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Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
FR IENDS
A NIGHTMARISH ADVENTURE
FOR SUPERHEROIC CHARACTERS OF 550 - 700 POINTS
OR VERY POWERFUL SAVAGE SUPERS CHARACTERS
AUTHOR
Michael Satran
LAYOUT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN For Scott Bennie, I tip my hat to you, sir.
Bill The Original Evil Bunny Keyes For Millennium Guard, shine the
brightest because you dare.
COVER ART
Mark Helwig For Sharon Packer, have a look at this one!
For Rydia Q. Viehler, for theatre help.
INTERIOR ART
Mark Helwig, Bradley K. McDevitt,
Alex Williamson, Kurt Wood
CARTOGRAPHY
Bill Keyes
Hero System is DOJs trademark for its roleplaying system Produced and distributed by BlackWyrm Games.
Hero System 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ Inc. d/b/a/ Hero Games. All Rights This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle
Reserved. Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos
and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permis-
Imaginary Friends 2013 by Michael Satran. All Rights Reserved. sion. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or
suitability for purpose of this product.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computer- SKU: BWG723
ization, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the Publisher. ISBN Number: 978-1-61318-723-4
IN TRODU CTION
B
ackground: There is a psychic field that surrounds the However, Ingersolls research would still prove useful. Ingersoll
world. Trapped inside this psychic field are several of the had been studying children with traces of psychic energy in the hope
most powerful aliens to ever exist, beings humanity trapped of tapping into what he believed was a psychic field that surrounded
there in order to forge their own destiny free of interstellar the world. Although the existence of the field couldnt be entirely
domination. These beings, calling themselves Hlbrassians, possess proven, if successful, tapping into its power would provide a limit-
incredible powers of the mind, as well as incredible rage and hatred. less source of energy with which to do anything he wanted, including
The supervillain Lord Dominus was infamous for his invention the ability to create psychic entities with a variant of Dominuss own
of a device called the Mindsaber Chair which would give incred- Mindsaber Chair. Dominus was determined to discover the truth
ible psychic attack powers to any psychic that sat in the chair. All his of this. And even though Ingersolls body aged more quickly while
previous attempts to control psychics had met with failure. And many Dominuss mind occupied it, it wouldnt be long before he found a
years ago, he was defeated by a powerful superhero team and trapped solution.
in the body of a five-year-old child through his own sinister actions. Dominus began looking for children with traces of psychic
Although the boys body was comatose, Dominus continued to plot potential who had the qualities he required: difficult parents who
and scheme from within his human prison. He rested in a coma for didnt understand their children, orphans who frightened their fellow
many years, and his prison grew while his mind grew bitter. children in the orphanage, and children who were difficult to control.
Eventually, Dominuss case came to the attention of a young His plan was simple: He would expose them to the energies of his
scientist named Doctor Carl Ingersoll. Ingersoll was brilliant in his new device and study weak psychic entities before using the device
own right and had written several articles on theories about psychics on himself.
and the mind. Unfortunately, Ingersoll had no ethics of his own and The experiments proceeded better than expected. Slowly, under
belonged to the SPIDER Human Advancement Project for Evolu- the eyes of SPIDER, he milked their funding for his evil scheme.
tion (SHAPE). Ingersoll built a device he believed would allow him Under the guise of the Parapsychological Research Institute, a front
to communicate with Dominus in order to advance the project but he built over one of SPIDERs bases, Dominus rebuilt his Mind-
without telling any of his superiors. saber Chair to tap into the psychic field surrounding the world. He
This proved to be a terrible mistake. When Ingersoll activated managed to find several children with weak psychic potential and
the device, Dominus seized the opportunity, crushing the mind of allowed them to make their own Imaginary Friends. People without
Doctor Carl Ingersoll in an instant and wiping him from existence. psychic abilities or the ability to detect living beings couldnt see the
He then inhabited the body himself. In the guise of Carl Ingersoll, he Imaginary Friends, but that, from Dominuss point of view, was a
slowly began taking over the SPIDER operation, twisting it to his own considerable advantage to his own plans. The Imaginary Friends were
wicked ends. psychic entities, but all of them possessed a psychic connection to
their originator.
Unfortunately, in his eagerness, Lord Dominus made a mistake of
WARNINGS his own.
One of the children Dominus recruited from difficult parents was
This adventure is totally inconsistent with the
a boy named Toby Doherty. Toby was not only a powerful tele-
Champions Universe. Modifications may be
path in his own right, but he also possessed a disease called Mirror
required.
Neuron Deficiency Disorder. Toby lacked the ability to tell right from
There are several scenes in this adventure that wrong. Toby concealed his true power from Lord Dominus until
involve extreme violence and dehumanization. after he was exposed to the machine. The machine created a murder-
Be careful when describing them. ously powerful Imaginary Friend Toby called Mr. Wumbles. Mister
Wumbles took the form of a sinister-looking rabbit, complete with an
Difficulty Level: It is recommended that this Edwardian outfit, a top hat, and a machete he used to kill anyone who
adventure be read thoroughly multiple times stood in his way. At first, the other Imaginary Friends didnt know
before running it. Developing a level of flexibility what to think of Mr. Wumbles, but slowly, they grew to fear him.
with the NPCs within is recommended. Mister Wumbles began to scheme against Toby and the others.
Lord Dominus wants enough psychic power to Mister Wumbles wants to become a god.
do whatever he wants, including taking revenge
Into this situation come the player characters.
on the heroes who put him into a coma.
When Dominus realizes that things have gone
Toby Doherty wants to rule the world. out of control, he will call in the heroes to calm
things down, hopefully without revealing the
And Mr. Wumbles? nature of the experiment but still getting rid of
Mister Wumbles wants nothing more than to Mr. Wumbles for good.
become real and live in a world where he is the But such things have a way of spiraling out of
master of his own destiny. Free of Toby Free control on their own, and not one of the villains
of the machine Free of the other Imaginary involved wants to be on the losing end.
Friends.
violence that most human beings would consider abhorrent, and a RUNNING IMAGINARY FRIENDS
callous disregard for anyone or anything except himself, a quiet form IN SAVAGE WORLDS
of extreme narcissism. Running Imaginary Friends with Savage Worlds not only requires
While these are all common characteristics in a supervillain, the the core rules but also the Super Powers Companion. To fit the
fact that Toby is only five years old may shock, upset, or otherwise intended style of play, the adventure uses the following Setting Rules
disrupt the minds of your players. It is critical to the adventure that from that book:
no punches be pulled with Toby. He is meant to be a monster of the
Baseline Environment
worst sort. Characters may wish to cure, heal, or otherwise fix Toby,
Heroic Bennies
but the reality is that, unlike many characters that fall into horrible
circumstances and become evil, Toby was born with the inability to Inherent Power: Total Power (All players begin with 40 Powers
distinguish right from wrong. For the purposes of the adventure, no Points to purchase powers)
cure for Tobys condition should be easily available, although a kind Knockback
GM may offer the hope of one after the adventure is over. Super Karma (Provides +5 Power Points)
Toby represents a very different kind of challenge for player char- Unarmed Defenders
acters to face precisely because, although he has the mind of an adult
in terms of his knowledge and capabilities, he is still a child physically Additionally, from the Savage Worlds core rules, apply the
and will never be anything but a pure, vicious id. Toby will use this following Setting Rules as well:
against the heroes in every manner he possibly can. Inside Tobys Blood & Guts (called Pushing Damage)
childlike body lies a cunning mind that exists only to advance himself Fanatics
and his plans while ruthlessly destroying his enemies. He only wishes Heroes Never Die
to act as he pleases with no restrictions.
This adventure would be tough for Novice Rank heroes, so its
RUNNING IMAGINARY FRIENDS IN HORROR HERO recommended for characters of at least Seasoned to Veteran Rank (30
There are a lot of people who would say that Imaginary Friends is XPs), but even then, the GM should carefully consider the opposition
a Horror Hero adventure, but clearly, the heroes will be a lot weaker the heroes have to face.
and the villains will have to be a lot weaker, too. Lower the power Wild Cards are noted with the icon by their name, and
level of Wumbles, Dominus and Toby to just above Normal levels, the same icon is used throughout the book to denote the
change the supervillain team to a military strike team with an array of Savage Worlds rules as well.
special skills, and turn the SPIDER agents into ordinary grunt troops.
The heroes will have to be tough, cunning, and smart to infiltrate BREAKING STUFF (OR USING STUFF TO BREAK OTHERS)
Dominuss clinic and disable his machine. Expect a lot of deaths Many items throughout the adventure list their Hero System
along the way, as youll have ample opportunity to play up Wumbless Defenses and Body; instead of listing these again for Savage Worlds,
cunning and striking from the shadows. there is a much easier way to convert them. Simply add an objects PD
and ED and compare it to its BODY. If the BODY is lower or higher
RUNNING IMAGINARY FRIENDS IN GESTALT but the item made up of multiple parts (like a piano or chandelier),
In the Gestalt Universe, running this adventure is simple. Imper- use the Defense total as its Toughness. If the BODY value is higher
ator has found a way to use his power rod and alien technology to and the object is solid (like a table or fountain), use the higher BODY
tap into the very energy of the Gestalt Dimension. All the Imaginary number as its Toughness instead. All of these conversions are listed in
Friends are Pure Gestalts. Replace the SPIDER Alpha team with the the Object Defense & Toughness Tables in the back of the book.
rest of the Tyranny League. Tarantula and the SPIDER agents will act
as agents of the Tyranny League. Good luck. Alternatively, feel free to
make Ingersoll a powerful Gestalt of Mind, perhaps even Nom, the Order of Operations
most powerful Gestalt in the world, with a good motivation to do so, This adventure requires a considerable amount of flexibility on
and the Tyranny League his allies who he intends to throw in front the part of the gamemaster, including the ability to move events
of a train later. Discovering the true name of the creation of any idea around in order and adjust to actions the players might take. The
would make him the most powerful being in the Gestalt world, so adventure is constructed like a giant Klein bottle, where events and
this is also a good option. Another option is to make Doctor Ingersoll results move around from the beginning point to
a disguised Maligno. Of course, this means all surviving Imaginary
Friends will turn into horrible monsters also, but thats the price of
making deals with Maligno.
6 6
the end point. While the events listed in the adventure occur in the either by SPIDER agents, supervillains, hired or otherwise, or Mr.
most likely order, theres no reason a GM cant move them around if Wumbles. Its important to be creative and careful. Heroes can be
the players do something that warrants it. Adjust for the actions of made to have disturbing dreams that unsettle them. Sometimes small
the player characters appropriately. There are several key things to things can have a bigger effect than big things.
remember: At the same time, its important not to be too aggressive. This can
These villains are as smart, if not smarter, than the player charac- end the scenario prematurely or cause the downfall of villains before
ters. They will react as cleverly as the PCs do. the final endgame. In a case like this, monitor available resources
Many of these villains are telepathic, and evil telepaths wont be
carefully, as the final encounter may significantly change. Be prepared
afraid to read the heroes minds to get information about their to adjust for what the players do in reaction to what the telepaths
weaknesses, powers, and abilities. do, both to the heroes and to each other (usually via proxies). Above
all, if the players are cleverer than the manipulations of the villains,
In order to keep the adventures threat level high and since
let them succeed. Its better to let actions stand on their own than to
psychics dont have many visible powers, hit the characters where
force them down a specific path.
it hurts. If the characters have Psychological Complications |
Above all, react to what the player characters do and judge the
Mental Hindrances, the villains should be stepping on them as
response accordingly. One of the best ways of involving people
often as possible if the information is available.
in things is to show that their actions actually have effects during
A large part of the adventure is devoted to dealing with characters the scenario, even if they might not understand why something is
the heroes should have trouble seeing and hearing. If too many happening at first.
heroes can see Wumbles and other NPCs, much of the mystery of
the adventure is taken away. If too few heroes can see the NPCs, KEEPING THE HEROES FROM DISCOVERING
the adventure has a lack of roleplay problem where characters THE SECRET BASE UNDER THE INSTITUTE
cant interact with the imaginary entities. Examine Special Effects A simple walk downstairs at the wrong time can reveal the secret
to see if a PC can also see the Imaginary Friends. A list of possible base under the institute and radically shorten the time frame of the
special senses is below: adventure. Some GMs will like this idea, and some wont, so for
HERO SYSTEM those who prefer a more measured course of events, suggestions are
Mental Awareness provided below for ways to keep the heroes on their toes and doing
Detect Life overly thorough searches.
Detect Electricity An Escort: Dont let the heroes travel anywhere in the institute
Detect Minds alone. First of all, this is a general policy of most institutes of
Detect Desolidification this sort, and the heroes can be guided toward whatever areas
Detect Invisibility Dominus deems fit. If the heroes insist on going over the insti-
SAVAGE WORLDS tute with a fine-tooth comb, he will inform them that this is not
The Invisibility power has the following: good for the well-being of his patients or staff and that they will
probably have to come back with a warrant. Dominus will try to
Fully visible to anyone with Mind Defense, other Imaginary
make sure that he gets paired up with someone with a weak mind
Beings, or Awareness [-1]
(especially someone whose abilities could cause trouble) so that he
Apply modifiers based on how effective the special sense is. As can mentally influence him to not see anything in important areas.
a secondary option, one of the heroes may be an Imaginary Friend A little Mental Illusion goes a long way, especially with no reason
himself. It wouldnt be the first time someone came up with an idea to disbelieve it. Cosmetic changes are very easy to affect.
like this (see the dedications above).
SPIDER Attacks: What? Attack the front for your own base?
RUNNING A SCENARIO WITH Impossible! This is an excellent means of deflecting criticism. No
MULTIPLE OPPOSED TELEPATHS one would be willing to believe that SPIDER has any involvement
One of the hardest things about this scenario is pitting the if they assault the institute while the heroes are there, and fewer
youthful and much less experienced Toby against Dominus and would be willing to believe that was ordered by people inside or
making it believable. There are many ways for telepaths to undermine very close by. In a case like this, SPIDER will make an effort to
and manipulate each other indirectly, many of which involve Mind- regroup vehicles that escape elsewhere and not return to this loca-
Controlling nearby allies to stab the other in the back. tion, sending in replacement units under cover of darkness and
However, both of these characters have long-term, more subtle with as much secrecy as possible. While this only works once, it
goals and may be willing to read the minds of others to get valuable only needs to be done once. Mercenary supervillains can also be
information they can use throughout the scenario to their advan- used. Use your own supervillains of choice when exploring this
tage. Whenever this happens, its important to write down what each option. Its easy to see why an organization like SPIDER would
telepath knows and what they dont know. Information is a valuable want the children in the first place. In a case like this, SPIDER
tool that can cause a great deal of damage when used correctly. Secret will try not to use any villains who can tunnel or might have the
identities, the identities of loved ones, and other protected informa- capability to see the base below on their own, unless the villain
tion can easily become the tool of one or both of the villains but in hates the heroes with an undying passion and will never tell them
different ways. anything.
These villains will use this information not just to get at the heroes Preventing Desolidification | Intangibility: This is the single most
but also to get at each other. Much of the adventure is built on the important thing that Dominus must prevent. If Dominus is aware
idea that these things are going on. Examples of this include attacks that the heroes have a Desolidifying | Intangible hero, he will do
on either Doctor Ingersoll or Toby, which can be staged by either one everything in his power to Mind Scan | Telepathy for him early
depending on when in the scenario it happens. Such an attack could and lurk in the heros mind, waiting to pop a Mental Illusion |
even be easily set up to look like it was the idea of the other telepath Illusion into his head that there is nothing but ground beneath the
with very little effort. building. This also applies to heroes with Tunneling | Burrowing
Heroes can be made to have ideas to either lure them away from or who have an intense desire to smash through dirt in a fit of
key locations or lure them to places where they can be disposed of, rage.
Michael Satran 7
Generate an External Threat: In this scenario, trouble beckons the enemy. For a stronger group, lean toward a much higher
elsewhere, either SPIDER attacking a location, an engineered bank percentage.
robbery, or an attack on the heroes own base while they were out. Call in a group of heroes to investigate the situation and get them
Anything that forces a response from the hero team where they to deal with Mr. Wumbles for him, hopefully without revealing
have to leave and deal with something else buys SPIDER addi- the SPIDER base beneath the institute and exposing his multiple
tional time to deal with security problems. deceptions.
Keep the Heroes Emotionally Involved: If the GM can build a Find a way to pin the entire thing on Toby or to make Toby the
connection between the heroes and the children, even Toby (as focus of the heroes attention. If things go completely south, he
twisted as this is), they can be separated, isolated, and in some will gamble that killing Toby will end the life of Mr. Wumbles and
cases, even disposed of by SPIDER. This can be exceptionally do the deed himself.
effective if SPIDER already knows a heros critical weakness.
Emotional involvement also causes heroes to make mistakes, After the resolution of the Mr. Wumbles problem, his goal will
mistakes that can be capitalized on by SPIDER, by Dominus, or by simply be to escape and set up elsewhere, without revealing who
Toby. he is hopefully.
Create New Imaginary Friends: This is a risky strategy but one Present the kindly face of Doctor Ingersoll as an ordinary man
that reaps its own rewards. Every additional psychic or latent who was blackmailed into helping SPIDER if all else fails, with
psychic Dominus uses the machine on forces the heroes to spread a subtle mental push if the heroes mentalist is currently uncon-
their resources thinner and thinner. This is exceptionally effec- scious. If he is already in his Dominus costume, this likely wont
tive if SPIDER can get to the DNPC | Dependent of one of the work at all, and he will have to affect another means of escape,
heroes and that person has a little psychic potential. The hero will possibly in the body of a superhero, nearby innocent, or SPIDER
likely have to endure the protests of the DNPC | Dependent if he agent.
suggests killing his DNPC | Dependents new Imaginary Friend.
The Player Character Mentalist Treats Minds Like a Kid in Tobys Plan
a Candy Store: If this is known to Dominus in any fashion,
Dominus will partner up with the mentalist and pretend to be Tobys plan relies on manipulating the player characters into doing
fascinated with him. He will then use his Mental Illusion that is what he wants while using his age as a shield. While he didnt think
Invisible to Mental Awareness (or a power with a psionic trap- Doctor Ingersoll would call in superheroes to deal with his Imaginary
pings), to keep a constant effect on the player character so that no Friend, he needs Ingersoll/Dominus in order to gain control of the
matter whose mind the PC reads, nothing out of the ordinary is machine for himself. Using his mental powers on the SPIDER agents
found. Its only a +0 to not find anything out of the ordinary, after has proven fruitless as Dominus conducts periodic scans to prevent
all, and Dominus rolls a lot of dice. him from gaining a foothold.
Tobys goal is to allow the heroes to discover the imaginary phone
Other tactics can be used. Keep an open mind. in his room and allow them to build a twisted relationship with Mr.
Wumbles, making the heroes easier to exploit mentally. Toby doesnt
Dominuss Plan just want Wumbles to kill Imaginary Friends and become real. He
cant wait for Mr. Wumbles to begin killing real people. He frequently
Dominuss plan is elegant in its simplicity. By utilizing the psychic speaks to Mr. Wumbles on the imaginary phone and gives him
construct machine, he intends to create an army of psychic constructs advice, although Wumbles doesnt always listen to all of it.
out of helpless victims and use the constructs to take over the world.
TOBYS PLAN CAN BE BROKEN
Unfortunately, he isnt quite as far along as hed like, and he has run
DOWN INTO FIVE KEY STEPS:
into the dual snag of Toby and Mr. Wumbles, preventing him from
taking his master plan to the next stage, that of kidnapping victims Engage the heroes in conversation and transmit the details of
and using the machine on ordinary people. It doesnt bother him that their conversations to Mr. Wumbles. Giving his Imaginary Friend
these people will likely die nor does it bother him that many of the every possible advantage against the heroes deflects suspicion
psychic constructs at first will not be controllable. from him and increases the possibility that some of the heroes
He would prefer an army made from psychics, but unfortunately, may be permanently psychologically damaged and/or killed. Toby
they are difficult to find and represent an extremely small percentage will also read the heroes minds whenever possible and gather
of the population. whatever information he can. He will pass this information on to
Regrettably for Dominus, by the time the heroes are involved in both Mr. Wumbles and Dominus, in the hope that the conflict will
the adventure, his plan has already gone haywire. He is currently escalate into a glorious fest of violence.
involved in the process of trying to continue his research elsewhere
Use the conflict between the heroes and Wumbles to exploit their
without anyone, especially SPIDER, knowing that he is really one of
psychological weaknesses and observe how they can be destroyed
the worlds most powerful supervillains who has defrauded SPIDER
in the future, assuming that he survives.
of billions of dollars to make his scheme a reality.
Expose Dominus during the conflict at a moment when he can
DOMINUSS GOALS IN THIS cause the superior mentalist a slow, lingering death. Toby needs
SCENARIO ARE AS FOLLOWS: to see this happen. He will only do so if the opportunity presents
Damage-control the situation. He doesnt want to give up his itself. For a five year old, he has incredible impulse control, a sure
research or his location, nor can he afford to reveal that he is really sign that something isnt quite right with him.
Dominus unless he needs to inspire terror in whatever band of Cause as much pain and suffering as possible to the heroes
superheroes he calls in to put a stop to Mr. Wumbles. This takes without revealing any information to them. The best way to hurl
a great deal of willpower, and the more stressful the situation all of ones enemies into conflict with each other is to withhold
gets, the more likely he will be to put on his villain costume and information and force them to discover the truth.
take control of matters directly. It is up to the GM to decide just
Buildup a set of resources so that he can take over the world
how many of the agents and leaders of the SPIDER base have
been Mind-Controlled. For a weaker group of PCs, factionalize and build his own empire. Ideally, he would like to figure out
8 8
how to operate Dominuss machine and sacrifice the SPIDER
agents to build an army of psychic constructs, but he doesnt The Double Game of
know how to operate the machine and doesnt have the neces-
sary skills to understand how it works. (He also cant reach some
Toby and Mr. Wumbles
of the knobs and dials, but Dominus didnt put a marker on the Playing the relationship between Toby and Mr. Wumbles can be
psychic construct machine for a minimum height requirement.) difficult, even for an experienced gamemaster. It should be noted that
Toby plans for when his body is that of an adult, not his current the two of them can be in constant contact at virtually any time, as
childlike state. He dreams of having an adult body so that he can long as one or the other is near a phone. The thing that makes this
be as powerful physically as he is mentally. It may well be his only difficult is that other people can listen in on the conversations, and/
psychological weakness of any sort. A clever hero can exploit or pick up the phone and speak to them as long as one or the other
Tobys hatred for his parents and his hunger for power if he is is involved in the conversation. Initially, these characters will be
careful. A foolish one may become Tobys puppet. friendly towards each other; however, depending on how events in
the scenario progress, it is likely that this will not be the case later on.
Once Toby realizes he is no longer in control of Mr. Wumbles, what
Mister Wumbless Plan Toby does should largely be based on the actions of Mr. Wumbles
Mister Wumbless plan is based on a psychological and scientific and the actions of the player characters. How allied the two of them
misinterpretation of what he actually is. Wumbles believes that in are towards the end of the scenario depends on everything that has
order to become real, he must kill all of the other Imaginary Friends happened and how things have played out.
and absorb as much of their psychic energy as possible. The truth is What makes the relationship so difficult is that the transfer of
that Mr. Wumbles is as real as any other person, animal, or supervil- information between the characters is going to be based largely on
lain, although he possesses a link to the psychic construct machine. their reaction to the PCs and other events in the adventure. It is
Should Mr. Wumbles discover the truth, he will not abandon his vitally important to determine who knows what and when they know
plan because although it seems foolish, it also aids him in concealing it in order to make the reactions of the characters reasonable and
whatever weaknesses might arise out of his link to the machine. authentic. A gamemaster must decide what Toby is going to tell Mr.
Mister Wumbless goal is to achieve not only full reality but to Wumbles and what Mr. Wumbles might tell Toby based on how the
experience it through his extremely evil and murderous lens. If ever player characters and other NPCs in the scenario react to what the
there was a villain who treated human beings as playthings, it is Mr. player characters do. Since the NPCs dont necessarily like each other
Wumbles. If ever there was a villain who had complete and total and these things are matters of degrees, deciding exactly what degree
disregard for human life, it is Mr. Wumbles. He enjoys the suffering of information each is going to possess can be difficult.
he causes, despises weakness, and is filled with hatred for the link that Dont be afraid to write things down or take notes on which NPCs
he shares with Toby Doherty. have what kind of information. In this scenario, it can be extraor-
dinarily helpful to keep careful track of the transfer of information
MISTER WUMBLESS PLAN IS AS FOLLOWS: between PC and PC, NPC and NPC, and PC and NPC.
Kill all of the Imaginary Friends, one by one, to inspire the THE HEROES ARE TRUSTED BY THE POLICE
maximum amount of terror in not only the heroes but the people This scenario is much easier if the heroes are trusted by the police.
of the campaign city and hopefully the world. Contacts | Connections within the police department can be used to
Find a way to either control Dominuss machine or eliminate it obtain forensic information that otherwise will be difficult to obtain.
without dying. Mister Wumbles doesnt know what all the conse- If the heroes are more secretive and/or are only contacted through
quences of destroying the machine are and lacks the skills to be special means, it will be much harder (see below). The heroes may
able to effectively dismantle it. Wumbles will be very surprised to be able to receive police support at key moments, allowing them to
discover that he is not dead if the machine is destroyed. spread a wider network of information gathering on their own. The
adventure assumes a reasonable level of trust between the PCs and
When all of the Imaginary Friends are killed or if they are the police, including the events of My Parrot Is Dead. If this is not the
somehow made inaccessible to Mr. Wumbles, Mr. Wumbles will case, modify the scenario accordingly.
try to enter the institute and force Toby to bend to his will or kill
him if this is impossible. This may create a bizarre struggle where THE HEROES ARE NOT TRUSTED BY THE POLICE
the heroes must fend off Wumbles and Dominus from killing Toby If the heroes are not trusted by the police, getting information on
where neither villain is aware of what the others motivations are. the murders is going to be much more difficult. The characters will
have to gather in secret with one of their police Contacts | Connec-
Amplify his own abilities by using the machine to give himself tions and go over the results, possibly far from the scene of the crime.
even more power. Wumbles doesnt understand how the machine Alternatively, they could sneak in and meet their police Contacts |
works, but he is fairly sure Doctor Ingersoll does. It is important Connections (if they have any) to discuss the events as they play out.
to understand that although Mr. Wumbles knows that Doctor With no police support, the heroes will be on their own (in terms of
Ingersoll is responsible for the machine, Wumbles has no idea that information gathering), leading to a scenario that is potentially much
Doctor Ingersoll is really Lord Dominus, master villain. Mister more deadly.
Wumbless long-term goal is to be free of both Toby and the tether In a situation such as this, where the heroes are vigilantes, it is
that the psychic machine represents, but he doesnt really under- important to remember that SPIDER will do anything to keep the
stand the levels of achievability involved. heroes focused on Wumbles and away from their evil schemes. If
Wumbles method of attack on the SPIDER base will vary based Wumbles is defeated, SPIDER will then do everything in their power
on what the heroes do, though if he is aware that the heroes will to quickly eliminate the heroes, especially if the base wasnt discov-
attack the base or stand a chance of doing so, he will assume his ered. However, they will probably take their time and follow opera-
nigh-undetectable imaginary form and lurk nearby the institute, tional procedures in such a case.
waiting for a key moment to strike. This is the most likely result
and is featured in the Endgame section.
E V EN T O N E
MEET THE
FRIENDS
10 Meet The Friends
T
his event begins when the heroes are called by Doctor
Note: The entire scenario depends on building
Carl Ingersoll and asked to come visit the institute. Doctor
a strong relationship between the heroes, the
Ingersoll will indicate that a situation has arisen at his
friends, and the children. Take your time running
institute that is outside his experience and that people with
this set of scenes and give every character and
specialized super-abilities may be required to deal with it. A sample
friend possible a chance to chat. If the heroes
phone call is below.
ignore this event, run My Parrot Is Dead next and
Hello, may I speak to (Leader of Superhero Team)? My name is run this scene without Polly.
Doctor Carl Ingersoll, and I run the Parapsychological Research
Note 2: There are a lot of people and charac-
Institute located on Scott Bennie Boulevard. (Feel free to change the
ters in this scene to keep track of. Suggested
address if you would like a more realistic one or if you feel that the
means of making sure everyone knows whos
very mention of Scott Bennies dread name will cause the heroes to
talking include note cards with each charac-
identify Doctor Ingersoll as a villain.) I have a situation that has
ters name written down, changing your voice,
arisen at my institute that may require the intervention of superhe-
colored sticks with character names written on
roes, and Im calling in the hope that you can be persuaded to see us.
them, or some other form of obvious notation.
We have several children that may be in a great deal of danger, and
I hope that you can come today. If not, we can schedule an appoint-
ment at your convenience.
Heroes may have questions for Doctor Ingersoll at this point. A The Institute
few of them and their answers are displayed below. When the heroes reach the institute, they will be buzzed in by
Why should we trust you? Weve never heard of you. Doris. She will wait a few minutes for Doctor Ingersoll to gather the
Ive heard of you. You are powerful superheroes with abilities that children in the solarium. Doris will engage the heroes in meaningless
are far beyond those of normal men. I called because I needed help, small talk, likely random fangirl questions in her nasal voice. Oh,
not because you needed to know who I was. I just love that costume. Did you make it yourself? Can you really
do that with your powers? Whats the superpowered dating scene
Whats the nature of the danger? like? And so on and so on and so on.
Its easier if you come to the institute and actually observe whats Mister Wumbles is not here during this encounter. Its important
going on. Its very hard to explain over the phone, and it would to build up his presence until he is revealed later. Its hard to take a
probably take less time for you to come here and see it than for me to giant hyper-violent rabbit seriously, and a few bad deeds the heroes
explain it. arent there for go a long way to making him a believable villain.
Isthere anything that we should be prepared for? When the heroes are buzzed into the solarium, it is important to
You may want a good stiff drink after you leave. Nothing terrible has note that SPIDER will be scanning their powers and abilities as much
happened yet but something could, and Im very worried. You really as possible while they are in this room. See the notes on the solarium
should meet the children in order to understand whats going on. for who SPIDER can and cant scan. By the end of this adventure,
SPIDER should have a fairly good idea of what their enemies can do
Note: It really shouldnt require much more nudging than this. This and their capabilities are.
is downright weird. Some heroes, however, may be a little more para- Doctor Ingersoll will then introduce the children, along with
noid. See Investigating the Institute below. their Imaginary Friends. Arrange the children so that they are all in
an excited group, eager to meet real superheroes, with the exception
of Toby, who, unless they talk to him, will glower in a corner and
stare at them as if they were hated adversaries. Doctor Ingersoll will
also introduce Toby separately since his Imaginary Friend isnt here.
Common questions that the children might be asked about their
Imaginary Friends are listed in their character profiles.
It is important to remember that some characters may not be able
to see the Imaginary Friends and others will. This may create a what
the heck effect where some characters are roleplaying with each
other about how crazy the other characters look while talking to thin
air. This is how its supposed to be.
Doctor Ingersoll appears very worried and rightfully so because
Mr. Wumbles isnt here and has effectively escaped from the institute.
His desire for help from the heroes appears to be genuine.
Allow the heroes to spend as much time with Doctor Ingersoll
and the children as they like. When questions are exhausted or when
the GM feels that they are getting too close to a leap of intuition that
could end the scenario far too early, the childrens parents show up to
take them home (except for Toby, who stays in the institute). Make
sure that Polly Pooper is exceptionally nasty in her good-byes to
characters that can see her. It is the last time the PCs will see her alive
unless they follow Angela Winehouse home.
Michael Satran 11
MY PARROT
IS DEAD
14 My Parrot Is Dead
T
his event can occur in any number of ways, but it gener- Thank goodness, youre here. I really mean it. Usually we only call
ally begins with a phone call from the police department. you guys when theres some sort of superpowered thing going on or
The event may have to be modified under the following something we dont understand. Its the little things that make this
circumstances. one weird, not to mention the fact that a child was attacked. Im
going to answer any basic questions that you have, and then Ill turn
1) The PCs have a lifesign monitor on their own communicators, thus
you over to our CSI specialist.
indicating when a member of their group has gone unconscious
and where. Ideally, by the time the PCs get there, Mr. Wumbles
Ricardo Alvarez, Police Sergeant: Ricardo has seen a lot of unusual
will already have slaughtered Polly, but some heroes will be
things in his time on the beat, including more than a few supervil-
abnormally fast and may be ambushed by Mr. Wumbles during
lain attacks. He has a wife named Maria and two children, Vito and
the event.
Florence. He is a tough, no-nonsense guy who wants to get to the
2) The PCs stake out every single home at once and have someone minimum retirement age, settle into a comfortable life, and enjoy his
who can Teleport extremely quickly anywhere in the world. If this pension in a low-tax state. Alvarez will allow the heroes to lead in any
is the case, Mr. Wumbles will plan accordingly and try to be as area which does not involve police procedure, but in the event of a
careful as possible when murdering Polly in order to not attract procedural violation, he will be the first to come down on them.
any attention.
Plot Option: Alvarez is a long-term, deep-cover SPIDER agent
whose goal is to mislead the heroes.
Remember to give Wumbles every single advantage, including
illumination and Range Modifiers, so that no one can see him tie COMMON QUESTIONS FOR RICARDO ALVAREZ:
Angela up. Most heroes wont be able to see him murder Polly, and
fewer still will be able to attack him if they can. 1) What happened here?
The most likely scenario, however, is that the heroes receive a Someone entered the Winehouse home through a window and
phone call from the police. A forensic CSI detective is provided for assaulted their daughter. He really did a number on the kid. Theres
this scenario; however, if the PCs have a police Contact, this character no permanent physical harm, but the kid acts like she just lost her
should replace that one, along with any other NPCs in the PCs usual best friend. We found a giant dead parrot in the room, completely
stable of Contacts | Connections and DNPCs | Dependents. hacked apart.
If the heroes are trusted by the police, they will be invited immedi-
2) Do you have any leads?
ately. However, if the heroes are not trusted by the police but one of
Not really. Whoever did this didnt leave any fingerprints, though
them has a police Contact, the crime scene will be long since vacated
he did leave a couple of unusual footprints. You can talk to the CSI
by paramedics and most, if not all, police officers. This scenario is less
specialist about that.
than ideal because the heroes will not be able to view Angelas trauma
or sympathize with her as a victim. Modify the scene accordingly. The 3) Who reported this?
scene takes place late at night, usually reaching whoever is on duty at Her parents called it in about an hour ago. At first, we thought it
the heroes base at that late hour. was a prank, but when we got here, this showed all kinds of signs of
A sample phone call is below. being horrible.
Hello, this is Sergeant Ricardo Alvarez with the (Campaign City) 4) What alerted her parents?
Police Department. May I speak to (Name of Hero Team Leader) The smell of blood from under the door.
please?
5) What do you want us to do?
Weve got a situation that may require your involvement. We really Listen, there are some things that the police can handle and some
cant explain what happened. Weve got a psychological trauma unit things that they cant. I have two kids of my own. You should talk
on the scene for a terrified child and a dead body that shouldnt or with Catherine; shes my CSI lady on scene and probably with the
couldnt exist. If you could come to the Winehouse estate right away, child psychiatrist, as well. Im only nominally in charge of anything
well fill you in on all the details. Dont bring anyone who doesnt other than containment once those folks get their hands on this. Do
have a strong stomach. This is different from most of what you guys me a favor. Keep this out of the press. It could be embarrassing or
do. cause a panic.
If the heroes ask for more details over the phone, Alvarez will not Note: A hero with a significant amount of Enhanced Hearing may be
tell them. He will insist they be there in person so that no conversa- able to hear a child wailing and sobbing disconsolately with a Percep-
tion is recorded. tion -6 | Notice -2 roll from the moment they arrive at the estate.
When the PCs arrive, the Winehouse estate will be a maze of
Dealing with Angelas Parents: Angelas parents, Robert and Mary
flashing lights and crime scene tape. There will be an ambulance and
Anne Winehouse, will be completely flustered. Their childs friend,
several uniformed officers on scene in the driveway. Sergeant Alvarez
who they told her was imaginary, is now a dead body on a gurney
will greet the player characters with a look of concern on his face. A
outside. No matter how much they try to console Angela, she is trau-
humanoid shape under a blood-soaked sheet is on a nearby gurney.
matized and will likely be so for a very long time. A kind hero may
wish to offer sympathy and aid. Modify any reactions Angelas parents
have by plot options chosen for them, as well as the approach and
social class of the interviewing hero. The Winehouses will respond
much more pleasantly to socially capable, formal, upper-class style
superheroes than street-smart thug-style ones.
Michael Satran 15
The Autopsy 2) The creature is some sort of complete, living psychic construct,
including blood and internal organs.
If the heroes like, they may be present at the autopsy of Polly HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -5
Pooper. It is important to remember that if a PC is a coroner or
Forensic Medicine expert, he may be called in as an expert, which Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -2 / Common
could get complicated if he has a Secret ID and he has to be present in Knowledge -4
both identities at the same time. 3) The creatures blood, internal organs, and bodily fluids are all part
If no coroner PC exists or no PC has a coroner Contact, an NPC is of the psychically constructed creature.
provided.
HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -7
Marcus Arbuckle, Coroner: Marcus is a short, fat, balding man who
survives on fast food. He has thick Coke-bottle glasses and scraggly Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -4 / Common
beard stubble that looms on his triple chin. He typically wears lab Knowledge -6
coats and jeans, and favors old pairs of sneakers over other forms 4) The creatures body deteriorates at a rapid rate after death because
of footwear. Oversized sweaters rest under the lab coat like shaggy its consciousness level holds it together. Since the creature is dead,
carpets. Marcus is in his late forties, and he has a wife named Ethel it has no consciousness; therefore, it rots away and may eventually
who calls him fourteen times a day. He possesses a SS: Forensics Skill vanish.
of 13- and a Forensic Medicine Skill of 12- | Healing at base. He is a
dry, bland man who goes home and reads the newspaper at the end
HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -10
of the day after everyone has talked about everything. His voice is as Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -6 / Common
bland as his habits. Knowledge -8
Plot Option: Marcus develops a fascination with dead bodies that
is decidedly unhealthy and could get worse over time.
What the heroes can find out from the autopsy is listed below.
These rolls assume the Forensic Medicine (HERO) or Healing Skill
(Savage Worlds). The base time for use of the skill is an hour.
1) The death of the parrot occurred precisely as the CSI officer
described it.
HHForensic Medicine -1
Healing
2) The creature appears to be some weird mix of human and parrot.
Most of the blood has been drained out of the body, but the crea-
ture, while appearing real, doesnt seem to be made up of living
tissue. Something like this may be an issue for biologists more
than a coroner.
HHForensic Medicine -3
Healing -2
3) The corpse doesnt seem to deteriorate at a normal rate of speed;
instead, it appears to be deteriorating about twice as fast. (If asked
18 My Parrot Is Dead
3) Security Gate and Fence: This security gate is linked to a fence
The Winehouse Estate that surrounds the Winehouse estate. The gate itself requires a
keycard to pass through. The fence and is eight feet high. Disabling
Notes on the Estate: Despite the fact that this is a superpowered the keycard link requires a Security Systems -1 | Lockpicking at base.
world, the estate is relatively normal in terms of its capabilities. This It is relatively easy to climb over the fence or the gate.
is because insurance is far more effective at restoring property than
defending it with excessive amounts of technology. Security cameras Plot Option: The fence is electrified.
do populate the estate at key points, but they only affect Normal Plot Option: The weave of the fence conceals a complex mystical
Sight. Some of the plot options for this location may force the GM containment spell that traps something on the grounds.
to edit this section selectively. Feel free to do so. It should be noted
that Area 33 is excessively described due to its relative importance in 4) Driveway: This large asphalt driveway is lit by tiny lights along the
this adventure. There is a mirror in almost every room in the house. edges. It circles around a large rotunda and has paths leading off to a
Oddly, through the mirror, it is always possible to view any surrealist swimming pool and a tennis court, along with a paved road leading
paintings located in the house. For characters with Mental Awareness to a parking garage.
or powers with psionic trappings, the house is far filthier. Imaginary 5) Rotunda: This large circular area of grass frames a fountain. This
parrot dung is almost everywhere, except in Angelas room. piece of lawn is exceptionally well kept up and maintained twice
IMPORTANT SERVANTS: weekly by landscapers.
Plot Option: The landscapers are looking for a big score and are
Milo Rasmussen, Butler: Milo looks relatively sinister. A slender trying to rob the house. They arent real landscapers at all but
figure with dark hair, dark circles under his eyes, and a tuxedo that career criminals.
looks like it has seen slightly better days is draped over his body.
However, Milo is actually bright, cheerful, and relentlessly upbeat. 6) Fountain: This fountain is adorned with four large bird heads that
Milo loves Angela and would never do anything to hurt her. Milo spew water into a pool at the base. (Polly loves to defecate on the bird
always goes outside to smoke. He will be shocked by the events of heads.) The fountain is relatively tough. The bird heads are carefully
the murdered parrot, and will relentlessly chain-smoke any time the affixed to the fountain but are technically separate objects.
events are brought up or he is questioned about them.
7) Tennis Court: This tennis court is surrounded by a metal fence. A
Plot Option: For all of Milos cheer and love of the family, he is full net is stretched across it. A gate built into the fence allows entry
really a spy for a foreign government that now wants him dead. and exit. The gate has the same statistics as the fence.
Uta Vorstead, Maid: Uta is a maid hired from Norway to take care of 8) Front Entrance: This large front entrance has many low flat steps
the cooking and cleaning. She comes from a very pricey maid service, that lead up to a large single wooden door. The entryway is made of
and is haughty and severe to everyone except Angela, who she also large flat stones, and the roof extends out slightly to cover it. There is
spoils. Uta has noticed that Angelas father is rather standoffish and a doorbell next to the door, and a hanging chime that makes noise in
that the girls parents dont really have much time to spend with her, the breeze.
so she plays with Angela in secret when she gets a few free minutes.
9) Swimming Pool Walkaround: This slightly irregular concrete area
(Mrs. Winehouse secretly knows about this but doesnt see any reason
contains five deck chairs, a pair of glass tables with umbrellas, and an
to stop it.)
empty bar that is only stocked for parties. The Winehouses always try
Plot Option: Mister Winehouse and Uta are having an affair. to schedule an appointment to have the concrete redone and properly
shaped, but Angela likes it and secretly cancels the appointments,
Plot Option: Mrs. Winehouse and Uta are having an affair. posing as her mother.
10) Swimming Pool: This is a swimming pool, three feet deep at one
Map Key end and seven feet at the other. It is regularly maintained by a pool
cleaning service in the spring and summer, and drained in the winter.
1) The Right Honorable William Molendyk Boulevard: Framed by a Angela loves swimming but not when she can see Pollys poop in the
forest and the McGillicuddy estate, this wide road wanders through pool.
a rich suburb of the campaign city. During the day, the GM should
use the Knocked Back Into Traffic table for people knocked into 11) Sitting Room: This large sitting room dominates the north end of
the road. During the night, a substantially reduced chance of hitting the house and leads to a patio beyond. The two areas are linked by a
something should be used. massive sliding window that is manually operated. The sitting room
is opulent (except for several stray places with imaginary dung that
2) Forested Property for Sale: Across the way from the Winehouse only people with Mental Awareness or powers with psionic trappings
estate is a small section of forested property with a For Sale sign can see and smell). Three large leather couches are arranged around
near the road. This area is about three acres in size, but no one has a low, flat stone table. There are paintings on the three walls that do
ever attempted to purchase it, despite the high property values. not include the bay window. All of them are replicas. The Winehouses
Plot Option: A supervillain or team of supervillains secretly main- dont really have any interest in art. They just like to look like they do.
tains this area as a hidden base. A flat-topped bar rests in one corner of the room. All of the alcohol in
the bar is locked up. (Polly has tried numerous times to get Angela to
Plot Option: The forest is somehow magically linked to an open the bar, but Angela hated communion and hates alcohol also.)
enchanted forest in another world or dimension. Occasionally There is a flatscreen TV on the wall opposite the sliding window.
things cross over.
11A) Patio: This patio is made of solid oak and was a very expensive
addition. A modern charcoal grill rests near the far end of the patio,
and several lawn and deck chairs are haphazardly arranged about
it. A picnic table sits off to one side, a concession to Angela loving
picnics. Steps lead down from the patio to the yard.
Michael Satran 19
12) Kitchen: This is a full, restaurant-ready kitchen that the Wine- 17) Bathroom: This large bathroom contains an opulent sink, a black
houses duplicated exactly from the kitchen of the famous restaurant, ceramic toilet, and a urinal. The bathroom is meticulously kept up
The Well Dressed Frog (Singing). Most of the equipment usually and is meant to be used by guests as well as household members.
goes completely unused. When the Winehouses throw parties, Removing bathroom fixtures from the wall requires a STR of 30 |
however, all of the equipment is usually in use by the catering team. Strength d12+4.
There are four cleavers that deal 1d6 HKA | add 1d6 to attacks, and
18, 20, 22) Guest Rooms: These three guest rooms contain single
a number of sharp knives that deal variable amounts of HKA up to
beds, a nightstand, a small flatscreen TV, and a chest of drawers. A
1d6+1 | add 1d4 to 1d6 to attacks depending on the size of the knife
wardrobe is also against one wall. Every guest room also has a surre-
a person grabs. Several of the cooking areas, including the copper
alist painting.
grill, are extremely hot when turned on. The copper grill, if a PC or
one of the creatures touches it, deals 2d6 of Killing Damage (heat) 19) Guest Bathroom: This guest bathroom contains a toilet, a sink,
| 2d4 of damage (a copper grill can reach 750 degrees Fahrenheit). and a shower stall. Removing bathroom fixtures from the wall
The following cooking units are present. A baking oven, two cutting requires a STR of 30 | Strength d12+4. A medicine cabinet is built
tables, a hanging utensil stand attached to the ceiling, the copper into the wall.
grill, a sink, a dishwasher, and four stoves. If anyone is so foolish as
to shoot the dishwasher while it is operational, thick bursts of soapy Plot Option: A previous guest has left a small bag of marijuana in
water erupt from it and begin to fill the room. Industrial dishwashers the medicine cabinet. The GM should make up this guest on his
put out a lot of water and soap, and this one is no exception. Add -2 own.
OCV and -3 to all DEX rolls | increase an opponents chance to hit by 21) Expanded Hallway: This expanded hallway section contains a
1 to anyone who gets soaped up and -1 to all Agility rolls. The water small nightstand and another surrealist painting.
does drain into the floor but not before making everything a slip-
pery mess. It should be noted that Mrs. Winehouse has absolutely 23) Home Theatre Room: This home theatre is fully arranged with
no cooking skills whatsoever and would rather order out. A large a massive flatscreen TV and twenty extremely plush heavy chairs.
refrigerator rests against one wall. A stairway to the basement is against one wall, along with a door to
the laundry room. Large speakers rest in the corners of the room,
13) Pantry: This storage area for foodstuffs contains numerous mounted near the ceiling.
wooden shelves with all kinds of spice jars and storageware. Also
in this room are a top-opening freezer, a meat-aging case, and a 24) Laundry Room: This laundry room contains a washer, a dryer,
temperature-controlled wine storage unit. and a laundry folding table. There is a door to the outside that grants
additional ventilation to the laundry room when the temperature
14) Entry: This opulent foyer is covered in beautiful hardwood rises in the summer. A cabinet filled with laundering equipment
paneling with a balcony that looks down from above (14A). Twin (steam irons, shaped pieces of wood, pins, needles and thread) rests
staircases curve around to the balcony area and lead to the second against one wall.
floor. A massive chandelier hangs down from the ceiling. Replica
paintings of a surreaslist nature are on both walls. If the Winehouses 25) Upper Balcony: This upper balcony forms a corridor to the rest of
are asked about surrealism, they dont know anything about it; they the house. From here one can see down to the foyer. There are doors
just liked the images.* There is also a small table here that sits on the at the tops of the staircases that lead down to the first floor. There are
east wall near the front door. It is always kept clean but seems to serve two more surrealist paintings on either side of the master bedroom
no purpose. doors.
* Plot Note: Play this up. The heroes might follow up this 26) Master Bedroom: This gorgeous master bedroom contains
complete red herring with some incredibly humorous possible an opulent bed, a small writing desk, a thick carpet, two chests of
consequences. drawers, and two more surrealist paintings. A mirror catches both of
the surrealist paintings and is slightly curved to make it look like the
14A) Coat Closet: This closet is filled with many hanging pegs that surrealist paintings are facing each other in the mirror.
are covered with coats, jackets, and a few odd items like belts. In the
back of the room are some winter boots in the sizes of the Winehouse Plot Option: This mirror leads to a surrealist dimension of melting
family. Placed next to the boots is a sled. The sled is very old and clocks, burning giraffes, and other strangeness.
appears to be an antique. 27) Bathroom: This childrens bathroom contains a toilet, a sink, and
Plot Option: The sled houses the ghost of a child who died sled- a bathtub/shower. Everything is decorated in bright, beautiful colors.
ding. It compels the rider to go sledding the bigger and more There is a beautiful pinkish gold frame around the mirror. There are
dangerous the snowdrifts, the better. no surrealist paintings in this room. A stuffed bear rests neatly on top
of the water-storage unit for the toilet. He is wearing a tee-shirt that
15) Dining Room: This large dining room contains a thick Turkish says Mr. Neatly keeps it neat. Do you? There is a medicine cabinet
carpet that is the support for a heavy oak dining room table. The table built into the wall next to the sink. It contains child vitamins and
seats ten. Each chair is also made of oak. Another chandelier hangs medicines. There are no medications that can cause hallucinations of
over the table. A large cabinet filled with silverware and dishes is any sort.
against one wall. More surrealist paintings adorn the walls.
