(OOC) Gulf Coast Guardsmen (RCU)

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Ken
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(OOC) Gulf Coast Guardsmen (RCU)

Post by Ken »

Spectrum wrote:Is there any chance of getting to play in this really cool environment sometime?
So, I'd been thinking about "maybe we could try a new RCU play-by-post game?" And it turns out that my frequent partner in crime Jim (or Jcjec, as he's known here) had been thinking about it too. And, we decided that we would give it a go, with us co-gamemastering; allowing both of us to each play to our strengths.

In case you haven't seem my character thread the RC Universe is an original super hero role-palying setting that I've been maintaining since late 1987. And since about 1997, or so, Jim has been helping me with maintain it. It is what I consider a "traditional super hero setting" meaning that super hero tropes are in full force. Traditional-ish hero costumes are the order of the day. Morality is mostly black-and-white, and the shades of grey are done in zip-a-tone.

Characters are original creations, but pastiches and homages are welcome. The world is slightly higher tech than our own. Most notably bullet trains and solar cars are around. High tech weapons exists, but their expense has kept them from being issued to the military or rank-and-file police. Politics has deviated far from the real world. President Lynn Franklin of the Freedom Party is up for re-election, but due to us using "comic book time" the election is still pending.

There's a lot more. A lot, lot more honestly. 29 years of role-playing games, and gobs of backstory. A lot of it is detailed at our website rcuhero.net. The name, RC Universe, by the by, is because 29 years ago, I, and several of my original players, were matriculating at a school named "Rockford College", and I was more of a DC guy than a Marvel guy, and so it was the "RCU" instead of the "DCU" and the name stuck.

Anyway, we're looking at a game set in Florida (specifically on "Earth-K"). We're thinking it'll be a "regional" team, rather than a "city" team, so we're not getting more specific than that. Transportation abilities are clearly encouraged, but we'll probably also set up some kind of team vehicle, so they aren't 100% essential.

We'll be using Mutants and Masterminds, third edition. We're looking at up to ten player characters, built on 144 PP, at Power Level 9 (that's 16 points per PL.) We want the heroes to have room to grow. Our House Rules are basically a handful of Advantages that we've developed or come across that we like. Our Density Growth house rule actually is the same rule that Green Ronin put out eventually.

So, yeah. We're now recruiting/accepting submissions.
Last edited by Ken on Tue Sep 17, 2019 5:37 am, edited 5 times in total.
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DeusPravus
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by DeusPravus »

Would be interested in the game, though have to read up more on the setting before coming up with a character.

Any particular super groups, villains, or noteworthy things that should be aware of about Florida in Earth-K?
Spectrum
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by Spectrum »

Pretty cool.

Lots of information dump diving on the way to getting the creative juices flowing.
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MetaShaman
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by MetaShaman »

Wowzers that's a lot of info. Glad I can still speed read while sick. I would be interested in this game. We're going for a Four-Colors game with black and white morality, with greys that is just a different flavor of black and white (beating up villains is good, being a villain is bad, unless a worse villain is holding your family hostage).

That about sum it up?
ZenGypsy
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by ZenGypsy »

I too find myself interested in this, I just need to read up on it!
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Ken
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by Ken »

DeusPravus wrote:Would be interested in the game, though have to read up more on the setting before coming up with a character.

Any particular super groups, villains, or noteworthy things that should be aware of about Florida in Earth-K?
Hmm. Noteworthy things. The monstrous urband vigilante Darkling makes his home in Miami, so the odds of him being heard from are pretty good. Riptide of the Champions of Justice actually has his permanent residence in Miami, but he doesn't actually spend a lot of time there. He spends most of his time at sea.

A lof of the details are still being worked out, but my best guess is that the Rizzoli, Von Zeul, and maybe the Ruspovik crime families will be the major under world players.

Florida's PSB Strikeforce office is in Miami, and is headed by a woman named Harriet Parsons. Harriet is a Detroit native, and her brother was killed last year.

Neither the national American Rangers, nor the Deep South centric Rebel Yell have much presence in Florida.

