Sandbox superhero campaigns (part 3)

(part one here, part two here)

Besides the various individual activities of the city's villainous types, and the smaller activities that a patrolling hero might encounter, a good sandbox superhero campaign will also have larger events occurring at the same time that can also be of interest to the city's heroes.  Such events can be similar in nature to the sort of things that a hero might encounter while on patrol, but will usually be larger in nature and scope, the sort of thing that the entire team could try to deal with; the former might involve an office building on fire with a half-dozen employees at risk, while the latter could be a high-rise building engulfed in flames with dozens of inhabitants threatened.

The Citywide Events table covers this sort of thing.  How frequently it should be used is campaign specific; once a week, twice a month, or monthly are all possible options; a good rule of thumb is to have said frequency roughly coincide with how much game time passes between gaming sessions (this should ideally be the same as the time block you use to determine activity by gangs, organizations, solo and group supervillains).  Whatever the frequency, roll 1d3-1 times on the table below for each block of time that passes during the campaign.  Such events can be caused by, or tie into, the various criminal NPC's already chosen for the game, but they don't always have to be. Note that, due to the flexibility of any given event, two completely different entries could yield similar results - this is deliberate.

(and of course, even if you have no desire to run a sandbox game, these tables can still be used to generate random scenario ideas for a more traditional superhero game)

CITYWIDE EVENTS (ROLL D10)

1-2 Organizations, Gangs & Government
3-4 Solo Supervillains
5-6 Supervillain Groups
7   NPC Superheroes
8   PC's & Friends
9   Other Crimes
10  Weird & Unusual Stuff

Then roll on the indicated sub-table below.

ORGANIZATIONS, GANGS & GOVERNMENT (ROLL D10)

1  Organization recruits supervillain (even odds as to whether this
   is a temporary or permanent addition)
2  Supervillain defects from organization (they probably don't take
   this very well)
3  Two organizations come into conflict (could be loud and messy,
   could be quiet and occurring in the shadows)
4  Internal power play in organization, coup d'état (could play out
   fairly quickly, or could be a protracted civil war - however 
   long it takes, the head of the losing side, assuming they're
   still alive, is probably now on the run from said organization)
5  Temporary alliance between street gang and supervillain (the
   villain has a temporary use for the gang; whatever happens, it
   probably won't end well for the gang) 
6  Two street gangs come into conflict (innocents are no doubt hurt
   as they get caught in the crossfire)
7  Terrorist activity (could be either foreign or domestic 
   terrorists, possibly superhuman)
8  Government group goes on strike (could be a group that affects
   the public safety, like police or firefighters, in which case
   the heroes may need to pick up the slack; alternatively, could
   be an organization of less obvious impact, which might have a
   more subtle and personal effect on one or more of the PC's, or
   it just might be brought up for more humorous effect -
   sanitation workers go on strike, and the garbage keeps piling up
   outside the PC's base)
9  Local government infiltrated (probably an organization taking
   control, although shapeshifting supervillains are also a
   possibility - will almost certainly make things more difficult
   for the PC's
10 Diplomatic visitor (possibly an elected official from another
   city, or perhaps from another country, and needs to be guarded
   from threats - optionally, not an elected official, but a 
   wealthy (and probably obnoxious) celebrity whose presence makes
   things difficult for the PC's

SOLO SUPERVILLAINS (ROLL D12)

1  New villain arrives in town (might be here for a one-off job, or
   might be looking to make the city their new home)
2  Two villains team up (could be a one-time thing for a specific
   task, or could lead to a partnership - if the latter, the duo
   rolls a d8 instead of a d6 to see if they are active during a
   specific time-period in the campaign)
3  A new supervillain appears
4  Two supervillains fight each other
5  An incarcerated villain manages to break out of jail
6  An old villain returns (might be returning from the dead, or 
   just coming out of retirement)
7  Villain seeks aid from hero or hero group (might be pulling a
   scam, or might genuinely require aid for a good cause that only
   the heroes can provide)
8  Villain calls out hero for fight (possibly a trap, of course,
   but done with enough publicity that the hero looks bad if they
   don't show up)
9  Villain gets on bad side of organization (might become a 
   temporary ally of the heroes, depending on their feelings toward
   the organization)
10 Villain switches sides (could be part of a scam, might be a
   legitimate face-turn, although even if genuine the villain may
   eventually backslide into old habits)
11 Temporary alliance of multiple solo villains (probably to pull
   off some big score, Ocean's 11 style)
12 Villain pretends to be hero (probably to make the hero look bad,
   although possibly just to mess with their minds)

SUPERVILLAIN GROUPS (ROLL D8)

1  Villain group arrives from out of town (probably just for a 
   temporary task, but there's always a chance they might want to
   relocate on a more permanent basis)
2  Villain group recruits one of the local solo villains into their
   ranks (could be temporary, hiring them for a specific task, or
   they could be a permanent addition)
3  Villain group loses one of their members (could be a mutual
   decision by both sides, but probably not)
4  Villain group attacks a local solo villain (for pretty much any
   reason, really)
5  Two supervillain groups fight each other (the potential for
   innocent casualties and mass destruction should be huge here)
6  Villain group decides to target and attack the PC's (could be a
   simple ambush, or might take some time studying the heroes to 
   make sure to exploit any weaknesses)
7  Supervillain group clashes with an organization (the heroes may
   not know which side to support, if either, but things might get
   messy enough that the heroes have to do something)
8  Power play withing supervillain group (someone tries to be the
   new boss - the loser of such a struggle may or may not be ousted
   from the group, depending on the egos involved)

NPC SUPERHEROES (ROLL D4)

