Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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CTPhipps
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Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

Post by CTPhipps »

I'm about to do an M&M campaign set in the Marvel universe. Obviously, I'm going to do a nastier version but a set up for freedom fighting and superheroics. Here's what I've got so far.

Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

The 2006 Stamford Incident was the beginning of the end for the Age of Superheroes when the New Warriors, acting on bad intelligence, tracked the mutant known as Nitro to the tiny upscale New York gated community where he detonated and killed two hundred people with a predominant number of white children. Why this particular incident was any different from the various other battles, alien invasions, or not was a subject of much online conspiracy theory before the Right Wing as well as Russian bots drowned them out.

The Superhuman Registration Act was accompanied by Colonel Nick Fury being forcibly removed from office and the United States withdrawing from the SHIELD Defense Act that provided it the majority of its funding. The United States rebranded its local SHIELD agencies as HAMMER and appointed Norman Osbourne as their new Director after a short-lived tenure by Tony Stark who (unsuccessfully) attempted to mitigate public outrage.

The Superhuman Registration Act insists, essentially, on all superhumans in the United States to register with the United States government and then be trained in their usage. Any who don't are taken to detention facilities until they agree. Agreement is not always enough for compliance, though, and many are forced to serve as soldiers or support for the plans of big business that they are "rented" out to like ROXXON Oil, Oscorp, Hammer Industries, and other supporters of the current regime.

The superhero community would have normally been able to deal with this but the X-men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and Avengers were forced into space to do battle with the Annihilation Wave. They were apparently successful because the Annihilation Wave never reached Earth but there has been no contact with them since. European nations have attempted to reach out through S.W.O.R.D to the Shi'ar Empire, Kree, and even Skrulls but these races have been rebuffed. The United States, "Humanity First" movement has also foreign support in many nations.

The election of Norman Osbourne in 2008 was since followed by the election of Wilson Fisk, former Mayor of New York, and two subsequent supervillains have only resulted in the further hardening of humanity's polices against superhumans. While Wilson Fisk is a Democrat, he has only increased the political corruption and cruelty to be found. Yet the progressives of the country don't dare risk primarying him due to the fact that Fisk is the only voice preventing the full-scale deployment of Sentinels across the country. The fear of President Graydon Creed as an alternative keeps them in check.

Global Notes


Genosha: The resurrection of the dead population of Genosha at the hands of the Scarlet Witch is one of the last remaining fascinating moments of history before she entered a decades-long coma. This event also began the return of mutants to the world and she has since become a figure of religious reverence among mutants with the Scarlet Church. Magneto rules as dictator of Genosha and encourages all nations in the world to send their mutants to his country. Strangely, he has not attempted to take over the world in the past decade and instead has attempted economic dominance with his superhuman populace. Half the country's population are Gamma-level or above mutants with barely any powers but exist as the dominate power. The High Evolutionary is said to continue his work there after being driven out of Wundagore.

The Latverian Federation: Doctor Doom's marriage to Silver Sable resulted in the merging of Latveria and Symkaria before the two nations invaded Wundagore and annexed it. It has since become a rising power in Eastern Europe with its chief imports being robots, weapons, and technology to replace those of lost superheroes. NATO and the Russian Federation consider it a tremendous threat to both their security but are caught between appeasing them or containing them. Doctor Doom is believed to be dead by some, having committed suicide after Reed Richards died, instead leaving his Doombots to manage his industrial base. Prince Kristoff and his stepmother, Prime Minister Sable, manage the country in the internim.

Madripoor:
The island was taken over by Hydra and the Hand during the internim and became an international marketplace for terrorism as well as vice. This unfortunately pushed matters too hard and Baron Von Strucker ended up executed by King Namor of Atlantis who promptly executed him after a video conference where he insulted the late monarch's younger sister. Madripoor and nearby island of Bagalia have since become the surfaceworld possessions of Atlantis. King Namor has also apparently conquered the Deviants, all other nautical nations, and is in a formal alliance with the Lunarians (Inhumans). As such, Madripoor is a place you can go as an alternative for freedom while being very "strange." Namor is presently looking for a new queen despite being married to multiple women in alliances or love-ish matches.

