DC Villains #1: The Malay Penguin
Nov. 8th, 2020 01:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jkcarrierDC Villains
Episode 1:
"The Malay Penguin"
(I just started running a new RPG campaign, using the Mighty Protectors rules. For a change of pace, this time the PCs will be playing aspiring super-villains, operating in the DC Universe. The PCs are:
Captain Republican: Heightened Attack, Power Blast, Density Increase, Shield. Weakness: Uneducated.
Mr. Roboto: Heightened Strength, Heightened Attack, Armor, Vibratory Blast. Weakness: Unliving.
The following is a recap of the first session.)
Our story began at Gotham Penitentiary, where two new inmates arrived: the crooked politician Captain Republican, and the evil mechanoid Mr. Roboto. Having not yet acquired much of a reputation, the two found themselves shunned by the various gangs and cliques inside the prison. But one inmate took an interest in them: a funny little man who turned out to be none other than Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin. He was looking for a couple of ambitious go-getters to form the basis of a new gang. With no other prospects, the two newbies signed on.
Right on cue, a strange-looking bird appeared in the skies over the prison. It was actually a disguised drone, and the "egg" it dropped was a powerful EMP charge that took out a large part of the prison's electrical system, as well as the collars that were suppressing the villains' powers. Using the resulting riot as cover, the Penguin led them to the evidence locker so they could retrieve their equipment. Apparently, someone else had the same idea, as the vault door had been torn off its hinges, and the locker ransacked. Luckily, the Penguin's umbrella and the Captain's shield were still there. After a brief skirmish with a couple of hapless guards, the villains were ready to make their escape.
Heading up to the rooftop helipad, the Penguin and his crew once again saw that someone else got their first: the unlikely duo of the laser-helmeted Crazy-Quilt and the simple-minded brute called Blockbuster. With neither side interested in sharing a ride, a battle ensued. It wasn't going well for the Penguin's crew, with Blockbuster able to soak up considerable amounts of damage, and Crazy-Quilt blanketing the room with laser shots. But a lucky shot from Captain Republican's power blast shorted out Crazy-Quilt's helmet, which not only disarmed him, but rendered him blind as well. Panicking, Quilt ordered Blockbuster to get them out of there, and the brute complied by grabbing the blinded villain and leaping away. Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, Penguin, Cap, and Roboto got the helicopter working and made their escape.
Free and back in Gotham City, the Penguin's first priority was to reclaim his headquarters, the Iceberg Lounge. In his absence, a couple of sleazy financiers named Mortimer Drake and Cameron Van Cleer had taken possession of the property and were in the process of re-branding it as a sort of old English pub. Needless to say, the Penguin objected, and sent his new crew in to forcibly evict the squatters. Drake and Van Cleer, in their guises as The Cavalier and Killer Moth, put up a good fight, but even the Cavalier's electrified sword and Moth's cocoon-gun could not stand up to Mr. Roboto and Captain Republican. The Lounge belonged to the Penguin once more.
Settled back into his nest, the Penguin now had his eye on a pricelss gold-and-ivory statue called "The Malay Penguin". The piece was being exhibited at a gallery in Star City, and was surrounded by state-of-the art security systems. The Penguin learned that the plans for the system were being kept in a safe in the home of the gallery's owner, David Reed, and sent his loyal henchmen to go get them. Cap and Roboto managed to break in, fight off a couple of vicious cheetahs that Reed kept as pets, and retrieved the plans from the safe.
However, their breaking and entering had not gone unnoticed, and two of Star City's resident heroes, Mr. Terrific and Wild Dog, turned up to thwart their escape. Wild Dog's guns proved to be little use against the Captain's shield and Mr. Roboto's steel chassis, and while Mr. Terrific's electrified T-Spheres fared a bit better, the heroes eventually went down in defeat, and the villains absconded with the plans.
The next night, with the information they'd obtained, the villains easily breached the gallery's defenses. However, the good guys had guessed what they were planning, and three more members of Team Arrow -- Ragman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow himself -- were there waiting for them.
The dastardly duo correctly guessed that Ragman was the weak link on the team, and ganged up to take him out first, evening the odds. Green Arrow and Black Canary managed to wear down Mr. Roboto's defenses with a combination of acid arrows and sonic screams and took him out of the fight. But then the fortunes reversed, and Captain Republican landed a shot that disabled G.A.'s arm, rendering his bow useless. In pure fisticuffs, he was no match, and Cap knocked him out.
By this point, both Captain Republican and Black Canary were low on power, but he didn't like his odds against Canary's martial arts expertise. He proposed a truce, and with a successful Cool save, convinced her to let each of them gather their wounded and retreat to fight another day. The Penguin was disappointed they weren't able to acquire the statue, but impressed at their showing against a couple of Justice Leaguers. "We'll get them next time!"
(At the end of the session, Captain Republican decided he didn't like the way his Shield power would crumble after deflecting a couple of attacks. I have a house rule where I let players spend Character Points to re-roll a power if they choose. Cap first rolled for Adaptation, which he also didn't like the sound of. He spent another point and this time got Durability, which he was happy with. Mr. Roboto put his earned points into his Vibratory Blast attack.)
