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DELUXE CITY CAMPAIGN SET ADVENTURE BOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 2 Coney Island 36 Chapter 7: The Manhattan Social Calendar 2 The Bronx Zoo 37 Chapter 8: Telling Stories 5 The Holland Tunnel 37 Goals 12 Central Park 38 Villains 14 The 39 The Adventure Hook 16 's Sanctum 39 NPCs 18 The Empire State Building 40 Conditions and Dilemmas 20 41 Deathtraps 22 The Financial District 42 The Grand Finale 24 Four Freedoms Plaza 43 Chapter 9: Running a Campaign 26 44 Chapter 10: The Manhattan Campaign 32 Metropolitan Museum of Art 44 What City and Why? 32 Headquarters 45 The Urban Campaign 33 United Nations 46 The Global Campaign 34 The Galactic Campaign 34 FUN CITY: Campaign Scenario 47 Chapter 11: Scenarios 35 Extending the Adventure 62 The Statue of Liberty 35 INDEX to both books 63 CREDITS Author: Allen Varney Editing: Jean Blashfield Black Graphic Design: Stephanie Tabat Typography: Gaye O'Keefe Cartography: Dennis T. Kauth, Diesel, Dave Sutherland, Stephanie Tabat, Paul Hanchette Keylining: Roy Parker Cover Art: Jeffrey Butler Interior Art: The Marvel Bullpen

Thanks to Susan Poelma, Bob Quintan, and Don and - mary Webb. Special thanks to Aaron Allston, whose "Adven- ture Cookbook" in TSR's Dungeon Master's Design Kit directly inspired the "Plot Ingredients" in this supplement.

This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork con- tained herein is prohibited without the express written consent of TSR, Inc., and Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors.

The TSR logo and PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

All characters appearing in this gamebook and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. MARVEL SUPER HEROES, MARVEL SUPER VILLAINS and The are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. ® Copyright 1989 Marvel Entertain- ment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Game Design K 1989 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. INTRODUCTION STOP! Have you read the Camp- perienced, can benefit from this The Point of This Book paign Sourcebook included in this chapter. This Adventure Book tries to convey set? If not, go back and look through Chapter 10 briefly discusses the that role-playing adventures work by that book first. When you're done, special requirements of a campaign the same rules as any adventure, come back here. . . . set in a large city, especially New York whether it is a comic book, prose Now that the Sourcebook has con- City. The bibliography of useful books, story, or movie. What does this imply? jured up for you, this maps, and other resources points in- 1. The scenario has a definite struc- Adventure Book describes how to use terested Judges to further reading ture and ground rules defined by its it in telling stories—that is, in prepar- about New York. story genre. ing adventure role-playing scenarios, Chapter 11, the entire last half of That doesn't mean the adventure stories starring the characters your this book, is devoted to ready-to-run proceeds in a straight plotline no mat- players want to play. scenarios, lots and lots of scenarios! ter what the characters do, but that The supplement begins with a list of First up are not one, not 10, but 15(!) the dramatic action builds toward a cli- some notable events held each year in individual mini-scenarios (in the style max, where the storyline is resolved. Manhattan. These events lend color of the Encounters in MHAC6, New 2. The scenario's characters have to a campaign and can inspire sce- York, New York). Each is keyed to one genuine functions in the narrative, nario ideas. For more explanation, of the Hotspot locations described in and they work toward real goals. Their consult Chapter 7, "The Manhattan the Campaign Sourcebook. Be famil- paths to the goals vary according to Social Calendar," starting on this iar with a given Hotspot listing before the characters' personalities. But all page. you run the mini-scenario tied to it. of them are trying to make something Chapter 8 offers a lengthy discus- Finally, the campaign scenario, definite happen in the story, not just sion of the technique of telling a single "Fun City," offers a full-length adven- throwing punches. story. This treatment, especially use- ture framework that uses as many 3. The Judge narrates the sce- ful to the beginning Judge, is followed Hotspots as you want. The scenario nario's events with a sense of tone by a series of treatises on individual works with heroes of any power level, and staging. For definitions of these plot elements, like goals, master vil- both established Marvel characters ideas, see Chapters 8 and 9. lains, and story climaxes. By picking and player-created heroes. Run it as If you have wondered how to give and combining these "plot ingredi- part of an ongoing campaign or use your scenarios greater depth, and ents," a Judge can easily design limit- the optional "Campaign Kickoff" to how to pull your players back for later less numbers of original scenarios. begin a new campaign with a ready- adventures in a broad campaign, This is, after all, a campaign set. So made background and long-term think about the advice in Chapters 8- Chapter 9 deals with the campaign, goals for your characters. 10. Note how the scenarios in Chapter the series of linked stories featuring The removable folder cover of this 11 incorporate these ideas into their the same characters. Learn how to de- booklet includes a large map of the design. When you master the art of sign a good campaign, choose PCs Manhattan subway system on the out- storytelling, your games become and villains, dangers to watch out for, side. On the inside of the folder are richer and more compelling. and a few of the many types of play- several maps used in Chapter 11 's Goto it! ers. Every Judge, no matter how ex- scenarios. CHAPTER 7: THE MANHATTAN SOCIAL CALENDAR "Hah!" cried. His tentacles lifted him away toward How do you use these events in the "You 're too late, heroes! I poisoned ten the Chase Manhattan Bank. The he- campaign? First and easiest, they pro- water cannisters along the Marathon roes gazed across cheering crowds, vide background color, scenic detail, route. In one hour the ten runners who as 50,000 runners trotted up the ave- and atmosphere important to a Man- drank them will die—unless you can lo- nue. . . . hattan campaign. Even if you only cate them and give them this antidote" mention in passing a specific festival Extending one adamantium tentacle, This chapter lists some of the regu- or concert—perhaps as the opening the villain flung down a simple steel lar seasonal events in Manhattan and scene of an adventure that quickly vacuum bottle. greater New York City: parades, moves elsewhere—the players still "Now," Octopus continued, "I go to shows, holidays, tournaments, con- get a sense of New York's vigorous, carry out a large financial transaction. ventions, and festivals. They are cosmopolitan culture. You can follow and stop me—but then grouped according to the months in But these events can also function you allow ten innocent athletes to die. which they (usually) occur. A few nota- in more important ways. Here are a Make your choice, heroes!" ble events include brief descriptions. few suggestions. The Lure: Important NPCs might tempting than others, depending on with gallery openings, galas, concert visit Manhattan to attend one of these the bad guy's goals and methods. For tours, premieres, trade shows and events. If the campaign is based in an- instance, the would usually conventions, and one-shot spectacu- other city, an event might draw PC he- show little interest in summer con- lars. For example, in 1989, New York roes to New York, in either secret or certs in Central Park, but it might have City was the site of a huge bicenten- hero IDs. designs on the International Antiques nial celebration of George Washing- The Job: Heroes could gain Show's more valuable items. On the ton's first inauguration as by appearing at some of these events, other hand, a terrorist who plans may- President—in New York. Or, in 1988 as per the "charity appearance" hem would prefer to target the park Manhattan hosted a gigantic arts festi- award. Or police might ask heroes to concerts or perhaps the Thanksgiving val featuring over 150 major events work larger events as crowd control, Day Parade. and many more lesser performances. high- security officers, or body- Customize the villain to the event, This, too, may become an annual guards. the event to the villain, and both to the summer event. And, above all other uses— setting and to your PCs' interests. For more information about these The Nefarious Plot: Because many That helps make your scenario an events, consult New York City news- of these events draw large crowds and event to remember. papers or magazines (available at the often involve big loot or rare trea- local library), or investigate the sures, they make fine targets for vil- This listing gives only regular an- sources in the Bibliography in the lainous mayhem. nual events. Remember, New York's Campaign Sourcebook. A villain will find some events more social schedule constantly simmers MANHATTAN CALENDAR OF EVENTS

JANUARY JULY • National Boat Show and Greater New York Auto Show, Javits Con- • 4: Fireworks above Macy's in midtown; Harbor Festival of races, con- vention Center (Hell's Kitchen). certs, and a street fair, lower Manhattan; more acrobatic flying and • Ice Capades and Nabisco Masters Men's Tennis, Madison Square parachuting at Coney Island. Garden (Seventh Avenue and 32nd Street). • Free concerts by the New York Philharmonic in Central Park and • Chinese New Year, first full moon after January 19, Chinatown. other parks, continuing in August. • Mostly Mozart festival of classical music, Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center, 64th and Broadway). Lasts six weeks • Lady of Pompeii Feast, . Nightly for ten days. FEBRUARY • Westminster Dog Show (two days and hundreds of entries), Madi- AUGUST son Square Garden • Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors. Free shows of all kinds of performing • International Antiques Show, Madison Square Garden arts, lasting three weeks. • "White sales" of linens and towels at department stores over Presi- • Bluegrass Club of New York Amateur Band Contest, various spots. dents Day weekend. • US Open Tennis Championships in Flushing Meadow, Queens.

SEPTEMBER MARCH • Washington Square Outdoor Art Show (see May entries). Ringling Bros./Bamum & Bailey Circus, Madison Square Garden. • Feast of San Gennaro, Little Italy. Lasts 11 nights. Once at this festi- 17: St. Patrick's Day Parade, Fifth Avenue. val battled the rat-like villain . • 52nd Street Fair, Third to Ninth Avenues • Steuben Day Parade (German- American). Fifth Avenue starting at 86th Street. • New York Film Festival, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center (to early Oct.). APRIL • Atlantic Antic, Brooklyn. Middle Eastern festival. • Sunday: Easter Parade, Fifth Avenue. Starts at St. Patrick's Cathedral (Fifth Avenue at 49th Street). The upper classes and would- be socialites put on their finest clothes and strut up and down the street in an annual ceremony, commemmorated in a song by Irving Berlin. OCTOBER • Fifth Avenue parades: Pulaski Day, Columbus Day, Hispanic Day, Veterans Day. • 24: United Nations Day. No official ceremonies. • Last Sunday of the month: New York City Marathon This 26-mile race starts at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (Staten Island side), - MAY ishes in Central Park at 67th Street, and passes through all five bor- • Many parades, including Brooklyn Bridge Day, Martin Luther King oughs in between. A major marathon event, it draws tens of thousands Jr., and Norwegian Independence Day Parades customarily wend their of hopeful masochists. way down Fifth Avenue, and dense crowds line both sides of the street. • 31: Halloween Parade in (where else?) Greenwich Village Gaudy • Ninth Avenue International Festival, a celebration of many ethnic and outrageous. cultures, including free entertainment. From 37th to 59th Streets. • Park Avenue Antiques Show, Seventh Regiment Armory (Park at 66th Street); lasts an entire week. • Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, display of kitsch art for NOVEMBER three weekends, beginning the last week in May (Washington Square • National Horse Show, Madison Square Garden. Lasts six days. Park, Broadway. University, and La Guardia Place). Also in September. • Thanksgiving Day: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Broadway at • Last weekend of May: Feast of St. Anthony, Little Italy. Food, rides, Herald Square. The Avengers and the have been known gambling games, and raffles to ride floats in this parade It usually includes a Spider-Man baitoon, • Memorial Day: Aerobatics and parachuting at Coney Island. depending on the wail-crawler's public image in any given year. The balloon always occasions an irate Daily Bugle editorial. • The Magnificent Spectacular," Radio City Music Hall, Times Square. • The weekend after Thanksgiving: National Hot Rod and Custom JUNE Car Show, Javits Convention Center. • Parades. Puerto Rican Day, Salute to Israel. • Festival of St. Anthony continues in Greenwich Village. • Museum Mile, Fifth Avenue: For one midweek evening in early June, ten museums between 82nd and 105th Streets charge no admission. DECEMBER • Metropolitan Opera performances in many of the city's parks. Many • Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Rockefeller Center (47th Street other musical events of all kinds, including a couple of prominent jazz between Fifth and Sixth Avenues). A major event. festivals, and Shakespeare in the Park (Central Park's Delacorte The- • Fifth Avenue holiday store windows (through early January). Spec- ater), continuing into July. tacular moving dioramas that draw heavy crowds. • Goldman Memorial Band concerts, Lincoln Center. • 31: New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square where tens of thou- • "Summerpier" jazz concerts. South Street Seaport. sands watch the illuminated globe atop the Allied Chemical Tower de- • Great Irish Fair, Brooklyn. scend second by second to mark the beginning of the new year. There are also celebrations in Central Park and Prospect Park. CHAPTER 8: TELLING STORIES "A bunch of heroes were hanging stand the genre (and if you've been Bad guys, just as motivated: Don't around together for no particular rea- reading Marvel comics for a long time, forget that the bad guys are people, son. Suddenly they heard about a you probably do), skip this section. too (at least some of them). They fight super-powered villain's evil scheme. for a reason. The villains are greedy, For no particular reason they set out to Setting the Tone crazy, or just plain nasty; they yearn find the villain. They did, and in a big "Tone," the most important factor in for power, slaves, or ideological purity; fight they defeated the villain. The end." gaming a genre, refers to the general or they just want to prove they're the You'd be bored by a comic book quality or atmosphere of the genre's best at what they do. with this storyline. You might even say, stories. For instance, hard-boiled de- Whatever they are, villains are not "I can write a better comic story my- tective stories usually have a dark, collections of numbers that exist to be self!" When you become a Judge, you brutally cynical tone, whereas ro- pounded on. They hatch many plots, can. In your own "comics," your role- mances stress true love and heart- and they can really antagonize your playing adventures, you can create break. heroes—get on their nerves in a per- stories with as much excitement as Stories of the Marvel heroes vary in sonal way. The villain who insults a the Marvel comics. tone between the high-tech galactic hero, makes his life hard, and kidnaps This means you create, not just a se- adventure of the Fantastic Four and his dog will mean a lot more to that he- ries of fights, but a storyline with a be- the urban nightmare of . ro's player than just another thug from ginning, middle, and end; giving PCs a With this variety, what genre elements the rulebook. This gets players more clear goal and a struggle against vil- should you use in setting your tone? involved in the story. lains with conflicting goals; and featur- Many elements depend on the kind High-speed action: Marvel comics ing a supporting cast of NPCs who can of campaign you choose and on the are exciting, and your adventures hinder or help the players. power level of your PCs. But here are should proceed in that tradition. Every This chapter discusses the ele- some elements common to all Marvel play session should include plenty of ments of a good Marvel story or sce- stories. chasing around, suspense, and as nario. First comes a general Good vs. evil: The heroes and vil- much action as you can squeeze in. discussion of story elements, pacing, lains may not always wear skin-tight The characters should be dynamic staging, and other important matters. costumes, but you can always tell the types who throw themselves into things Novice Judges in particular should good guys from the bad guys. Marvel instead of hanging back and not getting find this useful. heroes fight the good fight against var- involved, afraid of losing Health. They Then the chapter presents a series ious agents of , destruction, - show their personalities through their of detailed treatments of "plot ingredi- anny, corruption, and chaos. The deeds, just like the characters in the ents," such as villains, NPCs, death- heroes, and your PC heroes, are al- comics. The comic-book audience en- traps, and grand finales. By mixing ways clearly on the side of right. joys a fast-paced story, and your audi- and matching these ingredients, you Some heroes, such as ence of players is no different. can create hundreds of new sce- and the , often work on the Humor: Don't forget, while your vil- narios. Any Judge, no matter how ex- wrong side of the law and inhabit an lains plan civilization's collapse and perienced, can use these to improve extremely gray area on the spectrum the end of life on Earth, that Marvel adventures. of morality. But almost without fail, comics also feature liberal doses of their foes act worse than the heroes comedy relief. ever would. So they, too, embody the Spider-Man always gets off plenty THE GENRE conflict of good and evil. of one-liners; where goes, the enormous is seldom far be- A "genre" refers to a distinctive Heroes who are highly motivated: hind; even Doctor Strange manages kind of story, such as mysteries, West- These characters have reasons for to grin from time to time. And some vil- erns, romances, or fantasy, usually what they do. Spider-Man knows that lains, such as the Impossible Man, used to distinguish it from general, or with great power comes great respon- add welcome doses of silliness. "mainstream," fiction. sibility; the FF prevents super villains Readers of these genres quickly and aliens from conquering the world; When your scenarios get too grim, point out that there is wide variety the X-Men and X-Factor protect mu- players can forget the reason they within each one. In the same way, the tants from persecution; the Punisher play: to have fun. So throw in opportu- Marvel comic-book genre includes fights organized crime to avenge his nities for wit, satire, or even . many kinds of stories. But there are slain family. certain similarities among them that Just having miraculous powers is, Genre Conventions are worth discussing here. in itself, no reason to risk your life bat- Aside from the elements that create Why is this important? Because to tling bad guys. Your PCs should have the genre's tone, there are also un- tell stories like those in Marvel comics, origins that explain their motives, and spoken assumptions that allow them you should understand the rules by your adventures should reinforce to work. Every form of entertainment which they work. If you already under- those motives. uses "conventions" of this kind. For IN FINAL BATTLE . . . instance, one of the conventions of scenarios uniquely suited to your way to reverse the hypnosis, or at opera is that everyone sings beauti- players' characters. If they aren't able dawn millions of people will walk into fully; of space-opera science fiction to handle magic, don't throw a lot of the ocean and drown." movies, that you can move from magical perils at them; they will just For more premises you might con- planet to planet in a reasonable time. have to locate Doctor Strange and ask sider using, see the "Summary" sec- Without such assumptions, the whole for help. Your PCs are the stars of the tions that begin the scenarios in story falls apart. story, so they are by definition the best Chapter 11. You might think the conventions of heroes to handle the situation. Goals: In a story, the player charac- super-hero adventures include things Of course, an occasional visit to ters work toward genuine goals. like high-tech gadgets, explosions, Four Freedoms Plaza or Avengers Is- "Stop from taking over and big, climactic battles with villains. land is okay. For instance, the heroes the UN building." "Find the evidence But those are just plot elements, and might need to borrow a piece of equip- that will clear a PC hero of this murder many perfectly good Marvel stories ment that only the Avengers or FF charge." "Locate and rescue the don't involve any of these. Conven- would have. But if the players start to Mayor." tions are more subtle. For example: lean too hard on other hero groups, There are many goals, all of them 1. If you wear a mask, nobody can make sure those others are conven- having real effects if the heroes reach tell who you are. iently "off on missions" when your them or fail. Make your story's goal This is the way secret identities scenarios take place. one the characters care about, and work. No one can figure out a hero's 5. Heroes make a difference. that motivates them to act heroically. true identity without careful detective New York City may be huge and Settings: In a story, the environment work. have problems that millions of people is important. It can determine the 2. If you catch someone who is com- can't solve, but the efforts of its few course of the plot, and it does more mitting a crime and haul the crook to super humans make life better for ev- than anything else to establish the the police, the crook goes to jail. eryone. Sometimes this convention, tone and atmosphere of the story. Occasionally this idea fails, but only too, is honored in the breach rather Think about Times Square. Or Four when the story specifically calls for it. than the observance, but, in general, Freedoms Plaza. Or Doctor Strange's For instance, Daredevil turned in the Marvel comics strike a positive note Sanctum. These aren't just maps with agent called Bullet, but Bullet's gov- about their heroes' role in society. numbered rooms, they're places ernment connections got him out of When you show that your PCs are where people live or work, with unique police custody in hours. improving their world, the players feel features that set a mood. In general, though, this convention good and continue playing. But if the A low, smoke-stained ceiling with prevents heroes from having to worry PCs mess up all the time, and their shreds of paint still clinging at the cor- about the legal system, since having to presence only makes things worse, ners. Hot, bright incandescent lights do so seldom produces exciting stories. the players will come to feel that they hanging low over green baize tables 3. You can say a lot during a pitched are better off staying home. that smell of grease and dust. The cue battle. ball clicks against the shiny black 8. Give your PCs time to make threats, Big guys in cammo vests or flashy stirring speeches, or insults between ABOUT STORIES suits look for shots. Now and then a thrown punches. Villains can drop police siren wails across town, and How do you turn all of these ideas clues or gloat. Think of these orations half the players start, looking suddenly into an adventure? How do you mix el- as the word balloons in a comic-book guilty. Mumbled bets, crinkling bills, ements of plot, characters, settings, panel. These "soliloquies" take no ice cubes clacking in shot glasses, surprises, and goals, present them to game time, and they make for a color- hazy warm air. your player characters, and turn their ful fight. responses into an exciting story? If you give your players these de- 4. The heroes are the only ones who One funny but useful approach tails, they'll know more about this can solve the problem at hand. compares your role to that of a chef in story than if you said, "There you are The , especially a big kitchen. The episodes of your in a sleazy pool hall." New York City, is crowded with he- story are like the courses of a dinner, Another way to describe settings is roes. But part of what makes them and you have a selection of staple in- to draw on your players' shared expe- heroic—and what makes a good gredients to mix in your recipes. rience of reading Marvel comics. story—is that each one faces his or Premises: These are the spring- Compare sites to the scenes in the her problems head-on, alone. boards for stories or adventures. A comics: "This is a luxurious brown- When the assassin went premise provides a situation, a goal, stone like the one Matt Murdock used on a killing rampage through Manhat- and reasons to try to reach the goal. to live in," or "This is a big, shiny labo- tan, did Daredevil knock on the door of For example, "The has cap- ratory like uses in Four and say, "Thor, tured the TV and radio stations atop Freedoms Plaza." This is a shorthand could you take care of this little matter the Empire State Building and is way to set the scene. for me?" No. Daredevil fought and broadcasting subtle hypnotic sugges- The Hotspot entries in the Cam- bested his enemy alone, because it tions. The heroes must get to the stu- paign Sourcebook include enough de- was Daredevil's story. dios, stop his broadcasts, and find a scriptive detail to get you started, and In game terms, you should prepare you can improvise the rest as needed, from your imagination or additional cue an ambassador's teenage daugh- Of course, players always do unex- reading. ter, who has been kidnapped by pected things that affect the length of Conflict: It's not a story unless terrorists. The PCs cross the city to time a story takes to complete. They something prevents the heroes from the terrorist hideout, sneak in, silence take a few days off to earn money or achieving their goal with ease. Maybe the lone guard, and wake the young date their girl/boyfriends, or they acci- bad guys are chasing them, only a woman. She lets out a screech and dentally stumble on the high-tech item stretched footstep behind. Maybe the calls for the terrorists! It turns out that destroys the villain in one turn. person they're sent to find doesn't she's allied herself with them to rebel You can't plan for this, but you ought want to be found, or works to sabo- against her father and create a new to have some notion of how many eve- tage the heroes, or has been kid- life without him. The players, having nings everyone will have to keep open napped. Or a tremendous disaster proceeded without thinking, must suf- to finish the adventure. has endangered the city, so the he- fer the consequences. A short scenario, with an immediate roes must spend valuable time rescu- But when the players are alert, think goal and one or two obstacles, can ing innocents. matters through, and plan intelligently take a few hours—one play-session. Obstacles to success make exciting for likely turns of events, don't shove An extended adventure, lasting many adventures. They come not just from in an arbitrary surprise just to mess days of game-time or ranging across a villains and henchmen, but from the them up. If the plan they offer would wide area, with lots of fights or environment, misunderstandings, or work as you have arranged matters— chases, can take many sessions of neutral NPCs with conflicting goals. even if it isn't the way you had figured several hours each. And not all obstacles can be removed it would be—it deserves to succeed. In planning an extended adventure, with a haymaker or repulsor ray. In this way you reward intelligence, try to break down the story into Suppose your heroes need to catch and players don't start thinking, "Why session-length "episodes" or install- a taxi to Queens, so they can warn bother planning when we're going to ments. Each episode should offer cer- that a villain is headed her get blindsided anyway?" Sometimes tain features in its own right, such as way. The only taxi around is occupied when the heroes execute a plan flaw- action and an opportunity for each by a stuffy rich guy who wants no truck lessly, with no drawbacks, the suc- player character to do something use- with rowdy muscular guys in funny cess itself surprises the heroes more ful. Otherwise, the adventure may suits. He's got bodyguards and pow- than any failure you could invent. drag, and some players can grow dis- erful connections; he can probably The grand finale: A story's excitement satisfied. Episodes are discussed fur- outbid the heroes; and if they punch should build to higher levels, and then ther below. him out, they'll ruin their reputations. be resolved in a single dramatic con- In a campaign, it is often a good This conflict forces PCs to think frontation. More often than not, this is a idea to alternate extended, multi- around a problem. Even though no- slugfest with the main villain. session adventures with shorter, body has swung a fist or destroyed a In this climax, the main story ele- "one-shot" stories. The short breaks building, the story is exciting and in- ments should be resolved, main goals provide light relief from the rigors of a volving. Try to put many kinds of con- reached or lost, and most important lengthy adventure, in the same way flict in stories. characters dealt with in some fitting you might take a break from reading Non-player characters (NPCs): fashion. Maybe the chief villain es- multi-part graphic novels to browse a Some NPCs are interesting allies or capes, surviving to fight again . .. but short story. villains, with their own skills and for now, no one has to worry about him Getting underway: First, make sure goals. Others are faceless threats, or her for a while. you have all the game materials you like thugs or monsters, who are just You can't always know your story's need, such as pencils, dice, and there for the heroes to overcome. climax when you design the adven- "paranoia notes" (slips of paper the Both kinds fill essential roles in your ture, because players can act unpre- players use to pass private messages plot. dictably and send the plotline to the Judge). And set out plenty of Surprises: What comic reader careening off in new directions. But as munchies—role-playing is hungry doesn't like a good twist in the narra- you judge the adventure, be alert for work! Then everything is ready. tive? When Spider-Man's first black ways to resolve the story in a dramatic Before the adventure begins, get costume turned out to be a vampiric final scene. Read more about finales each player to introduce his or her alien, that startled readers every- later in this chapter. character to the others. If it is not an where. When Thor was briefly replaced established Marvel character, the by the alien , no one was player should describe the character's exactly sure what was going on. ABOUT TELLING THE appearance and perhaps some back- When players are acting without ground. much thought, because they think STORY Starting an adventure can be a they know what's coming next, make Now that you've cooked up a din- problem. The goal is not only to sure they're wrong. Any story offers ner, you should decide how to serve it. present a situation, but to involve the chances to make the players have to How will you get your players into the players in it—to get them emotionally readjust their expectations with a sud- story, and how will the plot develop? committed. The "Adventure Hooks" den lurch. Length: Have a rough idea of how section later in this chapter gives spe- Maybe the heroes are trying to res- long the whole adventure should take. cific ways to pull players into the story. 8 But here is one point of general ad- his head back, and he screams! vice: STORYTELLING STYLE "His arms falter. They're still hold- Consider starting the heroes right in The way you describe settings, im- ing him up, but he's sagging to the the middle of everything. Tell the players personate characters, and dramatize floor like an old man. He sinks lower that their characters received an urgent action directly influences how much and lower. And all the while he's mum- summons from a police stoolie; when fun everyone has. bling, 'You can't beat me again—this they went to rescue him, they stumbled First, don't drone. The Judge who time I've got you—just let me catch into a Maggia ambush. The gunmen recites his or her narrative in a bored my breath—' Then the arms give way are firing. What do the PCs do? monotone or a singsong voice, like an all at once, he hits the floor, and he lies Already players can make interesting accountant reading figures off a tax there twitching." choices, they're headed in a clear direc- return, inspires players with no more tion, and you begin to establish the tone enthusiasm than the tax return would. for this adventure. When the action lets Also, when the action becomes ex- The second Judge's narrative ex- up for a moment or two, convey the citing, get excited! Raise your voice. cites the players, helps them visualize premise and goal of the story, and let Gesture. Make noises, like the explo- the action, and simulates the "feel" of the heroes charge onward. sion of gunshots or the zaps of magic Marvel comics. This is called staging. Pacing the story: Once they're spells. Just look at any Marvel comic There's nothing wrong with rules, for sound-effects ideas. Ham it up! charging, how fast do they get where but they exist only to help you and the Your enthusiasm will draw people into they're going? As fast as possible, of players create stories. So tell the sto- the spirit of the story. Or if not, at least course. Keep things rolling along, and ries something like an on-the- ra- they'll be entertained watching you don't get bogged down in detail. If you dio news reporter. Describe the fight act crazy. are not sure about a rule, invent some- blow by blow, not die roll by die roll. thing reasonable and continue; then A few tips for colorful description: you can check later, and reverse your Staging Use many senses. Describe what earlier ruling if it's still necessary and Here is how two different Judges, the PCs see and hear, but also include feasible. one brand-new and the other experi- interesting smells, the temperature, And players shouldn't make things enced, describe the end of one battle. when it's useful, and the way the drag with rules questions, either. Their scene makes the characters feel: characters don't have time to flip "The Hudson River is wide, slate gray, The new Judge: "What did you roll? through rulebooks in the midst of and smells like the oil in an old gas Okay, that's a hit. Doctor Octopus heated exertion, so the players station. A stiff, cool breeze blows to- takes Incredible damage. That brings shouldn't either. If you make it clear to ward you. A few derelicts are stagger- him to 0, all right. He makes his Endur- players that you will treat them fairly ing along the waterfront. You feel as ance roll, so he's not dying, but he's and that a finicky rules question won't desolate as they look." out cold." govern the success or failure of their Use sound effects. As mentioned mission, they should be willing to sur- The experienced Judge: "What did above, don't hesitate to "bang! ka- render to the moment and play the you roll? Okay, your energy bolt boom! zam!" all you like. Don't be roles, not the rules. shoots out like lightning, kzat! It crack- shy—you're the Judge, so you can do les yellow, white, blue. The smell of anything you want. If the players make ozone fills the air. The bolt strikes Doc- fun of you, throw an incredible super- tor Octopus right in his stomach. His powered villain at their characters. arm controls spark and fizzle, he jerks That should hush them up! of the whole story: a clear goal, inter- Dramatizing the Climax Design dramatic entrances and ex- esting characters, maybe some mys- As the story reaches its end, the its. A major character's appearance or tery. And the episode involves specific players should not lean back to watch departure is worth playing up. It's plot elements, such as (one or more the show. You must dramatize the okay to say, "There's Doctor Octopus, of) these: action. That doesn't mean waving and he springs to the attack." But you - fighting your arms dramatically as you de- increase suspense and interest if you - a chase scribe the ending; it means you in- say, "The only sound in the ware- - high-tech superscience or magic volve the PCs as key actors in the house is the buzzing of a . It flies in the mighty Marvel manner drama. The heroes must take action down in front of you—and suddenly a - investigation, if the story is a mys- to achieve success. metal tentacle lances down and grabs tery, or if the goal isn't clear If the climax of the adventure is an it out of the air! Overhead, Doctor Oc- - comedy, such as interaction with exciting battle, that's fine, and cer- topus shouts, 'I have you now!' ' NPCs or weird twists of the plot. Don't tainly not without precedent. Another Melodramatic entrances and exits let the laughs undermine the impor- interesting type of dramatization re- can be overdone, so be careful. Listen tance of the fight against evil; but quires characters to make a choice, to your players. If they sound primed don't get so solemn that nobody has a then act on that choice. Then they to expect a big splash, consider catch- good time. must deal with the consequences of ing them off-guard by having the vil- The most important rule: In plotting the choice. lain slip in quietly. "You searched the an episode of your story, think about For example, the villain may kidnap city for the , but you found noth- all the players and their characters. a guide who helped the characters on ing. After several hours, you get tired Ask what each character can do in this their adventure. At the climax, the vil- and go back to headquarters. You episode. Each player should feel his lain appears with a knife at the victim's head for the kitchen to make a cup of or her involvement is important. throat. Do the heroes let the villain get coffee . . . and he's waiting for you at Maybe only one character speaks away? the kitchen table." the language of your important NPC, Or a spy who's been reporting to a Describe powers vividly. If your PCs while another knows how to infiltrate a villain on the PCs' movements turns fire power bolts of Amazing intensity, villain's master computer. A third is the out to be the daughter of an important make them sound amazing. only one who can detect that magical NPC, perhaps the characters' patron. "Orange fire builds around your fin- trap, while the fourth has a weapon Do they arrest her on the spot? gertips. For half a second you wonder, perfect for foiling an ambush. Perhaps players will have no trou- as usual, whether this time the power Make sure everybody gets to show ble with these decisions, but making really will incinerate your hand. The off at least once. That's one of the them agonize isn't the point. The energy builds before you can blink prime attractions of role-playing. choices they make define their char- your eyes, and you launch the fireball acters and determine the course of in a blaze of yellow light." the story. There is a whole section This makes players feel super hu- RESOLVING THE STORY about these "dilemmas" later in this man in a way that "You hit him with chapter. So the game is going along fa- your flame bolt" just can't. mously. Eventually, however, like any You manipulated the sequence of story, it must end. events to bring about the story's cli- max. But once you reach it, major ma- EPISODES Creating the Story Climax nipulation is uncalled for. You can have a villain miss his FEAT roll or fail When you create a long story that In theory, your adventure has set to see a brilliant tactic, if it would make players can't complete in one session, the heroes a particular goal, and they for a dramatic defeat (see below). But give thought to breaking up the plot have been opposed by one or more in general, the actions the player char- into episodes. main adversaries or obstacles. In the acters take of their own accord should Each session of play should be in- climax, try to draw together the he- decide the story's outcome. Other- teresting in its own right. Otherwise, roes, the adversaries, and the goal. wise, the players feel like they're after a dull stretch, the players might Either the heroes reach the goal, or watching events, not shaping them. not come back for the next one. they fail conclusively; the bad guys And it's a good idea to break off a are overcome, or escape, or triumph If they fail completely, the failure session either (a) at some natural (for the moment). need not be permanent or fatal; see pause, such as after a big fight, when One way to analyze your story and "Victory Levels," below. the players and their characters would design the climax is to visualize an naturally unwind; or (b) at a dramatic, event that changes the situation, obvi- Don't Let Dice Mess You Up cliff-hanging moment, such as just be- ously and permanently. Somebody The heroes corner your master vil- fore a big fight, when your players can dies; a hero's (or item's) latent power lain, confront him with his crimes, de- hardly wait to see what comes next. is activated; the object the villains liver their impassioned speeches, and This way you know they'll come back seek is destroyed; a hero and heroine hit him with overwhelming . Eve- for the next session! fall in love; the setting burns down or rything's set up for his defeat; he'll An exciting episode of your story explodes. stagger a few steps, shake his fist in should include a lot of the ingredients impotent , and drop into a bottom- 10 less pit. All they have to do is hit him. comics and in game scenarios, they themselves. You roll his Dodging or Evading come out on top. And a good thing, Rewards: The good guys usually FEAT, and he evades their blow with too; given the high stakes in a super- win. After a long and hard-fought bat- ease. The moment is lost. The PCs re- hero adventure, the heroes' failure tle, the PCs want to know their efforts sort to a long, tedious battle of attri- may mean the end of life on Earth as have been appreciated. That appreci- tion, wearing him down into we know it. ation usually takes the form of Karma unconsciousness so they can kick him So are you forced to put PCs on a awards, but there are also other ways while he's down. railroad track to success? No. Failing to reward heroes. What went wrong? You let your dice a mission need not mean the death of Equipment, for example. A rescued do the thinking for you, that's what. everyone involved, nor the triumph of millionaire or grateful bank president The dice don't tell the story, you do! If evil. If the players fumble, there are could give them a spiffy limousine or their results interfere with a fun, satis- less extreme ways of ending the ad- private aircraft. Or the heroes might fying adventure, what do you gain by venture and letting them know they crib a magic ring or high-tech gizmo slavishly obeying them? The reason blew it. from the villain's headquarters. (Not you're all playing is to have fun, and They can lose weapons or devices. only does this work as a reward, it can "having fun" and "following each and If the PC playing Thor loses his Uru also trigger a future adventure.) every rule, without exception" don't hammer, you can be sure he knows he Intangible rewards can be just as always mean the same thing. made a mistake somewhere. If your useful: the friendship of a more power- You might ask, "But isn't this cheat- characters are forcibly parted from ful or experienced hero; favors earned ing?" Sure, but only to help the play- their possessions, they'll to from the mayor or chief of police; a ers have a good time. That's the rule track down the bad guys and retrieve contact at the Daily Bugle; even the that precedes all other rules. So if you them. Another adventure! grateful tears of an old widow. think a scene would flow better if your Or you can let the enemy capture What about the rewards for han- villain rolled low instead of high—he the player characters. Then the he- dling really world-shattering events? did! (Just make sure you roll the dice roes escape in the next scene and try Depending on the heroes' reputations out of the players' view, so they don't to pull together the remnants of their and standing with the police, city offi- know you're fudging.) mission. And remember, after a failure cials could arrange a ticker-tape pa- It makes a good story. It doesn't hurt the goal should somehow be harder to rade up Fifth Avenue. Filthy rich or anybody, except the villains. And they achieve. influential people could build an entire won't complain. Other penalties include reduced headquarters for the heroes. National Karma awards, scathing editorials in news shows broadcast the PCs' hero- Victory Levels the Daily Bugle, and the scorn of the ism. Of course, that means every gun- The heroes won or lost. But maybe characters' peers. slinging super-powered villain hot to it's not that clear-cut. They rescued A bad way to handle the players' make a reputation will target the PCs! the hostages, but the villain escaped. failure is to bring in an NPC to make Every reward should sow the seeds Or, they defeated the radioactive mon- things right. This galls the players and of future adventures. The story grows ster, but it managed to destroy mid- makes them feel useless. An impor- into a campaign ... but that is the sub- town Manhattan beforehand. tant part of role-playing is the illusion ject for the next chapter. In designing an adventure, think that the player's character can, and about levels of victory. The major goal must, influence events. If an NPC is may include certain minor or acces- always waiting in the wings to patch PLOT INGREDIENTS sory goals, and the PCs may achieve up mistakes, a player will think (justifi- The following pages describe a few some but not others. ably) that he or she could have stayed important story elements in greater home. Most importantly, the heroes' victory detail. These discussions include lists may not be conclusive. If they overlook The ultimate penalty is death. In a of "plot ingredients" that you can clues, don't take all the right actions, or story, death is important and, usually, combine to create your own sce- suffer a string of awful luck, the villain final. Don't let your characters die narios. This approach owes much to may get away. Or they catch the bad pointlessly in some random gunfight. another TSR product, the excellent guy, but the building the heroes were Their deaths should serve the plot (but Dungeon Master's Design Kit by Aaron guarding gets destroyed in the process. not—note!—be vital to it). A hero's Allston and Harold Johnson. Though Not good for the reputation. death should be a dramatic, emo- intended for fantasy role-playing, this These inconclusive victories sow tional moment in the story. Try to stage product offers a great deal of interest the seeds of future adventures. The it as part of a climax, or vice versa, and to Judges and to game referees in any villain vows revenge, or the site must be sure to give the character a chance genre. be rebuilt and looters chased away, for a few poignant (or defiant) last and so on. words. Defeat: Beyond the foggy land of in- Failure happens. Reasons are not conclusive victory lies the swamp of important, after the fact. Be ready to utter, dismal, unconditional failure. salvage the situation and set the stage Marvel characters don't often blow for another adventure, in which the it in major, permanent ways. Both in heroes have a chance to redeem 11 GOALS Here are several key points to keep to all good scenario design. other dimensions such as the Nega- in mind when choosing scenario goals But the heroes should be able to suc- tive Zone or 's Dark Di- for MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ ad- ceed in the goal even when a particular mension. ventures: PC is missing, unconscious, or other- No one can get there but super be- 1. Define the goal for the players as wise indisposed. If the PCs can't win ings, so a scientist or research society clearly as possible. without that one character, something is asks the PCs to look around. The he- This is essential. If the players don't wrong. Ideally, each individual PC could roes must journey there and come have a clear idea of where they are go- be the key to victory, with the others back alive. Often the heroes must ing, they may just dither, or even strike working as backup and support. bring back some legendary artifact as- out in frustration at the nearest likely- 4. If possible, link the goal to distinc- sociated with the location. looking target. tive features of the scenario's setting Most likely a villain is using the des- Not only should you convey the goal and villain. tination as a headquarters or is plot- at or near the beginning of the adven- This is really just chrome, a way to ting to strand the heroes at the ture, you must also take care to give a increase the players' sense of place. destination. Whether or not foul play clear minor goal in each scene of the You can run a fine generic adventure ensues, play up the sense of wonder, adventure. The heroes may know they that has nothing special to do with the the idea that the PCs are heading are supposed to stop Doctor Doom's setting; you just miss an opportunity, "where no one has gone before." plot to shrink Manhattan to the size of that's all. a grapefruit, but if they don't know And some stories work regardless Find Escaped Villain how to start looking for him, you of the ultimate bad guy. The villain's The calls. "Uh, don't exactly haven't clearly defined the first psychology and peculiar motivation know how to explain this, but remem- scene's goal. are unimportant; he or she is just an ber that arch- you dragged in 2. Convey to the players the conse- opponent to beat up in the last scene. last month? Well—" A clue or two, of a quences if their PCs fail to reach the This kind of story is not wrong or inher- kind only the PCs can decipher, puts goal. ently bad. It just doesn't take advan- the heroes on the escaped criminal's If the consequences of failure don't tage of many colorful possibilities of trail. seem serious, and preferably drastic, storytelling. This goal is straightforward and to rethink the goal. Make it important! the point, and especially suitable "Important" does not always mean All that said, here are some sample when the heroes have a personal world-shaking. The consequences goals that should inspire new and in- grudge against the escaped villain. can be completely personal. For in- ventive scenario ideas: stance, if failure in the adventure Help Friend or Ally means that Aunt May dies, a good Clear Name A fellow hero, dependent NPC, or Spider-Man player will be just as moti- Someone has framed a hero or childhood friend seeks out a hero's vated to reach the goal as he would if NPC for a dreadful crime. While the help. The NPC is being menaced by failure meant the downfall of America. accused hero evades public brickbats some side effect of the villain's plan. In assessing a goal's importance, or the NPC languishes in jail, the he- The heroes must quash the plan to get be aware that in a role-playing con- roes must find the responsible villain. the friend out of trouble. text, threats against a PC's well-being Then they must bring back satisfac- If you prefer to increase the para- are functionally identical to threats tory evidence of the frame-up, some- noia level of your campaign, the against the city, nation, or the entire times the trickiest part of the mission. "friend" could traitorously lure the he- world. Both are equally serious. They In a continuing campaign, keep in roes into the villain's deathtrap. But both involve the players' emotions to mind some outcome in case the heroes once stung this way, players will never the highest degree. fail the mission. The accused must regard their friends with open-hearted This principle is useful when you stand trial or the group's reputation is fellowship again. want to run an adventure with poten- ruined. This can give the campaign a tially disastrous consequences, but new direction for a while. But eventually, Personal Gain you don't want to materially alter the of course, you allow the heroes to dis- Super beings are, as a rule, above campaign world. Even though life cover new evidence to clear them- monetary pressures (though Peter goes on, a single death in an adven- selves. (See "Evidence Uncovered" Parker would disagree). But "gain" ture can be a disaster. and "Mistaken Identity" in "The Adven- doesn't have to mean just money. The 3. Establish paths to the goal that ture Hook" section below.) adventure goal might be procuring every PC can use. advanced technology for a hero's If one PC is a sharp detective, a la Explore fancy power armor—but the needed Daredevil, and another plays a power- Not many places on Earth remain gadget was just stolen by the adven- house like , give both of them unexplored, but there are always the ture's villain! ways to be useful. This is fundamental ocean, , outer space, and Alternatively, the heroes might be

