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[Marvel Heroic] Marvel Noir: Operation SHIELD- ACT 2: Power
Grunt's Ghosts
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Marvel Noir: Operation SHIELD
From the Desk of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
"Eyes Only"
April 23, 1936
Agent Nicholas Joseph Fury,
As the FBI has conducted its ongoing "War on Crime" it has come to the Bureau's attention that there is a growing group of individuals with abilities and weapons that normal agents are unable to deal with. These include [Classified] who can [Classified]. And [Classified] and [Classified] who gained their abilities from [Classified]. While I did see your paper on the "Avengers Program" in 1934, I was unwilling to allow the FBI to hire "Superhuman" mercenaries as it would make us no better then the Mafia and street gangs who hire hit men to do their dirty work. However, after the events of [Classified], I can no longer ignore this "Superhuman" threat. More of these people are turning to criminal actions and organizations.
While I shall keep the spirit of your "Avengers Program", I insist that the following be made to the new Operation SHIELD.
1) You will have no help from the FBI. Neither you or your team will be officially acknowledge by the FBI. We will allow you to use a safe house in NYC and a small budget for setting up, but after that, its all up to you to keep the team operational.
2) You will give all information your team gathers to the FBI. No questions.
3) The president has asked that I find a use for the former Russian Agent Mrs. Natalia Romanova. While I can not in good faith allow her in any FBI sensitive positions, I will allow you to add her to your team. Keep a close eye on her.
Your first assignment is to end the mob war between Norman "The Goblin" Osborn, who in the last six months, has put together a group of "Superhumans" and an unknown person called "The Kingpin". A person of interest here is the vigilante
"Spider-Man". He fought and at the time believed to have killed Osborn. Also, keep an eye on the Black Cat Night Club, as it is a known establishment frequented by many of the Kingpin's men.
This is a Marvel Noir. Its 1936. A war rages on the streets of New York between Norman "The Goblin" Osborn and The Kingpin. Your characters will be re-imagined versions of their Earth- 616 selves (or any other Earth). Because there was no official handbook for Noir, we are going to have to make them ourselves. In my Noir universe, the X-men have powers, so feel free to play them. The only people I can't let you guys play off the bat is Hulk, Iron Man, Fury, Black Widow, and Venom. Mainly because I will be using them as part of the storyline. Any others if you guys can explain how they got to be apart of the Noir world are allowed. I'm going to be doing the play style that lets you guys switch out other heroes during Transition Scenes, but since you guys are pretty much building up this Operation SHIELD, its up to you to recruit this team. And I'll provide some more people as the game goes on. You must explain with your character their history, personality, give a brief story of how SHIELD, a group no one ever heard of before, convinced your hero to join, and at least 1 set of Milestones for him. After that you can choose one of the Milestones below to use along with your personal Milestones. You do not have to play your hero with the same storyline as their Noir versions if they already exist. In fact, since I'm using the Kingpin as an "Unknown" person, Daredevil doesn't know who the Kingpin is (unlike the comic version).
History
In 1934, Spiderman fought against The Goblin and his crew and was thought to have killed him. In the years since then, mobs and gangs have come and gone, either defeated by Spiderman or other vigilantes or through gang wars. About a year ago, The Kingpin grew to power, either by destroying the other gangs or by buying off their men. No one knows who this person or group is, but no one questions if he exist. Norman Osborn returned on the scene again about 6 months ago with a new crew, and has been in a turf war with the Kingpin since. The Great Depression is at its worst. More and more people are out of work, families starve, and good men are forced to do bad things to feed their families. Riots break out all the time and small time crimes like muggings and bank robberies are up. Most of the police are in some one's pocket and crime in NYC is out of control. The city needs heroes. But will you be the heroes it needs?
Milestones for this game (so far):
G-Men
1XP: When you stop a small crime like a bank robbery.
3XP: When you arrest or kill a gang leader or general.
10XP: When you stop either or both of the Goblin Gang and the Kingpin's Mob.
