A New Age of Freedom (M&M2e, seeking 3-8 players)

[Sacremas]

Game Title: A New Age of Freedom
System: Mutants & Masterminds 2e
Players Wanted: At least 3 and a maximum of 8, anyone else will be made an alternate.
Posting Rate: 5 times per week, preferably more.
Special Rules: PL 10 / 150 pp to start, Ultimate Power will be used for reference.

Freedom City, the summer of 1993. It's been one of the hottest summers in decades for Freedom, but the heat won't be what the following days will be remembered by. Because Freedom City is about to become the beachhead of an invasion from the end of reality itself, the Terminus. And in the chaos to come, heroes are destined to die to defend their city, planet and even universe from the ravages of the dread lord Omega, including possibly even Freedom City's first son, the mightiest hero in the world, who's home universe was already consumed by the Terminus and who for the last 55 years have steadfastly defended his adopted homeworld. But even though the Centurion may very well fall in the course of these battles, new heroes are also destined to arise from the ashes of this conflict, heroes for a new, modern Age of Freedom...


Welcome to Freedom City, and specifically the Terminus Invasion. Freedom City you should be aware of as it's the default setting of the M&M system in both editions, but if you're not familiar with it, here's some basics;

Spoiler: Freedom City setting basics (click to show/hide)

• People with super-powers have existed throughout Earth’s history, but have become more prominent and numerous since the late 1930s. Freedom City in particular is an epicenter for superhumans, but they are found in other cities and places around the world.
• Nearly every sort of super-power or gimmick found in the comic books can and does exist in the world of Freedom City. There is magic, super-science, and aliens, lost worlds, gods, megalomaniacal supervillains, and more. Despite this, the world on the surface is still very much like our own and most of the history and society from our world also exists there.
• Costumed heroes and villains with superhuman powers have been public figures since the late 1930s. The overall history of superhumans roughly mirrors the history and trends of superhero comic books in the real world since their introduction in the 1930s.
• Superheroes and villains have aged since their first appearances, with the exception of some who are particularly long-lived or immortal. There have been several distinct “eras” of superhuman activity in the world, which resemble different periods in comic book publishing history.
  
• Virtually any type of character or plot from the superhero comic books can (and probably does) exist in Freedom City. All the various superhuman origins, powers, and themes co-exist in the setting. Any of the origins discussed in Mutants & Masterminds are available here.
• Although everyone has heard about superheroes and villains, and probably seen them (on TV, if nothing else), most people in Freedom City still live fairly ordinary lives, despite the occasional invasion from outer space or similar threat.

Currently Freedom City is at the tail end of the Iron Age of Freedom City, a dark period when ruthless vigilantes fought corrupt police, dark supervillains and organized crime. The Iron Age ended officially last year when Michael O'Connor, Jr. (the son of the Golden Age hero and Liberty League chairman Freedom Eagle) was elected Mayor, but even so the previous corrupt Mayor Franklin Moore's law banning vigilantes and superheroes alike are still in effect, so techincally it's illegal to be a superhero in Freedom City currently, though thanks to Mayor O'Connor's work the police are a lot less likely to try to enforce it these days. Even so many heroes still base themselves out of other cities rather than Freedom, including the Centurion who over the last 9 years has been acting globally instead. Currently the only hero team in Freedom City is FORCE Ops, a team of Iron Age heroes led by the Archer.

Now then that that's out of the way, what exactly is the Terminus Invasion then you ask? For that, please pick up your copy of Mutants & Masterminds 2e, and look at the cover. That was the Terminus Invasion, except that it didn't go quite as well as it appears there. While at it take a look at the Romanesque hero punching the big skull-faced guy, that's the Centurion, Freedom City's version of Superman for all intents and purposes except that he's been active since 1938, the very first superhero in the world, and also the most powerful. But against Omega (the skull-headed guy he's punching) even the Centurion is going to need all the help he can get, because if Omega wins and the Invasion isn't stopped, then not only will Freedom City be destroyed, this entire universe will be destroyed. Which is where you come in. No pressure.

