Monster Island That I Could Write a Whole Book About the Crazy Place, and for Putting up with My Constant Stream of Questions

A Setting Book For Champions Author:Sample Steven S. Long file Based On Ideas By: Cryptic Studios Editing and Developing: Darren Watts Layout & Graphic Design: Andy Mathews Cover Illustration: Brett Barkley Interior Illustration: Cryptic Studios, Andrew Cremeans, Jonathan Davenport, Brendan and Brian Fraim Cartography: John Lees Special Thanks: To Jack Emmert, John Layman, Randy Mosiondz, Chris Lena, and the rest of the fine folks at Cryptic, for coming up with enough ideas about Monster Island that I could write a whole book about the crazy place, and for putting up with my constant stream of questions. ;)

Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system. Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, © 1981-2008 Cryptic Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. “Champions” and “Monster electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by Island” are trademarks of Cryptic Studios, Inc. “Champions” and “Monster Island” any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the are used under license from Cryptic Studios, Inc. Publisher: DOJ, Inc., 226 E. 54th Street, #605, New York, NY 10022-48541. Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. First printing July 2008 Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Stock Number: DOJHERO231 Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Danger International, Western ISBN: 978-1-58366-114-7 Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. www.herogames.com • www.champions-online.com • www.crypticstudios.com Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...... 4 CHAPTER FIVE: SLITHER BEACH CHAPTER NINE: ECHINOCOS SHORE CHAPTER ONE: THE HISTORY Slither Beach...... 58 OF MONSTER ISLAND VIPER Personnel...... 58 Echinocos Shore...... 106 Major VIPER Personnel...... 58 The Elder Worm...... 106 Monster Island...... 8 Nest Leader Tadataka Yamamoto...... 58 Elder Worm Personnel...... 107 Geography and Climate...... 14 Dr. Dino Demogaard...... 59 Elder Worm Acolyte...... 108 Chief Underlings...... 60 Elder Worm Aspirant...... 109 CHAPTER TWO: THE MONSTERS Golden Viper Squad Leader...... 60 Elder Worm Warrior...... 110 OF MONSTER ISLAND VIPER Brickbuster Agent...... 62 Elder Worm Initiate...... 111 Ganika...... 16 Low-level Agents...... 63 Elder Worm Sorcerer...... 112 Mega-Terak...... 17 Golden Viper Red Guard Agent...... 63 Annelid Horror...... 114 Qwyjibo...... 19 VIPER Infiltrator...... 65 Geography...... 115 Teleiosaurus...... 20 Slither Beach Facilities...... 66 Snakes on Echinocos Shore...... 117 Vakulon...... 22 The Monster Island VIPER Nest...... 67 The UNTIL Presence...... 118 Zorgatha...... 23 CHAPTER SIX: WELLS’ PASS CHAPTER TEN: ANDRITHAL CHAPTER THREE: BUREAU 17 Wells’ Pass...... 72 Andrithal...... 120 Bureau 17...... 26 Doctor Phillippe Moreau...... 72 Lemurian Personnel...... 121 History...... 26 Manimals...... 75 Lemurian Leaders...... 121 Organization...... 27 The Manimals...... 75 Vikorin the Blind...... 121 Bureau Personnel...... 29 Bear-Man...... 75 Lemurian Lieutenants...... 123 Lieutenant Commander Kishiro Aiko...... 29 Bird-Man...... 76 Lemurian Progenitor...... 123 Takashi Toru...... 30 Boar-Man...... 77 Lemurian Sorcerer...... 124 Furusaka Gonsai...... 30 Cat-Man...... 78 Lemurian Underlings...... 126 Asako Morihiro...... 31 Dog-Man...... 79 Devolved Lemurian...... 126 Rapid Response Force Sakura Agent...... 31 Frog-Man...... 79 Lemurian Inchoate...... 127 Bureau 17 Robots...... 32 Rat-Man...... 80 Primordial Lemurian...... 127 Guardian Droid...... 32 Stag-Man...... 80 Andrithal Geography...... 128 Revenger Droid...... 33 Geography...... 81 The Andrith Ruins...... 128 Behemoth Battledroid...... 34 The Outside Compound...... 81 VIPER in Andrithal...... 131 Onslaught Battledroid...... 35 Moreau’s Lab...... 82 The UNTIL Presence...... 132 Force Drone...... 36 The UNTIL Presence...... 84 Hunter Drone...... 37 Technology...... 38 CHSampleAPTER SEVEN file: Personal Technology...... 38 THE FERAL TANGLE Vehicles...... 39 Feral Tangle...... 86 Sakebu Mobile Sonic Cannon...... 39 New Gornyj...... 86 Bureau 17 Monster Transport Vehicle...... 40 Father Elk...... 87 The Monster Island Base...... 40 Mal Zver...... 88 CHAPTER FOUR: The Hyena-Swine...... 89 WAYFARER COAST The UNTIL Presence...... 92 Wayfarer Coast...... 42 CHAPTER EIGHT: THE ARGENT The Qularr...... 42 CORPORATE WILDLIFE PRESERVE Things Humanity Doesn’t Know...... 43 The Wildlife Preserve...... 94 Qularr Personnel...... 44 ARGENT Personnel...... 95 Qularr Invasion Leader...... 45 Roger Hartwell...... 95 Qularr Drone...... 46 ARGENT Officers andA gents...... 96 Qularr Shock Trooper...... 48 ARGENT Officer...... 96 Qularr Bugkeeper...... 49 ARGENT Soldier...... 97 Qularr Firebug...... 51 ARGENT Facilities...... 100 Qularr Swarm...... 52 The Manimal Resistance...... 101 Technology...... 53 The UNTIL Presence...... 103 Qularr Air-Runner...... 53 Qularr Facilities...... 54 The UNTIL Presence...... 56 4  The History Of Monster Island Hero System 5th Edition Revised INTRODUCTION