Specific villains being in Florida, there aren't any established. We haven't needed to establish them there yet. We undoubtedly will. Some of Riptide's recurring foes do show up there, obviously.

Beyond that, there actually isn't a lot about the RCU's Florida that's been detailed. That's part of why we chose it. We don't want to be restrictive, and say, "oh, that won't work because of _____". We'd rather look at what people submit, and what they need to make their ideas work. For example, if someone needs a branch of C.R.E.S.T. or Knox Enterprises in Tampa Bay, there can be one there.

Basically, we want to tailor what's in Florida to this game.

And if there's a specific type of character, organisation, company or group that any of you need to make a character work, just ask. There's a good chance we'll have something somewhere that will work. And we love to jam on ideas. Just PM me or Jim (jcjec).

D'oh. I nearly forgot. The Omnisphere. At some point in the distant past, an alien doohicky of great and random power crash landed in the gulf of Mexico. A few years ago, this item, the Omnisphere, actually turned up. And it's transformative powers did a number on the flora and fauna in the Gulf region at the time. For instance, it turned the pet terrier of a retired NASA scientist into the smartest and most powerful dog alive. (Sadly, Alpha Dog was one of the heroes lost in the recent battle of San Francisco.) Amd another transformed creature, the megalomaniacal Cephalopod has recently escaped after years of post Omnisphere Incident confinement. It's entirely possible that he could show up.
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Ken
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by Ken »

MetaShaman wrote:Wowzers that's a lot of info. Glad I can still speed read while sick. I would be interested in this game. We're going for a Four-Colors game with black and white morality, with greys that is just a different flavor of black and white (beating up villains is good, being a villain is bad, unless a worse villain is holding your family hostage).

That about sum it up?
Close enough.
ZenGypsy wrote:I too find myself interested in this, I just need to read up on it!
As far as the reading goes, Jim and I both know that there's a LOT. And he and I are both frequently referring to our website, just because there's so much, as are our players. That's one of the other reasons why we chose a place that isn't that defined yet. If there's less already in place when we start, there will be less that will be "absolutely essential" reading.
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When the most powerful super hero on Earth marries an ordinary man, hilarity ensues.
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by MetaShaman »

@Ken

Does the summon power still give 15 Points per rank to the summon, or is it scaled up to 16 per rank to match the power level info?
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by Shadow13 »

Urban Ninja

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Spectrum
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by Spectrum »

On a quick look, I didn't see anything. Are there Atlanteans/merfolk in this setting? What about the Loa?
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ZenGypsy
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by ZenGypsy »

Basic concept is an EOD technician who gains control over Magnetism ...

Image
Magnaflux - PL 9

Strength 2, Stamina 2, Agility 3, Dexterity 0, Fighting 4, Intellect 3, Awareness 2, Presence 1

Advantages
Extraordinary Effort, Fearless, Languages 2, Power Attack, Startle, Uncanny Dodge

Skills
Athletics 3 (+5), Expertise: Demolitions & Explosives 2 (+5), Expertise: Military Tactics & Strategy 2 (+5), Expertise: Technology & Engineering 2 (+5), Insight 3 (+5), Intimidation 9 (+10), Perception 8 (+10), Technology 3 (+14/+6)

Powers
Demolitions Expert: Enhanced Trait 4 (Traits: Technology +8 (+14); Limited: Demolitions & Security only)
Electro Magnetic Field: Protection 8 (+8 Toughness)
. . Electro Magnetic Barrier: Create 10 (Alternate; Volume: 1000 cft., DC 20; Affects Insubstantial 2: full rank, Stationary; Concentration, Reduced Range: close)
Magnetic Distribution: Flight 3 (Speed: 16 miles/hour, 250 feet/round)
Magnetic Monopole: Move Object 9 (12 tons, DC 24; Damaging, Increased Range: perception, Precise)
. . Disassemble Device: Transform 6 (Alternate; Affects: Broad > 1 Thing - Manufactured Device > Component Parts, Transforms: 50 lbs., DC 16; Increased Duration: continuous, Increased Range 2: perception, Precise)
. . Electro Magnetic Pulse: Burst Area Nullify 9 (Alternate; Counters: Technology, DC 19; Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 19, Broad, Selective, Simultaneous; Reduced Range: close)
. . Metallic Entrapment: Cumulative Affliction 10 (Alternate; 1st degree: Dazed; Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Stunned; Defenseless, Resisted by: Dodge; Overcome by Strength or Damage, DC 20; Accurate 4: +8, Cumulative, Extra Condition, Increased Range: ranged; Limited Degree)
. . Metallic Fullisade: Damage 10 (Alternate; DC 25; Accurate 4: +8, Increased Range: ranged, Multiattack, Precise)
Magnetic Perceptions: Senses 6 (Accurate: (Detect), Acute: (Detect), Detect: Metallic Objects (Mental) 2: ranged, Radius: (Detect))