Your characters should preferably be superheroes of the "positive role-model" types, genuine hero-types who's fit in easily into either the Justice League or the Avengers, though if you wish you could start out with some Iron Age coloring to your character. Regardless during your career, which may date back to the 1940s or centuries into the past even depending on your origin, you have encountered the Centurion, who's seen something in you, some potential for greatness. And now when the Centurion needs help the most to save the entire universe, you are the ones he calls upon and entrusts to protect Freedom City, a task that may end up being more long term than you first guessed... Note that if you wish you may take over existing Freedom City characters if you're aware of them, such as taking the role as the immortal Greek inventor and veteran Freedom Leaguer Daedalus, or you may take exisiting heroes and change them however you wish, such as someone else than Elizabeth Watson-Wright getting imbued with the power of Lady Liberty, or Duncan Summers passing his mantle of the Raven (Freedom City's version of Batman) onto your character instead of his daughter Callie taking up the role. The only existing heroes that are unavailable are the Centurion himself and Doctor Metropolis, though due to the PL 10 restriction other heroes like Adrian Eldrich (the Freedom City version of Doctor Strange) may be hard to convert.

The premise of this game is that after the Terminus Invasion is over, however it may end up, your characters suddenly are the greatest and perhaps only defenders Freedom City as well as planet Earth has from repeated incursions from the Terminus, other alien invasions or world-domination plots by any number of supervillains out there. So your characters must (eagerly or reluctantly) take up the mantle of the Freedom League, the Freedom City version of the Justice League or the Avengers. The Freedom League traces it's roots back to the 1940s and the Liberty League, which fought both Super-Nazis in World War 2 and it's share of alien invasions later, to be disbanded then at the McCarthy hearings. The Liberty League was then reformed in the 1960s as the Freedom League, and for well over a decade was the greatest team of superheroes on the planet, battling the undead hordes of Hades, alien incursions and all manner of supervillains. The League was then disbanded by the Centurion in the 1980s after the deaths of two of it's junior members and after many others like the Raven and the Golden Age Lady Liberty had retired, at the start of what would be Freedom City's Iron Age, but now the time has come for someone to pick up the mantle once again.

This game will have a sliding date, skipping perhaps several years at a time between adventures to get up to the current date, which you might keep in mind for your character. If you got any special goals in mind, like if you want your character to get married in his or her civilian life and perhaps even have children please let me know and I'll see what can be arranged, and same goes if you want your character to start out a haunted vigilante who'll over the course of years progress into a more standard superhero. As the date progresses so will the power of the heroes, with a generally fast advancement rate of at a minimum of 5 pp gained per adventure and the PL getting advanced accordingly as well.

As a final note, this game will not feature many simple encounters, or situations where you are "supposed" to win, just situations where you can win, if you fight for it! If you are meant to be the greatest heroes in the world, then you'd better earn it. I'm not saying I'll be out to kill your characters at the get go, but go up against Omega without a very solid battle plan and you may end up a smear on the pavement as a result. Success is not guaranteed, and hero lives may be lost in the course of this game... But if you're ready for that, welcome to the Freedom League!


EDIT:

If there's anyone who wants to play but are unfamiliar with the system, you can pick up the M&M Beginner's Guide for free from DriveThruRPG here, with it you'll have a very good introduction to how the rules work, and while it doesn't include many feats or powers except the ones held by the sample characters (the Next-Gen), once you got a good concept I can help you with the rest.


Currently submitted characters;

Requiem - Owen Beckett, steel-clad Human Tank.
hero4hire - Paragon, The Perfect Man.
cthughua - Turbocharge, speedy electricity blaster.
iwatt - Spartan, immortal Greek warrior.
MrMiracle - Poly-Man, the rubber man.
EPIC - Epic, cosmically empowered champion.
Godwall - Icarus, high-flying son of Daedalus.
Radical Dreamer - Witch Girl, spell-slinging Wiccan.

Recruitment is still ongoing however.

[Requiem]

PL10 Werewolf perhaps....or maybe lose the fur and just go the Hulk route. Decisions decisions....

[Cyclone]

Sac, you know I'm in, but you also know I won't be in for a while yet due to going out of town on Thursday.

[Sacremas]

Cyclone; Right, I'd like to have a recruitment done by a week or so however, so if you could perhaps offer a concept before you head off, that would be great. With character creation and such I doubt we'll be up and running before you get back, but if so I think I got a few ideas for late comers.

