Only Heroes: Side Sessiony Goodness

OH Side sessions are being offered this week. HUZZAH! We've had eight sessions so far and the game is going smoothly, PCs jelling together not unlike food that Prudence makes. You've beat villains, hired a PR person, arranged for a lawyer and a secretary with admirable levels of paranoia and genre-savvy. (Or oddity: I doubt most super teams make having a secretary any kind of priority :) )

The goal of the side-sessions is time-stretching RP stuff. Clothing shopping, groceries, wandering the neighbourhood, playing cards and chatting. Basically ways for the PCs to get to know each other and NPCs better. Also, PCs get to advance and work on PC-specific plot threads. They'll be offered this week on Saturday (July 27) and the Monday and Tuesday (July 29 & 30). I'll probably offer this every X sessions or so as I don't want the game to bog down in side-sessions.

But I'm OK with that if it leads to more dice. - Sparkie

My Side of the Only Heroes Situation

So as is apparent to everyone, the whole thing escalated into quite a dramatic situation. I get the impression I offended people, and while I honestly still don't understand the cause for the level of emotional response, I still want to apologize to those people for it. I'm sorry.

Alcar compared it to causing a car accident behind one's self and never seeing it happen, but I don't think that's exactly apt, since I see that there is apparently a problem, I just don't really understand why. From my perspective, it's more like the following metaphorical scenario:

----
Four friends and I agree to all eat lunch together on a certain day, but on that day I'm delayed by having to talk to a teacher and so I end up showing up to lunch period ten to fifteen minutes late, and everyone is already sitting at a table together and eating. They all picked out their food together, but because I was late I didn't. One friend had something for me to eat, but when he showed it to me, it turned out it was something I found to have an odd flavor and I may have been mildly allergic to some of the ingredients. So I went and got some food which I like to eat, but unbeknownst to me, some of my friends thought that new food was gross.

As I returned to the table, two of my friends suddenly jump up from their chairs angrily. They grab my lunch, throw it in the trash, and push me out of the cafeteria, intending to lock me out entirely. I manage to pull aside the one who seemed the most upset, who was also the same one who had offered me the food, and attempt to talk to him about it. He won't really explain why he's so angry, but he finally says he'd be okay with me coming back and eating lunch with them, as long as I don't ask him what food I should pick out to eat.

I go through the lunch line again and pick out some food that is almost identical to what my friends were eating, trying my best to choose things that won't somehow offend them, and then I show it to each of them. The two friends who hadn't been angry in the first place nodded their approval right away, and the one I talked to earlier didn't want to give an opinion, but didn't stop me from sitting down. However, the other friend who had been angry refused to look and declared that I shouldn't be allowed to eat any lunch at all, since I showed up to lunch period late.
----

So from my end, I truly don't understand why the issue of the deadline is enough to cause this level of turmoil. As far as I can tell, the primary point of having a deadline was to ensure everyone could give feedback and have input on what each other person was making. And after the snafu with the first character I made, I did everything I could to illicit input and feedback on a new one, but didn't receive any. So I tried really hard to just tailor the new one to fit the group and the other characters as well as possible, and I got approval right away on it from two players, so I figure I must have done an okay job of it.

In the end, I only have one person denying me entry, and the stated reason is the the deadline. The thing is, I do have a character that was approved before the deadline, and while I wasn't entirely sold on it at the time, if the choice is to play that character or not play, I'd choose to play it. But to be honest, I really do feel like the latest character I made would fit the group better than that one. I'd probably have a better time playing it, and other characters would probably have a better time interacting with it, compared to the pre-deadline one. But if the deadline is the end-all-be-all, I could just use the one that was approved in time.

Sparkie would like everyone to know who the best dicebot ever is

<AlcarGM> Gas-Mask grabs the back of his head, whimpering in pain from the blow and checks his mask and the tank fearfully. "I ... don't ... I surrender. Please?"
* Faith`^ zaps him with the taser while he's pre-occupied
<Faith`^> =p
<AlcarGM> New Round :)
<AlcarGM> lol
<Owlgirl> "Surrender accepted."
* Owlgirl reads him his rights :P
<AlcarGM> Faith zaps anyway? :)
<Faith`^> yup!
<AlcarGM> Dice!
<Faith`^> 2d6+4
<Sparkie> Faith`^ 2d6+4: 14(10)
<AlcarGM> 2d6+2 - pure sparkie luck?
<Sparkie> AlcarGM 2d6+2: 14(12) - pure sparkie luck?
<Faith`^> wat?
* prudence *stares*
<AlcarGM> ..... really?
<Owlgirl> hahahahaha