1  New superhero shows up (may want to join with the PC's, but is
   obnoxious/incompetent enough that the PC's probably don't want 
   to work with them - alternatively, the new hero may choose to
   avoid working with the PC's, for various reasons)
2  Superhero shows up from another city (probably on a temporary
   basis, although they might be setting up operation on a more
   permanent basis - may or may not seek to work with the PC's)
3  Hero group shows up from another city (may not want to work with
   the PC's, may even have to come into conflict with them)
4  One or more local NPC heroes goes missing (the PC's, of course,
   will have to investigate)

PC's & FRIENDS (ROLL D6)

1  Player Character targeted for romance (this could be in either
   their secret or heroic identity)
2  PC's secret identity is targeted (PC may become aware of someone
   snooping, or someone may have already discovered the truth and
   is threatening/blackmailing them - alternatively, might not be
   someone hostile to the PC, but instead a friend or family 
   member)
3  Friendly NPC threatened (anything from a stalking ex-spouse to
   local gang members to a supervillain who wants to win their
   affections)
4  PC's secret identity gets attention (their 15 minutes of fame,
   for whatever reason, not connected to their heroic identity,
   although the media attention may make slipping into their heroic
   guises unnoticed more difficult - if the PC doesn't have a dual
   identity, they get media attention for something besides their
   superheroics)
5  Unusual will request (could be from anyone, from along-lost
   relative, to a NPC hero or even a villain - must perform some
   unusual deed or finish up some long unfinished bit of business -
   alternatively, might inherit an unusual device or odd bit of
   property (great for heroes without a base, especially if the
   location is haunted or otherwise quirky)
6  Friendly NPC or NPC's get mutated/altered in some way (probably
   temporary, but always a chance that there might be more
   permanent affects)

OTHER CRIMES (ROLL D8)

1  New designer drug show up in town (could just be the latest
   variation of crack or meth, or might also give the user 
   temporary super-abilities)
2  Multiple super-villains break out from the local super-prison at
   the same time
3  Kidnapping (possible high-profile enough that the PC's are
   called in to help, or perhaps a friendly NPC is abducted)
4  Public official targeted for assassination (the PC's have to
   provide protection, of course - the target might for good 
   measure dislike/hate the PC's)
5  Influx of guns/other weapons in the area (might just be a
   proliferation of real-world weaponry, or high-tech stuff might
   somehow be finding their way into the hands of local 
   organizations and/or street gangs)
6  Citizens endangered (anything from an arsonist setting fire to a
   high-rise building to a lunatic threatening to poison the city's
   water supply)
7  Robbery (possibly a heist audacious enough that it gets lots of
   media attention, or could be a local/friendly NPC whose 
   livelihood is being targeted for some reason)
8  Innocents targeted (someone is targeting victims based on some
   ethnic/creed/gender/profession/etc classification, i.e. 
   Hispanics, gays, Catholics, prostitutes, veterans, children, etc
   - may be killing them, or possibly kidnapping - probably for
   prejudicial reasons, or might may be using them for something
   more esoteric, such as to complete a magic ritual)

WEIRD & UNUSUAL STUFF (ROLL D20)

1  Unusual weather (could be something natural, depending on the
   location and time of year, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, forest
   fires, etc, or could be something caused by a supervillain or
   some unusual artifact)
2  Extra-dimensional being(s) shows up (someone or something from a
   non-earthlike dimension, could be an advance scout for an
   invasion force, could be fleeing some terrible oppression, could
   be looking for a new home, could just be lost)
3  Alien(s) show up (motives similar to extra-dimensional beings as
   above, may or may not have a starship with them)
4  Mass supernatural occurrences (outbreaks of vampirism, people
   seeing ghosts everywhere, people unknowingly casting spells
   based on their words or wishes, etc)
5  Dimensional rift opens (could be to another world, another
   dimension, another time, etc. - probably temporary, but a slim
   chance it might become permanent)
6  Temporary boom in superhuman activity (people gaining temporary
   superpowers, for both good and ill, with the chance that for
   some it might trigger a more permanent change - optionally, it
   doesn't create new superhumans, but rather something compels
   everyone with unusual abilities, including those who normally
   choose a more mundane lifestyle, to become more visibly active
   during this time period)
7  Science runs amok (any super-tech characters or organizations
   might do something inadvertently affects the area, such as
   creating an intelligent computer virus, temporary time-shifts,
   subsonic emissions affecting people's personalities, etc - this
   can also include more mundane failures of science, such as a
   citywide power blackout)
8  Space-related disaster (meteorites crashing into the city, space
   station astronauts needing to be rescued, etc)
9  Someone from a parallel universe shows up (could be refugees,
   invaders, multi-versal tourists, etc, may or may not have a way
   home, and for good measure could also be analogues of the PC's)
10 Time traveler(s) shows up (could be from either the past or 
   future, either controlled or accidental - if from the future 
   they are probably trying to prevent/ensure some event from
   occurring, which may put them in conflict with the PC's, if
   from the past they may be seeking insight into their own 
   futures, or may be wishing to acquire some advanced piece of
   technology)
11 Prophecy (the PC's get some warning/vision of the future, and
   have to act accordingly - optionally, a NPC has to deal with the
   prophecy instead, and as a result is acting somewhat contrary to
   their usual nature)
12 Mass mind control (someone or something is controlling/
   influencing the local populace in some malign way)
13 Mass transformations (could be caused by an alien virus, 
   technobabble rays, demonic energies, etc, possibly enacted by a
   mad scientist or alien invaders, is probably temporary/
   reversible, but may trigger more permanent changes in a few 
   people)
14 Rampaging monster (said monster will almost certainly have high
   strength, nearly invulnerable to damage, probably isn't too 
   bright, and optionally may be several stories tall)
15 Mass amnesia (should ideally affect the local super-types as 
   well - PC's can have fun trying to re-learn their abilities, and
   villains can discover if their criminal behavior is more a
   matter of nature or nurture)
16 Animal life goes nuts (possibly being controlled by some 
   supervillain, or perhaps some alien/mystical artifact is causing
   the local wildlife to go wacky)
17 Social unrest (tensions flare over anything from racial strife, 
   gay-bashings, unpopular courtroom decisions or religious/
   political scandals - enough so that there will be riots/violence
   in the streets)
18 Media smear (the PC's - or perhaps someone close to them - takes
   a drubbing in the press ("threat or menace?")
19 Religious/cult activity (unusual or controversial edicts from a 
   major religion, possibly directed at or concerning the PC's -
   probably hostile, but also perhaps venerating a PC or PC's - or 
   perhaps a smaller cult makes things interesting, either through
   malign or merely secretive/unusual activities)
20 Superhuman tournament/competition (some sort of contest for a 
   grand prize, a la The Great Super-Villain Contest, could be more
   specialized, such as a martial arts tournament, or might just be
   seedy and sleazy, like an underground pit-fighting broadcast)

