Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Streets of Orphicten

One of the big things I find about running your own homebrewed setting is, once you've got your idea down-pat on paper, writing the first adventure. One helpful thing I find is using a pre-written adventure that does the genre justice, but doesn't contain a specific setting. That way, you can simply slot it in. The problem often with writing your own adventure as the first step is that you want to show everything of the setting in one hit. Moreover, you need to- the players need to get the feel for it. But at the same time, you can't. So what do I do? I write an adventure which deals with one specific aspect of the setting in detail, but connotes a whole set of prominent ideas! Such is the case with Lingering Shadow- the first AFU adventure I've written. As a side note, I've since stopped writing hugely detailed adventures. 2-3 pages at ten point arial tops! Players run things off course anyway, so I keep the events loose and flexible. I take a begining, middle and end; writing the details of each of them. Then I write two points between the begining and middle, middle and end respectively, connecting them. After that I slap on hook and conclusion; done! I have somethign to go on and the players don't get restricted!

Lingering Shadow
The next big thing…
There is a new drug on the streets of Saint Wulpurga, one of Orphicten’s poorest residential suburbs. It’s called Shadow and it’s becoming a big hit. Why? Because it gives the user Superpowers! The Police (even the dirty ones) are worried about it, as its both a weapon and a narcotic. So are two Orphicten’s organizations- the Cerberus Gang which controls Saint Wulpurga and the Mikos Family, which controls the adjacent suburb of Trojan Docks. Each blames the other and believe this could be the opening move of a war. That means they’ll soon be muscled out of business.

If the Team has any connections to either the Police or any of Orphicten’s criminals, have their contacts drop them a line and ask them to look into this ‘Shadow’ phenomena. Stress that a war could be brewing! They point the Team to Underpass- a slum between the two. Underpass is where most Shadow Junkies are rumoured to congregate. Otherwise, there are always reporters from the Orphicten Gazette, snitches on the street or loved ones who come home with a new habit! Even a local news report on Shadow and Underpass could do the trick; shaming the city’s heroes for not stepping in.

Ideally, the Party will go to Underpass at night, when illumation ranges from Dark to Dim (SWEX 67) depending on how close the Party are to street lights or fires lit in steel drums. When stomping around either Trojan Docks or Saint Wulpurga, draw a card and see if the Party has a random Encounter.

Card Saint Wulpurga Encounter
A-10 Citizens (2D4).
J Orphicten Police Patrol; 2 cops in a marked police car.
Q Urban Primitives (1D4), treat as Citizens with All Thumbs.
K Cerberus Gangers (2D6)
Joker Draw twice.

Card Trojan Docks Encounter
A-10 Nothing.
J Orphicten Police Patrol; 2 cops in a marked police car.
Q Homeless Citizens (1D4)
K Mikos family heavy’s (2D4)
Joker Draw twice.

Underpass
Five docks and their associated warehouses and factories dominate the suburb of Trojan Docks. Most of these are empty since the war ended and industry left Orphicten. Bordering on Trojan Docks is Saint Wulpurga, a suburb of mixed commercial and residential streets and blocks. Saint Wulpurga is a ghetto dominated by apartment-style buildings, each between three and eight stories high. Between four and six such buildings are usually crammed onto a single block. A raised highway-bridge divides Saint Wulpurga and Trojan Docks, under which the homeless community of Underpass dwells. Underpass is a little worse than either Trojan Docks or Saint Wulpurga, however. It’s a slum. The difference between a slum and a ghetto is quite distinct. Ghettos are regular residential zones for the poorer citizens. They aren’t maintained beyond the basics of power, water and waste collection. Slums by contrast aren’t maintained, or even legal. They’re simply cobbled together from condemned buildings and scrap.

Underpass is made from scrap- corrugated iron, canvas and cardboard nailed, taped and roped together. Underpass takes its name from the overpass it dwells under. For Orphicten locals, a Common Knowledge roll (Knowledge (Orphicten) for outsiders) notes Underpass as a place renowned for its junkies and violent hobos. Investigating Underpass for signs of Shadow is a Streetwise roll, with success bringing mixed and random results as determined by the table below:

Card Encounter
A-10 1d10 Homeless citizens
J Shadow overdose
Q 1d4 Shadow Junkies (euphoric)
K 1d6 Shadow Junkies (violent)
Joker Marv Smalltown

Gutter full of Shadow
Tracing whichever clue the Team encounter to the source of Shadow depends entirely on the clue.

