TEXT:  
   
   
  JUL/AUG 
  2002 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  In this issue:
  • Plot Twists 
  • Body Twists 
  • The Past 
  • The Future 
  • The Answers 
  • Ninjas & Spies
  • Mad Men 
  • Bad Girls 
  
  the special blank page 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  1
  Table of Contents 
   
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  WHEN LAST WE LEFT OUR HEROES… 
   
   
  Keep up with the news from Hero 
  Games. This issue – Bestiary and Champions. 2 
  HEROGLYPHS 
   
   
  See how Steve Long himself answers 
  rules questions. This issue – magical missiles. 4 
  HERO PREVIEWS 
   
   
  See the Smoke Elemental that was too 
  hot for the Bestiary. 
  6 
  YOU GOTTA HAVE CHARACTER 
   
   
  Celine was a doctor, novelist, and 
  madman that could really drain the life right 
  out of you. 
  8 
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  FUTURE HISTORY 
   
   
  When the world around your game 
  advances with or without the PCs, it feels 
  much more alive. 
  13 
  PLOT TWIST CARDS FOR CHAMPIONS 
   
   
  Deal up a handful of surprise maneuvers 
  and events for your Champions game with 
  this deck of story event cards. 
  19 
   
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  MOUKO NO SHI 
   
   
  This organization of good ninjas battles 
  an evil counterpart, and is a great place for 
  PCs to get a workout. 
  23 
  GYMNASTICS AS A MARTIAL ART 
   
   
  Back in the day, people who could spin 
  around and jump through hoops could really 
  kick some evil butt. 
  26 
  MERIQUAI FALLS 
   
   
  This Midwestern town is the home to 
  many superhumans, and one of the most 
  powerful magical artifacts in history. 
  28 
  ELIZABETHAN HERO CHARACTERS 
   
   
  Lords, pirates, highwaymen… There are 
  many character types ready to be played in 
  the past. 
  37 
  PRIMUS UPDATE 
   
   
  PRIMUS Updates and New Divisions: 
  VIPER Task Force, Public Relations, and the 
  Wizards. 
  46 
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  THE JADE DRAGON QUEEN 
   
   
  Ma Lin Yao, the Justice, Inc. villainess 
  leads a tong, and is armed with poisons and 
  alchemical mixtures. 
  60 
   
   
  DIGITAL HERO 
   
   
  Publisher 
  Hero Games 
  Editor 
  Dave Mattingly 
  Authors 
  Tim Binford 
  Lisa Hartjes 
  Robert Hudson 
  Joe Linehan 
  Steven S. Long 
  Shelley Chrystal 
  Mactyre 
  Andy Mathews 
  David McKee 
  Dale Robbins 
  Jacob Russell 
  Jason Walters 
  Artists 
  Brad Parnell 
  Eric Rademaker 
  David Schrader 
  V. Shane 
  Derrick Thomas 
  Jason Walters 
  Cover Artist 
  Storn Cook 
  Earth photograph 
  copyright NASA 
  and the NSSDC 
  Online 
  herogames.com 
  To Subscribe 
  herogames.com/ 
  digitalhero 
   
   
   
   
  EDITOR’S NOTE 
   
   
  With ten issues per 
  year, that means that 
  twice a year, Digital 
  Hero skips a month. 
  With Origins (July in 
  Columbus) and 
  GenCon (August in 
  Milwaukee) coming 
  up, we won’t be 
  publishing again until 
  September, but on the 
  good side, you can 
  come see us in person 
  at the conventions! 
  Just stop by the Hero 
  Games booth! 
  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 #2 (July/August 2002) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  2 
  When Last We Left Our Heroes…   
  by Steven S. Long 
   
   
  Summertime… and th’ livin’ is eeeaasy… 
   
  Well, maybe not. Summer is the busy time 
  in the gaming industry — all the major 
  conventions take place during the summer, so 
  we’re all scrambling around preparing for the 
  shows, trying to get new products ready to debut 
  at them, planning tournaments, and things like 
  that. I thought I’d spend this column telling you 
  what’s coming up with Hero for the rest of the 
  summer. 
   
  First, just in case you haven’t seen it on the 
  main page of the website, Hero will be attending 
  both Origins (Columbus, Ohio; July 4-7) and 
  GenCon (Milwaukee, Wisconsin; August 8-11); 
  we have booths at both. The DexCard guys, who 
  are creating Herosphere, will be at GenCon as 
  well, with the booth right next to ours, so we’ll 
  have a nice “Hero neighborhood” right there in 
  the exhibit hall. Additionally, I will be attending 
  DragonCon (Atlanta, Georgia; August 30-
  September 2) as a guest, but Hero’s not going to 
  have a booth or be selling books there. 
   
  As befits our efforts to put Hero back on the 
  gaming map, we plan to have a major new 
  release at both of the summer shows. Not only is 
  this one of the best ways to showcase the 
  company to some of the hardest of hard-core 
  gamers, but it’s a pleasant financial shot in the 
  arm, since convention sales go straight into the 
  Hero coffers in full — no distributor or retailer 
  discounts. 
   
  First Up:  The HERO System 
  Bestiary 
   
  At Origins, we’re going to have the HERO 
  System Bestiary ready for you. Written by yours 
  truly, the Bestiary has 240 pages of critter 
  goodness for a mere $24.99. It consists of four 
  chapters. The first delves into the subject of 
  creature creation. It goes through the various 
  Skills, Powers, and so on, reviewing possible 
  uses for them in creating or running characters. 
  For example, it has expanded, detailed writeups 
  for the Animal Handler and Riding Skills, to 
  make them more useful in your games. Chapter 
  One also contains “templates” you can slap onto 
  any creature to make it aquatic, demonic, 
  elemental, bigger or smaller, adapted to arctic 
  environments, or the like. Chapter One also 
  discusses Hit Locations for animals, and how to 
  create your own Hit Location tables — though 
  you probably won’t need to, since the book 
  contains over a dozen tables for your use. If you 
  want to know the Hit Locations on a centaur, 
  octopus, dragon, or gargoyle, the Bestiary tells 
  you. 
   
  Chapter Two contains about 80 fantastic, 
  mythological, legendary, and monster-type 
  critters, ranging from “Ape, Carnivorous” to 
  “Worm, Giant.” It includes demons, elementals, 
  the undead, dragons, lycanthropes, giant insects 
  and serpents, and lots more. 
   
  Chapter Three covers real-world beasties — 
  again, about 80. It’s got bats, birds of prey, 
  gorillas, cats and dogs, six different kinds of 
  horses, spiders and snakes, sharks, whales, 
  wolves, you name it. 
   
  Chapter Four branches out to cover creatures 
  of the movies and science fiction — only about 
  20 this time, since many “movie monsters” are 
  just forms of the creatures covered in Chapters 
  Two and Three. This is where you’ll find giant 
  city-stomping dinosaurs, planet-eating space 
  amoebae, swamp creatures, robots of various 
  sorts, and weird alien fauna. 
   
  It’s also worth noting that all the creatures 
  include information in their writeups about 
  adapting them to create other creatures, changing 
  them to fit a particular genre better, and so forth. 
  Between that, and the templates in Chapter One, 
  the book actually contains thousands of creatures 
  rather than a little under 200. 
   
  Last, but certainly not least, there’s an 
  Appendix. In addition to a comprehensive chart 
  listing every animal in the book, there are some 
  sample creatures with templates applied, an easy-
  to-reference collection of all the Hit Location 
  tables, and lots of other fun stuff. 
   
  So, in short, if you use creatures and related 
  things (like demons or robots) in your game, or 
  are even thinking about it, this is a book you 
  don’t want to pass up! 
   
  Next Up:  Champions 
   
  At GenCon, we’re planning to roll out what 
  will likely be one of our best sellers, after the 
  core rulebook:  Champions, the first of our 5th 
  Edition-compatible “genre books.” It will have 
  about 200 pages (don’t quite have an exact total 
  as I write this), and retail for $29.99. 
   
  If you’ve ever wanted to know anything — 
  anything at all — about creating and running 
  superhero characters or campaigns using the 
  HERO System, this is the book for you. Written 
  by fan favorite Aaron Allston (with a generous 
  helping of additional material, including scads of 
  sample powers, by little ol’ me), the new 
  Champions is the definitive guide to the 
  superhero genre for gaming. Even superhero 
  gamers who (for whatever foolish reason) don’t 
  use the HERO System will want to get this book! 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  3
   
  The book starts with a comprehensive 
  review of the superhero genre. After describing 
  the major “periods” of the comics (the Golden, 
  Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages) and how to 
  represent, in game terms, the elements that make 
  them special, Chapter One discusses basic issues 
  about superhumanity you need to think about for 
  your campaign (where do superpowers come 
  from? when did supers first appear? how many 
  are there?). It also discusses famous genre “bits” 
  (like secret identities, costumes, and ever-
  recurring villains) and how to simulate or use 
  them in your game. 
   
  Chapter Two is what all the players are 
  looking forward to — character creation! It 
  covers the possible types of origins for 
  superhumans, various Skills, Talents, and other 
  game elements of particular interest for 
  Champions games, and various Disadvantages 
  appropriate to the genre. Then it goes over the 
  major superhero archetypes, like brick and 
  gadgeteer, discussing ways to create them and 
  play them. Each comes with a sidebar of possible 
  origins and sample powers. Chapter Two 
  concludes with a really cool little Quick 
  Superhuman Generator that lets you randomly 
  (but rationally) generate a Champions character 
  in just a few minutes. 
   
  Chapter Three covers super-technology. If 
  you want a base, a super-vehicle, an electronic 
  “tracer,” blaster pistols, a flight ring, or anything 
  like that, this is the chapter for you. It also has an 
  extensive discussion about bases — how to build 
  them, equip them, and use them in the game. 
   
  Chapter Four is for the GM. It discusses 
  how to set up and run a Champions game, paying 
  special attention to the advantages (and pitfalls) 
  inherent in the genre and how to make the most 
  of (or avoid) them. In addition to a few optional 
  rules for combat tactics like the “fastball 
  special,” it’s got advice on setting creation, NPC 
  and villain creation, point totals and 
  point/effectiveness ceilings, and just about any 
  other subject you can think of that could impact 
  on a Champions campaign. 
   
  Rounding out the book is Chapter Five, 
  which contains some example supers from the 
  Champions Universe (about which more next 
  column, if all goes well). First, there’s the 
  Champions, the premiere superhero team of 
  Millennium City — perfect for use as 
  pregenerated player characters, or as examples 
  for new players struggling with ideas for 
  characters of their own. The Champions base, 
  vehicle, and associated NPCs are also described. 
  Then there are seven example villains, including 
  the feared robot Mechanon. 
   
  See what I mean? This book has it all. If you 
  like playing superhero RPGs, you’ll find lots of 
  great stuff in Champions! 
   
  And Somewhere Along The 
  Line… 
   
  …we’ll have yet a third product waiting for 
  you:  the HERO System Resource Kit, an all-
  purpose gaming utility for GMs and players 
  alike. In addition to a five-panel GM’s screen 
  filled to the brim with useful tables and charts, 
  there’s a 48-page rules summary booklet (perfect 
  for carrying around when you don’t need the 
  whole rulebook), 36 cardboard miniatures (12 
  modern-day, 12 fantasy, 12 science fiction), and 
  six 22”x17” maps (two modern-day, two fantasy, 
  and two science fiction). We wanted to toss in 
  the kitchen sink, too, but unfortunately it’s kinda 
  hard to shrinkwrap. 
   
   
  So, in short… it’s going to be a tremendous 
  summer for us here at Hero Games! We hope 
  you’ll follow along and help us make this the 
  year that Hero returns to its rightful place of 
  prominence in the gaming firmament. 
   
  — Steven S. Long 
  HERO System Line Developer 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  4 
  HEROglyphs by Steven S. Long 
   
  Zap! 
  Creating A Magical Missile Using The HERO 
  System Rules 
   
   
  In this month’s column, I’m going to tackle 
  a Fantasy Hero power construct that’s often 
  discussed on mailing lists and message boards — 
  a “magical missile” spell that never misses its 
  target. (Any relationship to a power or spell 
  featured in another company’s roleplaying game 
  is, of course, purely coincidental. �) 
   
  As conceived, this spell has the following 
  characteristics: 
   
  1. It creates a bolt of magical energy that can 
  hurt any living being (or quasi-living beings, 
  like golems or the undead). The only defenses 
  against it are certain specific spells or 
  enchanted items. 
  2. The bolts never miss their target. However, 
  total cover blocks them; they cannot turn 
  corners or weave around obstacles. 
  3. The greater the spellcaster’s level of power, 
  the more of these bolts he can throw at once 
  (up to a maximum of 5). Each bolt, by itself, 
  causes a relatively minor wound, but a volley 
  of them can make for a pretty powerful 
  attack. 
  4. If a spellcaster can throw more than one bolt, 
  he can split them up among multiple targets, 
  at his discretion. However, no two targets can 
  be more than 2” apart. 
  5. The spell has a fairly long range, and it gets 
  longer the more powerful the spellcaster 
  becomes. But it’s not unlimited; there’s an 
  absolute upper limit of 45”. The accuracy of 
  the spell does not diminish over range. 
  6. Using the spell does not tire the character out. 
   
   
  So, let’s take these elements one at a time 
  and see what the options are for simulating them 
  in the HERO System. 
   
  First, the bolt can hurt any living being, with 
  only a couple of possible defenses. To me, that 
  sounds like an RKA, NND, Does BODY — 
  pretty expensive, but then again, what’s being 
  described is a fairly powerful effect. Of course, 
  since it can only hurt living beings (“living” in 
  this case also including things like robots and the 
  undead, that mimic life), being an unliving, 
  inanimate object also constitutes a defense — 
  that way the character can’t use the spell to 
  destroy doors, siege engines, and the like. Since 
  it’s a magical bolt that does generalized damage 
  and has no kinetic force, Cannot Use Targeting 
  (-½) and No Knockback (-¼) are also 
  appropriate. 
   
  Now, arguably, a few specific defensive 
  spells and talismans might not necessarily 
  qualify as a “reasonably common” defense 
  against the NND. However, since the nature of 
  the spell (and its counter-spell) are clearly 
  defined, and all spellcasters know what the 
  defense is, and the counter-spell is very cheap, 
  this shouldn’t cause a problem. 
   
  The second point is the trickiest — the bolts 
  never miss. The HERO System doesn’t allow for 
  absolutes like “never misses” or “complete 
  defense”; that’s contrary to the spirit of the rules. 
  But with the right arrangement of Advantages 
  and abilities, we can come close enough that it 
  doesn’t really make much difference. First, we 
  use the Area Of Effect (One Hex Accurate; +½) 
  Advantage. That allows the attack to function 
  against DCV 3 (though the target could still, for 
  example, Dodge). With the addition of a few 2-
  point Combat Skill Levels, we can pretty much 
  guarantee the attack won’t miss except on the 
  rarest of occasions. 
   
  The fact that the magical bolts can’t attack 
  through cover or around obstacles isn’t 
  necessarily unusual; most attacks can’t. 
  Ordinarily characters simply wouldn’t waste the 
  effort trying to penetrate cover unless they felt 
  they had a good chance of doing enough damage 
  to affect the target on the other side. But given 
  the nature of this spell — that a target with total 
  cover can’t be successfully attacked — we can 
  achieve the necessary effect, and cover most of 
  the points under (5), by applying the Line Of 
  Sight (+½) Advantage. 
   
  The third point is also tricky. For one thing, 
  the HERO System doesn’t have any specific 
  method of tracking “character advancement” 
  other than raw Experience Points earned. So, to 
  determine a spellcaster’s “level of power” for 
  purposes of this spell (and perhaps others), the 
  GM would have to establish standards. The 
  standard could be fairly simple — “the 
  spellcaster can project one magical bolt for every 
  10 Experience Points he has earned.” Or it could 
  get more complicated; for example, the GM 
  could require a wizard to buy a Level Of Power 
  Perk to represent his growth in the magical arts. 
  For the sake of this discussion, we’ll go with the 
  first, simpler, option. 
   
  But, that difficulty aside, how do we 
  represent the multiple magical bolts? The most 
  obvious method is the Autofire Advantage, but 
  that presents problems. First, it’s expensive, 
  since the Area Of Effect Advantage boosts the 
  cost of Autofire. Second, it’s hard to track the 
  attack across multiple targets, and it can only be 
  tracked a certain distance. Third, Concentrated 
  Sprayfire is required to hit a single target more 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  5
  than once. So, with all that stacked against it, 
  Autofire really isn’t the way to go to achieve the 
  effect we want. 
   
  Fortunately, the 5th Edition offers another 
  option:  Rapid Fire. Typically, most spells can’t 
  be Rapid Fired — it just doesn’t make sense for 
  the genre or the “feel” of magic. Either they have 
  a Limitation preventing the character from Rapid 
  Firing them, or the GM simply establishes this as 
  a ground rule for the campaign. But in this case, 
  Rapid Fire works perfectly for the effect we’re 
  looking for, so the GM should allow it. We 
  simply have to restrict the amount of Rapid Fire 
  shots the character can take based on his level of 
  power. Since Cannot Be Rapid Fired is a -½ 
  Limitation, a restricted form of Rapid Fire 
  should be a -¼ or -0 Limitation. For purposes of 
  this article, we’ll use -¼. The 2-point CSLs 
  mentioned above will be bought in sufficient 
  quantities to overcome the OCV penalty. 
   
  Most aspects of (5) were covered above, but 
  there’s still the restricted range to deal with. We 
  can simulate that by applying a Limitation to the 
  Line Of Sight Advantage, or simply reducing it 
  to a +¼ value. We’ll use the latter approach for 
  the sake of simplicity, but GMs desiring greater 
  “realism” can use the more complicated 
  approach if they prefer. 
   
  The last point, that the spell doesn’t tire the 
  caster out, indicates the need to apply the 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) Advantage. 
  Alternately, if it were appropriate for the magic 
  system used in the campaign, the character could 
  apply the Charges Limitation to the spell, 
  indicating he could only cast it a certain number 
  of times per day. 
   
  So, here’s what that leaves us with: 
   
  Magical Missile:  RKA 1 point, NND 
  (defense is certain specific spells or 
  talismans, or being an unliving 
  inanimate object; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Area Of Effect (One Hex 
  Accurate; +½), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Line Of Sight (maximum 
  range of 15” + [3” per level of power]; 
  +¼) (21 Active Points); Gestures (-¼), 
  Incantations (-¼), Limited Rapid Fire 
  (only one “shot” per 10 Experience 
  Points earned, and no target can be 
  more than 2” from another target; -¼), 
  Cannot Use Targeting (-½), No 
  Knockback (-¼) (total cost:  8 points)  
  plus  
  +20 with Magical Missile (total cost:  
  40 points). Total cost:  48 points. 
   
   
  Now, 48 points is a mighty hefty cost, 
  especially for a Heroic character — but then 
  again, this is a pretty powerful spell (or it 
  becomes so eventually, if it’s not already). Most 
  of it comes from the CSLs (+10 to counteract 
  Rapid Fire modifiers, +10 to ensure an almost 
  100% success rate with Attack Rolls). The GM 
  can, if he wishes, let characters buy the spell in 
  increments, to keep the cost low. A starting 
  spellcaster, who can only fire one Magical 
  Missile, just needs +10 OCV (since he can’t 
  Rapid Fire at all yet). That reduces the cost to 28 
  points — still expensive, but much better. As he 
  goes up in power, the character can use 
  Experience Points to buy more CSLs with this 
  spell. 
   
  If you want something a little more 
  powerful, increase the RKA to ½d6, which 
  bumps the cost of the spell up by 9 points. At 
  that level of effect, a powerful wizard can inflict 
  some pretty serious damage with every use of the 
  spell. 
   
  At the GM's option, the Gestures and 
  Incantations Limitations can be applied to the 
  CSLs, which would reduce their cost to 27 points 
  (and the overall spell to 35 points). Normally, of 
  course, only 5-point CSLs can be Limited, but 
  some GMs may wish to make an exception in 
  this case. The GM may also wish to consider 
  allowing characters to apply the Requires A Skill 
  Roll Limitation to the spell (as written, the spell 
  assumes a magic system where that Limitation's 
  not required); if so, that could apply to the CSLs 
  as well. 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  6 
  Hero Previews by Steven S. Long 
   
  Check It Out! 
   
  Welcome to Hero Previews, a column that 
  will run in Digital Hero periodically to give you 
  a glimpse at upcoming Hero Games products. 
  Typically the column will feature out-takes from 
  a book – a brief excerpt showing you something 
  of the contents and flavor of the product. 
  Villains/NPCs, gadgets, and the like are going to  
  be the most common out-takes we’ll make 
  available, since they’re easy to excerpt and stand 
  well on their own. 
   
  In other cases, where we end up with more 
  material than we can use for a book and have to 
  cut some of it from the final product, we’ll use 
  Hero Previews to see that our loyal fans get it 
  anyway! That means nothing goes to waste, even 
  if logistics and economics keep us from printing 
  it in a book. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  7
  Smoke Elemental 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   
  0 STR 
  -10 
  9- Lift 25 kg; 0d6 HTH [1] 
   22 DEX 
  36 13- OCV:  7/DCV:  7 
   23 CON 
  26 14- 
   15 BODY 
  10 12- 
   
  8 INT 
  -2 11- PER Roll:  11- 
   10 EGO 
  0 11- ECV:  3 
   25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack:  5d6 
   
  6 COM 
  -2 10- 
   
   
  4 PD 
  4 
   Total:  4 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  8 ED 
  3 
   Total:  8 ED (0 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  8 
   Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  2 
   46 END 
  0 
   35 STUN 
  8 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  98 (+17 with NCM) 
  Movement: Running: 
  0”/0” 
   
   
  Leaping: 
  0”/0” 
   
   
  Flight: 
  20”/40” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   81 Smoke Attacks:  Multipower, 81-point 
  reserve 
   3u 1)  Touch Of Fire:  HKA 2d6; No STR 
  Bonus (-0) 
  3 
   5u 2)  Choking Smoke:  Energy Blast 5d6, 
  NND (defense is LS [Self-Contained 
  Breathing]; +1), Area Of Effect (6” 
  Radius; +1), Reduced Endurance (½ 
  END; +¼); No Range (-½) 
  3 
   5u 3)  Blinding Puff Of Smoke:  Sight 
  Group Flash 10d6, Reduced Endurance 
  (½ END; +¼); Limited Range (10”; -¼) 2 
   20 Smoke Powers:  Elemental Control, 40-
  point powers 
   13 1)  Body Of Smoke:  Desolidification 
  (affected by magic); Cannot Pass 
  Through Solid Objects (-½) 
  4 
   40 2)  The Rising Of Smoke:  Flight 20”, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0 
   28 3)  Blinding Smoke:  Darkness to Sight 
  Group 5” radius, Personal Immunity 
  (+¼); No Range (-½) 
  6 
   75 Body Of Smoke:  Physical Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 75%  
   
   plus  
   
   Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 
  25% 
  0 
   45 Body Of Smoke:  Life Support:  Total 
  0 
   10 Elemental Body:  No Hit Locations 
   -12 True Flyer:  Running -6” 
   -2 True Flyer:  Swimming -2” 
   
  5 Heat Vision:  Infrared Perception (Sight 
  Group) 
  0 
   
   
   Skills 
   
  2 AK: Elemental Plane Of Air 11- 
   
  2 AK: Elemental Plane Of Fire 11- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  323 
  Total Cost:  421 
   
   75+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Physical Limitation:  Large (up to 4m; -2 
  DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Capricious 
  (Very Common, Moderate) 
   25 Susceptibility:  if immersed in water or 
  doused with large amounts of water, takes 
  1d6 per Segment (Common) 
   25 Susceptibility:  if deprived of all oxygen, 
  takes 2d6 per Segment (Uncommon) 
   10 Susceptibility:  if the temperature is below 
  freezing, take 1d6 per Turn (Uncommon) 
   266 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  421 
   
   
   
  To start off, we’ve got a contribution of the 
  second kind — a Smoke Elemental from the 
  HERO System Bestiary, due out later this month. 
  As the book was in layout, Steve realized that 
  while he had several types of “subelementals” 
  mixing two elements (like Cloud and Storm 
  Elementals, which mingle Air and Water), he 
  didn’t have one for Air and Fire. At that point, 
  there wasn’t room to add another creature to the 
  book, but he went ahead and wrote up a Smoke 
  Elemental in the hopes of finding something to 
  do with it. We figured “Smokie” was the perfect 
  way to start this column. However, since the 
  Bestiary has a section discussing elementals’ 
  ecology, nature, and combat techniques in 
  general, the description for the Smoke Elemental 
  is a little sparser than most creatures’. 
  Nevertheless, we think you’ll enjoy this little 
  bonus from the Bestiary. 
   
  Description:  Smoke elementals come from the 
  dark and dangerous borderlands where the 
  Elemental Plane of Air contacts the Elemental 
  Plane of Fire. Sharing some traits with both air 
  elementals and fire elementals, they can be quite 
  dangerous. They resemble vaguely humanoid 
  clouds of smoke, with glints of fire showing 
  through at the eyes and hands, and sometimes 
  elsewhere through the body. 
   
  With a few changes in special effect and 
  appearance, you can also use this character sheet 
  for a dust elemental. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  8 
  You Gotta Have Character by Jason Walters 
   
  “Life is lived forwards, but understood 
  backwards” - Kierkegaard 
   
  My personal tragedy, I tell you, is that by 
  now I should’ve been long gone... up in 
  Lapland... or down in Portugal... as soon as 
  the first voyeurs started showing up... the 
  first oglers with their sidelong glances!... 
  It’s the essential signs!... The interest people 
  take in you is atrocious... it’s the death in 
  you they’ve come to see... they want to stay 
  on the right side of Death... they want to 
  make sure no harm will come to them... to 
  their dear little “selves,” and when the time 
  comes... well, it’s better to be in cahoots 
  with Death!... To laugh at Death, at your 
  own death... and to make the most from 
  being around Death... to make friends with 
  Death... They’ll hand you over to Death 
  entirely... hands bound... instructing it to 
  keep a tight grip on you, to never let you 
  go... they’ll tell Death to bear in mind that 
  they are the jackals... and that Death has a 
  soft spot for us! For you and only you will 
  the scaffold exist!... So that they can come 
  and applaud, bubbling with enthusiasm. 
  They’re all for you being put to death!... If it 
  means they’re gaining an extra hour of life! 
  For themselves!... It’s a Pact of Instincts!  
  –Celine 
   
  Louis-Ferdinand Celine, originally named 
  Louis Ferdinand Destouches, was a dangerously 
  insane French author whose novels Journey to 
  the End of the Night (1932) and Death on the 
  Installment Plan (1936) set new anti-heroic lows 
  as detailed nightmare visions of the human 
  condition. Although a deep pessimism about 
  human nature pervades Celine's works of fiction 
  from cover to cover, his writing is redeemed by 
  an incredibly crude yet deeply sympathetic sense 
  of humor which constantly hits the reader with 
  all of the subtlety of a bucket of ice water. His 
  always semi-autobiographical main characters, 
  although constantly plagued with feelings of 
  failure, anxiety, nihilism, and spiritual inertia, 
  manage to go about their business with one 
  rueful eyebrow raised at the seemingly constant 
  idiocy of mankind.1 
   
  Background/History: Louis-Ferdinand 
  Destouches (Louis-Ferdinand Celine) was born 
  in 1894 at Courbevoie in the Seine District. His 
  father was an intense, violent man employed by 
  an insurance company while his mother, a club-
                                                             
  art by Jason Walters 
  footed neurotic, dealt in high quality lace. Celine 
  grew up in Paris where his mother owned a shop 
  in the Passage Choiseul, an early 19th Century 
  shopping arcade with elegant shops, galleries, 
  and a bizarre glass vaulted roof. It was there, 
  watching his crippled mother bicker over prices 
  with Paris’ petty bourgeoisie elite, that Celine 
  first began to develop his almost universally low 
  opinion of mankind’s ethical nature. It was an 
  opinion that was to be reinforced by everything 
  he would see for the rest of his life. 
   
  Celine's parents planned for him to have a 
  career in international business, so he was sent 
  abroad to learn various languages. He studied 
  German at a school at Diepholz in Lower 
  Saxony, then studied English at a boarding 
  school outside of London – an experience he 
  found particularly loathsome. After graduating, 
  he worked unhappily for various commercial 
  companies around Paris until 1912, when he 
  enlisted in a cavalry unit, the Twelfth Regiment 
  of the Cuirassiers. He was seriously wounded in 
  battle during World War One at Ypres, which 
  left him with a permanently damaged arm, a 
  recurring buzzing, ringing sound between his 
  ears, and headaches which would return 
  periodically for the rest of his life. Essentially, 
  Celine suffered from severe brain damage, and in 
  his novel North (1960) he wrote about the ear 
  noises: "I listen to them become trombones, full 
  orchestras, marshaling yards..." Although he was 
  awarded the Medaille Militaire for Outstanding 
  Military Service, a seventy-five percent 
  disability pension, and became something of a 
  national hero, Celine would never completely 
  forgive the French government for what had 
  happened to him. 
   
  After recovering somewhat from his 
  injuries, Celine was assigned by the military to 
  the French passport office in London. While 
  there he married Suzanne Nebout, a 
  Frenchwoman working as a barmaid, in 1915 but 
  this marriage, which was not even registered 
  with the French consulate, ended quickly. In 
  1916 he got a job working for a lumber company 
  in the Cameroons, but quickly contracted both 
  malaria and dysentery, forcing his return to 
  Paris. Violently ill and raving with fever for 
  months, it is possible that Celine then suffered 
  even more brain damage. Upon his recovery, he 
  met and married Edith Follet, whose father was a 
  director of a medical school, in 1919. Celine then 
  studied medicine in Rennes, somehow receiving 
  his medical degree from the University of Paris 
  in 1924 in spite of being almost totally insane. 
  His doctoral thesis, entitled The Life and Work of 
  Philip, was a rant that had nothing to do with 
  medicine but for some mysterious reason The 
  SOME SAYINGS 
  OF CELINE 
   
  Almost every desire a 
  poor man has is a 
  punishable offence.  
  Experience is a dim 
  lamp, which only 
  lights the one who 
  bears it.  
  If you aren’t rich, you 
  should always look 
  useful. 
  One can’t relive one’s 
  life. Forgiveness is 
  not what’s difficult; 
  one’s always too 
  ready to forgive. And 
  it does no good, that’s 
  obvious.  
  The poetry of heroism 
  appeals irresistibly to 
  those who don’t go to 
  a war, and even more 
  to those whom the 
  war is making 
  enormously wealthy. 
  It’s always so.  
  There’s a point of 
  poverty at which the 
  spirit isn’t with the 
  body all the time. It 
  finds the body really 
  too unbearable. So it’s 
  almost as if you were 
  talking to the soul 
  itself. And a soul’s 
  not properly 
  responsible.  
  The whole business of 
  your life overwhelms 
  you when you live 
  alone. One’s stupefied 
  by it. To get rid of it 
  you try to daub some 
  of it off on to people 
  who come to see you, 
  and they hate that. To 
  be alone trains one for 
  death.  
  Never believe straight 
  off in a man’s 
  unhappiness. Ask him 
  if he can still sleep. If 
  the answer’s “yes,” 
  all’s well. That is 
  enough. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  9
  University gave him a license to practice so that 
  within a few months the migraine-plagued, 
  socially-alienated Frenchman who heard 
  marching bands in his head was proscribing 
  medicines and cutting people open with 
  surprising success. Yet the following year he left 
  his thriving practice, his wife, and his child to 
  work for the newly formed League of Nations. 
  His second wife wisely left him in 1926. 
   
