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[pbp] [WiP] ALL-NEW TOMORROW'S GUARDIANS #1 featuring machine-gun wielding Imps
InkSplat
100%ed Bad Rats.Registered User regular
100%ed Bad Rats.Registered User regular
So, seems like we've got a full group right off the bat, so I'll just go ahead and outline what you guys need to do to make your characters.
@jdarksun @dresdenphile @Mikey CTS @Grunt's Ghosts
The game is going to be in a modern setting, and as with Dungeon World, a lot of the creation is going to be spread around.
For those of you unfamiliar with Dungeon World and its ilk, the system is simple: Fiction first, followed by rolling 2d6+stat to find the result if its needed. Rolling a 10+ is a complete success. Rolling a 7-9 is a Success with a small but. Rolling a 6- is whatever I want it to be. :P
HERE is a link to the playtest rules specifically for Worlds in Peril, but I'll go over the moves and character creation here as well as we go along. But that will allow you to start building your character before we get there, if you want to.
First off, we'll start with the Team Profile.
Now, we're going to be playing this one-shot as a normal start, so you're all fairly new heroes who don't know the full extent of their powers. But it also assumes that you're a team working together. But it doesn't assume how that came to be. So, with that in mind, before we get to the nitty gritty of character creation, we're going to learn about your general ideas for characters, find out about the City, and also the Team. Have you guys been recruited to take down a threat, or have you formed together on your own? Are you only together temporarily, or was this meant to be a permanent sort of thing?
I've randomly assigned each of you a question to help flesh out the city, and then I want you guys to work together to answer the questions under THE TEAM header. Some of them can be left blank, depending on what you guys decide. The question of your hero concept is left open and not binding. I figure discussion of the City and the Team might create some character ideas, or the other way around.
THE HEROES
What are the concepts you guys are considering for your heroes?
THE CITY
What City are you guys in? What is it best known for? @jdarksun
Are there any other super heroes active in the city? Solo? As a team? @Grunt's Ghosts
Is the City home to any particularly well-known villains? @dresdenphile
Does the City have any particularly impressive landmarks? @Mikey CTS
THE TEAM
Former Name – has the team broken up before, changed their name or roster? Are you guys essentially a new version of an older, pre-existing team?
First Appearance – how long has the team been together?
Mission – what is the goal or common purpose that the team is united in accomplishing?
Headquarters – does the team have a common meeting ground? What does it look like and where is it?
Resources – does the team have access to special transportation, funding or anything else that might
help them complete their missions?
Former members – has anyone left or been kicked off the team?
@jdarksun @dresdenphile @Mikey CTS @Grunt's Ghosts
The game is going to be in a modern setting, and as with Dungeon World, a lot of the creation is going to be spread around.
For those of you unfamiliar with Dungeon World and its ilk, the system is simple: Fiction first, followed by rolling 2d6+stat to find the result if its needed. Rolling a 10+ is a complete success. Rolling a 7-9 is a Success with a small but. Rolling a 6- is whatever I want it to be. :P
HERE is a link to the playtest rules specifically for Worlds in Peril, but I'll go over the moves and character creation here as well as we go along. But that will allow you to start building your character before we get there, if you want to.
First off, we'll start with the Team Profile.
Now, we're going to be playing this one-shot as a normal start, so you're all fairly new heroes who don't know the full extent of their powers. But it also assumes that you're a team working together. But it doesn't assume how that came to be. So, with that in mind, before we get to the nitty gritty of character creation, we're going to learn about your general ideas for characters, find out about the City, and also the Team. Have you guys been recruited to take down a threat, or have you formed together on your own? Are you only together temporarily, or was this meant to be a permanent sort of thing?
I've randomly assigned each of you a question to help flesh out the city, and then I want you guys to work together to answer the questions under THE TEAM header. Some of them can be left blank, depending on what you guys decide. The question of your hero concept is left open and not binding. I figure discussion of the City and the Team might create some character ideas, or the other way around.
THE HEROES
What are the concepts you guys are considering for your heroes?