Homeless Citizens
They are hostile at first, but a Streetwise roll points the Party in the right direction (the regular homeless here don’t care for junkies) as the Team is directed to where some Shadow Junkies were last seen or suspected to be. Draw another card.

Shadow Overdose
The Team finds a Shadow junkie that has overdosed. They’re most likely laid in a ditch or some other forgotten corner. Searching the junkie is pointless as other junkies and homeless have stripped them of anything of value down, leaving a naked corpse. Some asking around might lead back to the Shadow Junky click this victim was part of…

Shadow Junkies
Once beaten down, the Shadow Junkies can be interrogated. A quick Intimidate or Persuasion roll does the trick. Euphoric junkies can be subject to Taunt as well as persuaded, but Intimidate just turns them violent. Either way, they name the dealer as Deimos and give up his location (see below).

Marv Smalltown
Smalltown’s already on the case. The Team find him squatting in one shack over a Shadow overdosed corpse. Smalltown explains to the party this was Larisa. A prostitute and junkie; he’d gotten her a waitress job in the hopes that she’d gone clean and she did. That is till she met a dealer named Deimos, who scared her into taking Shadow. Then she was hooked. Luckily, just before she died, Larisa told Smalltown where to find Deimos: Floor 3, room 225 in the apartment building on 5 Antonio Street, Saint Wulpurga. Its only two blocks away and Smalltown purposes an old-school Superhero team-up to dish out some justice Deimos won’t soon forget.

Deimos; god of Dread
The apartment building is six stories tall and the elevator is out of order. As the team makes their way up the stairwell to the Deimos’ place they pass two Shadow Junkies on the stairs. These let them pass. However, about halfway up they meet three more. These don’t let them pass. Give the Team a Notice roll. Passing means they hear the first two sneaking up on them. If they don’t, the two at the back get a surprise round. Combat ensues as the Shadow Junkies attempt to mug the Team.

Deimos’ apartment is, as the Team learned, on floor 3, room 22. If they knock on the door, a person inside looks through the peephole, demanding the password (remember: there isn’t one). If the Team don’t give it to him or they just kick down the door he bolts up the fire escape. Either way, once in the room or caught up to Deimos, have the Team make a Guts roll for Deimos’ Fear power.

Once on top of the building, Deimos begins to scurry across rooftops, leaping from one to the next. Count this as a Chase with Deimos on foot (SW:EX 115) with rough terrain. After making his way across the roof, Deimos will go down the other side of the building and into an alley way; there he will dash to the street and into the sewers via a storm water drain (flattening himself and diving head first). A sewer pad is near by, however, allowing for easy Hero access. If he isn’t caught before then, Deimos will attempt to hide in the sewers, striking with a Surprise Round should the Team stumble near him and fail a Notice roll. Once caught, Deimos will fight.

Deimos 2 room (bedroom and kitchen/living) apartment is nothing special. Stove, a fridge filled with booze, blackberry juice and no food (a Streetwise roll recalls that dealers often water down Shadow with blackberry juice), a broken TV, a lump couch. The bedroom is no better. A mattress, wardrobe filled with dirty clothes. There is a small statue on a stand in one corner of the room. It is of a naked man with snakes emerging from his hair. A Knowledge (Mythology) roll recognizes this as Deimos, Greek god of dread. A Notice roll, however, spots scrape marks on the floor, one for each leg of the couch. Moving it reveals a sheet of cardboard underneath, and lifting that finds a hole where floorboards used to be filled with over 50 hits of Shadow. Looks like Deimos is indeed the Shadow dealer.