  Employed by the League of Nations, Celine 
  traveled all over the world to countries such as 
  Switzerland, the Cameroons, the United States, 
  Cuba, and Canada, reporting on problems 
  relating to social medicine. In 1928 he returned 
  to France, opening a private practice in a suburb 
  of Paris. In 1931 he began to work for a 
  municipal clinic at Clichy. While working in 
  Clichy, Celine made his debut as a novelist with 
  Journey to the End of the Night (1932) assuming 
  for the first time the pseudonym Celine (it was 
  the Christian name of his maternal grandmother). 
  Like almost all of Celine’s works, the novel is 
  semi-autobiographical, so Ferdinand Bardamu, 
  the protagonist, had a great deal in common with 
  Celine. The story basically covered author's life 
  from1913 to 1932, although events are 
  constantly twisted or rearranged as they pass 
  through the filter of Celine’s completely twisted, 
  rearranged mind. The book is narrated in the first 
  person Parisian gutter-slang, which is basically 
  so similar to Jive that more recent translators 
  have largely given up on converting it to 
  standard English. It depicted Bardamu's unheroic 
  adventures in the trenches of World War I, his 
  miserable experiences in Africa running a 
  trading post, the hellish work conditions in a 
  Ford factory in the United States, and his 
  eventual return to Paris, where he sets up a 
  medical practice. 
   
  The book was praised by both the right-wing 
  extremist Leon Daudet as well as the exiled 
  Russian Communist leader Leon Trotsky, 
  proving definitively that Celine was either a 
  literary genius, a dangerous madman, or just 
  really popular with guys named Leon. The book 
  was even twisted enough to receive the most 
  prestigious literary award in France, the 
  Renaudot Prize, which was generally only 
  awarded to authors who had consumed so much 
  absinth that they couldn’t remember their own 
  first names. Celine's second novel, Death on the 
  Installment Plan (1936), also gained great 
  critical success. It continued the story of 
  Ferdinand Bardamu, except that it details his 
  constantly miserable and astoundingly sexually 
  repressed adolescent years. In this landmark 
  work, Celine sets about demonstrating that being 
  a teenager in pre-World War One Paris was 
  every bit as horrible, awful, and terrifying as 
  being a teenager in America (or anywhere else) 
  is today. After driving his violent father and 
  crippled mother to the brink of complete insanity 
  with his inability to accomplish anything useful, 
  young Ferdinand leaves home to help the 
  inventor, pioneering hot air balloonist, and con-
  man Courtial des Pereires with various amusing 
  swindles. First they write a successful book 
  about bicycle repair, not letting the fact neither 
  of them has ever ridden or even owned a bicycle 
  stand in their way. Then, with the help of 
  Courtial’s hare-lipped wife, they sponsor a 
  submarine design competition so that they can 
  exploit a fake treasure map that had been conned 
  off on them. Finally, they set up a private school 
  for children in the countryside but end up having 
  to train them to steal from the local farmers to 
  keep food on the table. 
   
  Celine's journey to the Soviet Union the 
  following year produced the first of his notorious 
  pamphlets, Mea Culpa (1937), wherein Celine 
  declared his complete disenchantment with the 
  Communist system. He then started work on a 
  third novel but stopped because he felt that 
  preventing his country from entering a new war, 
  which Celine believed would be completely 
  disastrous, was far more important. He then 
  produced several very strange anti-Semitic, anti-
  war pamphlets, two of which were condemned 
  by the French courts. In Trifles for a Massacre 
  (1937) Celine argued that there existed an 
  international Jewish conspiracy to start a world 
  war. Although Celine´s political ideals had much 
  in common with the Nazis, he claimed that Hitler 
  was Jewish and that Nazi Germany was, 
  therefore, simply part of that conspiracy. In 
  addition, since he once interrupted a lecturer 
  talking about “Judeo-Marxist tyranny” with the 
  remark "Hey, why don't you talk about Aryan 
  stupidity?" it can be safely assumed that Celine 
  was in fact not a Nazi. He was far to crazy to 
  have any single consistent belief system of any 
  type. 
   
  In 1936 Celine met the attractive 23-year-
  old dancer Lucette Almanzor, who became his 
  third wife. She faithfully stayed with the jealous 
  writer through the hard years after World War 
  Two until his death. At the outbreak of World 
  War Two Celine served as a volunteer doctor on 
  a French naval vessel, the Shella, which was 
  promptly sunk by a Nazi submarine. After the 
  fall of France in 1940, he rejected both resistance 
  and collaboration to work as a doctor in 
  municipal clinics at Satrouville and in a 
  dispensary at Bezons. In spite of this fact, Celine 
  was denounced on the BBC as a traitor to 
  France. To avoid execution during the Allied 
  liberation of France, he fled to Berlin with 
  Lucette where he was promptly arrested by the 
  Nazis. He was sent to join other important 
  French refugees at the Castle of Sigmaringen. 
   
  In Sigmaringen Celine found himself under 
  house arrest along with Marshal Petain, members 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  10 
  of the Vichy Government, and various French 
  collaborators. As the war progressed, Celine fled 
  Sigmaringen to travel across a devastated 
  Germany with his wife and their constant 
  companion, Bebert the cat. After a number of 
  rather surreal, hair-raising adventures, which 
  included going to Erwin Rommel’s funeral, he 
  finally managed to smuggle his tiny family, 
  along with 17 cretinous, mentally-retarded 
  children, into the relative safe-haven of Denmark 
  as Germany was being slowly pummeled into 
  rubble by Allied bombers. In Denmark, where 
  Celine had deposited his savings during the early 
  stages of the war, he was promptly imprisoned 
  for over a year in the cold Danish prison-castle 
  of Vesterfangsel. After finally getting released 
  on the grounds of ill health, he was forced into 
  exile in the icy town of Korsor on the Baltic Sea.  
   
  During his stay in Denmark, Celine was 
  convicted “in absentia” by a French civil court, 
  which did little to improve his already low 
  opinion of mankind. He wrote in From Castle to 
  Castle (1957) “Two years in a pit... seven by 
  ten... then they thought of the cold... the 
  blizzards of the Great Belt... we stuck it out! for 
  five years! Paid for, I repeat! my savings, you 
  can imagine... blown away by the blizzards... 
  plus the court seizures... some joke!” But in 1951 
  he was finally cleared of all charges and 
  permitted to return to France. Celine spent the 
  remaining decade of his life in the town of 
  Bellevue, on the outskirts of Paris. Although 
  Gallimard, France's leading publishing house, 
  went on to print such works as Fear For Another 
  Time (1952) and From Castle to Castle (1957), 
  Celine's later works were poorly received by 
  both the critics and the public. Soon after 
  finishing his last novel, Rigadoon (1969), he had 
  a stroke. Celine died on July 1, 1961 of a 
  ruptured aneurysm. He is buried in a small 
  cemetery in the town of Bas Meudon.  
   
  Personality/Motivation: Celine was one of the 
  most angry, most disillusioned, most bitter, and 
  most complicated men who ever lived. His 
  disgust with mankind practically oozes out of his 
  pores, shocking and offending most of the people 
  he comes into contact with. The fact that he 
  wasn’t executed by someone during World War 
  Two is completely amazing; he must have been 
  one hell of a doctor. In direct, almost obscene 
  contrast to these facts, Celine may also have 
  been one of the funniest men who ever lived, 
  something which is seldom lost on those who 
  have read Death On The Installment Plan 
  (1936). His humor is brutal, razor-sharp, and 
  crude, cutting feverishly away at human 
  hypocrisy in a manner which cannot be described 
  in any way as sane. 
   
  Celine was undoubtedly one of the greatest 
  novelists of the Twentieth Century. Celine was a 
  caring doctor, an anti-war pacifist, and a man 
  capable of great compassion. Celine was also an 
  incredibly vicious racist and a complete anti-
  Semite, who called for the extermination of the 
  Jewish race in a series of three infamous, 
  currently untranslated pamphlets which raved 
  about the coming extinction of the white race. It 
  is very hard to reconcile the various facets of 
  Celine into one consistent, coherent whole. He 
  may very well have been either a paranoid 
  schizophrenic or just so darn Gaelic that even the 
  other French didn’t understand him. 
   
  Celine had problems effectively 
  communicating with others, and during his life 
  sank more and more deeply into a hate-filled 
  world of madness, rage, and nihilism. The 
  progressive disintegration of his personality is 
  visible in his later novels. These verbal frescoes, 
  peopled with horrendous giants, paraplegics, 
  gnomes, and scenes of dismemberment, are an 
  outward artistic expression of Celine’s horrific 
  inner landscape; a landscape formed, 
  unfortunately, through a lifetime of brilliant, 
  thoughtful observation of human behavior. 
   
  Although he may be one of the most 
  irritating, upsetting, and unpleasantly sarcastic 
  historical figures which anyone could have the 
  dubious fortune of running into, Celine’s 
  motivations are extremely simple ones; he wants 
  to survive, avoid any and all violence, and be left 
  alone to either practice medicine and/or write his 
  angry, slang-riddled prose. In spite of his many, 
  many faults, he is actually something of a genius 
  whose work is genuinely of great historical 
  importance. Celine’s attacks against the evils of 
  war, colonialism, and the nightmarish conditions 
  of urban life heavily influenced such important 
  writers as Henry Miller, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., 
  Charles Bukowski, and William Burroughs. 
   
  Quote: “To philosophize is only another way of 
  being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to 
  cowardly make-believe.”  
   
  Powers/Tactics: Unless you are using him as a 
  Pulp Era character (see below), Celine has no 
  combat value whatsoever. As a dedicated pacifist 
  and coward, he will make a whole-hearted 
  attempt to get away from any violent, or even 
  potentially violent, situation. If he sees that a 
  player character is hurt, however, Celine will 
  stop to render quick medical assistance using his 
  rather formidable healing abilities (healing 
  and/or paramedic). Then he will run away. 
   
  On those extremely common occasions 
  when he is in a foul mood, Celine can be an 
  epically exhausting person to talk to. This is 
  represented in game terms by his Draining 
  French Nihilist Philosophical Discourse power. 
  Use this 2d6 END Drain liberally on any player 
  characters unfortunate enough to spend any real 
  length of time around him. Celine himself is 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  11
  quite unaffected by his Drain power (advantage 
  Personal Immunity), but will enjoy using it on 
  his “tormentors” whenever possible. 
   
  Campaign Use: If played properly, it is very 
  likely that Celine will irritate your players to the 
  limits of their sanity; which is fine, because that's 
  exactly the point of introducing Celine into your 
  campaign. During his lifetime, Celine was 
  generally regarded as a whoremonger, a loud-
  mouthed racist, and an all-around gutter-spawn; 
  yet, oddly enough, he was also widely 
  recognized as a literary genius. Absolutely 
  nobody liked Celine – not the French, not the 
  English, not even the Nazis (which is really 
  saying something). Several things, however, kept 
  him from ending up against a bullet-riddled wall 
  with a blindfold on his face and a cigarette in his 
  mouth. The first is that he was an excellent 
  medical doctor at a time in which even mediocre 
  ones were pretty hard to come by. World War 
  Two was, after all, a fantastic wholesale 
  producer of injured, maimed, and dead people. 
  Secondly, since he was known primarily for his 
  autobiographical novels, anyone who suspected 
  that their days were numbered (which in the big 
  WW2 was, reasonably enough, nearly everyone) 
  had a vested interest in keeping Celine alive for 
  their sake of their own posterity. Finally, despite 
  all of his hateful ranting, Celine's heart seems to 
  have in the right place at least some of the time. 
  He didn't actually seem to practice what he 
  preached, perhaps because he wasn't the sort of 
  man he was preaching to.  
    
  In a World War Two or Golden Age 
  campaign, the players should stumble across 
  Celine in Europe somehow or the other. As a 
  general rule, they will find him fleeing from 
  whatever military is closest with his wife (and 
  her cat) in tow. He will do his best to avoid any 
  character who looks powerful or important (too 
  dangerous!), but he will stop to help anyone who 
  appears to be seriously hurt. Then he, along with 
  his little family, will make themselves scarce at 
  the first opportunity. There were those in both 
  the French Resistance and the English 
  Government who felt that Celine was a traitor. 
  They might ask the player characters to capture 
  Celine so that he can be brought back for a 
  speedy trial... and an even speedier execution. 
  Unfortunately, Celine didn't actually do anything 
  that about two thirds of France didn't do – 
  namely, not fight back against the Germans. He 
  wasn't actually a traitor to France in any real 
  sense of the word. Let the players know this so 
  that they are forced into an ethical conundrum. 
  Should they bring him back to an almost certain 
  execution, or let him go, and live under a cloud 
  of suspicion themselves? 
   
  In a Pulp Era campaign, the players could 
  encounter a younger, less cynical but every bit as 
  crazy Celine nearly anywhere in the world. He 
  traveled extensively as a doctor for the League of 
  Nations, so he could plausibly be found 
  slumming nearly anywhere that the League has 
  interests; drinking in prohibition era Chicago, 
  chopping his ways through the swamps of 
  Central Africa, or visiting Geisha houses in 
  Tokyo. A younger Celine will still have the same 
  medical training but will not be as nearly adverse 
  to physical danger. He will also still remember 
  his training as a soldier from World War One, so 
  WF: Carbine Rifle, WF: Cavalry Saber, and TF: 
  Horses to his character sheet.  
  In a Silver Age campaign, the players will 
  encounter an older beatnik Celine in Paris. 
  Although he will be significantly physically 
  weaker (STR of 6), Celine will know all sorts of 
  strange, occult things about the world which he 
  learned during those long hard years in which he 
  was forced to flee across Europe... things which 
  might be useful to enterprising PC (add KS: 
  Occult 12-). At this stage in his life, play him 
  kind of like an even more nasty (and very 
  French) combination of Truman Capote and H.P. 
  Lovecraft. He'll have all sorts of offensive, 
  mean-spirited, and downright unpleasant 
  observations to make about the human race in 
  general and the player characters in specific – 
  right before he begins babbling about the Nazi 
  flying saucers he saw rescue Hitler from the 
  rubble of the Reichstag.  
  Characters like Celine – paranoid conspiracy 
  theorists, grouchy bigoted doctors, opinionated 
  controversial writers – appear consistently in 
  fiction, on television, and in the movies. Remove 
  Celine’s END drain, language skills, and 
  physical limitation then replace them with 
  Computer Programming, SS: Biochemistry, SS: 
  Biology, SS: Surgery, SS: Xenobiology, and 
  Systems Operation. Add Skill Enhancer: 
  Scientist, change his Skill Enhancer: Traveler 
  locations to various planets or space stations and 
  you’ve got a passable ship’s doctor for your Star 
  Hero campaign. 
   
  Appearance: Celine was a tall, handsome but 
  extremely disheveled Frenchman with swept 
  back jet-black hair. He was also quite mad 
  looking, with facial expressions that commonly 
  include sneering contempt, paranoid terror, and 
  even compassionate resignation. On the street he 
  dressed conservatively but frugally in black wool 
  suits, while indoors he generally wore the white 
  nylon physician’s clothing of the time. Or, as 
  Celine said himself in From Castle to Castle 
  (1957) “I don’t try to look picturesque, it’s not 
  my way, I don’t dress to attract attention... 
  painter style... Van Dyck, Rembrandt... 
  Vlaminck... not for me... inconspicuous, 
  undistinguished.... I’m a doctor...” 
  CELINE’S WORKS
   
  1924 La Vie Et 
  L’oeuvre De 
  Philippe (Life 
  And the work 
  Of Philippe) 
  1932 Voyage Au 
  Bout De La 
  Nuit (Journey 
  to the End of 
  the Night) 
  1936 Mort A Credit 
  (Death on the 
  Installment 
  Plan) 
  1937 Mea Culpa 
  (Mea Culpa) 
  1937 Bagatelles 
  Pour Un 
  Massacre 
  (Trifles for a 
  Massacre) 
  1938 L’ecole Des 
  Cadaveres 
  (School of 
  Corpses) 
  1941 Les Beaux 
  Draps (The 
  Fine Mess) 
  1944 Guignol’s 
  Band 
  (Guignol’s 
  Band) 
  1949 Casse Pipe 
  (Shooting 
  Gallery) 
  1954 Feerie Pour 
  Une Autre Fois 
  I-II (Fear For 
  Another Time) 
  1955 Entretiens 
  Avec Le 
  Professeur Y 
  (Conversations 
  with Professor 
  Y) 
  1957 D’un Chateau 
  L’autre (From 
  Castle to 
  Castle) 
  1960 Nord (North) 
  1964 Le Pont De 
  Londres (The 
  Bridge of 
  London) 
  1969 Rigodon 
  (Rigadoon) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  12 
  Louis-Ferdinand Celine  
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   
  8 STR 
  -2 11- Lift: 75kg; 1½d6 HTH [1] 
   12 DEX 
  6 11- OCV:  4/DCV:  4 
   10 CON 
  0 11- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll:  13-  
   15 EGO 
  10 12- ECV:  5 
   15 PRE 
  5 11- Presence Attack:  3d6 
   14 COM 
  2 12- 
   
   
  2 PD 
  0 
   Total:  2 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  2 ED 
  0 
   Total:  2 ED (0 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  8 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  5 REC 
  2 
   20 END 
  0 
   20 STUN 
  1 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 42 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   36 Draining French Nihilist Philosophical 
  Discourse: Drain END 2d6, BOECV 
  (Mental Defense applies; +1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Area Of 
  Effect (5” Radius; +1), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); Only Works When 
  Celine Is Speaking (-½) 
  0 
   18 Exceptional Medical Ability: Healing 
  3d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  OAF (Medical Kit; -1), Requires SS: 
  Medicine Roll (-1 per 10 Active Points 
  used; -½) 
  0 
   
   Perks 
   
  4 Reputation:  Literary Figure (in Europe) 
  +2/+2d6 
   
  4 Reputation:  Highly Skilled Doctor (in 
  Europe) +2/+2d6  
  Talents 
   
  3 Unfriendly:  Resistance To Seduction (3 
  points) 
   
  3 Unimpressed:  Resistance To 
  Reputation (3 points) 
   
  3 Blasé:  Resistance To Oratory (3 points) 
   
   Skills 
   
  5 Bribery 13- 
   
  3 Conversation 12- 
   
  5 Forensic Medicine 14- 
   
  4 Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games) 14- 
   
  5 KS: French Literature 14- 
   
  5 KS: French Underworld 14- 
   
  0 Language: French (native, imitate dialects) 
   
  3 Language: English (completely fluent) 
   
  3 Language: German (completely fluent) 
   
  7 Paramedics 15- 
   
  8 SS: Medicine 18- 
   
  5 Streetwise 13- 
   
  3 Traveler 
   
  1 1)  CK: Berlin 11- 
   
  1 2)  CK: London 11- 
   
  1 3)  CK: New York 11- 
   
  3 4)  CK: Paris 15- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 133  
  Total Cost: 175 
   75+ Disadvantages 
   10 Hunted:  French Resistance 8- (Mo 
  Pow, Kill) 
   15 Physical Limitation:  Damaged Left 
  Arm (-2 penalty to STR), Buzzing Ears 
  (-2 to hearing), Hedaches (All The 
  Time, Slightly) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Coward 
  (Common, Total) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Paranoid 
  (Very Common, Strong) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus 
  Killing (Common, Total) 
   
  5 Reputation:  Traitor, 8- 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 175 
   
  REFERENCE 
  BIBLIOGRAPHY 
   
  The Crippled Giant 
  by M. Hindus 
  (1950) 
  Celine and His Vision 
  by E. Ostrovski 
  (1967) 
  Celine: The Novel as 
  Delirium by A. 
  Thiher (1972) 
  Celine: Man of Hate 
  by B. Kanpp 
  (1974) 
  The Inner Dream by 
  J.H. Matthews 
  (1978) 
  Celine’s Secret by 
  Lucette 
  Destouches and 
  Véronique 
  Robert (2001)  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  13
  The Future History Timeline by David McKee 
   
  Introducing The Future History 
  Concept 
   
  The best campaigns, for those who truly 
  enjoy the roleplaying aspects of RPGs, are those 
  in which the players experience freedom in 
  developing their characters and pursuing the 
  goals of those characters. This means more than 
  simply allowing them to choose skills, train in 
  particular weapons, or learn a special group of 
  spells. It means developing a sense that their 
  characters move in a multidimensional world 
  that at all times presents multiple paths of 
  exploration.  
   
  One of the great challenges for any GM is 
  the creation of a campaign that is not simply a 
  series of independent and unrelated single-shot 
  adventures the characters are plopped into one 
  after another. All too often, however, the effort 
  to create a cohesive campaign with plots 
  spanning multiple adventures produces a game 
  the players experience as rigidly linear. The 
  sense of being channeled from one related event 
  to the next is almost as bad from a player’s 
  perspective as the random series of disconnected 
  adventures. This sort of campaign makes players 
  feel that there can be only one outcome to an 
  adventure and one predetermined narrative to a 
  campaign. They should instead feel that their 
  characters move in a vibrant world, rich with 
  history and possibility.  
   
   
  GMs and players are understandably 
  fixated on the immediate circumstances in which 
  characters find themselves. When designing an 
  adventure, a GM maps locations, develops 
  NPCs, and traces a general plot. It is impossible 
  for a GM to consider every possible event in the 
  entire campaign universe, and the common result 
  is that a GM will focus exclusively on what 
  impacts the characters directly. When the 
  characters are elsewhere, time seems to stand 
  still for kingdoms on the borders of goblin 
  country and spaceports orbiting through pirate 
  infested asteroid fields. The characters go out 
  into the world, adventure for weeks or months, 
  and return to a home city that is largely 
  unchanged.  
   
  Often this is as it should be. Continuity is 
  extremely important in any campaign setting. 
  However, if this is always and everywhere the 
  case, problems can arise. Adventures will seem 
  important only in themselves, and have little 
  meaning in the larger campaign (and campaign 
  world), except as means to advance the 
  characters and to accumulate wealth. Another 
  problematic result is a burden on the GM to 
  contrive some plot device to set the characters on 
  each new adventure. If one wishes to establish a 
  rich, living campaign, it is not always enough to 
  develop a clever “hook” to alert the PCs that an 
  adventure is ready to be had.  
   
  This article describes a number of methods 
  for developing a Future History, a kind of 
  timeline that provides for events to occur 
  independent of specific adventures and 
  scenarios. These events can be major, game 
  altering events or relatively minor occurrences 
  that provide a bit of local color to an adventure. 
  Used liberally, the methods of Future History 
  can transform the way a GM runs a campaign. 
  Used sparingly, they can provide a little spice to 
  an evening of otherwise traditional gameplay. In 
  either case, they constitute a broader vision of a 
  campaign; this vision can result in a little more 
  work being required of a GM. However, the 
  rewards easily justify the added effort. 
  The Future History Premise 
   
  The fundamental premise of Future History 
  is that the world is so very much larger than the 
  space inhabited by the PCs. At all times there are 
  many possible adventures for the PCs to consider 
  tackling. Political, social and religious events 
  move apace near and far, utterly without regard 
  to the experience, desires, and actions of the PCs. 
  Natural and supernatural occurrences ranging 
  from the most mundane (intense weather) to the 
  highly unusual (meteor striking a city) are to be 
  expected in varying frequency. 
   
  All of these things are important for the 
  effect they have on the world the PCs inhabit. 
  Weather conditions and social conditions both, 
  when dealt with in a measured and consistent 
  fashion, add depth and a sense of reality to a 
  campaign.  
  Applying Future History To Your 
  Game 
  CREATING YOUR CAMPAIGN 
   
   
   
  The first thing you, as GM, need to do is to 
  begin piecing together your campaign setting.
   
   Create a rough map of your world. Think 
  carefully about the sorts of adventures you 
  would enjoy running. What kinds of characters, 
  monsters, aliens, or other NPCs interest you? 
  What terrains and environments can excite your 
  imagination? What technologies and social 
  structures appeal to your creative sense?  Put 
  only these in the game. The PCs will be limited 
  in their explorations only by technological or 
  magical barriers and the relative dangers present 
  in various areas. In theory at least, the PCs can 
  go anywhere and attempt to do anything, 
  therefore you must be prepared to present the 
  world to them as they set out to explore it. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  14 
   
  This does not mean they can or should 
  succeed at all their endeavors and explorations. 
  A core assumption of this kind of roleplaying is 
  that PCs will in fact suffer failures and setbacks. 
  A successful conclusion to an encounter or an 
  attempt to explore a new dungeon can be beating 
  a hasty retreat – and living – as easily as it can be 
  conquering the dragon and making off with its 
  treasure.  
   
  These last few paragraphs may seem off-
  putting to a nervous GM. If the PCs are to be 
  given complete freedom to explore the campaign 
  world as they wish, in whatever order they 
  desire, following whatever whims occur to them, 
  how can a poor GM hope to keep up?  Must 
  every possible dungeon, town, and orbiting pawn 
  shop be fully fleshed out from the very 
  beginning?  The answer is, of course, absolutely 
  not.  
    
  The next thing you must do is to create the 
  major characters of your world. Create, ahead of 
  time, the religious and political leaders of all the 
  kingdoms or regions or states. Establish what 
  social and religious systems are at work your 
  world. Develop brief histories for regions and for 
  NPCs. Outline the relationships between them 
  all. 
   
  The above is largely moot if using a 
  prepackaged campaign setting. Still, it behooves 
  you to familiarize yourself thoroughly with the 
  setting you will be using before creating the 
  Future History timeline. 
   
  You will also have considered whether you 
  wish to run a campaign that is from the 
  beginning establishing a coherent story arc or is 
  rather a number of separate adventures – perhaps 
  packaged commercial adventures – that will be 
  integrated into the larger campaign setting. 
   
  This is all fairly standard campaign scenario 
  design. Once you have made significant broad 
  progress in this part of your preparation you can 
  begin to work on the Future History elements of 
  the campaign. 
  THE METHOD ITSELF 
   
   
   
  There are two basic mechanisms for 
  developing a Future History timeline: using 
  random charts, and engaging in old-fashioned 
  campaign planning and authorship. Most GMs 
  will use a combination of these two mechanisms. 
  A campaign that is intended to produce a 
  coherent storyline at least partly predetermined 
  by the GM will obviously depend heavily on 
  intentional crafting of events. Still, some 
  elements of the campaign timeline can be, and 
  perhaps ought to be, dealt with randomly. 
   
  What is most important to consider when 
  developing the timeline, however, is this: the 
  events of the timeline occur and impact the 
  campaign world even when the characters are 
  not around to experience the events in question. 
  This is fundamental. 
   
  It is one thing to develop an outline or 
  flowchart of overall adventure or campaign 
  events as they pertain to the specific experiences 
  of the PCs. It is another proposition altogether to 
  develop a timeline that charts the life of the 
  campaign world itself. 
  SCOPE 
   
   
   
  Another important aspect of events in a 
  Future History timeline is the scope of those 
  events. There are personal events, or 
  developments that pertain to the private lives of 
  the PCs, such as when an NPC friendly to the 
  PCs is killed or disappears. There are also 
  regional events (e.g. plagues, wars, installation 
  of new rulers, or development of new 
  technologies). These constitute one axis, the 
  range, of scope. 
   
  The other axis is depth. Some events are 
  “passing occurrences,” events that have an 
  immediate impact but no serious long term 
  effect. A snowstorm is an obvious example of 
  this sort of event. At the other end of the passing 
  occurrences spectrum is the transformative 
  event. This is an event that permanently changes 
  some part of the campaign. At the personal level, 
  the death of the NPC friendly to the PCs is 
  transformative in effect. On a larger scale, an 
  interkingdom war that causes a reshaping of 
  boundaries and political policy is transformative. 
  Conversely, a battle between two kingdoms that 
  is concluded fairly quickly without altering the 
  political landscape is a serious, but passing 
  event. 
   
  These distinctions are important to keep in 
  mind, because you must maintain a sense of 
  proportion when developing your timeline. 
  Multiple transformative events on a large scale in 
  a relatively short period of time can reduce a 
  campaign to chaos.  
   
  Table 1 provides a suggested guide to the 
  number of events to include in a timeline. The 
  table assumes the campaign calendar is twelve 
  months long. For campaigns with other than a 
  twelve month calendar this chart can serve as a 
  general guide to event frequency. Regional 
  events should be generated for each major region 
  in the campaign setting. 
  Table 1: Event Frequency 
  Event 
  Passing 
  Transformative 
  Personal 1 per month 
  0 or 1 per  
   
   
          half year 
  Regional 0 or 1 per 
  0 or 1 per year 
   
      month 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  15
  EVENTS ON THE TIMELINE 
   
   
   
  Precisely because events of significant range 
  and depth are such powerful influences on the 
  direction and atmosphere of a campaign, they 
  should almost always be placed in the timeline 
  only after careful consideration. It is not the case, 
  however, that they must fit neatly into a 
  preconceived story arc. They serve to fill the 
  void of inactivity outside the immediate concerns 
  of the arc. 
   
  Once you have created the basic elements of 
  your campaign setting you should determine how 
  many of each type of event to include in your 
  timeline. A timeline for a single year is 
  sufficient. Now you must determine exactly what 
  the events are. Tables 2 through 5 can be used to 
  generate random event descriptions. If you prefer 
  you can simply choose from among the listings 
  for events that seem interesting to you or use the 
  listings as inspiration for your own ideas. 
   
  The events are necessarily generic in nature. 
  No two campaigns are the same, so the tables 
  must by their very nature be general. Having 
  determined the basic nature of the events that 
  will appear in your Future History timeline you 
  will have to interpret those events in terms of 
  your campaign setting and in terms of the 
  established or intended game balance. If you 
  determine that in the eleventh month of the year, 
  a king will suffer a violent death, you must 
  determine which king. You must also determine 
  the circumstances of the death. It may not be 
  necessary to consider much more than this, 
  though you might concern yourself with details 
  such as the name and personality of the new ruler 
  and whether the death is an occasion for some 
  amount of political upheaval or drama.  
   
  Generally speaking, however, any given 
  event represents a possible adventure hook. You 
  must consider the possible reaction of the PCs to 
  the events – or to rumors of them. Some, like a 
  pickpocket targeting a PC, amount to little more 
  than a brief random encounter. These require 
  little in the way of preparation beyond 
  developing an NPC to do the pickpocketing. This 
  event could, however, easily be translated into a 
  teaser to entice the PCs into an adventure. 
  Perhaps the pickpocket is detected, but escapes. 
  Chasing the thief, the PCs stumble into an 
  adventure you had all along wanted them to find. 
  Rumors of a political upheaval in a nearby 
  kingdom might prove too curious to ignore. You 
  might place an adventure in the path of the PCs 
  as they attempt to travel to the ailing kingdom. 
   
  On the other hand, the PCs could be deeply 
  entangled in an adventure when they hear news 
  of an event. Unable to follow the lead right then, 
  they file the information away for later 
  consideration. The important immediate effect is 
  the experience they will have of a world beyond 
  their immediate actions that is active and 
  changing. If the Future History timeline you 
  impose on your campaign does nothing other 
  than generate this atmosphere in the campaign 
  world, then it has done its job. 
   
  If you have decided to develop a coherent 
  story arc for the campaign you must consider the 
  impact the Future History events you have now 
  plotted may have on that story. Many will have 
  no serious effect at all, while others may suggest 
  new approaches to the story altogether. Others 
  may seem inappropriate. These should be 
  discarded in favor of more appropriate or 
  appealing events.  
   
  As always, the key is that these events will 
  occur whether the PCs are present to experience 
  them or not. In the case of personal events, such 
  as a pickpocket targeting a PC, not being in a 
  location where this can occur at its 
  predetermined time means simply that the PC 
  has luckily avoided becoming a mark. The 
  events of the timeline do not constitute absolute 
  fate. One can imagine any number of scenarios 
  whereby PC activities inadvertently prevent an 
  event from occurring. 
   
  They may (and should) hear rumors of the 
  events. Perhaps they will see some evidence of 
  impact of events. A line of refugees streaming 
  past the group on their way to explore a 
  subterranean troll city might provide a clue that 
  Viking raiders have been razing nearby villages. 
  If the PCs are unable to avoid their adventure in 
  the troll city – perhaps because they have been 
  contracted to slay the troll prince – then they 
  may well be consumed with a renewed sense of 
  urgency. Perhaps some of the refugees are 
  known to the PCs. If the compulsion to 
  investigate the raids overwhelms them, their 
  work as hired adventurers might be impacted in 
  complicated and interesting ways. 
   