Superhumans
1XP: When you help a superhuman.
3XP: When you turn a superhuman away from a life of crime.
10XP: When you arrest a criminal superhuman or help them escape.
I'll be taking 4-6 people. I'm new to MHR so please don't be afraid to tell me when I screw up on something. But don't tell me something didn't exist in 1936 as I'll explain it with Comic Book Logic and drop the whole doom pool on you in the form of Ryan Reynold's Deadpool (I have the stats), and kill you. And that would be embarrassing. If you need help with coming up with something, or have any questions, ask and I'll help you out. Its a Play by Post game.
Players:
Auralynx- Lucus Cage
Mikey CTS- Rogue
Capfalcon- Colossus
Suicide Slyde- Gambit
Buddha73- Iron Fist Background Story
Zonugal- Doctor Strange Background Story
Jdarksun's How to Play Post (Part 1: Assembling Your Dice Pool)
Assembling Your Dice Pool
For this exercise, we will be using the Venom (Mac Gargan) / Thunderbolts 50 States Initiative character sheet, but any MHR Data File will suffice.
A dice pool contains the following elements:
1) An Affiliation die, depending on the character's current involvement. The general rule is: Solo if they're alone, Buddy if they're with a friend, Team if there are three or more of them. However, characters can opt to "play by themselves" and form a Buddy group out of a Team or Solo among friends. They just can't help out others or get help while they're doing this.
2) A Distinction, at either d4 (which grants that character a Plot Point) or d8. Characters may use either their own personal Distinctions, or one of the Scene Distinctions. Using a Distinction at d4 represents a "negative" aspect of that character's Distinction, or some complication within the Scene.
3) One Power from each Power Set (as appropriate). Let's say that Venom is attacking Spider-Man. He might use Superhuman Strength (d10) from the Scorpion Powers Set, and Shapeshifting (d6) from the Symbiote Power Set to morph a giant mouth out his hands and try to bite Spidey.
3a) A player may expend Plot Points to add more Powers from a Power Set to a dice pool.
3b) SFX modify the dice pool, and should be called out while making the pool.
3c) Limits may cause certain Powers with Power Sets - or entire Power Sets themselves - to become temporarily unavailable. Please keep this in mind when assembling the dice pool.
4) A Specialty, as appropriate. Clearly, Venom can use Combat Expert (d8) when trying to pummel his nemesis, but his options are a lot more limited when it comes to social encounters.
Let's look at an example. Venom has spotted Spider-Man buying film, and has decided to ambush him. He assembles his dice pool as such:
Solo d10 (he's alone), Vengeful d4 (Venom is a dick, but +1 PP), Superhuman Strength d10, Swingline d6, Combat Expert d8.
So his pool would be d10x2, d8, d6, d4. Venom's player could opt to use the Focus SFX and substitute in a d12 for those two d10s, but that's a bit of a gamble. d10s are nice to have around as effect dice. Instead, he'll use the Claws SFX to inflict maximum pain - stepping one of the d10s back to a d8, but adding a d6 into the mix.
Final pool: d10, d8x2, d6x2, d4. Let's roll it!
Venom attacks Spidey: 1d10 3 2#1d8 2 5 2#1d6 4 1 1d4 4
Yikes, lots of low rolls - and a 1.
Let's talk about that 1. Venom's player can't use that d6 in his result, and the GM can "purchase" that 1 for a Plot Point to grow the Doom Pool. The Doom Pool is the GM's "dark mirror" of Plot Points - it represents how dire things are for the heroes, in that it's the resource the GM expends to make Bad Things Happen. Of course, the GM is diabolical, and hands Venom's player a Plot Point, adding a d6 (the default) to his Doom Pool. There are a couple other options I'll go into more detail with later.
So what does Venom decide for his total? Well, that [1d8=5] and [1d6=4] are no-brainers. But 9's a pretty weak total, so he spends a Plot Point to keep the [1d4=4] as well.
