Character Creation, Relationship Map

Alright, we will use this thread for the shared Character Creation. We'll go through it step by step so if you have no experience with this system or don't own a rulebook, that should still not be a problem.

I have access to the Smallville Core Rulebook and the Watchtower Report but if others have other books that we can use, feel free to use those as well and share important resources with the other players.

---

Before we actually get to the Relationship mapping, we should all have some idea in mind that I propose we share first to see what we're working with.
So at this point, everyone should just throw out their character idea or at least something they're interested in, even if they don't have a full concept in mind yet. That could be anything from "I want to play someone like Batman" or "I think fire powers are awesome" to "My character is a poor street kid who can shoot energy beams from his fists and who works as an enforcer for a local crime syndicate because his dad was arrested and he needs money to bribe the authorities to let him go"

I would say we all live in the same city on Earth and will mostly (but not necessarily always) stay there during gameplay, so that should work for every character.

I'm toying with the idea of playing a blaster styled character. I'm not sure if the blasts will be from his hands or eyes though.

I'm toying with a couple ideas...

One is a super who was famous before the plague, bit is now physically mutated as well as having powers and has to hide from everyone, including the omnipresent surveillance of the government. No idea what his power would be yet, maybe shapeshifting so he could hide his appearance at the cost of stressing himself out?

Also had an idea for a government agent/fixer who ended up with powers and ran from his former teammates. He would have a contact within the government, perhaps a friend who let him get away... I'm not sure about his powers - density control? force field?gravity control?

I was also thinking of a bedridden character, perhaps even comatose, who can ONLY interact with the world by possessing the bodies of others around him. But now that I think about it, this should totally be an NPC religious figure who has a church where the members allow their leader to possess them and consider it a holy experience.

I definitely love that last idea but it is better suited for an NPC.

Here's the Relationship Map over at Miro. Right now it's blank. You may need to setup a free Miro account to view it.

Not sure how this works, but maybe a poor "mine worker" as it must for a sci-fi setting ;) it some bienhancements but with the plague he has become aware of the electromagnetic fields around him, and can use his bionics to influence machines and digital systems (super hacker of sorts)

I have too many ideas! The powers I like are healing, mind control/pheromones, paralysis touch/poison kiss, technopathy, telekinesis, and telepathy.

A healer could be fun if she absorbs the injuries into herself instead of just healing.
someone with pheromones could convince others to do her bidding which sounds fun.
I was thinking of a poison type power where she secreted a toxin so that her touch could cause paralysis, and her kiss was poison.
technopathy would allow her to control robots and other tech

Okay, I think my character is going to have pheromones (Mind Control Ability) that make people want to do what she says, and a poison kiss (Poison Ability) to give them stress/injury. I'll get to be a real femme fatale. If there's a rebellious element fighting oppression to keep supers free, she'll be part of it, using her pheromones and poison kiss to help accomplish missions for the freedom fighters.

Alright, we can start with the first steps of the character creation now, I guess. Does everyone have access to the relationship map that Tao created? You'll have to make an account on that website but it's free and very fast. Without everyone having access to it, this will be much more of a hassle to organize.

For now, you all have 4 jobs, then we will move on to the next step (I know, it sounds like a lot but it really isn't):

1. Decide on a concept for your character. Some already decided on something, some were still deciding between multiple ideas. Pick one now. If you're still unsure, we can use the other thread to debate some ideas or suggest something. Just ask over there. You can also write me on Discord (Nei#4287) if you want to bounce ideas off of someone in a faster fashion.
Once you have made a decision, make one more post in this thread to give us your concept.

2. Tao has already created squares for all of us. Those are our Leads (PCs). If you already have a name for your character, feel free to already add it into your square. If not, you can do that later.

3. Think of a person that your Lead knows and has a relationship with in some way (This person is an Extra for now). Add a circle to the relationship map and write that character's name (or a placeholder name) into it. Add an arrow from your lead's square to that extra's circle and add a short description of how your lead relates to that extra to this arrow (For example: "has crush on" or "works for")
Add a description of this extra into your post in this thread as well and give maybe some additional background info on how the two characters know each other

4. Connect your Lead with arrows to all other leads. If you already have a connection to one of the other leads, you can already add a description to this arrow. If not, we can think about those later when the characters are better defined.

All of those descriptions for the arrows can still be changed while we're in the relationship map process but we need to start somewhere.

