Turn 3
The Coma, unrelenting in his desire to firmly establish himself as the most technologically advanced being in America, and perhaps the world, begins to purchase dozens of small companies that deal with various different software and hardware issues and production. Dr. Coma times his aggressive marketing perfectly, as during a spell of low value of the shares of the larger software and hardware companies listed in Wall Street occurs the Coma makes purchases by hundreds of thousands. By the day’s end, the Coma is in a dominant position in dozens of the major technological organizations in America, and personally owns a substantial conglomerate. (+10 infamy; +$50m; Dr. Coma as most advanced technological force in America: ½ complete)
Pleased by the successes of his technological investments, the Coma returns his attention back to developing the refractive armour for his secret lair. Progress advances smoothly, albeit in a rather boring manner, as the scientific minions in charge of overseeing the projects development conclude that another six month period of focused investment and research should see the project completed. (-$30m; Refractive base armour 2/3 developed)
Dr. Coma turns his attention to the rival Evil Genius, and their organization, within America, the Eye of Horus. 100 minions are sent to raid the ‘Weather Array’ that Redshield and the Eye of Horus have been constructing, while another 40 minions, are sent to raid Eye of Horus channels and shut them down. This daring move is overseen at ARMOR’s highest levels by the Robotic Assistant of Dr. Coma’s, which successfully manages to draw ARMOR’s attention onto Redshield’s organization. While the security forces put up a brave fight to defend their territories, and to protect their grand undertaking with the ‘Weather Array’, they are ultimately bested by the Coma. (Dr. Coma successfully raids the Eye of Horus.
(Dr. Coma: +20 infamy; +$50m; -15 minions; Pieces of technology stolen from Weather Array
Eye of Horus: -20 infamy; -$50m; -50 minions; Weather Array 0/2 complete)
Caesar, determined to fight back against the forces of EDEN who had thwarted his earlier attempts to take control of Milan, orders another incursion into the contested territory. This time, however, Caesar makes use of his captive, the Mayor of Milan. By feeding information to known cells of EDEN operatives, Caesar manages to convince EDEN that the mayor is being transferred to a new holding location in Switzerland. As EDEN agents plan a daring raid on the supposed train that the mayor will be transported in, Caesar’s minions quietly position themselves around Milan. What follows is chaos, as EDEN operatives burst into the train preparing to depart Italy only to find it full of explosives, while the legions of Caesar launch their attack against Milan. EDEN loses not just dozens of its most skilled agents in the train plot, but also as Caesar entrenches himself in Milan. What becomes clear to Caesar and his legion, however, is that EDEN will not back down without a sustained fight. (+10 infamy; +$30m; -20 minions; Milan ½ controlled)
In an attempt to win the hearts and minds of the people he wishes to rule, Caesar orders the establishment of a news network named Roma. This news organization runs exclusively Roman programmes, ranging from cooking to in-depth history on the ways the Romans of old used to live. Unfortunately for Caesar the new network does not attract much attention by the people of Italy, and the legion is left to foot the bill. (-5 infamy; -$40m)
The self-proclaimed King of the Himalayas, Baron Rip von Squat-Thrust, orders his reluctant henchman, Reginald, to acquire the Island of New Delhi, so as to have a base from which candy production can begin. Reginald, for his part, translates this into meaning that the island of Sri Lanka needs to be brought to heel, via the establishment of a hallucinogenic candy factory. Unfortunately for Reginald, and the Baron, the young nobleman consumes too many sweets in one sitting and is confined to his chambers for several days while he recovers. Once the boy has come to, he demands that Reginald scrap the already established plans for the candy factory, stating that he didn’t want another tummy ache like before. End result? Large loss of money and face, as well as a tantruming child. Reginald’s day had looked so promising. (-5 infamy; -$40m)
After the young Baron has calmed down, and is no longer going green at the prospect of gorging himself on sweets, he calls Reginald over to state that it is time that the organization brings in some money. The Baron’s plan? Robbing pirates. Reginald silently has minions carry out the orders of the King by conducting lightning raids on Somali shipping, that is believed to have engaged in piracy against European vessels. Overall the plan is a pleasant success, with Reginald even able to bring back an authentic pirate costume for the young master in time for Halloween. (+5 infamy; +$45m; -10 minions)
