The Search for a System

So, I have been working on Rally Cry, my super-hero RPG, in one form or another for the last few years.  Granted there have been several looooooong dry spells where it sat untouched for months on end, but every time I come back to it.

The most frustrating part about it is the decision of what system or mechanics do I want to use.  Over the years I have created several different sets of mechanics and I have also had the pleasure of creating a few with my friend Nathan.  But always there is that niggling little thought that the mechanics dont fit what I want to do.

Today I have two systems that I have narrowed it down too.  One, very simple and rules light, the other more mechanically inclined but no less enjoyable.  The choice before me seems to be which one to concentrate on and do playtesting with my other friend Rick.  It is an problem to be sure and one that needs to be rectified soon.

Until then I will continue to expand my setting and work on both sets of mechanics as time, and inspriation, dictate.  The good thing is that setting work is continuing at a decent pace, as is my artwork for it.  I have several pictures inked, and several more drawn and awaiting inking.  I was hoping to put them in color but due to a shoulder problem I am unsure how that would work out.  Coloring, even my rudimentary cell-shading attempts, takes a lot of time and that could be better spent on writing I think.

Time will tell I suppose...

Why Rally Cry

I have often asked myself that very question when writing.  Why do I do what I do, why do I have so many projects going?  The truth is I dont know.  I do know that I enjoy what it is I do most of the time and find it to be relaxing and cathardic in a way.

Why Rally Cry?  Why do another Super-Hero setting in an industry that already supports a good number of them.  The simple reason is because I want too.  Comic books have been a huge part of my life for almost as long as I can remember, and so too has gaming.  Therefore the combination of the two only makes sense really.

The Rally Cry of today is, thus far, my best work.  It is currently going through a rather significant rewrite, which is time consuming but well worth it. It is a dark world, where the shit is deep and the problems are everywhere.  Does that mean its not heroic?  Far from it really.  I think that the darker the world the brighter the heroes can shine.

If you were to look for my source of inspiration you would need to look no further than the Ultimates universe by Marvel Comics.  Is my setting a copy of that?  Well no, but it has many similarities.  The problems are many and the heroes are often only a few steps away from being their own worst enemy.  Does this mean I would allow serial-killer type characters to be played in my games?  No, I wouldn't. 

Regardless of how dark a setting is, the characters that are played are meant to be heroes.  They dont have to be the shining bastions of justice like say a Superman, but they do have to do what is right the majority of the time.  Is this fair to all styles of play?  Of course not.  But it is fair to my goal, to my ideas, and too the genre.

To quote the Great Stan Lee

'nuff said

Welcome to New York

New York City.  At one time just the whisper of its name was enough to send shivers down the spine of those countless travelers who ventured to its shining lights in hopes of making it big.  The Big Apple was known the world over as a locale full of glitz and glamour, virtue and vice.  This is not to say that the city didn’t have its share of problems, but what city doesn’t?

Regardless of its seedier side people flocked to the city in droves.  Everyone from dirt-poor farmer seeking a new start, to sickeningly rich debutantes could be found anywhere doing literally anything.  Life was cheap and for a price anything could be had.  As a center of culture the city enjoyed the very best from across the globe and catered that out to whoever could wrest it from the owner’s hands.

Even before Carnal came to the city it was a wild place.  Street gangs fought for stretches of broken down tenements and slums, while the wealthy would duke it out in extravagant boardrooms.  Money was easy, at least for those willing to kill for it, and allies one day would be bloodthirsty enemies the next.  The media would occasionally report what was going on, but often it was glossed over and pushed back to the end pages of the weekend edition.

Although there were countless reasons to avoid the city, the opportunities that New York offered were more than enough to bring in a steady flow of newcomers.  Some would go on to become the nameless faces that crammed the city streets, while the extremely lucky would actually make it big.  It was these handful of lucky strikes that always brought in more people, each thinking that they would be the next to be ‘The One’.

Death Comes A’knocking

It was an extremely hot and sticky summer day, one of the worst on record, when the madman known as Carnal lashed out at the city.  Reports of the battle for Washington DC had just started to trickle in when the first drones were spotted flying in from the sea-bound horizon.  Wave after wave of heavily armed suits of power armor, each manned by some sort of animated corpse, drove their way into the city, slaughtering everything in their path.

