InljJlllfYlm[&lQD�rnm ��m\fu�� DELUXE CITY CAMPAIGN SET CAMPAIGN SOURCEBOOK

TA BLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 2 Four Freedoms Plaza ...... 53

Chapter Greater New York City ...... 4 Hellfire Club Mansion ...... 55 1: The Statue of Liberty ...... 7 Hell's Kitchen ...... 57

Coney Island ...... 10 Marvel Comics ...... 60

May Parker's Boarding House ...... 12 Metropolitan Museum of Art ...... 61

The Bronx Zoo ...... 14 SHIELD Headquarters ...... 62

The Brooklyn Bridge ...... 16 Times Square ...... 66

The Holland Tu nnel ...... 18 The United Nations ...... 68

Ryker's Island ...... 20 Ya ncy Street ...... 72

Chapter Manhattan: An Overview ...... 24 Chapter Forces of Good and Evil ...... 73 2: 4: A Map of Marvel Manhattan ...... : .....25 Damage Control ...... 75

Chapter 3: Manhattan Hotspots ...... 33 New Yo rk's Finest: The Police ...... 79

Central Park ...... 33 The Maggia ...... 81

The Daily Bugle ...... 36 Chapter On the Sidewalks of New York: 5: Doctor Strange's Sanctum ...... 39 The City Environment ...... 84

The Empire State Building ...... 43 Chapter 6: Underground Manhattan ...... 88

Empire State University ...... 45 The Subways ...... 90

The Financial District ...... 48 The Morlock Tu nnels and the Sewers ...... 92

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 95

CREDITS Author: Allen Va rney Editing: Jean Blashfield Black Graphic Design: Stephanie Ta bat Typography: Gaye O'Keefe Cartography: Dennis T. Kauth, Diesel, Dave Sutherland, Stephanie Ta bat, Paul Hanchette Keylining: Roy Parker Cover Art: Jeffrey Butler Interior Art: The Marvel Bullpen

Thanks to Aaron Allston, Mark Bennett, Gloria Berulin, Bob Budiansky, Jeff Grubb, Dwayne McDuffie, and Don Webb.

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.

All characters appearing in this game book and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. MARVEL SUPER HEROES, MARVEL UNIVERSE, FANTASTIC FOUR and MARVEL SUPER VILLAINS are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. °1989Game Design TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.«)1989 Printed in the U.S.A. INTRODUCTION

In a wonderful city not far away, the But this set offers something more pendium world's most brilliant scientist stands important than mere information. MU1-5, the massive five-volume on a rooftop, extends his body, and, From these pages Judges can learn Gamer's Handbook of the MA RVEL like a sail flapping in the wind, drifts how to create or improve full-scale UNIVERSE, the ultimate reference on away on currents of air. Nearby, a campaigns set anywhere, and how to heroes and villains. freelance photographer swings over generate adventures using interesting This supplement is designed for concrete valleys hundreds of feet background locations. use with the MARVEL SUPER HE­ deep, suspended by a thread. ROES Advanced Set, but it can also In this city the supreme wizard of a work with the Original Set rules. Th e thousand worlds studies a scroll writ­ ABOUT THIS SET whole set is meant for the Judge's ten before the Himalayas rose from The Marvel Universe fascinates its eyes only; players should not read it! the earth. Sunlight strikes rainbow fans not only because of the heroes For a Judge who has never lived in colors from the veined wings of a themselves, but because of the world New Yo rk City, this set gives plenty of woman half an inch high. A blind man in which the heroes live and the ad­ information on the city, its layout, insti­ leaps across towers of glass, idly ventures they have there. For in­ tutions, and "feel." For the Judge who eavesdropping on conversations a stance, think of Spider-Man, and you has lived there, this set explains how quarter-mile away. probably think of him swinging be­ Marvel's New Yo rk differs from our They live in a city of wonders, gigan­ tween the skyscrapers of Manhattan, own New Yo rk. tic, electric, as super human as they stopping crimes, and taunting J. Jo­ Yo u will find in the Deluxe City Cam­ paign Set: themselves. The greatest city on nah Jameson at the Daily Bugle . Earth. (1) This 96-page Campaign Source­ The Deluxe City Campaign Set sup­ New Yo rk City, New Yo rk ... in the plement is a new kind of product in the book, which describes New Yo rk City, MARVEL UNIVERSETM. Marvel game line. It focuses not on with emphasis on the borough of Man­ the individual heroes but on the peo­ hattan. It depicts many of the city's The city is not far away-right in this ple around them, their environment, "Hotspots," landmarks that make box, in fact. With the Deluxe CityCam­ and the elements that make up the he­ good backdrops for adventures, such paign Set, a Judge can create a full­ roes' adventures. For descriptions of as the Empire State Building and the scale MARVEL SUPER HEROESTM the heroes themselves, see the Origi­ Morlock Tu nnels. For more about the campaign taking place in New Yo rk nal and Advanced Sets, or check out "Hotspot" format, see below. City-the Big Apple!-Iocale of many the other MARVEL SUPER HE­ The Sou rcebook also includes of Marvel's most popular comic ROESTMgame supplements published write-ups of three organizations that books. This set explains the city's lay­ by TSR, Inc.: figure prominently in super-heroic ad­ ventures: the police, the Maggia crime out, describes some important organi­ MHAC6, New Yo rk, New Yo rk families, and the repair agency called zations in detail, visits many MHAC7, Concrete Jungle Damage Control. By learning how landmarks, and gives the "feel" of life MA 1, Children of the Atom these work and meeting the people in the major city of the Marvel Uni­ MA2, Avengers Coast-To -Coast who run them, the Judge can lAse verse. It also explains how Marvel's MA3, The Ultimate Powers Book them more effectively in a campaign. New Yo rk differs from the real article. MA4, Th e FA NTASTIC FOURTM Com-

2 Then come sections that evoke the The Area: The part of New York most interesting, and get an idea of atmosphere of life in a big city, the where the Hotspot is located. the city's ambience or "feeL" "feel" of the metropolis to those who Description: This lengthy section 2. Look at the scenarios starting on live there-both above ground (Chap­ gives the Hotspot's layout (where ap­ page 36 in the Adventure Book that tie ter 5) and below (Chapter 6). plicable) and appearance. Sometimes in to the location description. Note the (2) The 64-page Adventure Book de­ the entry describes the materials the design principles used to turn the lo­ scribes the ingredients that make a location is made of, since combat in­ cation's interesting features into a good adventure: the villain, character volving PC heroes and villains often working adventure. goals and motivations, adventure produces heavy damage. 3. Read the first part of the Adven­ hooks, plot twists, and so on through NPCs: Sometimes the description ture Book, especially the advice on to the grand finale. It gives advice on includes statistics and backgrounds conducting a campaign. The discus­ running an ongoing campaign that for non-player characters (NPCs) as­ sion of story ingredients should stimu­ supplements the advice in the sociated with the Hotspot. These are late your own creativity, provoking Advanced Set. written so that the Judge can role-play good ideas and ways to customize ad­ The book begins with a rundown of them well in appropriate encounters. ventures to your own group of players. a given year's major events in Man­ Crimes: The kind of criminal activity 4. Tryde signing a simple adventure. hattan. Any one of them can provide associated with the location; also, ma­ If you aren't already used to designing the "hook" for an adventure. jor schemes by super-powered villains adventures, you may want to look at The book also includes many small known to have been centered there the story ingredients, and try putting scenarios tied to the Hotspot entries in (where applicable). one together. Go back to the locations the Campaign Sourcebook, as well as Campaign Use: This comes in two and organizations in this sourcebook a large adventure, "Fun City," which subsections. First, the text describes for settings and opposition, to the sce­ uses the locations described in the possible uses for the Hotspot in a narios and longer adventures for Sourcebook. Each brief adventure il­ Manhattan or New York campaign. models, and to the Advanced Set or lustrates a way to use the Source­ The second subsection gives other game products for useful char­ book's locations in the campaign. The Judges ways to adapt the location to acters. Designing adventures is chal­ Judge can use these as springboards other big-city campaigns set outside lenging but also fascinating. tor his or her own adventures, or as New York. For instance, the Empire 5. Browse at leisure. With the expe­ lessons in how to turn locations into State Building entry could apply to any rience gained from designing the new scenario ideas. skyscraper in another city. Some adventure, start at the top and read Again, the Adventure Book is for the unique New York locations, such as through the whole set in greater detail. Judge's eyes only; read it after read­ the Statue of Uberty, cannot easily be With the material in this set, it won't be ing this Sourcebook. adapted, and in these cases there is long before your players are ready to (3) There are four large maps in this no subsection. embark on a full-fledged campaign in box. Tw o of them fit together to show a Individual entries sometimes have the Big Apple, New Yo rk City! large section of midtown Manhattan, other, special subsections that deal It's a wonderful town! inoluding Rockefeller Center, St. Pa­ with particular topics. For instance, trick's Cathedral, the Roxxon Build­ the Greenwich Village write-up de­ ing, and Four Freedoms Plaza. scribes that neighborhood's history as The third map shows selected New it relates to the Sorcerer Supreme, York sites, including the United Na­ Doctor Strange. tions grounds and the Empire State Building, as well as Central Park and a typical subway car. USING THIS SET The fourth map depicts the Statue It's perfectly all right to use this of Liberty. The Statue is described in campaign set as a source of informa­ this book, and several of the adven­ tion about Manhattan and a collection tures in the Adventure Book use it as a of scenario plots. But this product also setting. describes the ideas behind adventure design-and that education in how to run a campaign can generate more THE "HOTSPOT" scenario ideas than a stack of supple­ FORMAT ments. For the Judge who wants to learn The location descriptions follow a about running a campaign from this standard format designed for maxi­ set, here is one way to�go about di­ mum use and flexibility. Not every en­ gesting all this material: try has all the following sections, but 1. Give this Sourcebook a quick most do. Here are the sections. once-through reading to get a general Overview: A brief description of the idea of its contents. Read about the lo­ Hotspot and its function. cations and organizations that look 3 CHAPTER 1: Greater New York City quarters here. lar concentrations can be found only A VIEW FROM THE AIR The city is famed for its culture. on other planets, such as the Moon's Descending over the north Atlantic Broadway, the Met, Times Square, the Blue Area (where the Inhumans live) coast of the United States, whether New Yo rk Philharmonic, Lincoln Cen­ or the worlds of the Shi'ar Empire; or under their own power or in a handy ter, the Metropolitan Opera-you can in other dimensions, such as Asgard Blackbird, Quinjet, or passenger hardly throw a villain without hitting a and Olympus. rocket, heroes can clearly see New museum, theater, gallery, art cinema, New Yo rkers are lucky that so many Yo rk City. The metropolis is part of the bookshop, or comic-book store. costumed crimefighters dwell there, urban sprawl that stretches from Bos­ New Yo rk's teams dominate (or try because the city is among the most ton (to the north) to Washington, DC, to) in virtually every American sport: crime- ridden in the world. Petty and farther south. the Mets, the Giants, the Knicks, the crimes such as muggings or purse­ Centered between the New En­ Ya nkees, the Jets, and once upon a snatchings happen on nearly every gland and the Capital sprawls, New time, the Dodgers ...not to mention street corner in some neighborhoods. Yo rk lies at the mouths of the Hudson boxers, horse racers, and teams dedi­ There are more drug addicts here and East Rivers. Miles of buildings cated to soccer, hockey, and even than anywhere else in America. spread outward like a brown stain cricket. Groundskeepers who plant trees in along Long Island, the New Jersey New Yo rk was once the capital of the parks must handcuff them to the Coast, and upstate New Yo rk. Ye t sky­ the United States. Now it is the politi­ ground to discourage tree thieves. scrapers in their midst of those miles cal capital of the world, for it hosts the And many major criminal organiza­ of stain reflect the sunshine like dia­ United Nations headquarters. And cit­ tions, such as the Kingpin's apparatus monds. Diamonds amid the muck ... izens of every race, creed, origin, and the Maggia families, are based in an image that may flit through the accent, and background live here in a New Yo rk. minds of New Yo rk's visitors on many patchwork quilt of neighborhoods: This city keeps a hero busy! occasions. Chinatown, Little Italy, Yo rkville, Harlem (both black and Spanish), and many others. Often these are immigrants, or the ITS GEOGRAPHY ITS SIZE descendants of immigrants. In the last New Yo rk is built on the water, sepa­ New Yo rk is the greatest city in the century, and even today, New Yo rk rated from the United States by geog­ United States, perhaps in the world. It City has offered sanctuary or a better raphy as well as culture. Only one of stands foremost in finance, culture, life for millions of families from other New Yo rk City's five districts, or "bor­ the arts, communications, ethnic di­ lands-the "tired, poor, and huddled oughs," lies on the mainland. The rest versity, cuisine, and fashion. It has masses" commemorated in the city's are islands, or parts of islands. been the largest city in the United most famous monument, the Statue of Though Manhattan Island is only 13. 4 States for over 150 years. Liberty. This infusion of talent helps miles long and the other boroughs not The 304 square miles of New Yo rk give New Yo rk City its unique charac­ much larger, the entire city embraces City proper are home to about ter. nearly 600 miles of waterfront! 7,000,000 people. The greater New The boroughs, each once a city in Yo rk City area, including nearby sub­ its own right, united on New Ye ar's urban areas in New Yo rk State, Con­ Day, 1898. The unification paved the necticut, and New Jersey, has an ITS SUPER-HUMAN way for a steady transformation from estimated population of nearly great city to metropolis. But even now 17,000,000 people, ranking it with POPULATION the boroughs hold distinct identities. Mexico City and To kyo as one of the New Yo rk also boasts of, and some­ Manhattan, smallest (23 square most populous areas in the world. times complains of, the greatest con­ miles) but most powerful of the bor­ New Yo rk has been at the center of centration of super-human beings on oughs, is what most tourists think of the world of commerce since the Erie Earth. New Yo rkers who look up are as as "New Yo rk"-skyscrapers and Canal opened in 1825. More money likely as not to see Thor or the Human subways, taxis and neon, life lived at flows through Wall Street and the Fi­ To rch flying across the sky. Spider­ the edge of frenzy. It lies in the center nancial District than anywhere else­ Man, Daredevil, and other crimefigh­ of New Yo rk City geographically as $200 billion a day in banking alone. ters swing through the steel-and-glass well as symbolically, bounded by the The city's garment district is a leader canyons above the streets. Beneath Hudson, East, and Harlem Rivers. in textiles. The major television and the ground, mutants haunt the Many bridges and tunnels connect it radio networks, publishers, some of Morlock Tu nnels. And Doctor Stephen to the other boroughs. Population: the country's largest newspapers (The Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of over 1,400,000. Wa ll Street Journal and Th e Daily Bu­ Earth's dimension, makes his home in Brooklyn (73 square miles) lies gle), and many gigantic corporations Greenwich Village. south-southeast, on the tip of Long Is­ (notably Roxxon Oil) make their head- Super-powered individuals in simi- land. More people live in this borough

4 The Bronx

Queens

New than any other: over 2,200,000. Some to reach the Hudson River, Florentine founded Stark Industries. But many of them occupy wealthy Brooklyn navigator Giovanni da Ve rrazano. He immigrants were exploited by the cor­ Heights, but many more live in cookie­ saw it in 1524. rupt politicians of America's "Gilded box apartment buildings or housing Verrazano claimed the territory for Age," notably Boss Tw eed and the projects. Worse yet are the slums, full France, but the first European settlers others in New Yo rk's Ta mmany Hall. of abandoned or burned-out buildings worked for the Dutch West India Com­ In recent years a new phenomenon with residents to match. On the other pany. They called the province New has appeared in New Yo rk City: the hand, Brooklyn also offers the Coney Netherland. In 1626 the director gen­ super-human. The group called the Island am usement park. eral, Peter Minuit, bought Manhattan Fantastic Four took up residence in Queens is the largest borough in Island from the Manahatto Indians for the Baxter Building, and the vigilante area (110 square miles), with about 60 guilders ($24) in trinkets and called Spider-Man started swinging 1,900,000 people. It lies east of Man­ beads. It is said that if the natives had between Manhattan's buildings. The hattan, and is notable for many invested that $24 at compound inter­ Ave ngers appeared and banded to­ middle-class suburban neighbor­ est, they could buy back Manhattan gether in the Stark mansion facing hoods, shopping centers, and a tradi­ today. Central Park. Perhaps attracted by tional way of life. (Peter Parker's Aunt In 1653 the province's capital be­ these high-profile heroes, other super May lives here, if that says anything.) came a city, called New Amsterdam. humans flocked to Manhattan. As Shea Stadium is in Queens, along But its wealth and strategic situation they have with other minorities, New with both major airports (La Guardia worked against the Dutch. Eleven Yo rkers took them in stride. and John F. Kennedy International). years later the British, led by the Duke Others heroes have come and PC heroes taking a day off from crime­ of Yo rk, easily captured the city. The gone. The mysterious mutant group fighting might visit the beautiful Dutch took it back in 1673, renaming called the X-Men has visited New Yo rk beaches on Jamaica Bay. the city " New Orange." But a treaty re­ from time to time, and a related group The Bronx (43 square miles), the only turned the city to the British the next called X-Factor had, at one time, mainland borough, lies to the north of year. headquarters in the Tr ibeca area. Manhattan. Some of the most crime­ The merchants and settlers Moon Knight, a costumed adventurer, ridden slums in the country are spread­ seemed unbothered by the changing fought crime successfully in urban ing rapidly in the South Bronx and ownership. Even then they were inde­ New Yo rk, but more recently he has Hunt's Point areas. But many residen­ pendent, businesslike, and tolerant. been operating internationally. tial neighborhoods remain prosperous. New Yo rk was a pirate port in the Though greeted with scorn by The Bronx also houses no less than 1600s, especially popular with the in­ some, especially Daily Bugle pub­ ten universities, including Metro U., famous Captain Kidd. The first Ameri­ lisher J. Jonah Jameson, super­ whose attendees incl ude Johnny can trial governing freedom of the powered heroes have garnered Storm, Wyatt Wingfoot, and Jean press took place in New Yo rk in 1735, admiration from most New Yo rkers. Grey. Here also are the New Yo rk Bo­ when publisher John Peter Zenger Residents regard most super- pow­ tanical Gardens, Ya nkee Stadium, successfully defended the right to free ered villains with more contempt than and (of course) the Bronx Zoo. Popu­ speech. Also at that time a colonial fear; New Yo rkers are a tough lot. lation: About 1,150,000 (the city, not version of England's Hellfire Club ap­ Many citizens, jaded by the diversity the zoo). peared in New Yo rk City, an organiza­ of the city, manage to ignore super hu­ Staten Island, once called Rich­ tion that survives (though changed in mans altogether. mond, looks almost empty in compari­ purpose) to this day. On the next several pages are de­ son to the metropolitan congestion in But sometimes the tolerance and scriptions of some notable spots that the other boroughs. Its 56 square free-minded ness of New Yo rkers can lure player characters out of Man­ miles hold a mere 350,000 people. could be pushed to the breaking point. hattan and into the neighboring bor­ But the population has increased The first blood of the American Revo­ oughs. since 1964, when a connecting bridge lution was shed here in 1775, when to Brooklyn opened. And what a con­ British soldiers wounded or killed sev­ nection: the Ve rrazano- Narrows, until eral of the Sons of Liberty. After the 1981 the world's longest suspension Revolution, the city became the new bridge! nation's first capital. The increasing population has set In the 1800s and early 1900s, New off a real-estate boom and put a strain Yo rk City's prosperity and its religious on the famous Staten Island Ferry, still and political freedoms attracted mil­ a popular way to get to Manhattan­ lions of immigrants, mainly from Eu­ and it still costs only a quarter. rope and Great Britain. From 1892 to 1954, ten million immigrants were fun­ neled through the processing center at Ellis Island, near the Statue of lib­ ITS HISTO RY erty. Some found success in the new The bridge to Staten Island is world. For instance, Howard Stark be­ named for the first European explorer came a millionaire industrialist and

6 THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

addictive drugs. Its subjects were OVERVIEW teen-aged runaways whom no one It is fitting that this survey of New would miss. All but two of the subjects Yo rk begins with a monument that was died. The surviving pair, their latent for millions of immigrants their first mutant abilities activated by the sight of New York and of the New drugs, became the vigilantes Cloak Wo rld. and Dagger. The "Statue of Liberty Enlightening Other minor islands in New Yo rk the'Wo rld" stands on Liberty Island in Bay include Governors Island, a Na­ New Yo rk Harbor's Upper Bay. Details tional Guard base (1'/2 miles due west of the Statue are shown on one of the of the Statue); and Avengers Island fold-up maps in this boxed set. (1/2 mile southwest of Liberty Island). Avengers Island is actually a huge, mountainous barge, until recently THE AREA called Hydro-Base. Formerly an­ Liberty Island, once called Bedloe's chored in the Atlantic Ocean, the Isl'and, sits 1'/2 miles (60 areas) south­ Avengers used it to launch their air­ west of the lower tip of Manhattan, just craft when the Federal Aviation Ad­ half a mile (20 areas) off the coast of ministration prohibited use of N'ew Jersey's Liberty State Park. The downtown Manhattan as an airport. 12-acre island is quite flat in terrain. Since relations between the Avengers The Army built a post on Bedloe's and the government have warmed up, Island in 1800. The star-shaped Fort however, the Avengers gained permis­ Wood remained in service even after sion to anchor Hydro-Base in the bay. the Statue's construction and dedica­ They rechristened it "Avengers Is­ tion in 1886 and was not abandoned land. " (For more information on until 1937 when the whole island was Hydro-Base, see MA2, Avengers given over to the monument. It was re­ Coast-To -Coast.) named Liberty Island in 1956. Half a dozen buildings, clustered on t,he far end of the island from the DESCRIPTION Statue, service visitors and staff. The The Statue of Liberty depicts a clas­ buildings include a restaurant and of­ sically garbed woman holding a torch fices for National Park Service per­ representing liberty aloft with her right sonnel (the NPS is responsible for all hand. In her left she bears a tablet in­ national monuments). scribed with the date of America's At the far end of the island is a dock. Declaration of Independence. Her left Ferries leave from Battery Park on foot stands on broken shackles repre­ Manhattan Island once each hour. senting tyranny. The leisurely journey to the Statue, in­ 1875. Construction began the next cluding a full circle of the island, takes History year. about 10 or 15 minutes. Ferries hold The Statue of Liberty is a gift to In the technique Bartholdi used, several hundred tourists and are al­ America from the people of France. known as copper repousse, thin cop­ ways loaded to maximum capacity. The idea for the gift originated in 1865 per plates are bolted to an interior ar­ Another dock, near the Statue's among a group of political activists led mature or framework-so though it base, is reserved strictly for use by by French historian Edouard-Rene de would appear solid, the Statue would Park Service boats. Laboulaye, who opposed then­ actually be hollow. The armature was A mile north of Liberty Island lies El­ emperor Napoleon III. Laboulaye's brilliantly designed by Gustave Eiffel, lis Island, once the processing station idea to commemorate the spirit of lib­ the French engineer who would later for millions of European immigrants. erty lay dormant until after Napoleon's become famous for deSigning the Eif­ Now it, too, has become a national fall. In 1871 the historian enlisted fel To wer. monument. But in the intervening dec­ French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Funding arrangements called for ades it saw other uses, which have left Bartholdi to design the Statue and the French public to fund the Statue it­ monuments of a far different kind. lead the project. self and Americans to produce its ped­ The Maggia criminal organization Bartholdi himself enthusiastically estal. But public apathy delayed the used Ellis Island as a testing area for a promoted the idea in America and project for nine years. New Yo rk mil­ short-lived program to synthesize new France to raise funds beginning in lionaires refused to fund a Statue of

7 Liberty, allegedly fearing that it would per side at its top. The foundation is 53 curity camera, monitored by a Park inspire unrest among laborers. feet deep. The whole thing weighs Service official on the entrance level, Finally, when the entire project many thousands of tons. routinely surveys the cmwn platform. seemed doomed, Joseph Pulitzer, edi­ Punching through the Statue's thin The restoration team installed a tor of the New Yo rk World stepped in. copper plates takes Excellent two- by-live-foot emergency elevator His ardent grass-roots campaign for strength. Lifting the Statue requires that leis Park Service ,employees go the pedestal finally raised the needed Shift-X strength. Throwing it or tearing directly from the pedestal base to the $102,000 (from 120,000 working men it loose from its foundation calls for crown. They also installed a ventila­ and women and schoolchildren). De­ Shift-Y strength. The Statue's struc­ tion system in the Statue interior, but signed by American architect Richard ture is probably rigid enough to sur­ in summer it still gets hot and stuffy in­ Morris Hunt, the pedestal was fin­ vive such an event intact. Nothing side. ished in 1886. short of CL3000 strength could tear The torch is surrounded by a plat­ President Grover Cleveland, who the pedestal loose from its foundation, form, but this is not accessible inside had opposed the Statue of Liberty at and the pedestal would certainly be the Statue. A 54-rung ladder that once every step, had the glory of dedicating destroyed. led to the torch has been removed. the completed monument on October Most of the year, long lines of tour­ However, there is a short, narrow stair­ 28, 1886. ists stretch across the island waiting case within the handle of the torch it­ The Statue reigned supreme in New to enter the Statue. Inside the pedes­ self. A small door leads from these Yo rk Harbor for a century. But tal is the American Museum of Immi­ stairs onto the torch's platform. This is weather, pollution, and to urists dam­ gration. It includes the original just big enough to stand on comfort­ aged it. A group of architects under­ Borglum torch, exhibits about the ably. The torch is not a self-contained took a huge and expensive restoration Statue's construction and restoration, unit and cannot be detached from the of the monument, co mpleted in time and accounts of the history of immi­ Statue. for its centennial in 1986. This time the gration in America. One wall bears a (For reference, the parts of the millionaires of New Yo rk were only too plaque with Emma Lazarus's famous torch, from the top down, are called glad to be associated with the Statue poem, "The New Colossus" ("Give the flame, drum and railing, soffit, of Liberty. me yo ur tired, yo ur poor, yo ur huddled handle, and pendant. Judges are wel­

masses yearning to breathe free ..." ). come to dazzle their players with this Statistics A glass-walled elevator goes 90 feet trivia.) The Statue's height is usually given up to the pedestal balcony. The eleva­ as 151 feet 1 inch (10 areas) tall; the tor travels at a slow 200 feet per min­ 1986 restoration team measured it at ute, to give tourists time to appreciate NPCs 152 feet 2 inches. The Statue's pedes­ the view of the cavernous interior of Josh and Mona Gawkman tal is 154 feet tall (10 areas); the total the pedestal. One of the largest hy­ To urists from foundation to torch, 305 or 306 draulic elevators on the continent, it F A S E R P feet (20 areas), depending on the fig­ has no cables. The pedestal's interior Pr Ty Ty Ty Pr Pr Ty ures chosen. space is 126 feet 7 inches (8 areas) Health: 22 Karma: 14 The Statue is made of 310 copper high. Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 plates riveted on an armature of 1,830 A long double-helix spiral staircase Appearance: Overweight, pasty com­ iron girders, and weighs 225 tons. The with 142 steps leads to the head of the plexions, expressions dulled by an ex­ Statue's green film, or patina, comes Statue. Before the restoration the hausting vacation. He is balding, she from a natural tarnishing process staircases were surrounded by wears a wig that needs cleaning. Ca­ called patination. Sculptor Bartholdi prison-type screens of Good strength; sually dressed, cameras around their intended this to happen, because the these have been removed to expose necks, sunhats. patina is resistant to corrosion and the colossal interior of the statue. The Talents: Photography. gives the Statue a classical look. staircases once had rest platforms at Typical Dialogue: "Doh, Josh, look The torch's flame, once made of every turn, but the restoration team re­ at that! Get a snapshot for the folks." copper like the rest, was later re­ moved most of these. Story Function: These innocent peo­ placed with a framework of glass win­ The staircases themselves are ple can be menaced by collapsing dows (prepared by Gutzon Borglum, metal of Excellent strength, and the structures, held hostage by villains, or sculptor of the great presidential mon­ pillar supporting them is of Remark­ just get in the way when the Judge uments at Mount Rushmore). The able strength. A successful FEAT roll needs to delay the heroes. But if the flame was remade of copper and can rip out a six-foot length of one heroes need a lucky break, the plated with gold leaf in the 1986 resto­ staircase, a hunk weighing 200 Gawkmans can distract a villain with ration. So thin is the leaf that no more pounds. This does not endanger the inane questions. than a few ounces of gold were used. Statue's armature. The pedestal was the largest con­ The crown bears seven spikes, crete mass in the world when it was symbolizing the seven seas and built. Faced with stone, it measures seven continents of the enlightened 91 feet (1 area) on a side at the base, world. From the crown, visitors look and tapers gently to 65 feet (1/2 area) out at a splendid view of the bay. A se-

8 Perry Gawkman cerned only with preserving liberty tourists or can hear about the scheme �eir son and defeating threats to freedom. on television or radio-anything so A S E R P Once a threat is ended, the Statue conspicuous will be broadcast in­ FeF ly Fe Fe Fe Ty Fe returns to its pedestal. No trace of its stantly. Health: 12 Karma: 10 animation remains. At the Judge's dis­ The Statue, one of New Yo rk's ma­ Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 cretion, non-super onlookers' memo­ jor attractions, cannot be relocated Perry has Feeble ranks in all abili­ ries of the Statue's intervention may elsewhere. But heroes based in other 'es except Agility and Intuition, which magically vanish. cities might take a Manhattan vaca­ are Typical. He's a little brat who is tion. Then the Statue becomes a "re­ oored stiff with the Statue, but in­ KNOWN POWERS: gional encounter," a way to provide tensely curious about any super hu­ Body Armor: The animated Statue flavor for a New Yo rk adventure. mans he sees on the island. has Excellent protection from physical Appearance: Short, pudgy seven­ attacks and Unearthly protection from year-old wearing a T- shirt, corduroy magical damage. slacks with holes in the knees, and Torch: The Statue's torch flames into tennis shoes. The T- shirt bears the life when it is animated. The Statue likeness of a Marvel character can strike wrongdoers up to one area \Judge's choice). away with the torch, inflicting Remark­ Talents: Being obnoxious. able damage. Typical Dialogue: "I don't like you. Inspiration: The Statue can inspire all Wolverine could whip your hiney." good-hearted citizens in a three-area Story Function: As his parents. For radius with the spirit of liberty and the some reason Perry tends to follow he­ courage to overthrow their oppres­ roes in their secret identities, making sors. This is an Unearthly ability. a change into costume more difficult.

The Statue of Liberty as NPC CRIMES F EX (20) Health: 280 The Oriental mastermind known as GO A (10) the Ye llow Claw sent psychically en­ S ShY (200) Karma: 135 slaved minions to occupy the Statue E AM (50) several years back. From there he in­ R EX (20) Resources: N/A tended to activate an "id paralyzer" I IN (40) that would allegedly sap the wills of P MN (75) Popularity: 100 everyone in America and allow him to The Statue of Liberty has been the take over the country. However, Cap­ focus of an entire nation's hopes and tain America and Col. Nick Fury of beliefs for generations. Millions have SHIELD foiled this plot, using technol­ toured it. The intense psychic energy ogy developed by Reed Richards of generated there has imbued the the Fantastic Four. Statue with a high "potential spirit." Most crimes on Liberty Island are Monstrous or Unearthly magic can less grandiose. A few pickpockets make the Statue's armature flexible, work the tourist crowd . Con artists strengthen its outer plates, and bring might work a sucker or two in the res­ the potential spirit to consciousness. taurants. Employees in the Park Serv­ However, the Statue will not react un­ ice offices probably use the less there is some grave threat to lib­ photocopy machines for personal erty in the immediate vicinity. Then the business. Statue tears loose from its pedestal Though no one has tried it, a sui­ and fights the threat. People inside cidal maniac with an urge for publicity the Statue at the time are magically might climb to the Statue's crown, try paralyzed and protected from harm. to break through the thick windows, Alternatively, the Judge can have and leap to a showy death. each copper plate tear loose from the armature, whisk away overhead, and link up with the others. The hollow Statue reforms in mid- air, leaving the CAMPAIGN USE armature and tourists safe on the The Statue of Liberty makes a ground. Spooky! grand backdrop for a huge, villainous The Statue's personality when ani­ scheme like the Ye llow Claw's ta­ mated is kind, deeply compassionate, keover attempt (described above). and understanding, but it is con- Heroes can easily be on the scene as

9 BROOKLYN: Coney Island

OVERVIEW T�or keep� an apartment in the Bay rise apartments and condominiums. Ridge neighborhood, just behind Only a few attractions remain active. From New Yo rk Bay the next Hot­ Shore Parkway and near the But you can still get cotton candy and spots of greater New Yo rk range Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Steve "coney dogs," hot dogs covered with northward through Brooklyn, then Rogers, Captain America, once lived corn bread (known in some parts of Queens and the Bronx, Ryker's Is­ in Boerum Hill. America as "corn dogs"). And the land, and finally the bridges and tun­ Names a Judge can drop when run­ beaches still attract 500,000 swim­ nels that lead to Manhattan Island. . ning Brooklyn adventures include mers on hot days, and 25 million peo­ Brooklyn's Coney Island is one of Flatbush Av e ue and Ocean Parkway ple a year. the most popular amusement parks in � (streets); neighborhoods such as Names to drop: Sea Gate, a resi­ the country. It features a boardwalk Canarsie, Brownsville, Bedford­ dential district on the western end of with carnival rides and other amuse­ the peninsula; the Luna Park housing Stuyvesant (pronounced "STY-vess­ . ments, all facing a sandy beach. The ant," often abbreviated "Bed-Stuy"), proJect; Gravesend Bay, to the north­ park draws many New Yo rkers and Bensonhurst (mainly Italian), and west. tourists, including heroes in their se­ Cobble Hill; and Jamaica Bay, Pros­ cret identities. pect Park, and the Green-Wood Cem­ The Boardwalk etery. This long promenade of fast-food And, of course, Coney Island. joints and arcades is made of thick THE AREA wooden beams (Typical strength). Its In recent decades, Brooklyn, most ten-foot width is always crowded dur­ populous borough of New Yo rk, has DESCRIPTION ing daylight hours with tourists of suffered urban blight: crime, filth, un­ oney Island really was an island every ethnic background. They move employment, and illegal aliens. Graf­ � to and from booths that sell pizza until �oney Island Creek silted up. fiti covers every city wall and subway Now It is a five-mile-long peninsula slices, ice cream, and-a Coney Is­ car. No parked car is safe. that sticks like an appendix off the land original-hot dogs. Wooden How did it happen? Crooked land­ southern end of Brooklyn. In the mid- benches stand on the boardwalk's lords and real-estate speculators 1800s it was a fashionable retreat for outer edge. Many garbage cans there shuffled welfare families rapidly the well-to-do. The subway route that are emptied several times a day. through apartments to collect "find­ connected it to urban areas in 1920 The boardwalk rests on thick er's fees'.' f�om the city, or they burned made it a popular middle- and lower­ wooden pilings about eight feet high down bUlldrngs for the insurance. Ex­ class resort, the "Riviera of the poor." (also Typical strength). The area un­ ce t for the landowners in Brooklyn � Coney Island's peak years came in der the boardwalk, commemorated in Heights (New Yo rk's first suburb), the the 1930s and '40s, when a million a popular song of the 1950s, is out of upper classes deserted Brooklyn. people wo uld visit the beaches on a the sun and relatively private. The Some residents say that the trouble hot summer Sunday. The boardwalk ground is the sandy beach, whose started as far back as 1957, when the . 2 stretched for miles, offering hotels, shore lies about 20 yards (1/ area) Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team restaurants, theaters, and Dreamland away. moved to Los Angeles. Thirty years and Steeplechase amusement parks. At the end of the boardwalk is the later, some Brooklynites (including One hotel was built to look like an ele­ New Yo rk Aquarium, built in 1957. fans who weren't even born before the phant. Over 300 varieties of aquatic life are move) still lament the loss and curse The most popular ride for many here, including white whales dol­ the team. The Dodgers' stadium Eb­ years was the parachute jump, built phins, sharks, penguins, and electric bets Field, is now a generic middle­ for the Wo rld's Fair in 1939. The brave eels. class apartment complex. customer sat in a chair suspended Brooklyn is now showing signs of from a high tower, then dropped gently Amusement Park Rides �ecovery, and its ethnic diversity gives down through empty air-attached to Coney Island's rides include roller It a strong international flavor. Over a parachute guided by cables. The coasters, merry-go-rounds and a �O% of its citizens belong to minori­ ride is now closed. Ferris wheel. Here are game �tatistics ties. One in three Brooklynites is Coney Island was gaudy and glam­ for these rides. black, one in five Hispanic. The bor­ orous, a touch of romance in the lives Roller coaster: The first custom­ ough is a patchwork of ethnic groups. of the working classes. Here Daily Bu­ built roller coaster in the United States opened at Coney Island in 1884. To ­ Notable Brooklynites include writ­ g/e reporter Ben Urich met his wife-to­ ers like Herman Melville, Norman be , Doris, who worked a concession day a typical roller coaster here Mailer, and Tr uman Capote; composer stand. They remain happily married. stands about 150 feet (10 areas) high George Gershwin; and Sigurd Coney Island has fallen on harder at the highest point, and covers space at least 44 yards (1 area) long and half Jarlson, construction worker and se­ times today. The amusement parks, that wide. cret Identity of the thunder god, Thor. once huge, have given way to high-

10 Roller coaster frameworks consist "unistrut" (A-frame support)-is all Talents: Small business, observation, of thin steel girders called uprights merely Excellent strength. A villain psychology. and bents. These are of Good can threaten one easily. Typical Dialogue: "Call me Gander, strength. Only massive damage could A typical wheel might have 16 cars son. Ye h, I did see a kinda crotchety realistically cause the roller coaster to (also called seats or gondolas), each old geezer come by this way 'bout an collapse, but the Judge can increase holding three or four people. Cars are hour ago. Why, you lookin' for him? ts fragility for dramatic effect during steel (Good strength) and weigh about Why'zat now? Speak up, I'm a touch an adventure. 200 pounds each. A Good-strength deaf." The track, four feet wide and as iron safety ladder runs from the Story Function: Loomis can provide much as a mile long, includes hills, ground to the axle. exposition or clues to heroes who straightaways, and sometimes loops. Assume that the wheel weighs a have just arrived on the boardwalk. Heavy wooden tie beams of Good few tons, and so it can be lifted with In­ strength support the metal track, credible strength. which is of Excellent strength. A mo­ A Ferris wheel revolves so slowly CRIMES torized chain (Excellent strength) that for game purposes the Judge can The usual petty thefts occur on Co­ pulls the roller coaster trains up in­ consider it practically immobile. ney Island, but they seldom draw the clines, and gravity pulls them down. Merry-go-round: Also known as a notice of heroes. More to the point, the Roller coasters are not the safest carousel, this ride is 30 feet in diame­ Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime form of transportation, but they do ter, weighs several tons, and is just as used deserted amusement park rides have several safety features. If an in­ fragile as the Ferris wheel. Its rotating as hideouts, and some criminals fol­ cline chain breaks or its motor stops, platform holds about 40 horses or low that example today. One in partic­ ratchets keep a train from rolling back­ gondolas (also called chariots). ular deserves mention. ward. Track brakes slow the train at Horses that don't move are gallop­ A deserted amusement complex key points along the route and before ers; the ones that go up and down on has avoided urban renewal for years. it ,returns to the station. A computer at the horse rods are jumpers. Flying Beneath its grounds lies one of the the station uses electronic sensors horses tilt outward when the merry­ Murderworlds built by the eccentric al'ongthe track to determine the train's go-round picks up speed. assassin Arcade! position and keep multiple trains on Like the Ferris wheel, the merry-go­ Seagoing criminals, such as At­ the same track from colliding. round can be treated as immobile for tuma or other renegade Atlanteans, Along one side of the track runs a game purposes. Any character can might emerge from the sea at Coney walk board (wooden, Typical reach any part of it in a turn . Island and threaten "puny air breath­ strength), which is wide enough for There is hardly any ordinary way to ers." one attendant to walk on, and a main­ get hurt on this ride. There is plenty of A rogue mutant, or a young one tenance safety rope of nylon (Good clearance between the platform and whose powers are just appearing and strength). Occasionally two tracks run the ground, so falling under it does no not yet under control, could take over parallel; in this case, each has a track great harm. But if a magical villain the carnival rides. Whether by acci­ and a rope. were to make the horses come to dent or on purpose, the mutant (per­ Coaster trains are typically three or life ... haps a telekinetic like Marvel Girl) four cars long, with eight people sit­ could endanger many lives and inflict ting two abreast in each car. Three great damage-on both Coney Island sets of wheels-upstops, tractors, NPCs and on the heroes. alld guides-lock the cars of a train Anthony "Gander" Loomis onto the track. A car weighs about 500 Restau rateu r pounds and is of Good strength. It F A S E R P CAMPAIGN USE takes Incredible strength to tear one Pr Pr Ty Ty Gd Gd Ty loose from its track, but only Excellent New York: Coney Island, as a recre­ Health: 20 Karma: 26 ation or diversion, serves the same strength to lift an empty car or Re­ Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 2 markable strength to lift a full one. story function as the Bronx Zoo (see Loomis has run a successful dough­ entry below). Though the illusion of speed is nut shop on the boardwalk for 40 breathtaking, most coaster trains Other Cities: The description of Co­ years. More accurately, his large fam­ ney Island can easily be adapted to never actually exceed about 35 mph ily runs the store while he stands out­ (Typical vehicle speed, 3 areas/turn). any large amusement park or beach in side and watches everyone go by. another campaign city. Some, however, go faster than 60 Very little happens on Coney Island mph-but not the ones at Coney Is­ that Loomis does not know. land. Appearance: Elderly black gentle­ Ferris wheel: A wheel is about 40 man, scrubby white hair, broad mouth. feet in diameter, and thus is the equiv­ Wears hearing aid . 5']", 140 Ibs. Dur­ alent of about 3 stories tall. If it looks ing "the season" (summer) he wears rickety, that's because it is. The steel a striped short-sleeved shirt and framework of a Ferris wheel-spokes, baggy slacks. axle, inner wheel, outer rim, leg, and

11 QUEENS: MAY PA RKER'S BOARDING HOUSE OV ERVIEW for three white pots. It was renamed house; the sisters Sophie and Martha Forest Hills by a housing developer, use another; and boarders Victor and One large home in the Forest Hills and it has retained the quiet character Rose Palermo occupy the third. Na­ neighborhood is a boarding house for of a housing development ever since. than Lubensky, who cannot use the senior citizens run by May Reilly Notable residents have included He­ stairs, lives in one first-floor bedroom Parker, aunt of Peter Parker (alias len Keller and Dale Carnegie. The at the back of the house; May Parker Spider-Man). Recently Peter and his West Side Te nnis Club is nationally uses the other. Arthur Chekov lives in wife Mary Jane moved in with her, af­ known. the basement bedroom. Mary Jane's ter being evicted from their apartment cousin Kristy sleeps on the sofabed in on Manhattan's Upper West Side. the living room. Address: Ingram Street near Puri­ The large living room has a picture tan Ave nue, Forest Hills. DESCRI PTION May Parker's Boarding House is a window. The kitchen is not large but is two-story Colonial-style house, well-equipped. There is also a small dining room. THE AREA painted white with brown trim, in For­ est Hills. The wooden walls are Poor Queens was named for Queen strength. There is no outward sign Catherine of Braganza, wife of En­ that it is a boarding house. NPCs gland's King Charles II. Settled by The house has five bedrooms, two May Reilly Parker Quaker refugees and other British pio­ and a half baths, and a large front F A S E R P neers in the early 1600s, Queens has yard. The basement has been remod­ Fe Ty Fe Fe Ty Gd Ex become primarily residential and sub­ eled to provide an additional bedroom Health: 12 Karma: 36 urban. The borough remains strongly and a photographic darkroom where Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 2 segregated along racial lines, and ra­ Peter Parker develops his news pho­ Appearance: 5'3" , 1 03 Ibs. Old, tiny, cial tensions have escalated in recent tos for the Daily Bugle. Peter uses frail, with white hair worn in a bun. years. the darkroom to enter and leave the We ars plain high-collared dresses Garvin's Garage in northwest house unseen, via a basement win­ and the occasional knit sweater for Queens (on 74th Street in Steinway) is dow at the back of the house. The flash. Support hose and orthopedic home to the sentient construct known small back yard is fenced in and lined shoes. as Machine Man. The robot works with large shrubs, so, with his super­ Typical Dialogue: "Land sakes! If with "Gears" Garvin under the alias of human speed, he has so far escaped you young folks are going out gadding Aaron Stack. Machine Man formerly detection. about, eat some more of these cook­ worked as an investigator for Queens' ies to build up your strength!" Delmar Insurance Company. The Boarders Story Function: Aunt May is the pro­ Six senior citizens are paying totypical dependent NPC. She has of­ Shea Stadium boarders in May Parker's house, te n been endangered and needed Queens is the home of the National though pay is often chancy on a senior rescuing. For many years she was the League's New Yo rk Mets baseball citizen's budget. They were formerly only reason Peter Parker did not re­ team, headquartered in Shea Sta­ residents at a New Yo rk nursing veal his Spider-Man identity to the dium. home, but May and her friends real­ world. "The shock would kill her," he Built in 1964, Shea was the first sta­ ized that they could take care of them­ believed. Now, as a married man, Pe­ dium to feature field sections that selves if they all pitched in and shared ter has other reasons to keep his se­ could be moved around, changing the duties. cret. structure from a baseball arrange­ Peter and Mary Jane Parker re­ ment to one for football. Shea seats cently became boarders as well as a Mary Jane Watson-Parker 55,300 people. Its surface is natural result of the machinations of wealthy Model grass. From home base to the walls it Jonathon Caesar, who became so in­ F A S E R P measures 338 feet (2'12 areas) down fatuated with Mary Jane that he tried Pr Ty Ty Gd Ty Gd Ty the foul lines, and 410 feet (3 areas) to to kidnap her. But Spider-Man Health: 26 Karma: 22 straightaway center field. stopped him, Mary Jane spurned him, Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: Because of the large numbers of in­ 4 and Caesar has vindictively devoted Mary Jane is the niece of May's nocent civilians at every game, Shea himself to ruining her life. As owner of former next-door neighbor, Anna Wat­ is a ready target for terrorists. the Bedford To wers condominium in son. She is one of the few people who Manhattan where the Parkers lived, knows of Peter's other identity. Forest Hills Caesar had the couple evicted-on Mary Jane has not let marriage in­ This middle-class garden commu­ Christmas Eve. Swell guy. terfere with her modeling career. But nity was once known as Whitepot, Peter and Mary Jane occupy one unfortunately she cannot say the from a legend that the Indians sold it upstairs bedroom of the boarding same for Jonathon Caesar, who has

12 decided to ruin her life in any way he can. MAY PA RKER IS 5'PENOING A c;;uli;rAFT ER ­ Appearance: A knockout! 5'8" , 115 NOO N WI TH h'£R PA VO/(I T£ NEPHE W, ,, _--J los. Brilliant red hair, green eyes, shapely figure, vivacious manner. Al­ T� AT WA � A LOT OF I DO N 'T KNOW IF I'M ways attractively dressed (but she'd F"U I'L PETER , WE UP TO IT, AUNT M�Y, look good in a burlap sack). REALL.Y MLJ�T 00 IT'G BEEN A LONG TI ME Ta lents: Obviously, a born model. MO I

Nathan Lubensky Retired vaudevillian, gambler FAS E RI P Ty Fe Ty Gd Gd Gd Ty Health: 24 Karma: 26 Resources: Poor( 4) Popularity: 3 Nathan is a retired (and wheelchair­ boufild) vaudevillian. He met May Par,kerat a retirement community, be­ came one of her boarders, and now helps her run the house. They are en­ gaged to be married. Nathan has recently been strug­ gling to overcome his compulsion to gamble. He has run up thousands of do'llars in debts to loan sharks. Whether he can get out of debt and Olltof trouble remains to be seen. But Nathan is a crusty and resourceful man who has shown the ability to de­ fend himself despite his handicap. Appearance: Skinny old guy with short white hair and horn-rimmed glasses. Solitary, with a gruff manner. Nathan's wheelchair weighs 28 pounds and is made of Typical material. Ta lents: Theater. Not gambling. Ta lents: Eavesdropping, eating, talk­ CAMPAIGN USE Story Function: PC heroes may try to ing on the phone. Flirting (Feeble). New York: If the PC heroes associ­ help Nathan out of his gambling prob­ Typical Dialogue: "Aw, gee! Do we ate with Peter Parker or the Daily Bu­ lem, much as Peter Parker has. hafta leave? I wanted to hear the good gle, or they have somehow discovered stuff." Spider-Man 's secret identity, a visit to K'"isty Wa tson Story Function: A snoopy kid who Forest Hills may follow for many rea­ Mary Jane's cousin may find out more than PCs want her sons: to seek Parker's help, to get the F A S E R P to. Fe Ty Pr Pr Ty Ty Ty true story on a battle that was misre­ ported in the press, or just to drop off Health: 16 Karma: 18 May Parker's other boarders some film. Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 Victor and Rose Palermo have been Other Cities: This is a generic sub­ Te enaged Kristy has provoked married for 40 years and have been urban house. It fits anywhere. A group some friction between Peter and Mary quarreling for 39 years and 11 of senior citizens makes an offbeat Jane because of her overt flirtations months. collection of dependents for a group of with Peter. Peter has actively tried to Sophie and Martha, sisters (last player character heroes. discourage Kristy's crush on him, but name unrevealed), find each other to 1'10 visible effect. Recently her ob­ better company than anyone else. session with thinness has turned into They are "young-at-heart." a case of anorexia/bulimia. Arthur Chekov, who tries to be dap­ Appearance: Like a 13-year-old Mary per on a tight budget, is a poet, gour­ Jane, but now very skinny. Freckled, met, and bon-vivant. tomboyish. Wears sweaters and jeans.

