign held by the unemployable but surprisingly dangerous derelict on the street corner.

Re: Mount Rushmore One of the fun things about pulp games is that you can do the stories that the contemporary writers never thought of, because they didn't know what would be important later.

http://www.americanparknetwork.com/parkinfo/ru/history/carve.html A history of the Mount Rushmore project. The most pulpish elements are the 1925 fleeing of the sculptor just ahead of the law, and the secret vault he created behind the monument.

Re: Your Hometown For Pulp Thanks for the useful bits so far, keep them coming! A couple of liquid tidbits about Sandstone: The original name of the town was Cold Springs, after the natural fresh water source that made it a good place to settle back in the logging days. The most interesting geographical feature nearby is the Kettle River, which has cut a small gorge through the local sandstone. The name comes from the many circular depressions ("kettles") in the bed of the stream that make the water swirl and bubble as though boiling. The river has dangerous rapids, the most challenging of which are known as Hell's Gate. During the Pulp Era, one fork of the Kettle River has been dammed for hydroelectric power. It's a pretty dirty river at the time, due to all the quarrying.

Re: Your Hometown For Pulp Would have been weirder if the people choosing it for that reason hadn't mostly been descended from the English, I imagine.

While the overview of the world in Pulp Hero was extensive, it obviously had some unavoidable holes in it. (Such as nothing about the USA between Chicago and California.) So, tell us a little bit about your hometown as it was in the 1920s and '30s. To lead off...Sandstone, Minnesota is approximately halfway between St. Paul and Duluth. If you look at a map of the eastern border of Minnesota and imagine it as a face in profile, Sandstone's on the bridge of the nose. The primary employer in the time period is the quarry which gives Sandstone its name. In the 1920s, Minnesota sandstone is used in important buildings throughout the US, and the town is booming. It's not as rough as it was back at the turn of the century, when Sandstone was nearly denied a Masons chapter due to "moral turpitude", but quarrymen are still a rowdy lot. The important local buildings are made of sandstone, too, the most impressive and largest of which is the three-story tall fortress-like high school. It was built on the highest hill in town, so dominates the skyline (such as it is.) The quarry and central location also make Sandstone a busy railroad town, with its own roundhouse and switching yard. There's also a creosote factory, as they're busy paving roads. Outside the town, the soil is poor and rocky, and the landscape is dotted with hard-scrabble farms and pine forest (all new growth, due to the Hinckley Fire some decades before.) The Depression hits Sandstone hard, as construction of new buildings slows immensely. The quarry is still open, but the handwriting is on the wall, with new construction materials and methods taking over. The railroad yard is still busy, though.

Re: (location) Trail Service I should mention that the "cafe" area is actually quite small--everything fits in barely, but a normal conversational human voice can be heard throughout the entire room and the kitchen, and there simply aren't any dark corners to hide in. (Yes, the Trail Service is based on a real place from my childhood.)

Re: Every good four color supers games needs: Mind-controlling villains that never exceed a PG rating. (He may dress women in harem girl costumes, but you just know he turned his back while they changed.)

Re: Women in Pulp adventures? Speaking of comic strips: Little Orphan Annie. True, she tends to rely on big, muscular men for the violence , but Annie is the very definition of "survivor." Smart, resourceful, good at making friends and spotting baddies, capable of operating by herself or leading a ragtag group. And those Contacts aren't too shabby. Apple Mary (Mary Worth): As indicated by the nickname, Mary Worth started her comic strip career as a widow reduced to selling apples on the street. Again, not a combatant, but her hard work and gift for meddling serve her well, eventually propelling her to a comfortable middle-class existence.