(to be concluded... eventually)

Twenty questions

A continuation from here, twenty questions (and answers), the format ripped off from Jeff's Gameblog, with information about the nation of Gheron, specific to the city of Blacksand (where the PC's currently are) and Amaltha (the nation's capital).

1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion?

The worship of Sarus is one of the few things that can be said to unify Gheron with its immediate neighbors.  Sarus is a demi-god who ascended to divinity several hundred years ago after stealing the hidden sources of power from each of the Elder Gods (who were worshiped during the early days of the Kahmish Empire - their faiths are now publicly outlawed) and then defeating them in combat.  Her priests say that she was a mortal reincarnation of the original creation goddess Aru.

There are also the Druids, who are said to channel the last remnants of Aru's essence, as well as call upon various animal and elemental spirits.  The Druidic faith is relatively strong in Gheron, but far less so in the other neighboring nations.

2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment?

In Blacksand, you want to go to Jillith's Tradery, at the Marketplace.  Pretty much anything that isn't armor, weaponry, or transport, you can probably get from her (and if she doesn't have it, you'll need to hunt down a specialist craftsman, most likely).  She also buys used gear - some say she will also buy and fence stolen materials, but then, some people will say anything, won't they?

3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?

The best armorer in the land would be the dwarf Korrin in Amaltha, but he works primarily for King Thomas, so good luck being able to get him to work for you.  In Blacksand, the city's best armorer would be  Robert the Redbeard, but he is said to be rather particular about who he works for.  The city's second-best armorer, the half-orc Larst, is said to be much less choosy about such matters.

4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?

Without a doubt, that would be Brisen, confidante and adviser to King Thomas. In Blacksand, Thomas' younger sister Princess Yasmin is said to be the greatest magician of that city.  If you want to actually hire a wizard's services while in Blacksand, the man known as Morgath is probably your best bet.

5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land?

Most will say that King Thomas, no chessboard ruler, is the mightiest warrior of the realm... he did essentially unify what us now Gheron through the armies he led in battle.  Only one of his knights, Sir Logan, was said to be a greater swordsman, but Logan was killed by the King after the knight was revealed to be having an affair with Thomas's second wife, Katherine.

6. Who is the richest person in the land?

Besides the King, you mean?  Marguerite of House Starling controls the largest mercantile operation in all of Amaltha, and indeed in all of Gheron.  However, in Blacksand it is House Frehald, led by Davros Frehald, that controls the largest slice of the city's economic pie.

7. Where can we go to get some magical healing?

Why, the temple(s) of Sarus, of course!  You do attend regular services, yes?  You have been making regular donations, one hopes?  Ahh... well, you can make a suitable donation to the temple's coffers, hopefully?

The Druids will also heal those who participate in their rites, of course.  They might heal outsiders, but gold is less likely to sway them - rather , certain 'favors' (to be determined by the Druids) would be required... either at time of payment, or as a marker to be called at a later time when the Druids deem it necessary.

8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?

All but the smallest of towns will usually have a cleric of Sarus who can cure disease (including lycanthropy, but only within the first 28 days of infection) and remove curses. Larger towns will have clerics who are also capable of neutralizing poison or restoring lost levels due to level drain.  Only in the cities of Amaltha and Blacksand are there clerics who can reverse involuntary alignment change or raise the dead.  In Blacksand, Sister Pegmull is the one you would try to reach for the greatest of healing magics.  In Amaltha, Sister Flybold is the one you want.

Most major Druidic circles will have someone who can negate poison and cure disease (including lycanthropy, as above).  Only the greatest of Druids can negate an involuntary alignment change, or reincarnate your dead body into another form.

The greatest of clerics and druids can also probably reverse you having been polymorphed, but a wizard of equivalent skill could also pull of such a feat, as well.

9. Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?

No such order exists within Gheron, where arcane spellcasters are somewhat rare.  They have to find any new spells on their own, although sometimes wizards will trade spells with each other if they feel that they can trust the other party (and vice versa).  Some young apprentice wizards will try to stick with a master for as long as possible so they can have access to their master's spell library.

10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?

In Blacksand, both Varlass the alchemist and Keorwyn the half-elven sage have residences that straddle between the Marketplace and the upper-class residential area.  Other such experts? You'll need to ask around, probably spending some coin in the process.

11. Where can I hire mercenaries?

Certain seedy taverns, such as the Saucy Sphinx in Blacksand, might be a good place to start. If you've got lots of money, you might be able to purchase some of the gladiator-slaves from the arena area.  And finally, while the city's leaders wouldn't appreciate you poaching in their domain, if you buy some of the guardsmen from the local barracks a few drinks, they might tell you who would be will to go the sell-sword route.

12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?

Weaponry being restricted is more a matter of certain specific buildings within a city or town (no bearing arms in the temple or within the royal palace, obviously), or by individual social status (serfs won't be allowed to own a sword, but rather expected to use more common weaponry if needed, such as spears), than overall geographical limitations thereof. As for magic, it isn't outlawed, and the cities are more open about that sort of thing... but arcane magic isn't exactly popular either, so many people will be quick to assume the worst about a traveling wizard staying overnight in their village or town.