S.W.O.R.D, S.H.I.E.LD, and T.R.I.D.E.N.T:
SHIELD has been dramatically weakened due to the lack of international cooperation from the United States, China, or Russian Federations plus several strong man dictatorships. SWORD remains powerful, though, as the threat of alien invasion remains a terrifying prospect. A new branch that deals with underwater threats due to Namor's increased prominent has also been created, supervising underwater colonization and clean-up efforts under his strict rules. With the lack of the Avengers, Alpha Flight has since become the world's most prominent international team with Beta, Gamma, and other flights based in Toronto. Euro-Flight (formerly Excalibur) has recently run into problems due to Brexit.

HYDRA, AIM, The Friends of Humaniy, Purifiers, and The Secret Empire:
Faced with the lack of a centralized enemy in the Avengers, these various groups have broken up into even further feuding factions. Viper has since taken over as acting leader of Hydra and reinvisioned the organization as a primarily weapons contractor to the terrorists of the world. The continued threat of these organizations despite their disunity serves as fuel for the various Far Right groups of the world. The fact that many of these have ties to Hydra money is overlooked by many. Some nations, fearing falling behind in the superhuman gap, have also given the terrorist organization remnants sanctuary. Neo-Hydra groups have since allied with anti-mutant groups and started to rehabilitate their image as well as sell revisionist history. The Friends of Humanity and Purifiers have done the reverse and become a more powerful "legitimate" voting block called Humanity First that targets mutants, Inhumans, aliens, and superhumans of all stripes.

X-SITENCE:
Professor Charles Xavier's dream is actually more mainstream than it used to be, in part because of the collection of martyrs and oppression it faces has resulted in more widespread sympathy. Absence also makes the heart grow fonder even for the X-men. Congresswoman Jubilation Lee was elected on a landslide and fights a uphill battle for progressive rights. X-themed street gangs and resistance to Neo-Hydra and Humanity First are very common as are hacktivist groups. Many of them have secret groups helping smuggle mutants out or keep their identities secret. They've had small success overall but blocked much worse legislation that might have been even if they'd had to make some terrible alliances (see Wilson Fisk).
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

Post by Hoid »

I like this! Dark of Future Past, but reined in quite a bit. A lot of room for things to get much, much brighter...or much, much darker.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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Hoid wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 10:23 pm I like this! Dark of Future Past, but reined in quite a bit. A lot of room for things to get much, much brighter...or much, much darker.
Thanks, I don't want to go full dystopian but the player characters are not without much in the way of backup here.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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Active Superheroes

Black Cat: Felica Hardy remains one of the most active superhuman threats in the world. Despite being in her mid-forties, she remains perfectly balanced and possessed of a super soldier serum as well as the ability to alter probability due to an infusion of Domino's X-gene.

Captain Britain:
Betsy Bradock has adopted the mantle of Captain Britain and is the head of Euro Flight. Her brother, Brian Bradock, was assassinated by Hydra assassins before the mantle passed to her. As a mutant and Asian woman, she has been criticized by many in the British Media. Some have suggested she should become Captain Europe.

General Marvel: General Carol Danvers is currently the head of SWORD and SHIELD, effectively retiring her despite her immense powers. Fantastically in shape for a woman in her fifties, she is a woman without a country due to Norman Osbourne filing charges against her for leaking secrets. Presently, she lives in space and has been granted sanctuary by dozens of nations. Wilson Fisk has offered her a pardon that she's refused.

Daredevil: Disappeared not long after Avengers Day and was assumed kill. In fact, Matt Murdock became a Civil Rights attorney full-time and helped repeal some of the Registration Act's more unpopular elements. Became Wilson Fisk's Vice President before being forced to resign for reasons unknown. Whereabouts presently unknown.

Guardian: Katherine "Kitty" Pryde is currently the leader of Alpha Flight and among those mutant refugees to Canada. She now wears a variant of Iron Man armor that sports the Canadian color scheme. Kitty is considered to be a race traitor by some mutants for supporting Canada's lesser version of the Registration Act that is run by mutants and offers free schooling for them.

Jubilee: The presently retired superhero turned Congresswoman, Jubilee is a progressive politician and currently the Vice President hopeful for Wilson Fisk since his previous one, Matthew Murdock, was forced to retire for reasons unknown. As a Chinese American mutant, she is the darling of the Left.

Namor: The Ruler of Atlantis and one of the most powerful men on Earth at present, he has actually stopped several world-destroying events since Avengers Day and is widely viewed as the most powerful hero on Earth by some. Namor cares little for anything less than a global catastrophe, though, and regularly threatens other nations to get what he wants.

