You probably shouldn't let word of your stash get out, then. If the supervillains don't grab it, the government will probably try to confiscate it.
Although in point of fact, the CU American government has taken possession of all the kelvarite known within its borders, and only hands out small samples to classified research laboratories (one such resulting in the origin of Tachyon and Thunderbolt II).
i looked through my fathers source books well they are from the first to third editions and although imfomative
i couldnt figure out why the champions kept switching?
also are there any area's in champs lore that have successfully isolated themselves form outside interferance?
i couldnt find anything on that and i would love to know.
i looked through my fathers source books well they are from the first to third editions and although imfomative
i couldnt figure out why the champions kept switching?
Essentially, it's because each management that's taken over the Champions IP has had different preferences in characters, and in what elements of the comic-book genre they want to emphasize.
i recently watched a movie where japan had succeeded in isolating themselves from outside countries. in the move they didnt like the no experimenting on humans and such and put a impenetrable barrier to keep evrything out. just wanted to know if there was any countries or small islands that have done this in the champs lore
i recently watched a movie where japan had succeeded in isolating themselves from outside countries. in the move they didnt like the no experimenting on humans and such and put a impenetrable barrier to keep evrything out. just wanted to know if there was any countries or small islands that have done this in the champs lore
Oh sure, lots of them. In Champs jargon they're often referred to as "hidden lands." There's even a source book by that name for the current PnP Champions Universe that describes a number of them.
Just off the top of my head, lands that are still practically unknown to modern man include: the Antarctic valley of Arcadia, home of the immortal Empyreans; the cities of Shamballah and Agharti, hidden beneath Mount Everest; the Kingdom of the Apes, an underground city of intelligent gorillas in Africa; the Haida village of Niikwan in the Queen Charlotte Islands, concealed by the power of their gods; the Valley of Night in South America, concealing remnants of the Inca civilization. Even the underwater realms of Atlantis and Lemuria were unknown to the surface until the twentieth century.
Vladic Dracuul actually just recently came to Vibora and created a lackey to start creating the New Shadows gang.
You know, I just remembered that PnP Vibora Bay already had a recently-arrived resident vampire, Stalker. I wonder if there's going to be any in-game rivalry.
I also have a few questions and would be happy if someone of you could answer them.
1. How is the leadership of ARGENT organized? Is there one CEO? A board of chairmen? Or something totally different?
2. Is there a designated 'Master of Disguises' hero/villain except Masquerade, who uses shapeshifting and not disguises?
3. What kind of magic do the Serpent Mages of VIPER use? Is it snake themed; i.g. summoning snakes etc.?
4. Is it possible for mortals to strike deals with the demons of the Descending Hierarchy? Like in 'Faust' for example? What kind of 'conditions' would such a deal bring?
Phew... A lot of questions, I know. I hope you can help me.
I also have a few questions and would be happy if someone of you could answer them.
1. How is the leadership of ARGENT organized? Is there one CEO? A board of chairmen? Or something totally different?
Unfortunately, little has yet been revealed about the organizational structure of ARGENT. The group started out as an apparently-legitimate corporation specializing in scientific research and defense contracts, until it was discovered to secretly be dealing with criminals, terrorists, and hostile governments; so it's reasonable to assume it retains some features of a corporate hierarchy.
The Monster Island sourcebook makes some telling references to various ARGENT officers, in relation to ARGENT's research facilities and game preserve on the island. It refers to a "Board of Directors" which makes major decisions about ARGENT's activities. Roger Hartwell, director of the MI facility, has the title "Vice President." ARGENT apparently has a sizeable "Research and Development Department."
Next year Hero Games is scheduled to publish a sourcebook for the PnP game, Profit And Purity, detailing both ARGENT and the Champions Universe's "anti-mutant" organization, the Institute for Human Advancement.
2. Is there a designated 'Master of Disguises' hero/villain except Masquerade, who uses shapeshifting and not disguises?
Masquerade is considered the top disguise/espionage operative in the world. If you mean, is there another shape-shifter with disguise capabilities, I can think of several. Dr. Destroyer's metamorphic minion, Rakshasa, is probably Masquerade's greatest rival in disguise and infiltration abilities, and also has formidable illusion-projection powers. The villain Morph is in some ways an even more flexible shifter than Masquerade, able to assume practically any form, living or unliving, including shaping parts of her body into deadly weapons. She lacks Masquerade's extensive espionage skill set, though. Eclipse is the CU's homage to Marvel Comics' Rogue, except when she touches someone she not only copies their memories, skills, and powers, but their physical appearance as well.
If you mean, a master of disguise who doesn't have shape-shifting powers, the best in that category is probably Mirage. She has no super-powers, but makes extensive use of holography and other devices built into her costume to disguise her appearance, including imitating others, or to project illusions over an area. The villain Mindgame has similar powers of illusion, but his are innate.
3. What kind of magic do the Serpent Mages of VIPER use? Is it snake themed; i.g. summoning snakes etc.?
Serpent Mages are all followers of VIPER's Snake Cult, worshippers of the great serpent Nama. They must participate in monthly ritual animal sacrifices to retain their powers. Known Serpent Mage spells involve mentally speaking with and commanding snakes, summoning several king cobras, changing their physical form to that of a king cobra, and a "venomous touch" that can incapacitate or kill an opponent.
4. Is it possible for mortals to strike deals with the demons of the Descending Hierarchy? Like in 'Faust' for example? What kind of 'conditions' would such a deal bring?
Absolutely. One of the greatest demons of the Descending Hierarchy is Mephistopheles, who often travels the Earth seeking people desperate enough to "make a deal." Between his powers and his connections he can provide a contractee with almost anything he wants: wealth, status, even super powers. One of his deals resulted in the creation of the super villain known as the Hell Rider. The stakes are about what you'd expect -- selling one's soul -- although the precise conditions of when and how Mephistopheles collects are open to negotiation.
Another major demon, Baphomet, Lord of Wrath, offered to augment the power of the supernatural villain the Black Paladin, to help him spread even greater destruction and evil in the world (which is what Baphoment wants from him). In that case the bargain was a more straightforward exchange than the precise contract that Mephistopheles specializes in.
The sorceress-villain of Vibora Bay who calls herself Valerian Scarlet gained her powers after bargaining with a summoned demon named Kerathios, who granted her magical abilities in exchange for
a fraction of the life-force of all those who attend her popular nightclub, the Minefield.
The patriarch of the magically-adept Silvestri clan, Giacomo Silvestri, sold his soul to the archdevil Astaroth in exchange for conceiving a son and heir. A later bargain lets him retain his youth perpetually, if he
sacrifices one of his own descendants every year. He's sired many children, grandchildren, etc. over the past three hundred years.
1. How is the leadership of ARGENT organized? Is there one CEO? A board of chairmen? Or something totally different?
We haven't yet published a thorough look at ARGENT, but unless Cryptic wants me to change what I have in mind -- yes, there's a CEO, a board of directors, etc., etc., and so on. It's basically a big ol' evil corporation that's able to exist despite its manifestly illegal activities because there are rogue states in the CU that are willing to shetler it in exchange for various benefits.