13. Which way to the nearest tavern?

Point a finger in a random direction, and start walking, you shouldn't have to go very far.  In Blacksand, the Saucy Sphinx is favored by adventurers and other low-lifes, the sort of dive where you can drink yourself into enough of a stupor that the idea of risking death and dismemberment in hopes of acquiring gold and glory sounds entirely reasonable.  In a better part of town you can find the Silver Sylph, where by comparison to the Saucy Sphinx the risk of getting your throat slit in an evening bar brawl is significantly lower.  If you need a place to sleep overnight, the Green Dragon Inn* just off of Marketplace isn't a bad bet  (only half the chance of getting bedbugs while you sleep, compared to other similarly priced inns... such a deal!).

14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?

Well, there's that Red Dragon that is said to live in the Deadwood.  Then there are the giants of the Ikol hills, who occasionally make raids into the nearby villages.  Oh, and there's also that Night Hag who is said to ride from village to village on a Nightmare steed.  Hey, good luck with any of those, okay?

15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?

No actual wars at the moment - the last proper war was with the nation of Theros, about 15 years ago - there's been an uneasy peace ever since.  That said, there is an uptick in monstrous activity stemming from the borderlands to the West, and military garrisons along the borderlands are trying to recruit extra men-at-arms to help keep Gheron's borders safe.

16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?

Slavery is still legal in Gheron (as well as Gheron's nearby neighbors), a carryover from the days of the Kahmish Empire, so both the cities of Amaltha and Blacksand have gladiator arenas where slaves are forced to fight - free men may also volunteer to join these contests, in the hopes of winning gold and glory.  The various towns don't have arenas proper, but they will usually have walled and/or pit areas where such fighting can occur.

17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?

If you knew about them, they wouldn't be very secret, now would they?  That said, there are rumblings of discontent against the King and his rule, and there may well be an organized faction (or factions) plotting against him.

18. What is there to eat around here?

Lots of fish and other seafood along the coastline and waterways, of course.  When the non-wealthy eat any other meat, it's usually either pork or chicken.  Eggs and cheese are fairly common, as are potatoes, onions and carrots.  The porridge and gruel common to the lower classes are usually derived from barley, oats and rye, and bread tends to be of the dark (rye) variety.   Stews and potages are fairly common, especially in the colder months.  Wine is rare and has to be imported, but beers, ales, and ciders are all quite common.

19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?

There's a huge dungeon said to exist at the southeastern foot of the Kron Hills, a few miles east of the town of Oakhill, that is said to contain all sorts of fabulous treasures.  Also, in the forests of the western borderlands are said to be lost cities that were one part of the Kahmish Empire, now abandoned... what treasures and wonders might they still contain?

20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?

Besides the aforementioned Red Dragon that is said to live in the Deadwood, there's also a Green Dragon - supposedly the same one that killed King Thomas's first wife, the half-elf Salanthala, along with their son - that still supposedly resides in the Buckwood near Amaltha.  It's also rumored that there is a Black Dragon residing somewhere in the marshes just south of the Grandwood.  If dragons aren't your thing, there is said to be a Guardian Naga at the lowest levels of the aforementioned dungeon near the Kron Hills.



*all fantasy universes have a Green Dragon inn or tavern - it's actually part of a multiversal chain

Gheron

(not dead, just lazy)

Here's some background for the setting of my C&C campaign, should I ever get the chance to run it again...

Gheron is a fairly small country - at about 7,855 sq. miles, it is somewhere between Connecticut and New Jersey in terms of overall land mass.  It is a land of mild summers and harsh winters.  The terrain is varied -  there are no mountains, but there are several rolling hills, as well as several lakes and multiple interconnecting rivers.  There are also several scattered forests, as well as the occasional marsh or moor, and there are several stretches of area that can best be described as shrubland.  For all that, about roughly 55% of Gheron is arable farmland, a far higher percentage than any of its immediate neighbors (most 'clear' hexes will have a village in it, somewhere between 100 and 1,000 people, usually averaging around 600 or so - 1 in 12 such hexes will instead have a thorp, with somewhere between 20 and 100 residents).  Gheron has two cities - the capital city of Amaltha, and the port city Blacksand (also occasionally referred to as Highport, an older name for the coastal city) - as well as ten towns of varying size.  Its overall population is somewhere around 778,000.

(click to enlarge, of course - larger red hexes = 12 miles, smaller black hexes = 2 miles)

Along with its neighbors, it was once part of the Northeastern Marches of the Great Empire of Kahm.  The Kahmish empire lasted for a little over six centuries, but eventually disintegrated under a combination of plague and internal dissent.  The plague destroyed most of what could be called civilization, with only a few city-states here and there keeping the proverbial torch lit against the darkness for the better part of a century.  A holdover of the Empire's legacy is that Gheron, like all the other current nations that are descended from what was once the Empire's domain, still speak the Kahman Tongue.*

About 40 years ago, one of the many petty barons in the area, Thomas of Amaltha, began expanding his realm, consolidating the other nearby lands under his expansionistic rule.  He unified what is now called the nation of Gheron, only being stopped by the borderlands to the west, and the also-expanding nations of Theros to the Northeast and Arradonia to the Southeast.  These days, some quietly refer to King Thomas as "the Cursed"; he has had four wives during his rule, but all are now dead, and he has no living heirs.  His younger sister, Princess Yasmin, in next in line for the throne. 

That vast majority of the population of Gheron is human.  About 3% of the overall populace is halfling - more so in the villages, somewhat less so in the towns and cities, although the town of Lillton is notable for actually having a majority population of halflings.  The various other demi-humans (dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves and half-orcs) combined consist of about half of one percent of the nation's populace.

