A "not so super" superhero game

[thormagni]

I have an idea for a game that I would love to run. It may or may not appeal to anyone.

It would be set in the modern world. A world very similar to the one we live in. Superheroes do not exist outside of comic books, movies and TV shows. People have no powers and no one dresses in spandex to fight evil.

The characters would be ordinary people who find through a rather dramatic mechanism that they do have superpowers. Lower-level powers making them above normal humans, but not earth-shaking superheroes. The source of these powers is a mystery, as is how they work and how they came to acquire them. But the characters will soon find that there are people who really want them dead, before they can discover the truth.

The campaign would be about discovering the answers to the mysteries, while staying alive long enough to put the pieces together. With numerous sidequests and mysteries along the way. The world is dark, but the characters are the best shot at shining some light onto it.

I am drawing inspiration from the book "American Gods," the "Scion" game line, the new "Paragons" setting for Mutants & Masterminds, the graphic novels/comic series "Wanted," "Planetary" and "Rising Stars" and other post-modern "superhero" sources, Fantastic Four #236 from the early 1980s along with a shelf-full of conspiracy and illuminanti sources.

If anyone thinks this sounds interesting, I will post some thoughts on character generation and game system.

 

[BobProbst]

I am drawing inspiration from the book "American Gods," the "Scion" game line, the new "Paragons" setting for Mutants & Masterminds, the graphic novels/comic series "Wanted," "Planetary" and "Rising Stars" and other post-modern "superhero" sources, Fantastic Four #236 from the early 1980s along with a shelf-full of conspiracy and illuminanti sources.

I'm politely nodding my head. I have no idea what you're talking about here but I'm down for it.

 

[thormagni]

I'm politely nodding my head. I have no idea what you're talking about here but I'm down for it.

Thanks Bob. Based on the overwhelming amount of conversation, it may be you and I who find this interesting.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

Well, none of your sources (quoted by Bob) mean anything to me either, so it is hard to be excited by them. I have never heard of "American Gods." I have no familiarity of the "Scion" game line or the new "Paragons" setting for Mutants & Masterminds. I certainly haven't heard of nor read the graphic novels/comic series "Wanted," "Planetary" and "Rising Stars." I have never read Fantastic Four #236 (or any other FF that I can think of, and didn't really care for the movie either). I guess I never liked FF because they didn't have secret identities or private lives to protect.

Part of my ambivalance stems from the "source" of all superpowers. Honestly, I would want the source of a superpower to be as unique as the power and the hero. The superhero I would want to play, for example, would be a superhero who unintentionally caused his own problem (ala "The Incredible Hulk" of TV, who accidentally gave himself too much radiation as he investigated paranormal bursts of strength in people in crisis, and why during his crisis, he did not have that strength. Not "The Hulk" of the movies, who was blasted because of the doings of other people). Batman chose to be a hero. Captain America agreed to take the serum. The Flash was a chemist. The Invisible Man, while not a superhero, caused his own problem as well. From there, he has to make the best of things, while protecting his identity, his life, etc.

I like the idea of a mystery, but where does the campaign go once the mystery is solved? One of the best parts of Superman or Batman comics is the introduction of new mysteries each month (or week in the case of TV).

I just have a hard time getting excited about everyone having the same source of powers, and not having (intentionally or accidentally) caused it. For example, Wolverine's origin bores me. He is a mutant (genetics) and someone did something to him (gave him his claws and skeleton). *yawn* His adventures are more exciting. Superman's origin (despite my passion for the character) is likewise boring. But the Flash, Batman, Wonder Woman, Incredible Hulk (TV), Green Lantern, et. al. - those are some origins I like. Even Frankenstein caused his own superpower (to give life to the lifeless) and had to deal with the consequences of the exercise of that power.

I would be more interested in dealing with the ramifications of my powers than the actual source of the power, so the initial mystery set up is not intriguing to me. Honestly, I doubt I would much care about the origin of the power - just about the consequences of the power. The whole conspiracy aspect doesn't hook me at all. Since I do use the game for my own armchair psycho-analysis of myself, I would want to choose my own origin - and the power that would allow me to explore what I want to explore.

Even in D&D, all my wizards and sorcerers usually had unique sources of power - and none of them revolved around genetics or simply being handed power via some unknown source. They grabbed for the power - and the power then either dominated them (Ex. Thigru), or they learned to dominate the power (Ex. Elah).

I hope some of that made sense. I have a bit of a headache today from eyestrain.

