Well, there are different ways to look at the issue. One way is "MMORPG world vs. real world." In an MMO players are used to and expect their PC "heroes" to be able to use lethal-force weaponry that would get them imprisoned or gunned down by law-enforcement if they employed them on people in real life: guns, blades, claws, and the like. This is not the case for the official Champions Universe described in the PnP game, which for the default setting spells out in some detail what the legal consequences for such actions are. So there's already a more liberal attitude to allowable types of weapons and violence implicit in CO.
Insofar as recognized, established heroes in the published game use chemical or biological weapons, they're usually of proven non-lethality, like tranquilizing darts or gasses, or adhesives to restrain a subject. If they possess something more dangerous in their arsenal, they restrict its use to non-living targets, or opponents tough enough that they're unlikely to sustain permanent serious injury. Poisons, acids, Ebola, etc. are almost exclusively the purview of supervillains or murderous vigilantes. Of course if you allow villains in an MMO to have such abilities, you know some players are going to demand them too.
Looking at the issue from a superhero-comic perspective, in a comic-book world it's possible for super-scientists to devise chemical or biological weapons with far more precise and predictable effects than can be done realistically: nerve-toxins that briefly paralyze a victim's limb-muscles but not any other vital functions; viruses that temporarily render the subject's brain very susceptible to suggestion, like commands to surrender; corrosives that only dissolve non-living materials. For example, the Champions supervillain Thorn, with various plant-based powers, can project "mind-controlling spores" which only affect one target at a time. Something like that probably wouldn't be deemed a violation of international law, if anyone even bothered to nominate it for the question.
That brings up another way to view the issue, from what in Champions PnP is called "special effects." The game makes a distinction between how a power looks, sounds, etc. vs. what it actually does game-mechanically. For example, a Blast attack may be defined as fire, ice, water, wind, electricity, plasma, stone, pretty much anything; but the basic Power chosen may in all cases be defended against the same way, do the same type of damage to a target (e.g. lethal or non-lethal), knock a target back from the force of the blow the same amount, and so on. So, an attack whose special effect is "concentrated micro-organism spray," but which simply renders the subject instantly unconscious and is non-contagious, won't elicit the same concerns from the authorities as "concentrated Bubonic Plague spray." (And if you think that's exaggeration, another official Champs villain, Plague, who can create and spread any type of disease, is a walking biohazard and Public Enemy Number One for the US CDC.)
Thanks for the speedy reply LL it just kinda occurred to me so thought i'd ask.
As you say control is all, I'd already figured that say a sword cyclone user might just whip out a pair of bokken? for non lethal purposes and similar techniques (high tech non lethal munitions) etc are there for most heroes.
So in a rather ironic way a bio chemical user with an ability to control insects would be an ideal hostage rescue agent. Able to deliver non lethal toxins with precision and stealth. Quite handy for recon too!
I could very easily imagine the effect(s) of a villain super bio warfare capability - mass destruction made flesh. Target to be subdued by any means available etc etc.
Thanx again for reply I guess I should have a more look toward the light sort of perspective.
Aside from Therakiel, no angelic beings have been written up in books for the current incarnation of the Champions Universe. (Note that the Nephilim from Champions Online haven't appeared in the PnP game either -- they're a Cryptic Studios creation for the MMO.) An earlier edition of the game did provide stats for several classes of angel, but those can't be considered canon for the current edition.
The Mystic World p. 32 does briefly describe angels and similar inhabitants of Elysium, the dimension where the beings described in modern "ethical" religions dwell. Here are relevant passages from the book:
"All Elysians are good, by the standards of the religions that spawned them. They are not necessarily gentle, merciful, or in other ways "nice." Most religious codes of morality place a strong emphasis on punishment... or at least most believers think so, even if the official doctrine centers on forgiveness or renunciation of violence.
... The Abrahamic angels are currently the most active and militant Elysian spirits. Most of them are not warm and fuzzy benefactors of mankind. Only the Angels of Mercy fit that modern, watered-down conception. Older lore says that angels punish as often as they reward or assist."
Steve Long is currently writing Mythic Hero, a book giving the Hero System treatment to mythologies from around the world. That book may -- may -- include some example angels. However, MH is intended as a general gaming reference book, not an official component of the Champions Universe.
One point worth noting is that Therakiel is described in the Vibora Bay source book as "nowhere near as powerful as he was when he was a full angel" (VB p. 109).
Aside from Therakiel, no angelic beings have been written up in books for the current incarnation of the Champions Universe. (Note that the Nephilim from Champions Online haven't appeared in the PnP game either -- they're a Cryptic Studios creation for the MMO.) An earlier edition of the game did provide stats for several classes of angel, but those can't be considered canon for the current edition.
The Mystic World p. 32 does briefly describe angels and similar inhabitants of Elysium, the dimension where the beings described in modern "ethical" religions dwell. Here are relevant passages from the book:
"All Elysians are good, by the standards of the religions that spawned them. They are not necessarily gentle, merciful, or in other ways "nice." Most religious codes of morality place a strong emphasis on punishment... or at least most believers think so, even if the official doctrine centers on forgiveness or renunciation of violence.
... The Abrahamic angels are currently the most active and militant Elysian spirits. Most of them are not warm and fuzzy benefactors of mankind. Only the Angels of Mercy fit that modern, watered-down conception. Older lore says that angels punish as often as they reward or assist."
Steve Long is currently writing Mythic Hero, a book giving the Hero System treatment to mythologies from around the world. That book may -- may -- include some example angels. However, MH is intended as a general gaming reference book, not an official component of the Champions Universe.
One point worth noting is that Therakiel is described in the Vibora Bay source book as "nowhere near as powerful as he was when he was a full angel" (VB p. 109).
Thanks, I wondered why Therakiel wasn't a cosmic villain.
Since things like heaven, Lucifer and Michael are mentioned in the MMO by name should I assume that these are additions by cryptic?
I assume there are no explicitly biblical demons either. I was really impressed by the visual design for Therakiel and the nephilim in the MMO and hopefully will one day see this universe's take on the other two factions.
Demons, on the other hand, often appear in Champions PnP. They come in a wide variety of forms, inspired by imagination, the lore from real-world occult grimoires, or the mythologies of various world cultures. A number of villains in the PnP game are demons or were given their powers by demons from one source or another.
What they all have in common is that they're uniformly evil, as humans define the concept. They hail from the dimension called the Netherworld, the counterpoint to Elysium. While Elysium is a mosaic of all the Heavens of human imagination, the Netherworld comprises all the Hells from religion and myth, present and past. (See also the following post.)
Thanks, I wondered why Therakiel wasn't a cosmic villain.
Since things like heaven, Lucifer and Michael are mentioned in the MMO by name should I assume that these are additions by cryptic?
I assume there are no explicitly biblical demons either. I was really impressed by the visual design for Therakiel and the nephilim in the MMO and hopefully will one day see this universe's take on the other two factions.
Actually, Heaven, Lucifer, and Michael are all mentioned in the background to the mystical part of the PnP Champions Universe. The Biblical demons and their kin are real and active in the world. Infamous demons such as Mephistopheles, Baphomet, and Belial have all had a hand in CU events.
What you need to remember about "Heaven" and "Hell" in the CU is that those dimensions, and their inhabitants, are spawned by the collective imaginations of all humans who believe in them. As such they appear the way the majority of their worshippers imagine them regardless of official doctrine, e.g. Yahweh/ Jehovah/ Allah as a stern, bearded patriarch. They should not be considered the "true" gods of any of these religions. (See also the post above.)
EDIT: Interesting tidbit about the Archangel Gabriel, from The Mystic World. Since he's a major figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, he has to shuttle between the Heavens of all three demesnes while pretending to the spirits of the faithful who live in each one, that the others don't exist.
EDIT: Interesting tidbit about the Archangel Gabriel, from The Mystic World. Since he's a major figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, he has to shuttle between the Heavens of all three demesnes while pretending to the spirits of the faithful who live in each one, that the others don't exist.
Well, that is, of course, depending upon the faithful spirit in question! Even in the afterlife, "fundamentalist" is merely a subset of the faithful, it doesn't define all of them.
Got another coupla winners for you.
1. Nuclear weapons - Do they generate any kind of call it Paranormal Energy Spike? (seems plausible to this idiot who hasn't read the lore)
Was any paranormal effect of nuclear weapons testing carried out in Champs Universe?
Incredibly there seems to have been no real world research on this vital question, could the military not have tested the effects of nukes on ley lines whilst they were playing with the wretched things? Yet more evidence of bungling incompetence in the uniformed services.
2. What are the dimensions e.g. area of the terrain in Operation Demonflame?
How can I possibly know the effects of nuclear release on the troops at the portal without this? (yes I know not good if using anything bigger than a ton)
This train of thought was prompted by thinking about Demonflame and possible alternatives to summoning the key (wasn't there a thread on this being unethical) and leaving the Avatars to just get on with their evil business. My conclusion was that there wasn't really any realistic alternative that would definitely work. Caliburn knows something of going through magical defences but probably couldn't do it fast enough. Conventional breaching charges are not gonna get you into paranormal constructs. A nuke might work on both towers and the imprisoned avatars but then again it might not and post strike reconnaissance, essential if you wanna know if it worked would be very very very difficult indeed. As would follow on superhero missions if it did fail.
Sorry Mr President we can't be sure, the best thing we can do is have replacement champion teams on stand by in case the alpha team falls.
1. There have indeed been "paranormal" outcomes to nuclear tests in Champions Universe history, although from the rest of your question I'm not sure it's the kind of effect you're looking for.
The test explosion of an experimental "Delta Bomb" at White Sands, New Mexico in 1978 went out of control, exceeding the anticipated blast radius, and saturating the area with unique radiation which somehow created mutants and zombies, in the deadly region now called Burning Sands.
Since it was known that superhuman powers had been randomly induced in people exposed to nuclear radiation, in 1994 a group of American "rogue generals" conducted Project Sunburst, exposing volunteer soldiers (not aware of the real danger) to radiation from a nuclear explosion. Almost all of them died; most of the rest lapsed into comas, which continue to this day. A very few manifested superhuman powers, but to date all have become villains.
