RECURRING ORGANIZATIONS - EASY ADDS FOR GAMEMASTERS

 

Comic book universes are full of organizations who have massive resources to bring to bear against the heroes and their enemies. Often, these are meant to be recurring, high stakes enemies that are constantly harrassing the protagonists at every turn. Other times they are a looming threat, popping up just when it's most inconvenient.

We see the latter with the Sentinels in the earlier days of the X-Men comics where they seemed ot pop up all the time. Other groups that tend to do this in more recent years are groups like SHIELD and HYDRA who frequently show up as part of long-running stories. Other organizations, such as The Hand or AIM seem to pop up less frequently, showing up when the twisting coils of the protagonists's lives bring them back into conflict, then dispappearing back into the shadows again when the latest plot twist is finished. 

Many times these enemies float from title to title, often connecting along themes such as martials arts, spy thriller, or simply mutant team members but no organization need be limited to their original or intended adversary. The Hand certainly came into conflict with the X-Men through both Wolverine and Psylocke and SHIELD shows up to deal with any superpowered threat. Organizations such as AIM or HYDRA might seek to capture a member of a team for their uses and Sentinels are notoriously dumb and innefective, often confusing non-mutants for mutants or even getting hijacked by other villains for their own uses. 

The use of recurring organizatons in games is a crucial tool for a GM. Not only do they make convenient, easily insertable opponents for your players but they also help you, the GM, establish a sense of place and world. Ruccuring enemies are like landmarks in a game, they remind players where their character are. They can guide players toward particular conclusions or they can be used to subvert the players' expectations. The Hand may be trying to kill the players at one time but later show up to save them, thus creating a strange dichotomy that keeps the players guessing. Even seemingly beneficent organizations such as SHIELD can suddenly be turned against a heroic team, either over some misunderstanding or even as fallout for the heroes' actions.  

It is important to distinguish these recurring enemies from the named teams and villains that heroes tend to encounter. Almost every team has a roster of named villains that the clash with in a seemingly endless loop of conflict. Organizations are great because they do not require you to come up with complex reasons for them to clash with the heroes. Simple goals and motivations are the trademark of these organizations. That is not to say that they don't even have deeper goals and they most certainly do, but you can throw a mob of ninjas or hi-tech agents at the heroes and give it the most basic reasoning andh ave it fly. Your players will enjoy a chance to throw agents around and break expensive equipment without having to pull too much strategy out of their hats to defeat a more complicated enemy.

Another thing to rememeber about organizations is that encounters with them are easily scaleable. you can have a hand full of agents show up, a single ninja, or a strike team with battlesuits, flying cars or mega-lasers. You can even scale on the fly if the fight goes too easily. That initial tactical team sent by SHIELD may quickly be handled and call in backup. The single ninja, leading the team on a merry chase may have only been the lure to get the heroes into an ambush situation. Organization encounters also scale into encounters with named enemies. Sure you may have started fighting AIM agents but next thing you know the Super-Adaptoid shows up and amps up the fight. We've all see nthe classic ninja fight where a mob of ninjas it thrown all over the place, only to have the music change, a door open, and out steps  much more impressive martial arts opponent, this time with special powers or techniques. 

When it comes down to using organizations as enemies, you should never feel hesitent to do so. Like anything else you do in your games just make sure it makes sense but also remember that what makes sense in comic book universes is a very broad and often ill-defined, so be cool with yourself. I find that, in the beginning, it is best to stick to a single organization as their primary organization to encounter. This will allow you to establish the teams connection to the organization as well as their rivalry. It's still okay to throw in other groups but do so sparingly until the first organization seems like it may be losing effect. But, once you get a few into rotation, you can mix and match as you like. Just remember. Anything can happen in comic books.

What are some organizations you have used in your games?

How have your players responded to recurring appearance by organizations?

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENTAL #1 - MORE STICK

In last Friday's post, I posted my old character Stick. In that post, I talked about how she went through a few stages in her career, including a brief bit as a mind-controlled villain. Below are images of the various costumes she used at those times. They are posted in order. All these pictures were created using outlines taken from published works with details drawn over. 

STICK AS NIGHTENGALE, COSTUMED SIDEKICK TO NOSFERATA 

    STICK AS A MIND CONTROLLED ASSASSIN

STICK AS BLACK DRAGON, MYSTIC WARRIOR

FROM THE FOLDER FRIDAY - STICK (NO NOT THAT ONE)

 

Jokingly refered to in our games as the "West Coast Stick" this character was made for a street-level crime-fighting campaign that took place in Los Angeles. As the power level of that campaign was low, she has no powersand just a lot of fighting abilities. As you can also see, some ofthe language in the character write-up is perhaps a bit dated but it reflects the time when I wrote up the character and my limited experience and knowledge at the time. Stick went on from this humble beginning to become a costumed sidekick ala Robin and then to becoming her own solo costumed street hero and even ended up being a mind controlled villain at one point. 

