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I would have thought Spirits in the material world for Phantom Girl.
Ooh, and it's even kinda haunting sounding.
Just saying hi :)
Hi back at ya!
i take it that post on the supers game is Raven; am wondering how such a low powered mage resisted me; oh well, plot device I guess. I thought she was like a empath or something. I only watched Teen Titans a bit now and again. your the DC guru; any thoughts?
i take it that post on the supers game is Raven; am wondering how such a low powered mage resisted me; oh well, plot device I guess. I thought she was like a empath or something. I only watched Teen Titans a bit now and again. your the DC guru; any thoughts?
Can we have a linky so we know which post your referring to Val? I'm thinking I missed something here.
sorry; was in one of my info spoiler from our neato gm :)
A group of four robed figures surround a short teenager dressed in a blue cloak
Let me know if you can't see this
Girl in Blue Cloak
in his post; girl in blue cloak is a link;
as you apparently cant see me; not sure if that is just my mist; looks like I might have some fisticuffs without you; yikes!
sorry; was in one of my info spoiler from our neato gm :)
A group of four robed figures surround a short teenager dressed in a blue cloak
Let me know if you can't see this
Girl in Blue Cloakin his post; girl in blue cloak is a link;
as you apparently cant see me; not sure if that is just my mist; looks like I might have some fisticuffs without you; yikes!
If I can eventually see the opponents and the fight, I'll keep score for you. You may not win by knockout but perhaps by points. Remember, no hitting below the belt, no grapping your opponent, no pushing them up against the ropes, no foriegn objects, and no outside help. Them's the rules. Oh, yea, by the way, I think you identified your opponent correctly, that's my best guess anyway.
cool; so at least there is still hair pulling, biting, spitting and name calling; I think I have a good chance :)
Yawn, sits up, stretches, stretches some more.....Turns to the camera and starts babbling....
"Warning this is a long post about my efforts of creating a Legion of Super-Heroes role-playing game. Skip if your not a Legion or at least Comic fan. If you are a comic or Legion fan, get a drink, get lunch out of the way, go to the bathroom, take the phone of the hook, whatever you need to do to read a long post."
I've continued working on my game and thought I would post about it. The progress made has reached the pount where I think the basic rules can be play tested. I'm re-writing the chapters as your reading this in order to make sure that all information coincides with one another. I've made a lot of changes, edits, etc. so hopefully I catch all inconsistencies.
The progreess thus far has provided me with enough information to sit down and give it a play test. This isn't anything like Pathfinder in regards to play testing, as yet the chapters are still incomplete and some have yet to be started.
In a nut shell, for those who are truly interested in seeing where this project is going and would like to give it a tryout using what I have, well, that's what the post is all about.
Introduction: Welcome to the 30th Century
It's an introduction, pretty much that. Starts with a narattive of how the Legion came to be, a chapter introduction, that sort of thing.
Chapter 1: The Future Begins Now
This explains the basic concepts of the game, how to play multiple characters as well as the traits for characters (think ability scores).
Chapter 2: Species Revealed
This describes the various species of the 30th century as well as going into an introduction of their planet. There are not many done yet, though some are, thus giving you an understanding of how this chapter will flow. I do plan to include Specie Qualities as well. For example: The color of skin, inherit power, way of thinking, etc. the race in general has.
Chapter 3: AOE Database
This is the chapter that explains the areas of expertise (think skills) that a character would have. It tells how to select them, which are required, as well as improving them.
Chapter 4: The Rise of Power
This chapter explains how the stats for powers work. Afterwards are examples of powers I've completed (first draft).
Chapter 5: Heroes Take Action
In this section I go into rules for movement, time, initiative, many of the basics of any rpg. It has rules for critical success as well as blunders.
Chapter 6: The Rules of Battle
This chapter deals with combat. It goes into taking damage, the different types of attacks, recording damage, damage conditions, lethal and non-lethal damage, defying blows, defeat, and death, as well as healing. This chapter goes into some basic comic book like effects, such as how to make minions or innocents cower, how to intimidate an opponent, what happens when your character gets really really angry and so on. It discusses Knockbacks from being hit with super strength, as well as the Clash of Good versus Evil.
Chapter 7: Evolution Unveiled
This is the chapter which describes character advancement. It tells the Cosmos Master and players what they get awards for and how much. It explains how the awards are divided up into three databases; the Action database (used for improving die rolls); the Improvement Database (used for individual character training and character growth; and finally the Brande Account (named after the man who founded the Legion and gives them the finances they need to operate. With the Brande account, players buy new spaceships, replace old ones, create alliances, even put villains on hold if they are to afraid to encounter them in the near future. In addition, this account is used for adding new Legionnaires to the group.
I'll be continuing writing and eventually include all the things I haven't mentioned yet. Over the next 4-5 years, I plan on detailing out all the powers, species (and their qualities), weapons, personality choices, origins of the characters, a player's introduction to the 30th century, and so on. I'll also be further detailing out what I have for combat rules, and tons of other things I've touched on or gotten a decent start on.
