Campaign Background Information:
With special thanks to Jim's brother, Jeff, for originally drawing most of this up for the Third Millennium game on Hero Central, though some was added by Jim and Randi more recently, especially the parts about Archangel Academy and Tomorrow Academy.
This page was last updated 01-14-2012.
Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla, was an inventor and a mechanical and electrical engineer. He was one of the most important contributors to the birth of commercial electricity, and is best known for his many revolutionary developments in the field of electromagnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla's patents and theoretical work formed the basis of modern alternating current (AC) electric power systems, including the polyphase system of electrical distribution and the AC motor, with which he helped usher in the Second Industrial Revolution. He changed the direction of the world a century ago. Today we have science and magic undreamed of, with aerocars, lunar bases, and more.
In a world with great advancements, greater challenges require heroes up to the challenge... Mutants, Mentalists, Magic, High-Tech, Aliens, Weird Science, Alternate Dimensions, Artificial Intelligences... all are possible.
This page was last updated 01-14-2012.
Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla, was an inventor and a mechanical and electrical engineer. He was one of the most important contributors to the birth of commercial electricity, and is best known for his many revolutionary developments in the field of electromagnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla's patents and theoretical work formed the basis of modern alternating current (AC) electric power systems, including the polyphase system of electrical distribution and the AC motor, with which he helped usher in the Second Industrial Revolution. He changed the direction of the world a century ago. Today we have science and magic undreamed of, with aerocars, lunar bases, and more.
In a world with great advancements, greater challenges require heroes up to the challenge... Mutants, Mentalists, Magic, High-Tech, Aliens, Weird Science, Alternate Dimensions, Artificial Intelligences... all are possible.
1958:
1958 saw two major Acts of law which then Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson (D-Texas, Chairman of the Senate Preparedness Investigating Subcommittee and Majority Whip) presented to Congress:
The Johnson Act
Senator Johnson guided to passage the first space legislation (National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which established NASA). President Eisenhower designated Senator Johnson to present a United States resolution to the United Nations calling for the peaceful exploration of outer space. Johnson also presented legislation which came to be known as the Johnson Act, which did two major actions:
- It established a policy of naming certain federal agents "Johnson" so as to preserve their true identities from criminal retribution. Some Agencies adopt this as standard policy (notably the PSA); others (notably the FBI) do not.
- It protected non-governmental superheroes secret identities in the public interest and for the same reasons as stated above. It stipulated that if the super person committed felony crimes, courts could deem it needful to remove the Johnson Act protection in individual cases, notably where the authorities come to consider such super person a public menace and "super villain."
Paranormal Security Agency (PSA)
1900 G Street NW, Washington DC
The Paranormal Security Agency (PSA) was created after 9/11, at the same time as the Department of Homeland Security was formed. The PSA is one of many agencies under DHS, and was a natural addition to Homeland Security in the post-9/11 US. The agency merges the paranormal arm of the Federal Air Marshals (FAM) with the Bureau of Magery Licensing (BOML or just BOM) and adds PWAT (Paranormal Weapons and Tactics) units to become the United States' formost authority for handling paranormal affairs. They subsequently absorbed PRIMUS into the PSA, making it a civilian-run rather than a military-run agency... dropping the name PRIMUS altogether. The 'Iron Guard' agents are now the most visible of the PWAT arm of the PSA in their distinctive, flashy Power Armor suits.
Robert Shannon, PSA Director
Robert Shannon is a long-time government servant, having been a 20-year army officer (retired Major), then joined the Federal Air Marshals (FAM) program a decade ago. With the merging of the FAM into the PSA, Robert was named director of the new agency. He is a firebrand redhead, quick to act but cunning and intelligent too...
Game World Background Info:
The 20th Century was a time for heroes. As light dawned on the new century, powers emerged from ancient slumbers to continue an unending battle for supremacy of the planet – and beyond.
Mutants: True mutations, now called various names depending on the culture and social strata – mutants, paranormals, metas – or more derogatorily, freaks, muties, and so on, appeared at the very end of World War II, many say with the invention of atomic warfare (although a few claim it goes all the way back to the discovery [and later, harnessing] of X-rays in 1895).
Powerman and True American became household names in America until the McCarthy Era forced them into hiding for many years.
Magic reappeared after a centuries-long period of dormancy after the Spanish Inquisition and witch-hunting forced everything in the West to go underground. In the East, Magic became more dominant on the mainland, while Japan took elements from both Magic and Technology, in some cases combining them into a new and more powerful tool for use in the new Millennium. Magic has, in fact, flowered in the last century, and while still viewed with much skepticism (and fear), is regarded by some as an Art form, and it is even beginning to be studied as such in some colleges around the world. The first to do so in America was VSU, Victory Sorcerous University, founded in 1949 in Victory, Georgia (real world Brunswick), halfway along the coast between Savannah and Jacksonville. Victory competes with such cities as New Orleans for the nominal title of ‘supernatural hotspot of the United States’.
Technological growth began to blossom as early as the late 18th Century. Clockwork armor, invented by the Swiss (and utilized so effectively by the Prussians), grew into more complex steam-powered battlesuits by the dawn of the Great War. Electronics and miniaturization has allowed for fantastic devices dreamed of decades ago to be seamlessly incorporated into the 21st Century’s power armor. World governments (and a few private organizations) now build elite cadres of such troops for specialized needs, restricted solely by quickened technological acceleration -- no one wants to invest in technology which will be obsolete in two or three years – and the exorbitant cost of research and development. The PSA's Iron Guard (formerly of the PRIMUS branch of the military) are one good example. They are constantly being upgraded, with appropriate supplemental training for Iron Guard agents.
Changes to the RW (Real World): In warfare, “land ironclads” gave way to tanks, and tanks are being replaced by GAHs – ground assault hovercraft (in Japan, the O-Daisuchiimu – giant “honorable big steam” robots, whose development dates back to the Russo-Japanese War – still guard the cities, updated with 21st Century technology). Airborne artillery platforms and ornithopters (the aircraft in James Cameron's "Avatar" movie), used extensively in the Great War, have given way to sleek new personal armored hovercarriers and ultra-maneuverable Tactical Air Wings (TAWs, similar to the power-suit units in the Avatar movie, with jet packs or hover tech for flight). TAWs allow an individual soldier the power of flight, and the United States Marine Corps was the first to employ an entire unit of TAW-equipped soldiers, the 1st Marine Aeronaut Battalion, in the Persian Gulf War. Lasers, sonics, and other types of weaponry dot the battlefield. The U.S. military replaced the M-1 with the LC-series of man-portable energy rifles in the 1990’s.
