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WW II, and remained a loyal American patriot even after his powers faded; but over time he was increasingly viewed as outdated in his beliefs and attitudes.
Richard Ashworth was a fanatical member of the Society who came to believe it was his destiny to destroy all beings of magical origin. He dd not care if they 'claimed' to fight for good or chose not to get involved. They all needed to be removed. And it was his bigoted nature that lead to his downfall. While with the Society he had the protection and support of the others they would overlook his overzealousness. It served them well when they took down demons and devils and halfbreed children of the lower realms. Not so much against druids and wiccans.
Richard actually discovered the full family tree of The Patriarch and that it was The Patriarch's brother whose line contained the most magical potential. He was appalled to learn that three children of said brother had escaped the hunt. One was Dr Nymax! and the other two were his sisters. They had no involvement in the family business and indeed had distanced themselves from it. That was no excuse for Richard and he narrowed down one suspect as her daughter, Katya, did not seem to age. He set out to remove these two and planned to interrogate them to find the last sister.
One thing Dr Nymax! is, despite his affiliation with evil, and that is his loyalty and protection of his sisters and their families. He had precognition woven around any threats to them and their kin. So he was warned in advance of Richard's intentions and baited a trap for him. Richard made the mistake of not communicating his findings and carrying with him all the evidence he collected. So when he tried to abduct a woman he found it was a shapeshifter and then Dr Nymax! appeared who beat Richard with science and gadgets. The good doctor then handed Richard over to The Fae who had a score to settle with Mr Ashworth for all the members of their number who he had maimed or killed. And that was the last anyone ever saw of him.
The evidence was destroyed and The Fae have placed misdirection on anyone trying to find out what happened
Once you decide on what version of our beloved system you want to work with, and what platform you’ll be using in our time of social distance then you get yourself a big butterfly net and a big stick and hunt up some players.
These are non trivial problems, especially these days. After all that you need to start deciding what genre both you want to run and have in your head for the foreseeable future but also one that fires up the imagination of the group. The negotiations may not be fun but they are vital. I’ve seen perfectly good games crash and burn because either GM’s or players felt forced into doing something that was supposed to be fun.
Try coming up with a few different styles of game that you will enjoy (Golden Age wacky, Dark Champions, Hard SF Future, whatever) then present them to your potential team and see what they say. Even if they turn them all down you’ll get a better sense of what they do want. Remember, it’s almost impossible to get this many people to all enthusiastically agree on what to have for lunch. So don’t be discouraged if this process takes a while, it WILL be worth it all in the long run.
After you’ve got the genre, the power level, the set up and level of seriousness worked out then you get the joys of going one on one with these choosy buggers to come up with characters. (Keep that big stick handy.) The alternate choice is to hand out pre written characters. An option that has gone very well for other GM’s but I never had much luck with it on either side of the screen.
When all of that work and aggravation is done you retreat to your fortress of solitude and begin to spin the tales of amazing adventure that you will present to your waiting and eager audience.
Best of luck, you’ll need it, but it WILL all be worth it.
Falsely accused by her corrupt superior officer of a crime she didn't commit, test pilot Fiona Mann was drummed out of the Air Force. Before her expulsion, though, she stole a prototype experimental flight suit with built-in wings and propulsion systems, known as Project R.A.P.T.A.R. (Rapid Activation Personnel Tactical Armored Response).
On the run from the MPs, she put on the flight harness. To her surprise, it fused itself to her skeletal and nervous systems. The harness now gives her incredible flight and combat abilities, but it is impossible to take off or conceal. Her identity now well known to the public, she works as the mercenary RAPTAR, taking any job (especially those that allow her to strike back against the US Military) for the right price.
As the war between the Elves ad Dwarves gains intensity, the other races withdraw deep into their territories and hunker down to wait it out. The effects of the war rage for years, with the very world shuddering and quaking as the two race unleash titanic rituals against the foe.
And then nothing.
After a while the first tentative scouting parties discover that the lands have been reshaped. The Dwarven holds buried under shattered mountains and Elven cities and forests uprooted and leveled. But no trace of either Elf or Dwarf.
At first the races celebrated and rejoiced that the devastation and danger was ended. At first.
But then the tainted remains of broken magics began to be felt, fell creatures and deadly blights spreading across the land.
They walked slowly along the Seine. Stephen had draped his jacket over Angelique's shoulders against the night's chill. She had slipped her arm in his. He hadn't seemed to mind. They had met in Paris for dinner. The Eiffel Tower the backdrop out the cafe's window.
A part of Angelique wanted to think it had been a romantic dinner. In her many years, she never truly had been romanced. They talked. They talked about the things they knew in common. He talked about his apprenticeship to Arthur Kayne. She talked about her mother and the time they have been spending getting to know one-another.
After dinner they began walking continuing the conversation. They had lost track of time. The sky lightened with the pre-dawn twilight.
“I do hope, dear lady, that you don't think I am being too forward. I really enjoyed your company. I would like to do this again sometime.” Angelique smiled. “Sometime soon.”
“I believe I would like that, as well,” she replied.
His fingers caressed the side of her face, brushing her hair back. “Bright Lady, you are beautiful. Knowing who your mother is explains much.”
“Are you going to keep teasing me, Stephen? Or are you going to kiss me?”
“I didn't want to presume.”
“Presume, Stephen, or I may have to rethink doing this again.”
He smiled. Stepping close he slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. His other arm went beneath his jacket and slipped about her waist. Their lips met. He kissed her tenderly. Angelique fought the urge to return it with a more demanding kiss. She was willing to take things slowly.
Angelique's eyes went wide. Her preternatural senses all alerted her to danger.
“Bright Lady! Did you feel that?”
“Yes,” Angelique answered. “It was a calling.” Her hand moved, calling up power. A globe appeared over her hand. It spun until the western hemisphere was visible. A flare lit near the Rocky Mountains. “Closer,” she told the globe and it zoomed in. “Closer.” She pointed out on the globe, “I think that's Denver.”
“Denver is more north and east of the mountains. That is in the mountains. You're right, though. It was a calling. The One Who Watches.”
