A quick link to Tim Marchman's article at the Wall Street Journal, which was nominally supposed to be about the book Leaping Tall Buildings, instead turns into a screed about the failures of the comic book industry.
"The people who produce superhero comics have given up on the mass audience, and it in turn has given up on them."
Sadly, he's not wrong.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Music Monday: "Brothers in Arms"
On this Memorial Day, as we remember those who have given their lives in service of our country, today's Music Monday is Dire Straits' soulful tribute to soldiers everywhere, "Brothers in Arms".
Friday, May 25, 2012
Collection... complete
Managed to stumble across the three classic Villains & Vigilantes adventure modules that I did not yet own physical copies of (had PDF copies, but that's not the same thing) at a used bookstore last night.
Wasn't actively looking for these modules - as I said, I already had them in PDF format - but now I can say I've got the the complete run of the 'classic' V&V line. Woot!
Wasn't actively looking for these modules - as I said, I already had them in PDF format - but now I can say I've got the the complete run of the 'classic' V&V line. Woot!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
V&V Vendesday: Kaalis
Name: Kaalis Side: Evil Gender: Female Height: 5'11" Weight: 160 lbs
Physical Description: In her true form, Kaalis appears as a tall female with lightly purple-ish skin, goat-like legs, a prehensile tail, horns on her forehead, over-sized ears, and bat-like wings. She normally carries a whip in this form. She can shapeshift into a number of human-looking forms, all of which will be of attractive females.
STR: 13 END: 20 INT: 13 AGL: 18/21 CHA: 19
Level: 6th XP: 20,696 Basic Hits: 4 Hit Points: 23/26 Healing Rate: 2.0/day Movement: 51”/54" running, 567" flight Power: 64/67 Carrying Capacity: 336 lbs
HTH Damage: 1d6 Damage Modifier: +2 Accuracy: +3/+4
Detect Hidden: 10% Detect Danger: 14% Inventing: 39% Inventing Points: 1.8 Reaction Modifier: -3/+3 Training: END
Note: split attributes on the above stats represent first her abilities in a human disguise, the second in her true demonic form, which is higher due to increased AGL gained from her wings.
Powers/Talents
Adaptation
Body power - prehensile tail
Dimension Travel (type 1)
Emotion Control (lust/desire)
Heightened Defense (-4 to be hit)
Heightened Physicality (+3 STR, +7 END, +6 AGL)
Heightened Senses: Detect Magic (automatic, range 13" radius)
Transformation (Shapeshifter/Disguise)
Wings (+3 AGL, 567" flight (129 MPH))
*Flame Power (attack only ("fireball"), PR 2, 36", 1d12 damage)
*Illusions (type A, visual/audible/odor/taste, PR 4)
*spells learned through the expenditure of Inventing Points
Equipment
Demon Whip (+2 to hit, HTH + 1d6 damage, can also attack as Devitaliation Ray up to 13 times a day (carrier attack, no range, requires successful HTH attack to use), and Death Touch once per day (same limitations).
Weaknesses
Takes 2d8 damage from a splash of holy water, x2 damage from silver and sunlight based attacks (and 1 pt of damage per turn in direct sunlight); if in human guise, any of these attacks will force her to assume her true form. Also susceptible to summonings, banishings, and wardings.
Areas of Knowledge
Nether Realms, Seduction & Corruption
Character Notes/Origin/Personality: Kaalis is a succubus, a demon who has been seducing and corrupting mortal for untold ages. She can travel between the nether realms and the earthly realm at will, which places her fairly high in the hierarchy of demons, above many such beings who are perhaps more physically threatening. She is not adverse to using her demonic abilities when needed against normal mortals, but prefers to work in the shadows against superhuman foes whenever possible. The seduction and corruption of superheroes is considered a grand accomplishment among succubi, but Kaalis is careful in choosing such targets; she will avoid magicians, psychics, and any one else whose abilities might allow them to deduce her true nature.
The destruction of the hated foe Sunshine Scout is considered a high priority among the demons currently on Earth. Kaalis greatly desires this accomplishment for herself, but feels no inclination to confront Sunshine Scout directly, preferring instead to seduce various supervillains into attacking her, and perhaps even tricking a superhero into doing so. Kaalis will only step in directly to finish the job if she is certain that Sunshine Scout is indeed helpless, having no desire to get into anything remotely resembling a 'fair' fight.
