Hermit

"They call me Cuban Pete!
I'm the king of the rumba beat!
Play maracas go
Chick chicky boom
Chick chicky boom!"
 

I've started running a "Victoriana" campaign, and Widening Gyre is of of my minor sources.  It's a good book.
I'd love to see a Victorian Hero or Steampunk Hero the size of Pulp Hero, but that won't happen.  In my campaign I'm combining pieces from Cowboy Hero, Horror Hero, Widening Gyre, GURPS Steampunk, Victoriana, Castle Falkenstein, and several others just to get the pieces of all the things happening in a magictech world of 1866. Lots of stuff!  And since mine is based in the San Francisco, not London, there are different assumptions about the goings on.
But I digress. Bill Keyes did a great job with his Widening Gyre. 

I sure would because it's very, very important I don't end up on the front line fighting endless hordes of giant murder bugs.
 
InfoTech for me, sir!

Even if the policy is walked back, it serves the spiteful purpose of cruelty and fear. But as Ranxerox says, it's also deeply stupid. The radio report I heard noted that it could affect noncitizens who serve in the US military, of which there are more than a few. If I understood correctly, existing law says if their children are born on US military bases, they are considered born on US soil.
 
Well, we can't have that, now can we? Those cunning foreigners, taking advantage of our laws by following them! So we're going to frighten, anger and alienate people who have shown by their deeds that they want to bind themselves to this country.
 
As I have said before in this thread, the desire of people from other countries to become American citizens -- and their belief that this is possible -- is power for the US. It is a power our most dedicated enemies lack and cannot obtain without abandoning fundamental aspects of their own identities. Like, they'd have to stop being tyrannical kleptocracies or religious dictatorships. To give up such an advantage is just, well, stupid.
 
Dean Shomshak

New one up!
 
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1178.html

No worries, thread drift happens as long as folks have fun.
 
One of my favorites in an animated superhero movie would have to be in Megamind where Welcome to the Jungle, particularly it's intro gets used to wonderful effect
"PRESENTATION"

"A man is known by his enemies. My greatest foe was the superhero Dr. Stalwart. An intellectual giant among ungrateful dwarfs, he never took his full due from the bleating population he saved time and time again. His own studies in bio chemistry allowed him strength to match his intellect, a boost that lasted for days. I enjoyed our little contests of genius and power. The few times I had him at my mercy, and they were embarrassingly few,  I found myself either sparing him so I might gloat or else arranging a 'death trap' to test his resourcefulness. It was a test he always managed to pass. I see now that I savored the hunt more than the trophy, the contest more than the prize. Let puerile jokes about my mental state commence, but you will hear me out. Dr. Stalwart did not die by my hand. He did not die saving lives in some natural catastrophe. No, he was outed a facial recognition program for the government's new classification program funded by the government set up by a corporation and lastly, leaked by some greedy intern who sold the information to a shady news source. This forced him to retire last week for the good of friends and families... and under legal pressures. I am sure many of you delighted in your rush of dirty laundry. Last night, in the news, his death was finally reported. He was killed by two junkies hoping he still had access to his treatments thinking it would be a 'super high'. Killed in his sleep. Killed.In.His.Sleep."
 
The screen flickered, showing two figures scrambling through a large technomaze chased by winding mechanical arms with electrified tips.
 
"If either or both of these men survive, I will help them go cold turkey in a rehabilitation program under my tender care. I suspect it won't come to that. The government official who took the campaign money from the company that wanted the Facial Recognition program contract was in good health and did not last long. The lobbyist for the company and five of its stock holders died even quicker. And the reporter , well, I have something special planned for him. Don't misunderstand, each of these death traps has a way out. I made sure of that. But you'd need the intellect and courage of a man like Dr. Stalwart to find them. They won't. And I realize that worthy foes will be a vanishing breed soon, unless I do something. So? I have. By now, superheroes all over the country, and soon the world, will be receiving the schematics and samples of my Cryptomask Technology. The brilliant among them will be able to reverse engineer it. Others? Well, I did what I could to match their preferences. It's not a trap. It's not a trick. Consider it a sign of respect from a dragon to knights in a world full of grubby peasants. Why you care for them,  I will never know, but at least you will be spared the envious mobs torchlight shoved into your faces. Cryptomask will superimpose false faces on photographs, cameras, digital and otherwise. Thus rendering them all useless. You can set it to blank if you like, but currently, the device imposes the face of Frank Jeffries aka Dr. Stalwart, my enemy, my rival, and the only person on this planet I respected. I am retiring save to keep making sure the technology of anonymity outraces that of identification. Monsters are meant to fall to heroes and vice versa. It is only fitting that when the rabble try to peel back the helm they see the face of the man they murdered through their envy. Now, for your viewing pleasure, let's see if these two men surprise me."
 