  The above example is a perfect illustration 
  of the depth Future History can provide a 
  campaign. Having determined that raiders will be 
  attacking local villagers, all the GM must do to 
  prepare is to create the NPCs who are doing the 
  raiding, and decide where they will be 
  conducting their operations. Then, as the time for 
  the event approaches, the GM will consider 
  whether and how the PCs will come to learn of 
  the event. This is a relatively minor burden, and 
  the raider NPCs can always be used later if the 
  PCs decide not to investigate. 
   
  The direct effect on the players is excellent 
  in terms of the roleplaying experience. The 
  character and commitment of their PCs will be 
  tested. Which is a more important obligation – to 
  discharge the duties contracted for or to offer 
  assistance to helpless villagers? While the event 
  in question is really a “passing event” there are 
  subtle long-term implications. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  16 
  EVENT TABLES 
   
   
   
  These tables below are geared for a 
  campaign set in the mid to late medieval age on 
  the Hero Universe Timeline but can be easily 
  altered for other eras. To use them to produce 
  random results, roll three six-sided dice and 
  consult the entry corresponding to the sum of the 
  roll. As in all things relating to the campaign, the 
  GM is the final arbiter. If an event seems 
  inappropriate, discard it.  
   
  Some GMs will decide the transformative 
  events are simply too significant to be left to 
  chance. Still, a Future History timeline benefits 
  greatly from events of this magnitude. For the 
  full effects of this method to be felt, some 
  consideration should be given to incorporating 
  one or two transformative events into a 
  campaign’s timeline.  
   
  TABLE 2: PASSING PERSONAL 
  EVENTS 
   3 A grateful past beneficiary of the PCs’ 
  actions presents a gift to them. 
   4 A creature or NPC the PCs face in 
  combat is ill and suffers penalties to its 
  attacks. 
   5 The PCs come into possession of a 
  partial map or other information useful 
  in an upcoming adventure. 
   6 The PCs are honored by local 
  authorities for their value to the 
  community. 
   7 Prices in markets and inns are subject 
  to 5% deflation for one month. 
   8 A PC finds an item of low to medium 
  worth. 
   9 The PCs’ favorite tavern receives a 
  batch of the very best quality Bock. 
   10 An ally of the PCs is assaulted, but 
  survives. 
   11 A PC loses an item of low to medium 
  worth. 
   12 A non-magical/non-special weapon 
  owned by one of the PCs breaks during 
  combat. 
   13 The PCs come into possession of a 
  partial map or other information useful 
  in an upcoming adventure. The map or 
  information is incorrect or flawed. 
   14 Prices in markets and inns are subject 
  to 5% inflation for one month. 
   15 A PC is targeted by a pickpocket/thief. 
   16 One or more PCs are exposed to an 
  illness, and suffer temporary negative 
  effects. 
   17 The home village/city/port of the PCs 
  is assaulted or raided, but the attack is 
  repulsed. 
   18 A PC is assaulted by a monster or 
  NPC. 
  A campaign with a definite story arc virtually 
  demands this in terms of events relating to the 
  story. Events outside the story remain important, 
  however. 
   
  On the other hand, using just passing or 
  personal passing events in a timeline can add a 
  little color to a game. 
   
   
  TABLE 3: TRANSFORMATIVE 
  PERSONAL EVENTS 
   3 The home village/city/port of the PCs 
  benefits from a royal grant. Defenses 
  are improved considerably. 
   4 NPCs or monsters who are enemies of 
  someone recently slain by the PCs 
  adopt the PCs as honorary 
  family/associates. Passage through or 
  near their lands is no longer subject to 
  attack or interference. 
   5 The PCs are named heroes in their 
  local area. Room and board are 
  provided for free, forever. 
   6 The home village/city/port of the PCs 
  comes under new leadership. The new 
  government is fond of the PCs. 
   7 An inn, tavern, or other common haunt 
  of NPCs antagonistic to the PCs burns 
  to the ground. 
   8 NPC enemy of the PCs dies a natural 
  or accidental death. 
   9 Prices in markets and inns in the PCs 
  home city are subject to permanent 5% 
  deflation. 
   10 A new bishop, friendly to the PCs, is 
  installed in the cathedral nearest their 
  home base. 
   11 A new mayor, vaguely unfriendly to 
  the PCs is installed in a town near the 
  PCs main area of activity. 
   12 Prices in markets and inns in the PCs 
  home city are subject to permanent 5% 
  inflation. 
   13 NPC friendly to the PCs dies a natural 
  or accidental death. 
   14 An inn, tavern, or other common haunt 
  of the PCs burns to the ground. 
   15 The home village/city/port of the PCs 
  comes under new leadership. The new 
  government is antagonistic to the PCs. 
   16 A magical/special weapon owned by 
  one of the PCs breaks during combat. 
   17 Relatives of an NPC or monster the 
  PCs kill initiate a blood feud with the 
  PCs. 
   18 The home village/city/port of the PCs 
  is assaulted and razed. 
   
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  17
  TABLE 4: PASSING REGIONAL 
  EVENTS  
   3 Traveling circus or fair visits the 
  region. 
   4 Any seasonal crops/game hunting 
  produce unusually large yield. 
   5 Weather in the region is extremely 
  mild for one month (e.g. no snowfall in 
  winter or cool temperature in summer). 
   6 Local lord travels through the region, 
  examining his lands and vassals. 
   7 An heir to the local lord is born. 
   8 Demonic influence in region decreases 
  for a short time. 
   9 Weather in the region is extremely 
  mild for one week. 
   10 Weather in the region is very harsh for 
  one week. 
   11 Demonic influence in region increases 
  for a short time. 
   12 Small earthquake hits region, causing 
  minor damage. 
   13 Harsh taxes are imposed on the region 
  to pay for emergency public works. 
   14 A passing comet disrupts magic for 2 
  to 4 weeks. 
   15 Ring of thieves plague the region for 1 
  to 2 months. 
   16 Weather in the region is very harsh for 
  one month (e.g. blizzards in winter or 
  draught conditions in summer). 
   17 Mild plague infects region for one or 
  two months. 
   18 Nomadic or marauding raiders attack a 
  number of villages or towns for a 
  period of 1 to 4 weeks. 
   
   
  Conclusion 
   
  As GM, you know these events will occur. 
  What you do not know is the exact context in 
  which they will occur. You do not know whether 
  the PCs will be anywhere in the vicinity of the 
  events. Having determined they will happen 
  beforehand, however, and having done so under 
  conditions of limited ignorance, you will have 
  infused a catalytic element into the alchemy of 
  your game. In a sense, it is as if the campaign 
  setting itself has become a kind of grand and 
  independent NPC, acting and evolving on its 
  own terms without regard for pesky interlocutors 
  like PCs and adventurers. 
  TABLE 5: TRANSFORMATIVE 
  REGIONAL EVENTS 
   3 An important political marriage 
  occurs, increasing stability in the 
  region. 
   4 Valuable trade relations between two 
  or more kingdoms in the region are 
  established or improved. 
   5 Church makes major inroads against 
  demonic influence in the region. 
   6 A new colony is established at the 
  frontiers of the region. 
   7 New road between major cities is built 
  (or mountain pass is discovered/made). 
   8 Major royal NPC or Church leader 
  (unfriendly to the PCs) dies an 
  untimely death. 
   9 Regional product (e.g. textiles, ale, 
  woodcraft) begins to find an increased 
  demand in other regions. 
   10 A new star appears in the night sky, 
  causing much speculation and 
  prognostication. 
   11 A wall is constructed between two 
  uneasy neighboring kingdoms. 
   12 Important mountain pass or road is 
  permanently closed by beasts, men, or 
  natural disaster. 
   13 Rise of heretical sect erodes Church’s 
  ability to resist demonic influence in 
  the region. 
   14 Major royal NPC or Church leader is 
  assassinated. 
   15 Major magical disaster causes massive 
  destruction and results in severe 
  political repercussions against those 
  who practice magic. 
   16 Evil monsters begin to move into the 
  region and make permanent homes. 
   17 Earthquake or other natural disaster 
  causes major damage to cities, towns 
  and villages in the region. 
   18 Region is caught up in a major war. 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  18 
  Sample Future History Outline 
   
  MONTH 1 
   
   
  • 
  Pictish war bands in Scotland begin raiding 
  the northern towns and villages of Britain. 
  Refugees stream into southern Britain 
  demanding succor. 
  • 
  Intense winter storms pound northern 
  Europe. 
   
  MONTH 2 
   
   
  • 
  The Church demands a crackdown on 
  wizards and witches in Lyonesse. 
   
  MONTH 3 
   
   
  • 
  A heretical sect rejecting oppressive Church 
  rule arises in Lyonesse. 
   
  MONTH 4 
   
   
  • 
  Sailors from Hispania reestablish contact 
  with Antillia. 
  • 
  The PCs are honored by the king of  Britain 
  for their valorous exploits. 
  • 
  The weather in Britain is unusually mild. 
   
  MONTH 5 
   
   
  • 
  The village most recently used as a home 
  base by the PCs succumbs to fire. Their favorite 
  inn is burnt to the ground. 
   
  MONTH 6 
   
   
  • 
  One of the PCs is accused of fraternizing 
  with demons. 
   
  MONTH 7 
   
   
  • 
  A lunar eclipse occasions a significant rise 
  in demonic activity for one night in Ireland. 
  • 
  An heir is born in Austria. 
   
  MONTH 8 
   
   
  • 
  The king of a small Nordic kingdom is 
  assassinated following remarks suggesting an 
  alliance between humans and fairy folk. 
   
  MONTH 9 
   
   
  • 
  Small French boats filled with spies come 
  ashore under the chalk cliffs of Dover. The 
  sailors are quickly set upon by local villagers. 
  Political tensions are strongly felt across the 
  channel. 
  • 
  Weather across southern Europe is 
  exceptionally mild. 
   
  MONTH 10 
   
   
  • 
  Packs of  amphibious demons harass 
  villagers on the small islands off the west coast 
  of Ireland. 
  • 
  One of the PCs is marked by a pickpocket 
  the first time he visits a sizable city. 
   
  MONTH 11 
   
   
  • 
  The Church crushes the heretical sect in 
  Lyonesse. Magicians and witches are persecuted 
  (if the PCs have acted on rumors of the events in 
  Lyonesse earlier in the year, this event may have 
  been prevented or caused to occur much sooner). 
   
  MONTH 12 
   
   
  • 
  The first PC to strike a blow with a non-
  magical weapon this month breaks her weapon. 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  19
  Plot Twist Cards for Champions 
  by Tim Binford, Andy Mathews, and Steven S. Long 
   
  Plot Twist Cards can add some spice to a 
  game session. Gamemasters can use Plot Twist 
  Cards when they want to inject some humor and 
  unpredictability to their game. These cards allow 
  the players to control the plot at key points, and 
  the GM must adapt to the unforeseen 
  development. Gamemasters should only use Plot 
  Twist Cards if they and their players are 
  confident in their ability to ad-lib, because Plot 
  Twist Cards may undo hours of careful planning 
  in an instant. Used well, they can tremendously 
  liven up a game as a Gamemaster and his or her 
  players take turns directing the flow of events.  
  To use Plot Twist Cards, take a standard 
  deck of playing cards (pull out the Jokers), 
  shuffle them before each game session and allow 
  the players to “pick a card – any card” from the 
  deck while it is held face down. Once they have 
  chosen, the players may then look at their card to 
  see what they have. The GM keeps the Jokers. 
  The cards are listed below by the Playing Card, 
  Plot Twist Name, and Card Type, e.g., “Ace of 
  Spades – Tables Turn (3).” GMs may want to 
  print out the list of cards and pass it out to their 
  players for reference. 
   
   
   
  PLOT TWIST CARD RULES 
  1. Use these cards to add enjoyment to your 
  game! 
  2. Playing a card is a zero-phase action and 
  does not interfere with other actions. 
  3. Players are allowed only one card per game 
  session. 
  4. Cards may only be played once. 
  5. “A card laid is a card played.” 
  6. The first card played is the one that takes 
  precedence unless the GM overrides the 
  card. 
  7. Non-combat cards should be given to the 
  GM at the start of the night’s adventure. 
  Combat cards are played as they come up. 
  8. Plot Twist cards may be used to assist 
  another character or NPC.  
  9. Plot Twist Cards may be played in 
  combinations. 
  10. If the Gamemaster cannot work in the 
  player’s card, he must admit he is a weenie 
  and apologize – perhaps with extra xp. 
  11. All cards must be played. 
  12. Effects, unless otherwise noted, last for 
  only one game session. 
  TYPES OF PLOT TWIST CARDS 
  1. Instant Card, Combat:  This card is used 
  and discarded during combat. 
  2. Instant Card, Non-Combat:  This card is 
  used and discarded while not in combat. 
  3. Anytime:  These are Instant cards that can 
  be used anytime during the game session. 
  4. Game Session Card, Combat:  This card 
  affects all combat during a game session. 
  5. Game Session Card, Non-Combat:  This 
  card affects non-combat of a game 
  session. 
  6. Secret, Play First:  Give to the GM and 
  he will begin to work it into the plot. 
  7. Non-Secret, Play First:  Tell everyone 
  what it is and watch the fun. 
   
  SPADES 
   
   
  Ace of Spades – Tables Turn (3):  An 
  unexpected and beneficial change of events – a 
  disadvantage becomes an advantage, an enemy is 
  friendly, etc. Treat as 1 to 2d6 of Luck. 
  2 of Spades – Enemy Disadvantaged (1): 
  During combat, something happens to your 
  opponent that slightly disadvantages him, delays 
  him, or puts him in a worse combat position. 
  Treat as 1 to 2d6 of Luck. 
  3 of Spades – Enemy Disadvantaged (5): 
  Something happens to the character’s enemy that 
  will disadvantage him. He gets a cold, does a 
  sloppy job of hiding his tracks, his girlfriend 
  leaves him, etc. Treat as 1 to 2d6 of Luck. 
  4 of Spades – Unexpected Lead (3): The 
  character comes upon an unexpected lead in 
  tracking down his objective. Treat as 1 to 2d6 of 
  Luck. 
  5 of Spades – Unexpected Clue (3): The 
  character discovers an unexpected clue or piece 
  of evidence that aids his current investigation. 
  Treat as 1 to 3d6 of Luck. 
  6 of Spades – Beneficial Disaster (2): Some 
  disaster such as computer failure, flooding that 
  destroys papers uncovering a player’s Secret 
  Identity, or other natural happening besets the 
  character’s enemy. Treat as 2 to 4d6 of Luck. 
  1 
                                                             
  art by V. Shane 
  inspired by White Wolf Games’ Whimsy Cards for Ars 
  Magica 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  20 
  7 of Spades – Flash of Insight (2): The 
  character suddenly gets a brilliant inspiration or 
  deductive leap. Treat as making a Deduction 
  Roll by 5 or more. 
  8 of Spades – Unexpected Assistance (7): The 
  character receives help from an unlooked-for 
  source. Perhaps an old enemy has reason to aid 
  the character (this time), or the police give him a 
  helpful hint. Treat as 1 to 2d6 of Luck, or as a 
  Favor on a 14-. 
  9 of Spades – Coinciding Motivations (7): An 
  NPC that would normally oppose or be 
  unfriendly to the character has reason to agree 
  with him and may offer assistance (or at least, 
  will not hinder the character as they would 
  normally). Treat as a Contact at 15-. 
  10 of Spades – Strangeness Strikes (3): Utter 
  chaos breaks out as a completely random or 
  unforeseen event, generally not connected to the 
  plot or exceptionally beneficial to any party, 
  occurs. Persons playing this card should refrain 
  from utter silliness or from incredible plot 
  complications.  
  Jack of Spades – Deus ex Machina (3): The 
  character is saved by a completely unforeseen 
  event. The cavalry arrives, an enemy has a heart 
  attack during combat, somebody drops a 10-ton 
  weight on the enemy, etc. Treat as 6 to 8d6 of 
  Luck. 
  Queen of Spades – Scientific Progress Goes 
  Boom! (7): One of the character’s technological 
  foci goes on the fritz. If the character does not 
  have a technological focus, then he or she may 
  play this card on the villain. Treat as a 14- 
  activation roll on the focus or roll 3d6 for a 
  variable result (Double effect 3-8, Normal effect 
  9-13, Half effect 14-18). 
  King of Spades – Cramming (5): The character 
  somehow gains access to a source of information 
  that provides him with a Knowledge Skill at 8- 
  that is useful to the adventure. This KS: will 
  disappear at the end of the adventure unless the 
  player purchases it with points. Treat as the 
  talent Cramming. 
   
  DIAMONDS 
   
   
  Ace of Diamonds – Intuition (3): The character 
  gets a one-time only in-or-out of combat Danger 
  Sense Roll at 16-. When the card is played, the 
  player must give it to the GM who must use it to 
  help the character out. If the character already 
  has Danger Sense, then it will add +5 to his or 
  her roll. Generally equal to Danger Sense at 16-. 
  2 of Diamonds – Friend of Fate (3): The 
  character gets +3 to any one roll. This card must 
  be played before the roll is made. 
  3 of Diamonds – Fortuitous Circumstances 
  (2): The character can alter a situation to make it 
  more likely that he will make a Skill Roll; the 
  bonus is the GM’s discretion, but should range 
  from +1 to +3, depending on how clever the 
  player’s explanation is. Generally equal to +1 to 
  +3 levels. 
  4 of Diamonds – On a Date with Lady Luck 
  (3): The character get a luck roll at 5d6; if the 
  character already has Luck, then the card adds 
  +3d6 to the number of Luck dice. 
  5 of Diamonds – Unexpected Perk (7): The 
  character receives some unforeseen, temporary 
  Perk to aid him or her in this adventure, such as 
  extra cash, a Favor, etc. Treat as a one to three 
  point Perk. 
  6 of Diamonds – Plot Twist (3): The player can 
  introduce a plot twist to complicate the GM’s life 
  a little. The plot twist should not be especially 
  advantageous to the player’s character – and it 
  should be a minor event. Generally equal to the 
  god-like powers of the GM. 
  7 of Diamonds – Plot Device Neutralization 
  (3): The character gets to override or alter one 
  minor plot device. Generally equal to 4 to 6d6 of 
  Luck. 
  8 of Diamonds – Things Man Was Not Meant 
  to Know (2): The GM must explain or reveal 
  some hidden secret of the adventure or the 
  campaign world. Generally equal to the god-like 
  powers of the GM. 
  9 of Diamonds – Once Again, From the Top 
  (3): The character gets to re-roll any roll.  
  10 of Diamonds – Deep Agent (3): One of the 
  game session’s villains is really an undercover 
  friend, policeman, etc. Treat as either 3d6 of 
  Luck, a Favor at 16-, or as a way to work in a 
  player character that was absent last week. 
  Jack of Diamonds – The Human Hostage (6): 
  The villain has captured an old friend of the 
  character and the character must rescue the 
  hostage. Treat as a DNPC. 
  Queen of Diamonds – You’re Having My 
  WHAT?! (6): The character’s DNPC or other 
  friend has a big change in their life. Examples 
  include: a DNPC gets pregnant, hospitalized, or 
  a change of perspective on an important 
  campaign issue (such as how they view 
  superheroes, justifiable force, mutants’ rights, 
  etc.). Treat as 3 to 4d6 of Unluck.  
  King of Diamonds – Murphy’s Law (1): The 
  character benefits from a lucky coincidence. The 
  villain’s aim goes awry, his foci malfunction, a 
  deathtrap fails, etc. Treat at 4d6 of Luck. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  21
  HEARTS 
   
   
  Ace of Hearts – Guess Who’s Coming to 
  Dinner (6): The character gets a DNPC for the 
  game session. This DNPC could be a parent, in-
  law, friend, small child, ex-wife, etc., but must 
  be someone who is not a DNPC for which the 
  character received points. Treat as a normal (i.e., 
  non-powered) DNPC. 
  2 of Hearts – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling 
  (7): If the character is romantically involved, 
  then the relationship is strained. If the character 
  is not romantically involved, then he must play 
  this card on another character. Treat as 2 to 3d6 
  of Unluck. 
  3 of Hearts – Turn Out the Lights, Let’s Get 
  Romantic (7): The character has someone fall in 
  love with him. This can be anyone – a master 
  villain, reporter, or person on the street. Treat as 
  a DNPC; generally equal to 2 to 3d6 of Luck or 
  Unluck. 
  4 of Hearts – Somebody’s Watching Me (7): 
  Someone is hunting the character, and he or she 
  does not know whom. It could be a reporter, ex-
  spouse, ex-girl or boyfriend, a police detective, 
  the government, etc. The hunter may intend good 
  or ill. Treat as a Hunter or Watcher, Less 
  powerful, with non-combat influence. 
  5 of Hearts – Love Potion Number Nine (7): 
  The character falls head-over-heels in love with a 
  DNPC. He or she must act the part, even when it 
  means acting to his or her disadvantage. If the 
  character has a psych lim “In love with…” then 
  he or she may play the card on another character, 
  or choose to play the card himself or herself and 
  role-play the effects on their existing 
  relationship. Treat as a Psych Lim: In love with 
  (fill in name of DNPC). 
  6 of Hearts – I’ve Been Framed (7): An enemy 
  frames the character for a crime. Can the 
  character prove his innocence before the cops 
  find him? Treat as a Reputation: “Suspected of 
  committing x.” Generally equal to 2 to 3d6 of 
  Unluck. 
  7 of Hearts – He’s the One What’s Done It 
  (7): The character’s DNPC or friend has been 
  arrested for a crime. Did he do it? Can the hero 
  uncover the truth in time? Generally equal to 2 to 
  3d6 of Unluck. 
  8 of Hearts – Old Wounds Die Hard (4): The 
  character is suffering from an injury received 
  while doing something heroic. Roll 3d6 and 
  consult the Hit Location chart  - any attacks 
  hitting that part of the body are at 1.5x Stun and 
  Body. Treat as a Vulnerability, x1.5 Stun and 
  Body from a group of common attacks. 
  9 of Hearts – We’re From the Government, 
  We’re Here to Help (3): The character gets one 
  favor from a member of the government. This 
  favor can be anything within reason. This may 
  require a return favor at a later date. Treat as a 
  Favor at 14- with the Government. 
  10 of Hearts – The Butler (6): The target of this 
  card (except the GM) is the designated butler for 
  the game session. He or she will get refill the 
  drinks, snacks, etc. The GM may want to be nice 
  and award this person an extra XP for all their 
  hard work. Generally equal to the services of one 
  very talented player, but unhappy butler. 
  Jack of Hearts – Silver Bullet (6): The 
  character learns one weakness of a villain. If the 
  villain does not have a dependence, susceptibility 
  or vulnerability, then a psychological limitation 
  will do. Treat as KS: Villain X. 
  Queen of Hearts – Life of the Party (5): The 
  character gets +3 to all PRE rolls in non-combat 
  social situations.  
  King of Hearts – XYZ-PDQ (5): The character 
  suffers a –3 to all PRE rolls in non-combat social 
  situations. 
   
  CLUBS 
   
   
  Ace of Clubs – Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To 
  Hide (1): The target of this card is at half DCV 
  for one phase.  
  2 of Clubs – Media Darling (6): The character 
  has been given great publicity by the media for 
  their good deeds. This can last as long as the 
  character keeps up his noble, heroic ways. Treat 
  as Reputation: True Blue Hero. 
  3 of Clubs – Whispering Campaign (6): The 
  character has been targeted for a negative media 
  campaign for some reason, such as making 
  enemies, “crossing the line,” etc. Treat as 
  Reputation: (something negative). 
  4 of Clubs – Elvis Sighting (3): The character 
  sees Elvis and may distract his or her opponent 
  for two of the character’s phases. Treat as 2d6 
  Flash (max two phases, though), or as a Surprise 
  Maneuver. 
  5 of Clubs – Jinx (7): The character has built up 
  bad karma and is a focus of misfortune. Treat as 
  1d6 Unluck that affects the group. 
  6 of Clubs – Bull’s Eye (3): The character 
  makes a critical success on any one die roll. This 
  card must be played before the dice are rolled. 
  Treat as a three on to hit or skill rolls. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  22 
  7 of Clubs – No One Could Have Survived 
  That (1): The character may negate the effects 
  of a critical hit or may escape a deathtrap. 
  8 of Clubs – Doomed, Doomed, Doomed (7): 
  Something bad will happen to the character in 
  the game. Treat as 3d6 of Unluck. 
  9 of Clubs – The Blue Bird of Happiness (7): 
  Something good will happen to the character in 
  the game. Treat as 3d6 of Luck. 
  10 of Clubs – One For All, and All at Once 
  (1): The player of this card and one other player 
  get a Coordination attack without having to roll 
  to coordinate. They must still roll To-Hit and 
  damage as normal. 
  Jack of Clubs – Momma Told Me Not to 
  Come (6): The character winds up in a location 
  where they are out of place, such as a topless bar 
  for Captain Clean, or clown alley for Nightgrim. 
  Worse, they are seen and photographed. Internet 
  download, anyone?  
  Queen of Clubs - Criminals are a 
  Superstitious and Cowardly Lot (3): The 
  character is suddenly awe-inspiring to behold. 
  Treat as 6d6 Aid to Presence that fades at the 
  normal rate. 
  King of Clubs – Righteous Enragement (1): 
  The character sees something that inspires him or 
  her when a combat is going against them and 
  suddenly gains a zero-phase Recovery at +10. 
  Taking damage does not affect this Recovery. 
  Examples include: Captain Freedom spots the 
  American Flag, or Nightgrim sees a child that 
  reminds him of his murdered kid brother, etc. 
   
  JOKERS (GM ONLY) 
   
   
  Joker – The “I Am a Weenie” Card (3): The 
  GM may use this card to cancel any one player’s 
  card.  
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  23
  Mouko No Shi by Joe Linehan 
   
  Early History 
  In 1946, the once mighty Japanese empire 
  was a mere shadow of its former self. While 
  hard-working men and women began to rebuild 
  the country and remake it as a military power, 
  others sought to revive darker traditions.  
  In the shadow of the awakening industrial 
  lion was a darker world of assassination, 
  industrial spying, and sabotage. Yakuza and 
  corrupt businessmen alike were quick to call on 
  the talents of self-styled ninja clans imitating the 
  ways of their predecessors. The new ninjas relied 
  on stealth, training, and ample funding to thwart 
  all attempts to stop them.  
  Toshiro Nakagawo had done very well for 
  himself, but still he was overcome with guilt. 
  The Japanese government had paid him well for 
  the armaments his company had built for them, 
  but the war had cost him the lives of 4 of his 5 
  children. He desired to use the money he had 
  made in the war to do good. Knowing that any 
  attempt on his part to combat these bloodthirsty 
  criminals would only result in his swift death and 
  possibly the death of more people close to him, 
  he chose to work anonymously. 
  With his vast fortune, Toshiro set up a base 
  of operations in Tokyo. He hired the best martial 
  arts instructors he could find and scouted the 
  country for the best, brightest, and least 
  corruptible men he could find to serve as his 
  agents. 
  Mouko No Shi was established on April 16, 
  1947 and boasted nine operatives working in 
  three-man teams with a support staff of an 
  additional 12 people. They used the ninja to 
  defeat their opponents. Through stealth and 
  subterfuge, they would strike at crime in ways 
  the police could not. 
  Today 
  Today, Mouko No Shi is still headquartered 
  in Tokyo, but it operates all over the world and 
  boasts 72 field agents and a support staff of 
  nearly 500. In addition to the traditional skills 
  that served the organization so well in its early 
  days, the modern organization is on the cutting 
  edge of computer and surveillance technology. 
  Toshiro Nakagawo has long since passed on, and 
  the organization’s first female director has taken 
  his place. Asano Kumada was behind the push 
  for new technologies and worked her way up 
  from a support position. She is an extremely 
  capable manager who has won the respect of her 
  subordinates. 
  Field agents continue to work in three-
  person teams. Agents refer to themselves by 
  code names that are related to tigers (Red Tiger, 
  Tiger Claw, etc.).1 
  Kurotsume 
  Kurotsume (Black Talon) is an international 
  espionage organization that has become the de 
  facto arch-foe of Mouko No Shi. The ninja clan  
                                                             
  art by Brad Parnell 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  24 
  that spawned Kurotsume dates back to the 
  Tokugawa era of Japanese history. In their 300 
  years of existence they have had highs and lows, 
  but their loyalty and discipline have remained 
  unquestioned. 
  The current leader of Kurotsume is Takeshi 
  Kai, the son of one of Mouko No Shi’s founders, 
  and a ruthless tactician who will not hesitate to 
  sacrifice agents to further his own mysterious 
  goals. It is rumored that Takeshi is now living on 
  the West Coast of America and running 
  operations in Japan out of the way of Mouko No 
  Shi who have made his capture their primary 
  objective. 
  Betrayal 
  One of the chief requirements for entrance 
  into the Mouko No Shi has long been a 
  resistance to corruption. Unfortunately, no 
  system to measure honor or ethics is foolproof. 
  While on assignment in California, the agent 
  known as Oodora (Big Tiger) betrayed his two 
  partners after being approached by members of 
  Kurotsume. In the process he killed Toraneko 
  (Tiger Cat). Mouko No Shi agents, who view his 
  treachery as their own failure, speak Oodora’s 
  name only in hushed voices.  
  Operations in the United States 
  Mouko No Shi is not operating in the United 
  States without U.S. government sanction. As a 
  condition for being allowed to operate in the 
  U.S., the American government has been given a 
  certain degree of “control” over Mouko No Shi’s 
  agents while in the U.S. The government may 
  even give the agents missions, provided they do 
  not conflict with Japan’s own interests. 
  While the U.S. government acknowledges 
  the value of using Mouko No Shi to keep 
  Kurotsume in check, they do not completely trust 
  their Japanese allies. All Mouko No Shi agents 
  in this country receive heavy scrutiny. 
  Campaign Use 
  Mouko No Shi’s interests will frequently 
  bring it into a position to be of assistance to any 
  PCs. Their interests may also bring them into 
  conflict with PC heroes. A typical agent of 
  Mouko No Shi will probably not be a match for 
  most heroes, but three of them (especially with 
  differing abilities) should be capable of giving 
  one or two heroes fits. 
  Kurotsume ninjas are not as capable as 
  Mouko No Shi agents, but they tend to rely on 
  superior numbers against their better-trained 
  counterparts. These same tactics can be used 
  against supers who they will attempt to keep off 
  balance with coordinated attacks and hit and run 
  tactics. 
  Finally, Oodora should be a match for most 
  heroes, especially when backed up by a group of 
  normal Kurotsume Ninjas. 
  PCs in Mouko No Shi 
  This organization can provide a great means 
  of support for a PC who is interested in playing a 
  martial artist character. They have the best in 
  surveillance technology and a three-person group 
  of agents ready to back up a hero in need. Of 
  course, by joining the group, a PC is accepting 
  having his every move monitored by both 
  Mouko No Shi and the U.S. government. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  25
  Typical Mouko No Shi Agent 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH [1] 
   21 DEX 
  33 13- OCV:  7/DCV:  7 
   13 CON 
  6 12-  
   13 BODY 
  6 12- 
   15 INT 
  5 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   15 EGO 
  10 12- ECV:  5 
   13 PRE 
  3 12- PRE Attack:  2½d6 
   12 COM 
  1 11- 
   
   
  5 PD 
  2 
   Total:  10 PD (5 rPD) 
   
  5 ED 
  2 
   Total:  10 ED (5 rED) 
   
  5 SPD 
  19 
   Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   32 STUN 
  4 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 96 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   10 Naginata:  Multipower, 20-point 
  reserve; OAF (-1) 
   3u 1)  Naginata Blade:  HKA 1½d6 (2½d6 
  with STR) 
  2 
   1u 2)  Naginata Haft:  HA +4d6 (7d6 with 
  STR) 
  1 
   15 Ninja-to:  HKA 1d6+1 (2d6 with STR), 
  Armor Piercing (+½); OAF (-1) 
  3 
   13 Smoke Bombs:  Darkness to Normal 
  Sight 3” radius; 4 Charges (-1), IIF (-¼) 0 
   13 Throwing Stars:  RKA 1d6; Autofire (5 
  shots; +½); OIF (-½), Charges (12, -¼) 0 
   10 Micro Flex Ninja Suit:  Armor (5 PD/5 
  ED); OIF (-½)  
  0 
   
  4 Night Vision Lenses:  Infrared Vision; 
  IIF (-¼) 
  0 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  Ninjutsu 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4 Strike 
  +0 
  +2 
  6d6 Strike 
   
  5 Roundhouse 
  -2 
  +1 
  8d6 Strike 
   
    
  Kick 
   
  5 Back Kick 
  +1 
  +3 
  4d6 Strike 
   
  5 Nerve Pinch 
  -1 
  +1 
  2½d6 NND 
   
  4 Escape 
  +0 
  +0 
  STR 35 
   
  5 Chop 
  -2 
  +0 
  1d6+1 HKA 
   
  4 +1 Damage Class (already added in) 
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 with Hand-to-Hand Combat 
   
  5 +1 with Ninja Weapons  
   
   
  3 Acrobatics 13-  
   
  3 Breakfall 13-  
   
  3 Climbing 13-  
   
  3 Concealment 12-  
   
  3 Contortionist 13-  
   
  3 Conversation 12- 
   
  3 Demolitions 11-  
   
  5 Disguise 12-  
   
  1 KS: Ninjutsu 8-  
   
  3 Language: English (completely fluent) 
   
  3 Language: Other Language (completely 
  fluent) 
   
  3 Lockpicking 13-  
   
  3 Paramedic 12-  
   
  3 Security Systems 12- 
   
  3 Seduction 12-  
   
  2 Small Arms  
   
  3 Stealth 13-  
   
  3 Survival 11-  
   
  2 WF: Common Martial Arts Weapons  
   
  2 WF: Common Missile Weapons  
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 174 
  Total Character Cost: 270 
  150+ Disadvantages 
   10 Hunted:  Kurotsume Ninjas 11- (Less 
  Pow) 
   10 Hunted:  Mouko No Shi 11- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Watching, Mild Punishment) 
   10 Hunted:  U.S. Government 11- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Watching, Mild Punishment) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Of Honor 
  (Common, Total)  
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Always Obeys 
  Orders Of Superiors (Very Common, 
  Moderate)  
   
  5 Reputation:  world class ninja, 8- 
   
  5 Rivalry:  Professional (Kurotsume 
  Agents) 
   25 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 270 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  26 
  Gymnastics as a Martial Arts Style  
  by Jacob Russell 
   
  Gymnastic Martial Arts 
  is a martial arts style 
  intended for use with Heroic 
  and Super-Heroic 
  campaigns. In the good old 
  days of comic books, before 
  the general American public 
  was exposed to Karate and 
  Asian martial arts, comic 
  book super-heroes utilized a 
  different form of unarmed 
  combat:  gymnastics. If a 
  character wasn’t big and 
  strong, possessing super-
  human powers, a 
  professional wrestler, or a 
  boxer they usually used 
  gymnastics. Gymnastic 
  characters performed flips 
  and tumbles to dodge attacks 
  and even perform special  
  attacks of their own. 
   