12 looking for information about their mys- For a more appropriate genre ex- Thwart Nefarious Plot terious past, or legendary magic spells ample, who turned the Eiffel Tower up- The quintessential goal. The Man- or treasures. Or they might be trying to side down, and why, and how? How darin has just mind-controlled all of "build their rep" as heroes so they can did that minor villain become so pow- Wall Street and threatens the Western apply for an Avengers franchise. erful? What are those strange rum- world with economic chaos. The King- blings issuing from that new IRT pin is turning an entire student popu- Protect subway tunnel? lation of a downtown high school into The PCs must guard a valuable per- This kind of mystery suits a heroic drug addicts. Doctor Doom has son or item, such as a to a campaign much better. The heroes im- planted nuclear weapons underneath Maggia killing, a priceless Lemurian mediately see courses of action. They every state capital building. And so artifact, the US President and the So- can solve the mystery through physical on. viet Premier during a summit meeting, means (getting to the end of that sub- The heroes must find the bad guy, and so on. way tunnel, for example) and confront punch his or her lights outs, and de- Another simple, straightforward the responsible villain in battle. This is stroy all equipment vital to the plot. goal, protecting something puts the the heroic equivalent of a mystery, and it You can't find a purer version of clas- heroes in a passive role until someone works well in a scenario. sic comics than this. tries to do damage to the protected item. So plan on either a slow start to the adventure, or just cut immediately to the exciting scene: "You were called on to guard the Wakandan am- bassador, and for three days, all has gone well. But suddenly—"

Rescue A ransom note, a whispered phone call that is suddenly cut off, a broad- cast appeal by the Mayor—anything can let the heroes know someone has a person or item that the PCs must get back. Usually they know the vil- lain's identity from the start, but must find the bad guy's stronghold, enter stealthily or invade in full force, and get out alive. (Most self-respecting he- roes don't try to get out until they've thoroughly trashed the place.) Often the villain is expecting the he- roes and has a deathtrap or two wait- ing. Only forethought and skillful entry can keep the PCs out of the trap. This goal also appears when the PCs have messed up the "Protect" goal above. "You let this mess hap- pen," some authority figure tells them, "so get out there and make up for your mistake!"

Solve Mystery Colonel Mustard has been found dead in the drawing room, and a bloody lead pipe lies beside the body. Who did it? Murder mystery plots don't often work well in super-hero stories. Their complicated structures of motive, method, and opportunity call for heavy thinking. Many PC heroes aren't built for that kind of endeavor; or they may have powers that solve the whole case in one turn. 13 VILLAINS What would comics be without See also "Find Escaped Villain" in Power them? Nothing better defines the the "Goals" section of this chapter. These villains all want to conquer point of your story than the identity of Example: . the world, the universe, or at least a its villain. part of New York City. In general they If you want a rip-roaring chase Insanity/Ideology have the power to reach their goals, across the city, you need a fast- This catch-all category describes and a single-minded drive that moti- moving thief to purloin a valuable villains who do bad things for reasons vates them to remove potential obsta- item. If you want to tell about racial in- of personal belief, derangement, or cles to conquest. Such as the PCs. tolerance, your villain should be an in- just pure nastiness. Examples: Annihilus, , , sane ideologue. For an adventure The belief can be a twisted version Baron Mordo, , , with awesome landscapes and titanic of an accepted ideology, such as Doctor Doom, Dormammu, the En- power, choose or Dor- 's super-patriotism. Or the belief chantress, , Hate- mammu. For a comic change of pace, can be straightforward hostility to hu- Monger, the , , who better than or the Impos- man beings' continued existence, as , Kang, , the Leader, sible Man? with the or . , , the , the Mas- Choose a villain according to his or This category also includes those ter, Psycho-Man, , Urthona, her motives and methods, as well as under the authority of higher agencies , and the . power level relative to the heroes. that support a specific ideology. For Power levels are addressed in Chap- example, is nominally Pride ter 10; motives and methods are dis- controlled by the US Government, The villain with this motivation cussed separately below. and the Soviet usually thinks he or she is the best in the world follow the Kremlin's orders. Note that at a chosen pursuit. Anyone in the PC super-powered villains are indepen- group who shows ability of the same dent types who seldom follow orders kind becomes vulnerable to this vil- MOTIVES without question. lain's challenge. (See "Challenge" in Motives tell what drives your story's An ideological or crazy villain works the "Adventure Hook" section, follow- villain, the goal his or her plots try to best in one of two ways: ing this one.) achieve and (often) weaknesses that 1. A horrific expression of man's Examples: The late Kraven the the heroes can exploit. For example, a darker side. The villain throws away Hunter, the , and . villain motivated by greed can be all notions of civilized conduct and the tempted away from his target if the he- brotherhood of man because of a nar- Scouting for Invasion roes create a convincing illusion of row, distorted doctrine. Play the fa- This bad guy is just the point man greater gain elsewhere. And a villain natic carefully; keep him or her scary, (or point thing) for a whole lot of similar who is just crazy has many weak not (just) contemptible. bad guys. They all want New York, or points. America, or Earth, but they want to Here are some sample motivations. 2. A total bozo. Some of these guys see how tough the opposition is. Some are expressed as goals that the can be funny, in a twisted way. In a hu- When the PCs fight an invasion scout, villain strives to achieve. morous adventure, you stress the bad guy's distance from reality, instead of they must defeat the villain decisively, his or her potential threat. Don't let the or the invasion force will just send in Corruption bad guy kill anybody, or the adventure another scout later. This sinister, often horrific villain suddenly turns grim. works to debase all that is good in hu- Examples: Atlanteans, the , manity. His or her methods are cus- Examples: The Brotherhood of Evil Deviants, , Super-, and tomarily subtle and insidious. A single Mutants, , Fool- the Subterraneans. defeat does not spell the end of this Killer, , the , the Lizard, villain's threat. Such villains may not , , Nuke, the Pun- Self-Preservation necessarily be very powerful, but are isher, the Red (formerly), Scor- Some villains do what they do just to truly as evil as they come. pion, the robots, and Ultron. survive. This sometimes, though not always, lends them a tragic air—that Example: Mephisto. Mischief usually depends on how much the bad guy enjoys his or her work. Remorse- Evading Capture Life is boring! Time to pep it up a lit- ful villains can arouse heroes' com- The bad guy has already seen Ry- tle. And those PC heroes—they're passion even as the two sides square ker's Island or the Vault and has no de- such stiff-necked popinjays. Maybe off. sire to visit again. This motive is they should have their lives stirred up usually transitory, lasting for an ad- a little, or a lot... just for laughs. Frequently the general public is un- venture or two until the bad guy re- Examples: , the Impossible aware of, or not sympathetic to, the vil- establishes a headquarters and Man, Madcap, , White lain's self-preservation motive. This can begins plotting afresh. Rabbit. mean that, once the immediate threat is

14 defused, the heroes end up protecting ever the villain views as necessary for Mass Destruction the villain from an enraged mob. the good life. Especially suitable for insane or For instance, Reed Richards was Examples: The , Ba- vengeful villains, this method de- instrumental in saving the life of Ga- troc, Blacklash, , , mands extreme power. The of lactus in the Planet-Eater's most re- Bullseye, , Doctor Octopus, power can be a giant monster or robot cent visit to Earth. This earned Reed Electro, the , Jack O'Lan- (for instance, the Red Skull's the wrath of most of the civilized uni- tern, , , Mastermind, robots), a nuclear reactor, or that old verse. At his trial in the courts of the the , , , the standby, the atomic bomb. Shi'ar, it took the testimony of , , , (current), The heroes learn about the scheme , and ultimately himself , , the Squad, just hours or days before it will occur, to exonerate Reed. , , Stilt-Man, and the tension builds as they try to Examples: Galactus, Morbius, and , Terminus, , and find the villain's headquarters or de- (before their destruction in the Marvel the . structive machine and destroy it, or Universe) vampires. stop the monster before it achieves widespread destruction. Suicide METHODS This extremely offbeat motive These are some of the paths a vil- Murder makes for a tragic, downbeat adven- lain may take to achieve his or her Direct and to the point. The motives ture. For some reason the villain is un- goal. You can easily come up with for murder coincide with those of able to die. Tormented by existence other methods, either on your own or mass destruction (above), but this is and longing for release, this villain by paging through Marvel comics. suitable for less powerful villains. dupes the heroes into attacking, in the hope that they can marshal enough Extortion Provocation force to kill him or her. The villain has power over some The villain tries to achieve his or her The only recent example in the person or agency, and will use it un- ends—a war, perhaps, or a battle be- Marvel Universe was , less the victim pays up by a given tween two equally despised heroes— who hated his life (if that's the word) as deadline. Usually an urgent summons by arranging a fraud. The fraudulent a machine intellect. He tricked Cap- by the victim brings the heroes into scheme lays blame on one innocent tain America into fighting his robot the adventure, but sometimes the party for an attack on another's inter- bodies, evidently destroying him. But flashier villains make their threat ests. Machinesmith survived the defeat af- known over public airwaves. The heroes often are too late to pre- ter all. Whether he still longs for death vent the scheme itself from being acti- is not yet clear. Kidnap and Ransom vated. But they can search for The victim can be any person of evidence to implicate the villain, or Vengeance wealth or relative of such a person, find the villain and force him to con- The all-purpose villain motive. but it can instead be a valuable object, fess, just moments before the provo- Every bad guy the heroes have ever such as an objet d'art, a rare chemical cation leads to ultimate disaster. fought . . . enemies of NPC heroes isotope, or urgently needed medicine. that have turned to fighting the PCs as This scheme has special emotional Theft a kind of dress rehearsal for their re- significance if the heroes desperately The standard villain scheme. An venge on their NPC nemeses . . . fig- need the person or object in question early adventure in every campaign is ures from the forgotten past, attacking to satisfy another goal. For example, a the bank robbery, and attempted friends of the PCs for some barely re- hero might need medicine to save a thefts of valuables continue on a regu- membered offense. dying NPC. lar basis thereafter. The players un- All of these long-held grudges are derstand their goal and have no typical of the villain mentality. Anyone Manipulation trouble telling right from wrong. And virtually no villain is above an ordinary who gains power and decides to throw The villain does not care to soil his or burglary or robbery. it around becomes bitter and vengeful her own hands doing the deed, and in- when that power is foiled. stead enlists some third party, perhaps Examples: Anybody! an unwitting or mind-controlled dupe. Vice-Peddling The Puppet Master excelled in this type The standard method of the Wealth of scheme. It can send the heroes on a corruption-motivated villain. Gam' Almost as much an all-purpose vil- wild goose chase for the longest time. bling, racism, envy, lechery—the lain motive as vengeance (above), this By the time they find out who is really usual catalogue of sins are all profit- indicates that the bad guy is just behind the sceme, they should be ready able to the criminal element. The he- greedy for money, treasures, equip- to thrash the villain soundly. roes may believe the villain's goal is ment, Van Gogh paintings, or what- mere wealth . . . until a more sinister pattern emerges and the surprising identity of the Corruptor is revealed.

15 THE ADVENTURE HOOK

The adventure hook, sometimes Here are a few tried-and-true ad- The heroes become laughing- known by Alfred Hitchcock's term of venture hooks: stocks. Sooner or later they get fed up the "maguffin," is the plot device you with the humiliation, and they launch use to introduce your scenario's goal Challenge themselves into your scenario, ready and involve the heroes in achieving it. A remote-controlled plane writes to pummel the taunting villain. You grab your players' interest in an smoky letters in the sky above Man- Obviously, the challenge can take adventure by appealing to the psy- hattan: "TRICKERY CANNOT HELP some form besides skywriting. Each chology of their characters. For in- THIS TIME, (name of hero group). form varies in its public exposure, nas- stance, a character obsessed with MEET TONITE AT OUR LAST BAT- tiness, and allure. Aim for the dra- locating his or her true parents will ob- TLE SITE OR ADMIT YOUR matic. viously respond well to an enigmatic COWARDICE"—and, of course, the note found in the attic of the hero's an- skywritten note is signed by your arch- Dying Delivery cestral home. villain. A hero is on patrol, appearing at a If you involve one hero in the sce- The challenge leads all the evening posh charity function, or just lounging nario, the rest of the group will proba- newscasts and makes the front page around the public HQ. In staggers a bly tag along just to be friendly. But of the Bugle's evening edition. Maybe mysterious figure. The man (or beware of activating their own con- the heroes don't feel like walking into woman or child or alien) mumbles a trary psychological traits (in the exam- a trap just at that moment, so they few words, hands the hero a clue, and ple above, a hero who says, "I refuse pass up the challenge. But the next perishes. to help you dredge up past scan- day the skywriting challenge gets The clue or dying words should tell dals!"). nastier. And the day after that. . . the hero where to start investigating

16 this mystery. The victim may have and protect the witness or evidence. It and shakers of world government. named his or her killer, or the assas- goes without saying that some evil- The heroes may volunteer to guard 's employer, or maybe a loved one doer has also learned of the new evi- against terrorists just so they can who should be informed of the death. dence and works to prevent the make connections with partygoers For a twist, the victim might have a heroes from achieving their goal. and get their pictures on the Daily Bu- completely wrong idea of the killer's One way to give this hook some gle's society pages. identity. This leads the hero on a wild emotional momentum is to make the Glamour or recreation. The heroes goose chase to the wrong villain, but evidence capable of freeing a hero's might play bodyguards to rock star the chase uncovers another evil longtime friend or childhood buddy Lila Cheney or another celebrity on a scheme. By defeating that scheme, from unjust imprisonment. Con- world tour. Who wouldn't take a job the hero group somehow uncovers ev- versely, the evidence might put away like that? Similarly, many high- idence that points to the victim's true a hero's longtime foe for good. security courier jobs take the heroes killer. to the world's most luxurious watering Complicating the investigation, Friend Imperiled holes. This is a good hook if you want whoever killed the victim now wants This adventure hook resembles the to take your players to some exotic for- the clue in the hero's possession. Nat- "Help Friend or Ally" in the Goals sec- eign locale. urally, he or she will stop at nothing to tion. Here the friend's predicament is Social duty. Suppose a touring exhi- get it. ... easily handled, but proves to be a bition of priceless artwork is arriving at lead-in to a larger plot. the Met or another museum. Some- Enigmatic Figure In campaign terms, this hook gives body has to guard them while the ex- Create an NPC who is sure to fasci- you an excuse to bring in a recurring hibits are set up. Can your heroes nate your heroes. The NPC shows up NPC, perhaps to foreshadow a major refuse a heartfelt request from the mu- from time to time (perhaps in earlier later development. seum's curator? adventures) for no apparent reason, manifesting strange powers— Grim Necessity Mistaken Identity perhaps powers identical to a hero's! "Get involved or die!" A longtime In this classic adventure hook, the The hero group, intrigued, looks into foe has poisoned the heroes, cursed hero is seen robbing banks, mugging the mystery and discovers a villain's them, or framed them. If they don't old ladies, sabotaging public events, plot. achieve the adventure's goal, it's cur- and acting generally discreditable. Of Who is the NPC? Some ideas: tains for the heroes and maybe the course, the real miscreant is an im- 1. The villain's agent, luring the he- free world. postor, and the impersonation is all roes to their doom. Heroes should be- An example: The Hobgoblin once part of an evil plot. But no one believes come suspicious of the NPC's actions poisoned Spider-Man and his friend it except the hero's group. before that doom strikes. with a slow-acting The hero gets a lead when some- 2. The villain's hostage, who keeps . He promised them the anti- one in the villain's employ mistakes escaping—but never quite long dote if Spider-Man would steal valu- the hero for the impostor (confused?). enough to get to the heroes. able notebooks from the Kingpin. But The henchman drops a clue to the 3. A freelance hero, fighting against Spidey instead negotiated with the hero, and that is the avenue into the the villain and trying to warn the hero Kingpin for the poison's antidote, in adventure. group about the scheme. return for capturing the Hobgoblin. It The villain often turns out to be the 4. The ghost of one of the villain's turned out, as one might expect, that hero's oldest enemy. By ruining the victims. This option is best suited to the Hobgoblin never had an antidote hero's public image, the villain takes heroes who have psychic or magic in the first place. gloating revenge for past defeats. powers. And who is the impostor? Perhaps a 5. The villain's ally or dependent, robot. Perhaps an ordinary agent with who is caught between love or duty Taking a leaf from the book of Power high-tech gadgetry that simulates the and worry over the villain's scheme. Man and , the heroes may be hero's powers. Perhaps another hero This character either dies at the vil- employed to prevent the villain's plot, with similar powers, whom the villain lain's hands by the grand finale or is or working a job that is directly endan- has kidnapped and brainwashed. rescued by the heroes and becomes a gered when the scheme is sprung. dangling subplot for future adven- Most hero groups don't need to take Pushing Buttons tures. odd jobs to make ends meet. But your When all else fails, bluntly manipu- heroes may be willing to take on a par- late the heroes' beliefs and emotions. Evidence Uncovered ticular job for reasons besides money. Find out what one of the PC heroes After some lengthy time, new evi- For example: hates above all else—killing inno- dence in an important criminal case Compassion. The heroes must cents, for example, or persecuting has appeared, or a key witness has carry a vital donor organ to a dying pa- mutants, or beating children. Then blown back into town. The statute of tient far away. Nobody but the heroes have a villain do that very thing, right limitations runs out in an absurdly can make the journey fast enough. before the hero's eyes. Inevitably the brief time, so contacts in law enforce- Prestige. An extremely high-brow hero pursues the villain right into the ment enlist the heroes' aid to locate embassy party will attract the movers adventure. 17 NPCS The heroes are not alone in their should not produce serious damage clude officers on the beat, plain- world. Give them interesting people or otherwise obstruct the plot. Sup- clothes detectives, precinct captains, and creatures to interact with. The pose Spider-Man is swinging toward a commissioners, and FBI and CIA men NPCs can help heroes achieve their climactic confrontation with the Rhino {again, they are nearly always male). goals, put obstacles in their path, or and he stops to prevent a mugging. An international adventure could fea- just stand on the sidelines looking The dice go incredibly wrong, the ture agents of Interpol or intelligence pretty. But all have a function in the mugger knifes Spidey, and the story is services of other countries. Any of story. Every NPC has a use, even a over. You wouldn't want to read that in them can be friendly or hostile. spear-carrier that the hero defeats in a a comic, and you don't want it in your Friendly officials bring heroes into couple of blows. adventure story. Remember the ear- troublesome cases, provide deep In your adventure, think about the lier advice about not letting the dice background information, and alert he- characters the heroes will meet while mess up your story. roes to actions by hostile officials. Of- pursuing their goal. Try to make the ten a friendly official is impatient with most important ones interesting and the usual law-enforcement channels memorable. Make this one funny- and wants to see justice done, even if looking, that one talk with a lisp or an TYPES OF NPCs not "by the book." accent, the one over there a tourist There is no way to present an ex- A friendly official is a likely NPC tar- from some foreign land. haustive list. For examples of some of get for a villain's plot, providing a Each important NPC has beliefs the many roles NPCs can play, see the strong adventure hook to involve the and objectives in his or her own right. Hotspot listings in the Campaign PCs. Nasty NPCs have motives and meth- Sourcebook. Following, however, are Hostile officials harass the heroes, ods like those of the scenario's master a few general roles NPCs often play in stonewall PCs who want information, villain, but on a smaller scale. Friendly super-hero adventures. and say things that J. Jonah Jameson NPCs may share the same emotional loves to quote in his Daily Bugle edito- Authority Figure involvement in the adventure that the rials. Heroes usually loathe, but often re- players have. Neutrals just want to If you include a hostile official in the spect, the NPC who has some kind of make a buck, observe, or be left story or campaign, establish a reason power over them. This NPC serves as alone. Perhaps they're just acting as why the official doesn't make the he- an information source, an obstacle in inadvertent conduits for information. roes' lives even harder (for instance, touchy situations (meaning all those by arresting suspect PCs on the spot). Your players enjoy interacting with that expose the NPC's own agency), Perhaps the official's superior is these various personalities, and you'll and in some cases a genuinely useful friendly to the PCs, or the PCs have of- have fun impersonating them. Just as contact. important, you can use the NPCs as ficial government jurisdiction to inves- But try to restrict a useful NPC's tools for your story. They provide tigate cases. role. If the NPC always cooperates many functions: Lawyer: Heroes may run afoul of the and has plenty of pull, adventures law, or at least the fringes of the law, Information sources, as with a cap- could move along much too easily for tured thug or stoolie; whenever they haul someone to the the PCs. And where is the heroism in police station, accidentally destroy skilled people, such as a cryptogra- that? pher who can break Doctor Doom's property, break into a criminal's office, Here are several time-honored au- coded message—for a price; or fail to heed the summons of a police thority figures: Incentives, as with the rich movie officer. All of these things happen all Government observer Usually a star who offers a huge donation to the time. royal pain, this man (it is practically al- charity if your heroes will serve as his In the Marvel Universe, lawyers are ways a man) insists on adequate su- bodyguards on a trip through danger- often respected figures. Think of the pervision of all the heroes' activities. ous territory; one-time firm of Nelson and Murdock, Otherwise, they lose their government lawyers for the Fantastic Four. Humor or atmosphere, as with the clearance, and probably a lot of nifty Other lawyers can be mere nui- street urchin who won't leave your devices like satellite communication sances. These ambulance-chasers gruff hero alone; links, jets, and even their headquar- may try to harass the heroes into set- Or conflict. Sometimes the players ters. just want to pound on something. tling out of court for "molesting" their Whatever it may say about our soci- That's fine. Throw them a minor villain clients, who are innocent until proven ety, in practice government observers or a gang of his henchmen and let guilty of bank robbery, muggings, or are often hostile and troublesome. them blow off a little steam. But bring whatever the heroes caught them do- The example in the Marvel in these foes for a reason, in a plausi- ing. Universe is longtime nuisance Henry ble manner, and adjust their strength Then there is the truly crooked law- Peter Gyrich, a fanatic who distrusts to that of the player characters. yer, who springs villains on technicali- all heroes. These "random" encounters ties and casually commits perjury to Law enforcement official: These in-

18 frame a hero. For example, Caesar Guest-Star Hero Scientist or Expert "Big C" Cicero has become so suc- Since Marvel Manhattan is crawling This NPC type is often not far re- cessful as a mob lawyer that he is the with heroes, it is simplicity itself to moved from the previous one, but the probable successor to leadership of throw in a guest appearance by Thor, expert doesn't froth at the mouth—at the family of the Maggia. Spider-Man, or . But least not publicly. The heroes must note that the guest hero should not humor this NPC's eccentricities be- Friend with Dark Secret solve the adventure's main problem, cause of his or her valuable knowl- Here are two general varieties: rescue the PCs from a deathtrap be- edge. Childhood friend: This NPC, usually fore they've tried to rescue them- Beware of making the NPC an ex- not a recurring cast member, knew selves, or otherwise steal the PCs' pert in one ot the PCs' chosen fields. If one of the PCs in the old days, usually thunder. this is so, the NPC should be less before the hero began his or her he- Although guest stars work in the qualified than the hero, or not given to roic career. You and a player can es- comics, because a reader finds all the hogging the stage and showing up the tablish some retroactive reason why heroes equally interesting, in a game PC. the PC cares about the NPC, no doubt the guest hero is just another NPC. Alternatively, a scientist's re- rooted in some childhood event. Per- And above all, NPCs must never searches may have gotten him or her haps one saved the other's life. make the PCs look bad! into really deep trouble, and it's up to The childhood friend returns sud- the PCs to extricate the "expert." denly, possibly in suspicious circum- Hero-Worshiper stances. Though still friendly at first, Publicly known heroes may have Snoopy Reporter the old acquaintance soon betrays the fan clubs, or just one or two groupies. A classic NPC. This journalist heroes, steals something vital, harms A groupie can be a fun way to stroke a knows that uncovering a secret iden- an informant, or otherwise shows that player's ego, or the NPC can be a pest tity or a skeleton in the closet would be the friend is working for a bad guy. who demands autographs at inoppor- the scoop of the decade. In modern The friend might really be evil, or tune times, hangs around the head- times newspaper reporters are being the master villain might be extorting quarters, and interferes during battles supplanted by hair-sprayed TV "re- the friend's cooperation. The bad guy with villains. porters" who slept through their Eth- holds a hostage, or the friend is just Worst of all, the hero-worshiper can ics in Journalism classes. But the weak-kneed and buckles under to the be emotionally disturbed. A young boy Daily Bugle can always serve as a villain's orders. idolized the to such an source for the more traditional type of Inevitably, the interested hero must extent that, in order to be like Johnny snoop. confront the childhood friend, per- , he set himself on fire. The boy haps in battle. The friend can be con- died, and Storm was hit with a severe Stoolie verted to the good guys' side or may emotional crisis. Don't play out this Every streetwise hero maintains a be irredeemably treacherous. Either grim sort of encounter unless you can network of informants. Those who way, the friend usually dies at the end, sound out the affected player first. don't may meet stoolies through the at the hands of the master villain— Some players would rather not handle police department, or the stoolie may another good way to develop personal this in the context of a "fun" role- seek out the heroes to deliver some animosity between a hero and villain. playing game. especially hot information. These Relative or romantic interest: Func- characters are all different, often have tionally much the same as the child- Lunatic very colorful personalities, and can be friend, but this variety of NPC The NPC could be crazy. There is either tough guys or comic relief. If can easily be a regular member of the ample precedent for this in the com- they come across some really danger- campaign's supporting cast. A hero ics. Often the loony knows something ous information, they can end up cares deeply about the NPC and significant to the adventure, and the dead—or, that is, start an adventure would go to great lengths to protect heroes have to put up with his or her by dying in a hero's arms. (See the him or her. babbling to get the clue. "Dying Delivery" adventure hook in This kind of NPC never turns out to the previous section.) be evil, but is often temporarily mind- controlled or coerced into betraying the hero group. When the villain's plan is smashed, the NPC begs forgive- ness. Depending on the circum- stances, the heroes may welcome him or her back, or abandon the NPC to a solitary life outside the campaign. Note that in a campaign, NPC rela- tives or lovers should have some use- ful role in addition to the emotional tie to a PC. For more about this, see Chapter 9. 19 CONDITIONS AND DILEMMAS Many stories have some kind of gimmick. Perhaps the heroes must work under a condition that changes their usual way of operating. Or the resolution of the story thrusts a hero, or the entire player group's heroes, into a choice between unpleasant al- ternatives. This section discusses these conditions and dilemmas. Don't overuse these gimmicks. If you tell too many stories that rely on them, your players will feel put upon and frustrated. But if you run an ongo- ing campaign, throw in a condition or dilemma every third or fourth adven- ture to keep players on guard and ex- plore new ways of playing.

