[Champions NEXT] The Flock

[Doc Democracy]

OK.  @Stanley Teriaca suggested a set of adventures for new GMs. I want to try out new ways of planning adventures and so am going to use the ideas on the Champions NEXT thread to prompt those.  If I can settle myself to it, I will try to get full write-up and post.  I want to use this as a holder for discussing the adventure, as I see it, and for related questions.

 

 

On 6/18/2024 at 12:58 AM, Stanley Teriaca said:

The Flock

 

The Flock is a group of six penthouse robbers and criminal delivery people wearing a flying suit which is absolutely identical to each other. They have stolen something important and take to the sky when the heroes arrive. Can they recover the item? How can they keep up if they can't fly?

 

I plan to have three scenes, 1 - meeting the Flock, 2 - Thwarting the theft, 3 - Cleaning out the Nest.

 

I have some base premises:

• Flock can fly faster than PCs. 
• Flock have good connections
• Flock have resources
• Flock are arrogant
• Flock are exhibitionist

 

Edited August 3 by Doc Democracy

[Doc Democracy]

The flying faster is to ensure it is not just a chase, if the Flock hit the open sky, then, barring a lucky shot, they escape.

 

I reckon I want to give them SPD 6 for movement, SPD 3 for any actions.  Wondering what +3 SPD, only for movement is worth?  I see it as acting on 4, 8 and 12 like a highly trained normal, but being able to move on 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12.  This avoids having to give them massive movement and potentially getting caught by turn based movement and allowing more reaction to events.

 

Doc

 

PS: my big concern is that I am getting too complex for a starter game but then I think I want new GMs to be exposed to variety of builds and what CAN be done.  I remember poring over every new published hero and villain looking for hints and tips.

Edited August 3 by Doc Democracy

[Stanley Teriaca]

I see that my work wasn't waisted.

 

Thanks Doc.

Edited August 3 by Stanley Teriaca

[Doc Democracy]

Well, it remains to be seen.  If I stump up with an adventure, job done.

[Doc Democracy]

I am thinking that I might use METE as an organisation (am old fashioned enough to iwn all the latest books but still have 3rd Edition organisations as standard) and that the Flock plan to steal an energy source called the Jovian Egg (due to its shape and high density) from the floating base it calls "The Platform".

 

This is the Flock paying off the organisation (VIPER?) that provided them with the flight suits.  The high profile thefts have, so far, been training missions for Flock members, though the press believe it to be the work of one person (despite mixed eye-witness statements). The press have dubbed this hi-tech highwayman The Magpie and the modus operandi has been to board private jets in flight and Rob the high value passengers of their valuables.  The robberies are daring and "the Magpie" invariably urbane, witty and dashing, though may respond to resistance from guards with deadly force.

 

I expect the PCs, if they do not already belong to a team, to be hired gy one or more of these high-value individuals to stop this predation of the wealthy elite.

 

Investigating the Magpie may or may not reveal there is more than one of them but it should deliver most, if not all of the rest of the plot.  it should also show them that they cannot expect to just chase and catch the Flock.

 

I want The Platform simply as an exotic locale and an excuse to introduce some background characters that the PCs may draw on in future.  I also want to up the stakes where getting it wrong might result in terminal velocity outcomes.

 

I plan for The Platform to be mostly normals but where random aliens might be met should the heroes go there in later adventures.

 

I plan to title the adventure "A mischief of magpies".

 

Now all I need to do is get things done.

 

 

[Stanley Teriaca]

Eventually one of the members will, at a later date, adopt individual names and modified the costume for individuality. Heck, one might even adopt the Magpie name.

 

But that is for another adventure.

[Rich McGee]

1 hour ago, Doc Democracy said:

The flying faster is to ensure it is not just a chase, if the Flock hit the open sky, then, barring a lucky shot, they escape.

 

I reckon I want to give them SPD 6 for movement, SPD 3 for any actions.  Wondering what +3 SPD, only for movement is worth?  I see it as acting on 4, 8 and 12 like a highly trained normal, but being able to move on 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12.  This avoids having to give them massive movement and potentially getting caught by turn based movement and allowing more reaction to events.

 

Begging pardon in advance for my rusty Champions knowledge, but would just having a very high non-combat move (enough to top any PC hero and leave them out of range for attacks almost immediately) and more average SPD do the job as well?  Bit less complicated if that's the concern.  Maybe combine with some kind of smokescreen/jammer/deployable decoys to foil people trying to snipe them down as they depart?

 

Seems likely that one or more Flock members will wind up getting caught somehow (Entangles, grapples, cut off by walls, or just knocked out), but that's a Good Thing if the players need a way to find the Nest and recover the Jovian Egg from the escapees.  If worse comes to worse and they all get away some NPC could have attached some kind of tracker so the plot can move forward.  Bonus points if it's actually some kind of alien musk and the PCs have to bring a friendly but vulnerable extraterrestrial who's part skunk and part bloodhound along to track the scent trail, with little time to prep before it dissipates in high-altitude winds.

