Spacers Depot on the Fringe: January 2006

/ret'kon/ retroactive continuity. The common situation in fiction where a new story "reveals"things about events in previous stories, usually leaving the"facts" the same (thus preserving continuity) while completelychanging their interpretation. For example, revealing that awhole season of "Dallas" was a dream was a retcon.

Yes I have been working on my Mutants and Masterminds campaign that I posted just a blurb about earlier. And already I have Retconned my own series lol. Now this game uses a lot of stuff from other GM's in our group who have run "Supers" games in the past. And to reflect that better I had to change stuff after I had already gotten close to running lol. Here is a brief thing changed from my campaign. The Sentinels

With the war on terror a priority of the United States government and the ever present threat of villains throwing their two-cents into the terror mix the Department of Homeland Security formed an elite agency to handle super-powered terrorism called HD-TAC

HOMELAND DEFENSE TACTICAL ARMED CORPS
The brain child of Senator Richard Anderson who’s own daughter is a super-powered hero, felt the US needed this agency and had pushed Washington years before 9/11 occurred following events such as the destruction of most of downtown Chicago by a distraught Mutant mother who incinerated much of the area.

After 9/11 and proof that certain terrorist states were now looking into getting the business of hiring “super-terrorists” the government included funding for HD-TAC prior to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The HD-TAC official HQ is located in Valiant Hall in downtown Chicago. It was the former HQ of the cities premier superhero team the Valliant’s who split up a few years prior to 9/11 and left the location vacant. Senator Anderson has an “in” with the team and got access when others could not. This base is highly fortified against intrusion and has

HD-TAC agents “In-the-field” utilize the latest in protection from the leader in the Defense Industry, Zacharias Heavy Industries Brick-Layer 03 power suit.

VALLIANT HALL HEADQUARTERS
Size: Large, Toughness: 15, Features: Combat Simulator, Communications, Computer, Concealed, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Gym, Hangar, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Laboratory, Living Space, Power System, Security System. Cost: 18 equipment points.
Cost: 18 equipment points

VALLIANT HALL
Valliant Hall was built by the Lithian Engineer Panro. Using engineering techniques from their former home world the Lithian’s built a home away from home so to speak. Everyday materials on Earth were used to make the strange alloys used in its construction.

Valliant Hall has three floors above ground and several levels below ground

LEVEL ONE:
This area is the main entrance and contains the foyer which was public access. Much has changed since the days of the Valliant’s. This entire floor has been changed to give a public face to the HD-TAC. It is staffed by federal employees with years of training in working with Government Agencies, there is “no” entry level positions at HD-TAC.
Conference rooms, a press room, cafeteria and PR offices are located on this level. There is a escalator that takes authorized people to Level 2 and an Elevator that also is available to take authorized personnel to the upper floors or the lower levels of Valliant Hall

LEVEL TWO:
This floor contains the HQ-TAC offices and OPS rooms. Briefing rooms line one side of the floor with 3D imagining systems to give field agents accurate perspectives of OP locations. A large hall now serves at the situation room for the agency. Floating view screens linked to real-time images from overhead satellites give the operators the information they need to give field agents accurate information while performing operations.

LEVEL THREE:
This floor has stairs leading too it from within the Situation Room. The Main elevator leads to a small foyer with 6 armed HD-TAC field agents, 4 in Bricklayer 03 armor and 2 within the 03a assault armor. This is the only way into Senator Anderson’s office which overlooks the Situation Room. As the Senator puts it, being in charge of the organization in charge of taking out the big bad’s one can not be too careful.

SUB-LEVEL ONE:
This is the vehicle and powersuit garage/hangar and repair bay. A small TAC room for last min updates is connected to the main garage area. On one end of the bay is a tram like vehicle that leads into a tunnel. A series of blast doors has this area sealed off. On the other end is a air vehicle hangar that at one time housed the groups air/space transport. It has been since flooded by the waters of Lake Michigan by the base computer system.