THE CITY
What City are you guys in? What is it best known for? @jdarksun
Are there any other super heroes active in the city? Solo? As a team? @Grunt's Ghosts
Is the City home to any particularly well-known villains? @dresdenphile
Does the City have any particularly impressive landmarks? @Mikey CTS
THE TEAM
Former Name – has the team broken up before, changed their name or roster? Are you guys essentially a new version of an older, pre-existing team?
First Appearance – how long has the team been together?
Mission – what is the goal or common purpose that the team is united in accomplishing?
Headquarters – does the team have a common meeting ground? What does it look like and where is it?
Resources – does the team have access to special transportation, funding or anything else that might
help them complete their missions?
Former members – has anyone left or been kicked off the team?
Origin for Dragon Age: Inquisition Shenanigans: Inksplat776
InkSplat on
+1
Posts
I'm actually considering resurrecting Astro Girl, who is the Paragon-style character: flight, strength, nigh-invulnerability. Story is a bit of a twist on the Superman tale: alien from a far away world crash landed on Earth, the twist being that she was late-teens/early-twenties and no guidance to assimulate Earth culture.
The City
The Tomorrow Fair. A park dedicated to the a now-defunct trades fair that previously occurred every decade. The fair would put on display future technologies and consumer goods for crowds to be wowed by. It's been out of commission for the last thirty years and had been maintained by the city for twenty-five of those years as a tourist attraction. In the last five years its begun to fall into disrepair after the city determined it was no longer cost-effective to maintain.
Team
I dunno guys... Do we want some sort of consistant theme? Maybe we're all young heroes or we have some goal binding us?
What are the concepts you guys are considering for your heroes?
Just a couple of characters whose powers I dig or can riff on:
Boom Boom (generating psychic concussive "time bombs" that can be muffled and time-delayed)
Cannonball (generates a "blast field" that makes him unstoppable in flight and gives him limited invulnerability)
Booster Gold (from the future/alternate timeline and using retired heroes tech to make a name for himself in our world; flight, energy projection, enhanced endurance/force field)
THE CITY
Is the City home to any particularly well-known villains?
I was thinking this could tie into Former Members under The Team. Maybe the villain used to be a member of our team or even our mentor, if we go the young heroes route.
THE TEAM
Former members – has anyone left or been kicked off the team?
Trickshot- Archer with trick arrows, parkour skills, and an attitude to match. His arrows may never fly straight, but they always hit their mark.
Livewire- Electric powers that he is only starting to learn the full range of. Using electromagnetism he can fly, shoot lighting and create small energy fields that act as shields against metal objects.
Dark Hex- Once a demon possessed teen and former villain, she's now free from it but still retains some of her powers. She's joined [INSERT TEAM NAME HERE] to pay for her actions even if she's not really to blame for them. She has a variety of spells that usually take some time to cast.
Are there any other super heroes active in the city? Solo? As a team?
Originally there were the Guardians, which had the largest active roster, but after [INSERT VILLAIN'S NAME HERE] when berserk and killed most of the heroes, most have gone to hiding or solo work, leaving only the occasional team up when two heroes paths cross. There are no official teams as vigilante work has been outlawed and the police force now have a task force whose job it is to arrest those playing "Hero".
The Team
I like the idea of us being a group of teenage/young heroes in a world where heroes have disappeared. I'm thinking the villain when "Irredeemable" and pretty much destroyed the "Age of Superheroes" and we are either the next generation try to bring it back or if we go a bit older (Late teens/early adults) we could be the up and coming heroes who have been hiding since this all when down when we were kids and now we are finally strong enough (we think) to bring back the superheroes age.
And the re-designed costume was coming along so well. Ah well, I will begin brainstorming.
I'm very much a believer that characters should be created to suit the game.
Besides I can probably find some little tweak to make her work.
Those are both very good ideas. As long as I can maintain her joy at being a super hero and earnest, almost desperate need to help people I'll mull over these options. Those two things are really central to her character. I can see the second option working quite well if she's just a little bit naive - she is, after all, new to Earth. Naive, but not stupid.
As far as my character, the Booster Gold type sounds more appealing. I was thinking that maybe my father was a time traveler who got stranded in the past for a little bit. Upon returning to the future, he realizes "oops, totally left my love interest pregnant" and bequeathes an older version of his gear to me when I turn 16 as an "Sorry 'bout that, kiddo; knock 'em dead".