The Difference Engine of the 19th Century gave way to the Analytical Engine of the 20th, and in the technological bloom of the post-WW2 age, computers rose. By the 1970s, practically every middle income home had a microcomputer. Today, it is not uncommon to see people in the streets of any major city in the world with tiny computer keypads and displays, usually strapped onto their arm like a futuristic vambrace, interconnected with the WorldsNet. The next step, cybernetics, implants computers directly into the human body. While not unheard of, it is somewhat rare to see someone with cyber limbs or implants.
Nikola Tesla, greatest inventor of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, gave the world perhaps its most radical inventions – broadcast electrical power and cold fusion. Thomas Edison’s alternating current was deemed impractical and too dangerous after Tesla built the first large-scale power distribution transmitter in New York City. The real problem was lack of available energy sources until he solved that as well, with the discovery of cold fusion just before his death in the 1940s.
Today, every city has at least one municipal power transmitter supported by public taxes, rendering electricity available worldwide to anyone living within the footprint of a transmitter or relay station.
Weird Science and Aliens: The combined discoveries of luminiferous ether waves (1887) and the anti-gravity metal Cavorite (1903) brought space exploration within reach after 1900, though its usage was limited until the 1950s due to the practical limitations of keeping men alive in the harsh environment of outer space. In the ‘60s, man landed on the moon, by the ‘70s Skylab was a reality, and in the ‘80s the United States’ Moonbase Luna was established (quickly followed by a Russian base, and later colonization by the Chinese, Japanese, Euro-Commonwealth, and a few extremely wealthy corporations and individuals). In the last decade, man achieved a landing upon Mars, and in 2001, Ares Base was founded. Within weeks, mankind discovered that they were part of a great number of galactic civilizations, only a couple of which have chosen to introduce themselves at present.
Cavorite has also enabled men to develop Air Cars, Air Vans, Air Trucks, Air Buses, Air Trains, great Air Ships (think of Cruise Ships that fly) and even flying cities (such as Zephyr City in the middle-United States).
Air Vehicles (Buses, Cars, Trucks, etc.), Air Traffic Control, and Flying Rules
Basically, in areas like parks where air car owners like to fly around sightseeing, the general rule is to keep aware of what may be flying in the general area and avoid vehicle collisions, running into buildings, trees, telephone poles, wires, things like that. This is generally referred to as visual flight rules (VFR).If you fly over other parts of the city, the general rule of thumb is to stick to established air traffic routes, which are clearly marked with floating holographic signs projected into the air from building tops saying things like "East-Bound Air Car Traffic Lane," "Next Exit 75th Street, Right Lane," "Air Trucks Keep Right," "Air Speed Limit 155 MPH" and so on. Taking off or landing is only in designated zones, usually painted on the ground in large white letters. There are also areas marked "NO LANDING" -- the meaning is pretty obvious. It can all get a little complicated. There are air police cars, too, a division of the local city police. When they pull a pilot over, the air vehicle is expected to land in a suitably safe area. In rural areas, it's pretty much visual flight rules... much the same as parks... keep aware and don't run into other vehicles, barns, trees, farm animals, bears, etc.
Alternate Dimensions: Etheric science has led to the discoveries of alternate dimensions co-existing with our own, and scientists have experimented along these lines for decades. Some believe it is the scientific explanation for various magical realms which have been rediscovered in the 20th Century. More important was the discovery of the élan vital (1914), the very force of life creation itself. A particularly difficult combination of etheric bio-chemistry, magnetism, electricity, and magic, it is theoretically possible to create new creatures, or even people. Etheric cloning has been speculated as far back as the 1930s. Research into uses for elan vital continues, but it is very difficult to work with and work in this area is slow.
Elves - Aliens from an Alternate Dimension
There are relatively few Elves on Earth (in-game, of course), but there are some. Most are the forest-y types, but not all. I run elves a lot like Tolkien's elves (Noldor, Sindar, Sylvan), or, to some extent, like the old Gygax D&D type elves (High Elves, Grey Elves, Wood Elves) which were originally based on Tolkien's Elves, at least to some degree. (I started out in RPGs playing D&D... the old 3-book boxed set, back in the 70s. My first character ever was the Wizard Sam. His full name was actually stolen from Zelazny's Lord of Light novel, but he dropped the first bit and the last bit and just called himself Sam.).
Noldor = High Elves = highly intelligent, tend towards the kind who craft magic into things, but their magic tends to be a bit more subtle types of magic. Play that by ear, I guess. They can use flashy magic -- Fire Balls and Lightning Bolts -- but they tend to favor more subtle things. Think Celebrimbor (Elven ring-maker) or Galadriel.
Sindar = Grey Elves = kind of halfway between High Elves and Wood Elves and no one is really sure who they are or where they originated, other than being a different race in Tolkien's mythology. Think Rivendell Elves.
Sylvan = Wood Elves = highly skilled at woodcraft, scouting, hunting, etc. Think of Legolas, who in Tolkien's novel was a prince from Mirkwood, which, before Sauron moved in the south of Mirkwood as the Necromancer, was known previously as Greenwood.
And then there are Half-Elves, half Elven and half Human. The Elven half could be from any of the three Elven races, but tend to be more Sylvan than any others. Elrond was a half-elf (Noldor though, I think, iirc). He had a brother... I forget his name (I'd have to dig out the Silmarillion to find it)... Elrond chose the path of the Elves and his brother was the first king of Numenor, (Numenorians were those Half-Elves who followed the human path), but as humans they were the best, most skilled, and longest-lived, usually living two to four times as long as most human beings.
All races of Elves and those Half-Elves who follow the Elven path are true immortals. There are those who hunt them to use their life-blood to create potions of longevity or certain other rare magical objects.
Distinctive Features: Cat-slit eyes, pointy ears (like Spock, but seldom over-exaggerated "giant-sized" ears like you see in some drawings.). Skin-tones can vary. They're not always the medium-brown seen in some of the older D&D comic books. Some have multi-color irises, usually concentric "rings" of three colors in their eyes.
Other possibilities (from Master Lists of Limitations web site http://www.nextgenrpg.com/masterlists.htm -- Link will open a new tab or window):
Could Have Been a Model:
Concealable, Noticed And Recognized, Commonly Used Senses: 10 Points
Type: Distinctive Feature
Description: A character with this Distinctive Feature is as attractive as a human being can possibly get. He possesses all the classic traits that popular culture deems attractive, and has them in spades. The character in question should buy his Comeliness to at least 18, but shouldn't buy it higher than 23... after all, he's the pinnacle of normal human attractiveness. For anything better, the character should take Unearthly Beauty.