13 THE BRONX: The Bronx Zoo

OVERVIEW urban development and back to sav­ The Bronx Zoo itself is about a mile agery took 350 years. long, three-fifths of a mile wide, and Some say all of New Yo rk City is a This part of the Bronx is split into measures over 250 acres in area. zoo, but for the real thing, head north east and west by a wide avenue called About 3,800 animals of 700 species of Manhattan to the Bronx. The New the Grand Boulevard and Concourse. are on exhibit here. Attempts to list Yo rk Zoological Garden-better The southern end of the street, in Mott them all would be foolish; just assume known as the Bronx Zoo-has propor­ Haven, brings one near Ya nkee Sta­ that whatever exotic animal the player tionately more species of animals in dium (River Avenue and East 161st characters are looking for is here. its 265 acres than any other zoo in the Street). Even larger than Shea Sta­ country. dium, it serves the same story func­ Selected Features Address: 185th Street and South­ tions as Shea (see Queens entry Entering from the north, one first ern Boulevard, the Bronx. above). sees the Sea Lion Pool, and beyond it The Grand Concourse continues the Lion and Monkey Houses. At the north through University Heights and other end of this quadrangle stands THE AREA Jerome Park, into the beautiful and the Elephant House. To the east, past The Bronx is more hilly, its streets prosperous suburbs of the central Lake Agassiz and the Bison Range, is less regular than the other boroughs Bronx, and ends not far west of Bronx the outstanding Wo rld of Birds, made of New Yo rk City. And its neighbor­ Park, where the zoo is located. up of five oval aviaries joined by hoods, especially in the South Bronx Other names to drop in Bronx ad­ ramps. These enclosures simulate (Hunt's Point, Morrisania, and Mott ventures include the neighborhoods swamps, savannah, and tropical rain Haven), are equally irregular, not to Riverdale, Edenwald, Baychester, forests . . . right down to the rain say unlivable. Westchester Heights, and three along storms. The South Bronx is sometimes the East River: Hunt's Point, Clason's To the west lies the Aquatic Bird called, ironically, lithe neighborhood Point, and the picturesquely named House (penguins, etc.), the DeJur Avi­ of Presidents," because it seems that Throg's Neck. ary, and the Rare Animal Range. Be­ every US President comes here and yond the Elephant House is the swears to bring the neighborhood Children's Zoo, with three acres of back to civilization. But no one has fig­ DESCRIPTION farm animals, a beehive, pony rides, ured out how to make money from re­ The New Yo rk Zoological Park, and even camel rides. Adults cannot building the South Bronx, and so it founded in 1895, takes up the south­ enter unless with a child. remains a burned-out urban jungle. ern half of Bronx Park. Other features Other highlights of this large area in­ The wind blowing cold through the of this large park include Bronx Lake, clude the Reptile House-useful for empty lots and arson-blackened build­ woodland walks, and the immense any adventure involving the Lizard­ ings of Charlotte Street make it hard to New Yo rk Botanical Garden. The last, the Great Ape House (lithe most dan­ believe that this area was first seen in filling the northern half of the park, has gerous animals in the world!"), and the history as a huge, pleasant farm, be­ nearly every imaginable kind of plant Wo rld of Darkness, an almost lightless longing to one Joseph Bronck. That from crocus to cactus. building that displays nocturnal crea­ was 1639. From savage wilderness to tures under dim red illumination.

14 The animal enclosures are ar­ difficult task, since it is accessible only ranged according to the continents from the top of the track) takes Excel­ CRI MES the animals came from. Most enclo­ lent damage. The Bronx Zoo, because of its size sures have a speaker box activated by and prestige, showcases the rarest the turn of a plastic elephant-shaped animals on Earth. These rare animals key. Visitors can buy these keys at the can be a tempting lure for villains. NPCs Suppose the zoo is loaned a rare al­ zoo entrance. Tu rning the key starts a For stats of representative animals, pre-recorded message that tells about bino Siberian tiger. Kraven the Hunter consult pages 58-60 of the Judge 's the animal on display. might try to steal this magnificent Book in the Advanced Set. beast so that he can stalk it on his own The Bronx Zoo originated the wide­ The zoo staff are all normal people spread modern practice of displaying African game preserve. Kraven would with Typical abilities. They are skilled never kill the beast in the zoo, since zoo animals in re-creations of their in zoology, animal handling, and at natural habitats, rather than in cages. this would not be honorable. least the rudiments of veterinary sci­ Reptiles with uniq ue poisons might Most animals are exhibited in operiar­ ence. eas, separated from the public by attract the attention of the Lizard, who wide moats and steep concrete walls. could use his control powers to make Hokkor and R'dall them escape their cages. He would Moat widths vary; assume that a spe­ "Papa the Chimp" and "Euell the Gib­ cific moat is twice the animal's maxi­ send the entire reptile population of bon" the Zoo to attack innocent bystanders. mum leap. Skrulls Buildings are generally quite low How can the heroes fight an army of F A S E R P snakes? (except for the Carter Giraffe House). Gd Ty Ty Ty Gd Ty Ty Assume 1 area as the height for most Minor sorcerers seeking an exotic Health: 28 Karma: 22 ingredient (say, tarantula hair or leop­ buildings, 2 for large buildings. Cages Resources: Feeble(2) Popularity: 0 have concrete walls of Excellent ard's eye) could break into the Zoo to These two aliens are low-placed procure the ingredient "on the hoof," strength and iron bars of Remarkable Skrull espionage agents. Like many strength. as it were. agents throughout the vast Skrull E�­ Masters of the mystic arts, such as pire, they were trained to use th�lr Doctor Strange and Baron Mordo, Ve hicles shape-changing ability to take on In­ An aerial tram called the "Skyfari" have progressed beyond the need for conspicuous forms and scout out the travels over the African Plains, Great these ingredients. It would take a defenses of worlds targeted for inva­ whole group (coven?) of minor adepts Ape House, and Goat Hill. The steel sion. tram cars ride very slowly on cables of to challenge a group of PC heroes. These two agents were in central But maybe the ingredient they obtain Excellent strength, about 60 feet (4ar­ Africa, where they had taken on ani­ eas) above the ground. Each car lets the adepts summon an entity mal form to investigate the priceless strong enough to challenge anything! holds four to six people, and there are vibranium deposits of Wakanda. perhaps a dozen cars above the park Then, on a distant asteroid, the Skrull at any time. Cables are supported by overlord Zabyk triggered a hyperwave concrete pillars that weigh about six bomb that froze all Skrulls in the uni­ CA MPAIGN USE tons apiece (requiring Incredible verse in the form they were in at that New York: Heroes on a holiday from strength to lift) and are of Remarkable moment. Two well-trained espionage Manhattan crimefighting visit the Bronx Zoo. Either they're relaxing, material strength. agents found themselves stuck as a The Bengali Express Monorail cov­ chimp and a gibbon. Then they were visiting friends, or maybe they've ers 38 acres of hilly woods called captured and shipped to the Bronx been invited to a charity event. It's no "Wild Asia," where over 200 rare ani­ Zoo. What a fix! trick to throw just as much action at mals dwell in natural habitats. The them as they'd find downtown. The But Hokkor (the male) and R'dall train uses the Monorail statistics given (the female) have hopes of escape Zoo is an offbeat background for a in the table on page 49 of the Players' from the zoo, and perhaps even of re­ super-powered slugfest. Book. Its weight and length vary ac­ gaining their original forms. A hero's friends or relatives who cording to the number of cars at­ visit the Zoo could be kidnapped or Appearance: An ordinary adult chim­ tached. Assume a typical length of 30 panzee and an ordinary adult gibbon. otherwise threatened, forcing the feet, load of 60 passengers, and hero to rescue or ransom them. Ta lents: Martial Arts E, Espionage, weight of several tons (Incredible spacecraft piloting, astrogation. Other Cities : No other zoo matches strength to lift). The Judge can alter the Bronx Zoo in size, but there is a Typical Dialogue: "Ook-ook-urk­ similar one within driving or flying dis­ these figures at his discretion. urk." Monorail tracks are elevated about tance of nearly any community. Story Function: See the mini­ 30 feet (2 areas) above the ground on scenario for the Bronx Zoo on page 37 the average. Both the tracks and their of the Adventure Book. supporting pillars have Remarkable strength. A protected electric railing on the track powers the monorail train. Anything that touches this railing (a

15 BROOKLYN: THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE OVERVIEW between the Bronx, New Yo rk state's DESCRIPTION Long Island, and Connecticut. Stane As one might expect of a city built The Brooklyn Bridge was designed International is headquartered on on the water, New Yo rk City has 65 by John Roebling, who died before it Long Island, and the villain known as bridges. One, the Verrazano-Narrows, was completed in 1883. His son, the Wizard maintains a mansion was for many years the longest sus­ Washington, supervised its construc­ there. pension bridge in the world. tion. The bridge took 14 years to build, An uncharted underwater tunnel Eighteen bridges connect Manhat­ cost 15 million dollars, and took the once connected Avengers Mansion tan Island with the outside world. One lives of at least 20 workers. with Hydro-Base in the Atlantic is the most famous since London The 6-lane traffic deck, 85 feet Ocean. Since the base has been Bridge fell down: the Brooklyn Bridge. wide, carries 100,000 vehicles every moved to New York's harbor (see This section also describes other day. A walkway about 10 feet wide "The Statue of Liberty" above), the important bridges in the Manhattan runs down the middle of the bridge. Avengers no longer use the tunnel area. The material included here can New Yo rkers walk, jog, and bicycle and will no doubt fill it in eventually. (A be used to deal with the way any down this promenade, and there are Judge who needs game statistics for bridge functions in an adventure. wood-and-iron benches (Typical this tunnel should use the ones for the strength) for those who want to take a Holland Tu nnel, in the next section.) breather on the way. The Brooklyn Bridge remains an ar­ Staten Island THE AREA chitectural landmark, a masterpiece of The largest of the New Yo rk rivers is Since the Verrazano-Narrows bridge design. Its towers project the the Hudson River. The Harlem River, Bridge connects Brooklyn and Staten majesty of a Gothic cathedral, and its bounding Manhattan to the north, is Island, this is an appropriate time to criss- crossing wires, under the grace­ describe Staten Island. Once called essentially a tributary of the Hudson. fully curving cables, belie the bridge's To the east is the aptly named East Richmond, this borough derives its colossal weight. Beautiful. River. current name from a Dutch term, All of these rivers are heavily pol­ "States-General," used in the Dutch Statistics luted and (usually) quite cold. The Republic. The bridge is 1,595 feet (12 areas) Judge should require unprotected Some of Staten Island remains resi­ long, 135 feet (9 areas) tall at the road­ swimmers to make an Endurance dential and comparatively rural. Its way, and 276 feet (18 areas) tall at the FEAT roll for every ten minutes they suburbs include many old, wealthy two towers. Each of its four cables has spend in these waters. Failure means families. But there is plenty of indus­ 278 strands of 3/8 " thick steel wire; the a temporary -1 CS drop in Endurance. try, including manufacturing, ship­ whole bridge uses 3,515 miles of wire. When Endurance reaches 0 the char­ building, and oil refining. The most For material strengths, see the next acter will drown within a few turns famous feature of Staten Island is its section. (Judge's discretion) unless rescued. connecting link to Manhattan's Bat­ Once out of the water, the character tery Park, the Staten Island Ferry. It recovers one Endurance rank per carries about 320 million passengers turn. These rules do not apply to a year. OTHER BRIDGES trained swimmers or heroes with wa­ A farm on the southern tip of the is­ The following table includes the ter powers; they can remain in water land is the property of spice dealer lengths of six of the major connecting almost indefinitely. Wilson Fisk. The farm inCludes a dirt bridges in Manhattan, as well as the The Hudson River originates in up­ airstrip suitable for landing small pri­ Verrazano-Narrows Bridge between state New Yo rk and empties into New vate planes. At this farm Fisk returned Brooklyn and Staten Island. Measure­ Yo rk Bay. It separates Manhattan and to New Yo rk to resume his career as ments are given in both feet (before the Bronx from the New Jersey cities the Kingpin of crime. the slash) and areas (after the slash). of Hoboken, Weehawken, Jersey City, The highest pOint on America's The table also gives each bridge's and others. eastern seaboard is on Staten Island: neighborhood of origin in Manhattan. At one time Doctor Octopus (in his To dt Hill, a towering 410 feet above For descriptions of these neighbor­ short-lived "Master Planner" alias) sea level. Other names to drop in­ hoods, see the next chapter. kept an underwater headquarters in clude South Beach, the Gateway Na­ Approaches to the bridges are not the Hudson off the Greenwich Village tional Recreation Area (including given in the bridge lengths, but they waterfront, but this was destroyed in a Great Kills Park and Miller Field), New can sometimes be almost as long as battle with Spider-Man. Dorp, and St. George, the business the bridges themselves. For instance, The East River, which separates center of the island. the approach to the Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan from Queens and Brook­ from the New Yo rk side is 1,562 feet. lyn, connects New Yo rk Bay with Long Judges can fudge the rest by using Island Sound, a large body of water this figure for the approaches to all of

16

- these bridges. Bridge Length Origin All but the Queensboro are suspen­ George Washington 3500/27 Washington Heights sion bridges, with the cables bearing Manhattan 1470/11 Lower East Side the weight of the bridge and traffic. Queensboro 1182/9 Upper East Side The Queensboro is a cantilever Tr iborough 1380/10 East Harlem bridge, lower and less imposing than Ve rrazano- Narrows 4260/32 Brooklyn-Staten Island . the suspension type. Encyclopedias Williamsburg 1600/12 Lower East Side often have pictures of these types of bridge. In 1981 a longer suspension bridge these, and all can lead to larger ad­ The George Washington and was completed over the Humber in ventures. Ve rrazano-Narrows each has two traf­ England. That bridge is 4,580 feet Villains sometimes try to destroy or fic decks, separated by 30 feet (the long, 320 feet longer than the occupy bridges, for reasons given in equivalent of 2 stories). The other Ve rrazano- Narrows. the next section. bridges have one deck. All bridges have pedestrian walk­ Rules ways with chest-high railings. Traffic Fights on bridges almost inevitably CAMPA IGN USE lanes are also edged with railings. use the rules for falling. Consult pages Manhattan: Judges can use 20-21 of the Players' Book in the bridges in two ways. Material Strengths Advanced Set. . Modern bridges, built with high­ First, minor villains (who are trying Traffic : Many thousands of cars use tensile steel and reinforced pre­ to become major) take bridges hos­ the bridge at all hours. The traffic can tage because of the publicity inherent stressed concrete, are astoundingly pose a threat to a character who lands strong. The cables for suspension in such an act. The heroes happen to on (or gets thrown onto) the deck. be in the vicinity when the takeover bridges have strengths on the order of Anyone who takes plenty of ti e dozens of tons per square inch; they � commences-returning from Coney and looks both ways before entering Island or one of the other places in this are anchored in solid bedrock as traffic will not be hurt. A character who much as 200 feet deep. Foundations section, perhaps? Then a bridge must leap out at a moment's notice (to makes nice background scenery for a are concrete monoliths sunk deep into rescue someone, for example) must the earth. Large bridges can weigh one-shot battle. make an Agility FEAT roll to avoid be­ Second, major villains, the kind who over 100,000 tons. ing hit. This roll takes -1 CS during Going strictly by the rules, bridges try to conquer whole cities, take rush-hour traffic (7:00-9:30 AM and bridges (as well as tunnels) because are invulnerable to any attack short of 4:00-7:30 PM). CL5000 power. But if it would make a of their strategic importance. In a A character falling onto the deck huge, well- coordinated plot, they dramatic threat, the Judge can reduce from above may make a similar Agility the material strength ranks to more flood tunnels as diversions, or block FEAT roll, if still conscious. Success bridges to cut off the city from outside fragile levels. That way a master vil­ means the hero has guided his or her lain can threaten the PC heroes with aid. fall to land between traffic lanes. Fail­ In such a case, the heroes are un­ catastrophe. ure means the hero not only hits the Recommended material strengths: likely to be present during the take­ bridge but promptly gets hit by a car. over. Instead, they might hear about main cables-Monstrous; supporting (See the rules for Crashes, pp. 50-51 cables-Amazing; traffic decks­ the larger scheme, try to get to the city, in the Players' Book.) and must fight through the interdicted Amazing; railings-Incredible; towers If the falling hero is unconscious, and foundations-Unearthly. bridge or tunnel to reach the scene of the Judge makes the Agility FEAT roll the real action. Or they hear about the on the Feeble column of the Universal bridge takeover, foil that, then learn of Ta ble. The unconscious character the master plan. "Oh no! This was just The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge cannot spend Karma to alter this roll. Completed in 1964, the Verrazano­ a diversion!" Narrows carries twelve lanes of traffic In any bridge battle, Judges can on two levels. Its four cables are 36 easily jeopardize the lives of hundreds inches in diameter, with 142,000 miles CRIMES of innocent citizens, giving players a of wire. The bridge weighs 144,000 "Psst! Wanna buy the Brooklyn choice between saving lives and foil­ tons-and that's just the steel. Bridge?" Con men don't try to sell ing the bad guy. The Verrazano-Narrows founda­ bridges much any more, but they do Other Cities: Major bridges in other tions are concrete masses measuring extort "tolls" from tourists and the gul­ cities-though not so large as the 130' x 230'. These two monoliths are lible. Ve rrazano-Narrows or so famous as several hundred feet off the shores of Kidnappers often use bridges to the Brooklyn-are just as vulnerable

Brooklyn and Staten Island. _ meet with the families of their victims, to villain takeover or similar shenani­ The bridge is so long that the tops of to collect ransom money. Distressed gans. the towers are 1.6 inches farther apart people leap from them in suicide at­ than their bases-because of the cur­ tempts. Others have leapt just for pub­ vature of the Earth. licity. PC heroes can prevent any of

17 THE HOLLAN D TUNNEL

OV ERVI EW Statistics ducts. The tunnel's air is completely The Holland Tu nnel is 8,557 feet (65 changed every 40 seconds. New Yo rk City is said to have almost areas) long. Actually, there are two The giant tunnel fans are housed in 36,000 miles of tunnels. This incredi­ tunnels, twin tubes separated by 60 four ten-story buildings. Tw o fans, one ble figure includes not only subways feet of riverbed. Each tunnel is 291/2 at each end of the tunnel, pump fresh but also sewers, accessways to elec­ feet in diameter and has two automo­ air to the center. The other two, on trical wiring, and-of course-the bile lanes. piers 1000 feet into the Hudson River Morlock Tu nnels. Ordinarily one tube handles east­ on each side, pump air down to the Four huge automobile tunnels run bound traffic, the other westbound. tunnel, then out the nearest entrance. from Manhattan Island to New Jersey, But during rush hours (7:00-9:30 AM The system works so well that it's Queens, and Brooklyn. These arteries and 4:00-7:30 PM), one tube is divided said that the air in the Holland Tu nnel are likely scenes of villainous may­ to take the overflow. Three lanes han­ is cleaner than that of Midtown Man­ hem. The most famous is the Holland dle traffic in one direction-into Man­ hattan. Tu nnel. hattan in the morning, away in the Location: The Manhattan entrance evening-and one lane takes the re­ lies at Spring Street where it inter­ verse traffic. sects the West Street highway, in the OTHER TUNNELS Each tube has two-foot-wide cat­ Lower Broadway district (see next This table gives statistics for the walks on either side, about two feet chapter). The tunnel exits in Jersey other three tunnels into Manhattan. above the traffic lanes. Only one cat� City, New Jersey, at Rademan Place Lengths are given first in feet, then in walk has a railing. The railing is steel and Boyle Place. areas. "River" means, of course, the pipe (Excellent strength) mounted Jerseyites enter the tunnel at 12th river that tunnel runs under. about three feet high. Tu nnel police Street and emerge in a confusing net­ travel the catwalk using custom­ work of streets around Canal in Man­ Tu nnel Length River made motorized carts. hattan. Brklyn- The tubes lie about 20 feet beneath Battery 9,117/69 East the bottom of the Hudson river (and Lincoln 8,216/62 Hudson 100 feet below the surface). The earth DESCRIPTION Queens- above them is thick black silt. Silt is Midtown 6,414/48.5 East The tunnel is named in memory of Feeble material at best, but there is a its designer, Clifford M. Holland. A bril­ whole lot of it, and it's very heavy. liant civil engineer, Holland worked So tunnel walls are built to be virtu­ around the clock on the project from ally indestructible. The tile on the TUNNEL RULES ground-breaking in 1920 until 1925, walls is only Typical, and the asphalt Thousands of cars per hour use a when exhaustion finally killed him just on the roads is Good, but the tem­ . tunnel during rush periods. Often the days before the two tunnel ends met pered steel of the tunnel casing is at traffic is slow and presents no hazard. under the Hudson River. least Shift Z. But for less congested times, see the Holland's successor, Milton Free­ Again, though, the Judge is advised traffic rules under "The Brooklyn man , also worked himself to death try­ to reduce the wall's material strength Bridge" in the previous section. The ing to complete the tunnel. The rank below "realistic" levels, perhaps same rules apply to tunnel traffic. Manhattan plaza entrance to the HoI­ to Monstrous level. Why have a battle Page 22 of the Players' Book deals land Tu nnel is officially named Free­ in a tunnel if there's no danger of with swimming and drowning, topics man Square, though this name is breaking through a wall and flooding that may arise during tunnel battles seldom used by New Yo rkers. everything? under a river. The following optional Another engineer, Ole Singstad, fi­ rules expand on the underwater envi­ nally completed the tunnel in 1927. Ve ntilation ronment. Thirteen workers died during its con­ Ve hicular tunnels are ventilated to struction. prevent the buildup of dangerous ex­ Ruptures To day up to 2,400 cars an hour use haust gases. The Holland Tu nnel pio­ Damage to a tunnel wall creates a the tunnel to travel between the Lower neered the modern ventilation rupture, exposing the riverbed silt be­ Broadway neighborhood and Jersey technique. yond. Ordinarily this silt is packed very City, New Jersey. The trip, which took Huge fans at both ends of the tunnel hard, and no water leaks through from half an hour before the tunnel was blow fresh air into ducts beneath the the river 20 feet above. But that's no built, now takes three minutes. The road. Vents at curbside blow this air fun. tolls that drivers pay have recouped into the tunnel, and exhaust fans at During construction of the Holland the cost of the tunnel several times the top of the tunnel pull polluted air Tu nnel, workers hit a weak spot in the over. out. The polluted air is piped to the silt. Water began leaking in, then surface through a separate network of pouring in. Luckily, no one was injured in that instance.

18 The Judge can decide that any against the current. Heroes trapped in a tunnel can also breach in the tunnel wall made during If the current's rate is faster than the try to launch themselves out of the wa­ a battle hits a similar weak spots. In character's own, the character cannot ter, swim out the breach, or throw oth­ the first turn after the breach, water swim in any direction and is swept ers out. This requires a Strength FEAT begins tricking in. On the second turn, along. See the next subsection. modified -1 CS per strength rank of it increases to a gushing stream. On the current. Outside the tunnel, the the third, it becomes a waterfall of Staying above Water current's velocity drops one rank per Shift-O strength. Heroes can use To avoid damage in a rushing cur­ area of distance from the breach. these three turns to carry bystanders rent, a character must make an Agility to safety. FEAT roll each turn . The roll takes -1 On each turn thereafter until the CS for each area of difference be­ CRIMES hole is patched, the water increases tween the water's speed and the char­ The Holland Tu nnel has trapped nu­ one rank in strength: Feeble, Poor, acter's swimming speed. merous criminals who flee into it from and so on, to a maximum of Incredi­ For example, Prince Namor is Manhattan, only to find the tunnel po­ ble. At Poor, it breaks through and im­ caught in an Incredible riptide. After lice waiting to catch them before they merses that entire area of the tunnel. the one-rank speed reduction de­ reach Jersey. For statistics of the po­ The water floods toward both ends of scribed above, the water moves at the lice, see "New Yo rk's Finest" in Chap­ the tunnel. To determine its velocity, Remarkable speed of six areas per ter 4. Note that tunnel police are see the next subsection. turn. Namor, swept along, takes -2 CS trained in auto mechanics in order to Meanwhile, on the river surface, a to his Agility FEAT roll each turn . deal with the 25 breakdowns that hap­ geyser erupts, caused by air escaping A white roll means that the charac­ pen every day in the tunnel. the tunnel below. The disturbance ter hits some obstacle, such as a tun­ Saboteurs planning to attack the may endanger any small boats that nel wall or (in a river) a rock, and takes Holland Tu nnel would likely target, not happen to be passing. (The Judge the current's strength rank in damage. the tunnel, but the huge fans that keep should endanger a boat only if a hero The character's breath is knocked its air fresh. Without them, exhaust is nearby to rescue it.) out. The character starts drowning gases would soon render the tunnel's Blocking a Rupture: Unlike the little next turn unless he or she can get air. air unbreathable. But while they oper­ Dutch boy, heroes can't stick their A green roll means that the charac­ ate, even the worst calamity, such as thumbs in the rupture to hold back the ter doesn't hit anything, but can't get the 1949 explosion of a chemical water. But any Power that works over air this turn. Consult the rules for hold­ truck, would not turn into a major di­ an area can delay the flood until the ing one's breath or drowning. The saster. water pressure increases beyond the character is swept forward at the wa­ Power's strength rank. Then it all ter's speed. breaks through at that intensity. A yellow or red FEAT roll means that the character doesn't hit anything, CAMPAIGN USE Swimming Against the Current manages to keep his or her head Manhattan: See the discussion un­ The Judge decides the velocity of above water, and can breathe this der "The Brooklyn Bridge" in the pre­ the current-that is, how fast the wa­ turn. The character is swept forward vious section. All the same ideas ter is flowing-to determine the cur­ at the water's speed if desired, but he apply to the Holland Tu nnel and the rent's strength. Use the LandIWater or she can grab a railing, rock, or other rest. column of the Long-Distance Move­ obstacle to stay in one spot. Other Cities: Not many other ment Ta ble (Players' Book, p. 23) to Getting Out of the Wa ter: In a tunnel places are so thoroughly supplied determine speed, but then reduce the the water stops when it reaches the with tunnels as New Yo rk, but some strength to the next lower rank. For in­ river level or the nearest exit (usually major cities built along wide rivers can stance, a 30-mph current would ordi­ the same thing). Velocity drops to plausibly host a duplicate of the HoI­ narily be Poor strength, but reduce it zero. Survivors can get out at will. land Tu nnel. to Feeble instead. A character swimming with the cur­ rent adds its movement rate to his or her own to figure velocity. A character ,,' IM AGINE, If: YO U WI LL , TH e ..."ONOI IN TI.I NNeLS >'UOOeNL Y ':;PENeO TO swimming against the current sub­ Ri VERS ABOVE l��g00� tracts the current's movement rate from his or her own. Note that by these rules, any current up to 15 mph has no effect on a hero's movement. For example, the Sub-Mariner, who can swim four areas per turn, swims against a Feeble current (one area per turn). Subtracting the current's move­ ment rate from his own, Prince Namor can swim only three areas a turn

19 RYKER'S ISLAND

OVERVIEW OEseRI PTION sonal cars one or two armored police paddy-wagons, and the war?en's pri­ Ryker's Island Correctional Fa?ility, Note: This is Ryker's Island in the vate IimO' usine. By regulation there one of New Yo rk's largest state prison, Marvel Universe. The description has are to be no tools left out here, but ,in once held many famous villains. Now no relation to the real Riker's Island practice one can often find a j�Ck or its inmates are ordinary humans, but it prison complex in our world. (Note the tire iron. There is a wall phone Wired to different spellings of the two.) remains an interesting stop on any he­ the prison administrative offices, and ro's patrol. The most dramatic way to begin de­ a flare gun to be fired in the event of scribing this maximum-security prison trouble. (See tower description be­ is to list some material strengths. The THE AREA low.) outer wall, of solid stone 3 feet thick On a concrete pad north of the ga­ Ryker's Island lies in the East River and 45 feet (3 stories) tall, has between the Bronx and Queens, just rage is a battle helicopter. A guard­ Amazing strength. off the shore near Queens' LaGuardia pilot is on duty at all times, and the The four machine-gun towers at the chopper lifts off at any alarm. Airport. Less than 200 yards of pol­ corners of the outer wall rest on bases In the center of the compound stand luted water separates them at their of concrete reinforced with iron narrowest point. The heavily guarded 11 large cell blocks, labeled A through 4/5 girders (Remarkable strength). They K' a service building; and a small two­ Ryker's Island Bridge runs about of are 4 stories tall, and guns from at a mile to Bowery Bay and into the st�ry administrative building. Smaller least two towers can be trained on any buildings, the shops where convicts Steinway neighborhood of Queens. point in the prison. For more about the The island's size is classified, but it work, lie along the northwal l. The only towers, see below. is approximately 150 acres of barren gate is in the center of the south wall. Building walls, 18 inches of rein­ The gate is 20 teet wide and bloc ed rock surro unded by dangerous forced concrete, are Remarkable � shoals. A swimmer would need Re­ by foot-thick steel doors of Amazing strengt h. Windows, naturally, are markable ability to navigate these strength. bullet-proof (Excellent strength). . . The compound's open exercise safely; failure means the swimm�r is Doors are sheet steel (AmaZing washed against a rocky outcropping, yard is hard-packed earth, not sand; strength) with gun ports and bullet­ convicts might try to take some and taking Good damage. Keep making proof glass peepholes; these are Ex­ FEAT rolls until the swimmer suc­ throw it in a guard's eyes. Apart from cellent strength. ceeds or falls unconscious. the buildings, the yard is empty. The bars on the cells, windows, hall­ The yard is big enough to land the Swimmers who survive the rocks ways, storm drains, laundry, g es, �ra� helicopter in, and all oe'll-block ro fs also have to brave the icy waters of and the prison library are titanium � the river. See "Bridges and Tu nnels" are sturdy enough to support Its steel, with cores of steel cable to de­ in this section for rules on enduring weight. No other building can do so. feat files and hacksaws (Remarkable cold water. strength). On every side of the island signs are To wers About the only things on Ryker's of posted in English and Spanish: At the top of each four-story tower is less than Excellent strength are the KEEP OFF! a platform made like sheet-metal guards' wooden desks and plastic tel­ 8 . ONLY GOVERNMENT BOATS cube eight feet on a Side,. With large ephones (Poor) and the searchlight windows of bullet-proof glass (Excel­ WITHIN 200 YA RDS! lenses in the exercise compound TRESPASS AT YO UR OWN RISK! lent strength). Each is manned at all (Feeble). Those who approach more closely are times by two prison guards. The hailed by megaphone, then fired upon guards have their personal equipment Layout with machine guns. as well as the weaponry in the tower. Almost the entire Ryker's complex an The terrain on Ryker's Island is The only access to a tower is by. lies within the four outer walls, which iron ladder. In the floor of the tower IS a fairly even. There are no caves to hide mark out a square 396 feet (3 areas) in but the island's edges are pocked locked entry door. The guards inside on a side. Only three structures stand the tower can see through the bullet­ w(th erosion gullies that can provide outside the walls. Tw o of them are an temporary shelter from searchlights. proof window in the entry door to con­ aluminum-can recycling machine and firm the identity of anyone who wants The interior, however, is a flat expanse a trash incinerator. These dumpster­ where any moving figure stands out. to get inside. sized metal structures are of Excellent Each tower has two machine guns, The prison compound lies at the strength and lie east (downwind) of western tip of the island, on a bluff two hand-held grenade launchers, the compound. and one searchlight. Equipment in­ above pounding surf. At the other end The third structure outside the of the island is the only safe beach, cludes spare bulbs for the light, 20 prison walls is the motor pool, a brick tear-gas grernades, and plenty of where prisoner ships landed before garage (Good strength walls) big the bridge was built. An old wooden ammo for the guns. Searchlight and enough to hold 18 vehicles. The ones guns revolve on universal mounts. At wharf still stands here. most often present are guards' per-

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least one gun can train in any direc­ feet (3 stories) tall. These windowless strength. And that's all. Note that no tion, and both can train on any one buildings hold 90 cells apiece. In each plumbing is exposed to the inmates, spot in that tower's part of the com­ block the cells are arranged in two and no cell has a light. pound. The searchlight can train in banks, three stories tall, around a cen­ Cell doors do not open outward but any direction and any altitude. tral atrium. From the concrete floor a slide back. Electrically operated, they Atop each tower is an alarm klaxon. guard can look up at a bank of cells cannot be opened at the cell itself. A This can be activated from inside the and see all the inmates in the three 15- guard at the end of a row operates tower or from any guard office within cell rows. Concrete walkways 5 feet concealed controls to open any or all the prison. wide, with steel railings 3 feet high, cells in the row. The prison has its own A guard tower also has a first-aid kit, service the cells in upper stories; power supply; but in the event of a a telephone linked to the prison of­ these are Excellent strength. power interruption, the doors are me­ fices and other towers, a two-way ra­ Each cell measures 6 feet wide by 8 chanically designed to slide shut un­ dio linked the same way, and a flare feet deep. It contains one metal bunk der their own weight instead of staying gun. The flare pistol is used for emer­ (Remarkable strength) that folds out open. The banks do not touch the gencies when both phone and radio from the wall; a porcelain washbasin block's outer walls at any point. Be­ are knocked out. and a toilet without a lid or seat (Good hind each bank is a 5-foot-wide utility If a disturbance breaks out, guards strength); two thin plywood shelves corridor with wiring and plumbing. sound the alarm if necessary, then try over the sink (Poor strength) for shav­ The central atrium, or "broadway," to break it up with tear-gas grenades. ing equipment and such; one wooden between the cell banks is 40 feet wide. If that doesn't work, they switch to ma­ peg to hang clothes; and, across from It is lit by fluorescent lights along the chine guns and shoot to kill. the bunk, one sheet steel (Excellent ceiling. strength) folding shelf bolted to the Cells are painted an obnoxious light Cell Blocks wall, which serves as a seat or desk. aquamarine color. The walkways and Cell blocks measure 110 feet (1 Each cell has a ventilator grille, 6 broadway are unpainted concrete. area) by 66 feet (1/2 area) and are 45 inches square, of Remarkable The whole cell block smells like a

21 locker room, an odor masked by a building. There are also 2 guards at the heavy layer of disinfectant. Every motor pool and 4 at each end of the sound echoes up and down the block. bridge. During business hours another The block entrance is protected by two dozen support staffers are in the a steel door with a gunport and peep­ prison's kitchens, shops, and offices. hole. Beyond the door is a one-story A convict's day begins at 6 AM, "office" with a single wooden desk, when wake-up bells rouse him. After an enclosed restroom, and a wall tele­ 20 minutes to clean up, he stands at phone. The office measures 10 feet by the cell front for morning head count. 12 feet and is otherwise empty. Then down to the mess hall, breakfast There is a 10-foot gap between the (20 minutes), check in the flatware, cell banks and the block entrance. down into the yard and into the shops, This is for the barred "gun galleries" work until 11:20 AM, another trip to from which guards can fire from cover The admin building has two sepa­ the mess hall and 20 minutes for on any cell or any point in the broad­ rate basements. One, reached by a lunch, work in the "Shops unHI 4:30 way. One cannot enter a gun gallery staircase off the main hallway, has PM, dinner, evening head cOllnt,back from inside the block; they are acces­ three temporary holding cells. The to the cell. Lights out at 9:30 PM. Re­ sible only by separate entrances out­ other, accessible only by a gangway in peat endlessly. side the building. the warden's office, leads to the On Sundays convicts get an hour in Air conditioners fill the small sub­ prison armory. This holds 80 wooden chapel and an hour in the exercise basements beneath each block. batons (truncheons), 80 assault rifles, yard. On Christmas and New Year's, These, too, are inaccessible from in­ 40 tear-gas grenades, 40 smoke an extra hour-when it's so cold one side. With the touch of a button, prison bombs, 40 flak jackets, and plenty of can hardly stand it No other holidays. officials can, in emergencies, release ammo. The armory is protected by This is the prison routine. No won­ tear gas or smoke through the ventila­ steel walls of Amazing strength. The der everyone wants out. But only cer­ tion system. lock is exceptionally difficult to pick (-1 tain convicts have had the power to Beneath Cell Block A is "the CS to attempts). Only the warden and fulfill their dreams. dungeon"-the group of cells for soli­ two senior guards have keys. tary confinement. Each of these eight cells measures 5 by 8 feet and holds a Shops SUPER VILLAINS AT bunk and a toilet. There are no bars; The shops, all one story tall, are of instead, each cell has a steel door. In­ various sizes-generally around 60 RYKER'S side, it is pitch dark. Prisoners are feet long by 20 feet wide. Here the Cell Block K was once the "Special punished for various infractions by convicts make brooms, twine, and, Security " block. Shortly after the mod­ stays in the solitary cells. By law, no yes, license plates. They earn 19 ern age of super humans began, this prisoner may be confined to solitary cents an hour, payable when their sen­ block was hastily upgraded to contain for more than 15 days at a stretch. tence is finished. (Departing convicts super-powered villains, notably Elec­ also get a new suit and a stern lecture tro, the Vuiture, the Sandman, The Service Building from the warden). Bullseye, and Paste-Pot Pete (before This is the same size as a cell block, Each building has machinery ap­ he renamed himself the Tr apster). but has only one story and a base­ propriate to its function. In general, The Special Security block also ment. The main floor contains the machines weigh 1000 pounds and are served as a temporary holding facility laundry, prison library, kitchen, and of Excellent material, but take only for villains of other states or nations mess hall. In the basement are the Typical damage before they stop func­ while they were awaiting extradition. power generator, tools, and other util­ tioning. Among these were Diablo, Kraven tile ity equipment. Each shop has one door with a Hunter, and Mysterio. The single entrance to this building metal detector. Most have loading For various reasons, many villains holds a built-in metal detector, or bays, but these are always locked ex­ have never stayed at Ryker's. Those "snitch box " in the inmates' jargon. cept when actually in use-and then who commit federal crimes are sen­ they are carefully guarded. Convicts tenced to feder.al penitentiaries. Mad­ The Administrative Building often try to sneak aboard the trucks men such as the Scorpion and Doctor Measuring 45 feet long by 28 feet and hide amid the supplies. The ones Octopus go to asylums upstate. Doc­ wide, this simple two-story building who are caught earn a stretch in soli­ tor Doom, as monarch of latveria, has holds a receiving area for visitors, a tary. The ones who aren't get outside diplomatic immunity from prosecu­ small infirmary, the guards' lounge, the complex, but are usually found by tion. And then there are the ones flO and the warden's office. The second searches at the island bridge. prison can hold, like the Hulk and tile story is taken up by the guards' uni­ Sub-Mariner. form lockers and the storage lockers The Prison Routine for the prisoners' effects. The admin At any time there are 40 guards on Special Security building ils the only one in the prison duty-2 per cell block, plus 8 on the Prison officials retrofitted the cells with windows. walls and 10 in the yard or the admin in Block K with special modules. 22 These cell-sized "coffins" slid into the Warden Stanford achieved this post CRIMES existing cell compartments. Designed through talent and tact, after a long by Stark Enterprises (now Stane Inter­ career in a small minimum-security fa­ The inmates here have committed every conceivable crime short of gen­ national), these mod ules were meant cility in California. It must be said that to hold the toughest super villains. the transition to Ryker's, where the ocide. Continuing these habits, the prisoners get accomplices or bribed The mod ules had thick titanium prisoners call the warden names and guards to smuggle in drugs, weapons, steel alloy walls of Monstrous there are no tennis courts, has taken and contraband. Leaders of highly or­ strength. Guards passed food and wa­ him aback. Still, he's coping so far. ganized operations, such as Maggia ter inside through double-chambered Appearance: 5'11/1 , 190 Ibs. Stout, chiefs, often continue to run things "airlock" slots in the doors. Sanitary black hair (bald on top), well- dressed. arrangements are not recorded, but Quiet manner, given to long piercing while in jail. may have used the same system. stares. Dry sense of humor. Stanford Obviously the central crime in a Individual modules could be tai­ has quit smoking and lives in misery prison is the escape attempt. No con­ vict thinks of anything else. lored for their inhabitants. The Sand­ because of it-he sucks pencils, The showiest escape from Ryker's man's module, for instance, was chews gum, and eats too much. was actually broadcast live on na­ completely airtight, so he could not Ta lents: Administration, police proce­ tional TV. Ta lk show host To m Snyde flow out the cracks. Electro's was well­ dures, criminology, diplomacy. presented an exclusive interview with grounded and insulated; it was lit only Typical Dialogue: "Out in Sacra­ Bullseye, shown from the assassin's by chemical luminescence, not elec­ mento we 'd punish this man by cut­ tricity. ting his weekend furloughs. I imagine own cell. Bullseye stole a guard's gun, took Snyde hostage, made his way Obviously the mod ules did not that wo n't work here. Recommenda­ into the yard, and shot out the tower work. Jailbreaks from Ryker's were tions?" scandalously frequent, and wardens searchlights. In the darkness the bat­ tle chopper came down for a good were changed almost with the sea­ Prison guards shot; Bullseye grabbed it, climbed up, sons. Something had to give. FAS E RI P Gd Gd Ty Gd Ty Ty Ty killed everyone inside, and flew away. Snyde was fired, and so was yet an­ Villains on the Move Health: 36 Karma: 18 other Ryker's warden. Ryker's no longer holds super­ Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 In another case a convict didn't human criminals, due to the difficulty Appearance: Black long-sleeved shirt even have to escape. A CIA official got of restraining them. Also, families of and slacks; police-style black cap; covert permission to take Frank Cas­ ordinary inmates complained that black boots. Guards do not wear neck­ they were endangered by close prox­ ties, because convicts may try to use tle, the vigilante called the Punisher, outside the walls to capture a drug imity to super-human villains. After them as garrotes. gang. The Punisher killed the gang numerous jailbreaks did massive Ta lents: Law enforcement. me mbers, and then, of course, es­ damage, Ryker's "Special Security" Equipment: Pistol, nightstick (treat as caped the CIA to continue his one­ block was shut down . club), halogen flashlight, mace canis­ Ryker's sent its super-human in­ ter, two-way radio. Guards in cell man, illegal war on crime. mates to several other facilities, nota­ blocks also carry handcuffs. In emer­ bly the semi-secret energy research gencies guards and other staffers facility in the Ad irondack Mountains wear flak jackets. CAMPAIGN USE called Project: Pegasus. When that Manhattan: If heroes want to follow too proved incapable of holding vil­ Typical inmate through after a particularly tough bat­ lains without damage, the federal gov­ FA S E RI P tle and say, "I'm hauling this bozo to ernment constructed the Maximum Gd Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Pr prison myself! " -send the prisoner to Security Installation for the Incarcera­ Health: 28 Karma: 16 Ryker's. tion of Super-human Criminals, nick­ Resources: Good(10) Popularity: -1 The prison also provides a dramatic named "The Vault." Appearance: Male (Ryker's has no fa­ backdrop for a jailbreak scenario, or a cilities for female prisoners), gray-blue hostage situation. A villain takes a few denim shirt and trousers, haunted or guards hostage and demands that his NPCs sullen look. old enemy (a PC hero) come in un­ armed and helpless . Does the hero Bennett B. "Big Ben" Stanford EqUipment: All of a prisoner's pos­ Warden sessions are taken and stored when comply? If not, the guards die, and the Karma loss is the hero's! FAS E RI P he reaches Ryker's. The prisoner is is­ Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Gd Ty sued two sets of clothing and six pairs Health: 24 Karma: 26 of socks; toiletries such as a tooth­ Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 4 brush, toothpaste, safety-razor holder, Stanford is the latest in a long line of and shaving mug; a handkerchief, Ryker's wardens and is well aware of towel, mattress, and bed linens; a tin the high turnover. But with the super­ cup; a hand mirror and nail clippers; human villains gone, he hopes to and one pair of shoes. And that's all. achieve job security.

