The Vagaries Of Triple-Lives, or Roll To Be A Superhero Communist Sleeper Agent!
It is the second half of the glorious Fifties, and Eagleland is currently in the throes of the most glorious of fears - the fear of the red mist of communism descending on their lands! Communism, as we know, is the tool of the devil. It is most decidedly un-American and deserves every bit of persecution it gets. Every day, America teeters on the precarious edge of the bottomless pit of collectivization and state property, and it is well known that you can trust no one, not even your family - even your children are not safe from potential Communist Party infiltrators in the education system or, God forbid, amongst their classmates! The only defense against these dangers is constant vigilance - watch your neighbor. Does he look like a communist? If yes, report him to the authorities at once and you will promptly be rewarded for your heroic efforts in preserving the American way.
But certain American citizens have risen above their humble stations as men and women of vigilance - they have chosen to become men and women of action, defending truth, justice and the American way in such a manner as the law cannot. These people - superheroes, as they are known amongst the local populace - roam the cities and towns of America, seeking out threats to society and eliminating them in as efficient (and, of course, just) a manner as possible. Truly, they are shining examples and beacons to Americans everywhere.
But a quick look at their origins reveals a disturbing truth. You see, of the many people who have asked the question, only the ones called crazy and unstable have come even close at providing the right answer. For you see, both superheroes and supervillains have shared origins, and these origins are such: five years ago, the U.S.S.R. Committee of National Security had what they believed to be the most brilliant idea ever, you guys. It involved the work of human modification visionary Alexei Zulyin, whose experiments started shortly before World War II. Alexei, you see, had been working on yet another super soldier program for his CP overlords when he unexpectedly met great success in his research! He had invented a serum that could be manipulated to amplify certain human abilities - strength, intelligence, agility and endurance, and occasionally even give them highly beneficial unique abilities. After a long testing phase and refinement process, the serum - the Bozhestvennoe Zelye, as it came to be called, finally was ready to be used for a super-soldier program.
There was a bit of a snag, though. The nuclear arms race was already in full swing, so straight-up invasion of the U.S.A. was right out, and they couldn't use them in open combat operations for fear of the U.S. discovering what they've been up to and copying it. So a decision was eventually arrived at - the CNS, in their wisdom and totally-not-batshit-insanity, decided to go ahead and attempt what was possibly the craziest plan they've had yet, the most ridiculous clandestine operation they had ever attempted in the U.S. - the insidious realization of the superhero fantasies that have populated their newsstands for several decades now. Their very best operatives, enhanced by the BZ and trained in the ways of theatrics and showmanship, will meld into American capitalist society as ordinary everyday citizens gifted with unusual abilities and the will to use them. They will develop a second identity, don colorful outfits and become either a SUPERHERO (a messiah, a man or woman the people will look up to and imitate) or a SUPERVILLAIN (the anti-messiah, a man or woman that shall espouse the very worst of capitalist society and thus expose the societal model's true inadequacies). They are then to proceed to covertly warp American society to the point of crippling it and preventing it from forming an effective resistance against any communist activity.
So, brave, secret defenders of the proletariat, are you ready to become the idols of capitalists everywhere?
So, I just had this idea. The point of this is: players (of indeterminate number) are all communist sleeper agents divided into two equal teams: superheroes and supervillains. They technically act in opposition to one another, but their objective remains the same: through their interpersonal combat, the public will grow to love them, hate them or perhaps even worship them, and they will use this love to advance the objectives of the U.S.S.R., the primary of which is rendering America incapable of resisting the sweet allure of communist ideology. Each operative has three names: the one they use as an American citizen, their superhero or supervillain name and their CNS codename, which is used when making top-secret reports to the CNS.
Now, from the beginning you get your powers - superhuman physical and mental abilities plus two (one major, say, fire control, and one minor, say, flight) special, unique powers of some kind. These can be of many sorts, and will depend on GM approval.
The entire game is based on satisfying certain conditions in all three of your lives:
- Firstly, you must please the CNS with monthly proof of your progress toward a communist America and never kill any superheroes or supervillains (that haven't gone crazy or rogue or capitalist, that is - in those cases you are obligated to murder the treacherous scum).
- Secondly, you must please the public with your heroic deeds or shock and awe them with spectacular villainy.
- Thirdly, you must protect your civilian identity and maintain a simile of a normal American life at the same time (not exactly the simplest task in an incredibly paranoid society).
- Finally, it is paramount that you remain unsuspected of communist allegiances by the government and never, ever reveal what plan you are part of to anyone unless ordered directly to by a CNS handler.
Of course, you can also go rogue, but, as was already mentioned, this is essentially an invitation for the CNS to declare open season on your ass with a commendation for the one to bring back your head, and your heroic and villainous pals might be all too eager to prove their loyalty and usefulness to the Party.
Ultimately, the game is about finesse, showmanship and planning in order to deliver a subversive message to the populace. Superheroes and supervillains have to work together (while strictly maintaining kayfabe in public under pain of death) to put up the very best show they can.
What do you people think? It obviously needs work, but
could this game work?Once again, should anybody deem this idea worthy of development, they are welcome to have it.
How well do skill trees function in RTD's? and ddid the players enjoy it in any rtd where skill trees were present?
Difficult to say. Please elaborate on idea. What exactly do you mean by skill trees and how would they work? The devil is always in the details, I'm afraid.
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Topic: Roller's Block (RTD Brainstorming Thread) (HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY) (Derm is 5k) (Read 727020 times)