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  JUNE 2002 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  In this issue:
  • Magic Lenses 
  • Magical Blues 
  • Pregen Guide 
  • Chinese Dragons 
  • Odd VIPER Nest 
  • Hero Unrolled
  • Historic Hero 
  • Static Cling 
  
  the special blank page 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  1
  Table of Contents 
   
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  HEROGLYPHS 
   
   
  See how Steve Long himself answers 
  rules questions. 
  2 
  WHEN LAST WE LEFT OUR HEROES… 
   
   
  Keep up with the news from Hero 
  Games. 
  3 
  YOU GOTTA HAVE CHARACTER 
   
   
  Famous blues singer Robert Johnson 
  may have come by his talent in an unusual 
  way. 
  4 
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  DICELESS HERO 
   
   
  Instead of leaving your games to chance, 
  why not take control of the odds, by deciding 
  when to succeed and when to fail? 
  9 
  SCIENCE HERO: CLINGING 
   
   
  Learn how superpowers interact with real 
  world science. Stick around to see how 
  Clinging mingles with gravity. 
  17 
  THE CARE AND FEEDING OF PREGENS 
   
   
  Making a character can take some time, 
  so using pregenerated (pregen) characters can 
  save time for new players. 
  19 
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  ELIZABETHAN HERO 
   
   
  Lo, opportunities for adventures 
  abounded when Shakespeare roamed the 
  Globe. And you can relive them. Hark! 
  27
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  ARCANE AVENUE: XERGON’S OPTICS 
   
   
  Mystical enchantments await those who 
  are curious (and wealthy) enough to enter the 
  marketplace of magical merchandise. 
  35 
  THE DRAGONS OF CHINA 
   
   
  Far East dragons, unlike their European 
  fire-breathing monstrous cousins, have 
  different abilities, and bring good omens. 
  39 
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  LEGION OF HEROES 
   
   
  Eight is enough. Well, when you’re a 
  duplicating rescue worker, it is. 
  45 
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  VIPER’S FOLDING NEST 
   
   
  VIPER has discovered the technology for 
  the highly sought “teleport escape.” But that 
  technology did not come alone, and its price 
  is perhaps too high even for VIPER… 
  48 
   
  DIGITAL HERO 
   
   
  Publisher 
  Hero Games 
  Editor 
  Dave Mattingly 
  Authors 
  Scott Bennie 
  Robert Bose 
  Bob Greenwade 
  Lisa Hartjes 
  Derek Hiemforth 
  Jeff Kesselman 
  Steven S. Long 
  Rodney Ruff 
  Michael Surbrook 
  Jason Walters 
  Artists 
  Jeff Kesselman 
  Brad Parnell 
  Eric Rademaker 
  Derrick Thomas 
  Jason Walters 
  Cover Artist 
  Jeff Hebert 
  Online 
  herogames.com 
  To Subscribe 
  herogames.com/ 
  digitalhero 
   
   
   
  HERO SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.'s trademark for its roleplaying system. 
  HERO System Copyright © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All  rights reserved. 
  Champions Copyright © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. 
  Justice Inc., Danger International, Dark Champions, Fantasy Hero, and Star Hero Copyright © 2002 by DOJ, 
  Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. 
  No part of this electronic magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic 
  or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and retrieval 
  system, without permission in writing from the Publisher:  DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, 
  California 94102. 
  Issue #1 (June 2002) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  2 
  HEROglyphs by Steven S. Long 
   
  PLANS, SO MANY PLANS... 
   
   
   
  Welcome to the first of what will hopefully 
  be many installments of HEROglyphs, a forum in 
  which I can pontificate about the HERO System 
  rules, discuss rules alternatives and options, and 
  otherwise analyze the heck out of our favorite 
  RPG system. 
   
  Before I proceed, I should give credit for the 
  name of the column to my good friends Tim 
  Binford and Andy Mathews. They thought of it 
  first, I gleefully stole it for my own fiendish 
  purposes. 
   
  Anyhow, back to business. The intent 
  behind this column is to delve into HERO System 
  rules issues that are too big or too complex for 
  easy discussion on the message boards or in e-
  mail. At least, that’s the idea. Of course, if I get 
  desperate, I may resort to talking about almost 
  any rules issue, no matter how simple, to fill up 
  page space every month. But it shouldn’t come 
  to that for a long while, at least. Take a look 
  below for just a few of the ideas I plan to write 
  about. 
   
  My hope is that this column will spark some 
  discussion of these issues on the message boards, 
  once I’ve drawn the topics out into the open and 
  gotten the ball rolling, and that those discussions 
  will, in turn, spark further ideas for columns. 
  With luck, it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. 
  On the other hand, with Unluck, it could become 
  a big mess. The potential danger here is that I 
  might start a lot of pointless arguing and flame-
  wars in our little virtual world (and some of 
  those flames might even be directed at me, perish 
  forbid!). But, like every other online community, 
  we tend to get our fair share of such brou-ha-has 
  anyway, so I’m willing to risk a few more in the 
  interest of starting some genuinely cool and 
  useful conversations. 
   
  SEND ME YOUR POOR, YOUR TIRED, 
  YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT 
  FRAMEWORKS... 
   
   
   
  Since I want HEROglyphs to be of some 
  actual use to you folks out there, feel free to send 
  me questions and ideas for the column at 
  SteveL@HeroGames.com. Because the column’s 
  supposed to address large, complex topics, try to 
  pick issues that I can sink my teeth into. If it’s a 
  question I can answer in a sentence or two, post 
  it on the message boards and I (and/or others) 
  will get back to you pretty quickly. 
   
  To save you a little trouble, here’s a list of a 
  few of the subjects I plan to write about in the 
  coming months (in no particular order): 
   
  ��A Fine Grain (the HERO System’s 
  granularity [or lack thereof], and what to do 
  about it) 
  ��Zap! (creating a “magical missile” in the 
  HERO System) 
  ��The Casual Approach (“Casual” 
  Characteristics other than STR) 
  ��Now I’ve Gotcha! (customizing Entangles to 
  prevent escape) 
  ��The Need For SPD (optional changes or 
  replacements for the SPD Chart) 
  ��And I’ll Form The Head! (creating 
  “combination” characters in the HERO 
  System) 
  ��Portmanteau Powers (a discussion of Powers 
  that combine one or more abilities) 
  ��A Minor Adjustment (dealing with some 
  issues about Adjustment Powers) 
   
   
  Some of my ideas for columns are pretty 
  simple and easy to address — a page or two of 
  writing ought to cover it. But some, like “A Fine 
  Grain,” will require multiple columns to discuss 
  in full. Long or short, hopefully each one will 
  have something of use for you. So stay tuned, 
  Hero fans! There’s plenty of interesting 
  discussion in store. 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  3
  When Last We Left Our Heroes…  
  by Steven S. Long 
   
  “AND NOW, FOR THE NEWS.” 
   
   
   
  What would a Hero Games magazine be 
  without a short column telling you some of the 
  latest news about the company? In that spirit, 
  welcome to When Last We Left Our Heroes..., a 
  monthly column in which I’ll discuss some of 
  the goings-on here at the company. Since I 
  already post weekly updates on the website every 
  week, WLWLOH will focus more on long-term 
  news and plans. For that reason, there may not 
  be a news column every issue; sometimes there 
  just won’t be much to say, other than, “We’re 
  writing some books.” Contrary to what you may 
  have heard, working for a roleplaying game 
  company isn’t all big money and fast living; 
  occasionally, there’s some actual work involved, 
  and that doesn’t make for good news. 
   
  HERO GAMES LAUNCHES MASTER 
  PLAN, FILM AT ELEVEN 
   
   
   
  I guess the big news for this first issue is:  
  “We’re back!” After a long period of torpor, 
  Hero is rarin’ to go and ready for action. 
  Evidence of that you hold in your hands (or see 
  on your computer screen) right now — Digital 
  Hero, our monthly e-zine, ably managed by New 
  Wave Dave Mattingly so I can go on developing 
  books and responding to questions online. 
   
  We here at the all-new, economy-sized Hero 
  didn’t jump into this for the heck of it. No, sir! 
  That’s not the way we do things. Our unofficial 
  motto is:  “Hero Games:  We’ve Got A Plan For 
  That.” So, with that in mind, I’d like to start out 
  this series of columns by giving you a glimpse of 
  what’s in store over the next few years. This isn’t 
  a detailed, month-by-month review, but more of 
  a “big picture” concentrating on our main game 
  lines as a whole. 
   
  The basic premise behind all of this is 
  simple. We start with a genre book, which 
  defines a particular genre (fantasy, superheroes 
  modern-day action-adventure, westerns, or 
  whatever). A genre book doesn’t include a 
  setting, or a bunch of enemies, or anything like 
  that; it just shows you how to apply the HERO 
  System rules to create and run characters and 
  campaigns for that genre. The genre book 
  becomes the basis for a whole product line (“the 
  Champions line,” “the Fantasy Hero line,” and 
  so on). Product lines include setting books, 
  enemies books, equipment books, powers books, 
  subgenre books, and other supplements like that. 
   
  Our first genre book, due out this summer, is 
  Champions. Written by Aaron Allston, it’s going 
  to tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to 
  know about creating superhero characters and 
  campaigns to run them in. We’ll follow it up 
  with a New Champions Universe book that 
  provides a ready-made setting for gamers who 
  don’t want to create their own (and modular 
  “bits” you can pull out and use in your own 
  campaign, if you prefer). Next comes 
  Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks, a big book of 
  villains. After that, we have lots and lots of 
  Champions supplements planned. 
   
  At the end of 2002, we’ll launch our second 
  product line with the arrival of Star Hero. 
  Written by Campbell Award-nominated science 
  fiction author and talented game designer Jim 
  Cambias, it will do for science fiction gaming 
  what Champions does for superheroes. A Terran 
  Empire setting book, an equipment book, and 
  plenty of other sourcebooks will follow. In fact, 
  given the breadth of the science fiction genre, we 
  can produce lots of setting books, with 
  appropriate supplements to support each one, if 
  the fans want that. 
   
  In 2003, we’re going to limit ourselves to 
  one genre book, but it’s a big one:  Fantasy 
  Hero. The definitive guide to fantasy gaming 
  using the HERO System, it will contain more 
  ideas, suggestions, and tips than you can shake a 
  +3 bastard sword at. 
   
  In 2004, we’ll probably get back to a two-
  per-year routine. Early in the year, we’ll debut 
  the new Dark Champions, with all the vigilante 
  coolness you could possibly imagine. Toward 
  the end of the year, we plan to release another 
  genre book, though we haven’t made up our 
  minds which one it will be yet. The front-runner 
  is probably the pulp-era genre book (whether we 
  call it Pulp Hero, or Justice Inc., or something 
  else). But a revamped Cyber Hero or Western 
  Hero could easily take its place. Whatever gets 
  passed over will most likely slip onto the 2005 or 
  2006 schedules, but that’s so far in the future, 
  and so many things could happen, we don’t have 
  any definite plans. 
   
  Because we’re essentially starting the Hero 
  product lines over from scratch, it’s going to take 
  us a while to roll them all out — the most 
  popular ones, or the ones deemed most important 
  from a strategic or marketing standpoint, have to 
  come before the ones for the less popular genres. 
  They’re such major undertakings that we can’t 
  just write them all real quick, slap ‘em between 
  two covers, and publish them; we want to take 
  our time and do them right. So, have patience! It 
  may take us a little while to get to your favorite 
  genre, but we will get to it. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  4 
  You Gotta Have Character by Jason Walters 
   
  “Life is lived forwards, but understood 
  backwards.” — Kierkegaard 
   
   
  Greetings Digital Hero readers and welcome 
  to this first installment of the You Gotta Have 
  Character column, where each issue I shall take 
  some poor soul who is far too deceased to defend 
  himself, stand him on his historical head, and 
  spin him around a few times until a useful Hero 
  character falls out. Some of you, being 
  overeducated in addition to being generally 
  contrary, will undoubtedly notice several 
  potentially objectionable things about this 
  column after you’ve read it a few times; so let’s 
  clear them up before the e-mail starts to fly. For 
  starters, I am uninterested in absolute historical 
  accuracy. It is my intent to capture the spirit of a 
  variety of interesting and controversial historical 
  figures while, at the same time, converting them 
  into useful Hero characters suitable for many 
  different game settings. To that end, it’s pretty 
  likely that I’ll mix actual history with dubious 
  speculations, half-truths, malicious lies, and 
  slanderous gossiping. Heck, I might even behave 
  like a classical historian and make some stuff up 
  while I’m at it! So file that pedantic e-mail 
  containing all of those article corrections under 
  “delete.” Because if you don’t I certainly will. 
   
  Now, with that unpleasantness taken care of, 
  feel free to e-mail your constructive criticism, 
  helpful suggestions, additional information, and, 
  most importantly, generous praise to me at 
  jasonwalters@herogames.com. If you would like 
  to write up and submit an article of your own for 
  You Gotta Have Character feel free to do so, but 
  please follow the standard Digital Hero rules for 
  submission (man, I’ve always liked the way that 
  sounds). If we like it we’ll cross your palm with 
  some small amount of silver and publish it. Now, 
  for your revisionist pleasure, onto the first 
  victim.1 
   
   
   
                                                             
  1art by Jason Walters 
  It’s a humid summer’s midnight 
  somewhere in rural Mississippi — the 
  kind of night that makes frogs sweat and 
  catfish crawl out of their creeks. Down 
  at the unmarked crossroads outside of 
  town, a handsome young man strums 
  his guitar and waits patiently for a tap 
  on the shoulder. When he at last feels 
  that cold touch, the young musician 
  hands his beloved guitar over without 
  ever looking behind him. The Devil 
  takes it, plays a couple of tunes, and 
  hands it back. Now the handsome young 
  musician has the ability to play 
  anything he wants... but at a terrible 
  price! 
   
  His soul. 
  Robert Johnson 
  On November the 23rd 1936 a young and 
  relatively unknown blues musician arrived at the 
  San Antonio, Texas studios of the American 
  Record Company to record his songs for the first 
  time. This first of what later turned out to be two 
  sessions was unceremoniously squeezed between 
  W. Lee O’Daniel & His Hillbilly Boys the day 
  before, and Hermanas Barazacon Guitarras the 
  day after. When he was done, Robert Johnson 
  collected his money and disappeared once again 
  into the wilds of the Mississippi Delta. Yet out of 
  these modest recording sessions came a powerful 
  and unique sound which forever changed music 
  in America. 
   
   
  THE MAN WITH 
  THREE BRAINS? 
   
   
  ...then you hear 
  Robert Johnson; some 
  of the rhythms he’s 
  doing and playing and 
  singing at the same 
  time, you think, “This 
  guy must have three 
  brains!” 
  — Keith Richards 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  5
  Background/History:  Robert Johnson was the 
  archetypal bluesman and drifter. Born out of 
  wedlock and raised in the harsh environment of 
  southern migrant labor camps, Robert was 
  destined never to once meet his own father nor 
  ever know any permanent home. As he drifted 
  from place to place, sometimes with his mother 
  and sometimes with an aunt, he gained a great 
  love for music, and sometime in the early 1920s 
  he began to play the guitar. Early results were 
  not very promising, but Robert made friends 
  with several popular blues musicians (including 
  the very talented Willie Brown and the famous 
  mulatto bluesman Charlie Patton) who provided 
  him with all the help and inspiration the young 
  man could handle. 
   
  Robert was extremely handsome and 
  charismatic, so he had little problem making 
  himself popular with the young ladies. Actually, 
  his difficulties were pretty much in the opposite 
  direction. Namely, he had a big difficulty 
  keeping his hands off of them, his arms from 
  around them, and himself away from them. At 
  this stage in his life most of his lady friends were 
  single, so it wasn’t too much of a problem. Later, 
  that would all change... and it would be his 
  downfall. 
   
  Eventually, after Robert managed to get his 
  roving eye more firmly planted in his head, he 
  met and married Virginia Travis in February of 
  1929. Settling down for the first time, Robert 
  became a proud expectant father when his wife 
  became pregnant later that year. The young 
  couple moved onto the Klein plantation near 
  Robinsonville, Mississippi. Robert took up 
  farming for a living and, although he continued 
  playing actively in his spare time, he began to 
  consider himself a farmer with a hobby. 
   
  This happiness was to be short lived.  
   
  In April of 1930 both Virginia, still nearly a 
  child herself at age 16, and Robert’s baby died 
  during childbirth, completely destroying 
  whatever hopes and dreams he may have had for 
  a family. In his grief, he threw himself into his 
  music but was to find no solace there. Events 
  were conspiring to bring him to a crossroads, 
  both literally and figuratively. 
   
  In June of 1930 Paramount recording artist 
  Son House came to live in Robinsonville at the 
  request of his (and Robert’s) friend Willie 
  Brown. House, a bizarre combination of preacher 
  and bluesman, had a raw intensity to him that no 
  other musician in the Delta at the time could 
  match. This was the purest expression of 
  emotion Robert had ever heard. He longed to 
  embrace the power of this style of the blues. 
  There were four “jook joints” in town at the time 
  and he would show up every time his new “hero” 
  played one of them. But one night when it came 
  time for Robert to play, House didn’t even want 
  him on stage because he felt the Robert’s guitar 
  playing was about the worst he had ever seen. 
  “Don’t do that, Robert,” House scolded him. 
  “You drive people nuts. You can’t play nothin’.” 
   
  Heartbroken, Robert disappeared completely 
  for one year. No one knows for certain where he 
  went or what he did with himself. Some say that 
  he and bluesman Ike Zinnerman played the 
  circuit of crude jook joints and migrant work 
  camps that had sprung up as the WPA built a 
  highway across the Delta, sharpening their skills 
  on the rough edged men who made their living 
  building that highway through the Mississippi 
  swamp. Some say he went to the town of 
  Hazlehurt, got drunk on whisky, and stayed that 
  way for a year. Others say he moved to the 
  lumber town Martinsville to live off of an older 
  woman while he practiced his playing. Still 
  others say that at some point during that lost and 
  desperate year he sold his soul to the Devil, 
  down at the crossroads at midnight on a hot 
  Mississippi summer’s eve. 
   
  Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that’s just 
  what he did. 
   
   
   
  One year later a very different Robert 
  returned to Robinsonville. He had become not 
  only a master of the guitar, but had written a 
  series of songs so powerful and disturbing that 
  House could only stand back and blink in 
  amazement. House realized, and admitted, that 
  he had been eclipsed in both ability and appeal. 
  Robert then began the wanderings which would 
  occupy the rest of his short life.  
   
  He traveled throughout the Mississippi and 
  Arkansas Delta areas, playing for levee camps, 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  6 
  road gangs, and in the claptrap jook joints which 
  dotted little southern towns back then. 
  Eventually he would even play in Canada and 
  New York. For the most part, though, people 
  simply knew by word of mouth when and where 
  Robert Johnson was going to play. They knew 
  that they’d have a good time and hear some fine 
  music if they went where he was. 
   
  They were right and, in a small way, Robert 
  became famous. He began to love travel for it’s 
  own sake. It has been said that awake or asleep, 
  night or day Robert was ready to go anywhere, 
  even if that was back where he just came from. 
  He moved around the Delta like a haunted man. 
  Because he traveled so much, or so they say, he 
  soon developed an unusual talent. He could hear 
  a piece of music once — just once — and play it 
  perfectly forever thereafter. In addition to his 
  own material and all the popular blues tunes of 
  the day, he could play hillbilly tunes, polkas, 
  square dances, and ballads. 
   
  As soon as Robert hit a town he’d find the 
  homeliest woman he could lay eyes on. He 
  generally said a few kind words, sang a few 
  songs, and almost always had a place to stay. His 
  reasons were threefold:  1) she probably 
  wouldn’t have a man; 2) no one was likely to be 
  after her or upset if he was after her; and 3) just a 
  little attention would generally bring him 
  anything he wanted. It was said that Robert 
  could be the nicest guy in the world to the ugliest 
  witch in town. 
   
  While this plan was great in theory, Robert 
  still loved his women and that got him into 
  trouble now and again. He had a bad habit of 
  being overly friendly with other men’s wives. 
  More than a few times he found himself in a 
  scrape and, being small and generally not much 
  use in a fight, had to rely on his friends to get 
  him out of trouble. He loved gambling, smoking, 
  and booze as well, although Robert couldn’t 
  really handle his liquor. More than a few times 
  he got drunk, loud, and angry, cursing his maker 
  and getting his friends into fights. They say that 
  Robert often seemed deeply angry about 
  something he wouldn’t, or couldn’t, talk about. 
   
  Then one fateful night in 1938, Robert and 
  his friend Sonny Boy Williamson were playing 
  at Three Forks, a country roadhouse outside of 
  the town of Greenwood. Robert had previously 
  struck up a lively friendship with a young 
  woman whose husband just happened to be the 
  bartender. As the evening progressed it became 
  more and more obvious that Robert was playing 
  less to the audience at large and more to an 
  audience of one:  the bartender’s wife.  
   
  During a break, someone brought Robert an 
  open bottle of whisky which he quickly knocked 
  back - against the warning of the more observant 
  Sonny Boy. It was filled with the poison 
  strychnine. The bartended had poisoned his 
  whisky! By the end of the night Robert was 
  vomiting and raving with poison induced 
  madness. Sonny Boy took him to a friend’s 
  home and together they attempted to save the 
  poisoned bluesman but, the following day, 
  Robert Johnson died. His death certificate was 
  filed on August 16, 1938, forever ending his 
  story and silencing his voice.    
   
  Or so he wanted you to believe. The real 
  story is quite different. 
   
  Robert Johnson never died; not on that day 
  nor any other. Over time he had come to realize 
  that his Faustian deal at the crossroads had been 
  a double cross. He had become the greatest 
  bluesman the Delta had ever known but he still 
  couldn’t find the happiness which he had once 
  found in his long dead wife’s arms. No amount 
  of fame, pleasure, or appreciation could ever 
  bring back to him what he had lost. Now he 
  simply wanted his soul back. He wanted his soul 
  back, but The Devil would have none of it. So he 
  faked his own death and disappeared into urban 
  America in search of redemption. He’s there still, 
  immortal and un-aging, playing for coins on 
  street corners as he looks for some way to 
  reverse his deal with The Devil, get his soul 
  back, and live out his days as a normal man. 
   
  But Robert can never stay in one place for 
  too long. The Devil and his minions are always 
  close behind... and old temptations are never far 
  away. He has to keep moving if he’s going to be 
  safe. He got to keep moving if he wants to find 
  the key to his own redemption. He’s got to keep 
  moving... got to keep movin’/ I’ve got to keep 
  movin’/ blues fallin’ down like hail/ blues fallin’ 
  down like hail/ there’s a hellhound on my trail/ 
  hellhound on my trail... 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Robert still has all of 
  the same old vices that he’s always had, but he’s 
  a good deal more careful about them. He will 
  help the PCs only if he thinks that there is a 
  chance that they can help him get his soul back. 
  If not, he will try to get away from them at the 
  first opportunity. 
   
  The Devil and his various minions really are 
  after Robert. Part of the Faustian deal between 
  Robert and the Devil involved using music to 
  usher in a new age of decadence and self-
  indulgence. It could be argued that, with the vast 
  influence Robert Johnson’s work has had on 
  popular music through such bands such as the 
  Rolling Stones and Beatles, he has succeeded in 
  doing just that... but apparently the Devil had 
  something more direct in mind. The Devil, being 
  devilish and all, is not feeling very forgiving on 
  this front. Robert is incredibly frightened of a 
  confrontation with the Devil at this point in time 
  (they used to be a bit more intimate), and will do 
  his best to avoid one unless it somehow helps 
  him get his soul back. Then he will do what he 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  7
  has to do. 
   
  Robert is a charming, good looking, and 
  charismatic fellow with the haunted look of a 
  man who is doomed and knows it. He’s very 
  bright, very capable, and very flawed. Robert 
  just can’t seem to conquer his desire to wander, 
  to chase married women, and to get depressingly 
  drunk. He’s wise but seemingly unable to 
  practice the wisdom he has acquired over his 
  long, weary life. On the outside he’s convinced 
  that his bad habits are caused by his current 
  soulless condition and that the only way for him 
  to change is to reverse his pact with the Devil, 
  thereby retrieving his own soul and regaining his 
  humanity. Deep inside he’s terrified that his 
  condition has nothing to do with being soulless 
  and everything to do with just being Robert 
  Johnson. 
   
  Quote:  “I got stones in my passway and my 
  road seem dark at night. I have pains in my heart 
  they have taken my appetite.” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Robert really doesn’t want to 
  fight anyone. If pressed into combat, he will play 
  certain songs to produce certain moods in his 
  opponents. For example, All My Love In Vain 
  makes opponents want to weep uncontrollably to 
  the exclusion of anything else, while Hellhounds 
  On My Trail will make then run away from 
  unseen opponents and Drunken Hearted Man 
  will send them off looking for a liquor store. 
  Robert will then use his Stealth to get away.   
   
  Campaign Use:  There are a couple of ways an 
  enterprising GM could introduce Robert Johnson 
  into a game. In a modern-day Champions-based 
  setting, Robert could be one of those minor 
  characters the GM uses to make the downtown 
  of a big city just a little more interesting. Have 
  him give the characters a little down-home 
  wisdom about love, life, and loss now and again 
  (your players could probably use it anyhow), 
  then allow them to find out more about him if 
  they care to look. After all, why have a nameless 
  street musician playing Robert Johnson songs 
  when the characters can discover that it’s 
  actually Robert Johnson playing his own songs 
  sixty-four years after he supposedly died? 
  Perhaps the heroes are on the trail of some 
  seemingly demonic supervillain, only to stumble 
  into Robert and find out there is nothing 
  “seeming” about the villain being demonic! That 
  way his unique plight could be used as a 
  convenient tool which allows the heroes to come 
  in contact with the world of demonic magic for 
  the first time. In a Horror Hero campaign, 
  Robert’s story could be used as the very 
  beginning of another one of those long strange 
  trips into “That Which Man Should Not Know” 
  which the characters always seem to find 
  themselves thrust into. Perhaps Robert’s now 
  infamous story of demonic temptation was just 
  the beginning of a massive takeover of the record 
  industry by the forces of evil from outside of our 
  world! In a Cyber Hero campaign Robert could 
  serve as a contrast, a symbolic “last leaf on the 
  tree” from the old America still left. Maybe 
  Robert only thinks he was tempted by The Devil 
  but really is a mutant of some sort. The whole 
  Faustian pact he remembers is nothing but self-
  delusion, his subconscious mind’s attempt to 
  help him get through a very long and very lonely 
  existence  
   
  The above version of Robert’s life and 
  abilities operates on the basic assumption that 
  GM’s game world allows both magic of some 
  sort as well as a Devil real enough to sell one’s 
  soul to. Or, at the very least, that there is 
  “something out there.” In a Depression-era Pulp 
  Hero setting, Robert could be played without 
  allowing any of that by lowering his SPD to 3 
  and by removing LS (Longevity: Immortality) 
  and the Mind Control 12d6 (you can leave the 
  hellhounds on his trail because he seems to think 
  they are there). Then Robert becomes a 
  marvelous background character you can insert 
  anywhere you like. He could be playing in a 
  nightclub the characters are in or they might 
  stumble into him while traveling the back roads 
  of the South or Midwest. He could help them out 
  of a tight spot... or, more likely, get them into 
  one! 
   
  Appearance:  Although he is pushing 93, Robert 
  still appears to be a hauntingly good-looking 
  young black man in his late twenties or early 
  thirties. What most people notice, however, are 
  his sorrowful looking eyes which seem to hold 
  all of the weariness of the world within them. 
  Robert generally dresses in shabby black or grey 
  suits and carries a carpetbag as well as his guitar 
  in its case. He sometimes wears a beaten-up 
  fedora. 
   
  Bibliography and Discography: 
  Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings CBS 
  Records Inc. 1990 
  Searching For Robert Johnson by Peter 
  Guralnick E.P. Dutton 1989 
  Little Blues Book by Brian Robertson 
  Angonquin Books 1996 
  Robert Johnson album article by Stephen C. 
  LaVere Columbia Records 1990 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  8 
  Robert Johnson 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH 
   15 DEX 
  15 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 
   10 CON 
  0 11- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   15 INT 
  5 12- PER Roll: 12- 
   21 EGO 
  11 13- ECV: 7 
   25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6 
   20 COM 
  5 13- 
   
   
  8 PD 
  6 
   Total: 8 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  8 ED 
  6 
   Total: 8 ED (0 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  15 
   Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  8 REC 
  8 
   
   40 END 
  10 
   
   35 STUN 
  15 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 111 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
  5 Immortal:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortal) 
  0 
   66 Overpowering Blues:  Mind Control 
  12d6, Area Of Effect (11” Radius; +1), 
  Personal Immunity (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Gestures (play 
  guitar; -¼), Incantations (sing; -¼), No 
  Range (-½), Set Effect (limited possible 
  commands, see text; -¼), Does Not 
  Affect Deaf People Or People With 
  Heavy Ear Coverings (-¼) 
  0 
   10 Hard To Hurt:  Physical Damage 
  Reduction, Nonresistant, 25% 
  0 
   
   Talents 
   
  3 Perfect Pitch 
   
   Skills 
   10 Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games) 15- 
   
  9 KS: Acoustic Guitars 18- 
   
  9 KS: The Blues 18- 
   
  9 KS: Liquor, Women, and Sin 18- 
   
  5 Oratory 15- 
   12 PS: Musician 21- 
   
  5 Seduction 15- 
   
  9 Stealth 15- 
   
  5 Streetwise 15- 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 157 
  Total Cost: 268 
   
  100+ Disadvantages 
   20 Distinctive Features:  Has No Soul (Not 
  Concealable, Noticed And Recognizable, 
  Detectable Only With Unusual Senses) 
   20 Hunted:  Hellhounds On His Trail 11- 
  (Mo Pow, Kill) 
   
  5 Physical Limitation:  Poor Eyesight 
  (Infrequently, Slightly) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus 
  Killing (Common, Total) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Loves 
  Gambling, Women, And Sin (Very 
  Common, Strong) 
   10 Unluck 2d6 
   88 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 268 
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  9
  Diceless Hero by Bob Greenwade 
   
   
  One of the best things about the HERO 
  System is that characters don’t result from 
  random rolls of dice. Proponents of game 
  systems with random character generation 
  sometimes like to claim their method is “more 
  realistic,” but they miss a very important point:  
  games simply aren’t about real life. They’re 
  about drama and storytelling and adventure. 
  When you sit down to play a role-playing game, 
  whether it’s using the HERO System or another 
  system, the typical goal is to emulate your 
  favorite fiction — in the case of Champions, 
  superhero comic books (and movies, and 
  television shows). 
   
  Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster didn’t roll dice 
  to see if Superman was strong; Bob Kane didn’t 
  get Batman’s brilliance from the roll of dice; 
  Spider-Man isn’t super-agile because Stan Lee 
  got a lucky roll on the dice. These characteristics 
  all resulted from their creators’ concepts, and 
  gamers expect to do the same with the characters 
  they play. That’s why Immobilon is both strong 
  and intelligent, Vroom is fast, and Bombshell is 
  incredibly good-looking but not very bright (to 
  say the least). It’s also why Captain Photon flies 
  and shoots energy blasts, Captain Glory knows 
  five different martial arts styles, The Creature 
  has four arms and blue fur, and Phantoma can 
  walk through walls. These things were beyond 
  the characters’ control (except for Captain 
  Glory’s martial arts; he learned those) — but 
  you, as their creator, have control over it all. 
   
  There’s one other matter in fiction games 
  don’t match. When Batman takes a swing at the 
  Joker, or when Wolverine tries to slice up 
  Sabretooth, whether the hero hits or misses 
  doesn’t depend on a roll of dice any more than 
  his agility did to begin with — it depends on the 
  writer’s plot decisions. Shouldn’t combat in a 
  game designed to emulate the comics follow the 
  same principle? 
   
  Well, yes and no. If the player (speaking for 
  his character) says, “I swing at him,” the GM 
  shouldn’t just decide whether the character hits 
  or misses based merely on whim. Characteristics, 
  Powers, and Skills are there on the character 
  sheet for a reason. Besides, players should have 
  some sense of achievement from beating the bad 
  guys. But having the plot depend on dice rolls 
  can be just as frustrating, especially when the 
  rolls happen to go the way the GM doesn’t want 
  them to — never mind the drama-killing time 
  and effort it often takes to tally up rolls, figure 
  BODY, and so forth. A diceless combat system 
  for the HERO System, while probably not 
  everyone’s cup of tea, can solve some of these 
  problems. 
   
  If you adopt (or adapt) this system for use in 
  your games, you probably shouldn’t use it in 
  every situation. For example, if two hero teams 
  decide to play softball, you should probably roll 
  dice to evaluate the quality of the pitching and 
  hitting. Still, for cases of good guys versus bad 
  guys, diceless combat and task resolution offers 
  some intriguing advantages. 
  THE BASIC SYSTEM 
   
   
   
  Diceless Hero depends on the accompanying 
  Diceless Combat Table, which you should use to 
  resolve most combat situations. Here’s how you 
  use it. 
   
  First, take the attacker’s OCV and 
  defender’s DCV and calculate the roll the 
  attacker would need to make to hit the target in 
  normal HERO System combat. This becomes the 
  Hit Result (see the first column in the table). 
  Treat a Hit Result of less than 3 as a 3, and a Hit 
  Result of more than 18 as an 18 (though the GM 
  may decide to simply extend the chart to a more 
  preferred limit, or impose no limit). 
   
  From the Hit Result column, read across to 
  the other columns to determine how much 
  damage (if any) the defender takes. If the result 
  is “0,” the attack missed altogether (or otherwise 
  had no effect). If the result is a number, multiply 
  the Damage Classes in the attack by that number. 
   
  The “Normal STUN” and “Normal BODY” 
  columns are for determining the STUN and 
  BODY caused by Normal Damage attacks. 
  Similarly, the “Killing BODY” and “Killing 
  STUN×” are for determining the BODY and 
  STUN caused by a Killing Damage attack 
  (multiply the BODY by the listed STUN×; the 
  actual minimum is 1, as always, though the 
  numbers in brackets are the base numbers for 
  applying the Increased STUN Multiple 
  Advantage). 
   
  For special attacks — such as Adjustment 
  Powers, Mental Attacks, AVLDs, NNDs, and so 
  forth — use the Normal STUN column. Flashes, 
  Entangles, and other Powers for which you count 
  the BODY should use the Normal BODY 
  column. 
   
  Optionally, Hit Results of 4 and 5 may give 
  penalties to the character’s DCV for the 
  remainder of that character’s Phase. A Result of 
  5 gives a -1 penalty; a Result of 4 gives a -2 
  penalty. (This rule is recommended only if the 
  GM uses critical hit/failure rules.) 
   
  Hit Results of 8 or 9 are considered glancing 
  blows. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  10 
   
  The numbers given in the Killing STUN× 
  column are the numbers that should be used 
  when adding Increased STUN Multiples; as 
  always, the actual STUN Multiple should be a 
  minimum of 1 (as indicated by the numbers in 
  brackets). 
  SPECIAL CASES 
   
   
   
  For Autofire attacks, the first shot hits with 
  the full Hit Result, the second at -2, the third at 
  -4, and so on until one misses completely. 
   