Two other hallways lead out of Bay and lead to another Sealed off location of the base. Seismic sensors show a standard room possibly a room that once housed a member of the Valliant’s. Another door leads to an intersecting hallway that leads to the base power systems. Computer records show this new intersecting hallway was built “after” the rest of the base. Obviously this sealed off room was of concern to the Valliant’s to permanently seal it off.

The Base power system uses an unusual ore that is found in less the 1% of the various elements of the Earth. Records call it Lithranium and possibly originated from the Cat-like peoples called the Lithians home-world. It is radioactive, but not as deadly as terrestrial radio-isotopes. Projections show the power supply lasting another 30 years before replacement of the power core is required.

SUB-LEVEL TWO:
Base Personnel is housed here. Also the Supercomputer known only as S.N.A.R.F. is housed here. Researchers have wanted to see what makes this Lithian Computer tick but so far no one has been able to access the computers core processor and subsystems. In fact some speculate that the entire base is the computer but no proof of this has been verified. What is known is that S.N.A.R.F. is not working to 100% capacity, it was known to have vocalized itself to several eyewitnesses but currently not a single employee has heard it say a word though unexplained laughter is sometimes heard after office pranks that go unexplained occur.

SUB-LEVEL THREE:
Containment Cells for super powered individuals the HD-TAC takes into custody until the proper accommodations can be arranged for the prisoners. 30 Agents on varying shifts to avoid inmates figuring out a pattern of rotation guard the facility when inmates are present.

HD-TAC FIELD AGENT
HD-TAC agents are recruited from the military, and federal agencies like the FBI. They’re selected for intelligence, drive, and dedication, and trained in law, police procedures, and combat.

HD-TAC FIELD AGENT POWERLEVEL 4

BRICKLAYER
The Bricklayer armor series was built by Zacharias Heavy Industries using test systems developed by the late developer and founder of ZHI Nathan Zacharias. The suit helps deal with super-powered crimes to a certain extent. In teams of 3 these suits can handle a decent threat fast.

The 03a version is a beefier version of its sister unit and can handle the strong super-powered thugs the crop up from time to time on

BRICKLAYER 03 POWERSUIT

BRICKLAYER 03a ASSAULT POWERSUIT

SENATOR ANDERSON POWERLEVEL 8
ABILITIES: STR: 14 (+2) DEX: 17 (+3) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 12 (+1) CHA: 16 (+3)
SKILLS: Acrobatics 5 (+8), Bluff 8 (+11), Climb 5 (+7), Computers 5 (+7), Concentration 6 (+7), Diplomacy 8 (+11), Disable Device 5 (+7), Disguise 5 (+8), Drive 6 (+9), Escape Artist 5 (+8), Gather Info 6 (+9), Handle Animal 4 (+7), Intimidate 6 (+9), Investigate 6 (+8), Civics 7 (+9), Current Event 8 (+10), Notice 6 (+7), Pilot 5 (+8), Profession 6 (+7), Ride 4 (+7), Search 5 (+7), Sense Motive 6 (+7), Sleight of Hand 5 (+8), Stealth 4 (+7), Survival 4 (+5), Swim 4 (+6
FEATS: Attractive (1), Accurate Attack, All-out Attack, Attack Focus (2), Chokehold, Defensive Attack, Elusive Target, Improved Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Pin, Improved Trip, Stunning Attack, Power Attack, Quick Draw (2), Sneak Attack (3), Inspire (1), Leadership, Equipment (3), Skill Mastery (2)
POWERS: *Enhanced Strength [2], *Enhanced Dexterity [2], *Enhanced Constitution [2]
Equipment: blaster pistol (+5 damage), armored uniform (+2 Toughness),
Handcuffs, commlink
COMBAT: Attack 0 [Unarmed +2 (Bruise)] Defense 10 (10 flat-footed) Init 3
SAVES: Toughness 4 (2 flat-footed) Fortitude 2 Reflex 3 Will 1

Abilities 21 + Skills 37 (148 ranks) + Feats 26 + Powers 7 + Combat 20 + Saves 9 = 120 / 120

Senator Anderson has been in the service of the country for years. A special Agent during the cold wars he saw a lot of action during his days. He was part of the Government Sponsored Super-Soldier program and was deemed a success.

