Matt Frisbee

Re: Weekend Warriors -- Campaign Log I just finished reading the session 13 notes, and it sounds like one of those sessions where the players just didn't pick up on the clues, though I'd be hard pressed to say I would have done anything different. In a campaign such as this, I imagine there's a lot of sitting and thinking and spinning of wheels... I wonder if any of the characters tried to check out any of the crime scenes regarding the Card Shark kidnappings? That's about the only thing I would have done that they didn't. Still, it sounds like the group is having fun! Enjoy GenCon! Matt "Staying-home-this-year" Frisbee

Re: Bay City Rollers Campaign Log BAY CITY ROLLERS CAMPAIGN GROUND RULES General Description The player characters are superheroes fighting to protect Bay City from the forces of evil. The characters are trying to prove themselves as they are replacing a superhero who couldn't quite handle the responsibilities of being the city's protector. On top of the challenges of protecting life and property in Bay City, the characters will also have to maintain a secret identity while trying to deal with the rigors of private life as well. Importance of the PC's The player characters are superheroes in a world where about one out of every 50,000 humans has either been born with, or has developed through external means, super powers. Out of all the metahumans on the planet, only about 4% (1 in 25) actually become superheroes. The rest are 1) supervillains, 2) using their super powers in everyday life without fighting crime, 3) are being treated for side effects caused by their super powers or are having their powers medically suppressed for the same reason, or 4) are attempting to hide their powers. The PC's have the power to literally save the world from a crisis, but they have little power to make lasting changes in the world at large, other than to inspire others to make their own lives better. Campaign Tone Morality (2): Good vs. Bad is mostly clear-cut. Realism (2): Romantic. Outlook (2): Almost everything works out. Seriousness (3): Balanced between the serious and the light-hearted. Continuity (5): Entirely serial, so everything must fit into the storyline. Physical World Description The game universe is mostly the same as it is in reality, except that costumed supers have existed since around 1990 (though mystic creatures and persons have held sway here since the end of the Ice Age). Bay City is a fictional city in Delaware, occupying the place where Wilmington would be. Other place names around the USA have been changed as well. Character Building Guidelines 1) Player characters are built with 200 base points with up to 150 disadvantage points. No more than 50 disadvantage points may come from a single category. 2) Characters must pay for all equipment, weapons, bases and vehicles with points. 3) Characters may take the Characteristics Maxima Disadvantage for points (but I'm not recommending it). Character Abilities Ranges POWER LEVELS.......BEGINNING RANGE......MAXIMUM ABILITY.. Attack Powers......50-65 AP's...........80 AP's.......... Defense Powers.....20-30 DEF............40 DEF........... Skill Rolls........No Restrictions......No Restrictions.. Combat Values......8-12 OCV/DCV.........15 OCV/DCV....... Speed Value........5-8 SPD..............10 SPD........... Campaign Rules 4) Combat will not use the hit locations chart. 5) Knockback rules will be used. 6) Long-term endurance rules will not be used. 7) Limited push rules will not be used. Character Requirements 8) The following 10-point package is part of the player-character's requirements for being a superhero in Bay City, and must be included in the character write-up. +03..Limited Federal Police Powers Perk +03..Radio Listen & Transmit [OIF-Signal Ring] +04..Contact: Area Supervisor for the Bureau of Metahuman Affairs [11-, Very Useful Contact] -10..Secret Identity [uS Government knows character's identity] 9) Other skills, talents and powers have no restrictions. 10) If the character has one or more hunted disadvantages, the GM will select appropriate ones from the Gallery of Rogues. House Rules 11) Mastermind Rule: If the GM invokes this rule, then all of the main villain's goons and supers must be defeated before the characters can go after the leader. This is done so final battles against these foes, who otherwise wouldn't stand a chance against typical metahumans, more climactic and preserves the feel of the genre. 12) Ringed Out Rule: If a character is knocked out and is more than twice their REC below zero in STUN, that character is out of the combat, regardless of how long the battle continues. 13) Pushing House Rule: Even though pushes are unlimited, the player must still make an EGO roll, and must announce how much his or her character is pushing and pay the END cost for the push before making the EGO roll, regardless of whether or not it succeeds. Also, no push may exceed the Maximum Ability limit for the game which is 80 AP's. 14) Plot Device NPC's: There will be instances of NPC's whose powers may seem to exceed the guidelines listed for characters. In such cases, the character is a plot device designed to keep an adventure moving along, and he or she will play no significant role in concluding the adventure. More to come... Matt "Layin'-down-the-law" Frisbee

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting the after action reports from my Champions campaign from last year. The overall thrust of this particular campaign was a bit mystical, as the heroes frequently hopped the multiverse in pursuit of the Five Pillars of Reality. The over-riding plot was that the Time of The Gathering was approaching -- when the barriers separating the various dimensions would weaken to the point where they could easily be crossed by metahumans and other mystical entities. Well, we got to a point and then the campaign fell apart (work schedules changed, unfortunately), but I ran across my notes and decided to share the adventures with all of you. To start things off, here's a map of the home city, Bay City, Delaware. While it occupies the same space as Wilmington, Delaware, it is obvious by the topography that the landscape is significantly different. Also, most of the population of Liberty City (Philadelphia) has been displaced to this city, so there are about a million people living in Bay City. More to come... Matt "Busy-digits" Frisbee