 

1 hour ago, Doc Democracy said:

I plan to title the adventure "A mischief of magpies".

Much better choice that "tittering" or "gulp" or "conventicle" but that isn't going to be known to the players until afterward, right?  Because it really blows the "more than one of them" twist even if you don't know your collective nouns - and with the internet, everyone who cares can look them up in seconds.  I'm a bird nerd and even I hadn't heard "conventicle" before. 

 

Great word for other purposes.  We need an adventure called "A Conventicle of Cultists" sometime.  Maybe something with DEMON...

[Stanley Teriaca]

The idea of "there is only one" is Doc's thing. My idea is them looking alike and defensive maneuvers to make it harder to focus on just one. But Doc is writing this, and I just created the rough idea.

 

He isn't exactly hiding the fact there is more then one...just keeping it from the players until they actually do ask the right questions to the right people.

[Steve]

You might try and link Bluejay and GRAB into this, since she has a flying supersuit. Maybe as a red herring lead. It could also be that her suit’s plans were used as the basis for these new suits.

[Duke Bushido]

Consider this, if you are looking for complications to the plot:

 

The Jovian Egg, due specifically to its density, in addition to being unique, beautiful,and priceless, is also part of the tidal balance that holds the Platform in its orbital position.   Successful removal of the Egg will disrupt the tidal balance, with possible complications such as (your choice) the Platform going into a tumble, or the orbit rapidly deteriorating and sinking the Platform to earth within X hours, or possibly even breaking it out of orbit and sending it out into space, unrecoverably distant after X hours, or even simply changing internal stressors so as to result in the station twisting or otherwise losing integrity, unrecoverable in X hours-

 

Eithe way, it is now a rescue mission distraction, and the decision of "rescue station" versus "rescue inhabitants" may come into play.

 

Granted, this suggests some incredible density on the part of the Egg, and the Flock may have some additional gravity-negating tech on hand (or perhaps it is a re-application of how their suits work, and someone was thinking outside the box).

 

 

If you want aliens (and a reasonable chance for any rescue of the Platform itself for new players of less-powerful heroes), the odds of successful space operations can be increased by the presence of one or more in-port spaceships or even a couple of alien supertech engineers to offer helpful suggestions....

 

 

Just some thoughts.  As I said in a reply to an earlier question of yours: I enjoy the use of "timer" features ticking away as the plot (and temptations) unfold. 

 

 

 

Edited August 4 by Duke Bushido

[Stanley Teriaca]

I'm reminded of the standard operations of Zeon and Neo Zeon in the UC Find an universe. You losing a war? Drop a damaged satalight from orbit.

 

To make things worse, the Earth Federation doesn't actually care. Drop satalight upon cities to your hearts content. Earth has too many pore people anyways. It is either that or send them into space.

[Doc Democracy]

2 hours ago, Rich McGee said:

Begging pardon in advance for my rusty Champions knowledge, but would just having a very high non-combat move (enough to top any PC hero and leave them out of range for attacks almost immediately) and more average SPD do the job as well?

 

Not really.  20m on SPD 6 versus 50m on SPD 3. The bigger move on SPD 3 does 150m per turn versus 120m per turn, if it was all about velocity.

 

50m move on segment 12, next 50m will be on segment 4.

 

After segment 12, the SPD3 character is 30m ahead, on segment 2 only 10m ahead, if the SPD 6 cgaracter acts first on segment 4, they catch the SPD 3 character.

 

Giving them SPD 6 also gives them some options on manouevering shouldvtge heroes put obstacles in their way when they try to escape, and the chance to react to events.

 

2 hours ago, Rich McGee said:

Seems likely that one or more Flock members will wind up getting caught somehow (Entangles, grapples, cut off by walls, or just knocked out), but that's a Good Thing if the players need a way to find the Nest and recover the Jovian Egg from the escapees. 

 

I need to write the adventure such that there is no need to capture anyone, too many adventures break when the players do unexpectedly stupid things!  🙂

 

2 hours ago, Rich McGee said:

Much better choice that "tittering" or "gulp" or "conventicle" but that isn't going to be known to the players until afterward, right? 

 

Yeah, I never reveal the title of adventures before we play them.

 

2 hours ago, Steve said:

You might try and link Bluejay and GRAB into this, since she has a flying supersuit. Maybe as a red herring lead. It could also be that her suit’s plans were used as the basis for these new suits.

 

Good idea. 