Unearthly Beauty:
Concealable, Major Reaction, Commonly Used Senses: 15 Points
Type: Distinctive Feature
Description: A character with this Disadvantage is more attractive than any human being has any right to be. Generally, there is some unusual cause for his extreme beauty, such as the character being an angelic (or sometimes demonic...) being, or perhaps being an alien of some sort. In any case, the character's appearance is so strikingly beautiful that it literally causes people to stop as they take the character in. The character in question should buy his comeliness to at least 24.
This Distinctive Feature is the polar opposite of Hideous (Distinctive).
Psych Lims: Cautious Long-Term Thinker. Common, Moderate: 10 Points
Type: Psychological
Description: The character has a goal that will take a long time to accomplish, one that could easily be foiled by rashness in the here and now. Thus, he considers all actions in the light of his long-term goals, and tends to be very conservative in his thinking. Such a character is more likely to be an economist or a bank officer than an adventurer, but sometimes they are forced into action by circumstances.
This Disadvantage goes well with Must Have A Plan. It is seldom seen with Adrenaline Junkie or Impatient.
Those should give you some ideas. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Artificial Intelligence: The discovery of the élan vital led to the development of artifical intelligence. Numerous experiments have been attempted, with varying degrees of success, to create intelligent life. Today, most people have a rudimentary A.I. running their homes or serving in other basic positions requiring simple intellect and decision-making skills. But the extraordinary successes of man-like intelligence have been few, unable to be repeated, and all too frequently, flawed.
Cavorite has led to the creation of the Ninth Wonder of the Modern World, Zephyr City. Developed by Halliburton and opened for settlement in 2001, this sparkling metropolis twenty years in the making resides nearly two kilometers above the geographical center of the United States, Lebanon, Kansas, and employs two thousand 80% gravity screens to keep it aloft (gravity screens are the same technology used in the aeromobile, or aerocar, invented in the 1900s but impractical to mass produce until 1980.). It is the midway point between the Earth and low-earth orbital stations, and has become a high-tech research center and transportation hub. Thanks to an aggressive leasing campaign by the manufacturer, which retains all ownership rights (governmentally, it is considered a possession of the United States, like Guam), many firms have located branches of their businesses in “the Jewel of the Skies,” and relocated personnel and their families accordingly, with the total population standing at just over one million in the air, plus two million in the “suburbs” on the ground below, many of whom commute to the sky city each day.
Heroes: Into this new Millennium of wonders emerge new heroes. They began to emerge in the late 19th Century as larger-than-life historical figures who, by accident or design, became the icons of their countries and the age. After the Great War, heroes began to emerge in many locales worldwide, frequently fighting against oppression on more of a local level than their predecessors. The emergence of mutants has changed the heroic mindset from regular people who through superior training come to greatness, to one of individuals with great power thrust upon them, deciding to use their abilities for weal or woe.
In the United States and much of the West, paranormals are treated much as anyone else. They have legal rights, and are not outwardly discriminated against as individuals. A small minority of everyday folks have extremely minor mutations, magic, or the odd piece of unusual technology or science. While certain individuals may be shunned as “freaks,” for example, it is largely bigoted minorities or an individual with a bias against a “non-normal” appearance.
Modern day heroes run the gamut – from magic to technology, from intense training to accidental power. The 21st Century beckons, with everything from interstellar travel to global etheric warfare and interdimensional exploration the possibilities. Welcome to our game…
Mutants: True mutations, now called various names depending on the culture and social strata – mutants, paranormals, metas – or more derogatorily, freaks, muties, and so on, appeared at the very end of World War II, many say with the invention of atomic warfare (although a few claim it goes all the way back to the discovery [and later, harnessing] of X-rays in 1895).
Powerman and True American became household names in America until the McCarthy Era forced them into hiding for many years.
Magic reappeared after a centuries-long period of dormancy after the Spanish Inquisition and witch-hunting forced everything in the West to go underground. In the East, Magic became more dominant on the mainland, while Japan took elements from both Magic and Technology, in some cases combining them into a new and more powerful tool for use in the new Millennium. Magic has, in fact, flowered in the last century, and while still viewed with much skepticism (and fear), is regarded by some as an Art form, and it is even beginning to be studied as such in some colleges around the world. The first to do so in America was VSU, Victory Sorcerous University, founded in 1949 in Victory, Georgia (real world Brunswick), halfway along the coast between Savannah and Jacksonville. Victory competes with such cities as New Orleans for the nominal title of ‘supernatural hotspot of the United States’.
Technological growth began to blossom as early as the late 18th Century. Clockwork armor, invented by the Swiss (and utilized so effectively by the Prussians), grew into more complex steam-powered battlesuits by the dawn of the Great War. Electronics and miniaturization has allowed for fantastic devices dreamed of decades ago to be seamlessly incorporated into the 21st Century’s power armor. World governments (and a few private organizations) now build elite cadres of such troops for specialized needs, restricted solely by quickened technological acceleration -- no one wants to invest in technology which will be obsolete in two or three years – and the exorbitant cost of research and development. The PSA's Iron Guard (formerly of the PRIMUS branch of the military) are one good example. They are constantly being upgraded, with appropriate supplemental training for Iron Guard agents.
Changes to the RW (Real World): In warfare, “land ironclads” gave way to tanks, and tanks are being replaced by GAHs – ground assault hovercraft (in Japan, the O-Daisuchiimu – giant “honorable big steam” robots, whose development dates back to the Russo-Japanese War – still guard the cities, updated with 21st Century technology). Airborne artillery platforms and ornithopters (the aircraft in James Cameron's "Avatar" movie), used extensively in the Great War, have given way to sleek new personal armored hovercarriers and ultra-maneuverable Tactical Air Wings (TAWs, similar to the power-suit units in the Avatar movie, with jet packs or hover tech for flight). TAWs allow an individual soldier the power of flight, and the United States Marine Corps was the first to employ an entire unit of TAW-equipped soldiers, the 1st Marine Aeronaut Battalion, in the Persian Gulf War. Lasers, sonics, and other types of weaponry dot the battlefield. The U.S. military replaced the M-1 with the LC-series of man-portable energy rifles in the 1990’s.
The Difference Engine of the 19th Century gave way to the Analytical Engine of the 20th, and in the technological bloom of the post-WW2 age, computers rose. By the 1970s, practically every middle income home had a microcomputer. Today, it is not uncommon to see people in the streets of any major city in the world with tiny computer keypads and displays, usually strapped onto their arm like a futuristic vambrace, interconnected with the WorldsNet. The next step, cybernetics, implants computers directly into the human body. While not unheard of, it is somewhat rare to see someone with cyber limbs or implants.