So I've got a rough concept drawing down and I'm starting to get a grasp of the rules. I'll post something as soon as I have a some colors and stats to paper.
Are there any good 3D/visual superhero character creators anymore? I downloaded DCUO to check that one out, and ugh.
Speak of which.
Seems like a good start. Sorry it's so small. I'll take a full rez scan at some point in the near future.
Here is my line of thought so far: imagine you just crashed on a strange backwater planet. Still of developmental age (15-17 eviqualent?), you are frightened, alone, hurt, cold, and honestly you just wish you were home with your mommy. Oh but there is intelligent life on this planet! They must have come to greet you and take you to safety. You only wish you could understand their language. Wait... why are they pointing primative projectile weapons at you? One thing leads to another and in a scene that looks like WWIII gone wrong you've gone on a tear-soaked, fear-induced rampage through Siberia wilderness - upturning armored cars and destroying assault riffles; ripping through tanks and jets like wrapping paper; leaving ruined but still breathing soldiers in your wake.
Who was it that put a stop to Astro Girl's rage and how?
Edited.
"Because; you're the one with the 27th Century language translator built into your helmet," Sapphire Centurion growled over the comlink, fidgeting as she struggled to position herself as she dangled from the man's grasp. "Loosen your grip a little, man; you're giving me rugburn under my armpits."
Cobalt chuckled, "You could have taken the jet; it's not my fault most of the team can't fly."
Sapphire rolled her eyes behind her domino mask. "Most of us didn't steal our equipment, either."
Clearing his throat, he answered, "Steal? I prefer appropriated for better uses. It was collecting dust in that tourist trap; I'm helping humanity!"
"Okay, okay. Don't get your spandex in a knot; I'm just giving you a hard time," she replied. Sapphire Centurion was about to say something else, but the trail of destruction that came into view made her stop short. The military base was torn asunder, soldiers and vehicles scattered like a child's discarded toys, and in the center, a strangely dressed girl.
"Whoa there, miss," Captain Cobalt said, holding his hands up in the air, dropping Sapphire Centurion into a crouch. The girl growled and threw herself at Sapphire Centurion. Dodging at the last second, the hero grabbed the girl's arms, pinning them to her side. The girl, however, broke the grip and set Centurion flying into a nearby building.
"You wanna speed this up, Captain? I'm tough, but I can't keep this up forever" Sapphire yelled as the girl pounced on her.
"Well, if you could get her to say something other than 'rawr', that'd help the software!" Captain Cobalt said. After what seemed like an eternity, his helmet started beeping. "No way," he whispered as he saw the language.
"Captain!"
Spinning around, he saw the girl beating the crap out of his teammate. He called out "Stop! We come in peace!" in the girl's language. Immediately, the girl's eyes welled with tears as she released her grip on Sapphire. She began babbling frantically, but Captain Cobalt could only stand in shocked silence.
Dusting herself off, Sapphire Centurion asked him "What's the matter, Cobalt?", genuine concern in her voice.
Captain Cobalt checked and tripled checked the readout of what language it was before answering. Swallowing, he said, "In the future, I know...knew her parents..."
*****
As for my character, meet Blastique, Daughter of Captain Cobalt
Edgar would later disavow his mother after she held the entire population of the city as ransom for a recently discovered cache of the incredibly rare Isotope-8. The heroes that opposed her were murdered, and when it became clear that none would defeat her, the city capitulated. Raid Aérien took her spoils and vanished. In the following crime wave (what hero could stop them?), "Metalhead" made his first appearance - and Edgar quietly disappeared.
Midguard City, known for major manufacturing and industrial complexes. Home to the once magnificent Tomorrow Fair, which is barely even a tourist attraction anymore.
And it seems like you've decided on the fact that the city was once defended by a group of heroes who have either gone rogue or disappeared, two of which were Captain Cobalt and Raid Aerien, the latter of which went villain before disappearing.
@dresdenphile what happened to Captain Cobalt? Was he one of the heroes who Raid betrayed and murdered?
@Mikey CTS So, who was it that stopped Astro Girl? Captain Cobalt or Raid Aerien?