Dealing with dread
Deimos isn’t talking. But he will promise to talk if the Team let him go. He knows that being a living, meaty shadow being dealing a superpower drug is sure to land him in a Specialist Magistrates Court. With the evidence against him, Deimos will end up on Exodus Rock for sure. So letting him go is the best way to get him to talk. If the Team have done the right thing (as Smalltown will do if he is with the Team, unless they convince him otherwise) and drag Deimos to the police, then he won’t talk until a Magistrate with Specialist qualifications in Supervillain law promises sign off on him being powerless. If the Team go looking for such a Magistrate they find Sonya Carline. Young and tough, she sees everything in black and white, On reviewing the case, Sonya believes Deimos needs to be tried as a potential Supervillian. She thus requires some convincing or its time for the Team to get creative with Deimos. However they do it, when Deimos finally gives up the information the Team learn that shadow is being manufactured in Warehouse 3 on Dock 5. An Investigation roll into Orphicten’s records notes the Warehouse is owned by Labor Corp, but has not been used by the company since Orphicten’s war industry bubble burst. As such, it has been purchased by to a Mr. Yamoto Kane. A subsequent Investigation roll on Kane reveals nothing. Even the bank account he wired the payment from no longer exists and there is no evidence to say it ever did.

Warehouse 5
Dock 5 contains three warehouses and a large loading area. Warehouse 3 looks just like any other from the outside. A Notice at -2 (or -4 for Dark lighting if this takes place at night) roll, however, spots the Ninja patrolling the roof to the other. They are keeping watch outside the warehouse and it takes a Stealth roll to avoid being spotted. Should the Team wish to eliminate the Ninja, they may then choose to enter the warehouse through the roof. From here, they may step onto the built in crane which moves on a horizontal X and Y axis track, allowing for containers to be moved about as need be.

Besides this there are two points of entry; a through the large doors on the loading dock and a side administrative entrance, via an office and coffee room. If entering through this latter point the Team are initially confronted by shipping container stacked in various heights (1-5 high). These make various corridors, narrow and wide.

Either way, once the Team get to the loading dock they find what they are looking for. There three long tables here, done up looking like a chemistry lab, each tended by three workers at various points (nine in total). Around them, silently watching is Corpse Tiger and six Ninjas (should the Team have made too much noise entering via the office, Corpse Tiger will have sent his Ninjas to investigate). On seeing the Team, Corpse Tiger and his Ninjas attack while the workers flee.

New Light…
The Team now has a good deal of Shadow on their hands. On their part, the smart thing to do is to turn the whole operation plus Corpse Tiger over to the police. Not only do the tables have an entire manufacturing set up (enough to produce six hits a day), but one of the nearby shipping containers contains 200 hits ready to go! From the looks of things, it seems Deimos was just the beginning; Shadow dealing in Orphicten was ready to expand! If the Team are curious, however, they can attempt to figure out the ingredients of Shadow. Unfortunately, a successful Knowledge (Science, Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals or similar skill) roll reveals it’s made from uncommon and ultimately indistinguishable ingredients.

Hassling the Workers with some Persuasion or Intimidate doesn’t get any further. It just leads to five individual shipping crates, each respectively containing barrels of violet, blue, green, yellow, red or orange liquid. A Knowledge check on these reveals the same; the liquids are of an unknown nature. All the Workers know is that one hit of Shadow was one shot of each liquid, boiled till it was colorless then mixed.

AFU Heroes & villians

So, naturally, being a Superhero verse, we went on and created a bunch of heroes and villians for it! The problem is creating memorable characters which are a bit disposable, but very memorable. Allies that the players can encounter, interact with and empathize with (esspecially if they're killed) and antagonists the players love to hate and will enjoy encountering again and again. So we've held off on most of the big ones mentioned in the previous post, just a bit... Note, all Heroes and Villians listed here are Wild Cards!

Hero

Harvest Moon
Sarah Carline is special. Young, attractive, wealthy successful; people wonder what she’s doing single and living in a rust-bowl like Orphicten. The young Magistrate with Special qualifications in Superpower law says she’d dedicated to cleaning up the city. That’s not the truth, though. Not entirely. Sonya’s hard reputation is attributed to her fist month on the job. She was asked to review the villain Chimera’s case. Sonya ruled that Chimera was to be tried as a Supervillian. Quickly found guilty; Chimera was locked down for transit to Exodus Rock. Unfortunately, Chimera escaped and began taking revenge on all those who’d participated in determining his guilt, including Sonya whom he infected with a virus engineer from both tiger and bat. Though Marv Smalltown eventually rescued Sonya and recaptured Chimera the damage was done. Each night since, Sonya has transformed into the woman known as Harvest Moon; part Vampire, part Weretiger. So far, only Marv Smalltown and Chimera know Sonya’s secret.

