Author Topic: Watchmen Inspired Campaign  (Read 40975 times)

clockworkjoe

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Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« on: March 10, 2009, 11:01:31 PM »
So you want to be a superhero?  No such thing.

But. You can be a mask, which is why you’re here. You said superhero but you meant a mask.

The difference? Simple. Superheroes didn’t choose to be what they turned out to be. They made the best with what they had. That’s why they died off. Masks want to be masks. Need to be. The governments, all around the world, passed those crackdown laws. That took out most of ‘em. But the call of the mask is still strong enough.  Strong enough to call you.

Here’s what I got. First number here is for this company. They make body armor and costumes on the sly. Light weight kevlar sewn in, lead weights on the knuckles of the gloves, maybe a few extras if you got the bucks. Cheaper if you already got a design but they can come up with something. You got an idea on the design? Good. Only hacks let someone else do it.

Next number is a street doc. Stitch your boo-boos right up. Cheap too. Oh and you’ll need that number. Might want to tattoo it on you or put it on speed dial on your  wrist communicator. Hey, no need to get cocky. You need this number.

Oh yeah, you got some moves. You’re fast. Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t be talking to you if I thought you couldn’t hack it. But it don’t matter how fast you are. How strong. How tough. You will bruise, you will break bones and you will bleed. But that’s part of the thrill you know?

Masks dance the dance because they’re fucking crazy or they love the thrill or both. Oh sure you gotta stop the bad guys. But that’s not the point. Masks do what no one else can.

Third number is Hal. He’s a trainer. Runs a 24 hour gym in the roughest part of the city. Doesn’t ask questions, about anything.  Can get you some weapons too. You gotta keep in shape, right?

You want extra juice? Lemme give you a number. There’s a black market for, shall we say, performance enhancements. My advice is to not fucking touch them. Masks who dip into that shit get burned. The cops have an anti-mask unit you know and they make examples out of any freak who throws a car on the evening news. Not to mention the side effects, cancer the least of them. Lost a lot of good people to them. Your call.

The place? Nah, kid. I gave you a lot but I can’t give you that. You gotta earn the right. It’s the only place where masks can relax and they are a goddamn exclusive crowd. Before the crackdown, there was over a thousand masks worldwide. Now, maybe 100 at any given time. Most masks die or get caught in the first month. Some study said the average mask’s career is 2 years. Oh sure, some go on for decades. Most don’t. 

I know you need this. Just pass the cash over and you get the numbers.


clockworkjoe

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2009, 11:04:59 PM »
The White House
Washington
March 15, 1984

Costumed Vigilantes, Adventurers and Criminals & The Reagan Act
Executive Summary

Today, President Cheney is proud to sign the Reagan Act into law. The tragedy of last year’s Air Force One attack galvanized Congress to finally outlaw so-called ‘masks’, as they are a clear and present danger to the American people. After decades of tolerating these fringe radicals out of a misguided notion that they could protect society better than our lawfully elected public officials and trained police officers, the 113 deaths on that fateful day has shown us the truth: that men and women who hide behind masks are not to be trusted.

The Reagan Act: Named in memory of the late president, the Reagan Act makes costumed adventuring without prior approval of the US government a federal crime, in of itself. A 6 month amnesty will be granted to all costumed vigilantes The Act also raises the penalties for enhancile related crimes.

Costumed adventuring is defined as committing a crime (including any vigilante related crimes) or otherwise endangering public safety and national security while in a costumed alter-personna. Furthermore, anyone wearing a costume of any kind must identify their true identity if asked by a law enforcement official.

Masks Today: The Saraswati Institute, the world’s only think tank specializing in studying costumed vigilantes and criminals has released the most in-depth study of the topic, Capes and Masks: The Secret world of Costumed Adventurers and its conclusions support the tenets of the Reagan Act.

Main Points of Capes and Masks

Costumed Vigilantes cause more crime than they stop: Study after study has found a ‘broken window’ effect when costumed vigilantes operate in a given area. While this seems counter-intuitive, extensive interviews with criminals, police and even a few vigilantes found a common cycle.
•   A vigilante’s initial operations in an area creates a temporary reduction in crime.
•   The police respond by lowering their presence in the area and focuse elsewhere.
•   Criminals, forced out by the police, move in the vigilante’s turf, raising crime.
•   The vigilante responds by using psychological warfare and more violence.
•   Criminals become desperate, using greater amounts of violence and depravity.
•   Crime rates are generally higher in a vigilante’s turf as a result.

Prosecuting criminals caught by costumed vigilantes is harder: While the conviction rates vary from state to state, many of the prosecutors interviewed for the book agree that a suspect who is caught by a mask has a much better chance of being acquitted than if the police conducted the investigation. Evidence gathered by a vigilante is thrown out in 64% of cases at least part of the time as there is no chain of custody. Other defendants have been freed on a variety of technicalities ranging from haebas corpus issues to the right to face one’s accuser. Of course, many vigilantes hope that suspects will be freed so they can seek revenge in private, such as the infamous ‘Meathook Killer’ Ted Logan who was beaten to death by a costumed vigilante after he was found not guilty. It was later shown that the same vigilante had hidden evidence from the police.