CONDITIONS This is a catch-all term for anything that limits the PCs' effectiveness or forces them to work in a new way. There are many, many possible condi- tions, of which the following are merely examples.

Deadline This common condition puts a time limit on the resolution of the adven- ture. If the heroes don't achieve their goal within a certain time, specified at the start of the adventure, then disas- ter will fall. The city may blow up, or a slow-acting poison will kill one of the characters (see "Grim Necessity" in the "Adventure Hooks" section). If the heroes seem to be moving smoothly toward success long before the deadline is reached, you can give that alters the PCs' body chemistry; or adventure, as one hero tries to learn them a nasty surprise by revealing sabotage of the heroes' favorite gad- how to control the other's powers. It also that the adventure's villain was lying, gets. has a sinister side, though, especially if and that the time limit actually expires The adventure's climax should in- a switched hero finds himself in his much sooner than the PCs believed. clude a way to restore the powers to arch-foe's body and is by the But this often appears too blatantly normal. Or a PC, discovering he or foe's own enemies! manipulative, so be careful. she likes the new powers, decides to continue with them without further Villain Immunity Powers Don't Work Right change. The heroes have the goods on the This one always puts a scare into the bad guy, and they know his or her lo- players, or at least disturbs them. Some Switched Identities cation and weaknesses. But for some malign agency has tampered with their This classic comic-book plot device reason they just aren't allowed to lay a powers, so they don't work quite the puts one character's mind in another's glove on the villain. way the heroes expect—or, often, not body, and vice versa. It can easily Reasons could include diplomatic even remotely as they expect. work with and lead into the "Mistaken immunity (see "The United Nations" Possible causes include passage to Identity" adventure hook (see that in Chapter 3 of the Campaign Source- another dimension where natural laws section). book), or a close relationship between work differently; a mutagenic agent This gimmick works well in a comedic the villain and a hero or friendly NPC.

20 Or a psychic villain might possess the next session may turn into an ex- gone. Or, for a twist, the player can in- body of a young child. Will the heroes tended policy meeting on the topic "To troduce a "new" character that is re- blast the child in order to hurt the vil- kill or not?" And the schism may well ally the "departed" hero in disguise. lain? Of course not. split the group apart. If you want to This is a frustrating turn of events, protect against this, make sure all the Reveal Secret Identity? so play it up for one adventure, then PCs take the same view about killing This one is a killer. A PC must de- never use it again until the players before you begin the campaign. cide whether to tell his or her true have gotten over the sting of it—or identity to another or even, perhaps, avenged themselves on the immune Destroy Own Item? go public. villain in some satisfying way. Many heroes derive powers from You usually have to do a lot of devices, magic rings, swords, amu- groundwork to set up this dilemma. Wanted lets, animal familiars, and so on. In For instance, establish a condition in A frequent turn of events in the com- this dilemma, one of these devices which, for this adventure, the hero ics frames the heroes for some crime, proves to be the source of the adven- cannot appear in his or her secret and they must go through the adven- ture's problem. identity. Perhaps the PC is wanted by ture while fighting or evading law en- For example, a magic ring may be police in that identity (the "Mistaken forcement officials. Spider-Man has gradually possessing the hero's mind Identity" adventure hook lends itself had to live with this for years. and forcing him or her to commit may- to this development). hem. A villain may have found a way Then, by a chain of circumstances, to install a doomsday device in the he- a valued NPC friend is accused of the DILEMMAS ro's armor; only the armor's destruc- murder of the PC! The hero can clear tion will save the day. Or a the friend of all charges instantly, just In a dilemma, the heroes have to mind-controlled animal familiar may by revealing that he or she still lives. make a choice between two unpleas- turn savage and bestial. But will the hero do this? ant alternatives. Draw the conse- quences of each choice as clearly as The hero must decide whether to Note: Never put a PC in the di- possible, and (if circumstances per- destroy his or her own device in order lemma of having to reveal another mit) allow the players as much time as to solve the problem. Or another hero PC's identity. This just creates bad they want to debate the question. may destroy it without consulting the feelings no matter what action is As stated earlier in this chapter, the owner, a situation that would certainly taken. point here is not to make the players lead to tension between the two from wrack their brains in anguish . . . then on. Work with a Bad Guy? though that is certainly entertaining. The item should not be permanently Another dilemma that will have Instead, by making these decisions, destroyed. A hero can rebuild a gad- players scratching each other's eyes the heroes define and display their get, though usually at some inconven- out (and maybe yours, too). The he- characters in dramatic fashion. ience and with a delay of an adventure roes must enlist a hated foe's aid in or- Here are some sample dilemmas, or two. Unique devices, especially der to dispatch a still deadlier bad guy. starting with the one most often seen magical ones, should require the he- The villain agrees to help either be- in super-heroic adventures: roes to undertake an entire adventure cause (a) the deadlier bad guy is cut- to replace them. ting in on his act ("You can't conquer Break the Law? the world! I' conquering the With great power comes great re- Leave the Group? world!"), or (b) the villain wants to spy sponsibility. Will the heroes take the When the group's outlook and on the heroes, learn more about them, responsibility of breaking the law, if methods become distasteful to a hero, and look for a chance to shoot them in they believe it means a greater good? the hero and group may part ways. the back. The obvious context for this di- Most often this is a consequence of di- The Fantastic Four once had to fight lemma arises when the heroes have vergent views on the issue of killing beside Doctor Doom in a valiant strug- the chance to kill a truly powerful, truly (see "Break the Law?" above). gle against the Over-Mind. As one evil villain. Kill, and violate every claim Another cause of this dilemma may would expect, they spent as much to civilized conduct? Or let the villain be the discovery of a hero's dark se- time threatening each other as the survive to pillage, plunder, and (often) cret (see "Revelation of Dark Secret" Over-Mind. kill again? in the section on "Grand Finales," The real dilemma may come when Every Marvel hero has faced this is- later in this chapter). the fight is over. The common enemy sue. In nearly all cases they decide not When a player is cooperative, you defeated, do the heroes (probably to kill, because "that would make me no can introduce a subplot wherein that weakened) try to capture their erst- better than the villain." This is true. player's hero leaves the group, alleg- while ally? What if the ally is Pragmatically speaking, a hero who edly for one of these reasons. In fact, unconscious—is it honorable to re- kills is also hounded by the police and the hero is operating for a secret ward his or her aid with capture? press, and loses Karma and popularity. reason, perhaps to undertake a dan- Warning to the Judge: If you gerous mission without endangering present the heroes with this dilemma the group. The player plays a different and they disagree on what to do, the character while the departed hero is 21 DEATHTRAPS You should never kill player charac- Doctor Doom may know a PC is in- the deathtrap until the heroes start to ters arbitrarily. But it's perfectly all credibly strong, but that does not wake up. right to make it look as though you will mean Doom knows specifically that For more about waking up, see the arbitrarily kill them. the hero has Incredible-level optional rule, "Grogginess," below. A deathtrap, naturally, threatens the Strength. Perhaps the heroes can 3. Move things along—but not too heroes with death. This is useful in a snap their bonds with ease. But next fast. The heroes may have scant sec- super-hero story, because the heroes time Doom puts them in a deathtrap, onds to think their way out of the trap, are ordinarily invulnerable to most their bonds will be stronger! but give the players a little more time damage and seldom fear death. A 2. Cleverness. Ideally, the hero re- than that. Answer their questions, and good deathtrap hits them where they sponds to the deathtrap with brain tell them about whatever they could live. power, not brute force. Observation, observe. Don't let them take forever, But judging a deathtrap is tricky. deduction, and improvisation should but a few minutes of suspense won't There must be an escape, since an show a way out. hurt. ugly death in a trap is neither heroic For example, suppose a detective nor dramatically appropriate. But the hero is covered with honey and tied up Grogginess (Optional Rule) escape can't be too obvious, or the on a termite mound beneath the blaz- If the heroes snap out of uncon- threat vanishes. But the heroes have ing sun. The hero could work loose sciousness and can function at full to find the way out, or they're dead the magnifying glass in his or her belt, strength right off, that may make the meat. This is a fine balance to strike. then focus the sun's rays to burn deathtrap less dramatic. As Judge, Still, you have many tools to keep through the ropes. you might want the heroes to be things under control. For example: If the players prove unable to see groggy for a few minutes, so that the 1. The villain's motives. Despite the the deathtrap's solution, you can villain can gloat unmolested or so the term "deathtrap," the bad guy may break down and give them a Reason heroes must strain more heroically to not want to actually kill the PCs. Per- or Intuition FEAT roll to see an escape break out of the trap. haps he or she just wants to find out route. But this makes players feel bad If so, consider this optional rule. more about the heroes' powers, or toy unless you handle it carefully. When a hero regains consciousness, with them, or preoccupy them while a 3. Trickery. If the villain is gloating his or her abilities are at Poor rank {or - crucial part of the villain's scheme over the trapped heroes, they may try 2 CS, whichever is worse), whether or takes place. When the deathtrap turns some elementary trick such as, "If we not the hero lost Endurance ranks. out to be non-fatal, play up the narra- die, you'll never find out the identity of However, the hero recovers +1 CS tive surprise. your greatest foe." The villain may per turn in each ability, up to the origi- 2. Coincidence. An accident can cut rightly sneer at feeble lies. But the nal ability rank (or up to -2 CS, if the power to the deathtrap just as the he- players, often a clever lot, may come hero lost Endurance ranks). roes are about to die. A PC ally, sepa- up with a bluff that really does sway This means that when they awaken rated from the deathtrap victims the villain. in the clutches of the master villain, earlier in the story, can discover them The deciding factor should be the the heroes will probably be too weak just in time to stop the trap. And so on. degree of admiration and hilarity the to just bust loose. They may even 3. NPCs. Generally it is too cheesy bluff produces in the players. If every- spend some time thinking of clever to have an NPC release the heroes one thinks the idea is brilliant, then it ways out of the trap. from a trap. But if necessary, a repent- probably is. The players enjoy them- ant henchman of the bad guy can selves more when they think they've work a deal with the heroes in return put you on the spot—even if you are for freeing them. Or a rival villain may secretly cooperating in being put SOME TYPES OF rescue the heroes—so he or she can there. DEATHTRAPS kill the heroes him- or herself! Out of the frying pan . . . Staging Deathtraps A few points to remember: Arena Means of Escape 1. Be serious! This is no laughing This deathtrap works best in some What ways can the heroes use to matter. Avoid dumb puns, unless that exotic land, planet, or dimension, one escape the deathtrap? They will is a gloating villain's style. with a different culture and denizens. nearly always think of something you 2. Keep the heroes conscious. One The heroes get thrown into an appar- hadn't, but here are some avenues would think the ideal time to spring a ently inescapable arena. After them you may consider: deathtrap would come when the he- comes a variety of opponents: formi- 1. Heroic effort. This traditional roes are kayoed and can't free them- dable warriors, hungry monsters, or method relies on the idea that the vil- selves. But villains like to see the squads of normal-level gladiators. lain doesn't have a clear idea of the heroes sweat. So if they have knocked For drama, have a hero face the ad- hero's power level. out the heroes, they shouldn't activate venture's master villain in a duel to the death. The chosen hero should be

22 one with a deep, personal grudge cording to the weakness exploited, mese tiger trap... all of these classics against the villain (or vice versa). but the trap can be quite deadly ac- can be made fresh with a new slant on The cruelest stroke forces the he- cording to how much the substance them. But be sure the slant is genu- roes to fight each other. However, weakens the hero. Sometimes the inely new, or at least new to your play- most heroes simply refuse to do so, no only way out is to have a non- ers. Nothing gets old faster than a matter what the cost. They get to be vulnerable teammate rescue the sus- routine deathtrap. noble, but the deathtrap loses a lot of ceptible hero. impact. Drastic coercion, such as Pinball Gigantus holding a beloved NPC hostage, Murder by Buddy A favorite of the assassin Arcade, should be frowned upon unless your Often seen in the comics, this this is a favorite pinball or video game bad guy is truly nasty. deathtrap is a favorite of villains be- blown up to larger-than-life size. In certain circumstances, such as in cause one of the heroes own team- a primitive culture, the heroes can be- mates killed them! Running the come gladiator heroes, lead a revolt of In one version, all the heroes are Perfect for the villain who toys with their fellow slaves, and overthrow the wired into the same murderous gim- his or her prey. A gauntlet is techni- government. However, this is a time- mick, like a multi-slot guillotine or par- cally a double line of armed warriors. consuming process. allel electric chairs. Any one hero can An unarmed person, either a criminal get free without a problem—but the or an applicant to the warriors' ranks, Demolition Zone action triggers the device to kill all the must run between the two lines while The villain places the heroes, other heroes. Coordination and coop- the warriors beat him or her with their bound and probably gagged, in some eration are the keys to success. weapons. The term now applies to any building or other site scheduled for im- (Before you run this trap, be sure severe trial or ordeal. minent destruction. Often this is the everybody caught in it cares about ev- This starts out as one of the death- villain's own headquarters, about to eryone else!) traps described above, but there is be sacrificed. Another version puts all the heroes one obvious escape route. This leads The villain may destroy the head- except one in a totally escape-proof straight into another deathtrap. That quarters to conceal evidence or be- trap. They're helpless. A villain mind- leads into another, and so on, for as cause his or her latest evil scheme controls the one free hero into trigger- long as you want to run it. involves its destruction. For instance, ing the deathtrap. ("Now, , Perhaps, while trapped in the slowly a rocket carrying a mind-control satel- push the button and activate the filling lava pit, the heroes spy an air lite is due to launch soon, and the ex- plasma-beam that will fry the X- vent and crawl through it. The vent's haust will destroy the launch site. Men!") bottom suddenly drops away, and the Really crazy villains will sacrifice Naturally, the hero, by tremendous heroes plummet down a long slide themselves and their HQs to kill their spiritual exertion, breaks free of the into an alligator pit. Leaping to the rim, longtime foes. The Red Skull did this mind control, belts the villain, and the heroes find a boulder rolling down many times in repeated attempts to frees his or her friends in time for the at them. Evading it, they dodge into a bump off Captain America. Of course, grand finale showdown. room filled with poison gas. he always had a concealed escape Remember that mind-controlled he- The traps may really be lethal, but route. roes get a Psyche FEAT to throw off the villain does not count on it. Gener- However, the typical villain will tie the control. In this extreme situation, ally, he or she is observing and taunt- up the heroes, gloat a little, then run you can allow the hero +1 or +2 CS, ing the PCs at every step. When the off to avoid the upcoming calamity. and even allow the PC to spend heroes emerge from the gauntlet, rag- Since the villain seldom sticks around, Karma. After all, you don't want the ged and exhausted, the villain and all the heroes' escape and reappearance hero to fail the roll. his or her henchmen are waiting there may take the villain by complete sur- for a huge battle. prise. Natural Disaster Avalanches. Volcanic eruptions. Exploited Weakness Tidal waves. Earthquakes. The bad Many super-powered heroes have a guy leaves the heroes in a spot where secret weakness. For example, the their powers can't help, and Mother Shi'ar warrior Gladiator, one of the Nature is about to do something aw- most powerful mortals in the universe, ful. Not much time left; what do the he- can be harmed by an unidentified roes do? form of radiation. Other vulnerabilities can include mental attacks (these Old Standbys work well on the ), particu- The walls that close in, the sharp- lar chemicals, or strange magic. ened scythe that swings lower and In this deathtrap, the villain has lower, the heavy block poised to crush learned of the hero's weakness, and the life out of the hero beneath, the the trap is loaded with whatever sawmill , the that causes it. Details of the trap vary ac- slowly fills with water or gas, the Bur- 23 THE GRAND FINALE A story's climax is often marked by rection. So be careful. Another danger 2. The villain reveals an awful truth. battles, explosions, or sudden cosmic is that the players have nothing to do For instance, the villain could be the transcendence. Fair enough, but that except gasp in awe at the entity. Try to hero group's patron in disguise, or a be- is not what the story's climax is about. arrange an opportunity for the PCs to loved relative of one of the heroes. The A well-designed finale doesn't just deliver impassioned speeches, pro- heroes may have to give up their fight blow up scenery; it concludes the test, and so on. and let the villain's plan succeed (for the plot's dramatic action. Indecisive moment, naturally), or they may risk the characters make decisions and act on Extortion consequences and fight the villain. Try them. People searching for something Like the one above, this finale to expect many approaches. find it, or lose it for good. Uncertain re- stresses role-playing over combat. 3. A hero is forced to reveal an awful lationships become sharply defined. The heroes have found some lever to truth about him- or herself. This might These generalities indicate that no use against the bad guy. They con- be the hero's secret identity, a signifi- discussion can give specific, concrete front him and say, "Drop the scheme cant weakness (for instance, Dare- advice for resolving every storyline. or else." devil's blindness), or a hidden Each grand finale is unique and For example, the Kingpin supported relationship to the villain. should be tailored to the storyline. Randolph Cherryh as candidate for The revelation often exonerates a Nonetheless, here are some ideas for mayor of New York City. Daredevil lo- fellow hero or an NPC from some un- staging your grand finale. cated the Kingpin's beloved wife, just accusation. Or it confuses the vil- Vanessa, who had been thought lain so badly that he or she cancels Confrontation with Entity dead. In return for bringing Vanessa to the scheme and retreats to regroup. Matters have grown so tangled, or him, Daredevil coerced the Kingpin Judging tips: Never have someone the stakes are so high, or the bad guy into withdrawing Cherryh from office. else reveal a hero's secret. The deci- is so incredibly powerful, that one of There is some moral fuzz to this cli- sion to reveal it must be the player the entities of the Marvel Universe max. The heroes are using the same character's. (However, the hero can steps into the fray. This could be Eter- methods a villain would employ. You decide to allow someone else blow the nity, a , a god, or even Death. can either ignore this issue or bring it up whistle. As long as the hero has the Consult pp. 54-57 of the Judge's Book later on, when the villain returns and power to prevent the revelation, this is in the Advanced Set. vows revenge. Some highly moral PCs functionally the same thing.) Aim for maximum drama in staging may refuse to use extortion, so be pre- Also, however tempting the pros- the encounter. These guys never just pared for arguments among players. pect, don't obviously manipulate the walk into a scene. They always ap- plot to force the revelation—at least pear in a cloud of mist, reshape reality Prevented Deed not without discussing it with the to their needs, or summon the heroes In gloating over the captured he- player in advance. The player should to them from across the dimensions. roes, the villain or a henchman has have the chance to veto the revela- Make the players realize this is a big stupidly revealed the crucial event of tion, since it may well mark a new di- deal! the nefarious scheme. Often this rection for the character in the This climax is often associated with takes place while the heroes are campaign. a conceptual breakthrough of some struggling to escape a deathtrap (see kind. This high-falutin' term means previous section in this chapter). Slugfest that a character achieves a sudden After they escape, the battered he- The classic conclusion. All the main new understanding of the world and roes race to the site of the crucial characters converge and start whaling his or her place in it. The entity in event and prevent it from happening, away on each other. In staging this cli- question is usually responsible for the often mere seconds before deadline. max, try to present a neat setting with breakthrough. This usually leads to, or is preceded plenty of props that characters can use For example, when Reed Richards by, a pitched battle (see Slugfest, be- as weapons. Time-honored sites in- was on trial for rescuing Galactus low) or one of the endings suggested clude power companies (electrical from death, the story turned into a hit under "How the Villain Loses" (also wires, barrels of battery acid, big coils of parade of the biggest deals in the below). ) and construction sites (cranes, Marvel Universe: the Shi'ar empire, girders, skyscraper skeletons). the Watcher, Odin, Eternity, and Ga- Revelation of Dark Secret Be prepared to handle massive lactus. In a massive conceptual break- This finale takes several forms: amounts of property damage, and be through, everyone involved was made 1. Heroes uncover awful truths aware of how much damage the site to appreciate Galactus's key role in about the villain and broadcast them can take before everything collapses. the development of the universe. far and wide. If the villain has been The usual answer is "enough to dra- This confrontation can have long- masquerading as good, pretended to matically fall apart just as the battle term campaign implications, or even reform, or used a false identity, this ends." mark a change in the campaign's di- means the end of the bad guy's plan.

24 dons the scheme and disarms the berserk when the villain displays HOW THE VILLAIN doomsday machine. some sign of presumed weakness or LOSES This will not work when the villain is hypocrisy. Or ... Well, you get the Do not design one unique, nothing- a true fanatic who is willing to die for a idea. else-works solution to the adventure. cause. But most bad guys are cow- The henchman in this case should This is heavy-handed and may force ards at heart. be powerful enough, or strategically your players into actions they don't placed, to produce massive amounts want to commit. If you design the cli- Pounded into Pulp of damage to the villain's scheme. Of- max of your scenario as a specific The conventional end to a scenario. ten the villain and the traitorous scene—where you manipulate a hero The heroes gang up on the villain and henchmen go up in the same fireball, into doing one special thing, so the vil- just keep punching. Consider whether or the heroes last see the pair stran- lain can die or fail in a pre-arranged the villain has some kind of safety hatch gling one another. manner—something is wrong. or emergency exit when knocked out. Obviously ,you should have in mind For instance, the loss of consciousness Vital Gadget Destroyed one or two possible solutions to the may trigger a homing teleporter that au- A simple story ending, this assumes crisis, just so you can suggest some- tomatically pulls the villain to a predeter- the villain's plot depends on one thing if the players come up short. But mined hidden refuge. gizmo, doodad, or whatchamacallit don't treat the finale as a scene, with This tactic is basically unfair to the that gets destroyed in battle. This specified entrances and exits. players if they beat the villain fair and wrecks the whole plan, and the villain Instead, think of the climax as a situ- square. But sometimes, unfair or not, slinks off or segues smoothly into ation. In that situation, the PCs can try the bad guy has to get away to appear Emotional Collapse. any number of things, and the villain's later in the story or in a sequel. response varies accordingly. Here are a few of the many ways the Suicidal Mania heroes can foil the villain's plot. Again, A variant of Emotional Collapse, IS THIS THE END? you should not pick one as the ending; above, the villain reacts to the same In many cases, the villain's defeat instead, consider all of them and in- stimuli with a sudden urge to end it all. does not mark the end of the story. If vent a few of your own, so you have a The bad guy tries to trigger a dooms- the plot involved the villain's attempt selection of responses for your villain, day device prematurely, or leaps off a to forestall something, like a PC's dis- depending on what the player charac- precipice, or turns a weapon on him- coveries or an NPC's wedding, the ters choose to do. or herself. story concludes with a scene that de- picts the event the villain tried to stop. If the villain's death creates no di- Good stories frequently involve a Emotional Collapse sastrous consequences, the heroes PC or NPC in some kind of moral di- The villain is so distraught at some may struggle with the dilemma of lemma. In such a case, the villain's de- player tactic—destroying the villain's whether to stop the villain's suicide. feat may only be a prelude to the HQ, or persistent taunting, or reveal- Be ready to deal with either choice the story's true climax, in which the char- ing that the villain's cherished son still PCs make. acter takes action to resolve the di- lives—that the bad guy just throws in lemma. the sponge and says, "Take me Uncontrollable Henchman away." The bad guy employs an assistant A role-playing adventure doesn't have to end with a big fight. If the story The PCs can produce the same ef- who goes crazy in the last act. Per- works best and the players will have fect by exploiting a villain's psycholog- haps the NPC is a bestial muscleman fun, let it end with role-playing. That's ical weaknesses. But in general this whom the villain has continually mis- what the game is all about. only works once, and next time the vil- treated. Or the NPC is the bad guy's lain will not only be prepared for the fanatical follower, and he or she goes tactic, he or she will be filled with hate for the heroes who dare to try it. This works best with villains who are already on the emotional border- line, like Doctor Octopus, or outright nuts, like Daredevil's foe Typhoid Mary.

Hoist by Own Petard In this dramatic finale, the heroes can't stop the plot from working, which means certain death for every- one. But they manage to trap the vil- lain with them, so that he or she will die in the same disaster. Panic- stricken, the cowardly villain aban- 25 CHAPTER 9: RUNNING A CAMPAIGN A scenario works like a single the campaign, the description and fo- good guys, so you decided to team up comic-book issue or, at most, a contin- cus of the heroes' activities. It ties in to fight crime." ued story in several parts. A cam- closely with "genre," above, but a In other campaigns, the rationale paign, though, is a regular comic concept is a specific statement of plot- can be specific and powerful: "You all series, with continuing characters, oriented goals within the genre. For seek the Maggia scientist who created subplots, ongoing rivalries, and long- example, "high-tech espionage" is a the drug that turned you into super hu- term developments. A bad campaign genre; "SHIELD agents battle HY- mans. You want him to synthesize an can be tedious, but a well-run cam- DRA's plans for world domination" is a antidote to the drug's horrible side ef- paign gives the highest pleasure that concept within that genre. fects." (This is the optional rationale role-playing offers. A concept can be "wide" or "nar- offered in the campaign scenario, row." "Fun City," which starts on page 47.) "Wide" concepts permit extreme variation in the campaign's activities, Using This Description TYPES OF CAMPAIGNS settings, villains, and storylines. Dur- When you specify your campaign's Any campaign can be described by ing one session the heroes may catch genre, tone, concept, and rationale, its genre, tone, concept, and rationale. muggers in the Bowery; during the you are really deciding what kind of Genre: This point, the distinctive next, they're off to fight the Skrulls in stories you want to tell—and the ones kind of story your campaign tells, was outer space. Then they fight demons you don't want to tell, too. discussed at the start of Chapter 8. summoned by a loony wizard, then go For example, consider the gods. Your campaign genre is presumably on to foil Doctor Doom's latest super- The Marvel Universe includes the comic-book heroics in the Marvel Uni- science plot. Next week, into the Neg- pantheons of Greece, Rome, Egypt, verse. You may want to define it ative Zone! the Norsemen, and every other hu- further—for instance, a campaign Most long-running Marvel titles em- man culture, not to mention the Celes- about SHIELD agents, or masters of ploy this type of wide base. For exam- tials, , and powerful the mystic arts, or fugitives, or ple, the Fantastic Four venture all extra-dimensional beings like Dor- inner-city vigilantes. over the world and the galaxy, and mammu and the late Shuma-Gorath. Tone: This overall "flavor" of the they have had every kind of adventure These gods figure often in stories campaign describes most of the ad- imaginable. Spider-Man, too, has about Thor, Hercules, and Doctor ventures the PCs undertake. Most been all over the universe and into Strange. These heroes are powerful campaigns include all kinds of adven- other dimensions. enough for the gods to give them a tures, but one kind occurs more often "Narrow" concepts restrict the real challenge. And their concepts in- than the rest. This type, the one you campaign to a particular subgenre, clude the high-power magic that think of when telling someone about type of PC and villain, and storyline. At marks the gods. the campaign, sets a tone. first this sounds like less fun than a But the gods hardly ever appear in Are the PCs hunted by the govern- wide concept. But a narrowly focused stories of Daredevil, SHIELD, and Iron ment because of their mutant powers campaign can offer intense role- Man, because these heroes work best or secret information? This would playing experiences, strong character in genres and concepts that don't call probably make for a grim tone. identification for the players, and a for such powerful beings. Also, the Do you want plenty of comedy, self- sharp, specific adaptation of a particu- tone of a "god adventure" would be referential jokes, and bozo villains, lar favorite comic book. wrong for them. SHIELD and like the second She- series? This Suppose you enjoy Doctor Strange. use super-scientific devices to fight would obviously be a humorous tone. You could create a narrow campaign their opponents, and Daredevil uses Most campaigns, like most Marvel with magician PCs, perhaps his fists. Against gods, their weapons comics, strike a tone of straight Strange's disciples. The PCs protect and abilities would be inappropriate. action-adventure. The heroes fight to Earth from Dormammu's and When you describe your campaign, protect their city, or their planet, or travel through infinite magical dimen- you define a range of villains, plot ele- their dimension from evil. Missions, sions. There is enough story material ments, and tones that you want to use. usually serious, call for great effort here to keep a campaign going for With these guidelines, you can start to and personal sacrifice. years, all within a narrow focus. If your prepare the campaign. Any tone is fine, as long as the play- players tike Doctor Strange's adven- ers enjoy it. Just make sure you have tures, this is an exciting campaign. one in mind before preparing the cam- Many other narrow campaigns can be paign, and know when to with the equally rewarding. PREPARING THE established tone (the answer is "most Rationale: The essential ingredient of the time") and when to vary it (the CAMPAIGN of any campaign is a reason for the answer is "only for variety and a With a tone and perhaps a goal in PCs to be together. Sometimes this ra- change of pace"). mind, and with the background of the tionale is very general—"You're all Concept: This is the central idea of Marvel Universe well established, you

