Ideas for world building a supernatural-superhero setting.

[JuddX]

I am in the early stages of running a supers campaign for a group. The system we are using is Savage Worlds using the Super Powers Companion. The group wanted to play the supernatural-super hero genre, along the lines of series like Hellboy. I have been reading the world building section of Wild Talents for help, but I wanted to bounce ideas and brainstorm with some others. As it stands, the world is just Hellboy/B.P.R.D. with the numbers filed off. I want to differentiate it. So that said, here are some of my initial ideas:

- The group the P.C.'s work for is called the Agency for Supernatural Intelligence and Defense, or A.S.I.D.

- Along with standard supernatural entities (vampires, werewolves, Cthulhu Mythos), I want to include the Greys, Reptoids, as well as other aliens that exist in modern folklore. I also will have secret/conspiratorial groups, like the Knights Templar, the Illuminati, etc.

-In attempting to avoid some of the cliches (some, not all) I have decided that I want WWII to remain mundane. Although Hitler believed in the supernatural, there was no supernatural presence in WWII. The only role it has is that somehow the atomic bombings in Japan awaken more supernatural phenomena and increase the amount of it in the world, enough that our government and a few other governments catch wind of it, and this necessitates the creation of A.S.I.D.

-To go along with the above point, I wanted to shift the "supernatural war" trope to the cold war. It seems like it would be easier to deny the use supernatural phenomena in a shadow/spy conflict rather than an actual war.

That's what I got so far. I need to write up a lot more, and figure out the world. Any ideas, suggestions, or general help would be appreciated.

 

[Teapot]

How aware were the two sides during the Cold War and how even were their supernatural things?

Thinking aloud sort of, all told there is little in the supernatural book that can be a better deturrant than nuclear fire. So maybe the sides were more interested in the spy/learning/control aspects? (Hello Jim Mars).

How unnatural is the supernatural to those who know it? Is it like Delta Green where no one really understands much beyond "Kill it. Kill it. Kill it." or is it like the Laundry where things are semi-well known?

How much of history changes? What magics/supers were used to invade Vietnam and did they conquer it or did it win independence anyway? Same with Afghanistan, how active was the paranatural in the CIA's support and the Russian army?

I guess this is more important but is this secret or have people kind of figured out that there are various monsters out there? Does high school now have another class like sex ed but about how to identfy vampires, werewolves and mummies?

[JuddX]

Both the U.S. and the Soviet Union were aware and were using the supernatural for the cold war. And that is what I was going for, the use of the supernatural for spy/intelligence gathering, rather than open conflict. I also want a few other governments to know, but not many. Not sure which ones yet, thinking maybe the British and Japanese.

I would say more in lines with the Laundry. Though it is based in the supernatural, it is still a supers setting. I am not going straight for horror in this.

As for how it affects later conflicts, I am unsure. There is a point in my original post I forgot to add. Later in the cold war, something happens to persuade governments in the know to scale back their use of supernatural tactics, and take a policy of protecting people from the supernatural, by destroying it, containing it, etc. Only supernatural elements that are well understood and controllable would be used, like for example the PC's.

The problem is the nature of that event. It has to be big enough that it convinces governments to not use the supernatural so much (which is tough, considering nukes to this day are still considered viable) but low key enough that the general populace wouldn't know.

Which as you may guess, makes the answer to your last question that is it secret. The general populace does not know about this. Though like in real life, many people do believe that the supernatural exists and seek it out...and may stumble on to it.

I will try to define a little more on my own to help with brainstorming. But again, I appreciate any help.

[Teapot]

There could have been bleedover from other places? Various countries occult research places might have found that the local areas were going out of phase with Earth and into phase with some horrible other place leading to something like a Non-Proliferation treaty. With all the cheating and new countries joining up all the time.

If you want to go more tongue in cheek there can be things like US contractors using summoning rituals and Russia selling gallons of demon blood to Iran, only the horrible thing living under North Korea knows what it is but, it's there for no good reason.

More realpolitik is that occult powers would be a bit of an equalizer among poorer nations that can't afford nukes but can tap into local superstitions/traditions to get some kind of result. The result is often a death god. Castro's long life and immunity to the CIA/FBI's incompetence is from some kind of pact/bound spirit. Haiti is a full on Voodoo-occracy, Papa Doc's mass murder might have brought something bad out. Same with the Cultural Revolution which might have been much worse being more of a consolidation of occult power and purge of practitioners with even more horrible collateral damage.

[clockworkjoe]

maybe an event from this is the triggering event: http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/colderwar.htm

[JuddX]

I really like the equalizer idea, didn't think of that. And I will have to read that link when I have more time.

Unfortunately after asking for idea help, the campaign took a back seat to Hellfrost for Savage Worlds. There was just more interest for that. I still want to make this a monthly game though, so I will take more feedback. But as it stands being a monthly game now, I don't think I am going to stress as much on the details. Saving these ideas for future use though.

[Teapot]

Also you can take a look at Grim War for many more ideas.

Or Cold City but that's less super and more spy.