  Prerequisite Skills 
  Acrobatics and Breakfall are prerequisite 
  skills. A Dexterity of 14 should also be 
  considered as a minimum qualification, 
  otherwise no one would bother to teach you 
  gymnastics of a sufficiently advanced level. 
  Unless the gymnast is a young teenager or a lithe 
  woman, a minimum Strength of 15 should also 
  be required as real gymnasts are usually capable 
  of supporting their weight with one hand. 
   
  Maneuvers 
  Gymnast characters do not have to take all 
  of the maneuvers from the list below, just 
  enough to meet the 10 point requirement. 
  Previously published maneuvers that are also 
  appropriate for a gymnast are:  Legsweep, Flying 
  Tackle, and Passing Strike. Because Gymnastic 
  Martial Arts is adapted from a non-combat skill, 
  there are few purely defensive maneuvers. Only 
  the Martial Dodge and Gymnastic Dodge are 
  appropriate defensive maneuvers. Blocks are not 
  appropriate. Because gymnastics is about 
  throwing your body into each move, the 
  maneuvers are generally high on damage, low on 
  OCV, and several utilize velocity damage. The 
  DCV of many of the maneuvers is kept high 
  because the gymnast’s rapid and wild motion 
  makes them a difficult target. 
   
   
  Description/Explanation of 
  Maneuvers 
  Back-Flip Kick:  Gymnast back-flips, lets 
  one (or both) feet extend to give target uppercut. 
  Cartwheel Kick:  Gymnast does a cartwheel 
  into target’s face. 
  Gymnastic Dodge:  Gymnast makes a series 
  of flips and tumbles to avoid incoming attacks. 
  Leg Grab:  Gymnast does a flip or hand-
  stand. Grabs target between legs. See Slam Flip. 
  Low Cartwheel Kick:  Same as Cartwheel 
  Kick, but the strike is performed at lower level 
  which makes it hard to avoid. 
  Rebound Kick:  Gymnast extends Dodge 
  into back-flip. See Back-Flip Kick. 
  Slam Flip:  After Leg Grab, gymnast 
  executes flip that puts their target beneath them 
  when they land. 
  Somersault Strike:  Gymnast leaps, does 
  flips and somersaults, but instead of a traditional 
  dismount, they land on target’s chest (or head, 
  etc.). 
   
  Martial Arts: Gymnastics 
  Maneuver 
  Phs Pts OCV DCV Damage/Effect 
  Back-Flip Kick 
  ½ 
  4 
  -1 
  +1 
  STR +3d6 Strike 
  Cartwheel Kick 
  ½ 
  4 
  +0 
  +2 
  STR +2d6 Strike 
  Gymnastic Dodge ½ 
  4 
  – 
  +5 
  Dodge; Abort 
  Leg Grab 
  ½ 
  3 
  +0 
  -2 
  Grab +10 STR 
  Low Cartwheel 
  ½ 
  4 
  +2 
  +2 
  STR Strike 
   
   Kick 
  Rebound Kick 
  ½ 
  5 
  +0 
  +1 
  STR +4d6 Strike; 
  must follow Dodge 
  Slam Flip 
  ½ 
  4 
  +2 
  -1 
  STR +4d6 Strike; 
  must follow Leg 
  Grab; both fall; must 
  half-move 
  Somersault Strike/ 1 
  5 
  -2 
  +1 
  STR +2d6 +v/5  
   
   Flip By  
   
   
   
   
  Strike; FMove 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  27
  Designing New Gymnastic 
  Maneuvers 
  Because the gymnastic martial art is the 
  free-floating non-art that it is, this list should not 
  be considered comprehensive. Players should 
  feel free to design their own maneuvers. Velocity 
  damage is a highly appropriate advantage to put 
  into a maneuver. As mentioned, Blocks and 
  Throws are not appropriate maneuvers. 
  Generally speaking, gymnastic maneuvers 
  should favor DCV over OCV as the chaotic 
  motion of the maneuvers make them a hard 
  target, but easier to see coming. Weapons 
  maneuvers are not generally appropriate for 
  gymnastic characters. Carrying weapons, 
  especially pole arms, would throw off a 
  gymnast’s balance. 
   
  Disadvantages 
  Because of the fact that gymnastics is not 
  really a martial arts style Style Limitations are 
  not appropriate. The only exception to this would 
  be if the campaign world has a significant 
  number of gymnast-stylists in it. Gymnasts with 
  classic gymnastic super-hero personalities (see 
  below) should take psychological limitations 
  such as “Showoff” (very common, moderate), 
  “Overconfident” (very common, moderate), or 
  “Wisecracker” (very common, moderate). 
   
  Gymnasts and Other Martial 
  Artists 
  Gymnasts, like wrestlers and boxers are not 
  part of the “martial arts world” like Karate and 
  Kung Fu devotees. Thus, they are not part of the 
  system of authority and deference. Additionally, 
  gymnasts are not perceived as fighters at all. This 
  not only effects things like Presence attacks and 
  job offers, this also means that defeat of a “real” 
  martial artist at the hands of a gymnast could be 
  particularly disgraceful. It would mean that the 
  martial artist was defeated by a non-combatant 
  who most will see as no more than a mere circus 
  performer. This could mean a ruined reputation 
  for the martial artist. 
   
  Classic Gymnasts 
  Despite the fact that gymnastics takes a huge 
  amount of discipline, gymnasts in comic books 
  are overwhelmingly portrayed with madcap, 
  devil-may-care attitudes. Many incorporate 
  elements of slap-stick humor, with their 
  opponents bearing the “brunt” of the jokes, into 
  their motif. Cream pies, jester costumes, and 
  verbal jokes are common accessories to the 
  gymnast in comic books. As heroes they provide 
  the comic relief, either for the team or the comic 
  itself, lampooning the villains as they knock 
  them unconscious. As villains they fling insults 
  along with their feet at the heroes. Heroes taking 
  themselves especially seriously will have a hard 
  time trying to maintain their hard-earned 
  reputation as intimidating crime-fighters with 
  meringue dripping from their cowls. 
   
  “Realistic” Gymnasts 
  In real life the gymnast works as much as 40 
  hours a week developing their skill. Many start 
  as young as five years old training to compete in 
  prestigious athletic competitions such as the 
  Olympics. To be a truly accomplished gymnast 
  takes dedication and immense mental and 
  physical endurance. Players who prefer a more 
  realistic campaign may want to reflect these facts 
  in their characters. Psychological limitations 
  such as “Wisecracker” or “Showoff” may be 
  swapped for “Obsessive” or “Humorless”. 
  Gymnasts who have developed super-human 
  levels of Dexterity may be forced, by law or 
  personal morality, to give up gymnastic 
  competition. This could lead to a very morose 
  demeanor. 
  Especially realistic campaigns may want to 
  consider putting size limits on gymnasts as there 
  are such limits imposed upon real gymnasts in 
  training. Gymnasts are expected to keep their 
  weight at the lowest safe minimum. Young 
  gymnasts who become too tall with the onset of 
  puberty are usually refused training as their size 
  quickly becomes too much of a hindrance to 
  training. 
   
  Gymnastic Tactics 
  The Gymnastic Martial Art has been 
  designed as a high-offense art. Without blocks, 
  throws, or disarms the gymnast will be largely 
  forced to rely on their high DCV and natural 
  defenses to protect them. Players making 
  gymnasts should prepare for that either with high 
  Speeds or defenses. 
   
  Gymnast-Friendly Campaign 
  Settings 
  The best place that Gymnastic Martial Arts 
  fits in is in the Golden and Silver Age 
  campaigns. While it is true that the Asian martial 
  arts have existed in the real world for thousands 
  of years, they did not make their way into 
  American comic books until about the mid-
  1960s. For this reason, many GMs may not 
  consider Kung Fu, Karate, or T’ai Chi as 
  appropriate martial arts for any period campaign 
  set earlier than the 1960s (i.e., Golden Age or 
  Silver Age). Players who like to play martial 
  artists may not like playing in these campaigns 
  with their choices limited to Boxing, Wrestling, 
  and Dirty In-Fighting. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  28 
  Meriquai Falls by Dale Robbins 
   
   
  Welcome to the city of Meriquai Falls. The 
  Meriquai (pronounced mare-eh-kwie, without 
  any emphasis of syllable) are the indigenous 
  Native Americans of the region where the 
  Missouri River and the Meriquai River intersect. 
  Meriquai Falls, the Midwest metropolitan city 
  that has grown on the banks of these two rivers, 
  is named after the waterfalls that lie 
  approximately five miles north of the city limits 
  of North Meriquai Falls along the Meriquai 
  River. It is a thriving center of transportation, 
  communication, and music within the United 
  States. 
   
  It is also the home of a powerful magical 
  artifact, and, therefore, an epicenter of 
  metahuman activity. 
   
   
  This is the first installment in a series that 
  will detail the City of Meriquai Falls. An 
  overview is given herein. In later installments, 
  specific suburbs, neighborhoods, sites, 
  subcultures, and persona will be presented in 
  greater detail. Gamemasters are welcome and 
  encouraged to draw from these materials. 
  Meriquai Falls can be placed anywhere along the 
  Missouri River, as the Gamemaster sees fit. 
  Meriquai Falls at a Glance 
   
  Size:  805.0 sq km (310.8 sq mi) 
   
  Mean Elevation:  229 m (750 feet) 
   
  Climate:  Temperate; annual precipitation 
  956 mm (37.6 in); occasional severe 
  thunderstorms, tornadoes, cold waves, blizzards, 
  or drought; temperatures range from 2ºC (35ºF) 
  in January to 32ºC (89ºF) in July. 
   
  Population:  Residential, including suburbs:  
  1.7 million. Residential, metropolitan area:  
  442,000. Working:  2.0 million. 
   
  Racial Background:  White:  60.7% -- 
  Black:  31.2% -- Native American:  1.9% -- 
  Asian:  0.6% -- Other:  5.6% -- Hispanic (of any 
  race):  6.9%  
   
  Government:  Mayor (Hon. Clarise H. 
  VonWeider) plus a ten-member City Council. 
   
  Tallest Building:  The Jackson Sullivan 
  Research Foundation Corporate Tower (or the 
  Sullivan Building, for short), 98 stories (985 feet 
  [152 hexes] tall) 
  History 
   
  During the Age of Legends, many thousands 
  of years ago, there existed the great Meriquai 
  Kingdom. Led by the Grandmother Spider, an 
  immortal spirit matron, the people lived idyllic 
  and serene lives. They were peaceful and 
  agrarian. Thus, when the darkness known as the 
  Myste threatened to destroy the kingdom, the 
  Grandmother Spider was forced to create four 
  powerful spirit warriors to aid her. 
   
  The strong and solid Turtle, the fluid and 
  adaptable Frog, the fiery and passionate 
  Thunderbird, and the beautiful and free-spirited 
  Butterfly defeated the Myste. But they could 
  only entrap him, not kill him. Even that came 
  with great cost, as the Myste had corrupted the 
  Grandmother Spider’s body during the battle. 
  With great sorrow, the four Spirit Warriors 
  separated the heart of Grandmother Spider from 
  her corrupt body, so that her wisdom could 
  continue to guide the Kingdom. 
   
  With the Heart of the Grandmother Spider, 
  the Kingdom did indeed fare well for another 
  four millennia beyond this, before the world 
  collapsed on itself to give way to the Classical 
  Age. 
   
  Eleven millennia later, mankind had rebuilt 
  itself and the Europeans were exploring the rest 
  of the world. The Meriquai had survived not one, 
  not two, but three great Ages, although they had 
  lost much with each passing Age. They could not 
  even recall the fabulous age in which they ruled 
  like kings. However, being peaceful, 
  philosophical people who were more in tune 
  with the spirits than with man, the Meriquai were 
  quickly displaced by the influx of European 
  settlers. 
   
  In 1835, at the junction of the Missouri and 
  the Meriquai Rivers, Jacques Francois built a 
  trading post to trade with the Meriquai people. 
  Ten years later, Phillip Smith developed the 
  town of Smith’s Gate to provision steer herders 
  on the Santa Fe Trail. Settlers slowly began to 
  settle Smith’s Gate, the nearby Blue Hills, and 
  the Eagle’s View Plain just east of Francois’ 
  post. 
   
  Commerce for the area picked up as the 
  Mexican War, the California gold rush, and the 
  incoming railroads became factors. On 1853, the 
  community at the apex of the two rivers was 
  chartered as the Town of the Meriquai. Western 
  settlers, railroads, cattle barons, and military 
  forces continued to move through or to the town. 
  By 1892, the Town of the Meriquai had annexed 
  the two other banks of the rivers and reached as 
  far north up the Meriquai River as the legendary 
  Meriquai Falls. The Town was rechartered as the 
  City of Meriquai Falls. 
   
  During this time, the Town of Revolution 
  was founded just south of the river community of 
  South Meriquai Falls in protest against the 
  draconian military tactics of General Wilford 
  McKenzie during the American Civil War. By 
  1901, Revolution annexed South Meriquai Falls. 
   
  Meanwhile, the Meriquai people were 
  relegated to a reservation north of the Blue Hills, 
  encompassing the Meriquai Falls itself. Despite 
  this degradation, the Meriquai took comfort in 
  THE HEART OF 
  THE 
  GRANDMOTHER 
  SPIDER 
   
   
  Darren 
  Davenport slowly 
  roused from a painful 
  sleep. The last thing 
  he remembered was 
  being by the Falls 
  with his friends on 
  one of his brother’s 
  “military field 
  exercises” 
  experimenting with 
  his new powered 
  armor suit. Suddenly, 
  almost too quickly, a 
  storm had brewed and 
  a lightning bolt had 
  struck the ground. 
  Now.... 
   
  “Crimmy! 
  Crimmy! Are you 
  okay?” 
   
  Darren slowly 
  opened his eyes to see 
  a young red-haired 
  girl looking over him. 
  She was rather pretty 
  for her age, but 
  couldn’t be much 
  older than 14 or 15 
  years. Her blousy 
  clothes suggested that 
  she wanted to move 
  freely, if need be. 
   
  “Ugh,” Darren 
  groaned, rubbing the 
  crown of his head. 
  “Where am I?” 
   
  “The silver mines 
  under the Falls,” the 
  young girl replied. 
  “Deep underground. 
  You fell down the 
  Falls and washed up 
  here.” 
   
  “Huge wonder 
  that I didn’t drown, 
  then,” Darren 
  mumbled as he tried 
  to stand up. His tall 
  frame stumbled 
  slightly, prompting 
  the young girl to take 
  his arm to hold him  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  29
  their close relationship with the spirits of the 
  region. They knew they were a people with an 
  important role in the greater scheme of the 
  world. They chose to bide their time, despite the 
  occasional uprisings lead by such legends as 
  Running Deer and Laughing Raven. 
   
  Through the Prohibition Era, Meriquai Falls’ 
  major industry had been cattle, industrial 
  factories, trade goods, and railroad 
  transportation. Meriquai Falls’ banks helped 
  finance many cattle barons and wheat or corn 
  farms. But then silver was discovered in the Blue 
  Hills. And a lot of it! This caused an influx of 
  settlers and prospectors that helped the City of 
  Meriquai Falls annex the Blue Hills, the Eagle’s 
  View Plain (now called simply Eagleview), the 
  town of Revolution and even Smith’s Gate. The 
  population increased exponentially. 
   
  This was also an important era of music for 
  Meriquai Falls and even the United States. Jazz, 
  reggae, and blues became especially popular 
  during the early twentieth century. Jazz greats 
  like Fat Jimm, Eddie Brown, and Aaron 
  Thurston all got their start in Meriquai Falls. 
  More importantly, music with local Meriquai 
  flavor gained a huge underground following. 
  Although the native music never became as 
  popular as jazz or blues, it took hold in Meriquai 
  Falls. The “new age” music of the Meriquai 
  would eventually become Meriquai Falls’ most 
  important musical commodity. 
   
  During the Great Depression, miners 
  desperately mined silver from the silver mines of 
  the Blue Hills in order to make ends meet. 
  However, industrial, railroad, and cattle concerns 
  were put to the side because of this, making 
  starvation a serious threat to Meriquai falls. An 
  Italian Mafioso boss named Vincent “Vin 
  Vinny” Vincetti quickly took the reins of the 
  city, bringing to bear all of his resources (both 
  legitimate and illegal) to bring Meriquai Falls 
  back out the Depression. His intention was to 
  stabilize and revitalize Meriquai Falls so that he 
  would gain a prime market for his illegitimate 
  concerns, reaping huge profits. In 1941, though, 
  Vincetti was tagged by Federal agents with tax 
  evasion and was sentenced to prison. 
   
  Vincetti’s work on the city’s economy did 
  help, however. With the city’s industrial and 
  service priorities straight, new Mayor Reginald 
  “Reggie” Hughes continued to use the silver 
  mines as a prime source of income. Throughout 
  World War II, the Korean War, and much of the 
  Viet Nam conflict, the silver mines made 
  Meriquai Falls a rich and fabulous city. 
  Waterfalls and fountains were built everywhere, 
  to give the city a sense of dignity and class. 
  Unemployment in Meriquai Falls was amongst 
  the lowest in the United States for much of this 
  period. 
   
  In 1974, however, conditions turned for the 
  worse when a mysterious terrorist calling himself 
  “The Manitou” suddenly appeared to harass the 
  silver miners. With the aid of his four 
  “equalizers” named Water Buffalo, Eagle, 
  Coyote, and Grizzly Bear, the Manitou quickly 
  drove the miners and their employing companies 
  away from the Blue Hills. After the Manitou 
  cleared out the silver mines, his attention turned 
  quickly to the unsuspecting communities of Blue 
  Hills Park. A mysterious hero named Blood 
  Shadow, with the help of trucker/vigilante 
  Shotgun Rider and his shaman wife Prairie Maid, 
  saved the city. 
   
  Meriquai Falls had just tasted its first taste 
  of paranormal conflict, the likes of which they’d 
  only read about from New York City, San 
  Francisco, and Detroit. And it would certainly 
  not be the last. However, the loss of the silver 
  mines would cost Meriquai Falls dearly, as the 
  city slipped into a severe recession that would 
  last nearly twelve years. 
   
  In 1988, Maurice Lewis III was elected 
  Mayor of Meriquai Falls. His first priority was to 
  bring the city from its recession. Mayor Lewis 
  did this by attracting many major corporations to 
  establish factories, call centers, distribution 
  warehouses, or more preferably primary 
  headquarters within the city. 
   
  Industrialist Gregorio Lynconius suddenly 
  took interest in the abandoned Great Meriquai 
  Station. Building a technological empire within 
  Meriquai Falls almost from the ground up, 
  Lynconius took Lyncon Technologies and led it 
  into the new millennium. Within eight years, 
  Lyncon Technologies had opened its main 
  headquarters within the newly renovated Great 
  Meriquai Station. The Station sported, in 
  addition to Lyncon Technologies’ offices, a 
  technology museum called Tech World, several 
  prestigious restaurants, a Broadway-style theatre, 
  and a memorial to the railroad companies that 
  made the Station famous. 
   
  Also during the 1990s, security technologies 
  firm Impulses Unlimited, medical firm Jackson 
  Sullivan Research Foundation, 
  telecommunications giant Bolt Telecom, and 
  publishing concern Watermark Books and Cards 
  selected their headquarters in Meriquai Falls. 
  These all served to revitalize the city’s economy. 
  By the end of Mayor Lewis’ third term in the 
  year 2000, unemployment and loan rates were 
  both at the lowest they had been since the early 
  70s. 
   
  A tremendous blow to the morale of the 
  citizens of Meriquai Falls came in early 2000, 
  though. The criminal organization, VIPER, made 
  a blatant and fateful attempt to secure control of 
  the city in what is now called “The Great 
  Meriquai Falls Massacre” (or “The Biggest Oops 
  of the Midwest” by various VIPER leaders). 
  steady. “The spirits 
  must be with me 
  tonight.” 
   
  “More than you 
  know, Crimmy,” the 
  girl replied, looking 
  around. “I think it 
  was this way.” 
   
  “Um, who are 
  you?” Darren asked, 
  looking at the girl 
  curiously. “Nothing 
  personal, mind you. 
  You did help me and 
  all. But what’s with 
  this ‘Crimmy’ stuff?”
   
  “Oh, that’s 
  right,” the girl 
  giggled, leading 
  Darren to a stone 
  altar with a large, 
  glowing crystal atop 
  it. “You haven’t taken 
  that name yet. Sorry, 
  Darren. I’m Trina. 
  Trina Sullivan.” 
   
  “You mean, as in 
  Jackson Sullivan, of 
  the Sullivan Research 
  Foundation?” Darren 
  asked, astounded. “I 
  thought I recognized 
  the eyes and freckles. 
  Are you Jackson’s 
  little sister or 
  something?” 
   
  “Well, I—” Trina 
  started to answer. 
   
  “Welcome, Vixen 
  and Crimson-Hawk,” 
  a mysterious, elderly 
  feminine voice rang 
  out. It seemed to come 
  from nowhere and 
  everywhere all at 
  once. 
   
  “What the—” 
  Darren gasped, 
  looking around. 
  “Who... who’s 
  there?” 
   
  “I am 
  Grandmother Spider, 
  dear child,” the voice 
  replied. Darren 
  glanced at Trina, who 
  seemed unusually  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  30 
  Nest Leader Freezing Snake attempted to bribe 
  various political and economic leaders of 
  Meriquai Falls into working with VIPER, thus 
  putting the whole city under his control. Those 
  who refused were bloodily murdered in the most 
  unexpected and grotesque manner. Amongst the 
  dead were Mayor Lewis, Impulses Unlimited 
  founder/CEO Sebastian Robinson, and Bolt 
  Telecom chairman William Excelsior. 
   
  The massacre threw the city into an 
  economic and political chaos unheard of in 
  American history. It also painted a big bull’s eye 
  on the forehead of Freezing Snake. Impulses 
  Unlimited recovered the quickest, thanks in no 
  small part to its new leader. Darren Davenport 
  seemed fresh out of college, but took the reins of 
  his company with skill and zeal. Bolt Telecom, 
  who hired former competitor COO Maxwell 
  Gonzalez as their new CEO, followed this 
  quickly. 
   
  The rise of a new hero came about at this 
  time. Blood Shadow had mysteriously 
  disappeared at the same time as the Massacre. 
  However, a shaman hero emerged from the Blue 
  Hills. He called himself the Crimson-Hawk. 
  Along with Vixen, a spry teenage girl whose 
  reflexes were far greater than any Olympic 
  gymnast, Crimson-Hawk found and assaulted the 
  main VIPER Nest within Meriquai Falls. 
  Freezing Snake was killed during the assault and 
  VIPER was shamed and routed from the city. 
   
  Crimson-Hawk quickly gathered like-
  minded heroes from throughout the city, forming 
  the hero team called the Omega Legion. Dubbing 
  his team the “last line of defense against the 
  threats to the City of Meriquai Falls,” Crimson-
  Hawk and the Omega Legion have since clashed 
  with Galvakar and the Imperions, various 
  attempts for revenge and resurgence by VIPER, 
  the newly reinvigorated and active Equalizers, 
  and various independent villains. 
   
  At the same time, Mayor Clarise VonWeider 
  has taken the reins of the city in the aftermath of 
  this terror, hoping to keep the city steered in the 
  direction that Maurice Lewis III had fought so 
  hard to take it. She is being bombarded from all 
  sides for cries of economic reform, bribes and 
  underhanded deals, reassignment of funds to 
  various departments, and unfair comparisons to 
  the late Maurice Lewis. She fights every day 
  within City Hall on behalf of the city itself, but it 
  is only a matter of time before the pressure 
  causes her to snap. 
   
  And no one suspects that the sudden 
  increase in metahumans within Meriquai Falls 
  lies at the end of one of the lowest level shafts of 
  the silver mines behind the Meriquai Falls. In an 
  encounter between the Manitou’s Equalizers and 
  Galvakar’s Imperions, the Manitou accidentally 
  let slip a hint of the existence of the Heart of the 
  Grandmother Spider. 
   
  And Galvakar has been pursuing knowledge 
  of the Heart ever since. 
  City Government 
   
  The Mayor of Meriquai Falls, the Honorable 
  Clarise H. VonWeider, leads a city council 
  consisting of six representatives of the major 
  districts (Midtown, North Meriquai Falls, 
  Smith’s Gate, Blue Hills Park, Eagleview, and 
  Revolution) and four citywide “at-large” 
  representatives. The mayor and the council are 
  elected for four-year terms. 
   
  The last election was in 2000, when Mayor 
  VonWeider, formerly a successful and 
  aggressive partner in the 
  Drake/Durham/VonWeider legal firm, replaced 
  the late Honorable Maurice Lewis III. Mayor 
  Lewis had been a popular Catholic Cardinal 
  whose firm grasp of morals and hard-hitting 
  work ethics brought Meriquai Falls out of a 
  fifteen-year recession during his three terms in 
  office. As Mayor VonWeider’s first official 
  action, 52nd Street was renamed Maurice Lewis 
  III Boulevard in the former Mayor’s honor. 
   
  The council is the legislative branch of the 
  city government. A city administrator is selected 
  by the city council to run the actual day-to-day 
  operations. The city administrator appoints the 
  various department heads and oversees the 
  elections of the various district police chiefs and 
  fire chiefs. Cisco Rainer is the current city 
  administrator. He is not well liked as a person, 
  but he is known for getting fast and thorough 
  results. 
  City Layout 
   
  The Meriquai River runs from north-
  northwest to south-southeast and drains into the 
  Missouri River as the latter runs from west to 
  east. Most of the metropolitan area lies at the 
  apex between the two rives, though there are two 
  districts that lie at the outer banks of the rivers 
  (Eagleview and Revolution). Beautiful fountains 
  and man-made waterfalls abound throughout the 
  city; Meriquai Falls, in fact, is renowned for its 
  incredible number and beauty of decorative 
  waterfalls. 
   
  The greater metropolitan area of the City of 
  Meriquai Falls encompasses six counties 
  surrounding the point where the two rives meet. 
  Within these six counties, nearly 80 smaller 
  cities, towns, suburbs, and neighborhoods can be 
  named. However, almost all the people within 
  the area can identify the five political districts of 
  Meriquai Falls. 
   
  Midtown:  Located at the apex of the 
  Missouri and the Meriquai, Midtown is the most 
  urban part of the city. The standard of living is 
  poor and crime rate is high. However, most of 
  the “old” banks of Meriquai Falls have offices 
  calm considering a 
  disembodied voice 
  was talking to them. 
  “And I have guided 
  you here to give you 
  your life’s calling.” 
   
  “Um, okay,” 
  Darren responded, 
  taking a deep breath 
  to calm down. “Well, 
  I’m here, now. What 
  is this ‘calling’ you’re 
  talking about?” 
   
  “Crimmy, be a 
  little respectful here, 
  okay?” Trina hissed 
  calmly. “This is the 
  greatest of your 
  people’s totem spirits, 
  after all.” 
   
  “Sorry, I’m just 
  not used to the 
  ‘spirits’ talking 
  back,” Darren 
  admitted. “Please, 
  Grandmother Spider. 
  Continue.” 
   
  “Thirty summers 
  ago,” Grandmother 
  Spider replied, “a 
  great Meriquai 
  shaman from 
  summers past awoke 
  from a deep slumber 
  and found that white 
  man had desecrated 
  his homeland. I 
  granted him the 
  power to seek balance 
  in what the white man 
  had destroyed. With 
  his power, the 
  Manitou brought 
  allies under his wing, 
  each representing the 
  totems of the winds:  
  the Water Buffalo, the 
  Eagle, the Coyote, 
  and the Grizzly 
  Bear.” 
   
  “The Manitou?” 
  Darren asked, 
  amazed. “You mean 
  the terrorist who’s 
  brought shame to the 
  Meriquai?” 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  31
  here and many people commute on the public 
  bus system’s 150 routes. 
   
  North Meriquai Falls:  Located north of 
  Midtown, North Meriquai Falls is the most 
  industrial part of the city. Most of the factories 
  and plants are located here along both banks of 
  the Meriquai River, straight up to the border of 
  the Meriquai Reservation. 
   
  Smith’s Gate:  Located in a thin strip 
  between Blue Hills Park, Midtown, and North 
  Meriquai Falls, Smith’s Gate is the oldest part of 
  the city and perhaps the richest in culture. It 
  currently hosts many restaurants, a few 
  nightclubs, and even a renowned comedy house. 
  Smith’s Gate also has the largest concentration 
  of individuals living “alternative lifestyles.” 
   
  Blue Hills Park:  Located northwest of 
  Midtown, furthest from the riverbanks, Blue 
  Hills Park has become the bastion of corporate 
  lifestyle. Most of the major corporations based in 
  Meriquai Falls have their main offices here.  
  Consequently, the residents of Blue Hills Park 
  have the highest standard of living within the 
  metropolitan area. The fact that the former silver 
  mines of the Blue Hills are just outside of this 
  district is not lost the Omega Legion; their 
  headquarters is in Blue Hills Park. 
   