How did your team come together? Or is this going to be the first time fighting side-by-side?
Picture:
Let's go ahead and establish a given name... Nor'al, but everyone who knows her name just calls her Nora.
Cobalt broke the language barrier but Aerien was the one who got through to her. They both swore to get her home, but really there was never much hope of that. It's a big universe. At least in this century. Both Aerien and Cobalt took Nora under their wings and taught her about her new home. Cobalt never did tell Nora about her parents in the future, because in the future her parents were still grieving - she had died a celebrated heroine protecting Midguard City and the Earth from apocalypse. Two years later when Nora announced she wanted to take up her own hero mantle Aerien was ecstatic but Cobalt protested. He told her that she didn't have enough control. That Nora would cause more destruction than she would prevent if she took up a cape. Cobalt loved her like his own daughter and wanted keep her out of the line of fire, more importantly alive. He was investigating a way to save Nora without catastrophically changing the future. But Nora was hurt and felt betrayed by Cobalt's harsh words, leaving the only home she knew on Earth. When she returned it was in a purple cap and the public eye as the heroine Astro Girl. Aerien's betrayal and Cobalt's "death" were devastating to her.
I imagine this means she's pretty close to both Metalhead and Blastique, considering them almost to be her brother and sister. Though lately she's probably closer to Blastique and Edgar has been pulling away.
Smash +1, Influence +1, Manuever +0, Protect +2, Investigate -1
Power Summary: Astro Girl's alien biology offers her incredible strength, durability, and the gift of flight.
Impervious to bullets
Flutter unaided through the air with ease
Toss around cars like baseballs
Difficult
Resistant to extreme environments
Reach flight speeds near sonic speeds
Rip through armored vehicles with bare hands
Borderline
Shrug off rocket and mortar fire
Possible
Walk away from a bomb impact site
Impossible
Survive a nuclear blast or vacuum
Acheive hyper-speed in flight
Lift a tanker from the ocean surface
Limitation
Weakness to the power cosmic
I am a superhero because of ... My Alien Heritage
One of a Kind: You are different from the people of Earth, answer the questions to set some guidelines about how different you are from humans. Whenever you get yourself into trouble owing to your differences with normal people (whether it by personality, appearance, genetic or base instincts), you may recover from one Condition when you consult a team member about the difficulties and differences you experienced.
-Do you need to eat? Yes, Nora is quite found of dill pickle potato chips and ice cream.
-Do you thrive in an environment that a human cannot survive in? Thrive, no; surive, yes.
-Do you dream? Yes, in fact Nora is known for taking naps in odd places - like the ceiling
-Do you have a purpose? No, her arrival on Earth was entire by accident
Take a moment to draw or write down what you look like on your character sheet.
Alien Mind: Whenever someone tries to invade your mind or harm you mentally, roll+Protect. On a 10+, you push them out and their attempted invasion disorients them. On a 7-9, choose one. You push them out, and:
• You Impose any Condition on the invader you wish, but you take the same severity as well.
• You glean something useful from them, but they learn something personal about you as well.
Weight of the World: Whenever you use your alien heritage or appearance to influence someone who is not familiar with you, roll+Influence. On a 10+ Hold 3, on a 7-9 Hold 1.
• Use your words or presence to make an attacker hesitate and listen.
• Unite a group in a common action.
• Inspire a group.
It is my goal and drive to ... Observe and Learn
Book available to open when:
- You become a part of at least two different worlds, with one of them being Earth, and are in position to cast judgment on one or both for their failings. Take a Bond with Humanity. Whenever you judge the merits and flaws of the human race, consult your Bond score. If an act shows you the merits of the human race, raise the Bond by 1. If a moment makes you doubt, question or showcases its flaws, lower the Bond by 1. Bond Points with Humanity cannot be spent and does not affect your Bond Threshold, but if the Bond is raised above 10, you may shrug off a single Condition when humanity is threatened for every point above 10 you have. If it drops below -5, take a permanent Moderate Condition where you take a -1 anytime you wish to protect or save a human, or humanity. If it falls below -10 you must spend time away from human beings, retreat to your fortress of solitude, or go back to your people until you can be convinced to come back or until you witness something to renew your faith in humanity.