New Warriors: Ms. Marvel, Arana, Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Franklin Richards, and Valaria that are waging a somewhat haphazard war against the oppression of the Superhuman Registration Act. Their use of the name and highlighting of the act's lies has been considered to be both brilliant as well as in poor taste. The Miles and Gwen of this reality are different as the former is a local reality resident empowered by Curt Connors trying to replicate Spider-Man and the Spider-Gwen is a rebellious Jackal clone who beat him up for being a creep.

The Webs Detective Agency: Jessica Drew, Cindy Moon, Julie Carpenter, Mattie Franklin (deceased), Madame Web, Jessica Jones (who is not a Spider-Woman she insists), and Luke Cage (who has no problem working for them) operate a heroes for hire organization that is officially a detective agency.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

Post by Hoid »

Comforting, really, to discover Namor’s a jerkass in whatever universe you go to. :-)
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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Got the base for the heroes to steal:

Avengers Force One

Avengers Force One is a prototype Quinjet developed by Stark-Fujikawa Industries in conjunction with Wakanda International. The machine was created as a possible replacement for Avengers Mansion and Avengers Tower with the increasing stresses of a global superhuman community. The quinjet is powered by a vibranium-uranium reactor that provides it power for the next 500 years, possesses a Pym-Vanderghast interior that is equal to a large estate, possesses vertical magnetic landing as well as ascension systems, and can reach low orbit altitudes like those of SWORD's space station networks.

AF1 contains a holographic training room, kitchen, pool, room for fifty residents, and an automatic AI system linked to the SHIELD network called JARVIS. This was built from Ultron V's remnants and part of the reason why Tony Stark forbid the use of the machine in service. Its exterior includes artificial adamantium plating and low-level Shi’ar energy shields. Its estimated value is 42.6 billion dollars outside of Wakanda and is the basis for their own line of luxury starships that cost significantly less.

Avengers Force One was confiscated by HAMMER when the Avengers disappeared on A-Day but they were unable to breach its security.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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CTPhipps wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 4:21 am Its exterior includes artificial adamantium plating and low-level Shi’ar energy shields.
... I dunno, it's okay I guess, but the lack of time travel capabilities is a deal-breaker.

;)
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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Davies wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 5:28 am
CTPhipps wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 4:21 am Its exterior includes artificial adamantium plating and low-level Shi’ar energy shields.
... I dunno, it's okay I guess, but the lack of time travel capabilities is a deal-breaker.

;)
I may have made it a bit TOO indestructible. You're right, that part can go.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

Post by Neo-Paladin »

Great setup for a setting that doesn't have the main heroes overshadow the PCs at every turn.
Also, I think you kept a nice balance between making it darker but not too grimdark, although the idea of superpowered humans being basically rented out by the state to assist big companies makes me nauseous.
It does sound like something Fisk and Osborn would do, though (and, given how the last few years went in our reality, it's not far-fetched at all that they'd be elected).
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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H.A.M.M.E.R

Leader: Dell Rusk

Notable Members: Moonstone (Champions), Armin Zola (Research and Development), Doctor Faustus (Human Resources), Crossbones (Detention and Reform)

Profile: H.A.M.M.E.R is the brainchild of Norman Osbourne and officially the replacement for a variety of other government departments that previously existed for dealing with superhuman security as well as the American branch of SHIELD. It has since grown to devour the Department of Homeland Security and actively feuds with the FBI as well as US Marshalls for authority. The organization has also non-superhuman related efforts but its efforts there have been a combination of failures as well as embarrassments that its leadership have tried to cover up. Hammer's leadership is in no small part to play for the cluster**** that it is its current makeup as its Director is nothing less than Dell Rusk, a clone of the Red Skull that has been cosmetically altered with a false mask to serve as its leadership.

This version of the Red Skull is believed to have been brainwashed into loyalty to Norman Osbourne using a variety of trigger signals and implanted neural chips that have since passed to Wilson Fisk. In fact, he is only barely in control at the best of times since his natural personality is so sociopathic and his ideology so toxic that even when he's attempting to "help", he's a danger to the organization.

Wilson Fisk would like to eliminate the Red Skull (II) since he's had more than a few unpleasant encounters with the original over the years but is afraid that he can't maintain power over HAMMER if he does. Dell Rusk has spent the past decade combing over America's law enforcement, militias, extremist groups, and psych profiles in order to recruit the current generation of agents for the organizations. He's indoctrinated them with the help of Doctor Faustus but it has not increased their overall effectiveness.