Re: Classifying Supers Great systems, all. I'm afraid the system I came up with for my Bay City Rollers Champions game was invented by the United States Government for the Bureau of Metahuman Affairs. The system I used classified metahumans by overall power and capabilities, along with notes which law enforcers could use to control situations long enough for registered metahumans (the heroes) to arrive and subdue the villains and villainesses. Here's the system in brief and few sample entries from the campaign's Outstanding Rogues List. LEGEND @ - Active Status (i.e. Villain At Large), X - In Custody, O - Status Uncertain Codename of the unregistered metahuman The number in the code is the relative strength of the metahuman on a scale of 0-9. An exclamation point is used for metahumans who rank off of the scale. (The numbers were actually the total cost of the villains in hundreds of points.) The three letter code following the number is a generalization of the type of powers / combat style of the metahuman. AGT - Agent (Trained follower of a more powerful metahuman) BRK - Brick (Superhumanly strong with great collateral damage potential) BRL - Brawler (Close to human strength fighter with or without a weapon) EPJ - Energy Projector (self-explanatory) GAD - Gadgeteer (Uses personal devices to attain metahuman status) INV - Inventor (Creates devices for personal use and mass destruction) MAR - Martial Artist (self-explanatory) MAS - Mastermind (Head of an organization) MYS - Mystic (Channels magical energy) PSI - Psionic (Employs parapsychological powers) SPC - Special (Multiple classes or unclassified) There is a short descriptive following the code to clarify the powers / tactics of the metahuman. If there are agents or other followers, they are summarized on the line below. The latest information from the Bureau of Metahuman Affairs concerning this metahuman is then listed below. So, here's a few listings from my campaign. X Anagram - 4MAS (Lexicon-Themed Crimes) -- Alphabet Gang - 1AGT (x16) (Armed Normals) 30 SEP 05: Apprehended in Bay City. Returned to Criminal Psychology Unit at Talby Asylum. Charges pending psychiatric treatment. @ Ashtray Art - 3EPJ (Pyrokenesis Powers) 21 AUG 05: Escaped from Criminal Psychology Unit at Talby Asylum in Bay City. Diagnosed pyromaniac with ability to set any material substance on fire. Considered armed and dangerous. @ Blackout - 3 EPJ (Electrical Manipulation Battlesuit) 03 NOV 05: Identified on surveillance video at Orb Corporation research facility near Angel City. Believed responsible for theft of prototype supercomputer schematics from Orb database there. Can cause localized blackouts of electrical grids and localized outages in buildings. Hopefully, this will add to the discussion. Matt "The-busy-GM-type" Frisbee

Re: How powerful should..... One other resource you might have overlooked -- Hero System Equipment Guide. It has a full chapter devoted to science fiction equipment, weapons and defenses. Good luck on the game!

Re: Greatest Post-Apoc Film of All Time What, nobody's mentioned the awful take on the Deathlands serial novels that the Sci-Fi Channel dredges up every couple of months for a rerun? I seem to remember a Gene Roddenberry(sp?) show pilot that was made into a TV movie about an astronaut who is put into suspended animation and wakes a few hundred years after WW3...Genesis II or something like that? And though the short novel was better, the Damnation Alley movie was a good shot at a post-apoc movie. Matt "Fuzzy-memory-and-all" Frisbee

Re: The cranky thread I can't believe I haven't found this thread before now. Ah, well. I'll remember it when winter gets here and all those stupid kids start calling and asking if there will be school tomorrow when I'm trying to goof off -- er, work at the radio station here... Matt "Radio-junkie-since-I-was-eight" Frisbee

Re: "Thing ring, do your thing!" Yeah, I remember flipping past it a few times in my younger days -- like all the other crap cartoons the seventies generated. Quite a few gems there as well, including a few interesting live action shows which have clung to the gray matter over the years. (Unrelated thought) I just wish the entire Samurai Pizza Cats series was available on DVD in English. I guess that's why there's www.youtube.com Matt "Trying-to-avoid-pining-for-my-wasted-youth" Frisbee

Re: Knightshift Stories -- Campaign Log NOTICE Due to last-minute personal scheduling problems, Session Four of this game has been pushed back one week to August 11, 2006. It's a bummer, but as we all know, these sorts of things happen occasionally. Matt "Dealing-with-it" Frisbee

Re: Your Character: The Series (Not exactly WWYCD...) Fanboys and fangirls of the world unite! I'm not sure what it would rate, but a player of mine is working on scripting out a music video / opening trailer for his favorite character, The White Lotus (a superpowered martial artist). The music would be Rob Zombie's "Scum Of The Earth" so I'm thinking it would be at least TV-14 and animated. If Fists of the White Lotus wasn't taken, I would suggest that...maybe Heroic Fists of the White Lotus would work... Matt "Took-him-a-year-to-catch-on-that-my-suggestion-for-his-character's-name-was-a-joke-based-on-that-Shaw-Brothers-movie" Frisbee

Re: What pre-5th Edition Hero books do you still use? Well, then call me a pirate. Argh. But just so the briefcase jockeys don't come knocking, I officially declare in this public forum that I will cease and desist the practice forthwith and immeadiately destroy all copies but the original I bought. Hopefully, that will make everyone happy. Also, apologies all the way around -- I occasionally get grumpy on the night shift and shouldn't have been as strident in my response to what I assumed was an accusation. I only do what works and try to stay legal, but since I've had it pointed out that I'm in the wrong, I admit I am wrong and what you were doing was only trying to help me out. So, once again in my sorrid life -- mea culpa. On the upside, this whole exercise seems to have purged some negative emotion buildup on my psyche, so maybe it isn't all bad. Matt "The-fault-is-not-in-the-stars-Brutus-but-in-ourselves" Frisbee

Re: Sure signs that your player doesn't want to be in your 350 pt champions game. Typical player who doesn't want to play a 350-pt. character: "I want to play someone like Dr. Fate." "Can I play Galactus?" "I've had this Vorlon character concept bouncing around my head for a while..." Matt "Been-there-done-that-sold-the-souveniers-in-last-year's-garage-sale" Frisbee

Re: What pre-5th Edition Hero books do you still use?