Nothing was safe from the invading horde of attack drones.  Tourist traps, government centers, and all manner of public works were hammered in the opening wave of the attack.  The drones sought out and destroyed any emergency workers they could find in order to prevent them from helping the citizens at large.  The drones were programmed in such a way as to specifically target those people attempting to aid others.  Police, Fire, and EMT workers died horrible deaths, often never realizing what was occurring as the attacks rolled in.

No one was safe from the attacks.  Any sort of gathering of people was targeted including churches, parks, and schools.  Any sort of transportation hub, from airports to transit tunnels was attacked in an effort to prevent people from leaving the city.  Every major roadway, tunnel, and bridge was struck as well, causing untold number of deaths among the fleeing citizenry. 

The destruction of the tunnels and bridges was so extensive that there are still no permanent or reliable ways onto the island.  The central, island portion of the city remains isolated from the rest of New York except by ferry or air after Carnal’s attacks.

Across the island many of the citizens of the city are in a state of fear due to the oppressive nature of life since the island was cut off.  Although there are still commodities coming into the city much of these goods never make it to the general public.  Gangs, super villains, and sporadic drone attacks all keep the neighborhoods here on their toes constantly and fearful of one another.

Rally Cry 4: Meet Bombshell

Bombshell

Name: Annette Williams

Identity: Secret

Origin: Mutation

Personality: Normally witty and flirtatious she can be quick to anger if someone questions her abilities.  Thus far her temper has yet to lead to anything she cannot get out of but she worries that it’s only a matter of time before something gets out of hand.

Description: Annette is a beautiful young woman with flowing red hair and a temper to match.  As Bombshell, Annette wears an updated version of her mother’s costume.  Thigh-high boots, long theater style gloves and a leather vest cover a blue-gray cat suit.  Annette knows her sultry looks can be another weapon in her arsenal and has used them to her benefit more than once.

About Bombshell: Annette Williams is the youngest daughter of Jean Williams.  The elder Williams spent the majority of her adult life adventuring as a member of Freedom 5 as the Blonde Bombshell until she was forced to retire due to injuries sustained in the line of duty.  As Bombshell, Jean was one of the most popular and decorated members of extraordinary society, having received countless awards and commendations from several different countries across the globe.

When Jean was forced to retire the Bombshell legacy was taken up by Michelle, her oldest daughter.  Michelle was never comfortable as a super-human adventurer and preferred to stay back and coordinate her teammate’s actions from relative safety. For years she acted as part of Freedom 5 in this manner until the appearance of Carnal and his drone army.  The mantle of Bombshell was passed down to Annette after her older sister was killed in a running battle with drones in the ruins of New York City.

Annette has taken on the guise of Bombshell with a particular intensity.  For years she dreamed of walking in her mother’s shoes and now it is Annette’s time to shine.  She has been in training herself for the job as Bombshell since she was in her early teens and has already made a name for herself although she has only been active for about a year.  She was a bit put off that she was not immediately offered her sisters position in Freedom 5, but understands that with the threat that Carnal possess the team can only accept the most powerful and experienced extraordinaries into its illustrious roster.

For the time being Annette is happy to act as an independent operative in the New York area, although she was recently contacted by Tempest Technologies as a possible member for the new Fireforce team.  She knows that acting alone is dangerous, especially in someplace like New York, but is hesitant to join a team that she hasn’t worked with already.

Unlike her mother and sister, who gained their abilities through technological means, Annette was born with super-human powers.  Her powers are eerily similar to those used by her mother and it is believed that the equipment Jean used somehow caused the mutation in her youngest daughter.

Rally Cry 3: Crimson's Story 1

The shadows aren’t a pretty place to be.  They are cold, harsh and extremely unforgiving.  I have seen them take everything they have from people too many times to count, and they never give anything back.  Oh don’t get me wrong, it can feel like they love you.  It is easy to let the whisper of the light take you from the embrace of the shadows.  The accolades from the light come easy at times and the glory is something I think we all are looking for to some point or another. 