The worship of Sarus is the main faith within the land of Gheron (as well as the other nearby nations).  In more rural areas, the Druidic faith is fairly strong (in the early days of consolidating power, Thomas made an alliance with the Druids to help strengthen his power base).  Because of the political power the Druids have, Gheron is not able to fully utilize the forests within its lands, a sore point for some of Gheron's nobility and military personnel.  Relations between the priests of Sarus and the Druids are cordial enough, if somewhat cool and distant. 

Recently, there has been an increase in monstrous activity coming from the borderlands.  As a result, the King has recently raised taxes throughout the land, in hopes of increasing the military presence along the borderlands.  As one might expect, this has not went over well with all of Gheron's citizens.

(same map, minus the smaller hex lines - makes it easier to make out the various rivers)

To the Southeast, Arradonia is about twice as large as Gheron, but due to less overall arable land, has only about half-again the population.  There are huge forests within Arradonia's borders, and unlike Gheron the Druids have little political sway here, so the rulers of Arradonia can utilize those forests more effectively - among other things, Arradonia has the largest and finest navy in the area.  South of Arradonia the land mainly consists of hard plains and deserts, and the various horse nomad tribes that dwell in said lands occasionally raid into Arradonia's nearby villages and towns.

Northeast of Gheron is Theros, a mountainous land that is about three times as large as Gheron, but due to a dearth of arable land, its population is about halfway inbetween that of Gheron and Arradonia.  The mountains of Theros host a wealth of various precious metals, such as silver and gold, as well as no small amount of iron ores.  As a result, the armies of Theros are very, very well armed - even the lowly commoner footsoldier will often wear metal armor as they march into battle.  To the frigid north of Theros' borders, Viking-style barbarians live, occasionally raiding into the nearby settlements, despite the martial prowess of Theros' citizens.

Gheron has pacts with both Arradonia and Theros.  Both of the neighboring countries would love to conquer Gheron and claim the rich farmlands found within, but both nations also know that any invasion on their part would trigger a response of war from Gheron's other neighbor-country.  The last actual war in the area ended 15 years ago, the forces of Gheron and Theros clashing to a relative standstill.  There has been an uneasy peace ever since.

About a hundred or so miles East of Gheron (not shown on the map) is the island nation of Shalza, which is about 2/3 the overall size of Gheron, and has about 1/3 of the latter's population.  Shalza is heavily dependent on trade with its nearby neighbors, which is aided by the wealth of valuable gems that can be mined on the island.  As with Gheron, both Arradonia and Theros would love to conquer and claim the island nation as their own, both for its wealth and its strategic value due to its location.   Like Gheron, Shalza has pacts drawn up with the two larger nations, designed to keep them both at bay.



*yes, I'm shameless

Sandbox superhero campaigns (part 2)

(part one can be found here)

Patrolling the city is a classic element of superhero comics.  Not all superheroes patrol, of course - many wait until they get news of a crime to follow up on it, via radio or tv reports, and some superheroes are well-connected enough with the local government that they rely on being alerted to any crimes as they occur.

That said, some heroes prefer to be a little more pro-active in their heroics, Batman being the classic example with his nighttime patrols.  It can be a valuable tool for a hero in a sandbox superhero campaign, running across villains, encountering clues that can perhaps lead to something greater, or just running across lesser problems that still need dealing with (and perhaps picking up some extra XP for the hero in the process).

The GM for a superhero sandbox campaign needs to determine how finely detailed they want patrolling to be, and as a result how many dice rolls they're willing to put up with as a result.  My preference is for breaking things down into four-hour blocks, but you could probably narrow things down to individual one-hour blocks if you preferred.

Determine what part of town the hero is patrolling during a given time-block, and then see if that particular neighborhood falls under the Area of Operations (AoO) of any villains or organizations to determine any Major Encounters.  If no villains or organizations operate in the area, there will be no major encounters, no matter how long the hero patrols there.  Otherwise, there is a cumulative 1-in-10 chance for each villain/organization's AoO of such an encounter (for example, if two solo villains, a villain group, and an organization all have AoO's in a particular neighborhood, then there is a 4-in-10 chance of a encounter with one of them during a given patrol).  If more than one villain or organization is in the area, determine randomly which is encountered.  No matter how many villains or organizations are present, a roll of a 10 on a d10 indicates no major encounter during that patrol.  Note that the time of day may affect the odds of such an encounter; if a vampire is operating in the area, for example, their AoO would not modify the encounter roll if the hero insists on patrolling during the daylight hours.

During a major encounter, determine if the villain or organization would prefer to attack the hero, or would rather continue on unnoticed.  Most villains will be aggressive, but some would prefer to commit their crimes unnoticed, or might not want to stop to beat up the hero as they're on the way (to their minds) to something more important.  Most organizations will prefer to operate without drawing superheroic attention, but if there is bad blood between the hero and the organization, it's possible they may be laying in wait to attack the hero, especially if said hero has made a habit of patrolling this particular area.  If the villain or organization is aggressive, assume they are trying to ambush the hero (give the hero a chance to notice what's about to happen, based on how your individual game system handles this sort of thing).  Otherwise, the hero has spotted the villain or organization in the middle of some crime (or on the way to or from same), and can either try to stop the crime in progress, or can attempt to follow them back to their base of operations.

If a major encounter does not occur during the patrol, there is also a chance of the hero encountering a Major Clue, but only if they are looking specifically for a villain or organization that operates in the area, or hunting for clues to a crime tied to a villain or organization in the area (even if the hero is as yet unaware of the connection between the crime and the villain/organization).  Roll a d10, a modified 10+ indicates a clue of some sort is uncovered, allow a +1 to the roll if the hero has a skill or background relevant to the search (electronics skill while hunting an electrical villain,or a military background while observing an organization recruiting ex-military types as mercs, for example), and another +1 if the hero has a detective skill/background).  Note that the clue may not necessarily be a physical object; an informant with relevant dirt on the villain or organization is also applicable.

