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Shadowdark Vigilantes
The Spiritual Sequel to Wretched Vigilantes
By Michael (the OG GM Straus)
and Aaron (Dungeon Janitor) Cornelious

[Shadowdark Vigilantes] is an independent product published under the

Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License and is not affiliated with The Arcane
Library, LLC. Shadowdark RPG © 2023 The Arcane Library, LLC.

Dedicated to:
OG GMom, OG GDad, OG GBrother, OG GSister, OG GSteve, OG GDogs, and
my niece Maud Philomina Pickelbottom. The staff of Seth’s Gear and Ammo.
Alex, Aaron, Robert, and Seth.
Special thanks to World of Supers RPGs on Facebook
Special thanks to Wilfredo Martinez, Shadow & Son Jeff’s Game Box.

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 "Almost 3 months undercover,
Amateur Hour
Three months!
working my way up the ranks, getting them
to trust me, and you ruined it. Some amateur
For three months, I had been comes busting in thinking he is this year’s owl
undercover working my way into the Yoshida trying to save the city, talking about how he
crime family, trying to get something is the darkness!”
resembling a clue to how the latest strain of Brick House was just standing there,
Pride was making its way into the streets. looking stunned. I was already moving. I ran
I was close to it! across the room and slid over to the corner
Like I could taste it, then he comes where I had hidden some presents the day
busting in and ruins it. before. Always scope out a site ahead of time
Some big absolute amateur asshole if you can. I took off the wig and pulled out a
Batman clone smashing his way through the small black bag.
goons like a truck. He was huge, built like an Then I was climbing on top of the
ape, and strong! He tossed Big Joe aside like van and yelling
he was a 10-pound bag. Dark Knight Amateur "Hey, tall, dark, and obvious, move!
had some skill, just enough to hold his own, Big Joe is still in the mix! I’ve got the other
but he relied on his size more than skill. one.”
I let him toss me aside to judge just The other one was Ken, Yoshida
how tough he was. He was tough, I’ll give him goon #147. Ken was low-tier; he had a gun
that. and an attitude, and that was about it. He was
Still, he was dumb. Because he typical fodder, just one of a million soldiers
started to monologue. in the Yoshida clan. His gun did more talking
"I am the thing the darkness fears! than he did, eating small holes in the van as I
I am the eyes of the city that has gone blind; I ran across it.
am the voice to the voiceless." I smiled; it was cute that he thought
Oh god, kid, please shut up he could hit me. I have been dodging gunfire
"I am your doom, your judge; I am since I was 9.
justice. "I am..." I took to the air, and I pulled two
And here is where I blew my cover things out of the bag in one move. A handful of
“...an idiot!” ball bearings and my mask. The ball bearings
That stopped him. left my hand at speeds that would make a
“What?” major league picture jealous and impacted
"You stupid knockoff specter want Ken's head and chest with enough velocity to
to be, you were so busy about., you did not send him flying back unconscious.
even notice that those two guys behind you Big Joe and my hero were trading
were getting up or that I was not knocked blows. It was like watching a sumo match but
out? Did you even consider one of the goons without any of the grace or skill. I had already
might be a meta?” landed and was moving to my next spot. The
Well, I had to admit that, shocked last of the ball bearings were on their way to
by Brick House and the two goons getting up, I hit the lights.
knew Big Joe was a low-level metal. Standard “Lights!”
tough and strong. The other guy? He was just The idiots looked at me as the metal
lucky, but they both had drawn a bead on my balls hit and plunged the building into semi-
would-be rescuer, and I only had maybe four darkness.
seconds before they realized I was not on their “Please tell me you have night
side. vision?”
“Almost three months!” “What?”
I jumped up, grabbed the nearest "Night vision, Bat elf! If you're
heavy object, and threw it right at Big Joe's going to be the thing the night fears, then you
head with Olympic-level skill. The toaster better be able to see in the dark!"
knocked him well, not enough to take him out, When I put the mask on, the HUD
but he was stunned, which was the opening I came right up like a charm. The GPS, Night
needed. vision, compass, and all the latest apps were

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also on there. God loves Gadget Girl and her learn. What did you say your name was?"
toys. "I am the thing the night fears; I
I smiled. Maybe the walrus didn't am Ruin!”
recognize the mask, but Big Joe did "Ruin? Well, Ruin, thanks for."
"Oh, shit, not him." I pointed to the aftermath of his
Big Joe tried to run, but the brick assault
house grabbed him. “This? Thanks for all this.”
"Three months, and you had to I was walking for the door now; I
break in today! You couldn't wait an hour; wanted to be gone before the Police, or worse,
just one more hour, and I would have found showed up.
out where the drugs were coming from. Now "If I were you, I would be gone
the delivery truck is in the wind, and I'm back before anyone came to investigate the noise.
at square one!" They don't take kindly to us Vigilantes. You
I looked at him; he looked at me. did well, Kid. Maybe I’ll see you.”
Finally, he recognized the mask And that was it, I was gone in the
“Oh, shit, you?" dark, like a shadow.
I was already moving Ruin put Big Joe down and started
“That’s right, now please knock out walking back through the destruction he had
Big Joe!” caused
Joe had recovered and was about to "Hey, wow, it was awesome to see
lay out tall, dark, and handsome, but he took you in action; you never believe the stories
heed of my warning and delivered a textbook are true, but wow, you're amazing."
perfect haymaker to Joe. I smiled; he did leave an opening.
Joe was out like a light. After all, how could I not respond?
As I ran, I surveyed the damage the "Nahh Ruin, you were amazing,
new vigilante had caused the building: eight me, I'm just the kid sidekick."
members of the Yoshida goons in various
states of harm and some major structural ***
damage. I guess the kid in black was also a
Meta of some kind. Two weeks later.
I made sure each of them was zip-
tied and gift-wrapped for the Police, assuming It was 3 AM, and I could tell by the
the bother would come. It may matter, but birds' noise. Dawn was just about to jump up
most goons would be back on the street and embrace the city for another day.
working for Yoshida by week's end. I had been hiding in the dark for
"Look, I'm sorry, I had no idea?" three hours, waiting for the delivery truck
"Did you case this place beforehand to arrive. I had a lead on an illegal shipment
or do any groundwork before you came of black-market cybernetics coming in from
busting in?" Japan tonight, and I wanted to ensure they
He shook his head no. were properly welcomed.
I cringed but then again, I made the There it was, bright pink with the
same mistakes when I was starting; I could not anime character on the side. No one would
be that angry at him suspect the happy Kutzi Ko delivery truck was
"Look, yeah, you had no idea I a cover for deranged cybernetic experiments.
was here. How could you? Still, that's eight I was just about to lower myself
members of the Yoshida family who won't be down when the truck exploded, and a flaming
bothering anyone tomorrow, and you learned woman came flying.
a lesson, so I'd say it's a win." “Not today, Scum!” She yelled as
He nodded, still holding Big Joe's she set fire to the remains of the truck and the
unconscious form. pore drivers inside, who I now had to save
"Look, we all put the mask on for a "Fucking amateur hour!"
reason; we all want to fix this crazy, broken
town. As long as you're doing it for the right
reasons. Everything else is just lessons to

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Introduction
Shadowdark Supers is the 2025
How to use this game
As a player, you can choose to
play any one of the pre generated
spiritual successor to the Wretched characters or make your own and see
Vigilantes campaign setting I created if you could survive the mean streets
in 2023. of Fresno.
In this game you will be As a member of the Crime
thrust into a gritty and dark version Lords, you can plot and plan all sorts
of Fresno, now infamously known as of crimes and how you run your
Crime City! little kingdom all the time working
Within this setting the against the other Crime Lords.
players will assume the role of As a Vigilante, you have to
antiheroes, vigilantes and retired deal with the baggage of your past
characters from the golden age who all the while trying to represent
are thrust into action to defend their something better than what they
city from the Crime Lords. were once were.
The Crime Lords were once a As a homemade character,
squad of heroes known as Vanguard you could be a brand new hero
who became corrupted and now or villain in the city. Do you fight
terrorize the very city they once against the Crime Lords or join
protected. them? And yes, that means you can
In this Shadowdark world play Tag.
the player characters will embark on
a journey of redemption and self-
discovery, they must confront their
personal struggles and overcome the
terrible secrets of their past to save
the city from itself.
For all intents and purpose
this is Wretched Vigilantes 2025
just with all the references to the
Wretched universe removed. I have
ended my association with Red
Room Publishing and their owners
so I had to remove any reference
to their IP and replace it with my
own, while still keeping the feel of
a pulp action dark hero setting and
rewarding the fans of the Wretched
work with one last visit to that world.
The names have just been changed
to protect the innocent

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Issue #1 Determine Your
Starting Hit Points
Creating Superheroes See below.

in Shadowdark
Determine Your
Roll Your Stats: Starting Money
To determine your character’s stats, Charisma Stat x $1000 + $100
roll 3d6 for each one. Note each total
and modifier on your character sheet.
This uses the typical Shadowdark
stat block of Strength, Dexterity,
Determine Your
Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom,
and Charisma.
Base Movement
Walking, 30 feet a turn.
Running, 60 feet a turn as a full
The modifiers for each are as follows. action.
Swimming, 10 feet a turn.
1-3 -4
4-5 -3
6-7 -2
8-9 -1
Base Unarmed Damage
1d4 + Strength Bonus.
10-11 0
12-13 +1
14-15 +2
16-17 +3
19-20 +4
21-22 +5
23-24 +6
Etc.

Determine Your
Armor Class
10 + Dexterity modifier(if any) +
bonus from armor worn (if any).

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 12. You woke up in an alley
Determine Background covered in blood. +1 to the
While anyone can gain superpowers, First Aid skill.
it does seem that some occupations 13. You were diagnosed with an
are more drawn to the situations unusual ailment linked to
often associated with comic book exposure to radiation. +1 to
origins. Survival skill.
14. Met a pair of time travelers. +1
Roll 1d20: to History skill.
1. Faced a significant trauma in 15. Were part of a morally
your childhood. +1 Wis. ambiguous social experiment.
2. You had a mentor who +1 Charisma.
took you under their wing, 16. Were implanted with
imparting wisdom, and skills. cybernetic enhancements,
+1 to two skills of choice. giving you extraordinary
3. You spent much of your youth abilities. +1 Strength.
engaging in petty crimes. Gain 17. You lost all your money in
+1 to Streetwise skill. the stock market. Gain +1 to
4. Spent time in the military Survival skill.
honing your discipline and 18. You have dedicated your life
combat skills. Gain +1 in Small to crime fighting. +1 to Martial
Arms skill. Arts skill.
5. You were raised in a cult that 19. You had a windfall at the
unlocked your powers. Gain tables. Double your starting
+1to the Occult skill. money.
6. Grew up in the streets. Gain +1 20. You roll twice on the table.
to the Scavenging skill.
7. Excelled in your studies,
gaining extensive knowledge.
Gain +1in Academics.
8. Had a brush with the powers
of The Shadowdark +1 to the
Occult skill.
9. Suffered a devastating loss,
and now you write songs
about it. +1 to the Perform
skill.
10. A radioactive animal of some
kind bit you. Gain a +1 to the
Acrobatics skill.
11. You were renovating your
house and found a stash of
drugs hidden in the walls. +1
to Streetwise skill.

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On Weapons and Armor Choose 1 Class
Unlike in Shadowdark where some The Strong Vigilante
classes are limited to specific The classic comic book brick, while
weapons and armor, this is modern they may have a wide verity of
day earth. Anyone can pick up a gun powers their core ability is strength
or put on a flack vest, they may not and endurance.
be able to use them with any skill but
there is nothing stopping them from Example: The Vigilante known as
picking it up and trying. Brick is an example of a Strong hero.
A real person will grab a
knife or frying pan from the kitchen Hit Dice: 1d10 per level, + Con
if being chased by a killer and try to modifier if any. Max hit points at 1st
defend themselves. If there is a lion level.
chasing you and you see a gun, you Tough: You have advantage on any
are going to try and shot the lion check that is of a sufficiently physical
even if you have never picked up a nature, such as opening doors,
gun before, right? bending bars, lifting heavy objects,
climbing, swimming, and resisting
fatigue and exhaustion, as wekk as
any other physical feats the GM may
consider.
Strong: Increase your characters
Strength by +2.
Brawling: You gain a +1 to hit and a
+1 to Damage with Unarmed combat
Talents: Roll once at first level and
again at levels 3,6 and 9.

1. +2 to any one attribute, or any

two by +1.
2. +1 to Armor Class.
3. Gain a bonus +1 to hit and
+1 to Damage with unarmed
attacks.
4. Gain a +1 to hit with any one
attack/ability.
5. +1 to Armor Class.
6. Chose one.

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The Fast Vigilante
The classic comic book martial artist
or speedster. No matter what other
powers you may have, your core
ability is your exceptional Dex and
reaction time.

Example: Tag is an example of a fast

character.

Hit Dice: 1d8 per level + constitution

modifier. Max hit points at first level.
Fast: You have advantage on any
check that is of a sufficiently athletic
nature, such as climbing, running,
swimming, acrobatics, gymnastics,
sneaking, hiding, picking locks and
any other athletic action the GM
might consider.
Agile: Increase your Dexterity
attribute by +2,
Run: Your base walking speed is 35
feet a turn and your running speed is
60 feet a turn.

Talents: Roll a talent at level one and

again at levels 3,6 and 9.

1. Increase any one attribute by +2,

or any two by +1
2. Gain a bonus of +1 to your Armor
Class
3: Gain a bonus of +1 to
Initiative.
4: Gian a bonus of +1 to hit with
any one attack/ability.
5: Gain a bonus of +1 to damage
with any one attack/ability.
3. 6: Chose one.

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The Smart Vigilante Talents: Gain a talent at 1st level, roll
The classic comic book brain. No again at levels 3,6 and 9.
matter what other powers you might
have your core identity is your 1. Raise any one Attribute by +2,
intelligence. or any two by +1 each.
2. Chose an additional
Example: Gadget girl is an example of specialization.
a smart hero. 3. Gain a bonus of +1 to your
Armor Class.
Hit Dice: 1d6 + Constitution mod per 4. Gain a bonus of +1 with any
level. Max hit points at 1st level. one skill of choice.
Book Smart: Increases your 5. Gain a bonus of +1 to hit with
Intelligence by +2, any one attack/ability.
Expert: At first level, pick a single 6. Choose one.
specialization from the following;
Scientist: Advantage on science
related skill checks.
Engineer: Advantage on
engineering and mechanical
related skill checks.
Programmer: Advantage on
computer related skill checks.
Medic: Advantage on medical
related skill checks.
Historian: Advantage on skill
checks relating to history and
research.
Driver: Advantage on skill
checks related to operating and
maintaining vehicles.
Investigator: Advantage on
all skill checks related to
investigation and searching an
area for information& clues.|
Acolyte: Advantage on all skill
checks related to religion and
religious lore.
Weird: Advantage on all skill
checks related to the arcane and
the occult.

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The Charismatic Vigilante Talents: Roll 1 talent at 1st level and
The natural born leader, or the an additional one at levels 3, 6 and 9.
natural born manipulator? Either
way it is this characters Charisma 1. Increase any one stat by +2 or
that defines them. any two by +1.
2. Gain an innate bonus of +1 to
Example: Prodigal is an example of a your armor class.
charismatic vigilante. 3. Gain a bonus of +1 in any one
skill of your choice.
Hit Dice: 1d6 + Constitution mod, if 4. Gain a bonus of +1 to hit with
any. Max hit points at 1st level. all attacks.
Charming: Increase Charisma and 5. Gain a bonus of +1 to
Wisdom by +1. initiative.
Leadership: You get Advantage 6. Chose one.
whenever you roll on the Carousing
table (Shadowdark page 93) or have
to roll to see how an NPC reacts to
you.
Cute: You get a bonus of +1 to hit
with all attacks because no one
suspects you’re going to hit them.

10
The Self-Made Vigilante
The classic comic book characters
with no actual powers but an
exceptional level of skills, training,
and willpower.

Example: Kid Sidekick is an example of

a self-made vigilante.

Hit Dice: 1d8 + Constitution modifier

per level. Max at 1st level.
Years of Training: Raise any one
attribute +2 or any two attributes +1
Willpower: Gain an innate bonus of
+1 to all saving throws.
Martial Arts: Gain a bonus of +1 to
hit and +1 to damage with unarmed
combat.

Talents: Roll 1 talent at 1st level and

an additional talent at level 3,6 and
9.

1. Chose one.
2. Raise any one attribute by +2
or any two attributes by +1.
3. Gain an additional +1 to
hit and +1 to damage with
unarmed combat.
4. Gain a bonus of +1 to any one
skill.
5. Gain a bonus of +1 to your
Armor Class.
6. Gain a bonus of +1 to any one
saving throw

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The High-Tech Wonder Talents: Roll 1 talent at 1st level and
This characters main thing is their an additional talent at level 3,6 and
ability to create high tech armor 9.
and weapons. You do not have any
powers but you can take advantage 1. Add +2 to any one attribute or
of all the rules in the High tech +1 to any two.
Wonder section below. 2. Windfall: Gain an extra
$10,000.00.
Example: The supervillain Professor 3. Chose one.
Mad is a high tech wonder. 4. Gain a bonus of +1 with any
one skill.
Hit Dice: 1d6 + constitution mod, if 5. Gain a bonus of +1 to your
any. Max hit points at 1st level. armor class.
Savant: Raise your Int by +1 and your 6. Gain a bonus of +1 to hit with
Dex by +1. modern weapons and energy
Wealthy: Characters starting money weapons.
is now Charisma score X10,000.00.
Tinker: Any time you are using a
skill to build or repair Technology
you get Advantage on your dice roll.

12
Roll Your Starting Gear Powers
Each character rolls on this table Ther are two types of powers
1d4 times to see what kind of stuff available to the character. The more
they picked up on their way to the common minor powers and the rare
adventure. major powers.
You may roll randomly on the table
1. A sharp knife (1d4) below to determine your characters
2. A flashlight powers.
3. 11-foot pole
4. 51 feet of rope 1. 1 Minor power and raise any
5. A notebook with 100 blank one stat by +2.
pages & a pen 2. 1d4+1 minor powers.
6. A bottle of water 3. 1 major power.
7. A first aid kit 4. 1 major power and 1 minor
8. 10 iron spikes. power.
9. A box of 100 matches 5. 2 major powers.
10. A towel 6. 1 major power and 2 minor
11. A bag full of RPG dice powers.
12. A crowbar 7. 2 minor powers and raise all
your stats by +2.
8. 2 minor powers and +2 to your
armor class.
9. 1 major power and roll an
extra talent.
10. 1 major power and raise all
attributes by +1.

See below for power definitions.

Experience Points
XP represents your learning,
influence, and increasing skill. XP
awards are based on the quality
of the treasure and things you
encounter during a session.

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Why Levels? A Superhero gains experience points
Other than the time-honored by doing superhero-type stuff.
tradition of levels ingrained into the
history of the TTRPG hobby? Easy. Fighting criminals, rescuing kittens,
How many times in a book or movie stopping a fire, or just saying hello
have you heard the main character to a kid can all earn a hero EXP in
say something like, "Only my many Comic books.
years of experience allowed me to come You can also collect Money
out ahead"? from rewards posted for Villains;
what you do with it after you get it is
up to you.
Leveling Up Unlike in fantasy RPGs,
people say superheroes do not get to
You need to earn your current level x
10 XP to gain a level. Once you reach take the bad guys' stuff. Anyone who
a new level, your total XP resets back says that has never seen the inside of
to zero. the Batcave. Batman takes stuff from
When you reach a new level, villains all the time! You don’t think
your maximum H.P. increases, and the Museum wants that giant penny
you might also gain a talent role. back?

Talent Rolls Suggested Experience for Heroics

You gain one roll on your class's The following are suggested awards
talent table when you reach the for acts of heroism your vigilantes
indicated levels. Duplicate talents might get up to.
stack unless noted.
Poor (1 exp): Mundane, ordinary
Increased Hit points: 1d8 + Con mod heroics. Going on patrol, helping a
per level cat out of a tree, heroic banter

Level Talent Level up at Standard (3 exp): Good deeds,

1 1 19 exp protecting the innocent, fighting
2 20 exp crime, fighting a fire, heroic team-up.
3 +1 30 exp
4 40 exp Heroic (5 exp): Incredible, stopping
5 +1 30 exp a supervillain, risking your secret
6 60 exp identity, preventing a disaster.
7 +1 70 exp
8 80 exp Legendary (10 exp): Mythic saves the
9 +1 90 exp city and survives a miniseries.
10 100 exp

14
 You never have to waste an hour of
Issue #2 play shopping for town arrows or a
bag of rice; the universe does it for
Seth’s Gear and Ammo you.
There is no possible way to
Gear Slots list every piece of gear your character
might need so let’s focus on essential
You can carry a number of items
gear and weapons.
equal to your Strength stat or 10,
whichever is higher. Unless noted,
all gear besides typical clothing fills
one gear slot. Gear that is hard to
transport might fill more than one
slot.

The "Stuff no Hero Would

Leave Home Without" Rule
“A towel has immense
psychological value. For some
reason, if a stag (stag: Non
hitchhiker) discovers that a
hitchhiker has his towel with
him, he will automatically
assume that he is also in
possession of a toothbrush,
washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits,
flask, compass, map, ball
of string, gnat spray, wet-
weather gear, space suit, etc.,
etc. Furthermore, the stag will
then happily lend the hitchhiker
any of these or a dozen other
items that the hitchhiker might
accidentally have ‘lost’.”
- Phrases from The
Hitchhiker's Guide to the
Galaxy

The universe assumes you have all

the essential gear an adventurer
would need (like rope) when you
leave the safety of the town to go on
an adventure, and so you do.

15
Basic Gear
Name Cost $ Slots Notes
11 ft Pole 5 2
51 ft Rope 20 2
Backpack 20 1 Hold 4 extra slots.
Crowbar 20 1
Empty Flask/Bottle 5 1 Box of 4.
Lighter 2 1
Book of Matches 2 1 Box of 100.
Grappling Hook 20 1
Iron Spikes 10 1 Box of 10.
Flashlight 10 1
Box of Candles 5 1 Bundle of 10.
Camping Lantern 15 1
Hand Mirror 10 1
Oil Flask 15 1 Four flasks.
Torch 10 1 Bundle of 5.
Night Vision Goggles 100 1 60 ft range.
Camera 20 1 Digital or film.
Flares 15 1 Box of five cartridges.
First Aid Kit 30 1 5 uses, heals 1d8 HP.
Antitoxin 50 1 1 dose/injector in a case.
Radio 20 1 Short range.
Cellphone 80/mn 1
Binoculars 20 1
Gas Mask 40 1
Towel 10 1

16
Melee Weapons
Name Cost $ Damage Slots Notes
Pointy Stick 0 1d4 piercing 1
Brass Knuckles 40 +2 Unarmed 1
Dagger 10 1d4 Slashing 1/2
Knife 12 1d4+1 Slashing 1
Short Sword 40 1d6 Slashing 1
Medium Sword 60 1d8 Slashing 1
Long Sword 80 2d6 Slashing 2
Great Sword 100 1d10 Slashing 2
Anime Sword 200 3d6 Slashing 3
Scimitar/Cutlass 80 1d6+1 Slashing 1
Club 1 1d6 Bludgeon 1
Mace 20 1d6_1 Bludgeon 1
Maul 40 2d6 Bludgeon 2
Hammer 2 1d6+1 Bludgeon 1
Warhammer 40 1d8 Bludgeon 2
Staff 1 1d6 Bludgeon 2
Axe 20 1d6 Slashing 1
Fire Axe 40 1d8 Slashing 2
Battleaxe 80 2d6 Slashing 2
2-Handed Axe 160 2d8 Slashing 2
Spear 4 1d8 Piercing 2
Polearm S 8 2d6 Slashing 2 Former garden tools?
Polearm P 8 2d6 Piercing 2
Polearm B 8 2d6 Bludgeon 2
Whip 10 1d6 Slashing 2
Net 30 - 2
Pickaxe 16 1d6 Piercing 2
Nunchucks 18 1d6 Bludgeon 1 Botches hit yourself.
Shock Rod 80 1d4 Lightning/ 1 8 hour charge.
knocked prone
Energy Blade 1000 1d8 Slashing 1 8 hour charge.
Chainsaw 100 2d6 Slashing 1 2 hours of fuel.

17
Basic Ranged Weapons
Name Cost $ Damage Range Slots Notes
Rocks 1 1d4 Bludgeon 10 ft 10/1
Darts 20 1d4 Piercing 15 ft 10/1
Throwing Knife 30 1d4+1 Piercing 15 ft 4/1
Shuriken 60 1d4+1 Piercing 15 ft 6/1
Throwing Axe 40 1d6 Slashing 15 ft 1
Throwing Hammer 40 1d6+1 15 ft 1
Short Bow 50 1d6 Piercing 50 ft 1 1 Shot.
Longbow 100 1d8 Piercing 100 ft 2 1 Shot.
Composite Bow 200 1d10 Piercing 100 ft 2 1 Shot.
Compound Bow 300 1d12 Piercing 150 ft 2 1 Shot.
Anime Bow 300 1d6+2 Piercing 150 ft 2 1 Shot.
Crossbow 40 1d6 Piercing 40 ft 2 1 Shot.
Heavy Crossbow 80 1d8 Piercing 80 ft 2 1 Shot.
Pistol Crossbow 100 1d4 Piercing 80 ft 1 1 Shot.
Blowgun 50 1d4 Piercing 12 ft 1 1 Shot.
Slingshot 12 1d4 Bludgeon 15 ft 1 1 Shot.
Boomerang 10 1d6 Bludgeon 60 ft 1
Hair Spray 4 1d4 Poison 5 ft 1
Pepper Spray 20 1d6 Poison 10 ft 1
Molotov 2 1d6 Fire 10 ft 1
Bottle of Acid 15 1d6 Acid 10 ft 1 Melts anything but glass.
Pipe Bomb 5 1d8 Fire 10 ft 1 5 ft radius.
Greek Fire 10 2d8 Fire 15 ft 1 5 ft radius.
Smoke Bomb 30 - 25 ft 4/1 10x10 radius of smoke
for 1d4 rounds.

18
Cornelius Corp Ranged Weapons
At Cornelius Corp we believe that from chaos comes treasure.
Name Cost $ Damage Range Slots Notes
Holdout Pistol 100 1d4 Piercing 10 ft 1 4 Shots.
Combat Crossbow 30 1d10 Piercing 100 ft 1 1 Shot.
Light Handgun 111 1d6 Piercing 50 ft 1 20 Shots.
Heavy Handgun 120 1d8 Piercing 100 ft 1 7 Shots.
Cornelius .44 130 1d10 Piercing 60 ft 1 8 Shots.
Paint Gun 50 1d4 Bludgeon 80 ft 1 10 Shots.
Flare Gun 40 1d4 Fire 200 ft 1 1 Shot.
Blunderbuss Pistol 200 1d8 Bludgeon 40 ft 1 1 Shot.
Blu0nderbuss Rifle 300 1d10 Bludgeon 40 ft 1 1 Shot.

McAllister Arms Ranged Weapons & Explosives

Colonel Colt’s guns may have tamed the wasteland, but it was his explosives that
made them fun!
Name Cost $ Damage Range Slots Notes
Flamethrower 300 2d6 Fire 10 ft 1 10 Shots, 5 ft cone.
Combat Rifle 200 1d8 Piercing 80 ft 1 20 Shots.
Precision Rifle 300 1d10 Piercing 100 ft 1 10 Shots.
Hunting Rifle 200 1d6 Piercing 200 ft 1 8 Shots.
McUzi 9mm 400 2d6 Piercing 30 ft 1 100 Shots, 10 ft cone.
McAk-47 500 2d8 Piercing 80 ft 1 100 Shots, 10 ft cone.
Machine Gun 700 1d10+1 Piercing 70 ft 1 500 Shots, 10 ft cone.
Heavy Revolver 200 1d10 Piercing 80 ft. 1 7 Shots.
Shotfun 200 2d6 Piercing 40 ft 1 4 Shots.
McAllister .44 300 1d8+1 Piercing 60 ft 1 7 Shots.
McAllister Rifle 400 1d8+1 Piercing 500 ft 1 4 Shots.
The FBG 100k 2d10+2 Bludgeon 100 ft 1 1 Shot
McGrenade 200 2d6 Fire 15 ft 1 Box of 4, 5 ft radius.
McAllister TNT 50 2d6 Fire 15 ft 1 Box of 20, 2 ft radius.
Stun Grenade 120 DC12 Con 15 ft 1 Box of 4, knocks prone.
Flash Grenade 11 DC 12 Dex 15 ft 1 Box of 4, blinds.
Big Boom 300 4d6 Fire 15 ft 1 Box of 4, 5 ft radius.

19
Wetherford Ranged Weapons
Keep Fresno weird!
Name Cost $ Damage Range Slots Notes
Taser 100 1d4 Piercing 10 ft 1 4 shots, DC 12 Con or
knocked prone.
Zap Pistol 400 1d8 Piercing 60 ft 1 10 shots.
Zap Gun 800 1d10 Piercing 120 ft 1 20 shots.
Zap Rifle 1200 2d6+2 Piercing 200 ft 2 40 shots.
Luger 24 160 1d8 Piercing 100 ft 1 12 shots.
Dart Gun 30 1d4 Piercing 20 ft 1 1 shot, drug/poison
effects.
Freeze Ray 1300 1d8 cold 10 shots. Reduces target
move to 10 ft for 1 rnd.
Stun Gun 120 1d6 thunder 20 ft 1 10 shots. Target stunned
for 1 rnd.
Laser Beam 1000 2d8+2 Piercing 500 ft 1 5 shots.
Shark Gun 200k - 20 ft 1 4 shots, fires a live shark.

Vehicles
Name Cost $ Speed Notes
Bicycle 200 20 mph Tight shorts not required.
Skateboard/Skates 80 12 mph Same for rollerblades.
Rowboat 150 18 mph Holds four people.
Dirt Bike 800 60 mph Can hold 2 people.
Motorcycle 1600 80 mph Can hold 2 people.
3 Wheeler 1700 70 mph Holds 2 people and 1 gear, bad at corners.
ATV 300 80 mph Holds 4 people and 2 gear.
Golf Cart 750 15 mph Holds 2 people and 4 gear slots.
Car 20k 101 mph Holds 5 people and 4 gear slots.
Jeep 30k 95 mph Holds 5 people and 8 gear slots.
Truck 50k 110 mph Holds 6 people and 10 gear slots.
Utility Vehicle 100k 70 mph Holds 8 people or 2 people and 15 gear slots.
Military Humvee 50k 55 mph Holds 6 people and 20 gear slots.
V8 Interceptor 30k 130 mph Holds 2 people and 5 gear slots.
Gyrocopter 130k 150 mph Holds 2 people.
Glider 1k 30 mph Holds 1-2 people.
Villain Blimp 1m 40 mph Holds 10 people and 40 gear slots.

20
High Tech Wonders
Characters who depend upon
technology to get their powers.

Gadget Girl’s Guide to Gadgets

As discussed in inventing below,
there are a few types of gadgets you
can build in your spare time.
The first type is a gadget that
duplicate an existing technology in a
new way.
A perfect example is the
cable gun. The cable gun is a device
common among many of the
empowered, it shoots a line with a
grapple which they then can use to
climb a wall. There are dozens of
variations on this idea out there,
each unique to the inventor and yet
each doing the exact same thing.
The next type of gadget is
one that duplicate a super power. A
jet pack lets you fly; a flamethrower
lets you set things on fire.
The final type of gadget
is one that creates a totally new
technology or power such as a shrink
ray or time machine.

21
Name Cost $ Abilities
Goop Gun 100 Fires canisters of fast-expanding foam that can immobilize targets
or seal off entrances and exits. Range: 10 feet. Effect: Immobilizes
targets on a failed Strength saving throw roll. Duration: 5 rounds.
Audio Disruptor 100 A handheld device that emits a sound wave that incapacitates
targets by causing disorientation and hearing loss. Damage:
Non-lethal sonic damage (1d6 rounds of disorientation on a failed
Constitution saving throw roll). Range: 20 feet. Battery Life: 5 uses.
Bolas 50 Made famous by Gauchos, these have been adapted over the years
for crimefighting as a less-than-lethal option for apprehending
criminals. Range: 10 feet. Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning, and the
target’s movement rate is 0 till next turn.
Bag of Marbles 1 When in doubt, go with a classic. Effect: DEX saving throw not to
fall over/be knocked prone.
Comically Large 500 Using the latest tech, you can summon huge melee weapons and
Weapon wield them despite their mass. The most common is the hammer,
but others can also be made. Range: Melee. Damage: 1d10.
Communicator 200 Inspired by a TV show, the communicator fits in the palm of your
hand or can be attached to your clothing. It lets you discreetly
communicate with anyone with a receiver set to the same channel.
Crypto Scanner 1000 This computer-like device allows you to hack into computer
systems, communications frequencies, etc. Its Effect is +2 to
electronics and computer hacking skill checks.
Flash Bang 100 A modified flare that creates a bright flash and loud noise when it
goes off, blinding and disorienting targets. Range: 10 feet. Effect
radius: 10x10. Damage: All inside the area need to make a DEX
check or be blinded and disoriented till their next round.
Freeze Ray 1000 While the original freeze ray was a modified fire extinguisher,
today’s weapons use various methods to encase a person or object
in quick-freezing liquid nitrogen. Range: 20 feet. Damage: 2d6 cold
damage and target’s movement rate is reduced to 0 till next turn.
Freeze Grenades 500 Range: 10 feet. Damage: 2d6 cold damage and target’s movement
rate is reduced to 0 till next turn.
Print Computer 1000 +3 to appropriate Investigation checks by testing fingerprints.
Glider Cape 100 A cape that incorporates advanced materials and design to enable
short-distance glides. Range: 50 feet before you have to land and
start over. Weight limits: 120 pounds.
Gas Pellets 100 Box of 10. Similar to smoke pellets. Anesthesia, nerve, and stench
agents are deployed. Range: 10 ft. Radius: 10x10. Effect: Make a
CON save, on fail, they are stunned and incapacitated.
Grappling Gun 1000 A compact grappling hook launcher with 51 feet of rope/cable. The
gun is equipped with a tiny, motorized wrench to quickly retrieve
and reuse the hook. Range: 51 feet. Weight limit: 200 pounds.
Glass Cutters 50 Cuts glass.
Henshin Device 1000 Allows you to transform your clothing into your costume. The
transformation can take up to a full round. Bonus: +2 to disguise.

22
Jet Pack 1000 Top Speed: 100 mph.
Limpet Mines 100 Range: 10 feet. Damage: 1d4 fire.
Multi-Tool 1000 Inspired by the longest-running British science fiction show, this
device combines several useful tools, including blades, a small
screwdriver, and electronic hacking interfaces. Bonus: +2 to
lockpick and technician skill checks.
Net Cannon 500 Inspired by the T-shirt cannon seen at sporting events, this
weapon fires a weighted net of high-tensile fibers to entangle and
immobilize a target. Range: 100 feet. Effect: target’s movement rate
is reduced to 0 till next round.
Climbing Gloves 30 +4 to climb check.
Pumpkin Bombs 100 While these modified grenades can be made to look like anything,
for some reason, people always order them in the pumpkin build.
Other than their theatric build, they function like a regular hand
grenade. Range: 10 feet. Area of Effect: 10X10. Damage: 2d6 fire
damage.
Sleep Poison 50 This powerful tranquilizer can put almost any living being to sleep.
The serum can be administered via needle, gas, or other methods.
Effect: Target succeeds on a CON saving throw or falls asleep for
one hour.
Air Horn 20 Target is deafened till start of next round.
Rebreather 500 1 hour of oxygen.
Rocket Boots 300 Leap 15 feet up or 30 feet across.
Handheld Radar 500 Radius: 10x10. +3 to perception and search skills.
Rubber Bullets 100 Box of 10, 1d8 bludgeoning damage.
Smoke Pellets 50 Box of 10, Range: 10 feet. Radius: 10x10. Duration: 5 rounds.
Shock Stick 100 Range: melee. Damage: 1d6 lightning and knocks target prone.
Ninja Cloak 200 +4 to stealth.
Stungun 200 Range: 15 feet. Target is paralyzed till next round.
Taser Knuckles 300 Adds +1d6 lightning damage to unarmed attacks.
Tactical Goggles 500 Night vision, 30 feet. Thermal vision, 30 feet. GPS. Time &
temperature. +4 to survival checks.
Tangle Rounds 100 Box of 10, Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning and target’s movement rate is
reduced to 0 till next round.
Tangle Grenades 500 Box of 10, Range: 10 feet. Radius: 10X10. All in area of effect are
covered in sticky goop and cannot move till the next round.
Tracer 100 Box of 10. Small electronic devices placed on a person or object to
track their movements and location. Duration: The battery in these
can last for at least a month. Range: 10 miles. Effect: +3 to tracking
as long as you remain within 10 miles of the device.
Lockpick Gun 100 +4 to lockpick/disable traps.
Voice Changer 40 +2 to disguise voice/catfish people online.

23
 • Biotech is harder to find and
Professor Mad’s Guide difficult to make.
• Biotech is easy to repair and
to Cybernetics and Biotech cannot be stolen and resold.
Cybernetics and biotech are the • Biotech does not need to be
same thing. One is grown in a vat; replaced.
another is made on an assembly • Biotech is expensive.
line. Each has its advantages and • Biotech is easy to conceal.
disadvantages, but let's face it: a • Biotech is edgy and gross.
vat-grown eye and a cybernetic eye • Your body won't reject a bio
both do the same thing. Now, I will graft.
say that cybernetics get better press • Biotech won't drive you
and are more prevalent than their insane.
biological counterparts, but, in their
favor, no one has ever gone insane In the end, these replacement parts
after getting a bio implant. are just a way to get a superpower
linked to a device. A bionic arm and
So, let's break it down. enhanced strength power do the
same thing.
• Cybernetics are easier to find
because they can be mass-
produced. Step one: Budget
• Cybernetics are easier to The character has a budget of 6
replace and repair but also million dollars to spend on Bionics
easier to steal. (if you know, you know) in addition
• Cybernetics break down and to their starting funds of Charisma X
need to be replaced. $1000.00 +$100.00
• Cybernetics can do more
things than their biological Step Two: How did you get Bionics?
counterparts. Roll or chose:
• Cybernetics are cool and more 1. Voluntarily got them
accepted by society. 2. Had to get them for medical
• Cybernetics are less expensive reasons
than biotech. 3. Was “volunteered” as part of a
• Your body might reject the military program
cybernetic parts. 4. Given bio replacement without
• One too many cybernetics can your consent by a mysterious
drive you insane. force
5. Part of a government
experiment, we can rebuild
him
6. Got them by accident

24
Step Three: Who • *Light Armor, Natural Armor,
Class of 11 + Dex mod.
Sponsored YOUR Cybernetics? • *Skill chips. +2 to Acrobatics,
Roll on or choose athletics, climbing, stealth.
1. You paid for them out of
pocket
2. Insurance Full Conversion
3. Medical research Heavy combat bio-modified
4. The Military humanoids, at the point more
5. The government machine than human. Cost: $5
6. Secret organization million.

• Both hands and arms. +4 to

Step Four: Why did you Strength and Dex.
get the replacement parts? • Both feet and legs. Base speed
Chose or roll 1: of 40 feet / 80 foot run. Swim
1. To fight crime speed of 15 feet. Can leap 10
2. To become a supervillain feet up or 12 feet across.
3. Medical reasons • Lungs and gas filter. Immune
4. Because you had to to the effects of airborne
5. Military volunteered you toxins and smoke, can remain
6. Government made you underwater for up to ½ an
hour.
• Amplified hearing, able to
Standard partial conversion receive all radio bands. Built-
The most common form of cyborgs
in communicator with a range
encountered. Normally used for
of 2 miles.
military use or criminal henchmen.
• Cybernetic eyes. Night vision
Cost: $3 million.
100 feet, telescopic vision up
to 1 mile, GPS, Wi-Fi satellite
• * Both hands and arms. +4 to
link for data downloads
Strength and Dex
• Heavy armor, natural armor
• *Both legs and feet. Base speed
class of 15 + Dex Mod.
of 40 feet / 80 foot run. Swim
• Skill chips. +2 to Acrobatics,
speed of 15 feet. Can leap 10
athletics, climbing, stealth.
feet up or 12 feet across.
• Weapons link. +2 with modern
• * Amplified hearing, able to
firearms
receive all radio bands. Built-
• Built-in auto pistol Range 60
in communicator with a range
feet, 2d6 piercing. 20 shots per
of 2 miles.
cartridge.
• *Cybernetic eyes. Night vision
is 100 feet, telescopic vision
is up to 1 mile, and there is a
GPS and Wi-Fi satellite link for
data downloads.

25
The brain in the box full conversion
Your brain has been removed and
placed in a fully artificial body; now,
are you still human, or are you now
a robot? Cost $9 million (you’re in
debt).

• Both hands and arms. +4 to

Strength and Dex.
• Both feet and legs. Base speed
of 40 feet / 80 foot run. Swim
speed of 15 feet. Can leap 10
feet up or 12 feet across.
• Lungs and gas filter. Immune
to the effects of airborne
toxins and smoke, can remain
underwater for up to ½ an
hour.
• Amplified hearing, able to
receive all radio bands. Built-
in communicator with a range
of 2 miles.
• Cybernetic eyes. Night vision
is 100 feet, telescopic vision
is up to 1 mile, and there is a
GPS and Wi-Fi satellite link for
data downloads.
• Bionic skull, chest, heart,
kidneys, mouth, throat, and all
internal organs.
• Built-in min computer with
Wi-Fi link ( 8 TB, 200 GB RAM)
• Radar system 100 feet. +4 to
initiative.
• Skill chips. +2 to Acrobatics,
athletics, climbing, stealth.
• Weapons link. +2 with modern
firearms
• Built-in retractable forearm
blades 2d6 slashing.
• Built-in auto pistol Range 60
feet, 2d6 piercing. 20 shots per
cartridge.

26
Parts are Parts
Individual parts cost, in case you want to build your own.

Medical Cybernetics
The standard replacements are legally available to those who need them for
medical reasons.