2. There are no specifics on the dimensions of the most recent Demonflame event on the PnP side of the CU. Perhaps someone more savvy in the background of Champions Online has that info.
In the PnP game nuclear explosives, being beyond the power range even of most supers, are most often treated as plot devices. If you need them to have a particular in-game effect to advance the story, then they have that effect. If the option of using a nuke to stop the Demonflame was available in CO, I wouldn't have trouble with that. It's comic-book physics, after all.
This train of thought was prompted by thinking about Demonflame and possible alternatives to summoning the key (wasn't there a thread on this being unethical) and leaving the Avatars to just get on with their evil business. My conclusion was that there wasn't really any realistic alternative that would definitely work. Caliburn knows something of going through magical defences but probably couldn't do it fast enough. Conventional breaching charges are not gonna get you into paranormal constructs. A nuke might work on both towers and the imprisoned avatars but then again it might not and post strike reconnaissance, essential if you wanna know if it worked would be very very very difficult indeed. As would follow on superhero missions if it did fail.
It occurs to me that you could probably use one of the powerful reality/ dimension-warping mystic artifacts lying about Champions Earth to banish the Kings of Edom's avatars, or seal them within their pocket dimension. The Janus Key likely could accomplish this, or perhaps the Basilisk Orb. The current location of these artifacts is unknown, so one could devise a way to bring them into this scenario. The Basilisk Orb was in fact once possessed and used by the Edomite (Luther Black) in 1968 to further his plans, but hasn't been seen since; so adding it to this storyline would not be inappropriate.
It may also be possible for a super-scientist to use technological means to seal off the Qliphothic dimension, even if it was created by magic. For example, the first Amazing Man, leader of the Fabulous Five, accomplished a similar feat during the 1960s when the aforementioned Janus Key went out of control and opened temporal doorways to the past and future, spilling their denizens into the world. "Amazing Man closed the temporal doors by isolating the time-manipulating harmonic, then producing a counter-wave with his super-science." (DEMON: Servants Of Darkness p. 14)
Thanks once again for your time Lord_Liaden. Might be getting a coupla these lore books for Xmas and that'll shut me up for a while. Once again I am surprised by the amount of thought that goes into these things.
I hadn't thought of magical artifacts or pseudo magical responses, a couple of Pnpers could it seems develop a more ethical response to the DF situation. Of course the DemonFlame emergency escalates very quickly, one minute your saving some civilians from a Demonhame and investigating Demons latest bit of nastiness. Next you're in an end game situation which could result in the end of all things. It may just go way too fast to develop and deploy a perfect dare I say comic book solution. I love DF because of it's real worldy flawed solutions thing.
Y'know one little thing bout DF is the bit at the end where you stroll out of the Arcane bookstore so easily. Having gone face to face with five epitomes of evil, survived that and whilst you were doing your force 9 gale of relief the key chimes in with his little speech. Switch back to fight or flight mode in time for the key to say you're not worth it. Then all that remains is to walk out of the bookstore without convulsive sobbing and shaking on legs made of jello.
I hope you don't feel you have to shut up just because you're getting some of the books. They're wonderful, but they cover a lot of ground, and it often helps to bounce ideas off someone else who's had more time to digest them. And frankly, questions like yours make folks like me think about the lore in ways we haven't before. So I say, keep 'em coming!
If I may make a suggestion, if you don't already have it you should start your reading with the book titled Champions Universe. It lays out the entire setting in general terms: detailed history, how present-day society has adapted to the presence of supers, unique locations, the layout of the galaxy and Multiverse, the major power players, and many other interesting tidbits. Other books delve into particular elements of the CU in more detail, but this one is the foundation and provides the broadest overview.
Re PnPers finding other solutions to the Demonflame crisis, that's a fundamental difference between the tabletop and computer RPG experience. In the latter there are only so many possible outcomes one can build into the game, and PC actions are restricted to those courses. In a tabletop game all that has to happen is for a player to come up with an idea, the Game Master (who controls all non-PC outcomes in the game) to agree it's appropriate to the genre, setting, and scenario, and off we go!
I am a bit confused about Ghost Veil (Lethka Zakkera). http://www.champions-online-wiki.com/wiki/Ghost_Veil
You meet her in a nemesis mission where your nemesis frees her, but she doesn't wanna work with your nem and attacks. You nem escapes and leaves you to battle her.
And you can't really defeat her, only seal her in by bringing the mine down on top of her with dynamite.
Okay so
Her profile/bio/background says she was locked away by Kul-Turak the Ravenger, and her comments makes it sound like he only did it by dumb luck.
And I recall that Kul-Turak was Takofanes mortal name.
And know that all the worlds mightiest archmages gathered their powers to try and destroy him, but the best they could do was to seal him away, and he then later returns as Takofanes.
And he's far and wide the most powerfull sorcerer in the championverse, and that's still being in a world with ambient magical levels far below the world of his days.
All this kinda makes it sound like to me that Ghost Veil is surpose to be far more powerful. But she is such a pushover, easy to defeat. (Then again, she does say she is weak after years of being sealed away.)
But it just seems kinda cheap the way we meet her and then defeats her. I would even like to see her returning and having regained more power.
Who exactly is she and how does she fit into Champions lore? Is there more about her?
Where is she placed, power/strength compared to Kul-Turak, Takofanes and others?
I have a question; what's the current state of Excalibur? Last I'd heard was that it was currently being used to power Atlantis, but wasn't sure if that's still the case.
Additionally, is the sword a technological device or a mystical one?
I am a bit confused about Ghost Veil (Lethka Zakkera). http://www.champions-online-wiki.com/wiki/Ghost_Veil
You meet her in a nemesis mission where your nemesis frees her, but she doesn't wanna work with your nem and attacks. You nem escapes and leaves you to battle her.
And you can't really defeat her, only seal her in by bringing the mine down on top of her with dynamite.
Okay so
Her profile/bio/background says she was locked away by Kul-Turak the Ravenger, and her comments makes it sound like he only did it by dumb luck.
And I recall that Kul-Turak was Takofanes mortal name.
And know that all the worlds mightiest archmages gathered their powers to try and destroy him, but the best they could do was to seal him away, and he then later returns as Takofanes.
And he's far and wide the most powerfull sorcerer in the championverse, and that's still being in a world with ambient magical levels far below the world of his days.
All this kinda makes it sound like to me that Ghost Veil is surpose to be far more powerful. But she is such a pushover, easy to defeat. (Then again, she does say she is weak after years of being sealed away.)
But it just seems kinda cheap the way we meet her and then defeats her. I would even like to see her returning and having regained more power.
Who exactly is she and how does she fit into Champions lore? Is there more about her?
Where is she placed, power/strength compared to Kul-Turak, Takofanes and others?
First off, you are more or less correct about Kal-Turak/ Takofanes, and his place in the history of the Champions Universe. However, Ghost Veil is not a character from the PnP game, but a Cryptic creation, so we don't have additional facts from that side to contribute. I would like to offer a few educated guesses, though.
You can't assume that Ghost Veil is telling the truth about how Kal-Turak imprisoned her. Implying you're a match for the Ravager of Men would be a good way to intimidate your opponents; but during the Turakian Age, no-one less than a god was stronger than him. Kal-Turak, on the other hand, was not above imprisoning someone who displeased him, to make them suffer, or because they could be useful, rather than destroy them outright. He did that with the demon who was his mother.
I suspect Cryptic created Ghost Veil specifically for this mission, with a convenient background tied to the setting's history, but not considering her significant enough to use recurringly. That alone suggests her true stature in the setting IMHO.
I have a question; what's the current state of Excalibur? Last I'd heard was that it was currently being used to power Atlantis, but wasn't sure if that's still the case.
Additionally, is the sword a technological device or a mystical one?
You're probably thinking of the previous incarnation of the Champions Universe, for the Fourth Edition of the HERO System. In the book Kingdom of Champions describing Champions Britain, Excalibur was actually a radioactive isotope powering the technological underwater civilization of Lyonesse, not Atlantis. Lyonesse in the new CU is "An extra-dimensional/underwater mystic realm located off the coast of Europe, home to (among others) the fiendish Fomorians."
In the current official CU, many stories of legend and folklore are based on history, happening more or less as tales relate. Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, et al are mentioned as historical figures. Sometimes their CU histories have additions not from real-world legend. For example, the modern-day supervillain Black Paladin was once a great enemy of Lancelot.
With that background, Excalibur is most likely a magic artifact. Since there's no mention of Excalibur appearing in the modern world, it would be reasonable to assume it's still in the possession of the Lady of the Lake, awaiting the return of Arthur or the coming of a new hero.
First off, you are more or less correct about Kal-Turak/ Takofanes, and his place in the history of the Champions Universe. However, Ghost Veil is not a character from the PnP game, but a Cryptic creation, so we don't have additional facts from that side to contribute. I would like to offer a few educated guesses, though.
You can't assume that Ghost Veil is telling the truth about how Kal-Turak imprisoned her. Implying you're a match for the Ravager of Men would be a good way to intimidate your opponents; but during the Turakian Age, no-one less than a god was stronger than him. Kal-Turak, on the other hand, was not above imprisoning someone who displeased him, to make them suffer, or because they could be useful, rather than destroy them outright. He did that with the demon who was his mother.
I suspect Cryptic created Ghost Veil specifically for this mission, with a convenient background tied to the setting's history, but not considering her significant enough to use recurringly. That alone suggests her true stature in the setting IMHO.
Darn, had hoped there would be more about her.
Her short bit of Background story and ingame lines does open up a lot of options for Cryptic for a next major bad guy. *hint hint wink wink if they read this*
Well Thanks anyway.
And I suddenly got another group of (shorter)questions:
How is Denmark? Current status?
Any major Danish Superheroes?
Danish Supergroups? Scandinavian Supergroups? or Nordic Supergroups?