Truth be told, HAMMER is on the verge of collapse due to the fact that the organization's history of abuses and mistakes have often led to leaks that have slowly turned much of America against the organization. It is subject to approximately 129 ongoing lawsuits at the start of the campaign and a few members of its organization have actually been successfully prosecuted.

Fisk's campaign promises included reigning the organization in but he really hoped to just get it to become more covert. He's since become aware that they HAVE BEEN covert and the rot is much-much worse than he possibly could have imagined. You know, starting with the fact the RED SKULL is the head of the organization.

HAMMER is virulently anti-mutant and most members have a variety of other prejudices aside. Female agents of HAMMER find themselves marginalized and quite a few of the present ones are actually Live Model Decoys to provide an appearance of parity. The exception is the Champions Division headed by Moonstone that recruits heavily from supervillains and uses them as costumed operatives. They can no longer use the name Avengers due to a lawsuit from the Maria Stark Foundation but simply adopted another moniker. Supervillains are generally offered a job with HAMMER if they proceed to fall in line with its aims and this sometimes works. Those superhumans who won't cooperate are sent to the for-profit prisons run by ROXXON SECURITY as managed by Crossbones.

HAMMER technology is surprisingly outdated and not significantly better than SHIELD tech 15 years earlier. This is due to being cut off from advancements in tech in Europe, from the Baxter Building, Stark-Fujikawa Industries, and other groups. Hammer Industries, Roxxon, and employed surpervillains like Armin Zola have instead diverted large amounts of resources to their own projects while producing "advancements" that are not significantly different from the ones released the year prior.

Dell Rusk is extremely irritated by the fact HAMMER has no access to America's Sentinel program and Weapon X, so he has privately begun meeting with Graydon Creed in hopes of getting him elected to President. He's also sought ways of removing his brainwashing to simply take over the United States itself.

Possible Fate: HAMMER is impossible to reform and a terrorist organization waiting to happen. Wilson Fisk is considering assassinating its Director but is worried that will just radicalize its lunatics further. With the planned treason of the organization, he might be willing to slip information to them or arrange for some tragedy like the destruction of their headquarters or replacement by private military contractors. Exposure of their crimes may result in the organization facing an even bigger threat, though, with defunding.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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Asgard

The pocket dimension of Asgard was destroyed in the Final Ragnarok by Thor before its population was evacuated to Broxton, Oklahoma in order to construct a new flying city over the location. Thor then brought back the majority of the populace with the Odin Force. Unfortunately, Thor soon disappeared after and there was a power struggle between Loki as well as Baldur over who would rule as well as a battle with the United States government over the Asgardians inhabiting their airspace.

The matter was resolved when Cul Borsson the Serpent, self-proclaimed brother of Odin, appeared and said he could restore the pocket-dimension of Asgard. He proceeded to sacrifice the world of the Korbinite equine aliens to provide the fuel and made a compact with the Hell Lords to provide the energy necessary. Cul proceeded to gain the allegiance of all but a handful of Asgardians as a result, leading them to their restored home while banishing all of Thor's former supporters as well as Loki. Despite having the eldritch knowledge to make Uru weapons, Cul has been unable to make new weapons akin to Mjolnir due to Loki stealing all of Asgard's supply of the mythical stone.

Cul does not possess the Odin-Force despite his immense magical and godly power and is forced to rely on science as well as alliances with fel beings to maintain his power. His cruelty and association with HYDRA that provide Asgard with essentials have not increased his popularity. Broxton's flying city remains with a few hundred inhabitants and their human partners as well as half-god children.

Mjolnir remains outside Broxton, waiting for someone worthy to claim it.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

Post by Davies »

He just ... exiled Loki? Wow, that's sure not to backfire. I mean Odin at least imprisoned him some of the time.
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Re: Marvel 2020: Age of Villains

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Davies wrote: Sat Dec 05, 2020 1:56 am He just ... exiled Loki? Wow, that's sure not to backfire. I mean Odin at least imprisoned him some of the time.
Bah, how much trouble could a bastard foundling Frost Giant cause a true son of Bors?

And yes, an excellent chance for villain vs. villain fun!

Albeit Cul is much-much worse.
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