2. Is there a designated 'Master of Disguises' hero/villain except Masquerade, who uses shapeshifting and not disguises?
There really isn't anyone like that in the mainstream, superpowered, Champions Universe. For a character like that, we have to look a bit beyond that into the shadowy world of Dark Champions, where superpowers are relatively rare (if not nonexistent) and low-powered. In our villains book Predators, and various other sources we have a few villains that come relatively close to what you're after:
--the Kaleidoscope Man, victim of a CIA project who can shift between a slate of a dozen personalities and skill sets, and can disguise himself to suit them
--Alexander Drood, the Unfinished Man, who can mold his facial features to change his appearance
There are a few others who could easily be adapted into a "Chameleon"-like role, too, such as Le Bateleur (an expert at breaking people out of prison).
3. What kind of magic do the Serpent Mages of VIPER use? Is it snake themed; i.g. summoning snakes etc.?
Most of them do use some serpent-themed spells (see VIPER, p. 64, for examples). However the GM could expand a Serpent Mage's repertoire if he wanted to, probably using the Superheroic Thaumaturgy spells in Champions Universe and The HERO System Grimoire.
4. Is it possible for mortals to strike deals with the demons of the Descending Hierarchy? Like in 'Faust' for example? What kind of 'conditions' would such a deal bring?
Absolutely it's possible; you've cited the classic example. The villain Hell Rider (in Champions Villains, Vol. 3) is an example of a villain who got his powers this way. As for the conditions... that's entirely up to the GM's fiendish imagination. In Hell Rider's case, he's got a limited amount of time to use his powers to kill the six people he wants revenge on, or Bad Things will happen to him.
Thanks, Lord_Liaden and Steve. You're living encyclopedias, really!
I'd like to attach one more question:
On page 125 of the 'UNTIL Superpowers Database 2005', there's an entry for 'Ballistokinetics', the manipulation of bullets. Are there any established characters using that superpower?
(This ties closely with my question about the demonic pacts; I'm thinking about a character along the likes of a Freischütz: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freischutz )
I'm pretty sure there are no characters currently written up for mainstream Champions with that specific power. Closest one I can think of is a villain called Arrowhead, who has the mutant ability of uncanny accuracy with any thrown or non-firearm projectile weapon.
Steve Long is more familiar with the Dark Champions rogues gallery than I am, so he may know of someone from there who fits.
OTOH an earlier edition of Champions, from before the current official Champions Universe, had a character called The Mechanic, an assassin with a very limited form of Telekinesis. He used it to stabilize and accelerate bullets in flight, greatly enhancing the accuracy and penetration of any firearm he used.
I'm not sure if this has been answered before, but I have questions related to materials in lore.
I know Questionite is basically the adamantium of Champions Lore, and I know kendrium is stronger than steel and not much heavier. I know that neutronium is the one thing notably stronger than Questionite, and that it weighs a lot. Can you give some sort of scale as to how heavy Neutronium is and possibly how strong in comparison to Questionite? Mainly the weight.
The quantitative differences between questionite and neutronium have never been precisely spelled out. Essentially each is an excuse for those "indestructible" gimmicks that superhumans often have. Champions Universe p. 59 summarizes as much info about the qualities of questionite and neutronium as has been revealed so far, and does provide a little comparison:
"Questionite is an amazingly durable, yet unusually light, metal found only in certain rare deposits. Between its rarity and usefulness, its incredibly expensive. Questionite armor and machine parts are extremely difficult to damage; blades made of questionite can cut through nearly anything and never seem to lose their edge.
Neutronium is even more durable than questionite, but much, much heavier so heavy that an average trained athlete cant easily lift a blade made of the stuff. Those who possess neutronium claim it comes from dead stars, though scientists have pointed out its not nearly dense enough."
While it's in no way canon, for my own games I generally play questionite as about the same weight as aluminum, while neutronium is several times heavier than a comparable amount of lead.
(FWIW I once created a superstrong villain for the PnP game who wielded a morningstar-like weapon with a head of neutronium, for concussive damage, studded with questionite spikes for penetrating damage.)
I've got a question that's been bugging me for a while. I've read much of the lore in the game (I don't have any direct access to the source books sadly) but I haven't seen much in relation to this...
If Detroit was destroyed by Dr. Destroyer and was rebuilt into Millennium City and then was later invaded by the Qularr .... what happened to Windsor? Is Windsor not just across the river of MC? Wouldn't Windsor have been damaged/destroyed/invaded during those two events? Or are Dr. Ds robots unable to cross water and were the Qularr just wanting to burn down MC?
I asked a buddy of mine who has the books but he couldn't find anything if I remember.... but yeah... it would seem to me that something big enough to destroy a large city would have had some repercussions on a city that is clearly within eyesight.
I've got a question that's been bugging me for a while. I've read much of the lore in the game (I don't have any direct access to the source books sadly) but I haven't seen much in relation to this...
If Detroit was destroyed by Dr. Destroyer and was rebuilt into Millennium City and then was later invaded by the Qularr .... what happened to Windsor? Is Windsor not just across the river of MC? Wouldn't Windsor have been damaged/destroyed/invaded during those two events? Or are Dr. Ds robots unable to cross water and were the Qularr just wanting to burn down MC?
I asked a buddy of mine who has the books but he couldn't find anything if I remember.... but yeah... it would seem to me that something big enough to destroy a large city would have had some repercussions on a city that is clearly within eyesight.
Windsor was mostly spared in the holocaust. The area that was affected was rebuilt and has now been renamed Memorial City. It's described in Champions of the North, 5th edition, in some detail.
The Qularr invasion was not mentioned in COTN, as the book pre-dates the invasion. I'd assume they landed there as well, and that Celestar (who claims Windsor as his hometown and is arguably as formidable as all of the Champions combined) was fighting them off, while Justiciar went with Ravenspeaker to Steelhead to deal with the crisis you see in the Canada Crisis. When Kigatilik was revived, Celestar headed north for reasons that make perfect sense given his past history.
I've got a question that's been bugging me for a while. I've read much of the lore in the game (I don't have any direct access to the source books sadly) but I haven't seen much in relation to this...
If Detroit was destroyed by Dr. Destroyer and was rebuilt into Millennium City and then was later invaded by the Qularr .... what happened to Windsor? Is Windsor not just across the river of MC? Wouldn't Windsor have been damaged/destroyed/invaded during those two events? Or are Dr. Ds robots unable to cross water and were the Qularr just wanting to burn down MC?
I asked a buddy of mine who has the books but he couldn't find anything if I remember.... but yeah... it would seem to me that something big enough to destroy a large city would have had some repercussions on a city that is clearly within eyesight.
Windsor in the CU is described in Champions Of The North, the PnP sourcebook for Canada. Quoting from COTN p. 42:
"In 1992, the devastation of the battle between Dr. Destroyer and numerous heroes that destroyed Detroit also lapped over the border into Windsor. The Ambassador Bridge was all but destroyed, and the Windsor-Detroit tunnel collapsed. The damage wasn't nearly as extensive as the devastation in Detroit, but still led to extensive rebuilding. Today Windsor is one of Canada's most modern cities, a center of industry in the traditional automobile industry, but also in plastics and the burgeoning aerospace industry."
