Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

General discussions about role-playing games. Share stories, ask for advice, talk about the industry, etc.
User avatar
Davies
Posts: 5080
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:37 pm
Location: Edmonton, AB

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by Davies »

Great stuff!
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

Some additional material for Star-Crossed that that did not make the adventure for editing/space reasons:

Problem Powers: The adventure involves several characters who are not as they seem; obviously characters with powers such as Mind-Reading and Precognition obviously have the potential to put a serious crimp in the events, so GMs should handle these abilities carefully. First, Precognition should only provide glimmers of the future, not detailed information-students involved in aggression and destruction, images of serpents, and an eerie night sky. Likewise, Mind-Reading should be limited to revealing surface thoughts, due to the miasma of magic and psychic energies present at the Claremont Academy during the adventure's time frame. This may reveal enough for heroes to become suspicious and investigate further, but not give away the entire plot. Because these do curtail the use of the heroes' abilities, the GM should consider rewarding Hero Points suitably to reflect a temporary Complication.

Also, characters shouldn't automatically get Insight checks whenever interacting with those who are concealing secrets during the course of the adventure; allow opposed checks (Insight vs. Deception) only when the heroes have some reason to suspect untruth; however, it is entirely reasonable for GMs to allow Insight or Perception checks to notice the behavior of other characters is "off", particularly that of any other student(s) the heroes are familiar with, perhaps DC 12-20 depending on circumstances.

More to follow!
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

More options for the adventure:

In Scene One, when the Elysian students engage in their display of power and skill, the GM might choose for them to get more "in your face" of the heroes, taunting and deliberately nearly striking them; this is a team Intimidation check, and may result in the heroes suffering Interaction check penalties accordingly for the rest of the Scene. Later, when the Claremonters are doing the meet and greet with their counterparts, don not forget that in addition to skills such as Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion, other attributes can come into play in the teams sizing each other up-the Assessment advantage, various super-senses, and just simple solid role-playing, e.g. talking to each other about particular hobbies or subjects of interest (Expertise skills). A few specific modifiers may come into play:

Apex: Flattery works best when attempting Deception against the big boy-ape: feeding his ego about how he should be leading the Alpha Group instead of Ms. Scorpion, for example, or praising his knowledge of Ayn Rand gives a +2 bonus to the check.

Demonwing: The reclusive Rudolfo is injured to most bullying (Intimidation) but yeans for real friendship (Persuasion): =2/-2 against such checks respectively, and the circumstance penalty against Persuasion increases to -5 against characters who share an "inhuman" appearance like him, with whom Demonwing feels a kinship.

Ms. Scorpion: Though she doesn't specifically have an Expertise in the area, Ms. Scropion picked up enough superhero lore from her parents (The Sportsman and Miss Poison) to pick up on the backgrounds of any legacy heroes with a DC 15 INT check. If she believes (rightly or wrongly) the heroes realize she is not actually a meta-human, her attitude shifts to Hostile toward them,

Note: the above guidelines/modifiers are also applicable for the next Scene, at the ice cream social event, supposing the GM moves the Combat portion to the very end of that encounter, or if the characters manage to defuse the situation entirely.

Because adolescence is a time fraught with strong emotions, consider exaggerating the effects of Interaction checks, reflecting the intensity of teen relationships. Three or more degrees of success on a check results in the hero and the Alpha team member becoming fast friends, or even feeling romantic attraction if applicable (Persuasion), or becoming a cowed hanger-on (Intimidation); conversely, failing Interaction checks by two or more degrees might result in an Elysian student acquiring an unhealthy fixation on a hero, or targeting the character for a sustained cyber-bullying campaign.

(The sensibilities of all those playing should be considered- certain players may be uncomfortable with these options, and care should be taken if gamemastering a teen hero campaign where the players ARE actual teenagers).

All my best!
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

In Scene Three, the "Power of Knowledge" competition, it might be easier for the GM to speed play along by condensing the number of checks in the competition; rather than 5 Initiative rolls/Expertise checks per round of the game (for a total of 15 questions), cut them down to 2-3, but allow these to be made as Team Checks, representing that some of the questions are being answered "off-panel" but still contributing to the overall victory or defeat. Obviously this is a more abstract way of representing the academic quiz, but speeds up play.