Sounds of screams as one of the junkies clearly does not make it.
 
June 2013, all channels overridden by the villainous mastermind Master Apep
 
 

“Bring me to life” by Evanescence from the Daredevil movie with Ben Affleck was a great matchup.
   Also while not exactly a superhero movie I really liked Metallica’s “I disappear” from the second Mission Impossible movie.

"A man is known by his enemies. My greatest foe was the superhero Dr. Stalwart. An intellectual giant among ungrateful dwarfs, he never took his full due from the bleating population he saved time and time again. His own studies in bio chemistry allowed him strength to match his intellect, a boost that lasted for days. I enjoyed our little contests of genius and power. The few times I had him at my mercy, and they were embarrassingly few,  I found myself either sparing him so I might gloat or else arranging a 'death trap' to test his resourcefulness. It was a test he always managed to pass. I see now that I savored the hunt more than the trophy, the contest more than the prize. Let puerile jokes about my mental state commence, but you will hear me out. Dr. Stalwart did not die by my hand. He did not die saving lives in some natural catastrophe. No, he was outed a facial recognition program for the government's new classification program funded by the government set up by a corporation and lastly, leaked by some greedy intern who sold the information to a shady news source. This forced him to retire last week for the good of friends and families... and under legal pressures. I am sure many of you delighted in your rush of dirty laundry. Last night, in the news, his death was finally reported. He was killed by two junkies hoping he still had access to his treatments thinking it would be a 'super high'. Killed in his sleep. Killed.In.His.Sleep."
 
The screen flickered, showing two figures scrambling through a large technomaze chased by winding mechanical arms with electrified tips.
 
"If either or both of these men survive, I will help them go cold turkey in a rehabilitation program under my tender care. I suspect it won't come to that. The government official who took the campaign money from the company that wanted the Facial Recognition program contract was in good health and did not last long. The lobbyist for the company and five of its stock holders died even quicker. And the reporter , well, I have something special planned for him. Don't misunderstand, each of these death traps has a way out. I made sure of that. But you'd need the intellect and courage of a man like Dr. Stalwart to find them. They won't. And I realize that worthy foes will be a vanishing breed soon, unless I do something. So? I have. By now, superheroes all over the country, and soon the world, will be receiving the schematics and samples of my Cryptomask Technology. The brilliant among them will be able to reverse engineer it. Others? Well, I did what I could to match their preferences. It's not a trap. It's not a trick. Consider it a sign of respect from a dragon to knights in a world full of grubby peasants. Why you care for them,  I will never know, but at least you will be spared the envious mobs torchlight shoved into your faces. Cryptomask will superimpose false faces on photographs, cameras, digital and otherwise. Thus rendering them all useless. You can set it to blank if you like, but currently, the device imposes the face of Frank Jeffries aka Dr. Stalwart, my enemy, my rival, and the only person on this planet I respected. I am retiring save to keep making sure the technology of anonymity outraces that of identification. Monsters are meant to fall to heroes and vice versa. It is only fitting that when the rabble try to peel back the helm they see the face of the man they murdered through their envy. Now, for your viewing pleasure, let's see if these two men surprise me."
 
Sounds of screams as one of the junkies clearly does not make it.
 
June 2013, all channels overridden by the villainous mastermind Master Apep
 
 

My first instinct is to post "the entire soundtrack from The Incredibles", but that's probably cheating.
 
I'll go with "Kiss From a Rose" from Batman Forever. Arguably the best thing about that movie.

Vibes sent.  Good luck to you and yours.