 

1 hour ago, Duke Bushido said:

Successful removal of the Egg will disrupt the tidal balance, with possible complications such as (your choice) the Platform going into a tumble, or the orbit rapidly deteriorating, sinking the Platform to earth within X hours, or possibly even breaking it out of orbit and sending it out into space, unrecoverable distant after X hours, or even simply changing internal stressors so as to result in the station twisting or otherwise losing integrity, unrecoverable in X hours-

 

Absolutely.  There is no need for the Flock to be successful but if they are, this ticking clock puts some pressure on, not only finding the Nest but ensuring they regain the Egg.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Who does the high tech tinkering for hire in the Champions Universe?  I know Argent does weaponry, not sure this would count for them.  You don't really even need to know where bad guys get their stuff unless they are a hit and show up later, then you can dig into it more deeply.  These folks can fly with these suits, because that's who they are.  Where did they get all those wonderful toys?  Who cares, for now.

[Doc Democracy]

5 minutes ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

Who does the high tech tinkering for hire in the Champions Universe?  I know Argent does weaponry, not sure this would count for them.  You don't really even need to know where bad guys get their stuff unless they are a hit and show up later, then you can dig into it more deeply.  These folks can fly with these suits, because that's who they are.  Where did they get all those wonderful toys?  Who cares, for now.

 

I think the only reason I have it in there is that I might plan for VIPER to be the generic opposition for the group, they provided the suits in return for the Egg.

 

Why did they want the Egg, how might that play out later?  Who knows, but every good superhero story has hooks for future adventure.

[Stanley Teriaca]

24 minutes ago, Doc Democracy said:

 

I think the only reason I have it in there is that I might plan for VIPER to be the generic opposition for the group, they provided the suits in return for the Egg.

 

Why did they want the Egg, how might that play out later?  Who knows, but every good superhero story has hooks for future adventure.

Don't forget that Argent has ties to Viper. So ultimately all fingers may point to Viper because snakes don't have arms to point to Argent.

[Doc Democracy]

8 hours ago, Stanley Teriaca said:

Don't forget that Argent has ties to Viper. So ultimately all fingers may point to Viper because snakes don't have arms to point to Argent.

 

Maybe all tails (tales) point to VIPER?  🙂

[Doc Democracy]

It is only when I start trying to write down all the things in my head that I realise how much I am doing on the fly during most of my games...

[Stanley Teriaca]

Thank you Doc, for the unintended birthday gift of this expantion of my Flock idea.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Quote

It is only when I start trying to write down all the things in my head that I realise how much I am doing on the fly during most of my games.

 

Yeah, its a skill to fill out the stuff a GM needs based on what you come up with in a session when you write an adventure.

[Rich McGee]

4 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

Yeah, its a skill to fill out the stuff a GM needs based on what you come up with in a session when you write an adventure.

Yep.  You really don't register on how much you're usually (ahem) winging it until you try to explain the process to someone else, especially in writing.  Writing adventures (especially supers adventures) is hard.

 

On a tangent, I was thinking to myself I'd seen the "there are actually more than one of this seemingly solitary villain" thing somewhere else recently, and then I realized it was in a writeup of one of my own villains from a few years ago.  I'm amused that we both coincidentally picked six as the perfect number of baddies for our teams. 

[Steve]

The Flock has the advantage that they could operate with a flexible membership, given that the suits provide the powers. Just slap in a different person and a new member of the Flock is born.

 

What might be an interesting notion is to have the Flock be a proving ground for starter supervillains. If they do well in the Flock with a generic flying super suit, they could qualify for (or pay for) a customized super suit and establish their rep even further in the supervillain community.

 

As an option to flying fast, one or more of the suits could have stealth technology (invisibility). Little tricks like that help make a team more interesting.

[Doc Democracy]

I like that.  I guess every adventure should have a small section on how the villains might appear what goes on later in the campaign.

 

This solution removes the revolving door problem of superhero prisons.  It is not the same people going to prison each time, but provides a bit of "known issue" for the players.

 

Doc

[Rich McGee]

13 hours ago, Steve said:

What might be an interesting notion is to have the Flock be a proving ground for starter supervillains. If they do well in the Flock with a generic flying super suit, they could qualify for (or pay for) a customized super suit and establish their rep even further in the supervillain community.

Lends a new meaning to "standing out from the Flock" doesn't it? 

 

I usually think of that expression as applying to sheep before birds myself but that's okay, what with Monty Python's flying sheep skit and all.

[Hugh Neilson]

The proving ground model would provide a reason for recurring opponents, especially if the designers start modifying their armor for different purposes (so we get some variety in the villains, and they can grow with the heroes). It also provides a longer-term goal for the heroes to locate and take down the designers/suppliers of this supervillain tech.

[Stanley Teriaca]

Ok. Some future things to make the future versions different.

 

Magpie: Standard model plus "nitro" if needed.

 

Blackbird: Standard model plus stealth unit.

 

Tengu: Standard model plus sharp claws (in case something needs cutting).

 

Rook: Standard model plus super strength and durability.

 

Jackdraw: Standard model but modified with more manuvability in flight.

 

Raven: Standard model plus sonic canon in helmet.

 

Of course it is up to Doc. These names are only used by the unit's creator and the Flock. What suit and pilot in the face is what is needed for the job. To the heroes all the suits look the same, so they might not quite get the different models for different purposes thing right away.