Background: When he was a lad, John "Sig" Sigmundson ran off to sea. He spent many years as a sailor, each voyage he hoped bringing him closer to the fortune he'd read about in adventure books. Finally, he and his shipmates found a buried pirate treasure. After it was all divided up, Sig was still not a rich man. You'd have been hard-pressed to call him well-off. But it was still more money than he'd ever had at one time before, and likely as much money as he'd ever have. So Sig retired from the sea and returned to his hometown. As it happened, the owner of a way station that had originally served coaches and carriages on the way West was retiring, and was willing to let Sig buy him out. Sig looked at a map, consulted with the county board, and saw potential there. He modernized the place, gave it a new coat of paint, and renamed it "Trail Service." It's been over ten years now, and while times are tough, Trail Service is doing just fine. Facilities: Trail Service is a combination gas station, garage and greasy spoon located on the outskirts of a large rural town halfway between where the player characters came from, and where they're going. It's open twenty-four hours, and is right on the blacktop, so it gets a fair amount of business. There are two regular gas pumps, and one for diesel fuel, and there are the usual assortment of other petroleum products for sale. This is a "full service" station, though what "full" means depends on what attendant is on duty. The garage will hold three normal-sized automobiles; larger vehicles will be worked on outside. The "cafe" has an U-shaped counter that seats sixteen people on stools, and five booths that are meant for four people each. There's almost always room to sit somewhere. A display along one wall has pictures of the town's past and Sig's travels; on the opposite wall is a shelf of candy and travel necessities for sale. John "Sig" Sigmundson: As mentioned above, is a former sailor, as can be deduced from his rolling walk, his anchor tattoo, and his habit of cursing up a blue storm (but never in front of a woman.) He's broad in the beam, and getting thick in the middle; most of his once-blond hair is thinned out. He's a blustery man, who shouts at his employees a lot, particularly the attendants. Sig enjoys sitting back on a stool, smoking a clay pipe and slowly sipping coffee while giving orders, but can do almost any job that needs doing around the Trail Service, and is his own bouncer. Sig lives in the shack back of the Trail Service, but somehow always manages to be in the building somewhere when player characters visit, no matter what time it is. Beatrice "Bea" Riggs: The night waitress/cook. Bea is somewhere in her fifties, but has aged badly. She has a permanent sour look on her sharp face, and the red in her hair is an obvious dye. Bea is sharp-tongued, short-tempered, and only a fair cook, but has an excellent memory and never makes a mistake in an order. A fiercely independent woman, she's not told anyone about her recent dizzy spells. Kenneth "Ken" Drummond: The day cook, he learned his trade in the Army, but his fare tastes better than that might imply. He's only fifty, but already completely bald. Ken's a jovial sort who often tells tall tales of his war exploits, and is known to be very handy with a knife. Bradley Kinnon: The garage's head mechanic. He's in his thirties, a lanky fellow with a mop of brown hair greased back unstylishly. He's pretty good at his job, but slower than most people like. Bradley's a shy person outside of the garage, and collect pinups. Day Waitresses: Generally younger and prettier than Bea, they work shorter shifts and fewer days a week. The Trail Service is a little rough, but families often come in, so it's not a male preserve. Station Attendants: Mostly young men, the older ones taking night shifts. Sig tends to have a high turnover in this job, with a running betting pool on whether a particular attendant will quit or be fired. Customers: The local customers tend to be older men who sit at the counter smoking and making their coffee last as long as possible while gossiping and reminiscing about "the good old days." They're joined by single travelers and truckers. Families and traveling groups take the booths. Campaign Use: A way station for player characters going from one exciting city to another. The locals can be comical and welcoming, or surly and sinister as needed for the game. It's a good place to have a automobile break down, as there's a garage handy. Some plot seeds: Sig is hailed by the postman, who has a package for him. It seems that one of Sig's old shipmates has died, and left him a curious statuette. A player character with the proper skills recognizes the statuette as special in some way, and there's some question as to whether the friend's death was natural... If there's a doctor in the party, have them arrive at night, when Bea's undiagnosed medical condition suddenly kicks in. The nearest hospital is nearly thirty miles away; what to do? Gangsters build a roadhouse not far away from the Trail Service. They decide the small business is too much competition and start a campaign to drive Sig out of business. Thoughts, comments?

Re: (Location) Widder Jones' Boarding House A traveling salesman who's only in once a week or so might have many secrets...