The heart of the rebuilt area of Windsor is known as "Memorial City," sharing many of the architectural and technological advances as Millennium City. It adjoins Memorial Park commemorating the Battle of Detroit.
Champions Of The North was written before the most recent Qularr invasion in Champions Online, so what effect that may or may not have had on Windsor isn't detailed for the PnP game (yet).
Well, in the PnP game world there's no "Hero Games" in the sense of a structured competition between recognized superheroes -- that's strictly an invention of Cryptic Studios for PvP purposes. I suppose some version of it might be incorporated into the setting in the future, if both Cryptic and Hero Games (the publishers of PnP Champions) thought it was appropriate... although staged fights between superheroes, especially for entertainment, isn't really in-genre, and kind of hard to justify in a traditional mainstream supers world, which is what the Champions Universe is modelled on.
OTOH the CU does feature something called The Arena, an underground pit-fighting circuit in the United States in which superpowered fighters are paid to beat on each other for the amusement of wealthy, jaded patrons. It's very secretive and highly illegal. Most of the participants are relatively low-powered, not in the class of "name" heroes or villains, although occasionally a powerful supervillain like Herculan or Ogre may become involved for a big cut of the take. True superheroes have nothing to do with it, though.
Quick question, are there any assassin guilds in the lore like the Hand from Marvel or the League of Assassins from DC?
The closest I seen in game is the Red Banner, but they are a pretty pathetic bunch if a single hero can defeat their vaunted "Death Dragon".
I apologise for not noticing your question earlier, Staticdoor.
While there is no unique, original order or organization specifically devoted to assassination in the official Champions Universe, traditional groups such as the ninja and the hashishim do exist in the setting; and there's no shortage of super powered assassins for hire, contacted by potential employers through the same underworld channels as other supervillains.
The Cult of the Red Banner is probably the most "Hand-like" of the organizations within the CU, although VIPER is served by another ninja-like cult, the Takara-Shinja. However, your judgement of the quality of the Red Banner is based on incomplete info. The Death Dragon, although powerful in all circumstances, actually grows stronger the more people it faces, so a single foe has the best chance of stopping it. It also has certain vulnerabilities that a trained martial artist is most able to exploit. The Tournament of the Dragon is held to select the mightiest martial artist in the world to face the Death Dragon, and the victor is given special magical gifts to assist him in fighting it. But sometimes the chosen champion loses, with grave consequences for the world.
I realise that there are realms that are related to earth - such as Alysium, the Netherworld, the Faerie, ecetera, and that these realms were created via belifs of humans, or something similar.
I also heard that, as a result, every different planet will have their own versions of Alysium, The Netherworld, ecetera, although some may be missing them, or even have extra realms depending on the belifs of their inhabitants.
What I'd mostly like to do is confirm this for a backstory, and also: If an alien were to come to earth, would he/she still be able to draw power from their Alysium/Fae/Netherworld/Ecetera? I understand that their presence wouldn't alter the current world's realms, but I'd just like some feedback on this.
I realise that there are realms that are related to earth - such as Alysium, the Netherworld, the Faerie, ecetera, and that these realms were created via belifs of humans, or something similar.
I also heard that, as a result, every different planet will have their own versions of Alysium, The Netherworld, ecetera, although some may be missing them, or even have extra realms depending on the belifs of their inhabitants.
What I'd mostly like to do is confirm this for a backstory, and also: If an alien were to come to earth, would he/she still be able to draw power from their Alysium/Fae/Netherworld/Ecetera? I understand that their presence wouldn't alter the current world's realms, but I'd just like some feedback on this.
This is actually an area that hasn't really been explored in the PnP game to this point, not even in the recently-published Champions Beyond which deals with worlds beyond Earth. To be fair, it's barely been touched on in published comics, either.
It was established in Galactic Champions that at least one other world in the CU, Ackal, has at least one god or other supernatural being with real existence, that can grant power to those it chooses, the use of which doesn't seem dependent on the recipient being on Ackal. However, we're given no details of what mystic "geography" this being occupies in relation to its home world, or whether there are others like it there.
The sophisticated occult cosmology and plethora of deities of Champions Earth may be one of the many areas in which it's special compared to the rest of the galaxy. Some books, notably The Mystic World, mention theories as to why Earth is special; but Steve Long, Hero Games's Line Developer, has expressed reluctance to define why too closely. It just always is in comics.
My suggestion would be to go ahead with your backstory, particularly if your alien isn't one of the setting's defined species. I seriously doubt anything will appear in print to contradict you in foreseeable future.
I've read much of the lore in the game (I don't have any direct access to the source books sadly)...
I'm going to take this opportunity to plug the many fine source books for the Champions PnP game published by Hero Games. They're very entertaining reads chock-full of all the info you could ever want about the setting. Most are available from the Hero Games website online store as both hardcopy and (cheaper) downloadable PDFs (link below).
Note that the current PnP Champions uses the Sixth Edition of the HERO System, Hero Games's engine for all its game genres; but the majority of source books still available were written for the Fifth Edition, and all these are currently half price in the online store. If you're not interested in the HERO System as such, in most cases the lore from these older books is just as applicable to the current CU, both paper and Champions Online.
So I just recently started playing CO seriously, and I have been having a grand old time. However, because there's so much lore for the universe as a whole, I wanted to ask two questions:
1) If there were an absolute "must have" set of books for someone interested in the CU to get the broadest understanding of the universe as a whole, what would it be? I'm on a relatively tight budget, and I'm looking to get the best bang for the buck (filling in specific areas of interest later, as finances allow).
2) One current area of interest I've got an interest in: Lemuria, specifically its technology. From what I've seen so far in game (which isn't all the much, yet, sadly), it seems as if its got some sort of techno-magical thing going on, and I'm curious about the details thereof. Are there any source books currently with a focus on Lemuria, its tech, and so on?
So I just recently started playing CO seriously, and I have been having a grand old time. However, because there's so much lore for the universe as a whole, I wanted to ask two questions:
1) If there were an absolute "must have" set of books for someone interested in the CU to get the broadest understanding of the universe as a whole, what would it be? I'm on a relatively tight budget, and I'm looking to get the best bang for the buck (filling in specific areas of interest later, as finances allow).
2) One current area of interest I've got an interest in: Lemuria, specifically its technology. From what I've seen so far in game (which isn't all the much, yet, sadly), it seems as if its got some sort of techno-magical thing going on, and I'm curious about the details thereof. Are there any source books currently with a focus on Lemuria, its tech, and so on?
The best bang for your buck (or at least the most current and broadest) is Champions Universe, 6th edition. THe PDF is available at the link below. It also has about two and a half pages dedicated to Lemuria, so it's a good start. Hidden Lands, though out of date, has 20 pages on the subject.