Only Heroes - Session #1

"This is Stacey Simmons for WINE 99.9, coming to you live Saturday morning and it looks like it's going to be another hot one today! School starts on Monday for all the kidlets and parents, so if you want to know where to get supplies, brace yourself for commercial plugs later on! But first, it's warm and staying that way all week it seems, a nice way to begin September if you're not in school, but you didn't tune in for the weather so here's the news for you. The Atomizer has been leaving calling cards all over the city, the courts won't release details of Judith Richenfield's trial, Ben Sirah is apparently selling himself out as some kind of internet service and the not-infamous gang known as the Cheshire Cats have been thrown behind bars by the police. A lot of small-time villains are becoming big-time without the Protectorate around and no one seems to know when they'll return. There's even doubts if they will.

"With me to discuss it is Professor Egghead, ex-villain and specialist in metahuman relationships at Darwin U! Tell me, prof, just how bad is it? Should kids bother going to school? Will teachers have to teach the old 'duck under the desk' routine for supervillain attacks?"

"It is hardly a joking matter, Ms. Simmons. That no hero has returned from the Vanishing presupposses that they cannot: I believe the most common theory is radiation from an anti-mattrer universe: if they did return and bring that with them, this entire universe would be destroyed. Of course, we're well aware that they will return soon, but two weeks is a long time in the news and some villains are going to try and raise their status without anyone of importance to stop them. The police cannot be everywhere and most of the reserves and sidekicks the Protectorate had access to seemed to have succumbed to the Vanishing as well."

"So no good news at all, doc?"

"Heroes will step forward. Villains will see the need for redemption and seek public glory. Whether it will be enough remains to be seen, but not all villains are motivated by simple goals as my book The Villain Inside clearly demonstrates. Heroes have become villains, villains have become heroes: it's those who were on the sidelines or didn't think their was a need for them to be a hero with the market so glutted who will determine if there is a new Protectorate, and the public who will determine if they succeed at all."

"Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine! So it's doom but not gloom for Darwin City, and a lot of people are going to be wondering who these new heroes are and if they have the chops to stand up to the wave of petty crimes that are slowly esclating into big-time robberies. Villains are pushing boundaries, and the police alone can't push them all back. Well, not without breaking the budget! Tune in after this break for my interview with Mayor Amanda Hill on city hall's budget plans after this!"

Commercial Break: "Tired of seeing your car destroyed by supervillains? With McGovern Insurance, you're covered against everything from acts of gods to aliens! Our professional claims adjusters will --."

"And this is Stacey Simmons, for WINE FM, cutting in to let you know that there's shenanigans at the Wal-Mart. Don't go. If you're going, go back home. Details are sketchy, but the police have it surrounded. At least the building is still standing. We'll have updates for you as we get them, including what villain is robbing a Wal-Mart in the first place, in just a moment."

The Protectorate Warehouse!

So, here is your warehouse. The elevator leads down to the parking garage (which contains storage), the bedrooms all have 2 bunk beds in each and are rather no frills. The tech room has a workshop, computers for use and the like. Each bedroom has a small, no-frills bathroom, and the warehouse can be accessed via key or keypad, with one entrance near the training room and another by the tech room.

It ha`s been a training area for a good 10 years and is well-used but still quite serviceable.

Only Heroes: Only Experience

Experience will be awarded during this game, with caveats: you can increase existing abilities. Adding new/other abilities will only be allowed if it makes sense as an outgrowth of something else: EX: Flight, to spaceflight (and accompanying special defenses). Spider-Man can class as a good example: he doesn't gain abilities inasmuch as become better at his existing ones as he gets older.

Ways 'around' this: begin with flexible abilities you can grow in interesting ways around the central theme of your PC. Get items: powered armour/suits and the like can help make up for some things. In general, this is true of all superheroes in the setting -- they get better at what they already do rather than gain new abilities.

(Supervillains tend to be different, sometimes owing to illegal drugs or experimentation.)

In general, PCs can gain a lot from increased ACV/DCV, combat techniques and so forth as a means of growing that isn't reliant strictly on 'increase powers'.

(Also, it means the more powerful heroes (pre-Vanishing) probably started out overall weaker than some contemporaries. Hence the draw to being in teams and working together.)