Costumed Adventurers are entirely unaccountable to society: Power brings corruption. Many vigilante supporters point to isolated instances of governmental corruption as proof that the masks are needed. However, many costumed adventurers have shown themselves to be more corrupt than any public official.
•   In Texas, a costumed vigilante raided drug dens and gave the contraband to minors during orgies as part of his ‘psychadelic counter-revolution’.
•   A group of three vigilantes burned the headquarters of a legitimate political organization in act of terrorism. Five of the organization’s leaders died in the blaze.
•   A female vigilante disrupted a peaceful pro-life group, crippled a Catholic bishop, and committed a lewd act with another woman during a public parade.
•   In the most egregious example, a costumed adventurer named Doctor Electro destroyed his notes on a new system of fusion energy that could end the current energy crisis, after the Department of Defense spent over $2 billion dollars funding his research. Doctor Electro  is still at large.

Costumed Adventurers abuse banned enhancile drugs and technology:
The Geneva Convention banned the use of any technology that could create super soldiers but costumed adventurers frequently abuse thesm. The dangers of enhancile technology is so great that not even Communist China or North Korea incorporates their use. Researchers believe that over 80% of masks make use of enhancile drugs or other forms of technology. Virtually all costumed adventurers deny using these technologies but the evidence indicates otherwise. As Dr. Sullivan explains “the idea of a single combatant defeating ten or more hardened criminals with only martial arts and a few gadgets is insane. There are literally hundreds of reports of vigilantes performing impossible feats and surviving injuries that can only be explained through enhancile technology.”

Masks on the Decline: Many of us remember the Freedom Squadron and other costumed adventurers who fought bravely in World War 2. While they served nobly, their modern counterparts are anything but noble. Fortunately, their numbers are dwindling. Most reports put active masks at anywhere between 200-400 in America alone.

Reporters can request a free copy of the book from the White House press office. Additional copies can be ordered from the Government Printing Office. The Saraswati Institute can be contacted at 202-555-3145 in order to arrange an interviw with the book’s author, Dr. Jack Sullivan.

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2009, 03:03:46 PM »
So, this very nearly screams of a wide gaming system, such as GURPS. Or a low power level, limited Powers, Mutants and Masterminds game.

As a fan of Watchmen and the world it takes place in I'm looking forward to hearing more.

clockworkjoe

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2009, 05:44:16 PM »
I'm setting it as a PL 10 150 point game but the characters are severely limited in taking clearly superhuman abilities. I want costumed adventurers like Nite Owl and Rorschach. I will of course record the game as well.


Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2009, 06:43:50 PM »
I assumed. I suppose that means you'll be allowing them to use the standard powers but using more "mundane" explaination? Such as Snare being a rope gun, Blast being a regular gun, and Fly being a jetpack.

I look forward to seeing what the twisted minds of your players assemble.

Mason

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2009, 01:50:12 PM »
that is great. I cant wait to hear the actual play, or are you thinking of running this on your forums as a play by post?
"a Kenyan man once told me you can get use to anything when money is involved... he use to stick mice up his ass for twenty dollars a pop." -Spider Jerusalem

JonHook

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2009, 09:32:31 PM »
Oh my god!!!

I wish I was playing in this game!!!
"Isolation on a ship like this can breed heresy in the dark unwashed corners. I won't find evidence of heresy here, will I?" - Festor Sorebol (an Imperial Psyker in Tadanori's Dark Heresy game: House of Dust & Ash)

Maze

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2009, 11:05:28 PM »
If not you, Ross, it would be wicked if someone ran this as a PbP using the new forum "utilities"

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2009, 01:37:58 AM »
Make for a good game to "breal in" the new forums section with. We should give it a try. Just have to time a GM who's run M&M before.

Zeernebooch

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2009, 11:41:27 AM »
I am totally going to have to yoink this stuff for a game of my own sometime hehe :)
can not wait to hear the ap of it
Welcome to dying! I don't let it out! Welcome to dying! Look to the mirror it
shows what I am! Welcome to dying!This town must burn now! Welcome to dying!
Can't you see the dragon's seed bears in me, the one who's been before!
-- Welcome to Dying by Blind Guardian

clockworkjoe

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2009, 05:16:16 PM »
Ran the first session. It went well. Players investigated a massacre of a rich penthouse party. I'll see if I can get Tom to post his character description.

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2009, 05:38:49 PM »
That doesn't sound alot like Watchman. Checking out high society I mean. I expected something more street level.

dragonshaos

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2009, 05:51:35 PM »
It might lead to them going through the streets to get information.  Like from gangs or something.

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clockworkjoe

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2009, 06:05:03 PM »
That doesn't sound alot like Watchman. Checking out high society I mean. I expected something more street level.

What do you mean? In Watchmen, Ozymandias is a member of high society and the others float through it when necessary. Nite Owl and Silk Specter go to fancy restaurants and Dr. Manhattan is a celebrity.

A whole bunch of rich people got killed through unknown means, possibly superhuman. Why wouldn't the characters investigate it?

Also, the investigation is leading them to various criminals - next session they will have to fight through a gang war to find an informant.

JonHook

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Re: Watchmen Inspired Campaign
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2009, 06:18:25 PM »
Ran the first session. It went well. Players investigated a massacre of a rich penthouse party. I'll see if I can get Tom to post his character description.

Please tell me you are recording this game!!!!
"Isolation on a ship like this can breed heresy in the dark unwashed corners. I won't find evidence of heresy here, will I?" - Festor Sorebol (an Imperial Psyker in Tadanori's Dark Heresy game: House of Dust & Ash)