Name Cost $ Abilities

Bionic Hand 300k Strength of 10, Dex of 10.
Cyborg Arm 700k Strength of 10, Dexterity of 10.
Replacement Leg 700k Walking Speed of 30.
Chest & Ribs 600k +1 to AC.
Skull Plate 500k +1 to AC, head only.
Eye 80k Perfect 20/20 vision.
Ear 100k Normal hearing.
Throat/Voice 100k Normal voice of your choice.
Lungs 95k Con 10, hold your breath for 3 minutes.
Heart 400k Con of 10.
Kidney 300k
Skin 150 Per inch.
Bio Heart 400k Con of 11, 40 year lifespan.
Vat Grown Kidney 400k Immune to ingested poison, 30 year lifespan.
Gentech Liver 400k 30 year lifespan, unaffected by alcohol.
Artificial Spleen 300k 30 year lifespan.
Plastic Intestine 80k 25 year lifespan.
Boosted Strength 10k Base strength 10, +1 per 10k spent. Max 20.
Boosted Speed 10k Base speed of 30, +5 per 10k spent. Max speed 100.

Cybernetic Ear Replacement

Name Cost $ Abilities
Base Ear 100k Normal human range as well as a link to your mobile phone.
Enhanced Ear 200k Equal to heightened sense of hearing, including bonuses.
Radio Link 50k Send/recieve radio signals and links to your phone. 3 mile range.
Bug Detector 10k 30 ft range.
Radar Detector 10k 30 ft radius detection, +4 to Initiative.
Sound Filtration 10k Cannot be deafened, can tune in/out certain noises.

27
Bionic Eyes
Name Cost $ Abilities
IR/UV Filters 60k 30 ft range to see into or filter out those wavelengths.
Flashlight 20k Eye flashlight with a range of 100 ft.
Telescopic Vision 20k Magnify close vision out to 2 miles.
Microscope Eye 20k x30 magnification.
Macro/Micro Eye 40k x20 magnification, close vision out to 1 mile.
Laser Eye 150k Range 10 ft, 1d6 Piercing, 15 charges per recharge.
Camera Eye 50k 400 hi-rez pictures, USB or Wifi to download.
Video Eye 100k 24 hours of high definition footage, USB or Wifi to download.
Night Vision 30k Range 100 ft.
Targeting Link 50k Range 100 ft, +1 to hit with ranged attacks.
Self Bio-Scan 10k Monitors your heartbeat, blood pressure, o2. +1 to survival.
Bio-Scan 15k Range 10 ft, +2 to first aid, medicine, survival.
QoL Suite 1k GPS location, clock, calendar.
Inertial Compass 1k Always locate north, +2 to survival.
Mini Computer 100k With Wifi link, 8tb, 200gb ram, specialist software/AI.
Calculator 10k Internal high-tech calculator, +1 to math.
Radar Vision 100k 30ft radius milimetre radar vision, +4 to initiative.

Vat Grown Lungs

Name Cost $ Abilities
Basic Lungs 100k Can hold breath for 10 minutes.
Rebreather 40k Can hold breath for 30 minutes.
Gas Filtration 100k Immune to gaseous toxins.
Gills 100k Can breather underwater.

Artificial mouth and throat

Name Cost $ Abilities
Voice Synthesizer 10k +2 to mimic voices, +2 to intimidation.
Frequency Range 80k Can emit infra and ultrasound beyond human range.
Loudspeaker 40k Over 100 decibels.
Subdermal Mic 10k Lets you communicate over audio without making local sound.

28
Bio Boost weapons
Name Cost $ Range Damage Notes
Laser Eye 150k 10 ft 1d6 Piercing 15 shots per recharge.
Poison Kiss 50k Melee 2d6 Poison Victim needs to make a DC 12 con
save or take an additional 1d6 poison
damage a round till they are cured
or die.
Lockjaw 10k Melee 2d6 Piercing Able to bite through most any
substance.
Mace Spray 10k 10 ft Blinds The victim is blinded till the next turn.
Taser Punch 75k Melee 2d6 Electric Target is knocked prone on a natural
19 or 20.
Extendo Hand 250k 10 ft 1d6 Bludgeon 1d6 bludgeoning, +2 to climb. Go
spring arm!
Limpet Mines 600 Melee 1d6 Bludgeon + One per joint. Need to be replaced
2d6 fire. after each use.
Built-In Gun 10k 60 ft 2d6 Piercing 20 shots per clip.
Finger Laser 150k 80 ft 2d6 Piercing 5 shots per recharge.
Barbed Knuckles 1000 Melee +1d6 Slashing
Grapple Gun 4000 51 ft 1d6 Piercing Spike and towline with 300lb limit.
Razornails 6000 Melee 1d6 Slashing
Retractable Claws 400k Melee 2d6 Slashing +2 Intimidation.
Wrist Blaster 300k 100 ft 3d6 Piercing 20 shots per recharge.
Spike Gun 300k 80 ft 1d6 Piercing Knock-out poison, DC 12.
Zap Gun 400k 300 ft 3d6 Electric +2 to hit, 20 shots per recharge.
Big Laser 500k 1000 ft 4d6 Piercing +2 to hit, 20 shots per reload.
Tiny Laser 100k 20 ft 1d6 Piercing +2 to hit, easy to conceal, 1 shot.
Flamethrower 45k 30ft 3d6 Fire. 5 ft wide cone.
Auto Gun Arm 200k 100 ft 2d6 Piercing 5 ft wide cone.
Rocket Launcher 500k 2k ft 1d6 x 10 fire 1 charge.
Shotgun Arm 450k 90 ft 4d6+4 Piercing 30 round magazine.
Rocket Fist 500k 100 ft 2d6 Bludgeon Comes back next turn to reattach.
+3d6 Fire
BFG Cybercannon 700k 200 ft 10d6 Piercing 1 shot.

29
Bio armor
Name Cost $ Abilities
Full Body Armour 400k Armor class of 18.+2 to Str, +2 to Con
Half Body Armour 200k Armor Class 15, +1 to Str, +1 to Con.
Flexi Skin Armour 100k Armour Class 12.
Hips & Legs 60k Armour Class of 11, hips and legs only.
Cowl 60k Armour Class of 11, Head neck and shoulders only.
Exoskeleton. 1m +4 to Armour Class, +2 to Str, +2 to Con, +1 to Dex.
Reinforcement 500k +1 Str, Con.
Skull 100k +2 to Armour Class, head only.
Compartment 8000 10-inch hollow space.

Conversion and Bio grafts

Name Cost $ Abilities
USB Plug 500 A USB plug, powered by your cyber-batteries.
Camouflage 250k +5 to stealth
EMP Shielding 250k EMP does not affect your bot parts.
Environmental Pro- 250k +2 to saving throw vs airbourne toxins.
tection
Cyber Power 100k No need to eat or drink for 48 hours before recharging.
Life Support 500k Can survive without oxygen for up to 12 hours.
Stomach 100k +4 to saving throws agaisnt poisons.
Reinforced Spine 100k +2 to athletics, acrobatics, climbing and swimming.
Regeneration 1m Heals 1 hp every 10 rounds.
Poison Filter 100k +2 to saving throws vs poison, toxins and drugs.
Flashlight 5k 30 ft range.
Anagathic Therapy 100k Takes an effective 20 years off your age, allowing you to live
another two decades.
Pheromones 200k +2 to charm, persuasion, seduction.
LED Skin 150k Patches of configurable skin that can display images, mimic
textures and change colour.
LED Eyes 150k Capable of changing colour and displaying images.
Smart Hair 1000 Changeable hairstyle and colours, and to respond to different
stimuli.
Health Monitor 1000 +2 to first aid, medicine and survival.
Speed Boost 20k Max +4, each boost provides +2 to Initiative.
Pain Stopper 20k +4 to saving throws vs pain.
Sensory Boost 150k +4 Perception/search.

30
Skill Chip 20k Max +4, +2 to one skill of choice.
Cognitive Booster 200k Max +4, +2 to Int each boost.
Neuro Booster 200k Max +4, +2 to Dex each boost.
Emotion Suppression 200k Max +4, +2 to Wis each boost.
Neuro Dampener 200k Max +4, +2 to Con each boost.
Neurostimulator 200k Max +4, +2 to Str each boost.
Air Filter 20k +2 to saving throws vs airbourne diseases and toxins.
Contraceptive Implant 1000 No babies!
Thermal Regulator 100k Take half damage from heat and cold.
Radiation Shielding 100k Take half damage from radiation.
Shapechanger Skin 200k +4 to disguise and stealth.
Anti-Flash 15k Immune to being blinded or stunned by light or glare.
Adaptive Optics 15k Adjust to suit different lighting conditions. +1 Perception.
Augmented Reality 1m Data can be overlaid over your field of vision and be
interacted with.
Biosculpt Pretty 1m +2 to charm, diplomacy, persuasion and seduction.
Biosculpt Scary 1m +2 to intimidation, interrogation.
Biosculpt Centaur 1m +15 base movement, +2 strength. Neigh.
Biosculpt Feline 1m +3 to climb, acrobatics, perception and seduction. Your tail
can nudge up to 20lbs.
Biosculpt Canine 1m +3 to athletics, insight, survival and tracking. You can track by
scent up to a mile from the target.
Biosculpt Ape 1m +50 lbs, covered with hair, +3 to athletics, climbing and
intimidation.
Biosculpt Bear 1m +50 lbs, body covered with hair, half damage from cold, +3 to
athletics and survival.
Biosculpt Avian 1m Body covered in feathers, +3 to acrobatics, perception, glide
10ft per round.
Biosculpt Demon 1m Red skin, horns, +3 intimidation, interrogation and seduction.
Biosculpt Porcupine 1m Body covered in spikes. +2 AC, +1d6 piercing to unarmed
attacks. Anyone touching you risks taking 1d6 piercing.
Biosculpt Bouncy 1m Falls from less than 50 ft do no damage. Leap 10 ft up or 20 ft
across, +1 to AC.
Biosculpt Cold 1m You take no damage from the cold. +2 to stealth in ice and
snow. You can see clearly in fog, blizzards and the dark out
to 30 ft. You do not slip on ice and can always find footing in
the snow.
Biosculpt Fire 1m You take no damage from heat and fire. You can see clearly
in smoke, fog, and the dark up to 30 feet. You are affected by
smoke or airborne toxins.

31
Biosculpt Spider 5m Six spider-like legs come out of your back. Get one extra
action a round. +4 climb, athletic, intimidation. The
movement rate is now 60/120.
Wings 1m Flight up to 100 mph, +2 to Charisma, +2 to AC.
Self Destruct 100k At 0 hp you explode for 6d6 damage in a 10x10 area. It can
also be set on a timer so you self-destruct in the next 15
seconds.
Lockpick Fingers 10k +2 to pick locks and turn off devices.
Jump Jets 10k Leap 15 ft up or 30 ft across.
Flight System 5m Flight up to 200 mph. It can go as high as 1 mile. +2 to AC.
Drones 1m If you remain within a mile, you can launch a small drone
from your body and send information back to you. You can
have up to three of them.
Weapon Upgrade: 100k Range: 30 feet. Radius: 10X10. All within are blinded till they
Smoke exit the smoke. 10 shots/clip.
Adhesive Foam 10k Range: 30 feet. The target is stuck/held. DC 15 to break free.
10 shots/clip.
Parts is Parts 100k Anything I may have forgotten. The default is +2 for anything
you want to add.

32
 • Schedule I: Drugs with no
Drugs current medical use and a high
A drug may be classified by potential for abuse and/or
the chemical type of the active addiction.
ingredient or by the way it is used • Schedule II: Drugs with some
to treat a particular condition. Each medically acceptable uses,
drug can be classified into one or but with high potential for
more drug classes (www.drugs.com/ abuse and/or addiction. These
drug-classes.html). drugs can be obtained through
prescription.
What are drug classifications? • Schedule III: Drugs with low
Per the Drug Enforcement to moderate potential for
Administration (DEA), medical abuse and/or addiction, but
professionals and law enforcement less dangerous than Schedule
officials use drug classifications I or II. These drugs can be
to delineate a substance’s legality, obtained through prescription
based on “the drug’s acceptable but are not available over the
medical use and the drug’s abuse or counter.
dependency potential. • Schedule IV: Drugs with
There are currently 5 viable medical use and low
schedules and their meanings are as probability of use or misuse.
follows: • Schedule V: Drugs with low
potential for abuse (lower than
Schedule IV).

All Schedule IV and V drugs are legal

in the world of the Crime Lords, you
can buy pot, alcohol, and cigarettes
in every market.
The Crime Lords control
the drug trade in and out of Fresno,
even the production of Prime can
be traced back to a Crime Lord-
controlled lab.
Every type of narcotic you
can think of can be found for sale
somewhere on the dirty streets of
Shadowdark Super Heroes.

33
Prime Glass
Prime is a schedule I drug. Glass is a schedule IV drug.
Prime is a synthesized iteration of Glass looks like spun sugar and is
the Prometheus formula that grants often sold disguised as cotton candy/
temporary superpowers (with a five- candy floss.
minute duration). When a character It is a popular party drug that
takes Prime for the first time, roll on induces hallucinations and euphoria.
the table below to see what power Cost: One hit, $50.00.
manifests. From then on, they will
get the same power every time they Angel tears
take Prime. Angel tears are a class II narcotic.
Cost: $100.00 per pill. Angel tears are small pills that
induce a powerful sense of euphoria.
Roll 1d100 Those under its effect often burst
01-05 Blank: The character does not get any
powers from the drug, no matter how many into tears of joy.
times they take it. Cost: One pill, $20.00.
06-26 Bioluminescence: The most common
power, they glow like a firefly for five minutes.
27-31 Thermal: The individual possesses the Z weed.
ability of thermal regulation, allowing them Z weed is a schedule II drug.
to generate fire from their body. However, this
ability only offers them limited fire resistance,
Z weed is a strain of marijuana.
leaving them with severe burns all over their They say it makes you as stoned as a
body from overuse. zombie, thus the name Z weed.
32-45 Armor: The person’s skin hardens much Cost: One bud can cost $10.00 while
like the shell of an armadillo, making them
resistant to kinetic damage and impacts.
a bag can cost $70.00.
46-51 Biggie: The drug increases the person’s
physical strength and size for the duration of
its effect.
Red eye
52-59 Healer: The individual can repair Red eye is a schedule II drug.
damage to organic matter, which lets them Red eye is a powerful narcotic
heal others by touch. originally intended for military use.
60-61 Wolverine: The characters can harden
their bones and extend them from their body
Administered via drops to the eye
to be used as weapons. it spikes the user’s adrenaline often
62-63 Ice 9: The individual possesses the sending them into a berserk rage.
ability of thermal regulation, which allows Cost: A sample of red eye costs
them to generate cold from their body.
However, this ability only offers them limited
$100.00.
cold resistance, leaving them with severe
frostbite all over their body from overuse.
64-66 Chameleon: People can blend into their
Moon sugar
surroundings like chameleons. Moon sugar is a schedule III drug.
67-69 Lizard: The individual can rapidly heal Moon sugar is a crystalline
and regrow lost limbs like a lizard. powder that when inhaled induces
70-100 Ink: Changes the color of the user’s
drowsiness.
skin and hair to another random color.
Cost: One baggy of moon sugar costs
$50.00.

34
Star dust 50/50
Star Dust is a schedule II drug. 50/50 is a schedule I drug.
A powerful pain killer and sleep aid. An extremely dangerous drug that
Cost: One pill costs $20.00. is injected into the bloodstream. A
powerful hallucinogen that many say
Mist is the best high you will ever have
Mist is a schedule II drug. but there is a possibility every time
Taken as an inhalant this drug you take it that it will kill you. Thus,
enhances perception, reaction time, the name.
and concentration. Cost: One ampule of this drug costs
Cost: One canister of mist costs $50.00.
$100.00.

35
Issue #3
Superpowers
Ther are two types of powers
available to the character. The more
common minor powers and the rare
major powers.
You may roll randomly on
the table below to determine your
characters powers.

Roll 1d6
1: 1 Major power and 2 minor
powers
2: 1d4+1 minor powers
3: 1 Major power and 1 minor
power
4: 2 Major powers
5: 5 Minor powers.
6: 2 minor powers and +2 to all
attributes.

36
Minor superpowers
1. Perfect time sense
51.
52.
Legacy-Celestial
Legacy-Demonic
2. Heightened senses (Sub table A) 53. Legacy-Alien
3. Energy blast (Sub table b) 54. Super leap
4. Feather fall/glide 55. Perfect direction sense
5. Flight 56. Hyper digging
6. Wallcrawling 57. Hyper swimming
7. Blending 58. Polyglot
8. Wings 59. Eat anything
9. Regeneration 60. Luck
10. Alter shape/ Doppelganger 61. Jack of all trades
11. Extraordinary Strength 62. Panacea
12. Extraordinary Dexterity 63. Empathy
13. Extraordinary Constitution 64. Healing factor
14. Extraordinary Intelligence 65. Transform into a goldfish
15. Extraordinary Wisdom 66. Cybernetics/BioWare (refer to the
16. Extraordinary Charisma section on technology)
17. Extraordinary Beauty 67. Astral Travel
18. Extraordinary Speed 68. Energy blast (See sub table b)
19. Resist Fire/heat 69. Ageless
20. Underwater abilities 70. Age control
21. Resist cold 71. Bouncy
22. Resist Electricity 72. Immobile
23. Body Weapons 73. Floating disk (levitation)
24. Multiple limbs(sub table c) 74. Perfect temperature sense
25. Invisibility 75. Silence(Ninja-Ninja)
26. Armor 76. Resist poison
27. Adaption/Life support 77. Resist disease
28. Talk to animals 78. Resist acid
29. Darkness 79. Resist “Supernatural”
30. Force field 80. Resist radiation
31. Heightened attack 81. Resist bludgeoning
32. Heightened defense 82. Resist Slashing
33. Heightened expertise 83. Create Darkness/Fog
34. Illusions 84. Force Field
35. Suggestion/Mind control 85. Resist Piercing
36. Comic book martial arts 86. Social Chameleon/Ghost
37. Claws, fangs, and fur 87. Heightened senses (see sub table a)
38. Intangibility 88. Heightened Strength
39. Speak to the dead 89. Heightened Dex
40. Shrink 90. Gadgets
41. Growth 91. Perfect memory & speed reading
42. Willpower 92. Pet
43. Wealth 93. Heightened Constitution
44. Environmental adaption 94. Heightened Intelligence
45. Nine lives 95. Heightened Wisdom
46. Talk to insects 96. Heightened Charisma
47. Talk to plants 97. Energy blast
48. Turn into a plant 98. Flight
49. Legacy-Vampire 99. Pick one
50. Legacy-Lycan 100. Pick one

37
Sub table A: Heightened Sense Sub table C: Extra limbs
1. Telescopic vision 1. Wings
2. Night Vision 2. Extra pair of hands and rams
3. Radar/echolocation/Sonar 3. Extra pair of legs and feet
4. Hearing 4. Tentacles
5. X-ray vision 5. Claws and fangs
6. Smell 6. Extra pair of eyes
7. Touch 7. Tail
8. Ultraviolet & inferred 8. Two brains
9. Danger sense 9. Antenna
10. Weakness detection 10. Two hearts
11. Perfect time sense 11. Extra set of ears
12. Perfect direction sense 12. Pick one
13. Taste
14. Detect “Supernatural”
15. Distance viewing Sub table D: Absorption
16. Object read 1. Power Negation
17. Detect Lies & falsehood 2. Health
18. Divination/ Cosmic Awareness 3. Strength
19. Empathy 4. Substance
20. Radio Reception 5. Skills & memories
6. Appearance
7. Power Copy
Sub table B: Energy blasts 8. Energy
1. Static
2. Light/laser
3.
4.
Fire
Energy weapon
Sub table E: Animal/Plant Powers
1. Fish
5. Stun
2. Canine
6. Electricity
3. Bear
7. Force blast
4. Cat
8. Energy field
5. Avian
9. Disintegration
6. Reptile
10. Necrotic
7. Insect
11. Paralysis
8. Cow
12. Sonic/Vibratory
9. Dinosaur
13. Air
14. Webs/glue 10. Plant
15. Cold
16. EMP
17. Radiant
18. Force blast
19. Fire
20. Pick one

38
Major Super Powers
1. Empathy/empathic control
Powers explained: Minor
2. Pyrotechnics/ Fire control Perfect time sense
3. Telekinesis/ Gravity control/Magnetic Range: Self.
powers Duration: Always on.
4. Cyrokinesis/ Ice powers
5. Invulnerability
The user possesses innate/intuitive
6. Immortality knowledge of temporal movement.
7. Heal others/raise dead They have a perfect internal
8. Stretching/elongation clock, always knowing the exact date
9. Telepathy
10. Teleportation- self
and time. They adapt immediately to
11. Teleportation-other new methods/scales of timekeeping
12. Telemechanic / talk to machines and calendars, regardless of what
13. Clone/multiple selves time zone, planet, culture, etc.
14. Ludicrous speed
15. Ludacrous flight
Using their exact internal
16. Alter metabolism clock allows the users to analyze and
17. Absorption (See sub table D) calculate time and easily keep track
18. Animal Abilities (See sub table E) of anything to the second.
19. Body of Fire
20. Body of Ice
21. Magic spells Feather fall/Glide
22. Priest Spells
23. Regeneration
Range: Self.
24. Temporal manipulation Duration: Always on.
25. Precognition • Falls from less than 50 feet do
26. Insect Control no damage.
27. Apex Predator
28. Perfect
• Falls from less than 100 feet
29. Electrokinetic do ½ Damage.
30. Weirdness magnet • Not counting for wind speed,
you can float/glide at a
movement rate of 40 feet per
turn.

39
Flight Wings
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
• Top speed: 200 MPH (+ 100 • Pilot: +2 to Dexterity.
MPH pert level). • Flight Speed: 150 MPH (+50
• In combat, flight speed: 60 mph per level).
feet per turn. • Hard to Hit: + 2 to armor class
• Hard to Hit: +4 to armor class while in the Air.
while flying. • Flying Ram: If you start your
• Flying ram: If you start your action at least 20 feet from
action at least 20 feet from your target, you may perform
your target, you may perform a flying ram attack that is +4 to
a flying ram attack that is +4 to hit and does 2d6 bludgeoning
hit and does 2d6 bludgeoning Damage (+1d6/level) if
Damage (+1d6/level) if successful.
successful.
Alter shape (doppelganger)
Wallcrawling Range: Self.
Range: Self. Duration: Focus
Duration: Focus. You can alter your shape to resemble
• Sticky: +10 to climb checks. any other humanoid you have seen,
• Limber: +5 to acrobatics and including another gender. This
athletics skill checks. change is purely cosmetic; if you
• Nimble: +2 to engineering, alter your shape to look like someone
electronics, first aid, with wings, those wings will not
mechanics, pickpocket, and work.
sleight of hand. • Double Trouble: +10 to
• Wallcrawling Speed: 30 feet disguise check.
per turn. • Lookalike: When attempting
to imitate the voice and
Blending mannerisms, you get a +5 in
Range: Self. your rolls.
Duration: Always on.
• Hard to See: + 10 to stealth Extraordinary Strength
if not moving. +5 to stealth Range: Self.
if moving at ½ speed, +2 to Duration: Always on.
stealth at normal speed. • Power: +2d6 Strength.
• Squint: 2 to disguise and • Tough: +2 to Constitution.
mimic. • Lift: You can lift an amount
• Still: Can hold breath for up to of weight equal to your new
10 minutes. Strength score X 1000 pounds.
• Carry: Slots are determined by
your new Str score.

40
Extraordinary Dexterity Extraordinary Charisma
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: always on. Duration: always on.
• Dextrous Digits: +2d6 to • Winning Smile: +2d6 to
Dexterity. Charisma.
• +2 to Intelligence. • Good at People: +2 to Wisdom.
• Slipstream: +10 to movement • No Fool: Advantage on saving
rate. throws vs. charm, suggestion,
persuasion, and bluff.
Extraordinary Constitution
Range: Self. Extraordinary Beauty
Duration: always on. Range: Self.
• Nails: +2d6 to Constitution. Duration: always on.
• Hearty: +2 to Strength. You are just that daman good
• Second Wind: Immune to looking.
exhaustion and fatigue. • Looker: +2 to Charisma.
• Enchanting: +10 to Seduction.
Extraordinary Intelligence • Poised: +5 to all other
Range: Self. Charisma-based skills.
Duration: always on.
• Brains: +2d6 to Intelligence. Extraordinary Speed
• Measure Twice: +2 to Range: Self.
Dexterity. Duration: Focus
• Autodidact: Learn new skills • Speedy: Your base move rate
in ½ the time. on your action is now 60 feet
a turn.
Extraordinary Wisdom • Zoomer: Your full move is now
Range: Self. 120 feet per turn.
Duration: Always on. • Fast Travel: You can run 100
• Instinct: +2d6 to Wisdom. MPH (+20 mph per level) out
• Empathy: +2 to Charisma. of combat.
• Antifragile: Advantage • Running Tackle: If you start
on saving throws vs Fear, your action at least 20 feet
horror, interrogation, and from your target, you may
intimidation. perform a flying ram attack
that is +4 to hit and does 2d6
bludgeoning Damage (+1d6/
level) if successful.

41
Resist fire/heat Resist Electricity
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: always on. Duration: always on.
• Fireproof: +5 to saving throw • Rubber Soul: +5 to saving
vs. Fire and heat. If you throw vs Lightning and
succeed your saving throw vs Electricity. If you succeed your
Fire you take no damage, if saving throw vs Lightning you
you fail your saving throw you take no damage, if you fail
only take ½ Damage. your saving throw you only
• Filter Tip: Smoke does not take ½ Damage.
bother you • EM Spectrum: +1 to your
saving throw vs radiation.
Underwater abilities
Range: Self. Body weapons
Duration: always on. Range: Self.
• Gills: You can breathe Duration: Focus.
underwater. Not a Knife: You can alter the shape
• Flipper: On your action you of your hands and arms to resemble
can swim 30 feet per turn. melee weapons, such as A slashing
• Slip-N-Slide: Your top swim weapon like a sword that does 2d6
speed is 60 MPH(+10 per level) (+strength mod) slashing Damage. A
(the sailfish's top speed is 65 mace-like bludgeoning weapon that
MPH, and it is the fastest Fish does 2d6(+ Str mod) bludgeoning
in the world. Damage or a spike-like piercing
• Deep-Six: You can survive weapon that does 2d6(+ Str mod)
depths up to 30 meters(100 piercing Damage. You can change the
feet). shape at the end of your round.
• Murkvision: You can see
underwater up to 60 feet.
• Slippery: You get +4 to your
armor class when you are
underwater.

Resist Cold
Range: Self.
Duration: always on.
Insulated: +5 to save vs. Ice & cold.
If you succeed your save vs Cold you
take no damage, if you fail your you
only take ½ Damage.
Antifreeze: You can survive in
temperatures as low as 20f without
special protection

42
Invisibility Adaptation/Life support
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
You can turn yourself and anything • Resilient: +2 to Constitution.
you can carry invisible and remain • Sealed System: You can
invisible for as long as you wish. survive underwater and in
As long as you don’t do anything outer space without any
to attract attention to yourself(like special equipment.
knocking over a vase), no one can see • Closed Loop: You are
you, and you don't have to make any unaffected by extreme heat or
dice rolls. If someone is looking for cold or toxic environments,
you, then. Remember you still make and you are immune to
noise. airborne toxins
• Still Waters: +10 to stealth • Tireless: You are immune to
if not moving. +8 to stealth fatigue and exhaustion.
if moving at ½ speed. +4 to • Dieting: You can survive
stealth if moving at full speed. without food and water for up
• Creepy: +4 to Intimidation to 42 hours.

Armor Talk to animals

Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on. Duration: Focus.
Your body has been transformed, You can understand the language of
and now you have organic armor all animals, and they will also know
similar to an armadillo. This armor what you are saying. You cannot
can look like whatever you want: red control animals; just talk to them.
rocks, blue chainmail, black stone, or • Doolittle: +10 to handle
vanilla pudding. animal checks.
• Hefty: Increase your weight by • Pet-Smart: +5 to any other
100 pounds. skill check that involves
• Weighty: +2 to your Strength interaction with animals.
and Constitution.
• Solid: Your armor class is now Heightened Attack
15(+ Dex mod) Range: Self.
• Impenetrable: You take ½ Duration: Focus.
Damage from bludgeoning You add +4 to all Damage you do
and slashing weapons. with any attack.
• Flame Retardant: You take ½
Damage from Fire.
Heightened defense
Range: Self.
Duration: Focus.
+4 to your armor class while you are
aware and mobile.

43
Heightened expertise Command/Charm/Suggestion
Range: Self. (Mind Control)
Duration: Focus. Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
You add +4 to hit with all attacks. Duration: Focus.
Similar to charm person
Illusion generation (Shadowdark page 56), your target
Range: 30 feet(+10 feet/level). gate a (DC 8 + your Charisma mod
Area of Effect: up to 10X10 (+5 feet/ + your level) wisdom saving throw,
level). and if they fail, they will treat you as
Duration: Focus. a trusted friend and will do anything
You can create realistic illusions you ask as long as it is not self-
of anything you have seen or can destructive. You can ask your friend,
imagine. These illusions are as the bank manager, to open the vault
good as any CGI and duplicate for you, and they will, but if you ask
general sounds. The believability them to jump off the bank roof, they
of these illusions is dependent on will break free of your charm.
how you use them. People won't • +4 to all Charisma skill checks.
notice anything unusual if you're in
a forest and create the illusion of a Comic book martial arts
tree. On the other hand, if you're in Range: Self.
your house and you make an illusion Duration: Always on.
of a tree, then someone might be • +2 to Dexterity
suspicious. • You get one extra melee attack
• Mirror Image: You can create a round.
a realistic image of yourself • You get +2 to your Initiative.
anywhere with your range, • You gain +4 to your Armor
and it will duplicate your Class if you are aware and
actions. +1 additional images mobile.
per level. • +2 to hit with melee attacks(+
Str mod), gain an additional +1
at levels 3,6 and 9.
• +2 to damage with melee
attacks (+ Str mod). Gan an
additional +1 at levels 3,6 and
9.
• Including the above bonuses,
your martial arts punch/
kick does 2d6 bludgeoning
Damage
• As a full-round action, you
can perform a martial arts
jump kick that does 4d6
bludgeoning Damage.

44
Claws, Fangs, and Fur Speak to the dead
Range: Self. Range: 30 feet(+10 feet/level).
Duration: Always on. Duration: Focus.
You possess several bestial features. You can see and communicate with
• Claws: 2d6 slashing (+ Str the spirits of the dead.The undead,
mod) of course, can see you and know they
• Fangs: Gain a bite attack that can talk to you, which means you will
does 1d6 (+Str mod) piercing. often find yourself in the company
• Fur: +5 to stealth checks and of a ghost just looking for someone
take ½ Damage from Cold. to hang out with. While you do not
• +4 bonus to Intimidation. need a corpse to use this ability, it
makes it much more fun.
Intangibility • Spirit Phone: You can attempt
Range: Self. to get information from a
Duration: Focus. specific spirit. You can ask a
You can turn yourself and anything ghost up to 3 questions they
you carry noncorporeal, passing have to answer truthfully to
through the physical world like a the best of their knowledge.
ghost. You can remain intangible for You can only use this ability
as long as you want. again after you take a long
• Limited Invulnerability: rest.
While Intangible, you cannot • Deathly: +4 to Intimidation.
affect the physical world nor
be harmed by it. You take no
damage from physical attacks.
You are immune to any Air
based toxins.
• Levitate: You can't walk but
can float ghost-like across
any surface at a rate of 15 feet
around, and falls do not affect
you.
• Passwall: You can pass
harmlessly through any solid
structure at a rate of 5 feet
a round. You cannot phase
through magical barriers or
force fields.
• Whiff: You take ½ Damage
from Fire and Lightning.
• Spectre: +4 to Intimidation
while in ghost form.

45
Shrink Growth
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
As an action, you can shrink from As an action, you can grow from
your full height to the size of an ant your standard height to a gigantic
(about ½ an inch ) or anywhere in height of (2 feet for every point of
between and remain shrunk for as Constitution above 8, a character
long as you wish. with a ten con could add 4 feet)
• Retained Power: Because of And anywhere in between. You can
comic book logic, your mass remain in this state for as long as you
and Strength remain the same wish.
while shrunk. • Yuge: While grown, increase
• Little Legs: Your movement is your weight/mass by 25
now inches per turn instead of pounds per foot (A character
feet per turn. with a ten con would gain 100
• Mosquito: You gain a bonus pounds)
of +4 to Armor Class and +4 • Bulk: While grown, increase
to Acrobatics, Athletics, and your Strength by +1 per foot (A
Stealth while shrunk. character with a ten con would
• Quantum: You can shrink gain +2 str)
smaller than ½ an inch, enter • Long Stride: While grown,
the microscopic realm, and increase your movement rate
remain in that quantum state by 5 feet per foot (10 con
for ten round/1 turn. Being in would gain +10 movement
the atomic world is a purely rate)
cinematic ability. You need to • Crump: As a huge creature,
take a long rest before you can your base melee damage
use this ability again. increases from 1d4 to 1d6.
• Leviathan: You gain a
bonus of +4 to Athletics and
Intimidation while grown.

46
Willpower Environmental adaption
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
This ability allows you to roll all You have the innate ability to adapt
Wisdom and Charisma saving to your surroundings and hostile
throws with Advantage. environments instantly.
• Iron Mind: Immune to Fear, • Compass: You always know
horror, Intimidation, fatigue, where magnetic north is.
and exhaustion. • Night Vision: You can see up
• Ol' Painless: +4 to resist pain. to 60 feet in the dark.
• Fight Through: +2 to athletics • Air Tank: You can hold your
skill checks. breath for up to 10 minutes.
• Biofeedback: Hold your breath • Resilient: You get Advantage
for up to 10 minutes. on all saving throws against
poison or disease.
Wealth • Tough: You Take ½ Damage
Range: Self. from Cold, Fire, heat, and
Duration: Always on. radiation.
Yes, Wealth is a superpower. • Physicality: +4 to all athletics,
• Net Worth: Your total net Acrobatics, Climbing, and
worth equals your Charisma survival checks.
Score X A million.
• Passive Income: The money 9 Lives
you can spend during a game Range: Self.
session equals Your Charisma Duration: Special.
score X $1000.00. • Tough: +2 to Constitution.
• Money Talks: +1 to all Cha • Feline Immortality: You have
skills. nine lives. If you reach 0 hit
points and die, you will return
from the dead fully healed in
1d6 rounds. You can use this
ability 9 times after that if you
die! Well, no one stays dead in
a comic book.

47
Talk to insects Legacy, Vampire
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Always on.
You cannot control the bugs; just talk Either you or one of your ancestors
to them. encountered a vampire and
• Chitter: You can understand somehow lived to tell the tale.
the language of all insects and Because of this, you have inherited
arachnids and communicate some of the vampire's fabled powers.
with them. • Undead Power: +2 to Strength,
• Queen Bee: +10 to handle Constitution, and Charisma.
animal checks against bugs. • Night Vision: You can see up
• Bug Handler: +5 to any other to 60 feet in the dark.
skill check that involves • Insensate: You take ½ Damage
interaction with insects from Cold.
• Dead Flesh: You get Advantage
Talk to plants on saving throws against
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). poison and disease.
Duration: Focus. • Animal Animosity: Dogs and
You can talk to and understand the horses hate you.
language of plants, flowers, and
trees, and they can understand you. Legacy, Lycan
This does not allow you to animate Range: Self.
or control the plants; just talk to Duration: Always on.
them. Look, we are not saying you are a
• Green Thumb: +5 to all skill werewolf, but we are not saying you
checks that involve plants. are not a werewolf, either.
• Wolf Power: +2 to Dexterity,
Turn into a plant Constitution, Strength.
Range: Self. • Night Vision: You can see up
Duration: Focus. to 60 feet in the dark.
You can assume the form of any • Animal Instinct: You
plant, tree, or flower you have seen get Advantage on your
as long as that plant is no larger than intimidation and survival
10 feet or smaller than 1 foot. You checks
possess all the plant's abilities and • Claws: Your claws do 1d6
movement rates (or lack thereof) slashing damage.
while transformed. • Bast's Hatred: Cats hate you.
• How Not to be Seen: +10 to
Disguise.

48
Legacy, Celestial Legacy, Alien
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on. Duration: Always on.
Either you or someone you are It turns out there might be some
related to had an angelic encounter truth to your uncle's story about
in the past, and somehow, some of getting kidnapped by aliens.
that radiant energy has stayed with • Alien Mind: +2 to Intelligence,
you. Charisma, Constitution.
• Angelic Aspect: +2 to • Big Black Eyes: You can see up
Charisma, Wisdom, to 60 feet in the dark.
Constitution. • Not Martian: Thanks to the
• Night Vision: You can see up alien DNA, you are immune to
to 60 feet in the dark. disease.
• Inspirational: All friends and • Spooky: +4 to Intimidation.
allies within 5 feet of you get • Mutilator: Cows hate you.
+1 to their rolls to hit and +1 to
all saving throws due to your Super leap
divine grace. Range: Self.
• Immovable: You are Duration: Instant.
immune to Fear, terror, and • Boing: +4 to athletics and
Intimidation. acrobatics checks.
• Holy Terror: Vampires and the • Standing long jump. 20 feet
undead hate you. (+10 feet/level).
• Running long jump: 60 feet
Legacy, Demonic (+10 feet/level).
Range: Self. • Standing high jump: 15 feet
Duration: Always on. (+10 feet/level).
Either you or someone in your past • Running high jump: 30 feet (+
had an encounter with a demon, and 10 feet/level).
its foul taint still lingers on you. • Falls from less than 50 feet do
• Demon Flesh: +2 to Strength, no damage; falls from under
Charisma, Constitution. 100 feet do ½ Damage.
• Night Vision: You can see up
to 60 feet in the dark. Perfect Direction Sense
• Unmoved: You are immune to Range: Self.
Fear, terror, and Intimidation. Duration: Always on.
• Fireproof: You take no ½ You never get lost, and you always
damage from fire. know where magnetic north is.
• Infernal: Animals hate you.

49
Hyper Digging Eat anything
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
You can dig with the speed and skill • Diamond Teefs: Your teeth are
of a mole; you can tunnel through indestructible, allowing you to
most substances at a rate of 15 feet chew iron as easily as you can
a turn. Due to comic book logic, your chew a piece of bread.
tunnels never harm infrastructure, • Chomp: You have a bite attack
pipes, or the sewers and somehow that does 1d6 piercing.
close safely after an hour. • Omnomnom: Your body can
• Night Vision: You can see break down any substance and
underground and in the dark get nutritional value from it
up to 60 feet. without harming you.

Hyper Swimming Luck

Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Always on.
• Fishy: +5 to swim checks. • Fortunate: +4 to Initiative.
• Torpedo: Top swim speed is • Intecession: +2 to all saving
30 feet a turn. throws.
• Glancing Blow: +2 to armor
Polyglot class.
Range: Self. • Try Again: Whenever you roll
Duration: Focus. a natural one on a D20, you
Your character starts the game with may reroll, but you have to
the ability to read, write, and speak take the new roll.
their native language, as well as
three additional languages(+ nt mod Jack of all trades
if any). Range: Self.
• Comprehension: You can Duration: Always on.
learn to read and write a new • Master of None: +2 to all skill’s
language after an hour of • Handy Dandy: +2 to hit with
study. all weapons/attacks.
• Guessperanto: You can learn
to speak a language after a day Panacea
of study. Range: Self.
• Semantic Versatility: You Duration: Always on
can learn any language, even • Tasty Poison: You are immune
alien, machine, and magical to all poison, toxins, fungus,
languages. viruses, and diseases.
• No Effect: You roll Advantage
on your saving throws to resist
the effects of drugs

50
Empathy Astral travel/Bio ghost
Range: 30 feet(+10 feet/level). Range: Self.
Radius: 10X10. Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
The ability to sense and control the You can step out of our Universe
emotions of others. and enter into the celestial realm.
• Sense Danger: +2 to Initiative. While in the heavenly realm,
• Sense Emotion: +5 to Insight. you are completely invisible and
• Manipulate Emotion: +5 to all undetectable.
Charisma-based skills. You cannot affect the
• Sense Life/Emotion: You physical world, and it cannot affect
can sense the emotional life you. You can only be affected by
energy of any living being in other astral creatures. * As an astral
your area of effect. ghost, you can harmlessly pass
• Detect Lie: You can tell if through all solid matter.
someone is lying to you on a You can travel vast distances
successful Insight check. in the astral Universe. Every mile in
the outer planes is the equivalent of
Healing factor 10 miles on Earth. The astral
Range: Self. plane is dull and pretty empty.
Duration: Instant.
You recover quickly from most Ageless
wounds. Range: Self.
• Action Surge: As a combat Duration: Always on.
action you can recover 2d6 hit You will live at least 150 years and
points. You cannot use this never look a day over 30. If you are
ability again till you take a somehow artificially aged, you will
short rest. be restored to your average age after
• Nap and a Sandwich: You a long rest.
recover all lost hit points • Ageless: You roll Advantage
during a short rest. for all saving throws against
disease and poison.
Transform into a Goldfish • Undying: +2 to Con, Int, and
Range: Self. Cha.
Duration: Focus.
You can transform into any fresh or
saltwater fish you have seen, but the
default shape is always a Goldfish
due to some cosmic joke.
You can assume the shape
of any fish as small as 1 pound or
as large as 300 pounds; sorry, you
cannot turn into a whale shark.

51
Age control Immobile
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
The character can control their As long as the character's feet are
physical age, from as young as one on a solid surface/the ground, they
year old to as old as 101 years old. cannot be knocked over or knocked
It takes one full round of action to back. They still take Damage from an
change, and they can remain at their impact but are not knocked back. You
current physical age for as long as could grapple them, but you could
they want. not toss them or move them; they are
• Just the Right Age: +2 bonus immobile.
to Cha.
• Age Up/Down: +2 bonus to Levitate/floating disk
Disguise. Range: 30 feet(+10 feet per level).
Duration: Focus
Bouncy You can create and control a
Range: Self. semitransparent disk of Force that
Duration: Focus. you can use on yourself or others.
You are naturally buoyant and • The disk can support 150(+50
can bounce off solid objects like a pounds/level) pounds. (50
superball. pounds=2 gear slots)
• Oof: Falls of 15 feet or less do • You can also use the disk to
no Damage, while falls of 30 levitate someone/something
feet or less do ½ Damage. else if they are within 30 and
• Boing: When you come into weigh less than 150 Pounds.
contact with the ground after a (+50 pounds per level)
fall, you can choose to bounce! • An unwilling target gets a Dex
Springing up to 15 Feet in the save of DC (8+ your Str mod +
direction of your choice. your level) to jump out of the
• Rubber-Glue: You take ½ way.
Damage from bludgeoning
weapons and impacts. Perfect temperature sense
• Buh-Boing: You can perform Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
a Bounce-assisted leap, giving Duration: Focus.
yourself +3 to your next You always know exactly how hot or
acrobatic/jump check. cold something is, and you can tell
when the temperature will rise or
drop, which also lets you predict if
the weather will change and when
the pot of water will boil.
This gives you a +4 to any
skill check involving temperature,
like cooking or survival.