If neither a major encounter or major clue is rolled, then there is always a chance of a Minor Encounter.  The odds of such an encounter, and the nature thereof, vary from neighborhood to neighborhood.  Relative safe areas only have a 2-in-10 chance of a minor encounter, high-incident areas have a 4-in-10 chance, and most neighborhoods have a 3-in-10 chance of such an encounter (if for some reason the heroes head out into the suburbs, the chance of anything interesting drops to 1-in-20).  This can lead to one of nine different types of encounter:

Assault - where one or more (non-powered) individuals are attacking one or more victims; this is often something as simple as a fistfight, although it can be as complicated as the GM wishes.  There is a chance that an assault is actually a rumble, which involve two (or more) larger groups fighting each other; generally there is a 1-in-10 chance of this, but if street gangs operate in the area, it becomes a 1-in-6 chance. Note that a rumble does not have to include street gangs; rival sport fans, clashing racial groups, gays vs gay-bashers, and union members vs scabs are also possible rumbles, depending on the area in question.

Burglary - anything from a mugging to a late-night robbery to a bank heist.

Citizens Endangered - where normal people are put at risk, in such a manner that hopefully the hero can help to save the day.  The situation might be either natural or unplanned (such as a bridge collapse or an apartment fire), or might be the product of human design (such as a kidnapping or hostage situation); the former is more likely in poorer areas, and the latter more likely in wealthier areas.

Contraband - where some illicit cargo is being moved from buyer to seller.  Most likely drugs, but illegal weapons are also a popular option, and explosives, stolen goods, and even human cargo are possibilities.

Grand Theft Auto - where a vehicle or vehicles of some sort is being stolen.  Optionally, this category also includes criminals using a vehicle of some sort as part of their crimes (a souped-up getaway car in a bank heist, or a helicopter from an industrial raid), which should ideally lead to a high-speed chase on the part of the hero.

Law Enforcement - an encounter with the local constables.  If the hero is on good terms with the local authorities, this is usually not a problem, and may even result in the hero possibly getting some useful info as a result.  If the hero is wanted by the law, or is disliked by the authorities, then the police may try to harass or arrest the hero.  If there are NPC superheroes in the area, there is a chance that the PC runs into them instead (1-in-10 chance if only one NPC hero in the city, 1-in-6 chance if more than one, determine which one randomly).

Observation Rewarded - where the hero encounters some minor clue (perhaps through an informant or passerby witness) regarding a villain, organization, or street gang in the area, or a suspicious-acting person that might lead to the same.  Either way, there's a 1-in-6 chance that it turns out to be a false alarm or red herring.

Vandalism - the destruction of private property (arson is a common example of this); this can range from spray-painting valuable works of art at a museum to planting bombs at a local sports stadium.

Weird Stuff - includes a variety of encounters that fall outside the usual superhero fare, which may or may not be immediately hostile or dangerous.  This often has a supernatural element to it (ghost sightings, vampire attacks, etc), in which case there is a 1-in-10 chance that its actually a trick or scam of some sort.  Not all weird stuff need be supernatural in origin; hearing voices from the future (created by a nearby high-tech experiment with tachyons) or extra-dimensional rifts temporarily showing up are non-supernatural examples of weird stuff.

Each neighborhood should have its own 'encounter table', listing both the chances of a minor encounter, and a table for what sort of encounter comes up.  A baker's dozen of stereotypical neighborhoods are included below; modify for your individual cities and neighborhoods as you see fit:

RESIDENTIAL, WEALTHY (2-in-10 chance of encounter)
1     Assault
2-7   Burglary
8-9   Citizens Endangered
10    Contraband
11-12 Grand Theft Auto
13-16 Law Enforcement
17-18 Observation Rewarded
19    Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

RESIDENTIAL, MIDDLE-CLASS (3-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-3   Assault
4-7   Burglary
8-9   Citizens Endangered
10    Contraband
11-12 Grand Theft Auto
13-15 Law Enforcement
16-18 Observation Rewarded
19    Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

RESIDENTIAL, BOHEMIAN (2-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-2   Assault
3-7   Burglary
8-9   Citizens Endangered
10-12 Contraband
13-15 Grand Theft Auto
16-17 Law Enforcement
18    Observation Rewarded
19    Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

RESIDENTIAL, POOR (4-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-4   Assault
4-6   Burglary
7     Citizens Endangered
8-10  Contraband
11    Grand Theft Auto
12-13 Law Enforcement
14-16 Observation Rewarded
17-18 Vandalism
19-20 Weird Stuff 

RESIDENTIAL, SLUM (4-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-5   Assault
6     Burglary
7     Citizens Endangered
8-10  Contraband
11    Grand Theft Auto
12    Law Enforcement
13-16 Observation Rewarded
17-18 Vandalism
19-20 Weird Stuff

CHINATOWN (2-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-2   Assault
3-4   Burglary
5-6   Citizens Endangered
7-11  Contraband
12    Grand Theft Auto
13-14 Law Enforcement
15-17 Observation Rewarded
18    Vandalism
19-20 Weird Stuff

BARRIO (3-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-4   Assault
5-6   Burglary
7     Citizens Endangered
8-11  Contraband
12    Grand Theft Auto
13-14 Law Enforcement
15-16 Observation Rewarded
17-18 Vandalism
19-20 Weird Stuff

CAMPUS DISTRICT (2-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-3   Assault
4-8   Burglary
9-10  Citizens Endangered
11    Contraband
12    Grand Theft Auto
13-16 Law Enforcement
17-18 Observation Rewarded
19    Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