Fortress of Solitude: You have one. Tell the EIC where it is - it must be far away and hidden from civilization. Whoever remains in the fortress for a reasonable time (EIC’s call) can rid themselves of one Condition for everything question they ask about your past, alien heritage, or outlook on humanity and life, what you do or anything else that distinguishes or sets you apart from humanity (maximum 2).
Move available to open when:
-You establish your Fortress of Solitude – where it is and why you need it and when a Bond is reduced because of your fortress.
Role Model: when you learn or are inspired by watching and learning about how someone or a group of people conduct themselves, write down one quality you wish to emulate. Once per session you may Burn a Bond for free when you strive to be better and emulate your role model.
Move available to open when:
-You find or choose a mentor and role model to look up to and learn from.
Bonds - Almost impossible to form long relatiosnips
Humanity -1
-Astro Girl has begun to spiral, disconnecting from humanity and viewing herself as an outsider.
Blastique +2
-Astro Girl regards Blastique like a sister, coming closer together to grieving Captain Cobalt.
Jackson Hewes +1
-Jackson is Astro Girl's best friend, a fashion designer who created her costume
Metalhead +0
-They used to be much closer, almost siblings, but since his mother's betrayal he's become withdrawn.
Trickshot +1
-Astro Girl has only meet Trickshot a few times, always as Nora before taking up a cape.
The City +2
The people of Midguard City are becoming quite found of the Girl Who Fell from the Stars .
Law Enforcement +1
Officials tolerate her for now but wait for the first bill from property damage she creates.
Foes
The Xenophobe: Congressman Mark McDoyle - Outspoken and loudmouthed, Congressman McDoyle has spoken publicly at length about his suspicions regarding Astro Girl. McDoyle further claims that nothing Astro Girl says of her homeworld is verifiable and she could be the point for a much larger alien assault to come. Critics of the congressman say he is just using the Girl Who Fell from the Stars as a platform for a future presidential run. Nora and the congressman have never formally meet.
Editted: Corrected Bonds and added Foe.
Smash +2, Influence +0, Maneuver +1, Protect -1, Investigate +1
Power Summary: Edgar is his mother's protege, and a gifted inventor in his own right. He is a genius level intellect and is athletically above average for his age, but Edgar is also an angry teenage boy that feels deeply betrayed by his idol.
Powers that are Advantages: The Metalhead suit allows Edgar to absorb and manipulate sound waves into tools and weapons.
Absorb sounds emanated by the suit or its occupant
Focus audio into a close range blast
Mimic any noise recorded in its databanks
Difficult
Deflect impacts with point-generated sonic bursts
Aurally overwhelm everyone with earshot
Rapidly propel the suit short distances
Borderline
Glide long distances
Possible
Shred an entire stadium with some sick beats
Impossible
Actually fly
Destroy armored vehicles or fortified buildings
Lift a tanker from the ocean surface
Limitation
Regular human limitations outside of the Metalhead suit
Deep emotional damage from being betrayed by his mother
Teenage boys do stupid things for stupid reasons
I am a superhero because of ... My Legacy
You're not the first hero to use this name. You're the next one in a line — maybe a long line — of heroes. Perhaps you're the inheritor of a sacred cause, or the best available candidate to receive a powerful artifact after the previous owner died. Or maybe you're the previous heroine's sidekick, ready to bust out on her own now that the old gal is ready to retire the cape. No matter the story, one thing remains true: your name, your powers, your mission... ... they come with a history. One you'll draw on as you fight the good fight, wearing a mask out of legend. Take a Bond with "The Past" and define what your history and legacy is and what symbol that past represents. Treat this like any other Bond, spend time establishing and fleshing it out if you so choose but your Bond with "The Past" may never go above 4 and will lower every time you use the move "Like No Other". Since it's a public persona like "The City" or "Law Enforcement" it can also be affected by what you do or takes place in the story.
Roots Run Deep: Whenever a person, place or thing comes up in play for the first time and it feels familiar to you, tell the EIC the connection you think it has to your legacy and roll+Investigate. On a 10+, the EIC will tell you something useful about the subject, and may ask for more detail about how you knew said information. On a 7-9, the EIC will tell you something interesting about the subject, it’s on you to make it useful. The EIC may ask for more detail about how you knew said information.