Nikola Tesla, greatest inventor of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, gave the world perhaps its most radical inventions – broadcast electrical power and cold fusion. Thomas Edison’s alternating current was deemed impractical and too dangerous after Tesla built the first large-scale power distribution transmitter in New York City. The real problem was lack of available energy sources until he solved that as well, with the discovery of cold fusion just before his death in the 1940s.
Today, every city has at least one municipal power transmitter supported by public taxes, rendering electricity available worldwide to anyone living within the footprint of a transmitter or relay station.
Weird Science and Aliens: The combined discoveries of luminiferous ether waves (1887) and the anti-gravity metal Cavorite (1903) brought space exploration within reach after 1900, though its usage was limited until the 1950s due to the practical limitations of keeping men alive in the harsh environment of outer space. In the ‘60s, man landed on the moon, by the ‘70s Skylab was a reality, and in the ‘80s the United States’ Moonbase Luna was established (quickly followed by a Russian base, and later colonization by the Chinese, Japanese, Euro-Commonwealth, and a few extremely wealthy corporations and individuals). In the last decade, man achieved a landing upon Mars, and in 2001, Ares Base was founded. Within weeks, mankind discovered that they were part of a great number of galactic civilizations, only a couple of which have chosen to introduce themselves at present.
Cavorite has also enabled men to develop Air Cars, Air Vans, Air Trucks, Air Buses, Air Trains, great Air Ships (think of Cruise Ships that fly) and even flying cities (such as Zephyr City in the middle-United States).
Air Vehicles (Buses, Cars, Trucks, etc.), Air Traffic Control, and Flying Rules
Basically, in areas like parks where air car owners like to fly around sightseeing, the general rule is to keep aware of what may be flying in the general area and avoid vehicle collisions, running into buildings, trees, telephone poles, wires, things like that. This is generally referred to as visual flight rules (VFR).If you fly over other parts of the city, the general rule of thumb is to stick to established air traffic routes, which are clearly marked with floating holographic signs projected into the air from building tops saying things like "East-Bound Air Car Traffic Lane," "Next Exit 75th Street, Right Lane," "Air Trucks Keep Right," "Air Speed Limit 155 MPH" and so on. Taking off or landing is only in designated zones, usually painted on the ground in large white letters. There are also areas marked "NO LANDING" -- the meaning is pretty obvious. It can all get a little complicated. There are air police cars, too, a division of the local city police. When they pull a pilot over, the air vehicle is expected to land in a suitably safe area. In rural areas, it's pretty much visual flight rules... much the same as parks... keep aware and don't run into other vehicles, barns, trees, farm animals, bears, etc.
Alternate Dimensions: Etheric science has led to the discoveries of alternate dimensions co-existing with our own, and scientists have experimented along these lines for decades. Some believe it is the scientific explanation for various magical realms which have been rediscovered in the 20th Century. More important was the discovery of the élan vital (1914), the very force of life creation itself. A particularly difficult combination of etheric bio-chemistry, magnetism, electricity, and magic, it is theoretically possible to create new creatures, or even people. Etheric cloning has been speculated as far back as the 1930s. Research into uses for elan vital continues, but it is very difficult to work with and work in this area is slow.
Elves - Aliens from an Alternate Dimension
There are relatively few Elves on Earth (in-game, of course), but there are some. Most are the forest-y types, but not all. I run elves a lot like Tolkien's elves (Noldor, Sindar, Sylvan), or, to some extent, like the old Gygax D&D type elves (High Elves, Grey Elves, Wood Elves) which were originally based on Tolkien's Elves, at least to some degree. (I started out in RPGs playing D&D... the old 3-book boxed set, back in the 70s. My first character ever was the Wizard Sam. His full name was actually stolen from Zelazny's Lord of Light novel, but he dropped the first bit and the last bit and just called himself Sam.).
Noldor = High Elves = highly intelligent, tend towards the kind who craft magic into things, but their magic tends to be a bit more subtle types of magic. Play that by ear, I guess. They can use flashy magic -- Fire Balls and Lightning Bolts -- but they tend to favor more subtle things. Think Celebrimbor (Elven ring-maker) or Galadriel.
Sindar = Grey Elves = kind of halfway between High Elves and Wood Elves and no one is really sure who they are or where they originated, other than being a different race in Tolkien's mythology. Think Rivendell Elves.
Sylvan = Wood Elves = highly skilled at woodcraft, scouting, hunting, etc. Think of Legolas, who in Tolkien's novel was a prince from Mirkwood, which, before Sauron moved in the south of Mirkwood as the Necromancer, was known previously as Greenwood.
And then there are Half-Elves, half Elven and half Human. The Elven half could be from any of the three Elven races, but tend to be more Sylvan than any others. Elrond was a half-elf (Noldor though, I think, iirc). He had a brother... I forget his name (I'd have to dig out the Silmarillion to find it)... Elrond chose the path of the Elves and his brother was the first king of Numenor, (Numenorians were those Half-Elves who followed the human path), but as humans they were the best, most skilled, and longest-lived, usually living two to four times as long as most human beings.
All races of Elves and those Half-Elves who follow the Elven path are true immortals. There are those who hunt them to use their life-blood to create potions of longevity or certain other rare magical objects.
Distinctive Features: Cat-slit eyes, pointy ears (like Spock, but seldom over-exaggerated "giant-sized" ears like you see in some drawings.). Skin-tones can vary. They're not always the medium-brown seen in some of the older D&D comic books. Some have multi-color irises, usually concentric "rings" of three colors in their eyes.
Other possibilities (from Master Lists of Limitations web site http://www.nextgenrpg.com/masterlists.htm -- Link will open a new tab or window):
Could Have Been a Model:
Concealable, Noticed And Recognized, Commonly Used Senses: 10 Points
Type: Distinctive Feature
Description: A character with this Distinctive Feature is as attractive as a human being can possibly get. He possesses all the classic traits that popular culture deems attractive, and has them in spades. The character in question should buy his Comeliness to at least 18, but shouldn't buy it higher than 23... after all, he's the pinnacle of normal human attractiveness. For anything better, the character should take Unearthly Beauty.
Unearthly Beauty:
Concealable, Major Reaction, Commonly Used Senses: 15 Points
Type: Distinctive Feature
Description: A character with this Disadvantage is more attractive than any human being has any right to be. Generally, there is some unusual cause for his extreme beauty, such as the character being an angelic (or sometimes demonic...) being, or perhaps being an alien of some sort. In any case, the character's appearance is so strikingly beautiful that it literally causes people to stop as they take the character in. The character in question should buy his comeliness to at least 24.
This Distinctive Feature is the polar opposite of Hideous (Distinctive).