23 CHAPTER 2: Manhattan

Given the upheaval Manhattan has dimensional being called the tures for the seasons, rounded off to endured in the Marvel Universe, one Beyonder roamed all over Manhattan, the nearest degree Fahrenheit. With wonders how it still stands, let alone experimentally creating chaos and this chart, Manhattan's heroes have a thrives. then wiping memories of the events standard for comparison when man­ Super-human villains knock over from the minds of witnesses. made or supernatural phenomena al­ banks and jewelry stores with monoto­ The recent crisis called "Inferno" ter the weather. nous regularity. The villain Graviton plunged Manhattan into chaos, as raised an entire Fifth Avenue depart­ waves of heat and cold struck the city; Month High Low Av g. ment store into the air and tried to hold telephones, fi replugs, and other inani­ January 39 26 32 it for ransom. Another villain, Light­ mate objects came to life and at­ April 61 44 52 master, blacked out the city at one tacked passersby; minor demons July 85 68 77 time, and the Shocker threatened to roamed the streets; and the Empire October 67 51 59 do the same unless the city govern­ State Building grew a mile high. How­ ment paid him a million dollars. The ever, when the X-Men and X-Factor re­ Humidity remains fairly constant at American government super soldier solved the crisis, New Yo rk was 60-67% year round, winds are seldom called Nuke devastated part of the magically restored to normality and, strong in the city, rainfall is moderate, Hell's Kitchen neighborhood before again, inhabitants retained no mem­ and about three feet of snow fall in a Daredevil defeated him. ory of its events. normal winter. Other villains based in Manhattan Most spectacular of the disasters include Dreadnought, the Hellfire striking Manhattan came from Galac­ Geology Club, Killer Shrike, Madcap, Mad tus's onetime herald, Te rrax. He sur­ It is frequently observed that Man­ Dog, selected Morlocks, the Rose, the rounded the island with a force field, hattan is built on solid bedrock­ Tinkerer, the newest Ye llowjacket, as Zodiac had, but then levitated the usually by incredulous natives when White Dragon, and many more. (For whole works high into space, above some villain creates an earthquake. these villains' descriptions and statis­ the Earth's atmosphere. Te rrax meant But in fact northern Manhattan is cut tics, see the Gamer's Handbook of the to coerce the Fantastic Fo ur into fight­ by several geologic faults, the longest Marvel Universe, Concrete Jungle, ing Galactus. Though his scheme bisecting the island from northwest to New Yo rk, New Yo rk, and other failed dismally, he created havoc with southeast above Centra'l Park. This MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ the city's bridge and tunnel systems. fault, deep benealh the surface, pro­ products.) Manhattanites certainly live excit­ vides an avenue down to the undis­ The Kingpin's criminal organization ing lives. covered city of the Lava Men, miles grows in power. The Maggia families beneath Manhattan. are on the run, but still make mischief. Still, Manhattan's geology is re­ The amoral corporation Roxxon is OV ERVIEW markably stable. Some of the rock based in Manhattan, and the villains it Smallest of New Yo rk City's bor­ types found here are named for the employs sometimes wind up operat­ oughs, Manhattan Island measures city: Manhattan schist, Brooklyn ing closer to home than board execu­ 13.4 miles long by 2.3 miles at its wid­ gneiss. Only CL1000 power could cre­ tives like. Vigilantes such as the est point. For the hero plugging num­ ate significant seismic disturbances Punisher and Nimrod are based here bers into a spaceship or helicarrier along the faults, or CL3000 force else­ as well. computer, Manhattan's coordinates where. Over the years, Atlantis has in­ are 40 degrees north latitude and 74 vaded the island of Manhattan three degrees west longitude. Layout times. The evolutionary offshoot of hu­ The name "Manhattan" comes Visitors are always told not to drive manity called the Deviants has re­ from an Algonquian Indian word in Manhattan. This is excellent advice, cently attacked it. The villainous meaning "island of the hills." To day but not necessarily because of a con­ organization known as Zodiac erected the hills are concrete and steel sky­ fusing layout. The sfreets are hazard­ a force field around Manhattan and scrapers, and the borough is the cen­ ous to the visitor because tlhey are demanded ransom. In his numerous ter of finance, commerce, art, and crowded, parking is either expensive attempts to devour the Earth, Galac­ society for New Yo rk City and the en­ or nonexistent, and tlraffic jams are tus has always tried to start in Manhat­ tire United States. frequent. But for most of its length tan. And when the fire demon Surtur Manhattan's layollt is s·t if'ikilngly regu­ lar. tried to conquer Asgard, home of Thor Climate and the other Norse gods, Manhattan The climate is typically New En­ Blocks stretch in a neat rectangular was hit by blizzards of snow in the gland: hot summers, cold and snowy grid from the northernmost tip 'of the heat of summer. winters, beautiful autumns, and short island (" uptown") to about five-sixths During the second so-called "Se­ and uncertain springtimes. The fol­ of the way downtown . There they give cret Wa r," an omnipotent other- lowing chart gives typical tempera- way to the labyrinths of Greenwich Vil-

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To Bay Ridge, Brooklyn ...... (Home of ...... Sigurd Jarlson) lage (in the west) and Chinatown and Bridge and into the Bronx. the Financial District (near Battery Almost all streets and avenues in West End (Eleventh above 57th): Park, the southernmost point of Man­ Manhattan are one-way to traffic. The 59 hattan). These are the oldest parts of two-way streets, twice as wide as the Broadway: the city, built before its layout was others, are Canal, Houston, 14th, 1-754: below 8th Street (do not planned. 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 57th, 72nd, 79th, make a change) New Yo rk's streets are generally 86th, 96th, 106th, 116th, 125th, 135th, 755-858: -29 wide and well designed, but also and 145th. Tr affic on Broadway is two­ 859-958: -25 crowded, dirty, and in poor repair. For way above 59th Street, one-way Above 959: -31 more about life on the streets, see southbound below it. Chapter 5. This section describes the Exceptions: For the following street layout for heroes who need to Street Address Finder streets, drop the last digit of the ad­ get around town. With over 200 streets crossing the dress but don 't divide the result. The north-south verticals in the avenues, how do the Judge and play­ Add or subtract this key number: Manhattan grid are the avenues, num­ ers know where to find a given avenue Fifth Av enue, 776-1 286: -1 8 bered from east to west, First through address? Use this handy locator. Central Park West : 60 Tw elfth. Fourth Avenue turns into Park Ta ke the avenue address, drop the Riverside Drive: Avenue above 14th Street; Lexington last figure (for instance, 460 Park Ave­ 1-567: 73 Avenue lies between Third and Park; nue becomes 46), divide this number 568 +: 78 and Madison Avenue, home of the na­ in half (46 becomes 23), and add the tion's advertising industry, lies be­ key number for the appropriate ave­ tween Park and Fifth. nue from the following table (in this ex­ To try an example: Suppose you Fifth Avenue is the ritziest avenue in ample, 34). Subtract numbers know that the Hellfire Club Mansion is New Yo rk. Cross-street addresses in­ preceded by minus signs. The result located at 840 Fifth Avenue. Ta ke the crease east or west from Fifth. The av­ is approximately the nearest cross street number (840), and drop the last enue's name stays resolutely Fifth all street. (In the example, 23 + 34 = digit (84); because it falls in an "ex­ the way up to the Harlem River. 57th Street.) ception" area (see above), do not di­ "Sixth" Avenue is more accurately vide by 2. Then look up the key known as the Avenue of the Americas, number listed above-for this section and banners of all the nations in Key Numbers of Fifth Avenue, it's -18. Adding that North, South, and Central America Avenues A, B, C, and D: 3 to what we had before, we get 66. So hang along its length. Above Central First Avenue: 3 the mansion is located near the corner Park this avenue becomes Lenox Ave­ Second: 3 of Fifth Avenue and 66th St. nue. Several other numbered ave­ Third: 10 nues also change names as one Lexington: 22 The Highways moves uptown. Park: 34 Manhattan's coast is bounded by In the Lower East Side, four addi­ Madison: 27 two giant highways. The Elevated tional avenues run parallel to First Av­ Fourth: 8 Highway runs along the East River enue, lettered A through D toward the Fifth: waterfront, tunneling under the United East River. Up to 200: 13 Nations complex at 42nd Street and The horizontal bars in the grid are 201-400: 16 emerging as the Franklin D. the streets, numbered from 1 st to 401 -600: 18 Roosevelt Drive, also known (very de­ 215th (and even higher in the Bronx). 601 -775: 20 scriptively) as the East River Drive. These form rectangular blocks that 776-1286: See exceptions On the western waterfront, a single are sometimes much longer than they below highway starts in the south as West are wide. In general, assume 20 1287-1 500: 45 Street, then becomes in succession blocks per mile heading north-south, 1501-2000: 24 Eleventh Avenue, Tw elfth Avenue, the but as few as five or six moving east­ Sixth (Ave. of Americas): -1 2 West Side Elevated Highway, and the west. Lenox (Sixth above Cent. Park): Henry Hudson Parkway. This is one Running diagonally across the 110 street! Ye s, Manhattan's avenues are whole length of Manhattan is Broad­ Seventh: 12/ 1801 +: 20 strikingly regular, but there are excep­ way, a legend in theatrical history and, Eighth: 9 tions. around Ti mes Square, a breeding Ninth: 13 In the Marvel Universe, part of the ground for crime and vice. Broadway Columbus (Ninth above Broad­ West Side Highway is abandoned. A runs north from Battery Park and way): 59 forty-five block (21/2 mile) stretch ex­ South Ferry to 10th Street, then an­ Te nth: 13 tends north from the Wo rld Tr ade Cen­ gles left to run in a diagonal streak Amsterdam (Tenth above 57th): ter. Joggers run on the empty across the island. Above 77th Street it 59 highway, and Daredevil has been turns north again and eventually Eleventh: 15 seen using it as a shortcut over traffic merges with Eleventh (West End) Ave­ below. nue. It continues over the 225th Street The highway's underside is high, 26 dark, and unexplored-a perfect hid­ ing place. For years the Casket of An­ Cient Winters, a powerful magical artifact, lay hidden there. It was re­ trieved and opened as part of the fire demon Surtur's scheme to destroy the universe. The casket contained "the fury of Niffleheim," the frozen realm of the dishonored dead in Norse mythol­ ogy. When it was opened, New Yo rk City was plunged into winter in July. The thunder god, Tho� led the forces that defeated Surtur's plan and re­ stored Manhattan's weather to nor­ mal. The Casket of Ancient Winters was hidden under the West Side Highway. Who knows what else may lie there?

The Wa terfront New Yo rk's bay is one of the great natural harbors of the world. However, the city itself sees comparatively little water traffic nowadays. Most freight traffic, now handled in containerized shipping, goes through the container terminal across the bay at Port Eliza­ beth, New Jersey. Passenger vessels in Manhattan dock at a few Hudson River piers on the Lower West Side, between 45th and 54th Streets. These are almost all luxury ships headed for or returning from Caribbean cruises. In the old days, gambling ships full of rich folks would sail into the Atlantic beyond US territorial waters and set up water­ borne casinos. Now gamblers just drive down the coast to the casinos of Atlantic City. Seaport Museum. All of these extend Buses: Routes run on all avenues, Hudson River piers are numbered off South Street, which runs along the maj or crosstown streets, and a few from 25 to 99, south to north, though waterfront by the Elevated Highway. weird zigzag patterns. There is usu­ many numbers are skipped. Pier 25 Above the Brooklyn and Manhattan ally a bus stop every couple of blocks. extends from the Tr ibeca area of south Bridges on the Lower East Side lie The system is completely bewildering, Manhattan, and the rest are lined up Piers 34-44. There is no easy numeri­ and good luck getting the drivers to northward at regular intervals about cal way to locate these piers. tell you anything. 300 feet (2 areas) apart. To locate A typical pier is about 500-600 feet Fare is one dollar, exact change re­ Piers 64 through 99, subtract 40 from (4 to 5 areas) long. Width and materi­ quired (no bills), with free Add-A-Ride the pier number to find the number of als vary widely, but in general assume transfers. As often as not, though, he­ the nearest street. For instance, Pier a pier 20 feet wide and made of wood roes hitch free rides atop the bus. 69 is right by 29th Street. boards of Good strength. Dock sup­ For a physical description of a typi­ East River piers are fewer in num­ ports, or pilings, are thick oak of Ex­ cal bus, see Chapter 4. ber than those in the Hudson River. cellent strength. The Subway: Slightly less complex They start with the Municipal Ferry than the bus system, the subway sys­ Te rminal just east of Battery Park, Tr ansport tem is also more crowded in the day­ where the Staten Island Ferry docks. If the characters don't want to drive time and more dangerous at night. Its Five piers (6, 9, 11 , 13, and 14 south to on the crowded, pothole-ridden, un­ three main lines are abbreviated IRT, north) stretch out from the Financial nerving streets, New Yo rk also offers IND, and BMT. Each line has four to District; Pier 6 is a heliport. Three crowded buses, crime-ridden sub­ six train routes. In general, these run more piers, just south of the Brooklyn ways, and unnerving taxicabs. Or they north-south across Manhattan and Bridge, make up the South Street can walk. into neighboring boroughs. But a few

27 lines take a sharp right at Central Park Koch. However, in the Marvel Uni­ Description: These towering sky­ into Queens. verse Koch did not win the last elec­ scrapers are part of what is usually Subway stops can be found every tion; he lost to Randolph Winston called the Financial District. This is few blocks downtown, and every four Cherryh, a career politician with orga­ what people around the world think of to six blocks uptown. Fare is one dol­ nized crime connections. Cherryh when they think Of New Yo rk City­ lar, in the form of a token bought in the was a puppet of the Kingpin, but Dare­ and, to a certain extent, of America. station. devil forced the crime lord to give up But there is a patch of green here, For more about subways, see Cherryh. Though he won the election, too, at the extreme tip of the island. Chapter 5: Underground Manhattan Cherryh followed the Kingpin's orders Battery Park, named because it and the system maps on the cover to to the end, admitted his crime connec­ once held a fortSO with an artillery bat­ the Adventure Book. tions, and resigned before taking of­ tery, is I:aden with commemorative Ta xicabs: Heroes seldom take cabs, fice. Koch became Mayor instead, monuments. Castle Clinton is a re­ but it is not unknown. Even the FF had and Cherryh's current whereabouts stored cirCular building with red sand­ to flag one down to go to the Baxter are unknown. stone walls eight feet thick Building when their aircraft crashed in New Yo rkers also elect a 39- (Remarkable strength). The Staten Is­ Central Park. member City Council every four land Ferry docks here. By law, drivers cannot refuse "or­ years. The third major governing body Landmarks: The twin skyscrapers derly" passengers transport any­ is the Board of Estimate, which has of the World Tr ade Center; the New where in the five boroughs. In the vital task of preparing the city Yo rk Stock Exchange; Chase Manhat­ practice, good luck if you want to go to budget. The Mayor, the City Council tan Bank, Citibank, and nearly every Brooklyn or Queens, or the jungle of president, and the comptroller (trea­ other national bank; the AT &T Build­ the south Bronx. surer) each have three votes on the ing; and City Hall, including the May­ Fare is $1.10 for the first ninth of a Board, and the presidents of the five or's offices. mile, a dime per additional ninth; driv­ boroughs have two votes apiece. Notable Residents: Ve ry tew peo­ ers expect a tip of 15 to 20 percent, New Yo rk's government seldom fig­ ple live in the Financial DistriCt. A rare and woe betide the fares who stiff ures in Marvel adventures, but there residential site includes the studio of them. Passengers pay highway tolls. has been widespread corruption in its blind sculptress Alicia Masters Storm, Most cabs carry no more than four upper reaches since the 19th-century wife of the Human To rch. passengers. days of Boss Tw eed and Ta mmany Notes: For more information, see Several competing cab fleets troll Hall, if not before. This political graft is "The Financial District" list1n.9 in the the streets downtown. It is usually a white-collar crime, not in the usual run next chapter. routine matter to flag one down ...ex­ of villainous schemes-but any crime cept during rush hours and bad can be the springboard for a role­ Tribeca weather-and when you really need playing scenario. Area: Southwest Manhattan, west one. of Lower Broadway. A triangu'lar area In addition to the cab companies, bounded by Canal Street (north), West "gypsy cabs" roam the streets. These MANHATTAN'S Broadway (east), and West Street private entrepreneurs, meter less and (west). unlicensed by the city's Ta xi and Lim­ NEIGHBORHOODS Description: Tr ibeca Is a,.. abbrevi­ ousine Commission, can be seen as As mentioned earlier, New Yo rk City ation for the "TRiangle BElow CAnal romantic freelancers or extortionists, is a huge conglomeration of neighbor­ Street." Thi$ is one of the current ref­ depending on one's viewpoint. hoods, each with its own character, uges for artists, nonconformists, and Physical description of taxicabs and population, history, and atmosphere. other bohemians in Manhattan, pre­ typical drivers are in Chapter 5. Such rich diversity is impossible to vious domainS like Greenwich Village Air Tra vel: The city has four heli­ summarize, but here is a naive at­ having grown too fashionable and ex­ ports, not to mention landing facilities tempt, confined to Manhattan alone. pensive. Warehouses and factories for various exotic spacecraft atop The districts are described in rough have become living quarters and stu­ Four Freedoms Plaza. geographical order, moving from dios, and now restaurants, cl'ubs, and The two airports that service Man­ south to north. bars have begun to follow the artists. hattan are both in Queens. See the There's some industry here, too. entry for "May Parker's Boarding Landmarks: Exit from the Holland House" on page 12. White Hall, Wa ll Street, and Lower Tu nnel (see :page 18) on Canal Street. Broadway Former headquarters of X-Factor, now Government Area: White Hall and Wall Street be­ demolished. Since Manhattan hosts New Yo rk gin at the southern tip of Manhattan City's City Hall, a brief mention of the above Battery Park. Fulton Street is Lower East Side and the Bowery city's government is in order here. their northern boundary. Lower Broad­ Area: Southwest Manhattan water­ The chief political figure is the way lies just above both, between the front. Sou1h boundary, Fulton above Mayor, who is elected to a four-year Lower East Side (boundary: Park the Wall Street district. The neighbor­ term. In Marvel Manhattan, as in our Row) and Tr ibeca to the west (bound­ hood stretches north along the East world, the Mayor is currently EdWard ary: West Broadway). River waterfront like a cance.r.Inl and it

28 is stopped only by the Bowery and nantly Italian descent, and the district The Coffee Bean (2nd Street off Chinatown, and farther north by First offers some of the best Italian restau­ Second Avenue) is a small coffee and Second Avenues. rants and street cafes in the country. shop and cafe that caters to the col­ Description: This area was built in Little Italy was the site of a rampage lege and teen crowd (including, in the last century to house a melange of by the super-powered villain Ve rmin times past, Peter Parker and the origi­ poor ethnic immigrants, and it has re­ during a recent San Gennaro Festival nal X-Men). mained poor and diverse ever since­ (held each year in early September). Owned by two old men who haven't old buildings, shops that display their Spider-Man and Captain America been teenagers since the Hoover ad­ goods on the sidewalk, ethnic restau­ stopped the rat-like predator. For ministration, "the Bean" has always rants. Heavy crime, especially at more about Ve rmin, see Chapter 5. been about a year late in joining any night. Landmarks: The main streets in lit­ given fad . It has been a beatnik hang­ Landmarks: Josie's, a bar for low­ tle Italy are Grand and Broome, which out, a go-go psychedelic joint, a disco, lifes Uust off South Street on the wa­ run east-west, and Mulberry and Mott and a fern bar. Now it's trying to cash terfront). (north-south). in on breakdancing. No fad is dead Notable Residents: Hoodlum Tu rk until it appears at the Coffee Bean. Barrett and his buddy Grotto. A shack SoHo Notable Residents: The poet W. H. beneath a pier is the hideout for the Area: The district "SOuth of HOus­ Auden once lived here. Nick Fury has small-time Slaughter assassination ton Street," and also west of Broad­ an apartment on 10th Street between ring, which does some work for the way, east of West Broadway, and First and Second Avenue. Kingpin. north of Canal. Notes: For more information, see Notes: For more information, see Description: No connection to Lon­ the "Empire State University" Hot­ the "Yancy Street" Hotspot listing in don's Soho district. Lots of century-old spot listing in the next chapter. the next chapter. cast-iron buildings, and at one time plenty of cast-iron artists who endured Greenwich Village Chinatown the conditions of windy lofts and stu­ Area: An irregularly shaped collec­ Area: Baxter Street east to Park dios. Once the area became fashion­ tion of irregular neighborhoods in Row and the Bowery, south of Bayard able, rents drove the artists out (see lower west Manhattan, bounded by Street. Greenwich Village). Tr endy galleries, Broadway (east), the Hudson (west), Description: Home to much of rock clubs, fashionable shops and Houston (south), and 14th Street Manhattan's Oriental population, this restaurants. All of SoHo is protected (north). area is a major tourist attraction. It fea­ as a national landmark. Description: Once nonconformist, tures many souvenir shops and terrific Landmarks: Ukifuni Oddities (Ca­ unfashionable, and cheap, the area is Chinese restaurants. Visitors notice nal Street and W. Broadway), a shop now posh but still nonconformist. The­ narrow streets, tenement buildings, selling Japanese weaponry and trin­ aters, coffehouses, art galleries, jazz newsstands loaded with Chinese kets, once a base for the Oriental as­ cl ubs. See "Doctor Strange's Sanc­ newspapers and magazines, un­ sassins' guild called The Hand. tum" in the next chapter. friendly shopkeepers, and lots of Notable Residents: Sersi, an Eter­ Landmarks: Washington Square lights and neon. nal who specializes in transformation Park at the foot of Fifth Avenue; New In the Marvel Universe, gang war­ powers, keeps a loft on Grand Street Yo rk University, above and below the fare has been a problem here. The off Broadway. park; Bleecker Street; Christopher Kingpin supports attempts by the vil­ Notes: Houston Street is pro­ Street. lain White Dragon to consolidate nounced "HOUSE-ton." The site of the former Tr iangle Waist these gangs; the Kingpin himself has Factory is at 22 Washington Place. In remarkably little influence in China­ East Village 1911 the historic fire here took the town. White Dragon's gang, the Drag­ Area: Bounded by Houston (south), lives of 150 workers. The incident be­ onlords, clashes with another gang 14th Street (north), First Avenue came a rallying point in the labor called the Tiger's Claw, dedicated to (east), and Broadway (west). movement, and led to laws improving peaceful protection of the Chinatown Description: So called because it is factory work conditions. area. the eastern part of Greenwich Village Notable Residents: Doctor Landmarks: Criminal Courts Build­ (see below), the East Village enjoyed a Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme; ing; District Attorney To wer'S offices. brief vogue as a psychedelic hippie Misty Knight, half of Nightwing Resto­ hangout in the 1960s. To day there is rations. Little Italy light business activity, but most of the Area: Northwest of Chinatown in East Village is given over to tenements. Murray Hill and Gramercy Park lower central Manhattan, bounded by There is an active Ukrainian commu­ Area: Gramercy is a wide rectangle Houston (north), Lafayette Street nity. Also, like Tr ibeca, the East Village just above the East Village, bounded (west), the Bowery (east), and Canal is getting more artists, students, and in­ by 18th and 23rd Streets and by Third (south). tellectuals fleeing the high rents of and Fifth Avenues. Murray Hill, above Description: This neighborhood is Greenwich Village and SoHo. Gramercy, is bounded by the same av­ said to be the most crime-free in New Landmarks: Empire State Univer­ enues between 23rd and 42nd Yo rk. The residents are of predomi- sity. Streets.

29 Description: Mostly low-rise office Description : Between a fifth and a apartments. Rather high-class, it buildings, light manufacturing, artists' third of all the clothing worn in Amer­ dates from the 1920s. and photographers' lofts, some very ica is made in this congested patch of Lal1dmarkS: Four freedoms Plaza, good residential housing. Not much Manhattan. Hundreds of showrooms former site of the Baxter Building and night life. line the walks, and above them hun­ home of Fantastic Four Inc.; the These districts used to be quite the dreds more workshops, factories, and United Nations; the Empire State fashionable spots in the days of gas­ storage rooms hold dresses, hats, Building; Marvel Comics; Rockefeller light. Now "faded elegance" best de­ jumpers, overcoats, and the special­ Center; St. Patric'k's Cathedral. Mid­ scribes some sections. The Va nderbilt ized high-teCh equipment that makes town is headquarters for the biggest Hotel became Four Park Avenue, them. companies in ,the Marvel Universe, in­ high-class apartment suites. An old J. By day 150,000 people work here. cluding Roxxon Oil. SHIELD's public P. Morgan carriage house (211 Madi­ union "push boys" wheel open racks headquarters once occupied Mid­ son) is now a cosmetics school. And along its narrow, crowded sidewalks. town's Citicorp Buildi�ng.T he DailyBu­ so it goes. Tr ucks jam the streets. At rush hour g/e Buildin.g is at '39th Street and A few skyscrapers and major firms the district becomes a madhouse. Second Avenue. do business here. On Fifth Avenue at Then at night it's deserted. Bellevue Hospital, the oldest gen­ 39th Street, on the border between From 25th to 30th Streets between eral hospital in North America, occu­ Murray Hill and the Garment District, Sixth and Eighth Avenues is the Fur pies about 12 square blocks on the stands an attractive office building, District, which manufactures 90% of East River between 25th and 30th headquarters for the Kingpin. all furs sold in this co untry. Streets. It has a reputation,as a mental Landmarks: Gramercy Park, Madi­ Landmarks: Macy's (34th Street hospital, but in fact it treats every con­ son Square Park; several insurance and Seventh); Gimbel's (Broadway ceivable illness. 11 pioneered the first company skyscrapers; the Police and 33rd); Pennsylvania Station, ambulance service (1863), nursing Academy; the J. P. Morgan Library. where trains enter and leave via un­ school (1873), and women medical Notes: The Kingpin's building is derground tunnels (31st Street West students in New Yo rk ,(1888). 11 devel­ briefly described in "The Financial and Seventh Avenue) ; General Post oped open-heart surgery and today District" in the next chapter. Office (31 st Street West and Eighth leads the world in advanced micro­ Avenue). Herald Square (Broadway surgery for the reattachment of sev­ Chelsea and Av enue of the Americas) figures ered limbs. Its morgue, processestens Area: On the west side of Manhat­ prominently in George M. Cohan's of thousands of bodies each year. Bel­ tan above Greenwich Village. From song "Give My Regards to Broad­ levue's new building, opened hi! 1973, 14th Street north to 28th Street (Fifth way." is 25 stories tall. to Eighth Ave nues) and to 30th Street Also in Midtown stands the New (from Eighth to the Hudson River). Midtown, Sutton, and Tudor City Yo rk Public Library (Fifth Avenue at Description: Restaurants, small Area: The eastern half of central 42nd Street), the second larges.t in the bars, renovated brownstones, and a Manhattan, from the Lower West Side United States after fhe Library of Con­ quiet style of life have made this area and Theater District (see below) to the gress in Washington, DC. This superb traditionally attractive to writers. East River. Bounded by 42nd Street library holds over five million volumes. Landmarks: Thomas Wolfe, Dylan (south), 59th Street (north), Avenue of Its large reference library could help Thomas, and Brendan Behan lived at the Americas up to 53rd, Eighth Ave­ heroes in an investigation. For in­ the Chelsea Hotel (222 We st 23rd nue up to 59th. stance, it includes telephone directo­ Street). Description : Midtown is the elite ries for every city 'in the United States, Notable Residents: Lowell business district in Manhattan a help in deciphering clues. Thomas, Arthur Godfrey, James Mi­ (though property values are not quite Notable Residents: T he Fantastic chener, and Dale Carnegie all lived as high as those around Wall Street). Four. here at one time. Maxine Lavender, Expensive restaurants, night life. Notes: For more information, see assistant district attorney (London Te r­ Posh Fifth Avenue department stores, the Hotspot list,ings in the next chapter race To wers, Ninth Avenue and 23rd including Farmingdale's (47th Street), for many of the landmarks listed Street). Peter and Mary Jane Parker Tiffany jewelers (57th), Gucci fashions above and the Financial District. lived at 410 Chelsea Street, but were (54th), furriers, high-priced art gal­ recently evicted and now reside with leries, and other tempting targets for Times Square & Theater District Peter's Aunt May in Queens. villains who need money. Midtown Area: Broadway from 41st to 53rd Notes: For more information, see West and East are shown on two of the Streets, and cross streets west to the "SHIELD Headquarters" Hotspot fold-up maps included in this set. Eighth Avenue; a few theaters and listing in the next chapter. Sutton is the district immediately many associated restaurants east to surrounding the United Nations, and the Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Av­ Garment District includes little private housing. enue). Area: A rectangle in south central Tu dor City, immediately below the Description:, Center of New Yo rk's Manhattan bounded by 28th and 38th United Nations, is a self-contained 12- night life, this district includes,both so­ Streets (south and north) and by Fifth building apartment comp1ex with its phisticated theaters and the sleaziest, and Ninth Avenues (east and west). own park, hotel, stores, and 3,000 most corrupt streets in Manhattan.

30 The main avenues are lined with and 70th). Schurz Park, East End Avenue at 88th cheap movie houses, souvenir shops, The Symkarian Embassy (Madison Street), home of New Yo rk's Mayor. and burlesque joints; side streets offer at 80th) represents the Balkan This clapboard structure was the first beautilul Art Deco architecture from postage-stamp country of Symkaria, house built facing the East River the days of vaudeville. It is a study in original home of the mercenary ad­ (1770, rebuilt 1798). contrasts. venturess Silver Sable. Notable Residents: The Mayor. Landmarks: Times Square; the Maria Stark Park (formerly Aveng­ Gem Theater, once headquarters for ers Mansion, 890 Fifth Avenue) is a Central Park Power Man and Iron Fist, Heroes for beautifully landscaped park, created Area: A thin vertical rectangle in Hire (234 West 42nd Street). when the latest incarnation of the central Manhattan between Fifth and Notable Residents: Josie, some­ Masters of Evil super-human villain Eighth Avenues, bounded to the south time informant for Daredevil (no per­ group demolished much of Avengers by 59th Street and to the north by manent address). Her "boyfriends" Mansion. The Avengers relocated to 110th. To the east lie the Upper East include some of the city's top criminal Hydro-Base (now Avengers Island) Side and East Harlem; to the west are figures. and turned the mansion site into the Upper and Lower West Sides. Notes: For more information, see parkland. The park is named for the Description: New Yo rk City's the "Times Square" Hotspot listing in mother of To ny Stark, patron of the "green lung," this huge park is beauti­ the next chapter. Avengers and secretly Iron Man. fully landscaped. It includes lakes and Maria Stark Park measures 88 a great reservoir, as well as sculp­ Lower West Side yards (2 areas) on a side. Its cobble­ tures, footpaths, gardens, and a small Area: From 34th Street (south) to stone pavement is of Good strength. zoo. 72nd Street (north), and from Eighth In the park stand several large mar­ Landmarks:Metropolitan Museum Avenue west to the Hudson River. ble statues of the founding members of Art, Receiving Reservoir. Description: See the "Hell's of the Av engers. Each of these statues Notable Residents: Frogs and rats Kitchen" entry in the next chapter. is of Excellent material strength. Each have been warring here for several Landmarks: Holy Ghost Cathedral, weighs about a ton, requiring Remark­ years, a struggle that involved Thor base of operations for Cloak and Dag­ able strength to lift and Incredible and Doctor Strange at different times. ger (42nd Street off Eighth Avenue). strength to throw. A large central Notes: For more information, see The Kingpin owns a nondescript build­ statue of all five original Av engers the Hotspot listings for "Central Park" ing on 50th Street and Eleventh Ave­ weighs three tons and is + 1 CS to lift and the "Metropolitan Museum" in nue, where he hid out in a or throw. the next chapter. sub-basement when he fi rst returned Notable Residents: Many of New to New Yo rk to resurrect his criminal Yo rk's most prosperous citizens live Upper West Side organization. here, including, before he was dis­ Area: West of Central Park from Notable Residents: Matt Murdock barred from law practice, Matt Mur­ 72nd Street (south) to 110th Street and Karen Page; Melvin Potter, once a dock. J. Jonah Jameson, publisher of (north). minor villain called Gladiator, now re­ the Daily Bugle , has a luxurious pent­ Description: On its western and formed and owner of a costume shop house on Lexington Avenue at 74th eastern sides, a posh residential and on 44th Street off Ninth Avenue. Street, not far from the Whitney Mu­ retail district, also known for some seum of American Art. elite night spots. In the center, along Upper East Side The Century Club, a five-story Broadway and Amsterdam, the area is Area: East of Central Park, from brownstone (Park Ave nue near 81 st) seedier; this was the original setting of 59th Street (south) up to 79th (east of is an exclusive men's dinner club. the Broadway play and movie West Lexington) and 96th (west of Lex­ Members include Jameson and Side Story. ington). Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. Fisk comes Prosperous professionals, artists, Description: The most expensive here occasionally to play billiards. and middle-class families passing residential area in the United States. Notes: For more information, see through from their co-ops and condos In the western part, doctors, lawyers, the "Hellfire Club Mansion" Hotspot do a good job of ignoring the bag and bankers live in slick condos on the listing in the next chapter. ladies that sleep on Broadway's grat­ avenues, and in elite, solidly built row ings. houses on the side streets. The east­ Yorkville Many of New Yo rk's best Chinese ern half, where the rents are slightly Area: From 59th Street (south) to restauarants are concentrated in this less stratospheric, houses yuppies 96th Street (north); from LexingtonAv­ area, earning it the nickname "Sze­ and singles. Lots of fine restaurants enue east to the East River. chuan Va lley" among diners. and night life here. Description: Once known as "Ger­ Landmarks: Lincoln Center, virtu­ Landmarks: Hellfire Club Mansion mantown," the population in this de­ ally a neighborhood by itself (Broad­ (475 Third Avenue); Latverian Em­ sirable Upper East Side way and 65th Street); Riverside Park, bassy (61st Street and Lexington Av e­ neighborhood is now more diverse. along the waterfront by the Henry nue); Wakandan Embassy (Madison High-rise apartments have begun to Hudson Parkway, stretching north into Avenue at 76th Street); Rockefeller replace old brownstones. Morningside Heights; University (on the river between 63rd Landmarks: Gracie Mansion (Carl The Dakota Apartments (1 West

31 72nd Street at Central Park West), (Broadway and 116th), an Ivy League ers is constant. first luxury apartment house in Man­ campus with 23,000 students; Landmarks: Mount Morris Park, hattan (1884), is still highly fashion­ Barnard College, nearby, the alumnus Jefferson Park. The Theresa Hotel able. It is a beautful Neo­ of Mrs. Haag of Damage Control; Riv­ (125th at Adam Clayton Powell Blvd), Romanesque brownstone, now best erside Park, Morningside Park. no longer a hotel, was once the home known as the last home of rock star The Cathedral of St. John the Di­ of F'idel Castro. The $chombur Library John Lennon. The film Rosemary 's vine (Amsterdam Avenue and 112th (515 Lenox Ave nue at 135th Street) is Baby was made here. Street) is intended to be the largest in the world's largest collection devoted The American Museum of Natural the world when completed-some to black culture and history. History and Hayden Planetarium time in the late 21st century! Notab1e Residents: Colleen Wing, (79th Street and Central Park West) General Grant National Memorial, one half of Nightwing Restorations, was the site of a pitched battle be­ popularly known as Grant's To mb lives in an apartment in East Harlem tween the forces of the Owl and Doc­ (123rd Street in Riverside Park), is im­ (Lexington Avenue at 120th Street). tor Octopus. It caused considerable mortalized in an idiot trivia question The Morgan organ:ization, a small damage that closed parts of the mu­ ("Who's buried there? "). The crime ring deeply involved in heroin seum for weeks. mausoleum-like monument is made of smuggling, is based in Harlem. The Upper West Side area holds white granite (Excellent material) and P. S. 42 and f.S. 44, the schools at­ stands 150 feet (10 areas) tall. Inside, Wa shington Heights a.ndlAbove tended by the Power children (Power surrounded by white marble walls and Area: Washington Heights reaches Pack). windows of golden glass, sits the open from 151$t Street north to 181st Numero Uno (Columbus and 74th), crypt bearing the sarcophagi of Presi­ Street, and to the Hudson and Harlem once one of New Yo rk's most exclu­ dent Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Rivers on both sides of Manhattan Is­ sive nightclubs during the disco Julia Dent Grant. land. craze, has hosted at least one per­ Notable Residents: The late Daniel Fort George extends from 181st formance by the Dazzler. The club is Rand, otherwise known as Iron Fist, north to Dyckman. less popular now but remains the lived in an apartment on 104th Street Inwood, northernmost of Manhat­ best-known of its type in the super­ off Broadway. tan's neighborhoods, covers all the human community. area north of Dyckman. Last stop on The Magical Chifd, the most com­ Harlem and East Harlem the A subway line. plete occult bookstore in the western Area: East Harlem, from 95th Street Description: These qUiet, hilly resi­ hemisphere, is on the Upper We st north to the Harlem River. Harlem, dential nei.ghborhoods seldom figure Side. from Fifth Av enue above Central Park in adventures. Notable Residents: Nightwing (east) west to the Hudson River, out­ Landmarks: Dy.ckman House Restorations keeps offices here (68th side Morningside Heights; and north (Broadway and 204th), the only surviv­ Street, half a block west of Central to 151st Street. ing farmhouse in Manhattan. Park). The Eternal Sersi lives on Description: Home of many of New The Cloisters, a collection of re­ Eighth Avenue at 74th Street opposite Yo rk's multitudes of black residents, stored medieval structures imported Central Park. who make up a quarter of the popula­ from Europe and reassembled at Mary Jane Watson-Parker lived on tion, Harlem has seen better times. It Manhattan's highest pOint. Much of 79th Street near Broadway before had a vogue in the 1920s, when well­ the MetropoHtan Museum's collection marrying Peter Parker. Clint Barton to-do whites went "slumming" there of medieval art is here, including the (Hawkeye) lived on Eighth Avenue to see Duke Ellington and other jazz famous Unicorn Ta pestries and the and 86th Street, facing Central Park, greats at the Cotton Club. But the Cot­ golden Cup of Antioch. before leaving New Yo rk to form the ton Club was razed to make way for a * * .. We st Coast Avengers. The Asgardian housing development, and Harlem is This overview of Manhattan 's enchantress Lorelei once lived in a a rotting ghetto of filthy streets and neighborhoods omits hundreds, if not penthouse facing Central Park, not far closed storefronts. thousands, of noteworthy sites. But it from Barton's residence. Lorelei has One lively street is West 125th. In indicates how prol1l1inent the city has since returned to Asgard. Franklin the wake of the 1960s civil rights been and remains in finance; the arts, "Foggy" Nelson lives on Columbus movement, this street has been fashion, and cosmopo'litan culture. and West 70th (Apartment 5E). renamed-not King, not M. L. King, The following chapter describes not even Martin Luther King, but, sat­ some of these notable sites in more Morningside Heights isfying the most exacting standards of detail. Chapters 5 and 6 take different Area: From 11Oth Street (south) to the politically correct, Martin Luther views of the same .city: of the typical 125th (north), and from St. Nicholas King Junior Boulevard. Though resi­ city street and Its inhabitants, and of Avenue (a block west of Eighth above dents mean no disrespect toward the the murky underworld beneath the Central Park) to the Hudson River. great man, they pragmatically abbre­ streets. Description: This area and those viate the jawbreaking name to "MLK." north are residential districts of pro­ It is full of fast food restaurants, gro­ gressively lower class. ceries, bars, boutiques, and discount Landmarks: Columbia University stores, and the noise of ghetto blast-

32 CHAPTER 3: MANHATTAN HOTSPOTS

stands the posh Plaza Hotel, where mornings and evenings on weekdays. CENTRAL PARK visiting dignitaries or playboy heirs to Though photos sometimes make weat wealth often stay. Hotel security the park look like dense fo rest good by conventional standards throughout, the terrain is rather var­ OVERVIEW IS but it is not up to dealing with an as� ied, not to mention rugged. However, One of the largest metropolitan sault by determined forces. Whether all of it is quite beautiful. For a taste of parks in the world, Central Park pro­ any force would assault it, and why, is the park's variety, see the next sec­ vides a breath of relatively fresh air for up to the Judge (see "Campaign tion. Manhattan's citizens. Its 840 acres Use," below). The southern part of the park, bor­ (about five per cent of Manhattan Is­ At the corner of 63rd Street and dering the ritziest areas in Manhattan land) include beautifully landscaped Eighth stands a humbler edifice, the is by far the most visited section. But meadows, reservoirs, sporting fields, YMCA. Several notable people have above the Receiving Reservoir, a small zoo, and the Metropolitan Mu­ stayed here in emergencies or to hide around 86th Street, the adjacent seum of Art. (See separate entry later out, most recently Peter Parker's neighborhoods grow ro ugher. Central in this chapter.) In the Marvel Uni­ friend Flash Thompson. Park's terrain here has been left al­ verse, Central Park is the battle­ most untouched, making it the most ground in an ongoing war between attractive area of the park. However, New Yo rk's frogs and rats. the crime rate here makes that section Address: Bounded by 59th Street DESCRIPTION dangerous for anyone but a hero. (south), 110th Street (north), Eighth The park is 2.4 miles (95 areas) long Speaking of heroes, none figure Avenue (west), and Fifth Ave nue by almost half a mile (19 areas) wide. among the many statues that dot the (east). The first three are called "Cen­ Like the Statue of Liberty, it owes its park. New Yo rkers hold some heroes tral Park South" or "East" or "West" existence to a newspaper crusade, in great respect, but the government for the length of the park, but Fifth Av­ this one by poet and journalist William decided that enshrining their images enue remains resolutely Fifth Avenue Cullen Bryant writing in the New Yo rk in Central Park would present a dan­ for its entire length. Grand Army Plaza Post, starting in 1850. gerously tempting target for any villai n lies at the southeast corner, and Co­ Along with several other literary and with a grudge. However, nearby Maria lumbus Circle at the southwest corner. political figures, Bryant urged the city Stark Park includes statues of all the See the fold-up map included in this to acquire and landscape what was Avengers. set. then a swamp north of the city, inhab­ ited only by squatters and their live­ Points of Interest stock. After a long fight, the city Ther THE AREA bought the land in 1856. Frederick e are too many of these to cover in this brief overview. Here are a Law Olmsted and Calvert Va ux de­ Central Park is well named, be­ few major features (moving generally signed the park. The city chased out cause it occupies al most the exact from south to north): the squatters, and over a billion tons center of Manhattan Island. The prop­ Th e Pond: This lies right by Grand of earth were moved in the landscap­ erty fronting the park is some of the Army Plaza in the park's southeast ing. choicest residential land in the world. corner, its most popular entrance. Be­ To day more than 80 million people a Just ask Clint Barton (Hawkeye), who nd the pond lies a bird sanctuary year visit Central Park, which is an of­ y� used to live here, or Sersi, who still With the most photographed pelicans ficial national landmark. The city gov­ does. in Manhattan. ernment clearly agrees with Ol msted: Art museums and history centers Th e Zoo and the Arsenal: A small "It is of great importance as the first also front the park: the Frick Collec­ zoo has an accompanying children's real park made in this country-a tion (Fifth Ave nue at 70th), the Gug­ zoo, a favorite of the Power Pack chil­ democratic development of the high­ genheim Muse um (Fifth at 88th), the dren. The Arsenal, a Gothic Revival est significance and on the success of American Museum of Natural History building of gray stone and red brick which, in my opinion, much of the and Hayden Planetarium (Eighth Ave­ with octagonal turrets, was built in the progress of art and aesthetic culture in nue between 77th and 81 st Streets), 1840s as a weapons storehouse. It this country is dependent." and many others. This section of Fifth has since been a weather station a Avenue is sometimes called "Mu­ ' Te rrain and Layout police precinct, and the first home of seum Mile." the American Museum of Natural His­ The entire park is su rrounded by At 890 Fifth Avenue (near 72nd tory (now on Central Park West be­ high stone walls (Excellent strength), Street) is Maria Stark Park, once the tween 77th and 81 st Streets). The but open gates punctuate the walls site of Avengers Mansion. The Aveng­ Arsenal now houses the New Yo rk City every few blocks. Four asphalt roads ers are now quartered on Avengers Is­ Parks and Recreation Dept. allowing auto traffic cross the park land (fo rmerly called Hydro-Base), off Chess and Checker House: This from east to west. The park is closed Liberty Island in New Yo rk Bay. to vehicles on weekends and at mid- building, which is exactly as it sounds, On the south side of Central Park

33 shows that park planners have not ne­ 1880. It was installed in the park, at Puddlegulp, Gullyw hump, Bugeye, glected sedentary leisure pursuits. (what was remarked at the time) "the Princess Greensong, Dewlap Lots of old guys sit at checkerboards worst place within the city for getting Frogs taking on all comers. Sometimes this an obelisk to." Despite its nickname, F A S E R P means more than they bargained for; the sculpture comes from Heliopolis, Fe Pr Fe Pr Pr Ty Ty see the Central Park scenario in the predates Cleopatra by five or ten cen­ Health: 12 Karma: 16 Adventure Book. turies, and has no historical associa­ Resources: Feeble(2) Popularity: 0 Across a path stands the Dairy, a re­ tion with her. It is not clear why the park's frogs stored Victorian Gothic building that The obelisk is made of pink granite and rats are at war, nor how long the houses the park's Visitor Information (Excellent material, although any conflict has raged. All that is 'Dormammu took over Doctor tor food. Strange's body, the Sorcerer Su­ Appearance: Small, gray, furry, na­ preme fled in astral form. To escape CAMPAIGN USE magical detection, Strange was ked gray tail, beady black eyes. Manhattan: Most heroes need to Ta lents: Running (as if Endurance forced to hide in the body of a rat. In relax. If they can't make the long trip were Good), biting, hiding. this form Strange infiltrated his Sanc­ out to Coney Island (see previous Typical Dialogue: "Get 'em, gang! tum Sanctorum and retrieved his talis­ chapter), the Judge can set them in Show the slimy creeps we mean busi­ mans of power. Aided by the Central Park to enjoy the scenery, ness!" sorceress Clea and the empath To ­ role-play, and meet NPC romantic in­ Story Function: Small-scale villains paz, Strange drove Dormammu away terests. Then liven the scenario with to oppose the frogs and their allies. and re-entered his body. an ordinary mugging or attempt at Appearance: As an ordinary rat (fe­ vandalism. Foiling petty crimes lets The Mighty Thor male, as it turned out). players show off in a relaxed mood. In frog form Known Powers : In rat form Strange Heroes strolling in Central Park can F GO (10) Health: 44 did not dare display magical powers, be handy witnesses to a kidnapping, A GO (10) lest he alert Dormammu to his where­ museum robbery, or mass destruction S PR (4) Karma: 76 abouts. But in the final confrontation taking place in the ritzy establish­ E EX (20) with the Dread One, Strange used his ments on the park's fringes. The Plaza R TV (6) Resources: FE(2) magical talismans with customary Hotel may hold a visiting ambassador I EX (20) skill. Therefore, he probably retained who is being kidnapped. Someone is P AM (50) Popularity: 0 most or all of his magical powers in rat robbing a museum or rich man's man­ Thor's evil half-brother, Loki, turned form. sion. A stranded alien invades the Thor into a frog as part of a plot to rule Hayden Planetarium, trying to find a Asgard, home of the gods. But though way to phone home. far weaker than in his human form, CRIMES If they are visiting the park in their Thor was still quite powerful by frog Central Park is notorious nation­ secret identities, the heroes may be standards. He fell into the struggle be­ wide for its crime rate, especially after delayed getting to the scene of the tween the frogs and rats and proved dark and especially in the north, in the crime while they switch into costume. decisive in winning a great battle for sections bordering Harlem. Mug­ The Judge may indulge in a few sadis­ the frogs. gings, stabbings, and purse­ tic jabs at the player, describing the In frog form Thor eventually recov­ snatchings are routine. Vandalism is chaos at the crime scene while the ered his enchanted Uru hammer, common. Gangs fight their battles hero pulls off his tie and shoves on his Mjolnir, and managed to lift it . By do­ there, as Frank Castle (the Punisher) mask. ing so he gained "the power of Thor," can testify. For a really offbeat adventure, turn returned to normal size and power A hero on patrol or just wandering the heroes into frogs or rats and put (though he still looked much like a through Central Park is as likely as not them in the middle of the ongoing war! frog), and eventually reversed Loki's to encounter some thug beating up a Other Cities: Central Park is not the enchantment. wino-or a young kid trying to join a largest park in the world; it's actually Appearance: The biggest green bull­ gang by stealing an old lady's purse­ around 15th. Several other American frog anybody had ever seen. or teenagers feeding poison to zoo an­ cities have equivalent green areas, Known Powers: Thor's Body Armor, imals. Sometimes one wonders notably San Francisco's Golden Gate usually Excellent in human form, was whether the zoo cages hold the right Park. Heroes in any campaign can go Poor in frog form. Thor could not con­ occupants. to the park. trol his Uru hammer, Mjolnir, in frog The reservoirs in Central Park form, but he was still able to lift it. Thor present a temptation to any madman had no weapon talents in frog form. who feels like pOisoning a lot of people at once. Even the rats have tried this. Central Park features other haz­ ards, as well. Small companies on 89th Street rent horses by the half-