  A Block with a Hit Result of 11 or better 
  succeeds; 10 or lower fails. Optionally, Hit 
  Results of 9-11 can mean the defender only takes 
  half damage, or the weapon used for the block 
  takes the damage. The GM may also rule that 
  every +2 the Block is made by gives the 
  character +2 Lightning Reflexes against the 
  attacker (and, conversely, every -2 the Block is 
  missed by gives the attacker +2 Lightning 
  Reflexes against the defender). 
   
  For Grabs, a 9 or better succeeds, but uses 
  the Normal BODY column to see how good the 
  Grab is. A 60 STR character who grabs a 
  high-DEX, low-STR character with a Hit Result 
  of 9 only has 2 BODY to hold the normal with 
  — something the low-STR character can 
  overcome with just a little extra effort. 
   
  Of course, there are certain things (referred 
  to generally as Events) which require their own 
  methods. These Events, along with other special 
  circumstances, are discussed below. 
  AREA OF EFFECT AND EXPLOSIONS 
   
   
   
  Resolve Area Of Effect attacks and 
  Explosions as standard attacks. Since a hex has a 
  DCV of 3, just compare the attack as a regular 
  Hit Result (though you may also want to consult 
  the discussion later in this article about adjacent 
  hexes). 
   
  For reduced damage from 
  Explosions, simply assume the center 
  hex takes full damage as determined 
  by the Hit Result, and each hex out 
  from there (or more, if the Explosion’s 
  radius has been increased) takes one 
  DC less damage. 
  DAMAGE WITHOUT ATTACK 
  ROLLS 
   
   
  Some types of damage (and other 
  effects) do damage without an Attack 
  Roll. In these situations, if you can 
  find a way to determine a Hit Result — 
  as in the following examples — use it. 
  Otherwise assume a Hit Result of 13. 
   
  ��Absorption:  Use the Hit Result 
  of the attacker, if any. If the 
  character intentionally grabs 
  something to Absorb its energy, 
  use his own Hit Result. 
  ��Damage Shields:  Use the Hit 
  Result of the attacker. (If the character 
  Grabs or hits someone to cause his own 
  Damage Shield to activate, use his own Hit 
  Result.) 
  ��Disarm:  To determine how many inches a 
  Disarm knocks a weapon away from its 
  holder, divide the BODY by which the 
  attacker overcomes the defender’s STR in a 
  STR Versus STR Contest by two. 
  ��Falling damage:  Falls generally take a 
  fixed Hit Result of 13, but the GM may 
  adjust them upward for particularly hard 
  and/or rough ground, or downward for 
  unusually soft and muddy areas. 
  ��Healing:  Use a Hit Result of the 
  “attacker’s” DEX against the target’s CON 
  (either as Skill Rolls or CVs, depending on 
  the GM’s preference). You can also use this 
  method for some forms of Aid. 
  ��Knockback Damage:  If the character is 
  Knocked Back into an object which takes up 
  less than a full hex (such as a mailbox, 
  lamppost, or telephone pole), there really is 
  a Hit Result to evaluate:  the moving 
  character’s OCV of 0, plus any levels the 
  original attacker put into knocking the 
  character into the object, versus the object’s 
  size-based DCV. 
  ��Susceptibilities:  A Susceptibility against 
  being hit by a certain special effect or type 
  of non-damaging attack (such as being 
  affected by magic, or being Teleported) uses 
  the Hit Result of the attack. 
   
   
  Examples where you should normally 
  assume a Hit Result of 13 (unless you can come 
  up with a way to find a variable Hit Result) 
  include most forms of Aid (especially versus 
  self), Area Of Effect attacks with the No Range 
  DICELESS COMBAT CHART 
  Hit/Skill 
  Result 
  Normal 
  STUN 
  Normal 
  BODY 
  Killing 
  BODY 
  Killing 
  STUN× 
   
  Skills 
  3- 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  You Broke It! 
  4 
  0 [-2] 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  Unsuccessful, -2 Later 
  5 
  0 [-1] 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  Unsuccessful, -1 Later 
  6 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  Unsuccessful 
  7 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  +2 on Time Chart 
  8 
  1 
  0 
  0.5 
  1 
  +1 on Time Chart 
  9 
  1.5 
  0.2 
  0.65 
  1 
  Normal Success 
  10 
  2 
  0.4 
  0.8 
  1 
  Normal Success 
  11 
  2.5 
  0.6 
  0.95 
  1.5 
  Normal 
  12 
  3 
  0.8 
  1.1 
  2 
  -1 on Time Chart 
  13 
  3.5 
  1 
  1.25 
  2.5 
  -1 on Time Chart 
  14 
  4 
  1.2 
  1.4 
  3 
  -2 on Time Chart 
  15 
  4.5 
  1.4 
  1.55 
  3.5 
  -2 on Time Chart 
  16 
  5 
  1.6 
  1.7 
  4 
  -3 on Time Chart 
  17 
  5.5 
  1.8 
  1.85 
  4.5 
  -3 on Time Chart 
  18+ 
  6 
  2 
  2 
  5 
  Instant Success! 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  11
  Limitation, Bleeding, Dependence, Drowning, 
  EGO Rolls versus Psychological Limitations, 
  Knockback, most Knockback damage, Presence 
  Attacks, STUN used as END, and most 
  Susceptibilities. 
  HIT LOCATIONS 
   
   
   
  Perhaps the most difficult thing to simulate 
  with a diceless system is Hit Location rolls. 
  These are optional in the HERO System anyway, 
  but sometimes the GM may want to simulate Hit 
  Locations without using dice. After all, in typical 
  hand-to-hand combat, few blows are so wild they 
  could land literally anywhere on the target’s 
  body.  In the real world, combatants usually aim 
  for a particular location (most often head, chest, 
  belly, or groin). 
   
  A character may also aim for a specific 
  location. Compare the success on the Skill Result 
  column separately from the regular Hit Result. A 
  “Normal” or better result is a hit against the 
  desired location; an 8- hits another location, up 
  or down (GM’s choice, possibly depending on 
  the type of maneuver or attack) by 1 for every 
  point below 9. Hit Results above 11 add +1 to 
  the final Hit Result for every 2 points over 11 
  (rounded down). 
   
  Special Hit Locations are harder to simulate. 
  Apply the OCV modifiers as normal, of course, 
  to determine whether the attack hits the desired 
  location. Assume the normal roll for the 
  Location is 3 (a High Shot would normally hit 
  the arm, for example, and a Low Shot would 
  normally hit the vitals). However, a character 
  may also apply any bonuses to the Hit Result to 
  increase or decrease the Location Result, limited 
  to the scope of the type of attack. 
   
  Naturally, if a character uses a Martial 
  Maneuver that targets a specific location (such as 
  a Choke Hold), it automatically targets that 
  location without bonus or penalty, as in the 
  regular system. 
   
  If the opposing character Aborts to a Dodge 
  or some other maneuver providing a DCV bonus, 
  he may use the bonus for that maneuver, plus 
  any Combat Skill Levels that apply to DCV, 
  against that attack only to move the hit up or 
  down the Hit Location chart. For each +1 DCV 
  the maneuver gives, the defender may instead 
  move the hit up or down by 1. The character 
  does not have to use all of his DCV bonus in this 
  manner; a character performing a Martial Dodge 
  (+5 DCV) may, for example, move the Hit 
  Location down two steps while keeping +3 DCV 
  from the maneuver. 
   
  When using Hit Locations under this 
  system, use damage modifiers (whether the 
  damage is Normal or Killing) from the Hit 
  Location Table in the rulebook rather than that 
  from the Diceless Combat Table. 
   
  For hits that are not naturally specific to nor 
  aimed toward a particular area of the body, the 
  GM should use the Hit Result from the Diceless 
  Combat Chart and determine the location based 
  on the STUN for Normal damage or the BODY 
  for Killing damage.  For example, if the Hit 
  Result of a Normal damage attack is 14, then the 
  Normal Stun multiple is 4, which would indicate 
  that either the Stomach or Vitals (GM’s choice) 
  was hit. 
   
  Diceless Skill Resolution 
   
  You can also use the Diceless Combat Table 
  to resolve normal Skill use. The Hit Result 
  column doubles as a “Skill Roll” column. The 
  “Skills” column indicates how much time it 
  takes to achieve the desired result. The minimum 
  time needed to perform most tasks is a Half 
  Phase (the GM may allow resolution of some 
  tasks as a Zero Phase Action in the event of 
  extremely high Skill Results). The GM may elect 
  to give the characters other forms of increased 
  success than this. For example, an exceptional 
  Skill Result for Interrogation might get not only 
  the location of the enemy’s base, but the 
  commander’s name, the number and armament 
  of its contingent, weaknesses in the security 
  perimeter, and the enemy’s upcoming plans. 
   
  At the other end, if the character cannot 
  perform the task in the extended period of time 
  (such as allotting five minutes to attempt 
  Lockpicking because a guard is coming around 
  in fifteen, but the Skill Result says it’s done in an 
  hour), he cannot succeed at all; a simple failure 
  (with no further penalty) is assumed. 
   
  A Skill Result of 4 or 5 results in a penalty 
  (as shown on the chart) the next time the 
  characters attempt the same task — even if 
  another character tries it. A Skill Result of 3 
  means the attempt is “broken” — an effort to 
  disarm a security system sets off the alarms, a 
  lockpick breaks off in the keyhole, a Persuasion 
  attempt closes off the target’s mind to all further 
  conversation, or the like. Neither the character 
  who made the attempt, nor any other, may try 
  this task again (until they somehow “fix” what 
  was broken). 
   
  The Skills column also applies to 
  Characteristic Rolls and similar functions. 
  PUTTING SKILLS TOGETHER 
   
   
   
  The chart does not take into account such 
  things as Skill Versus Skill attempts. Nor does it 
  address Complementary Skills. 
   
  In Skill Versus Skill Contests, whoever gets 
  the highest Skill Result wins. In the case of a tie, 
  the acting character beats the reacting character, 
  though the reacting character may attempt 
  another Skill Versus Skill Contest (at -1 for 
  every step on the Time Chart that goes by) in an 
  attempt to undo the damage. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  12 
   
  STR Versus STR contests take place when a 
  character tries to (for example) Escape being 
  Grabbed, Resist being Shoved, or Disarm 
  another character. In this case, the attacking 
  character uses the BODY value based on his Hit 
  Result, and the defending character uses the 
  BODY based on a Hit Result of 13 (or, at the 
  GM’s option, on his Hit Result versus the 
  attacker’s OCV). 
   
  When handling Complementary Skills, for 
  each applicable Skill that would succeed based 
  on its own Skill Result, add +1 to the character’s 
  Skill Result before resolving the actual task. 
   
  Other Situations 
  LUCK AND UNLUCK 
   
   
   
  It may seem logical to leave Luck and 
  Unluck alone, even in a diceless system; after all, 
  their very names suggest an element of chance. 
   
  On the other hand, the GM may simply 
  apply levels of Luck when the character falls 
  behind (adding a +1 to OCV, DCV, Lightning 
  Reflexes, or Skill Rolls as needed for each “die” 
  of Luck on the character sheet), or similar levels 
  of Unluck when the character pulls ahead. Other 
  incredible events may happen to such characters 
  as the GM feels are appropriate, based purely on 
  the amount of Luck the character has and the 
  amount of help (or hindrance) he needs. 
  ACTIVATION ROLLS 
   
   
   
  The rolls discussed so far all involve outside 
  modifiers — the defender’s DCV at the very 
  least, and often many other factors. However, not 
  only Activation Rolls, but Accidental Change 
  rolls, Berserk and Enraged rolls (recovering as 
  well as getting there), Contact and Favor rolls, 
  Danger Sense rolls, Reputation rolls, and similar 
  rolls don’t require such modifiers. There are 
  several options for resolving these situations 
  without dice. 
   
  First, there are some cases where you can 
  invent a modifier (as with DNPCs and Hunters; 
  see sidebar). For example, if a character has an 
  Accidental Change when he takes BODY 
  damage, then the amount of BODY damage he 
  takes can serve as a modifier (say, +1 for every 2 
  BODY taken). As a counter-modifier, the 
  character may attempt a CON Result (at -1 for 
  every 2 BODY taken) in a sort of Skill Versus 
  Skill Contest against the Accidental Change. (A 
  Berserk under the same circumstance might 
  instead use an EGO Roll.) If you use this system, 
  the character should also take a +1 for every 
  consecutive time the Result fails, or a -1 for 
  every consecutive time the Result succeeds. A 
  final Event Result of 11 or better constitutes a 
  successful “roll.” 
   
  When developing this kind of modifier for 
  an Event Result, be sure there’s a way to modify 
  it upward as well as downward. 
   
  If this Skill versus Skill method won’t work, 
  do as specified above — assume a +1 for every 
  consecutive failure, or -1 for every consecutive 
  success, with an Event Result of 10 or more 
  being successful. This results in 14- rolls 
  working about five times out of six, 11- rolls 
  working two times out of three, and 8- rolls 
  working once out of four — a 90%, 66%, or 25% 
  chance of success, respectively. To create some 
  variety (and keep the player from thinking, for 
  example, “since my 11- weapon failed last time, 
  it’ll work this time for sure”), you can invent 
  some kind of occasional modifier that changes 
  the odds under certain circumstances. 
   
  What Can’t Be Done 
   
  These rules can’t simulate everything in the 
  HERO System. Impairment and Disabling 
  effects, vehicle ability losses, left versus right 
  choices (such as for Hit Locations), direction of a 
  miss from an Area Effect or Explosion attack, 
  and damage type and amount for teleporting into 
  a solid object are among the things you must 
  either ignore, determine by rolling a die or dice, 
  or derive by some other means. Essentially, 
  whenever there’s an equal chance to achieve one 
  of several results, each with more or less equally 
  good or bad effects, you simply cannot resolve 
  things with Event Results. (If some other means 
  is found for these things, it should preferably be 
  affected by surrounding events.) 
   
  Sometimes, an event you’d normally 
  determine with a Hit Result should be 
  determined by the interests of the story. For 
  example, if the Hit Result of a rifle shot against 
  an NPC would normally kill him outright, and 
  the GM wants that NPC to provide important 
  information, then the injury should still be 
  mortal, but just not instantly so. 
   
   
   
   
   
  Combat Example 
   
  Here’s a sample combat to show how a 
  combat using these rules might actually run. 
   
  Using the statistics from Watchers of the 
  Dragon, suppose Seeker was caught in an alley 
  by Iron and Gold. Seeker has a DEX of 29 and a 
  SPD of 7; Gold, a DEX of 25 and a SPD of 5; 
  and Iron, a DEX of 22 and a SPD of 5. For the 
  sake of simplicity, nobody is surprised, and Iron 
  and Gold have their swords ready (as they 
  always do when they’re working or expecting a 
  fight) but Seeker doesn’t have his (one of the 
  problems one faces when one’s Powers are 
  bought through a Focus). 
  DNPCS AND 
  HUNTERS 
   
   
   Generally, the 
  appearance of a 
  DNPC or Hunter 
  should depend on the 
  plot. An 8- Roll 
  means the DNPC or 
  Hunter shows up 
  about 25% of the 
  time; 11- means about 
  60%; and 14- means 
  about 90%. 
   If you prefer 
  random 
  determination, start 
  the Event Result at 
  18. Subtract 1 for 
  every Experience 
  Point the character 
  has earned since the 
  last time the DNPC or 
  Hunter was involved 
  in an adventure. 
  When the Event 
  Result is at or below 
  the occurrence of the 
  DNPC or Hunter, the 
  DNPC or Hunter 
  becomes involved in 
  the character’s life 
  again, and the Event 
  Result for that DNPC 
  or Hunter returns to 
  18. 
   If more than one 
  character has the 
  same DNPC or (more 
  likely) Hunter, use the 
  highest Event 
  occurrence of any 
  character, +1 for 
  every additional 
  character with that 
  Event at a frequency 
  of 8-, +2 for every 
  one at 11-, and +3 for 
  every one at 14-. This 
  is the overall 
  frequency of the 
  Event. (If this results 
  in a 17 or greater 
  total, then the DNPC 
  or Hunter 
  automatically appears, 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  13
   
  For simplicity, Hit Locations will not be 
  used. 
   
  On Segment 12, Seeker goes first, but Holds 
  his Phase; he doesn’t really want to fight right 
  now (he has better things to do with his time). 
  Gold and Iron both take their Phases to activate 
  their Array. The GM rules that their Array uses a 
  PER Roll of each other as their Hit Results. 
  Gold’s base PER Roll is 13, and Iron’s is 12; 
  since they’re standing right next to each other 
  and aren’t making any wide, obvious moves, no 
  modifiers are applied. Since each sibling has a 
  2d6 Aid to DEX, the GM consults the Hit Result 
  Table and finds that Gold gets 7 character points 
  of DEX, and Iron gets 6. Each sibling actually 
  gains 2 points of DEX to aid CV, and Gold has a 
  leftover point for her next Array attempt. 
   
  Seeker goes on Segment 2, but again Holds 
  his Phase. He’s not sure what the siblings are up 
  to, but he wants to be ready for anything. 
   
  On Segment 3, the siblings again activate 
  their Array; they want the maximum possible 
  advantage against Seeker. Iron gets another 6 
  character points for 2 points of DEX (only for 
  OCV/DCV), and Gold gets another 7 points for 
  the same purpose, though she’s limited to 5 
  because of the maximum on her Aid. Both 
  siblings, have now achieved their maximum of 
  12 character points, or +4 DEX. Gold is now at 
  29 DEX, and Iron at 26 DEX, for the purposes of 
  determining CV. 
   
  Seeker again goes on Segment 4, again 
  Holding his Phase. He only now starts to wonder 
  if this may have been a mistake, but he wants to 
  see what his two opponents are up to. 
   
  On Segment 5, Gold may either Hold her 
  Phase to Coordinate with Iron, or try some other 
  maneuver. She chooses to use the Light of Gold, 
  a power of her enchanted Sword of Gold and 
  Blood, to Flash Seeker and hopefully set the hero 
  up for an attack from her brother. Her base OCV 
  (with her Aided DEX) is 10, and she has +2 
  Levels with her Multipower for a total of 12. 
  Seeker uses his Held Phase to Dodge; with his 
  base DCV of 10 and two applicable Levels (his 
  two Combat Skill Levels with Hand-to-hand 
  Combat don’t apply against ranged attacks) in 
  addition to +5 DCV from this maneuver, he has a 
  total DCV of 17. Gold’s Hit Result is 6; she 
  misses. 
   
  Iron, seeing Seeker easily avoid his sister's 
  attack, decides to try the Reaping Technique 
  from Red Banner Kung Fu (a Sacrifice Throw). 
  His base OCV is 9; he gets +2 to that for the 
  maneuver, for a total of 11. Against Seeker's 
  current DCV of 17, this gives Iron a Hit Result 
  of 5. He misses badly; because of the nature of 
  the Reaping Technique, he also falls to the  
  ground. 
   
  Now, on Segment 6, it’s Seeker’s Phase. 
  The twosome seem dependent on their swords, 
  so he decides to try to Disarm them both at the 
  same time with a Sweep. He has four Combat 
  Skill Levels he can put into this. He puts them all 
  into OCV. With a base OCV of 10, -1 for the 
  Disarm maneuver, and -2 for Sweeping the 
  attack against two characters, he has a total OCV 
  of 11. Gold’s DCV is 10, making Seeker’s Hit 
  Result a 12; since his Disarm has 50 STR, he 
  gets 8 BODY to Disarm her, compared to her 3 
  BODY to hold on to her weapon. Iron’s DCV, 
  because he is prone, is halved from its base of 9 
  down to 5, +1 for his maneuver for 6, giving 
  Seeker a Hit Result of 16. Seeker gets 16 BODY 
  to Disarm Iron, who defends with 5 BODY. Both 
  siblings are now disarmed, and their swords go 
  flying -- using the alternate rule for distance, the 
  Sword of Iron and Blood goes 5” away, and the 
  Sword of Gold and Blood 2” in the same 
  direction. 
   
  On Segment 7, Seeker goes again. 
  Evaluating the situation, he knows Gold is 
  probably the greater threat, but Iron is at enough 
  of a disadvantage that he should be able to make 
  short work of him. Again putting his four CSLs 
  into OCV, he performs a Kick against his fallen 
  opponent. With a -2 penalty for the maneuver, he 
  has an OCV of 12. Iron Aborts to block the blow 
  with the Placid Stream of Kun Lieh (a Martial 
  Block); with a base OCV of 9, +2 Skill Levels, 
  +2 for the maneuver, and -1 for being prone, he 
  gets an OCV of 13, barely enough to 
  successfully Block Seeker’s attack. 
   
  On Segment 8, Gold runs the 2” to where 
  the Sword of Gold and Blood has gone down, 
  and retrieves it. (Iron has already Aborted his 
  Phase.) 
   
  On Segment 9, it’s Seeker’s Phase again. 
  Since Gold isn’t even nearby, he chooses Iron as 
  his target again, this time Punching him, again 
  putting all four of his CSLs into OCV. This time, 
  since there’s no OCV penalty for the maneuver, 
  he gets an OCV of 14; Iron again Aborts his 
  Phase to block, but this time it isn’t enough. 
  Iron’s base DCV is 9, +2 for his maneuver for 
  11, but halved because he’s down for a final total 
  of 6. Seeker’s Hit Result is 19 -- a critical hit! 
  His 10 DC attack does 60 STUN and 20 BODY. 
  Iron has 18 PD (including his armor), so takes 
  only 42 STUN and 2 BODY. He also takes 11” 
  of Knockback, sending him 6” past his own 
  sword and doing 5 DC of damage when he hits; 
  this comes to 19 STUN and 5 BODY, of which 
  only 1 more STUN gets through. Now at -8 
  STUN, Iron is Stunned, groggy, and unable to 
  act, but not completely unconscious. 
   
  On Segment 10, it’s Gold’s turn. (Her 
  brother’s Knockback puts him out of range for 
  the Array she had with him, so her DEX goes 
  back down to 25.) She runs back to Seeker, 
  swinging her sword in the Hammering Fist of 
  Sun Peng (a Martial Strike). To her base OCV of 
  at least peripherally, 
  in every adventure.) 
  Use the average of the 
  “leftover” Experience 
  Point totals since the 
  Event’s last 
  occurrence. 
   
   
  FIND WEAKNESS 
   
   
   Find Weakness 
  may appear at first 
  glance to fit in the 
  category of 
  Activations, but it 
  doesn’t really. It is 
  modified not only by 
  Lack of Weakness, 
  but by many of the 
  same things that can 
  affect regular Skills as 
  well. 
   
   
  CHARACTER 
  SHEETS 
   
   
   The statistics used 
  from Watchers of the 
  Dragon can be found 
  beginning on page 10 
  for Seeker, and page 
  46 for Iron and Gold. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  14 
  8, she gets +2 Skill levels, for a total of 10.  
  After his own Martial Punch maneuver, Seeker’s 
  DCV is 12, giving Gold a Hit Result of 9. Gold’s 
  sword, with STR and extra DCs from her 
  maneuver added in, does 10 DC Killing Damage 
  (3d6+1 in the old system), doing 6 BODY and 6 
  STUN. Seeker has no resistant defenses, and so 
  takes full damage. (His Pain Resistance [Damage 
  Reduction] would normally reduce the STUN to 
  4, but he must take no less STUN than BODY 
  damage.) Though Seeker is badly cut, the pain 
  from the cut is minimal, and he’s able to go on 
  normally. 
   
  When Iron’s Phase comes around, he 
  Recovers from being Stunned, and takes a 
  Recovery. With his 10 REC, he’s at 2 STUN, 
  and 2 END to match. He’s still groggy and 
  unable to act in this Phase, but he is aware 
  enough to know that Gold has injured Seeker, 
  and conscious enough to be fully aware of 
  what’s about to happen. 
   
  Segment 11 is Seeker’s next Phase. Trying 
  to end this quickly, he puts all his Levels into 
  OCV for a Punch against Gold. To his base OCV 
  of 10, he adds his 4 Skill Levels for a total of 14. 
  Gold tries to buy some time by Aborting her 
  Phase to Dodge (since Red Banner Kung Fu has 
  no Martial Dodge, she has to use a conventional 
  Dodge), making her DCV 11. Seeker still has a 
  Hit Result of 14, which gives his attack 40 
  STUN and 12 BODY; after Gold’s defenses 
  (including Armor), she takes 22 STUN and no 
  BODY. This is enough to Stun her. 
   
  Seeker gets another Phase on Segment 12 
  and, noticing Gold’s status, decides to dispatch 
  her quickly with a Choke Hold. He puts two of 
  his Levels into OCV and two into DC. His base 
  OCV of 10 is modified by -2 for the maneuver 
  and +2 by his Levels, leaving it at 10; Gold’s 
  DCV, since she is Stunned, is at half her base 
  value without bonuses for Levels and her last 
  maneuver, which gives her a 4. Seeker’s Hit 
  Result is 17. His Choke Hold would normally do 
  3½d6 NND (he applies his Extra DC to increase 
  the damage, rather than the STR of the 
  Choke Hold’s Grab). Since he’s put two 
  Skill Levels into increasing damage, he gets 
  4 dice, which totals 22 STUN against Gold.  
  She doesn’t have the needed defense, so she 
  goes to -14 STUN and passes out. 
   
  Also on Segment 12, Gold and Iron get 
  their Phases.  Gold Recovers enough to be 
  no longer fully unconscious (she’s now at -6 
  STUN); Iron Holds his Phase, not wanting 
  to spend the END that an attack or other 
  major activity would cost but at the same 
  time not wanting to drop his guard to take 
  another Recovery. 
   
  Everyone gets their Post-12 Recovery. 
  Seeker gets back all the END he’s used; 
  Gold gets enough to be actually awake, with 
  2 STUN (and 1 END to go with it); and Iron gets 
  10 more STUN and 10 END back, now having 
  12 of each. 
   
  On Turn 2, Segment 2, Seeker goes first. 
  Since Iron is too far away for him to attack, he 
  makes sure Gold is completely out, continuing 
  his Choke Hold against her immobile form, 
  putting all of his Skill Levels into Damage Class. 
  Since her DCV is 0, he gets full damage with 4½ 
  DC, for 27 STUN.  She’s out, but good. 
   
  In Iron’s eyes, Seeker is abusing his sister, 
  but since she isn’t really badly hurt, he doesn’t 
  check to go Enraged (mere infuriation is 
  enough). Instead, when his Phase comes around 
  on Segment 3, he Leaps to where his sword lay 
  -- about 6” from his current location, and about 
  5” from where Seeker is -- and picks it up. 
   
  This puts Iron in range for Seeker to attack 
  when his Phase comes around on Segment 4. 
  Seeker runs to Iron (exactly a Half Move for 
  him) and attempts to Throw him to the ground, 
  using his own velocity plus Iron’s leaping 
  velocity. To his base OCV of 10, Seeker adds all 
  four of his Skill Levels, for a total of 14; Iron’s 
  DCV is 7, but he (like his sister did before) 
  attempts to Dodge, giving him a total DCV of 
  10. Seeker’s Hit Result is 15. His own 10” of 
  movement is added to Iron’s 7”, and the whole is 
  divided by 3 for a final result of 6 DC, plus 8 DC 
  for the base damage for a total of 14 DC. He 
  does 63 STUN and 20 BODY, which gives (after 
  Iron’s defenses) 45 STUN and 2 BODY; this 
  knocks Iron fully unconscious as well as to the 
  ground. Seeker is then free to apply some first 
  aid to his injury, call the police, tie up the 
  siblings, and so on. 
   
   
  Proportional Hits 
   
  Some GMs may not want to use a diceless 
  method for combat as a whole, but may like the 
  idea of a better Attack Roll resulting in more 
  damage. After all, how often have you seen 
  someone roll an exact hit (“Barely got him!”), 
   
  PROPORTIONAL HIT TABLE 
  Roll 
  Made By
  Normal 
  STUN 
  Normal 
  BODY 
  Killing 
  BODY 
  Killing 
  STUN× 
  -3 
  1 
  0 
  0.5 
  1 
  -2 
  1.5 
  0.2 
  0.65 
  1 
  -1 
  2 
  0.4 
  0.8 
  1 
  0 (Exact)
  2.5 
  0.6 
  0.95 
  1.5 
  1 
  3 
  0.8 
  1.1 
  2 
  2 
  3.5 
  1 
  1.25 
  2.5 
  3 
  4 
  1.2 
  1.4 
  3 
  4 
  4.5 
  1.4 
  1.55 
  3.5 
  5 
  5 
  1.6 
  1.7 
  4 
  6 
  5.5 
  1.8 
  1.85 
  4.5 
  7+ 
  6 
  2 
  2 
  5 
   
  SEEKER’S CHOKE 
  HOLD 
   
   
   On Seeker’s 
  character sheet as 
  published in Watchers 
  of the Dragon, the 
  damage for his Choke 
  Hold is listed as 2d6 
  NND.  This is an error
  which does not take 
  into account the extra 
  Damage Classes for 
  his Martial Arts.  The 
  3½d6 NND given 
  here is correct. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  15
  only to roll in the upper 25% of possible 
  damage? Or rolled a solid hit, only to roll near 
  the minimum damage? The accompanying 
  Proportional Hit Table is based on the Diceless 
  Combat Table. 
   
  A miss by 4 or more is an actual miss; 
  misses by 1-3 are glancing blows. The other 
  numbers on the Proportional Hit Table may be 
  applied just as the numbers are on the Diceless 
  Combat Table. Also as with the main chart, the 
  GM may choose to extend the chart up and/or 
  down (especially down) as desired. 
   
  Consequences 
   
  Any wholesale change to the HERO System 
  has consequences, whether intended or 
  unintended, and the GM should be aware of what 
  might happen before he introduces a new way of 
  doing things. Here are some things to consider 
  before adopting these rules. 
  MENTAL POWERS 
   
   
   
  Most Mental Powers not only operate 
  against ECV, but also use a character’s EGO to 
  determine their effect. Thus, if the target has a 
  low (or even average) EGO, it’s relatively easy 
  for a powerful mentalist to completely dominate 
  him. And, in many campaigns, most 
  non-mentalist PCs have EGO scores of 10 or so. 
   
  One thing you can do is encourage your 
  players to take higher than average EGO scores. 
  Superheroes typically have stronger wills than 
  the average person anyway; after all, most 
  people, even given special equipment and/or 
  superhuman powers, wouldn’t go out and fight 
  crime, especially if the criminals had similarly 
  powerful (or even more powerful) equipment 
  and/or powers. It really does take a special kind 
  of person to do that, and even if the character 
  doesn’t have that kind of will to begin with, he’ll 
  learn it quickly enough. 
   
  Another question to ask in this regard is, 
  “How often do the PCs go against mentalist 
  villains, anyway?” If every other supervillain 
  team has a mentalist, the PCs should eventually 
  develop at least a little Mental Defense, if only 
  from the practice of resisting those mentalists. If 
  you want to use these rules but are concerned 
  about Mental Powers being too powerful, accept 
  any good justification for a character to have (or 
  develop) Mental Defense. The same idea goes 
  for increased EGO; characters may develop 
  stronger wills just by being exposed to Mental 
  Powers, or at least learn some 5-point Skill 
  Levels with DECV. 
   
  The Ultimate Mentalist has rules for 
  “incremental” versions of some Mental Powers 
  (Mind Control, Mind Scan, and Telepathy). 
  These increase the ability of a mentalist who 
  “misses,” but decrease the ability of one who 
  hits, and hits (if only glancing blows) are much 
  more frequent using this diceless system than in 
  the standard combat system. You might consider 
  integrating those rules with the ones in this 
  article. 
   
  If you really want to, you may develop a 
  separate combat chart for Mental Powers, 
  narrowing the field of success. Success could 
  start at 11 in this case, and increment until 18 for 
  maximum effect. Alternately, simply assign a -3 
  to the Hit Result of all Mental Powers. 
   
  Then again, some GMs may feel Mental 
  Powers aren’t powerful enough. If you agree, use 
  the Diceless Combat rules exactly as written. 
  AREA OF EFFECT AND EXPLOSION 
  ATTACKS AGAINST ADJACENT HEXES 
   
   
   
  In the HERO System, hexes have DCV 3, 
  unless it’s adjacent to the attacker’s own hex, in 
  which case a hex has DCV 0. Under the Diceless 
  System, Hit Results are almost always at or near 
  the maximum damage when used against 
  adjacent hexes (unless, of course, the attack is 
  also has the No Range Limitation; those are 
  declared as Hit Result 13). 
   
  In most cases, this is of relatively little 
  consequence. Most Area Of Effect and 
  Explosion attacks affect the attacker as well as 
  the intended targets, unless the Power also has 
  the Personal Immunity Advantage. Even so, if 
  that Advantage is on the Power, it may mean the 
  number of dice in the attack so low it won’t be 
  nearly as strong as it seems. 
   
  There are some exceptions to this. It’s true 
  Radius is the most common form of Area Of 
  Effect, and the target hex for such an area is 
  almost always the center hex. However, other 
  forms of Area Of Effect — and sometimes even 
  Radius, with the GM’s permission — may be 
  built to allow the attacker to target an adjacent 
  hex without including himself in the affected 
  area. 
   
  The GM should consider (based at least in 
  part on the Special Effect) how to handle this 
  situation. He may declare, either for all Area Of 
  Effect and Explosion attacks or only for those 
  that can target an adjacent hex without affecting 
  the character, that all hexes — including the one 
  the character is standing in — have DCV 3 for 
  an attack like this, or declare that the attack 
  always takes a Hit Result of 13. 
  COMBAT SKILL LEVELS 
   
   
   
  Increasing damage based on accuracy 
  (whether with the full diceless system or just the 
  proportional hits table) tends to mean skill has as 
  much effect on the damage a character inflicts as 
  his raw power does. You may or may not find 
  this desirable. After all, a single 2-point Combat 
  Skill Level with a single attack can lead to 
  causing more damage than adding 5 points to 
  increase the attack’s DCs. Moreover, more 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  16 
  expensive CSLs can add to multiple forms of 
  attack, increasing their utility (and the 
  character’s effectiveness). GMs should consider 
  this issue carefully, and perhaps impose limits on 
  the number of CSLs a character can have, or how 
  he can use them. 
   
  For example, you might rule that a +1 OCV 
  requires two Combat Skill Levels instead of just 
  one (at least, beyond a certain point). You could 
  also make all CSLs cost END, or disallow the 
  application of Skill Levels for increased damage, 
  even for hand-to-hand combat. You could also 
  restructure the cost for Skill Levels altogether, 
  either giving a flat cost increase or increasing the 
  cost just for Combat Skill Levels. 
   