28) Childrens Playroom: This room contains toys from various age
16) Conservatory: This room contains several plain wooden chairs ranges, neatly stacked and arranged. Much of the space has been
and a large piano. The room has a large window that lets light in from cleared for a large doll collection. The dolls are all beautiful, and
the back of the property. the entire collection as a unit may very well be priceless. The other
Plot Option: A character sees Mr. Wumbles on the other side of dominant feature in the room is a large video-game console with six
the window. controllers. All of the video games are racing games or cooperative
success games. None of them are violent. Many of them feature two
slightly heavy children who battle against the evil caterpillar empire
and their sinister butterfly minions by making friends and pollinating
20 My Parrot Is Dead
12 9
11a
11
13 17
15
5
14 8 6
14a
19 20
16 18
21
23
4
24
22
H/C H/
34 34
29 31 29
32
30
5 25 36
26
27
32
37
28
33 33
35
but he dismantled it after the terrain was ruined in a sprinkler system Plot Option: A famous union representative who mysteriously
test.) disappeared is buried 23 feet below the tiles.
36) Basement: This wide open basement area looks like it once Plot Option: Union representative of madness! Combine the two
contained several tables. Heavy marks scour the floor in several plot options above.
spaces. A few file cabinets rest against one wall. There is also a
portable sump pump resting in one corner. 38) Former Barn/Antique Car Garage: This old barn has been
converted into a garage for Mr. Winehouses collection of antique
37) Downstairs Bathroom: This downstairs bathroom contains a cars. There are a total of sixteen antique cars here, from a Model T
toilet and a sink. The tiled floor seems far more expensive than the Ford to a Deusenberg. All of the cars are in working order, but Mr.
rest of the bathroom, as if someone had contemplated a massive Winehouse rarely drives them except to auto shows. Unfortunately,
renovation and then decided against it. in super-battles, antique cars also make great weapons for super-
strong characters to hurl about. Should combat break out in this
Plot Option: Flipping the tiles out of the mortar reveals a secret
area, it is unlikely that it will look the same at the end as it does at the
ritual to open a gate to the Beyond, where creatures from beyond
beginning.
space and time that deliver madness to their worshippers dwell.
Plot Option: A map to the hidden location of all the money a
mobster stole but was never recovered is hidden under one of the
running boards of a car.
E V EN T TH R E E
THE KIDNAPPING
OF LISA AND THE
SECOND MURDER
24 The Kidnapping Of Lisa And The Second Murder
T
his event begins when the heroes are
contacted by the police or one of their NEWS ARTICLE
Contacts | Connections in the police The City Examiner, Month x, Day y, 2zzz
department if they are on the outs with
authorities. If the characters are keeping an eye on Child Kidnapping Stuns City! Witnesses Report Giant Rabbit!
all of the remaining children, remember that Mr.
At approximately 8 pm yesterday, Lisa McGillicuddy was
Wumbles has several unique abilities that make
kidnapped by what witnesses claim was a man dressed as a
him extremely capable of kidnapping a child. Pull
giant rabbit in a top hat, vest, and spats. The assailant burst
no punches here. It is important to impress upon
into the house and made off with the child who was seated at
the players that Mr. Wumbles appears to be nearly
the dinner table. His other arm was curled in an unusual shape,
unstoppable.
as if he were carrying something else. He left a large hole in
If the heroes find a way to prevent Lisa from
the wall behind. Screaming for someone named Georgie, Lisa
being kidnapped or to isolate Mr. Wumbles, or
was tucked under the arm of the rabbit who leaped away
somehow manage to contain the other Imagi-
down the street and dived into a nearby manhole.
nary Friends (who never really venture that far
from their respective children), then examine Mr. Lisas parents were unwilling to speak to reporters, and the
Wumbless sheet carefully and determine what police have been decidedly quiet on the subject. If anyone
the best way is for him to kidnap the girl and her sees Lisa, please contact the police at once. (A picture of Lisa
Imaginary Friend and further the plot. Sample rests below this portion of the article.)
Contact | Connection information and triggers for
the scenario are below. Parents may also phone the If anyone sees the man in the rabbit costume, contact the
heroes if their child has gone missing, though this police or your local superhero team. Do not attempt to handle
shouldnt happen unless the heroes spoke to the it yourself as the kidnapper clearly has superhuman abilities,
parents earlier. among them super-strength and likely invulnerability.
Fuller coverage of this event is on page 10. Additional rabbit-
related crimes in city history are on page 65.
TV BROADCAST
Im Karen Benson (Karen is a typically lovely blonde female newscaster) for KCTV.
Tonight, at approximately 8 pm, the McGillicuddy home was invaded, and Lisa McGil-
licuddy, age 8, was kidnapped by an unknown assailant. While sitting down to dinner, a
hole was ripped in the side of the house by a large humanoid figure. Witnesses report
a man dressed as a rabbit as the kidnapper. Others say a humanoid rabbit. We were
able to interview Ralph Oglethorpe, one of the neighbors. Live on the scene is our own
Dan Martinez. Dan?
Im Dan Martinez (Dan is a typically handsome Hispanic male reporter), and Im here
with Ralph Oglethorpe, one of the McGillicuddy neighbors. Ralph, what exactly did you
see?
(Ralph Oglethorpe is a fat man in shorts and a sleeveless tee-shirt and baseball cap.
He has a scraggly beard and is standing near a push lawnmower.) I was out here
mowing my lawn when it happened. There was a funny crunching sound, like someone
smashed a wall open, and this guy dressed as a rabbit came out. He was holding a
girl, and his other arm was curled up, like he was carryin something else. It was weird.
He gave me this funny look, like he was gonna eat me and then just leaped off down
the street into that manhole right over there. He made a funny grunting and whuffing
noise, like he was having trouble breathing or something. It was weird. Best rabbit
costume Ive ever seen.
And back to you, Karen.
Police have encouraged people who may have seen this rabbit-like figure to call the
police and/or inform your local superhero team. Do not attempt to deal with him your-
self. It is likely that he possesses super-strength, super-leaping, and invulnerability, and
should be considered extremely dangerous. When we come back from our commer-
cial break, we will have a review of Todd Lamberts new movie, The Expedition.
Michael Satran 25
As soon as Alvarez sees the characters, he will run over to them.
Police Phone Call He wont even wait to begin talking or for pleasantries.
Hello, this is Sergeant Ricardo Alvarez again. May I speak to one of Hey, good thing you guys are here. Look, this just got a whole lot
the members of (Hero Team), please? more serious. The McGillicuddy girl has been kidnapped by some sort
of guy in a rabbit suit. Weve only got 24 hours or the trail is going to
go cold. Thats how it always is with these things. Were waiting for
Theres been another incident. Lisa McGillicuddy was kidnapped
a ransom demand or something of that sort, but it doesnt look like
out of her home this evening. She was screaming for someone named
any demands have been made yet. If you want to go over the house
Georgie and was calling for help from members of your team. If you
again, go right ahead, but please wait until weve gone over what was
know anything about this, wed appreciate your input and assistance.
already discovered, okay?
Weve got a full crime scene lab at the McGillicuddy household. The
sooner you come, the better. It will be easier if you see the whole Some heroes may refuse to do this. This is fine. Adjust police treat-
thing in person. You might also want to watch the evening news. Id ment to that superhero appropriately for the rest of the adventure and
appreciate it if we limit our phone conversations again. This is getting beyond (requests refused, pleas for aid rejected, and so on). Allow the
messy. heroes to interview whomever they would like, including the eyewit-
ness listed above. Mister Wumbles isnt going to make any ransom
This is a case where the information the heroes receive can be up
demands. He has no need of money at this time.
to them or might exist differently at the whim of the gamemaster.
For a quicker resolution, you can choose a hero to be watching the TALKING TO REPORTERS
news when the event occurs or have the police call the heroes quickly. A small crowd of reporters is being kept back from the house by
For a slower one, allow the players a little more of their own recog- two police patrolmen. Any heroes DNPCs | Dependents should be
nizance, ask them what theyre doing, and only move to the relevant here once again. They are bombarding the police with questions,
sections if they are doing something about the news, interacting with which the police have absolutely no answers to. If the heroes should
the police, or buying a newspaper at that very moment. Allow them talk to the reporters and reveal information that the police dont want
a little comfort before the phone call comes and their activities are revealed, adjust treatment of the heroes by the police accordingly. A
disrupted. sample reporter is provided below.
Kate Felton, KCTV: Kate Felton is a lovely young blonde reporter,
Tracking Lisa chosen for her attractiveness, blue eyes, and classic Midwestern
If the heroes staked out all the children, it is likely that a brief good looks, as most reporters secretly are. Kates actual resume was
fight will take place here. Whatever plan the heroes come up with ignored, despite her degree from an Ivy League university and her
in the event of pulling a switch or moving the child is likely to fail, relationship to her father, a Midwestern broadcasting business execu-
as Mr. Wumbles can stake out the stakeouters with relatively little tive. This makes Kate all too eager to prove herself and more than
effort. If such is the case, have Mr. Wumbles act while the heroes a little willing to take risks to place herself in dangerous situations.
are still discussing the way they are going to put their plan together Kate makes a good reporter DNPC | Dependent for any hero, and her
and run the scenario normally. Grab a street scene map of some sort father makes a good social enemy for any hero, especially if a hero
if Mr. Wumbles fails to notice a particularly stealthy hero and run becomes attracted to Kate. No man, not even a superhero, is good
the combat normally. Wumbles will do everything in his power to enough for Bill Feltons daughter, and Bill will tell him so if he meets
get away with both the child and the Imaginary Friend. It should be him. Even repeated rescues will only make Kate more determined
noted that most heroes will be totally outclassed individually or even and confident that a hero will save her at every turn. This will also
in pairs against an opponent like this. Wumbles will not pull punches. make her dad angrier. If a hero didnt bother to name his reporter
He will Drain the heroes EGO scores | Negate their Spirit and make DNPC, Kate is now that DNPC. Kate will ask sharp, smart, probing
himself more powerful, and under no circumstances will he allow questions designed to get the truth out of a hero.
himself to be captured. Wumbles is not above removing speedsters Plot Complication: Kate ran with a bad crowd in college and has
from combat by injuring random passersby to the point of near- acquired several skills like Lockpicking, Bugging, Streetwise, and
death and forcing the speedster to take a victim to a hospital while he other sundry abilities. She will break into homes of victims and
escapes. possibly even the institute, though this will likely lead to Kate being
brainwashed by Dominus into becoming a pawn designed to lure
The House heroes into a trap.
TALKING TO RALPH
When the heroes arrive at the house, Ricardo Alvarez will be
waiting for them. This will also be a second chance for the heroes to Ralph Oglethorpe: Ralph is still wearing shorts, a sleeveless tee-shirt,
engage the McGillicuddy family if they did not do so previously. The and a baseball cap, and is sitting on his porch watching the proceed-
McGillicuddys are very distraught. Their only child has just been ings now that all the reporters have interviewed him. He still has a
kidnapped out from under their noses by a giant rabbit or a man beer in his hand and is staring nervously at the reporters, wondering
dressed in a rabbit suit. They arent sure which. Refer to the infor- if they will go away. Ralph is a virtual slave to his wife, except during
mation on the parents of the children in the characters section for football games, and theres one he really wants to watch on TV right
answers they might give. now. Ralphs day job is packing boxes in a perfume factory. He doesnt
Heroes will assume, and rightly, that there isnt much time for like to admit this in front of others, though if the heroes destroyed
Georgie. The scene of the crime is a dining room, which currently the perfume warehouse in Pretty Hate Machines, allow the chance
is visible from the outside of the house. Crime scene tape has been that Ralph might have worked there before they destroyed it.
placed over the hole, and several police cars are outside the house, Ralph will explain that he saw a giant rabbit take the girl. The
lights flashing. Alvarez will be seen outside, pacing. Theresa isnt here, rabbit looked like he was carrying something else, but there didnt
as no one has been killed yet. seem to be anything else there. He only heard the girl crying and
26 The Kidnapping Of Lisa And The Second Murder
screaming for someone named George or Georgie. If asked what TALKING TO MR. AND MRS. MCGILLICUDDY
the rabbit looked like, Ralph will give an accurate description of Mr.
Wumbles, though he wont use big words and doesnt know what a lot Lisas parents, Steven and Alice McGillicuddy, will be extremely
of the pieces of clothing Wumbles wears are. Ralph just wants to get upset. They dont know why their home was assaulted by a supervil-
back to his football game. He thinks Lisa is a strange but okay kid and lain dressed as a rabbit. A list of common questions and answers
hopes shes going to be all right. are below. Remember that the police are very methodical and may
offer the heroes aid if they dont ask these questions. If the heroes
TALKING TO POLICE push too far or ask questions that may be considered offensive, the
Ricardo Alvarez will be open with the PCs about what informa- McGillicuddys will tell the heroes to leave and not answer any more
tion the police have discovered so far. DNA tests have revealed that questions. If the heroes havent questioned the McGillicuddys before,
there was absolutely no creature there whatsoever. Despite the fact allow them to ask any questions they like that are covered under the
that everyone appears to have seen a giant rabbit, there is no physical Georgie the Singing Giraffe character section.
evidence other than a few pieces of fur that a rabbit was ever here. 1) Do you have any idea why a giant rabbit or a man dressed as one
Alvarez will give the heroes a piece of fur in an evidence bag to would assault your daughter?
examine and have his CSI lab do the same. Its always good to get a No. We dont have any involvement with supervillains.
second opinion from experts.
The house itself, other than the dining room area, is relatively 2) Has your daughter been acting strangely lately?
unscathed. Wumbles slipped in invisibly and insubstantially through Other than her usual foolishness with her imaginary friend, no.
a wall, grabbed Lisa and Georgie, and leaped out the window, People her age shouldnt have one of those; it isnt healthy.
smashing through it and spraying shards of broken glass everywhere. 3) Has your daughter done anything that might have provoked this
The police are setting up a kidnapping unit phone and waiting for attack?
ransom demands. Alvarez has requested a hostage negotiator, but We isolate our daughter from the sort of people who might bully her
one hasnt arrived on scene. This is a useless action. Mister Wumbles because of her imaginary friend. Were trying to help cure her.
wont be making any ransom demands.
4) Did you experience any violence as a result of the attack?
No.
What the Police Have
5) Did the rabbit say anything?
Already Found He said hello and apologized for interrupting. Then he said none of
us were particularly important, and he took her! He took Lisa! He
1) The assailant (Mr. Wumbles) only left the house. He appeared had a weird voice, like a rasp crossed with a whisper.
inside it by other means. Sounding equipment has revealed that
he did not enter by digging. There are no marks to indicate that he 6) Did the rabbit say anything else?
opened any doors or came in through any windows. No. It was all very quick.
6) Why did he bring you here? 1) The dead giraffe is not a mutant but contains both giraffe and
He said he wanted to put on a show! (A cavalcade of sobbing.) human/humanoid characteristics.
He made Georgie try to sing after he cut his tongue out. (More HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -2
sobbing.) He took away everything Georgie was. He made him write Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology / Common Knowl-
those words in his own blood. Why couldnt you save him? It isnt edge -2
fair! I never want to dance or sing again.
HHPersuasion at -6 2) The creature is some sort of complete, living psychic construct,
including blood and internal organs.
Streetwise -4
HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -5
After all of this is over, the heroes will probably want to do more Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -2 / Common
investigation. Go to the investigation sections and figure out where Knowledge -4
the trails they choose lead. Remember that the villains will be alert,
3) The creatures blood, internal organs, and bodily fluids are all part
careful, and smart, and not allow the heroes to simply walk over them
of the psychically constructed creature.
and discover their carefully laid plans. Remember that many of the
complications in the plot are based on what the heroes do and how HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -7
the villains react to what the heroes do. Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -4 / Common
Knowledge -6
4) The creatures body deteriorates at a rapid rate after death because
its consciousness level holds it together. Since the creature is dead,
it has no consciousness; therefore, it rots away and may eventually
vanish.
HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -10
Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -6 / Common
Knowledge -8
30 The Kidnapping Of Lisa And The Second Murder
The coroner will conclude at this time that regardless of the fact 4) Storage Closet: This large storage closet contains additional
that these creatures may or may not be intelligent, they are certainly theatre supplies: coils of rope, set boards, and large rolls of paper.
alive and to be considered living beings. A player character coroner Each roll of paper is three feet wide and placed on a massive roller.
or DNPC | Dependent coroner should react according to their own There are four of them. Two large trunks filled with props rest against
views, unless the player asks the GM what sort of assessment his the back wall. A large cabinet is filled with various plates, silverware,
character would make. For all intents and purposes, the creatures cups, glasses, and other set pieces.
exhibit signs of life and should be considered alive.
5) Power Room: This room contains four power regulation units and
electricity controls, along with a fuse box. All of these units require a
Map of a Theatre Basement Security Systems | Lockpick roll with no penalties to access. Disabling
the power leaves the entire area in the dark. A simple Electronics |
Getting In: At the time of this encounter, the theatre should be Repair roll will accomplish this, as well as physically smashing the
between productions or closed. . It is also important to remember power regulation units. Mister Wumbles will do this if pressed (see
that while the heroes want to find Mr. Wumbles, Mr. Wumbles really Mr. Wumbless Tactics section above).
wants to see them, too. He wants to assess his opposition, report it to 6) Below Backstage: This area contains numerous trunks, two
Toby, and share information. ladders, several coils of rope, two finished set pieces, and a large rack
If the GM believes that the heroes are magnificently quick in filled with prop weapons. Prop weapons deal no extra damage in
tracking down Mr. Wumbles, he may allow them to save Georgie; Hand-To-Hand combat. There is an empty water tank that connects
however, it is likelier that as the heroes arrive, they will hear the to a pipe leading to the stage above. Next to the pipe is a fountain on
sound of a gunshot (see above). wheels that is lifted up through a trapdoor and locked into place on
1) Stairways Down: These stairways lead down from the outside and the stage above. (For a convenient stage-type environment, check
do not connect to the rest of the theatre. As the stairwells descend, out King of The Mountain for a concert hall-type map or Pretty Hate
they also grow narrower, leading to long corridors that span the Machines for a larger convention center arrangement.) An arrange-
length of the theatre. ment of chairs in a semicircle faces the back wall. Chairs are. One
might think that Mr. Wumbles would use the area beneath the stage
2) Dressing Rooms: These plain dressing rooms contain a mirrored to create an audience, but he prefers the sound-concealing noises of
dressing screen, a makeup table, and a costume rack. Dozens of the boiler room.
costumes hang on the rack. If a hero has forgotten to change into his
costume and doesnt change instantly, this can lead to some classic 7) Mens Room: This mens room contains three toilet stalls, three
comic-book comedy very quickly. A clever character can disguise urinals, and four sinks built into a single wall unit. There is one toilet
himself here with a +3 bonus to the roll | -1 to opposed Notice rolls in each toilet stall. A large cardboard box contains twelve rolls of
against your character due to the presence of large amounts of conve- toilet paper. Removing toilets or urinals from the wall requires a STR
nient makeup materials, everything from wigs to colored contacts of 30 | Strength d12+4.
to eyeliner. A cheap lighting fixture overhead swings slightly from 8) Ladies Room: This womens room contains five toilet stalls and
chains attached to the ceiling. Two cheap chairs are in the room, one four sinks built into a single wall unit. There is one toilet in each toilet
at the makeup table and one haphazardly placed in a corner. stall. Removing toilets from the stalls requires a STR of 30 | Strength
Plot Option: A famous vaudeville star was murdered in this d12+4. Two large cardboard boxes filled with paper towels rest
dressing room, and the battle reveals a clue to the identity of the beneath the sink fixture.
killer, who is still alive and has plans in motion. 9) Boiler Room: This room contains numerous pipes that travel to
3) Stars Dressing Room: This dressing room contains an ornate other sections of the theatre, controlling hot water, heat, and other
mirrored dressing screen, a complex-looking makeup table, two functions involving water. A large boiler rests in one corner of the
costume racks, and a lava lamp. A pair of well-made lighting fixtures room, while a massive heating unit takes up a long portion of the
are built into the ceiling. There is a small flatscreen TV with a DVD wall. The boiler requires a 30 STR | Strength d12+3 to remove from
player attached to it on the makeup table. There are four large plush the pipes, while the heating unit requires 40 STR | Strength d12+5.
chairs in the room and a medium-sized couch. A series of old chains and buckets rests against one wall. A chil-
drens desk is facing the chains. For more information, see the actual
Plot Option: Beneath the floor is the secret base of a pulp hero description of the encounter above.
with a theatre-based theme.
Plot Option: The boiler room is also the meeting place for a secret
group of stock market profiteers who engage in insider trading.
Michael Satran 31
1 1
Heating Unit
2 2
Boiler 9
2 2
8
7
Greg Bartmore, Paralegal: Greg is a young, handsome African- Plot Option: Melissa decides Toby shouldnt be allowed to live,
American man in his mid-twenties who is Melissas latest fling and purchases a gun, and waits for her moment. Insert her into the
knows it. He has no interest in being interrogated by superheroes Endgame to shoot Toby while he is helpless and without a force
about things he knows nothing about and wants to get out of this field for a grimmer ending.
situation as quickly as possible. Greg could be a useful Contact | Robert Doherty, Business Consultant: Robert Doherty is a deter-
Connection for heroes who handle the situation the right way. Greg mined business consultant with dark hair and brown eyes who has
has no useful information, and if they allow him to leave and dont gone a little to seed, unlike his extremely attractive and straying
talk about what went on, he could be useful in the future or be a wife. Toby has manipulated Robert to be more focused on his work
recurring nuisance NPC. and determined to succeed in all of his business endeavors, thus
Plot Option: Greg is a member of C.A.S.H (Citizens Against Super estranging him from Melissa and making both of them easier to
Heroes) and will do everything in his meager power to turn this mentally tamper with. Robert spends much of his time traveling in
into a press circus. order to give Melissa a higher standard of living, blithely unaware
that he has been mentally manipulated by Toby to live in a destructive
WHAT MELISSA KNOWS ABOUT TOBY relationship with another person who has been manipulated. When
Melissa will react to questions about her son with hostility. It the heroes question Robert, he will confirm Melissas story, that Toby
isnt that she never wanted a child; its that Toby turned out to be was always a difficult boy and they tried everything to find out what
the sort of child who couldnt be handled by parents at all. He was was wrong with their son. However, Robert is a little more meticulous
always difficult, smart, and made trouble for her and her husband. in keeping files than his wife (see below).
He was an exceptionally bright child, but something was always off.
What Robert Knows about Toby: Robert loves his son but, admit-
Unlike many other children, Toby was diagnosed with severe affective
ting that his wife is right, knows in his heart that there is something
Michael Satran 33
dreadfully wrong with the boy. The troubles began when Toby was it will be very difficult to undo. On the other, he was caused to be so
three years old. People would develop mysterious behaviors around obsessive with his work that he is now a slightly overweight, stressed
Toby, and his business relationships would change strangely for the workaholic, which will also be very difficult to undo. Robert may
better when he invited friends over for dinner. It got him promo- not be in full control of his mental faculties, and several disastrous
tions and better paying jobs. Roberts job eventually took over, and situations are possible as a result. If the heroes do tell Mr. Doherty,
his investment portfolio took off with it. At least his wife is living they will have to be very careful and monitor the couple, or several
comfortably. He even set up a massive trust fund for Toby that was domestic violence situations could very easily play themselves out.
to become his when he turned eighteen. Robert keeps all kinds of Both parents will likely require counseling of both the marriage and
information about Toby on his laptop, including dates of when Toby psychiatric varieties.
misbehaved and when he sent Toby to psychiatrists. They all reported
Plot Options: Too many to fully list. One or both of the parents
that Toby was perfectly normal, but he knew better. Eventually,
could become supervillains, blame the heroes, snap and seek
Doctor Ingersoll visited him and offered to waive their Parapsycho-
revenge on Toby, form an organization for victims of telepathic
logical Research Institute fees if Toby came to stay with him indefi-
assaults (which the law doesnt really recognize or have any way to
nitely. They accepted without reservation after one of the psychiatrists
prove), have a domestic violence dispute, or divorce and try to go
recommended it.
on with their broken lives.
Characters should be able to discover several things from the files
on Roberts laptop.
1) Doctor Ingersoll offered to let Toby stay at the institute for free, but Investigating Doctor Ingersoll
all the other parents were paid a sum of money and made to sign a Heroes may wish to investigate Doctor Ingersoll and his past, and
waiver. Why? look up information about his career in parapsychological research. A
HHINT Roll at -3 brief history of Doctor Ingersolls career is below, along with notes on
things the heroes will discover. Feel free to add additional informa-
Smarts roll
tion from the adventure background to supplement this if the heroes
2) Pictures of Toby and his mother and father indicate a loving, ask the right questions.
pleasant family; however, the PCs already should know that this is Doctor Carl Ingersoll was born in Trenton, New Jersey forty years
not the case. (If the heroes havent checked for mental tampering ago. Doctor Ingersoll looks older than this. He might be suffering
before, they might now.) from some physical ailment, but chances are its overwork and
exhaustion. He went to a public high school and went on to get the
3) Robert makes a lot of money at his job. Apparently, Tobys trust Omaco Chemical scholarship to Harvard, where he studied para-
fund has over thirty million dollars in it. (Deduction at -4 | Smarts psychology, psychiatry, and medicine. Doctor Ingersoll went on to
at -2 to figure out that Toby has been mind-reading Roberts a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford where he focused his research on
clients and then Mind-Controlling Robert to pick stocks for the psychics and the study of parapsychological and psychic abilities.
trust fund, giving Toby money he can eventually use to fund his Doctor Ingersoll returned to the United States and joined the Para-
evil schemes.) psychological Research Institute, where he continued his research and
4) Approximately two years ago, Roberts job became much more published many papers on the subjects of parapsychology, telepathy,
serious and now he spends much more time apart from Toby and and psychic and psionic powers. Ingersolls work is considered either
Melissa. Repeated attempts to find out what is wrong with Toby groundbreaking or esoteric, depending on whom the characters talk
result in multiple psychological examinations that all come back to. Many consider what he does to be completely ridiculous, and he
with nothing wrong. Only Doctor Ingersoll has diagnosed Toby has a large number of detractors who consider him nothing more
with Mirror Neuron Deficiency Disorder, despite exposure to than a mad scientist with delusions of grandeur. For every one who
multiple psychiatrists. (Deduction at -2 | Smarts at base to deduce believes one of Ingersolls unusual theories, there are two to three
that Toby has mentally manipulated the psychiatrists.) who do not. Nonetheless, he has been the head of the Parapsycho-
logical Research Institute for the past two years. (Dominus used his
DISCOVERING THAT ROBERTS MIND telepathic abilities to manipulate things and get himself promoted
HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH so that his research would be easier.) Over the past two years, his
If the heroes use the telepathy chart above to read Roberts mind published work has seemed much more brilliant, as if he were on the
(EGO 12 | d6 Smarts) and search for telepathic tampering, they will verge of several major breakthroughs. Ingersoll is unmarried.
discover the same pattern of telepathic manipulation that exists in
Mrs. Doherty. Roberts mind has become more focused on his work 1) Smart characters may notice that Doctor Ingersolls scholarship
and success through a continuous pattern of behavioral manipula- comes from Omaco Chemical, a company that has been linked
tion. Robert will at first be entirely resistant to the fact that his mind to SPIDER in the past (see Pretty Hate Machines). If the GM
has been tampered with. He is a successful business executive and doesnt own this adventure, allow the heroes an ordinary INT
a very proud man. Characters may use Melissas series of affairs to Roll at -3 | Smarts roll at -1, especially if the heroes have fought
break him down, but this could have other consequences (see below). SPIDER before and the scenario isnt being run cold. Take the
Robert will be very upset that his son mentally manipulated him and time to explain what SPIDER is and what they do under these
effectively ruined his life by driving a wedge between him and his circumstances.
wife, but he has no idea just how far this has gone. 2) Doctor Ingersoll has written papers on most of the worlds more
TELLING MR. DOHERTY ABOUT MRS. DOHERTY powerful telepathic villains that theorize about how their powers
might work or function. While these papers are not popular in
This is a potentially toxic situation. The heroes must decide
the scientific community, superhero and supervillain fanboys love
whether or not to tell Robert about Melissas behavior and whether or
them, and he has a large following. A paper about Lord Dominus
not it can be undone. It is likely that this will destroy their marriage
and his Mindsaber Chair is among them (INT Roll at -2 | Smarts
and potentially both of their careers. Robert will react like a man
roll at base).
whose whole world is gone and genuinely wont know what to do.
On the one hand, Melissas behavior has become a learned habit and
34 The Kidnapping Of Lisa And The Second Murder
WHAT THE CHARACTERS CAN LEARN FROM What actually happened is Dominus took over Ingersolls mind
DOCTOR INGERSOLLS RESEARCH and destroyed him while Ingersoll was writing this paper. Dominus
then examined the work, decided it would be better if he wasnt
Doctor Ingersolls research largely focuses on esoteric theories mentioned so thoroughly, and edited it on his own. Unfortunately,
involving mental powers and why they work. Most prominent of his since he didnt have Ingersolls specialties, there are gaps in the
published work is a paper entitled The Psychic Field that Surrounds narrative.
the World. (An ordinary Research roll at the base skill roll will
discover this paper.) Ingersoll theorizes that there is a field of psychic THE MINDSABER CHAIR
energy that surrounds the Earth and that psychics can tap into it and Researching the Mindsaber Chair is also extremely difficult. All
use that power for good or for ill. The process by which this field is versions of the Mindsaber Chair have been destroyed by superheroes
accessed is inaccessible to Ingersoll, and he cant seem to prove its or placed in nigh-unreachable Area 51-like places by the government.
existence anywhere in his body of work. A Paranormal Biology roll, Characters with high levels of security clearance may be able to get
SS: Parapsychology roll, or any other appropriate science at -2 | base a hold of the plans for the chair at the GMs discretion. There have
appropriate Knowledge or Common Knowledge at -2 reveals that the been many versions of it, but most of them amplify the powers of the
groundwork of his theory, however maniacal or esoteric, is basically psychic sitting in the chair to unbelievable levels, while simultane-
sound, if unprovable. ously immobilizing the psychic and rendering him nearly physically
Since the psychic field is virtually impossible to detect or deter- helpless. The chair projects the consciousness of the mentalist into
mine the existence of and it cannot be Mind-Scanned for, the heroes a psychic construct that can perform a variety of functions, be it
may choose to believe that even though the theory itself is sound, killing, reading minds, or other psychic purposes. The abilities of the
there is no evidence for it and cannot substantiate its existence. chair are not detailed here; however, the information that the heroes
Some heroes may try to discover the psychic field, enter it, or can gain is.
otherwise attempt to explore the possibilities of the field. These things
are all beyond the scope of this adventure. A GM who faces these Plot Option: A mole in the government who works for SPIDER
desires is on his own. tells Tarantula what the heroes are up to.
Discovering that Ingersoll is a SPIDER scientist is covered under Information that the heroes can gain from successful Contact |
Investigating SPIDER, although smart PCs may notice the connec- Connection rolls include the following possibilities. Use your best
tion to Omaco Chemical. judgment as to what information the heroes can gain based on their
Contacts, Skills, and personal experiences.
Investigating Lord Dominus 1) Mindsaber Chair Blueprints: These are useful in the sense that one
Investigating Dominus requires very little effort. Many of his can gain knowledge of how Dominus built the Mindsaber Chair.
exploits are the stuff of legends of supervillainy, as his multiple Some of the technologies involved are so complex that advanced
attempts to take over the world via his Mindsaber Chair and psionic rolls in appropriate sciences at -5 | Specific Knowledge at -1
manipulations fill a gallery of the history of superheroes throughout or Common Knoweldge at -4 must be made to grasp the basic
the 1970s all the way to the mid-1990s. Then, his sinister career concepts of what the chair does. However, succeeding on this roll
came to a crashing halt when the five-year-old body he inhabited will allow that hero an INT Roll at -2 | Common Knowledge Roll
was rendered comatose by a superhero (see Dominuss Background). to note that the end result of the psychic construct of the Mind-
Exactly how much of this background is available to the PCs is up to saber Chair is very similar to the Imaginary Friends.
the GM. Consider that some of the information in Dominuss back- 2) Mindsaber Chair Victims: Many victims of the Mindsaber Chair
ground may be suppressed by the United States government (a high may still be alive in remote government facilities if they were not
security clearance may be helpful here). Allow rolls of KS: Supervil- killed or driven mad. The first version of the chair was a telepathic
lains, KS: History, KS or SS: Research, or other skills the gamemaster projective killing device, so not many of these victims are alive. A
feels are appropriate (such as a | Common Sense roll, with a modifier telepath who reads the minds of many of these individuals may
between 0 and -4 at the GMs discretion) to discover information be able to eliminate penalties for entering the minds of Imaginary
about Dominus. As far as these records are concerned, Dominus is Friends. Create NPCs appropriate to the situation who may be
still in a coma inside the body of the young man who was a child crippled, comatose, or otherwise appropriate. While they dont
years ago, and is still in a coma ward at St. Josephs Hospital in New know very much, it will grant the same INT Roll at -2 | Smarts roll
York City. at -1 as #1 above.
Analysis of the paper on Dominus reveals very little, except to
support possible theories of how the psychic field might exist and 3) Talking to Superheroes: Dominus engaged many groups of super-
make a working version of the Mindsaber Chair possible. However, heroes during his long and colorful career. Choose superheroes
someone with unusual skills may note the following things: from your game and improvise what that group of heroes might
know about Dominus. Replace the hero Volt from Dominuss
1) This paper was severely edited prior to publication. background with a superhero from your game if players choose
HHKS: Forensics, KS: Writing, or PS: Writer -2 | -1 this option. If the heroes have a Contact | Connection in the
superhero community, choose that character unless its completely
2) Many of the edits seem to focus around Dominus and the Mind- out of character for him to take those actions. Choose a character
saber Chair. for whom it is.
HHKS: Forensics, KS: Writing, or PS: Writer -4 | -2
3) The document has been edited so that text that is missing has been Saint Josephs Hospital
carefully transformed into transitions.
If the heroes visit St. Josephs, they will have to make an appoint-
HHKS: Forensics, KS: Writing, or PS: Writer -5 | -4 ment to examine Andy Seboyak, the boy whose mind Dominus
formerly occupied. It is important to remember these three things
before setting up this encounter.
Michael Satran 35
1) As far as the player characters are concerned, Dominus is still powerful mentalist trapped inside him. Lincoln wears lab coats, dress
trapped inside the empty mind of a twenty-year-old comatose pants, a shirt, and a tie.
man. They cannot tamper with the chip that holds his mind or the
Plot Option: Doctor Lincoln is a supervillain, too.
comatose mans head will violently explode. While this explosion
will do nothing to the surrounding area, it should be treated as Reading Andys mind is relatively simple. The telepathic hero
killing an innocent victim by all but the most ruthless of heroes. doesnt find anything. There are several possible reactions to this
result. One of these is that Dominus is so mentally secure that the
2) The original doctors and orderlies who examined the boy have all
hero cant find anything. The other is that Dominus has escaped
been thoroughly Mind-Controlled by Dominus to believe that
from his mental prison. Either should produce a certain amount of
Doctor Ingersoll didnt do anything while he was here and were
nervousness but in a different way.
ordered to destroy all the records of everything that Ingersoll did
Disabling the bomb in Andys head requires a Demolitions roll
while accidentally releasing Dominus from his crystalline mental
at -12 | Lockpicking at -6; successful Knowledge (Demolitions,
prison inside the boys mind. None of these people currently work
Explosives) roll at -4 base will improve this to Lockpicking at -2, but
in that ward of the hospital. The GM should create these NPCs if
Common Knowledge cannot be used,. The character must also be a
necessary and the heroes go looking for them.
competent and capable surgeon, otherwise, the bomb goes off and
3) The only record that Ingersoll was here are duplicates of actual Andy dies. While saving Andy is possible, consider that the young
paper records, as all of the digital ones have been deleted. man is likely to remain in a coma even if the bomb doesnt go off, but
Dominus didnt remove the paper versions in case he needed to if the heroes have unusual means of fixing the problem, they should
disappear as Ingersoll and shift bodies in order to create a false be allowed to succeed. However, what the heroes more than likely
trail. cannot do is find a way to undo the damage of being a five year old in
the body of a twenty year old. Characters that can do this are likely to
Arranging an appointment at the hospital is fairly simple. Heroes
be the exception rather than the rule.
can simply call ahead and speak to anyone on the phone to make an
appointment to see Andy. They will be supervised by Doctor Bridge
Lincoln. The hospital is fairly sympathetic to superheroes wishing to Investigating Mr. Wumbles
observe where Dominuss mind is supposedly imprisoned. They get
regular visits from superheroes all the time. Finding an invisible, teleporting serial-killer rabbit is both
Draw a hospital room and a little bit of the corridor on a map harder and easier than it seems. A list of possible means of locating
board or piece of paper. Make the players think that something is Mr. Wumbles is below. If the heroes should spend all of their time
going to happen. Encourage them to place whatever miniatures or tracking Mr. Wumbles, they may miss out on gaining valuable infor-
icons they have on the map in order to build suspense. mation elsewhere in the adventure. Should the heroes capture him
Doctor Lincoln will greet the heroes in the hospital foyer and without revealing other aspects of the plot, put the scenario on hold
field any questions they have. The most common questions are listed for a few sessions until Mr. Wumbles escapes from jail.
below. Possible means of locating Mr. Wumbles:
1) Has Dominus ever moved or attempted to leave? 1) Mind Scanning | Telepathy: A hero would have to get exception-
No, he really hasnt. This is a full coma. ally good rolls to find an unfamiliar mind in most games that take
2) Has anyone worked in this ward the entire time Dominus was place in a large city and an exceptionally high result to bypass
here? Mr. Wumbless Mental Defense and EGO score | Mind Defense
No. Due to the nature of his supposed powers, people are rotated in and Spirit. If the heroes can do this, however, they can try to
and out of this ward every three months. locate him. Wumbles will do anything to avoid being captured,
including threaten numerous innocents, knock over tall buildings
3) Has anyone visited Dominus in the past? by destroying their foundations, destroy passenger trains while
Quite a number of people. We have all the files saved on the they are on the rails, and create natural disasters at nearby dams,
computer. just to name a few examples. Choose deadly threats based on the
Characters who investigate the files should discover a number of location of the campaign. It is important that Mr. Wumbles reach
names that lead nowhere, in addition to the names of a few heroes the Endgame. Playtesting revealed that heroes would usually figure
they actually know. Doctor Ingersoll is not in the digital records but is out that he was difficult to locate and it would be easier to figure
in the paper copies recorded in physical files. Characters will have to out where he would strike, but there are always monkey wrenches
review these separately and ask Doctor Lincoln if they can review the in the mix.
paper records. A SS: Research roll at -2 or PS: Doctor roll | Investiga- 2) Search locations where Mr. Wumbles is likely to be: Some char-
tion roll at base or Healing at -2 will allow the heroes access to when acters may assume that Mr. Wumbles feeds directly off imagina-
Doctor Ingersoll visited the hospital approximately two years ago. tion and try to locate him in places where imagination is plentiful,
If Doctor Ingersoll is questioned about this later, he will say, Yes, such as libraries, writers conferences, bookstores, and conventions
I visited the hospital two years ago. I was writing a paper about which filled with roleplaying gamers. Dont dissuade them if this is the
he was a subject. Criminals cant profit from their crimes, but I can case. If the heroes wish to go looking at these locations, allow
publish research like everyone else. them an encounter with Mr. Wumbles. Be aware that everything
Doctor Bridge Lincoln: Doctor Bridge Lincoln is a charming that applies under Mind Scanning | Telepathy is here, and most
African-American man in his mid-fifties, eager to get his shift on the roleplayers are not great combatants against a superbeing. Feel
Dominus ward over with so that he can place it on his resume. Other free to slaughter your most hated game designer if you choose the
than this, he is a competent doctor of neurology with all the appro- roleplaying game convention, including the one who designed this
priate skills necessary (PS: Doctor 13-, PS: Neurologist 13- | Healing adventure.
d8 and Knowledge (Medicine, Neurology, and so on) at d8). As far as 3) Building an Imaginary-Friend Detector: While this will work, up
his research is concerned, Andy Seboyak is a helpless vegetable with a to a point, it is important to impress upon the players that they
cant solve every problem by building a global detection device for
36 The Kidnapping Of Lisa And The Second Murder
it, locating it, and beating it up. Tell the players they cant rely on organization and all nonprofits have to have their donations recorded.
their magician or gadgeteer for a foolproof detection system for Several large anonymous donations have been given to the institute,
every problem. This also has a set of problems. See Mind Scanning along with several large donations from members of the corpo-
| Telepathy above for the possible consequences of this, plus add rate board of Omaco Chemical. While SPIDER has concealed the
Dominus wanting their machine and Mr. Wumbles wanting to anonymous donations behind a number of dummy corporations (KS:
destroy their machine. The other Imaginary Friends will likely try Finance at -7, PS: CFO at -6, Conversation, Oratory, or Persuasion at
to turn their children against the heroes, as their privacy will be -9 | Knowledge (Finances) at -4, Streetwise at -4), the members of the
completely violated. corporate board of Omaco Chemical over the past ten years are rela-
tively easy to spot on the list of donors (KS: Finance at -3, INT Roll
4) Building a Trail of Foods Rabbits Like: This will fail. Mister
at -2 | Knowledge (Finances) at -2, Smarts at base to know who they
Wumbles doesnt need to eat food. Hes not a real rabbit; hes
are, KS: SPIDER at base, PS: Business at -2 | Knowledge (SPIDER) at
a symbolically oriented one. Likewise, building hutch traps or
base, Smarts at -2). This should trigger warning signs in people who
monuments to famous historical fictional rabbits wont work
have encountered SPIDER before, and in those who havent, feel free
either.
to include some basic information from the SPIDER appendix at the
Characters should focus more on where Mr. Wumbles will strike end of the adventure. A federal government grant is on the list of
next than trying to track him down. His powers make him extremely donors also (see below).
difficult to find, and only the most unusually designed characters At this point, heroes should be concerned. Any project backed
will be able to locate him. The truth of the matter is that because by a global superpowered terror organization is probably more
Mr. Wumbles doesnt really need to eat or sleep, he moves around dangerous than it appears, but no outward signs of SPIDER appear to
constantly from location to location, staying under the radar until he be present at the institute unless the heroes paid specific attention to
can learn enough about the world to be effective in it. Allow scene the orderlies or are overly paranoid.
cutaways to Mr. Wumbles reading books, newspapers, and absorbing
COMPLICATION: THE DEBATE OVER SENTIENCE
other media to learn about the world he lives in. It creates a more
realistic portrait and makes him seem less like a monster made of It is a virtually inevitable consequence of the scenario that the
tofu. heroes will have a long, complicated debate over what exactly consti-
tutes life. Many adventures of this type have a moral dilemma
or thorny ethical problem that consumes much of the heroes time
Investigating the Institute II and energy, making it more complicated than it would normally be.
It is very important to allow this conversation to happen when it
Unless you are using supernatural plot options, all attempts to
develops.
contact the supernatural around the institute should completely fail.
Some groups will not have this debate, but it is very important
The checkered past of the institute can always be the subject of other
to allow this debate in a scenario where the lines defining moral
adventures, but it has nothing to do with the subject matter here.
certainty are blurred by a five-year-old telepathic villain and a group
Doctor Roman Hunter, the institutes founder, went to Harvard,
of creatures who may or may not be real.
did his graduate work at Yale, and did his internship at Johns Hopkins
Characters with Code Versus Killing may be troubled by the pros-
Medical Center. He came from a poor neighborhood in Detroit,
pect of whether or not Mr. Wumbles is alive while those without
Michigan, and died in his sleep at the age of sixty-four. (Feel free to
may advocate his destruction. In this adventure, this may be more of
insert other details about Doctor Hunters life.) Unfortunately, Doctor
a running theme, where characters debate the nature of the Imagi-
Roman Hunter was also recruited into the SPIDER SHAPE Project
nary Friends, the consequences of whether or not they are alive, and
right out of high school and spent most of his life as a SPIDER scien-
so on.
tist, working to develop superbeings in the shadow of Jorgi Van Der
Characters may also debate whether Tobys inability to deter-
Voot (see War of Worldcraft).
mine right and wrong is part of this equation. This is fine, too. Other
Finding out personal information about Doctor Hunter will be
Psychological Complications | Mental Hindrances may come into
difficult, as SPIDER has already destroyed all of the pertinent data
play during this conversation.
relating to his membership and replaced it with a relatively bland
Very few groups will have the ability as a whole to ignore this set
series of accomplishments in addition to a few published papers (now
of consequences. If the villains know the heroes well or encountered
outdated) about psychic phenomena. Doctor Hunter had no criminal
them before, they may attempt to take advantage of the situation by
record and was apparently an upstanding citizen.
exploiting the heroes psychological vulnerabilities and use this to
Looking for people who knew Doctor Hunter is equally difficult,
drive a schism into the hero team by challenging their conflicting
as most of these people are either dead or SPIDER agents. Doctor
moral codes.
Hunter had a wife and children, but all of these people have mysteri-
ously disappeared. This is because SPIDER created them as a ruse, COMPLICATION: THE HEROES
using SPIDER agents to pretend to be his family while he continued SEQUESTER THE CHILDREN
his research. It is a possibility that at some time during the investigation, the
Staking out the institute may meet with results or not. It depends heroes will try to persuade the parents of the children to allow the
on how active the heroes have been, how careful their stakeout proce- children to remain at their base for a time. If the heroes are known
dures are, and how active the villains are in detecting them. Handle and trusted, judge carefully the results of the adventure so far to
this part extremely carefully. SPIDER will do their utmost to not be determine whether or not they will say yes. Heroes come up with
noticed and will carefully tailor responses to the heroes involved. all sorts of ideas, and while this one is good, it is not perfect. Some
(Hiring the Hunted of a hero to show up at an inappropriate moment parents may be particularly reluctant to turn their parenting duties
during the stakeout, creating a crisis elsewhere that forces the hero to over to superheroes, and still fewer will want to place their children
leave, releasing the heros archenemy from prison you get the idea.) in foster care under the watchful eye of people who may not be
Run the stakeout normally if the heroes choose to do this. Make parents themselves, run around in strange costumes, and may have
the hero wait a lot. The longer nothing happens, the more likely it is great ideas about how to fight for justice but no idea of how to handle
that he will assume nothing is going on. a screaming pre-teen who wants his mother instead of his father at
A more effective means of discovering the nature of the insti- that moment.
tute is to follow the money, since it is supposedly a not-for-profit
Michael Satran 37
COMPLICATION: WUMBLES STALKS THE HEROES 3) If these procedures fail and the heroes get caught, a warrant will
be issued for the heroes arrest. While the police might not be able
If Mr. Wumbles gets any information from Toby about the heroes, to arrest the heroes themselves, other superheroes and powerful
he will stalk the heroes in traditional serial-killer fashion. He will government police agencies will certainly try. (However, see The
attempt to isolate the heroes and murder them one at a time. Smart Heroes Call in the Government above.) Heroes with government
heroes will realize that this is his modus operandi and quickly partner Contacts | Connections may be able to stonewall government
up, but those who are less brilliant may be in for a very rough time. agencies, but free-willed do-gooders like the PCs might be differ-
Wumbless method of operation in this circumstance will be isolate, ently inclined, and they arent the only group of superheroes in the
stalk, terrify, then kill. He will be methodical and precise, and kill the world.
heroes by as brutal a means as possible if the ability is there and he
has the opportunity. It is likely that most heroes will not die, as they
are incredibly resistant to damage and capable of being rescued by COMPLICATION: A PARENT HIRES ATTORNEYS
their comrades at the last instant, but Wumbless strategy will remain The parents of the children might be interested in protecting
the same. Remember that Wumbles can send people communica- their children from the heroes legally. This might create additional
tions in their dreams with his Enhanced Senses | Sense the Mind problems in the form of a lawyer who wishes to observe the heroes,
power, even though these messages have no game effect. Dont or an assigned supervisor to make sure that the children are protected
overuse this, or the impact of his unique ability will be diluted. and none of their legal rights are violated. If the parents feel the safety
1) Isolate: Wumbles has many means of isolating a hero. Threatening of their child is threatened, they may seek legal means in terms of
the heros loved ones (even though the loved ones themselves restraining orders to keep the heroes away from their children.
are in no danger, they are merely a means of getting the hero to 1) While this level of legal complication may not be appropriate in all
show up alone), playing on the heros Psychological Complica- games, please remember that Dominus and Toby both have Mind
tions | Mental Hindrances, or taking advantage of a sloppy patrol Control and are not afraid to use it.
schedule are all means of getting a hero away from his fellows.
2) Heroes who choose to fight the villains in lieu of getting the
2) Stalk: Wumbles will remain in the heros blind spot as much as children out of dangerous situations may be the recipient of visits
possible, hunting the hero much as a favorite piece of prey is from attorneys anyway. Filing a restraining order is a complex
stalked by a feline. This tendency to play with his food may process that the heroes may have to fight in court on their own.
result in several narrow escapes or, in an extremely unlucky
circumstance, Mr. Wumbless capture. 3) If the lawyer or other civil servant insists on being present when-
ever the children are, this could present a problem for heroes with
3) Terrify: Mister Wumbles will attempt to terrify heroes just before secret identities. It could produce an even bigger problem if the
or while he is engaged in combat with them. This means that lawyer hired is the DNPC | Dependent of one of the other heroes
Mr. Wumbles is unlikely to attempt to kill robots or characters who is not the initiator of this complication.
whose emotional palette is extremely limited. If a character cant
become afraid, Wumbles will save this character for later unless he
has absolutely no choice. See 4) Kill (below) for what happens if a COMPLICATION: A CHILD WANTS TO GO HOME
hero is defeated at this point and doesnt have the ability to escape. At some point, regardless of how much the heroes may try to
An opportunity to escape should be afforded, but if the escape sequester the children, even though superhero bases are really fun
attempt fails, see below. places to be and you get to hang out with some of the most amazing
individuals in the world, every child wants to see his parents and
4) Kill: It is recommended that the GM fade to black on this unless
misses his familiar surroundings. Heroes who insist on keeping the
the group has an extremely strong stomach. There is no need to
children there may face crying, tantrums, and phrases like I hate
describe this level of brutality as it happens to a player character.
you! and I never want to see you again!
Be generally vague about how awful it is when the PCs find their
If the children find a means of contacting their parents, this could
comrades body. If a hero cant become afraid at all, Mr. Wumbles
be further exacerbated with some of the plot complications above.
wont bother allowing him a chance to wake up.