  Eagleview:  Located along the east bank of 
  the Meriquai River and the north bank of the 
  Missouri, Eagleview is mostly a middle-class 
  residential suburb. It does have a few 
  commercial areas, bars, dance clubs, and gaming 
  stores. It does enjoy the lowest crime rate in the 
  metropolitan area. 
   
  Revolution:  Located on the southern bank 
  of the Missouri River, Revolution annexed South 
  Meriquai Falls only to be later annexed by 
  Meriquai Falls itself. Revolution is proud of its 
  part in history during the Civil War; many 
  museums and monuments commemorate this. 
  Revolution is also known for its major industry... 
  car dealerships. 
  The City of Meriquai Falls 
  Meriquai
  Reservation 
  The 
  Blue 
  Hills 
  Blue 
  Hills 
  Park 
  Smith’s 
  Gate 
  Midtown
   
  4
  North 
  Meriquai 
  Falls 
  North 
  Meriquai 
  Falls
  Eagleview
  Missouri River
  Revolution
  Meriquai
       River
  6
  2
  1
  3 
  8 
  7
  5 
   
  “Instead of 
  seeking balance 
  between the Native 
  Peoples and the white 
  man, as I had 
  instructed him,” the 
  voice continued, “he 
  sought genocidal 
  revenge against the 
  white man. And has 
  done so for many 
  years.” 
   
  Darren glanced 
  at Trina, who listened 
  with great interest, 
  watching Darren as if 
  gauging his reaction. 
  He turned his 
  attention back to the 
  voice. “Um, what 
  does this have to do 
  with me?” 
   
  “Your moon is 
  that of the Budding 
  Trees Moon, Darren 
  Davenport,” the voice 
  answered. “Your 
  heart embraces truth, 
  rebirth, adaptability, 
  and openness. For 
  this, your totem is the 
  Red Hawk. 
  Henceforth, you are 
  the Crimson-Hawk.” 
   
  With that, a 
  bright red light 
  glimmered from 
  above. As Darren and 
  Trina watched, the 
  light sank from the 
  ceiling and embraced 
  Darren’s outstretched 
  hands. A small 
  medallion, bearing 
  the totem symbol of 
  the Red Hawk, 
  materialized. 
   
  “But... why me? 
  Why now?” Darren 
  asked, tensely holding 
  the medallion against 
  his chest. 
   
  “Because the 
  Manitou’s 
  carelessness may 
  have cost the world 
  greatly,” 
  Legend
  1 = Meriquai Falls University 
  2 = The International Market 
  3 = The Bolt Telecom Superplex 
  4 = The Great Meriquai Station / 
  Tech World 
  5 = Sullivan Foundation Corporate 
  Complex (The Omega Legion’s 
  Headquarters) 
  6 = The Maurice Lewis III Sports 
  Complex 
  7 = The Meriquai Falls Zoo 
  8 = The Blue Hills Silver Mines (The 
  Heart of the Grandmother 
  Spider) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  32 
  Cultural Institutions 
   
  Meriquai Falls University (MFU):  
  Located in Eagleview, MFU is one of the largest 
  and most prestigious colleges of the region. The 
  MFU Bulldogs sports teams consistently rank 
  high throughout the nation. The schools of 
  Business, Medicine, Science, and Arts are all 
  critically acclaimed. And the college offers a 
  relaxed, fun atmosphere for its learning 
  environment. Entrance requirements are higher 
  than many other public colleges, but are worth it 
  with a nearly 92% job placement after 
  graduation. 
   
  The International Market:  This cultural 
  smorgasbord is located in Midtown. Although 
  dominated by Asian grocers, the International 
  Market is the place to go for imported goods of 
  all kinds. Visitors are native foreign-language 
  speakers looking for ingredients for ethnic 
  dishes, tourists taking in the multinational flavor 
  of Meriquai Falls, or fanboy kids looking for the 
  latest imported anime or video game. Anything 
  from ethnic goods, import crafts and rugs, 
  foreign language reading material and media, 
  and farmer-market fruits and vegetables can be 
  found here. 
   
  Bolt Telecom Superplex:  Located in Blue 
  Hills Park, this is one of the largest privately 
  owned corporate office plazas in the United 
  States, encompassing over 160 acres and 32 
  office buildings. It’s been under construction for 
  over eight years now and will continue to be 
  under construction for another six. Once done, 
  Bolt Telecom hopes to have it chartered as a city. 
   
  The Meriquai Falls Zoo:  Located south of 
  Revolution, this incredible 200-acre 
  extravaganza is a must-see for any visitor to 
  Meriquai Falls. Various trains, tours, and animal 
  rides aid the visitor in seeing the breadth of the 
  Zoo. Special theme exhibits come about once a 
  month and a giant-screen, surround-sound 
  theatre immerses visitors in incredible motion 
  picture productions. 
   
  Great Meriquai Station/Tech World 
  Plaza:  Located in Midtown, Lyncon 
  Technologies transformed this abandoned train 
  station into a bastion of technological science 
  and entertainment. Tech World is a museum and 
  theme park all in one, catering to teaching kids 
  about technology in a fun and interactive 
  atmosphere.  
   
  Sullivan Foundation Corporate Complex:  
  This complex, located in Blue Hills Park close to 
  Midtown, sports the tallest building in the city 
  and hosts nearly 375 corporate companies 
  throughout its eight spacious buildings. Both the 
  Jackson Sullivan Research Foundation and 
  Impulses Unlimited have their own buildings 
  within this complex. 
   
  Sports Teams:  The Maurice Lewis III 
  Sports Complex, located east of Eagleview, hosts 
  many professional sports teams. They include 
  the Meriquai Falls Cougars (football), the 
  Meriquai Falls Monarchs (baseball), the 
  Meriquai Falls Freeze (ice hockey), the Meriquai 
  Falls Mystics (outdoor soccer), the Meriquai 
  Falls Blast (indoor soccer), the Meriquai Falls 
  Fireflies (women’s basketball), and the Meriquai 
  Falls Archons (tennis). 
  Important Heroes/Villains 
   
  Many diverse and interesting people call 
  Meriquai Falls their home. Listed below are 
  some of the better-known metahumans of the 
  area; stats may be presented at a later date. These 
  are by far not the only ones; the GM is 
  encouraged to introduce any character he feels is 
  appropriate for the setting.  
  THE OMEGA LEGION 
   
   
   
  The Omega Legion is one of the premiere 
  hero teams of the Midwest, despite their recent 
  inception. Brought together by Crimson-Hawk, 
  they have charged themselves with protecting the 
  Heart of the Grandmother Spider and, 
  consequently, Meriquai Falls as a whole. With 
  the exception of Vixen, the teammates have 
  known each other since college. This helps 
  create a bond unsurpassed by many other hero 
  teams. 
   
  Amethyst:  Lyssa Kellerman-Sullivan, an 
  auburn-haired beauty with swarthy skin, is the 
  wife of millionaire playboy Jackson Sullivan. 
  She is the psychological backbone of the Omega 
  Legion, keeping her teammates’ morale high 
  even in the most desperate situation. As 
  Amethyst, she is a mentalist hero, channeling her 
  powers through a beautiful amethyst gem. 
   
  Crimson-Hawk (leader):  Darren 
  Davenport, born of a white father and a Meriquai 
  mother, is the CEO and President of Impulses 
  Unlimited. He is a gentle, unassuming soul, 
  having faced great persecution as a “half-breed” 
  with stoic grace. He is unsure of himself as a 
  leader and as a hero, but both Meriquai Falls and 
  the Omega Legion members love him dearly. As 
  Crimson-Hawk, he is a mystic hero, casting 
  spells granted him by the Meriquai nature spirits. 
   
  Jade Phoenix:  Moon Ok-hwa, a Korean 
  woman with sparkling green eyes and a ready, 
  quiet smile, is really the last of an ancient 
  hwarang (Korean knight) clan who were 
  massacred nearly twenty years ago. Darren’s 
  parents raised her, and she and Darren have a 
  special fondness for each other. As Jade Phoenix, 
  she is a martial artist hero. Although she is a 
  healer by trade and faith, she is also strong in the 
  hwarang-do martial art and the shin gong 
  mystical powers that accompany it. 
  Grandmother Spider 
  replied. “Because of 
  the Manitou’s actions, 
  others have become 
  aware of my Heart.” 
   
  “Your... 
  heart...?” Darren 
  asked. 
   
  “The Heart of the 
  Grandmother 
  Spider,” Trina 
  replied, pointing to 
  the crystal on the 
  altar. “It’s a 
  gemstone of 
  incredible power left 
  over from the Age of 
  Legends. If Galvakar 
  gets a hold of it, he 
  knows how to make 
  himself into a god. 
  Then the whole 
  world’s screwed.” 
   
  “A bit out of 
  place, now, are we 
  not, Vixen?” 
  Grandmother Spider 
  noted in a pleasant, 
  motherly tone. 
   
  “Um, yeah,” 
  Trina said, shyly 
  scratching the back of 
  her head. “I... uh, I’m 
  still trying to figure it 
  out, myself.” 
   
  “So, it’s up to me 
  to protect this Heart 
  of the Grandmother 
  Spider?” Darren 
  asked. “Why me? I’m 
  only half-Meriquai.” 
   
  “All the better,” 
  Grandmother Spider 
  replied. “Because of 
  your blood, you know 
  better the need for 
  balance between the 
  Native Peoples and 
  the white men than 
  few others. You can 
  complete the mission 
  that I had tasked the 
  Manitou to. Go now, 
  and seek allies in your
  calling.  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  33
   
  Masquerade:  Diana Forrest, a wild and 
  beautiful African-American girl, is a paralegal 
  specialist within the prestigious Drake/Durham/ 
  VonWeider law firm. As a young child, the 
  ancient totem spirit Butterfly, who symbolizes 
  transformation, growth, change, and joy, 
  possessed her. As Masquerade, she is a 
  metamorph hero, her ability to transform into 
  any animal form being a useful recon and 
  combat tool. 
   
  Reverb:  Brian Davenport, Darren’s 
  brother, is a lieutenant in the United State Air 
  Force. He is normally chatty, pleasantly 
  sarcastic, and witty. However, when in combat 
  or in command of his men, he is deathly serious.  
  As Reverb, he is a powered  
  armor hero, his suit  
  granting him sonic-based  
  powers. 
   
  Vixen:  Trina Sullivan, a perky 14-year-old 
  girl with rich red hair and a beautiful, freckled 
  face, is a wild card within the Omega Legion. 
  She claims to be from the future and often proves 
  it with knowledge of team members even said 
  members don’t have yet. She loves dancing, 
  having fun, and simply being a 14-year-old girl. 
  But she harbors dreadful secrets that have forced 
  her to grow up too fast. As Vixen, she is a 
  speedster hero,  
  her hyper- 
  dexterous  
  reflexes keeping  
  her safe and  
  blindsiding the  
  enemy. 
   
  With their help, you 
  can protect 
  Meriquai Falls and 
  my Heart... and 
  thereby protect the 
  world.” 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  34 
  THE IMPERIONS 
   
   
   
  Gregorio Lynconius discovered early on that 
  artifacts from the Classical Age and even the 
  Age of Legend could still exist. When he heard 
  rumors of an ancient magical artifact, he moved 
  to Meriquai Falls and established a publicly 
  beloved front identity. Hidden within Lynconius 
  is a megalomaniac who wants nothing more than 
  to obtain the Heart and turn himself into a god. 
  When the Manitou accidentally let slip that the 
  Heart really did exist, he stepped up his 
  ambitions, forming the Imperions villain team to 
  obtain the resources he needed to channel the 
  energies of the Heart into himself. 
   
  Arachne:  This dark-eyed, dark-haired 
  beauty claims to be the actual Arachne from 
  Greek mythology, who dared compare her 
  weaving skills to that of the goddess Athena 
  herself and was punished by being changed into 
  the first spider. Regardless of the truth of this, 
  her knowledge of the Classical Age does seem 
  uncanny. Her werespider-like powers make her a 
  terrifying force to reckon with. 
   
  Cougar:  Walter Cameron, a paraplegic 
  man with rugged, handsome features, was 
  thought lost and dead after the accident that blew 
  Darren Davenport into the silver mines. He had 
  been a firm friend of Darren’s until that point. 
  Feeling abandoned, he gladly joined the 
  Imperions when they found him. His 
  nanotechnologically-enhanced body (augmented 
  by the presence of the totem spirit Cougar) 
  grants him enhanced senses, retractable claws, 
  great strength, and enhanced reflexes. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  35
   
  Cyber-Dreamer:  Alyana Lynconius, the 
  daughter of Gregorio Lynconius, was a budding 
  “dream mage,” practicing an ancient Aboriginal 
  art hailing from the Age of Legends. However, a 
  horrible accident left her quadriplegic and 
  unwilling to live. Gregorio did what he could, 
  building cybernetic limbs whose nanotechnology 
  granted enhanced access to dream magic and 
  hidden weaponry. Cyber-Dreamer’s powers 
  steam from manipulating a person’s dreams or 
  perceptions of reality. 
   
  Galvakar (leader):  Gregorio Lynconius, a 
  tall, handsome, regal Grecian man, is at once a 
  devoted father, leader, mad scientist, and 
  megalomaniac. His genius in nanotechnology is 
  unsurpassed. With nanotechnology, Lynconius 
  has manipulated his body to be able stretch and 
  change shapes at will. His skill in his powers, his 
  tactical genius, and his ruthlessness makes him a 
  terrifying foe. 
   
  Incandentus:  Diego St. Nicole was a 
  prominent engineer with the Meriquai Falls 
  Power and Light Consortium. His life changed 
  forever when the totem spirit, Firefly, chose him 
  to be its host. When Firefly possessed the 
  unsuspecting man, Diego could not handle the 
  spiritual scope of his powers and he went mad. 
  Firefly, unable to stop the sudden downward 
  spiral of Diego’s sanity, went mad itself. Now, 
  Incandentus is a horrid physical combination of 
  human, firefly, and spiritual alien-ness. His 
  powers of illumination, energy projection, and 
  strength make him one of the toughest Imperions 
  to beat. 
   
  Nexus:  Tommy Flannigan was nothing 
  more than a ghetto street ganger looking for his 
  next meal and his next hit when a drive-by 
  shooting should have killed him. Instead, in a 
  panic, he jumped backwards and found himself 
  on the opposite side of the street. Amazed, he 
  tested his mutant powers and found that he could 
  rip holes in space and time, stepping through the 
  nexus to the other side in an instant. He found 
  the Imperions, badgered Galvakar for 
  membership, and has been having fun ever since. 
  THE EQUALIZERS 
   
   
   
  The Manitou's Equalizers include Water 
  Buffalo, Coyote, Eagle, and Grizzly Bear. Each 
  is a pure-blooded Meriquai man possessed of the 
  totem spirit of the same name. Water Buffalo is 
  Eric Twofeathers, a massive man who delights in 
  letting his enemies try to get through his 
  defenses before pounding them completely into 
  the dirt. Coyote is Joseph Gray-Fur, a sick, 
  sadistic man taking pleasure in others' 
  embarrassment and pain, which his mental 
  powers are quite suited at delivering. Eagle is 
  Jason Greentrees, a haughty man full of pride 
  and superiority due to his ability to fly and 
  command birds. And Grizzly Bear is Robert 
  Valleyriver, a slow, patient man who never 
  forgets an insult and avenges himself with his 
  strong, raking claws. 
   
  The Manitou and his Equalizers have been 
  operating as terrorists within the Meriquai Falls 
  area since 1974. They successfully cleared out 
  all of the silver mines in the Blue Hills and shut 
  down their operations. Grandmother Spider had 
  intended for the Manitou’s job to be done at that 
  point. But the Manitou has taken it upon himself 
  to continue the war against the white men when 
  really the Grandmother Spider wants peace with 
  them. 
   
  When the Manitou accidentally revealed the 
  existence of the Heart to Galvakar, Grandmother 
  Spider began sending other totem spirits out to 
  take hosts, either willing or otherwise. Crimson-
  Hawk, Masquerade, Incandentus, Jetfire, and 
  even Cougar all host totem spirits. The 
  Grandmother Spider’s main concern is guarding 
  her Heart, so its power does not land in the 
  wrong hands. If Meriquai Falls is protected from 
  villainy in the process, then all the better. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  36 
  INDEPENDENT VILLAINS 
   
   
   
  Count Dredmaus:  Count Dredmaus is an 
  enigmatic figure, imposing in his demeanor 
  while dressed in his anachronistic clothes and his 
  well-trimmed beard. He has incredible control 
  over the weather. What few realize is that Count 
  Dredmaus is a man out of place in time; he is 
  originally a mighty sorcerer from the Turakian 
  Age. None knows how he came here and what 
  his motives are now that he is here. 
   
  Jetfire:  B.J. Sullivan, 
  the brother of millionaire 
  Jackson Sullivan, had forever 
  been shadow of his more 
  talented younger brother. 
  Where Jackson’s incredible 
  success seemed to literally 
  land in his lap, B.J. couldn’t 
  seem to hold a burger-flipping 
  job. B.J.’s fury finally came 
  to a head when the totem 
  Thunderbird chose him as a 
  host. B.J. fought an incredible 
  battle with the totem and 
  finally won, burying the totem’s strong sense of 
  ethics while keeping its powers. B.J. now uses 
  his newfound powers to obtain luxury and to 
  harass his brother incessantly. 
   
  Myste:  This creature 
  is a bygone of the Age of 
  Legends, when it attempted 
  to consume Grandmother 
  Spider and destroy the 
  Kingdom of Meriquai. No 
  modern person knows what 
  the Myste looks like or 
  what it is capable of doing, 
  except perhaps 
  Masquerade. Butterfly 
  hasn’t seen fit to reveal this 
  knowledge to her host yet, 
  though. 
   
  Night Sparrow:  Doctor Heather Jaspers is 
  a genetics scientist at the Sullivan Research 
  Foundation. Her obsession with genetic 
  perfection is dangerous, 
  however. She has hired 
  several metahumans 
  (mostly villains) in the 
  past to hunt down various 
  other metahumans, 
  especially the enigmatic 
  Vengeance, for their 
  genetic data. Her 
  extensive underground 
  contact network makes 
  her one of the most 
  dangerous individuals in 
  Meriquai Falls.  
   
  Refractor:  
  Refractor was 
  originally Damien 
  Lance, a VIPER 
  scientist 
  answering to 
  Freezing Snake. He was in the 
  process of experimenting with 
  dimensional refraction (warping 
  the essence of reality) when 
  Crimson-Hawk attacked the 
  VIPER Nest. Through 
  collateral damage, 
  Lance’s experiment 
  backfired. Now, Refractor has complete control 
  over the essence of reality within ten feet of 
  himself... he just doesn’t have any control over 
  his sanity. 
   
  Sworddance:  A dark and 
  beautiful Wicca 
  priestess, Kristy 
  Angelo began 
  ruthlessly hunting her 
  husband’s murderers, 
  believed to be a cult of 
  dark magic-users jealous 
  of Kristy’s abilities. Her 
  signature weapon, a large 
  sword nearly half again as 
  tall as she, is covered with 
  pagan runes of power. She has 
  forsaken her faith (at least in the 
  eyes of other Wicca followers). 
  Her vendetta has several 
  times put her at odds with Crimson-Hawk, 
  whom she has grown quite fond of. 
   
  Vengeance:  This mysterious individual 
  has haunted the dark allies of 
  Meriquai Falls for a couple 
  of years now. He is known 
  only to wear a flowing gray 
  cloak and to wield two 
  wicked katanas. He seems 
  to be able to come back 
  again and again, regardless 
  of how much damage he’s 
  sustained. He seems bent 
  on murdering criminals 
  who have escaped 
  justice. 
   
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  37
  Elizabethan Hero Characters by Lisa Hartjes 
   
   
  As mentioned before, the Elizabethan era 
  was one of the greatest times in English history, 
  and there is something going on that appeals to 
  almost everyone. If your players love to explore, 
  there’s the New World just waiting for them, or 
  they could attempt to circumnavigate the globe, 
  just as Sir Francis Drake did in 1580. Should 
  your players enjoy politics and intrigue, 
  Elizabeth’s court would be just the place. But 
  what if they want to have daring adventures on 
  the high seas? No problem! Queen Elizabeth 
  signed many letters of marque for privateers to 
  plunder the ships of England’s enemies, 
  especially the Spanish and the Dutch. 
   
  The information presented below is for a 
  game that is purely historical. It would be a 
  rather easy matter to include psionics or magic 
  into the game. These things could, of course, 
  alter the history of your campaign world. For 
  example, what if the Spanish Armada had a 
  wizard who could have manipulated the weather, 
  allowing the Armada to return home to Spain 
  without losing any ships? 
  Adventuring in Elizabethan Hero 
   
  The most obvious location to run adventures 
  in an Elizabethan Hero game would be in 
  England. For the peers and the gentry, London 
  would be the place to be. It was the center of 
  Elizabeth’s court when she wasn’t traveling. 
   
  For a map of Elizabethan London, please 
  visit the author’s Elizabethan Hero web site, at 
  http://www.egms.org/elizhero 
  POLITICAL INTRIGUE AND ESPIONAGE 
   
   
   
  Elizabeth’s court was rife with intrigue. 
  Peers jockeying for position, trying to earn the 
  Queen’s favor. Gossip was one of the court’s 
  favorite pastimes, and a word whispered in the 
  right ear could make or break a promising career. 
   
  Campaigns of this type will be centered 
  around the Court and wherever it is currently 
  located, especially London. 
  EXPLORATION 
   
   
   
  The Elizabethan era, especially after the 
  defeat of the Spanish Armada, was a time of 
  expansion and exploration. The English East 
  India Company was granted a monopoly to trade 
  in Africa, Asia, and America by the government 
  in 1600. This company, along with others such 
  as the Muscovy Company, was chartered to find 
  new and growing markets for English goods. 
  Much of the motivation behind world 
  exploration, by such explorers as Sir Francis 
  Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and Sir Walter 
  Raleigh, was based on a desire to expand 
  overseas markets. 
  SHIPBOARD ADVENTURES 
   
   
   
  If sailing the seven seas are more to your 
  character’s liking, the era was one that saw the 
  rise of England as a naval power. There are 
  many different opportunities for shipboard 
  adventures as part of the Royal Navy, as 
  merchants competing to get their goods from 
  Africa to England before anyone else to ensure 
  the best price, as explorers following Drake’s 
  example, or as Barbary pirates.  
  Creating Your Character 
   
  Exactly who your character is will largely 
  depend upon the type of game you will be 
  playing in. In a game set at court, your character 
  is likely be a nobleman, as only be the peerage or 
  gentry who would be able to come and go as 
  they please, and hobnob with the Queen. If 
  playing a seafaring adventure, of exploration of 
  the world, it is possible to be from any social 
  class. 
   
  An Elizabethan Hero game is set at the 
  Heroic level: 75 base points, with a maximum of 
  75 points in disadvantages, with a maximum of 
  25 points coming from any one disadvantage 
  category. As in a Heroic level game, normal 
  equipment costs no character points.  
  NAMES 
   
   
   
  Children in Elizabethan England weren’t 
  named until a few days after birth when they 
  were baptized. It was the godparents’ duty to 
  present the child to the church and the parish. All 
  children usually had three godparents: two 
  female and one male, if the child was a girl; two 
  male and one female if the child was a boy. It 
  was common practice for parents to try and get 
  godparents who were higher in social status than 
  themselves, such as local nobles or prominent 
  people in town. Alternately, many asked other 
  relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles 
  to serve as godparents.  
   
  A very important reason why the choice of 
  godparents was important is that a child would 
  most likely be named after one of them. In fact, 
  most children were given the name of a 
  godparent. The person the child was named after 
  and the child were then referred to as namesakes. 
   
  Your first name, also called your “Christian” 
  name, was yours for your entire life. People 
  rarely changed their names, though they might 
  be more generally known by a nickname (i.e. 
  Jack for James). Middle names, which are really 
  nothing more than a second given name, were 
  extremely rare in Elizabethan England. While the 
  practice was gaining popularity on the continent, 
  middle names didn’t become commonly used 
  until much later. During the Elizabethan era, 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  38 
  there are literally only a dozen recorded cases of 
  middle names, and all were amongst the nobility 
  or people born abroad. 
   
  On the other hand, last names were much 
  more subject to change. There were also several 
  different ways someone would get a last name. 
  The most common kind was the surname or 
  family name, like we use now. For example, if 
  John’s father’s last name was Smith, John’s last 
  name would be Smith. Sometimes a surname 
  might change; for example, a family acquires a 
  new title and lands, and the family changes their 
  surname to reflect it. 
   
  A person might be more commonly known 
  by a byname rather than an inherited surname. 
  For example, a butcher by the name of Stephen 
  Archer might be called Stephen Butcher or 
  Master Butcher rather than Master Archer. 
  Sometimes the byname was applied to the 
  children as well, and became their new surname. 
  Likewise, if there were many Stephens in a 
  village, each one might become known by some 
  other identifier. A Stephen who was short might 
  be called Stephen Little, and so on. 
  TITLES AND TERMS OF ADDRESS 
   
   
   
  Children are taught to address their parents 
  as Sir or Madam, or my lord or my lady. If the 
  child is noble, they use my lord father or my lady 
  mother. 
   
  Peers tended to sign their names and refer to 
  themselves and each other by their territorial 
  titles, or the name of the land over which he had 
  control. For example, William Hackney, Baron 
  Deversham would sign William Deversham. 
  Alternately, he could be called Lord Deversham, 
  but never Lord Hackney. His wife, Anne, would 
  be called Lady Deversham, but not Lady 
  Hackney. Should Lord Deversham ever achieve 
  a political office, he could also be referred to as 
  My Lord Treasurer. The title Lord is only used 
  with the peerage. Not every knight is a lord, and 
  not all lords are knights. 
   
  All the sons of a marquis or a duke are 
  styled Lord. Only the eldest son of an earl is 
  called a Lord because he takes his father’s 
  secondary title. All the daughter’s of an earl are 
  styled lady, and they retain this courtesy title 
  even if they marry a commoner. 
   
  The term Your Grace was only used for 
  those of royal blood: the Queen, dukes, and 
  visiting princesses. It did not apply to Earls or 
  Countesses during the Elizabethan era. Likewise, 
  Honorable or the Right Honorable for younger 
  children of peers had not yet come into use. 
   
  The title Sir is only used to address a knight, 
  and then is only used with his given name. 
  Master is used when using a knight’s last name. 
  So, Sir Henry Spakes would be called Sir Henry, 
  Master Spakes, but never Sir Spakes. Sir Henry’s 
  wife, Mary, would be called Mary Lady Spakes, 
  Lady Spakes, but not Lady Catherine. The term 
  Dame was still occasionally used in conjunction 
  with the wife of a knight (or any gentlewoman), 
  but it may be an old fashioned usage, more 
  Country than Court. 
   
  The male heirs of knights, and the younger 
  sons of peers could be referred to as Esquire. 
  Officials such as judges, sheriffs, and offices of 
  the royal household could also style themselves 
  Esquires. While Esquire is not a title, it could be 
  used after a gentleman’s name. For example, Sir 
  Henry Spakes' heir, John, would sign his letters 
  John Spakes, Esquire. 
   
  Unmarried children were addressed in a 
  manner similar to that of their parents. Lady Jane 
  Palfey, a Maid of Honor (a household office 
  which confers precedence – that is, a specific 
  ranking in the hierarchy of the peers and gentry) 
  and the daughter of an Earl, can be called Lady 
  Jane, Mistress Palfey, but never Lady Palfey or 
  “Lady Jane Mistress Palfey.” Mary, daughter of 
  Baron Deversham, would be called Mistress 
  Mary, or Mistress Hackney, but not Lady Mary 
  or Lady Hackney. George, the second son of 
  Baron Deversham, would be called Lord George, 
  Master Hackney (though the familiarity may be 
  insulting), but never Lord Hackney. 
   
  Finally, if you are not a noble, or you are 
  unsure of the rank of the person of whom you are 
  speaking, it is safest to address them as Your 
  Worship, Your Honor, or Your 
  Lordship/Ladyship. 
  SKILLS 
   
   
   
  Not all skills listed in the HERO System 5th 
  Edition rules are suitable for use in an 
  Elizabethan Hero game. Below is a list of skills 
  for the game, and an explanation of how some of 
  them work in this setting: 
  SKILLS AVAILABLE 
  Acrobatics, Acting, Animal 
  Handler, Breakfall, Bribery, 
  Bureaucratics, Climbing, Combat 
  Driving, Combat Skill Levels, 
  Concealment, Contortionist, 
  Conversation, Cryptography, 
  Deduction, Disguise, Familiarity, 
  Forgery, Gambling, High Society, 
  Interrogation, Inventor, Knowledge, 
  Languages, Lip-reading, Lockpicking, 
  Martial Arts, Mimicry, Navigation, 
  Oratory, Paramedic, Persuasion, 
  Professional Skills, Range Skill Levels, 
  Riding, Science, Seduction, Shadowing, 
  Skill Levels, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, 
  Streetwise, Survival, Tactics, Tracking, 
  Trading, Transport Familiarity, 
  Ventriloquism, Weapon Familiarity, 
  Weaponsmith 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  39
   
  Combat Driving applies to animal-drawn 
  vehicles. There are no motorized vehicles in the 
  Elizabethan era. 
   
  Unarmed Martial Arts in an Elizabethan 
  Hero game should be limited to Dirty Infighting, 
  Brawling, and the like. There is little evidence of 
  there being any kind of regimented unarmed 
  combat, or combat styles from the Far East being 
  practiced by people in England during the 
  Renaissance. Fencing and archery are the two 
  basic forms of weapon-based combat taught 
  during the Elizabethan era. Fencing is typically 
  only learned by men, while archery was learned 
  by both sexes – target shooting and hunting by 
  bow are known pastimes. 
   
  Weapon Familiarities: Unarmed Combat & 
  Clubs, Bows, Crossbows, Swords, Common 
  Melee Weapons, Early Firearms 
   
  The following skills are not appropriate for a 
  standard Elizabethan Hero game: Bugging, 
  Combat Piloting, Computer Programming, 
  Criminology, Demolitions, Electronics, Forensic 
  Medicine, Security Systems, and Systems 
  Operations. 
  EVERYMAN SKILLS 
  AK: Home 
  Climbing 
  Concealment 
  Conversation 
  Deduction 
  Language: 4 points English 
  PS: Profession 
  Shadowing 
  Stealth 
  TF: Horse-drawn Vehicles 
  Character Types 
   
  Every game has a set of character 
  archetypes. Below is a listing of several 
  character types, along with package deals for 
  creating the characters. 
   
  PEERS AND GENTRY 
   
   
   
  The peers and gentry of Elizabethan 
  England make up the upper crust of society. 
  After the queen, they are the most important 
  people in the lives of the masses. They are the 
  landowners and employers. They are the 
  founders of expeditions to explore and establish 
  colonies in America, and backers of business 
  concerns in Africa and Asia.  
   
  COST PEER PACKAGE DEAL 
   
  3 Gambling 
   
  3 High Society 
   
  2 Language: Greek (Literate) 
   
  2 Language: Latin (Literate) 
   
  5 Perk: Peer 
   
  3 Riding 
   
  3 WF: (Unarmed Combat & 
  Clubs, Swords, Bows, Early 
  Firearms) 
   
  3 Choose one skill from this list: 
  AK: London, PS: Dancing, PS: 
  Play Musical Instrument 
   
  9 Choose three Skills from this 
  list: Bureaucratics, 
  Conversation, Language: 
  French (Literate), Oratory, 
  Persuasion 
   
  -5 Reputation: Peer, 8- 
   
  COST GENTRY PACKAGE DEAL 
   
  3 Gambling 
   
  3 High Society 
   
  2 Language: Greek (Literate) 
   
  2 Language: Latin (Literate) 
   
  3 Perk: Gentry 
   
  3 Riding 
   
  3 Choose one Skill from this list: 
  AK: London, PS: Dancing, PS: 
  Play Musical Instrument 
   
  9 Choose three Skills from this 
  list: Bureaucratics, 
  Conversation, Language: 
  French (Literate), Oratory, 
  Persuasion 
   
  -5 Reputation: Gentry, 8- 
   
   
  You will notice in the above package deals 
  no Wealth perk included. Not all of the peers or 
  gentry have a lot of money available. Much of a 
  nobleman’s wealth is tied up in the running of 
  his estate or governmental office. In fact, some 
  nobles end up in financial ruin because the 
  offices and titles given to them cost far more 
  than they can afford to pay. 
   