C'mon Square let's be aliens ^_^

So, for my character I’ve had the idea of being involved in some organized crime, probably as a low-level protection money collector. I have some family member (maybe a younger sister; could be an NPC or a PC) who I feel like I need to protect and take care of so I joined up with a criminal organization to earn money and protection for my family. That organization would probably be pretty prejudiced and hateful towards supers but still recognize that they can be useful so instead of ratting them out to the government or some company, they blackmail/bribe them into working for them.
My character would probably try to keep the people closest to him away from the organization and try to hide his involvement with them.
During the quarantine, he might have some connections to the outside through them and the ability to have something smuggled in. Maybe not, though, since he’s just a low level grunt.

For my extra, I would either choose the family member that my character is protective of or, if that role is taken up by a PC, his superior in the organization.

For my powers, I’m interested in Insect Control, depending on where I go with this, I might add Poison or Paralysis as well.

Where's my big brother ?

Veronica is (Square's) little sister and her Extra is her AI assistant Uriel (Research, Internet Access)

Quick question for everyone: are we all playing nicely or can there be traitors, dirty playing and that sort of evilness?

While you can play evil and backstabby try and remain viable or people wont want to interact with you or will want to kill you off.

Being antagonistic = ok
Being outright vile = usually not ok

I'm personally fine with it and think it can be a good source of drama and interesting conflict. I believe that, while it should be a secret IC of course, it should be public knowledge OOC. Not just so there's no OOC bad blood over it but also so other people can play into it better.

Plus what Cube said, of course. The character has to be played in a way that he can be part of the game. If your character decides to try and murder another PC, he won't hang around the rest of the group much longer after that

The examples in the Smallville rule book had players using characters from the Smallville TV show - PCs played Clark, Lois, Chloe, Oliver, Tess, and Zod, so the game could even be played with characters who consider each other enemies, but have intertwining relationships with people they both care about. The goal is collaborative storytelling, so even with antagonistic characters, you want to work with the other player to make the whole story as awesome as possible.

The drama is meant to be amped up. The system is designed to have characters get stronger when they grow and change over time, by being stressed out in contests and tests and challenging their own values and relationships, then healing the stress their friends acquire. The more you lose contests, call your beliefs into question, or question the very nature of your relationships, the more you grow.

Introducing Veronica's over protective older brother, Elijah or Eli to those he trusts. His extra is an close friend he served with while in the military Connor Walsh.

Did people already chose what they are starting as Rich, Ordinary, Gifted, Strange, Alien ?

Not yet.
Once everyone has their concept and extra, we'll start with that

Thanks Bowl, I was curious if I missed it

I'm falling behind, but trying to keep the character map updated.

My character is the heir to a fortune and will inherit control of his family corporation upon the retirement or death of his controlling mother. He was slumming it (possibly to link to another character?) when the quarantine zone was setup and was stuck without a place to stay.
Possible connections:
- I was visiting you in the zone before it was quarantined and I was trapped there.
- I owe one of you for giving me shelter during quarantine.
- We are ex's, now split up (either amicably or not)

My power is Power Leech.

My extra is my overbearing, power hungry, controlling CEO mother, Mary Elizabeth Cavendish.

Oh. I need to make up an NPC don't I?
Umm. The leader of my supers gang - Malachi somethingorother. I don't like him, but I do what he says to claw my way to the top of his organization or something.

Alright, everyone seems to have their concept and an Extra ready. That means we can move on with the next step.

First, everyone create a custom character sheet and submit it to this game. You can copy the following bit into the sheet as a base or make up your formatting however you like. This information should be in there, though.
Remove your own character from the list of relationships and replace the ??? under Resources with the Extra you created. In the brackets, add their two specializations, i.e. things they are able to support you with. Cube, for example, chose "Research" and "Internet Access" as specializations for his AI assistant. Other ideas could be "Money", "Rumors", "Equipment", "Contacts"... just think about your extra and in what ways you might call on them for help.

---

Now have a look at the Pathway Chart, specifically just the top section "Origins"
Choose one of the options that fits your character (either thematically or due to what you get out of it). Those of you who have the Smallville Rulebook can just go through this step by themselves, choosing what fits for them from the options in the book. For those who don't have it and can't look at the available Distinctions or Powers, or don't know how to work with the chart, I'm available to help you either here in the forum, over PMs or over Discord.

Edit your character sheet according to your selections and once everyone has completed this step, we'll move on to the next!

Wow Bowl you really put time and effort into things ! Thanks for all this !

Yes! Awesome prep work! Thank you!!

