Planet Zal (Map, handout)

I was rusty as fuck with supers so the entire first session of our ICONS game was a bust. I retconned the entire thing out of existence.
Anyway,  I made this map that got no real use.

Neopolis, [ICONS/FASRIP]

[The following series of posts is inspired by Trey Causey's excellent series on the City, I will address other major influences in time. ]

Introduction

3175 AD

The Hot War is a five century old memory. The cause and start of it are unknown to all but a few. The Earth's population hovers at just under a 100 million world-wide. Ten million of the luckiest live in Neopolis, a sprawling mass of skyscrapers and slums, situated at the heart of the mutant infested wasteland that is 32cnd century North America.

The heroes of the 24-25th conturies are exist only in stories and tales distorted and twisted by both time and ill intent. Even these half-truths are told in whispers and only in the lowest parts of the old city- where the law never goes.

Technolgy has regressed centuries, and even the most cutting edge cyber systems have interfaces and perephrials that would make a denizien of the early twenty-first century laugh with derison.

The Earth is a police state governed by GQM, Global Quadrent Management, a faceless bureaucracy comprised of countless minsistries working at cross purpose to one another and often themselves.

Post-humans, with the exception of those drafted into government service, are illegal and shot on site regardless of age or threat level.

Gene cards are carried by all citizens regardless of caste (there are 6 casts). Gene scanning technology is strangely advanced in comparison to almost all other tech. Other equally advanced devices exist to locate and discover non gene relat d human abnormalities.

The Big Lie: nobody knows for certain, but throughout the population there exist a feeling that some important fact about the world as it is, or came to be, or both, is withheld from all but those at the top. Clues are everywhere and can be seen in contrasts, such as that between the clunky cybertech the advanced gene tech, to the inexplicable disconnect between the vast array of productive ag towers and the starving masses that struggle in the dirty slums of the Old City whilst their betters live in glittering wonderlands above the clouds and in orbit.

Notes:

Statblocks in FASRIP (the classic Marvel Super Heroes system) and ICONS are all but interchangable. Resources from either game would work well in Neopolis.

Literary influences, a partial list.

Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy

Emphario by Jack Vance

1984 by George Orwell

Comic Book influences

Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

Judge Dread by lots of people in 2000 AD

Kamandi by Jack Kirby

Days of Future Past by Clarmont and Byrne

Legion of Superheroes: Five Years Later by Kieth Giffen and co.

 

Outworld Sector Guide: Crone: Entry 1- Introduction

 

 

A large terrestrial (rocky) world, Crone is sheathed in an atmosphere of toxic gas comprised chiefly of ammonia and methane. Sky City, the chief population center is situated at 20k meters elevation, above the natural atmosphere, and built upon the peak of the planet's highest mountain. The city, which will be detailed in a future entry, is supplied a breathable (for humanoids) atmosphere by three floating weather control/gas processing plants. It is the only place on the planet where it is possible to go about without a survival suit and breathing apparatus.

 

Although the city acts as a trading center and houses the administrative offices of the three major companies that de facto own Crone, and houses the managerial elite, and even has sizable middle and under class populations, the vast majority of the planet's residents live upon the surface, in small company dome towns, isolated independent settlements, scout skimmers fitted for long term residence, or nomadic squats.

 

Of course, as with most worlds, the comfort of the few is secured by the labor and hardship of the many. The chief industries of the planet are two-fold. The mining and processing of rare earth elements and heavy metals first drew Bothco to the world; the discovery of the planet's strange indigenous life and its exploitable psychoactive properties brought in Simblex and The Tarn Corporation some fifty years later. The three megacorps exist in a state of continual cold war. In addition to the antagonism they face from one another, the corporations must also contend with several hostile factions amongst the general population as well, both in Sky City and upon the surface.

 

[Art/ Icons] Mr. Hands, alien Super Hero

Mr. Hands

Prowess 7
Strength 6
Coordination 5
Intellect 8
Willpower 7
Stamina 13

Powers:
Force Field 4 (Extra- extended)
Binding 3
Blast 4
Stretching 4
Super Senses 4 (Telepathy; Tracking; UV Visio; Spatial Sense)
Speciaties: Master Detective

Protector of (the mostly human/humanoid) Sky City on the planet Crone, Mr. Hands is a master detective always up for a fight against evil. However, Hands will always pursue a non violent option- if at all possible. The welfare of all parties involved in any conflict is on his mind at all times. If he has one fault, it is over compassion and, perhaps, he believes a bit too much in the potential for criminals to reform.
Mr. Hands' origins and home world are shrouded in secrecy.

Aspects:
Qualities: Total bro.
Challenges: We can Work it out. Lets give him the benefit of the doubt.

