From the article archive
Pieces Of My Cluttered Mind
"Please allow me to introduce myself..."
--Rolling Stones, Sympathy For The Devil
Let me get the formalities out of the way. I am a native of South Florida (the land of 2 seasons: Hot & Hotter) and have been role-playing games for 20 years now. I began my descent with 1st edition AD&D (we can all thank my older cousin for starting me on the road) and have read if not played a large chunk of the role-playing games released since the start of the 80s. To throw in some technical lingo, I am a Narrativist with some strong Gamist tendencies and the occasional Simulationist obsession (depending on the setting). I prefer to make it up as I go along and usually operate on an outline framework. I've been married for almost 7 years to another gamer (jackpot!) who finds my collection of games, miniatures and comics perfectly normal. I like well-developed characters, have a dark/morbid sense of humor and like to push players' characters to their limits.
However, despite all of the above I am also a wageslave. Which means that I have a fair income but little free time. I also possess a short-attention span (Curse you, television! No wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it…) and have to actively force myself to focus on things for extended lengths of time. Because of all this I have a lot of half-developed ideas cluttering my mind. Rather than just let them rot in my head I decided to take advantage of the Gaming Outpost's new renovation and offer them up to the public.
So, what I will be giving to you, my dear readers, is incomplete ideas for campaigns, groups and adventures which I may or may not ever complete. Now notice that I said incomplete. Most of these are frameworks or seeds at best. They are designed to be picked apart for what you find interesting or taken and fleshed out for your own use. Hopefully you will be kind enough to share your ideas with the rest of us on the forums. (Hint, Hint.)
This will probably be biweekly as I would like to tweak these a bit before putting them on display for the public. As I subtly hinted above discussion of these on the forums here would be way cool, so don't feel shy.
So, the groundwork's been laid out so without further ado:
The Believers
One of my favorite comics series was Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol. The concept of several weird superheroes dealing with problems which twist the minds of most other heroes and doing it in a nonviolent manner deeply appeals to me. As a fan of both deep conspiracies and the bizarre tying the two together makes perfect sense (see Twin Peaks for an example). Therefore the Believers were born in my mind. The Believers are a bizarre mix of 60's Hippie culture and Mysticism. I've included some notes for them both then (the 60's) and now.
Then:
The Believers were first formed in the late Sixties. While many costumed adventurers were lamenting the deaths of Kennedy and King a small few noticed the underlying omen of what was to come. Brought together by Dr. Mirage in order to prevent the abstract embodiment of Prejudice and the forces of F.E.A.R. from ruining the Woodstock festival. The Believers remained together and continued fighting against dangers and threats which most people could not understand. (Imagine a psychedelic comic merged with Dr Strange.) And so it was until the mid-Seventies when the Believers disappeared. Some say that they were defeated by a powerful opponent and it was this loss which killed the spirit of the Sixties. No one knows for sure what happened to them.
Roster: Gemini, Dr. Mirage, The Forgotten, Gatekeeper, Daydreamer, Pennywise, Madame Blue
Gemini: twin souls housed within one form. Gemini can counter any attack or effect by calling forth its opposing force. Additionally, Gemini has altered perceptions from having touched the Soul of the Universe which allowed him to perceive unnatural threats (Hippie Cosmic Awareness, woo hoo!). Gemini is an androgynous looking being whose gender changes from male to female at random. He had long blond hair and fair skin which added to his delicate features. (Imagine Ziggy Stardust as a superhero.)
Dr. Mirage: healer of the soul. Dr. Mirage has the ability to another's perceptions making them see what he wanted them to see. Additionally, he could pierce the barriers of deception and see the truth behind any untruth. Dr. Mirage is a black man in his late twenties. He sports a psychedelic shirt, a large afro and small John Lennon glasses with swirling color for the lenses. (Somewhere between Jimmy Hendrix and Nat-X.)
