PRIMUS™ By Shelley Chrystal Mactyre HERO GAMES™ PRIMUS™ By Shelley Chrystal Mactyre Published by: Hero Games® P.O. Box 699 Aptos, CA 95001-0699 [email protected] Copyright ©1998 by Hero Games. All rights reserved. Hero System, Fantasy Hero, Champions, Hero Games and Star Hero are all registered trademarks of Hero Games. Acrobat and the Acrobat logo are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are properties of their owners. Published by Hero Games. Hero Games Hero Games is the manufacturer of fine games, dedicated to using the latest technology to bring products to our customers more efficiently, more rapidly, and at competitive prices. Hero Games can be reached at [email protected]. Let us know what you think! Send us your mailing address (email and snail mail) and we’ll make sure you’re informed of our latest products. Visit our Web Site at http://www.herogames.com Permission is granted to photocopy for personal use. Permission is granted to output this document via Docutech or other method for personal use. PRIMUS™ By Shelley Chrystal Mactyre Artist: Dale McKee Editor: Bruce Harlick Package Cover Illustration: Mike Witherby Package Cover Composite: Steve Peterson Layouts: Bruce Harlick Editorial Contributions: Mary Ann Raley, Robert Hudson Hero Games Managing Editor: Bruce Harlick HERO GAMES™ TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction............................... 7 New Perquisites for PRIMUS Why use PRIMUS? ........................... 8 Campaigns ....................................... 28 The Brownie Point System...................... 28 PRIMUS Attitudes .................................... 8 Character Creation Example: Notes about power level ............................ 9 Overview of PRIMUS .............. 10 Assault Agent Terry Kestler ...... 30 At the Academy: General Training ......... 30 PRIMUS and Stronghold........................ 10 A Day in the Life of PRIMUS ................. 32 PRIMUS History ............................ 10 PRIMUS-Speak ....................................... 34 Who’s Who in PRIMUS ................. 12 The PRIMUS Benefits Package ............... 35 Administrators ........................................ 12 Grounds for Dismissal ............................ 35 Agents ...................................................... 12 The Avenger Games ................................ 35 PRIMUS Organization ........................... 14 PRIMUS Adventure Seeds.............. 36 Relationships With Other Adventures for PRIMUS Agents ............. 36 Agencies .................................... 15 PRIMUS Adventures for Federal Agencies ...................................... 15 Superheroes...................................... 36 Genocide .................................................. 15 PRIMUS Personnel .................. 37 DEMON .................................................. 15 Avengers .......................................... 38 UNTIL ..................................................... 15 The Golden Avenger ............................... 38 VIPER ...................................................... 15 Silver Avenger Chow, San World Security Services .......................... 15 Francisco .......................................... 41 Individual Hero Groups ......................... 15 Silver Avenger Freeman, Chicago ........... 43 Local Law Enforcement .......................... 15 Silver Avenger Hartigan, Atlanta ............ 46 PRIMUS and Crime ................ 16 Silver Avenger Richardson, Intelligence Investigations .............. 17 Hudson City ..................................... 48 PRIMUS Advisors To Other Avengers ........................................ 51 Local Police ............................... 17 Administrators ................................ 52 Wanted by PRIMUS ....................... 17 Colonel Peter Glenn, Director of PRIMUS........................ 52 PRIMUS in Combat ....................... 19 Colonel Avery Vasquez ............................ 54 The PRIMUS Campaign ......... 20 The Rank and File........................... 56 Playing in the PRIMUS Assault Team SF-3 ................................... 56 Campaign ................................ 21 The Iron Guard ....................................... 62 Note About Types Of Agents .................. 21 Intelligence Agents .................................. 64 Game Mastering the PRIMUS PRIMUS Equipment ............... 68 Campaign ................................. 21 Equipment & Vehicles ............. 68 Examples of campaign styles .................. 21 PRIMUS Agent Equipment............ 68 Building PRIMUS Agents as Assault Equipment: Offensive ................ 68 Characters ................................. 22 SP-1a EMP Frisbee .................................. 