No chapter is complete but it gives the reader an understanding of the basic mechanics that run the game, hopefully to the point that one can read it and if their good enough at game mastering, give it a try with some players (as in try a campaign not a quick game). This statement brings me to the real reason I'm posting...
If you are truly interested in giving this a whirl, have the patience to email me for new rules that are needed, be it weapons, powers, personality qualities, etc. etc. I am more than willing to do so as promptly as possible. Please go into this understanding that your getting a portion of the game and in the long run, a small portion. I've planned on completing this in 4-5 more years, yet I'm to the point of saying "Now is the time to start a campaign and develop additional rules as time goes by."
This really isn't for the casual reader who's slightly interested, would glance at it and delete it. It's for the person who actually likes to try new things, offer suggestions (politely) and be willing to work with someone who plans on emailing new rules at your request in order to help facilitate your personal attempt at the game. This is not for everyone, that's for certain.
I've spent a lot of time trying new ideas, discovering what doesn't work, reworking decent ideas, and starting from scratch many times over. Obviously I've invested a lot of time and energy into it, so I take it pretty seriously.
I will mention in closing (because it's important to me), that you do this simply because you want to. It's not a "Oh Well, I'll just never email Eileen back and then drop it sort of thing." I understand people feeling this way, but in the long run it doesn't help me out at all. Finally, please don't to anything to hamper this project in any kind of way.
Lots of us dream about doing something great for gaming, and whether the rules are good, suck or just ok, this is my shot. I realize that publishing is way out there (as in very unlikely), but if I don't try this I'll never be happy with myself. Over the past years, we have seen gaming companies which are good, bad, fall apart, and just about everything in between as well as soaring prices for gaming materials. It was much of this that pushed me to start writing this game, it was my favorite comic book when I was young and now that many years later I've returned to it I'm bringing my hobbies together so that I can play it.
If you decide to email me, please have my best interest at heart. My addresses are:
Eileen.Prophet.of.Istus@gmail.com
or
MyLegionofSuperHeroes@gmail.com
This really isn't for the casual reader who's slightly interested, would glance at it and delete it. It's for the person who actually likes to try new things, offer suggestions (politely) and be willing to work with someone who plans on emailing new rules at your request in order to help facilitate your personal attempt at the game. This is not for everyone, that's for certain.
I feel compelled to speak on behalf of casual readers who are slightly interested.
I've been following your Legion thread, off and on, for more than a year now. I'm not half the Legion fan you are, but I bought the three Showcase Presents volumes, read a few years worth of the Paul Levitz stuff, read a dozen issues of the threeboot, and collected a few odds and ends like that. So I have some vague idea of what you're talking about.
I admit that I could never be a real help to you - to me, the bible of Supers RPGs is MEGS, partly because it's so rules light. Clearly that's not what you want.
But I just came to say this: For what it's worth, you have my moral support. I wish you the best. Several times, I tried to write my own RPG. Every time, I gave up in disgust. These things NEVER come out the way I want them to.
In short, good luck!
This really isn't for the casual reader who's slightly interested, would glance at it and delete it. It's for the person who actually likes to try new things, offer suggestions (politely) and be willing to work with someone who plans on emailing new rules at your request in order to help facilitate your personal attempt at the game. This is not for everyone, that's for certain.I feel compelled to speak on behalf of casual readers who are slightly interested.
I've been following your Legion thread, off and on, for more than a year now. I'm not half the Legion fan you are, but I bought the three Showcase Presents volumes, read a few years worth of the Paul Levitz stuff, read a dozen issues of the threeboot, and collected a few odds and ends like that. So I have some vague idea of what you're talking about.
I admit that I could never be a real help to you - to me, the bible of Supers RPGs is MEGS, partly because it's so rules light. Clearly that's not what you want.
But I just came to say this: For what it's worth, you have my moral support. I wish you the best. Several times, I tried to write my own RPG. Every time, I gave up in disgust. These things NEVER come out the way I want them to.
In short, good luck!
Hi Aaron, goood to hear from you. I'm not familiar with MEGS. When you say rules light how does that compare to Marvel? Marvel is the only Supers game I have a semi-decent idea of how it functions, though I'm not intimately familiar with the rules. Are MEGS rules lighter than Marvel? The Legion mechanics engine thus far are more intense than Marvel but I was interested in making a comparison with MEGS since I don't know anything about it. Just trying to get a feel for "rules light" so I can compare it to my project.
Also thank you for the moral support, that in itself is worth alot. Hope you keep posting, I'd like to revive the thread.
I am still here...of course.
I'm here too...I hope I didn't leave you hanging with respect to e-mail did I? Because if I did, then I heartily apologize-- things get crazy with the two-job thing and all. Hopefully I'll have good news on that front within(checks clock) 6 hours or so!
So does this mean you guys are interested in a group of some sorts? I have only played PBP with you Val and I've never gamastered it either.