A couple other options for cheating exist, particularly for certain Alphas; Night Terror may use her Sleep power to target a Claremont student, limiting the effect to Fatigued, and if the option listed above is used for the knowledge bowl, Ms. Scorpion's tactics negate a degree of the Claremont team's success, rather than just halving one character's Expertise bonus. Again, the Alphas don't start cheating unless they lose the first round of the quiz, but if they at first pull ahead, then they get overconfident in the second, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus to Initiative (buzzing in quickly) but -2 to their Expertise checks (...a bit too quickly).

While this scene and Scene Five (The "Doom Room") present mental/physical competitions between the Claremont and Elysian students, Gamemasters running the adventure over a longer period of time might consider other types of scholastic contests, such as a fundraiser. Having the heroes and the Alpha Group trying to outdo each other in selling middling-quality chocolate bars or submarine sandwiches could be fun-this wouldn't have to be played out in great detail (mostly being resolved by Persuasion checks), but can present a few fun role-playing opportunities. The two teams could try to sabotage each others' efforts, or try end-runs around the spirit of the rules, e.g., the Alphas might try to win by having a Labyrinth front business buy a whopping quantity of candy bars, only for the heroes to counter when the Freedom League and Atom Family Foundation buy up even more!
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

A particular Claremont student body is suggested to play a role in the adventure, as a dupe in the master villain's plan; for Gamemasters who prefer not to use this character, the same role can be assigned to another student, or even a combination of others, so long as they possess appropriate skills/powers to accomplish the tasks described in the adventure.

While the "Big Bad" should remain a major revelation near the finale, there are clues sprinkled throughout the events which the heroes may pick up on; a few additional items which a GM might include to further foreshadow the adventure's conclusion:

1) One of the break-ins/burglaries outside of campus occurs in a nearby branch of the Freedom City library (or your campaign's equivalent); while a number of texts were stolen, among the purloined books are a rare tome on astrology (containing several hand-drawn star charts) and a treatise on Meso-American mythology, with several chapters on the practice of ritual sacrifices.

2) At some point during the adventure, one of the staff members or students involved in the villain's scheme carries/wear an article (bookbag, leather boots, piece of jewelry) with a colorful pattern of red and green vines and black skulls. It requires a DC 12 INT check to relate this design to the Meso-American markings that crop up in Scene Four, while a DC 20 Investigation (or Expertise: Computers) check to connect the vines and skulls pattern to the specific Aztec figure they are closely associated with in legend.

3) The heroes came across a small figurine (carved from stone), apparently inadvertently left behind in a classroom or study hall; the statuette appears to be a male figure in some sort of ornate armor with orange and black markings; a DC 22 Investigation check reveals the figurine resembles Black Scar Sun, a minor super-villain who perished years ago in a battle against Thunderbolt and the second Raven. Black Scar Sun wore mystic armor consecrated to Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec jaguar-god. Police reports indicate a still unidentified woman was also killed accidentally in the conflict.
FuzzyBoots
Posts: 2396
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:20 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Thank you for the additions. The use of specific clues is one I wrestle with in my games. On one hand, I like adding in this sort of flavor. On the other hand, I have that one player (who never wants to play the investigator) who Googles everything and keeps notes. I like that she's engaged, but I have to be really careful about third act reveals, and it kind of reduces the usefulness of players investing in Expertise skills.
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

Upping the Ante: While the events of Star-Crossed are potentially major for the campaign-the heroes relationships with their fellow students may be disrupted, new friendships forged, the true nature of Elysium Academy exposed, and good guys possibly going dark side for at least the near-future. But for GMs who want to raise the stakes ever further, consider the following changes:

Split the finale into two parts (title Scene 7 "Bad Moon A-Rising"); the dance scene inside the gymnasium proceeds as described, except the mystery villain has already corrupted several other students, swelling her ranks with thralls. Rather than attempt to execute the final part of her plan while still inside the school, she absconds with her captive to Claremont's athletic field, where she plans on completing the intended ritual under the night sky, with the "planets and stars aligned" and a blood-moon high in the cloudless night sky. Meanwhile, the heroes must face down both the two adversaries described in the adventure and a few others besides; the GM should add at least one more PL 8 opponent, perhaps along with another 1-2 PL 7 foes, depending on the size of the hero team and the challenge level desired. Chump (from Hero High) is a suitable addition, along with Shadow (add Shadow Blast (Damage 9), Shadow Shield[(Protection +6,) and Ranged Combat: Blast 3 (+5) to her traits, or just bump up Storm King's Lighting Bolt and Ranged Combat to make him a PL 7 threat. If the GM prefers using Elysian students instead, here are few suggestions: Fuel (PL 7 Heir/Speedster), a super-fast, sneaky, kleptomaniac; Kid Maxx (PL 6 Future Paragon), fun-loving jock enamored of Ms. Scorpion; Night Punk (PL 7 Protegee), petty bully/toady, a wannabe cool-kid; A.I. Raider (PL 6 Construct), moody cybernetic kid with enhanced cognition; and Star-Razer (PL 6 Alien Exile), curious, callous niece of an alien despot. All the above use the archetypes from Hero High.

The heroes will first have to battle their way through their newly-minted enemies before they can make their way out of the gym for the final showdown with the Big Bad of the adventure, probably while having to protect faculty and staff from a rogue students!

If you REALLY want to push the adventure over the top, then right before the Big Reveal at the dance, have the overhead monitors at the gym suddenly come on with a "special live report from downtown Freedom City"-where the heroes see footage of Next-Gen battling their mentors in the Freedom League, showing that Claremont's finest have turned to villainy! Then, with the characters dumbstruck at the spectacle, the night's games begin!
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

Upping the Ante, Part II:

With the finale broken up into two parts, the heroes can use the "between-scene" time to recover from any damage taken during the gymnasium battle, before rushing to follow the now-revealed Big Bad outside to stop her from completing the occult ritual that will wreak further havoc. Once they make it from the gym (likely having to break down locked and chained doors to do so), they seen the villain and her intended victim (now trussed up in heavy chains), flanked by robed cultists. The full moon overhead is blood-red, the stars are unnaturally bright, and the night hair holds a coppery scent. As they move to intercede, the ground beneath them starts trembling violently; ground-bound characters must make a DC 18 Athletics check or be rendered prone for a round (add +5 to the check if the heroes move at half-speed). If the heroes look behind them, Claremont Academy itself seems to shudder.

The ground quiets once they are within 10' of the villain and her minions; before engaging her in combat, the heroes must take out her cultists and mystically-transformed snakes (which may surprise the characters, spotting them lurking in the field is a opposed Perception vs Stealth check). Assign three cult members or two serpents per hero, they follow the rules for minions. Afterward the characters must defeat their main foe before she can finish the arcane rite; this is no easy task, as she takes on the Growth power of the abducted Elysian student, raising her STR by 4 ranks, making her a PL 11 opponent (award the characters a Hero Point apiece, as this is technically against the rules). If the heroes seem likely to overwhelm the Big Bad too swiftly, consider using some of the options discussed in previous articles, e.g., rather than having her rendered her unconscious after a badly failed Toughness check, rule that one offensive or defensive power is useless for the remainder of combat, and the villain doesn't actually suffer defeat until blowing three such rolls. If the heroes are getting overwhelmed, have one or more of the Claremont students or a befriended Elysian come to their aid.

Cultists (minions) PL 3
STR 1 STA 1 AGL 1 DEX 1 FGT 1 INT 0 AWE 0 PRE 1
Advantages: All-Out Attack, Fearless, Equipment 2
Equipment: Leather Armor (Protection +2), Short Sword (Close, Str-based Damage 2)
Skills: Close Combat 2 (Short Sword), Deception 2 (+3), Expertise: Aztec Lore 5 (+5), Intimidation 2 (+3), Perception 2 (+3), Stealth 3 (+4)
Offense: Initiative +1, Short Sword +3 (DC 18), Unarmed +1 (DC 16)
Defense: Dodge 3 Parry 3 Fort 4 Tough 3 Will 4
Totals: Abilities 10 +Advantages 4+ Skills 8 + Defenses 10 =Total 32


