Steve Long Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Howdy Herophiles! My latest PDF has gone on sale. Since I never got to write The Martial World, I had the idea to at least write up some martial arts villains. (OK, I admit that reading some of my old Iron Fist comics may've inspired me. ) This PDF includes five villains, all yours for a mere $2.50 American! Kazeronin, a modern-day samurai who wields the mystical Sword of the Four Winds Otokoyama, the super-strong man-mountain who cannot be moved against his will Talon, a lethal warrior who grows bone claws and spurs from her hands, feet, and joints Xiu Kwan, the last of the lin kuei, the legendary “forest demons” of ancient China Zhua Teng, who uses martial arts powers learned in dark Agharti to enrich himself at the expense of others Hopefully this will attract enough attention that I can write up more martial arts madness! My current plan for Volume 2 is to cover the Cult of the Red Banner and its supervillainous minions, so be sure to let me know if you'd like to see more! Martial Enemies, Vol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Yes! The Cult of the Red Banner does need to be fleshed out more. Exactly how are they different from Marvel's The Hand? (In other words, how well have you filed the numbers off while keeping the feal of the group it is based on). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted October 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Oh, the Cult is plenty different (if for no reason than it's not "based on" the Hand). If nothing else, ( a ) it's Chinese in origin and nature rather than Japanese, ( b ) it has no ninjas, and ( c ) it has no Greeks in its employ. Furthermore, the Cult has defeated the Hand three years running in the annual Evil Oriental Organizations Chili Cook-Off. Seriously though, while the Cult certainly has superpowered operatives, in general I see it as a more insidious, sinister, world-spanning, literal cult than the Hand (though I'll be the first to admit I'm no expert on the Hand, so maybe it's all of those things too). Basically it's trying to "rev up" humanity's innate evil tendencies to empower the Death Dragon. That's kind of a crude way of putting it, though -- assuming it's worth doing another PDF, I'll delve into proper detail there. Plus, villains! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Looking forward to it. By the way, don't feal bad that I compared the CotRB tp the Hand. Their are worse groups I could of compared them to (TMNT's The Foot Clan comes to mind...especially the one from the 80's cartoon). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Always wanted foot clan heroclix...Just to do the Hand and Foot team... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 29, 2015 Report Share Posted October 29, 2015 Bought it, read it, love it. More please! It's great to see Xiu Kwan and Kazeronin back in print again, with new original villains for company. I've wondered how many of those great Watchers of the Dragon characters could be considered "official" in the current CU, and would be happy to see updates of more of them. (Perhaps you could throw in a few of the heroes in the next batch?) Most definitely, the Cult of the Red Banner is overdue for detailing. Particularly since the version manifested in Champions Online was, well, less than inspiring. The Martial World is a book I've wanted for a long time. But if I can't get a complete book, I'll take it piecemeal like this. And I'm now very curious about "the mysterious Yellow Flame." Please include him/her/it at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted October 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2015 I've wondered how many of those great Watchers of the Dragon characters could be considered "official" in the current CU, and would be happy to see updates of more of them. I will definitely update a few that I like and think fit into the current conception of the CU, but most of them will be left on the shelf. It's usually more fun to create new villains anyways. (Perhaps you could throw in a few of the heroes in the next batch?) I have enough heroes to make one PDF, and may consider doing so. But if I do it'll probably be at the end of the project, since writing up heroes isn't as much fun as creating villains and I think they're of less use/interest to the average gamer. And I'm now very curious about "the mysterious Yellow Flame." Please include him/her/it at some point. Oh, absolutely. I doubt it's giving much away to say that the Yellow Flame is my take on the unapologetic, insidious "yellow peril" villain. (Or I suppose you could say second take, if you view Dr. Yin Wu that way, but I do not.) A bit of Fu Manchu, a bit of the Yellow Claw, and some of my own secret sauce all mixed together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 I'd like a Cult of the Red Banner supplement as well. I'd say Doctor Yin Wu has a lot of Fu Manchu in him. Ol' Fu might be "The Devil Doctor of the Orient" and "All the Yellow Peril incarnate in one man," but he had a code of honor and was even