35 THE DAI LY BUGLE

OV ERVIEW strength to lift). But a few of the older do Amazing damage to anything desks are wood (Typical strength)­ caught behveen them. This is Manhattan's largest newspa­ Jameson can't bear to throw anything A control pane'lalong one wall holds per, with a circulation of five million. It out. regulator dials, gauges, and one big employs reporter Ben Urich, a confi­ Each desk has a computer terminal red button that starts the presses roil­ dante of Daredevil, and freelance pho­ linked to the mainframe on the 18th ing. There is also an emergency cutoff tographer Peter Parker. Publisher J. floor. Te rminals weigh 20 pounds and lever. Flipping the lever stops the Jonah Jameson is the sworn oppo­ take Feeble damage before breaking. presses immediately. nent of all super-human heroes, espe­ Some desks have adjacent file cabi­ Other huge machines attached to cially Spider-Man. nets loaded with copy. These are ordi­ the presses out the printed paper into Address: 39th Street and Second nary sheet metal (Good strength), newspaper-sized sheets, collate them Avenue. weigh about 200 pounds apiece, and into finished copies, and fold the cop­ are locked with simple cylinder locks ies and bind them Into stacks with THE AREA ( + 1 CS on attempts to pick them). string, for distribution around the city. The Bugle building is in Midtown. Small private offices and file rooms Stacked along the walls and in stor­ For more information, see "The Fi­ line the north and south walls of the age rooms are huge rolls 0' paper, the nancial District" later in this section. City Room. The City Editor's office is same size as the press rollers but in the center of the north .wall, and the weighing about 750 pounds (Remark­ DESCRIPTION Editor-in-Chiefs office lies opposite it able strength to lift). fifty- gallon steel on the south wall. The southwest cor­ drums of ink stand in stacks alongside . A few years ago, Jameson bought a ner holds the conference room where the paper rolls. These drums weigh 46-story office complex in Midtown the editors decide what stories go in 400 pounds each (Good strength to called the Goodman Building. Jame­ the paper each day. Office walls are lift) and are made of thin 'Iron (Good son renamed it the Daily Bugle Build­ thin wood (Typical strength) with large strength). The ink is thick sludge that ing and relocated the paper's entire glass windows (Feeble strength). Fur­ can be flung in a blinding attack. Ink is operations there. The Daily Bugle logo niture is like that in the main City usually black, but a few drums hold stands on the building's roof in letters Room. other colors. thirty feet tall. The darkroom complex is near the At any time except after the morn­ Some New Yo rkers speculate that northeast corner of the floor. Here ing ediUon is gone, there are usually Jameson insisted on buyi ng the news photos are developed and 15 to 20 ink-smeared press operators Goodman because it is one story taller printed with advanced equipment. on hand. Te chnically, less than a than the headquarters of the Bugle's The equipment is heavy but fragile dozen are needed to run the presses, arch-rival, the Daily Globe. In fairness (Typical damage before it breaks). but union featherbedding accounts for to Jameson, though, the Goodman By day the City Room is brightly the surplus'.The operators are normal was one of the few skyscrapers with lighted by overhead fluorescents and peopl'ewith Typical abilities. sub-basement facilities large enough large picture windows. Dozens of re­ The high-ceilinged room is brightly to contain the huge Bugle newspaper porters, editors, production people, lighted with fluorescents. The presses presses. and copy boys run around, especially make a tremendous noise when run­ The Bugle itself occupies only three just before deadlines (2 AM for morn­ ning. The whole room is fi lled with the floors of offices and the two sub­ ing editions, 2 PM for the evening edi­ pungent odorof ink. basements. The rest are leased. The tion). J. Jonah Jameson stands hera City Room is on the 17th floor, Layout At night, with the Venetian blinds each evel'1ling to watch the presses and Production are on the 18th, and drawn and (after 2 AM) the overhead start rolling. "Big, greasy, beautiful Jameson's executive suite and meet­ lights out, the City Room takes on an monsters," he says. "They're our ing rooms are on the top (46th) floor. eerie, expressionistic appearance. voices. They let us give the news to Hardly anyone is around after the five million souls-old, young, good, The City Room morning edition has been put to bed, bad, angry, sad, and happy-the The 17th-floor City Room is the except reporters working late on sto­ whole teeming city. nerve center of the operation. Here ries. "The folks of New Yo rk: they may are the reporters' desks, editors' of­ foul up a hundred times a year . .., but fices, darkroom, and the file room or The Presses not because they don't know what's "morgue." See the map on the inside The gigantic presses fill the build­ happening. We tell 'em ...through cover of the Adventure Book. ing's entire basement. The rollers are our presses. I never geet over loving Most of the floor is one large open 12 feet wide and 6 feet in diameter. this moment." room with two rows of reporters' They are built of solid steel (Amazing desks. These are mainly heavy Army­ material strength), weigh about 4 tons surplus monsters made of strong steel apiece (Incredible strength to lift), and (Good material strength, Excellent

36 Joe "Robbie" Robertson NPCs Former editor-in-chief J. Jonah Jameson FAS E RI P Publisher Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd RI P FAS E Health: 24 Karma: 22 Pr Ty Ty Ty Gd Ty Ty Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: -1 Health: 22 Karma: 22 Robertson was Jameson's city edi­ Resources: Excellent(20)Popularity: 7 tor for many years, then took over the Jameston started as a stringer for chief editorial position when Jameson the Bugle during the Depression, resigned. Robbie fulfilled his duties while still in high school. Through hard . well for many years, earning the re­ work and talent, he rose to become ItS spect of all who knew him. editor and publisher. He has earned a But Robertson's life turned sour reputation for fairness, shown great when a Pennsylvania court convicted leadership ability, and has crusaded him of misprision of a felony­ selflessly for many just causes. But concealing information regarding a Jameson is a petty man at heart, and 20-year-old Philadelphia mur?er by his secret envy of costumed heroes Lonnie Lincoln, the mob hit man forces him to editorialize against them called To mbstone. A municipal judge, constantly. frustrated by many reporters who Such is Jameson's obsessive hatred would not reveal their information of Spider-Man that Jameson bank�olled sources, decided to make an example the creation of the villainous Scorpion to out of Robertson. Robbie got three defeat the wall- crawler. When the pub­ years in prison. . lic found out, the scandal forced Jonah In an upstate penitentiary Robbie to resign his editorship. But he still exer­ was befriended by a convict nick­ cises a firm hand as publisher, he edits named "Bruiser." Bruiser eventually NOW Magazine, and he is still devoted broke out of jail and hauled Robbie to the news. along. Then Bruiser died. Robertson The villainous master of disguise is now alone, on the lam, and search­ called the Chameleon recently imper­ ing desperately for evidence to clear sonated Jameson and used his paper his name. to do even more damage to Spider­ His post at the Bugle remains offi­ Man. But since the wall-crawler de­ cially vacant, but Jonah Jameson has . feated the Chameleon, Jameson is resumed his duties as de facto edltor­ back in control. in-chief. Jameson is married to Dr. Marla Robertson has a wife, Martha, one Madison and has a grown son, former son, Randy, and a daughter-in-law, astronaut John Jameson. Neither of Amanda. them shares Jameson's hatred of Appearance: Ta ll and solidly built, Spider-Man. John Jameson has re­ with prematurely white hair cut very cently gone to work for the Avenger�. short. A young 44. Smokes a pipe. Appearance: Black crewcut hair Has acquired a haggard, hunted look (white at temples), tiny black m�s­ since his legal troubles began. tache, expensive suits worn sloppily. Ta lents : Management, investigative Always smokes smelly cigars. reporting, applied psychology. Ta lents: Jameson has Remarkable . Story Function: Robertson might Reason in matters concerning the seek out PC heroes to enlist their aid news, scandals, cover-ups, and inves­ in finding evidence to exonerate him. tigations. � Typical Dialogu�: " hose bl�sted super freaks aren t gOing to rUin my city! I'll see them all in jail first!" Story Function: When a PC hero's life is going too smoothly, the Judge can produce a fulminating Jame�on editorial to cut him or her down to size in the public's estimation. Jar:n��on can be a reluctant ally in publiCIZing criminal activity-provided the allega­ tions are backed up with evidence.

37 Ben Urich Cage, fo und out about Cage's back­ CRIMES City reporter ground as an escaped convict, and The Bug/e has figured in several FAS E RI P tried to blackmail the hero. Fox died, criminal sChemes. either as a target or Pr Ty Pr Ty Gd Gd Pr though not at Cage's hands, and a vehicl.e. Health: 20 Karma: 24 Power Man's secret remained safe As a demonstration of power, to be Resources: Good(1 0) Popularity: 8 (for a while, at least). followed by a billion-dollar ransom de­ One of the paper's best reporters, Appearance: Wavy brown hair, pudgy mand, the criminal madman Doctor Urich has Excellent Reason involving face and build, an noying "friendly" Octopus threatened to kill five miltion events in the city, particularly criminal manner that could turn nasty fast. people. Octopus intended to contami­ events. He figured out Daredevil's se­ Ta lents: Investigation, writing. nate the inkused to print the Bugle with cret identity, and has aided and sup­ Typical Dialogue: "Hey hey, my read­ a powerful contact poison mixed with ported Dared evil many times. ers would love to know all about yo u. DMSO, a enemical that promotes skin Daredevil has saved Urich's life just And I mean all. Maybe you wo uldn't absorption of whatever is mixed with it. as often. Urich keeps his secret faith­ like that. Let's talk." Spider-Man foiled Octopus's fully. Urich is happily married to Doris Story Function: Fox is dead, but in a scheme after a pitched battle above Urich and smokes too many ciga­ new incarnation the little weasel cou ld the basement newspaper presses. rettes. try to blackmail any PC hero whose But did that make Jameson better dis­ Appearance: Fortyish. Av erage past conceals a dark secret. The flip posed toward Spider-Man? Noooo ... height. Pale, extremely thin, long side of Ben Urich (above), Fox is not a (The Bvgle never dared to print the face, thick spectacles, sloppy dress. big operator himself, and his tendency story, since it might have made read­ Tie never tied right. Co ughs, smells of to ally with unstable partners works ers fear the ink was poisoned after all!) tobacco. against his own interests. Story Function: The all-purpose city reporter, whenever the Judge needs Other staffers CAMPAIGN USE one in an adventure. Knows where all The Daily Bugle employs thousands Manhattan: The Bugle di:ssemi­ the bodies are buried. of workers, and many have shown up nates adventure information to the in Spider-Man's adventures. Glory player heroes. (liThe paper says rare Betty Brant Leeds Grant is Jameso n's secretary. She re­ jewels are on display at the museum Editor-in-chief's secretary cently became involved in a danger­ this month.") On the other hand, Ja­ FAS E RI P ous romance with Ed uardo Lobo, who meson's edi,torials can make life hard Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty turned out to be a mutant werewolf. for any super-human vigilante. As a Health: 24 Karma: 18 Other staffers have led slightly less campaign subplot, the Judge can Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 adventurous lives. Kate Cushing is the have a columnist from the paper pry Betty has always been defined by paper's City Editor. Charlie Snow, Joy into heroes' secrets. the men in her life . She was Jame­ Mercado , and We ndy Th ornton are staff Other Oities: Several large cities son's secretary while he edited the reporters. Jacob Conover is a popular have sCfeamer-headline dailies like the Bugle, and is now Robbie Robertson's daily columnist (Phil Fox's replacement, Bug/e , though they are usually less re­ secretary. Once an early sweetheart in fact). Lance Bannon is a talented spected and less devoted to true jour­ of Peter Parker's, she later married freelance photographer like Peter nalism. If the campaign city Is not large Ned Leeds. When Ned was killed (be­ Parker, and competes with Parker for as­ enough to host a paper with the Bugle 's cause he was the villainous Hobgob­ signments. Mack Stennet is the paper's immense resources, the city might have lin), Betty naturally took the death very chief researcher; he can ferret anything a bureau for a national daily that could hard . She is trying to put together the out of the newspaper's morgue. serve the same function. pieces of her life and establish her own identity. Appearance: Attractive, late 20s, styled brown hair, prim wardrobe. Story Function: Betty is a typical ro­ mantic interest or hostage. EWSSTAND '

Phil Fox Columnist (deceased) FAS E RI P Pr Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Pr Health: 22 Karma: 20 Resources: Typical(6) Popularity: 0 Phil Fox wrote a daily slice-of-life and gossip col umn for the Bugle. When Luke Cage started out as "Hero For Hire," prior to taking on his Power Man alias, Phil Fox investigated

38 DOCTOR STRANGE'S SANCTUM

OVERVIEW they should remain that way. street musicians play guitars, joggers The Village is a collection of differ­ form almost a solid ring around the This dimension's most powerful ma­ ent neighborhoods centered around square, and dope dealers mumble a gician lives in a peculiar building in and west of Washington Square Park. litany, "sense-coke-speed-Iudes" New Yo rk's Greenwich Village. Now Many of the old houses still survive, (sensimillia grass, cocaine, ampheta­ officially known as the Stephen bright painted buildings just a few sto­ mine, Quaaludes). The park has be­ Strange Memorial Metaphysical Insti­ ries tall. But now there are just as come rather seedy but, like every tution, it remains the Sanctum Sanc­ many modern apartment blocks, ex­ public place in New Yo rk, it is still torum of the Sorcerer Supreme, pensive restaurants, pastry shops, crowded with people of all ages, Doctor Strange. movie houses, and fern bars. races, creeds, and backgrounds. By day, lost but happy tourists wan­ The center of the park is Washing­ THE AREA der along, looking at art galleries, es­ ton Square Arch. Built in 1895, this Greenwich Village: almost a syno­ presso houses, antique shops, and arch stands 86 feet (6 areas) tall and is nym for individuality and eccentricity. expensive restaurants. At night the 30 feet across. It is made of white mar­ Once Tw ain, Poe, O. Henry, Henry tourists are joined by the fashionable, ble (Excellent strength) and weighs James, Edward Hopper, and count­ and by the returning artists, students, about 700 tons (Shift-Z strength to lift). less other writers, poets, playwrights, and intellectuals. They attend off­ Its two statues of George Washington nonconformists, and intellectuals Broadway theaters, visit night clubs, face forthrightly up Fifth Avenue, as lived here, especially in the first dec­ and eat at dimly lighted all-night cafes. though wanting to go shopping. ades of this century. It was cheap. In The main street in the Village is that materialistic time, any pursuit be­ West 8th, a commercial area. Chris­ yond making money was disreput­ topher Street is the center of New DESCRIPTION able, and so those in "the Village" Yo rk's gay community. And then there Doctor Strange's three-story town­ were shunned as people one should is Bleecker Street, an eccentric collec­ house sits at 177A Bleecker Street, at not know. tion of specialty grocery shops, an­ the corner of Fenno Place. Before Eu­ After Wo rld War I, a lightening intel­ tique stores, vegetable stalls, Italian ropeans colonized the New Wo rld, lectual climate made these "bohemi­ restaurants, night spots, and cin­ American Indians used the site for ar­ ans" fashionable. High society moved emas. And the Stephen Strange Me­ cane sorcerous rituals. In colonial in to hobnob with the artists; rents morial lnstitute (see below). times pagan cults built a sanctuary rose (they are now among the highest there. Over the course of generations in New York); and artists had to move Wa shington Square Park it has become a focal point for super­ out. First they went to SoHo, where The heart of the Village, this small natural energies, and, in fact, the the cycle repeated. Now they congre­ rectangular park once served as a house is widely believed to be gate in Tr ibeca and the "East Village" "potter's field," a burial ground for haunted. All previous structures on (Lower East Side). paupers and the anonymous. In the the site mysteriously burned down or We live once again in an age of ma­ 1700s it became popular as a dueling were otherwise destroyed. Doctor terialism, but this time the rich enjoy ground and a place of public hang­ Strange has had better luck with his associating with the artistic elite. So ings. A few of the gallows trees still Sanctum Sanctorum. the cycle seems likely to continue. stand. Over 10,000 bodies filled the As sometimes happens with such grounds by 1823, when the militia places of power, the Sanctum is much The Layout made it a drill ground. larger inside than outside. Most of its Greenwich Village once was an ac­ Four years later, when the sur­ many corridors, chambers, and fur­ tual village outside the city bounda­ rounding area had become fashion­ nishings change from time to time, be­ ries. Its wagon trails twisted able, the wealthy of New Yo rk turned it wildering visitors. However, the haphazardly. After the American Rev­ into a park. Henry James wrote a locations and furnishings of several olution, it housed the state prison, novel, Wa shington Square, about rooms never change, and Doctor which became a tourist attraction. these aristocrats. The park serves as Strange never has difficulty finding his A series of epidemics in the city a gathering place for Villagers, and as way around. brought a migration of the well-to-do unofficial campus for New Yo rk Uni­ The "fixed" rooms are these: to the safety of the Village. Huge num­ versity, the largest private university in Basement: Furnace, laundry room, bers of refugees arrived during a bad America (1988 enrollment, over storage cellar. 31 ,000). Its buildings stand north and bout of yellow fever in 1822, and sud­ First Floor: Foyer, drawing room, li­ denly the winding cowpaths became south of the park. Empire State Uni­ brary, living room, dining room, city streets. Greenwich Village streets versity stands nearby; see its entry kitchen. to this day remain the most bewilder­ later in this section. Second Floor: Strange's bedcham­ ing on Manhattan Island. Now that it is Here kids skateboard, college stu­ bers, guest quarters, study, Wong's has been named a historic district, dents sleep on the grass in pairs, bedchamber.

39 BASEMENT: SECOND FLOOR: FURNACE STRANGE'S BEDCHAMBERS LAUNDRY ROOM GUEST QUARTERS WONG'S STORAGE WONG'S BEDCHAMBERS CELLAR STUDY

FIRST FLOOR: THIRD FLOOR: FOYER MEDITAT ION CHAMBER DRAWING ROOM LIBRARY LIBRARY STORAGE AREA FOR L1VING RooM OCCULTARTI FACTS DINING ROOM WONG'S KITCHEN Third Floor: Meditation chamber, li­ DOCTO R STRANGE IN the godhead, the pure force of life. brary, storage area for occult artifacts This time, as before, he was resur­ (now almost empty), Chamber of THE VILLAGE rected. Shadows (where Strange once kept For most of his career, Doctor When he succeeded in recapturing the Orb of Agamotto). Strange was known to the general the most dangerous evil ones, The distinctive window on the third public as an eccentric authority on the Strange returned to his Sanctum and floor is a skylight above the meditation occult. Other occult experts knew of removed the spell of forgetting from chamber. The window's four-stroke his residence in Greenwich Village, the minds of his immediate circle of design is a glyph or rune popularized but very few knew his role as Sorcerer friends. The world at large, however, in this dimension by an ancient Lemu­ Supreme. still believes him to be dead. rian sect. It represents the harmony of Then Strange battled with Urthona, spirit and body, earth and the cosmos. an alien from another galaxy in our di­ A spiral staircase leads from the mension who challenged him for the NPCs third floor onto the roof. title of Sorcerer Supreme. To defeat Wo ng The building is made of pink Egyp­ the evil wizard and save the lives of his Manservant tian granite (Excellent strength versus friends, Strange was forced to destroy FAS E RI P physical attacks, CL10 00 versus mag­ the Orb of Agamotto, the Greater Ty Ty Ty Gd Ty Ty Gd ical attacks). Book of the Vishanti, and his other tal­ Health: 28 Karma: 22 An alleyway behind the house leads ismans of power. Urthona escaped Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 to a small courtyard out of sight of the with the Darkhold, a supremely evil Wong comes from a Buddhist order street. At least one door from the text that was beyond even Strange's that traditionally supplies manser­ townhouse leads to the courtyard power to destroy. His parting words: vants to this dimension's Sorcerer Su­ (though not always the same door). "You have broken the bonds on a hun­ preme. Hamir the Hermit, the Ancient Here Valkyrie tethered her winged dred darknesses by your victory." One's former servant, comes from this horse, Aragorn , when they visited the The destruction liberated many order. Wong is unstintingly loyal and Sanctum. Valkyrie belonged to the de­ creatures of dark magic who had been devoted to his master, and Strange re­ funct hero group called the De­ confined through the ages by the talis­ turns his devotion. fenders, which has recently mans' power. These creatures could Appearance: 5'6", 130 Ibs. Thin, bald reorganized as the Dragon Circle. easily locate Strange in his Sanctum, Oriental man in his early 30s. Light and some even had means of bypass­ green housecoat and pants with yel­ Defensive Spells ing his defenses. To protect his friends low trim. Subservient, humble man­ Doctor Strange exploited the Sanc­ from this danger, Strange was forced ner. tum's "aura" in the defensive spells to "go underground." Ta lents: Cooking, housekeeping, he wove in a large sphere around the In an elaborate spell of forgetting, Martial Arts A and E. house. These spells protect with Un­ Strange made the world believe he Typical Dialogue: "Will you require earthly ability against magical inva­ had perished in battle with the Beyon­ anything else of me this evening, mas­ sion. Also, because a wizard is always der during the second so-called "se­ ter?" most powerful on his home ground, cret war." Strange even created a Story Function: Wong greets all who spells cast within the Sanctum by videotape of the funeral ceremony, visit Doctor Strange's Sanctum. He is Doctor Strange or his allies receive which was broadcast nationwide on frequently endangered by Strange's + 1 CS, to a maximum of Unearthly. network television. Then he left his foes. In times past, the Sanctum's pro­ home and resumed his onetime alias, tective spells have prevented those Stephen Sanders. The Sanctum Sara Wolfe outside from detecting anything unu­ Sanctorum is now the Stephen Business manager sual going on inside it. For example, Strange Memorial Metaphysical Insti­ FA S E RI P when Doctor Strange looked out a tute, a tax-exempt institution. Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Gd Ex window while wearing his Cloak of Strange had to resort to black Health: 24 Karma: 40 Levitation, the spell made him appear magic to return the ancient evils to Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 in ordinary street clothes. When he captivity. He was instructed by Kaluu, Wolfe handles Doctor Strange's fi­ swore by the Vishanti or the Crimson once the Ancient One's companion nances and those of the Institute. She Bands of Cytorrak, an outside eaves­ early in that sorcerer's career, later a has shown some talent for magic, and dropper would hear only, "Good heav­ would-be conqueror. Strange became is cheerful, friendly, and self-assured. ens!" or the like. The intricacy of this too impure to wield his Eye of Aga­ Appearance: 5'9/1 , 135 Ibs. Black illusion makes it very fragile, and motto, and instead relied on a power­ hair, black eyes, reddish skin. Attrac­ Strange has not always maintained ful evil artifact called the Wings of tive Amerind woman. Favors sweat­ this spell on the Sanctum. Needless Sorrow. ers, jeans, and casual attire. In the succeeding struggle, Doctor Ta lents: Accounting, home finances, Strange lost his left eye (though not small business management. Sara is permanently), slew the cosmic entity a sports fan. Shuma-Gorath, and died-for the sec­ Story Function: Much like Wo ng's. ond time. In that death he merged with 41 Rintrah To paz Note that Doctor Strange and many Alien apprentice sorcerer Empath otherwise powerful sorcerers have no F GD (1 0) Health: 90 F PR (4) Health: 26 healing magic. A EX (20) A TY (6) S RM (30) Karma: 90 S TY (6) Karma: 22 E RM (30) E GD (10) CRIMES R EX (20) Resources: None R GD (10) Resources: Typi- In general, anything that can pene­ I RM (30) cal(6) trate Doctor Strange's Sanctum is P IN (40) Popularity: 0 TY (6) pretty much beyond the power of your When Doctor Strange carelessly al­ P TY (6) Popularity: 1 typ.ical nero. But there are notable ex­ lowed his Cloak of Levitation to be de­ The origin of To paz's powerful em­ ceptions. stroyed, he took it to an other­ pathy is unrevealed, but she is proba­ One of these was Lucius Dilby, a dimensional being called Enitharmon bly either a mutant or a naturally servant of Doctor Doom and the dread the Weaver to be reconstructed. The talented sorceress. During her child­ Dormammu. They bestowed great weaver's apprentice, the huge and hood in India she lived as a street ur­ power on him to prepare for a danger­ monstrous Rintrah, delivered the re­ chin in Punjab, until an evil Indian ous, still unexplained even' called the paired Cloak during Urthona's attack sorcerer named Ta boo recognized her "Send Sinister." Part of this prepara­ on Strange. Rintrah remained with abilities. tion ·involved an attack on Doctor Strange to help him battle the alien Ta king her as his "familiar," Ta boo Strange. sorcerer, then to study with him. Rin­ raised her to adulthood. All the while Though OHby succeeded in captur­ trah's current whereabouts are un­ he planned to exploit her powers for ing Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme known. his own ends. Jack Russell, once managed to send out a psychic call for Appearance: 8'2" , 400 Ibs. Muscular, known as the Werewolf By Night, help that alerted 110ne other than hulking humanoid alien with short tur­ foiled Ta boo's scheme and rescued Spider-Man. The webslinger tracked quoise fur. Rintrah has cow eyes and To paz when Ta boo died. Dilby to Strange's Sanctum, then to bull horns, a snout like a camel, and To paz wished to learn more about Centr.al Park. Dilby had brainwashed small tusks. He is very gentle. her powers, and eventually she came hundreds of New Yo rkers to gain their Known Powers : Rintrah has so far to Doctor Strange's Sanctum. There participation lina bizarre r,itualatop the demonstrated very few powers. As a the alien Urthona (see above) used Latverian Embassy. Strange was to be skilled apprentice, he undoubtedly her to attack Strange. But since sacrif.icedon ea giant magical crystal. knows more than the following: Urthona's defeat, Strange has helped At the last possible moment, Astral Projection (P). Unearthly abil­ To paz master her powers. To paz now Spider-Man shattered the gem and ity. lives in New Yo rk City, but her address freed Doctor Strange. Strange was Shield. Individual (P). As Personal has not been revealed. about to neutralize Dilby when Dor­ Force Field, able to repel magic at­ To paz has strong powers, but has mammu retrieved his err�ng servant. tacks. always been easily manipulated by Dilby is now trapped, presumably for­ Possession (P). Rintrah and Doctor more powerful or less naive magi. She ever, in a tiny copy of his crystal. Strange "traded bodies" during has proven extremely vulnerable to Strange's battle with Urthona. Rin­ mind control and persuasion. Thus trah's astral form took over Strange's her Intuition and Psyche scores are unoccupied body. Rintrah cannot pos­ only Typical. CAMPAIGN USE sess a body inhabited by a spirit. Appearance: 5'10" , 140 Ibs. About Manhattan: When the player char­ Magic Detection (P). Incredible abil­ 22. Beautiful woman with pale skin acters are stumped by magical spells, ity. and white hair. Usually dressed in devices, or entities, a visit to Doctor Rintrah aided Doctor Strange in loose, flowing clothing. Shy, peaceful Strange is in order. Strange (as an casting the spell of forgetfulness. He manner. NPC) receives such visitors courte­ can lend + 2 CS to a more powerful Known Powers : To paz has the follow­ ously, but customarily avo,ids reveal­ mage in a ritual. ing powers at Monstrous ability level: ing much about any magical topic. Ta lents: Rintrah presumably knows Healing, Te lepathy, Mind Control, Te le­ Other Cities: A haunted mansion the skills involved in creating magical kinesis (not for flight or force fields, like the Sanctum offers spooky adven­ items like the Cloak. He was suffi­ however), and Animal Empathy. ture possibilities. Tihe heroes must go ciently adept to use Strange's Eye of To paz can use her Healing power in to rescue someone or something. Agamotto, which requires unusual on herself. Her power once worked Once inside, the layout shilfts every gifts. aCCidentally, in unexplained fashion, time they turn .around! Perhaps the Typical Dialogue: "Enitharmon to transfer the mind of Jack Russell's house is haunted by spirits who must taught me time and again the deep re­ stepfather into a mutated monster's be laid to rest, or it is a gateway to an­ sources that are woven into all life." body. other dimension-and' another adven­ Story Function: An unusual ally in a To paz has sworn not to use her ture. magical adventure. Rintrah would be an powers to kill a living creature. offbeat choice to alert the PCs to some Story Function: A healer always magical danger to Doctor Strange. comes in handy after a tough battle.

42 EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

OVERVIEW The building is a masterpiece of Art and glass. The lobby features an ex­ Deco architecture and is still symbolic hibit of "The Eight Wonders of the For many years the tallest building of the modern age. It is commem­ World," opened in 1963. These eight in the world, the Empire State Building morated in popular culture as the illuminated paintings, by Roy Sparkia remains an imposing architectural building that King Kong climbed. and Renee Nemorov, show the Seven landmark and one of the most durable (Note that King Kong is just as fictional Wo nders of the Ancient World and, of symbols of New Yo rk City. It temporar­ in the Marvel Universe as in our own.) course, the Eighth Wo nder-the Em­ ily became the world's tallest building pire State Building. again during the recent "Inferno" cri­ Statistics At the rear of the lobby is a black sis, when the structure grew to be The Empire State Building is 1,250 granite wall with an image of the build­ over a mile tall. It has since returned to feet tall, with a 204-foot TV tower that ing inlaid in aluminum, superimposed normal with the rest of Manhattan, but makes the total height 1 ,454 feet. The over a map of New Yo rk state. In front it remains an excellent backdrop for building has 86 floors of office space, of it is a heavy information desk (Re­ adventures. but adding the tower (equal to 14 sto­ markable strength to lift and throw). Address: Fifth Avenue at 34th ries) and the two sub-basements Street. See the map included in this brings the total to 102 stories, the fig­ Elevators set. ure usually quoted. The building has seven miles of ele­ The building occupies its entire city vator shafts and 73 elevators. Most THE AREA block. Its lot measures 200 feet (1 1/2 run at 600 feet (40 areas) a minute, areas) along Fifth Avenue by 425 feet while the high-speed elevators that Midtown Manhattan. For more infor­ carry tourists to the 86th Floor Observ­ mation, see "The Financial District" (3 areas) between 33rd and 34th Streets. atory run at twice that speed (80 later in this chapter. The building's volume is 37 million areas/minute). Judges can let the ele­ cubic feet. It has just over 2 million vators run faster if a non-flying hero DESCRIPTION square feet of rentable space. It in­ needs to reach the top in a hurry. The Empire State Building's site cludes 60 miles of water pipe and To reach the 102nd floor, tourists was the Thompson-Lawton farm until 3,500 miles of telephone and tele­ must switch at the 86th floor. No Single 1827. Then William Backhouse Astor graph wire. There are 6,500 windows. elevator runs the entire height of the bought it and built a family mansion. In Tw o million tourists visit its observato­ building. (Judges can also be lenient the 1890s Astor's descendants built ries every year. on this point, if there is dire need.) two posh hotels, eventually joined to­ The building's skeleton of steel In case the elevators aren't work­ gether as the famous Waldorf-Astoria. girders is clad in Indiana limestone ing, there are 1 ,860 steps from ground When Midtown grew more commer­ and granite with the mullions of its level to the 1 02nd floor. cial and industrial, the hotel was windows made of stainless steel (Ex­ closed in 1929 to make way for a new cellent strength). The steel weighs 86th Floor office building. 60,000 tons and the limestone almost The Empire State Company The building was the brainchild of as much, so nothing less than CL5000 charges admission to go to the ob­ John Jacob Raskob, who had risen power could lift it. Just picking up the servatory on the 86th floor. Elevator from poverty to become an executive building by a corner would destroy it, tickets are available for a few dollars at General Motors. He selected the ar­ but telekinesis or the like could pre­ from an office in the basement. chitectural firm of Shreve, Lamb, and serve its structure. The observatory has a glass­ Harmon to produce the building; Wil­ enclosed area that is temperature­ liam Frederick Lamb designed it. Con­ Foundation controlled and an outdoor promenade struction began on March 17, 1930, The Empire State Building is built which goes around all four sides of the and was completed in a startlingly on a foundation of bedrock 55 feet (4 building. From this altitude visitors short time, by March 1, 1931 . areas) down. There are two under­ can see 40 miles when the skies are To identify his office building ground floors, and beneath them are clear. strongly with New Yo rk (the "Empire giant air conditioners that cool the en­ The promenade is surrounded by State"), Raskob enlisted the aid of tire building with Amazing ability. tall wire fences of Good strength. former Governor AI Smith. Smith's Shift-X strength can rip these air con­ Since the building rises in a series of high profile guaranteed the new ditioners loose; merely Unearthly steps, or "setbacks," anything (or Empire State Building plenty of news strength is needed to throw them. anyone) falling from the observatory coverage. Though the building would strike one of the lower setbacks opened in the depths of the Great De­ Lobby before hitting the street. The lowest pression, it proved an immediate suc­ This is a beautiful entrance hall of setback, above the 5th floor, is 60 feet cess, and by the 1940s enjoyed 98 gray marble (from Italy, France, Be- (1/2 area) wide. percent occupancy. 19ium, and Germany), stainless steel, The 86th floor also includes a snack

43 bar, souvenir counters, and vending the city survives some spectacular th�n to take over the Empire State . machines (Remarkable strength to lift threat by super-human villains. BUlldllng,s communications tower. A and throw). Assume all counters to be Jud�e wouldn't have to worry about Good strength. A booth rents high­ alerting the heroes to this peril, since . p?�er binoculars (Amazing ability) to THE EMPIRE STAT E everyone in four states would know vIsitors. about it as soon as the vmain began The atmospheric conditions at this BUILDING IN broadcasting demands. height sometimes produce static elec­ "INFERNO" The villain would probably shut t icity. To uching someone can give a ?own or sabotage the elevators, mak­ � The most recent spectacular threat tinY electric shock. Ing entry to the communications tower the city survived was never commem­ difficult for non-flying he�oes. And fli­ m ra�e? in �he �mpire State Building. 102nd Floor � ers would have to face artillery, death ThiS IS IroniC, since this building was This Observatory is completely en­ rays, and so on from agents on the ob­ the crux of the entire crisis. closed. A� its �ei�ht of 1,250 feet (102 servatory promenade. . . During the "Inferno" that took over areas), vIsibility IS 80 miles in clear A B-25 Mitchell bomber crashed Manhattan, the building grew to be weather. into the 79th floor of the Empire State over a mile high. The demons of At this altitude, viewers sometimes Building on July 28, 1945. That was a Limbo caused this to happen when see snow or rain, blown by wind cur­ Saturday, so few people were in the they were attempting to open a per­ rents from the street below, falling up! building, and no lives except those of manent gate between their home and the crew were lost. This crash was an Earth. (For more about the back­ Communications To wer accident, of course, but a madman ground and resolution of Inferno, see This was originally meant as a with a private plane could re-create the Adventure Book.) mooring mast for dirigibles. This the event, committing suicide in spec­ . In this crisis the Empire State Build­ proved too dangerous, presumably tacular fashion. Ing grew to a height of 5,400 feet (360 b�ca�se of high winds. In any case, A schoolchild's legend has it that if areas). Interior and exterior walls airships w nt out of fashion abruptly one ?rops a penny from the top of the � turned pale green or grew red crusts after the Hmdenburg exploded in New Empire State Building. the coin gains of unknown but repellent nature. . Jersey in 1937. The tower has never enough velOCity to klll anyone it hits at These looked like demonic faces, and been used as a mast. ground level. Possibly so, but the set­ some of these faces actually were de­ The Communications Tr ansmission b �ks would prevent the penny from mons. Walls gained Monstrous mate­ � Center, a radio and TV antenna, was hitting the street. Still, a hero ,On the rial strength. added uch later. Three metropolitan observatory pr,omenade miglilt see a ":l All mechanical devices inside the TV stations transmitting from here vandal throw a heavy object fa,r away building became demonically pos­ reach eight million TV sets in four from the building. Then the· choice be­ sessed and hostile to human beings. states. Fifteen FM radio stations comes catching the mischief-maker or Elevator cabs possessed their pas­ broadcast sim ultaneously from the catching the ,object before It hits. sengers; phones wrapped their cords Master FM Antenna. In addition, the And, of C?urse, there are always vil­ around callers' necks; doughnut carts . tower hosts many other radio and mi­ lainS who like to blow up prominent pu sued victims through the halls, crowave broadcast facilities. � landmarks. The likely place for a really while coffee machines squirted scald­ large bomb would be the air condition­ ing liquid and laughed maniacally. Lighting ers beneath the basement levels. The top of the building T�e upper 30 floors of the building m ushroo�ed into a rocky plateau, are lighted every night from sunset to . with terrain identical to Limbo's. This midnight. Floodlights are located on plateau measured 44 yards on a side CAMPAIGN USE the various building setbacks. � (1 area square), but mountainous out­ anhattan; The Empi1re State Usually the building is lit in white . croppings behind the plateau added BUilding serves best as a characteris­ but special events are marked by ap� another 3 areas to the total. tic backdrop for a slugfest. Be sure to propriate color schemes: When the X-Men , X-Factor, and the carry the fight as high off the ground Valentine's Day-red and white· New Mutants succeeded in closing as possible, and take care that some Washington's Birthday, Indepen­ the gateway to Limbo, all traces of In­ of the PC hefoes can fly-so they can dence Day-red, white, and blue; ferno's effect on Manhattan vanished. catch falling heroes who don't. St. Patrick's Day-green; !he Empire State Building returned to Other Cities; Some other major cit­ Columbus Day-red, white, and ItS normal size. Citizens of New Yo rk ies have s:kyscrapers almost as tall as green (national colors of Italy Colum- ' do not remember the crisis. the Empire State, and one of these bus's homeland); and (the Sears To wer in Chicago)1 is even Christmas to New Ye ar's-red and taller. B�t any city's tallest building green. CRIMES can fulfill lhe same plot functions The building's color scheme also even if it isn't as stratospheric as thi� A master villain who wants to broad­ changes to commemmorate special one. events, such as when one of New Yo rk's cast threats or ransom demands to a baseball teams wins the Wo rld Series or wide audience could do a lot worse

44 EMPIRE STATE UNIVERSITY

OVERVIEW This is one of many small universi­ ties in Manhattan. Peter Parker (Spider-Man) attends college here as a teaching assistant and graduate stu­ dent in Biophysics. Address: Southern Manhattan, on the block bounded by Lafayette Street (west) and the Bowery (east), and by Great Jones Street (north) and Bond Street (south).

THE AREA The East Village, so called because it is the eastern part of Greenwich Vil­ lage, became an artists' hangout after Greenwich Village proper became fa shionable as an artists' hangout. Its atmosphere closely resembles that of the Village itself. See Chapter 2 and the Hotspot entry for "Doctor Strange's Sanctum" above for more information.

DESCRIPTION Empire State University, founded in 1946, is an accredited institution that awards both four-year and graduate degrees. As of last fall it had 4,778 stu­ dents enrolled and 292 members of the faculty or staff. Small by New Yo rk standards, ESU achieves a reputation far in excess of its size. Grad uates in­ clude Reed Richards and Ben Grimm of the Fantastic Four. Victor von Doom attended, but dropped out before graduation. The university is independent of city side. There are four 15-foot-wide en­ Humanities Building, then the library affiliation, unlike City College of New trances, one in the middle of each (80,000 VOlumes), a track and two ten­ Yo rk (Convent and 138th in Harlem), block. These have no gates, but over nis courts, a gymnasi um, and an art and of the state, unlike nearby New each is a wrought- iron arch (Excellent school. Yo rk University (Washington Square strength) reading "ESU." Unlike other universities in Manhat­ in Greenwich Village). In the campus area, green with tan, Empire State offers student living Empire State's funding derives from smog-resistant grass, stands a central space on cam pus. The dormitory, a alumni donations, research grants, fountain of Excellent concrete. Seven featureless glass box in the modern and tuition fees. Significant funding low buildings in a variety of architec­ style, houses several hundred stu­ comes from the basic medical patents tural styles are arrayed around the dents from out of state. Resident stu­ derived from the work of Dr. Curt Con­ fountain. dents commute onto campus via nors and other faculty researchers. To the right of the main (Bond Street) nearby bus and subway lines. entrance stands the old Science Build­ The Campus ing (Curt Connors' office is here), and A ten-foot-high brick wall surrounds beyond it is the modern Physics Build­ NPCs ing where Peter Parker st udies. the grounds. Of Good strength, the Several people at ESU have had Continuing wall is intended primarily to prevent counterclockwise brushes with the super-human com­ around the fountain, next comes the distractions for students studying in- munity.

45 Jus r SOME OF THE FOLKS One professor, Dr. Curt Connors, Eugene "Flash" Thompson remote computer terminal hooked has had a criminal career as the inhu­ Student, part-time boxing instructor into ESU's Computing Center in the man Lizard. (See the Judge's Book, p. FAS E RI P basement of the Physics Building. 48, in the Advanced Set for his statis­ Gd Gd Ty Gd Ty Ty Ty Department secretary Debbie Whit­ tics.) Health: 36 Karma: 18 man, a thin, neurotic blond, once A student, Hector Ayala, briefly be­ Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 dated Peter before his marriage to came New Yo rk's fi rst Puerto Rican Once the bane of Peter Parker's life Mary Jane Watson . hero, the White Tiger. (See MHAC7, when the two went to Midvale High, Concrete Jungle, for his statistics.) Flash has become Peter's loyal friend. Another studellt, Peter Parker's fel­ He attends ESU on an athletics schol­ CAMPAIGN USE low grad uate student Steve Hopkins, arship. Manhattan: PC heroes might at­ experimented with super-villainy by To make ends meet, he teaches tend the university like Peter Parker or riding a rocket-powered skateboard boxing at a gym on the Lower East have friends who do. Faced with a and calling himself Rocket Racer. Side. tough scientific problem or the need Spider-Man stopped him, Hopkins re­ for a high-tech gadget, heroes could formed, and now he occasionally aids Peter Parker's fellow grad students consult with ESU's professors or use Spider-Man whether the webslinger FAS E RI P its laboratories. likes it or not. Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Gd Ty Va rious university departments Karma: 26 Health: 24 bring notables from around the world Dr. Morris Sloan Resources: Typical(6) Popularity: 0 to visit, consult, or perform. These ce­ Biophysics department chairman In addition to Steve Hopkins (see lebrities can become hostages in a vil­ FAS E RI P above), two other graduate students, lain's plot or turn out to be villains Pr Ty Ty Ty Ex Gd Ty Marcy Kane and Phil Chang, share an themselves. Health: 22 Karma: 36 office with Peter Parker in the Bio­ Other Cities: This description could Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 physics Department. Each has a serve for a small community college or Sloan is a rather gruff, well- dressed semi-private cubicle (walls of Feeble junior college near the campaign man in his early 60s. strength). The office also features a city's downtown area.

47 THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT

OVERVIEW men in Dress-Far-Success navy suits times citizens built a wall there to pro­ and businesswomen in the female tect against Indian attacks. Less often Scholars of culture say the highest counterparts hustle along wide side­ told is that the wall gave little protec­ buildings in any society indicate what walks. At lunch hour the crowds get so tion. Citizens regularly stole planks that culture considers most important. thick they stop traffic. At rush hour it from the wall to build or heat their In ancient times, the tallest buildings gets even worse. But on weekends, homes. The same mentality of greed were temples of religion; in 18th­ the streets are deserted. permeates Wall Street to this day. century Europe, Enlightenment archi­ Unless otherwise mentioned below, At the New Yo rk Stock Exchange, tects built towering universities. In the skyscrapers that house the follow­ over 1,350 members trade shares, or Washington, DC, by law, no building ing businesses all have the same ma­ portions of ownership, in over 1,500 can be taller than the Capitol. terial strengths. Wal ls are thin stone major companies. Companies traded In New Yo rk City, as in most modern (Excellent strength) over steel girders include Roxxon, Stane International, cities, the tallest buildings are the gi­ (Amazing strength). Shaw Industries, Frost International, gantic skyscrapers dedicated to bank­ Windows are Feeble strength. Note Metrobank, and Fireheart Enter­ ing, finance, and corporate that their glass is not shatterproof. prises. industry-to money. This is the Finan­ Should a major earthquake ever strike The building, dating from 1903, is cial District. Manhattan, the Financial District's 17 stories tall. On the ground floor the streets would be buried in broken members bustle around a few large glass to a depth of three feet. carrels (wood, Typical strength) where THE AREA clerks process their buy and sell or­ In reality, almost the entire lower ders . Electronic displays (Feeble half of Manhattan Island constitutes a NEW YORK STOCK strength) around the walls display financial district. Skyscrapers crowd stock prices. up from every block, and titanic EXCHANGE Tr ading hours run from 9:30 AM to amounts of money change hands in Address: Corner of Wall Street and 4:30 PM Eastern Time. thousands of businesses. But the Broad Street. A visitors' gallery and information principal Financial District areas are Most people know Wall Street got center on the third floor overlooks the in extreme lower Manhattan, in the its name because in early colonial trading floor, separated by thick glass Wall Street, White Hall, and Lower (Poor strength). Broadway districts (see Chapter 2) . Here one finds the giants of industry, the multinational corporations, BANKS multibillion-dollar banks, worldwide Prominent among the many banks trade and transport companies, and in the Financial District is the Chase nearly every blue-chip company on Manhattan Bank in the Wall Street the New Yo rk Stock Exchange, as well area. as the Stock Exchange itself. Address: The block bounded by More of the same ki nds of busi­ Pine, William, Nassau, and Liberty nesses loom over Lexington, Park, Streets, the most expensive 2'/2 acres Madison, and Fifth Avenues and the in the world. Ave nue of the Americas. Long lines of The plain rectangular skysc raper skyscrapers stand along these routes has 65 stories, including five base­ north to Midtown. ments, and is 81 3 feet tall. Its founda­ This section details some of the tions extend 90 feet down. Six most prominent businesses in these thousand people work here. The bank areas, especially those unique to the itself occupies the five basements, the Marvel Universe. Many of the build­ first 35 floors, and the top floor. ings mentioned are mapped on the In the bottom basement sits a bank Midtown West and Midtown East fold­ vault larger than a football field. The up maps that come with this boxed vault weighs 985 tons (Shift-Z set. strength to lift) and has six doors, each titanium steel almost two feet General Description thick (Monstrous strength). Four Everywhere in this area, except in doors weigh 45 tons each, the other the occasional plaza or park, sky­ two a mere 30 tons apiece (Amazing scrapers block the sun throughout the strength to lift). day. In those shaded streets business- The first floor includes a concourse

48 that curves around a Japanese Another 80,000 businesspeople and town's Rockefeller Center, rents a sunken garden . tourists visit every day. This is the small suite of offices in the World An open plaza occupies most of the world's major center of international Tr ade Center. These offices once be­ block to the south of the building. A commerce. came a front for Jerry Jaxon's sc heme modern sculpture called Group of Th e Tw in To wers are two 11O-story to revenge himself on his old enemy, Fo ur Trees stands here. It takes Un­ (1 1 0-area) buildings, at 1,350 feet the Guardian, of the Canadian group of earthly ability to discern anything tree­ tallest in Manhattan . Architect Minoru heroes, Alpha Flight. like about this sculpture. Ya masaki receives the credit, and in Jaxon , through Roxxon intermedi­ some quarters the blame, for their aries, hired scientist James Hudson Frost International plain design. (Guardian) for a fat salary. After Hud­ On the 50th floor of the Chase Man­ The buildings' structure re i ntro­ son relocated from his native Canada hattan is the Manhattan headquarters duced the load-bearing wall for mod­ to New Yo rk, Jaxon sprang his trap. In of Frost International, a huge corpora­ ern skyscrapers. Most skyscrapers the World Tr ade Center's Tw in To wer tion specializing in transportation and hang the weight of the walls from the One, Jaxon and his villain group, electronics. On her visits to New Yo rk, girder structure. But the walls of "Twin Omega Flight, cornered Hudson. chairperson Emma Frost stays in her One" and "Twin Tw o," as they are Though Alpha defeated Omega, and quarters in Hellfire Club Mansion on called, support their own weight. For Jaxon perished in the battle, Guardian the Upper East Side. Frost is the game purposes this means major also died when his powered-armor club's White Queen. See the "Hellfire damage to the walls could cause the suit malfunctioned. Club Mansion" entry. entire side of a tower to collapse. A lower floor of Tw in Tw o offers the The walls are made of closely small offices of Silver Sable Inter­ The Federal Reserve spaced steel columns reinforced by national. Heavyweight clients hire Sil­ Across Liberty St reet from the massive beams that circle each floor ver Sable, mercenary, Nazi hunter, Chase Manhattan building stands the (all Remarkable strength). An alumi­ glamorous socialite, and leader of the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yo rk. In num skin covers the beams. Tinted elite anti-terrorist sq uad called the this 14-story building the US Govern­ windows, recessed ten inches from Wild Pack. Sable and the Pack appre­ ment stores the gold reserves of 80 the beams, stretch from floor to ceil­ hend wanted criminals and recover foreign nations, amounting to 351 mil­ ing. Inside, the floors are roomy, with stolen property for everyone from in­ lion ounces worth nearly $15 billion. more open space than other sky­ surance companies to small nations. Va ults 80 feet underground protect scrapers can allow. Profits from the operation go to sup­ the gold. Express elevators in the Tw in To w­ port Sable's native country, the small Managers here boast that no super­ ers travel 1,600 feet per minute (1 8 Eastern European nation of Symkaria. powered villain has ever succeeded in MPH or 14 areas per turn) between stealing this gold. For many villains, the ground floor and a "skylobby" on Other Buildings the gold may not be desirable be­ the 44th floor. Another set of express At the southwest corner of the com­ cause anyone who stole it would be­ elevators travels from the 44th to the plex stands 3 Wo rld Tr ade Center, the come the target of the biggest 78th floor skylobby, and a third set modern Vista International Hotel, 22 manhunt in history. Furthermore, the from the 78th to the 11Oth. Local ele­ stories high, the fi rst major hotel built loss of the gold might trigger eco­ vators serve each set of floors be­ in the downtown area in over a cen­ nomic collapse around the world, and tween skylobbies. This arrangement tury. the gold could then be so much worth­ conserves floor space, since each ele­ To the northeast and southeast are less metal. vator shaft can hold three elevators, 4 and 5 WTC, the two 9-story Plaza one for each "zone." Buildings. Number 4 WTC houses An electronic directory in Tw in commodity exchanges. Here one can WORLD TRADE CENTER One's lobby guides vistors to all ten­ arrange to buy sugar or cotton by the ant firms, including the shops, restau­ shipload , or pure Wakandan vibra­ Address: An enormous com plex rants, and bars located throughout nium (price as of 2/1 0/89: $1 013 per near the southern tip of Manhattan on both towers. gram). The building at 5 WTC holds the west side, bounded by Vesey Observation decks are in Tw in Tw o, the offices of several financial firms. Street (north), Liberty Street (south), on the 107th and 11Oth floors. At the northeast stands the 8-story Tr inity Place (aka Church St reet , US Customhouse building, a concen­ east), and West Street (appropriately Clientele tration of bureaucratic red tape con­ enough, west). Their add resses are Among many, many businesses, cerning goods moving through the simply "1 and 2 Wo rld Tr ade Center." the Tw in To wers host the Manhattan port. Description headquarters of Fireheart Enter­ Visitors can travel from the main prises. This New Mexico-based cor­ plaza via covered walkway over Ve sey The 16-acre site of the World Tr ade poration is run by Thomas Fireheart. Street to the north, to the upper lobby Center, opened in 1970, holds seven In another identity Fireheart is Spider­ of the new 7 WTC office tower. This is buildings dedicated to international Man's foe, the high-priced profes­ 47 stories of polished red granite and trade. Fifty thousand importers, ex­ sional mercenary Puma. glass in an odd trapezoidal shape. porters, brokers, manufacturers, ship­ Roxxon Oil, headquartered in Mid- The WTC plaza extends over five pers, and customs agents work here.

