assault Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Bring back Seeker! Actually, I just reread his origin. The only genuinely stupid bit was that it specified "Both of his parents were killed in a Land Rover accident". Change that to "a Toyota accident" or "a Ford accident", and it's good. Or "a car accident", but who would believe that? If an Australian ninja seems unlikely, that's because you didn't watch this as a kid in Australia. We had ninja-mania in the 60s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Nonsense aside, though. there is a point about writing "international" characters in there. Don't include unnecessary details. You are likely to get them wrong, and they stick out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Bring back Seeker! Actually, I just reread his origin. The only genuinely stupid bit was that it specified "Both of his parents were killed in a Land Rover accident". Change that to "a Toyota accident" or "a Ford accident", and it's good. Or "a car accident", but who would believe that? If an Australian ninja seems unlikely, that's because you didn't watch this as a kid in Australia. We had ninja-mania in the 60s. or write up a new version of him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 The problem with a "new version" is what happened to him in C:NM. While it is quite possible to rework the character to make him a bit less 80s cliche, C:NM showed that it was possible to make him a 90s cliche instead. Although, now that I think about it, it would be possible to combine the two. Something along the lines of the Paul Kirk Manhunter... It wouldn't even have to contradict the "final fate" joke, although it would contradict the "fictional character" stuff. I could live with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 What happened to him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 What happened to him? he was retconned as a comic book substitute when nighthawk declined to let a comic use his image Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 I'm definitely not doing an updated version of Seeker. As for what I have been doing: working on Volume 2, all about the Cult of the Red Banner. So far I've written up four or five villains and a 2,000 word description of the Cult itself. Another three villains to go and it'll be ready for editing, and after that it goes to layout. Ordinarily I'd say, "Hopefully I can get it all done by the end of the weekend," but unfortunately I have a colonoscopy Thursday to follow up on the whole "colon cancer" thing from earlier this year, so that's going to knock my work routine into a cocked hat. But almost certainly I should be able to send it to Jason by the end of next weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Everyone of us who's had that particular procedure will consider that a good excuse for a little delay. But this sounds great, much more than I was expecting! Might we perchance also be getting an incarnation of the Death Dragon? (Unless you want to keep the characters' identities under wraps until the booklet's out.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 What happened to him? Seeker was re-envisioned as a bio-engineered superhuman warrior, the product of a secret program started jointly by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan during WW II, on a hidden Pacific island. He was still basically a martial artist, but much more serious and almost tragic, and IMHO a lot less fun. Very '90s concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Might we perchance also be getting an incarnation of the Death Dragon? I decided against that. Since we already have "The Dragon Incarnate" written up in The Mystic World, in the PDF I suggest just using it for the Death Dragon. No sense in what would largely be a duplicate character sheet; might as well use the resources already available. If I ever get around to writing up a new Tournament of the Dragon, I'll make sure the winner gets a powers package sufficient to let him take T.D.I. on and have a decent chance of winning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hmm... I see the practicality of that. I just liked how the Death Dragon in WotD was deliberately built to explain and justify taking it on with a single champion using traditional methods, rather than an army with modern weapons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 I just liked how the Death Dragon in WotD was deliberately built to explain and justify taking it on with a single champion using traditional methods, rather than an army with modern weapons. Oh, that won't go away, have no fear. But I'll wait and explain it if and when I write up the TotD again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted November 4, 2015 Report Share Posted November 4, 2015 Steve are you going to expand Iron (of the Red Banner) alittle? Not so much his powers but his criminal gang? I named his gang the Black Chimera since I used Fire Fist for a players lost brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted November 4, 2015 Report Share Posted November 4, 2015 What happened to him? Actually, 80s Seeker could have done that and nobody would have batted an eyelid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 I'd also like to see the Death Dragon written up in a hypothetical Tournament of the Dragon update pdf. It emphasizes the metaphysical quality of the Dragon -- that any manifestation PCs encounter is just that, a manifestation, not the real Dragon at all. Even the Dragon chained under Faerie is just a sort of mask for something that has no physical existence at all. The Death Dragon is an especially interesting manifestation because although it seems to give the Dragon an avenue of freedom, it is also a means of binding. The Tournament can be seen as a working