csyphrett

Re: Rant - Quit yer whinin' about Crisis!

Normally I'd agree' date=' but DC is doing something a little different. DC has given Geoff Johns sweeping editorial powers to make all this stuff mesh with the "One Year Later" event that's tied into Infinite Crisis. Grant Morrisson has the same deal, but to a lesser degree.[/quote']

 

AS an example of policy at the moment I believe they told the guy writing Manhunter to kill all the other manhunters using Mark Shaw as Dumas, his arch enemy from his series by Ostander and Yale.

 

Sounds lame to me.

 

They're killing characters left and right, essentially ripping up everything that has happened between 85 and now.

 

I hope the pay off is worth it by the time they are done.

 

 

CES

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

Besides its off topic.

CES

Re: Has the game made anyone like comics even more?

Nope. It just shows me that guys like Keyes Bill, Enforcer, My eight yr old, and others should be today's writers, with maybe Chuck G as an editor.

"You call this a story. This is full of holes. If you can't write better than this by tomorrow, I'll have to get the Chopper out. We don't want that do we?"

CES

Re: Rant - Quit yer whinin' about Crisis!

I don't think anyone's whining about Crisis per se (or Zero Hour). I think some of the older guys are whining about how how lame comic book writers are today.

Just awful, putrid scum.

I admit Editorial is supposed to do be keeping an eye on things, but the editors seem to be lame too.

You know your reading material is lame when a main character dies, his power is used for villainy, and another character with the same name as the first steps in to use that power for good.

I'm not talking about Firestorm either.

CES

Re: Ww 219 / Omac 4 -- Spoilers!

Impact strikes me as one of the prime examples. The books are selling fairly decently, so DC takes off Mike Gold and puts in Joim Owlsey/Chris Priest to reboot everything. The setting was only three years old.

CES

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

I am sorry for being harsh, but GA as the philandering drunk doesn't cut it. Starman going crazy because he was part of the Manhattan Project doesn't cut it because it is impossible. Single child Dawn Granger suddenly has a sister who is suddenly Hawk doesn't cut it. Gwen Stacy having Norman Osborn's kids doesn't cut it.

Continuity and consistentcy go hand and hand.

If you respect one, the other follows. Selective aging, hypocritical heroes, left field ressurections would stop.

Maybe you would even have creators who did follow Julie Schwartz's famous command to "Be Original."

On the bright side, I think Mitch is right. I don't think sales will go up, so maybe they will change staff.

CES

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

It's the Grell version that I care about. Obsessing about age continuity while accepting flying men from Krypton seems silly. Character and story is more important to me than continuity.

I am not talking about age. I'm talking about get it right. It takes me 3 hours to hand claculate a hero page. What I did above only took ten seconds.

If you are going to insist that no hero went into operation before Superman, and the hero in question had a kid in the middle of his career, which couldn't be more than 8 years one way or the other, why is the kid almost as old or older than Speedy.

I am willing to give up Grell totally screwed up GA's age because no one since the Crisis (except for Roy Thomas who quit) has ever done their homework.

I am willing to give that because Grell has been a F-up, and his GA run was F-uped, but when you look at a character that you know is the same age as Superman being 15-18 years older and knowing that's wrong, that's because editorial oversight was abandoned for "Oh wouldn't it be cool to have a kid in the picture? Don't worry if the ages don't match up. The readers are too stupid to figure that out."

CES

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

He might have been portrayed that way by Mike Grell and whomever, but its not objectively true.

He didn't start his career until after college, after being shipwrecked for a year, after Superman started.

If Superman is on the scale at 10 to 15 years, GA couldn't have started before that. And his origin has stated that he did start after being shipwrecked.

One kid was born in the middle of his career at a monastery he was staying at. So the most that kid could be is ten, not 20 +.

The other is supposed to happen before or during college. That could be anytime so one kid could be 20 + but since he is still in the same range as Superman, it's doubtful.

CES

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

Unless they have changed GA's age, he's in his early mid 30's. His kids are 20 +.