“That's a mouthful.” Angelique dropped the spell and the globe dissipated. “Your portal or mine?”
Stephen was already calling one forth. Angelique thought it strange the way he shifted into his Arcane persona. No emotions. Just thought and action.
“Who do we know in that area?” he asked.
Angelique felt a tugging around her neck. She looked down to see the bloodstar glowing. “Jason Scott.”
Quite some time ago I shared a number of the original maps from the Turakian Age book. Due to RL and other issues I was unable to continue working on them.
I am now back to the Turakian Age and have, today, uploaded a colour version of the world map of Ambrethel. I myself have printed this on a decent home printer as a A3 poster and it looks good. It is 1600x1200.
I am not the creator of these, but the creator was kind enough to pass on to me the various images/files he had a number of years back so I could use/share them on the HERO forums. I hope to have more converted in time.
[Download links for others: Black & White World Map - other map files]
Irish gave him a look that mixed annoyance and amusement. “Alright then. We're waitin' on ye.”
Jason stepped into view where Trese could see him and took off his robe. The only thing he had on was brief briefs. Trese's eyes went wide. Jason was ripped. His muscles had muscles. “Geez,” she said quietly.
“Ye keep starin' at 'im like that, Theresa, an' it'll go ta 'is 'ead,” Irish teased. “Okay. Step inta the scanner and let's get started.”
“Maybe Theresa ought to step out,” Kris said.
“Kris,” Jason called. Kris looked at him through the window. “She stays unless she chooses to go.” Kris looked at the girl for a moment, and then back at Jason and nodded.
Jason stepped into the scanner. “Powerin' up. Keep yer hands an' head inside the ride at all times,” Irish said.
“It wasn't me,” Jason said. “It was the one-armed man!”
“Ya, after he stuck 'is hand out where the scanners be spinnin', what ye expect but ta only 'ave one hand?”
Trese watched the boards light up. “This is cool.”
“He's put on a little weight since last time,” Kris said. “Heartbeat is good and strong. Blood pressure is in the green.”
“Those numbers can't be right,” Trese said.
“They all be within his normal parameters,” Irish said. “Looks good, Jason.”
“But...”
“Just wait a wee bit, Theresa. Maybe ye'll unnerstand. Changing up, Jason. Let's see how the matrix is doin', shall we?” Irish threw a switch and the room went dark except for the light from the scanning bars rotating around where Jason stood. Those went from blue to red.
Trese didn't know what she was looking at. Something coursed through the bodyform on the monitor. “Can ye call some up?” Whatever it was shifted to Jason's feet and hands. Trese glanced out the window and in the dark it looked like Jason was above the scanner. Her eyes darted to the screen that had held Jason's vital stats and his weight had dropped to zero. “Any problems this time?”
“Just an itch. Might have to get Kris to race me to the beach.”
Kris laughed. “You know my wings can't keep up with you.”
“I'm not sure I'm carrying anything. He cost me a job when I needed to be working. Things ended badly between us. Then I got lucky and Jason wanted me to work for him.”
“And he's never regretted that,” Leah said, applying makeup with a brush.
“Thanks. I guess we should have talked more before.”
Leah shrugged. “I got the impression you didn't like me.”
Looking hurt, Beth said, “I'm sorry. I like you just fine. As a person. I just didn't think you and Jason...”
Leah gave Beth a sad smile. “I guess you didn't get caught up in the magic.”
“I don't understand.”
“Close your eyes. Eye shadow time.” Leah worked deftly with the brush. “Let's just say someone gave Jason and I a push closer together. The same person that helped separate us.” Leah felt herself coming to tears. “The same person that arranged the Witch to be in close proximity to Jason when he was emotionally vulnerable,” she said quietly.
“Marlene didn't like that, either,” Beth admitted. “What are you doing to me?” she asked to redirect the conversation.
Leah smiled. “What you asked.”
“What color?”
“I'm just about done. So, feeling confident yet?” Leah teased.
Beth growled. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Your lipstick. If you're feeling confident I have a color in mind. If not, then I have a different color in mind.”
With a sigh, Beth said, “I've trusted you this far with my face. Do what you're going to do and I'll pass judgment when I see it, I guess.”
You probably want to bump up the advantage to the full +1. At the +1/2 level you can still target the entangle by taking a -3 OCV. At the +1 level you cannot attack the entangle and the only way to escape it is to breakout by using STR or in this case CON. This level also requires you to have a reasonably common way to remove the entangle. The book give an example of an antidote for paralysis poison.
At various times I've mentioned here that, since the official Champions Universe is a hobby of mine, I found myself becoming a sort of unofficial "lore-master" to the Champions Online player community, answering their questions on the game's forums about elements of the setting. That has sometimes prompted me to compile information on particular topics for their easy reference. Occasionally I've transcribed some of that info here for our tabletop gaming community when I thought it might be of general interest, and that has been received positively.
The Champions Universe, being inspired by the major mainstream comics companies, embraces the full range of classic super character origins you see in those comics: mutagenic accidents, genetic mutation, radical scientific inventions, mystic martial arts, aliens, sorcery, gods and supernatural creatures, cosmic entities, etc. However, there are a number of origin concepts described in Champions books that IMHO are more original and distinctive to the setting, but don't require characters with backgrounds so unusual that players would need a lot of information or elaborate setup to use them. Even if you don't use the official CU, these origin concepts can be inserted into most original four-color super campaign worlds without much effort. So I thought outlining origins in that category might inspire some of my fellow Champions gamers.
I'd be happy to flesh out more details on any of these origins if anyone asks; but every entry cites the published books in which folks can read more about them. I hope some of you find this useful.
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Alien Gene-Tampering: Superhuman powers resulting from aliens mucking with Human DNA is a well-established comic-book trope. On Champions Earth the repeatedly-invasive Qularr are one likely candidate. The main reason the Qularr invaded Earth in the first place was so they could study the Human genome on a large scale, to understand why and how Humans manifest superpowers with greater frequency and average power than nearly any other species, including the Qularr. They hope to engineer that capacity in themselves. At least one experiment along those lines has yielded a super-powered hybrid, although by accident. It's highly likely other similar experiments are being conducted by Qularr currently on Earth, or perhaps on Humans kidnapped and brought back to Qularr space.