26 are ready to begin putting together the Preparing Villains Later, though, the Kingpin became campaign's many elements: player Villains are discussed in detail in a much more cunning and sinister foe characters, villains, NPCs, and stories. Chapter 8. This section deals with the who preferred to manipulate others issues you must consider when choos- into doing his dirty work. Against Preparing PCs ing the campaign's recurring villains. Daredevil, the Kingpin became an evil During a campaign, the heroes will The opponents your PCs face can force of almost elemental proportions. spend a lot of time together, so you be conveniently divided into four cate- In this new and more interesting incar- have to make sure they can work well gories: major villains, villain groups, nation, the Kingpin has become a sta- as part of a team. Examine each PC organizations, and nuisances. ple villain in many Marvel titles. with following points in mind. Major villains: Nearly every hero or Villain groups: If one villain is bad Motivations: What does this hero team in the Marvel Universe is associ- news, six will be even worse. The villain want to do? Do you, as Judge, find ated with one particular heavy-duty group lets you showcase bad guys who, that interesting, let alone suitably he- bad guy. The FF has Doctor Doom; individually, wouldn't stand a chance roic? Does that goal match (or at least the X-Men have Magneto; Doctor against your PCs. Remember Magne- avoid conflict with) those of other PCs Strange has Dormammu. Loki, the to's longtime henchman in the first in the campaign? Kingpin, the Red Skull, the Leader, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the ? Power level: Assess the character's Mandarin, and, oh yeah, Galactus . . . How else could you introduce a Toad abilities, powers, and talents. Are the you know, the bad guy, the one the he- into your campaign? If he didn't have attacks far more powerful, or less roes love to hate. The one who may backup bad guys, any self-respecting powerful, than other PCs' attacks? Is not show up very often, but who practi- hero could squash him in a round. the character invulnerable to your vil- cally defines the hero team by his or A well-designed villain group oper- lains' attacks, or will the character get her very existence. ates as an efficient team, with code blown away by the first punch? Every super-hero campaign needs signals and pre-rehearsed tactics that In the comics, heroes of widely dif- one of these, a villain who creates should catch your PCs off guard. fering power levels work together mind-shattering schemes and drives For example, at a leader's signal, without a problem; think of Thor and your heroes to their greatest exer- the team's strongest member could Captain America in the Avengers. But tions. Choose this villain with care, grab a non-flying PC, throw the hero that is because comic writers give and with an eye toward getting PCs to high into the air, and all of the villains every hero careful attention and ad- build really personal grudges against with ranged attacks could simultane- just the story to let them all show off. him or her. Perhaps the villain is con- ously fire on the helpless hero. You can't control your PCs the way nected with the origins of one of the If your PCs don't practice team- the writer controls heroes in the comic team members or directly opposes work, a well-oiled group of villains can books. If your Thor player decides to the heroes' goals. easily take them out, even when the hog the limelight and wipe out every Pick a villain that the PCs' powers individual villains are far less powerful bad guy in sight, the Captain America uniquely qualify them to face. If they than individual PCs. But after one or player just has to sit back and watch. can't stop him (or her or it), nobody two of these humiliating defeats, play- Work hard to ensure that all the PCs can. For instance, if your PCs are ma- ers will get the idea and begin devel- have about the same power level. gicians, choose a magical villain like oping their own team tactics. Bravo! Stepping on other characters: Every Dormammu. If the PCs are experts in The weakness of any villain group, character should have a power, skill, robotics, choose a machine intellect of course, is the clash of gigantic bad- or "flavor" unique to the team. Don't that wants to exterminate humanity. Et guy egos. Play this up over the course bring in another character who can do cetera. of the campaign. If the heroes take ad- the same thing, only better. The first Naturally, the villain should be pow- vantage of it, they can maneuver the player will feel useless. erful enough to push around an indi- villain group into smashing itself more Also, watch out for the hero who can vidual PC with ease, and give a good effectively than the heroes ever could. do virtually anything, the real jack-of- fight against the entire group. These groups are hard to design all-trades. Every well-designed char- You should also keep a couple of well. Fortunately, you need only one or acter has weaknesses and lacks, as lesser villains on hand for variety's two really sharp villain groups as a well as strengths; this makes the char- sake. For instance, the Fantastic campaign gets rolling. acter interesting, because overcom- Four's ultimate nemesis is Doctor Organizations: What would the old ing those weaknesses is heroic. Make Doom, but they still find time to fight SHIELD stories have been without sure your players understand that. Annihilus, Diablo, and Mephisto. HYDRA and AIM? How many stories Psychological profile: Is this hero— Sometimes you can turn a minor vil- have ensued from the nefarious activi- not to be too blunt—crazy? Can the lain into a major force just by looking ties of Roxxon Oil and Stane Interna- other PCs trust the hero? Is the hero at the character in a new way. For in- tional and the Maggia? going to kill somebody, or go berserk, stance, the Kingpin was originally a Chapter 4 of the Campaign Source- or just fail to get along with team- small-time crimelord with a laser- book discusses some uses of organi- mates? If so, have the player rethink beam cane and a stickpin that zations. In the campaign, bad-guy this character. You won't regret it. squirted gas at his opponents. He organizations serve two good pur- fought Spider-Man hand to hand, and poses: of course he lost. 27 1. They employ lots of normal-level a campaign. There are two important ally attached to the dependent and agents for the heroes to beat up on. A rules: has a stake in the NPC's fate. Peter combat between a hero and a slew of 1. NPCs should not be better than Parker would be deeply grieved if any- ordinary people proceeds much differ- PCs at their chosen pursuits, unless thing bad happened to Aunt May. ently from a standard slugfest be- there is a very good reason. This emotional attachment is much tween super types. Also, the hero Players like to feel that their charac- rarer in a role-playing situation. Play- must avoid doing fatal damage to the ters are experts, indispensable to the ers just don't relate to you, the Judge, weaker agents. (Who wants to blow a situation at hand. If you bring in an as they would to an aunt or husband. whole Karma pool on one measly HY- NPC who can do what they do, but The dependent's plot function be- DRA agent?) better, the players will wonder why comes nakedly obvious. While play- 2. Organizations create high-tech they bothered to show up at all. And ers may role-play their PCs' equipment, which provides interest- next session, they won't make the attachment well enough, outside the ing story ideas. "Our Global Encepha- same mistake again! game they groan when Aunt May ap- lizer Satellite will turn Earth's entire What is a "good reason" for making pears on the scene: "Oh no, we have population into helpless slaves!" an NPC superior to the PCs? Well, the to rescue her again, don't we?" You should design or adapt two or Marvel Universe has a few well- What is the solution? Give the de- three organizations as the campaign defined absolutes—not as many as pendent a legitimate function in the begins, each with its own style, goals, you might suppose, but a few. campaign. Make the NPC genuinely and scale. "Scale" means the dimen- Doctor Strange is Sorcerer Su- useful to the heroes, perhaps as a sion of its operations. For example, preme. Captain America is the great- doctor, detective, scholar, or regularly the Maggia wants to make money est mortal expert at fighting, and Reed visited source of information. Then through crime; but HYDRA wanted to Richards is the most brilliant human when something happens to endan- conquer the world! These differing scientist (with the possible exception ger the NPC, the players' alarm will be scales mean the organizations fulfill of Doctor Doom). Daredevil, apart genuine, not just role-playing. different roles in scenarios. from his blindness, probably has the The NPC should be able to do Alien races: This is really a sub- sharpest senses of any human being. something the heroes can't or aren't group of "Organizations." Are your For many years, the Hulk was the interested in doing. Good jobs to give PCs the types who could handle an in- strongest mortal. And, of course, Wol- an NPC include Daily Bugle reporter, vasion from space, the sea, or Subter- verine is "the best at what he does." FBI agent or government liaison, fi- ranea? If so, the Marvel Universe These heroes' abilities have been nancial advisor, stoolie, and vehicle offers many races as suitable adver- established so well that your players pilot. But make sure the NPC isn't bet- saries. Aliens can be slightly tougher can hardly grouse that their charac- ter than the players (see Rule 1)! than ordinary agents, and they use ters aren't as good as these hero even more exotic technology than HY- NPCs. What's more, you have the DRA or AIM. For more about aliens, power to keep these titans out of the see the next chapter's subsection on campaign, so your heroes don't have RUNNING THE "The Galactic Campaign." to feel upstaged. CAMPAIGN Nuisances: Finally there are the But other NPCs, the lesser lights of Now that you have a PC hero group, bozo villains. No campaign is com- the Marvel Universe and the ones you a master villain or two, a couple or plete without the occasional would-be create yourself, should not be supe- three organizations, functional NPCs, hotshot, the mischievous , and rior to the PCs. Think carefully before and all the bozo villains your players the idiot musclemen. Think of the you give an NPC Ultimate Skill in any- can stand, you are ready to start play- Trapster, who couldn't even defeat the thing the PCs can do. ing. Or, as often happens, the cam- 's automated de- 2. The NPCs in a hero's life should paign just grew, and you have been fenses, or the , or the Enforcers have some role in the campaign be- making all of this up on the fly, in the (Fancy Dan, , Snake Mar- sides their relationship to the hero. thick of the game. ston, Hammer Harrison, and the ever- In the comics, many heroes have Either way, it is time to discuss mat- lovable ). friends, loved ones, or relatives who ters that arise as play progresses. Players exuberantly trash these occasionally figure in adventures— punks. They provide laughs, relief from usually as hostages, victims, or tar- Getting Underway grim world-endangering plots, and a gets. The archetypal example is Peter If you have already begun the cam- chance for the players to feel really su- Parker's Aunt May. paign, you can skip this section. perior to lowlife scum. Don't overdo it, These "dependents" are often a Any campaign begins best with an but keep one or two of these clowns part of your PC heroes' lives, too. " adventure," the scenario that es- waiting in the wings when you need a They serve a valuable plot function: tablishes its premise, introduces its break between serious adventures. By endangering the dependent, you characters (and, if necessary, the play- can get the heroes emotionally in- ers) to one another, and explains why Preparing NPCs volved in your adventure, just like in these heroes are banding together. Non-player characters are dis- the comics. But here is where comics Origin adventures can have unu- cussed at length in Chapter 8. This and games part ways. sual power, because they evoke a section deals with the role of NPCs in A hero in a Marvel comic is emotion- sense that these characters' lives are 28 changing forever. . . that nothing will You need not have a culprit in mind PC's attitude becomes dangerous. ever be the same again. An ongoing when you introduce the mystery. Lis- At last a specially designed adven- campaign can't sustain that feeling, ten to the players speculate, and try to ture faces the PC with the worst con- and shouldn't try. Players would soon pick up on what they find most intrigu- sequences of this new attitude. get worn out! ing. Then, several episodes later, it Probably the hero gets the opportu- When you design an origin adven- turns out they were right—sort of! nity to kill a hated foe, or the foe dis- ture, aim for a dramatic statement of Throw in a devious twist to keep the covers the hero's secret identity and the campaign's essential peril, the players off guard. ruins his or her life (as the Kingpin ru- danger that the heroes have joined For example, you tell your players ined Matt Murdock's life). At this criti- forces to combat. A major plot by the that an unmarked package arrives at cal juncture, the hero either gives way campaign's master villain is an obvi- HQ. The postmark is from . to base impulses, or refuses to do so, ous and excellent choice. Inside, without any identifying note, is thus setting the stage for a dramatic The PCs may not be together, and a shapeless hunk of pure return to sanity. perhaps they even don't know one an- worth almost a million dollars. If you want to keep the PC in the other, as the adventure begins. In any The players speculate that the game, make very sure the player in case, a beginning adventure (unlike Black Panther, ruler of Wakanda, question is inclined to choose recov- most comic-book stories) does not seeks their help and is testing their ery. Otherwise, the corrupted PC have to start out with a dramatic inci- honor: If they return the vibranium, should be phased out of the campaign dent. It's better to spend a leisurely 10 they pass the test. or become a villain's henchman. or 15 minutes per PC, establishing the The PCs nobly decide that next ses- Note: If you proposed this subplot character's current life, attitudes, and sion they will call up the Panther, offer and the player cooperated, be sure to perhaps powers. This non- to return the vibranium, and ask return all the Karma the PC lost when threatening "trial period" helps a what's going on. You, having heard committing crazy actions. They were player get the feel of the PC before the this line of speculation, plan a Wa- your idea, after all. real action begins. kanda adventure. But you decide that, Criminal trials: A valued NPC (or In the origin adventure you can play though the Black Panther was testing even a PC hero!) is on trial for some around with players' expectations in a the PCs' honor, he wants them as frame-up. While the trial proceeds, way that takes them by surprise. For agents in selling the vibranium to a cli- good guys search for evidence to example, if the player wants the PC to ent! He can't trust his usual distribu- clear the accused, and bad guys plant have a dependent in the campaign, tion network for this assignment. Why more. you might establish one early in the not? The answer to that, of course, The verdict is by no means certain. origin—but then the master villain dis- provides the adventure. Robbie Robertson's recent trial is a poses of that dependent in horrible Relations with the law: Some new good example. If the accused goes to fashion! The adventure later presents inspector or precinct captain has it in prison, the heroes may consider dras- a new dependent, the one you in- for super-powered vigilantes. The offi- tic actions to free him or her. When tended all along. Meanwhile, the PC cial makes life hard for the heroes in this subplot is resolved, the campaign has formed a royal personal grudge their every criminal investigation, and may head in a new direction, with the against the bad guy. attacks them in the media. heroes (at least for a time) on the But be careful. Avoid sheer ruth- But does the official have an ulterior wrong side of the law. lessness . . . unless that's the cam- motive in the attacks? Is there some paign tone your players expect. darker figure behind the scenes, ma- Character Development nipulating public opinion? The fascination of campaigning Dangling Subplots Increasing insanity: When Matt Mur- comes in watching relationships ap- Though this may sound to outsiders dock descended into paranoia, and pear and mature, people come and like some repulsive medical condition, the Kingpin systematically dismantled go, stories begin and end. This sec- Judges know this is the way to fore- his life, the story gripped readers both tion talks about some of the develop- shadow future conflicts, new villains, old and new. The "" se- ments that arise in a successful and amazing changes in the heroes' quence showed that when fate campaign. powers. This foreshadowing builds plunges a hero into the depths, he or Player characters: A story is inher- suspense and keeps players coming she becomes all the more heroic by ent in almost every good character back to the game. climbing out again. conception. Does the character have Here are several intriguing kinds of This tricky and risky episode re- a particular goal, such as vengeance subplots. quires a player's cooperation if you or atonement, or wiping out a given or- Mysterious appearances: Enig- want to initiate it; or the player's char- ganization? Has the PC been troubled matic notes in the mail or messages acter may already be heading over- by an ongoing psychological problem, on the answering machine at HQ. En- board, and you decide to capitalize on such as a fear of intimacy or a ber- igmatic manifestations of psychic the mounting craziness. serker rage? Is there some mystery in power by a dependent. Enigmatic The hero begins to part ways with the the PC's past, such as his or her ori- weather, or animals lurking in an alley, group. He or she commits Karma- gin, or the identity of the character's or surveillance drones. The common reducing actions, minor ones at first, parents? element is mystery. but gradually increasing in severity. The All of these imply an eventual reso- 29 lution to the problem, over the long Another example: Spider-Man beat ers can choose to (a) ignore the whole term of the campaign. The PC Doctor Octopus so many times that issue; (b) play an adventure that gives a achieves the goal, overcomes the psy- Octopus finally just went mad. For a plot justification for retarding or stop- chological hangup, or solves the mys- time he was harmless, and then when ping the PCs' aging; or (c) specify, by tery. The conflict is resolved. For he returned as a menace he was ma- Judge's fiat, a rate of aging you all can example, the Human Torch, after niacally driven to defeat the wall- live with—one game-year per year of years of dead-end romances, finally crawler above all else. real time, one game-year per three or found true love with Alicia Masters Just as your PCs have stories, the six real years, or no aging at all. and married her. The campaign villains also pass through found a way to leave Earth and return life-changing events and emerge from to the universe at large. Doctor them changed. You need not worry Strange became Sorcerer Supreme. about this for the first year or two of TYPES OF PLAYERS When a PC achieves the culmina- play, but don't overlook these possibil- Not player characters, players. tion of his or her story, that doesn't ities as the campaign progresses. Role-players are a various lot. Each mean it's time for the character to re- person in your group may have a dif- tire. By that time, the PC has probably Aging ferent style of play and enjoy role- become so entrenched in the cam- If your campaign goes on long playing for different reasons. Try to paign that he or she takes on a kind of enough, eventually age becomes an determine each player's wants, and if "elder statesman" role as an experi- issue. possible, satisfy them in the adven- enced hero, perhaps a leader, al- In Marvel comics, characters age ture you run. That way, everyone has though his powers shouldn't be out of slowly or not at all. In almost 30 years fun. balance with the other PCs. of Spider-Man stories, Peter Parker Here is a non-exhaustive list of Over the course of the campaign, try has gone from high school to gradu- some common player types. {Thanks to develop the PCs' stories. You won't ate school. Reed Richards and Sue to Aaron Allston for these classifica- ever have time to resolve them all, but Storm married and now have a seven- tions.) their ongoing progress will give your year-old son, but their partner Ben The Psychologist: This player en- stories the appeal of the Marvel comics Grimm hasn't aged a bit. Matt Mur- joys exploring the personality of his or and the players the feeling that they re- dock has been 32 ever since Daredevil her character in detail. Role-playing is ally matter to the campaign. #1 appeared in the early 1960s. an acting challenge, and the deeper NPCs: These, too, can develop in This is one of the conventions of the the character, the better this player stories. The boyfriend breaks up with genre, as discussed at the beginning likes the challenge. the heroine and leaves town, or dies, of Chapter 8. If heroes aged normally, Throw the Psychologist's character or marries the PC. The sidekick gets the comics would eventually grow as into lots of different situations that call corrupted by the master villain, but re- old and tired as they do. Who could for different responses: negotiation, deems himself with a dying gesture believe a 55-year-old Daredevil leap- examination of a new culture, romanc- that defeats the bad guy. The helpless ing across the rooftops? ing an NPC, staving off romance with sister learns to fend for herself, opens Some Marvel heroes have authen- an NPC, and crises of conscience. a business, and becomes a financial tic explanations for their eternal The more angst you foist on the char- success and a respected citizen. youth. Thor and Hercules don't age acter, the better the player should like Generally, such an NPC, unlike a because they are gods. Nick 's In- it—but be sure your player is of this PC, exits the campaign at this point. finity Formula has kept him young type before you really heap on the bad The character simply doesn't inspire since World War II. The first time Doc- news! stories any more. But he or she may tor Strange died, he merged with Eter- The Problem Solver: Faced with a return for guest spots now and then. nity. Reborn into this plane, Strange mystery, or even the hint of a mystery, Villains: One of the most interesting no longer ages. But most Marvel he- this player looks for clues and culprits aspects of the campaign is the grad- roes stay young simply because they and speculates endlessly on solu- ual metamorphosis of the heroes' op- remain interesting that way. tions. Faced with capture, the player ponents. Master villains are reduced In general, heroes who start out figures a way out of your foolproof am- to annoyances, while minor hench- young age to a kind of "ideal point" bush. men take over and grow strong. Orga- that allows the most interesting sto- A player who's alert and thinking is nizations are destroyed, but their ries. Then the aging stops, and in- always better than one who isn't. But agents go freelance and make further stead the heroes' past history is boy, does this guy make you work trouble. revised and updated to make the cur- hard! If your story calls for the villain to When Doctor Strange began his rent version plausible. In Marvel com- capture the characters, the Problem sorcerous career, for example, Baron ics, the modern age of super humans Solver may send it spinning off in new Mordo matched if not surpassed him is assumed to have begun about directions. If you want your surprise in mastery of the mystic arts. But seven or eight years before the twist to stay a surprise, you have to Strange grew in power while his rival present, and most well-established send the Problem Solver chasing after lagged behind, and Mordo became a heroes have had careers lasting four multiple wild geese to keep him or her nuisance menace, a pawn in the to eight years of "real" time. from guessing the twist in Scene 2. schemes of more powerful beings. In the campaign, you and your play- Judging tip: Listen to the Problem 30 Solver's theories. Sometimes the Bad feelings between PCs: Even Too many players: Some Judges, player will come up with a solution far though your players are getting along who struggle to find enough inter- more surprising and effective than the fine outside the game, their charac- ested parties to put together a play one you had planned. Then at the sto- ters may regard each other with cool session, would love to have this prob- ry's conclusion, you throw out the real hatred. Perhaps one, a Captain lem. But having too many players is explanation and substitute the better America-type, has vowed to protect all far worse than having too few. one. "Yep, you guessed it, all right," life, whereas another, in the tradition The problems: the Judge can't keep you say blandly. of the Punisher or Wolverine, is ready track of everybody's actions; players The Killing Machine: His boss is giv- to kill any criminal, Karma loss or no. don't get into the spotlight often ing him a hard time, or she's having These two have to get on one an- enough; and to challenge the larger trouble with her classes, or he doesn't other's nerves. and more powerful PC group, bad get along with his parents. One way or In the comics, this friction can pro- guys have to be still more powerful— another, this player arrives at the game duce deeper characterization and in- and that makes adventures deadlier ready to fight. The Killing Machine teresting rivalries. It can in your game, for individual PCs. wants to take out frustrations on imagi- too ... if that is to everyone's taste. In judging a game, the maxim is not nary characters, as explosively as pos- Take care that other players don't be- "The more, the better," but "Every- sible. come uncomfortable with the frac- thing in moderation." Aim for an opti- Role-playing games are a healthy tious pair, and keep the combatants mum group of four to six players. If outlet for aggression, so satisfy this from stabbing one another in the you have many more than this, con- player with plenty of action and physi- back. That's hardly heroic! sider splitting off the group into two cal conflict. In the Marvel Universe, A certain amount of squabbling is en- separate campaigns. this shouldn't prove hard. tertaining. But carried too far, ft can Changing direction: After you have Another kind of Killing Machine is the drive the group apart. If you prefer not to run all the adventures you can think player who worms through loopholes in risk this, make sure your PCs are all on of, you may want to rejuvenate the the rules to design characters of maxi- the same wavelength about important campaign by shifting its scene, prem- mum lethality. Many "role-playing" campaign issues before play begins. ise, or goals. games encourage this, since combat is These "ground rule" issues include: This is fine, but talk to your players almost their sole activity. In stories, whether and when to kill; first. If a player enjoys playing a these characters have less to contrib- relations with law enforcement offi- wealthy industrialist in the Financial ute. But you can make this player happy cials; District, he or she may not enjoy being by sending the character against huge and whether PCs should trust one flung back in time to 18th-century opponents and watching him or her cut another with their secret identities. Haiti or into a post-holocaust future. them into pieces. New players: Great! That is, as long If the players object strongly to your When you're putting together your as the newcomers know the cam- proposed change, think it over. If they story, think of your players and try to in- paign's ground rules: ways to behave, don't object, but don't think their char- clude elements that will appeal to all of power level, overall goals, and how to acters belong in the new campaign, them. As long as everybody gets some- uphold the team's reputation. let them create new PCs. Or ask them thing fun to do in every session of the It's hard to make sure a new player to play NPCs in your adventures until game, you'll have a satisfied group. isn't going to do something rash and the campaign returns to the earlier cause permanent disaster. To guard mode. against this, first have the player guest- Remember, players just want to star in the campaign as an established have fun, but usually they need to CAMPAIGN Marvel character, one whose behavior know what kind of fun they're going to PROBLEMS every player is familiar with. Once you have. As the campaign proceeds, certain decide the player can handle the cam- problems may appear. Here are some paign's ground rules, let him or her traps to watch out for. bring in the new permanent PC.

31 CHAPTER 10: THE MANHATTAN CAMPAIGN Previous chapters discussed sto- your players may find it easier to visu- the PCs are in a good neighborhood ries and campaigns in general. But alize the action if you set the cam- or the worst slum. This, too, speeds since this set describes Marvel Man- paign in some nearby metropolis that up the adventure. hattan, this chapter is devoted to cam- you and they know well. Disadvantages: Lack of atmos- paigns set in New York or any big city. (For advice about setting a Marvel phere, of a sense of place. Missed campaign in your home town, consult opportunities—adventures don't ex- the adventure "Avengers Fran- ploit the possibilities of Manhattan's chised!" by David Cook, in MA2, actual landmarks, like chess players WHAT CITY AND WHY? Avengers Coast-to-Coast.) in Central Park or museums along No matter how far afield your he- But suppose you do decide to set Fifth Avenue. roes range, they need a base of opera- your campaign in Marvel Manhattan. tions. It could be an orbital satellite, an How should you use the city? New York: undersea fortress, or even a time- Different Marvel comics set in New Accept No Substitutes traveling, teleporting phone booth. York treat the city in two general ways. If you live in New York or have play- But a headquarters in a major city has Some depict it as a generic back- ers who did, grounding your cam- several advantages in a campaign. ground of undifferentiated sky- paign solidly in an accurate 1. Resources: Whatever the heroes scrapers, sewers, and taxicabs. Other Manhattan may be the only approach need, whether it's an ancient Egyptian stories establish New York in detail, you can use without starting argu- scroll or a new Ferrari or gold bullion, using famous landmarks, giving spe- ments. Otherwise, players may shout, it's available in a large city. The fore- cific neighborhoods and addresses "No way is there a garden shop in the most consultants in any field nearly al- for story scenes, and evoking the dis- Bowery!" stopping play until the argu- ways live in university cities. The tinctive Manhattan atmosphere. ment is settled. police departments have advanced Either of these offers a sound way to criminological equipment and foren- Comics that take the trouble to de- run your campaign. Both ways are dis- sic tools. And in Marvel Manhattan, pict specific real-city landmarks gain cussed below. the heroes can easily visit Avengers depth. For example, when Matt Mur- Island to get confidential information dock's partner says he or Four Freedoms Plaza to borrow The Generic City lives on West 72nd and Columbus, Reed Richards' latest-model space If you and your players have never that tells a lot about Foggy's way of life drive. been to New York and don't care to someone who knows Manhattan's about its finer details, much of the Upper West Side. 2. Accessibility: This means the he- Campaign Sourcebook's information Advantages: When you describe roes can get to the crime scene only gets in the way. Delete trivia and quickly. And it also means that your New York landmarks and give ad- just employ the background your sto- dresses, your scenario gains believa- villains can get at the heroes. Both ries require. factors keep adventures moving fast. bility. And getting from one part of In the comics, there is ample prece- And as in #1, many established town to another can be entertaining all dent for the generic "abandoned Marvel heroes hang around Manhat- by itself; see Chapter 5, "On the Side- warehouse," not to mention "a pier tan, either at known addresses or walks of New York" in the Campaign somewhere on the waterfront" and where they are easily found by any Sourcebook. crimes committed in "a bad part of hero group that takes to the rooftops. You can offer new challenges to town." Include an all-purpose subway PCs by setting different parts of a sce- 3. Local color: A city supplies ever- station, research lab, and office build- nario in widely separated parts of the changing backgrounds, events, and ing, and you have all you need for actual New York City. Give the players bystanders. Judges with a taste for most stories. a deadline to reach a distant location. scenic detail find cities much more Advantages: Speedy scenery—you They know how far they have to travel, useful than the depths of outer space can describe a warehouse or sky- and they can try different strategies to or the bottom of the Marianas Trench. scraper without rooting through notes get there in time. This increases ten- showing the actual location. Speedy sion and gives players control of their Choosing A City storytelling—scene changes are fates. Of course, even though the heroes quick dissolves from one location to should locate in a city, that city does Encounters with varied NPCs in the next, just a "later, across town" many different parts of town increase not have to be New York. This set away. gives you material useful in any urban the PCs' emotional involvement, as The generic approach eases your campaign. Most Hotspot listings in the well. So when somebody threatens to task in deciding whether a given store, Campaign Sourcebook include advice blow up New York, players in a "real" library, or business is near the current on translating the Hotspot to other cit- city campaign may really imagine scene. If a PC suddenly needs a gar- ies. Many of New York's sites work just what would be lost by its destruction, den hose, you can put a garden sup- as easily in Chicago, San Francisco, instead of treating the loss in the ab- ply shop just a block away, whether Denver, Seattle, or Houston. You and stract.

32 Disadvantages: This approach Examples: Established Marvel he- Man needs skyscrapers to swing takes extra research and a willingness roes who function in this adventure across the city. to admit mistakes. If you absent- style. Perils include muggings, bank rob- mindedly put the RCA Building in the Ground rules: Points of genre and beries, drug rings, small natural disas- World Trade Center, your players may tone that both Judge and players ters, corrupt city officials, or mass give you grief about it when the mis- should be aware of. destruction threatening anything up to take is discovered. What PC heroes need: Required re- the city itself. Sometimes your scenario ideas just sources, such as equipment and Examples: Cloak and Dagger, Dare- won't work in the real Manhattan. If transportation. devil, , the Punisher, your adventure absolutely requires a Suitable villains: Suggested bad Spider-Man. subway line to Staten Island, too guys for this style of campaign. Vil- Ground rules: Heroes make only a bad—there isn't one, and your players lains are discussed in detail in Chap- slight difference in this world, if at all. will know it. ter 8. In the genre, the city's problems are Roles for recurring NPCs: The kinds insurmountable overall, but the PCs The Campaign Descriptions of occupations you should include or can help individuals and restrain the A city can be a total campaign envi- assign to dependent NPCs. advance of crime. ronment, a base for worldwide opera- Occasionally urban heroes go else- tions, or a rest stop between jaunts where for an adventure, but they around the universe. The following never lose their city orientation. For in- sections describe these three cam- THE URBAN stance, Spider-Man has been every- paign approaches according to six cri- CAMPAIGN where in the Marvel Universe and into teria: Scale of adventures: Restricted al- other dimensions, but we always think Scale of adventures: The settings most entirely to New York City itself. of him swinging between the sky- and stakes of most of that campaign's Heroes are designed with city back- scrapers of midtown New York. adventures. drops in mind; for example, Spider- What PC heroes need: 33 Power level—An individual hero What PC heroes need: . should be able to handle three or four Power level—The PCs command Perils usually involve the death of typical armed hoodlums, and hold up great power, and possibly rank among all life on Earth, the destruction of the in battle with a minor-league villain. the strongest on Earth in their chosen solar system, or changing the physi- Transport—The heroes should have pursuits. cal laws of the universe. Villains are powers or vehicles that can cross Transport—The heroes should have cosmically powerful and evil. most of Manhattan in 10 or 20 minutes powers or vehicles that let them get Examples: Doctor Strange, the at most. anywhere in the world within 12 hours Fantastic Four, Thor, the other Aveng- Information sources—Since heroes at most. {For example, the X-Men had ers (sometimes), the X-Men (some- spend a lot of time on the streets, they an RS-150 Blackbird supersonic air- times). Some galactic heroes, like the should have or establish a network of craft. Now, though based far away Silver Surfer, use no base city. friends, patrons, and informants. from major cities, they have a telepor- Ground rules: The campaign city Suitable villains: The Kingpin tation gate to reach a scene quickly.) may be no more than a rest stop and (above ail!), Beetle, Blacklash, Doctor Information sources—PCs should backdrop for personal subplots. Octopus, Electro, Hobgoblin, Mad- have access to a worldwide instant Sometimes the heroes' vital role can- cap, the , the Vulture. communications network, whether not be revealed to the world at large, Organizations—the Maggia, Subter- technological or psychic in origin. lest the dangers they face create raneans. Languages—Some kind of transla- panic in the populace. Roles for recurring NPCs: Beat cop, tion device or wide knowledge of for- What PC heroes need: plainclothes detective, stoolie, re- eign tongues will come in handy. Power level—The PCs are in some formed junkie (criminal connections), Suitable villains: Baron Mordo, Doc- way the best on Earth at their pursuits, taxi driver, minor disciple in magic, kid tor Doom, the Crimson Dynamo and and probably rival the greatest powers gang member. other Soviet Super Soldiers, Freedom in the universe (or multi verse). They Force, the Hellfire Club, the Leader, have routine access to phenomenally Magneto, the Mandarin, the Master, powerful equipment. the Red Ghost, the Red Skull, Ultron. Transport—The heroes should have THE GLOBAL Organizations—AIM, the Deviants, powers or vehicles that let them go CAMPAIGN HYDRA, the Maggia, Subterraneans. anywhere in the universe within a few Scale of adventures: Heroes, head- Roles for recurring NPCs: Those of days at most, or to other dimensions quartered in a major city, fly around the urban campaign, plus vehicle pi- more or less at will. the world, visit exotic locales, defeat lot, ambassador, high official in fed- Information sources—The Watcher, world conquerors, fight large-scale di- eral or international agency, known the Orb of Agamotto, etc. sasters, and prevent World War III. sorcerer, Nobel scientist, robotics en- Languages—Usually some kind of Examples: , the Aveng- gineer, millionaire patron. universal translator can be assumed. ers, the Hulk, Iron Man, , Suitable villains: Annihilus, Dor- SHIELD, the X-Men, X-Factor. mammu, Galactus, , Loki, Ground rules: Members of the team Mephisto, , Urthona. often have varied ethnic or national THE GALACTIC Organizations—the , the Shi'ar, backgrounds, but (usually) about the CAMPAIGN the Skrulls. same political outlook. They seldom Scale of adventures: The heroes de- Roles for recurring NPCs: Those of become involved in the troubles of or- fend the planet, galaxy, or universe the urban and global campaigns, plus dinary individuals, except as an ad- from invasion by aliens or extra- spaceship pilot or astrogator, heavy- venture hook for a larger-scale dimensional villains. They visit other duty sorcerer, ambassador from an scenario. planets, other dimensions, and the alien race, and the Watcher.

