An Essay on the World

Welcome to Atlanta! Well, not really. This isn't the Atlanta of the real world, but rather my personal vision of a 'might-have-been' Atlanta - or possibly even a 'should-have-been' Atlanta. This is an Atlanta where larger-than-life figures like the ones we've all followed in the comics live, work, and oppose equally larger-than-life opponents. An Atlanta where my players can live out their heroic alter-ego's lives - and possibly entertain others along the way. Before you go any further though, let me give you an idea of the operating parameters and underlying assumptions of the game: The Universe: My vision of the GH Universe is that while it obviously isn't a 4-Color Campaign, neither is it a Dark Champions game. Rather, I feel it lies somewhere between the two. There are a number of 4-Color conventions in place, but there is also a harsher, more realistic look at the effects of metahumans on the world and people that live within it. People are scared of things they don't understand - and jealous of those that have things they do not. Metahumans catch both ends of the spectrum. Violence is more real than in the average 4-Color comic - but less prevalent than in a great many post-modern comics. People can, and do die in the GH Universe for example, sometimes accidentally and even uselessly, and that level of realism can be expected to carry over. On the other hand, they occasionally come back thanks to a miraculous event, or other typical comic-book convention - but counting on it is a sure way to get disappointed more often than not. There are far fewer earth-dominating villains than in a 4-Color universe, and the ones that do exist walk a bit softer, since almost any country has the resources to take them out if they feel the threat is great enough to warrant full military intervention. Global organizations like VIPER exist, and spread their evil across the world - they just do it a bit smarter than in the comics. No 'Global Mind Control Satellites' here - most agencies couldn't afford the enormous financial drain to build a $50 million satellite, much less get it into orbit without it being detected and/or shot down. There are not, and have never been, any recorded alien contacts. No invasions from space have ever occurred, and there is no blasé attitude towards extraterrestrials from the public. There was something out at Roswell - or maybe not - depending on your level of suspicion. If the government has such information, it isn't telling. Magic is real - but not common. Even metahumans who actively participate in the superheroic community might go an entire career and not be sure they've ever encountered a true magician, or fought an actual demon. There are no cross-dimensional rifts on alternate Tuesdays, and no flame-headed extra-dimensional conquerors knocking on the proverbial door on a monthly basis. The organization DEMON doesn't exist as such, but the name is used as a catch-all for unrelated groups of cultists and occult-themed threats. Conventions: Think more 'real-life' than 'comic-book.' At the risk of offending some people, I think that a great many comics and campaigns need a healthy dose of reality to creep in at times. That's not to say that I feel a complete shift to reality is in order, but certainly a nod to it now and then can't hurt. For example, individuals that engage in nuclear blackmail - successful or not - are going to find legions of very unpleasant men in military uniforms visiting them every time they turn around until they are either captured or killed. No exception, no reprieve - governments simply cannot tolerate that kind of threat to their existence. As I stated above, no criminal organization or individual has the resources to stand against any but the smallest of countries - much less the power of a major industrial nation if they bring the full might of their military against them. Players' actions do and will have an effect on the NPC's around them. If 'Muscle Man' treats the police like incompetent idiots and denigrates them regularly in the media, then he'd better hope he never really needs their help on a case. NPC's don't exist to stand around and say "Gosh, you're so smart Stupendous Woman - I never would have figured that out!" They're people with lives, desires, and beliefs of their own, and they will react according to those desires and beliefs. There are consequences for actions taken by players. If 'Mega-Gun Dude' goes out to fight crime by shooting criminals through the head, then no matter how deserving of that fate his victims are, he's going to find a police task force out for his head until he winds up behind bars. Modern forensic science is scary stuff, and sometimes the only defense is to not be someone they want to catch badly enough to use it. That about covers it. I can't promise you that you'll enjoy the material and characters presented here - but I certainly hope that you do!