He must have started young.

And then he didn't have one kid until after he started his carreer. And he's only been GA the same amount of time as Superman has been active at most. So that one kid should only be ten.

That's the kind of editorial oversight we need, baby.

I can see doing that to one of my players.

Right before I got lynched.

CES

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

When the editor in chief picks a third string hero/support character as a villain as an afterthought, when a heroine blinds herself to kill a monster that a normal man beat, when heroes go after their own becauise they don't know right from wrong, when they can't even realize that Green Arrow isn't old enough to have grown kids, what makes you think the stories will get better Mitch?

Yes DC is having a limited success with the tie ins, but their sales are still down across the board.

They are like marvel. The only thing saving them from going out of business is the liscensing.

CES

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

I would be okay with it if they didn't treat us the readers as idiots. The wonder woman thing is just one more thing on top of a lot of other things.

What's the point of bringing Hal Jordan back as a paladin of the right when everyone knows he mindwiped one of his friends to cover his hindquarters? If they are going to do that, I would rather he just stay dead.

CES

Re: The New Circle

But who are they?

They are guys I came up with 20 years ago after reading John the Balladeer. If anything they would be a more competent GLA.

CES

Re: Supervillains and the death penalty

Very rarely have I had players who have let villains get to trial much less prison. But in those cases when things went to court, death penality cases were the same as the real world.

CES

Re: The New Circle

The protection of the Smokey Mountains was a sacred trust passed down from generation to generation. Forces moved to create those champions, molding them into living shields to forestall disaster time and time again.

The latest defender of the region is Ashton Mignola, a former student at ASU, and resident. Ash assembled a group of his friends to help him in his vocation to the best of their abilities. The group is new to their powers, second profession, and the responsibility all that entails.

Ash has gained a sound control ability to go along with his mystic awareness. He has named himself after The Toller, the winged bird with a call that sounds like a gong.

Tom G. Bailey, a former college pitcher, took on the persona of the Culverin, the monster that spits rocks. Anything in his hands becomes a hurtling pocket of hurt.

Paul Smalls was a weightlifter, stronger than any man. He pulled on the hairy mask of the Bammat, a shaggy member of the elephant family. His strength increased to the superhuman.

Chuck Chan teaches martial arts in town. He has developed a knack for invisibility and sneaking behind an enemy without being noticed. The sneak attack has earned him the name of the Behinder.

Dale Petty, a skier and tour guide, has always had a desire for personal speed. This has gained him flight with superhuman speed. He has been called Skimmer for his propensity for flying low to the ground as fast as possible.

Vernon Cove owns a shop geared to outfitting tourists who want to tour the mountains, and nearby parks. He has taken on the identity of the Flat, the man who is a ribbon.

Ash gathered his friends together after he was almost killed during a case. The local newspaper named them the Asheville Avengers when one of their investigations literally exploded in the streets. They have built a good working relationship with the authorities along the Smokies from South Carolina to Virginia.

As a fairly new group, they typically respond to growing emergencies instead of the more typical investigation of criminal activities. That hasn't stopped them from tracking down known criminals deciding to use the mountains to hide from their day in court.

Re: Silver's Magistracy

7

Jerry and the Chemist walked to the boundary wall. It was semitransparent and impermeable. Armored vehicles resembling small tanks faced outward to stop anything breaching the protective dome. Black armored soldiers herded civilians into container boxes. Women went in gold ones, men in black.

"That does not bode well," said the Chemist.

"Don't get started," said Jerry. "I don't see Phaeton anywhere."

"They didn't take him prisoner with those laser rifles," said the Chemist. "If they took him prisoner."

"What did I just say?," said Jerry. "Let's concentrate on this dome. We need to get through it to get at them and stop those metal boxes from going wherever they're going."

"A problem that is easily resolved," said the Chemist.

The magician knelt, drawing in the packed dirt beside the light wall. His symbol opened a tunnel under the barrier, the other end forming just inside the wall. He stood, gesturing with one hand.