49 spacious acres. A huge bronze sculp­ central console of his security system, MIDTOWN ture of the typical modern variety re­ and a counting room where his em­ Firms of note in this area: volves in a large fountain. ployees keep track, via computer, of Metrobank (Park Av enue at 54th), a his holdings and transactions. All subsidiary of Roxxon Oil Company. Battery Park City rooms have heavy-duty ventilation The 55-story skyscraper, clad in gray Something over 20 tons of earth, fans that can clear the rooms of gas in granite, features an enormous lobby excavated when the Wo rld Tr ade Cen­ six seconds (one turn). decorated in classic Roman style. The ter was built, has become landfill for a Almost uniquely for a skyscraper, ceiling is 75 feet (five areas) high. manmade expansion of Manhattan Is­ the penthouse windows open. The Metrobank's branch office on the land off its lower west coast. Kingpin has installed these because Upper West Side was the headquar­ Still under construction, Battery super-human adventurers have a ters of the Nth Command, the most Park City already hosts the four giant habit of dropping in on him unan­ elite operation of Roxxon's Covert Ac­ glass towers of the World Fi nancial nounced, and he has gotten tired of tivities Division. This group, including Center, home of many brokerage and replacing the window glass when they the Nth Com mandos and Scavenger financial firms. Other parts of Battery crash through. Park City include (or will include) The Kingpin's self-contained secu­ parks, plazas, a riverside esplanade, rity system comprises two monitor and residential buildings. cameras on the tower roof, two in the When the development is com­ lobby, and four that survey the area pleted in the mid-1990s, 30,000 peo­ around the building. Fisk monitors ple will live there, and that many more these on a bank of ten screens con­ will work there. cealed beh ind a painting in his count­ ing room. Duplicate sets of monitors are hidden in his office and personal THE KINGPIN'S TOW ER quarters. Address: Fifth Ave nue at 39th Street. Wilson Fisk, spice merchant and entrepreneur, occupies the top two floors of an attractive unnamed build­ ing. The tower's height is variously given as 51 and 53 stories. The latter figure is correct, but the Kingpin en­ courages false estimates of the build­ ing's height, apparently in order to confuse enemies. No outward signs of the owner's criminal activities mark the tower, but six well-dressed thugs surreptitiously guard the first-floor lobby. Four more guard the penthouse lobby, and two others flank the entrance to Fisk's of­ fices. These are very large, almost un­ furnished, and usually kept dark, except for the lamp over the Kingpin's desk. Kingpin always keeps an emer­ gency gas mask in the desk. A con­ cealed private elevator in the office goes to the building's sub-basement, which holds emergency power gener­ ators and an escape tunnel to a nearby subway station. Next to Fisk's office is a smaller com panion office for the Kingpin's second-in-command, the Arranger. Several polite, unarmed receptionists work in an outer office. All office walls are walnut-paneled bulletproof con­ crete (Excellent material). The· 52nd floor incl udes Fisk's per­ sonal quarters and exercise room, the

50 Units, uses exotic technology to infil­ the Celanese (45 stories), McG raw­ trate and subvert major governments. Hill (51 stories), and Time & Life (48 It once tried to project many of Earth's stories) buildings, as well as many super humans into alternate realities. others. Radio City Music Hall, home of The Nth Command has relocated to the famed dancing Rockettes chorus an unrevealed headquarters, and Me­ line, is here. So is the Museum of trobank's involvement in its illegal ac­ Modern Art (known as MOMA), a ma­ tivities remains unrevealed. jor collection devoted to all forms of art Stane International, formerly Stark since 1880, including photographs International (floors 22-25 of the and films. Chemical Bank of New Yo rk building, The Channel Gardens in front of the Park Avenue at 47th). Stane is one of RCA building are so named because the world's leading weapons contrac­ they separate Maison Francaise from tors and industrial manufacturers. Its the British Empire Building. A prome­ principal headquarters are on Long Is­ nade leads down to the Lower Plaza un­ land, miles outside the New Yo rk city der street level. The flags of the United limits. Nations fly here above a famous bronze Shaw Industries, a diversified cor­ statue of Prometheus. Ice skaters prac­ poration prominent in steel, strategic tice in the rink here. At Christmas time metals, and nuclear power (G eneral carolers give concerts in front of a huge, Motors building, Fifth Avenue at East brilliantly decorated tree. 59th). Shaw formerly led the Hellfire A private street, Rockefeller Plaza, Club as its Black King. leads to the RCA Building. It is closed The General Motors building is 50 one day each year so that it keeps its stories tall and covered in white Georgia qualification as private property. marble. Shaw Industries' New Yo rk of­ fices occupy floors 39 through 42. Roxxon Plaza Immediately west of the RCA Build­ Rockefeller Center ing stands the enormous Roxxon Address: Between 47th and 52nd Plaza tower, headquarters of the Streets, and Fifth and Seventh Ave­ world's largest oil company-and, nues. some say, the world's largest com­ Almost a city in itself, or at least a pany, period. The entire 56-story (840- small town, Rockefeller Center is a foot) tower administers the company's com plex of 21 skyscrapers and labyrinthine holdings around the smaller buildings covering 22 acres. world. Most of these are legitimate Nearly 65,000 people work here, and and honestly run, but Roxxon also en­ another 200,000 visit each day. All the gages in many illegal or immoral activ­ buildings in Rockefeller Center are ities unknown to the general public. linked by an underground concourse Roxxon's many legitimate activities lined with shops and restaurants. This are too numerous to list here. Its crimi­ is a subway stop. nal activities have included attempts Its centerpiece is the RCA Building to suppress research into alternative (30 Rockefeller Center), world head­ energy sources, like Project: Pega­ quarters of the communications giant. sus; unauthorized microwave trans­ The 850-foot-tall building has 70 stories. missions from a huge radar­ The lobby displays enormous Spanish camouflaged satellite called the Star murals depicting man's progress. We ll; the illegal seizure of vibranium Studios of the NBC radio and televi­ on a small Atlantic island; and an at­ sion network occupy several lower tempt to discredit the Wakandan gov­ floors. Studio 8H hosts a popular com­ ernment and its leader, the Black edy show broadcast live each Satur­ Panther. day night. Several years ago Marvel Former Roxxon president Hugh Comics' Stan Lee hosted the show. Jones tried to subvert the US Govern­ By coincidence, the villain called the ment. Jones had become enslaved by Silver Samurai invaded the show on an ancient artifact called the Serpent that same night. But Spider-Man Crown. He went insane and is now (who, as Peter Parker, was in the audi­ confined in a mental hospital in up­ ence) and the show's cast stopped the state New Yo rk. The Serpent Crown - Samurai from dOing much damage. has been destroyed. Rockefeller Center also includes

51 The Brand Corporation OTHER POINTS OF south of Centra'i Park provide homes Te n floors and two of the six base­ for the well-lo-do. One of these (West ments in the Roxxon Plaza tower once INTER EST 58th near Avenue of the Americas) housed the Brand Corporation, a An obscure building on 51 st Street harbors the studio loft of Johnny large research subsidiary of Roxxon. near Fifth Ave nue once housed the Storm , the Human To rcfil,and his wife Brand made Roxxon prom inent in the large corporate law offices of Harry Alicia. The To rcl'! can exit the building organic chemicals and pharmaceuti­ Leland, Black Rook of the Hellfire through a ceiling skylight. Down the cals industries. Club. Leland died in battle with the block at street level is "Calories R Brand's Mutagenics Laboratory in advanced Sentinel robot Nimrod. The Us," an Ice-cream place. Queens helped create or augment firm's facilities were taken over by a For further information on land­ many super-powered humans: Suntu­ larger firm controlled by the Kingpin­ marks of the Midtown area and the Fi­ rion, Mad-Dog, Will O'The Wisp, and the same firm that employs Franklin nancial District, consult the Hotspot many members of the second Serpent "Foggy" Nelson. entries in this chapter for the DailyBu­ Squad. For a time it employed Hank Glenn Industries formerly rented of­ g/e, the Empire State Building, Four McCoy, the former X- Man known as fices in the Celanese Building in Rock­ Freedoms. Plaza, and SHIELD Head­ the Beast. At Brand's laboratories Mc­ efeller Center. Daredevil uncovered quarters. Coy distilled what he called the chemi­ evidence of corruption in the company cal basis of human mutation. When he that led to its bankruptcy. Roxxon and took a dosage of the chemical, he mu­ other corporations purchased Glenn CAMPAIGN USE tated (further) into his current bestial, Industries' assets. This area is what New Yo rk cam­ blue-furred form. Tr ump To wer (Fifth Avenue and paigns. are really about: heroes flying, Brand also concealed Roxxo n's 56th, on the east side of Tiffany's) is a swinging, or leaping' between sky­ Covert Activities division . When bronze-mirrored skyscraper 58 stories scrapers J1ighabOve thl!J streets. Com­ Spider-Man and Will O'The Wisp ex­ tall. Inside, its 6-story atrium features ics fans know the thrill of that contrast posed these activities to public scru­ many fashionable shops charging ex­ between powerful, heroic individuals tiny, Roxxon covered up by closing orbitant prices. Entrepreneur Donald and the awesome buildings of our down the corporation. Tr ump built it in 1983. Alternately time. Brand remains closed today. How­ lauded as gorgeous and scorned as So "Campaign Use" becomes re­ ever, its offices have not been leased garish, the tower is clearly a monu­ dundant. After all, virtually all urban to other clients, and the furniture has ment to something, though no one adventures, New Yo rk or otherwise, not been removed. Rumors mention agrees to what. feature these towers of industry as lights being seen on those floors late a Midtown is not all business. Some backdrop. at night. residential skyscraper apartments

52 FOUR FREEDOMS PLAZA

OVERVIEW The entire building is made of non­ traditional construction materials. The The new headquarters of Fantastic building is "woven" from carbon Four, Inc., stands on the site of the old aramid thread ; hence, although the Baxter Building. When the Baxter walls are relatively thin, they are ex­ Building was destroyed by Doctor traord inarily resistant to damage Doom, Reed Richards and the FF built (Monstrous strength). The windows a new and larger headquarters: Four are made of a carbon lattice which Freedoms Plaza. most closely resem bles diamond. The Address: Lexington Avenue be­ LJ_ ---, quarter-inch thick wi ndows (Remark­ tween 48th and 49th streets. For its lo­ able strength) are integrally woven cation, see the Midtown East map in into place and are not removable. this boxed set. Four Freedoms Plaza is a tall white skyscraper. At the top of each face is a THE AREA gigantic numeral 4 carved in white marble (Incred ible strength). The top The FF's headquarters In Mid­ IS of the building is 53 areas high. town. For more information, see the Access to the Fantastic Four's previous Hotspot entry, "The Finan­ headquarters is gained from the first cial District." floor through elevators guarded by the doorman, Mr. O'Hoolihan, who per­ DESCRIPTION formed the same function for the Fantastic Four at the Baxter Building. Note: The building that the The Fantastic Four carry special de­ Fantastic Fou r uses as a headquar­ vices in their belts that emit coded sig­ ters, Four Freedoms Plaza, was first nals that open the elevator doors. described in MA4, Th e Fantastic Four Others seeking access to the Compendium. Marvel Comics has re­ Fantastic Four's headquarters must cently published an update (The Offi­ cial Handbook of the MA RVEL request permission for entry through UN'VERS!='" Up date Issue #3) O'Hoolihan from the Fantastic Four . '89, which revises the information in MA4. themselves. Visitors who are admitted The updated information is presented take an elevator up to the reception room, which is attended by Roberta, a here. robot receptionist constructed to ap­ pear human above the waist. Four Freedoms Plaza was de­ The upper structure of the building signed by Reed Richards, who is . a self-sustaining, heavily armored more popularly known as Mister IS Fantastic, the leader of the Fantastic unit which contains both the Fantastic Four. The building was constructed Four's headquarters and the individ­ ual members' livi ng quarters. The up­ under Richards' supervision by the per structure makes extensive use of firm Damage Control and by workmen computers, guard robots, and other associated with the original law en­ advanced devices to maintain secu­ forcement agency known as SHIELD. rity. All interior doors are air-locks and Four Freedoms Plaza is a 45-story of­ re governed by a central housekeep­ fice building surmounted by the four­ � story headquarters of the Fantastic Ing computer. This computer is part of Reed Richards' main computer com­ Four. Separating the two structures is a plex. The upper structure contains buffer zone of electrical and mechanical several major state-of-the-art re­ equipment which provides air­ search laboratories in various fields of conditioning, power, and some other science for use by Dr. Richard s. functions for the Fantastic Four head­ Among the most noteworthy techno­ quarters. In cases of emergency, as, for logical devices housed in the labora­ example, if the Fantastic Four's head­ tories are the mechanisms permitting quarters should be under attack secu­ entry into the Negative Zone and a du­ rity mechanisms within the buff r zone � plicate of Doctor Doom's time ma­ can seal the headquarters area off from chine. the rest of the building.

53 The skies over Manhattan are less Other Cities: With minor altera­ crowded now that the Federal Aviation tions, Four Freedoms Plaza can serve Ad ministration has prohibited the as a headquarters to an established Avengers and Fantastic Four from us­ group of NPC heroes in the Judge's ing their downtown headquarters as campaign. The player characters ������ ----i--i1 airports. Both teams now use their might even adopt elements of the de­ sttQP"'HQ

PROMENAOE [SC4uton TO �,..Ji..-.-I launchpads on Avengers Island, for­ sign for their own headquarters. . lO*t:FIu.�Y L1'V[L (000 'LOOR ArO"J

merly Hydro-Base. Here the FF OOAU""[I' LE'lELi(V()I'L launches its Pogo Plane and Intercon­ H(\fAl0lnl

PU.uc orn tinental Passenger Missile. But FF fM( fMllles .m,", IUJt'I(.U:Ir'tICQALl...... members still use Fo ur Freedoms 000-0I\.1Vl\Ir:H T""OOl "'l� 1I(:"" OIl((D WO¥EIU UctRCI$( A_A GROUND flOOR PLAN Plaza for their smaller craft. On the top 'LOOIIIS 53, floor, is a huge hangar for several LOCl(lM Fantasticars and Skycycles. The GUESt SUITt; roof's walls slide back during launches and landings. The buffer zone (above floor 49) is also a breakaway point. The old Baxter Building was levitated into space on two occasions. Reed Richards constructed

Rue ""'O SUl'S the new building so that in the event of a S future levitation, the upper stories will D:J U JTl! PL U F'UHI(LI,.."S AOOII OUPU:. separate from the foundation, leaving ,UPSJAUI.S) PUlHhlH(l. su.rvs FIRST flOORJC�"I'

NPCs DOWN AUTO "OSPITAL AEEC·S CPt,.,HG TO "'.,""",EI'IT SuRGER' �E" 8(fWE[I'I 'looRS ,T'IoI'IC •• , EL[VAraA For complete statistics on the C"EMISTI(Y "'45oTO".0( SECOND FLOOR PLAN Fantastic Four and all the significant ORO .....

(MI»O­ people in their lives, consult MA4, Th e .�LOGIC"L Fanta stic Four Compendium. LA.

.....TlAt l CAM PAIGN USE STOIUOl

.. Manhattan: PC heroes may visit Four Freedoms Plaza to get the Fantastic Four's help with a difficult scientific problem or to borrow equip­

ment. Even Doctor Strange has been 51,1PIA CCC�':A COOY-S eCHDL:ClTllfC \l1: CItlNfR&D ..... known to use Reed Richards' devices. CO�D I " ,,,",-liS. nJ N S.lOAAOI:AHO But the Judge should take care to S O R&D AOQ ..-u 'UNO COI..UD[III AAfU. 1IiUI.. c .t.JlliIUoT M OOf' 00I' .... keep the players from relying over­ I.U.ltoCO �,[.111 PM"'S[D ' 'n·PUIllPOSl CO"�U:��:�� .III"O.t.JII (1II 1 R COI't'OUA�� ==��\ ��==��--�. INf!APRU"flON much on the FF's resources. The FF \ Q �F£ �� can always say that they need the de­ � o vice themselves, or that it was j ust de­ NC[ ····rT·-·-· ·-- stroyed in their last battle. Players may also go to the Plaza to r�:�,:,:·-·····-' help out in the Fantastic Four's ab­ , sence. Some FF enemy has decided to blow up the building when they're �"'IJMCM"""'" not there to stop him. If the PC heroes .1"1. S,,,(;IMO... ,,.O foil the attempt, they earn a large favor .,..,0....

AHltNN" from the world's most popular super "tW.!HUL

A1AfJt.Alnc !:! AIlRA, group. COHlAO\.. [",o-ATYC5�[R'C AHDSAf[LUT'[ 100lENlUD, CO"'�IHJ( PIAfOAYANC[00l l...AHl. "' [' P 54 HELLFIRE CLUB MANSION

OVERVIEW History The interior decor is 18th-century That date, 1763, is when Sir Francis Colonial, matching the senior mem­ An old and prestigious upper-class Dashwood of London founded a gen­ bers' eccentric predilection for dress­ club, the Hellfire Club has another, tlemen's club devoted to debauchery, ing in 18th-century garb during hidden purpose: its leaders want to black magic, orgiastic parties, and po­ meetings. Walnut paneling, chande­ take over the world. litical intrigue. Its membership in­ liers and candelabras of cut glass, Address: 840 Fifth Avenue, be­ cluded some of the most powerful gaslight globes in wall sconces-all tween 66th and 67th Streets. men of 18th-century England: the project an air of obvious elegance, not Prime Minister, the Lord Mayor of Lon­ at all understated. THE AREA don, bankers, admirals, poets, the The mansion's simple floor plan Archbishop of Canterbury's son, and gives pride of place to the great cen­ The Upper East Side is home to Benjamin Franklin. Author Daniel P. tral ballroom, a spacious carpeted many rich or well-heeled New Yo rkers, Mannix recounts the history of this room over 120 feet (1 area) long and such as Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Ja­ British branch of the club in his excel­ 40 feet wide. The ceiling is about 29 meson, and was once home to many lent 1959 book, Th e Hell-Fire Club. feet (2 areas) high, reaching the roof more, such as Matt Murdock (Dare­ Several key Hellfire Club members of the building. There is nothing above devil) and his law partner, Franklin emigrated to colonial America and the ceiling but electrical wiring. "Foggy" Nelson. started a new American Hellfire Club, Many elaborate doorways lead to Many foreign embassies or consu­ independent of and unaffiliated with the ballroom. The dominating feature lates are located here as well. Along the British original. They occupied an of the room is a palatial fireplace, one ten-block stretch of Madison Ave­ abandoned church on the present where a great fire blazes cheerily nue from 68th to 79th Streets are the site. The current building was con­ every evening during winter months. consulates for Greece, Burma, Leba­ structed in 1906. non, France, Hungary, Tu nisia, Austria, Today, the Hellfire Club is widely Rooms and Chambers Indonesia, and Italy, and the Wakandan known as a respectable organization A hallway surrounds the ballroom Embassy. The Latverian Embassy is for the rich and influential, principally on both floors of the building. On the fartherto the south, on Lexington Ave­ devoted to giving lavish parties. Most upper floor, it opens onto a sturdy nue. All along these streets one sees people also realize that lots of busi­ wooden balcony (Good strength) over­ limousines illegally parked but left ness gets done in whispered conver­ looking the ballroom. Along the outer unticketed-because they have "DPt..:' sations at those parties. But very few sides of the hallways on both floors, (diplomat) license plates. are aware that the club's Inner Circle, public rooms and private chambers Yo rk Avenue, which runs north­ south to the east of First Avenue, formerly the "Council of the Chosen," are arranged. conspires to dominate the world Public rooms are all on the ground gives its name to the Yo rkville neigh­ through economic power, politics, a floor. These include a large smoking borhood, an extremely clean district in private mercenary army, and-in room, an extensive library (with a otherwise filthy Manhattan. Here are many cases-mutant super powers. large selection of books that earlier Rockefeller University and Cornell Medical Center, on the river between Members of the club's Inner Circle oc­ centuries deemed "indecent"), and a 63rd and 70th Streets. cupy positions named after chess dining room that seats 64. Next to the pieces. dining room is a large and well­ equipped kitchen. DESCRIPTION Inside the Club Tw o staircases and an elevator give The name "mansion," with its con­ Note: Complete layouts of Hellfire access to the second floor. Members notations of grandeur and display, Club Mansion have not yet been re­ always refer to the 18 small cubicles seems an inappropriate term for the vealed. What follows is a reconstruc­ on this floor as "chambers," as op­ Hellfire Club's headquarters-at least tion based on published accounts. posed to "rooms." The semantic dif­ as seen from the street. Later accounts may invalidate parts of ference is that "chambers" are for The brick building (Good strength this description. private matters, whether business, walls) occupies the entire block, but it The Hellfire Club admits only mem­ gambling, or romance. Each chamber is inconspicuous. Designed in New bers and their guests, so the front en­ measures 15 feet by 10, and each has Yo rk elite style, the building is only 30 trance is kept locked, though the lock one round table, one chair, and a feet (two areas) tall. Its entrance is set is only of Typical strength. Inside the wide, padded divan. Chambers are off from the street by a short, simple door is a small foyer and cloakroom. soundproofed with Good material. flight of concrete steps. Beside the (Note the ordinary strengths. This is At the rear of the second floor, above white wooden door (of oak, Typical true of the entire building. Nothing the kitchen, are the private rooms of the strength) is a small bronze plaque about the mansion's construction be­ Inner Circle. Tw o fully furnished bed­ reading, "HELLFIRE CLUB­ trays that it is anything but an ordinary rooms are available for the rare times ESTABLISHED MDCCLXIII." social club.) when leaders celebrate too heavily and

55 are unwilling or unable to drive home. peared to reform, and he had even led many crimes, without regard to moral­ Between the bedrooms is an elegant the X-Men and the New Mutants after ity or society's strictures. Most notori­ meeting room, where the Inner Circle Professor Charles Xavier left Earth. ous was their corruption of the once held the X-Men captive. But Magneto later lost control of X-Men's Phoenix into Dark Phoenix, both groups-the X-Men when they through circumstances too involved to The Basement were believed to have died, and the recount here. The mansion has a basement with New Mutants when they learned Mag­ However, the Hellfire Club always concrete walls (Excellent strength), neto had not really reformed. Now maintains a front of respectability, accessible only from the kitchen on Magneto is trying to unite other mu­ their best weapon against prosecu­ the first floor. This storage area is filled tants under the Hellfire Club's leader­ tion. The general public remains un­ with crates, containing mainly kitchen ship, in preparation for a forthcoming aware of their long-term plans, and and party supplies. A locked and major conflict with humanity and with the Hellfire Club leadership will do guarded basement room holds a other mutant factions-what he calls anything to keep it that way. small armory for the Inner Circle's "The Mutant Wars." mercenaries. Mercenaries have no Magneto's abilities are also de­ barracks, lockers, or lounge areas on scribed in MA1 , Children of the Atom. CAMPAIGN USE the premises, but often they hang Sebastian Shaw remains active as Manhattan: The Hellfire Club around the kitchen. the director of powerful Shaw Indus­ serves as a powerful group of villain­ There was once another entrance tries, a major corporation. (See the ous types, and its Mansion as a villain to the basement ...from below, Wo rld Tr ade Center and Stock Ex­ headquarters-with a twist. Its most through the sewers. Wolverine used change entries in "The Financial Dis­ powerful armor is not in its walls, but in this to break into the mansion and res­ trict," earlier in this chapter.) Shaw has public perceptions. No hero group can cue his fellow X- Men. The basement vowed opposition to Magneto and the afford the scandal of attacking a pros­ floor had an iron grate of Excellent rest of the Hellfire Club. Meanwhile, perous uptown society club! Conse­ strength, locked with a Remarkable­ Magneto has allied covertly with the quences certainly include attacks in strength lock. The round grate led to a White Queen, Emma Frost, to topple the media, civil charges for damages, concrete access tunnel and down to the Black Queen, Selene, from power. and suspicion by police and other the sewers. The Inner Circle used this So the intrigues continue. super types. In the worst case, PC he­ entrance to smuggle in mercenaries roes might face criminal charges or be and firearms. But after Wolverine's in­ outlawed by the City Council. vasion, the tunnel was filled in with CRIMES Other Cities: The Hellfire Club is a concrete. For centuries the Hellfire Club has national organization. Meeting facili­ wielded its influence behind the ties in other cities can follow the same scenes. In that time it has committed general plan. NPCs Complete statistics for the known members of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle are given in MA1, Children of the Atom. Club members outside the Inner Circle are ordinary (though influ­ ential) people with Typical abilities. The Inner Circle has seen many up­ heavals in recent months. The White Bishop, mining magnate Donald Pierce, was expelled after a botched takeover attempt. Corporate lawyer Harry Leland and jeweler Frederick von Roehm, the Black Bishop and Rook, died in battle with the advanced Sentinel robot Nimrod. Sebastian Shaw, for many years the Black King, has recently been de­ posed by the mutant super-powered villain Magneto. The new leader has assumed the roles of both Black and White King, merging them as the "Gray King." Magneto assumed control of the Hellfire Club as part of his long-term strategy to unite all mutants against humanity. For a time Magneto had ap- 56 HELL'S KITCHEN

OVERVIEW "Hell's Kitchen is aching muscles and The 21st Precinct growling stomachs-children's feet At 39th Street and Ninth Ave nue The dirtiest, sleaziest, most crime­ on broken glass-hopeless laughter, stands the New Yo rk Police Depart­ ridden neighborhood in New Yo rk City echOing across an empty lot." ment's 21 st Precinct offices. The is-well, a matter of debate. But one Published accounts have shown ground floor holds the front desk, lock­ of the chief contenders is the core of junkies deciding whether to eat or ers and desks for uniformed officers, the Lower West Side, Hell's Kitchen. sleep today; winos who clutch the and a row of three holding cells. The The neighborhood serves as a base of bannister knobs of staircases as if second floor has desks for the four de­ operations for the vigilantes Cloak they were lifelines; and a Columbia tectives who work any given shift and and Dagger. For a time it was the spe­ University student who can't afford the private office of Captain George cial preserve of its tireless protector, rent and so sleeps in the back seat of Petrovic. the blind crimefighter Daredevil. a junkyard automobile. His landlord, Plainclothes detective Brigid an old man named Vegas, sleeps in O'Reilly worked here before an acci­ the front seat. dent (and her unwilling allies, Cloak THE AREA This was the boyhood home of Nick and Dagger) transformed her into the Hell's Kitchen is something over Fury. Matt Murdock was born here, tormented vigilante Mayhem. O'Reil­ 110 blocks of tenements, factories, and until recently he lived here again ly's best friend and fellow detective, garages, warehouses, and docks. with his beloved Karen Page in a spar­ Rebecca "Rusty" Nales, also works The area is essentially the same as tan one-room apartment on the top out of this precinct. the Lower West Side, with a slice of floor of a five-story building on Te nth Chelsea below it. Avenue. Not far away is the unnamed On a map, Hell's Kitchen is the area diner owned by Bertha and Otto DAREDEVIL IN HELLS west of Ninth Avenue to the waterfront Schnapp, where Murdock worked as between 30th and 59th Streets, and a cook. KITCHEN also the area west of Eighth Avenue Across the neighborhood on Eighth Daredevil was until recently a pros­ between 42nd and 58t h Streets. It Avenue sits the Last Exit bar and pool perous defense attorney in his secret abuts on the Theater District to the hall-sometimes called "No Exit" by identity of Matt Murdock. Murdock east and the Upper West Side to the locals because of the dead-end owned a beautiful three-story brown­ north. sleazes who patronize it. Though he stone in the posh Upper East Side once relied on Josie's on the Lower (Madison Avenue, between 62nd and East Side, Daredevil made this bar his 63rd). A lawyer by day, a vigilante by DESCRIPTION new source of contacts, snitches, and night, Murdock was never bothered by this contradiction. Hell's Kitchen includes the en­ grapevine messages. trance to the Lincoln Tu nnel (38th and His life began to fall apart, however, when the assassin Bullseye killed the 39th Streets, between Ninth and Te nth THE HOLY GHOST woman he loved, Elektra Natchios. Avenues) and the Jacob K. Javits CHURCH Convention Center, a multi-faceted Murdock, on the rebound, pursued an box of black glass on 11th Aven ue be­ On 42nd Street off Ninth Avenue, ill-advised relationship with Heather Glenn; Glenn later committed suicide. tween 34th and 38th Streets. At 81 1 next to a rundown hotel, stands the Murdock gradually withdrew into Te nth Avenue is the New Yo rk Te le­ imposing Holy Ghost Church, a struc­ paranoia. phone Company, a windowless white ture almost a century old. This church building. Any of these spots might serves as home base for the vigilantes Tw o years before, Karen Page, former secretary to the firm of Nelson prompt a villainous takeover attempt. Cloak and Dagger. They ordinarily and Murdock (and Murdock's lover But in general this territory is too concentrate their crimefighting activi­ and confidante), had left for Holly­ poor to attract big-league villains. ties in the Times Square area. (See Most of Hell's Kitchen consists of rot­ the "Times Square" entry later in this wood to become a movie actress. Her career went sour, to put it mildly, and ting tenements, no more than five or chapter.) she wound up making stag films in six stories high. Most buildings use Built in Gothic Revival style, the Mexico. Addicted to heroin, she sold the shoddiest material available church has seen much better days. It Murdock's secret identity as Daredevil (Good material strength at best). was closed down when its most recent for a fix. Although the highest property val­ priest, Father Francis Xavier Delgado, The secret was discovered by the ues in the world lie a mile to the south­ went mad. He is now confined to an crime lord of New Yo rk, Wilson Fisk­ west, in Hell's Kitchen one fi nds many asylum. Dagger's Uncle Mike has reo­ the Kingpin. Determined not just to kill vacant lots. Priced too high to sell, pened a section of the dusty church as his foe but to destroy him, the Kingpin these serve as tax shelters for the a community outreach center, open ruined Murdock's life. He worked wealthy. Tu esdays and Fridays. through a long chain of intermediaries As Matt Murdock (Daredevil) put it,

57

. _------�=,,= to avoid detection, since he believed more about Nuke, see "NPCs," be­ NPCs Murdock only pretended blindness. low.) Reasoning that the area draws Karen Page Fisk foreclosed on (and later blew up) many refugees, Fisk sent Nuke into Law clinic administrator Murdock's home, froze his assets, Hell's Kitchen to draw Daredevil out of FAS E RI P and had him framed for malpractice. hiding. Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Gd Ty Murdock was barred from the prac­ After Nuke inflicted catastrophic Health: 24 Karma: 26 tice of law; his partner, Franklin damage and injured many by­ Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 1 "Foggy" Nelson, in forestalling a prison standers, Daredevil defeated him in With Murdock's help, Page over­ sentence, defended him so effectively batt/e. The Ave ngers took him into came her addiction. Heroin addiction that the Kingpin later had Nelson hired federal custody, but Nuke later es­ usually has significant side effects on into one of his own law firms. (Nelson is caped. To prevent further scandal, the health, notably kidney damage, but if unaware of Fisk's role in this, but now Army fatally wounded its own agent. Page has experienced any of these, suspects that the firm is not engaged in But Daredevil carried the dying Nuke they have not been revealed. legitimate business.) to his friend Ben Urich at the Daily Bu­ Page is much healthier now. But gle, and the resulting expose ruined she relied, perhaps too heavily, on Purgatory the Kingpin's reputation. Fisk has Matt Murdock as her emotional sup­ Murdock, already unstable, been plotting revenge ever since. port amid the corruption of Hell's cracked in the ordeal . He abandoned Kitchen. his friends, and in a paranoid delusion Aftermath Appearance: 5'9" , 128 Ibs. Mid-20s. he beat up a police officer. Though un­ Murdock took up residence in Hell's Long blond hair, attractive. Favors well, he at least saw correctly that the Kitchen, as happy in a studio loft as he denims and tank tops, but knows how Kingpin was behind his problems. ever was in his three-story brown­ to dress well on the job (and on a Murdock faced Fisk alone in the crime stone. As Murdock he ran a free legal budget). lord's penthouse offices, where the clinic. As Daredevil he fought to clean Ta lents: Secretarial and social work, huge man beat him into unconscious­ up the neighborhood and protect its street smarts. ness. citizens from thugs, preying land­ Story Function: As any romantic The Kingpin had Murdock put in a lords, and themselves. He broadened interest-victim, hostage, information stolen taxicab and driven off Pier 41 his outlook and methods, and was not source, confidante, and so on. into the East River. Only when the cab above stealing money from the King­ was discovered weeks later did Fisk pin's operations to serve good Nuke fi nd that Murdock had escaped. causes. "Agent Simpson," US Army sergeant Barely alive, Murdock wandered No longer a mysterious figure, Assassin and terrorist Manhattan and finally gravitated to­ Daredevil walked the streets, drank in F AM (50) Health: 140 ward his boyhood home in Hell's the bars, and became an accepted A IN (40) Kitchen. A nun named Maggie found part of life in Hell's Kitchen. Murdock S EX (20) Karma: 42 him on the brink of death and nursed appeared less concerned than before E RM (30) him back to health. about protecting his secret identity, R TY (6) Resources: Ex(20) and sometimes, outside his Free Le­ I EX (30) Born Again gal Clinic, did not bother to pretend to P TY (6) Popularity: See be­ In Maggie's mission for drunks and be an ordinary blind man. (The King­ low derelicts, Murdock experienced a pin is still unaware of Daredevil's Agent Simpson was the only survi­ spiritual reawakening. Healed of his blindness.) vor of the Army's almost two dozen at­ injuries, both physical and mental, It is important to note that the King­ tempts to replicate the Super-Soldier Murdock took a job as a short-order pin doesn't want to kill Daredevil-at experiment that created Captain cook in a Hell's Kitchen diner. least, not just that. He wants to corrupt America. Code-named "Nuke," Simp­ The Kingpin had ordered the death him. To Fisk, Murdock represents the son was active only outside the United of everyone who had seen the enve­ idealism that Fisk wants to believe is States, most recently against Marxist lope containing news of Daredevil's illusory. The Kingpin also wants to tear republics in Central America. secret identity. His killers got every­ down everything that Murdock holds For most of his career, Nuke's exist­ one but Karen Page, who fled to New dear, such as the legal system. ence was unknown to the general Yo rk seeking Murdock's help. After public in America, and his Popularity many adventures, she and Murdock Recent Developments rating was After his rampage in were re united, and they fell in love all Some of the Kingpin's plots wrought O. Hell's Kitchen, his Popularity dropped over again. Murdock held no grudge great damage on Murdock. Karen to -20. The Army gravely wounded against her for selling his identity: Page left him, and his law clinic him before he cou'ld attack the Daily "I've lost nothing," he said. closed. In com bination with the Bugle, and he soon died of his But the Kingpin, his victory over stresses of the "Inferno" crisis, these wounds. Murdock stolen, searched obses­ events drove Murdock out of Manhat­ A deranged fanatic, Nuke repre­ sively for his enemy. Through Army tan altogether on a "vacation" of sented the dark side of patriotism: connections Fisk brought the fanatical sorts. Whether Murdock will return to "My country right or wrong," intoler- super-killer Nuke to New Yo rk. (For Hell's Kitchen remains unclear.

58 ance, and blind obedience to author­ Rotgut quotes the saying, "By age Street Irregulars," warning people of ity. In battle he could lose track of real­ 20 you have the face you were born impending threats or scouting out in­ ity and return to the times he freed with; by age 40 you have the face you formation. MIA soldiers in Vietnam . He hated the deserve." Now nearing 40, Rotgut has press and anyone who questions the face of a haunted madman. Baby Elmo America's absolute rightness in all Rotgut watched too much TV and Bar fighter matters. read too many news stories. His FAS E RI P Appearance: Hugely muscled, with mother, a stern and unbalanced Ex Ty Ex Ex Ty Pr Pr blonde crewcut; wore army fatigues woman, induced his early fixation on Health : 66 Ka rma: 14 (often bare to the waist). An American stories of genetic impurities, environ­ Resources: Typical(6) Popularity: 1 flag tattoo covered Nuke's face. mental damage , food poisoning, se­ Appearance: Big! 6'7" , 300 Ibs. Mus­ KNOWN POWERS: rial killers, cancer, and birth defects. cular brute with thinning, sandy brown Body Armor. Nuke's skin was rein­ Rotgut became obsessed with "cut­ hair, lantern jaw, beetle brow, tattoos. forced with plastic, giving him Excel­ ting the disease" out of the rotting gut Wears leather vest , jeans with iron lent resistance to injury from blows, of society-prostitutes, junkies, and studs, and boots. Never says much. fl ame or cold attacks, or projectiles. ultimately every imperfect person. In Ta lents: Bar fighting (Martial Arts B, Drugs. Nuke used three kinds of cap­ other words, everybody. C, and E, Wrestling), drinking. sules to adjust his fighting efficiency. Rotgut turned the basement of his Typical Dialogue: None. Possibly Reds (amphetamines) gave him + 1 CS apartment complex into a we ird maze mute. in Fighting, Agility, and Endurance for of plumbing. He thought of it as the Story Function: Johnny Storm, the 12 turns. Whites (barbiturates) calmed equivalent of the body's arteries. By Human To rch, went into a rough bar him and neutralized a Red's effects; pumping poison into the building's searching for Daredevil during one of without a White to negate it, a Red left water supply, he would clean out all the adventurer's absences. He picked Nuke with -1 CS Strength and Endur­ the imperfection . Daredevil stopped a fight with Baby Elmo and won­ ance for 12 hours. Blues (sedatives) al­ him, and Rotgut was last seen being barely. If PC heroes ever get into a lowed Nuke to relax and sleep; without carried away in a straitjacket. similarly stupid confrontation, Baby them, he had nightmares of combat. Appearance: Hulking albino Negro Elmo will fight anything that moves. Unique Wea pon-" Betsy." This gi­ with pale skin and white hair. Bulging, gantic sub-machine gun held six LAW tormented pink eyes. Tw in bone rou nds and th ree Incendiary Missiles. ridges form a "V" on his forehead. 111- CRIMES Nuke used an LED counter on the side fitting navy suit, old shoes. Every conceivable kind of vice, cor­ of the weapon to count fatalities. Betsy Ta lents: Blunt weapons, plumbing. ruption , and violence occurs in Hell's was made of Excellent material. Rotgut has Good resistance to pain. Kitchen. The Kingpin has recently be­ Air Support. Nuke had helicopter Typical Dialogue: "I heard whis­ gun increasing his organization there, backup, piloted by an unnamed Army. pered them aspi rin killers switched to so crime is on the rise. But the area is colonel. The Battle Copter mounted catsup. Or could be a conspiracy to so poor that it makes an unattractive two machine guns. (For stat istics, see get co nsumers to buy over-packaged, target for most villains-unless the vil­ pages 43 and 49 in the Player's Book.) over-wrapped prod ucts so we use lains have some other motive than Daredevil destroyed both chopper more plastics-plastics can't ever be robbery. and pilot in Hell's Kitchen. broken down, they never decay and Conditions in Hell's Kitchen either Ta lents: Nuke had all Martial Arts and eventually strangle the planet. ..." create lunatics or attract them. Cra­ military skills, and was a Weapons Story Function: A villain who needs zies like Rotgut are a constant threat. Specialist with Betsy, receiving +2 to be treated, not beaten up and CS in FEATs using it. hauled to the police station. Weakness: Nuke had Feeble Reason, CAMPAIGN USE Intuition, and Psyche vs. any attack or Darla, Eightball, and the Fatboys appeal made on the basis of "patriot­ Children 's gang Manhattan: If Daredevil still lives in ism." FAS E RI P Hell's Kitchen in the campaign world, Contacts: Nuke was a sergeant in the Pr Ty Fe Pr Ty Ty Ty heroes might go there to enlist his aid. US Army. Health: 16 Karma: 18 Otherwise, they might visit the area to Typical Dialogue: "They try to make Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 fight petty crime in the slums or on the our boys feel ashamed ...we should Appearance: Despite their name, the waterfront, or to attend a charity func­ never feel ashamed. Give me a red." kids in this gang are mostly skinny. tion. They're all about 10 to 12. Darla has Other Cities: Use the Hell's Kitchen Rotgut long blond hair and an upturned nose. description for any slum area of the Real name unrevealed Eightball wears a football helmet campaign city. Lunatic killer much too big for him. F A S E R I P Ta lents: Street smarts, skate­ Gd Ty Gd Gd Ty Ty Ty boarding. Health: 36 Ka rma: 18 Story Function: These kids some­ Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 times worked as Daredevil's "Baker

59 MARVEL COMICS

OV ERVIEW ences, picking up checks or new seldom give much thought to the com­ assignments, or pleading for deadline ics depicting their adventures. In fact, Marvel Comics is the largest Ameri­ extensions on old assignments. Reed and Sue Richards never even can comics publisher, in the Marvel bothered to send a wedding invitation Universe as in our ow n. The differ­ Comics in the Marvel Universe to the creators of their comic. The cre­ ence is that in the Marvel Universe, In the Marvel Universe, super-hero ators tried crashing the reception any­ Marvel Comics contracts directly with comics are published through li­ way, but never got past the front door. the super heroes for the right to pub­ censes with the heroes themselves. lish (occasionally exaggerated) four­ The comics depict their subjects' ac­ color accounts of the heroes' actual tual adventures. For example, Marvel NPCs adventures. publishes a Th ing comic approved by Address: 387 Park Avenue South. A Judge can pick these from the Ben Grimm-though he has more Note: This entry describes Marvel masthead of any Marvel comic. BUll­ than once taken umbrage (to put it pa­ Comics as it exists in the Marvel Uni­ pen staffers have mostly Typical abil­ litely) at the bullpen's exaggerated verse, not (necessarily) as it exists in ity ranks, but their Reason and chronicles. our own. Intuition range from Good to Incredi­ Other comics published in the ble. Editors are a multi-talented lot Marvel Universe star the Fantastic and have contacts with most respect­ Four and the Avengers of both coasts able super heroes. THE AREA (both individually and as groups). The Marvel Com ics is located in an in­ company has experimented with a conspicuous office building in Mid­ Spider-Man title, but scathing editori­ CRIMES town. For more information, see "The als in the Daily Bugle made this a fail­ Financial District" in this chapter. ure. Some Marvel editors have The Impossible Man once invaded proposed doing a comic book based the Marvel offices. The fun-loving on the mutant group known as the X­ alien demanded that the bullpen pub­ DESCRIPTION Men-but so far executives have ve­ lish a comic devoted to him. After he threatened them with re plicas of The Marvel Comics "bullpen" occu­ toed this, because of anti-mutant Thor's hammer, Captain America's pies three floors of a nondescript 12- hysteria and because they are unsure shield, and Iron Man's repulsor rays, story commercial building. The ninth the idea has commercial potential. staffers reluctantly agreed. But when floor has the mail room and shipping Marvel has also licensed comics ad­ the Impossible Man disappeared, so facilities; the tenth is editorial; and the aptations of popular movies, such as did plans for the issue. (For more in­ eleventh floor has the legal depart­ A Space Odyssey, and of fic­ 200 1: formation, see Fa ntastic Four #176). ment and executive offices. tional works (such as those based on The offices are small, the hallways the works of Robert E. Howard). A few comics in the Marvel line are not li­ long and narrow, but the walls are CAMPAIGN USE plastered with colorful illustrations censed, either because they are com­ and autographed posters of many pletely fictional or because the Manhattan: For an offbeat, come­ super heroes. character depicted has no legal rights dic adventure, a Judge can send Office workers are hardly less color­ or is believed not to exist (such as the player-character heroes to Marvel fu l, but they're usually too busy pub­ Hulk or Dracula). Comics, either to negotiate a contract lishing magazines to chat. About 35 These comics differ from the Marvel for a comic series or to protest an un­ employees are on hand during work­ comics of our own world. The heroes flattering depiction in an existing se­ ing hours; one can usually find a few are never shown in secret identities, ries. Royally fees, though small, can in workers around even at night, espe­ of course. Whenever criminal acts by help a hero financial straits. cially in the production department. villains are shown, editors carefully Other Cities: A Judge can postu­ The atmosphere is frenetic, highly preface the depictions with legal dis­ late that Marvel has opened branch creative, and occasionally downright claimers, to stave off libel lawsuits by offices in another location to publish crazy. Sounds of typewriters, photo­ the villains' lawyers. And since they adventures based on the events of the copiers, and sc reaming paste-up art­ really happened, the stories are pre­ campaign. ists fill the air. sented as journalism, with careful Bullpen staffers include editors, documentation of dates, places, and production artists, advertising direc­ sometimes witnesses. Most Marvel tors, circulation managers, and other staffers are rel uctant to invent any de­ business types. Writers, artists, and tails ...especially since they saw letterers customarily work freelance, what Ben Grimm did to the last artist outside the bullpen. But a few are al­ who exaggerated. ways around looking for story confer- Apart from the Thing, the heroes

60 I METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

OVERVIEW from its site on the Nile during the con­ CAMPA IGN USE struction of the Aswan Dam; America's greatest ar. museum is A museum adventure serves two Pottery shards, jewels, amphorae, "the Met," the largest builJing in Cen­ main purposes. First, it introduces a and other artifacts of Hyborea, the an­ tral Park. Here New Yo rkers view little culture into the lives of heroes cient civilization that thrived just after priceless canvases and artifacts. And who often think about nothing except the sinking of Atlantis; occasionally villains see something punching bad guys. Player characters Islamic illuminated manuscripts worth heisting. can meet new people, perhaps ro­ from the 12th Century and later (third Address: Fifth Avenue, across from mantic interests or academic con­ floor)-perhaps one of these is a de­ East 82nd Street in Central Park. tacts. Or they may go there to sirable magical text?; rendezvous with informants who like and on the first floor, the Costume to show off their breeding. Institute. This area displays special Second, a battle in the Met forces THE AREA exhibitions of clothing and accessor­ these slam-bang heroes to think about See "Central Park" in this section. ies from ages past. Since the advent property damage. They can't just The Museum faces the Upper East of super-human crimefighters, the knock the villain through a couple of Side, a prosperous residential and Costume Institute has expanded its walls when the walls are hung with cultural district. See the inside cover collection to include replica costumes treasures by Rembrandt and Picasso. of the Adventure Book for detailed of many famous adventurers, such as To fight a bad guy in the Met, the he­ maps of the building. Captain America, several other roes have to rely on shrewd tactics Avengers (including three versions of and brain power instead of brawn­ the Iron Man armor), the Fantastic just like real Marvel heroes. Four (old and new costumes), and DESCRIPTION Manhattan: Heroes may be visiting Doctor Doom. The FF costumes are Founded in 1870, the Metropolitan the Met in their secret identities, at­ made of Reed Richards' patented un­ Museum of Art moved to its current lo­ tending the opening of a new exhibit stable molecules, but otherwise the cation in northern Central Park in (the villain's target). Or they could be Costume Institute's uniforms do not 1902. It has 400,000 items and is, af­ there in hero ID, as high-profile retain the properties of the originals. ter London and Leningrad, the third guards. A hero's friend or lover could PC heroes can get involved in a Met largest museum in the world. The Met be an employee at the museum, an art adventure by donating replicas of attracts four million visitors a year. student, or just a tourist. The friend their costumes to the Institute in a The museum is open from 10 AM to gets taken hostage in the villain's public ceremony. 5 PM Tu esday through Sunday, but is heist, and the hero has to undertake closed Monday. yet another rescue. Other Cities: Few cities can boast a The Collection CRIMES museum this large, but smaller ones The main part of this very large Museum thefts rank among the serve the same story function. Also, structure is of gray Indiana limestone most ambitious crimes ever at­ much of this description works for the (Excellent strength). A mere 100,000 tempted. The buildings usually main­ other major museums in the world­ pieces, a quarter of the museum's col­ tain state-of-the-art security systems. the British Museum in London, for ex­ lection, are on display at any one time And the thefts, if successful, gain wide ample, the Louvre in Paris, or the in over 230 galleries. Descriptions of publicity, often far beyond what mere Hermitage in Leningrad. Only the lay­ the Met's contents could fill this book, dollar values of the stolen goods out and some of the most famous and have already filled many books would merit. pieces need be changed. that the Judge can obtain at the local What's more, fencing a stolen can­ library. Suffice it to say that whatever vas is a delicate and perilous opera­ country, culture, Ot period the art lover tion. Unless the thief finds a is looking for, the Met has representa­ millionaire collector who just wants to tive artwork. lock away the item in a private vault, it Highlights of particular interest in is almost impossible to get anything super-heroic adventures include the like what the piece is worth on the country's largest collection of arms open market. and armor (main floor)-nine galleries This means when someone tries to full of firearms, bows, helmets, rip off the Met, he's usually in the big shields, and a Knight's Hall with many leagues-either a super villain or an standing suits of plate armor; employer of super villains. And the the Te mple of Dendur (Sackler wing, prize must be priceless. Otherwise the next to Arms & Armor on the main floor), villain would just rob a bank and use a complete Egyptian temple moved the money to buy the item.