WATERFRONT (3-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-3   Assault
4-5   Burglary
6     Citizens Endangered
7-12  Contraband
13-14 Grand Theft Auto
15-16 Law Enforcement
17-18 Observation Rewarded
19    Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

FINANCIAL DISTRICT (2-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-2   Assault
3-6   Burglary
7     Citizens Endangered
8     Contraband
9-10  Grand Theft Auto
11-14 Law Enforcement
15-17 Observation Rewarded
18-19 Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

INDUSTRIAL AREA, HIGH-TECH (2-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-2   Assault
3-7   Burglary
8     Citizens Endangered
9     Contraband
10-11 Grand Theft Auto
12-14 Law Enforcement
15-17 Observation Rewarded
18    Vandalism
10-20 Weird Stuff

INDUSTRIAL AREA, BLUE-COLLAR (3-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-3   Assault
4-6   Burglary
7     Citizens Endangered
8     Contraband
9     Grand Theft Auto
10-12 Law Enforcement
13-16 Observation Rewarded
17-19 Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

INDUSTRIAL AREA, BETTER DAYS GONE BY (3-in-10 chance of encounter)
1-3   Assault
4-7   Burglary
8-9   Citizens Endangered
10-12 Contraband
13    Grand Theft Auto
14    Law Enforcement
15-17 Observation Rewarded
18-19 Vandalism
20    Weird Stuff

(much of the info here on minor encounters is inspired by the DC Heroes supplement Night in Gotham, which took a similar approach to handling nightly patrols)  

If no major encounters, major clues, or minor encounter are rolled for the time-block in question, then nothing of note occurs during that particular patrol.  Even superheroes sometimes have slow nights...

(part three continues here)

Sandbox superhero campaigns (part 1)

There's been no small amount of talk of late among gamers (especially the OSR types) about sandbox campaigns, and how to run them.  This usually is geared toward fantasy campaigns, although sci-fi games can get the sandbox treatment as well.  One particular genre of tabletop RPG gaming that hasn't gotten a lot of play in this regard is superhero gaming.

And not without reason.  In most four-color superhero comics, the heroes tend to be more reactive than proactive.  Supervillain robs a bank, criminal organization acquires apocalypse weapon, aliens show up to invade... a crime/threat is committed by others, and then the heroes try to stop it.  Every once in a while some superheroes try to go proactive, but this rarely lasts long... mainly because such comics, with a few exceptions, tend to be rather crappy (Quick, does anyone remember Extreme Justice? No, me neither.). 

That said, in a gaming context it's not an impossible proposition, just one that needs a little extra work and planning to pull off.  Part of what gives a sandbox its appeal is the ability for the players to choose the type of adventures they embark upon.  In a superhero setting, this means that there needs to be multiple threats present, and that the PC's can prioritize their responses as they see fit.

Okay, so first you need a map of the campaign city.  The PC's can, and probably will stray beyond its borders from time to time (sometimes you have to go out into the boonies to stop those Lovecraftian cultists), but the city in questions acts as an anchor for the campaign.  If you're using a real city, no problem, just grab a few maps, with at least one concentrating of detailing differing neighborhoods/boroughs (actual street maps aren't quite as important - you rarely need that much detail - but can still prove useful on occasion).  If you want to use a fictitious city - and while some may scoff, doing so has some real benefits - well, you could design your own, or use one of the many that show up in various superhero RPG's... but that said, it's probably easiest just to take a map of Green Arrow's old stomping grounds Star City, change the names of the city and its various neighborhoods, maybe change the compass directions to suit to local geography, and use that.

Trust me, unless you tell your players what you've done, they won't recognize the source.  They would probably recognize a re-named Gotham, and might recognize Metropolis with a name change, but they are not going to recognize Star City with a face-lift.

Next, you need lots of villains, to give your PC's a proper target-rich environment.  Why there are so many supervillains in a city where (ideally) there are no other superheroes (except for the PC's, of course), is for each individual GM to decide.  Perhaps there has been a recent massive jailbreak from a nearby super-prison.  Or maybe the superhero who had defended the city for years has died, or is no longer available (the old DC Heroes adventure module 'King of Crime' uses this basic premise - after Barry Allen is dead, various villains move to Central City to run rampant, and it falls to new heroes (the PC's) to come in and save the day). 

As a minimum, I would recommend the following:

1. At least 2 supervillain groups - the possibly for conflict between said groups should always be a possibility
2. At least 12 solo villains, or a number of solo villains equal to twice the number of PC heroes, whichever is greater - these villains should have a wide range of motivations and M.O.'s
3. At least 3 major criminal organizations, or a number equal to half the number of PC heroes, round up, whichever is greater - groups like the Mafia, Cobra, the Brotherhood of Assassins, the Acolytes of Moloch, etc. - they are not limited to one city, but they have a major stronghold in the campaign city.  They may have some supervillains on staff or retainer, and may even be run by someone with superpowers, but the majority of their rank-and file members fall into the goon/mook category.
4. At least 6 major street gangs, or a number equal to the number of PC's, whichever is greater - most of these groups won't pose any real threat to your average superhero team, but they give solo heroes something to do when the rest of the group can't show up, and sometimes it can be fun to wallop some gangbangers, especially if the local supervillain contingent has been giving the heroes lots of problems and you need to salve your ego.  Most street gangs usually fall form along ethnic lines, and you can always watch Gangland to inject some hints of realism into said gangs, but honestly, given that this is for a superhero campaign, you can probably get more mileage from watching The Warriors and ripping it off shamelessly.

This is in addition to whatever friendly/neutral NPC's you want to work up - the nosy reporter, the local police liaison, co-workers for the hero's secret identity, etc.  You also want the campaign's superspy organization (S.H.I.E.L.D., Checkmate, U.N.C.L.E., etc.) to have a local branch - besides being very useful in other regards, you want an organization that can legitimately take down a supervillain or three on their own: part of the freedom of a sandbox for players is deciding that there are certain things you don't want to bother with, so delegating those threats to others should be an option that they can occasionally employ ("We'll handle the supervillains threatening to take over the city, if your organization can handle the Cthulhu cultists we got a line on - yeah, we can curbstomp them easily enough, but those guys still creep us out.") 

