Pyre-Archer

Re: Order of the Stick

 

I´m sorry' date=' but I still don´t see this as the crucial moment that ties in to V´s prophecy. Didn´t it run something like ¨The four right words to the right being at the right time for all the wrong reasons?¨[/quote']

 

#331, yep.

 

My money? "Evard's Spiked Tentacles...Revised" on a certain kobold Oracle, if I read #628 correctly.

 

More seriously, I'll wager it involves the words 'allegiance' and 'Xykon'. 'Right' doesn't necessarily mean 'good', after all.

 

-Pyre-Archer

"A fake fortuneteller can be tolerated, but an authentic soothsayer should be shot on sight. Cassandra did not get half the kicking around she deserved."

-Time Enough for Love, Robert A. Heinlein

Re: WWYCD: "Dear Superhero" (Warning: Ugly situation)

 

The Musketeer: Doesn't give a **** about international law; if he could, he'd go in and shoot at who he defined as the bad guys, which opens up a big can of worms for anyone else trying to manage the situation. But the run in with the local super team (or UN squad keeping such well-meaning interlopers out) would be something to see.

 

Pyre-Archer: Much more vocal, locally. start hitting the local media with the letter, try to shame the assorted governments into taking some sort of action.

 

*Then* he'd go in arrows blazing, with whatever backup he could manage to find.

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

bloody mary might make for a good villian for the motor city defenders

 

Actually, in my campaign, they kinda drifted apart. Cantrip's learning the ways of magic from Witchcraft, Barnstormer's trying out for a few sports teams (and praying his flight doesn't kick in at an inopportune moment), and Crone seems to have dropped off the map.

 

Kid Samson's doing some solo work, with some occasional *unofficial* assistance from the sneakier Ravenswood students. I tell ya, ever since that teleporter signed up for classes...

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

 

The Good:

The harsh lessons learned by Landslide and Thunderclap was a success.

 

Excellent role playing here, and a perfectly devious plan executed by Riot and The Fool.

 

Assuming that the two bricks in question ever fully recover...at least, psychologically.

 

The Bad:

VIPER discovered the location of the Ravenwood Academy for Superhumans.

VIPER kidnapped Function a young Technopath from the Academy grounds.

Heh, more on this bit next session. Rowan might have to take her operation public, after all...

 

The Ugly:

Bloody Mary, a fallen angel turned serial child killer.

The Silver Age Sentinel invasion continues! I've been going to the mystic end a bit much lately, so I think I might put her on the back burner for a while.

 

Wasn't there a thread about Teen Champions villains somewhere...?

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

You forgot an entry in The Ugly' date=' namely, The Fool getting Blastersplattered by an agent. Hospital Time![/quote']

 

 

Yeah. Again, I'm really, really sorry about that...the one time I roll a 3...

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

Just a brief overview.

 

Iron Duke (From Silver Age Sentinels). Taken down after a long, long fight. Suffice to say, it establishes the Champs of Vancouver.

 

Fast forward a few weeks. PRIMUS is knee deep in scandal after that incident with the rogue group invading Vancouver, and Riot's 'Public Service Announcements' about the attackers. Not looking good for the new Golden Avenger

 

It's almost as if someone's feeding the media and the Senate some dirt. Hmm....

 

Anyway, We find the team up in the northeast part of BC, where a somewhat dimwitted group (don't start!) of Hunter Patriots has kidnapped the Lieutenant Governor of BC. Agent of British Royalty (they claim), give in or he gets it, usual drill.

 

The specifics escape my recall (QM?), but I seem to remember a long discussion of how to reach the house without the HPs offing the hostage, which ended with a kamikaze run with an UNTIL hovervan, Riot running namesake over some hapless guards out back, and the guys inside meeting a rather nasty end at BLack Harlequin's hands. Then trying to do the same to Le Fool. Close, but a win for the good guys.

 

Which brings us to a request for some guest lecturing from the headmistress of Ravenswood Academy; Riot's rare among duplicators, and he might be able to bring some of his experience to the new generation of heroes. Plus, there's a duplicator in one of the classes, who might benefit from some one on one experience. And non-powered heroes like The Fool are always welcome to instruct the more...rambunctious non-traditional students.