I emphatically agree with Thundrax's recommendation of Champions Universe 6E, which is a one-stop overview of most elements of the CU. I'd just add that I believe the book is still also available in hard copy.
If you really want to get in-depth with Lemuria, though, your best bet is Hidden Lands, with an extensive chapter on Lemuria and specifically its unique magical "technology," as well as much discussion of Atlantis and several other such regions. Just keep in mind that HL was written before the events of the Lemurian civil war in Champions Online, so doesn't account for the changes brought on by that.
EDIT: I hate to correct Scott "Thundrax" Bennie, whom I respect greatly; but the Lemurian chapter of Hidden Lands is around 40 pages long.
Oh hey, how is time travel in the PnP lore, assuming there's anything written about time travel yet?
Are there laws against/concerning time travel?
Have there been time travelling heroes and villains before?
Are there some sort of "Time Cops"?
Are there potential dangers while time travelling?
As one of my characters is a time traveller in his backstory, some good answers would be great.
Oh hey, how is time travel in the PnP lore, assuming there's anything written about time travel yet?
Are there laws against/concerning time travel?
Have there been time travelling heroes and villains before?
Are there some sort of "Time Cops"?
Are there potential dangers while time travelling?
As one of my characters is a time traveller in his backstory, some good answers would be great.
Not a lot has been written about time travel for the current official Champions Universe. There are a few time travelers, time manipulators, or those who claim to be time travelers. Most notable of these is Captain Chronos, who comes from millennia in the future, and is trying to change events in the present to prevent a disastrous future timeline. Sometimes this causes him to act like a villain, at others like a hero, and sometimes for no discernable reason; but his long-term goals are benevolent.
There is no "time police" or enforced laws about time travel. However, Captain Chronos is always very careful about what actions he takes and what information about the future he gives to others, because there's a great danger that he could inadvertently change the future for the worse. Another example of the dangers of time travel is illustrated by a present-day CU villain who originates from the future, although almost no-one, not even the villain, is aware of it. Because this is one of the Big Secrets of the setting I'll put the info within Spoiler tags:
Mechanon comes from the same future era as Captain Chronos, originally sent into the past to prevent the disaster that Chronos wants to stop. But temporal turbulence disrupted Mechanon's programming, from preserving life to exterminating it.
One other thing might interest you: the Champions Universe is part of a much larger timeline embracing the "Hero Universe," tying together all the official settings published by Hero Games, past and future. You can download a free PDF describing this timeline, entitled "Hero Universe," from the webpage below at the Hero Games website:
Until just recently all my heroes have had a traditional 'code against killing' but playing my munitions character got me wondering about the in-universe legality of heroes killing or maiming the villains they fight, either deliberately or just through uncontrolled use of their powers. Is there anything relevant in the lore?
Until just recently all my heroes have had a traditional 'code against killing' but playing my munitions character got me wondering about the in-universe legality of heroes killing or maiming the villains they fight, either deliberately or just through uncontrolled use of their powers. Is there anything relevant in the lore?
Champions Universe devotes a fair amount of attention to "Superheroes and the Law" -- not surprising, since the guy who wrote the book is a lawyer.
To summarize the info relevant to your issue: in most states in the United States, superpowers are equated with weapons for legal purposes. Using superpowers against someone may result in charges of aggravated assault and/or reckless endangerment, regardless of the level of actual physical harm done. A superhero sanctioned by the government who uses his powers to prevent a crime has to face the same evaluation of whether the force used was excessive given the circumstances, as police officers do. Non-sanctioned heroes may be sued for assault and battery.
In either case, a superhero has to prove he was acting reasonably to prevent commission of a felony. If deadly force is used, the key defense is if the superhero had a reasonable belief that he, or another potential victim, was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm. Deadly force can also be used to protect one's home in certain circumstances. Generally the courts allow considerable leeway to respected superheroes acting in a reasonable manner.
Laws may differ outside of the United States. In general one should use the laws of one's country regarding private citizens and police employing force as a guideline for how superheroes would be treated.
Tonight is the unofficial start of Gen Con, the biggest RPG convention of the year. Don't expect answers frm Steve until Monday or Tuesday of next week.
Hey there. I'm a heavy role-player who is planning to make a Djinn character in game. However whilst researching Djinn lore I've come across all variety of legends and mythologies concerning them. I was wondering if Champions and the Heroes System has any specific lore in regards to these legless magical beings?
To this point there are no djinn characters in the published Champions Universe, and no lore specific to them. Like all mythical entities in the modern world, the djinn mostly dwell in the dimension of Faerie, home of all the races, creatures, and gods of legend and folklore. These beings had withdrawn from Champions Earth until the rise of magic in 1938, which also prompted the creation of superhumans, let them start crossing to Earth again.
There are stats for a (very powerful) djinn in the HERO System Bestiary, but it's more of a "generic" fantasy RPG interpretation rather than an attempt to translate actual folklore. Late this year, Hero Games will publish Mythic Hero, describing and statting legendary gods and beings from around the world, and based in serious research. However, MH is intended as a cross-genre gaming reference, not an integral part of the Champions Universe.
There are quite a few businesses mentioned in the source books, Champions Universe and Millennium City, that are unique to the Champions Universe, which appear in ads within Champions Online. I can't say I've seen every one of those ads, though. If you have specific ones in mind, I could tell you if they're from the PnP game.
Killtron isn't written up in any books to this point, and I can find no mention of him, so I think it's safe to assume he's a Cryptic creation. Perhaps just a name to fill the wanted poster.
There are quite a few businesses mentioned in the source books, Champions Universe and Millennium City, that are unique to the Champions Universe, which appear in ads within Champions Online. I can't say I've seen every one of those ads, though. If you have specific ones in mind, I could tell you if they're from the PnP game.
Killtron isn't written up in any books to this point, and I can find no mention of him, so I think it's safe to assume he's a Cryptic creation. Perhaps just a name to fill the wanted poster.
How about Cod Father's, Darren's Pizza, or Speedy Pizza, just off the top of my head. Also do they have any for of detailed information on them?
As for Killtron, I was curious because the wanted poster has a real name, and mentions he's wanted for tax evasion.
I couldn't find a "Cod Father's," but "Darren's Pizza" is in the Millennium City source book (almost certainly named for Hero Games president Darren Watts), as well as "Speed-E Pizza." They're just mentioned as popular fast-food eateries without other details, although a few of the more upscale restaurants are given more detailed info. The most detail is reserved for businesses that are either major players, or have particular potential for supers involvement: Harmon Industries, Cambridge Biotechnology, Adair Media Enterprises, National Union Bank, and the like.
A guy named "Killtron" wanted... for tax evasion. Sounds like an inside joke to me.
I couldn't find a "Cod Father's," but "Darren's Pizza" is in the Millennium City source book (almost certainly named for Hero Games president Darren Watts), as well as "Speed-E Pizza." They're just mentioned as popular fast-food eateries without other details, although a few of the more upscale restaurants are given more detailed info. The most detail is reserved for businesses that are either major players, or have particular potential for supers involvement: Harmon Industries, Cambridge Biotechnology, Adair Media Enterprises, National Union Bank, and the like.