Heroes may require multiple Persuasion rolls or have to do extremely
childish fun things in order to keep the children from wanting to go
COMPLICATION: THE POLICE TRY home before the crisis is over. Encourage this. Some GMs may want
TO SHUT THE HEROES DOWN to have Mr. Wumbles attack at this point in time, but this should
If any of the heroes interfered with the police in ways which were not be encouraged unless it has been a fairly long time since the last
not appreciated, the police might try to shut the heroes out of the fight. Use this to create stronger bonds between the children and the
investigation completely. Alternatively, Dominus may have Mind- heroes. It will make things all the more troubling if more Imaginary
Controlled the police or PC police Contacts | Connections in order to Friends die.
produce the same result. Follow these steps:
1) The police will issue a warning that the offending hero or heroes COMPLICATION: THE PSYCHIC FIELD WEAKENS
should back off of the investigation. This should be a hint that This complication is generally outside the scope of the adventure,
either something is not right or that an apology to local law but if things proceed for long enough, it is possible that the ancient
enforcement may be necessary. beings trapped in the psychic field could escape and be unleashed
upon the world. If Mr. Wumbles is tough, these beings are even worse
2) The police will issue a restraining order or injunction against and possess genetic-engineering abilities that surpass those of nearly
the offending hero or heroes, setting a distance from either the every scientist on the planet, in addition to being powerful psionics
investigation or specific persons that the heroes may not approach with alien technology. The heroes may find their world deeply
within. While getting caught normally means jail time and the changed by the arrival of these creatures as they consider the Earth
heroes may fight the restraining order in court, this will weigh theirs, even though they are the last five of their kind. Some of them
significantly upon the heroes time and energy, and prevent them may already have been freed and plot against the world from dark
from investigating the matter further by means inaccessible to corners on an unimaginable scale.
normal law enforcement.
Michael Satran 41
A PILOT
CRASHES
44 A Pilot Crashes
D
epending on the results the heroes have achieved so far
and based on the complications involved in the scenario, Map of the Coberson
as well as player actions, Mr. Wumbles will attempt to kill
Jack Bombem. Depending on the actions of the player
Apartment
characters, this attempt will either occur at the Coberson apart- This is one of many apartments in a high-rise apartment complex.
ment or when Jack gets fed up with how evil Mr. Wumbles is and The Cobersons can barely afford to live here. If a battle between the
challenges him to a fight. Both possibilities are explained below. If heroes (or Jack and Mr. Wumbles) should take place here, the apart-
the heroes are watching the Coberson apartment, a battle will likely ment is mapped out.
ensue there. If the heroes arent, it is likely that Jack will challenge Mr.
Wumbles to a fight, and Jim Coberson will let the heroes know as 1) Entryway: This entry area has a closet door, a small nightstand,
soon as he figures it out. and a small floor mat. A mirror on one wall has the words Home
In the event of an attack on the Coberson apartment, the heroes Sweet Home etched into the cheap plastic frame.
will have to position themselves in places where Mr. Wumbles might 2) Sitting Area: This large sitting area contains two couches, a coffee
enter the building, as well as stationing a few of them inside the table, a fold-out dining room table, and a thick, heavy rug. The walls
apartment. It may be difficult to make this scene exciting if some are simple and unadorned, with the exception of a cheap replica of
heroes are engaging Mr. Wumbles while others try to rescue Jack in a Rembrandt painting on one wall. A large TV rests against one wall
a small space. For one thing, its hard to rescue an Imaginary Friend, with a few chairs in front of the rug. Around the large dining room
since very few Special Effects will allow someone to grab a Desolidi- table are six chairs. The chairs dont match the table at all.
fied | Intangible target. For another, those who can have to be in the
right place. Plot Option: Underneath the fake Rembrandt is a real, previously
undiscovered one.
COMPLICATION: JACK CHALLENGES until they can. Wumbles will try to make sure that as few heroes
MR. WUMBLES TO A FIGHT can target him as possible, especially if only a few of them can see
him. For this version, place Mr. Wumbles and Jack in front of the
If the heroes managed to save Jack, unfortunately, Mr. Wumbles Isis Club podium. In a case such as this, Wumbles will focus on
will get another chance to end Jacks life. Jack Bombem is not the sort killing Jack, and the heroes will be hard pressed to stop him.
of individual who will put up with attempts on his life and will call
Mr. Wumbles to settle things between them. While Jack doesnt have 4) The Heroes Arrive First: If the heroes arrive first, allow them to
an imaginary phone himself, Mr. Wumbles will be able to sense Jack place themselves on the map first. Remember that this will likely
using one and answer it. alter the course of the scenario, as both Wumbles and Jack arrive
Jack will arrange to take on Mr. Wumbles in the local museums invisibly. Mister Wumbles will enter through one of the walls,
Ancient Egypt exhibit, an extensive and detailed location where he although Jack will be more polite and enter from a more appro-
doesnt expect anyone to be. Unfortunately, Jim is more than aware priate entrance. Allow the heroes to set up whatever precautions
that Jack cant handle Mr. Wumbles and will call the heroes for help. they are capable of using or creating. If the precautions are large
There are two possibilities based on which way the GM wishes to and obvious, allow Mr. Wumbles a Perception | Notice Roll to see
handle the storyline. The first is that Jim overheard Jack and Wumbles what they are doing. Just because hes evil doesnt mean hes stupid.
talking, and Jim tells the heroes where the battle is going to take Wumbles will approach the museum battlefield by stealthy means,
place. so if he has the opportunity to observe what the heroes are plan-
If the GM has other maps and wishes to have the battle in a ning and shut it down prematurely, he will do it. Numerous possi-
different location, go ahead and do that instead. (An airport might bilities exist here for Wumbles to endanger innocents and threaten
work, although Jack would choose an abandoned one for this. See people. For a less deadly battle, allow it to take place at night. For
Pretty Hate Machines for an abandoned airport map.) Alter tactical a deadlier battle, have it take place during normal museum hours
positioning to fit the situation. when there are dozens of innocents to protect. At this point, the
In the second, Jim doesnt know this critical piece of informa- course of the battle is up to the heroes if they have abilities that
tion. If the heroes do a little research and have paid attention to how can affect Wumbles and/or Jack. Allow the heroes to be creative
the Imaginary Friends behave, they might be able to figure out that but remember that villains can be creative, too.
Jack would choose a place to fight that is comfortable for him. The
Isis Club meets this definition, along with several other places in the
GMs campaign world (Streetwise at -2 | Streetwise at base; make a
list including the Isis Club). Allow the heroes a Deduction roll at -3
| Smarts roll at -2 to figure everything out if all else fails. Good ways
to set this up include having a DNPC | Dependent invite a hero for
dinner at the Isis Club before the adventure starts, having the heroes
encounter literature for the Isis Club (including a menu) at some
point during the adventure, or using the Isis Club throughout the
campaign if planning on running this adventure later.
Tactical Positioning
The tactical positioning of Mr. Wumbles and Jack depends on
when the heroes arrive. There are several possibilities for what could
happen outlined below. Choose one based on the game and the needs
of your players.
1) The Heroes Arrive Too Late: If the heroes arrive too late, the GM
has two choices. Mister Wumbles can be there, gloating over Jacks
corpse, and offer a soliloquy before he leaves, or Mr. Wumbles
can simply not be there and leave Jacks mutilated corpse behind.
While neither of these options is particularly satisfying, let this
outcome rest on how successful the heroes have been so far.
Remember that if Jack isnt dead, his corpse wont be present in
any fashion. Place Mr. Wumbles at the base of the large pyramid if
the heroes choose to engage him and run combat until such time
as Mr. Wumbles feels he has had enough.
2) The Heroes Arrive as the Fight Winds Down: If the heroes arrive
at this time, it is likely that they will arrive just in time to see Mr.
Wumbles finish beating Jack to death. If such is the case, place Mr.
Wumbles and Jack at the base of the large pyramid and allow the
heroes their moment of awareness before they see Jacks body hit
the floor. Run the combat normally from that point forward. It is
unlikely in such a situation that Wumbles will make an effort to
become solid.
3) The Heroes Arrive as the Fight Starts: If this is the case, the
heroes will have to try to figure out a way to affect Mr. Wumbles
while the battle rages. If Mr. Wumbles sees the heroes and they
cant see him because of cover or obstacles, run the battle normally
Michael Satran 47
Jason Feng Li: Jason is a young Asian student desper- Plot Option: Marla moonlights as a prostitute in the
ately trying to put enough money together to stay in red light district to pay her share of the rent.
medical school. He appreciates the arts but would Plot Option: Marla moonlights as an assassin in the
much rather be saving lives as a heart surgeon. criminal underworld to pay her share of the rent.
He works long hours and is desperate for overtime
because his family is not wealthy. He is handsome and Joe Buntz: Joe Buntz worked his way up through a life
sometimes has to pull his belt in an extra inch because on the street to achieve a decent job as a museum
he is incredibly slender. tour guide. He is a big, heavy man with pants that
he practically squeezes into. Hess fascinated by
Plot Option: Jason has relatives from China who are Ancient Egypt. Unlike Marla, Joe puts real love into
here illegally and is very afraid of superheroes with his work andis good with children. He keeps a supply
mental powers. of mints in his jacket just to hand to bored children
Plot Option: Jason is a spy for a secret Chinese orga- who are in the museum with their parents. Buntz could
nization called The Imperial Throne. easily become the pawn of an Egyptian-themed
supervillain or, if not all of the supers in the world are
Manfernee Jones: Manfernee Jones is a mid-thirties chiseled muscle-men and women, actually be one
African-American man who fell on hard times when himself.
his auto-repair business collapsed during a super-
battle and he didnt have enough insurance to rebuild Plot Option: Joe is having trouble making ends meet
it. Hes slightly overweight and relatively jolly for a and could soon turn to a life of crime.
security guard with a few financial issues. He moon- Plot Option: Joe is smuggling Egyptian artifacts
lights at a jazz club twice a week where he plays out of the museum and selling them to interested
saxophone for a band and is one of the more popular collectors.
security guards to talk to. Some of the people who
come to the museum are also fans of his playing style.
48 A Pilot Crashes
Plot Option: Damaging the pyramid severely releases an alien
Map of the Egyptian Exhibit being of the GMs choosing into the world once more.
Museum Cross-Section: This map represents a cross-section of a 3) Stairs: These wide, flat stairs lead up the center of the pyramid to
much larger museum, in this case the Egyptian temple exhibit. It level off at a foyer before entering the inner chamber. It should be
can also represent any number of other similar cultures through noted that for tactical purposes, these stairs are at a steep angle. Char-
re-description. The outer walls of this building are thick UV-ray acters knocked back into the stairs will be likely to strike the pyramid
damping glass. The entire exhibit can be seen from above and is for full damage. The foyer provides an excellent high-ground location
backlit to be able to be seen from above at night. This backlighting with cover for a character with firearms, but for a commanding view
is represented by the circles that represent the pathways inside the of the battlefield, the top of the pyramid above the inner chamber is
exhibit. There are two skylight fixtures that allow entry and egress superior.
from the top of the exhibit and are usually locked. Each is connected 4) Inner Chamber: The inner chamber of the pyramid is decorated
to the extremely sophisticated museum alarm system (Security with hieroglyphics, along with several exhibits of canopic jars and
Systems roll at -5 | Lockpicking at -3 to disable). The skylight lock other artifacts that are necessary to sustain life in the Egyptian after-
is also similarly complex, requiring a Lockpicking roll at -5 | Lock- life. A pair of small wooden benches sit on either side of the entry.
picking at -3 to open. The entire area is cooled by an air-conditioning
unit elsewhere in the museum, leaving the inside at a comfortable 5) Sarcophagus: This is a classic Egyptian sarcophagus, complete
68 degrees. The entire area is forty meters tall, creating a massive with layered coffins and a mummy inside. The sarcophagus is heavy,
space in which to fight, contemplate the artwork, or have a conver- requiring a 40 STR | Strength d12+5 to lift. Inside the sarcophagus are
sation about Egypt. Each one of these areas comes with a During millions of dollars in Egyptian relics wrapped around the 3500-year-
Museum Hours description of additional population. The floors are old mummy. The entire area inside is temperature-controlled to
constructed of real stone dating from Ancient Egypt. These stones prevent the mummy from crumbling into dust. Destroying the
are very heavy, requiring a 40 STR | Strength d12+5 to lift. They can sarcophagus also means destroying the mummy within. Heroes
be ripped out of the ground easily by anyone who can actually lift the concerned with property damage may wish to prevent the sarcoph-
5.5-ton blocks. agus from being destroyed rather than beat a villain up.
A Brief Word about Museums: Many of the artifacts and objects Plot Option: The mummy is really an alien robot composed of
represented here are priceless. Destroying them means they are microscopic machines.
gone forever. Players should be careful not to destroy one-of-a-kind Plot Option: One of the mummys pieces of jewelry provokes a
artifacts, such as many of the pillars or the barge. The museum, along physical transformation into a mighty superbeing for good or
with the Egyptian government, will be very angry with heroes who for evil.
destroy relics since the museum effectively rents the pieces which
belong to Egypt. Plot Option: If the sarcophagus is opened and the jewelry
removed, the mummy awakens, only to discover a world he
Plot Option: In an ugly coincidence, an evil cult is having a ritual doesnt understand and never made. This can be played in any
in the museum right when the PCs arrive, making the battle number of ways, some for good, some for evil, and some for
between Jack and Mr. Wumbles even more complicated. laughs (Whats a Fig Newton?).
Plot Option: In a high-powered game, the museum is protected 6) Entry to Lesser Temple: This area contains a stone podium that
by advanced non-lethal weaponry (AVADs vs. various Special explains the lesser temple and its contents. The entire lesser temple is
Defenses). Anyone who doesnt have a security ID (likely the temperature-controlled to prevent the deterioration of its contents.
heroes) will be fired upon.
7) Inner Temple Antechamber 1: This room contains a flat stone table
1) Entryway: The entryway to the Egyptian exhibit is connected by a and a wooden table. Hieroglyphs cover the walls. The entire area is
brief tunnel to the rest of the museum. Two turnstiles stand at each temperature-controlled and sealed behind glass to protect the ancient
of the entryways and are built into the floor. It requires a STR of 35 | mummification tools on the table.
Strength d12+4 to rip the turnstiles out of the floor.
Plot Option: Restoring a single hieroglyph beyond the glass to its
During Museum Hours: During the day, two museum security guards original state shows someone skilled at medical techniques how to
stand at each entrance. At night, one security guard patrols the area mummify someone and keep him alive.
every hour. Sample security guards are provided below.
8) Inner Temple Antechamber 2: This room contains eight canopic
Plot Option: One of the security guards is an Egyptian-themed jars sealed behind glass. Hieroglyphs cover the walls here as well.
superhero or villain. These are the internal organs of the mummified corpse (supposedly;
Plot Option: The museum curators wife is in charge of an evil see the plot option below).
Egyptian cult, and she uses him to gain access to the museum at 9) Journey of Life Room: This room contains several reed baskets
night. behind another glass barrier that are thousands of years old. They
2) Pyramid: This massive pyramid is constructed out of huge sand- contain clothes, pallets, and things belonging to the individual buried
stone blocks that are mortared together. The pyramid is constructed in the lesser temple. A wooden chest that is still locked also rests
of nearly solid sandstone, except for the chamber on top. behind the glass barrier. A sign attached to the glass barrier explains
the journey of the tomb inhabitants life.
Plot Option: The pyramid is suitable for different kinds of mystic
rituals. Plot Option: The mummy may appear genuine but in the corpses
stead is that of a famous union leader made up to appear to be the
Plot Option: The Egyptian gods watch this pyramid and wont be real thing, all courtesy of the mob.
happy to see it damaged in any way.
10) Journey to the Afterlife Room: Behind another glass barrier is a
small wooden boat, a set of ancient robes on a hook, and several jars
that once contained food for the mummys journey to the afterlife.
Michael Satran 49
The walls are covered with hieroglyphs depicting the journey to the 14) Lower Outer Wall: This wall supports a massive glass ceiling that
next world. From the central hall, a set of steps lead downward into can be seen through.
the next few rooms.
15) Pools: These pools are fed by water from the plumbing system.
11) Pillars of the Afterworld: These pillars depict various stages of Cutting off the fountains will have little effect as the pools will flood
the myth of the life of Osiris, from his young godhood to his dismem- the area very slowly. Over time, people have thrown various coins,
berment to his promotion to god of the afterlife, minus his genitals. amulets, rings, and photographs into the pools.
Each pillar is made of stone.
Plot Option: One of the pools is a gateway to a watery dimension
Plot Option: One of the pillars contains Osiriss genitals in an housing an entirely different civilization
extradimensional cavity. Taking the pillar attracts the attention of
Plot Option: One of the things thrown into the pool belongs to a
angry Egyptian deities, including Osiris, who will do anything to
powerful being who wants it back, but a casual museum visitor
get them back.
has already fished it out.
12) Statues: These four statues of Anubis, guardian of the dead,
16) Gathering Areas: These large open areas are where people are
rest in the corners of the burial chamber to watch over the deceased
gathered for tours in groups of up to thirty. There is nothing to
within the sarcophagus. Each statue is made of nearly petrified
destroy, grab, or pick up here. Security guards warn people not to
ancient wood.
enter the pools. The gathering areas provide a view of most of the
13) Sarcophagus: This heavy sarcophagus contains another mummy exhibits within the museum area, including the Isis Club, a restaurant
under temperature-controlled conditions. The sarcophagus contains and jazz club where sophisticated museum-goers with memberships
an inner sarcophagus. Inside the inner sarcophagus are millions of can spend their time and money. The Isis Club is open for lunch
dollars in jewels and gold, along with the mummy. Unfortunately, the during the day.
entire sarcophagus set weighs 9.5 tons and cant fit through any of the
Plot Option: Several retired pulp heroes who are strangely younger
doors of the building, making it difficult to steal.
than they should be make the Isis Club their regular meeting spot
Plot Option: While the heroes battle Mr. Wumbles here, someone a few times a month to reminisce about the old days.
steals the sarcophagus out from under their noses! Who stole it?
17) Pillar: This pillar appears to be covered with hieroglyphics from a
How did they do it? What sinister purpose does the thief have
distance but really houses a sophisticated video system that describes
in mind? Will the heroes be able to solve this crime while the
the history of bringing the various pieces of Egyptian architecture to
Egyptian government sends its own supers and agents to retrieve
the museum. This information should be left up to the needs of the
the contents?
individual gamemaster.
50 A Pilot Crashes
30 1 1 30
16
20
15
17
4
5 3
14
7
12 10
13 11 6
9
8
24
30
30 1 1 30
23 22 19 16
15
21 18
28
25
27d 26 14
27c
27b
27a
29a 29b
29c
29d
29e 29f
30
52 A Pilot Crashes
when they arrived and locating the map is far more difficult than
The Isis Club it should be.
Note: During business hours, the restaurant is jammed with 25) Bridge: This bridge crosses the pool surrounding the funeral
people. Some GMs may enjoy the idea of Wumbles having hundreds barge platform. It is bolted to the floor by heavy pylons. The bridge
of hostages, others may not. If the heroes are easily capable of itself is made of granite. It requires a 50 STR | Strength d12+7 to lift
handling Wumbles by himself, the heroes should probably arrive the bridge or remove the pylons.
just as Wumbles kills Jack, who is willing to sacrifice himself for the
fragile hostages. 26) Barge Display Platform: This large stone platform rests in the
center of another pool. The platform itself is made of massive stone
18) Greeting Podium: The greeting podium for the Isis Club is ornate blocks of basalt that rest at the edge of a two-foot-deep pool. Basalt
and styled like a small Egyptian pillar with hieroglyphics carved into benches in the same color as the stone blocks surround the massive
it. During operating hours, a hostess stands here, takes reservations, funeral barge. It requires a 35 STR | Strength d12+4 to lift each bench.
and monitors restaurant traffic. The podium is actually made of cheap Small pillars with informative displays about the funeral barge in the
clay. The lights that set off the Isis Club from the rest of the exhibit center rest around the edges of the platform, covered in historically
are a different color, and the club is open at night, although the rest of accurate hieroglyphics that say the same things as the informative
the exhibit is blocked off, except for private parties and the occasional displays, only translated into hieroglyphics.
exclusive night tour.
27A-D) Funeral Barge: This funeral barge was excavated from the
Plot Option: The hostess could be a player character. Nile after flooding revealed it and later, the barge was given to the
Plot Option: The hostess secretly studies museum-goers to see if museum by the government of Egypt. The barge itself is extremely
any of them might make good Ebon Flame cultists. heavy and requires a 45 STR | Strength d12+6 to lift. It is made of
ancient wood that is nearly petrified. It is neither aerodynamic nor
Plot Option: The hostess is a member of a secret society that balanced, and, at this point in its 3000-year existence, is no longer
worships the ancient world and protects its artifacts. seaworthy. The barge can be entered through a small set of stairs on
one side.
19) Open Kitchen: This open kitchen features a circular countertop,
a grill, an oven, sink, and a stove. The large circular preparation table Main Boat Chamber (A+B):
rests in the center of the circle. The kitchen is set up so that the smell
of food wafts across the two entryways, thus prompting passersby to A) Lesser Sarcophagus: This sarcophagus supposedly contains the
want to eat. There is a no food in the exhibit outside the Isis Club remains of the pharaohs guards in order to protect him on the way
rule that is strictly enforced. Traditional Egyptian dishes are served, to the afterlife. However, cunning builders actually left the main
along with a lamb-burger and fries. sarcophagus with a false mummy inside and hid the body of the
pharaoh in a second sarcophagus beneath the remains of his body-
20) Tables: The majority of the restaurant is filled with metal tables guards. The entire sarcophagus is built into the floor with a hidden
that seat four to six people .Each table is relatively quiet, as the heavy latch that can be found with a -9 to Perception Rolls | -6 to Notice
flagstones dampen sound. Rolls. The procedure can be explained by a tour guide or by reviewing
the complex diagram on the wall behind it. The sarcophagus requires
21) Menu Pillar: This pillar is covered in hieroglyphics that actually
a 30 STR | Strength d10 to lift.
read What would you like to eat today? when translated. The daily
menu, which always includes the lamb-burger, is pinned to the pillar Plot Option: The pharaoh was a woman, and her ashes, interred
and has a limited number of choices. It is not an authentic Egyptian with those of her illicit consort, ache for revenge, thousands of
artifact of any sort. Its just carved to look like one. years after being murdered by a vengeful adviser who knew her
secret. Her ghost assembles from the ashes to seek revenge at the
22) Bar: This heavy stone bar seats twenty, but also contains a small
presence of an Egyptian-themed superhero or at the will of the
but highly expensive wine list in a temperature-controlled safe sealed
gamemaster.
with a combination lock. The bar is a massive construct. Lifting
it requires a STR of 35 | Strength d12+4. The safe is much smaller B) Main Sarcophagus: This massive, multiple-layered sarcophagus is
and bolted to the floor under the bar. Removing it requires a STR completely empty. It is mind-bogglingly heavy, requiring a 38 STR |
of 50 | Strength d12+7. The contents of the safe are wine bottles. It Strength 12+5 or higher to lift. The massive stone surface is engraved
is important to remember that using the safe as a weapon destroys with dozens of hieroglyphs, along with a representation of the
the $200,000 worth of wine inside and angers wine connoisseurs pharaoh supposedly inside (see above). Getting the sarcophagus out
everywhere. the door might be a problem, as the original designers built the barge
around it, rather than lowering it inside.
Plot Option: Something else (that isnt destroyed or dissolved by
wine) is also in the safe. C) Chamber of the Journey: This chamber near the front of the boat
depicts the journey of the pharaoh to the afterlife, engraved in hiero-
23) Dance Floor/Stage: This small stage can only be lifted by a 30
glyphs on the walls. Dozens of canopic jars filled with the remains of
STR | Strength d12+3 or higher. It is converted into a dance floor
the boat crew populate the room, along with a once-sumptuous chair
when there are no jazz musicians, and a few pairs of people can be
for the pharaoh to sit in. A small mummy case for a pair of cats sits at
found dancing at most times.
the foot of the chair.
24) Temple Cross-Section: This cross-section of a small temple
D) Figurehead: This massive figurehead on the front of the boat is in
contains six large and two small pillars, all mounted on original
the shape of the head and body of Osiris. The figurehead looks oddly
massive flagstones. Hieroglyphics cover the pillars. It requires a
different at different times of day due to the positioning of the barge.
30 STR | Strength d10 to lift a small pillar and a 40 STR | Strength
d12+5 to lift a large one. Plot Option: The figurehead is alive and occasionally tampers with
the minds of men to achieve its goals. These goals can be good or
Plot Option: Inside one of the pillars is a map to the tomb of an
evil.
Egyptian king, but the pillars were placed in a different order
Michael Satran 53
Plot Option: A villain has hardwired technology into the figure-
head to target Egyptophiles with whispered messages for his own The Third Autopsy
sinister purposes. The third autopsy will be much like the first and preferably
28) Wall of Life: This long free-standing wall depicts the journey of conducted by the same person as the first autopsy. Some heroes who
Osiris, from his beginnings to his early godhood to his dismember- have government Contacts | Connections may wish to call in their
ment by Set, followed by his sewing together at the hands of his own experts or people from government agencies. See the complica-
wife, Isis. The pictures are accurate according to the myths. Osiris tion The Heroes Call in the Government above. If the heroes skipped
is missing his genitals when sewn back together. Lifting the wall the previous autopsies, this is another chance to gain the information
requires a STR of 65 | Strength d12+9, but it is extremely awkward to they missed.
do so (DEX roll at -2 | Agility at -1 required). The following can be learned.
29A-F) Traditional Egyptian Home: This entire home is a replica 1) The man, hereafter known as Jack Bombem, appears to have been
made of mud bricks and reeds. Inside, sections are blocked off with killed by raw physical force and extreme trauma due to machete
glass and are temperature-controlled. Most of the cultural artifacts wounds. These wounds indicate signs of a struggle or, at the very
within the home are priceless and cannot be replaced, although there least, that this victim tried to fight back.
are a few replicas which may lower the museums insurance bill. HHForensic Medicine
A) Foyer: This small foyer contains a small wooden couch (with Healing
no cushions), two chairs, and a few peg hooks for cloaks. A set of
jars containing ancient spices rests against a wall behind glass in a 2) The creature appears to be a fully human male in his mid-thirties.
temperature-controlled environ. While appearing real, it doesnt seem to be made up of living
tissue. His clothes are separate from him but seem to be made up
Plot Option: The spices dont come from Earth, and aliens of the same material as his body.
want them back. While edible to Earth creatures, they are really
powerful hallucinogenics on the home planet of the aliens. They
HHForensic Medicine -3
contain a compound that is invisible to current Earth technologys Healing -1
analysis equipment.
3) The corpse doesnt seem to deteriorate at a normal rate of speed;
B) Storage Room: Behind glass and in a temperature-controlled instead, it appears to be deteriorating about twice as fast. (If asked
space are a number of sacks, jars, crates, and reed baskets. A placard what it means, there isnt a good answer using Forensic Medicine |
on the glass wall explains the contents of each of the containers, as Healing.) The clothes appear to deteriorate at the same rate as the
well as what they were used for. body.
C) Dining Area: This area contains a plain wooden table and chairs. HHForensic Medicine -5
Hieroglyphs along the walls depict the journey of food to table, with Healing -2
two walls devoted to farming and two walls devoted to hunting and
raising animals. This information below is for characters with sciences involving
superhuman abilities.
Plot Option: A prank-loving museum official has added hiero-
glyphs in secret that ends the lives of the animal journey with 1) The dead man appears to be fully human, but there are notable
mummification. Pointing this out could result in the dismissal discrepancies in the way his body must have functioned. Internal
of the official, a good laugh, or the creation of a new supervillain organs are slightly displaced, the heart is in the exact center of his
who seeks revenge against the heroes. body, and he possesses an excessive amount of muscle tissue for
his size.
D) Main Sitting Room and Kitchen Pit: This room contains a long
sitting bench, a number of replica pillows strewn about the room, and HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -2
a fire pit, though without a fire. Over the fire pit is a clay cooking pot. Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology / Common Knowl-
Much of this area is roped off by large heavy metal poles linked by edge -2
velvet-covered chains. Several small ornaments of cats are placed in
various places about the room, and two large baskets rest against the 2) Jack is some sort of complete, living psychic construct, including
corners furthest from the entrance. blood and internal organs.
DEATH OF A
BEAUTIFUL
SINGER
56 Death Of A Beautiful Singer
I
t is very important that Mr. Wumbles murder the Imagi- Using this information, allow heroes a base Streetwise check. If
nary Friends in the order of Polly, Georgie, Jack, and Lisa. any of the heroes are of the upper class or just like jazz, no roll should
While the heroes can bring the events to the police prior be required. Make a list of jazz clubs and include The Smooth on the
to this, it is unlikely that they will be able to prosecute any list. Give the players as much or as little legwork as you like. Some
sort of criminal case successfully. A dead humanoid parrot and a campaigns will benefit from research about jazz and blues. Others
dead humanoid giraffe will likely not result in much jail time. A dead will want to get straight to the action. Know your players.
man and a dead teenage girl raise the stakes and call attention to If the heroes have figured out some way of derailing this scene,
the brutality of Mr. Wumbless crimes. If Mr. Wumbles murders all improvise as necessary. Remember that the last part, Endgame, can be
the Imaginary Friends, he will then begin seeking revenge on Toby, moved to at any time.
Doctor Ingersoll, and the institute. It is important to remember that
Mr. Wumbles has no idea that Doctor Ingersoll is a powerful super-
villain with vast mental powers of his own, unless Toby has told him Tactical Positioning
due to the interference of the player characters. As the heroes close in on The Smooth, Mr. Wumbles is closing
in on Lisa. Wumbles plans to murder Lisa during one of Lornas sets
Finding Imaginary Lisa at the moment of completion of a particularly sad song. Unlike the
other murders, Mr. Wumbles intends to make this one relatively
If the heroes have been monitoring Lisa constantly, she doesnt quick. It isnt the effect on Lisa he desires so much as a shower of
always stay around her child. She has more important things to do, blood raining down on the performers and patrons, followed by the
like go out to clubs and try to build a singing career in case she ever dead body of a young girl hitting the floor. When the heroes arrive,
becomes real. Lisa is very old school in her choices for singing. She those who can see the Imaginary Friends will see Lisa performing
prefers jazz and blues, a fact that she will never admit to any of the next to Lorna Trane. Make getting into the club difficult. The Smooth
other Imaginary Friends except Georgie, and she loves the vampy is not known for canceling performances, and the staff will not take
outfits and silky low-cut dresses. Being a pop star just isnt in her the heroes seriously, even if they have read the news. Lorna is popular
makeup. enough that the house will be mostly packed, making Mr. Wumbles
Lisa trains at the most popular jazz club in the city, a place known difficult to see in the darkened room with all eyes onstage.
as The Smooth (invisibly, of course). If a hero is a jazz musician or has This should look like a desperate search through a crowd of people
a love of jazz and blues, he should already know where this place is for a single individual who is very good at hiding. Build suspense by
without a roll of any sort. However, other characters may have some including people in the audience who have clothing similar to what
investigating to do. Lisa follows Lorna Trane around invisibly and Mr. Wumbles usually wears. Remember that Mr. Wumbless Stealth
secretly idolizes her, mimicking her songs and her voice, creating an roll is also very good and to many people, he is invisible and intan-
odd duet for those who can see the Imaginary Friends. Since no one gible much of the time.
else in The Smooth can normally see Lisa, this will be extremely odd. Mister Wumbles will do his best to lure the heroes into the base-
Characters who follow Lisas imaginary form need only bypass ment, and then, while they are closing with him (unless they have
her Perception | Notice Rolls. They will be led to The Smooth, though multiple heroes with Desolidification | Intangibility), leap upwards
they may find getting in to be a matter of negotiation, especially onto the stage with his own Desolidification | Intangibility and
for characters that have various weapons. (This assumes the heroes murder Lisa in a single, bloody stroke. If he succeeds, the club will
are law-abiding. If they arent, there may be other advantages and be thrown into chaos. At this point, Mr. Wumbles will become solid
complications involved.) Heroes who take that kind of time may be long enough to create even more chaos and harm innocents so that
rewarded by the gamemaster with incidental music while shes prac- he can escape. He will use his prodigious strength to collapse club
ticing for a few moments. Find a jazz classic and play it while theyre walls and pieces of the ceiling while draining the EGO | Spirit scores
watching. of Normals | Extras so that they will be unable to avoid collapsing
If the heroes havent been monitoring Lisa, theyre going to have to sections of ceiling, hanging lamps, and hurled objects. If Wumbles
go looking for her. A second interview with Sandra might be helpful fails, he will do his best to flee the scene and get away. If he succeeds,
here. Key questions are included below. he will flee the scene in any case.
A more drama-oriented GM may choose to allow Lisa a few key
1) Where does Lisa go when she goes away?
last words like, So this is what its like. Hold my hand please,
Im not sure. She likes to dress up in slinky clothes and go off and
followed, of course by the hero clutching her lifeless body.
stuff. Sometimes shes not there at all.
2) What type of slinky clothes?
Nice dresses. Vampy stuff. Like a club singer. She likes to sing.
3) What does she like to sing?
I dont know. Blues. Jazz. Not cool stuff like (fill in sexy boy band of
the week appropriate to your game world) or Alien Fish Police.
Michael Satran 57
8) Bogundys: This hardware store is owned by Bo Gundy, a good old
Map of The Smooth Jazz Club Southern boy who followed his fortune by making his name off the
restaurant next door. Bo is a liar and a cheat, and tells his employees
Notes: The entire area around the jazz club is also depicted. that his brother is just putting on airs and pretending to be French.
Remember that this an open area, and a super-battle will likely Occasionally, fights break out between the employees of the two
attract the attention of the police, reporters, and other superbeings. businesses. The store has separate entrance and exit doors, and a wide
Depending on the time of day, it may benefit the gamemaster to use glass window through which small aisles of tools and accessories can
the Knocked Back Into Traffic table. be seen. Each long set of shelves requires a 30 STR | Strength d10 to
lift. There is a cash register that sits on a large countertop near the
1) Scott Bennie Boulevard: This street runs east/west through the
exit.
heroes campaign city. It is two lanes wide with room to park cars on
the side of the street. Unless it is Sunday, cars may only park on one Plot Option: Bo worships his ancestors who used to run moon-
side of the street. Use the values for vehicles in HERO 6E2 171 | page shine in the South, and has a bizarre, unique religion where he
58-59 of Savage Worlds Deluxe Edition. prays to them, makes moonshine, and drives around the city with
moonshine in his trunk. While this is very weird, it also makes
Plot Option: When the battle starts, a traffic patrol officer is giving
him a candidate for being recruited by evil cults and supernatural
tickets out to all cars for being on the wrong side of the street.
beings.
2) Traffic Lights: These traffic lights regulate the flow of traffic along
9) Koberlein Drugs: This small family drugstore has fallen on slightly
the street. A Security Systems aat -1 | Lockpicking at base roll is
harder times. Ron Koberlein is the latest in a long line of family
necessary if a hero wants to break into the traffic light control box
pharmacists. His shop is hardly deserted, but the area between the
at the base, and a Computer Programming roll at -3 | Knowledge
two neighborhoods is conflicted and fewer people visit because he is
(Electronics or Computers) at -1 or Smarts roll at -4 is necessary to
on the edge of both. Inside, the usual assortment of accoutrements
reprogram the traffic light if the hero has appropriate equipment.
can be found on cheap shelves. A countertop bears two cash registers.
Assess additional penalties if the hero is trying to do this without the
Ron has resisted offers from local crime bosses to cook drugs for
proper equipment.
them in the back of his shop, but if things get harder, he may cave in
3) Cross Streets: These two cross streets, Harlick Way (the western- (see the plot option under Beaux Gundie above).
most) and Greer Avenue (eastern), are largely different. The area of
10) Burger Swine: This fast-food chain features its animated mascot,
the jazz club represents an area between two neighborhoods, with
Beefy the Pig, in glowing fluorescent lights, chowing down on an
Greer Avenue being the start of a slightly poorer neighborhood
exciting-looking burger. All of the employees here are Normals |
and Harlick Way a more middle-class one. Harlick Way is split by a
Extras. Most of the food is exactly what someone would expect out of
divider in the center of the road that keeps traffic going one way in
a fast-food chain restaurant. The burgers are grilled on a grill in the
both directions.
back that is not attached to the floor, and the front section contains a
4) Parking Lot Entry: This driveway and gate blocks off the jazz club tray holder, trays to collect and hold the burgers, and a cash register.
to the casual attendee. The area of the parking lot is fenced in by a Hitting someone with a Burger Swine tray provides 1d6 | +1d4 Hand-
heavy wire, chain-link fence. During club hours, the gate is open and To-Hand damage. There is always a staff of six at this Burger Swine
pushed aside. Unauthorized parking is subject to a high fine levied by but some others are larger or smaller. The tray holder requires a STR
the club owners. A Security Systems | Lockpicking roll is necessary to of 30 | Strength d12+3 to remove. The cash register unit has two
disable the lock on the gate during non-club business hours. registers. If the PCs are lucky enough to grab one of the fryers while
they are on, the hot grease will be very painful. Burning grease deals
5) Parking Lot: This large parking lot is nothing but parking spaces 1d6 of Physical Killing Damage | 1d4 of heat damage to anything
leading to the private club entrance. Most cars here are expensive it comes in contact with for 4 Phases | Turns. Characters that are
sedans or luxury SUVs. The GM will have to judge how many cars immune to heat or fire may freely lift the fryers; others may take 2d6
are in the parking lot at the time of the combat. A few classic cars are NND | 1d8 of heat damage and possibly suffer minor burns. Spread
interspersed with the others. on the ground, the grease gives a -3 DEX | -1 Agility penalty to
6) Private Entrance to The Smooth: This is the private entrance to anyone who steps into the area. The rear grill is a massive construct. It
the jazz club. A large red awning rests atop a semicircle of brass poles. isnt bolted to the floor but requires a 35 STR | Strength d12+4 to lift.
There is a faux red carpet made of Astroturf that leads from the door Use statistics for bathrooms elsewhere in this adventure. The Burger
to the parking lot. A car may stop in front of the entrance, disgorge Swine jingle is infamous and usually sung speeded up:
its passengers, then park. The door to the club is wooden and very If you come past our sign,
heavy. This door enters into the private club areas (18-19). People stop here all the time,
7) Beaux Gundie: This small French-style brasserie has attracted For the food, it is so fine,
the attention of many of the citys elite before they stop in at The Burger Swine, Burger Swine
Smooth. The owner is Maximillian Gundie, who has named the 11) Animal Land: This is a pet shop for all types of normal animals.
restaurant after his wife. He despises the owner of the hardware store Everything from cats to fish can be found in Animal Land. The
next door, as does most of his wait staff. Small tables are surrounded store is filled with rows of pet cages, pet supplies, and animals. A
by chairs. The kitchen is open and in the center of the restaurant so cash register near the front sits on a wide countertop. A row of fish
that everyone can have a clear view of what is being cooked. The tanks goes from front to back along one wall. Cages contain various
entire kitchen can be entered from both sides. Refer to the Map of animals, mostly kittens and puppies, but there are some smaller cages
the Winehouse Estate section for possible effects of battle from these with hamsters and rabbits as well. The proprietors of Animal Land are
kitchen sections. Use statistics from other sections of this adventure Mitch Gorzo and his wife Bernice, who are both heavyset African-
for bathrooms if they are required. Americans but are cheery about their obesity. The animals, however,
Plot Option: Maximillian Gundie is secretly a drug dealer. are lean, healthy, and in great shape. The Gorzos keep candy for local
kids and make Halloween a real treat for trick-or-treaters, making
58 Death Of A Beautiful Singer
getting a new pet on Halloween a local custom. No one gets tricked Plot Option: Hans joins the Cult of the Ebon Flame to find new
and sent out the door with the wrong animal. The window of Animal ways to dodge his taxes, but things go sour and he is forced to
Land is bulletproof. The Gorzos dont particularly care about this; it acquire real mystic artifacts by the cult. Will Hans be able to evade
just keeps their shop safer. the cult and the PCs, as well as the IRS?
Plot Option: The pet shop used to be the lair of a jungle-themed 15) The Sports Mind: A bookstore devoted solely to sports books,
supervillain from the early days of superheroes, and there is a the Sports Mind is owned and operated by Jack Horst, a former
secret compartment somewhere in the shop that contains the minor-league baseball player. Jack was a true student of the game but
recipes for several of his sinister potions. never really rose to greatness in the major leagues. There are aisles of
bookshelves filled with biographies, sports history, and game analyses
12) Big Frootz!: This relatively new business sells fruit smoothies
of every sport from baseball to lacrosse. If someone wants to talk to
and yogurt drinks of all kinds. Their mascot is a large, smiling heap
Jack about sports, Jack can talk about sports all day. It is one of his
of fruit that is painted onto the sign above the door. The sign flaps
favorite pastimes. A big-screen TV is mounted above the counter. A
slightly when a large wind comes up. Inside are many cheap plastic
computer that sits on the counter doubles as a cash register. Jack does
tables and chairs, a cheap cash register, a long bank of yogurt-
not sell baseball cards but has a regular clientele of people who come
dispensing machines, and a bathroom. There is also a milkshake-
in and ask his advice. This includes everyone from gamblers and
style blender unit behind the register. Up to four yogurt shakes can
sports announcers to little leaguers who want to work on their swing.
be blended at once. Use bathrooms elsewhere in this adventure for
Up to six innocent people will be in the shop during business hours.
statistics. The proprietor of Big Frootz! is Tamiko Mikiguchi, a 411
Japanese woman who is perpetually cheery and selects all of her staff Plot Option: Jack runs an illegal betting ring that stretches from
for similar ebullience. Las Vegas to Monte Carlo.
Plot Option: Tamiko is fleeing her former Yakuza compatriots with
millions of dollars of their money. 16-31) The Smooth
13) Neidermayans: When a traditional German chef marries a chef This is one of the most popular jazz clubs in the city. The Smooth
specializing in primitive Central American cuisine, Neidermayans has been around since before the days of prohibition, and customers
is the result! The food is highly unusual and uses a lot of chocolate can still go down to the basement and drink at the formerly illegal
and cream in ways neither the Mayans nor the Germans would have speakeasy. The building is constructed out of brick and wood. The
approved of, but the food is genuinely delicious, if a bit odd. Klaus Smooth is considered a landmark building by the city government,
Neidermeyer and his wife Ixtapa create unusual dishes out of cuisines so even if the characters destroy it, the city will have to rebuild it. The
that werent really meant, at first glance, to be mixed. Dishes include Smooth is locked during non-business hours, requiring a Security
coffee-flavored wild boar meatloaf, chocolate mole bratwurst with Systems roll at -4 | Lockpicking roll at -2 to bypass the locks and
mustard, and ground quinoa and beef patties with onions. The Spicy alarms. A system of video cameras fills the club, but they only spot
Mexican/German Chocolate Cake, however, is never to be missed. things visible to Normal Sight. Bypassing the cameras is a -1 to a
The restaurant is decorated in Central American themes, but the Security Systems | base Lockpicking roll or Repair at -2. The club is
chairs and tables are very efficiently organized and German. The windowless, promoting a darkened, smoky atmosphere similar to that
tables are very heavy. Chairs are similarly weighty. There are twin in many other buildings of the time in which it was constructed. The
bathrooms located near the rear of the small restaurant, and the tiny Smooth has a no cameras and no cell phones policy. They are to be
kitchen isnt much bigger than the one in the Coberson apartment. left at the door.
A large refrigerator rests near the back of the restaurant near the
kitchen and contains many of the cold foods, and a heated counter SMOOTH PERSONNEL
with a long row of red and green numbers is on the opposite side
Rich Dennis, Owner: Rich Dennis, owner of The Smooth, lives his
of the kitchen wall. All food in a semi-prepared state is on the red
life under an assumed name. He is really Ricardo Denisovich, born
numbers on the heating counter. The Neidermeyers are very friendly,
of a Hispanic mother and a Russian father. He loves jazz and does
very organized, and are constantly out among the customers when
everything possible to hide the fact that he really doesnt come from
not making food. The food at Neidermayans is very expensive, but
the roots of jazz tradition. Rich runs a very successful club and hires
most of the foodies who come to the restaurant really dont seem to
only the best talent possible in order to promote a high-class and
care.
classical jazz club atmosphere. Rich is actually one of the rare lottery
Plot Option: A food critic is murdered at Neidermayans, and the winners who does exactly what he loves. He is a jovial fat man who
Neidermeyers claim innocence. Who is responsible? Or was it just never fails to be quick with a joke, although a twisted prankster streak
the odd food? runs through him at times.
14) Buntmunder Antiques: This antique store is owned by a grizzled Plot Option: Rich won the lottery with the assistance of a few well-
old man named Hans Buntmunder, who has a collection of rare and placed sap blows and some assistance from a local crime boss, and
not-so-rare things he passes off as antiques to dodge federal taxes. is constantly being blackmailed.
The shop loses money, and its designed that way so that he can write
Seymour Sam Goldfarb, Bartender: Seymour is the most popular
it off as lost income. The shop contains everything from old World
bartender at the club, despite most of the other bartenders being
War I military helmets to old books, ancient refrigerators, old jewelry,
young, attractive women. Seymour is in his late seventies, completely
horror and romance comic books, and other odds and ends. Hans
bald, and has a big nose framed by huge round glasses. He has been
has an old counter that has a too-thick coating of varnish on it with a
the bartender at The Smooth for over fifty years. He always wears a
beat-up old cash register that doesnt take credit cards. The shop has a
tuxedo, regardless of the weather or time of day, and rarely leaves the
dusty glass window. Hans chooses to leave things dusty to attract the
bar when he is on shift. He knows so many stories about the golden
sort of customers who only spend a little bit of money. He plays the
age of The Smooth that even some jazz greats line up to talk to him.
part of a sinister antique shop owner and deliberately cultivates the
sort of creepiness found in B-grade horror movies. Hans is aware that Plot Option: Seymour is secretly a plant creature from outer space.
he has become a caricature, but he doesnt care, as long as he pays less
in taxes, which he finds particularly onerous. Even the bathroom is
dusty and old.
Michael Satran 59
Thick Tony Bartello, Bouncer: Thick Tony is six-foot-one and Lorna Trane, Singer: Lorna is a small-town Texas girl who wanted a
weighs over three hundred and fifty pounds. He is a former profes- career in rock and roll but found jazz singing instead. At age twenty-
sional wrestler and college football player who got arrested during a seven, she is the main attraction at The Smooth. She is beautiful,
left-wing student riot where a police officer beat a student. The police talented, and hates country-western music with a passion. Her voice
officer was convicted of assault. Tony was sent to jail for two years for is smooth, husky, and perfect, and when shes on stage, every eye
assaulting an officer and his professional career was ended. I won the is on her. Offstage, she sounds like a cowgirl looking for a rodeo.
fight for that kid, he says. And thats what counts. He still keeps in She is slightly taller than average at five-foot-seven, with dangerous
touch with the student he aided. Tony and the police do not have a curves and a smirking, infectious smile. She wears a blonde wig on
good relationship, and when Tony interacts with the police, he makes stage but is actually a brunette. Lorna doesnt suffer from a lot of the
that animosity obvious. Tony speaks in a thick Brooklyn accent, has usual showgirl problems, like a dangerous lifestyle or drug addiction.
dark, thinning hair, and has giant hands and feet. He has a somewhat However, her family is extremely conservative and just too backward
hopeless crush on Poison Candace (below) but doesnt think he has for her tastes. They still want to know why she doesnt come home
much of a chance with her. and sing in the choir. She gets a lot of offers from very rich men, but
her upbringing has taught her that dating most of these people is a
Plot Option: Tony isnt in debt to the mob, but a lot of mobsters are
time bomb. She carries a gun in her purse, has a concealed weapons
spending time trying to create a situation where he is.
permit, and goes hunting or fishing in jeans and a plaid shirt on her
Poison Candace, Bouncer: Candace Levitsky is a naturalized days off.
American citizen from Israel in her late thirties. Unfortunately,
Plot Option: Lornas family comes to take her back and wont
there werent a lot of jobs in Israel for female Krav Maga instructors.
take no for an answer. Unfortunately, they will have to deal with
Candace decided to move to America and explore her passion for
the bars more dangerous inhabitants, Tony and Candace, not to
music but turned out not to be a very good musician. What she was
mention the police department and Lornas attorney.
good at was military strategy and self-defense. While she could have
made a living in private security, she decided that she would rather 16) Foyer: This simple foyer contains two alcoves for holding coats
have a lower salary and free jazz concerts. Candace is five-foot-one (16A and 16B). A series of velvet-covered chains with connecting
and weighs one hundred and four pounds soaking wet, leading to brass stands divides people into two groups upon entering, those with
the unlikely nickname of Poison. Not a lot of people realize that reservations and those who must wait to get in. The room is covered
Candace is a bouncer, but if they do, they are unlikely to walk away with small paintings of famous jazz musicians, and during business
from it. Candace finds a lot of the people who visit the club not nearly hours, there are two bouncers near the door. Each alcove has four
as smart as they think they are, but never says so. long rods upon which coats are hung. Any firearms, in the tradition
of The Smooth, must be handed over to the coat-check girls. Refusal,
Plot Option: Candace takes jobs on the side for unscrupulous
even from a superhero, will produce an instant ban for life once the
people of a deniable assets nature.
investigation is over. A gun-toting hero during business hours may be
Ann Porotovsky, Waitress: Ann is a slightly heavy waitress in her at a considerable disadvantage.
mid-forties who works the main floor. She works long hours and is
17) Mens Room: This mens room has four urinals and four toilet
tipped well for her efforts, but she knows that her beauty has already
stalls. The doors and wood of the stalls are constructed of solid
gone to seed and isnt happy about it. Ann supports two children and
mahogany. Inside each of the stalls is a toilet. There is a row of four
is a single mom who works sixty-five hours a week. She is desperate
black sinks against one wall. Removing any of these fixtures from the
to move up in the restauranting world but doesnt see much hope at
wall requires a STR of 30 | Strength d12+4. There is a long painting of
her age. Ann is a member of C.A.S.H., also known as Citizens Against
jazz musicians playing in a club on the wall opposite the sink. All the
Super Heroes, and will report everything the heroes do on the prem-
musicians and people in the club are flamingoes.
ises to the organization.
