[Interest Check] Gods Amongst Men

[Noco19]

Prologue​

The year is 1960, eleven years after the heroic sacrifice of MISTER MARVELLOUS in defense of the crown jewel of the United States of America - PRIMOPOLIS. Seen as the progenitor of the modern image of superheroes, that being a public figure of moral upstanding, Mister Marvellous brought to the forefront the undeniable existence of gifted individuals, people who possessed abilities beyond the scope of rational thought, powers that seemed born from fantasy - incredible strength, impossible flight, control over the elements, and so on. These individuals were called a variety of things - superhumans, metahumans, mutants, freaks, the list goes on.

While the absence of the beloved Mister Marvellous brought fear across America, his legacy brought with it an awakening on the global scale. Aspiring heroes and vigilantes possessing EXTRAORDINARY POWERS came in droves. Not merely in America, this new era spanned the known world, every continent, and every country. Even while the Warsaw Pact stifled news reaching the West, it was known that these figures popped up throughout the East. Now in this modern age, superhumans are a staple of everyday life, their exploits heralded in the news, their existence tolerated by the governments of the world, and even utilized in some instances.

But not everyone endowed with great power shouldered great responsibility; for every hero seemingly arose a villain, willing to use their skills to exploit others, better themselves, or otherwise assert their own worldview. This war rages, between law and chaos, freedom and autocracy, good and evil. In the world of politics, the U.S and U.S.S.R wage a COLD WAR, roping the planet into an increasingly tense atmosphere of brinkmanship, proxy wars, and ideological warfare, at every turn threatening the prospect of NUCLEAR ANNIHILATION given a single misstep. Between this and the intense struggles wrought by superhumans, one can only wonder, will we survive in this era of…

GODS AMONGST MEN!?

How To Play​

Howdy everyone, Noco is back again, this time with less Sith magicks and more superhuman magicks. Taking inspiration from the golden and silver age of comic books, Gods Amongst Men takes place in an intentionally campy universe of superhumans, sci-fi, and other such shenanigans. While I do wish to maintain some level of decorum, this game will be much more relaxed than my previous games, embracing the nonsense logic and hare-brained kookiness of the world of comic books.

Like my past games, I place value primarily on narrative and player interactions. IC will still be king, and my hope is that most of the game’s drama derives from player-made issues. However, I recognize the need for some sort of order, so I will put in place a system of orders that is commonplace in many other forum games, to provide a sort of reference to all players on the state of the world, and the various long-term schemes that may be developing. More on that in the mechanic section further down.

Regarding the world, I hope to create a few interesting locales, taking a heaping of inspiration from fictional places such as Gotham City, Metropolis, and what not - one of which is Primopolis. Although set in the 1960’s, there will be a degree of futuristic tech that often comes forth in comic book worlds (think insane scientists building fantastical machines), as well as a degree of supernatural/mythological shenanigans. However, I encourage players to create their own backstories and locales as well if they wish; perhaps you wish to be a figure like the Martian Manhunter, an alien stuck on Earth, and you can detail your alien civilization. Or perhaps you are a demon cast from Hell, and now you are having fun in the mortal realm. The possibilities are virtually endless. I will work to incorporate all player-made lore into the grand universe. After all, the best parts of comic universes are the strange, convoluted, but interconnected elements.

Signing Up​

The first step in joining this adventure will be to post your character using this handy-dandy template:

Spoiler: Sign-Up Template

Name:

Age:

Abilities:

Location:

Backstory:

As I mentioned previously, I am being far more lax; in a game of superhumans, there’s little to be done to balance and meticulously stipulate rules for each and every power. Thus, rather than constrict this, I’ve chosen instead to embrace the crazy, overpowered, or nonsensical, and allow essentially free-reign, bar absolute insanity like ‘can kill entire universe at will’. Be creative, this is about creating a neat character and a sweet narrative, not about ‘winning’.

Note that you do not have to have the traditional “powers” of figures like Superman. I openly welcome and encourage characters who may not even possess powers, but instead are just naturally talented - think Batman and his wealth, martial ability, and detective prowess or Lex Luthor and his genius intellect.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO SIGN-UP.

Spoiler: IRC Channel

IRC Channel

Link: Coldfront

Channel: #GAM_Main

Instructions:

1) Use the link provided above.

2) Choose the Flash app or the Java app.

3) Create a screen name; it’s recommended that you use your forum name, if available.

4) Close the #coldfront channel that opens automatically.

5) In the command box, type “/join #GAM_Main” without the quotation marks.

6) You’re in the chat! Welcome!

Game Mechanics​

Regarding mechanics, most of it will be centered around weekly updates. For flavor, these updates will be known as Volumes, each one corresponding to a year. Orders will be due every Saturday, however, sending orders will be optional, so if you miss one, or you just don’t feel like it, there will be no penalty. Common will be mini updates, which for flavor I dub Issues, essentially singular little stories that players may address however they choose.

In typical Noco fashion, I will keep extremely light stats. For all players, I’ll try to give a general sense of fame (or infamy), and for those of evil persuasion, I’ll give you a number for the clout/operating capacity you can manage (AKA henchmen, allies, and so on). These are less like restrictions for your actions, and more like some sort of indication for those players who like to have a feel for their progress.

When it comes to player versus player combat, I am at the moment leaning towards simple dice rolling, in an attempt to not penalize characters who don't wish to make Superman-esque ubermen. Perhaps I will reward dice boosts to those who give clever tactics, like for instance a magnetic manipulator targeting a man made of iron.

