HERO CONCEPT
Before you get started consider what sort of superhero you want to play. Ask yourself the following questions:
What is your heroes role in the group? Are you a close combat brawler, a superhuman paragon, a superstrong powerhouse, a long range marksman, a device utilizing gadgeteer, a speedster, a mentalist, a shapeshifter, a magician, a supernatural vessel for an extradimensional entity, an artifically intelligent construct or a some combination of the above?
What is your story? If Vanguard for Victory is our Avengers then what kind of story would your solo adventures be? Are you hardboiled detective, a superspy, a worldclass thief, the hero from a space opera, survivor of a zombie apocalypse, a mercenary from a wartorn battle theater, a teenager just trying to make it out of high school, someone standing up against organized crime, a archaeologist of the unknown, a one chosen to fight against the darkness or a transplant from another time?
What is your origin? How did you become a superhero? Do you have superpowers? If so how did you get them? Was there an accident involving strange chemicals? Were you exposed to cosmic radiation? Are you or one of your parents an alien? Were you bestowed mystical powers from an ancient benevolent being? Are you a secret government experiment? Are you possessed? Did you give yourself superpowers because you are a genius? Did you eat glowing beets? Are you from the future where everyone has superpowers?
What is your alternate identity? When you are not a costumed superhero what do you do? Is your real identity secret? Do you have a family? How about close friends? Do they know you are a superhero? Does the rest of the world?
What is your motivation? Why are you a superhero? Are you hoping for acceptance or just in it for the money? Are you responsible for your great power of do you just want to be famous? Do you are a strong belief in justice, patriotism or morality? Did someone you care about die in a really motivational way? Do the voices in your head command you to do these things?
What are your goals? Write down three goals you would like your character to acheive before the end of the campaign? One should be personal, one should be group oriented and one should be for the betterment of mankind.
What is your experience level at superheroing? Are you a fresh faced newbie? First time in a cape? Do you have some cases under your belt? Have you ever faced off against a super criminal? Have you ever dealt with an evil mastermind? Have you been at it so long you've lived through some key era events? If so, which ones?
What is your exposure level? Does anyone know your name or remember you? Have you ever worked with the police? Have you ever handled the media? Are you a vigilante or a respected crimefighter? Are you a reformed supervillain looking for a babyface turn? Are you overexposed? Is the general public enamored of you or think your a hasbeen?
Where are you from? Are you a protector of another city, state, country, alien world or dimension? If so why didn't you stay there? What brought you to Emerald City besides the Vanguard for Victory? Are you from Emerald City? If so, are you a legacy hero or connected to one of Emerald City's heroes from the past?
When is okay to kill?
Who on the team do you already dislike?
What is your biggest fear?
What is your biggest regret?
Why join the Vanguard for Victory?
COMPLICATIONS
Choose at least two complications for your hero: a motivation (which likely has already been defined above) and at least one other. You can take as many complications as you wish, although the GM may set limits for the sake of being able to keep track of them all. Complications are also self-limiting, in that you only earn hero points for those complications that actually come into play. So even if you have more than a dozen, if the GM can only include a couple in a game session, then those are the ones that earn you hero points for that game. You can—and generally should—look for opportunities to include your hero’s complications and offer suggestions to the GM, who makes the final decision on which complications come into play at any given time. The GM also decides what complications are appropriate for the game and can overrule any particular complication, based on the style and needs of the story and the series. Keep in mind the adventure needs to have room for all of the heroes’ complications, so individual ones can only come up so often.
POWER LEVEL
The Vanguard for Victory team is recruiting from the best and strongest the world has to offer. To this end each of you will be making a character worth 180 power points, making them Power level 12 characters. Power level 12 is where you find many of the members of the current Freedom League, the world's #1 superhero team: Daedalus, Lady Liberty, Captain Thunder and the Raven, to name a few. They are “senior” heroes, usually with considerable capabilities (and, often, experience). Those lacking superhuman powers (such as the Raven) have amazing levels of skill and resources to draw upon while the superhuman types are often among the most capable in their particular area, often worthy of titles like “King” and “World’s Greatest”. Using Power Points you will purchase Abilities, Advantages, Skills and Powers.