5 + 4 + 4 = 13. Not great, but... well, it's the best he's got. For the Effect die, he snaps up that [1d10=3].
End result? 13 w/ d10 effect. And, if he hits, Venom's player can opt to do Physical Strain... which will step that d10 up to a d12! That would put Spidey on the ropes just as combat had begun! Just the delicious sort of plan that Venom would come up with.
...but there's no way that Spider-Man is going to take that. Let's set up his opposition pool.
Solo d8, With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility d8, Superhuman Reflexes d10, Enhanced Durability d8, Acrobatic Master d10.
Spidey Opposes: 2#1d10 5 5 3#1d8 2 5 4
Oh, man. That's some tough luck. 10 w/ d10 effect. If the GM doesn't spend a die out of the Doom Pool, Spider-Man might be in some real trouble.
Tomorrow: The Doom Pool!
Edit: Power Point is incorrect, the mechanic is called "Plot Point".
Jdarksun's How to Play Part 2 (Plot Points and The Doom Pool)
Plot Points - Overview
So in the last tutorial, we touched on Plot Points and the Doom Pool. What are they? How do they effect the game?
Think of Plot Points (PP) as "complication counters". Any time something doesn't go the hero's way, they get a Plot Point. This could be intentional - maybe Venom's player is feeling confident enough in his Symbiote's Enhanced Durability (d8), so he triggers the Exhausted Limit on his Scorpion Powers to shut down Superhuman Durability (d10). That's worth a PP. Or it could be unintentional - when players roll a 1 on any of their dice in a dice pool, the Watcher can "buy" that 1 for a Plot Point (and add a die to the Doom Pool - more on that later).
So what's the point? Why do players start with a PP, and why should they want to accrue them?
Because that's how things get awesome.
All RPGs are about cooperative storytelling. That's the heart of roleplaying. Stories can be about a lot of things, but they're most typically about characters overcoming obstacles and the drama surrounding those situations. Bad things need to happen to the characters, and the characters need a chance to make good things happen in turn.
Plot Points are a mechanical contrivance to support that concept. They're narrative karma. Bad roll? Get some PP. Playing up a weakness to further the plot? Get some PP.
So you've got a stack of PPs in front of you - now what?
Now you get to take control of the narrative.
Plot Points - Expenditure
There are two primary ways a player will expend Plot Points - by increasing the size of their dice pool before rolling it, or by altering the the results (or the effects of the results) after a pool is rolled.
Adding dice to your dice pool is pretty straightforward. Spend a PP, add in an extra trait. Or a d6, if you can't figure out how a trait would apply. Or a d8, if you can narrate an interesting way a trait is being used. Or trigger a SFX (the rules for which are included in the SFX).
After the dice hit the table, it's still pretty clear. For a PP, you can add another die to your total, or pick up another Effect die. That's worth noting, because even characters that don't have an Area Attack SFX can effect multiple targets by expending PP - especially important when combating Large Scale Threats or Mobs.
Players can also recover from some Limits or SFX by activating Watcher opportunities - when the GM rolls a 1, you can buy it up and bring weapons back online (or whatever was shut down).
The only other point I want to hit here is that players can expend a PP to cause their reaction roll to have an effect. Normally, a success from an opposition pool just stops the initial action, but by spending a PP a player can use the effect die from that roll to cause stress, create a complication, or make an asset. That's important - even when it's not their turn, the players can still impact what's going on. There's very little down time in MHR, as any roll can dramatically change things.
The Doom Pool
The Doom Pool is the Watcher's narrative license. Want to boost your Big Bad's attack? Throw in a Doom die. Cause a complication on a reaction? Doom die. Split the party? You guessed it, Doom die. The trick is that the Doom Pool only grows when a player rolls a 1 on one or more dice, and the Watcher gives that player a Plot Point to "activate the opportunity".