The Forgotten: another lost soul. The Forgotten has the ability to go unnoticed and fade from people's memories. As a result he was also able to cause the Universe to forget his presence and thus go places he normally wouldn't be able to go. (The lower levels of the Pentagon, the bottom of the ocean, etc.) The Forgotten is a non-descript man of indeterminate age. His only identifying trademark is the gray trenchcoat and rumpled hat he wears.
Gatekeeper: opener of the lost ways. Gatekeeper can open gates to anyplace through a doorway or similar portal. Gatekeeper also cannot be restrained and can pass through any barriers which impede him. Gatekeeper is an American Indian male in his late twenties. His hair is long and loose and always seems to blow in some unseen wind.
Daydreamer: dreaming reality into being. Daydreamer has the ability to release her dreamself (similar to astral projection). This form could affect reality but was unaffected by it. She also has the ability to pull items temporarily from people's dreams. Daydreamer fits the ideal image of a Hippie chick with beads, long straight blonde hair, headband, and blue eyes. She usually sports the latest in Hippie-wear.
Pennywise: aware of the universal mind. Pennywise can answer any question asked of her (except for how her power works). She can also determine the purpose and history of any item that she touches and focuses upon. Pennywise is a young girl in her early twenties. Unlike most of the her teammates she prefers to dress simply in subdued or dark colors. With her dark hair and fair skin she could almost be a precursor for the later Gothic wave.
Madame Blue: "gaze in your looking glass." Madame Blue is an oracle with the gift to see the past or future by gazing into a reflective surface. She also possesses a kaleidoscope which allows her to see any place on or off Earth. Madame Blue dresses in a showy manner which stands out amongst her colorful companions. (Picture something along the lines of the Stevie Nicks "witchie" image.) She has dark hair and dark eyes which shine naturally.
I never promised that the ideas I gave out were great ones. Next time, the Believers return to our modern world and adjust. Since this is a two-parter you won't have to wait too long for the continuation (give me a day or two). Feedback on the forums is encouraged.
--Rolling Stones, Sympathy For The Devil
Let me get the formalities out of the way. I am a native of South Florida (the land of 2 seasons: Hot & Hotter) and have been role-playing games for 20 years now. I began my descent with 1st edition AD&D (we can all thank my older cousin for starting me on the road) and have read if not played a large chunk of the role-playing games released since the start of the 80s. To throw in some technical lingo, I am a Narrativist with some strong Gamist tendencies and the occasional Simulationist obsession (depending on the setting). I prefer to make it up as I go along and usually operate on an outline framework. I've been married for almost 7 years to another gamer (jackpot!) who finds my collection of games, miniatures and comics perfectly normal. I like well-developed characters, have a dark/morbid sense of humor and like to push players' characters to their limits.
However, despite all of the above I am also a wageslave. Which means that I have a fair income but little free time. I also possess a short-attention span (Curse you, television! No wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it…) and have to actively force myself to focus on things for extended lengths of time. Because of all this I have a lot of half-developed ideas cluttering my mind. Rather than just let them rot in my head I decided to take advantage of the Gaming Outpost's new renovation and offer them up to the public.
So, what I will be giving to you, my dear readers, is incomplete ideas for campaigns, groups and adventures which I may or may not ever complete. Now notice that I said incomplete. Most of these are frameworks or seeds at best. They are designed to be picked apart for what you find interesting or taken and fleshed out for your own use. Hopefully you will be kind enough to share your ideas with the rest of us on the forums. (Hint, Hint.)
This will probably be biweekly as I would like to tweak these a bit before putting them on display for the public. As I subtly hinted above discussion of these on the forums here would be way cool, so don't feel shy.
So, the groundwork's been laid out so without further ado:
The Believers
One of my favorite comics series was Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol. The concept of several weird superheroes dealing with problems which twist the minds of most other heroes and doing it in a nonviolent manner deeply appeals to me. As a fan of both deep conspiracies and the bizarre tying the two together makes perfect sense (see Twin Peaks for an example). Therefore the Believers were born in my mind. The Believers are a bizarre mix of 60's Hippie culture and Mysticism. I've included some notes for them both then (the 60's) and now.