 

[Grimhelm]

I think it explains why you should be writing and not playing as a player! What you and I want, I think, in many respects, is a story that is probably not going to be told within the framework of a game. We need to write that screenplay!

 

[thormagni]

I hope some of that made sense. I have a bit of a headache today from eyestrain.

Yeah. You made sense. You're not interested. Got it.

 

[thormagni]

Here is the part that is frustrating for me Vince. I really thought that I could get your interest here, based on what you have previously said your criteria would have to be to play in a superhero game.

1. First superheroes on planet -- Check. In fact, the only "heroes" on the planet.
2. Emphasis on secret ID -- Check. In fact, there wouldn't be a hero/secret ID unless the players decided to go that route. So it is all normal ID.
3. Mysteries to solve -- Check.
4. Little emphasis on fighting, more on exploring/investigating -- Check. Check.
5. No costumed villains. Instead human villains. -- Check. Check.

I really thought I had covered all the bases. And it is actually a setting I am excited to run. And y'know, I thought you had enjoyed the games I had run in the past. So, I thought there might be some benefit of the doubt.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

Here is the part that is frustrating for me Vince. I really thought that I could get your interest here, based on what you have previously said your criteria would have to be to play in a superhero game.

1. First superheroes on planet -- Check. In fact, the only "heroes" on the planet.

I didn't know that from your post. I do like that.

2. Emphasis on secret ID -- Check. In fact, there wouldn't be a hero/secret ID unless the players decided to go that route. So it is all normal ID.

Must have secret hero ID. Your post didn't mention it.

3. Mysteries to solve -- Check.

I mentioned I liked that, but you only really suggested one mystery, not the type of actual adventures we would be playing.

4. Little emphasis on fighting, more on exploring/investigating -- Check. Check.

I do like that.

5. No costumed villains. Instead human villains. -- Check. Check.

I like that.

I really thought I had covered all the bases. And it is actually a setting I am excited to run. And y'know, I thought you had enjoyed the games I had run in the past. So, I thought there might be some benefit of the doubt.

Keep in mind, my ambivalance comes from the source of the superpowers and the lack of mention about secret IDs. I think it would be neat if the group were all in some kind of research and we all went far beyond what we should have and accidentally did it to ourselves (like David Banner or Call of Cthulhu, but as a group). Or, perhaps better, if everyone is a member of the police force, who decided to pursue some criminals into a place we shouldn't have. Being on the police force would give us access to criminals - and make it easy for the GM to assign us to various murders and other crimes. Of course, we have to make sure the Chief doesn't find out we are moonlighting as vigilantes.

I also just do not have any frame of reference for any of the source material you mentioned.

Also, what are some sample "low-level" powers? Are we talking bending spoons, or can we do some amazing things? Are we talking "Mystery Men"/"The Tick" or are we talking "Unbreakable"? My favorite heroes have some pretty impressive powers. I am thinking of tranformative powers (Shazam, Hulk, the Wolf Man).

 

[thormagni]

Must have secret hero ID. Your post didn't mention it.

Well, in the rationale for the setting, there is a very strong reason for not wanting your "real" ID to be known -- there are people with power that want the characters dead. Or captured. Or vivisected. Some players might want the secret ID. Some might not. So I would say that there will be an emphasis on personal lives, whether secret or not. I don't want to make that decision FOR the players.

I mentioned I liked that, but you only really suggested one mystery, not the type of actual adventures we would be playing.

I think the adventures can run the gamut. I would view this plot wise much like an episodic TV series with a connected metaplot from session to session, but each session would also have its own internal storyline. At the end of the day, something will be revealed about the grand scheme of things, but not necessarily (or even normally) will it be the main point of the session.

Keep in mind, my ambivalance comes from the source of the superpowers and the lack of mention about secret IDs.

I can't really explain too much about the "source" of superpowers without giving away more of the setting that I want to. But you are leaving me confused here. It sounds like you would be amenable to an origin that applies to everyone equally, but at the same time want everyone to have their own distinct source of superpowers. And it sounds like you feel that the source of superpowers would be simultaneously very important and completely uninteresting if part of a mystery.

Let me see if I can explain it more clearly in a later post. But there will be a cohesive "group origin" but at the same time there will be individual origins. Everyone will have their own back story, but everyone will also be part of a tied together group story. There will be a dividing line between the point in your life where your character had powers and where they did not have powers. My hope would be that the players will want to ask the question "Why?" Why do I now have powers? Why are they different than everyone else in the world? Why do people suddenly want to kill me? Is it related to these powers? (probably) If I go find out the "truth" of my origins, will this help make sense of what is going on? How do these work anyway?