You're probably thinking of the previous incarnation of the Champions Universe, for the Fourth Edition of the HERO System. In the book Kingdom of Champions describing Champions Britain, Excalibur was actually a radioactive isotope powering the technological underwater civilization of Lyonesse, not Atlantis. Lyonesse in the new CU is "An extra-dimensional/underwater mystic realm located off the coast of Europe, home to (among others) the fiendish Fomorians."
In the current official CU, many stories of legend and folklore are based on history, happening more or less as tales relate. Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, et al are mentioned as historical figures. Sometimes their CU histories have additions not from real-world legend. For example, the modern-day supervillain Black Paladin was once a great enemy of Lancelot.
With that background, Excalibur is most likely a magic artifact. Since there's no mention of Excalibur appearing in the modern world, it would be reasonable to assume it's still in the possession of the Lady of the Lake, awaiting the return of Arthur or the coming of a new hero.
Doh! Was meant to put Lyonesse instead of Atlantis, got my underwater kingdoms mixed up there.
About the Fomorians, do we know what the general look and powers of them are at all?
Thanks for answering those questions by the way. I'd had a character back during my City of Heroes days who was supposed to wield Excalibur, but then they went and added Hero 1 to the lore of the game when they released the Issue 2 update, and it sort of torpedoed that idea for me.
I am a bit confused about Ghost Veil (Lethka Zakkera).
Okay so
Her profile/bio/background says she was locked away by Kul-Turak the Ravenger, and her comments makes it sound like he only did it by dumb luck.
Ghost Veil taunts your nemesis for thinking they are powerful enough to control her. "Kul-Turak once thought he could control me. He trapped me here only through... dumb luck." The pause before 'dumb luck' and the way she delivers the line suggests, (to me at least) that she knows Kul-Turak was more powerful than her, but she's too embarrassed to admit it.
It's also likely that she realizes that she's inadvertently revealed a method that can be used to defeat her, which is why she's so quick to change the subject.
And I suddenly got another group of (shorter)questions:
How is Denmark? Current status?
Any major Danish Superheroes?
Danish Supergroups? Scandinavian Supergroups? or Nordic Supergroups?
Denmark's status is practically identical with that of its real-world counterpart, like almost all nations of Champions Earth. It and the other Scandinavian countries are noted as being among the European nations that cooperate most closely with UNTIL.
The only Danish superhero mentioned in the PnP game is "Beowulf, a Danish strongman who's adopted a medieval motif for his costume and speech" (Champions Universe p. 72 sidebar). Denmark is also the native country of the infamous Fiacho, founder and leader of Europe's deadliest supervillain team, Eurostar. There are probably other supers based in the country, and almost certainly some in Norway and Sweden, based on the fact that all three nations have superhuman registration programs (not mandatory, but effectively required in exchange for any government assistance). No other Scandinavian supers are named as yet, though.
Note that European supers, particularly villains, often cross national boundaries, so can appear almost anywhere on the continent.
About the Fomorians, do we know what the general look and powers of them are at all?
Well, no Champions book has detailed them yet, so it's unclear how closely CU Fomorians match their mythical counterparts, and which mythology. The Fomorian entry in the HERO System Bestiary, based primarily on Irish myth, describes sea-giants who live beneath the water. Since Lyonesse is supposed to be under water, that sounds appropriate. Their bodies are made up of various animal parts, making each Fomorian unique-looking. OTOH Scottish Fomorians look more like traditional giants, humanoid but huge and misshapen. The Fomorians of the land of Tuala Morn (an official past setting on Champions Earth, in the region of the modern British Isles between 28,000 - 20,000 BCE) seem to resemble the Scottish version more.
Some mythic Fomorians can assume a pleasing human shape, and a few are even said to look naturally attractive to humans. Fomorians may sometimes wield magic spells in addition to their great strength and durability. Generally speaking they're arrogant and cruel, considering themselves superior to humans.
However, please remember that all of this is based on Celtic myth, or inferred from what little relevant CU lore's available. Steve Long might show up and state that all of the above has nothing to do with how he envisions the Fomorians dwelling in CU Lyonesse today.
Darn, had hoped there would be more about her.
Her short bit of Background story and ingame lines does open up a lot of options for Cryptic for a next major bad guy. *hint hint wink wink if they read this*
The Champions Universe already has an established female supervillain with awesome power of darkness and tremendous destructiveness, Eclipsar. Apparently having some connection to the pre-Columbian cultures of the Andes Mountains region of South America, e.g. the Incas and Moche, Eclipsar's goal is to destroy the Sun, either by gaining enough power to snuff it out directly, or by eliminating what she believes to be its spiritual sustenance, the lives of every human being on Earth.
In her first appearance in 2000, Eclipsar blotted out the light of the Sun over most of the South American continent, then began slaughtering people by the thousands. It took the combined forces of UNTIL, the famous American superhero team, the Justice Squadron, and La Brigada de Victoria, the premier hero team of South America, to defeat her. Imprisoned by combined technological and mystical means in UNTIL's super-prison, "the Guardhouse," Eclipsar escaped in 2004. She hasn't been seen since, but it's just a matter of time until her return. And who knows what she's been planning over the intervening years?
I usually just end up grounding backgrounds in reality, then saying "Oh, and there were superheroes, so you kno...super stuff happened"
Krusedullfaen's remark above was in response to questions as to how the presence of superhumans has changed the course of history. I discovered a passage in the Champions Universe source book, p. 8, which "officially" addresses the issue:
"As a fictional version of the real Earth, the Champions Universe is built upon the framework of real-world history. Things may become more colorful and exciting due to the presence of costumed heroes and criminals, and minor events may change entirely, but major events generally occur just like they did in the real world. The Civil War was fought and the South lost; World Wars I and II took place almost exactly the way theyre described in real history books; Ronald Reagan was president during most of the 1980s.
Unless the history presented here (or in some other Hero Games product) indicates otherwise, its usually safe for you to assume that any historical event that occurred in the real world also occurred in the Champions Universe. Costumed heroes or villains could easily have been involved for major events, particularly ones involving danger to large numbers of people, they almost certainly were. But typically those events play out more or less the same way they did in the real world unless the GM prefers otherwise. Just be aware that making changes to major historical events may require you to change other aspects of history or the Champions Universe."
One example of the impact of superhumans on major events is described in Champions Universe: News Of The World p. 38:
"On August 28-29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States, making land in Mississippi and threatening Vibora Bay as well as other nearby cities like New Orleans, Mobile, and Biloxi. UNTIL's top weather team, led by Tempest, blunted the main force of the storm, which still did $8 billion in combined damages and killed nearly two hundred people. An oil rig under construction broke loose from its moorings and threatened to crash into the Easton shore, but was turned aside with the help of several whales summoned by Amphibian. Vibora Bay suffered severe flooding and power loss, but nowhere near what it would have without superheroes to protect it."
How is Denmark? Current status?
Any major Danish Superheroes?
Danish Supergroups? Scandinavian Supergroups? or Nordic Supergroups?
Denmark is just fine; it recently got a promotion and is now VP of Marketing.
I don't recall that we've ever taken much of a look at Denmark or its supers specifically (not even in Champions Worldwide,) but I have no doubt there are some there. In fact, our Champions Universe book specifically says that Denmark has a superpowers registration law and rarely grants heroes official sanction, which clearly implies the existence of supers there.
One specific hero is mentioned in CU: "Beowulf, a Danish strongman whos adopted a medieval motif for his costume and speech (no relation to the American superhero of the Sixties with the same name)."
Champions Of The North 5th edition mentions Potenstorm, a powerful Swedish superhero who was formerly leader of the Starforce and active as recently as 2007. I gave no info on powers, I imagined him as being a reasonably powerful projector who's almost cerrainly still alive and active.
In the very unofficial history of the second Northern Guard, there was another temporary Swedish member named Seger. imported to replace Thundrax when he was away on a mission during his part time stint with UNITY in the late 90s. Seger was essentially the Norse mythos version of Fawcett's/DC Comics' Captain Marvwl: by speaking his magic word and holding high the Amulet of the Aesir, college student Anders Erlandsson was able to transform himself into a superhuman who combined the strength of Thor, the Cunning of Loki, the Vigilance of Heimdell, the Foresight of Odin, the Beauty of Balder, and the Ferocity of Fenris Wolf). Alas, he was also a colossal jerk. He antagonized most of the team except Snowblind, the founding member who was secretly Kigatilik's daughter (she had big daddy issues). Eventually they married and he took her away from the Guard to live with him in Europe. Alas for the star-crossed lovers, they both died in combat with Eurostar in 1997.
At some point, I'll do writeups for the "lost members" of the 2nd Guard for the Hero Games boards.
I kind of like the idea of doing "alternate mythology Shazams" as superheroes. However, if you like the idea of a mythologically grounded Danish hero (and not every regional super should be mythical), someone else might have gotten possession of that amulet and become a new Seger (or Sejr, if Google translate isn't giving me a silly word choice for "victory").
In the official Champions Universe future timeline, Witchcraft, who has become Archmage, will sacrifice herself to cast a terrible spell to drive off Tyrannon the Conqueror. This spell somehow blocks off the flow of magic, not only to Earth, but the entire galaxy. Without magic "loosening" the laws of physics, super powers, super technology etc. stops being possible. Magic and superhumans will be lost until another major event releases the magic again in the year 3000, ushering in the "Galactic Champions" era.
This event is supposed to occur in the year 2020. If the Champions game is still around in some form by then, I suspect that detail will be revised.
In the official Champions Universe future timeline, Witchcraft, who has become Archmage, will sacrifice herself to cast a terrible spell to drive off Tyrannon the Conqueror. This spell somehow blocks off the flow of magic, not only to Earth, but the entire galaxy. Without magic "loosening" the laws of physics, super powers, super technology etc. stops being possible. Magic and superhumans will be lost until another major event releases the magic again in the year 3000, ushering in the "Galactic Champions" era.
This event is supposed to occur in the year 2020. If the Champions game is still around in some form by then, I suspect that detail will be revised.
Wow, that'd suck for sure. I think I'd rather Takofanes become Archmage instead. It'd certainly be more entertaining.