General Guidelines​

• Pretty standard, no metagaming, powergaming, and the like
• Keep it PG-13, don't get freaky with it, this is an adventure, not a teenage romp. Some romance is fine
• Paradox Rules, of course, apply
• Other common sense rules that I have failed to specifically list out

Table of Contents​

____

So that's my sample opening post for my prospective new game. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, so I decided to launch an interest check, both to gauge if this would garner any players and to gather critiques about the mechanics, stats, and so on.

Please feel free to ask questions, offer suggestions, or otherwise destroy my idea in a long-winded rant culminating in me crying. Thanks.

Also note, certain names (See: Mister Marvellous) are subject to change.

 

[oxfordroyale]

Interested. Will have bio up soon.

 

[Noco19]

Interested. Will have bio up soon.

Coolio, can't wait to see it.

___

Arrowfiend brought up a good point in the IRC Channel; year-long turns may be excessive. How do people feel about this, would you prefer half-years, or a certain numbers of months? In my mind, these updates are primarily for long-term projects, nefarious schemes, inventing things, and so on, so I am wary about making it TOO short.

 

[Noco19]

Little bit of lore on two fictional cities that's been cooking in my head.

PRIMOPOLIS

The gleaming jewel of America, the straight-shooting arrow that has been defining modernity on a global scale, Primopolis stands tall as perhaps the most renowned and beloved city in the United States, and maybe even the Free World! South of New York City, Primopolis had humble beginnings, a small urban center who at best was seen as an extension of the metropolitan area of NYC.

However, this would all change during the 1940's thanks to the genius of a single man - Doctor Cornelius P. Primstock. Oft regarded as a visionary, albeit eccentric, man, Dr. Primstock secluded himself in isolation at a laboratory situated in modern Primopolis for several years, his reputation among the locals cemented as a fascinating, hermit figure. But when his work was finished, Doctor Primstock emerged triumphant, filled with a vigor unseen before; Primstock had constructed his magnum opus.

Creatively dubbed as the Prim Automated Machinery - P.A.M colloquially - Doctor Primstock had successfully built a device seemingly capable of self-thought, in effect, a rudimentary artificial intelligence. Very quickly, the U.S Government swooped in to investigate the so-called technological wizard, and soonafter Primstock found himself in government employ to expand upon this amazing advancement. Though it is not of official record, there are many who say Primstock's device was somehow utilized in the final days of the war against the evil forces of Fascism.

During and following the end of World War Two, Doctor Primstock arranged a hefty deal of government investment back home, his laboratory expanded to form the nucleus of future scientific endeavors. With this came great prosperity, and so the city happily renamed themselves Primopolis, in celebration of its benefactor. Rapidly, Primopolis had developed into a hub for futurism and culture, its impact marked in writings and news of the time. This was only amplified when Mister Marvellous, seen as the first superhero, took Primopolis as his adopted home, attracting massive media coverage and awe from across the world.

By 1960, Primopolis has only grown, its successes spurned on by the generosity of Doctor Primstock. Used almost as the poster boy for technology, Primstock has made sure to implement the cutting-edge of science into the city. Most notably P.A.M has been adapted to act as an autonomous manager to the transportation systems of the city, and as we speak, it has become increasingly integrated into the myriad of public libraries, serving as a sort of virtual librarian to service the needs of the people. The future looks bright for Primopolis, but does it stand too close to the Sun for its own good?

BARROWSBURG

Few cities feel quite as ancient in the United States as Barrowsburg, nor can they quite come close to its storied history, its deep roots that may be drenched by more blood than anyone cares to admit. Officially founded in the 1600's, the original city grounds were actually populated long before, belonging to the Nauset tribes of Massachusetts, a people who had the misfortune of being the punching bag of the Wampanoag tribes, and one of the first encountered by European settlers. Among these colonials were the Puritans, from which the city's founder would arise.

Zephaniah Barrow, a Puritan preacher of mighty strong convictions, would lead a small group of colonists into modern-day Barrowsburg with the intent to form their own settlement, having been in conflict with the leaders of Salem and eventually exiled. What little records exist in Salem of this incident paint Barrow as a supposed heathen, who partook in "vile acts", a vague condemnation which could have easily been false justification over a petty dispute. After the native Nauset were forced off their lands, a wall was erected to keep out the constant raids prompted by Barrow's supposedly harsh actions against the locals. This would constitute the inner heart of Barrowsburg, and presently today stands the Old District. It is said that here, the mass hysteria of the American Witch Trials was among the strongest, and smoke has turned black this wall, stained with the darkness of that time.

But that would not be the only darkness of Barrowsburg. As it miraculously grew into a trade port, and a center for industrialization, the city became host to a myriad of wealthy families, financial dynasties that essentially ruled as unofficial oligarchs. Throughout the 1800's, the mayor was little more than a mouthpiece for the political machine engineered by the old-money rich, government positions passed around like candy to those with the right birth or a servile nature. The only upset to his natural order was the arrival of the Mafiaso, who spread like the plague in the Italian immigrant quarters of the city, capitalizing on the animosity of the disillusioned working man. Soon enough, Barrowsburg was rife with gang warfare, black markets, and gross corruption.

Even today, Barrowsburg is a bleak spot. Looking at its economy, one could say it was a rather impressive area, but that ignores the social and political dysfunctions inherent in the system. The old blood elite and crime families still rule the streets of Barrowsburg, while the government concerns itself only with profit, the police force having been gutted for cost-saving purposes, with the few remaining officers either too scared, too corrupt, or too stupid to make any moves to save their city. But in this age, is it possible that someone could reverse this, and bring change in the walls of Barrowsburg?