Aldrorous Redshield, on the retreat since the attacks on his array and broadcasting stations, manages to strike back at his attackers in an unexpected manner. The Worshipful Grandmaster of the Eye of Horus has his minions target the American stock market, in particular the banking sector, starting a campaign of disinformation which reports that a number of high-profile banks are going to declare bankruptcy. The lies are bought wholeheartedly by the men on Wall Street, who promptly cause a mass financial panic as they attempt to sell off all their shares in almost all financial institutions. As the value of the banking sector plummets to its lowest ever recorded score Redshield moves in, on behalf of Shield Industries, and begins to buy up numerous banking firms for a fraction of their true worth. Flushed with funds, Redshield is able to continue this mass-buyout as he uses the money he now has at his disposal to buy numerous rival media corporations and dozens of smaller energy concerns for next-to nothing. While their financial situation seems to be on the rise, Shield Industries will have to deal with the lingering effects from Dr. Coma’s attacks and media raids. (+10 infamy; +$80m; Shield Industries hold on their media empire is tenuous and must be strengthened)
Shield Industries begins reconstruction of their ‘Weather Array’, citing what occurred before as attacks by anarchistic communists, who object to the rise of the pro-Capitalist Shield Industries. Aldorous Redshield is so successful in pushing his story that Shield Industries receives financial subsidies from a number of differing organizations, all of whom approve of Shield Industries being, apparently, anti-Communist. Thanks to the infusion of outside money, the cost of repairing the damaged Weather Array, to Shield Industries, is almost negligible. (+5 infamy; -$10m; Weather Array ½ complete)
William Green expands his recruitment drive beyond that of the land Down Under, and pushes it out to states of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. While some are sceptical of the success that this operation will likely bring, Green proves all of the naysayers wrong as some of the most feared and respected criminals from Oceania come to join William Green. (+5 infamy; -$10m; +20 minions)
Taking note of the vast tracts of unused land within Australia, Green begins to quietly buy up numerous real estate areas throughout the country. As he uses less than legal methods to make the properties appear worth much more than their actual worth, he begins bidding wars on all of his properties, with a slight twist. Green sells the property to multiple owners, without the new owners of the dubious properties aware of the existence of the other owners, and promptly disappears from the public eye once the proverbial shit hits the fan. Hundreds of couples are left destitute and embittered as not only do they find that they were swindled into buying properties that were no-where near the marketed value, but that the property is not even theirs alone. Green, meanwhile, decides to relax by counting out the large scores of money he made of the venture. (+10 infamy; +$50m)
The next target for William Green is the head of government of Australia, the Prime Minister William McMahon. Green orders his faithful companion, Jasper, to lead a team of 20 minions into the office of the Prime Minister, in Canberra, and kidnap him. While Green awaits news from Jasper as the days pass by, William begins to plot on what he will do if the Australian government refuses his demands. As dark thoughts fill his mind, he hears a familiar bark and sees Jasper reporting in on his CCTV network. With the hyper-intelligent canine is the man who Green plans to make use of, Prime Minister McMahon. Green promptly has McMahon strapped to a chair and broadcasts a demand to the Australian parliament while filming the struggling Prime Minister. If the Evil Genius is not given 200 million dollars, the Prime Minister shall die a most painful death. The Australian parliament is slow with its response, with a week passing before a terse reply comes back, delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister, now Acting Prime Minister, Doug Anthony. Anthony presents Green with two options. Either releases the Prime Minister, and receive 100 million dollars, or refuse the offer, and suffer the full attention of Australian state and ARMOR. Green has an option to make, either back out and accept the 100 million dollars, potentially losing face, or push forward resolutely, and face possible extermination. (+10 infamy; -10 minions; Green must choose whether to accept or refuse the offer of the Australian parliament)
Prime Minister McMahon and Deputy Prime Minister Anthony.
