What Rose from the Ashes

The superheroes were joined by another city guardian, New Cross Shield, in our last outing. The prior time they had defended the city from a giant hamster and ravenous bugs, with very little attention to the river which runs through New Cross and through which the pests entered. This time I brought my battle mat, a customizable hex map, though as far as the PCs knew the scenario was to be another critter crawl. There were reports of stray geep above the rocky slopes where the semi-domesticated herbivores normally graze outside the city, and two of the heroes were telepathically paired with dispatchers Candy and Sharita. (Natural selection has resulted in most livestock being much larger than in prior times when chupacabra, wendigo and bigfoots were not so prevalent.) Unable to shoo the geep away from New Cross' prize orchards through the solar field, they investigated and found incorporeal shades congregating about a previously unknown cave; their unusual behavior had spooked the geep. These eyeless ghosts are unconcerned with the living, but the heroes had to pass close enough that their own life forces were endangered as they entered and explored the cave. Eventually they found a character in red-and-black nylons with a tombstone motif, who seemed to be controlling the shades. People are protective of the spirits of their dead in the future, and he was taken in on suspicion of necromancy.

Shield, the only character able to directly affect incorporeal beings, supported the others by pushing shades back, and they showed very perceptive discretion by recognizing when Cenotaph's force field went down and using only the minimum amount of force necessary to subdue him. He missed with his one attack so his powers are still mostly a mystery, but they each got 2 XP for this which is a lot, and a rare compliment from an old AD&D grognard like myself! We finished stress-testing my modification to allow rolls to hit (and saves) to be above, rather than below a target number, and with one minor revision will be implementing a less annoying chart for that purpose this time. The recluse had been writing by the light of his force field, a fanfic about a misunderstood vampire who keeps turning people into spawn to make them like him. Although computers are common in this world, they're monitored by a city network and not portable. If you pulled out something that looked like a tablet somebody would shout "they've got a radio!", and somebody else would shoot you. Blank journals are widely available, though; people use them to record their private thoughts, and some writers even get published in real books.

The system is Villains & Vigilants 3.0; to find it on Lulu look for Mighty Protectors, however. Most V & V tables are available for inspiration, but you only get one roll on the Birthplace table. If you roll an alien or anachronism I'll probably make you a gray or saurian (or monster, if you prefer), and if you don't like your result you can be a human from anywhere in North America. Some powers may alter your species, but do not choose an alien or tech construct. If you wish to roll for an Origin Type, substitute Medical for Scientific (and read on).

Your Background includes specialties for 2.5 points or careers for 5, and can have either at +3 (to a skill roll) for twice that cost. For example, the console tech specialty combines aspects of computer programming and electrical engineering, but only allows a roll with a certain type of computer (consoles). You get a free 10 points for these careers, so a character with only this job background would have 7.5 points left over to spend on other things. If your character is a college student, they might have no Knowledge and gain a specialty such as academic magic, animal psychology or monster wrangling upon graduating. Another way of gaining Knowledge would be to add a related career to a specialization, or a +3 specialization to a career the character already has. I don't want people cherrypicking areas of knowledge with the V & V points they gain over the course of the game: as in AD&D, gaining skills will take years of study. Unskilled is listed as a weakness allowing up to -10 points. You can have up to 50 points in these, giving you more to spend on your characteristics and powers. Poverty is another convenient weakness for a beginning character. A lot of remote learning goes on in the city: a student could even still live with their parents! A different career option is available to others with low wealth: they could have formerly been a bandit (2.5), smuggler (5), henchman (2.5) or minion (5 points). You can list Knowledge and Poverty or Wealth under powers or Background as you prefer. There is one campaign-specific weakness called Stow. For -10 points you live outside the city and are responsible for protecting yourself from rampaging monsters. Like most weaknesses, this has a less limiting -5-point alternative: Border-Dwellers live in the city wall (literally or practically) and are more exposed than other city residents to attacks from outside.

The Singularity happened long ago, and left the psyche of humanity scarred (it's 2175). Scientists were linked to the destruction of Earth's multiverse, and attitudes flipped: science is now a dark art practiced by villains, while the paranormal is seen as a force for good. (Substitute parapsychologist, psychic, musician, rancher or monster wrangler for science and technology on the Background table.) If you play a scientist it will be your secret identity, while the abilities you evince to fight crime must have some plausible explanation. Gadgeteers are O…K…just make your inventions magical. (At one point late in third edition D & D you could stop and eat a kind of cookie to power up in the middle of battle!) Telepaths are highly prized by the city-states, which interferes with their libarty to practice self=determination. Such abilities restrict you to secrecy or government employment. Furthermore, a telepath with silent mind control would be on call to protect the city from giant monsters, and required to direct monster traffic under normal circumstances. Thus if you desire this particular combination of abilities, you will most likely be an exile from another city-state, and use your powers most discreetly.

Peace is the default state of North America. Antennas are blamed for the devastation of civilization, and with their destruction diplomacy has returned to the leisurely pace of state visits. There is still a federal government of sorts: the Pentagon, originally called NORAD. It is rumored to have an AI, but that doesn't stop cities with military bases from seeking its advice. The end of the 21st century was marked by strife between militias and traditional military, but in the end Americans found unity in their common culture. Only a few very old, very reclusive billionaires remember what actually collapsed hyperspace, inundating reality with every cryptid and mythological being ever known, and they are heavily invested in the status quo. (Santa exists, and don't ask to play him.) Very wealthy characters take pains to avoid publicity, and any such player character will undoubtedly have a secret identity, and most likely professional skill as an executive or middle manager.

There are still influencers: phones disappeared long ago, but computer consoles are networked in each city (primarily for civil defense purposes), and the most popular shows of each city-state are shared with nearby cities using a single powerful visible light emitter. Few heroes will be content creators: the scene looks like a 1980's Flintstones cartoon as reporters run about with conspicuous cameras, mothers skech out like Scarlett, the wealthy are carried to safety on the backs of giant, often flying, monsters, heroes protect the masses, and the celebrities rush to bring these images from the studio to their faithful audiences. It is not a culture without freedom, but the emphasis has turned to local loyalty. If you burn to right its civil injustices or rehabilitate the reputation of science, that would make an interesting motivation to change the system from inside. Roleplaying a direct assault on society's core beliefs would not be productive.… Have fun combating vile technocrats, for in the world of the future they are objectively evil!