____

My hope is that these set-pieces (obviously inspired by Metropolis and Gotham) will serve as inspiration. I've let a good degree of vagueness, so that players feel free to flesh out locales by themselves and I'll incorporate their details into the grand universe of lore. Note that these locations are not required by any means - feel free to be anywhere - NYC, LA, Paris, Moscow, even Slovenia if you want.

 

[Tapscott]

I'd be interested. As for turn length, 6 months sounds about right.

 

[DensleyBlair]

I'm not usually one for these sorts of themes, but I dare say I might have just found an exception. Time-willing, I think I'll jump in.

 

[EnvyDemon]

Definitely interested, after reading though lore, this is what I came up with.

Name: Gabriel Giffords (Deadshot)

Age: 42

Abilities: Teleportation (Nightcrawler Style)

Location: Barrowsburg

Backstory: Detective Gabriel Giffords worked Barrowsburg Police Department's Homicide unit, however while pursuing a suspect in an abandoned research lab, a suspect broke a beaker filled with invisible liquid over his head, knocking him out cold, the suspect got away, but little did he know that the beaker contained Dark Matter. Giffords was carried out of the research lab by his partner and friend, Alex Rockford, and taken to the hospital. After a couple stitches he went home that night and discovered that he could teleport to any place he saw. Upon realizing he had a gift, and tired of how little his superiors allowed him to do, and how rampant corruption ran in the police department, he vowed he'd be a Homicide Detective by day, and use his powers for the greater good at night. Using a mix of martial arts plus two Colt 45. pistols, and his ability to disappear at an instant, made the local newspapers dub him "Deadshot".

Appearance: Wears a Brown Trenchcoat, and a Fedora, along with a pair of sunglasses. Has two pistol holsters on the sides of his body, for easy uses of his guns in combat.

 

[Deaghaidh]

Name: William Weird, Wizard for Hire

Age: 35

Abilities: Standard wizard things: Astral projection, exorcism, bolts of mystical energy, vague, unhelpful dramatic prophecy.

Location: 122c Brewer Street, Barrowsburg

Backstory: Latest in a long line of Weird family Wizards dating back to Walder Weird, a puritan settler who saved the life of an ancient Warraganset shaman, William derives his abilities from both long study and his collection of artifacts and tomes.

Despite his own best efforts and his long family legacy, he finds himself perpetually struggling with the mundane practicalities of life. Thus he takes on clients as a sort of mystical consultant or supernatural private eye. This pays the rent on his apartment/office (or rather the doorway in the physical realm which leads to his grandiose extradimensional estate), groceries, etc.

With Super Science all the rage these days, William Wierd and his proud legacy often seem obsolete, but he is a powerful force keeping the unnamable horrors of the Otherworlds from consuming and unknowing public.

 

[DensleyBlair]

Jeremy Alexander

​

Name: Jeremy Alexander
Born: London, England, United Kingdom; 26 June 1934 (age 25)

Biography:

For a man of whom today we know so little, Jeremy Alexander's origins are well-documented. Of vaguely-aristocratic Scottish extraction, Alexander was born in London in June 1934. An only child, his father, Sir Malcolm Alexander, had made a fortune via mysterious means, though was rumoured to have had ‘a good war’. Precociously intelligent, Alexander won a scholarship to Eton before studying Greats at Magdalene College, Oxford.

Always a charming youth, if mildly eccentric, Alexander was known while at Oxford as ‘the most brilliant boy in England’. This was as much a sincere epithet bestowed upon him by awe-struck contemporaries as it was an affectionate soubriquet used by his numerous admirers: Alexander, blessed with an ephebic handsomeness, found lovers both male and female.

In 1956, Alexander's life was affected by two momentous events: firstly, he won the prize fellowship at All Souls College; secondly, his parents died in a boating accident whilst cruising in the South Sea Islands. Although no-one was certain, this likely made him both the richest and the cleverest 22-year-old in England.

Around this time, subtle but definite changes in Alexander's personality began to occur. Although he remained as brilliant as ever, he began to spend increasing amounts of time unusually absent from life at Oxford. Rumours surfaced covering every possible explanation for his behaviour, from involvement with the Secret Services to blackmail over his flamboyant private life. In any case, it somehow came as little surprise when Alexander suddenly moved to London in 1958. Noticed by far fewer people was the accompanying drop in the city's crime rate.

Today, Jeremy Alexander remains a beguiling character. He lives an almost reclusive life in Bedford Square, seen regularly only by a highly select group of intimate friends. Even then, none amongst them would be able to say definitely what has become of England's most brilliant schoolboy. Some are adamant that he is ‘simply’ a secret agent, working for MI5. Others have him working for a more secretive organisation still. And then there are cynics who see him as no more than an eccentric recluse, a living paradox who has somehow managed to marry being at once the greatest classicist and the greatest bisexual of his generation.

Whether or not any of these are even remotely true, it cannot be doubted that Jeremy Alexander is one of the most fascinating characters in London.

___________________________________________

Abilities: Intelligence, Charm, Wealth and Good Looks
Location: London, England, United Kingdom

 

[Noco19]

I'd be interested. As for turn length, 6 months sounds about right.

Would be great to have you Tapscott; I had a lot of inspiration from your Evil Genius game! Six months seems a reasonable amount of time.