Are you leaning towards that or me polishing and giving you the rules I have. As I mentioned before, your only getting a smattering of the big picture but it should be enough to break ground with from a play test point of view providing you can wing things well.
This really isn't for the casual reader who's slightly interested, would glance at it and delete it. It's for the person who actually likes to try new things, offer suggestions (politely) and be willing to work with someone who plans on emailing new rules at your request in order to help facilitate your personal attempt at the game. This is not for everyone, that's for certain.I feel compelled to speak on behalf of casual readers who are slightly interested.
I've been following your Legion thread, off and on, for more than a year now. I'm not half the Legion fan you are, but I bought the three Showcase Presents volumes, read a few years worth of the Paul Levitz stuff, read a dozen issues of the threeboot, and collected a few odds and ends like that. So I have some vague idea of what you're talking about.
Question for you Aaron, if a PBP was developed, would you be interested in joining?
Question for you Aaron, if a PBP was developed, would you be interested in joining?
Ah. I wish I could say yes. Please don't think I'm not tempted.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid I'm already spending too much time on these messageboards. I'm starting to get nervous that my bosses may notice a decrease in my productivity lately.
In fact, after following only casual conversations on these boards for a long time, I recently started reading some PBPs. Every day that I read, I learn more about how PBPs work, the netiquette involved, etc. But these past few days, I've had to stop even reading those, in an effort to catch up on work. And at home, my family and community commitments keep me too busy to allow me more than a few minutes of internet time on an evening or weekend. I do hope to join some PBP some day, perhaps yours. But not any time in the next few months, that's certain.
(Furthermore, I'm a slow reader and slow learner, in addition to having limited time, so it would take a while to digest a new system.)
As to your first question, I can't compare MEGS to Marvel, since I know nothing of the Marvel system.
MEGS is simple (and those who dislike it criticize it on the grounds that it's TOO simple.) All numbers are along the same exponential scale. Every action measures its chance of success on one chart, and if the action is successful, then the results are given on a second chart. If you attack (whether by punch, by fireball, by mental telepathy, or whatever) then the first chart tells your chances of hitting, and the second chart determines how much damage you do. Do you want to push your super-speed to run faster than your usual limit? Use those same two charts to determine your success. Do you want to build a fantastic gadget? Use those same two charts. Do you want to fly a plane through a storm? Use the same two charts. Do you want to interrogate a suspect? Use the same two charts. And so on. In combat, every character gets three actions per turn, basically, one of which can be an attack.
I didn't mean to ramble that long. I just put it in a spoiler button for that reason. My point is that MEGS is very simple.
I'd better get to work now. I'll definitely check this thread tomorrow to hear from the rest of you.
At least you can access these RPG sites at work, they put a block on most web sites for us.
I appreciate all the good thoughts on your part. I've played very little PBP myself and am very uncertain if it would somewhat work for a basic playtest. PBP is quite slow, yet it would seem that anything is better than nothing. It was just an option thrown out there. Whether someone wants to try these rules out through PBP, a home game or just read the them through, I thought I'd give it a shot in the dark.
I got Heroes, Marvel, and DC to draw ideas from if and when necessary. So far I haven't had to rely on them much at all, but I do look at them for some basic ways to consider. I found Marvel easy to follow, but got lost with the other two games very quickly. I'm sure I could play them, but as with most RPG its easier to jump right in with an existing group.
I think the mechanics I came up with are pretty simple overall.
1. Roll d20 to make an attack, whether it be a punch, kick, telepathy, iceball, whatever.
2. Target makes a defense roll (consisting of a dodge or block) and whomever aquires the higher roll suceeds.
There are a multitude of attacks you can make with brawling or martial arts. In order to work somewhat with hit locations I opted to have the attacks inflcit damage to particular areas ex. kidney punch, round house swing, or spin and kick the head of the opponent. This allows us to emulate the comics better (I hope).
3. Damage is scored if the attacker's roll exceeded the targets defense. The amount of damage score varies. You calculate the difference between the attack and defense (ex. attack is 15, defense is 10, the difference is 5). The greater differance between the attack/defense the harder the blow hits.
4. Blows are either glancing, solid, stunning, reeling or critical. Each type of blow uses a different damage die, with a glancing blow rolling a d4 and a critical blow being a d12. The number of dice you roll of the proper die type depends upon whether your making a brawling or martial arts attack, using a weapon, or a power.
Bottom line is the die size increases the greater the blow is and the amount of dice increases by the type of attack. For example, a power which scores a glancing blow would inflict 4d4 damage and a critical blow from a power inflicts 4d12 damage.
You factor in your strength for hand-to-hand attacks as well. Weapons get a modifier of their own based on their lethalness.
5. Characters get three actions in a round.
6. Opposed rolls are used to spot someone watching you or to out maneuver another spaceship, that sort of thing. Pretty much the same as the attack/defend routine above.
7. The advancement system I'd say is pretty unique, that and character generation.
Anyway, these are the basics.
At least you can access these RPG sites at work, they put a block on most web sites for us.
Unfortunately, this will one day be true for me as well. I've already gotten everything but a written warning on this, so I don't think that I would be good for a play by post, especially considering I just took on some responsiblities at my second job that will cut down on my free time even further.
Still, I'm in as whole hog as I can possibly be, with the exception of playtesting. I think I will be more in the critique department.
4. Blows are either glancing, solid, stunning, reeling or critical. Each type of blow uses a different damage die, with a glancing blow rolling a d4 and a critical blow being a d12. The number of dice you roll of the proper die type depends upon whether your making a...
Crud, I got cut off, and I hear my boss coming so I will keep this brief. I LOVE this, I had an idea for something like this years ago back in high school with my own ill fated attempts at an Exosquad Roleplaying Game(remember Exosquad?). From what I can remember, you will have to be very careful with how this works- d12s have never been very reliable for damage, although they work GREAT for other things such at initiative. I don't think you should change the idea, keep it rolling(literally) and see how it playtests. I also think d4s have gotten a bum rap with the release of Pathfinder, it's good to see other homebrewers using them!
At least you can access these RPG sites at work, they put a block on most web sites for us.Unfortunately, this will one day be true for me as well. I've already gotten everything but a written warning on this, so I don't think that I would be good for a play by post, especially considering I just took on some responsiblities at my second job that will cut down on my free time even further.
Still, I'm in as whole hog as I can possibly be, with the exception of playtesting. I think I will be more in the critique department.
4. Blows are either glancing, solid, stunning, reeling or critical. Each type of blow uses a different damage die, with a glancing blow rolling a d4 and a critical blow being a d12. The number of dice you roll of the proper die type depends upon whether your making a...Crud, I got cut off, and I hear my boss coming so I will keep this brief. I LOVE this, I had an idea for something like this years ago back in high school with my own ill fated attempts at an Exosquad Roleplaying Game(remember Exosquad?). From what I can remember, you will have to be very careful with how this works- d12s have never been very reliable for damage, although they work GREAT for other things such at initiative. I don't think you should change the idea, keep it rolling(literally) and see how it playtests. I also think d4s have gotten a bum rap with the release of Pathfinder, it's good to see other homebrewers using them!
I made sure the game uses almost all dice: d20, d12, d10, d8, d6 and d4, though surprisingly enough there is no d% (yet anyway), I'll use them for Cosmos Master Charts, such as what happens when you fly through a stargate and take a left instead of a right. Darn, ended up in the wrong dimension. Let me know if you want to look at the rules, your call, not a big deal either way.
Freehold DM said:
"I also think d4s have gotten a bum rap with the release of Pathfinder, it's good to see other homebrewers using them!"
I say, d4, don't leave home without it.
hehe are you kidding? you KNOW I am interested; lol.
I am more of a D10 guy; but I guess I am never far from a D6 either; d4 is the dagger/magic missile die mostly; but it still comes up from time to time.
Freehold DM said:
"I also think d4s have gotten a bum rap with the release of Pathfinder, it's good to see other homebrewers using them!"
I say, d4, don't leave home without it.
I am more of a D10 guy; but I guess I am never far from a D6 either; d4 is the dagger/magic missile die mostly; but it still comes up from time to time.
Freehold DM said:
"I also think d4s have gotten a bum rap with the release of Pathfinder, it's good to see other homebrewers using them!"
I say, d4, don't leave home without it.
Hi Val, just got done spending the day at the Rennasiance Fair, had an excellent time, great weather, took lots of pictures, will have to get them developed to see how they turned out.
D4's were part of my original gaming dice as I started out with AD&D then moved on to Top Secret/S.I., so I see no reason to discreminate with this game.
Currently the d4 will be used for determining damage for glancing blows, be it with a fist, power, martial arts, weapon, etc. Modifiers are naturally applied to the die roll for various factors as well as the number of d4's you would roll.
For example, a glancing blow with the fist is a d4 + modifiers. A glancing blow with a weapon is a 2d4 with modifiers (including strength, and individual weapon modifiers). A glancing blow with a power means rolling even more d4's along with modifiers. As I think I mentioned, the die type increases with the severity of the attack.
Doesn't look like much of a response beyond moral support to my question, but that's ok, its what I was expecting. Since your still interested in the project what do you think you'd like to do with it? Read a chapter at a time and make suggestions? Read a chapter at a time and eventually try to play it? Something else?
Keep in mind that clearly its far from finished (I'm about 100 pages in so far) and in the main book I'm shooting for about 300-400, but so much of that is dressing (such as character sheets for 20+ Legionnaires, tons of more powers, that sort of thing). Let me know what your interested in doing?
I am good for any of the above; reading; read and play; something else; hehe; time is my greatest issue; sigh; am like way busy atm but that should calm down I hope in a bit.
I am good for any of the above; reading; read and play; something else; hehe; time is my greatest issue; sigh; am like way busy atm but that should calm down I hope in a bit.
Ok, let me know when some time frees up for you. If you want a chapter at a time to familiarize yourself let me know. In the meantime I'll finish polishing up what has been written so far and start playtesting here at home.
I am good for any of the above; reading; read and play; something else; hehe; time is my greatest issue; sigh; am like way busy atm but that should calm down I hope in a bit.Ok, let me know when some time frees up for you. If you want a chapter at a time to familiarize yourself let me know. In the meantime I'll finish polishing up what has been written so far and start playtesting here at home.
I believe I have the last thing you sent me on my hard drive. Should I read it again to refresh my memory or should I just do a core dump and look at your new stuff with new eyes?
I believe I have the last thing you sent me on my hard drive. Should I read it again to refresh my memory or should I just do a core dump and look at your new stuff with new eyes?I am good for any of the above; reading; read and play; something else; hehe; time is my greatest issue; sigh; am like way busy atm but that should calm down I hope in a bit.Ok, let me know when some time frees up for you. If you want a chapter at a time to familiarize yourself let me know. In the meantime I'll finish polishing up what has been written so far and start playtesting here at home.
I would read the curent information and bypass the previous documents I sent. It's been sometime since I've sent you anything and I have no clue what all has changed since then because it all becomes a blur. Is there a particular chapter you want to start with? I guess at this time I'd choose to look at:
Chapter 1: Covers the basic concept of the game (playing more than one character, character abilities and how some of them differ from probably anything you've played thus far). Keep in mind that the rules were specifically made for the Legion comic and not any kind of generic game.
Chapter 2: This is just started and provides a sneak peak at specieis and worlds, this can be bypassed for sometime, it's more dressing than solid mechanic rules.
Chapter 3: Areas of Expertise - This is the set up for skills (how they work and which ones are included, how they are divided up, that sort of thing. No super lengthy explanations at this point, the main part is how they are mechanically used in the game. The title of each should give anyone a decent understanding of what kind of information it will cover. Provides a master list with the relevant information as well as training and getting better at them.
Chapter 4: Intergalactic Qualities, this chapter isn't really started yet so its a bypass as well. It will provide individualized rules for good and bad personality options and some physical oriented options. Most of these will eventually become lesser game mechancics to help describe the Legionnaires individual personalities.
Chapter 5: This contains all the information on how powers work and give some examples of them. The "how they work rules" are pretty much done for now, but individual examples are very thin but enough to give you an idea of where I'm going with it.
I've got some powers and their variations done, improtant things like telepathy, cold generation, invulnerability, super strength that sort of thing.
Chapter 6: Heroes Take Action covers the basic gaming things like time, movement, initiative, things like that.
Combat Chapter 7: The Rules of Battle: Includes things like how good of a blow you scored and the basic damage it does. The different types of damage conditions and how a character is weakened in battle so that it shows up in the game. Also how a character is able to bounce back when the fight isn't going their way. Includes how the damage symbol on the Universal Symbol Die works and when. Starts in about healing as well.
Provides a few options to use in battle like what happens when your character get's really mad or is sick of being beat on and decides they have taken enough, how they toughen up, also things used for crowd control by Legionnaires or villains such as getting them to flee surrender.
The chapter also includes various combat modifiers I've worked out for range, movement, bracing shots or employing other basic combat options.
Finally, I've been working on a gamemasters screen as well, but anything on that is already in the book itself. I'm also in the process of redoing some art. I'm getting away from the stand alone color picture and opting for more black and white and having it placed behind the text. I think it looks nicer. Also each chapter starts out with a full color splash page of art I've either scanned from comic or found on the internet. Also shows what I did for page borders throughout the book as well. Also have the front and back cover but I'm not positive if I'm going to keep it. I know I want to fix little things on the front cover (assuming I keep it) and the back cover I want to re-do and add an intorductory to the game rather than just having a big picture by itself.
I'm not sure how much you have time to read. if I can send the first chapter if you have limited time, that way you can start to absorb the ideas without feeling overwhelmed by getting a 100 page document. Would that be best? Once complete, I can send you the next major chapter, etc. This might make it easier to read through and comment on.
And of coarse there is always PBP, though I'd reccommend having the rules so you don't start out at scratch trying to figure them out.
Sorry to take so long to post back, but yes, I really like the idea of a chapter by chapter e-mail of your work.
Sorry to take so long to post back, but yes, I really like the idea of a chapter by chapter e-mail of your work.
No problem with waiting for your post. I'll send you the Introduction and Chapter 1.
Please don't disregard the intro, it covers how this game is going to be different from the rest of the RPG we know of. So for certain please read page 4-20. I just emailed it.
Freehold DM: Had lots a problems but you should have it by now.
Freehold DM: Had lots a problems but you should have it by now.
Thank you so much! I will read it today in between shifts- I can't read it now because downloading is disabled on this computer.
Don't know if this is old news or not, but if your a Legion fan check out this link.
Don't know if this is old news or not, but if your a Legion fan check out this link.
Good News: Eileen is ALIVE!!
How are you?
This is good news too, BTW.
Don't know if this is old news or not, but if your a Legion fan check out this link.
Good News: Eileen is ALIVE!!
How are you?
This is good news too, BTW.
Yes I'm still alive. More of a lurker these days. Games going well. I'm into the playing stage now. That's not to say I've finished the game, it just means the mechanics appear to be workable and hopefully I'll find bugs in order to correct them. Today I have been working on a plotline to introduce both the Khunds and Tharok to the campaign. I'm also going to stat up Tharok. My plan is to one by one introduce the individuals who will eventually make up the Fatal Five. Then when the time comes, I'll introduce Ferro Lad and eventually build up to the stroy where the Fatal Five and Legion join forces to battle the Sun Eater.
So how have you been Freehold DM? Been gaming lately?
Don't know if this is old news or not, but if your a Legion fan check out this link.
Good News: Eileen is ALIVE!!
How are you?
This is good news too, BTW.
Yes I'm still alive. More of a lurker these days. Games going well. I'm into the playing stage now. That's not to say I've finished the game, it just means the mechanics appear to be workable and hopefully I'll find bugs in order to correct them. Today I have been working on a plotline to introduce both the Khunds and Tharok to the campaign. I'm also going to stat up Tharok. My plan is to one by one introduce the individuals who will eventually make up the Fatal Five. Then when the time comes, I'll introduce Ferro Lad and eventually build up to the stroy where the Fatal Five and Legion join forces to battle the Sun Eater.
So how have you been Freehold DM? Been gaming lately?
It is so good to see you!
Unfortunately/fortunately no, I have not been gaming much of late. The two job thing is a killer, and I have been trying to get a partial scholarship to a college that is attached to my second job through my first job. It's a lot of work, especially considering I don't even HAVE the scholarhip yet. However, I have been working on stuff for my homebrew a lot- I hope to have the monks up soon.
I'm glad to hear things are coming along with the game. I REALLY like your work.
It is so good to see you!
Unfortunately/fortunately no, I have not been gaming much of late. The two job thing is a killer, and I have been trying to get a partial scholarship to a college that is attached to my second job through my first job. It's a lot of work, especially considering I don't even HAVE the scholarhip yet. However, I have been working on stuff for my homebrew a lot- I hope to have the monks up soon.
I'm glad to hear things are coming along with the game. I REALLY like your work.
Working two jobs is always hard, most often people are lucky if between the two they get one day off sometime during the week. It really makes one's social life go down the drain.
Thanks for the compliment on the work, its always appreciated. Though the first book is far from finished, I have enough done that I'm starting to work on the Legionnaires and villains and actually play. I decided to start the campaign off shortly after Superboy joined. This give me the following individuals which are in play (of coarse along with a homemade character as well).
1. Cosmic Boy
2. Saturn Girl
3. Lightning Lad
4. Triplicate Girl
5. Phantom Girl
6. Chameleon Boy
7. Colossal Boy
8. Invisible Kid
9. Supergirl
10. Brainiac 5
11. Superboy
I'm putting together my first decent adventure (hopefully it will turn out ok). In a nut shell, I'm going to introduce each member of the Fatal Five before they joined up. The curent scenario is as follows:
Tharok is being introduced as the minor crook he was before his accident. He is stealing a miniture nuclear bomb and planning on giving it to a criminal group known as The Inquitours. They in turn are working for the Khunds whom I need to introduce as well. The khunds are devising a weapon that enables them to quickly seize a planet (I haven't figured out how yet) using a substance called Talinthium, a liquid metal. This combined with the nucelar device Tharok was to steal in order to power the weapon. The plan for the Khunds is to select a world and send it to a different dimension. It also creates a copy of that world and blends together both it and the Khund planet. This will very quickly allow the Khunds to master the newly generated planet without any substantial threat to them. Essentially the weapon will blend the two worlds together to make a new one which is ruled by the Khunds. The planet Khundia will not be affected, it just sorta takes the world being attacked and puts Khund forces upon it, thus sorta changing it's history and appearance of the planet where they are subservient to the Khunds.
I'm also introducing the Sun Eater scenario. The Controllers are just starting to learn how to create them and one of them, a rouge individual is actually working with two sun eaters. The first abides by the Controllers development methods. The second one is unknown to others and is beginning to develop over the world of a PC named Syphon (she has the ability to borrow, even take away the powers of others). This side plot will eventually build to the stroy where the Fatal Five join sides with the Legion to fight the Sun Eater, as of which when Ferro Lad died. This scenario will come and go throughout the campaign because I don't want to jump right into it. I love Ferro Lad and am having a hard time awaiting him joining the Legion of Super-Hereos.
Another plot I'm trying to weave into the Tharok/Khund scenario involves the PC playing Syphon. Syphon has received the honor of becoming an ambassador of her home planet with the United Planets. In addition, she's hoping to try out for the Legion of Super-Heroes.
The other week when we played, she met up with Cosmic Boy at Astron 4 (a stationary trading outpost between the U.P. and the Tellenium solar system where Syphon is from). Her planet is a few hundred years behind in technology and they are only able to achieve space travel within their own solar system). Here she met Cosmic Boy and a U.P. representative and together they travelled to Earth.
Once she arrived on Earth, she departed from the others and entered her VIP room at the U.P. Headquarters. There, someone sent a couple of android assassins after her. They bombed her VIP room at the U.P. Headquarters. She got out in time because she has this ancestral communication with her deceased mother (sort of a guiding spirit which goes along the lines of the planet's religion that we developed). When she escaped the blast, an android assassin was waiting outside and starting shooting at her. He grazed her once and she fled behind the building. At that point Cosmic Boy arrived to help with the emergency.
Anyway, now I'm trying to tie this all together into one major plot and slowly keep the sun eater as a sub plot for a long time. Any ideas on how to put it together?
Yay! Legion stuff!
Okay. The only problem I have is that the weapon the Khunds have sounds a little too powerful. I'd prefer a weapon that truly perfected site-to-site teleportation that allowed the Khunds to take over a world en masse, but that's just me. I love that Tharok is a minor villain/nuisance, and the way your PC has been folded into the storyline is great! Now, how to go about the adventure...
Well, first the PCs are going to need a way to discover Tharok's chichanery. The old-fashioned "Oh no! A break in at that chemical lab!" works perfectly, but Tharok's going to need more than a simple las-gun to get away. You might want to go all Batman(1989)/TAS(Season 1) on him and have the PCs cause the accident that makes him a half robot. He could be escaping the facility with the bomb, the PCs stop him, and he accidentally falls into a vat that has a small amount of this Talinthium in it, enough to ruin only half of his body. Then, the Inquisitors could kidnap him while he is in the hospital, remove that part of him and replace it with cybernetics. That way the PCs are surprised when they see him again and the Khunds have a powerful weapon at their behest sold to them by the Inquisitors. The Khunds should be defeated in a long-term story arc that gives the Collectors time to reasearch the metal further, which could be used to make the Sun Eater. You could even go so far as to make Tharok a part of this Sun Eater if he has enough Talinthium in his robotic side, which would REALLY be scary. This would link everyone together.
Yay! Legion stuff!
Okay. The only problem I have is that the weapon the Khunds have sounds a little too powerful. I'd prefer a weapon that truly perfected site-to-site teleportation that allowed the Khunds to take over a world en masse, but that's just me. I love that Tharok is a minor villain/nuisance, and the way your PC has been folded into the storyline is great! Now, how to go about the adventure...
Well, first the PCs are going to need a way to discover Tharok's chichanery. The old-fashioned "Oh no! A break in at that chemical lab!" works perfectly, but Tharok's going to need more than a simple las-gun to get away. You might want to go all Batman(1989)/TAS(Season 1) on him and have the PCs cause the accident that makes him a half robot. He could be escaping the facility with the bomb, the PCs stop him, and he accidentally falls into a vat that has a small amount of this Talinthium in it, enough to ruin only half of his body. Then, the Inquisitors could kidnap him while he is in the hospital, remove that part of him and replace it with cybernetics. That way the PCs are surprised when they see him again and the Khunds have a powerful weapon at their behest sold to them by the Inquisitors. The Khunds should be defeated in a long-term story arc that gives the Collectors time to reasearch the metal further, which could be used to make the Sun Eater. You could even go so far as to make Tharok a part of this Sun Eater if he has enough Talinthium in his robotic side, which would REALLY be scary. This would link everyone together.
I agree that for the Khunds, this sounds like its way to powerful, I hadn't gotten around to planning that particular part out in any kind of detail. What I was thinking is that it would be an experiment that goes truly wrong. I think the technology to perform a world blend should come from some sort of greater being (Time Trapper?). Regardless though, such a weapon wouldn't be left in the game as a success.
As for Tharok, I was thinking of having two Legionnaires at the capital of the planet (which is where Tharok attempts to steal the miniature nuclear weapon. My thoughts were to have the Legionnaires helping with security for a trial that Roxxas undergoes (he's the one who killed everyone on Element Lad's planet). The Legionnaires are present to help escort him to Takon-Galtos for some other crime however.
As they are preparing to leave, Tharok has arranged a distraction (robot in the streets?) to keep the guards busy where he steal the nuclear weapon. This gets the Legionnaires into a fight with the robot, Tharok tries to steal the bomb but is cought by security, and just like the actual story, he is shot at, Boom! the bomb goes off and Tharok is suddenly in need of cyborg parts. The Legionnaires are there as witnesses when this happens.
Anyway got to go to work now, catch up with you later.
just stopping in to say hi and give everyone smoochies :)
so; whats going on; anything new?
So who are Legion magic users? I noticed on Smallville that some girl; zatarantta or something like that was granting wishes looking for a book; dont know anything about her; is that really all she can do?
hehe now what if Brainiac learned magic; hmm; poderous scheming hehe
just stopping in to say hi and give everyone smoochies :)
so; whats going on; anything new?
So who are Legion magic users? I noticed on Smallville that some girl; zatarantta or something like that was granting wishes looking for a book; dont know anything about her; is that really all she can do?
hehe now what if Brainiac learned magic; hmm; poderous scheming hehe
The Legion has been appearing as a back story when they re-started Adventure Comics(at least the first 4 issues or so). DC also announced that they were starting a new Legion Comic in may. I think they finally realized that the only Legion that will sell well are the original characters, so I expect that is whom the comic will be for. In the Adventure Comics run this past few months they used the original characters as well.
The Legion magic user would be the White Witch (whom now is called the Black Witch. She is essentially a sorceress. Modru the Merciless is the ultra powerful magic user of the series and he goes back to the early Adventure Comics days in the early 60's. Naturally with a name League member. She wore a top hat right? I've never really researched her but I know she does magic.
Brainiac 5 wouldn't learn magic because he declares that it violates all known scientific theories. He'sility had issues with Dream Girls ability to see in the future and Princess Projectra's ability to conduct seances as well. Truth be known; he may be smart but lacks the ability to see beyond his little scientific world. Brainiac 5 has issues. Notice he picked on women and not any guys? I think he's compensating; he has an enormous ego in replace of another size issue of a particular part of his anatomy.
hehe; nice.
So this legion starting in may; what is your take on it; do you know the story line; I am wondering it it will be worth getting.
hehe; nice.
So this legion starting in may; what is your take on it; do you know the story line; I am wondering it it will be worth getting. [/QUOTE
This interview with Paul Levitz should answer some of the questions ed you might have about the new series. My understanding is that Levitz will be using the original characters which were start up in 1958.
Levitz seems to be perhaps the best Legion writer to ever come along, so for Legion fans, his name throws a lot of weight around.
Me personally, never even pass up a bad Legion comic. I think DC is finally getting the idea that no other Legion reboot is really going to be widely accepted. I would venture that the majority of the Legion fans today started out reading the comic in the late 1960's to mid 1970's. After all my Legion game is based on that era.
Oh, I suppose it would help if I actually left a link.
I think DC is finally getting the idea that no other Legion reboot is really going to be widely accepted. I would venture that the majority of the Legion fans today started out reading the comic in the late 1960's to mid 1970's. After all my Legion game is based on that era.
I would agree that only the original Legion is THE Legion... and I speak as someone who got into the Legion only a handful of years ago.
I remember getting curious about the book only after having read a reprint of the Legion's first appearance in 1958. So I went to my local comic book store and bought one old Paul Levitz issue and one issue of the Threeboot. After reading both of those a couple of times, and after reading a dozen issues of the Threeboot for free (thanks to public libraries,) I said "You know, this Threeboot stuff is all well and good... but it's not the Legion."
I then proceeded to buy dozens more Paul Levitz issues, as well as the three "Showcase Presents" volumes in order to enhance my understanding of the Paul Levitz material.
So to all you veterans, I say: it's not just the nostalgia factor. There's something about the original Legion.
And it's not only the Legion. I've gotten very few comics from this past decade, but what few I get give me the impression that DC is reversing many of their mistakes. Supergirl is not a "life matrix," whatever the heck THAT's supposed to be; she's the real Supergirl. The multiverse is back, I gather. And the JSA can't be kept down for long.
(By the way, about that interview, what's all this about "what might have been arguably the first extra-marital affair going on in mainstream superhero comics?")
Long Live the Legion thread!
Oh, another example: the JLA. When the "Justice League International" lineup got started, I thought it was GOOD - I read dozens of issues a couple of times - but it wasn't the LEAGUE. In the late nineties, clearly, DC eventually came to realize that fact, and came up with the correct lineup: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, the Martian Manhunter, and Aquaman. When I saw a bunch of JLA TPBs from this series in the bookstore, I bought some of them. Now I can - and do - read those TPBs to my kids, so I can teach them what the League really is.
You said it all Aaron. Glad to hear your a Legion fan. How extensive of a collection have you acquired? You got any favorite characters?
I too am looking forward to returning the Legion to its rightful place as regularly-purchased book, but I hope they do something more with the characters and keep it from becoming a mantra-read or Rehash of Things Older Fans Already Knew.
I too am looking forward to returning the Legion to its rightful place as regularly-purchased book, but I hope they do something more with the characters and keep it from becoming a mantra-read or Rehash of Things Older Fans Already Knew.
You know writers, artists, and editors, regardless of where they start they can't leave things alone. I'm sure you'll get your wish. I would suggest asking Dream Girl how successful it will be?
Nice; love the pic at the end as well; even though I dont know any of the heroes.
I hope they write it so that guys like me who never read legion; or havent read it in like several decades; can pick it up and be introduced to the characters.
I sure hope they do a better job than Marvel does with their attempt with their title; Guardians of the Galaxy. I read and collected a lot of those, but the story was fairly weak and hardly kept my interest.
I am of course looking forward to your game; oh wonderous Prophetess
Oh, I suppose it would help if I actually left a link.