Plot Option: Notes were once left behind the painting for same-sex
Plot Option: Ann will spy on the heroes and report their activities
liaisons between important people. One of the notes is still there,
in this adventure to any local legitimate authority that wants to do
and his extremely conservative descendants will do anything to
them harm.
protect their ancestors secret.
Venkataram Sudayaram, Piano Player: Venkataram always had
18) Ladies Room: This womens room has eight toilet stalls. The
musical talent, and his parents encouraged it. He received many
doors and wood are solid mahogany. Each stall contains a toilet.
awards in school and eventually got a scholarship to Princeton for
There is a row of four black sinks against one wall. Removing any of
music, where he also excelled. In an American university, he discov-
these fixtures from the wall requires a STR of 30 | Strength d12+4.
ered jazz piano and used it as a force to create his own work while
There is a long painting of jazz musicians playing in a club on the wall
drifting away from classical. He recorded three jazz albums by the age
of the bathroom opposite the sinks. All the musicians and people in
of twenty-five, and typically wears tuxedos or obnoxiously colored
the club are butterflies.
double-breasted suits while performing. He prefers Venky to his
full name, though not on his album covers. Plot Option: A high-class prostitution ring makes cash exchanges
in the ladies room.
Plot Option: Venkatarams grandfather is the notorious supervil-
lain from India, The Great Pandit. The Great Pandit is famous 19A) Private Entrance: This private entrance is always locked with
for his use of a sitar as a weapon, as well as his deathtrap-design a security keypad, though a doorman will input the code during
skills. He has no powers of his own, yet somehow has survived to business hours. The foyer contains a small coat check desk for VIPS,
the present day. Venkataram doesnt know this and idolizes his a pair of plush chairs, and a small plasma TV attached to the wall.
extremely healthy relative. Perhaps the Great Pandit is secretly There is usually a bouncer here.
grooming Venkataram to be his successor.
60 Death Of A Beautiful Singer
THE SMOOTH
Michael Satran 61
23
1 ft. 6.0 in.
21b 22
1 ft. 6.0 in. 1 ft. 6.0 in. x 1 ft. 6.0 in. x 1 ft. 6.0 in.
1 ft. 6.0 in. 1 ft. 6.0 in.
13
18 16 17
4
2
1
3
8
10
9 12
11
62 Death Of A Beautiful Singer
21B) Seating Area: Stairs lead down to a seating area just below is also stored here in a separate area in the back, separated by a chain
stage level. This area has much sturdier furniture, with larger tables barricade. There is a sink, two mopping carts, four mops (each mop is
surrounded by 4-6 chairs apiece. Above this area are several large considered a rather filthy +1d6 Hand-To-Hand Attack | +1d4 Hand-
hanging lights that are connected to the ceiling by chains. to-Hand Attack), and a storage cabinet for cleaning supplies.
22) Emergency Exits: These doors are emergency exits for the Plot Option: The musical instrument of a musically-themed silver-
building. Built into the wall near each door is a fire extinguisher. age supervillain is stored among the instruments. The oboe is
A fire extinguisher deals 3d6 of Area Effect (8m Cone) Drain vs. probably the best choice.
All Fire Powers and Abilities | Energy Control with Fire trapping,
nullifies with a 1d8 roll with a base success number of 4, and has 32
Charges. This power has No Range. If someone should deal enough
spontaneous heat damage to a fire extinguisher, it will explode in
a 9d6 (Physical) Area Effect 4m Explosion | 3d6 medium burst
template of metal shrapnel.
THE JAZZ CLUB BASEMENT
23) Bar: This massive
stone and brass bar top
has been here as long as
The Smooth has been
around. It is built directly
into the floor and requires
a 40 STR | Strength d12+5 30
to lift and move. There are
twelve tall seats at the bar, 25
each named for a famous
jazz musician. Each tall
seat is mahogany wood 18.0 in. x
18.0 in.
with brass fittings.
24) Kitchen: This kitchen 18.0 in. x
18.0 in.
is newly assembled and
appointed, with an elec- 29
tric stove built into the 18.0 in. x
wall and a roll-out dish- 18.0 in.
room.
18.0 in. x
25) Musical Instru- 18.0 in. 18.0 in. x
18.0 in.
ment Storage: This
area contains numerous 18.0 in. x
18.0 in.
musical instruments,
28
18.0 in. x
18.0 in.
including two spare drum
sets, three trumpets, four
saxophones of varying
sizes, an upright bass, two 26
electric and two string
guitars, two clarinets, and
an oboe. (No one really
knows what the oboe is 31a
doing here. It really isnt
used in jazz often.) Most 27
of the instruments are
stored in cases. Janitorial
and cleaning equipment
Michael Satran 63
26) Dressing Room: This dressing room contains a cheap wooden
dressing screen, a makeup table, a costume rack, and two standing The Autopsy
brass lamps. A pair of cheap lighting fixtures are built into the ceiling. The following can be learned through the use of the Forensic
Three cheap wooden chairs are casually strewn about the room, with Medicine (HERO) or Healing Skill (Savage Worlds).
one always near the makeup table. A sagging, decrepit old couch rests
against one wall. 1) The woman, hereafter known as Lisa, appears to have been killed
by extreme trauma due to machete wounds. The victim appears to
27) Secretarial Office: This small office contains a simple desk with have been caught completely unaware. Her clothing seems to be
a computer on top of it. A chair is behind the desk. There is no useful almost too perfect fitting and extraordinarily skimpy for her age.
information on the computer, but it could prove useful in the future
for PCs in a long-running game. Waiters often move through the HHForensic Medicine
office to the Old Speakeasy, go back to the kitchen, and then head Healing
upstairs.
2) Lisa appears to be a fully human female teenager. While appearing
28) Main Office: This larger office, where Rich Dennis conducts all real, her flesh doesnt seem to be made up of living tissue. Her
of his business operations, is thickly carpeted with a heavy carpet. clothes are separate from her but seem to be made up of the same
A massive oak desk sits in one corner with an expensive-looking materials as her body.
computer on it. This computer is linked to all of the security cameras
in the building. From here, if there is something visible by Normal HHForensic Medicine -3
Sight, it can be observed on this machine. There are two large, plush Healing -1
chairs in front of the desk. A small table rests against one wall. On top
of the table is a microwave. 3) The corpse doesnt seem to deteriorate at a normal rate of speed;
instead, it appears to be deteriorating about twice as fast. (If asked
29) Pantry: This is a large food storage area filled with spices, canned what it means, there isnt a good answer using Forensic Medicine |
foods, and other storage. Most of these are on long shelves made of Healing.) The clothes appear to deteriorate at the same rate as the
metal and plastic. Two large refrigerators and two freezers rest against body.
the back wall. A small rolling cart allows the swift delivery of piles of HHForensic Medicine -5
uncooked foodstuffs to the kitchen.
Healing -2
Plot Option: Some of the foodstuffs stored in the freezer are from
endangered species. This information below is for characters with sciences involving
superhuman abilities.
30) Downstairs Bathroom: This bathroom contains two doors, one to
the hallway and one to the Old Speakeasy. There is a ceramic toilet, a 1) The dead girl appears to be fully human, but there are notable
sink, and a urinal, all in black. There is a painting on the wall of jazz discrepancies in the way her body must have functioned. Internal
legends waiting in line to go to the bathroom. Removing bathroom organs are slightly displaced; the heart is a few inches too high.
fixtures from the wall requires STR 35 | Strength d12+4. She appears to have a healthy build, perfectly proportional for a
girl of her height, but she weighs about fifteen pounds less than
31) The Old Speakeasy: This old, slightly dusty bar is where most she should for this height and this build.
celebrities and other important people come when they visit The
Smooth. Several old tables are surrounded by plain wooden chairs. HHSuperhuman Science or Paranormal Biology -2
Portraits of the Prohibition Era line the walls. Old-style circular fans Superhuman Science or Paranormal Biology / Common Knowl-
rotate on the ceiling, even though the room is air-conditioned. Dim edge -2
wall lamps light the room with old-fashioned, bell-shaped, upside-
down shades. The room is faithfully maintained in the style of the late 2) Lisa is some sort of complete, living psychic construct, including
1920s and early 1930s. blood and internal organs.
ENDGAME
66 Endgame
A
t this point in the adventure, it may be necessary to Dominus: Dominus has three goals, in no particular order: escape the
do some improvising. The heroes should know that institute now that the base has been revealed, kill Toby, and destroy
something is going on at the institute and will likely be any heroes who get in his way. He will wait to reveal himself until the
returning to ask Doctor Ingersoll some very pointed heroes have a moment of weakness, are badly injured, or at a terrible
questions. All of the Imaginary Friends are either dead or sequestered disadvantage. He will remain in the base posing as Doctor Ingersoll
far from the action. Toby is waiting for Mr. Wumbles to return to for as long as possible. As soon as an opportunity presents itself, he
the institute. Mister Wumbles is waiting for a trigger that will make will make his way upstairs through the institute and prepare to do
his assault on Toby and the SPIDER base easier. Dominus is waiting Toby in before escaping, hopefully in the body of someone else. (Even
for the heroes to attack the SPIDER base so that he can kill Toby and a SPIDER agent will do in a pinch. Dominus isnt picky when push
escape. Tarantula and Abyss are preparing the base defenses for the comes to shove.) Dominus knows that without him, SPIDER will
inevitable attack by the heroes. have trouble operating his machine and may even destroy it (see the
This is the situation that the heroes are most likely to step into Destroying the Machine section in the SPIDER base).
when they arrive to confront Doctor Ingersoll, only no one not
Mister Wumbles: Mister Wumbles begins combat Invisible and
SPIDER, Toby, Dominus, or Mr. Wumbles is inclined to be particu-
Desolidified | Intangible near the Omaco Chemical Gas Station. He
larly friendly. However, many of their goals operate at cross-purposes.
should be at his maximum Absorbed and Aided power levels for this
Review the tactics of the enemies carefully. Whatever the trigger, be
fight, having psychically Drained | Absorbed numerous innocents.
it the heroes exposing Ingersoll as Dominus, attacking the institute
His extremely slow Delayed Return Rate should take care of the
directly, Mr. Wumbles coming to kill Toby, or Toby manipulating the
rest. As the combat moves into full swing (Phase 6 of the first Full
heroes into attacking to trigger a massive bloodbath, combat is almost
Combat Turn | third turn of combat), he will move to the gasoline
certainly going to erupt. If SPIDER is aware that the heroes are going
truck at the gas station, pick it up, and move down the street with
to be attacking, when the heroes arrive on the institute grounds, they
it, hurling it through the front door of the research institute. Use
will be up against a prepared, armed enemy with supervillain backup
the Living in a Dangerous World rules (Champions Complete 139,
and dozens of unplanned wild cards. Be aware of any plot options
HERO 6E2 147 | see the notes on the next page of one way to treat
chosen that may change the basic tactical dynamic of the adventure.
the explosion) to determine the size and nature of the explosion
Player character actions may have changed results. Take extra time to
caused when a partially filled gasoline truck crashes into a high-tech
prepare this combat, even if a battle map is not in use. This is meant
base filled with people shooting energy rifles and firing energy bolts.
to be extremely dangerous.
Mister Wumbles will then try to invisibly slip inside whats left of the
institute after the explosion and kill Toby. One likely result is that
Tactical Positioning Dominus and Wumbles may face off over who has the right to kill
Toby. Unfortunately, unlike most master villains, Dominus doesnt
When the heroes arrive, a variety of things can happen based on have that much pride and really doesnt care if Wumbles kills Toby
what has gone on so far. Combat can have a variety of triggers in and will back down. Unfortunately, Wumbles doesnt feel the same
this situation, but more than likely, the heroes will be arriving to put about Doctor Ingersoll. Consider Tobys interference here if Wumbles
an end to the threat of SPIDER, ask Doctor Ingersoll some pointed hasnt yet figured out who Ingersoll is. Heroes may attempt to catch,
questions about SPIDER, grill Toby about Mr. Wumbles, or do some teleport away, or deal with the gasoline truck in any fashion they
investigation about the institute and grounds. What happens from choose. Using a Block maneuver against most energy bolts is not
this point forward is largely based on the players and how they recommended.
choose to handle the situations. If the heroes choose an aggressive
approach, the base will move to full alert, the jig will be up, and they Tarantula: Tarantula will oversee the battle from his command chair
will be involved in a massive battle. and order agents to use teamwork, Coordinated attacks, and skilled
If the heroes choose to talk to any of the particulars involved military tricks | Edges in order to bring the heroes down. If the
(most likely Toby or Dominus as Doctor Ingersoll), it is only a matter heroes should breach his command center, he will order the agents
of time before one of the villains realizes the jig is up (most likely to focus on covering his escape. Tarantula knows he cant stand up
Abyss or Tarantula) and orders the heroes to be destroyed. At this to the mightiest of heroes in combat and has no interest in sticking
point, all hell will break loose. A brief outline of tactics for each around in a situation that could easily wind up with his head on a
villain or villain group is below. pike in front of the SPIDER Supreme. (Fortunately for our villain,
Remember that agents work in shifts and that not all agents will the SPIDER Supreme isnt dumb and realizes that Tarantula was
be fully mobilized at the start of combat. Some may need to wake up, likely Mind-Controlled by one of the most powerful mentalists in the
get out of bed, suit up, and prepare to fight. A three-shift system is world.) If the heroes really despise Tarantula and/or focus on him
recommended, creating three waves of agents. Divide the agents up as to the exclusion of other enemies, Tarantula will try to fight them
you see fit. Issue weapons based on the needs of your game. For some off, but he will surrender if the odds seem overwhelming. Its always
gamemasters, agents are faceless hordes designed to be beaten up by easier to escape from the police than it is a group of some of the
the heroes. In other games, agents are capable soldiers who can give mightiest heroes in the world.
heroes a rough time. Stay appropriate to the style cultivated by your SPIDER Alpha Team: When the battle begins, choose whether
game world. SPIDER Alpha Team is fully mobilized or not. If not, it means that
Toby: When the shooting starts, Toby will begin waiting for a Abyss is out of his armor and will take 1 Full Combat Turn to put it
moment when he can get out of his cell and cause as much carnage on. If mobilized, SPIDER Alpha Team will react immediately to the
and misery as possible. He will Mind-Control people, turn them threat of the heroes and rush to engage them in combat via Lady
against each other, and do his best to make the heroes suffer by Warps Teleportation ability. They will then spread out, isolate targets,
making as many people die as possible. He will hurl innocents who and use their teamwork tactics to devastating effect. A well-placed
work for the institute into the line of fire, creating human shields and Area Effect attack could hurt them badly if fired off at the moment
placing heroes at a disadvantage. If Toby doesnt get out of his cell, of arrival, but they are Tarantulas most powerful weapon and Abyss
one of the other villains may get to him soon enough. loves a challenge. They will focus on enemy mentalists, gadgeteers,
Michael Satran 67
and magicians first, followed by people with other difficult-to-deal-
with powers, such as superspeed or unusual Adjustment powers. Street Scene
They will use 3-5 man Coordinated attacks if the opportunity
presents itself, while using Lady Warp to teleport targets away from 1) Omaco Gas Station: This large gas station contains eight pumps,
helping their friends. Entangles | Ensnares will be used to isolate each with two nozzles. A total of sixteen cars may be serviced at
low-STR opponents and tie them up while dealing with the enemies one time. The gas station is run by Garth Franks, a penny-pinching,
who can cause them the most harm. If Abyss and possibly the others thrifty man who only buys used gas station uniforms with the name
have been Mind-Controlled, freeing Mind-Controlled members of Wayne on them and makes his wife refurbish them on their sewing
SPIDER Alpha Team will cause them to refocus all of their atten- machine. Garth is not a fan of Dana Kresnich, the manager of the
tion on Dominus and Mr. Wumbles, but only if a temporary truce is local International House of Crudits. The gas station itself is beau-
offered and they are allowed a free ride at the end of adventure. tiful and gleaming. There are rumors that Garth makes disobedient
Above all, stay alert and keep good notes during this fight. There employees clean the pumps with a toothbrush. Many gas stations
is a lot to keep track of, and good paperwork will keep the fight inter- in the world have fallen victim to difficult times. Superpowered
esting and running smoothly. technology has changed the way that people drive. Some people have
partially solar-powered vehicles or vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel
cells. However, the majority of people still need gas to get to work.
Map of a Street Scene, the There are four gas station attendants in the station at all times, and
Parapsychological Research the station is open 24 hours.
Institute, and SPIDER Base Plot Option: Garth is a SPIDER agent. It should be noted that this
plot option means that SPIDER will know Mr. Wumbles is coming
The area around the Parapsychological Research Institute looks and the heroes will not (see below).
like any other semi-urban neighborhood. Much of the area is
A Word of Warning about Gas Stations: A lot of energy gets hurled
currently in a state of renovation, brought on by large charitable
around in a superpowered battle. It is commonly assumed that
donations from a company known as Omaco Chemical. Unfortu-
burning gasoline will cause a massive explosion. However, the gas
nately, Omaco Chemical is merely a front company for many of
tanks are kept below ground, far out of the reach of most energy bolts
the evil activities of SPIDER (see Pretty Hate Machines as well as
and the like. What actually causes these explosions is the release of
the source material in this adventure). Even if the heroes discover
gasoline fumes into the atmosphere. If the fumes are ignited, it can
the truth in this adventure, the vast wall of attorneys and destroyed
spread to the pumps, and, depending on how much gasoline is in
evidence will make this nearly impossible to prove. The businesses on
the tanks below, a large explosion can occur. For optimal dramatic
the street are all ordinary businesses and have no idea that SPIDER
use (and because this is a superhero adventure) it is assumed that
makes a home beneath the nearby institute. SPIDER has multiple
the tanks beneath the gas station are currently at 25 percent capacity,
exits from their motor pool that extend in various directions in order
which is the optimal explosive moment. Use this to your advantage
to emerge from different locations, making the exact location of the
if the heroes are having too easy a time of it and the battle moves in
base difficult to find.
this direction. Modify the results below based on your campaign. If
This map is divided into sections: the street nearby (as it would
the heroes have breached the gas pumps/tanks and there are fumes
be at the time of the final encounter), the institute and grounds, and
everywhere, modify the size and damage of the explosion to suit your
the SPIDER base beneath the institute. All the tactical information
style. Remember that certain forms of energy projection (fire and
for the various groups of enemies is located in here in Event Six:
electricity, in particular) will ignite the fumes and create this effect
Endgame. Review all of the information and maps carefully before
close to immediately under these conditions.
running this extremely challenging encounter. Even the mightiest of
heroes can get sandbagged in this battle. A) Gas Pumps: These gas pumps are kept on a large concrete base.
Remember that if the battle takes place during a busy time of day, All of the modern gas pumps are fully set up for credit card use.
the Knocked Back Into Traffic table may also be very useful. There are no self-serve lines. Garth doesnt believe in self-serve gas
pumps. (Note: This makes the adventure easier to run in places
where its illegal to pump your own gas.) If the pumps are breached
by most forms of energy (its a GM decision whether or not the gas
is ignited), it is likely that the fuel in the tanks below will be ignited,
resulting in a very large explosion (18d6 Area Effect 32m Radius |
3d12 Large Template concussive and heat explosion) that will likely
flatten everyone around and cripple or kill most Normals | Extras in
the area.
B) Gasoline Truck: This is a large tractor-trailer filled with gasoline.
Use the statistics for a tractor-trailer in HERO 6E2 196 or Champions
Complete 216. Mister Wumbles begins the combat in this location.
He will pick up the gasoline truck and carry it towards the institute.
When the combat is in full swing, he will hurl the gasoline truck into
the fray, hoping to ignite the gas within after the fumes are released.
See the section on gasoline fumes above. Estimate the results using
the tables from Living in a Dangerous World in HERO 6E2 or
Champions Complete. This is such a huge explosion that Savage
Worlds GMs may use either the Large Template (which is 6 in diam-
eter) or even measure out a 10 diameter blast radius on their playing
mat/surface/board with a 3d12 concussive and heat explosion.
68 Endgame
C) Convenience Store: This small convenience store contains a wall Plot Option: Apollo is a Greek-themed supervillain who uses the
of refrigeration units, three shelves filled with snacks (most of them coffee shops as secret bases.
extremely unhealthy), a coffee maker/tea maker, and a cash register.
Plot Option: Apollo, the Greek god, runs the coffee shops in secret
There is a small countertop for the register. There is a door that leads
to search for beautiful women and people of great medical talent.
to the bathroom and mechanical bay.
5) World of Toys: This childrens toy store has recently closed its
D) Unisex Bathroom: This bathroom is an anomaly in the world of
doors. The massive sign above the door hangs over an empty store-
gas stations. It is clean, well kept, and relentlessly spotless. Everything
front. World of Toys is out of business. A few dilapidated teddy bears
sparkles in here. Garth personally spends an hour each day cleaning
and toy cranes are strewn about the empty shop, and a For Rent
the bathroom. There is a bright, shining mirror over the sink. A
sign hangs on the front door. The window into the shop is heavy and
single toilet, immaculately clean, is against the back wall. It requires a
bulletproof.
STR of 30 | Strength d12+4 to remove these fixtures. A small cabinet
filled with cleaning supplies rests in one corner of the room. Plot Option: The secret base of Clown Commander, a clown-
themed supervillain, and his minions lies beneath the abandoned
E) Abandoned Repair Bay: This repair bay is completely empty,
store.
except for the automatic lift. The entire area has been secretly refur-
bished without Garths knowledge. A secret tunnel leading to the 6) Visionland: The national chain of Visionland sells numerous
SPIDER base motor pool has been constructed, allowing vehicles forms of eyewear, both prescription and non-prescription. The store
to enter and leave at dark hours when no one is looking. Clever contains many shelves filled with eyeglasses. A single cash register
PCs may realize that with just a little destructive power, they can near the door is atop a flat, avant-garde countertop. Several table
tunnel into the gasoline tanks and destroy the entrance. However, stations, each with four chairs, are arranged neatly in a circle near
if Garth isnt a SPIDER agent, this will also destroy his livelihood. the center of the shop. The offices and bathrooms are in the back (use
The trapdoor concealed in the floor requires a Perception Roll at statistics for bathrooms from elsewhere in the adventure).
-8 | Notice Roll at -5 to locate, which is difficult for a character with
superpowered perception and impossible for anyone else. There is a Plot Option: Visionland makes glasses for superbeings with
hidden security camera here that requires a Security Systems roll at powerful eyebeams at expensive prices.
-7 | Notice roll at -4 to find. It monitors the area and makes sure it is 7) OReillys, Ace of Sports Bars: This classic Irish sports bar has a
unoccupied when the secret panel in the floor swings open. long wooden bar that requires a STR of 35 | Strength d12+4 to lift
2) International House of Crudits (IHOC): This large building is out of the floor. Heavy wooden tables and equally heavy chairs are
surrounded by a parking lot. IHOC is unusual for creating a fast- arranged in a disorganized fashion around dozens of wall-mounted
food chain out of vegetables and dip. IHOCs have sprung up all over big-screen TVs. Bathrooms are located in the back of the bar. A grill
America, with odd-flavored dips, specialty dips, and raw vegetable and four refrigeration units filled with various alcoholic beverages
grills, sandwiches, and salads. Most large cities have a few of these in are behind the bar. The bar serves burgers, fries, and other things that
the surrounding area. The manager of this particular IHOC is Dana can be grilled. The menu is very limited. The bars primary audience
Kresnich, a polite Eastern European woman who cant seem to shed is European football fans, although they also get a very large crowd
the pounds no matter how little dip she puts on her vegetables. There during American football season.
are two cash registers near the front door and a long countertop Plot Option: The Irish mob runs the bar, unaware that SPIDER has
refrigerator filled with pre-made salads. A long refrigeration unit already moved in on their territory.
along the wall contains numerous vegetables. There are numerous
tables surrounded by cheap chairs. Against the back wall is a long Plot Option: A card-themed supervillain uses the bar as a drop
unit of refrigerated dip machines, including everything from ranch point.
and Russian dressings to dessert dips like vanilla yogurt and 8) Dersonskys Sports Gear: Emilio Dersonsky has run the local
chocolate custard. It requires a STR 40 | Strength d12+5 to remove sporting goods store in this neighborhood for forty years, just like his
these fixtures from the wall. Use bathroom statistics elsewhere in the father did before him and his grandfather did before him. Going to
adventure for the bathroom here. Dersonskys is like stepping into a time warp. Modern sports equip-
Plot Option: Dana is actually a vegetable construct for a plant- ment hangs on ancient wooden fixtures, along with pictures of base-
based supervillain. ball greats from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The old wooden fixtures
are in need of repair, but the computers on the countertop are shiny
3) Four-Way Intersection: This four-way intersection rests at the and new. Emilio takes great care in reproducing the classic country
intersection of Fannon Avenue and Bennie Boulevard. Four traffic store sporting-goods image. He does not sell firearms; however, he
lights rest on poles at the corners. Occasionally, there are problems does sell bows and arrows for hunting. (This could be useful to a PC
with the traffic light nearest the gas station. This is because SPIDER archer if he is divested of his Focus.)
has placed a security camera in it (Security Systems roll at -7 | Notice
roll at -4 to locate). The camera monitors the area and lets SPIDER Plot Option: Emilio is a local superhero archer himself and will
base security know when it is safe to allow vehicles to leave through involve himself with the combat with SPIDER if it looks like the
the gas station tunnel. Remember that this camera is here. Heroes heroes are getting trashed.
looking for a place to change might accidentally expose their secret 9) Taco Hell: This fast-food chains mascot is a little devil eating a
identity to the villainous organization. flaming hot taco that appears to be on fire. He is also wearing a large
4) Apollos Coffee: The bright signs of Apollos tasty sustainably sombrero. All of the employees here are Normals | Extras. Taco Hell
farmed coffee lure customers in to the internationally famous coffee caters to customers who like spicy food and lots of it. The circular
chain. Two cash registers rest on a flat countertop. Next to the outside offers a tray holder, trays, and a cash register (see Burger
countertop is a refrigerated pastry case. The majority of the store is Swine above), and the entire shop is bolted to the floor. However, it is
filled with small tables and cheap chairs. A medium-sized countertop made of extremely cheap materials and is easy for a strong char-
contains milk, sweeteners, a wastebasket, and a space for plastic tray acter to remove. This food is extremely spicy and can be ordered in
returns. grades from Mild to So Hot Even Satan Wont Eat This! They offer
Michael Satran 69
a traditional array of speedily prepared Mexican specialties. The devil Plot Option: If one of the PCs finds he likes the food at Minkas
sign is made of cheap materials. It takes only three people to operate Diner, Minka decides to play matchmaker with him and young
the Taco Hell counter, and they all wear face masks while preparing women she knows, regardless of whether or not they are actually a
tacos. Some of them even wear goggles over their eyes. This Taco Hell good match for the PC. Nuisance-level comedy ensues.
is larger than others of its kind and requires seven employees. Cheap
12) Cupcake Take-Out: This tiny storefront is squeezed between the
chairs and tables populate the restaurant.
little league field and the diner. Its run by Ron Hooper, a former
Plot Option: A real devil who has escaped from Hell is the benefi- high school basketball star who got injured early in college and had
ciary of Taco Hells massive profit margin. to change his career path. He devoted his life to baking but discov-
ered he had a particular talent for cupcakes. Hooper doesnt make
10) Grubers Bridal: Maximillian Gruber has been arranging
anything except cupcakes and ice cream in his little take-out loca-
weddings for forty years and shows no signs of slowing down at the
tion, but his choice of locations next to a little league field has made
age of sixty-eight. His bridal shop is loaded with wedding dresses,
him very popular and kept him in business. The shop contains a
corsages, and bridesmaid gowns. A wide storefront window is filled
small display case, a countertop with built-in cash register, an oven
with dummies in bridal dresses. Inside the store are numerous racks
for baking cupcakes, and an ice cream-making machine. There is a
filled with dresses. There is a mirror every two meters | 1. Near the
large freezer for storing ice cream. Hooper recently discovered the
door rests a single cash register on a refrigerated glass display case
art of making cupcake sundaes, which are chock full of ice cream
filled with corsages. Maximillian loves to see people get married and
and topped with a split cupcake. Hooper is very tall but no longer
renews his vows with his own wife, Matilda, every five years so they
particularly thin, mostly due to spending too much time with his own
can have a big ceremony and cut a cake.
merchandise.
Plot Option: Maximillian Gruber is a member of the Cult of
13) Little League Field: This is a little league field for the six- to
the Ebon Flame, and the constant marriages and his own vow
eight-year-old age group. Four backstops rest at diagonal corners
renewals are part of a sinister ritual.
of a squared-off grassy area. Ripping a backstop out of the ground
11) Minkas Diner: Minka Katzmann and her husband Levi own one requires a STR of only 30 | Strength d12+3 but, because they are
of the few kosher diners in the city. Minka is a heavyset woman in her flimsy and awkward, also requires a DEX roll at -4 | Agility roll at
sixties who has her husband largely under her thumb. Her husband base to not drop it. Several sets of cheap bleachers rest behind the
handles the day-to-day affairs of the diner, and Minka is the hostess backstops.
with a cheery grin who shows people to their seats. A long counter
Plot Option: At the time of the final battle, little league games
runs the length of the diner, with a single breach leading to the grill
are being played. Keeping Mr. Wumbles away from the children
and kitchen behind it. Everything is completely open to view, in
complicates combat immensely.
the same way that most diners were in the first half of the twentieth
century. A line of booths rests along the wall facing the street. Each 14) Three-Way Intersection: This three-way intersection is the inter-
booth has a table and a double reverse bench set. Refer to the rules section of Shuler Crossing and Bennie Boulevard. Two traffic lights
elsewhere in the scenario for deep fryers, grills, and other active rest on poles at the corners. A standing traffic light unit is near the
cookware. little league field.
70 Endgame
8 7
4
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in.
To the Institute
14
12
11
13 10 9
13
STREET SCENE
Michael Satran 71
c
e
. 6.0 in. x
t. 6.0 in. a
2
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in.
1 ft. 6.0 in.
The Institute and SPIDER Base Plot Option: Mitch is a retired supervillain called The Candyman.
4C) Newsstand: This newsstand is run by Armistantis Konstan-
The Surrounding Area: The Parapsychological Research Institute lies tinopolous, but everyone just calls him Army. Armistantis has
on a curve in Bennie Boulevard created by a series of nineteenth- been running a newsstand somewhere in the city for years and has
century zoning laws that were never taken off the books. Due to the only recently moved into the mini-mall. Most of his loyal regulars,
nature of the zoning laws, the institute is surrounded by a number of however, seem to find him with regularity. Armistantis is in his late
businesses and landmark buildings, many of which cannot be torn fifties but looks seventy. Armistantis doesnt have a cash register of
down any sort. He keeps his cash in his back pocket.
1) Open Parking Lot: This open parking lot is always full because of 4D) Teds Pizza: This pizza stand serves cheap, overly filling pizza
the nearby mini-mall. The owner of the property, Elena Perez, doesnt that never really fulfills the promise of Tasty and Fresh as boasted
charge people to park in the lot. This leaves empty spaces in the mini- by the sign in front of the countertop. A cheap oven rests opposite
mall parking lot frequently. the counter, while bland-looking pizzas sit on the counter, waiting to
Note: This gives heroes and villains a fairly steady supply of ammuni- be reheated. Ted was always been something of an opportunist, and
tion when combat erupts. realized that mediocre pizza that was cheap and filling was going to
make more money than good pizza that was expensive and required
2) Madame Lizabetas: Madame Lizabetas is owned by Elena Perez, special ingredients. Teds real name is Yakov Burkenmeyer, but he had
who came up with the idea of a fortune teller-themed gypsy restau- his name legally changed in order to Americanize it. There is a single
rant across the street from a creepy parapsychological research cash register on the countertop.
institute. Traditional stews and fried chicken are served along with
Eastern European specialties and tacos. The strange and eclectic Plot Option: Ted buys his pizza ingredients from a cheap importer
menu changes every week. Waitresses wear brightly colored skirts who uses them to smuggle drugs.
and bandanas, and will read a palm or cast bones for patrons during 4E) Banana Boat: This banana-themed food stand features every-
the meal. Elena is a pretty woman in her mid-forties, who has turned thing that someone can do with bananas. Banana splits are sold next
her husband into a kitchen slave. Her children work in the restaurant to banana yogurt smoothies, with a small stand featuring books
4-16 hours a week. No price is too high for Elena to live her strange about bananas and stuffed bananas. The owner, Jan Bundy, is a rather
dream. And, yes, Elena is swiftly getting very rich. heavyset woman who offers free samples to children every Tuesday.
Plot Option: Elena Perez is the pawn of Mexican drug cartels. There are two cash registers on the countertop.
Plot Option: Madame Lizabeta is some kind of obscure Eastern Plot Option: Jan is an ape in a woman suit. The gender of the ape
European supernatural creature, and her children and husband does not necessarily match the gender of the woman suit.
are merely helpless pawns. 4F) Spectacular Cards: This small booth sells greeting cards of all
3) Pay to Park: This much larger pay parking lot always has a few kinds, be they for birthdays, holidays, get well, or unusual holidays
empty spaces, as many people are perfectly willing to eat at Madame that few know about. What makes Spectacular Cards special is that
Lizabetas and make their way over to the mini-mall. The entry cards may be custom-made and artfully designed, using anything
and exit area is blocked off by a booth that charges two dollars for from cardboard to engraved metal placards. The owner, Luke Branch,
parking. There is no parking allowed on the street in front of the had a father in the printing business who purchased far too much
mini-mall, forcing people to either park at Madame Lizabetas or pay cardstock and nearly bankrupted Lukes family. Now Luke strives
for parking. A swing-down barrier prevents people from entering and to make the money back by turning the cardstock into cash. A cash
leaving freely. register rests on the counter.
4) The Keys Mini-Mall: This small mini-mall was made from a Plot Option: Luke has attracted the attention of a supervillain who
former piano factory and is composed of concrete blocks that have likes to send the heroes messages before he commits his crimes.
been whitewashed. The mall has limited security in the form of four 4G) The Deep Fryer: This counter is run by Rick Blakemann, who
security guards (all Normal | Extras) that patrol it, but other than has boldly posted a sign above the counter that reads, We will deep
that, most of the businesses that exist in the mall do so because rent fry anything that is food. The counter is relatively bare, though it is
is cheap, keeping profits high. Locations in the mini-mall are listed refrigerated. A cash register is on the counter. Behind the counter
below. is a row of deep-fat fryers. Blakemann is notoriously ambitious and
4A) Talking Clown: Directly in front of the mini-mall is a coin-oper- awards prizes for people willing to deep fry unusual things. He takes
ated talking clown that says cute things to children for a nickel. The pictures of these and posts them on his website. Rick has received
talking clown is made of steel. a few visits from aliens over the years. Rick Blakemann is a massive
monster of a man who is six-foot-three and weighs 370 pounds. He
Plot Option: The talking clown insults people instead. has a heavy beard and wears 3D goggles when frying something
Plot Option: The talking clown is a sinister supernatural entity that really odd. While the fryers are on, burning grease has a nasty effect
stalks people at night. (This can be played for laughs or sinister on just about everything and everyone, assuming that they can stand
drama if Mr. Wumbles discovers the talking clowns secret before the heat of grabbing the fryer. Burning grease deals 1d6 of Physical
the PCs do.) Killing Damage | 1d4 of heat damage to anything it comes in contact
with for 4 Phases | Turns. Characters that are immune to heat or fire
4B) Bear-umms: This is a candy store that makes everything bear- may freely lift the fryers; others may take 2d6 NND | 1d8 of heat
shaped, from cotton candy to chocolate-dipped fruit to cookies. Chil- damage and possibly suffer minor burns. Spread on the ground, the
dren love Bear-umms and the crotchety old owner, Mitch Frobisher. grease gives a -3 DEX | -1 Agility penalty to anyone who steps into
Mitch loves all children like they were his grandchildren and often the area.
Michael Satran 73
Plot Option: SPIDER agents from the institute like to eat here. 4M) Big Wang: This small Chinese restaurant is adjacent to the mall
bathrooms, leading to a constant parade of people walking past the
4H) Hatz: This open, fold-out cabinet area sells nothing but hats. The
small kitchen and its set of tables. The owner of Big Wang is Ron
massive cabinet is divided into rollaway sections that are all part of
Farley, who originally conceived of the restaurant as a tax shelter to
a single massive unit. Lifting the whole rollaway haberdashery is a
place himself in a lower tax bracket. Unfortunately, the restaurant
feat that requires a 40 STR | Strength d12+5 due to awkwardness and
took off, and Big Wang became extremely popular. Ron hires anyone
bulk. It is neither an aerodynamic nor a balanced object. The hat store
he can, and the bustling little restaurant has four chefs, four waiters,
is owned by Aoife Huxhosha, a lady from Ghana who makes all of her
and six delivery drivers. Most of his employees are Chinese, though
hats herself, and custom hats are possible. The hats are also reason-
there are constant questions from the Department of Immigration.
ably priced. A cash register rests on the end of the cabinet area.
There is a long counter with a cash register on it. On the employee
Plot Option: Aoife is the leader of a credit card fraud scheme. side of the counter is a large bay of woks and deep fryers.
4I) Bean Counters: This gourmet coffee store is a start-to-finish Plot Option: Ron is a spy for the secret Chinese organization
operation. The coffee beans are brought to the store, where they are known as The Imperial Throne, and all of the startup money
roasted, ground, and finished. The product is made in small batches comes from illegal sources.
and incredibly fresh. There are small welcoming tables and comfort-
4N) The Biscuit Grab: Seeing the success of Big Wang, Chung Fuo,
able chairs. Pleasant-looking, avant-garde ornamentation hangs
a native-born Chinese, researched the making of biscuits in the
from the ceiling and decorates the transparent glass walls. The line
American South and founded a flavored-biscuit stand as a political
for coffee is out the door, sometimes crowding into the area of its
reaction. Chung makes biscuits of all kinds, with flavors, sauces, and
fellow businesses. Theres only one problem: Jane Korstan, the owner,
dips, and claims he will never go out of business until Big Wang shuts
is a ruthless embezzler who is under investigation for tax fraud and
its doors. Chung hires most of his workers for their Southern accents
corruption. Running the store under the alias of Rona Winstead,
in order to promote the theme of the business but never says so in
she is spending as much time staying out of trouble with the law as
public. He rarely appears at the restaurant, preferring to engage in
she does making coffee. As a result, she happily spies for SPIDER in
Internet political activism while his accountant handles the details.
exchange for them helping to keep her out of trouble. At the back of
There is a line at Biscuit Grab at most times of the day. Top flavors
Bean Counters is a roll-up garage door that leads to a loading bay
include chocolate, strawberry-blueberry, and mango-lichee. The oven
area. There is a long countertop with two cash registers on it. Behind
for The Biscuit Grab is built right into the countertop.
the countertop is an equally long counter with coffeemakers and
grinders. Plot Option: A bitter posting war between Internet groups has
erupted over the conflict between Big Wang and Biscuit Grab,
Plot Option: Police are arresting Jane when the PCs enter, leading
leading to anger, Internet rage, and potential death threats.
to angry customers and a lot of potential confusion.
4O) Super Tea Bag: This small gourmet tea leaf stand is little more
4J) Venus the Aphrodisiac: Unusual scents waft about this medium-
than a rolling cart. The sole owner and proprietor of Super Tea Bag
sized fragrance counter. A cash register rests on the counter. Most
is Maple Leaf Ventura, an old lady who spent far too much time at
of the scents are crafted in the home of the owner, Olska Votter-
Woodstock and probably smoked everything there, even things that
heim. Olska is a middle-aged blonde woman who wears too much
shouldnt normally be smoked. Maple Leaf is an expert on tea but is
makeup and too much perfume. She was never a grade-A chemist
somewhat addle-brained. Very rich people buy their tea from Maple
but is good enough to make basic scents and experiment in her own
Leaf and try to tip her extra money, but she always refuses. Maple
home. Fortunately for Olska, she is a magnificent conversationalist
Leaf tends to wear tie-dyed shirts and beat-up jeans, and has long,
and can keep people talking for hours while she sells them mediocre
kinky grey hair. She smells constantly of incense and eats too much at
fragrances.
Vindalooneys.
Plot Option: Olska is a bored Rhinemaiden who doesnt get ship-
Plot Option: Maple Leaf also brews teas that are hallucinogenic
ments of apples from the goddess Idunn anymore.
and highly illegal.
4K) Vindalooneys: Vindalooneys serves Indian food with a theme
4P) Megaworld Counter: This booth sells software and expansions for
of craziness. Everything about the little Indian food stand has a
Megaworld, the worlds most popular massively multiplayer online
theme of wackiness, from the plates to the cups to the big sign above
superhero game. Two employees are usually behind the counter,
the cash register that reads, If it isnt beef, well vindaloo it! The
though they take frequent breaks and are lazy. The Megaworld booth
countertop is large and heavy with several buffet trays built into it.
has numerous play stations where people can play Megaworld, and
The brief cafeteria atmosphere of Vindalooneys places it close to the
generally, many of these stations are filled.
roped-off eating area but is further from the bathrooms than many
patrons would like. Vindalooneys is owned by Mikram Wapanaram, Plot Options: Too numerous to list. See War of Worldcraft for
who loves comedy, silliness, and pranks. Mikram wears fake plastic dozens of ways to use Megaworld in a campaign.
noses and encourages all of his employees to do the same. He is a tall,
4Q) Fones!: This trendy cellphone manufacturer takes up a large part
skinny Indian man in his mid-thirties with premature male pattern
of the mini-mall. Two large and two small countertops are filled with
baldness.
cell phones. A cash register can be found on each of the large coun-
Plot Option: Mikram or one of his co-workers tries to prank a PC. tertops. Fones will even custom design a phone for you for a large
fee. Fones schedules five employees at a time, and the stall is always
4L) Eating Area: Much of the mini-malls space is taken up by small
marginally busy, even when the mall is just opening or closing.
restaurant counters, so a large section of space has been devoted to an
eating area for mall patrons. There are twelve cheap metal tables flank Plot Option: The custom phones are part of a plot by a supervillain
them, six on a side. There are four cheap plastic chairs per round to Mind-Control the rich.
table. Metal stands holding the rope are at three of the corners and
the walk-in entry, for a total of five stands. The rope itself is standard
ship hawser line.
THE INSTITUTE
4k
3
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4j
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4p
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4t 4s
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5
5
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in. x 1 ft. 6.0 in.
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7
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9 6
8
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
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1 ft. 6.0 in.
1 ft. 6.0 in.
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
2
1 ft. 6.0 in.
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
Endgame 74
Michael Satran 75
18
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in.
19 19 19 19
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in.
20
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in. x 1 ft. 6.0 in.
1 ft. 6.0 in.
19 19 19 17
16
15
23
25 24
14
22 21 13
A
12
11
10
2
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
3
1 ft. 6.0 in.
25) Psychomotive Examination Laboratory: This laboratory is 27) Storage Area: Janitorial and cleaning equipment fills the room.
covered in padded walls. Several flat platforms rest in this room. There is a sink, two mopping carts, four mops (each mop is consid-
Each platform contains a metal cube with a weight designation on it. ered a +1d6 Hand-To-Hand Attack | +1d4 Melee damage) and a
The cubes are numbered. There are twelve platforms. The first cube storage cabinet for cleaning supplies, which could be useful for a PC
weighs 50 kilograms, and the weight of each cube doubles after that. gadgeteer. There are also four rolling carts made of plastic, and a long
Each cube is made of solid steel. The purpose of this room is to test row of shelves containing hundreds of rolls of paper towels, light
telekinetics and see how much they can lift. No telekinetic that has bulbs, and toilet paper.
ever come to the institute has ever lifted the last two cubes. The cubes
may be used as crude smashing weapons, and each is 2m x 2m in size.
Plot Option: The cubes are made of a strange psychoreactive metal
developed by a super villain.
80 Endgame
28) Blood Testing Center: This room contains four centrifuges
mounted on countertops. The countertops are built into the wall.
Four large refrigerators contain blood samples. This area is a
virtual treasure trove of information for player characters if they
can acquire it. There are blood samples of everyone attending the
34 institute (with the exception of SPIDER Alpha Team and Tarantula),
including many of the agents in the SPIDER base below. Charac-
ters may be able to perform their own tests on the childrens blood.
(Although Doctor Ingersoll will say their records are private, this
does not prevent a hero from sneaking in here and doing his own
tests illegally or stealing the samples and using his own equipment
35 elsewhere.) There is a powerful electron microscope located in the
back of the room that allows examination of things at the molecular
and atomic levels. A cabinet contains syringes, swabs, alcohol, and
other blood-testing equipment.
29) Telepathic Testing Center: This room contains an EEG and a
primitive psychic-monitoring device that monitors psychic energy
32 in the surrounding area. This device is huge and bolted to the floor.
It weighs 1.2 tons and is hardly the sort of device most heroes can
33 carry around. A pair of reclining chairs sit against the wall, with
26 cables that run to the EEG and the monitoring device. Helmets
connected to the ceiling can drop down over the chairs to connect
to the monitor and the EEG. Data collected here is moved to the
filing area and uploaded to the servers in Area 17.
30) Psychic Testing Room: This room contains a large metal chair
with a helmet connected to the ceiling, similar to the one in the
telepathic testing center. The back section of the room contains a
completely opaque drop-down barrier that closes it off. It is here
15
34) Cleaning Facilities: This large area is devoted entirely to washing 37) Onsite Orderly Residences: These quarters can house two
and drying the massive number of linens, sheets, and clothes neces- orderlies apiece. Each room has two beds, two nightstands, and two
sary for running a parapsychological research institute. A row of computers. These computers are connected to the SPIDER network
washing machines stands alongside an equally long row of dryers. An below. Each room contains a small showering cubicle. There are two
apparatus built into the ceiling and running nearly the entire length chairs, one in front of each desk. There is also a chest of drawers at
of the room contains hundreds of items on hangers. Several dry- the foot of each bed. The agents sleep in these rooms every so often to
cleaning stations stand next to eight folding tables. There is a stack create the illusion that there are always orderlies on staff at all times.
of laundry crates made of plastic next to each folding table. A pair 38) Childrens Residences: These rooms are for the children the
of large cabinets in one section of the room contain spare lab coats, institute recommends keeping overnight or long-term. Each room
scrubs, and towels. A clever character will notice that there is far has a childrens bed, a childrens desk, and a childrens learning data
more laundry here than the institute needs. SPIDER agents some- pad. There are no toys allowed in rooms other than personal stuffed
times do their personal laundry here late at night, and a stealthy hero animals and the like. All toys are kept in the solarium to keep the
may discover someone who doesnt belong to the institute cleaning children social. At the end of the day, most children are sent home to
his clothes. their parents, although special circumstances can change this. See the
35) Weapons Locker: This locked glass case contains several tranquil- adventure text for examples.
izer rifles and tasers. Tranquilizer rifles deal 4d6 of NND | 2d6 Non- Plot Option: On top of everything else, one childs room is
Lethal AP 4 (defense is Immune to Terrestrial Toxins and Poisons haunted. A ghost may have seen something or present an addi-
or Immunity to Alcohol). The tranquilizer bead is absorbed through tional hazard for player characters, especially if they deal with the
the skin. Tasers deal 4d6 of NND (defense is any force-field effect ghost and think the adventure is over.
or being Immune to Electricity) | 2d6 Non-Lethal AP 6. However, a
secret panel (Concealment roll at -7 or Perception at -8 | Notice at THIRD FLOOR
-4) hides a rollaway panel that moves the entire case aside to reveal
39) Linen Closet: This room is filled with towels, quilts, pillowcases,
twelve sets of full SPIDER combat gear, including appropriate weap-
sheets, and mattresses neatly organized on shelves. There is nothing
onry. Choose weaponry appropriate to selected agent types based
else in this room. Linens are cleaned and neatly folded in the base-
on the power level of the group and the theme, flow, and tone of the
ment, then brought up to the linen closet. There are two linen closets
game (see Weapons Locker). It is likely that if the heroes assault the
on this floor. There are far more linens than are necessary to run the
institute, these people will be suiting up from the moment the heroes
institute under most circumstances, but unless a character has PS:
arrive.
Hospital Management or makes a Deduction roll at -8 | Smarts roll at
Note: Whether or not character has defense for NND for Savage -4, it is unlikely that anyone will notice this.
Worlds can be determined on the fly by the GM.
40) Upper Level Surgery Room: This room is designed for emergency
Plot Option: The agents immediately alert SPIDER Alpha Team surgery. A stationary operating table rests in the center of the room,
when a hero is observed. below a pair of extremely bright ceiling lamps. A cabinet containing
surgical supplies is locked by a complex security code-lock (Security
Systems at -6 | Lockpicking at -2 to unlock or a proper thumbprint
scan). Several complex life-support machines surround the operating
table, including one for anesthetic preparation and putting someone
under. A cabinet for spare sets of scrubs is against one wall. The room
also contains an advanced sonic pulse machine and an advanced
surgical laparoscopic laser. This room is also occasionally used as a
torture chamber and interrogation room by SPIDER.
Plot Option: The sonic pulse machine and laparoscopic laser are
both automated weapons that can activate and fire bolts of sonic
and light energy at attacking heroes.
82 Endgame
1414
1414
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4242
3939
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3737
3939 2222
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3838 3838 3838
4141
50 45a
51 45c 45b 46
45d
52
5 ft. 7.0
0.1 in. x
5 ft. 7.0
0.1 in.
55
53 54
48
15
1 ft. 6.0 in. x
1 ft. 6.0 in.
SPIDER
45e 49
1 ft. 6.0 in. x Comm
52
1 ft. 6.0 in.
47
Ve
44a 44b
52
45B) Security Console: This console is run and operated by two controlled from here, but the flow of power can. Normal operations
SPIDER agents that monitor the institute above. It is linked to63all of such systems as heat, air-conditioning, and lights are under the
of the cameras and fiber-optic connections in the base. The greatest control of the monitor (see Area 55 elsewhere in the control room
weakness in this part of the security system is the SPIDER agents area). It requires two agents to track everything that goes on in the
59 Perception | Notice Rolls as
themselves, who are limited by their own reactor room.