Re: Knightshift Stories -- Campaign Log I've mentioned the opening newscast props a few times, and I really wanted to post the .mp3's here, but they are just too large for this forum. However, I've decided to go for the next best thing -- posting the scripts from them. The following documents are the newscasts for the beginning of session 1, the one I intended for Session 2 (I had to scrap the original story line when I found out that Shawn was joining the festivities), and the one I will use to open Session 4. Enjoy! Matt "One-busy-GM" Frisbee SESSION ONE NEWSCAST -- FOR GAME DAY 14 JULY 2006 GOOD MORNING HUDSON CITY! FOR NEWS-PULSE 10-50 W-C-X-Z NEWS -- I'M KEVIN STONE. THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR TODAY SAYS PARTLY CLOUDY AND WARM WITH A HIGH NEAR 85 ALONG THE SHORE, AROUND 90 INLAND. CURRENT TEMPERATURE IS 75. IN THE NEWS -- HUDSON CITY POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AN ATTEMPTED BURGLARY OF A BAYSIDE WAREHOUSE EARLY THIS MORNING. POLICE WERE CALLED AROUND ONE-30 THIS MORNING TO A WAREHOUSE ON THE CORNER OF SILAS STREET AND NEEDHAM AVENUE. THERE THEY FOUND SIX ALLEGED MEMBERS OF THE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION CARDSHARK WHO REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT AT THE SCENE. TWO GUARDS AT THE WAREHOUSE ALSO REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT AND ONE REMAINS HOSPITALIZED IN GOOD CONDITION THIS MORNING. H-C-P-D OFFICERS AT THE SCENE CONFIRMED THAT VIGILANTE ACTIVITY MAY HAVE PREVENTED A THEFT, BUT WOULD NOT SPECULATE AS TO WHO MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. A VIDEO CLIP OF THE INCIDENT, APPARENTLY TAKEN FROM SURVELLANCE CAMERAS AT THE SCENE AND POSTED ON H-C-VIGILANTES-DOT-ORG, TENTATIVELY IDENTIFIES THE CRIMEFIGHTERS AS POWERHOUSE AND THE SENTINEL. THE VIDEO ALSO REPORTEDLY SHOWS THE ALLEGED CARDSHARK MEMBERS SUBDUING THE GUARDS BEFORE ENTERING THE FACILITY, AND FIRING ON THE TWO HEROES WITH PISTOLS AND A SUBMACHINE GUN. THE HUDSON CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD NO COMMENT ON THE VIDEO, AND SAYS ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT IS ONGOING. ANOTHER RARE TIMEPIECE WAS STOLEN LAST NIGHT, BRINGING THE STRING OF SUCH BURGLARIES IN HUDSON CITY TO SEVEN IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. LAST NIGHT'S BURGLARY WAS FROM AN IRISHTOWN RESIDENCE, AND THE ITEM STOLEN WAS A ONE-OF-A-KIND MECHANICAL POCKET WATCH WHICH HAS OVER TWENTY SEPERATE FUNCTIONS. THE WATCH DATES BACK FROM LATE 1940'S AND WAS REPORTEDLY PROTECTED BY A SOPHISTICATED HOME SECURITY SYSTEM. THE OWNER WAS NOT IDENTIFIED, BUT NEIGHBORS DESCRIBE THE VICTIM AS AN AVID COLLECTOR OF WATCHES OF ALL KINDS. ACCORDING TO SOURCES CLOSE TO THE INVESTIGATION, THE POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR A TEAM OF PROFESSIONAL BURGLARS WHO MAY BE EMPLOYED BY AN UNSCRUPULOUS COLLECTOR. CRIME RATES IN THE BLACKBRIDGE AREA ARE UP IN THE ABSENCE OF DARK-ANGEL. THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE STEWARD COUNTY 9-1-1 BOARD IN THEIR LATEST MONTHLY ASSESSMENT, WHICH WAS RELEASED LATE YESTERDAY. VIOLENT CRIME IS REPORTED UP FIFTEEN PERCENT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OVER LAST MONTH'S FIGURES. PROPERTY CRIME IS UP NEARLY TWENTY-FOUR PERCENT AS WELL. DARK-ANGEL WAS LAST SEEN IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JUNE 27TH NEAR LE-MASTRE PARK. THERE HAS BEEN NO WORD ON WHERE SHE HAS GONE OR WHEN SHE MIGHT BE BACK IN ACTION, IF AT ALL. MAINTAINING ITS HARD LINE AGAINST VIGILANTES, THE HUDSON CITY POLICE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON THE SITUATION. AND, IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE AROUND MOTT PARK THIS WEEKEND, YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK TWICE BEFORE REPORTING THAT U-F-O. THE 15TH ANNUAL HUDSON CITY KITE FESTIVAL GETS UNDERWAY THIS AFTERNOON WITH A PUBLIC FLY-IN. EVERYONE IS INVITED TO COME FLY A KITE FOR FREE AT THE PARK STARTING AT NOON TODAY -- YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN, OR PURCHASE ONE FROM ONE OF THE VENDORS IN THE PARK, AND KIDS 12 AND UNDER CAN ATTEND A KITE-BUILDING CLASS FOR JUST TWO DOLLARS AND FLY A KITE THEY BUILD THEMSELVES. THE PROFESSIONAL AEROBATIC KITE COMPETITION AND THE EVER-POPULAR FIGHTING KITE TOURNAMENT GET UNDERWAY TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE. HUDSON CITY TRAFFIC AND NATIONAL NEWS FROM C-N-N ARE COMING UP NEWS-PULSE 10-50 W-C-X-Z. SESSION TWO NEWSCAST -- FOR GAME DAY 28 JULY 2006 IT'S 7-55 AT NEWS-PULSE 10-50 W-C-X-Z. GOOD MORNING! TODAY IS FRIDAY, JULY 28TH, 2006 -- AND WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL NEWS, I'M KEVIN STONE. THE NEWS IS BROUGHT TO YOU THE SPINNING DIAMOND RESTAURANT, WITH MAGNIFICENT VIEWS, FLAWLESS SERVICE AND AN EVER-CHANGING MENU FOR THE TRULY DISCRIMINATING PALATE. ATOP HAR-CORP TOWER B IN WORTHINGTON TOPPING THE NEWS THIS MORNING, THE WAVE OF BIZZARE BEHAVIOR ON THE SOUTHSIDE CONTINUES. AROUND 2-30 THIS MORNING, THREE PEOPLE WERE CRITICALLY INJURED AFTER ALLEGEDLY PLAYING A GAME OF CHICKEN WITH AN ELEVATED TRAIN NEAR LIBERTY STATION IN ELMVIEW. THE INJURED HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED, PENDING NOTIFICATION OF RELATIVES, WHILE THE HUDSON CITY POLICE AND RAPID TRANSIT AUTHORITY CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT. BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, ELEVATED TRAIN SERVICE AROUND THE ELMVIEW AREA IS BEING REROUTED THIS MORNING. THE R-T-A SAYS RIDERS OF THE SOUTHSIDE EXPRESS, CHURCH-SOUTHPOINT, AND THE OUTER LOOP LOCAL AND EXPRESS TRAINS SHOULD EXPECT UP TO 15-MINUTE DELAYS ON THE MORNING COMMUTE. IT WAS A FIREY SESSION IN THE HUDSON CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS LAST NIGHT, AND ENDED WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT CHARGES AGAINST A PROMINENT FREETOWN COUNCILMAN AND SEVERAL OF HIS SUPPORTERS. OUTSPOKEN AS EVER, 65TH DISTRICT COUNCILMAN MAX BISHOP LEVELED CHARGES OF POLICE CORRUPTION IN A PROFANITY-LACED TIRADE AIMED SQUARELY AT POLICE COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER RINGWALD. BISHOP ACCUSED SOUTHSIDE POLICE OFFICERS OF LOOKING THE OTHER WAY WHILE DRUG PUSHERS ARE QUOTE -- "SELLING NEW AND LETHAL CANDIES TO OUR CHILDREN." COUNCILMAN BISHOP WAS JOINED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC GALLERY IN REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CALLS FOR ORDER BY MAYOR GRAYDON UMSTEAD, WHO EVENTUALLY ORDERED BISHOP AND HIS SUPPORTERS TO BE FORCEABLY REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBERS. ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORTS, BISHOP'S SUPPORTERS REPEATEDLY RESISTED ARREST AND SEVERAL FOUGHT BRIEFLY WITH POLICE IN THE HALLWAY. ACCORDING TO POLICE RECORDS, COUNCILMAN BISHOP WAS CITED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN A PUBLIC PLACE FOR HIS EXCESSIVE USE OF PROFANITY IN THE CHAMBERS AND INCITING THE INCIDENT. COMMISSIONER RINGWALD'S OFFICE HAD NO COMMENT ON EITHER COUNCILMAN BISHOP'S TIRADE NOR HIS ACCUSATIONS. OVER FOUR HUNDRED PEOPLE GATHERED IN BLACKBRIDGE PARK LAST NIGHT FOR A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL MARKING ONE MONTH SINCE THE VIGILANTE DARK‑ANGEL WAS LAST SEEN. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE CROWD WORE REPLICA COSTUMES OF THE AREA'S CRIMEFIGHTER, WHILE SPEAKERS TO THE CROWD, INCLUDING HUDSON CITY THUNDERBOLTS QUARTERBACK ANDY "STONEHAND" MAWSER, CALLED ON THE HUDSON CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE HER FATE. MANY OF THOSE PRESENT HAD PERSONAL STORIES TO TELL OF THE CRIMEFIGHTER'S ACTIONS ON THEIR BEHALF. DARK‑ANGEL WAS LAST SEEN ON JUNE 27TH NEAR THE NORTH END OF LEMASTRE PARK WHERE SHE ALLEGEDLY FOILED AN ATTEMPTED MUGGING. TRAFFIC AND NATIONAL NEWS FROM C-N-N ARE NEXT ON NEWS-PULSE 10-50 W-C-X-Z. W-C-X-Z NEWS TIME IS 7:58. SESSION FOUR NEWSCAST -- FOR GAME DAY 29 JULY 2006 IT'S 5-55 AT NEWS-PULSE 10-50 W-C-X-Z -- TIME NOW FOR THE EVENING NEWS BRIEF, BROUGHT TO YOU BY DOLMAN'S CONFECTIONERS, 6-20 CROWLEY AVENUE IN MINT RIDGE -- THE PLACE WITH SUCH GOOD TASTE. WITH THE NEWS, I'M KEVIN STONE. HUDSON CITY INVESTOR JAMES ROMAN REMAINS IN SERIOUS BUT STABLE CONDITION AT KATZ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOLLOWING A MURDER ATTEMPT AT HIS BANKHURST APARTMENT EARLY THIS MORNING. POLICE SAY THAT SOMEONE INTRODUCED AN AIRBORNE DEPRESSANT INTO HIS APARTMENT WHICH LOWERED HIS METABOLIC RATE TO A CRITICALLY LOW LEVEL WHILE HE SLEPT. QUICK ACTION BY NEIGHBOR RHONDA SAVAGE IS CREDITED FOR SAVING HIS LIFE, THOUGH SHE WAS TEMPORARILY OVERCOME BY THE FUMES. SAVAGE WAS TREATED AT KATZ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND RELEASED. THIS ATTACK ON JAMES ROMAN MAY BE LINKED TO ANOTHER INCIDENT FROM LAST NIGHT AT THE BERKLEY GRANDE PLAZA HOTEL BALLROOM. FORTY-TWO PEOPLE WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AFTER AN AIRBORNE CHEMICAL AGENT WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE BALLROOM'S VENTILATION SYSTEM DURING A PARTY HOSTED BY ROMAN LAST NIGHT. THE AGENT HAD THE AFFECT OF AGITATING THE PARTY CROWD INTO A GENERAL RIOT, AND MOST OF THE INJURIES WERE INFLICTED UPON PARTY GOERS BY ONE ANOTHER. HUDSON CITY POLICE WERE FORCED TO CALL IN THE RIOT SQUAD TO CLEAR THE BALLROOM, THOUGH NO CHARGES WERE FILED IN THE INCIDENT. POLICE SAY THEY ARE NOW KEEPING ROMAN UNDER GUARD AT THE HOSPITAL AND INTEND TO MOVE HIM TO A MORE SECURE LOCATION WHEN HIS CONDITION IMPROVES. POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE BOTH INCIDENTS. POLICE ARE ALSO INVESTIGATING REPORTS OF A BRAWL IN THE FORSYTH DISTRICT BETWEEN COSTUMED CRIMEFIGHTERS AND A COSTUMED CRIMINAL. DETAILS ARE SKETCHY BUT BLURRY VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT FROM A CAMERA-PHONE HAS BEEN POSTED ON H-C-VIGILANTES-DOT-ORG CLAIMING THAT CYPHER AND POWERHOUSE WERE INVOLVED. SEVERAL WITNESSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONFIRM THAT CLAIM AND ALSO SAY THE THIRD COMBATANT WAS THE SAME ONE FROM A VIDEO OF A WAREHOUSE ROBBERY IN BAYSIDE FROM LAST WEEK. SOME WITNESSES, WHO DECLINED TO BE IDENTIFIED, ALSO SAID THE CRIMEFIGHTERS SUBDUED AND RESTRAINED THE OTHER COMBATANT, AND THEN STOLE A NEARBY CAR TO EXIT THE SCENE. THE CAR WAS FOUND ABANDONED IN A PARKING GARAGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT TWO MILES NORTH OF THE SCENE IN CROWN POINT. POLICE HAD NO COMMENT ON THE CASE WHICH THEY CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE. IN OTHER NEWS, ALL CHARGES AGAINST SIX ALLEGED MEMBERS OF THE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION CARD SHARK WERE DROPPED YESTERDAY AFTER JUDGE STERLING KELLER DISALLOWED VIDEO EVIDENCE FROM BEING ADMITTED AGAINST THE DEFENDANTS. IN HIS DECISION, JUDGE STERLING SAID THAT SINCE THE VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT HAD APPEARED ON THE INTERNET, THE SECURITY OF THE PRIMARY SOURCE WAS SUSPECT, THUS INVALIDATING IT AS AN ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF EVENTS. STEWART COUNTY PROSECUTOR ALAN KIMBRELL IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE CHARGES, SAYING THAT WITHOUT THE VIDEO RECORD, A LACK OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF THE CASES AGAINST THE DEFENDANTS. TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND NATIONAL NEWS FROM C-N-N ARE COMING UP NEXT ON NEWS-PULSE 10-50 W-C-X-Z. W-C-X-Z NEWS TIME IS 5-58.