There is anonymity, a secrecy, which only the shadows can give you.  Personally I would prefer a measure of notoriety, and more importantly fear to the glory that is heaped on so many extraordinaries nowadays.  Glory may get you the big endorsement deals, but fear will give a punk ganger pause, and that moment’s hesitation can mean the difference between life and death doing the job.  I can’t understand why that is so hard for the media to understand.   They are so obsessed with the lives of us extraordinaries that they don’t care what happens to us, so long as it brings in bigger ratings.

I’m not flashy enough for them.  I am happy in the shadows.  They comfort me and protect me when nothing else can.  The fact that the media even knows who about me is an insult to the shadows.  I have been prowling the streets for years now, keeping my people safe from harm.  It is my job to protect the streets and I will not be stopped. 

 
The shadows are my only friends and I will not let them down.

Fuckity

Just a handful of days ago I was excited.  Excited about my writing, excited about getting to tell others my stories, and excited in general.  Today I am pretty much the opposite.  It isnt that I dont want to still bee cheerful, I am just down on myself for some reason.  It seems like everywhere I look people that I respect are doing their thing and getting places with it, while I am stuck here doing nothing with my work.

I have ideas coming out my butt, the thing is right now, and this always happens, I dont like any of them.  The thing is that I don't feel like any of my ideas have a hook.  By a hook I mean I dont feel like my writing has anything new to offer.  Everything feels old and rehashed.  I suppose this is from reading and re-reading my work so many times it feels like my eyes are bleeding.  But what else can I do?

I hate this feeling.  I hate knowing that this will last days as it always does...if not weeks.  There really isnt anything new with how I am feeling tonight, but it is rediculous how much I seem to go through this.  I dont have a creative block.  I am making myself do something writing or drawing related every day.  I just dont happen to see the point right now...

Damnitall

Rally Cry 2

Carnal Knowledge

Just when everyone thought that the hard-times for the world were nearly over tragedy once again struck the United States.  Six months ago an army of necromantic drones, led by a mysterious being known only as Carnal, launched a massive attack on New York City as well as Washington DC.  These attacks were extremely well orchestrated and more brutal than anything anyone had ever witnessed.  The battle for the two cities lasted for nearly a month, and in the end the two cities were left shattered and desolate and the rest of the nation was left reeling.  Today America struggles to cope with the loss of two such important cities while the rest of the world looks on with a mixture of concern and greed.

Washington

“Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy...none of them, for all their foresight, could have predicted what would happen when Carnal came to town.

-Senator Marshal Polt

Considered by many to be the core of American patriotism and hope, Washington’s cultural centers were left in ruin by Carnal and his drones.  When the country began to recover from Carnal’s attacks there was little time to rebuild the monuments and other famous places of the city.  This, combined with the loss of so many governmental jobs, left the city with few options.

Now, with the loss of so much life in the city and across the country, there is little hope left in DC.  There are currently only a handful of efforts ongoing to restore the city to its former state.  Although there is only a limited amount of resources being spent in the city many feel that only once the monuments have been rebuilt and honor is returned to the city, that the nation can truly begin to heal.

 
Despite the severe damage to the city Washington DC is planned to be reclaimed and rebuilt by the Federal Government.  It is only a matter of time before the relief effort kicks into full speed and the city is once again up and running.  The choice to rebuild DC over New York is basically one of finances.  Washington was not devastated to anywhere near the same degree as New York and does not seem to garner the continued attention of Carnal.

New York

“People defiantly aren’t dreaming of going to the Big Apple anymore.  It isn’t enough to have to worry about being mugged by hungry gangers, but one also has to worry about stumbling into a cell of drones while looking for a place to sleep.”

-Rob, NYC survivor

New York, once the glittering gem of society, power, and influence on the eastern seaboard is now a shattered shell of its former self.  Constant skirmishes with Carnal’s drones have left their mark on almost every street and neighborhood in the city.

When the attacks began people fled the city in droves and, considering the inherent danger involved in returning, has left much of the city as a veritable ghost-town, although there are still those that call the city home.  Some people choose to remain out of stubbornness while others stay to protect their assets.  The majority though, stay because they simply have nowhere else to go.