I noticed in the rulebook the section on Relationships says that at the beginning of the pathways, before we do anything else, we should bump 1 relationship to D6 for every player above 4. So for our game, we would each bump up any 2 relationships to d6 before going through the first step of the pathways.
Do we want to do this? It seems like if we don't, our relationships may not be as strong an influence on the game.

Yes, good point. I've read that before but forgot about that. Thanks for pointing that out!

That is HIGHLY necessary, thanks for pointing that out Tracy

Bumping my Relationship with my Brother to D6 Eli (It just makes sense)
Bumping my relationship with someone else to D6 when I learn a bit more.

Bumping my Relationship with my boyfriend Richard to D6
Bumping my relationship with someone else to D6 later too

Bumping Eli's relationship with his sister to d6.

Bumping my other relationship to a d6, when I get a better idea for the characters.

Same, I bumped mine with my girlfriend and will do the other one later

Ok

+Elijah D6
+Richard D6
_____

Origin - Cybernetic (Alien)

Add Extra (Uriel Personal AI) Research, Internet Access 2d4

+Duty D6
+Truth D6

New Heritage - Cybernetic D4
New Ability - Technopathy D4
New Distinction - Hacker D4

Two technopaths, one real and one fake... Interesting

I’ll go as ordinary, because that’s what I am :) no superpowers

My contact can provident access to (the station?) security and advanced equipment.

I may bump my relationship with Tracy, from my efforts to infiltrate her group.
The their bump will be either tao or the NPC ...

Initial:
Bumped *CESN to d6.
Bumped Richard to d6.
Extra (circle) Malachi (connected, intimidation) 2d4

Gifted Origin:
Step Up Glory (x2) to d8
New Ability: Mind Control d4
New Distinction: Attractive d4
Step Up Asset Mind Control to d6

If you're still looking for a connection, your second suggestion would work for me. When the quarantine trapped you, I could have let you stay at my place. Maybe I found you as you were in trouble with some thugs (rich kid in a bad area) and decided to help you.

Also, I love Power Leech as a superpower. I played a leech in another game that unfortunately never really got off the ground

^ Richard to d6
^ Belladonna to d6
_____

Origin - Rich

Add Extra - Mary Elizabeth Cavendish, mother, CEO (Contacts, Suspicious) 2d4

+Duty x2 to d8

New Distinction - Wealthy d4
^ Resource - Elizabeth Cavendish to d6
^ Relationship, Asset or Resource - Weathy to d6

Cube, don't be too fast. Let's wait until everyone is caught up before moving to the next step

Ok my apologies

We're waiting on CESN and squadfather to post their Origin details, right? Is everyone else done?

I'm working on it with CESN on discord. He's on vacation right now, so not very active on GP but we're making progress

Cool. Not trying to rush anyone. Just checking to try to help keep us all on track.

Sorry for the late reply. I'll post mine later tonight.

I'm looking for a character to raise the relationship to d6. Who'd want to know Eli the former "Private Military Contractor"?

I feel like we could know each other. I don't think Richard would have been in the military himself but I can see him hanging around that crowd. We should come up with some connection to each other

Sounds good.

As your dear older brother, I feel that I must say that you're not nerdy..

Nerdy girl and rich kid could fit. Will is sort of like Michael Bluth from Arrested Development: the only one in his entire family with morals.

I saw your mmorpg there and had a thought almost instantly... after we build our characters and relationships up, we should do an episode where we go into the rabbit hole and show everyone in their online alter egos interacting in AWAKEN.

Definitely xD That has to happen at some point

Sorry for the wait :(

Ordinary
Bump Tracy and Bowl relationships
Bump both live and justice
Manipulative distinction
Power: hive omnipresence
Another bump for the security NPC Guy?
Not sure what assets are... but I can add resources (either a cult NPC contact or an important "network node shrine") is bumping another relationship is too much ;)

CESN and I were talking and thought it might work to have his character's power be the hive mind connection to the other cult members, meaning he could add that die whenever this connection could be relevant and I think the Special Effect was supposed to be See through the eyes of a cult member in another scene.

It's not in the book like this but it maps closely to existing abilities. Any objections to this idea or does it sound fine for everyone?

Similar to animal control I think ;)

I’d bump that power as well. That should be the PC up to date now :)

Sounds like a solid power. I like it.

Does that mean we're ready to move on to the "Youth" Phase?

We're moving on to the next step in the character creation.

First, everyone can now think of a Location that is in some way relevant to their character. The location also needs two Specializations, just like the Extra did. Add it to the Relationship Map and draw an arrow from your Lead to the location. Describe how your character is connected to the location.

