Terror INC

[Kristopher]

I'm trying to remember the details of the Muerte character.

 

However, this is a superheroic setting, so it's possible that he could return as a "brain in a robot" character, or be replaced by a robot programmed using "brain tapes" of Muerte.

 

Just as long as no one uses that stale old Red Skull crap with endless cloned bodies. Bleah.

[Lord Liaden]

Oh, well, if you're talking French...

 

... that's my second language.

 

You're very close, Steve - "spirit" in French is esprit, one "i" less. Sounds like you could make an interesting backstory for how she ended up with a French nom du guerre.

 

You could justify it by saying that it was derived from esprit du corps, the widely used expression for loyalty and cameraderie between soldiers.

 

OTOH, a "ghost" would be revenant in French, similar enough to "revenge" that it would sound very apropos for someone with her background.

 

But needing to get a new Professor Muerte? My dear sir, you're dealing with the twisted imaginations of HERO gamers! There have already been several scenarios discussed here for bringing the old one back: everything from having regenerative systems built into his armor (but since the armor was slagged, his flesh is now fused to the melted metal), to having Takofanes revive him as an undead slave to help him with this new sorcery called "technology."

 

My personal favorite, though, was from a GM whose PC heroes discovered this badly scarred old derelict with no memory of his past, but exceptional technical skills. He's been working at their base, building gadgets for them, maintaining their team vehicle and the like. Nobody realizes who he used to be, and the old man himself hasn't remembered - yet.

[assault]

Re: Oh, well, if you're talking French...

 

Originally posted by Lord Liaden

But needing to get a new Professor Muerte? My dear sir, you're dealing with the twisted imaginations of HERO gamers!

 

Yes, it's way too easy.

 

Just get out your four colour palette and start painting a picture.

 

IIRC, some of the other options involved imposters. Others involved the death having been faked, as part of a plan to infiltrate Eurostar. Presumably getting Scorpia and Feuermacher past Mentalla would involve some very serious memory editing.

 

My personal theory is more or less along these lines, but of course the real target isn't so much Eurostar, but Menton...

 

Alan

[JmOz]

My personal favorite is that "The reoports of his death have been greatly exagerated".

 

Essentialy in my world he never died, he has always worked with Dr Destroyer as his primary agent for dealing with SuperVillains

 

Put another way:

 

Dr Destroyer has 3 Super Powered Lt's"

 

One is in charge of his force of Agents and personal security

One is his main spy

One is in charge of his Super powered agents

 

I'm also thinking of adding a 4th, a mentalist again, but have not decided if I will leave Menton in the organisation or not...

[Enforcer84]

I've been thinking of this. I am bringing the Professeur back in my One Off Champons U. (See the Hero A Day...Sorta thread) My world has a few things going for it that are different.

 

1) Destroyer Kicked off in the battle of Detroit

2) Muerte was assassinated.

 

to make a long story short; the new one is a clone. I know, one would think Marvel had cured me of clones, but this is basically what I have done. I think PM will be my sunday character this week and I will put the whole story down. Its long too...

[Lord Liaden]

Here's a rather deliciously scary Muerte scenario: as the Professor's armored body is dumped into the sea, his corpse still reverberating with the psychic echoes of hatred for his betrayers and frustration at his destiny denied, Muerte's body settles over the resting place of an ancient terror. The residue of his emotions touches an answering rage and hatred in the dormant consciousness of Sharna-Gorak the Destroyer, who is aroused just enough to infuse a portion of his life and power into the body of Hernan Cortez.

 

Now Professor Muerte walks the earth again, wielding forces of both technology and sorcery, a vessel for one of the most terrible evil powers on Earth. He seeks out those who betrayed him to use in gruesome sacrifice that will revitalize the Destroyer and free him to subjugate the modern world, with Muerte at his side.

 

(I admit it's a little melodramatic.)

[assault]

The other big possibility is the mind download into a suitably... err... gigantic... host.

 

Oops... I just noticed Lord Liaden's post. Yes, that's _very_ scary.

 

Alan

[Enforcer84]

Well, here he is....

