So on the way home from our game last night, I was thinking about maybe running some Golden Age V&V adventures. I was re-reading the thread's on Golden Age V&V, and about the Mystery Men comic. A non-gaming friend is loaning me The Twelve, about 12 Golden Age Marvel heroes who were captured during WW2, and are freed in the modern day. I asked to borrow it as I've been in a golden age mood of late. There's been a series of releases for another rpg featuring Golden Age characters in the Public Domain, so collecting those has been getting me in the mindset for some Golden Age gaming.

Anyway, figured I'd post here, and see if the rest of the group has any interest in this. No guidelines or background yet, as I want to see if there's any interest first.

Of course I would be interested!!

THE ONI wrote on May 19^th, 2012 at 4:27pm:


Cool.

Originally I had plans to run something with straight V&V (since I had hoped to do some 3rd party stuff), but I might just run it as per John's version.

I guess that means I should figure out some guidelines for character creation then 

I like the names, though I prefer Jack Maxim.

What I'm thinking for the start of the game is to set it in 1941, probably a few months prior to Pearl Harbor. Very few actual super humans exist so far; most heroes/villains are either pulpish "Mystery Men" types, or have devices (either scientific or magical).

The only known team of heroes currently is The Crimebusters, who work with the U.S. Government The team consists of the following members:

Ace Sterling, G-Man extraordinaire

Mordecai the Magnificent, occult expert and stage magician who uses gadgets to perform tricks (and fight crime).

Sky Marshal, rocket pack wearing US Marshal

The Wraith, dark avenger of the night

Prof. Steele, Man of Iron. He is considered the world's first publicly known super human.

Their best known enemies are called The Crime Guild. The guild has many members, but the following all have a reason to hate a member of the Crime Busters:

The Highwayman: Flamboyant robber who has clashed with Sterling numerous times.

Malachi the Malevolent: Mordecai's twin brother, and actual practitioner of dark magic.

Sky Pirate: Aerial Pirate with a custom dirigible and crew of cuthroats. Enemy of Sky Marshal

The Lynx: Sexy burglar with a cat motif who has battled The Wraith on occasion.

Professor Steele has no opposite in the Guild as of yet (being new to the Crime Busters), but he has clashed with Baron Wulfgang von Stahl, an German agent of The Thule Society with abilities similar to his own

I was thinking something magic based, thats why his dad is a curator.

the name Kid Babylon keeps popping into my head, but I don't know what he does yet.

Weakness: He is naive and falls in love with every girl he sees!

If you don't like Kid Babylon, how about the Sweet Scientist?

Since Boxing is the Sweet Science,  Brock Jenkins  was a master of both physics and the physical.   He graduated top of his class at MIT but it was his street smarts and boxing skill that got him the scholarship!

John,

Interesting concepts. I actually like both. If you do decide to go with Kid Babylon, I actually have a villain that is tied to Mesopotamia, though she wouldn't show up right away as she'd be fairly powerful.

Oni,

Not sure. What would you guys prefer? I'm kind of open ended on whether you pick or roll for powers.

My only caveat is that certain character types can only pick/roll from certain tables. For instance, if you want to play more of a Mystery Man type, then you'd roll or choose powers from Devices and/or Skills (though I'd allow magic/psionic items depending on the origin, as many mystical characters during the time period did use magic items over having actual powers).

So how about this: You can choose or roll powers at your discretion (and if you roll, you can change a power if it doesn't work with your concept).

Some basic archetypes:
Actual supers can use the Powers table, as well as skills

Mystery Men use the Skill table, and depending on the concept, Devices or Psionic/Magic items

Magic/Psychic types use the Magic/Psionics table, skills, and possible Magic/Psionic items (again depending on concept).

Science Heroes use Devices and skills

Anything that doesn't fit these basic archetypes we can discuss if need be.

If that sounds cool with you guys, I'll start putting together a word doc with all this info.

a classic period phrase lol

John wrote on May 20^th, 2012 at 11:05pm:


If everyone wants to work on them now, I'm ok with that. If not, we can always see about rolling them up next time we get together.