"A man is known by his enemies. My greatest foe was the superhero Dr. Stalwart. An intellectual giant among ungrateful dwarfs, he never took his full due from the bleating population he saved time and time again. His own studies in bio chemistry allowed him strength to match his intellect, a boost that lasted for days. I enjoyed our little contests of genius and power. The few times I had him at my mercy, and they were embarrassingly few,  I found myself either sparing him so I might gloat or else arranging a 'death trap' to test his resourcefulness. It was a test he always managed to pass. I see now that I savored the hunt more than the trophy, the contest more than the prize. Let puerile jokes about my mental state commence, but you will hear me out. Dr. Stalwart did not die by my hand. He did not die saving lives in some natural catastrophe. No, he was outed a facial recognition program for the government's new classification program funded by the government set up by a corporation and lastly, leaked by some greedy intern who sold the information to a shady news source. This forced him to retire last week for the good of friends and families... and under legal pressures. I am sure many of you delighted in your rush of dirty laundry. Last night, in the news, his death was finally reported. He was killed by two junkies hoping he still had access to his treatments thinking it would be a 'super high'. Killed in his sleep. Killed.In.His.Sleep."
 
The screen flickered, showing two figures scrambling through a large technomaze chased by winding mechanical arms with electrified tips.
 
"If either or both of these men survive, I will help them go cold turkey in a rehabilitation program under my tender care. I suspect it won't come to that. The government official who took the campaign money from the company that wanted the Facial Recognition program contract was in good health and did not last long. The lobbyist for the company and five of its stock holders died even quicker. And the reporter , well, I have something special planned for him. Don't misunderstand, each of these death traps has a way out. I made sure of that. But you'd need the intellect and courage of a man like Dr. Stalwart to find them. They won't. And I realize that worthy foes will be a vanishing breed soon, unless I do something. So? I have. By now, superheroes all over the country, and soon the world, will be receiving the schematics and samples of my Cryptomask Technology. The brilliant among them will be able to reverse engineer it. Others? Well, I did what I could to match their preferences. It's not a trap. It's not a trick. Consider it a sign of respect from a dragon to knights in a world full of grubby peasants. Why you care for them,  I will never know, but at least you will be spared the envious mobs torchlight shoved into your faces. Cryptomask will superimpose false faces on photographs, cameras, digital and otherwise. Thus rendering them all useless. You can set it to blank if you like, but currently, the device imposes the face of Frank Jeffries aka Dr. Stalwart, my enemy, my rival, and the only person on this planet I respected. I am retiring save to keep making sure the technology of anonymity outraces that of identification. Monsters are meant to fall to heroes and vice versa. It is only fitting that when the rabble try to peel back the helm they see the face of the man they murdered through their envy. Now, for your viewing pleasure, let's see if these two men surprise me."
 
Sounds of screams as one of the junkies clearly does not make it.
 
June 2013, all channels overridden by the villainous mastermind Master Apep
 
 

Praying for you and your clan!

Blood makes the grass grow. Kill! Kill!

1) Full name
        Poltir
2) Mother's maiden name
        unknown
3) Any titles you have and where they were granted
        Blade Master, Iron halls of Myrmidon
        Uthordrak-Qog, Orc Chieftain of the Red Crag Tribes
        Kafiej-Paode, Conclave of Padashar of the Bright Desert
        Prince-Errant, Hold of the Ten Thousand Faithful
4) Place of birth
        summit of the Shattercrown Peak
5) What is your reason for visiting our fair city?
        to secure commerce or contract
6) Education
        informal 
7) List your previous three jobs
        Captain Commander, 6th Phalanx of 1st Expeditionary element of The Army of Seven Kings
        Consort Protector of the Princess  of Endless Tides, Daughter of the Moon, Ruler of the Jewel Coast
        Emissary-Khadiq, Ars Elemental Council
 8 ) List of references (preferably at least one within the city)
        None in city
        Arch-Militant Ophir, Commander of the Sequestori Defier
9) Preferred religion
        Aftagiel, Lord of Patient Silence
10) Any outstanding tax debts
          none
11) Any outstanding bounties and the circumstances of why a bounty has been placed upon you
          Bounty offered by the Pirate Xoa-Wu Qin; destruction of landing parties, City-State of Byzartium
          Bounty offered by Cult of Kjistiloth, for raid, murder of Priests and destruction of the Tower of Wisdom
12) Declare all dangerous companions and all dangerous items in your possession
          Companions, none.
          Items, I hold bladed weapons of various lengths and weight
13) Declare whether you are possessed
          I am not Possessed
14) Do you eat carrots?
          Only in stew, goulash or salmagundi
15) Emergency contact information
          Master Li Mu, Monastic Order of Salves
16) Are you literate?
          No, answers scribed by companion
17) Do you have a horse or other livestock which you are bringing into the city?
          None
18) Are they literate?
          Two are literate, the Engineer and the Minstrel
 
Giving false information on this form is punishable by fines, imprisonment, and/or execution as deemed necessary by the local magistrate and such punishments may be inflicted in any order.