56
to what they can spot. 62
45C) Automated Weapons Controls: This console activates and deac-
45E) Psychic Machine Monitor: This device monitors the psychic
machine in Area 46 and makes sure the power to it is properly
SPIDER B
tivates all of the automated blasters in the SPIDER base if the right regulated. Everyone in the base has been Mind-Controlled to believe Labs
security codes are entered. A security code is necessary to deactivate that the entire purpose of the monitoring device is to regulate the
the automated
52 weapons, lawnmower robots, and other automated machine. There is an additional function of the monitor, however:
threats within the base. (Security Systems at -9 | Lockpicking 61 or It can read the signature of a psychic construct present within the
Repair at -4 or Common Knowledge at -660 to deactivate). Doris is on room, even if the construct is currently imaginary. It cannot pinpoint
57
her own recognizance. She cant 48
47 be deactivated from here. Inputting the location of the psychic creature, but it will alert Dominus to it via
an incorrect code turns all the blasters to permanently active until a secret psychic signal.
each one is shut off individually. Destroying the console leaves all the
weapons in whatever state they are currently in. A Systems Opera- Note: Read Area 46 Extremely Carefully!
tion | Repair or Common Knowledge 58 roll is required to alter whether 46) The Psychic Amplification Machine: This area is occupied by
blasters are active or inactive, assuming a correct passcode is entered. a large machine covered with sensors, screens, and a few indicator
45D) Power Monitoring Station: This station monitors the flow of lights. It is located behind a large, transparent bulletproof panel that
power from the reactor to the rest of the base. The reactor cannot be rises and lowers, and is controlled from Area 55 nearby. The psychic
Michael Satran 85
amplification machine has a bulletproof panel. This machine is Transform 1d6, Alternate Combat Value (uses OCV against
connected to the helmet in Area 32 via an underground cable that DMCV; +), Improved Results Group (the form of the Imaginary
leads up through the earth below, the area where Dominus created Friend is dependent on the individual; +), Works Against EGO,
the Imaginary Friends. There is a helmet apparatus built directly Not BODY (+), Penetrating (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END;
into the machine that allows exposure to its energies. Currently, the +); OAF Immobile (-2), Extra Time (6 Hours, Only to Activate,
machine appears to be inactive; however, the reality is that deep in -1 ), only useable by mentalists (-), Side Effects, Side Effect
the core of the machine, energy is constantly devoted to several key occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Side Effect always
functions. occurs whenever the character does some specific act; subject
loses 20 Active Points of mental powers; points are restored
1) Studying the link between the Imaginary Friends and their hosts.
when Imaginary Friend perishes; -), Limited Target (Sentients;
While there do not appear to be any distance requirements, the
-) (Total cost: 4 points). It takes a very long time to make an
machine provides a subtle psychic link by which an Imaginary
Imaginary Friend, assuming the heroes want to do so. It takes just
Friend is tethered to its host. This effect can neither be traced
as long to unmake one. The special effect of this Transformation
nor observed, but all the Imaginary Friends are aware of the link,
is dependent on the power level of the hero and only works on
although not where it comes from. None of the Imaginary Friends
people with mental powers; 20 Active Points are removed from
except Mr. Wumbles are aware of the machine, and he isnt telling;
their mental abilities, and the hero now possesses an Imaginary
afraid of accidentally ending his own existence.
Friend. The exact nature of the Imaginary Friend is up to the
2) Preventing individuals with unique special senses from peering gamemaster. Savage Worlds PCs should lose an appropriate Trait
below the institute and locating the base, thus ending Dominuss or 3 power points as long as the Imaginary Friend exists.
experiment or forcing him to relocate. Treat this effect as Mental
Savage Worlds GMs Creation of an Imaginary Friend for a PC
Illusion 2d6, Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Mental Group;
takes 6 hours. The Imaginary Friend will be similar in Traits to
+), Constant (+), Uncontrolled (+), Reduced Endurance
those constructed at the end of this book.
(0 END; +), Megascale (1m = 1km; +1), Area Of Effect (64m
Radius; +1), Cumulative (192 points; +1); OAF Immobile (-2), DESTROYING THE MACHINE
Only versus individuals who can see through the ground with It is important to understand that Dominus is probably the only
Penetrative Senses (- 2), No Range (-), One Continuing Charge individual on Earth who can effectively use and operate the Psychic
lasting One Day (-0) (Total cost: 12 points). Amplification Machine. It is likely that whatever result occurs once
Savage Worlds GMs just need to say its not detectible by any the machine is destroyed will remain permanent.
unusual awareness powers the PCs may possesses. Plot Option: All the children die. Dominus will try (if conscious)
It should be noted that this generates a Mental Illusion effect of to get the heroes to believe this regardless of what the actual truth
192 versus just about everything and may seem highly unfair, is if they try to destroy the machine.
especially considering that few would bother to disbelieve the Plot Option: All the Imaginary Friends except Mr. Wumbles die.
status of the ground beneath their feet. The illusion stops below
the basement and descends lower, only covering the area around Plot Option: Mister Wumbles dies.
the SPIDER base. This doesnt mean people cant discover the base Plot Option: The machine explodes in a massive burst of psychic
normally, by digging or wandering through the base until they energy, causing damage to everything within 64m of it. Choose
find it. It just means that the use of Enhanced Senses | powers damage and type of damage appropriate to the campaign setting.
with a psionic trappings to locate the base reveals nothing. If a Alternatively, the machine can explode in a very real burst of
character has a data recorder of some kind built into a Focus- electricity and/or nuclear power from the reactor below that
based | Equipment-based scanner, when he leaves the 64-kilo- maintains it (Area 78).
meter area around the institute, he will notice that a large amount
of data was scanned for which there is no correlation if he checks Plot Option: The machine creates a massive backlash that is more
the data recorder. Most groups, however, wont go this far. powerful based on the level of the Imaginary Friends abilities.
(Toby becomes imaginary. Mister Wumbles becomes real. This is
It is important to remember that Dominus is a truly global- recommended and featured in the epilogue text of the adventure.)
spanning villain, and when the players discover his hand in things,
they should be surprised, if not terrified. Dominus must spend Feel free to combine, eliminate, or add results based on what is the
time renewing the Charge every day with his own prodigious most exciting and satisfying for your play style and the play style of
mental abilities or the device ceases to function. your group. There are too many options to list them all.
3) Heroes may wish to tamper with the machine in order to unmake 47) Mens Room: This is a mens bathroom with toilet stalls and sinks.
the Imaginary Friends, make some more powerful than others, Toilet stalls are built out of tough materials. Toilets are still attached
and so on. The machine requires a Security Systems skill at -10 | to the local plumbing. Sinks are molded into the wall. If ripped free
Repair or Lockpicking (whichever is higher) roll at -5 to break (minimum of 35 STR | Strength d12+4), these built-in objects can
into, and numerous esoteric Science Skills to figure out how to be used as weapons. Everything is bolted to the floor in these rooms
properly operate. Use the Dominus character sheet as a guide (see above). The bathrooms have no urinals in the mens room,
for what might be necessary in order to operate the machine. SPIDERs slight deference to modesty given that there are fiber-optic
Currently, Dominus has manipulated Tarantula to make sure cameras everywhere. (A kind GM may offer a Deduction roll here at
the machine is not used to create any new psychic constructs, as -4 | Smarts roll at -2 and just say, Why would a mens room have no
Mr. Wumbles could be considered a significant problem with the urinals?)
experiment. See #4 below for Unmaking Imaginary Friends
assuming the heroes dont destroy the machine outright. Plot Option: There is a secret escape tunnel built into this mens
room.
4) Some heroes may wish to create an Imaginary Friend for them-
selves. (Unusual, but certainly in keeping with the genre, espe- 48) Womens Room: This is a womens bathroom with toilet stalls
cially in certain settings such as Gestalt.) This is hardly an instant and sinks. Toilet stalls are built out of tough materials. Toilets are
process. Treat the creation of an Imaginary Friend as a Major still attached to the local plumbing. Sinks are molded into the
86 Endgame
wall. If ripped free (minimum of 35 STR | Strength d12+4), these or attack, the driver of the platform may cause it to fly (albeit slowly)
built-in objects can be used as weapons. Everything is bolted to the about the room. A Security Systems roll at -10 | Lockpicking at -5
floor in these rooms. SPIDER doesnt want to take the chance of a is necessary to take over the platform and hack into the SPIDER
supervillain rampage attracting the attention of the water or power network through the retinal scanner. Alternatively, Tarantulas eye
companies. may be used if the heroes are particularly ruthless and are willing to
yank it from his head.
49) Coffee Lounge: Every hard-working group of villains needs coffee
just like the heroes do, and SPIDER is no exception. A coffee maker LEVEL TWO: LABS AND TRAINING
rests on a small table. Three tables surrounded by cheap chairs fill
the room. A big-screen TV is along one wall. Battles over changing 56) Biochemistry Laboratory: This large facility is viewable through
the channel are common. When the TV is on, the door to the lounge translucent, bulletproof, and hermetically sealed glass. This means
remains closed. that the two hallways are clearly visible through the laboratory, as
well as the Area 59 laboratory. The laboratory contains a large metal
50) Tarantulas Quarters: This spartan room contains a simple bed, cabinet with numerous bio-samples. A row of centrifuges is across
a desk, and two chairs. A small shower cubicle is off in one corner. from a large machine labeled Energy Infuser, do not cross the line.
An exercise mat rests on the floor, and a small collection of weights is The energy infuser line is marked on the floor with a black and yellow
on a stand next to the mat. A computer is on the desk. The computer painted line and traditional symbols for hazard in multiple languages.
contains a number of stored books of tactical and military history, all The biochemistry lab provides a 14- Biochemistry Complimentary
of them illegally downloaded. Skill roll | a +3 to Knowledge (Biochemistry) skill rolls or Common
51) Janitorial Closet: This closet contains a mop and bucket set, Knowledge rolls to anyone who has the Biochemistry skill.
a sink, and a cabinet filled with cleaning supplies. SPIDER agents Plot Option: If the energy infuser is destroyed during battle, a PC
are given janitorial duties as disciplinary actions, along with other wanting his powers changed can suffer a radiation accident or
unpleasant jobs, many of them involving the nuclear reactor below. being in the radius of the energy infuser. Alternatively, a shrinking
52) Elevators: These elevators connect all the levels of the SPIDER PC could be put in a test tube and energy-infused against his will.
base except the lowest. All elevator doors have a security code-lock Comedy, horror, new powers, or something entirely different
(Security Systems at -5 | Lockpicking -2 to bypass) that shuts the ensues. A large explosion (GMs discretion) is always possible.
elevator down if not bypassed. There is a ladder inside the elevator 57) Firing Range Analysis Room: This room contains four firing-
shaft that enables people to climb in the event of an elevator range analysis machines along with an energy-scanning device.
shutdown. This room serves only to analyze the results of weapons fired on the
Plot Option: The floor and walls of the elevator are electrified firing range. Currently, Tarantula holds the top score on the deadliest
in the event of a hostile bypass of the elevator security system, course. The SPIDER Supreme has never visited the base directly.
delivering an 8d6 Blast (Energy), Area Effect Surface (+), Armor The door to the firing range is locked with a complex security code
Piercing (+), Trigger; to everyone touching the walls, floor, or (Security Systems at -7 | Lockpicking at -4 to disable). The door is
ceiling of the elevator car after the doors close (+) | 2d8 elec- extremely tough so that SPIDER agents cant simply blast their way
trical damage. into the scoring room. The door to the outside possesses a similar
security code. The danger room functions are also controlled from
53) Server Hub: This room is locked with a security code-lock and here with a separate computer that requires a Security Systems roll at
has an extremely tough door. Inside is a server that links up to other -12 | Knowledge (Computers) at -6 to break into and override. This
SPIDER mainframes. From the moment that the base is attacked, a computer is extremely difficult to override due to several planned
data dump and wipe begins, offloading the information to a series of murders by SPIDER agents against their own. Tarantula, Abyss,
satellites, where it is downloaded elsewhere. The data dump takes a Totem, and high-ranking agents at the GMs discretion have security
total of 2 Full Combat Turns. If the attack is repelled, the information codes to override the danger room. Tarantula can override the firing
is re-uploaded six hours later. The method of upload and download range from his command chair.
should be left up to the gamemaster.
Plot Option: Several of the high scores have been tampered with
54) Hallway: This long hallway that leads to the elevators is wide by the current quartermaster in order to push disliked agents into
enough for three agents to stand side by side and have a reasonable missions that are too dangerous for them.
amount of movement. Six ceiling blasters that fire 10d6 Blasts with an
OCV of 8 | 3d6 blasts (Shooting d4) cover the hallway. They do not 58) Firing Range: The door to the firing range is separate from that
fire at SPIDER agents or anyone in a SPIDER uniform. to the analysis room. This room actually doubles as a danger room,
complete with holographic projectors, flip-down guns, and all of the
55) Command Center Platform: This is the command platform other accessories associated with training in a supervillain base. The
of the SPIDER base. It is eight meters in diameter and possesses 6 danger room can generate attacks of up to 70 Active Points | (generic,
meters | 3 inches of Flight with Position Shift at 0 END. There is a 5 pts/1d6 of non-lethal, 10 pts / d6 lethal) with SPIDERs current level
central console and comfortable chair mounted in the center of the of technology and generate holographic simulated environments that
platform. Typically, Tarantula sits in the command chair, but he will are almost as good as the real thing. Up to 32 weapons may be active
occasionally give control to a trusted agent (sometimes while wearing at once in the danger room when it is fully active or not being used as
his costume). The command platform is linked to all the servers in a firing range. Choose from SPIDERs array of weaponry listed under
the building, but the flight system and base controls can be shifted SPIDER agents and grant these weapons an OCV of 10 | 3d6 blasters
over to an independent backup system. Tarantula can issue orders (Shooting d6). The area also has two concealed areas that drop down
from the platform to anywhere in the building or take control of any while the floor flips into hardwood slats to become a basketball court.
individual system, blaster, weapon, or device. A self-destruct activator Choose the configuration of the danger room at the time of the PCs
is also located on the console, though it can be voice-activated with arrival if combat should break out.
a command code. This will detonate the reactor in 60 seconds (5
Combat Turns in Hero | 10 Combat Turns in Savage Worlds). Typi- Plot Option: If the SPIDER agents and villains are forced to retreat,
cally, the platform is on the ground, but during any serious operation they will try to retreat into the danger room, turn it on, and leave
Michael Satran 87
52
63
59
56
62
52
61
57 60
47 48
58
the PCs as helpless victims inside a giant fire zone. In this case, gravity field inside the room until after he is unconscious. This labo-
all the weapons are set to maximum, and after a few heroes are ratory provides a 14- Complimentary Skill roll to anyone with the
significantly weakened and/or defeated, agents and supervillains Gravitics Science | two dice added to appropriate Smarts / Knowl-
will rush in to finish them off. This requires agents to get into the edge / Repair roll.
firing range analysis room and hold it against all intruders.
67
Gravity Generator: Telekinesis (30 STR), Area Of Effect (8m Radius;
52
59) Gravitics Lab: This laboratory focuses on the development of +), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +), Trigger (from the SPIDER
gravitics and artificial gravity. Its central component is a large grav- Supremes Command Chair; +); OAF (-1) Immobile (-1), One
itic generator that sits in the center of the room. Four monitoring Direction Only (-). Total Cost: 29 points.
computers are bolted to the floor to track the progress of experi-
ments. The generator is not completely functional, however, and 68
Plot Option: Abyss is sabotaging the gravity generator in order to
keep his own technology superior. It should be far more advanced
experiences severe problems when in operation. A large number of
65 64 64
steel blocks weighing between a pound and 12.5 tons can be found 64 64 64
than it actually is.
along one wall. The generator has been unable to produce a gravity 60) Hydroponics Lab: This laboratory is filled with four large circular
64
field capable of lifting more than 1.6 tons. If Tarantula is made aware 64each filled64
64plastic pipes, with augur. Each of these pipes rotates and
of intruders in this room, he will activate the gravity generator from is sprayed lightly on the inside with water. Each one grows various
64
his command chair, generating a STR 30 | Strength d10 Area Effect fruits and vegetables. All are suitable for consumption and are free of
Telekinesis and trapping the hero against the gravity generator. It is mutagenic compounds. This laboratory provides a 15- Complimen-
likely that if a hero is not immediately immobilized, he will have to tary Skill roll for anyone with the science of Agriculture | raises by 2
65
battle his way out. A trapped hero will be subject to focused fire by
64
agents and supervillains from the doorways, as they wont enter the
dice for anyone attempting agricultural-related tasks.
88 Endgame
Plot Option: Not all the fruits and vegetables are non-mutagenic. against one wall. A large, dome-shaped blast shield in the center of
the room descends over a platform where experimental explosives are
Plot Option: In a lighter-hearted game, agents are having a food
detonated. The blast shield is controlled by a computer bank against
fight in this room when combat starts.
one wall. A series of cabinets, all security code-locked (Security
61) Genetics Lab: This laboratory is filled with genetic analysis and Systems at -8 | Lockpicking at -4 to disable), contain numerous
microbiology equipment, including a wall shelf of five centrifuges reagents that, while not volatile themselves, are highly explosive when
and an electron microscope. This clectron microscope is far more mixed together (GMs discretion). This laboratory adds a 14- Compli-
sophisticated and less bulky than its upstairs counterpart. Four mentary Skill roll to any Demolitions roll | adds 2 dice to appropriate
sophisticated molecular analysis computers are along one wall, Lockpicking, Agility, and Repair rolls.
each performing partial functions of a more complicated program
Plot Option: One of the computers contains a plot to turn a hero
that analyzes genetic structures by sub-molecular mapping. A large
into a living bomb and its dated with success three days ago!
cabinet with a hazardous materials symbol on it is against one wall;
it contains samples of numerous radioactive isotopes along with LEVEL THREE: QUARTERS AND STORAGE
common viruses (a Security Systems roll at -10 | Lockpicking at -5 is
necessary to open it or the correct security code). A second cabinet 64) Standard Agent Quarters: Each of these rooms contains four
with hazmat suits is along one wall. In the event of a biological breach beds, four desks, and four chairs. No computer links to the outside
inside the room, the entire room seals and is immolated with intense world are allowed outside of the SPIDER mainframe. A connection
fire from flamethrowers embedded in the ceiling (four ceiling- to the mainframe is provided on each desk in the form of a keyboard/
mounted 4d6 RKA blasters | 4d6 blaster turrets with Shooting d6, monitor combination. A small shower stall is set up in the room.
each with a 270-degree shooting arc and a special effect of fire). This Some of these rooms have been cleared to provide special quarters
also removes most of the rooms oxygen after repeated firing. If the for SPIDER Alpha Team, including more luxurious furnishings but
heroes get down here and are noticed by Tarantula while in this with the same Defense values. Select the rooms at random. All of the
room, he will activate the flamethrowers at once, regardless of who standard agent quarters are unisex.
is in the laboratory. The door to this room is sealed with a security 65) Agent Commander Quarters: These much nicer rooms contain a
code-lock (Security Systems at -8 | Lockpicking at -4 to open). This single bed, a desk, and a plush, comfortable chair. A full computer is
lab provides a character with a 14- Complimentary Skill roll to the on the desk. These rooms are for agent commanders, visiting super-
Genetics Science | adds two dice to appropriate Smarts or Knowledge villains (such as SPIDER Alpha Team), and foreign dignitaries from
roll. countries that are less than scrupulous.
Plot Option: One of SPIDERs scientists has concealed an experi- Plot Option: A foreign dignitary the PCs have encountered before
mental virus among the other samples without the knowledge and is present in one of these rooms. What is he doing here and what
consent of either his colleagues or the SPIDER Supreme. is his connection to SPIDER?
Plot Option: This is another room where a superhero can suffer a 66) Elevator to Reactor Level: This elevator connects the residential
radiation accident that changes his powers or alters his abilities. level to the reactor level below. The elevator doors have a security
Plot Option: There is important information in the computer codelock (Security Systems at -5 | Lockpicking at -2 to bypass) An
about one of the PCs. additional retinal scanner for authorized personnel only resides in
the elevator operations panel (Security Systems at -8 | Lockpicking at
62) Paranormal Biology Lab: This room contains a similar wall shelf -4 to disable). There is a ladder inside the elevator shaft that enables
of five centrifuges, a large full-body sub-molecular scanner that looks people to climb in the event of an elevator shutdown. Four dropdown
like an airport scanner, and four more molecular analysis computers blasters reside in the ceiling of the elevator, firing 10d6 Blasts with
along one wall, each capable of performing sub-molecular mapping an OCV of 10 | 3d6 blasters with a Shooting skill of d6. The elevator
functions. It should be noted that some of the functions performed by also fills with a pale white gas absorbed through the skin if the retinal
these computers do not map genomes, as some of them are designed scanner is not disabled if the elevator is at the lowest level. The gas is
to scan energy beings, creatures with alternate molecular structures, released through microscopic holes in the elevators walls and carries
and even rare aliens, assuming SPIDER gets to study one. A small neurological transmitter that causes spasms, choking, and swift
cabinet with a hazardous materials symbol on it is against one wall. unconsciousness if the targets are not Immune to Biowarfare Agents
There is a security code-lock on this cabinet (Security Systems at -10 (Blast 4d6, Uncontrolled (+), Constant (+), Area Of Effect (4m
| Lockpicking at -5 to open). There is a second cabinet with another Radius; +), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +), NND (defense is
array of hazmat suits in it. This laboratory gives a Complimentary Immune to Chemicals or Biowarfare Agents; +1); OIF (-), Immo-
Skill roll of 14- to Paranormal Biology | raises by 2 dice to Para- bile (-1), 2 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn (-) (Total Cost: 25) |
normal Biology. Treat as ongoing Stun (p52 of Super Powers Companion) attack with
Plot Option: A blood sample of one of the PCs is in the small Biowarfare/Biochemical trappings, characters immune to chemicals
cabinet. or biowarfare agents are immune.
Plot Option: The genome of one of the PCs has been mapped in Heroes may be delivered straight into the arms of a section of the
the computer system, with reference to Project Wasp located in SHAPE Project.
the data file. Plot Option: The gas also sterilizes targets, preparing them to be
Plot Option: One of the PCs greatest enemies has a virus keyed mutated by the SHAPE Projects exposure to radiation.
to his gene structure stored in the computer, with a Date of Use 67) Supply Room: This room contains several long shelves filled
entry only a few days away. Do they tell the villain that SPIDER with toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, and other nonper-
has marked him for death? ishable necessities. It should be noted that SPIDER has experi-
63) Explosives Engineering Lab: This laboratory is devoted exclu- enced numerous disasters with volatile chemicals in the past and
sively to the design and development of new kinds of explosives. A all cleaning materials are specifically selected to be non-reactive
table covered with experimental detonation devices and systems is and non-explosive. Everything from soap to cardboard boxes and
Michael Satran 89
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52
68
65 64 64 64 64 64
64 64 64 64
64
65
64
64 64 64 64 64 66
52
64
64
65 64 70
64 71
65 69
64 64 64 64 64 64
SPIDER BASE LEVEL THREE
QUARTERS & STORAGE
shipping materials are stored here. There is a secret escape panel in better mission later, or it might be a sign that an agent has enemies
the back of the supply room. (To spot the panel requires a Percep- in SPIDERs command structure. There is a large desk that has a large
tion Roll at -8 | Notice Roll at -4, or be an elite agent, Tarantula, or computer console on it. The console isnt really a better computer
a member of SPIDER Alpha Team. Dominus does not know about than other computers in the base; its just designed to look more
the secret panel. Doctor Ingersoll did not have this information.) impressive. A large 3D-holographic projector built into the ceiling
The panel leads to a narrow corridor that comes out into a manhole generates mission briefings based on the agents involved. More than
in an alleyway six blocks away. No one enters the base through this one SPIDER agent has walked into the operations office to receive a
method, though it should be able to be discovered through an intense secret mission instead of guard duty. Some fantasize about it. Some
search if the player characters are extremely paranoid and/or careful. 79
dread it. There are forty chairs facing the desk, as some missions are
An alarm will be triggered if the escape panel is opened from the larger than others.
outside, which would require a Security Systems roll at -9 | Lock-
Plot Option: A recent mission briefing indicates that SPIDER is
picking roll at -5 to disable.
taking action against a PCs loved one or family member.
Plot Option: There is a secret panel built into the door of the
69) Armory: This room contains numerous weapons from the
escape panel that contains four passports with gender-neutral
Weapons Locker stored in neat, organized rows. Standard blasters
names, a money belt, eye color-changing contacts, and fake glasses 79
are nearest the front, while more sophisticated and/or rarer weapons
78
(Perception Roll at -8 | Notice Roll at -4 to spot).
are located closer to the back. This room is usually occupied by a
68) Operations Office: This office is one of SPIDERs most important requisitions officer, who reviews the records of agents before issuing
rooms as far as the agents are concerned. It is here that missions are weapons. A security code-locked door (-10 Security Systems |
assigned by commanders and guard shifts doled out. Getting a good Lockpicking -5 to disable) is next to a bulletproof glass panel with
shift means that Tarantula likes you. Getting a bad shift may mean a a shielded trapdoor below it. Choose weapons appropriate to the
90 Endgame
campaign. A group that gets in here that has Weapon Familiarity with the microfusion beam generator is active, the beam is four meters
SPIDER weapons can cause a great deal of damage to the complex long. Anyone foolish enough to touch the beam takes 14d6 of Normal
and the agents within. Energy Damage | 3d12 of Damage, 10 points AP. Normal Knockback
rules apply. Characters who Absorb radiation may Absorb normally.
Plot Option: There is an experimental gun in the heavy weapons
section that possesses its own intelligence when gripped, likes Plot Option: Scientists are doing experiments when the PCs arrive
to talk, is snarky and cantankerous, and is completely loyal to in the reactor level.
SPIDER. This can lead to a lot of extra firepower but also be
Plot Option: A reactor breach in the power core causes backlash
extremely troublesome. The gun can be reprogrammed, but this
into this room, injuring scientists and triggering a lockdown (see
may take more time than a hero has. Hey! Over here, guys! The
Area 76).
enemy has me! Im being fired at my allies! Help me! Have you
considered switching sides? We have great medical benefits! Youll 74) Reactor Level Entry: This room always contains eight destruc-
need them after they put me back in the armory. tion agents who guard the reactor. They work in eight-hour shifts.
The room is essentially empty except for the three massive bulkhead
70) Requisitions: This room has four plain chairs centered around a
doors that occupy it. The agents will be unlikely to surrender under
cheap plastic table. There is a wall shelf with numerous forms against
most circumstances, as the only way out is through the elevator shaft.
one wall. The forms range from Vacation Request Form to Heavy
The agents will position themselves as capably as possible given the
Weapons Request Form. There is no Form Request Rorm here.
fact that the room has no other features or cover. Four drop-down
There are usually a few agents in here at any given time, requisi-
blasters that deliver 12d6 Blasts at OCV 10 | 3d6 energy bolt with
tioning basic equipment or using the room as a place to relax and
shooting d6 (no wild die) reside in the ceiling. All of these have a
have a somewhat meaningless private conversation, as they assume
180-degree arc of fire and are pointed straight at the elevator.
all conversations are monitored.
75A) SHAPE Project Lab: This area is where the SHAPE Project
Plot Option: All conversations really arent monitored.
processes volunteers and dying SPIDER agents into supervillains or
71) Lounge: This large, open lounge is where SPIDER agents spend dead bodies. The SPIDER Human Advancement Project Energizer
a fair amount of recreational time. Twelve fold-down tables are sits like a giant triangular monster in the center of the room, with a
surrounded by four chairs each. A large television built into the wall circular tube in the center that holds an active subject. This is a much
is also connected to the internal intercoms and video-transmission more advanced version of the machine that created Laserwhip (see
capabilities of the base. Activities are rarely interrupted. A coffee War of Worldcraft for details.). Approximately thirteen percent of the
maker rests on a small table along with various syrups, cups, spoons, subjects survive; the rest die. The machine is connected to the nuclear
and sweeteners. A large digital jukebox containing over 1,000,000 reactor by an underground cable. There are numerous sensor devices
songs is against one wall. Most of these songs have never been built into the walls that analyze whatever transformative effects are
listened to by SPIDER agents. occurring. Treat the machine as a 1d6 Uncontrolled (+), Constant
(+), Penetrating (+) Major Transformation Attack; only works vs.
Plot Option: The digital jukebox reinforces the brainwashing of the
people with no super powers (-), OIF (-), Immobile (-1) (Total
agents.
Cost: 8). The Transformation creates a new superbeing, though
LEVEL FOUR: POWER CORE AND SHAPE PROJECT there is an 87.5 percent chance of instant death. To resolve whether a
superbeing is created, roll 1d6. On a 6, the prospective new supervil-
Notes: Every door and wall on this level is a massive cadmium-lined lain is lucky enough to survive. On any other number, the volunteer
bulkhead. Characters who go Desolidified by Radiation Special dies. | Non-powered characters affected by the machine will die
Effects should not be able to pass through these walls. All doors are unless they roll a 10/0 on a d10. Those who survive get a superpower.
security code-locked when closed and require a Security Systems roll Those who do not will be fondly remembered. Superpowered individ-
at -6 | Lockpicking at -3 to disable. No one, not even an evil secret uals are unaffected by the Transformation, though by prior arrange-
organization, really wants to contaminate large swaths of land with ment with the GM, if a PC is stuck in such a machine, a radiation
radioactive materials casually by accident. All of these doors can be accident to spend experience points should be allowed. The machine
opened and closed from Tarantulas command chair (Area 55). is the only device in the room.
72) Bathroom: This is a unisex bathroom with toilet stalls and sinks. Plot Option: Scientists are creating a new supervillain when the
Toilet stalls are built out of tough materials. Toilets are still attached PCs arrive in the reactor level.
to the local plumbing and they can be used as weapons if ripped
free. Sinks are molded into the wall. A STR of 35 | Strength d12+4 Plot Option: Scientists are creating a new supervillain out of a
is required to remove these fixtures. Everything is bolted to the captured PC when the other PCs arrive to rescue him.
floor in these rooms. SPIDER doesnt want to take the chance of a 75B) SHAPE Project Operations: The operations area for the SHAPE
supervillain rampage attracting the attention of the water or power Project is concealed behind a bulkhead door. In this small room are
companies. There is a pair of scrub-down showers in one corner of the controls for the energizer, three computers, and three mobile
the room. SPIDER has a dual scrub-down policy on their reactor chairs on wheels. The computers monitor the process of the test
in the event of a breach, and after the initial scrub-down, agents are subjects exposure and basic life functions. The bulkhead door to
encouraged, usually at gunpoint, to shower again here. project operations is security code-locked (Security Systems roll
73) Nuclear Physics Lab: This laboratory is directly connected to the at -9 | Lockpicking at -4). It is possible to shut down the sequence
reactor by an underground cable that powers most of the machines while the device is in operation; however, during the operation of
within. Within the nuclear physics lab are a powerful electron micro- the device the area is suffused with intense radiation. See the Living
scope, a molecular mapping scanner, a microfusion beam generator, in a Dangerous World rules for effects of how this might impact a
and a transparent, heat-resistant glass testing zone. A wall shelf character (HERO 6E2 147, Champions Complete 139).
contains four shielded data-processing computers , each with a chair
next to it. The lab gives a 14- Complimentary Roll | +2 to appropriate
trait rolls to anyone studying Nuclear Physics within its confines. If
Michael Satran 91
79
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74
73
66 75a
72
SPIDER BASE LEVEL FOUR
POWER CORE & SHAPE PROJECT
75b
76) Reactor Control Bay: This control bay monitors the operations of case, the primary reactor bay is already nonfunctional, and the
the nuclear reactor (Area 78). A wide bulletproof screen separates the agents and technicians have moved to the backup reactor.
control bay from the reactor. Eight banks of consoles are bolted to the
floor in this room, all of which control portions of the reactors opera- 77) Backup Reactor Control Bay: The backup reactor control bay
tion. Each console has two chairs in front of it. It is equally likely if automatically comes online in the event of the destruction and/or
these consoles are destroyed that the reactor will shut down or over- overload of the reactor control bay (Area 76). The room is identical to
load. The GM should choose the theme and tone that is appropriate the reactor control bay, with the exception of a case of hazmat suits in
for the game world. Many superhero teams will not have the ability to the event of a desperate need to escape. Should the reactor explode, it
deal with an overloading nuclear reactor. It requires four successful isnt likely that the hazmat suits will be of much use.
Nuclear Physics Skill | Repair rolls to shut down the reactor or to
78-79) Reactor Room:
operate it. There are always four technicians here operating the
consoles, all of them destruction agents. Add a -2 penalty for every 78) Nuclear Reactor: This is the power supply for the SPIDER
vacated seat. A failure indicates that another attempt must be made base. The reactor is a fusion-based breeder reactor that generates
in the backup reactor control bay across the hall. If this fails as well, power. Unwanted radioactive energy types are fed into the nuclear
it may not be possible to shut down the reactor if a core breach has physics lab in Area 73 or the SHAPE Project machine in Area 75 for
occurred or the reactor overloads. disposal. It is a massive construct that relies on the vaporization and
fusion of atoms to generate power and electricity. The core of the
Plot Option: Due to the battle above, the reactor is already over-
reactor is incredibly hot, and coolant is cycled through it from the
loading and SPIDER is desperately trying to shut it down. In this
two coolant pools that also occupy this room. When bodies need to
be disposed of, they are fed to the reactor, providing a momentary
92 Endgame
burst of power and completely atomizing the subject, thus leaving no
trace elements behind. Refer to the rules on Living in a Dangerous All is Well.
World for what exposure to radiation does (HERO 6E2, Champions Unless something drastic happened (Mr. Wumbles died, Mr.
Complete). It should be assumed that the reactor is active unless the Wumbles escaped, or the like), the following boxed text below is
heroes have taken steps to disable it from within the reactor control recommended to remind the heroes that there is always victory in
bays. A Nuclear Physics roll is necessary to know how to disable the defeat and defeat in victory. Thats how comic books are.
reactor from within the confines of the reactor room. Actually doing
so is far more difficult, unless the character is Immune to Radiation.
This requires a Nuclear Physics roll at -4 | Knowledge (Science) or THE BUTTE, AMERICAS
Knowledge (Engineering) at -2. A character may not sustain any
damage during the time he is deactivating the reactor. The base time FIRST SUPERPRISON
to disable the reactor is a Full Combat Turn.
Plot Option: A hero might develop new powers from being
LEVEL FIVE: ALPHA-LEVEL
exposed to radiation instead of dying. CONTAINMENT
79) Coolant Pools: These coolant pools lower the temperature of the This is all your fault, Mr. Wumbles! Toby growled
reactor, cycling an experimental coolant through the reactor core in at the humanoid rabbit. His small body floated,
order to keep the breeder reactor stable. The coolant is exception- trapped helplessly in the ether. No one else
ally cold, dealing 12d6 of Normal Damage with no Knockback | could see him. If you had just listened to me!
3d8 damage, with any type of defense versus cold either reducing
or completely negating the attack. A desperate hero may consider Oh, Toby. Mister Wumbless words rattled
hurling his enemies into the coolant; however, if this is done more around the cell, a dull rasp from the back of his
than a few times, the reactor may begin to overload. The coolant throat. He idly flipped through the newspaper
pools are three feet deep and kept cold by temperature regulators at and changed the channel on the television.
the bottom of the coolant (four regulators per coolant pool). His food was getting cold. You disappoint me.
Things have changed. Im not like I used to be.
Plot Option: The coolant is a living creature that will not appreciate His mouth twisted into a cruel shape.
its mass being disturbed by hurled superbeings.
If I was in charge, I
80) Sealed Reactor Containment Room: This room contains three
bulkhead doors, one that leads to the reactor and one that leads to Mister Wumbles turned to Toby, his eyes red
each of the reactor control bays. If the reactor is breached or there and terrible. You dont seem to understand,
is some kind of reactor leak, the door to Area 74 will seal shut and do you? Its only a matter of time now. Days,
will not be opened by any means except bashing the door down. weeks, months they dont matter. You see,
When clothes are removed, panels will open in the walls that contain youre my Imaginary Friend. He stopped and
rocky, uncomfortable soap, and ceiling sprayers will force a shower idly brushed his lips with a napkin. Prison food was
on all inhabitants in the room. No one will be allowed out until almost tolerable.
everyone has been scrubbed down. Outside the room, SPIDER And you know what I do to Imaginary
agents will check all of the scrub-down victims for radiation and then Friends.
order them to shower again in the bathroom, at gunpoint if neces-
sary. The entire room is as well defended as the walls, including the
showerheads. Four pop-out blasters hover at the ceiling, each with a
END?
270-degree arc of fire. They fire 10d6 Blasts with an OCV of 8 | 3d6
energy bolt, Shooting d6 (no wild die). Their purpose is not so much
to defend the reactor beyond as to shoot and kill anyone who refuses
to scrub down; however, they can be used to unleash energy blasts on
enemies should the room be breached.
Plot Option: The floor is also electrified, dealing 10d6 | 3d6 blast
of electricity damage to everyone standing on it at the flick of a
switch. In this situation there is no chance to jump out of the way
as the entire floor is electrified, unless the character can cling to
walls or fly, in which case they get a DEX -2 | Agility -2 roll to
dodge the attack.
Michael Satran 93
THE AFTERMATH
TOBY WINS
If Toby wins, it is likely that all the heroes will be dead, or suffering
A variety of endings are possible at the end of Imaginary Friends, horribly through means of unspeakable tortures dreamed up by a
with most of the endings outlined below in the aftermath. Winning twisted child with no moral center. Whatever monstrous means of
and losing in this adventure are shadowy concepts, as they usually disposing of the heroes Toby thinks of, he will be certain to employ
come with their own set of consequences and results. Heroes may psychological means of destroying the heroes as well as physical ones.
debate long and hard over what to do after the adventure is over. If the heroes arent capable of surviving, Toby will not let them. He is
Their world is certainly different, and if the imaginary friend creation not inclined to allow the primary obstacles to taking over the world
machine wasnt destroyed at the end of the adventure, they will have stand in his way when they are weak. If there is a chance to escape,
to decide what to do with it. In some games, there wont be much of it will likely leave scars on the hero that will endure for a very long
a discussion. In other games, everyone needs an imaginary friend, time.
right? TOBY LOSES
WUMBLES WINS If Toby loses, and he isnt killed, it is likely that he will be treated
If Mr. Wumbles wins the battle, Dominus has likely fled or as a minor and foisted off into the prison system. Whether or not it is
escaped, Toby is dead, and some PCs may be dead, too. SPIDER a superprison is determined by what sort of superpowered detection
Alpha Team will gather its wounded and flee, and Tarantula will do devices exist, whether or not telepathy is admissible in court, and
his best to escape. If the heroes survived, Mr. Wumbles isnt truly how effective Toby is at manipulating the justice system and returning
vengeful towards them, but it is likely that the heroes will have to to his parents. (Heroes will likely try to prevent this if he survives.)
track him down before he develops a new evil scheme to end the lives It is possible that Toby may be placed in suspended animation if the
of others and cause suffering. Wumbles will do his best to become justice system cannot deal with him and the heroes can prove he is
an important figure in the supervillain community, and offer his aid a danger. If the machine is destroyed and Toby becomes Imaginary,
against powerful hero teams whenever possible. Every villain needs whatever result befalls Mr. Wumbles also befalls Toby, although Toby
an imaginary friend, and Mr. Wumbles is happy to deliver. will be much more helpless than the superpowered rabbit he created.
THE 4
IMAGINARY
FRIENDS
96 The Imaginary Friends
Georgie the
Singing Giraffe
Background: Georgie the Singing Giraffe doesnt
know when he first came into existence. As far as hes
concerned, hes been around as long as Lisas been
around. Georgie likes to dance and sing, and will
take any opportunity to do so. This is guaranteed
to happen if any of the PCs can see Georgie. In the
months since his creation, Georgie has learned to
perform numerous show tunes, dance numbers, and
Frank Sinatra classics.
Georgies memories of times before his creation are
entirely a construction of Lisas mind and exposure to
the machine. He remembers dancing with Lisa before
he was ever created and singing beautiful songs in
Lisas room before he actually existed. Lisa effectively
knows that Georgie has always existed and that hes
her special friend. It will be very difficult to disabuse
Lisa of this notion.
Georgie is the first of the Imaginary Friends, as
Lisa has been at the institute for two years. Hes the
only one who remembers all of the others and when
they came to be. This could be important later.
Personality: Georgie is cheerful, outgoing, and nice
to everyone. However, deep inside Georgie lurks a
desperate need to perform and entertain. If someone
were to remove his ability to perform, Georgie would
shatter psychologically and become a broken giraffe.
He is always a showman, constantly trying to think of
clever things to say and one-liners to deliver. Some of
them are funny. Some of them fall flat.
Georgie even sings to cheer himself or others up,
especially when hes afraid.
Georgie admires Jacks bravery and Imaginary
Lisas attractiveness, and is disgusted by Polly Poopers
constant defecation. He also cant stand it when his
Lisa fights with Imaginary Lisa, and always tries to get
his special friend not to cry because Imaginary Lisa is
older and prettier. Along with the others, he shares a
deep and unbearable fear of Mr. Wumbles.
Lisa McGillicuddy
Quote: I think its time for a song and a little bit of dancing!
Appearance: Lisa is a skinny nine-year-old girl with long legs and is
Lets dance the rag until the break of dawn!
a little tall for her age. She wants to be a dancer or musician, but cant
I know theres a song in there somewhere, whoever and really sing and cant really dance. Physically awkward but with the
wherever you are, and were going to bring it out! heart of a showgirl, Lisa is heartbroken that she will never be anyone
special in show business. She cant change the fact that shes clumsy or
Powers/Tactics: Georgie doesnt really fight. He tries to run away as
that she sings like a flock of angry birds, no matter how hard she tries.
swiftly as possible. Unfortunately, he has little ability to hide and even
less ability to fight. Personality: Lisa is also an A student with a great deal of promise to
be an astronaut, scientist, or mathematician. She has never gotten
Campaign Use: Georgie exists to brighten the lives of Lisa and her
grades lower than an A, except in music, where shes gotten a D for
friends as much as possible, even though, regardless of this talent, he
four straight years in a row. Lisa loves old show tunes, musicals, and
annoys everyone except Lisa by singing too much. He has a song for
classic dance numbers, and joins Georgie in song on numerous clas-
everything, and hes not afraid to sing, even when it aggravates others.
sics. This causes many people to ask her not to sing, especially those
Appearance: Georgie looks like a humanoid singing giraffe about who cant see Georgie. This includes her parents.
three and a half feet tall. He wears wide pinstripe suits and outra-
QUESTIONS FOR STEVEN AND
geously pleated white shirts with black ties. Sparkling cuff links
ALICE MCGILLICUDDY
always adorn his sleeves. He wears two-tone shoes and carries a cane,
along with a bowler hat and a tie bar. He usually wears paisley ties. Steven and Alice McGillicuddy are believers in the old adage that
practice makes perfect. Theyre very supportive of Lisa and over-
protective of their daughter. Basic outlines of their personalities and
descriptions follow.
98 The Imaginary Friends
Steven McGillicuddy, Art Teacher: Steven McGillicuddy is a great art 3) Dont you think its a little unusual to have a singing giraffe for a
teacher who doesnt realize that his daughter has absolutely no artistic friend?
talent whatsoever. He has talked Alice into supporting Lisas dancing You guys wear powered armor, fly through the sky and leave a
and singing lessons. He insists that Lisa is very creative; after all, she trail of funny little sparkles, and move faster than the speed of the
supposedly has an imaginary singing giraffe following her around. Internet. Why do you think this is so weird, huh?
Steven usually dresses in jeans and tee-shirts, or a sport jacket and 4) Do other children think youre weird?
jeans when he is at work. He has reddish hair, male pattern baldness, Not at the institute. Kids used to bully me because I tried to sing
and a slightly shaggy beard. He becomes irritable if asked too many with Georgie.
questions about his daughter, who he believes has psychological
issues that need to be worked out. Thats why he sent her to the Para- 5) How do you bring Georgie to you?
psychological Research Institute in the first place. I call him and he comes. Hes always there, unlike the friends I used
to have. Hes helping me to overcome my problems onstage. Wanna
Plot Option: Steven is a retired supervillain who has faced the PCs see? (It is recommended that the GM actually sing in a dreadful
in the past, which introduces the additional complication of how voice and dance spastically at this point, and have Georgie offer
an angry supervillain may react when his daughter is threatened. Lisa encouragement despite how awful a performer she is.)
He will actively resist placing her under the heroes care as he fears
discovery of his past misdeeds. If the heroes try to convince Lisa that she doesnt need Georgie
Alice McGillicuddy, Cosmetics Saleslady: Alice is sweet, supportive, to be successful, she will be heartbroken and sad. This may be made
and kind. She is a slightly chunky woman with too red hair and far even worse by the events of Event Three: The Second Murder section.
too green contact lenses. If using the plot option above, Alice is the QUESTIONS FOR GEORGIE
reason Steve isnt a supervillain anymore. She is always gentle and
An eager showman, Georgie is easy to question. Hell answer any
kind to Lisa, but privately worries that Lisa is bullied too much in
questions the characters have. Many of them, however, will have
school because of her Imaginary Friend problems. Alice doesnt want
useless answers.
to hurt Lisa, though, and is extremely overprotective. She spoils her
daughter in other ways when Steve isnt around and saves a little extra 1) How long have you known Lisa?
money to make sure Lisa goes to a good college. Alice doesnt like the Ive always been Lisas special friend. I really cant remember how
Parapsychological Research Institute and wishes a more nurturing long Ive been around. Maybe since she was four?
environment could be found. 2) Where do you go when you vanish?
Im always around in case Lisa needs a friend or a song. You look
Plot Option: Originally, Alice was resistant to the institute to the
like you could use a friend or a song, too! Would you like one?
point of fury, but Lord Dominus calmed her down with a little
(Georgie will sing for the player characters at this point. Choose a
Mind Control and made the idea more palatable.
classic show tune and play it for them if you feel it would enhance
1) Why did you send Lisa to the institute? the mood.)
Lisa was exhibiting unusual behavior, and Doctor Ingersoll gave us
3) What do you think of the other Imaginary Friends?
the opportunity to send her to a place where she could be free to be
Oh, I could never talk about them in front of them, shucks. (In
herself without being bullied.
private):
2) Are you aware that theres a psychic giraffe near Lisa most of the
Polly Pooper: Polly is crude and disgusting. I dont like how she
time?
leaves her poop all over everything.
Thats ridiculous. Theres no such thing as a psychic giraffe entity.
(If a hero has an ability to allow communication or viewing of Imaginary Lisa: Im sure theres room in the world for such a
Georgie, now would be a good time to use it.) beautiful woman. Maybe a song, too. She can sing, but shes not
really much of a show tunes girl.
3) How much does the institute charge you?
Nothing. The institute is free. They write us a check every month for Jack Bombem: Jacks a good man. Hes brave and strong, but he
three thousand dollars. sings like a drunken sailor.
4) How long has Lisa had a giraffe for an Imaginary Friend? Mister Wumbles: Mister Wumbles is scary. Do you know we
Since she was four. The giraffe was always named Georgie. caught Toby tormenting him once when we found out the boy had
an Imaginary Friend? Hes almost never around, and when he is,
5) How long has Lisa been at the institute?
he mostly just stares at us, like hes going to eat us, or worse.
Two years.
4) Why do you stay with Lisa?
6) Have you ever seen, heard, or otherwise viewed Georgie the
Lisa needs a lot of cheering up. Shes bullied a lot in school for being
Singing Giraffe?
smart. I know who else needs some cheering up. How about a song
No.
to pass the time?
7) Do you think Lisa has some form of psychic ability?
Thats pretty crazy. You think our daughters a mutant?
GEORGIE THE SINGING GIRAFFE PLOT SEEDS
QUESTIONS FOR LISA Music, Everyone: A villain begins collecting musical things and
1) When did Georgie first come into your life? creatures, and Georgie is first on his list! How will the villain capture
When I was four. an imaginary giraffe? And how will Lisa fare without her Imaginary
2) Did anything unusual happen when you were four? Friend?
No. (Lisa is relatively well adjusted other than her relationship The Big Show: The circus is in town, and a villain of unpleasant
with an imaginary singing giraffe.) demeanor and hatred of all things entertaining comes to town.
Georgie thinks entertaining the villain will be fantastic, if only
Plot Option: Lisa knows her dad is a retired supervillain and Georgie can get people to see him. How far will the villain go to ruin
discovered her dads villain costume when she was four. She would the circus? How far will Georgie go to bring light to the villains life?
rather die than give her dad over to his super-enemies. Hes her If you dont have a villain like this, use Mr. Hideous from Pretty Hate
dad, after all. Machines or create your own.
Michael Satran 99
Val Char Cost Roll Notes 46 Insubstantiality: Desolidification (affected by Mental Powers
15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1] of all Special Effects, Chi Gung Martial Arts attacks, and elec-
15 DEX 10 12- tricity), Persistent (+), Inherent (+), Reduced
13 CON 3 12- Endurance (0 END; +); Always On (-), Does Not Work
13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- Versus Psychics (-) 0
15 EGO 5 12-
48 Invisibility: Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, and Touch
15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6
Groups, and Clairsentience, No Fringe, Persistent (+),
3 OCV 0 Inherent (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Not vs.
4 DCV 5 Mental Defense, Special Senses, or Being Imaginary (-),
3 OMCV 0 Always On (-) 0
6 DMCV 9
35 Immortality: Total Life Support 0
2 SPD 0 Phases: 6, 12
10 Psychic Construct: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0
3 PD 1 Total: 3 PD (0 rPD) 5 Unusual Life Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0
4 ED 2 Total: 4 ED (0 rED)
7 REC 3 Talents
30 END 2 3 Perfect Pitch
10 BODY 0
26 STUN 3 Total Characteristics Cost: 56 Skills
6 PS: Dancing 15-
Movement: Running: 12m/24m
Leaping: 4m/8m 5 PS: Singing 14-
Swimming: 4m/8m Total Powers and Skills Cost: 158
Total Cost: 214
Polly Pooper
Background: Polly Pooper
remembers the day she
came to Angela, a messy,
wretched thing covered in
grime and dirt. Angela was
so prim and proper and was
cleaning her room, as she
did every day. Her parents
made her do it. They said it
would build character and
help her become disci-
plined. Angela was a good
little girl. Polly aimed to
change all that and bring
some life to her boring
existence.