Psych Lims: Cautious Long-Term Thinker. Common, Moderate: 10 Points
Type: Psychological
Description: The character has a goal that will take a long time to accomplish, one that could easily be foiled by rashness in the here and now. Thus, he considers all actions in the light of his long-term goals, and tends to be very conservative in his thinking. Such a character is more likely to be an economist or a bank officer than an adventurer, but sometimes they are forced into action by circumstances.
This Disadvantage goes well with Must Have A Plan. It is seldom seen with Adrenaline Junkie or Impatient.
Those should give you some ideas. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Artificial Intelligence: The discovery of the élan vital led to the development of artifical intelligence. Numerous experiments have been attempted, with varying degrees of success, to create intelligent life. Today, most people have a rudimentary A.I. running their homes or serving in other basic positions requiring simple intellect and decision-making skills. But the extraordinary successes of man-like intelligence have been few, unable to be repeated, and all too frequently, flawed.
Cavorite has led to the creation of the Ninth Wonder of the Modern World, Zephyr City. Developed by Halliburton and opened for settlement in 2001, this sparkling metropolis twenty years in the making resides nearly two kilometers above the geographical center of the United States, Lebanon, Kansas, and employs two thousand 80% gravity screens to keep it aloft (gravity screens are the same technology used in the aeromobile, or aerocar, invented in the 1900s but impractical to mass produce until 1980.). It is the midway point between the Earth and low-earth orbital stations, and has become a high-tech research center and transportation hub. Thanks to an aggressive leasing campaign by the manufacturer, which retains all ownership rights (governmentally, it is considered a possession of the United States, like Guam), many firms have located branches of their businesses in “the Jewel of the Skies,” and relocated personnel and their families accordingly, with the total population standing at just over one million in the air, plus two million in the “suburbs” on the ground below, many of whom commute to the sky city each day.
Heroes: Into this new Millennium of wonders emerge new heroes. They began to emerge in the late 19th Century as larger-than-life historical figures who, by accident or design, became the icons of their countries and the age. After the Great War, heroes began to emerge in many locales worldwide, frequently fighting against oppression on more of a local level than their predecessors. The emergence of mutants has changed the heroic mindset from regular people who through superior training come to greatness, to one of individuals with great power thrust upon them, deciding to use their abilities for weal or woe.
In the United States and much of the West, paranormals are treated much as anyone else. They have legal rights, and are not outwardly discriminated against as individuals. A small minority of everyday folks have extremely minor mutations, magic, or the odd piece of unusual technology or science. While certain individuals may be shunned as “freaks,” for example, it is largely bigoted minorities or an individual with a bias against a “non-normal” appearance.
Modern day heroes run the gamut – from magic to technology, from intense training to accidental power. The 21st Century beckons, with everything from interstellar travel to global etheric warfare and interdimensional exploration the possibilities. Welcome to our game…
WiFi and All-in-One Vambraces
With the advent of Wi-Fi, vambraces began to become the rage, given the need to carry a keyboard in a convenient manner to access the WorldsNet without having to carry a two- or three-pound laptop and find a place to set it up. The Wi-Fi Vambrace features a miniature keypad with a flip up display. Models vary, but a 2" by 3.33" display is fairly common. It is powered by a cold-fusion cell which is good for one-hour, and an extended battery is available for up to six hours of continuous use. More modern battery technology has produced new cells that can power devices for a day or more, though some use the cheaper, older cells and swap out spare battery packs as needed. (Think of Dick Tracy-style wrist-radio and wrist-TV and wrist-Computer rolled into one... very high-tech, cutting edge stuff that has pop-up, holographic, interactive iPad-like displays.).
The Wi-Fi Vambrace serves all of the same functions as a conventional desktop computer, but at a weight as little as one-quarter pound. No printout is available (usually, though portable printers can be carried about and connected, or one may Wi-Fi into a shared printer on a local network), and memory features are generally quite limited on board. Storage capacity over the WorldsNet is a primary limiting factor.
Given the overall convergence of technology, it was only a matter of time before telephonic functions began to be added to the vambrace. With the additions of a miniature microphone, camera, and an antenna, the All-in-One Vambrace (at about a half-pound weight) serves as a computer, camcorder, telephone, digital camera, picture phone, videophone, television, and video player.
Vambraces have become the ideal convenience item for the independent on-the-go person. Personal preferences allow individuals seeking comfort, style, color coordination, or simply protection for their unit can purchase skins for their vambrace, and they can be worn under loose clothing if preferred. Income users of all classes can afford the Wi-Fi Vambrace, and the All-in-One units are rapidly coming down in price as makers compete in a highly volatile marketplace.
It is possible to turn on home appliances via the WorldsNet, provided they are connected, of course. The refrigerator can tell you when you are out of a variety of products that come with a RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) embedded in the packaging, but if you transfer an item out of the original package into a container, then the refrigerator has no reference point and will think that you are out of milk when you submit the inquiry.
It is a misdemeanor to hack someone's refrigerator (for example), as long as the damage is under $500. Privacy rights are such that unsolicited advertising must be designated as such, preventing the issues of corporate spamming and pop-up ads. There is a fine line in the law which allows for certain restricted unsolicited advertising, based on a customer with an open, existing account with a business. The government cannot hack your vambrace, but with proper search warrants can demand records from your WorldsNet access provider.
A specific vambrace may be traced if the emergency notification is activated (think of it as calling 911). The vambrace then transmits a low-power carrier signal to allow emergency services to locate the vambrace of the wearer. Otherwise, barring damage or tampering, the carrier signal is inactive.
The Wi-Fi Vambrace serves all of the same functions as a conventional desktop computer, but at a weight as little as one-quarter pound. No printout is available (usually, though portable printers can be carried about and connected, or one may Wi-Fi into a shared printer on a local network), and memory features are generally quite limited on board. Storage capacity over the WorldsNet is a primary limiting factor.
Given the overall convergence of technology, it was only a matter of time before telephonic functions began to be added to the vambrace. With the additions of a miniature microphone, camera, and an antenna, the All-in-One Vambrace (at about a half-pound weight) serves as a computer, camcorder, telephone, digital camera, picture phone, videophone, television, and video player.
Vambraces have become the ideal convenience item for the independent on-the-go person. Personal preferences allow individuals seeking comfort, style, color coordination, or simply protection for their unit can purchase skins for their vambrace, and they can be worn under loose clothing if preferred. Income users of all classes can afford the Wi-Fi Vambrace, and the All-in-One units are rapidly coming down in price as makers compete in a highly volatile marketplace.
It is possible to turn on home appliances via the WorldsNet, provided they are connected, of course. The refrigerator can tell you when you are out of a variety of products that come with a RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) embedded in the packaging, but if you transfer an item out of the original package into a container, then the refrigerator has no reference point and will think that you are out of milk when you submit the inquiry.