  The GM should not allow a player to try to 
  spend just enough Combat Skill Levels on 
  accuracy to reach an 18 Hit Result against the 
  target, and then apply the rest in increased 
  Damage Classes. Short of having special senses 
  specifically for the purpose, the character would 
  have no way to know how skill he needs to 
  guarantee a maximum Hit Result against a 
  particular target. Characters with CSLs should 
  declare how they want to apply them before 
  consulting the Diceless Combat Table. 
  EXTREME DCV-OCV DIFFERENCES 
   
   
   
  The basic math behind it is both sound and 
  undeniable:  if an attacker’s OCV is four or more 
  points less than the defender’s DCV, then the 
  defender is effectively untouchable. Take, for 
  example, a “slow” brick with a DEX of 18 (for 
  an OCV of 6) fighting a truly fast martial artist 
  with a DEX of 30 (for a DCV of 10, not counting 
  any bonuses for Martial Arts maneuvers). While 
  the brick could get in a lucky punch under the 
  traditional system, there is no way for him to 
  make contact with the martial artist under this 
  diceless system, at least with the basic rules as 
  described above. 
   
  This is where the brick’s player has to get 
  creative. After all, even in the comics (on which 
  the HERO System was originally based, in part), 
  those slower, high-strength super-types rarely get 
  in even a “lucky” shot against opponents that are 
  considerably more agile. More often, they have 
  to rely on clever tricks to make contact, and 
  that’s what’s recommend here. 
   
  Some “brick tricks” and other tactics that 
  can neutralize, or minimize, this “weakness” are: 
  ��Teamwork:  Since role-playing games are 
  (generally) a group activity, some teamwork 
  should be in order. For example, an energy 
  projector or gadget-user could Flash the 
  brick’s foe, or even trade opponents 
  altogether. In fact, this should be the first 
  thing that occurs to your players! 
  ��Weapons of Opportunity:  Super-strong 
  characters are infamous for using items in 
  the landscape as impromptu weapons, such 
  as throwing cars or swinging telephone 
  poles. This can often provide OCV bonuses 
  and/or the equivalent of the Area Of Effect 
  Advantage to STR attacks. 
  ��Combat Modifiers:  There are certain 
  things that even a brick can do, such as take 
  a Phase to Set, that can increase OCV. 
  (Granted, the Set maneuver only increases 
  OCV by 1, but in this case every little bit 
  helps!) Slower non-brick characters in this 
  type of situation can do this trick as well. 
  ��Fake-Out:  The disadvantaged character 
  can always attempt a feint, pretend to be 
  knocked out, or do something else to set up 
  a surprise attack. This can give an OCV 
  bonus or sometimes even trick the enemy 
  into dropping his guard altogether. 
  ��Shockwave:  Some GMs may allow, either 
  as a universal “brick trick” or as a 
  separately-purchased Power, a “shockwave” 
  effect in which the brick character strikes 
  the ground to knock over everyone standing 
  nearby — and a prone target is an easier 
  target. 
  ��Victory by Attrition:  If the brick is tough 
  enough, he could just let his foe attack, 
  doing all he can to soak up damage and 
  Recover it. He could even use Acting to 
  make it look like he’s trying to make contact 
  with the martial artist, while he’s actually 
  conserving END. This will wear the martial 
  artist out, hopefully making him an easier 
  target. 
   
   
  In short, if a player with a brick (or 
  otherwise slow) character gets pounded this way, 
  suggest that he use some creativity. If he fails to 
  do so, he probably deserves what he gets! 
   
  Conclusion 
   
  Obviously, not everyone wants diceless 
  combat rules. Many gamers love rolling dice, 
  and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that! 
  Whether your goal is ease of use, speed, simpler 
  math, realism, or something else, only you can 
  know whether these rules will help your group. 
   
  The bottom line, of course, is that you 
  should use this system (and modify or adapt it) 
  only if it helps you have fun. After all, that’s 
  what gaming is all about! 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  17
  Science Hero: Clinging by Jeff Kesselman 
   
  Science! 
  Scientific phenomena are all around us and 
  effect us all the time in our daily lives. Without 
  the force of gravity, our soda would not pour out 
  of its can. Without the rules of balance, we could 
  not walk. Without friction, car wheels would just 
  spin in place without moving anywhere. 
  As GMs, we are called upon to simulate a 
  believable world. When the hero tips over a can 
  of gasoline and expects it to pour out, he is 
  counting on us to understand the physics 
  inherent in that action. The better we understand 
  the science of the real world, the more exciting, 
  vivid, and realistic we can make our fantastic 
  game worlds. 
  This article series examines the scientific 
  implications of various HERO System powers. 
  This is certainly not the only way to view them. 
  In some cases, there may even be reasonable, 
  conflicting scientific interpretations. The idea of 
  all of this is not to tell the GM what he should 
  do, but just present another way of looking at 
  gamemastering that may enrich your play. 
  Gravity and Forces in Opposition 
  Sir Isaac Newton first enumerated the basic laws 
  of motion in everyday life. Those laws are: 
  1. An object in uniform motion remains in that 
  uniform motion until acted on by an 
  unbalanced force. 
  2. The relationship between an object's mass 
  m, its acceleration a, and the applied force F 
  is F = ma. 
  3. For every action, there is an equal and 
  opposite reaction. 
  The first law means that it takes the 
  application of a force to change the motion of an 
  object. If you threw a ball in a vacuum with no 
  gravity or other forces acting on that ball, the 
  ball would continue forever at the speed and in 
  the direction with which it left your hand. (The 
  vacuum is necessary because anything rubbing 
  against the ball, even air, produces the force 
  commonly known as friction, which will slow 
  the ball down.) 
  The second law describes how forces affect 
  the motion of an object. Acceleration is a 
  measure of change in the speed and/or direction 
  of motion of an object. The most interesting part 
  of this for us is just the fact that the function is 
  multiplicative. This means that if you double the 
  mass, it takes twice as much force to produce the 
  same acceleration. This is why a massive slow 
  moving object can be harder to stop than a light 
  fast moving one. Although there is more 
  acceleration in the light object, there is more 
  mass in the big one, and force is the product of 
  both of these quantities. 
  The third law means that as you push 
  forward on the ball, the ball pushes backwards 
  on you with the same force. Because your mass 
  is so much larger than the ball, the force does not 
  produce nearly the acceleration in you that it 
  does on the ball, but the effect is always there. If 
  an astronaut in a weightless vacuum throws that 
  ball, you can see a slight backward motion of the 
  astronaut in response. This fact will become 
  important when we examine Flight. 
  Newton also identified the force of gravity 
  in everyday life. This is the force that keeps us 
  on the planet, and keeps the moon in orbit 
  around us. Newton's Universal Law of 
  Gravitation is: 
  Every object in the universe attracts every 
  other object with a force directed along the line 
  of centers for the two objects that is proportional 
  to the product of their masses and inversely 
  proportional to the square of the separation 
  between the two objects. 
  This means that big objects attract things 
  strongly, small objects attract them weakly, and 
  big objects attract big objects stronger than they 
  attract small objects. Additionally, this effect 
  falls off quickly the further you get from the 
  other object. This is why we are attracted to the 
  surface of the Earth when standing on it. 
  (Actually we are attracted to the center of the 
  Earth, but the surface stops us. This seemingly 
  trivial point will come up again when examining 
  Desolidification.) It is also why the Moon is still 
  attracted enough to the Earth to stay in orbit 
  when astronauts much closer to the Earth are 
  effectively weightless. The Moon is much more 
  massive than the astronaut. 
  These four basic laws of physics will prove 
  key in the analysis of many HERO System 
  powers. 
  CLINGING 
   
   
  The Power Clinging is described as allowing 
  a player to “cling to walls and sheer surfaces and 
  move on them as if they were level.” What does 
  this really mean? 
  Normal folks like you and I are acted on 
  primarily by the force of gravity created by the 
  mass of the Earth. It always pulls us towards the 
  center of the Earth, but we stop when we hit the 
  solid surface. As a result we seem to “stick” to 
  the ground and will fall towards it if we are lifted 
  above it.1 
                                                             
  1 art by Jeff Kesselman 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  18 
   
  This is something we all assume in our daily 
  lives without thinking much about it. But now 
  lets look at the situation our “clinger” is in. 
  In his case, he has a force attracting him to 
  the surface he is Clinging on. This is true 
  whether he is a gecko using minute forces related 
  to charges on tiny objects, or a cat burglar using 
  suction cups to harness the forces of air pressure. 
   
  Note however that the Clinging force is 
  perpendicular to the force of gravity. As such, 
  neither directly affects the other. The Clinging 
  force keeps the figure against the wall but does 
  nothing to stop him from being pulled down 
  towards the center of the Earth. How then does 
  the gecko or cat burglar climb? 
  The answer is a third force, the force of 
  friction. Because the figure's feet are pulled 
  against the wall, friction is created between the 
  figure and the wall. The force of friction is along 
  the line of contact — where his feet meet the 
  wall. In other words, along the same line as the 
  gravitational force. 
  If the Clinging force is sufficient, and the 
  surface not too slippery, the friction generated is 
  enough to counteract the force of gravity. This 
  friction force also adequately explains the 
  reduced Knockback a clinger experiences. Just as 
  the friction counteracts the force of gravity, it 
  will counteract some of the force of a 
  Knockback, which also generally occurs along 
  the plane of contact. 
  Unfortunately this alone does not quite 
  explain the power as described. Remember that 
  the power description says the clinger may 
  “move on them as if they were level.” The 
  problem is that, while the force of friction 
  applies a counteracting force to gravity at the 
  clinger's shoes, this force does not effect the rest 
  of his body. Thus the clinger must either exert 
  physical strength to keep his body upright or 
  cling close to the wall in order to decrease the 
  mechanical leverage effect of his body on his 
  Clinging feet. This is why geckos are built low 
  and long, and why cat burglars use hand and foot 
  suction cups and stay as close to the wall as 
  possible. 
  It simply is not possible for someone with 
  Clinging as we have so far described to move as 
  a normal person. To create that effect we need 
  either another force that counteracts the effect of 
  gravity on the rest of the clinger's body, or the 
  ability to nullify the force of gravity directly. 
  How Clinging actually functions is up to 
  you as a judge but keep in mind that, for it to 
  work as described takes more than simple 
  suction cups or other devices to make the 
  clinger's feet stick. It actually takes two forces, 
  one effectively neutralizing gravity and another 
  pushing the clinger's feet against a surface, to 
  produce some measure of friction. 
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  19
  The Care and Feeding of Pregens 
  by Rodney Ruff 
   
  The Case for Pregens 
  One of the great things about the HERO 
  System is that players can create the characters 
  they want to play without the element of chance. 
  The arrangement of Powers, Skills, and Talents 
  in a point system allows them to build characters 
  without relying on random dice rolls. This allows 
  for greater character development, as it is 
  possible to begin with a character’s origin and 
  develop the abilities that go with it instead of 
  receiving them randomly and creating an origin 
  to justify them. 
  The downside is the amount of time it takes 
  to choose a character’s Powers, Skills, and 
  Talents. Building a character from scratch may 
  require as much as an hour for experienced 
  players, and even longer for new players. After 
  creating the character, further modification is 
  often necessary to fit the GM’s rules and 
  scenario, requiring still more time. Neither 
  situation encourages players new to the system 
  or those eager to start playing without a lot of 
  waiting around. 
  One way around this problem is to use 
  pregenerated characters, or pregens. These are 
  characters supplied by the GM for the players’ 
  use in his adventure or campaign. Pregens let 
  players start playing the game as soon as they 
  familiarize themselves with the characters and 
  the scenario they will be played in. New players 
  learn the rules through playing the game, so they 
  can then create more playable characters of their 
  own. 
  The biggest advantage of pregens for the 
  GM is convenience. The process of creating 
  adventures, especially for relatively 
  inexperienced GMs, takes a lot of time and 
  research. Like his players, the GM expects a 
  certain amount of success from his efforts; he 
  should enjoy running the adventure as much as 
  his players enjoy playing it. If a PC stomps his 
  well-crafted idea into the ground in the first five 
  seconds or gets iced just as fast, he isn’t likely to 
  have a good time. The use of well-designed 
  pregens can avoid this. 
  Probably the biggest use of pregens occurs 
  in convention games. Usually, a GM running an 
  adventure at a con has to schedule a table in 
  advance for a fixed length of time and then clear 
  out for the next GM’s game. Time spent in 
  creating and approving characters cuts into the 
  amount of available playing time. Furthermore, 
  at conventions many players play a new role-
  playing game for the first time; they can’t create 
  characters if they don’t know how to create 
  them. 
  Even when the players do know how to 
  create characters, hastily created and approved 
  characters are likely to have 20d6 Energy Blasts 
  and only a 4 PD and ED, or a slew of 
  Advantages and Limitations which neither the 
  player nor the GM immediately understands the 
  consequences of. Having an assortment of 
  pregens available gives the GM a group of 
  characters who will each contribute to the 
  adventure and give each player a chance to 
  contribute to the group’s overall enjoyment 
  through the character he plays. 
  Pregens have several other advantages: 
  ALLOWING NEW PLAYERS INTO A 
  CAMPAIGN 
   
   
  Even among an established group of players, 
  regular infusions of new blood are needed to 
  keep a campaign going strong. New players can 
  bring enthusiasm to a tired campaign, or they can 
  just as easily bring ruin to a well-established 
  campaign. Pregens let players who show up for 
  just one night’s play get into the scenario and 
  have a good time; those who don’t like it can 
  back out without having risked very much. 
  Those players interested in playing on a regular 
  basis get to try out the scenario before 
  committing to it, while the GM gets to see 
  whether those players will fit in with his group 
  or not. 
  TRYING OUT NEW SCENARIOS 
   
   
   Sometimes, the GM and players need a 
  break from their regular campaign. Perhaps the 
  serious tone of the campaign has been wearing 
  on the players, or the players just need a vacation 
  from the campaign city. Maybe the GM has a 
  scenario idea outside the purview of his current 
  campaign that he just can’t wait to try out, or 
  maybe one of the players in the group would like 
  to try his hand at GMing for the night. 
  If the new scenario is a one-shot idea that 
  the players’ current characters won’t fit in with, 
  it isn’t fair to expect them to create characters 
  they’ll use only once and discard. Providing the 
  players with ready-made characters lets them try 
  out the new scenario without a lot of preparation; 
  if the scenario works, they can either adopt the 
  pregens as their own characters or create ones 
  more to their liking.1 
                                                             
  1 art by Derrick Thomas 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  20 
  TRYING OUT NEW RULES 
   
   
  This goes hand-in-hand with trying out new 
  scenarios, as many of them, such as underwater 
  combat or travel to the spirit plane, require 
  special rules. Other settings, such as a Golden 
  Age or futuristic campaign, use the same basic 
  rules as a modern-day campaign, but may 
  interpret them differently. In such cases, it’s 
  often easier for the GM to provide pregens for 
  the players to get them into the game than it is to 
  impose unfamiliar rules on them and expect them 
  to create effective characters under those rules. 
  This also relates to bringing new players 
  into a campaign, as each player and GM has his 
  own interpretation of the HERO System rules. 
  Playing pregenerated characters lets new players 
  become familiar with the GM’s house rules and 
  also lets them decide after a night’s play if 
  they’re comfortable with those rules or not. If so, 
  they can later create their own characters under 
  the house rules; if not, they can simply move on 
  to another group they’re more comfortable with. 
  Sometimes, the GM may want to try out a 
  new player’s ideas in an adventure. Here again, 
  the use of pregens can give the other players in 
  the group a chance to try out the new rules 
  without requiring them to commit to any more 
  than a night’s play session. 
  TRYING OUT NEW GAMING STYLES 
   
   
  One piece of advice given in the original 
  Hero writer’s guidelines was “Don’t assume 
  everyone plays Champions the same way you 
  do.” Playing with a number of different gaming 
  groups reinforces how true that statement is. 
  Each gamer I’ve met has a different take on the 
  HERO System rules, and I try to learn something 
  from everyone I play with. I’m not always able 
  to use every new idea or approach myself, but I 
  can put some of those I like into my pregens and 
  let my players try them out for me. 
   
  Sources for Pregens 
  Where do you get pregenerated characters 
  from? There are two places:  anywhere and 
  everywhere. In practical terms, there are five 
  sources, listed below. 
  YOUR PERSONAL COLLECTION 
   
   
  Nearly every serious gamer has accumulated 
  a large number of characters he has created and 
  played at some time in the past. Any of these 
  characters can become a pregen for someone else 
  to play, depending on the character and 
  adventure in question. 
  OTHER PLAYERS’ CHARACTERS 
   
   
  As imaginative as any gamer might be, there 
  are always character conceptions he may not 
  have thought of but someone else has. GMs who 
  routinely obtain reference copies of the player-
  made characters in their campaigns have a ready-
  made stock of pregens to draw from for future 
  adventures. (These characters can also be played 
  as NPCs if the players who created them aren’t 
  able to attend a session or two.) GMs who don’t 
  get reference copies can either rely on other 
  players to provide pregens for a night’s 
  adventure or ask friends who have characters 
  they particularly admire for copies in advance. 
  (Of course, when using someone else’s 
  character as a pregen, it’s only right to give that 
  person credit for the original character, either 
  verbally or in writing somewhere on the 
  character sheet.) 
  PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED HERO 
  CHARACTERS 
   
   
  Hero Games has published a considerable 
  number of supplemental modules for its gaming 
  system, with several hundred characters either 
  ready-to-play or easily modified by changing a 
  few Powers, Disadvantages, special effects, or 
  details of the character’s origin. In a pinch, 
  character stats can just be photocopied out of the 
  book, names changed, incompatible 
  Disadvantages struck out, and handed to the 
  players as pregens. 
  Even when a set of stats can’t be readily 
  modified, the rest of the character write-up can 
  form the basis of a usable pregen. For example, a 
  Golden Age American Eagle can readily be 
  created by changing a couple of Powers and 
  special effects in the write-up of the modern-day 
  version in Champions Universe. Although no 
  stats exist for his sidekick Winger, the write-up 
  of the modern Eagle provides enough 
  information about his days as Winger to produce 
  a credible character:  he was a foolhardy dreamer 
  lucky enough to have his hero come to his rescue 
  and adopt him. 
  Using this information, I built Winger for 
  my World War II adventure Operation: Catapult, 
  giving him 3d6 Luck (since scaled down to 2d6) 
  with Regeneration linked to it to represent his 
  foolhardy nature. For offensive abilities, I gave 
  him a scaled-back version of the Hand-to-Hand 
  Attack and Missile Deflection with batons that I 
  gave to American Eagle I, along with generic 
  Martial Arts skills to represent his lesser abilities 
  and quick training. (I also gave him a crush on 
  another pregen, Victory Girl, a Golden Age 
  throwback of Victrix from Champions 
  Universe.) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  21
  CHARACTERS FROM OTHER SOURCES 
   
   
  This includes both characters converted 
  from other game systems to HERO System rules 
  and characters from such other media as books, 
  comics, movies, television, radio, and video 
  games. This category forms the backbone for 
  such games as my friend Jon Burleson’s “Big 
  Brawls” competition, where characters from 
  various genres meet in a battle royal to determine 
  the victor.  
  This category is a convenient source for 
  pregens when the players are new to the HERO 
  System; however, among more knowledgeable 
  players, disagreements are likely to occur about 
  how to write up a non-Hero character under 
  HERO System rules. My own approach to this 
  problem is to create knock-offs of familiar 
  characters I particularly like, but to make them 
  different enough from the original character to 
  prevent any arguments about faithfulness to the 
  genre. 
  YOUR OWN IMAGINATION 
   
   
  Sometimes, the right kind of character for a 
  scenario has to be created from scratch. 
  However, your imagination is likely to be 
  influenced by one or more of the above sources, 
  as well as your interests outside of gaming; the 
  more knowledge you have in these sources, the 
  more you can shape them to your own ideas. 
  Here is a partial list of sources of inspiration 
  for my “original” pregens:  Jon Burleson, the 
  Champions 4th Edition hardcover, Champions 
  Universe, the movie Chandu the Magician, Cliff 
  Christiansen (co-author of VIPER and 
  Murderer’s Row), Classic Organizations, The 
  Coriolis Effect, country music, DC Comics, Doc 
  Savage, Enemies for Hire, The Fly, Golden Age 
  Champions, Greek mythology, the APA-zine 
  Haymaker!, Heavy Metal, Robert Heinlein’s 
  Time Enough for Love, Marvel Comics, Phantom 
  2040, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jack 
  Vance, and the World Wrestling Federation. 
   
  Creating Pregens 
  Creating pregens is really not much different 
  than creating either player characters or NPCs. 
  The process is the same; the only difference is 
  that pregens are created for someone else to play. 
  Pregens should be simple enough for the person 
  playing the character to understand the game 
  mechanics but interesting enough to give the 
  player a starting point to role-play the character 
  to the best of his ability. In short, create the kind 
  of characters to play as pregens that you would 
  play yourself. 
  Powers should be fairly straightforward, but 
  not to the point where all the pregens are carbon 
  copies of each other. Powers should be geared to 
  the level you are most comfortable with as the 
  GM and should be roughly equal in damage class 
  among the characters. Any Powers you don’t feel 
  comfortable with or would seriously disrupt your 
  adventure should not be used; those that might 
  be disruptive but also interest you can be given 
  sufficient Limitations to restrict their 
  effectiveness. 
  Powers can be “flavored” with Advantages 
  and Limitations, but neither should be overused. 
  I restrict myself to no more than three 
  Advantages or Limitations on a given Power for 
  my own characters, and for pregens, two is 
  probably a better maximum. Limitations should 
  be limiting, but should also be playable. Certain 
  combinations of Limitations, such as extra END 
  and Activation rolls, should be avoided if they 
  limit the character excessively. Many 
  Limitations can be replaced with more playable 
  Limitations that retain the character’s basic 
  flavor even though they increase a Power’s Real 
  Cost, such as putting a Burnout roll on DEX 
  bought through a Focus to represent the Focus’ 
  clumsiness instead of making it cost extra END. 
  Give each pregen a fair amount of Skills for 
  its conception. Allow a certain amount of 
  overlap — two characters with Paramedic on the 
  team are better than one — but don’t outfit 
  everyone with the same Skills. Likewise, don’t 
  give all the game-critical Skills to one character 
  — and certainly not to an NPC hero. Be prepared 
  to be flexible with the Skills the characters 
  possess if no one in the party has the precise 
  Skill needed at a given moment. 
  Defenses and movement should be 
  character-appropriate. As a general rule, I make 
  the character’s Physical Defense and Energy 
  Defense the same for simplicity’s sake (laziness), 
  so that the player subtracts the same amount 
  from either a physical or energy attack. I went 
  one step further with my World War II adventure 
  pregens and made the DEF values (including 
  Mental Defense) divisible by 5 to make the 
  subtraction even easier. 
  Some GMs present their pregens as “works-
  in-progress,” either providing an unfinished 
  template for the player to add Powers and Skills 
  to, or allowing the player to make minor changes 
  to a completed character. This approach works 
  best for pregens with Variable Power Pools, but 
  the GM should also provide a “standard” pool 
  for players who wish to play such a character “as 
  is.” Less-experienced GMs who don’t wish to 
  take the time involved in approving 
  modifications to pregens should not use this 
  option. 
  Try to use as few abbreviations on the 
  character sheet as possible (e.g., write out 
  “Energy Blast” instead of abbreviating it “EB”) 
  and be ready to explain the abbreviations you did 
  use. It also helps to write out the special effect 
  next to the Power; “Blinding Visage” is a lot 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  22 
  easier to understand than “Sight Group Flash 
  2d6, Explosion, Damage Shield.” If you use 
  Hero Creator to create your characters, you can 
  use either the Label or Notes features to describe 
  the Power’s special effect. 
  A written origin should accompany the 
  character sheet; a page is sufficient to 
  communicate the character’s background to the 
  player and provide the basis for role-playing. A 
  visual depiction of the character is nice, too, as 
  many players, such as myself, like to envision 
  the character in action as they play. If you don’t 
  have the skill as either writer or artist to do this, 
  enlist the help of someone in your gaming group 
  who does have those talents. (This is another 
  way to make the “buddy” player in your group a 
  more active participant.) 
  Last and most important of all, put yourself 
  into your pregens. If you like a certain character 
  type and it’s appropriate to adventure, write it up 
  as a pregen. If you have an interest in a particular 
  subject, work it into the pregen’s background; 
  chances are one of your players shares that 
  interest. If you’re of a satirical bent, let it come 
  out in your character origins and in the way you 
  run the adventure. By sharing yourself this way, 
  you draw the players into your campaign world; 
  if you’re having fun, you’re inviting them to 
  have fun as well.  
   
  Running Pregens 
  Pregens can help to simplify the running of 
  an adventure. Although creating them requires 
  more work up-front for you as the GM, they let 
  you do much of his preparation work to run the 
  adventure sooner. If you already know the DEX 
  and SPD of all the characters in your adventure, 
  you can prepare the combat record sheet as soon 
  as the characters are created instead of filling it 
  out at the start of the game. 
  You can further design your pregens to 
  make running combat easier. Most GMs I’ve 
  played under prefer to establish which of two or 
  more characters with the same DEX gets to go 
  first on a given Phase once at the outset of 
  combat instead of each and every Phase those 
  characters act on. I went a step further when I 
  created my pregens for Operation: Catapult; no 
  more than two characters each have the same 
  DEX (except for DEX 18, where I have four), 
  and I used SPD as a determining factor when 
  two characters with the same DEX had different 
  SPDs. If I used all 20 heroes and villains in the 
  game, I’d only need four DEX roll-offs to 
  resolve the order of combat. 
  Also, since you built the characters, you 
  should know them well enough to build in 
  opportunities for them to either shine or screw up 
  during the adventure. One of the pregens I used 
  in Operation: Catapult is an adaptation of Martin 
  Maenza’s character Flame of Justice. Based on 
  Martin’s original write-up, I decided that the 
  Flame of Justice should experience a flashback 
  of the Hindenburg disaster every time he heard 
  an explosion, causing him to lose control of his 
  powers. 
  When I ran the adventure several years ago 
  at a gaming convention in Omaha, this happened 
  while one of the character’s teammates was 
  carrying the Flame of Justice and two other 
  teammates groundward under cover of a 
  bombing run. Flame heard one of the bombs 
  explode, triggering his no-range Energy Blast, 
  which singed his teammates into 
  unconsciousness before he finally calmed down. 
  To make matters worse, the team’s mystic, 
  Chandella, who was being carried along with 
  him, tried to quiet him with her STUN Drain kiss 
  and failed her attack roll, hitting the third 
  teammate being carried and draining him instead. 
  However, while you can provide plenty of 
  opportunities to challenge your players through 
  their characters, remember, they are the ones 
  playing the characters, not you. You can gently 
  reprove a player playing a character outside of 
  conception (e.g., “Sorry, but Star Mangler just 
  wouldn’t do that”), but you should never dictate 
  how any character should be played. As long as 
  the player’s approach isn’t totally out of line, let 
  him role-play as he sees fit. 
  The players should also have free choice of 
  which character of the available pregens they 
  play. It’s all right to ask a player to play a 
  character you consider important to the 
  adventure or to stretch himself by playing a type 
  of character he’s never played before. It’s also all 
  right to design a pregen with a particular player 
  in mind whose playing style fits the character. 
  It’s not all right, however, to give a player a 
  character he has no affinity for; if a player 
  doesn’t want to play a particular character, you 
  can always bring it in as an NPC if it is truly 
  necessary to the adventure. 
  To allow everyone a choice, there should be 
  more pregens available than there are players. 
  This will also de-emphasize the importance of a 
  particular character to the adventure and 
  encourage a better balance between characters. 
  The creation and use of pregens requires 
  more work initially on the GM’s part in creating 
  interesting and effective characters as well as 
  designing the adventure to put them in. The 
  rewards that the GM and players reap from good 
  pregens justify the effort. They can provide a 
  learning experience for new and long-time 
  players alike, a chance to present and exchange 
  character ideas, and simply a lot of fun — which 
  is what a good game should be. 
  CHARACTER 
  TRIVIA 
   
  One of the things 
  I do with my pregens 
  is to include a trivia 
  question related to the 
  character at the 
  bottom of the 
  character history. At 
  convention games, if 
  a player answers his 
  character’s question 
  correctly, I give him a 
  token prize. (If the 
  player misses the 
  question, I give him 
  an even cheesier 
  token prize.) 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  23
  American Eagle I 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   20 STR 
  10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 HTH 
   24 DEX 
  42 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 
   28 CON 
  36 15- 
   13 BODY 
  6 12- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- PER Roll: 12- 
   14 EGO 
  8 12- ECV: 5 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 
   18 COM 
  4 
   
   
   10 PD 
  6 
   Total: 20 PD (10 rPD) 
   10 ED 
  4 
   Total: 20 ED (10 rED) 
   
  5 SPD 
  16 
   Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 
   11 REC 
  2 
   56 END 
  0 
   44 STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristics Cost: 154 
  Movement: Running: 
    6”/12” 
   
   
  Leaping: 
    6”/12” 
   
   
  Gliding: 
  20”/40” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
  6 Baton:  HA +4d6 (8d6 total); OAF (-1)  1 
   
  9 Baton:  Missile Deflection 
  (arrows/projectiles), +4 OCV; OAF (-1) 0 
   20 Armored Costume:  Armor (10 PD/10 
  ED); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   13 Glider Cape:  Gliding 20”; OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Eye Shields:  Sight Group Flash 
  Defense (5 points); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
  4 Eye Lenses:  Telescopic Sense (Sight 
  Group), +4 to PER versus Range 
  0 
   20 Trusty (If Foolhardy) Kid Sidekick:  
  Follower (Winger), 100-point base 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  Commando Training 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  3 Aikido Throw  +0  
  +1  6d6+v/5 
   
  4 Boxing Cross 
  +0  
  +2  8d6 Strike 
   
  5 Choke 
  -2 
  +0  3d6 NND 
   
  4 Judo Disarm 
  -1  
  +1 
  40 STR 
   
  5 Kick 
  -2  
  +1  10d6 Strike 
   
  4 Kung Fu Block +2  
  +2 
  Block 
   
  1 Use Art with Clubs 
   
  8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) 
   
   Skills 
   16 +2 with All Combat  
   
   
  1 WF: Rifles 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 126 
  Total Cost: 280 
   
   150+ Disadvantages 
   15 Hunted:  Arson Annie, 8- (Mo Pow, 
  Capture) 
   20 Hunted:  Doctor Qual, 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   10 Hunted:  U.S. Army Research (More 
  Powerful, NCI, Watching) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Against 
  Killing (Common, Total) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Overprotective 
  of Winger (Common, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Patriotic 
  (Common, Strong) 
   10 Reputation:  patriotic hero, 11- 
   10 Rivalry:  Professional (any flying hero, 
  especially one with wings; Rival is in 
  Superior Position) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Secret Identity 
  (Frequently, Major [if discovered, 
  character will be inconvenienced and 
  exposed to great danger]) (Roger Carter) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 280 
   
  Background/History:  Roger Carter was among 
  the first to be drafted into the Army in World 
  War II. Shortly after completing basic training, 
  he was assigned to the Nighthawk Project, which 
  was to develop a compact delta-wing glider that 
  could be used to drop men at low altitudes 
  behind enemy lines instead of more visible 
  parachutes. 
  Unfortunately, funding for the program was 
  cut after an accident in which Roger crash-
  landed, breaking his ankle and earning himself a 
  medical discharge. However, Roger was 
  convinced that the program had merit, if not as a 
  covert operation, then as the gimmick for a 
  symbol of American morale in the war against 
  the forces of evil. When his ankle healed, he 
  approached his former superiors with his idea 
  and adopted the identity of the American Eagle, 
  perfecting the glider and adapting it into a cape. 
  In 1943, Roger became the guardian of 
  Steve Hall, whose attempt to duplicate Carter’s 
  glider cape almost cost him his life. Steve then 
  became the American Eagle’s sidekick Winger. 
  Learning of the armored hero Knight Owl, 
  whose suit included a huge set of powered 
  wings, Roger became obsessed with the idea of 
  developing a lighter, more practical set of wings 
  for his own use and spent his spare moments 
  designing a set of his own. Lacking Knight 
  Owl’s technical skills, he never got the idea off 
  paper until long after the war, and tragically, 
  when he did, he severely injured himself, 
  bringing his career as the American Eagle to an 
  end. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Although Roger 
  Carter has been taken out of the Army, the Army 
  hasn’t been taken out of Roger Carter. He 
  remains as disciplined a man and as dedicated a 
  patriot out of uniform as he did when in uniform. 
  He tends to order his sidekick, Winger, around 
  like a buck private, but is in fact, mainly (and 
  overly) concerned with his charge’s welfare. 
  This approach will lead to the eventual 
  dissolution of their partnership during the 1950s. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  24 
  Quote:  “You can always tell the hero from the 
  villain by his methods.” 
  Powers/Tactics:  The American Eagle relies on 
  his glider cape for maneuverability and to scout 
  an area from the air before engaging in combat. 
  Once in combat, he will try to soften an 
  opponent up with a Move-By with his batons 
  before relying on his commando training to take 
  them down hard and fast. When Winger is 
  present, however, he will try to shield the boy 
  from deadly attacks, particularly those involving 
  gases. 
  Campaign Use:  American Eagle I is suitable 
  for any four-color World War II-era adventure or 
  campaign, with or without Winger. His military 
  background would suit him for commando-style 
  raids, while his background with the Nighthawk 
  Project would suit him for campaigns built 
  around any form of experimental aircraft. A 
  particularly inventive GM 
  could put him in a 
  campaign set just 
  after his failed 
  attempt at 
  creating 
  powered wings, 
  playing up his 
  bitterness and 
  how he has to adjust 
  both to his disability 
  and to his former 
  sidekick becoming 
  his successor. 
   
  Appearance:  The original American Eagle’s 
  costume is not much different from that which 
  Winger later wore when he assumed the mantle 
  of his mentor, except that it has an attached 
  collapsible glider cape instead of functional 
  wings. The costume consists of a blue bodyshirt 
  and trunks with a white featherburst on his chest, 
  blue gloves and boots, and red sleeves and 
  leggings. The costume is complemented by a 
  blue helmet-like hood with white wings 
  projecting from it to cover his ears. 
  Out of costume, Roger is a tall, well-
  conditioned man with ice-blue eyes and a blonde 
  crewcut, who favors 
  inexpensive suits or work 
  clothes of the 1940s. 
   