OH Timeline

As things stand now. The Protectorate was the team in Darwin City, having a rotating group of ~10 members with a large group of ex-members as a Reserve and most every other hero in the city affiliated as an Ally. Based out of Darwin Tower in the middle of the city, they protected it and offered free training for other heroes in their warehouse down by the docks.

Six months ago, via police contacts, the warehouse base and the like, the PCs  met in one form or another.

Two weeks ago, the Vanishing happened.

Now: people are starting to think it might be permanent, and you seem to be the only heroes around with a) history together (however tenuous) and b) the willingness to step up into huge shoes and do what you can to protect the city.

Owlgirl has the current passcode (and keys) into the warehouse, and some other PCs may have the passcodes as well. Darwin Tower is locked up tight, but the warehouse gives you a base of operations to act from and has showers, a living area, and even spartan bedrooms (a half-dozen) that can be slept in, along with a work-out room, training mats, and computers. Who is paying for it all to keep running is, at present, unknown.

Consensuses for Only Heroes

Leadership
We have a simple majority for a parliamentary style leader who is chosen by majority and left in his or her station until the majority no longer holds confidence in that decision. The leader has the authority to make a decision when it is evident that decisions aren't obvious, at the leader's discretion, and we all agree to suffer Alcar-deterined consequences if we, as followers, should work against the coherence of the team.
 
Of course, if a bad call was made, a vote of confidence can arise in that parliamentary fashion. Votes of confidence and other issues are handled privately "in the locker room," and not "on the field," or else you're not being a Team Player.

Maturity
Characters must look and act like adults.

Anthropomorphism Requirements
No restrictions.

Banned stuff
Within limits on the site, anything goes for the rough draft. Companion is unlikely to be allowed, for obvious reasons. (Sparkie has tried to ban divine relationship.)

Origins
The PCs are the fractured remnants of an established team that was started before the vanishing and must now struggle to persist past it. If saving the world (possibly even for the sake of loved ones) isn't good enough reason to join, your PC doesn't strictly belong in a superhero organization.

Backgrounds/Relationships
Propose backstory relationships to other characters at will.

Basic PC concepts (in terms of roles)
Caltak: Transport, Decoy, Mascot
Chaos: Healer, ranged, inventor
Fennec: ranged violence, suppression, melee/tank
Kentari: scout, diplomat, healer
 Lunchie: Unknown.

Game Time
One weeknight (undetermined, depends on lunchie) at ~6 pkm PST

Only Heroes - Editorial

METAHUMAN WEEKLY

Editorial

There has only been one story the last two weeks: where have they gone? Every major hero and big-name villain is simply gone, even those who shouldn't be. So far most of the now-major league villains are in hiding, quiet and still, expecting it to be a kind of trap or trick. But what if it's not? What if they really are gone? Loaded questions, with bullet answers.

• There have always been more villains than heroes. Some of that is because heroes retire more often, a lot is probably human nature. For the most part, the heroes were stronger and braver and held the world together, drew lines in the sand that no villain managed to cross. Do your crime, and you ended up in a MetaMax prison and almost no-one ever broke in or out of one of those.
• While officials won't answer, it seems likely that the major metahumans in them were subject to the Vanishing as well: which means they have an awful lot of room in cells now. That will keep the smarter villains in line, but as Morning Maid said in an interview years ago, the truly smart ones never become super villains. The rest may start breaking unwritten rules without anyone to hold them back.
• The government is looking into setting up the Superhuman Outreach Council again, with the goal being to find part-time superheroics to keep the number of villains down. Whether this will pass muster in Congress is anyone's guess.
• Those In The Know worry what Professor Green will do. No one seems to know if he really is a professor, but Green has been active since the 60s, shows no sign of getting older and has a staggering fortune at his disposal, all geared toward the destruction of humanity. It's estimated that over 70% of global-warming denial can be traced back to him and what he might fund or plan without superhumans to stop him is anyone's guess. (On a lighter note, when asked whether he had funded young-earth creationism, he reportedly said that he does have standards,)
• Another worry is an economic collapse owing to a certain number of large corporations being owned by superhumans: a Hall of Heroes must be funded somehow, after all, and a few titans of industry seem to have gone on 'vacation' shortly after the Vanishing, with no signs of returning to work.
• On the plus side, a lot of companies have lost their superhuman product endorsement and any hero wanting some decent pay on the side might be able to work out a deal with Nike shoes and the like. Not that the major heroes ever did that, but times might be changing ....