52
Silence Create Darkness/fog/smoke
Range: Self. Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). Area
Duration: Focus. of effect: 10X10 (+5 ft per level).
You make no noise; anything you are Duration: Focus.
holding or carrying also makes no • Bamf: You can create a
noise. 10x10 zone of darkness/Fog.
• Too Quiet: +4 to Intimidation, (Shadowdark page 110).
pickpocketing, lock, stealth, • Night Vision: You can see up
and sleight of hand. to 100 feet in the dark.
• Alert: +2 to Perception, search. • Shadow Creep: +5 to
• Surprising: +2 to Initiative. Intimidation.
• No Breath: Hold your breath
for 10 minutes. Force field
• Shh: You cannot be tracked by Range: Self.
sound. Duration: Focus.
• Bzort: Increase armor class to
Poison resistance 16 (+ Dex mod) while active.
Range: Self. • Ping: Take ½ Damage from all
Duration: Always on. physical attacks.
• Nope: You are immune to • Fizzle: +2 to saving throw vs
poison, toxins, and venom. energy-based attacks.
• Sober: You get Advantage on
saving throws vs. drugs' effects Resist radiation
if you wish. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on.
Resist Disease You take ½ Damage from radiation.
Range: Self.
Duration: Always on Resist bludgeoning
You are immune to disease and Range: Self.
viruses. Duration: Always on.
You take ½ Damage from
Resist acid bludgeoning attacks, such as if you
Range: Self. were hit with a hammer.
Duration: Always on
You take ½ Damage from acid and Resist slashing
other chemicals. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on.
Resist Supernatural You take ½ Damage from slashing
Range: Self. attacks, like a sword.
Duration: Always on.
You roll all saves against magic and
psychic powers with Advantage.

53
Resist piercing Perfect memory & Speed reading
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on. Duration: Focus.
You take ½ Damage from piercing You have both Eidetic
attacks, like those from an arrow. memory and total recall.
Although the terms eidetic
Social chameleon/Ghost memory and photographic
Range: Self. memory are popularly used
Duration: Focus interchangeably, they are also
You instinctively blend into any distinguished, with eidetic
social situation, and people do not memory referring to the ability
even notice you are there. You are to see an object for a few minutes
not invisible; you are just completely after it is no longer present while,
forgettable. You could stand next to photographic memory is referring to
someone and say hi; the second they the ability to recall pages of text or
turn away from you, they will have numbers, or similar, in great detail.
forgotten you. • Hardwired: +1 to Int and Wis.
A security camera would • More Input: You can read
still see you as a machine and not and comprehend about 1000
be affected by this power. Anyone words a minute.
watching the camera would see you,
but they would forget you the second Pet
they stopped looking at the screen. Range: Self.
Duration: Special.
Ambidextrous You have chosen to fight crime(or
• Two Hands: Get one extra commit crimes) with the aid of a pet.
action every round. This animal is exceptionally trained,
• Both Hands: You can perform loyal, and intelligent and will have
tasks equally well with both the max hit points of its species. The
hands. most common crimefighting pets
• Coordinated: +2 to athletics, seem to be dogs, wolves, and birds
Acrobatics, climbing, picking of prey, while the most popular pets
pocket, sleight of hand, of criminals seem to be cats, reptiles
swimming. and birds.
Comic book logic says that
nothing bad ever happens to the Pet,
Gadgets it can be wounded and even appear
Range: Special. to die but will somehow bounce back
• Duration: Special. to health by the start of the next
Tech-Head: +2 to Int. game.
• Toys: Start play with a Grapple Care and feeding of the pet
gun, a ballistic cloth costume costs $300.00 a month.
(AC 13), and 4 gadgets of your
choice.

54
Sub Table A: Hearing
Range: 30 feet(+10 feet/level).
Heightened Senses Duration: Focus.
• Heard You: +4 to Initiative.
Telescopic Vision • Subtle Sound: +2 to armor
Range: 5000 feet. class while aware.
Duration: Focus. • Hear All: +5 to Perception.
• Enhance: As long as there is • Big Ear: Can hear a whispered
nothing in the way, you can conversation as if they were
see objects up to 5000 feet standing beside you.
away (+1000 feet/level) • Soundproof: Can not be
• Detail: +4 to perception and deafened.
search checks.
X-ray vision
Night Vision Range: Special.
Range: 100 feet. Duration: Focus.
Duration: Focus. See 1 ft through any solid object
• Night Vision: You can see up other than lead. +1 foot per level.
to 100 feet (+10 feet/level) in
the dark.
• Murk Vision: You can see
Smell
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
underwater up to 30 feet (+10
Duration: Focus.
feet/level).
• Smell That?: +1 to Initiative.
• Sommelier: +5 to brewing,
Radar/Echolocation/Sonar baking, cooking, and wine
Range: Special. tasting
Radius: 30X30. • Whiff: +5 to Perception,
Duration: Focus. survival, and tracking.
• Ping: +4 to Initiative. • Subtle Scent: On a successful
• Incoming: +2 to armor class perception check, you can
while aware recognize specific odors,
• Lock-On: +2 to hit with all poisons, toxins, and people by
attacks. scent.
• Supersight: +5 to • Tracking: Track by smell on
Investigation, Perception, and a successful tracking check.
search. Check again every 200 feet.
• Blindproof: Unaffected by
blindness or darkness.

55
Touch Weakness Detection
Range: Self. Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
• Feel Your Way: +5 to any skill If you spend one round studying
check that requires a light one individual or object, you can
touch, such as Climbing, locate any weaknesses the target
electronics, engineering, may have. Any time you engage with
demolitions, first aid, the subject, you get Advantage on all
forgery, mechanics, pick lock, your dice rolls. Once the weakness is
pickpockets, sleight of hand, learned, it is not forgotten.
search, and Seduction.
• Hand-Eye Coordination: +1 to Taste
hit with melee weapons. Range: Self.
• Princess and the Pea: You can Duration: Always on.
recognize even the slightest • Refined Palate: +5 to Baking,
imperfection by touch. cooking, Seduction, and wine
tasting.
Ultraviolet & infrared vision • Notes of Tar: Can recognize all
Range: 30 feet(+10 feet/level). ingredients with just a taste,
Duration: focus. including poison.
• Darkvision: See in the dark • Known Quantity: Advantage
up to 50 feet. on saving throws vs ingested
• See Heat: IR lets you recognize poison.
heat patterns and temperature
variance. Detect Supernatural
• Eww, Gross: UV lets you Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
see things that regular sight Duration: Focus.
cannot, like fingerprints and You can detect the presence of magic,
liquid stains. psychic energy, ghosts and spirits.
• Deep Scan: +5 to Investigation,
Perception, and search.

Danger Sense
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
Duration: Always on.
You cannot be snuck up on or
surprised.
• Arachnosense: +5 to initiative.
• Duck & Cover: + 2 to armor
class.
• Vibe Check: +5 to Insight and
Perception.

56
Distance Viewing Detect lies and falsehoods
Range: Special. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
This ability allows you to perceive • BS Detector: You can tell if
events in any place on Earth, as long someone is lying to you. +4 to
as you concentrate on a person or Insight.
place. The more familiar you are with • Microexpression: You can
the subject; the better the visions will spot a forgery. +4 to forgery,
be. Investigation, Perception.
You don't have much control • I Can Tell by the Pixels:
over what you see; it's just flashes You can tell if something is
of Insight. You can ask the Universe an illusion or if someone is
(game master) three questions about wearing a disguise.
the person or place you view that
the Universe must answer truthfully. Radio reception
These answers are often very cryptic Range: Special
("You see ice cubes and a banana?") Duration: focus.
but truthful. You can receive signals from all AM
Once you use this power, you and FM channels, as long as you are
cannot use it again until you have a within 1000 feet of a base station or
long rest. tower. You can also broadcast your
voice on the radio.
Object read
Range: Touch. Divination/Cosmic awareness
Duration: Focus. Range: Self
You receive impressions and images Duration: Focus
from an object regarding its use, You can plug into the cosmic
history, and last owner. mainframe and get information
• Touchy-Feely: +5 to Insight, from the divine. You can ask the
Perception regarding the authorities (the game master) up to
previous owner. 3 questions regarding any person,
• Psychic tracking: While place, or event that the Universe
holding the object, you can must answer truthfully. These
locate its previous owner with answers will often be cryptic (You
a successful tracking check. see a banana and ice cubes) but
Check again every mile. truthful.
• Expertise: Hold the object You can only use this ability
long enough, and you gain an again after you take a long rest.
understanding of how to use • Cosmic Insight: +5 to
it; whether it be an alien zap Initiative.
gun or a pasta maker, you can • Cosmic Focus: +3 to
use it as well as a professional. Perception, search.

57
Sub table B: Energy Blast Energy blast, Fire
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
Energy blast, Static Duration: Instant.
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). This could be a dragon-like fire
Duration: Instant. breath, or Fire could come out of
You can generate static Electricity, your hands, whatever works for you."
which grants you the following • Firebolt: Ranged attack 2d6
abilities. fire damage (+1d6/level. Max
• Shocking Grasp: Melee touch 10d6)
attack that does 1d6 electricity • Cone of Fire: 30 feet long, 10
damage.(+1d6/level. Max feet wide. 2d6 fire (+1d6/level.
10d6) Max 10d6)
• Shocking Bolt: Ranged attack • Torchlight: Shed Light in a
with 1d6 lightning damage 10-foot radius.
(+1d6 per level. Max 10d6.)
• Static Cling: Ranged attack,
the target movement rate
Energy blast, Energy weapon
Range: Melee.
is reduced to 0 till the next
Duration: Instant.
round.
You can create an energy melee
weapon of your choice. You can
Energy blast, Light switch between them at the end of
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). the round.
Radius: 10X10(+10 feet/level) • Energy Blade: 2d6 slashing
Duration: Instant. (+1d6/level).
With this power, you have a few • Energy Mace: 2d6
tricks up your sleeve. bludgeoning (+1d6 per level.
• Laser Beam: Ranged attack Max 10d6.).
2d6 piercing damage (+1d6/
level. Max 10d6).
• Blinding Flash: All within a
Energy blast, Stun
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
10-foot radius must make a
Duration: Instant.
DC (8+ your Dex mod your
On a successful ranged attack, your
level) Dexterity saving throw;
target is knocked prone and can do
if they fail, they are blinded till
nothing in their action besides stand
their next turn.
up.
• Glow in the Dark: You can
shed Light within a 10-foot
radius.

58
Energy blast, Electricity Energy blast, Necrotic
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). Range: 30 feet (+10 feet per level)
Duration: Instant. Duration: Instant.
• Lightning Bolt: Strikes all Does 2d6 necrotic damage (+1d6 per
targets in a straight line 2d6 level. Max 10d6). *Does X2 damage
lightning damage (+1d6 per to plants
level. Max 10d6.)
• Shocking Grasp: Add +1d6 Energy blast, Paralysis
electricity damage to your Range: 30 feet (+10 feet per level)
melee attacks.(+1d6/level. Max Duration: Focus.
10d6) Treat as Hold Person (Shadowdark
• Lightbulb: You can shed Light page 62). The Target is paralyzed and
in a 10 ft radius. can do nothing on their actions as
long as you focus on them.
Energy blast, Force
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet per level) Energy blast, Sonic/ Vibratory
Duration: Instant. Range: 30 feet (+10 feet per level).
This is the classic comic book energy Radius: 10X10
blast that does 2d6 bludgeoning Duration: Instant.
damage(+1d6 per level. Max 10d6). If you roll a natural 19 or 20 with this
power, it will also shatter any fragile
Energy blast, Energy field objects in the area of effect.
Range: Self. • Sonic Attack: 2d6 thunder
Duration: Focus. damage (+1d6 per level, max
You generate a field of energy 10d6)
around your body, and anyone • Thunderstrike: Everyone
touching you will take Damage. within 10 feet of you must
Anyone coming into physical contact make a DC (8+your str mod
with you takes 1d6 electricity + your level) Dex save or be
damage (+1d6 Per level, max 10d6). knocked prone.
• Shocking Grasp: You may add
+1d6 lightning damage to all Energy blast, Air
melee attacks(+1d6 per level/ Range: 30 feet (+10 feet per level)
max 10d6) Duration: Instant.
Does no damage but instead knocks
Energy blast, Disintegration the target back 10 feet (+10 feet per
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet per level) level); if this happens, knock them
Duration: Instant. out a 30-story window.
You can disintegrate solid matter; Gust of Wind: The gust disperses
while this does not harm a living gas or vapor, extinguishing the
being, it affects what they wear. area's candles, torches, and similar
You can disintegrate about 5 feet of unprotected flames.
matter a round.

59
Energy blast, Entangle
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
Duration: 5 rounds.
As per web (Shadowdark page 73),
You create a 10X10-sized cube of
sticky, dense spider web. *Acreature
stuck in the web can't move and
must succeed on a strength check vs.
your DC (8+your str mod +your level)
to free itself.

Energy blast, Cold

Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
Duration: Focus.
Does 2d6 cold Damage. (+1d6/level.
Max 10d6). Anyone struck has their
movement rate reduced to 10 feet till
the end of the round. You can chill
any liquid to the perfect temperature
for drinking.

Energy blast, EMP

Range: Special.
Radius: 10X10 centered on you.
Duration: 5 rounds
You create a momentary
Electromagnetic Pulse that short-
circuits any mechanical or electric
device within the radius for five
rounds.

Energy blast, Radiant

Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
Duration: instant.
Does 2d6 radiant damage (+1d6/
level. Max 10d6). Does X2 damage
the undead?

60
Sub table C: Extra Limbs Extra pair of eyes
Range: Self.
Extra pair of hands and arms Duration: Always on.
Range: Self. *+2 to Initiative.
Duration: Always on. *You cannot be snuck up on.
• Goro: Gain one extra melee *+4 to Investigation, Perception,
attack a round. search.
• Two Right Hands: Advantage
on all Athletics, Acrobatics,
Climbing, pickpockets, pick
Tail
The tail is strong enough to support
locks, sleight of hand, and
your weight and an additional 30
swim checks.
pounds if you want to hang from it.
• Swish: Gain one extra melee
Extra pair of legs and feet attack a round.
Range: Self. • Balance: Gain a bonus of +4 to
Duration: Always on. climb, pick locks, pick pockets,
Look, we are not saying you are a sleight of hand, intimidation,
centaur, but we are not saying you and seduction skill checks.
are not a Centaur, either.
• Speedy: Increase walking
speed to 60 feet a turn.
*Increase running speed to
Two brains
Any time you have to make an Int-
120 feet a turn.
based check, you roll twice and take
• Sproing: Can leap 20 feet
the best of the two rolls.|You only
across or 10 feet up.
require ½ the amount of sleep as
• Two Left Feet: Gain a
an average person. You cannot be
kick attack that does 2d6
knocked out Unless both brains are
bludgeoning.
affected simultaneously.
• Steady: 2 to Acrobatics,
athletics.
Antenna
• Deely-Boppers: +4 to initiative
Tentacles checks.
Range: Self.
• Faz: +2 to Insight,
Duration: Always on.
Investigation, Perception, and
• Wriggly: Gain one extra melee
search checks.
attack a round.
• Buggy: +1 to Intimidation.
• Squiggly: +5 to athletics,
Acrobatics, climbing, and
Seduction Two hearts
• Jiggly: +5 to grapple attempts. Advantage on all Con saving throws
and death saving throws. Not
affected by fatigue or exhaustion.

61
Extra set of ears
You have an extra set of ears
Sub Table D: Absorption
This is the ability to collect new
somewhere on your body.
powers, characteristics, etc., from
• Lugholes: +4 to Investigation,
the immediate surroundings or
Insight, Intimidation,
opponents.
Perception, and search checks.
• Earwig: +2 to Initiative.
Power Negation
Range: Touch.
Duration: Focus
You can temporarily shut down
any superpowers the target may
have. This does not affect skills,
cybernetics, technology, magic, or
psionics, just Superpowers.
The target's powers will
return once you stop focusing on
them; you can only use this on the
open person at a time.

Health
Range: Touch.
Duration: 5 rounds
Much like a Vampire, you can drain
the health (hit points) of a living
being. On a successful melee touch
attack, you drain 2d6 hit points from
your target and transfer them to you.
If you are damaged, you
could use this power to heal yourself
to full HP. If you are at full Hit Points,
the drained health will provide
additional hit points above your max.
Bonus hit points fade away after five
rounds.
If you drain a victim to 0 hit
Points, they will pass out but won't
die (unless someone else damages
them). They will recover any lost hit
points after a long rest.

62
Strength Physical Structure
Range: Touch. Range: Touch.
Duration: 5 rounds. Duration: Focus
You can drain the physical Strength You can mimic the physical
from a living being, weakening properties of any object you touch.
them while you get stronger. On a When you absorb an object's physical
successful melee touch attack, you properties, you gain increased
can drain 1d6 points of Strength toughness and become harder to
from your target and transfer it to hurt, but there are also side effects.
yourself. Some examples include:
This extra Strength fades • Rock and Stone: AC: 15. Gain
after five rounds an extra 15 hit points. Reduce
If the target's Strength movement rate to 15. +2 to
reaches 0, they cannot move; they are Intimidation.
fatigued and roll all dice rolls with • Iron and Steel: AC:16: Gain
Disadvantage. Lost Strength will an extra 20 hit points. Reduce
recover after a long rest. movement rate to 15. +2 to
Intimidation.
• Plastic: AC 13. Hit points
don't change. +2 to athletics,
Acrobatics, climbing, swim.
• Rubber: AC 13. +4 to athletics,
Acrobatics. Falls of less than
50 feet do no damage. Can
jump/bounce 10 feet up or 15
feet across.
• Wood: AC:13. +10 hit points.
+4 to survival. Fire does x2
damage to you, but cold does
½ Damage.
Other solid materials would be
worked out on a case-by-case basis
for you and the GM.

63
Skills & Memories Power Copy
Range: Touch. Range: Touch.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
When you touch your target, you can Upon touching your target, you
copy their skill set and receive the absorb any superpowers they may
complete memories and knowledge have for the duration. You cannot
of their opponent regarding their copy powers granted by technology,
skills. If you copy the skills of a cybernetics, magic, or psionics, just
doctor to use their medical skills, pure superpowers.
you would also be haunted by the You can only copy one set of
memories associated with that skill. powers at a time and don't gain any
If you possess the same skill innate understanding of how to use
as your target, their ability to use the them, just the powers themselves.
skill will supersede yours even if they
are worse at it than you are. Energy
You can only absorb one Range: Self/Touch. Duration: Focus.
set of skills at a time, and that You can absorb energy and
knowledge fades when you stop harmlessly convert it into something
focusing on it. you can use. Although you are
impervious to heat, Fire, laser blasts,
Appearance lightning strikes, and other energy
Range: Touch. attacks, physical attacks still harm
Duration: Focus. you.
When you touch another character, • Drain: The character can drain
you transform into an exact and absorb the energy from
duplicate of them, including an item like a car battery; the
whatever they may be wearing (but longer they touch it, the more
not any gear they may have). energy they drain till they
You can duplicate any render the device powerless if
humanoid of any gender, as long they so choose. You can drain
as they are no taller than 7 feet or 1000 watts of power per level.
shorter than 4 feet. • Discharge: The character
* This allows you to duplicate can discharge any stored
the subject's physical powers but energy into a powerful attack.
not any other powers or technology. Range: 20 feet (=10 feet/level)
You could copy Hexcat's claws and Damage: 1d6 for every 100
tail because they are a part of her, watts of energy absorbed, max
but you could not copy blue condors' 10d6.
wings because they are cybernetic.
*You can only duplicate the
appearance of one individual at a
time.

64
Damage
Range: Self.
Sub table E:
Duration: Instant.
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level).
Animal/Plant Powers
This gives you the abilities of one
Damage: The amount of Damage
type of animal.
your blast does is equal to the
amount you absorbed.
You absorb physical Damage from Animal powers, Fish
incoming attacks and then can Range: Self.
convert that Damage into an energy Duration: Always on.
blast you can use. You can talk to Fish and all other
You can only absorb Damage sea life; this does not allow you to
from 1 attack a round. (+1 per level, control them, but you can converse
max 10) with a whale.
You can only absorb physical • Whale of a Time: + 10 to Swim
Damage; you are still affected by skill. Mer: Swim speed is 60
poison, energy, magic, and psionics feet a turn.
• Gills: You can breathe
underwater and have Fish-like
gills.
• Murkvision: You can see up to
100 feet underwater and up to
60 feet in the dark.
• Slippery When Wet: You get
+4 to your armor class when
underwater.
• Deep: You can survive depths
as deep as 2 miles.
• Oceanography: You never get
lost underwater.

65
Animal powers, Canine Animal powers, Cat
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on. Duration: Always on.
You can communicate with all You can communicate with all
members of the canine species; members of the feline species, and
this does not give you any ability to they might even listen to you.
control them; just talk to them about • Sure Paws: +5 climbing,
Dog stuff. stealth.
• Grr: +4 to intimidate. | • Cat's Eye: See in the dark 100
• Floppy Ears: +4 to Perception, feet.
search. • Hunter: +4 to Perception,
• Hunter: Base Walk speed is search.
now 40/ Base run speed is • Graceful: +3 to Dex and +3 to
now 70. Cha.
• Tracking: On a successful • Zoomies: Leap 20 feet up or
Survival check, you can track 40 feet across.
by smell as long as you remain
within 100 feet of the source. Animal powers, Avian
Check every ½ an hour. Range: Self.
• Smell: Recognize a person by Duration: Always on.
their scent. Remember, you can communicate
• Teefs: Gain a Bite attack that with all bird/avian family members.
does 1d6 piercing. Once you learn the language of birds,
you can never unlearn it, and birds
Animal powers, Bear never shut up!
Range: Self. • Flappy: Fully functional set of
Duration: Always on. bird wings. Flight speed is 120
You can communicate with bears; feet a turn.
this does not allow you to control • Eagle Eye: Can see objects up
them, but you can ask them to help. to 2 miles away.
Heavy Set: Add 100 pounds to your • Quick: +2 to Initiative.
weight. • Hard to Hit: +2 to armor class
• Furry: Cold does ½ damage. while flying.
• Roar: +3 to Str, +3 to Con.
• Grr: +4 to Intimidation.
• Tracking: On a successful
Survival check, you can track
by smell as long as you remain
within 100 feet of the source.
Check every ½ an hour.
• Smell: Recognize a person by
their scent.
• Claws: Claws do 1d6 slashing
damage.
66
Animal powers, Reptiles Animal powers, Dinosaur
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on. Duration: Always on.
You can communicate with all You can talk to Dinosaurs, which is
members of the reptile kingdom. pretty cool. It would work better if
• Hot Foot: Your base movement more of them were alive.
speed is now 60/ base run • Big Boy: Your base movement
speed is 120 feet per turn. speed is now 60/ base run
• Sproing: You can leap 8 feet speed is 120 feet per turn.
high or 16 feet across. • Grr: +4 to Intimidation.
• Skitter: +4 to Acrobatics, • Rarr: +4 to athletics, climb,
Athletics, climbing, and stealth.
stealth. • Scaly: +2 to your armor class.
• Scaly: +2 to Intimidation. • Claws: Claws do 1d6 slashing.

Animal powers, Insects Plant powers

Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Always on. Duration: Always on.
You can communicate with all You can talk to plants, and they can
members of the insect kingdom. communicate with you. Who knows
• Creepy Crawly: +4 to what mysteries you will learn from
Acrobatics, athletics, climbing, talking to that dandelion?
Intimidation, Perception, and • Botany: Recognize and
stealth. identify all plant types.
• Skitter: +4 to Initiative. • Vine: +4 to climb.
• Chitin: Gain a bite attack that • Woody: +4 to your armor class.
does 1d6 piercing. • Photosynthesis: You heal all
Damage during a short rest as
Animal powers, Cow long as you are in the sun.
Range: Self.
Duration: Always on.
You can talk to and communicate
with cows, horses, sheep, deer, and
other members of the cloven-hoofed
family.
• Flee!: Your base movement
speed is now 60/ base run
speed is 120 feet per turn.
• Meaty: +3 to Str and Con.
• Sproing: Leap up to 6 feet
high or 12 feet across.
• Hoof: Gain a kick attack that
does 2d6 bludgeoning.

67
 • Fear: All affected must
Major Powers make a DC (8 your Cha
Empathy/Empathic projection mod + your level). Wis save
Range: 30 feet(+10 feet/level). or be overcome with Fear
Radius: 10X10. and run away from you as
Duration: Focus. fast as possible.
The ability to sense and control the • Anger: All affected must
emotions of others. make a DC (8 your Cha
• Sense Hate: +2 to Initiative. mod + your level). Wis save
• Aura Reading: +5 to Insight. or be overcome with Anger
• Play on Emotion: +5 to all and start attacking the
Charisma-based skills. person closest to them in a
• Sense Life/Emotion: You blind rage.
can sense the emotional life • Friendship: All affected
energy of any living being in need to make a DC (8 your
your are:a of effect. Cha mod + your level)
• Detect Lie: You can tell if Wis save, or they think
someone is lying to you on a the character is their best
successful Insight check. friend and will do whatever
• Empathic Transmission: On they ask as long as it’s not
your action, you can instil a self-destructive.
powerful emotion into another
living being you can target one
individual up to 30 feet away
(+10 feet/level) or attempt to
affect everyone within a 10-
foot radius. Those affected get
to make a saving throw every
round.
• Sadness: All affected need
to make a DC (8 +your
Cha mod + your level) Wis
save or be overcome with
sorrow and give up on
whatever they were doing
and start crying.
• Confusion: All affected
must make a DC (8 your
Cha mod + your level). Wis
save or be overcome with
confusion and spend their
action wandering about
behaving randomly.

68
Pyrokinetic Telekinesis
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). Range: 30 feet. ( + 10 feet/level).
Duration: Focus Duration: Focus.
You are a Firestarter; you can create This power can also be defined as
and control Fire. magnetic power or gravity control.
• Fireproof: You take ½ Damage • Muscle Memory: +2 to
from heat and Fire. Strength.
• Piller of Fire: As a full round • Awareness: +2 to perception,
action, you can create a 10- search, and investigate checks.
foot tall, 5-foot wide pillar • Telekinetic Capacity: 200
of Fire that does 2d6 fire pounds (+ 10 pounds/level ).
damage(+1d6/level) to anyone 200 pounds equals about ten
inside it; they will continue to gear slots worth of objects.
take Damage till they exit the • Telekinetic Speed: 30 feet per
pillar turn. (+10 feet/level).
• Wall of Fire: As a full-round • Telekinetic Assault: Use your
action, you can create a 10- telekinesis to throw things at
foot long, 5-foot high wall people. 2d6 bludgeoning, (+
of fire that does 2d6 (+1d6/ 1d6 per level).
level) to anyone touching it or • Telekinetic Flight: Self plus
attempting to pass through it. whatever you can carry. Top
• Fuel Flame: As a full-round speed 30 feet per turn( + 10
action, you can increase the feet/level).
size of an active fire by 5 feet • Telekinetic Armor: Raise
a round. armor class to 18 for the
• Extinguish Flame: You can duration:
instantly put out up to 15 feet • Wall of Force: Create a 10-foot
of Fire per round as a full- long by 10-foot high wall of
round action. Force (+10 feet/level). Anyone
• Fireball: As a ranged attack behind the wall has an AC of
action, 2d6 fire damage ,+1d6 18.
per level. • Helping Hand: You can use
• Warm and Toasty: You can your telekinesis to perform
cook food perfectly or boil a series of tasks, including
water by touching it. lifting rocks, juggling knives,
• Sense Fire and Heat: Pinpoint opening doors, pushing
the exact location of a fire buttons, dragging things,
within a 30-foot radius (+10 lifting heavy objects, bending,
feet per level) and breaking things, uniting
• Torchlight: You can create a rope, painting a fence, and
a harmless ball of Fire that even using your skills.
sheds Light in a 30-foot
radius(+10 feet/level).

69
Cryokinetic Immortal
Range: 30 feet(+ 10 feet per level). You are immortal, will never grow
Duration: Focus old, and cannot die. Like all living
You can create and control Ice and things, you still need to eat, breathe,
cold. and sleep, but other than that, you
• Insulated: You take ½ damage are unkillable. You will still take
from cold Damage from an attack but cannot
• Snowball: As a ranged attack, die.
2d6 cold Damage. + 1d6 per • Resilient: +2 to Con and Cha
level. • Eternal Youth: You never grow
• Encase in Ice: As a ranged old; you are forever 21.
attack, the target's movement • Resistance: You are immune
rate is reduced to 0 till the end to all toxins, venom, poisons,
of the round. On their action, diseases, plagues, and viruses.
they can make a DC (8+ your You get a +3 bonus to resist
level + your Con mod) Str pain, torture, exhaustion, and
check to break free. If they fail, fatigue.
they can try again on the next • Recovery: You regenerate
round. one 1d6 hit point an hour if
• Wall of Ice: As a full-round wounded.
action, you can create a • Regeneration: Removed
10-foot-long, 5-foot-high wall limbs will regrow in 1d4
of Ice. It has AC 12 and 30 hit days. Broken bones and burn
points per 10-foot section. damage will heal in 1d4 days.
Once created, you do not have Even if you are killed, you will
to focus on it; it will melt in an eventually get better.
hour. • Respite: If trapped in an
• Lower Temperature: As a full environment you cannot
round action, you can lower survive in, like the vacuum of
the temperature in a 10X10 space, your body will go into
area by 10 degrees a round as a death-like coma. You do not
long as you focus. need Air, food, or water in this
• Chill Out: You can lower the state. You will remain in this
temperature of food or drink coma-like state until you are
to perfection by touching it. somewhere safe, and then you
will come to.

70
Invulnerability Stretching
Range: Self. The character can stretch and morph
Duration: Always on. their body into various sizes and
Physical attacks do no damage to shapes.
you. Punches, bullets, swords, bee • Rubbery: +2 to AC.
stings, Fire, Lightning, lasers, and • Elongate: Stretch neck up to
even stepping on a Lego at 3 am do 4 feet. Stretch fingers up to
no damage. Gases, drugs, chemicals, 2 feet. Stretch arms up to 7
poisons, toxins, diseases, and feet. Stretch legs up to 12 feet.
radiation do ½ Damage.Psionics and Stretch body up to 30 feet.
magic do full Damage. You still need Stretch eyes, ears, nose, and
to eat and breathe. While you cannot tongue 1 foot. (+2 feet per
be harmed, but you still have to deal level)
with things like stairs being dropped • Flatten: make yourself as thin
in a hole. as 1 foot. A flat character can
• Overextend: +2 to Strength. glide along like a kite at a rate
• Walk it Off: +4 to Constitution. of 6 feet per round. Gain a +5
stealth bonus if lying perfectly
Heal Others still on the floor or against a
Range: Touch. wall.
Duration: Focus. • Bouncy: Falls from less than
• Health Scan: You can learn 100 feet do no damage. You
information about their can bounce along like a rubber
condition and health by ball at 15 feet a turn.
touching someone. +5 to • Squeeze Play: On a successful
Diagnosis, first aid, medicine, grappling attempt, you can
and other medical skills. constrict an opponent; this
• Healing Touch: Heal 2d6 does 2d6 damage a round, and
Damage (+ 1d6/level.) they need to make a successful
• Harmful Touch: On a DC (8+your str mod + your
successful unarmed attack, level) Strength check if they
you do 2d6 necrotic Damage want to escape.
(+ 1d6 per level.) • I'm Rubber: The character
• Purge: Instantly neutralize takes no damage from
the effects of any disease and bludgeoning attacks,
poison affecting the subject. • Triple Jointed: +10 to athletics
and acrobatics skill checks.

71
Telepathy Teleportation-Self
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). Range: Special.
Radius: 10X10. Duration: Instant.
Duration: Focus. • Bamf: +2 to Armor Class
• Sense Hostility: +2 to the • Behind You: Combat teleport:
Initiative check. You can teleport yourself and
• Mind to Mind: You get +4 anything you carry 30 feet
for detecting lies, translating (+10 feet per level)safely in any
a language, charm, direction you see as a moving
diplomacy, animal handling, action.
interrogating, interviewing, • Point-to-Point: Line of sight
and Intimidation. teleport: As a full round
• Detect: All thoughts/ minds action, you can teleport to any
within their radius. location you can see up to 2
• Tele-Talk: Establish A miles away (+1 mile/level)
telepathic conversation • True Teleport: As a full-round
between yourself and two action, you can travel to a
other individuals. You may location you've been to. If you
add an additional mind to the try to teleport to someplace
switchboard at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, you have never been before,
and 10. there is a 2 in 6 chance
• Track: One individual if that you end up someplace
the subject remains within dangerous, like inside a wall.
your radius. Check every 10
minutes. Teleport-Other
• Mind Probe: Probe one Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level)
individual's mind for Duration: Instant.
information and secrets, like • Send: On your action you can
the combination of a vault. teleport anything you hold up
The target of the probe may to 30 ft (+10 ft/level) in any
make a DC (8+ your level+ direction you can see.
your cha mod) Wisdom saving • Receive: As an action, you can
throw every round to resist the teleport any object within 30 ft
probe. of you (+10 ft/level) to you, as
• Telepathic Assault: As a long as it is within your weight
ranged attack. 2d6 psychic limit. If used on an unwilling
Damage.(+1d6 per level.) creature, they may make a Dex
• Charm Person: DC (8+ your check 10 to stay.
level+ your cha mod): if they • Attack: You can teleport
fail, they are charmed and something you hold into a
think you are their best, most space occupied by an enemy,
trusted friend. like dropping a brick on
their head. Damage: 2d6
bludgeoning (+1d6 per level).
72
Telemechanic Multiple selves
Range: Touch or 30 feet (+10 feet/ Range: special.
level). Duration: special.
Duration: Focus. The character can produce multiple
• Smart Gun: +2 to hit with all clones of themselves. All these copies
modern/energy. have the same skills, characteristics,
• Machine Empathy: When memories, and powers of the main
interacting with any character (except the clone power;
technology, the character will only you have that) and appear
know what the machine does, wearing the same clothes as you are.
how it works, how to break it, • Independence: Each clone has
and how to repair it. its own Initiative and makes
• Machine Smith: You get its own choices and decisions.
a +2 bonus to any skill Comic book logic says that
roll involving technology. clones can remain active
This includes Computers, indefinitely.
engineering, electronics, • One Set: You cannot use this
mechanics, and technicians. ability to duplicate gear; the
Pilot and driving, and clones appear with nothing
any other machine skill. • Tough Enough: Each
This bonus goes up by an duplicate has the same Armor
additional +1 at levels 3/6/9. Class and hit points as the
• Jumpstart: As an action, main character, but if a clone
you can restart any disabled dies, it just turns into a puddle
technology by laying your of water, and any gear it might
hands on it. Dead machines have drops to the ground.
will sputter to life, at least • Mind Control: As long as the
momentarily. If you do not clone remains within 30 feet
find a power source, they will of you (=10 feet/level), you
stop working when you let go. share a telepathic bond so the
You can jumpstart a car, but it clone can tell you what it is
still needs oil and gas. doing and seeing. This bond
• Disable: As a melee attack, ends if the duplicate moves
you can touch any machine/ out of range.
technology and cause 2d6 • One, Two, Three: You can
(+1d6) electricity damage. This produce 1 Clone at 1st level
ability causes no damage to and an additional clone at
the living, just the machine. levels 2,4,6,8 and 10 (max 6).
• Cobble Together: Given
enough time and suitable
materials, the character
can backward engineer any
technology they have studied
on a successful DC 15 check.

73
Ludicrous Speed Alter Metabolism
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus
Your base movement on your action • Fast Metabolism: +2 on your
is 60 feet. Your full action run speed initiative checks.
is 120 feet. Out of combat, you can • Controlled Nerves: +2 saving
go from 0 to 60 in 1 second and throw vs. Fear and horror,
reach your top speed of 700 MPH in intimidation, interrogation
a minute. charm, and hypnosis.
Comic book logic says that • Twitch Muscle: Increase base
you do not create a sonic boom. move to 35 walk/70 run/ 15
Running Leap: 60 feet high or 100 swim
feet across • High Test: You can go without
• Swimming Speed: 300 MPH. sleep for 48 hours ( + 8 hours
• Double-Slap: Gain two extra per live)l. The character will
attacks/actions per round. pass out for 8 hours at the end
• Fast Physique: +4 to Dex. +2 of this time.
to Con. • Lean Burn: Reduced need for
• Quick off the Mark: Additional food and water: Can survive
+5 to Initiative. up to 24 hours without food
• Line-it-Up: +2 to hit with all and water. (+8 hours per level).
melee attacks. The character will pass out for
• Hard to Hit: Additional +4 to 8 hours at the end of this time.
armor class while moving. • Hyper Metabolism: On your
• Anticipation: You can see action, you can choose to
objects up to 1000 feet away. speed up your metabolism,
• Superfast Punch: 2d6 granting you one extra attack
bludgeoning. that rounds a bonus of +2
• Superfast Kick: 4d6 to your AC and a +2 bonus
bludgeoning. to hit. You also double your
• Superfast Ram: If you start movement rate till the end of
your action at least 100 the round.
feet from a target, you may • Slow Metabolism: On your
perform a ramming attack action you can slow down your
that does 8d6 bludgeoning metabolism, granting yourself
Damage. the following abilities till the
end of the round. Roll all CON
& WIS saving throws with
Advantage. Gain a bonus of +2
to Perception.
• Instant Healing: On your
action you can Instantly heal
yourself 2d6 hit points.

74
Regeneration • Perfect Time Sense: You
Range: Self possess a perfect internal
Duration: Focus clock, always knowing the
• Universal Donor: This means exact date and time regardless
their blood can be used for of the time zone, planet etc.
anyone, regardless of blood If you are knocked out or fall
type. You can safely receive asleep, you know exactly for
blood and transplants from how long.
any other blood type. • Speed up Time: You can
• Self-Repair: At the end of speed up time on your action,
every round of combat, you granting yourself one extra
recover two hit points. attack a round, a bonus of
• Action Surge: Once per +2 to AC and +2 to hit with
combat, you can regenerate all attacks. Double your
2d6 hit points. movement rate.
• A Little Lie Down: Regenerate • Slow down Time: On your
from all Damage during a action, you can slow down
short rest. Broken bones time, granting Advantage on
heal in 1d4 days; limbs fully all saves until the end of the
regenerate in 1d4 days. round.
• Indefatigable: You are • Time Disruption: As a ranged
immune to exhaustion and attack, you can disrupt time
fatigue. around a person, causing 2d6
• Super Liver: You take ½ psychic damage (+1d6/level).
Damage from poison. • Stop Time: Make a ranged
attack, if successful, the target
is held in time as per the Hold
Temporal manipulation Person spell (Shadowdark
Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level). page 62)
Duration: Focus. • Step Out: You can step out of
You have an unusual perception of the time stream, which allows
time. you to move at ludicrous
• Just in Time: +4 to Initiative. speed (about 500 mph) and
• Perfect Timing: +1 to hit with perform multiple non-combat
all attacks. actions. This is a purely
• Time Enough: +4 to Math, cinematic power with no dice
cooking, navigation, history, rolls involved. It is up to you
first aid, and any other skill and the GM just what you can
check that involves timing. accomplish while you have
• Temporal Immunity: +5 stepped out of time. You can
saving throw vs. Paradoxes. remain in this state for as long
as you focus; when you stop, it
will be as if no time has passed
for anyone else.

75
Precognition • Portent: Anytime you roll a
Range: Self. natural 1 on a D20, you can
Duration: Focus. "See into the future" and
You can perceive events that might choose to reroll the D20, but
happen in the future and have you must accept the new roll.
occurred in the past. • Foresight: The ability to see
• Saw that Coming: +2 to armor into any number of futures.
class This is a purely cinematic non-
• Anticipation: +4 to Initiative. combat ability; the character
• No Surprise: +2 to Insight, should be somewhere quiet
Investigate Perception and and calm to use this power.
search. You may ask the "universe" up
• Inevitability: +1 to hit and to 3 questions about the future
damage with all attacks. that it must answer. These
• Party Tricks: Your ability to answers can be cryptic visions
sense the future has given or a simple yes or no, but they
you with several minor skills. must be truthful. You can only
When the phone rings, you use this ability again after you
know who is on the other end. take a long rest.
You know who is at the door • Hindsight: Similar to
before they knock. You can Foresight but regarding the
tell when the Light is about to past of a person, area, or
change, and you tend to finish object.
other people's sentences.
• Object Read: Experience a
significant past event from the
point of view of a person or
an object the character holds
or touches. While holding the
object, you can see 48 hours of
the object's past (+10 hours/
level)

76
Ludicrous flight Body of Fire
Range: Self. Range: Self.
Duration: Focus. Duration: Focus.
You can fly at supersonic speeds. You can transform into a being of
You can go from 0 to 100 MPH in a living flame. This power does not
second and reach your top speed of work underwater or in a vacuum.
700 MPH (+100 mph/level) in one • Fireproof: In this form, you
minute. Comic book logic says you take no damage from fire/heat
do not create a sonic boom. and ½ Damage from Cold. You
• Speed: Gain one extra action/ can see clearly in fire/smoke.
attack a round. • Aura of Fire: Anyone entering
• Ramjet: +2 to Dexterity, +2 to physical contact with you
Constitution. takes 2d6 fire damage, and
• Afterburner: Additional +2 to you can add +2d6 fire damage
Initiative. to all your melee attacks.
• You Missed: Additional +4 to • Breathe Fire: Range: 10 feet
armor class while moving. long, 5 feet wide cone. All
• Flying Punch: 3d6 within the cone take 2d6 fire
bludgeoning damage (+1d6/level. Max
• Flying Ram: If you start your 10d6).
action at least 100 feet from • Firebolt: Range: 30 feet(+10
a target, you can ram into feet/level) 2d6 fire damage
them at top speed, doing 8d6 (+1d6 per level. Max 10d6)>
bludgeoning. • Rocket Flight: You can use
• Darkvision: You can see in the your flame powers as a rocket
dark 1000 feet. and fly at 60 feet a turn.
• Farsight: You can see objects • Torchlight: You shed Light
up to 1000 feet away. within a 30-ft radius while
• Airtight: You can hold your this power is active.
breath for ½ an hour.
• Flight Immunity: You are
unaffected by the extreme
conditions flying at that speed
will cause, like cold, g force,
thin Air, and altitude.
• Ceiling: You cannot fly any
higher than 45000 feet unless
you have some type of life
support.