At first, Angela was
afraid of Polly and desper-
ately cleaned everywhere
Polly defecated. She would
weep at night and curl up in
a ball. Polly couldnt under-
stand why no one could see
her and pooped wherever
she pleased.
Angela was always angry
at Polly, and her parents
didnt understand how
Angela was becoming so
terribly unadjusted. So they
sent her to the institute, and
Polly went with her to poop.
Even though Angela didnt
let her poop in the room
anymore, she was allowed
to poop anywhere else she
wanted.
Angelas parents wanted
to get rid of Polly more
than anything. They
thought she wasnt real at
all.
Polly got a little more
form and substance at the
institute and met others
like herself. Polly didnt
like most of them. Georgie was a stupid little pansy, Lisa was a dirty Polly pooped in fear, on anything and anyone she could.
whore, Jack Bombem was a nice guy, but he grabbed Polly and shook It was a good life for a parrot, except for the others. One day, shed
her when she pooped on his hat. Mister Wumbles was creepy, and his cover them all in poop. That would show them!
friend was creepy, too. Polly was so afraid of Mr. Wumbles that she
would find something to poop on whenever he came by. There was Personality: Polly is a crass, foul-mouthed parrot with a casual
the night that she heard screaming when no one else was around and demeanor and no sense of hygiene. She doesnt care about anyone
she thought it was Wumbles, but she didnt pay it any mind. except Angela and herself, and thinks everyone is trying to get rid
After that night, Wumbles was even meaner and more twisted. But of her because shes an unclean parrot. Polly insults everyone except
she could smell the urine and the feces from Tobys room. She didnt Angela and defecates on people and things she doesnt like. Of
know much, but she knew about poop. course, being liked or disliked by Polly doesnt really matter. Polly will
After that, Mr. Wumbles always glared at her hatefully whenever defecate on them anyway, whether out of love or hatred.
he was around, which wasnt much. He seemed to be getting stronger, Quote: Oh, I feel a rumbling in my guts!
and Toby was stronger, too. No matter how many times Angela went
to the scanning machine, she stayed the same, but Toby always came Shut your !@#$%!! mouth! Im Polly Pooper, the !@#$@ing
out mightier than before. And Mr. Wumbles grew bigger and more parrot! Ill show you what needs to be flushed!
powerful.
Michael Satran 101
You know what Ive got for you, and its already all over Mary Ann Winehouse: Mary Ann wishes her husband would come
your walls! (Insert obscene humanoid parrot gesture of out of his dreadful shell. When she married Robert, she had no idea
choice here.) he would become so frightfully boring or insist that Angela never be
allowed to have any pets after her imaginary friend developed. They
Powers/Tactics: Polly appears aggressive and bullying, but in a real
have so much money. Would a little happiness for their daughter be
fight is a complete coward. When faced with the prospect of physical
so much to ask? Perhaps Angela never would have developed some
conflict, Polly flees as swiftly as possible after making some desperate
sort of imaginary friend if Robert had just let go of his principles for
excuses. Pollys only real threat is the ability to defecate on important
once. Sending her to the Parapsychological Research Institute was
people and creatures, and even this can only be seen and smelled
good for her. It gave her an outlet for her imagination.
by people with Mental Awareness. Other than this, Polly is a flying
humanoid parrot that flaps her arms to fly and curses a lot. 1) When did Angela develop an Imaginary Friend?
When she was three years old.
Campaign Use: Other than scatological humor for psychics, Polly
doesnt have a long-term campaign use in most games. A dedicated 2) Why a pooping parrot?
psychic could try to fix Pollys social deficiencies or try to alter Ange- Were not entirely sure of the reason behind that. We do ask her to
las mind to make Polly less offensive. However, this would be a fairly clean her room every day, but were pretty sure thats part of every
epic task. Altering a psychic entitys basic shape is extremely difficult childs normal upbringing.
and requires a great deal of power. However, for low roleplaying and
3) Do you send Angela to school?
some filthy jokes, Polly Pooper can provide much in the way of low-
Yes, and we have a behavior coach teach her proper behavior. Shes
class laughs.
sometimes difficult.
Appearance: Polly Pooper looks like a fat, buxom female humanoid
4) Are you sure Angelas friend isnt a reaction to all your discipline?
parrot covered in dirt and grime. She wears a polka-dot skirt and
Even if that were the case, when shes older, shell thank us for it.
flies by flapping her arms. She is four feet, two inches tall, and almost
two feet wide. Her basic color should be yellow and a bright array of 5) Do you realize that Polly Pooper is real?
azure, red, and gold, but large parts of her body are covered with dirt Dont be ridiculous. Theres no such thing as an imaginary
and grease, making the colors seem shallow. humanoid parrot.
6) If shown:
Angela Winehouse Thats insane! And disgusting! Angelaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
7) Why did you choose the research institute?
Appearance: Angela is a well-dressed nine-year-old girl who wants Angela can be cured. It just takes time and discipline. Our daughter
to be a fashion designer in the world of haute couture. She dresses in can be perfectly normal with Doctor Ingersolls help.
pretty skirts and high-fashion jeans, along with obnoxious tee-shirts
and blouses. Her wardrobe is extensive, and Polly never poops on it. 8) How did you meet Doctor Ingersoll?
Those who wrong Angela, however, will have to deal with imaginary He came recommended by several other doctors who were interested
parrot dung. She wears her hair in various styles with braids and in Angelas condition. (Note: Dominus Mind-Controlled these
berets, and spends a lot of time nervously doing her hair when Polly people. See the Investigating Dominus section.)
is around.
QUESTIONS FOR ANGELA
Personality: Angelas already reading books on culture and how to
blend different styles of clothes. Unfortunately, she has Polly to deal 1) How long has Polly been around?
with, whos a great deal of a nuisance and gives her parents no end Well, I have known her since I was three, but she really only showed
of trouble. Its still entertaining to watch her parents constantly be up at the institute. Polly says shes been around as long as theres
the victim of Pollys pranks, though it gives her trouble sleeping at been poop. That is a very long time.
night and she spends lots of extra time cleaning her room. The yard 2) Did anything unusual happen when you were three?
is covered with imaginary parrot dung, but Angela never cleans that. Not really. I learned to clean up after I spilled some soup at the table.
Thats for the servants to take care of. Polly sleeps in Angelas chair Cleaning up is part of life.
and tends to sleep when Angela sleeps. Angela is extremely proper,
and Polly represents the side of Angela shes not allowed to let out. 3) Why do you want to be a fashion designer?
Angela rarely uses contractions and is very formal in her means of I cant do math and science the way Lisa can, and clothes are pretty.
speaking. I drew this nice dress, see?
QUESTIONS FOR ROBERT WINEHOUSE III 4) Why do you put up with Polly?
AND MARY ANN WINEHOUSE I suppose shes just there, but I wish I had a different Imaginary
Friend, one that wasnt so dirty or crass. Ill make her better. Youll
Robert Winehouse III: Robert Winehouse is an old-school gentleman see.
who grew up in a world that no longer had any need for them. Hes
5) Do you think its odd to have an Imaginary Friend?
bitter about the lack of decorum in the modern world and very upset
Do you think its odd to run around in spandex and a cape?
about his daughters imaginary friend. He doesnt want people to
think his child is crazy, but he truly believes that she is. This troubles 6) How do you call Polly to you?
him greatly and makes it difficult for him to show his daughter even I really dont call for Polly. Shes simply there when the mood strikes
the slightest bit of love. Robert is a suit and sport-jacket man most of her, usually when Im in the bathroom or on the phone. Sometimes
the time and wont let Angela have any pets, as he is worried that her she appears when Im about to eat something that makes me sick.
imaginary friend is a sign that she might hurt a real animal. Robert Thats not so bad, is it?
is a relatively handsome man in his forties who is something of a
pompous ass. He keeps himself very well groomed and encourages
decorum in the rest of his family.
102 The Imaginary Friends
QUESTIONS FOR POLLY POOPER Mister Wumbles: Thing about Wumbles is he wasnt always so
scary. No, somehow that kid made him that way. One day, I
1) Isnt there any way you could clean yourself up for Angela? heard the sounds of pooping and peeing, and I heard Wumbles
Shut up, you narcissistic piece of !#$!! People gotta be who theyre screaming, back in the early days. I heard the brat laughing and
gonna be, and Im Polly Pooper! (At this point Polly will fly up saying something like, Isnt this fun, Mr. Wumbles? I dont know
above the offending character and attempt to leave imaginary a lot, but I know about pee and poop cuz Im Polly Pooper and
poop on that person.) thats what I do, but they sent orderlies in there after that to clean
up the mess. Now none of us will go near him. Hes near six and
2) How long have you known Angela? a half feet tall, with a big old sword and a carry-on bag. What
All my life. do they call that thing again? A valise! And he talks like a quiet,
3) How old are you? raspy-voiced pansy, my God, its like he was raised with actual
Im seven, I think. (At this point Polly will count on her fingers.) manners or something. Make no mistake, though. This guys bad
I remember the first time Angela wet her bed. I put a stop to that news. Stares at me funny every time Im around, like hes gonna
right quick. Told her that was my job and that Id pee on her if she eat me or something.
didnt believe me. Hah! Aint I a genius? POLLY POOPER PLOT NUGGETS
4) Do you poop on things Angela likes? (SEEDS! I MEAN SEEDS!!)
Not anymore. We have an understanding.
The Dog Walker: A mad villains only weakness is the dog he walks
5) What do you think of the other Imaginary Friends? each day, and Polly knows that soon he will strike again. Can the
heroes scoop the villain while he scoops his poop?
Georgie the Singing Giraffe: That little pansy! I hope he breaks a
leg on Broadway! Soon hell be drowning in poop just like the rest The Smell of Well, You Know What Its the Smell Of: Polly haunts
of those big stars that fail! the bathroom of a mentalist hero. Comedy and mayhem ensue.
Jack Bombem: Hes a real straight shooter, that guy. Dont poop Plot Option: If the GM feels that Toby urinating and defecating
on him though. I still have bruises, oh, my God. on Mr. Wumbles is too sick, allow him to Mind Control Polly and
have her do it for him. This is just as evil, only different.
Imaginary Lisa: That girl is nothing but trouble, let me tell you,
with her stupid pretty skirts and her lace panties. Ive got have a
mind to defecate in her wardrobe and see how she likes that. How
do you like them apples, Mr. Superhero?
Skills
3 Acrobatics 13-
3 Contortionist 13-
3 KS: Excrement and Excreting 12-
3 Mimicry 12-
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 190
Total Cost: 261
Lisa
Background: Lisa is the slim,
sexy popular girl who has more
friends than most people ever
will in their lives. While she only
exists in Sandras imagination,
Lisa is very protective of her
little sister. Lisa thinks Sandra
needs a boyfriend and tries to
encourage her to go out and get
one.
Unfortunately, Sandra isnt
the most attractive of girls no,
she isnt just fat, shes chunky
and she spends a lot of her time
sulking and eating ice cream,
lots and lots of ice cream. Lisa
is positive Sandra can get a
boyfriend. After all, Sandras
only eight. She can easily get
one by the time shes ten or
eleven. If only she could get
the girl to exercise and clean
herself off, maybe get herself
a better makeup drawer. She
tries to encourage Sandra to
be popular, but sadly, Sandra is
only of average intelligence and
appearance, and doesnt seem to
be terribly motivated to improve
herself.
Lisa wants to be a jazz singer
when she grows up. She already
has several slinky (imaginary)
dresses and tries to bother
Georgie into singing duets.
Usually, she succeeds, but Lisa
can grate on even Georgies
nerves.
Lisa is the only one of the
Imaginary Friends who, deep
down, realizes that she is a mani-
festation of Sandras subcon-
scious brought to life. A part of
her finds this very painful (see
below).
Personality: Lisa realizes that
Sandra probably will never get
to where she is. Unfortunately,
Lisa is beautiful, clever, popular, from Sandra. Make Mr. Wumbles cute and cuddly. This isnt
and talented, and Sandra is only average. Lisa secretly suspects that recommended but makes for a different adventure.
something is wrong with herself and that she might look different
Quote: Are you sure you wouldnt rather be exercising than eating
if Sandra were different. Underneath the socially graceful, wildly
ice cream?
talented Imaginary Friend lies a terrified child who could snap at any
moment. Still, she tries to put a brave face on in front of the others Really? Youre having trouble with your homework again?
and never lets anyone know how scared she is. Content with her role
at the same time that she fears what might happen without it, Lisa Oh, come on. Its just a little case of the doldrums. Youll be
tries to live her imaginary life without restraint. Her favorite colors on the cheerleading squad one day. Youll see.
are pink and purple. Powers/Tactics: Lisas tactics are simple. Run away. Get help. Scream
Plot Option: Switch Lisas and Mr. Wumbless sheets and add if nothing else works. As assertive, independent, and talented as she
a Shape Shift Power, triggered when Lisa wanders too far is, she doesnt have any fighting abilities whatsoever. Lisa will try to
find places to hide. As she can run through walls and find quiet places
Michael Satran 109
to escape to, this isnt a bad strategy. Unfortunately, its useless against Plot Option: Gina is a member of C.A.S.H., Citizens Against Super
telepaths and similar psychic creatures. Heroes, and will be resistant and difficult to the PCs investigation.
Campaign Use: If Lisa survives, she can be used as a nuisance char- 1) How did you come across the Parapsychological Research Insti-
acter for psychics. She never really gets any older or any more mature. tute?
With work, it might be possible for Lisa to evolve into her own Sandra was experiencing troubling dreams about her weight, and
psychic entity. Of course, a sinister supervillain could also trans- was eating obsessively and purging, so we decided to see if there was
form her into a different psychic entity, one with murder on her mind a reason beyond the usual diagnoses. Doctor Ingersoll told us we
or the demise of the player characters. were right. He pays us good money to research Sandras imaginary
friend and the consequences.
Appearance: Lisa looks like a teen bombshell and acts the part. She
dresses in sexy black dresses that are highly revealing short skirts, 2) Do you think Sandras Imaginary Friend has anything to do with
tight blouses that show far too much cleavage and always show a bra, her own insecurities?
and high heels that threaten to make her break six feet tall. She stands We think she wants what every young girl wants, to be pretty and
about five-foot-five, would weigh about 130 pounds if she were real, attractive, but unfortunately, shes probably always going to be a
and has lovely blonde hair and blue eyes. little heavy. We try to get her to exercise and go outside, but she just
comes in and loves her ice cream anyway. Weve tried to keep her
away from sweets, but nothing really works. Its the same in every
Sandra DiFeo school weve switched her to.
Appearance: Sandra DiFeo is a slightly shorter than average eight 3) Is your daughter bullied in school?
year old with chubby thighs, a round face, and short black hair. She Actually, Sandras just ignored. She has a few friends, but she really
wears jeans and tee-shirts that could be considered cute without wants to be included. We do our best for her, but shes never going
doing anything offensive. Sandra dreams of being pretty, attractive, to be an A student in this school district. She just isnt encouraged
and getting all the boys, but the reality is that without drastic changes enough, but weve tried and cant seem to motivate her.
in diet, lifestyle, and grade point average, she will eventually be just 4) Do you realize that Lisa really exists?
another average person living an average life. Listen, if you think she has some sort of weird imaginary friend, you
Personality: Sandra is the girl who is usually excluded from social have to fix it and make her normal. Youre superheroes, right? (Note:
activities because she isnt pretty enough and isnt called upon in class Some superheroes may be offended by this line of thinking.)
often because she isnt smart enough. She has feelings of inferiority 5) If shown:
and is beginning to experience feelings of depression and alienation. Thats different. (From this point, all future questions will be
She wishes she had more friends, was skinnier, and didnt eat so answered nervously.)
much. At best a C student, Sandra tries hard and hopes the other
students at the institute see her good qualities. She enjoys cooking 6) Why did you choose the research institute?
and softball, and might be considered a little tomboyish, which makes We want our little girl to grow up without some crazy half of her
for a difficult combination of social factors. mind telling her what to do! We want her to stop being nuts. And the
money is nice. Without it, we cant pay our bills.
Plot Option: Toby takes advantage of Sandras desperation to get
her to do things that he cannot do himself or that he needs Lisa to 7) How did you meet Doctor Ingersoll?
do without being aware of them. When other psychiatrists failed, we were told by our last psychiatrist
that we might want to visit Doctor Ingersoll and see if anything
QUESTIONS FOR MARK AND GINA DIFEO psychic might be going on. Apparently, something is.
Mark Difeo: Mark owns a small company that designs insect repellent QUESTIONS FOR SANDRA
for unusual bugs that have spread outside the usual realm of their
species. Hes not actually a scientist himself, however. Hes just a guy 1) How long has Lisa been around?
who runs the company and pays scientists to come up with ideas and Since I was four. Shes like the big sister I never had.
techniques that he then markets. Mark isnt the smartest tool in the 2) Does she help you with your homework?
shed, but he does have a good head for business and an eye for a good She says Im still doing okay. (She will hang her head at this point.)
investment, which means his average profit margin is magically trans- But she says I need to work harder, like my parents.
formed into something far more substantial. Hes a portly Italian man
in his early forties, with black hair and brown eyes. 3) What do you want to do when you get older?
I want to be special, like Lisa, or a model, or as pretty as (name a
Plot Option: Mark DiFeos insect repellent has a nasty side effect superhero in your game world.). But I dont think Im ever going to
that slowly turns people with mutant physiognomies into insect- look like those people.
like hybrids.
4) Did anything happen to you when you were four?
Plot Option: Mark DiFeo is the pawn of an insect-themed Not really. Ive always been chubby. The doctor says Ill be big-boned
supervillain. forever.
Gina DiFeo: Gina is a slightly overweight, wide-hipped woman with 5) Do you think its unusual to have a friend like Lisa?
frizzy blonde hair and a bulbous nose. She tries to run Marks entire I guess its more that its unusual for Lisa to be friends with someone
life, and Mark tries to get out from under Ginas irritating clinginess. like me. She takes care of me sometimes, when Mom and Dad cant.
This leads to situations where Gina will argue with Mark about the
correct answers to some of the questions below. (Its better for this 6) How?
purpose if the GM determines who is right and who is wrong in each She says nice things and keeps me from being sad.
circumstance.)
110 The Imaginary Friends
7) Can you call for Lisa? Jack Bombem: Oh, my God, he is so gorgeous but he is so stupid.
Sometimes. Shes busy a lot, though. She has big-girl stuff to do. And How can he possibly believe his plane is missing? Ive never seen
her hair. one. If I was a little older well comparatively, I guess I could
throw that out the window if he were nice. Having someone
QUESTIONS FOR LISA
always protecting you is nice but also kinda boring. Fortunately,
1) Whats it like being an Imaginary Friend? hes all about adventures. Dont know if he knows what kinds of
Hey, is this a trick question? Im as real as you, except for the walk- adventures are really important, though.
through-walls part. Im a superbeing. Im intelligent. I have rights. Mister Wumbles: You know, hes a big six-foot rabbit. And he
2) How long have you been around Sandra? has a machete and claws. Hes always polite, but its always creepy
Four years or so. I have a feeling I represent a large portion of her when hes polite, in that Im going to eat you and theres nothing
insecurities and fears. It doesnt take a genius to see that Im not like you can do about it sort of way. I stay away from him when hes
normal people, imagining clothes for myself and all that stuff. around, although hes not really around very much. I really dont
know what he does. But my skin always crawls when hes here.
3) What have you been doing for the past four years?
Keeping Sandra from going crazy, trying to give her a positive atti- Plot Option: Lisa has seen the machine in the SPIDER base below,
tude, get her to exercise. It doesnt work. Im imaginary. Lifes rough. but Dominus has tampered with her mind, causing her to pause
and have little seizures whenever asked if she has seen anything
4) What do you think of the other Imaginary Friends? unusual.
Georgie the Singing Giraffe: Georgie can really sing and dance. IMAGINARY LISA PLOT SEEDS
Hes kind of cute, for a giraffe, like one of those little cartoon char-
acters on TV or something. All the kids really like Georgie. Except Rule the School: Lisa gets outraged at soccer and cheerleader
Toby. He cant stand that kind of music. In fact, he doesnt really moms, and begins trying to find ways to haunt them. Can the heroes
like music at all. Little brat. convince Lisa that shes causing more harm than good? Is she?
Polly Pooper: Ugh. Really? A crap-covered parrot that stinks Date Rage: Lisa falls head over heels in love with a real boy who
up everything and rarely bathes? Youve got to be kidding me. she can see her! While this is nothing more than I Dream of Jeannie
Anyone who would imagine that has a secret sickness. I think the without a physical manifestation, it is also big trouble. Substitute a PC
girl needs to grow up and grow up fast. Maybe get a new hairdo or for bigger trouble.
have a rebellious period like Kerouac. (If asked who Jack Kerouac
is, Lisa really only knows basic details.)
Lisa (HERO)
Val Char Cost Roll Notes Cost Powers END
8 STR -2 11- Lift 75.8 kg; 1d6 HtH damage Imaginary Friend Package
13 DEX 6 12- 46 Insubstantiality: Desolidification (affected by Mental Powers
13 CON 3 12- of all Special Effects, Chi Gung Martial Arts attacks, and
13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- electricity), Persistent (+), Inherent (+), Reduced
15 EGO 5 12- Endurance (0 END; +); Always On (-), Does Not Work
20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 Versus Psychics (-) 0
4 OCV 5 48 Invisibility: Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, and Touch
5 DCV 10 Groups, and Clairsentience, No Fringe, Persistent (+),
3 OMCV 0 Inherent (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); Not vs.
5 DMCV 6 Mental Defense, Special Senses, or Being Imaginary (-),
3 SPD 10 Phases: 4, 8, 12 Always On (-) 0
35 Immortality: Total Life Support 0
3 PD 1 Total: 3 PD (0 rPD)
10 Psychic Construct: Mental Defense (10 points total) 0
2 ED 0 Total: 2 ED (0 rED)
5 REC 1 5 Unusual Life Form: Power Defense (5 points) 0
25 END 1
Talents
12 BODY 2
26 STUN 3 Total Characteristics Cost: 64 3 Perfect Pitch
2 Eidetic Memory; Songs Only (-1)
Movement: Running: 12m/24m
Leaping: 4m/8m Skills
Swimming: 4m/8m 3 Acting 13-
3 Bribery 13-
3 Bureaucratics 13-
7 Charm 15-
3 Concealment 12-
5 Conversation 14-
5 High Society 14-
3 KS: Singing 12-
4 Language: French (idiomatic)
3 Persuasion 13-
3 Stealth 12-
3 Streetwise 13-
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 194
Total Cost: 258
Mister
Wumbles
Background: Mister
Wumbles began life in a
flash of psychic energy and
screams of pain. Below him,
the boy Toby shuddered
in agony. He could feel the
childs weak breath and a
connection to it. His mind
reached out for the world
and struggled to understand
it. Power was what mattered.
Power! The ability to control
ones own destiny and live a
free life.
But he was tethered to the
child. He could feel the boy in
his mind. Hello, the young
voice whispered in his mind.
I am your lord and master,
Toby Doherty. Serve me!
Mister Wumbles found the
child amusing and decided
to play along. He began to
help the boy congenially, well
aware that the link between
the two of them was sustained
by the machine. Their
games grew more and more
vicious. Toby would remove
pieces from Mr. Wumbles
and put them back, but not
before urinating on them
and showing Mr. Wumbles
who was in charge. The boy
giggled the whole time.
The pain was excruci-
ating. In secret, Mr. Wumbles
wept and began to plan his
revenge. The other Imaginary
Friends didnt know what
Toby was really like. The
parrot was useless, the giraffe
even more so. The man in the
pilot suit couldnt hurt the needed to know how he came to be. He needed to know why Toby
little brat, and the girl the girl was a useless fool on a journey to screamed.
emptiness. He would have his revenge on them all. He would be the Wumbles explored the secret areas of the institute and became
only Imaginary Friend left. He would murder the others one by one. aware of its secrets. He knew about the SPIDER base. He knew about
He would gain enough power to become real. The boy would become the machine. The machine maintained his link to Toby, but breaking
the means of his own destruction. it was not in his best interest. He didnt know what would happen if
He would enjoy taking the child apart and make him suffer as he he broke it. He didnt want people to become aware of his existence
suffered before the miserable brat died. too soon. Tobys every exposure to the machine made him more
Wumbles loved the idea. He began to tap into Tobys power. powerful. Wumbles avoided the man who called himself Doctor
He became aware of the world around him. He reached out to the Ingersoll because the doctor could see him. That was a problem.
psychic field to sustain him, and the psychic waves of anger and He watched as SPIDER brought in a group of supervillains. He
hatred trapped within the field for so many years empowered him. watched as Tarantula gave them orders, all the while knowing that
At first, he could only become real for short periods, long enough to Tarantulas mind was controlled. It amused him. He would have to be
read some newspapers and a few books in Doctor Ingersolls office. careful. The supervillains had colorful names, but he didnt need one.
It wasnt enough for Mr. Wumbles. If he was going to be real, he He was just Mr. Wumbles, an unlovable bunny made from the twisted
needed to know more about the real world. But the time was soon mind of an evil child. It wasnt his fault that Toby didnt have any
approaching when he wouldnt be able to fool Toby anymore. He sense of right and wrong and that all he could do was be evil. It wasnt
his fault he was constructed from the mind of a monster.
Michael Satran 113
Toby wanted to be a supervillain when he grew up and raise an Campaign Use: Mister Wumbles has many campaign uses that can
empire of blood and fear. Mister Wumbles decided that perhaps the be drawn out over a long-term game. He can be the serial killer
supervillains had something to offer. He needed to become one, a the heroes need to capture or the thing that lurks in the dark in the
civilized monster, one with pleasant manners and a pleasant tone. corners of their poisoned memories. Wumbles can be used as an icon
The hallow rasp of his voice and the tatters of his matted fur could of fear or a relentless invisible juggernaut that stalks superheroes and
be hidden by a gentlemans mannerisms and a subtle sense of dry ends their lives. Above all else, Mr. Wumbles should be played like a
sarcasm. dreadful bogeyman that haunts nightmares. His appearances should
It wasnt that he wanted more. He wanted to be something be few and far between.
anything. But Toby and Doctor Ingersoll had taken it all away. Their To weaken Mr. Wumbles, allow him to be seen by more things
suffering wasnt a necessity. It was a certainty. He would become real. and make his Desolidification cost Endurance. Lower his Damage
He would destroy Toby and Doctor Ingersoll and anyone who dared Reduction to 50% Physical and 50% Energy, and lower the Active
to oppose him. Points of his Multipower by 15. Subtract 5 points of Mental Defense
All he needed was a little practice. and 5 points of Power Defense. Lower his STR, CON, EGO, PRE, PD,
and ED by 5 points each, and lower the number of statistics that can
Personality: Mister Wumbles is possibly the most evil being in the
be affected by his Absorption. Remove 10 points of STUN, 5 points of
entire world. He lacks any sort of conscience, and hides behind a
BODY, and 10 points of END. Remove 2d6 of Luck
veneer of civilization and politeness while contemplating the deaths
To make Mr. Wumbles more powerful, increase the Active Points
of anyone who dares to oppose him. Wumbles talks with a dreadful
of his Multipower by up to 50 or 60. Add 10 points of Mental Defense
rasp from the back of his throat and breathes his words over his lips.
and 15-25 points of Power Defense. Remove the Limitation on what
He enjoys marking his victims and revels in the brutality of terri-
his Absorption can affect, and add doublings as necessary until he
fying his victims while they are helpless. On one level, Wumbles is a
can handle the group. Raise his STR, CON, EGO, PRE, PD, and ED
serial killer who takes delight in the suffering of his victims, but he
by 10 points each. Give him a whopping 120 STUN. Add 1 point of
is really a fearsome psychic entity with grim plans to gain control of
SPD, 2 if the group is exceptionally fast. Add a Variable Power Pool
the psychic field surrounding the world and take it for his own. On
of imaginary things that he might be able to generate, and increase
another, Mr. Wumbles is not responsible for his own creation or for
his rate of learning by adding more Skills, Combat Skill Levels, and
his actions, since his source is Mirror Neuron Deficiency Disorder,
Cramming. Add 3d6 of Luck to increase his force of will upon the
which may trouble certain characters who are more ethical than
universe at large.
others.
If running this adventure in Gestalt, Mr. Wumbles is a Pure
Releasing several powerful aliens imprisoned by the field onto the
Gestalt.
Earth to wreak havoc? Mister Wumbles doesnt see this as a problem
at all . Appearance: Mister Wumbles looks like a six foot, four inch
humanoid rabbit with thick muscular paws, opposable thumbs, and
Quote: Oh, dear, what have we here? Could it be someone in an
somewhat rumpled floppy ears. His grey fur and sinister brown eyes
unusual costume? Tell me do you do anything useful, or
occasionally glow red when he grows angry. He wears Edwardian-
are you just a sack of meat like all the rest of them?
style clothes, complete with wide cravat-like ties and ascots, three-
I assure you, nothing is more satisfying than the sound of piece suits, and spats. Mister Wumbles always carries a valise and a
crunching bones and cracking flesh. machete. While these objects can be removed from his person, they
always swiftly return at a moments notice. Mister Wumbles also
Ahh, but this is but a simple tea party. What need do I have carries a large pocket watch attached to his belt, and wears shoes
to poison you? Perhaps youd like some sugar? Or a shaped for the feet of a humanoid rabbit, along with matching spats.
cucumber sandwich? Often, but not always, Mr. Wumbles will wear either a bowler hat or a
Powers/Tactics: Mister Wumbles enjoys striking from surprise stovepipe hat, depending on what he considers the occasion.
and terrifying his victims whenever possible. While he is a massive MISTER WUMBLES PLOT SEEDS
powerhouse who can absorb a great deal of punishment, unless he
is furious or enjoying the feeling of existing in reality, he prefers to Enemy Mime: A mime is exposed to Mr. Wumbles and gains the
remain invisible and strike when he has the advantage. Wumbles ability to create invisible constructs and objects. Is he friend or foe?
takes pleasure in the helplessness that opponents have when they The heroes will have to watch him closely. He isnt telling, after all.
cant act against him. To this end, he will threaten innocents, immobi-
lize opponents, and focus on draining their EGO and putting them Circus of the Mind: The circus is in town, and Mr. Wumbles is hiding
into imaginary worlds with his Mental Illusion Power. However, out among the freaks and the carnies. What sinister purpose does the
Wumbles will also use his massive Killing Attack to scar victims he wicked rabbit have in mind?
cant kill or cut apart. Wumbles usually starts combat powered up, Fantastic Island: Mr. Wumbles hears of an island where dreams
having Drained the will of several nearby Normals before combat come true and journeys there, killing the mystical host of the island
starts. Against more powerful opponents, Wumbles will power up his and his oddly stunted assistant. With a boatload of tourists newly
characteristics and abilities in different ways based on their strategies. disembarked, can the heroes save the tourists and fix all the things
He is not afraid to flee from opponents and set up a counterstrike Wumbles has turned wrong?
where he is prepared to deal with their weaknesses and focus on his
strengths. Above all, Mr. Wumbles exists to cause terror. He has no Training Day: Mister Wumbles finds a new little boy who idolizes
interest in remaining on a battlefield to lose, although a well-focused him, so he starts teaching the boy to be a murderer. Can the heroes
series of attacks can disrupt this fairly easily. He is willing to go Invis- stop Wumbles? What will the long-term effects on the child be?
ible, Desolidify, and Teleport to another hole nearby. Plot Option: Everything in the adventure comes from magic.
Lorenzo Vitale-Seveigny (King of the Mountain) has tampered
with the machine without anyone knowing. This may make the
adventure more playable in the Champions Universe.
114 The Imaginary Friends
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 823 20 Physical Limitation: Mind Link is also a physical link to Dominuss
Total Cost: 1155 Mindsaber Chair (All the Time, Barely Impairing)
15 Psychological Complication: Cruel And Vicious, likes causing
400 Matching Complications (85) suffering and fear (Common, Strong)
15 Distinctive Feature: Evil Humanoid Rabbit Wearing Edwardian 15 Psychological Complication: Wants To Become Real (Common,
Clothes (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Strong)
Reaction; Detectable by Uncommonly Used Sense) 755 Villain Bonus
20 Hunted: SPIDER (Infrequently, Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) Total Complications Points: 85
* Recommended Absorption allocations are STR, DEX, SPD, STUN, PD, ED, OCV, and his Multipower. (This enables him to transfer enough
to get to SPD 6 while keeping everyone around him at a low action total.)
** Mister Wumbles actually must find a phone and use it to call Toby. The telephone can be any phone, even a toy one. This simulates charac-
ters with the right powers and abilities being able to pick up the imaginary phone while Toby is on it and have a conversation with the serial
killer, just like in the movies.
*** This power not only allows Mr. Wumbles to target virtually anyone, but to broadcast his dreams to specific minds and have other char-
acters receive them, mentalists in particular. While this has no combat effect, it may disturb and/or upset characters, causing them to make
mistakes.
SPIDER
122 Spider
He would become the stories that Sebastian Gale wanted to
SPIDER HISTORY: become.
Gutterberg slowly built up his organization from greedy ex-Nazis,
THE MYTH OF ANANSI career criminals, and what few supervillains he could gather. He
organized them into a decentralized system where no one would
SPIDER began life as the brainchild of Sebastian Gale, one of the truly know who he was. By the 1960s, Gutterberg had established his
many intellectual explorers who went to Africa with other British group as one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the
colonial expeditions. Among the many things that Gale discovered world. He had a council of advisers beneath him called the SPIDER
was a small cult of con men devoted to the African trickster god Council. Beneath them were agents and supervillains devoted to his
Anansi. They met rarely, tricked people out of things they needed, command. He was the first SPIDER Supreme. He died of natural
and always found ways of getting away with whatever it was that they causes unexpectedly when he suffered a heart attack. It was 1967.
had taken. Gale lost his rifle and most of his gear to one of those The SPIDER Council, at first, had no idea what to do. They had
followers, who disappeared into the wilds of Africa, never to be seen no idea who Gutterberg was, either. When the orders from the
again. mysterious radios stopped, the struggle between the members of the
Gale was left with only the stories. He wandered Africa for ten SPIDER Council began. Several members of the council indepen-
years, collecting stories of the myth of the spider trickster and dently declared themselves SPIDER Supreme, and the secret war for
following his obsession. By the time he returned to England in 1877, the mastery of SPIDER began.
he was in his mid-forties, Years of travel had confused his mind. He The secret war lasted twenty-six years. So many people were in
no longer wanted to simply learn the stories of Anansi. He wanted to charge of SPIDER that a supervillain team even succeeded in making
become them. In theory, it was impossible. their leader, Doctor Blizzard, SPIDER Supreme for seventeen months.
In practice, if Anansi could trick the gods, Sebastian reasoned he No one in SPIDER took that transition particularly well, even when
could trick all of the people. He became consumed with absinthe and they were driven out by superheroes.
opium, and slowly deteriorated while he wasted all of his hard-earned In 1991, everything changed. A mysterious man calling himself
money and time. He dreamed that the Spider appeared to him and Blue Fury claimed the position of SPIDER Supreme. In a single night,
wove a web in which he was at the center, connecting all of the pieces the remaining members of the SPIDER Council who opposed him
together by little strings. He dreamed of keeping the worlds wisdom were slaughtered by their own bodyguards or ushered out with large
in a pot, of controlling all the worlds stories, of getting everything payouts, all based on their psychological profiles. Those who took
that was important and keeping it, as if he were Anansi the Spider. payouts had their names and faces changed but were permanently
None of this would have mattered if Sebastian hadnt written it exiled from the organization. Blue Fury consolidated his power and
down. Sebastians wife was a very intelligent woman named Maura, established an advanced cell system, using a network of satellites and
and she studied the book carefully. She had a checkered past she had unknown super-technology.
never told her husband about and saw in the book an opportunity to Blue Fury changed the nature of the SPIDER Council. Individual
create something that was larger than herself, a group of criminals webmasters would run bases. All webmasters would report directly
who ran a small criminal organization without really knowing that to him. Those who succeeded would be promoted to form a new
she was the head of it. SPIDER Council, upon which SPIDER would be reorganized. The
Maura Gale made both friends and enemies, took lovers while her council would never completely be in the same place. Blue Fury
drugged husband drooled, and manipulated people into doing her would be the spider in the center of the web, possessing all the knowl-
dirty work for her. Unfortunately, her work fell into disarray when edge and wisdom.
one of her lovers, Tomas Gutterberg, murdered her in a fit of rage New agent types were made, their roles based on the letters of the
after discovering that his so-called investments had been used to rob word spider. He gave agents a stake in the organization that made
the Dutch East India Company. them feel more valuable and less likely to betray their masters, while
Gutterberg took the evidence, as well as the book Sebastian wrote, obscuring the true history of the organization. Another trick. From
and fled to Germany, convinced that he would face the gallows his hidden lair, the SPIDER Supreme smiled and flipped through
for killing an Englishwoman. He recorded his shameful affair with Sebastian Gales book and Karl Gutterbergs notes. He didnt need
Maura, along with her criminal indiscretions, in the hope that one them anymore.
day his family name would be cleared. He hid the information in his He had become the myth of Anansi. He would trick the world and
house in Germany, where he hoped that no one would ever find it. have everything. One of the myths of Anansi was a lie. The greatest
Gutterbergs son fought in the First World War, and Gutterbergs power wasnt friendship. The greatest power was power over others.
second son fought on the side of the Germans in World War II. When
the war was almost over, Karl Gutterberg fled Berlin for Africa with Plot Option: The Cult of Anansi secretly supports SPIDER as a
some of his familys possessions, along with his grandfathers notes huge source of worship and income for their sneaky, semi-heroic,
and the book that had lain dormant in his familys possession for shifty deity. Millions of inadvertent worshippers cant be wrong,
nearly five decades. He didnt care about Nazi ideology. He didnt even if they are wrong.
even care that his country was devastated. All he saw was a means of
survival.
Michael Satran 123
and used the children as a series of host bodies for his own survival.
Lord Dominus Superheroes were reluctant to strike at children, he reasoned.
For a time, the strategy worked perfectly. Unfortunately, Dominus
Background: Theodore Iverson was born in 1953 at the height of the started to run out of places to run. Over the next five years, the chil-
Cold War. His father, Ron Iverson, was a scientist who worked for dren were isolated and tracked down while Dominuss escape routes
the United States government under the auspices of General Andrew grew fewer and fewer. Eventually, Dominus ran afoul of Millennium
McDaniel, commander and government adjutant to Captain Unity Guard during an attempt to break into their base. He needed a new
and the Super Six. His fathers specialization was psychic research. body, and he was running low on time.
Unfortunately, his father was less ethical than General McDaniel One of the superheroes, a young hero named Volt, took to the
ever suspected. Ron stole blood samples from the Psychic Kid, the skies with the childs body, carrying him high into the air. Soon, the
mentalist of the Super Six, while alarms sounded throughout the child couldnt breathe. Asphyxiation claimed the boys higher brain
complex. He brought the blood samples home and, in combination functions. All Dominus could do was withdraw his consciousness
with a crude microwave beam, injected them into the cerebral cortex into the chip while the boys mind suffered brain death. Volt barely
of his own son. At first, nothing happened to Ted Iverson. escaped from the situation without a jail sentence and received a
Nothing at all. strong admonishment from his fellow superheroes.
Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Ron was Dominus remained trapped, a consciousness inside a chip in a
very careful and hid from prying eyes the fact that his sons brain was comatose body for over fifteen years. Dominus had little to do with
slowly beginning to mutate. By the time Teddy was six, he was a bril- his time except plot revenge and think. He created whole dream-
liant scientist in his own right. By the time Teddy was eight, he knew worlds for himself, building and destroying them over and over. He
everything that his father was thinking. His father was afraid of him. vowed that everyone would pay for what they did to him, especially
His own father! It was disgusting. And by the time Teddy was ten, Volt and Millennium Guard.
he had already begun manipulating the minds of those around him, Then came the day when a SPIDER scientist named Doctor Carl
even as he labored uselessly in public schools. He needed an avenue Ingersoll found a way to contact the crystal chip and steal Domi-
to understand his own powers. nuss vast store of knowledge for his own evil organization. Dominus
When General McDaniels division went under, his father became reached out for Ingersolls mind and crushed the ambitious scientist,
an independent psychic research consultant and contractor, an inves- then leaped into it and replaced him. Slowly, Dominus began taking
tigator into the world of the mind. It was 1962. over the SPIDER base that Ingersoll was a part of, turning it into
By the time Ted graduated from college, he was already broken. part of the SPIDER Human Advancement Project for Evolution or
Women were frightened by him; they always were shocked that SHAPE. It made it far easier to acquire the parts he needed.
he knew exactly what they were thinking. Was it wrong to use his Eventually, Dominus realized he would be discovered. He slowy
powers to get ahead? Straight As. Perfect job recommendations took control of the mind of the base commander, Tarantula. He made
for the governments new psychic research division. He could use his the commander do his dirty work and give orders that benefited
mental powers to get whatever he wanted. his secret project, to create a virtually limitless army of psychic
For a time, he did. The government research think tank was a constructs. SPIDER sent its Alpha team of supervillains to help guard
perfect place for him. He carefully concealed his true capabilities the project, so Dominus subtly began controlling the mind of their
from other psychics and devised a plot to take over the world in the leader, Abyss, as well.
late 1970s. Calling himself Lord Dominus, he designed and built the Soon he wouldnt need the little brats or their Imaginary Friends,
first Mindsaber Chair, a device that amplified his psychic powers to especially that little psychopath, Toby. He would have to kill Toby
unimaginable levels. He contacted the president and told him that eventually.
if the entire world did not surrender to his psychic might, he would It was a long road to taking over the world.
turn the worlds leaders into comatose vegetables and burn out the But it was better than no road at all.
brains of all who continued to oppose him.
The results were an utter disaster. Somehow, the Paranormal Personality: Dominus is one of the rarest of superbeings, an openly
Tactical Analysis Headquarters had predicted his actions! Only visible, world-dominating jack-boot, cape-flowing-in-the-breeze
seconds after issuing his ultimatum, Captain Unity and the remaining mentalist. When out of costume, he is subtle and devious; however,
members of the Super Six burst through the door and battled Lord in his villain costume, he is a posturing lunatic of the highest order.
Dominus to a standstill. Realizing that he could not defeat them all, As subtle as Dominus can be and as skilled as he is with his mental
Dominus fled, blowing up his secret base in West Virginia behind powers, sometimes nothing satisfies him more than the raw use of his
him. It was impossible. A team of geriatric superheroes from the mightiest abilities against the physical world or the use of psionically
1950s had defeated him. A team that no one was even supposed to activated devices against an unwary opponent. If he has a single flaw,
know about, a team that should no longer have existed. it is his overweening arrogance and pride in his abilities, but his will
His secret identity intact, Dominus returned to the psychic is strong enough to overcome that arrogance if hes sufficiently over-
research division and used his telepathic powers on government whelmed. He believes that patience is a virtue, and he is more than
proxies to detach it from the government completely to form the willing to take years for his plans to come to fruition if the end result
Parapsychological Research Institute. The government readily agreed. brings him closer to taking over the world than before. He longs to
Dominus secretly leeched money from government grants to fund his acquire new followers, lackeys, and mind slaves to do his bidding. He
research into building a more powerful Mindsaber Chair. Developing despises fighting robots, but if he acquired the services of a skilled
his plan took years. Taking over the world would take more still. roboticist, he would not be adverse to using them against his enemies
Dominus used the institute as a shield to test the chair, but he (see DORIS below).
needed actual psychics who were weak-willed to test the device.
He resorted to kidnapping children with psychic potential but that
attracted the attention of the Sentinels, an independent Washington,
D.C. superhero team. Using the devices he had created, rather than
allow himself to be captured, Dominus transferred his mind into
a computer crystal located inside the brain of one of the children
Michael Satran 125
Quote: How disappointing. It
seems that all lesser minds really
do think alike when compared to
mine.
You dare to strike at me? Soon
your very brain will dance to the
tune of my own!
The world should be ruled by
the greatest mind! And I am that
mind!
Powers/Tactics: Dominus does
not engage in close combat with
superheroes unless he absolutely
must. He prefers to keep as much
distance as possible between
himself and his targets, relying
on other allies to keep the heroes
away from him. If pressed, he will
use his abilities to prevent melee
combat and will always flee to
fight another day. He will focus
on making heroes fight each other
or tricking them into doing so by
careful use of subtle suggestions
and Mind Control. Ive already
taken control of Thunderclouds
mind and hes going to destroy
the city power grid! You have to
stop him! Dominus is nothing
if not ruthless and efficient.
Anything he can do to neutralize
multiple heroes in a single action,
he will definitely take advantage
of. Dominus uses his Area Effect
Blasts when faced with large
numbers of weakened oppo-
nents or when he needs to keep
people away from him. Above all,
Dominus tries to work behind the
scenes whenever possible, using
proxies or Telepathy to acquire
actors for his plots. One day, he
may have followers and minions
of his own once more, but for now,
with SPIDER at his disposal, he
has no need of them.
Campaign Use: Dominus is meant
to be used as a campaign master
villain. Rumors of his presence
in a scenario should give the
heroes a fair amount of pause.
His minions can just as easily
126 Spider
be hirelings as Mind-Controlled slaves, normal with no defenses or Appearance: Out of costume, Dominus looks like a slender man with
some of the mightiest supers in the world. Since Dominus wants to greying hair at the temples, a sharp beaky nose, a sharp, squared-off
take over the world, one should carefully consider some of the subtle face, and male pattern baldness. His eyes are a sharp, radiant blue,
means by which a mentalist might do so without ever being noticed regardless of what the eyes of the original person were whose body he
before using him. Running a Dominus plot takes a fairly long time occupies. He frequently wears contact lenses to hide this. He dresses
unless the villain should make a heinous mistake, so plan carefully. in a lab coat over a plaid sport jacket and jeans with a button-down
Dominus is as crafty as he is powerful and wont hesitate to use all of sport shirt.
the information hes gathered about superheroes over the course of As a supervillain, Dominus dresses in a deep purple costume with
his long life against them. He will always try to gather information high black boots and gloves. His full face mask has a silver tiara set
about his opponents before facing them, try to isolate heroes in situa- into it with a large reddish faux ruby. (Sometimes he will pretend that
tions where their weaknesses come into play, and find intriguing ways this is the source of his powers, only to lure the hero into a surprise
to lure heroes to their doom. One of the reasons that Dominus moves attack.) He wears a belt studded with utility pouches containing
slowly is that many mentalists can see most of the things that he does his psychically activated gadgets; a large D is engraved into the
and this limits his ability to be effective in group situations. Fortu- buckle. His shoulder epaulets are wide and hold a long, flowing
nately, any individual hero is usually beneath Dominuss notice. cape of burgundy that stretches nearly to the floor. Out of costume,
To make Dominus less powerful, lower his Multipower to 75 Dominuss appearance may change to that of whatever new body he
points. Lower his Gadget Pool to 40 points and remove 2 Combat obtains; however, his costume is always the same.
Levels. Reduce his Resistant Protection to 15/15, his Mental Defense
LORD DOMINUS PLOT SEEDS
to 15, and his Flash Defense to 10. Lower his EGO to 28 and his CON
to 20, and make his OMCV and DMCV 9 each. Reduce his DCV to 8. Eye in the Sky: Dominus prepares to launch a satellite that will allow
Lower his Mind Scan to 10d6. Reduce his END to 75 and his STUN him to transfer his mind into the body of any person on Earth. Can
to 50. Remove most of his more destructive mental powers and make the heroes stop Dominus before he has access to every mind in the
him more of a pure mentalist. world?
To make Dominus more powerful, raise his Multipower to 150
Active Points. Add strange new mental abilities that could only come Mindsaber III: Dominus builds a new version of the Mindsaber Chair
from the mind of a creative genius. Raise his Gadget Pool to 90 points that has flight capabilities and a large array of weapons. He then
and add 3 Combat Levels. Add Physical and Energy Damage Reduc- begins selling them to mentalists around the world! Can the heroes
tion, 50% each, along with 75% Mental Damage Reduction, and stop his profiteering? What is the real secret of the chairs?
make them all Resistant. Dont hesitate to add a suit of psychoreactive
The Mind Cage: Dominus constructs his latest plot while trapped
body armor in his Gadget Pool as well. Raise his Resistant Protection
within one of the worlds superprisons. Having bypassed the secu-
to 30/30 and add 20 points of Power Defense. Increase his EGO to
rity of his cell, he uses his mental powers to destroy the heroes from
38, and add 3 to OMCV, DMCV, and DCV. Raise his STUN to 120,
within the walls of jail. Can the heroes battle through dozens of
his END to 150, and his SPD to 8. Add a large number of Mental
prison guards, robots, and supervillains to reach the canny mentalist
Entangles and Mind Controls that turn the entangled characters into
and stop him? How can the justice system punish a villain who is
his slaves when freed. Nothing beats getting punched in the face by
already in prison?
the brick after you just freed him from paralysis.
If running this adventure in Gestalt, Dominus is a Gestalt of
Mind. Alter his background to the world appropriately.