What virtually no one knows is that one reason Humans do manifest powers more often, is because that genetic potential was placed in them by incredibly ancient and advanced aliens called the Progenitors. Two million years ago the Progenitors advanced the evolution of Humanity's ancestor species to the next stage of sapience. Half a million years ago they experimented on Homo erectus, creating the first of the ageless superhuman Empyrean race. Champions Universe suggests they might also be responsible for the creation of the Birdpeople of Thaar twelve thousand years ago.
In any case, the Progenitors still exist, continuing their experiments and periodically monitoring the progress of past ones. It's not unreasonable to assume that they would do some "followup" work on Human DNA.
You can read much more about the Qularr and Progenitors in Champions Beyond. The Birdpeople of Thaar are described in Champions Universe.
Coruscations of Power: In the worldwide accidental cataclysm which devastated the alien planet Ashraal centuries ago, and gave birth to the awesome cosmic villain Xarriel, discreet bursts of energy from the main explosion were cast across space and time, emerging in random locations in the space-time continuum. To date at least five of these "coruscations of power" have appeared on or near the Earth in recent years, and affected humans in their vicinity, creating the supervillains Photon, Stareye, Sunspot, and Vector, and the superhero Victory.
The coruscations can manifest as bursts of light from space, but in the past have been mistaken for solar flares or lightning storms. Powers induced by them can, but not must, include various forms of energy projection, flight (usually very fast), mind-affecting abilities, enhanced physical strength, speed, and durability, and the ability to survive in hostile environments (even space).
Xarriel is fully detailed in Champions Beyond, while the other villains mentioned are in the Champions Villains trilogy, and Victory in Champions Universe.
DEMONic Experiments: One of the classic superhero origins is the person unwillingly subjected to villainous scientific experiments who uses their newly-gained powers to escape. In the CU quite a few official supers came about that way, particularly due to actions by VIPER and ARGENT. But DEMON, the worldwide supernatural villain org, often conduct their own magical analogues to scientific research, which have spawned magical superhumans.
One official villain, named Riptide, was a young runaway girl before a member of DEMON found her and turned her over to his Morbane. The Morbane attempted a magic experiment to bind the girl to a water elemental, hoping to create a strong but mentally pliable minion. But Riptide's crazed fear at what was done to her was now backed with elemental powers, enabling her to force her way to freedom. The supervillain now called Morningstar was the result of a tactic that DEMON often uses since it became estranged from the rulers of Hell: forcing a summoned demon to temporarily occupy the human body of a DEMON Brother, giving the Brother a measure of demonic power but with the human personality in control. For unknown reasons, Morningstar's possession proved permanent. He fought DEMON's enemies for some time, under enchantment to ensure his loyalty, until a battle with magical heroes severed the control spell and returned his free will. Morningstar left DEMON to become an independent supervillain. (Both characters are detailed in Champions Villains Vol. 3.)
Another villain in the service of DEMON, Professor Samedi, was a minor DEMON member, and lackluster musician, before his Morbane had him try to play an enchanted fiddle the Morbane had acquired. Samedi found he could cast several potent spells with the fiddle's music, but it changed him physically, making him look almost skeletally gaunt; and changed his personality, to more actively, confidently malevolent. So there's precedent for a Morbane to have one of his disposable minions "test drive" a magic item. Perhaps a given item would change the wielder's personality in a more positive way. (Prof. Samedi is detailed in DEMON: Servants Of Darkness.)
Department 17: Since World War II, the United States government has researched ways to safely and reliably create superhumans, as well as to more effectively control them, with few successes. Their efforts have often resulted in severe, even fatal physical and mental side effects to their subjects, and produced as many supervillains as superheroes. During WW II the US military set up Project Rainbow for this purpose, at Fort McLaughlin (now McLaughlin Air Force Base) near the small town of Haynesville, Kansas. After the war the Project was declassified and officially shut down, and McLaughlin AFB appears nearly abandoned today.
This was a ruse. Project Rainbow was never shut down. Still secretly based at McLaughlin, what is now titled Department 17 is the Defense Department's hub for research into superpower generation and superhuman control. Under its current director, General Clarence Smith, it conducts a wide variety of research involving drugs and chemicals, radiation treatments, genetic engineering, and other exotic methods. Much of the Department's current research focuses on refining the Cyberline procedure used for PRIMUS's Avenger program. The Department's scientists are also very interested in investigating any reports of new manifestations of superpowers.
General Smith might go to great lengths to keep 17's existence and activities secret. He's also used some "creative" accounting to keep his department funded. Department 17 is described in Champions Universe, as are PRIMUS and Cyberline.
"Divine" Intervention: In the Champions Universe, all the gods and demons of myth and religion that humans still remember actually exist. Although very powerful in their home astral dimensions, a metaphysical barrier called the Ban prevents them from manifesting on Earth with their full power. But there are a few ways divine beings can create lesser-powered Earthly agents to champion their causes.
One of these ways is to infuse some of their power, and sometimes personality, into a deserving human host, creating a superhuman reflecting the qualities of his or her patron deity. Quite a few official Champions heroes and villains have been empowered in this way. In keeping with comic-book origin conventions, their empowerment typically comes under unusual and dramatic circumstances, often at a key turning point in the life of the hero. For example, the first Johnny Hercules was given an amulet by an "apparition" of Zeus when the circus he worked for toured Greece, containing the "Hercules Force," the power of Hercules as a demigod which he abandoned when he became fully a god. The Nigerian hero Ogun gained power over metal after being beaten near to death by criminal thugs, when he received a vision of the Yoruba god of the forge of the same name.
Ogun is thoroughly detailed in Champions Worldwide, while the current Johnny Hercules is featured in the PDF book The Hercules Force, available from the Hero Games website store. Much more on CU gods and the Ban can be found in The Mystic World.