I'm not usually one for these sorts of themes, but I dare say I might have just found an exception. Time-willing, I think I'll jump in.

Welcome aboard Densley, a surprise to see you. Your character seems interesting, should be fun to see what he gets up to.

Definitely interested, after reading though lore, this is what I came up with.

Sweet, I like me some Nightcrawler, plus I like the origin story. Glad to have you.

Name: William Wierd, Wizard for Hire

Age: 35

Abilities: Standard wizard things: Astral projection, exorcism, bolts of mystical energy, vague, unhelpful dramatic prophecy.

Location: 122c Brewer Street, Barrowsburg

Backstory: Latest in a long line of Wierd family Wizards dating back to Walder Wierd, a puritan settler who saved the life of an ancient Warraganset shaman, William derives his abilities from both long study and his collection of artifacts and tomes.

Despite his own best efforts and his long family legacy, he finds himself perpetually struggling with the mundane practicalities of life. Thus he takes on clients as a sort of mystical consultant or supernatural private eye. This pays the rent on his apartment/office (or rather the doorway in the physical realm wich leads to his grandiose extradimensional estate), groceries, etc.

With Super Science all the rage these days, William Wierd and his proud legacy often seem obsolete, but he is a powerful force keeping the unnamable horrors of the Otherworlds from consuming and unknowing public.

Oooh, liking the magical angle. I was hoping that we'd get to see the arcane side of Barrowsburg, it's secrets are aplenty, no thanks to curses, hexes, natives, witchcraft, and so on.

 

[Noco19]

MISTER MARVELLOUS
​

Although known throughout the world, one could scarcely predict that would be the case for Mister Marvellous, or as he was once known as - Jack George Kirbyson. Born in rural Nevada on a cattle farm, Kirbyson grew up idolizing the values of justice, adventure, and above all, freedom, all tenants eagerly espoused by the popular image of the cowboy. When Nazism threatened the Free World, and America was dishonorably attacked by the Japanese Empire, Kirbyson was among the first to take up arms for the United States.

But heroes are not born of triumph, but from tragedy. While serving as an infantryman in the North African theater, Kirbyson was mortally wounded during a German bombing run, his prospects for living agreed to be zero by his doctors. The U.S Government, however, had different plans. In accordance with a secret research program, Kirbyson received the injection of a highly dangerous compound. This gamble would pay off, and not merely would Kirbyson recover from death's door, when he awoke, he found himself imbued with the strength of ten men, with superior senses, and heightened resilience to pain. He had became a superhuman.

Kirbyson happily served the United States through the remainder of the war, his reputation exploding among the troops, not only Americans, but the British, French, and even Soviets whispered about this seemingly invincible soldier that helped fight the Nazi menace. By the war's conclusion, Kirbyson was a bonafide legend. During peacetime, Kirbyson, not content to retire, adopted the persona of Mister Marvellous, to be not a man, but a symbol of righteous, of what all Americans should aspire to be in their daily lives. Taking Primopolis as his home, seeing it as city matching his ambitions, Mister Marvellous essentially ushered in this age of superheroes.

But so too did he usher in an age of supervillains. For every action is an opposite and equal reaction, and where good prevailed, evil lurked just around the corner. This evil would take the form of the Triad of Doom - known as the Forces of T.O.D. Comprised of three supervillains, the Forces of T.O.D engineered a scheme in which to outright destroy Primopolis, in turn generating a cascading wave of hysteria throughout the world. And how would they accomplish this? Ironically by the very science that constituted the heart of the city, one of Doctor Primstock's hyper-energy molecular-fusion disk arrays, setting it to explode in a great ball of fire!

No one quite knows what transpired that day in Doctor Primstock's laboratory, but whereas Mister Marvellous and the Triad of Doom entered, no man left, their whereabout unknown, the laboratory melted down due to catastrophic failures. Regardless, Primopolis had been saved, and the city mourned his supposed death, erecting a giant monument to their fallen champion, his legacy cemented in the ensuing super-generations to come.

 

[oxfordroyale]

Michael Marino

Age: 38
Position: Senator from Massachusetts
​

Abilities
Persuasion – The power to mentally manipulate, control or “persuade” people with one’s voice. The user can compel people by speaking and the victims are unable to disobey; the seemingly cogent commandment is far too compelling. At a high level, users can even persuade people into hurting/killing themselves or even flip around sense of logic, but can never cause victims to achieve what they are not capable of (ex. flight). Overuse of this power can cause serious psychological damage in victims, with subtle persuasion often being more effective. The effects of persuasion can be momentary, leaving little to no recollection in a victim, or powerful and long-lasting depending on the skill of the user. As persuasion is reliant on voice, if an individual cannot hear the user’s voice than it will not take effect.

Location
Washington, D.C.

Backstory
Born in 1922 to Italian immigrants Vito and Maria who came to Boston, Massachusetts, in their early twenties, Michael Marino was thought to be a child prodigy. Popular and successful academically, Marino became the star student of his high school, graduating a year earlier than the rest of his peers at the age of seventeen and winning a prestigious and highly-coveted scholarship to Harvard Law School. He received a degree in Law and Government from the school in 1943 at the age of twenty-one, after which he joined an influential law firm in Boston, Tomlinson-Smythe. Impressing his superiors and winning every case he worked on, Marino, rose to become a full partner at the fantastically young age of twenty-five; highly ambitious and intelligent, he would have a successful career as a high-powered attorney for a further five years before quitting the firm in 1952 to run in the United States Senate lection in Massachusetts as an Independent against both Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., which he won by a landslide despite the significant financial and political connections of both. Upon his ascension to the U.S. Senate he made an arrangement with Democratic leaders to formally join their party in 1953 and has served in the Senate for seven years, winning re-election by a huge margin against Republican Vincent J. Celeste in 1958. Wildly popular among his constituents and loved by the media and his fellow Senators (even some Republicans), Michael Marino is seen as a strong possible contender for the Democratic nominee for President during the upcoming election in November.