77
Body of Ice Insect control
Range: Self. Range: 30feet (+10 feet/level).
Duration: Focus. Radius: 10X10.
You can transform yourself into Duration: Focus
a living snowman. This power • Hive Master: Insects never
does not work in a vacuum or any bother or attack you, and
environment without water. you are immune to all insect
• Cool Dude: You take no venom.
damage from Cold and ½ • Bugdex: You can recognize
Damage from Fire while and identify insects and
transformed. You can see arachnids by looking at them.
clearly in blizzard conditions, • Chitinous: You can cover
Fog, Ice, rain, and snow. yourself with a suit of insects
• Ice Armour: Increase your that raises your AC to 15
armor class to 15 (+Dex mod) • Eww: People fear bugs, and
while transformed. your swarm gives you a +3
• Cold Skin: Anyone coming bonus to Intimidation and
into physical contact with you interrogation.
will take 2d6 cold Damage • Swarm: You can create a
and you can add +2d6 cold swarm of flying, stinging
Damage to your melee attacks. insects around someone.
• Snowball: Range: 30 feet(+10 Anyone in the area will take
feet/level) Damage: 2d6 cold 2d6 piercing Damage a round
damage (+1d6 per level. Max till they exit the swarm.
10d6). • Joe's Apartment: The swarm
• Encase in Ice: Treat as Hold can move things. The swarm
Person (Shadowdark page 62). can lift 15 pounds(+10 pounds
The target is frozen. per level) and move it along at
• Ice Skating: Increase base a pace of 15 mph.
move to 40 feet a turn. • Venom: You can summon
an extremely venomous
Magic spells insect and have it sting/bite
You can cast spells as if you were a someone (the bite of a funnel
Wizard, as per the Shadowdark core web spider can kill in about
rules. 5 minutes.) Damage: 1d6
piercing and target must make
a DC (8+your con mod + your
Priest spells level) saving throw against
You can cast priest spells and turn poison; if they fail, they will
undead as if you were a priest, as per take an additional 1d6 poison
the Shadowdark core rules. damage per round for the next
five rounds. They get a second
saving throw at the start of
their next round.

78
Apex Predator Perfect
Range: Self. The character is perfect in every way,
Duration: Always on the peak of human evolution and
The character has achieved the adaptation designed to survive and
state of an apex predator, their body thrive in any situation. You always
mutating and adapting, so they are look like you are supposed to be
always the peak hunter in any given there.
situation. This gives the hero several • Olympian: +2 to Con and Cha,
enhanced senses, combat skills, • Hardy: +2 to Armor Class.
and abilities to make them the Apex • Immortish: Your lifespan
predator. is around 150 years, baring
• Carnivore: +3 to Dex and Con. injuries, and they remain
• Reflexes: Additional +4 to youthful for that time, never
Initiative. looking a day over 30.
• Pounce: You get one extra • Healthy: Immune to all
melee attack a round. diseases, poisons, and toxins.
• Sleek: Additional + 2 to armor • Adept: +2 bonus to all skill
class checks. +2 to hit with all
• Darkvision: 100 feet. attacks and weapons.
• Claws: +2 to hit (+ str mod) • Clean Cut: Your hair is always
1d6+2 slashing(+ Str mod) perfect; your clothes clean, and
• Fangs: Perform a free bite your teeth white. The second
attack that does 1d4+2 you get out of the rain; your
piercing. clothes are dry. Dirt washes off
• Fur: The character takes with a damp towel.
½ Damage from cold.+4 to
stealth checks if standing still. Electrokinetic
• Keen Sight: You can see Range: 30 feet (+10 feet/level)
objects up to a mile away. Duration: Instant
• Tracking: You can track a • Lightning Bolt: Strikes all
scent like a bloodhound if targets in a line. 2d6 electricity
you remain within 200 feet of damage, +1d6 per level. Max
the source. Check again every 10d6
round. • Insulated: You take ½ damage
• Terror: You get + 4 to your from lighting/electric attacks.
saving throws against • Sense Electrical: If it’s
Fear, Intimidation, horror, working and plugged in you
interrogation, charm, or can sense it.
Seduction. • Machine Manipulation: Turn
on/off all types of electrically
operated devices. You can also
manipulate the controls of the
devices.

79
Weirdness magnet • Your name is always on the
Range: Self. guest list at the restaurant or
Duration: Always on. party, but you always get the
Your life is filled with strange events, worst table.
sometimes good, sometimes bad, but • Aliens land on Earth and
always weird. ask you for directions to the
• Expect the Unexpected: +2 major cities they want to
to Initiative, +2 to all saving visit. Long lost cursed objects
throws, +2 to armor class arrive at your doorstep in a
• Deep Vibes: +4 to Insight, UPS box.
investigate Perception and • The world's only talking dog
search. seeks you out for therapy.
• Exposure Therapy: When you • Long, sealed dimensional
are rolling your hit points for gates open when you walk by
a new level, you add +1 to the them.
roll • You always lose one sock in
• Can't Catch Me Out: Sneak the laundry but always find
attacks rolled against you do a dollar.
normal Damage • If you put your phone down,
• Tumble: Falls of less than 20 you will lose it. Only for it to
feet do only ½ Damage show up later.
• Alter Probability: Whenever • If you're driving and your
you have to roll on a random car runs out of gas, it will
table, you roll twice and take always be in front of a
the more interesting of the haunted mansion.
two choices. Whenever you roll • The villain will capture you
a natural 20 on a non-combat to get your help with moving
skill check, you get the best a couch.
possible result, but whenever • You win the jackpot in Vegas,
you roll a natural one on a but then the machine breaks,
non-combat skill check, you so they cannot pay out.
get the worst possible result However, they will comp you
• Weirdness Magnet: Weird a room.
things seem to happen to • Yes, that bird did bring you a
you at an alarming rate. sandwich.
Sometimes these are good,
sometimes bad, but they are
always weird; while these
events might be annoying and
frustrating, they are never
genuinely harmful. Here are
some examples of this in
comic book RPG cinematic
terms.

80
 • Easy, DC 9: Leaping a narrow
Power Q&A chasm, flying down the block,
Comic book super Strength lifting a heavy rock.
It does not matter how strong you • Standard, DC 12: Kicking
are. You cannot lift a battleship out open a stuck door, picking a
of the water or lift an entire train off poor lock.
the tracks. It has nothing to do with • Hard, DC 15: Swimming
weight; it's mass distribution vs. against a strong current,
gravity. giving first aid to stop a
Let's use the classic lift-the- character from dying.
train-off-the-tracks example. The • Extreme, DC 18: Climbing
mass of the train is the same at each a slippery cliff one-handed,
end as it is in the middle. When you restraining a furious lion.
lift the train, you only support the
mass at your standing point. Gravity Contested Checks
still affects the rest of the train, and A contested check decides who
the train will collapse on the ends as succeeds if multiple creatures
you support the center. work against each other on a
Yet we see heroes perform conflicting task. Each participant
feats of superstrength that break this simultaneously rolls one relevant
simple law of physics. How do they stat check to make a contested check,
accomplish this? even if it’s not their turn. The highest
One theory is that these result wins (reroll ties).
characters are projecting some DC to resist your powers. 8+
telekinetic field that allows them to Your level+ your Stat mod
support the entire mass of the object.
The other theory suggests that it's
just a comic book. It does not have
to explain the nonsense within its
pages.

Power use
Power functions like Spells in the
Shadowdark rules page 44. To
successfully use a power that you can
activate and deactivate, like flight
or an energy blast, roll 1d20 + Your
Constitution modifier, and every
time you use the Power.
The DC to successfully use
a superpower is based on the task's
difficulty.

81
Focus Charm
(Shadowdark page 30). Charm person/suggestion is not
Some powers last for as long as you Mind Control. You cannot make your
focus on them. You can’t use other subject do anything self-destructive.
focus powers while focusing. You can You can charm the Bank manager
end a focus power at any time. into letting you into the vault, but
Make a power use check to you cannot tell him to throw himself
maintain focus at the start of your off the roof.
turn.
Teleport
Success: The Power remains in effect The teleport via photograph/TV
until the start of your next trick. Technically, this works; you
turn. could watch a broadcast or look at a
picture and teleport to that location
Failure: The Power abruptly ends. since you can "See it," but you have
If you were focusing, you would not to consider things like time and the
lose the ability to use that, Power. movement of the earth. What time
However, if you critically fail on a was it when the picture was taken,
check to maintain focus, treat it and where was the location where it
as a standard critical failure (see was when the picture was taken?
Shadowdark rules pg. 45 for details When you teleport to a
on critical). If you take Damage or location using a picture, you're
become distracted while focusing teleporting to where that location
(due to an earthquake, for example), was when the photo was taken, but
you must immediately make a time has passed since then. The earth
spellcasting check to maintain focus. has rotated, so the area might differ
from where it was 4 hours ago, much
Weight to gear slots less ten years ago.
One gear slot is the equivalent of But this is a Comic book
anywhere from 1 to 30 pounds, and and Comic Book says "Yes, you can
on page 35 of the Shadowdark rules, teleport via a picture.
it says you can carry several items
equal to your Strength stat or 10,
whichever is higher.
Unless noted, all gear
besides typical clothing fills one gear
slot. Hard-to-transport gear might
fill more than one slot.
So, one gear slot , about 25
pounds, give or take.

82
 How are we going to
Issue #4 communicate, should we set up a
group discord? Facebook?
Shadowdark What do we do if one player
cannot make it?
Superhero Gameplay What are the rules on
What is Rule 0? Snacks? On foul language and adult
This is a game; it is only a game. content at the table?
A game about make believe super What game are you going to
heroes doing heroic stuff in a make play, who is the game master?
believe world. If you’re playing at a game
Make believe is supposed shop you should consider things
to be fun, if you are having fun and like noise level, foul language, being
the people you are playing with aware if kids are around, ectara .
are having fun, then you are doing Are you going to use “Safety
something right! You are playing this Tools” in the game.
game the right way and do not let Stuff like that, agreeing
anyone tell your otherwise. on the coordination of the game
At the end of the day this is especially for us adults is paramount.
just a silly game about Super heroes Once we get that all set in stone, we
with Sticks can move on to the second part of
Session 0
What is Session 0? The second part of session
There are many different 0 is agreeing on what game you’re
descriptions as to what Session 0 is, going to play and character creation.
but I think its two things. Agreeing on house rules, talking
The first part session 0 is about back stories and if the
setting up and organizing the game. characters are connected or not.
Answering questions like where are What are the rules
we going to play, when are we going on healing, character death,
to play, for how long and how often. superpowers?
Will it be a public game like Then you can get into talking
at a game shop, or a private game at about what type of content you are
someone’s house? all ok with at the table. I usually run
Who is going to host? my games PG13 .
How many players are the This part is to help establish
max? the vibe of the game and what we all
agree upon about how we think we
will have fun playing this game?

83
Rule #1 Rule #5
The game master is always correct. But no, really, the only rule that
They may not always be right, but matters is that you never forget this
they are always correct. is a game. As long as you are having
fun, you are not playing wrong.
Rule #2
This is the players’ story; give them
what they want, but only sometimes What do these
the way they want it.
Player motivations fall into words mean?
the following categories. Reward EXP For more information on how to use
and stuff. Players want more treasure the Shadowdark RPG, consult the
and XP to make their characters core rules on page 78.
stronger. Heroism Even if they play
“evil” characters, the players want Capes: Superpowered heroes and
to be the heroes. They want to right villains.
the wrongs and keep the other Super Advantage: Roll 2d20 and take the
Heroes safe, and Discovery Players best of the two rolls.
want to know why a problem or Disadvantage: Roll 2d20 and take
location exists and what secrets it the worst of the two rolls.
hides. Natural 20: Whatever you were
Find out what each character doing automatically succeeds no
wants, what each character fears, and matter what, even if the success
what is the one thing that makes that might defy logic.
character stand out for the player. Critical Hit: You deal a critical hit if
you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll
or spellcasting check. For a weapon,
Rule #3 double its damage dice on the attack.
Everything the players encounter in For a spell, you may double one of its
the game results from phenomena numerical effects.
they understand or do not Natural 1: You automatically fail
understand. The game does not whatever you do; even if it makes no
owe your players an explanation sense, you still fail.
for everything; it is a mythical, D6 Decider: When in doubt about
unpredictable, dangerous world. something like did that bottle break
or whatever, roll 1d6: 1-3 yes, 4-6 no.
Rule #4 Prone: The character is knocked
When in doubt, consult the off their feet and must spend an
Shadowdark core rules. action to stand up. Any attacks made
against the character while they are
prone are rolled with Advantage.

84
Luck: At any point, the Game Master
may grant one or more player When to roll dice
characters a luck boon. A luck boon Strength Check
allows a character to reroll their last Roll a 1d20 and add your STR Mod.
dice roll or gain an advantage on You would make a Strength check
their next one. whenever you have to smash open
Slashing: Swords, axes, a door, bend the steel bars, lift
and monsters’ claws something heavy, leap over a big pit,
deal slashing damage. or stop a runaway goat.
Bludgeoning: Weapons like
maces and staves would inflict
bludgeoning damage on an enemy. Dexterity Check
Falling damage is also considered Roll 1d20 and add your DEX Mod.
bludgeoning damage. You would make a Dexterity check
Piercing: Any kind of weapon or whenever you have to disarm a trap,
attack that would pierce the skin pick a lock, climb a wall, swing from
or armor of a target would be a rope, or stop a runaway goat.
considered piercing damage. The
most obvious of these being spears, Constitution Check
arrows, and teeth. Roll 1d20 and add your CON mod.
You would make a constitution
check anytime you have to hold your
breath, endure pain, go without
sleep, resist getting sick, or stop a
runaway goat.

Intelligence Check
Roll 1d20 and add your CON mod.
You would have to make an
Intelligence check when you have to
find your way out of a maze, solve a
mystery, decipher a language, or stop
a runaway goat.

Wisdom Check
Roll 1d20 and add your WIS mod.
You would make a Wisdom check in
situations like searching for a hidden
door, resisting psychic powers,
testing your faith, or trying to stop a
runaway goat.

85
Charisma Check
Roll 1d20 and add your CHA mod.
You might have to make a Charisma
check when trying to intimidate
someone, seduce someone, disguise
yourself, or stop a runaway goat.

Difficulty Class
The four standard DCs represent
how difficult an action is.

Easy, DC 9: Leaping a narrow chasm,

sneaking up on an inattentive guard.
Standard, DC 12: Kicking open a
stuck door, picking a poor lock.
Hard, DC 15: Swimming against a
strong current, giving first aid to
stop a character from dying.
Extreme, DC 18: Climbing a slippery
cliff one-handed, restraining a
furious lion.

Contested Checks
A contested check decides who
succeeds if multiple creatures
work against each other on a
conflicting task. Each participant
simultaneously rolls one relevant
stat check to make a contested check,
even if it’s not their turn. The highest
result wins (reroll ties).

Super Hero Time

A turn is a player’s moment to
describe what their character does to
the G.M. Players act individually on
each turn. A round completes when
each person has taken one turn. One
round may (or may not) be about
a minute. One hour is around 60
rounds.

86
Issue #5 Step 3
Determine actions.
On their turn, each individual
Super Hero Combat involved in the combat declares their
action.
Step 1 On their action, a character
Determine surprise, if any.
can:
A creature who surprises another
• Make a Melee Attack: Melee
gets a free attack against them before
attacks use melee weapons,
the actual combat starts.
such as a pointed stick. Roll
1d20 + your Strength modifier
Step 2 + talent bonuses. You hit the
Determine Initiative. target if your total equals or
At the beginning of a combat, the exceeds its A.C.
G.M. establishes an Initiative. • Make a Ranged Attack:
Everyone rolls a d20 and adds their Ranged attacks use ranged
DEX modifier. weapons, like a thrown rock.
The G.M. adds the highest Roll 1d20 + your Dexterity
DEX modifier of any monsters, if modifier + talent bonuses.
relevant. You hit the target if your total
When a new combat turn equals or exceeds its A.C.
starts the G.M. & the players can • Use a Power: Superhero stuff.
agree to use the same Initiative as • Move: You can take a Move
they did in the previous combat or action and then attack; attack,
roll a new one. and then take a Move action;
or take a double move but not
attack.

Step 4
Determine Damage.
Roll your weapon or spell’s damage
dice + talent bonuses. The G.M.
subtracts that amount from the
target’s hit points.
If a creature is at precisely 0
Hit Points, they are incapacitated; if
they are below 0 Hit Points, they are
dying (see below).

87
Step 5
Check for Morale.
On Death in a Comic Book
“No one ever stays dead.
If the bad guys are losing, they might
They get knocked out or
make a D20 Morale check to see if
put in a coma or get amnesia
they give up, run away, or stay and
or get sent back in time or
fight. If they fail a DC 15 Wisdom
teleported to another planet but
check, they will give up and try to
they never were never dead.
escape.
You might think you got
a Cape’s number but then it
Step 6 always turns out that it was
Determine the end-of round effects their twin, or a clone, or a
and then start over from Step 3. robot, or their doppelganger,
or a counterpart from another
End of Combat universe, or it was some other
The fight lasts till one side or the person dressed up like them but
other has been wounded, run away, they never die.
died, or just given up. And let’s say somehow
you do kill them? Well, they
just come back a year later,
sometimes with new powers or a
new costume or even a different
person with the same name or
it’s a vampire but they come
back. They never stay dead.
And then you have to
worry about their friends,
because they are going to want
revenge! But no one ever stays
dead.”
- Benjamin J Grimm (I believe)

If a creature is at precisely 0 Hit

Points, they are incapacitated; an
incapacitated hero can only move
around 10 feet and cannot do
anything else.
A character who goes below
0 H.P. falls unconscious and is dying.
A character above 0 H.P. wakes up
and is no longer dying.
Once a character starts
dying, they have three rounds for
someone else to heal them.

88
 On each of the character’s
subsequent turns, that player rolls a Water
d20. On a natural 20, the character Depending on the conditions, a hero
rises with one hit point. Otherwise, can survive three days without water.
after three rounds, they are dead! Every day after that, the character
suffers 1d8 damage.
Stabilize: An intelligent being can Specifically, your body needs
give first aid to a dying creature on a water to survive; you can drink all
successful DC 15 Intelligence check; the ale you want but you still need
the target stops dying (but is still water.
unconscious).

Resting
Injured characters can rest to
recover from their wounds. To rest,
a character must consume a ration
and sleep for 8 hours. Sleep can be
broken up into light and routine
tasks, such as taking a turn on the
watch.
This time could also be used
to review clues, plan your next steps,
determine what treasure was found
and done, and determine other party
upkeep actions.
If the Super Heroes are
resting somewhere safe, like home,
you have nothing to worry about
because the “base” is always secure.

Food
Depending on the situation, a
Character can survive five days
without food. They take 1d8 points
of damage every day after that.
Now, as to what a Super
Heroes considers food, they say, “You
do not know if you can eat it or not
till you eat it.”

89
Issue #6 Recovering
The number one thing you can do in
town is rest and recover from your
Super Hero Downtime last adventure. While Hit Points can
be restored after just a day or two in
Super Heroes are often their own
worst enemies; they have a very low bed, things like disease, curses, and
tolerance for boredom. losing a leg take longer to recover
What are some things a from and may require outside aid,
Super Hero might consider spending which will take longer and cost you
their time on in between adventures? more money.
However, isn’t getting a new
leg worth it?
LearnING
To learn a new skill, you must find
a capable instructor willing to teach Shopping
you. “A towel has immense
Learning enables you to psychological value. For some
take new actions or gives you an reason, if a stag discovers that
advantage in certain areas. a hitchhiker has his towel with
Please work with G.M. to him, they will automatically
determine what you can try to learn, assume that he is also in
how much time it will take, and what possession of a toothbrush,
it will cost you, then do a DC 18 washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits,
INT check. If you succeed, you have flask, compass, map, ball
acquired a new skill; if you fail you of string, gnat spray, wet-
still have to spend the time and the weather gear, space suit, etc.,
Money, but you can always try again etc. Furthermore, the stag will
once the damage from your failure then happily lend the hitchhiker
has been repaired, that is because, any of these or a dozen other
let’s face it, you blew something up items that the hitchhiker might
trying. accidentally have ‘lost’.”
—The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the
Galaxy
Partying
Poker games, fighting, drinking, and
This game assumes that the hero has
carousing. A Super Hero and their
all the everyday gear they need to
money are soon parted, and this is
do their job and fight monsters. You
an excellent way for an enterprising
don’t need to shop for rope, torches,
hero to waste time and money in the
food, or string; the universe assumes
vain attempt to acquire more money
you have already been to Seth’s Gear
and information or just let off steam.
and Ammo and got some.
The rules for carousing
can be found on page 92 of the
Shadowdark handbook.

90
 If there is a specific thing Kid Sidekick rolls a 17 and
the Super Hero is looking for, like a finds cigarette butts near the window,
healing potion, a birthday cake, or a the owner of the penthouse says they
replacement leg, then by all means, do not smoke and there are no other
play it out, but for everyday standard signs of cigarettes in the home. Kid
adventuring gear like arrows? There Sidekick thinks this could be a clue,
is no reason to waste time. one of the thieves dropped it?

Investigating Patrol
A classic way for a hero to spend Patrolling the city looking for danger
their time in between adventures is a favorite pastime for Super
is to use their skills and contacts to Heroes when they have nothing else
investigate a mystery or crime. This to do. Patrolling is usually done at
can be done in either their secret night for an hour or two before the
identity or their hero identity. hero goes to bed.
Investigation involves While patrolling the Game
several skills, researching the Master can roll on the revolting
crime in question, questioning the development charts (see below) to
witnesses, returning to the screen to generate a random encounter for the
look for clues, talking to informants, hero to come across and it’s also a
and other types of crime solving. useful way for the Game Master to
The player will decide how introduce a new story line.
much time they want to invest in
having their character investigate Example: Kid Sidekick is out
a crime and what skills they might patrolling when he hears a fire alarm
be using. They could use any skill going off, he rushes to the scene to see
they could think of that might help, if he can help. There he encounters
including the actual Investigate skill. people trapped in a fire but he also
The Game Master will encounters the arsonist who started
figure out the difficulty (DC 12 is the fire!
a good starting number) and have Does he help the people or
them make a check every hour their capture the crook?
character is actively trying to solve
the crime. Inventing
Where does he get all those toys? He
Example: Kid Sidekick is investigating invented them. There are a few types
the theft of some artwork from a of creations a character can endeavor
penthouse. to invent during their downtime.
He wants to know how The first and most common
the thieves got to the top floor, how is remaking an existing piece of
they got the art out, and if they left equipment to fit your theme, did the
any clues behind. He searches the smoke grenades need to look like
penthouse for clues and the Game cupcakes? No but it fit the theme so
Master has him roll a DC 12 check. the character invented some.
91
 The second type of invention • Simple: Remodeling smoke
is to take an existing technology bombs to look like cupcakes.
and modify it in a new way. Smoke DC 10.
grenades are about the size of a • Easy: Smaller smoke bombs.
baseball but the character wants to DC 12.
invent smaller smoke grenades the • Normal: One shot invention.
size of a gumball so they can carry DC 15.
more of them. • Hard: Duplicate super power.
The third type of invention DC 18.
is the one shot invention. This • Very Hard: Create brand new
allows you to build something very technology. DC 21.
powerful but also very specific that
they only need one time, like a device This may be modified by what
to shut down that volcano that just materials and steps the character
appeared downtown. takes to invent something.
The fourth type of gadget
the character might consider are the Maintain your Secret Identity
ones that duplicate super powers. By The Super Hero can and should
inventing a jet pack, the characters invest some of their downtime in
have given themselves a new power maintaining their secret identity and
they did not have before. keeping their 9 to 5 job. In practice
The final type of inventing is your hero will have the kind of job
creating brand new technology that that lets them make their own hours
currently does not exist on earth. and justifies them missing for days
This is where you get your shrink at a time. Examples would include
rays and time machines and stuff substitute teacher, reporter, artist,
like that. and roleplaying game designer.
First the player must present As long as the player at
their idea for an invention to the least makes some effort each game
Game Master, who will then decide to maintain the character’s private
how much it will cost the character life then things should be alright, as
in time and materials. Then based long as they do not do anything to
on what they are trying to invent the jeopardize their dual life. Like how
Game Master will produce the DC the come the Fiend and Ornge McAllister
character needs to roll to succeed. are never in the same place at the
The difficulty will be based same time?
on what they are inventing using the The Game Master can also
below criteria as an example. use the character’s time spent in
their secret identity to move along
some plot lines or drop some
revolting developments in their lap.
How can Ornge McAllister be at the
board meeting and be someplace
else at the same time as the Fiend?

92
 Knocking over that water
Where are the tower was a good idea, was it?
Unlike the members of the
emergency services? Emergency Services, the characters
“Who’s going to clean up this have no special training, they do not
mess?” have to follow procedures, they just
—Benjamin J Grim show up, battle it out with the bad
guys, causing a few thousand dollars
Where are the cops, the fire in property damage and then they
department, or the ice cream man just fly away. Leaving the wounded
when these battles break out? The bad guy for police to attempt to
villains would never have gotten process even though they risk the
away if the National Guard just possibility that the charges won’t
arrived when they were supposed stick because the hero does not
to right? Yet the city depends on the show up at the court case. And who
Heroes to deal with the invading is the owner of the building that got
Kaiju and the emergency services destroyed going to sue? The hero?
cannot be bothered? No, they are going to sue the
The thing is they show up city and the cops.
after the cosmic battles because they So yeah, there could be
know they cannot help the heroes a very good reason as to why the
fight off the invading mole people emergency services are never around
and they would only get in the way during a crime wave.
and get hurt. Another darker reason the
Rather they are working emergency services never seem to
behind the scenes, while the heroes be around when the heroes are in
are engaged with mecha mole person action is that the authorities are just
on State Street, the police are over on as bad as the villains. They do not
Empire Lane dealing with looting. involve themselves in trying to deal
There could be other reasons with super-powered threats as it’s
why the emergency services do not far more profitable for them not to.
involve themselves in superpowered Because they are in league with the
activities. They don’t want to work criminals, making the police and
with the heroes, they see them as just fire department enemies of these
as bad as the villains they fight. After masked vigilantes as well.
all, those supposed masked good Perhaps, but the reason why
guys cause as much damage as, if not the emergency services never seem
more than, the so-called bad guys. to be around is because that’s just
Who are they to take the how comic book logic works.
law into their own hands, anyway? The camera is on the heroes
How does a blue mask give them and their heroic acts, the cops and
the ability to enforce the law or the fire department and Tom the
investigate a murder ,or put out a fire postman are there in the background
by causing $1.2 million in property doing their jobs, but it’s the player
damage?
93
characters’ story so they are the focus first aid kit and mini fridge filled
of attention. with Zoop?
Emergency services The more thing in the base
include the Police, Fire Department, means the more the character has
National Guard, Emergency Medical to pay for upkeep each month.
technicians, doctors, nurses, and Electricity and gas might skyrocket
construction crews if needed. In if the character leaves the 3d printer
some cases, social services and running so they can mass produce
teachers can also fall under the title razor sharp boomerangs and the
of Emergency Services if someone is neighbors might notice the noise.
needed to help deal with children in While in their base, they are safe
a disaster situation. to recover from their wounds and
engage in downtime activities like
investigating or inventing, of course
The Superheros’ there is always that slight chance
that someone discovers their cave.
base of operations
The Super Heroes’ base of operations Who’s going to pay for that?
is always safe, most of the time. The biggest victim of a Super Hero
Their base is where they RPG are the buildings and innocent
hang their cape, where they do bystanders who unfortunately find
all their training, research, and themselves in the path of the session
inventing. encounters.
But where is this base Glass windows are broken,
located and what is so secret about cars are destroyed, fires are started,
it? and the area suffers thousands of
Well the base can be dollars’ worth of property Damage:
something as simple as a spare room not to mention the peoples whose
in their house or some space set lives are affected and ruined by the
aside in their garage to as complex actions of the Capes.
as a vast underground complex filled Whose responsibility is it to
with top secret technology. clean up after the Supers?
Once per month in game We assume that there are
time the character has to spend organizations in place whose job
money and time keeping their secret it is to deal with the aftermath of
base up to date and hidden from the having costumed crooks and crime
prying eyes of the bad guys. This fighters in town. We never see them
can be as simple as paying the rent but considering the very next day
for the month on the property and everything is fine and that crashed
making sure they were not followed. spaceship is gone, someone must be
If the player and the Game cleaning up right?
Master want, they can make a list of Perhaps if super powered
all the resources the character has in brawls are a regular occurrence in
their base like the computer, tools, the city there might even be Super

94
insurance? An insurance program
designed to help you recover
financially when a 30 foot tall turkey
stomps on your car.
Also, do you ever notice in
every Super Hero movie, comic book,
story the city is just fine in the next
issue?
The Fiend blows up a
building and the very next episode,
the building is in perfect shape with
no signs of the fire from the day
before?
Is it magic, nanites, the hand
of God, or just another trope of the
genera?
It’s up to the Game Master
and players to decide just how
devastating their actions are, they
could play the game with realistic
world physics and real world
consequences to them using their
powers in the game. I’m sorry but
if you fly down main street at 650
MPH you are going to shatter every
glass window! That’s just science! Or
they could play the game light and
loose to better reflect the physics of
a comic book. Glass is broken, cars
are stomped on, buildings are set on
fire during a game session but the
very next week the neighborhood is
fine, if a building remains destroyed
it’s because it’s important to the plot,
otherwise its seems as if the city just
forgot there was an alien invasion of
mole people 48 hours ago.

95
Issue #7 Project Artichoke (1951-1953)
Project Artichoke was a project
developed and enacted by the
The Secret History United States Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) to research methods of
of the Shadowdark interrogation.
Operated by the CIA's Office
Superhero universe of Scientific Intelligence, the primary
goal of Project Artichoke was to
determine whether a person could be
The CIA (1947-Present) involuntarily made to perform an act
Following the Office of Strategic
of attempted assassination.
Services (OSS) dissolution at the
The project's scope was
end of World War II, President
outlined in a memo dated January
Harry S. Truman created the Central
1952, which asked, "Can we control
Intelligence Group on January 22,
an individual to the point where he
1946. This group was transformed
will do our bidding against his will
into the Central Intelligence Agency
and even against fundamental laws
by implementing the National
of nature, such as self-preservation?"
Security Act of 1947.
At first, agents used cocaine,
marijuana, peyote, heroin, and
Edgewood (1948-1950) mescaline to alter the perception of
In 1948, the U.S. Army Chemical the test subjects. Still, as the Program
Corps began conducting classified evolved, they increasingly saw LSD
human subject research at the as the most promising drug. They
Edgewood Arsenal facility in were looking for ways to induce the
Maryland. The purpose was to effects, and LSD was having the most
evaluate the impact of low-dose results.
chemical warfare agents on military The subjects who left this
personnel and to test protective project were fogged with amnesia,
clothing, pharmaceuticals, and resulting in faulty and vague
vaccines. memories of the experience. In
Subjects were often exposed 1952, LSD was increasingly given to
to various chemicals without unknowing CIA agents to determine
warning or prior knowledge. the drug's effects on unsuspecting
A small portion of these people. One record states that an
studies was directed at psycho- agent was kept on LSD for 77 days.
chemical warfare and grouped under When it became known that Project
the prosaic title of the "Medical Artichoke was testing the potential of
Research Volunteer Program." dengue fever and other diseases on
The Edgewood Arsenal agents within the U.S., the Program
program was shut down in 1950. was shut down.
The CIA has yet to explain
why it was called Artichoke.

96
MK Ultra (1953-1973) MK #Ultra used numerous
That brings us to MKULTRA, where methods to manipulate its subjects'
our story truly begins. Until now, the mental states and brain functions,
tests have all dealt with perception such as the covert administration of
and suggestion. high doses of psychoactive drugs like
MKULTRA was the first LSD and experimental drugs.
time they tried to change their test In addition, electroshocks,
subjects, to push the boundaries of hypnosis, sensory deprivation,
the human mind. This was the birth sodium pentothal, abuse, and other
of what would become the "enhanced disturbing things were used on test
soldier programs" of today, and this subjects.
is the moment when we spin off Often, these subjects were
from facts and enter the world of not even aware they were being
Comic Book speculation. experimented on.
We know MK ultra
happened; that much is a fact. "The program engaged in illegal
Everything else is conjecture and activities, including the use of
urban myth. It's not much of a leap U.S. and Canadian citizens as
from tests to create a better truth unwitting test subjects."
serum to experiment with to increase
human psychic potential. Once we The original goal of the
accept this comic book reality, we can Program may have been to produce a
add the trappings of the Shadowdark "perfect" truth drug for interrogating
Universe. suspected Soviet spies during the
We take these things war. Still, as the Program progressed,
happened, we acknowledge they they began to see other areas in
were trying to create psychics, and which to apply their experiments.
we take that in the Shadowdark M.K. Search was a program
Universe, there was a group of CIA that commenced in 1965 and ended
scientists who had no oversite, in 1971. “Search was a joint project
unlimited budget, and a mandate to between the U.S. Army Chemical
“make super soldiers.” What wouldn't Corps and the CIA Office of Research
the scientists of MKultra do if there and Development to find new
was no reason for them not to? offensive-use chemicals focusing on
MKUltra was an illegal incapacitating agents. Its purpose
human experiment program was to develop, test, and evaluate
designed and undertaken by the U.S. capabilities in the covert use of
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) biological, chemical, and radioactive
to develop procedures and identify material systems and techniques
drugs that could be used during of producing predictable human
interrogations to weaken people behavioral and physiological changes
and force confessions through in support of susceptible operational
brainwashing and psychological requirements. “
torture.

97
 M.K. Often was a covert U.S. human potential movement to
Department of AC program from enhance U.S. military intelligence-
1960 to 1970. The goal of MK Often gathering capabilities and overall
was to "test the behavioral and operational effectiveness."
toxicological effects of certain drugs The Army even had a
on animals and humans." This was "psychic spy unit" established by
a continuation of the experiments Army Intelligence at Fort Meade in
started at the Edgewood location and the late 1970s (most likely this is a
involved the use of "experimental" reference to the Stargate Project).
drugs like LSD and Poloxin Glucose This sounds like the plot
(POG). for a comic book. Still, Ronson
MK Chikwit was a interviewed many retired U.S. Army
covert operation run by the U.S. Special Forces members who claim
Department of AC in Texas. they were part of the Program,
This project aimed to use innovative including retired Army Major General
techniques for manipulating and Anthony "Anton" Selke. To this
controlling human behavior, mainly day, he is a proponent of psychic
"psychic driving," to explore the warfare and claims he has powers
possibility of psychic abilities. of levitation, spoon-bending, and
No one knows what Chikwit is. walking through walls.
Thankfully, all the Bartholomew Weatherford
operations of M.K. Ultra ended in was part of this Program or at least
1973, and the CIA closed the book influenced by it.
on human experimentation, but
the cat was out of the bag. These Stargate Project (1977-1995)
experiments and their results The Stargate Project was a secret U.S.
happened. The chemicals and Army unit established in 1977
procedures were out there, and the at Fort Meade, by the AC Intelligence
people affected. They still had to Agency (DIA) and SRI International (a
try and make a life for themselves, California contractor) to investigate
all the while wondering what the the potential for psychic phenomena
government would do with them. in intelligence applications. The
Stargate Project primarily involved
The Men Who Stare at Goats (1970-1980) remote viewing, the purported ability
This is also a non-fiction book by Jon to psychically "see" events, sites,
Ronson concerning the U.S. Army's or information from a great distance.
exploration of New Age concepts The Stargate Project was
and the military applications of the terminated and declassified in 1995
paranormal. after a CIA report concluded that it
In his book, Ronson claims was never helpful in any intelligence
that sometime in the late 70s, operation.
the U.S. army "sought to exploit Jonathan Russell
paranormal phenomena, New Age Weatherford III was a known
philosophy, and elements of the sponsor of Stargate.

98
Project Prometheus their Nobel acceptance speeches.
That is, until one of the teams did
and Fresno (1960-today) not return, neither did the rescue
Since the 1960s, Fresno has been mission nor the rescue mission's
plagued with problems almost rescue mission. All travel into The
biblical in proportion, from soaring Shadowdark was suspended.
crime rates and an economic Shortly after that, abnormal
downturn to deep social issues; behavior began to be detected in
by the 1980s, Fresno was listed as individuals who had been part of the
Forbes' "Worst place to live." early expeditions. It was as if they
In 1982, an eccentric were not themselves anymore; they
American millionaire, Berrand seemed to have been replaced by
Weatherford, passed away, leaving doubles. And they had been.
his fortune to the Weatherford Some of these replicas were
Foundation, an institution created examined, and it was discovered they
by Weatherford to study paranormal were not even human. What they
and occult phenomena from a were, the scientists couldn't name.
scientific perspective. Weatherford Panic spread and the
was obsessed with the occult, scientists' excitement was gradually
believing that understanding and replaced by terror. Medical
controlling its power would bring examinations were required for
humanity to the next step in their everybody who had been in contact
evolution. Over the years, he had with The Shadowdark. Most of the
dedicated large portions of their staff agreed, eager to prove they
fortune to various government were still human; those who did not
programs (including M.K. Ultra) agree were slapped with an NDA
dedicated to ”Awakening the and reminded of their non-compete
potential of the human mind." contract.
Based in Fresno, Weatherford's Although the gate at the
hometown, The Weatherford foundation's headquarters was shut
Foundation employed not only down, strange occurrences and
scientists but also spiritualists, crimes started to be reported all over
psychics, conjurers, and occultists. the city. Breaches between our world
With the help of occult experts, the and The Shadowdark were opening
foundation's scientists proved the in Fresno; things that had no place in
existence of a fourth dimension that this world were coming through the
doesn't follow the known laws of portal.
physics: The Shadowdark The foundation's main
One of the foundation's first concern was covering up the true
steps was to build a portal to allow nature of the events and their
easy access to The Shadowdark and involvement. Bribes were paid to the
teams were then sent out to explore right people to ensure the authorities
the new dimension. The operation looked the other way. Meanwhile,
was an apparent success; some a team of mercenaries, led by Doc
scientists were already preparing
99
Solomon, was hired to hunt down already yielded some promising
the creatures creeping in from The results. From this point onward,
Shadowdark(The orders were to the Weatherford Group's objective
try their best to capture the various evolved to encompass enhancing
incursions alive or at least bring the physical abilities and pushing the
bodies back to be studied. boundaries of what was thought to
The foundation's mission, be humanly possible.
to explain the inexplicable, has Sensing an opportunity
remained the same in the face of to make a tangible difference, The
adversity. Quite the contrary, it Weatherford’s approached the mayor
became even stronger, of Fresno with a bold proposal: To
The once-thriving city of test the project’s groundbreaking
Fresno has been beleaguered by achievements on as significant a
myriad challenges, ranging from group of volunteers as possible, to
soaring crime rates and economic create a specialized crime-fighting
downturns to deep-seated social division composed of enhanced
issues. These problems intensified individuals, with the potential to
throughout the late 1970s and revolutionize law enforcement and
early 1980s, eventually capturing restore hope to the beleaguered city.
the attention of Jonathan Russell In other words, Project Prometheus
Weatherford and his younger aimed to create real-life Comic book
brother, Bartholomew Weatherford. superheroes!
These two eccentric In the shadowed corners of
millionaires, who held a long- Fresno, the gears of the clandestine
standing fascination with the Project Prometheus began to turn.
paranormal and the occult, had The Program's first generation
recently dedicated a substantial stirred curiosity as it showed
portion of their fortune to Project promise on test animals(See Apex),
Stargate. and the city was ready to back
As the crime rate and Human experiments for the next
darkness of Fresno grew, the generation of the Program.
brothers decided to shift the focus While the first of the test
of the Weatherford Group's research subjects were chosen from the
and investment away from programs various branches of the Fresno
like MK Ultra and Project Stargate emergency services (police, fire,
and into a program dedicated to etc.), to get the numbers that they
eradicating crime and poverty in felt they needed, they produced a
Fresno. Not just by donating to the unique(some would say unethical)
police and various social campaigns way to attract the dozens of able-
but also by doing something else, bodied test subjects willing to risk
something drastic, something some health and sanity.
would say was insane. They posted flyers at various
By 1980, Project Stargate's Martial Arts studios, comic book
remote viewing program had shops, and game conventions to get

100
the volunteers they needed; who strength, speed, Dex, intelligence,
among us does not harbor a small and savant-level skills. These
secret desire to be a comic book trailblazers became the first wave of
superhero? Fresno vigilantes.
Test subjects were Sure, many of these heroes
administered staggering amounts would go on to develop minor
of LSD, MDMA(molly), Sodium physical mutations and addictive
Pentothal, and “various innovative personality traits like alcoholism
techniques for manipulating and and drug addiction, but as far as
controlling human behavior, mainly the Weatherford brothers were
"psychic driving," to explore the concerned, they had succeeded;
possibility of psychic abilities.” they had saved Fresno by creating
In addition, many test subjects had superheroes.
limbs removed and replaced with Project Prometheus
Cybernetics. Others had the DNA of successfully trained and produced
various animals injected into them or several exceptional crime fighters
had organs replaced with biotech. for several years. The project yielded
And since the generation of significant results, drastically
Paranormal abilities was the end reducing the city's crime rate, and
goal, some highly questionable instilling a renewed sense of safety
Paranormal experiments were among its inhabitants, even if the
conducted as well. city had to cover up one too many
Using their knowledge of “mistakes” the team had made.
The Shadowdark they subjugated Within five years, the crime
many volunteers to dark rituals rate had plummeted so much that
intended to tap the unknown funding for the project was slashed.
paranormal potential within them. With advancements in civilian law
The scientist and occultist indulged enforcement technology coming out,
every sadistic secret fantasy they it was far cheaper to outfit a unit of
had, knowing full well that any who a dozen men with the latest power
survived would not remember what armor from Weatherford than it was
had been done to them! to keep covering up the sins of the
Years later, in her memoirs, Prometheus team.
Susan “Charm” Kelly said, "They The team was disbanded,
killed us, and then brought us back, and the Weatherford group faced
and then killed us again in dozens of multiple investigations and a
different ways just to see what would seething tell-all book from Sussan
happen, just because they could”? “Charm” Kelly.
The price was paid in blood. A few former Prometheus
Of the 250 test subjects, only 50 members secured positions within
survived. However, the resulting the city's police department, but
transformations endowed the most pursued alternative career
survivors with enhanced physical paths, such as private security,
and mental prowess, such as military service, and mercenary

101
work. Others became criminals The Henchman Blues
themselves or indulged their self- Elvis Presley 1989:
destructive urges.
As the years passed, Project I’m a henchman, baby.
Prometheus faded into obscurity, I’m going to do anything you
and the crime rate in Fresno began ask me to
climbing again. In addition, much I’m a henchman, baby.
of the technology and biochemical I’m going to do anything you
research began to find its way onto pay me to do.
the streets of Fresno. Black market I’m going to dig that hole to the
cybernetic chop shops popped up, sound of sweet rock and roll.
bio-graft technology was made Because I’m a henchman
available to those who could afford A churning urn of burning funk.
it, and more than one individual I’m a henchmen.
could recreate the dark connection A churning urn of burning funk.
to The Shadowdark for their sinister I’m a demolition expert.
means. A hefty hunk, steaming junk.
Worst of all, though, was Put the uniform on!
the street drug known as Prime, a I’m a henchman, baby.
synthesized cocktail of all the various I’m going to do anything you
medications used as part of the ask me to.
Prometheus program. I’m a henchman, baby.
Prime had many effects; it provided I’m going to do anything you
a hallucinogenic high unlike any pay me to do.
other drug currently available, and I’m going to dig that hole to the
sometimes, people who took it sound of sweet rock and roll.
suddenly got superpowers. And shoot you full of bullets, too.
Fresno was as bad as ever; all the I’m a napalm bomb.
good the Prometheus team had Guaranteed to blow your mind,
done was erased by bad press and I’m a napalm bomb.
increased super crime. Guaranteed to blow your mind.
If I can’t have your love now,
baby.
There won’t be anything left
behind, oh!