[Cyclone]

Well, there's Gravion, mainly.  Will probably modify his background some.  May even adapt Survivor's background to Gravion.

[MrMiracle]

I'm thinking maybe a sound-based character.  You don't see too many of those.  Or I could resurrect Poly-Man, as I'm absolutely desperate to give him another try.

[Sacremas]

Whatever you make, try to give them some sort of Oomph! to them; this is a Justice League type game, so I'm not intending to design many encounters specifically around your strengths and weaknesses (unless you're dealing with your own rogue's gallery or the like obviously) so if your character would be a bad fit into a classic Justice League line-up, try to rework it a little. Then again, Plastic Man fit in quite nicely in the Morrison/Waid era JLA...

[Requiem]

Copy and paste from the much mourned He-Man game that never got off the ground. He'll need some work and I dunno if his mook-mauling fits the tone and setting as well but it's a good base to work off of.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Daniel Parker aka Silverbolt

PL 10, 150 power points.

Str 16/24 (+3/+7), Dex 16 (+3), Con 16/22 (+3/+6), Int 12 (+1), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 12 (+1) [26pp]

Base Attack/Defense: 8/8 [32 pp]

Saves: Toughness +8/+11 (5 Impervious), Fortitude +7/+10, Reflex +8/+9, Will +8 [15pp]

Skills:  Diplomacy 4/+5, Intimidate 8/+9/+11, Knowledge (History) 4/+5, Notice 4/+6/+10, Sense Motive 8/+10, Survival 8/+10 [9pp]

Feats: Attack Focus (Melee) 2, Diehard, Eidetic Memory, Endurance, Fearless, Fearsome Presence 2, Improved Critical (Strike), Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Startle, Takedown Attack 2, Track, Uncanny Dodge (hearing) [20pp]

Powers:
Alternate Form 7 [Flaw - Move Action] (35pp to spend, Cost: 28pp)
Werewolf Form: Growth 4 [+8 Str, +4 Con, -1 Attack/Defense, +4 Grapple, -4 Stealth, +2 Intimidation,  Space/Reach 10ft/10ft, +5 Str for calculating carrying capacity, height 12 feet, weight 1800 lbs], Strike 2 [Power Feat: Mighty, Extra: Penetrating 2, FX: Claws/Teeth] Leaping 2 (x5 distance), Speed 2 [25 MPH], Enhanced Ability [Constitution] 2, Super-Senses 5 (Danger-Sense, Infravision, Scent), Enhanced Feat [Fearsome Presence 3], Enhanced Skill [Notice +4], Enhanced Save [Reflex +1]

Super-Senses 2 (Darkvision)
Immunity 6 (Aging, Disease, Poison, Environmental Cold/Heat, Sleep)
Regeneration 8 [Recovery Rate: Injured or staggered 5 minutes, bruised or unconscious once per round with no rest, disabled 5 hours, ability points 1 per hour, [Power Feats: Persistent, Regrowth]
Protection 5 (Extra: Impervious)

[56pp]

Drawbacks:
Involuntary Transformation (During Full Moon, uncommon, major: DC 15 to resist),
Vulnerable: Silver (common, minor, +1 save DC)
Weaknesses (Wolfsbane, uncommon, major intensity: -1 cumulative ability score drain)

[8pp]

Complications: Prejudice, Family

(Abilities 26 + Combat 32 + Skills 9 (36 ranks) + Feats 20 + Powers 56 + Saves 15 - Drawbacks 8= 150pp)

Combat: [Human form] Attack +10 melee (+3 nonlethal, unarmed), or +8 ranged (by weapon),
Grapple +11, Defense 15 (10 flatfooted), Toughness +4 (+3 flatfooted), Initiative +7

[Werewolf form] Attack +9 melee (+9 lethal, crit 19-20, penetrating 2, claws/teeth), or +7 ranged,
Grapple +19, Defense 14 (9 flatfooted), Toughness +6 (5 flatfooted), Initiative +7

Background:
In progress....

[Sacremas]

Sorry, werewolves and the like are decidedly Iron Age and so probably wouldn't be all that appropriate. We're at the tail(tip) end of the Iron Age as it starts, so starting out as an Iron Age-styled character could be acceptable if you'd planned to stop being one, but obviously if you stopped being a Werewolf there goes all your powers most likely (and concept, for that matter)...