Empyrean Heritage: For hundreds of thousands of years, the immortal superhuman offshoot of humanity called Empyreans have existed alongside their human cousins. While they maintain their own city of Arcadia in Antarctica, hidden from human discovery by advanced devices, the majority of Empyreans choose to live incognito among humanity. The general population is ignorant of their existence; only a few superheroes have been trusted with the secret, although the Lemurians know of Arcadia and have been enemies of the Empyreans for many millennia. A few Empyreans have acted as superheroes or villains in the modern era.
Empyreans sometimes have children by humans, who are always either normal humans or full Empyreans. These children may grow up unaware of their true heritage; but the Empyreans' leaders scan the world for any new Empyrean offspring, and when they discover one induct him or her into their society. But individual Empyreans can follow whatever activities they like, provided they don't reveal their race's existence to mankind.
All Empyreans are ageless, physically superhuman to a greater or lesser extent, and can fly. They can manifest a wide range of mental or energy powers, although the type and degree varies based on innate ability and the interest a given Empyrean has in developing specific powers, usually related to their preferred pastimes. The Empyreans and Arcadia are extensively described in Hidden Lands.
Golden Age Legacies: In the real world the earliest comic-book superheroes appeared starting in 1938, and continued to be created over the course of World War II. Champions Earth's first actual superhumans also began to appear during this period. Most of those heroes eventually retired, to be replaced by newer generations; but often those newer heroes were inspired by their predecessors, in many cases even to the point of adopting their code names as an homage. Most such "legacy heroes" were either the relatives or proteges of the originals, or sought their blessing to carry on their names. However, certain lineages originating in the Golden Age have been particularly fertile in continuing to produce new heroes to uphold the family tradition.
In the winter of 1939 Kiril Lenskii was a young officer in the Soviet army serving in his country's war against Finland. Badly wounded in an attack that wiped out the rest of his unit, and overcome by the severe winter cold, Lenskii collapsed unconscious over underground caverns which released strange gasses. As they entered his lungs his body began to change. He awoke to discover that not only was his body healed and stronger than before, but he was now immune to the cold, and could even create intense cold, snow, and ice over limited areas. Given the code name, General Zima ("winter"), over the course of World War II Kiril Lenskii became the Soviet military's leading superhero, and remained so for many years.
The three sons of fisherman and former naval sailor Morimoto Takashi (by a mysterious woman who may have been a supernatural spirit) were each born with extraordinary abilities: enormous strength and durability (Ichiro); incredible speed (Jiro); and probability manipulation (Saburo) manifesting as phenomenal luck for himself, and phenomenal misfortune for his opponents. The three young men were recruited by the Japanese government to fight their country's foes, first China in the 1930s, and later the Americans and their allies during WW II. They were among Japan's most prominent superhuman champions during and after the war.
Each of the three Morimoto brothers had more than one superhuman offspring, while all seven of General Zima's children developed super powers. Today there are over two dozen "super" members of the extended Morimoto family, and descendants of General Zima, active in their respective homelands. It would be reasonable to expect a few of their relatives to have emigrated to other countries at some point.
Although the histories of these characters don't explicitly state it one way or the other, there's no reason to assume superhumans from their lineages necessarily manifest the same types of powers as their ancestors. The mutations of all three original Morimoto brothers were radically different from each other; while General Zima's origin implies his abilities resulted from his body adapting to a specific environment.
The full write-ups for General Zima and the Morimoto brothers appear in the latest edition of Golden Age Champions (for Hero System Sixth Edition).
Hzeel Biomatter: Champions Earth has experienced several alien invasions in the past, and is currently dealing with renewed intrusions by the Gadroon and Qularr. What no one on Earth knows yet, is that another aggressive species, the Hzeel, also have the Earth in their sights. These short, blue-skinned humanoids have scouted Earth for nearly two decades, wanting it as an advance staging area in their war against the Dorvalans (Ironclad's race).
At least two Hzeel scout craft have crashed on Earth and been discovered by humans. One of these was salvaged by Roger Warwell, aka the Warlord, and its technology became the basis for his own weapon designs. Hzeel technology is partly biological, and can have radical unpredictable effects when it comes in contact with human tissue. Two humans, the solo supervillain Howler, and the Warlord's minion Warcry, gained superhuman vocal powers when Hzeel communications devices were implanted in their throats (this happening spontaneously on contact in the case of Howler).
The effect also extends to tissues from Hzeel themselves; VIPER's staff supervillain Oculon gained his powerful eyebeams from eyes from an Hzeel corpse transplanted to his sockets. (Hzeel don't have eyebeams, they're the result of interaction between the two species' biologies.) Anyone using recognizable Hzeel materials would undoubtedly be of interest to both the Hzeel and the Warlord.
The Hzeel have a whole chapter in Champions Beyond, as do the Qularr and Gadroon, and the Dorvalans are also described there. The other villains mentioned are in the Champions Villains trilogy, except Oculon who's written up in VIPER: Coils Of The Serpent. Ironclad and the rest of the Champions superhero team get full write-ups for their beginning careers in the Champions genre book, with more experienced versions in Champions Universe.
Kelvarite: This mysterious, green-glowing extraterrestrial mineral has been found in meteorites from several falls. It's a powerful source of energy, but is extremely unstable and prone to explosion when disturbed. Some people who have been bombarded by radiation or fragments from exploding kelvarite have gained superhuman powers, typically (but not exclusively) superhuman strength and durability, and some type of enhanced movement capability, e.g. super-running or -leaping, flight, or teleportation. They also acquire a susceptibility to radiation from other samples of kelvarite. Known superhumans with this origin include the solo villains Tachyon and Thunderbolt II, Dr. Destroyer's servant Meteor (all in the CV trilogy), and the African superhero Gazelle (in Champions Worldwide).
Large organizations such as the US government and UNTIL have secured all the kelvarite they can find, but sometimes lend samples to research laboratories. Other kelvarite meteorites remain to be discovered. However, what no one is aware of is that what they call kelvarite is actually impure samples, which is why it's unstable. Pure kelvarite doesn't resemble the impure mineral, and is extremely rare on Earth. Its energies respond to the will of intelligent beings in physical contact with it, allowing them to wield formidable and versatile energy-projection powers. (It isn't obvious that the power comes from the kelvarite itself.) The only pure kelvarite discovered so far was made into rings worn by the four men who have used the superheroic identity, Meteor Man.