A guy named "Killtron" wanted... for tax evasion. Sounds like an inside joke to me.
Ok. Was curious about Killtron since they had a huge wanted poster of him. Thought he might be important.
Wanted to know about the businesses because I write and record ads for Dimensional Radio. Had already written and recorded ads for a couple of the in game businesses, Cod Father's being one of the more recent ones, and I wanted to know if there was in lore detail I should know about for the others. That way I can incorporate them into future ads.
I recommend buying the PDF of Millennium City from the Hero Games website online store. Packed with useful reference info, and right now it's an absolute steal at only $8.50 US.
What's the state of communism in the Champions Universe? Specifically in the timeframe the game takes place. I'm playing with the idea of a russian hero who somehow ends up working in America who believes in communist ideals but still fights for good, I figure it'll be a good oppurtunity for roleplaying someone who is genuinely trying to help out but is judged because of his ideals and origin.
For your purposes the news is both bad and good. The bad news is that Communism has fared the same way in the Champions Universe as it has in the real world. The political situation is practically identical. The good news is that the Soviet Union sponsored (and created) quite a few super heroes in its day, of all types of powers, and some of these are still around and active. A few continue to act as Russian superheroes today, while others, disliking the current regime and society, have become mercenaries or even criminals.
Some of these supers still believe in Communist ideals, and even dream of restoring the Soviet Union one day. The descriptions of those who have stopped working for the Russian government, or even left Russia, often mention how disgusted they've become with the kleptocracy of capitalist thugs that controls so much of Russian society today. So there's plenty of precedent for a hero with the background you describe.
IMO the easiest origin for the kind of character you want would be someone connected to the USSR's former official national superhero team, the People's Legion, which disbanded between 1991 and '92 -- either a former member, or the child of one raised with the same ideals. (Note that before the Legion collapsed its government "handlers" had set up a developmental program for children with superhuman mutations, grooming them to eventually join the Legion.)
For your purposes the news is both bad and good. The bad news is that Communism has fared the same way in the Champions Universe as it has in the real world. The political situation is practically identical. The good news is that the Soviet Union sponsored (and created) quite a few super heroes in its day, of all types of powers, and some of these are still around and active. A few continue to act as Russian superheroes today, while others, disliking the current regime and society, have become mercenaries or even criminals.
Some of these supers still believe in Communist ideals, and even dream of restoring the Soviet Union one day. The descriptions of those who have stopped working for the Russian government, or even left Russia, often mention how disgusted they've become with the kleptocracy of capitalist thugs that controls so much of Russian society today. So there's plenty of precedent for a hero with the background you describe.
IMO the easiest origin for the kind of character you want would be someone connected to the USSR's former official national superhero team, the People's Legion, which disbanded between 1991 and '92 -- either a former member, or the child of one raised with the same ideals. (Note that before the Legion collapsed its government "handlers" had set up a developmental program for children with superhuman mutations, grooming them to eventually join the Legion.)
Thanks for the reply, I don't see any of that as bad news at all. A character is made interesting by conflict and I think the fact that communism has fallen and the general view on communism in America could create a very interesting character.
Something like an idealistic hero who truly believes communism can succeed is probably what I'll go for if I end up making a character I'm happy with power and costume-wise.
Could you please tell me if there is a sourcebook which holds information about the more trivial matters like indetail descriptions of the Champions metals such as Questionite?
Any information like weight, mass, origin, electric conductivity?
On Post #65 of this thread, I quoted from the sourcebook, Champions Universe, regarding all the info that has so far been revealed about questionite. That book is the best general reference on the Champs Uni, covering many subjects, although few of them in detail.
More in-depth coverage of specific areas is provided by other books targeted to those areas. If you were to specify what other things you're interested in, I could offer info or point you to the relevant reference sources to peruse at your leisure.
I've played Champions pnp since it was released and have pretty much everything ever published for the system, but your level of knowledge is truly astounding. I know we have "the two Scotts" and "Big Steve" here, so I must ask...
Are you now, or have you in the past, ever been associated with Hero or DOJ Games?
On Post #65 of this thread, I quoted from the sourcebook, Champions Universe, regarding all the info that has so far been revealed about questionite. That book is the best general reference on the Champs Uni, covering many subjects, although few of them in detail.
More in-depth coverage of specific areas is provided by other books targeted to those areas. If you were to specify what other things you're interested in, I could offer info or point you to the relevant reference sources to peruse at your leisure.
Thank you, bought the book now
I would like to know if there is a good source book covering somealike or similiar to Technomagic? combing magic and technology
I've played Champions pnp since it was released and have pretty much everything ever published for the system, but your level of knowledge is truly astounding. I know we have "the two Scotts" and "Big Steve" here, so I must ask...
Are you now, or have you in the past, ever been associated with Hero or DOJ Games?
LL is a fan who's posts have been a highlght of the Hero Games forums for years. He's always been an extraordinarily helpful guy with a keen interest in the Champions Universe.
I've played Champions pnp since it was released and have pretty much everything ever published for the system, but your level of knowledge is truly astounding. I know we have "the two Scotts" and "Big Steve" here, so I must ask...
Are you now, or have you in the past, ever been associated with Hero or DOJ Games?
That's a very flattering question, thank you.
The only paying work I've ever done for Hero Games was an article published in their electronic periodical, Digital Hero, updating the classic Champions villain, Professor Muerte, to the current Champions Universe continuity. (That version of Muerte is serving as my avatar BTW.) Like you, I've loved and followed the game since its inception and have a huge library for it. However, I'm not a member of the circle of gamers including the original creators of Champions, or the current management of Hero Games. I've corresponded with many of those folks electronically for over a decade, though. Hero Games Line Developer Steve Long did request that I review the manuscripts for Champions Universe Sixth Edition, and Champions Beyond, to check their continuity. So I guess I have a bit of a reputation.
I think my main difference from most fans in this context, is that I pay close attention to how the elements of the Champions Universe fit together, rather than treat them as a source of adaptable elements for my own game worlds. That's even more the case with the current incarnation of the CU, which Steve Long et al rebooted with a coherent background and history. I find that fascinating to follow.
Comments
Although in point of fact, the CU American government has taken possession of all the kelvarite known within its borders, and only hands out small samples to classified research laboratories (one such resulting in the origin of Tachyon and Thunderbolt II).
i looked through my fathers source books well they are from the first to third editions and although imfomative
i couldnt figure out why the champions kept switching?
also are there any area's in champs lore that have successfully isolated themselves form outside interferance?
i couldnt find anything on that and i would love to know.
That's what we're here for. Bump away.
Essentially, it's because each management that's taken over the Champions IP has had different preferences in characters, and in what elements of the comic-book genre they want to emphasize.
Could you explain a little more what you mean by "isolated themselves from outside interference?"
Oh sure, lots of them. In Champs jargon they're often referred to as "hidden lands." There's even a source book by that name for the current PnP Champions Universe that describes a number of them.