From a narrative perspective, think of activating an opportunity as that character's action having a negative (or at least unintended) side effect. And while you don't have to narrate every time you buy a 1, consider doing so when it makes sense. If the player rolls four 1s, and suddenly the Doom Pool grows by a d12 - yeah, that's probably worth talking about.
So what are your options when 1s come up? You can buy each 1 individually for one Plot Point each, and add a d6 to the Doom Pool for each opportunity activated in this manner. Or you group them together, increasing the size of the d6 by one for each additional 1 included. Or, instead of adding a new die to the Doom Pool, you can also increase the size of the smallest die in there. You're not required to activate those 1s, but you generally want to do so - few things make up for a bad roll like throwing a fistful of dice the next round.
OK, so now you have a bunch of Doom dice in the Doom Pool. Now what?
Spend them to bring the hurt. The cost for basically any action is a die equal to or larger than the effect you're trying to cause. Want to boost a dice pool? Grab a die from the Doom Pool. Bigger total? Sure, but you'll have to expend a Doom die. More effects? Guess!
This applies outside of dice pools, as well. If you want to split the party, you've go to spend a die equal to or larger than the Affiliation die currently being used by the Heroes. Venom isn't known for his team-ups, so if you want to saddle him with a partner, be ready to drop a d10 to do it. You can interrupt initiative by spending a die, but you'll need to beat that hero's Reflexes or Senses (or drop in a faster character) to do so. You can also add new Distinctions to a scene for a d8 or better.
Last but not least, you can also just End The Scene. Spend 2d12, and that's it. Decide with the players how things shake out - that can take a little bit of narrative finesse, but it's a way to short circuit combat that has gotten unwieldy or tiresome without just quitting. Knowing that the scene could end when the Doom Pool hits 2d12 also serves as narrative pressure for the players - as those dice climb, things get more intense. Time is running out!
Those are the highlights of the Doom Pool and Plot Points system. The physical mechanics of it can get pretty down in the weeds, so it's important to remember that its purpose is to keep the narrative interesting. When things are down for the players, they get Plot Points to turn things around. You get Doom Pool dice to balance that out - and the more dramatic a change your want to make, the larger die it's going to cost you. You want players to get excited when they're getting Plot Points, and a sense of dread when they see the Doom Pool getting larger.
Grunt's Ghosts on
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Posts
I call dibs on Wolverine. He seems like he would work well in a noir genre.
Noir Beast sounds pretty cool to me, if system ignorance is no barrier. Noir Luke Cage sounds hilarious, as well. So many good ideas, if lack of system is no barrier!
Also, buddha had said to me ue was thinking of playing Iron Fist once so Luke Cage/Iron Fist combo? If you don't have the game I can find his stats when I get home and then we can work to Noir him up.
Okay. I wanted to avoid another female character but Rogue - femme fatale!
I'm fine with either of these really.
A smooth talking card shark or a criminal defense attorney with a chip on his shoulder? They both fit so well.
Damn.
Gambit would be nice to see. Something different.
Yeeeeees!
Ahhh, hell. Expressing interest in playing Jamie.
It sounds like the setup to a USO-show joke or something.
Twitch Stream
Having there already be cannon setup for a Noir Wolverine sapped all desire to play that right out. I thought I was being so clever but then "nope." No, if I'm going to do this it will have my own stamp on it.
Coming soon... Noir Rogue!
It's Wolverine. They've written every conceivable version of him since he became one of their most marketable guys in the 90s.
And we're modifying character files to fit better in a noir universe correct? I won't have to change much with Gambit, I don't think, but I may have to change distinctions and specialties to reflect the card shark image I have in my head.
and the book stats for Luke Cage (Earth-616), from the core book:
Affiliations
Solo D8 Buddy D10 Team D6
Distinctions (D8 or D4+1PP)
Come Get Some!
Hero for Hire
Street Smart
Power Sets
Unbreakable
Superhuman Durability D10
Superhuman Strength D10
Superhuman Stamina D10
SFX: Area Attack. Target multiple opponents. For every additional target, add D6 and keep +1 effect die.