Now get a copy of your neighborhood map, and place the various villains and groups in the various neighborhoods accordingly.  Villains may live in one neighborhood, but mostly target other areas, depending on the individual M.O.'s; mark both for them, and unless they can teleport, you may want to note the travel points in-between (this will become important when we get to patrolling in a later post).  This constitutes a villain's or organization's Area of Operations (AoO).

You may also want to work out a relationship map, a la various Indie and old White Wolf games, between the various villains, organizations, etc.  Alternatively, you may want to leave this fast and loose, and let tensions, alliances, etc. arise between the various criminal elements during ongoing play.

Get a sheet of paper, and list all of the solo villains, supervillain groups, organizations, and street gangs on them.  Each week (or every other week, or month, or whatever), roll one die for each of them to see if they do something newsworthy that grabs the public's and/or law enforcement's attention.  Solo villains roll a d6, supervillain groups roll a d10, organizations roll a d12, and street gangs roll a d20.  On the first week of the campaign, each villain/group that rolls a 1 does something that the heroes can react to.  Those that don't, put a check mark by their name.  Each check mark increases the odds of something occurring for dice rolls on following weeks; one check mark means you need to roll a 1-2 on the given die, two check marks require a 1-3, etc.  If they don't make their roll, add another check mark.  When they do finally make their roll, erase all check marks and start over (assuming the villain/group hasn't been captured/put out of of business by the PC heroes).

Example:  Windwitch is one of the many solo villains in a GM's campaign.  The first week she needs to roll a 1 on a d6 to commit a crime; she rolls a 4 and is laying low.  On week two she needs to roll a 1-2 to become active; she rolls a 3, probably planning something, but not quite ready yet.  One week three she needs to roll a 1-3 to do something; she rolls a 2, and steals some expensive jewelry and some cash for herself from a high-end jewelry store.  Assuming she is not captured by the local heroes, on week four she starts over, needing a 1 on that d6 to indicate further activity.

As long as you have enough villains present, someone will being doing something during any given time-frame to catch the PC's attention.  Preferably more than one person or group, so the players have to make decisions which to concentrate on, or alternatively to split up their attention and divide their efforts accordingly.

These numbers alone should give PC heroes plenty to do for several weeks of campaign time to come, but there's more to superhero gaming than just bashing baddies.  Forthcoming posts will give some extra details and options to help ensure the game feels sufficiently superhero-esque.

(part two continues here)

Campaign Setting: Tripods & Titans

July, 1902:  A month after the first landing of the Martian invasion, the war enters into its second phase.

It has been a week since the Martians (so named for the world where they set up their advance bases before invading Earth - their actual homeworld is in another solar system) suffered the results of terrestrial viruses.  Some of the Martians die as a result, although the alien invaders did manage to inoculate themselves with their advanced science before their numbers were further reduced.  However, in their panic during the hours that they thought themselves to be eradicated, the Martians released a deadly virus of their own design onto the landscape, targeting the major cities of the globe that the aliens were now occupying, designed to wipe out the human race in retaliation.  Of those humans infected, the vast majority of them do indeed die, their bodies horribly mutated as death overcomes them.  A small percentage of those infected also also mutated, their bodies becoming horribly twisted, deformed and grotesque, but they somehow manage to survive (although many would say that survival is no kindness).

Of the survivors, a very small percentage are not changed  in terms of appearance, but rather become something perhaps more than merely human.  The reports that one hears is astounding, but there are enough of them from credible sources that they can not be dismissed out of hand: men (and women) who can fly, or display superhuman feats of strength, or create lightning from their bare hands, or read the thoughts of other humans, or any other number of remarkable and terrifying abilities.  These 'titans' (as some have dubbed them) are not powerful enough to to change things individually, even given their unique talents, and many have died under the heat rays and the black smoke of the Martian tripods.  However, there are reports of some of these titans banding together, each using their individual talents as part of a greater whole.  Most notably, a group of a half-dozen of these titans managed to take down and destroy one of the alien tripods in these streets of London recently.

Of course, given human nature, not all of these titans are dedicated to fighting the alien invaders.  Some are merely interested in their own survival and well-being, and avoid any contact with the Martians, using their abilities to lord over other humans for their relative comfort.   Even worse are those titans who have sided with the Martians, along with the other human quislings* who have thrown in with the invaders in hopes of retaining or achieving some degree of power over their fellow human beings.  Perhaps the worst of these quislings are the 'keepers', scientists who have thrown in with the Martians so as to learn more of the unearthly science of the aliens.

As the Martians have settled in, they now begin a number of scientific experiments, perhaps for their own amusement, which also seem to be designed to help keep humanity in line, and to also counter the threat poised by the titans.  There are rumors of Martians projecting their thoughts into human bodies, so that they may walk among the conquered undetected.  There are whispers of captured humans being experimented on in hopes of creating a Martian-human hybrid that can more easily cope with Terran gravity.  And perhaps most disturbing of all, there seems to be evidence of the Martians mutating various animals and giving them intelligence so as to act as ground soldiers against the human resistance.  The most notable of these reports come out of the dark continent of Africa, where it seems the Martians are creating a new breed of ape: apes that can speak human tongues, apes that can use tools and fire guns, apes that can organize into armies for their Martian masters, apes that hate human beings.

(Inspirations: War of the Worlds, Wild Cards, Planet of the Apes, Killraven)



*yes, I know 'quisling' isn't a term used in WOTW, and in fact would not become a word for traitor until WWII - I'm using it here anyways, so deal with it.