69 Explanations of Required PRIMUS Assault Equipment: Defensive ................ 71 Disadvantages .................................. 27 Intelligence Equipment ........................... 72 Playing other types of PRIMUS Field Criminology Equipment ............... 73 4 personnel .......................................... 27 Surveillance Equipment .......................... 75 Containment Equipment........................ 77 Prometheus.............................................. 93 Experimental Equipment ....................... 78 Titan ......................................................... 94 Iron Guard Suit ....................................... 78 Vanguard ................................................. 96 Cyberline ................................................. 80 Introductory Adventure: PRIMUS Vehicles ..................... 81 Wild Geese Chase ............... 99 Real-world vehicles ......................... 81 Power Level & PCs ................................ 100 Boats ........................................................ 81 Plot Overview ........................................ 100 Motorcycle ............................................... 81 The Mission Briefing............................. 100 Sherman................................................... 81 The Evidence ......................................... 101 Urban Assault Helicopter ....................... 82 Proceeding with the Investigation ........ 103 Agent Transport Helicopter .................... 82 Ralph’s Story .......................................... 103 Learjet 60 ................................................. 83 Finding DEMON .................................. 104 Super-Technology Vehicles............. 83 Under the Cathedral ............................. 104 Avenger Grav-Sled................................... 83 Timeline ................................................. 104 Hovercraft ................................................ 83 The Cast ........................................ 105 Orbital Vehicle......................................... 84 DEMON Ritualists ................................ 105 The PRIME Team .................... 85 Demon Familiar .................................... 105 Background ............................................. 86 Ralph Armitage ..................................... 106 Powers/Tactics ......................................... 86 Jerome Addamson ................................. 107 Relations .................................................. 87 Wild Geese ............................................. 108 Campaign Uses ........................................ 87 Kevin Armstrong ................................... 110 Alternate Origin ...................................... 87 Ronan O’Neill........................................ 112 Character Origins.................................... 87 Hawk ........................................................ 87 5 Dedication The PRIMUS Sourcebook is dedicated to my beloved husband, Matthew “Laugh while you can, monkey boy!” Mactyre, and to my sister, Sarah “I love Target!” Chrystal, who also happens to be my best friend. Acknowledgements Robert “Sure, I can do that” Hudson was positively invaluable to the writing of PRIMUS, and contributed the characters of Silver Avenger Hartigan, Agents McComb, Deluca, and Kobayahsi, as well as critical assistance with the equipment and Iron Guard armor, and, well, the entire manuscript. Rob is a great GM and a wonderful player, even if I’ve never met him in person! Aaron Sullivan and Mark Kobrak contributed much-welcomed feedback, and Mark also contrib- uted the background of Silver Avenger Freeman. John Clark offered valuable intelligence and surveil- lance equipment. Also, none of this would have been possible without the wonderful support and feedback the PRIMUS website received or, for that matter, without my face-to-face PRIMUS playtesters: John Clark, Matthew Mactyre, Erik Stambaugh, Tedd Terry, and Marcus and Jennifer Hodges. Thanks also go to everyone on the Hero Mailing List and #herochat on dal.net who volunteered their time and feedback on the various drafts. And perhaps most importantly, thanks need to be directed at the original author of PRIMUS and DEMON, Andrew Robinson, as well as Mr. Super Agents, Aaron Allston, for the initial inspiration. The character of Kevin Armstrong initially appeared in VIPER, by Scott Bennie and Cliff Christiansen. Please send feedback and questions to [email protected]. I’d really love to hear from you! 6 Introduction “AT-HC5, what is your position?” the radio barked. “Correction, HQ, VIPER has been sighted,” she “HQ, we’re proceeding to LeMastre Park.” Agent said. “Robbery still in progress at the Federal Reserve. Gillian Thomas