Then:
The Believers were first formed in the late Sixties. While many costumed adventurers were lamenting the deaths of Kennedy and King a small few noticed the underlying omen of what was to come. Brought together by Dr. Mirage in order to prevent the abstract embodiment of Prejudice and the forces of F.E.A.R. from ruining the Woodstock festival. The Believers remained together and continued fighting against dangers and threats which most people could not understand. (Imagine a psychedelic comic merged with Dr Strange.) And so it was until the mid-Seventies when the Believers disappeared. Some say that they were defeated by a powerful opponent and it was this loss which killed the spirit of the Sixties. No one knows for sure what happened to them.
Roster: Gemini, Dr. Mirage, The Forgotten, Gatekeeper, Daydreamer, Pennywise, Madame Blue
Gemini: twin souls housed within one form. Gemini can counter any attack or effect by calling forth its opposing force. Additionally, Gemini has altered perceptions from having touched the Soul of the Universe which allowed him to perceive unnatural threats (Hippie Cosmic Awareness, woo hoo!). Gemini is an androgynous looking being whose gender changes from male to female at random. He had long blond hair and fair skin which added to his delicate features. (Imagine Ziggy Stardust as a superhero.)
Dr. Mirage: healer of the soul. Dr. Mirage has the ability to another's perceptions making them see what he wanted them to see. Additionally, he could pierce the barriers of deception and see the truth behind any untruth. Dr. Mirage is a black man in his late twenties. He sports a psychedelic shirt, a large afro and small John Lennon glasses with swirling color for the lenses. (Somewhere between Jimmy Hendrix and Nat-X.)
The Forgotten: another lost soul. The Forgotten has the ability to go unnoticed and fade from people's memories. As a result he was also able to cause the Universe to forget his presence and thus go places he normally wouldn't be able to go. (The lower levels of the Pentagon, the bottom of the ocean, etc.) The Forgotten is a non-descript man of indeterminate age. His only identifying trademark is the gray trenchcoat and rumpled hat he wears.
Gatekeeper: opener of the lost ways. Gatekeeper can open gates to anyplace through a doorway or similar portal. Gatekeeper also cannot be restrained and can pass through any barriers which impede him. Gatekeeper is an American Indian male in his late twenties. His hair is long and loose and always seems to blow in some unseen wind.
Daydreamer: dreaming reality into being. Daydreamer has the ability to release her dreamself (similar to astral projection). This form could affect reality but was unaffected by it. She also has the ability to pull items temporarily from people's dreams. Daydreamer fits the ideal image of a Hippie chick with beads, long straight blonde hair, headband, and blue eyes. She usually sports the latest in Hippie-wear.
Pennywise: aware of the universal mind. Pennywise can answer any question asked of her (except for how her power works). She can also determine the purpose and history of any item that she touches and focuses upon. Pennywise is a young girl in her early twenties. Unlike most of the her teammates she prefers to dress simply in subdued or dark colors. With her dark hair and fair skin she could almost be a precursor for the later Gothic wave.
Madame Blue: "gaze in your looking glass." Madame Blue is an oracle with the gift to see the past or future by gazing into a reflective surface. She also possesses a kaleidoscope which allows her to see any place on or off Earth. Madame Blue dresses in a showy manner which stands out amongst her colorful companions. (Picture something along the lines of the Stevie Nicks "witchie" image.) She has dark hair and dark eyes which shine naturally.
I never promised that the ideas I gave out were great ones. Next time, the Believers return to our modern world and adjust. Since this is a two-parter you won't have to wait too long for the continuation (give me a day or two). Feedback on the forums is encouraged.
Recovered from the Gaming Outpost database backup. Original wording is preserved; damaged punctuation and presentation markup have been repaired. Historical links without a local match point to the Internet Archive.