Kelvarite is described in Champions Universe, while the first Meteor Man is written up in Golden Age Champions.
Martial-Arts Temples: For centuries, hidden enclaves have existed in the Far East where dedicated monks have practiced the most advanced physical and spiritual martial-arts techniques, including virtually superhuman abilities for those with the skill and determination to master them. Several official Champions heroes and villains were trained at such enclaves. The most legendary of these sites among knowledgeable martial artists are Yengtao Temple, somewhere in the mountains of China; and the city of Shamballah, in a cave beneath a mountain in the Himalayas. Both sites are hidden from the outside world both physically and magically, so that only those already highly disciplined in body and mind can find them. But those who do can study almost any martial art that has ever existed, and perhaps achieve abilities like the heroes of legend.
Various students at Yengtao Temple have returned to the outside world to become heroes, or villains. In the present day the Millennium City superhero Nightwind, his bitter rival Jade Phoenix, and the Hong Kong hero Golden Dragon Fist, all learned their extraordinary skills and ch'i powers from Yengtao. Jade Phoenix was responsible for the destruction of Yengtao Temple and murder of the monks in 1996, but there may be other former students alive in the world. And Shamballah, second only to Yengtao as a repository of mystic martial-arts secrets, still stands.
But Shamballah also guards a dark secret even further beneath the mountain: its evil twin city, Agharti, prison of the Dark Monks, also extraordinarily skilled but utterly corrupt. While the Shamballans prevent the Dark Monks from escaping, they don't forbid outsiders from visiting the city, or leaving afterwards. The villain Zhua Teng ("grasping vine") received training in Agharti.
The story of Yengtao Temple, and description of some of its unique techniques, appear in Champions Universe. Shamballah and Agharti are described in considerable detail in Hidden Lands. Nightwind's latest write-up is in Millennium City, while Jade Phoenix is in Champions Villains Volume Three. Zhua Teng is fully written up in Martial Enemies Volume 1.
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.
Professional Armorers: One of the staples of the superhero genre is the gadget-using super, with no actual super-powers but employing equipment made of special materials and/or incorporating advanced technology. Most comic-book heroes build their own gadgets, or have them designed for them by benevolent patron inventors or agencies. Some heroes acquire prototype devices by accident, including "liberating" them from their villainous makers (often earning them pursuit by the vengeful villain). But it's not unheard-of in comics for a scientist -- usually one of criminal bent -- to sell his technological services to whoever will pay.
In the official Champions Universe there are several possible sources of scientific expertise for hire to aspiring supers. Most of these are considered criminals by most world law-enforcement, so don't typically contract with anyone of obvious heroic bent who might cause them trouble. But for another criminal, or a mercenary or vigilante of grey morality, they're often the route to quick super status.
Millennium City is the home base of Wayland Talos, a brilliant inventor with a pathological hatred of superheroes. To strike back at them he supplies villains with everything from questionite hand weapons, to energy blasters or jet packs, to full suits of powered armor. He's considered one of the underworld's premier armorers, with few individual competitors. One of those competitors is known as Brainchild, a telepathic gadgeteer who primarily supplies tactical and technical support to other criminals, rather than take the risk of committing his own crimes.
On the international front, the Warlord is a powered-armor villain and would-be conqueror who's also a major dealer in high-tech armaments, and who has created super-class weaponry and armor for individuals for the right price. The unscrupulous corporation called ARGENT does a thriving business in service to criminals; not just supplying gadgetry, but even physically augmenting a person through bionic implants or experimental biochemical treatments. The independent city-state of Larisagrad was once a center for the USSR's classified scientific research, including advanced weaponry, and experiments to create true superhumans. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and thus their funding, the scientists of Larisagrad chose to freelance to the highest bidder.
The only truly benign inventor engaged in remotely similar activity is named Ralph Polarewski. Formerly the full-time technical supervisor to the famous Sentinels superhero team, Ralph left them after a bitter argument with the team's leader. He's become a well-known freelance contractor to members of the superhero community who use gadgets but have no technical skills of their own. As written he primarily works for people already established as heroes (and would never sell his services to someone of questionable morality), but would be well able to supply an equipment-based origin to someone who could convince him of their sincerity and dedication.
ARGENT and Larisagrad are described in Champions Universe. The Warlord and his organization are fully written up in Volume One of the Champions Villains trilogy, while Brainchild and Wayland Talos get the same treatment in Volume Three. Ralph Polarewski is detailed in the book, Everyman.
Project Sunburst: In 1994 a group of American "rogue generals" assigned over 200 volunteer soldiers to what they were told was a war game. In fact the generals were experimenting to try to create superpowered soldiers resistant to radiation, by detonating a nuclear device near them while they wore protective suits. Most of the volunteers soon died of radiation poisoning, while a handful slipped into comas. Most of the comatose were placed into a secret holding facility, codenamed "The Crypt," while a few were stored at other sites.
In the intervening years, several of these survivors have developed superhuman physical and energy powers. A few, such as the master villain Sunburst and his follower Radium, awakened spontaneously. Others, like Dr. Destroyer's security chief, Gigaton, were aroused with help from other villains. Some escaped the Crypt on their own, while others were "liberated." All the active survivors except Gigaton and the powered-armor villain, Armadillo, have joined Sunburst. However, the remaining comatose subjects are still being kept in secret in the Crypt, not just from the public but from the generals' own superiors.
Most of these villains are fully written up in Champions Villains Vol. 1: Master Villains, although Armadillo is in Vol. 3
Radium-X: This radioactive element has been known to science on Champions Earth since at least the 1930s. It's well known for its radiation's mutagenic properties, able to induce radical, even super-empowering mutations in living organisms under certain conditions. For example, it's a critical component of Dr. Phillippe Moreau's process for creating Manimals. The late superhero Tiger, a former leader of the famous Sentinels superhero team, was a former UNTIL agent who became a man-tiger hybrid through accidental exposure to radium-X and some of Moreau's chemicals during a raid on the Doctor's lab. In 1940 a Bulgarian laboratory researcher gained formidable magnetic powers after the failure of an experimental magnetron being powered by radium-X flooded her lab with radiation. She took the code-name Leitstern ("lodestar") and was drafted to fight with Germany during WW II.