It is a misdemeanor to hack someone's refrigerator (for example), as long as the damage is under $500. Privacy rights are such that unsolicited advertising must be designated as such, preventing the issues of corporate spamming and pop-up ads. There is a fine line in the law which allows for certain restricted unsolicited advertising, based on a customer with an open, existing account with a business. The government cannot hack your vambrace, but with proper search warrants can demand records from your WorldsNet access provider.
A specific vambrace may be traced if the emergency notification is activated (think of it as calling 911). The vambrace then transmits a low-power carrier signal to allow emergency services to locate the vambrace of the wearer. Otherwise, barring damage or tampering, the carrier signal is inactive.
PADDs (Personal Assistant Display Device)
PADDs (think super-iPads) range from handheld versions about the same size as RW PDAs all the way to 9"x12" tablets designed to mimic the old paper texts. As a rule, paper isn't used much anymore, relegated to the rich, collections of old books in the rare sections of libraries, and magical tomes.
PADDs may be connected to the WorldsNet, but doesn't have to be. In fact, today it is possible to obtain inexpensive novel that years ago would have been printed in paperback, in a read-only PADD that is designed to stand on its end and set upright on a bookshelf as if it were a printed book or old DVD storage.
More expensive PADDs come equipped with a stylus and are programmed to change handwritten text over to a typeset fontstyle. In close proximity, two PADDs can transfer data back and forth. A PADD is capable of acting as a computer, but it is not designed to do so readily.
Top end models may be equipped with camera and microphone, and act largely like a beefed up Wi-Fi Vambrace, except that in must have a stand-alone keyboard to be able to do that effectively.
PADDs may be connected to the WorldsNet, but doesn't have to be. In fact, today it is possible to obtain inexpensive novel that years ago would have been printed in paperback, in a read-only PADD that is designed to stand on its end and set upright on a bookshelf as if it were a printed book or old DVD storage.
More expensive PADDs come equipped with a stylus and are programmed to change handwritten text over to a typeset fontstyle. In close proximity, two PADDs can transfer data back and forth. A PADD is capable of acting as a computer, but it is not designed to do so readily.
Top end models may be equipped with camera and microphone, and act largely like a beefed up Wi-Fi Vambrace, except that in must have a stand-alone keyboard to be able to do that effectively.
Telephonic Earcuff
One of the simplest devices on today's market, the Telephonic Earcuff does only one thing - voice-only telephony (think of Blue-Tooth-equipped hands-free cell phones, the kind that you stick on and sometimes in your ear, often equipped with a tiny boom or microphone element generally pointed towards your mouth. I have one. They usually work quite well and they're nice to have and use, freeing up your hand and letting you talk at will while doing other things. In most states they're legal to use while driving, unlike the hand-held cell phone. My cell phone usually sits on the dash and I talk on the Blue Tooth device.
There have been some political moves lately to ban even "hands-free" cell phone usage while driving now... too distracting, they say. Next they'll ban having the radio too loud, eating french fries while driving, or drinking your Starbucks, whether you have a cup holder or not, or eating or drinking anything while driving, talking to fellow passengers, turning around to yell at the kids in the back seat, etc. Next they'll ban cell phone use in any moving vehicles, including passengers on buses (they're already banned on jets). Who knows where it will end? When they manage to get autopilots working like in that one Tom Cruise movie (the one where the cars drive sideways?), or in the "I, Robot" movie, or the "Demolition Man" movie, then all "Manual" driving will be made illegal and all driving will be limited to autopilot, which may or may not be a good thing. And they'll probably still ban cell phone use while in a moving vehicle.).
Back to Telephonic Earbud-like devices and Vambraces...
The major draw of such devices is the fact that they are extremely small (and lightweight), can be personalized with a wide variety of looks, and is easily carried in a location on the body where it is most convenient and ready with a minimum of button pushing. They can even pop-up holographic keyboards and multiple display screens for videophone conferencing, data displays, etc.
These are widespread in the lower end of the marketplace, especially for those who cannot yet afford (or don't want the hassle of) Wi-Fi Vambraces. They cost only a few dollars, and disposable versions have been available since the '70s. They experienced a fad resurgence in the '90s as a stylish accessory, but quickly leveled off in sales and are slowly dropping in favor of more versatile technologies.
Security personnel use similar devices with just a bit of enhancement... an earbud, which inserts into the ear much like a hearing aid, with a matching throat mike which can be used to pick up sub-vocalized words for near-undetectable transmissions. Various units have controls for channel selection, on-off, push-to-talk, VOX (voice-operated transmit) mode, and volume controls either on the earbud, or, more commonly, on the neck-piece that houses the throat mike, which is often a flesh-colored choker-collar sort of device.
Some supers use nanotech-based devices, often installed in the earlobe and activated by a simple squeeze action. Most are so small as to be invisible to sight. Except for the dude seeming to be talking to himself, you'd usually not know he has a phone built into his ear. This variety often has a voice-menu, but is smart enough to accept and store numbers to call. Squeeze ear lobe, say, "Call Mom" and next thing you know, Mom is talking in your ear. Moms have been known to pay for the gadgets to be installed in their kids ears, with remote controls so that the kid cannot turn mom off, mom can locate kid and eavesdrop, monitor him or her, see and hear what the kid sees and hears, etc. There are ongoing court battles over privacy concerns vs. Parents controlling and protecting their kids concerns, some of which may never be resolved.
There have been some political moves lately to ban even "hands-free" cell phone usage while driving now... too distracting, they say. Next they'll ban having the radio too loud, eating french fries while driving, or drinking your Starbucks, whether you have a cup holder or not, or eating or drinking anything while driving, talking to fellow passengers, turning around to yell at the kids in the back seat, etc. Next they'll ban cell phone use in any moving vehicles, including passengers on buses (they're already banned on jets). Who knows where it will end? When they manage to get autopilots working like in that one Tom Cruise movie (the one where the cars drive sideways?), or in the "I, Robot" movie, or the "Demolition Man" movie, then all "Manual" driving will be made illegal and all driving will be limited to autopilot, which may or may not be a good thing. And they'll probably still ban cell phone use while in a moving vehicle.).
Back to Telephonic Earbud-like devices and Vambraces...
The major draw of such devices is the fact that they are extremely small (and lightweight), can be personalized with a wide variety of looks, and is easily carried in a location on the body where it is most convenient and ready with a minimum of button pushing. They can even pop-up holographic keyboards and multiple display screens for videophone conferencing, data displays, etc.
These are widespread in the lower end of the marketplace, especially for those who cannot yet afford (or don't want the hassle of) Wi-Fi Vambraces. They cost only a few dollars, and disposable versions have been available since the '70s. They experienced a fad resurgence in the '90s as a stylish accessory, but quickly leveled off in sales and are slowly dropping in favor of more versatile technologies.