Second, connect any existing extra or location to any other existing extra or location with an arrow. Describe the relationship between those two.

Third, choose an appropriate category from the Youth stage of the Pathways Chart and edit your character sheet appropriately. RAW, you have to choose either the option below your previous one or one to the right or left from it but in the Smallville game we allowed everyone at any stage to take any option. Unless someone objects to that, I would allow that here again.

Sorry for the late reply. For my first step, I'm going with Strange. Given the idea I have for Eli, this fits the best. I'll post the steps shirtly.

It may be a minor point, but I noticed the role says to:
"Draw an arrow from a circle or diamond that you added to any another circle or diamond."

The implication I took from that is that you should write the relationship from the point of view of your character or location, rather than the other way around. So if I draw an arrow from Mary Cavendish to Uriel the AI, I could specify Mary's attitude or relationship toward the AI, but not the other way around (at least not in this step.) It's a small point, but it might make a difference.

It could also be me reading too much into it, but they made a point about the direction of the arrows defining the relationship as from one lead to another (hence the two arrows between every lead, one showing the relationship from each perspective.)

Yes, you're right. I only looked at the chart, not at the descriptions of the steps afterwards. So, for the arrow you're drawing, it has to be from your extra or location to any extra or location on the board

That's how I imagined it as well but you might still have needed some advanced computer parts that might be hard to get. And for a 40s/50s night - as long as there's demand for it in town, why not. There are probably more people there who like that aesthetic

That's the goal xD
If it doesn't work with how you imagined things, I can pick something else for the extra/location connection. That was just my first idea

Location: the node. More of a non location, it’s a space that randomly shows up in cult’s area of influence, holographically created (hidden) by portal bots. It’s a place for upgrades and updates for information and devices, and a central meeting point for cult members.

I’ll go with the RAW rules just because it’s a first tine and pick geek.
Bump manipulative and power. Add observant distinction.

I’ll make the connections when I have access to the map, and will try to connect with another PC like bowl did ;)

Tao’s mom is looking very lonely... can I get her as "behind" the node. Am I allowed to use other’s extras as a GM?

Location (diamond) Xinjen Headquarters (Security, Resources) 2d4
Connect Malachi to Jessica's as the owner... if that's ok with bowl?

Outsider Youth:

Add Distinction: Manipulative at d4
Step Up Location: Xinjen Headquarters to 2d6
Step Up Asset Attractive to d6

You will have a chance to connect others' extras to your own locations and extras later during the pathways. Also, when you're the GM, you can use any features, but I think extras are only usable by the players connected to them. I think.

Is there a Chameleon style ability?

There's invisibility. Not sure about just chameleon but that can probably work as a reskin of invisibility if it doesn't already exist

There's Shapeshifting too, if you want to chameleon yourself to fit in somewhere you wouldn't otherwise belong.

True. You can take inspiration from both to make it work how you like

You can always make your own powers Drama is one of the easiest systems to do so.

Thanks for the help and suggestions everyone. I've got a good concept for Eli.

What is a rough 1-2 sentence description of everyone's characyer. That way I can work on getting my relationships.

Genius corporate rich kid trying to get out of his controlling, shady mothers' shadow.

faithful of a technophile human transcendence movement infiltrating the quarantine zone to spy on the supers

Angry poor girl in a gang of supers, clawing her way to the top by any means necessary to acquire more money and power

After reading everyone's synopses, I think I'm the bad guy.

Rough concept for Eli.

Survivor of a failed military "Super Soldier" project. Dumped into the quarantine zone to be forgotten about. Trying to piece side together with his younger sister. Suffers from partial Amnesia as a result of the mistreatment during the program

You're not alone in that. CESN is definitely a bad guy. And I'm not great either

I think CESN isn't really a bad guy, just a guy with a different agenda. He could be pursuing it for entirely noble reasons, but not really be bad. My character seems selfish and greedy. There's no "doing bad stuff for a good reason" like with your character, who joined the criminal enterprise to help support his family. She just wants power and money and to be on top.

CESN and you might be antagonists, but I think the only ones who come off looking potentially evil so far are probably the 2 gang leaders, tao's mother, and Belladonna.

Well, it's an interesting group dynamic. I like it!

It should be full of drama!

Hmmmm multiple Lex Luthors I dunno

True...with partial amnesia, Eli may not be a saint either. You guys know I'm up for drama.

Just a bunch of selfish humans stirring up drama. :)

How is everyone doing with the Youth step?