The preceding examples suggest that the specific mutations caused by radium-X are thematically linked to the environmental conditions applying at the time. The origin of Leitstern also highlights another major use for radium-X, as a concentrated high-energy power source for various devices. The Golden Age villain Liquifier needed that element to power his Matter-Liquifier Ray, which could change any inanimate solid matter to a liquid state. It's possible that other radical technology can only be powered by radium-X's unique radiation.
Radium-X can be purchased legally. Various research laboratories are noted as studying or using it. However, the clear implication of references to it is that it's rare and expensive, leading to attempts to steal it by people with less than upright intentions for it.
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.
The Swords of Nama: During the Dark Ages the serpent-god Nama, who is today the patron deity of VIPER, set out to become a great power among Men. He gathered six mighty warriors from across Eurasia to be his agents and generals, to conquer an empire in his name. For each warrior he forged a powerful enchanted sword. But before they could achieve any major successes the warriors quarreled, which ultimately led to all their deaths. The Swords of Nama were scattered. Over the intervening centuries some of these legendary swords reappeared, and a few were destroyed; but others remain to be discovered in ruins across Eastern Europe.
The story of the six "vipers upon the land" appears as a small part of the history of Nama and VIPER, on p. 6 of the book, VIPER: Coils Of The Serpent. Aside from being called "serpent-blades" the Swords of Nama aren't described, nor are any of their qualities defined, which leaves a player free to imbue a particular sword with any powers desired. Note that Nama is neither good nor evil, and has helped heroes or villains as the mood struck him; so there's no inherent reason for his Swords to be one or the other.
Teleios, the Perfect Man: The foremost genetic engineer on Champions Earth today, Teleios is infamous for being a cloner of people, and a creator of animalistic monsters, but the range of his genetic expertise goes far beyond that. More than half a dozen official supers, villainous and heroic, owe their powers or very existence to The Perfect Man.
Teleios has the skill to induce almost any super power in any human, whether or not that person already has powers or the potential for them. Teleios will do this for pay, or in exchange for services or favors, as he did for the supervillain-turned-hero Flashover (Champions Universe: News Of The World), and her brother, the villain Hurricane (Champions Villains Vol. 3: Solo Villains). Teleios has been known to bestow powers on someone on a whim, whether or not they want them, like after a dalliance with the Indian woman now known as Monsoon (Champions Worldwide).
The Perfect Man can grow completely original, humanoid or human-looking superhumans with any abilities he chooses. He sometimes sells his creations, as when he supplied VIPER with the powerful monster named Obelisque (Champions Worldwide). Sometimes Teleios turns a creation loose in the world uncontrolled (although not unmonitored), to see how it responds and develops. He did this with the beings labeled the Landsman, and the Lodge (both in Champions Of The North).
The master geneticist can program his creations with whatever skills he or his employer desires. He can even implant elaborate false memories, to the point where the person has no idea he or she is artificial or has any connection to the Perfect Man. This is how Teleios programs the cloned soldiers he sells to other villains and groups. The superheroine called the Teen Dream (Teen Champions), whom Teleios designed as an experiment in social manipulation, is unaware of her real origin and considers herself a true hero. When he makes a creature Teleios implants controlling genes that make it psychologically impossible for that creature to harm him, or may even make it a loyal follower (although those controls have been known to fail on very rare occasions). Those controls can be so subtle that a person isn't consciously aware of them. Although the lore doesn't specify it, it may be possible for Teleios to do this to humans he augments. He definitely is known to build exploitable secret weaknesses into their genetic code, should they turn against him.
Teleios is fully written up in Champions Villains Vol. 1: Master Villains.
Vandaleur Bloodline: Founded a thousand years ago by their immortal progenitor, Adrian Vandaleur, this widespread clan of sorcerers is one of the premier occult dynasties in the Western world. Although the majority of Vandaleurs have no more talent for magic than most people, the gift for spell casting is far more common among them than in the general populace; and their ranks include some of the most powerful mages in the world.
Members of the family are aware of each other, and sometimes cooperate, sometimes conflict. But Adrian Vandaleur, whose power dwarfs that of his kin, keeps any factionalism from descending into violence. Otherwise individual Vandaleurs are free to follow whatever activities they like. Their personalities and morality vary widely. Some are benevolent, even heroic; others are amoral and ruthless, up to megalomaniacal psychopaths. Most are simply concerned with their own interests.
Any Vandaleur with magical ability and desire to develop it could find family members able and willing to train him. The Vandaleur family are described in detail in Champions Villains Vol. 2: Villain Teams.
The Vita-Man Clan: Percy Yates was born in Los Angeles in 1910. Brilliant but sickly throughout his youth, he studied biology, chemistry, and nutrition to find ways to improve his own health. In 1939 he discovered a compound which when administered in a pill had a miraculous effect on him, transforming his body to one of perfect health and exceptional physical vigor. Further experimentation led to additional pills granting him true super-powers, including X-ray vision, invisibility, flight, growth to giant size and strength, or shrinking to the size of a mouse.
Yates's discoveries had two major drawbacks. Their effects were only temporary -- his main vitalizing pill lasted about an hour per dose, while his additional abilities endured for only a minute. Yates was also unable to make them work for anyone else -- they interacted with his own unique physiology. Nonetheless he used his new abilities to fight crime under the costumed identity of Vita-Man. Vita-Man was recruited by the Drifter as one of the founding members of the Justice Squadron superhero team, protecting the west coast of the United States during WW II.
Percy Yates's health continued to deteriorate over time, leading to his retirement as Vita-Man in 1948, and his death in 1964. But in the intervening years he learned that several of his family members shared the biological factors which would allow them to use his empowering treatments. Today half a dozen of his kin are using "variations of his discoveries" (wording suggesting that other powers are possible).
Vita-Man's full background and character sheet are included in the Golden Age Champions Secret Files, a PDF collecting outtakes from the manuscript for the latest edition of Golden Age Champions.