Security personnel use similar devices with just a bit of enhancement... an earbud, which inserts into the ear much like a hearing aid, with a matching throat mike which can be used to pick up sub-vocalized words for near-undetectable transmissions. Various units have controls for channel selection, on-off, push-to-talk, VOX (voice-operated transmit) mode, and volume controls either on the earbud, or, more commonly, on the neck-piece that houses the throat mike, which is often a flesh-colored choker-collar sort of device.
Some supers use nanotech-based devices, often installed in the earlobe and activated by a simple squeeze action. Most are so small as to be invisible to sight. Except for the dude seeming to be talking to himself, you'd usually not know he has a phone built into his ear. This variety often has a voice-menu, but is smart enough to accept and store numbers to call. Squeeze ear lobe, say, "Call Mom" and next thing you know, Mom is talking in your ear. Moms have been known to pay for the gadgets to be installed in their kids ears, with remote controls so that the kid cannot turn mom off, mom can locate kid and eavesdrop, monitor him or her, see and hear what the kid sees and hears, etc. There are ongoing court battles over privacy concerns vs. Parents controlling and protecting their kids concerns, some of which may never be resolved.
Super Schools -- High Schools and Universities
Archangel Academy
Archangel Academy is the premiere Super High School, with some exceptions made for both younger and older students, if both Administration and Families deem it appropriate and needed. Some very advanced younger students, or older students operating under unusual circumstances have attended Archangel. Founded circa 1990 by a man named San Gabriel, Archangel is built upon a luxury tropical island that was converted to be a mobile, traveling home for a very rich man. When he passed, his family sold the island to Mr. San Gabriel, who had it further altered, with facilities constructed for school use. The very rich take security very seriously, so the island is powered by several cold fusion power plants and driven by a series of redundant Cavorite engines below the island, any one of which can lift and move the 3-mile diameter land mass, a man-terraformed island that is almost a perfect circle in shape.
Island defenses include some very, very powerful Force Field (Force Wall) emitters that project a spherical, defensive, electro-magnetic field around the entire island, a few hundred feet out from the edges of the land mass, where an underwater shelf ends in a coral reef just under the water's surface (reef and shelf are a part of the island). A sophisticated Security System Command Control Center monitors the Force Field and all the air and water space around the island and to some considerable distance out therefrom.
The combination of Cold Fusion Power Plants, Cavorite Drive and Lift engines, and Force Field emitters make a potent defensive feature for Archangel Island. Among other things, they can submerge the island and take it to incredible depths in the ocean and have done so on occasion, using the opportunity to teach students about deep sea life and underwater mountain, trench, and other sub-sea formations. They can also lift the island out of the water and fly it short distances -- such as over the Panama Canal, moving it from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. They seldom opt to use either, though, and mostly just float along on the ocean surface.
High-powered cannon are capable of firing at any vessels approaching the island, should they be deemed menaces to staff and students. Over the past 20+ years, Archangel Island has repelled a number of invasion attempts. Typically there are over a hundred super-powered staff and students on the island at any given time... a tempting resource that many super villains, villain groups and some nations would love to control.
During one such invasion and take-control attempt, a super villain team installed its own variant Super-Science-based super-technology Power. Installing some very high-capacity charging capacitor and battery combinations, feeding into new energy emitters, all tied into Archangel's Force Field emitter array and navigation control system, they gave the island the ability to teleport. The villains had intended this ability to be used to evade authorities and to take the island to an unknown location, but after evaluating the devices, Dr. Romanova and President Whitmarsh and the Engineering staff decided that the teleport feature should stay. They do not comment on it publicly, but there are some limits on the teleport power. Notably, it takes about a week to charge the battery-capacitor combination to full power so that the teleport emitters may be fired and used safely. They have used the teleport a few times, though, with results that Dr. Romanova considers promising. They still use the Cavorite drive engines, as well, of course, but the teleport is a nice feature, especially should an armada come against the island. One time they teleported the island to the waters just outside the US Marine Corps and Navy base at Coronado Island near San Diego. Those threatening the island did not follow.
Early on in its formation as a school offering its services to the international super community, Archangel made political alliances and signed treaties with the UN, USA and most other modern nations, making Archangel Island a nation in its own right, with all the rights and privileges accorded thereunto. Some nations deny such agreements and do not recognize the island as a nation, but they are few, and Archangel Administration avoids them, generally giving such nations a wide berth.
Even before its founding in 1990, Dr. Rhiannon Whitmarsh has been the Dean of the school and President of the Archangel Nation. Dr. Whitmarsh is an extremely capable and intelligent woman, a "normal" and not a superhuman, but most people in-the-know recognize that she is a very efficient administrator. Her track record speaks well for her accomplishments. Early on she signed up a key researcher, world-famed super-intelligent scientist and inventor, Dr. Kyriana Romanova, providing her with a very well-funded and well-equipped super-laboratory for her research and development. The arrangement is mutually beneficial as Dr. Romanova has a keen interest in studying and working with all manner of super-powered beings.
The First Student
Cynthia Hudson AKA "Incendiary"
One of the very first such super-powered beings admitted to the Academy was Cynthia Hudson, who later came to be known as the superheroine known as "Incendiary."
Before she came to the Academy, she was a medical patient. An accident had bathed her in an experimental, acidic chemical agent meant to be used to create controlled fires to be used for various well-intended purposes, but not for bathing people in it. The dangerous stuff should have killed the girl, but she was a latent mutant with a super-healing-and-resurrection ability that no one even knew she had until that point. The flaming-acid-chemical bath killed her in a most painful manner, burning her body to an ashen corpse. And then she resurrected, screaming in pain. And then the acidic, flaming chemical, interacting with her mutant body, killed her again... in the same hideously painful manner. The entire matter and everything they tried to do for her made big news, world-wide. You can still see the videos on YouTube.
This cycle repeated every few minutes. Doctors tried many things... various methods of neutralizing the acid-flame chemical (other chemical baths, etc.), vacuum chambers, high pressure chambers, water baths, ice baths, various supers who came to try to help, and more. Nothing worked. One 'good' note -- the girl slipped into a coma. The death-rebirth cycle continued, but she was no longer screaming through it.
Finally, with President Whitmarsh's approval, Dr. Romanova resorted to using an unproven invention to rewrite the girl's DNA, hoping to deactivate her Resurrection-Healing Power and allow her to finally die and stay dead, to put her out of her misery. Instead, the untried, untested machine did something different... it doused the flames. Cynthia lived. She was still in a coma, but alive. The machine did not fare so well, catching fire, its control and emitter systems burning out, never to be used again. Dr. Romanova eventually rebuilt it, but then shelved it for later tests. But, due to the unforeseen misfiring and destruction of the first such device, she is reluctant to do anything with it, and certainly does not want to experiment on any living beings with it. They would not have used it in the first place had it not been deemed a dire need and a last resort.