"Shut down the wall, and free the civilians," Jerry said. "I'll provide a distraction. Let me know when you're done."

The Chemist nodded. He already had some ideas on how to do it if he could get close to one of the captives.

"Let's go," said Jerry. "Be careful."

You don't have to tell me the last, thought the Chemist as he followed his friend into trouble one more time. Careful is the first thing the world teaches you.

Jerry pointed at one of the generators projecting the force wall. A bolt of lighting leaped from his index finger. The black box blew apart in show of sparks and black plastic. A section of the dome flickered out before it reset.

The soldiers pointed at Jerry, some even firing weapons as they ran at him.

"It looks like I got their attention," Jerry said, electricity dancing in his eyes. "Go do your thing."

The Chemist dodged to the left, calling a symbol of swords to his hand. The fiery blade turned into a spear that he flung into one of the working generators close at hand. The spear raced through the system until it found a central core. Then it blew up. The force wall quietly collapsed.

Jerry smiled. Now all he had to do was keep everyone looking at him. He raised both hands, deciding to move toward a central staging area. That would be where the big cheese would be overseeing things. Lightning raced from his fingers as he swept his arms back and forth in half moons.

The lobsters ducked for cover to escape the pyrotechnics being hurled their way. Some didn't make it and were blown threw the air, electronics blown out by the current running through them.

"Heeeere's Jerry," Silver said as he aimed at a small tank, and cut loose.

Re: Mystic Superheroes

Blue Devil

 

Ok, I admit it has been many many years since I read this comic, but I could swear this character's origin was a stuntman trapped in a suit that amped his strength and agility? Am I wrong?

After his series ended, DC screwed him up and turned him into a real blue devil, killed Marla and Norm, all kinds of stupidity.

CES

Re: Batman VS Captain America! yeah right...

Thanks for the links, Chuck. I am glad the story is telling the characters and not the other way around.

CES

Re: Mystic Superheroes

Detective Chimp:

http://www.toonopedia.com/chimp.htm

Plus I am sure there are more supernatural heroes in the listings.

CES

Re: Prisoner Hero

Maybe run it like the Truman Show. They think they are living in a small town, but they are really under a dome, under constant surveillance.

Of course the Secret disad should be required.

CES

Re: Need some advice

My adviced (take it' date=' leave it, adjust it) is to let them finish the current adventure, then have this be the next adventure.[/quote']

 

I think this will be the right thing to do. Right now the majority of the active players are trying to deal with a haunted house to my amusement.

CES

Re: The New Circle

Darn. I though Ross was a Kid Eternity stand-in (with Keeper as the invisible audience)

The invisible audience is basically an ego booster for him. I hadn't really thought about Kid Eternity. They rebuilt him for vertigo and basically trashed him, like Mr E and Dr Occult.

They threw away his connection to the Marvels, and everything else that made him sympathetic.

CES

Re: Prisoner Hero

In the miniseries set after the series ended, it is hinted that London is just a big Village. I think this is talked about as a notion for expanding beyond the original setting.

CES

Re: Need some advice

Thanks guys.

Are you willing to divulge what's going to happen, or are your players on this board?- Kirby

Back when the game started, I set up an entombed, sleeping god-like entity in a park next to the main NPC's martial arts school. The lock on this tomb was in the Astral Plane. The villianous mastermind, working toward a global summoning, had locked a lot of the city's magic energy around this area, and built his HQ on top of it so he could siphon off parts of this thing's energy.

Trying to free up the energy for the summoning, the villain has a disasterous run in with the heroes. One of the heroes cracks the god's tomb open by accident. He and another PC was trapped in the astral plane, he saw the marker, cracked it open.

Fast forward game week/real time years, part of the god escape from the crypt and created a castle in the middle of the city. His only thought is mating, which brings him into conflict with the heroes. After some wrangling, Jody's mage enters the astral plane and shuts him down.

She noticed that there were four more rocks to go with the original but didn't know the signifigance and had to quit before she told anyone.