61 SHIELD HEADQUARTERS

OV ERVIEW SHIELD agents, carefully picked for garage. (A real wall of Excellent attractive appearance and low initia­ strength slides out to block the en­ SHIELD Central, the World Head­ tive. They knew nothing of great im­ trance in bad weather and emergen­ quarters of SHIELD (Supreme Head­ portance to SHIELD-but just the cies. Hidden automatic devices quarters International Espionage, same, they wore bulletproof vests in retract the wall when vehicles ap­ Law-enforcement Division) is in lower public (Good Body Armor), and the of­ proach.) Manhattan. Though the agency re­ fice walls and windows were armored In the garage, voice analyzers and cently disbanded, the building (Excellent material strength). retinal scanners identify all visitors. If remains-and is occasionally active Though it served its purpose, the SHIELD computers cannot identify a in its own right. public HQ was not a brilliant exercise viSitor, alarms sound in the nearest se­ Address: 19th Street, between Ave­ in public relations. Clearly it never cu rity post, and two security agents nue of the Americas and Seventh Ave­ fooled the villainous agencies appear in one turn. nue. SHIELD battled, si nce these foes Garage walls are reinforced con­ never bothered to attack �his outpost. crete (Excellent strength). A lift-tube and one emergency staircase provide THE AREA SHIELD Central the only access from the garage to the SHIELD's public headquarters is in SHIELD's private headquarters oc­ building. Midtown. For a description of the Mid­ cupies an unmarked 28-story office town area, see "The Financial Dis­ building in the most anonymous sec­ The Main Building trict" Hotspot listing, earlier in this tion of Chelsea. This headquarters, On the 28 floors above ground level, chapter. like the public front, has closed . But wide walkways surround an enor­ SHIELD's private headquarters is in ' -for convenience, and for Judges who mous atrium. This empty space rises Chelsea, a district of fine residential have not yet disbanded SHIELD in to the ceiling, which is a skylight of housing and borderline slums, of their campaigns, the building is de­ bulletproof glass. Nondescript offices good restaurants and rundown scribed here in the present tense. and meeting rooms fill each level. streets. The polite term is "a transi­ The building has its own pipeline to Computer terminals give no access to tional area." For more about Chelsea, the Hudson River, its own purification high-security data. see Chapter 2. center (among the most heavily The main level, twice as tall as guarded locations in the building) and those above, holds emergency defen­ sewage system, two independent sive weapons, security robots, and a DESCRIPTION ventilation systems, and its own heavy-duty disposal chamber. Public Headquarters power supply-an early version of This large room, a featureless floor SHIELD maintained a public head­ SHIELD's Power Core. (The nature of covered by a shallow dome, destroys quarters in Citicorp Center (53rd and the Power Core has not been re­ scrap metal, broken equipment, and Lexington), the fourth tallest building vealed, but it resembles a magnetic debris. The chamber uses unknown in New Yo rk. Until a few years ago it cylinder containing an ongoing fusion methods, probably a combination of was located several blocks north, be­ reaction. SHIELD used the Core to high heat and ultrasound, to inflict Un­ tween 59th and 60th; however, an ac­ power its Helicarrier.) All of these utili­ earthly damage per turn on anything cidental fire in a nearby building ties are protected by the most sophis­ inside until it is vaporized. persuaded SHIELD administrators to ticated anti-sabotage devices in the Safety switches, clearly marked in­ move south to safer quarters. world. side the dome, instantly shut off all The public headquarters occupied equipment and open the single hatch­ a suite on the sixth floor. It included a Entrance way. This al legedly prevents people dozen offices clustered around a cen­ The building has a conventional from being trapped and hurt inside. tral secretarial pool, plenty of file cabi­ front entrance. Looking through the But the switches can be overridden, nets and bulletin boards containing glass door, a passerby sees only a as Nick Fury found out (see "Crimes," nothing important, and a small sound­ desk with a security guard, and be­ below). proofed theater. There tourists could hind the guard a bank of elevators. Fury escaped destruction in the view the public relations film But the elevators are fakes; the front chamber by leaping through the "SHIELD: Working for a Safer Wo rld." entrance leads nowhere. room's only other opening, an iris door Afterward they could engage in a brief Those in the know drive their cars leading to a waste-runoff chamber. question-and-answer session with into a dead-end brick wall at the end of This door closes a fraction of a second Colonel Nick Fury, SHIELD's director. an al ley next to the building. The before the chamber's weapons acti­ (This was actually Fu ry's Life Model wall-actually a hologram, a three­ vate, and provides complete protec­ Oecoy, a lifelike android.) dimensional picture-conceals (with tion for anything or anyone inside. The public headquarters was Incredible ability) the entrance to The rest of the 28 floors pass as any staffed by three dozen lightly trained SHIELD's huge underground parking mundane office building. But during

62 into an atrium from above collides pain­ lessly with invisible force fields situated at every tenth story. The fields safely shunt the object to a walkway. Lower levels 1-30 include agents' quarters, computer rooms, file rooms, routine labs, storage, and the gigantic conference chambers where Nick Fury contacts SHIELD's ruling Council. The bottom levels contain the advanced research labs and SHIELD's most secret projects. Also here is the ESPer Division, the small but useful bureau of psychically tal­ ented agents.

Lift-Tubes These rapid-transit plexiglas tubes transport agents among the head­ quarters' many levels. Evidently they move only up and down, but SHIELD technology is certainly up to elevators that move sideways as well. A lift-tube stands nearby (within 1 area) at al­ most any point in the building. Lift-tubes transport up to four people at a time at up to 15 stories per turn. The tubes are Good strength material, and the platforms are Excellent strength. The means of propulsion, though un­ most working hours, except when the crete in the upper half mile (Excellent known, appears to be based on anti­ building is under attack, the bottom strength), and graphite- whisker alloy gravity (as is the Helicarrier). floor slides back to ventilate the true below (Remarkable strength). To pre­ No regular lift-tube runs the entire headquarters. And there is nothing at vent water leakage-since Manhattan depth of the headquarters. Most run all mundane about this one. is, after all, an island-the building walls include an eighth-inch thickness from the top floor to the 30th base­ ment level. For security reasons, The Lower Levels of adamantium (Incredible strength) in The staggering truth: SHIELD Cen­ the upper mile of floors. Fog is a prob­ agents traveling to the lower levels must switch tubes at level 30 and tral headquarters extends over two lem, but fog condensers capture the again at level 728. miles straight down into the Earth. moisture and recycle it in the build­ A bank of 12 emergency lifts runs The agency's research projects re­ ing's vast plumbing system. quired this incredible depth for safety Presumably such a deep building from 732 straight up to ground level, but using these sounds an alarm at every and security. No surveillance device could connect with Subterranea, the security post in the building. Also, once can penetrate the lowest reaches of colossal network of caverns beneath activated, the tubes go up until they the headquarters. And should some­ most of the world. But since ac­ thing go wrong in the research labs, cessways from SHIELD Headquarters reach the ground floor and release their passengers; only then do they return not even an atomic bomb explosion or would lead to the domain of the Mole below for more. The emergency lifts an accident with the fabulous Power Man and Tyrannus, this has not been hold 12 people apiece, and can travel at Core could damage the city above revealed. up to 100 stories a turn, fast enough to (much). Most of the 732 underground levels black out anyone who fails to make a SHIELD Central has 732 under­ are not full-fledged floors, but merely yellow Endurance FEAT Roll. ground levels. Naturally, this is a viola­ access areas for the lift-tubes and util­ tion of city building codes (and, ities. Only the top 30 subsurface almost, of natural law), so the extent of levels and the bottom 5 are of any real the headquarters is classified. During size. These square floors surround Nick Fury Vs. SHIELD the HQ's construction, engineers tun­ central open-air atria, in the manner of What caused SHIELD to disband? neled into an adjacent subway route the floors above the surface. Each The answer lies in the agency's earli­ and removed the excavated dirt of all level measures 4 areas by 4, with the est history and its most advanced those basements with trains camou­ central gap (for simplicity's sake) 2 ar­ technology. flaged as subway cars. eas by 2. Early in SHIELD's career, before Basement walls are reinforced con- Anything or anyone that falls down Nick Fury became its director, agency

63 bioengineers developed the Life tingly encouraged just this type of his own agency, Fury evaded pursuit Model Decoy, a realistic android. The agent. The android kidnapped plenty for some ti me. But at last the Deltites LMDs performed dangerous mainte­ of suitable candidates and turned lured him to SHIELD's orbital space nance jobs in SHIELD's headquarters them into Deltites. station, where they meant to kill him and aboard its Helicarrier and space As he refined the Delta process to so that they could live forever. station. more accurately simulate human be­ One LMD, for unknown reasons, ings, the android replaced more of The Final Confrontation was constructed with an accidental SHIELD with his duplicates: the Coun­ One of their own number proved to defect: curiosity. The android discov­ cil, most of the agents, even be the Deltites' downfall. They had ered the LMD laboratories that had command-grade officers like Jimmy turned Clay Quartermain, generally created it. This android killed the lab Woo, Laura Brown, and Jasper viewed as the ideal SHIELD agent, supervisor, took his place, and cre­ Sitwell. But the android discovered into the most advanced Deltite yet. He ated a duplicate LMD to take over its that his new Deltites aged rapidly. achieved so much humanity, in fact, own menial duties. Then the android They could undergo the Deltite proc­ that he came to regard the Delta plan played into its memory the contents of ess again and be rejuvenated ...yet as barbaric and inhuman. many "personality tapes," SHIELD's each rejuvenation drained more per­ Quartermain sabotaged the space recordings of the mental abilities of its sonality, memories, and feelings from station, destroying it, himself, the an­ agents and enemies. the Deltite duplicate. droid, and all his Deltites. Since the Armed with the memories and tal­ The Deltites needed a stabilizing android claimed to be the power be­ ents of these great intellects, the an­ agent, a chemical that retarded aging. hind SHIELD's rival organizations, droid resolved to expand on its Only one compound filled their needs: HYDRA and AIM, presumably the original programming: maintenance the Infinity Formula. cores of those organizations per­ of, not just a reactor chamber or a fur­ ished, too. Fury and his remaining nace , but of the entire world. To this The Infinity Formula loyal SHIELD agents escaped. end the android decided to take con­ During World War II, Sergeant Nick When they reported the evidence of trol of Earth. Fury was wounded in a French mine­ SHIELD's treason, the United Nations With the personality of Baron field while trying to elude a Nazi pa­ passed Resolution 487: Wolfgang von Strucker, founder of trol. The French Underground found "It is decided that SHIELD, having HYDRA and its offshoot AIM, the an­ Fury and took him to a local doctor, proved to be a major international se­ droid infiltrated and finally controlled Professor Sternberg. The doctor curity risk, be immediately disbanded. these villainous organizations. With patched Fury together, but he also All operations shall be terminated, in­ the financial savvy of To ny Stark, the used the war hero as an unwitting stallations neutralized. All remaining android acquired a controlling interest guinea pig for his experimental age­ personnel are to be debriefed and dis­ in Roxxon Oil Company. Using these retarding serum. charged ." titanic resources, the android at last After the war Sternberg extorted Fury reorganized a new SHIELD of began to take control of SHIELD itself, large amounts of money from Fury for sorts, quite unlike the old one: an elite as a step toward total world control. annual "booster shots" of the serum. group of a few trusted companions, He built his own servants, more an­ Without this Infinity Formula, Fury such as his World War \I buddies Tim­ droids that he called "Encoders," and would age 60 years overnight; with it, othy "Dum Dum" Dugan and Gabe organized them through a religion that he could live indefinitely at the peak of Jones. They have taken it upon them­ made him their spiritual leader. Mean­ health. In the mid-1 970s, another of selves to close down each of the sepa­ while, he used SHIELD's own ESPer Sternberg's "clients," casino owner rate SHIELD headquarters for good. division of psi talents to search the Steel Harris, murdered the doctor for minds of all SHIELD's members. his formula. Harris then tried the same Through them he located candidates extortion scheme on Fury. NPCs for Delta. Harris died in a struggle with Fury, Colonel Nick Fury but SHIELD agent Countess Va lentina Former SHIELD Public Director The Delta Project Allegro de Fontaine found and res­ FAS E RI P The android yearned to achieve cued the Formula. Fury has used it In Ex Gd Rm Ex Ex Gd humanity. Tow ard that end, he de­ ever since. Whether Sternberg had true Health: 100 Karma: 50 veloped the LMD process, refined it, other "clients" is unknown; presum­ Resources: Am(50) Popularity: 50 and finally created a true life form ...a ably they have all aged and died as This is an abbreviated listing of parasite that drained the form and Harris did. Fury's abilities. For a complete de­ identity of its victim, replacing it with The Deltites tried to duplicate the In­ scription, consult MU2, Gamer's an emotionless "Deltite." finity Formula but were unsuccessful. Handbook of the Marvel Universe. For the early Delta process, the an­ The compound was chemically unsta­ Nick Fury feels remorse and guilt at droid required SHIELD agents who ble, and it mutated in Fury's body. SHIELD's downfall. The android's plot rarely questioned authority, loved or­ Therefore, the Deltites required Fury was succeed ing only because of der, and lacked initiative and himself, and the Formula in his veins. Fury's own mistakes in organ izing Discovering some details of the an­ imagination. As designed by Nick SHIELD, and Fury lis well aware of Fu ry, SHIELD's organization unwit- droid's plot, Fury ran. A fugitive from that. Now he tries to atone for 64 SHIELD's excesses by wiping out its agents they were recruited from. from offering the stolen technology remnants. Lower-level Deltites wore monk-like elsewhere. KNOWN POWERS: brown robes and often carried 7-foot Stopping SHIELD: Player charac­ Body Armor. Kevlar vest, Typical ver­ wooden staffs (Good strength). The ters hear that Nick Fury has turned sus physical attacks, Poor versus fire. Deltites had access to all conventional traitor. SHIELD agents threaten them We apons. Needle gun: Excellent SHIELD equipment. with prosecution if they aid Fury. damage (Edged Throwing column), Ta lents: Va ried . All SHIELD agents Then , of course, Fury shows up to ask range 6 areas, 300 rounds. Made of had Military, First Aid, and Detectivel their help. Or is this an LMD duplicate Excellent material. Espionage talents, and retained them of Fury that SHIELD has sent as a Fury also uses machine and force as they were encoded. trap? (Of course not. But let the play­ pistols. ers sweat over the possibility.) Reduced Aging. Fury's aging rate is The heroes join Fury on his quest to reduced by a factor of 5. CRIMES find and expunge the corruption in Ta lents: Military, Espionage, Leader­ SHIELD. Deltite Encoders, well­ When SHIELD disbanded, agents ship, Marksman, First Aid , Martial Arts armed fanatics in monks' robes, try to abandoned SHIELD Central in Man­ A, B, D, E, and Wrestling. Pilot of air­ capture them. SHIELD agents attack hattan, as well as the many other of­ craft and spacecraft. Demolitions ex­ in the most unexpected places. Major ficess around the world . But the pert, (+ 1 CS on explosives matters). clues turn out to be traps or elaborate headquarters did not remain empty Contacts: Close ties with Captain red herrings. for long. America, Mockingbird, other Av eng­ The PCs and Fury finally make their When Fury and his new SHIELD ers, the highest levels of the US Gov­ way to the space station (or other group tried to use a computer virus to ern ment, and many other national backdrop for the final showdown) as wipe the memory banks at SHIELD governments. either prisoners or spies. They must Central, the headquarters attacked Typical Dialogue: "Come on, ya locate evidence of SHIELD's treason them. Cargo robots chased them, and goldbrickin' louse! Yo u think I got all to present to the United Nations, es­ the disposal chamber (see above) al­ day? Get me that sub-ionizer or in five cape the station, and preferably blow most fried Fury when he couldn't work seconds we're all gon na be toast!" up the Deltites and their android the overrides. leader. They can enlist the Deltite Clay Captain America helped Fury and Clay Quartermain Quartermain to help them . his friends escape. The Ave nger FAS E RI P Stress the emotional moments guessed accurately that the super­ Ex Gd Ty Gd Gd Gd Gd here: the deaths, or second deaths, of criminal Machinesmith, who can con­ Health: 46 Karma: 30 long-time SHIELD figures like Jimmy trol robots and computers, had occu­ Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 2 pied SHIELD Central. Whether Woo and Jasper Sitwell; the corrup­ Perhaps the finest SHIELD agent in tion of all Nick Fury has held dear; the Machinesmith still controls the build­ the rank and file, Quartermain horror of the Deltites' religious fanati­ ing remains to be seen. showed no leadership ability but oth­ cism. (For Machinesm ith's statistics, con­ erwise excelled in every pursuit. For a SHIELD Stays Arou nd : sult MU2, Gamer's Handbook of the The super­ ti me he traveled with Rick Jones and Marvel Universe.) agency serves as an eq uipment Bruce Banner, alias the Hulk. In that source, information network, training time, his independent nature pro­ ground, and high-power contact . duced friction with the corrupt CAMPAIGNING SHIELD can call in PC heroes to help SHIELD leadership. This kept the with a situation too big for the agency Deltites from encoding him until the fi­ SHIELD to handle-but that would have to be a nal phase of their prog ram , when their In the campaign world, the Judge big situation ! technology reached its peak. can decree that SHIELD has dis­ The Judge must decide whether to Appearance: 6'1 /1, 175 Ibs. Ta ll, mus­ banded "offstage"; run the downfall establish SHIELD as corrupt in the cular, handsome blonde man. Wide of SHIELD as an adventure for the campaign world. In general, avoid grin and somewhat headstrong man­ player characters; or even keep portraying this corruption unless it ner. SHIELD intact, though this deviates leads into the "Stop SHIELD" adven­ Ta lents: Military, First Aid, Detectivel from the established Marvel Universe. ture described above. Player charac­ Espionage, Martial Arts A, B, and E, Each option offers different campaign ters will treat SHIELD as a villain Wrestling, Marksman. Quartermain possibilities. agency, and its campaign function was also an excellent combat driver Offstage Collapse: The PC heroes then resembles HYDRA's or AIM's. and could pilot aircraft. follow developments in the newspa­ But since SHIELD remains publicly re­ pers or via high-level contacts. Nick spectable, heroes who fight against it Deltites Fury might enlist their aid in closing lose public favor. This alters the dy­ F A S E R P down a SHIELD base (and perhaps namics of a campaign, so think care­ Gd Ty Ty Gd Ty Pr Pr Machinesm ith has taken over that fully before letting SHIELD go bad . Health: 32 Karma: 14 one, too?). Renegade agents may of­ Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 0 fer the heroes SHIELD technology, or Appearance: Like the SHIELD get them to prevent other renegades

65 TIMES SQUARE

OVERVIEW This is the center of New Yo rk's The­ ater District. Once quite fashionable, Times Square is now one of the biggest fleshpots in the world. By day it is crowded with commuters and office workers, but at night crime runs ramp­ ant. Address: Broadway at Seventh Av­ enue.

THE AREA The Theater District hosts over three dozen theaters and well over a hundred restaurants that cater to the theater crowd. One of the great cen­ ters of night life in New Yo rk, it attracts thousands of tourists and socialites. Its heart lies on a short private street Almost 6,400 buses from 36 com­ on New Ye ar's Eve. Te ns of thousands next to Broadway between 44th and panies arrive at this ugly building gather each year to watch the mir­ 46th Streets: Shubert Alley. Here on every day, unloading tens of thou­ rored ball fall down a high pole to the this short street, forbidden to vehicles, sands of visitors, hopeful immigrants, Allied roof; when the ball hits, it is ex­ theatergoers attend the Shubert and runaways, crooks, con men, and cra­ actly midnight, and the new year be­ Booth Theaters, then drop into the fa­ zies. The hopeless among them often gins. mous Sardi's restaurant at intermis­ wander Times Sq uare, begging or Times Square's peak moments sion or after the show. About 40 other drinking or worse. came at the end of World War II, on "V­ theaters cluster around Broadway Tra nsit Authority police, the officers E Day" (Victory in Europe) and "V-J from 40th to 53rd Streets. who patrol the subway cars that run Day" (Victory in Japan). Hundreds of On Seventh Ave nue near 44th, a beneath New Yo rk City, have called thousands gathered to watch the discount ticket operation always at­ the IND subway stop at Eighth Avenue Times news ribbon, a belt of light tracts large crowds of theatergoers "the most dangerous in the city." It's a bulbs that spelled out news stories in hunting for last-m inute bargains. block from Times Square. . the days before TV. When it an­ (Empty seats for the evening's per­ nounced that the enemy had surren­ formances are sold at half price.) Vil­ dered, the crowd roared a yell that lains can always use this crowd as DESCRIPTION people heard two miles away. (The news ribbon ceased operations in handy hostages: "All right, hero, let Times Square is not square, but an 1978.) me outta here or the civilians get it! " elongated triangle bounded by Sev­ The Algonquin Hotel (44th Street enth Av enue, Broadway, and 42nd The Scene To day between Fifth Av enue and Ave nue of Street. However, Broadway is, in fact, The side streets still draw upper­ the Americas) once hosted the fa­ very broad, so the area covers as class crowds to theater openings, but mous "Round Ta ble" of intellectuals. much space as any typical town since the end of World War II Times Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, Al­ square. exander Woollcott, and many other lit­ Square has catered to a different style of night life. erary talents gathered here to eat well History "Gri nders," seedy movie houses and trade witticisms. The landmark that Times Square that never cl ose, show low-grade was named for, the Times To wer, was splatter films and pornography. Mas­ Port Authority Bus Te rminal (briefly) the second-tallest building in sage parlors, penny arcades, peep Those who can't afford to fly or take New Yo rk when it opened in 1905-all shows, tacky souvenir shops, and a train to New Yo rk and don't own a of 375 feet tall! This was the early greasy fast-food places all grab for car-in other words, the poor-arrive home of the New Yo rk Tim es. The customers. Neon billboards glare eve­ in Manhattan at the Port Authority Bus newspaper later moved a few blocks rywhere, pushing beverages and cig­ Te rminal, one of the biggest in the away, and the building was remodeled arettes and food. world (for what that's worth). The and renamed One Times Square. The Smells of gfeasy chicken, greasier building links directly to the Lincoln tower is now the Allied Chemical burgers, and mysterious ethnic tood Tu nnel and nearby subway lines. To wer, the nation's most famous spot assail the nostrils. So do worse

66 smells, because the derelicts on the The Gem Theater CRIMES sidewalks keep street cleaners from On 42nd Street, amid movie houses "Because New Yo rk Citycrack deal­ cleaning up all the garbage. Now and showing splatter flicks and pornogra­ ers increasingly refuse to take $1 bills, then peep- show workers spill bowls of phy ro und the clock, stands the Gem local merchants in drug-sales areas re­ used disinfectant onto the walks. Theater, an ugly, white, four-story port a brisk business selling $5 bills for By day, especially early in the d�y, building. The ground-floor ciner:na $6." the people in Times Square look like specializes in Westerns, double bills -Chuck Shepherd, those on any other street in lower from the great days of Hollywood. "News of the Weird" Manhattan. The usual business types Rickety stairs lead up to dingy office (syndicated column) F bruary 1989 and tourists head to their usual er­ space. � . Some have said that If the city of rands. A small office on the Gem Theater's New Yo rk tried to design a center for But at night, con men, junkies, third floor became the fi rst New Yo rk crime and drug abuse, they couldn't pushers, aberrants, and nuts con­ home for Luke Cage, Hero for Hire do a better job than Times Square. verge on the area. Hawkers pass out (later Power Man). Cage's office con­ The round-the-clock movie and res­ tickets to the burlesque houses. Gro­ tained a broken wooden desk, two taurant schedule gives night people a tesque street performers do flips and chairs, and sundry small furniture that place to hang out; the flesh busin ss cartwheels. Bag ladies talk, very Cage often broke when angry. His � attracts people in the mood for vice. loudly, to nobody. Panhandlers beg business cards gave the number for The two meet, and the rest is iniquity. aggressively. Amid it all, overwhelmed the pay phone in the hallway. . . A would-be drug dealer newly ar­ tourists cling in tight groups and After Cage joined up with Daniel rived at the Port Authority Bus Te rmi­ watch in fascination. Rand, alias Iron Fist, they acquired nal can walk a few blocks to a blood better headquarters on Park Avenue. bank sell a pint of blood, and spend Notable Establishments They retained the Gem Theater of ice � the oney on a knife at the kn ife shop The Bizbo, one of many shoebox­ for "special" clients. Rand later died; � three doors down. Then he uses the shaped theaters that dot the square, Cage was wrongly accused of his knife to mug someone or slit open a shows 1940s classics. Daredevil once murder, and is now a fugitive. drunk's pocket and steal a wallet. He battled the super-assassin Bullseye takes this loot, buys a kilo of dope, and here. sets up shop in the nearest shadowy Many burlesque houses advertise NPCs doo rway. He has been in town half an their nude dancers with amazing Josie hour and is al ready in business. posters outside the entrances. Back in Streetwalker Times Square, then, is a factory for the early decades of this century, these FAS E RI P houses featured classic vaudeville per­ criminals. Pr Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Pr formers, including Nathan Lubensky Health: 22 Karma: 20 (now a resident at May Parker's board­ Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 ing house; see Chapter 1). CAMPAIGN USE Appearance: 5'6" , 110 Ibs. Ve ry thin, A police substation on 42nd Str et Manhattan: Since the Square is a . � short hair (color varies), pouty look opposite One Times Square adminis­ factory, player-character heroes can (very popular). Dresses in jeans cut­ ters Operation Crossroads, an NYPD capture as many dealers, pimps, con offs and tube-tops, showing much . operation that tries futilely to clean up artists, vandals, junkies, and maniacs skin. crime in the square. Eighty uniformed as they like, and there will always be Ta lents: For game purposes, none. officers, some on horseback, patrol the more. Judges should use it as a pictur­ Typical Dialogue: "Gee, yeah, I know square regularly, providing an illusion of . esque spot to stage a casual encoun­ that guy. Real winner, kept muttenng order. (For police statistics, see "New ter prior to a bigger adventure. et the about blowi ng up buildings. Whatcha � Yo rk's Finest" in the next chapter.) PC heroes prevent a mugging or lookin' for him for?" Covenant House, a non-sectarian catch a dealer to blow off a little Story Function: Josie's "boyfriends" child-care agency, runs nine resi­ steam , grab some Karma, and relax. include some of the top criminal fig­ dences for runaways in New Yo rk. The Times Square can also be a meet­ ures in the city. She often hears ru­ busiest residence, a 24-hour crisis ing place. Heroes can get tips from mors of interesting developments, center called "Under 21 ," is here in lowlife informants or plant rumors on and if a "boyfriend" has stood her up, Times Square. the underworld grapevine. They can she gets mad enough to tell anyone Nearly 20,000 runaway children un­ meet young runaways, still uncor­ about it. So she can be a good­ der 16 hit the streets of New Yo rk each rupted, and lead them into bett r lives natured informant for the heroes. � year, many arriving at Times Sq �are (perhaps lives that regularly Involve Daredevil has employed Josie in this . via the Port Authority Bus Te rm inal. the heroes in new scenanos?). fashion in the past. The vigilantes Cloak and Dagger, who Other Cities: Every metropolitan live in nearby Holy Ghost Cathedral area has a district like Times Square, (see "Hell's Kitchen" earlier in this if not on its scale or quite at its depth. chapter), protect as many runaways A well-run super-bero campaign as they can from the "chickenhawks" needs such an area, for the reasons that prey on them. given above.

67 THE UNITED NATIONS

OV ERVIEW and Goldwater Memorial), new resi­ time to meditate, they may want to dential housing, and (at the southern know that the block weighs about 400 The world's capital, in name if not end of the island) the Delacorte Gey­ pounds �nd is of Incredible strength. practice, is the United Nations com­ . ser, a waterspout that irregularly The Meditation Room also includes a plex in Manhattan . Diplomats of most belches a 400-foot plume of boiling stained-glass window (Feeble of the countries of Earth meet at the water. strength) by the famous artist Marc UN to try to resolve international con­ Roosevelt Island is linked to Man­ Chagall. flicts peacefully. Villains and invaders hattan by the Queensboro-59th Street . The entrance to the Assembly Hall come here to broadcast their threats Bridge (see "Bridges and Tu nnels" in lJes to the foyer's rear. This chamber or demands worldwide. the previous chapter). Running next to measures 115 feet (one area) by 165 Address: First Av enue between the bridge is a tramway from the resi­ feet (1 1/2 areas) . At the near, lower 42nd and 48th Streets, facing the East dential development to Manhattan. end, it is a bit over 45 feet (the equiva­ River. This area, donated by John D. The steel framework is of Remarkable lent of 3 areas) high, and at the far end Rockefeller, Jr., is not United States strength and carries subway-sized it rises to 75 feet (5 areas). territory. It is under UN jurisdiction. passenger cars of Excellent strength. The chamber is done in a muted See the map included in this boxed The two electrical rails that power blue color scheme intended to soothe set. these cars inflict Remarkable electri­ harsh feelings (sometimes it doesn't cal damage on contact. work) . The back wall, beh ind the speaker's rostrum and the dais seat­ THE AREA ing the senior staff, bears the familiar The UN territory was once covered DESCRIPTION emblem of the UN. Murals decorate with slums, junkyards, and even a the side walls. The United Nations was created by slaughterhouse. Now it is a show­ To urists view the Assembly meet­ 51 member nations after Wo rld War II. . place of modern architecture, a tourist Ings from galleries above the floor. Rockefeller donated the land for its c nter, and as prosperous as nearby Translators sit in glass-walled booths � New Yo rk quarters in 1946. The first Midtown. Between Fi rst and Second above the chamber, making simulta­ building was occupied four years later, Av enues on 42nd Street are the hotels neous translations of speeches. all the rest by 1961 . To day 159 nations and apartments of Tu dor City. The Tr anslations are relayed to earphones belong to the UN-almost everyone in next block west holds the office build­ at each delegate's desk and visitor's the world except for Switzerland and ing of the Daily Globe, arch rival of the seat. Listeners can choose any of the half a dozen minor countries in Africa Bug/e. UN's six official languages-Arabic, South America, and the south Pacific: . North of the UN are the twin 32- Chinese, English, French, Russian, Some small nations do not actually story apartment towers of the United and Spanish-using a knob on the send representatives because of the Nations Plaza. Many. diplomats and headphone console. cost. Both Latveria and Wa kanda are their staffs stay in these posh quar­ The General Assembly meets in members, but At lantis is not. ters. One of the most lavish pent­ regular session for three months each The United Nations complex con­ house suites is usually empty but kept . year, from late September to mid­ Sists of four main buildings. All are spotlessly clean. It is always ready for December. �onnected by passageways . The en­ an unexpected visit from its owner a ' tire complex, including the parkland to foreign ru ler who occasionally comes The Secretariat Building �he northeast, is surrounded by a high to the UN: Doctor Doom. The tall skinny skyscraper behind Iron fence of Good strength. Ordinarily Doom stays in the Latver­ the General Assembly is the Secretar­ ian Embassy while visiting New Yo rk. iat Building. This 39-story structure The General Assembly Building But Doom always has an alternate ref­ holds offices of the many agencies This is the low, curved, domed uge in the event of attack or pursuit. and organizations the UN either ad­ building where all UN delegates From this suite he can communicate ministers or supervises. See "UN gather in a huge conference chamber. with his castle and robots in Latveria. Councils and Agencies," below. The building has seven doors (do­ The link is hidden behind a wall panel The Secretariat is made of Ve rmont nated by Can�da) that lead to a large in the suite's master bedroom. marble (Excellent strength) with glass foyer with an Information desk (Typi­ Across a 700-foot (5-area) stretch of and steel panels (Feeble strength). cal strength wood). On the foyer wall the filthy East River and just north of The building has 18 elevators, a medi­ hangs a large needlepoint tapestry, the UN complex is Roosevelt Island cal center, and a cafeteria. the "Peace Rug." formerly Welfare Island. This wa� Over 5,000 employees work here To the right of the foyer is a small V­ once a prison complex, but the prison including 235 guards. (Treat these a� shaped "Meditation Room." In the has been moved to Ryker's Island. p'0lice officers; ee the next chapter, center of this room stands a block of , � Roosevelt now has two hospitals for New Yo rk s Flnest.") Others are iron ore that represents timelessness. the aged and infirm (Coler Memorial translators, press attaches. printers, Since heroes in a battle seldom have

68 lawyers, and tour guides in colorful native dress. In front of the Secretariat Building stands a marble fountain bearing an abstract sculpture of the modern vari­ ety that brings puzzled frowns or chuckles to many citizens of Manhat­ tan.

The Conference Building Facing the East River, the low Con­ ference Building connects to the Gen­ eral Assembly through a wide corridor. The building is 4 stories tall. The basement holds recording studios, printing presses, darkrooms, and maintenance equipment. The first through fourth floors hold, respec­ tively, Conference Rooms, Council Chambers, Delegates' Lounges, and the Delegates' Dining Room and an­ other cafeteria. The three main UN councils meet on the second floor. Each of the three chambers has walls of Good strength and furnishings of Typical strength. The Security Council chamber is blue and gold, with a wall mural. There is a 200-seat public gallery. The Economic and Social Council meets in a plain white room with ex­ posed heating pipes and a large pic­ ture window. The Tr usteeship Council chamber, decorated in rare woods, features a UNITED large and beautiful statue of a woman releasing a bluebird. Made of teak, the NATIONS statue weighs 250 pounds and is of Typical strength. The functions of these councils are countries, led by Wallace K. Harrison, lation from going through. briefly described later in this section. Le Corbusier, and Oscar Niemeyer. It The Economic and Social Council is a beautiful architectural landmark. attempts to improve living conditions The Oag Hammarskjold Library around the world. To this end it con­ The Library, connected to the Sec­ UN Councils and Agencies siders such questions as population, retariat Building by a corridor but sep­ The councils of the United Nations the environment, human rights, and arated from the others by a wide consist of small numbers of member health. concrete plaza (about 4 areas wide), is nations, either elected or permanently The Tr usteeship Council adminis­ named after the second Secretary­ installed, that serve specific purposes ters and supervises territories tempo­ General of the UN. It is made of mar­ within the larger UN framework. rarily placed under UN jurisdiction, ble (Excellent strength). Over 380,000 The Security Council is the real such as war zones. It also works for books are available for the delegates' power at the UN. Its 15 members vote the well-being of citizens of "non-self­ use, as well as newspapers, micro­ on all important questions. Five mem­ governing territories" claimed by film, and a huge collection of maps. bers hold permanent seats (the US, member nations. The only remaining Other landmarks in the UN Plaza in­ USSR, China, the United Kingdom, territories of this type are the US is­ clude the Statue of Peace, to the and France); the rest are elected lands in the Pacific. north, and the Peace Bell, in front of every two years. Measures require 9 In addition to its own councils, the the Conference Building. In a small votes to pass-and these must in­ UN has formal relationships with park tourists can look out on the East clude affirmative votes from all five of many other inter-governmental agen­ River. the permanent members. In this way cies. These include the World Health The whole complex is the work of the powerful nations keep the others Organization, the International Mone­ architects from a dozen different in line and prevent unfavorable legis- tary Fund, the cultural organization 69 UNESCO, and, until recently, she is brought to trial under the home delegates from other nations are SHIELD. nation's laws. available in the public library. Because UN member nations were Judges can use diplomatic immu­ Delegates have Typical abilities, ex­ unwilling to permit SHIELD to exist nity creatively in scenarios. If the vil­ cept for Reason of at least Good level without some controls, the original UN lain is immune, the heroes who catch (one hopes). They have Popularity rat­ approval of that international law­ him must decide whether to obey the ings of 5, Remarkable Resources, and enforcement agency included provi­ law and let him go, or punish him and very high level Contacts in politics and a sion forcing SHIELD to disband al UN create an international incident. Both business. demand. After Colonel Nick Fury un­ courses of action can lead to interest­ covered the pervasive corruption in ing adventures, and the Judge should SHIELD (see "SHIELD Headquar­ be prepared to deal with both. CRIMES ters" in this chapter), the UN exer­ As a variant of this idea, recall that Never mind that UN delegates cised this option and fo rmally the UN complex itself is not in the make a living accusing each other of disbanded the agency. United States. Conceivably a villain sundry crimes against humanity. The might exploit this idea, to escape UN complex seldom sees much ac­ Function prosecution-though in practice, the tual wrongdoing of the com ic-book va­ The UN Charter, at least nominally UN extradites to the United States or­ riety. However, when such crimes accepted by all member nations, is to dinary criminals caught on its grounds occur, they can be Earth-shaking. as a matter of course. save future generations from war; to Aliens ready to conquer "puny hu­ support human rights; to work for jus­ mans" usually like to announce their tice and respect for obligations in inter­ plans and give the world's governments national law; and to promote social AT LANTIS AND THE a chance to kowtow before them. The progress and better standards of living. best place to make such an announce­ Over the decades since it was es­ UNITED NATIONS ment is the UN General Asse mbly. Atlantis has petitioned repeated ly tablished , the UN has seldom Villainous masterminds sometimes achieved these goals. Butthough it re­ for membership in the UN, both under make threats before the Assem bly. mains basically ineffectual, even most its previous ruler, Prince Namor, and Typically these threats involve the de­ critics agree that it is better to have it more recently. Because of the under­ struction of the Earth or its societies, than not. In some chronicles of alter­ water nation's warlike behavior, how­ unless the member nations pay a nate futures of the Marvel Universe, ever, the Security Council has always monumental ransom. Since the the UN grad ually grows more power­ recommended against Atlantean ap­ United Nations is chronically under­ ful and becomes a world government plications. (Membership in the UN is funded, it would seem unlikely that it technically open only to "peace­ in deed as well as name. But as with could afford a ransom . But in the face all the alternate futures depicted, this loving" states. This restriction seldom of immediate global extermination, may or may not actually happen . applies to air-breathing nations, lead­ member nations have sometimes ing some to attribute the Atlantean been willing to pool their resources. ban to racism.) Fortunately (?), this international co­ But At lantis, like some other non­ DIPLOMATIC operation has never proven neces­ member nations, maintains an ob­ sary, since the heroes have always IMMUNITY servers' post in the UN Conference foiled the masterminds' plots. Delegates and their staffs are not Building. Diplomatically speaking, Magneto visited the UN on at .least subject to US legal jurisdiction. This this is one step below a consulate; the two occasions during his criminal ca­ means they can commit any crimes, five Atlanteans at this post have no reer, both times to demand that the up to and including murder, without diplomatic immunity and cannot grant world be turned over to the rule of fear of punishment. This also applies visas (even if Atlanteans used them), homo superior-mutants. This idea to reigning monarchs visiting from give asyl um, or do anything official. proved unpopular, to say the least. other countries. But their special suite beneath the As­ The Ave ngers defeated Magneto and Because of this immunity (a/so en­ sembly Building, accessible by a lad­ his evil mutants on the first occasion. joyed by US envoys to other nations), der in an inconspicuous closet on the The second time, Magneto brought Al­ the Fantastic Four has never been main floor, is immersed in clean, cold pha, the so-called "Ultimate Mutant." able to just haul Doctor Doom into the sea water. So it co uld sustain the life of Magneto had created Alpha using tech­ local police station . He is, after all, the a ro gue At/antean or ot her water­ nology he'd discovered beneath the recognized monarch of Latveria, a UN breather that the PC heroes come deserts of the Southwest. (It was left for member nation. across. See Campaign Use, below. him by the master geneticist Mael­ Usually delegates are responsible strom.) At Magneto's command, Alpha citizens who would never commit any levitated the entire UN complex half a crime. But abuse of diplomatic immu­ NPCs mile into the air, the better to force the nity is, ,ifnot common, certainly not un­ Names of the delegates from Latve­ diplomats' compliance. known. The only thing law ria and Wa kanda have not been re­ Alpha, evolving by the moment to­ enforcement officials can do is extra­ vealed, nor have the names of ward super-human intelligence, finally dite the offender, and hope that he or Atlantean observers. Names of the saw Magneto for the evildoer he was.