That is the fake history of Michael Marino - the one published by the media and oft-reported, but inherently false. Marino has possessed Persuasion – the power to mentally dominate and influence others – since early childhood and has used it to secretly advance his own position in society. He has used it to cheat on tests, used it to win the friendship of his fellow students and the love of his teachers, used it to win a scholarship, and used it to become the partner at a law firm. He used it to force the resignation of a Senator and used it to win the resulting race, utilizing the airwaves to subtly manipulate the minds of voters, and won re-election through their continued obedience and forced loyalty that looked to all the world like legitimate support. He is of above average intelligence and possesses some charm, but he is no true genius or charismatic leader - in short, Michael Marino is a fraud who uses his incredible power to fashion himself into a great man. A power with which he will aim for the office of President of the United States and become the most powerful man in the world.

 

[Dadarian]

Bang Bang; OR
Doctor Suprævil, Ph.D

Secret Identity: Richard Froggerty McWilliam
Born: Laurence, Missouri; 5 January 1921 (age 38)

Biography:

Bang Bang (as he is unhappily known in the press, he prefers the title Dr. Suprævil, Ph.D) is a rather bumbling villain. Born a special child, he soon discovered that he had two special abilities. The first is to change is looks when he desired. The second is to turn his index fingers into actual guns when acted out as such (using what is commonly known as the 'finger gun(s)' technique).

With these abilities, he quickly did absolutely nothing with them, being a bit too dumb to utilise them as a kid. Instead he was bullied mercilessly. It wasn't until 1941, when he joined the army, that he managed to accidentally kill a German using his finger guns and attract the attention of the OSS. He was quickly recruited, trained, and then abandoned to a desk job as he turned out to be utterly incompetent.

Although he could do anything he was told, he managed to learn how to utilise his powers for the first time ever. This allowed him to, when returning from the war, engage in petty acts of vandalism.

However, when a random murder was pinned on him by corrupt cops while trying to find work in Barrowsburg due to his abilities, he was forced to turn away from such normative beliefs as 'law' and 'justice'. Not that he knew what the word normative meant, but he read that it meant good once so it seemed appropriate.

A growing villain, his mishaps are noted in Barrowsburg as uplifting news compared to the grim-darkness of the rest of the city.

___________________________________________

Abilities: Working finger guns, Can change body structure
Location: Barrowsburg

 

[Deaghaidh]

Other Characters from William Weird, Wizard for Hire!

Nemeses:

*The Thule Society: A sinister secret sect of seditious sorcerers! William's father, Major Wilfred Weird (Wizard at War!) died preventing them from using blood magic to unleash Ragnarok upon the world at the end of the war. No matter how many times they are defeated these fiends always seem to return.

*The Amazing Rando: A stage magician and hypnotist turned master criminal.

*The White Fright: Leader of a secret order who uses hate and fear inducing magic. First encountered trying to make Weird's landlady and neighbors sell off their property for redevelopment into high rise apartments.

Allies:

*Grawk, a domesticated Owlbear

*Winifrid, an ancestor of William who escaped being burned as a witch by transforming herself into a black cat while an illusion of herself was burned. Immortal in her cat form, she cannot leave the extradimensional Weird Estate, but theoretically has massive magical power while there. After centuries of living as a cat, she behaves mostly like any other indolent domestic feline, albeit one that can talk and cast hexes.

*The Homunculii, small magical constructs that do all the housework and cooking.

Others:

*Mrs Frond, the landlady. Never seen on panel, but often on the phone complaining of late rent checks, ectoplasm spills on the front walk, and the other ways in which William is a sub-par tenant

*Aynia, a beautiful and mischievous faerie of the Sidhe Court. Sometimes snares William in outlandish pranks, sometimes enlists him to battle her evil sister Grian, and other times assists him in gaining help from the Fae Folk.

 

[Tapscott]

So Su Mi​

Born: Shanghai, China: 1887

Bio: Born to a pair of Buddhist parents in the late 19th century in coastal China, So Su Mi showed remarkable self-control and discipline throughout his childhood. This focus and diligence would help So Su Mi in decidding to dedicate his life to the Martial Arts practicsed by a insular group of Chinese monks deep in the countryside. Spending much of his adult life there, So Su Mi only entered the 'real world' after the People's Republic of China assaulted and ultimately destroyed the monastery that he lived in, on the false belief that the people that lived there were enemies of hte state. Fleeing to America, So Su Mi found that his ethnicity was a cause of scorn and hatred by the average American helping to push him along the path of evil. By the end of WWII, So Su Mi had established himself in Barrowtown, intent on removing the negative ch'i that he sees as infesting all people of the world.

Abilities: Lightning Reflexes: So Su Mi's lifetime of mastering the martial arts has left him with reflexes that many onlookers see as being superhuman. He is able to punch through brick walls with ease, and is fast enough to even dodge bullets.