ut in the Pacific Ocean, about a hun- Chapter Two, Big Game: The Monsters, dred miles from the shores of Japan, describes the six giant monsters currently living lies a small island about six miles on the island: Ganika; Mega-Terak; Qwyjibo; O wide and twenty miles long — but its Teleiosaurus; Vakulon; and Zorgatha. There’s a importance far exceeds its size. This is Monster character sheet for each one that shows just how Island, home to the world’s largest collection of powerful they are. Superheroes who think they giant monsters. Originally can waltz onto Monster created by the alien Qularr Island and smack a few of the during their 1965 invasion MMO INTO RPG, RPG INTO MMO “inhabitants” around are in of Earth, Monster Island was for a surprise! pressed into use as a zoo/ Monster Island is Hero Games’s first Chapter Three, Bureau prison to confine the mon- Champions book based on the work 17: Humanity’s First done by Cryptic Studios in creating sters they brought as part of the forthcoming massively multi- Defense, describes the Japa- their invading force. But the player online (MMO) roleplaying nese scientists and soldiers island holds other secrets, game Champions Online. While a lot who study the monsters, other potential sources of of effort has been devoted to making maintain the force-field that power, and in recent years it’s sure the MMO content is accurately keeps them on the island, attracted supervillains and represented in this book in HERO and occasionally have to criminal organizations who System terms, MMOs and RPGs aren’t fight the terrifying beasts. seek to discover or exploit the same type of game, so the same On an island filled with them. Today Monster Island type of content isn’t appropriate for hostile forces the mem- is more than just a reposi- each one. For example, the map of a bers of “B17” may be your series of caverns or an underground tory for gigantic alien mon- installation in an MMO is deliber- heroes’ only allies. sters — it’s a battleground ately simple, with one room leading Chapter Four, Wayfarer where the likes of VIPER, to another to direct game play. That Coast: Beachhead For Inva- ARGENT, the Elder Worm, may not make much sense for an sion, discusses the current and the Lemurians compete. RPG. Thus, the maps in this book, Qularr presence on Monster And to make matters worse, while containing the essence of the Island. The Qularr haven’t the Qularr themselves have SampleChampions Online file maps, add to them arrived in force — yet — but returned, perhaps as a scout- or even re-arrange rooms slightly the soldiers, bioengineered ing force to plan another to make things more “realistic” and beasts, and vehicles they have appropriate for an RPG. Similarly, invasion.... sent are enough to cause real MMO characters who have one or two Monster Island is your simple abilities may get fleshed out problems for Humanity... guide to everything that’s into more detailed characters with a particularly if they can find a happening on the island, greater variety of powers in this book, way to re-assert control over from the gargantuan mon- since an RPG character sheet isn’t the giant monsters. sters themselves to the constrained by the same restrictions Chapter Five, Snakes machinations of VIPER as an MMO. So don’t be surprised On An Island: Slither Beach, agents, ARGENT bosses, if you see a some variation between reviews VIPER’s activities Elder Worm explorers, and Monster Island as portrayed in this on Monster Island. In addi- Qularr soldiers. Your heroes book and Monster Island in the MMO tion to various scientific — just think of it as the book taking may think that the monsters projects, the snakes spend the wonderful tapestry that Cryptic’s are the only threat there, woven and adding a few threads. a lot of time keeping an eye but they’ll soon learn that on the other groups occu- there’s a lot more to Mon- pying the island, and even ster Island than just Mega-Terak, Qwyjibo, and stealing from them. their brethren. Chapter Six, Wells’ Pass: Land Of The New Chapter One, A Strange New Land: A His- Men, describes the residence and experiments tory Of Monster Island, describes the creation of of a former VIPER scientist, the infamous Dr. the island by the Qularr, its subsequent conver- Philippe Moreau. He’s been busy creating all sion into a “zoo” for their alien monsters, and sorts of “manimals,” many of which serve him what’s happened since then: the founding of as assistants or soldiers. Bureau 17’s facilities there; occasional escapes; But not all of Moreau’s creations remain so and in time the arrival of criminal organiza- loyal. Chapter Seven, A Dangerous Refuge: The tions bent on turning Monster Island and its Feral Tangle, describes the region of the island resources to their own purposes. to which escaped manimals have fled. Some are Monster Island n Chapter One 5