70 Alpha returned the UN complex to takes the player-characters else­ invasion fleet orbiting overhead, and Earth and wiped the incident from the where in the world (or off it). suddenly the Judge is running a full­ memories of all concerned-except The United Nations, like the Statue scale outer-space extravaganza. the Defenders and Professor X, who of Liberty, is too well recognized as a Heroes might want to visit the UN had fought Magneto. Alpha then New Yo rk landmark to be relocated without necessarily wreaking havoc turned Magneto and his evil brother­ elsewhere. Heroes can visit Manhat­ there. They could encounter an Atlan­ hood into infants (temporarily, of tan from elsewhere and have an ad­ tean out of water as part of another ad­ course) and launched himself sky­ venture at the UN as a "regional venture. His or her life-support unit is ward, to seek his destiny elsewhere in encounter." running low, and the river is too pol­ the universe. Alpha's current where­ The heroes might be visiting the UN luted to breathe. So the PCs must take abouts are unknown. as tourists when the aliens decide to their charge to the Atlantean observ­ By the way, levitating the UN com­ land. Hearing alien spear-carriers an­ ers' post. Do the staffers there have a plex requires CL5000 power. nounce the upcoming conquest, the vital mission that will take the PCs to heroes can beat them up in a battle Atlantis? Only the Judge knows. royal in the General Assembly. But be CAMPAIGN USE careful-if they allow a diplomat to be The UN functions best in stories as injured, it could start a war! Then the either an exotic backdrop or a PCs can find a transportation device jumping-off point for an adventure that on the victims, use it to reach the main

71 YANCY STREET

OVERVIEW family ties, and crime. Ben Grimm at top speed. It all happens so fast that calls Ya ncy Street "a pile of junk." heroes usually can't do anything but This tough Lower East Side neigh­ Most teenagers and young men on clean up. borhood was the childhood home of Ya ncy Street join one of many kid Ben Grimm, who later became the gangs. These organize along racial Thing. The teenage gangs here are an and ethnic lines and often survive for ongoing problem-and a source of CAMPAIGN USE generations. human-interest adventures for PC he­ Manhattan: Gang warfare is a The biggest, straightforwardly roes. growing problem in society. Ya ncy named the Ya ncy Street Gang, ex­ Street brings this problem home to PC ceeds 120 members. It meets in the heroes who want a change of pace basement of the tenement where Ben THE AREA from stopping bank robberies or res­ grew up. Now the building is aban­ cuing the galaxy. Heroes wandering The filthiest, most rundown part of doned, except for the gang members. Ya ncy Street can befriend a picked-on the Lower East Side. For more infor­ Ben Grimm's older brother Dan be­ kid (who becomes a hero's sidekick) mation, see Chapter 2. longed to this gang, but he died in a or tough dog (who becomes a team rumble when Ben was eight years old. mascot). Despite this example, Ben grew up, Since a lot of Ya ncy Streeters be­ DESCRIPTION joined the gang, and eventually led it come criminals, the criminals in other Yancy Street starts at a dead end himself. Only when his parents died parts of the city may well come from and ends at another. From a circular and he moved away from Ya ncy Street Ya ncy Street. The Judge can put their courtyard amid the Seward Park did Ben finally begin to straighten out. families there. Heroes who want to Houses, it runs southeast across find a villain's whereabouts, motives, Thompson Avenue, East Broadway, The Ya ncy Street Code or secrets could investigate his or her Henry, and Madison Streets. After not The Ya ncy Streeters have always family. This gives the Judge a chance quite four blocks, it stops dead amid taunted Ben Grimm ever since he be­ to flesh out a villain and make him the La Guardia Houses, just a brick's came famous as the Thing. Their ha­ more than just a costume and some throw from the Lower East Side Ele­ tred springs from his violation of the powers. code of Ya ncy Street: Never leave. vated Highway. Ya ncy Street runs par­ Other Cities: Ya ncy Street is easily allel to Clinton on one side and "Anybody can make it out there, in transportable. Every city has a tough Jefferson on the other. Appropriately, the soft life," says one gang member. neighborhood like this one. this is a one-way street. "The trick is ta stay here, stay right A visitor unfortunate enough to here, an' make it. An' survive." stumble on Ya ncy Street first notices Heroes who want to help Ya ncy �ES the smell: garbage, sewage, dead ani­ Streeters solve their problems, or pry THIlD W/N ' youths away from the gangs, have to SOMETHING.�I mals. All rot the way the whole street &lUCK!I I'T'5 is rotting. face this sick attitude and defeat it. A IN.Mfj".'! Derelict cars, stripped of tires, rust One gang member at a time. by the curbs. Spilled garbage cans draw alleycats and wild dogs. Graffiti defaces every street sign; Ya ncy NPCs Streeters don't like directions. Every Statistics for gang members, typical wall carries its share of graffiti, too; "Young Thugs," are on page 63 of the Ya ncy Streeters don't like clean Judge's Book. Gang leaders may be spaces. older, with stats as the full-grown Brick tenements, boarded over and "Thug" on page 62 of that rulebook. barely standing, shelter no one but junkies and teen gangs. In better days Ben Grimm lived in one of these. The CRIMES superintendent, Mr. Knudsen, went to Name the petty crime, Ya ncy Street prison for strangling Mrs. Knudsen. has suffered it for decades. Now gang That's the kind of neighborhood this members murder one another with was. sub-machine guns for shares of the drug trade. The killers strike quickly, the Gangs against the rival gang's headquarters It still is, only worse. To day, gang or other meeting place. They saturate warfare has amplified the traditional the area with gunfire for perhaps ten blights Of poverty, addiction, distorted seconds (two turns), then drive away

72 CHAPTER 4: THE FORCES OF GOOD AND EVIL

following headings: Some are covered in the Hotspot list­ NEW YORK'S Background: what the Judge ings in previous chapters (e.g., Em­ ORGANIZATIONS needs to know about the organization. pire State University) or in other Motives: its beliefs, objectives, and MARVEL SUPER HEROEsm game purposes. These indicate the reasons supplements. the organization gets involved in an These supplements also describe When running super-heroic role­ adventure and the events it sees as many of the organizations most often playing adventures, MARVEL SUPER opportunities. seen in Marvel Comics, small groups HEROESTM Judges often throw cops, Methods and Income: usual activi­ of super-powered heroes or villains. thugs, and stoolies into their stories. ties and how it goes about achieving This supplement is concerned with al­ Judges don't need statistics and its goals. This can indicate how often liances of (usually) ordinary human write-ups for these spear- carriers; the organization does something that beings. they're usually just obstacles or plot brings it to the PCs' attention. Many, like the Sanitation Depart­ devices to convey information to the Personnel: the organization's typi­ ment or Postal Service, seldom figure player characters. cal and notable employees, their skills in super adventures ...though the Still, organizations employ these and equipment, and the way they ad­ Judge can take that as a challenge, people. And a lot of organized spear­ vance in the group's hierarchy. not a taboo. (Let's see, a magical amu­ carriers add up to an army that even a Story Function: the organization's let accidentally gets thrown out in the super human has to notice. Judges usual role in adventures. Judges who trash, and the heroes have to scour who give these organizations an ac­ want to improve their storytelling every garbage truck in Manhattan to tive role add new depths to their cam­ abilities should examine this section find it. Ye ah!) paigns. And as the organizations closely. Also, study the Adventure The organizations described here interact, new plot ideas spring up. Book scenarios that use these organi­ provide springboards for many role­ zations. playing scenarios. These include the New Yo rk Police Department; the or­ FORMAT ganized crime "families" collectively This section details a few of the es­ ABOUT known as the Maggia; and Damage tablished organizations that play a Control, a business specializing in re­ part in adventures in Marvel Uni­ ORGANIZATIONS pair and restoration of property dam­ verse's Manhattan. The listings de­ There are many organizations in age that occurs in super-powered scribe each organization under the Manhattan and the Marvel Universe. battles.

73 DAMAGE CONTROL

A world in which super humans do ally aware of the company's exist­ the Garment District; the other, much their thing is exciting, but it can also ence, but those who are hold Damage larger, warehouse lies across the Hud­ be dangerous and frequently devas­ Control in high estee m. The firm has son in Elizabeth, New Jersey. tating. Damage Control is a profitable an excellent reputation, and though Speed of service is Damage Con­ Manhattan company that cleans up some of its activities are technically il­ trol's hallmark; most problems are re­ damage after super battles. legal (see below), law enforcement of­ paired within a day. Such problems ficials look the other way. are all crises, and clients are willing to The company is based in the Flat­ pay crisis rates. Working under a high BACKGROUND iron Building, a peculiar Renaissance­ budget ceiling, removal and restora­ style structure famous as one of the tion crews use anti-gravity units, heli­ Damage Control has been around first skyscrapers built in New Yo rk. copters, and (rarely) low-power for at least 17 years, long before the The 21 -story building, built in 1902, disintegration units to clean up debris. modern age of super humans. Its di­ derives its name from its triangular Who pays for this? Ta xpayers or in­ rector of operations, Anne Marie shape. The Flatiron Building is built of surance companies cover damage in­ Hoag, established many powerful so­ brick and limestone (walls of Good curred by minor heroes and villains. A cial connections as a catastrophe spe­ strength). fraction of all taxes paid by New Yo rk cialist using advanced technology. Address: Broadway and 23rd businesses goes into a "superfund" In one of her early triumphs, Dam­ Street, on the south side of Madison for this purpose. age Control prevented the Lincoln Square. Government-approved hero groups Tu nnel from collapsing. Though the such as the Fantastic Four and the govern ment kept this near-disaster Ave ngers are required by law to post a out of the news, Mrs. Hoag earned a surety bond with the city covering re­ lot of favors . (Not until much later did MOTIVES pair expenses. Independently wealthy anyone find the cause of the near­ Damage Control accepts any as­ heroes (e.g., Moon Knight and Profes­ collapse : excavations beneath the signment related to its specialty. Its sor X) often pay out of pocket for dam­ Earth's surface by then-undiscovered goals in all cases are a reasonable age they've caused. Subterraneans led by the Mole Man.) profit and restoration of order to the Major catastrophes are covered un­ When the Fantastic Four and the city-not necessarily in that order, but der FeDAS, the Federal Disaster Area Av engers, the fi rst groups of super­ that depends on whom one is talking Stipend. New Yo rk is prone to so many powered heroes of the modern age, to in the company. super-human conflicts that Congress set up shop in Manhattan, Mrs. Hoag Damage Control 's contracts with considers it a permanent disaster foresaw the potential damage their ac­ the city and with numerous insurance area. tivities might create. She bid low to ob­ companies allow it to recover ex­ Then there are the villains. Here tain Damage Control's fi rst job for the penses in almost all cases. When this Damage Control operates in shadowy heroes themselves: restoring To ny fails, comptroller Albert Cleary has legal territory, for they quietly maintain Stark's townhouse (later Avengers proved adept in recovering fees by relations with recognized criminals. Mansion) after the first battle between other means. (He once went to the The Kingpin, for example, finds it use­ the Avengers and the Masters of Evil. Latverian Em bassy to get Doctor ful for Damage Control to dispose of Shortly afterward, Mrs. Hoag called Doom to pay off his delinquent ac­ the debris from his failed projects, in favors at Stark International and count.) rather than letting, say, the district at­ Fantastic Four, Inc. Obtaining the best torney sift through the evidence. construction and debris-removal tech­ Damage Control also runs a "lost nology then available, Mrs. Hoag went METHODS AND and found" service for super humans. to New Yo rk City's Board of Estimate The firm finds all kinds of gadgets, to propose her new "premium repair INCOM E magical devices, and power totems in service." The city government ex­ Damage Control confines its activi­ the rubble of a battle site. The heroes pressed little interest in her proposal ties exclusively to repair of damage or and villains who lost these come to until Prince Namor led Atlantis's first problems created by super-human be­ Damage Control to regain them-for a invasion of Manhatt an. The resulting ings. It repairs skyscrapers, streets, token fee, of course. The company is damage convinced many board mem­ and monuments. It disposes of alien technically an accom plice to crimes bers of the value of Mrs. Hoag's serv­ spacecraft , giant robots, super­ that such villains might commit later ice, and the fi rst battle between the science hardware, and magical de­ using their gadgets. Thing ,andthe Hulk removed all doubt. vices. It cleans up residual energies But Damage COl1ltrol views these Since then, Damage Control , from high-tech super battles. quasi-legal activities not as abetting among many competitors, has re­ All objects Damage Control recov­ crime, but as services to clients, no ceived the most lucrative repair con­ ers are disposed of through public questions asked. tracts with the city and its insurance auction or held in one of Damage Con­ companies. The public is not gener- trol's two warehouses. The first is in

74 PERSONNEL The Judge should keep Porter's smug behavior fairly restrained, since Damage Control employs less than he is basically a sympathetic charac­ 100 workers full-time. However, it ter. maintains priority-call contracts with dozens of other construction sanita­ tion, and repair firms. Becaus� it pays Robin Chapel the same premium rates it collects Tr affic manager from clients, Damage Control can mo­ FAS E RI P bilize up to several thousand workers Ty Ty Ty Ty Rm Ex Gd with a few phone calls. Health: 24 Karma: 60 Mrs. Hoag is also known to call in fa­ Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 2 vors during emergencies. She can en­ Robin Chapel attended Barnard list occasional aid from sorcerers College on an anonymously funded telepaths, xenologists, and demoli� Political Science scholarship for "a tions experts. bright woman with unusual interests." Damage Control staffers, though Since the scholarship called for experts in their fields, have no super­ drama, business management, com­ human powers. Their only extraordi­ puter science, and calculus classes nary trait is their composure in the as well as political science, Chapel face of extreme weirdness. No matter was the only applicant. what heroes, villains, aliens or After she graduated, Chapel met higher-dimensional entities they the patron who funded her scholar­ encounter, the staff of Damage Con­ ship: Mrs. Hoag. A Barnard graduate trol remains unflappable and profes­ herself, Mrs. Hoag promptly hired sional. Chapel as a Damage Control intern. In most adventures with Damage ing the damages under the "collision" Chapel has since rotated through Control, a Judge needs only the cen­ nearly every job in Damage Control clause. tral office staff. These are described and has excelled at all of them. The Upset at his company's conduct, below. ommon wisdom has it that Mrs. Hoag Porter started his own one-man bro­ ? . IS grooming her to one day take over kerage house for construction and en­ John Porter the firm. gineering companies, "Chaos Account executive Chapel enjoys her job, but not be­ Reductions." He specialized in super­ FAS E RI P power damage, and soon became so cause she gets to hang around with Ty Ty Ty Gd Ex Rm Ty super humans. Their world-shattering competitive with Damage Control that Health: 28 Karma: 56 Mrs. Hoag hired him herself. conflicts fill her with mild apathy. She Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 1 wo uld enjoy the work even at a more Appearance: Black hair, black eyes, John Porter acquired his nickname, 6'1 ", 195 Ibs. Tr im build, piercing conventional construction firm. "Gee Pay," at the University of Michi­ When Chapel had been traffic man­ gaze, pleasant but slightly smug man­ gan. It started as a simple spoonerism ager at Damage Control about as long ner. of his initials, but the nickname took as she cared to be, she felt she was Ta lents: History, insurance law crea­ on new meaning when he graduated ready to become account executive tive problem-solving (Incredibl� abil­ and became a successful insurance next. When John Porter got that job, ity), some athletics. adjuster. "Gee, could you pay this, she felt some resentment. But she Typical Dialogue: "I don't see why John?" soon recovered, and now the two are we have to reroute traffic around the Porter became aware of the busi­ friendly (though perhaps not as much wreck. It's a spaceship, after all. It ness possibilities in a world populated as Porter would like). must have access ramps all around. by super-powered beings when the Appearance: Blonde hair, blue eyes, Send the cars in one side and out the Shi'ar warrior Gladiator battled the 5'6" , 125 Ibs. Generally amiable man­ other." Fantastic Four in downtown Manhat­ ner, but moody. Story Function: As a non-player tan. At one point Gladiator knocked !alents: Planning, logistics, acting, character, Porter should not exercise the Thing through ten automobiles­ Judo (Martial Arts A), environmental his talent for solving problems too of­ lengthwise! politics. ten. After all, the players should be the One of the car owners was a client Typical Dialogue: "I've called in a ones who get to show off! But if the at Porter's insurance company. The magnetic containment vessel for the . . PCs get stumped by a scenario, Por­ client survived the accident, but at anti-matter units. We 'll need a new ter can stumble on a partial solution first her company refused to pay re­ power line out to the warehouse to that gives the PCs a hint toward fur­ placement costs for the wreck. (Some keep it bottled. Who's for lunch?" ther progress. insurance companies have "Acts of Story Function : Chapel can bring in Porter could also provide a roman­ God and Super Humans" exemption bul!dozers, cranes, anti-grav units, tic interest for female player charac­ clauses.) Porter risked his job by pay- helicopters, or anything else Damage ters. 75 Control needs at ten minutes' notice. cludes unlisted numbers for 70 US Appearance: Dark brown hair, brown Chapel cou ld also provide a ro man­ Senators, 337 Representatives, as­ eyes, 6'3" , 180 Ibs. Erect posture, ex­ tic interest for male player characters. sorted Cabinet officials, and a direct pensive and faultless wardrobe. It is line to the President. She has never known that Albert is missing two toes revealed why she is on a first-name on one foot, but he has never ex­ Anne Marie Hoag basis with most of the titans of indus­ plained why. Director of operations try, finance, government, the arts, and Ta lents: Finance and budgeting (both FAS E RI P law enforcement. Remarkable level), men's fashion Pr Ty Pr Gd Ex Ex Ex Typical Dialogue: "So glad to see (Monstrous level), liability law, corpo­ Health: 24 Karma: 60 you. My, what a lovely costume." rate and city politics, modern jazz. Resources: In(40) Popularity: 10 Story Function: Mrs. Hoag could call Typical Dialogue: Often laced with Mrs. Hoag believes one's personal in the PCs to help with a problem (or his caustic wit. "Did you know this op­ history should not be available for have their friends or employers call eration is 12% over budget? I take it public discussion. them for her). Since her background you're saving up for Christmas shop­ Appearance: Gray hair, blue eyes, re mains mysterious, the Judge can ping. Wrap it up or Santa will leave a 5'3" , 135 Ibs. Overweight but always assign her nearly any role or connect lump of coal in your Christmas bonus nicely dressed . her to any character in the campaign. check." Ta lents: Disaster management, art Story Function: Cleary provides appreciation, networking. Mrs. Hoag acerbic commentary on the players' has been known to throw parties for Albert Cleary failed actions. He can veto those acts New Yo rk 's "Four Hundred" elite fam­ Comptroller (financial supervisor) that the Judge does not want the play­ ilies. FAS E RI P ers to try, on grounds of budget over­ Contacts: Mrs. Hoag is among the Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Gd Ty runs or "until I can check with Legal." most well-connected individuals in the Health: 24 Karma: 26 Marvel Universe. Her Rolodex in- Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 2

76 Gene Strausser pies), black eyes, 5'10", 200 Ibs. Henry Ackerdson Head of Research & Development Slouching posture, tobacco breath. Marketing vice-president FAS E RI P Lenny is tired of being told he looks F A S E R P Pr Pr Ty Ty Am Ex Pr like actor Lee Marvin. Pr Pr Ty Pr Gd Ty Pr Health: 20 Karma: 74 Ta lents: Construction, demolition, res­ Health: 18 Karma: 20 Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 0 toration, remodeling, getting overtime Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 0 Strausser was born in Santa Bar­ for his workers, bowling, drinking. Ackerdson is not as well-connected bara, California, near some of the na­ Typical Dialogue: "There's nothing as Mrs. Hoag, but he does all right. He tion's largest defense contractors. He about neutronium in the union con­ sits on the board of directors of New also worked in Santa Barbara, appar­ tracts. Sounds like hazard pay to me." Universe Pictures, and he exchanges ently as a researcher for the US Gov­ Story Function: Ballinger is the Dam­ Christmas cards with hundreds of law­ ernment, before coming to Damage age Control staffer most often found yers, record producers, and even Control. But he has never revealed on the battle sites themselves. He some super-powered heroes. the nature of his previous employment may be the first Damage Controller Appearance: Black hair, brown eyes, nor why he left it, and much of his past the PCs meet after their own battles. 5'5" , 145 1bs. Pudgy. Fast talker with a is still classified. He lends scenic color to a clean-up ef­ really, really sincere manner. Appearance: Brown hair (balding), fort, and his unflappable manner pro­ Ta lents: Marketing, networking, fast brown eyes, 5'5" , 175 Ibs. Thick vides occasional co mic relief. talking, getting into trouble, getting glasses, chunky build, nervously people to get him out of trouble. friendly and curious manner. Typical Dialogue: "Spaceship Ta lents: Computer programming, Anne crashed in Central Park? What, you gadgeteering, robotics, spaced rives, Last name unrevealed want to remove it? Stop, leave it. lis­ materials science, math, mechanical Receptionist ten, how does this sound: 'AstroLand engineering, security systems, death FAS E RI P Amusement Ride.' Hey?" rays, xenotechnology, and nearly Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd Gd Gd Story Function: Whenever he sees every physical science. Health: 24 Karma: 30 the PCs, Ackerdson comes up with Typical Dialogue: Prone to non­ Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 3 hare-brained marketing or promo­ sequiturs. "This appears to be an In a lot of companies the reception­ tional schemes that work as comedy advanced phase-modulated dimen­ ist keeps the whole operation to­ relief. His extensive contacts in the sional navigation device. Not unlike gether. At Damage Control everyone entertainment industry can lead to the IRT subway route. Did you hear is pretty much on top of his or her job, new careers for heroes who want to they're thinking of raising the fares so Anne has plenty of leisure time. retire from the campaign. again?" She spends it buffing her nails and Story Function: Gene is Mister Know­ talking on the phone. But she does a It-All and can tell the players anything good job of keeping communications John "Bart" Rozum they want to know about strange de­ lines open and putting people in touch College student, vices. Use him for comedy relief. His with each other. Damage Control intern R&D facility in the SUb-basement of the Now and then people wonder why F A S E R P Flatiron Building is a source of exotic Anne doesn't go into modeling or the Ty Gd Gd Gd Ty Ty Ty technological plot devices. movies. It's because models and Health: 36 Karma: 18 movie actresses don't get to spend all Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 day buffing their nails and talking on Bart Rozum speaks in almost reli­ Lenny Ballinger the phone. gious terms of his early rescue from a Head foreman Appearance: Black hair, black eyes, mine shaft by a genuine super hero. FA S E RI P 5'10", 135 Ibs. Gorgeous and gor­ He was a child at the time, and other Ty Gd Ty Gd Gd Gd Ty geously dressed. Aloof, confident witnesses could not identify the hero. Health: 32 Karma: 26 manner. Since then he has obsessively studied Resources: Ex(20) Popularity: 0 Ta lents: Conversation, diplomacy, ad­ the super-human community, partly to Ballinger was one of Mrs. Hoag's ministration, fashion, cosmetics. find out which hero saved his life. He first employees. He has been at Dam­ Typical Dialogue: "So he said to me, hasn't found a satisfactory candidate age Control longer than anyone else 'I hate to bathe alone,' and I told him, yet, but he is very happy to share his except Mrs. Hoag-17 years. He has 'Then buy a rubber duck, just leave reasoning with anybody who asks (or been head foreman for 13 years. In me alone' -j ust a minute, Bridgette­ who may be about to as'k). that time he has never been known to can I help you?" Rozum attends New Yo rk University, lose his temper, even when his em­ Story Function: If the PCs don't meet majoring in Urban Planning, and re­ ployees root through the artifacts left Lenny Ballinger first, Anne will be their ceives college credit for his work at behind after a super battle and sud­ first contact with Damage Control. Her Damage Control. He keeps track of the denly "have an origin"-become constant phone conversations can be lost-and-found section, makes photo­ super humans themselves. "We lose a running gag. Male PCs may be inter­ copies, gets the mail, runs errands, and more employees that way. . .." ested in her romantically, but she is furnishes-with or without being Appearance: Brown hair (gray at tem- not likely to reciprocate. asked-data about super-beings to the

77 staffers at Damage Control. Sometimes Jay Dixon encounter on the way to Damage Con­ the data is even relevant. Security guard, Flatiron Building trol headquarters. Appearance: Red hair, brown eyes, FAS E RI P 6'5/1 , 190 Ibs. Wiry build, freckles. Gd Ty Ty Gd Ty Ty Ty Wears jeans with holes in the knees, Health: 32 Karma: 18 STORY FUNCTION Resources: Typical(6) Popularity: 0 sneakers, and baseball cap. By its nature, Damage Control does Athletics, urban planning, It takes a special kind of person to Ta lents: not get involved in most adventures driving fast. Rozum's knowledge of guard the building housing Damage until after the fighting is over. There­ super-beings is much too extensive Control-at least, so says Jay Dixon, fore, the Judge will probably use the for any sane person. who does it. Jay has no super powers, staffers as interim encounters be­ "Say, that gun Typical Dialogue: but has to handle lots of visitors who tween adventures. As some of the list­ looks a lot like the one used by the do. Luckily, they hardly ever make ings point out, the various employees third Mister Fear-not the first, who trouble. can become emotionally involved with was Zoltan Drago, an amateur scien­ The hardest part of the job is getting suitable PC heroes. Mrs. Hoag is a tist who ran a wax museum and super-powered villains to check their val uable contact for the PCs, si nce worked with the original Eel and the ultra-powerful devices at the desk. she knows everybody who is anybody. original Ox, and not the second, who The villains usually ignore the re­ Heroes may get visits or phone cal ls accidentally died in a battle with Dare­ quests. Jay has learned not to press from John Porter or Albert Cleary, who hard. devil and later became Machinesmith, want to collect fees for the destruction but the third, who-" Appearance: Black hair, black eyes, the heroes caused. These can be run­ 5'10" , 165 1bs. Standard blue security ning gags or annoyances for the PCs. Though his work at outfit. Casual posture (not quite a Story Function: And sometimes a clean-up operation slouch), amused manner. Damage Control is a dream come true can be a springboard to a new adven­ for Rozum, he is no more fl ustered by Ta lents: Security systems, guns, ture, as Lenny Ballinger's workers un­ super-humans than anyone else in the wrestling, keeping calm. cover some bizarre device a defeated firm . The Judge might introduce a Typical Dialogue: "I'll bet you're villain left behind. subplot in which Bart, consumed by looking for Damage Control. Sixth And remember: Nobody at Damage curiosity, tries to track down a PC's se­ floor. Sorry, but yo u'll have to leave Control is fazed by the extraordinary. cret identity. your flaming mace here at the desk." It's just part of their job. Story Function: Jay is a minor comic

78 NEW YORK'S FINEST: THE POLICE BACKGROUND The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that in New Yo rk in 1987, there were over 5,900 crimes committed per 100,000 population. This is by far the highest rate of any northeastern state. The robbery rate in New Yo rk is more than twice the national average ' higher than any state. New Yo rk City contributes a lot to this rate. To combat crime, the city em­ ploys thousands of peace officers. If they did their job better, there might be no need for super heroes. But the po­ lice do their best, and in the Marvel Universe they often face dangers far above the call of duty.

MOTIVES Like all police forces, the New Yo rk Police Department is charged with maintaining order and investigating breaches of the law. But to police offi­ cers around the city such tasks can mean different things. The principal styles of law enforce­ ��nt are the legalistic style (all laws rigidly enforced to achieve a single standard of community behavior); the watchman style (using the law to keep the peace rather than promote legal reform); and the service style (using community social pressure instead of law to prevent or punish minor of­ fenses) . . Styles vary from precinct to pre­ Cinct, or even officer to officer. If a cou­ ple of cops drive up to a crime scene c�arity fund-raising events for pen­ and public relations. The commis­ and see Spider-Man, one may try to sion funds and the like; heroes who sioner and deputy commissioners op­ arrest him while the other just thanks like to stay on the good side of the law erate out of Police Headquarters on him for beating up the crooks. often appear at these events. Park Row on the Lower East Side, at In general, New Yo rk's vast size the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. makes the watchman style the only Then come over 80 precinct cap­ practical option. In other words, New PERSONNEL tains, each responsible for one area in Yo rk's Finest mainly try to keep the the five boroughs. No "typical" pre­ city running smoothly, not promote an The Mayor appoints a police com­ missioner to run the department. The cinct exists; they come in all sizes, agenda. Less than one reported inci­ types, and areas. dent in 40 leads to arrest. name of the commissioner in the Marvel Universe has not been re­ A captain has several plainclothes vealed, but he is being blackmailed by lieutenants, often detectives. Then come the sergeants, who are often ei­ METHODS AND the Kingpin and does what the crime­ lord tells him to do. ther young detectives on their way up INCOME Under the commissioner are sev­ or old beat cops who got stalled on the ladder of progress. And finally come The NYPD is funded by taxpayer eral deputy commissioners, in charge of administration, juvenile crime, legal the "uniforms," the officers who drive dollars allocated in the annual city the streets and go out on calls. budget. The department also runs matters, licensing of officers, policy,

79 Officers are not formally unionized , LAWs , flamethrowers, and heavy artil­ The department couldn't do the job but they have formed organizations lery. And it employs several high-tech without them. But they seldom figure that serve some of the same functions weapons manufactured by Stane In­ in adventures. as a union. Officers do not go out on ternational (formerly Stark Interna­ strike, but informal "sickouts," where tional) or bought as surplus when Statistics large numbers of officers call in sick, SHIELD was disbanded. These in­ Typical officer serve as a protest mechanism. clude two stun cannons, three con­ FA S E RI P cussion cannons, and-the prize of Gd Gd Ty Gd Ty Ty Ty Recruitment and Tr aining the NYPD-a single, precious Plasma Health: 36 Karma: 18 A police recruit must be between 21 Beam. However, the force does not Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 4 and 35 years old, a high school gradu­ know how to maintain these complex Ta lents: Law Enforcement, surveil­ ate, and a US citizen, and must have a devices, so it uses them sparingly. lance, shadowing. driver's license and a clean criminal (For statistics, see pp. 42-43 of the Equipment: One .38 revolver with 3- record. Nine out of ten recruits are Player's Book.) inch barrel; two speedloaders or male. The SWF's most advanced devices ammo clips; flak jacket; handcuffs; Recruits train at the Police Acad­ are six Stane-designed "nullifier har­ walkie-talkie with city-wide range; billy emy (235 E. 20th Street at Second Av­ nesses." These intricate metal strait­ club; flashlight; uniform and Sam enue) for 16 weeks. They learn law jackets have Remarkable Nullifying Browne belt to hold the equipment. enforcement skills and combat and Power (Player's Book, page 76) with Notes: Plainclothes detectives have driving techniques. Once graduated, Feeble range. But each of the six har­ the same statistics and equipment, the "rookie" is assigned to a field­ nesses works against only one cate­ except that they do not carry a billy trained officer (FTO) in a precinct and gory of powers: heat, cold, force field, club or flashlight. Plainclothesmen spends six months on probation. size change and shape-shifting, invisi­ have Criminology and Detective skills. Thereafter the officer can take civil bility, and matter control. Each har­ service qualifying exams to become ness is only of Good material, so they SWAT ISpecial Wea pons Force Op­ eligible for promotion. Headquarters are often out for repair or recondition­ erative awards promotions to eligible officers ing. FA S E RI P based on seniority, ability, heroism, Kris Keating is a burly, slightly over­ Ex Gd Gd Ty Ty Ty Gd and politics. weight man of average height. He has Health: 46 Karma: 22 unruly, receding gray hair, dresses in Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 4 Other Divisions cheap suits and a dirty overcoat, and Ta lents: As the typical officer's above, Separate branches within the has no love of super-powered heroes plus Marksmanship. NYPD take charge of traffic control, or villains. But he is a conscientious Equipment: As the typical officer's, bridge and tunnel patrol, and harbor officer and a caring man. plus riot gun (see Player's Book, p. patrol. There are motorcycle divisions NOTE:The real Kris Keating was 42). and emergency divisions, as well as murdered several years ago by the heavily armed SWAT (Special Weap­ professional assassin known only as Police vehicles ons and Ta ctics) teams that handle Foreigner; A master of disguise, For­ Statistics for police cars, vans, and hostage crises and the like. The police eigner took Keating's place in the SWAT vans are given on page 48 of department also maintains stables of SWF. Later, Foreigner made imper­ the Player's Book. The NYPD also em­ horses for mounted patrol in Central sonating Keating a training assign­ ploys battle copters, described on Park and other parks, and it keeps a ment for recruits in his disguise corps; page 49 of that book. But these are canine division of dogs (usually Ger­ over two dozen different employees of seldom seen in adventures with PC man shepherds) trained to sniff out Foreigner have pretended to be Keat­ heroes. drugs or track fugitives. ing over the past few years; so far, no Lieutenant Kris Keating operates a one has noticed the deception, a trib­ Special We apons Force out of Police ute to Foreigner's skills and training. STORY FUNCTION Headquarters. This 75-officer emer­ The uses of the police in a super­ gency team attempts to handle super­ Service Division heroic campaign are obvious. They powered villains. In a confrontation The NYPD employs vast numbers of take petty crooks off the PCs' hands; with one, Keating claimed the squad support personnel: vehicle mainte­ they get threatened by major villains has "enough firepower to sink an air­ nance crews, forensic pathologists, fin­ and the PCs rescue them; and they in­ craft carrier." gerprint ID technicians, secretaries, lab vestigate mysteries offstage, giving Actually, this is almost true. The workers, data entry and file clerks, ana­ the PCs exposition or vital clues as SWF commands dozens of military lysts, consultants, and so on. necessary.

80 THE MAGGIA

The Maggia is the world's most pow­ gia has made great profits in disposal of stantial. The Maggia generally relies erful criminal organization. It controls toxic chemical wastes. Companies that on a steady stream of income from most drug traffic, illegal gambling, ex­ don't want to pay the high costs of dis­ petty crime and systemic corruption, tortion rackets, and other illicit activities posal by legitimate means contract with rather than big operations with high in the United States. It also influences the Maggia to dump the wastes profiles. A hero is unlikely to encoun­ various labor unions and political offi­ cheaply. Of course, the Maggia makes ter one of these "big heists" more cials. The Maggia has diversified into no guarantees to dispose of them in an than every year or so. many legitimate businesses. environmentally safe place. Maggia tradition being what it is, Not a monolithic organization, the Individuals within families also hope most families rely on tried and true Maggia is a hierarchy of independent to win prestige and gain power in the methods of enforcement: intimidation, groups called "families." The leading family. They achieve status by bring­ property damage, legbreaking, kid­ members of most families are joined ing in money, carrying out difficult as­ napping, and contract assassination. by familial or marital ties. Members of signments, and maintaining the honor But in New Yo rk City, the Maggia fami­ Maggia families may not be related, of their families. lies have broken with tradition to but they have nearly always grown up Honor is vital to the Maggia. Family counter the threat posed by super he­ together, are closely acquainted, and members must honor their elders and roes. They often employ super-human distrust "outsiders" to the family. relatives, be truthful in dealings with agents, futuristic weaponry, even ro­ This entry describes the three Mag­ one another, and maintain social rela­ bots in the struggle. gia families prominent in New Yo rk tions with the family. Perhaps most im­ The Nefaria family in particular has City: the Silvermane, Hammerhead, portant, honor requires the family led the way in this trend; its member­ and Nefaria families. members to protect secrets. ship is younger than is typical, and (in The Maggia's power has weakened All Maggia families enforce a strict defiance of all tradition) the family is in the United States over the last dec­ code of secrecy among their mem­ currently led by a woman, Whitney ades, primarily because of aggressive bers. Those who betray this code are Frost. pursuit by the FBI and super-powered marked for execution. The Maggioso The other Maggia fam ilies of New heroes. And its influence along the At­ assigned the task grasps the victim by Yo rk use these avant-garde tech­ lantic seaboard has dwindled consid­ the chin in the so-called "Maggia niques more reluctantly. Hammer­ erably since the Kingpin's criminal touch." The victim usually does not head and Silvermane appear to use organization rose to power. The Pun­ survive the day. technology only for themselves, such isher has claimed that the Kingpin has as exoskeletons that amplify strength, taken over 80% of criminal activity on rather than to equip their agents. the East Coast. METHODS AND But though the Maggia may be on the run in the United States, individual INCOME PERSONNEL Maggia families divide the world family leaders remain powerful, and Maggia membership estimates are the Maggia can still be a springboard into "territories." A Maggioso does not uncertain at best. The organization operate in a rival family's territory with­ for many adventure scenarios. must employ as many "workers" as out permission. They ad minister terri­ any major multinational corporation. tories from home cities; in the US, Worldwide, Maggia family members Maggia base cities include Chicago, BACKGROUND probably number in the tens of thou­ Detroit, Milwaukee, Ta mpa, To ledo, The Maggia originated in southern sands. In the United States today Los Angeles, Seattle, and others-as Europe in the thirteenth century, partly there are fewer than in the heyday of well as New Yo rk, of course. Some cit­ in response to a series of oppressive Prohibition, but there are certainly at ies are "open," meaning any Mag­ foreign governments. These foreign least 3,500 active family members in gioso can operate there without rulers paid little attention to native tra­ the co untry. These figures are mis­ permission. Miami and Las Ve gas are ditions. Perhaps in reaction, the Mag­ leading, though, because for every both open cities. gia leaders adhered closely to core member there are ten or a dozen Different families specialize in dif­ traditions of personal honor and fam­ associated thugs and workers. ferent forms of crime. For instance, ily loyalty, traditions st ill nurtured to In New Yo rk City the Maggia fami­ the Silvermane family is deeply in­ this day high in the Maggia hierarchy. lies number about three or four hun­ volved in the narcotics trade; Ham­ dred members apiece. They merhead, in extortion and employed, until recently, perhaps two loan-sharking; Nefaria, in blackmail, to three thousand members on a MOTIVES industrial espionage, and supplying piece-work basis. Only a few hundred The Maggia is a business, and it is equipment to terrorists. were active full-time. To day nearly all run as a business, to make profits. Mag­ Income from these operations is giosi undertake any activity that will the job-work thugs and thieves who hard to estimate, but it must be sub- have bring in money. For instance, the Mag- formerly worked for the Maggia

81 deserted to the Kingpin. The remain­ ing Maggia loyalists keep quiet about it, and they watch their backs. New Yo rk Maggia leaders have socked away large amounts of operat­ ing capital, though, and can still plan massive heists, hire major-league super-powered villains, and buy city officials. The leaders are dangerous opponents for PC heroes, too.

"Wise Guys" High-level Maggia figures are known in underworld slang as "wise guys." They are, with significant exceptions (see below), all men. All are wel l­ dressed, since they are in a real sense executives in a multinational business. And families are always rigidly segre­ gated along ethnic lines; the mob is not an equal-opportunity employer. Wise guys as a rule are jovial when with others of their kind, tight-lipped to outsiders. They tend to be touchy­ feely types-hugging, backslapping, and so on. Most are not especially in­ telligent, but they are all street-smart. Though some can be charming in per­ son, all are vicious and cold in Maggia matters. "Nothing personal" is a by­ word among Maggiosi, often as they are killing each other in feuds.

Silvermane Silvio Manfredi Head of the Silvermane family F RM (30) Health: 130 A EX (20) S IN (40) Karma: 36 KNOWN POWERS: merhead's normal ability; that after E IN (40) Body Armor. Excellent rank. the slash shows his ability when wear­ R EX (20) Resources: Unknown Enhanced Hearing. Silvermane's ing his powered exoskeleton. I GO (10) hearing is Excellent. Hammerhead was an ordinary thug P TY (6) Popularity: - 10 Ta lents: Criminal strategy, Thrown before a mad scientist implanted a flat Leader of the Manfredi family of the Objects. Silvermane has Marksman steel plate in the top of his head. The Maggia since the 1920s, Silvermane talent with handguns and sub­ operation made him grotesquely ugly has had a checkered career in recent machine guns. and also gave him amnesia. He has pat­ years. He "died" during a battle with Contacts: The entire Manfredi family. terned his new personality on old gang­ Cloak and Dagger, but Maggia re­ Silvermane once led a faction of the ster movies. This suits the sources bought him an advanced cy­ HYDRA villain agency. Hammerhead family, easily the most bernetic body that kept his brain, heart, traditional of the Maggia families in New and central nervous system alive. It is Hammerhead Yo rk. unclear whether he is still a Maggia Real name unrevealed Appearance: 6'1/1, 220 Ibs. (in exo­ head. Silvermane's current where­ F EX (20) Health: 60/1 20 skeleton, 600 Ibs.). Black hair, black abouts and activities are unknown. A GD/IN* eyes, squat features. Dresses in pin­ Appearance: 7', 440 Ibs. Silver­ S GD/IN* Karma: 18 stripe suits out of the 1920s. The top mane's cyborg body is a baroque con­ E EX (20) of Hammerhead's head is completely traption of silver-colored metal. His R TY (6) Resources: Ex(20) flat. heart is visible behind a plexiglas I TY (6) Known Powers: cover. His face is that of an 80-year-old P TY (6) Popularity: - 5 BODY ARMOR. The top of Hammer­ man. *The rank before the slash is Ham- head's head has Incredible armor. 82 Ta lents: Maggia organization, criminal The villain organization HYDRA STORY FUNCTION strategy. Hammerhead gains + 1 CS once designed a powerful warrior ro­ Ve ry handy to a super-powered to all Charge attacks, in addition to the bot as a weapon against Colonel Nick campaign, the Maggia is the generic usual Charge bonuses . Fury and SHIELD. The Nefaria family criminal organization. It commits Typical Dialogue: "Listen, youse stole plans for the robot and has con­ every kind of crime from purse­ guys! Chill that super-rat before he structed about a dozen more, using a snatching to putting a force dome over puts the whole operation on ice!" modified design. the nation's capital. It employs any This is an abbreviated description super-thug that the Judge wants to Count Nefaria of the Dreadnought robots. For throw at the players. Luchino Nefaria (deceased) more information, consult MU1 , The Maggia acq uires a flavor only in Head of Nefaria family Gamer's Handbook of the MA RVEL the upper reaches of the organization, Whitney Frost UNIVERSE'" . where the importance of honor can Alias Big M, Madam Masque KNOWN POWERS: lead family heads to compromise their Head of Nefaria family Body Armor. Amazing vs. physical at­ own interests-if the players can fig­ For complete statistics of the Nefa­ tacks, Remarkable vs. energy at­ ure out how to bring honor and inter­ ria family leaders, consult MU1 and tacks. Monstrous resistance to heat, ests into conflict. MU2, Gamer's Handbook to the cold, and radiation attacks. lmmuneto This is one of the Maggia's weak MA RVEL UNIVERSE"' . mental attacks and illusions, but can pOints; the other is the feuding that be fought with attacks that affect the can start up between families. The Typical Maggia thug senses. players may follow the dictum, "Set a F A S E R P Weapons Systems. Flamethrowers: thief to catch a thief," and outfox the Gd Ty Ty Ty Ty Pr Pr Incredible fire damage, range 1 area, Maggia by pitting one family against Health: 28 Karma: 14 6 uses. another. Resources: Good(1 0) Popularity: 0 Knuckle-spikes: Typical shooting But such methods are hardly better The typical Maggia thug, though he damage, range 4 areas, 9 uses. than the Maggia's own, however good dresses well, is no better or worse Electrical field: Amazing electrical the cause. What's worse, characters equipped than any street thug. He has damage, range is contact only. trying this would have to consort with a cheap pistol or revolver, extra Gamma rays from eyes: Incredible Maggia members on a more familiar ba­ ammo, and possibly a knife, black­ intensity, range 3 areas. sis than they would like. If a PC joins jack, or brass knuckles. Freon gas jet in mouth: Amazing forces in this way with a Maggia fam ily, Ta lents: Martial Arts Band E. cold attack, range 2 areas, one use the Judge should explore the conse­ Story Function: Spear-carriers for lasting two turns. quences of that descent into crime. the PC heroes to plow through at will. Ta lents: Programming simulates Martial Art B, boxing. Dreadnoughts Warrior robots F A S E R P Rm Ex In Mn Fe Ex Fe Health: 165 Karma: 24 Resources: None Popularity: - 10

83 CHAPTER 5: ON THE SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK

These heroes, both in the Marvel com­ Much of the variety comes from the THE CITY ics and in the Judge's campaign, do influx of immigrants into New Yo rk get involved. They try to help people, over the last century or more. Also, as ENVIRONMENT to make a difference. They prove that in any society, different social classes the urban life does not have to build use different dialects. Go into three Previous chapters described New walls between people. New Yo rk department stores that ca­ Yo rk locations ...di ssected the city, The Marvel heroes may be strong ter to different income groups, and so to speak. But New Yo rk, once dis­ and fast and wield great powers, but ask a salesperson for directions to sected, is no more a living entity than their real strength comes from this some department on the fourth floor. any being on a dissecting table. This strength of character-the willingness In the richer stores, the salespeople chapter puts it all back together and to help. pronounce the "r"s in "fourth floor" ; . conjures New Yo rk as a living city. And their example sometimes in stores catering to lower-income Here the Judge can learn how to con­ proves inspirational. The occasional groups, they don't pronounce the vey the ambience, the atmosphere of New Yo rker will intervene to help a "r"s. This is one example of language life in the Big Apple. hero in trouble. The Judge can intro­ variation. This chapter also describes typical duce incidents reflecting this into the For game purposes, of course, the city streets and the things found on campaign to show that the PC heroes Judge can ignore dialects. But drop­ them. After all, when heroes dash are doing some good. ping in an occasional NPC who says, from one Hotspot to the next, the "Boy, was dey poitoib'd!" or "Youse Judge must be able to describe the Ta king It In Stride guys" helps evoke the atmosphere of streets between. The Manhattanite's ability to shut New Yo rk. out the world helps explain why so many still live in the city. When their THE NEW YO RK home is constantly being threatened, THE STRE ETS ATTITUDE invaded, held for ransom, levitated Speaking of atmosphere, this is a into the air, damaged, blacked out, or Those who move to New Yo rk from good time to mention the air. New otherwise thrown into an uproar, what more sedate areas often describe their Yo rk's polluted air has become a leg­ else keeps them around but an ability changed lives this way: "Since I moved end. Smog alerts in summer months to ignore it all? here, I've been frightened, angered, ex­ . keep children indoors. To urists wipe The "Inferno" crisis showed thiS. hilarated, desperate, and terrified. But their eyes and wonder why natives Inanimate objects attacked people, I've never, ever beenbored." never feel the sting of the fumes. demons possessed them, heat waves Manhattan runs full steam around the In game terms, smog may keep he­ struck the city. Yet New Yo rkers took it clock. Residents can always find some­ roes from noticing a crime or ap­ in stride. Of course, they complained thing to do, somewhere to eat, a m vie proaching villain until it's too late. Or � a lot-a popular pastime in Manhat­ to see, even places to shop at any tlm heroes may have to rescue people � tan, but no one really worried unles a of the day or night. Subways and taxI­ � who collapse from the bad air (it hap­ mailbox or fire hydrant attacked him cabs run all the time. The pace of life pens) and rush them to the hospital. or her personally. moves as fast as anyone wants it to go, But the smog doesn't keep New In general, nothing much fazes a and sometimes much faster. Yo rk cars from jamming Manhattan's New Yo rker any more. The drawback to this variety: Street hundreds of miles of streets. scum operate around the clock as well. Beggars, muggers, con men, Physical Description pickpockets, hustlers, and just plain NEW YO RK Major avenues generally measure rude people try to hit up pedestrians LANGUAGE 60 feet (1/2 area) wide-three 12-foot lanes of traffic, plus (sometimes) park­ all the time. Whuh, ya wanna know how dese ing lanes on either side of the street. In defense, most New Yo rkers grow people talk? Dey talk fOin, whatsit to Cross-streets vary, but for game pur­ a thick layer of callus, or rather, ca ­ ya? ! poses, assume three lanes, ith no lousness. They withdraw from their New Yo rk features the most diverse � parking (at least no legal parkmg) on surroundings; walk past street dere­ conglomeration of dialects in Amer­ . either side. Tw o- way streets are tWice licts; don't answer tourists' questions; ica. Though not so extreme as, say, shove each other aside in the fight for as wide, as mentioned in Chapter 2. London, the contrast among Brook­ Streets look much wider in photos, taxicabs or seats on the bus; carefully lyn, the Lower East Side, the Upper because downtown Manhattan side­ ignore screams in dark alleys or fights West Side, Harlem, and the Bronx­ walks stretch at least 25 feet wide on in subway cars; and, in general, just just to pick a few examples-strike refuse to "get involved." � either side. Curbs are four to six the visitor as soon as locals open their inches high, with iron gutter drains Super-heroic crimefighters become mouths. all the more impressive by contrast. every ten yards or so. Sidewalks are