34 CHAPTER 11: SCENARIOS What if you don't have the time or junction with the usual rules for others get inside and rescue tourists. inclination to design your own sce- awarding Karma. A dozen normal people are hanging narios with the plot ingredients de- If the players head off in a surprising onto the central staircase at various scribed in Chapter 8? What if you direction, as they almost always do, a levels. Half a dozen more are being don't want to think right now about the mini-scenario can suddenly turn into a held hostage in the crown by the cul- campaign subplots and development full adventure. Run with it, using the prit who magically animated the suggested in Chapter 9? What if you information presented (and the advice Statue: Lester Danton. just want to play? in previous chapters) to set up or im- Danton, bagboy at a grocery chain, Here are over a dozen pre- provise further encounters. Remem- was a self-important geek who pur- packaged, ready-to-run scenarios. ber: Don't panic! sued occultism as a hobby and even- First come many one-shot encounters tually learned how to summon the set in the Hotspots of New York City. extra-dimensional demon Mephisto. Then the book concludes with a full- In return for his allegiance, Mephisto length scenario, "Fun City." Tailor it to THE STATUE OF LIBERTY granted Danton great power. Danton is now using these powers to achieve an existing campaign or use it to start SUMMARY: A magician has animated a brand-new one! his only goals: chaos and revenge on the Statue and set it to attack the fer- those who supposedly slighted him— ries and shipping in New York Harbor. basically everybody. Note: This mini-scenario can be run alone or following those for "The Daily Use Baron Mordo's abilities THE Bugle" and "Doctor Strange's Sanc- (Judge's Book, p. 42) for Danton. His tum," later in this chapter. unique ability to animate the Statue is MINI-SCENARIOS an Unearthly power. This section offers a brief adventure SET-UP: For a topical scenario, set Danton has an Amazing force for many of the Hotspot locations de- shield up, and is alert and ready to kill scribed in the Campaign Sourcebook. this on Independence Day. The PCs could be attending a patriotic presen- hostages. However, he wants to toy Be familiar with the Hotspot listing for with both hostages and heroes for a that area given in the Sourcebook be- tation on Liberty Island, in hero or se- cret IDs. while. Heroes can easily distract Dan- fore running the adventure. Judges in- ton with taunts, which drive him to ber- terested in learning how to design In a non-holiday run, the heroes serk fury. adventures may note how the features may be touring the island (or visiting nearby Avengers Island) or on patrol, (For advice on how to link this and details of the location sparked the encounter with others, see the "Doc- scenario idea. and they see the Statue actually ani- mate. Failing that, they hear about it tor Strange's Sanctum" mini- Each mini-scenario follows the scenario.) "Encounter" format used in MHAC6, on the news or police radio. They ar- New York, New York. Each uses five rive on the scene after the Statue has begun wreaking havoc. AFTERMATH: Danton is powerful, but sections: fundamentally third-rate. The heroes The Summary tells what happens in Use the Statue of Liberty fold-up map included in this boxed set. should be able to trick him or other- the encounter, who is involved, and wise defeat him. If they fail, a hostage what they are doing. When it is impor- (perhaps Perry Gawkman?) gets the ADVENTURE: The animated Statue's tant, the Summary also states the time drop on Danton at a crucial moment abilities are listed in its Hotspot entry. and date when the scenario occurs, and knocks him out with a shoe-heel. as well as other pertinent information. Delete her power to inspire a love of freedom. When Danton is out cold, Mephisto The Set-Up suggests appropriate appears over his body. (For Mephis- maps where necessary, along with The Statue tears loose from her pedestal with a snap of girders. Play to's abilities, see p. 56 of the Judge's ways to get the heroes into the adven- Book.) The demon does not attack, ture. (See also the staging hints in up the spectacle of a 150-foot-tall woman smiting buildings with her but tries to engage the heroes in taunt- Chapter 8.) Most of these encounters ing banter. He knew Danton would fail; can be run without maps. torch, pounding the pedestal with cop- per fists, and terrorizing tourists. as part of the deal, Mephisto could The Adventure describes what can only claim Danton's soul when Danton The heroes' first impulse may be to happen when the heroes get involved. was defeated. After a dramatic final attack directly, but point out that this How will the villain react? What does speech ending with "I'll be back," would damage a national monument. the bad guy want from his crime? Can Mephisto and Danton disappear in a For this reason, the National Guard, the heroes reason with the villain? flash of light. waiting on armed boats nearby, has The Aftermath describes what hap- With their departure, the Statue re- pens after the situation is resolved. not attacked. Also, there are still inno- cent people trapped inside the Statue. turns to normal on its pedestal—if the Any Karma suggested in the fifth heroes didn't damage it badly in the Some PCs should try to stop the an- section is a general guideline for the battle. Damaging the Statue endan- Judge. Use the suggestions in con- imated monument's rampage, while

35 gers the hero group's reputation. Per- loose on the boat journey, and now it In its monster form, the bunyip haps the PCs can recoup the loss by gleefully torments swimmers off Co- grows into a seal-like creature eight giving an emotional speech justifying ney Island beach. feet long. Its fur is black, and a large the damage and promising to repair it. Stage the scene like a shark-attack black mane grows around its head. Its If the scenario takes place on the movie: First the heroes hear stories eyes are beady, its jaws fanged and Fourth of July, the ceremony re- about the monster; then they search threatening. Its Strength becomes Re- sumes, concluding with spectacular for it, but find only enigmatic, tiny foot- markable. Rising from the water, it fireworks. Heroes with pyrotechnic prints leading into the surf. As the he- roars and spreads loose flaps of skin powers can get in on the act. roes are futilely searching in the water, beneath its forelegs, so that it appears they hear screams. Running, they ar- huge, dark, and menacing. KARMA: rive just in time to see the monstrous, Abilities: The bunyip can swim at Re- Rescuing all the innocents: +30 shadowy form get away. markable speed, and may seem to Restoring the Statue to normal with- At that point, Derry Pynchon ar- vanish when it switches forms. The out major damage: +40 rives. Though he is ostensibly in- bunyip can take on its monstrous form As above, but with damage: +20 volved in a publicity appearance, he only in water. As a magical creature, it Severely damaging the Statue: appears too interested in what he need not eat or sleep. -40, and Popularity drops by 5. hears about the monster and seems to The monster-bunyip bites, doing be searching for it obsessively. Per- Excellent damage, but only in self- de- ceptive heroes who corner the movie fense. Its thick fur gives Typical Body CONEY ISLAND star find that he will reluctantly tell Armor. about the bunyip. However, Pynchon Typical Dialogue: The bunyip does doesn't know that the creature is SUMMARY: A bunyip is loose off the not talk. In its small form, it squeaks a harmless! coast near Coney Island. The heroes bit. In monstrous form, it roars loudly. must locate it and stop its mischief. Encourage the heroes to devise a What's a bunyip? Keep reading. clever lure or plan to find the bunyip. Derry Pynchon Perhaps a favorite food, such as fresh Movie actor SET-UP: A mysterious "sea monster" fruit or candy, can serve as bait. If they F A S E R I P has been terrifying many tourists and make no plan, the bunyip appears Ty Gd Ty Gd Gd Gd Ty even lifeguards. So far, no one has anyway at a dramatic point, in its mon- Health: 32 Karma: 26 been injured. Coast Guard divers strous form. Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 30 have found no trace of the creature, Since the bunyip is unlikely to scare Appearance: Handsome, brawny fel- so they have called in the heroes to in- our heroes, it flees as soon as they at- low dressed in khakis and a wide- vestigate. tack. It can turn into its small form (see brimmed hat. Blond, clean-shaven. below) with great speed, so to unper- Cheerful manner, and never fazed by ceptive heroes it seems to vanish. ADVENTURE: The bunyip comes super-heroic abilities. Those who spot the tiny bunyip can try from the folklore of Australian aborig- Talents: Outback survival, to chase it down, if they can match its ines. In one version, it is a mischie- hunting, acting. Pynchon has no con- Remarkable speed, or they can trap it. If vous aquatic creature that delights in trol over the bunyip. they grab the bunyip, it turns back to frightening swimmers. Typical Dialogue: Spoken in a thick monstrous form and struggles to es- Australian accent. Pynchon is a nice Though ordinarily as small and cute cape. guy who handles stardom well, so he as a chipmunk, in water it can grow will be polite in most circumstances. (briefly) to large size. In this monstrous Heroes may have no power to cap- Story Function: Exposition about the form, the bunyip chases swimmers until ture the bunyip. In this case, an NPC bunyip; willing partner in any plan to they leave the water. The bunyip never magician such as Doctor Strange can trap it unharmed; the voice of con- attacks, for it means no harm—but New give them a magical Australian ab- science if players just want to kill the Yorkers don't know that. original "bullroarer" that attracts the thing. How did the bunyip get here? The creature. But once the bullroarer popular American movie series "Kan- brings the bunyip, the PCs must de- garoo" Muldoon stars Derry Pynchon feat or tame the creature themselves. AFTERMATH: If they don't kill the as a rugged Australian kangaroo bunyip outright, the PCs can return it hunter and tour guide. Pynchon stum- The Bunyip to Australia, take it as a mascot, or do- bled upon the bunyip in the Australian FAS E R I P nate it to the Bronx Zoo. Players may outback while filming the latest movie Fe Ex Fe/Rm Ex Pr Ty Ex come up with other creative solutions. in the series. A drought had dried up Health: 44/72 Karma: 30 If his role in the affair comes out, all water in the vicinity, leaving the Resources: None Popularity: 0 Derry Pynchon may be in grave trou- bunyip small, cute, harmless, and Appearance: Out of water or when not ble for illegally smuggling an animal thirsty. Pynchon made it a pet. scaring people, the bunyip is a cute into the country. Sincerely repentant for his action, he may offer the PCs The star visited New York, by ocean squirrel-like creature about four inches roles in his next film if they keep quiet liner because he fears flying. He car- long, with large head and eyes, big pink about him. ried the bunyip with him, planning to ears, gray fur, and a hairless pink tail. In present it to a new girlfriend. But it got this form, its Strength is Feeble. 36 KARMA: way to turn back to normal. Now, with formation channels (radio, TV, police Getting exposition from Derry Pyn- the heroes on the scene, they leap out band, etc.). chon: +10. of their cages and grab bystanders as Clever plan to lure or locate the bun- hostages. Richards stretches out to Attention, reads the statement. In yip: + 10. grab an ape, and it jabs him with the protest against the surface world's Capturing the bunyip without harm- animal tranquilizer. He collapses in a continued harassment of the rightful ing it greatly: + 20. rubbery heap, and now it's the play- undersea kingdom of Atlantis, we Clever plan to dispose of it: +10. ers' turn. hereby begin a righteous campaign Killing the bunyip: -20. PCs probably defeat the apes eas- to reclaim territories seized by sur- ily. But then they must figure out the face dwellers. apes' actions and how to communi- This underwater tunnel is hereby THE BRONX ZOO cate with them. Reed Richards has a claimed for the greater good of universal translator back at Four Free- Atlantis. Alteration to the tunnel to SUMMARY: Hokkor and R'Dall, the doms Plaza (see Translation Device render it accessible to our people on p. 60 of the Player's Book), as well Skrull agents trapped in ape form, get commences within ten minutes. As as devices that can restore the Skrulls loose. representatives of the Atlantean Ter- to normal form. ritorial Protection Force, we hereby SET-UP: The PCs are enjoying a holi- Once this is established, the PCs order all surface dwellers to depart day at the zoo, attending a ceremony must decide whether to turn the our territory at once. there, or working there in their secret Skrulls back to their normal form. This can be a role-playing exercise, since IDs. A TV reporter on the scene asks players may have markedly different This scenario involves Reed Ri- what this "alteration" will be. The At- opinions. Have Richards remain neu- chards of the Fantastic Four. If Richards lanteans say that a bomb planted on tral, posing both sides of the issue: is one of the PCs, fine. Otherwise, Ri- the floor of the Hudson will blow the Skrulls are dangerous, but it would be chards, as an NPC, happens to be there tunnel to bits. cruel to keep these two agents at the same time as the hero group. Ri- Panic ensues. trapped in ape form. chards either attends the same charity function that lured the heroes or is en- ADVENTURE: Adjust the time the At- gaging in harmless observation of rare AFTERMATH: Once the heroes have lanteans give according to how fast zoo animals. changed the Skrulls back or decided the PCs can arrive at the scene. They The PCs encounter Richards and, if not to, the Skrulls try to escape. If they should arrive with about three minutes they wish, talk with him as he walks get away, the aliens reappear in a later to spare before the tunnel blows. A po- around the zoo. If you want to lay the adventure, trying to steal a spacecraft lice officer tells them that some drivers groundwork for the "Four Freedoms and return to what's left of the Skrull are trapped in the tunnel. Plaza" scenario later in this chapter, Empire. The heroes can attack the two Atlan- he mentions the new unstable mole- Even if the Skrulls remain un- teans who made the statement. They cule he is working on. As they talk (or if changed, they can't stay at the Bronx are unarmed and fight only in self- the PCs don't talk), he enters the Mon- Zoo. The zoo is now short two apes defense, to demonstrate that they are key House. and may ask the PCs to capture re- "not hostile." (Ready to blow up the Hol- placements in Africa. A jars the peaceful air. A land Tunnel, sure, but not hostile.) and chimpanzee are breaking But this battle only wastes time. He- loose! KARMA: roes have more important objectives: Rescuing the apes' hostages un- evacuate the tunnel and locate and re- ADVENTURE: Hokkor and R'Dall harmed: + 10. move the bomb. have recognized Reed Richards and Coming to an intelligent decision Ordinarily the tunnel could be evac- possibly one or more of the PCs. They about the Skrulls (Judge's option): uated within less than ten minutes. Af- hope that Richards or a PC has tech- + 10. ter all, it doesn't even take four nology advanced enough to turn them minutes to drive through it. But when back into Skrul! form. They could ask tunnel drivers heard the news over Richards nicely. But that isn't the THE HOLLAND TUNNEL their car radios, a few panicked and Skrull way. turned around in the tunnel to head The apes have carved keys from a SUMMARY: Atlantean terrorists, in or- back to the surface. This led to a multi- piece of wood using their teeth. der to publicize their grievances, sab- car pile-up. Though no more cars are (These Skrulls really want to get out!) otage the tunnel. entering the tunnel as the PCs arrive, Last night they unlocked their cages, several are still trapped down there. stole into the primate house's food SET-UP: Two Atlanteans appear at the There are twice as many cars preparation room, broke into the med- Manhattan entrance to the tunnel and trapped in the tunnel as there are PCs icine cabinet, and stole powerful ani- read a prepared statement. Heroes who enter it. Each car has two passen- mal tranquilizers. may be patrolling nearby, or they hear gers, who are trapped in the crushed The Skrulls could probably have es- about it instantly through the usual in- automobiles with no way out. Passen- caped then. But they didn't have any gers all have Typical abilities. It 37 should take three or four rounds to Nontheless, this is a major diplomatic Wizard reasons), he will demonstrate reach them. incident, and Atlantis is censured his mental superiority. This is the way Meanwhile, other PCs should han- (again) by world governments. such villains think. dle the bomb threat. They must swim By the way, the bomb was manufac- There are twice as many chess out into the filthy, cold Hudson River tured for the ATPF by Stane Interna- players in Central Park's Chess and and fight the Atlantean bombers. As tional, but the company has Checkers House as there are villains with the PCs in the tunnel, this journey effectively concealed its involvement to kidnap them. The villains swoop in, should take three or four rounds. De- through a chain of intermediaries. plant anti- disks on all their vic- scribe the river bed, littered with old tims, and carry them aloft. cars, cans, and other junk. Amid the KARMA: Then the PCs appear. In response, junk crouch the Atlantean bombers, Evacuating the tunnel: + 20. the Wizard sends his villain hench- who attack the heroes by surprise if Letting innocents panic or losing men off in different directions, toward possible. control of the situation: -10. major Central Park landmarks, and There are two Atlanteans for each Removing the bomb: +30. throws his own captives straight up, PC. If the PCs couldn't possibly beat hoping to divide the heroes. Then, Atlanteans on their home ground (or over confident as usual, he threatens water), have the terrorists plant the CENTRAL PARK the PCs. bomb in the tunnel's air conditioning "I intend no harm to these imbe- building instead. SUMMARY: The super villain called ciles," he says. "But my business is For the Atlanteans' abilities, see the Wizard kidnaps a most unlikely set my own. Follow at your peril." He arro- page 60 of the Judge's Book. Each is of targets: the old chess players in the gantly refuses to give his motives. armed with a serrated sword that in- park's Chess and Checkers House. The other villains use their victims flicts Remarkable Edged damage. as hostages or throw them aside to The bomb is a High Explosive (Play- SET-UP: The heroes are near the delay pursuers. Heroes shouldn't try er's Book, p. 46). It detonates in three park, perhaps visiting a Fifth Avenue to target a villain who carries a hos- turns after the PCs defeat the Atlante- museum, when they see several air- tage. If they try, attacks are -2 CS. ans, unless they can disarm it. borne figures landing in the park. Missed attacks hit a hostage instead. To deactivate the bomb, a PC must Use the map of Central Park in- Of course, no hero worth the name make an Excellent-intensity Agility cluded on the fold-up map in this set will let the villains get away. PCs can FEAT to pull loose the correct wire for large-scale display of widely sepa- steal the hostages, or make the vil- from its tangle of companions. Failure rated events. lains set down their hostages and bat- means the bomb explodes in one turn. tle. If the heroes carry the bomb at least ADVENTURE: The flying figures are Showcase as many park landmarks one area away from the Hudson floor, the Wizard, also known as the Wing- as possible. If any of the Wizard's its explosion does not damage the less Wizard, and super villains that he henchmen have shape-shifting Holland Tunnel. hopes to enlist as underlings for his powers, try to change a PC into a frog schemes. or rat. Then you can send the PC into AFTERMATH: After the battle, Atlan- Use as many villains as there are the midst of the frog-rat war in the tean UN observers appear and try to PC heroes. Use any villains you like, park. take the captured terrorists into their especially the Wizard's old cronies in own custody, "on United Nations dip- the : Sandman and the Chess players lomatic authority." Trapster. For their abilities, see MU3, F A S E R I P This is a trick. Heroes may be Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Uni- Pr Pr Ty Pr Gd Gd Ty duped into cooperating if they don't verse. Health: 18 Karma: 26 know that Atlantis is not a member of The Wizard gives non-flying villains Resources: Typical(6) Popularity: 0 the UN. (Give PCs Reason FEAT rolls anti-gravity disks that bestow Good air Appearance: All the players are if appropriate.) Though the diplomats speed. He has designed them to burn crusty old guys in cheap suits. bluster and threaten, heroes can out within three hours, by which time Talents: Chess (Good to Excellent refuse to turn over the criminals with- the villains should be safely on the ability). out penalty. The NYPD takes custody ground. Typical Dialogue: "Morphy defense, instead. The Wizard is demonstrating his huh? Thought you'd catch me with The two Atlantean fanatics who brilliance to these villains, who doubt that?" read the statement escape or, if cap- his vaunted intellect in the face of his tured, may try (Judge's discretion) to numerous defeats. Incensed at this commit suicide in their cells by break- doubt, the egomaniacal Wizard plans ing open their water helmets. to kidnap every chess player in Cen- After a day or two of investigation, it tral Park, shanghai them to his man- turns out that the "Atlantean Territorial sion on Long Island, and there play all Protection Force" is a renegade splin- of them in a simultaneous tourna- ter group of Atlantis' government, ment. By defeating all the players (the which disclaims all responsibility. 38 flies downstairs, just slow enough for The Wizard THE DAILY BUGLE the heroes to pursue. (The furniture Real name unrevealed goes back to normal.) In the sub- SUMMARY: The Bugle ran an expose Here is an abbreviated list of the basement, Danton gestures again, article on a fake occultist, painting him Wizard's abilities. For more informa- and this time the printing presses as a harmless and amusing crank. In tion, consult MA4, The Fantastic Four come to life! revenge, the occultist, a true magi- Compendium, or MU4, Gamer's Hand- The mobile presses have the follow- book of the Marvel Universe. cian, subjects the city offices to a mys- tic assault. ing abilities: F A S E R I P F A S E R I P Note: This mini-scenario can be run Pr Gd Ty Ex In Ty Ty In Ty Am Mn Fe Fe Fe by itself or lead into the next one, Health: 40 ' Karma: 52 Health: 171 Karma: 6 "Doctor Strange's Sanctum," and to Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: -10 Resources: None Popularity: 0 "The Statue of Liberty" mini-scenario KNOWN POWERS: Presses move 2 areas per round. that starts this chapter. Hyper-Invention. Amazing inventive- Danton animates one press for each ness in applied physics, sub-atomic two PCs, or one per PC if your heroes particles, and other dimensions. Can SET-UP: The heroes are in the Bugle's are very powerful. The pressmen create gadgets on short notice with 17th-floor City Room. They could be panic, and the heroes should spend proper materials. working there in secret ID, checking one or two turns rescuing innocents out a lead for another scenario, or giv- Anti-Gravity Disks. Good Gravity Ma- before the fight begins in earnest. ing an interview in their hero identi- nipulation; can carry 400 pounds at ties. The room is crowded and hums If the PCs are stopping the presses, Typical air speed. Monstrous bonding with activity. Use the map on the in- so to speak, Danton sends them to target. Remote-controlled by Wiz- side of this book's cover. bursting through the walls and onto ard. 39th Street. He threatens pedestrians Power Gloves. Control gravity disks; Nearby, reporter is trying right and left and stampedes toward also have following powers: to get rid of a short, nerdy man who automobiles, making the heroes res- sounds angry. "I'm not a crank!" says Electricity. Incredible damage, Poor cue people instead of attacking. Dan- the man. "The power of the multiverse range. ton rides them two blocks up and two flows through me!" This provokes Force Field. Remarkable rank. over, to the United Nations. If he gets laughter and wisecracks. Hyper-Strength. Excellent Strength. that far, use the UN map in this set for Body Armor. Good against physical The heroes get an explanation from a climactic battle in front of the Gen- attacks. another staffer. Urich wrote a light eral Assembly Building. piece about the man, Lester Danton, a Flight. Good air speed (140 mph). grocery store bag-boy who thinks he Mind Control. Excellent ability. AFTERMATH: If you want to link this can cast magic spells. Urich's piece scenario with "Doctor Strange's was hilarious. Danton hated it. AFTERMATH: If the PCs discern the Sanctum" and "The Statue of Lib- Angered, Danton says, "Fools! Wit- Wizard's motive, either through mind- erty," Danton should get away to make ness the might granted me by the reading or from the other villains, they trouble in those places. Otherwise, if magnificent Mephisto!" He gestures, can challenge the Wizard to hold his the PCs defeat Danton, Mephisto ap- a force shield appears around him, tournament right there in the park. If pears to claim him; see "The Statue of and in the City Room the desks and this happens, make Reason FEAT Liberty" for details. Of course, all of furniture come to life! rolls for the Wizard, the chess players, this gets maximum coverage in that and any PCs who get involved. evening's Bugle. ADVENTURE: Use Baron Mordo's If the Wizard loses any game, he If Danton defeats the heroes, he abilities for Danton. The animated fur- goes berserk and attacks the winners. cackles and says, "Now let them niture (desks, file cabinets, phones, But by then an N YPD SWAT team is on make fun of me!" He flies off through a darkroom equipment) moves one area hand, and the villain henchmen give window, announcing his next power- per turn and inflicts its material up on the Wizard. So the battle should play for all to hear. When they recover, strength rank in damage. There are be short. the PCs can go there to face him in a three pieces of furniture for each PC. rematch. But meanwhile, they will Danton sends most of it against Urich KARMA: look very bad in the Bugle's front-page and the rest at other workers. But as coverage of the fight. Attacking a villain who has a soon as a hero attacks, Danton loses hostage: -10. interest in Urich and sends all the fur- Destroying Park property (statues, niture against the PC heroes. KARMA: Use standard award rules. the Mall, et cetera): -10. This furniture probably presents lit- Rescuing all the hostages: +20. tle threat to the heroes. Conversely, they shouldn't be able to hurt Danton through his Amazing shield. Stale- mate. If Danton's furniture can't hurt the heroes, he becomes frustrated. He rescue missions, and then into battle AFTERMATH: See "The Daily Bugle" DOCTOR STRANGE'S with the zombies. Aftermath section. Also, the heroes SANCTUM These zombies are not silent. They can gain Karma by leading a civic pathetically, speaking of their campaign to exhume the bodies be- SUMMARY: Lester Danton (see pre- old crimes: stealing cattle from the neath and vious scenario), at Mephisto's orders, Common; treason against colonial- give them proper burial elsewhere. is attacking Doctor Strange. Danton age Britain; even piracy. They protest When Strange returns to this di- uses his Necromancy magic to resur- their innocence, even as they attack mension, he may well befriend the rect an army of Zuvembies—the the PCs. Play up this eerie, chilling PCs and admit them into his confi- bodies of those who were hanged in scene. dence. past centuries on the site of Washing- The key to the zombies' defeat lies ton Square Park! inside the Sanctum. Perceptive he- KARMA: Use standard award rules. Note: This mini-scenario can be run roes notice , Doctor Strange's by itself or follow the previous one, manservant, standing in the Sanc- "The Daily Bugle," and lead into "The tum's doorway, calling to the heroes. If THE EMPIRE STATE Statue of Liberty" mini-scenario that they manage to break away long starts this chapter. enough to talk to him (a challenging BUILDING task), Wong mentions a device that SET-UP: If the heroes are aware that apparently can defeat the undead. SUMMARY: A lunatic has seized the Doctor Strange is still alive, they may Wong says his master recently ob- transmitters atop the Empire State be trying to visit him, perhaps to con- tained a brazier, a metal pan that Building, trying to get rid of radio crea- sult about Lester Danton from the pre- holds burning coals, from a Polyne- tures that are taking over his mind. He vious adventure. {Strange is away in sian animist-magician. Unless he has taken hostages. another dimension right now.) Or the knows the PCs, Wong does not men- heroes may be touring the Village in tion Strange by name, nor the recent SET-UP: The heroes are relaxing at secret IDs. destruction of Strange's talismans of HQ or in secret IDs when many major They see people fleeing Washing- power. (Strange acquired the brazier TV and radio stations suddenly go off ton Square Park, shouting, "Zom- shortly thereafter.) If the PCs, along the air. bies!" Investigating, they find Danton with the world at large, believe Doctor After a brief moment of static, inco- gesturing in the park, as hundreds of Strange to be dead, Wong says this herent raving fills the airwaves. "Stop bone-white bodies crawl up out of the brazier was one of the late master's the voices!" the tortured voice says at ground. Make their descriptions as lu- last purchases. one point. "Kill everyone to stop rid as you can stand. Use the Unfortunately, Wong does not know voices! Sent by radio! Get you all!" abilities from Baron Mordo's entry in where Strange keeps the brazier. To The heroes may rush to the studios the Judge's Book. find it, PCs must venture into the of the afflicted stations. Since the stu- If you choose to play this adventure Sanctum. They travel winding hall- dios are not located near their trans- on a playing field, use the Advanced ways that go on forever, stumble upon mitters, this wastes time and may Set map. The zombies appear in Bu- huge rooms that seem larger than the prove disastrous. Far better to call the chanan Park, a rough equivalent to house itself, and become confused by stations, find out the situation, and Washington Square Park. On this floor plans that seem to change when- rush to the Empire State Building. map, replace the tenements at 810 ever they're not looking. Calling the stations may prove diffi- Hayes with Doctor Strange's Sanc- Finally, as Danton's zombie legions cult, however, since the phone lines tum. This is the zombies' goal. threaten to overwhelm the Village, will be jammed once the raving starts. PCs find the brazier in a room much ADVENTURE: The heroes learn from like Strange's study. Give PCs a ADVENTURE: Use the Empire State Danton's ranting, or by observation, Psyche FEAT roll to determine if they Building map included in this set. that the zombies are heading for the know how to use it. If they all fail, As the heroes arrive, they see a Sanctum. Doctor Strange is away, but Wong can give a few fumbling clues, hostage dangling by 15-foot-long the Sanctum's defensive spells still but his help is uncertain at best. wires from the broken windows of the hold; the zombies cannot enter its The proper technique is to fill the 102nd Floor observatory. Others are area. brazier with incense (stored with it), scattered at random across the set- Still, the monsters present a threat then light it. The smoke draws the zom- backs outside the building (see the that must be stopped. The heroes can bies, despite Danton's control. Of map). whomp all they want, yet Danton course, if the brazier is inside the Sanc- There is one hostage per PC in the keeps creating more. tum, the zombies cannot reach it. hero group. Most hostages are Girl Attacking Danton appears more So, carrying the brazier, the heroes Scouts—a troop of them had been productive. But when the heroes try can lead the zombies back to the park, touring the building. All are either pan- this, the coward sends his zombies where the undead return to their icky or passed out cold. (If it is plausi- against innocent bystanders, of whom graves. Or the PCs can make the zom- ble, one hostage could be a friend or there are many in Greenwich Village. bies march into the river, or otherwise dependent of one of the PCs.) Danton tries to divert the heroes to destroy them. The hostages are tied with colored 40 electrical wires (Good strength). Cubi- AFTERMATH: By sticking around to leaving the theater, having attended in cal metal boxes are strapped to their repair damaged antennas, PCs may their secret IDs, or they are nearby, on chests. Each shows an LED time develop contacts in the communica- a patrol. Other film-goers pass the display (three minutes and counting) tions business or (Judge's discretion) ticket-taker, a student dressed in a and a yellow-and-black label reading increase their Popularity with local silly alligator suit. They cry out as if "DANGER! EXPLOSIVES!" viewing audiences. frightened. This is true. The boxes are dyna- It develops that the lunatic is a The heroes assume that the stu- mite bombs {Concentrated Explosive, former employee of the New York dents are just fooling around. But as p. 46 of Player's Book). When the time Police Department's bomb squad. they pass the alligator, it grows, twists, runs out, they will explode. Cutting The heroes may even have met him deforms into monstrous shape, and any bomb's wires, including the ones in other bomb-defusing scenarios, attacks! binding its hostage, detonates the such as "The Holland Tunnel" in this bomb. Disarming the bombs requires chapter. ADVENTURE: an Excellent Intuition FEAT to deter- Two years ago Danziger was slightly Don't tell the players, but this is the mine which of six wires to pull. For injured in a bomb explosion. Unknown effect of the new drug being sprayed more about bombs, see "The Holland to anyone at the time, the explosion over campus. The alligator ticket- Tunnel" scenario in this chapter. drove a small bone splinter into his taker has not moved; the PCs have Travel inside the building is straight- brain. Since then he has been hearing unknowingly fallen under the drug's forward, since the elevators still work. voices. Luckily, these are only halluci- influence, which causes this halluci- For a longer scenario, have the lunatic nations . . . unless you want to run a nation. destroy the elevators, and increase real invasion by radio creatures of Ve- Players who pick up on the "sweet- the time remaining on each hostage's nus! ness" of the air get an Intuition FEAT time-bomb. PCs with medical Talents or sensory roll to realize it smells too sweet, al- A dozen security guards and trans- powers can diagnose Danziger's ail- most medicinal. Also, nonhuman or mitter engineers are tied up (but not ment with a successful Intuition or non-organic PCs, such as androids, wired to explode) on the 102nd floor. If Reason FEAT. With treatment, he will and PCs who do not breathe are not the heroes enter the observatory with- recover fully, be grateful to the heroes, affected. out stealth or safety precautions, the and may become a valuable NPC re- The hallucinatory alligator moves to lunatic inside threatens his hostages source for them in future adventures. attack innocent bystanders. It has abili- with a riot gun. He thinks hostages (He has Remarkable knowledge of ex- ties + 1 CS above the highest ability and PCs alike are agents of radio plosives and detonators.) ranks of the hero group. For example, if creatures from the planet , who the PCs' best fighter has Amazing are subverting humanity toward KARMA: Fighting ability, the alligator- has senseless violence. Wasting time before getting to the Monstrous ability, and so on. The lunatic, one Theo Danziger, is a Empire State Building: -5 (no loss of Its Health and Karma scores are ir- short, overweight man in his late 40s. life) to-20 (lunatic shoots hostage). relevant, since the Judge determines For Danziger's abilities and equip- Curing Danziger: +20. everything that happens to it accord- ment, use the listing for a SWAT Oper- ing to the story. If the PCs do some- ative in Chapter 4 of the Campaign thing clever, it works and the monster Sourcebook. In addition, he has wired is "defeated." If they just blast away at himself with High Explosive. A "dead- EMPIRE STATE it, their blasts inflict major damage on man's switch" will hit the floor and det- UNIVERSITY the surrounding buildings of ESU, and onate the bomb if he falls when the PCs recover from the drug, unconscious, unless a hero makes an SUMMARY: A brilliant but crazy they'll have some explaining to do. Excellent Agility FEAT to catch the chemical engineering student has The drug reduces higher mental switch before it strikes something. synthesized a dangerous new "de- functions, giving dominance to the Danziger is waiting for more than signer drug." He is spraying it across oldest, least evolved part of the hu- half the PCs to appear; then he in- the ESU campus in aerosol form. The man brain. This "lizard brain" con- tends to set off the explosives, taking drug triggers Dr. Curt Connors' trans- trols unconscious actions, such as as many Venus-radio agents with him formation into the Lizard. breathing, as well as primitive emo- as possible. Note: This scenario can be run tions: love, anger, fear. If the heroes capture Danziger and alone or can lead into the next one, The drug may also affect the he- resolve the situation too easily, con- "The Financial District." roes' powers in unpredictable ways. sider planting another, much larger Physical powers are increased +1 or bomb, outside the transmitter tower SET-UP: This adventure takes place + 2 CS, and become uncontrollable above the observatory. PCs can learn in early evening or on a weekend, as except with a yellow or red FEAT. Men- about it from the hostages. This bomb ESU's campus revival theater shows a tal powers are reduced -1 CS or will explode three turns after the he- 1959 horror movie, The Alligator Peo- more, and perhaps even vanish alto- roes discover it, unless they can de- ple. The weather is beautiful, the air gether. Also, PCs gradually feel ten- fuse it with a Remarkable Intuition unusually sweet and clear. dencies toward berserk rage; pass FEAT. As the film ends, the heroes are notes to individual players and tell 41 them to role-play this effect. synthesize the drug. The heroes prob- If you link this adventure to the pre- One profoundly affected victim is ably decide to destroy it; if not, the vious one, the PCs are seeking the Dr. Curt Connors, whose "lizard Maggia or the Kingpin will soon try to stolen drug cannister after witnessing brain" activates the serum in his body obtain the recipe for this new com- its effects close-up at ESU. They must and turns him into the Lizard. modity. destroy the drug before the Lizard can If you are running this scenario in- If you link this scenario to the next turn all of Manhattan into his slaves. dependently of the next one, the Liz- one, Kendall is also dying because of Either way, the scenario begins as ard crashes through the wall of the the Lizard's attack on him. (A sewer midtown Manhattan falls prey to a Science Building, where Dr. Connors manhole opening is nearby.) Kendall huge traffic jam. The Lizard, manipu- was working late, and attacks the had another, larger cannister of the lating the traffic signal system, has PCs. But he has help: The drug makes drug—"enough to cover the city," turned all lights green! After multiple ESU students into primitives. Since says Kendall—but the Lizard stole it. auto collisions and total gridlock para- they are thinking like lizards, the Liz- lyze the area, manhole covers fly off of ard can control them! AFTERMATH: PCs with healing storm drains. Out crawl dozens of alli- There are enough students to make powers or high-tech resources can gators! life hard for the PCs during the battle. rescue Kendall, who will undoubtedly The heroes can't attack the students, face life in prison or confinement in a ADVENTURE: If you wish, use the two who are innocent, and they can't nec- mental hospital. maps of midtown Manhattan included essarily trust their own senses— If you run this scenario indepen- in this set. The alligators appear at although you should not overplay this dently, you can have Dr. Connors re- street intersections of your choice, point, or the players will have no clear cover when the drug wears off, or three alligators per PC, and one inter- options. continue the adventure as PCs try to section for each two PCs. The heroes If you link this scenario to the next concoct an antidote to turn him back must fight the gators and rescue inno- one, the heroes see no sign of the Liz- to his human form. cents. ard. But they discover the wreckage of Though the hallucinations soon This free-for-all lets players blow off his office, and they see the destructive pass, the drug's effect on the heroes' steam. Play up the setting, the high aftermath of his passage across cam- powers can last into the next adven- concrete canyons, and scared New pus. The trail leads to the sewers, ture. This creates tension for the he- Yorkers. then vanishes. roes in otherwise routine situations: When one group of PCs finishes By now the hallucinations are let- How will their powers react this time? with its complement of alligators, an- ting up, and the heroes realize that After the crisis passes, government other group of gators appears at the they and the entire ESU student body agents contact the heroes and ask next intersection! After a while, when have been drugged. How to locate the them to make an anti-drug public serv- the players get tired of beating up on drug and the responsible felon? ice message. alligators, it becomes clear that the The drug, it turns out, extends Lizard is toying with them. The only across a of diminishing effect. KARMA: way the heroes can stop the alligator PCs can trace the origin of the drug's Realizing that the "alligator" is a is to trace it to its source: dispersal by zeroing in across campus hallucination before causing major the Lizard, down in the sewers. through areas of increasing dosages. damage: +10. Ideally the heroes' powers have As the PCs "get warmer," the victims Discovering the drug's source: been changed and no longer work are still hallucinating and acting sav- + 10. predictably. The drug in the previous agely, more so the closer PCs ap- scenario, "Empire State University," proach to the source. can do this; or, if you run this scenario The source is the top row of the THE FINANCIAL by itself, the heroes may be sick, sub- bleachers beyond the track, at the ex- jected to high radiation, or are some- treme far end of the campus. Here the DISTRICT how mutating. drug's creator, biochemistry grad stu- By changing their powers, or even dent Tony Kendall, opened a cannister SUMMARY: The Lizard has taken to removing them, you make the PCs of the drug. Winds vaporized the thick the sewers, and now midtown Man- much more apprehensive about a trip liquid and carried the mist across hattan is up to its ears in alligators. into the sewers. This intensifies the campus. Note: This scenario can be run mood of suspense and horror a sewer Kendall is a tall, strapping youth alone or can follow the previous one, adventure should evoke. with shaggy blond hair and thick "Empire State University." In the sewers, the PCs can meet the glasses. As the PCs reach him, he is characters listed in "Underground dying of an overdose. His mind clears SET-UP: If you run this scenario inde- Manhattan," such as the Mole People at the end, and he survives long pendently, Dr. Curt Connors has and "The King." By conversing with or enough to explain that he just wanted turned into the Lizard again and has battling these NPCs, the heroes gain to give everyone the "wow" that he stolen an experimental drug from Em- clues to the Lizard's whereabouts. felt when he first used the drug. pire State University. The drug's ef- Such encounters should be tense, at- He carries a thick notebook contain- fects are described in the previous mospheric, and hazardous, physically ing detailed instructions on how to scenario. or emotionally. 42 And where is the Lizard? In a bro- ble molecules," the compounds that nally power generators in the base- ken junction of storm drains just make up the FF's uniforms and many ments of skyscrapers. If a PC breaks above the East River. (If you wish, other materials. street pavement, the creature zeroes place his underground domain be- Unfortunately, while the FF is away in on the power lines beneath. neath the United Nations, and use the on a mission, one of the vats of unsta- Every round that the creature ab- UN map as a climactic battleground.) ble molecules becomes contaminated sorbs electricity, its abilities increase Here in the warmth, steam, and and "goes superfluid," turning into a + 1 CS (maximum Shift-Z). Small stench of a large concrete grotto, huge rubberoid shape with animal-like power sources last only a turn, but amid a mass of rotting garbage, alliga- behavior. larger ones can last two to four turns. tors nest. The Lizard dwells here, con- Electrical attacks by heroes count as templating the drug cannister and the SET-UP: Downtown Manhattan on a one turn. extermination of all humankind. bustling afternoon. The PCs are pa- After three turns of absorption, the When the PCs enter, huge herds of trolling, traveling from Point A to Point creature splits in two like an amoeba. gators arise at the Lizard's command B, or just dining at a downtown restau- Each duplicate has the original abili- and attack them. But battling the ga- rant. Then comes a crash and honk- ties listed above. They move in differ- tors is no solution; the players must ing of horns from the vicinity of Four ent directions, seeking more reach the Lizard and defeat him be- Freedoms Plaza. electricity. Ultimately, they converge fore he can release the contents of the The heroes arrive in time to see a on Radio City Music Hall, drawn by its drug cannister. hulking pink mass ooze down the side bright marquee and lights, or on an- The cannister is of Good plastic and of the skyscraper, inflate, and take to other intense power source—perhaps looks like a white Thermos jug. If punc- the air. It floats lazily down the street, the generators in Four Freedoms tured, the drug begins to vaporize in probing every which way with jellyfish- Plaza. one turn and affects PCs within one like tendrils. People stare uncertainly. There, if given five turns to absorb area. It spreads at one area per turn. Use the maps of midtown Manhat- electricity, it bursts into a cloud of tiny Because of the extremely heavy tan included in this set. The rubberoid molecule creatures that float across dosage, afflicted characters lose one thing begins at Four Freedoms Plaza the city. These create awful problems Endurance rank per turn until they can and heads west toward Radio City Mu- with the city power supply, and the he- get to fresh air, and they do not re- sic Hall. roes have failed. cover the Endurance until the drug For extra laughs, set this comic sce- One way to defeat the creature is to wears off, hours later. Heat destroys nario during the Thanksgiving Day freeze it. In order of effectiveness, the the drug, and intense cold freezes it. Parade. Crowds treat the huge "mole- heroes can lure it to the ice-skating Heroes may come up with other ways cule creature" as just another bal- rink at Rockefeller Plaza, where it to destroy the drug. loon, and the battle with it as a parade gradually grows dormant (-1 CS En- stunt. The parade, many blocks long, durance per turn). AFTERMATH: In the Garment Dis- heads south on Fifth Avenue while the Or, they can find dry ice somewhere trict, the alligator handbag makes a battle rages. off the map . . . especially at the water- temporary comeback. For a few front, where it is used as packing mate- heady days, half the pushcart food ADVENTURE: The molecule creature rial. A pound of dry ice inflicts Excellent stands in New York offer alligator has the following abilities: damage, +1 CS per 10 pounds. burgers. (Alligators are now bred for F A S E R I P Or, the best device to defeat the food in Florida. True!) Fe Pr Mn Un — — — creature is liquid nitrogen or other liq- After all this, the heroes' powers, if Health: 181 Karma: 0 uefied gas. The only source for this on they were affected, return to normal. Resources: None Popularity: 0 the map is (naturally) Four Freedoms Such effects should seldom last for Appearance: Stretchy, putty-like. Plaza. Reed Richards uses such more than one adventure, or players be- Changes color frequently. equipment routinely in his laborato- come frustrated and don't act heroic. Abilities: The creature can float like a ries. blimp, with Feeble air speed. Edged Liquid nitrogen freezes the creature KARMA: attacks cause it to deflate and ooze instantly, leaving it harmless. If it is Unnecessary slaughter of over the area below for one turn, until floating above the parade, it remains alligators: -20. it can reform itself and reinflate. aloft, one balloon among many. Recovering or destroying the The creature has Excellent body ar- drug: +20. mor versus energy attacks and blunt AFTERMATH: Reed Richards re- physical attacks. However, it has no ar- turns, sees the damage, thanks the mor versus cold attacks. Edged physi- heroes, and deduces the reason the cal attacks divide the creature into two creature formed: acciden- FOUR FREEDOMS parts, each -2 CS in all abilities. tally dropped a candy bar in a vat of PLAZA The molecule creature seeks and unstable molecules. This eventually detects electricity with Excellent abil- triggered the "unusual chemical reac- SUMMARY: Reed Richards of the ity. Alert players may deduce this from tion," as Richards puts it. Fantastic Four is developing an im- its targets: first auto batteries, then The FF will probably be tied up in lit- proved version of his patented "unsta- street lights and neon signs, and fi- igation for a long time. If the heroes 43 stopped the creature without undue ing? That is up to you. Perhaps crimi- ADVENTURE: The Red Ghost has no damage to the city, Richards gladly re- nal informants keep a phone tap on interest in art, except for its monetary wards the team with an advanced the Marvel offices, since these people value. He just accepted a contract piece of high-tech equipment (Judge's sometimes talk with famous crime- from a wealthy, unscrupulous Euro- choice, with players' advice—freely fighters, and gain valuable data about pean to "procure" a canvas given, no doubt). heroes' abilities and equipment. The by Vincent van Gogh. Incidentally, once Richards irons villain might have a henchman shad- The Ghost holds little interest in out the bugs in the recipe, this new owing the PCs. Or maybe the villain vandalism of artwork, either. However, type of unstable molecule proves a works for Marvel in a secret identity. he does have an interest in making great success in the marketplace. (No one would suspect it, right?) the PCs look foolish. To that end, he takes his solid form just often enough KARMA: AFTERMATH: If the heroes defeat the to keep the heroes busily attacking Stopping the creature without major villain with style, minimizing property him. Before the blow lands, however, damage to the city: +20. damage and protecting innocent staff- the Ghost turns intangible and lets it Stopping it without onlookers realiz- ers, Marvel definitely goes ahead with pass through him harmlessly, proba- ing there's a fight: + 30. the PCs' title. Maybe even in Prestige bly to hit something priceless. (The format! Red Ghost can still appear solid even But if the heroes fumbled a lot, de- when intangible.) MARVEL COMICS stroyed property, used brutal or non- Another of the Ghost's tactics: heroic tactics—or if they lost, perish When on the museum's upper floor, SUMMARY: Marvel wants to publish a the thought—the comic project is off. he desolidifies the floor beneath a comic about one or more of the player hero who can't fly, causing the hero to characters. The negotiations take a KARMA: plummet and crash into something nasty turn when one of the PCs' old Concluding deal successfully: +10. below. Remember, any damage at all enemies shows up for a grudge Getting Prestige format: +10. to an objet d'art, however slight, is match. Conversing knowledgeably with akin to destroying it. writers and artists about their work: In any case, the discovery of the SET-UP: Run this adventure after the +10 (but see next item). theft means the Ghost gives up the heroes have established themselves, Insulting writers, artists, or job. After luring the heroes to commit and after some high-profile encounter executives: -10. mayhem, he leaves the van Gogh and with a powerful villain who got away. Destroying Marvel Comics: -ALL. departs when he hears police sirens The publicity from the adventure (that is, at some suitable stopping brings a call from Marvel. A vice- point). president asks the heroes to visit the THE METROPOLITAN office and talk over a comic. If the he- AFTERMATH: It develops that the roes sound interested, the executive MUSEUM OF ART Ghost had knocked out all the muse- is flexible about a meeting time. um's security guards and broken the SUMMARY: The heroes must stop the monitor cameras. However, one guard ADVENTURE: At the Marvel offices, a Red Ghost and his apes as they steal woke up in time to witness the battle, receptionist cordially welcomes the a valuable van Gogh painting from the from a safe distance. heroes. Staffers, though polite, ap- Met. The trick is to avoid property The heroes may have a lot of ex- pear unimpressed by the heroes; after damage. plaining to do. If there was no damage all, these folks already know the most to artifacts, police thank the heroes famous NPC heroes in the Marvel Uni- SET-UP: Central Park near midnight. and let them go. Otherwise, the wit- verse. A hero trolling for muggers or an NPC ness will tell, truthfully, who inflicted Play the meeting for light amuse- informant spies a huge simian shape what damage to the artworks. If the ment. The executive and several well- outside the Met. This is Mikhlo, the heroes did most of the damage, their known writers and artists make Red Ghost's super-strong gorilla. As Popularity drops by 10, for the public discreet inquiries into the PCs' secret soon as the heroes investigate, all reaction is strongly negative. identities, weaknesses, lovers and rel- three of the Red Ghost's super-apes atives, and other sensitive topics. No attack! (See Judge's Book, p. 51.) KARMA: doubt the PCs rebuff these questions; The battle with the apes should not Damaging art: -5. staffers nod understandingly. take long or have great consequences. Damaging more art than the Ghost Igor, the shape-changing baboon, soon Finally the executive determines did: -10. turns into a large bird and flies toward that Marvel is indeed interested in do- Avoiding any damage: +10. the Met's second floor. ing a comic about the PCs. But as the conversation turns to money, the vil- Outside a window of the European lain who got away from the previous Gallery, Igor resumes his true shape adventure dramatically bursts in! The and raps a warning on the window. battle is on. This should indicate to the heroes that the ape's master is inside. How did the villain learn of the meet- 44 Power Core. upper hand, just dissolve to the final SHIELD The Core is in a lead-shielded room battle on the ground floor.) HEADQUARTERS on sub-level 728, at the end of a three- Waiting at the exit are Machines- area-long corridor protected by three mith's last and most powerful forces: SUMMARY: As both Captain America blaster batteries spaced one area reconstructed Mandroid suits. (See and have had to, the heroes apart. PCs who succeed in a Mon- the Mandroid abilities on page 50 of must face Machinesmith's reani- strous Intuition FEAT spot the blast- the Judge's Book.) Adjust the number mated SHIELD Central and recover a ers. The weapons do not fire (yet), and of suits to the heroes' numbers and forgotten high-tech item. can be disabled. condition; generally one Mandroid per The room is lined with complex PC works all right. The Mandroids SET-UP: Nick Fury and his SHIELD equipment, like a nuclear reactor con- concentrate their attacks on the PCs team have been hospitalized after trol center. In the center of the room, who carry the Power Core. their last attempt to close down a ma- inside a Plexiglas cylinder eight feet jor SHIELD headquarters overseas. across and six high (Excellent Machinesmith They succeeded, though, and in the strength), sits the experimental Power Here is an abbreviated listing of Ma- process learned that SHIELD Central Core. chinesmith's statistics. For more infor- still holds one last secret: an The Power Core is as big as a 55- mation, consult MU2, Gamer's advanced experimental replica of the gallon oil drum, weighs 300 pounds, Handbook of the Marvel Universe. SHIELD Power Core! and burns with blinding (Monstrous) F A S E R I P Fury never knew of this project intensity. The ABC suits have vision Gd Ex Rm Rm In Ex Ex while he ran SHIELD. Now that he filters that protect against this, but un- Health: 90 Karma: 80 does, he's made recovering and dis- protected victims cannot see for 1-10 Resources: Rm(30) Popularity: -5 posing of the Core his top priority: "If turns, and are -3 CS on all FEATs. Appearance: None. Machinesmith anything goes wrong with that Core, The PCs can shatter the cylinder or, exists as an electronic personality. most of midtown Manhattan goes up more prudently, look for a control to Talents: Amazing reason in robotics in radioactive smoke, blast it!" open it. With a Good Reason FEAT, and defense systems. Too seriously injured to recover the they find the button that raises the cyl- KNOWN POWERS: Core himself, Fury has tried contact- inder into the ceiling. Then they can Computer Transmission. Can in- ing the Avengers and the FF; the just reach in and take the Core. (Ex- stantly transfer personality and mem- player characters are his last hope. pect them to try plenty of paranoid se- ory to any specially created cybernetic Fury details the building's special fea- curity measures. These all work.) device. Can control multiple bodies at tures, gives necessary passwords and As the PCs enter the corridor, the the same time. safeguards, and describes the loca- blasters (if they weren't disabled) at- tion of the duplicate Power Core. And tack. Machinesmith wants that Core! AFTERMATH: If they defeat or es- he warns about Machinesmith's occu- The blasters are made of Good ma- cape the Mandroids, the PCs are pation of the HQ. terial, inflict Incredible damage, and home free. Machinesmith's robots What's worse, the PCs must wear are concealed (-1 CS to ranged at- won't follow them outside the build- special ABC (Atomic-Biological- tacks). ing. Chemical) protective suits when han- From here on up to the surface, Ma- Fury has sent a special armored dling the Core.The bright yellow ABC chinesmith lets fly with every weapon truck to carry the Core. The truck is suit gives -1 CS to Fighting and Agil- available. (He was only waiting for the waiting outside SHIELD Central's hid- ity, but makes the wearer immune to heroes to get as deep as they would den entrance. radiation and biological or chemical go.) Cargo robots, blasters, even Life Do the PCs still have the Power attacks. PCs need not don the suits Model Decoys (replicas of deceased Core? If not, Fury chews them out and until they are actually in the presence SHIELD agents) all attack, one after sends in the Avengers as soon as they of the Power Core. another. They never gang up in over- return to Manhattan. whelming numbers because Ma- If the PCs got the Core, the truck ADVENTURE: The building appears chinesmith can't control that many at carries them all to storage facilities on deserted. No lights, no movement, no once. Avengers Island. By a convenient co- attacks. But encourage player para- If the PCs think to break through a incidence, the Avengers return in time noia by mentioning strange sounds in wall or find an access panel (a Reason to dispose of the Core safely, probably the distance and the pitch darkness to FEAT), then damage electrical circuitry with Thor's lightning. be found in the lower levels. (of Feeble strength), Machinesmith's (If the players are Avengers them- The lift-tubes work. So do the force control is broken on that level. The Man- selves, the truck carries the Core to fields that catch falling objects in the droids and weapons fall lifeless. Four Freedoms Plaza, where Reed Ri- lower levels. All function normally— PCs with computer or electronics chards returns in time to dump it into while the PCs head downward. This skills can override Machinesmith's con- the Negative Zone.) means Machinesmith is running trol and ride an emergency lift- tube to things, right? Play up suspense as the the ground level. Otherwise, it's a long KARMA: players debate this. But nothing unto- climb upward. (Judging tip: Don't play it Retrieving and disposing of the ward happens on the way down to the all out. When the PCs begin to get the Power Core: +30. 45 Shutting down a significant part of rips up the Statue of Peace (including need not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. SHIELD Central: +10. its 15-foot-high pedestal, weighing Heating/Cooling Systems. Hands about five tons) and throws it at them. project heat or cold of Remarkable in- Ultron purposely fights badly, since he tensity, radius three areas. THE UNITED NATIONS wants the PCs to destroy . Electricity. Incredible damage, range SUMMARY: Machine Man applies to During battle with Machine Man/ touch only. Endurance FEAT to avoid Ultron, the PCs can realize what is go- the UN to be recognized by the world passing out for 1-10 turns. ing on by reading the robot's thoughts; as a sentient being. The robot Ultron Pistol Hands. Index fingers are .357 by detecting a high-density transmis- Magnums. Good damage, range one tries to sabotage this attempt. sion beam that targets Machine Man area. Note: Try to introduce Machine Man (this is what allows Ultron to control as a friend of the PCs in another Power Source Dependency. -3CS him); or by deduction. Ultron does a Endurance per hour if kept in dark encounter before running this sce- poor imitation of Machine Man's man- nario. over 40 hours. Shuts down when En- ner, and various clues may tip off PCs. durance reaches Feeble. Regains SET-UP: The sentient robot Machine For instance, Ultron, impersonating consciousness and +1 CS Endur- Man requests the PCs to testify in his Machine Man, "takes blame" for Ma- ance per turn when exposed to sun- cause at the United Nations. By pre- chine Man's past offenses (as Ultron light. senting his case to the world, he says, views them). "I don't deserve to live, he prepares society to accept sentient since I caused 's destruction!" AFTERMATH: Obviously, the UN del- robots as thinking, feeling beings. The he says, seemingly in an ecstacy of egates will become hostile to Machine PCs should find it hard to refuse his self- humiliation. His speech patterns Man's request. If the PCs do nothing, request. are notably different as well. the delegates reject his request. But The adventure begins as Machine If the PCs realize, before they de- give the PCs a chance to make Man addresses the General Assem- stroy him, that Machine Man is being speeches to the delegates. Judge the bly. In a moving speech, he speaks of controlled, they can trace Ultron's soundness of their arguments for Ma- his emotions, such as his affection for control beam, or (if they lack this abil- chine Man's humanity, and the evi- his creator, and of his love of exist- ity) alert PCs notice an unmarked van dence they present that Ultron ence. The delegates appear to re- illegally parked across the street from controlled him. ceive him well. the UN. Atop the van is a small satel- If the PCs' arguments ring false or Suddenly, however, Machine Man lite dish. weak, the delegates vote down Ma- sparks, hisses, and begins squawk- From this van, packed full of chine Man's bid for recognition. ing, "Death! Destruction! Kill you all!" advanced cybernetic equipment, Ul- If the PCs argue well and present He extends his arms, seizes a couple tron's computer intellect guides Ma- solid evidence of Ultron's control, the of delegates, and strides through a chine Man by remote control. By UN tables the matter "pending further wall! destroying the van (which is of Excel- investigation." This is the best result For this scenario, use the United lent material strength), the PCs can the PCs can get, unless the Judge de- Nations map included in this set. free Machine Man from Ultron's con- cides to deviate from the established trol. If you want a longer adventure, Marvel Universe (where Machine ADVENTURE: For Machine Man's they can even confront Ultron's new Man's legal status remains undeter- abilities, see the abbreviated listing robot body. Machine Man gladly joins mined). below. in the battle! Machine Man has been possessed KARMA: by Ultron-11 (see Judge's Book, p. Machine Man Destroying Machine Man: -ALL. 53). The malevolent robot's intellect "Aaron Stack," insurance investigator Severely damaging him: -20. survived its most recent destruction Here is an abbreviated listing of Ma- Uncovering evidence of Ultron's by a last-second transmission into a chine Man's abilities. For more infor- control: +10. nearby computer, and from there into mation, consult MU2, Gamer's Arguing convincingly to UN dele- the global data network. Handbook of the Marvel Universe. gates: + 20. Monitoring diplomatic channels, F A S E R I P Ultron-11 learned of Machine Man's Ex Ex Rm Un Rm In Rm cause. The psychotic Ultron believes Health: 170 Karma: 100 Machine Man helped to destroy Ul- Resources: Typical(6) Popularity: 20 tron's robot mate, Jocasta. In re- KNOWN POWERS: venge, Ultron now hopes to destroy Anti-Gravity Generators. Silent hov- Machine Man, or at least his chances ering or flight at Feeble speed. for acceptance by humanity. Extendable Limbs. Arms and legs The robot heads for the open lawn work at three areas range. -1 CS west of the UN complex. There he Strength per area distance beyond throws the diplomats at his feet and one area. tries to grab more innocent civilians. If Environmental Independence. In- the PCs attack, Ultron/Machine Man vulnerable to poisons and vacuum; 46 CAMPAIGN SCENARIO: FUN CITY