Re: What pre-5th Edition Hero books do you still use? If it's 4th Edition, I use it. I own a number of 5th Edition books, including FRED, but I don't use them. The straw that broke the camel's back so far as my decision to remain 4th Ed. was 1) my inability to make the points balance under the new rules, 2) the inability of Hero Designer to make a decent character sheet and 3) the intimidation factor of dropping a 600+ page rulebook on the table in front of my players and say "This is what we're using now." Also, I have 4th Ed. core rules in .pdf form, which I copy and give to my players for reference when we play. Matt "Old-school-but-not-as-much-as-Duke-Bushido" Frisbee

Re: Simplifying Power Construction? Thanks for the links, Lord Liaden. Your help is appreciated. Matt "I-still-feel-like-a-beginner-sometimes" Frisbee

Re: Star Wars: Lost in Translation Reminds me of the Chinese discs I used to have of several anime titles. Most were fairly good for the first few episodes, but eventually dropped into gibberish as the episode counts got higher. Matt "Orguss-and-Fruits-Basket-fanboy" Frisbee

Re: Weekend Warriors -- Campaign Log Probably because it is a lot of work to keep track of that many items at the same time. I have a hard enough time keeping track what happened three sessions ago -- which is why I keep session logs in the first place. (It is also why I never try to run "real world" stuff, either, even though I love playing a setting like that. Matt "Still-thinking-of-moving-to-Oklahoma-City-to-play-in-Edsel's-game" Frisbee

Re: Simplifying Power Construction? Yeah, I kinda figured it was just me. BTW, I DO have the software, but was just looking for a shorthanding system so I could do it on the fly (since I have to make characters for most of my players anyway). I guess I'll have to look at the New Millennium rules again... Matt "Always-causing-trouble" Frisbee

First and foremost, don't get me wrong -- I really like the hero system when it comes to superheroic adventure. But, unless I have a computer program to keep track of the math, I have trouble constructing powers beyond the basics. So, I have an idea on how to simplify the process. Aside from fixed cost powers, which I haven't had time to consider, most powers are bought in levels of effect for 5, 10 or 15 points per level. So what if advantages and disadvantages added or subtracted points per level rather than get lumped together for a "mass multiplication and division orgy" at the end of the process? For example, take a standard Energy Blast at 5 points per level (or die) of effect. Now, let's say we tack on the Armor Piercing advantage (+1/2) and the Reduced By Range (-1/4) disadvantage onto it. Under the rules, I believe that the final cost for this 1d6 EB would be (5 x (1 + 0.5)) / 1.25 = 6 points per level of effect or d6. Under my idea, the advantages would add points per level while the disadvantages would subtract points per level. My idea (at this point) is to essentially adjust the cost per level by 1 point for every 1/4 of advantage or limitation in the modifer. Thus, Armor Piercing becomes a +2 points per level modifier, while Reduced By Range becomes a -1 points per level modifier. For our example above, the math becomes 5 + 2 - 1 = 6 points per level, times the number of levels of effect (or dice in this case). Admittedly, it's not perfect as the more expensive powers would not be adjusted as much as lower cost powers. Also, I'm still thinking on how fixed cost powers could be adjusted by such a system. However, for a fast play game with simplified rules, it could be a quick and easy way to build characters. Matt "Just-an-idea-I've-had" Frisbee