Notes:
1) I based Hands' personality on Tom Strong.
2) Mr. Hands would be a good hero for the classic super hero fight based on misunderstanding. Just have the players stumble upon him fighting an unknown human villian before they know who he is. They will almost certainly pick the wrong side.

NEXT: Captain Steel: programmed for piratical perfection.

 

[Art/Icons] Grimblade

 

Origin: Artificial

Prowess: 7

Coordination: 5

Strength: 8

Intellect: 4

Awareness: 4

Willpower: 6

STAMINA: 14

 

Powers:

Damage Resistance 5

Life Support 4 (space)

Weapon REEVE (device) chalcedony sword

Strike (slashing or bashing)* 5

Dimension Travel* 8 Using Reeve, Grimblade is able to slash open a portal to any of the inhabited worlds in the Outland Sector, and several uninhabited ones as well. He requires one page of preparation.

*Requires device.

Grimblade was originally a magico-bio-construct created by the oligarchs of the Sorcerer's Moon. Intended to be the first of a large military force, Grimblade proved to be too unmanageable, and eventually rebelled against his masters (he is discernibly male) liberated the legendary sword Reeve from their custody and escaped.

Currently he works a mercenary and hired muscle, although it is said he is ruthless and cruel, the truth is more nuanced.

 

Aspects

Challenges: Nobody speaks to me like that! Too good to be all that bad.

Qualities: I'm Grimblade bitch (unstoppable)!

 

[MAP] Protectorate Space I The Outworlds.

Year 4217 CE: Isolated, well above the galactic plain, the volume of space known as the Outworlds contains several civilizations that were once affiliates of the galactic superhero team, the Protectorate. Over two centuries have passed, however, since Protectorate Operatives last maintained a presence in the region.

Larger version: Here

 

[Icons] Strike Force Five (Island X part 2).

Facts:

The Tomb: Located deep in the Australian outback, the Tomb is a facility established by Central Control (The Earth World Government- formed in the 1970's) for the disposal and storage of all of the world's nuclear weapons. The Tomb is thought at present (2004) to hold roughly 25 thousand warheads, representing an estimated  2 million megatons or more of explosive force.

SPIDER:  A high tech global terrorist organization, active since the late 1940's, SPIDER's  ultimate goal is nothing short of world conquest, but the organization is not above engaging in  extortion for money.

 

A SPIDER operative.






STRIKE FORCE FIVE: SPIDER'S elite super villain assault team.  Currently engaged in an operation on Island X.  Iron Mask, the leader of  both SPIDER and SF5, intends to ransom the world for one trillion dollars. If the money is not forthcoming, he will use the islands meat telportation system to transport Mutantor to the Tomb. According to his calculations, the the immense radiation will stimulate the prespawn, which gestate in boils on Mutantor's back, forcing them into a period of accelerated growth. This will result in the sudden appearance of a score or more fully mature creatures identical to Mutantor. 

 Mutantor

 

 Iron Mask

Ivan Von Freer was once a mild mannered schoolteacher in the tiny European Kingdom of Assuria. After the death of his family at the hands of the Nazi invaders, however, Von Freer tapped into the forbidden science and sorcery once practiced by his notoriously evil grandfather, and became Iron Mask.  As Iron Mask, Von Freer worked enchantments and experiments on himself, turning back the clock, making himself young and imbuing his body with incredible power. First, he drove the Nazi's from Assuria and then the he kept the Soviets and Americans out. Ever since, he has ruled the tiny nation with an iron fist. Furthermore, using his diplomatic immunity as a shield, he has plagued the world as super villain terrorists for well over half a century.

Active since the dawn of the Cold War, Iron Mask is the Supreme Leader of SPIDER, a high-tech global terrorist organization. SPIDER SUPREME! The super villain team Strike force Five is Spider's elite unit. Iron Mask is in command of S5 as well and has a complex web of relationships with its members. He is romantically involved with Mind Warp and locked in a continual battle for dominance with Maximus; Surge, the notorious and wanted cybernetic assassin is Iron Mask's daughter; furthermore he directly responsible for the creation of the being known as 170.

Real Name: Ivan Von Feer

Abilities

Prowess 9

Coordination 8

Strength 8

Intellect 6

Awareness 6

Willpower 7

Stamina 15

Determination: 0

Specialties

Science Master (Physics)

Leadership Master

Occult Master

Powers

Invulnerability 6

Wizardry 5

Mind Control 5

Paralysis 6

Aspects:

Qualities

Honorable to a point

Always thinking

Terrible to behold

Stops at nothing

Challenges

Surrounded by fools

Must have it all

It's all about me

176

Abilities

Prowess 5

Coordination 6

Strength 5

Intellect 3

Awareness 2

Willpower 2

Stamina 7

Determination *

Powers

Binding 6

Stretching 8

Invulnerability 5

Aspects

Qualities

Silent watcher

Logic dictates

Good right hand

Sudden movement

Challenges

That's some crazy shit

What does it want?