Mystic Serpents (minions) PL 5
STR 3 STA 3 AGL 2 DEX 0 FGT 5 INT-4 AWE 1 PRE -2
Powers: Parlylzing Bite: Str-Based Damage 2 linked to Affliction 5 (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Hindered, Immobile, Paralyzed by Fear; Cumulative), Ensorcelled: Immunity 40 (Interaction, Will effects); Serpentine: Movement 1 (Slithering), Protection 2, Senses 2 (Infravision, Acute Smell),
Advantages: Improved Grab, Improved Hold.
Skills:
Athletics 3 (+6), Intimidation 5 (+3), Perception 2 (+3), Stealth 4 (+6).
Offense: Initiative +2, Grab +5 (DC 13), Petrifying Bite +5 (DC 20 Damage + DC 15 Affliction)
Defenses: Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fortitude -, Toughness 3, Will -.
Totals: Abilities 6 + Powers 54 +Advantages 2 + Skills 7 + Defenses 10 = Total 79 points.
RainOnTheSun
Posts: 1152
Joined: Wed May 03, 2017 7:20 am

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by RainOnTheSun »

Davies wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 2:30 am Oh, I like it. And then there's the third adventure in the trilogy, where both schools discover that there is a third school in the middle of the country, not really good but not really bad (isolationists rather than heroes or villains), and they both send their teams to learn more and prevent the other from gaining an ally (or rather pawn for the bad guys.) This time they're both in unfamiliar territory.
Something on another site made me think of this again, and I think Mastermind would be a great leader for a school like this. As an immortal who wants to take over the world with minimal collateral damage, he has the patience and the motivation to take the world's best and brightest and teach them his philosophy. This isn't superheroic behavior, but it isn't the kind of amoral mercenary training the Labyrinth wants, either.
User avatar
Davies
Posts: 5080
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:37 pm
Location: Edmonton, AB

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by Davies »

Which could move him even further into the "mightiest of his kind" role that a certain Mutant Master of Magnetism enjoys, elsewhere. Great idea!
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

Agreed, absolutely superb idea! RainOnTheSun, if you don’t mind, I may post this on the FB group, with proper attribution.

All my best.
RainOnTheSun
Posts: 1152
Joined: Wed May 03, 2017 7:20 am

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by RainOnTheSun »

I wasn't the first person to think of Mastermind having a school, but I'm fine with you putting it on the FB group. BTW, there was another Shadow Academy before the Elysian Academy, wasn't there? Any thoughts on whatever happened to that one?
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

While the original Shadow Academy ultimately shuttered its doors years ago, owing to too much attention being brought to the school's nefarious activities by its supervillain graduates, the Labyrinth did not abandon its efforts entirely within Freedom City. Instead, it now sponsors private "tutors' for "underserved but promising young people", meaning supervillain tutors for powered-up kids and teens who are potentially useful to the organization and vulnerable to manipulation. Heroes may get wind of this latest scheme when a kid tries to flee the "program" and is pursued by Taurus' agents, or if family members or guardians concerned about changes in their charges behavior are threatened or offered bribes to stay quiet.

(Note: the above is completely my own idea, and not at all official Freedom City canon). All my best.
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Mutants and Masterminds-Star-Crossed Adventure!

Post by greycrusader »

FuzzyBoots wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 3:37 pm Thank you for the additions. The use of specific clues is one I wrestle with in my games. On one hand, I like adding in this sort of flavor. On the other hand, I have that one player (who never wants to play the investigator) who Googles everything and keeps notes. I like that she's engaged, but I have to be really careful about third act reveals, and it kind of reduces the usefulness of players investing in Expertise skills.
You might try politely discussing with the player that its' obviously justifiable in-universe for her character to do internet research, but since she doesn't want to play a hero with investigative skills, her character sheet should probably reflect the ability to "recall" extra information, by buying Advantages such as Eidetic Memory or Skill Mastery for a couple of appropriate Expertise Skills (Current Events, History, or Area Knowledge seem like good candidates). I'd even recommend rewarding her with an extra Hero Point for the next adventure or two if she agrees and "leans into" playing the character appropriately.

PS: been meaning to comment for a while, but IRL issues kept distracting me. All my best.
Post Reply