occasionally on the right side -- one of the books was about his attempt to forestall World War Two -- though his methods and motives could be, um, questionable. I always had the impression Yin Wu was the same, or at least that he could make an argument for his goals that sometimes would make you think, "Huh, he's got a point there." At least when you aren't shuddering in fear. Dean Shomshak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 I have to agree with Dean. To me Yin Wu always seemed very much a Fu Manchu analogue, in his background, attitudes, and goals; only with a supernatural motif, rather than "weird science." And obviously, pumped up to super level. And as Dean points out, Wu and Fu share a sense of honor. Yin Wu is one of the few Champions villains who can be trusted to keep his word; to treat his enemies respectfully if given respect himself; and to put the good of the world above his own interests, at least sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 I'm thinking Yellow Flame is more of the Yellow Claw type villain from the original Daredevil comics (the mute one, not the blind one). Sterotypically evil yellow: kidnap, torcher, rape and kill the white women, kill his henchmen at the slightest whim, plot to put all non-aisans into slavery, along with all aisans (he does consider himself a god)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 Heck, I'll take Steve's word that the Yellow Flame is going to be something different. Regardless, I'm pretty confident he'll be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted October 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 I'm not saying you can't see Dr. Yin Wu as a yellow peril villain, and I'm glad he's got enough depth to him to make some of y'all think about him a bit. I'm just saying that to me he's not quite 100% in that mold, whereas the Yellow Flame will be. Though I suppose that also depends on how one defines "yellow peril villain," too. Ahh, the joys of creativity.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 From what I can tell, here might be how the next volumes might contain. Volume 2: The Cult of the Red Banner. This much is a given. Steve said he might go this way himself. Volume 3: This will probably focus on The Yellow Flame and his org. Or perhaps just The Yellow Flame, and a few individual villains, like an evil luchidor from Mexico. Hero Volume: A short piece updating some heroes from Watchers of the Dragons, and a new hero or two. MA Volume: Details of new martial arts, proably mostly made up. Looking forward to Stooge-Fu and Bakajustu (the oriental martial art of fighting without looking like your fighting, by faking being clumsy, ect...) Of course, that is my take. Reality may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted October 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 No need to speculate, I can tell you if you want to know. I gots the inside scoop! Volume 2: Cult of the Red Banner. Volume 3: probably 5 more independent villains. I always seem to enjoy writing up the "indies" the most. Volume 4: an organization. Probably the Yellow Flame, but possibly the other one I have in mind (Bao Yi, the Jade Dagger -- a Chinatown crime boss type, suitable for lower-level supers games, Dark Champions, and so on). Volume 5: probably 5 more independent villains Volume 6: the other organization Volumes 7 et seq: probably 5 more independent villains each, until I run out of independent villains. Volume ?, if I feel like it: NPC heroes, including the Watchers of the Dragon and Tournament of the Dragon. I really don't much care for writing up NPC heroes, though, so I may never get to this. I don't have any intention of writing up any new martial arts styles beyond what appears with various villains (both the Cult and the Yellow Flame have their own styles of Kung Fu -- and of course their Kung Fu is superior! ). And there will definitely be no evil luchadors. But as always, never say never. You can't tell what I might get inspired to do. Or when I might get tired of doing this and do something else. Right now I'm tentatively trying to write up one character a day, but the key word there is "tentatively" -- especially now that I'm planning out a new campaign, Route 666, for my gaming group. But maybe that campaign will inspire a few PDFs of its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 If I had a vote on an update for the CU Martial World, it would be the Tournament of the Dragon. Every supers setting can use a Mortal Kombat analogue, and IMO the Watchers of the Dragon and the Tournament setting would make a fine little PDF. It would segue nicely from the Cult of the Red Banner, and be an excellent place for the MA characters Steve is writing to mix it up with PCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 I would love to see an expansion of the Red Banner Cult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 Double post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted October 30, 2015 Report Share Posted October 30, 2015 I tried ten times to buy it with no luck until the