   
   
  SECRET ORIGIN 
   
  American Eagle I 
  is derived from 
  information presented 
  in Voice of DOOM 
  and Champions 
  Universe, both 
  copyright by Hero 
  Games. The stats for 
  American Eagle I 
  given here differ little 
  from those for 
  American Eagle II on 
  Page 96 of 
  Champions Universe, 
  except that Gliding 
  replaces Flight and 
  Missile Deflection is 
  bought through his 
  baton instead of his 
  wings (and 
  accordingly reduced 
  in effectiveness). 
  Roger Carter’s 
  military background 
  was created to explain 
  both his having the 
  Martial Arts style of 
  Commando Training 
  and how he acquired 
  his glider cape. 
  The name “Roger 
  Carter” was chosen to 
  follow the modern 
  Eagle’s secret identity 
  of Steve Hall being a 
  corruption of the 
  respective secret 
  identities of Captain 
  America and 
  Hawkman, Steve 
  Rogers and Carter 
  Hall, the heroes the 
  character is a cross 
  between. The 
  description of Roger’s 
  physical appearance is 
  intended as what 
  Steve Hall probably 
  looked like in his 
  prime and to allow for 
  the fact that most 
  heroes and sidekicks 
  of the Golden Age 
  looked like father and 
  son, even though most 
  of them weren’t. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  25
  Winger 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH 
   23 DEX 
  39 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 
   18 CON 
  16 13- 
   11 BODY 
  2 11- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- PER Roll: 12- 
   11 EGO 
  2 12- ECV: 4 
   13 PRE 
  3 12- PRE Attack: 2½d6 
   12 COM 
  1 
   
   
   10 PD 
  7 
   Total: 20 PD (10 rPD) 
   10 ED 
  6 
   Total: 20 ED (10 rED) 
   
  5 SPD 
  17 
   Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 
   7/12 REC 
  0 
   36 END 
  0 
   28 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost: 101 
  Movement: Running: 
    6”/12” 
   
   
  Leaping: 
    6”/12” 
   
   
  Swinging: 14”/28” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
  3 Baton:  Hand-to-Hand Attack +2d6 
  (5d6 total), OAF (-1) 
  1 
   
  7 Baton:  Missile Deflection (arrows/ 
  projectiles), +2 OCV; OAF (-1) 
  0 
   15 Armored Costume:  Armor (10 PD/10 
  ED), OIF (-½); Activation Roll 14- (-½) 0 
   
  7 Wrist Reel Swing Line:  Swinging 14”; 
  OAF (-1) 
  0 
   
  3 Eye Shields:  Sight Group Flash 
  Defense (5 points); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   13 Teenage Self-Healing:  Healing 2d6 
  (Regeneration, 2 BODY per Turn), 
  Requires a Luck Roll (one level; -½) 
  0 
   
  7 Teenage Recovery:  +5 REC, Requires a 
  Luck Roll (one level; -½) 
  0 
   10 Luck 2d6 
  0 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  Comic-Book Style 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4 Block  
  +2  
  +2 
  Block 
   
  4 Dodge  
  +0  
  +5 
  Dodge 
   
  5 Kick  
  -2  
  +1  9d6 Strike 
   
  4 Punch  
  +0  
  +2  7d6 Strike 
   
  3 Throw 
  +0  
  +1  5d6+v/5 
   
  1 Use Art with Clubs 
   
  8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) 
   
  Skills 
   
  5 +1 with Hand-to-Hand Combat 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 99 
  Total Cost: 200 
   
  100+ Disadvantages 
   15 Hunted:  Arson Annie, 8- (Mo Pow, 
  Capture) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Against 
  Killing (Common, Total) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Patriotic 
  (Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Showoff In 
  Combat (Common, Moderate) 
   
  5 Psychological Limitation:  Crush on 
  Victory Girl (Uncommon, Moderate) 
   
  5 Reputation:  foolhardy kid sidekick, 8- 
   
  5 Rivalry:  Professional (with Vanguard Jr.; 
  Rival is As Powerful) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Secret Identity 
  (Frequent, Major) (Steve Hall) 
   10 Vulnerability:  1½× STUN from Gas 
  Attacks (Common) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 200 
   
  Background/History:  Steve Hall was the 
  typical teenager of 1943 Chicago, a patriot who 
  led the other boys at the orphanage in mock 
  battles against imagined Japanazi legions. He 
  also idolized the American Eagle, papering his 
  room with drawings of his favorite hero and 
  schematics he had worked out of the Eagle’s 
  glider cape. He made his own version and one 
  night decided to test it, climbing to the 
  orphanage roof and jumping off, only to have the 
  cape’s support struts break as he leapt, sending 
  him hurtling to certain death. 
  Fortunately, the American Eagle had 
  decided to patrol the area around the orphanage 
  that night and saw Steve plummet from the roof. 
  Swooping down, he caught the lad just before he 
  hit the ground. Although he gave the boy a stern 
  lecture, he was impressed with Steve’s 
  foolhardiness, and on learning how Steve 
  idolized him, had himself made the boy’s legal 
  guardian. 
  Being taken in by his hero sounded like a 
  dream at first, as Steve became the Eagle’s 
  trusted sidekick, Winger, but there was a down 
  side. The Eagle trained Steve as hard as he had 
  been trained in the military, and fearful that 
  Steve would try the cape stunt again, refused to 
  give him his own glider cape and insisted he use 
  a swing line to maneuver around. Nonetheless, 
  the American Eagle was a more than adequate 
  father figure to the boy. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Winger chafes under 
  his mentor’s overprotectiveness and takes 
  advantage of every possible opportunity to show 
  off his still-developing crimefighting skills. 
  Also, Steve is at the age where he’s just 
  discovered girls and will try to impress them at 
  every opportunity, especially if they are 
  superheroines. He is fondest of Victory Girl, 
  three years his senior, and clumsily tries to make 
  passes at her in between action sequences. 
  Quote:  “Hey, Victory Girl — watch this!” 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  26 
  Powers/Tactics:  Still fairly new to the world of 
  superheroics, Winger isn’t much for subtlety. His 
  usual approach is to swing into the middle of a 
  fight and kick and punch his way to victory. He 
  becomes even less cautious when there’s a 
  teenage girl around. He’s been exceptionally 
  lucky, and unfortunately tends to rely on that 
  luck instead of skill. 
  Campaign Use:  Winger is intended as comedy 
  relief for a four-color World War II-era 
  adventure or campaign, albeit competent comedy 
  relief. His mistakes should come primarily from 
  taking on more than he can handle, not from 
  failing to handle the things he is quite capable of 
  dealing with. He isn’t the most powerful 
  character in terms of points, but his budding 
  attraction to the opposite sex makes him a fun 
  character to role-play in the right player’s hands. 
  Appearance:  Winger wears a sleeveless red 
  tunic with a featherburst pattern similar to that 
  on American Eagle’s chest, blue ankle-length 
  boots and domino mask with white feather trim, 
  and a white cape with blue trim. On his left wrist 
  is a compact reel containing his swing line. Out 
  of costume, he looks like a junior version of his 
  guardian, with a blonde crewcut but eyes of a 
  lighter shade of blue. 
   
   
  SECRET ORIGIN 
   
  Winger is derived 
  from information 
  presented on 
  American Eagle II in 
  Voice of DOOM and 
  Champions Universe, 
  both copyright by 
  Hero Games. His 
  characteristics were 
  derived from those for 
  Vanguard, Jr. from 
  Golden Age 
  Champions. I created 
  Winger to have a 
  sidekick character for 
  Operation: Catapult 
  closer in style to 
  Robin than to Bucky 
  Barnes. (I also didn’t 
  think much of 
  “playground 
  wrestling” as a 
  martial art style.) 
  American Eagle 
  and Winger were 
  intended to be played 
  as a set. I gave the 
  player choosing to 
  play American Eagle 
  the option of also 
  running Winger or 
  not. If the player 
  chose not to play 
  Winger, and no one 
  else wanted to play 
  the character, I 
  allowed him to give 
  the American Eagle a 
  limited number of 
  additional Skills 
  appropriate to the 
  Eagle’s background. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  27
  Elizabethan Hero by Lisa Hartjes 
   
  “I know I have the body of a weak and 
  feeble woman, but I have the heart and 
  stomach of a king, and of a king of 
  England too.” 
  Elizabeth I, Speech, 8 Aug 1588, to her 
  troops on the approach of the Spanish 
  Armada. 
   
  One of the greatest things about the HERO 
  System is its flexibility. One can play games of 
  any genre and any time period. The aim of this 
  article is to provide players and GMs with the 
  information they need to explore England during 
  the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The first part of 
  this article contains the background information 
  needed to get a feel for the time period, and 
  perhaps some ideas for character backgrounds. 
  The second half of the article, to be published in 
  a later Digital Hero, will have all the information 
  you need to create characters and design 
  adventures and campaigns in the Elizabethan era. 
   
  Why Play a Game in the 
  Elizabethan Era? 
  Elizabethan England was a time of greatness 
  for England, and has the potential to offer 
  adventures to suit just about every taste. For 
  people interested in political intrigue, life at 
  Elizabeth’s court was rife with it. If exploring the 
  frontiers of civilization you’re after, this was the 
  time of the founding of the Virginia and Ulster 
  colonies. Finally, if you seek adventures upon 
  the high seas, Sir Francis Drake made a name for 
  himself by being so successful at attacking the 
  Spanish gold ships that his own vessel was 
  barely afloat because it was so laden down with 
  stolen gold when it arrived in the harbor. 
   
  A Brief History 
  The reign of Elizabeth (1558 - 1603) saw 
  England emerge as the leading naval and 
  commercial power of the Western world. 
  Elizabeth I’s England strengthened its position 
  with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, 
  and firmly established the Church of England. 
  Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Raleigh 
  sent colonists westward in search of profit. In 
  trade, might, and art, England established an 
  envious preeminence. 
  London was the heart of England, reflecting 
  all the vibrant qualities of the Elizabethan Age, 
  and became a leading center of culture and 
  commerce. Its dramatists and poets were among 
  the leading literary artists of the day. This was 
  the environment in which Shakespeare lived and 
  wrote. 
  The 16th century was also a time of great 
  change for London. From AD 1500 to AD 1600, 
  London’s population had grown by 400%, 
  swelling to nearly two hundred thousand people 
  in the city proper and outlying region. A rising 
  merchant middle class was carving out a 
  productive livelihood, and the economy was 
  booming. 
  Marlowe, Greene, Lyly, Kyd, and Peele 
  produced new dramas and comedies using the 
  blank verse and defined the London theatre in 
  the 1580s, but Shakespeare outdid them all. He 
  combined classical sources with the best traits of 
  Elizabethan drama, and enriched the whole with 
  his imagination and wit. 
   
  Government 
  Elizabethan England was an absolute 
  monarchy — Elizabeth held all the power, and 
  she ruled the country. Everyone else who lived in 
  England was a subject, and civil servants 
  reported to the queen. The concept of being a 
  citizen, and indeed, the idea of the “state” as we 
  think of it in modern times, didn’t exist much 
  before the 1540s. England claimed Ireland as a 
  part of its lands (Henry VIII gave himself the 
  title of King of Ireland, although previous 
  governors had been appointed to rule Ireland), 
  and Scotland was a separate nation until after 
  1603. Only in Wales was there uncontested rule 
  by the English monarchs. 
  Next to the queen, the most powerful 
  governmental force was the Privy Council. It 
  was a group of advisors, chosen by the queen, 
  who were experts in their field. In addition to the 
  Privy Council, four departments handled 
  government business for the queen:  
   
  • 
  The Chancery, which was in charge of 
  drafting royal grants, appointments, acts, 
  and treaties, was led by the Lord Chancellor. 
  The Lord Chancellor also acted in a number 
  of other important roles, such as Speaker of 
  the House of Lords, head of the law courts, 
  and sometimes the Keeper of the Great Seal. 
  • 
  The Privy Seal office drew up instructions 
  for the royal officers, and sealed them with 
  the Privy Seal. 
  • 
  The Signet office was in charge of the 
  monarch’s personal correspondence, and the 
  Signet was held by the principal secretary. 
  • 
  The Office of the Exchequer handled royal 
  revenue and taxation. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  28 
  Offices in the departments were assigned by 
  the monarch through a system of patronage. 
  Elizabeth had some 2500 offices she could fill. 
  Parliament also existed, but was summoned 
  and dissolved at the whim of the monarch, 
  usually when the monarch needed to have them 
  approve taxes, legislate a specific topic, or to 
  advise the monarch on policy. Under Elizabeth’s 
  rule, parliament was called thirteen times; one of 
  these was to declare Elizabeth had supreme 
  authority on all ecclesiastical matters. 
   
  The Peerage and the Gentry 
  The number of peers (nobles) was relatively 
  small during Elizabeth’s reign. There were 57 in 
  1558, and the queen created or restored only 18 
  during her reign. Elizabeth was even more 
  reluctant to grant land along with the new titles. 
  The gentry included all other landholders 
  who were not nobility. For the most part, these 
  were knights and their descendents, called 
  esquires. It should be noted that knighthoods 
  were not hereditary, but coats of arms were. 
  They were granted as patents (a government 
  grant). During her reign, Elizabeth created 878 
  knights. 
   
  Elizabethan Life 
  There were three basic "social classes" 
  during the Elizabethan era, and it affected 
  everything in their lives, from where they lived 
  to what clothing they wore, to the food they ate. 
  The lowest class was made up of the peasants -- 
  agricultural workers and their families. They 
  lived in one place their entire lives, and worked 
  the land for the landowners, with little leisure 
  time and even less money. 
  The middle class consisted of artisans, 
  craftsmen, servants, and merchants. How 
  successful these people were in their trade 
  influenced how much leisure time and money 
  they had to spend on things. Many of the gentry 
  fell into this category. 
  Finally, the upper class was made up of high 
  status knights and the peerage. These people by 
  far had the greatest amount of leisure time, but 
  many of them had their money tied up in the 
  running of their estates and to pay for the 
  fashionable (and very expensive) clothing they 
  were expected to wear at court. 
  The Elizabethans believed in the tenet “a 
  place for everything and everything in its place,” 
  and this applied to people as well as things. 
  Movement between the classes was rare, and 
  those who attempted it were considered to be 
  upstarts — unless it was a woman marrying 
  someone of a higher class. 
  There was no such thing as the “idle rich” in 
  the Elizabethan era. Many of the high offices 
  were unpaid, so all of the expenses had to be 
  borne out of the nobleman’s own pocket. Nobles 
  were expected to act as host to foreign nobility at 
  the English noble’s expense. Being appointed as 
  ambassador to a foreign nation was also a serious 
  financial burden, as ambassadors were expected 
  to maintain a staff of up to 100 servants. 
  The most expensive “honor” of them all was 
  to be a stop of the “progress” of Queen Elizabeth 
  I. Elizabeth found a way to keep the expenses of 
  her court down — by traveling around England 
  and having the nobles pay all her bills by staying 
  with them for a period of time. It was so 
  expensive that many of the nobility begged not 
  to be accorded the honor of her visit. 
  The Tudor era (the reigns of Henry VIII and 
  Elizabeth I) as a whole saw an increase in the 
  size and wealth of the merchant middle class, 
  due mainly to the wool trade. This prosperity led 
  to building sprees in areas where wool was the 
  main industry. 
   
  LIFE AT COURT 
   
   
  The term “the court” was used to describe 
  the area in a ten-mile radius around wherever the 
  monarch was living at any particular time, or the 
  official residences, such as Whitehall, 
  Richmond, or Greenwich. Most of the year, the 
  court moved around the country, especially in 
  the summer, if only to allow for the adequate 
  cleaning of the residences. Elizabeth’s court 
  numbered between 400 and 800 people, and 
  most of these people also had personal retinues 
  that moved around with them. 
  Since most of the closest advisors and 
  companions to Elizabeth were women and were 
  unable to hold offices in the Privy Council, the 
  Privy Chamber lost much of its political 
  importance after 1554. 
   
  REPUTATION 
   
   
  Elizabethans considered reputation to be all-
  important, and everyone around them reflected 
  and influenced it. Servants gained a measure of 
  their own status from the status of their master. If 
  a master was a drunken boor, it reflected badly 
  upon the servants if they allowed him to be seen 
  in public in such a state. Likewise, if a 
  nobleman’s servants acted poorly, their behavior 
  tarnished the nobleman’s reputation as well. 
   
  EDUCATION 
   
   
  A gentleman’s education would begin at the 
  age of five, when he would learn to read using 
  the catechism, psalters, and the Bible. Other 
  books they would read would include non-
  religious texts such as translations of Aesop’s 
  fables and retellings of the stories of Robin Hood 
  and King Arthur.  
  However, much of the population had very 
  little opportunity to go to school, especially if 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  29
  they were the children of farmers or laborers. 
  One group of people that tended to be well 
  educated were “upper” servants. These servants 
  included chaplains, stewards, secretaries, and 
  waiting gentlewomen, any of whom could be 
  called upon by their employers to write letters. 
  Some businessmen, such as merchants and 
  grocers, generally knew how to read by the 
  1580s. 
  Once a boy reached the age of seven, he 
  would move on to grammar school, which would 
  be the equivalent of modern day secondary 
  school. There they would learn Greek and Latin. 
  Latin was considered to be very important, as it 
  was the language used by clergy and scholars, 
  and was the language in which the laws were 
  written. Other subjects included ciphering (basic 
  mathematics), composition (writing of prose and 
  verse), geography (a mix of fact, fiction, and a 
  lot of other things), history, and map drawing. 
  Little or no time was spent teaching students 
  how to read or write, as it was expected they 
  could already do those things when they entered 
  grammar school. 
  Foreign languages were generally not taught 
  at school, and those who wished to learn them 
  either taught themselves, or hired tutors. Of the 
  foreign languages spoken by the Elizabethans, 
  French was the most common, as it was the 
  language of diplomacy. 
  Home schooling often occurred amongst the 
  nobility, with a nobleman hiring a Master of 
  Grammar to teach his children, along with any 
  boys that were being fostered in his household. It 
  was uncommon to provide an education beyond 
  the age of seven for girls, but when Henry VIII 
  arranged for his daughter Mary to be educated, a 
  number of peers and gentlemen followed his lead 
  and began to educate their daughters as well. 
  Girls were not allowed to attend grammar 
  schools, though schooling did continue in private 
  homes, under the guidance of chaplain-tutors. By 
  1581, it was becoming more and more common 
  to find women who could read and write. In fact, 
  there was a higher degree of literacy among 
  women during this era than in any other until the 
  end of the nineteenth century. 
   
  HOMES AND GARDENS 
   
   
  Gardens were vital features in Tudor life. 
  One of the aims of garden design was to try and 
  have color in the garden for as much of the year 
  as possible, and to make it an extension of the 
  house. A basic ground design consisted of four 
  parts — the house would be in the center, the 
  kitchen garden to one side, an orchard to the 
  other, and the garden at the back of the house, 
  where it would be seen from the important 
  rooms. 
  By 1580, formal gardens were an expected 
  and required part of any new house being built. 
  Pleasure gardens (that is, gardens without a 
  specific purpose such as a kitchen garden that 
  grows herbs and vegetables) were usually 
  surrounded by a high, thick hedge, into which 
  rosebushes, sweetbriar, and other shrubs might 
  be interlaced. A square or circle would be the 
  center of the garden, usually containing some 
  focus point, such as a statue or fountain. Other 
  elements in the garden could include raised 
  flowerbeds, small grassy areas, walkways and 
  paths, and mazes. It was also during the 
  Elizabethan era that topiary first started to 
  appear. 
  Orchards were usually surrounded with 
  walls of brick or stone, or with a low hedge of 
  fruit-bearing bushes. Typical trees found in an 
  orchard were apples, apricots, pears, plums, and 
  cherries. 
  Houses built during the Tudor era became 
  more balanced and symmetrical in design. E and 
  H shapes were common, possibly as a tribute to 
  Elizabeth and Henry VIII. More importantly, 
  house design itself became more focused on the 
  comfort of the inhabitants, and less on defense. 
  Battlements fell out of use, arches flattened, and 
  the bay and oriel windows increased in size. 
  Houses were also often built around an inner 
  courtyard. 
  Tudor homes were for the most part timber 
  framed, and the oak timbers were left to weather 
  rather than tarred black as is commonly seen in 
  modern restorations or imitations. During this 
  era, a new feature appeared in manor homes:  a 
  long gallery that usually ran the full length of the 
  upper floor. This room was used for walks, 
  games, and to display artwork. There were also 
  few passageways and corridors in Tudor homes; 
  one room usually opened directly into the next. 
  Houses also were being built with many more 
  windows. For example, Hardwick Hall in 
  Derbyshire became known by the rhyme 
  “Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall.” 
  The main hall was still the center of life in 
  an Elizabethan home, but space was now made 
  in lofts for the servants to sleep. The winter 
  parlor — the forerunner of the modern dining 
  room — began to appear, and as privacy was 
  becoming more highly prized, it became the 
  family retreat. The walls were usually decorated 
  with linen fold paneling and accented with 
  freshly cut boughs to scent the room. 
  Other rooms that were typically found in an 
  Elizabethan home were music rooms and 
  libraries (though fewer than a dozen non-clergy 
  are believed to have owned more than 100 books 
  during the 16th century), and most of these book 
  collections came from tomes owned by 
  monasteries when the monasteries were 
  dissolved. For an example of a Tudor home from 
  the late 16th century, visit the Life in Elizabethan 
  England: A Compendium of Common 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
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  Knowledge to see the floor plan of Ingatestone 
  Hall at http://www.renaissance.dm.net/ 
  compendium/map-ingatestone.html. 
  Elaborately carved oak staircases started to 
  be featured in houses and replaced the traditional 
  circular stone stairwells. The use of decorative 
  artwork became a major theme in the Tudor era, 
  starting with church screens, stalls, and pulpits. 
  By Elizabeth’s time, the use of carved wood had 
  spread to the home. Walls were heavily paneled, 
  and though furniture was heavy and sparse by 
  modern standards, it grew more and more 
  elaborate. Sideboards became a fashionable way 
  to display plate (household articles, such as 
  hollowware, covered with a precious metal, such 
  as silver or gold). 
  Elizabethans used stools as chairs to sit on, 
  so chairs with backs and/or arms were few and 
  far between. Floors were covered by rushes, 
  either loose or plaited, to create a rug. In early 
  Tudor times, they were swept or replaced 
  haphazardly at best, accumulating layers of filth 
  and fleas over the years. However, by the end of 
  Elizabeth’s reign, things had changed and 
  Elizabethans gained a reputation for cleanliness. 
  The greatest attention, however, was paid to 
  their beds. It was during this era that the feather 
  bed first appeared, replacing the straw mattress. 
  Elaborately decorated and carved four poster 
  beds were the fashion, and they became so 
  highly prized that they were listed specifically in 
  wills during that time period. 
   
  CLOTHING 
   
   
  Clothing in Elizabethan England served a 
  very important social function — it identified a 
  person as belonging to a certain social class, and 
  in some cases, a person’s profession or the 
  noble’s household to which they were attached.  
  The most notable item worn by men early in 
  Elizabeth’s reign was the codpiece. A separate 
  piece of clothing, it was a cloth pouch that 
  covered the genital area. Prior to 1575, the 
  codpiece was padded, elongated, and highly 
  decorated, but as Elizabeth’s reign continued, 
  they gradually became flatter and plainer. 
  Sometimes the codpiece doubled as a pocket 
  where a nobleman would keep a handkerchief 
  and other small items. The codpiece was 
  attached to the rest of the nobleman’s clothing by 
  buckles or “points” — ties which attached pieces 
  of clothing together. These ties were made of 
  linen, silk thread, or ribbon for nobles; strong 
  cord or leather for the poor. 
  Apart from the codpiece, the most 
  fashionable and noticeable piece of clothing 
  worn by a man was the doublet, and it was 
  usually the most expensive article as well. It was 
  worn like a jacket over a shirt or waistcoat, and 
  was fitted to the waist. Doublets were worn in a 
  number of different styles during Elizabeth’s 
  reign. One notable fact, however, about the 
  doublet was that the sleeves were never sewn in 
  — they were a separate garment and were 
  attached to the body of the doublet with points. 
  Having the sleeves being a separate item 
  allowed for the nobleman to remain in fashion 
  for a much longer period of time, simply by 
  changing the sleeves. The attachment of the 
  sleeves to the body of the doublet was hidden by 
  a padded roll of fabric, or by a series of tabs in 
  one or two rows, called “pickadils.” 
  The wealthy wore doublets made of 
  brocade, satin, taffeta, and velvet. The doublets 
  of the poor were made of canvas, fustian, and 
  leather. 
  The female version of the doublet — 
  sometimes called by that name as well — was a 
  bodice or “pair of bodies.” There were two parts 
  to it:  a triangle-shaped piece at the front called a 
  stomacher; and the bodice proper. The stomacher 
  attached to the bodice using hooks and eyes, ties, 
  or pins. Like a corset, the stomacher was 
  stiffened with thin pieces of wood or bone, 
  inserted in pockets, called busks. The neckline of 
  the bodice varied greatly, and at times would 
  reveal the woman’s underclothes or bare skin. 
  Sometimes, the neckline would be filled in by a 
  partlet, a piece of cloth that parted the little 
  round face ruff. It could be opened or closed 
  using aglets laced through eyelet holes, or hooks 
  and eyes. If the partlet had sleeves, the sleeves 
  were not sewn to the partlet, but attached using 
  points. After 1550, bodice necklines either had a 
  ruff or collar attached to them, and towards the 
  end of the Elizabethan era, very low necklines 
  were appearing. 
  The term “dress” was used to describe an 
  entire outfit, such as “court dress,” not an 
  individual article of clothing. What modern 
  people would call a dress was a “kirtle” in the 
  Tudor era, and by 1545 referred only to the skirt 
  portion of the garment (which had become two 
  separate pieces — the bodice and the skirt). 
  Early versions of the kirtle had an opening at 
  front of the top piece to allow the stomacher to 
  be seen, and an opening at the front of the 
  bottom piece to reveal the “forepart” (an 
  underskirt). Petticoat was also a term used, and 
  applied to any skirt or underskirt, and several of 
  them would be worn at one time. 
  As with the men’s doublet, sleeves for 
  women’s clothing were separate articles of 
  clothing, and attached using ties, pins or hooks 
  and again, with the attachments being hidden by 
  a stuffed roll of fabric, called “wings.” A ruffle 
  or cuff ended the sleeve, and matched the ruff or 
  collar of the bodice. The sleeves might be made 
  in two parts, with contrasting colors, and came in 
  a variety of shapes. 
  The main undergarment Elizabethan women 
  wore was an ankle-length chemise, usually made 
  
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  of linen. Often, the neck of the chemise would be 
  gathered to form a small ruff at the neck. This 
  would then be seen through the bodice, rather 
  than a partlet. It is believed that during this era in 
  England, women did not wear panties or 
  underdrawers. As late as 1617, English travelers 
  considered the Italian and French practice of 
  wearing long, trouser-like underpants to be 
  strange. 
  Stays were an early form of corset, and were 
  made from heavy canvas, boiled leather, or even 
  iron. Sometimes, more than one would be worn 
  at a time, and trim on the stays could sometimes 
  be seen peeking out over the neckline of the 
  bodice. The busks used to stiffen the stays were 
  made of wood, steel, and cane until 1600, when 
  whalebone became popular. 
  The other item of clothing typically worn by 
  an Elizabethan woman was the farthingale. A 
  type of hoopskirt, it came in three basic styles:  
  Spanish, which was bell shaped; French, which 
  was a padded roll worn around the hips to create 
  a cylindrical effect; and the cartwheel, a disk of 
  canvas stiffened with hoops of cane, with a hole 
  for the waist, and tied around the woman’s waist 
  with tapes. 
  People would pose in portraits wearing their 
  finest clothing, so those pieces of art would not 
  give an accurate depiction of everyday clothing, 
  except, perhaps, at court. Around the house, 
  women’s clothing was generally made of simpler 
  fabrics and styles. It was unlikely that a woman 
  would wear a farthingale while cooking in the 
  kitchen; it was more likely she would wear an 
  embroidered petticoat and bodice, with an open 
  gown over top. 
  In cold weather, people simply wore more 
  clothing, such as a fur-lined cloak, boot hose 
  with long boots, and extra petticoats and skirts. 
  Both men and women wore scarves, mittens, and 
  mufflers. 
  Golden blonde hair was considered to be 
  very fashionable, and women dyed their hair, 
  bleached it in the sun, and washed it with 
  alkalized water in attempts to obtain that color. 
  Auburn and all shades of red also found favor at 
  court (not a surprise, considering Elizabeth I’s 
  hair color), even though very little hair was 
  actually seen because of the various headwear at 
  court. Starting at about 1560, women’s hair was 
  curled and pulled back from the forehead, 
  arranged over a stuffed pad, and interwoven with 
  pearls and other jeweled ornaments. Sometimes, 
  women wore wigs. 
  During the Elizabethan era, most men wore 
  their hair short (or a bit longer on the sides), with 
  a mustache or a beard. Men did not wear wigs. 
  For beards, it was often the king who set the 
  style. As there was no king on the throne, but 
  rather a queen, there was no predominant beard 
  style. Some of the styles that appeared were the 
  bodkin beard (long and pointed, in the center of 
  the chin only), the Cadiz beard (wild and 
  untrimmed), and the spade beard (cut into the 
  shape of the ace of spades, and popular with 
  soldiers from 1570 to 1605). After 1550, it was 
  never fashionable to have a mustache without a 
  beard. The clean-haven look came back into 
  style, though the Vandyke beard (a carefully 
  trimmed mustache and pointed chin beard) was 
  not popular until the reign of Charles I. 
  The Puritans frowned upon the use of 
  cosmetics, and the poor simply could not afford 
  them. Women who could used them to achieve 
  the standard of beauty of the time:  very white 
  skin, red lips, and lamplike eyes. 
   
  HYGIENE 
   
   
  Dental care was very primitive, and at the 
  most was characterized by scrubbing the teeth 
  with mixture of white wine, vinegar, and honey. 
  Toothpicks and toothcloths were very popular 
  gifts. 
  Both clothes and bodies were infrequently 
  washed, so to cover up unpleasant smells, 
  Elizabethans used perfume. Everyone, men and 
  woman alike, wore some kind of scent. Things 
  like rose water and lavender water could be 
  distilled at home; more exotic scents were 
  imported. 
  The Elizabethans also scented their clothing, 
  by applying perfumes directly to the fabric. 
  Scented gloves were a popular gift in the 16th 
  century. 
   
  FOOD & COOKING 
   
   
  Most food was prepared over open fires. 
  Meat was cooked on a spit, set to turning either 
  by a servant, or by putting a dog on a circular 
  treadmill attached to one end of the spit. Baking 
  was done either in a baking oven built into the 
  fireplace, or by putting the items to be baked into 
  iron boxes and laying the boxes directly on the 
  fire. 
  Meals were often large and elaborate. 
  Breakfast was usually just a light snack, but the 
  main meal of the day was dinner. Dinner started 
  at 11 o’clock and traditionally lasted for three 
  hours. Supper was eaten at 6 o’clock and was 
  smaller in size. The lower classes ate dinner at 
  noon and supper at 7 or 8 o’clock in the evening. 
  The poor ate off wooden or pewter dishes, the 
  rich off silver, glass, or delft from Holland. 
  China dishes, as we know them, were unknown. 
  People who could afford them — usually the 
  rich — had tablecloths and napkins on their 
  tables, and provided the diners with spoons, 
  while guests provided their own knives. Forks 
  did exist, but were rarely used as an eating 
  utensil, and until the end of the 17th century the 
  use of them was considered a foreign affectation. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
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  For cleaning one’s hands after the meal, finger 
  bowls were provided. 
  Food was dry-salted, pickled, or smoked to 
  preserve it for the winter. A light dry-salting was 
  also used for short-term preservation, and meat 
  would be dipped in vinegar. Coloring was also 
  added to food to make it more appealing, such as 
  adding sandalwood (turns things pink), mulberry 
  juice, and saffron. 
  Scurvy was a problem due to a lack of fresh 
  fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C. Fresh 
  lemons were considered to be a luxury only the 
  rich could afford, and oranges from Spain were a 
  seasonal item only. 
   
  ENTERTAINMENT & PASTIMES 
   
   
  By far, the most common pastime of nobles 
  was hunting, but courtiers had many other ways 
  to entertain themselves. 
  Gossip and flirting were very popular, and it 
  was something that they could do anywhere, at 
  any time. 
  Other popular pastimes included gaming 
  (gambling), bowls (lawn bowling), tilting at 
  quintain (an object mounted on a post), billiards, 
  shuttlecock (like badminton), wrestling, 
  horseback riding, bull- and bear-baiting, and 
  cockfighting. The traditional medieval 
  tournaments were replaced by masques, a kind of 
  play full of mythological or allegorical 
  characters. Fireworks, a recent invention, were 
  sometimes part of the masque as well. 
  Paume, the ancestor of tennis, was popular 
  and was played indoors or in high-walled 
  outdoor courts. Grass courts didn’t appear until 
  1591. The ball was made of leather and stuffed 
  with hair, and players hit the ball over a tasseled 
  rope stretched across the center of the court with 
  the palm of their hand. 
  If you wanted to go out for a drink, you 
  would go to taverns, alehouses, or tippling 
  houses. 
  Whorehouses were called stews, or a bawdy 
  house, leaping house, or a shugging den. A drab 
  was usually a woman of low character or a 
  prostitute, while a punk was a whore who may 
  work in a stew. Prostitutes in Southwark (in the 
  domain of the Bishop of Winchester) were called 
  Winchester geese, and men who spent far too 
  much time with such women were called 
  drabbers. 
  Archery, specifically that with a long bow, 
  was still encouraged despite the advent of 
  gunpowder and the cannon. Henry VIII decreed 
  that no one 24 years old and older should shoot 
  at a target less than 220 yards away. Early guns 
  at this time were incredibly slow and proved 
  useless in wet weather, so bowmen could afford 
  to laugh at them. 
   
  LITERATURE & THE THEATER 
   
   
  Latin was still the language of choice for 
  literacy, despite the success of Chaucer and his 
  works. It wasn’t until Spenser published the 
  Faerie Queen that people became aware of the 
  possibilities of the English language in writing. 
  After 1580, plays became more common. 
  They were originally performed in the courtyards 
  of inns. It was the galleried designs of the inns 
  that influenced the design of theatres such as 
  Shakespeare’s The Globe, built in 1599. These 
  theatres were open air in the center, an area 
  called the pit. Performances were always given 
  during the daytime, due to the difficulty of 
  lighting the stage properly, and the general 
  danger of traveling at night. A different play was 
  performed every day on a rotating schedule, with 
  four to six plays offered each season. 
  For an extra fee, noblemen and women 
  could have their chairs put up front, closer to the 
  stage. Noblewomen, when they attended the 
  theater, would usually go veiled or wearing 
  masks, as it was not always socially correct for 
  them to be seen at the theatres. 
   