"Fun City" is a full-length scenario strange behavior (Solve Mystery), find for a Judge and two to six player char- ABOUT THIS the antidote, and restore New York to acters (PCs). The adventure is de- ADVENTURE normal (Rescue, Thwart Nefarious signed with no particular characters in The citizens of New York (some- Plot). The first scene points the way mind. It can fit into an existing cam- times nicknamed "Fun City") begin toward a scientist who may be able to paign, or you can use its optional acting strangely—even for them. At help the PCs identify the cause. Campaign Kickoff to create a group of first, the PC heroes have their hands new super heroes and start a cam- full just controlling people's weird The Villain paign. The playing time is highly varia- actions. Then several villains show up Who is the villain, and how has he ble, from a single play-session to an at various spots around town, acting brainwashed the city? Is it— extended saga lasting many sessions. as loony as everyone else! —the Maggia, using chemicals in The adventure is designed to illus- Eventually, after gathering and sift- the water supply to create a city of trate many of the precepts of good ad- ing through many clues, the heroes lo- drug addicts? venture and campaign design cate the headquarters of the —Doctor Doom, using high-tech discussed in Chapters 8 and 9. At sev- mastermind behind the plot. After a super-science to bring the city to its eral points, the text points out ways to battle, the heroes must decide how to knees? stage scenes, motivate characters, and return New York to normal. —or Loki, god of mischief, using his add atmosphere. Judges who want to powerful magic to gain revenge on his improve their scenarios can study these The Goal half-brother, Thor? sections for demonstrations of the ideas As is described above, the PCs Or is one of these three manipulat- outlined in the first half of this book. must discover the cause of this ing another? Can all three be respon-

47 sible? Is the culprit some mysterious ing the Grim Necessity idea outlined The Grand Finale new villain? in Chapter 8. The heroes must find the The scenario gives three different fi- antidote to the drug that gave them nales that vary according to the "Fun City' gives you a complete, al- their powers, or they will die horribly! choice of master villain. Here are sum- most ready-to-play story framework. In an established campaign, use maries of the finales, typed according However, you pick its locations, set its the alternate adventure hook given to the broad categories given in Chap- length and pace, and even choose its below in Section 1, "Traffic Jam." ter 8. master villain! In this way you tailor the Here the PCs encounter New Yorkers' The Maggia: Slugfest. The Maggia scenario to your PCs, and you also weird behavior in dramatic fashion, as maintains a drug lab beneath the keep players guessing even though a traffic jam turns into sheer weird- Statue of Liberty. Thugs with hostages they may have illicitly read this adven- ness. lure the heroes to the Statue's crown, ture. The emotional hook here is a com- while the family leaders below try to The adventure is built with three bination of "Friend Imperiled" and escape. parallel "tracks," one for each of three "Dying Delivery." The lunatic who Doctor Doom : Prevented Deed. possible master villains. Each track caused the traffic jam is an old friend Doom's lab is located beneath the city, also features different effects of the of one of the PCs. The friend shows accessible by the routes discussed in villain's plot, and a different way to re- mysterious abilities, but passes out or Chapter 6, "Underground Manhat- turn New York to normal. dies just after giving a tantalizing clue. tan." The lab, run by a robot double, is You can create a fourth track using readying a dastardly scheme that the your own villain. In this way, you cus- NPCs PCs arrive in time to prevent—or do tomize the scenario to reflect your Most of the population of downtown they? PCs' goals and their "personal" vil- Manhattan figures in this adventure. A Loki: Confrontation with Entity. Loki lain. few prominent NPC roles used here: appears in Central Park, where he When the tracks differ within a sec- villains (your choice); molds Manhattan's population into a tion, the text describes the individual henchmen (Maggia thugs, and a living deathtrap for Thor. tracks by beginning each with the few ambitious normals with temporary Unless they are extremely powerful, name of its villain in boldface. For ex- powers); the heroes have little chance to defeat ample, here are the different motiva- a Friend with Dark Secret, who pro- Loki. Instead, he probably throws tions and methods of each villain, vides the adventure hook; them into the deathtrap, where they drawn from Chapter 8: Stoolies; will be absorbed into the horrible The Maggia: The Silvermane family Authority Figures (police officers, shapeless mass of humanity. How- of this crime cartel wants Wealth. To and the rector of St. Patrick's Cathe- ever, once absorbed, the heroes can recoup narcotics business lost to the dral in Campaign Kickoff); gain control of the entity and use its Kingpin's crime operation, the mob and cameo appearances by Guest- power to defeat Loki! hopes to create an army of addicts for Star Heroes, who are busy solving Your own villain : Extortion? Reve- whom they would be the sole supplier problems in the parts of New York that lation of Dark Secret? One of the fi- of their addictive substance, a new the PCs don't get to. nales described above? Many drug, "Enchantment." So its method possibilities are outlined in Chapter 8. is Vice-Peddling. Conditions and Dilemmas Doctor Doom: Doom, of course, In this adventure most of the"bad Materials Needed wants Power. He uses biomedical guys" are innocent bystanders under For this adventure you will need the technology to grind New York beneath the influence of villainous mayhem. Advanced Set, this campaign set (in- his heel, thereby showing that the Thus the PC heroes can't just bash cluding the four maps), and a selec- world should acknowledge him as its them at will. Heroes must devise ways tion of super villains that you want to master (Extortion). to control the crazy Manhattanites send against your PCs. These can Loki: The god of mischief has cre- without seriously injuring them. come from the Advanced Set, from ated a fiendish new deathtrap for In the Campaign Kickoff, the heroes other MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ Thor, his old enemy (Vengeance mo- also have a Deadline. They must find game products, or design your own. tive). Loki uses magic to create the the antidote to a drug that gave them If you start with the Campaign Kick- disturbance in Manhattan, hoping to their powers. If they don't find it within off, get together with your players be- lure Thor into his trap (Manipulation). a certain time limit, farewell. fore the game starts so they can Your own villain: For detailed lists design their new heroes. Make sure of motives and methods, consult Deathtrap they are of approximately the same Chapter 8. In the track using Loki, the god of power level. mischief is preparing an insidious trap One more thing: Read the whole ad- The Adventure Hook for Thor. When the PCs appear, Loki venture before you try to run it. You'll As discussed in Chapter 8, a good places them in the deathtrap as a trial be glad you did! beginning draws the players into the run while he searches for the Thunder scenario and gets them emotionally God. This is a form of the Demolition involved in achieving its goal. The op- Zone deathtrap described in Chapter tional Campaign Kickoff does this us- 8. For more details, see Section 5. 48 CAMPAIGN KICKOFF SUMMARY gins, you may want to start play by ex- A thug in a tailored business suit ploring the characters' "normal" speaks into a walkie-talkie nearby. He This section outlines an optional lives, before they get their powers in describes the PCs' symptoms and be- campaign premise. It defines the this kickoff. Have them describe havior, clinically, with no compassion in characters' environment, goals, and where they lived and what they did to his voice. If any of the PCs have mu- reasons for hanging together, and survive. Do some role-playing here, so tated into bestial or monstrous forms, even gives an origin for the heroes' the players can get a sense of their the thug may sound a bit rattled; other- powers. This optional origin closely characters. wise, he's unmoved by their suffering. resembles that of the vigilantes Cloak and Dagger. The PCs begin as normal Each introductory section (if you run The awakening PCs hear a deep, human beings, orphans or derelicts them) ends as the character is kid- accented voice from the walkie- talkie. whom the Maggia kidnaps for drug ex- napped by mysterious, brutal thugs. "Very well, they are reacting like the perimentation. Then the actual set-up for this kick- last batch. Watch to see if they come off begins. It is near midnight. The out of it well enough, then dispose of Code-named "Enchantment," the characters wake up together in a dark- them as usual." drug brings out latent powers in the ened hall. No, not a hall—a church. PCs, as a similar drug did in Cloak and Meanwhile, the cathedral rector has Dagger. This can be because of latent discovered the Maggia thugs. Entering genetic mutations or chance, as the St. Patrick's Cathedral the nave, he shouts, "What's going on Judge and players prefer. This neo-Gothic cathedral, opened here? Who are you? Leave at once!" in 1879, is the center of the Roman The thugs draw their revolvers. Catholic archdiocese of New York. At this point, the PCs wrench their The folder covering this book shows attention away from the Rose Win- THE CAMPAIGN TYPE the cathedral's interior, and a top view dow's hypnotic patterns. They dis- Here is a description of the "Fun of the exterior appears on one of the cover their new powers. City" campaign's four aspects, as out- maps of midtown Manhattan included lined in Chapter 9 of this book: in this set. Genre: Low-powered super hero- Unknown to the law-abiding staff, ADVENTURE ics. This is an Urban campaign, as de- the Silvermane family of the Maggia is If you wish, the adventure can start fined in Chapter 10, and is set in the using the cathedral's Crypt tonight as before this set-up. The setting is not authentic New York, "accept no sub- a temporary repository for its experi- the cathedral, but the minds of the stitutes." mental subjects. Its thugs intend to kill player characters. Under the drug's Tone: Dark, realistic, an urban the drug victims as soon as they docu- influence, each falls prey to hallucino- nightmare, much like those of Dare- ment the effects of Enchantment. A genic nightmares of attacks, pursuit, devil or Cloak and Dagger. henchman, impersonating a staff and horrific alterations of his or her Concept: An experimental Maggia member, has dismissed the cathedral own body. drug has given the PCs unusual staff and now keeps watch to turn In these visions, the PC victims may powers. But it has also stricken them away intruders. spontaneously manifest imaginary with side effects. The PCs band to- While the PCs slept, the Maggia gether to fight the Maggia and drug versions of the super powers they will henchmen injected them with En- really end up with. As they defeat the dealers in general, hoping to spare in- chantment. This produced fever, delir- nocent people the terrible experiences phantoms of their nightmares, they ium, and trembling. As the PCs awaken. they themselves have undergone. awaken, they are groggy from En- This optional beginning works best Rationale: In the short term, the chantment's effects; if you wish, use for Judges who can handle atmo- PCs must stick together to find the an- the Grogginess rule from "Death- spheric description and staging. tidote to their drug-induced illness. In traps" in Chapter 8, or just have the the long term, they draw emotional players role-play this. support from one another, because The Fight The newborn heroes are tied with they have few contacts left in their nor- Waking Up mal worlds. ordinary ropes (Good strength). The PCs awaken, bound, on the Those who metamorphosed into non- steps of the Sanctuary (see interior human shape are tied especially map). In yellow candlelight from the strongly (Excellent strength). More SET-UP high altar, they see the shadows of the than likely, these ropes prove no ob- This premise works best with fairly upper nave, and beyond it, shining stacle to the heroes. If the ropes would young, human characters who have through the gloom, the beautiful be too strong, reduce their strength to few or no social attachments—no round Rose Window above the west- let the heroes break free. friends, relatives, or other people who ern entrance. The geometric patterns Use the Maggia thug stats given in worry about where they are. of this huge stained-glass window Chapter 4 of the Campaign Source- Before the adventure proper be- seem to the PCs to throb hypnotically. book. There are two thugs for each PC.