History: Kathleen Gillicuddy came to the United States from Ireland sometime before the turn of the century, though exactly when would be rude to ask. She spent some time as a washerwoman before meeting Isaac Jones, a promising young man who was starting his own construction firm. They were soon married, and Kathleen settled down to keeping the house and raising the children. And it was quite a house to keep, as Isaac had built it himself to accomodate a family of ten. Shortly after the birth of the Jones' sixth child, Isaac was killed in a construction accident. To Kathleen's dismay, she learned that the construction firm was nearly dry of funds due to some bad investments Isaac had made, and embezzlement by an unscrupulous partner. Faced with poverty, and with seven mouths to feed, Kathleen started taking in laundry, and rented out a spare room to a young man who also helped with the heavy repairs. Over time, as her children grew up and moved out, "Widder" Jones took in more boarders. Now all the children are grown, and they send money when they can, but Kathleen has taken a liking to the boarding house business. Kathleen Jones: A small white-haired woman somewhere around sixty years of age, with surprisingly muscular-looking arms. (All that laundry work built strength.) She speaks with a slight Irish accent, which thickens when she talks to other expatriates. While she will not put up with disrespect, Widder Jones is notable for being forgiving of eccentricity in her boarders (which makes this a good place for player characters to rent.) She does her tenants' laundry for a small extra fee, but is otherwise retired from that business. Widder Jones is well respected in her neighborhood, and anyone causing trouble for her will find himself in hot water very quickly. (This protectiveness does not necessarily apply to the boarders, who will have to win their own respect.) The House: Widder Jones' place is a fine-looking house in what is now a respectable neighborhood. (Back in the days it was built, most of the immigrants were new and things were rougher; The old men will tell you about it for a drink or a smoke.) The six guest rooms are on the second floor, as well as a shared bathroom. Kathleen, a handyman, and a young chore girl live on the first floor. There's a large attic and basement, which can be used to store tenants' property for a small fee. The house is on the electric grid, and has a separate generator for emergencies. There is a telephone in the downstairs hall, next to the parlor. Boarders must pay for their own long-distance calls. Kathleen rents only to men, and is a fairly good judge of character. The rent is a little on the high side for the time period, and the first month's rent must be paid in advance. Female visitors must be seen in the parlor, and under absolutely no circumstances may go up to the second floor. Breakfast is at 6 AM and dinner at 6 PM, those who are late may well go hungry. Kathleen will pack a cold lunch for a small fee, but must be told at least a day in advance. Campaign Use: Widder Jones' boarding house can serve as a home base for a bachelor player character or two, or for NPCs of the proper type. The storage areas have numerous boxes and sacks left behind by previous boarders; perhaps something valuable or important? Kathleen's many children might get in trouble that only the player characters can be called upon to relieve; and of course there are the other boarders. Some potentials: "The Professor": A teacher of physics and mathematics at the local high school, he dabbles in invention. A widower, he's a bit absent-minded and very grateful to Widder Jones for making sure he's fed and sent off to work in time. So far, all of his inventions have failed, but perhaps one day.... "The Hindoo Gentleman" : An exotic-looking dark-skinned fellow, he speaks with a cultured British accent and seems well-read. A doctor in his home country, he has come to America to learn modern medical techniques. Or at least that's what he claims. "Mr. Eugene": A smooth-cheeked, soft-featured youth who works as a bank teller. He is soft-spoken, when he speaks at all, and avoids being alone with anyone. "Mr. Eugene" is actually a woman in disguise, why she's doing this is up to the GM. Thoughts, comments?

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist Actually Power Fist only said that to Anthem. From his perspective, she's taken the attitude that cleaning up the mess in Cesspool City is less important than preventing him from killing people. And in the short term, stopping Power Fist will make things worse in some ways. While he may be a deluded thug, the civilians of Cesspool City see him as the only person who's actually doing anything about the crime problem. Taking Power Fist off the street will cause a massive drop in their morale.