 Notes:

176, the product of Iron Masks attempt to create a perfect being, is a sentient polymer. It is a strange and unknowable being; however, it seems to be completely loyal to Iron Mask. 170 is prone to sudden unpredictable actions, It can speak, but seldom does.

Mindwarp

Real Name:  Jennifer Treemont

Abilities:

Prowess 5

Coordination 6

Strength 3

Intellect 4

Awareness 4

Willpower 5

Stamina 8

Determination *

Powers

Mental Blast 7

Invulnerability 3

Specialties

Pilot Expert

Mental Resistance

Aspects

Qualities

Doesn't really love him anyway.

Kicks 'em while they're down

Hot

Challenges

I love me

They're out to get me

Notes:

Jennifer Treemont was born in 1984, during the aftermath of the Second Monster War  (MWII). Her mental powers are thought to be a result of exposure to monster related radiation. She had been involved in small time super crime for her entire adult life. Joining up with Spider and Strike Force five is her first step into the exciting world of arch villainy. She is supposedly Iron Mask’s girl, but spends much of her time teasing Maximus and leading him on. 

Maximus

Real Name: Maximus, High Master of the Zero Zone

Abilities

Prowess 7

Coordination 7

Strength 9

Intellect 4

Awareness 4

Willpower 4

Stamina 13

Determination

Specialties

Military Master

Acrobatics Master

Powers

Invulnerability 4

Fast Attack 5

Aspects:

Qualities

Lord of Pain

Challenges

Hey ladies!

Better than you

The strongest one there is.

No time for this!

Fair weather fearless

Speaks of self in 3^rd person

Maximus was once the High Master of the Zero Zone, a savage anti-reality dimension. Deposed and exiled by his own people he desires nothing so much as to regain his lost throne. He originally came to our world thinking that after subjugation the Earth would make an ideal place from which to launch his campaign of re-conquest against the  forces of the Zero Zone, but that hasn’t really worked out for him. Currently, he has deigned to lower himself to work with Iron Mask in return for the shamefully meager wage of passage back to his own universe.

Surge

Abilities

Prowess 8

Coordination 6

Strength 5

Intellect 5

Awareness 5

Willpower 5

Stamina 10

Determination *

Specialties:

Investigation Master 

Martial Arts Master

Powers

Blast 5

Leaping 4

Invisibility 4

Aspects:

Qualities

Daddy's girl

Slinky

The bionic girl

Challenges

Look at that whore!

Get away from my father!

I’d do anything to get that bitch!

Notes:

Iron Mask’s mysterious daughter, the bionically augmented Surge is the most sought after and highest paid assassin in the world. She does nit like or trust Mindwarp and is actively looking for a way to destroy her standing within SPIDER.

[Icons] Island X Primer

As I've mentioned before, Earth Zero is my Icons campaign setting. It diverges from our earth during  WW2 when the supers first start showing up (for the second time, the first time was 35kya but nobody remembers that). My campaign is set in 1950, but this adventure takes place in 2004. I really dig the idea of having my payers go into what is the 'future' and have it be totally wrong in comparison to our world.

Island X is an attempt to mix two things that i think we're really made for each other Japanese style Kaiju (giant monsters) and American style supers.


Anyway this is very much a work in progress, I have many of the hexes detailed, but I haven't typed them up yet. I also have a couple more maps I need to ink before I can scan and post them (e.g. X Force X's volcano base).
This was supposed to be a filler adventure, but we're out to session four with it and no end in sight.
Here is what I have typed up so far- I'm like only half a step in front of the players now.


Island X Primer:

Location:
The South Pacific, 2004 AD.

History:
During the late 20st century, giant monsters of unknown origin ravaged the Earth. The world devolved into a state of chaos as the remaining nation states struggled for decades to beat the giant creatures back.

Status Quo:
The year is now 2004 and the monsters have long since been defeated. Island X is used as a combination containment area and preserve for the last of these creatures. X Force X, a Japanese paramilitary organization administers the island and keeps a watch on the monsters. Due to the force field which surrounds the landmass, radios do not work on or around the island. Furthermore the island can only be reached by submarine. As a result, traffic between the mainland and Island X is very limited.

Situation: A super villain strike force has gotten past the force field and attacked the X Force X troops in as an attempt to take control of the island and the monsters. The attack is in its second day when the characters arrive.

Factions:
Several groups vie for control over the island and its inhabitants.