Offense
Initiative +3
Disassemble Device: Transform 6 (DC Dog 16)
Electro Magnetic Pulse: Burst Area Nullify 9 (DC Will 19)
Grab, +4 (DC Spec 12)
Magnetic Monopole: Move Object 9 (DC 24)
Metallic Entrapment: Cumulative Affliction 10, +8 (DC Fort/Will 20)
Metallic Fullisade: Damage 10, +8 (DC 25)
Throw, +0 (DC 17)
Unarmed, +4 (DC 17)

Languages
Arabic, English (Native), Farsi

Defense
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 7, Toughness 10, Will 11

Power Points
Abilities 34 + Powers 64 + Advantages 7 + Skills 16 (32 ranks) + Defenses 23 = 144
Complications
Enemy: IOGWP: While Carrera has only come into contact with troopers, and technicians of the International organization, his continued crusade against the organization has caught the attention of the sub-commanders.

Honor: Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful ...: As a Marine, Carrera remains faithful to the mission at hand, to his fellow marines, to the Corps, and to country, no matter the cost.

As his injuries, and the fundamental changes to his physiology have him now working in the civilian sector, he has had to expand his code to his fellow heroes. Men and women who are willing to put their lives at risk for God & Country.

Motivation: Ductos Exemplo, Lead by Example ...: As an Officer in the Corps, Carrera learned another motto, Ductos Exemplo, lead by example. He had displayed self reliance, discipline and responsibility in the field. Despite the fundamental changes to his very being,Carrera feels that he has a responsibility to continue to serve his country with his extraordinary abilities.

Power Loss: Carrera's bio-electric field was infused with Magnoplasma when the IOGWP's device exploded. This change to his bio-field allows Carrera to manipulate metallic objects by manipulating the magnetic fields that surround them. Many of the effects that he is able to achieve by doing so, require the presence of mettalic objects in his immediate vicinity.

Relationship: Carrera served several tours in the Middle East, and as such this put a massive strain on his relationship with his wife, Rachelle Macleod. It wasn't surprising that he received the divorce papers mid-way through his second tour. He has signed them, and since his return to Florida he has discovered that she has since re-married. He harbours no resentment, and though their relationship is strained, he maintains civility for the sake of his 3 yr old son, Miguel.

He also maintains a close relationship with his unit, and their families, and will do whatever he can to ensure their safety.
Background:

Seth Javier Carrera was born into a military family. Some of his earliest memories are of his father, Tony, building engines in the garage. On of the happiest days of his childhood, was when his father asked if Seth could help him in the garage rebuilding the engine on his prized '67 Chev Impala. He was, however raised, primarily by his mother, Marea, and his siblings while his father was on deployment.

It was inevitable that Carrera enlisted in the Corps when he was of age. During his basic training, the Carrera family was informed that Tony Almedia Carrera was killed by an IED, it was at that moment as he stared into his father's commanding officers eyes, that he decided to become an EOD. Carrera's instructors soon determined that he was a prodigy, and had an innate understanding of the mechanics, wiring, and trigger of any device he was able to examine.

Seth and his unit were deployed in the Middle East, working under NAVSOC, Navy Special Operations Command. Some time into their second tour, Carrera's unit was ordered to investigate a manufactoring facility that was supplying advanced munitions to local insurgents.