All done :)

Getting ready to choose mine.

Looks like we're just waiting on squad.

No pressure or anything ;)

Okay, I've chosen my Youth step, but there's a catch. All my work is being done by phone right now. I need help with the map work for the first 2 steps...please. :)

Tell me what you need done and I'll put it on the map

I approved everyone's character. You should all be able to post as your characters now

Definitely.

I can help you add whatever you need to the map.

When you all create a game with a custom system, how come it won't accept custom character sheets ?

It should accept them. I don't know why it wouldn't

I allowed all sheets but custom it accepted the game then.
Then I deleted all sheets once the game was created and added custom and things are working.
Weird.

I added Squad's location (A street clinic that works for Tracy's gang) and our relationship to each other onto the map.
Is everyone done with the Youth step then?

I'm still missing relationships with Will, Veronica and Jack

I don't have defined relationships with anyone, really, aside from squad giving Will shelter when the quarantine lockdown occurred. I figured that could be filled in as we build the relationship map. Most of Will's relationships will probably be defined by his corporate interests and his mothers' shady dealings.

If you're a rich kid, I might have tried to rob you before or something

Belladonna can always be someone's ex or one time hookup. She's morally challenged.

Time to move on to the Focus step? If so, the first steps for all of us would be:

1. Draw an arrow from any circle or diamond to another circle, diamond, or square (this step means you can connect yours or someone else's extra or location to any location, extra, or one of the player characters!)
2. Draw an arrow from your square to a new or existing circle (NEW Extra or Relationship) or diamond (NEW Location) (so in this step you connect yourself to any extra or location OR add a new extra or location.)
Maybe Will wants you to owe him a favor, and wants the influence of a super gang. Maybe he's helping you get rid of Malachi so you can take over the gang AND owe him one? Or they could be ex's :)

So for my Focus Step, I chose Money as my Focus.

I connected Jack's (CESN) extra Security Guard to Belladonna with the relationship description "would do anything to be her main squeeze"

I connected Will (my character) to Elijah's (Squad) extra Connor Walsh with the relationship description "illegitimate half-brother"

I added the Connected distinction at d4
I stepped up my relationship with Elijah to d6 (since he put me up while I was stuck in the quarantine zone)
I also stepped up Wanneng International to a 2d6 resource

Its kind of cool ^_^

Connect Uriel (Veronica's AI) -> "hacked and monitors" -> to The Node (Jack's virtual Location)
Connect Belladonna -> "is her girl crush weakness" -> to Elizabeth (Will's mom)

Paranormal Focus:

Step Up Ability: Mind Control to d8
Step Up Distinction: Manipulative to d6
Step Up Relationship with Richard to d8

😱 evil

I wonder how much information it actually shares with Veronica, and who/what else can we connect it to? Maybe it's a secret ally of HTML... Maybe it has its' own agenda. I don't imagine it's entirely good if it was co-created by a gang leader.

Looks like we're both playing for both teams

Maybe

Richard ---Knows Hidden Ways into---> Wanneng International

or

Richard----Is a well known hero in---> AWAKEN

I would either connect Richard to:
Lain (Jack's orphan) as a "repair tech for my gang"
Elizabeth as "lover, crush, or ex-lover"
AWAKEN as the "anonymous top player of the MMORPG"
or the Minute Clinic as "steals body parts for biotech company from"

I like the idea of knowing hidden ways into Wanneng.

Something like that with Elizabeth would also be interesting, considering that Belladonna has a crush on her as well.

Not sure yet but I like both options

I might need to word that differently. I wanted it to be Elizabeth with a crush on Belladonna.

Ah okay, I misunderstood then. Still makes for an interesting dynamic

None yet, but no worries they'll show up..lol

We just need Squad's Focus step, then we're good to move on.

Focus step is complete.

Shadow Walk- to d6
Weapon Master- to d8
Veronica to- d8

I have ties for Veronica, Richard, and Will. Does anyone have an idea for a tie-in to Annabelle and Jack.

Did you make these 2 connections?

The military unit is a good tie in ;) being tech-spy I could have at least work with (or for) your friend

Maybe you're still in contact with some more important people from the military with better connections who told you not to trust Jack. You might not know why they told you that but you trust those people enough that you're suspicious of Jack

Ah yes, Squad’s is the PC i’m careful with, so that could work well ;)

And I'll get us started on the next step tomorrow morning
Almost done with CC

Done.

You also get to connect Elijah to any existing extra or location, or create a new extra or location for him.

