What is Rally Cry

In my last couple of posts I have mentioned Rally Cry in great detail, but never specifically detailed what it is.  It is, at its bones, a RPG setting based in the Iron Age of Comics.  During that age the heroes were dark and grim, the villians were often misunderstood anti-heroes, and even the world itself was darker than our own.  I fell in love with that age of comics when I was in High School and it has stuck with me ever since.

Rally Cry details the world of the enar future with a several twists.  The main one of course being the addition of super-human characters, or extraordinaries as they are known by.  Much of history is the same as ours, but the impact of these greater-than-human people have deffinatly left their mark.  The most notable example of this is the destruction of so much of Washington DC as well as New York City at the hands of a vastly powerful extraordinary named Carnal.

There are aliens and lost civilizations as well as all manner of technological advances.  Mankind has made it as far as the mars, and there are several moon-bases where man is thriving.  It is only a matter of time before the species makes it into space.

The primary setting I plan to release will include a general layout of the world, heavy details of the ruins of New York, as well as a number of important extraordinaries.  After that I already have notes for another fleshed out city and a massive alien invasion.  It is moving along well and I am actually happy where things are going and have been for a while now.  A nice revelation for me in the long run.

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