About a year ago, something changed in Emerald City. It started slowly: a couple mysterious bank robberies and fuzzy pictures on social media. In March, the first dead body showed up, murdered by someone with impossible strength. The fingerprints didn't match anyone in the system, but from hair left at the crime scene, they know it's a he and they know he is human. Or was.
Since then, more and more people have developed powers of one kind or another. Most people in Emerald City believe that these superhumans exist, on some level, though they remain relatively rare. There are rumors that a shady government organization took notice and has set up shop somewhere near the docks.
So far, those changed have been mostly confined to Emerald City. A handful of people around the world have been changed as well, but they all have one thing in common: they lived in or passed through Emerald City some time in the past year. Something here is causing people to change. A chemical in the water? Hidden experiments by a local company or government agency? Maybe an alignment of the stars or some mystic phenomena have caused this. Whatever the case, many suspect that those who have changed are only the first wave and fear that there is much more to come.
First Wave is a campaign for characters of Power Level 8. To accommodate a broader set of abilities, characters will be built on 135 Power Points, rather than the standard 120. As the campaign progresses and characters come to grips with their newfound power, the Power Level will increase.
Due to the unknown source for the changes in the city, characters of nearly any type are allowed. Mystical powers or mutants are an obvious fit, but are not the only ones. Martial artists are fine, but players are encouraged to link their frankly insane power to the recent events, rather than just Elite Kung Fu. Aliens that are obviously not human probably aren't appropriate, but locals changed into something monstrous are plausible. A high-tech power armor type feels a little out of place given that this is supposed to take place in what is, ostensibly, our world. However, I'm not totally opposed, provided the player understands that they will be one of the only of that type in the world.
The current battle map is located here.