Alright then, let's move on to the Road step now (except for Cube since he's already done with it xD)

---

Everyone add an arrow from your Lead to anything anything on the board to your Lead.
Also, pick one of the Road options and level up your character

I was thinking of Lain, too. My ideas were either to connect her to Veronica or Belladonna as a clone of one of them, or to Will with her relationship being that she knows his company was behind the cloning experiment that created her.

Yes, from anywhere, "draw an arrow back to a lead square." So not even just your lead. Any lead. Time to make uncomfortable connections for each other ;)

OMG 😱 lain is a clone? 🤯 I think it was mentioned she could also be exploited by the gang for her repair skills. Not quite part of the gang yet, but they already got to her

I'll connect Lain to Will as "knows he was behind her creation"

Road: Ethical

^ Justice to d6
^ Connected to d6
^ Veronica to d8
^ Genius to d8

..and after looking at the map, we need to connect someone back to both Richard and Elijah. Some ideas:

Elizabeth or Wanneng to Elijah as "funded experimental program that gave powers to him"
Minute Clinic to Belladonna or Richard as "purchases stolen biotech from her/him"
Uriel to Richard as "sells Wanneng and Node secrets to him"
Richard's superior in gang to Belladonna as "has a contract out to kill her"

I gave Belladonna the Underground road and changes below.
Step up Truth to d6
Step up Manipulative to d6
Step up Richard to d10
Step up Mind Control to d10

I'm going to connect Connor to Veronica as "has a phantom of the opera crush on her"

I like this. His whole reason for joining is to keep people around him safe. If Richard finds out they're hunting his girlfriend, he's going to be pissed. And it makes a lot of sense with the two rival gangs
I'll add it to the board

Underground:
Pump lain (little sister to me)
Pump Richard (the guy i’m Smuggling meds for)
Punk truth (because transcendence is a reality)
Add sneaky (because spy)
Squad’s military man -> Keeps him informed of threats-> squad (explains his bias agains jack)

Squad's Militärs friend

I'm still missing connections to most of the leads. All I had was that I was sheltered by Elijah during the quarantine and I owe him one.

I just added "will never admit he loves" -> Veronica
and "needs her to control his mother" -> Belladonna

I'm still working on something for Richard and Jack. Maybe for Richard I "need him for his connections" to Belladonna, Jessica's (where he can go and secretly crush on Veronica while she performs), and your gang leader who helped create Uriel.

The "keeping an eye on him for his mom" connection might work better from Jack to Will, if your're up for that @CESN.
Richard could be connected to will as simply "using him for his money", then we have a nice fake friendship where we're each using each other for something.

I like that fake friendship idea. That's interesting

I am trying to connect to Richard now, they probably met at Jessicas where she sings.

They'll definitely have to develop a real relationship of some sort while maintaining the fake one. Who knows what shape that will take...

The way Veronica looks, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone is crushing on her. Although Will loves her for her mind. Really. Just the mind. He didn't even notice the curves and red hair, or the sultry voice when she sings, or...

I can imagine, with so many other people crushing on her, that she just assumes he has a thing for her, but he's just trying to be protective like he is for his family

So once Squad finishes his "Road" details, we can move on to the "Life-Changing Event."

Everyone make sure to make all your connections - even if it means creating new extras and/or locations. It gives us a rich tapestry of people and locations to include. We can always make more characters and locations up during game play, but this original, crazily interrelated group of characters is what gives us the dramatic tools we need to really make this game fun. :)

There's just so much on the map with six players. The Smallville map did not look this crazy, I think. It's really cool

Wait, I may change my connection to xingin HQ -> findes secret military research for superpowers on squad

Yes six players certainly makes the map more complex.

Sure! Maybe even keeping an eye on him to get to his mother 😈 I don’t know she is behind the node, but I found she is up to something

Ha! Perfect. You know she's up to shady business... which ends up being that she's funding your group!

I chose Risky for my next step. I'll add the map choices later.

Wait, someone is trying to kill me?

Looking at the map, the one thing that's barely connected to anything is Xinjen. What exactly was that again? Was it Belladonna's gang or something else? I want to get it integrated with at least something else on the map

I will connect that one ! :D
Funding squad’s superpowers

I like it!

I think we're ready to move on to the Life Changing Event step. Squad, you can still just post your changes in the Road step.