STICK

Tracy Yin, human hero

F    RM (30)

A    IN (40)

S    TY (6)
E    RM (30)

R    TY (6)

I      RM (30)

P    EX (20)

Health: 106

Karma: 56

Resources: TY (6)

Popularity:  -5

Known Powers: 

Stick has no special powers. 

Weapons: Stick fights with her staff mostly and is skilled enough that it inflicts Good (GD) blunt damage. she also carries a number of knives, for both melee and throwing, that inflict Typical (6) edged damage. 

Talents: Stick is skilled in the use of all martial arts weapons, thrown weapons, blunt weapons, sharp weapons, and thrown objects. She specializes in fighting with a staff. She knows Martial Arts A, B, C, D, acrobatics, tumbling, crime, trance, artist (painting), language (Chinese). 

Contacts: Bronze Dragons (street gang), Dragon, LAPD.

Background:

Born Tracy Yin, the hero known on the streets as Stick lived a very typical life for a girl of her age. Born to immigrant parents, she was raised on stories of the American dream and parents that sought yo raise their daughter with a combination of traditional Chinese values and American ideals. Much to her family's dismay, she found kinship among the Bronze Dragons, a local street gang in LA's Chinatown. 

The gang was not a criminal gang, but more so a guardian gang, protecting locals from predation by other gangs, criminal organizations, racist neighbors and the police. She spent most of her time with them training and mastering several martials arts and weapons, all under the tutelage of an aging master known simply as Dragon. Dragon had been a costumed crimefighter in China when he was younger, bringing his ideals and system of honor to Chinatown when heremigrated to the United States. 

Stick eventually became the sidekick to a costumed hero named Nosferata, a dark avenger who stalked the city streets at night. This is when she picked up the itendity as Nightengale, a homage to her heritage but distinct from her uncostumed street identity. As Nightengale, she benefitted from an arsenal of high-tech equipment provided by Nosferata including a staff made of advanced materials and capable of several tricks. 

As her career progressed, she eventually found herself in Asia, tracking down a killer who had murdered Dragon and decimated the Bronze Dragons. Her missions led her to Madripoor where she found the killer had been sent by an enigmatic woman knowned as Madame Shimaze. It is here where Tracy fell to the villainess, ending up her mind controlled minion. during this time, she served as a hired assassin.

Tracy was later freed from Madame Shimaze's control by the spirit of Dragon who came to her, inhabitting her body and bestowing mystical  powers on young Tracy. Tracy was able to defeat the evil Madame. After that she returned to the United States, having avenged her master and, her new powers at hand, took up a career as a costumed crimefighter, this time going by the name of Black Dragon. 

Notes: I could provide additional profiles for her later incarnations but some notes here should allow those interested in using her to do so. As Nightengale, she had equipment very similar to the Tim Drake Robin from DC Comics. Her staff could taze enemies, create bright flashes to blind, had restractable hooks that could also be fired as a grappling line. She also carried numerous throwing knives, secdonary blades as well as flasckbangs, smoke bombs, gas pellets, and a full climbing kit. 

As the Black Dragon, she possessed chi-based powers allowing her to energize her body and weapons for greater striking ability as well as stealth powers that shrouded her in darkness. She was also resistent to damage and could used her chi-based powers to heal herself.

MULTIPLE THINGS CAN BE TRUE - HOW INCONSISTENCY CAN WORK

 

The true disposition of Madrox was left in a weird state of limbo for years with multiple possible version of the "real" him in play.

When playing TTRPGs it can be easy to believe that everything needs to make perfect sense - all nicely wrapped up in logical bows and perfect story writing. This is, of course, the benefit of a type of game that is often written with very specific encounters, pacing, events and characters in mind. Comics, are not always written this way and so you can relax a bit and even capitalize on this when you run your games.

Comic books are famous for inprecise, often contradictory canon which is sometimes intentional, sometimes the product of layers of writing and sometimes just plain lazy. While most tabletop campaigns will not run for the length of time it requires for these sort of wrinkles in continuity to develop organically, they may still come up in games and can, in many cases, be used to your advantage. More importantly, it needn't be a point of worry when your players catch you in an unintended mixup. No, instead you can embrace the fact that it is very possible for multiple things to be true at the same time in a comic book.

The origin of the Maximoff twins has been retold so many times that it has required compiling into a single origin several times. 