This is hilarious, especially Grognak's answers. Also, I notice his Hellsteed-descended warhorse is called Binky.

APPLICATION FOR ENTRANCE TO THE CITY
 
 
1) Full name
  Grognak Skullcrusher
2) Mother's maiden name
  Bloodletter
3) Any titles you have and where they were granted
 "the Horrible" - Last Date
"The walking bicep"- Wizard companion
"Champion Triumphant"- The Weepin' Warlock Tavern drinking contest
4) Place of birth
  My mother's bed, duh.
5) What is your reason for visiting our fair city?
  It was this or D'troyt
6) Education
  My grandfather had a backhand you wouldn't belive
7) List your previous three jobs
  Mass slaughter on goblin raiders and their village when the paladin gave me the okay
 Given task to escort Noble man's virgin daughter to her future husband, mostly done; daughter did arrive sans purity but with smile (No, I'm not bragging, blame our bard)
 See Drinking Contest (Won a pretty good pot from that one)
 8 ) List of references (preferably at least one within the city)
 Beggar on corner I paid off to get me a name on this list
 Merchant on caravan expressed surprise we didn't steal anything (That's a reference right?)
Wimbly's Mace Imporium
9) Preferred religion
  Krom!
(I do visit Bachanallias)
10) Any outstanding tax debts
None living.
 
11) Any outstanding bounties and the circumstances of why a bounty has been placed upon you
  Remember that bit with our bard and the noble expecting his bride? Yeah...
12) Declare all dangerous companions and all dangerous items in your possession
  I could break a man's neck with my bare hands, I have a mace with flanges that...well, see Surname.
Wizard has been known to hurl fireballs and hurtful remarks about my intellect
We have a relic, some talking skull with a bloodstone in its forehead that cackles every new moon. So far it seems harmless but thought you should know.
13) Declare whether you are possessed
  We are not.
14) Do you eat carrots?
  Only if the carrot is in a roast boar
15) Emergency contact information
  See any of my adventuring allies, tell them it's a #7. They'll know what it means.
16) Are you literate?
  X
17) Do you have a horse or other livestock which you are bringing into the city?
  I am riding a heavy warhorse descended from the hellsteeds  of the Tormented Lands, he has killed almost as many people as I have; his name is Binky.
18) Are they literate?
Binky says no

I have been out of TTRPG's since around 1998 except for a single Call of Cthulhu campaign I ran for a few roommates that had never played an RPG before in 2001 or so. And I can happily say I am so glad I came back to one of my old stand by's since there was a lot of haze from the explosion of systems and books in the 90's which incidentally was one of the reasons I stopped playing.  I felt like things were getting too "gimmicky" or in other cases too serious about an activity that was ostensibly about "having fun". I felt that games were trying to sell us on their "Twist" or Color instead of focusing on giving us the tools to explore "The Beyond" that is what I think attracts the majority of us, regardless of personal agenda, to RPG's in the first place. I felt that a lot of shitty products were eating up my money and then ending up in an enormous, " X system to Y system Conversion Notes" or "Setting Materials" piles which also incidentally was (is?) generally not conducive to getting laid of which was also a hobby of mine at that age.
 
So things conspired as they do and I began travelling for work for extended periods and lost contact with my fellow players. I used video games in an attempt to fill the RPG hole but honestly is simply isn't the same. I enjoyed getting together, sharing snacks, arguing, laughing, arguing about something in no way, shape or form related to the game, going through weird pre-roll rituals, completely getting the GM's well planned questline derailed, etc. Basically, I pretty much enjoyed the entire enterprise.  So I always missed playing  and having recently bought the Champions Complete PDF and the Unchained adventure module I can say I am truly impressed with the way HERO has stuck it out. I think there is still some work to be done on the "ease of access" for new players that might be interested in a TTRPG,  but I feel like the system is General enough to be what a "Universal" system can be. Kudos for the direction the system is taking and thank you for making coming back enjoyable. You guys make good games.🥇👍