> Draw an arrow from your square to a new or existing circle (NEW Extra) or diamond (NEW Location).
> Draw an arrow back to a Lead square.
> Optional: Switch out any Relationship or Resource currently on your sheet for a new Relationship or Resource at the same die rating and draw an arrow to a new or existing circle or diamond as appropriate.
> Optional: Remove any d4 Relationship or 2d4 Resource and step up another Relationship or Resource.

Also, as usual, pick out one of the options and go through the steps to level up your character

---

performance -> outside the normal channels -> the cause -> the specialist?

You want to connect her to Eli?

Definitely. Do you have an idea?

Life Changing Event - Power Manifestation

New Extra - Connected Will "engaged to" -> Amanda Smythe-Davies
Connected Amanda Smythe-Davies "doesn't know she's a clone of" -> Elizabeth Cavendish

^ Power to d6
^ Justice to d8
^ Love to d6

New Ability: Power Leech d4
Limits: Concentration
Special Effect: Shutdown an Ability possessed by another Lead or Feature in the same scene. Your die rating must be equal to or greater than their Ability’s die rating.

^ Power Leech to d6
^ Wealthy to d8
^ Wanneng International x2 to d10

Now this is just creepy and weird and I love it

LOL - I'm imagining him finding out at some point, and I feel so bad for him already.

Xinjen was the gang, the item I added was a Location: Xinjen Headquarters. I don't know if the headquarters can fund the experiment, but I'm good with it if you want it that way.

For Belladonna I'm using the Power Manifestation life changing event.

I'll link Belladonna --> also steals supplies from --> Distribution Center
and I linked Elizabeth Cavendish --> wants to clone --> Veronica

up Power to d6
up Glory to d10
up Power to d8
add ability: Poison kiss d4
up Poison Kiss to d6
up attractive to d8
up Xinjen HQ two times to d8

I was thinking of having the gang be something more... ;) If could be a branch or the remains of a corporation that funded secret military research on supersoldiers, and are now trying to unite them. Is Malachi a defector that is trying to protect the supers from the HQ, is he trying to build a secret army of supersoldier, or is he just using supers as guinea pigs for their secret research?

The way this is going, he is clearly squad's clone and father who is researching on his original and son just to seduce Will because he was dumped by Elizabeth :o

Cloning Veronica sounds like a good idea. There's not enough of her for everyone who wants to bang her...

I was thinking Elizabeth is getting older, she has at least one clone running around... maybe she wants to make a new "sleeve" body into which she can download her mind. Who better than the software developing, AI-friendly, sultry lounge singer?

Is that a good or bad jaw drop?

Am I going too crazy transhumanist AI/digitized mind/new body/clone crazy? With Will's bride being a clone of his mother, I might have got a little overexcited.

Sorry, I just love the idea of characters struggling with identity, humanity, and reality. What makes a person an individual? Will Elizabeth still be herself if her mind is digitized and downloaded into a Veronica body? Will she be someone entirely new? How much of who you are is based on your mind, and how much on your body? How will others reconcile their feelings for you, your body, your mind? What if Will ended up in Veronica's cloned body? Would he still be Will? Would the people who are physically attracted to Veronica still be attracted to Will in Veronica's cloned body, or would the fact that it's a male mind inside the female body change how they feel? What are they really attracted to then, if they are no longer attracted to the same physical body because there is a different mind inside of it?

I love seeing characters grapple with these kinds of issues.

I'm really loving this. And it's the kind of stuff that we wanted to cover but that got a bit lost when I wrote up the setting summary so it's good to put more of it back in the game now in my opinion

What I was going to say... even the plague could be an experiment for all we know!

Well I look at these games as if they are TV shows and I don't really like shows with nothing but villains.

Ah, makes sense.
I'm picturing Richard as a kind of antihero. He has creepy and "evil" powers and is forced to cooperate with groups that he doesn't like or agree with but he himself is a good person who's just trying to help his friends and family, even if he's not perfect.

Like there are several Vampire drama shows where everyone is trying to screw over everyone and it works as far as drama tv, but it's kind of like real life. I want escapism where there are heroes.

I'm being screwed over by Jack but I think only screw over NPCs. And not even any of the ones our characters are attached to. Just the unimportant ones xD

I get that. I used to be super into the everyone is only out for themselves, grimdark stuff as a teenager but nowadays, it's much more interesting if people actually care about each other.
Makes for better drama, too

I think Belladonna is going to go Rebel. It seems to fit more with her character than Foil.

I'm planning on giving Will "Hero". He seems like a perfect tragic hero - crushing on his best friend, being used by people for his money, trying to get out from under his mothers' thumb and foiling her plans, only to end up marrying her clone (the more I think about that, the more yucky it seems.)