next day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaJoe3 Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 To me, "Cult of the Red Banner" sounds like it should be some sort of Communist throwback organization, that wants to purge China (and the world) of decadent capitalism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted October 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 To me, "Cult of the Red Banner" sounds like it should be some sort of Communist throwback organization, that wants to purge China (and the world) of decadent capitalism. Fair enough. Red is an auspicious color in Chinese thought, though, and has been since long before Mao Tse-Tung got all uppity. (Google "Chinese wedding dress," for example.) That's why I chose the name twenty years ago. Wow, twenty years. Tempus fugit an' all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 If I had a vote on an update for the CU Martial World, it would be the Tournament of the Dragon. Every supers setting can use a Mortal Kombat analogue, and IMO the Watchers of the Dragon and the Tournament setting would make a fine little PDF. It would segue nicely from the Cult of the Red Banner, and be an excellent place for the MA characters Steve is writing to mix it up with PCs. I concur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 If I had a vote on an update for the CU Martial World, it would be the Tournament of the Dragon. Every supers setting can use a Mortal Kombat analogue, and IMO the Watchers of the Dragon and the Tournament setting would make a fine little PDF. It would segue nicely from the Cult of the Red Banner, and be an excellent place for the MA characters Steve is writing to mix it up with PCs. I would love to see this in 6th Edition. It would be a nice mini-campaign book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Red is an auspicious color in Chinese thought, though, and has been since long before Mao Tse-Tung got all uppity. And yellow is the Imperial color, that only the Emperor and his immediate family could wear. (With certain exceptions -- in a culture as vast as China, there are always exceptions.) So while "Yellow Flame" evokes pulp-era tropes of Western bigotry, it also suggests that YF fancies himself a latter-day Emperor. Suitably megalomaniac, I think. Dean Shomshak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Indeed, context is very important in international naming conventions; but when you're dealing with a largely English-speaking, Western readership, IMHO it helps to keep in mind not only the appropriateness of the name to the source culture, but how that name will be perceived by your target audience. Towing the line between those masters can be tricky, particularly if you don't have extensive exposure to both cultures. As an example, I participated in a discussion on the Champions Online forums with a player currently living in Hong Kong. He brought up one of the independent superheroes based in CU Hong Kong, mentioned in Champions Worldwide. He complimented the book for giving that hero a completely accurate Mandarin Chinese name, even spelling the tones correctly. But he pointed out that most people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese, not Mandarin, even if they know both; so a Hong Kong hero with a Mandarin name sounds out of place to a native. Rather like an Italian hero with a French name. (BTW I guess it's too much to hope to see Emperor Crane and his Rebellious Flock getting an update? The current setting doesn't seem to have a place for him. Not a tragedy to me, but it just sounds so cool to say that name.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 As an example, I participated in a discussion on the Champions Online forums with a player currently living in Hong Kong. He brought up one of the independent superheroes based in CU Hong Kong, mentioned in Champions Worldwide. He complimented the book for giving that hero a completely accurate Mandarin Chinese name, even spelling the tones correctly. But he pointed out that most people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese, not Mandarin, even if they know both; so a Hong Kong hero with a Mandarin name sounds out of place to a native. Rather like an Italian hero with a French name. 1. Wow, I got it right! ::preen:: Seriously, I do try. I don't make as much effort with the tones these days, though, because they often seem to screw things up in InDesign; it's just too much hassle. 2. I am aware that HK primarily speaks Cantonese. The problem is that I have a good English-Mandarin dictionary that uses Latin characters, and I don't have such a book for Cantonese. CWW came before Google Translate (or at least 'fore I knew of Google Translate), and I couldn't find any other online source. So I went with Mandarin, which was sufficiently authentic for 99.99% of the audience. BTW I guess it's too much to hope to see Emperor Crane and his Rebellious Flock getting an update? I have no plans to update them at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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