Most of this post is being written in advance. Five-second gap and everything. "Mind the gap."
The reason being is tonight is the night I run my Planescape game, using D&D 3.5. Been going on for awhile now, close on the heels of my Planescape game run using D&D 3e. And so I know I'll be strapped for time.
So today I'm going to go on about Runaways.
Runaways is a comic that's been going for about a year now under Marvel Comics' "Tsunami" imprint. The imprint is dying, but it looks like Runaways will be sticking around as a Marvel title for awhile now. The basic premise.is that you have a secret society of super-villains known as the Pride. The Pride have kept their existence secret from just about everybody, their children included. And when their children find out what's going on... well, you can guess what they do, right?
It's an interesting premise. Setting the parents up as the primary villains (though it's been hinted somebody or something else is pulling their strings) is a great premise, bringing the idea of teenage rebellion to the fore in a way that comics like Gen13 never really managed (the only one that got it half right was DV8, I think). Also, the art and characters are damn solid.
So... why not make it into a campaign?
It wouldn't be hard, and it makes for a great premise for a teen supers game. The great power you gain from the onset is offset by the fact that the villains have more experience, power, and have the law on their side. And if you want to do the right thing... it's that much harder. In fact, in a tabletop setting, you could make the villains even more powerful or world-spanning.
Right now my favorite superhero system is Mutants & Masterminds. It'll be interesting to see if Marvel does anything with Runaways and their own system someday... though I have no idea what book they'd throw them in.
In any case, it's time for another useless character... s. Two of the Runaways, statted up for Mutants & Masterminds.
Nico Minoru aka Sister Grimm
130 pts.; PL 8; Init +2; Defense 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Defense); Spd 30 ft.; Attack +3; Attack +5 melee (+4S, staff); SV Dmg +1, Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 18. Skills: Bluff +8, Concentration +7, Craft (Fashion) +8, Diplomacy +8, Hide +4, Knowledge (occult) +4, Knowledge (trivia) +4, Listen +5, Move Silently +7, Spot +5. Feats: Attack Finesse, Attractive, Point-Blank Shot. Weaknesses: None. Powers: Sorcery 8 (Extras: Strike - Stun 4 ranks only; Flaws: Device, Limited: Cannot Cast Exact Same Spell Twice; Spells: Elemental Control, Neutralize, ESP, Obscure, Paralysis, Animation, Teleportation; Source: Mystical)*
* The "Staff of One" hides in her body when not in use, but she must shed blood to draw it out. These two effects are considered minor enough to cancel each other out, and are not counted towards her point total.
Nico Minoru is the child of two sorcerers. She has become bonded to the mystical "Staff of One" and can use it to cast a variety of spells. Though she usually dresses in 'goth' attire, she hardly fits the goth stereotype; her occult knowledge is relatively limited, and she seems more eccentric than gloomy.
Alex Wilder
130 pts.; PL 8; Init +7; Defense 16 (+3 Dex, +5 Defense); Spd 30 ft.; Attack +3; Attack +7 melee (+2S, punch); SV Dmg +5, Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +7; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 16. Skills: Bluff +8, Computers +10, Diplomacy +12, Drive +8, Hide +7, Knowledge (culture) +6, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (trivia) +6, Listen +10, Move Silently +7, Search +10, Sense Motive +9, Spot +10. Feats: Improved Initiative, Inspire, Iron Will, Leadership, Toughness. Weaknesses: None. Powers: None.
Alex comes from a wealthy but strict home - though lacking in any powers or devices, he is a natural leader (a trait he shares with his father). His resourcefulness and way with words can often make up for his lack of hitting power, though his crush on Nico can cloud his better judgement from time to time.
The Runaways are copyrighted by Marvel Comics. Surprise!