Just off the top of my head, lands that are still practically unknown to modern man include: the Antarctic valley of Arcadia, home of the immortal Empyreans; the cities of Shamballah and Agharti, hidden beneath Mount Everest; the Kingdom of the Apes, an underground city of intelligent gorillas in Africa; the Haida village of Niikwan in the Queen Charlotte Islands, concealed by the power of their gods; the Valley of Night in South America, concealing remnants of the Inca civilization. Even the underwater realms of Atlantis and Lemuria were unknown to the surface until the twentieth century.
You know, I just remembered that PnP Vibora Bay already had a recently-arrived resident vampire, Stalker. I wonder if there's going to be any in-game rivalry.
1. How is the leadership of ARGENT organized? Is there one CEO? A board of chairmen? Or something totally different?
2. Is there a designated 'Master of Disguises' hero/villain except Masquerade, who uses shapeshifting and not disguises?
3. What kind of magic do the Serpent Mages of VIPER use? Is it snake themed; i.g. summoning snakes etc.?
4. Is it possible for mortals to strike deals with the demons of the Descending Hierarchy? Like in 'Faust' for example? What kind of 'conditions' would such a deal bring?
Phew... A lot of questions, I know. I hope you can help me.
Unfortunately, little has yet been revealed about the organizational structure of ARGENT. The group started out as an apparently-legitimate corporation specializing in scientific research and defense contracts, until it was discovered to secretly be dealing with criminals, terrorists, and hostile governments; so it's reasonable to assume it retains some features of a corporate hierarchy.
The Monster Island sourcebook makes some telling references to various ARGENT officers, in relation to ARGENT's research facilities and game preserve on the island. It refers to a "Board of Directors" which makes major decisions about ARGENT's activities. Roger Hartwell, director of the MI facility, has the title "Vice President." ARGENT apparently has a sizeable "Research and Development Department."
Next year Hero Games is scheduled to publish a sourcebook for the PnP game, Profit And Purity, detailing both ARGENT and the Champions Universe's "anti-mutant" organization, the Institute for Human Advancement.
Masquerade is considered the top disguise/espionage operative in the world. If you mean, is there another shape-shifter with disguise capabilities, I can think of several. Dr. Destroyer's metamorphic minion, Rakshasa, is probably Masquerade's greatest rival in disguise and infiltration abilities, and also has formidable illusion-projection powers. The villain Morph is in some ways an even more flexible shifter than Masquerade, able to assume practically any form, living or unliving, including shaping parts of her body into deadly weapons. She lacks Masquerade's extensive espionage skill set, though. Eclipse is the CU's homage to Marvel Comics' Rogue, except when she touches someone she not only copies their memories, skills, and powers, but their physical appearance as well.
If you mean, a master of disguise who doesn't have shape-shifting powers, the best in that category is probably Mirage. She has no super-powers, but makes extensive use of holography and other devices built into her costume to disguise her appearance, including imitating others, or to project illusions over an area. The villain Mindgame has similar powers of illusion, but his are innate.
Serpent Mages are all followers of VIPER's Snake Cult, worshippers of the great serpent Nama. They must participate in monthly ritual animal sacrifices to retain their powers. Known Serpent Mage spells involve mentally speaking with and commanding snakes, summoning several king cobras, changing their physical form to that of a king cobra, and a "venomous touch" that can incapacitate or kill an opponent.
Absolutely. One of the greatest demons of the Descending Hierarchy is Mephistopheles, who often travels the Earth seeking people desperate enough to "make a deal." Between his powers and his connections he can provide a contractee with almost anything he wants: wealth, status, even super powers. One of his deals resulted in the creation of the super villain known as the Hell Rider. The stakes are about what you'd expect -- selling one's soul -- although the precise conditions of when and how Mephistopheles collects are open to negotiation.
Another major demon, Baphomet, Lord of Wrath, offered to augment the power of the supernatural villain the Black Paladin, to help him spread even greater destruction and evil in the world (which is what Baphoment wants from him). In that case the bargain was a more straightforward exchange than the precise contract that Mephistopheles specializes in.
The sorceress-villain of Vibora Bay who calls herself Valerian Scarlet gained her powers after bargaining with a summoned demon named Kerathios, who granted her magical abilities in exchange for
The patriarch of the magically-adept Silvestri clan, Giacomo Silvestri, sold his soul to the archdevil Astaroth in exchange for conceiving a son and heir. A later bargain lets him retain his youth perpetually, if he
We haven't yet published a thorough look at ARGENT, but unless Cryptic wants me to change what I have in mind -- yes, there's a CEO, a board of directors, etc., etc., and so on. It's basically a big ol' evil corporation that's able to exist despite its manifestly illegal activities because there are rogue states in the CU that are willing to shetler it in exchange for various benefits.
There really isn't anyone like that in the mainstream, superpowered, Champions Universe. For a character like that, we have to look a bit beyond that into the shadowy world of Dark Champions, where superpowers are relatively rare (if not nonexistent) and low-powered. In our villains book Predators, and various other sources we have a few villains that come relatively close to what you're after:
--the Kaleidoscope Man, victim of a CIA project who can shift between a slate of a dozen personalities and skill sets, and can disguise himself to suit them
--Alexander Drood, the Unfinished Man, who can mold his facial features to change his appearance
There are a few others who could easily be adapted into a "Chameleon"-like role, too, such as Le Bateleur (an expert at breaking people out of prison).
Most of them do use some serpent-themed spells (see VIPER, p. 64, for examples). However the GM could expand a Serpent Mage's repertoire if he wanted to, probably using the Superheroic Thaumaturgy spells in Champions Universe and The HERO System Grimoire.
Absolutely it's possible; you've cited the classic example.
I'd like to attach one more question:
On page 125 of the 'UNTIL Superpowers Database 2005', there's an entry for 'Ballistokinetics', the manipulation of bullets. Are there any established characters using that superpower?
(This ties closely with my question about the demonic pacts; I'm thinking about a character along the likes of a Freischütz: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freischutz )
Steve Long is more familiar with the Dark Champions rogues gallery than I am, so he may know of someone from there who fits.
OTOH an earlier edition of Champions, from before the current official Champions Universe, had a character called The Mechanic, an assassin with a very limited form of Telekinesis. He used it to stabilize and accelerate bullets in flight, greatly enhancing the accuracy and penetration of any firearm he used.
I know Questionite is basically the adamantium of Champions Lore, and I know kendrium is stronger than steel and not much heavier. I know that neutronium is the one thing notably stronger than Questionite, and that it weighs a lot. Can you give some sort of scale as to how heavy Neutronium is and possibly how strong in comparison to Questionite? Mainly the weight.
"Questionite is an amazingly durable, yet unusually light, metal found only in certain rare deposits. Between its rarity and usefulness, its incredibly expensive. Questionite armor and machine parts are extremely difficult to damage; blades made of questionite can cut through nearly anything and never seem to lose their edge.
Neutronium is even more durable than questionite, but much, much heavier so heavy that an average trained athlete cant easily lift a blade made of the stuff. Those who possess neutronium claim it comes from dead stars, though scientists have pointed out its not nearly dense enough."