 

[EnvyDemon]

Deadshot, Supporting Characters:

Gabriel Giffords:

Detective Alex Rockford - Gabriel's best friend and partner in the BPD, the only person who knows of Gabriel's abilities, and covers for him when he needs to leave.

Emily Hart Giffords - Gabriel's Ex-Wife, though being divorced for eight years, he still loves her. He has a hard time letting go.

Chief of Police Michael Mitchell - The Chief of Police of Barrowsburg, has been known to take bribes, though there is no evidence of this, Gabriel has witnessed him intervening in many cases he was working.

Mayor Vito Baratta - Mayor of Barrowsburg, suspected to have ties to the Mob Families of Barrowsburg.

Mob Families of Barrowsburg:

DiGilio - The Largest Family in the City, Headquartered on 2nd Street in Little Italy, using a Restaurant as a Front. It is headed by Salvatore DiGilio. It has a truce with both Families.

Guarraci - The Second Largest Mob Family in the City, headquartered in a Meat Packing Plant in the Docks District. It is headed by Joseph Guarraci. It is at war with the Taccetta.

Taccetta - The Thrid Largest Mob Family in the City, headquartered in an abandoned warehouse on the West Side of the City. It is headed by Vincent Taccetta. It is at war with the Guarraci.


Salvatore DiGilio - Salvatore is very rich and doesn't give a damn about the Mafia Family he is the leader of. The only reason he is in charge is because his father was, and he was an only child. His Lieutenants carry out day to day business, while he is busy in the red light district.

Joseph Guarraci - Joseph is Italian Immigrant wanted in connection to several murders in Italy, including political killings. the Guarraci crime family is multinational, however, the bulk of its members are in Italy, and are unable to come to the US due to a brutal gang war there.

Vincent Taccetta - Vincent is a newcomer to this whole "Mafia" thing, however he is now the 3rd Largest Mafia family in Barrowsburg. And accomplishment in itself, though he wouldn't be where he is today without his brother, who was killed by the Guarracis as a warning when they encroached on their territory. Swearing revenge, he declared an all out gang war on the Guarraci.

 

[Deleted user]

Alias: The Citadel

Name: Arthur Petersen

Age: mid 40’s

Abilities: Wealth, supercomputer capable of doing live tactical analysis, The Knights of Barrowsburg (Street gang of vigilantes under his control)

Location: Barrowsburg

Backstory: Arthur Petersen lived the sheltered life of the old money elite in Barrowsburg. He lived far away from the violence and crime that ran rampant on the streets as he resided in his family's estate. He was happily married and had a daughter that he was sending to Barrowsburg Academy, its premier boarding school. His life was one few could dream of, yet this all changed five years ago. As his family attended one of the many social events of the elite, the party was cut short by an attack by supervillains. A hostage situation quickly arose and a few inexperienced superheroes attempted to diffuse the situation. The ensuing chaos left dozens dead, including Petersen's wife and daughter. In the aftermath he realized that he had become blinded by his wealth and that he had been too happy to sit back and let the rest of the world rot around him. He vowed to fix Barrowsburg and to fight the city’s crime.

Petersen conceived of an organization built to fight crime, where those who wanted to change Barrowsburg could join together and fight back against the supervillains and crime lords. The members would be common people who others could look up to and see that anyone could make a difference, even if they lacked superpowers. To do this, he began aggressively investing his money, using his wealth to build a corporate conglomerate to help fund his plans and as a way to hide his spending for his real plans. In secret he began constructing an underground base outfitted with an arsenal of weapons and a supercomputer created to analyze tactical information on the fly. Other safe houses were discretely constructed around the city, with a few weapons, beds, and enough food for five people to last two weeks. He also recruited trained martial artists, hackers, soldiers, mechanics, and other experts. Four years later, the plans were in place, and they were ready to bring in the first recruits. His agents began looking for youth who, while they had skills, were lost in life, perhaps they lacked challenge or direction or were tired of seeing everything fall apart around them. These youth were watched and tested from the shadows until the agents approached them and reached out to them under different guises. Some were told they were under arrest, others were told that it was an interview for getting into a prestigious school, others were simply approached and asked if they were interested in a "special opportunity". But it all went mostly the same, they were told they had talents that others had noticed and they were asked if they wanted to change the world.

The idealists who said yes became the first of the Knights of Barrowsburg. They received training from the experts Petersen had recruited while still keeping up with their normal lives. Most of them were poor and just tired of seeing their homes destroyed by crime. They didn't know who they were fighting for, although they theorized which superhero would try to pull something like this off, with most believing it had to be some superhero’s way of getting sidekicks. Either way, they received notes and other messages from "The Citadel" and they were expected to follow. After only a few months of training they were outfitted with equipment and sent after crime syndicates and supervillains. This was when they were introduced to TCA (Tactical Combat Analysis), affectionately called “Tessa” by operatives. TCA was the AI that ran the tactical sims on the supercomputer and gave them feedback, the information they got from TCA was invaluable and it saved their lives on numerous occasions.

Petersen has disappeared recently, leaving his agents to do most of the work with the Knights and only communicating with them through packages mysteriously delivered to them. What he’s doing and what he’s planning are unknown. Regardless, the knights march on.

But you don’t really believe all of that. Do you?

Spoiler: “The Truth About Petersen”

The above is what most people would find out if they looked into who The Citadel really was. In reality, it’s a carefully constructed fake identity used by the person truly behind the Knights and who wishes to keep his true involvement secret.