After three weeks, Cynthia came out of the coma and discovered that she could now control the flames. Incendiary had been born. She was Archangel Academy's first student. After graduating in 1994 and a few years as a superheroine and college student in California, she returned to the Academy in 1999 with a Teaching Certificate and took up teaching younger supers how to fly, how to handle energy-projector type powers, and, with a new Master's degree in psychology, she became Archangel's second super-counselor for super-students (Brian Caldwell is the first such). She has been a teacher with Archangel ever since.
Before she came to the Academy, she was a medical patient. An accident had bathed her in an experimental, acidic chemical agent meant to be used to create controlled fires to be used for various well-intended purposes, but not for bathing people in it. The dangerous stuff should have killed the girl, but she was a latent mutant with a super-healing-and-resurrection ability that no one even knew she had until that point. The flaming-acid-chemical bath killed her in a most painful manner, burning her body to an ashen corpse. And then she resurrected, screaming in pain. And then the acidic, flaming chemical, interacting with her mutant body, killed her again... in the same hideously painful manner. The entire matter and everything they tried to do for her made big news, world-wide. You can still see the videos on YouTube.
This cycle repeated every few minutes. Doctors tried many things... various methods of neutralizing the acid-flame chemical (other chemical baths, etc.), vacuum chambers, high pressure chambers, water baths, ice baths, various supers who came to try to help, and more. Nothing worked. One 'good' note -- the girl slipped into a coma. The death-rebirth cycle continued, but she was no longer screaming through it.
Finally, with President Whitmarsh's approval, Dr. Romanova resorted to using an unproven invention to rewrite the girl's DNA, hoping to deactivate her Resurrection-Healing Power and allow her to finally die and stay dead, to put her out of her misery. Instead, the untried, untested machine did something different... it doused the flames. Cynthia lived. She was still in a coma, but alive. The machine did not fare so well, catching fire, its control and emitter systems burning out, never to be used again. Dr. Romanova eventually rebuilt it, but then shelved it for later tests. But, due to the unforeseen misfiring and destruction of the first such device, she is reluctant to do anything with it, and certainly does not want to experiment on any living beings with it. They would not have used it in the first place had it not been deemed a dire need and a last resort.
After three weeks, Cynthia came out of the coma and discovered that she could now control the flames. Incendiary had been born. She was Archangel Academy's first student. After graduating in 1994 and a few years as a superheroine and college student in California, she returned to the Academy in 1999 with a Teaching Certificate and took up teaching younger supers how to fly, how to handle energy-projector type powers, and, with a new Master's degree in psychology, she became Archangel's second super-counselor for super-students (Brian Caldwell is the first such). She has been a teacher with Archangel ever since.
The Tomorrow Academy
The Tomorrow Academy (TA) started in Chicago, but later opened other campuses in major cities across the USA. Unlike Archangel, TA is a bit more stationary than the island-based Archangel. It's first campus, in Chicago, is equipped with some potent security features, such as Force Fields much like Archangel Island. But, unlike Archangel, Tomorrow Academy stays in one place. Also, TA is not a nation in its own right, but operates under the auspices of the United States government as a recognized High School for Gifted Students (meaning Super-Powered students. This is deemed especially appropriate as many "mutant-type" super powers often seem to first manifest at or soon after puberty in many cases. Super High Schools can help students learn to control and live with their newly-developing super powers.
Tomorrow Academy - Chicago, Illinois
The first school was built in Chicago, on the near northwest side of the city, founded in 1998. Taking over buildings used by a previous school and other businesses, with adjunct business services nearby, some of great convenience to both staff and students, such as a Starbucks Coffee shop an a variety of cafeterias, fast food and other restaurants, bookstores, etc. On-campus dormitories are provided as well as apartments and condominiums for more well-to-do students who wish to buy or rent such. "Our mission is to teach gifted students, both super and normal -- those who are above-average, real achievers, doers and go-getters." -- Principal Anderson.
Tomorrow Academy, Chicago Campus.
The main instructional center is a 12-story-tall building with a helipad on the rooftop, though it is often the entrance of choice for flying super-students, once they have been certified as flight-trained and safe fliers.
Other nearby buildings are equally or nearly as tall, as are many buildings in that area, considered an industrialized and developed business area part of the city. In addition, Pritzger park is located just to the west, with condo units just north, affording resident students a nice view of the park, though those units are a bit pricier. A nearby parking deck serves students who choose to commute, though parking, like most places in the city, can be a bit expensive. Many commuting staff and students opt to use public transit... trains and buses, generally.
Who's Who at Tomorrow Academy:
Other nearby buildings are equally or nearly as tall, as are many buildings in that area, considered an industrialized and developed business area part of the city. In addition, Pritzger park is located just to the west, with condo units just north, affording resident students a nice view of the park, though those units are a bit pricier. A nearby parking deck serves students who choose to commute, though parking, like most places in the city, can be a bit expensive. Many commuting staff and students opt to use public transit... trains and buses, generally.
Who's Who at Tomorrow Academy:
- Amanda Annette Anderson is the CEO of Tomorrow Academy, Inc. and Principal of the Chicago Campus.
- Anton, Jean Marcel - Chairman, Foreign Languages Dept., Professor, French.
- Carmel, Robert - Chief of Security AKA "X-Ray."
- Carter, Bethany Ann - Professor, Physical Education AKA "Dark Arms."
Professor Dark Arms - Physical Education
Professor Dark Arms
For many Supers, Phys Ed means combat training, and Prof. Dark Arms is the go-to person if you want personal combat. She is as rough and tough as they come. If you ignore the mask and cut-away swimsuit-like costume which she habitually wears, and the killer-beauty good looks and her to-die-for long, wavy, platinum-blond hair, you can't ignore her glowing white eyes, long, black-as-night tentacles or the general aura of energy that always surrounds her.
Watch out for those long black tentacles that seem to pop out just about anywhere -- she can grab and toss around armored cars and semi-trailer trucks as if they were matchbox cars and not real cars. And she throws around supers with equal ease, too, often embarrassing those in her Supers-Only gym classes.
Watch out for those long black tentacles that seem to pop out just about anywhere -- she can grab and toss around armored cars and semi-trailer trucks as if they were matchbox cars and not real cars. And she throws around supers with equal ease, too, often embarrassing those in her Supers-Only gym classes.
(More to be added...)
