Different types of Superhero settings/universes and themes

[tecnowraith]

Well right now I am having an idea for the campaign finally, a gothic punk superhero setting with look, feel and atmosphere of gothic punkness from the buildings to the character's costumes. Now I need to figure the reasons for events "missions" for heroes and villains and their origins.

 

[WizarDru]

Another setting I forgot to mention that might tie into your idea: the anime "Darker than Black" features superheroes without the name or costumes. The main characters are all what are called 'contractors'. Somehow (this is a central mystery to the show) they have attained superpowers...but in exchange for a 'contract'. The bargain can be simple or terrible: such as firepowers that require you to perform origami afterwards or super-strength in for having to cut your hand with a knife afterwards. It's an interesting conceit. You can read more here.

 

[catastrophic]

Well right now I am having an idea for the campaign finally, a gothic punk superhero setting with look, feel and atmosphere of gothic punkness from the buildings to the character's costumes. Now I need to figure the reasons for events "missions" for heroes and villains and their origins.

Setting, or team, or subculture?

Imagine a superhero world where at some point (maybe recently), people started gaining powers based on the beliefs, ideologies, and culturual or subcultural concepts they embodied. Supers would then broadly be divided between these different groups, as opposed to between good/evil or other skisms.

The world might be dominated by supers empowered by concepts like various religions, dominant ideologies, and more universal concepts like money and militarism, as well as some wierd people empowered by errant concepts like urban myths and various sciences. Not to mention more powerful formely human entities that exemplify concepts like fear, death, and hope.

Then the pcs could just happen to be those supers empowered by the gothic subculture. They would be natural underdogs in a world dominated by people with the powers of angels, the invisible hand, or an m1 abrams tank. Of course, that might make them ideal rebels and heroes, especially if the more powerful, mainstream factions start getting together and trying to control the world.

 

[tecnowraith]

Setting, or team, or subculture?

Imagine a superhero world where at some point (maybe recently), people started gaining powers based on the beliefs, ideologies, and culturual or subcultural concepts they embodied. Supers would then broadly be divided between these different groups, as opposed to between good/evil or other skisms.

The world might be dominated by supers empowered by concepts like various religions, dominant ideologies, and more universal concepts like money and militarism, as well as some wierd people empowered by errant concepts like urban myths and various sciences. Not to mention more powerful formely human entities that exemplify concepts like fear, death, and hope.

Then the pcs could just happen to be those supers empowered by the gothic subculture. They would be natural underdogs in a world dominated by people with the powers of angels, the invisible hand, or an m1 abrams tank. Of course, that might make them ideal rebels and heroes, especially if the more powerful, mainstream factions start getting together and trying to control the world.

Actually I like that idea. I have not seen many settings like that. Not sure if Unknown Armies or Nobilis, but does sound very like Mage: The Ascension and it's paradigm mechanic.

 

[jefgorbach]

hmmm People, including the PCs, awake to find themselves among others in a small town, which none recall travelling to. The first few days prove interesting as some develop super-powers, others mutations, while some remain mundane or simply die.

Over the course of exploring, they gradually learn the entire group is but one of several such groups inserted into a variety of genres by ???, attempting to learn what/why some individuals develop super-powers and of those, how they react to the various genre-appropriate situations.

 

[tecnowraith]

Okay stupid I totally forgot the reason I wanting to do this in the first place. The main back-story is to have Earth be invaded by something (not what though, I asked this in another thread) and have superheroes who just gotten the powers,had their powers for year or the invasion was the cause of their powers to appear and the heroes fight the invading force.

I wanted to have the campaign be set either at the start or during the invasion (either a week or month have past) be the theme. I am not sure to write for a setting since game like this has either been a few years before or after the invasion.

Any suggestion on writing techniques?