Harvest Moon
Race: Werewolf/Vampire

Rank: Novice

A D10, Sm D6, Sp D4, St D6, V D10

P 6, Pa 2, T 7, Ch +4

Skills
Climb D6, Fighting D10, Knowledge (Occult) D4, Notice D6, Tracking D6, Stealth D8, Streetwise D6,

Hindrances
Gimmick – At sunrise Harvest Moon becomes Sonya Carline until sunset (Major), Loyal (Minor), Stubborn (Minor).

Edges
Arcane Background (Superpowers), Berserk, Very Attractive.

Powers
Attack, Melee – Razor Claws 2D6 (4), Super Attribute – Agility (1), Super Attribute Vigour (2), Undead – Vampire (2), Wall Walker (1).

Gear
None.

Sonya Carline
Race: Werewolf/Vampire

Rank: Novice

A D6, Sm D10, Sp D6, St D4, V D4

P 6, Pa 2, T 4, Ch 0

Skills
Driving D6, Knowledge (Legal) D12, Investigation D10, Persuasion D10.

Hindrances
Gimmick – When night falls Sonya Carline transforms into Blood Moon (Major), Loyal (Minor), Mean (Minor).

Edges
Attractive, Arcane Background (Superpowers), Rich.

Powers
None.

Gear
Brief case, papers, limitless credit card, glasses.

Marv Smalltown
Barry and Mary Smalltown moved to Orphicten during the war to take advantage of the city’s booming war industry. After the war they wanted children, but found themselves unable to conceive; so some years later they adopted an infant orphan named Marvin. But the world had moved on and Orphicten was rusting. Like most people employed by the war industry, Barry and Mary hadn’t earned enough to save and couldn’t move on. But Barry was struggling to find work. While they were raising Marvin to believe in right and wrong, Barry was doing odd-jobs for the Mikos Family. Marvel was ten when he found out, and never took money from his father again, instead getting whatever odd jobs he could. Arguments were frequent between Marvin and Barry in those days. In his mid teens one particularly savage argument resulted in Marvin striking his father in front of some colleagues. His father was knocked unconscious in an instant. When his father’s colleagues stepped in Marvin beat them all. More came later, and left after Marvin threw a car at them. Marvin had left the Smalltown home by the time Barry had returned from the hospital; setting out to clean up Orphicten. Now in his late twenties, Marvin Smalltown has been living on the street for nearly a decade. He’s tried and is still trying to clean up Orphicten. But the criminal is clever and Marvin is ever-idealistic. They’ve drawn him into their web and learnt to work around him. He takes out individuals, even the big bosses. But every one he misses scales up the ranks. One day Marvin Smalltown may clean up Orphicten, but that day is decades off.

Race: Human

Rank: Legendary

A D8, Sm D6, Sp D8, St D12+10, V D12+5

P 8, Pa 4, T 14, Ch 0

Skills
Climbing D8, Driving D6, Fighting D12, Gambling D4, Intimidate D8, Persuasion D8, Streetwise D12, Stealth D8, Swimming D8, Taunt D12.

Hindrances
Arrogant (Major), Illiterate (Minor), Vengeful (Minor).

Edges
Ambidextrous, Arcane background (Superpowers), Brawny, Fleet Footed, Improved Frenzy, Power Points

Powers
Leaping (2), Super Attributes -Strength (10), Vigour (5), Toughness – Hardy (6).

Gear
Brass Knuckles (D12+D4+10), Cash $50-400.