I also just do not have any frame of reference for any of the source material you mentioned.

I recognized I was being too obtuse. I will give some reference points.

Also, what are some sample "low-level" powers? Are we talking bending spoons, or can we do some amazing things? Are we talking "Mystery Men"/"The Tick" or are we talking "Unbreakable"? My favorite heroes have some pretty impressive powers. I am thinking of tranformative powers (Shazam, Hulk, the Wolf Man).

Actually, the Tick is pretty impressive, power wise. Some of his supporting cast is powerful (American Maid/Captain Liberty) and some aren't (Bat Manuel/Defledermaus and Arthur). But I mean lower level powers in the sense that no one will be the completely unbeatable, completely invulnerable, infinitely powerful superhero -- at least not to start with.

I would think the world would start off very much like "Unbreakable" power level. (I would even add that to my list of influences and will mention why in a moment.) I am looking more at 1938 Superman than mid-1970s Superman power levels. Faster than a locomotive, not faster than the speed of light. Only a bursting shell can hurt the player, rather than surviving nuclear explosions without tearing the cape.

But the game world offers the opportunity to rise to those higher levels of power. It will be up to the players to decide the path they take.

 

[thormagni]

"American Gods"

A novel by Neil Gaiman. The gods of mythology are real beings, created and fed mainly by people's belief. When immigrants came to the new world, their belief brought their gods with them. But now they are left to wander, immortal but largely depowered. Unworshipped and unrecognized. Some have found places in the world and some are trying to regain the power and influence they have lost. The main character finds out that he is a god, of sorts.

The "Scion" game line

A series of games by White Wolf -- Hero, Demigod and God. Modern world setting. The players carry a spark of an immortal god. The game involves the characters discovering their godhood, getting involved in their parent's wars and rising in power to their legacy.

Wanted

A six-issue series by Mark Millar (who is one of my favorite comic authors.) Sometime back in the 1980s of a typical superhero world, the villains decided to unite. They combined their power against the heroes that normally thwarted them and they actually won. A total decisive victory. So the villains rule the world. They use the supertechnology and supermagic to remake the world into a form they can control and then wipe out people's memories of what happened. They sit in the dark, raking in infinite profits and performing horrific crimes out of the public eye. The main character is an office schlub who finds out that he is actually the son of one of the bad guys, The Killer, and when Killer dies, he receives his powers and is let in on the conspiracy.

Planetary

A comic series by Warren Ellis that takes the typical superhero world and twists it inside out. There are people with powers. Some have pretty extreme powers. But the entire world is based on some scary, out of control secret history. Alien invasions and people gaining cosmic power, that sort of thing. The main characters work for an agency and it is their job to either a) hide the secret history of the world or b) discover the secret history, depending on where in the series you come in.

Rising Stars

Written by J. Michael Straczynski (creator of Babylon 5) it is the story of a group of kids in a small town who happened to be in utero when a meteor crashed nearby. Early in their lives it is apparent that they have developed some strange powers that no one else in the world has. It is basically a story about how they as individuals react to having these powers and how the world reacts to them.

Fantastic Four #236

FF 236 was the 20th anniversary issue of the FF, drawn and written by John Byrne. Reed Richards is a befuddled small town college professor. Ben Grimm is a has-been jock. Johnny Storm is a young n'er-do-well. I don't recall what the deal was with Sue Storm. But they are basically living lives of quiet misery, sure that something is wrong, that they are destined for greater things, but here they are living nothing lives in a nothing town. There is no FF. There never has been an FF.

Turns out Doctor Doom ambushed the FF and he won! Completely. He has had their bodies captured and their minds projected into a fake world where he is forcing them to live these pathetic little lives. Of course, Doom pushes it too far (in his megalomania he insists on bullying Reed Richards until Reed is finally able to mentally push through the mental fuzz Doom has engineered. Reed makes the connections, figures things out and is able to use his intellect to get them out.)

Unbreakable

Thanks for pointing this out Vince, in many ways this is a really good example of the sort of setting I would like. A normal guy finds out that he has powers beyond the rest of the world. In fact, he may have had these powers his whole life. And as he pushes himself he realizes he may not have limits. But he is still basically a normal guy with powers trying to figure out what is happening with him.