On entrance to the facility, Carrera's team met heavy resistance from unidentified mercenaries with blaster carbines and high tech gear. The SEAL team was able to neutralize the IOGWP troopers, though not without taking casualties. That was when they discovered a device, one which even Carrera had difficulty recognizing.

The device held a perfect sphere of magnoplasma in suspension through a series of polarized magnetic fields. Carrera was unable to determine the frequency of the fields, the magnoplasma was highly charged, and unstable. While attempting to disable the device Carrera was shot in the shoulder, the focused plasma packet interacted with the magnetic fields, causing them to collapse, and the magnoplasma to explode. The resulting explosion knocked Carrera unconscious, the team retrieved their fallen comrade. They commandeered a vehicle and extracted their casualties, fighting a running battle with the IOGWP troopers as they withdrew towards the LZ.

Minutes out from the LZ, the insurgents launched a surface to surface missile towards the SEAL teams vehicle. Carrera, his bio-electrical field infused with magnoplasma, felt the missile and reacted. With a thought the shape of the missile twisted, flying apart into it's component pieces. He then turned, and with a wave of his hand sent the shrapnel from the missle at their pursuers.

The team was able to be successfully extracted, though Carrera was returned State side due to his exposure to the Magnoplasma. He was transfered to a PSB medical facility, where he was treated, and learned how to control his new found abilities.

During his debriefing with Cmdr Parsens, he learned of IOGWP's involvement during his unit's last mission. While he felt helpless, as he recovered from his injuries, he soon learned that affiliates of IOGWP had begun to target the familes of the members of his unit.

Determined to protect the families of the men and women who had risked their lives to save his own, Carrera took the name Magnaflux, and began to strike back against IOGWP's operations in Tampa, and the state of Florida.
Let me know if the above works for you ...
Last edited by ZenGypsy on Sat Nov 19, 2016 4:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by jcjec »

MetaShaman wrote:@Ken
I'm not Ken, but as his cohort in crime, I can answer your questions. :)
MetaShaman wrote:Does the summon power still give 15 Points per rank to the summon, or is it scaled up to 16 per rank to match the power level info?
Let's run with 15, and if we decide to boost it up, we'll give you the bonus points. We haven't been overly consistent in prior builds, so we're going to have to examine them, make a decision and get back to you.
Shadow13 wrote:Urban Ninja

Paragon
Not quite sure what the question is, unless these are characters that are here on the site that you'd like to submit. If so, please let us know or feel free to repost them here.
Spectrum wrote:On a quick look, I didn't see anything. Are there Atlanteans/merfolk in this setting? What about the Loa?
We have merfolk who have recently visited from a parallel dimension. While a majority of them were rounded up and returned home, we don't see a problem with there being a straggler left behind if you want to play one. Their home dimension is here: http://dicetales.net/rcu/g_dimension/mysteria.htm

We have been dabbling with voodoo priests in my New Orleans game, with one of them having a ghost mentor, so if you have an idea dealing with Loas, we've got precedent for it.
Jim C.

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but why do we have to live in the flood plains?
DeusPravus
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by DeusPravus »

Hmm, thinking leaning towards a scientist that worked at a CREST facility in Miami or Tampa Bay, who had a lab accident when an experiment trying to recreate the energy signature of the Omnisphere messed up. Build-wise, looking at a character with low level create/transform abilities, and gadgets enhancing those abilities.
Spectrum
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by Spectrum »

A fun character concept is starting to percolate. I'm trying to avoid the This looks like a job for Aquaman problem so getting around that.
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Re: Unnamed RCU Florida Game, recruiting

Post by jcjec »

ZenGypsy wrote:Let me know if the above works for you ...
I like what you've got here, but I want Ken to take a look as well.
DeusPravus wrote:Hmm, thinking leaning towards a scientist that worked at a CREST facility in Miami or Tampa Bay, who had a lab accident when an experiment trying to recreate the energy signature of the Omnisphere messed up. Build-wise, looking at a character with low level create/transform abilities, and gadgets enhancing those abilities.
I think this would make great use of the environment, so please run with it. I look forward to seeing the finished product. :D
Jim C.

I know that into every life a little rain must fall,
but why do we have to live in the flood plains?
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