Re: Knightshift Stories -- Campaign Log Knightshift Stories Character – Cypher VL..CHAR..PT 15..STR...05 20..DEX...30 18..CON...16 13..BODY..06 18..INT...08 14..EGO...08 20..PRE...10 12..COM...01 08..PD....05 08..ED....04 04..SPD...10 07..REC...00 36..END...00 35..STUN..05 COST.....108 POWERS PT..POWER (DESCRIPTION) 18..8D6 EB: M1911 PISTOL WITH RUBBER BULLETS. OAF, 2 C OF 7 SHOTS EACH. 05..A SECOND M1911 PISTOL WITH RUBBER BULLETS. 08..3D6 NND EB: MICRO-TASER (INSULATED ED IS DEFENSE). OAF, NO RANGE, BEAM ATTACK, 4 CHARGES. 04..+2” RUNNING (8” TOTAL, 16” NC) END=1/5” 05..+5” SUPERLEAP (8” TOTAL, 16” NC) END=1+STR 12..6 PD / 6 ED ARMORED TRENCHCOAT. OIF. 10..HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE (STATS IN EYE FOR AN EYE) 62..POWERS COST TALENTS & PERKS PT..TALENT/PERK 03..SCHOLAR 03..TALENTS & PERKS COST MARTIAL ARTS – DIRTY INFIGHTING PT..MANEUVER (DESCRIPTION) 04..PUNCH (+0 OCV, +2 DCV, 6D6) 05..ROUNDHOUSE (-2 OCV, +1 DCV, 8D6) 04..LOW BLOW (-1 OCV, +1 DCV, 2D6+2 NND) 04..DISARM (-1 OCV, +1 DCV) 04..KIDNEY BLOW (-2 OCV, +0 DCV, 1D6+1 HKA) 04..+1 DC WITH DIRTY INFIGHTING 25..MARTIAL ARTS COST SKILLS PT..SKILL 05..BREAKFALL 14- 04..CK: HUDSONCITY 14- 05..CLIMBING 14- 05..COMBAT DRIVING (MOTORCYCLE) 14- 08..CSL: +1 WITH ALL COMBAT 03..COMPUTER PROGRAMMING 13- 05..CONCEALMENT 14- 03..CONVERSATION 13- 05..CRIMINOLOGY 14- 03..CRYPTOGRAPHY 13- 05..DEDUCTION 14- 09..DISGUISE 14- 03..INTERROGATION 13- 02..KS: CLASSICAL MUSIC 13- 02..KS: HUDSON CITY UNDERWORLD 13- 02..KS: ORGANIZED CRIME 13- 02..KS: POPULAR MUSIC 13- 01..LIP READING 8- 03..LOCKPICKING 13- 03..PERSUASION 13- 02..PS: PARTY DJ 03..SCI: CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY 13- 03..SCI: PSYCHOLOGY 13- 03..SECURITY SYSTEMS 13- 05..SHADOWING 12- 03..STEALTH 13- 03..STREETWISE 13- 02..WF: SMALL ARMS 102.SKILLS COST 192..POWERS, TALENTS, PERKS & SKILS COST 108..CHARACTERISTICS COST 300..TOTAL COST 200 BASE POINTS + DISADVANTAGES PT..DISADVANTAGE 15..HUNTED BY SING CHUN TONG (8-) (AP, NCI) 20..NORMAL CHARACTERISTICS MAXIMA 20..PSY: DEDICATED TO JUSTICE (VC, STR) 15..PSY: LETHAL FORCE IS THE FINAL OPTION (UC, TOT) 15..PSY: PERSONAL CODE OF HONOR (COM, STR) 15..SECRET I.D., JAY DIETZ, PARTY DJ 300 POINTS TOTAL

Re: Campaign Log: The J-Crew Excellent work on this summary, bigdamnhero! You should be repped and commended. Looks like I've already done the latter and I'll try to do the former after I post this! Keep 'em coming! Matt "I-love-this-stuff" Frisbee

Re: Weekend Warriors -- Campaign Log Edsel, sir, you make me almost wish I was back at Ft. Sill, just so I could commute to your game! I have all sessions printed out and in their own special binder just so I can show the people around here what a Dark Champions game is really all about! Thanks for sharing this with all of us. Matt "Yeah-I-really-have-no-life-outside-of-gaming-but-I-don't-care" Frisbee