There are plenty of characters in comic books who have existed in states of uncertainty. Often these inconsistencies are fixed with later retcons or story development but they can remain unspecified for decades. Scarlet Witch and Qiicksilver have had their origins written and rewritten time and again through various layers of unreliable narration and even outright deceit. Captain America was at one time dead but active and then only later revealed to have been frozen while an imposter was carrying out his duties. Jean Grey and the various fallout of the Phoenix Saga have left that character in an indeterminate state of reality from the 80's all the way to the present. 

As a player and a GM, acceptance of these inconsistencies can actually enhance the experience of being in a comic book universe. Going back to my earlier psots about creating questions, planting seeds and retcons, this is where so many of those fun comic book elements are often born. Being okay with them means you are leaving yourself open to the possibilities and creating a much easier time of it for your GM to develope comic book style stories. Who cares if you are sure that the villain in that last scenario should have been half a world away when you encountered him? it's just another mystery to unravel. 

So, what sorts of inconsistencies have you encountered in your games?

What are some of your favorite comic book inconsistencies? 

SEEDING - CREATING CHARACTERS AND SCENARIOS THAT KEEP GIVING

 

In previous posts I have spoken about making things up, asking questions and just generally being fearless and absolutely open when it comes to creating characters, stories and laying out plots. As you develop your universe, more and more threads will present themselves into which you can weave more characters and stories. There are, however, ways in which you can even set these up intentionally and in addition to asking questions without answers, you can also create options and opening, seeding future scenarios. 

One of the things comics do best is to build off of previously established lore and events. Whether or not these things are planned or developed after to the fact (sometimes very much so), the key is that they all take some small bit of established lore and turn it into the next big thing. In many ways this is similar to asking questions but instead you are laying out potential plot threads, even if they might not be fully defined. 

Krakoa spawned several twists and later plot developments layered on by future creators

As you create characters and write your scenarios consider where the characters and events of the scenario might lead. This can almost me thought of front-loading questions. Think of any little angle that could be used from a character or situation. Does your villain have a power or ability that lends itself well to a new story atfer their defeat? Does your current scenario involve a lot of people? How might other victims of the scenario's events change or react to the scenario? 

Take Jean Grey, for example (there is a reason I used her for the pic on this post). Jean is a character who has been through a ton of changes and developments throughout her long and storied career as an X-Man. Now, we have the benefit of looking back on that all and thinking "what a wonderfully robust saga" but so much of that is he result of subsequent layering of new ideas and the development of questions either asked up front of left unanswered until a creatore decided to answer them. Sometimes, those creators invented elements whole cloth and restroactively added them intothe canon (retconning). I am pretty sure, that when Jean Grey was originally created, the Phoenix Saga, Madeline Pryor, Inferno or any of the other plotlines that developed were nowhere in anyone's mind. But, we can take this and use it to guide us.

The origins of Havic and Cyclops both spawned several future plotlines involving a third brother, their parents and even Mr. Sinister

As a player, when you create a character, ask yourself what things might develop from your character's powers and background or, even better, write things into those backgrounds that are undeveloped. The questions will help you an your GM later. A mysterious benefactor or a gap in a character's memories is fertile ground for a GM as are unknown parentages. Sometimes even your entire origin can be a mystery or series of questions. When your character gets into an accident, survives, and developes powers you can leave it at that and fill in the blanks later. It's also entirely okay to feed development ideas to your GM. Players who create seeds for their characters will be rewarded with stories that tie into their characters specifically.

In a recent scenario I wrote for my X-Men West campaign, I had a mutant out of control and causing massive wildfires in California (I know, topical). After writing that scenario, I got to thinking of another scenario that develops in the aftermath of that event - psionic manifestation of hate and anger that was born of the deaths and trauma of the fires all centered around a psionic NPC who was among the victims. I don't have the details worked out, but I took a moment to jot down the basics of that scenario idea so that, when my players get to that scenario, I have this noted down, to develop either right after or maybe down the road whe neverything seems to have settled. 

The Sentinels have made their way into countless books beyond the main X-verse titles.

Sometimes planting these seeds can be as simple as choosing to tap into existing elements of the setting that have already been proven as sources for twists and turns. For example, you might choose to have the Sentinels play a part in a scenario, tying the scenario into the greater Sentinel metaplot or perhaps, like I did, you have some Marvel Universe tech bro decide to use Sentinel tech in his new robot and watch as things go wrong. Just make a note when you insert these elements, preserving any ideas that come to mind as you write up the scenario. 