Now that's actually an interesting question for Steve Long. Some of the Champions books express concern among modern mystics that Takofanes may indeed be a former Archmage come to reclaim his power. Books dealing with Tak and his identity as a living being, Kal-Turak, say nothing on the subject. Was Kal-Turak ever the Archmage?
Certainly his power at his height was great enough, and moral uprightness doesn't appear to be a requirement for the office. Personally I always though Kal-Turak was depicted as too closely allied to the demons of the Netherworld to gain the necessary gifts from the other Parterres to become Archmage; but I'm not Hero Games's Line Developer.
Now that's actually an interesting question for Steve Long. Some of the Champions books express concern among modern mystics that Takofanes may indeed be a former Archmage come to reclaim his power. Books dealing with Tak and his identity as a living being, Kal-Turak, say nothing on the subject. Was Kal-Turak ever the Archmage?
Certainly his power at his height was great enough, and moral uprightness doesn't appear to be a requirement for the office. Personally I always though Kal-Turak was depicted as too closely allied to the demons of the Netherworld to gain the necessary gifts from the other Parterres to become Archmage; but I'm not Hero Games's Line Developer.
Interesting, I'm guessing Dr.Yin Wu would also be a contender as well then?
How do governments in the CU regulate powers that affect the mind and senses?
For example,
Are there laws specifically banning or restricting the reading of minds? Does one technically need a search warrant to mind-probe someone?
Is telepathically obtained evidence admissible in court? How about evidence obtained through use of N-ray vision, ultrasonic hearing, astral projection, magic mirrors, statistical biosupercomputers, or tea leaves?
Who is liable for crimes committed under mind control? How does one prove that s/he was under mind control at the time? Do many lawyers use the "Menton made me do it" defense?
What are the legalities of mind-controlling someone to *not* push the launch button for the Missile of Global Doom?
Interesting, I'm guessing Dr.Yin Wu would also be a contender as well then?
Dr. Yin Wu is an interesting case, in that he's been alive for a thousand years, and more than one vacancy for Archmage has arisen in that time, but Yin Wu didn't take it. In the discussion of the requirements for Archmage in Champions Universe, it suggests that the Doctor may be too devoted or closely tied to the traditional Chinese gods to receive the necessary gifts from all four Parterres.
How do governments in the CU regulate powers that affect the mind and senses?
The sourcebook Stronghold, detailing the PnP version of the CU's super-prison, devotes a couple of chapters to law in the United States as it relates to superhumans, including how the law has adapted to the use of super powers. (How other countries deal with these specific issues hasn't really been touched on yet.) I don't want to transcribe large sections from the book here, but I'll offer a few highlights.
Are there laws specifically banning or restricting the reading of minds? Does one technically need a search warrant to mind-probe someone?
While the Supreme Court ruled that telepathic searches are not unconstitutional in and of themselves, it's generally left up to individual states as to whether they're legal. A slim majority of states don't allow them on the grounds that it violates a subject's right to privacy and against self-incrimination. The remaining states allow them under tightly controlled circumstances: a warrant is necessary, as for a wire-tap; only government-sanctioned heroes' telepathic searches are admissible in court; ideally the search should be conducted in a controlled environment, like a police station, and have other safeguards to assure reliability and impartiality.
Is telepathically obtained evidence admissible in court? How about evidence obtained through use of N-ray vision, ultrasonic hearing, astral projection, magic mirrors, statistical biosupercomputers, or tea leaves?
See above re telepathic admissibility. Sanctioned superheroes who possess natural enhanced senses, i.e. not through some device, can use them to discover evidence which for them is "in plain sight" without a warrant. Use of enhanced senses through devices, though, are legally considered a "search" and require a warrant.
Who is liable for crimes committed under mind control? How does one prove that s/he was under mind control at the time? Do many lawyers use the "Menton made me do it" defense?
What are the legalities of mind-controlling someone to *not* push the launch button for the Missile of Global Doom?
etc.
While Stronghold discusses the legality of using mind control to uncover evidence or extract a confession (generally disallowed as self-incrimination), it oddly doesn't speak directly to being mind-controlled into committing a crime. If I were to guess, I'd say that would fall under the heading of an insanity defense, on the condition that "the defendant lacked the capacity to conform his conduct to the law even though he knew he was doing something wrong." (Stronghold p. 9) As you say, proving someone was controlled, to evidentiary standards, could be very tricky.
The PnP game has optional rules for the use of Mental Powers which describes "traces" the use of such powers leaves in the victim's mind, which may allow another mentalist to identify the use of the power, and even who the user was. OTOH there are also ways a mentalist can hide or disguise his traces, making them harder to detect.
1. Was there ever made any description what kind of uniforms the soldiers in the Shadow Army of Warlord wear and how they look?
2. Is there some kind of temporary super-enhancement (pills, serums, injections), that give the user superhuman traits for let's say 10 minutes? If yes, what kind of disadvantages do those enhancements have?
3. ((This is a Dark Champions question; feel free to ignore if it's too specific)) Andres Panthanatos. He is depicted as the worlds best human hitman ever. Would it be possible, that he could take on superhumans in combat (and succeed)?
Dr. Yin Wu is an interesting case, in that he's been alive for a thousand years, and more than one vacancy for Archmage has arisen in that time, but Yin Wu didn't take it. In the discussion of the requirements for Archmage in Champions Universe, it suggests that the Doctor may be too devoted or closely tied to the traditional Chinese gods to receive the necessary gifts from all four Parterres.
I'd imagine that'd eliminate Rashindar too? He's very much devoted to the Hindu faith, so that'd be an obstacle for him becoming Archmage I'd assume.
1. Was there ever made any description what kind of uniforms the soldiers in the Shadow Army of Warlord wear and how they look?
"Shadow Army personnel wear battleship grey uniforms and berets (or helmets in the field); each one carries an advanced assault rifle, a semiautomatic pistol as a sidearm, and a combat knife. Rank insignia are on the outer upper arm in red." Champions Villains Vol. 3: Master Villains p. 276) Said book includes a color illo of Shadow Army uniforms, but I don't think I should reproduce that on an open forum. Suffice to say, their configuration resembles standard modern military uniforms. Weapon belts, harness, and armor are a darker shade of grey than the rest. The uniform includes a blue full-head mask, like a mouthless ski mask.
2. Is there some kind of temporary super-enhancement (pills, serums, injections), that give the user superhuman traits for let's say 10 minutes? If yes, what kind of disadvantages do those enhancements have?
VIPER has a treatment to create Draysha agents, who gain temporary low-superhuman physical abilities and ophidian powers after ingesting king cobra venom. The agents' appearance also becomes more snake-like. They revert to normal after several minutes, with the exception of losing all their body hair. They also have chance of developing leukemia with long-term use of venom.
The VIPER operation on Monster Island has developed a "draysha gas" that provides lesser physical enhancements, with no health effects or cosmetic changes other than causing the user's skin to glow green.
Gladiators in the arenas of the alien Malvans often use various drugs for short-term boosts to their strength and durability, speed and reflexes, resistance to pain, or energy projection abilities. Frequent users suffer from a shortened life span. I'm not sure how those drugs could be obtained on Earth, unless it was through the Forum Malvanum on Luna. The "praetor" of the Forum, Tateklys, is involved in all sorts of covert money-making deals.
The PnP source book, HERO System Equipment Guide, stats up several such treatments, but I can't think of any published Champions villain or organization who regularly uses them. Doesn't mean there aren't any.
3. ((This is a Dark Champions question; feel free to ignore if it's too specific)) Andres Panthanatos. He is depicted as the worlds best human hitman ever. Would it be possible, that he could take on superhumans in combat (and succeed)?
Based on his character sheet, Panthanatos could match at least some "super heroes." Many heroes are what the game refers to as "trained normals," their abilities based on exceptional training rather than true superhuman powers. Although built on many Character Points, Panthanatos sank more of those points into non-combat Skills than many superheroes in the game are built on.
Panthanatos could take on more powerful heroes if equipped with high-tech weaponry, and if he used surprise tactics such as ambush or studying a target's weaknesses (which is how one would expect a pro assassin to operate). Several trained normal heroes and villains in the Champions Universe, such as the vigilante Thunderbird, employ such equalizers.
I'd imagine that'd eliminate Rashindar too? He's very much devoted to the Hindu faith, so that'd be an obstacle for him becoming Archmage I'd assume.
Rashindar has long and actively campaigned for support in the Mystic World for his candidacy as Archmage, which has irritated many members of that subculture. Since the modern Hindu pantheon is well represented in three of the four Parterres (Elysium, Faerie, and the Netherworld), Rashindar has gained most of the necessary gifts from them.
1. Was there ever made any description what kind of uniforms the soldiers in the Shadow Army of Warlord wear and how they look?
See Champions Villains, Vol. 1, page 275.
2. Is there some kind of temporary super-enhancement (pills, serums, injections), that give the user superhuman traits for let's say 10 minutes? If yes, what kind of disadvantages do those enhancements have?
Offhand I don't recall anything precisely like that in official CU material (though LL will probably come along and remind me of something along those lines ). If there were such "treatments," they'd almost certainly come with some pretty negative side effects. (I'm assuming Draysha treatments, which appear in CO, don't qualify for what you're asking about; it sounds like you want something more widely available.)
3. ((This is a Dark Champions question; feel free to ignore if it's too specific)) Andres Panthanatos. He is depicted as the worlds best human hitman ever. Would it be possible, that he could take on superhumans in combat (and succeed)?
That depends on the superhuman and the situation. His abilities are certainly well within the range for taking on many low-powered superhumans (particularly those whose "powers" derive from training and gadgets more than actual superhuman powers). If he were to attack from surprise he could probably take on some more powerful supers; the same applies if he were somehow equipped with super-tech weapons and gadgets. But I'd have a hard time seeing him take on really powerful supers, or any super with high defenses.
Now that's actually an interesting question for Steve Long. Some of the Champions books express concern among modern mystics that Takofanes may indeed be a former Archmage come to reclaim his power. Books dealing with Tak and his identity as a living being, Kal-Turak, say nothing on the subject. Was Kal-Turak ever the Archmage?
