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Wearing the Cape

Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with ragefrom a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
edited April 2017 in Critical Failures
OK, so there is a writer out of Las Vegas named Marion Harmon. He has written (imo) an excellent series of books collectively titled the Wearing the Cape series, the first of which is called "Wearing the Cape; a Superhero story"

From the back of the book:
Who wants to be a superhero?

Hope did, but she grew out of it. Which made her superhuman breakthrough in the Ashland Bombing, just before starting her freshman year at the University of Chicago, more than a little ironic. And now she has some decisions to make. Given the code-name "Astra" and invited to join the Sentinels, Chicago’s premier super-team, will she take up the cape and mask and become a career superhero? Or will she get a handle on her new powers (super-strength has some serious drawbacks) and then get on with her life-plan?

In a world where superheroes join unions and have agents, and the strongest and most photogenic ones become literal supercelebrities, the temptation to become a cape is strong. But the price can be high—especially if you’re “outed” and lose the shield of your secret identity. Becoming a sidekick puts the decision off for awhile, but Hope’s life is further complicated when The Teatime Anarchist, the supervillain responsible for the Ashland Bombing, takes an interest in her. Apparently as Astra, Hope is supposed to save the world. Or at least a significant part of it.


https://www.amazon.com/Wearing-Cape-Book-ebook/dp/B004XRCC1G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492948522&sr=8-1&keywords=Wearing+the+Cape

His other books are:

Bite Me; Big Easy Nights (a Side Story, but not stand-alone)
Omega Night (a short story, but not stand-alone)
Villians Inc
Young Sentinals
Small Town Heroes
Ronin Games
Team-Ups and Cross Overs (many short stories, but not stand-alone)

I'll not link these, if you are interested, you can find them.

This is a setting where all of a sudden and without warning, people became super. This was of course accompanied by the total failure of the everything in the process as the world itself reboot (or whatever) so there were emergencies aplenty to capture everyone's attention. Some of these supers saw the opportunity to help out and save lives, others not so much. Some of the first heroes got together and formed a team, they called themselves the Sentinels.


Now, I hear you asking: Brian, what does this all have to do with dice rolling? I'm glad you asked!

Mr. Harmon has spent the last year plus working out RPG rules for his setting! These are now available on pdf from DriveThruRPG!

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/210012/

He also has a 'Player's Guide' of sorts called Barlow's Guide to Superhumans, but it isn't quite ready for print yet.

There was a kickstarter, so there will be some few traditional paper rule books floating around, and he says he will be working on getting a regular print run going of them once the kickstarters get their copies.

I just got the pdf copy a few days ago, and I haven't even had time to finish reading it yet. But I am excited! So Excited.

Look at that face up there to the left. Can't you see the excitement?

...and when you are done with that; take a folding
chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
Just_Bri_Thanks on

Posts

  • EsteedEsteed Registered User regular
    I was just looking at this the other day. Seemed pretty cool! Haven't had a chance to take a peek at the pdf yet, but I'm probably gonna pick it up next paycheck, or the one after.

  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    From an E-Mail I just got:
    Posted by Marion G. Harmon (Creator)
    Gamebook Proofs Accepted.
    Yesterday was exciting—the proofs arrived for my review. Everything looked great with the exception of a small detail on the cover (and that was my problem, not the printer's), so the small edit and the approval went out today. Exciting times.

    I've been told to expect printing/shipping to take at least 20 business days, so I should be signing gamebooks late next month. As mentioned before, I will be able to immediately ship to some backers as well.
    DriveThruRPG Reviews/Sales
    I hope that by now everyone who backed for a PDF or the gamebook has downloaded theirs through DriveThru RPG! I greatly appreciate everyone who has taken the time to also rate the game on its catalogue page, and am even more grateful to the few who have taken the extra step of writing out a review of the game there! Right now Wearing the Cape: The Roleplaying Game is listed as DriveThruRPG's #1 Superhero gamebook, and is in the Top 10 overall. That's big news, and I'm sure is in part due to the ratings/reviews, so add to them if you can!

    Coming Appearances
    I don't know if you will see me there, but it looks like Wearing the Cape: The Roleplaying Game may be making an appearance at GenCon this year. It may be up for an Ennie Award, and be one of the featured gamebooks at Indie Press Revolution's booth. This is contingent on my being able to get the first wave of signed gamebooks out to backers (see previous update). This year I'm mainly focused on finishing the sourcebooks, campaign fulfillment, and the seventh WtC novel, but I may get to one or more conventions. Next year will be a different story.

    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    I just got this in my E-Mail:

    Posted by Marion G. Harmon (Creator)
    Printing Complete.
    Would you look at that?

    [Images snipped]

    Sorry about the grainy images. I've got to say, they're beautiful. For some reason the printer did the covers in matte rather than the shiny I'd expected, but I think they look better this way. Also, comparing the gamebook to other gamebooks I own, I could have made the font slightly smaller and the lines closer together, to get more content for the same number of pages. But, all things considered, it's a gorgeous book.
    So that's a milestone. We're looking at the shipping options now, but everyone who ordered just the gamebook should have theirs in the mail late next week (we need to physically check the whole inventory first, add the signed bookplates, etc). For those who ordered the sourcebook, novel, or dice as well, we're looking at options; if we can ship them separately for less than you've payed us for postage, then we'll do it so that you don't need to wait!
    Barlow's Guide & The B-Files
    We press forward on the sourcebooks. It's taking longer than I'd hoped, and that is mostly my fault, although several backers have yet to submit their characters for approval. If it comes down to it, where everything else is completed and we're still waiting on Sentinels and Cape-Watcher characters, the book will go to print. I think everyone will be surprised by the creativity shown with many of these new characters (I already have my eye on a couple of them that are going to make cameo appearances in the next book).
    For the Rest.
    The Special Edition: Fully edited, with half the art completed, and hopefully gone to print by the middle of this month.
    The Archon Files: Still in layout phase.
    The Dice: I hope to see them by the end of the month.
    Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of summer! I will do an update when the first wave of gamebooks ships.
    Marion G. Harmon

    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    On a related note, I had the opportunity to read some of the book recently. I didn't get into the weeds on the game rules, which is of a system I am unfamiliar, but I did read all the material included for the setting and background. It does a good job of explaining everything without book spoilers. A++ good job.

    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    New RPG book is up on DrivethruRPG:

    Wearing the Cape: Barlow's Guide to Superhumans is the first sourcebook for WtC: The Roleplaying Game. It includes: 20 additional pages of pure world background, providing Post-Event history for Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, with a look at how superhumans wear the cape in different places; 15 additional pages of background covering Post-Event organizations and places; a new rules chapter exploring the uses of Aspects in superhero games (the Aspect Power-System) and a new way of factoring power scale; 120 pages of expanded Power Templates and fully worked up cape-files, including new Power Templates (Dreamweaver-Types and Jumper-Types), more characters from the top-rated supehero series, and dozens of original characters.

    For Fate players looking to expand on Fate Core in a superhero campaign, WtC:BGS provides:

    An examination of the Power Aspect System introduced in WtC:RPG, usable in any superhero campaign.
    Expanded use of Aspects for powered and non-powered characters.
    Dozens of Power Stunts.
    Come and play in the Post-Event World of Wearing the Cape.

    https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/254472/Wearing-the-Cape-Barlows-Guide-to-Superhumans?src=hottest_filtered

    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
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