Name: Bradley Wagner
Secret Identity: Arthur Petersen, AKA The Citadel
Age: 46

The True Story: The Wagners were one of the original families to found Barrowsburg. There had always been contention between them and the Barrows, with the Wagners firmly believing that the town should have been named after them and insisting they did more to help the town survive and thrive than the Barrows had. But they lost their battle and were mostly forgotten by history beyond being one of the old and wealthy families that lived in Barrowsburg.

Bradley Wagner had been a top student at a prestigious prep school and studied medicine at Barrowsburg University, where he met his wife, Eliza Snow. They had lived a happy life, using Wagner’s wealth to give them the freedom to do what they enjoyed both in work and in free time. They had a daughter, Sophie Wagner, who was plagued with illness throughout her childhood and constantly had migraines that kept her from going to school. His life was quite ideal until that fateful day.

Bradley Wagner had always seen Barrowsburg as his city. He had always wanted to protect it and do everything he could for it. This need to help the city led him to undertake many charitable initiatives and become a doctor to try and help heal the sick. Many buildings in Barrowsburg are named after the Wagners because of him and he has endowed several scholarships to Barrowsburg University. Things began to change for him, however, when his wife and friends were killed, and leaving him with a permanent limp, during a fight between a superhero and supervillain. He has loathed anyone with superpowers ever since. He came to believe that superhumans were ultimately a threat to the rest of humanity and that as long as they went unchecked, the rest of humanity was at risk. If Brad Barrow had his way, every last superpowered person would be gone along with the organized crime and corrupt politicians that plague his city.

He wasn’t sure if there ever really was an Arthur Petersen, but with his wealth and the corruption of politicians it wasn’t that hard to get a fake name to hide who he was as he planned a way to eliminate his enemies. The answer seemed simple, develop a way to eliminate crime and in doing so prove that those with superpowers are useless, unnecessary, and ultimately dangerous. After that was done, the public would turn on them and demand that they be reeled in and controlled. Ideally they’d only be allowed to operate with government permission and control. Under these plans he conceived of the Knights of Barrowsburg an organization he could use to fight crime and protect his city while also using it to undermine superheroes and turn the public against them. And so he began utilizing his vast wealth to purchase up companies to help fund this venture.

His life was further turned upside down when Sophie began exhibiting superpowers of her own. At first, Bradley felt betrayed. His wife died because of superhumans and now his daughter was one of them? Soon, he began to see an opportunity. She originally began displaying general telepathic and telekinetic powers. The ability to read and explore minds, send mental messages, moving objects, and so on. Then her powers took an unexpected turn. She also showed signs of immense tactical acuity. She was able to develop plans and solutions for almost any situation. He saw an opportunity to use these powers to help the Knights fight, even if it was hypocritical to use superpowers. But unlike the others, his daughter wasn’t a threat. She’d save lives by providing this tactical information. But he couldn’t send her into combat and put her at risk like that. He couldn’t bear losing her after he lost his wife. But he was resolved to find a way to use her powers, which is how he became aware of the writings of Dr. Weiss, a Swiss superhuman with extreme intelligence who had began working on uploading information from a person’s mind to a computer. This seemed like a perfect solution to his issue. He could simply move her tactical ability onto a computer and she could live her life in safety and peace. He contacted Dr. Weiss who agreed to construct the computer and attempt the transfer.

It took months of work to complete, but finally they were ready. They hooked Sophie up to the computer, flipped the switch, and . . . they were greeted with a blood curling scream that tore through their minds as Sophie’s powers reflexively kicked into hyperdrive. Something had gone terribly wrong. Dr. Weiss had promised the procedure would be painless, but Sophie was clearly in pain as she used her powers to try to tear herself free from the computer. Brad Wagner and Dr. Weiss were on the floor in pain as her telepathic powers sent painful shocks through their minds. She ran off after freeing herself and only then were they able to move. She disappeared after that. Wagner had tried to hire people to look for her, but they kept turning up dead after being torn to bits by some “unknown force”. The operation was a minimal success. The information was on the computer in fragments that Dr. Weiss was able to reorganize into a working AI, but Brad knew the cost wasn’t worth it. Dr. Weiss later sent him a meta analysis of the experiment, explaining that the concept was “inherently flawed” and had torn Sophie’s mind in two and that “there was nothing anyone could have done” so “don’t blame yourself, Brad”.

Brad Wagner found little comfort in these words. After that day he swore to never trust superhumans again. He swore that he’d make them pay. He redoubled his efforts into the Knights and began to withdraw what little contact he had left with society. He sat alone at the main base, directing the operatives to safe houses and other places around Barrowsburg as needed. All while keeping tabs on criminal activity and sending out supply trucks to keep the Knights stocked up. The organization had become his life now and keeping it running took almost all of his time, to the point where even his top advisors only saw him occasionally. And yet he promised that he’d never lose sight of his goal. He’d purify his city of crime and corruption and then he’d purify the world of superhumans.

The Knights of Barrowsburg

They’re a group of high school and college kids who have been trained by a variety of experts and lead double lives as masked vigilantes. The Knights come from all walks of life although most of them come from poor families who have seen the crime on Barrowsburg’s streets firsthand and want to put a stop to it. They’re all powerless, relying on their training, wits, and TCA to help them win. They operate in cells of five to ten, with everyone getting combat training then each person getting specialized training to suit their skills. and complement the rest of their team. Five person cells are usually built around stealth, while larger cells are used for bigger fights or to help keep civilians away from combat areas. They are equipped with body armor, tools useful to their specialties, non-lethal weapons (staffs and batons if they’re not using their own fists), and guns and lethal weapons as a last resort. (While Bradley has no issue with killing criminals, he recognizes the issues murdering them would cause and that most of his recruits would be uncomfortable with the idea of killing people, at least initially).