While it's been established lore-wise that there've been Archmages throughout human history (and even, perhaps, before humanity was capable of assuming the office), we've never specified any officeholders by name that early.
My personal guess would be that no, Kal-Turak was never Archmage, because I think he's tied too specifically to one particular god -- Krim, his father. That could be seen as violating one of the "rules" that generally apply to who can become Archmage. However, it would probably be easy enough to get around that if you wanted to.
That also leads to the question of whether Takofanes is hobbled by the same restriction as of the modern day. For now I'll leave that as a subject of debate.
My personal guess would be that no, Kal-Turak was never Archmage, because I think he's tied too specifically to one particular god -- Krim, his father.
Strictly speaking, Kal-Turak/ Takofanes would be Krim's nephew. His mother was Krim's sister, the powerful demoness remembered only as "the Dark Mother." Kal-Turak's father was the mightiest warlord of the Turakian Age, called "the Lord of the Graven Spear."
First of all; Steve, Liaden, Thundrax (and many others), thank you very much for your contributions here.
I had a question regarding this blurb in the Criminal Procedure section from Champions Universe:
A superhero exception, used by a few states, gives sanctioned heroes the power to ignore many criminal procedure rules when extreme circumstances are present.
Has it been established what states employ this exception? Is Michigan one of them?
I looked up the more detailed explanation of "superlaw" in the Stronghold source book, but it doesn't specify which states this applies to either. If I had to guess, though, I would put money on Michigan being one of them. First and foremost, Millennium City is one of the premier centers for superhuman activity in the world, so the state would have considerable incentive to cut superheroes more slack. Secondly, in cases where specific states are cited relating to issues of legal leeway for superheroes, Michigan usually comes down on the more liberal side of the equation, e.g. in allowing telepathically acquired evidence to be used in trials.
I had a question regarding this blurb in the Criminal Procedure section from Champions Universe:
A superhero exception, used by a few states, gives sanctioned heroes the power to ignore many criminal procedure rules when extreme circumstances are present.
Has it been established what states employ this exception? Is Michigan one of them?
I specifically left the details on that vague so that individual GMs could set things up for their campaign the way they saw fit. So if you want it to apply to Michigan in your campaign, I say go for it.
In a meta-sense, the exception's there so that Champions games don't get bogged down in crim-pro if they don't want to. Most groups probably don't care about it that much, after all. And I've certainly played in groups that had a player who'd try to use that information as a sledgehammer against the GM, so it only seems prudent to provide the GM with a Plan B Escape Route.
Microman we've never created a character sheet for. He has a bunch of shrinking-related powers for himself, and also some ability to shrink other people as an attack.
Microman's character sheet and background were published in Digital Hero #13, along with other founders of the Sentinels, Dr. Phantom and Rocketman (although Steve has always asserted that DH write-ups shouldn't be considered "official" until they appear in a published Champions book). In that article Microman wore an armored costume with a helmet with various sensory enhancers, offensive wrist-blasters, and a rocket pack for flight. Microman's signature power to shrink himself as far as sub-atomic size had become an innate ability, though. At his minimum size Microman could pass between the molecules of solid objects, and even enter a living target to attack it from within, bypassing its normal defenses.
The only other living creature known to be affected by Daniel Collins's shrinking ray is the Qularr's giant monster, Cazulon. The now-miniature Cazulon is a major feature of the Millennium City Zoo.
Was talking with some friends about various heroes powers and the strongest of the strongest within thier field in other super hero universes.
And it got me thinking.
Does the Champions universe have a unstopable force and an immovable object?
Like the "Juggernaut" and "Blob(?)" of the Champions universe.
Also who/what is the strongest (strength-wise) being? augmented, natural and/or other.
Who is the fastest?
Can't directly ask about the smartest, since there are to many diffrent types of intellects. But who/what is generally considered the smartest?
Was talking with some friends about various heroes powers and the strongest of the strongest within thier field in other super hero universes.
And it got me thinking.
Does the Champions universe have a unstopable force and an immovable object?
Like the "Juggernaut" and "Blob(?)" of the Champions universe.
Well, the thing is, the HERO System (the game-mechanic engine used in Champions PnP) is open-ended, so it doesn't really allow for absolute irresistability or invulnerability. You can create characters who practically have such abilities, by setting campaign limits for attack and defense strengths, or using some optional rules; but as a default you can always pay more Character Points to increase these abilities, or find a way to bypass the invulnerability options. That was a deliberate design choice, to preserve game-play balance. It's also reflective of the source material -- even Superman can be killed if you can bring enough force to bear, or hit him with magic.
That said, there are certainly characters in the CU whose main schtick is being almost impossible to hurt, like the superhero Bulletproof or the villain Blackguard; or who have the power to destroy almost anything, such as the undead horror called The Curse. Again, though, the key word is "almost."
Also who/what is the strongest (strength-wise) being? augmented, natural and/or other.
Who is the fastest?
Can't directly ask about the smartest, since there are to many diffrent types of intellects. But who/what is generally considered the smartest?
Sorry to seem like I'm hedging again, but it's hard to give a simple answer to those questions. HERO System has stats like Strength (including raw damage capability, lifting and throwing capacity), Speed (measuring reflexes and reaction time), and Intelligence (which deals with perceptiveness and information processing power). However, a character can also buy many different Powers or Skills which affect how those abilities apply in specific circumstances, so the stats alone don't tell the whole story.
In terms of basic Strength, by far the highest stat among official published CU characters to date is possessed by the planet devourer Astron. But Astron is a living asteroid field, with an aggregate mass rivalling that of the Earth. Among beings relatively close to human size, the Warmonger, an immortal alien devoted to conflict, has the highest Strength, plus formidable cosmic powers which can augment it even further. On Earth no one can exert more Strength than Grond when he really pushes himself, but the way the character was designed means using that much Strength tires him fairly quickly. Other characters among the world's strongest include the alien Valak the World-Ravager; the superhero Rashindar and villain Gargantua when they use their super growth powers; and the VIPER villain Ripper while employing his short-term Strength boost.
In CU history Vanguard was this world's Superman analogue, and long considered Earth's mightiest superhero, so he might have had Strength as high as or higher than any of the above; but no character sheet has been created for him yet.
If you want to talk the velocity a superhuman can achieve, no one written up to this point can match the villain Vector, at least within a planet's atmosphere. (FTL travel is a whole other category, basically an enabling device to get people to other planets or stars, not applicable to combat.) Yet the highest Speed stat in the game belongs to the deadly assassin Taipan. In terms of how the game functions, Vector can travel from point A to point B much faster, but Taipan can react more quickly and act more often within a given stretch of time.
Doctor Destroyer is almost universally recognized as the greatest scientific genius in the world, and exceptionally accomplished in many other fields. That's reflected in his extraordinarily wide array of Skills. Destroyer's Intelligence is far above the human average, but that of Teleios is even higher, he having used his unmatched knowledge of genetic engineering to give himself the maximum that's humanly possible. His scientific expertise and Skill set is much narrower than Destroyer's, though. Mentiac, the former member of UNTIL's official superteam, Unity, has Intelligence between the two examples above; but his brain functions like a living computer, able to input, calculate, analyze, and recall data with superhuman speed and accuracy.
Comments
Insofar as recognized, established heroes in the published game use chemical or biological weapons, they're usually of proven non-lethality, like tranquilizing darts or gasses, or adhesives to restrain a subject. If they possess something more dangerous in their arsenal, they restrict its use to non-living targets, or opponents tough enough that they're unlikely to sustain permanent serious injury. Poisons, acids, Ebola, etc. are almost exclusively the purview of supervillains or murderous vigilantes. Of course if you allow villains in an MMO to have such abilities, you know some players are going to demand them too.
Looking at the issue from a superhero-comic perspective, in a comic-book world it's possible for super-scientists to devise chemical or biological weapons with far more precise and predictable effects than can be done realistically: nerve-toxins that briefly paralyze a victim's limb-muscles but not any other vital functions; viruses that temporarily render the subject's brain very susceptible to suggestion, like commands to surrender; corrosives that only dissolve non-living materials. For example, the Champions supervillain Thorn, with various plant-based powers, can project "mind-controlling spores" which only affect one target at a time. Something like that probably wouldn't be deemed a violation of international law, if anyone even bothered to nominate it for the question.
That brings up another way to view the issue, from what in Champions PnP is called "special effects." The game makes a distinction between how a power looks, sounds, etc. vs. what it actually does game-mechanically. For example, a Blast attack may be defined as fire, ice, water, wind, electricity, plasma, stone, pretty much anything; but the basic Power chosen may in all cases be defended against the same way, do the same type of damage to a target (e.g. lethal or non-lethal), knock a target back from the force of the blow the same amount, and so on. So, an attack whose special effect is "concentrated micro-organism spray," but which simply renders the subject instantly unconscious and is non-contagious, won't elicit the same concerns from the authorities as "concentrated Bubonic Plague spray." (And if you think that's exaggeration, another official Champs villain, Plague, who can create and spread any type of disease, is a walking biohazard and Public Enemy Number One for the US CDC.)
As you say control is all, I'd already figured that say a sword cyclone user might just whip out a pair of bokken? for non lethal purposes and similar techniques (high tech non lethal munitions) etc are there for most heroes.
So in a rather ironic way a bio chemical user with an ability to control insects would be an ideal hostage rescue agent. Able to deliver non lethal toxins with precision and stealth. Quite handy for recon too!
I could very easily imagine the effect(s) of a villain super bio warfare capability - mass destruction made flesh. Target to be subdued by any means available etc etc.
Thanx again for reply I guess I should have a more look toward the light sort of perspective.
thanks
The Mystic World p. 32 does briefly describe angels and similar inhabitants of Elysium, the dimension where the beings described in modern "ethical" religions dwell. Here are relevant passages from the book:
"All Elysians are good, by the standards of the religions that spawned them. They are not necessarily gentle, merciful, or in other ways "nice." Most religious codes of morality place a strong emphasis on punishment... or at least most believers think so, even if the official doctrine centers on forgiveness or renunciation of violence.