Villian
Corpse Tiger
As a youth, Yorimoto Kane was a thug doing dirty work for the Yakuza. However, after going toe-to-toe with superhero, Tigerwoman, Kane was deemed worthy of a new position, entering training as one of the Yakuza’s ninjas. What none had realized at the time was that Tigerwoman had contracted a savage virus, sending her powers were into a contagious flux. As such, the battle had left Kane with similar abilities but terminally ill. Slowly and painfully dying, only to find his consciousness trapped in an animated corpse, Kane’s powers are thought to be the only thing keeping his body animated at present. Kane’s torture did not end there. He began to rot and maggots soon infested his flesh. The Yakuza, however, promised treatment in exchange for service and so Kane became Corpse Tiger, undead ninja. Then the bombs fell, destroying nearly all of the Yakuza’s global capital, save their few Pacific holdings. Suddenly, Corpse Tiger found himself without work or treatment and trapped in a rotting corpse! While Kane has learned the secret of his Yakuza treatments, they are far from perfect or cheap. Now a rat for hire, Corpse Tiger will work for whoever pays for the next treatment. Still respected amongst the now ex-Yakuza Ninjas, Corpse tiger occasionally hires his old comrades should the job require them.

Race: Human

Rank: Novice

A D8+2, Sm D6, Sp D8, St D6, V D8

P 6, Pa 6 (8 - Leaping), T 8, Ch -4

Skills
Climbing D8+2, Fighting D6, Intimidate D6, Lockpicking D8+2, Notice D8, Shooting D6, Stealth D8+2, Swimming D6, Throwing D8.

Hindrances
Terminally Ill - Decaying (Major), Distinctive Appearance – Semi-decayed Humanoid Tiger (Minor), Ugly (Minor).

Edges
Acrobat, Arcane Background (Super Powers), Quickdraw, Thief.

Powers
Attack, Melee – Device: Sword (2), Leaping (2), Undead (4), Wall Walker (2).

Gear
Sword (3D6), Shuriken (3/6/12, D6+D4).

Deimos, god of dread
Derik Moses had a superpower. He was a super junkie. He could do drugs more often and in vaster quantities than any other junkie on the planet. For all his efforts; Derik got nothing but a killer addiction. When Shadow hit the streets, Derik was the first and hardest to use it. In fact, Derik used so much Shadow that his flesh and bones dissolved and his mind melted into his shadow. Slowly, Derik Moses took on the persona of Deimos- Greek god of dread. Without a body, Deimos was immune to all the old narcotics which once dominated his life. The big time junkie became a small time dealer of Shadow. While at the bottom run of the ladder now, Deimos has the potential to claw his way to being a real problem if left unchecked.

Race: Human

Rank: Novice

A D6, Sm D8, Sp D8, St D4, V D4

P 8, Pa 5, T 4, Ch 0

Skills
Fighting D6, Guts D8, Intimidate D12+5, Notice D8, Stealth D8, Streetwise D8.

Hindrances
Alien Form – Living Shadow (Major), Distinct Appearance – Living Shadow (Minor), All Thumbs (Minor).

Edges
Arcane Background (Super Powers), Fleet Footed, Power Points (5).

Powers

Altered Form – More Stretch 1, Fall Proof (+5), Attack, Melee – Reach 1” (+3), Dark Vision (+2), Fear – Scary (+1), Super Skill – Intimidate (+3), Wall Walker (+1).

Gear
Five hits of Shadow at all times.

Shadow
Shadow isn’t a villain. It’s a drug that creates them. Shadow’s growing popularity is attributed to its side effects. Not only does anyone under the influence of Shadow gain the Overconfidence Hindrance, it also grants the user powers. Specifically these are Altered Form and Dark Vision. A hit of Shadow causes the users eyes to film over with a strange black liquid. This liquid additionally coats their limbs, generally from the knee and elbow down; giving them their stretch effect. Shadow junkies are generally easy to spot, as the more they use it the blacker their limbs and eyes become stained, with some of the most hardcore being permanently pitch.

If the user already has these powers they gain distinctly different benefits. For Altered Form, a user with this power gains More Elastic at +3. This bonus stacks. For Dark Vision, the character gains +2 on all Notice rolls.

It is, however, horribly addictive and already possessing the powers are no protection here. Each time the character takes a hit of Shadow they must roll Vigor at -4. Failure indicates the character gains the Habit (Major) Hindrance. Whispers indicate overdosing on Shadow can have other strange effects.

A single hit of Shadow sells for $200. Dealers have been known to water it down with black berry fruit drinks (thus disguising the fact it is watered down), which sells for $10-100, depending on how watered down. Watered down, it always grants the Overconfidence Hindrance and as addictive as at full strength. It is at half strength, a hit of shadow will grant a single power. The affects if Shadow last 2d6 hours, regardless of strength.