  During the Elizabethan era, few women 
  learned to use firearms or swords, so when 
  creating a female character using the package 
  deals, feel free to remove most of the weapon 
  proficiencies from the package deals. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  40 
  William Hackney, Baron 
  Deversham 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   14 STR 
   4 12- Lift 174kg; 2½d6 HTH [1] 
   12 DEX 
   6 11- OCV:  4/DCV:  4 
   13 CON 
   6 12- 
   10 BODY 
   0 11- 
   15 INT 
   5 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   15 EGO 
  10 12- ECV:  5 
   14 PRE 
   4 12- PRE Attack:  3d6 
   14 COM 
   2 12- 
   
   
  3 PD 
   0 
   Total:  3 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  3 ED 
   0 
   Total:  3 ED (0 rED) 
   
  2 SPD 
  -2 
   Phases:  6, 12 
   
  6 REC 
   0 
   26 END 
   0 
   24 STUN 
   0 
    
   
  Total Characteristic Cost:  35 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Perks 
   
  2 Member of the Lower 
  Nobility 
   
  5 Money (Well Off) 
   
  9 Ancestral Estate:  
  Deversham House 
  (44 pts) 
   35 Servants:  64 
  Followers (4 pts) 
   
   Skills 
   
  3 AK: London 12- 
   
  5 Bribery 13- 
   
  3 Conversation 12- 
   
  3 Gambling 11- 
   
  3 High Society 12- 
   
  4 Language: French 
  (Completely 
  Fluent), Literate 
   
  2 Language: Greek 
  (Basic Conversation), 
  Literate 
   
  2 Language: Latin (Basic 
  Conversation), Literate 
   
  3 Oratory 12- 
   
  3 PS: Courtier 12- 
   
  3 Riding 11- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 85 
  Total Cost:  120 
   75+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Age (40+) 
   10 DNPC: Family 8- (Anne (Wife), Henry 
  (Son), William (Son), Mary (Daughter):  
  All Normal) 
   15 Physical Limitation:  Bad Leg 
  (Frequently, Greatly) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Ambitious 
  (Very Common, Moderate) 
  Total Disadvantages:  120
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  41
  Background/History:  The seventh Baron 
  Deversham, William Hackney grew up as a 
  typical child of a peer. He was fostered in the 
  household of a friend of his family, and it is 
  there he met Lady Anne Campbell. She was 
  being fostered in the same household and a 
  certain amount of affection grew between them. 
  However, marriages had been arranged for each 
  of them to other people, and they parted ways, 
  seeing each other in social situations. 
   
  Hackney’s wife, Margaret, died giving to 
  their second child, leaving him with an infant to 
  care for. By this time, Anne herself was a 
  childless widow, her husband having died after 
  being thrown from a horse. The two were 
  married after the appropriate time of mourning 
  was passed, and they have created a happy, 
  loving household for Henry (the surviving child 
  from Henry’s first marriage), William, and Mary. 
   
  Two years ago, Hackney fell while hunting 
  and broke his leg. It didn’t heal well. He suffers 
  aches and pains in the leg, especially when it’s 
  cold and damp or the weather changes, and he 
  walks with a limp. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Hackney grew up in 
  and around the royal court, watching his father 
  seemingly drift aimlessly from one situation to 
  the next, never leaving his mark or influencing 
  anyone. Hackney didn’t want that for himself, 
  and has dedicated himself to making a name for 
  himself and his family. He is ambitious, and is 
  willing to take risks to get ahead. He is currently 
  trying to curry favor with Sir Michael Andrews, 
  Marquis of Walkerton, who is rumored to have 
  the ear of one of the Queen’s advisors. 
   
  Quote:  “So you see, Sir Henry, that what 
  happened in London last week was not so much 
  a disaster for your friend as an unexpected 
  opportunity for yourself.” 
   
  Powers/Tactics: Baron Deversham prefers to 
  avoid direct conflict, and will instead try to talk 
  his way out of situations, going back at a later 
  time to exact his due or gain redress. 
   
  Campaign Use:  William Hackney, Baron 
  Deversham, would be an ideal candidate as a 
  sponsor or investor for a group of characters who 
  are looking to start their own commercial 
  venture, providing they can convince him doing 
  so would benefit him financially (or perhaps 
  more importantly, politically). He is not filthy 
  rich, but could get together a modest investment 
  of, perhaps, 500 lbs. If the characters lied to 
  Hackney about the venture, or if he feels he has 
  been cheated, he will do his best to make the 
  characters’ lives miserable, from whispering bad 
  things into the ears of important people to ruin 
  their reputations, to seeking financial redress in 
  the courts. 
   
  Alternately, he could serve as a contact for 
  characters who are attending court for the first 
  time. If Hackney believes they might be useful to 
  him in the future, he might bring them under his 
  wing and offer them guidance and friendship. If 
  he views them as a threat to his ambitions, he 
  will seek to discredit the characters and spoil any 
  plans they might have. 
   
  Appearance:  Hackney is an attractive man in 
  his early forties, with neatly trimmed, graying 
  brown hair and beard, and brown eyes. It is 
  obvious by looking at him he used to be a very 
  active and fit man, but the injury to his leg has 
  forced him to curtail his activities, and it is 
  starting to show. While Hackney is thrifty, he 
  ensures he and his family are dressed in the latest 
  fashion, as appearances are important when one 
  is trying to climb the political ladder. 
   
  PIRATES & PRIVATEERS 
   
   
   
  The image of pirates and privateers bring to 
  mind swashbuckling adventures and unsurpassed 
  cruelty. For the latter, nothing could be further 
  from the truth when discussing English pirates 
  and privateers. On the whole, they were polite 
  and merciful, and the recorded incidences of 
  cruelty and viciousness were few and far 
  between. 
   
  The main difference between a pirate and a 
  privateer was whether or not the pirate had the 
  support of the crown. If the pirate was in the 
  monarch’s favor, then life was good. The pirate 
  had open markets in England for the goods they 
  stole from ships, and had a measure of protection 
  from prosecution by the English navy. 
   
  The status of pirate or privateer sometimes 
  seemed to shift as quickly as the wind. One day 
  the sailors could be plundering Dutch ships for 
  spices and other luxuries from Asia and Africa, 
  the next, the Queen could have signed a treaty 
  creating a truce and attacks on the Dutch ships 
  make the privateers pirates once again. 
   
  Below is information about two real world 
  pirates and privateers, followed by an example of 
  one created using the Elizabethan Hero 
  guidelines. 
   
  Sir Francis Drake was one of the greatest 
  English sea-captains of all time. Both a navigator 
  and a privateer, he was revered as a hero in the 
  fight against the Armada and despised as an 
  upstart by the old nobility. Drake is the 
  archetype of the self-made Elizabethan privateer, 
  predatory in the hunt for treasure, especially if it 
  could be taken from the Spanish, but daring and 
  visionary in exploration.  
   
  Drake and his men are best remembered as 
  the first Englishmen to circumnavigate the globe, 
  and they claimed a portion of California for 
  Elizabeth along the way. His attack on Cadiz and 
  his devastating raids on the Spanish Main earned 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  42 
  him nickname El Draque, “The Dragon,” and the 
  fear and the grudging respect of the Spaniards. 
   
  Drake’s exploits were an inspiration for 
  Captain Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn) in 
  Michael Curtiz’s film The Sea-Hawk. 
   
  The story of Gráinne Ni Mháille, also 
  known as Granuaile the “Pirate Queen of 
  Connacht,” reads like a story out of an 
  outrageous adventure, and there is a lot of history 
  behind the myth. Gráinne (anglicized as Grace 
  O’Malley) was an Irish noblewoman born in 
  1503, who led a band of 200 pirates operating off 
  the coast of Galway in the 16th Century. 
   
  She was condemned for piracy but pardoned 
  by the Queen herself, imprisoned twice, 
  widowed twice, and fought both Irish and 
  English for her rights and the rights of her 
  family. In 1593, Gráinne sought a private 
  audience with Queen Elizabeth, by simply 
  showing up and demanding to see the Queen. No 
  one knows what was said during that meeting, 
  but whatever it was, it impressed Queen 
  Elizabeth enough to grant the release of 
  Gráinne’s husband and son from prison, and 
  maintenance for herself for the rest of her life. 
   
  Against all odds, Gráinne died in her own 
  bed of old age, and the location of her grave 
  remains a mystery. 
   
  Gráinne’s exploits were practically legend in 
  England, and made a strong impression on the 
  Englishmen sent to complete the conquest of 
  Connacht. In 1576, the Lord Deputy Sir Henry 
  Sidney in Galway described her as a ‘most 
  famous feminine sea captain’ and ‘a notorious 
  woman in all the coasts of Ireland’. 
   
  For more information, visit the Pirates and 
  Privateers web site at 
  http://legends.dm.net/pirates/grainne.html. 
   
  COST PIRATE/PRIVATEER 
  PACKAGE DEAL 
   
  3 Climbing 11- 
   
  2 KS: Rope Handling 11- 
   
  2 KS: Ships 11-  
   
  2 PS: Pirate/Privateer 11- 
   
  9 Choose three Skills from this 
  list:  Breakfall, Gambling 
  (Cards), Gambling (Dice), PS: 
  Predicting Weather, 
  Navigation, Paramedic, 
  Trading 
   
  Katherine Winscott 
  Background/History: Katherine grew up in and 
  around ships. Her father was a fisherman and her 
  mother sold the catch in the London markets. 
  When she was ten, her father’s ship sank in a 
  horrible storm, and of the crew of five, only her 
  older brother Robert survived. The loss of the 
  ship meant the loss of the family’s livelihood.  
   
  The sea was all Robert knew, so he joined 
  the crew of a merchant ship. The day he shipped 
  out was the last day Katherine ever saw him 
  alive. On his first voyage, the ship was attacked 
  and sunk by the Spanish, who claimed it was a 
  pirate vessel. Since that day, Katherine has 
  harbored an intense hatred for the Spanish. 
   
  Katherine married Richard Winscott, the son 
  of a friend of her father’s, when she was 
  seventeen. Shortly after they were married, 
  Richard and a large number of his friends 
  conspired to steal a ship and become pirates off 
  the coast of Cornwall. Katherine joined the crew 
  because of her knowledge of navigation. 
   
  Over the next three years they weren’t very 
  successful, only managing to capture enough 
  goods to keep up the maintenance of the ship and 
  to feed the crew and their families. Katherine 
  suggested they head for different waters, namely 
  the Barbary Coast, because of the rich pickings 
  of the trade on the Mediterranean. The crew 
  voted, and they headed for the north coast of 
  Africa. 
   
  On their way there, they ran into a Spanish 
  ship and attempted to take her. Lady Luck was 
  with them, for they managed to surprise the 
  Spaniards and capture the ship with little loss of 
  their lives. Unfortunately, Richard was fatally 
  wounded and died several days after the attack. 
  Upon his death, Katherine was voted in as 
  captain, and she has lead the ship ever since. 
   
  She has proven to be uncommonly 
  successful, and over the past five years has 
  amassed a following of 250 pirates and several 
  ships under her banner. As stories of her exploits 
  spread, she has earned the reputation as the 
  Pirate Queen of the Barbary Coast. There are 
  those who would dispute that title, but none have 
  been able to catch or match her. 
   
  Personality/Motivation: Katherine is vengeful 
  and driven, and has sworn to sink every Spanish 
  ship she encounters. So far, she has been good to 
  her word.  
   
  Quote:  “Philip’s about to give us another 
  present, boys! Prepare the cannons, and fire on 
  my order....”  
   
  Powers/Tactics: Katherine’s preferred method 
  of attack is to go after ships in shallow water by 
  either forcing them there, or waiting near areas 
  known to have dangerous waters. She and her 
  men know these areas well. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  43
  Katherine Winscott 
   13 STR 
   3 12- Lift 150kg; 2½d6 HTH [1] 
   15 DEX 
  15 12- OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   11 CON 
   2 11- 
   10 BODY 
   0 11- 
   15 INT 
   5 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   15 EGO 
  10 12- ECV:  5 
   16 PRE 
   6 12- PRE Attack:  3d6 
   16 COM 
   3 12- 
   
   
  3 PD 
   0 
   Total:  3 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  2 ED 
   0 
   Total:  2 ED (0 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
   5 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  5 REC 
   0 
   22 END 
   0 
   24 STUN 
   0 
    
   
  Total Characteristic Cost:  49 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Perks 
   45 Pirates:  250 Followers  
   
   (20+20 pts) 
   
   Skills 
   
  3 AK: Barbary Coast 12- 
   
  3 Breakfall 12- 
   
  3 Bribery 12- 
   
  3 Climbing 12- 
   
  3 Concealment 12- 
   
  3 Conversation 12- 
   
  3 Gambling 11- 
   
  3 Forgery 11- 
   
  5 KS: Cartography 13- 
   
  1 Language: English  
   
   (Native), Literacy 
   
  7 Navigation 13- 
   
  3 Oratory 12- 
   
  7 PS: Pirate 16- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- 
   
  3 Tactics 12- 
   
  1 TF: Boats 
   
  2 WF: Early Firearms 
   75+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  Scar on right 
  cheek (Easily Concealed) 
   15 Hunted:  for Piracy 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Code of 
  Honor (Common, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Hatred of the 
  Spanish (Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Uncommon, Strong) 
   
  5 Reputation:  pirate queen of 
  the Barbary Coast (8-) 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 101 
  Total Cost:  150 
   
  Campaign Use: In a sea-based campaign, the 
  Pirate Queen of the Barbary Coast could be 
  either a potential ally, rival, or an implacable 
  enemy if the characters are known supporters of 
  the Spanish. 
   
  Appearance:  Katherine stands 5’ 6”, weighs 
  120 lbs, and has chestnut hair and hazel eyes. 
  She is invariably dressed in men’s clothes, with a 
  sword at her hip and a pistol tucked into the 
  waistband of her pants. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  44 
  Package Deals 
   
  Peers, gentry, and pirates may not be the 
  only character types a player might wish to play. 
  There are highwaymen, regular sailors, and 
  soldiers, just to name a few. Below is a sampling 
  of package deals which might inspire you. 
   
  HIGHWAYMAN 
   
   
   
  Highwaymen were a common threat in some 
  areas, making travel by road dangerous. Both 
  men and women belonged to these roving bands 
  of brigands, and it is not unheard of for a woman 
  to lead one of these groups. 
  COST HIGHWAYMAN 
  PACKAGE DEAL 
   
  2 AK: Area of Operations 11- 
   
  2 PS: Highwayman 11- 
   
  3 Weapon Familiarity (Unarmed 
  Combat & Clubs, Bows, 
  Common Melee Weapons, 
  Early Firearms) 
   
  6 Choose Two of the Following:  
  Shadowing, Streetwise, 
  Tracking, Trading, Stealth 
   
  -10 Hunted: Local Sheriff 8- (Mo 
  Pow, NCI, Limited 
  Geographical Area, Capture) 
   
  UPPER SERVANTS 
   
   
   
  The upper servants are perhaps the most 
  important people the peers and gentry had 
  working for them. They take care of the day to 
  day running of estates, wrote personal 
  correspondence, taught the children, and 
  generally do all the things their employers don’t 
  have the time to or simply don’t want to do.  
  COST UPPER SERVANT 
  PACKAGE DEAL 
   
  2 AK: Employer’s estate/home 
  11- 
   
  1 Language: English (Native), 
  Literate 
   
  2 PS: Upper Servant 11- 
   
  9 Choose three Skills from this 
  list: Bureaucratics, 
  Conversation, High Society, 
  Oratory, Persuasion 
  SAILORS 
   
   
   
  Sailors are anyone who works on a ship, 
  from the fisherman who brings in the fish you 
  eat for supper, to the cabin boy on a warship. 
  COST SAILOR PACKAGE DEAL 
   
  3 Climbing 11- 
   
  2 KS: Rope Handling 11- 
   
  2 KS: Ships 11-  
   
  2 PS: Sailor 11- 
   
  9 Choose three Skills from this 
  list: Breakfall, Gambling 
  (Cards), Gambling (Dice), KS: 
  Predicting Weather, 
  Navigation, Paramedic, 
  Trading 
   
  -15 Hunted: Naval Powers for 
  Piracy 8- (Mo Pow, Kill) 
   
  SOLDIERS 
   
   
   
  The common soldier makes up the backbone 
  of the army. Officers tended to come from the 
  gentry or peerage, but occasionally men of 
  common lineage rose through the ranks to a 
  command position. 
  COST SOLDIER PACKAGE 
  DEAL 
   
  3 Climbing 11- 
   
  2 KS: The Military 11- 
   
  2 PS: Soldier 11- 
   
  3 Weapon Familiarity (Unarmed 
  Combat & Clubs, Early 
  Firearms, Bows, Swords) 
   
  9 Choose three Skills from this 
  list:  Breakfall, Concealment, 
  Gambling (Cards), Gambling 
  (Dice), Paramedic, Stealth, 
  Tactics 
   
  -15 Social Limitation:  Subject To 
  Orders (Frequently, Major) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  45
  Running an Elizabethan Hero 
  Game 
   
  The Elizabethan era holds a wide variety of 
  campaign and adventure possibilities. Below are 
  a few ideas to help you get started: 
  ��Rumors say the Spanish found the 
  legendary city of El Dorado, and even 
  now, ships laden with gold are sailing 
  back to Spain to fatten Philip’s coffers. 
  ��The English East India Company is 
  looking for some courageous people to 
  help carve out their trading empire.  
  ��Sir Henry Wentworth has offered to take 
  the characters under his wing and 
  introduce them into life at Court. Does he 
  have an ulterior motive, or does he truly 
  have the characters’ best interests at 
  heart? 
   
  The first part of this article was dedicated to 
  a very brief overview of the Elizabethan period, 
  and should contain enough information for a 
  basic feel for the era. For more detailed 
  information, check out the references listed at the 
  end of this article, especially The Writer’s Guide 
  to Everyday Life in Renaissance England From 
  1485 to 1649 by Kathy Lynn Emerson, and “Life 
  In Elizabethan England: A Compendium of 
  Common Knowledge.” The Compendium is 
  geared towards people who participate in 
  Renaissance Faires, but is equally useful for role 
  players, and is available as a PDF download as 
  well as in html format on the web site. 
  Music to Play By 
   
  When playing any game, listening to 
  appropriate music can help everyone get into the 
  right mood. Below is but a small listing of free 
  music on the web that was either written in the 
  Renaissance era, or modern pieces written in that 
  style. Not all the music is from Elizabethan 
  England, but the flavor of the music is there. 
   
  MP3.com (http://www.mp3.com) - Renaissance 
  Music 
  “Greensleeves” by Brobdingnagian Bards 
  (Greensleeves was written by Henry VIII for 
  Anne Boleyn.) 
  “Hole in the Wall” by Brobdingnagian Bards 
  (There is also a dance by the same name, 
  using that music.) 
  “Byrd: My Ladye Nevels Grownde (1591)” by 
  Roberto Poli (written 1591) 
  “William Byrd (1543-1623): The Bells” by Peter 
  Lönnerberg 
  References - Books 
  Emerson, Kathy Lynn. The Writer’s Guide to 
  Everyday Life in Renaissance England From 
  1485 to 1649. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest 
  Books, 1996. 
  References - Web Sites 
  Brown University Women Writers Project. “In 
  Her Own Words: Elizabeth I Onstage and 
  Online” 
  http://www.wwp.brown.edu/project/rich/QEI
  home.html (February 10, 2002). 
  Eakins, Lara E. “Tudor History” 
  http://tudorhistory.org (February 14, 2002). 
  Guild School Association. “Educating 
  Shakespeare - school life in Elizabethan 
  England” 
  http://www.likesnail.org.uk/welcome-es.htm 
  (February 10, 2002) 
  Jokinen, Anniina. “Elizabeth I (1533 - 1603)” 
  http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/eliza.htm 
  (February 10, 2002) 
  Leed, Drea. “Elizabethan Costuming Page” 
  http://www.dnaco.net/~aleed/corsets/genera
  l.html (February 10, 2002) 
  PKM. “Legends - Pirates and Privateers - 
  Gráinne O’Malley” July 11, 1999. 
  http://legends.dm.net/pirates/grainne.html 
  (March 1, 2002) 
  PKM. “Legends - Pirates and Privateers - Sir 
  Francis Drake” September 21, 1998. 
  http://legends.dm.net/pirates/drake.html 
  (March 1, 2002) 
  Ross, David. “Elizabeth I and Elizabethan Life in 
  England” 2000. 
  http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Eliza
  bethan_life.htm (February 13, 2002) 
  Secara, Maggie Pierce. “Life In Elizabethan 
  England: A Compendium of Common 
  Knowledge” Summer 2001. Online. 
  http://www.renaissance.dm.net/compendium 
  (February 13, 2002).  
  Thomas, Heather. “The Life and Times of Queen 
  Elizabeth I” 
  http://www.elizabethi.org/europe/index.htm 
  (February 10, 2002) 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  46 
  PRIMUS Update by Shelley Mactyre 
   
  PRIMUS 
   
  Spandex Feds. Blue Boys. Tin Cans.  
   
  Chances are you’ve encountered PRIMUS 
  in one form or another in your Champions 
  career, either as good guys or bad guys or – more 
  likely – somewhere in between. 
   
  PRIMUS – the Primary Response and 
  Interdiction Military Unified Service – is a 
  federal agency under the auspices of the 
  Department of Justice. PRIMUS agents, whether 
  intelligence, assault, Iron Guard, or Avenger, 
  have federal law enforcement powers and gather 
  evidence to convict paranormal criminals of 
  federal crimes. PRIMUS is also a primary 
  responder, called upon when paranormal villains 
  attack.  
   
  Originally detailed in Andrew Robinson’s 
  PRIMUS and Demon, updated for Fourth Edition 
  in Classic Organizations, and completely 
  overhauled in my very own PRIMUS 
  sourcebook, PRIMUS has been a mainstay of 
  Champions gaming for almost two decades.  
   
  And why not? It stands to reason that in a 
  world with superheroes (and supervillains) the 
  federal government would respond. After all, 
  you can’t count on volunteers to show up when 
  the taxpayers are at risk, can you?  
   
  Whether PRIMUS agents are antagonists or 
  allies is up to the GM – and the players. As 
  written, most PRIMUS agents are skeptical of 
  superhero types, but willing to be convinced of 
  their usefulness over time – and conversations 
  with the agents can make for some of a game’s 
  best roleplaying moments.  
  WHAT’S IN THIS UPDATE 
   
   
   
  This update assumes you’re familiar with 
  the function and role of PRIMUS. If you don’t 
  have the sourcebook, you can buy it at the 
  bargain price of $10 from Hero Games or – even 
  better, because it’s free – you can check out 
  http://www.mactyre.net/scm/primus. It’s the 
  website that started me on the path to writing 
  PRIMUS in the first place, and there is a lot of 
  information there to introduce you to the agency. 
  If you like what you see, please return to Hero 
  Games’ site and buy the book! 
   
  Since Hero published PRIMUS as an eBook 
  in 1998, I never stopped thinking about new 
  material, and wondered when I would have the 
  opportunity to get it done: now I have a chance. 
  This two-part update for Digital Hero is the 
  product of four years of ruminating.  
   
  In Part I, you’ll be introduced to the VIPER 
  Task Force, the PRIMUS “Wizards,” the mighty 
  PRIMUS PR machine, and you’ll also find 
  alternate ways to create PRIMUS agents at lower 
  power levels than outlined in the original book. 
   
  In Part II, four new PRIMUS bases – in 
  Portland, Millennium City, Denver, and Las 
  Vegas – will be outlined, along with their 
  respective Silver Avengers. The Silver 
  Avengers’ roles will be clearly defined, too, with 
  descriptions of their typical investigations and 
  daily routines. Future ideas include adventure 
  seeds, standard agent templates, and a collection 
  of PRIMUS agents designed to drive your PCs 
  crazy.  
  PRIMUS News 
  NEW PRIMUS BASES 
   
   
   
  PRIMUS opened four new bases: one each 
  year from 1998 to 2001. The new bases, located 
  in Las Vegas, Millennium City, Denver, and 
  Portland, Oregon, have greatly increased the 
  agency’s ability to combat VIPER and other 
  paranormal threats. Each base has a unique 
  focus: Las Vegas is the home of the VIPER Task 
  Force West; Portland combats environmental 
  terrorism; Millennium City focuses on 
  paranormals involved in the drug trade; Denver 
  is home not only to a regular base, but to a 
  secondary training facility as well.  
  HARTIGAN’S ANNOUNCEMENT 
   
   
   
  In 1999, Avenger Frank Hartigan made an 
  announcement that stunned the country. He 
  announced, at a press conference held in his 
  home, that he was gay. “I can no longer continue 
  to live this lie,” the former Marine lieutenant 
  said, “and deny who I am.”   
   
  The Avenger’s announcement was made 
  with the support of his parents, Senator and Mrs. 
  Thomas Hartigan, of Boston, Massachusetts – 
  and longtime “girlfriend,” Saundra Rikard, a 
  PRIMUS agent who has often accompanied the 
  Avenger to official events.  
   
  Several times voted America’s most eligible 
  bachelor by People Magazine, Hartigan revealed 
  that he has been involved with Atlanta physician 
  Michael Korman for almost a year, and that it 
  was this relationship which gave him the 
  strength to come forward and tell the truth about 
  who he is.  
   
  PRIMUS Public Relations chief Kitty 
  Cochrane made no official statement, saying that 
  it was no one’s business but the Avenger’s own, 
  but in numerous print and television interviews, 
  the Golden Avenger and many Silver Avengers 
  voiced their support of Hartigan.1 
                                                             
  art by Brad Parnell 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  47
  HARPER’S RESIGNATION 
   
   
   
  PRIMUS suffered a setback in February 
  2000, when Silver Avenger Eric Harper 
  (Philadelphia) was critically injured in combat. 
  Harper suffered spinal cord injuries and was 
  paralyzed from the waist down. With the full 
  support of Director Glenn, Avenger Johnson 
  offered Harper an opportunity to keep his job, but 
  the Silver Avenger turned him down and retired to 
  write his memoirs.  
   
  Assault Agent Ramon Ramos replaced 
  Avenger Harper as Philadelphia’s Silver Avenger.  
  GLENN’S RETENTION  
   
   
   
  After the 2000 Presidential election, Director 
  Peter Glenn, a Clinton appointee, was retained by 
  the new administration to the surprise of many. 
  Officials cited Glenn’s successes in overseeing 
  the growth of the agency and a need for continuity 
  as reasons for his retention, but many in PRIMUS 
  doubt this. Glenn, who has already gone head-to-
  head with Attorney General Ashcroft behind 
  closed doors, is known for his liberal beliefs and 
  allies in the Democratic Party. The skeptics 
  strongly suspect that Glenn (or Kitty Cochrane) 
  has dirt on someone very powerful that enables 
  him to stay at PRIMUS.  
  RICHARDSON’S PROMOTION 
   
   
   
  Silver Avenger Alex Richardson of Hudson 
  City became the “Assistant Director of Avengers” 
  in October 2001. (The Director of Avengers is the 
  formal title for the Golden Avenger.) Avenger 
  Richardson, in addition to maintaining his Hudson 
  City duties, also helps coordinate the Avenger 
  games each quarter and assists with Avenger 
  investigations.  
   
   
  Although it isn’t openly spoken of, 
  Richardson is, by virtue of his new position, now 
  poised to become the new Golden Avenger if 
  anything should happen to Avenger Johnson. 
  CHOW’S SURPRISE PARTY 
   
   
   
  On December 31, 2001, Avenger Maria 
  Chow hosted her annual New Year’s Eve costume 
  bash dressed as a bride – then shocked her guests 
  when she announced they were really attending 
  her wedding!   
   
  No one believed her, at least at first, but 
  Chow was serious. That night, in front of 
  everyone, she wed Bay Area entrepreneur Adrian 
  Jones. Avenger and husband now make their 
  home in a SoMA condominium.  
  PRIMUS’S PLANS 
   
   
   
  PRIMUS’s plans for the future include 
  lobbying Congress for funds to add ten new Iron 
  Guard squads to existing bases, creating thirty-
  five new Intelligence Agent positions as part of 
  PRIMUS’s attaché program, and building new 
  bases in San Diego and Cincinnati.  
  The VIPER Task Force 
   
   
  Agent Ramierez grimaced at his 
  computer screen, then picked up his 
  phone to dial Washington. After ten 
  minutes on hold, he finally made it 
  through. “Looks like our pals in the 
  Atlanta Nest are planning another raid – 
  this time on CNN.”  
  “Do we have anything concrete this 
  time? I don’t want a repeat of last 
  month.”    
   
  Even through the phone, there was 
  no disguising Andrea Canfield’s disgust 
  – and with good reason. PRIMUS had 
  scrambled the PRIME Team, Iron 
  Guard, and Avengers – everything it 
  could – based on his information.  
  Incorrect information – a deliberate 
  plant by VIPER counterintelligence – 
  and while PRIMUS lay in wait for an 
  attack that never happened, VIPER 
  picked the Treasury vaults clean.  
  Ramierez flushed scarlet, was 
  grateful that Canfield couldn’t see him. 
  “No, ma’am,” he said firmly. “My 
  intelligence is good, and we have it 
  from three independent sources. VIPER 
  is going to strike CNN, and soon. It’s 
  all up on the MATRIX for your 
  review....” 
   
  The pause on the other end of the 
  line continued so long he began to fear 
  the Task Force Director had hung up.  
   
  “Very well,” she said slowly. 
  “Notify Avenger Hartigan and Base 
  Director Cooper. But if you’re wrong 
  again, you’ll be cleaning out cells in 
  Stronghold from now until retirement. 
  Got it?” 
  DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND 
   
   
   
  In the mid-nineties, a resurgent VIPER 
  attacked the PRIMUS Academy, the PRIMUS 
  base in San Francisco, and the Seattle PRIMUS 
  base all within the same year – and the agency 
  was left reeling, just as VIPER had planned. Lax 
  security, a feeling that “it would never happen to 
  us,” and simple laziness all contributed to the 
  success of the VIPER attacks.  
   
  PRIMUS should have been ready – but it 
  wasn’t.  
   
  Director Glenn was livid – and, after 
  punishing those responsible for the security 
  breaches, he set out to make sure it would never 
  happen again. The result was the VIPER Task 
  Force, an ambitious project that employs dozens 
  of Intelligence and Assault operatives across the 
  country.   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  48 
   
  Operations:  The VIPER Task Force has 
  two primary branches. One, located in 
  Washington, DC, is headed by Agent Andrea 
  Canfield and oversees all VIPER investigations 
  east of the Mississippi; she is also the Task 
  Force’s Director. The other, headed by Agent 
  Dallas Hughes, is located in PRIMUS’s new Las 
  Vegas base and is responsible for Western 
  operations.  
   
  Additionally, each PRIMUS base across the 
  country has an agent specially trained in 
  VIPER’s modes of operation, who serves as an 
  advisor to investigators and a liaison between the 
  Task Force and the individual bases. These 
  specialists often conduct their own investigations 
  into VIPER operations, as well.  
   
  Task Force Agents in the field answer to 
  their respective Regional Director (either Agent 
  Canfield or Hughes); Agent Hughes answers to 
  Agent Canfield, who, in her turn, answers 
  directly to Director Glenn. 
   