49 If these fall before every PC has had a PC's current Health total. chance to show off his or her new AFTERMATH The spasm passes quickly, but this powers, have more Maggiosi storm in After the heroes have mopped up should cue the players to wonder from the street as reinforcements. the thugs, they can leave or look about Enchantment's side effects. If a PC has spiffy new movement around. They find empty, unlabeled vi- They can learn these from the Maggia powers, exercise them. Several thugs als that held the experimental drug, thugs or from Mortega over the flee the cathedral to a waiting armored but no antidote (of course). walkie-talkie. The door to the cathedral's crypt is limousine outside. Plan a chase Enchantment killed all the Maggia's open. At the bottom of a short flight of across midtown Manhattan on the previous subjects, painfully, unless stairs, the Maggiosi have left three maps in this set. (For the limo's statis- they took more Enchantment or a sta- bodies: drug victims, much like the tics, see "Security Limo" on p. 48 of bilizing agent that Mortega devised, PCs, but not so lucky. The small crypt the Player's Book and Chapter 5 of the code-named "Dispel." The Maggia holds the remains of past archbish- Campaign Sourcebook.) loves this side effect, for it gives vic- ops, cardinals, and rectors of the ca- tims "incentive" to keep using the thedral. There is nothing here of drug. The Rector immediate interest in the adventure. In the Marvel Universe, St. Patrick's The PCs have to find Dispel, or they spiritual and managerial head is Father will soon die. Perhaps the stabilizing Henry Truelock. As the Maggia thugs The Thugs agent will remove their powers; they threaten him, he stares them down and All of the thugs know Enchant- have no way to know. But they cannot tries to reason with them. Unless the he- ment's ordinary effects (see Section 1) live without Dispel. and the name of the Maggia scientist roes interfere, the thugs shoot Father Mortega has it. The Maggia thugs, who created it: Dr. Pablo Azcona Mor- Henry for his trouble. He falls uncon- though, don't know where Mortega is. tega, a brilliant biochemist employed scious. However, if you want to keep Of course, Mortega himself refuses to by the Maggia's Central American op- him around, his wound is superficial. give any to the PCs—"Why allow eration. But they don't know where more super heroes to live?" Mortega is now. Father Henry Truelock But either Mortega or a thug acci- The thugs have tested several ver- Rector, St. Patrick's Cathedral dentally drops a clue. He mentions, sions of Enchantment. They know F A S E R I P "Good thing the previous versions broad facts about the plot to dump the Pr Ty Ty Ty Gd Gd Gd haven't shown such effects. Other- drug in the Central Park Reservoir Health: 22 Karma: 30 wise the Central Park plan would put and create an army of addicts (see be- us hip-deep in powered goons." Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 2 low). But they obviously had no idea One does not rise to this lofty posi- this latest version could grant super Mortega says nothing else, but the tion without great amounts of talent, powers! thugs can be persuaded to give more savvy, integrity, and connections. Fa- details. The Silvermane family is If called, Dr. Mortega himself an- ther Henry has them all, as well as dumping the earlier version of En- swers the walkie-talkie. This is the scrupulous devotion to his faith and chantment into the Central Park Res- deep-voiced man with the Spanish his flock. ervoir, to turn the whole city into accent that the PCs overheard earlier. Father Henry answers to the arch- customers for the drug. For Mortega's abilities, see Section 3. , a venerable figure best left off- When was this to happen? The Mortega, a sadistic louse, taunts stage in any scenario. thugs aren't sure; sometime around the PCs with mock casualness. "So Appearance: 5'6", 150 lbs. In his late now, they think. (Actually, it happened sorry I cannot observe you in person," 50s. Thick gray hair, green eyes, bifo- several hours ago, and the drug has he says. "Unfortunately, I cannot cal spectacles. Forthright, no- already infiltrated the water supply.) leave my current lady friend." Of nonsense manner, but course, he won't reveal his where- If the PCs don't want most of New compassionate. Not given to "super- abouts. York to become drug slaves, it seems stitious nonsense." they must rush to the Reservoir. Per- Talents: Management, counseling, (Judge's note: Mortega can be haps there they can also find a supply psychology, politics. found in the Maggia's drug lab be- of Dispel. Typical Dialogue : "Now, not another neath the Statue of Liberty—his "lady word. You're hurt, and that's all there friend." If one of your PCs can trace is to it. I'll fetch a sister to bind your radio waves, they can locate him wounds." there. That would make this a very KARMA short adventure!) Rescuing Father Henry: +20. Story Function: In this kickoff, an in- Getting information from Mortega: nocent to be rescued. In the ongoing Learning of the Deadline + 5. "Fun City" campaign, Father Henry Give other awards as usual. can be an important NPC. In gratitude After learning these facts (or if they for his rescue, he may set up the PCs try to leave the cathedral without in a base of operations near the cathe- learning them), the PCs experience dral. He has many important connec- wracking pain! Describe the agony as tions in New York's spiritual and graphically as you like. Treat this as a political communities. temporary loss of one-fourth of each

50 Section 1: TRAFFIC JAM

The giant sits in the intersection, scraper. SUMMARY happily stacking cars like blocks. If the PCs have come here from the The heroes first realize something Campaign Kickoff, this scene be- is rotten in Manhattan when they comes too light after that grim start. In come upon a huge automobile this case, the giant behaves more vio- gridlock. Nothing out of the ordinary in ADVENTURE lently, as a berserker with nothing of New York—until they see the This bizarre giant child is actually a the childlike about it. drugged-out, super-powered loony normal man or woman who has been causing the jam. "amplified" by the drug Enchant- ment. For some of the drug's effects, The giant For this section, use the data given Friend of a player character in Chapter 5 of the Campaign Source- see below. It can also have other ef- fects at your discretion. The victim F A S E R I P book, "On the Sidewalks of New Gd Gd In In Pr Pr Ty York." had been drinking from the water source, and has become an early vic- Health: 100 Karma: 14 tim of the water's contaminant. Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 No one has been hurt yet, though Note: The giant still recognizes his or SET-UP the childish giant has crushed a few her PC friend, and can even hold a This encounter can take place at cars. However, people are panicking, conversation, though only at about a any time of day or night. If this scene and PCs can see an armed police five-year-old's level. The giant tends follows the Campaign Kickoff, the he- SWAT team running toward the giant toward contrariness, but responds to roes stumble on the traffic jam at from a block away. a firm tone from an authority figure. night, en route to Central Park Reser- If the heroes don't just charge in voir. If they take the most direct route blindly, attacking on sight, give one of from St. Patrick's Cathedral, this the PCs a Reason FEAT of Poor inten- AFTERMATH leads them up Fifth Avenue or Avenue sity to spot the giant as a long-lost Observers can tell the heroes that of the Americas. The traffic jam is at friend. the gigantic friend had been acting Grand Army Plaza and Pulitzer Me- strangely just before he "grew up." morial Fountain, at the southeast cor- The Gigantic Friend They say he was drinking from the ner of the Park. Which PC has the friend? Choose drinking fountain, or dangling his bare Otherwise, the heroes are visiting a one who is likely to respond to old at- feet in the Joseph Pulitzer Fountain, Hotspotofthe Judge's choice. Ask the tachments and to remain loyal to the when he suddenly fell down, writhed, players if their characters want to do bonds of friendship. Establish that the and began to grow. Then he woke up something in particular before the ad- friend was once close to the PC, per- as a child. venture begins—buy a present for a haps in childhood or high school. Unfortunately, the observers who beloved NPC, follow up on an earlier After that, they just drifted apart, tell this to the PCs are themselves wip- case at police headquarters, or visit a without rancor. Don't make the giant a ing away water from their lips, having tailor to get a new costume. Any ex- very close friend whose loss would just finished drinking from the foun- cuse works if it gets the heroes into hurt the PC deeply; after all, the giant tain themselves. Within moments they the city. may bite the dust within moments. begin acting childish. See the effects After completing their business, the Speaking of this, the SWAT team of Enchantment, below. PCs notice a traffic jam: cars sitting will arrive within a few turns. The PCs From this, the PCs should deduce idle, horns honking, air heavy with should decide on a course of action. that something has contaminated the auto exhaust. People are yelling or (if They might battle the giant; stop the city's water supply. PCs coming here it's daytime) sunbathing on the hoods SWAT team from attacking; or take the from the Campaign Kickoff realize of their cars. Ahead, the heroes hear cars away from the giant. This pro- they're too late to prevent the drug's noises of car crashes ... and screams vokes the childish giant to attack them introduction into the Reservoir. No of terror. in fury. one is at the scene now. Only a few The source of the noise is a single in- If players are dithering about choos- empty 55-gallon drums of Enchant- dividual: an ugly, misshapen person al- ing an action, have the giant lumber to ment indicate the deed. most 20 feet tall. The individual, whose its feet and wander toward the SWAT The heroes should try to warn the gender is up to you (see below), team. That should provoke action. populace, as quickly and impressively crouches before the Pulitzer Memorial One clever way to resolve the situa- as possible. To be effective, the warn- Fountain, or some other source of wa- tion is for a PC to act parental and ing should certainly involve the mass ter, like a broken water main or even a command the giant to stop playing media, especially radio and television, drinking fountain. He or she has ripped with its toys. They can get the giant or perhaps some unusual power. an awning away from the Plaza Hotel out of people's way by sternly sending {Super shouting, perhaps?) across the street (or any nearby build- it into an open area of the park or to a ing) to make a kind of diaper. But the heroes need more than wide plaza in front of a nearby sky- power; they need pull. Unless they are

51 well-connected, they may have trou- mans, and a few others are not so af- be different from those of the PCs, ble getting the authorities to believe fected. If there is a question about a and are probably less powerful. the danger until it's too late. In fact, given individual, allow the victim an Whether the plot's mastermind the authorities themselves may be Excellent Reason or Endurance FEAT knew of these effects depends on thoroughly Enchanted when the PCs to avoid being affected by the drug. your choice of master villain. (The reach them! 2. Super-human abilities. Option- Maggia didn't, but Doctor Doom and ally, a small fraction of those Loki both did.) Reports From All Over affected—perhaps those with Type 3. Collective power. If Loki is the When the SWAT team calms down, AB- Negative blood, or about one in master villain, the drug—his magical the police lieutenant in charge can re- 300 people—develops strange potion—causes its victims to merge lay to the heroes the reports he re- powers. These are left to you to de- together into huge, amoeboid ceives over his walkie-talkie. It seems sign, as plot devices for later encoun- masses. For more information, see that strange beings and odd behavior ters. Obviously, given the encounter Section 5. are being noticed all over the city. above, growth is a possibility! 4. Side effects. Enchantment is Create any reports you like; these A few of these people, who enjoy physically addictive. If the user does lead into the encounters of Section 2. their powers and want to retain them, not receive doses almost daily, he or Here are a few examples: can become impromptu super- she dies painfully. This effect can be * In Times Square, super-strong powered adversaries for the PCs. This counteracted by a stabilizing agent kids are playing stickball, using street- is really just a way for you to introduce called Dispel. (See the Campaign lights as bats, with the big metal apple new villains into the campaign. See Kickoff for more information.) atop the Allied Chemical Tower as the the next section, "The Hotspots Heat ball. Up." * Security guards at the Metropoli- If you like, the cause of their powers KARMA tan Museum of Art are calling one an- can be the factor that produced Removing the giant's threat without other childish names and playing powers in the PCs during the Cam- unnecessary violence: +20. cops-and-robbers with live ammo. paign Kickoff. Deducing that the water is contami- They've been sent home, leaving the If you use the Campaign Kickoff, the nated (if PCs didn't know this al- Met vulnerable to theft. version of Enchantment that afflicts ready): + 5. * At the United Nations, some of the New York is not the same one that diplomats are attacking others with Maggia thugs gave the PCs. Because canes and shoe heels. Diplomatic in- of this, the citizens' super powers can cidents may ensue unless they are stopped. The problem is, some of the diplomats are displaying super- human powers. There are uglier incidents. In Harlem and on the Lower East Side, riots have erupted. Warfare between gangs threatens to destroy Yancy Street. New York's super heroes can be counted on to control most of this an- archy, but the PC heroes must do their part. And fast!

ENCHANTMENT'S EFFECTS Here are Enchantment's effects as seen in later sections. The drug is transmitted by fluid, including the moisture of body contact, and takes effect within minutes of exposure. The effect's onset is marked by a sudden blush, dizziness, and these features: 1. Lowered inhibitions. Most of those affected simply become silly. They act iike children or adolescents, without regard to morality or public good. The PCs, most other super hu- 52 Section 2: THE HOTSPOTS HEAT UP ing neon signs into pretty patterns. land, a hero can send the bad guy SUMMARY NPC heroes can be affected by the spinning crazily on a carousel or As the drug's influence spreads, drug, too. They are less dangerous, Ferris wheel. Try to lead the adventure chaos follows. Looting, vandalism, and since they still respect human life; but in a direction that prompts players to violence occur at many points around even so, an out-of- control hero can be think of these clever methods. the city. And the chaos also includes an awesome sight. Suppose the PCs super villains ... both those affected by see the Thing and play- Deadline Pressure the drug and unaffected felons who are ing "kick the statue" in Central Park? If you use the Campaign Kickoff, the taking advantage of the upheaval to The PCs don't have to fight the heroes should gradually feel the side pursue their own goals. drugged NPC heroes, just reason with effects of the Enchantment drug. This section gives, not one encoun- them to make them stop their childish They may suffer Endurance losses, ter, but advice on creating your own games. (Play this as comic relief dur- brief failures of super powers in non- encounters using the ingredients in ing the adventure.) critical situations, and other frighten- this campaign set. Don't forget that, if you desire, En- ing effects. chantment creates a few new villains, None of the effects should be debili- too. These former normals can have tating, but this adds tension to the SET-UP powers that duplicate existing villains' quest to find Enchantment's antidote. Though this is a short section, it is (saving you the time of designing them), really the core of this scenario. The duplicate those of the PCs, or have plot serves as a pretext for you, the powers that directly work against the Judge, to showcase the Hotspots you PCs' weaknesses. However, these AFTERMATH choose from the Campaign Source- newcomers lack combat savvy and can Obviously, each slugfest must have book. The adventure can accommo- probably be outwitted easily enough. a point. Successful heroes should be date as many or as few as you like. rewarded with clues that help them move closer to their goal of restoring This flexibility also applies to your Staging the city. Sometimes a clue only moves choice of villain(s) and goals. Think of Recall the time of day. If these each Hotspot encounter as a mini- them to the next Hotspot encounter, encounters follow the Campaign Kick- but the players retain the illusion of scenario of your own design. In each, off, it is probably still night. Otherwise, the heroes have two overall goals: progress. these can take place at any time. If When you choose the Hotspots to control the chaos and turn the city you use many encounters at widely back to normal. The rest is up to you. use and prepare the encounters spaced points in the city, set some of there, try to construct a set of clues, them in daytime and others at night as one or two per Hotspot, that lead grad- Choosing Villains seems dramatically appropriate. ually to the adventure's climax. He- As the Hotspot "Campaign Use" In setting up an adventure at a roes can find these clues by sections show, settings often imply given location, remember staging. interrogating the villains, or from drug- their villains' goals. For instance, a Keep these three points in mind: crazed bystanders who witnessed or bank is obviously there to be robbed, 1. How will the scene appear when overheard the clues. right? the heroes arrive? There should be The clues gradually reveal: (a) the When you choose a Hotspot to some immediate course of action visi- master villain's motive in creating the show off, think about the goal inherent ble, such as rescuing an innocent, havoc; (b) a way the heroes can defeat in that setting, and then choose a vil- preventing vandalism, or putting out a the villain; and (c) the villain's location. lain who would logically work toward fire. Potential clues are discussed in the that goal. If you use the United Na- 2. That done, how does the villain Set-Up sections of each finale (the tions, for example, that may indicate show up? If he's there as the PCs ar- next three sections). to you an ambitious villain with an in- rive, what dramatic pose has he ternational flavor, such as the Manda- struck? If he's not there, how does he rin. If you choose Yancy Street, the blindside them? Play up any unique potential for gang warfare there could advantage the terrain offers. For in- KARMA involve the Kingpin and his minions. stance, a villain at the World Trade Discovering an encounter's clue: And so on. Center could appear from around the + 5. A complicating factor, if you choose far tower, opposite the ones the PCs Other awards vary according to the to use it, is Enchantment. Any villain's are in. situation. For instance, rescuing hos- goal can become twisted and unpre- 3. What features of the location sug- tages ( + 20 Karma); protecting valu- dictable under the drug's influence. gest ways to defeat the villain? At the able objects ( + 5 to +20); clever For example, the PCs happen upon Brooklyn Bridge, for instance, the he- tactics and use of the surroundings in Electro at Times Square, brace for a roes can push the villain off or fight a battle ( + 5 to +10); and good role- lightning bolt, then find he's only twist- him or her underwater. At Coney Is- playing (+15).

53 Section 3: THE MAGGIA TOUCH they instantly deduce that the lab flamethrowers (Players' Book, p. 43). SUMMARY must be on Liberty Island, the home of As soon as they spot the PCs, the Use this finale if the Maggia is the the Statue of Liberty. Players can be lieutenants open fire. The rest with- adventure's master villain. The heroes very smart. But be ready with another draw, under their covering fire, to the have tracked the Maggia drug lab to encounter if they don't tumble right line of oil drums against the far wall. the base of the Statue of Liberty. away. There, sheltering behind the drums, There they shut down the lab and con- Use the Statue of Liberty map in- they throw firebombs, one per hood front the drug's creator in a battle atop cluded in this set. every two turns. the Statue. Dr. Mortega ADVENTURE There is one more Maggia official SET-UP On Liberty Island, PCs notice famil- here: Dr. Pablo Azcona Mortega, the Having drugged the populace, the iar "tourists" lurking in the restaurant Latin American scientist who de- Maggia now lets its new customers and other buildings there. Well, the signed Enchantment. If you used the know that more of the same is availa- tourists are not exactly familiar them- Campaign Kickoff, the PCs may al- ble. The news spreads first through selves; but they have that air the PCs ready have met him via walkie-talkie. the criminal grapevine of informants have seen before. The expensive Otherwise, the PCs have heard of him and sleazeballs. Heroes with street suits, the casually arrogant stride, the from the Hotspot clues. contacts learn that Enchantment is glance that darts reflexively around— If the PCs fight the thugs, they may available in concentrated form. "First Maggia! notice Mortega heading upward taste was free," the contacts say, "but PCs can follow or interrogate the through another concealed entrance. now it'll cost ya." Maggia thugs. The trail leads to the This one leads directly up into the inte- base of the Statue and the Museum of rior of the Statue. He carries a supply Clues from the Hotspots Immigration inside. A concealed stair- of white powder—the antidote, Dispel! With the Maggia as primary villains, case at the back of an inconspicuous Turn this into a chase, described be- the Hotspot encounters can easily storage closet (not shown on the map) low. feature Maggia-employed villains, leads down one story to the Maggia If the PCs take out the Maggia thugs thugs, and Maggia observers of ran- drug lab. without a fight, Mortega is not present. dom violence. Any of these, with He has overheard the PCs' victory on proper , can become in- One Maggia thug guards the bot- tom of the staircase, but he can be a thug's walkie-talkie, and he taunts formers at the ends of various encoun- the PCs that he has escaped them. ters. Genuine stoolies, junkies, and taken out easily without attracting at- tention from inside the lab. "But I have what you want," he says. other figures on the edge of the crimi- "Join me at the brow of my lady friend, nal culture will also work. The Maggia Drug Lab where you will witness the true power Motive Clues: Straightforward. By Calling this a "lab" is flattery. It is of Enchantment." feeding Enchantment to everyone in not sterile, not organized, not even New York, the mob wants to create a clean. This room, about 40 feet on a The Race to the Head huge customer base. side, is a jumbled mess of tables, Bun- If feasible, stage a chase up the Clues to Methods of Defeat: In this sen burners, hotplates, Dutch ovens, Statue. Ideally, the PCs spot Mortega order, the PCs hear the following: The and recycled oil drums. Stacks of gray in the Museum on the first floor. He Maggia used a Spanish-speaking sci- drums almost fill one wall. The air is sees them as well, then grabs a entist named Mortega to create the steamy and smells of formaldehyde. woman or child nearby and holds a drug. He's an arrogant louse, but bril- The only light comes from a few fluo- gun to his or her head. Panic ensues liant. He's very touchy about insults to rescent lamps in the low ceiling. in the Museum. his honor. In the lab there are three Maggia The chase begins as Mortega, with Location Clues: First, the PCs hoods per PC. Only one of the three or without hostage, kicks off his black learn there is some underground lab. per PC is a well-dressed Maggia lieu- boots, leaps into the shaft of the hy- Then, that the lab is the one that used tenant; each of these has a machine draulic elevator, and climbs up the to be based on Ellis Island (Judge's pistol ready, a backup revolver, a sheer wall with the hostage in his note: the one that led to the origin of walkie-talkie, and a knife. The other arms! At the top, he tears through the Cloak and Dagger). Then, that the two per PC are hoods in leather jack- ceiling with super-human strength source heard the Maggia didn't have ets, unarmed except for the chemical and climbs onto the stairs leading to to move it far. equipment they use to churn out sup- the Statue's crown. Eventually a source mentions the plies of Enchantment. In a firefight, This peculiar behavior results from major clue: The Maggia drug lab is the hoods improvise Molotov cock- Mortega's own ingestion of a heavy code-named "Big Lady." When your tails, formaldehyde in Plexiglas beak- dose of Enchantment. This, as the players hear this, don't be surprised if ers, which do damage as PCs can learn from defeated Maggia

54 thugs, is a later version of the drug source of clues about him, notably the side effects described in Section that afflicted Manhattan. If you used about his arrogant nature, amorality, 1. He allowed them to exist, since they the Campaign Kickoff, Mortega has and his arrest and deportment for increase the chaos. He had no fear of taken a much larger dose of the ver- drug pushing on campus. He is now in more super humans, since Doom sion that gave the PCs their powers. America illegally. fears no one. In the Statue's crown, Mortega will Appearance: 5'10", 160 lbs. Swarthy Evidence for Doom's role appears take more hostages, barricade him- complexion, thick black hair slicked quite dramatically, as Doom himself self, and demand a helicopter so he back on a high forehead. Heavy black announces his scheme to all the can leave alive. Before he makes his eyebrows, sinister expression. Wears world. See the beginning of the next demands, though, he intends to a Maggia-style business suit, but with section. gauge his new powers in combat with high black boots. If the PCs uncover evidence of the PCs. Talents and Contacts: Mortega has Doom's manipulation, they can enlist Those powers? His first four abili- the Guns, Marksman, Chemistry, Biol- the Silvermane family's aid. Doom has ties gain + 1 CS per turn of combat, up ogy, and Genetics talents, as well as violated their honor, so they want re- to a maximum of Shift-Y (Strength high-level Criminal contacts. venge. The criminal grapevine knows enough to lift the Statue). In addition Typical Dialogue: Spanish accent. the location of Doom's local under- to Wall-Crawling, Mortega also gains Favors gloating or sneering ground base. Silvermane bosses Absorption, Psi-Screen, Teleporta- speeches. "So, you heroes have de- gladly give this information to the PCs, tion, and other powers of your choice. cided to crush our little operation, hoping that each side will destroy the These begin at Excellent rank and in- yes? I think you are maybe the ones other. crease +1 CS per round of combat to who will be crushed, yes?" Loki: Enchantment lives up to its Sh-Y maximum. name, for it is really magical. Loki con- Though the hostage and the cocted the potion, knowing of its side crowded Statue staircase make it diffi- effects. Then he either introduced it cult, heroes may defeat Mortega on AFTERMATH into the Reservoir himself or mind- the way up the Statue. If this happens, If you are using the Campaign Kick- controlled a Maggia thug into doing they rescue the hostage (award off, the heroes discover supplies of so. Dispel in the drug lab or find the for- Karma), but Mortega regains con- PCs can discover this by magical mula on Dr. Mortega's person (his sciousness at a higher power level. detection spells, or just by finding a body?). Go to Section 6. He is going mad and is now obsessed witness to the Reservoir escapade. Campaign Kickoff note: Does the with reaching the crown and attacking "There was this other guy behind the drug neutralize the PCs' new powers? the heroes. crooks," says the stoolie. "He was That would make this an awfully short standing in plain sight, but they didn't It's best if the heroes defeat Mor- campaign. (Although for a truly grim even see him. He had the weirdest tega as he reaches his maximum campaign, you can set up a long-term helmet. ..." power level. This may prove too diffi- dilemma. The PCs can have super cult, especially for the low-end heroes powers only when they take Enchant- Can the PCs persuade the Maggia for whom the Maggia makes a suit- ment. The longer they remain super to aid them? No. Maggia family heads able villain. If the heroes fail to defeat human, the likelier it is that the drug have no desire to match strengths Mortega, the drug itself does him in. kills them. Sounds horrible, doesn't it?) with a god, even if he was controlling As he reaches the height of his Therefore, of course, the PCs still them. powers, he grows large, the way the keep their powers. If one or more Your own villain: Does he or she giant did in Section 1. For a moment powers has turned out too weak or too have Maggia connections? Powers of he grows childish and dull. In that mo- powerful, taking Dispel adjusts it to a mental control, disguise, or illusion ment, Mortega is vulnerable, because level you and the affected player can that would let him or her use the Mag- of the effects of his drug overdose. live with. gia? How might the PCs find out about PCs can let loose their best attacks. If you plan no links to other master this, and how would the Maggia family Mortega crashes through the Statue's villains, go to Section 6. heads react? crown windows, flies a short way, then falls like a stone into the waters of Links to Later Sections New York Harbor. The Maggia introduced this drug KARMA Naturally, this being a super-heroic into the water supply. But if you Discovering the lab (without undue adventure, no body is found. choose, the Maggia can be merely a manipulation by the Judge): +10. pawn for a different villain. Rescuing Mortega's hostages: Dr. Pablo Azcona Mortega Doctor Doom: Doom engineered a + 20. F A S E R I P hormone similar to epinephrine. Us- Unnecessary damage to the Ex Ty Ty Gd Ex Ex Ty ing Dr. Mortega (one of his lackeys), Statue: -10, Health: 42 ' Karma: 46 Doom manipulated the Maggia into and popularity drops by 5. Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: -1 serving as distributors. Their supply of A Latin American , Dr. Mor- Dispel turns out to be dishwashing tega studied at Empire State Univer- soap, planted by Doom as a taunt. sity many years ago. ESU can be a Unlike the Maggia, Doom knew of 55 Section 4: SHOWDOWN WITH DOCTOR DOOM squeal under Doom's voice in his an- tral lab. These observation decks are SUMMARY nouncement. Perhaps it takes them 15 feet (one area) above the lower Use this finale if Doctor Doom is the an encounter or two to identify it: the level, and are separated from the lab adventure's master villain. The heroes sound of a subway train turning a cor- by Plexiglas windows of Excellent locate Doom's laboratory, confront ner, close by. This, and perhaps clues strength. All walls and doors are Doom, and can either negotiate or from Doom's underlings encountered Remarkable-strength steel. The doors fight. The outcome depends on the as Hotspot villains, indicate an under- are hermetically sealed but unlocked, players' actions and the assumptions ground base in the subway system. and have windows of Good-strength you made in the adventure's set-up. In How do the heroes locate the base? Plexiglas. any case, this Doom is actually one of Perhaps they can trace the broadcast The key to the rooms: the Latverian dictator's robot doubles. transmission. If they need time to pull N = Transmitter studio, from which Doom's lab contains Dispel, the an- together the right equipment, Doom Doom's robot broadcast his an- tidote to Enchantment's side effects. can gloat further in follow-up an- nouncement. PCs can steal its formula and rescue nouncements every few encounters. the city (and, if you use the Campaign O = The secondary biochem lab Also, after the initial announce- Kickoff, themselves as well). where Doom synthesized Enchant- ment, New York is crawling with FBI ment. This is a small version of the and CIA agents, not to mention any main lab (see P, below). A computer super hero who could get here fast contains the formulae for both En- SET-UP enough. They could have the tracking chantment and Dispel, its antidote. Doom has engineered this plan in equipment needed, or have a hot lead With an Excellent Reason FEAT roll, a order to demonstrate his enormous the PCs can follow. Or PCs may character with Computer skill can power to the world. So at some point encounter an NPC hero with tracking penetrate Doom's security system he claims credit for it publicly. abilities, perhaps Daredevil or Doctor and get the formulae. This takes four Strange. The NPC hero can lead them turns. The Announcement into the subways. Then, in a chance A large metal cannister in a south Doom announces his role after you encounter with an Enchantment- corner of the room weighs one ton and run a few, but not all, of your planned crazed bum, the NPC gets seriously has walls of Excellent strength. Inside Hotspot encounters (from Section 2). wounded in the neck. This leaves the is a white powder, Doom's supply of In a dramatic satellite broadcast on PCs to go the rest of the way. Dispel. every wavelength, Doom publicly For a description of the subways, Near the cannister is a powered claims responsibility for the chaos, see Chapter 6 of the Campaign cargo-lifter suit, a metal exoskeleton gloats at his power, and offers the anti- Sourcebook, "Underground Manhat- that gives the wearer Remarkable dote to Enchantment—in return for an tan," and the maps on the folder of this Strength (enough to lift the cannister), oath of absolute obedience by citizens book. but reduces Agility to Poor and move- of the United States. "Think well," he The entrance to Doom's laboratory ment to one area per turn. It takes two says. "I can do as much to any city in headquarters is several hundred turns to climb into and activate the the world!" yards up from the IRT subway line's suit, which weighs 400 pounds and is 51st Street stop—by no coincidence, of Remarkable-strength steel. Clues from the Hotspots very near Four Freedoms Plaza. P = Main laboratory. Huge steel Motive Clues: "The Announce- Doom delighted in the irony of being vats of bubbling enzymes—enough ment" gives all the information PCs so near his lifelong foes. The entrance Enchantment to enslave New York. could want. is an Amazing steel door, locked with a Pipes, twisting glass tubes, blinking Clues to Methods of Defeat: Many Monstrous lock and concealed by a wall panels, and a central control con- people know a lot about Doctor Doom. holographic projector to resemble a sole of Typical strength. Generic Mad Traditionally, his weakness has been concrete support pillar. A staircase Scientist's Lab. his overweening pride and arrogance. leads down one area to the lab. The vats are sealed (Excellent- He also has a strong, if peculiar, code strength steel). If any PC falls in the of honor. The Laboratory vats, he or she undergoes the muta- Doom does not usually employ this To set up this scene, use Map C, tion described for Dr. Mortega in the "scorched earth" policy of blackmail. "Typical Interiors," from the previous section, and will die within Even if the city accepts his deal, it Advanced Set. Treat areas N through minutes unless given the drug's anti- seems unlikely that, after Enchant- P as Doom's lab, and everything be- dote, Dispel. ment, there will be enough left of New yond them as rock. On one wall is a large fiber-optic York City for him to rule. Area P is the main laboratory; metal monitor screen (Incredible strength). Location Clues: Perceptive he- staircases (15 feet high, Good As the heroes enter, this is turned off. roes, especially those with enhanced strength) lead up to areas Q and R; Later, the real Doctor Doom will ad- hearing, can overhear a distinctive and areas N and O overlook the cen- dress the PCs via this screen.