... The Abrahamic angels are currently the most active and militant Elysian spirits. Most of them are not warm and fuzzy benefactors of mankind. Only the Angels of Mercy fit that modern, watered-down conception. Older lore says that angels punish as often as they reward or assist."
Steve Long is currently writing Mythic Hero, a book giving the Hero System treatment to mythologies from around the world. That book may -- may -- include some example angels. However, MH is intended as a general gaming reference book, not an official component of the Champions Universe.
One point worth noting is that Therakiel is described in the Vibora Bay source book as "nowhere near as powerful as he was when he was a full angel" (VB p. 109).
Thanks, I wondered why Therakiel wasn't a cosmic villain.
Since things like heaven, Lucifer and Michael are mentioned in the MMO by name should I assume that these are additions by cryptic?
I assume there are no explicitly biblical demons either. I was really impressed by the visual design for Therakiel and the nephilim in the MMO and hopefully will one day see this universe's take on the other two factions.
What they all have in common is that they're uniformly evil, as humans define the concept. They hail from the dimension called the Netherworld, the counterpoint to Elysium. While Elysium is a mosaic of all the Heavens of human imagination, the Netherworld comprises all the Hells from religion and myth, present and past. (See also the following post.)
Actually, Heaven, Lucifer, and Michael are all mentioned in the background to the mystical part of the PnP Champions Universe. The Biblical demons and their kin are real and active in the world. Infamous demons such as Mephistopheles, Baphomet, and Belial have all had a hand in CU events.
What you need to remember about "Heaven" and "Hell" in the CU is that those dimensions, and their inhabitants, are spawned by the collective imaginations of all humans who believe in them. As such they appear the way the majority of their worshippers imagine them regardless of official doctrine, e.g. Yahweh/ Jehovah/ Allah as a stern, bearded patriarch. They should not be considered the "true" gods of any of these religions. (See also the post above.)
EDIT: Interesting tidbit about the Archangel Gabriel, from The Mystic World. Since he's a major figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, he has to shuttle between the Heavens of all three demesnes while pretending to the spirits of the faithful who live in each one, that the others don't exist.
Well, that is, of course, depending upon the faithful spirit in question! Even in the afterlife, "fundamentalist" is merely a subset of the faithful, it doesn't define all of them.
I meant no disrespect to any believer, and I'm sure the author of The Mystic World, Dean Shomshak, meant none either.
1. Nuclear weapons - Do they generate any kind of call it Paranormal Energy Spike? (seems plausible to this idiot who hasn't read the lore)
Was any paranormal effect of nuclear weapons testing carried out in Champs Universe?
Incredibly there seems to have been no real world research on this vital question, could the military not have tested the effects of nukes on ley lines whilst they were playing with the wretched things? Yet more evidence of bungling incompetence in the uniformed services.
2. What are the dimensions e.g. area of the terrain in Operation Demonflame?
How can I possibly know the effects of nuclear release on the troops at the portal without this? (yes I know not good if using anything bigger than a ton)
This train of thought was prompted by thinking about Demonflame and possible alternatives to summoning the key (wasn't there a thread on this being unethical) and leaving the Avatars to just get on with their evil business. My conclusion was that there wasn't really any realistic alternative that would definitely work. Caliburn knows something of going through magical defences but probably couldn't do it fast enough. Conventional breaching charges are not gonna get you into paranormal constructs. A nuke might work on both towers and the imprisoned avatars but then again it might not and post strike reconnaissance, essential if you wanna know if it worked would be very very very difficult indeed. As would follow on superhero missions if it did fail.
The test explosion of an experimental "Delta Bomb" at White Sands, New Mexico in 1978 went out of control, exceeding the anticipated blast radius, and saturating the area with unique radiation which somehow created mutants and zombies, in the deadly region now called Burning Sands.
Since it was known that superhuman powers had been randomly induced in people exposed to nuclear radiation, in 1994 a group of American "rogue generals" conducted Project Sunburst, exposing volunteer soldiers (not aware of the real danger) to radiation from a nuclear explosion. Almost all of them died; most of the rest lapsed into comas, which continue to this day. A very few manifested superhuman powers, but to date all have become villains.
2. There are no specifics on the dimensions of the most recent Demonflame event on the PnP side of the CU. Perhaps someone more savvy in the background of Champions Online has that info.
In the PnP game nuclear explosives, being beyond the power range even of most supers, are most often treated as plot devices. If you need them to have a particular in-game effect to advance the story, then they have that effect. If the option of using a nuke to stop the Demonflame was available in CO, I wouldn't have trouble with that. It's comic-book physics, after all.
It occurs to me that you could probably use one of the powerful reality/ dimension-warping mystic artifacts lying about Champions Earth to banish the Kings of Edom's avatars, or seal them within their pocket dimension. The Janus Key likely could accomplish this, or perhaps the Basilisk Orb. The current location of these artifacts is unknown, so one could devise a way to bring them into this scenario. The Basilisk Orb was in fact once possessed and used by the Edomite (Luther Black) in 1968 to further his plans, but hasn't been seen since; so adding it to this storyline would not be inappropriate.
It may also be possible for a super-scientist to use technological means to seal off the Qliphothic dimension, even if it was created by magic. For example, the first Amazing Man, leader of the Fabulous Five, accomplished a similar feat during the 1960s when the aforementioned Janus Key went out of control and opened temporal doorways to the past and future, spilling their denizens into the world. "Amazing Man closed the temporal doors by isolating the time-manipulating harmonic, then producing a counter-wave with his super-science." (DEMON: Servants Of Darkness p. 14)
I hadn't thought of magical artifacts or pseudo magical responses, a couple of Pnpers could it seems develop a more ethical response to the DF situation. Of course the DemonFlame emergency escalates very quickly, one minute your saving some civilians from a Demonhame and investigating Demons latest bit of nastiness. Next you're in an end game situation which could result in the end of all things. It may just go way too fast to develop and deploy a perfect dare I say comic book solution. I love DF because of it's real worldy flawed solutions thing.
Y'know one little thing bout DF is the bit at the end where you stroll out of the Arcane bookstore so easily. Having gone face to face with five epitomes of evil, survived that and whilst you were doing your force 9 gale of relief the key chimes in with his little speech. Switch back to fight or flight mode in time for the key to say you're not worth it. Then all that remains is to walk out of the bookstore without convulsive sobbing and shaking on legs made of jello.
Will get books and read em, shutting up now!
If I may make a suggestion, if you don't already have it you should start your reading with the book titled Champions Universe. It lays out the entire setting in general terms: detailed history, how present-day society has adapted to the presence of supers, unique locations, the layout of the galaxy and Multiverse, the major power players, and many other interesting tidbits. Other books delve into particular elements of the CU in more detail, but this one is the foundation and provides the broadest overview.
Re PnPers finding other solutions to the Demonflame crisis, that's a fundamental difference between the tabletop and computer RPG experience. In the latter there are only so many possible outcomes one can build into the game, and PC actions are restricted to those courses. In a tabletop game all that has to happen is for a player to come up with an idea, the Game Master (who controls all non-PC outcomes in the game) to agree it's appropriate to the genre, setting, and scenario, and off we go!
You meet her in a nemesis mission where your nemesis frees her, but she doesn't wanna work with your nem and attacks. You nem escapes and leaves you to battle her.
And you can't really defeat her, only seal her in by bringing the mine down on top of her with dynamite.
Okay so
Her profile/bio/background says she was locked away by Kul-Turak the Ravenger, and her comments makes it sound like he only did it by dumb luck.
And I recall that Kul-Turak was Takofanes mortal name.
And know that all the worlds mightiest archmages gathered their powers to try and destroy him, but the best they could do was to seal him away, and he then later returns as Takofanes.
And he's far and wide the most powerfull sorcerer in the championverse, and that's still being in a world with ambient magical levels far below the world of his days.
All this kinda makes it sound like to me that Ghost Veil is surpose to be far more powerful. But she is such a pushover, easy to defeat. (Then again, she does say she is weak after years of being sealed away.)
But it just seems kinda cheap the way we meet her and then defeats her. I would even like to see her returning and having regained more power.
Who exactly is she and how does she fit into Champions lore? Is there more about her?
Where is she placed, power/strength compared to Kul-Turak, Takofanes and others?
Additionally, is the sword a technological device or a mystical one?
First off, you are more or less correct about Kal-Turak/ Takofanes, and his place in the history of the Champions Universe. However, Ghost Veil is not a character from the PnP game, but a Cryptic creation, so we don't have additional facts from that side to contribute. I would like to offer a few educated guesses, though.
You can't assume that Ghost Veil is telling the truth about how Kal-Turak imprisoned her. Implying you're a match for the Ravager of Men would be a good way to intimidate your opponents; but during the Turakian Age, no-one less than a god was stronger than him. Kal-Turak, on the other hand, was not above imprisoning someone who displeased him, to make them suffer, or because they could be useful, rather than destroy them outright. He did that with the demon who was his mother.
I suspect Cryptic created Ghost Veil specifically for this mission, with a convenient background tied to the setting's history, but not considering her significant enough to use recurringly. That alone suggests her true stature in the setting IMHO.
You're probably thinking of the previous incarnation of the Champions Universe, for the Fourth Edition of the HERO System. In the book Kingdom of Champions describing Champions Britain, Excalibur was actually a radioactive isotope powering the technological underwater civilization of Lyonesse, not Atlantis. Lyonesse in the new CU is "An extra-dimensional/underwater mystic realm located off the coast of Europe, home to (among others) the fiendish Fomorians."
In the current official CU, many stories of legend and folklore are based on history, happening more or less as tales relate. Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, et al are mentioned as historical figures. Sometimes their CU histories have additions not from real-world legend. For example, the modern-day supervillain Black Paladin was once a great enemy of Lancelot.