X Force X- is a Japanese paramilitary organization dedicated to keeping the monsters on the island. They are armed with lots of high tech stuff. They mostly fight with mechs. Their headquarters is located in the extinct volcano Mt. Muti, in the center of the island. Currently they are at war with the Spider super-villain strike force led by Iron Mask.

[note- None of the PCs know Japanese and all of them fought in WW2.]

Spider Super Villain Strike Force: A group of super villains brought to the island by Iron Mask. Iron Mask has technology that will control the monsters and hopes to use them to conquer the world.

Beast Men: There is a population of a about 500 beast men. They are the stewards of the Time Caves.

Giant Monsters: there are a number of giant monsters on the island.



The Facts of Life:
Radios: they don’t work on the island and there are none to be found, except amongst the super villains- but theirs don’t work either.

Getting off: As long as the pylons are functional, the only way on and off the Island is by submarine.

The Pylons: four giant nuclear powered force field generators situated equidistant from one another off the cost of the island. The pylons are easily visible on a clear day and at night there lights can be seen from the beaches and the highlands.





Some key features of the island:
(This stuff has all been placed in specific hexes, which will be seen when I post the hex by hex break down).

Supply caches: small depositories for XFX equipment scattered about the island. Usually have food, camping and medical supplies. Made to be hidden from monsters, but pretty easily noticed on a awareness 3 check.

XFX outposts. The one on the north coast is completely empty and there is an alarm going off. Reinforced observation/staging areas scattered around the island. At the current time all of them are empty. All writing and labeling is in Japanese and there are absolutely no radios. Lots of large bins stuffed with burned parers all of which are in Japanese.

Meat stations: feeding drop offs for the giant monsters. Twoce a day five tons of synthetic meat are teleported to these locations.

Dinosaurs: Because sometimes giant radioactive monsters like snack.

Flying Saucer: A flying disk with a pulsing crystal power plant. The power plant can be used to destroy Morgetor.

Mech’s Grave Yard: a scatter of five XFX mechs all destroyed.

Mini cemeteries: 1-6 graves shallow graves in random places. Some are very old some are from the last few days. Many of the recent ones from energy weapon fire. All are marked with an XFX helmet.

Wrecked Submarine: On the southwest coast, near where the road turns into the bush, there is a wrecked submarine of futuristic design.

Online gaming stuff, and some rushed game day drawings

Here are some drawings I did for Sunday's game Earth Zero (Icons). We have finally hammered our online system down. We use Skype for voice and infrno for the game table. We turn off all A-V functions in infrno. Although a big part of face to face gaming is being, you know, face to face, we've found that online video is a pain in the ass to implement and kind of distracting on top of that. We had a blast on Sunday without it, so there you go.

Anyway, here are some extremely crappy drawings I did for the game- click to enlarge and all that. I had limited time to prep, so I spent 15-30 (or less) minutes from concept to pencil to inks on each one. I'm going to make this a regular practice, I think, and maybe allow myself an hour or two to do a post session drawing of a scene from the game. This will create a pictorial history of each campaign. Augmented with captions, I think it'll be neato- despite the rushed, substandard look of the art.
The characters (Doc Crucible and The Fire Knight) hail from 1949AD; however, as a result of a long series of events, they have found themselves on board a derelict generation star ship (pictured above) named Interphaze, which left earth in the 54th century, but has been drifting around in No Space for about 6000 years. The Biozone is designed to look like the surface of the Earth; DC and TFK actually wandered around up there for a couple of sessions before they accessed the lower level and got a look out into space and a clue. The scale is all wrong on the pic, actually, I eventually decided it was too small. I think the ship is at least a couple of hundred KM long. I'm waffling on that point. Also I did that drawing in like a minute and a half with a ballpoint, so cut me some slack if you will.
As it turns out, the human crew died off long ago and the ship is currently run by (possibly evil) gene engineered dolphins, who tend to the 20k human colonists residing stasis chambers located within giant, artificial, water-filled caverns on the systems level.
Also, there are monkey people, most of whom work for the dolphins, but some who have broken away and formed their own civilizations

Anyway, the ship has an infestation of mind control parasites known as the Krang! The Krang! arrived on the ship when their much, much smaller star ship had some kind of hyperspace malfunction and materialized inside one of the thousands of artificial caves that make up the geozone. TFK and DC are part of a temporary alliance of money people and dolphins committed to stopping the Krang before they gain access to the slumbering human colonists. The Krang! crew is made up of a disparate group of mind controlled aliens, like these guys on the left.

Here is the picture of the Krang! spaceship, which is trapped in what the Monkey people (The Imae) call "The Cave of the Old Ones." Incidentally, this is where Sunday's game came to a close:
















Last but almost certainly least, a security droid that the the boys activated by accident whilst exploring another area: