The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

[Voltron64]

How about The Institute? They seem kind of due. I mean we really know them mostly through second-hand other than Excelion, Basilea and Abraxas.

[Davies]

I'm hesitant to do that, as I found writing the Grim Brigade's write-ups to be really depressing, and most of the Institute members' stories end the same way.

[Voltron64]

I see that’s why then and it’s understandable.

But I say don’t let their unfortunate ends solely define them (and even then they died in the efforts of preventing a maniac from completing his genocide), show the ways the legacy of their individual actions and ideals have affected the world.

[Davies]

Feleks and Rafnr the Ruddy

Feleks

Rafnr

Bemarris, three days flight and three weeks' ride southwest of Nerath, is nominally subservient to the older and wealthier city. For most of its history, goods and people traveled along the trails to the northeast, with very little coming back. During the time of Nerath's weakness, that flow slowed, as bolder Patriarchs ignored the demands of their sovereigns, offering at best vague apologies. It was short-sighted of them, perhaps, since only Nerath's armies stood between Bemarris and Skathulos, and weakening Nerath was not at all in their own interests. But, on the other hand, they may have truly believed that all was lost, and sought to have as much pleasure in what time remained to them.

Then two things happened, in fairly quick succession, which changed the fate of Bemarris completely. The first, altering the fate of the entire Basin, was Travis Ritter's defeat of Skathulos. The second was Seivad Reischoptir's creation of the Labyrinth, an enormous maze-work beneath the streets of Bemarris, riddled with traps and filled with treasure ... as well as monsters called into the Labyrinth from worlds beyond this one. A class of professional treasure hunters soon began to explore and exploit the Labyrinth, with most earning at best quick deaths, but enough found great wealth to keep the thing going. Much of this wealth passed through the hands of the Patriarch on its way to Nerath, but the relationship between the two cities became ... closer to equal as a consequence.

Of the current group of delvers, two of the most notorious are the pair known as Feleks and Rafnr the Ruddy, who have also sought adventures in the lands beyond Bemarris. On one such exploit, they made the acquaintance of Ritter, and matters so transpired as to leave them somewhat in his debt. To repay this obligation, they agreed to assist Ritter and the associates of the girl called Warpwitch in travelling into the Labyrinth and seeing whether the portals there truly did connect to other worlds. Lo and behold, they did, and the young witch was able to combine their powers with her own to take her and her friends back to their proper sphere, dragging along Ritter with them in the process. It was a remarkable event by most people's standards, but to Feleks and Rafnr it was a typical Slayer Day.

Of these two, one would expect Feleks to be better known in the city of his birth. But the swordsman-who-sings will tell anyone else's tale in preference to his own, and much of what is told about him by others is mere guesswork. Its said that his family are relatively recent immigrants to Bemarris, that they were drawn here once rumors of the Labyrinth and the wealth it created reached their homeland. Whether all of the people in their homeland to the southeast are as point-eared as Feleks is a question he bluntly ignores. (Few people ask, though, as there are far stranger-looking folk.) He often performs missions for the wizard Cagana the Crazed, a mad diviner and hexer who lives in a cave outside of the walls of Bemarris.

Much more is known of Rafnr the Ruddy, who has never been called a humble or self-effacing sort. Born to the mountain folk who live far to the north of both Bemarris and Nerath, Rafnr led a profoundly unhappy childhood, forbidden from joining in the hunting and warring of the village's menfolk and forced to study the arts of sorcery with the women thanks to the delusion of the rest of the village that he was himself a woman. Suggesting that they might not have been wrong about this is a very good way to learn why he's called the Ruddy. Rafnr fought his way to Bemarris through a number of encounters, one of which earned him his great sword, which he calls Klaiv. He often performs missions for the wizard Valensian Ral, a shapeshifting voluptuary and conjurer.

In the course of these missions, these two became acquainted with each other while in the Labyrinth. In what was an almost heretical action, they both chose not to try and kill the other, recognizing that they could accomplish their respective goals much more easily if they cooperated instead of competing. Their respective patrons are not best pleased by this, but they can't exactly argue with the results. Well, they can, and do, but their arguments have no force. So these two 'heroes' are busily carving their way into Bemarris' history, making their way the only way -- or at least the best way -- they know how.

Rafnr the Ruddy -- PL 8

Abilities:
STR 5/3 | STA 5/3 | AGL 2 | DEX 4 | FGT 7 | INT 1 | AWE 1 | PRE 2

Powers:
Blood Rage: Linked Enhanced Stamina 2; Linked Enhanced Strength 2; Linked Enhanced Will 2 - 10 points
Second Sight: Senses 1 (mystical awareness) - 1 point
Swift-footed: Speed 2 (8 MPH) - 2 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Close Attack 2, Defensive Roll, Equipment 2, Fearless, Improved Smash, Languages 3, Move-by Attack, Power Attack, Ritualist, Set-Up, Startle, Takedown, Teamwork, Tracking.

Equipment:
Giant Sword (Strength-based Damage 4, Inaccurate), Hide Armor (Protection 2), Long Bow (Ranged Damage 3), and 2 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+11/+9), Expertise: Magic 5 (+7), Expertise: Survival 7 (+8), Insight 4 (+5), Intimidation 5 (+7), Perception 8 (+9), Ranged Combat: Bow 4 (+8), Stealth 6 (+8), Treatment 5 (+6).

Offense:
Initiative +2,
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 4/6),
Giant's Sword +7 (Close Damage 7/9)
Longbow +8 (Ranged Damage 3).

Defense:
Dodge 5, Parry 7, Fortitude 8/6, Toughness 9/7/5/3, Will 6/4

Totals:
Abilities 46 + Powers 13 + Advantages 19 + Skills 25 + Defenses 11 = 114 points

Complications:
Adventure--Motivation. Friend (Feleks). Obligation (Valensian Ral). Prejudice (transgender). Reluctant Mystic. Temper.

Feleks -- PL 8

Abilities:
STR 2 | STA 2 | AGL 4 | DEX 4 | FGT 5 | INT 3 | AWE 1 | PRE 3

Powers:
Keen-eyed: Senses 1 (low light vision) - 1 point
Sneak Attack: Strength-based Damage 2, Limited to vulnerable targets - 1 point

Advantages:
Agile Feint, Defensive Roll, Equipment 2, Evasion 2, Fascinate (Expertise), Improved Initiative, Languages 2, Ranged Attack 3, Redirect, Trapfinding 2*, Uncanny Dodge.
* Grants +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks to find traps and uses Dexterity for Technology checks.

Equipment:
Leather Armor (Protection 1), Rapier (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical), Thrown Daggers (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1), and 5 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Acrobatics 7 (+11), Athletics 7 (+9), Close Combat: Rapier 3 (+8), Deception 6 (+9), Expertise: Performance 8 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+7), Perception 9 (+10), Persuasion 6 (+9), Sleight of Hand 4 (+8), Technology 6 (+10).

Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +5 (Close Damage 4/2)
Rapier +8 (Close Damage 7/5, Affects Insubstantial, Crit 19-20)
Thrown Dagger +7 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1).

Defense:
Parry 9, Dodge 11, Fortitude 5, Toughness 5/4/3/2, Will 5.

Totals:
Abilities 48 + Powers 2 + Advantages 16 + Skills 30 + Defense 18 = 114 points

Complications:
Adventure--Motivation. Friend (Rafnr). Luxurious Tastes. Obligation (Cagana the Crazed).

[Ian Turner]

Nice Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser expies, down to the competing mysterious arcane mentors!

Having the big brawler also be the one with a smattering of magic instead of the sneaky townie is cool. Mixes things up.

Now I wonder if there'll be a riff on Elric of Melnibone...

[Davies]

Now I wonder if there'll be a riff on Elric of Melnibone...

Not in this set, but I might have a someone like that in the World More Sorcerous (Ariel's original world.)

[greycrusader]

Now I wonder if there'll be a riff on Elric of Melnibone...

Not in this set, but I might have a someone like that in the World More Sorcerous (Ariel's original world.)

It seems as if a different incarnation of the Eternal Champion would fit the setting more so than Elric; Dorian Hawkmoon (whose post-apocalyptic, science and sorcery parallel Earth is pretty similar), Oswald Bastible (though he is pretty superfluous since his role as an updated John Carter is already filled by Ritter), or even Erekose (who suffers under the curse of reincarnating in nearly-doomed Earths, taking the role of a legendary warrior tasked with averting catastrophe).

All my best.

[Davies]

Now I wonder if there'll be a riff on Elric of Melnibone...

Not in this set, but I might have a someone like that in the World More Sorcerous (Ariel's original world.)

It seems as if a different incarnation of the Eternal Champion would fit the setting more so than Elric; Dorian Hawkmoon (whose post-apocalyptic, science and sorcery parallel Earth is pretty similar),

... hmmm! <takes notes>

[greycrusader]

Now I wonder if there'll be a riff on Elric of Melnibone...

Not in this set, but I might have a someone like that in the World More Sorcerous (Ariel's original world.)

It seems as if a different incarnation of the Eternal Champion would fit the setting more so than Elric; Dorian Hawkmoon (whose post-apocalyptic, science and sorcery parallel Earth is pretty similar), Oswald Bastable (though he is pretty superfluous since his role as an updated John Carter is already filled by Ritter), or even Erekose (who suffers under the curse of reincarnating in nearly-doomed Earths, taking the role of a legendary warrior tasked with averting catastrophe).

All my best.

[Voltron64]

So relating to the fabled Institute and how much of A World Less Magical is a retool of an earlier attempt to combine Squadron Supreme with the MCU.

Let's go over the roster there and who hasn't been mentioned yet.

Thirty years before the Squadron was founded, another group of superheroes organized to combat the insidious international conspiracy known as Typhon. They were known as the Institute, and their legacy underlies much of the world that the Squadron strove to protect.

Members of the Institute

Captain Mystic (I): Discovering the ancient Amulet of Jedediah, cub reporter Francis Tyler was endowed with the power to transform into a super-powered form, able to fly, resistant to all injury, and immensely powerful. Initially believing that these powers were in the amulet, he eventually discovered that they were within himself, and continuing to grow, and had been inherited by his daughter Francis, born ten years after his origin. The younger Captain Mystic has stated that her father became one with the universe, and refused to discuss exactly what that means.

Princess (I): Serena of Hespera, one of the most accomplished members of that city of warrior woman, left her homeland after it came under attack by the forces of Typhon. Her charisma and leadership talents led her to become the Institute's president, and she kept the organization well-administered in addition to directing its members in battle. After the end of the Insurgency, she returned to Hespera, though not before rescuing and adopting an orphaned girl from Israel, whom she named Zarda. Serena died at the hands of Atalanta when the latter escaped.

The Cowl: Just what motivated newspaper publisher Owen LeBrett to assume the crime-fighting identity of the Cowl has never been adequately explained. He was 'assisted' by his driver Masque (real name James Graham), who did most of the actual 'fighting', while the Cowl engaged in detective work. Initially hunted by the police, he was soon deputized, possibly thanks to his association with fellow millionaire Randolph Richmond. Pushing fifty when he began his career, he passed away a few years before the rise of the Squadron.

Meteor: Able to fly and produce energy blasts, cropduster Connor Roberts claimed to have develop these gifts from exposure to unusual gases he was exposed to while exploring a cave. He continued to act as a superhero after the Institute disbanded, but his appearances became rarer as time passed. Shortly before the Squadron formed, researcher Joseph Ledger discovered Meteor dying in a crater, and learned that his powers actually derived from the power prism he wore in his helmet, which Ledger subsequently used as Doctor Spectrum.

Flag: Supposedly granted superhuman strength, toughness and fighting skill by a super-serum devised by his father, Jerry Dore's abilities were actually innate gifts of uncertain origin. Intensely patriotic, he volunteered to serve as a living weapon, and was assigned to be observe and report on the Institute's battles with Typhon. He was lost in action when Typhon's headquarters self-destructed, but never officially confirmed as dead. His younger brother Jack became the American Eagle.

Mothman and Ladybird: Brilliant scientist Byron Lewis developed an anti-gravity substance, possibly that earlier developed by George Cavor in the late 19th century, and used it to create a flying costume. He became a superhero almost by accident, and only continued in the field thanks to the encouragement of his girlfriend, and later wife, Sally Jupiter, who joined him using a similar costume. After his wife's death, Lewis turned over the costumes to Jack Dore, who improved it with assistance from Thomas Thompson, later known as Minuteman.

Stardust: Little if anything was -- at the time -- known of this being, also called 'the Super-Wizard'. He usually appeared from nowhere to rain down destruction and horrific transformation on those who attacked the innocent -- while notably never doing much to prevent such attacks. Also founded a militia-like organization that verged on being a cult dedicated to himself. While he worked with the Institute, he broke with them towards the end of the Typhonian Insurgency when they protected members of the conspiracy from his wrath, and abandoned Earth. It is now known that he returned to his homeworld of Daath, where he either adopted the new identity, or returned to his old one, of Abraxas.

Note: Masque was never a member of the Institute. A decade after the organization disbanded, James Graham became the father of Ricky Graham, the future Silver Scarab. He was murdered by a police officer when his son was seven years old.

So clearly the Atomic Age heroes I see could be in need of mention are Captain Mystic I , The Cowl & Masque, Meteor and an obviously in-need of renaming Mothman and Ladybird.

[Davies]

This is the full roster of the Institute as it existed in 1971. *ed indviduals survived the Battle of Vietnam, but nobody who hasn't been mentioned as being still alive is alive as of 2020.

Captain Mystic (I)*
Basilea*
The Cowl
Meteor* (mentioned in El Dorado's profile)
Moth Man
Papillon
The Futurian*
Anateus
Phoenix
Aeolia
Protius
Quark (mentioned in Minuteman's profile)
Doctor Freeze (mentioned in the Protean's profile)
The Iconoclast (mentioned in Dr. van Vliet's profile)
Perseus
The Selkie* (mentioned in Nereus' profile)
Diane Fortune
Stardust*

[Voltron64]

They sound epic, Davies. And that roster alone sates quite a bit of my curiosity.

[Davies]

The Dark Knight


"Dark Knight" is Travis Ritter's own term for him. A number of other names have been attached to this enigmatic figure who wanders the territory between Nerath and Bemarris, mounted atop a creature which seems analogous to a horse, which species is otherwise unknown in the Basin. (Supposedly there are some to be found in the Duchy of Artheld, far to the west.) Sometimes attacking travelers along the great road, sometimes coming to the assistance of travelers when they are attacked by other bandits, the Dark Knight is viewed as being a phantasmal creature by most people who've heard of him.

It's well known that he has been killed many times -- usually claiming many of the lives of those who fought him in the process -- and recovered after a day, no matter what attempts are made to prevent this. It's also well-known that he does not speak, neither to answer pleas for mercy nor to offer justification for his deeds. At least, that's what most accounts claim. Travis Ritter, who has encountered the Dark Knight probably more than any other known individual, claims to have spoken to him on a number of occasions. If his account is to be believed, the Dark Knight can apparently sense the degree of guilt or innocence possessed by another, and is driven to assault those whom he perceives as guilty.

On those occasions where he encounters someone who is both guilty and innocent in different ways, he employs his ability to terrorize enemies with a glare of his glowing red eyes -- which are the only parts of his face not hidden in the darkness of his helmet -- as this ability apparently cannot affect those who are fundamentally honest. Apparently, the fact that this terrifying gaze did not affect Ritter convinced the Dark Knight that Ritter was trustworthy, and consequently led him to unburden himself. They have crossed paths on other occasions since that first encounter, generally fighting on the same side, though the fortunes of war have pitted them against one another more rarely.