 

http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9632

 

Go to the last page

[Captain Liberty]

Professor Muerte redux

 

Enforcer,

 

Very nice. I might use that version or something like it for a revival of Professor Muerte. It would fit him better to set up a clone than find a successor that wasn't him.

 

Liked your background a great deal . Of course, I'm not using 5th Edition CU as such (though elements creep into the Perrinverse), but it was very well done.

[Grond]

Originally posted by JmOz

One is his main spy

 

Stormwatch, anyone?

[JmOz]

Originally posted by Grond

Stormwatch, anyone?

 

Never read it, that was during my anti image days

[Ranxerox]

Originally posted by levi

I started converting these Word files to HDCs

 

Here is Muerte

 

Thanks levi

I grabbed all 3 that you've done so far. Good work.

[steriaca]

Revival Of The Bad Profesor.

 

My version of his reviveval was that he was resqued at the last moment by The Main of the Arsanios, then brought to them to nurse back to help. (Forcently for the Profesor, Spider Monkie was kepted as far away from him as posable). Which also explanes why I added Spider Monkey to the team.

[levi]

In Fuermacher's History it says that he dropped Muerte into the ocean after fusing him into his armor. In the grand tradition of comics, Muerte could rise from the "dead" perhaps more powerful than ever and exact his revenge on Scorpia and Fuermacher.

 

In my campaign, a ghost ship ran aground at Campaign City harbor. No living thing was found, but thirteen bodies of central american decent (and all ID’d later as members of the Cortes family) were found ritualistically murdered on board. No other bodies were found and the only other evidence on the boat was a damaged submersible which had apparently dived deeper than it was designed to. The wrecked ship also shows signs of decay that differ from the ships registration.

 

A few days later the PCs are fighting Eurostar who have captured a Middle Eastern Leader and are attempting to frame England for the abduction. During the fight, the sky turns black and blood curdling cries are heard from the unnatural inky darkness. When the darkness lifts only Fiacho, Feurmacher and Scorpia remain as the others have been spirited away. The remaining members are weak enough to be captured in fact, they ask the PCs to keep them in protective custody to protect them from whatever took their teammates.

 

Over the next few days the PCs interrogate Feurmacher and find out how he and Fiona (Scorpia) betrayed Professor Muerte. Then a cloud of deadly gas, toxic to breathe or touch and impenetrable by any technological means begins to spread from a small, midwest town. The heroes respond as the New Professor Muerte emerges from the cloud. He demands that Eurostar be turned over to him so that he may exact his revenge and satisfy the dark powers that have resurrected him. The heroes are given 24 hours to decide before the gas cloud begins to spread.

 

While the heroes deliberate whether or not to turn Eurostar over, the Master (of the Cirlcle of the Sacred Moon) appears in a dream to the entire group informing them that Muerte has been given vast new powers like that of an Incan Death God and that if he is allowed to sacrifice the entirety of Eurostar, he will become a living god of death and decay permanently. He also shows the PCs were Muerte is gathering his power, an ancient mayan temple in Mexico.

 

The PCs arrive and face off with the New Terrors:

Muerte – Living God of Death and Decay (basically used Dark Seraph’s stats with a VPP of Death and Decay Magic)

Gigante – Rock Monster brick with Powers of Earth Control from USPD

Shamrock – Irish Boxer turned Supervillain brick with Powers of Probability Control from USPD

Leech – Serving as Muerte’s loyal Pet

 

It was a tough battle, but Muerte was defeated, Eurostar in total was jailed and the cloud dissapaited. Nice week’s work heroes!

[Lord Liaden]

Very cool scenario, levi. Did you develop a rationale for how Muerte gained his occult powers?

[levi]

Glad you liked it Liaden...thanks

 

I had written in my notes that, Cortes' anguish and thirst for revenge was felt by Takofanes and that he was behind the resurrection. I never really found a way / opportunity to incorporate that into the game sessions. I may use it later in a game involving Takofanes as the heroes find out that many of their "victories" have been keeping them busy while Takofanes worked behind the scenes.