There are still efforts by government and religious services to aid the city, but most have chosen to simply write off the city as a loss and move on.  With so much of the country suffering at the moment the general consensus is to leave New York to its own devices until the rest of the country is taken care of.  The sudden evacuation of so many American cities has left countless homes and businesses vacant, just waiting for the imminent looters to come along.  Surprisingly there were only a small number of scroungers at first. 

The fear of being caught in one of the many running battles was enough to keep most thieves in hiding.  As time has passed greed, and need, have grown to the point where even reprisals by the law or by Carnal’s forces aren’t enough to keep everyone in hiding.  The black market across the US is one of the largest and most profitable of any major city in the world, even after the trials of the attack.  Not only are wealth and luxury items in high demand but so are such things as food and medicine.

 

Kind of Funny

The other day I asked three good friends of mine a simple question, what project should I work on.  The end result being what I already assumed it to be.  I decided to concentrate the majority of my time to Rally Cry, my comic-book style writing project.

Not a week later, at my RPG group, I am regaling the group with some of my ideas and now two of them have come to me with great interest in not on reading my setting, but in also having me run it for them.  I guess the couple Espeth posts on here will tide them over till I get more up.

It feels nice to have two groups of folks, that have never met, enjoy what I do.  It is generally enough for me to just do what I do for me, but sometimes it's nice to be appreciated, especially for something that I love doing.

So the next few posts will bounce back and forth somewhat between Rally Cry and Espeth.  Does this mean that I have stopped working on Hellbound or Mortus Corps?  No not really, they are just going on hiatus for a bit while I see where the other two projects go.

Wish me luck

Rally Cry 1

The World of Rally Cry

Extraordinary: Beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established.

Extraordinaries: A person or being who has greater-than-human powers and abilities.

Our beautiful blue-green world has always been a place where wonders are possible.  From the earliest days of exploration and discovery through today, where sentient super-computers monitor vast technological frontiers, mankind has always looked toward the future and the unknown.  Cape wearing extraordinaries zip through the sky alongside flying cars while those below travel about their daily lives in relative contentment.  The worldwide economy has begun to stabilize after years of depression and the quality of life across much of the globe is on an unprecedented upswing.  Medical advances have gone a great distance toward eradicating many diseases and maladies that plagued mankind for generations and hunger is all but forgotten.

This is not to say the world has become entirely subdued, far from it really.  Despite efforts to the contrary, war and suffering are still common across many parts of the world.  In many of these locations mundane soldiers and weapons have been replaced by extraordinary operatives who fight for their homes, for honor, or simply for the right price.  To make matters worse old enemies have returned and world-wide war once again looms on the horizon.

Brawls between extraordinaries are common, and all manner of madman and evil genius seek to unleash evil plots across the land.  Despite the general public’s overall sense of safety and security there are things lurking just outside of their notice.  All manner of evil corporations, secret societies, and inhuman creature seek to undo the peace that mankind has struggled to create.

Who is Extraordinary?

Originally the word extraordinary only applied to those born with some sort of special ability.  As the years have passed the advent of powerful technologies made it possible for even so-called ‘ordinary’ people to harness great power.  Today the word is used to describe anyone, or anything, with fantastic abilities and powers.

This is not to say that every person who has a special trait is a spandex wearing brawler.  In fact it is believed that there are far more people with powers that do their best to simply live out their lives in peace and quiet.  Even among those who have taken on public lives as heroes, or villains, many still yearn for the times before they journeyed into the life of being adventurers. 

For those that fully embrace what it means to be extraordinary the limits are practically endless.  Everything from government contracts, to corporate sponsorship is available to the enterprising person.  There are those that have gone from unknown street-heroes to world famous media darlings in short order, and these people learn to appreciate the high life and everything it entails.  The only major variable is just how long they get to enjoy their position. 

Unfortunately being a star isn’t for everyone.  The pressures of public life have been known to break people, causing them to go to any ends to maintain their popularity and station.  Added to that is the increased danger of having enemies and upstarts constantly seeking to undo the heroes good works.  Many times this is caused by jealousy and anger that this person has made it while others have so little, but it is all too common for others to attack the hero in an attempt to simply make a name for themselves.