Sins of the Father: Whenever you face a foe or challenge your predecessor had to deal with before, roll+Influence. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. You may spend hold 1 for 1 when you recount something from your past or predecessors in order to:
- Take away an Advantage or find a weak point.
- Recover from a Minor or Moderate Condition.
- Take +1 forward.
Like No Other: When you do something to distinguish yourself from your predecessor that no one saw coming, say what you do and how it's different. Then, choose one:Foe: Dark Legacy
Raid Aérien betrayed the city, everything she once stood for, and her protege and only child. Edgar has taken up a hero's mantle not so much to continue the legacy but to redeem it.
It is my goal and drive to ... Reconcile My Past
Book available to open when:
- Something happens that changes who you are and haunts you or you detail what already
happened that haunts you.
Coping Mechanism: whenever you berate or heckle your opponent to hide your true feelings,
roll+Influence. On a 10+, choose one. On a 7-9, the EIC chooses one.
Move available to open when:
-You give the table a glimpse of the vulnerability you cover up with violence, wise cracks or
both.
Painful Catharsis: when an enemy does something to you to trigger a memory in your past
(your call), tell the table the memory roll+Influence. On a 10+, Hold 3. On a 7-9, Hold 1. Spend 1
Hold to:
Move available to open when:
-You do something to place yourself or the group in danger by acting irrationally because of
something that happened in your past.
Bonds
The Past +2 (Edgar is almost entirely defined by his mother, her tutelage, and her subsequent abandonment of him)
Blastique +1
Captain Colbalt +1
Astro Girl +2 (He considers Nor'al his sister, and the fact that Raid Aérien did not reveal her plan to her semi-adopted daughter either is a subject of immense relief to Edgar - even if he won't admit it)
Trickshot +1
The City +0 (Metalhead is virtually unknown to the city at large, because Edgar fears what the public will think of him)
Law Enforcement +1 (He did, however, announce himself to the police before taking the law into his own hands)
And so everyone remembers, the Simple/Difficult stuff you pick now isn't what you're limited to. You'll be able to Push yourself if you find there's something you want to do but don't have listed, so long as it fits within your Power set. So, like, if Metalhead decides that hey, maybe he can use some sonic vibrations and waves to pick a lock? He'll be able to try, roll to Push and potentially be able to add it to his list. So don't feel like if you can't fit it now that you just can't do it.
1) Basic stats. The five stats are Smash, Influence, Maneuver, Protect, and Investigate. You assign the following values to those stats, in any order: -1, 0, +1, +1, +2. Any time you take an action, you will be rolling with one of those stats: 2d6 + <modifier>.
2) Powers. This comes in two flavors - "Summary" and "that are Advantages". Stuff your character can do inherently should be covered under Summary. If it's gear or a suit or whatever that allows you to do it, it's an Advantage. A quick, one sentence description is fine here.
3) "Powers Profile". You hero, by default, gets one thing they can do in each category ("Defined Powers" - Simple, Difficult, Borderline, Possible). You're not restricted to only taking those type of actions, but it's the sort of things that you do most frequently.
4) Limits. All heroes have limits, things that prevent them from perfectly integrating into society. The more powerful they are, the more baggage they carry. Think of this like The Dresden Files' Refresh: you either get a lot of connections (Bonds) with other people (/places/things), or you're a powerhouse unto yourself (more Defined Powers).
5) Origin Book. Pretty self-explanatory - you pick which Origin fits your character. This is where you come from
6) Drive Book. Also pretty self-explanatory - you pick which Drive fits your character. This one tells you where you're going.
7) Bonds and Backstory. You get 4 default Bond (the other PCs) that start out at +1, +1 addition Bond point to allocate as you desire (edit: thanks, Mikey CTS!). You also get The City and Law Enforcement, which start at +0. You may get additional Bonds from your Origin or Drive. Then you allocate your Extra Bond Points (see Step #4) as desired, and come up with some story reasons as to why.
And that's it. Apocalypse Engine characters tend to be one part mechanics, a million parts delicious intertwined story.