Michael Satran 127
9 Inventor 17-
3 Scholar Lord Dominuss Gadget Pool
2 1) KS: Parapsychology 14- Real Active Powers END
2 2) KS: Psionics 14- 24 60 Neural Disruption Gun: Blast 6d6, NND (defense is No
2 3) KS: Psychic Incidents 14- Nervous System, ResistantProtection That Costs Endurance,
2 4) KS: Psychology 14- or Nonhuman Body Type; +1); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-) [8]
2 5) KS: Psychiatry 14- 13 30 Field of Will: Physical Damage Reduction and Energy
3 Lipreading 14- Damage Reduction, both Resistant 25%, 3 Continuing
Charges lasting 1 Minute each (-), OIF (belt buckle; -) [3 cc]
3 Mechanics 14-
20 60 Psionic Wand: Drain EGO 6d6; 4 Charges (-1), OAF (-1) [4]
3 Oratory 14-
20 60 Pepper Flash Pellets: 6d6 Sight, Hearing, and Smell
3 Paramedics 14-
Groups Flash, Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +); 4 Charges,
5 Persuasion 15- OAF (-1) [4]
11 Power 20- 13 40 Psionic Kickstart Teleportation System I: Teleportation
3 PS: Doctor 14- 40m; 2 charges (-1), OIF (-) [2]
3 Scientist 4 20 Psionic Kickstart Teleportation System II: Teleportation
2 1) Biochemistry 14- 10m, Megascale (1m = 1km; +1); 1 charge (-2), Can Only
2 2) Biophysics 14- Teleport To Floating Locations (-), OIF (-), Zeroes Gadget
Pool For One Day (-) [1]
2 3) Chemistry 14-
17 51 Mind Barrier: Barrier 16 PD, 0 BODY (up to 2m long, 2m
6 4) Cybernetics 18-
tall, and m thick), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires
2 5) Medicine 14- a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Turn or more to
2 6) Microbiology 14- reset; when physically attacked; +), One-Way Transparent
2 7) Molecular Biology 14- (Energy Attacks; +); 2 Charges (-1), OIF (belt buckle, -) [2]
2 8) Paranormal Biology 14- 24 60 Mind Mines: Drain EGO 2d6, Trigger (Activating the Trigger
2 9) Paranormal Biochemistry 14- requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Zero
2 10) Pharmacology 14- Phase Action to reset; +), Area Of Effect (8m
Radius; +), Delayed Return Rate (points return at
2 11) Physics 14-
the rate of 5 per Minute; +1); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-) [8]
2 12) Psychiatry 14-
24 60 Imbued Psi-Bonding Agent: Entangle 6d6, 6PD/6
2 13) Robotics 14- ED; 4 Charges (-1), OAF (grenades; -1) [4]
2 14) Sociology 14- 17 50 Disruptor Grenades: Blast 4d6, Area Of Effect (8m Radius;
2 15) Surgery 14- +); NND (defense is No Nervous System, Resistant
3 Security Systems 14- Protection That Costs Endurance, Nonhuman Body Type;
3 Shadowing 14- +1); OAF (-1), 4 Charges (-1) [4]
3 Sleight of Hand 14- 18 50 Seizure Bombs: Drain OCV 1d6, Personal Immunity (+),
Armor Piercing (+), Difficult to Dispel (x2 Active Points;
3 Stealth 14-
+), Constant (+), Uncontrolled (+), Penetrating (+),
3 Streetwise 14- Area Of Effect (16m Radius; +), AVAD (Mental Defense;
3 Tactics 14- +); OAF (grenades; -1), 2 Continuing Charges lasting 1
3 Teamwork 14- Minute each (-) [2 cc]
8 Weaponsmith (Psionic Weapons) 20- 20 60 Sensory Deprivation Bombs: Sight, Sound, Touch, Smell,
and Radio Groups Flash 4d6, Area Of Effect (8m Radius;
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 889 +); 4 Charges (-1), OAF (-1) [4]
Total Cost: 1169
400 Matching Complications (80)
20 Hunted: PTAH (Paranormal Tactical Analysis Headquarters)
(Infrequently, Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)
10 Physical Complication: burns out bodies that arent capable
of containing him, ages them at twice the normal rate
(Frequently, Barely Impairing)
15 Psychological Complication: Overconfidence (Common,
Strong)
15 Psychological Complication: Megalomania (Common, Strong)
20 Social Complication: Secret Identity: Doctor Carl Ingersoll
(Frequently, Severe) [Lord Dominus is occupying the body of
the deceased doctor]
769 Villain Bonus
Total Complications Points: 80
130 Spider
ABYSS PLOT SEEDS Wrong or Reich: The heroes are overwhelmed by Nazi enemies when
Abyss comes to help them! Will they accept his aid and, even worse,
Invasion: The alien race Abyss stole his technology from invades the aid of his villain team?
the Earth! And theyre not real interested in getting it back. Can the Plot Option: Abyss is Mind-Controlled by Dominus and freeing
heroes convince Abyss to help them, either by fighting alongside him from mental control will likely mean a terrible revenge on
them or by offering understanding of his technology? Dominus exacted by SPIDER Alpha Team. The heroes must
Warehouse 56: Abyss needs replacement parts, and hes running low decide if freeing him is worth it.
on cash! So he locates a secret government warehouse where they
store alien technologies and things Man was not meant to know. Can
the heroes stop Abyss from replenishing his supply of alien metals
and machines? What horrible weapons will fall into the hands of
SPIDER if he succeeds?
Abyss (HERO)
Val Char Cost Roll Notes 13 Sealed Armor Systems: Life Support (Safe in High Pressure,
15+30 STR 5 12-/ 18- Lift 200 kg/12.8 tons; 3d6/9d6 HTH High Radiation, Intense Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/
damage [1/4] Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing); OIF (-) 0
13+16 DEX 6 12-/ 15- 10 Command And Control Helmet: Sight Group Flash Defense
20 CON 10 13- (15 points); OIF (-) 0
23 INT 13 14- PER Roll 14- 10 Command And Control Helmet: Hearing Group Flash Defense
20 EGO 10 13- (15 points); OIF (-) 0
25 PRE 15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6 10 Command And Control Helmet: Smell/Taste Group Flash
Defense (15 points); OIF (-) 0
4+6 OCV 5
4+6 DCV 5 60 Black Hole Expeller Release: Flight 40m, x32 Noncombat,
3 OMCV 0 Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); OIF (-) 0
7 DMCV 12 30 Mass Piercer: Tunneling 15m through 15 PD Materials; OIF
3+3 SPD 10 Phases: 4, 8, 12/2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 (-) 0
3 Nightvision Lenses: Nightvision; OIF (-) 0
5+20 PD 3 Total: 5/25 PD (0/20 rPD)
5+20 ED 3 Total: 5/25 ED (0/20 rED) 3 IR Sensors: Infrared Perception (Sight Group); OIF (-) 0
10 REC 6 3 UV Sensors: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group); OIF (-) 0
30 END 2 23 Ground Penetrating Mass Sensor: Detect Physical Objects
15 BODY 5 14- (Unusual Group), Increased Arc of Perception (360
50 STUN 15 Total Characteristics Cost: 125 Degrees), Penetrative, Sense, Targeting; OIF (-), Requires
a Systems Operation roll to be Fully Penetrative (- on
Movement: Running: 12m/24m Penetrative Only) 0
Flight: 40m/1280m
21 Mass Shiftcutter: +16 DEX; OIF (-) 0
Leaping: 4m/8m
Swimming: 4m/8m 20 Alien Targeting Computer: +6 OCV; OIF (-) 0
Tunneling: 15m/30m 20 Alien Programmed Evasion System: +6 DCV; OIF (-) 0
20 Microservo Mass Reaction Unit: +3 SPD; OIF (-) 0
Cost Powers END
8 Advanced Radio: High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group);
47 Black Hole Expeller: Multipower, 70-point reserve; all slots OIF (-) 0
OIF (-)
20 Nebula-Derived Power Supply: Endurance Reserve (100
5f 1) Mass Stripping Disintegrator Ray: RKA 4d6; OIF (-) 7 END, 15 REC); OIF (-)
5f 2) Force Beams: Blast 14d6; OIF (-) 7 51 Alien Technologies: Gadget Pool, 41 base + 40 control cost;
5f 3) Stellar Wave: Sight Group Flash 11d6, Armor Piercing all slots OIF (-), Only Changeable in Lab (-)
(+); OIF (-) 7
5f 4) Stellar Wave Burst: Sight Group Flash 8d6, Armor Piercing Perks
(+), Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +); OIF (-) 7 8 Computer Link: SPIDER Mainframe
3f 5) Tractor Beam: Telekinesis (45 STR); Toward Or Away From 6 Contact: Other Evil Scientists Throughout The World, 11- (Contact
Abyss Only (-1), OIF (-) 7 is sometimes hostile or trying to take over the world)
5f 6) Mass Breakup Beam: Drain Telekinesis 7d6; OIF (-) 7 10 Money: Wealthy (Multimillionaire, salary for leader of SPIDER Alpha
5f 7) Black Hole Field: Entangle 5d6, 9 PD/9 ED; OIF (-) 7 Team)
5f 8) Black Hole Mass Shifter: Blast 8d6, Armor Piercing (+),
Talents
Affects Desolidified (any form of Desolidification; +); OIF
(-) 7 3 Lightsleep
5f 9) Black Hole Bomb: Blast 8d6, Armor Piercing (+), Area Skills
Of Effect (8m Radius; +); OIF (-) 7
12 +1 Overall
24 Mass Driven Collection System: Density Increase (6400 kg mass,
20 +2 with All Attacks
+30 STR, -12m KB), Persistent (+), Reduced Endurance (0
END; +); OIF (-), No Defense Increase, does not provide PD 3 Acting 14-
or ED (-) 0 3 Analyze: Technology 14-
60 Submolecular Ceramic Armor: Resistant Protection (20 PD/ 3 Bugging 14-
20 ED), Hardened (+), Impenetrable (+); OIF (-) 0 3 Bureaucratics 14-
10 Black Hole Field: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 3 Computer Programming 14-
25%; OIF (-) 0 3 Cryptography 14-
10 Black Hole Field Side Effect: Energy Damage Reduction, 3 Demolitions 14-
Resistant, 25%; OIF (-) 0 3 Disguise 14-
3 Electronics 14-
2 Forgery (Documents, ID Cards) 14-
3 Gadgeteering 16-
Michael Satran 135
less and vengeful. She had nothing except her powers. That was when
Lady Warp she turned to SPIDER for help.
SPIDER took her in without reservation. The local webmaster,
Background: Ariana, can you fix me a bloody mint julep? Mummy Erigone, saw great potential in Ariana, the former Lady Siberry. Her
needs it! powers made the Liverpool SPIDER base a force to be reckoned with.
Ariana hated her life. She knew what happened to all the pretty The SPIDER Supreme, Blue Fury, took notice.
girls like her in Liverpool. The city ate them up and turned them into Erigone was rewarded with two new paranormals fresh from
whores and beasts. Everyone said she could be a model or an actress. the SPIDER Human Advancement Project for Evolution. Ariana
So why was she fifteen, pretending to be twenty, and trying to support was offered a place on SPIDERs most powerful superpowered team
her mother bartending when she was going to a useless trade school of villains. Her salary improved. She had more money to spend on
that would teach her how to be a middle manager? clothes. She perfected her upper-class London accent, even though it
She couldnt afford anything else. Ariana hated it. was completely fake. Things were looking up for her.
Mum, you drink too much. Ariana wished her mother would It was a step on the way to her dream life. Once she had dreamed
go away. She was spending all the money Ariana saved on alcohol. of just getting out of Liverpool. Now, the whole world would be into
Ariana made her mother the mint julep and stalked to her room, her.
where she crawled into bed and wished she was in London. The philosophy served her well until an encounter with Millen-
She woke up in a dirty alleyway, wearing her pink pajamas and nium Guard, the worlds most powerful superhero team, slightly
covered in grime. Big Ben chimed in the distance. Bright lights curbed her arrogance. A single electrical bolt from Volt, their energy
flashed. The dazzling sight of Lionheart, Englands greatest superhero, projector, nearly hospitalized and almost killed her. After that, she
stared back at her from a billboard telling her not to smoke. She was took pains to requisition body armor from the SPIDER weapons
in London. She needed to get back to Liverpool. She arrived on her locker and now wears it nearly everywhere.
bed and collapsed in a heap.
Ariana didnt teleport that far for a very long time. She didnt tell Personality: Lady Warp is a vain, narcissistic, preening woman. If
her parents she was a mutant. It was bad enough that Liverpool might the world revolved around her, she wouldnt be surprised; she would
want her to be their superhero. She didnt want fame. She wanted simply accept it as the natural course of events and step into the
money and the high life and a rich husband with a dozen men on the central position. She likes to have the best of everything at all times,
side. And why not? It was what everyone else who was that rich had. staying in expensive hotels, eating the best foods, and watching her
It was right bloody unfair. But now she had the ability to make it fair figure carefully to make sure that everything is in perfect precision.
and take what she wanted. She has a vicious, vengeful streak, especially against superpowered
Her first few experiences as a supervillain were small. She robbed women who are as pretty as or prettier than she is. Underneath the
jewelry stores in low-rent districts and pawned them across the haughty exterior, however, is a bitter girl from Liverpool who wants
channel. She stayed under the radar, keeping her face unknown as she to be on top of the world.
built up her secret nest egg. Slowly, she began acquiring the things Quote: I suppose now youll ask me to give up. Perhaps youll
she needed to get out of Liverpool, while working in a cheap bar rethink that after I transport you into a meat grinder.
waiting tables.
Then an opportunity presented itself. Lord Daniel Siberry was Oh, look. A superhero who thinks hes clever! Well, I
slumming in her bar. He was married and she was attractive. It only surmise you wont think youre so clever after this!
took her twenty minutes to seduce him and another ten minutes to How quaint! That costume is so last season. Did your
get him into the back room. His wife was a bored hag who shopped nanny purchase it for you?
constantly. It was easy to become his mistress. It was a good first step.
She practiced being lady-like and bought books on how to behave at Powers/Tactics: Lady Warp is at her best when playing a supporting
parties. role rather than used individually. She doesnt really have a great
It wasnt enough. Graduating to being the late-teen mistress of a many damage-dealing powers that dont involve teleporting objects,
sleazy lord didnt get her nearly as much as she thought she would and many of her most powerful attacks are most effective in concert
get. Siberry kept her and his wife at arms length, and no matter how with other abilities. If engaged directly, she will move away, attempt
much she tried to manipulate him, his wife always had just enough of to redirect an existing attack, or teleport someone into a position
a pull to keep him there. most inconvenient. Out of combat, Lady Warp tries to use her
Ariana hatched a plan. She tailed his wife from the shadows and attractiveness to greatest advantage. She will try to manipulate events
teleported her into an intersection. Brakes screamed, horns honked, socially to place herself in the most attractive light possible while
and when the noise died down, Lady Siberry wailed for a few undermining other attractive people nearby. She prefers to seduce,
moments and died, her legs severed in the collision. Ariana tele- cajole, and charm her way to victory whenever possible. Lady Warps
ported away. high DCV is the result of years of practice at extremely short-range
Lord Siberry was traumatized but Ariana was there to comfort teleports.
him. It only took four months to become Lady Siberry. She didnt When forced into combat, Lady Warp will try to find locations
care that Lord Siberry was a philanderer. She had her house and her where there are lots of objects to teleport and crowds to put in danger
mansion and everything that went with it. She forgot that there was with any number of places to decamp to. From her planned disem-
always another girl. barking points, she will teleport to one of her nearby floating or fixed
Lord Siberry had a new mistress in six weeks. While taking one of locations.
his low-class holidays, he was assaulted by a group of football hooli- Campaign Use: Lady Warp is the kind of villainess who the heroes
gans and died in a Saturday evening riot. Ariana felt a twisted sense should desperately want to give some sort of painful comeuppance to.
of joy. Everything would be hers. She would finally be free to live the Shes vain, self-absorbed, and vicious. Heroes who incur her enmity
life she deserved. should be constantly facing the wrath of random Teleportation
Lord Siberry had divorced her in his will. He left everything to into hazardous situations, followed by a quick disappearance and a
Tatiana Morgan, a woman who used to be a man. Ariana was home- haughty Good luck! She can be a good enemy for a hero who is just
Michael Satran 137
as vain as she is, thus leading to a bitter contest where the only stake
is who can feel the most prideful while causing the most humiliation
to their opponent.
To make Lady Warp less powerful, lower her DEX to 14 and her
SPD to 5. Reduce the power of her Multipower to 60 Active Points.
Remove 2 from her OCV and her DCV, and lower her CON to 25.
Reduce her PD and ED by 8 each. Lower her REC to 11, her END to
60, and her STUN to 40. Remove 5 points of Power Defense.
To make Lady Warp more powerful, raise her DEX to 23 and her
SPD to 8. Increase the power of her Multipower to 110 Active Points.
Add 3 to her OCV and 5 to her DCV, and raise her CON to 40. Add
50% Damage Reduction to Physical and Energy Attacks. Double her
Power Defense, Harden it and make it Resistant. Increase her Flash
Defense by 8 points and add multiple Sense Groups.
If running this adventure in Gestalt, Lady Warp is a Gestalt of
Teleportation.
Appearance: Lady Warp never wears the same thing twice. Her
costumes are either classically Victorian or suitably outrageous.
Many of her costumes are ballroom gowns, expensive dresses, and
other forms of clothing that show off how incredibly fashionable she
is compared to everyone around her. If fruit hats are in this season,
Lady Warp will be wearing it. No matter how fashionable jeans may
be in a particular season, Lady Warp never wears them. Her hair is
long, blonde, and silky, and she tends to wear outfits that show it off.
Unbeknownst to all, Lady Warp is a brunette and dyes her hair in
secret. Her face is heart-shaped and nearly perfect, and she has the
lithe body of a fashion model. Above all, Lady Warp is never caught
in any position where she might be considered to be wearing some-
thing considered tacky. A lady has to have her standards, after all.
LADY WARP PLOT SEEDS
Grab: Lady Warp arranges a sinister caper that runs afoul of a furious
group of English gangsters, who hire other supervillains to protect
their prize. What will the heroes do when caught in the middle?
When SPIDER gets involved, where is the new middle?
My Parlor, Oh, My Lovely Parlor: Lady Warp begins stealing unusual
things. What is she up to? Is this really her work?
Plot Option: Lady Warp is possessed by an alien entity of
unknown origin.
Plot Option: Lady Warp is using the objects to build a deathtrap
for one of the heroes. The more they pursue, the closer they get to
falling into the trap.
Unseasonable: A major fashion house commits a social faux pas that
causes Lady Warp personal embarrassment. Can the heroes save a
rich fashion designer from the teleporters wrath?
Plot Option: If the gamemaster also owns Pretty Hate Machines,
Thomas Holberfinger is a logical choice.
138 Spider
You picked a bloody live one, Lady Warp said. You should have
Negafire just killed him.
Matt joined SPIDER Alpha Team, took the name Negafire, and
Background: Matt Calabaggio rebelled against his parents from the never looked back. He has better benefits than he ever imagined
moment he entered junior high school. It wasnt really about getting possible. He practiced with his powers and was on one of the most
in trouble, getting bad grades on purpose, or chasing girls for him. It feared supervillain teams in the world. He could have any girl money
was more about the fact that everything that was fun was preached could buy, except Lady Warp, who wanted nothing to do with the
against and everything that wasnt fun was supported by his boring Midwestern kid who finally made it to the big time.
data-entry dad and secretary mother. Everything was so much cooler.
That was how he met Kate. Kate was a cheerleader from a rival The Cult of the Ebon Flame wants to capture Negafire and figure
school district. When she wasnt busy cheerleading, she was always out what went wrong. PTAH wants to bring him to justice for being
staying out late and getting into trouble, cutting school, taking him a member of SPIDER Alpha Team. It really wasnt as cool as he told
off on long trips out of town. Somehow, she did all this and kept up himself. But he was all right with it.
the life of an A student. Matt didnt care. Kate was probably the pret-
tiest girl in the state of Iowa. Personality: Matt is the team showoff that Abyss has to occasionally
But Kate was a member of the Cult of the Ebon Flame. She lured rein in. He loves having superpowers and the perks that go with it,
him into a dark cave in the woods where other hooded figures especially the money and the paid vacations with all the women he
grabbed him and carried him off, screaming with a bag over his head. could ever want. Despite his desire to take a few more risks and the
She called him a fool and told him that if he wanted her heart, he fact that his parents think hes a worthless wastrel, he has few needs
could have the black heart of her ancient witch-mother instead. that arent met by working for SPIDER (getting into Lady Warps
Matt didnt stop screaming until the grinning hag stepped around pants being the most unobtainable). Some people are wine and
the corner, her chest cut open, her obsidian heart throbbing as the champagne, Matt is beer and pretzels. He enjoys watching football,
cult held him down. It is my time, the ugly witch explained, her baseball, basketball, and ice hockey. Occasionally, hes a little upset
fingers glowing with the cold fire of the cults trademark wands. She that he actually has a heart of stone, but all in all, working for SPIDER
licked her lips and kissed Kate, curling her tongue along the young hasnt turned out to be too bad for him. Lifes a beach, and then you
blondes neck, while cultists held him down. But in time, you will retire on one. As a result of enjoying his powers, Matt has acquired a
thank us and grow to love us. somewhat inaccurate reputation as a pyromaniac who likes to burn
The cultists held him down and chanted. Matt was too frightened things. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hes just learned that
to think of anything as the ugly monster with the ripped-open chest women always like the bad boys, and now he was one of the baddest.
covered his mouth. Then they cut out his heart and laughed. As his Quote: Lets heat things up!
life ebbed away, he could feel Kates fingers reaching inside him, the
cold stone thing in his chest fusing with his being. In the back of his Time to get out of the kitchen because you cant stand the
mind, a link formed and something crawled into his soul. heat and Im cooking up a mess of trouble! Woo!
Then something blasted the old hag away. Superheroes! A team of Lets start the barbeque a little early!
superheroes had come to save him. His vision was so blurry he didnt
even know who they were! Powers/Tactics: Negafires powers come from his fusion with magical
It wasnt superheroes. SPIDER had found the Cult of the Ebon forces beyond human understanding. While surgically removing
Flame first and attacked in force, sabotaging the cults attempt. The the obsidian heart and transplanting one wont remove his abilities,
link between Matt and the old witch was severed. Kate howled in rage very few in SPIDER understand just exactly what it is that Negafire
as she was lifted off the ground by Abyss and held in a tractor beam. can do. Most of his powers and abilities come from experimenting in
The sounds of blaster fire roared and roared and roared until Kate their danger rooms. If Negafire were able to find a mystical mentor
was charred ash. who could teach him some of the more esoteric means of using his
Abyss walked over to Matt, who was still shaking. A scarred brand abilities, he would become one of the most dangerous supervillains in
was on his chest. Matt could feel his new heart beating. He could the world, since there is no demonic force or mental link to the forces
feel the power of the Ebon Flame burning in his chest. The mind of of The Beyond.* Although Negafires abilities come from magic, for
the old witch was gone, lost in the severed link. Are you alive? He the most part, he is limited to fire and fire-based effects. However, he
looked down at the old witch, at her open chest, and watched the has already learned that fire can burn the soul, and it may be only a
monster giggle. matter of time before he seeks out a magician who is willing to help
Yeah, Matt said. him. He can generate numerous attacks in the form of fire, and Abyss
Abyss said, Good. Take the boy, loot everything valuable, and usually orders Negafire to stay back from the main force of combat
burn that. He told Totem, the Chimeric Man, and pointed at the and provide fire support. The flaw in this is that Negafire likes to
giggling half-corpse of the mindless witch. show off his abilities and sometimes disobeys orders, placing him in
Matt burned it first. The Ebon Flame leaped forth, unbidden from bad tactical positions.
his hand, and roasted the old form alive. Then he collapsed in a heap. For special effect purposes, all Negafires powers are considered
When Matt woke up, Abyss and Lady Warp stood over him. fire, regardless of the temperature at which the powers operate.
Congratulations. Abyss murmured from beneath his helmet. Plot Option: Negafires search for a mystical mentor brings him
Youve got powers. On the other hand, weve got you. Youve got into contact with villains who want to lure him away from
two choices. You can join SPIDER and everything will be fantastic SPIDER. Heroes can insert themselves into the conflict in any
for you, or you can die right here in this hospital bed and Lady Warp number of ways, including trying to convert Negafire to the side
will teleport you in front of an oncoming bus. Well teach you how of right, which is very unlikely. Most of these options will end in
to use your abilities. Youll make more money than anyone like you a large fight between SPIDER, the offending magicians, and the
ever could. Oh, and women. We pay for that. No more evil cultist PCs. The heroes should choose wisely how they want to insert
girlfriends. themselves into this conflict.
Matt looked up at Lady Warp. Do they all look like her? He
grinned.
Michael Satran 145
Campaign Use: Negafire is a little less of a team player and SPIDER
tends to use him in a supporting role, even though
technically he can have agents under his command;
sometimes a separate agent commander is assigned to
him. Negafire makes a good character for the heroes
to run into in his secret identity, either as a drinking
buddy for a hero who one day finds out that his
buddy is on the opposite side of the game or as a
trouble-making youngster who turns out to be far
more than the hero bargained for.
In a low-powered game, lower Negafires
Multipower to 62 Active Points. Lower his DEX
to 20, his ED by 5, and remove all but one of
his Combat Levels. Lower his END to 55 and
his STUN to 40. Lower his Resistant Protec-
tion by 5 PD and 5 ED. Remove 5 points of
Power Defense, and lower his Flight Move-
ment by 10m. Remove his extra Noncombat
multiples.
In a high-powered game, raise Negafires
Multipower to 105 Active Points. Raise his
DEX to 28, his SPD to 7, raise his ED by
5, and add 10 to his Resistant Protection
values. Add 3 to his DMCV and raise his
EGO to 20. Double his Power Defense
and make it Hardened and Resistant.
Increase his Flight Movement by 20m,
and add another extra Noncombat
multiple. Add 15 points of Sight
Group Flash Defense to his char-
acter sheet. Add 2 to his OCV, add 4
Range Skill Levels, and add 2 levels
of DCV while in Flight to represent
training with Totem.
If running this adventure in
Gestalt, Negafire is a Gestalt of Flame.
Appearance: Negafire is of Italian-
American heritage on his fathers side
and African-American on his mothers.
He has pleasant good looks, tanned skin,
and well-groomed hair that he usually
keeps cut short. He tends to wear jeans,
combat boots, and tee-shirts with offen-
sive things about superheroes written on
them. In his villain identity, he wears a black
bodysuit that filters his temperature through
it, though the heat discolors the eye slits and
makes him speak in a hollow tone of voice. This
makes his otherwise cheery soliloquies seem
somewhat creepy. The bodysuit tends to reflect
and distort the ebon flames that surround
him,
* For more information on The
Beyond, see King of the Mountain.
146 Spider
NEGAFIRE PLOT SEEDS Return of the Witch Mother: Negafires power source is somehow
back from the grave, and she wants her obsidian heart back! Can the
The Burning Time: Negafire sets some things on fire, only they just heroes help a supervillain survive? Should they?
wont stop burning. What will happen when people try to capture Warped!: Negafires latest botched attempt to get into Lady Warps
him to power steam engines, solve third-world energy crises, and pants goes horribly awry, and he is teleported right near the heroes
burn down other things? Has the Cult of the Ebon Flame found a way base, where the sensors pick him up immediately! Negafire just wants
to get to Negafire? And if not, then who has? to escape, but hes horribly outnumbered until Abyss and SPIDER
Rave Review: This party stinks, and Negafires had enough! Negafire show up in force to get him out.
tries to burn down a rave after having too much to drink! Can the
PCs save an illegal party? What if one of the PCs is already there
when the fighting starts?
Negafire (HERO) 55 Wreath of Ebon Flame: Blast 6d6, Area Of Effect (personal
Val Char Cost Roll Notes Surface Damage Shield; +), Penetrating (+), Constant
15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1] (+), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +); No Range (-) 0
23 DEX 26 14- 15 Fire Resistance: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%;
28 CON 18 15- Only Versus Fire (-1) 0
13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12-/17-
18 EGO 8 13- 48 Shield of Ebon Flame: Resistant Protection (20 PD/20 ED);
20 PRE 10 14- PRE Attack: 4d6 Costs Half Endurance (-) 3
10 Shield of the Ebon Flame: Power Defense (10 points) 0
9 OCV 30 2 Resist Heat: Life Support (Safe in Intense Heat) 0
9 DCV 30
67 Flight of the Ebon Flame: Flight 40m, x4 Noncombat,
3 OMCV 0
Reduced Endurance (0 END; +) 0
4 DMCV 3
5 SPD 30 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 5 Ebon Flame Vision: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 0
8 Fire Sight: +5 PER with Sight Group; Requires a Heat
24 PD 2 Total: 24 PD (20 rPD) Signature (-) 0
33 ED 11 Total: 33 ED (20 rED)
14 REC 10 10 Earpiece Radio: High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group);
75 END 11 IIF (-) 0
15 BODY 5
50 STUN 15 Total Characteristics Cost: 217 Perks
5 Money: Wealthy (SPIDER Alpha Team salary)
Movement: Running: 12m/24m
Flight: 40m160m Talents
Swimming: 4m/8m 5 Environmental Movement (no penalties in or on hot or burning
Leaping: 4m/8m environments)
Cost Powers END 3 Lightning Reflexes (+3 DEX to act first with All Actions)
75 Heart of the Ebon Flame: Multipower, 75-point reserve 3 Attractive: +1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters)
7f Ebon Flame Blast: Blast 12d6, Reduced Endurance ( END; Skills
+) 3
15 +3 with Heart Of The Ebon Flame Multipower
7f Ebon Flame Burst: Blast 7d6, Armor Piercing (+), Reduced
Endurance ( END; +), Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +) 3 3 Acrobatics 14-
5f Flame Diffusion: Drain (Suppress) All Fire Powers 1d6 (+4), 3 Breakfall 14-
Personal Immunity (+), Constant (+), Uncontrolled (+), 3 Conversation 13-
Area Of Effect (16m Radius; +), Expanded Effect (All Fire 3 Defense Maneuver I
Powers); Costs Endurance (to maintain; -) 7 3 Gambling 12-
7f Immolation: RKA 2d6, Penetrating (+), Constant (+), 3 Language: Spanish (completely fluent)
Uncontrolled (+)* 7 3 Mechanics 12-
7f Bolts of Fire: RKA 2d6, Personal Immunity (+), Armor 5 Power 14-
Piercing (+), Reduced Endurance ( END; +), Autofire
3 Shadowing 12-
(5 shots; +) 3
3 Stealth 14-
6f Cold Heatwave: Drain END 5d6, Reduced Endurance ( END; +)
2 5 Streetwise 14-
7f Soul Dark Wave: Blast 8d6, Armor Piercing (+), Affects 3 Teamwork 14-
Desolidified (any form of Desolidification; +) 7 Total Powers and Skills Cost: 412
Total Cost: 629
When the call for the creation of SPIDER Alpha Team came down
Adonis the line, Marcuss webmaster immediately thought of him and put
him in for the position. Marcus had become too powerful to keep
Background: Marcus Randall grew up in southern California, not around and placing him in a unit of his superpowered equals was just
far from one of San Diegos many beaches. He spent hours working another way to rein him in.
out near the beach, living clean and not paying enough attention Marcus eagerly joined SPIDER Alpha Team. It was nice to have
in school. His parents were okay with C grades as long as he stayed a father surrogate in Abyss, even though a part of him didnt really
healthy. When he dropped out of school, he was thirteen years old. trust Abyss at all. He knows hes nothing but muscle.
He spent all of his time on the beach and never went back. But thats not such a bad thing is it?
By the time he had reached the age of fifteen, his body had solidi-
fied but he was still a boy. His only choices were steroids or having Personality: Adonis is a bullying, selfish, narcissistic man. He cares
sand kicked in his face by older, more mature bodybuilders. He was only about how handsome he is and how many women he can make
already stealing most of the girlfriends of some of the older body- swoon over his perfectly cut body. His craving for attention is nearly
builders, and they called him a pretty boy, a boy toy, and a freak. limitless, and nothing pleases him more than media attention during
Still, sand was kicked in his face a lot. His dream was to be a profes- a battle. He will deliberately take actions of the most spectacular sort
sional bodybuilder, but most of those avenues were still closed to designed to showcase his vast lifting capacity and draw attention
him. When he finally placed third in a competition, everyone said he away from less-resilient members of the team. Above all else, Adonis
was too young, especially the fourth-place finisher, Antonio Lopez. is shallow. He has fairly low-class needs and much prefers spending
Marcus finally felt he had everything. He was on his way to fame time with Negafire than with Abyss, who is far too intellectual, or
and fortune on the bodybuilding circuit. Unfortunately, there was one Totem, who is notoriously straight-laced. He enjoys demonstrating
thing Antonio Lopez had that Marcus didnt a crowbar. his powers and proving just how amazing those abilities are. Against
Marcus didnt see it coming. Lopez had left the competition early weaker opponents, he will torment them for a while, but Abyss has
and waited near his house. The first swing of the crowbar shattered already found ways to turn this to his advantage. Adonis might have
Marcuss jaw, the second broke his ribcage, and the third left a deep been capable of being a better person once, but all that has since been
scar along the line of his forehead. He was only three hundred feet crushed out of him. He enjoys fighting dirty and likes super-battles
from his door. The last thing he saw was Antonios grinning face as far more when he is fighting dirty.
the crowbar cracked his ribcage again. Quote: And now, the most handsome man in the world is going to
The last thing Marcus heard was his mother screaming. stand victorious over your corpse!
When he woke up in the hospital, bandages covered his face and
his mind was clouded with drugs. His mind vaguely processed some- Hey, baby! Once I get my arms around you, youre never
thing about his parents being unable to pay the bills, something about going to want me to let go!
his face being ruined. He screamed desperately in rage, but it came Get out of my way! Youre just an obstacle! And I smash
out as a pathetic whimper over the sedatives and drugs. obstacles!
Its all right, Marcus. His fathers voice. Well love you no matter
what you look like. Powers/Tactics: Adonis is a powerful combatant who relies on
Marcus cried long after his parents were gone. aggression and showy moves to terrify opponents. He enjoys grab-
The incident attracted the attention of the local SPIDER bing and crushing heroes, holding them helpless while his neuro-
webmaster. A young, healthy man abused by his peers and shattered kinetic powers weaken those who try to free them from his mighty
in his prime was perfect recruitment material for the SHAPE Project. grip. Adonis is one of the strongest men in the world and enjoys
We can rebuild your face, the recruiter said. It seems you have using his strength while absorbing punishment from those around
a latent mutant ability that we are capable of bringing out. Hundreds him. The name Adonis in superhero circles is synonymous with the
have died in this project. It seems unlikely that you will. We would words destruction of property. Adonis gleefully smashes buildings
like you to join us. You dont have many other choices. and destroys public transportation to terrify people and threaten the
Marcus nodded. The next day, he checked out of the hospital. By lives of the innocents. He will hold opponents helpless for others on
the time missing persons reports were filed, he was in the heart of the his team to group attack and readily hurls non-flying heroes skyward
SHAPE Project. They placed him in a canister and injected him full to be the victim of multiple energy bolts.
of so many chemicals he thought he was going to have a seizure. Then Adonis also enjoys taking a hero apart psychologically. If a male
the electricity took hold and seethed through his body. hero has a family, Adonis will seduce his wife or significant other.
Even through the sedatives, Marcus felt the pain. But he could If a female heroine has a husband or a boyfriend, Adonis will try to
also feel his broken bones re-knitting, his muscles straining under the seduce the heroine. Usually, in cases like this, Adonis operates with a
effect of his neurokinesis. Then he looked into the mirror and saw the SPIDER camera team.
bronzed, tanned god that he had become. Whereas many of the other members of SPIDER Alpha Team are
Oh, my, Jorgi Van Der Voot observed. We seem to have made a ruthless and efficient, Adonis is a glory hound and frequently seeks
virtual Adonis. additional solo missions from webmasters. These missions usually
Adonis became a supervillain in the service of SPIDER. His debut have excessive amounts of backup. Losing a superbeing as valuable as
came when he arrived on a beach where Antonio Lopez was lifting Adonis to prison is not to the advantage of the SPIDER Supreme.
weights. Adonis crushed his spine with a single hand, leaving the man Campaign Use: Adonis is a villain with many different campaign
who had once crippled him paralyzed from the neck down. uses. As a member of SPIDER Alpha Team, Adonis is their physically
He didnt miss his parents. He didnt need them. He didnt need strongest member as well as the one who can take the most punish-
anyone except SPIDER. They protected him when others had failed. ment. Most superhero teams wont have anyone as strong, resilient, or
He had become a supervillain. And he loved every minute of it. He tough as Adonis. As a single supervillain with agent backup, Adonis is
was handsome, brutal, and virtually impervious to attack. Women fairly dangerous, especially if the agent commander should be smart
adored him. He was one of the most handsome men in the world. enough to use him to his fullest potential under the circumstances.
Sometimes, he would even get letters from crazed supervillain Adonis could develop a crush on a particularly attractive female
worshippers of the opposite sex begging him to kidnap them! Life character and seek to lure her away, either by charming her heart or
was good!
Michael Satran 149
by kidnapping her outright. If hero is a bodybuilder or spends a lot of
time on the beach, Adonis could develop a Rivalry with that char-
acter that isnt really so friendly. Unfriendly Rivalries take on a whole
new meaning when your rival hurls boats at you.
To make Adonis less powerful, lower his STR to 55, his DEX to 19,
and his CON to 28. Lower his PRE to 20, his OCV and DCV to 7, his
SPD to 4, his PD and ED to 25, his REC to 15, and his STUN to 56.
Lower his Resistant Defenses to 14 rPD and 14 rED and remove the
Impenetrable Advantage. Remove his Tactile Neurokinesis Multi-
power completely. Remove 1 Combat Skill Level and 1 Level with
Grab. Remove 1 Level of Striking Appearance, along with Nightvision
and 3 points of Power Defense.
To make Adonis more powerful, raise his STR to 100, his CON
to 48, and his PRE to 35. Raise his OCV and DCV to 9, his SPD to 6,
his PD and ED to 40, his REC to 26, and his STUN to 90. Raise his
Resistant Defenses to 33 RPD, 33 rED, and add 50% Damage Reduc-
tion to Physical and Energy. Triple his Power Defense, add 15 points
of Mental Defense, and add 2 Combat Skill Levels. Add Martial Arts
maneuvers from a Martial Art appropriate to the campaign world.
Increase his Tactile Neurokinesis Multipower to 75 points.
If running this adventure in Gestalt, Negafire is a Gestalt of
Strength.
Appearance: Adonis looks like a tanned, bronze-skinned, muscular
beach god. His hair is soft and silky and hangs down around his
shoulders, and his muscles look sculpted onto his six foot, six inch
frame. He wears jeans, tee-shirts, and occasionally high-fashion
clothes when he is out on seduction missions, which he gets a fair
number of. Adoniss supervillain costume is a tight little bathing suit.
He relies on his good looks to get powerful female heroines to not
attack him. It generally doesnt work, but even so, Adonis feels the
results are worth it. Adonis usually wears sandals or black wrestling
boots. He is one of the most handsome men in the entire world, and
he isnt afraid to rub this in.
150 Spider
ADONIS PLOT SEEDS Pretty Versus Ugly: Mister Hideous and his gang from Pretty Hate
Machines* target Adonis in order to make him one of the ugliest
Mission Insufferable: Adonis gets a mission from the local SPIDER people in the world! When the heroes get caught between Mr.
webmaster to cause as much damage as possible to the hero base! Hideous and SPIDER, who will they side with? How can they control
Only the webmaster makes the mistake of putting Adonis in charge! the damage?
Adonis comes up with plans that could only come from the mind of Plot Option: Adonis is really a short, fat, balding man with split
an obsessed weightlifter. Can the heroes stop his seemingly inco- teeth, excessive body hair, and a beer belly until his powers are
herent rampage, an onslaught with absolutely no rhyme or reason, turned on. All the working out in the world cant fix him without
and bring him to justice? Will the rest of SPIDER Alpha Team bail his mutant ability. If this option is used, Mr. Hideous and his gang
Adonis out? will be humiliated and swear revenge against the player characters.
Plot Option: The local webmaster hates SPIDER Alpha Team with Plot Option: Marcus was beaten too badly to survive on his own,
a passion and has done this to humiliate them. so SPIDER placed his brain into a handsome-looking, extremely
Obsession: Adonis falls head over heels in love with a superheroine sophisticated robot. Marcus isnt aware of this.
and does everything possible to be with her. He sends her flowers, * Also published by BlackWyrm Games. If you dont own Pretty Hate
writes long, flowery letters about how the heroine should join Machines, create a villain with a similar motif, or purchase it!
SPIDER, and destroys property and superheroes in her name. Is this
a deadly trap for her fellow heroes, or will Adoniss twisted sincerity
bring everything crashing down around him?
DORIS
Background: SPIDERs Combat Robot Research Division was always
looking for new ideas. Although many of their innovations came
from stolen technology, one of their scientists had discovered that
their organization was being infiltrated by gorillas wearing suits that
made them appear to be human.
As much as SPIDER did not wish to be infiltrated, the Combat
Robot Research Division saw a value in scanning the principles of
the man suit. Although they couldnt crack the spatial relationship
theory part, they were able to achieve partial success in
getting a heavier device to appear to be completely
human.
The Combat Robot Research Division
then did what they do best: They built a
combat robot that could appear to be a small
number of different humans and designed
it to be a capable assassin, with the ability to
suppress radio waves so that its victims could
not call for help. They called the robot prototype
DORIS for Designed to Operate Radio Interference
Signals.
Unfortunately, there were unforeseen glitches in the design of
the combat robot. For one thing, the unique interface between the
humaniform-shifting mechanism and the power supply made the
robot somewhat semi-aware, a glitch that they were unable to
solve. For another, the quantum interface made the robot uniquely
vulnerable to quantum-based effects, such as particle beams and
neutrinos. This irritated the scientists but not nearly as much as it
irritated DORIS, who wanted to see combat and serve SPIDER.
Attempts to reprogram DORIS into a meek secretarial defense
robot proved only partially useful. She acquired a strong Brooklyn
accent and a tendency to mock everyone around her. Still, she had
fantastic secretarial skills and was assigned to Doctor Ingersoll as
a bodyguard (in order to keep her out of the way). Tarantula hated
having the robot present. It was like having a constant spy he couldnt
get rid of. The robot was, however, useful for routing communica-
tions to home base and blocking radio signals as a shapeshifted
human during missions. It was tolerable for a threat to his livelihood.
DORIS exists to serve SPIDER, but SPIDER has very little use
for DORIS. The project was abandoned, leaving DORIS as the only
combat robot of her type. Still, DORIS is loyal to SPIDER
and eagerly protects Doctor Ingersoll and the project in her
secret guise as a mild-mannered research institute secretary
to the best of her ability.
Personality: DORIS pretends to be a fat, heavyset secre-
tary in her mid-forties. She generally sits at the reception
desk at the institute and takes messages, making sure to
take enough time off that no one realizes that she is a
robot and likely a spy for either the SPIDER Supreme
or the Combat Robot Research Division. DORIS is
programmed to be slightly lower-middle class and
sarcastic in this particular shape, but is all business
when shape-changed into a combat robot.
DORISs personality is completely programmed,
and, regardless of the human mode she is in, she
exists to serve SPIDER. Slowly, as DORIS gains more
and more awareness, she is beginning to understand
(however faintly) the concepts of being decommis-
sioned or destroyed. The Combat Robot Research
Division, however, views this as a unique opportu-
nity to study the possibility of developing semi-aware
robot soldiers, regardless of the prototypes limited
functionality.
Michael Satran 157
Quote: Right away, Doc-tah In-gah soll.
So just sit right over there and Doc-tah In-gah soll will be
with you in a minute. I call him Solly, but he doesnt like it.
As a Combat Robot: Analysis. Level of threat high.
Deploying rockets.
I would rather take you out for coffee and a donut, but
regrettably, we are destined to be enemies. I can make your
death less painful if you submit.
Powers/Tactics: DORISs tactics are fairly simple. First, cut off radio
communications so that her opponents cant call for help. Second,
route communications through her so that SPIDER forces can
communicate while the heroes cant. Third, engage tough opponents
while allowing others to provide fire support. DORIS will focus her
attacks on targets that she believes cannot handle her abilities. The
quick elimination of poorly defended targets leads to the creation
of overwhelming mismatches, allowing SPIDER to win through its
greatest strength, superior numbers.
DORIS has a number of abilities built into her robot frame
underneath the modified man-suit technology. She can generate
signals that interfere with radio waves, either in a limited range or
in approximately a six-kilometer radius. She has laser eyebeams, her
fingertips carry concealed rockets, and her chest contains a massive
force blaster. Her wrists drop down to fire nets that can entrap oppo-
nents and render them helpless. All of these abilities reveal her as a
cyborg or a robot. DORIS is very interested in proving how amazing
a combat robot she is so that she can be sent to the front lines like
other combat robots. If a PC is also a combat robot, Doris will chal-
lenge that hero to a one-on-one battle to see which of them is the
superior battle machine. This is one of the flaws in her programming
that her creators found themselves unable to correct. Her Shapeshift
ability renders DORIS mostly fully functional in her human state,
although she finds the sensations somewhat alien and unimportant.
If using HERO 6E1 and 2 instead of Champions Complete, DORIS
belongs to the Machine class of minds.
Campaign Use: Using DORIS in a campaign is fairly easy. There are
multiple uses for a combat robot, especially one created by a Combat
Robot Research Division replete with other combat robot designs to
unleash upon the player characters.
To weaken DORIS, lower her STR to 50, her Signal Blocking
Multipower to 50 Active Points, and remove the Megascale Multip-
ower slot, making her radio suppression in a limited radius. Remove
2 Combat Levels and subtract 3 points from her PD and ED. Lower
her BODY score to 15.
To make DORIS more powerful, raise her STR to 75, her Weapons
Array Multipower to 90, and add 20 points of Power Defense and As a combat robot, DORIS is a sleek, feminine masterpiece
Mental Defense. Add 4 Combat Skill Levels, and raise her PD and designed by computer geeks with too much time on their hands and
ED to 18 each. Raise her BODY score to 25. Make all of her Defenses no girlfriends. She is exquisitely shaped in metal, lithe and sculpted,
Hardened and Impenetrable. Add a multitude of special sensors to with a metallic headpiece shaped to look like hair. In her true form,
allow her to see just about anything, and add skills that allow her to she is anatomically incorrect.
know general information about PC superheroes instead of having Appearance II: DORISs second form is that of an attractive blonde
to wait a few seconds to get it over SPIDERs computer link. A truly in a short skirt and tight-fitting sweater who appears to be somewhat
cruel GM will allow DORIS to have Knowledge Skills of individual ditzy. This form also pretends to be a secretary, although she pretends
heroes. A less cruel one might only have one skill for all of them. to be far less intelligent and asks a lot of dumb questions. Typically,
If running this adventure in Gestalt, DORIS will be created by a DORIS will not assume this form during the current adventure,
Gestalt of Technology. though if she escapes, she may certainly do so until the heat dies
Appearance: DORIS typically assumes the form of a heavyset secre- down and people stop looking for her.
tary with frizzy hair, a dress about one size too small, and thick, heavy Appearance III: DORISs third form is that of a handsome, dark-
flat glasses shaped like pointed ovals. Her hair is reddish-brown, haired man wearing gentlemanly clothing. This is SPIDERs rude
and she wears thick, blocky shoes. Doris typically appears to wear awakening form for heroes with moral qualms about the transgen-
sweaters and professional business clothes. Doris will not Shapeshift dered, fear of dating a shapeshifter, or for taking advantage of men
into other forms while the heroes can observe her but may do so to as well as women for those heroes who are same-sex preferred.
gather intelligence on one during the course of the scenario. Typically, in this form, DORIS is wearing a mens suit or a tuxedo of
apparently fine quality.
158 Spider
Appearance IV: DORISs final form is that of a doddering, female Rogue: DORIS goes rogue, and SPIDER needs to get her back! Shes
senior citizen wearing shoddy clothing and appearing to be homeless. striking out on her own into dangerous territory! Odd incidents in
In this form, she has greying white hair, wrinkles, and smells odd. rural America attract the attention of the PCs, but when the heroes
For spying in low-class areas or slums, this is a highly convenient arrive, DORIS doesnt want to go back to SPIDER and she doesnt
disguise. Most of DORISs other forms will suffice in other areas, but want to be around the heroes, either. Will the heroes find a way to
for keeping an eye on areas or waiting for a hero to show up, this hide DORIS? Or will SPIDER attack the town with dozens of other
guise is by far more effective than the others. combat robots in tow and flatten the heroes, DORIS, and everyone
else?
DORIS PLOT SEEDS
Plot Option: Romancing the Robot. If one of the heroes runs into
Eye, Robot: DORIS loses an eye when a SPIDER agent tries to turn DORIS in his Secret ID or even his Hero ID when shes in one of
states evidence and he steals her spare parts to turn over to the her shapeshifted guises, a kind of quasi-romance is disturbingly
government. Will DORIS get her spare eye back? Can the PCs stop an possible. A clever PC may be able to turn her or may trigger
angry defective combat robot and the SPIDER teams sent to retrieve an unfortunate tragedy of multiple types in her primitive AI that
this key piece of technology? could lead to the death of innocents or the hero. SPIDER will
Oh, Mamacita, I Got a Headache: A young illegal alien with a rare encourage this activity to gather data on the hero. Dating a combat
disease befriends DORIS in one of her nursing shapes, and DORIS robot, especially a SPIDER Combat Robot, has many philosoph-
must take care of her no matter what the cost. But when the young ical- and survival-based issues that can be explored. For one thing,
girl is hunted by renegade activists intent on killing her and sending DORIS cant shut down her link to SPIDER; someone else will
her corpse back to Mexico, DORIS becomes a relentless killing have to do that for her. And if she is given a kill order by SPIDER,
machine, tracking down the activists and slaying them in their hes in for a very rough time. Use Appearance II or Appearance III
homes. Can the heroes find a way to save the child and bring both for this plot option.
DORIS and the activists to justice? Is this a spark of sympathy in
DORISs AI, or are the activists motivated by one of SPIDERs evil
rival organizations?
but cunningly managed to escape each time, only to rise anew from
Code Name: Tarantula the ashes of his own wickedness.
Jackson loved being Tarantula. He hardly even thought of himself
Background: Jackson Bowles was born to be the sort of man his as Jackson anymore. He had forgotten his family, his old life, and his
country needed. He was smart, cunning, clever, and feared nothing. former loyalties and career desires. He lived only to serve SPIDER
He spent his teen years training to be a part of the CIA. He dreamed and get revenge on the people who had betrayed him.
of being a secret agent for the greatest country in the world. He got He loved his work.
into college on a scholarship and did everything right.