SFX: Second Wind. Before you make an action including an UNBREAKABLE power, you may move your physical stress die to the doom pool and step up the UNBREAKABLE power by +1 for this action.
SFX: Versatile. Replace any UNBREAKABLE power with 2D8 or 3D6 on your next roll.
Limit: Difficult Recovery. Add SUPERHUMAN DURABILITY die to the opposing roll when others try to recover your physical stress.
Specialties
Business Expert D8
Covert Expert D8
Menace Master D10
Combat Expert D8
Crime Expert D8
(You may convert Expert D8 to 2D6, or Master D10 to 2D8 or 3D6)
Milestones (You might be able to use these, but I would suggest making one tailored to your version of Luke Cage)
On The Job
1XP: when you start a Scene working for another hero as an employee.
3XP: when you engage with a foe and your employer becomes stressed out.
10XP: when you either quit working for your employer to join a team as an equal or decline to work with a team in favor of staying in the pay of your employer.
Settle The Score
1XP: when you declare a villain as an old foe.
3XP: when you inflict trauma on your chosen foe.
10XP: when you forgive your chosen foe, or they beg for your forgiveness and you let them go.
I think this Luke Cage may be Southern or from, like, Saint Louis, though. Will give it some thought.
I'll see what I got since I got the X-men Civil War Pdf today.
EDIT: No Gambit on the official books so you got 2 choices from the Fan Made Site:
Lost File of Marvel. Just scroll down the list and you'll see him there.
EDIT: Personally, the Gambit off of Plot Points looks better.
Also, he can turn into living steel and body check you through a wall. That should be fun too.
Twitch Stream
@Auralynx- Luke Cage
@Mikey CTS- Rogue
@Ronrab- Multiple Man
@Capfalcon- Colossus
@Suicide Slyde- Gambit
@Buddha73- Iron Fist?
Seems like a good start.
Remy Etienne LeBeau [Public]
Affiliation: d10 Team, d6 Buddy, d8 Solo
Distinctions: Cajun Casanova, Ace in the Hole, Shady Past
Power Sets:
Energy Tap
d10 Energy Blast; d10 Psychic Resistance; d8 Enhanced Reflexes
SFX: Area Attack. Target multiple opponents. For each additional opponent add d6 and keep +1 effect die
SFX: Unleashed. Step up Energy Blast for one action. If that action is unsuccessful add a die to the doom pool equal to the normal rating of Energy Blast.
SFX: Immunity. Spend 1 PP to ignore Mental stress or Trauma caused by psychic attacks.
Limit: Lose Control. Earn 1 PP and change Energy Blast into a complication. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition scene.
Limit: Mutant. Earn 1 PP when affected by mutant-specific Milestones and Tech.
Shillelagh:
d8 Enhanced Durability; d6 Weapon
SFX: Focus. In a pool including a Shillelagh die, replace two dice of equal steps with one die of +1 step.
Limit: Gear. Shutdown Shillelagh and gain 1 PP. Take an action against the doom pool to recover gear.
Specialties
d8 Combat Expert; d10 Crime Master; d8 Covert Expert; d8 Psych Expert
Milestones
1XP: When you help a superhuman.
3XP: When you turn a superhuman away from a life of crime.
10XP: When you arrest a criminal superhuman or help them escape.
My Old Man
1XP: When you pick up your father’s trail.
3XP: When you abandon your team in a time of need to track your father; or let the trail go cold to help the team.
10XP: When you finally confront your father and kill him or let him go.
Background
After his mother’s death of Tuberculosis in 1928, Remy, now known as Gambit, traveled north to Chicago to find his father. Remy blamed his father for this mother’s death; he believed that if his father had stuck around that his mother would have never suffered her fate and he set out to avenge her. Remy spent some time in Chicago, ostensibly searching for his father’s trail. It is unclear what other activities he engaged in or who he associated with. It is clear, however, that Remy fled Chicago for whatever reason and headed to New York in 1935.