While it's in no way canon, for my own games I generally play questionite as about the same weight as aluminum, while neutronium is several times heavier than a comparable amount of lead.
(FWIW I once created a superstrong villain for the PnP game who wielded a morningstar-like weapon with a head of neutronium, for concussive damage, studded with questionite spikes for penetrating damage.)
The closest I seen in game is the Red Banner, but they are a pretty pathetic bunch if a single hero can defeat their vaunted "Death Dragon".
If Detroit was destroyed by Dr. Destroyer and was rebuilt into Millennium City and then was later invaded by the Qularr .... what happened to Windsor? Is Windsor not just across the river of MC? Wouldn't Windsor have been damaged/destroyed/invaded during those two events? Or are Dr. Ds robots unable to cross water and were the Qularr just wanting to burn down MC?
I asked a buddy of mine who has the books but he couldn't find anything if I remember.... but yeah... it would seem to me that something big enough to destroy a large city would have had some repercussions on a city that is clearly within eyesight.
Windsor was mostly spared in the holocaust. The area that was affected was rebuilt and has now been renamed Memorial City. It's described in Champions of the North, 5th edition, in some detail.
The Qularr invasion was not mentioned in COTN, as the book pre-dates the invasion. I'd assume they landed there as well, and that Celestar (who claims Windsor as his hometown and is arguably as formidable as all of the Champions combined) was fighting them off, while Justiciar went with Ravenspeaker to Steelhead to deal with the crisis you see in the Canada Crisis. When Kigatilik was revived, Celestar headed north for reasons that make perfect sense given his past history.
Windsor in the CU is described in Champions Of The North, the PnP sourcebook for Canada. Quoting from COTN p. 42:
"In 1992, the devastation of the battle between Dr. Destroyer and numerous heroes that destroyed Detroit also lapped over the border into Windsor. The Ambassador Bridge was all but destroyed, and the Windsor-Detroit tunnel collapsed. The damage wasn't nearly as extensive as the devastation in Detroit, but still led to extensive rebuilding. Today Windsor is one of Canada's most modern cities, a center of industry in the traditional automobile industry, but also in plastics and the burgeoning aerospace industry."
The heart of the rebuilt area of Windsor is known as "Memorial City," sharing many of the architectural and technological advances as Millennium City. It adjoins Memorial Park commemorating the Battle of Detroit.
Champions Of The North was written before the most recent Qularr invasion in Champions Online, so what effect that may or may not have had on Windsor isn't detailed for the PnP game (yet).
In CO, the Hero Games serves as the PvP system. My questions are:
1) Is there any other information about the Hero Games, or was it created for CO?
2) If there is any more information, which book would I find it in?
3) If it does exist as anything other than an excuse for the CO PvP, are heroes paid for participating, or are they unpaid volunteers?
OTOH the CU does feature something called The Arena, an underground pit-fighting circuit in the United States in which superpowered fighters are paid to beat on each other for the amusement of wealthy, jaded patrons. It's very secretive and highly illegal. Most of the participants are relatively low-powered, not in the class of "name" heroes or villains, although occasionally a powerful supervillain like Herculan or Ogre may become involved for a big cut of the take. True superheroes have nothing to do with it, though.
I apologise for not noticing your question earlier, Staticdoor.
While there is no unique, original order or organization specifically devoted to assassination in the official Champions Universe, traditional groups such as the ninja and the hashishim do exist in the setting; and there's no shortage of super powered assassins for hire, contacted by potential employers through the same underworld channels as other supervillains.
The Cult of the Red Banner is probably the most "Hand-like" of the organizations within the CU, although VIPER is served by another ninja-like cult, the Takara-Shinja. However, your judgement of the quality of the Red Banner is based on incomplete info.
I realise that there are realms that are related to earth - such as Alysium, the Netherworld, the Faerie, ecetera, and that these realms were created via belifs of humans, or something similar.
I also heard that, as a result, every different planet will have their own versions of Alysium, The Netherworld, ecetera, although some may be missing them, or even have extra realms depending on the belifs of their inhabitants.
What I'd mostly like to do is confirm this for a backstory, and also: If an alien were to come to earth, would he/she still be able to draw power from their Alysium/Fae/Netherworld/Ecetera? I understand that their presence wouldn't alter the current world's realms, but I'd just like some feedback on this.
This is actually an area that hasn't really been explored in the PnP game to this point, not even in the recently-published Champions Beyond which deals with worlds beyond Earth. To be fair, it's barely been touched on in published comics, either.
It was established in Galactic Champions that at least one other world in the CU, Ackal, has at least one god or other supernatural being with real existence, that can grant power to those it chooses, the use of which doesn't seem dependent on the recipient being on Ackal. However, we're given no details of what mystic "geography" this being occupies in relation to its home world, or whether there are others like it there.
The sophisticated occult cosmology and plethora of deities of Champions Earth may be one of the many areas in which it's special compared to the rest of the galaxy. Some books, notably The Mystic World, mention theories as to why Earth is special; but Steve Long, Hero Games's Line Developer, has expressed reluctance to define why too closely. It just always is in comics.
My suggestion would be to go ahead with your backstory, particularly if your alien isn't one of the setting's defined species. I seriously doubt anything will appear in print to contradict you in foreseeable future.
I'm going to take this opportunity to plug the many fine source books for the Champions PnP game published by Hero Games. They're very entertaining reads chock-full of all the info you could ever want about the setting. Most are available from the Hero Games website online store as both hardcopy and (cheaper) downloadable PDFs (link below).
Note that the current PnP Champions uses the Sixth Edition of the HERO System, Hero Games's engine for all its game genres; but the majority of source books still available were written for the Fifth Edition, and all these are currently half price in the online store. If you're not interested in the HERO System as such, in most cases the lore from these older books is just as applicable to the current CU, both paper and Champions Online.
https://www.herogames.com/browse.htm?keywords=&categoryID=220001&releaseDate=-1&available=Y&book=Y&pdf=Y&characterPack=Y&multiBook=Y&other=Y&damaged=Y
So I just recently started playing CO seriously, and I have been having a grand old time. However, because there's so much lore for the universe as a whole, I wanted to ask two questions:
1) If there were an absolute "must have" set of books for someone interested in the CU to get the broadest understanding of the universe as a whole, what would it be? I'm on a relatively tight budget, and I'm looking to get the best bang for the buck (filling in specific areas of interest later, as finances allow).
2) One current area of interest I've got an interest in: Lemuria, specifically its technology. From what I've seen so far in game (which isn't all the much, yet, sadly), it seems as if its got some sort of techno-magical thing going on, and I'm curious about the details thereof. Are there any source books currently with a focus on Lemuria, its tech, and so on?