Dr. Mellivora begins to conduct her biological attacks in earnest against the imperfect world surrounding him as she targets city of Caracas. Codenaming the operation ‘Beautification’, Dr. Mellivora infects the main water sources of the city with a strange mutagen that causes rapid mutation of the victims’ body 2 to 3 hours after ingestion. The mutants, horrible to behold, are crazed and irrational, attacking anyone and everyone in sight. As panic begins to spread throughout the city, Dr. Mellivora targets the congested metro-system that is filled with panicked citizenry. The cruel Doctor launches gas canisters that carry an airborne version of the same mutagen that was leaked into the water sources throughout Caracas, resulting in the metro system to become a place of carnage. While the city is engulfed by chaos, the Doctor sends dozens of minions, led by his henchwoman Francesca Circassa, to rob the city of all of its value, all the while leaving notes that explain that Dr. Mellivora has a cure for those willing to pay handsomely. The operation is a resounding success as the entirety of South America reels from her daring antics. The money he earns from the operation is astounding, and the infamy her names now carries is impressive. (+15 infamy; +$50m; -10 minions)
Mellivora, elated over his success in Venezuela, devotes his time and energy to project AEV (Accelerated Evolution Virus). The Doctor hopes to create an airborne mutagen that will mutate whoever or whatever inhales it into a slavering creature loyal completely to the Doctor, as the Queen of the Hive. Unfortunately for the Doctor the experiment goes horribly wrong, as a prototype of the virus manages to infect several of her minions. Transformed into monstrous creatures, these new beings wreak havoc throughout the facility, nearly killing the Doctor in the process. It is through the costly sacrifice of dozens of minions that the creatures are finally exterminated. (-10 infamy; -$30m; -40 minions)
Dr. Mellivora, despite being pleaded with by a number of his minions to halt any further research, begins to focus on the development of a super-creature, part-plant, part-insect, part-reptile, fully devastating. In the infancy stages of the development of the creature’s DNA, Dr. Mellivora’s lair is raided by SALT agents. Taken wholly unprepared, as the defences of the base were still in shambles from the mutation accident, the minions of Dr. Mellivora are slaughtered. The Doctor’s base is destroyed and her minions are all but wiped out. SALT manages to force the Doctor to flee from South America, his life saved by his henchman who suffers a near-mortal wound protecting the life of his Evil Genius. All the gains of the last six months are lost, and the Doctor seems to be in a worse position than when he started dabbling in affairs of Evil men and women. (-20 infamy; -$50m; -50 minions; Dr. Mellivora exiled from SALT territory and is unable to operate there for one turn; Francesca Circassa, the Doctor’s henchwoman, is wounded and cannot be used for one turn)
The Venezuelan military parading after their victory over the mad Doctor.
While one Doctor is forced to flee, another Doctor looks to charge. Dr. Horrible, still intent on forging a super-computer, has his minions sent out across the United States to rob banks, conduct muggings and do whatever they can to get some money together for Dr. Horrible. Dr. Horrible’s minions go from strength to strength with their attacks, becoming particularly inventive in their scamming schemes. When the minions return to the Doctor, he is delighted to see that they have exceeded far beyond his expectations. (+10 infamy; +$50m; -10 minions)
Dr. Horrible decides to immediately make use of his new found funds to found a corporation known as Aperture Science Innovators, which he plans to use as a front to construct a new secret lair. Dr. Horrible immediately has the fledging company buy out a struggling mining company, that is digging for salt beneath Lake Erie, with the intention of transforming the tunnelled out area into the location for his new lair. When the Doctor goes to inspect the site, however, he witnesses the mine collapsing in on itself as his minions scout the interior. The Doctor is shocked to find that the mining company had fleeced him, removing and selling most of the structural support in the mind before turning over control of the property to the Doctor. Dr. Horrible curses the mining company as being the most untrustworthy organization on the planet, which he reflects may be seen as a compliment by some in his line of work. (-10 infamy; -$40m; -30 minions)
Despite the embarrassing set-back dealt at Lake Erie, Dr. Horrible remains optimistic that things can still turn out for the best. Taking inspiration from numerous sci-fi novels, Dr. Horrible commits himself to developing a freeze ray. Despite the mental challenge, high costs, and persistent cold and frostbite the Doctor gets, Dr. Horrible manages to create the first truly function freeze ray. Quickly allowing for the weapon to be mass produced, the Doctor soon sees his minions all armed with fancy looking weapons that are, undeniably, state of the art and non-lethal. (+10 infamy; -$30m; Freeze rays developed and equipped to all minions)
Dr. Sweineinstein, meanwhile, continues the development and construction of his mist generator. The Doctor’s work is slow and methodical and after a near full year of devoted research, the Doctor proclaims the machine operational. Test runs seem promising, and the Doctor is hopeful that it will thwart any enemies who try to seek out his secret lair. (+10 infamy; -$40m; Mist machine complete)