 

[Noco19]

KRUMHEIM​

Situated in the mountainous border convergence of West Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the Principality of Krumheim stands as a geo-political oddity, a non-entity that somehow sprung forth in the chaos of the Second World War thanks to what can best be summarized as shady backroom dealings and lobbying from certain wealthy individuals. Although small, only encompassing the titular capital of Krumheim and a few villages, the influence of Krumheim has swelled in the past few years as a number of corporations have utilized its lax ethnics to protect their assets and in essence hide themselves from a respectable government taxing.

However, more important to the reputation of Krumheim is the political shift over the years. With Castle Krumheim, the seat of Prince von Krumheim of course, as the nucleus of the state, a representative council had, at first truly ruled over the lands, with no serious complaint. But lately, much suspicion as been had over the emergence of an organization so secret, its name is not known. Supposedly headed by the elderly General Schleim, one of those pardoned German generals from WWII, this society has usurped de-facto power in the Principality, Schleim himself serving as Chancellor-For-Life.

But perhaps these are fanciful fears not rooted in reality; perhaps the archaelogical digs ordered by General Schleim are merely for historical purposes; and perhaps the strange screams heard in the Krumheim nights are not the escaping souls of the damned, but merely the wind. Yes, that seems likely.

MOTEWEI​

Reputed as a tropical paradise, the island of Motewei, just off the eastern coast of Africa, is the picteresque scene of natural beauty, sun, and fun. Originally not but an island filled with jungle, investment money was quick to kill off the habitat and impose a new order, one built off unrestrained capitalism. Backed by millionaires from various countries, Motewei blossomed quickly into the spot for tourism in the east.

Heading this endeavor was the brain behind the very idea itself, an African businessman known as Mister Damac. Nobody was quite sure where he earned his massive fortune, but then again, who cared, so long as it was his money constituting the bulk of the expenditures. And while construction is complete, and the island has became a thriving port-metropolitan, Mister Damac is still seen as the chief executive of all happenings on Motowei. And luckily for some, Mister Damac had no qualms with various unsavory practices, the least of which being the near-legalization of cartels and crime gangs, so long as at the end of the day, the brought profit.

Notable for the island beyond its economics is its disposition for superhumans. Although scientists have their theories, none are quite sure why those of extraordinary abilities find themselves drawn to the shores of Motewei, nor do they understand why many of the locals are among those unexplicitly born with such powers. This, of course, poses a threat to the ruling elite, and thus Motewei, despite its apparent love of its chaotic society, exercises some of the most strict policies regarding superhumans, forcing identification, profiling, and constant vigilance.

But of course, there are always those who slip through the cracks, for better or worse.

 

[Plutonium95]

Anastasiya Aristov

​

Age: 18

Abilities: Astral Manipulation – Anastasiya can create, manipulate, shape, transform, etc. astral energy, allowing her to travel to the astral plane and interact there, see spirits, making spirits visible to others, astral trapping and potentially harming the dead. She can also allow others temporarily to be able to astral project, block others from astral projecting, or send them back to their bodies if they had already projected. She is limited both by the concentration required to use her powers properly, and the risk of using too much of her life force that she becomes exhausted or even dies.

Location: Polubog HQ, Stalingrad, Volgograd Oblast, USSR

Backstory:

Born in 1942 Anastasiya never knew her parents, both of whom fought and died during the Battle of Stalingrad. Instead, she grew up in an NKVD orphanage until the age of four, when her powers first began to manifest. One day, after months of being bullied, Anastasiya’s powers unintentionally left the bullies in a catatonic state, which she would only later learn had been accomplished by trapping their minds on the astral plane. That night she disappeared from the orphanage.

Anastasiya became a key subject in Operation Polubog (Demigod), a KGB superhuman program, meant to find, train, and brainwash super powered children born in the USSR. Once trained the children would be implanted with a complete set of fabricated memories and deployed in the West and in China as sleeper agents, to be activated when necessary. The program was so secretive that even Stalin was aware of only the most cursory details and now Khrushchev is completely unaware of it as it continues to operate deep under the newly rebuilt Stalingrad.

Anastasiya was the core of the first wave of the project, with every successful method of improving powers being applied to her. Children of lesser abilities were treated as expendable lab animals, with many dying in trial runs of treatments to ensure that they would be successful on Anastasiya. If a test proved too have an unacceptable lethality percentage, it was not applied to her.

Still, she was tortured frequently, both psychologically and physically, in various experiments to test how pain and distress affected her abilities. In particular they found that her powers faltered in high stress situations until they would eventual escape her control altogether. As she grew in both age and hatred for her captors, her powers eventually advanced to such a level that she became a serious threat to the staff, easily killing one by blasting him into a wall even when specially designed power dampeners were in place.

Lately she has been hearing the scientists talking about advancing to the final stages of the program and she worries what that might mean.

 

[Noco19]

Really great characters thus far, happy to see enthusiasm. I'll see about launching an official game thread either Thursday night or Friday. Feel free to continue posting your character, lore, or game ideas.

Once I get a general gist of a playerbase, I'll see any fleshing out gaps (so perhaps making some decent villain NPCs in Primopolis if no one makes one there, etc).