Shadow Junky
A D6, Sm D4, Sp D4, St D6, V D6

P 6, Pa 6, T 5, Ch 0

Skills
Driving D4, Fighting D6, Notice D4, Swimming D4, Stealth D6, Streetwise D4.

Hindrances

Habit – Shadow (Major), Overconfident.

Edges
Arcane Background (Superpowers).

Powers
Altered Form - More Elastic 1 (3), Dark Vision (2)

Gear
Improvised Weapons – Chains, pipes, crowbar, etc (D6+D4).

Holy Savage Supers!

Okay so me and a buddy wanted to run a supers game. We wanted it an Aussie-centric universe (as opposed to USA) and to be a bit different... So we came up with "Australia's First Universe" a post-nuke Superhero universe!

The World of Tomorrow
Einstein once said “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones”. The end of World War III proved him half right. On the last day of conflict, the mightiest bombs ever known obliterated the greater portion of the northern hemisphere. China, Russia, the United States; all the worlds great powers crumpled in a single moment.


Such world breaking tragedy was unprecedented. To mark the event, the calendar was reset to the year zero. It is now the year XXXV; and the world is a very different place. The thirty-four years since the end of the third world war saw necessity push the rise of a single global government. United under the Australian Empire, peace and prosperity have returned to humanity.

The Division of Power

While the Australian Imperial Government rules the world on a global scale, its regional grip is far from iron. The islands of the Atlantic and Pacific, along with Africa, are a patchwork of tiny subject nations. Likewise; South America’s beyond control. Complicating matters further is Labour Corp. Building, running and maintaining the Domes has given Labour Corp vast amounts of power; enough to shove when the government pushes.

Power Culture

The Australian Empire has a vibrant Power Culture. Nearly everyone claims to have a power of some kind ranging from amazing (telepathic control of machines) to mediocre (instant mathematical calculation) to subjective at best (lifetime die rolling average of six). Fashion has followed suit in this regard, with most commercial clothing constituting a costume of some kind. Costume stores have even become the number one hangout, containing bar-cafes.

In this unprecedented heroic age, Superheroes pedestaled. The most popular celebrities; every newspaper has a Superhero section and each news program a Superhero segment. Indeed, 90% of all free-to-air television is about Superheroes in some way from numerous reality programs to ‘Breakfast at XI with Toast Man’ and ‘Mystery Tin Man Late Night Chat’ (where guests and audience members bring on unlabeled tins for Mystery Tin Man to guess their contents).

Zero Tolerance

Like any culture, you get extremists. And in Power Culture, you get Supervillians. The term itself is broad, referring to any criminal who wears a costume, has superpowers or both. ‘Supervillian’ defines everyone from hoodlums on the street to mafia heavy’s. Given the current culture, the government currently feels that too much leniency could see things get out of hand. As such, they have adopted a single purpose zero tolerance policy to anyone being found guilty of being a Supervillian is given a life sentence on Exodus rock. There they are forgotten and beyond legal aid. Due to the potential severity of such a sentence, most cases of alleged Supervilliany are tried before a Specialist Magistrates Court. Before going to trial, a Magistrate with Specialist qualifications in Supervillian law must review the case and agree to the defendant being tried as a Supervillian.

The Dome Project
With the northern hemisphere now completely radiated; the global situation is a delicate one. Limited resources see the southern hemisphere in constant danger of overpopulation. Constructed by the Labour Corporation under contract from the government, the Domes provide answers to the new worlds problems.

Great cylinders of machinery topped by domes of ultra-glass; each dome is part city, think-tank and fortress. Near-fully self-sufficient, each Dome is responsible for one of the government’s major projects.

One of the primary roles of most Domes is to monitor of radioactive materials and their movements. For this reason most are along the Borderland between the northern and southern hemispheres. There are eleven Domes in total.

Dome One (Mexico)
Monitors the situation in South America.

Dome Two (Pacific, south of Hawaii)
Transfers prisoners to Exodus rock, supplies and maintains the Fortress.

Dome Three (Tasman Sea)
Oversees New Eden terraforming. Dome Three is relatively unique in that it is one of two Dome’s not to monitor radioactive materials.