He has spent his “inactive” years in the service of the public as a decorated hero who saved the life of the President from an assassin’s bullet that started his “retirement”. He likes to use those words, “inactive” and “retirement” a lot especially when his family is within earshot. He says to friends in the “know” that he will never retire and now that he is head of HD-TAC he has every reason to go on active duty missions.

He appropriated the former Valiant Headquarters in Chicago as HD-TAC’s official HQ. And knowing full well that HD-TAC can only do so much has sent out feelers for potential recruits for a Superhero Team called The Sentinels. Trouble is someone is beating him to the punch and making hits on potential recruits he has selected. He suspects a mole within the Organization is working with the other side to prevent a government sponsored team from being formed.

In the past Senator Anderson has teamed up with the mystical sword wielding alien Krajor and gone on many adventure with him. His daughter was a former team member of the Strangers and was known as Ultra Stranger, He never got passed the fact that she was a crime fighter. But since then her powers were stripped and she has gone into seclusion and he rarely speaks about her.

CORPORATE INFLUENCE IN CHICAGO
There are several companies within the city which some might say makes Chicago what it is today. From the various small businesses to the ma and pop stores which have been in business for decades. Nothing says Chicago like big business, during the 90’s companies like Boeing helped the corporate profile of Chicago. Today its two companies who vie for power.

ZACHARIAS HEAVY INDUSTRIES
ZHI has helped the city recover following the disaster of the Big Fire of 1997. This company has had its run ins with the group formally known as The Valliant’s. In fact its founder Nathan Zacharias was purportedly killed while helping the Valliant’s pilot a space mission back to Earth following the death of its super-heroine, the duplicating hero named Star.

Since then the company has been run by his Wife who has carried on much of her deceased husband’s traditions with the company. The Company HQ is located in downtown Chicago in Metro Tower and occupying 50% of the floor space in the building.

BROWNSTONE ELECTRONICS
BE has also been influential in the rebuilding of Chicago but it must also be said that several past incidents involving the company’s founder Christopher Brownstone had left investors worried during the early 90’s. The destruction of the family’s large gold-coast estate by terrorists and the death of several board members made many wonder just who the Brownstone’s were in business with.

The company HQ is located also in the downtown district near the old town that survived the destruction of the Big Fire incident of 97. It’s a classic stone facade building harking back to the earlier skyscrapers of the early half of the 20th century.

This is something I am working on for my new M&M campaign.

When the terrible events of September 11th hit the United States the US military was at first upset that the heroes that populate the world who fight for justice were unable to fight off this terrible evil.

Problem was terrorist organizations while the privy to some heroes who make them their targets had warned of some form of attack was imminent. As the 911 commission discovered the inability for government agencies to communicate or even take action with Intel they received was hampered.

The creation of the Department of Homeland Security was seen by some as a way for the government to police the citizens of the US. First thing that the DHS did was follow suit that some large international companies had done and that was “employing” superheroes. The agency was backed by this move by the Pentagon to form The Sentinels. This group was placed under military command while being funded by the Department of Homeland Security.

Based in Chicago at a former group HQ called the Valliant’s now left vacant for several years due to the groups falling apart from political pressure, public opinion and infighting. This base was also built using alien technology that the former team’s leader had left. As the government found out, dismantling the technology from its source completely rendered the item useless.

The government who know controlled the property thought it best to utilize the technology to help their new superhero team, The Sentinels.

How I plan to get these guys altogether..

When we all get together to play here is the setup. (I dont care if my players read this, nothing they do will save them) Each player has at some point in thier recent lives has exhibited thier powers to the public. The government has them on file, but the bad guys are in bed with the good guys so to speak. There is a list of recruits for the Sentinels, and the big bads plans could be ruined if this team comes to form.

The big bad starts making hits on these heroes. The players are also targeted. So on day one. Each player is going to get a small encounter prior to them all meeting. They will win, of course, no point in killin off new characters especially if you worked hard in helping them make them. and they all get invited to the new Sentinel HQ.

I always found that starting off a group of players in any game is rough for the first session. If the meeting is less than stellar it could have adverse effects at how the players like the game.