  MONEY AND WHAT TO SPEND IT ON 
   
   
  All coins during the Elizabethan era were 
  made of silver or gold, including pennies, and 
  there was no such thing as paper money. The 
  basic denominations were pounds, shillings, and 
  pence. There were 12 pence to the shilling, and 
  20 shillings to the pound. In writing, the 
  abbreviation for the penny is d, for shilling is s, 
  and for the pound, ₤. The guinea did not yet 
  exist, and would not be minted until the late 17th 
  century. 
  Another monetary term the modern person 
  might be familiar with is the mark. The mark 
  was never minted as a coin in the 16th century, 
  but was used as a value for very large 
  transactions, such as selling land, figuring out 
  fins, or calculating dowries, and had a value of 
  2/3 of a pound (13s 4d).  
  During the Tudor era, there were two mints 
  in the Tower of London, and other mints 
  operating out of several other cities. 
  Counterfeiting of any coin was considered to be 
  high treason, and punishable by death since the 
  15th century. Clipping, culling, melting, and 
  exporting English coins was also illegal. 
  For smaller, everyday items like food and 
  drink, think about pennies. A loaf of bread 
  shouldn’t cost more then a few pence. Also, a 
  typical tip (or vail) for a servant was ¾d (or three 
  farthings). 
  If you’re trying to buy a favor or 
  information from anyone other than a servant, 
  give them gifts. If you’re trying to bribe a 
  servant, you offer them money. In fact, this kind 
  of behavior was expected and part of the system. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
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  The practice of giving or receiving gifts (never 
  money amongst courtiers) in hopes of gaining 
  someone’s favor, or in payment of a service 
  done, was common practice in court, nor was it 
  considered to be corruption — it was just the 
  way that things were done. 
  A person could always send another, more 
  important person a gift, without asking for any 
  specific favor or request in mind, and that person 
  would consider themselves to be in the sender’s 
  debt. The most common things used for this type 
  of gift, also called a douceur (or sweetener) are:  
  game (most often quail or deer), wine, birds 
  (good hawks or songbirds in cages), hunting 
  dogs, rare or special books, and homemade items 
  such as beer, honey, or marmalade. 
  Servants were paid annual wages of ₤2 to 
  ₤5, and were paid quarterly (on Quarter Days). 
  These wages did not include extras from vails or 
  losses die to fines. More information about what 
  servants a nobleman would most likely have in 
  their household, along with what their wages 
  would have been, please refer to the excellent 
  work known as “Life In Elizabethan England: A 
  Compendium of Knowledge,” available online at 
  http://www.renaissance.dm.net/compendium/ 
  home.html, or for download in PDF format from 
  that same web page. 
  Usury, the lending of or taking money at 
  interest, was made illegal in 1472, but by the 
  Elizabethan era it was being regulated. In 1572, 
  it was declared that the maximum interest that 
  could be charged was 10 percent, but the lender 
  had no recourse under the law if the borrower 
  refused to pay back more than the exact amount 
  he had borrowed. Banks didn’t exist as we know 
  them. Many businessmen included currency 
  exchange and loans as part of their services to 
  their customers. 
  The Elizabethans had their own equivalent 
  to the modern shopping mall. Built by Sir 
  Thomas Gresham and opened by Queen 
  Elizabeth on January 23, 1571, the Royal 
  Exchange was located between Cornhill and 
  Threadneedle streets in London. It consisted of 
  three wings built of brick, each four stories high, 
  and housed approximately 100 shops. The shops 
  included apothecaries, armorers, goldsmiths, 
  milliners, haberdashers, and booksellers. In the 
  evenings, the shops were lit with candles. 
   
  Crime and Punishment 
  During the Elizabethan era, people went to 
  court over the slightest thing. There were also an 
  astonishing number of lawyers (simply put, 
  people who handled the legal affairs of others, 
  regardless of professional training). It is 
  estimated that there were 1400 lawyers 
  practicing in 1574. 
  In 1580, there were 13,500 cases being 
  heard in the courts of the King’s Bench and 
  Common Pleas, just two of the three central law 
  courts housed at Westminster.  
  The King’s (or Queen’s) Bench dealt with 
  common law and handled criminal cases. It also 
  reviewed the assizes (court sessions from each 
  county dealing with felonies, held twice a year in 
  each county) and quarter sessions (court sessions 
  dealing with everything else, held every three or 
  four months). Quarter sessions usually lasted 
  three days and were presided over by two 
  justices of the peace. Though most of the crimes 
  seen by the quarter sessions were minor crimes, 
  theft of property worth more than a shilling was 
  a felony and punishable by death, so they did 
  order many executions. Most of the cases they 
  heard, however, were “administrative” crimes, 
  such as running an unlicensed alehouse. After 
  1590, all capital crimes were referred from the 
  quarter sessions to the assizes. 
  The Court of Common Pleas held 
  jurisdiction over debt, trespassing, and other 
  personal offences. The Court of the Exchequer 
  was the royal accounting department, and had a 
  small common law jurisdiction. 
   
  The Military 
  The English army maintained a presence in 
  Ireland, as support for the English-born Lord 
  Lieutenants who governed Ireland. The army 
  stationed there was destroyed in 1599 at the 
  Battle of Yellow Ford, during one of the many 
  religious-based revolts. 
  The Royal Navy was the crowning jewel of 
  the Elizabethan military might. When Elizabeth 
  came to the throne, the navy had only 26 ships. 
  By 1588, she had increased that number to 197, 
  and it was those 197 ships that faced down the 
  Spanish Armada. It must be said, however, that 
  most of the damage to the Armada was done by 
  the horrific weather conditions during their 
  retreat. 
   
  Pirates and Privateers 
  The difference between a pirate and a 
  privateer was mainly based on England’s foreign 
  policy. A privateer was a pirate who operated 
  with a letter of marque or commission of 
  reprisal, which basically made it legal for the 
  pirate to attack certain ships — usually of a 
  specific national origin. Without the permission 
  of the crown (which could be withdrawn at a 
  whim), piracy was illegal and punishable by 
  death. 
  During the Elizabethan era, organized bands 
  of pirates operated along the coast near Dorset, 
  Cornwall, Wales, and Ireland. In some areas, 
  piracy was a major source of income for 
  families, especially among the nobility, as they 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
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  would have places to hide stolen goods for 
  extended periods of time before they could be 
  sold. 
  One of the most famous pirates of 
  Elizabeth’s reign was a woman. Her name was 
  Gráinne Ni Mháille (anglicized to Grace or 
  Grania O’Malley) of Ireland. More information 
  about her can be found on the Pirates and 
  Privateers web site at 
  http://legends.dm.net/pirates/grainne.html. It is 
  important to note, however, that remarkably few 
  English pirates fit the stereotype of the black-
  hearted villain. One exception was Stephen 
  Heynes. He was known to have used torture to 
  exact information from his captives, and his crew 
  went down on the knees, begging him to allow 
  them not to watch. 
  How did one become a pirate? More often 
  than not, it was simply a case of finding a bunch 
  of other people who felt the same way, stealing a 
  ship, and setting sail. And there was much for 
  poor sailors to get excited about during the 
  Elizabethan era. The West Indies had become a 
  veritable gold mine for pirates and privateers, 
  who preyed upon the Spanish ships. 
  That was not to say, however, that the open 
  seas were the only place where pirates plied their 
  trade. The Thames was navigable by merchant 
  ships for sixty miles up from the coast, all the 
  way to London Bridge, and acts of piracy 
  occurred there too. 
  Another area that was popular for pirates 
  was the Mediterranean. Based out of Tunis, these 
  pirates would convert to Islam to increase their 
  chances of advancement within the Barbary 
  pirates (pirates that operated out of the north 
  coast of Africa, also known as the Barbary 
  Coast.) The Barbary pirate’s heyday was 1592 to 
  1609, and after that time, English piracy was in a 
  general state of decline. 
   
  The Status of Women 
  Women were considered to be the property 
  of their parents until married (which every 
  woman expected to be), and then the property of 
  their husband. However, this does not mean that 
  they were treated poorly as a general rule. In 
  fact, men were admonished to treat them well 
  and give them respect. Women also expected to 
  depend on their husband and their male relatives 
  for support for their entire life.  
  Widows were allowed to own property and 
  run their own businesses. If her husband had 
  heirs, the widow was entitled to 1/3 of the estate 
  (after all bills and taxes were paid). If the 
  husband had no children, the widow would 
  inherit the entire estate. Most widows did 
  remarry, if only for their own protection. There 
  was some debate as to whether or not a woman’s 
  word or signature was legally binding. 
  It is also important to note that men 
  generally wanted to get married as well. Unless 
  you were a noble, you could not be considered 
  the head of a household if you were not married. 
  If you weren’t the head of a household, you 
  couldn’t hold public or ecclesiastical office, or 
  other positions of civic responsibility. 
  This is not to say that women could not find 
  themselves in unofficial positions of importance. 
  For those who were close to the Queen, there 
  was a lot of money to be had from people who 
  wanted their suits presented to the Queen. A 
  whisper in the Queen’s ear, either for or against 
  someone, could aid or ruin someone’s attempt at 
  advancement in court. One of the unofficial 
  advisors to Elizabeth was known to have turned 
  down a bribe because the amount of money 
  offered was too small. 
   
  Magic and Superstition 
  The Elizabethans believed in magic, 
  witches, and necromancy. There were three basic 
  types of magic:  natural (or elemental), celestial 
  (based on the influence of stars), and ceremonial 
  magic (appeals to spiritual beings). During the 
  Renaissance, the use of magic to expand one’s 
  knowledge was respectable, despite the danger of 
  prosecution in ecclesiastical courts. 
  “Cunning” men and women were people 
  who used magic in healing or divination, and 
  most often they were consulted to find lost 
  objects. These people were rarely accused of 
  witchcraft. In fact, if someone believed he had 
  been bewitched, he went to the local cunning 
  woman for protection from the spell. 
  Belief in the power of magic was 
  widespread through all classes of society, and 
  conjurers and other cunning men and women 
  made large amounts of money providing people 
  with protective amulets and talismans. 
  Sorcery and necromancy were not 
  considered to be witchcraft, though the use of 
  sorcery was a punishable by a year in prison, and 
  four appearances in the pillory for a first offence. 
  Conjuring spirits, however, was a felony and 
  punishable by death. 
  Astrology and watercasting were used as 
  diagnostic tools in medicine, and the Royal 
  College of Physicians could discipline 
  unlicensed practitioners. 
  England had its share of witch trials, but 
  they did not become religious in nature until the 
  “witchfinders” in the mid-17th century started to 
  create connections between witchcraft and the 
  Church. 
  Elizabethans were also very superstitious, 
  and believed that the world was inhabited by 
  supernatural creatures such as fairies, sprites, and 
  ghosts.  
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  35
  Xergon’s Optics by Rob Bose 
   
  Arcane Artifacts and Endless 
  Enchantments 
  Deep within the City of Secrets, shrouded by 
  sorcery and hidden from the casual observer, lies 
  the notorious Circle of Enchantments. This 
  fantastic collection of shops surrounds an open-
  air market dedicated to providing many sorts of 
  mystically imbued items. From the most 
  common to the highly exotic, artifacts from the 
  entire realm and beyond can be purchased by 
  those with the appropriate resources. 
   
  Xergon’s Optics 
  The bright red sun bored its way through the 
  haze that perpetually cloaked the Circle. Shading 
  my eyes and attempting to ignore the 
  uncomfortable glare, I took refuge under a 
  nearby awning. The storefront beneath contained 
  a pair of wide windowless black oak doors 
  emblazoned with a large stylized eye. Inscribed 
  around this symbol were a number of exotic 
  runes and sigils. A simple translation revealed 
  that the shop was known as Xergon’s Optics. 
  Needing an excuse to get out from under the 
  sun I opened the door and ducked inside. It 
  turned out to be delightfully dim and cool, and I 
  stood there for a second to let my eyes adapt. 
  The shop itself appeared long and narrow with 
  walls containing a number of partitioned shelves. 
  Hundreds of small wooden cases dominated 
  those near the front and I could see a number of 
  more ornate metal-clad cases further to the back. 
  About this time I also noticed an odd, almost 
  acrid, smell in the air. 
  A presence touched my mind as a shadowy 
  form detached itself from the back and floated 
  towards me. At first I wasn’t sure if I believed 
  what I was seeing, but a comforting mental touch 
  assured me it was so. I never believed I would be 
  face to face with a legendary Eye of Xul-Zin, but 
  here appeared to be a fully functioning unit in the 
  flesh (so to speak). There was a surge of energy 
  from the sentient glowing sphere and an 
  expensive looking box floated out of the back 
  and opened in front of me. Inside was a pair of 
  black steel spectacles with abnormally dark 
  lenses. 
  “Fashionable and practical,” the sphere 
  seemed to chuckle, “especially for someone of 
  your unique nature.” 
  A large floating silver sphere may not seem 
  a likely merchant, but anything is possible on the 
  Circle. Xergon possesses a keen intellect and an 
  unflagging entrepreneurial spirit that transcends 
  his current physical condition. While he is 
  unable to physically craft the merchandise he 
  sells, he has formed a partnership with some 
  local artificers who are more than happy to 
  fashion the items he comes up with. 
  While his prices are high, Xergon knows the 
  value of his products. He will make it clear that 
  he accepts all forms of payment and is especially 
  fond of unusual crystals. The GM, in keeping 
  with his current campaign, should set the actual 
  prices. 
   
  The Establishment 
  There is not much to be said about this shop 
  except that it is stark and simple. Sandwiched 
  between two older, more established businesses, 
  its narrow confines do not provide a lot of space 
  for the fairly extensive variety of merchandise 
  that is available. Numerous shelves, cubbyholes, 
  and drawers are packed with padded boxes 
  containing an assortment of goggles, spectacles, 
  and glass lenses. 
  With the actual fabrication facilities located 
  off-site, the back room is used by Xergon for 
  reflecting and designing. It contains a wide 
  collection of optical devices with a central 
  padded ring used by Xergon to ‘rest’ in. 
   
  The Merchandise 
  Xergon keeps his shop well stocked with a 
  variety of optical devices. He takes custom 
  orders and can have items constructed quickly as 
  long as the raw materials are available. What 
  follows is a small sample of his potential 
  inventory. 
   
  GOGGLES OF SUPPRESSION 
   
   
  Xergon has taken traditional metalworking 
  goggles and adapted them for defensive use. 
  While worn they provide some limited protection 
  from harmful flares generated through both 
  mystical and mundane means. The effect is 
  achieved through an enchantment on the goggle 
  lenses whereby the lightly smoked glass will 
  instantaneously polarize when exposed to bright 
  light.1 
  Goggles of Suppression:  Sight Group 
  Flash Defense (5 Points); OAF (-1), 
  Independent (-2). Total cost: 1 point. 
   
                                                             
  1 art by Eric Rademaker 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  36 
  MESMER LENSES 
   
   
  The Powers that govern the City of Secrets 
  are loath to interfere in the general operation of 
  the Circle’s shops, but they do keep a list of 
  items they feel are exceedingly dangerous. Near 
  the top of this list are the infamous Mesmer 
  Lenses. These finely crafted spectacles grant the 
  ability to influence the minds of others. The 
  enchantment is activated when an unsuspecting 
  individual makes eye contact with the wearer. 
  The face of each lens begins to swirl and twist in 
  hypnotic patterns, and if the wearer wins a battle 
  of wills they are free to control the individual in 
  subtle or even extreme ways. 
  This is not the sort of merchandise the 
  Powers want disrupting the marketplace or the 
  City. Xergon has been restricted from creating 
  and selling them, but he will not hesitate to let 
  one go if the offer is good enough. 
  Mesmer Lenses:  Mind Control 10d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Eye 
  Contact Required (-½), OAF (-1), 
  Independent (-2). Total cost:  17 points. 
   
  MONOCLE OF DISCLOSURE 
   
   
  This pretentious seeming eyepiece may look 
  like just another bit of window dressing, but it 
  serves an important purpose. Typically used by 
  foreign ambassadors, merchant princes, royal 
  viziers, and affluent spies, it bestows the ability 
  to decipher any written text viewed through it. 
  Monocle of Disclosure:  Universal 
  Translator (written content only -1); 
  OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total cost:  
  5 points. 
   
  OPTICS OF SUBSTITUTION 
   
   
  Although Xergon has never been known to 
  give a sucker, I mean a patron, an even break; his 
  exchangeable lens system is the closest thing to a 
  good deal that anyone has ever gotten from him. 
  See in the dark, examine tiny objects, or scan the 
  horizon just by swapping in a new set of glass 
  disks at his shop, for a mere fraction of the 
  original cost. As long as the original lenses are in 
  good condition, an even swap can be made. 
  Many different enchantments are available and 
  others can be custom made. 
  Here are a few of the most basic types. 
  Starlight Lenses: Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group), OAF (-1), Independent (-
  2). Total cost:  1 point. 
   
  Far Sight Lenses:  +4 versus Range for 
  Sight Group, OAF (-1); Independent (-
  2). Total cost:  1 point. 
   
  Focus Lenses:  Microscopic Vision 
  (×10); OAF (-1), Independent  (-2). 
  Total cost:  1 point. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  37
  REFLECTING SPECTACLES 
   
   
  There are many tales told of great heroes 
  who braved the den of a fearsome gorgon only to 
  be added to the creature’s growing collection of 
  statuary. The days of polished shields and 
  blindfolds are at an end thanks to Xergon’s 
  Reflecting Spectacles. These amazing lenses 
  possess a mirrored surface that turns aside 
  hazardous gaze effects. Not to be taken for 
  granite (bad pun), they are a must for any serious 
  adventurer. 
  Reflecting Spectacles:  Power Defense 
  (20 Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2), 
  Only Works Against Flesh to Stone 
  Transforms (-1). Total cost:  4 points. 
   
  VANITY SHADES 
   
   
  Many Circle patrons are well known for 
  their wealth and narcissism. In an effort to cash 
  in on their extreme vanity, Xergon crafts 
  distinctive smoked glass eye ware guaranteed to 
  increase the patron’s good looks and charm. The 
  current rage in elite circles, these dark shades 
  have become the shop’s most popular 
  commodity. 
  Vanity Shades:  Aid COM 1d6, 
  Persistent (+½), Reduced END (0 END, 
  +1); OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total 
  cost:  2 points. 
   
  The Proprietor:  Xergon 
  Background/History:  Originally constructed 
  by the artificers of Xul-Zin to act as protectors, 
  these great silver orbs are best known for being 
  instrumental in their downfall. Device crafters 
  without peer, these reclusive gnomes used the 
  minds of captured rivals to add intelligent 
  programming in their defenders. They were so 
  successful that the orbs, known commonly as the 
  Eyes of Xul-Zin, eventually gained sentience and 
  self-awareness. Retaining some memory of their 
  former lives, they immediately turned on their 
  creators and began a terrible war that left both 
  sides devastated. Only a handful of artificers and 
  Eyes escaped the destruction. 
  Xergon was originally a dwarf mage-smith 
  and artificer in his own right named Xerris 
  Gonwyn. As a competitor to Rin Rivinro, eldest 
  and most powerful of the gnome artificers, he did 
  not stand a chance the day his forge was raided 
  and his mental patterns extracted for 
  experimentation. Not allowing his newfound 
  body and circumstances to deter his wrath, he 
  helped mastermind the rebellion and was lucky 
  enough to escape intact. Since that day, some 
  two decades past, he has keep one step ahead of 
  a vengeful Rin Rivinro who also survived the 
  uprising. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Xergon is very aware 
  that he is living on borrowed time. Even though 
  Rin Rivinro has not located his refuge on the 
  Circle, he knows the gnome is persistent enough 
  to track him down eventually. Egocentric to the 
  extreme and scornful to the vanity of the living, 
  he takes advantage of every situation that will 
  allow him to accumulate wealth and build up his 
  defenses. To this end he ignores any command 
  that he refrain from selling certain items, moving 
  such merchandise on the black market whenever 
  possible. 
   
  Quote:  “I have an eye for this sort of thing.” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  As an Eye of Xul-Zin, Xergon 
  was crafted with considerable self-perpetuating 
  powers. The skin of his spherical body projects 
  an electrical field that repels gravity and acts as a 
  defensive screen. This field can also surge to 
  emit a blast of lightning powerful enough to 
  disable most living creatures. The center of the 
  orb contains Xergon’s mental essence. The 
  substantial ego trapped here can be used to move 
  and manipulate small objects and communicate 
  telepathically. 
  While not prone to violence directly, Xergon 
  prefers to employ others to do his dirty work. If 
  backed into a corner, however, he will not 
  hesitate to turn an opponent into a pile of 
  cinders. 
  Xergon has some automaton powers, but is 
  not an actual automaton. He retains his ability to 
  buy EGO, and to use Mental Powers, by 
  GM/author fiat. 
   
  Campaign Use:  The GM can use Xergon as 
  both a minor villain and possible employer of the 
  PCs. Potentially this could start with the PCs 
  doing a small task for the Eye to gain some 
  familiarity with him, then being asked to 
  investigate some of his shadier business 
  dealings. In the event that the PCs manage to 
  attract his wrath, he would never confront them 
  directly, rather he would seek to employ some 
  agency to do his dirty work for him. 
   
  Appearance:  Xergon is a floating silvered glass 
  sphere, roughly half a meter (1½ feet) in 
  diameter, surrounded by a glowing electrical 
  essence. The orb’s pale red interior pulses and 
  swirls, creating a fascinating kaleidoscope of 
  shifting patterns. When communicating 
  telepathically he seems to bob excitedly and 
  some say you can tell his mood from the vivacity 
  of the orb’s animations. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  38 
  Xergon of Xul-Zin 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   
  0 STR 
  -10 
  9- Lift 25 kg; 0d6 HTH 
   15 DEX 
  15 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 
   10 CON 
  0 11- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll 13- 
   20 EGO 
  20 13- ECV: 7 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  4 PD 
  4 
   Total: 12 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  8 ED 
  6 
   Total: 16 ED (8 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  5 
   Phases: 4, 8, 12 
   
  8 REC 
  12 
   40 END 
  10 
   25 STUN 
  10 
    
  Total Characteristics Cost: 90 
  Movement: Running: 
  0”/0” 
   
   
  Flight: 
  8”/16” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   25 Telekinetic:  Telekinesis (10 STR), Fine 
  Manipulation  
  2 
   20 Mind Touch:  Telepathy 4d6  
  2 
   10 Mind Wall:  Mental Defense (14 points 
  total) 
   30 Electrical Blast:  RKA 2d6  
  3 
   16 Telekinetic Barrier:  Force Field (8 PD/ 
   
   8 ED)  
  2 
   15 Artificial Life Form:  Automaton Power 
  (Does Not Bleed) 
   45 Artificial Life Form:  LS:  Total 
   16 Levitation:  Flight 8”  
  2 
   -12 No Legs:  Running -6” 
   
   Skills 
   
  6 +3 with Electrical Blast 
   
   
  3 Conversation 13- 
   11 Inventor 17- 
   
  2 Language: Common (fluent conversation) 
   
  1 Language: Gnomish (basic conversation) 
   
  4 Language: Dwarvish (native conversation) 
   
  3 Persuasion 13- 
   
  7 PS: Artificer and Enchanter 16- 
   
  5 Streetwise 14- 
   
  7 Trading 15- 
   
  3 Scholar 
   
  6 1) KS: Mystic Properties of Metals 16- 
   
  5 2) KS: Rare Crystals 15- 
   
  6 3) KS: Enchantments 16- 
   
  3 4) KS: Mountains of Xul-Zin 13- 
   
  2 5) KS: City of Secrets 11- 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 250 
  Total Cost: 340 
  250+ Disadvantages 
   20 Distinctive Features:  Glowing Sphere 
  (Not Concealable, Always Noticed) 
   15 Hunted:  Rin Rivinro 8- (Mo Pow, Kill) 
   25 Physical Limitation:  No Arms or Legs 
  (All the Time, Fully Impairing) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Paranoid (Very 
  Common, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Scornful 
  (Common, Strong) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 345 
   
  ADVENTURE SEEDS 
   
   
   
  Xergon is a being with an interesting past 
  and enough quirks to provide a wealth of 
  adventuring ideas. Here are a few of the most 
  obvious. 
  A Lens of a Different Color:  The rich 
  Circle patrons tire of Xergon’s distinctive Vanity 
  Shades and the fad starts to die. In an effort to 
  provide a twist on the theme and hold their 
  interest, Xergon comes up with the idea of 
  outrageously colored lenses. After the prototype 
  with cobalt blue glass becomes an instant hit, he 
  realizes he lacks the core ingredient in enough 
  quantity to keep the masses sated. The clever 
  entrepreneur hires the adventurers to scour the 
  realms in search of a rare type of azure crystal 
  formed in underwater volcanoes. 
  A Captivating Caper:  The “Powers That 
  Be” enlist the adventurers to investigate Xergon 
  after a crime takes place involving Mesmer 
  Lenses. It seems a purveyor of enchanted 
  earrings was charmed into giving away a fortune 
  in gemstones and is raising a ruckus. It is 
  suspected that Xergon has been selling the 
  Lenses under the table of late, but there is no 
  hard evidence. They need some proof before 
  they will take any action. Is Xergon to blame, or 
  are other sinister forces at work? 
  Tale of the Body Snatcher:  The Eye of 
  Xul-Zin acquires an ancient and illicit device that 
  allows him to possess the body of any sentient 
  creature. With a daring plan, a prominent city 
  noble is lured into the shop and taken over. 
  When she starts acting strange, making startling 
  out of place comments at high class social 
  events, her brother employs the adventurers to 
  discover the reason. 
  The Oldest Enemy:  Xergon gets a tip that 
  Rin Rivinro, his old and bitter enemy, has finally 
  discovered the clues to his whereabouts. He hires 
  the adventurers to keep watch for the vengeful 
  gnome artificer, telling them that Rin is a dark 
  and deadly assassin. When Rin turns up, the 
  party is called in to dispatch him. It will become 
  quite evident that he is insanely powerful and 
  will brook no interference in taking his 
  vengeance. The adventurers will have to decide 
  whether to take him on, stand aside, or attempt to 
  act as mediators of some sort. While Xergon has 
  no love for the gnome, the Eye is not yet ready 
  for a fight and does not desire a confrontation 
  that would likely end in his destruction. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  39
  The Dragons of China by Michael Surbrook 
   
   
  In Europe, the dragon was a huge scaly 
  beast with fiery, noxious breath, bat-like wings, 
  and an appetite for cows, elephants, and young 
  maidens. The Catholic Church quickly adopted 
  the dragon as a symbol of evil, and made it a 
  stand-in for Satan in sermons, stories, and 
  religious art. It was a creature to be reviled and 
  feared, and never, ever, worshiped. 
   
  In China, the dragon’s status was almost the 
  complete opposite. Legend has it Emperor Yao, 
  one of the nine mythical emperors of China, was 
  descended from a dragon, while in 3000 B.C. a 
  dragon presented Emperor Pa Kwa with the eight 
  celestial trigrams of the I-Ching. Benevolent 
  beings, dragons were responsible for the weather 
  and, as lords of water, were revered as bringers 
  of rain. The Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne 
  while dressed in the Dragon Robes, and upon 
  death might become a dragon himself, to better 
  watch over his people. 
   
  The dragon was one of the four Celestial 
  Beings, a group that includes the Chi’Lin (also 
  known as the Ki-Lin or Kirin, a deer-like animal 
  said to live for a thousand years or more), the 
  Feng Hwang (the Chinese phoenix), and the 
  tortoise. In addition, it was one of the four 
  animals linked to the five directions, each animal 
  having a color, a season, and a specific element 
  associated with it. The Green Dragon represented 
  the east, springtime, and wood; the White Tiger 
  was west, autumn, and metal; the Red Phoenix 
  was south, summer, and fire; while a tortoise-
  like creature named Dark Warrior represented 
  the north, winter, and water. The fifth direction 
  was the center, which was China itself. It was 
  associated with the color yellow and the element 
  of earth. 
   
  Appearance:  Physically, the Chinese dragon is 
  the largest of all scaled creatures, a group that 
  includes snakes and fish. It is best described 
  through the “nine resemblance’s” which are as 
  follows:  “its horns resemble a stag’s, its head 
  resembles a camel’s, its eyes resemble a demon’s 
  (or a rabbit’s), its neck resembles a snake’s, its 
  belly resembles a clam’s, its scales resemble a 
  carp’s, its claws resemble an eagle’s, its soles 
  resemble a tiger’s, its ears resemble a cow’s.” 
  The end result is a long, thin, four-legged lizard-
  like creature with a narrow head and a bearded 
  face. On top of the head is an organ known as the 
  chi’ih muh, which allows flight. In addition, 
  male dragons have a large pearl under the chin or 
  in the throat. When they speak, dragons are said 
  to have a voice like a great gong (or “jangling 
  copper pans”). Their coloration varies greatly, 
  and dragons may be black, blue, green, red, or 
  yellow. Of these, yellow dragons are held in high 
  esteem, and are considered superior to all other 
  forms of dragonkind. 
   
  A dragon’s scales number either 81 or 117, 
  with different reports offering different values. 
  The confusion is due to attempts to balance the 
  dragon’s yin and yang. Yin is female, associated 
  with the moon, darkness, wetness, cold, negative 
  energy, and the number six. Yang is male, 
  associated with the sun, light, dryness, heat, 
  positive energy, and the number nine. A tiger is 
  yin; a dragon is yang. Nine times nine equal 81 
  scales, while six times six equals 36 scales, 
  leading to the idea that the dragon has 81 yang 
  scales and 36 yin scales (for a total of 117). 
  Normally, a dragon is a benevolent being, 
  controlled by its yang essence, but it may allow 
  its yin nature to take over, causing the dragon to 
  become a malevolent destroyer. 
   
  Numbers govern more than just a dragon’s 
  scales. They may have from three to five claws 
  on their feet, and five-clawed dragons are the 
  province of the Emperor, and only he, or those of 
  his court, may bear the image of a five-clawed 
  dragon on their clothing. 
   
  Ecology:  A dragon is a very long-lived creature, 
  virtually immortal. They are hatched from eggs, 
  and these eggs (which resemble precious stones) 
  are normally laid in water, where they may 
  remain for upwards of one thousand years. Water 
  seeping from a dragon’s egg indicates it is ready 
  to hatch, and the arrival of a newborn dragon is 
  often heralded by darkness, thunder, lighting, 
  and rain.  
   
  A newly hatched dragon looks much like a 
  small water snake. After five hundred years, it 
  grows the head of a carp, and is now known as a 
  kiao. Over the next thousand years, it grows 
  scales, a long tail, four legs ending in four-
  clawed feet, and a bearded face. It is now known 
  as a kiao-lung or simply lung, meaning “deaf,” 
  as the dragon has ears but cannot hear. Over the 
  next five hundred years, the lung grows horns 
  (apparently allowing it to hear), becoming a 
  kioh-lung, or “horned dragon.” After another one 
  thousand years the kioh-lung grows wings, 
  becoming a ying-lung, or “winged dragon.”  
   
  Dragons are creatures of the water, and tend 
  to live among the clouds of the sky, in the sea, or 
  in deep lakes, pools, and rivers. Those dragons 
  that live in the sea are thought to dwell in 
  magnificent palaces under the water. They love 
  precious stones, and will gladly eat copper, jade, 
  and pearls with relish. In addition, dragons 
  absolutely adore the flesh of the swallow, and 
  those people who have recently eaten roasted 
  swallows are advised to not travel across water 
  soon after. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  40 
  Motivations:  In general, dragons are benevolent 
  beings, but are also quite fierce, and not to be 
  trifled with. Those who allow their yin nature to 
  take control are positively malignant and will 
  bring storms and floods wherever they go.  
   
  Normally, dragons provide rain according to 
  the instruction of the Jade Emperor, the head of 
  the Celestial Bureaucracy. However, a person 
  can request rain when none is forthcoming, 
  provided one makes the proper sacrifices. 
  Prayers are one way, an offering of swallows 
  another, while a third is to remove images of 
  dragons from the local temples and place them 
  outside so they may see how dry it is. More 
  extreme measures call for placing an attractive 
  nude woman alone on an exposed hilltop. 
  Dragons are known for their lust and fondness 
  for women, and if prevented from approaching 
  their quarry, their anger might result in a much-
  needed rainstorm. Similar methods involving 
  throwing ashes, toxic plants, stones, tiger bones, 
  of pieces of wood into the dragon’s pool, in 
  hopes of angering him into creating a 
  thunderstorm in response. 
   
  Dragons have a number of noted dislikes, 
  some of which can be used to drive one away if 
  needed (if the dragon is causing too much rain, 
  for example). They despise things made from 
  iron, and throwing iron in a dragon’s pool is a 
  surefire way to enrage one. They also hate 
  centipedes, five-colored silk thread, leaves of the 
  lien tree (melia azederach, also known as the 
  “Pride of India”), and leaves of the wang plant. 
  Finally, it is said the tiger is the mortal enemy of 
  the dragon, and the two will fight each other if 
  the occasion permits. 
   
  Combat Techniques:  As masters of rain and 
  water, dragons tend to appear surrounded by 
  rain, and can cause a gentle rainfall to turning 
  into a raging storm at will. Such a storm will 
  have heavy rain and high winds, and is capable 
  of devastating the countryside. Dragons can also 
  breathe forth thick fogs, which they use to blind 
  their foes. The dragon’s most potent weapon, 
  however, is its power of “watery fire.” This is 
  created when the dragon breathes onto an area of 
  dampness and wet. Simple damp will result in a 
  bright glow, but open water will cause the 
  dragon’s breath to actually burst into flame, and 
  remain burning until put out with the application 
  of more normal fire. Finally, dragons may also 
  attack in more mundane ways, biting with their 
  teeth, or tearing with their sharp claws. 
   
  If desired, dragons can transform themselves 
  into any number of shapes, and can do so at any 
  time, unless angered, asleep, or filled with lust 
  and desire. Although they have a preference for 
  aged men or beautiful young women, dragons 
  can also assume the forms of cows, dogs, fish, 
  rats, and snakes. Fishermen should especially be 
  aware of encountering transformed dragons, 
  since a fish giving off light, or speaking in a 
  human’s voice, is almost certainly a dragon that 
  has changed its shape. 
   
  As an interesting side note, there are few 
  accounts of dragons fighting either the heroes or 
  the gods of Chinese myth. Fewer still are stories 
  of dragons being slain by men. A prime example 
  of the nature of the dragon in China is the tale of 
  a man who spent three years and one thousand 
  ounces of gold learning how to kill a dragon. He 
  then spent the rest of his life never having the 
  chance to try out his skills. 
   
  Other Names:  The dragons of China are known 
  by a number of names, with each name 
  describing the dragon’s form and function. A 
  short list follows: 
   
  Ch’i-Lung:  A “hornless” dragon. 
   
  Chi Lung Wang:  The “fire engine dragon 
  king,” and provider of water for domestic uses. 
   
  Dragon Horse:  A sea-dwelling creature, the 
  dragon horse has a horse’s body and a dragon’s 
  head (or, the front half of a horse and the 
  hindquarters of a dragon). 
   
  Fu-Tsiang Lung:  This dragon is the 
  guardian of hidden treasures and deposits of 
  precious metals 
   
  Kih Tau:  A sea-dwelling dragon, the Kih 
  Tau’s spittle is used in the making of perfumes. 
  It is collected either floating on the surface of the 
  water, or in lumps on the shore (Note:  period 
  descriptions of “dragon spittle” make it sound 
  like ambergris, a material secreted by sperm 
  whales.). 
   
  Lung Wang:  The Dragon King, a human 
  with a dragon’s head. He lives under the sea in 
  an imposing palace. 
   
  P’an Lung:  An earth-bound dragon unable 
  to fly. 
   
  Shien-Lung:  The Imperial or spirit dragon, 
  the Shien-Lung is the keeper of rain and the 
  wind. It is a beautiful dragon, with multiple 
  colors on its body and five clawed toes on each 
  foot. Because of this, only the Emperor can only 
  use the Shien-Lung’s image. 
   
  T’ao T’ieh:  An enormous dragon living in 
  the depths of outer space, T’ao T’ieh is a symbol 
  of gluttony, as it has two bodies, but only one 
  head. Its shape makes it a popular image on 
  bowls, plates, and other objects. 
   
  T’ien Lung:  A celestial sky dragon, the 
  T’ien Lung supports the houses and temples of 
  the gods. 
   
  Ti-Lung:  A celestial water dragon, the Ti-
  Lung guards the water in streams and rivers. It 
  spends springtime in the heavens and autumn in 
  the depths of the sea. 
   