The best bang for your buck (or at least the most current and broadest) is Champions Universe, 6th edition. THe PDF is available at the link below. It also has about two and a half pages dedicated to Lemuria, so it's a good start. Hidden Lands, though out of date, has 20 pages on the subject.
https://www.herogames.com/viewItem.htm?itemID=247924
If you really want to get in-depth with Lemuria, though, your best bet is Hidden Lands, with an extensive chapter on Lemuria and specifically its unique magical "technology," as well as much discussion of Atlantis and several other such regions. Just keep in mind that HL was written before the events of the Lemurian civil war in Champions Online, so doesn't account for the changes brought on by that.
EDIT: I hate to correct Scott "Thundrax" Bennie, whom I respect greatly; but the Lemurian chapter of Hidden Lands is around 40 pages long.
Are there laws against/concerning time travel?
Have there been time travelling heroes and villains before?
Are there some sort of "Time Cops"?
Are there potential dangers while time travelling?
As one of my characters is a time traveller in his backstory, some good answers would be great.
Not a lot has been written about time travel for the current official Champions Universe. There are a few time travelers, time manipulators, or those who claim to be time travelers. Most notable of these is Captain Chronos, who comes from millennia in the future, and is trying to change events in the present to prevent a disastrous future timeline. Sometimes this causes him to act like a villain, at others like a hero, and sometimes for no discernable reason; but his long-term goals are benevolent.
There is no "time police" or enforced laws about time travel. However, Captain Chronos is always very careful about what actions he takes and what information about the future he gives to others, because there's a great danger that he could inadvertently change the future for the worse. Another example of the dangers of time travel is illustrated by a present-day CU villain who originates from the future, although almost no-one, not even the villain, is aware of it. Because this is one of the Big Secrets of the setting I'll put the info within Spoiler tags:
One other thing might interest you: the Champions Universe is part of a much larger timeline embracing the "Hero Universe," tying together all the official settings published by Hero Games, past and future. You can download a free PDF describing this timeline, entitled "Hero Universe," from the webpage below at the Hero Games website:
http://www.herogames.com/freeStuff.htm?category=Hero+5th+Edition+Documents
Champions Universe devotes a fair amount of attention to "Superheroes and the Law" -- not surprising, since the guy who wrote the book is a lawyer.
To summarize the info relevant to your issue: in most states in the United States, superpowers are equated with weapons for legal purposes. Using superpowers against someone may result in charges of aggravated assault and/or reckless endangerment, regardless of the level of actual physical harm done. A superhero sanctioned by the government who uses his powers to prevent a crime has to face the same evaluation of whether the force used was excessive given the circumstances, as police officers do. Non-sanctioned heroes may be sued for assault and battery.
In either case, a superhero has to prove he was acting reasonably to prevent commission of a felony. If deadly force is used, the key defense is if the superhero had a reasonable belief that he, or another potential victim, was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm. Deadly force can also be used to protect one's home in certain circumstances. Generally the courts allow considerable leeway to respected superheroes acting in a reasonable manner.
Laws may differ outside of the United States. In general one should use the laws of one's country regarding private citizens and police employing force as a guideline for how superheroes would be treated.
Tonight is the unofficial start of Gen Con, the biggest RPG convention of the year. Don't expect answers frm Steve until Monday or Tuesday of next week.
There are stats for a (very powerful) djinn in the HERO System Bestiary, but it's more of a "generic" fantasy RPG interpretation rather than an attempt to translate actual folklore. Late this year, Hero Games will publish Mythic Hero, describing and statting legendary gods and beings from around the world, and based in serious research. However, MH is intended as a cross-genre gaming reference, not an integral part of the Champions Universe.
One: Do the businesses that we see ads for in the game exist in the PnP version and lore, or were they added by Cryptic?
Two: I saw a wanted poster for Killtron. Is he actually part of the CU, or is he a Cryptic creation?
Killtron isn't written up in any books to this point, and I can find no mention of him, so I think it's safe to assume he's a Cryptic creation. Perhaps just a name to fill the wanted poster.
How about Cod Father's, Darren's Pizza, or Speedy Pizza, just off the top of my head. Also do they have any for of detailed information on them?
As for Killtron, I was curious because the wanted poster has a real name, and mentions he's wanted for tax evasion.
A guy named "Killtron" wanted... for tax evasion. Sounds like an inside joke to me.
Ok. Was curious about Killtron since they had a huge wanted poster of him. Thought he might be important.
Wanted to know about the businesses because I write and record ads for Dimensional Radio. Had already written and recorded ads for a couple of the in game businesses, Cod Father's being one of the more recent ones, and I wanted to know if there was in lore detail I should know about for the others. That way I can incorporate them into future ads.
https://www.herogames.com/viewItem.htm?itemID=220731
So in short, how's communism doing these days?
Some of these supers still believe in Communist ideals, and even dream of restoring the Soviet Union one day. The descriptions of those who have stopped working for the Russian government, or even left Russia, often mention how disgusted they've become with the kleptocracy of capitalist thugs that controls so much of Russian society today. So there's plenty of precedent for a hero with the background you describe.
IMO the easiest origin for the kind of character you want would be someone connected to the USSR's former official national superhero team, the People's Legion, which disbanded between 1991 and '92 -- either a former member, or the child of one raised with the same ideals. (Note that before the Legion collapsed its government "handlers" had set up a developmental program for children with superhuman mutations, grooming them to eventually join the Legion.)
Something like an idealistic hero who truly believes communism can succeed is probably what I'll go for if I end up making a character I'm happy with power and costume-wise.
Thanks again, this was very helpfull.
Any information like weight, mass, origin, electric conductivity?
More in-depth coverage of specific areas is provided by other books targeted to those areas. If you were to specify what other things you're interested in, I could offer info or point you to the relevant reference sources to peruse at your leisure.
I've played Champions pnp since it was released and have pretty much everything ever published for the system, but your level of knowledge is truly astounding. I know we have "the two Scotts" and "Big Steve" here, so I must ask...
Are you now, or have you in the past, ever been associated with Hero or DOJ Games?
Thank you, bought the book now
I would like to know if there is a good source book covering somealike or similiar to Technomagic? combing magic and technology
LL is a fan who's posts have been a highlght of the Hero Games forums for years. He's always been an extraordinarily helpful guy with a keen interest in the Champions Universe.
That's a very flattering question, thank you.
The only paying work I've ever done for Hero Games was an article published in their electronic periodical, Digital Hero, updating the classic Champions villain, Professor Muerte, to the current Champions Universe continuity. (That version of Muerte is serving as my avatar BTW.) Like you, I've loved and followed the game since its inception and have a huge library for it. However, I'm not a member of the circle of gamers including the original creators of Champions, or the current management of Hero Games. I've corresponded with many of those folks electronically for over a decade, though. Hero Games Line Developer Steve Long did request that I review the manuscripts for Champions Universe Sixth Edition, and Champions Beyond, to check their continuity. So I guess I have a bit of a reputation.
I think my main difference from most fans in this context, is that I pay close attention to how the elements of the Champions Universe fit together, rather than treat them as a source of adaptable elements for my own game worlds. That's even more the case with the current incarnation of the CU, which Steve Long et al rebooted with a coherent background and history. I find that fascinating to follow.
I also have a large memory for trivia.