As the Mist Generator is completed, Dr. Sweineinstein sends out his most trusted henchman, known to the world simply as ‘the Digger’ to oversee the robbery of a train filled to the brim with construction materials. The Digger comes up with an ingenious plan to derail the train, and gets the minions assigned to him to gather near. The Digger then promptly knocks out 10 men, and ties them to the track, side-by-side. Talking happily, the Digger explains how the bodies of 10 men should be sufficient to derail the train, or at least force them to slow down. While there are unhappy grumblings from the minions with him, the Digger’s plan is soon tested as the material-bearing train comes into view. All watch with baited breath as the train draws nearer and nearer to the bound men, and can’t help but gawk in surprise as the Digger was proven correct. The carcasses of those the train ran over managed to lift the train enough off the tracks to allow it to plough heavily into the frozen tundra. The Digger and the remaining minions easily pilfer the contents of the train before returning to the Doctor. (+5 infamy; +$30m)
The necromancer known to the world as Evard the Black sends his minions forth to explore the catacombs beneath Paris. His undead report back to the necromancer, revealing that there is ample room for one such as himself to establish himself. Evard quietly has his minions relocate themselves to the Parisian catacombs, and establishes himself a new evil lair beneath the city of love. (+5 infamy; -$30m)
Evard the Black hears tales of supposed caches of gold and jewellery hidden by the Nazi state during the Second World War, and hungers for them. Embarking out from his new lair, Evard seeks out the graves of prominent members of the long-dead SS of the Third Reich and reanimates them to give him information on the whereabouts of possible caches. Most cases turn out to be false, but one corpse gives Evard some interesting information. Supposedly there is an abandoned castle in Switzerland that his regiment used to stash their ill-gotten goods. Evard decides to take these goods for himself, and travels to Switzerland, to the location where the castle is supposedly located. Upon reaching his destination, Evard notes that the ruins of a castle occupy the area that dead-man spoke of. A quick search of the area reveals the hidden cache, tucked away under the stones in an ancient fireplace. The wealth the necromancer finds will surely help him fund new ventures. (+5 infamy; +$50m)
The ruins of the Swiss castle.
Captain Obvious continues to plan on taking control of the British military base of Falsane via his ‘specially brewed coffee’, and organizes the opening of his local coffee shop there to give huge discounts to soldiers. The turnout is poor at the grand opening, and not a single man in uniform stops by. The Captain desperately begins to offer the coffee to free for any men of the military, which earn him a local reputation as something of a suck-up. Business suffers, and the coffee shop has to close only three months after its big opening. Worse yet, the Captain’s failure had become the latest gossip amongst masterminds everywhere, and the shame of being unable to successfully run a single, legitimate, coffee shop brought shame to the poor Captain. (-15 infamy; -$30m)
Deep in the sewers of New York, the man known as the Rat King continues to develop his ‘special brew’. So obsessive with his work, is the Evil Genius, that he neglects to pay attention to the activities of his ratkin who are aiding him with the research. It is a horrifying morning when the Rat King wakes up and finds his precious notes have been chewed to pieces by his hungry assistants. All work the Rat King had put into perfecting his brew for the past six months had been lost, and he found himself back where he begun at the start of the year. (-5 infamy; -$25m; New York Brew ½ complete)
Willard, Prince of the Ratkin, continues his work on furthering the Ratkin cause, unfazed by the failures of the past year. Instead of dealing directly with the unevolved rats of America, Willard has containers full of the mutagen sent throughout the United States, labelled as being a ‘sewer cleaning liquid’. Since it is free, many states have it emptied right into their sewers, allowing the rats that live there to mutate into the unique Ratkin. These newly transformed creatures are quickly attended to by Willard, who redirects them back to the Rat King in New York. (+5 infamy; -$15m; +30 minions)
The eloquent criminal mastermind known as Sir Arnold Botticker decides it is time to wreak some light-hearted mayhem throughout the United Kingdom. Ordering his minions to hack into the control networks of the traffic lights of Britain, Sir Botticker sniggers delightedly when he observes the mayhem caused when all lights go green at the same time. While casualties are not that large, the cost of auto motor repairs are, and Sir Botticker can enjoy a quiet sense of satisfaction that he has managed to royally screw with British motorists throughout the land. (+5 infamy; -$10m)
Sir Arnold Botticker decides to strike a blow against the self-proclaimed King of Scots, Alasdair Lennox-Kerr, by launching an independent investigation into the assault on the royal family. The nobleman finds himself, however, swamped in anti-English sentiment once he sets foot in Scotland, and his high-handed manner to the ‘men who insist on wearing skirts’, as he was quoted as saying, saw him run out of Scotland. All Sir Arnold had achieved with his investigation was the disappearance of over two dozen of his minions, and a small rise in public support for an independent Scotland.