I told you that so I can tell you that he was able to impregnate four women rescued by the heroes. The team is out of town on other business, and no one has been alerted of the sudden pregnacies.

So when the moms give birth, their kids will all have portions of their dad's powers to use on the city.

They may even be able to release him again. I'm still thinking about that.

CES

Re: The New Circle

Ross Mulder is a Sargon-type magician. Other magicians cast spells with magic words, symbolic script, letters that don't exist. Ross essentially grabs something and commands it to do what he wants.

He can be found lounging around in his tux, helping out the local authorities, and generally meddling wherever an amateur detective would be allowed to go.

This is the first time I tried him out at 450. His earlier incarnations were in the 150-250 range, but I lost the sheet.

CES

Re: The New Circle

3

Ross Mulder

Hair/eye color- Brown/blue

Height/mass- 5'8"/ 140 pounds

Nationality- American

Place of birth- Vibora City, Florida

Date of birth- May 4, 1979

STR (17 pts) 27

DEX (60 pts) 30

CON (20 pts) 20

BODY (30 pts) 25

INT (15 pts) 25

EGO (40 pts) 30

PRE (15 pts) 25

COM (5 pts) 20

PD 5

ED 4

SPD (20 pts) 6

REC 9

END 40

STUN 47

OCV/DCV 10

ECV 10

PHASES 2,4,6,8,10,12

Powers

The Mulder Touch 125 pt multipower. Must touch the object to spell (-½), Must be able to say command on spell (-½) 62 pts.

6u 4d6 Transform (60 pts) improved targeting (+1) Must touch the object to spell (-½), Must be able to say command on spell (-½) 60 pts

4u Summon (50 pts) expanded class (+ 1), Amicable (+½), OAF (Materials of Opportunity, -1), Must touch the object to spell (-½), Must be able to say command on spell (-½) 41 pts

3u 20d6 Dispel magic (60 pts), one power at a time (+1/4), Must touch the object to spell (-½), Must be able to say command on spell (-½). 37 pts

10 mental defense 10 pts

Physically tough: Armor 9 ed/ 9 pd 9 pts

Change environment: Only to produce clapping, linked (-½) to multipower. 10 pts

Change environment: only to produce clapping, linked (-1/2) to magic pool. 10 pts

LS: Extended breathing 4 pts

Quick Spells 50+ 25 variable power pool OAF (Materials of opportunity, - 1), Must touch subject before spellcasting (-1/2), must give command to activate spell (-½). 25 pts

Cost Skill Roll

6 Wealth

3 KS: Stage magic 14-

3 KS: Great stage magicians 14-

3 KS: the Supernatural World 14-

3 PS: Stage Magic 14-

3 Electronics 14-

3 Mechanics 14-

3 lock picking

3 Oratory 14-

3 Demolitions 14-

3 Deduction 14-

3 survival 14-

3 systems operations 14-

3 Climbing 15-

3 Acrobatics 15-

3 Concealment 15-

3 Contortionist 15-

2 TF: common ground vehicles.

3 Simulate death

4 double jointed

22 Danger Sense

Disadvantages 150 pts

15 Psych Lim: Showoff

10 Reputation: Amateur Detective/Stage Magician

30 Hunted by Demon

15 Psych Lim: Won't leave a mystery alone

10 Rivalry: Other magicians

10 Vulnerable to sonic attacks 2 x body

20 DNPC: Eileen the assistant

10 Mystic Aura

30 Hunted by the Vandeleurs.

Characteristics Cost: 222

Powers Cost: 143

Skills Cost: 85

Total Cost: 450

Plot Hook 1) Ross Mulder has been giving a kid's show at the same hospital for the last few years as a charity. There's always some kind of disruption. Will this year be any different?

Plot Hook 2) A portal to some other dimension has opened. When the heroes investigate, they find Mulder at the center, and the opening is erupting from the jewel on his chest.

Plot Hook 3) Ross is attending a convention of stage magicians when one of their number is killed during an illusion. Did Ross do it, or is there something else at work?