Edit: I should have been in bed an hour and half ago, but I did this instead.
Edit Again: I realized that I didn't include anything on Gambit's amazing ability to turn stuff into explosives in his background... guess that's coming out in the roleplay.
Yes I'm gonna play ironfist just so you know.
Picture
XP 2
Affiliations: Solo d10, Buddy d6, Team d8
Distinctions: Sense of Responsibility, Southern Belle, Untouchable
Power Sets: Power Absorption
Leech d10, Mimic d12
SFX: Drain Vitality. When using LEECH to create a POWER LOSS complication on a target, add a d8 and keep an extra die for physical stress.
SFX: Memory Flash. Spend 1 PP to use any SFX or Specialty belonging to a target whom you have inflicted a POWER LOSS complication for your next roll.
SFX: What's Yours Is Mine. On a sucessful reaction against an action that requires physical contact, convert your opponent's effect die into a POWER LOSS complication. If your opponent's action suceeds, spend 1 PP to activate this SFX.
LIMIT: Mutant. When affected by mutant-specific complications or effects, earn 1 PP.
LIMIT: Uncontrollable. Change any POWER ABSORPTION power into a complication to gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or or remove the complication to recover that power.
LIMIT: Zero Sum. LEECH requires skin-to-skin contact with the target. Mimic only duplicates powerpowers of those whom you've inflicted a POWER LOSS complication. MIMIC-based assets created based on the target's power are limited in size to the POWER LOSS complication affecting the target.
Specialties: Acrobatics Expert d8, Combat Expert d8, Covert Expert d8.
Milestones
Former Brotherhood
1XP when you discuss your history with the Brotherhood.
3XP when you deal stress to a member or former member of the Brotherhood.
10XP when you either gather the Brotherhood to lead them, or lead a team against the Brotherhood.
Southern Rebel
1XP when you offer someone sass, attitude, or Southern charm.
3XP when you disobey order from a prominent leader.
10XP when you either lead a team in accordance with with current leadership, or lead a team against the current laws.
Background
Anna-Marie, or the Rogue as she became known to authorities, was a songbird at New York City gin dives where she would perform. She had many admirers among her audience. Sometimes those admirers would wake up naked in a ditch upstate, with no memory of how they got there, and their life savings had been cleaned out. Authorities were baffled as to the identity and methods of the Rogue. That was until one of Hoover's goon squads came and snatched Anna-Marie up after leaving a performance. They offered her two choices - join Fury's new task force or go to prison. It was hardly a choice at all.
What is the Rogue's history?
As a young woman living in poor rural Georgia, Anna-Marie had a crush on Cody and gave him a kiss. That innocent kiss put Cody in a coma and forced Anna-Marie to flee her Southern home. Marie hitched a ride on the rails and found her way to the bright lights of New York City. There she got a job waitressing and took auditions for parts in plays and musicals. Over and over she was told her husky voice and Southern drawl just weren't right for the parts. That was when, in a moment of desperation, Anna-Marie used her curse to knock-out an unsuspecting man with a full wallet just to keep food on her table. That was also when she was discovered by the Brotherhood.
A criminal gang who recognized the value of Anna-Marie's gift, their leader Raven Darkholme approached Marie with all the warmth of a monther's love. She took young Anna-Marie under her wing, taught her how to sing and dress, then set her up at local dive bars as a songbird. Everything seemed to be going so well until Raven asked Marie to use her power. Naive and feeling a responsibility to help Ms. Darkholme, who had been nothing but kind and generous to her, Anna-Marie did as she was told. Luring admires into her dressing room, she would use her curse to knock them unconcious. The Brotherhood would them pick them up and, using the knowledge of their finances gleaned from Anna-Marie's gift, withdraw all their savings and open any hidden safes or safety deposit boxes they had.