  Ying Lung:  The only dragon with wings, a 
  Ying Lung is at least 3,000 years old, and guards 
  the water of the earth and clouds. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  41
   
  Yu Lung:  This dragon has the head and fins 
  of a gigantic fish. Formerly a Celestial Carp, the 
  Yu Lung had managed to successfully leap Lung 
  Men, the Dragon’s Gate waterfall, allowing it to 
  transform into its present shape. It is considered 
  an emblem of success in Civil Service 
  examinations, or in literary endeavors. 
   
  Dragons in Culture:  Dragons are used as 
  artistic and symbolic decorations on a wide 
  variety of objects, and this use has led to the 
  following classifications: 
   
  Chao Fung:  Placed on the eaves of temples 
  due to its love for danger. 
   
  Chi’ih Wun:  Placed on bridges due to its 
  love for water. 
   
  Ch’iu Niu:  Placed on stringed instruments 
  due to its love for music. 
   
  P’u Lao:  Placed on gongs due to its crying 
  out loudly if attacked by a whale. 
   
  Pa Hisa:  Placed at the base of a monument 
  due to its strength. 
   
  Pi Han:  Placed on prison gates due to its 
  belligerent nature. 
   
  Pi Hsi:  Placed on stone tablets due to its 
  love of literature. 
   
  Suan Ni:  Placed on the throne of Buddha 
  due to its love for rest. 
   
  Yai Tzu:  Placed on sword hilts due to its 
  love for blood. 
   
  Finally, the color of a dragon also 
  determines its area of responsibility. Black 
  dragons govern mysterious lakes; blue dragons 
  stand for compassion and courage; red dragons, 
  which live in the south, govern summer and 
  freshwater lakes; yellow dragons, responsible for 
  bringing writing to man, take his prayers to the 
  gods; white dragons symbolize virtue. 
   
  Additional Dragon Lore:  Considering the size 
  and age of China as a whole, it is not surprising 
  there is a wealth of information concerning 
  dragons, some of it contradictory. For example, 
  not everyone states dragons are born from eggs. 
  Some scholars declare dragons are initially born 
  to normal animals before assuming their true 
  form. Flying dragons are said to be the offspring 
  of birds, while the winged ying-lung is supposed 
  to come from a four-footed beast called the mao-
  tuh, and the k’oh-lung from seaweed. Fish and 
  snakes were supposed to be able to 
  spontaneously transform into dragons, since they 
  are so closely related. 
   
  According to other scholars, some dragons 
  come from gold. Blue dragons come from 800 
  year-old blue gold. Black, red, and white, and 
  yellow dragons come from 1000 year-old gold of 
  the matching color. 
   
  Despite being virtual deities in their own 
  right, dragons do occasionally fall prey to man’s 
  desires. History records several accounts of 
  dragons being eaten by the reigning Emperor, 
  and as can be expected from such a magnificent 
  creature, the taste was enjoyable and flavorful. 
   
  Along with dragon flesh, the bones and teeth 
  of a dragon are highly valued for their medicinal 
  properties. Although immortal, it is thought 
  dragons either die from time to time (probably 
  due to two dragons fighting), or shed their skin 
  and bones much in the manner of a snake. (Note:  
  the dragon bones sold in historical Chinese 
  marketplaces are almost certainly the fossil 
  bones of various animals.).  
   
  Dragon bones come in five colors (black, 
  blue, red, white, and yellow). Each color 
  corresponds to a part of the body (black:  bladder 
  and kidneys; blue:  gall bladder and liver; red:  
  heart and large intestine; white:  lungs and small 
  intestine; yellow:  stomach and spleen), and 
  bones of that color could be used to heal 
  aliments occurring in the corresponding part of 
  the body. 
   
  Bones to be used in medicine must be heated 
  over a fire until hot, and then powdered. Care 
  must be taken to not allow anything made of iron 
  to contact the bone. Powdered dragon bone will 
  cure convulsions, dysentery, fevers, gallstones, 
  and a whole host of other maladies. This healing 
  power comes from the strong yang element 
  present in the dragon, which counteracts the yin 
  elements of sickness. 
   
  Dragon’s teeth (and horns) will cure 
  convulsions, epileptic fits, madness, spasms, and 
  many other illnesses.  
   
  The brain of a dragon will cure dysentery, as 
  will the liver. Dragon’s blood will turn into 
  amber upon striking the ground, while dragon fat 
  can be used to make brilliant lamps or 
  waterproof clothing. 
   
  The Japanese Dragon:  The dragon of Japan is 
  much longer and slimmer than it’s Chinese 
  counterpart. Known as a tatsu (or ryu), these 
  dragons come in many colors and normally have 
  three toes on each foot. Like the Chinese 
  dragons, they can fly despite a lack of wings, and 
  tend to live in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. 
  Japanese dragons are normally honorable and 
  noble creatures, although there are those that are 
  evil and contemptible in nature. 
   
  The dragon of Japan seems to have far fewer 
  powers than its Chinese cousin. They can fly, 
  assume human form, and are well-protected by 
  thick scales and sharp claws, but Japanese 
  dragons don’t normally have the ability to raise 
  great storms or breathe forth clouds of mist or 
  water fire. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  42 
  Generic Kioh-Lung 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   50 STR 
  40 19- Lift 25 tons; 10d6 HTH 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 
   30 CON 
  40 15-  
   20 BODY 
  20 13-  
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll 15- 
   18 EGO 
  16 13- ECV: 6 
   30 PRE 
  20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6 
   14 COM 
  2 12-  
   
   20 PD 
  10 
   Total: 32 PD (12 rPD) 
   15 ED 
  8 
   Total: 27 ED (12 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  12 
   Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 
   16 REC 
  0 
   60 END 
  0 
   60 STUN 
  0 
    
  Total Characteristics Cost: 200 
  Movement: Running:  
  10”/20” 
   
   
  Swimming:  12”/24” 
   
   
  Flight:  
  24”/48” 
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   130 Breathe Fog:  Darkness to Sight Group 
  12” radius, Personal Immunity (+¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Costs 
  END To Cast (-¼), No Range (-½) 
  23 
   112 Breathe Water Fire:  EB 12d6, Area Of 
  Effect (12” Cone; +1), Continuous (+1), 
  Personal Immunity (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Uncontrolled 
  (can be put out by normal fire; +½); 
  Costs END To Cast (-¼), No Range     
  (-½), Only Burns If Liquid Water Is 
  Present (-½), Reduced By Range (-¼) 22 
   28 Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR); 
  No Knockback (-¼) 
  3 
   10 Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (3½d6 with STR); 
  No Knockback (-¼), Reduced 
  Penetration  
   
   (-¼) 
  2 
   193 Create Storms:  Telekinesis (30 STR), 
  Area Of Effect (4096” Radius; +2¼), 
  Personal Immunity (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Affects All 
  Parts Of Target (-¼), No Range (-½), 
  Only Outside (-½)  
   & High Winds:  EB 6d6, Area of Effect 
  (3840” Radius; +2¼), Double 
  Knockback (+¾), Personal Immunity 
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Linked (-½), No Range (-½), 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
   & Driving Rain:  Sight Images -3 to PER 
  Rolls and Hearing Images, -1 to PER 
  Rolls, Increased Size (4096” radius; 
  +3), Personal Immunity (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (-½), 
  No Range (-½) 
  0 
   36 Thick Scales:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED) 
  0 
   12 Great Mass:  Knockback Resistance -6” 0 
   
  5 Tail:  Extra Limb 
  0 
   
  5 Breathe Water:  Life Support (Breathe 
  In an Unusual Environment — Water) 
  0 
   
  6 Virtually Immortal:  Life Support 
  (Immune to Aging, Disease) 
  0 
   72 Chi’ih Muh:  Flight 24”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0 
   
  8 Fast:  +4” Running  (10” Total)  
  2 
   10 Fast:  +10” Swimming (12” Total) 
  2 
   108 Summon/Dispel Rain:  Change 
  Environment 4096” radius, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Vary 
  Environment (+1); No Range (-½) 
  0 
   
  6 Sharp Senses:  Enhanced Perception +2 
  to PER Roll 
  0 
   48 Assume Human Form:  Multiform (300-
  point human form); Costs END To Cast 
  (-¼) 
  6 
   12 Great Strength:  Reduced Endurance (½ 
  END; +¼) on 50 STR 
  3 
   12 Great Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No 
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼) 
  0 
   
  5 Night Vision:  Ultraviolet Vision 
  0 
   
   Perks 
   
  2 Member of the Celestial Bureaucracy 
   
   Talents 
   
  3 Ambidexterity 
   
  5 Eidetic Memory 
   
  3 Lightsleep 
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 With Hand-to-Hand Combat 
   
   
  2 AK: Local Area 11- 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 15- 
   
  3 Conversation 15- 
   
  3 High Society 15- 
   
  2 KS: Celestial Bureaucracy 11- 
   
  1 Language: Mandarin Chinese (native; 
  literate) 
   
  3 Survival (Oceans, Rivers) 11- 
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 855 
  Total Cost: 1055 
  100+ Disadvantages 
   20 Distinctive Features:  Dragon (Not 
  Concealable; Always Noticed) 
   10 Enraged:  if disturbed in its pool 
  (Uncommon) go 8-, recover 11- 
   15 Hunted:  Tigers 14- (Less Pow) 
   15 Physical Limitation:  Great Size And 
  Mass (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Hates 
  Centipedes, Five-colored Silk Thread, 
  Iron, Lien Tree Leaves, And Wang Plant 
  Leaves (Common, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Fondness For 
  Human Women (Common, Strong) 
  OPTIONAL 
  POWERS 
   
   
  Tail Lash: HA +4d6, 
  Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Rear 
  180o Only (-¼). Total 
  cost: 14 points 
  Poh Shan: Flight 24”, 
  Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); IAF 
  (short staff; -½). Total 
  cost: 48 points. 
  Wings Of The Ying 
  Lung: Flight 24”, 
  Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); 
  Restrainable (-½). 
  Total cost: 48 points. 
  Incredible Eyesight: 
  Telescopic Sense 
  (Sight) +30 To Offset 
  Range Penalties. 
  Total cost: 45 points 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  43
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Fond Of 
  Copper, Gems, And Roasted Swallows 
  (Common, Moderate) 
   10 Reputation:  bringers of rain and masters 
  of the weather, 11- 
   845 Experience Points 
  Total Disadvantage Points: 1055 
   
  Notes:  This write-up represents a fairly typical 
  kioh-lung (“horned dragon”). It is roughly 12 
  meters long by two meters wide (game scale:  6” 
  x 1”), and masses about 6,400 kilograms. Larger 
  and smaller dragons are possible, and size 
  usually depends on the age of the dragon. Its 
  characteristics should be considered typical for 
  its kind, although the Game Master may want to 
  adjust some of the numbers based on the needs 
  and power levels of his individual campaign. 
   
  The dragon’s powers represent its control of 
  both water and weather. Specific notes on the 
  special effects and nature of each power are as 
  follows: 
   
  Breathe Fog:  The “Costs END To Cast” to 
  cast Limitation means just what it says. It costs 
  the dragon 23 END to produce the cloud of fog; 
  afterwards the cloud will remain indefinitely (or 
  until dispelled). As this is a cloud of fog, high 
  winds will usually break it up and blow it away. 
   
  Breathe Fog has the Personal Immunity 
  Advantage and the No Range Limitation, as do 
  all of the dragon’s weather control powers. 
  When used, these powers all center on the 
  dragon itself, and will usually remain with the 
  dragon as it moves. However, due to the 
  Personal Immunity Advantage, these powers will 
  not hamper the dragon in any way. 
   
  Breathe Water Fire:  This ability uses the 
  same “Costs END” Limitation as Breathe Fog 
  and works the same way. The dragon spends 22 
  END to create the area of Water Fire, and then 
  can let power act on its own, since it is both 
  Continuous and Uncontrolled. However, in order 
  for there to be any fire at all, there must be some 
  sort of liquid water for the dragon’s breath to 
  come into contact with. This power won’t work 
  in the desert (naturally), and probably won’t 
  work in a field of ice and snow either. If the area 
  has mixed patches of water and dry ground, then 
  only the areas of water will “catch fire.” Note 
  this power can be rewritten as a 4d6 Ranged 
  Killing Attack if the Game Master so chooses. A 
  normal fire will put out Water Fire, although 
  Game Masters may want to state that a normal 
  fire will only extinguish Water Fire in its 
  immediate area (i.e., a burning torch will only 
  put out water fire in the nearby hex). 
   
  Create Storms:  Certainly the dragon’s most 
  devastating ability, the power combines three 
  different effects. Each of these effects covers an 
  area approximately ten miles in diameter, 
  allowing the dragon to effectively ravage the 
  countryside.  
   
  The first part of the Create Storms power 
  uses Telekinesis to represent the wind picking 
  pick up small objects and carrying them away. 
  These winds should blow out and away from the 
  dragon, although Game Masters could declare 
  the wind blows objects in a circular or even 
  random direction. The second part is an Energy 
  Blast, representing the more damaging effects of 
  the buffeting winds. The attacks are Double 
  Knockback and can conceivably hurl a person a 
  great distance. However, the Energy Blast has 
  the Reduced Penetration Limitation, and divides 
  all BODY damage into two separate attacks. 
  Finally, the Images (defined as heavy rainfall) 
  will hamper eyesight and hearing. 
   
  Game Masters wishing to make the dragon’s 
  Create Storms ability even more powerful than it 
  already is may want to add the Advantages of 
  Continuous and Uncontrolled. This will allow 
  the dragon to create a storm and then leave it to 
  run its course. As it stands right now, the dragon 
  must actively “renew” the storm each Phase, thus 
  limiting its ability to act offensively if attacked. 
   
  This power is normally used in conjunction 
  with the Create/Dispel Rain power. 
   
  Create/Dispel Rain:  This power allows the 
  dragon to produce (or eliminate) rain. It can 
  bring rain to a dry area, or stop a rain that is 
  already falling. Dragons tend to use this power 
  whenever they appear. 
   
  Assume Human Form:  Dragons can assume 
  many forms, with the default here being a 
  human. As dragons retain many of their powers 
  while in human form the Multiform has been 
  built with the idea that the human form will be 
  300-points, although this is merely an estimate. 
  Naturally, the true point value will vary 
  according to the Game Master’s wishes. Of 
  course, the dragon can assume other forms as 
  well, and all of these forms should retain the 
  dragon’s original INT and EGO scores. 
   
  Optional Powers:  Two of these powers are 
  different forms of flight and are meant to replace 
  the dragon’s normal flight power of Chi’ih Muh. 
   
  Poh Shan:  Those dragons lacking a Chi’ih 
  Muh in their heads fly by holding a Poh Shan (a 
  short staff), in one foot. 
   
  Wings Of The Ying Lung:  Only a Ying Lung 
  possesses this power. 
   
  Incredible Eyesight:  Some scholars state 
  dragons can see such things as barley stalks at 
  ranges of 100 miles or so. 
   
  Campaign Use:  Deity, protector, servant of the 
  gods, or even menace; there is no end to the uses 
  a Game Master can find for a Chinese dragon in 
  a fantasy campaign. Naturally, these dragons 
  work best in a campaign set in Asia (or the 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  44 
  fantasy equivalent), although a Game Master can 
  vary the dragon’s exact appearance and powers 
  to simulate similar mythical beings found in 
  other cultures. In India, a close relative of the 
  Chinese dragon is the Naga, magical beings who 
  live under the water and tend to transform into 
  beautiful women and handsome men at will. 
  Many Native American tribes have legends of 
  immense “horned serpents.” They are water-
  dwelling creatures of great size and mixed 
  disposition known for having magical powers.  
   
  Depend on the nature of the fantasy setting, 
  a Chinese dragon might be simply local color, 
  with legends stating a (rarely seen) dragon lives 
  in a specific river or deep lake, or it might have a 
  much more prominent role, actively interacting 
  with people in the area. Some dragons were said 
  to live in specific pools and act as guardians for 
  local castles, shrines, and temples, while Chinese 
  folklore records several instances of the Emperor 
  commanding dragons to do his bidding, usually 
  assisting in a great battle or the like. 
   
  If the campaign is of a sufficiently high 
  power level, the Game Master might want to 
  allow a Chinese dragon Player Character. 
  Granted, such a character (using this write up as 
  a basis) would probably exceed 1200-points, 
  requiring the Game Master to either make vast 
  allowances for the character or to severely curtail 
  the dragon’s powers. Another option is to allow 
  a child of the Dragon Kings as a character. 
  Appearing as perfectly formed humans with 
  brilliant green eyes, such a character should be 
  near the peak of human development physically 
  with many magical powers inherited from their 
  sire, but certainly won’t be as expensive (or 
  powerful) as a full-fledged dragon. 
   
  In a non-fantasy campaign, the dragon’s 
  usefulness is limited. The obvious choice is to 
  include such a creature in a Champions 
  setting, and there have already been a 
  number of Chinese dragons (or close 
  relatives) published in HERO Games 
  products (Golden Age of Champions has 
  Shinyu, Ninja Hero has the Bronze Dragons 
  of Ba Kien, and VIPER has 
  Dragon Queen.). A dragon in a 
  superhero setting could work 
  as either a hero or a villain, 
  and should be quite 
  powerful in both human and 
  dragon forms. 
   
  Another suggestion 
  is to use a Chinese 
  dragon in a pulp-era 
  setting. As dragons 
  can assume human 
  form, Player 
  Characters could 
  interact for some time with 
  a dragon without ever realizing who (or, more 
  accurately, what) it is they are dealing with. If 
  benevolent, such a being could even act as the 
  party’s sponsor, equipping them and sending 
  them out on missions in an effort to better 
  mankind, to aid China, or to further its own ends 
  (with dragons you never can tell). If a villain, the 
  dragon is a natural as a leader of the Triads, 
  engaging in criminal activities around the world 
  in a manner similar to Dr. Fu Manchu or David 
  Lo Pan (from the film Big Trouble in Little 
  China). 
   
  No matter how a Chinese dragon is used in 
  the campaign, odds are it will be an experience 
  the Players won’t soon forget. 
   
  BIBLIOGRAPHY 
   
   
  Allan, Tony and Charles Phillips. Land of the 
  Dragon: Chinese Myth. 
  Barber, Richard and Anne Riches. A Dictionary 
  of Fabulous Beasts. 
  Kane, Thomas M. GURPS China. 
  Gould, Charles. Mythical Monsters. 
  Hogarth, Peter and Val Clery. Dragons. 
  O’Sullivan, Stephen. GURPS Fantasy Bestiary. 
  Rose, Carol. Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An 
  Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and 
  Myth. 
  Shucker, Doctor Karl. Dragons: A Natural 
  History. 
  Turnbull, Don, Ed. Fiend Folio. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  45
  Legion of Heroes by Derek Hiemforth 
   
  Background/History:  Andrew Winters was 
  thirteen years old before anyone helped him. He 
  wasn’t abused or neglected; the folk running the 
  orphanage meant well. But they were harried and 
  overworked, and Andrew was just another one of 
  the kids. He didn’t stand out. He was simply 
  quiet, agreeable… and slowly dying inside due 
  to a sense of isolation that no one was perceptive 
  enough to notice. 
   
  No one, that is, until paramedic Jim 
  Harrison. Jim came to the orphanage one day to 
  save the life of a nearly-drowned little girl. Jim 
  saw Andrew peering timidly around the edges of 
  the gathering crowd, and called him forward. 
  Andrew held things for Jim while he worked; 
  that’s all. But Andrew was awestruck that this 
  heroic, giant man in uniform had even noticed 
  him… much less asked for his help. Jim realized 
  how much it meant to Andrew to help save the 
  girl’s life, and sensed that the young man needed 
  someone to take an interest in him. Jim took 
  Andrew under his wing and became like the big 
  brother Andrew never had. 
   
  Andrew joined the Army after graduating 
  from high school. Inspired by Jim’s example, he 
  became a medic. He loved learning about first 
  aid and treating injuries, but he wasn’t otherwise 
  suited to Army life. He was courageous and 
  hard-working, but too gentle to make a career 
  soldier. 
   
  After his discharge, Andrew continued to 
  save lives as a paramedic like his mentor. He 
  quickly earned a reputation as one of the 
  brightest, most dedicated, and most caring 
  paramedics in the city. Friends and co-workers 
  encouraged him to go to medical school, but 
  Andrew wanted to stay on the “front lines” of 
  life-saving. 
   
  Then, one fateful day, he responded to a call 
  from a convenience store owner. The store had 
  been robbed, and a customer had been shot 
  during the hold-up. When Andrew arrived, his 
  heart sank to see that the customer was Jim 
  Harrison. Andrew sprang into action, trying 
  everything he thought might have a chance at 
  saving his friend, but to no avail. Jim died in 
  Andrew’s arms. 
   
  Andrew’s outlook changed that afternoon. 
  He realized he had been working from the wrong 
  direction. He needed to act to prevent distress 
  and suffering… not simply react to it. Being a 
  paramedic was an important job, but Andrew 
  decided he was needed even more as a police 
  officer.1 
   
  Graduating from the police academy at the 
  head of his class, Andrew joined the force. He 
                                                             
  1 art by Derrick Thomas 
  was uncomfortable with the confrontational 
  aspects of his new role, but found great reward in 
  helping keep the streets safe. He was a fine 
  officer, and considered an up-and-comer in the 
  department. But Andrew didn’t seek promotion; 
  he wanted to stay in the thick of things as a 
  regular patrolman.  
   
  After several years on the force, another day 
  became a turning point in Andrew’s life. He was 
  first on the scene of a traffic accident that left a 
  woman trapped inside a burning automobile. He 
  labored frantically to free her, and succeeded in 
  pulling the terrified woman from the wreckage 
  moments before the car exploded. 
   
  As he helped the firemen contain the 
  damage from the blaze, Andrew began to 
  appreciate what an important and beneficial 
  mission firefighting was. As a firefighter, he 
  could save a lot of lives and help a lot of people, 
  without the potential for violence inherent in the 
  job of a police officer. 
   
  So once again, Andrew changed careers. He 
  put his skills to good use in becoming a top-
  flight firefighter. He spent as much time as he 
  could spare doing volunteer work for a variety of 
  worthy causes. There was always so much to do, 
  and he was just one man…. 
   
  Then the earthquake struck. He needed to be 
  everywhere at once. Children were wounded. 
  Rioters ran amok. Fires raged out of control. He 
  galloped in all directions, and it still wasn’t 
  enough…. 
   
  Suddenly, there were eight of him! 
  Somehow, the stress of the situation, combined 
  with Andrew’s intense longing to help in every 
  place he was needed, must have triggered some 
  kind of latent mutation or psionic ability. 
   
  Andrew wasted no time worrying about how 
  this was possible; it had happened, it was a 
  blessing, and that was all he needed to know. 
  Now he could help more people. He no longer 
  had to choose between treating the wounded, 
  protecting the innocent, and rescuing the 
  imperiled. He could do all these things at once! 
   
  He was no longer just Andrew Winters, the 
  good-hearted ordinary man trying to be a hero in 
  his everyday life. Now he was the Legion of 
  Heroes! 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Andrew Winters is 
  totally obsessed with helping others. The 
  crystallizing moment of his life came when he 
  helped Jim save a young girl, and was himself 
  saved by Jim in the process. Before that, he had 
  little ego or identity; helping others became the 
  foundation he built his entire worldview upon. It 
  defines his sense of self and his sense of worth. 
  Even now, he is remarkably humble; when 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  46 
  openly praised, he shows glimpses of the timid 
  boy Jim Harrison once befriended. 
   
  He spends virtually all of his time doing for 
  others in one way or another. He is usually 
  duplicated, having various selves doing various 
  good works. One is still a fireman, another is 
  now a police officer again, another a paramedic, 
  and still others do volunteer work, community 
  service, disaster response, and so on. 
  Collectively, they use their powers to aid in ways 
  they never could have before. 
   
  This total dedication leaves no room for a 
  personal life. He is an extraordinarily pleasant 
  and well-liked man; he’s not unable to make 
  friends. He simply doesn’t spend the time to 
  develop any relationships. He can’t spare it; 
  there’s always something else that needs to be 
  done. Some people view his single-mindedness 
  with suspicion; they think his devotion is too 
  extreme to be true. 
   
  In reality, it is true. But it’s also true that he 
  is not a wholly sane and balanced individual. 
  He’s not irrational in a negative way, but his 
  upbringing certainly skewed his psyche. 
  “Normal” people don’t do the things Andrew 
  does. Of course, that may say as much about 
  “normal” people as it does about him…. 
   
  Quote:  “I’m nobody special. I’m just trying to 
  lend some helping hands.” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  The source of Legion 
  of Heroes’ power is a mystery. He’s 
  never been examined, but speculation 
  about its nature ranges from 
  mutation, to psionic 
  manifestation, to magic. 
  Andrew doesn’t care where the 
  powers come from, he’s just 
  glad to have them. A psionic 
  explanation seems the most 
  likely, since his various 
  selves can communicate 
  with each other 
  telepathically and he is 
  able to sense impending 
  disasters. His powers 
  don’t appear to boost his 
  innate physical abilities, 
  but he is in astounding 
  condition for an ordinary 
  man, so there may be more 
  there than meets the eye. 
   
  His primary power is 
  the ability to split into 
  eight beings. Each 
  retains all of his 
  knowledge and 
  abilities. He (they) can 
  also generate a glowing 
  blue energy. This 
  energy is used for various effects, from healing 
  wounds, to creating an energy barrier, to a burst 
  a pure energy. 
   
  This energy also allows Legion of Heroes to 
  penetrate illusions and deceptions of various 
  kinds. However, Andrew hasn’t discovered this 
  power yet. When and how he might learn about it 
  are left to the individual GM. 
   
  Legion of Heroes is non-violent by nature. 
  He recognizes the need for force in certain 
  situations, but he approaches it reluctantly. When 
  working with a group, he is more likely to 
  protect bystanders and rescue hostages than to 
  attack foes directly. When working alone, he will 
  often have some selves engage the opponent 
  while others look after the innocents. Against 
  formidable adversaries, his selves will team up 
  for Coordinated Attacks, and Multiple Attackers 
  Bonus. 
   
  Although he has been a soldier, and carries a 
  gun as a policeman, his aversion to killing is 
  strong. He would kill only if there was no other 
  way to save the life of an innocent. 
   
  Campaign Use:  Legion of Heroes is best suited 
  to being a heroic NPC in a Champions 
  campaign. He may be difficult to fit into a hero 
  team because of his obsession with his own 
  agenda, but he makes an interesting solo hero. 
  His devotion to protecting innocents can 
  be used as an example for PC heroes 
  who have grown a bit too cavalier 
  about such things. Although he is not 
  very powerful in terms of 
  combat abilities, his raw 
  point totals make him a 
  difficult fit as a PC in 
  most games unless the 
  GM grants some special 
  dispensation. 
   
  For a more sinister 
  spin, you could decide 
  that those who question 
  his motives are correct. 
  Perhaps he is doing 
  good deeds to deflect 
  attention from a dark 
  secret, or perhaps he is so 
  single-minded because 
  someone has programmed 
  him…. 
   
  Appearance:  Andrew 
  Winters is a powerfully built 
  African-American man 
  standing 6’3” tall. He is 
  now in his mid-30s and – 
  despite years of battling 
  crisis after crisis – his  
   
  (CONTINUED, PAGE 64) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  47
  Legion of Heroes 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   20 STR 
  10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 HTH 
   20 DEX 
  30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 
   20 CON 
  20 13-  
   15 BODY 
  10 12-  
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll 13- 
   18 EGO 
  16 13- ECV: 6 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 
   16 COM 
  3 12-  
   
   
  8 PD 
  4 
   Total: 15 PD (7 rPD) 
   
  8 ED 
  4 
   Total: 15 ED (7 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  10 
   Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  8 REC 
  0 
   40 END 
  0 
   40 STUN 
  5 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 130 
  Movement: Running: 
    9”/18” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   110 Legion Of Heroes:  Duplication (creates 
  8 475-point Duplicates) 
  0 
   12 Communicate With Selves:  Mind Link, 
  specific group of 8 minds (the 
  Duplicates), Can Only Be Maintained 
  With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1) 0 
   50 Light Of Heroism:  Multipower, 50-
  point reserve 
   5u  1)  Force Of Justice:  EB 10d6 
  5 
   5u  2)  Shield Of Integrity:  Force Wall (10 
  PD/10 ED) 
  5 
   3u  3)  Healing Hands:  Simplified Healing 
  5d6; Others Only (-½) 
  5 
   5u  4)  Light Of Truth:  Dispel Deceptive 
  Powers 13d6, any deceptive power one 
  at a time (effects such as Images, 
  Mental Illusions, and so on; +¼) 
  5 
   
  9 Police Sidearm – Smith & Wesson 
  Model 4006 Semiautomatic Handgun:  
  RKA 1d6+1; OAF (-1), 12 Charges  
   
   (-¼) 
  [12] 
   12 Protective Uniform:  Armor (7 PD/7 
  ED); IIF (-¼), Activation Roll 14- (-½) 0 
   
  6 Running +3” (9” total) 
  1 
   
  1 Swimming +1” (3” total) 
  1 
   
  5 Psionic Sense:  Mental Awareness 
  (Mental Group) 
  0 
   
  5 Fortune Smiles On The Pure-Of-Heart:  
  Luck 1d6 
  0 
   
   Perks 
   
  2 Fringe Benefit:  Local Police Powers 
   
  1 Fringe Benefit:  Weapon Permit 
   
  6 Reputation:  Heroic Life-Saver (in 
  Campaign City) +3/+3d6 
   
   Talents 
   29 Danger Sense (general area, any danger) 
  17 -; Only Versus Danger That Is Clearly 
  Life-Threatening (-¼) 
   
   Skills 
   10 +1 Overall 
   10 Heart Of A Hero:  +5 with EGO Rolls 
   
   
  3 Area Knowledge: Campaign City 13- 
   
  1 Bureaucratics 8- 
   
  3 Climbing 13- 
   
  3 Combat Driving 13- 
   
  3 Conversation 13- 
   
  1 Criminology 8- 
   
  1 Demolitions 8- 
   
  1 Forensic Medicine 8- 
   
  2 KS: Army Policy and Procedure 11- 
   
  2 KS: EMT Policy and Procedure 11- 
   
  2 KS: Firefighting Policy and Procedure 11- 
   
  2 KS: Police Policy and Procedure 11- 
   
  3 Oratory 13- 
   
  5 Paramedics 14- 
   
  3 Persuasion 13- 
   
  2 PS: EMT 11- 
   
  2 PS: Fireman 11- 
   
  2 PS: Police Officer 11- 
   
  2 PS: Soldier/Combat Medic 11- 
   
  1 SS: Anatomy 8- 
   
  2 SS: Medicine 11- 
   
  1 SS: Pharmacology 8- 
   
  1 Streetwise 8- 
   
  1 Tactics 8- 
   
  7 Teamwork 15- 
   
  3 WF: Small Arms, Nightstick/Tonfa 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 345 
  Total Cost: 475 
  200+ Disadvantages 
   10 Hunted:  DEMON 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   10 Hunted:  Police 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   10 Hunted:  PSI 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   20 Normal Characteristic Maxima 
   25 Psychological Limitation:  Obsessed With 
  Saving Lives And Helping Others (Very 
  Common, Total) 
   20 Psychological Limitation: Humble; 
  Eschews Acclaim (Very Common, 
  Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Will Kill Only 
  If There Is No Other Possible Way To 
  Save An Innocent Life (Uncommon, 
  Total) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Unusually 
  Pleasant Disposition (Very Common, 
  Moderate) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Public Identity 
  (Frequently, Major) 
   135 Experience Points 
   475 Total Disadvantage Points 
  THE WATCHERS 
   
  Legion of Heroes 
  is Hunted (Watched) 
  by Demon and PSI. 
  They are curious 
  about the nature of his 
  powers; Demon 
  thinks they’re 
  magical, PSI thinks 
  they’re psionic. Both 
  groups want to find 
  out for sure, and use 
  the knowledge to their 
  advantage. If Demon 
  and PSI don’t exist in 
  your campaign 
  universe, any similar 
  pair of groups – one 
  magical and one 
  mental – would serve 
  as well.  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  48 
  VIPER’s Folding Nest by Scott Bennie 
  a Nest of dimension-shaking proportions for VIPER 
   
  “We are smoke. We burn you, and you can’t 
  catch us. You see us, you get burned, you die. 
  Like, I said, ‘smoke.’ Ain’t it cool?” 
  — Darren Bratt, Nest Leader 
   
  The Folding Nest 
   
  The cheapest trick in the book is the 
  “teleport escape,” using teleportation to avoid 
  capture as soon as trouble shows up. Naturally, 
  that’s the one trick most supervillains and like-
  minded organizations strive to learn, and VIPER 
  is no exception. One year ago, a VIPER Nest 
  found an alien device, learned that trick, and 
  their lives have never been the same. The press 
  calls them “the Folding Nest,” and they’ve 
  received as much attention as any VIPER Nest 
  since the heyday of the Grandfather. They can 
  create interdimensional portals and use them go 
  back and forth at will between our world and a 
  world beyond ours, which they have made into 
  their “Folding Fortress.”  
   
  This trick has made them the one of the 
  most elusive Nests in VIPER’s history, and one 
  of the most successful. They commit robberies at 
  will, and get away before superheroes can 
  intercept them. They’re the current darlings of 
  the VIPER establishment, and often perform 
  special jobs for them. However, their ego is 
  increasing at about the same rate as their press 
  clippings, and a series of increasingly disturbing 
  events have plagued the Nest. Folding Nest 
  members have found themselves getting addicted 
  to the sensation of traveling between dimensions. 
  Some members have fallen ill to an unidentified 
  sickness that has made them weak and delirious. 
  One of the members went insane and began 
  believing he was a supervillain; a second agent 
  experienced advanced physical degeneration, 
  went berserk and began firing powerful bursts of 
  energy, critically wounding one agent before he 
  was killed by his nest-mates.  
   
  Something is very wrong in the Folding 
  Nest. 
  So far, the only people who suspect a pattern 
  to these events — the so-called “Fold Sickness” 
  — are Dr. Talia Berenson, the Nest’s physician, 
  and the Fix, an elite VIPER technical team that is 
  studying artifacts that the Nest found in the 
  Folding Fortress. But even they don’t suspect the 
  full truth. 
   
  The Fortress is not a safe place. For eons, 
  it’s been the home of Chaoswalkers, a race of 
  formless extra-dimensional beings who were 
  spawned from the dark thoughts of telepaths 
  when they crossed the void. Individually, their 
  powers are limited, but large numbers of 
  Chaoswalkers in concert can produce minor 
  telepathic effects. Above all else, Chaoswalkers 
  wish to become corporeal beings and physically 
  affect our world, but they can only attain 
  corporeality through a particularly corrosive 
  form of possession, and only against those who 
  cross their dimensional boundary. When VIPER 
  entered the Chaoswalkers’ dimension, their 
  dormant intelligence stirred, and the 
  Chaoswalkers have decided to use VIPER as 
  pawns to return them to corporeality. VIPER 
  thought the Folding Fortress was a sanctuary, but 
  it has become a trap; the VIPER agents would be 
  used to lure larger numbers of people through the 
  gate. Eventually, the Chaoswalkers would 
  possess enough powerful beings to (once again) 
  become a dominant power on Earth, bringing 
  chaos and destruction in their wake. 
   