(Sir Arnold Botticker: -10 infamy; -$30m; -20 minions
Alasdair Lennox-Kerr: +10 infamy; +$10m)
The rather luckless Evil Genius known as Mr. Whist decides he has had enough of the foolishness of his minions, and goes about training them up to be a professional force. Under the scrutinizing gaze of Mr. Whist, his minions not only learn how to properly use firearms and use common-sense, but they also become literate (mostly)! This new professionalism of Mr. Whist’s underlings manages to attract some fresh blood to his organization, revitalizing it once more. (+10 infamy; -$15m; +15 minions)
Mr. Whist also goes as far as to try and entice the Yakuza to another sit-down, showing his stubbornness in dealing with reluctant business partners. However the Yakuza, still offended over the last time they met with Mr. Whist, outright refuse his invitation, and when Mr. Whist sends 5 minions to try and negotiate with the Yakuza, he receives their heads back along with a note reading ‘Stop bothering us’. (-5 infamy; -$5m; -5 minions; Yakuza unwilling to negotiate at all with Mr Whist for 2 turns.)
The seductive Russian villain known as Scarlett bunkers down to fight the impeding approach of Dmitri Grekov and his STRONG agents. Reaching deep into her funds, Scarlett spends over 30 million dollars on fortifying Leningrad and insists on referring to it, both publicly and privately, as St. Alexenberg. All of her attempts to recruit more men to help defend the city were unsuccessful, as no-one in the city wished to publically fight against Grekov or STRONG. When the assault came, the carnage on both sides was far beyond what Scarlett could have predicted. Dmitri Grekov uses the lives of his agents as nothing more than a meat shield to cover his personal advance. While dozens upon dozens of STRONG agents fall, Dmitri Grekov advances from building to building in the war-struck city, striking down any of those unfortunate to cross his path. Eventually Grekov reaches the Winter Palace, the base of Scarlett. Mentally analysing where an Evil Genius would reside in the palace, Grekov marches straight to the inner sanctum of Scarlett’s. It is there that Dmitri Grekov, surrounded by his Siberian pack, meets Scarlett and her indispensable henchwoman, Winter.
No pleasantries are exchanged before Dmitri launches himself into action, his hounds launching themselves across the room with blinding speed. Winter’s normally bored expression becomes one of surprise as she finds herself suddenly fighting a desperate battle against six animals whose bites can go through steel. With Winter incapable of defending her mistress, Dmitri lazily approaches the Russian supervillain. His smile confident, but his eyes intense and pitiless, Dmitri offers Scarlett one short line.
“Now is your time to die.”
Grekov draws his gun and fires at Scarlett with impressive speed, or rather where she had been. The red-headed beauty had dived underneath her desk and hit a button she had installed for a situation like this. The room began to shake and the walls began to crack. Dmitri cursed the two girls as the ceiling began to crumble in, and whistled his hounds to his side. Giving the room a withering glance, Dmitri, almost absent-mindedly, aimed and shot Winter in the chest. As the white-haired woman fell, the man and his dogs disappeared out the door.