By the 1980s, Fresno had developed

a notorious reputation for high crime
rates, economic decline, and many
pressing social issues.
The city's once-vibrant
downtown area had deteriorated into
a den of vice, plagued by prostitution
and pimping. At the same time,

102
the once pleasant Ridgeline Park to the costumed heroes in kind,
had become a dreaded hotbed of equipping local color gangs with the
muggings and sexual assaults. latest high-tech weapons from Aval
Abandoned and boarded-up Dad and hiring empowered villains
buildings, significant elements of from California. The team's high-
the city's decline, provide shelter for profile and bloody battles across the
people experiencing homelessness city and the violent tactics of Brick
and serve as a base for drug and Shadow did not help the public
traffickers. perceive it in any way.
Fresno's subway system has The Fresno underworld had
become hazardous due to violence united in its efforts to eliminate the
and frequent technical malfunctions, costumed vigilantes, and the corrupt
making public transportation a police ignored the situation. Every
dangerous gamble for its citizens. day, the Prometheus team had to
The city also experiences deal with color gangs, cyborgs, bio-
regular blackouts, sometimes enhanced creations, mercenaries,
affecting entire districts, further ninjas, and Prime addicts.
exacerbating the city's chaos. Prime was a street drug
To make matters worse, based on the Weatherford formula
the Fresno Police Department that gave its users temporary
became infamous. Due to rampant superpowers, resulting in a regular
corruption and brutality, more effort "monster of the week" situation for
was needed to rectify the situation. the team.
The GI Prometheus team Internally, the Vigilantes
was chosen from the survivors of the were falling apart. Brick was on
experiments to be the first examples trial for killing an innocent man,
of what the Prometheus program Prodigal was going through his first
could do for the city. They were each divorce, someone had published
selected for their innate abilities and nude pictures of Charm on Playtime
experience and were soon working magazine and someone had killed
with the police in an attempt to bring Street Shark!
the rampant crime and corruption What was it about Fresno
under control. that made it such a Chanet
The city did not know what for crime and violence? What
to make of these duly deputized advantage did the city have that led
members of the Fresno police, and to many technological advances
even the most experienced member and experimental drugs? Why
of the altered human team could not did Prometheus even work when
have been prepared for how the city's programs like it worldwide were
criminals would respond. failing?
Within the first few months, In Fresno, it was eccentric
the presence of the Prometheus American millionaire Bertrand
team was making things worse, not Weatherford III, whose obsession
better. Organized crime responded was the occult world, and his fear

103
of death led him to bargain with the Officials plunder the ruins as
powers of The Shadowdark). This infrastructures crumble, funneling
choice allowed the energy of The sparse resources to offshore
Shadowdark to seep into the very accounts and lavish pet projects.
fabric of the city, slowly transforming They leave citizens to languish in
it into something Shadowdark. squalor, stripping away any last
Fresno roots from within in the 80s, shreds of hope or dignity. The city
a Shadowdark hive of scum and sinks ever deeper into mayhem and
villainy cloaked in a thinning veneer despair. Some pray for a cleansing
of civility. Its once-vibrant downtown fire to scour the rot. Most keep
now writhes with degeneracy. their heads down and focus only on
Shadowy figures stalk surviving another day in this urban
ruined parks and alleys, relishing landscape. All know deliverance will
the hunt. Most are common human come not from without but from
scum, but some are not of this Earth. within. For now, that spark of hope
Boarded-up buildings stand as remains tragically dim.
urban tombstones, their blank-eyed Fresno's political arena
windows peering out over streets seethes with malice and duplicity.
where they are stripped of all but The mayor pays lip service to
their pain. People with addiction and reform while gorging on riches and
the insane roam freely, designated dispensing favors to his cronies.
outcasts by a society that would Power-hungry council members
rather avert its gaze than extend a scheme ceaselessly to discredit
helping hand. rivals. Backroom deals and extortion
But the ones living on lubricate the city's apparatus of
The Shadowdark aren’t always the governance. So-called progressives
predators. No matter how hardened posture as champions of equality,
they have become, living at the edge but their policies foster further
makes them easy prey. Beneath dependence and Division.
the city, the subway has become a Conservatives rage for
subterranean netherworld where business interests while ignoring
predators lie in wait and shrieking the human wreckage piling up
brakes herald doom. outside their gated communities.
Crowded stations and The people's welfare is an
graffiti-tagged buses bring travelers afterthought to these feuding elites.
closer to inevitable violent ends. Law enforcement higher-ups
Above ground, police add to the enrich themselves by perpetuating
torment, meting out brutality rather injustice, confident in the impunity
than justice. their badges provide. Those
They safeguard the corrupt under their command serve as
status quo with thinly veiled menace, enforcers, terrorizing vulnerable
ever poised to unleash state- communities under the guise of
sanctioned violence upon any who keeping order. Obedience through
dare question their authority. brutality. Media propaganda mills

104
churn out disinformation, keeping down.
citizens pliant and blinded to the The brass enriches
truth. Outrage is manufactured on themselves via bribery and graft
demand to suit hidden agendas. while allowing misconduct to
"Investigative" reports cherrypicked flourish. Harassment and excessive
or fabricated outright. force are tools for commanding
The Fourth Estate submission, not protecting the
transformed into a staging ground public. Disillusioned officers have
for psychological warfare. So-called abandoned duty for apathy or
activists shriek like banshees, corruption.
imposing orthodoxy through Morale sinks further as the
coercion and violence. overwhelmed and under-resourced
Those possessing none claim pick up the slack. Recruits often
the moral high ground. Intolerance quit or accept when exposed to the
masquerades as tolerance in service department's innate malignancy.
of collectivist cravings for power. Organized crime proliferates wildly
Dissenting views are silenced with no check on its power. The
by zealots drunk on their self- police are laughably outmatched,
righteousness as trust in institutions their core weaknesses amplified
erodes and tribalism takes hold. against these enhanced threats.
Society fractures along ideological And into this world came the
lines, and the social fabric unravels. Prometheus team.
Common ground goes up in flames;
bridges turn into battlements. The Public Perception of Prometheus
once-unified city becomes a chaotic The city's people embraced their
patchwork of warring camps eyeing superpowered protectors but quickly
each other with mutual suspicion lost interest when their fantasy
and contempt. superheroes were shown on TV
Cynicism reigns as Utopian to be real people who could make
dreams give way to dystopian mistakes, have lives, and bleed.
realities. The people's faith in leaders Soon, the public turned on them
to guide them through darkness or forgot them, leaving only a few
dwindles. But even without trusted dedicated fans to keep the favorable
shepherds, the flock endures, profile on them going.
finding solace in the community and What little goodwill they
awaiting the emergence of worthy had left was lost, though, when Brick
guides. killed that innocent kid.
Fresno Police Department How did the Fresno police
is less an institution of law react to the Prometheus team??
enforcement than a uniformed Between the advanced
criminal enterprise. Many among its technology they had received from
ranks extort, abuse, and partake in the Prometheus program, the guns
the lawlessness they are sworn to they got from McAlister, and the
prevent. Rot spreads from the top Cybernetics they got from Cornelious

105
Corps, the Police in Fresno were Charm's telepathy, they could locate
ready for anything that came their every member of the mafia family
way. They did not need Super Heroes and, over the weekend, capture or kill
to help them; they did not need some all of them.
13-year-old kid doing their job! The criminal underworld
They were fine keeping the was faced with some Con choices
peace, and if keeping that peace at the time. Their usual tactics of
meant they had to look the other way fear and corruption were no match
when the Mob burned down a city for the wrath of beings like Brick,
block? That was fine; the city was Charm, and Shadow.
still safe. The obvious response was to
If the police chief took a fight fire with fire. Over the next few
bribe here and the mayor took one months, the criminal organization
there, and robbery and murder united their enterprises to equip
scores were rising, that was fine. their soldiers with the best from
They were doing their job, and Seth’s Gear and Ammo.
the city was still safe until the Fresno saw a rise in themed
Supervillains arrived. color gangs and heavily armed
It turned out that the police mercenaries. Cyborgs from McAlister
were useless against the rising tide Technologies and bio-enhanced
of crime and corruption; most were monsters from the labs at Cornelious
just as bad as the criminals they were shipped monthly to oppose the
supposed to be fighting. Vigilantes.
When the Prometheus team This "Monster of the
became active, the first obstacle they Week"(8) philosophy only resulted
faced was a highly militarized police in the death of innocents and the
force that did not want them to step destruction of property but did
on their lifeline. nothing to slow down the members
of Team Prometheus.
How did the Fresno Criminals
react to the Prometheus team? What about Paranormal
Although the first generation of powers and the CIA?
the Prometheus project may have Publicly, the CIA has no authority
failed in several areas, it was 100% within the U.S. and will disavow any
successful in dealing with Fresno's knowledge or connection to any of
rampant crime and corruption. the projects they conducted or the
The gangs and the Mob could not emerging superhuman population.
compensate for the massive power The CIA no longer has any active
Prometheus’ officers brought to the programs working in the field of
game. Parapsychic powers. However,
When the Yoshida crime the Central Intelligence Agency
family killed Street Shark to send a Directorate of Science & Technology
message, the team responded in kind still has "Biological Assets" operating
rather than backing down. Thanks to off the books.
106
How about Metaphysical Altered humans and the FBI
powers and the DOJ? The FBI is the domestic intelligence
Much like the CIA, the DOJ refuses and security service of the United
any knowledge of or connection States and its principal federal law
to any of these Projects or the enforcement agency. Superhuman
documented mutants, crime that crosses state lines or
The activities of “biological includes felonies falls under their
Assets” are still monitored. Several of authority, though they will often
these individuals have already been shift blame to the Division. It is a
made part of the Military's "Psychic well-known secret that the FBI has
Spy "units. been investigating the paranormal
since the Project Bluebook days and
already has two members of the
Mutants and Homeland Security Parahuman population on their most
The United States Department wanted list.
of Homeland Security (DHS) is
responsible for public security,
including anti-terrorism, border What about Psychic powers and the
security, immigration and customs, Food and Drug Administration?
cyber security, and disaster The FDA has samples of Prime in
prevention and management. its possession and several vials of
other compounds it found at Project
Super Humans and the Drug Vanguard that it is studying. The
drug prime is far too dangerous
Enforcement Administration now, but the FDA does see some
The DEA has samples of Prime in its potential in the Neotropics' eventual
possession and several experimental use as a method to reverse the
formulas that they are studying. As of effects of Alzheimer's, Dementia, and
now, Prime in any form is a Schedule Parkinson's.
One drug as it has no medical use
and is highly unstable. Possession of
Prime is a felony with a $10,000.00
fine and up to 5 years in jail.

107
How about Nootropics and the criminal organizations, the illegal
use and trafficking of firearms, the
National Security Agency (NSA)? illegal use and storage of explosives,
The National Security Agency (NSA) acts of arson and bombings, acts of
is the United States Department of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of
AC intelligence agency under the alcohol and tobacco products.
authority of the Director of National In the eyes of the ATF, the
Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is use of superpowers like Telekinesis
responsible for global monitoring, in a crime should fall within the
collection, and processing of same category as the use of firearms
information and data for foreign in crime, and parahumans should be
and domestic intelligence and registered just like gun owners.
counterintelligence purposes.
As such, the activities of the
so-called Parahumans do not fall Paranormal manifestations
under the NSA's district unless they and the WWE
involve the exchange of data with TKO, the parent company of the
foreign representatives. WWE, is interested in offering WWE
contracts to any individual who can
What about Superhumans demonstrate actual superpowers to
them for an empowered wrestling
and the Secret Service? league.
The United States Secret Service
(USSS or Secret Service) is a federal
law enforcement agency under the Parahumans and the U.S. Military
Department of Homeland Security As with all the other aspects of the
that is charged with conducting U.S. government who were involved
criminal investigations and with MK Ultra and other programs
protecting U.S. political leaders, like it, the official stance of the
their families, and visiting heads Military today is that these programs
of state or Government. Within were a mistake and never should
this district, they monitor several have happened, and they have no
enhanced individuals who threaten plans on ever researching psychic
the Government and the president's spies again.
office. There are rumors that at Of course, the truth is the
least one member of the president's Military has a personal stake in these
Security Detail is Telepath. programs and still employs gene-
spliced soldiers and "Psychic Spy"
in various black book operations
Altered Humans and Alcohol, overseas; they even have their very
Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) own group of patriot super soldiers
The ATF is a law enforcement agency they are thinking of making public
in the United States Department very soon to get some positive press.
of Justice that protects our
communities from violent criminals,

108
Bad Guys Always Lose
by Elvis Presley

Babe, you're getting closer.

The lights are going dim.
The sound of your breathing
Has made this bad guy go crazy.
All of my resistance
He is lying on the floor.
Taking me to places
This bad guy has never, never
been before.
[Pre-Chorus]
Ooh, and this bad guy can feel it.
Feel it, feel it, feel it.
[Chorus]
You're a good girl, and you're
winning.
I am a bad guy, and I am
sinning.
You make me a bad guy and
When it comes to you, these Bad
Guys always lose.
[Verse 2]
Ooh, this bad guy's head is
spinning.
You got me in your spell.
A hundred magic fingers
On a whirling carousel
The medicine within me
No doctor could prescribe it.
Your love is doing something.
(Chorus)
That this lousy guy can't
describe
You're a good girl, and you're
winning.
I am a bad guy, and I am
sinning.
You make me a bad guy and
When it comes to you, these Bad
Guys always lose.

109
 avoid attracting the attention of the
Issue #7 remaining super-powered vigilantes.
Amidst this tangled Web of
Adversaries, Agents, criminality, a handful of independent
criminals continue to operate—
and Lone Wolves bank robbers, con artists, and serial
killers—whose actions are small
In the city of Fresno, crime exists
enough to escape the ever-watchful
in a complex and ever-shifting
gaze of the city's criminal elite.
landscape that ranges from the most
Together, these varied elements
trivial offenses to the darkest depths
contribute to the intricate and
of human depravity. During their
challenging tapestry of crime that
tenure, Prometheus successfully
defines Fresno, a town caught in
eliminated 95% of all crime in the
the crossfire between its past and
city. However, the few criminals
present.
who managed to escape their grasp
were small-time crooks, such as
pickpockets and con artists, or Normal Human
those with immense power and Your average day-to-day person on the
connections that even superheroes street.
could not directly confront. Level: 1. AC: 10. HP: 4 #attacks: 1
In the wake of Prometheus's Damage: By weapon type.
massive crime-fighting success, Special: +1 with any one skill.
the surviving criminals had no
choice but to adapt and evolve to Typical Police Office
fill the void left behind. When the Level: 1-4. AC: 10/13 with vest.
once-heroic Heroes fell from grace HP: 5. #attacks: 1. Damage: Gun +1
and were disbanded, the chaos to hit, 1d8 piercing.
and bloodshed were a perfect Special: Law enforcement powers
breeding ground for a new breed and Backup
of criminals. Some have chosen to
align themselves with the influential
figures who control the underworld. Typical US Military
In contrast, others have opted to Level: 2-6. AC: 10/15 with vest.
stand against them to reclaim what HP: 6 #attacks: 1. Damage: Rifle +2
was lost. to hit 1d10 piercing.
In addition to these Special: Military training.
shifting alliances, Fresno is home to
mercenaries offering their services
to the highest bidder, corrupt police
officers, private corporate security
forces, and independent villains
who pledge loyalty to no one.
These factions navigate the murky
waters of crime, attempting to

110
Typical Ninja Typical mook
Ninjas are not a real thing; everyone Mooks are the henchmen who get to
knows that. use jetpacks, laser pistols, and other
Level: 2-6. AC: 12 HP: 6 #attacks: 1. unique weapons.
Damage: Shuriken's +1 to hit 1d4+1 Level: 3. AC: 13 HP: 13
piercing, Ninja sword +3 to hit, #Attacks: 1 Damage: Shock rod +1 to
1d6+1 slashing. hit, 1d4 bludgoning+1d6 lightning.
Special: +1 to all Ninja skills Rifle +1 to hit 1d10 piercing.
Special: Jet pack, +1 to hit if within 5
Typical Gang Member feet of another henchman.
Level: 1-4. AC: 11. HP: 4 #attacks: 1
Damage: Gun 1d6 piercing. Typical Henchmen
Special: Never travels alone. They are right below the actual villains
in the group; they will often have
Typical Solomon Agency Agent unique names.
Level: 2-6. AC: 13 HP: 15 Level: 4. HP: 20 #attacks: 1.
#attacks: 1 Damage: Sidearm +1 to Damage: Sword +2 to hit, 1d8
hit, 1d6 piercing. Silver dagger +1 to slashing. Rifle +2 to hit, 1d10
hit 1d4 piercing. piercing.
Special: Jet pack, armor, unique
weapons. +1 to hit if within 5 feet of
Typical Grunt another henchman.
Ordinary henchmen with matching
uniforms and weapons.
Level: 1. AC: 11. HP: 4
#attacks: 1 Damage: Rifle +1 to hit,
Color gangs
Inspired by classic films and
1d10 piercing. television shows like The Warriors,
Special: Teamwork, +1 to hit if The Road Warrior, and Batman
within 5 feet of another grunt. '66, several of the city's gangs and
criminal organizations began to
Typical Goon adopt colorful and themed personas
Big, strong, and mostly loyal. to better survive in a world of
Level: 2. AC: 12. HP: 8 costumed crime fighters.
#attacks 1. Damage: Melee +2 to hit, The golden age of Color
1d4+2 bludgeoning. Gangs began in Fresno between
Special: +1 saving throw vs fear and 1985 and 1999, as the various
intimidation. criminal organizations were willing
to pay big money to equip the
various color gangs. There was just
a level of madness the members of
these various brightly colored groups
had that made them willing to do
things regular mooks and thugs
would not. Our current idea of what
111
makes a "Henchmen" comes from the The Comics
actions of these early Color Gangs. The Comics are a Fresno color gang
Some of the more well- with a 1960s surfing & science
known Color Gangs active in 1989 fiction theme, modeling themselves
Fresno include The Builder Boys with off classical 1960s surf films like
their construction crew theme, the Invisible Bikini and Martin Surf
Tigers with their big cat theme, and Party. They all dress in 1960s surf
the Cobras with their snake theme. style, drive around in dune buggies,
Other color gangs included The Gun and do crime for "kicks." Members
Bunnies, an all-female Color Gang include:
known for their sadistic streak; the
Hangmen, a vigilante color gang • Carlos “Moon Dog” Sparks.
that protected their neighborhood • Jennifer “Gidget” Gable.
from crime; the Cyberhackers and • Grant “Gilligan” Dobson.
the Iron Heights Vampires, a goth • Charles “Bone Daddy”.
color gang whose membership • Garibaldi, Bone Daddy.
included at least one actual undead. • Belinda “Baby Doll” Gilliam.
The Cyber Vampires, whose theme Baby Doll has curly black hair,
combines goth and cybernetics; wears a black tank top and
The Harbor View Yacht Club, which green shorts, and is armed
had a nautical theme; and the 805 with a machine gun.
Playboys, an all-male gang who
preyed on young women.
In later years, more extreme The Lucky Strikes
color gangs would emerge to The “Lucky Strike gang” is a cigarette
terrorize cities all across the globe. brand-themed color gang. The Lucky
Chief among these gangs were the Strike Gang was composed of:
Statesmen, whose members take
their names after the states they • Thomas “Mammoth” Maxwell.
were born in and dress in the colors • Jerry “Skeeter” Slone.
of their state flag; the Tiger Dogs, • Peter "Nomad" David.
whose theme is based on animals; • Felicia "Lightning" Lawrence.
the Zodiac Circus, whose theme is • Martin “Marlboro” Brennan.
chainsaw-wielding clowns; and the • David “Dunhill” Dunhill.
Maids, an all-female color gang. • Patricia “Pal Mall” Melvin.
• Carla “Caramel” Martian.
• Ruben “Rolling Paper” Royal.
• The Crews triplets, Michael
“Maverick” Crews, Peter
“Parliament” Crews and
Melissa “Monarch” Crews.

112
 Grunts: The rank-and-file members
Organizations active who are responsible for the day-to-
day operations. These people work in
in the world of the mail room, stock shelves, answer
phones, or fill in reports.
Shadowdark Supers
Torchbearers: The non-combat
The Torchbearer Agency (TTA) professionals you might find
TTA is the agency that provides working for the organization:
a workforce for those various Doctors, chefs, attorneys, engineers,
organizations that cannot use cartographers, and lab assistants
standard methods to acquire that make up the heart and soul of
employees. any organization. They range from
In other words, they supply 1st to 3rd level and are +2 to at least
the Minions, Mooks, and Henchmen one professional skill. Torchbearers
for all the supervillains in the U.S. have a 20% mortality rate but a
Do you need ten mooks to dress up 60% chance of falling into a vat of
like Disney characters for a robbery? chemicals and getting powers.
Call the TTA.
Need five minions to Mook: The rank-and-file armed
volunteer for your mind transfer professionals that make up most of
experiments? Call the TTA. the temps working for Torchbearer.
Need some loyal henchmen These are the soldiers, security
to join you in your quest for world guards, armed response, and militia
domination? Call TTA. types. Mooks range from 1 to 4th
The organization was level and are skilled with at least
founded in 1985 and is based on a one or more types of weapons and
"Small Island off the coast of Costa combat. Mooks have a 40% mortality
Rica." rate but only a 15% chance of being
bitten by any radioactive animal and
Torchbearer is composed of the gaining powers.
following ranks:
Minions: These are the most often
encountered agents that Torchbearer
sends out; they are the guys who
always have matching uniforms and
blaster rifles and know all the words
to the villain's theme song. Minions
range from 2nd to 5th level and
have some form of military training.
Minions have a 50% mortality rate
and a 30% chance of being struck by
lightning and gaining powers.

113
Henchmen: Henchmen range from Enforcement: Highly trained and
3rd to 7th level and often have heavily armored men and women
names like Bugout and Zipline. whose job is to bring superhuman
Henchmen are exceptionally well- threats down no matter the cost.
trained individuals considered D-list They have the best weapons, gear,
villains independently but work and training the city can afford, and
better to support another, more they have a license to kill.
flamboyant villain. Henchmen have a
20% mortality rate and a 45% chance Typical DSHA Agent
they will be experimented on by their AC: 16/19 Health Dice: 3d8
employer and get superpowers. Movement: 12, #Attacks: 1 weapon
Damage: Assault rifle (1d6+3),
The Department of knife (1d4), marksman rifle (1d8+2)
SupeRHuman Affairs Bonus: +1 to ranged attack rolls.
When it looked like things were
out of control, the city decided to Macalister Guns
take a page out of the New York Manufacturers of high quality,
playbook and create its own private gorgeously designed, and easy-
security force whose only job was to to-use guns. Uncle Bill is a newly
police the superhuman population formed company that prides itself
of Fresno. Its most outstanding in knowing its business. Colonel
achievement was the number William McAlister founded it during
of Laws it passed dealing with the Civil War.
superhuman-related crimes and
rights. Right now, those laws only Cornelious Corp
exist within the city, but the DA plans Cornelious Corp itself as an
to get the Governor of Texas to make international organization
them state-wide, and then next stop promoting public-private
Washington 2024! partnerships. The organization was
founded in 1989 as a nonprofit
Branches foundation, independent, unbiased,
Judicial: An army of lawyers and and unattached to any particular
clerks whose only job is dealing with interest. They aim to unite the
all the legal issues that pertain to world's most influential political,
Superhumans. Prodigal has dealt commercial, cultural, and other
with them several times and says leaders to create global and regional
they are far more frightening than industry agendas.
any Supervillain.
Management: The men and women
whose job is to keep the department
running, from the guy who fixes
the copier to the woman who does
payroll.

114
U.S. Department of Justice International Criminal
The Department of Justice's mission Police Organization (INTERPOL)|
is to uphold the rule of law, keep our An international organization
country safe, and protect civil rights. that promotes international police
Under the leadership of the United collaboration and crime control. It
States Attorney General, the Justice is the world's largest international
Department comprises more than 40 police organization, with seven
separate component organizations regional offices and a National
and more than 115,000 employees. Central Bureau in each of the 195
The Department of Justice member states.
is headquartered at the Robert F. INTERPOL is headquartered
Kennedy Building in Washington, in Lyon, France. It cooperates
D.C. Still, it maintains field offices with the Weatherford Foundation,
in all states and territories across sharing information on international
the United States and more than 50 criminal networks and supernatural
countries worldwide. threats.
INTERPOL handles
Armored Emergency Support superhuman situations worldwide
AESU is a high-tech security outside of the U.S.
organization that emerged from the
ashes of 9/11. It was obvious that Concerned Citizens of Fresno & The
ordinary police, military, and rescue
services were ill-equipped to deal new Fresno Vigilantes
with the daily threats the city of New This organization began forming
York faced. after the Prometheus team's city
A Think Tank comprised dominion. Once they were removed
some of the city's best minds. Out from power and average? Day-to-
of that came the initial incarnation day life began, and people started
of AESU, an independent rapid questioning why Fresno had been
response team of agents using left alone all this time. Why did no
the most advanced technology to one come to help them deal with
handle emergencies the city's regular the various super criminals other
services were unprepared to handle. than the Prometheus team? Not
Since then, branches of AESU have the military, not the government,
opened up in other states to deal not even other heroes They wanted
with the ever-growing threats from answers
super criminals, disasters, and First, there were phone
political action that now plague the calls, emails, and letters to senators
country. and members of Congress. Then,
there were investigations and
detective work—even Kid Sidekick
got involved. Then, some protests
slowly became violent and eventually
evolved into all-out riots.

115
Masked vigilantes began to attack trade and Asian sex workers.
tourists to Fresno and burn down From about 1850 to 1870,
the hotels. Cargo trucks carrying the practice of smoking opium
products for sale outside the city remained primarily a Chinese habit.
were bombed, and ships attempting Still, during the 1870s, it began to
to leave port were sunk. spread, especially among those in
The war cry was simple: the underworld — such as pimps,
"Since you did not help us, why gamblers, prostitutes, and criminals.
should we give you anything?". Opium dens were usually
They started attacking city hall and located in the Chinese section of
demanding that Fresno cede from town and were often called "Hop
the union. Things concluded when Alley." In the 1880s, Denver's Hop
they got their hands on dozens of Alley had 12 opium dens, with five
seismic charges and attempted to more nearby.
disconnect the city from the state In 1872, the Yoshida clan
and create an independent island. imported 400,000 pounds of Opium
Thankfully, it did not work. The alone, thus beginning their hold on
party lost steam after that and soon much of the drug trade in Fresno.
became just a group of concerned, In June of 1947, Benjamin "Bugsy"
inquisitive citizens still seeking an Siegel was killed in a hail of gunfire
answer. at his girlfriend's Beverly Hills, Calif.,
home. This moment ignited the war
The Yoshida Crime Family for control of the various criminal
Fresno and organized crime go efforts across the world, and Asian
together like bread and butter; you organized criminal families like
know both exist, you can't have one Yoshida were ready to step up and
without the other, and neither is take their share of the pie.
particularly good for you.
While most of us associate The Division of Research
the Mafia with Las Vegas, The Division of Research is under
several other organized criminal the oversight of the Congressional
organizations have made their Directorate of Science & Technology,
fortune in Fresno, as well as who, in turn, answer only to the Joint
a few cults, alien invasions, and Chiefs and the UNSC.
supervillains. Within these parameters, the
One criminal organization Division of Research is given a lot
that has thrived in Fresno is the of leeway to deal with parahuman
Yoshida crime family. The Yoshida research and control and act as
family first came to the U.S. along the "MIB big brother top-secret
with the 20,000 other Asian government organization sanctioned
immigrants who helped build the to study paranormal powers and
transcontinental railroad between those possessing them bad guys of
1864 and 1868. As we know, with this universe."
those immigrants came the Opium The Division operates under

116
a color-coded security Clearance Blue: Blue agents are the field
system, with Red as the lowest- commanders of a division unit. They
ranking member and Ultraviolet as usually have six rank green soldiers
the highest. under them and one rank yellow
parahuman. Blue agents' levels range
Division Agents Rank from 5 to 9, and they will have at
Red: These make up the day-to- least two attributes at 15 or higher
day government wage slaves who and possibly a superpower.
perform all the tasks needed to keep
a government agency running, from Bradly Imports
answering phones to xeroxing files “Here is some money, go buy
to getting those Tp1428 forms in by yourself some money.”
Friday. The rank of red agents is 1 to - CEO: Seth Bradly
3, with no attribute over 10. The number one import/export
supplier for all the gizmos and
Orange: These professionals run gadgets you find on the shelves of
the various departments within the your friendly locals Seth’s Gear and
Division. The doctors, attorneys, Ammo shop.
engineers, and cooks keep things
running. Orange agents are level 2-4
and may have one attribute over ten. Kutzi Co Foods
“Eggo, it’s Spanish for Egg.”
Yellow: Rank yellow are the - CEO: Caroline Kutz
Parahuman agents who work for Best known for their clever
the Division willingly or unwillingly. marketing campaigns, Kutzi Co is
These empowered humans are the single largest producer of food
usually sent to operate outside and drink in California. Their Venus
the USA on various Black Opp and Pop soda machines can be found
are the closest to Government- everywhere, and their frozen foods
sanctioned superheroes. Rank red are always a top seller.
agents are levels 3-6 and typically
possess pyrokinesis, telepathy, or Seth’s Gear and Ammo
Telekinesis. “Home of the 11-foot pole.”
- CEO: Alex Winaimed
Green: Green agents are the public Seth’s Gear and Ammo is the single
agents of the Division, the infamous largest retailer of arms, weapons,
"men in black" types. They are always gear, ammo, and weird stuff in the
armed with the latest weapons world. They are the big box store of
to hunt and capture superhuman the dangerous and the bizarre.
assets. Green agents range from No one knows who owns the
level 4 to 8 and will have at least two company or where they are based out
attributes at 15 or higher; they will of. They have no central office, they
be equipped with the latest weapons, are not listed on the stock exchange,
armor, and experimental gear. you cannot find any information

117
about them in any file anywhere. Others offer a far stranger
They are not even in the phone book. explanation. Seth’s Gear and Ammo
Their shops seem to just pop up in is the manifestation in this world of
the strangest places and the stuff a vast interdimensional entity.
they sell can range from old video No matter what you think,
games to state-of-the-art technology whatever gear you need for your
years ahead of anything that exists career will be found on the shelves of
on Earth. Seth’s. They also make 51-foot rope,
Some people claim that because sometimes 50 feet is not
Seth’s Gear and Ammo is actually just enough.
a series of art installations similar to
Meow Wolf (Meow Wolf - Wikipedia)
which would explain a lot of the
mystery around the business.

118
 Gear: He wears a long T-shirt, a
The Independent Tactical vest (AC 15), and a pair of
aviator glasses. He is armed with a
heroes of Fresno McAllister service revolver (Range:30,
Doc Solomon +2 to hit, 2d6 Piercing), a KS-23
Level: 8 Self-made hero McAllister carbine shotgun with
Occupation: Man of Action. HEAP rounds (Range:200 feet, +0 to
Str: 15 Int: 14 Wis: 14 hit, 2d8+4 Piercing), and a smaller
Dex: 13 Con: 15 Cha: 12. McAllister backup pistol (Range:10
Skills of Note: Athletics, Brawling, feet, +0 to hit, 1d6 Piercing), along
Melee Weapons, Pistols, Rifles, with several titanium alloy knives.
Survival, Teaching, Tracking. Quote: “I got scars older than you,
Origin: Doc Solomon is a wild pup!”
adventurer known for his ability
to cut deals and uncover hidden The Commander is Kid Sidekick's
treasures. He has a keen ear for the adopted father and is responsible
latest news and gossip and is said for much of his early training. He
to be able to communicate with is both proud and envious that his
others through dreams. In addition adopted son has surpassed him, and
to his other talents, Sevarlista is a He wonders if he could beat the Kid
superb tracker and a brave leader. He in a fight.
and his Team have worked for the
Weatherford Foundation for years
and recently added a few supers to
their Team.
He acted as the field
commander for the Prometheus
team and returned to the private
sector after the Team was disbanded.
At some point, he adopted a young
orphan named Fredric Jones, who
would grow up to become Kid
Sidekick.
Powers: He has no powers, just years
of training.
Appearance: For a 70-year-old man,
he is still in fantastic shape, with
short grey hair and a beard. People
say he dresses like Indiana Jones, but
he always answers, “Where do you
think they got the idea?”

119
The Web Appearance: Peter is a mild-
Name: Peter Shoemaker mannered high school student with
Code Name: The Web short brown hair and green eyes who
Level: 1 fast hero hides behind glasses. As the Web, he
Profession: High School Student wears a blue hooded sweatshirt with
Str: 18 Int: 15 Wis: 8 a stylized spider design, jeans, and a
Dex: 20 Con: 15 Cha: 11 blue ski mask.
Skills of Note: Academics, Acrobatics, Gear: 51 feet of rope and grapple.
Athletics. Brawling, Chemistry. Web gun (Range:30 feet. +2 to hit
Perks & Powers: Danger sense, luck, 1d4 bludgeoning and target is stuck.
gadgets, wallcrawling. Dex check at the end of the round to
Origin: On that fateful Tuesday, break free)
Peter was a typical high school Quote: "With these cool powers, I
student attending a brand-new must not be irresponsible."
natural history museum tour with
the rest of his science class when the
entomology display exploded.
Someone spilled a can of soda
that just happened to leak onto
an exposed wire, causing a chain
reaction and boom (that old
Shoemaker luck).
Suddenly, the students
on the tour were swarmed with
hundreds of insects, including some
of the most toxic insects on Earth.
Peter must have been bitten at least
twelve times before he passed out
from the pain. Peter came to the
hospital. Somehow, despite being
bitten by at least four different toxic
insects and a dozen other bugs, he
was mostly OK.
As Peter spent the rest of the
week at home recovering, he began
to discover that he was not OK: The
multiple toxins had mutated him
somehow into the fantastic Spider-
er, no wait-
Powers: The actual test of any
superhero system is, can you make
Spoodermun?

120
Kid Chameleon As a shape-changing bodyguard who
“The kid of 1000 faces” can look like anyone, how would you
Name: Robert “Kid Chameleon” Kirk. even know where he was or what he
Level: 2 smart hero was doing?
Str: 11 Int: 12 Wis: 12
Dex: 11 Con: 14 Cha: 16
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics,
Acting, Disguise, Mimic, Research,
Survival.
Perks & Powers: Doppelganger.
Origin: Robert is one of the first
documented shape changers, with
the innate ability to take on the
characteristics of any other person
he has seen. No one is sure what
he looks like in private; even he
is not sure the face he sees in the
mirror is his own. He was trained
for infiltration and espionage since
he could easily take on any role
necessary to get the job done, and
as such, he was hardly ever seen in
Public.
He is most famous for
infiltrating the mayor's office and
getting the evidence needed to arrest
him.
After he left the Sidekicks,
he entered the private sector as a
bodyguard.
Appearance: Even he does not
remember what he looked like before
the experiments
Gear: He wore a loose fighting
uniform that could easily be altered
to fit any role. He carried various
props in his backpack, like glasses
and passports. He had a small
pistol and a knife hidden on his
person (range , 10 feet, +1 to hit, 1d8
piercing
Quote: It's like looking in a mirror.

121
A-Man DM Curt, Agent of Interpol
Real Name: Andrew Meisel. Level: 6 AC: 11/19
Level: 8 self-made hero AC: 10/19 Skills: Athletics, Acrobatics,
Skills: Academics, Art, Computers, Brawling, Drive, Melee, Small Arms,
Electronics, Engineering, Leadership, Streetwise
Technician Perks & Powers: Legal Enforcement
Perks & Powers: Wealthy, Most Powers, License to Kill
intelligent Man in the room (+4 to all Drawbacks: Enemy, Code of Honor,
Int-based skill checks), As strong as 2 Impaired Senses (Sight) Dependents
Men (Can lift 180 pounds.+2 to all Str Gadgets: Armored uniform (AC19).
checks). Pocket Parachute (reduce fall
Origin: Andrew Meisel has provided Damage to 0 for six rounds)
much of the art presented in my Origin: DM Curt agent of Interpol
projects at no cost. was inspired by my friend and fellow
Over the years, he designed YouTube RPG Commentator DM
my logo and helped me produce the Curt.
idea for this book.
Weatherford Industries was
his whole idea, and a long-running
joke between us inspired it. I asked
him if he wanted to be in the book to
pay him back for all the free art.

122
The Eclipse
Name: Eric Simpson
Level: 2 fast hero. AC: 14 HP: 12
#attacks: 1. Damage: +1 to hit laser
attack 2d6
Special: Energy Blast-Light/laser
(R,40” +1 to hit 3d6 piercing) or,
blinding flash 20 ft radius DC 14,
blindness lasts two rounds. Darkness
(Range 40 feet, 10X10 area)
Drawbacks: Distinctive appearance
Origin: The Eclipse appeared in my
Villains and Vigilantes solo play. Eric
was a miner working in the copper
mines of Fresno, Nevada, when there
was a collapse, trapping himself and
several other miners (see the Golem)
for two days. During that time, he
was exposed to toxic gases from the
mines that somehow transformed
him, turning his skin pale white but
his eyes and hair pitch black. He
also developed several light-based
powers that he began to use as the
masked hero Eclipse.
Appearance: Eric has alabaster-
white skin, pitch-black hair, and
eyes. As the Eclipse, he wears a
black-and-white full-body suit and a
black-and-white facemask.
Gear: cellphone, first aid kit, ballistic
vest (AC13)
Quote: Lights out!
Adventure seeds: He often
investigates the various illegal
activities of his former employers,
which has brought him into conflict
with the Golem more than once. Any
crime or emergency in Town will
bring out the Eclipse to help.

123
Alamogordo It was sent to our world to
Real name: Life Alamogordo acquire those resources before his
Level: 1 strong hero. AC: 19 HP: 11 planet died. The Golem attacked
#attacks: 1 Damage: Claws +2 to hit, it when it tried to contact the
1d6 slashing mining company that controlled the
Special: Armored skin (AC18) resources it needed.
Claws, Special Movement-Tunneling Appearance: Alamogordo is a short,
at 10 feet a round, Night vision, squatting creature that resembles a
Drawbacks: Special requirement, bipedal armadillo or a Pokémon.
Distinctive appearance Gear: Alien spaceship,
Origin: Alamogordo appeared in Quote: The only human word it
my Villains and Vigilantes solo play. knows so far is Dig.
Alamogordo is a member of an Adventure Seeds: What is rarer
underground-dwelling alien race in one world is abundant in the
whose home planet is running out of next, and it turns out the valuable
valuable resources. resource that this planet needs is
something we have plenty of Granite.
Any adventure involving the little
alien would be centered around
its attempts to take Granite back
to his spaceship, which we have in
abundance.

124
Elvis Presley
Level: 10. AC: 14
Skills: It's Elvis; there is nothing he
cannot do.
Perks & Powers: wealthy, famous,
immortal (it’s Elvis, he cannot die)
Origin: Elvis died on August
16, 1977 (aged 42) in Memphis,
Tennessee, US. Since then, he has
recorded 16 new hit songs and been
spotted at least 15 times. As the song
says: “Elvis is everywhere, Elvis is
everything, Elvis is in everybody,
Elvis is still the king.”

125
The independent The Devils Night 5
The Devil's Night 5 are members of
villains of Fresno a Fresno color gang who were killed
several years ago during a failed
Melt Halloween crime spree. They now
(Created by DM Curt) rise from the dead every year to seek
Real Name: Curt Dumont vengeance.
Level: 4 AC: 10 Hit Dice: 3d8 Attacks: 1 bite
Skills: Athletics, Academics, or weapon Damage +1 to hit 1d8 bite
Chemistry, Fire Fighting, or weapon If slain, they will return
Intimidation, Science, Survival. next Halloween.
Perks & Powers: High Pain
Threshold, Energy blast -Fire. Vengeful spirits who rise from the
Melting (his flame is hot enough to dead every Halloween to commit acts
melt concrete and Iron. If he holds of Violence, often stalking teenagers
the materials, it does not burn no and killing them one by one. They
matter how hot it is. Resistant to Fire have no purpose outside of this and
and can see clearly in smoke and vanish at dawn on November 1 to
flames. rest till the next Halloween.