  So far, VIPER’s been basking in the 
  victories of the Folding Nest, and hasn’t worried 
  too much about the alien nature of their prize. 
  There is, however, one section of VIPER that is 
  doing a lot of worrying — the Fix, VIPER’s 
  newly formed technical special operations team. 
  The Fix fears that the acquisition of the Folding 
  Fortress was too convenient and too easy. They 
  wonder who created the base, how did VIPER 
  get hold of it so easily, and how soon the 
  mortgage is going to come due? 
  The Base, The Gate, and Terrible 
  Side Effects 
  The original gateway was during a VIPER battle 
  against an extra-dimensional monster. When 
  VIPER explored the gate, they entered into a 
  strange alien complex. Inside that complex, they 
  found technology that allowed their agents to 
  create portals that allowed them — and only 
  them — to pass between our dimension and the 
  Fortress. 
   
  The portal appears to be a glowing 
  translucent white circle, approximately two 
  meters in diameter, but less than a millimeter 
  thick. Individuals who enter the circle experience 
  a red to blue shift before fading into the void 
  between dimensions. Those who enter the gate 
  experience what’s considered an uncomfortable 
  pressure over their entire body:  VIPER calls it 
  “the Ripple.” It feels similar to building up a 
  sneeze but being unable to release it. Transit 
  between dimensions takes fifteen seconds. When 
  the agent finally arrives on the other side of the 
  gate, the release of this pressure produces a 
  moment of euphoria and relief.1 
   
   
                                                             
  1 art by Derrick Thomas 
  AUTHOR’S NOTE 
   
   
  Characters in this 
  article may also be 
  replaced by 
  appropriate characters 
  and weapons in the 
  forthcoming VIPER 
  book from Hero 
  Games, coming in 
  2003. Equipment for 
  the agents in this 
  article was designed 
  by Steven S. Long.  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  49
  The base is obviously alien. Its walls are 
  composed of a sickly green chalk-like substance, 
  and they have a slight noxious glow. To drown 
  out this disturbing luminance, the base is brightly 
  lit, and the agents have placed partitions around 
  their bunks to snuff out the light when they’re 
  trying to rest. 
   
  Nothing is known to exist outside the base 
  except endless rock. All attempts to penetrate the 
  outer walls have failed. No senses have detected 
  anything beyond the walls of the Fortress.  
  General Composition 
  There are five levels in the complex. All levels 
  are circular shaped, about 25 meters in diameter. 
  Each level originally had four circular rooms 
  within each circle, but VIPER has made 
  alterations. All ceilings are six meters (3” tall). 
  Interior walls have 7 DEF (hardened, with five 
  points of Power Defense, and Lack of Weakness) 
  and 13 BODY. Exterior walls also have 7 DEF 
  (also hardened, with 5 points of Power Defense 
  and Lack of Weakness), with 18 BODY per hex 
  (and ten hexes between levels). Beyond the 
  complex, there is apparently infinite space. The 
  rough layout is: 
  ALL LEVELS  
   
   
  (A) Autocannon/Security Camera. Cameras are 
  equipped with infrared sensors and a Detect 
  ID bracelet (visual sight group). All 
  transmissions are beamed into the Security 
  Room in Level 3. Autocannons are fired by 
  agents stationed in that room (and use their 
  OCV). Select an autocannon from the 
  Appendix at the end of the scenario. 
  (G) Security guard post. A security guard is 
  stationed here at all times. Use the Folding 
  Nest Agent template. 
  The Nest is left largely unfurnished. 
  Customize it as you see fit. Members of the 
  Folding Nest tend to come from a Lower Middle 
  Class or Poor Rural Midwest American 
  background, with a few genuine rednecks in the 
  fold. Several members of the Nest are members 
  of a burgeoning snake cult that’s been developed 
  to encourage new agents to bond with the VIPER 
  “ideal;” it’s easy to identify the “Poison Fangs” 
  by the venomous snakes they keep caged in their 
  quarters (typically small coral snakes, though a 
  proud ex-patriot Texan keeps a rattler in his 
  quarters). Some agents also display diplomas 
  from “VIPER Academy”; the general rule is that 
  the younger the agent, the more effectively he’s 
  been indoctrinated.  
  There are thirty agents in the Folding Nest. 
  Five Agents are Commander level agents, and 
  there’s an additional five support staff. Nine 
  members of the Fix are also living in the 
  complex. Six agents have Stage II fold sickness. 
  It requires each person to press a VIPER ID 
  bracelet into a turbolift control panel (located 
  next to the turbolift) to operate the lift. Anyone 
  who enters the lift without a bracelet will alert 
  Security Control. The lift is trapped so Security 
  can generate a 3d6 electrical Killing Attack to 
  every occupant of the lift, applicable on the 
  trigger segment and on Phases 4, 8, and 12 
  thereafter. A successful Security Systems roll 
  with a -2 penalty will detect the trap, and a 
  successful Security Systems roll with a -3 
  penalty (Electronics may be used as a supporting 
  skill) will disarm it. 
  LEVEL ONE (BOTTOM LEVEL) 
   
   
  (1) Gate. This is the entrance into the Fortress. 
  This room also has a small security foyer 
  (and there’s a transparent silica-metal door 
  of surprising hardness, DEF 10, BODY 4; 
  VIPER calls this metal “Serpentium”).  
  (2) Kitchen. Two VIPER support staff work in 
  the commissary. It’s usually empty, except 
  an hour before each meal.  
   The Folding Nest has been known to 
  raid some of the finest caterers in New York 
  City, just to provide relief from the cooks’ 
  meals (their cooking is adequate, but success 
  has spoiled the Nest). 
  (3) Food Storage. Includes a large freezer. 
  (4) Mess Hall. This room is empty, except at 
  mealtime, or during the occasional late 
  night poker game. 
  (5) Lavatory. No one’s quite sure where the 
  water goes when it’s flushed. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  50 
  (6) Lounge. This is just an area with tables and 
  chairs for agents to relax. There’s a big 
  screen television with a DVD player, a 
  computer, and a small bookshelf. The base 
  has no physical connection with our 
  dimension, so there’s no Internet 
  connection. Even the Internet has its limits. 
  (7) Transport Shaft. A turbolift on the edge of 
  this shaft connects levels one and two. 
  LEVEL TWO 
   
   
  (1) Barracks. Sixteen agents sleep here, in eight 
  bunk beds. Each bed has two footlockers. 
  (2) Barracks. A second barracks, also 
  containing eight bunk beds and pairs of 
  footlockers. 
  (3) Transport Shaft. A turbolift on the edge of 
  the shaft connects levels one and two. 
  (4) Transport Shaft. A turbolift along the edge 
  of the shaft connects levels two and three. 
  (5) Showers and bathroom for the agents.  
  (6) Infirmary. This is very makeshift — they’ve 
  thought about converting some of the extra 
  space on Level One for a more permanent 
  (and secure) medical facility 
  (7) Armory. This contains gear for forty agents.  
  LEVEL THREE 
   
   
  (1) Training Area. Here, agents get together for 
  target practice, unarmed combat drills, and 
  fighting and coordination drills. 
  (2) Briefing Room. This is where agents go to 
  get mission briefings, debriefings, and to 
  discuss VIPER tactics. 
  (3) Transport Shaft. From level three to level 
  four. 
  (4) Transport Shaft. From level three to level 
  two. 
  (5) Security Control. This is where three agents 
  at all times monitor base security, and fire 
  autocannons remotely. 
  (6) Environmental Control Artifact. A two-
  meter high slab of green chalk-like rock 
  with huge, rune-like symbols carved into it. 
  The symbols glow when touched. The Fix 
  has discovered they can use these symbols 
  to alter the base’s lighting, temperature, and 
  humidity; they are certain there are more 
  discoveries to be had from this object. 
  (The powers of the artifact, as well as 
  the background of the Chaoswalkers, have 
  been left deliberately vague to encourage the 
  GM to plug them into his campaign). 
  LEVEL FOUR 
   
   
  Along the wall of the Command level, a fifty-
  meter, two-headed snake skeleton is mounted. It 
  looks like it was very fierce. 
  (1) Nest Leader’s Quarters. Yes, Bratt gets a 
  room all to himself. He also has his own 
  personal shower. 
  (2) Command center. This is where the Nest 
  records are stored, and where the Nest 
  Leader gets together with Agent 
  Commanders to discuss Nest business. 
  (3) Agent Commanders’ Quarters. All five 
  Agent commanders bunk here. 
  (4) Treasury. This is where the Folding Nest’s 
  stolen goods are stored. The walls are 
  reinforced with steel plate (DEF 15). 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  51
  (5) Transport Shaft. From level four to level 
  five. 
  (6) Transport Shaft. From level four to level 
  three. 
  (7) Bathroom and showers for the agent 
  commanders.  
   
  LEVEL FIVE 
   
   
  (1) Water Storage/Hot Water Heater. Water 
  collects here from an unknown source. The 
  Fix is looking into this. 
  (2) Main Power Plant. There is a small plant 
  that taps into power from the alien artifact to 
  provide heat for the complex. 
  (3) Alien Power Artifact. This major artifact is a 
  monolith-like structure, three meters high 
  and composed of the green chalk-like rock. 
  When touched, it vibrates; the longer it’s 
  touched, the more it vibrates; after a minute, 
  contact does 2d6 normal (vibration damage) 
  per segment, +1d6 per time chart interval 
  it’s held (3d6 at five minutes, 4d6 at an 
  hour, etc.) It’s very irritating to hold, and the 
  monolith vibration is sometimes used as a 
  form of torture. Stroking the artifact in 
  certain locations for a certain duration of 
  time will produce interesting vibrations, 
  vary the power output of the artifact, and 
  even change the locations where the gates 
  will emerge. 
  The artifact is the home for the 
  disembodied Chaoswalkers, and the base’s 
  main power supply. Anyone who attempts 
  any mental powers on it should treat it as 
  having a 2d6 NND Killing Ego attack and a 
  9d6 normal Ego attack damage shield. It has 
  a 25 (Double Hardened) DEF and a 14 
  BODY, with 15 pts of Power Defense, and 
  15 points of Lack of Weakness. It radiates as 
  a powerful psionic source to anyone who has 
  a Mental power or Mental Awareness.  
  The artifact has 10d6 Telepathy, and 
  10d6 Mind Control (telepathic, but with the 
  -½ Limitation that it cannot force someone 
  to do something they’re normally opposed to 
  doing). Both powers are fully invisible, and 
  usable three per day. It typically uses these 
  powers to get Bratt to send his troops into 
  battle on a raid, or against one of the Fix to 
  mislead them about its function. It also 
  speaks to agents who have contracted Fold 
  Sickness, to prime them for the final stage of 
  the transformation. 
  If this artifact is destroyed, the aliens die, 
  and all transform effects vanish, but (also) 
  all power in the complex will also shut 
  down. The complex will have ten minutes of 
  usable power before it goes dead, at which 
  time the gates become unusable. The base’s 
  life support has a seventy-two hour lifespan 
  before people begin to suffocate. 
  (4) Transport Shaft. From level five to level 
  four. 
   
  (5) Emergency Escape Gate (never used). This 
  gate will be used by the Nest leader to 
  evacuate; no one’s sure where it goes, and 
  the one agent who went through was heard 
  giving a brief scream and hasn’t been seen 
  since. Note:  It actually goes to a particularly 
  horrific place on Earth (GM option) but 
  should be treated as a 6d6 Cumulative 
  Transform into Stage II Fold Sickness (or 
  into the next stage, if the individual has 
  already achieved Stage II or higher). 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  52 
  Fold Sickness 
  Every time someone passes through the gate, 
  they subject themselves to a special Transform 
  on a roll of 8-. 
  STAGE I:  “FOLD ADDICTION” 
   
   
  2d6 Cumulative Major Transform 
  Symptoms:  Victims are unchanged, except they 
  gain the added psychological limitation:  
  “Addicted to transportation between dimensions” 
  (they crave the experience at least once per day). 
  Once the victim has fully transformed into Stage 
  I, Stage II is the next phase. 
  To Reverse This Transform:  Succeed at an 
  EGO Roll at -2 every day when the character 
  awakes from a long sleep cycle. If they succeed, 
  they’ve kicked the habit.  
  STAGE II:  “FOLD SICKNESS” 
   
   
  2d6 Cumulative Major Transform  
  The effects of the Fold Sickness are: 
  (1) STR, DEX, CON, BODY, EGO, COM 
  reduced by 30% (round fractions down). 
  (2) -1 SPD 
  (3) 2d6 Aid vs. all stats, triggered by crossing 
  dimensional boundaries, one-hour fade rate. 
  (4) The ability to sense dimensional boundaries 
  and be attracted to them. 
  (5) Greatly heightened viciousness and 
  bloodthirstiness. 
  To Reverse This Transform:  Roll a CON roll 
  every day when the character awakes from a 
  long sleep cycle. The “sickness” is “cured” when 
  three successful CON rolls made. The roll has a  
  -3 penalty unless the character was subject to 
  complete bed rest on the previous day. A roll of a 
  17 or 18 on any of the CON rolls is instant 
  death). Once the character has achieved Stage II, 
  they’re primed for Stage III. 
  STAGE III:  “CHAOS-WALK OR DIE” 
   
   
  2d6 Cumulative Major Transform  
  When the Transform is successful, the character 
  must roll an EGO roll at a -2 penalty. If the roll 
  fails, they die. If the roll succeeds by 0-2, they 
  become an Insane Chaoswalker:  a Chaoswalker 
  (see below) with only a 3 INT and a berserk need 
  to destroy anything in his path. If the roll 
  succeeds by 3-7, then the character is 
  transformed into a fully intelligent Chaoswalker. 
  If the roll succeeds by 8 or more, they become a 
  Chaoswalker, but the human personality remains 
  in control of the body. 
  Chaoswalkers appear to be slightly altered 
  humans. They don’t appear that much different 
  from the humans they possessed, except that 
  their skin is much paler, their faces and body 
  language are unpleasantly contorted, and their 
  eyes have a crazed expression at all times. 
  To Reverse the Transform:  If the character is 
  killed in the middle of dimensional transport, the 
  Chaoswalker is killed, and the agent is set free. 
  Unfortunately, this also kills the agent unless 
  their BODY was greater than the Chaoswalker’s 
  (typically 13). 
   
  Personnel 
  These are the major characters in the Folding 
  Nest and in The Fix, most of the personnel have 
  been left to the GM to create. All weapons and 
  equipment are described in the Character section. 
  DARREN BRATT 
   
   
   
  “Baby, oh baby? Who cares about what 
  happened to Jaworsky? I’m the head of the most 
  successful Nest in the entire #%$#@*& world! 
  We’ve all gotten sick in the Ripple; so what if 
  Jaworsky couldn’t take it and started blasting 
  people? Tell the peons to stop whining and suck 
  in their fangs! (Mutters to self) God, I can’t 
  believe I called them fangs.” 
   
   15 STR 
  14 DEX 
  13 CON 
   18 BODY 
  13 INT 
  14 EGO 
   15 PRE 
  10 COM 
   
  8 PD 
  8 ED 
  5 SPD 
   
  6 REC 
  26 END 
  35 STUN 
   
  Abilities: VIPER weapons and equipment (see 
  Characters); Commando Martial Arts Package; 
  +1 Level with small arms; Breakfall 12-; 
  Climbing 12-; Combat Piloting 12-; Computer 
  Programming 12-; Electronics 12-; KS: Arcane 
  Lore 12-; KS: VIPER 12-; Paramedic 8-; 
  Persuasion 13-; SS: Archeology 12-; SS: 
  Electrical Engineering 12-; Stealth 13-; 
  Streetwise 12; Tactics 12-; Fringe Benefit: 
  VIPER Membership. 
   
  200+ Disadvantages:  Hunted:  UNTIL 11-; 
  Hunted: VIPER 8-; Psychological Limitation:  
  Loves to Bully; Psychological Limitation:  
  Ambitious; Social Limitation:  Involved in Nest 
  Politics. 
   
  Notes: Darren Bratt lives up to his name. He 
  carries himself like an overgrown adolescent: 
  tough, arrogant, able to get whatever he wants 
  just by shoving someone and kicking them when 
  they’re down. Darren was raised to be tough and 
  cold — his dad was a cop, and a mean one at that 
  — but by the time Darren turned sixteen, his dad 
  realized what a monster he was raising. Dad 
  insisted that Darren enlist into the army before 
  he got one dime for college, and Darren did so 
  reluctantly. But Darren found that he liked it in 
  the army. He was smart, and ended up in the 
  army corps of engineering. Darren was also a lot 
  tougher than anyone else at his station and he 
  knew it. He was always a bully, but it was his 
  weekly Friday night “beat the nerd” game that 
  finally led to a showdown with the brass, and a 
  court martial.  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  53
  Darren had made some VIPER contacts 
  while in the military, and VIPER offered big 
  bucks. Darren joined the Snakes in 1994. He 
  started in its engineering corps; he made a lot of 
  cash, then bought control of the Casper 
  Wyoming VIPER franchise. It wasn’t the 
  world’s biggest Nest, but Darren liked the 
  feeling of being in charge, and harbored a lot of 
  ambitions.  
  Then, little over a year ago, VIPER 
  discovered that Demon was digging up some 
  artifact in the wilderness, messing around with 
  magical wards that predated the local native 
  tribes. There was a big fight. During the battle, a 
  two-headed snake, fifty meters in length, came 
  slithering through a glowing portal and attacked 
  all comers. Twelve casualties and three million 
  dollars worth of weapons and equipment later, 
  the snake was dead and VIPER emerged 
  triumphant. They took the snake carcass as a 
  trophy. Bratt was also curious about the portal, 
  and ordered his men to investigate. That’s when 
  they found the “Folding Fortress.” Bratt’s life 
  hasn’t been the same since. He’s been on an out-
  of-control power trip, and he’s begun hearing 
  voices that are making it worse. The only thing 
  that keeps Bratt in check is VIPER’s Central 
  Command (who worry that he might go rogue) 
  and the watchful eye of the Fix. He’s done some 
  special jobs to placate the High Command, but 
  he’s tired of following their orders, and he hates 
  the Fix. He’s probably going to break free of 
  both as soon as it’s convenient. 
  Darren has the gift of the gab, and often 
  comes across like a used car salesman. He’s 
  contemptuous of most of the people in the Nest, 
  not to mention the Fix, VIPER, superheroes, and 
  the world in general. 
  During an assault, he can be found on Level 
  Four, Room 2, Command Center. 
  Bratt is a twenty-four year old male 
  Caucasian, 6’1”, 190 lbs., with dark brown hair 
  (worn slick) and bright blue eyes. He has a broad 
  face, almost always set in a wide, smarmy smirk. 
  MIKE “THE PALINDROME” AUSTIN 
   
   
  “Let’s go. Og S’tel, let’s go!” 
   
   18 STR 
  18 DEX 
  18 CON 
   
  7 BODY 
  18 INT 
  18 EGO 
   20 PRE 
  6 COM 
   
  8 PD 
  8 ED 
  5 SPD 
   
  8 REC 
  36 END 
  25 STUN 
   
  Abilities: VIPER weapons and equipment (see 
  Characters); Chaos Magic Blast (see Characters); 
  Dimensional Augmentation (see Characters); +1 
  Level with small arms; Breakfall 11-; Chaos 
  Magic 13-; Climbing 13-; Commando Training 
  Martial Arts Package; Computer Programming 
  12-; KS: Arcane Lore 13-; KS: Arcane 
  Technology 13-; KS: Chaoswalker History 13-; 
  KS: Arcane Lore 13-; SS: Archeology 13-; 
  Stealth 13-; Streetwise 12; Tactics 12-; Fringe 
  Benefit: VIPER Membership. 
   
  200+ Disadvantages:  Hunted:  UNTIL 11-; 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8-; Susceptibility: to Order or 
  Anti-Chaos powers, 3d6 damage (Uncommon); 
  Psychological Limitation:  Bloodthirsty; Physical 
  Limitation:  Memory Lapse.  
   
  Notes: Mike was the person who made the big 
  mistake. He was the leader of the Five-Team that 
  went through the portal. Mike was a big guy 
  from the wrong side of the tracks, led astray by 
  bad companions, had no strong father figure, and 
  so forth; you know all the clichés, this time they 
  were true. But nothing prepared him for what he 
  found behind the Gate. 
   
  Mike’s mind made first contact with the 
  Chaoswalkers, and bore the full brunt of their 
  desperation. It was a measure of Mike’s personal 
  strength that he was only driven temporarily 
  insane. He thought he had experienced a 
  superhuman conversion, that he had become a 
  supervillain. Mike took on the identity of The 
  Palindrome, the supervillain who speaks the 
  same backwards and forward. The Nest found 
  that as long as they didn’t challenge the delusion, 
  Mike stayed sane enough to lead a Five-Team 
  into battle. As long as he could still do that, Bratt 
  didn’t care if he wore a tutu. So Mike continued 
  to serve VIPER. 
   
  Eventually, the Chaoswalkers completely 
  took over Mike’s mind, and converted Mike to 
  their side. Sort of. This particular Chaoswalker 
  didn’t like its fellows, but it liked VIPER. So 
  Mike Austin decided he’d keep an eye on the 
  other Chaoswalkers, pretend to be their comrade, 
  but secretly help VIPER when the time is right. 
  That time is getting close. 
   
  In the meantime, maintaining the pretense of 
  being the Palindrome has proven to be a useful 
  way to hide changes in Mike’s physical 
  appearance and alterations to his memories. So 
  the Chaoswalker who inhabits Mike’s body has 
  kept up the appearance of being a crazy, 
  superhuman mutant. Indeed, given the 
  impressive attacks Mike’s now capable of 
  generating, the Nest believes he really did 
  become a crazed superhuman when he passed 
  through the gate, and they’re very happy to have 
  this bizarre supervillain on their side, even if his 
  palindromes often freak them out. 
   
  During an assault, “the Palindrome” will fall 
  back to the entrance to Level Four with as many 
  VIPER agents as he can spare, and make his 
  stand there. 
   
  Austin is a twenty-seven year old male 
  Caucasian, 6’1”, 190 lbs., with blond hair and 
  blue eyes. He has a broad face; he often appears 
  confused in times of crisis. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  54 
  “PANAMA JOE” FUENTES 
   
   
  “I think I was more comfortable in the jungle 
  than in this high-tech nightmare.” 
   
   15 STR 
  14 DEX 
  13 CON 
   12 BODY 
  13 INT 
  14 EGO 
   15 PRE 
  10 COM 
   
  8 PD 
  8 ED 
  5 SPD 
   
  6 REC 
  26 END 
  29 STUN 
   
  Abilities: VIPER weapons and equipment (see 
  Characters); Commando Martial Arts Package; 
  +1 Level with small arms; Breakfall 12-; 
  Climbing 12-; Combat Piloting 12-; KS: 
  Agriculture 12-; KS: VIPER 12-; Paramedic 8-; 
  Stealth 13-; Streetwise 12; Survival (Jungle) 12-; 
  Tactics 12-; Teamwork 13-; Tracking 12-; 
  Contact: Colombian Drug Syndicate 13-; Fringe 
  Benefit: VIPER Membership. 
  200+ Disadvantages:  Hunted:  UNTIL 11-; 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8-; Psychological Limitation:  
  Greedy; Psychological Limitation:  Hatred of the 
  Authorities; Social Limitation:  Involved in Nest 
  Politics. 
  Notes: “Panama Joe” Fuentes is Darren Bratt’s 
  right hand man, a former captain in the 
  Panamanian army under Noriega, and a drug 
  trafficker. Fuentes spent several years as a 
  mercenary before tiring of the harsh conditions 
  in Central America, and VIPER brought him 
  Stateside. He was imprisoned when local 
  superheroes busted VIPER’s Houston Nest, but 
  Bratt heard about him and helped him escape 
  from jail. The media has used his escape as a 
  warning against foreigners coming into the 
  States to become VIPER agents, which has given 
  this rather obscure man a much higher profile 
  than he warrants. Otherwise, Fuentes is an 
  unremarkable man known to his subordinates as 
  the Nest’s biggest “yes-man” and bootlicker. 
  Recently, Fuentes has noticed a lot of bizarre 
  changes in his agents, but his response is to bury 
  his head in the sand and hope they’ll go away. 
  Joe is a complainer (he misses his mercenary 
  days, and often tells long, boring, anecdotes that 
  inevitably becomes whinefests), but doesn’t 
  complain in front of Bratt. Fuentes doesn’t have 
  much concern for his agents, and female agents 
  usually end up with the (justified) impression 
  that he’s one of the biggest pigs they’ve ever 
  met. 
   
  In the event of an assault, he’ll be defending 
  Security Control on Level 3 along with his five-
  team. 
   
  Panama Joe is a thirty-nine year old male 
  Caucasian (Latino), 5’9”, 160 lbs., with dark 
  brown hair and brown eyes, and his stare is so 
  intense that even a casual glance looks like he’s 
  trying to burn a hole through you. He has a 
  narrow face, sometimes moustached. 
  WILL “RONALD GIBBS” HACKER 
   
   
  “Yes sir. Anything you say, sir… [Mutters under 
  voice]… Idiot.” 
   13 STR 
  14 DEX 
  13 CON 
   
  9 BODY 
  10 INT 
  11 EGO 
   13 PRE 
  10 COM 
   
  6 PD 
  5 ED 
  3 SPD 
   
  6 REC 
  26 END 
  23 STUN 
   
  Abilities: VIPER weapons and equipment (see 
  Characters); Commando Martial Arts Package; 
  +1 Level w/small arms; +2 Levels w/Perception 
  (all senses); Breakfall 12-; CK: Millennium City 
  12-; Climbing 12-; Combat Driving 12-; 
  Computer Programming 11-; Criminology 11-; 
  KS: Police Procedures 11-; KS: VIPER 11-; 
  Paramedic 8-; Stealth 12-; Streetwise 11; Tactics 
  11-; Teamwork 11-; VIPER Membership; +1” 
  Running, 3d6 Luck. 
   
  200+ Disadvantages:  Hunted:  UNTIL 11-; 
  Watched:  VIPER 8-; Psychological Limitation: 
  Vengeful; Psychological Limitation:  
  Excessively Self-Reliant. 
   
  Notes: Will Hacker is a former Millennium City 
  police officer, and. the white sheep of his family. 
  Will's brother Steven, on the other hand, joined 
  VIPER and became one of their best agents.. 
  Will was a highly decorated officer, while 
  Steven belonged to Darren Bratt's Nest and 
  featured prominently on PRIMUS's Most 
  Wanted list. The two men didn't speak for years, 
  but in 1998, a fellow agent and friend of Steven's 
  named Andrew Hawke was murdered. Steven 
  turned to his brother for help. Will persuaded 
  Steven to go to the authorities, but the agent 
  never made it. His body was found in a ditch two 
  days later. 
   
  Will decided to quit the force, infiltrate 
  VIPER, and learn the truth about his brother’s 
  death. He took on the identity of Ronald Gibbs, a 
  two-time loser, and managed to hook up with 
  VIPER and join Bratt’s Nest. He’s still 
  investigating the murder, but has now become 
  swept up in the bigger matters of the Folding 
  Nest, and he’s turning his attention toward the 
  odd behavior exhibited by several agents. He 
  himself contracted Stage II Fold Sickness, but 
  received enough bed rest to make a recovery. 
   
  The only people who know his secret are his 
  former police captain, and Dr. Talia Berenson, 
  the Nest medic (Berenson was a friend of his 
  brother’s and has agreed to hide his secret, 
  provided he does nothing that brings down the 
  entire Nest. Will made the “devil’s bargain,” 
  albeit reluctantly, and when push comes to 
  shove, he probably won’t keep it – likewise, 
  Talia may decide to blackmail him when the 
  time is right.) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  55
   
  “Ronald” can usually be found at a monitor 
  in Security Control (Level Three) when attacks 
  occur. 
   
  Ronald Gibbs/Will Hacker is a thirty-two 
  year old African-American male, 6’2”, 220 lbs., 
  with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He has a 
  broad, handsome face, which is usually twisted 
  into a frown or a scowl. 
  RICK WIEBE 
   
   
  “He’s bleeding. Somebody make it stop… yes, 
  please make it stop….” 
   
   13 STR 
  14 DEX 
  13 CON 
   
  9 BODY 
  10 INT 
  11 EGO 
   13 PRE 
  10 COM 
   
  6 PD 
  5 ED 
  3 SPD 
   
  6 REC 
  26 END 
  23 STUN 
   
  Abilities: VIPER weapons and equipment (see 
  Characters); Find Weakness with blades 12-; Aid 
  STUN 2d6, only vs those being interrogated (-1) 
  (i.e. he knows how to keep torture victims awake 
  for long periods of time); +3 Levels with knives; 
  +1 Level with small arms; Acting 13-; Breakfall 
  12-; Climbing 12-; Interrogation 13-; KS: 
  Automobiles 12-; KS: Serial Killers 13-; KS: 
  VIPER 11-; Mechanics 12-; Paramedic 8-; PS: 
  Mechanic 11-; Stealth 12-; Streetwise 11; 
  Teamwork 11-; VIPER Membership. 
   
  200+ Disadvantages:  Hunted: UNTIL 11-; 
  Hunted: VIPER 8-; Psychological Limitation: 
  Sadistic; Psychological Limitation:  Loves to 
  Betray People. 
   
  Notes: Rick Wiebe is a simple country mechanic 
  from Cheyenne. Who came from Minneapolis. 
  Who came from Wisconsin. And New Jersey. 
  And Pennsylvania. And whenever he leaves 
  town, he always leaves something behind. Dead 
  bodies. There’s something about killing a brother 
  and a sister that really gets inside him and excites 
  him, but Rick isn’t always that picky. 
   
  Rick began to worry when the FBI got on 
  his trail, so he joined VIPER. Most people think 
  he’s a pretty regular guy; a quiet man who likes 
  to hit the weights a lot, but doesn’t really live 
  “the body beautiful lifestyle” 24/7 like the other 
  Nest muscleheads. He has a reputation for being 
  one of the more squeamish members of the Nest 
  but it’s all an act. Only Fuentes knows he likes to 
  torture people, but that’s a quality he respects, 
  and hasn’t investigated him further. 
  However, Wiebe has continued his serial 
  killing career while a member of the Nest; he’s 
  responsible for three agents who disappeared 
  (the Nest thinks they’re deserters), and one agent 
  who was found dead in a dumpster (Steven 
  Hacker). Every few months, Rick likes to sneak 
  out on his own and kill someone. Since he’s 
  traveled through the portal, he’s heard voices. He 
  likes the voices. The voices like him – it appears 
  he’s attracted the voices of those who like the 
  things he does. And all he has to do is sneak out 
  a few more times, and the voices will speak to 
  him very, very clearly… 
   
  Nobody suspects what Rick truly is (either 
  serial killer or soon-to-be pawn of greater extra-
  dimensional evils). He’s attached to Fuentes’ 
  Five-Team, and will be defending Security 
  Control in the event of a security breach. 
   
  Rick Wiebe is a thirty-four year old 
  Caucasian, 6’0”, 205 lbs., with dark brown hair 
  and blue, shifty eyes. He has a narrow face, and a 
  very muscular build. 
  DR. TALIA BERENSON 
   
   
  “VIPER agents are human beings… the last time 
  I checked… so get off your %$##@! ass and 
  apply some pressure to the wound – here!” 
   
   10 STR 
  11 DEX 
  10 CON 
   
  9 BODY 
  18 INT 
  14 EGO 
   20 PRE 
  10 COM 
   
  5 PD 
  4 ED 
  2 SPD 
   
  4 REC 
  20 END 
  19 STUN 
   
  Abilities: VIPER Technician Field Kit, VIPER 
  Technician weapons and equipment (see 
  Characters); +1 Level w/small arms; +1 Level 
  w/Sciences; Breakfall 12-; Climbing 12-; 
  Forensics 13-; Inventor 13-; KS: Medical World 
  13-; KS: VIPER 13-; Paramedic 12-; Scientist; 
  SS: Anatomy 14-; SS: Mathematics 14-; SS: 
  Medicine 14-; Persuasion 13-; SS: Psychology 
  14-; Stealth 12-; Streetwise 13-; Teamwork 11-; 
  VIPER Membership. 
   
  200+ Disadvantages:  Hunted:  UNTIL 11-; 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8-; Psychological Limitation: 
  Scientific Curiosity; Social Limitation:  Woman 
  in a Man’s World. 
   
  Notes: A crime of passion put Dr. Talia 
  Berenson in prison; she killed her husband (and 
  the woman with whom he was having an affair) 
  with a big, big meat cleaver. Talia would have 
  gotten the electric chair, but VIPER, realizing 
  her technical expertise would be an asset to them 
  (and her death sentence would make it virtually 
  impossible for her to run), broke Talia out of 
  death row and assigned her to the Wyoming 
  Nest. It was not a good fit – the Casper Nest was 
  all male, and most of them were testosterone 
  addicts, chauvinists, and worse. But Talia was a 
  tough, hard woman and managed to survive 
  through a combination of manipulation, 
  intimidation, and threatening to kill people when 
  they got hurt. Through judicious use of these 
  methods, Talia won the respect and friendship of 
  half the Nest. The other half hates her guts. Talia 
  is concerned about the outbreaks of Fold 
  Sickness, and has tried to persuade Bratt not to 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  56 
  send agents through the Ripple so often. Bratt’s 
  response has been to openly question her sanity. 
   
  Berenson is friendly toward most of the 
  members of the Fix, and has made a pact with 
  Yarbro to share information so they can figure 
  out what’s really behind the Fold Sickness. But 
  behind her offer of friendship, Berenson is a 
  smart, devious mind who may decide she can use 
  that information for personal advantage, perhaps 
  making a deal with the Chaoswalkers in 
  exchange for power and Bratt’s head. 
   
  Berenson can almost always be found at the 
  infirmary on Level Two. 
   
  Talia Berenson is a thirty-two year old 
  female Caucasian, 5’4”, 120 lbs., with red hair 
  and green eyes. He has a pretty face, and a nice 
  smile on those rare occasions she uses it. 
   
  The Fix 
  “There are some things that Man was never 
  meant to know. Everything else, we’re gonna 
  find out sooner or later.” – Cassidy Yarbro 
   
   
  One of the major recent programs of 
  VIPER’s High Command was to put together a 
  special school to train VIPER agents and elevate 
  them to the “next level.” But within the “Top 
  Snake” school, there was a second academy, a 
  program to identify VIPER’s best field 
  technicians and form a special squad. These 
  wouldn’t just be scientists and eggheads; they’d 
  be field agents capable of handling trouble and 
  defending themselves in a firefight.  
   