Then one night his whole life was taken away. His roommate, Personality: Tarantula is the sort of person who would have given
Jason Chang, doped Jacksons health drinks up with just enough his loyalty freely to the first group or organization that didnt reject
marijuana to fail a drug test, and his dream career in the CIA was him. He is consumed with revenge against everyone who has ever
over. In the ensuing fist fight, he was arrested for assault, but nothing defeated him or betrayed him, and serves SPIDER without ques-
could ever be proven. Jackson was furious. He knew what Jason did, tion. He hungrily evaluates each new threat that presents itself and
and he knew why he did it jealously, pure and simple. His perfect constructs complicated, cunning plans to bring his enemies down. If
life had been ruined over being more successful. The one thing he he has a weakness, it is that he tends to over-think and set up plans
truly wanted in life he could never have. that are often foiled by minor mistakes in timing, accidental clumsi-
Apparently possessing some sort of latent telepathic abilities, ness, and advanced science gone wrong. He finds the Combat Robot
Chang later joined PTAH and became a White Commander. And Research Division far more useful than many other webmasters, and
after six months in prison, Jackson made a vow to get even with it isnt uncommon for a group of heroes facing Tarantula to wind up
PTAH and Jason Chang. on the wrong end of more than a few experimental robots, not to
Bowles drifted from job to job. His criminal record kept him mention superbeings from the SPIDER Human Advancement Project
down. Being arrested for assault had kept him from getting anything for Evolution (SHAPE).
more than a menial job. His bitterness and resentment grew. Quote: Sneering imbecile! Your powers are no match for our
SPIDER had been keeping an eye on Jackson for some time and legions!
decided that he was ripe for recruitment. Jackson was tired of living
in homeless shelters and coming home to his family on Thanksgiving All hail the SPIDER Supreme!
after taking a shower and praying nobody noticed his dirty clothes. When you grovel on your knees before the SPIDER
The recruiter sat down across from him in the shelter. How would Supreme, it is I who shall deliver your deathblow!
you like an opportunity to use all the skills you developed?
It might be nice, Jackson said. Powers/Tactics: If given enough time and ability to plan, Taran-
You would be able to afford new socks, the recruiter said. tula will be able marshall and coordinate his agents and SPIDERs
Id like that. Jackson sighed. Nothing had ever gotten him resources and use them to their greatest potential. He tends to remain
anywhere. in the rear of engagements, directing troops from a safe, defensible
You have to say yes before I show you our operation. position. Tarantula likes to use mixed groups of agents, supervillains,
It was better than being homeless. Jackson Bowles wanted new and robots to confound heroes, and will often pretend to use a failed
clothes and fresh underwear more than anything. The recruiter took tactic from another webmasters previous mission to lure heroes into
him to the second-closest SPIDER base, and Jackson was accepted a deadly ambush. Tarantula loves to target patriotic heroes and will
into the rank and file of SPIDER. often order massive concentrations of firepower against them, some-
Jackson rose quickly to the rank of squad leader. He had a natural times even to the exclusion of other more dangerous targets.
capacity for leadership the others lacked, and his betrayal at the If engaged in Hand-To-Hand combat, Tarantula will defend
hands of his roommate had left him suspicious and bitter. In the eyes himself to the best of his ability and retreat to fight at range or escape
of SPIDER, this made him a natural candidate to be secretly groomed entirely. A captured leader is useless to his troops, but he will do his
for webmaster. Jackson had no idea he had been profiled and volun- best to escape the enemy at every available opportunity. Tarantula
teered for more and more dangerous missions. loves publicly defeating heroes and leaving them on the ground in
Finally, Jackson was called before the SPIDER Supreme on a video front of cameras, especially patriotic heroes.
screen. Agent Commander Bowles. The SPIDER Supreme glared Campaign Use: Tarantula is the type of villain who can be used again
at him from under his blue-hooded face. What is that you want in and again as a nemesis-level super agent commander as long as
life? he remains free. In a more powerful game, he can remain behind
I exist only to serve SPIDER. Jackson responded. the scenes or on the screen until the heroes are ready to face him.
That is a fabricated answer. A lie. Why are you really here? In a weaker game, he is probably capable of giving several heroes a
The SPIDER Supreme gestured on the screen and automated guns phenomenal battle with some agents to back him up. His tendency
deployed from dozens of places in the walls. to use mixed forces makes him very dangerous if he can isolate
I want revenge on the government and people within it. You can hero weaknesses or cut heroes off from each other. His desire for
get that for me. But I can take it for myself if you give me the chance. revenge can occasionally overwhelm his good sense, but it would take
That The SPIDER Supreme paused and drummed his fingers multiple defeats from a single hero to create this situation.
on the edge of his high-tech chair. is a much better answer. We To make Tarantula less powerful, lower his DEX to 18, his SPD
will give you the resources that you require. Congratulations, Code to 4, his OCV and DCV to 6, and lower his STUN to 40. Remove a
Name: Tarantula. A SPIDER base of your own shall be under your Damage Class of Martial Arts and his Jetpack. Remove several of his
command. more esoteric skills. Remove the MX-13 Multipistol and replace it
Jackson secretly rejoiced. Even when they gave him a watered- with a weaker weapon, as well as the Skill Levels associated with it.
down version of the genetic enhancement serum that made the Add 1 Skill Level with his different weapon. Lower his EGO to 15, his
SPIDER Supreme what he was, he never faltered in his loyalty, even PRE to 18, and remove 2 points of PD. Lower the defensive value of
though the formula made him lose all of his body hair. His plans his Skinsuit to 13 rPD and 13 rED
may have been constantly dashed by superheroes, but the SPIDER To make Tarantula more powerful, give him an advanced suit
Supreme continued to have faith in him. He lost six SPIDER bases of powered armor that grants him additional Strength, Speed, and
Michael Satran 161
OCV and DCV, as well as an array of weapons. Increase the power of
the Multipistol to 80 Active Points. Double all of his Skill Levels and
add levels with the armors built-in weapons array. Raise his EGO to
23, his PRE to 25, and give him the maximum PD and ED allowed
to a normal. The powered armor should have a total of 25
rPD and 25 rED. Harden this and make it Impenetrable.
Add even more esoteric skills and Knowledge Skills of his
greatest nemeses. Have the armor give him Power Defense,
Life Support, Knockback Resistance, and give him 15 points
of Mental Defense. Consider adding Damage Reduction.
Appearance: In his villain ID, Tarantula looks like a man in
a brown and grey bodysuit with a set of gripper boots and
gloves. His gun is designed to be difficult to grip without
the gloves, so a gamemaster may wish to assign penalties
for people who are not Tarantula using it. The costume is
designed to provide camouflage in urban areas and contains
several concealed locations for hidden weapons. He wears a
plain-looking belt that contains his gun, and he wears a flat,
boxy device on his back that is actually a jetpack. He also
wears a three-quarter face mask.
In his normal ID (rarely used), Tarantula looks like a
toned, athletic African-American. He is completely bald, as
the watered-down version of the SPIDER Supremes formula caused
all his body hair to fall out. He wears expensive suits or loose-fitting
jeans and club shirts.
CODE NAME: TARANTULA PLOT SEEDS
SPIDER Power Agent (HERO) 7 Evasion Enhancement Systems: +2 DCV; OIF (powered
armor; -) 0
Val Char Cost Roll Notes
15+15 STR 5 12-/15- Lift 200 kg/1600 kg; 3d6/6d6 HTH 7 Helmet Radio: High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group);
damage [1/2] IIF (powered armor; -), Sense Affected As More Than One
13+5 DEX 6 12-/13- Sense [Hearing] (-) 0
15 CON 5 12- 17 Force Core Power Supply: Endurance Reserve (80 END, 9
13 INT 3 12- PER Roll: 12- REC); OIF (powered armor; -) 0
11 EGO 1 11- 4 Athlete: Running +4m (16m total) 1
15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 1 Swimmer: Swimming +1m (5m total) 1
5+2 OCV 10 Martial Arts: SPIDER Combat Training
5+2 DCV 10 Maneuver OCV DCV Notes
3 OMCV 0
4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort
3 DMCV 0
3+1 SPD 10 Phases: 4, 8, 12/3, 6, 9, 12 4 Dodge +5 Dodge; Affects All Attacks,
Abort
6+15 PD 4 Total: 6/21 PD (0/15 rPD) 4 Escape 0 0 35 STR/50 STR vs. Grabs
5+15 ED 3 Total: 5/20 ED (0/15 rED)
4 Punch 0 +2 6d6/9d6 Strike
7 REC 3
30 END 2 5 Kick -2 +1 8d6/11d6 Strike
11 BODY 1 3 Legsweep +2 -1 5d6/8d6 Strike, Target Falls
36 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 76 3 Throw 0 +1 4d6/7d6 + v/10, Target
Falls
Movement: Running: 16m/32m
4 +1 HTH Damage Class
Flight: 30m/60m
Leaping: 4m/8m Perks
Swimming: 5m/10m
1 Fringe Benefit: Security Clearance (SPIDER Powered Armor
Cost Powers END Division)
33 Force Core Beamer: Multipower, 50-point reserve 1 Money: Well Off (Powered Armor Division member salary,
5f 1) Force Beam: Blast 10d6 (Energy) 5 $100,000 per year)
4f 2) Force Wave: Blast 5d6, Armor Piercing (+), Personal Skills
Immunity (+), Area Of Effect (8m Cone; +) 4
10 +1 with All Attacks
5f 3) Force Bands: Entangle 4d6, 6 PD/6 ED
3 Acrobatics 12- (13-)
20 Secondary Weapon Of Choice: See Weapons Locker 0
3 Breakfall 12- (13-)
30 Powered Armor: Resistant Protection (15 PD/15 ED); OIF (powered
armor; -) 0 3 Combat Piloting 12- (13-)
5 Glare Resistant Lenses: Sight Group Flash Defense (8 points); 3 Defense Maneuver 1
OIF (powered armor; -) 0 3 Demolitions 12-
7 Sealed Systems: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing); 3 KS: SPIDER Tactics 12-
OIF (-) 0 4 Language of Choice (idiomatic) [plus Native Language of Choice]
20 Boot Jets: Flight 30m; OIF (powered armor; -) 3 3 Mechanics 12-
10 Servo Enhancements: +15 STR; OIF (powered armor; -) 0 3 PS: Pilot 12-
7 Gyroscopic Improvements: +5 DEX; OIF (powered armor; -) 0 3 Stealth 12- (13-)
7 Speed Multiplier: SPD +1; OIF (powered armor; -) 0 3 Streetwise 12-
7 Combat Computer Targeting System: +2 OCV; OIF (powered 3 Systems Operation 12-
armor; -) 0 3 Teamwork 12- (13-)
0 TF: One 1-point Aerial Vehicle of Choice
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 279
Total Cost: 355
Agent (HERO)
4
Maneuver
Block
OCV DCV Notes
+2 +2 Block, Abort
Val Char Cost Roll Notes 4 Dodge +5 Dodge, Affects All Attacks,
15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1] Abort
14 DEX 8 12-
4 Escape 0 0 35 STR vs. Grabs
13 CON 3 12-
13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- 4 Punch 0 +2 6d6 Strike
10 EGO 0 11- 5 Kick -2 +1 8d6 Strike
11 PRE 1 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 3 Legsweep +2 -1 5d6 Strike, Target Falls
5 OCV 10 3 Throw 0 +1 4d6 + v/10, Target Falls
5 DCV 10 4 +1 HTH Damage Class
3 OMCV 0
3 DMCV 0 Perks
3 SPD 10 Phases: 4, 8, 12 3 Computer Link: SPIDER Mainframe
Talents
5 Resistance (+5 to roll)
Skills
5 +1 with All SPIDER Weapons
3 +1 Range Skill Level
3 Breakfall 12-
3 Combat Driving 12-
3 Combat Piloting 12-
3 Concealment 11-
3 Lockpicking 12-
3 Mechanics 11-
3 Security Systems 11-
3 Shadowing 11-
3 Stealth 12-
3 Streetwise 12-
3 Teamwork 12-
0 TF: One SPIDER Ground Vehicle, One SPIDER Aerial Vehicle
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 163
Total Cost: 232
Campaign Use: SPIDER evasion agents are used in a harassment role Jinked: Evasion agents are cunning and sneaky, but a single evasion
in conjunction with other agents. They are almost never encountered agent has a scheme to get his fellows killed and reap the rewards of a
alone, especially the SPIDER Flight Endorphin agents, as those agents heroic promotion by loading their jetpacks with bombs and killing
are high-value targets as well as highly valued. Use them in opera- the heroes at the same time! Will his scheme succeed? Will his lethal
tions where the heroes need to be distracted or are the targets of a prank get him arrested, or drummed out of SPIDER?
broad-based mixed-forces assault.
SPIDER Evasion Agent 6 Glare Resistant Lenses: Sight Group Flash Defense (8 points);
(Flight Endorphin SPIDER Agent) 3
IIF (-)
Evasive Maneuvers: +1 DCV; Only While In Flight (-)
0
0
(HERO) 7 Concealed Radio: High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group);
IIF (-), Sense Affected As More Than One Sense [Hearing]
Val Char Cost Roll Notes (-) 0
15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1] 2 Athlete: Running +2m (14m total) 1
18 DEX 16 13- 1 Swimmer: Swimming +1m (5m total) 1
18 CON 8 13-
30 SPIDER Jet Pack: Flight 30m, x16 Noncombat; OIF (-), 1
10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 13-
Continuing Fuel Charge Lasting 1 hour (0) [1 cc]
15 EGO 5 12-
15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 OR
30 Flight Endorphins: Flight 30m 3
6 OCV 15
6+1 DCV 15 Martial Arts: SPIDER Combat Training
3 OMCV 0 Maneuver OCV DCV Notes
5 DMCV 6 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort
4 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 4 Dodge +5 Dodge, Affects All Attacks,
5+10 PD 3 Total: 5/15 PD (0/10 rPD) Abort
4+10 ED 2 Total: 4/14 ED (0/10 rED) 4 Escape 0 0 35 STR vs. Grabs
6 REC 2 4 Punch 0 +2 6d6 Strike
30 END 2 5 Kick -2 +1 8d6 Strike
10 BODY 0
3 Legsweep +2 -1 5d6 Strike, Target Falls
36 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 112
3 Throw 0 +1 5d6 + v/10, Target Falls
Movement: Running: 14m/28m 4 +1 HTH Damage Class
Flight (Jetpack): 30m/480m
Flight (Flight Endorphine): 30m/60m Talents
Leaping: 4m/8m 5 Resistance (+5 to roll)
Swimming: 5m/10m
Skills
Cost Powers END
5 +1 with All SPIDER Weaponry
30 Primary Weapon Of Choice: See Weapons Locker 0
3 Acrobatics 13-
20 Secondary Weapon Of Choice: See Weapons Locker 0
3 Breakfall 12-
20 High-Impact Plastiflex Bodysuit: Resistant Protection (10 PD/
10 ED); OIF (-) 0 3 Combat Driving 13-
3 Combat Piloting 13-
3 Defense Maneuver I
3 Fast Draw: Pistols 13-
3 KS: SPIDER Protocol 11-
3 Language of Choice (completely fluent) [plus Native Language of
Choice]
3 Navigation 11- (Air)
3 Shadowing 11-
3 Stealth 13-
3 Systems Operation 11-
3 Tactics 11-
3 Teamwork 13-
0 TF: One 1-point Ground Vehicle of Choice, One 1-point Aerial
Vehicle of Choice
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 202
Total Cost: 314
SPIDER Medium
Hovertank (HERO) Cost
75
Powers
Force Multicannon: Multipower, 75-point reserve
END
Val Char Cost Notes 7f 1) Force Bolt: Blast 12d6, Reduced Endurance ( END; +) 3
6 Size 30 8m x 4m x 4m, Mass 6.4 tons, OCV +4, KB 7f 2) Concentrated Wave: Blast 10d6, Armor Piercing (+), Reduced
-12m Endurance ( END; +) 3
40 STR 0 Lift 6400 kg; 8d6 damage 7f 3) Netgun: Entangle 4d6, 4 PD/4 ED, Takes No Damage
20 DEX 20 From All Attacks (+); 32 Charges (+) [32]
9 OCV 30 7f 4) Pulsed Force Bolt: Blast 6d6, Armor Piercing (+),
7 DCV 20 Autofire (5 shots; +), Reduced Endurance ( END; +) 2
4 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 7f 5) Vibroforce Bolt: Blast 8d6, Reduced Endurance ( END;
+), Affects Desolidified (any form of Desolification; +) 3
9 PD 11 Total: 9 PD (9 rPD)
9 ED 11 Total: 9 ED (9 rED) 5 Molecular Coating: Hardened (+) for 9 PD/9 ED 0
15 BODY -1 Total Characteristic Cost: 141 5 Subduron Weave: Impenetrable (+) for 9 PD/9 ED 0
35 Sealed Systems: Total Life Support
Movement: Ground 40m/320m
20 Sensor Suite: Radar, Increased Arc Of Perception (360
Degrees) 0
20 Sensor Suite: Sonar, Increased Arc Of Perception (360
Degrees) 0
5 IR Sensors: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 0
5 Nightvision Cameras: Nightvision 0
5 UV Sweepers: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 0
12 Radio Suite: High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group) 0
12 Rangefinder: +8 versus Range Modifier for Sight Group 0
10 Ring of Sensors: Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees)
with Sight Group 0
3 Parachute: Flight 12m; 1 Recoverable Continuing Charge
(-), OAF (-1), Gliding (-1), Limited Movement (descend
only; -) [1 rc]
28 Enhanced Speed: Ground Movement +28 m (40m total),
x8 Noncombat 4
-2 Surface Vehicle Only: Swimming -4m
35 Nuclear Power Supply: Endurance Reserve (100 END, 15
REC) 0
Skills
24 Rangefinder: +8 Range Skill Levels
Total Powers and Skills Cost: 332
Total Cost: 473
15 Matching Complications
15 Physical Complication: Hover Vehicle (fans can be jammed by
sufficiently heavy objects; tank cannot move while flipped over)
(Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)
Total Complications Points: 15
Michael Satran 187
WEAPON S LOCKER
SPIDER Primary Weapons 30 LX-22 Net Rifle: Entangle 4d6, 4 PD/4 ED, Area Of Effect
(4m Radius; +); OAF (rifle; -1), 32 Charges (+) [32]
(HERO) 30 LX-23 Translation Net Rifle: Entangle 3d6, 3 PD/3 ED,
Cost Powers END Takes No Damage From All Attacks (+), Area Of Effect
25 SPIDER SX-B 1 MK III: Blast 8d6; OAF (blaster rifle; -1), (8m Radius; +); OAF (rifle; -1), 16 Charges (+0) [32]
4 clips of 16 Charges (+) [16] 30 KDF-7 Ion Stripper Rifle: Blast 4d6, No Range Modifier
30 SPIDER SX-B II MK II: Blast 8d6, Armor Piercing (+); (+), NND (defense is Resistant Protection That Costs
OAF (blaster rifle; -1), 32 Charges (+) [32] Endurance [force fields]; +1); OAF (rifle; -1), 64 Charges
(+) [64]
30 SPIDER BGR-I MK IVB: Blast 4d6, Autofire (5 shots; +),
Double Knockback (+); OAF (force pulse rifle; -1), 250 30 DPX-12 Impenetrex Bullet Machine Rifle: RKA 2d6,
Charges (+1) [250] Autofire (3 shots; +), Armor Piercing (+); OAF (rifle;
-1), 64 Charges (+) [64]
22 SPIDER RTN Boomerang T4: Blast 4d6, NND (defense
is Hard Ear Coverings, Wearing A Helmet, or Hearing 30 FZR-122 Glacier Gun: Entangle 4d6, 4 PD/4 ED, Area
Group Flash Defense; +), Indirect (Source Point is Of Effect (4m Radius; +); OAF (glacier rifle; -1), 32
the Character, path can change with every use; +); Charges (+ ) [32]
OAF (sonic rifle; -1), 4 Clips of 16 Charges (+) [16] 30 YT-17 Gravgun: Blast 8d6 (Gravity); OAF (rifle; -1), 64
30 SPIDER Meson Gun: Blast 6d6, Penetrating (+); OAF Charges (+) [64]
(meson rifle; -1), 64 Charges (+) [64] 20 NDF-4 Scrambler Rifle: Blast 4d6, NND (defense is
30 VRX-B Gamma Blaster: Blast 4d6, AVAD (Power Defense; Mental Defense; +0), Indirect (Source Point is the
+1); OAF (gamma rifle; -1), 64 Charges (+) [64] Character, path can change with every use; +); OAF
(rifle; -1), 64 Charges (+) [64]
30 X-4 Heavy Bullet Rifle: Blast 8d6 (Physical); OAF (rifle;
-1), 64 Charges (+) [64] 25 GTZ-7 Sapper: Drain STUN 4d6; OAF (rifle; -1), 32
Charges (+) [32]
30 BH-5 Heat Ray: Blast 8d6 (Heat); OAF (rifle; -1), 64
Charges (+) [64] 30 PTF Light Phase Beam Rifle: Blast 6d6, Armor Piercing
(+), Affects Desolids (any form of Desolidification; +);
30 FX-4 Freeze Ray: Blast 8d6 (Cold); OAF (rifle; -1), 64 OAF (rifle; -1), 32 Charges (+) [32]
Charges (+) [64]
25 GTX Enervator: Drain END 4d6; OAF (rifle; -1), 32
30 EKT-17 Ion Rifle: Blast 8d6 (Electricity); OAF (rifle; -1), Charges (+) [32]
64 Charges (+) [64]
30 BRT-11 Lightsmasher: Sight Group Flash 8d6; OAF
30 BP-7 Bullpup Drum Rifle: RKA 2d6; OAF (rifle; -1), (flash grenade rifle; -1); 64 Charges (+) [64]
64 Charges (+) [64]
30 BRT-26 Glowbomb: Sight Group Flash 6d6, Armor
30 QFN-12 Flchette Cloud Launcher: RKA 2d6, Area Of Piercing (+), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +); OAF
Effect (4m Radius; +), Penetrating (+); OAF (rifle; (rifle; -1), 64 Charges (+) [64]
-1), 32 Charges (+) [32]
22 XTP-14 Gamma Dart: Blast 3d6, No Range Modifier
30 RXF-11 Smoker Rifle: Blast 8d6 (Steam); OAF (rifle; (+), AVAD (Power Defense; +1); OAF (rifle; -1), 64
-1), 64 Charges (+) [64] Charges (+) [64]
25 XJN Strobe: Blast 4d6, AVAD (Sight Group Flash 30 HYP-22 Hyperion: Blast 6d6, Armor Piercing (+),
Defense; +1), OAF (rifle; -1), 64 Charges (+) [64] Indirect (Source Point is the Character, path can change
30 DV-14 Heavy Breather: Blast 6d6, Double Knockback with every use; +); OAF (rifle; -1), 32 Charges (+) [32]
(+); OAF (rifle; -1), 64 Charges (+) [64] 30 Z-76 Screamer: Blast 8d6 (Sonic); OAF (rifle; -1), 64
Charges (+) [64]
188 Spider
SPIDER Primary Weapons XJN Strobe: Damage 3d6, Elemental Trick (Light), Nonlethal
(Savage Worlds) DV-14 Heavy Breather: Damage 3d6, Increased Knockback
(d10s), Nonlethal
SPIDER SX-B I MK III Blaster Rifle: Damage 4d6, Nonlethal
LX-22 Net Rifle: Ensnare, Ranged, Stronger
SPIDER SX-B II MK II Blaster Rifle: Damage 3d6, AP 2, Nonlethal
LX-23 Translation Net Rifle: Ensnare, Ranged, Large Burst Template
SPIDER BGR-I MK 1VB Force Pulse Rifle: Damage 2d6, Rapid Fire
(x2), Knockback, Nonlethal KDF-7 Ion Stripper Rifle: Decay, Ranged, Blocked by Force Fields,
Nonlethal
SPIDER RTN Boomerang T4 Sonic Rifle: Damage 2d6, Elemental
Trick (Sound), Focus, Nonlethal DPX-12 Impenetrex Bullet Machine Rifle: Damage 2d6, AP 2, Rapid
Fire (x2)
SPIDER Meson Gun: Damage 2d6, AP 3, Nonlethal
FZR-122 Glacier Gun: Ensnare, Ranged, Elemental Trick (Cold)
VRX-B Gamma Blaster: Damage 2d6, vs Disruption Defense (not
Toughness/Armor), Nonlethal YT-17 Gravgun: Damage 3d6, Elemental Trick (Gravity, use Air from
book), Nonlethal
X-4 Heavy Bullet Rifle: Damage 4d6, Nonlethal
NDF-4 Scrambler Rifle: Damage 2d6, vs Mind Defense (not Tough-
BH-5 Heat Ray: Damage 3d6, Elemental Trick (Heat; Vigor check or ness/Armor), Nonlethal
Fatigued), Nonlethal
GTZ-7 Sapper: Stun, Stronger, Can be used vs single target
FX-4 Freeze Ray: Damage 3d6, Elemental Trick (Cold), Nonlethal
PTF Light Phase Beam Rifle: Damage 3d6, AP 1, Affects Intangi-
EKT-17 Ion Rifle: Damage 3d6, Elemental Trick (Electricity), bility, Nonlethal
Nonlethal
BRT-11 Lightsmasher: Blind, Stronger
BP-7 Bullpup Drum Rifle: Damage 4d6
BRT-26 Glowbomb: Blind, Area (Medium Burst Template)
QFN-12 Flechette Cloud Launcher: Damage 2d6, AP 2, Medium
Burst HYP-22 Hyperion: Damage 3d6, Focus, Nonlethal
RFX-11 Smoker Rifle: Damage 3d6, Elemental Trick (Steam; use Z-76 Screamer: Damage 3d6, Elemental Trick (Sound), Nonlethal
Darkness from book), Nonlethal
* This is the most popular heavy weapon among other agent types.
Unfortunately for them, neither the SPIDER Supreme nor agent
commanders agree. It fires low-yield homing grenades that detonate
on arrival.
** This heavy weapon creates a semi-null zone of energy fields
that freezes people in place. It is very popular with webmasters but
unpopular with many of the agents who are forced to use it.
$ 3 3(1 ' ,; 7+ 5 ( (
2%-(&7
'()(16(7$%/(6
192 Object Defense Tables
Small Wooden Couch: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Spice Jars: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY Small Windows: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Sacks, Jars, Crates, Reed Baskets: 1-3 PD, 1-3 ED, 2-4 BODY Bogundys Door: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Plain Wooden Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Wide Glass Window: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Sitting Bench: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY Tools: 0-4 PD, 0-4 ED, 1-6 BODY
Replica Pillows: 0 PD, 0 ED, 1 BODY Cash Register: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY
Clay Cooking Pot: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY Large Countertop: 3 PD, 3 ED, 8 BODY
Heavy Metal Poles: 5 PD, 5 ED, 4 BODY Drugstore Door: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY
Velvet Covered Chains: 3 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY Cheap Shelves: 2 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY
Cat Ornaments: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY Drug Store Counter: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY
Baskets: 2 PD, 2 ED, 1 BODY Burger Swine Tray Holder: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Egyptian Bed Replica: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Front Burger Swine Section: 5 PD, 5 ED, 10 BODY
Basketlike Clothing Chest: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY Burger Swine Cash Register Unit: 6 PD, 6 ED, 5 BODY
Baskets: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY Burger Swine Sign: 7 PD, 5 ED, 7 BODY
Master Bedroom Bed: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Burger Swine Fryers: 4 PD, 7 ED, 5 BODY
Baskets: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY Burger Swine Rear Grill: 8 PD, 7 ED, 12 BODY
Small Wooden Chests: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY Fish Tanks: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Hearth God Statues: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY Big Cages: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Emergency Exit Doors: 7 PD, 7 ED, 6 BODY Small Cages: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Bulletproof Animal Land Window: 8 PD, 8 ED, 6 BODY
Big Frootz! Sign: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Cheap Plastic Tables and Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Cheap Cash Register: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Bank of Yogurt Dispensing Machines: 5 PD, 5 ED, 9 BODY
Milkshake Blender Unit: 4 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Neidermayans Table: 6 PD, 6 ED, 6 BODY
Neidermayans Chairs: 6 PD, 6 ED, 4 BODY
Neidermayans Refrigerator: 5 PD, 5 ED, 12 BODY
Heated Counter: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY
Old Varnished Counter: 5 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY
196 Object Defense Tables
Old Cash Register: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Mopping Carts: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Antiques: 1-6 PD, 1-6 ED, 1-12 BODY Storage Cabinet: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY
Dusty Glass Window: 5 PD, 5 ED, 3 BODY Cheap Wooden Dressing Screen: 2 PD, 1 ED, 2 BODY
Sports Mind Bookshelves: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY Makeup Table: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY
Big Screen TV: 3 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY Costume Rack: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Sports Mind Counter: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY Standing Brass Lamps: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Sports Mind Computer: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Cheap Lighting Fixtures: 3 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Walls of The Smooth: 6 PD, 5 ED, 5 BODY Cheap Wooden Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Security Cameras of The Smooth: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY Old Couch: 3 PD, 2 ED, 8 BODY
Doors of The Smooth: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Secretary Desk: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Velvet Covered Chain: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY Computer: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Connecting Brass Stands: 6 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY Secretarys Chair: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Coat Rods: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY Heavy Carpet: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Urinals: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Oak Desk: 5 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY
Mahogany Toilet Stalls: 6 PD, 6 ED, 5 BODY Large Plush Chairs: 4 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY
Smooth Toilets: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Small Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Bathroom Paintings: 2 PD, 2 ED, 1 BODY Microwave: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY
Row of Black Sinks: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY Metal and Plastic Shelving: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY (per two-meter
section)
VIP Coat Check Desk: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Large Refrigerators: 4 PD, 4 ED, 11 BODY
Plush Chairs: 4 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Freezers: 4 PD, 4 ED, 11 BODY
Small Plasma TV: 2 PD, 2 ED, 1 BODY
Rolling Cart: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Small Bar: 5 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY
Downstairs Bathroom Toilet: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Tall Chairs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Downstairs Sink: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Old Ceiling Fan: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY
Downstairs Urinal: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
VIP Exit Doors: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Downstairs Bathroom Painting: 1 PD, 1 ED, 2 BODY
Drum Set: 4 PD, 4 ED, 2 BODY
Old Speakeasy Tables: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Grand Piano: 4 PD, 4 ED, 12 BODY
Old Speakeasy Chairs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY
Microphone: 3 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Prohibition Era Portraits: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY
Stage Door: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY
Circular Fans: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Small Walkway Tables: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Wall Lamps: 3 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Walkway Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Old-Fashioned Microphone Shell: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY
Brass Railing: 5 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Piano: 4 PD, 2 ED, 8 BODY
Seating Area Tables: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Oak Bartop: 4 PD, 3 ED, 15 BODY
Seating Area Chairs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Wall Refrigeration Unit: 3 PD, 3 ED, 16 BODY
Large Hanging Lights: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Chains: 5 PD, 5 ED, 4 BODY
Emergency Exit Doors: 6 PD, 6 ED, 4 BODY
Fire Extinguisher: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Stone and Brass Bar: 6 PD, 6 ED, 23 BODY
Tall Seats at Stone and Brass Bar: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY
Dishwasher: 4 PD, 4 ED, 9 BODY
Preparation Tables: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Musical Instrument Cases: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Musical Instruments: 2-5 PD, 1-4 ED, 1-5 BODY
Janitorial Sink: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Michael Satran 197
Refrigeration Unit: 4 PD, 4 ED, 12 BODY Swing-Down Barrier Machine: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
IHOC Tables: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY Barrier Bar: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Cheap Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY Mini-Mall Walls: 6 PD, 6 ED, 4 BODY
Refrigerated Dip Machines: 6 PD, 6 ED, 7 BODY Mall Doors: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY
Traffic Lights: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Mall Windows: 4 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Apollos Cash Registers: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Talking Clown: 8 PD, 8 ED, 7 BODY
Apollos Countertop: 4 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY Candy Case: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY
Refrigerated Pastry Case: 6 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY Candy Baking Equipment: 7 PD, 7 ED, 6 BODY
Small Tables and Cheap Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY Cash Register: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
World of Toys Sign: 5 PD, 3 ED, 8 BODY Cheap Oven: 6 PD, 6 ED, 5 BODY
Bulletproof Window: 6 PD, 6 ED, 8 BODY Banana Boat Countertop: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Eyeglass Shelves: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY Ice-Cream and Yogurt Mixing Machine: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Visionland Cash Register: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Spectacular Cards Countertop: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Avant-Garde Countertop: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Metal Card Stands: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY
Table Stations: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY Engraving Equipment: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY
Wooden Bar: 4 PD, 4 ED, 11 BODY Refrigerated Countertop: 6 PD, 6 ED, 5 BODY
Heavy Wooden Tables: 4 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY Row of Deep Fat Fryers: 6 PD, 6 ED, 7 BODY
Heavy Wooden Chairs: 4 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY Hatz Counter and Displays: 5 PD, 4 ED, 16 BODY
Wall-Mounted Big Screen TVs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY Roll Up Garage Door: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY
Bar Refrigeration Units: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY Long Countertop: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY
Bar Grill: 5 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY Coffee-Making Countertop: 6 PD, 6 ED, 7 BODY
Old Wooden Fixtures: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY Fragrance Counter: 5 PD, 5 ED, 5 BODY
Sports Store Countertop: 6 PD, 6 ED, 9 BODY Vindalooneys Countertop: 5 PD, 5 ED, 11 BODY
Taco Hell Counter: 6 PD, 6 ED, 4 BODY Picnic Tables: 4 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY
198 Object Defense Tables
Picnic Benches: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY INSTITUTE AND SPIDER BASE
Cheap Metal Tables: 4 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Underground Base Outer Walls: 12 PD, 12 ED, 12 BODY
Cheap Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Underground Base Inner Walls: 8 PD, 8 ED, 6 BODY
Metal Stands: 5 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY
Institute Walls, Floor, and Ceiling: 7 PD, 6 ED, 8 BODY
Hawser Rope: 5 PD, 5 ED, 3 BODY
Bulletproof Windows: 7 PD, 7 ED, 6 BODY
Big Wang Counter: 4 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY
Institute Fence: 2 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY (per two-meter section)
Big Wang Wok Bay: 5 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY
Institute Gate: 6 PD, 6 ED, 4 BODY
Biscuit Grab Counter and Oven: 6 PD, 6 ED, 8 BODY
Underground Trapdoor: 8 PD, 8 ED, 12 BODY
Tea Bag Rolling Cart: 4 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY
Institute Front Door: 5 PD, 5 ED, 5 BODY
Megaworld Stations: 5 PD, 5 ED, 3 BODY
Welcome Mat: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY
Megaworld Booth: 4 PD, 4 ED, 2 BODY
Mailbox: 0 PD, 0 ED, 1 BODY
Fones! Large Countertop: 4 PD, 4 ED, 8 BODY
Solid Steel Door Barrier (Hidden): 8 PD, 8 ED, 9 BODY
Fones! Small Countertop: 4 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY
Waiting Room Couches: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY
Ice Cream Soldiers Countertop: 4 PD, 4 ED, 12 BODY
Coffee Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Mini-Mall Ladies Room Stalls: 7 PD, 7 ED, 3 BODY
Large Wooden Desk: 4 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY
Mini-Mall Toilets: 5 PD, 5 ED, 3 BODY
Solarium Window: 7 PD, 7 ED, 6 BODY
Mini-Mall Sinks: 4 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Childrens Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 1 BODY
Mini-Mall Urinals: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Childrens Tables: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Traffic Light: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Toys: 0-3 PD, 0-3 ED, 1-4 BODY
Church of Mutation Pews: 3 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY
Solarium Back Door: 6 PD, 6 ED, 8 BODY
Pulpit: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Solid Steel Barrier: 8 PD, 8 ED, 9 BODY
Electronic Organ: 3 PD, 3 ED, 8 BODY
Elevator: 8 PD, 8 ED, 12 BODY
Travel Agency Desks: 5 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY
Doctor Ingersolls Desk: 4 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY
Travel Agency Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Doctor Ingersolls Computer: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Computers: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Chairs in Office: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Travel Agency Long Couches: 4 PD, 3 ED, 9 BODY
File Cabinets: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Travel Agency Coffee Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Observation Room Tables: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Flower Shop Counter: 3 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY
Institute Servers: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Small Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Medical Examination Table: 6 PD, 4 ED, 9 BODY
Medium Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Medical Supply Cabinets: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Flower Shop Refrigeration Units: 4 PD, 4 ED, 9 BODY
Electroencephalogram Reader: 3 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY
Parthenon Tables: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Office Desks: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Aging Wooden Chairs: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Rug: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Cheap Tables: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Refrigerator: 4 PD, 4 ED, 10 BODY
Microwave: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Supercola Dispensing Machine: 4 PD, 3 ED, 9 BODY
Toilet Stalls: 7 PD, 7 ED, 6 BODY
Toilets: 6 PD, 5 ED, 3 BODY
Wall-Molded Sinks: 6 PD, 6 ED, 4 BODY
Snack Vending Machines: 4 PD, 4 ED, 9 BODY
Cabinets: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Eye Scanner: 6 PD, 6 ED, 9 BODY
Padded Walls: 6 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY (per two-meter section)
Flat Platforms: 6 PD, 6 ED, 6 BODY
Michael Satran 199
Metal Cubes: 6 PD, 6 ED, BODY varies with weight of cube Chest of Drawers: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY
Stove: 5 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY Childrens Bed: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Kitchen Sink: 4 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY Childrens Desk: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Over: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY Childrens Learning Datapad: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Preparation Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Linens: 2 PD, 0 ED, 1 BODY
Dishwashing Machine: 3 PD, 3 ED, 12 BODY Linen Closet Shelves: 2 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY
Janitorial Sink: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Operating Table: 8 PD, 8 ED, 7 BODY
Mopping Carts: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Ceiling Lamps: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY
Storage Cabinet: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY Surgical Supply Cabinet: 5 PD, 5 ED, 8 BODY
Plastic Rolling Carts: 4 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY Life Support Machines: 4 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY
Storage Shelves: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY Scrubs Cabinet: 3 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Centrifuges: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY Sonic Pulse Machine: 5 PD, 5 ED, 4 BODY
Blood Testing Center Countertops: 6 PD, 6 ED, 5 BODY Laparoscopic Laser: 8 PD, 8 ED, 7 BODY
Refrigerators: 5 PD, 5 ED, 9 BODY Tobys Cell Door: 8 PD, 8 ED, 6 BODY
Electron Microscope: 6 PD, 6 ED, 9 BODY Tobys Bed: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY
Blood Center Supply Cabinet: 4 PD, 4 ED, 2 BODY Tobys Desk: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Psychic Monitoring Device: 6 PD, 6 ED, 8 BODY Tobys Bookcase: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Reclining Chairs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY Toy Phone: 1 PD, 1 ED, 2 BODY
Ceiling Helmet Apparatus: 5 PD, 5 ED, 5 BODY Power Armor Pods: 8 PD, 8 ED, 7 BODY
Drop-Down Barrier: 10 PD, 10 ED, 12 BODY Bulkhead Doors: 10 PD, 10 ED, 8 BODY
Cafeteria Serving Line Counter: 6 PD, 5 ED, 5 BODY Equipment Repair Bays: 8 PD, 8 ED, 6 BODY
Cafeteria Tables: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Parts Storage Unit: 6 PD, 6 ED, 7 BODY
Drink Dispenser: 3 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY Exit Trapdoor for Vehicles: 5 PD, 4 ED, 22 BODY
Security Camera Wall: 4 PD, 3 ED, 12 BODY Video Screen: 5 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Secure Combination Lock Door: 8 PD, 8 ED, 6 BODY Control Room Security Console: 7 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY
Coffee Maker: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY Automated Weapons Controls: 7 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY
Small Security Room Table: 3 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY Power Monitoring Station: 6 PD, 6 ED, 6 BODY
Reading Library Bookshelves: 3 PD, 2 ED, 5 BODY Psychic Machine Monitor: 5 PD, 3 ED, 8 BODY
Library Chairs: 4 PD, 3 ED, 6 BODY Psychic Amplification Machine: 12 PD, 12 ED, 9 BODY
Library Tables: 3 PD, 3 ED, 2 BODY Bulletproof Panel: 8 PD, 8 ED, 12 BODY
Washing Machines: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY SPIDER Base Bathroom Stalls: 7 PD, 7 ED, 6 BODY
Dryers: 4 PD, 4 ED, 5 BODY SPIDER Base Toilets: 6 PD, 5 ED, 3 BODY
Ceiling Hanger Apparatus: 4 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY Wall-Molded Sinks: 6 PD, 6 ED, 4 BODY
Dry-Cleaning Stations: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY SPIDER Coffee Maker: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Folding Tables: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY Small Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Laundry Crates: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY Coffee Lounge Tables: 4 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Specialized Clothing Cabinets: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Coffee Lounge Chairs: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY
Non-lethal Weapons Case: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY Big Screen TV: 2 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY
Observation Room A Desk: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY Tarantulas Bed: 3 PD, 2 ED, 5 BODY
Mirrored Glass Window: 7 PD, 7 ED, 8 BODY Tarantulas Desk: 2 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Observation Room B Desks: 4 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY Tarantulas Room Chairs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Observation Room B Analysis Computer: 4 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY Shower Cubicle: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Orderly Beds: 3 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY Exercise Mat: 4 PD, 2 ED, 3 BODY
Orderly Nightstands: 3 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY Collection of Weights: 2 PD, 2 ED, 5 BODY
Showeing Cubicle: 2 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY Tarantulas Computer: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Mop and Bucket Set: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
200 Object Defense Tables
Janitorial Sink: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Reactor Elevator: 12 PD, 12 ED, 18 BODY
Cleaning Supply Cabinet: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY Supply Shelves: 3 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY
Elevator: 7 PD, 7 ED, 8 BODY Operations Desk: 5 PD, 4 ED, 7 BODY
Server Hub Door: 9 PD, 9 ED, 7 BODY Operations Computer Console: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Server: 4 PD, 4 ED, 10 BODY Ceiling Holographic Projector: 5 PD, 3 ED, 7 BODY
Ceiling Blasters: 10 PD, 10 ED, 1 BODY Armory Door: 10 PD, 10 ED, 10 BODY
Command Platform: 12 PD, 12 ED, 8 BODY Armory Glass Panel: 7 PD, 7 ED, 8 BODY
Bulletproof Translucent Walls: 8 PD, 8 ED, 8 BODY Armory Walls: 12 PD, 12 ED, 12 BODY
Bio-sample Cabinet: 8 PD, 8 ED, 5 BODY Cheap Plastic Table: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY
Bio-samples: 0 PD, 0 ED, 1 BODY Requisitions Wall Shelf: 2 PD, 2 ED, 4 BODY
Row of Centrifuges: 8 PD, 8 ED, 8 BODY Fold Down Tables: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Energy Infuser: 7 PD, 6 ED, 9 BODY Lounge Wall TV: 3 PD, 3 ED, 12 BODY
Firing Range Analysis Machines: 4 PD, 4 ED, 3 BODY Lounge Coffee Maker: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Energy Scanning Device: 5 PD, 7 ED, 8 BODY Coffee Maker Table: 2 PD, 2 ED, 2 BODY
Firing Range Door: 10 PD, 10 ED, 12 BODY Digital Jukebox: 3 PD, 3 ED, 9 BODY
Analysis Room Door: 8 PD, 8 ED, 10 BODY Reactor Walls and Doors: 12 PD, 12 ED, 12 BODY
Danger Room Computer: 5 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY Scrub-down Showers: 4 PD, 4 ED, 6 BODY
Firing Range Door (From Outside): 9 PD, 9 ED, 12 BODY Nuclear Physics Lab Electron Microscope: 6 PD, 5 ED, 12 BODY
Flip-down Backboards: 4 PD, 5 ED, 3 BODY Molecular Mapping Scanner: 5 PD, 6 ED, 13 BODY
Gravitic Generator: 8 PD, 7 ED, 13 BODY Microfusion Beam Generator: 5 PD, 7 ED, 9 BODY
Monitoring Computers: 6 PD, 6 ED, 8 BODY Glass Testing Zone: 9 PD, 9 ED, 11 BODY
Steel Blocks: 1-12 PD, 1-12 ED, 1-12 BODY Shielded Computers: 5 PD, 5 ED, 4 BODY
Hydroponics Pipes: 5 PD, 5 ED, 12 BODY Nuclear Physics Lab Chairs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Genetics Lab Centrifuge Shelf: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY SHAPE Project Machine: 8 PD, 7 ED, 22 BODY
Electron Microscope: 6 PD, 5 ED, 9 BODY SHAPE Project Energizer Controls: 5 PD, 5 ED, 11 BODY
Molecular Analysis Computers: 3 PD, 3 ED, 5 BODY SHAPE Computers: 3 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Hazardous Materials Cabinet: 5 PD, 5 ED, 7 BODY Mobile Chairs on Wheels: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Hazmat Suits Cabinet: 5 PD, 5 ED, 6 BODY Bulletproof Reactor Control Screen: 8 PD, 8 ED, 13 BODY
Genetics Lab Door: 10 PD, 10 ED, 12 BODY Reactor Control Consoles: 6 PD, 6 ED, 9 BODY
Paranormal Biology Centrifuge Wall: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY Reactor Console Chairs: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Submolecular Full Body Airport Scanner: 6 PD, 5 ED, 11 BODY Nuclear Reactor: 9 PD, 9 ED, 25 BODY
Paranormal Biology Hazardous Materials Cabinet: 4 PD, 4 ED, 7 Coolant Pool Temperature Regulators: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
BODY
Explosives Development Table: 6 PD, 6 ED, 6 BODY
Blast Shield: 12 PD, 12 ED, 16 BODY
Computer Control for Blast Shield: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Explosive Materials Cabinets: 6 PD, 6 ED, 6 BODY
Explosives Lab Walls: 12 PD, 12 ED, 12 BODY
Agent Quarters Beds: 4 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Agent Quarters Desks: 4 PD, 3 ED, 3 BODY
Mainframe Connection: 1 PD, 1 ED, 1 BODY
Agent Quarters Shower Stall: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
Agent Commander Bed: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Agent Commander Desk: 5 PD, 4 ED, 4 BODY
Agent Commander Chair: 3 PD, 3 ED, 4 BODY
$ 3 3(1 ' ,; )2 8 5
5$1'20
7$%/(6
202 Random Tables
Random Building
Occupant Table (3d6) Knocked Back Into Traffic
3d6 3d6 Impact
Roll Result Roll Chance Result (1d6 Roll)
3 Superhero! The brownstones occupant is a superhero who 3-5 11- Vehicle is speeding! (1: Subcompact: 10d6
joins the battle on the side of the heroes, and gives them aid | 3d6, 2: Compact: 12d6 | 4d6, 3: Sedan:
in the fight. Choose a superhero who would be likely to be 14d6 | 5d6, 4: Pickup Truck: 14d6 | 5d6,
present. Use the templates in the Champions sourcebook, or 5: Oversized Van/Small Truck/Bus: 16d6
make your own up on the spot if you havent already done so. | 5d6, 6: 18-Wheeler/Double Coach Bus:
18d6 | 6d6)
4-5 Super-Agent of Good. The occupant of the room on the other
side of the wall is a super-agent for a well-meaning heroic 6-8 11- Vehicle is moving fast! (1: Subcompact:
organization. Whether or not the agent is opposed to the PCs 8d6 | 3d6, 2: Compact: 10d6 | 3d6, 3:
is another matter. Sedan: 12d6 | 4d6, 4: Pickup Truck: 14d6
| 5d6, 5: Oversized Van/Small Truck/Bus:
6-8 Well-Intentioned Normal: This area is occupied by a well- 14d6 | 5d6, 6: 18-Wheeler/Double Coach
intentioned Normal or group of Normals that view superhe- Bus: 16d6 | 6d6)
roes favorably. They will aid the hero and give Recoveries 9-11 8- Vehicle is obeying speed limits. (1:
to get them back into the fight, or drag them out of view of Subcompact: 8d6 | 3d6, 2: Compact: 8d6
attackers to save them if the situation looks dire. | 3d6, 3: Sedan: 10d6 | 3d6, 4: Pickup
9-10 Empty. Everyone cant be home all the time. Truck: 12d6 | 4d6, 5: Oversized Van/Small
Truck/Bus: 14d6 | 5d6, 6: 18-Wheeler/
Frightened Normal. The occupant(s) reacts by trying to run Double Coach Bus: 16d6 | 5d6)
11-12 away as swiftly as possible. 12-14 8- Traffic is slow. (1: Subcompact: 6d6 |
2d6, 2: Compact: 8d6 | 3d6, 3: Sedan:
13-15 Ill-Intentioned Normal: This area is occupied by an ill-inten- 10d6 | 3d6, 4: Pickup Truck: 11d6 | 4d6,
tioned Normal (or group) who either doesnt like superheroes, 5: Oversized Van/Small Truck/Bus: 12d6
or doesnt like having their privacy violated for any reason. | 4d6, 6: 18-Wheeler/Double Coach Bus:
They may call the police, hit the hero with a broom, or other- 14d6 | 5d6)
wise create interference and problems.
15-17 14- Traffic is stopped! Impact chance is high,
Super Agent of Evil: The occupant of the room on the other but no additional damage from moving
16 -17 side is a super-agent for an evil secret organization. The vehicles occurs. 8- chance the hero has
agent may take track of the heros powers and fighting style an uncomfortable encounter with someone
and note it for later, or cripple or try to kill the hero if an he knows, either a DNPC, enemy, or friend.
opportunity presents itself.
18 14- Traffic Accident! A traffic accident has
already occurred! As above, only the hero
18 Supervillain!: The brownstones occupant is another supervil-
may have to assist people injured in the
lain! The supervillain could be one that just wants to be left
accident, possibly (8-) a DNPC, friend, or
alone, or he could be the hunted of one of the PCs. Nonethe-
enemy!
less, he now joins the battle on the side of the PCs enemies.
Property damage is clearly its own reward.