  Campaign Uses: Are your heroes hunted by 
  VIPER? (Whose aren’t?) When VIPER strikes, 
  the VIPER Task Force will not be far behind, 
  ready to question the heroes and other witnesses. 
  The Task Force realizes that heroes often have 
  their own vendettas against VIPER and are more 
  willing than regular agents to allow the heroes to 
  help with the investigations.  
   
  Perhaps the Task Force gets wind of a 
  possible attack on the hero before it occurs – and 
  tries to approach him in either his public or 
  private identity; after all, PRIMUS has a large 
  database of information on supers’ private 
  activities, though that information is carefully 
  guarded. How distressing would it be to your 
  heroes to learn that PRIMUS knows their 
  secrets? Would they really believe PRIMUS was 
  there to help?  
   
  Conversely, have the heroes learned of an 
  impending VIPER attack on PRIMUS? If they 
  haven’t established a good relationship with the 
  local PRIMUS base, their intelligence might be 
  greeted with skepticism – or antagonism.  
  TASK FORCE AGENTS 
   
   
   
  As a rule, Task Force Agents are 
  Intelligence by training, although from time to 
  time an Assault agent may petition to join the 
  Task Force. When combat is anticipated, the 
  Task Force will call upon Assault and Iron 
  Guard squads, as well as the Avenger 
  complement, to assist in apprehending VIPER 
  suspects.  
  Task Force Director Andrea 
  Canfield  
  Background:  Born to the sort of privilege most 
  people think only exists in the pages of Town & 
  Country, when Andrea discovered her pedigreed 
  husband was having an affair, she decided she 
  needed a change.  
   
  She left her husband, returned to using her 
  maiden name, and joined PRIMUS. 
   
  What else, she told her mother, was she to 
  do to support herself with a degree in French 
  Literature? If PRIMUS was willing to take her, 
  why shouldn’t she have an adventure? 
   
  Her mother was appalled, but Andrea 
  persevered – and rightly so. Andrea has had a 
  brilliant career as a PRIMUS Intelligence Agent. 
  Her specialty has been VIPER, ever since her 
  early days as an Intelligence Agent in New York 
  City under Avenger Darin Falswell. When she 
  accepted an appointment on the Golden 
  Avenger’s agent staff in Washington, DC, she 
  maintained her focus and continued to oversee 
  VIPER investigations, often traveling around the 
  country to assist other agents.  
   
  No one in PRIMUS knows more about 
  VIPER than Andrea – and when Director Glenn 
  decided to establish the Task Force, Andrea was 
  his first choice as a director. So far, she hasn’t let 
  him down.  
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Andrea is not good at 
  displaying emotion to people she does not know 
  well, but with her friends she is lively and laughs 
  openly. The Golden Avenger is a good friend, 
  and she continues to look after him – a self-
  appointed task – even though she’s no longer a 
  member of his staff.  
   
  She finds VIPER-culture a continuing 
  source of amusement, and collects VIPER-
  related paraphernalia – bootleg trading cards, 
  comic books, video games. She’s even acquired 
  a large collection of paintings by an imprisoned 
  VIPER agent, and selects a different piece to 
  grace the walls of her office each month.  
   
  Quote:  “Well, of course they’ve got snakes on 
  their business cards, Senator. You were 
  expecting penguins?”  
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Andrea will attack at range 
  first, and will engage in hand-to-hand combat 
  second. Although she has extensive martial arts 
  experience, she practices Aikido more for mental 
  discipline, not for use in combat.  
   
  Campaign Use:  Andrea could be called in to 
  interview or to interrogate heroes with ties to (or 
  who are running from) VIPER. She makes a very 
  useful PRIMUS contact and, while she is not 
  entirely trusting of unaffiliated heroes, once she 
  has learned to accept a PC, she will be a stalwart 
  ally.  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  49
  Andrea Canfield 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200kg; 3d6 HTH [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll:  13- 
   16 EGO 
  12 12- ECV:  5 
   18 PRE 
  8 13- PRE Attack:  3½d6 
   14 COM 
  2 12- 
   
   
  3 PD 
  0 
   Total:  3 (0 rPD) 
   
  3 ED 
  0 
   Total:  3 (0 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  2 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   25 STUN 
  0 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 67 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  Commando Training 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  3 Aikido Throw +0 
  +1 
  3d6+v/5 
   
  4 Boxing Cross 
  +0 
  +2 
  5d6 Strike 
   
  5 Choke Hold 
  -2 
  +0 
  Grab, 2d6 NND 
   
  4 Judo Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  25 STR 
   
  4 Karate Chop 
  -2 
  +0 
  HKA 1d6+1 
   
  4 Kung Fu Block +2 
  +2 
  Block 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  Aikido 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4 Dodge 
  – 
  +5 
  Dodge 
   
  4 Escape 
  +0 
  +0 
  30 STR 
   
  3 Hold 
  -1 
  -1 
  25 STR 
   
  5 Strike 
  +1 
  +3 
  3d6 Strike 
   
   Perks 
   
  6 Contact: High-powered DC 
  Attorney 8- 
   
  6 Contact: Paranormal Hero 8- 
   
   
  6 Contact: VIPER Double Agent 8- 
   
  3 Federal/National Police Powers 
   
   Skills 
   20 +4 with Hand-To-Hand Combat 
   
   
  3 Breakfall 13- 
   
  3 Bugging 13- 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 13- 
   
  3 Computer Programming 13- 
   
  3 Concealment 13- 
   
  3 Criminology 13- 
   
  3 Deduction 13- 
   
  3 Disguise 11- 
   
  3 High Society 13- 
   
  3 Interrogation 13- 
   
  4 Language: French (native accent) 
   
  2 Language: Greek (fluent conversation) 
   
  1 Language: Latin (basic conversation) 
   
  3 Language: Spanish (completely fluent) 
   
  3 Paramedic 13- 
   
  7 PS: PRIMUS Agent 16- 
   
  3 Security Systems 13- 
   
  3 Scholar 
   
  5 1)  KS: Criminal Organizations 16- 
   
  2 2)  KS: Federal Law 13- 
   
  1 3)  KS: French Literature 11- 
   
  2 4)  KS: Investigative Methods 13- 
   
  2 5)  KS: Paranormals And Their Powers 13- 
   
  2 6)  KS: PRIMUS 13- 
   
  5 7)  KS: VIPER 16- 
   
  3 Shadowing 11- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Systems Operation 13- 
   
  3 Tracking 13- 
   
  2 WF: Small Arms 
   
  Powers & Skills Total: 170 
   100+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  Razor-sharp 
  features, large green eyes (Easily 
  Concealable) 
   15 Hunted:  VIPER 8- (As Pow, NCI) 
   10 Hunted:  PRIMUS 8- (As Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   15 DNPC:  Mother 8- (Incompetent) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Never Wants 
  To Have To Depend On Another Person 
  (Uncommon, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  PRIMUS 
  Code (Common, Strong) 
   10 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Frequently, Minor) 
   10 Reputation:  protects innocents, 11- 
   
  5 Reputation:  ball-busting agent, 8- 
   42 Experience 
   
  Disadvantages Total: 237  
   
   
  Appearance: Andrea is whippet-thin, with short 
  black hair and large green eyes. People either 
  find her very beautiful or most decidedly not – 
  she is certainly not conventionally pretty. She is 
  5'6” and wears haute-couture suits. 
   
   
    
  OTHER TASK FORCE AGENTS  
   
   
   
  Agent Dallas Hughes (he prefers this 
  designation to “Assistant VIPER Task Force 
  Director Dallas Hughes,” which is how the 
  nameplate on his office door reads) came to 
  PRIMUS from the Hudson City Police 
  Department. Growing frustrated with VIPER 
  activity in his city – and after seeing his partner 
  killed by VIPER agents – he made the leap from 
  local to federal law enforcement with aplomb.  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  50 
   
  Dallas was a rarity among PRIMUS agents – 
  he already knew what it was like to be a cop, and 
  he had no illusions about the work when he 
  started. He’s also older than most of his fellow 
  agents (he’s now thirty-eight). Like Agent 
  Canfield, Hughes has maintained his VIPER focus 
  throughout his career, and he was Agent 
  Canfield’s first pick for a Western counterpart. 
  He’s proven her right at every turn – so far.  
   
  Hughes is 6’1 and 200 pounds, solidly built. 
  He has brown, curling hair, graying at the 
  temples, and hazel eyes.  
   
   
  Agent Harry Martin joined PRIMUS in 
  1998 and became interested in VIPER operations 
  when his profiling subject, the superheroine 
  Photana, was kidnapped by VF-1. He had grown 
  attached to Photana and became deeply involved 
  in the investigation. When Photana was killed, he 
  was very upset – and knew he’d made a serious 
  mistake in allowing himself to get too close.  
   
  After a leave of absence, Agent Martin joined 
  the VIPER Task Force and now works closely 
  with Agent Canfield in Washington. He is very 
  guarded about his involvement with anyone – 
  subjects, fellow agents, even his friends – and 
  rarely socializes outside of work. 
   
  Agent Martin is a good looking, clean-cut 
  man in his late twenties. He has black hair, blue 
  eyes, and his cheeks dimple when he smiles.  
   
   
  Agent Anders Sorenson has seen it all. From 
  his first days as an Intelligence Agent in Boston in 
  the early eighties – back when VIPER agents still 
  wore scaled armor – he has raided Nests, fought 
  pitched battles with VIPER in the streets, and seen 
  some of his best friends fall in combat.  
   
  Unlike many of the agents on the Task Force, 
  however, Anders doesn’t hate VIPER. He feels 
  the strong emotions that many of his coworkers 
  have about their work is, while justified, a 
  dangerous thing – and he’s very careful never to 
  allow his own feelings interfere with his 
  judgment. As a result, Anders is often the voice of 
  reason in the Las Vegas Task Force operations 
  center and is also a father figure to the younger 
  agents, who go to him for advice.  
   
  Anders is in his late forties, with white-
  blond hair and blue eyes. His skin is very ruddy 
  from his time in the sun. He has a thin build but 
  is very athletic. 
   
   
  Agent Tony Ramierez is new to PRIMUS 
  and to the VIPER Task Force. While a journalism 
  student at Columbia, he gained national attention 
  when he went undercover in the New York VIPER 
  Nest for a story.  
  Though his reporting won him awards, he gained 
  a passion for fighting VIPER and so joined 
  PRIMUS. He’s thought by many agents to be a 
  hot shot, a dangerous maverick.  
   
   
  Andrea  
   
  Canfield 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ramierez – which he prefers to Tony – 
  hadn’t planned on a career in PRIMUS himself, 
  but the time he spent in the VIPER Nest 
  convinced him that he had to do more than 
  simply write stories about the evils of the 
  agency: he had to fight them.  
   
  Ramierez is 5’11” and has black hair and 
  brown eyes. He keeps in shape with running and 
  bicycling in the summers and skiing in the 
  winter.
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  51
  PRIMUS Wizards  
   
  “Ew.” Janine Spiering, 
  administrative assistant, wrinkled her 
  nose. Inside the makeshift laboratory, 
  the air was heavy with the smell of… 
  stale beer? 
   
  Before the Wizards moved in, this 
  had been a lunchroom. Now Janine was 
  afraid to open the refrigerator. But 
  Agent Wenger was alone – and time 
  with him, without Agent vanSnoden 
  around, was priceless. “What the heck 
  is that stuff?”  
   
  When the agent in the lab coat 
  didn’t respond, she poked him in the 
  arm with her pen. “Homer?”  
   
  “Huh?” Agent Wenger looked up. 
  “Oh, hi, Janine. What is it?”  
   
  “What are you doing?”  
   
  He pushed back from the table and 
  yawned. “Oh, just testing the samples I 
  brought back from the DEMON raid 
  last week.”  
   
  “Anything interesting?” Janine 
  leaned forward and smiled. Perhaps the 
  Wizards wasn’t the highest prestige 
  assignment a PRIMUS secretary could 
  get, but Agent Wenger was adorable 
  when he was wrapped up in his work.  
   
  “So far, no. I thought it was 
  ectoplasmic residue from the 
  summoning, but all of the tests are 
  coming back negative.”  
   
  “It smells like beer,” she said 
  helpfully. “Maybe the Morbanes had a 
  kegger before they summoned 
  Nyharlo—“ 
   
  Homer clasped a hand to her 
  mouth. “Never say his name out loud,” 
  he said urgently. “Promise me you 
  won’t!”  
  DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND  
   
   
    The division of PRIMUS charged with 
  investigation of the mystical is officially known 
  as the Detached Department for Research and 
  Experimentation of Metapsychic Activity 
  (DDREMA) – but everyone, Director Peter 
  Glenn included, refers to them as the Wizards, an 
  honorable title that belies their low reputation 
  within the agency.  
   An unofficial department within PRIMUS, 
  Congress refused to approve the agency’s budget 
  as a whole when, in 1993, the Wizard division 
  was first proposed. Then-Director Hawkins 
  capitulated and slashed the proposed department 
  – but he turned around and placed twenty 
  intelligence agents on detached duty in an 
  unofficial capacity, pulling resources from bases 
  around the country.  
   Though their status is unofficial, Wizard 
  agents report to Area Directors – there are 
  Directors in the Southeast, the Northeast, the 
  Southwest, and Pacific Northwest, as well as a 
  Central Director located in St. Louis. These Area 
  Department Directors report directly to Director 
  Glenn.  
   These detached agents – Wizards – both 
  benefit and suffer as a result of their ambiguous 
  position within the organization. PRIMUS labs 
  aren’t overly generous with their time, and 
  agents often must work off-hours. Equipment 
  and weapons, too, are “borrowed” from other 
  departments within the agency. Most regular 
  PRIMUS agents consider the Wizards to be 
  nutcases, though opinion runs the gamut from 
  amusement to outright hatred. Not surprisingly, 
  Wizards have an outsider’s mentality and a fierce 
  pride about their work.  
   Campaign Uses: The Wizards are very 
  interested in any heroes (or villains) with 
  mystical origins or powers, and will seek them 
  out. Because of the animosity they often 
  encounter from PRIMUS, they’re more willing 
  to bend the agency’s rules – and befriend the 
  heroes, if they’re taken seriously.  
   Wizards could approach the heroes 
  regarding an artifact in their possession – or, 
  conversely, the heroes might need to ask the 
  PRIMUS agents to use an artifact stored in one 
  of PRIMUS’s vaults. Wizard agents, facing 
  disbelief from within PRIMUS, might even seek 
  out the heroes to ask for their help in fighting a 
  paranormal menace. 
   
  AVERAGE WIZARD AGENT 
   
   
   Most Wizards agents have been drawn from 
  the core of Intelligence Agents – they have 
  typically investigated cases which have led them 
  into the realm of the supernatural, and have also 
  usually taken flack from their coworkers for 
  having believed there might be more to it than 
  just “technology we don’t understand yet.”   
   Creating Wizard Investigators: follow the 
  guidelines for creating Intelligence Agent 
  characters, and add appropriate Skills, such as 
  KS: Mystical Phenomena or SS: Ectoplasmic 
  Residue Analysis.  
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  52 
  Area Director (Agent) Owen 
  Hendricks  
  Background/History:  Owen Hendricks was a 
  captain in the Marine Corps when the Pentagon 
  mandated Cyberline testing – and no one was 
  more surprised than Hendricks to find out he’d 
  tested positive. The Marines had been Owen’s 
  primary focus since he’d been in high school, 
  and convincing him to join PRIMUS took a good 
  bit of persuasion from Agent Trevor McEvedy, 
  the recruiting agent. What finally sold Owen on 
  PRIMUS was the fact there was significant room 
  for advancement, he would still be able to hone 
  his combat skills – and his salary stood to nearly 
  double. This was a major selling point: 
  Hendricks had been supporting his mother and 
  younger sister since his father died during 
  Owen’s second year in college.  
   Owen’s first assignment was Atlanta, to one 
  of the largest PRIMUS bases on the East Coast. 
  He was repeatedly commended for his work and 
  was first in line for an open Agent Commander 
  slot, a position that would have commanded 
  respect, indicated a higher level of security 
  clearance, and would have meant a sizable 
  increase in pay again – until a background 
  investigation revealed something PRIMUS  
  found unacceptable.  
   Several months prior to the investigation, 
  Agent Hendricks met a nurse – and fell for her, 
  hard. Given that he had managed to avoid any 
  serious entanglements through college and three 
  years in the Marines and then PRIMUS, this was 
  an event his mother rejoiced in – though 
  PRIMUS didn’t share the sentiment. Kimiya 
  Rahman was born in Iran and considered a 
  security liability to PRIMUS because her mother 
  still resided there. (That Kimiya’s family fled, 
  fearing for their lives in the wake of the Islamic 
  Republic’s takeover of the government, and that 
  her mother had stayed only because she was a 
  second wife – those things didn’t figure at all 
  into the security profile.)  
   Bitter about losing the position to a less 
  qualified agent, Owen jumped at the chance to 
  become an area director for the Wizards project, 
  when the position was offered to him a few 
  weeks later. Granted he knew little about the 
  occult, but that could change – and it did. The 
  intelligence agent-heavy Wizards were relieved 
  to have a new assault agent in their midst. So far, 
  Owen has taken his job very seriously and has 
  received several commendations from 
  Washington, something he sees as vindication. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  An easy going man 
  most of the time, Owen will become irrational 
  over three things: derogatory remarks about 
  Latino-Americans (his mother was born in 
  Mexico), criticism of his fiancée, Kimiya 
  Rahman, and criticism of the Wizards, both from 
  within PRIMUS and without.  
   
  Quote:  “Let me get this straight. If the sun and 
  moon both shine on this ugly piece of tin that it’s 
  going to release a host of demons into downtown 
  Atlanta?”   
   
    
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  53
  Wizard Area Director Owen 
  Hendricks 
    Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   20 STR 
  10 13- Lift 400kg; 4d6 HTH [2] 
   21 DEX 
  33 13- OCV:  7/DCV:  7 
   14 CON 
  8 12- 
   11 BODY 
  2 11- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll:  13- 
   11 EGO 
  2 11-  ECV:  4 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- PRE Attack:  3d6 
   16 COM 
  3 12-  
   
   
  6 PD 
  2 
   
  6 ED 
  3 
   
  5 SPD 
  19 
   Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 
   
  7 REC 
  0 
   30 END 
  1 
   30 STUN 
  2 
    
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 98 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  PRIMUS Training 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  5 Choke Hold 
  -2 
  0 
  2d6 NND 
   
  4 Killing Strike 
  -2 
  +0 
  HKA 1d6+1  
   
  4 Martial Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block 
   
  4 Martial Disarm -1 
  +1 
  30 STR 
   
  4 Martial Strike 
  +0 
  +2 
  6d6 
   
  3 Martial Throw +0 
  +1 
  4d6 + v/5 
   
   Perks 
   
  3 Federal Police Powers 
   
    Skills  
   16 +2 with All Combat  
   
  4 Range Skill Levels:  +2 vs. Range 
  modifier with PRIMUS Weapons 
   
   
  5 Acrobatics 14-  
   
  5 Breakfall 14-  
   
  3 Bureaucratics 12-  
   
  3 Climbing 13-  
   
  3 Computer Programming 13-  
   
  3 Contortionist 13-  
   
  3 Conversation 12-  
   
  3 Criminology 13-  
   
  5 Defense Maneuver II 
   
  3 KS: Criminal Organizations 13-  
   
  3 KS: Federal Law 13-  
   
  3 KS: Magic Practitioners, Organizations 13-  
   
  3 KS: Occult 13-  
   
  3 KS: Paranormals And Their Powers 13-  
   
  3 KS: PRIMUS 13-  
   
  3 Paramedic 13-  
   
  3 PS: PRIMUS Agent 13-  
   
  3 PS: USMC Officer 13-  
   
  3 Tactics 13-  
   
  2 WF: Small Arms 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 112 
  Total Cost: 210 
   
   100+ Disadvantages 
   10 DNPC: Kimiya 11- (Less Pow, Useful) 
   10 Hunted: PRIMUS 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   20 Psychological Limitation: In Love With 
  Kimiya Rahman (Common, Total)  
   10 Psychological Limitation: Misses 
  Combat (Uncommon, Strong)  
   15 Psychological Limitation: PRIMUS 
  Code (Common, Strong) 
   10 Reputation: protects innocents, 11-  
   
  5 Reputation: well-decorated PRIMUS 
  agent, 8-  
   10 Social Limitation:  Subject to Orders 
  (Frequently, Minor) 
   15 Vulnerability: 1½x Effect from Poisons 
  & Toxins  
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 220 
   
  Powers/Tactics: While the majority of his job 
  currently is running interference between 
  PRIMUS and his agents, or between his agents 
  and the outside world, when faced with a combat 
  situation, Owen will come in with fists swinging. 
  It’s not that he doesn’t know a better tactic – it’s 
  that he thrives on the confrontation, and knows 
  the extent of his physical prowess.  
   
  Campaign Uses: Owen is a useful contact for 
  heroes who need information about mystical 
  phenomena as well as for mystical heroes who 
  need a contact in the government. As a PRIMUS 
  agent, he has access to all kinds of useful 
  information – and might be willing to share some 
  of it, provided he’s approached well. 
   
  Appearance: Agent Hendricks is 5’10”, with 
  black hair and piercing black eyes. He was a 
  perfect candidate for Cyberline: his physique 
  altered only slightly, and he didn’t bulk much at 
  all. When in motion, he appears fluid, cat-like – 
  and he has an uncanny ability to always land on 
  his feet.  
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  54 
  OTHER WIZARD AGENTS 
   
   
   Agent Erica vonSoden: Now in her mid-
  thirties, Agent vonSoden’s first career was as a 
  high school history teacher. Quickly 
  disenchanted with the reality of teaching bored 
  teenagers, she returned to college and received a 
  doctorate in Women’s Studies – and found there 
  was no job market. A cousin had recently joined 
  PRIMUS and recommended she look into the 
  possibility of a career there. While she tested 
  negative for Cyberline tolerance (something she 
  was relieved about!), she proceeded through the 
  PRIMUS Academy, finishing several days shy of 
  her thirtieth birthday. Always intrigued by 
  humanity’s fascination for the occult, she was 
  one of the first agents to sign up for detached 
  duty as part of the Wizards. Agent vonSoden is 
  an attractive woman with short, sculpted brown 
  hair. She dresses primarily in business suits and 
  is a well-spoken woman. Quite often she finds 
  herself given public relations tasks, because, as 
  Area Director Hendricks once bluntly pointed 
  out, she’s the most presentable Wizard agent in 
  the Southeast area. She is frequently partnered 
  with Agent Homer Wenger. 
   Agent Homer Wenger: A nervous agent in 
  his mid-twenties, Homer Wenger was one of the 
  youngest agents to graduate from the PRIMUS 
  Academy. His bachelor’s degree is in 
  biochemistry – and he has been obsessed since 
  childhood with being able to document the 
  existence of ghosts, and since becoming a 
  Wizards agent, his quest has become all-
  consuming. Admittedly more of a “lab rat” than 
  a field agent, Agent Wenger is most frequently 
  found with his nose in a book or checking 
  reading in the lab. Think a shorter Egon with a 
  nervous tic.  
   
   Agent Joanne Frost got her start in 
  PRIMUS not as an agent, but as a historian hired 
  by PR Director Kitty Cochrane to produce a 
  history of the agency. Fascinated by the 
  “invisible” cases PRIMUS handled relating to 
  the mystical world, after her history was 
  completed, she applied to the agency – and was 
  accepted.  
   Joanne is now in her mid-thirties and keeps 
  her black hair short. She has green eyes that are 
  often clouded in thought. She would be pretty if 
  she took the time to manage her appearance; her 
  suits seem to wrinkle as soon as she puts them 
  on.  
  PRIMUS Public 
  Relations  
   
  “Is there any truth to Bob Martin’s 
  allegations against Avenger Chow?”  
   
  It was the question every reporter 
  in the Robert Kaufmann Auditorium 
  wanted to ask, and all eyes snapped to 
  the diminutive woman standing at the 
  podium, whose face darkened in anger. 
  Though scarcely five feet tall, she 
  loomed over the crowd, an imposing 
  presence.   
   
  The reporter who’d asked the 
  question took a step backwards – and 
  tripped over his chair.  
   
  “Of course Avenger Chow is 
  innocent,” PRIMUS Public Relations 
  Director Kitty Cochrane said scathingly. 
  “Unlike you, Frank, do you really think 
  she needs to sexually harass a Post 
  reporter to get a date?”  
   
  The crowd chuckled obediently. 
   
  “Didn’t they teach you any better at 
  Columbia?” she scolded him. “Or have 
  you given up your job at the Times to 
  work at the Daily Observer? Next 
  question!” 
  DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND 
   
   
   
  PRIMUS PR is Kitty Cochrane. 
   
  In 1996, Director Peter Glenn hired Kitty to 
  head the PR department. Until that point, a 
  photogenic Intelligence Agent would make 
  statements to the press as needed. But Kitty 
  turned PRIMUS PR into a powerhouse – and the 
  agency’s image has soared to new heights of 
  popularity.  
   
  It was Kitty who masterminded Avenger 
  Hartigan’s press conference (she referred to it as 
  his “coming out party”); Hartigan had notified 
  Director Glenn about his intentions, and Glenn, 
  in turn, directed Kitty to assist the Avenger. As a 
  result, Hartigan’s approval rating rose after his 
  announcement, and he became one of the most 
  sought-after talk show guests in the country. 
  With Kitty’s supervision, of course, he accepted 
  those invitations.  
   
  Kitty’s greatest challenge came in Summer 
  2000, when an assault agent accused the 
  Avenger Chow of sexual harassment. Kitty 
  immediately took control of the situation – and 
  as a result, what could have been a disaster for 
  both the Avenger and the agency again turned 
  into a triumph. Not only was the Avenger 
  innocent, she said scathingly in repeated 
  interviews, the accusation (which was, in fact, 
  groundless) was nothing short of a declaration of 
  war by a disgruntled and disruptive employee. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  55
  Around the country, people rallied to the Chow’s 
  defense.  
   
  Kitty won that round – and the bout. Kitty 
  always wins. 
   
  Not surprisingly, Kitty Cochrane is a woman 
  to be respected – and feared. She has her finger 
  on the pulse of American public opinion and 
  knows how to orchestrate events to manipulate 
  that opinion just the way she wants it.  
   
  Kitty’s office is located in the Jonathan 
  Hawkins Building in Washington, DC, but she 
  travels frequently to bases around the country. 
  Her staff – there are now two agents in each base 
  devoted to handling PRIMUS PR – dances to her 
  tune; although she is a difficult woman to work 
  for, she can also be generous. She is one of the 
  highest paid members of Director Glenn’s 
  executive staff, and she has negotiated high 
  salaries for her personnel.  
   
  All PRIMUS press releases are personally 
  approved by Kitty; all press conferences are 
  overseen by Kitty or one of her staff. Though 
  Avengers and Base Commanders alike have 
  complained (privately) to Director Glenn about 
  her methods, Glenn is adamant in allowing Kitty 
  absolute freedom to do her job as she sees fit.  
  Kitty Cochrane  
  Background:  An heiress and socialite, Kitty 
  learned how to manipulate people at an early 
  age. Her father, a wealthy publisher, had little 
  time for his only child, and his numerous 
  girlfriends often curried favor with him by being 
  friendly with Kitty. She learned how to use them 
  to get what she wanted.  
   
  Those lessons served her well as she grew 
  older – and she found it was a simple matter to 
  get what she wanted from just about anyone. 
  Though she became very set in her ways, Kitty 
  wasn’t spoiled – just willful.  
   
  At twenty-four, she met Thomas Cochrane, 
  a Washington lobbyist who didn’t do exactly as 
  she wanted – and she fell head over heels in love. 
  Their marriage was a happy one, and when he 
  died from lymphoma just a few years afterwards, 
  she was devastated. She has never remarried and 
  lives alone in a Georgetown townhouse with 
  their son, Tom.  
   
  Kitty has long been a friend of Director 
  Glenn’s wife – it was she who suggested to her 
  husband that Kitty might be a good fit with the 
  agency – and continues to see both Glenns 
  socially.  
   
  She has one weakness: her son, Thomas, Jr. 
  Despite his mother’s best efforts, Thomas has 
  never been able to settle on a career and has 
  struggled with drug addiction since his teenage 
  years. Only his mother’s powerful influence has 
  kept him out of jail, but even she has her limits.  
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Kitty loves to be in 
  control. Her early childhood was chaotic and 
  ungrounded, and she hated it – she has vowed to 
  never be at anyone’s mercy again. Until she met 
  her husband, she kept that vow, and after his 
  death, she returned to it. Only her son has the 
  power to break her heart now (as he often has).  
   
  The more unhappy Kitty is with things in 
  which she has no say, the harder she works to 
  control the things she can. When Kitty’s burning 
  the midnight oil at PRIMUS, most staffers steer 
  clear of her office – she’s dangerous in a bad 
  mood.  
   
  She is very protective of the agency and will 
  respond to negative criticism with acerbic, quick 
  wit.  
   
  Quote:  “You’re right, Senator, that’s a very 
  interesting allegation about Avenger Richardson. 
  But it isn’t true – unlike that little vacation you 
  took with Miss Bambi Anderson down in St. 
  Croix. Now, now, don’t worry  – no one besides 
  me has heard a word of it. I’m sure you’d prefer 
  to keep it that way, wouldn’t you?”  
   
  Powers/Tactics:  People believe what Kitty says 
  – almost always. Kitty doesn’t know she’s a 
  paranormal, and would scoff at anyone who 
  might suggest it. Director Glenn has his 
  suspicions, however, but has kept them secret; 
  they’re his ace in the hole if Kitty ever decides to 
  leave. He is careful to use psionic-neutralizing 
  equipment when he meets with her. 
   
  Many, many people owe Kitty favors. She 
  prefers it that way – but only calls them in if she 
  absolutely needs them. She likes having people 
  in her debt.  
   
  Campaign Uses:  Any hero who runs afoul of 
  Kitty Cochrane by voicing criticism of “her” 
  Avengers or agents is in for a bumpy ride. 
  Conversely, anyone who wins Kitty over to their 
  side will have a formidable ally, should the need 
  arise. If a hero learns the secret of Kitty’s 
  influence and leaks it, the results could be 
  disastrous for Kitty – or the hero, depending 
  upon how the situation is manipulated (and by 
  whom).  
   
  Appearance:  Kitty is an attractive, petite 
  woman in her forties. She has short, blond hair 
  and hazel eyes. She dresses in severe, but 
  tailored, suits that are never rumpled. Her voice 
  will often take on nuances of different accents – 
  Southern when she wants to put people at ease, 
  Midwestern when she’s trying to appeal to a 
  large, diverse group – when she speaks. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  56 
  Kitty Cochrane 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100kg; 2d6 HTH [1] 
   10 DEX 
  0 11- OCV:  3/DCV:  3 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll:  13- 
   18 EGO 
  16 13- ECV:  6 
   25 PRE 
  20 14- PRE Attack:  5d6 
   14 COM 
  2 12- 
   
   
  3 PD 
  1 
   Total:  3 (0 rPD) 
   
  3 ED 
  0 
   Total:  3 (0 rED) 
   
  2 SPD 
  0 
   Phases:  6, 12 
   
  5 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   24 STUN 
  0 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 57 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   35 Subconscious Presence:  Mind 
  Control 14d6, Invisible to Mental 
  Sense Group (+½); No 
  Conscious Control (-2) 
  10 
   
   Perks 
   10 10 Favors 
   30 10 Useful Contacts 
   10 Money (Wealthy) 
   
   Skills 
   
  3 Acting 14- 
   
  3 Bribery 14- 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 14- 
   
  2 CK: Washington, DC 11- 
   
  3 Conversation 14- 
   
  3 High Society 14- 
   
  3 Oratory 14- 
   
  3 Persuasion 14- 
   
  4 PS: Public Relations Genius 14- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 112 
  Total Cost: 169 
   
   75+ Disadvantages 
   10 DNPC: Son, Thomas Cochrane, Jr. 
  (Normal, 8-) 
   10 Enraged: when PRIMUS threatened 
  (Common), go 11-, recover 11- 
   10 Psychological Limitation: Hates Being 
  Out Of Control (Uncommon, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation: Protective Of 
  PRIMUS (Common, Strong) 
   10 Social Limitation: Public Identity 
  (Frequently, Minor) 
   10 Reputation: woman not to cross, 11- 
   29 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points: 169 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  57
  OTHER PR PERSONNEL  
   
   
   
  Kitty’s spokespeople – her term – are 
  carefully chosen from the best agencies and are 
  well versed in PRIMUS operations. As a rule, 
  Kitty selects spokespeople with a strong sense of 
  the community they’re assigned to for maximum 
  respectability.  
   