With that background, Excalibur is most likely a magic artifact. Since there's no mention of Excalibur appearing in the modern world, it would be reasonable to assume it's still in the possession of the Lady of the Lake, awaiting the return of Arthur or the coming of a new hero.
Darn, had hoped there would be more about her.
Her short bit of Background story and ingame lines does open up a lot of options for Cryptic for a next major bad guy. *hint hint wink wink if they read this*
Well Thanks anyway.
And I suddenly got another group of (shorter)questions:
How is Denmark? Current status?
Any major Danish Superheroes?
Danish Supergroups? Scandinavian Supergroups? or Nordic Supergroups?
Doh! Was meant to put Lyonesse instead of Atlantis, got my underwater kingdoms mixed up there.
About the Fomorians, do we know what the general look and powers of them are at all?
Thanks for answering those questions by the way. I'd had a character back during my City of Heroes days who was supposed to wield Excalibur, but then they went and added Hero 1 to the lore of the game when they released the Issue 2 update, and it sort of torpedoed that idea for me.
Ghost Veil taunts your nemesis for thinking they are powerful enough to control her. "Kul-Turak once thought he could control me. He trapped me here only through... dumb luck." The pause before 'dumb luck' and the way she delivers the line suggests, (to me at least) that she knows Kul-Turak was more powerful than her, but she's too embarrassed to admit it.
It's also likely that she realizes that she's inadvertently revealed a method that can be used to defeat her, which is why she's so quick to change the subject.
Denmark's status is practically identical with that of its real-world counterpart, like almost all nations of Champions Earth. It and the other Scandinavian countries are noted as being among the European nations that cooperate most closely with UNTIL.
The only Danish superhero mentioned in the PnP game is "Beowulf, a Danish strongman who's adopted a medieval motif for his costume and speech" (Champions Universe p. 72 sidebar). Denmark is also the native country of the infamous Fiacho, founder and leader of Europe's deadliest supervillain team, Eurostar. There are probably other supers based in the country, and almost certainly some in Norway and Sweden, based on the fact that all three nations have superhuman registration programs (not mandatory, but effectively required in exchange for any government assistance). No other Scandinavian supers are named as yet, though.
Note that European supers, particularly villains, often cross national boundaries, so can appear almost anywhere on the continent.
Well, no Champions book has detailed them yet, so it's unclear how closely CU Fomorians match their mythical counterparts, and which mythology. The Fomorian entry in the HERO System Bestiary, based primarily on Irish myth, describes sea-giants who live beneath the water. Since Lyonesse is supposed to be under water, that sounds appropriate. Their bodies are made up of various animal parts, making each Fomorian unique-looking. OTOH Scottish Fomorians look more like traditional giants, humanoid but huge and misshapen. The Fomorians of the land of Tuala Morn (an official past setting on Champions Earth, in the region of the modern British Isles between 28,000 - 20,000 BCE) seem to resemble the Scottish version more.
Some mythic Fomorians can assume a pleasing human shape, and a few are even said to look naturally attractive to humans. Fomorians may sometimes wield magic spells in addition to their great strength and durability. Generally speaking they're arrogant and cruel, considering themselves superior to humans.
However, please remember that all of this is based on Celtic myth, or inferred from what little relevant CU lore's available. Steve Long might show up and state that all of the above has nothing to do with how he envisions the Fomorians dwelling in CU Lyonesse today.
The Champions Universe already has an established female supervillain with awesome power of darkness and tremendous destructiveness, Eclipsar. Apparently having some connection to the pre-Columbian cultures of the Andes Mountains region of South America, e.g. the Incas and Moche, Eclipsar's goal is to destroy the Sun, either by gaining enough power to snuff it out directly, or by eliminating what she believes to be its spiritual sustenance, the lives of every human being on Earth.
In her first appearance in 2000, Eclipsar blotted out the light of the Sun over most of the South American continent, then began slaughtering people by the thousands. It took the combined forces of UNTIL, the famous American superhero team, the Justice Squadron, and La Brigada de Victoria, the premier hero team of South America, to defeat her. Imprisoned by combined technological and mystical means in UNTIL's super-prison, "the Guardhouse," Eclipsar escaped in 2004. She hasn't been seen since, but it's just a matter of time until her return. And who knows what she's been planning over the intervening years?
Krusedullfaen's remark above was in response to questions as to how the presence of superhumans has changed the course of history. I discovered a passage in the Champions Universe source book, p. 8, which "officially" addresses the issue:
"As a fictional version of the real Earth, the Champions Universe is built upon the framework of real-world history. Things may become more colorful and exciting due to the presence of costumed heroes and criminals, and minor events may change entirely, but major events generally occur just like they did in the real world. The Civil War was fought and the South lost; World Wars I and II took place almost exactly the way theyre described in real history books; Ronald Reagan was president during most of the 1980s.
Unless the history presented here (or in some other Hero Games product) indicates otherwise, its usually safe for you to assume that any historical event that occurred in the real world also occurred in the Champions Universe. Costumed heroes or villains could easily have been involved for major events, particularly ones involving danger to large numbers of people, they almost certainly were. But typically those events play out more or less the same way they did in the real world unless the GM prefers otherwise. Just be aware that making changes to major historical events may require you to change other aspects of history or the Champions Universe."
One example of the impact of superhumans on major events is described in Champions Universe: News Of The World p. 38:
"On August 28-29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States, making land in Mississippi and threatening Vibora Bay as well as other nearby cities like New Orleans, Mobile, and Biloxi. UNTIL's top weather team, led by Tempest, blunted the main force of the storm, which still did $8 billion in combined damages and killed nearly two hundred people. An oil rig under construction broke loose from its moorings and threatened to crash into the Easton shore, but was turned aside with the help of several whales summoned by Amphibian. Vibora Bay suffered severe flooding and power loss, but nowhere near what it would have without superheroes to protect it."
We haven't yet had occasion to take any sort of look at Lyonesse or the Fomorians. I'd love to someday, but that's not in our immediate plans.
Denmark is just fine; it recently got a promotion and is now VP of Marketing.
I don't recall that we've ever taken much of a look at Denmark or its supers specifically (not even in Champions Worldwide,) but I have no doubt there are some there. In fact, our Champions Universe book specifically says that Denmark has a superpowers registration law and rarely grants heroes official sanction, which clearly implies the existence of supers there.
One specific hero is mentioned in CU: "Beowulf, a Danish strongman whos adopted a medieval motif for his costume and speech (no relation to the American superhero of the Sixties with the same name)."
In the very unofficial history of the second Northern Guard, there was another temporary Swedish member named Seger. imported to replace Thundrax when he was away on a mission during his part time stint with UNITY in the late 90s. Seger was essentially the Norse mythos version of Fawcett's/DC Comics' Captain Marvwl: by speaking his magic word and holding high the Amulet of the Aesir, college student Anders Erlandsson was able to transform himself into a superhuman who combined the strength of Thor, the Cunning of Loki, the Vigilance of Heimdell, the Foresight of Odin, the Beauty of Balder, and the Ferocity of Fenris Wolf). Alas, he was also a colossal jerk. He antagonized most of the team except Snowblind, the founding member who was secretly Kigatilik's daughter (she had big daddy issues). Eventually they married and he took her away from the Guard to live with him in Europe. Alas for the star-crossed lovers, they both died in combat with Eurostar in 1997.
At some point, I'll do writeups for the "lost members" of the 2nd Guard for the Hero Games boards.
I kind of like the idea of doing "alternate mythology Shazams" as superheroes.
Hahaha !! Great one!
In the official Champions Universe future timeline, Witchcraft, who has become Archmage, will sacrifice herself to cast a terrible spell to drive off Tyrannon the Conqueror. This spell somehow blocks off the flow of magic, not only to Earth, but the entire galaxy. Without magic "loosening" the laws of physics, super powers, super technology etc. stops being possible. Magic and superhumans will be lost until another major event releases the magic again in the year 3000, ushering in the "Galactic Champions" era.
This event is supposed to occur in the year 2020. If the Champions game is still around in some form by then, I suspect that detail will be revised.
Wow, that'd suck for sure. I think I'd rather Takofanes become Archmage instead. It'd certainly be more entertaining.
Certainly his power at his height was great enough, and moral uprightness doesn't appear to be a requirement for the office. Personally I always though Kal-Turak was depicted as too closely allied to the demons of the Netherworld to gain the necessary gifts from the other Parterres to become Archmage; but I'm not Hero Games's Line Developer.
Interesting, I'm guessing Dr.Yin Wu would also be a contender as well then?
For example,
Are there laws specifically banning or restricting the reading of minds? Does one technically need a search warrant to mind-probe someone?
Is telepathically obtained evidence admissible in court? How about evidence obtained through use of N-ray vision, ultrasonic hearing, astral projection, magic mirrors, statistical biosupercomputers, or tea leaves?
Who is liable for crimes committed under mind control? How does one prove that s/he was under mind control at the time? Do many lawyers use the "Menton made me do it" defense?
What are the legalities of mind-controlling someone to *not* push the launch button for the Missile of Global Doom?
etc.
Dr. Yin Wu is an interesting case, in that he's been alive for a thousand years, and more than one vacancy for Archmage has arisen in that time, but Yin Wu didn't take it. In the discussion of the requirements for Archmage in Champions Universe, it suggests that the Doctor may be too devoted or closely tied to the traditional Chinese gods to receive the necessary gifts from all four Parterres.
The sourcebook Stronghold, detailing the PnP version of the CU's super-prison, devotes a couple of chapters to law in the United States as it relates to superhumans, including how the law has adapted to the use of super powers. (How other countries deal with these specific issues hasn't really been touched on yet.) I don't want to transcribe large sections from the book here, but I'll offer a few highlights.
While the Supreme Court ruled that telepathic searches are not unconstitutional in and of themselves, it's generally left up to individual states as to whether they're legal. A slim majority of states don't allow them on the grounds that it violates a subject's right to privacy and against self-incrimination. The remaining states allow them under tightly controlled circumstances: a warrant is necessary, as for a wire-tap; only government-sanctioned heroes' telepathic searches are admissible in court; ideally the search should be conducted in a controlled environment, like a police station, and have other safeguards to assure reliability and impartiality.