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist He was passing through town and caught her in action, or some such. Surprisingly enough, Soulbarb has a better chance of getting Power Fist to moderate his actions than most of the other folks, by virtue of a more viable argument. However: "PRIMUS? They never showed an interest before, why should I trust them now? The Feds were useless to me, which is one of the big reasons I switched tactics." Indeed, characters with Federal contacts will quickly learn there's an unofficial but strong policy against investigating anything going on in Cesspool City. Agents who look too closely are warned off, and if they don't back off, bad things happen to their careers. (Naturally, player character agents will have more backbone.)

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist The girlfriend is pretty, but looks a bit too much of a hothouse flower for many people's taste. As for the "why does Power Fist need an ally" question: "I can take any one of (names half a dozen nasty mercenary villains) but if they manage to all be in one place with me....mostly I need someone capable of watching my back while I take care of business."

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist "I believe it would be better if we skip to the part where I cross you off my list and leave town." "While I am angered by your insults, I do not believe that beating you up would serve any purpose." "Why would I want to avoid a scene? But I will be leaving, as being arrested will not help." "Tell me more."

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist If followed around Cesspool City, Power Fist appears to be a fairly ascetic fellow who doesn't indulge in the pleasures of the flesh. He's also prone to smacking around members of the Brotherhood he finds commiting crimes that go against their "code of honor." PF is, however, far too trusting, and will let Dr. Pain get in the first shot, having turned his back when about to kill one of the Rats' leaders.

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist "And return the city to the open warfare among dozens of gangs I found it in? That seems like a step backwards." "Hmm...since in order to audit them properly, the IRS will have to locate them, this might be a worthwhile bargain." "Oh, you have a good nose too?" (Is basing Power Fist on a manga character from Fist of the Blue Sky, for what it matters.) "And I'm certainly not turning myself in until the city is safe." "That is a problem for my next incarnation."

Re: Pulp-style Anime "Chrono Crusade" is set in an alternate 1920s USA. The nun in question is Rosette, who belongs to a special order of demon hunters. It's rather more "shades of gray" than standard pulp, since her partner Chrono is a bound demon who feeds off her lifeforce (she has a stopwatch that monitors/moderates this.) Mind, I've only seen the first few episodes, so it may get more black and white as it goes along.

Re: WWYCD: The Return of Power Fist "You will do you must. But if you are not part of the solution, then you will become part of the problem. If you come to my city with that attitude, things will only get worse."

Okay, this one is aimed primarily at street level characters, though as usual anyone may answer. Your character is approached by Power Fist, who said character will probably remember as the hometown superhero of Cesspool City until he disappeared a few years back. He meets any inquiries about that disappearance with the words "secret identity stuff, don't ask" and moves on to why he's here. He sketches in some background: Cesspool City has been a disaster area for decades, rife with corruption and crime. Initially, Power Fist tried to clean it up all by himself, and failed miserably. Every time he put a crook away, their place was just taken by another, usually worse. Then Power Fist made contact with the Upright Brotherhood. While still criminals, they had something of a code of honor, and seemed genuinely interested in civic improvement. That, and Power Fist fell in love with the leader's sister. He allied with the gang, eliminating their competition, and quietly helping them take control of Cesspool City's underworld. Once the Brotherhood was firmly in charge, the city seemed to be working better, and Power Fist was able to take care of his "secret identity stuff." However, in the last six months, a new gang, the Rats, have moved in on Cesspool City. They've brought in high-powered talent and massive amounts of money and drugs, and succeeded in unseating the Brotherhood as leaders of the underworld. The Brotherhood's leader and his sister are MIA and feared dead, half the Brotherhood's membership is in the hospital or morgue, and the few honest officials of Cesspool City are under political or criminal attack. So, Power Fist is back in action. But after a quick recon foray, he's aware he can't handle the situation himself and is looking for an ally. What may make this problematic is that his plan is to kill off the Rats and reinstall the Upright Brotherhood. He's only interested in an alliance with your character if things are handled "my way." What would your character do? SKJAM!