56 Q = Storage. Cannisters of chemi- the robot given on page 44 of the appears on the monitor screen in cals and laboratory supplies. None of Judge's Book. This robot is equipped Room P to taunt the heroes' hollow these includes Dispel. With a Reason for combat, and attacks when it seems victory. FEAT, a scientifically trained character logical to do so. Doom can be broadcasting from can find a chemical that inflicts Incred- 2. Steal the Dispel, or steal its for- ; in this case, he will not ap- ible damage on the Doom robot's ar- mula and synthesize it themselves. pear in the scenario. If you want Doom mor. This requires stealth or speed. The to show up in person (for example, to Hidden in one corner is a recharg- Dispel supply may be booby-trapped battle with Loki, as described below), ing station for the robot. (see Aftermath, below). Of course, the Doom is broadcasting from his hotel R = Power supply for the labora- Doom robot does not knowingly let the room across from the United Nations tory. This is a small nuclear-fission re- PCs work uninterrupted at the com- building. See "The United Nations" in actor, a concrete cube 30 feet on a puter. Chapter 3 of the Campaign Source- side (Monstrous-strength walls, Mon- If it looks like the PCs will escape book. strous Strength to lift). In front of it are with the Dispel or the formula, the Loki: For an involuted scenario, numerous display and control panels. Doom robot heads to the nuclear reac- Loki could control Doctor Doom, who The reactor is running smoothly. tor and sets it on Auto-Destruct. believes he himself created Enchant- Any damage that penetrates the con- "Flight is now useless," it says. "Be ment. Loki uses Doom as a pawn, crete liberates toxic plutonium dust honored that you will join Doom in his merely to amuse himself; Doom's sup- into the air (Unearthly intensity if final resting place." The reactor core ply of Dispel is useless, though the it is breathed or contacts the skin; see melts in 10 turns. PCs may not discover this until later. rules, Judge's Book, p. 12) and sends If the PCs escape with the formula This option can mean that Doom, the reactor toward a meltdown in 1 d10 and synthesize Dispel, go to Section upon learning that Loki used him, al- + 10 turns. A player with appropriate 6. lies with the PCs to battle Loki! skills can prevent this with an 3. Negotiate with Doom. This is diffi- Popping in and out of existence at Amazing Reason FEAT roll and 1d10 cult, but the robot's Reason is weaker various points, Loki surveys his handi- turns of total absorption in the task at than Doom's (by design) and therefore work with a dry chuckle. Doom's sur- hand. it can be tricked or persuaded more veillance cameras and advanced The meltdown inflicts Monstrous easily. Many tactics are possible; you parabolic microphones can pick up energy damage and is a CL1000 Toxin can determine their success. A likely his murmuring: "All goes well. Thor within the lab. Fortunately, the solid approach appeals to Doom's desire to will soon be here, and that foolish mor- rock around the lab prevents the radi- rule an intact kingdom, not a waste- tal in the armor will occupy all his ener- ation from spreading further. land. gies. Meanwhile, I spring my trap." Tell players who ask, or who actively If the PCs can convince Doom that This incontrovertible evidence look for strange features of the lab, Enchantment will lead to the city's de- causes Doom to tremble with rage. that there are no facilities for food, wa- struction, and that leading a de- His voice grows deadly quiet as he ter, or sanitation. This is mildly strange stroyed city would be unworthy of his swears vengeance for this assault on even for Doom, whose armor is self- greatness, the robot may relent. As a his pride—on his own memories—on contained. This provides a clue that gesture of his "mercy, a quality that his name! Doom is not real, but a robot. marks great rulers," he grants the PCs If the PCs do not suggest teamwork, the supply of Dispel. (That robot is due Doom goes off to fight Loki alone (un- for reprogramming upon its return to successfully). But if players argue in- ADVENTURE Latveria.) telligently for a team effort, Doom arrives in short order, declares a truce, As the PCs arrive, the Doom robot is and begins ordering the PCs around. in the main lab supervising the pro- When he and the PCs come to terms, duction of more Enchantment. The ro- AFTERMATH move on to the next section. bot regularly patrols the rooms; this Once PCs defeat the Doom robot or may let it discover intruding PCs in arrive at an alliance with it, they can Your own villain: He or she must be other rooms, or may leave the the obtain the Dispel antidote from Room pretty high powered to enlist Doom, main lab unguarded for a moment so O. At your discretion, the cannister who would never willingly work for an- the PCs can sneak in. may be booby-trapped with a hidden other. This indicates powerful magic, When and if the robot discovers the Concentrated Explosive (Players' mind-control powers, or a careful PCs, it first gloats at its success (as- Book, p. 46) that is deactivated by a schemer. suming the role of Doom, of course), switch beneath a far counter in the then demands their surrender. When same room. Detecting and disarming and if they refuse, it attacks. the trap is an Incredible Reason FEAT. KARMA The PCs want to stop the menace to The Doom robot, if allied with the PCs, Realizing that "Doom" is a robot: New York and (in the Campaign Kick- disarms the trap. + 5. off version) get the Dispel they need to The real Doctor Doom is secretly Locating the Dispel: +10. stay alive. Broadly speaking, the play- monitoring everything that happens Destroying the laboratory: +20. ers have three general options: here. If the PCs defeat his robot, he Allying with Doom against Loki: +0 1. Overpower the Doom robot. Use (a wise choice, but morally chancy). 57 Section 5: THE GOD OF MISCHIEF of enormous power with no known tion is provided in case players ask, SUMMARY weaknesses. Traditionally, the only "Where are all the other heroes when If Loki is the adventure's master vil- way to defeat him has been to bring in this is going on?" lain, the heroes encounter him in this Thor or (even better) Odin. Without Loki, master of manipulation and grand finale in Central Park. This sec- them, PCs must rely on their own trickery, cannot himself be easily ma- tion is intended only for PCs of sub- power in a toe-to-toe fight. Good luck. nipulated or tricked. He cannot be pro- stantial power, on the level of Thor or Location Clues: Eventually Loki voked to rage by contemptible the Silver Surfer. Less godlike heroes yawns and says, "I grow tired of these mortals. should be pitted against Maggia or games. Perhaps you will meet me in A very realistic illusion of Thor might Doctor Doom in previous sections. your large park over there, and help fool Loki, but not for long. The illusion If Loki defeats the PCs, he places me construct my revenge." He van- would prompt him to spring his death- them in a deathtrap involving an as- ishes. trap; see below. sault by a bizarre and horrible con- Conceivably, PCs could convince glomeration of New York's populace. Doctor Doom as Ally him that Thor is nowhere around and The PCs can turn this weapon against Doctor Doom may be helping the not likely to return soon. But this Loki to defeat him. heroes, if you have established that means that Loki leaves Earth for a Loki controlled him. Doom, though he time, while the damage continues un- never shows friendship for a second, abated. SET-UP fights at the PCs' side without betray- With all this, the only other alterna- Use the Central Park map on the ing them. Betrayal would be dishonor- tive is to fight Loki. The battle is not fold-up map included in this set. For able! quite straightforward, however, for detailed encounters, use the Area This is a tricky situation for the Loki prefers to use his Enhancement Grid/Outdoors map from the Judge, because Doom is probably powers and to create agents. With a Advanced Set. more powerful than the PCs. By all gesture, he plucks innocent citizens Note: Loki's plot revolves around rights he would attempt to show them from around the park and brings them Thor. This description assumes that up at every chance, displaying his to the Great Lawn. There, shielding Thor is not a PC and is currently off in own superior power; that is in charac- himself all the while from PC attacks, the unreachable depths of space. ter for Doom. he casually endows the innocents Your PCs cannot contact him. However, an NPC ally should never with great power and murderous ha- If Thor is a PC, well and good. Loki top a player character, because the tred for the PCs. taunts him with the Hotspot encoun- player will feel useless. What to do? For these agents, use the statistics ters, then vanishes before he can at- Perhaps the best way to handle this of any suitable villains (one per two tack. At last Loki lures him to Central is to have Loki knock Doom out fairly PCs), but give their attacks and abili- Park and the adventure's finale. quickly in the forthcoming battle, ties a magical twist. For example, use while Doom temporarily weakens Electro's powers, but make the citizen Clues from the Hotspots Loki. Then Doom, bordering on un- an elemental "living lightning bolt." Remarkably, these all come from consciousness, functions as backup Use Dreadnought robots, but replace Loki himself. for the players, rescuing them in tight their mechanical apparatus with (say) Motive Clues: Though he would spots or providing distractions. But af- twisting, animated foliage from the prefer to conceal his activities from ter the first few blows, he never takes surrounding forest. And so on. Odin and the rest of , Loki does center stage again. Loki spends Karma, if necessary, to not care if mere mortals know he is the Incidentally, Loki shows no sign that create adversaries strong enough to culprit. After especially hard-fought he recognizes or cares about Doom. harm the PCs. Meanwhile, he remains encounters, PCs see Loki floating far To him, apparently, Doom is just an- above the fray, giving exposition overhead or standing on a nearby other mortal. about his new deathtrap and his long- building, gloating and chuckling at awaited vengeance against Thor. their folly. Loki waits for the PCs to show signs He pays no attention to the PCs' ADVENTURE of weakness. Then he floats down and taunts or questions. But as encoun- The god of mischief floats high battles them straightforwardly with his ters wear on, PCs may overhear him above the Great Lawn of Central Park. Eldritch Blasts. murmur in frustration, "So, where are Beneath him, if you wish, are the un- you, dear brother? Does even this not conscious forms of New York's best- The Deathtrap lure you to your precious Midgard? My known super humans. If you place If the PCs somehow defeat Loki, vengeance waits." them here, they should all be so well and good. Go to Aftermath, be- Clues to Methods of Defeat: Es- deeply unconscious (perhaps in magi- low. sentially none. As he is the first to tell cal slumber) that the PCs have no Realistically, though, whether or not the PCs, Loki is an Asgardian sorcerer chance of awakening them. The op- Doom helps, Loki probably defeats

58 the heroes easily. After all, he is an Asgardian god. Let the PCs have he- roic final speeches before lapsing into unconsciousness. If any heroes are dying, Loki, in a spirit of whimsy, heals them. After all, his deathtrap would not get much of a workout if its victims are already dead. However, the healed heroes remain unconscious. They awaken in the trap. Magical energy bonds of Monstrous strength surround each PC. Loki floats over- head, gloating. To delay troublesome PC interruptions or escape attempts until Loki has given the exposition be- low, consider using the Grogginess rule from the "Deathtraps" section in Chapter 8. This also lets Loki pick up some easy Karma by gloating for sev- eral turns. Loki tells the PCs that they have the honor to test the trap he has designed for "my dear half-brother" Thor. "You mortals always talk of the 'unity of hu- mankind.' Hah! Unity of ants, of ooze beneath the feet of the gods. See, at forest's edge—witness now the unity of humankind." From the trees on all sides come thousands of New Yorkers—all ages, sizes, social classes, dressed in all fashions—concentrated in the popu- lations represented in all the neigh- borhoods adjacent to the Park. Loki gestures, and the people merge. Their skins flow like wax, one form into another, and faces stretch as though formed in putty. Clothes disap- pear in a mass of flesh, musculature, their bonds before the creatures ab- Conglomeroids and hair. As the PCs watch, the thou- sorb them. How? For reasons ex- Gigantic disgusting ooze monsters sands of citizens form into shapeless, plained below, this matter is not F A S E R I P writhing masses, one for each PC in especially urgent, but escape is possi- Pr Ty Mn Mn Gd Gd Mn the deathtrap. ble. Health: 160 Karma: 95 "These Conglomeroids embody The magical energy bonds are Resources: None Popularity: 0 enough magic to absorb even Thor," keyed to the heroes' current sizes. Abilities: The creatures absorb PCs says Loki. "Or, if not, to defeat him by Perhaps a PC with appropriate with Monstrous ability. They can de- strength alone. You will soon find out. powers can shrink and escape his or velop other powers with the proper or- "For now, I go to the edge of space her bonds. However, the rest remain ganization (see below). to scan the heavens for Thor. I hope to trapped in their own bonds. And they Typical Dialogue: "Hnnnrrrghh!" return in time to witness your union can't easily be moved from the path of Escaped heroes can attack the with humankind." the Conglomeroids, because the Conglomeroid creatures. But remind Loki flies upward and, unless the bonds also attach them to the ground the players of the monsters' nature. PCs manage a devastating attack, is with Monstrous strength. The things are composed of innocent soon lost to view. But he remains in The Conglomeroids ooze closer to bystanders under Loki's control. Any this dimension, so his magical Con- the PCs, at least one area per turn. damaging attack on them injures or glomeroids keep growing. Slowly they They speed up if it would lend sus- kills the component people! ooze forward. pense to the escape, or if the PCs This should forestall attacks from all have exhausted their options and but the most impulsive heroes. Other Escape and Battle merely wait for the inevitable. freed heroes may fly up looking for No doubt the PCs wish to escape Loki, a time-consuming process. 59 Meanwhile, the remaining heroes will amuses Loki. He can always make within the giant figures at incalculably soon be absorbed. more when Thor comes around. more powerful levels. As one falls, How, then, to escape? In fact, unbe- In this optional variant, the damage huge trees splinter beneath. The gi- knownst to the god of mischief, the these monsters inflict on one another ants can stride between the sky- ideal way to defeat Loki and the mon- is applied equally against every com- scrapers of Manhattan like miners sters is not to escape at all, but to vol- ponent citizen within them. Since this through narrow passages. As they untarily be absorbed. would be fatal for normal people, and battle, describe the conflict for the perhaps even the PCs, reduce the players with all the drama you can Inside the Creatures damage by a fraction—for instance, muster. When the Conglomeroids reach the two-thirds or three- quarters. This is And of course, the struggle goes heroes, absorption takes one turn. strong enough to hurt and exert time badly for Loki. Once inside a creature, the PC victim pressure, but not to kill. feels a moment of suffocating warmth as though gripped in an enormous fist. Organizing the Monsters Then the hero loses all physical sen- How can the PCs organize the pop- AFTERMATH Loki, a coward, flees Earth as soon sation. ulace? They can speak to the sur- as the battle turns seriously against But this is not the end. The PC's rounding spirits, pointing out the him. If the heroes manage to knock mentality survives, an astral form imminent danger and the need to him out, his contingency spell tele- magically freed of its sheath of flesh. combine energies to throw off Loki's ports him away to Asgard. Otherwise, In the gray nothingness of the astral control. Here Persuasion skill and in a parting speech he vows revenge plane, the PC's spiritual form may or Leadership talent figure prominently. against the mortal PCs. "Know that may not resemble its physical form. At first, the heroes attract only a few you have achieved a high honor: the Encourage the players to devise crea- interested spirits. But as they cluster notice of a god. You will come to rue tive differences in appearance, around the speakers, they fall uncon- that honor, another day!" Loki can be- though astral characters' abilities are sciously into a -like pattern of come a long-term nemesis, if you unchanged. energies. At once, light glows around wish. Around them, chaotically arranged, them. A success! The PCs, aided by With his departure, his float the spirits of the Conglomeroids' the psychic energies of their new fol- enchantments—including, needless component citizens. They wander lowers, can now broadcast their mes- to say, Enchantment itself—vanish. aimlessly, able to communicate with sage farther. The Conglomeroid creatures magi- each other but unaware of the mon- From this point, a effect cally dissolve into ordinary citizens sters' physical surroundings. They takes over. As the citizens realize their again. The component people are are confused, as much an amoeboid peril and what they can do about it, fully clothed and healthy, but they re- mass of psyches as their bodies are in more and more flock to the PCs, lend- tain no memory of their ordeal. Con- the physical plane. ing them the power to reach still more fused, they wander out of the park. Drop this as a clue to the players. citizens. The crystalline pattern, grow- If Doctor Doom was the PCs' ally, he Perhaps they won't pick up on it and ing by the second, stretches away into now makes a parting threat and takes will only continue searching for a way the distance of the astral plane. And in an ungracious leave. PCs can fight out (there isn't one, until Loki goes the physical world, the Conglome- him, but this would be violating the away). In that case, allow mystically roids change shape. truce (not to mention an anti- climax to talented PCs a Psyche FEAT to sense Shapeless ooze gives way to struc- the adventure). the enormous psychic potential ture: arms, legs, a body. The nebulous If Loki was your master villain, the among all these spirits. If only it could monsters become nothing less than crisis is taken care of except for be harnessed! gigantic images of the PCs cleanup work. (It should be a busy themselves—people-shaped figures a If no PC is suitable or they all fail couple of days for Damage Control.) hundred feet tall. And the psychic their FEAT rolls, then one of the NPC But if other villains were behind the power, now organized through their citizens, a hobbyist of the occult, can plot, Enchantment still remains to focus, bestows on the giants powers mention the notion: organize the psy- trouble the PCs. They must find a way identical to the PCs' own—at Un- chic potential of the Conglomeroids to restore New York to normal. See the earthly levels! and throw off Loki's control! next section. It is time to hunt Loki. Flying charac- Conglomeroid Battle ters can head upward and search for If you wish, a time limit may speed him in the upper stratosphere. Or, if the PCs to action. The Conglome- some PCs cannot fly, Loki senses his KARMA roids, once the PCs prove no major loss of control over the Conglome- Avoiding undue harm to Loki's threat, turn and examine one another. roids and returns instantly to Central Conglomeroid-trapped citizens: +15. The rivalry among the component citi- Park. Infuriated at their effrontery in Harming citizens inside the zens of Manhattan's various neigh- ruining his plan, he grows to enor- monster: -20to -ALL. borhoods drives the monsters to mous size to attack the PCs. Controlling the Conglomeroids to hatred for one another. They battle. Play up the scenic detail of this awe- defeat Loki: +30. The monsters struggle because it some battle. The heroes' powers work Violating a truce with Doom: -20. 60 Section 6: NEW YORK NORMAL small dose is sufficient to cure the tar- buildings and turn it loose into the SUMMARY get of Enchantment's side effects, wind. Both the Empire State Building By defeating the Maggia or Doctor and render him or her immune to fu- and World Trade Center are good can- Doom (if one of these is your master ture doses. didates; in northern Manhattan, per- villain), the PCs have procured a sup- haps Columbia University, Grant's ply of Dispel, or at least its formula. Tomb, and tall hills in Central Park Now they must figure out how to dis- ADVENTURE would work. tribute it and turn off Manhattan's cra- The powder flies across the city. The problem is to distribute the anti- ziness. You may wish to build a little suspense dote widely, affecting everyone in by saying the winds are calm, or Manhattan, and quickly, before the they're blowing toward the river; but childish residents inflict more dam- this is manipulation. If the players SET-UP age. The water system is a good start, originate this idea and carry it out well, The only set-up this section may re- but that won't get to people quickly— it should work. quire involves creating Dispel from they're busy rioting. the formula procured in the drug lab There are actually a couple of effec- These two approaches are only ex- (in either Section 3 or 4). If they failed tive solutions. Give the heroes Rea- amples. The players, often an inven- to get the formula, they can analyze a son FEATs, if necessary, to come up tive lot, may well create new ways to sample of the powder to determine its with one. distribute the antidote. Perhaps they chemical makeup (an Excellent Rea- can make creative use of their son FEAT for characters with suitable powers. Don't hesitate to show the Let the Rain Come Down skills). outcome of ridiculous ideas; but if the One way is use the Dispel and so- solution sounds plausible, go with it. If they have neither powder nor for- dium iodide (available at the same mula, the heroes can try creating their labs that can synthesize the Dispel) to own. This is an Amazing Reason seed the clouds above the city. So- FEAT, and may call for the most bril- dium iodide creates rain, and Dispel liant minds in New York. AFTERMATH dissolves easily in water, or even in A parade down Fifth Avenue cer- Dispel is made of ordinary off- the- water vapor. tainly seems in order. Or perhaps the shelf organic chemicals. But the huge Fortunately, there are heavy clouds, heroes are not publicity seekers. In volume of chemicals needed calls for laden with vapor, above Manhattan this case, an unpublicized visit by extensive scientific resources. Ideally, right now. How to get the Dispel into Reed Richards, Doctor Strange, or the PCs should have such skills. If so, the clouds? The solution could be as the Avengers may be called for. The the city of New York pulls all strings mundane as hiring a private plane to NPC heroes solemnly thank the PCs necessary to let PCs use the facilities carry a PC up there. But these are for solving the crisis. The PCs can at Empire State University or another super heroes, after all. No doubt, the count on big favors in the future. advanced laboratory. PCs can get up that high themselves, The adventure's last scene, in clas- If the PCs don't have the requisite or at least hitch a ride with someone sic Marvel Comics tradition, probably skills, they can go elsewhere for help. who can. shows a poor, put-upon street-cleaner Likely locations for these include Four Once seeded, the clouds darken piloting his cleaning truck down a Freedoms Plaza, where Reed Ri- and let loose—not a downpour of rain, street covered with confetti, debris, chards can quickly mix up a boxcar- but a of snow! No matter the and either Dispel powder or snow. As load; Doctor Strange's Sanctum time of year; the Dispel created a hy- he cleans up all this stuff across the (Strange is a medical doctor); or pothermic chemical reaction, leach- city, he grumbles about his lot in life. Avengers Island, where one of the ing the heat from the clouds' water "Ah, the workin' life. Jeez, wish I was Avengers can either brew up the anti- vapor and freezing it. Even in July, it is a kid again and didn't hafta go to dote or find someone who can. snowing in New York! work." Possible Avengers or former Aveng- The Enchantment-afflicted citizens ers who are up to the task include ge- of New York rush out to play in the neticist Dane Whitman, the Black snow. As they start snowball fights Knight; Mockingbird; Iron Man, KARMA and build snowmen, they return to though this is outside Tony Stark's Discovering an effective way to ad- normal. But they feel so good, they usual line of work; and, via satellite minister the antidote: + 20. keep playing. Perhaps the PCs join in. link to Avengers West Coast head- quarters, Dr. Henry Pym. The Brute Force Approach The Dispel that is created is a fine Another solution, especially suit- white powder. Targets can breathe it, able for straight-shooting, linear- drink it in liquid, or absorb the dis- thinking PCs, is to haul huge loads of solved antidote through the skin. A Dispel powder up to the top of tall

61 Section 7: EXTENDING THE ADVENTURE The immediate plot of "Fun City" is rescue or needing further help. Some characters, rich in detail, background, over, but the adventure's elements can become long-term campaign rela- and ongoing character stories. don't have to vanish. Here are some tionships. If you already play this way, congrat- notes on the features you can estab- Another bizarre source of NPCs is ulations! Use the hard data in this set lish and exploit for future adventures: the Conglomeroid creatures from the to improve what is probably already Loki plotline. Assuming the PCs got an exciting campaign. absorbed and learned to control them, If you have felt a lack in your games, NEW VILLAINS they may have met a new NPC while or want to improve your abilities in ad- inside! The adventure has set up three vil- venture design, establishing goals, lains, or perhaps one of your own, as Remember the giant in Section 1, staging, playing up character con- possible long-term opponents for the Traffic Jam? Perhaps, once cured, he cepts, and encouraging creative heroes. What's more, the Enchant- or she can renew that old relationship play—then this set can be the gate- ment drug has created more super hu- with one of the player characters. By way to a new place... . mans, these of your own design. taking advantage of such elements, A place not just of towering sky- Though the Dispel antidote has cov- you lend continuity and rich subplot scrapers, mysterious tunnels, high fi- ered the city, it is the work of a plot de- possibilities to your campaign. nance, and low crime—not just of vice to say that the villains keep their cops and crooks, good guys and bad newfound powers. And they will soon guys—but a place of stories, where gain experience as well, becoming A NEW WAY TO PLAY the most miraculous happenings make sense, because they're truer deadlier opponents. Though this campaign set has de- than real life. They can be especially effective if scribed many locations in Marvel's you used the Campaign Kickoff op- Manhattan, in a larger sense the Go through that gateway. Explore that wonderful place. tion. Tied to the PCs' fate by a com- whole supplement is describing a sin- If you can make it there, you'll make mon origin in the drug's effects, these gle concept: a well-constructed cam- it anywhere. villains can represent a still-later re- paign, created with a solid premise finement of the formula that created and direction, tailored to the player the PCs. So the villains are more pow- erful. However, the villains may also be in danger of slowly going insane be- cause of the drug's lingering side ef- fects. This probably leads to an unreasoning hatred of the PCs, who are closely tied by the common threads of their origins.

NEW PLOTS In future adventures you can incor- porate the parts of this framework that you didn't employ this time out. Maybe the Conglomeroids, though left on the sidelines in this adventure, show up as the tool of another power- ful magician later on. Re-use the labo- ratory descriptions in later adventures. Adapt the villain tracks by assigning the villains the same mo- tives but different nefarious schemes.

NEW NPCs Various informants, victims, and by- standers rescued in the Hotspot encounters may reappear later at the PCs' headquarters, grateful for their

62 Boldface numbers mean the pages are Conflict in the story 8 Angels 91 in the Campaign Sourcebook. Connors, Dr. Curt - see Lizard Hammerhead 81,82 Numbers in regular type mean the pages Conventions in telling stories 6 Harlem 32 are in this Adventure Book. — Hotspot description 36-38 32 — Mini-scenario 39 Hellfire Club 31,55 Damage Control 74-78 Hellfire Club Mansion Adventure Hook 16 Daredevil 57-50 — Hotspot description 55-56 AIM 63-65 Deathtraps 22-23 Hell's Kitchen 57-59 Air travel in Manhattan 28 Delta Project 64 Heroes for Hire 31,67 Alpha 70 Deltites 65 Hoag, Anna Marie 74-78 American Museum Dilemmas facing the Holland Tunnel of Natural History 32,33 player characters 21 — Hotspot description 18-19 Anne 77 Dilby, Lucius 42 — Mini-scenario 37 Atlantean terrorists 37 Dixon, Jay 78 Holy Ghost Church 31,57 Atlantis 70 Doctor Doom 68,70 Hook 16 Avengers 74 "Fun City" scenario 47-58 Hopkins, Steve 47 Avengers Island 7,31,54 Doctor Octopus 16,38 Hotspots 3, 33-71 Baby Elmo 59 Doctor Strange 39-42 — "Fun City" scenario 53 Ballinger, Lenny 77 Doctor Strange in rat form 35 Human Torch 52 Battery Park City 50 Doctor Strange's Sanctum Humor in telling stories 5 52 — Hotspot description 39-42 HYDRA 63-65 Bowery 28 — Mini-scenario 40 Hydro-Base 7,16 Brand Corporation 52 Dreadnoughts 83 Impossible Man 60 Bridges 16-17 East Side 72 24,44,84 Broadway 30,66 East Village 29,45 Inner Circle 55-56 Bronx 6,14-15 Empire State Building Iron Fist 32,67 Bronx Zoo — Hotspot description 43-44 Jameson, J. Jonah 31,36,37 — Hotspot description 14-15 — Mini-scenario 40 Jaxon, Jerry 49 — Mini-scenario 37 Empire State University Jones, Hugh 51 Brooklyn 4,10,16 — Hotspot description 45 Josie 67 Brooklyn Bridge — Mini-scenario 41 Judging — Hotspot description 16-17 Environment 84-87 — Introduction to Judging 3 Building foundations 89 Erg 93 — Running a campaign 26-31 Bullseye 23 Fantastic Four 53-54; 43 — Telling stories 5-25 Buses 27,86 Fatboys 59 "King, the" 94 Cage, Luke 67 Federal Reserve 49 Kingpin 29,30,50,57,94 Calendar of Events in Manhattan 4 Ferris wheel 11 Language 84 Callisto 93 Financial District 28 LaPorte, Emma 94 Campaign — Hotspot description 48-52 Latverian Embassy 31,55,68 — Designing 26-28 — Mini-scenario 42 Leeds, 38 — Problems 31 Fireheart, Thomas 49 Leland, Harry 52 — Running 28 Fisk, Wilson - see Kingpin Little Italy 29 — Types 26 Flatiron Building 74-75 Lizard 45; 41,42 Central Park Four Freedoms Plaza Loki, God of Mischief — "Fun City" scenario 58 — Hotspot description 53-54 — "Fun City" scenario 47-60 — Hotspot Description 33-35 — Mini-scenario 43 32 — Mini-scenario 38 Fox, Phil 38 Lubensky, Nathan 13,67 see also Metropolitan Museum of Art Frogs 34 Machine Man 12; 46 Century Club 31 Frost, Emma 56 Machinesmith 65; 45 Chapel, Robin 75 Frost International 49 Maggia 7,81-83 Character development 29 Fury, Nick 29,57,62-65 — "Fun City" scenario 47-55 Chase Manhattan Bank 48 Galactic campaign 34 Magneto 56,70 Chelsea 30 Genre 5 Mandroids 45 Chinatown 29 Gladiator 31 Manfredi, Silvio 82 City adventuring 32-34 Global campaign 34 Manhattan 4,24-32 Cleary, Albert 75-76 Goals for players 12 — Campaign 32 Cloak and Dagger 57,67 Gramercy Park 29-30 — Hotspots 33-72 Conditions that affect success .... 20-21 Grand finale of the story 8, 24-25 — Social Calendar 2-4 Coney Island Greater New York City 4-23 Maria Stark Park 31,33 — Hotspot description 10-11 Greenwich Village 29,39-42 — Mini-scenario 36 Grimm, Ben - see Thing 63 Marvel Comics Rotgut 59 Thompson, Eugene "Flash" 47 — Hotspot description 60 Roxxon Oil 49 Thor 34 — Mini-scenario 44 Roxxon Plaza 51 Thor in frog form 35 Merry-go-round 11 Rozum, John "Bart" 77 Times Square 30 Metrobank 50 Ryker's Island — Hotspot description 66-67 Metropolitan Museum of Art — Hotspot description 20-23 42 — Hotspot description 61 St. Patrick's Cathedral Traffic jam 51 — Mini-scenario 44 — "Fun City" scenario 49 Traffic on bridges 17 Midtown 30 - Tribeca 28 Mini-scenarios 35-46 see Doctor Strange's Sanctum Tudor City 30 Mister Fantastic - see Richards, Reed Scenarios Tunnels 18-19,90 Mole People 92 — "Fun City" 47-62 Ultron-11 46 Morlock tunnels 34,92-94 — Mini-scenarios 35-46 Underground Manhattan 88-94 Morningside Heights 32 — Running, see Campaign United Nations Motivation 5 56 — Hotspot description 68-70 Murdock, Mart - see Daredevil 29,32 — Mini-scenario 46 Murray Hill 29-30 Setting of the story 7 Urban campaign 33 Nefaria family 81 Sewers 92-94 Urich, Ben 38 Nelson, Franklin "Foggy" 32,58 Shaw, Sebastian 56 Vehicles r*86 56 Shaw Industries 51 Verrazano-Narrows Bridge 17 New York City campaigning 32 SHIELD foxholes 93 Victory levels 11 New York Police Department 79-80 SHIELD Headquarters Villains 14 New York Stock Exchange 48 — Hotspot description 62-65 — How they lose 25 New Yorkers 84 — Mini-scenario 45 — Preparing 27 Night 87 49 Von Strucker, Baron Wolfgang 64 Restorations 32 Silvermane 81,82 Wakandan Embassy 31 Nimrod 56 Skrulls 15 Wall Street 28 Non-player characters 8,18-19 Sloan, Dr. Morris 47 Washington Heights 32 — Preparing 28 Slugfest 24 Washington Square Park 39 NPCs - see Non-player characters SoHo 29 Waterfront 27 Nuke 58 Sound effects 9 Watson, Kristy 13 Numero Uno 32 Spider-Man 12,30,36-37,42,45 Watson-Parker, Mary Jane 12,32 Organizations 73-83 Stack, Aaron - see Machine Man West Side 31 Page, Karen 57,58 Stane International 51 White Dragon 29 Parker, Mary Jane - Stark, Tony 31,64 47 see Watson-Parker, Mary Jane Staten Island 6 49 Parker, May - Boarding House .. . 12-13 —Hotspot description 16 Wizard 38 Parker, Peter - see Spider-Man Statue of Liberty Wolfe, Sara 41 PCs - see Player characters — "Fun City" scenario 54 Wolverine 56 Player characters 7 — Hotspot description 7-9 Wong 41 — Preparing 27 — Mini-scenario 35 World Trade Center 49 Players, types of 30 Sternberg, Professor 64 Yancy Street Plot ingredients 11-17 Storm 93 — Hotspot description 72 Police 79-80 Storm, Alicia Masters 28 Yellow Claw 9 Porter, John 75 Storytelling 5-25 X-Men 56 Potholes 85 Strausser, Gene 77 Power Pack 32 Street Finder for Manhattan 26 Premise of the story 7 Streets 84-85 Prison guards 23 Subterranea 63,74 Punisher 94 Subways 27,90-91 Quartermain, Clay 64-65 — "Fun City" scenario 56 Queens 5,12-13 Surprises in the story 8 Rand, Daniel - see Iron Fist SWAT operative 80 Rats : 34 Swimming against the current Red Ghost 44 (in tunnels) 19 Richards, Reed 37,43 Symkarian Embassy 31 Rintrah 42 Taxicabs 28,86 Robertson, Joe "Robbie" 37 24 Rockefeller Center 51 Telling the story 5-25 Roller coaster 10-11 Theater District 66-67 Roosevelt Island 68 Thing 72 64