In my experience, seed ideas come naturally as I am creating. They are a natural byproduct of the creative process and, like many byproducts, are valuable in their own right. Learn to become aware of these seeds as they trickle out of your brain and practice keeping them noted down, either in the margins of your scenario or in some dedicated place where you put all your ideas. This will serve you well as your campaign progresses. This goes for players seeding for their own characters, as well and they would be well-served to make notes of any ideas they have for things that could happen to their character as they make them, pasing them to the GM. 

So, next time you make a character or write a scenario, keep these tips in mind and take notes. Don't lose those precious seeds. You can even go back through existing characters and already played or written scenarios and mine them for seeds. 

Have you made any characters with built-in seeds?

Have you ever written seeds into your scenarios? 

FROM THE FOLDER FRIDAY - TANKER

The character of Tanker was inspired by a couple of existing Marvel characters - Cypher and Madison Jeffries. I combined those two character into my own character. the concept for this character was a young mutant, with a mastery of machinery, who idolized armored heroes like Iron Man. He was a member of a short-lived team, we cme up with, called the Regulators where he was the "tech guy". The illustration shows his first sut, put together with scavenged parts. He later got more refined suits as his available tech increased. I'm pretty sure the inspiration for this particular look was the classic Mandroids of Marvel fame. 

TANKER

Jamie Logam, mutant 

F    GD (10)

A    GD (10) / RM (30)

S    GD (10) / IN (40)
E    RM (30) / IN (40)

R    AM (50)
I      EX (20)

P    EX (20)

Health: 30/120
Karma: 90

Resources: GD (10)
Popularity: 20

Known Powers:

Intuitive Invention: Jamie is a mutant with Amazing (50) ability to comprehend and operate any device he comes in contact with. This ability also allows him to easily construct nearly any device or piece of equipment out of available parts. Under normaly circumstances, with common household and/or industrial  technology, he can make devices with Incredible (40) ability. If he has access to more sophisticated and hi-tech base components these devices can be constructed up to Monstrous (75) ability. It still takes him time to construct the equipment (see construction), though he can do it at 1/2 the normal time, or one 1/4 the time with proper facilities.

Psychometry: A more essoteric aspect of Jamie's machine affinity is the ability to communicate with them on a very basic, psychic level, readiong the psionic echoes and residue left behind on all inanimate objects throug htheir contact with living, thinking beings. This ability functions with Amazing (50) ability. This power is innate and works through touch. Jamie must concentrate or block skin contact to block out these psychic eminations. 

Telekinesis: Along with his other psionic abilities, Jamie has Amazing (50) ability to manipulate physical objects with his mind. 

Machine Link: Jamie is able to form permanent bonds with machines he has contact with, allowing him to operate them through a combination of his mental link and telekinesis. He also maintains a psychometric link with machinesh e is linked to, able to use them as spies and alarms or receive data and information from computer systems in real time. He does this over Incredible (40) distance. He has many weapons, tools, pieces of equipment and his signature battlesuits linked in such a way. If he teleports and object with contents, those contents are teleported along with it and arrive in perfect condition, allowing him to transport teammates, supplies, prisoners and rescued civilians.

Telemachination: Jamie can instantly teleport any device he is linked to him at Unearthly (100) range. Teleported equipment appears on his person or in an areas near him ready for use. Worn items appear on him and operational. 

Arsenal: Rather than list all his available equipment (that would be another post in itself), Jamie's early arsenal consisted of a number of weapons, armor, movement systems, sensors, tools and equipment of Incredible (40) ranks ability. Later in his career, after some adventures and contacts were made, he developed some truly powerful systems in the Monstrous (75) power rank. At one point, he was even issued a nuclear bomb by the U.S. government that was incorporated into a massive crisis suit. 

Psionic Screening Tech: Due to his psionic abilities operating constantly and needing concentration to shut off, Jamie has developed technologies that allow him to place a technological barrier between him and the psychic eminations of objects. This technology is built into his battlesuits and gives him Good (10) protection from mental attacks and manipulation. He can dim these screens at will, allowing him to access his abilities as needed. He does this through various touch pads on his armored hands and feet when in battlesuit. 

Weakness: Jamie psychometry is always active as if it were another sense. He must actively keep it from overhwleming him. Under normal, every day circumstances, this is no great feat for him. However, under emotional duress or extreme stress and fatique he must make a Psyche FEAT roll to maintain is control. If he fails, he will become overwhelmed by the food of psychometric information, stunning him, stunning him (see Stun effects on the Univeral Table).

Talents: Electronics, Computers, Physics, Engineering, Robotics, Music

Contacts: United States Government, MIT, FBI, Tony Stark.