Elizabeth's reaction when Will pulls back his bride's veil at the wedding

The next stage I think we can pick anything like in the Life Changing Event.

Yeah we have to get you someone else to marry, that marrying your mothers clone is... ermmm yeah.

Is everyone done with LCE?

Im done with LCE

Specialist as far as I can tell now :)

I chose Power Manifestation. What would you guys suggest for Eli? Since he can't remember what brought him and his squad to the zone...he could honestly fit in any slot.

Id just pick whichever one works best for what you still want to do at the end.

I imagine you were meant to crack down and contain these plagued people.
So that the Rich like Wills mom wouldn't have to worry about them.

Or that you were a failed experiment that was disposed of in the quarantine ...

Oooooh or the super soldier experiments caused the plague

Oh no! You found my secret plot 😱 gene editing technology *hint hint*

I had toyed with the idea that Eli and his team were sent in to stop who ever was developing what the plague evolved from....obviously they failed.

That would be even better if they started the plague unknowingly 🤣
(Failed experiment)

And the theme of the game becomes, "We are the architects of our own doom."

Is everyone already done with LCE? Not everyone replied to the question so I didn't want to forge ahead just yet ':D

Oh sorry

I think the only one who didn't post their LCE details was Squad.

Okay, in that case, we can continue with the next step, Priority> Draw an arrow from your square to a new or existing circle (NEW Extra) or diamond (NEW Location).
> Draw an arrow from any circle or diamond to another circle, diamond, or square.

Also, pick an option from the Priority step and level your character up accordingly

[ooc]performance: bump duty, bump manipulative,
Jack -> pwns -> Awaken -> has clues about -> dragon's den/ooc]

---

---

@Cube: I added Fiona and her connections to the board

Ok thanks

Priority: Work

Will -> funds and supplies -> Distribution Center
Amanda Smythe-Davies -> has brain patterns of -> Ms. Evelyn Parker

^ Value: Truth to d6
^ Distinction: Connected to d8
^ Location: Wanneng Enterprises to 2d12

So Bella is sleeping with Will's fiancée who is also being extorted by her boyfriend? Now things are getting juicy

We may want to sell this idea for a TV cyber-super-punk-soap :)

You're all waiting on me, aren't you? Sorry. I was waiting to get help on the map.

I'm using the Priority "Moving Forward"
Belladonna --> is secretly sleeping with --> Amanda Smythe-DAvies
Xinjen Headquarters --> is on the top floor of --> Jessica's
up Justice to D6
up Manipulative to D8
up Malachi to 2D6

She's sleeping with her to give her boyfriend the dirt he needs to blackmail/extort her. She's a team player!

Is that the full story? Her boyfriend appreciates that very much

That's the full story as far as he knows.

Then he appreciates what his girl is doing for him. Or what he thinks she's doing for him

Looks like almost everyone is done with Priority so let's move on to Modus Operandi:

> Draw an arrow from any circle or diamond to another circle, diamond, or square.
> Draw an arrow from your square to an existing circle (NEW Relationship) or diamond (NEW Location).

Also pick an option for this step and level up accordingly

---

---

I'm using the Modus Operandi "Shady Business" because we're looking at a career criminal here, so...

Elizabeth --> has her illegal experiments run by --> Malachi
Belladonna --> books acts at --> Jessica's
up Power to D10
up Manipulative to D10
up Elijah to D6

Wow Bella is our Lex

Amanda -> used to date -> Jack
Will -> paid for and shares usage of -> Veronica's Lab

Modus Operandi: Reliability/Loyalty
^Love to d8
^ Veronica to d10
^ Elijah to d8

I added Squad's map connections for the Priorities step to the map.

Is she? Then that's probably not a good idea. I did not realize that, though xD

So Fiona is basically Lain? xD

Creepy is apparently the mantra of this game. Engaged to a clone of your own mother, attracted to a teenaged girl... sheesh. What's wrong with our leads?

I think this is probably a case of too many arrows and too few extras 😅

Yeah, Squad wrote me he'll pick something else but I think he hasn't been on GP since then.
He'll probably find a less creepy crush xD

Yeah, earlier in the game when we could either create new extras or connect existing ones, we all connected. Now that all we can do is connect, it's getting crowded on each of those extras.

No more extras? 😱 i’ll Have to squeeze arrows out of captain kurk then 😝

We finished MO, except for Squad, I think

MO right?

Thank You

Only two steps left... I'm excited!