Dome Four (Africa)
Military academy.

Dome V (Atlantic Ocean)
Purpose classified.

Dome Six (Borneo)
Technological Research.

Dome Seven (Madagascar)
Mass manufacturing and the second Dome not to monitor radioactive materials.

Dome Eight (New Guinea)
Arcane research.

Dome Nine (Marshal Islands)
Global sustainability.

Dome Ten (Pacific, between Hawaii and Peru)
Purpose classified.

Dome Solitude (Indian Ocean)
Coordinates efforts and correlates information from other Domes.

The Independence of South Africa
When resources were running low in World War Three, the major players all made a dive for Africa’s massive untapped resources. Massively depopulated by some of the most brutal action in the war, Africa is currently divided amongst many and varied suzerainties. While still under the Australian Empire, competition between these tiny kingdoms is fierce. The near-constant conflict across the continent draws more mercenaries than any other place on Earth.

The Americas
The fallout whipped Canada and the United States. But it didn’t go much further south. For the first time in over a century, it was good to be in Mexico. South America, however, forms an interesting problem for the Australian Empire. Blasted back to prehistoric, dinosaur-infested jungle by a temporal rip- the work of the villain Timito –the continent is populated in only small pockets. There is little common ground between the people here and no sense of governmental authority. Similar to the effect that plucked dinosaurs from the past, South America’s population ranges from cavemen to Roman Legions and much between.

Exodus Rock
Formerly Hawaii, Exodus Rock is now the one stop life-sentence prison for all super-criminals. Surrounded by an energy field which removes both radiation and super powers, Exodus Rock has no walls. Rather; only a red line in the earth marks boundary. Nor are their guards beyond the red line. Prisoners can do as they will within Exodus Rock. They can even leave at any time, provided they can survive the radiation. The only real security per say on Exodus Rock lies outside the energy field in the Fortress. Not only is the Fortress the source of the field, but drop off point for prisoners. The Fortress is naturally radiation proofed and should its staff need to step outside, special super-armours are provided.

Australia

On the day the bombs fell, Australia was a minor player. The next, it was the new superpower. Australia’s cities are the biggest and the people within enjoy the best quality of life. It sounds like a utopia, but that’s where the good news ends. Governmental focus is internatal, not national. The cities run, but they’re riddled with vermin. Pest control keeps the rats out of sight, but there are dark corners where the wicked rule and thrive. Outside the cities, it’s the vermin who rule. During the war, the homeland militia act gave rise road gangs and neo-savages, most of which are yet to be disarmed.

Albion
The city of tomorrow today, Albion is a high-tech super-metropolis. Easily the most comfortable and prosperous city in Australia; Albion’s puts a pretty face over her skin, industrial guts. Like cancer, Albion’s criminal element is deeply imbedded but largely invisible.

The high-tech g-man, Iron Horse, is the one-man solution to crime in Albion. Black ops trained, Iron Horse understands that criminals hide behind bureaucracy, process and protocol. Ignoring these things in favour of his own code of ethics, Iron Horse has denied the criminal the protection of law. His impossibly high ideals have also made Iron Horse beyond corruption. So far, Iron Horse’s government clearances have protected his conduct. But the constant tightrope walk is an effort no mortal man can keep up forever.

Orphicten
War industry built Orphicten. When the war ended, so did Orphicten’s prosperity. As the basic day-to-day functions of Orphicten began to break down, cracks appeared. Through the cracks rose the gangs and mobs. Now those cracks mark their territories.

One man who does want to make a difference in Orphicten is Marv Smalltown. The city’s resident vigilante, Marv doesn’t go for costumes or capes. Instead he deals with the mobs in a very open, old fashioned way: busting heads. The ultimate glass is three-fourths full guy, Marv truly believes his efforts will one day make a bad city good again. Scarily for the bad guys Marv is as strong and impervious as iron, able to leap from street to rooftop.

Southern Cross City
Southern Cross City has been the capital of the Australian Empire since the third world war’s end. The city gained its name from government reformation in the year one. Established as the new capital, the wars end saw the raising of the Eureka flag.