  Andy Morconi, Boston: This tall, brown-
  haired, brown-eyed beauty was born and raised 
  in Boston and has served as PRIMUS’s 
  spokesperson there since 1999, ever since she 
  graduated from Boston College. Andy has 
  defused a number of difficult situations in the 
  past and has a calm, soothing voice – with a 
  thick Boston accent.  
   
  Bob Holt, Seattle: Bob came to PRIMUS 
  after a career in broadcast journalism. He has 
  sandy hair and blue eyes and the build of an 
  Avenger. His all-American good looks and 
  trusting voice have served him well at the Seattle 
  base, which has been plagued with scandal after 
  scandal.  
   
  Fran Fujimora, San Francisco: Fran is the 
  half-sister of Silver Avenger Maria Chow and 
  was not handpicked by Kitty. Avenger Chow so 
  disliked Kitty’s selection for San Francisco that 
  she pulled a sneaky maneuver of her own – and 
  to Kitty’s surprise, triumphed. As a result, Fran 
  does not enjoy many of the same benefits of 
  patronage that her coworkers do, although she’s 
  working on improving relations with her boss. 
  Fran is petite and thin, of mixed Asian descent.  
   
  Creating Agents  
   
   
  PRIMUS describes how to create PRIMUS 
  agents from a 75-point normal to a 200-point 
  agent, after completing the Academy. The 
  addition of 125 points reflects the long time the 
  agents spend at the Academy acquiring a large 
  number of skills, both investigative and combat-
  oriented. From a real-world standpoint, it’s 
  meant to simulate the training that an FBI agent 
  receives – and then some.  
   
  Yet in a 350-point superhero game, 200-
  point agents are intimidating – and rightfully so. 
  Those 200 points don’t even begin to take into 
  account the nifty gadgets agents have at their 
  disposal: blaster pistols, heavy blasters, stun 
  grenades, and EMP Frisbees go a long way 
  toward leveling the field. In PRIMUS, a team of 
  agents can threaten even experienced 
  superheroes. (Which is exactly how it should be, 
  according to PRIMUS!) 
   
  Existing PRIMUS agents, published in the 
  original book or online, may be modified by 
  simply reducing combat skill levels and skills. 
  But for GMs who wish to create their own, 
  lower-powered PRIMUS agents (or for lower-
  powered PRIMUS campaigns, where the PCs 
  play Intelligence and Assault Agents), here’s a 
  step-by-step process for creating 125-point 
  agents.  
  AGENT CREATION PROCESS 
   
   
   
  All Agents types start with a 50-point 
  character, using Normal Human Characteristic 
  Maxima. This is the agent before he enters the 
  Academy, and you should include all appropriate 
  hobby and background skills and any marital arts 
  the character learned prior to entering PRIMUS. 
  Don’t forget area knowledges or professional 
  licensures here. Languages the character knows, 
  contacts that may prove useful – this is the place 
  to buy them.  
   
  Essential PRIMUS Skills:  For the first 
  three months at the Academy, all agents, whether 
  they will follow the Intelligence or the Assault 
  Agent paths, acquire essential PRIMUS Skills. 
  These are a basic knowledge of PRIMUS’s 
  organization and mission, the criminal 
  organizations it fights, what is expected of a 
  PRIMUS agent professionally, as well as basic 
  first-aid training. (17 points)  
   
   Perks 
   
  3 Federal Police Powers 
   
   Skills 
   
  3 KS: Criminal Organizations 
   
  3 KS: PRIMUS 
   
  3 Paramedic 
   
  3 PS: PRIMUS Agent  
   
  2 WF: Small Arms 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  58 
  Assault Agent Template (Low 
  Powered) 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200kg; 3d6 HTH [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   15 CON 
  10 12- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   12 EGO 
  4 11- ECV:  4 
   13 PRE 
  3 12- PRE Attack:  2½d6 
   12 COM 
  1 11- 
   
   
  5 PD 
  2 
   Total:  5 (0 rPD) 
   
  3 ED 
  0 
   Total:  3 (0 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  2 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   30 END 
  0 
   28 STUN 
  0 
   
   
  Characteristic Total: 58  
  Movement: Running: 
  7”/14” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
  2 +1” Running (7” Total) 
  1 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  PRIMUS Training 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  3 Aikido Throw +0 
  +1 
  3d6+v/5 
   
  4 Boxing Cross 
  +0 
  +2 
  5d6 Strike 
   
  5 Choke Hold 
  -2 
  +0 
  Grab, 2d6 NND 
   
  4 Judo Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  25 STR 
   
  4 Karate Chop 
  -2 
  +0 
  HKA 1d6+1 
   
  4 Kung Fu Block +2 
  +2 
  Block 
   
   Perks 
   
  3 Federal Police Powers 
   
   Skills 
   
  5 +1 with Hand-To-Hand Combat 
   
  5 +1 with Ranged Combat 
   
   
  2 Area Knowledge 11- 
   
  3 Breakfall 13- 
   
  3 KS: Criminal Organizations 12- 
   
  2 KS: Degree 11- 
   
  2 KS: Paranormals And Their Powers 11- 
   
  3 KS: PRIMUS 12- 
   
  3 Paramedic 12- 
   
  2 PS: Degree 11- 
   
  3 PS: PRIMUS Agent 12- 
   
  3 Tactics 12- 
   
  2 WF: Small Arms 
   
  Powers & Skills Total: 67 
  Total Template Cost: 125 
   75+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Hunted:  PRIMUS 8- (As Pow, NCI, 
  Watching, Mild) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  PRIMUS 
  Code (Common, Strong) 
   10 Reputation:  protects innocents, 11- 
   10 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Frequently, Minor) 
   15 Vulnerability:  1½x Effect from Poisons 
  & Toxins  
   
  Disadvantage Total: 130  
   
   
  ASSAULT AGENT SPECIALIZATION 
   
   
   
  Cyberline-tolerant agents (a minority in the 
  organization) will progress down the Assault 
  path, and acquire hand-to-hand combat skills in 
  the second phase of their training. They also 
  learn small-group tactics and learn the PRIMUS 
  Martial Arts package. (32 points)  
   
   
  3 Breakfall 
   
  2 KS: Paranormals And Their Powers 
  (emphasis on how to fight) 
   
  3 Tactics 
   24 PRIMUS Martial Arts (Commando 
  Package) 
   
   
  Additionally, Assault Agents acquire fifteen 
  points to divide between STR, DEX, CON, PD, 
  and ED. Normal Human Characteristic Maxima 
  will no longer apply to the character after 
  Cyberline treatment. (15 points)  
   
  And to round out the agent, allow the player 
  to spend up to eleven points to acquire levels, to 
  raise existing skills or characteristics. (11 points)  
   
  Using this system, the average assault agent 
  is 125 points – a good deal lower in power than 
  his 200-point equivalent and more easily 
  overcome.   
   
   Note: In this low-powered version, the 
  PRIMUS Assault Agent’s Disadvantages easily 
  outstrip what’s required – GMs using this system 
  should decide which Disadvantages are the most 
  important to the campaign and should cut the 
  others to allow greater personalization of the 
  character.  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  59
  Intelligence Agent Template 
  (Low Powered)  
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100kg; 2d6 HTH [1] 
   13 DEX 
  9 12- OCV:  4/DCV:  4 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   13 EGO 
  6 12- ECV:  4 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- PRE Attack:  3d6 
   12 COM 
  1 11- 
   
   
  2 PD 
  0 
   Total:  2 (0 rPD) 
   
  3 ED 
  0 
   Total:  3 (0 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  7 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  5 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   24 STUN 
  0 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 41 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Perks 
   
  3 Federal/National Police Powers 
   
  1 Contact 8- 
   
  1 Favor 
   
  1 Professional License 
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 with Ranged Combat 
   
  6 +3 with PRIMUS Blasters 
   
   
  3 Bureaucratics 12- 
   
  3 Bugging 12- 
   
  2 City Knowledge 11- 
   
  3 Computer Programming 12- 
   
  3 Concealment 12- 
   
  3 Conversation 12- 
   
  3 Interrogation 12- 
   
  3 KS: Criminal Organizations 12- 
   
  2 KS: College Degree 11- 
   
  2 KS: DEMON 11- 
   
  2 KS: Hobby Skill 11- 
   
  2 KS: Federal Law 11- 
   
  3 KS: Investigative Methods 12- 
   
  3 KS: Paranormals & Their Powers 12- 
   
  3 KS: PRIMUS 12- 
   
  3 Lockpicking 12- 
   
  3 Paramedic 12- 
   
  2 PS: First Career Field 11- 
   
  3 PS: PRIMUS Agent 12- 
   
  3 Security Systems 12- 
   
  3 Stealth 12- 
   
  3 Tracking 12- 
   
  2 WF: Small Arms 
   
  Total Powers & Skills: 84 
  Total Cost: 125 
   75+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Hunted:  PRIMUS 8- (As Pow, NCI, 
  Watching, Mild) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  PRIMUS 
  Code (Common, Strong) 
   10 Reputation:  protects innocents, 11- 
   10 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Frequently, Minor) 
  Add Character-Specific Disads; 1-point Quirks 
  highly recommended to personalize. 
   
  Total Disadvantages: 115  
  (125 with Character-Specific Additions) 
   
  INTELLIGENCE AGENT 
  SPECIALIZATION 
   
   
   
  Intelligence agents do the bulk of 
  investigative work in PRIMUS. In the second 
  phase of their training, they’ll learn criminal 
  methods, investigative techniques, learn more 
  about paranormals and criminal analysis. Agents 
  very often discover where they wish to specialize 
  during this point in their training. (35 points) 
   
   
  3 Bureaucratics 
   
  3 Bugging 
   
  3 Computer Programming 
   
  3 Concealment 
   
  3 Conversation 
   
  3 Interrogation 
   
  3 KS:  Investigative Methods 
   
  2 KS: Federal Law 
   
  3 KS: Paranormals & their Powers 
  (emphasis on how to investigate) 
   
  3 Security Systems 
   
  3 Stealth 
   
  3 Tracking 
   
  Intelligence Agents also receive twenty-three 
  points to use to raise their existing skills and 
  characteristics (Normal Human Characteristic 
  Maxima still applies) and to purchase new skills 
  appropriate to their investigations, such as KS: 
  VIPER. Combat skills are highly recommended. 
  (23 points)  
  Using this method of character creation, 
  Intelligence Agents will total 125 points. They 
  are much less efficient in combat than their 200-
  point counterparts and will likely avoid it if at all 
  possible.  
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  60 
  The Jade Dragon Queen by Robert Hudson 
   
  Background/History: Ma Lin Yao was born to 
  poverty in the slums of Shanghai in 1909, her 
  family one of the many that eked out a living on 
  the margins of society. At an early age, Lin Yao 
  knew she wanted more for herself; she wanted 
  the rich food, luxurious clothes, and worshipful 
  attendants she saw wealthy women enjoying 
  when she spied on them through their windows.  
   
  Her greatest assets being her appearance and 
  intelligence, she used the first to disguise the 
  second. Apprenticing herself to an old alchemist, 
  she traded her charms for knowledge until she 
  had learned everything he could teach her, and 
  then poisoned him using a formula he thought 
  too advanced for her.  
   
  Using her knowledge of alchemical 
  preparations, she made her already devastating 
  charms irresistible and attached herself to a local 
  crime figure, learning everything that she could 
  of his organization and how it functioned before 
  moving on to another, more powerful, figure. 
  She repeated the process several times, until she 
  felt she had the knowledge necessary to 
  implement the final stage of her plan. 
   
  In one evening, she killed her latest lover 
  and seized control of his organization – a branch 
  of the Glorious Jade Dragon tong. Cunningly 
  keeping the knowledge from both the rank and 
  file and her former lover’s superiors, she 
  maintained the fiction that her lover was alive 
  and directing the tong while she began a program 
  of expansion, building her faction into one of the 
  strongest in the tong. Then, and only then, she 
  revealed she had been the creator of the faction's 
  success to the leaders of the tong, and asked to 
  be granted their permission to continue. 
   
  Impressed by her audacity and success, the 
  leaders agreed – with two provisions. First, they 
  required her to accept a bodyguard to “ensure her 
  safety” (and ensure that she did not betray them 
  as she had her former masters). Second, they 
  required her to assume control of tong operations 
  in a new area, far from Shanghai (and them):  
  New York City. 
   
  A consummate actress, Lin Yao protested 
  and argued with them, while secretly delighted 
  they were sending her away from the provincial 
  streets of China to the greatest metropolis in the 
  world. She allowed them their “victory,” acting 
  properly contrite and subdued as they brought in 
  her new bodyguard, a huge brute named Chang 
  Hu, and sent her away under his watchful eye.1 
   
  Since arriving in New York, she has divided 
  her time between sampling the delights of 
  western civilization and consolidating her control 
  over the tong's enterprises. Once her control is 
                                                             
  art by Eric Rademaker 
  set, she will look to expand the territory under 
  her control. That means a confrontation with one 
  of the other major tongs in New York City – the 
  On Leong and Hop Sing tongs – or with the 
  American mobs. She has yet to decide which, but 
  one of them will soon feel the touch of her claws. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  The most important 
  things in Lin Yao’s universe are herself and her 
  desires. If she sees something she wants she will 
  stop at nothing to possess it, even to the point of 
  spending more than the item is worth to secure it. 
  She is vain, and spares herself no luxury, 
  exercising more to retain her figure than to hone 
  her fighting skills. 
   
  She collects men like toys, playing with one 
  until a new one strikes her fancy, but never 
  releasing the old ones from her grasp. She can be 
  the most ardent lover imaginable, but men who 
  succumb to her charms must devote themselves 
  to her fully. Any lapse can cause her ardor to 
  turn to venomous, jealous rage. 
   
  She cannot abide any woman whose 
  appearance rivals hers, and will do whatever is 
  necessary to prove herself superior when she 
  encounters one. She is not above sending 
  presents with traps to disfigure her rival if all 
  else fails. 
   
  Were she to find an organization or 
  individual more powerful than the Jade Dragon 
  tong, she would consider abandoning the tong 
  and aligning herself with them. The only 
  stumbling blocks would be her need to ensure 
  her lifestyle did not decrease, and finding a way 
  to remove Chang Hu. 
   
  Quote:  “Come, sit here beside me and let us see 
  if we can resolve our differences in a… 
  civilized… manner.” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Lin Yao is a manipulator, not a 
  fighter, and the Jade Dragon’s crimes under her 
  leadership reflect this. She stresses crimes like 
  blackmail, extortion, prostitution, and gambling 
  over the traditional drugs importation business.  
   
  She knows the basics of kung fu, but prefers 
  to let others, especially Chang Hu, do her 
  fighting. If she is cornered or threatened with 
  serious harm, she will surrender, trusting her 
  rescue to her wiles and her minions. 
   
  Her studies of Chinese alchemy have made 
  her a master poisoner. She can produce almost 
  any desired effect, from weakening the will of a 
  reluctant informant to turning his heart to stone 
  in his chest. She can also produce drugs with 
  various effects, depending on the availability of 
  materials. 
   
  She will always have some sort of poisoned 
  device to hand, carrying everything from darts 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  61
  disguised as ornaments, to cigarettes with 
  poisonous smoke, to lipstick that saps the will. If 
  she knows a conflict is inevitable, she will coat 
  her nails with lethal venom that can be delivered 
  with a scratch. 
   
  Campaign Use:  Lin Yao is designed as a 
  continuing Master Villain in a heroic level Pulp 
  Hero campaign set in 1930. (If your campaign 
  takes place later or earlier, adjust dates as 
  necessary.) She should be presented to the PCs 
  slowly, with small plans being encountered and 
  thwarted first, and then more far-reaching ones 
  as they learn more about her.  
   
  Meeting Lin Yao in person should be 
  delayed until the PCs have become enough of a 
  thorn to warrant her individual attention. When 
  that occurs, she will first try to persuade them to 
  turn their interest elsewhere, then try to find 
  information that would let her control one or 
  more of the PCs and barter for their non-
  interference, resorting to Chang Hu or her 
  poisons and potions only if her other attempts 
  fail.  
   
  She can be reasoned or bargained with for 
  information, assistance, and even alchemical 
  potions or drugs by the PCs. The price for such 
  aid will rise directly with the effort involved, and 
  might involve adventures to retrieve rare 
  ingredients she requires for new alchemical 
  preparations. 
   
  In genre tradition, she will find one of the 
  male PCs fascinating and try to lure him to her 
  side, first by charm alone, and then using other 
  methods. This process should take place over 
  time, allowing for many role-playing 
  opportunities. 
   
  To reduce her power level, cut back the 
  point total of her VPP reserve, or eliminate it 
  entirely and purchase a few preparations 
  individually. To increase it, add some maneuvers 
  and a pair of Damage Classes to her martial arts, 
  or revise her VPP and make her a practitioner of 
  Chinese sorcery. 
   
  Appearance: Lin Yao is an extremely beautiful 
  Chinese woman, very tall for the period at 5'7½". 
  She has a well-proportioned figure for her 
  height, and accents it with garments that show 
  off her charms to best advantage. Her clothing 
  always shows Chinese influences, even if cut in 
  Western fashion. She may accessorize with small 
  items of jewelry, and normally has a long 
  cigarette holder at hand. She has black eyes and 
  very long black hair. Her nails are long, but not 
  strangely so. She walks like a jungle cat on the 
  prowl, both a warning of her predatory nature, 
  and a dare to those brave enough to test her at the 
  same time. 
   
  SAMPLE 
  ALCHEMICAL 
  PREPARATIONS 
   
   13 Fingernail 
  Venom:  RKA 
  1d6, NND (+1), 
  Does BODY 
  (defense is 
  appropriate 
  immunity, +1); 
  Nails Must Do 
  BODY (-¼),  
   
   No Range (-½), 
  Linked (-¼),  
   
   No KB (-¼),  
   
   4 Charges (-1) 
   9 Universal 
  Antidote: Dispel 
  Poison 15d6; OAF 
  Fragile Difficult 
  To Acquire (easily 
  spilled or diluted 
  drug, ingredients 
  difficult to 
  acquire; -1½),  
   
   No Range (-½),  
   
   1 Charge (-2) 
   8 Aphrodisiac 
  Perfume:  Mind 
  Control 1d6, 
  Telepathic (+½), 
  Area Of Effect  
   
   (1-Hex; +½), 
  Continuous (+1), 
  Cumulative (+½), 
  Increased 
  Cumulative Points 
  (48; +¾), NND 
  (defense is 
  holding one’s 
  breath or 
  appropriate LS: 
  Immunity; +½), 
  Personal 
  Immunity (+¼), 
  Uncontrolled 
  (power continues 
  to affect target 
  until all charges 
  expended; +½); 
  Single Command: 
  “You Desire Me” 
  (-1), No Range  
   
   (-½), 10 Charges 
  (-¼) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  62 
  Ma Lin Yao 
  The Glorious Jade Dragon Queen 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH [1] 
   16 DEX 
  18 12- OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   18 CON 
  16 13- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   19 INT 
  9 13- PER Roll:  13- 
   17 EGO 
  14 12- ECV:  6 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack:  4d6 
   22 COM 
  7 13- 
   
   
  5 PD 
  3 
   Total:  5 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  4 ED 
  0 
   Total:  4 ED (0 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  4 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  8 REC 
  4 
   41 END 
  2 
   28 STUN 
  2 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 93 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   90 Alchemical Supply:  Variable Power 
  Pool (Poisons Pool), 70 base + 30 
  control cost; Can Only Be Changed In 
  Quarters (-½), Only For Poisons Or 
  Drugs (-¼) 
   
  4 Claws Of The Dragon Queen:  HKA 1 
  Pip (½d6 with STR); IIF Alchemically 
  Treated Fingernails (-¼) 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  Jade Dragon Kung Fu 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4 Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block 
   
  4 Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge 
   
  4 Punch 
  +1 
  +3 
  2d6 Strike 
   
  4 Kick 
  +0 
  +2 
  4d6 Strike 
   
  3 Escape 
  +0 
  +0 
  25 STR 
   
  1 Use Art with Nails 
   
   Perks 
   12 Contacts: 4 with very useful Skills or 
  resources 
   45 Followers: 128 50-point Followers 
   10 Fringe Benefit:  Tong Lord 
   10 Money:  Wealthy 
   
  4 Reputation: Tong Lord (in 
  criminal/Chinese circles) +3/+3D6 
   
   Talents 
   
  4 Double Jointed 
   
  6 Simulate Death (+3 to roll) 
   
   Skills 
   
  9 +3 with Block, Dodge, Escape 
   
  6 +3 with Blowgun 
   15 +3 with Interaction Skills 
   
   
  3 Acrobatics 12- 
   
  3 Acting 13- 
   
  3 AK: China 13- 
   
  3 Breakfall 12- 
   
  3 Bribery 13- 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 13- 
   
  2 CK: New York City 13- 
   
  3 CK: Shanghai 13- 
   
  3 Concealment 13- 
   
  3 Contortionist 13- 
   
  3 Conversation 13- 
   
  3 High Society 13- 
   
  3 Interrogation 13- 
   
  3 KS: Chinese Alchemy 13- 
   
  2 KS: Jade Dragon Kung Fu 11- 
   
  5 KS: Jade Dragon Tong 15- 
   
  8 KS: Poisons 18- 
   
  3 KS: Tong World 13- 
   
  4 Language: Mandarin (native accent) 
  (Cantonese is native) 
   
  3 Language: English (fluent conversation) 
   
  3 Persuasion 13- 
   
  4 PS: Tong Lord 14- 
   
  7 Seduction 15- 
   
  3 Stealth 12- 
   
  6 SS: Toxicology 16- 
   
  3 Well-Connected 
   
  8 WF: Common Melee, Common Martial 
  Arts Melee, Common Missile, Nails, 
  Blowgun 
   
  Total Powers and Skills Cost:  335 
  Total Character Cost:  428 
   
   100+ Disadvantages 
   15 Distinctive Features:  Beautiful Chinese 
  Woman (Concealable; Always Noticed) 
   10 Hunted:  Jade Dragon Tong Leaders 11- 
  (As Pow, NCI, Watching) 
   10 Hunted:  Chang Hu14- (As Pow, Watching) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Selfish 
  Hedonist (Very Common, Moderate) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Manipulative 
  and ambitious (Very Common, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Ruthless 
  When Will Is Thwarted (Common, 
  Strong) 
   
  5 Reputation:  Tong Lord 11- (Limited 
  Group) 
   10 Rivalry:  Professional and Romantic 
  (with other beautiful women, for any 
  reason) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Very Frequently, Major) 
   228 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  428 
   
   16 Heart of Cold 
  Stone Poison:  
  RKA 1d6, 
  Continuous (+1), 
  Uncontrolled 
  (power continues 
  to affect target 
  until all charges 
  are expended; 
  +½), NND (+1), 
  Does BODY 
  (defense is 
  appropriate LS: 
  Immunity; +1); 
  No Range (-½), 
  OAF Fragile 
  Difficult To 
  Acquire (easily 
  spilled or diluted 
  poison, 
  ingredients are 
  rare; -1½),  
   
   No KB (-¼),  
   
   6 Charges (-¾) 
   18 Weakness Darts:  
  Drain STR 4d6, 
  Ranged (+½); 
  OAF Blowgun 
  and Darts (-1), 
  Range Based On 
  STR (-¼),  
   
   4 Charges (-1) 
   10 Kiss Of The 
  Dragon’s Sleep:  
  Major Transform 
  1d6 (normal 
  person to person 
  in virtually 
  undetectable 
  suspended 
  animation, heals 
  back normally) 
  Continuous (+1), 
  Uncontrolled 
  (power continues 
  to affect target 
  until all Charges 
  are spent; +½);  
   
   No Range (-½), 
  OAF Fragile 
  Difficult To 
  Acquire (easily 
  spilled or diluted 
  drug, ingredients 
  are rare; -1½),  
   
   8 Charges (-½) 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  63
  Chang Hu 
  Background/History:  The leaders of the 
  Glorious Jade Dragon tong discovered Chang Hu 
  on the streets of Hangzhou when he was just a 
  boy – and already the size of a full-grown man. 
  Seeing his potential, they took him from the 
  streets and trained him, forging a weapon to 
  destroy their enemies. 
   
  As he grew, they made sure he had the best 
  training possible, and that he worked to develop 
  his physical power to undreamt-of peaks. He 
  fought men daily, first singly, then in groups. 
  When they ceased to be a challenge, the tong 
  leaders procured bears and tigers for him to hone 
  his skills against until they too were no 
  challenge. Then, and only then, did the tong 
  leaders unleash him on their enemies. 
   
  As he destroyed their enemies one by one, 
  the tong leaders began to grow nervous, looking 
  about for a new task for the giant they had 
  created, lest he turn on them. Ma Lin Yao was 
  their salvation. They assigned Chang Hu to 
  guard and serve her – and to ensure that she did 
  not betray them as she had her earlier masters – 
  and sent him to America with her. 
   
  Before he left, knowing of Lin Yao's 
  proficiency with poisons, the leaders gave him a 
  final gift – a draught made from crushed pearls 
  and other, secret ingredients, including a single 
  drop of dragon's blood. The potion did its work, 
  and granted Chang Hu virtual immunity to 
  poisons and drugs, thus making him the perfect 
  guardian for Lin Yao. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Looking at him, one 
  would expect Chang Hu to be a dullard – but looks 
  are deceiving. While no genius, he is far from 
  stupid. He says little, but when he speaks, the 
  rumble of his voice gets attention. He has no 
  hobbies outside of honing his skills, and no life 
  outside his service to the tong. His loyalty to the 
  tong is unshakable, even in the face of death. He's 
  suspicious of Lin Yao, but will follow her orders 
  until he determines that she is working against the 
  tong's best interests, or she attempts to leave. 
   
  Quote:  “You die now.” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Chang Hu is rarely far from Lin 
  Yao’s side unless dispatched on an errand of death. 
  He prefers to fight in close, where his size and 
  strength are an advantage. He's not stupid, and if 
  forced to fight with no chance of closing or if faced 
  with firearms, he will retreat and ambush his 
  opponent at a better time. He prefers to work alone 
  – but only against opponents he deems worthy.  
   
  He will test individuals against regular tong 
  enforcers (alone and in groups) and in dangerous 
  situations before committing to a fight. He is not 
  opposed to fighting two or three opponents at once 
  – the challenge is all he lives for. The only 
  weapons he allows himself besides his hands and 
  feet are several of the tong's trademark hatchets. 
   
  Campaign Use:  Chang Hu is designed to be the 
  unstoppable opponent characters run from until the 
  final fight. He is totally loyal, virtually unstoppable, 
  and very, very dangerous.  
   
  To reduce his power level, decrease all 
  statistics to normal human maximum levels, cut back 
  his skill levels, and make his Damage Reduction 25% 
  with the same limitations.  
  To increase his 
  power level, add a 
  pair of Damage 
  Classes or give him 
  one or two martial 
  arts-based powers. 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #2 
   
  64 
  Chang Hu 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   25 STR 
  20 14- Lift 800 kg; 5d6 HTH [2] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- OCV:  6/DCV:  8 
   23 CON 
  32 14- 
   18 BODY 
  16 13- 
   12 INT 
  2 11- PER Roll:  11- 
   15 EGO 
  10 12- ECV:  5 
   23 PRE 
  16 14- PRE Attack: 4 ½d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   10 PD 
  7 
   Total:  13 PD (3 rPD) 
   
  5 ED 
  0 
   Total:  8 ED (3 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  12 
   Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   12 REC 
  4 
   50 END 
  2 
   50 STUN 
  7 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 143 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   17 Iron Ox Technique:  50% Damage 
  Resistance vs. PD, Resistant; Must Be 
  Aware Of Attack (-¼); Stun Only (-½) 
   
  8 Stance Of The Immovable Mountain:  
  Knockback Resistance -4” 
   10 Blood Of The Jade Dragon I:  Life 
  Support (Immune To All Terrestrial 
  Poisons and Drugs) 
   
  8 Blood Of The Jade Dragon II:  Power 
  Defense (12 points) Only Protects Versus 
  Chemicals/Poisons/Drugs (-½) 
   
   
   Martial Arts:  Jade Dragon Kung Fu 
   
   Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block 
   
  4 Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge 
   
  3 Grab 
  -1 
  -1 
  Grab 2 limbs; 
  40 STR for 
  holding on 
   
  4 Knifehand 
  -2 
  +0 
  HKA 1d6 
  (2d6 w/STR) 
   
  4 Nerve Strike 
  -1 
  +1 
  2d6 NND 
   
  4 Punch 
  +0 
  +2 
  7d6 Strike 
   
  4 Tiger Claw 
  +0 
  +0 
  9d6 Crush; 
  Follows Grab 
   
  5 Kick 
  -2 
  +1 
  9d6 Strike 
   
  1 Use Art with Hatchet 
   
   
  4 +3" Running (9" total) 
   
   Perks 
   
  2 Fringe Benefit:  Tong Enforcer 
   
  3 Reputation:  Powerful Fighter (to the 
  Martial World) +3/+3d6 
   
   Talents 
   
  6 Combat Luck 
   15 Combat Sense 11- 
   
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 with DCV 
   12 +4 with Martial Arts 
   
   
  5 Analyze Style 12- 
   
  3 Breakfall 13- 
   
  3 Climbing 13- 
   10 Defense Maneuver IV 
   
  3 Interrogation 14- 
   
  3 KS: Jade Dragon Tong 12- 
   
  4 KS: Jade Dragon Kung Fu 13- 
   
  4 KS: Martial Arts Styles 13- 
   
  4 KS: Martial World 13- 
   
  4 KS: Tong World 13- 
   
  4 Language:  Mandarin Chinese (native) 
  (Cantonese is native) 
   
  3 PS: Tong Enforcer 14- 
   
  9 Shadowing 14- 
   
  5 Stealth 14- 
   
  3 Streetwise 14- 
   
  3 Tracking 11- 
   
  4 WF: Common Melee; Common Martial 
  Arts Melee 
   
  Total Powers and Skills Cost: 202 
  Total Character Cost: 345 
   
   100+ Disadvantages 
   20 Distinctive Features:  Huge, Looming 
  Chinese Man (Not Concealable; Always 
  Noticed; Major Reaction) 
   10 Hunted:  Jade Dragon Tong Leaders 11- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching) 
   10 Hunted:  Ma Lin Yao 14- (As Pow, 
  NCI, Easy To Find, Watching) 
   25 Psych Lim:  Loyal To Jade Dragon 
  Tong Lords (Very Common, Total) 
   15 Psych Lim:  Tests Opponents Before 
  Challenging Them (Common, Strong) 
   15 Psych Lim:  Overconfident (Common, 
  Strong) 
   10 Psych Lim:  Vengeful (Uncommon, 
  Strong) 
   10 Reputation:  Lethal Tong Enforcer 14- 
  (to the Martial World) 
   10 Rivalry: Professional (with other 
  martial artists, seeks to harm or kill 
  rival) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  And Responsible For Underling’s 
  Failures (Very Frequently, Major) 
   100 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  345 
   
  Appearance:  Chang Hu is seven feet tall, 
  scarred, and heavily muscled. He has black eyes 
  and black hair, and normally shaves his head. He 
  cultivates a mandarin-style moustache that hangs 
  to his chin. He dresses in a traditional round, 
  brimless cap and matching robes that will hide 
  his hatchets. 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/DIGITAL_HERO/Hero System - Digital Hero 02.pdf