Ritter has also claimed that, regardless of an individuals guilt or innocence, honesty or corruption, the Dark Knight does not attack those who drop all arms and refuse to fight back. This directly contradicts other accounts which have him cutting down those who made good faith attempts to surrender, but Ritter's allies (none of whom have ever heard the Dark Knight speak to them) have confirmed that they've seen such surrenders work. One explanation might be that the Dark Knight holds himself to a somewhat higher standard of behavior when he encounters Ritter, for whatever reason.

The Dark Knight's horse is every bit as phantasmal as himself. It appears when he needs it, exploding forth from the ground in a burst of fire, and has the ability to gallop over the surface of water and up the side of buildings. His axe has cut through every material against which it has been employed, and while it can be taken from him, he has always recovered it and usually made whoever tried to steal it very regretful.

Most recently, the Dark Knight encountered Ritter and his companions as they were escorting Warpwitch and her friends to Bemarris. He didn't attack, only gestured for Warpwitch to accompany him away from the group, which she did with some reluctance. Just what passed between them is known in detail only to her, but he did apparently speak to her. From what she's said about the encounter, he was genuinely fascinated to encounter an actual unvarnished innocent in the World Closer to Death, and wished to gaze upon her for a while. However, some have noted that Warpwitch is, at best, only indifferently honest, and might not be telling the full story ...

The Dark Knight -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR 6 | STA 6 | AGL 2 | DEX 2 | FGT 10 | INT 1 | AWE 2 | PRE 2

Powers:
Bonded Armor: Immunity 25 (disease, mental effects, poison, starvation & thirst, suffocation); Protection 3 - 28 points
Great Axe: Strength-based Damage 3, Penetrating 6, Easily Removable (-4 points) - 5 points
Demonic Vision: Senses 4 (darkvision, vision counters illusion)
Hellrider: Movement 2 (Wall-crawling, Water Walking), Limited to while Moving; Speed 6 (120 MPH); Activation (standard action, -2 points) - 6 points
Terrifying Gaze: Perception Range Affliction 10 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Visual Sense-Dependent - 20 points
Undying: Immortality 5 (1 day); Regeneration 5 - 15 points

Advantages:
Evasion, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (axe), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Startle

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+12), Close Combat: Axe 1 (+11), Insight 10 (+12), Intimidation 12 (+14), Perception 11 (+13)

Offense:
Initiative +6
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 6)
Axe +11 (Close Damage 9, Crit 19-20)

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 10, Fortitude 8, Toughness 9, Will 9

Totals:
Abilities 62 + Powers 78 + Advantages 6 + Skills 20 + Defenses 16 = 182 points

Complications:
Justice--Motivation. Power Loss (Terrifying Gaze, cannot be used against a truly honest individual.) Rarely Speaks.

[Ian Turner]

Ooh, a medieval Ghost Rider. Very cool.

Statting up the 'hellhorse' as just a Super-movement array that requires Activation is way simpler than trying to stat up an otherwise insubstantial horse-summons-nonsense. Good work on that.

[Voltron64]

Most recently, the Dark Knight encountered Ritter and his companions as they were escorting Warpwitch and her friends to Bemarris. He didn't attack, only gestured for Warpwitch to accompany him away from the group, which she did with some reluctance. Just what passed between them is known in detail only to her, but he did apparently speak to her. From what she's said about the encounter, he was genuinely fascinated to encounter an actual unvarnished innocent in the World Closer to Death, and wished to gaze upon her for a while. However, some have noted that Warpwitch is, at best, only indifferently honest, and might not be telling the full story ...

Chalk it up to her growing up in a mundane middle class life in a first world country? A place unlike the World Closer to Death where you didn't constantly have to struggle, strain and ruthlessly compromise in order to survive?

At least partly?