Re: Knightshift Stories -- Campaign Log SESSION SUMMARY – SESSION THREE – “FALLEN ANGEL” Starring: Barry as Powerhouse (AKA Rhonda Savage) Brad as The Sentinel (AKA Justin Patrick) Shawn as Cypher (AKA Jay Dietz) Co-Starring: Nightwraith James Roman Wendy Connors HCPD Sgt. Faith Padruski Dr. Seth Goldman Brown Sugar Game Dates: 2000.28.JUL.2006 thru 0600.29.JUL.2006 Interlude Notes for 15 JUL 2006 thru 27 JUL 2006 1) The warehouse that Powerhouse and The Sentinel defended back on 14 JUL 2006 (Session One) was successfully robbed by latex-clad robbers wearing Goth face paint on 18 JUL 2006. The crew was led by a lady who affects a similar fighting style to the missing DarkAngel. The cowl and hair are the same, but the costume is both familiar and strange enough that no positive I.D. can be made. Video of the heist appears on www.hcvigilantes.org on 19 JUL 2006. 2) Rhonda Savage has been out of town for several days checking out several investment opportunities around the Northeastern U.S. and has been unable to sustain her normal crime-suppression patrols. 3) Justin Patrick’s work on his prototype computer processor has hit a snag, and he has been spending significantly more time and money on it than he originally estimated. This has curtailed his vigilante activities over the past two weeks. 4) A new crime-fighter called Cypher scores a major victory against the Sing Chun tong, breaking up a white slavery ring and rescuing two men, five women and four children from the flesh peddlers overseas. Several members of the Sing Chun are arrested after being incapacitated by Cypher. Session Synopsis – [To those of you used to my artistic embellishments on these, I offer my sincere apologies. Due to time constraints, I’m just going to summarize here – I have a Fantasy Hero campaign to run on Sunday!] Opening Scene – 2100 28 JUL 2006 James Roman is having a party to mix and mingle with other investors at the Berkley Grande Plaza Hotel Ballroom, and has invited Rhonda as his “companion” for the evening. An invitation also found Justin Patrick, who decided to attend with his favorite woman in the world, Wendy Connors. (Justin hopes that some wealthy investor will fund his continued development of next generation of computer processors.) After an hour of being serenaded by a chamber group, dealing with a group of men who have patently ignored her (other than to run their gaze up and down her curves framed in a red silk dress) while talking to James, and watching beautifully-carved ice sculptures melt, Rhonda has had enough of the party and is politely making overtures to James about leaving. Justin is in roughly the same mood, having heard more ways to politely say “no” to his ideas and opportunity for investment in a single night than he has in a month of individual presentations. Things heat up when Wendy corners Max Bishop, city councilman from Hudson City’s 65th ward (central Freetown) and begins to dress him up and down for his continued accusations of police corruption regarding enforcement of drug trafficking in his ward. (It is a fact – though not well known – that Max used to be a member of The Nubians gang when he was younger.) Wendy points out that those “hot tips” he has been handing the police via the press have been for dealers associated with The Overlords and The Warriors, who are competitors in the drug trade with The Nubians. Max responds hotly that there wouldn’t a drug problem in Freetown if the cops were honest. “Then these pushers would fear justice!” he shouts loud enough for the rest of the room to hear. “And they wouldn’t be poisoning the next generation of our youth with their vile candy!” The crowd start shouting hostile responses and soon even Rhonda is swept up in the rage – as she drags her “companion” toward the shouting matches that are rapidly degenerating into a mob. James slaps her hard across the face to get her attention, and then slaps a handkerchief soaked in champagne across her mouth and nose while pointing toward the doors that lead to an outdoor balcony. Having regained her senses, Rhonda helps Justin corral Wendy and drag her to the fresh night air of Hudson City. The shouting match turns into fisticuffs and then a genuine brawl as the four recover their composure. James explains his peculiar actions by saying he survived the toxic smoke of a cruise ship fire with the same tactic about two years ago. It is obvious that something is being added to the air of the ballroom as even waiters and security guards join the fray. The four discover a fire escape ladder next to the balcony and ascend to the roof to escape the melee. It is there where Justin discovers a misaligned air duct grill and finds a battery-powered atomizer in operation, pumping a mist from its reserve tank into the duct. Obviously, this is what is causing the problems and Justin wastes no time disabling it. The atomizer is a common store-bought model, but the reserve tank has about a quarter inch of a golden-yellow fluid remaining. A tag attached to the machine reads “Just for you, James! -- Love, Kandi.” While James isn’t the only person with that name at the party, he was the one who paid for it. Trouble is, James doesn’t remember anyone named Kandi… Scene Two – 2213 28 JUL 2006 Pursuing information about the wave of near-suicidal recklessness on the south side of the city over the past week, Cypher does some hunting on his Harley in the Forsyth district. His hunch is that a new drug may be responsible. He knows that all of the victims of their own idiocy so far have shaved their heads and covered up with dark-colored baseball caps or bandanas. During his wanderings, he glimpses a group of three young men kicking out a panel of a wooden fence – and all of them appear to have recently shaven heads and are wearing ball caps. By the time the crime-fighter can get his ride parked and arrives at the hole in the fence, the men have climbed an elevated train trestle and are running toward an oncoming commuter train making chicken noises and flapping their arms. Cypher wastes no time, quickly ascending the trestle and running to catch up with the idiots on the tracks. He grabs each of the first two as he reaches them and tosses them onto rooftops below the tracks (the only option besides letting them fall 20’ to the streets). He grabs the last with barely a second to spare and jumps with him to a roof 10’ below the tracks as the train roars by above. The man is knocked senseless by the impact, but is otherwise unhurt. After regaining his breath, the crime-fighter searches the man’s pockets, finding three small sections of soda straw which have been crimped at both ends. Although they are empty, he notices traces of a golden-yellow powder in each. He pockets the evidence, noting the mottled appearance of the man’s scalp and the yellow stains on the inside of his cap… Scene Three – 2249 28 JUL 2006 [brad had to leave the session early and will not be back next week] Justin begs off crime-fighting tonight, citing his workload and concern about lingering effects of the aerosol contaminant on Wendy, leaving Powerhouse to continue on her own. Once at the base under the Cherry Grove Pet Cemetery mausoleum, she makes a call to Flashman Jackson. The Flashman says the new drug is something strange called Pixie; it is being sold in pieces of plastic soda straw; and the Nubians are dealing it. Armed with the new information, Powerhouse dons another plastic raincoat and cheap wrap-around shades, then boards the EL heading for known Nubian turf in The Numbers. On the ride over, she stares down the punks on train after deforming a metal handgrip with her superhuman strength. They decide there are easier pickings somewhere else. Powerhouse draws stares, catcalls and curses as she walks away from Parsons Station. Her booted feet hammering the pavement as she strides in search of a dealer, she is surprised when another set of platform shoes fall into step with hers. The lady’s name is Brown Sugar and she sports a retro 70’s look that includes a genuine article afro hairdo, silver spandex disco pants with bell bottoms and a matching bandeau top with a transparent plastic jacket and 4” platform shoes. [brown Sugar, while not a crime-fighter or vigilante, is a sort of “Robin Hood of the Projects” doing what she can to help people while still making a buck or two in the process.] After giving Brown Sugar a quick rundown of what’s been happening, Powerhouse is instructed to wait in a nearby alley while her confidant makes the Pixie purchase with the crime-fighter’s Shamrock. Brown Sugar quickly returns with three straws of Pixie and a ten-year-old kid who was a lookout for the buyer. “Figured you wanted information,” says Sugar as she dumps the kid at the heroine’s feet, “and it’s a good thing I made the buy because those hoodlums were just looking for trouble tonight.” Powerhouse decides to play the kid straight, and crouches down to look less intimidating. [i allow characters to creatively use skills occasionally – here, Barry made an Acting roll mingled with a PRE attack at standard effect to “coax” the information from the kid.] Powerhouse quickly learns that the Nubians are getting their Pixie from a supplier in Forsyth named Kandi Cain, though the kid doesn’t know where. “She’s crazy, so even the warlords are scared of her,” he says, “They say she has a fallen angel working for her. I don’t believe it, but