that lures the Dragon with a chance to break a chain -- but by channeling the manifestation into a form that can be defeated by the courage, skill and determination of one person, tricks the Dragon into assisting in its own binding. Assuming the champion wins, at least! But when dealing with such transcendent and malign entities, every path of action carries risks. Dean Shomshak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 While philosophically speaking I agree with all of Dean's points, IMHO if Steve wants to refer to the Dragon Incarnate write-up from The Mystic World, those points can be addressed via background text and suggested tweaks to the Dragon's character sheet, rather than including a complete Death Dragon write-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 You know, Steve, it occurs to me that the CU currently has several villains with backgrounds and skills derived from different historical assassin groups: Xiu Kwan (lin kuei), Black Mist (ninja), Khanjar (hashishim). Maybe you'd find it an interesting creative exercise to tap into similar groups from other traditions for character concepts, such as the Thugs of India, or West Africa's Leopard Society. Those last two could inspire some unique martial art styles and mystical powers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 1. Since there seems to be some interest, I'll definitely consider doing an updated Death Dragon character sheet, if and when I get around to covering the Tournament. In the meantime, the Dragon Incarnate sheet makes for a fine stand-in. Maybe you'd find it an interesting creative exercise to tap into similar groups from other traditions for character concepts, such as the Thugs of India, or West Africa's Leopard Society. Those last two could inspire some unique martial art styles and mystical powers. 2. For now I'm more or less saving each of those for other venues. The Thugs get a big, juicy sidebar in Mythic Hero, near Kali's character sheet of course. The Leopard Societies I have actually done a good bit of research on for a Pulp Hero adventure I'll write up and publish someday, called Attack of the Leopard-Men!. So I doubt I'll cover either in a Martial Enemies PDF in any form, but you never know when inspiration will strike as I create independent villains (which, as I've mentioned before, tend to be my favorite to create). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 1. Since there seems to be some interest, I'll definitely consider doing an updated Death Dragon character sheet, if and when I get around to covering the Tournament. In the meantime, the Dragon Incarnate sheet makes for a fine stand-in. 2. For now I'm more or less saving each of those for other venues. The Thugs get a big, juicy sidebar in Mythic Hero, near Kali's character sheet of course. The Leopard Societies I have actually done a good bit of research on for a Pulp Hero adventure I'll write up and publish someday, called Attack of the Leopard-Men!. So I doubt I'll cover either in a Martial Enemies PDF in any form, but you never know when inspiration will strike as I create independent villains (which, as I've mentioned before, tend to be my favorite to create). 1. Agreed. Only disadvantage to using TMW's write-up is that it's for Fifth Edition. 2. You just love tormenting me more over the wait for Mythic Hero, don't you. And I can see why you'd save the Leopard Societies for a pulp adventure. Well, it was just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 Quick update, for those interested: I've finished the first draft of Volume 2! As I've mentioned before, it provides information about (and villains for) the Cult of the Red Banner. Comes to about 10,000 words. Hopefully I'll have time to give it an editing pass and then lay it out over the next couple of days and the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 When it's up for purchase I'll bring attention to it on forums related to Champions Online. I know some setting lore-hounds in the player base who should be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Volume 2 is now available! Martial Enemies, Vol. 2: The Cult of the Red Banner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 To reiterate: Bought it, read it, love it. This time in spades! Finally, the Red Banner cult can take its rightful place among Champions Universe villain organizations. The description of its ranks and structure is very helpful, providing several routes to introducing and using the Cult in a campaign. The supervillain-class characters are all interesting and distinctive, and in several cases notably creepy and frightening. A character sheet for a sample generic Bai Changpo Mushi and Zhandouji would have been nice, but that's a quibble. It's easy enough to adapt comparable write-ups from other published books. Nicely done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 Glad you liked it, LL! A character sheet for a sample generic Bai Changpo Mushi and Zhandouji would have been nice, but that's a quibble. It's easy enough to adapt comparable write-ups from other published books. I thought about that, but it seemed so easy to just grab something comparable from another book if you really need it that I figured it wasn't worth the fuss. If I get some clever idea for them maybe I'll go back and add 'em in sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 Personally, I'm just going to translate the Rebellious Flock from Watchers of the Dragon for most Zhandouji. They have similar mindsets and fill comparable roles in their respective organizations. For that matter, I could probably adapt Emperor Crane's character sheet as a template for a Bai Changpo Mushi, with some tweaks and a little toning down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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