  Cassidy Yarbro, an amateur archeologist, 
  won the initial competition, and was put in 
  charge of putting together a team of 
  troubleshooters. He chose seven men and women 
  to join him as members of “the Fix,” the people 
  that VIPER brought in when everything went to 
  hell and they needed a repairman really bad. The 
  team’s initial outings were a success. They 
  managed to foil the security system of a major 
  superhero team and feed them false data on a 
  VIPER Nest. They helped gather data on the 
  Miami superhero Sunburn that allowed VIPER 
  to negate his solar power collector technology 
  and kill him. They joined with the Capital Patrol 
  to stop the “Seven Days of Demon,” a plot which 
  would have turned everyone in Washington DC 
  into demonic entities. 
   
  The media knows about the existence of the 
  Fix, but not its membership. VIPER has 
  managed to feed them enough misinformation 
  that the general public thinks it’s led by a 
  supervillainess named “The Iris.” The only 
  members who are known to the general public or 
  the authorities are “X-Oks-V’km” and “Black 
  Visor”; the others are unknowns or believed to 
  be faceless flunkies. Supervillains attract more 
  attention than normals, and make a great 
  distraction. 
   
  The general template for Fix members is the 
  VIPER technician, but some of them (Yarbro, 
  Zhilin, Pritchard and Grant) have physical stats 
  equal or better than that of an average VIPER 
  agent, and the Fix is looking for higher physical 
  qualifications in their future candidates. 
   
  During their three-year history, the 
  membership of the Fix has evolved into their 
  current nine-person roster. 
  (1) Cassidy Yarbro, leader. 
  Cassidy is an archeologist/occult specialist. 
  He’s also the son of a PRIMUS commander, 
  with whom he hasn’t spoken in years, due to 
  conflicts during his wild teen years. Cassidy 
  worked in Boston’s Nest as a five-team 
  commander while working as an MIT Grad 
  student. He’s one of VIPER’s brightest and best: 
  tough as nails, with an exceptional record and the 
  respect of his crew. He’s also an avid student of 
  the occult, which is beginning to take him down 
  some dangerous paths. 
  (2) Patrick O’Neill, chemist. 
  Patrick is an ambitious networker who was 
  once second-in-command of the now defunct 
  Savannah, Georgia VIPER’s Nest. He longs to 
  return to those “glory days” when people showed 
  him respect. He has no loyalty to the Fix, but 
  hopes that through hard work, he can once again 
  attain a position of power. He’s a very good 
  chemist, but is considered to be lazy by the other 
  members of the Fix. He also has a little bit of 
  interest in the occult – he thinks alchemy may be 
  the key to getting rich quick. 
  (3) Anatoly Zhilin, computer specialist. 
  A former hacker for the Russian Mafia; 
  Anatoly maintains strong ties to Russia’s 
  organized crime. He’s a lying, cheating, sadistic 
  opportunistic bastard. He’s tolerated because he 
  follows orders well and doesn’t show his less 
  desirable traits to his teammates (with the 
  exception of Kripalani). He’s a physical fitness 
  junkie, and has enhanced his impressive 
  physique with cyberline that he stole from 
  PRIMUS. 
  (4) Manisha Kripalani, geneticist. 
  Manisha is originally from Delhi, India; she’s 
  a young student whose intelligence was mutated 
  by contact with an alien computer. She has 
  inhuman perception and intuitive abilities and 
  low-grade telekinesis, but has to go into a trance 
  for several hours to exploit them. She’s easily 
  the brightest intellect in the Fix, and the strangest 
  to the rest of the team. She and Zhilin had a 
  failed relationship that’s left him very bitter – 
  he’s pretending that he’s over it, but he’s actually 
  waiting for the right moment to take his revenge. 
  (5) Rodney Pritchard, cyberneticist. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  57
  No one in the Fix is more ambitious or 
  zealous than “Mad Boy” Rodney Pritchard. He 
  believes that cybernetics is The Future, and 
  whoever has the best battlesuit is going to rule 
  the world (Dr. Destroyer and Professor Muerte 
  notwithstanding). Rodney is only seventeen; he’s 
  a criminal prodigy who actively sought out 
  VIPER and the Fix when word leaked of their 
  existence. It’s pretty obvious to everyone that 
  he’s a supervillain in training. He’s even been 
  weighing a number of supervillain code names 
  (“The Future” is his current favorite.) 
  Rodney has a small, but very annoying robot 
  toolbox named “LBJ”; it’s a walking action 
  figure that’s made to look like President Lyndon 
  Baines Johnson. The robot walks around, and 
  whenever the head is removed so Rodney can 
  grab its tools, it starts talking like a tough Texan 
  and spews vulgarities (choose ones appropriate 
  to the campaign tone). Any significant attack can 
  break LBJ into pieces - he’s meant to be a minor 
  annoyance at best. 
  (6) Kathy MacCleod, physician/disease 
  specialist 
  Revenge led this medical student to VIPER; 
  her brother was an UNTIL agent who was killed 
  accidentally in wargames held between PRIMUS 
  and UNTIL. She wants to do as much damage to 
  both organizations as possible – she’s starting by 
  producing a version of cyberline that will drive 
  whoever takes it insane (not a hard trick with 
  cyberline in the first place). She plans to replace 
  PRIMUS’s supply with her own concoction. 
  Unbeknownst to the rest of the Fix, she’s started 
  using a couple of agents in the Folding Nest as 
  guinea pigs. She and Berenson have a good 
  relationship, but that’s almost certain to sour at 
  some point in the near future when the Nest 
  doctor discovers what she’s doing. 
  She keeps a private stash of cyberline in a 
  small safe that’s hidden in her quarters.  
  (7) Rusty Grant, security specialist. 
  Rusty Grant learned the art of breaking and 
  entering when he was twelve, when he helped his 
  brother commit a long series of robberies. Grant 
  learned his trade well; he’s the team’s security 
  systems specialist (he's also the newest member 
  of the Fix, replacing the previous specialist, who 
  was killed by a booby-trap set by the supervillain 
  Trapmaster). He’s a nineteen-year-old adrenaline 
  junkie with nerves of steel – a very dangerous 
  combination. He and Rodney Pritchard are 
  inseparably close friends – at some point, he 
  wants Pritchard to make him some battle armor 
  so he can have some real fun. 
  (8) X-Oks-V’km, xenotechnology 
  Also called “Zok’s Victim,” X’Oks is an 
  alien scientist whose mating period has led him 
  to become hopelessly bonded to Kathy 
  MacCleod for the next twenty years. Kathy has 
  an enthusiastic master/slave relationship with 
  him, and manipulates him shamelessly . X’Oks 
  is a xenotechnology specialist (the GM should 
  match him with an appropriate alien race in the 
  campaign and then determine his stats and 
  abilities). 
  (9) Paolo Patrao, bodyguard 
  A low-grade supervillain in power-armor 
  Viseira Preto (“Black Visor”), is the Fix’s 
  official bodyguard (use any low-powered Power 
  Armor Goon). He’s also a cybernetics specialist-
  in-training, and an excellent metallurgist. Paolo 
  really likes the Fix and hopes to be assigned to 
  the team permanently. 
   
  The Fix is typically deployed in small teams, 
  usually when VIPER activities uncover a 
  scientific superhero or supervillain’s experiment, 
  or when they uncover alien wreckage or possible 
  magical artifacts. The team is brought in as a free 
  “service” to Nests, and is paid directly by 
  VIPER’s Central Command, who commands 
  their complete loyalty. 
   
  The Fix was originally brought to the 
  Folding Nest at the request of Darren Bratt, to 
  study the base’s artifacts. But the Fix have 
  stayed a lot longer than Bratt expected (or 
  wanted). All members of the Fix have 
  experienced Fold Sickness, but not as severely as 
  the members of the Nest. Relations between 
  Bratt and Yarbro got off to a disastrous start and 
  rapidly went downhill. Only the voice which 
  tells Bratt “to keep your enemies close” has 
  prevented him from going to the Serpent-General 
  and demanding the Fix’s expulsion — but he’s 
  becoming more and more convinced that Yarbro 
  is due for an accident. For his part, Yarbro thinks 
  much the same thing about Bratt — he knows 
  Central Command won’t punish their most 
  recent successful Nest based on his suspicions 
  alone, so he may attempt to engineer a situation 
  where Bratt gets captured by superheroes and the 
  Fix gets awarded custody of the extra-
  dimensional base. 
   
  (Note: The Fix may have contacts with the 
  PCs in their secret IDs, or prominent NPCs – use 
  them to get the PCs involved with the Folding 
  Nest and its personalities. William 
  Hacker/Ronald Gibbs is a second possible PC 
  hook, and vigilante PCs who pursue serial killers 
  may be directed to Rick Wiebe). 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  58 
  General Use of the Folding Nest 
  The Folding Nest does not include specific 
  advice for running scenarios; rather, it’s meant to 
  be customized and used as the GM sees fit. 
  However, here’s some general advice. 
  (1) The Folding Nest is a specialized VIPER 
  encounter, designed to last two or three 
  sessions (where the players do little but fight 
  this menace), or to be interwoven into a 
  campaign over the course of a dozen 
  sessions (where you start with a few minor 
  encounters and build to a climax). 
  (2) Start with a few robberies. Do your best to 
  let the Folding Nest crew make a clean 
  getaway. The dimensional transport is a 
  dirty trick that’s meant to be frustrating to 
  the players, at least initially. 
   
  (3) Have Bratt gloat a lot. Make him as 
  obnoxious and childishly petty as possible. 
  Make your players hate his guts so much 
  that they can’t wait to knock his teeth down 
  his throat. 
  (4) Introduce the Chaoswalker influence about 
  two-thirds of the way through the run but 
  keep it mysterious unless the PCs really give 
  it their full attention. 
  (5) Getting There. Once the player characters 
  get their hands on one of the wristbands, let 
  them consult experts to figure out how to get 
  to the Nest, give them an opportunity to 
  knock out one Folding Nest agent and take a 
  wristband each, then let them enter the Nest.  
  (6) If the PCs seize control of the Folding Nest 
  without realizing the threat of the 
  Chaoswalkers – well, there are precedents 
  for old supervillain bases being “too good to 
  be true.” Living in the midst of dark chaotic 
  powers should be a curse. The same goes for 
  using it as a “storehouse” in which to place 
  their enemies. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  59
  Characters 
  VIPER Fold Agent 
   
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   13 STR 
  3 12- Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 HTH  
   14 DEX 
  12 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   
  9 BODY 
  -2 11- 
   10 INT 
  0 11- PER Roll 11- 
   11 EGO 
  2 11- ECV: 4 
   13 PRE 
  3 12- PRE Attack: 2½d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  6 PD 
  4 
   Total: 14 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  5 ED 
  3 
   Total: 13 ED (8 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  16 
   Phases: 4, 8, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   23 STUN 
  0 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 47 
  Movement: Running: 
    6”/12” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
   VB-A1 “Striker” Blaster Rifle 
   32 Multipower, 52-point reserve, 32 
  Charges for entire reserve (+¼);  
   
   OAF (-1)  
  [32] 
   2u 1) Basic Setting:  EB 8d6; OAF (-1) 
   3u 2) Autofire Setting:  EB 7d6, Autofire 
  (5 shots, +½); OAF (-1) 
   
  6 Club:  HA +3d6 (5½d6 Total); OAF  
   
   (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
   
   VIPER Melee Weapon 
   
  6 VIPER Fang (Gauntlet Spring-Sheath 
  Variant): HKA ½d6 (plus STR) (10 
  Active Points); OIF (-½), Real Weapon 
  (-¼) 
   18 VIPER Jetpack: Flight 9”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), OIF (-½) 
   0 
   16 VIPER Basic Combat Uniform: Armor 
  (8 PD/8 ED); OIF (-½) 
   27 Helmet 
   
   Protection:  Armor (4 PD/ED) (12 
  Active Points); OIF (-½), Only Protects 
  The Head (-1) 
   
   Communications System:  HRRP (12 
  Active Points); OIF (-½) 
   
   Nightvision System: Nightvision (5 
  Active Points); OIF (-½) 
   
   Flare Shielding:  Sight and Hearing 
  Group Flash Defense (8 points each); 
  OIF (-½) 
   
   
   Mandatory Training 
   
  3  +1 Level with Small Arms 
   
  3  Breakfall 12- 
   
  3  Climbing 12- 
   
  3 KS: VIPER 12- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- 
   
  2 Membership: VIPER 
   
   
  3 Other Skill: 
  General Agent: +1 Perception 
  Archivist: (increases to KS: VIPER to 15-) 
  Computer Tech: Computer Programming 
  12- 
  Covert Operative: Streetwise 12- 
  Demolitions Specialist: Demolitions 12- 
  Infiltrator: Disguise 12- 
  Logistics: Tactics 12- 
  Marksman: +1 with Ranged Levels 
  Security Specialist: Security Systems 12- 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 133 
  Total Cost: 180 
   
  100+ Disadvantages 
   20  Hunted:  UNTIL 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   10 Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture, Watching) 
   10 Psychological Limitation: Greedy, 
  Vengeful, Loves to Bully, or Vendetta 
  Against the Authorities (Common, 
  Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation: Monomaniac, 
  Scientific Curiosity, or Ambitious 
  (Common, Strong) 
   
  5 Social Limitation: Dark Secret (“Mom, 
  I’m a VIPER Agent!”) (Infrequently, 
  Major) 
   30 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 180 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  60 
  VIPER Fold Agent  
  (Stage Two of Transformation) 
   
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH
   11 DEX 
  3 11- OCV: 4/DCV: 4 
   11 CON 
  2 11-  
   
  7 BODY 
  -6 10-  
   10 INT 
  0 11- PER Roll 11- 
   
  8 EGO 
  -4 11- ECV: 3  
   13 PRE 
  3 12- PRE Attack: 2½d6 
   
  8 COM 
  -1 11-  
   
   
  6 PD 
  4 
   Total: 14 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  5 ED 
  3 
   Total: 13 ED (8 rED) 
   
  2 SPD 
  -1 
   Phases: 6, 12 
   
  4 REC 
  0 
    
   22 END 
  0 
    
   18 STUN 
  0 
    
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 1 
  Movement: Running: 
    6”/12” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   31 Dimensional Augmentation:  2d6 Aid 
  vs. all stats (+2), only when crossing 
  dimensional boundaries (-1), lasts 5 
  minutes (+½), self-only (-¼)  
   10 Dimensional Senses:  Detect 
  Dimensional Boundaries or Disruption 
  (sense, discriminate)  
   
   VB-A1 “Striker” Blaster Rifle 
   32 Multipower, 52-point reserve, 32 
  Charges for entire reserve (+¼);  
   
   OAF (-1)  
  [32] 
   2u 1) Basic Setting:  EB 8d6; OAF (-1) 
   3u 2) Autofire Setting:  EB 7d6, Autofire 
  (5 shots, +½); OAF (-1) 
   
  6 Club:  HA +3d6 (5½d6 Total); OAF  
   
   (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
   
  6 VIPER Melee Weapon 
   
   VIPER Fang (Gauntlet Spring-Sheath 
  Variant): HKA ½d6 (plus STR) (10 
  Active Points); OIF (-½), Real Weapon 
  (-¼) 
   18 VIPER Jetpack: Flight 9”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), OIF (-½) 
   0 
   16 VIPER Basic Combat Uniform: Armor 
  (8 PD/8 ED); OIF (-½) 
   27 Helmet 
   
   Protection:  Armor (4 PD/ED) (12 
  Active Points); OIF (-½), Only Protects 
  The Head (-1) 
   
   Communications System:  HRRP (12 
  Active Points); OIF (-½) 
   
   Nightvision System: Nightvision (5 
  Active Points); OIF (-½) 
   
   Flare Shielding:  Sight and Hearing 
  Group Flash Defense (8 points each); 
  OIF (-½) 
   
   
   Mandatory Training 
   
  3  +1 Level with Small Arms 
   
  3  Breakfall 12- 
   
  3  Climbing 12- 
   
  3 KS: VIPER 12- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- 
   
  2 Membership: VIPER 
   
   
  3 Other Skill: 
  General Agent: +1 Perception 
  Archivist: (increases to KS: VIPER to 15-) 
  Computer Tech: Computer Programming 
  12- 
  Covert Operative: Streetwise 12- 
  Demolitions Specialist: Demolitions 12- 
  Infiltrator: Disguise 12- 
  Logistics: Tactics 12- 
  Marksman: +1 with Ranged Levels 
  Security Specialist: Security Systems 12- 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 174 
  Total Cost: 175 
   
  100+ Disadvantages 
   20  Hunted:  UNTIL 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   10 Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture, Watching) 
   
  5 Physical Limitation: Memory Lapse 
  (occasional, severe) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Bloodthirsty 
  (Common, Strong) 
   
  5 Social Limitation: Dark Secret (“Mom, 
  I’m a VIPER Agent!”) (Infrequently, 
  Major) 
   10 Vulnerability:  2x Effect from all 
  powers used with the Transdimensional 
  advantage 
   
  5 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 175 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  61
  Chaoswalker  
  (Stage Three of Transformation) 
   
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   18 STR 
  8 13- Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 HTH  
   18 DEX 
  24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 
   18 CON 
  16 13- 
   
  7 BODY 
  -6 10- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll 13- 
   18 EGO 
  16 13- ECV: 6  
   20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 
   
  6 COM 
  -2 10- 
   
   12 PD 
  8 
   Total: 20 PD (8 rPD) 
   12 ED 
  9 
   Total: 20 ED (8 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  -1 
   Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  8 REC 
  0 
   36 END 
  0 
   25 STUN 
  0 
   
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 73 
  Movement: Running: 
    6”/12” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   41 Chaos Magic Blast: 13d6 EB, 
  Variable Special Effects (any) (+½), 
  44” line AE (+1), No Range (-½), full 
  phase plus one segment required  
   
   (-¾), chaos magic skill roll required 
  (-½), -3 to roll after 5 hours without 
  crossing a dimensional boundary      
  (-¼), 6d6 NND Body Damage taken 
  when roll fails (-1) 
  16 
   62 Dimensional Augmentation: 4d6 Aid 
  vs. all stats (+2), only when crossing 
  dimensional boundaries (-1), lasts 5 
  minutes (+½), self-only (-¼)  
   32 Multipower, 52-point reserve, 32 
  Charges for entire reserve (+¼);  
   
   OAF (-1)  
  [32] 
   2u 1) Basic Setting:  EB 8d6; OAF (-1) 
   3u 2) Autofire Setting:  EB 7d6, Autofire 
  (5 shots, +½); OAF (-1) 
   
  6 Club:  HA +3d6 (5½d6 Total); OAF  
   
   (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
   
  6 VIPER Melee Weapon 
   
   VIPER Fang (Gauntlet Spring-Sheath 
  Variant):  
   
   HKA ½d6 (plus STR) (10 Active 
  Points); OIF (-½), Real Weapon (-¼) 
   18 VIPER Jetpack: Flight 9”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), OIF (-½) 
   0 
   16 VIPER BCU: Armor (8 PD/8 ED); 
  OIF (-½) 
   27 Helmet 
   
   Protection:  
   
   Armor (4 PD/ED) (12 Active Points); 
  OIF (-½), Only Protects The Head  
   
   (-1) 
   
   Communications System:  
   
   HRRP (12 Active Points); OIF (-½) 
   
   Nightvision System: 
   
   Nightvision (5 Active Points); OIF  
   
   (-½) 
   
   Flare Shielding: 
   
   Sight and Hearing Group Flash 
  Defense (8 points each); OIF (-½) 
   10 Detect Dimensional Boundaries or 
  Disruption (sense, discriminate)  
   
   
   Mandatory Training 
   
  3  +1 Level w/small arms 
   
  3  Breakfall 11- 
   
  3  Climbing 11- 
   
  3 KS: VIPER 11- 
   
  3 Stealth 11- 
   
  3 Streetwise 11- 
   
  2 Membership: VIPER 
   
  3 Other Skill: 
   
   General Agent: +1 Perception 
   
   Archivist: (increases to KS: VIPER to 
  14-) 
   
   Computer Tech: Computer 
  Programming 11- 
   
   Covert Operative: Streetwise 11- 
   
   Demolitions Specialist: Demolitions 
  11- 
   
   Infiltrator: Disguise 11- 
   
   Marksman: +1 w/Ranged Levels 
   
   Security Specialist: Security Systems 
  11- 
   
  7 Chaos Magic 15- 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 253 
  Total Cost: 316 
   
  100+ Disadvantages 
   20  Hunted:  UNTIL 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   10 Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture, Watching) 
   15 Susceptibility:  3d6 when hit with 
  Order or Anti-Chaos powers 
  (uncommon) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  
  Bloodthirsty (Common, Strong) 
   
  5 Physical Limitation:  Memory Lapse 
  (occasional, severe) 
   146 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 316 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  62 
  VIPER Fold Agent Commander 
   
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH 
   14 DEX 
  12 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- PER Roll 12- 
   14 EGO 
  8 12- ECV: 5  
   15 PRE 
  5 12- PRE Attack: 2½d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  8 PD 
  5 
   Total: 16 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  8 ED 
  5 
   Total: 16 ED (8 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  16 
   Phases: 4, 8, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   25 STUN 
  0 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 55 
  Movement: Running: 
    6”/12” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   56 VB-A4 “Jackhammer” Blaster Rifle: 
   
   Multipower, 90-point reserve, 32 
  Charges for entire reserve (+¼); all 
  OAF (-1) 
  [32] 
   3u 1) Basic Setting: EB 12d6 (60 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1) 
   4u 2) Autofire Setting: EB 12d6, 
  Autofire (5 shots, +½) (90 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1) 
   
  6 Club:  HA +3d6 (5½d6 Total); OAF  
   
   (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
   20 Dimensional Travel:  Multipower, 
  50-point reserve 
   2u 1) Outer Dimensional Travel:  Extra 
  Dimensional Transport (Portal) (-½), 
  x16 Mass (+20) only usable by those 
  who are carrying Mind Link device  
   
   (-¼), Horrific Side Effects on any 
  who pass through on a 8-, (-¼), 1 
  continuing charge (10 seconds) (-1), 
  OAF wristband (-1) 
   2u 2) Inner Dimensional Travel:  
  Teleport 5”, x16 Mass (+20) only 
  usable by those who are carrying 
  Mind Link device (-¼), 1 Floating 
  Fixed Location (+5), Area Of Effect 
  (one hex; +½), Continuous (+1), 
  Usable Simultaneously (target and 
  owner can use Gate; +½); Gate (-½), 
  Horrific Side Effects on any who pass 
  through on a 8-, (-¼), 1 continuing 
  charge (10 seconds) (-1), OAF 
  wristband (-1) 
   
  6 VIPER Melee Weapon 
   
   VIPER Fang (Gauntlet Spring-Sheath 
  Variant):  
   
   HKA ½d6 (plus STR) (10 Active 
  Points); OIF (-½), Real Weapon (-¼) 
   18 VIPER Jetpack: Flight 9”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), OIF (-½) 
   0 
   16 VIPER BCU: Armor (8 PD/8 ED); 
  OIF (-½) 
   27 Helmet 
   
   Protection:  
   
   Armor (4 PD/ED) (12 Active Points); 
  OIF (-½), Only Protects The Head  
   
   (-1) 
   
   Communications System:  
   
   HRRP (12 Active Points); OIF (-½) 
   
   Nightvision System: 
   
   Nightvision (5 Active Points); OIF  
   
   (-½) 
   
   Flare Shielding: 
   
   Sight and Hearing Group Flash 
  Defense (8 points each); OIF (-½) 
   
   
   Mandatory Training 
   
  3  +1 Level w/small arms 
   
  3  Breakfall 12- 
   
  3  Climbing 12- 
   
  3 Combat Piloting 12- 
   
  3 KS: VIPER 12- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- 
   
  3 Tactics 12- 
   
  2 Membership: VIPER 
   
   
  3 Other Skill: 
   
   General Agent: +1 Perception 
   
   Archivist: (increases to KS: VIPER to 
  15-) 
   
   Computer Tech: Computer 
  Programming 12 
   
   Covert Operative: Streetwise 12- 
   
   Demolitions Specialist: Demolitions 
  12- 
   
   Infiltrator: Disguise 12- 
   
   Logistics: Tactics 12- 
   
   Marksman: +1 w/Ranged Levels 
   
   Security Specialist: Security Systems 
  12- 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 172 
  Total Cost: 227 
   
  100+ Disadvantages 
   20  Hunted: UNTIL 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   10 Watched: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture, Watched) 
   10 Psychological Limitation: Greedy, 
  Vengeful, Loves to Bully, or 
  Vendetta Against the Authorities 
  (common, strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation: 
  Monomaniac, Scientific Curiosity, or 
  Ambitious (Common, Strong) 
   10 Social Limitation: Involved in Nest 
  Politics (Frequently, Major) 
   72 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 227 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  63
  VIPER Technician 
   
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH 
   11 DEX 
  3 11- OCV: 4/DCV: 4 
   10 CON 
  0 11- 
   
  9 BODY 
  -2 11- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll 13- 
   14 EGO 
  8 11- ECV: 5  
   15 PRE 
  5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  5 PD 
  3 
   Total: 11 PD (6 rPD) 
   
  4 ED 
  2 
   Total: 10 ED (6 rED) 
   
  2 SPD 
  -1 
   Phases: 6, 12 
   
  4 REC 
  0 
   20 END 
  0 
   19 STUN 
  0 
    
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 26 
  Movement: Running: 
    6”/12” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   45  Field Lab 
   
   Gadget Pool (30 pts, no skill roll (+1), 
  may include enhanced senses with a 
  maximum allowable +4 perception 
  bonuses) (+½); only OAF gadgets (-½), 
  only changeable at base (-½) 
   15 Primary VIPER Weapon 
   
   VB-S1 “Shorty” Blaster Pistol: EB 7d6; 
  OAF (-1), 12 Charges (-¼) 
   
  6 VIPER Melee Weapon 
   
   VIPER Fang (Gauntlet Spring-Sheath 
  Variant):  HKA ½d6 (plus STR); OIF  
   
   (-½), Real Weapon (-¼) 
   18 VIPER Jetpack: Flight 9”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), OIF (-½) 
   0 
   
  9 VIPER Combat Vest: Armor (6 PD/6 ED), 
  Only protects the chest, upper arms, and 
  abdomen (-½); OIF (-½) 
   27 Helmet 
   
   Protection:  
   
   Armor (4 PD/ED); OIF (-½), Only 
  Protects The Head (-1) 
   
   Communications System:  
   
   HRRP; OIF (-½) 
   
   Nightvision System: 
   
   Nightvision; OIF (-½) 
   
   Flare Shielding: 
   
   Sight and Hearing Group Flash Defense 
  (8 points each); OIF (-½) 
   
   
   Mandatory Training 
   
  3  +1 Level w/small arms 
   
  3 +1 Skill level w/sciences 
   
  3  Breakfall 12- 
   
  3  Climbing 12- 
   
  3 Forensics 13- 
   
  3 Inventor 13- 
   
  3 Trained Skill in chosen major science 
  (any major skill such as Computer 
  Programming, Electronics, Mechanics, 
  Paramedics, or Security Systems) 13- 
   
  3 KS: Scientific World in chosen major 
  science 13- 
   
  3 KS: VIPER 13- 
   
  3 Scientist 
   
  3 1) SS: Major 14- 
   
  3 2) SS: Mathematics 14- 
   
  3 3) SS: Minor 14- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- 
   
  2 Membership: VIPER 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost: 123 
  Total Cost: 170 
   
  100+ Disadvantages 
   20  Hunted: UNTIL 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   10 Hunted: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture, Watching) 
   10 Psychological Limitation: Greedy, 
  Vengeful, Loves to Bully, or Vendetta 
  Against the Authorities (common, strong) 
  10 Psychological Limitation: Monomaniac, 
  Scientific Curiosity, or Ambitious 
  (Common, Strong) 
   
  5 Social Limitation: Dark Secret (“Mom, 
  I’m a VIPER Agent!”) (Infrequently, 
  Major) 
   15 Experience Points 
   
  Powers Note:  The +½ Advantage on the 
  variable pool allows the character to construct 
  devices that have enhanced senses (which is 
  normally against the rules). This should only 
  allow devices feasible within the technology of 
  the campaign. 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 165 
   
   
   
  VIPER SKILL 
  PACKAGES 
   
   
  Arcanologist 
  (Major): Magic 
  (Minor): Alchemy 
  (KS): Mystic Artifacts
  (Skill): Systems 
  Operation (magical 
  artifacts) or 
  Weaponsmith (arcane 
  weapons) 
  Archeologist 
  (Major): Archeology 
  (Minor): History 
  (KS/Language): 
  Ancient Language 
  (Skill): Bureaucratics
  Botanist 
  (Major): Botany 
  (Minor): 
  Pharmacology or 
  Biology 
  (KS): Plants 
  (Skill): N/A (choose 
  any) 
  Chemist 
  (Major): Chemistry 
  (Minor): 
  Biochemistry 
  (KS): Chemicals 
  (Skill): Demolitions 
  or Paramedic 
  Computer Scientist 
  (Major): Computer 
  Science 
  (Minor): Hacking 
  (KS): Computer 
  Languages 
  (Skill): Computer 
  Programming 
  (magical artifacts) 
  Cyberneticist 
  (Major): Cybernetics 
  (Minor): Anatomy 
  (KS): Power Systems 
  (Skill): Electronics 
  Electronics 
  (Major): Electrical 
  Engineering 
  (Minor): Physics or 
  Computers 
  (KS): Power Systems 
  (Skill): Electronics 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #1 
   
  64 
  Appendix: VIPER Autocannons 
   
  Here is a list of some of the weapons that may be 
  plugged into VIPER bases. 
  KR-CUTTER DEFENSE CANNON 
   
   
  Weapon Type: Pop-up Autocannon 
  Base Attack: 2d6+1 AP RKA, Autofire, 10 shot 
  Trigger (someone in the security room sends a 
  signal, signal is negated by Darkness vs. Radio 
  Group) (+½), 120 charges (+¾) 
  Scope: +2 Range Modifiers, +1 OCV 
  Limitations: OAF (-1), Base (-1) 
  Damage SFX: Big Gun, Bigger Ammo 
  Active Points: 138 
  Real Points (including +1 base modifier): 46 
  Notes:  This is VIPER’s heavy defense cannon. 
  It’s used more on the lower levels of a base than 
  on upper levels, as it tends to make a real mess 
  of the surroundings. 
  QN-MESH CANNON 
  KR-CUTTER DEFENSE CANNON 
   
   
  Weapon Type: Pop-up Autocannon 
  Base Attack: 5d6 Entangle, DEF 7, Trigger 
  (someone in the security room sends a signal, 
  signal is negated by Darkness vs. Radio Group) 
  (+½), 10 shots (-¼). 
  Scope: +2 Range Modifiers, +2 OCV 
  Limitations: OAF (-1), Base (-1) 
  Damage SFX: Wire Mesh 
  Active Points: 114 
  Real Points (including +1 base modifier): 38 
   
  TR- VERTIGO DEFENSE CANNON 
   
   
  Weapon Type: Pop-up Autocannon 
  Base Attack: 3d6 EB NND (defense is not being 
  affected by the Transform or 5 pts Flash Defense 
  vs. Hearing Group), Linked (-½) to: 9d6 Minor 
  Transform (A healthy, Standing person is 
  transformed into someone who’s Prone and 
  Stunned), AE 12” radius (+1), Trigger (someone 
  in the security room sends a signal, signal is 
  negated by Darkness vs. Radio Group) (+½), 3 
  charges (-1) 
  Scope: None 
  Limitations: OAF (-1), Base (-1) 
  Damage SFX: Sonic Signal 
  Active Points: 275 
  Real Points (including +1 base modifier): 68 
  Notes: Perhaps the most devastating dirty trick 
  of all VIPER autocannons is the Vertigo, which 
  causes extreme dizziness and will send all but 
  the hardiest individual hurtling to the ground. 
  Typically, VIPER agents are stationed behind 
  doors, which open as soon as the opposition 
  falls. This is an expensive weapon that only the 
  biggest Nests can afford. This weapon is 
  sometimes called the “Deus Ex Machina,” for its 
  ability to knock the stuffings out of entire 
  superhero teams. 
  VF- FLASH DEFENSE CANNON 
   
   
  Weapon Type: Pop-up Autocannon 
  Base Attack: 3d6 Flash vs. visual sense group, 
  Linked to 4d6 EB NND (defense is not being 
  affected by the flash), Trigger (someone in the 
  security room sends a signal, signal is negated by 
  Darkness vs. Radio Group), 20 charges (+¼) 
  Scope: +2 Range Modifiers, +2 OCV 
  Limitations: OAF (-1), Base (-1) 
  Damage SFX: Laser light targeting the eyes, 
  followed by intense light pulse. 
  Active Points: 137 
  Real Points (including +1 base modifier): 46 
  Notes: No, a flash “defense cannon” not a “flash 
  defense” cannon. This cannon sends a painful 
  laser signal that can blind its target if it makes 
  contact with their retinas. 
  XJ- MAGNUM DEFENSE CANNON 
   
   
  Weapon Type: Pop-up Autocannon 
  Base Attack: 10d6 EB, Autofire, Trigger 
  (someone in the security room sends a signal, 
  signal is negated by Darkness vs. Radio Group), 
  60 charges (+½) 
  Scope: +2 Range Modifiers 
  Limitations: OAF (-1), Base (-1) 
  Damage SFX: Superheated Plasma Shot 
  Active Points: 140 
  Real Points (including +1 base modifier): 47 
  Notes: This is the basic VIPER blaster cannon. 
  90% of the blasters that will be encountered in a 
  VIPER base will be this one. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46) 
  LEGION OF HEROES 
   
   
  features show few signs of worry or woe. He 
  smiles perpetually, reassuring those in need as 
  much by his sure manner as by his heroic 
  actions. His “costume” is in the style of a 
  uniform, blending elements of garb from 
  paramedics, policemen, and firemen, but not 
  exactly a copy of any of them. When he splits 
  into the Legion of Heroes, his eight selves each 
  retain the same outfit, but in different colors:  
  red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, 
  and white. 
  His powers generate a pure ice-blue light 
  when in use. The exact appearance of the light 
  varies... from a soft glow surrounding the area of 
  his Healing Hands power, to a brilliant flash 
  accompanying his Force Of Justice power. 
   
  Engineering 
  (Major) Engineering 
  (Minor): Physics 
  (KS): Structural 
  Engineering 
  (Skill): Demolitions 
  Geneticist 
  (Major): Genetics 
  (Minor): Biology 
  (KS): Genetically 
  Engineered Creatures 
  (Skill): N/A 
  Physician 
  (Major): Medicine  
  (Minor): 
  Pharmacology or 
  Biology 
  (KS): Anatomy 
  (Skill): Paramedics 
  Psionics 
  (Major): Psionics 
  Science 
  (Minor): Neurology 
  (SC): Psychology 
  (Skill): Paramedics 
  Psychologist 
  (Major): Psychology 
  (Minor): Sociology 
  (KS): Phobias 
  (Skill): Conversation 
  or Persuasion 
  Roboticist 
  (Major): Robotics 
  (Minor): Metallurgy 
  (KS): AI  
  (Skill): Electronics or 
  Computer 
  Programming 
  Security Systems 
  Expert 
  (Major): Electrical 
  Engineering 
  (Minor): Physics (or 
  Optics) 
  (KS): Sensors 
  (Skill): Security 
  Systems 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/DIGITAL_HERO/Hero System - Digital Hero 01.pdf