I haven't had time to work out any more guidelines other than what I posted earlier. I figure you just roll stats normally, etc.

As for powers, etc, you can either roll or choose; I don't have a problem with people choosing if they have a concept in mind, as long as you don't go overboard.

I'm trying to be somewhat flexible

John wrote on May 20^th, 2012 at 11:05pm:


Of course! I look forward to seeing what he looks like

THE ONI wrote on May 21^st, 2012 at 6:51pm:


That's fine. I like the name too (and in the spirit of the genre, his powers don't have to fit the name anyway)

I like this idea Gerry and John and Oni seem very enthusiastic and have some kewl ideas! I was thinking of an animated statue called the Ivory Avenger for playing in this new world.

here's a speed origin on the fly:

Dr Einhardt, a scientist and historian discovers a secret passage among the Stonehenge Monuments that leads to an ancient underground city. There he finds Seven statues, Guardians of an ancient time lost people that may have been Atlanteans. Each one is carved of a different substance and adorned with strange markings and knotwork reminiscent of ancient Celtic Art.  Dr Einhardt is thrilled by the discovery of a lifetime only to find his jubilation dashed by the Nazi's Thule society. The occult wing of Hitler's War machine had been casing Dr Einhardt for over a year and had used him to find the secret of Stonehenge. Now a prisoner of Hitler's thugs they chained him to one of the Guardians that seemed to be carved of some sort of white marble or ivory and the torture began. They wanted detailed info on the  statues. They believed they embodied some type of awesome magical power, perhaps a conduit between worlds. Once they had this information they promised to let Einhardt go but he pierced the veil of their lies all too easily. This discovery belonged to the world and its secrets and powers belonged to the Elders of Ancient times. He would die before letting narrow minded, goose-stepping thugs usurp this legacy of Human History. The Nazi's produced his wife and daughter as well as his Father. All beaten savagely and desecrated in unholy ways like animals. Einhardt wailed and cursed the Nazi's to hell with their fiend of a Fuher. He sobbed and apologized to his family as each one was pressed against him and executed, bathing him and the statue he was joined to in the blood of his kin until finally they turned their foul lugers upon him,emptied his blood onto the floor and left him for dead chained to the statue. As his life ebbed away there was a peel of Thunder, angry and muffled as though lightning had struck underwater. A light filled the room, blue and crisp and 12 Nazi's stared in disbelief as the great statue, it's celtic war paint glowing with brilliant turquoise, its carved armor ringing with the sounds of animate life and its eyes smoldering with White Hot Fury, set upon them and ripped them limb from limb easier than a vicious child pulls the wings from an insect to ease a summer's boredom.

The Ivory Giant knelt down as Dr Einhardt's last breaths fled his body. He smiled, "They would never had let a Jew like me live.." he rasped. "Their master is small and needs a great people to bring low to raise himself again but he has failed..." his words were soft...distant. "My blood has awakened you, the blood of a just man and his family , a man of truth and peace..do not let my sacrifice be in vain great one..".

A single tear of crystal blue flowed from a unblinking eye and mute stone lips seemed to quiver as though they lamented the inability to speak.

"Do not weep for me my Ivory Avenger..as long as you go into the world and herald the spirit of an ancient justice mine and my families rest will be peaceful indeed! Go forth and may the wicked fear your heavy step."

As Dr Einhardt's mind slipped into darkness the last image it embraced was an ivory face, brilliant and angelic and a voice thick and sweet, like honey on velvet "Be at peace and know that I will avenge you and all those like you. Sleep in the arms of the ancients"

Then the ancient, heavy foot of an Elder Guardian stepped forth onto a waking modern Earth and all creatures of darkness that dwelled upon it felt a slight, shivering chill... though they know not why.

Hmmmm....

Man. All I got was friggin Speed Bonus.

Type A 

I was kidding. I did not roll him up yet.

That would have been nice. You never know what will happen the way I have been rolling lately.

THE ONI wrote on May 25^th, 2012 at 10:15pm:


The Public Eye? You could always change the weaknesses if the character fits

I like it! Will be funny to see how he treats Ivory Avenger, seeing as he's a mystical statue