There's also by the way a werewolf already in Freedom City, Jack Wolf of the Atom Family who turns into WolfJack occasionally (think the John Jameson version of Werewolf by Night here). He's cured however by now and will be taking over custody of the Atom Family kids, provided any of the Atom Family survives the Terminus Invasion that is.

[Sacremas]

If I don't get enough interest for a JLA-style high-powered game I might go for an Iron Age game however, street level vigilante PL 6-8ish, in which case a werewolf or the like would fit in quite well. I'm really, really hoping there's enough interest in this one however, as I got a lot of work done on it already and I think it could be a lot of fun, even if I may be a bit stringent when it comes to the character types I'd like to see...

[Requiem]

Drat. Oh well, figured he wouldn't fit. Trying to use up some archived chars that never saw any play time. Down to my Collosus rip off or my invisible investigator. Although I do have a super monk concept ala Iron Fisr that could work.

[Sacremas]

A Colossus-type would work out very well, every team needs a good tank. And if you want to be a phenomenal tank, look up Protection in Ultimate Power (pg 71-72) and the Reflective extra. Then stuff that into an Alternate Form (Steel-Clad) power along with some Immunity (Critical hits would be appropriate for someone who's completely clad in steel). If you run out of points after getting all the Impervious/steel skin you want, some ranks of Strike (Mighty) to round out your damage could also be appropriate for the fact that your hands are steel-hard.

In the Golden Age of Freedom (the 1940s/WW2 years) there were a Colossus-type called the Human Tank, I'll provide the writeup from the Golden Age book below in case you want to use him as basis in any way (which you don't have to, you can be totally unrelated if you want obviously, just throwing it out there). He's 16 points below what you got, so an option to increase it would be to add two more ranks to his Alternate Form, then spend that on Reflective (melee) 8 and Critical Hits immunity, and even with that you'll have 6 points to round out other things you want. Increasing your will save would be one option, but not a must, as it's not unknown for 'tank' types to not have all that much protection from mental powers... or possibly your metal protects your mind as well as your body, in that case add another rank to your Alternate Form power and add Mental Shield 5. If you want to tie your character to the Human Tank in some way, note in the background that he had two children with Lady Celtic, and while you're probably one of their children in turn if anything (or not, Immunity to Aging could be one option for that last point). Note in that case that Lady Celtic was one of the Golden Age's more powerful mystics, almost on the same level as Adrian Eldrich at the time, and their children may have inherited some of her powers as well, in that case add some Knowledge (arcane lore) and the Ritualist for some interesting additional abilities, you could gain that by dropping the Profession (Mechanic) and Craft (Mechanical) ranks.

Spoiler: The Human Tank (click to show/hide)

The Human Tank

PL 10/134 PP

Abilities: Str 34, Dex 14, Con 30, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13.

Skills: Skills: Craft (mechanical) 8 (+8), Drive 6 (+8), Intimidate 8 (+9), Knowledge (popular culture) 4 (+4), Profession (mechanic) 6 (+8), Sense Motive 4 (+6).

Feats: Assessment, Attack Focus (melee) 2, Endurance, Interpose, Power Attack, Takedown Attack.

Powers: Alternate Form 7 (metal, Density 4 [+8 Str, Immovable 4, Impervious Protection 2, Super Strength 1], Immunity 9 [life support], Impervious Toughness 6 [8 total], Super-Strength 4 [5 total, heavy load: 44 tons]; Permanent), Super-Senses 1 (radio, via metallic resonance).

Combat: Attack +8 (melee), +6 (ranged), Grapple +25, Damage +12 (unarmed), Defense +8, Knockback –10, Initiative +2.

Saves: Toughness +12, Fortitude +12, Reflex +4, Will +5.

[Abilities 47 + Skills 9 (36 ranks) + Feats 7 + Powers 36 + Combat 28 + Saves 7 = Total 134 PP]

Hank was the second child of Margaret and Henry Griffin. When they died in a car accident, the eleven-year-old Hank and his six-year-old brother Tommy went to live with their older sister Shelly and her husband, metallurgist Dr. Michael MacLain, in Freedom City. Hank became obsessed with cars and a skilled mechanic and driver, which made him useful in Michael’s lab filled with mechanical inventions and the fact that “Doc” had poor depth perception and didn’t drive.