The Zodiac Working: In 1979 the late master villain Archimago, greatest sorceror of the Twentieth Century, attempted this fearsome ritual, to impregnate twelve women by twelve powerful demons. The resulting hybrid children could be used by the demons as hosts to incarnate themselves on Earth with all their power. The ritual was interrupted and the women rescued by the superhero team, the Fabulous Five. The women seemed unharmed and weren't pregnant, so returned home.
Two years later one of these women married and gave birth to a girl who later manifested powers of destructive energy, as well as a propensity for rage and vandalism. She grew up to become the supervillain Frag (fully written up in CV Vol. 3). She has no knowledge of her true origins, thinking herself a mutant. Although she usually appears human, when enraged her form becomes more demonic-looking.
Another of these women gave birth to a son, who now acts as the superhero Pagan (described in the book The Ultimate Mystic). In his superhero identity (resembling a satyr) he's physically superhuman and can project powerful mystic light. Pagan discovered his true heritage when his demonic father Belial attempted to seduce him to his service. Although his diabolical inclinations are strong, Pagan's inherent decency has so far won out.
To date nothing has been revealed about the other ten victims of the Zodiac Working.
I think her personality & appearance is well depicted in her pic. And as for power/tactics, I let anyone who wants to play her to come up with their own. She is a light, flying brick. But she is spread out, jack of all trades, master of none.
ARTEMIS (Cailtyn Rose Mathis)
Created by John Sampson
Background/History: An orphan who grew up in the foster care system in Metro City, Caitlyn was injured when a war erupted in her neighborhood between the Italian mafia and Chinese tongs. Her family’s home was under the protection of the mafia, so a tong soldier threw a grenade into it. Caitlyn managed to push her foster brother to safety when the grenade went off, showering her with fragments. Some of the fragments struck her in the head, doing damage to her eyes, optic nerves and taking away her sight.
The Protectors arrived, put a stop to the gang war, and brought her to a hospital. Huntsman (aka Wayne Savage) vowed to do everything he could for the little girl. He arranged for her to be adopted by a loving couple: the Mathis family (Robert and Jennifer). Robert was a high-level engineer and a designer on the “Sonic Sight” project at Savage’s company ORWELL Industries. Her benefactor also paid for her schooling and approved for her foster father to use her as a candidate for the Sonic Sight program. The experimental therapy and drugs that she took managed to replicate a bat’s sonar abilities, but even improve upon it by allowing her to pick up as much detail as if she could see, perceive through non-soundproof materials and to see in a 360 degree arc. It also enhanced her hearing as well.
Caitlyn took up archery as a sport, finding that she had a natural talent for it. Plus her new super-hearing and sonar ability made her even better than her extensive training would allow. Although she had decent enough grades to go to college, Caitlyn decided instead to go into the workforce as a fitness trainer and instructor. She kept in touch with her old benefactor, who offered her a job at his company. She turned him down and proposed a counter-offer: that he would train her as his protégé. Impressed at her audacity, Wayne Savage trained her to become a superhero. She decided to take on the name of Artemis, after the Greek goddess of archery, and began patrolling the streets. The Huntsman accepted that she would take his place on the new Protectors team.
Personality: Caitlyn Rose is a down to earth, focused woman. Once she sets her mind on a goal, she'll stick to it until she accomplishes it. She is outgoing and extremely loyal to those she calls friends. She has more of a vigilante mentality compared to other heroes due to her rough childhood, but knows when to restrain herself.
Powers/Tactics: Artemis prefers to start off the fight by either blinding/deafening foes or entangling them; then switching to other arrow attacks when appropriate.
Appearance: Caitlyn Rose Mathis is an attractive, young woman in her early 30s. She is tall and slender, but athletically built. She stands 5'9" tall and weighs 138 lbs. She has long, dark brown hair and grey-blue eyes. She normally dresses in current Californian fashions.
Her costume consists of a Kelly green bodysuit accented with gold wrist bracers and buckles. Her eyes are covered by a silver cloth sash tied around her head. Her gloves, boots, and belts match the ‘mask’, as do the pouches on her left arm and thigh. She uses a longbow, and on her right hip she wears a dual-tiered quiver containing a large number of green-feathered arrows.
With one leg tucked under and the other stretched out, Leah sat comfortably on the sofa in Jason's office. She peeled the plastic wrap off another tray of eye shadows. Giving the different powders another inspection she placed the tray in the makeup case beside her. She had already put the brushes in their respective places.
Next on her agenda was the box of lipsticks. Pulling the overwrap off, she flipped open the lid. One hundred glorious colors, of which some she'd never find herself caught dead using on her own, but she never knew what the photographers had in mind. She began dropping those in one by one into the rack meant to hold them.
On stockinged feet, Beth stepped into Jason's office. Leah gave her an appraising look. She had a stack of files in her hands, a pair of three inch black pumps with an ankle strap dangled from her fingers. Hanging from one shoulder was a bag. Her skirt was black or a dark gray. Without a closer look she couldn't really be sure. Beth's blouse was red satin. Around her neck and tied with a wide bow was black ribbon tie.
Beth's hair was loosely curled, a change from when Leah saw her earlier. She either spent a lot of time with a curling iron or she had recently been to see a stylist.
Setting the files and shoes on Jason's desk, Beth turned to the cabinet where glasses and drinks were stored and opened a drawer. Out of it she pulled out a makeup mirror. She took that and set it on the desk. The bag slipped from her shoulder and that joined her collection.
“Hi, Beth.”
Startled, Beth jumped. “Oh! I'm sorry, Leah. I guess I'm a little distracted. Trying again?”
For a moment, Leah looked hurt. “No. We're just working on our friendship. Just back from the stylist?”
Hand going to hair hanging over her shoulder, Beth said, “Yes. I have a...”
“Date?”
“Not exactly. Just dinner with an old boyfriend.”
“So, all dressed up for not a date?” Leah asked with a smile. “You're a far cry from the slacks and blouse you had on earlier.”
Pulling her makeup kit out of her bag, Beth blushed. “Oh, I hate this part.”
“What part?