 

Changes of note:

-Gym/Phys Ed instructor: Maxwell Liberty aka The Sentinel from Silver Age Sentinels.

-Cantrip: Finally busted by Witchcraft. Now she's really Witchcraft's apprentice. Motor City Defenders have drifted apart. Barnstormer's trying out for sports in a different school, and Kid Samson is still fighting crime in Old Detroit.

 

More later (including Operation: After School Special, plus yet *another* SAS character making her appearance)

Re: THE BOOK OF THE MACHINE: What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Can we get an explanation why Mechanon doesn't just constantly crank out multiple, active copies of himself?

 

Personal best in-story guess? You'd have the old 'copy of a copy of a copy' problem after a while. Although the thought of Mechanon channeling Agent Smith is a mite tempting to this rookie GM...

 

Beings who think of themselves as 'perfect' tend to be the worst nitpickers, I believe. I could easily see later versions of Mechanon battling older 'less advanced' versions, with all appropriate collateral damage.

 

Actually, this was one of the closing moments in QM's (I think) Champs of Vancouver campaign; a bundle of Mechanon backups had self-activated, and were...discussing...which one should stay online.

 

Apologies all if I've covered someone else's ground.

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

whats this about nemesis/riot joining some team called UNITY?

 

Hey, networking's always a plus, especially in the superhero world.

Re: Building a city for your superheroes...

 

There is at least one MAJOR contradiction in terms in that sentence.

 

That just screams a political corruption scenario ;-)

 

edit: I'm thinking of *starting* with an alien invasion, with the cleanup to follow in subsequent episodes.

Re: Third Annual Christmas Champions Episode

 

Done. And worth it!

Re: Green Lantern: Against the Blackest Night PBM

 

If you're looking for galactic level challenges, you might want to look over Galactic Champions. You can find some reviews on it at RPG.net, and it's listed in the online HERO store.

 

Mechanon's Death-Star sized head, for 's sake...

 

Other ideas..

 

It's definitely not safe for work, owing mostly to language, but Mightygodking.com's 'I should write the Legion' posts have some perfectly stealable ideas.

 

The book of Oa is an excellent resource, both for villains and the ring itself.

 

That's about all I got.

Re: Building a city for your superheroes...

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

 

I'm wondering at ways to get some new life into the New^3 Champs of Vancouver game. Also, I'm thinking of starting up a campaign in my hometown at the newly opened RPG/gaming store.

 

So far, it looks like they just have a 4e game going Sundays, and the shopkeep I spoke to has only heard of the HERO system.

 

Time to spread the word

Any advice in putting a city together, from the ground up? How many NPCs should I have handy, how detailed should the general map be, those sorts of questions.

 

This is partly from an upcoming need for the Champions of Vancouver campaign I'm currently GMing, partly from another campaign idea I'm toying with.

 

Thanks!

Re: City of Heroes - Online Hero Game

 

Still sticking around, I believe (I always get my servers mixed up) I can be found irregularly on the Triumph server, playing Archer Jeanne recently.

 

Really wish they'd do something to include super vehicles...

Re: Which Champion are you

 

Yet another Defender.

 

What, no Seeker?

 

[ATTACH]30260[/ATTACH]

 

Oh, right...

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

Don't worry. I'll put ol' Foxy on my 'recurring nuisance' list. Too much fun, that night...

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

A lull of several weeks ended with a guest spot by the Goldarned Foxbat, committing the latest felony in his master plan.

 

To wit: March into a Save on and shout, to one and all...

"GIMME ALL YOUR CORNFLAKES!"

 

Yeah. Mercury, who was in the midst of a food run, nipped off to suit up, then approached Foxbat and tried to talk him down. Which ended with a Glue Ball and a rather nice Entangle Roll.

 

Enter Riot, who faced off with Foxbat (After getting an autograph. Come to think of it, Foxbat did manage to pull of a GLide-By signing on some fans. Shots were traded, but Foxbat was eventually taken down. And arrested. And promptly fell in love with the RCMP Officer (Samantha, IIRC) who was taking him away. The RCMP building was filled with roses the next day..