Campaign Use: A friendly NPC might fall under Kaalis's wiles, with the PC's eventually having to save them. Alternatively, Kaalis may target a PC directly (the 'girlfriend from hell' storyline pretty much writes itself, doesn't it?). If Sunshine Scout is in the PC's city, Kaalis is sure to be nearby, trying to manipulate others into attacking her.
Physical Description: In her true form, Kaalis appears as a tall female with lightly purple-ish skin, goat-like legs, a prehensile tail, horns on her forehead, over-sized ears, and bat-like wings. She normally carries a whip in this form. She can shapeshift into a number of human-looking forms, all of which will be of attractive females.
STR: 13 END: 20 INT: 13 AGL: 18/21 CHA: 19
Level: 6th XP: 20,696 Basic Hits: 4 Hit Points: 23/26 Healing Rate: 2.0/day Movement: 51”/54" running, 567" flight Power: 64/67 Carrying Capacity: 336 lbs
HTH Damage: 1d6 Damage Modifier: +2 Accuracy: +3/+4
Detect Hidden: 10% Detect Danger: 14% Inventing: 39% Inventing Points: 1.8 Reaction Modifier: -3/+3 Training: END
Note: split attributes on the above stats represent first her abilities in a human disguise, the second in her true demonic form, which is higher due to increased AGL gained from her wings.
Powers/Talents
Adaptation
Body power - prehensile tail
Dimension Travel (type 1)
Emotion Control (lust/desire)
Heightened Defense (-4 to be hit)
Heightened Physicality (+3 STR, +7 END, +6 AGL)
Heightened Senses: Detect Magic (automatic, range 13" radius)
Transformation (Shapeshifter/Disguise)
Wings (+3 AGL, 567" flight (129 MPH))
*Flame Power (attack only ("fireball"), PR 2, 36", 1d12 damage)
*Illusions (type A, visual/audible/odor/taste, PR 4)
*spells learned through the expenditure of Inventing Points
Equipment
Demon Whip (+2 to hit, HTH + 1d6 damage, can also attack as Devitaliation Ray up to 13 times a day (carrier attack, no range, requires successful HTH attack to use), and Death Touch once per day (same limitations).
Weaknesses
Takes 2d8 damage from a splash of holy water, x2 damage from silver and sunlight based attacks (and 1 pt of damage per turn in direct sunlight); if in human guise, any of these attacks will force her to assume her true form. Also susceptible to summonings, banishings, and wardings.
Areas of Knowledge
Nether Realms, Seduction & Corruption
Character Notes/Origin/Personality: Kaalis is a succubus, a demon who has been seducing and corrupting mortal for untold ages. She can travel between the nether realms and the earthly realm at will, which places her fairly high in the hierarchy of demons, above many such beings who are perhaps more physically threatening. She is not adverse to using her demonic abilities when needed against normal mortals, but prefers to work in the shadows against superhuman foes whenever possible. The seduction and corruption of superheroes is considered a grand accomplishment among succubi, but Kaalis is careful in choosing such targets; she will avoid magicians, psychics, and any one else whose abilities might allow them to deduce her true nature.
The destruction of the hated foe Sunshine Scout is considered a high priority among the demons currently on Earth. Kaalis greatly desires this accomplishment for herself, but feels no inclination to confront Sunshine Scout directly, preferring instead to seduce various supervillains into attacking her, and perhaps even tricking a superhero into doing so. Kaalis will only step in directly to finish the job if she is certain that Sunshine Scout is indeed helpless, having no desire to get into anything remotely resembling a 'fair' fight.
Campaign Use: A friendly NPC might fall under Kaalis's wiles, with the PC's eventually having to save them. Alternatively, Kaalis may target a PC directly (the 'girlfriend from hell' storyline pretty much writes itself, doesn't it?). If Sunshine Scout is in the PC's city, Kaalis is sure to be nearby, trying to manipulate others into attacking her.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Music Monday: "Teen Angst"
Apparently, what the world needs now is an acoustic version of Cracker's "Teen Angst"...
Friday, May 18, 2012
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