Melt is a pyromaniac; all his crimes

are built around setting things on
fire.

126
Tentacle Cow Charman
Powers & Perks: Uplifted Cow. Level: 6 AC: 11
Tentacles (reach 2 feet. +1 to hit Skills: Intimidation+5
1d6+1 bludgeoning Damage. Can Powers: Spirit (Only harmed by
attack up to 4 targets at a time) magic, silver, and cold)
Drawbacks: It's a cow. Body of flame (+1d6 to melee
Origin: The tentacle cow is a Damage. 6d6 Damage to anyone
gigantic cow with many Lovecraftian touching him). It can only appear at
tentacles coming out of its body; night.
none of the Fresno scientists know Origin: The Char Man is based
precisely how that happened. on a local ghost story from Ojai,
The Cow seems unaffected by the California. Drivers along the back
tentacles or anything else. It just has roads of Ojai still claim to see this
this mellow outlook on everything. burning lost soul.
Appearance: The Char Man has
been described as a badly burned
humanoid male with an orange
nimbus of flame about his body.
Charman is another Villain of the
week type of criminal; the flaming
spirit just shows up to cause chaos
without any specific goal or direction

127
Professor Mad Peter faced Espionage
Name: Peter Madoff charges and life in a military prison
Level: 4 Smart Hero. AC: 10 HP: 22 after the third failed test. Of course,
#Attacks: 1 Damage: By weapon Peter had no intention of going to jail
type. or letting the shortsighted military
Special: Science expert, Advantage of ruin his reputation, so he took his
science skill checks. inventions with him and fled into the
Inventive genius (Telemechanic): night.
Given enough time and suitable Soon after, Professor Mad
materials, he can invent anything, began his life of crime, staging high-
but his inventions seem to only work tech robberies and acts of vandalism.
for him. Appearance: Peter is 5'11" and
Gear: Armored lab coat (AC 15) weighs 207 pounds. He has long,
Shrink ray (Range:20 feet. DC 16 frizzy black hair and manic-looking
Con save or the (petrified) target is black eyes. As Professor Mad, he has
shrunk down to 1 inch tall for five adopted the classic comic book mad
rounds), Handheld flamethrower scientist look and is always seen in a
(Range:20 feet. 6d6 fore damage) lab coat and goggles.
Jet pack. 40 MPH flight, tools. He is Quote: “Beware the power of
Always accompanied by four robots Professor Mad!”
that look like Roombas (AC: 13 HP: Adventure seeds: The professor's
15 #attack 1 Damage: zap gun 1d6 crimes usually involve one of
piercing). three things. Either he is seeking
Drawbacks: Not as smart as he resources for his latest invention,
thinks he is, Overconfidence, or these crimes could feature him
Grandiose trying to steal a power source,
Origin Story: Professor Mad is the weapons system, or another
Shadowdark Superhero universe inventor's technology. Or he is out
classic Mad Scientist inventor villain. trying to prove the superiority of
He was a child genius who won every his technology. These crimes would
science fair at his school until he was involve attacking a military convoy
offered a Scholarship at MIT at 12 or flooding the city with his weather
and graduated at 16. control device.
After that, the government Despite his perceived
scoped up him to work on various silliness, this character is dangerous,
top-secret weapon projects. The considering he can invent shrink
thing was, time after time, once he rays, instant volcanos, and giant
finished an invention and handed robot tanks. His main weaknesses
it to his boss to test in the field, it are his overconfidence and
would fail and fall apart. The military the limitations of his fantastic
thought he was purposely sabotaging technology, which only works for
them, and Peter thought they were him.
too shortsighted to appreciate his
technology.

128
The Golem
Name: Gordon Lewis.
Level: 2 Strong hero AC: 17 HP: 22
#Attacks: 1. Damage: Melee +5 to hit
1d10+5 bludgeoning.
Special: Advantage on any check
that is sufficiently physical. Physical
transformation of stone. Strength of
20 +4 to AC. Takes ½ damage from
bludgeoning and slashing attacks.
Takes no damage from fire but
double damage from cold.
Drawbacks: Movement rate of 15.
Stubborn.
Origin: The Golem is a classic comic
book brick who first appeared in my
solo play Villains and Vigilantes.
Gordon was a miner working
in the copper mines of Fresno,
Nevada, when a collapse trapped
him and several other miners (see
the Eclipse) for two days. During that
time, he was exposed to toxic gas
from the mines, transforming him
into a 7-foot tall, 300-pound Stone
Golem.
The mining company offered
Gordon a Job as a superpowered
enforcer for some of their less-than-
legal endeavors.
Appearance: a 7ft tall, 300-pound
humanoid made of gray stone.
Quote: ”Are you sure you want to
fight?”
Adventure Seeds: The Golem’s
criminal endeavors are always at the
behest of his employers. The heroes
might be investigating the criminal
activities of the Mining company and
encounter the Golem protecting the
company’s assets. The Golem might
even be dispatched to attack another
mining company.

129
Fang She also still wants to punish
Name: Frank Green the bullies that torment her at
Level: 2 Fast hero. AC: 13 HP: 13 school, so Fang is often sent out at
#attacks: 1 Damage: By weapon type night to terrorize another teen and
Special: Advantage on any check their family.
that is sufficiently athletic. Base
walking speed is 35 feet a turn, and
your running speed is 60 feet a turn.
Night vision: 60 feet. Aggressive. As
a bonus action, Fang can move up to
his speed toward a hostile creature
that he can see.
Gear: Great axe +5 to hit, 2d6+3
slashing. 10 Javelins Range 60 feet,
+5 to hit 1d6+3 piercing.
Origin: One night, a bullied teen,
Amanda Green, called upon the
powers of the Shadowdark to grant
her the tools she would need to
strike back at the people bullying
her. She wanted to summon an
army of Orcs to be the instrument
of her vengeance. Unfortunately, she
messed up the spell and only got one
Orc before the Portal collapsed, and
the resulting backlash destroyed her
house.
Now Frank "Fang" Green
is an Orc trapped in our world who
is helping the Freen family recover
from the supernatural disaster
their daughter created when she
summoned him. He obeys the
commands of his "Dark Mistress,
"Amanda, as only an Orc can, which
often involves violence, theft, and
murder.
Appearance: Fang is an Orc.
Quote: "Blood and souls for my Dark
Queen Amanda."
Adventure Seeds: Amanda often
sends Fang out to get the supplies
she needs to care for her family by
any means he sees fit.

130
The Terrors Members include:
The terrors are my homage to
the classic supervillain team, the The Grin: His cybernetic brain allows
Crushers, from Crises at Crusader him to store massive amounts of
Citadel by Jeff Dee and Jack Herman. data and communicate with other
This is a loosely knit group machines on touch. He also has a
of enhanced humans ages who have built-in Force Cannon in his chest
been engaging in criminal activities and cybernetic eyes that provide him
across California and Nevada in one with Radar, GPS, Night vision, and an
form or another since the 1980s. It is eternal compass. As a side effect of
one of the USA's oldest established his cybernetics, he is always smiling.
and consistent supervillain teams.
The main goal of this Blockade and Bastion: Twin
organization is to steal high-end brothers who are the team's bricks.
electronics and weapons and control They are solid and can take a lot of
the sales of high-tech weaponry. damage.
However, they are not above staging
high-profile robberies and acts of Looker: A Telepath who uses her
vandalism. They are reckless enough powers to manipulate the emotions
to have staged daylight thefts on and perceptions of her victims.
military convoys.
The roster has changed Tantrum: Charm's younger sister
multiple times over the years, and uses her psychic powers to drive
the current roster consists of a people mad with rage and sorrow.
combination of experienced villains
and brand-new members.

131
Haunt: Looker’s older sister uses her Crime Lords by Elvis Presley
powers to inspire fear and terror in Oh, well, a-bless my soul, but what's
her victims. wrong with me? I'm itching like a man
on a fuzzy tree. My friends say I'm
Badger: A disgraced pro wrestler acting wild as a bug.
who got cybernetic surgery to
remain relevant in the criminal It's the Crime, Lords baby .And they
world. His claws and fangs enhanced suck. Uhm hu, yes.
agility and speed, and a chemical Oh, well, my hands are shaky, and my
pump in the base of his spine can fill knees are weak. I can't seem to stand
him with adrenaline and send him on my own two feet.
into a berserk rage. Who do you thank when you have such
luck?
The Wasp: He has insect-like wings It's the Crime Lords baby, and they
and can communicate with bees, suck.
wasps, and other stinging insects,
which aid him in his crimes. Mm-mm, yes, yes, yes.
Well, please don't ask me what's on my
mind. I'm a little confused, but I feel
Eagle: Very handsome, and he has fine. When I see what they are doing
a beautiful pair of bird wings and outside My heart beats, so it scares me
heightened senses. to death. When they torched my house,
what a chill I got. They set off on a
Thunder: A level-headed teenager volcano at Seth’s shop, but I'm proud to
who can project powerful lightning say that I stood tall.
bolts from his hands.
It's the Crime Lords, baby, and they
Fight: An exceptionally well-trained suck. Mm-mm, yeah, yeah, yeah
combatant who is equally skilled My tongue gets tied when I try to speak.
with weapons as in hand-to-hand My insides shake like a leaf on a tree.
combat. There's only one cure for this body of
mine. To see the Crime Lords do Jail
Chance: He is incredibly lucky. Time.
Spark: The team's inventor and When she blew up my house, what a
power armor character. Always chill I got. They set off a volcano in
armed with an ever-changing arsenal Seth’s shop, I'm proud to say that I
of weapons. stood tall.
It's the Crime Lords, baby, and they
suck.

Mm-mm, yes, yes, yes

Mm-mm, yes, yes, It’s the Crime Lords
baby, and they suck.

132
 they have minds of their own. They
Issue #8 have developed worldviews, and
their brains have been hard-wired.
The Sidekick Puberty has come and gone, and
their bodies are done changing.
stays in the picture! They are who they are—the finished
product.
The Prometheus program had ended
Conversely, a child is an
in disaster and embarrassment. The
unfinished lump of clay that can
city was as bad as ever, if not worse.
still be molded. Their minds and
The Weatherford group spent 90% of
bodies have yet to finish cooking;
its budget trying to stay ahead of the
they are open to suggestions and
lawsuits and wrongful death charges.
modifications.
Add to that the Charm book, which
After so many failures
explained in detail the horrors her
with adults, the Weatherford
team went through.
Foundation decided to conduct
It is evident to all involved
the G3 Prometheus experiments
that the first generation of enhanced
on Children. The theory was that
humans the Weatherford’s had
children were much more adaptable;
gifted Fresno failed. Those who
thus, modifying their minds and
had survived were physical and
bodies would be more likely to work
psychological messes who were hell-
without killing them. Plus, the one
bent on self-destruction, and they
thing a city like Fresno had plenty of,
would all be either media disasters
was Orphans.
or dead by the end of the decade.
The Weatherford Home for
Weatherford publicly ended their
Children was opened, and over the
experiments into the superhuman
next months, dozens of children
and spent a long time trying to repair
were placed in the care of the facility
their damage. Behind the scenes,
and its friendly staff.
the Weatherford siblings felt that
All of them, even the
the Prometheus experiment had
toddlers, were put through intensive
succeeded; they had accomplished
physical and psychological training
the impossible. They had created
and a regime of drugs and nutrition
actual living superhumans. They had
to rival anything an Olympic
no intention of ending the program;
athlete was put through. Each child
now more than ever, the possibility
underwent blood extraction at the
of harnessing the power of
end of each month, followed by
supernature was at their fingertips,
collecting bone marrow and tissue
and Fresno still needed saving.
samples. The experiment began at
They spent months
the end of the first year, and despite
researching each success and failure
multiple investigations from the
of the Prometheus program, and one
Fresno CPS, it continued for months.
common factor was that everyone
they experimented with was over 18.
The problem with adults is that

133
 In addition to the intense Yet nothing could be done
training and education, the children despite investigations from CPS,
all underwent hours of psychological the FDA, and the FBI. There was
manipulation. The experiments the no actual proof that the children
children were put through were had been harmed, the labs and the
barbaric, designed to push the records were squeaky clean, and
children to their limit and to imbue when the Teens were interviewed,
them with paranormal powers from they all had nothing but good things
The Shadowdark. It was tantamount to say.
to torture; they were broken, beaten, They knew the kids were in
and taken apart in hundreds of ways. an awful state, but there was nothing
Killed and brought back and killed they could do.
again, over, and over.
The first costumed Team Then, one August night, Kid Sidekick
of teens appeared in Public to help changed everything
rescue the victims of a Terrorist
bombing on the Fresno subway. ***
It was a media disaster; for
some reason, the Public could not Fred "Kid Sidekick" Jones was the
get behind scantily clad super kids adopted son of former Weatherford
being in danger, and no amount of employee Doc Solomon, who, from
manipulation from the Weatherford age 6, had been trained in mind
Foundation could alter that. and body to be the peak of human
It was the innate desire to achievement. Kid Sidekick had
protect children that most adults begun to make a name for himself
have. It was anger at the fact kids as a crime fighter in the suburbs of
were being used as lab rats right Fresno and had been investigating
under their noses. Stories of the the goings-on at the Weatherford
abuse the children were subject to facility for months. He eventually
at the facility did not help paint the snuck his way in as just another kid
kids in a positive light. seeking shelter and slowly took the
The behavior of the kids did program apart piece by piece over
not help. Between 16-year-old Candy the next few weeks.
X posing nude in Playtime magazine, It took months to go through
to Robert “Kid Chameleon" Kicks everything, help the kids who
arresting the Fresno mayor for wanted help, and hopefully, finally
corruption, to the public death of bring the Weatherford group down.
Jamal "Falcon" Brown. As for the Kids, the ones who were
It was all the Public could not destroyed mentally? Some were
take, not to mention the outrage adopted, and some vanished into
from the Fresno authorities over the system so deep that Kid Sidekick
the fact that many Teenagers in could not discover their fate. What
Halloween costumes were doing a about the remainder?
better job than they were.

134
How did the Fresno Authorities How did the people of
react to Superpowered teenagers? Fresno react to the Teenagers?
The technological advances coming The Public loved their new
into Fresno reached the police superpowered teenagers. The
and emergency services. By the bad guys were as popular as the
time Kid Sidekick had freed his good guys, and their merchandise
fellow empowered teens from the vanished from the shelves at Target
Weatherford Group, the police had and Seths as soon as they appeared.
the latest in weapons and tactical The heroes brought in new
armor available to them, and Fresno tourists, which boosted the Fresno
Fire & Rescue was using state-of- economy. When Fresno TV aired
the-art equipment and had the aid of footage of their battles with super
the Armored Emergency Services. criminals, it was one of the highest-
Super Human regulations rated shows in the state.
were still uncharted territory, so each This fascination lasted about
time one of the Teens came to court, a year; the Public turned on the
it was a chance to see how things Teens.
applied to them. Was flying over a It was the same argument
house considered trespassing? Could week after week. The Weatherford
the testimony of a prisoner be used organization was still profiting
as evidence if Telepathy took it? Was from the labor of these kids. The
the use of Telekinesis regarded as an Weatherford had experimented on
excessive force? Was a 12-year-old them with no oversight. They were
allowed to have legal enforcement being exploited, and they were kids
powers? who were constantly in danger!
Still, maybe because they How dare they let a 16-year-
were just kids and had been through old pose nude in Playtime! How dare
hell and were getting the job done they let a 16-year-old fight crime!
in a way Prometheus never did, the How dare these kids make adults
police chose to work with the teen look bad!
heroes when they could, especially For a while, the spandex-
when the Terrors were involved. clad teenagers filled the people of
Fresno with hope, enthusiasm, and
drive, which, in turn, drove them
to invest back into the city and its
development.
Everything changed as
every aspect of the city's culture
was affected. Thanks to Gadget
Girl, Fresno Technology evolved to
rival any other major city and was
as good as anything coming out of
Takeda Technologies. The industry
was once again profitable and used
135
clean energy, and the Fresno tourist Drugs were not sold on
industry was at an all-time high! The street corners anymore but instead
city was safe, clean, and full of good delivered by various agents posing
hope. Crime was non-existent, the as UPS. Muggings and street crime
government was no longer corrupt, did not happen; the criminals would
and the city made a profit. police themselves and go after
The new non-corrupt anyone dumb enough even to try.
government was indebted to the Even shoplifters had as much to
population who now wanted the fear from the mob as they did from
beloved Teen Vigilantes to be the police. It was not that crime was
disbanded and placed under proper not happening; oh no, the city was
care. Fresno was a golden example as corrupt as ever. You did not see
of what a city could be; it did not it; it was as crucial to the criminals
need superpowered children to keep as it was to the city to perpetuate
it safe! It was time for the town to the illusion that the Vigilantes were
stand on its own. "taking a bite out of crime." They
Of course, this did not stop profited from it.
the terrorists' actions in any way; For example, black market
in fact, it encouraged them to new cybernetic labs sprung around
levels as they took up the fight for Fresno like mushrooms during this
the rights of abused kids everywhere. time. Companies like Seth's Gear,
As for the Teen heroes, Kid Ammo, and Weatherford Industries
Sidekick would not stop his crime- helped outfit various gangs and
fighting action. While many of his mercenaries to deal with supers
teammates were happy to try and As the Vigilantes' activities
have a normal life, a few remained brought new wealth and tourism
active as costumed vigilantes simply to Fresno, the criminals found a
because it was all they knew, and way to profit from it. Pay-per-views
they were good at it. The world still depicting the Vigilantes in combat
needed its Teen Protectors. with color gangs and supervillains
Organized crime had were sold monthly to an ever-eager
evolved, though, thanks to the efforts audience. All those funds went to
of the first Prometheus team. They fill the coffers of organized crime—
had learned that their old methods funds that were then used to support
would no longer work under the the Terrors so they would keep
repressive eye of Vigilantes. They fighting Kid Sidekick and his Team.
modernized and found ways to make Eventually, all good things
crime less obvious. They invested end. Kids grow up and move on with
heavily in new technologies and their lives. The Terrors fell apart
hired or created their superhuman and were reformed so often that
agents. The street drug known as the current group looks different
Prime was the result of industrial from the original. Even the ever-
theft and an attempt to mass- diligent Kid Sidekick cut back on his
produce supervillains. crime-fighting and tried to have an

136
everyday life. Bad Guys Always Lose
Fresno was as safe as it was by Elvis Presley (1992)
ever going to be. Babe, you're getting closer. The lights
As for their creators, the are going dim. The sound of your
Weatherford Foundation was breathing has made this bad guy go
the subject of a multiple-agency crazy.
investigation spearheaded by the
DOJ. Still, by the end of the year, all All of my resistance, He is lying on the
those investigations had ground floor. Taking me to places This bad guy
to a halt because all the relevant has never, never been before.
witnesses had died. Eventually, the
Weatherford siblings stepped down [Pre-Chorus]
as the heads of the Corporation and Ooh, and this lousy guy can feel it. Feel
named 14-year-old Doris “Gadget it, feel it, feel it.
Girl” Shoemaker the new CEO of
Weatherford and the heir to the [Chorus]
Weatherford fortune. This surprised You're a good girl, and you're winning.
more than a few people. I am a bad guy, and I am sinning.
You make me a bad guy and, when it
comes to you, this Bad Guys always
lose.

[Verse 2]
Ooh, this bad guy's head is spinning.
You got me in your spell. A hundred
magic fingers on a whirling carousel
The medicine within me No doctor
could prescribe it. Your love is doing
something. That this lousy guy can't
describe.

Pre-Chorus]
Ooh, and this lousy guy can feel it. Feel
it, feel it, feel it.

[Chorus]
You're a good girl, and you're winning.
I am a bad guy, and I am sinning.
You make me a bad guy and, when it
comes to you, this Bad Guys always
lose.

137
 factories were profitable again and
Issue #9 using clean energy, and the Fresno
tourist industry was at an all-time
The Coming of high!

the Crime Lords Again.

Once the foul taste of the latest
History repeats itself, and in no place
Weatherford fiasco washed out of
is that truer than Fresno.
Fresno’s mouth, it was time to start
again.
Fresno crime was experiencing an
The corruption and graft
upswing again. Fresno had lost its
that once plagued the city had been
technological Edge, and the tourist
eliminated, and the air quality was
industry had stopped.
even better. Everything in Fresno
As people lost jobs and
was 1000 times better than just a few
factories closed, drugs and crime
years ago.
started to slip in, pushing the city out
Taxpayers started to wonder
of its golden halo and back to Earth.
why they were paying for the police
Organized crime had come back
force and the Armed Security if the
and regained all the control it had
city was now safe. When the new
lost, black market cyber-dealers and
Mayor was elected, it was agreed
biohackers began to appear again,
that the funds that would pay for
and the city's first new supervillain
the various armed security agencies
had made his appearance.
running about town could instead
Thanks to the ever-present
improve the city's infrastructure.
presence of the Fring, Fresno was
All the various crime-
once again drowning in crime, blood,
fighting teams and organizations
and corruption, in addition to an
were disbanded, and, in a surprise
ever-increasing wave of supernatural
move, the Weatherford brothers
threats.
stepped down as CEOs and gave
In response, the mayor
complete control of the group to
sought to reopen the superpowered
Gadget Girl, of all people.
crime fighter program and
These events filled the
approached the Weatherford
people of Fresno with hope,
Group to see if they would restart
enthusiasm, and drive, which, in
Prometheus.
turn, drove them to invest back
The answer from Gadget
into the city and its development.
Girl's office was "Never again."
Everything changed during these
At this point, a young
years as every aspect of the city's
assistant DA named Stella Curry
culture was affected.
approached the mayor and suggested
Technology evolved to rival
contacting another company to
any other major city in the U.S. and
reinvent the Prometheus program.
was as good as anything coming
They turned to the Cornelious
out of Takeda Technologies. The

138
Corp, which had shown progress in Vanguard force made its dynamic
creating superhumans in the past. appearance and directly engaged
Cornelious Corp bills itself in a week-long battle with Fresno's
as an international organization corrupt police force. It was a
promoting public-private resounding success, and Street Shark
partnerships. It was founded in was the only fatality on the Vanguard
1989 as a nonprofit foundation side. This left Fresno without a
that is independent, unbiased, and functioning Police Force, but the
unattached to any particular interest. mayor was happy, and the people felt
It to unite the world's most safe for now.
influential political, commercial, Vanguard Force was up
cultural, and other leaders to and running smoothly under the
create global and regional industry leadership of Stella "Cage" Curry and
agendas. They also like to take test seemed to be a success.
subjects apart and put them back Their moment of glory
together in an attempt to make was short-lived when the criminal
superhuman soldiers. mastermind, the Monarch, united
With their aid, the city several of the city's supervillains
sponsored a new program called and had them join his "Crime Lords
"Resurgence" to create a new “team. Under his leadership, these
generation of enhanced crime Villains went from a joke to a vicious,
fighters with physical abilities and bloodthirsty squad of terrorists who
paranormal powers. Stella Curry, began a city-wide murder spree of
who had invented the program, was every superhuman they could find.
the first volunteer. They had already killed several
Once Stella Curry got the before anyone was even aware they
approval from the mayor’s office existed. Vanguard and the Crime
to begin using Cornelious method Lords fought many battles across the
to try and create a new source of city, and the town was always the
superhumans loyal to Fresno the final victim of these conflicts.
quest for volunteers began, stella This back-and-forth went on
curry being one of the very first. for months, costing the city millions
Unlike Prometheus, of dollars and dozens of lives. In
Cornelious made no illusions a shocking turn of events, Stella
about what would happen to the "Cage" Curry stepped down from
Volunteers; anyone choosing this her position in the Vanguard force to
might die or worse. Yet despite that, announce that she was running for
they still had over 1200 volunteers, the office of Fresno District Attorney
most of them military or first under a conservative 0 tolerance for
responders, who were tortured to superhumans ticket. If elected, she
death by the scientists. Only Stella would demand that all superhumans
"Cage" Curry and six others made it in Fresno, including the Vanguard
to the end of the program. force, be brought to justice.
A year later, the first Cornelious Corps' biggest

139
ally had become its biggest enemy.
She won the vote in a The members of the
landslide and mobilized the
National Guard to eliminate first Vanguard Force
active superhumans; under her Cage
orders, almost 90% of the Fresno Name: Stella “Cage” Curry
superhuman population was Powers: Combat Savant always knew
killed or captured as part of her what her opponents would do.
new Superhuman-free Fresno. Fate: Retired from costumed heroics
The original Vanguard force was to run for Fresno District Attorney
disbanded, and many of its members under a 0 tolerance for superhumans
ended up in jail or forced to have campaign. Had powers removed
their powers removed by the city.
This was not the end of
the many surprises Fresno District The Owl
Attorney had planned. A few Name: Tristian "Owl" Marx.
months after her purge of the city's Powers: Night vision, wings,
superhuman community, a brand enhanced str at night but weak
new team of superhumans appeared during the day
using the "Vanguard force" name, Fate: Captured and had his powers
and this team was under the direct removed.
supervision of the "Department of
Metahuman Affairs." Athena
This new Vanguard was the Name: Charletta “Athena” Reb
team the city always wanted. They all Powers: Enhanced strength and
had new fancy uniforms, the latest Constitution
technology, and cool names Fate: Escaped the purge and left
Fresno with Superstar.

Superstar
Name: Sage "Superstar" Kendrick
Powers: Enhanced Dex and fighting
skills.
Fate: Escaped the purge and fled
Fresno with Athena

The Fox
Name: Robert “The Fox” Real.
Powers: Enhanced senses, including
vision and smell. Claws & fangs,
enhanced speed.
Fate: Killed in action during the
Fresno superhuman purge.

140
Savant
Name: Trent “Savant” Newton.
The First Crime Lords
Organized under the Monarch, the
Powers: Enhanced inventing and
original Crime Lords were a ruthless
skill use.
team of villains who went on a
Fate: Captured and had his powers
superhuman killing spree before
removed.
eventually being brought to justice
by the second Vanguard team.
Ember Ironically, when Vanguard went bad,
Name: Kim “Ember” Aiello. they renamed themselves The Crime
Powers: Flame control, smoke Lords II
control.
Fate: Captured and had his powers
removed
The Monarch
Name: Martin Owens
Code Name: The Monarch
Perks & Powers: Enhanced
Intelligence. Enhanced Charisma
Fate: Forced to work for Edge

Big Brat
Name: Mike Montgomery
Code Name: Big Brat
Powers: High Pain threshold,
Enhanced Endurance. Immovability
Fate: Killed

The Serpent
Name: Giovanni “Tony” Christa II
Code Name: The Serpent.
Perks & Powers: Ambidextrous,
stretching.
Fate: Killed

The Enchantress
Name: Sylvia Mongomery
Code Name: Enchantress.
Perks & Powers: Enhanced
beauty(S.A.), Empathy
Fate: Killed.

141
 As the protests grew and tensions
Vanguard Force II escalated, the Vanguard Squad
Stella Curry's first term as DA ended started to operate.
with the new status quo firmly in The Vanguard Force
place: a crime would happen, and rebranded themselves as the new
the police would look like bumbling "Crime Lords" of Fresno under the
fools until the Vanguard showed up iron fist leadership of the mysterious
and dealt with the situation, often EDGE. It seemed as if the hero's
with bloody results. power and influence corrupted them,
Stella Curry won her second turning them into the very criminals
term as DA on her Zero Tolerance for they once fought against.
Super Crime campaign, which used In what the press duped
the Vanguard Force and the Police as "Blood Friday," the newly minted
her army. She also clarified that she Crime Lords II cemented their legacy
was gunning for the mayor’s office in with a brutal attack on the city's
the next election. superhuman population, seeking out
However, the line between and slaughtering any empowered
heroism and villainy quickly blurred hero or villain they could find.
as the Vanguard force became more By Monday, the city was
ruthless and power-hungry. The entirely under the control of the
never-ending battle to keep Fresno former heroes, and there was
safe became a bloody civil war, and nothing anyone could do. Nostalgia
the criminals were often seen as a is a funny thing. With the Crime
better alternative to the heroes. The Lords turning Fresno into a post-
strained relationships between city apocalypse wasteland, people
hall and the population grew. The began to harken back to the old
members of the Vanguard Force days. Things were better when the
exploited this situation to gradually Prometheus team was active. Where
position themselves as the city's only was Brick, where was Charm, where
protectors, imposing their brand was Kid Sidekick?
of justice on citizens and criminals The city got its answer
alike. soon enough with the arrival of Kid
It was as if nothing had Sidekick and his "Vigilantes" team?
changed for Fresno.
However, the situation took
a sinister turn during the police
brutality protests that swept across
the nation. The defending of the
Police movement hit Fresno hard,
with the city's leaders struggling to
address the citizens' concerns while
maintaining law and order. Initially
hailed as heroes, the Vanguard Squad
saw an opportunity in the chaos.

142
Plot Hooks for the Crime Lords • Using her abilities, Banshee
• As a brutal gang war tears the extorts the profits of several
city apart, whispers suggest local businesses. The Vigilantes
Spoiler is the instigator. need to devise a plan to free
• A coalition of business owners these entrepreneurs from
asks the Vigilantes for aid Banshee's grasp.
against Frank the Tank's • Solo employs his cybernetic
demands for protection money. prowess to terrorize debtors.
The team faces a dilemma: • Mr. Monster's production of a
confront Frank directly or seek a new drug threatens the city.
less confrontational resolution. • Silent accepts a contract to
• Mysterious power outages assassinate a high-profile
plague the city, coinciding with individual, but the target
Thunder's ascent. remains unknown. An
• A spree of high-profile art thefts informant alerts the Vigilantes,
sweeps across the city, with all who must act swiftly to prevent
evidence pointing to Banshee the assassination and protect
• When Banshee's criminal the mysterious target.
organization pilfers an artifact • The authorities discover a series
she claims as family heritage, a of encoded messages suggesting
representative of Banshee pleads an imminent power struggle
for assistance in recovering the among the crime lords. The
relic from her cohorts messages must be deciphered to
• Spoiler's grand heist on a bank prevent a bloody turf war that
goes awry as a treacherous could endanger innocent lives.
lieutenant steals her ms plan, • A new designer drug hits the
Spoiler turns to the Vigilantes to streets, causing bizarre and
help apprehending the betrayer dangerous side effects in its
and reclaiming her blueprint. users. Tracing the source of the
• Frank the Tank's display of drug back to Mr. Monster and
force to annex a rival crime taking down his operation must
lord's turf threatens to ignite be done before more people are
chaos. The Vigilantes have to killed.
choose between intervening or • 15: Edge's master plan unravels,
exploiting the ensuing disorder and she becomes increasingly
for their advantage. paranoid. She begins
• Edge bankrolls a corrupt eliminating potential threats,
politician's mayoral campaign including key political figures.
in a neighboring city. Is she The Vigilantes are tasked with
planning to branch out? protecting those targets and
finally finding a way to expose
Edge's secret identity.
• 16: Tag decides to do something
chaotic.

143
 deep into the various government
Issue #10 offices to find a chink in the Crime
Lords armor.
Dawn of the Vigilantes He broke into the offices of
Cornelious Corp to gather as much
Fresno has always had a
information about the mechanics
strange relationship with other
behind the creation of the various
superhumans. They were all over the
members of the villain team as
rest of the world, yet they seldom
possible. He met with Gadget Girl
came to or left Fresno. Apex and
in secret more than once to discuss
Prodigal had tried to start lives in
methods to counter the team (and
Los Angeles, but somehow, every
test her latest inventions).
choice brought them back to Fresno.
One by one, he sought out any
The world watched the horrifying
remaining superhuman in Fresno
actions of the new Crime Lords play
who had survived the Crime Lord's
out on their televisions but did not
purge, from fresh-faced newcomers
lift a finger to stop them.
like "Blue Condor" to the Prometheus
Where were the army, the
team members who were still alive
Red Cross, and the National Guard?
like Charm.
Where were the Sentinels?
Fresnos final beacon of hope
On the other hand,
rests in the hands of the original
superpowered villains like the
Vigilantes from Project Prometheus,
Terrors had no problem entering
several of whom continue to dwell
the city. Still, once the Crime Lords
within the city's limits. Time has
established themselves as the new
taken its toll on these former heroes;
powers in Fresno, there was an
they have aged, and their physical
agreed-upon armistice among the
prowess has diminished. The
Villain community to leave Fresno
X-Vigilantes have been confronting
alone.
personal battles over the years, such
Fresno police had always
as alcoholism, drug addiction, and
been corrupt, so it was no big stretch
lives steeped in crime and adversity.
for them to become loyal to the
To rescue their city from the
Crime Lords. The District Attorney’s
clutches of the fallen crime fighters
office could only do something if the
who have morphed into nefarious
police would aid them. Most were so
villains, these once-renowned
afraid that they would rather help
heroes must embark on a journey
their new criminal masters than lift a
of redemption and self-discovery
finger to stop them.
under my guidance. A position I am
The world at large had given
in no way suited for; these are actual
up on the city of Fresno.
superpowered beings! I'm just a guy
Only one person stood
with a rope."- Kid Sidekicks journal.
against the rising tide: Kid Sidekick.
Driven by the death he saw;
The world's greatest crime
Fred Jones started a crusade to unite
fighter had spent months working
any of the remaining empowered
the streets and worming his way

144
Humans within Fresno to stand The Cosmic’s, a heroic color gang
with him against the Crime Lords The Cosmic's are a Fresno color
no matter the cost. Hero, villain, it gang with a 1960s surfing and
did not matter; if they would fight science fiction theme. They model
with him, they could be part of themselves off classical 1960s
his "Vigilante team." Gadget Girl surf films like Invisible Bikini and
provided the funding, base, and gear Martin Surf Party. They all dress in
for the fledgling team, and Candy X 1960s surf style, drive around in
joined because she had nothing else dune buggies, and commit crimes
to do. As for the rest brave enough to for "kicks." Since the Crime Lords
be part of this foolish-hardy mission, took over the city, the Cosmic fought
they all had reasons to want to see against the bloody criminals and
the Crime Lords taken down. eventually aligned themselves with
Based out of the defunct the Shadowdark Supers team.
Weatherford Group facility on the The Cosmic’s Members
outskirts of Fresno, they have a small include:
fleet of vehicles and a vast arsenal to
fight their war. • Carlos “Moon Dog” Sparks.
• Jennifer “Gidget” Gable.
Vigilante agents •
•
Grant “Gilligan” Dobson.
Charles “Bone Daddy”
In addition to the public team, the Garibaldi.
organization has several active • Eric “Bone Daddy” Bress.
agents throughout the city. Most of • Belinda “Baby Doll” Gilliam.
them are concerned citizens acting
as neighborhood watchmen. Still,
they also have people loyal to them Armed Agents
in the police department, a district The last few surviving department
attorney's office, and even an entire members have aligned themselves
color gang. with the cause.
Many of the surviving
members of the DSHA have also AC: 16/19, Health Dice: 3d8,
joined to act as armored backups Movement: 12, Attack: 1 weapon
on more dangerous missions, and Damage: Assault rifle (1d6+3),
Charm is also working on getting the knife (1d4), marksman rifle (1d8+2)
National Guard to join the team. Bonus: +1 to ranged attack rolls.

145
Vigilante Plot Hooks • Candy Powers has found a
• Candy X has discovered the weakness in one of the villains'
location of one of the former primary ACs.
Vanguard’s secret bases and is • Charm has been using her
planning a raid with the rest of empathic abilities to explore the
the team. underworld and gather info on
• Gadget Girl infiltrated one of the the villains illicit activities.
villains' organizations, posing • Brick has taken it upon himself
as a recruit. to bring the Crime Lords to
• Kid Sidekick has obtained justice, taoperations brutally
evidence linking one of the and targeting their operations
Crime Lords to a high-profile relentlessly.
murder. • Prodigal uses his acting skills
• Candy X's oceanography skills to infiltrate one of the crime
have caught the attention of lords' organizations, gathering
one of a villain, leading to the intel and identifying their
possibility of the Vigilantes weaknesses.
gaining crucial information. • Alpha challenges the player
• Gadget Girl's latest invention characters to a series of
threatens to bring down one increasingly dangerous trials
of the former Vanguard team’s to prove their worthiness as
criminal empires. teammates.
• Kid Sidekick is rallying public • Mover relentlessly pursues
support against the villains, the player characters, seeking
using his reputation to bolster revenge for his brother's death,
his cause. which he believes they are
• Candy Powers has tracked down responsible for
one of the villains' businesses • One of the former Vanguard
and plans to expose it. NPCs secretly works against the
• Prodigal offers the player player characters, using their
characters a deal: if they can connections and abilities to
help him solve a high-profile sabotage the operations.
murder case with political • Charm has been kidnapped
implications, he will provide by a criminal organization
them with valuable intel on that intends to exploit her
their crime boss enemies. empathetic abilities for its
• Gadget Girl has hacked into one nefarious purposes.
of the villains' communication • Brick and Alpha team up to
networks, potentially take down a dangerous crime
compromising their plans. lord, causing problems for the
• Kid Sidekick targets one of the players’ characters.
villains' key allies, aiming to • Ape-X is attempting to take
weaken their organization by down a black-market pet trade.
removing critical support.

146
 point for the city, finally having a
Issue #11 police force that works for them
rather than against them? Or will
Meanwhile, in Fresno today things return to normal when the
Crime Lords are finally taken down?
Public perception of the Crime Lords
Most of the public hates and fears
the crime lords, but a few see them
How did the other
as a good thing. The city is safer and criminals react to the crime lords?
cleaner than it has ever been. People The greatest enemy the crime
can walk the streets at night without lords may have in Fresno is not the
fear of being robbed. Jobs are up, heroes, it is the other criminals and
taxes are down, guns and drugs are supervillains call the city home.
off the roads, and basic cable is free, The Mob did not take kindly
so it's not surprising that despite the to the crime lords and their bloody
heavy-handed actions of the Crime reign of terror. Those who survived
Lords, a lot of people see them as a have either given their loyalty to the
good thing. crime lords (for now) or are actively
working against them.
How did the police
deal with the Crime Lords? The rest of the World and Fresno
Are there other superheroes and
Since the 1960s, Fresno law
villains in the world of Shadowdark
enforcement has been a seething pile
Supers?
of corruption. While there were good
Why hasn't anyone stepped
cops on the force, they were scarce
up and tried to help Fresno? Where
and never lasted very long.
is the Government?
At first, the police were
While there are
more than happy to take a knee to
superpowered humans in the world,
their new Crime lord master’s and
this book should focus on Fresno
continue acting the way they always
and the Crime Lords/Vigilantes.
worked, until the Crime Lords
If there is enough interest, we
slaughtered 70% of the Fresno police
will explore the rest of the world's
force for daring even to suggest
superhuman population in a future
things were going to continue the
product.
way they had been.
Why do events within Fresno
Since then, the remaining
seem to not draw the attention of the
Police force has lived in fear of
rest of the world?
the Crime Lords and obeyed their
The main reason is the ever-
commands, but there is a growing
present influence of Shadowdark on
sense of rebellion within the Fresno
Fresno. The Shadowdark sits on top
police. Even by their standards, the
of Fresno like an evil mother hen,
Crime Lords have gone too far and
seeping into all aspects of everyday
are beginning to resist.
life and making the rest of the world
Could this be the turning

147
blind to the atrocities that happen One such report of this
within the city’s border. effect details how a humanitarian
It's not that people are not aid group meant to go to Fresno, but
aware of what's going on; it's more there was always some bureaucratic
just that they do not care and always reason why they never could.
seem to produce a reason that Criminals and supervillains
justifies no one lifting a finger to like the Terrors have no problem
help Fresno. coming to Fresno and adding to the
misery.

148
Issue #12 What does the Villain fear?
1. Loss of freedom.
2. Loss of money or tangible
Revoltin' Developments goods.
3. Loss of a loved one.
Various random tables and ideas for
you to use whenever you need to 4. Loss of respect.
spice things up in your game. 5. That someone is better than
them.
6. Of being discovered
Villian motivation 7. Losing their powers or
The best advice I ever read for
motivation
creating an NPC is to ask what that
8. Phobia of an animal or thing
person wants, what they fear, and
9. Not having enough time
what makes them stand out from all
10. Nothing
the other NPCs.

What does the Villain want? A funny thing happened

1. Greed. The Villain is in it for on the way to the bank...
the money. Random, Shadowdark things can
2. Lust. The Villain is motivated happen while the hero tries to do
by a desire. something else. Roll this at least once
3. Wrath. The Villain wants per adventure.
revenge.
4. Sloth. The Villain wants to be Category, Roll 1D8.
left alone. 1. Supernatural/ weird
5. Envy. The Villain is motivated 2. Disaster
by hatred. 3. Ordinary crime
6. Pride. The Villain wants to be 4. Aliens
recognized as the best. 5. Mob/gang/organized crime
7. Gluttony. The Villain is 6. Supervillains
motivated by its desire to 7. Espionage
consume/ control something. 8. Everyday catastrophes.
8. Fun. The Villain commits a
crime because they are bored,
and crime is fun.
9. Inconvenience. This is
for those force-of-nature
type villains. They are not
committing crimes; the city is
just in their way.
10. Evil. Villains commit crimes
simply because they can,
because they are evil, and they
want to see others suffer.

149
Supernatural 15. An interdimensional portal
1. A portal opens to another opens in the city's heart,
world unleashing strange and
2. Characters encounter a 16. Dangerous entities from other
supernatural being, such as a realms. The town becomes a
wizard or God battleground between these
3. Characters encounter a Otherworldly beings.
supernatural adversary, such 17. Groundhog Day: One or more
as a demon characters are trapped in a
4. Characters teleport via magic time loop where they have to
to a brand-new location live out the same day, every
5. Supernatural energies alter day.
the weather in strange ways 18. Every day is Christmas.”
6. A group of trouble-making 19. Magic is real and spreading
imps arrive in the city. across town.
7. Supernatural spirits begin to 20. Supernatural disaster
possess people 21. A new supernatural villain
8. A rare celestial alignment appears.
allows a powerful ritual
that unleashes hordes of Disaster
bloodthirsty creatures on the 1. Fire
city during the full moon. 2. A Kaiju attacks the city
9. Zombie Apocalypse. 3. Volcano
10. The Rapture: People start 4. Earthquake
vanishing around the area, 5. Flash flood
leaving nothing behind but 6. A sinkhole opens up
their shoes. 7. Hurricane
11. A series of supernatural- 8. Asteroid is about to impact the
themed crimes starts city
12. Vampires, because it’s always 9. Animals escape from the zoo
vampires 10. A new plague is spreading
13. Legendary monsters are 11. The space station is in danger
coming to life. People have 12. Blackouts
seen Frankenstein, the 13. Flood
werewolf, and other classic 14. Heatwave
horror monsters. 15. Cold
14. The flow of time becomes 16. Chemical spill
disrupted, leading to 17. Cyclone
unpredictable temporal 18. Zombie Apocalypse
anomalies. Buildings 19. It’s raining fish
disappear and reappear, and 20. The nuclear plant is critical.
people age rapidly or become
stuck in time loops, causing
chaos and confusion.

