Mark Rand

I've PMed SCUBA Hero information about some Pittsburgh neighborhoods and landmarks as well as Western Pennsylvania English (Pittsburghese). Transportation, including infrastructure, is next. One rule about Pittsburgh is that the shortest distance between two points is always either under construction or blocked by something.

Here's another interesting Pittsburgh NPC that might make a good contact: Caroline McCauley, D.V.M., is the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium’s dedicated head veterinarian. She has a way with animals, and they seem instinctively to trust her.

The city I use might be Pittsburgh, my home town. There's no oceanic institute or lighthouse, but there's an observatory with three telescopes, one of which is open to the public, a science center that's open to the public, and many bridges, a number of which are in poor shape. A few of those are slated for repairs.

Yasko Nighigawa is the Wells Planetarium’s technical manager. I forgot to mention that the Wells Planetarium staffers wear navy blue cloth flight suits as uniforms. R/V Laurel Clark (T-AGOR-30) is a Thomas G. Thompson-class oceanographic research ship owned by the Office of Naval Research, operated by the University of California Coastal City Oceanic Institute, the host vessel of the DSV Judith Resnik, an Alvin-class deep submergence vehicle, and crewed mostly by naval reservists who are considered on active duty and wear the shipboard working uniform coverall. Commander Jason Whitehead is her commanding officer. Commander Eileen Bogan, M.D., is her surgeon (medical officer). Cora Paterson, a civilian, is chief pilot, and mechanic, of the DSV Judith Resnik. She decides what music to play during the descent and likes The Nutcracker Suite. University of California Coastal City is based on the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University and has a number of off-campus locations. Some of the staffers of the university’s Center for Teaching and Learning, including Rick Sterling, their courier, and Barbara Gray, the classroom engineer who does classroom technical inspections and repairs, wear royal blue cloth flight suits. Hayes, California, the location of the NASA telemetry station, is 20-miles east of Coastal City. A mostly rural community, it’s airport is Hayes Airport, a general aviation facility. Joanna Hawke, a former navy fighter pilot, commercial pilot, certified flight instructor, airframe and powerplant mechanic, and the airport manager, runs Hawke Aviation, Inc., the airport’s only fixed base operator. The area has two other airports, Coastal City International (based on Pittsburgh International Airport) and Munhall Airport (based on Allegheny County Airport). The local medevac helicopter is based there. Melody Walters, BSN., RN., a Certified Flight Registered Nurse, and pilot Andrea Stewart are one of the teams based there.

I'm not sure if this is setting or not, but I came up with these NPC characters in a few minutes. Thomas Avery is an occult expert and retired mystic whose power has waned and needs a cane to walk. He can provide background info and serves as a contact with the Trismegistus Council. He shares his house with his housekeeper, Marie, and several cats. Paul Bergman, Ph.D., is a middle-aged oceanographer and the head of the UC Coastal City Oceanic Institute. Tanya Morrow, Ph.D., is an astronomer and the head of UC Coastal City’s Coastal City Observatory. Sandra Verdeschi, Ph.D., is an astronomer and the head of UC Coastal City’s Wells Planetarium.

I was considering Coastal City from the 3E module Atlas Unleashed. However, Bay City, from the Champions: New Millennium line is a good city, too.

Coastal City, from the 3E book Atlas Unleashed, has a bay, a harbor (which may or may not be the same thing), a swank hotel, a power company, an overcrowded freeway system, a fine arts museum, a USAF base outside the city, a factory-lined channel (which may now be light industry or open-air mall on former factory site), and a nearby NASA telemetry station.

I'm thinking of placing Coastal City in New York State on Lake Ontario.

It was in the 3E book Atlas Unleashed. I'm hoping someone might have fleshed it out from the description given. We were given a swank hotel, a fine art museum, a power company, an overcrowded freeway system, a harbor, a bay, a factory-lined channel (which may lead from the harbor to the bay), an air force base outside of town, and a nearby NASA telemetry station.

Still thinking about Coastal City. It's a harbor city, with a bay, that could be on any coast, including the Great Lakes.

I didn't create San Angelo, Gold Rush Games did. I just used it, and some additions to it that were created by some of the good folks here, in a couple of clubs I ran here.

I like it, too. You could even use Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, my home town.

Looking at Homestead in the 4E Champions book, I note that there's no basement. Shouldn't there be one? The first floor stairs by the family room could go down instead of up. The second floor stairs in the same place could by a linen closet.

There's a guy called The Human Capitalist in the 5E book Dark Champions Animated. Look on page 53.

As far as I know, the only book that has that is the 5E book Teen Champions.

Like San Diego, Coastal City is home to an oceanic institute that's tied to a university. In this case, it's the Coastal City Institute of Technology. Also like San Diego, Coastal City has professional sports teams. In this case, a baseball team, a football team, and a basketball team.

I have the Coast City map and the information on the city's neighborhoods from the Mayfair Games Atlas of the DC Universe. According to my research, Coastal City is close to the Santa Ynez Mountains. The nearby NASA telemetry station is in those mountains.

I'm working on a version of Coastal City, which originally appeared in the 3E book Atlas Unleashed. It will be in Ventura County, straddling the Santa Clara River and be based on DC's Coast City. Wayne Air Force Base is replace by Edwards Air Force Base. The Coastal Metro Power Company is replaced by Pacific Gas and Electric.

OCC ended January 12, 2022

The next day, the ladies come for their fitting. Then came Friday with a pep rally and a nighttime home football game. The only unusual things that happened were Sandy mending a couple of cheerleader uniforms while they were being worn and Cordelia thanking her. Then, Saturday morning came and brought with it the first rehearsal. Mickey Mouse Club choreographer Tom Marshall was also the play choreographer.

Lonnie and Bobby come in for their fittings as do the four male choir members who will play the school board.

Voices come from the stage. "Stage Crew," Sandy says. "From what Donna told me, they're working on the stage lights today." "Doing what?" Mrs. Forbes asks. "Replacing bulbs in the overhead electrics and checking the aim of the spotlights on the balcony edge," Sandy replies. "Some spotlight bulbs might have to be replaced, too."

Yeah, I'm looking forward to the annual melodrama," Tim replies in his normal voice. Then, using his regular female voice, he adds, "They might cast me in a supporting role with you in the lead and Doreen as the damsel-in-distress."

At the same time, Sandy Forbes was adjusting a costume for Tim, who would play one of the Pick-a-little Ladies. "How do you like it?" she asks. "Feels good," Tim said as he moves in it. "It works," Sandy says. "With a wig and the right accessories, the illusion will be perfect." "Blame it on years of practice performing female roles," Tim laughs. "Since getting the role, I practiced every night moving in an evening gown and long gloves." "Reminds me of an old joke," Molly says. "'How do you get to Carnegie Hall?'" "'Practice!'" Tim and Sandy respond.