As time went on and Anna-Marie matured, the guilt started to wear on her and she began to realized Raven was just been using her. She needed a way out but escaping the Brotherhood was no small task. That was when Hoover's goons got to Marie. The FBI had been on to both her and the Brotherhood, but Nick Fury had a different task in mind. He wanted the Rogue, as police had come to call the unknown thief, as a member of his new SHIELD Initiative - and he was not going to take no for an answer. She agreed but refused to give up her accomplishes out of a misplaced sense of duty.
She knows she is only giving up one cage for another, but she hopes this cage door will eventually be left open for her to leave.
Give us a description of the Rogue's personality.
You can take the girl out of the South but you cannot take the South out of the girl. Anne-Marie is a true Southern belle, through and through. Depsite Raven having trained her to hide her accent, Marie refuses to not speak without her Southern drawl. She has a strong anti-authority streak but also has an even strong sense of responsibility, to the point of sometimes being misguided. She is fiercely loyal to her friends and partners. Her personality can change rapidly, especially if she is sharing the same headspace with someone whose life-force she has absorbed.
Affiliations
Solo D8 Buddy D10 Team D6
Distinctions (D8 or D4+1PP)
Come Get Some!
Hero for Hire
Street Smart
Power Sets
Unbreakable
Superhuman Durability D10
Superhuman Strength D10
Superhuman Stamina D10
SFX: Area Attack. Target multiple opponents. For every additional target, add D6 and keep +1 effect die.
SFX: Second Wind. Before you make an action including an UNBREAKABLE power, you may move your physical stress die to the doom pool and step up the UNBREAKABLE power by +1 for this action.
SFX: Versatile. Replace any UNBREAKABLE power with 2D8 or 3D6 on your next roll.
Limit: Difficult Recovery. Add SUPERHUMAN DURABILITY die to the opposing roll when others try to recover your physical stress.
Specialties
Athlete D8
Covert Expert D8
Menace Master D10
Combat Expert D8
Crime Expert D8
(You may convert Expert D8 to 2D6, or Master D10 to 2D8 or 3D6)
Milestones
On The Job
1XP: when you start a Scene working for another hero as an employee.
3XP: when you engage with a foe and your employer becomes stressed out.
10XP: when you either quit working for your employer to join a team as an equal or decline to work with a team in favor of staying in the pay of your employer.
Carry A Grudge
1XP: When you declare that you've got bad blood with another hero or villain.
3XP: When you get revenge against another hero or villain.
10XP: When you forgive another hero or villain, or thwart another hero or villain's revenge plot against you.
New background:
Apparently there's already a Marvel Noir version of Luke Cage (and Gambit fwiw), but it's both scarcely different from his original incarnation and tied into the storyline involving Cable and Deadpool. It seems that we can assume we're in an alternate Noir universe, so have a quick re-write.
Cage survived a hideous trainwreck a few years back, dragging a wealthy passenger, Daniel Rand, free of a sleeper car in the process. Miraculously, he'd been hurt only slightly, and it was shortly thereafter that he was contacted by Doctor Otto Octavius, a scientist of German extraction in New York. Octavius wanted to enroll Cage in a genetic testing program of some sort, and offered to pay him handsomely for blood samples the next time he was in New York. Cage took him up on the offer, but the results were unexpected, to say the least. Cage passed out as the needle entered his arm and, on waking, found himself stronger and tougher than ever as a result of the German doctor's mysterious processes. Smashing his way free of the lab, he lost himself in the New York streets, doing odd jobs and fighting in bareknuckle boxing matches to keep money in his pocket. Cage would like to follow Joe Louis' path to fame and fortune, but no promoter will touch a black man with a criminal record.
Gambit's Father-
Lucas Cage-
I do need to know how you guys were recruited by SHIELD. Remember that this is a new group, claiming to be FBI backed but you can't say that you work for the FBI, and no one has ever heard of these guys before.
As it is, I wish you luck and I'll be watching. I'm considering doing something similar with one of my groups, so I'll probably be blatantly stealing ideas.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
That's definitely workable. If so, he's probably Californian; trains went that far. Perhaps they met in San Francisco?