150
Ordinary Crime Aliens
1. A local bank is being robbed 1. Aliens invade
2. Famous landmarks around 2. Charterers encounter an alien.
town are being vandalized. 3. An alien plants its eggs in
3. A recent series of fires in someone the hero knows
the area have all the signs of 4. The characters are transported
arson. to an alien world
4. A new drug hits the streets 5. The space station is in danger
5. Thugs assault someone the 6. An alien artifact is discovered
characters know in a town
6. A riot breaks out 7. Someone has stolen an
7. A local official is assassinated asteroid
8. There is a murder 8. Earth is about to be destroyed
9. The parents of a kidnapped 9. The public finds out that
child beg for help on TV aliens are real
10. A suicide makes all the news 10. A space war breaks out in our
11. Union workers go on strike solar system
12. Someone is Blackmailing a 11. Aliens start to abduct people
member of the hero family in Fresno
13. A new Serial killer is active 12. A new alien supervillain
14. New evidence is found in a arrives
cold case 13. Turns out a famous person is,
15. A human trafficking ring starts in fact, an alien
to operate in the city 14. The aliens start returning all
16. Illegal gambling is on the rise the people they have abducted
17. The character gets mugged over the years.
18. Mass protests and flash mobs 15. A mysterious government
break out all over town agency begins to monitor the
19. A stalker starts threatening player's characters
someone close to the hero 16. Aliens show up on Earth just
20. Shoplifting ring strikes the looking for some fun.
hero's neighborhood. 17. Alien-themed crime wave
begins.
18. Alien shows up on Earth
seeking asylum/aid
19. Elvis is sighted in the city
20. One of the characters is an
alien sleeper agent, and they
do not know it.

151
Organized Crime Supervillains
1. Gangs are selling a new and 1. A supervillain is using their
dangerous drug on the streets powers to start a riot in town
2. Gang members have begun 2. A supervillain assassinates a
assaulting people in public popular celebrity
3. The Mob is instigating riots 3. A supervillain goes on a killing
about town as a precursor for spree
something worse 4. A supervillain kidnaps a
4. The Mob assassinates a local reporter
official 5. A new supervillain team
5. A gang member murders the invades the city and tries to
character's romantic partner take it over
6. An organized kidnapping ring 6. A scientific accident creates a
has begun operating in town new supervillain
7. Union workers go on strike 7. A scientific accident unleashes
8. A government official is being a Kaiju on the city
blackmailed 8. A supervillain frees all animals
9. Evidence is found that shows a from the Zoo
government official is corrupt 9. A supervillain threatens to
10. Organized crime takes over unleash a plague on the city
one of the major companies in 10. A supervillain steals an
the city asteroid
11. A human trafficking ring starts 11. A respected hero is killed
operating out of the city 12. A well-known supervillain
12. Local street gangs are causing reconsiders and wants to be a
trouble in the character's hero
neighborhood 13. A well-known superhero
13. The Mob puts a contract out reconsiders and turns to a life
on the player characters of crime
14. The gangs start to set up new 14. Villains capture someone the
illegal gambling casinos characters know
15. A gang war breaks out 15. Super villain group attacks the
16. The mob sets up a protection heroes
ring in the character's 16. A supervillain gets their hand
neighborhood on a "doomsday device.”
17. A crime spree of art thefts 17. The heroes need the help of a
plagues the city supervillain,
18. Terrorists attack the city 18. The villains need the hero's
19. The Mob offers the characters help.
aid in exchange for a favor 19. The supervillain's plan
later on succeeds
20. The Mob puts a contract out 20. Turns out the character and
on the characters. the villains know each other
IRL.

152
Espionage Everyday Problems
1. The city is invaded by a foreign 1. A character is framed for a
military crime
2. There is a rebellion in a nearby 2. Someone discovers a hero’s
country that affects trade. secret ID
3. A government official is being 3. Someone is out there
blackmailed impersonating the hero
4. Evidence is found that shows a 4. A new hero wants to be the
government official is corrupt character’s sidekick
5. A foreign government 5. The press starts to follow the
threatens to unleash a plague. character
6. The government starts to 6. The government starts to
interfere with superhumans. interfere in the hero’s life
7. A foreign government kidnaps 7. The public turns against the
the heroes hero
8. Terrorists attack the city 8. An alien plants its eggs in
9. A spy wants to defect. someone the hero knows
10. A super-spy agency needs the 9. Someone the hero knows is
heroes’ help addicted to drugs
11. A spy infiltrates their life. 10. One of the characters is
12. The heroes discover someone kidnapped
they know is a spy 11. The character is mistaken as a
13. The characters are asked to go villain
undercover. 12. The hero’s kid/pet is sick
14. The “agency” marks a 13. Your boss needs you to stay
powerful person for death. late
15. The characters uncover a far- 14. The character is asked to help
reaching conspiracy involving a local business deal with a
powerful protection ring
16. Individuals and organizations 15. Protests and flash mobs break
manipulate events in the city. out in the hero’s neighborhood
17. Hostages are taken, and the 16. The hero has lost their
hero is asked to intervene. costume and must now fight
18. Important documents have crime wearing whatever is in
gone missing, and someone their closet
stole all the posts from the 17. The character has a stalker
supply closet 18. The hero is sick
19. Foreign supervillains have 19. The character's "partner" left
begun operating in the city them, stole their pickup truck
20. It Turns out that the and dog
conspiracy that the characters 20. The hero is asked to be a
have is true spokesperson for Seth Gear
21. One of the characters is a and Ammo.
sleeper agent.

153
 Banshee is in charge of
The Crime Lords of Fresno most of the Gangs still operating
The Crime Lords are made up of in the Crime Lords’ territory. She
members of the Vanguard team who is responsible for keeping them in
Edge was able to manipulate into check and making sure they pay their
joining her plans to take over Fresno, fees at the end of every month, in
along with a few superpowered return the Gangs expect her to step
mercenaries and other criminals who in and aid them if they have to deal
see working under Edge as the best with superheroes.
way to thrive in Fresno today. During her time under the
knife at Cornelious Corp, she was
“Crime Lords? “ given daily injections to alter her
“Yes” adrenal medulla, as a result she
“That’s the name you want to feels almost no fear but instead can
go with? Maybe you want to project her fear onto others.
workshop that a bit?” Banshee keeps her foes at
“Shut up Tag.” a distance if she can so she can hit
them with her fear powers and then
The Banshee shoot them in the back as they run
Name: Kelly “Banshee” Chandler. away from her. She is a professional
Level: 6 fast hero and has no problem double-tapping
Str: 12 Int: 12 Wis: 11 someone in the head so she does not
Dex: 15 Con: 15 Cha: 16 have to deal with them later.
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics, Powers: Banshee is an empath who
Brawling, Intimidation, Quick Draw, can control the fear response in
Rifle, Small Arms, Survival. others.
Perks & Powers: Empathy. Immune Appearance: Black hair. Green eyes.
to fear Physically fit due to military training.
Origin: Kelly was a merc chosen for As Banshee, she wears military camo
the Resurgence program due to her pants, aviator sunglasses, and a long
record of successful campaigns and sleeve green shirt, over her shirt is a
her ability to bring other mercs into military tactical vest. She is always
the program, including Spoiler. She armed with at least 2 guns and
served as an exemplary member of several knives.
Vanguard force but had no problem Personality: Professional.
switching sides when the team Gear: Tactical vest (AC 15),
became the Crime Lords. To her, it twin McAllister 9mm auto
was just another gig, no different pistol (Range:40 feet, +4 to hit,
than anything she had done as a Damage:2d8+1
mercenary. She has no illusions that piercing), McAllister Jackhammer
working for a bunch of psychopaths auto shotgun (Range:20 feet, +0 to
will turn sour, so she plans on hit, 3d8+3 Damage/cone), carbon
abandoning the team if they get too knives (+4 to hit, 1d6 slashing).
psycho. Quote: “Scream for me!”

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Frank the Tank He seldom has to fight
Name: Franklin “the Tank” Mangiola. though, as he uses intimidation and
Level: 5 strong hero reputation to do his work for him.
Str: 18 Int: 10 Wis: 15 Frank is in charge of all Mob
Dex: 11 Con: 17 Cha: 12 activities in Fresno, a leadership
Skills of Note: Athletics, Academics, many members of the Mob do not
Brawling, Intimidation, Singing. approve of. Frank is going to have
Perks & Powers: Enhanced strength, to decide if his loyalty lies with his
bouncy Mafia family or with Edge, who is
Origin: Frank the Tank was a strongly suspects is already trying to
first-round draft pick for the get rid of him.
Fresno Tigers when he was chosen Powers: Frank has superhuman
to participate in the Resurgence strength and athletic prowess.
procedure and join Vanguard. In an Appearance: Short black hair, black
attempt to recreate previous success eyes, dark skin. Short and squat. He
in creating super-strong humans, he has always been in fantastic physical
was injected with multiple steroids shape from his years playing football,
and had his Strs removed and and the Resurgence procedure just
replaced with those of a gorilla. He further enhanced and enlarged his
never took a hero codename; he just body When in the field, he likes to
called himself Frank the Tank as he dress up like a classic gangster from
did in high school. the 1940s and even had his guns
Frank’s family has mob modified to look like a Tommy gun.
connections, so it was easy for him Personality: Power-hungry
to take over for his uncle in the city’s Gear: Tactical vest (AC 14), McAllister
various mob activities when the Heavy auto pistol (Range:30 feet, +1
team went evil. He is loyal to the mob to hit, 3d8+1 piercing), McAllister
first and the Crime Lords second. 9mm (Range:30 feet, +2 to hit, 2d8
He suspects Edge will betray him at piercing), Wetherford modified
some point, so he plans to take her “Thompson” machine gun (Range:40
out first. feet, +1 to hit, 3d8+3 piercing), 4
Frank is in charge of all fighting knives (+3 to hit, 1d4+5
organized crime in Fresno and sits at slashing).
the head of the Mob, he is served by Quote: “Tonight, you will be sleeping
several super-powered underbosses with the fish.”
and makes sure he always gets his
cut.
Frank is a front line brawler
with lots of experience in gang
tactics. He is not the strongest or
Conest but his experience and
vicious fighting style makes up for
this.

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Mr. Monster day activities of the various drug
Name: Edward “Mr. Monster” Gates. importers in the city.
Level: 6 strong hero He is a brawler in combat
Str: 18 Int: 9 Wis: 12 and gives little regard to his safety
Dex: 9 Con: 18 Cha: 14 or the safety of others as any
Skills of Note: Athletics, Brawling, wounds he gets don’t matter to him.
Driving, First Aid, Intimidation, If someone else gets hurt, even if
Survival, Streetwise. they are a teammate, he only sees
Perks & Powers: High pain them as potential new body parts.
threshold. Regeneration. It is obvious he has lost all of his
Origin: Ed was one of the many humanity.
members of the Fresno police who Edge has several fail safes
volunteered for the Cornelious in place should Mr. Monster become
Corp Resurgence program. He uncontrollable. She may not be able
was one of the rare people with to kill him, but she can trap him on
O negative blood and a natural the moon if necessary.
resistance to pain; this made him a Powers: Mr. Monster can recover in
perfect candidate for more extreme seconds from any wound; even if
experiments. Over time, they you remove his limbs, they will grow
removed and replaced every one of back. Worse, though, is the fact he is
his limbs and most of his organs a universal recipient; his body will
to see if his body would reject the not reject new organs or limbs; if
replacement. His healing ability you break his arm, he rips it off and
grew with each experiment until one replaces it with yours!
doctor described it as “watching an Appearance: He is 6’3 and weighs
autopsy, in reverse.” 270 pounds. He is bald and his
The result of these eyes are mismatched. Ed is a living
experiments was the Vanguard Frankenstein. His body is a canvas
team’s most feared member, of scars and mismatched body parts
Mr. Monster. This modern-day that he openly displays to the disgust
Frankenstein loved nothing more of others. He wears short sleeve
than smashing his fists into the faces shirts and shorts but he has no
of his opponents. One day, Edge told concern about how he looks or what
him they were villains now; all that he is wearing as he knows it will all
meant to him was he could do even be covered in blood soon anyway.
more damage. He hunted down each Personality: Angry.
scientist who experimented on him Gear: Ballistic vest (AC 13), McAllister
and ripped them to shreds. .44 revolver (Range:60 feet, +0 to
Mr. Monster is supposed hit, 2d8+2 piercing), McAllister
to be in charge of the drug trade “jackhammer” automatic shotgun
of Fresno but he spends most of (Range:30 feet, +0 to hit, 3d6
his time acting as Edge’s personal piercing, cone), carbon alloy baseball
bodyguard and enforcer and bat (+4 to hit, +1d8 bludgeoning).
does little to manage the day to Quote: “Feel my pain!”

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Solo, the cybernetic marvel Solo is in charge of all
Name: Armand “Solo” Solski. the black market Cybernetics and
Level: 6 fast hero weapon trade in Fresno and he often
Str: 17 Int: 9 Wis: 9 personally supervises cybernetic
Dex: 14 Con: 16 Cha: 9 procedures. He dreams of the
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics, day when all the world will have
Acrobatics, Cybernetics, Drive, cybernetic parts and be one in the
Engineering. matrix.
Perks & Powers: Cyborg, Fast healer, He is not really loyal to Edge;
High pain threshold. he just appreciate that the Crime
Cybernetics: Dermal-plated armored Lords let him pursue his goals.
skin (DC 13). Left arm-enhanced Powers: All his powers come from
strength (Str 17). Str enhancements his cybernetics.
(lift 2000 lbs.). Cybernetic left lung Appearance: He is 6 feet tall and
(filters out toxins and has a 1 hour weighs close to 330 pounds with all
emergency o2 supply). Cybernetic his cybernetics. He is bald and his
both eyes (Night Vision, IR Vison, body is covered with small silver
Tracking GPS, HUD News feed. scars. His eyes are both cybernetic as
X10 magnification). Spine (Take ½ is his left arm. He wears black pants
Damage from falls and impacts). and combat boots but is always
Origin: Solo is the latest in many bare chested so he can show off his
U.S. soldiers who “volunteered” to enhancements.
participate in the U.S. military’s Personality: Driven.
Cybernetic soldier program. He Gear: He wears a full ballistic chest
displayed a rapid recovery from plate and vest (AC 16), standard issue
the procedure, and unlike many McAllister service revolver (Range:30
of his fellow soldiers, he enjoyed feet, +2 to hit, 2d8 Damage), a
cybernetics and wanted more. McAllister KS-23 (Range:100 feet,
He was loaned to Fresno +2 to hit, 2d6 piercing), Carbine
as part of the Vanguard program shotgun with Barricade armor-
and took on the heroic persona piercing shells (Range:200 feet, +0 to
of Solo. When the Vanguard force hit, 2d8+4 A.P.), Lil Goblin hold out a
transformed into the villainous pistol (Range:10 feet, +1 to hit, 1d6+1
Crime Lords, he saw this as a chance Damage), several titanium alloy
to convert others to his way of knives (+3 to hit, 1d4+1 slashing).
thinking—that cybernetics were Quote: “I can make you better,
better than flesh. stronger, faster, like me.”
Solo and Skinner both
have the same goal but want to
accomplish it with different methods
and as such this often brings them
into conflict, a hostility that Edge
encourages.

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Silent, the real American Ninja In his free time, he continues
Name: Ethan “Silent” Christian. his study of martial arts and
Level: 6 fast hero Ninjutsu. Although they have not
Str: 12 Int: 15 Wis: 14 fought yet he wonders if he could
Dex: 17 Con: 12 Cha: 14 beat Kid Sidekick and then could
Skills of Note: Athletics, Acrobatics, invest even more time and money
Brawling, History, Investigation, into his study of the Ninja arts and
Stealth. practice them on the people of
Perks & Powers: Ninja. Training, Fresno.
Silence, Enhanced Dex. Powers: Ethan possesses
Origin: Ninjas were huge in the superhuman reflexes and Dex, which
80s; everyone wanted to be a Ninja, allows him to recreate many of the
including Silent. He has devoted moves he has seen in his favorite
much of his life to studying every Ninja films. In addition, Silent makes
book about Ninjas, watching every no noise, none.
movie with Ninja in the title, and Appearance: Ethan is an average-
training at any Dojo that claimed to looking 22-year-old white male with
teach Ninjutsu. He joined the army as short black hair and brown eyes.
soon as possible in the hopes that he He is 5’11 and weighs 200 pounds.
could be picked to join the Rangers, He usually wears a black T-shirt,
and that is where he met Banshee. dark blue pants, and sunglasses. He
Banshee convinced him and several dresses in all black on a mission,
other unit members to participate in including a full-face mask.
the Resurgence program and join the Personality: Show off.
Vanguard force. Gear: Ninja armor/suit (AC 11), Ninja
As part of the experiments sword (+3 to hit, 1d8+3 slashing),
conducted on him, they “removed his Ninja knives (Range: thrown/10
shadow” and replaced it with energy feet, +4 to hit, 1d4+1 slashing), Ninja
from The Shadowdark. smoke bombs, Pistol crossbow (+5 to
Silent was the Vanguard hit, 1d4 piercing + poison).
force’s master of stealth and Quote: “Shhhhhhhhh.”
assassination, and becoming a Crime
Lord just meant that he Silent is in
charge of all Crime Lord Black Ops
missions and assassinations, you will
almost never see him in public as he
works from the shadows on various
clandestine missions. Many unsolved
murders can be traced back to him
should the police ever investigate
them.

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Skinner, the modern-day Skinner is in charge of all
the illegal bio hack shops in Fresno
Doctor Moreau as well as all organ harvesting
Name: Dr Frank “Skinner” Folly. and trafficking. This gives him the
Level: 4 smart hero freedom to continue his sadistic
Str: 15 Int: 17 Wis: 16 experiments in bio hacking. He is
Dex: 8 Con: 16 Cha: 9 known to show up unannounced
Skills of Note: Academics, in hospital operating rooms and
Cybernetics, Engineering, First Aid, take over the procedures so he
Genetics, Medicine, Technician. can conduct some new sadistic
Perks & Powers: Enhanced Int, experiment on the patient without
Enhanced Con, Has a cybernetic their permission.
“waldo” that comes out of his back Of all the Crime Lords he is the only
with several built-in surgical tools. one who is truly evil and his actions
Origin: Skinner is the secret genius disgust Edge, but she needs him for
behind all the advancements in now.
biotechnology that have been Powers: He is a genius-level inventor
coming out of Fresno for the last whose main area is biotechnology.
decade. He worked for both the Appearance: Frank is a tall, thin,
Weatherford group and Cornelious pale looking man cold hands. He
and conducted many of the most dresses the part of a mad scientist by
sadistic experiments to create always wearing a blood-red lab coat
superhumans. In addition, he ran and welder’s goggles. He also has a
several underground bio hack retractable two-foot-long cybernetic
chop shops all over Fresno, where arm growing out of his back.
he would have his agents kidnap Personality: Sadist.
homeless people so that he could Gear: Ballistic cloth lab coat (AC 13),
experiment on them. poison needle gun (Range:30 feet,
He was one of the few +2 to hit, Damage:1d4 piercing, and
scientists Edge did not kill. Instead, target needs to make a Dex check or
she put his genius to work for the fall asleep), always carries surgical
Crime Lords. tools and several knives.
Officially, being a Quote: “Now, hold still.”
supervillain gives him free rein to
conduct his hideous experiments.
Solo and Skinner both
have the same goal but want to
accomplish it with different methods
and as such this often brings them
into conflict, a hostility that Edge
encourages.

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Shift, the master of disguise Personality: Condescending.
Name: Elk “Shift” Knibb. Gear: Alien zap gun (Range:100 feet,
Level: 4 fast hero +2 to hit, 2d6+2 force), wallet with
Str: 11 Int: 15 Wis: 14 various false IDs. It does not carry
Dex: 11 Con: 8 Cha: 12 any other weapons since he may
Skills of Note: Athletics, Astrogation, have to change shape multiple times
Disguise, Investigation, Mimic voice, in a day.
Pilot. Quote: “I cannot leave this place fast
Perks & Powers: Iron will, Polyglot. enough.”
Doppelganger (including gender).
Spaceship.
Origin: Shift is a member of an alien
race of androgynous shapeshifters
who came to Earth” and made a
name for themselves up north, where
it used its powers to destroy several
publishing companies.
At some point, it came to
Edge’s attention, and she somehow
convinced the alien to be part of
her Crime Lords. At any time, Stella
Curry and Edge appear at the same
place it’s a safe bet one of them is in
fact Shift.
When not filling this
role, Shift works to infiltrate any
organization or group the Crime
Lords feel might be a threat to
them at some point, he even tried
to infiltrate the Shadowdark Supers
once.
Shift’s main job is helping
Edge maintain her multiple
identities. If Edge needs to be seen in
public at the same time.
Powers: Like the rest of its species,
it is a natural shape changer, so who
knows what its true form looks like?
Appearance: Its true form is
unknown, but when it is not
duplicating another teammate, its
form is that of a 35-year-old man
with dark hair and glasses.

166
Thunder, the living lightning Thunder is the front line
Name: Cedric “Thunder” Cruze. fighter of the team, whenever the
Level: 4 fast hero Crime Lords need to send a message
Str: 11 Int: 12 Wis: 10 it is always Thunder who delivers it
Dex: 10 Con: 14 Cha: 10 in electric violence. If a Gang refuses
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics, to pay their share, Thunder will show
Brawling, Cooking, Electronics, up and level their headquarters with
Intimidate, Research, Stealth. his powers, if someone needs to be
Perks & Powers: Energy blast— punished in a very public way it’s
lightning 4d6, Energy blast—sonic Thunder who will be the instrument.
4d6. Resistance to lightning/ Thunder does all this to draw his
electricity & thunder/sonics. brother Mover out so he can finally
Origin: The Cruze triplets were prove that he is the best of the
among the many orphans that the triplets.
Weatherford organization performed Of all the Crime Lords he is
illegal experiments on to try and the easiest for Edge to manipulate
create teen superheroes in the wake and she enjoys pushing the former
of the failure of Prometheus. He and hero to see if she can break him.
his brothers later joined up with Powers: Like his siblings, Cedric
several other teens to create the is a telekinetic, but in his case, he
Fresno Teen Force. manifest his powers as Electrokinetic
When his brother was which gives him the ability to create
killed in action both Thunder and lightning bolts and thunderous
Mover retired from heroics. Unlike shock waves.
Mover, who was able to deal with Appearance: Thunder is a 30-year-
the tragedy in his own way, after old man of Hispanic descent with
the death of his brother Cedric fell short black hair and green eyes. He
into a cycle of rage and depression. wears a generic-looking yellow and
All the while, his jealousy for his blue costume with a black mask.
brother Mover only grew as he Personality: Paranoid.
believed Donovon was succeeding Gear: His current costume is made of
in life while he was floundering. In high-impact ballistic cloth (AC 13). In
his rage, he sought the scientist who the past, carbon aluminum combat
had performed the experiments on staff (+1 to hit, +1d6 bludgeoning).
him as a child to see if they could Quote: “Looks like you have been
enhance his powers further. Thunderstruck!”
This brought him to the
attention of Edge, and she convinced
him to be on her Vanguard team.
When the Vanguard team became the
Crime Lords, Thunder only remained
because Edge promised him, he
would get to kill his brother Mover.

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Edge, the spider at In her Edge person, it did not
take much to convince the Vanguard
the center of the web team to turn on the city and reinvent
Name: Stella “Edge” Curry. themselves as the “Crime Lords of
Class: Rogue. Fresno”. Skinner and Mr. Monster
Archetype: Mastermind. were already evil, and the rest of the
Level: 7 smart hero team was pragmatic enough to see
Str: 11 Int: 18 Wis: 17 the plan’s advantages.
Dex: 15 Con: 11 Cha: 15 So far, she has kept her
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics, long-term goals for the Crime Lords
Attorney, Brawling, Disguise, secret. For now, she is happy that
Leadership, Law, Science, Tactics. they continue their various plans
Perks & Powers: Precognition. and petty criminal empires. She
Enhanced Chrisma sits like a spider at the center of the
Origin: Even at a young age, Stella’s Crime Lords’ web, with each member
genius-level I.Q. and natural ability under her control. There is no doubt
to manipulate people were evident. in anyone’s mind, though, that at
She completely ruled her high some point in time, she will betray
school and graduated with a double the Crime Lords, and she already has
major in Math and Law from Fresno contingency plans to eliminate each
College on her 18th birthday and was of them.
the youngest woman ever to pass the Whenever she has to
Bar. appear in public as Edge and Stella
When the Mayor of Fresno Curry, she has Shift pose as one
announced he wanted to restart of her identities. So far, only one
the Prometheus program, she individual knows that Edge and
manipulated events so she would go District Attorney Stella Curry are the
with for the “Resurgence” program. same person, though a few, like Kid
She then used her many contacts to Sidekick, suspect.
ensure she was the first pick for the Powers: Edge is a precog with the
experiments. Her genius allowed her ability to see the many possible
to manipulate all the factors involved outcomes of any event and
to ensure she got the power she manipulate the factors to alter the
wanted. outcome to best fit her needs. She is
As the Superhero “Cage”, she also a Mensa level genius, in addition
used her abilities to convince people her ability to predict her opponent’s
she was a combat savant; no one actions makes her an expert level
suspected her actual powers. When combatant.
her first set of plans reached their Appearance: Standing at an average
climax, she began the next phase: height with a lean build, she has a
dismantling the existing Vanguard commanding presence that exudes
team and replacing it with one she confidence and authority. Her face is
could control as “Edge”, all the while angular, with high cheekbones and a
pushing her 0 tolerance for the sharp jawline.
Supers program as DA Stella Curry.
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As District Attorney Stella Curry,
she keeps her blonde hair back in
a tight bun, never allowing even
a single strand to be out of place.
Her wardrobe consists of tailored
business suits in muted colors. Stella
has mastered the cold, calculating
businesswoman look down to
perfection.
If Edge has to appear in
public, she wears a mirrored face
mask, along with all black clothing,
gloves, and boots. Her pistols hang
from her side on a white belt.
Personality: Cold & calculating.
Gear: As Stella Curry, she wears a
ballistic sports bra (AC 12) under
her suit and carries a concealed
pistol (Range:10 feet, +4 to hit,
1d6+1 piercing). As Edge, she wears
a ballistic vest (AC 15) and carries 2
McAllister .44 auto pistols (Range:60
feet, +4 to hit, 2d6+2 piercing) and a
carbon steel knife (+4 to hit, 1d4+2
slashing). Her mirrored face mask
is polarized and contains a voice
modulator, a HUD with GPS, and a
cellphone link.
Quirks: Hates bananas, cannot cook,
sleeps in till noon on Sundays, has
collected every McDonalds Happy
Meal toy since she was nine.
Quotes: “It’s a zero-sum game; I
win.” “I knew you were going to say
that.” “The world is not enough.”
“Tag! Why is that on fire?”

“She sits like a Spider at the

center of her web.
You think you know her, but she
is always two steps ahead.
You think you have won, but she
has the Edge. She has the Edge.”
- She has the Edge, by Elvis

170
To say Stella Curry was a genius was
an understatement. She was a once-
in-a-generation talent of beauty, grace,
and charm.
She could slip in and out of
any conversation, any topic. Language,
math, any subject came as easy to her
as breathing. She fit perfectly in any
crowd; she could get her hands dirty
with a mechanic one moment and be.
arguing in court the next.”
Had she been born anyplace
else, she could have done wonders,
saved lives, been one of the greatest
minds ever, but she was born here, in
Fresno. They say it was whatever they
did to her when she volunteered to take
part in Resurgence, which made her
into Edge. No, she was always like this;
all the Mad Science did was give her
powers.
I think she had been planning
this for ages; she manipulated
everything. Every second that led to the
Crime Lords taking over Fresno, just
like she played us all. No one ever made
the connection, the Kid suspects but
could never prove it. Tag might have
known, but if she did, kept it quiet.
I knew, of course,’ she told
me. Sat there and told me straight to
my face everything she had done, and
would do. Every plan and contingency
are mapped out to every possible
outcome and even told me why she
was doing it. I could have stopped her,
you know, could have snapped her
neck right there. She probably knew
I could and that I wouldn’t. Instead, I
asked her, why me? Why make me her
confessor?
"You were there when it started, Ape;
you should see how it ends.’”
—Ape X on Edge

171
 During her teenage years,
The Vigilantes she developed a rebellious streak,
"How did we get this name; it seeking increasingly dangerous
was supposed to be the Fresno and exciting ways to make anything
Freedom Fighters?" resembling an emotional connection.
- Gadget Girl From rollercoasters to cliff diving to
"Sounds like a sports team." posing nude in Playtime Magazine,
- Apex nothing seemed to work to help her
emotional connections.
Candy X "The Immortal Girl" She only had a lasting
Real Name: Candice “Candy” Powers emotional connection with her
Code Name: Candy X love of fish; working at the Fresno
Level: 5 strong hero Aquarium was the only time she
Str: 13 Int: 11 Wis: 14 seemed happy.
Dex: 12 Con: 17 Cha: 9 When Kid Sidekick freed
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics, her and the other children from
Acting, Brawling, Computers, the Orphanage, she still had not
Fishing, First aid, Drive, History, demonstrated any actual powers.
Research, Seduction, Science She did not really engage in the
(Oceanography). Survival. costumed adventures of her fellow
Perks & Powers: High pain Teens, but as she had no place else
threshold. Immortality. to go, she tagged along and lived
Origin: Diagnosed with ADHD, the with them, though she would often
beautiful Candice could not seem to wander off for days at a time only to
get adopted due to her inability to be found at the Aquarium.
look perspective parents in the eye. It took a while for anyone
On the other hand, the Weatherford to guess what her superpower was,
siblings had no problem adopting but as time passed, people began
her as they were curious to see how a to notice things like she never got
Neurodivergent child would respond sick, hardly ever ate, or slept, and
to the experiments they had planned everyday hazards were no bother to
for the teens. her.
She responded favorably to When she broke her arm cliff
the injections and being exposed to diving, it was fully healed the next
the primordial energies from The day, and when she cut her fingers
Shadowdark but demonstrated no chopping vegetables, it stopped
powers. bleeding on its own within seconds.
She was an average, healthy She even survived being
student and performed well in all shot.
the physical tasks set for her. Still, Although no one ever said the actual
her inability to develop anything words, it seemed apparent that
resembling emotional attachment Candy could not be harmed.
made it difficult for people to work Candy remained a state
with her. ward until she turned 18, at which

172
point she was looked after by Doloris Candy does not really have a
"Gadget Girl" Shoemaker, who saw role within the Vigilantes, she is just
her as a sister. spending time together with them
In the years that followed because they are the only people she
Candys life fell into a comfortable knows outside of work. While she
cycle; she would transition back can defend herself in combat if she
and forth between her job at the has to her roll is not to fight crime
aquarium and her life at home No, f she has a role, it is twofold,
with Gadget Girl. Year after year the first it is a reminder to the Vigilantes
world grew and changed but Candy of what they are fighting for.
remained forever 19. Protecting those who cannot protect
She might have super themselves.
powers but she was by no means a Second is her unofficial role
super hero, she did not go out and as chronicler of the events as they
fight crime. She just lived her very transpire, should the worst happen
long life. and the crime lords kill them all!
Now you would think that At least she will be around to help
people would start to notice things whoever comes after them learn
about her like she never got sick or from their mistakes and prepare for
grew older but for various reasons it whatever comes next.
never seemed to come up. Because Powers: Candy is immortal, for all
Gadget Girl had the resources to take intent and purpose, she cannot die.
care of Candy and make sure these She stopped physically ageing at 19
things did not happen. and will never get any older.
When the crime lords Appearance: Candy is around 19
first manifested there were a few years old. She has blond hair, blue
attempts on her life due to her eyes, fair skin, and is physically
association with Gadget Girl but they attractive. She wears jeans and
were eventually pointless. If you hooded sweatshirts and rarely
shott her, she just got better by the carries anything other than her
end of the day. phone. She often needs to remember
Candy is the one individual to wear shoes.
that Edge has no desire to Gear: Technically, Candy does not
manipulate or destroy, she likes the need anything besides food and
idea that in a 1000 year’s Candy will water, but the world of Fresno is a
still be around to tell the story of dangerous place, and Gadget Girl
Fresno. insists that she always has her phone
and pepper spray on her.
Quote: "Don’t worry, I’ll still be here.”

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The Ghost The ghost is the cold,
Real Name: Tammar "Ghost" calculating professional of the team.
Swanson, Age: 14 While she is not a main line fighter,
Level: 6 fast hero she is invaluable to the vigilantes in
Str: 11 Int: 14 Wis: 16 her roles as spy and infiltrator., also
Dex: 13 Con: 12 Cha: 11 as an assassin since she can walk
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics, right up to someone in public and
Disguise, First Aid, Gambling, kill them without being noticed.
Investigation, Interview, Medicine, Charm and the Ghost do not get
Persuasion, Stealth. along.
Perks & Powers: Spy, Social Powers: The Ghost is a "Social
chameleon. Body weapons-psychic chameleon." She can blend into any
dagger. social situation without anyone
Origin: Technically, the Ghost noticing her. She is completely
does not exist, and all her records forgettable, and her existence will
have been redacted, so what little slip out of your awareness the
information there is on her is based second you are not looking at her.
on what others can remember about It's as if she is just supposed to be
her. Like the other members of the there, and because of that, you do
Team, she was a victim of the horrid not notice her.
experiments conducted by the She could sit down next to
Weatherford group on the homeless you at a bus stop, say hi, and you
children they had adopted as part of would forget she was there within a
the Teen Sidekick project. second.
After that, she was put in the She also can manifest a psychic blade
field as an assassin and spy for the that is completely untraceable.
Weatherford group, activities that These two abilities combine to make
Kid Sidekick disapproved of. her the perfect assassin.
While the Teen Heroes Appearance: She is an average-
worked in the public arena, she acted looking 14-year-old girl in average
as the Team's infiltration expert, clothing and has an entirely
using her powers to sneak into forgettable face.
almost any situation without being Gear: In the field, she wore
noticed. unassuming clothing, usually a
It is assumed that after the sweatshirt and jeans, under which
Teen Heroes were disbanded, she she wore a tactical vest (AC 13)
continued to do wet work for various She carried a silenced Heavy
government agencies worldwide. auto pistol (Range:30' +1 to hit.
No doubt Kid Sidekick kept Damage:3d8+1 Piercing.)
track of her activities in some form Along with a garotte, several knives
and she was a valuable addition to and small packets of poison
the Vigilantes when they formed. Quote: "No one will even remember I
was here".

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Ape-X and her Crime Lords.
Name: Ape #X15 “Stewart” He is the only living being
Level: 6 strong hero on Earth who knows Edge's secret
Str: 18 Int: 17 Wis: 14 identity but has chosen not to share
Dex: 17 Con: 16 Cha: 11 it with his teammates for his own
Skills of Note: Athletics, Acrobatics, reasons.
Academics, Acting, Brawling, In combat, Apex is a vicious
Banking, Drive, Pilot, fighter. His size, strength, and speed
Perks & Powers: Wealthy. allow him to engage with multiple
Background: Apex is one of the foes simultaneously, and his years
first bioengineered super beings of experience give him an edge over
the Weatherford brothers created in almost any opponent.
their lab. When not fighting the Crime
He was one of 100 animals Lords, he acts as the Team's heart,
they experimented on and one offering sage advice and comfort in
of only five that survived and difficult times.
demonstrated results. He was the Apex is old, even for a
blueprint for every other super- bioengineered super ape. He knows
powered being coming out of that he only has a few good years left.
red room after him. But he refuses to die till he sees his
Apex had a series of beloved Fresno Tigers win the series.
adventures in the early years of Powers: Apex is an uplifted gorilla;
the Prometheus program. Still, he His voice box was replaced with a
was soon replaced in the public human voice box so he could talk,
eye by the much more acceptable and his intelligence was increased
Prometheus Agents and gradually via brain surgery and multiple
faded out of popularity. injections of cognitive enhancers
Apex spent many years like Ritalin. In addition, he has the
living in the shadows of the Fresno typical strength, speed, and Dex of a
superhuman population; during silverback gorilla.
that time, he buried himself in his He is a recovering alcoholic
drinking and writing. and a diehard fan of the Fresno
Under his Pen Name, Tigers baseball team, having never
"Stewart," he wrote four award- missed a game.
winning plays, several books, and Appearance: A 300-pound gorilla
scripts for two Oscar-winning wearing a baseball cap.
films but remained out of sight and Personality: Resigned
forgotten for many years. Quote: "I am not going to let this
It was only after the Crime city burn till the damn Tigers win the
Lords' bloody takeover of Fresno that series!”
he came out of retirement to stand
side by side with Kid Sidekick and
the other Vigilantes in trying to take
back control of the city from Edge

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Alpha again! Even if it kills him.
Name: Wyatt “Alpha” Compton. Powers: Apex has been physically
Level: 8 strong hero and psychologically mutated into an
Str: 17 Int: 15 Wis: 8 Apex predator.
Dex: 17 Con: 16 Cha: 15 He can see equally well in
Skills of Note: Athletics, Academics, the dark in daylight, track scents like
Brawling, Math, Research, Science, a bloodhound, and hear whispered
Search, Survival, conversations on the other side of
Perks & Powers: Apex predator. Heat a wall. He has razor-sharp wolf-
and cold do not bother him; he goes like fangs and claws and a high
without a shirt in 30-degree snow. resistance to pain and fatigue.
Background: Since Prometheus The once mild-mannered math
agents fell apart, Alpha has been professor is now an adrenaline
traveling the world, engaging in junkie, always looking for his next
one extreme activity after another, fix.
constantly pushing his abilities. He As part of the program,
soon had one of the most watched he was injected with a variety of
Twitch channels, and his charity Steroids along with snake venom,
work rivaled that of Mr. Beast. human growth hormone, and animal
When the streets ran red DNA. He was stung by wasps over a
with blood, Kid Sidekick reached thousand times, almost drowned at
out to many of the heroes who had least twice, and forced to survive in a
protected Fresno in the past. With a meat freezer for 24 hours.
simple offer, he was able to convince This torture explains his
Alpha to join his crusade. rage and desire always to be outside.
A chance to prove his skill Appearance: Apex has been
and powers against an army of physically and psychologically
super-criminals to hunt the most mutated into an apex predator. He
dangerous game. now stands almost 2 feet tall, weighs
Alpha is another front-line 90 pounds, and is covered with hair.
fighter. In combat, he cannot help He has wolf-like fangs and claws.
himself. He will always seek out the In public, he wears
most dangerous opponent, even if, comfortable athletic clothing.
by doing so, he risks his safety and When he is in action, he
the safety of others. Being the Alpha wears a Tactical vest, a short-sleeved
is hardwired into his DNA. He has to tan shirt, and jeans. He does not wear
prove himself in combat. a mask since his identity is public.
Outside the battlefield, he Personality: Gung ho.
seems withdrawn and detached; Gear: Tactical Uniform Style HG2
he has become jaded after so many Multi-Threat Vest Level IIIA/HG (AC
years of thrill-seeking. Nothing 15), MCalister 44 auto Cha (Range:
excites him, and like a person with 60 feet. +4 to hit, 2d8+3 Piercing)
an addiction, he needs his next fix to Quote: "Nothing is impossible once
be the one that makes him feel alive you know the math."

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The Brick Lords, Brick was the first of the Old
Name: Detective Heath “Brick” Guard heroes to team up with Kid
Grange. Sidekick and fight them.
Level: 6 strong hero This was his chance to at
Str: 20 Int: 8 Wis: 10 redemption.
Dex: 10 Con: 18 Cha: 12 His superhuman status
Skills of Note: Athletics, was achieved on the Weatherford's
Acrobatics, Brawling, Intimidation, operating table by having Titanium
Interrogation, Investigation, Law. mesh woven into his skin to make
Perks & powers: Enhanced Strength, him bulletproof.
Enhanced constitution His left lung was replaced
Background: No one needs with an artificial Future Genetrix
redemption more than the Brick Lung, allowing him to hold his
because no one on the Team has breath for up to an hour and
fallen further than him. providing him with resistance to
After solving the murder smoke and airborne toxins.
of Street Shark, he was hailed as Steroids and grafts have
the golden boy of the Prometheus increased his mass and innate
team and Fresno's greatest hero. He strength. He can lift/press 900
loved being the star of the hour and pounds (2000 lbs.) without effort,
the freedom that being the Brick and his unarmed punch can shatter
gave him to lash out at the many cinder blocks. Like most of the
criminals he encountered. Because Vigilantes, Brick is a front-line melee
of his beatings, more than a dozen brawler; he slowly works his way
criminals ended up in the hospital or across the battlefield, pounding
the morgue. his opponents to the ground while
So, when the Prometheus relaying on his bulletproof skin to
team was disbanded, Brick was the protect him from counterattacks. He
member who suffered the most from is a relentless opponent, beating his
the fallout. foe into a bloody pulp before moving
He was forced to take on to the next.
retirement from his job at the Fresno Like many of his teammates,
police, and he was the subject of he seeks redemption for his past
multiple lawsuits from the families and believes ending the crime lords
of the many criminals he had killed. is the way to do it. Like many of his
As his debt grew along with his teammates, he has a death wish.
depression, he soon turned to Because of his time as a mob
alcohol to deaden the pain. He had enforcer, he is familiar with Frank
fallen so low that he was forced to the Tank and his criminal dealings.
work as an Enforcer for the criminals This gives him great insight into the
he once brought to justice. inner workings of the Crime Lords.
When the Vanguard Powers: The Brick has superhuman
force staged a city-wide coup and strength and endurance.
rebranded themselves the Crime

181
Appearance: Standing 185 cm
tall and weighing 120 kg, Heath is
in fantastic shape for his age. He
keeps his black hair short and wears
comfortable, inexpensive clothing.
When in public, he wears
a long-sleeved blue shirt with a
police-issue Tactical vest over it,
black pants, his old Police badge, and
aviator goggles.
He does not bother with a
costume, as his identity is a matter of
public record.
Personality: Vengeful
Gear: Tactical Uniform Style HG2
Multi-Threat Vest Level IIIA/HG (AC
15) and a pair of aviator glasses. He
is armed with a McAlister service
revolver(R,30, +2 to hit 2d6 Piercing)
A KS-23 McAlister carbine shotgun
with HEAP rounds(R,200 feet. +0
to hit. 2d8+4 Piercing), McAlister
backup pistol(Range:10 feet. +0 to
hit 1d6 Piercing) along with several
titanium alloy knives.
Quote: "Don't make me angry."