“Warpaint, as my daddy says. I'm always afraid I'm going to end up looking like the Joker. Or worse. Putting on makeup was never really my thing.”
“Maybe I can help?” Leah tapped her makeup case.
“What's that?” Beth asked.
“A gift from Jason. New makeup case. Freshly fully stocked as of,” Leah slotted the last lipstick, “now.”
“That's a suitcase,” Beth pointed out.
Leah laughed. “Actually, it is a makeup case. Professional quality. It's for when I have to do my or another model's makeup.”
“You girls actually do that?”
“And more if necessary. Would you like me to do yours?”
Beth looked at her makeup kit and shoved it back in her bag. “Please?” She wasn't begging or whining, but her tone was close.
Leah picked her case up, legs extended, and set it next to Jason's chair. Beth looked over the contents. “That's a lot.”
“That's a major job expense. Have a seat.” Beth settled in Jason's chair. “Hmm. Raise it up a few inches, please.” Beth did so and sat back down. “Perfect. Color palette?”
“I...don't know. Can you just do some magic and make me beautiful?”
Leah made a face, closed her mouth tight and shifted it to the side. She closed her makeup case. “You don't need me to make you beautiful.”
Beth smiled. “How about making it look like I didn't lose a fight with my makeup kit?”
“Let me see your kit and what you normally use. Then we can go from there.” Beth pulled her makeup back out. Leah looked it over. Beth's normal colors were from a natural, neutral tone. “Hmm. How impressed do you want him to be?”
Beth exhaled and thought for a minute. “I'm not sure I want him impressed. I'm not sure about anything right now. I never expected to see him in California. Much less in the boardroom giving a presentation. An invitation to dinner wasn't expected. I'm not really sure why I asked him.”
“Oh?” Leah said with a smile. “Carrying a forgotten torch?”
One-shot, eh? I've used the Cult for longer runs, but I can think of a couple of possibilities.
The ancient conflict between the Cult of the Red Banner and Dr. Yin Wu flares up in the campaign city, as Yin Wu's Four Sons of the Dragon clash with Cult agents on the city streets, endangering the public. PC heroes step in to interrupt the fight before more innocents are harmed, but this allows the cultists to escape. Copper Spear informs the heroes that the Cult has stolen an enchanted dragon statue from his father, and will use it to create an army of Lung Zhanshi ("dragon warriors") at a time and place that the stars and feng shui will be favorable -- this city, tonight. Copper Spear proposes an alliance with the heroes to stop them. But Iron Whirlwind thinks this will provide the perfect cover to eliminate his brother and assume leadership of the Sons.
A mercenary martial-arts villain is hired by mysterious employers to help steal an ancient book from a touring Chinese museum display, but his employers abandon the villain to cover their own escape. Incensed, the villain seizes the book himself and runs; but when he finds himself pursued by agents of the Red Banner he flees to the PCs to ask for their protection, claiming that whatever the Cult wants the book for can't be good for the world. (The villain hid it so they'd have to protect him.) Unfortunately the Red Banner have tracked him to the heroes' base of operations.
Depending on how you want the role-playing to go, the villain could be an arrogant bigmouth like Green Dragon; an honorable mercenary such as Kazeronin; or a treacherous monster hoping for a chance to claim the book's secrets for himself, e.g. Jade Phoenix.
I don't think I ever used the Red Banner, but I have used a few martial arts villains in the past. How about one of the following?
They recruit some martial artists to subjugate a creature of incredible power in hopes of harnessing it for themselves.
One of the Red Banner trained fighters go rogue and they need the heroes to clean up their mess.
A fabled weapon falls into the Red Banner's hand. Now an aging master must rely on the heroes to return it to him or the fate of the world falls into their hands.
A chi-infused place has fallen under Red Banner's control. Can the heroes prevent a war from happening when another group advances on them? And what does the place give to the Red Banner?
An ancient evil is brought back to life and the Red Banner is responsible. Are they powerful enough to contain this threat? What happens if they aren't?
Hope these help.
Either Ravenswood (or some other school for gifted young supers) becomes a secret hotbed of teenaged resistance and insurgency against VIPER, or, if VIPER has discovered it, it becomes a new place for Future Viper Super youth where the powerful enforcers of tomorrow get an education in serving the new coiled Order.
Either take could lead to storylines for rebel heroes.
My campaign uses the ICE MERP default setting of Year 1640 of the Third Age. Tolkien didn't write anything about that era aside from having just recovered from the Great Plague, so the characters get to shine without worrying about being overshadowed by the Fellowship.
The world is slightly different from what most people are used to. There are still kings in Gondor and Arthedain. Rohan is not yet a country, but Angmar is still active in the north. Minas Tirith is still known as Minas Anor, and Minas Ithil (Minas Morgul in the books) has not yet fallen to the forces of evil. The Ring is still in the bottom of the Anduin, and Sauron is in hiding, disguised as the Necromancer. Mordor is still being guarded by Gondor's forces, but the watch is being slowly phased out after the Great Plague's devastation.
As to character creation, I of course will give people leeway. I don't have a problem if someone wants to play a half-elf. I have a few in my solo campaign. Likewise, spellcasters are also allowed, although casting too many spells overtly may have some consequences. Rohirrim characters will be called Eotheod.
Been awhile since I posted here. A few weeks ago, Joe Singleton passed away. Besides bringing characters to life for me visually, he had become a friend. Those of us who knew him are still coming to grips with his passing. He had a stroke last year, so he was unable to complete various commissions for me. Now that he's no longer with us, I started looking for someone to finish some of them. I found this artist named John Ridley on Facebook, and had him draw these characters based on sketches Joe had drawn. This is a duo known has Slash & Burn. Slash is an expert with twin swords, while Burn obviously controls fire 😉 I think they came out pretty good. Can anyone guess who the inspiration for Slash is?
Amorkca reacted to Lord Liaden in Champions Universe: Unique Character Origins
Amorkca got a reaction from bluesguy in Playing Hero On Line?
Amorkca got a reaction from tkdguy in MERP game via Tabletop Simulator?
Amorkca got a reaction from Ninja-Bear in Invulnerability