Maximilian Gregory "Max" Mars (February 24, 1955 – ) is an American information technology entrepreneur and inventor. He is the co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Mars Tech Inc. Mars is widely recognized as a pioneer of the artificial intelligence revolution of the 1980s. He has been described as a "creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, fashion, robotics, cellphones, mobile computing, and artificial intelligence."
Adopted at birth in Emerald City, and raised in the Malory Bay Area during the 1960s, Mars's countercultural lifestyle was a product of his time. Mars briefly attended Emerald City University in 1972 before dropping out, deciding to travel through India in 1974 and study mystical Buddhism.
Mars worked with Liam LeGrasse of Emerald Circuits Inc. in 1976 developing personal computers, robots and artificial intelligence. The duo gained fame and wealth a year later with ECI's Worker, one of the first highly successful mass-produced autonomous robots.
In 1979, after LeGrasse's infamous brain mapping accident, Mars saw the commercial potential of Liam's research and used it to develop the failed Mars Tech 'Mona' android in 1983, followed by the successful Redeye line of thinking computers in 1984. In addition to being the first mass-produced computer with primitive artificial intelligence, the Redeye instigated the sudden rise of the automaton industry in 1985 with the addition of the Mars Tech Arrow, the first home robot assistant to feature artificial intelligence. Following a long legal struggle, Mars won the right to many of ECI's initial patents in 1985.
In 1997, Mars Tech reached a new level of global profitability with the "Make the World Go Round" advertising campaign that launched a line of products that would have larger cultural ramifications over the next 20 years: the RedRing personal communications accessory, Mars Cellular Communications, the MarsBar holographic handheld computer, the RedNetwork data infrastructure, the Ruby line of intelligent apparel and the Tripod personal robot assistant. Redeye AI was also revamped into Rose, a more feminine AI interface that revolutionized responsive intelligent computers and companions.
In 2016 Mars entered into an agreement with Emerald City to fund a mayoral initiative to create the Vanguard for Victory, a global defense superhero team based in the municipality. Max Mars started and now administrates the Victory Foundation, a charity organization to house, fund and outfit the new group.
Amanda Talbot never knew her real parents, as she was adopted at a young age by the industrialist Gerald Talbot and his wife Stephanie. Her early childhood was unremarkable and she achieved average grades in school. She was unaware that she wasn’t the Talbot’s natural daughter until she was 18 when her father was injured in an accident. After that close call, Gerald decided to tell her in case something
happened to him or his wife. The news shocked Amanda, and despite her adopted parents’ wishes, she left home and entered the Police Academy.
Performing exceptionally well in her studies, Amanda graduated and began work as a police officer while studying law part-time. Though the demands on her time were grueling, Amanda not only excelled in her law studies, but rapidly climbed the ranks in the Police Department and made detective at the remarkably early age of 26.
Though she enjoyed her career, Amanda couldn’t help but feel that she could do more good for the city than she was in her current role. She returned to school and enrolled in a political science program with the intention of eventually running for the office of police commissioner. Obtaining her degree after five years, Amanda turned her eye to the Police Commissioner’s office and began to outline her campaign with her adopted father, with whom she’d reconciled, providing the initial funds. A successful advertising strategy, loyal campaigners, and her visible presence won Amanda the Police Commissioner’s office at the young age of 31. With her idealistic attitudes, bright personality, and fresh ideas, Amanda brought new life and dedication to the police force and instigated a number of programs that saw police officers enter elementary schools to provide education regarding the danger of strangers, drug and alcohol abuse, and superhuman encounter safety protocols.
With seven years of experience as Police Commissioner, Amanda felt she had done all she could in that position, and looked to climb further up the political ladder; she decided she could do her best work for the city as mayor. Her excellent results as Police Commissioner placed her in good stead, and in late 2006 Amanda won the position of mayor by a landslide.
A conscientious politician, Amanda has nothing but the good of the city in mind. She is a campaigner for city improvement, and has put the media to good use in bringing her ideas to the public’s attention. Her cheerfully smiling face and exuberant personality is a regular feature on many morning television programs as she happily answers questions regarding her designs and aims for the city and her administration.
Amanda Talbot is a statuesque woman in her early 50s. She prefers wearing sharp business jackets with matching pencil skirts which she accompanies with a light blouse to lend a feminine touch to what she feels may be too austere an image.