 

Acting on a threat of Foxbat bots that he had personally pimped out, not to mention the promise to make Mercury his sidekick (offering him the name of Mr. Zip in the process), Foxbat, Samantha, and Riot drove down to an abandoned building in the Downtown east Side, where lay two Iron Walkers. To the RCMP officer's chagrin, the two boys decided to have a singalong on the way there. Of the Irish Rovers' "Wasn't that a party."

 

Afterwards, there was a scuffle with ARGENT again, who were after the Walkers for some nefarious purpose. But oh, lord, the fun we had with Foxbat...

 

Apologies for any inconsistencies with what actually happened; this was Thursday night, and some of the details had faded.

Re: Crusader, version Skuld only knows...

 

I kind of regret that he wasn't brought into 5th Edition with some of the other legacy characters.

 

Turns out that there is a Crusader mentioned in News of the World in the Justice Squadron entry; mystically themed vigilante, but he bought it during a fight against Takofanes (pg. 69).

 

Poor guy just can't seem to catch a break...

Re: Crusader, version Skuld only knows...

 

Don't have UU, but wasn't his death left vague, as a possible storyhook?

Re: Crusader, version Skuld only knows...

 

whats the skinny on crusader

 

The skinny? He showed up in the first through 4th edition of Champions, meeting his end at the hnads of his out of control student Crusdae in Underworld Unleashed (IIRC).

 

Martial Artist with a shield for missile deflection, glider wings, and (at least, in 3rd), Jet boots for some extra lift. Story is that he was a former CIA operative who was captured and brainwashed by VIPER as an assassin. Broke free after his first mission, and did the costumed vigilante bit for the rest of his career.

 

New Millennium Crusader is a time lost knight from Arthurian times (IIRC) with a magic sword and a high tech suit of armour.

Inspired as much by the New Millennium Crusader as classic 4th edition Crusader. 250 points (125/125) Built for a possible campaign by the Questionman.

 

Comments?

 

Crusader

 

Val Char

14 STR

20 DEX

13 CON

14 BODY

13 INT

14 EGO

15 PRE

12 COM

 

3/8 PD

3/8 ED

4 SPD

10 REC

40 END

40 STUN

 

8" RUN

2" SWIM

4 1/2" LEAP 2

Characteristics Cost: 108

 

Cost Power END

20 Combat Staff: Multipower, 30-point reserve, (30 Active Points); all slots OIF (Focus: War Staff; -1/2)

1u 1) Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (25 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), OIF (Focus: War Staff; -1/2) 1

1u 2) Energy Blast 3d6, No Normal Defense ([standard]; Built-in Taser; +1) (30 Active Points); 8 Charges (-1/2), OIF (Focus: War Staff; -1/2) [8]

35 Shield: Multipower, 35-point reserve

1u 1) Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel) (15 Active Points) 0

3u 2) Force Wall (7 PD/7 ED) (35 Active Points) 3

2u 3) Energy Blast 6d6 (30 Active Points); Lockout (Thrown shield; -1/2), No Knockback (-1/4) 3

10 Armoured outfit: Armor (5 PD/5 ED) (15 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 0

Powers Cost: 73

 

Cost Martial Arts Maneuver

Karate

4 1) Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 24 STR to Disarm

4 2) Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort

4 3) Joint Lock/Throw: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 1d6 NND ; Target Falls

4 4) Nerve Strike: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, 2d6 NND

1 5) Weapon Element: Clubs, Unarmed (Default Element)

Martial Arts Cost: 17

 

Cost Skill

3 Breakfall 13-

3 Power 11-

3 Criminology 12-

6 Computer Programming (Hacking and Computer Security, Personal Computers) 13-

3 Stealth 13-

3 Deduction 12-

3 Shadowing 12-

3 Defense Maneuver I

2 KS:Pulp genre 11-

3 TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, Two-Wheeled Muscle-Powered Ground Vehicles

3 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Staffs

Skills Cost: 35

 