Hello I`m Archers daughter and when he showed me this thread I found it so funny I couldn't help but make my own
So I present:
These Aren't The Droids Your Looking For
The Planet What Got Blowed up: Hala (Stargate SG1 The Replicator world)
(The 5 Protagonists)
The Farmer: Boy (IRobot has all bots named 'Boy')
The Old Coot: Agent Smith (The Matrix)
The Scumball-ish Criminal:  The Terminator
The Royal: Anevka (Girl Genius)
The Token Alien Sidekick: Synergy (Gem and the Holograms TV show)
(The 'bad guys')
The Big Bad: Hal 9000
Two Stormtroopers with names (Pick together on same day): Paladin Danse And Curie (Fallout 4)
(Other stuff)
The Starship: Waverider (DC Legends of Tomorrow)
Option I: Agent Smith keeps calling everyone "Mr. Anderson" without fail
Option II: Synergy picks the worst times for everyone to become rock stars
Option III: Hal regularly sings "Dasiy" when saying goodbye to people, often before killing them
 
one of these days I should make my own account
 

We have our winner!
 
The Force is strong with Bazza, who has turned to the Winning side with his contribution:
Providence: Extended Universe
 
Bazza has earned his moment at the center of the galaxy with this mighty victory! But beware, Bazza, Victory Leads to Pride, Pride leads to Smugness, Smugness leads to Preening, Preening leads to gloating, Gloating leads to getting curb stomped by the runners up in a back alley
 
or maybe that's just the Jersey Quadrant?
 
So VERY Close on his heels was a Three way Tie!
Sociotard
The Magic Empire
 
Cancer
PARSECS ARE A UNIT OF DISTANCE, DAMMIT
 
and
 
Old Man
Star Wars Episode LXIV: Rise of the Amazon Pirate Princesses of Venus!
 
Only one super secret utterly useless bonus prize remained unclaimed, and it should be noted that it seems the prizes worked as advertised  for they were no help at all in the path to victory!
 
That prize? Well, to qualify one had to ask for it. yup, The first one to ASK for the Prize would have gotten it. Fan Entitlement- sometimes it works for you!
 
Congrats to our Winner
and to our Padawan level co-winners!
A big thanks to ALL who contributed. Amazing silk purses made out of the sow ear restrictions.
 
 

We have our winner!
 
The Force is strong with Bazza, who has turned to the Winning side with his contribution:
Providence: Extended Universe
 
Bazza has earned his moment at the center of the galaxy with this mighty victory! But beware, Bazza, Victory Leads to Pride, Pride leads to Smugness, Smugness leads to Preening, Preening leads to gloating, Gloating leads to getting curb stomped by the runners up in a back alley
 
or maybe that's just the Jersey Quadrant?
 
So VERY Close on his heels was a Three way Tie!
Sociotard
The Magic Empire
 
Cancer
PARSECS ARE A UNIT OF DISTANCE, DAMMIT
 
and
 
Old Man
Star Wars Episode LXIV: Rise of the Amazon Pirate Princesses of Venus!
 
Only one super secret utterly useless bonus prize remained unclaimed, and it should be noted that it seems the prizes worked as advertised  for they were no help at all in the path to victory!
 
That prize? Well, to qualify one had to ask for it. yup, The first one to ASK for the Prize would have gotten it. Fan Entitlement- sometimes it works for you!
 
Congrats to our Winner
and to our Padawan level co-winners!
A big thanks to ALL who contributed. Amazing silk purses made out of the sow ear restrictions.
 
 

All honor, praise, and gratitude to Hermit for running the Superdraft in August.
 
(If anyone hasn't voted yet, you've still got a few hours.)
 
I forget....do we have anything planned for September?

Welcome back to the fold, GTO! Yes, the Hero System continues to march on. We aren't a big player base, but we're pretty passionate, relatively creative, and quite welcoming to newcomers to our online community.
 
Regarding the "ease of access for new players" issue, various parties have created a variety of helpful free game aids to ease them in, which you can download from this website. For example:
 
https://www.herogames.com/files/file/4-intro-to-the-hero-system/
 
https://www.herogames.com/files/file/439-hero-in-2-pages/
 
https://www.herogames.com/files/file/323-cards-for-helping-to-calculate-roll-to-hit-and-dcv/
 
https://www.herogames.com/files/file/445-champions-quick-reference-6e/
 
https://www.herogames.com/files/file/479-fantasy-hero-basic/
 
https://www.herogames.com/files/file/367-fantasy-hero-primer/
 

It's really wrong that I read that in Gollum's voice.