See above re telepathic admissibility. Sanctioned superheroes who possess natural enhanced senses, i.e. not through some device, can use them to discover evidence which for them is "in plain sight" without a warrant. Use of enhanced senses through devices, though, are legally considered a "search" and require a warrant.
While Stronghold discusses the legality of using mind control to uncover evidence or extract a confession (generally disallowed as self-incrimination), it oddly doesn't speak directly to being mind-controlled into committing a crime. If I were to guess, I'd say that would fall under the heading of an insanity defense, on the condition that "the defendant lacked the capacity to conform his conduct to the law even though he knew he was doing something wrong." (Stronghold p. 9) As you say, proving someone was controlled, to evidentiary standards, could be very tricky.
The PnP game has optional rules for the use of Mental Powers which describes "traces" the use of such powers leaves in the victim's mind, which may allow another mentalist to identify the use of the power, and even who the user was. OTOH there are also ways a mentalist can hide or disguise his traces, making them harder to detect.
Another bunch of questions:
1. Was there ever made any description what kind of uniforms the soldiers in the Shadow Army of Warlord wear and how they look?
2. Is there some kind of temporary super-enhancement (pills, serums, injections), that give the user superhuman traits for let's say 10 minutes? If yes, what kind of disadvantages do those enhancements have?
3. ((This is a Dark Champions question; feel free to ignore if it's too specific)) Andres Panthanatos. He is depicted as the worlds best human hitman ever. Would it be possible, that he could take on superhumans in combat (and succeed)?
I'd imagine that'd eliminate Rashindar too? He's very much devoted to the Hindu faith, so that'd be an obstacle for him becoming Archmage I'd assume.
"Shadow Army personnel wear battleship grey uniforms and berets (or helmets in the field); each one carries an advanced assault rifle, a semiautomatic pistol as a sidearm, and a combat knife. Rank insignia are on the outer upper arm in red." Champions Villains Vol. 3: Master Villains p. 276) Said book includes a color illo of Shadow Army uniforms, but I don't think I should reproduce that on an open forum. Suffice to say, their configuration resembles standard modern military uniforms. Weapon belts, harness, and armor are a darker shade of grey than the rest. The uniform includes a blue full-head mask, like a mouthless ski mask.
VIPER has a treatment to create Draysha agents, who gain temporary low-superhuman physical abilities and ophidian powers after ingesting king cobra venom. The agents' appearance also becomes more snake-like. They revert to normal after several minutes, with the exception of losing all their body hair. They also have chance of developing leukemia with long-term use of venom.
The VIPER operation on Monster Island has developed a "draysha gas" that provides lesser physical enhancements, with no health effects or cosmetic changes other than causing the user's skin to glow green.
Gladiators in the arenas of the alien Malvans often use various drugs for short-term boosts to their strength and durability, speed and reflexes, resistance to pain, or energy projection abilities. Frequent users suffer from a shortened life span. I'm not sure how those drugs could be obtained on Earth, unless it was through the Forum Malvanum on Luna. The "praetor" of the Forum, Tateklys, is involved in all sorts of covert money-making deals.
The PnP source book, HERO System Equipment Guide, stats up several such treatments, but I can't think of any published Champions villain or organization who regularly uses them. Doesn't mean there aren't any.
Based on his character sheet, Panthanatos could match at least some "super heroes." Many heroes are what the game refers to as "trained normals," their abilities based on exceptional training rather than true superhuman powers. Although built on many Character Points, Panthanatos sank more of those points into non-combat Skills than many superheroes in the game are built on.
Panthanatos could take on more powerful heroes if equipped with high-tech weaponry, and if he used surprise tactics such as ambush or studying a target's weaknesses (which is how one would expect a pro assassin to operate). Several trained normal heroes and villains in the Champions Universe, such as the vigilante Thunderbird, employ such equalizers.
Rashindar has long and actively campaigned for support in the Mystic World for his candidacy as Archmage, which has irritated many members of that subculture. Since the modern Hindu pantheon is well represented in three of the four Parterres (Elysium, Faerie, and the Netherworld), Rashindar has gained most of the necessary gifts from them.
See Champions Villains, Vol. 1, page 275.
Offhand I don't recall anything precisely like that in official CU material (though LL will probably come along and remind me of something along those lines
That depends on the superhuman and the situation. His abilities are certainly well within the range for taking on many low-powered superhumans (particularly those whose "powers" derive from training and gadgets more than actual superhuman powers). If he were to attack from surprise he could probably take on some more powerful supers; the same applies if he were somehow equipped with super-tech weapons and gadgets. But I'd have a hard time seeing him take on really powerful supers, or any super with high defenses.
While it's been established lore-wise that there've been Archmages throughout human history (and even, perhaps, before humanity was capable of assuming the office), we've never specified any officeholders by name that early.
My personal guess would be that no, Kal-Turak was never Archmage, because I think he's tied too specifically to one particular god -- Krim, his father. That could be seen as violating one of the "rules" that generally apply to who can become Archmage. However, it would probably be easy enough to get around that if you wanted to.
That also leads to the question of whether Takofanes is hobbled by the same restriction as of the modern day. For now I'll leave that as a subject of debate.
Strictly speaking, Kal-Turak/ Takofanes would be Krim's nephew.
And thank you for the insight.
I had a question regarding this blurb in the Criminal Procedure section from Champions Universe:
A superhero exception, used by a few states, gives sanctioned heroes the power to ignore many criminal procedure rules when extreme circumstances are present.
Has it been established what states employ this exception? Is Michigan one of them?
I specifically left the details on that vague so that individual GMs could set things up for their campaign the way they saw fit. So if you want it to apply to Michigan in your campaign, I say go for it.
In a meta-sense, the exception's there so that Champions games don't get bogged down in crim-pro if they don't want to. Most groups probably don't care about it that much, after all. And I've certainly played in groups that had a player who'd try to use that information as a sledgehammer against the GM, so it only seems prudent to provide the GM with a Plan B Escape Route.
Microman's character sheet and background were published in Digital Hero #13, along with other founders of the Sentinels, Dr. Phantom and Rocketman (although Steve has always asserted that DH write-ups shouldn't be considered "official" until they appear in a published Champions book). In that article Microman wore an armored costume with a helmet with various sensory enhancers, offensive wrist-blasters, and a rocket pack for flight. Microman's signature power to shrink himself as far as sub-atomic size had become an innate ability, though. At his minimum size Microman could pass between the molecules of solid objects, and even enter a living target to attack it from within, bypassing its normal defenses.
The only other living creature known to be affected by Daniel Collins's shrinking ray is the Qularr's giant monster, Cazulon. The now-miniature Cazulon is a major feature of the Millennium City Zoo.
And it got me thinking.
Does the Champions universe have a unstopable force and an immovable object?
Like the "Juggernaut" and "Blob(?)" of the Champions universe.
Also who/what is the strongest (strength-wise) being? augmented, natural and/or other.
Who is the fastest?
Can't directly ask about the smartest, since there are to many diffrent types of intellects. But who/what is generally considered the smartest?
Well, the thing is, the HERO System (the game-mechanic engine used in Champions PnP) is open-ended, so it doesn't really allow for absolute irresistability or invulnerability. You can create characters who practically have such abilities, by setting campaign limits for attack and defense strengths, or using some optional rules; but as a default you can always pay more Character Points to increase these abilities, or find a way to bypass the invulnerability options. That was a deliberate design choice, to preserve game-play balance. It's also reflective of the source material -- even Superman can be killed if you can bring enough force to bear, or hit him with magic.
That said, there are certainly characters in the CU whose main schtick is being almost impossible to hurt, like the superhero Bulletproof or the villain Blackguard; or who have the power to destroy almost anything, such as the undead horror called The Curse. Again, though, the key word is "almost."
Sorry to seem like I'm hedging again, but it's hard to give a simple answer to those questions. HERO System has stats like Strength (including raw damage capability, lifting and throwing capacity), Speed (measuring reflexes and reaction time), and Intelligence (which deals with perceptiveness and information processing power). However, a character can also buy many different Powers or Skills which affect how those abilities apply in specific circumstances, so the stats alone don't tell the whole story.
In terms of basic Strength, by far the highest stat among official published CU characters to date is possessed by the planet devourer Astron. But Astron is a living asteroid field, with an aggregate mass rivalling that of the Earth. Among beings relatively close to human size, the Warmonger, an immortal alien devoted to conflict, has the highest Strength, plus formidable cosmic powers which can augment it even further. On Earth no one can exert more Strength than Grond when he really pushes himself, but the way the character was designed means using that much Strength tires him fairly quickly. Other characters among the world's strongest include the alien Valak the World-Ravager; the superhero Rashindar and villain Gargantua when they use their super growth powers; and the VIPER villain Ripper while employing his short-term Strength boost.
In CU history Vanguard was this world's Superman analogue, and long considered Earth's mightiest superhero, so he might have had Strength as high as or higher than any of the above; but no character sheet has been created for him yet.
If you want to talk the velocity a superhuman can achieve, no one written up to this point can match the villain Vector, at least within a planet's atmosphere. (FTL travel is a whole other category, basically an enabling device to get people to other planets or stars, not applicable to combat.) Yet the highest Speed stat in the game belongs to the deadly assassin Taipan. In terms of how the game functions, Vector can travel from point A to point B much faster, but Taipan can react more quickly and act more often within a given stretch of time.
Doctor Destroyer is almost universally recognized as the greatest scientific genius in the world, and exceptionally accomplished in many other fields. That's reflected in his extraordinarily wide array of Skills. Destroyer's Intelligence is far above the human average, but that of Teleios is even higher, he having used his unmatched knowledge of genetic engineering to give himself the maximum that's humanly possible. His scientific expertise and Skill set is much narrower than Destroyer's, though. Mentiac, the former member of UNTIL's official superteam, Unity, has Intelligence between the two examples above; but his brain functions like a living computer, able to input, calculate, analyze, and recall data with superhuman speed and accuracy.