Cost Talent

17 Combat Sense 14-

Talents Cost: 17

 

Total Character Cost: 250

 

Val Disadvantages

20 Normal Characteristic Maxima

15 Hunted (GM Choice): 11- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)

10 Hunted: Local police department: 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)

15 Dependent NPC: Anita Griffin: Younger sister (City university student) 8- (Normal; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID)

5 Reputation: Masked crimefighter, 8-

10 Psychological Limitation: Knight Errant code of honour: (Common, Moderate)

5 Hunted: local gangs: 8- (Less Pow, Harshly Punish)

15 Social Limitation: Secret ID: (Frequently, Major)

15 Psychological Limitation: Code versus Killing: (Common, Strong)

15 Psychological Limitation:Justice not law mentality: (Common, Strong)

 

Disadvantage Points: 125

Base Points: 125

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

This latest session (October , 2008)

 

leadup: Unveiled copy of Champions 3rd edition. Picked it up for nostalgia reasons. Offered to change the rules for the campaign...No? Okay, on with the show.

 

A knockdown, drag out fight between the Champions of Vancouver and the team of Jack Fool and Devil Dog. Which ended with Jack Fool managing to GMO Mercury, before the two undead servitors were put down.

 

The Morbane that called them forth? Oh, he got a face full of ridiculous string from The Fool.

 

That's when I sprung the magic-hunting VIPER bots on them, and got the Magic vs Technology arc off to a somewhat stuttering start (More on this later). Nemesis and The Fool managed had to do some fancy maneuvering , but eventually managed to elude their captors. This included sticking Jack and The Devil Dog to the Entangled (It was Sticky, y'see) Morbane, with Nemesis hoisting the compilation around like a Villain Sandwich! Plus, one bot was taken down (too many targets led to a CPU malfunction), revealling (after the bots withdrew) some incredibly advanced tech, even more so than Mechanon's own systems.

 

Further Analysis by an NPC sorceress (Erica? I forget her name) brought in by UNTIL (Amid newsclips of Solitare and Defender having a rather massive battle) revealed the presence of Qliphotic energies. The session ended with reports of zombies attacking on the outskirts of Surrey.

 

Looking back: Had a plan, but I really stumbled on the delivery. Need to pre-write my dialogue a bit better, and flesh out my campaign notes a lot more. Still, I think I've come ahead a bit in my GMing.

 

Still a ways to go, but you got to start somewhere

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

The Fool (courtesy of Wikipedia)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fool_(Tarot_card)

 

Specifically (quoted from the Wikipedia entry):

 

The Fool is the spirit in search of experience. He represents the mystical cleverness bereft of reason within us, the childlike ability to tune into the inner workings of the world. The sun shining behind him represents the divine nature of the Fool's wisdom and exuberance. On his back are all the possessions he might need. In his hand there is a flower, showing his appreciation of beauty. He is frequently accompanied by a dog, sometimes seen as his animal desires, sometimes as the call of the "real world", nipping at his heels and distracting him. He is seemingly unconcerned that he is standing on a precipice, apparently about to step off.

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

Hmm, I keep forgetting abuot this thread. Bad of me.

 

Well, what started two sessions ago with new hero The Fool and Nemesis taking down a fleeing VIPER munitions shipment (And Nemesis snagging himself a rather snazzy VIPER jetbike), has come down to:

 

• a complete lack of action in Vancouver
  
• reports of a lawyer Mercury had under surveillance heading off to the Okanagan
  
• And he has links to the DEMON agents captured previously
  

Details have faded from my mind (anyone from the past two sessions recall anything?), but I can clearly recall the team following a beat up RV to a secluded spot near a man made lake, two other RVs which hooked up to become, in essence, a mobile DEMON-hame...

 

And Devil Dog and Jack Fool.

 

Next session should be interesting to see

Re: [Campaign] The new, NEW Champions of Vancouver!

 

August 25th: Game called due to lack of attendance. Hopefully, the next session will go better.

 

Did loan QM my copy of the PS 238 RPG. Enjoy!