182
Charm to keep her anguish under control.
Name: Susan “Charm” Rivers. She is forever haunted by what was
Level: 5 smart hero done to her by Prometheus and sees
Str: 10 Int: 11 Wis: 13 working with Kid Sidekick as a way
Dex: 12 Con: 12 Cha: 18 to close that part of her life finally.
Skills of Note: Academics, Of all the crime lords, it
athletics, acting, brawling, Charm, is Skinner she hates the most as
investigation, interview, psychology, he is following the footsteps of
persuasion, the Weatherford brothers and
Perks & Powers: Famous, license to conducting biological experiments
practice psychology. Enhanced Cha, on people.
Telepathy. Her tell-all book about
Background: Sussan was the Prometheus team was a Times
instrumental in ending the bestseller for 16 weeks.
Prometheus team and exposing the Charm is the heart and soul
sadistic experiments conducted by of the Team, the voice of reason that
the Weatherford family to create the keeps them focused and prevents
G1 Prometheus heroes. Alpha and Brick from doing more
She has described the Damage than the bad guys. She did
procedure that was done to her as not ask for this responsibility, but
akin to "watching an autopsy, in everyone else looked at her as the
reverse, over and over." den mother of their little club.
While under the care of the This pressure causes her
Weatherford group, Susan was given to drink even more, but she has
extensive plastic surgery over and not let that get in the way of her
over again without any anesthesia responsibility to the Team.
while being fed a constant drip of She is the Team's primary
LSD and other mind-altering drugs. ranged combatant. Between her
They would trap her in an isolation powerful psychic attacks and her
tank for days at a time, all to see telepathic abilities to manipulate
what would happen. her opponents' minds, she has often
After the fall of Prometheus, been able to stop a fight before it
she became one of the loudest voices starts.
in public condemning the fact that Like the rest of her
Weatherford was still experimenting Prometheus teammates, she wears
on people to create superhumans, her guilt and pain like a badge of
only now it was Children. This honor and feels that bringing the
crusade brought her into contact Crime Lords to justice will finally end
with the then 14-year-old kid Weatherford’s legacy.
sidekick. Powers: Telepathy, Enhanced
She has since acted as a charisma
counselor to help anyone affected by
the Prometheus program deal with
their trauma; all the while, she drank

183
Appearance: Susan has medium- Gear: Tactical Uniform Style HG2
length brown hair and piercing blue Multi-Threat Vest Level IIIA/HG
eyes. She is 169 cm tall and weighs (AC 15), Taser (Range:15 m, +3 to
55kg. hit, 1d4 Piercing, and the target is
She dresses very knocked prone), McAlister service
professionally in public, befitting her revolver(R,30, +2 to hit 2d6 Piercing)
job as a psychologist. Police issue riot stick (+3 to hit, 1d8
In the field, she wears a bludgeoning)
simple blue and red costume. Since Quote: "I'm sorry, that's all the time
most people know who she is, she we have today."
does not bother with a mask.
Personality: Motherly

184
Mover have to. Preferring to stay back and
Name: Donovon “Mover” Cruz. pepper his opponents with baseballs
Level: 3 fast hero and roofing nails at range.
Str: 11 Int: 12 Wis: 10 All bets are off, though, when
Dex: 10 Con: 14 Cha: 12 he and his brother confront each
Skills of Note: Academics, other. The two enter a jealous, bloody
Athletics, Brawling, Construction, rage and focus all their attacks on
Investigation, Interrogation, Swim. each other.
Perks & Powers: Telekinesis (tactile). Outside of saving the city,
background the tragic history of the he spends most of his free time
world-famous Cruz triplets is well mopping about and does not invest
documented. Each is given the same any energy in his social life or
powers, but each manifests that engaging with his teammates. The
power in a unique way. As a result of Vigilantes are just tools for him to
the Prometheus procedure, they are use to help him achieve his goal of
driven to hate the other. erasing his brother from the Earth.
Background: Donovon never wanted Powers: Like his siblings, Donovan
to be a superhero, and when the has powerful telekinetic powers,
Prometheus team was disbanded but due to a psychological block, he
after his brother's death, he was all can only use them if he is touching
too happy to drop out of the public an object. This "tactile Telekinesis"
eye and just live a normal life. allowed him to duplicate many
Unfortunately, Donovon classic comic book powers, including
was his worst enemy, and his inner lifting 2000 lbs., leaping tall
demons shattered his happy life. buildings, and throwing things very
He wants to run his own real estate far.
company, work as a contractor, Appearance: Donovon is an
and be just another guy with a unassuming-looking fellow with tan
hammer and super strength doing skin, brown hair, and green eyes.
construction. He does not wear a costume, just
He would have remained like comfortable street clothes.
that if his brother Thunder had not Personality: Sad
returned to the public eye and joined Gear: Tactical Uniform Style HG2
the Crime Lords. Multi-Threat Vest Level IIIA/HG
Mover can function both as (AC 15), Taser (Range ,10 feet. +0
a front-line brawler and a ranged to hit, 1d4 Piercing, and the target
combatant. His Tactile Telekinesis is knocked prone. He carries an
allows him to lift great weights, assortment of baseballs and roofing
survive deadly impacts, and deliver nails to use as makeshift ranged
powerful punches, and he can also weapons. (Baseballs. Ramge,15 m.
use his power to throw objects with +3 to hit, 1d6 bludgeoning. Roofing
pinpoint precision. nails. Range,20 m. +4 to hit 1d4
He does not like to get into Piercing)
melee combat, though, if he does not Quote: "Here, hold this."

185
186
Gadget Girl operations, which are run by the
Name: Doris “Gadget Girl” various incarnations of Weatherford
Shoemaker. worldwide.
Level: 4 smart hero She has donated millions
Str: 8 Int: 17 Wis: 16 of dollars over the year to the
Dex: 11 Con: 9 Cha: 9 various victims of the Weatherford
Skills of Note: Academics, Athletics, Prometheus program and acted as
Computers, Engineering, Mechanics, a sponsor for the activities of Kid
Research, Scientist, Technician. Sidekick (as long as he tested out her
Perks & Powers: Wealth, Heightened gadgets)
Int, Telemechanic. When the Vanguard force
Background: Doris was one of began their killing spree and
the many orphans that had found takeover of Fresno, she worked with
their way into the loving care of Kid Sidekick to find a way to bring
the Weatherford-run Fresno child the Crime Lords down.
protection program, where she was Gadget Girl is the brains
sadistically experimented on in an behind the Team, providing both
attempt to make new super beings. the financial, legal, and technical
She had demonstrated a support for the Vigilantes, and
natural aptitude for machines even while she believes in the program
before they cracked open her Int to remove the Crime Lords from
and poured the chaotic energies of power, she wonders if Violence is the
The Shadowdark into her. After that, way. She has to plan for what things
her inventive genius skyrocketed, will be like should the Team achieve
and she demonstrated the ability to their goals and how she can use her
create almost any technology she resources to heal Fresno. She can fill
could think of as long as she had the any position in a fight thanks to her
parts. inventions, from devastating ranged
As a traumatized 11-year- attacks to wielding energy weapons
old girl at the time, her inventions in melee.
tended to be childlike and goofy, She also often questions
such as the infamous boxing glove why the rest of the world seems to
gun. ignore the many issues happening to
She was a founding member Fresno.
of the short-lived Fresno Teen Powers: Gadget girl is a genius-level
Heroes and remained good friends inventor with the psychic ability of
with Kid Sidekick after the Team was Telemechanic
disbanded. Appearance: She has frizzy red
For reasons unknown, the hair and green eyes. Her clothing
Weatherford siblings named Doris is simple and comfortable, and she
CEO and heir to the Weatherford is always covered with glue, paint,
fortune. and oil. Her Gadget Girl costume
Since then, she has worked consists of a blue full-body suit made
to shut down all its black book of space-age titanium mesh, black

187
boots, black gloves, and a multi-optic She is armed with an ever-changing
set of goggles. variety of weapons and gadgets,
Personality: Curiosity including her infamous Boxing Glove
Gear: Her gadget girl costume is a gun (Range:80 feet. +5 to hit 2d6+2
one-piece blue body suit with black bludgeoning).
boots and gloves; the body suit is Quote: "That should have worked."
made of a space-age polycarbonate
titanium mesh. (AC 15). She wears
multi-optic polarized goggles with
IR/UV Lens, GPS, and a Wi-Fi uplink.

188
Blue Condor past of the others, bringing a ray of
Name: Barry Oster. sunshine into the otherwise gloomy
Level: 4 strong hero Vigilantes.
Str: 14 Int: 9 Wis: 10 He is the comedy relief
Dex: 15 Con: 18 Cha: 14 for the Team, flying into combat,
Skills of Note: Athletics, acrobatics, screaming his name, and bantering
cybernetics, brawling, navigation, with the bad guys. For him, this is a
performance, stealth. lark, fighting the Crime Lords, saving
Perks & Powers: jet-assisted Wings the city, and hanging out with Gadget
(330 MPH). Eyes (Radar, night sight, Girl and Brick. It's a daydream for
telescopic, HUD). Cybernetic Claws him. A dream that could soon shatter
(+2 to hit +1d6 slashing) under the constant onslaught of
Origins: Blue Condor has a classic violence.
comic origin. He tried to save an old Charm worries about what
man from being mugged, but ended will happen to him the first time he
up getting shot. sees Brick kill someone, or worse,
The older man was a cyber what if Blue Condor has to kill?
scientist who used to work for Still, she sees the need for new
Prometheus. He took Barry to his heroes to join the fight, and she is
lab to save him. For some reason, actively looking for others to help in
saving him meant giving him a pair the never-ending battle.
of wings and claws and replacing his Powers: He is a cyborg with
eyes. cybernetic wings coming out of his
Barry should have been back.
upset, but he secretly wanted to be a Appearance: Barry is an average-
superhero, and now he could be! looking 20-year-old with dark skin.
Blue Condor was one of the He has short, frizzy black hair and
first heroes to try to fight the Crime blue eyes. As a Blue condor, he wears
Lords and was more than happy to a blue and yellow costume and blue
join Kid Sidekick on his crusade. Mask. His most prominent feature is
Blue Condor is still young his cybernetic wings.
and full of heroic ideals; he offers a Personality: Gung-ho
fresh perspective to the otherwise Gear: Blue Condor wears a yellow
jaded Team. and blue thermal suit and a blue
Blue Condor's powers make helmet. In combat, he uses a variety
him perfect for battlefield control of small bombs and explosives that
and support; he can zip around the he drops down on his opponents.
battlefield, dropping explosives, and Smoke bombs (10x10 cloud of blue
pull a wounded teammate out of smoke). Flash grenades (10x10)
the fire. He has begun training with blinds till the end of turn) and
Brick and Alpha on various combo explosives (10x10 3d6 fire). In melee
attacks they could use. combat, he uses his claws.
Blue Condor is full of zeal Quote: Yelling out his name as he
and is untarnished by the dark charges into combat.

189
190
Prodigal During those years, many an
Name: Jorden “Prodigal” Gibson adventure fell his way, and there was
Level: 5 Charismatic hero always some job only he could do. He
Str: 12 Int: 14 Wis: 14 could not count the number of times
Dex: 12 Con: 12. Cha: 14 he had a black bag put over his head
Skills of Note: Acting, athletics, and was thrust into one ridiculous
Charm, diplomacy, dance, interview, scenario after another.
research, survival, writing As long as they paid and fed
Perks & Powers: Wealthy, Perfect his egos and there was the warm
Background: For someone who has embrace of another mistress waiting
spent most of his life in the public for him, he did not care. After all, he
eye. Oscar-winning actor Jordon was perfect for any mission.
Gibson is a mystery. He is not really sure of his
Sure, everyone knows about place in the crime lords vs. vigilantes
the scandals, the affairs, the 3 X story. Sure, what the crime lords
wives, the eight kids, the drinking, are doing is wrong, but how does it
and drugs. affect him? How does fighting gang
We all know about his time members pay his bills or help him
as the superhero Prodigal and how get that part in the next movie?
he did not get his powers from the He would walk away if he
Prometheus project. could; he is no good to his kids dead,
But besides that, he is a but the Team needs him. After all. He
mystery. is perfect.
Prodigal was the face of the While he is a perfect hand-
original Prometheus team. Whenever to-hand fighter and can wield any
they had to appear in public, Prodigal weapon with just enough skill, he
spoke to the press or helped with the does not get involved in combat
hostage negotiations. unless he has to; he can't risk
When the Prometheus damaging that perfect face, after all.
program fell apart, and the wolves No, he has a far more
were at the door, the Prodigal talked important job in the Vigilantes:
to the attorneys and handled the controlling how the public perceives
paparazzi and the scandals. their actions. He is equally at home
All the while, the perfect in the court of law, at a high society
man was a perfect mystery. function, or talking to Russian
After the fall of Prometheus, gangsters at 3 AM.
Jorden remained very much in the He is the face of the Team,
public eye, always another play, telling the city to have faith and
movie, or TV show. You can't sell an hope.
Oscar, though, and he had debts, Powers: Prodigal is perfect; that's
multiple children from multiple his power. He has perfect hair, teeth,
affairs, three wives, and bills to pay. health, looks, and the ability to do
He might be the perfect man, but his everything just well enough to be
life was the perfect mess. considered perfect.

191
Kid sidekick may be a better fighter Gear: Under his suit and tie, he wears
than him, but in melee combat, an armored undershirt (AC 12)
Prodigal is perfect. Gadget Girl may His weapon of choice is a Walther
be able to invent technology years PPK (Range:80 M +4 to hit 1d6+4
ahead of anything on the market, Piercing), because of course, and a
but he can drive any car and fix that 44 magnum hand cannon because
engine, so it is just perfect. also, of course (Range:80. +5 to hit,
Appearance: Perfect. 5'11. One 1d10+4 Piercing)
hundred seventy-five pounds, Quote: Perfect in every way
perfectly tanned skin. Perfect short
brown hair and perfect blue eyes.
He always dresses to impress and is
never seen without a suit, tie, and a
martini in his hands.
Personality: Charming

192
Kid Sidekick in a healthy manner, all the while
Name: Fred “Kid Sidekick” Jones- nurturing his athletic gifts while still
Level:10 self-made hero allowing him to have a childhood.
Str: 14 Int: 14 Wis: 14 Doc Solomon was not any
Dex: 14 Con: 12 Cha: 11 other adult. He was one of the most
Skills of Note: Athletics, academics, dangerous men on the planet, having
acrobatics, archery, brawling, lived a life of conflict and warfare
computers, driving, first aid, and for the past 50 years. He wanted
hacking. Investigation, Lock pick, to indulge Fred's desire to become
Leadership, Martial Arts, Search, better than him.
Science, Sleight of hand, Survival, So, from age six, Fred's
Swim. mind and body were pushed to their
Perks & Powers: Ambidextrous, High limits, undergoing a training regime
pain threshold, Iron will, Willpower, rivaling anything an Olympic athlete
Comic book martial arts might have done.
Background: After the Fresno He studied martial arts with
criminal underworld had brutally master’s worldwide in acrobatics
murdered his parents, six-year-old with circus performers and learned
Fred Jones was adopted by Doc weapons and combat styles from
Solomon, who was a friend of the Hass and other mercenaries.
family. As his body developed,
From an early age, Fred so too was his mind pushed. He
demonstrated an above-average level was learning languages, history,
of athletic prowess. At the age of 6, criminology, and chemistry—all the
he was able to compete in sports skills Hass knew and then some.
with children twice his age. Fredd took to this regime
The more the child was pushed, the like a fish to water, excelling in every
more he excelled in any training field.
area; he was a once-in-a-generation At some point, Fred learned
physical savant. what the Weatherford organization
He could easily have gone was doing to orphan children in
on to compete in any one of a dozen Fresno. On his 14th birthday, he
Olympic events; couches had already returned to his hometown and began
scouted him to start training. the long process of infiltrating the
Six-year-old Fred had other Fresno orphan program to get the
ideas. He told Doc Solomon that he evidence he felt he needed to bring
wanted to be as good as him, better, Weatherford to justice.
and that he wanted to grow up and
be able to “get the people who hurt "Someone has to speak for these kids."
his mom and dad.”
Any other adult might have Eventually, he reached the
chosen another way to raise Fred, limit of what a 14-year-old could do
to hear his words and help him within the system, so inspired by the
deal with the trauma productivity Prometheus heroes, he put on the

193
Mask for the first time, and the Night doomed to fail; Fredd knew that, but
Owl was born! it still gave him a way to help the
kids who had been affected by the
“Hoot-Hoot dirt bag.” Weatherford’s.
- The Owl (TV Movie 1991) Once the Team disbanded,
Fred spent some time helping
Night owl? But wait, his code name is Gadget Girl dismantle the rest of the
Kid Sidekick! Not Night owl! Weatherford holdings in Fresno.
Well, the original persona After that, he set the Mask
was Night owl because that sounded aside and spent some time traveling
cool to his 14-year-old brain, but the world to continue his training
Fate had other plans for Fredd's and just enjoy being a Teenager.
costumed persona. Sometime after his 19th
As the story goes, during birthday, he returned to Fresno at
his investigations of Weatherford the request of Gadget Girl. There
organizations activities, he ran afoul was a new hero team in town called
of the Lucky Strike color gang. The Vanguard, and Doris was concerned
gang had been grabbing orphan kids about the technology used to create
off the street and delivering them to them.
the Weatherford labs. Fred spent months
Fred was unaware that infiltrating the Fresno District
the police were planning a raid Attorney's office to learn more about
on the Lucky Strike headquarters the new Team and the Resurgence
simultaneously, so as Fred burst into program.
the building from one end, the police This meant he was at ground
burst into the other, and hijinks Zero when the Vanguard force
ensured. turned on the city and attacked city
Eventually, the police hall. He spent hours behind enemy
realized that the costumed teen was lines fighting to save as many people
helping them, and working together, as he could from the Crime Lord's
they brought the Lucky Strike gang bloodshed.
to justice and saved several kids. Fred had no choice; it was
Shocked that a kid had time to put the Mask back on. Fresno
beaten him in combat, Mammoth, needed Kid Sidekick yet again.
the leader of the lucky strikes, was Since that day, he and
heard to say, "Who are you, Kid? The Gadget Girl have found as many
cop's sidekick?" allies as possible to help reclaim the
The next day, the press ran a city from its new overlords, even
story titled "Kid Sidekick Takes Down if that meant working with many
Gang." Fred grudgingly accepted the former Prometheus members.
name initially, but it soon grew on Thus, the Shadowdark
him. And that, they say, is how the Supers were born out of the need
legend began. to stop the Crime Lords, even if the
The teen sidekick team was Kid does not always approve of the

194
violent ways his teammates deal with arts. He has also received training
their opponents. in numerous areas of criminal
As much as he appreciates investigation and dozens of other
the Team, Kid Sidekick does his best skills.
work alone, so he lets Charm handle Appearance: Fred has short black
the day-to-day operations of his hair, green eyes, and tanned skin.
fellow heroes while he functions as a He wears simple athletic clothes in
team commander when he has to. public. Jeans and T-shirts. As Kid
On the battlefield, he is an Sidekick, he wears a black and red
unparalleled fighting machine, a costume with a red and black Mask,
master martial artist operating at black boots, gloves, and a yellow belt.
peak performance, combined with Personality: Driven
his tactical training and years of Gear: Costume. The red and black
experience. So far, no one has beaten costume is made of a space-age
him in a one-on-one fight. polymer titanium mesh weave.
Outside of the battlefield, he Vest. Tactical Uniform Style HG2
is a master tactician and world-class Multi-Threat Vest Level IIIA/HG
detective who, without having any (AC 15), Mask Detach Ronin | Full
actual powers, can hold his own in Face Ballistic Helmet | NIJ Level IIIA
almost any situation. | with night vision, GPS, radio, and
In his role as the Team's Wi-Fi HUD. Primary ranged weapon.
field commander, he has to act as the Golden Ball X 3343 Hi-Capac Metal
voice of reason amongst his fellow Airsoft Pistol W/Vented Slide- 300
vigilantes' collected rage and pain, FPS (Range:30 feet, +6 to hit,
helping them find a way to focus Damage: 1d6+2 bludgeoning
their energies on the battlefield into Secondary ranged weapon. Ball
a cohesive unit. bearings (Range:15 M. +7 to hit,
Working with a team helps 1d4+1 bludgeoning), Primary melee
him accomplish many goals, but he weapon. Poly carbonite fighting
still prefers to work alone. sticks.(+5 to hit 1d8 bludgeoning)
He is deeply concerned Secondary melee weapon. Martial
by the razor edge most of his arts
teammates are walking. He is Quote: All this time, you're still
worried that any one of them will getting beat by the Kid Sidekick?
cross that line one day and become
no worse than the Crime Lords, and Kid Sidekick is the Shadowdark Supers
he feels that one of his goals is to take on the classic teen sidekick Dick
make sure that day never comes. Grayson/Night Wing (Night wing).
Powers: Kid Sidekick has no powers
but is a world-class athlete who
has trained his mind and body
in multiple fields since age 6. He
is an Olympic-level gymnast and
holds black belts in various martial

195
196
AND FINALLY... teammates. They would blow up a
school; she would give all the kids
Tag, the pink-haired prankster lollipops.
Name: Doctor Emily “Tag” Maddox. The fall of the Vanguard
Level: 7 fast hero force hit her hard; she loved being
Str: 9 Int: 14 Wis: 16 a hero and was troubled over the
Dex: 12 Con: 11 Cha: 14 bloody Crime Lord thing. Our fair
Skills of Note: Academics, Acrobatics, maiden wasn’t a villain; she did not
Athletics, Charm, Drive, First want to kill anyone! She took a vow
Aid, Medicine, Sleight of Hand, not to harm. But she did not want
Streetwise. to be a goody-goody spoilsport hero
Perks & Powers: Danger sense either, or she could not go back to
Tag/Hammerspace (See below). her old life.
Origin: (I assume people think that Being Tag was too much fun. Tag
Tag is inspired by Harley Quinn from decided she would be a lovable
the DCU, but she was, in fact, inspired goofball antihero and troublemaker.
by Lori Petty’s Tank Girl portrayal She could do some good, help the
(Tank Girl 1995) and my friend Julie. people of Fresno out, and get paid!
Tag first appeared in my Project 97 Tag does not commit crimes;
RPG.) she does over-the-top, ridiculous
Once upon a time, a young Warner Brothers cartoon-style
doctor named Emily Maddox hijinks. On International Hot Dog
worked for a nasty program called Day, she robbed the Fresno bank,
Resurgence in a city called Fresno. used the money to buy every hot
One day, one of the volunteers for the dog in the market, and then gave
Resurgence program was terrified to out free hot dogs in the park. When
be exposed to The Shadowdark and the Fresno Museum had a priceless
so our hero, to help this poor sap Van Gogh on display, she stole every
conquer their fears, went into the other painting but left the Van Gogh.
void of The Shadowdark first to show Her status as a “Criminal”
them it was perfectly safe. allows her to run several black
market clinics around town and to
It wasn’t. make sure people who might not
have received health care before now
Shortly after that, Dr. Maddox began can. She has saved multiple women
demonstrating some unique powers, and children from abusive situations
and it was decided that she would be and made sure people were safe.
perfect for the new Vanguard Force. Who deserved organ transplants and
As Tag, she quickly became got them instead of those who could
the most beloved member of the not afford them? The money she has
Vanguard force. Her colorful antics robbed from banks usually ends up
made her the darling of Fresno, in the bank accounts of people in
and she was the exact opposite of need.
the rest of her darker, more violent While technically associated

197
with the Crime Lords, she rarely her purse, but anything that can
interacts with them other than be defined as a “portal” could
occasionally annoying Edge. technically work, including her
Powers: Tag is an extremely mouth.
powerful psychic with a unique Anything she pulls out will
type of teleportation. Tag can return to The Shadowdark after (1
open a portal into a small portion hour/level) 7 hours.
of The Shadowdark (known as Appearance: Tag has mousy brown
Hammerspace) that she can reach hair that she usually dyes pink or
into and pull things out of. Initially, blonde. She is an average-looking
Tag pulled things out randomly 23-year-old female with tan skin and
and occasionally got precisely what blue eyes. She often wears a lab coat
she needed. Still, over time, she has similar to the one she wore while
stored (or tagged) several objects practicing medicine and a pink purse
in the Portal that will be used later. (her Bag of Tricks). She always wears
Tag has to be very specific when she bright colors. Tag is very polite; she
reaches into her Bag of Tricks, or she always says please and thank you,
gets a random result. For example, even when committing a crime.
if Tag needs an egg timer, she must Personality: Unpredictable.
picture an egg timer in her mind; Gear: Tag wears various doctors’
otherwise, she could pull out an egg lab coats of different colors, under
or a clock. which she has a bright pink flack
How does this work? Tag vest (AC 13). She usually does not
has placed particular objects in the carry weapons, though she has a can
Portal, but as for the stuff she just of pepper spray, a pocket knife, and a
randomly pulls out, she borrows first aid kit.
them from another universe. The Quirks: Polite, loves bright colors,
established rules of her “Bag of the ends justify the actions, does not
Tricks” are as follows: drink beer.
Nothing living can be pulled Quotes: “Can you please open the
out of the Portal. Tag could pull out vault door, sir?”
her turkey sandwich, but she could “Do you smell smoke?”
pull out a live turkey. “What do you mean, not a threat?”
Nothing that weighs more “Oh, pretty.”
than Tag can carry about 30 pounds. “Tag, you're it.”
She pulls out nothing larger than
something she could carry with
two hands, so no pianos. The most
significant thing she pulled out so far
was a 3-foot ladder.
Tag cannot place herself into
the Portal.
In our world, the Portal
requires an anchor. Tag uses

198
199
 History.com

Last Issue
Tag is inspired by Lori Petty - Wikipedia
Kelly blue book
U.S. Army website
Nevada tourist bored.
and her portrayal of Tank Girl 1995. Tag The Ely Nevada chamber of commerce
first appeared in Project 1997. Tag is White Pine Chamber of Commerce
copyright 195. 2002, 2020 by Michael L Centers for Disease Control and
Straus Prevention | CDC
Kid Sidekick was inspired America: Cost of Living Index by City
by Dick Grayson/Night wing and first Ely, Nevada - Wikipedia
appeared in print in 2014. Kid sidekick is Superpower Wiki | Fandom
copyrighted 2020 by Michael L Straus World of Supers RPGs | Facebook
Mr. Monster was inspired by the Area 52 (Tonopah Test Range -
character Refit from F.R.E.E Lancers Wikipedia)
EDGE was inspired by Cordelia Area 52 - Wikipedia
Chase | Buffy verse Wiki | Fandom Department of Energy
The Terrors are a loving homage U.S. Department of Defense
to the Crushers from Crisis at Crusader How to Play Pogs: Simple '90s Game
Citadel - by Jeff Dee Tutorial (wikihow.com)
Melt was created by @DMCurt. World Newton family - Wikipedia
Interpol agent DMKurt was inspired by @ Villains and Vigilantes - Wikipedia
DMcurt Doc Savage - Wikipedia
A Man was created by @ The Shadow - Wikipedia
Amanthesuperstud169. Arrowverse - Wikipedia
Seths Gear and Ammo was The Defenders (miniseries) - Wikipedia
created by Aaron Cornelious, Michael An Expansion of Philip José Farmer's
Straus, and Robert McAllister in 2016. world Newton Universe
Blacklight - Compatible with
Thank you to all of you for giving me a Shadowdark RPG - The Scrying
chance to tell this story. Dutchman | DriveThruRPG
First responder - Wikipedia
Phrases from The Hitchhiker's Guide to
References the Galaxy - Wikipedia)
Kelley Blue Book | New and Used Car
The Arcane Library @ TheArcaneLibrary
Shadowdark RPG SRD Price Values, Expert Car Reviews
The Red Room – Wretched Role-Playing Superpower Wiki | Fandom
Games (moordereht.com) Heroes Unlimited @ Pallidum games
Black Flag Reference Document - Kobold DnD 5e Piercing Damage Explained - The
Press GM Says
The CIA website slashing - Search - D&D Beyond
The FBI Website DnD 5e Bludgeoning Damage Explained
The FDA Website - The GM Says
The U.S. library of congress Thing (comics) - Wikipedia
The Smithsonian website Emergency service - Wikipedia
The CDC website In Comics – The Phantom
NASA.Gov Every recorded meteorite to have struck
Wikipedia Earth mapped - Vivid Maps
Target.Com Public Domain Super Heroes | Fandom
Amazon.com Pinkerton (detective agency) - Wikipedia

200
American Society for Psychical Research Maps provided by Google Maps
- Wikipedia
American Society for Psychical Research Art provided by. Andrew Meisel. Check
Foner, Eric; Garraty, John Arthur, eds. out all of Andrews's art on his Instagram
(1991). The Reader's Companion to Studio @Amanthesuperstud169.
American History. Houghton Mifflin
Books. Art provided by. Aaron Cornelius.
American Association for the Check out Aarons’ art on Instagram @
Advancement of Science - Wikipedia TheDunegonJanitor
150 Years of Advancing Science: A
History of AAAS Origins: 1848–1899". Art provided by. Jeramy Stanton @ North
AAAS. Retrieved July 28, 2016. Coast Roleplaying.
William Randolph Hearst - Wikipedia)
J. Robert Oppenheimer - Wikipedia A Note Regarding AI Art:
Alexander Graham Bell - Wikipedia Only the public domain works of artists
Roy Rogers - Wikipedia were curated to derive the AI art in
Hedy Lamarr - Wikipedia this book. We do not intend to use AI
Pinkerton (detective agency) - Wikipedia to replace modern living artists, but AI
Howard Hughs@ Wikipedia can be a valuable tool for niche indie
WOLD NEWTON UNIVERSE: A SECRET products like this one.
HISTORY-Table of Contents AI Art provided by Leonardo AI,
The Tomorrow People (American TV Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Dall-E
series) - Wikipedia
Multiverse | Marvel Database | Fandom A note regarding AI. Microsoft Edit,
Grammarly, and ChatGPT were used to
Shadowdark superheroes is an independent proofread this document.
product published under the Shadowdark
RPG Third-Party License and is not LEGAL STUFF
affiliated with The Arcane Library, LLC. This product is Copyright 2022 by
Shadowdark RPG ©2023 The Arcane Michael L Straus and Team Prime Time.
Library, LLC. The City of Fresno, Nevada, is a work of
fiction. Copyright 2022 Michael L Straus
A Disclaimer on my Work: & Team Prime Time.
I neither condone nor endorse nor
rebuke nor concern myself with any Project Black Flag Notice.
cultural, political, or non-gaming-related Project Black Flag SRD is sued with
opinions of any sponsor, business permission from Kobold Press.
partner, employee, or individual other
than myself. I wish to keep non-gaming ORC NOTICE: This product is licensed
topics out of my products. under the ORC License, located at the
I'm just here to talk about Library of Congress at TX 9-307-067,
Goblins with sticks. and available online at various locations
including www.azoralaw.com/orclicense
Stock Art Provided by: and others.
Adobe Stock Art, Google Stock Art, All warranties are refused as set forth
Superhero stock art provided by Kalos therein.
Comics
Public domain art provided by
Wikimedia Commons

201
Attribution: Within this setting the players will
This work includes material taken from assume the role of antiheroes , vigilantes
the System Reference Document 5.1 and retired characters from the golden
(“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC age who are thrust into action to defend
and available at https://dnd.wizards. their city from the Crime Lords.
com/resources/systems-reference-
document. The Crime Lords were once a squad of
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the heroes known as Vanguard who became
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 corrupted and now terrorize the very city
International License and is available at they once protected.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/
by/4.0/legalcode. In this Shadowdark world the player
characters will embark on a journey of
Fair Use and Parody Disclaimer: redemption and self-discovery, they must
This product is only for educational, confront their personal struggles and
entertainment, and informational. overcome the terrible secrets of their past
purposes. These so-called "fair uses" are to save the city from itself.
permitted even if the use of the work
would otherwise be.
infringing. Content may contain
copyrighted material owned by a third
party, the use of which has not.
always been specifically authorized by
the copyright owner. A copyright owner’s
rights are listed under.
the Copyright Act, Section 107 of the
Copyright Act.

Proofreader:
H Noss (fiverr.com/hlnoss)
Questions? TheGMGRUMPY@Gmail.com.

This is a work of fiction, any resemblance

between characters in this product and
individuals in the real world is purely a
coincidence.

Shadowdark Vigilantes is the 2025

spiritual successor to the Wretched
Vigilantes campaign setting I created in
2023.

In this game you will be thrust into a

gritty and dark version of Fresno, now
infamously known as crime city!

202
 "Humm, I cannot argue with that
Don’t make a Peep logic; I’ll give you five stars on that customer
She stared at the yellow marshmallow chicken service survey. I appreciate your help. Ask me
on her table. She had been staring at the anything, Gregg."
yellow marshmallow chicken on her table for Tag leaned in and kissed the
a while now. frightened manager on the cheek, then
"What is it?" She asked herself. "I skipped out of the Market.
mean, I know what it is. Yellow marshmallow
chicken, it's a Peep, but what is it? I do not Incident report: Fresno Docks. 22.00 Hours.
remember ever buying this, so how did it get Police and fire responded to reports of
on my table? And look at the box; it does not explosions. Witnessed report the Supervillain
say anywhere what company makes them Tag engaged in a firefight with an unknown
or where they are made. They just are. Is it a individual dressed as a rabbit.
peep?"
Unusual things showing up in Tag dodged to her left to avoid the incoming
her presence were not new to her. Pulling weapons fire, as what looked to her like jelly
something out of thin air was the gift the beans exploded along the boxes behind her.
Vanguard process had given her, and since She ducked behind a box and yelled at her
that fateful day, Tag had pulled anything attacker.
she could think of out of her "Bag of tricks," "Look, I can see we got off on the
from an Axe to Zip ties but never a yellow wrong foot, and you're obviously upset, but I
marshmallow duck. am sure we can resolve this without harming
Tag tried to retrace her steps over each other. I want to know where this yellow
the past day, but she had no idea where the marshmallow duck came from. That’s not
candy had come from. asking too much!
Tag looked at the box. The yellow Tags assailant said nothing, just
duck had come in for any clues, and at the continued to fire candy colourrd bullets at her
bottom left corner, in tinny print, was a name from its odd-looking machine gun.
she could barely read. "Look, I said please?!"
Explosions rocked the ground, and
Just Born.(1) the boxes Tag hid behind burst into flame.
"Fine, you want to play rough? I
Tag grabbed her coat and purse and decided can play rough.”
to visit the Just Born candy company to get Tag opened her pink purse and
an explanation as to where the Peep had come reached her hands in; rather than the small
from. confines of the purse, she felt the infinite
possibilities of the multiverse within her
Incident report: Fresno market. 21.00 hours. grasp. It felt as wonderful as it had the very
The supervillain, known as TAG, was first time she used her powers to reach into"
captured on CCTV harassing the staff and Hammerspace."(2)
vandalizing the shop. She pulled out a large, bright pink
rocket launcher from within the folds of
"What do you mean you do not interdimensional nonsense.
know where they come from, Manager She stood up and aimed the weapon
Gregg? Your name tag clearly states, "Ask me at the surprised-looking humanoid rabbit.
anything', Gregg. Well, I'm asking you very With a vindictive grin on her face, she yelled
nicely where the Peeps come from, and your "Tag you're it!”
answer is, you do not know?" And pulled the trigger.
"We don't know; they just appear
on the shelves during the holidays. We do not Incident report: Fresno docks. 22.25 hours.
order or receive them in inventory; they just Responding to reports of a bomb going off.
appear."
"You expect me to believe they just Tag sat on a shipping box, scooping
show up like magic?" marshmallow guts off herself, while
"Well, this is Fresno after all, Ms. Firefighters attempted to clean the gunk off
Tag, maam." the area with their hoses. So far, the Police had

203
not approached her, but were about to. She pointed the offending candy
"Oh god, it’s in my hair! I'm never chicken at the security guard, who was still
getting this out of my hair, am I? And I smell tied up.
like a marshmallow-scented candle. Which is "Why does this exist, Carl? Why?
just gross!" Who eats this, Carl? Huh? I'll tell you who,
Frustratedly, she scooped another no one! No one eats peeps, Carl! They are
handful of Marshmallows guts out of her awful!"
hair, stood up, and walked to the nearest Tag threw the offending
policeman. marshmallow creature at the wall.
"It's not like I knew it would qShe watched as it slowly slid down
explode into a candy-coated apocalypse! I the wall to the floor. She looked at the peep, at
thought it was a guy in a costume." Carl, the security guard tied up in the corner,
She stood before the confused- at the pile of papers on the table, and at the
looking police officer, candy corn dripping off peep sitting on the floor.
her hair and onto his boots. Tag leaned in and She blinked.
plucked his car keys off his belt as he fumbled "No one ever eats them. They show
for his handcuffs. up every holiday; no one knows where or
"Can I borrow your police car, how, and no one eats them?"
please, sir? I promise I'll return it, and you She looked at Carl again, smiled,
can bill this mess to the Crime Lords since walked over to him, and took his car keys
they run this town." Good, thanks, bye." off his belt. Carl looked at the pink-haired
Tag sloshed her way to the police prankster in fear.
car and took off. "I want to thank you again for all
your help, Carl. I will let your boss know
Incident report: Fresno office of records what a good employee you are, okay? I'm
24.00. Police responding to Silent alarm. going to borrow your car if that's alright.
Don't worry; I'll bring it back, and I promise
Tag sat in the darkness. She looked at the you, Carl, that those friendly police officers I
security guard she had tied up in frustration see coming up the stairs will let you out. “
at the mess she had made of the files and the Tag skipped out the door, yelling:
pile of useless paperwork on the table. She "No one ever eats them, Carl! Don’t you get
brushed another piece of candy corn out of her it?”
pink hair.
She lay her head on the table and Multiple Incident Reports: Between 23.30
groaned. and 4.00, Fresno police responded to multiple
"Aug! I do not get it. There are no reports of convenience store robberies.
records of Just Born anywhere! There is no
shipping, receiving, claim of ownership, or Incident Report: 6.00 - Fresno Children's
even a phone number! It's like they do not Hospital. Witnesses report the criminal
exist.” known as Tag. She is to be considered armed
Tag lay her head on the cold, and dangerous and approached with caution.
comforting table and wondered why she was
not just out robbing a bank. She reached into Julie Barnes was clocking in for her shift when
the place where she had put the source of her she heard screams from the community room!
frustration and placed it on the table. Without thinking, the Nurse ran down the
It looked the same as when she neon-lit hospital hall to the room, yelling for
first discovered it at home. A yellow glob help.
of Marshmallow that looked vaguely like a She could not believe what she saw
chicken. when she got to the community room.
She held it in her hand. It was sticky The Children were screaming, with laughter!
and covered with a substance that felt like Nurse Barnes saw children playing
sand. She sniffed the peep; yes, it still smelled with small, bright collard globs everywhere.
like Marshmallow. The kids were throwing objects at each other,
She bit into the peep, like biting into throwing them at the walls, and sticking
candy-flavored sand. It was disgusting, so she them together to build things. Two girls were
spit it out. playing with them on a table. Another child

204
was jumping up and down on a pile of them. else. Look, I do not know how long or why
Over by the wall, two boys were pulling one you have been doing this. What is your
between them while another boy was sticking end game? Are you studying us? "All I do
them to the window. know is whatever you were up to with your
Everywhere around the community disgusting marshmallow sand creations, as
room, Nurse Barnes saw sick kids laughing, of today, Fresno is off limits."
playing, and just being kids. Tag looked at the rabbit. It said
The Nurse smiled. Then she nothing, just quivering like giant marshmallow
recognized the individual standing in the rabbits do in the morning sun.
corner looking out the window. "I gave the candy to the kids; they
Nurse Barnes slowly walked across needed some Easter fun. If you can't eat it,
the Marshmallow battlefield. play with it, as Grandpa Tag always said.
“Dr Maddox?” And as for you, do you have anything to say
"Hi, Julie." for yourself?"
"It's nice to see you again; why do The giant sugar abomination said
you smell like marshmallow?" nothing.
Dr Emily Maddox looked at “No, not one word? Not even a
her former coworker, a reflection of the peep?”
life she used to have before the Vanguard Tag smiled at her awful pun and
experiments, before Tag. pulled the trigger on the rocket launcher.”
“It's a long story, Nurse Barns, but
it’s nice to see you again, Julie.”
"Thank you. What is going on?
Tag smiled and looked out
the window at the giant brightly colored
monstrosity slowly plodding towards the
Hospital.
She started to walk out, accepting a
hug from a few kids as they continued to play
with and destroy a small army of Peeps.
“No one ever eats them, so why are
they in every easter basket?”
Nurse Julie Barns watched her
former coworker leave; she smiled and looked
at the children happily playing.
“Who is going to clean up this
mess?”

Incident Report: 6:30 - Fresno children’s

hospital. Shots fired. (1)Just Born, Inc., is a family-
owned Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based candy
The marshmallow golem slowly plodded company that manufactures and markets
across the parking lot toward the hospital several candies, including Goldenberg's
entrance. Peanut Chews, Hot Tamales, Mike and
Standing from the doorway was a Ike, Peeps, Teenee Beanee jelly beans,
manic-looking woman with pink hair holding and Zours.
a rocket launcher! (2) Hammerspace - TV Tropes Hammerspace
"I should have figured it out sooner; is the notional place where things come
no one eats them. So, what is the point? To from when needed and where they go back
have them sit there, watching us till they get to when not. The term was fan-coined as
thrown away or eaten by the dog." where cartoon characters and anime/manga
The marshmallow rabbit stood characters would store the overly large
there, saying nothing and watching as Tag hammers and assorted weaponry; they had
pointed the rocket launcher at it. a propensity for hitting each other, especially
"If you do not eat them, they must for comedic effect.
either be a decoration, a toy, or something 3: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania - Wikipedia

205
206