The escape from Leningrad was difficult and painful for the two women. Winter seemed on the verge of death from the wound she had taken, and Scarlett could scarce believe all her hard work had been undone by one man. She vowed to get her revenge, and reclaim her city, her St. Alexenberg. But to do that, she must first find a way to kill the man who took it all from her, Dmitri Grekov. (-30 infamy; -$100m; -120 minions; Scarlett and Winter forced out of Leningrad; Control of Leningrad lost; Winter unable to be used for two turns due to her wounds)
STRONG agents and Soviet soldiers celebrate the liberation of Leningrad.
Plots of Mice and Men
Several Evil Geniuses begin to plot grand schemes, some by working together, others independently. All that the world knows is that when Evil Geniuses begin to think large, things will get chaotic.
Dr. Coma takes an interest in the Anarcho-Technocratic party of Dr. Horrible, known as the Rationalist Movement. Pleased by their technological focus, the Coma begins to pour funds into the party and quickly becomes the party’s largest base of funds. This allows the Doctor to have his way with many of the policies the Rationalsit Movement thinks up, making the Coma as influential in the party as its founder, Dr. Horrible himself.
With the excellent campaigning of the party across the television networks, whose broadcasting is no longer mainly controlled by the Eye of Horus, the Rationalist Movement begins to pick up larger and larger support. If the trend continues, a number of political commentators note, the Rationalist Movement could actually be a serious contender for the next US election. Richard Nixon supposedly begins to mutter unhappily about this as Election Day for 1972 draws closer and closer. (+15 infamy; -$50m; Rationalist Movement becomes 3rd largest party in US; Leadership of the Rationalist Movement can be contested between Dr. Coma and Dr. Horrible.)
Richard Nixon commenting on the rise of the Rationalist Movement.
Sir Arnold Botticker is one of the Evil Geniuses who begins to dream big, and draws up plans for ‘Operation Dies Irae’. The nobleman is convinced that he create the illusion that WWIII is imminent between Europe and the USSR, by making EDEN appear as if it is being severely threatened by STRONG. Unfortunatly for Sir Arnold, the sheer scope of this project is far beyond his single capabilities, and the nobleman reflects that he would do well to try and gain the services of more Evil Geniuses throughout the world. (+5 infamy; -$50m)
Several criminal masterminds come together to plot a plan most foul against the Forces of Justice, in particular against EDEN. Captain Obvious manages to draw the Evil Geniuses Evard the Black, Dr. Mellivora, and Caesar together to commit to a cunning plan. While it appears straightforward at first, the execution of the plan would be fraught with danger. The plan was to disillusion the United Kingdom with EDEN. This would prove no easy feat, as EDEN’s capital was in London itself, and the British people had a particular sense of pride in ‘their agency’.
To disillusion the unwashed masses, Captain Obvious conscripts minions from all of his supporters to push forth with his plans. His first step is the toppling of Stonehenge, which he sends the undead soldiers of Evard the Black to do. Despite being only bones, the skeletons successfully manage to vandalize the ancient site, drawing British news to the area. However, all this accomplishes is to make Britain introduce slightly tougher laws on vandalism.
The second part of his plan, and hopefully more useful than the first, involves the retaking of Hadrian’s wall. This honour he assigns to Ceasar’s legionaries, who are greatly pleased to have a chance to visit this old site of Roman power and prestige. As the legionnaires arrive at the wall, they are mistaken for as being entertainment by tourists and soon have dozens of sweating Americans taking their picture. Unsure of how to proceed, the legionnaires play along before meekly returning to Captain Obvious.
While the Captain had the manpower and support necessary to make some serious damage to the UK’s relationship with EDEN, the plans themselves left much to be desired. As news spread throughout the underground community of how Captain Obvious had planned on dismantling EDEN by toppling some stones and having men stand on an old wall, villains great and small laugh long and loud.
(Captain Horrible: -20 infamy; -$50m
Evard the Black, Dr. Mellivora and Caesar: -15 infamy; -10 minions
Plot unsuccessful in achieving its goal.)