Background: 

Born to a detroit family, Jamie was gifted at an early age. Born with his mutant powers active, he was already using them in limited fashion before he could walk. His parents recognized his gifts, though they thought they were manifestation of a high IQ and fast learning. As he grew, he excelled in technical and scientific pursuits but often seemed to have difficulty in his day to day expeiences. Because of this, he was sent to special schools that focused on his aptitudes.

By the time he was of high school age, Jamie had already completed all the requirements to graduate high school and moved on to college, selecting MIT and entering into one of their premier engineering and robotics courses alongside computer sciences. As these first two came os easily to him, he also picked up a science cource, focusing on both applied and theoretical physics. Jamie soon became a start student at MIT but the ease by which he picked up his subjects did cast some suspicion and he often had to defend himself against allegations of cheating. Being able to always prove his knowledge an ability, none of these charges ever stood though it remained undeniable that Jamie had a strange affinity for machines, often able to diagnose the undiagnosable. 

One of the earliest personalities to take notice of his abilities was Tony Stark, himself. Stark frequently visited the school, hoping to poach the best and brightest for himself and his company. Observing Jamie over about a weeks time both in his studies and his personal time, Stark was able to correctly deduce that the boy's abilities went far beyond simple aptitude, his career as a costumed hero affording him the insight to know superpowers when he saw them. Stark would mentor Jamie for some time until Jamie broke onto the scene as a costumed hero.

While Jamie was mentoring with Stark, he quickly gained an understanding of Tony's tech, using his powers, and found himself able to replicate it through the available components he could scrounge up at the school. He started with simple devices, testing his ability and eventually graduating to weapons systems and then to a fully functional, if not aesthetically pleasing armored suit. With this new equipment, he started sneaking out and engaging in costumed crime-fighting to test it and for the thrill of it. 

During his time at MIT, Jamie spent much of his personal time at music clubs where he often played in bands as a pick-up guitarist. In several of these instances, he encountered various locals and made friends in the city of Boston. Some of the most noteable encounters were with the Hellions on several occasions when they visited Boston at the same time as Jamie. This also brought him into contact with Emma Frost who, detecting his psionic abilities did try to recruit him but Jamie was leerie of the polished, posh woman and steared clear. This didn't keep Frost from wanting to add such a useful mutant to her roster and she would continue to make numerous attempts at changing his mind. 

Jamie's real debut, as a customed hero came when MIT found itself under attack by several costumed criminals seeking to steal valuable technology. Unwilling to let them destroy his school and being on site, Jamie jumped into action and donned his battlesuit, taking to the air to battle the attackers. His sudden andn early instant appearance shook the attacking villains and he was able to exploit the surprise to deal some heavy blows, sending them retreating.The school sustained minimal damage due to Jamie's intervention but his suit and other tech violated the school's code and rules and he was expelled from the school. 

After this, Jamie went home to California where he moved back in with his parents. He briefly considered taking Emma Frost up on her offer before moving back, but thought better of it. It was at this time that Jamie found himself under investigation by the FBI for his weapons design and possible distribution. Unknown to Jamie this wasa strong-arm tactic meant to push him to being amenable to working for the government. Jamie eventually took the offer and was recruited into a new government-sanctioned, mutant superhero team called The Regulators. 

CAMPAIGN IDEAS - MARVEL'S 50-STATE INITIATIVE

THE SETUP MADE FOR TTTPRGS

Whether you are a fan of the Civil War storyline and its aftermath, the concept of the 50-State Initiative is one that is ripe for use in tabletop games. Much like the West Coast Avengers and the Marvel Superheroes RPG book, "Avengers Coast to Coast" provided an outline and even in-game resources for creating their own Avengers teams, the 50-State Initiative creates and instant framework in which players can assemble a team. While gamers don't need these frameworks to create their own uniwque teams, they do make it remarkably straightforward - pick a state and make a team. 

Yes, Marvel  has already assigned a number of existing heroes and teams or created new ones for some of the 50 states but as any tabletop game is going to effectively become its own alternate timeline, you have total freedom to insert your own teams in their place or even come up wth reasons there might be a second team in the area. IT IS YOUR GAME. If you are not playing in the U.S. you could even assume that other countries take a similar initiative assembling and assigning teams in whatever state equivelants they have. This sort of canned team background gets you in and gets you playing without a lot of fiddly "why are we together" worries. Your heroes are together because it's their job. 

In the comics, the initiative was never fully realized and dispanded before full deployment but your game could always say otherwise. You might also come up with a way to avoid the questionable ethics (Superhuman Registration Act) that formed the initiative.

Have you played this sort of campaign before? If so, what state did you play and who was in your lineup?