84 ANYDNE CAN WIN A �'GJ.4T-­ WHEN THE O"PS-­ ARE EASY.' IT'S Wf.4 EN TUE GOING'S

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usually punctuated with lampposts, vent more filings. hole's existence. trash cans, and even a few emaci­ The city government passed a regu­ New Yo rk may be the only city in the ated, poisoned trees. lation saying that no driver could re­ world where the potholes are Sidewalks are concrete, about four cover costs for a pothole accident mapped. inches thick (Excellent strength). For unless the city had been notified material strengths of street pavement about the pothole prior to the acci­ Street Furniture and the utilities that lie beneath it, see dent. The rationale was that the city During the course of a battle, super Chapter 6, "Underground Manhattan." CO Uldn't be blamed for not repairing a humans are likely to pick up nearly pothole it didn't know about. Of anything and throw it around. With Potholes-Maps Available course (thought the government), no that in mind, the following list summa­ Manhattan's streets are generally in one would report a pothole until it rizes the most common items to be poor condition, the result of incredibly gave them trouble. But the govern­ fo und in the urban environment, their heavy use and of the occasional battle ment was wrong. weights, and their material strengths. between super humans. "Potholes," A large Manhattan law firm realized or open pits in the asphalt, are every­ that this new law would prevent them Fixtures Weight Material where. from filing lucrative pothole-accident Mailbox 90 Ibs Gd One anecdote will illustrate how prev­ suits-unless they did something Fireplug 75 Ibs Ex alent they are. Drivers break axles, blow about it. So the law firm commis­ Lamppost 400 lbs Ex tires, and have other accidents by strik­ sioned a private firm of surveyors to Phone stand 250 lbs Ex ing potholes; they often file suits against scour the city's streets and locate Manhole cover 40 Ibs Ex the city to recover repair costs. The city everysingle pothole. The law firm then Tr ash can (empty) 30 lbs Ty government did not have the money to filed the massive list with City Hall, Tr ash can (full) 75 lbs) Ty pay for all these lawsuits, but it also and in future lawsuits could claim that Dumpster 650 lbs Gd could not afford to fix the potholes. So it it had notified the city of any given pot- worked out the following dodge to pre- 85 Ve hicles ing on the scene of a holdup or hostage do remain ruthless on the road, so Bicycle 20 lbs Pr crisis. The Judge can develop the situa­ when the traffic lightens, get out of Motorcycle 225 1bs Gd tion to any crisis point desired before al­ their way! Compact car 1.5 tons Gd lowing the PCs to arrive. Or the heroes Sedan 2 tons Gd can try suitably heroic measures to Ta xicabs in Adventures Luxury car/limo 3 tons Ex overcome traffic obstacles. Don't often see heroes riding in a Armored Of course, heroes seldom drive on taxi? Tr ue, but it has happened. As limousine 5 tons Rm the streets anyway. But even the mentioned in Chapter 2, even the Van 2 tons Gd greatest heroes have been known to Fantastic Four had to ride one once. Pickup truck 1.5 tons Gd hail a cab. Once, when Daredevil's hyper­ Garbage truck 3 tons Ex senses went out of control, he fell vic­ Bus (empty) 3 tons Ex tim to some thugs bearing grudges Bus (full) 7 tons Ex TA XICABS (and clubs). A passing driver rescued Tr affic helicopter 1500 lbs Gd No less than 12,000 cabs scavenge the crimefighter, then took him where the streets of New Yo rk-except in he wanted to go, no charge. Ta lk Construction sites bad weather, when they all disappear. about miracles. Bulldozer 6 tons Rm A "medallion," or cab license, costs Player characters might need to Crane 12 tons Rm over $100,000. Many companies em­ take a cab when their own vehicles or Steel girder 200 Ibsl ploy large cab fleets, and there are in­ powers short out, or in their secret yd Rm dependent "gypsy" cabs, too (see identities. A cab ride for heroes accus­ Chapter 2). tomed to swinging or flying across Parks Taxi statistics are listed on page 48 town presents chances for comic re­ Park bench 150 lbs Ty lief. Cab drivers also work as sources of the Player 's Book. An empty cab Small tree (30 ft) 2.5 tons Ty weighs just over two tons (Incredible of information, and maybe even ro­ Large tree (60 ft) 20 tons Gd strength to lift). With driver, four pas­ mantic interests in really offbeat cam­ Man-sized rock 200 lbs Rm sengers, and luggage, it weighs paigns. (Remember, many drivers Six-foot boulder 10 tons In nearly three tons. today are women. To ugh women.) Ta xicabs in New Yo rk do not carry But when there are no cabs around, Traffic more than four passengers, except for there's always the bus. To those who have not been to New the checkered variety; these carry Yo rk, there really is no way to describe five. Pedestrians can tell when a cab the daytime traffic. The term is available by its roof light. When it RIDI NG THE BUS "gridlock" as applied to traffic jams carries a fare, the light switches off. A city commuter bus is about 25 to originated here. When rush hour hits The roof light also displays the cab's 30 feet long, 8 feet wide, 9 feet high, each morning and evening, gridlock medallion number. and carries 80 passengers when fully often freezes hundreds or thousands loaded (as it usually is). Weights are of cars into roaring, fuming immobility. Drivers given under "Street Furniture" above. And at other times, when the streets F A S E R P A bus has a front door and an exit are wide open, drivers tear along so Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty door, both on the right. Over a dozen that visitors doubt their sanity. Health: 24 Karma: 18 seats (Typical strength plastic) line The game effects of New Yo rk traffic Resources: Good(10) Popularity: 0 each side; the seats face toward the include the following: (1) Ta lents: Driving (as Pilot, but for aisle, not the front. Between and in Ta iling someone by car is usually cabs). front of the seats are handrails, easy. Almost all the traffic on a given Contacts: Low-level criminals. A taxi arm rails, and support beams of metal street is one way. As Bullseye once re­ driver can take a fare to a gambling tubing (Good strength). Windows marked, "I don't care how many cop game, drug pusher, or brothel. (Feeble glass) line both sides, but not can't tell shows you've seen it on. Yo u Ta xi drivers have Typical ranks in all the rear. if somebody is following you up Sixth abilities, but otherwise they have little A ventilation hatch in the roof opens Everybody Avenue. goes north on in common. In older days they tended wide enough to allow an acrobatic Sixth Avenue." Characters won't be to be of a type, or at least a passenger to crawl out. able to tell they're being followed un­ stereotype-garrulous, philosophical Bus drivers use the same statistics less they take an unusual route or guys, tolerant of eccentricity but ruth­ as taxi drivers, above. They tend to be have an extrasensory power that less toward fellow drivers. uncommunicative, distantly courte­ warns them. To day, though, there is no stereo­ ous, and not greatly concerned with (2) Villains trying to escape by car in typical driver. Many never say a word; schedules. heavy traffic may move so slowly that many are female; many wouldn't Bus passengers range the spec­ a hero on foot can catch them; or con­ know what "philosophical" or "eccen­ trum of humanity, but they tend to versely, the villains try desperate ma­ tricity" means. As often as not, drivers be lower or lower-middle class and neuvers to escape, like driving on the are recent immigrants who speak taciturn. They scrupulously avoid no­ sidewalk or through a corner store. hardly ten words of English. But they ticing any unusual behavior by fellow (3) Heroes may get delayed in arriv- passengers. 86 Heroes and Buses evening papers off tall stacks at news­ lage, or to Lincoln Center. Jewels glit­ Don't often see heroes riding in a stands. Subway turnstiles rattle. Cop­ ter and fur glistens. Canes, top hats, bus? Tr ue, but now and then they hitch ters take to the skies again to report stickpins, chauffeurs, high laughter. rides on top. Dropping down onto a accidents and gridlock. Ta xis vanish. Business deals closed during inter­ moving bus is an Agility FEAT-not to Like corpuscles in blood vessels, missions. see whether the hero lands safely (it's New Yo rkers stream along highways, Evening classes at City College and a big target), but whether or not the into the city's heart in the morning, out ESU. Late studying at the Public Li­ landing is gentle enough to avoid at­ to the boroughs at sunset, rushing in, brary. Rock clubs in SoHo and on the tracting the driver's attention. rushing out. The heartbeat continues. Upper West Side, loud and dark. Mid­ If the FEAT fa ils, the driver stops town and the Financial District, and gets out to look at what made that jammed with people six hours earlier, huge "thump" on his roof. Depending THE STREETS BY NIGHT now stand deserted. on the hero's Popularity, the driver will Theater crowds hit the streets after After sunset, night people shuffle either chase the hero away or invite 10 PM. Late dinner at Sardi's or a onto the streets around Times him or her in for a free ride. snack at a deli. Dancing or a midnight Square, the Bowery, Hell's Kitchen, Unlike cabs, city buses never move movie. The families in Inwood and and Central Park. Some carry nee­ quickly-10 or 20 mph at most. Morningside Heights are tucked in for very dles, some knives. Page 48 of the Player 's Book gives the night. The city lights up. Brilliant towers of bus statistics. On the Lower East Side, screams. light in Midtown and the lower city. If the hero doesn't like buses or taxi­ Family quarrels and alley homicides. The Brooklyn Bridge reflected in the Silhouettes leap between the roofs or cabs, there is always the subway. See East River. Evening strolls in the park. the next chapter, "Underground Man­ swing from lines of spider-webbing. Limousines fetch wealthy socialites hattan," for details. The super-humans patrol through the from their Upper East Side brown­ deadly hours after midnight. They stones and carry them to theaters in cannot afford to sleep, for the city Greenwich Village or off Broadway, or never does. THE STREETS BY DAY to a gallery opening in the East Vil- Just before dawn, garbage cans clatter. The sanitation truck grinds trash. People lean out windows to yell. Merchants wheel carts with squeak­ ing casters out of their stores onto the front sidewalks. Commuters gather at bus stops and subway stations. The morning rush. Tr affic copters high overhead, blades thrumming. Ta xis vanish. Subway cars screech to a halt. People crowd on. Phones ring in a hundred thousand offices. Brokers shout buy orders. School children sit in rows, looking out windows. On tenement rooftops, boys feed pigeons held in large chicken­ wire pens. Let loose, the pigeons fly left and right at their owners' com­ mands. The lunch rush. Business types in ex­ ecutive clothes grab sandwiches or souvlaki wrapped in waxed paper, sit around fountains in building plazas, and talk buyouts. To urists peer in gallery windows in the Village. Panhandlers in holed canvas shoes, or no shoes, de­ mand a quarter from passersby. In the afternoon, ESU students toss flying disks in the park. A spatter of rain sends them huddling under trees. Ta xis vanish. To urists look out from tr under hotel awnings. In Central Park, - � . the frogs emerge to enjoy the rain. '. \ Sunshine again, just in time for rush hour. Commuters pull copies of the 87 CHAPTER 6: UNDERGROUND MANHATTAN

"This city has an infrastructure like no An adventure into the sewers or bles, and telephone lines lie near the other." Morlock tunnels is a great test of the surface. Whatever a hero is looking -The Punisher Judge's ability to create atmosphere for as a handy weapon, there it is right A persistent New Yo rk rumor re­ and suspense. Stress the darkness, to hand. Note that using these will dis­ ports that in 1962 Consolidated Edi­ the mist, echoing tunnel walkways, rupt utility service to the buildings on son, the power company, planned to strange noises in the distance. Make the street, so the hero may have some construct a giant power plant at the the players feel they are facing a explaining to do afterwards. (Call north end of the East River Park, twisted, tormented version of the Damage Control!) around 14th Street. Engineers making world above. soil stability tests drilled on the site. Descriptions Tw o hundred feet down, so the ru­ Power cables: These are copper or mor goes, these drills struck a gigan­ PAVEMENT AND WHAT aluminum sheathed in oil­ tic underground cavern. Con Ed impregnated paper. They measure cancelled plans for the plant, hushed LIES BENEATH about five inches in diameter. The ca­ up the discovery, and built a park Street pavement is asphalt, a few bles run in foot-wide steel pipes that there. inches thick (Good strength). Some­ are filled with oil under pressure. If a If the rumor is true, the engineers times a hero wants to rip up the pave­ leak develops, the oil keeps ground may have discovered a branch cavern ment to grab a utility line beneath it. In water from seeping in and shorting the of Subterranea, the subsurface do­ this case, the Judge need not require cables. The pipes, in banks of 20 or main of the Mole Man, Tyrannus, and a separate FEAT roll to break the as­ 25, are encased in concrete. The others. Or they may have merely phalt; instead, just add 1 or + 2 CS whole set-up has Remarkable mate­ + struck a Morlock tunnel. This chapter to the FEAT to break open the utility rial strength. does not solve the mystery, but it de­ line or pipe desired. Smaller cables are sheathed in lead scribes some of the fascinating world Just beneath the pavement, about a or neoprene rubber. The Judge can beneath Manhattan. foot down, lie the cables and pipes of put these Good-strength wires under the many utilities that serve Manhat­ a street, so that a character who isn't tan's skyscrapers. This section de­ strong enough to rip up the larger ADVENTU RING scribes their ideal arrangement. In ones still can get something to shock practice, the New Yo rk utility network a bad guy. UNDERGROUND has grown at random, so workers Power lines inflict Incredible dam­ In the old myths and folktales, have had to fit these utilities around age on grounded targets, and Good nearly every hero on a quest had to each other, sometimes haphazardly. damage on flying or insulated targets. "descend into the underworld." Ideally, telephone and electrical This is alternating current, so a victim Hades, Ta rtarus, the realms of Pluto­ ducts lie closest to the surface, just . immediately lets loose of the line. the theme is common to all cultures. inches beneath the asphalt. At least 3 Te lephone line: An average cable Scholars equate the underworld with feet down comes a gas main, followed measures three inches in diameter the hero's own unconscious mind. at 4 feet by water and high-pressure and contains 5400 wires, enough for When he or she triumphs over its de­ water mains. Steam pipes run at least 2700 phone calls at once. Cables are monic denizens, the hero is actually 6 feet under the pavement. A sewer sheathed with thin aluminum and neo­ overcoming his or her own base im­ pipe lies at least 10 feet down from the prene rubber, and are Good strength. pulses or personal fears. surface, and 12 to 20 feet below street Like power lines, they run through Underground New Yo rk-the sub­ level runs a storm drain. steel pipes, and banks of 9 or 12 pipes ways, sewers, and Morlock tunnels­ Depending on the street, the next are encased in concrete (Remarkable gives Judges a modern analogue to layer down may be a subway tunnel. strength). this idea. Send PC heroes into the un­ The depth varies, but may be around Phone lines carry very low current. derworld for a gritty, atmospheric tale. 25 feet underground. Subway tunnels They inflict Feeble damage to To bring across the elements of fear are described later in this chapter. grounded targets, and no damage to and suspense, consider doing this just About 75 feet or more beneath the flying or insulated targets. aftersometh ing has temporarily altered subway, as likely as not, there is a Gas main: Natural gas is piped un­ removed the PCs' powers. (Perhaps Morlock tunnel. These tunnels also der high pressure through distribution theyor have to go underground to find the rise and connect with the sewers at mains and service pipes. The pipes, device that witt reinstate the powers.) many points, since the Morlocks about a foot wide, can be either steel This makes players feel vulnerable, and wanted convenient access to the (Excellent strength), cast iron (Good the Judge can spook them more easily. larger sewer network. For the tunnels' strength), or plastic (Typical strength). if the PCs feel like their usual invin­ statistics and dimensions, see below. The Judge should vary the material cibleBut selves, nothing underground will In the Marvel Universe, water and according to the strength of the hero scare them much. gas mains, steam pipes, electrical ca- who is trying to break the pipe.

88 Natural gas is dangerous stuff. If a ally a secondary (smaller) or even ter­ Only a foot or two of space separate pipe breaks and something ignites the tiary pipe. The pipes, made of concrete the shafts. Supports somewhat taller gas, it explodes with Monstrous inten­ (Excellent strength), are quite large, buildings than floating foundations, sity, then the gas burns with Amazing from 5 to 30 feet in diameter. such as churches or department intensity until the supply is shut off or Sewers and drains show wide vari­ stores. the fire is put out. Water won't extin­ ety in the Marvel Universe. For physi­ Bearing piles: As friction piles, but guish a gas fire. cal statistics, see "Morlock Tu nnels these rest directly on bedrock or clay Since alarms trigger in the city's util­ and the Sewers," later in this chapter. far beneath the surface. Clusters of ity station when a gas main bursts, re­ Manholes: Each utility system puts about a dozen tightly spaced H-beam pair crews can arrive within minutes. an access chamber, called a manhole, steel girders (Monstrous strength), Wa ter mains: Water is pumped at at every intersection. Manholes look capped with reinforced concrete, sup­ Poor pressure through regular mains. quite different for every utility, but for port the building's skeleton. As above, These are concrete, steel, or cast iron game purposes they are all alike. gravel and waterproofing lie under the pipes two feet or more in diameter Each holds one normal-sized char­ foundation. Supports anything up to (Good to Excellent strength). These acter, or two if they squeeze. The en­ skyscrapers. connect to smaller submains, and trance, nearly always round, is 30" in Piers : Massive pillars of reinforced those lead to branch pipes that serv­ diameter. To answer an often-asked concrete, at least four feet thick ice specific buildings. trivia question, manhole covers are (Amazing strength), sometimes High-pressure systems, foot-wide made round so they can 't fall into the sheathed in steel (making them Mon­ steel pipes (Excellent strength), pump hole beneath. strous strength). Widely spaced; water to fire hydrants at Remarkable For those with an eye for detail, topped with a "grillage" of short steel pressure. steam and gas manholes have two beams. Supports the most massive Steam pipe: Steam has many indus­ separate entrances to allow ventila­ buildings in the city. trial uses. In downtown areas build­ tion. ings use it for heating or cooking. A Manholes are lined with brick or Who Cares? power company pipes steam under concrete (Excellent strength). They Why would a building foundation Excellent pressure through welded are customarily no more than eight enter into an adventure? It doesn't steel pipes two inches thick (Remark­ feet deep. Each manhole provides ac­ have to, of course. But now and then it able strength) and up to two feet in di­ cess to one kind of utility system, serves a purpose. ameter. The pipes are wrapped in which is identified on the manhole For one thing, every few years several inches of insulation and bur­ cover. somebody lifts a building into the air. It ied in four inches of concrete (Excel­ happened two or three times to the old lent strength). Baxter Building. The Judge and PCs A jet of this very hot, high- pressure BUILDING might find it useful to know what is be­ steam infl icts Excellent damage on a neath a levitating building. target. Note that defenses against fire FOUN DATIONS Also, those who dwell beneath the damage alone, or water damage The skyscrapers and lower build­ ground sometimes make their pres­ alone, do not protect from steam. ings of Manhattan are built on four ba­ ence known. For example, if the Mole However, defenses vs. heat do protect sic kinds of foundations. These are Man's minions attack a skyscraper, a target. sometimes combined in various ways, they will undoubtedly start at the bot­ Sewer pipe: Individual small sewer but here are the essential models. tom. Characters may carry the battle pipes connect to laterals, those con­ Floating: A single slab of reinforced to the Subterraneans' home ground nect to submains, those connect to concrete well over six feet thick (as it were). The Judge can describe mains, and the mains finally connect (Amazing strength). Supports low the building foundation in order to set with an interceptor. They come in buildings that cover a large area, such a mood, to provide obstacles to he­ many sizes and are made of clay (for as schools or convention centers. Un­ roes tunneling downward, or to make pipes less than 30" in diameter) or der the foundation are sheets of wa­ clear the nature of the underground concrete (larger pipes). But see the terproof plastic and a bed of gravel. attack on the building. next entry. Friction piles: Hundreds of foot-thick Finally, the description helps to Storm dra in : Ideally, these are sepa­ shafts hammered into the earth, either show the varied, mysterious, and awe­ rate from sewers, for efficiency and in rows (under the building's walls) or some world that lies beneath the ease of maintenance. In practice, one square clusters (under support ground-both in our world and in the system often serves both needs. columns). Shafts are made of rein­ Marvel Universe. For more insights Beneath a street a storm drain is a forced concrete, sometimes sheathed into that world, see the following sec­ primary (that is, large) pipe of reinforced in steel (Monstrous strength). In old tions. concrete. Beneath a building this is usu- buildings, they are made of wood.

89 THE SUBWAYS

New Yo rk's subway system is not as wide. Platforms, the areas where peo­ straus damage to grounded targets, large as the London Underground, ple wait to board trains, are 30 feet and Remarkable damage to airborne nor as fast as Japan's tube trains. It's wide, 100 feet long or longer, and or insulated targets. This is direct cur­ not as easy to use as the Paris made of concrete. A sheer ledge 3 rent, and so a target cannot let go of Metro-and not as easy to use as a feet tall abuts the tracks below. The its own will. slide rule or a ten-function digital platform includes vending machines watch, either. And the New Yo rk sub­ (7 feet tall, 400 Ibs., Good material), way isn't as pretty as Washington, pay telephones, wooden benches SUBWAY TRAINS DC's subway system-it's not pretty, (Typical), and maps of the subway Trains use the statistics for "Els," or period. But it is the only subway sys­ system. elevated trains, listed on page 49 of tem in the world that runs 24 hours a Small stations have two sets of the Player's Book. day, every day. Each day it gets one tracks and two platforms, one on each million people where they want to go. side of the tracks. Larger stations The Car have separate platforms on different A single subway car measures 30 levels, connected by staircases. The feet long, 8 feet wide, and 11 feet high largest ones offer wide and bewilder­ SUBWAY STATIONS (8 feet above station platform level). A ing choices of many platforms. The subway system has 462 stations car holds 80 people crammed in like on 23 lines. The fare fram any station to sardines, or 30 to 40 in relative com­ any other costs $1, flat rate, in the form fort. A full car weighs 15 tons of brass-colored metal tokens that fit SUBWAY TUNNELS (Amazing strength to lift). Made of into slots on automatic turnstiles at the These measure from 40 to 80 feet steel, the car has Remarkable mate­ entrance to each station. wide, 18 to 20 feet high, and many rial strength. Subway stations twist downward miles long. Walls are concrete (Re­ A New Yo rk subway car is into the ground from wide staircases markable strength). aluminum-colored when it goes on the near street corners. Signs there label There is ample clearance for a line, but within days vandals adorn it each station clearly, if they are intact standing figure on both sides of a tun­ with spray-painted graffiti. Graffiti can and not covered by graffiti. nel when a train rushes by. The ceiling be sometimes be attractive, and, in Long flights of concrete steps with offers clearance for a clinging hero, as fact, the graffiti "artist" has become a iron railings lead to filthy concrete tun­ long as he or she isn't hanging folk hero in some circles. But the cu­ nels plastered with advertising straight down or doing something sim­ mulative effect is ugly. The only other posters. Tr ash lies everywhere. In a ilarly stupid. outward feature of a subway car is its small wooden booth, a bored union Subway tunnels, like the sewers, destination sign. employee doles out tokens. In large are the dark underside of New Yo rk The car has four sets of sliding stations, newsstands, barber shops, City. In that gloom, broken only by oc­ panel doors, two on each side. Only and other merchants do business in casional dim fluorescent lamps, any­ the doors next to a platform open. shops outside the turnstiles. body or anything can hide out. These doors are thin steel (Excellent Tu rnstiles stand a little over three Support pillars bulge outward from the strength) with plastic windows (Good feet high. They are made of thin steel walls a foot or so, casting long strength). Rubber gaskets line the (Excellent strength), usually painted shadows that can easily hide a man­ doors to provide a tight seal, presum­ some dull color. One turnstile weighs sized figure. ably in case the car goes underwater about 200 pounds and is bolted to the Sounds echo up and down . The or into outer space. In the Marvel Uni­ others as a unit, and to the floor (Ex­ smallest whisper seems exaggerated, verse, this is not out of the question, cellent strength to rip one up, Remark­ and the roar of an oncoming train be­ but in any case the doors are not truly able to rip up a whole set). Steel mesh comes deafening. Smells of oil and airtight. gratings on either side of the turnstiles dust fill the cool air. Inside, the car is decorated in one of (Excellent strength) keep people from Tw o sets of tracks, each consisting several color schemes, often bright bypassing them, at least in theory. of three rails, run through the tunnel. orange for the vinyl seats with blah Inner-city teenagers have developed The two outer rails are steel, about cream-and-tan walls and linoleum. the art of turnstile leaping to an three inches wide and high (Remark­ There are seats, handrails, advertis­ advanced level. able strength). ing panels, and a map of the subway Subway station walls are covered in The third rail, running between the system. Forthe fixtures, use the mate­ tile (Typical strength) of a uniquely bil­ others (nearer one than the other) has rial strengths given for buses in the ious off-yellow over concrete walls the same dimensions, but carries the previous chapter. (Excellent strength). Advertising electricity that powers the subway A sliding storm door at each end of hangs everywhere, but it is universally cars. The third rail is shielded by a thin the car allows passage to other cars. defaced with graffiti. metal guard painted bright yellow and This has the same strengths as the or­ Walkways measure 20 to 30 feet black. To uching the rail inflicts Mon- dinary door panels. The area where

90 cars join is covered with Typical­ SUBWAY RIDERS Angels" receive three months of train­ strength material, presumably to stop ing in self-defense and the law, then The passengers are a cross-section passengers from leaping to their travel the lines by shifts in groups of of New Yo rk's residents. All but the deaths. two or three. Passengers know them very rich and very poor use the sub­ Cars are lighted with fluorescent by their trademark red berets. . ways. Mail clerks and vice presidents lights mounted in the ceiling. In times The Guardian Angels remain con­ at the same stock firm ride the cars to past these lights were custom-made troversial as "vigilantes." Many in the work. Housewives come into the city with screw-threads that wound in the New Yo rk Police Department don't to shop, and tourists head out to the �pposite direction from every other like them at all. But the Angels say the suburbs to tour. Village poets watch light bulb made. This discouraged program has proven successful. They the stream of human life, while old theft of the bulbs. Now the bulbs have are trying to export the program to women in raincoats mumble contin­ ordinary threads, but are mounted in London and, eventually, to other ma­ ually to themselves. People from special fixtures to prevent theft. jor cities. every neighborhood head to almost The car ceiling also has many venti­ every other neighborhood. lator grilles, none large enough for a Typical Guardian Angel That said, it is fair to add that in the person to climb through, and a FAS E RI P . evening and during the night, the cli­ shielded fan . At one end of each car Gd Ty Ty Gd Ty Ty Ty entele grows raffish, then grundgy, hangs an emergency brake pull that . Health: 32 Karma: 18 and finally almost homicidal. As­ stops the train within one turn. Resources: Typical(6) Popularity: 5 saults, knifings, muggings, and rob­ App�arance: Yo ung, in good shape, beries become com mon. Heroes who The Tr ain weanng a red beret. Angels can be ei­ ride the subway late at night should be A train typically consists of seven or ther sex and any ethnic group. They ready for a fight or a rescue. eight cars plus the motorman's cabs go unarmed. at either end of the train. (At the end of Ta le�ts: Martial Arts A, Criminology The Guardian Angels the line, the motorman switches cabs restncted to subway crime. There are other heroes in New Yo rk and pilots the train back without hav­ Story Function: Information sources besides those in capes and tights. A ing to turn it around.) Thus a fully hostages, sidekicks. An Angel could youth group has organized to patrol loaded train weighs over 100 tons and be a romantic interest for a PC. N w Yo rk's subways and report requires Shift-X strength to lift. The � crimes to the police. These "Guardian train is physically held to the tracks, but at that strength level this hardly IF THE IZARD GOT matters. l- MUCH OF A STAAT I The motorman's cab is a small com­ 1t)O IIl-l- NE VER PICK UP partment accessible from the platform NOW .' or from inside the train. With the main HIS ,RAIL. controller is a simple lever with which the motorman governs the train's speed. If the motorman removes his �r her hand from the control, the dead man's stick" mechanism brings the train slowly to a stop. Other equipment in the cab in­ cludes a brake handle box controls for a windshield wiper and a �histle or horn, �nd a valve and gauge to mea­ sure air pressure for the horn.

Tra in Movement Tr ains can reach 45 mph (Typical speed) on long stretches between sta­ tions, but ordinarily hit only 30 (Poor speed) under downtown areas where stops are more frequent. For crash and collision rules, see page 51 of the Player's Book. Remem­ ber that a train hitting someone on the track inflicts + 1 CS damage. Further­ mQre, if the target is stunned or knocked out, it remains on the tracks and takes further damage in later rounds.

91 MORLOCK TUNNELS AN D THE SEWERS

OVERVIEW THE SEWERS Murky, fetid brown water runs down the middle of a pipe. This water can be New Yo rk City's underworld is a Comic-book sewers don't look anywhere from 6 inches to 4 feet dank and dangerous place. In the much like the counterparts in our deep, deeper during large rain­ sewage system live animals, as well world. For instance, in the Marvel Uni­ Or storms. Sewer pipes are built on as people who live like animals. The verse, storm drains are sometimes grades, but not steep ones, so the cur­ Morlock tunnels, a separate network li ed with electrical wiring, insulated � rent seldom runs fast. When they do harbor the mutant refugees calle d with Good-material rubber sheaths. such as during storms, a hero in th orlocks. Both sets of tunnels figure This can help sewer-crawling heroes � � . current may slip and be swept downri­ who want to arrange a diversion in the In grim, claustrophobic adventure ver. Use the rules in the " Holland Tu n­ buildings above them. Just slash scenarios. nel" Hotspot entry in Chapter 1. open the insulation, wait for the water More important than game mea­ to hit the exposed wiring, and presto! surements is the sewer atmosphere. THE AREA Short circuit and blackout overhead. Needless to say, the pipes smell really The sewers and the Morlock tun­ �olverin� once used this trick to get awful. They are unlighted outside Into Hellfire Club Mansion and rescue nels reach everywhere in New Yo rk main pumping stations and treatment City, not to mention outside its limits. his fellow X-Men. plants. However, if none of the PCs However, the sewer network is too as a light source or special percep­ Description � elaborate to map in this supplement. tl?n �ower�, the Judge can say that Heroes with specific questions can Characters can enter sewers dim light filters down via manholes find sewer maps in the City Engineer's through curb gratings, via manhole curb grates, or even (to get baroque) office at City Hall (on Broadway, a few covers of the right type, and often from the old standby, phosphorescent al­ blocks south of Chinatown). But City building basements. The latter routes gae on the walls. (Hey, if there are alli­ Hall is only open from 10 AM to 3 PM often prove too small for normal-sized gators down there, why couldn't there on eekday , so PCs can 't always get heroes, but the Judge can make al­ be algae?) � � low nces to move the story along. their questions conveniently an­ � Footsteps echo ominously. Va pors TYPically one must climb down a long swered . drift up from the water. Tu nnels turn The Morlock tunnels were presum­ steel ladder (Excellent strength) to get back and forth, seemingly at random. to ably mapped when built in the 1950s sewer mains or storm drains. For Many pipes can join at intersections game purposes, the two types can be but after they were abandoned, th� creating a bewildering maze. Heroe� maps vanished in the mazes of fed­ combined in one description. are likely to get lost. The only people eral bureaucracy. No map is available These tunnels measure anywhere who can find their way around are the to the heroes (nor, unfortunately, to fr.om 6 f�et to 30 feet across. Usually ones who live down here. the Judge). circular In cross-section, they have 2- foot-wide walkways on either side­ The Mole People sometimes with rails, sometimes not. Heroes occasionally visit the sewers. But there are hundreds of people who live there if you call that ' Two living. KMEN--STORM AND WO LVERINE-- PL US Thes� are the forgotten people, the MA GNETO, TH E SCHOOL ·S NEW HEA DMA STER CA LLISTO, O I ones Ithout homes, family, posses­ AA ND LEADER OF THE M RLOCKS' . � RE THE RE NO W. Sions, Income, hope, or future. They might be addicts, runaways, amnesi­ acs, widows and widowers, cripples, alcoholics, bums, psychotics, or just broken men and women. They have no favors to call in, no resources to draw on. They have given up. In this filthy maze of pipes and tun­ . , nels, these people join the rats and roaches as just another kind of ver­ min. Some are pitiable, some danger­ ous, but all are pathetic outcasts from society. Forgotten by those above, they have no status of any kind. City H�II does not even acknowledge their eXistence.

92 These vagrants have Poor ability because the entire foxhole is pro­ cial leader of the Morlocks. But since ranks, but Good Intuition in matters of tected by a camouflaged steel door of she had no wish to join them under­ survival. They scavenge pocket change Remarkable strength. To open the ground, she left them in Callisto's from gutters and storm drains, find food door, an agent places his or her hand charge. in dumpsters, and sleep on warm ex­ on a concealed plate, and a sophisti­ Still later, the enigmatic mastermind haust vents or around crude fires built in cated sensor confirms the agent's known as Mister Sinister ordered his the draft of a primary conduit. identity and slides the door panel up mutant thugs, the Marauders, to If these sewer folk ever interact with into the ceiling. slaughter the Morlocks. Almost all of heroes, it is on the most basic level­ Foxhole locations are classified. the outcasts died at their hands, and as beggars, assailants, victims. They They are always in places that are re­ many of the survivors have gone in­ have no initiative and cannot work as mote even by the sewer people's sane (or more insane than they were). guides or informants. Their primary standards. No one has ever stumbled The surviving Morlocks are now led role in adventures is as background on one by accident. But heroes with by Erg, the mutant who can absorb figures, lending spooky atmosphere. connections to the city or federal gov­ energy and project it from his eye. Their endless refrain is, "Food ... ernment (or to SHIELD, if it has not yet money for food .. .." been disbanded in the campaign) Description Probably most could be helped might know a few foxhole locations. Some accounts claim the Morlock back to sanity by good treatment in tunnels are "a thousand feet below the world above. But there are hun­ Manhattan," but this is an overstate­ dreds of these derelicts, if not thou­ THE MORLOCK ment. Most Morlock tunnels, including sands, beneath the city. Heroes can't "The Alley," are about 100 to 250 feet help them all. TUNNELS beneath the surface, not far below the During the civil-defense scares of deepest subway tunnels. SHIELD Foxholes the 1950s, when Americans feared Most tunnels use the same mea­ The defunct intelligence agency that Communists would invade their surements as the sewers, above, ex­ SHIELD (see "SHIELD Headquar­ back yards at any moment, the federal cept that the floors are flat and, by and ters" on page 62) maintained several government constructed an immense large, dry. These too connect in a net­ dozen "foxholes" in the sewers be­ series of tunnels beneath New Yo rk work that bewilders visitors from neath Manhattan , with perhaps a City, the surrounding area in New Yo rk above. But in the tunnels, unlike in the dozen others spread through the out­ state, and much of New Jersey and sewers overhead, there is one infalli­ lying boroughs. Agents used these Connecticut. The tunnels were in­ ble landmark. emergency refuges when their covers tended for use by the government and Straight up the middle of Manhattan were blown-when being seen above the military in the event of nuclear war. Island runs the Alley, a vast tunnel that was a death warrant. The existence of these tunnels was forms the spine of the entire Morlock After SHIELD went bad and declared hard to conceal, though officially the network. The Alley measures 70 feet director Nick Fury an outlaw, Fury used project was classified. However, the wide, and its arching ceiling reaches one of these foxholes as a hideout and tunnels were later abandoned during 50 feet high at its top. Its builders in­ source of equipment while fleeing the an easing in international tensions. tended the Alley and its branches to agency. SHIELD has now disbanded, And the passage of time did what no hold at least half the population of but the foxholes remain. high-level classification could: it made New Yo rk City, and this is no doubt A foxhole is a 10-foot square con­ people forget about the tunnels. possible. crete room with a bank of six wall lock­ Some accounts show the Alley's ers, each 18 inches wide and a foot Rediscovery walls to be lined with bulges, pipes, deep. Made of sheet steel (Good Then the mutant outcast Callisto re­ casements, and other protrusions. strength), the lockers can be torn discovered the tunnels. She joined up Their function has not been revealed. loose only as a unit, a task calling for with another mutant, Caliban, who Perhaps, if they exist, these are con­ Remarkable strength. Locker con­ had the ability to locate others of their tainers for food, bedding, and similar tents vary but usually include hand kind. To gether with the hulking Sun­ bomb-shelter supplies. After so many weapons, a first-aid kit, a portable two­ der and the depraved Masque, Cal­ years and so many predations by way radio linked to SHIELD headquar­ listo claimed the tunnels for her own. Morlocks and animals, these supplies ters, and concentrated food supplies. She drew more mutant refugees and probably are no longer useful. Lockers can contain other items at the outcasts, people who sought only es­ Judge's discretion. cape from the world of humanity, un­ The room also contains three folding der her leadership. They became the NPCs Morlocks, named after the subterra­ chairs (Typical strength), a porcelain Statistics for alligators and rats are nean workers from the H. G. We lls washbasin and toilet, and a wall mirror. on pages 58-59 of the Judge's Book. novel The Time Machine. The walls are reinforced concrete (Ex­ For more about rats. see the "Central Later the Morlocks met and fought cellent strength). The room is powered Park" entry in Chapter 3. with the mutant X-Men. Callisto was by long-life batteries that recharge from For full descriptions of many of the underground power cables. defeated in single combat by the X­ Morlocks, consult the various vol­ Men's leader, Storm, who became offi- The lockers are not locked. This is umes of Gamer's Handbook of the

93 MA RVEL UNIVERSE'M and MA 1, Chil­ "The King" The Punisher recently followed a dren of the Atom. Self-proclaimed lord of the sewers band of young thugs into the sewers. FAS E RI P Part of the Kingpin's organization, Emma LaPorte Rm Gd Ex In Gd Ex Gd they sold crack in downtown Malcolm Evangelist, former prostitute Health: 100 Karma: 40 Shabazz High School. When the Pun­ FAS E RI P Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 isher found them, they were branch­ Pr Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty Gd When Daredevil ventured down into ing out, having agreed to blow up the Health: 22 Karma: 22 the sewers looking for the Kingpin's high school for Libyan terrorists. The Resources: Poor(4) Popularity: 0 wife, Vanessa, he found her-and and Punisher demonstrated that concus­ LaPorte had lived what she called her captor, a huge bone-white man sion grenades work as well in the "a long and wicked life" when a client who called himself "The King." sewers as aboveground. arranged to have her meet a young Appearance: A dead ringer for the man named Rusty. When she at­ Kingpin-huge and muscular like a tempted to seduce him, his latent mu­ Sumo wrestler-but pure white, cov­ CAMPAIGN USE tant power of flame manifested itself. ered with warts or other growths, and Manhattan: Heroes may have to Rusty accidentally burned LaPorte, dressed in only a soiled loincloth. Cru­ enter the sewers or the tunnels to fol­ scarring her horribly. elly humorous, sadistic manner. Iow an escaping villain, or find a wit­ Instead of feeling vengeful, LaPorte Ta lents: Martial Arts A, B, C, and ness to a crime. Maybe an informant looked on the incident as "a chastise­ Wrestling-just like the Kingpin. with vital information on a Maggia op­ ment and a call from the Lord." Tu rn­ Typical Dialogue: "Hi. I'm The King." eration fears for his life, and has fled ing to evangelical Christianity, she set (Pause.) "I rule everything down underground. A valuable object may out to convey a message of life and here." (Another pause, and a smile.) have gotten lost, perhaps in combat, forgiveness to the Morlocks and other "Now I'm gonna kill you." and fallen down a storm drain; the he­ refugees of the sewers. Her current Story Function: A powerful and unex­ roes must go underground to find it. A whereabouts are unknown. (Rusty pected foe for PC heroes on a sewer Morlock might seek out the heroes for has been training with the members of adventure. help in solving a murder or mystery in X-Factor.) the tunnels. Appearance: 5'7" , 140 Ibs. Age un­ Other Cities: Sewers are sewers certain. Erect bearing, gentle manner. CRIMES everywhere. All the descriptions LaPorte's face was horribly transfig­ Insofar as vagrancy is a crime, the above apply to any campaign city. ured by Masque, the Morlock who al­ sewers are the most crime-ridden part The Morlock tunnels might have ters faces. But LaPorte regards this as of New Yo rk City. But there are more parallels in other cities (the 1950s civil another sign from above. serious felons here, too: murderers on defense movement covered a lot of Ta lents: Preaching, survival, finding the lam, smugglers meeting for a deal, territory), but if so, their existence has her way around the sewers. assassins disposing of victims. Be­ not been confirmed. Only very large Typical Dialogue: "If you shut out the cause the sewers are not patrolled metropolitan areas could have af­ pain and the trying, you shut out the and because it is so easy to evade forded them. living, too. It's the Lord's own truth!" pursuit, anyone in a tough spot may Story Function: LaPorte could be a consider hiding out here. (This applies rescuer or guide in the sewers, or to heroes, too, when a villain's plot has could be a hostage the heroes must turned their friends or their city rescue. against them.) FORTY MIL ES SOUTH OF XAVIER'S SCHOOL IS M�NHATTAN ISLAND, HEART OF THE CI TY OF NE W YO RK ...

94 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Material about New Yo rk City is vo­ by any other guidebook. Run your he­ foundations, gas and water mains, luminous and generally of high qual­ roes through a time-travel adventure sewers, telephone and electric lines, ity. As one of the major tourist spots of back to the Great Depression. Or start and storm drains. the world, New York has inspired thou­ a "historical" campaign about Ameri­ Another Macaulay book, Unbuilding sands of tour guides, restaurant can super-powered heroes fighting (Houghton Mifflin, 1987; trade paper­ guides, photo essays, affectionate the Nazis and Japanese in World War back, 128 pp., $6.95), describes the memoirs, and maps. Both Judge and II. Many other curious little details Empire State Building, but it takes a players can use this avalanche of ma­ might prompt fun scenarios. This whimsical approach: A rich oil sheik terial to gain a better sense of the city book should not be missed. buys the famous skyscraper, and the and to help improve descriptions of building is dismantled floor by floor for settings, people, and daily life. Maps shipping overseas. In this backward Many of the following resources In a New Yo rk campaign, a good way the reader learns about sky­ proved useful in compiling this cam­ map is almost as important as a guide­ scraper construction-useful to the paign set. Most are available in book­ book. The maps in this supplement Judge who wants to destroy a few stores or your local library. Some are should meet most purposes. But for buildings in a Manhattan campaign. out of print, available only in libraries those with a taste for detail, good New Macaulay's books are usually found or used book dealers. Yo rk City maps are available from in the children's section, but they Baedeker, Rand McNally, and other make excellent reading at any age. To ur Guides notable cartographers. Large, meticulously researched, These are the handiest, most ac­ The absolute best map, though the clearly written, and illustrated with ex­ cessible tools for a campaign Judge. hardest to find, is published by cellent line drawings, they arouse They give a great deal of hard infor­ BOllmann-Bildkarten-Verlag KG, of your interest in things you never mation, all oriented toward those who Braunschweig, Germany. This 1984 thought about before. "Now that you know nothing about the city. However, "picture map," drawn by the brilliant mention it, how do they string the tele­ they tell next to nothing about the cartographer Hermann Bollmann, is phone cables down those long pipes? seamier side of the city, the area the based on 67,000 individual photo­ How do skyscrapers support all that Judge most needs to know about. graphs. It covers midtown Manhattan weight?" These books tell as much as Good guides to New Yo rk appear from around 14th Street up to lower you want to know, and no more. annually in the Fodor, Fielding, and Central Park. Its meticulous depiction For those interested in history, Ma­ other series. The Michelin guide is es­ of every single building from a bird's­ caulay has also done excellent books pecially good and copiously illus­ eye view makes it indispensable to about the construction of pyramids, trated. All are available in the travel Judges who have never been to the cathedrals, Roman cities, old mills, section of bookstores. city. and medieval castles. All are useful to The British publisher Virgin Books referees of role-playing adventures produced an offbeat but useful Virgin Books set against various historical back­ Guide to New Yo rk in 1986 (an Ameri­ There are too many New Yo rk books grounds. can edition came from Pantheon to list. Here are a couple of specialty Look for all these books in the chil­ Books, 276 pp, $7.95). This guide is items that helped in the descriptions dren's section of your local library. Yo u unafraid to describe New Yo rk's of specific areas. can always tell the librarian you're squalid side, and it has a hip, rather Of many books about·Lady Liberty, checking them out for your kid brother. cynical European viewpoint that may Restoring the Statue of Uberty is the Another good book hiding in the prove refreshing. hands-down best for Judges who children's section is Th ey Said It Head and shoulders above all other need to know what the Statue really Couldn 't Be Done, by Ross R. Olney travel guides was the massive WPA looks like down to the finest details. It (E. P. Dutton, 1979; hardcover, x + Guide to New Yo rk City (1939; re­ was written by Richard S. Hayden and 134 pp., $10.95). This short volume printed by Pantheon, 1982; xxxii + Thierry W. Despont, who led the 1986 describes notable achievements like 702 pp., $8.95). The Wo rks Progress restoration of the Statue. (Published Mount Rushmore, the Gateway Arch Administration funded this and sev­ by McGraw Hill, 1986; trade paper­ in St. Louis, and the first moon land­ eral other city guides by the Federal back, 176 pages, $14.95). ing. The section on the HollandTu nnel Writers' Project. This was one of many Underground, by David Macaulay was the main source for the descrip­ projects the government created to (Houghton Mifflin, 1976; oversize tion in the Campaign Sourcebook, and provide jobs for the unemployed dur­ trade paperback, 112 pp., $5.95). This the Empire State Building entry is also ing the Great Depression. faSCinating exposition of the infra­ useful. Though- 50 years out of date, this structure beneath a city street pro­ Along with these commercial guide describes every Single neigh­ vided the hard data for Chapter 6, works, don't forget another useful borhood in greater New Yo rk City with "Underground Manhattan." The book book: Manhattan's gigantic telephone quality and a level of detail unmatched describes the construction of building directory. Its lists of addresses for

95 businesses and government agencies listings of theater, cinema, and events One notable picture book: Above can be useful when you need to know that provide color for scenarios. New Yo rk , by Robert Cameron and the location of (for instance) the Army Since distributors in our world do others (Cameron and Co ., 1988; hard­ recruiting station that foreign terror­ not carry the Daily Bugle , the Judge cover, 160 pp., $29.95), is a series of ists have threatened, or a specialty outside New Yo rk must be content airborne views of every part of the city. bookstore that carries ancient necro­ with the New Yo rk Tim es and the Wa ll Obviously this makes the book espe­ mantic texts. And the residential di­ Street Journal, two of the few national cially suitable for a super-hero cam­ rectory gives you all the NPC names newspapers. Those who live in New paign, since heroes often fly over the you can ever use . Yo rk can find news, of a sensationalist city. If you live outside the New Yo rk sort, in the New Yo rk Daily News and Another excellent though sporadic area, try looking for a directory at a the New Yo rk Post. source for New Yo rk photographs is main library or university library that the monthly National Geographic carries out-of-state phone books. Pictures magazine. For instance, the May 1983 Photographs provide a useful tool issue features an excellent article on Magazines and Newspapers to help players visualize the settings Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Bridge. Na­ Among magazines, The New Yo rker of their adventures. New Yo rk, a city tional Geographic is available only by and New Yo rk magazine are nationally with many beautiful views, has been subscription or in libraries, or it is fre­ distributed. They cover matters that are depicted extensively in many books of quently in ta ll yellow stacks at garage tangential to a role-playing campaign's photographs. Check the subject cata­ sales. concerns, but both feature extensive log in your local library for titles.

96 34 33 MARVELTM 9 MANHATTAN

Lower Manhattan I 1. World Tr ad e Center 2. City Hall 3. Chinato.wn 4. New Yo rk Stock Exchange 5. Statue of Liberty 6. Broo.klyn Bridge 7. Battery Park 24 I 8. Chase Manhattan Plaza 9. Ho.lland Tu nnel

VlIIage and 25 Queens Lower East Side 10. Empire State University 11 . Washingto.n Square 12. Doctor Strange's 21 20 Sanctum Sanctorum 13. SHIELD P,:ivate 16 Headquarters

15 14. So.Ho

Midtown 15. Daily Bugle 16. United Nations Building 22 , 17. Times Square 18. Four Freedo.ms Plaza 19.. Empire State Building 20. Ro.ckefeller Center 2'1 . Heill's Kitchen 22 .. Madiso.n Sq ualre Garden t \ Upper East Side �. 23. Guggenheim Museum L 24. Maria Stark Park � .... 25. Hellfire Club Mansion 26. Gracie Mansion 27. Ro.osevelt Island Tr am

Central Park 28 .. Sheep Meado.w 29. Delacorte Theater 30. Metropo.litan Museum o.fArt

Upper West Side 31 . Lincoln Cent.er 32 . Dako.ta Apartments Brooklyn

Upper Manhattan 33. Co.lumbia University .i 34. Grant's To. mb <�.: 35. Ryker's Island 5 /