in Bureau 17), traveling there, and putting a stop to the threat. While doing that, they discover another potential danger that they have to deal with. This can go on and on, forming an extended story arc within the campaign. By the time the heroes are done, Mon- ster Island won’t pose any sort of a threat to Humanity anymore... or so they hope. You can also use Monster Island in other settings. If your Champions campaign isn’t set in the Champions Universe, you can easily insert Monster Island into it — since the peaceful and merely want to be left alone; others island is so far from civili- are violent and hostile toward anyone they see zation you can plunk it down just about anywhere as a threat. without disrupting the campaign setting. If it won’t Chapter Eight, Hunters’ Playground: The work as an island, it could be an isolated valley ARGENT Preserve, provides full information in the Himalayas, a tiny part of Antarctica kept about ARGENT’s activities on the island, rang- warm by Qularr technology, a gigantic cavern in ing from establishing an “exotic game preserve” a mountain range in the Amazon, or the like. It all for ultra-wealthy hunters to studying and exper- depends on what works best for your campaign. imenting on Monster Island’s many strange Other Genres life-forms. Although it may seem the most Nor do you have to restrict Monster Island to innocent of any of the organizations on the Champions. With a few minor changes it can work in island, ARGENT may actually be the greatest many genres: long-term threat to world peace and security. Dark Champions: Instead of housing giant mon- Chapter Nine, Echinocos Shore: Lair Of The sters, the island is an open-air prison where the Worm, describes the Elder Worm presence on worst criminals in the world are dropped off Monster Island. Led by the Slug, the Elder Worm and left to fend for themselves. Part of it might have come to the island in search of artifacts of Samplebe a “game filepreserve” where wealthy hunters their people. If they find them, even Earth’s most could pay to track down and kill a prisoner. powerful heroes may not be able to stop the Slug.... Fantasy Hero: Chapter Ten, Andrithal, reviews Lemurian In Fantasy Hero, Monster Island activity on Monster Island. Years ago the Lemu- becomes Dragon Island, where several terrify- rians discovered the remains of one of Andrith’s ingly powerful dragons (and their hoards!) were palaces here, and Vikorin the Blind seems to put years ago by the gods to protect humans have found a way to use the information uncov- from them. Only the bravest of heroes would ered there to return Lemurians to their original dare to beard such dragons in their lairs.... reptilian shapes and shapechanging powers. He Pulp Hero: In a Pulp Hero campaign, Monster and his people continue to excavate the ruins in Island wouldn’t have any inhabitants other than search of more ancient lore and artifacts. the monsters, and perhaps some native tribes- So tell your heroes to get ready — it’s time men who keep them at bay with a gigantic wall or to confront a dozen different threats that exist on strange magic rituals. In effect it’s similar to Skull Monster Island! Island in the movie King Kong, but with a wide variety of giant monsters instead of just a big ape HOW TO USE THIS BOOK and some dinosaurs. Monster Island is intended primarily for Star Hero: In a Science Fiction campaign Mon- GMs. There is no separate “GM’s Vault” for ster Island becomes Monsterworld — an entire secret information, so players should not read planet used as a nursery and “proving grounds” by this book unless they get permission from their the Qularr, who breed giant monsters as military GM to do so. weapons. Getting through the Qularr defensive Monster Island is a Champions setting with satellite perimeter is tough enough... but surviving a lot of built-in adventures. The typical Mon- once you get on the ground is even harder! ster Island scenario involves the PCs learning of a threat on the island (often from contacts 6  The History Of Monster Island Hero System 5th Edition Revised

Sample file A Strange New Land: The History of Monster Island

Sample file

Chapter One