Since the late 1930s Australia’s premier Superhero has been the Battler. It’s understood that there have been numerous Battler’s over the years. From the Battle of Crete in World War II to the Siege of Washington in World War III, a Battler has stood for Australia and with Australians. The currently Battler saw no wartime action. But with their sidekick Cazaly, they’re a furious pair of scrappers and the premier icons of Southern Cross City.

Villains
Timito
Somewhere in South America, former General John Anderson- aka Timito -has his base. Despite the name, Timito is a real threat. A time traveller of sorts, Timito can project his consciousness laterally in space and temporally in reverse. In brief; he can visit any time period anywhere on Earth. While he can’t interact with the past, Timito can pluck objects from it.

Serving in World War III United States General Anderson tried desperately to stop the bombs. As Timito, he does the same. While this quest maybe noble, Timito is horribly unbalanced. The current state of South America is the mark of his last attempt to correct the past.

Aryan League, The
Nazi Germany’s greatest heroes were the alluring Blauer Engel, devious Nachtwachter and invincible Ubermensch. As the Aryan League were Hitler’s personal Superteam. Single-handedly, they were made up for losses in Russia and aiding Rommel in North Africa. Just before D-Day, however, Timito visited them; plucking them from the past. Initially angry, they saw a future in which the Reich didn’t even last ten years, let alone a thousand. Now, all accounts say they the League does Timito’s dirty work with the promise of returning to and correcting their past.

GM Secrets

Antarctica
Currently undergoing experimental New Eden terraforming project, hopes are Antarctica will be warmed to a lush virgin wilderness within the next century. Till its complete and understood, however, no one except the projects key scientists and mystics is permitted on New Eden. The only exception is for Antarctica’s one permanent resident; Corner Stone. Formerly Uluru, now a being of living stone, Corner Stone serves as New Eden’s guardian.

The Aryan League

This trio weren’t the only ones plucked from the past by Timito. Vanishing moments before the Red Army entered Berlin; Hitler’s suicide was a cover up. Currently residing in South America, who knows what purpose a long-thought dead Nazi serves Timito.

The Battler

The Battler and Cazaly are the foremost Superhero/Sidekick duo in Australia. But they’re also its darkest secret. Each time a Battler and Cazaly falls, another is chosen from the next census. This ensures only the most Australian take up the Battler’s mantle. Taken, stripped of their previous self and instilled with their new personas there is no secret identity: only the Battler and Cazaly remain. Family and friends never know what truly happened to their loved ones. The process is harrowing and has left the current pair prone to excessive drink and public debauchery.

Classified Domes
Sensitive things happen in the classified Domes. Dome Ten is Black Operations. Spies, secret agents, special operations, sensitive missions and all the other ‘dirty work’ of the government and military. Labour Corp has no hand in this Dome whatsoever. It is strictly government run.

Dome V has no purpose known by the Government or Labour Corp. Neither staff nor maintain this Dome.

Iron Horse

Contrary to popular opinion, Iron Horse has a single innate superpower in addition to his devices. He can regenerate.

The Northern Hemisphere
The greater portion of the Northern Hemisphere is a high radiation zone (SWEX p106). Thankfully, neither wind nor tide from the Earth’s two hemispheres mix overly, so the fallout hasn’t been drifting south in any dire manner.

Additionally, the bombs raised the temperature of the northern hemisphere up a notch; creating a mutative effect. Not only has nature sprung back, but it’s also taken a bold new turn. The Mosquitoids are the clearest example of this new natural frontier. Short, humanoid Mosquitos, in thirty short years this species has come to inhabit the bulk of the northern hemisphere.

White Noise
Something about the northern hemisphere- be it the Mosquitoids, the radiation, or the mutative effect –interferes with radio. All anyone attempts to use one pick up naught but static. A Repair roll at -4 can get it going, but even then it only catches one word in ten through the white noise.

Timito

The supervillian, Timito, may have initially wished to correct the final blow of World War III. When South America went prehistoric, however, Timito decided to master his abilities before making another attempt. Taking long walks deep into the past gave Timito a sense of perspective he lacked before. Timito now sees the past as a long series of mistakes; all subsequently requiring correction. Realizing he needs a stronger, more active, hand; Timito wishes to increase his power so that he may move through time and space at will.