Episode 1:
"The Malay Penguin"
(I just started running a new RPG campaign, using the Mighty Protectors rules. For a change of pace, this time the PCs will be playing aspiring super-villains, operating in the DC Universe. The PCs are:
Captain Republican: Heightened Attack, Power Blast, Density Increase, Shield. Weakness: Uneducated.
Mr. Roboto: Heightened Strength, Heightened Attack, Armor, Vibratory Blast. Weakness: Unliving.
The following is a recap of the first session.)
Our story began at Gotham Penitentiary, where two new inmates arrived: the crooked politician Captain Republican, and the evil mechanoid Mr. Roboto. Having not yet acquired much of a reputation, the two found themselves shunned by the various gangs and cliques inside the prison. But one inmate took an interest in them: a funny little man who turned out to be none other than Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin. He was looking for a couple of ambitious go-getters to form the basis of a new gang. With no other prospects, the two newbies signed on.
Right on cue, a strange-looking bird appeared in the skies over the prison. It was actually a disguised drone, and the "egg" it dropped was a powerful EMP charge that took out a large part of the prison's electrical system, as well as the collars that were suppressing the villains' powers. Using the resulting riot as cover, the Penguin led them to the evidence locker so they could retrieve their equipment. Apparently, someone else had the same idea, as the vault door had been torn off its hinges, and the locker ransacked. Luckily, the Penguin's umbrella and the Captain's shield were still there. After a brief skirmish with a couple of hapless guards, the villains were ready to make their escape.
Heading up to the rooftop helipad, the Penguin and his crew once again saw that someone else got their first: the unlikely duo of the laser-helmeted Crazy-Quilt and the simple-minded brute called Blockbuster. With neither side interested in sharing a ride, a battle ensued. It wasn't going well for the Penguin's crew, with Blockbuster able to soak up considerable amounts of damage, and Crazy-Quilt blanketing the room with laser shots. But a lucky shot from Captain Republican's power blast shorted out Crazy-Quilt's helmet, which not only disarmed him, but rendered him blind as well. Panicking, Quilt ordered Blockbuster to get them out of there, and the brute complied by grabbing the blinded villain and leaping away. Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, Penguin, Cap, and Roboto got the helicopter working and made their escape.
Free and back in Gotham City, the Penguin's first priority was to reclaim his headquarters, the Iceberg Lounge. In his absence, a couple of sleazy financiers named Mortimer Drake and Cameron Van Cleer had taken possession of the property and were in the process of re-branding it as a sort of old English pub. Needless to say, the Penguin objected, and sent his new crew in to forcibly evict the squatters. Drake and Van Cleer, in their guises as The Cavalier and Killer Moth, put up a good fight, but even the Cavalier's electrified sword and Moth's cocoon-gun could not stand up to Mr. Roboto and Captain Republican. The Lounge belonged to the Penguin once more.
Settled back into his nest, the Penguin now had his eye on a pricelss gold-and-ivory statue called "The Malay Penguin". The piece was being exhibited at a gallery in Star City, and was surrounded by state-of-the art security systems. The Penguin learned that the plans for the system were being kept in a safe in the home of the gallery's owner, David Reed, and sent his loyal henchmen to go get them. Cap and Roboto managed to break in, fight off a couple of vicious cheetahs that Reed kept as pets, and retrieved the plans from the safe.
However, their breaking and entering had not gone unnoticed, and two of Star City's resident heroes, Mr. Terrific and Wild Dog, turned up to thwart their escape. Wild Dog's guns proved to be little use against the Captain's shield and Mr. Roboto's steel chassis, and while Mr. Terrific's electrified T-Spheres fared a bit better, the heroes eventually went down in defeat, and the villains absconded with the plans.
The next night, with the information they'd obtained, the villains easily breached the gallery's defenses. However, the good guys had guessed what they were planning, and three more members of Team Arrow -- Ragman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow himself -- were there waiting for them.
The dastardly duo correctly guessed that Ragman was the weak link on the team, and ganged up to take him out first, evening the odds. Green Arrow and Black Canary managed to wear down Mr. Roboto's defenses with a combination of acid arrows and sonic screams and took him out of the fight. But then the fortunes reversed, and Captain Republican landed a shot that disabled G.A.'s arm, rendering his bow useless. In pure fisticuffs, he was no match, and Cap knocked him out.
By this point, both Captain Republican and Black Canary were low on power, but he didn't like his odds against Canary's martial arts expertise. He proposed a truce, and with a successful Cool save, convinced her to let each of them gather their wounded and retreat to fight another day. The Penguin was disappointed they weren't able to acquire the statue, but impressed at their showing against a couple of Justice Leaguers. "We'll get them next time!"
(At the end of the session, Captain Republican decided he didn't like the way his Shield power would crumble after deflecting a couple of attacks. I have a house rule where I let players spend Character Points to re-roll a power if they choose. Cap first rolled for Adaptation, which he also didn't like the sound of. He spent another point and this time got Durability, which he was happy with. Mr. Roboto put his earned points into his Vibratory Blast attack.)