they do.” After thanking the kid for his help (by giving him a Shamrock) and sending him on his way, Brown Sugar and Powerhouse part ways… Scene Four – 0026 29 JUL 2006 Cypher follows up information he coerces from one of the junkies from the train trestle, looking for a Nubian dealer in The Numbers. He has cruised the streets here for nearly two hours (in costume) and had no luck. He’s about to give up when he happens to catch a glimpse of Brown Sugar and Powerhouse leaving the alley together. He’s heard of both of these women, but knows that Powerhouse is the crime-fighter, and quickly confronts her with the information he’s learned. Fortunately, Powerhouse is well aware of Cypher’s recent past, and also desperately needs quick ride out of here. An accord is quickly struck and information exchanged while the two motor into the Forsyth district on Cypher’s Harley. [Good thing he didn’t want a soft tail!] The initial plan is to stakeout various routes into and out of the district, looking for Nubians who are returning to buy more Pixie. Cypher points out that any operation with this much money involved will have their own lookouts as well, but Powerhouse is confident she can solve that problem, should it occur. [Powerhouse has PSY: Overconfidence, by the way.] The pair parks the motorcycle in an alley near one of the choice stakeout locations, only to find that it is already occupied by the woman who led the raid on the warehouse last week! Cypher drops his jaw as Powerhouse easily pulls up a manhole cover and hurls it at the figure on the roofline across the street. The rumors about her superhuman strength are true! Unfortunately, the figure easily side-steps the attack (which takes out a 3’ section of the building’s facing). The figure jumps easily down to the street from the roof a three-story building and the battle is joined. The battle is swift and vicious, but also strange. The woman in black keeps mumbling heroic lines such as “drop the gun” and “I don’t want to hurt you” as the fight continues, but there is no force behind the words. The figure is a wraith of the night, landing barely effective punches on the two with inhuman speed, but avoiding their attacks far more effectively. A particularly vicious spin kick nearly puts Cypher on his seat, and something clicks with what the kid said to Powerhouse. That kick is a trademark move DarkAngel, so this Kandi Cane’s “fallen angel!” Acting quickly, Powerhouse grabs the woman, shouting “DarkAngel” at her repeatedly. The woman struggles for a moment and then wails a broken cry that gives the unspeakable horrors of chemo-psychological conditioning a voice. Shuddering in the grip of the crime-fighter she collapses into a mound of pain and drug-induced tremors. Acting quickly, Cypher jimmies open a late-model parked car and Powerhouse snaps the lock tumbler on the column to beat a fast retreat from the scene with DarkAngel in the back seat. Cypher pauses only long enough to retrieve his motorcycle, and then the three are en route to the secret base in Pierpoint. [Admittedly, it was a bit of metagaming here, knowing that Cypher was a player-character, to let him in on the secret so soon, but there was little choice for Powerhouse as DarkAngel could be dying for all she knew at the time.] Scene Five – 0107 29 JUL 2006 Cypher sweeps a buffet table clean and locates the medical crash bag Powerhouse has stowed in the base while the heroine starts treating DarkAngel for shock, removing the bodysuit and cowl in the process. Soon, using a pirated wi-fi connection to the internet, Cypher surfs medical websites (and a couple medical databases Powerhouse knows about) to determine that they’re in over their heads and DarkAngel is dying. In desperation, Powerhouse calls HCPD Sgt. Faith Padruski, begging for medical help that will preserve DarkAngel’s identity. [Nobody here knows who she really is, so it’s okay for the moment.] Faith knows an old family friend who can help, and it is quickly worked out how to get the pair there without revealing the location of the base. As an afterthought, Powerhouse asks Faith to bring a spare set of sweats with her so DarkAngel will have something to wear. Soon, Faith and Dr. Seth Goldman are in the subterranean base, and the aging doctor quickly gets to work stabilizing and treating the ailing heroine. Dr. Goldman has done extensive work treating drug overdose cases in the past, and quickly recognizes that the woman is suffering from atropine poisoning as fallout from whatever she was being injected with to keep her under Kandi Cain’s control. Fortunately, the good doctor has just what the woman needs and soon the color is returning to her cheeks. Advising rest and warning both Powerhouse and Cypher that his patient will have extreme sensitivity to heat and cold for a few days, the doctor and Faith are escorted out (blindfolded, as they entered) with many thanks. While Powerhouse is returning their helpers to their car, Cypher overhears DarkAngel murmuring something about “Fill ‘er up, Paul” and “rotate the tires.” Thinking it over, he decides to search for an auto service business with Paul in the title. He gets lucky when he stumbles over an outdated entry at www.switchboard.com [this site is real, though the listing isn’t] for “Paul’s Gas & Auto Service” at the corner of Hobbs St. & Burns Ave. in Forsyth. “Gotcha!” he growls as he waits for Powerhouse to return… Scene Six – 0241 29 JUL 2006 After dropping off Faith and Dr. Goldman, Powerhouse takes a moment to call James Roman, and finds he is not answering the phone. Knowing that a phone would wake him up from past experience together, she decides to swing by his apartment before she returns to watch over DarkAngel’s recovery. When she arrives, she discovers that his apartment door has been forced and she hustles inside. In the master bedroom, she finds him in bed, but barely breathing with a handkerchief in his hand. She smells something medicinal in the air, and it takes all her strength to resist the gas being released into the room as she hauls James clear and out to the balcony. Taking in fresh air, she takes a deep breath and searches the room, finding a small plug-in air freshener that looks home-built. She removes the item, tosses it into a sealing baggie in the kitchenette and then tosses the bag into the freezer before returning to the patio for more fresh air. Once she recovers, she dials 911 for James. An ambulance ride later, she finds out that her quick action has saved James’ life, though he will need a few days in the hospital to recover completely. During this time, Rhonda discovers she has strong feelings for James and a growing hatred for Kandi Cane. She drives back to the base with a certainty that Kandi is going to have a lot to answer for when the Powerhouse catches up with her… Scene Seven – 0530 29 JUL 2006 DarkAngel awakes and our heroes fill her in on all that has happened since she disappeared on June 27th. The heroine explains that she bumbled into one of Kandi’s booby traps in Forsyth investigating a rumor that the West Coast villainess was in town. “After that, it was mostly a blur,” she says while shivering in her blanket and sweats. Cypher points out that DarkAngel’s personal information and secret identity has probably been compromised, and advises her to lay low until Kandi has been “dealt with.” Powerhouse agrees, and rents a nice motel room for the heroine for a few days, advising her to rest and only take room service until further notice. Cypher shares what he gained from DarkAngel’s murmurings, and Powerhouse decides it must be Kandi’s lab for Pixie. The session closes with the two formulating plans on how to take it down. SESSION NOTES When I finally let these characters spend some of their well-earned XP, they’ll have a lot of things to apply it to – more contacts, vehicles and the base, of course. Brad will be unable to attend next week, but Shawn will be there, as will Barry. Admittedly, all we have of this adventure is the final battle with Kandi Cane, but I’ll redesign the ending so there will be a bit more to it than just taking down the lab. Jay Dietz is a party DJ who occasionally supplements his income by working as an unlicensed detective and as a hero for hire. That business in Chinatown was a contract job for Cleopatra who had a couple of employees disappear. FUTURE PLOT ELEMENTS Introduced Brown Sugar and Dr. Goldman – they’ll probably be back in the future. James Roman will be taking some time to recover from his brush with death – will the fact that Rhonda saved his life make the difference to the renowned Romeo? OVERALL SELF-EVALUATION Admittedly, it was a crazy session with interruptions galore, but the adventure went more or less as planned, even with the last-minute addition of another player and the abrupt exit of an established player. The introduction amongst the vigilantes went very well, though The Sentinel will probably be upset that their little duo has become a foursome… -- Matt Frisbee 0326 29 JUL 2006

Re: WWYCD for a klondike bar? (humorous please) Low-Rent (if in heroic identity) would ham it up a bit, looking sad that he couldn't actually eat the bar without revealing his identity. John Smith would simply say he's done just about every dirty job around for minimum wage, how much further could you debase him by making him beg for ice cream? Matt "It-was-funny-in-rehearsal" Frisbee