When Fifth columnists in Freedom City sabotaged the lab, Hank, Tommy, and Doc were caught in the initial explosion. Hank tackled Tommy and used his own body to shield his brother from the spray of liquid super-metal. Hank threw off the rubble and found his skin, organs, and muscles were now all metal. Tommy, who’d been trapped under him, could pull the metal out of the air, just as he breathed in the super-metal in the air from the lab. Their sister and her husband were both dead.

The Human Tank and Gunner captured the saboteurs and turned them over to the military at Lonely Point. Despite his little brother’s age, Hank accepted a request to volunteer their powers for the war effort. The brothers immediately went to Europe to join other allied superhumans in the Allies of Freedom, a team under the command of the Allied military commanders. Their main liaison was Major Richard Monroe of the O.S.S.

Hank, as the Human Tank, was the powerhouse of the team, yet his humility and quiet humor belied his metallic power. Still, shortly after arriving in Europe, he fell in love with Lady Celtic. They were married on New Year’s Day 1943, their twin children born in mid-1944.

Hank was seriously wounded by Nacht-Krieger when he attempted to prevent the Nazi’s escape from Europe. His wife, Lady Celtic, was killed. After weeks grieving for her and his other lost comrades, Hank placed his children in the safekeeping of his wife’s younger sister and he and Tommy returned to duty.

Human Tank and Gunner helped end the war with Japan and stayed to help the allies restore the country. Both of them fell in love with Japan and its culture, and the Human Tank began making plans to have his children brought to Osaka to live. Before that could happen, however, on October 17, 1946 the Crimson Katana murdered the Human Tank and Gunner in their sleep.

[Requiem]

I like it! Saves me the trouble of updating mine from a PL8. I'll go the whole son of route and use the extra 16pp to round him out a little bit. Finalized version should be up later.

[Sacremas]

If you don't got Iron Age you can find the Human Tank's appearance (part of him at least) on pg 112 of Ultimate Power, being shot at by Nazi Bullets (yeah, actual swastika bullets). He looked like Colossus with the whole plated stainless steel look, and wore red shorts and boots. I think you can find pictures of him in Mastermind's Manual as well, I'll go dig...

As a side note with even his organs being permanently metal I have no idea how he was able to father children, but I'm guessing magic was involved. Maybe Lady Celtic used a spell to turn him human for special occasions, in which case her children were presumably born human as well. It's up to you if you want to be permanently steel or able to switch.

[Requiem]

Gotcha, going the grandson route instead to make it more timely with it being the 90s now in the setting. Gonna keep the permanent drawback, and if he finds a special lady to drop it for, that be done through advancement or spell from mommy. Get a proper background up later once I think of a decent one.

Owen Beckett

PL 10/150 PP

Abilities: Str 34, Dex 14, Con 30, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12.

Skills: Skills: Craft (mechanical) 8 (+9), Drive 6 (+8), Intimidate 8 (+9), Knowledge (popular culture) 4 (+5), Notice 4(+6), Profession (mechanic) 6 (+8), Sense Motive 4 (+6).

Feats: Assessment, Attack Focus (melee) 2, Endurance, Fearless, Interpose, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Takedown Attack.

Powers: Alternate Form 9 (metal, Density 4 [+8 Str, Immovable 4, Impervious Protection 2, Super Strength 1], Immunity 10 [life support, critical hits], Impervious Toughness 6 [8 total], Reflective (Melee) 8, Super-Strength 4 [5 total, heavy load: 44 tons]; Permanent), Super-Senses 1 (radio, via metallic resonance).

Combat: Attack +8 (melee), +6 (ranged), Grapple +25, Damage +12 (unarmed), Defense +8, Knockback –10, Initiative +2.

Saves: Toughness +12, Fortitude +12, Reflex +4, Will +7.

[Abilities 48 + Skills 10 (40 ranks) + Feats 9 + Powers 46 + Combat 28 + Saves 9 = Total 150 PP]

Background:
In progress....