 

I have a group of players that is great about just kind of "going to the farmhouse" when the adventure calls for it. It makes for productive game sessions, especially with as time consuming as Champions combat can be, but often leaves gaps like these in adventure logic.

[Lord Liaden]

I'd had something involving Takofanes in mind for Muerte's resurrection, as well. But one of the many fine pieces of gaming advice that I got from the great Aaron Allston's Strike Force book is that you don't have to define the background to every element that you introduce into a game. Sometimes it's best to leave a grey area around it until the progress of events in the campaign generates the perfect tie-in. Then you can claim to your players that that's what you were working toward all along, and look like a genius.

[Kristopher]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden

I'd had something involving Takofanes in mind for Muerte's resurrection, as well. But one of the many fine pieces of gaming advice that I got from the great Aaron Allston's Strike Force book is that you don't have to define the background to every element that you introduce into a game. Sometimes it's best to leave a grey area around it until the progress of events in the campaign generates the perfect tie-in. Then you can claim to your players that that's what you were working toward all along, and look like a genius.

 

One of my favorite GM tricks.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Terror INC

 

I apologise for the thread necromancy, especially since the cause is rather self-serving. Still, it did seem an appropriate venue to let interested parties know that Digital Hero #44 in July will feature an article by yours truly reviving Professor Muerte. "Viva Muerte" updates this classic villain for Fifth Edition and the official Champions Universe, building on his Fourth Edition incarnation while taking the character in a major new direction. Besides expanded background and a full writeup for el Profesor, the article also details several of Muerte's all-new minions and devices, with lots of suggestions and examples for using these characters in the CU or in original campaign settings.

 

Character artwork is provided by the redoubtable Darren "MancerBear" Bulmer, who has posted excerpts on his splendid forum thread, "MancerBear's Art Den," starting here.

[JmOz]

Re: Terror INC

 

It was weird seeing a thread started by me, 3 pages long for that matter, that I did not remember...

[Bloodstone]

Re: Terror INC

 

In 4E Menton had an alien spirit bound into his body by Dr Destroyer, which vastly increased his powers.

 

Perhaps that alien could be your team mentalist.

 

Or you could go all Venom with it and have it bind to someone else that really hates Menton...

 

oops... didn't check the dates before posting.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Terror INC

 

True, but the thread still has useful files, links, and discussion for folks interested in Terror Inc. Lots of new people have signed up in 3 1/2 years.

[steriaca]

Re: Terror INC

 

Character artwork is provided by the redoubtable Darren "MancerBear" Bulmer' date=' who has posted excerpts on his splendid forum thread, "MancerBear's Art Den," starting here.

 

What can I say. The artwork is excelent. He defently looks like his armor is slightly 'broken', and not 'melted', but beyond that, I MUST say he looks even MORE evil than ever.

 

Makes me want to subscribe.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Terror INC

 

You can blame me if Muerte doesn't look "melted" enough; Darren was interpreting my description. Personally I think he caught the effect I was going for very well, but you're welcome to disagree. The Prof has repaired as much of the damage to his armor as he could (when you read his description in the article I think you'll perceive how much "breakage" that image actually conveys), but there's a very good reason why he didn't just build a whole new suit.

 

I certainly agree with you as to the high quality of MancerBear's art for the article, and that Muerte looks like more of a monster now. As well he should.

 

And yes, you really should subscribe.

[steriaca]

Re: Terror INC

 

The Prof has repaired as much of the damage to his armor as he could (when you read his description in the article I think you'll perceive how much "breakage" that image actually conveys), but there's a very good reason why he didn't just build a whole new suit.

 

And yes, you really should subscribe.

 

Humm...looks like somebody loves my ideal of him being traped in the darn power suit.

 

Of course, I'll try to buy this ishue, if only for the revival of the bad profesor. I'm intrested in...what the heck he was doing since his 'death', the status of his island kingdome, his 'new Terror Inc.' group, and how he difers from other would be world conquers in the game.

 

Oh, and someone please do a 'smily' of his hooded and skulled face. We have one for Defender ( ), why not him? (Or even old Doc D)