'Do you have what it takes to help make a FIST for your country?'
You do your best to blend into the crowd of 'Norms' as you take a closer look at the recruitment poster.

You can not help but overhear the heated debates between the Norms: people who are members of the 'Normal' Population who are either suspicious, fear or hate the 'Supras' and the 'Normal People' who view the Supras as equal citizens, with equal rights; in spite of their super human traits and abilities.

So you merely nod your head in response to the arguments of those who are 'Pro Supra' and of those who are 'Con Supra' as you try to appear undecided as to being either pro or con.

The debate rages over the FIST recruitment poster for 'Five Individual Strike Team' as both sides of the heated debate understand that the American Armed Forces (AAF) are seeking Five Super Human Individuals to become members of a Supra Team.

Scenes such as these are raging from coast to coast all across America.

America has joined in the struggle for Freedom with the Nation of Brittania against the aggressive forces of the Nation of Germania.

World War has waged for the past 9 months all across Europa with the weapons of war wielded by the Norms Soldiers, as well as the Super Human abilities of the Supras from all nations joining in the fight for Freedom.

These 'Supras' are known as 'Zurga Patriots' and they join the ranks of their fellow countrymen for their Love of Country and the Promise of a Welcome Place in Society for both Supras and Norms!

It is common knowledge world wide that the Mysterious Meteor Showers that bombarded the Southern and Far Northern Hemispheres during the mid 1890s unleashed unknown 'Rays' or 'Particles' into the Earth's atmosphere.

Professor Johann Zurga, a noted Germania scientist, became the foremost authority on the subject of this phenomena and its connection to the sudden rise of Super Humans around the globe at the turn of the century.

Although still known to the world at large as 'Zurgas' the aggressive actions of Germania by that nation's employment of Super Humans as weapons of war that has instigated this current conflict (soon to be known as World War I) has motivated the Norms of America and Brittania to openly refer to the Zurgas in their own country's borders as Supras, which has fanned the Flames of Fanaticism throughout Germania against Brittania and America.

All of the known Supras in America have joined in the war effort against the rising threat of Germania, most notably the 'Star Spangled Patriot' and his wife/consort 'Lady Stripes', by leaving the shores of America and battling against the Zurgas on several fronts across Europa.

Rumors of Zurga smugglers and saboteurs targeting key ports and cities throughout America has spurred the AAF to recruit any and all Supras within the borders of America to form FIST units for the defense and protection of your country.

Promises of amnesty and full pardons for any criminals in the Supra community are being offered by the AAF to any and all new recruits who voluntarily join a FIST unit to help oppose any Zurga Patriots targeting the shores of America.

The FIST Recruitment Poster proclaims that you have until the end of the month [Wednesday March 31, 1915] at 9:00am to report to the AAF Supra Division Headquarters in Coast City, as a volunteer for duty in a FIST unit, or be branded a Zurga Patriot Sympathizer aka a Zurga War Criminal.

You are presently located in Coast City, a large city in California, somewhere between our own present day Los Angeles and San Francisco locales.

You have until Wednesday March 31, 2015 at 9:00am to volunteer your allegiance as a FIST recruit, according to the FIST Recruitment Poster, by reporting to the AAF Supra Division Headquarters on the northeast side of Coast City, which is nestled between the Monument Mountains and Patriot Bay.

It is feared by AAF Officials that Coast City and its strategic position along Patriot Bay makes the city a High Priority Target by Zurga Patriots seeking to cripple America on its own shores, while her own Supras are fighting overseas!

**********************

Recruitment is now officially open for 5 Players to create Super Powered Characters using the 'Mutants & Masterminds Third Edition Hero's Handbook'.

Only the Third Edition Hero's Handbook will be used as a Source Book for Players to create a Super Powered Hero [NOT a Hero with Super Powered Gadgets!]

'Zurga Patriots' is a Super Powered Campaign Adventure that is projected to span across a Natural Time Line, consisting of '3 Books' set against the back drop of WWI thru WWII.

There is a Time Span of 25 Years from the Opening of Book I until the Opening of Book II.

Therefore, if Your Character is 15 Years Young in 1915 then he/she will be 40 Years Young in 1940 [Providing Your Character Survives!]

Conversely, if Your Character is 40 Years Young in 1915 then he/she will be 65 Years Young in 1940.

The Possibilities of Character Death in Book I hinges upon the Stupidity or Recklessness of Your Character making Decisions in Various Situations or Circumstances!

Character Death Opportunities will Increase in Book II and Become Even Greater Possibilities in Book III with the WWII back drop!

I am NOT Giving Away Any Plot Details, other than to say that Your Characters will Begin the 'Zurga Patriots' Campaign as Power Level 3 Characters!

After my Opening Game Post, the 5 Players will Post Origins and Back Stories for their Characters!

Based Upon the Quality of Your Opening Post, Your Character will Receive Upwards of 10 Additional Power Points to Immediately Spend on Your Level 3 Hero (created with 45 Power Points) to Upgrade and Enhance any Abilities, Skills, Advantages, Powers and /or Defenses within the Confines of a Power Level 3 Character Ceiling!

After Adding these Additional Power Points to Your Level 3 Character (up to 10 Power Points, depending upon the Quality of Your First Post) the 5 Member FIST unit will Open the Book I Adventure at the Docks of Coast City!

I will Post the Setting at the Coast City Docks, along with any other Particulars, before the Players Respond with their Second Post in the Zurga Patriots Adventure, based on the Mutants & Masterminds Third Edition!

Remember that I am looking for Power Level 3 Characters with Super Powers, as opposed to Characters with Super Powered Gadgets!

Therefore, the Power Level 3 Characters are just now 'Coming of Age' with their Super Powers and some of the Role Play is the Adjustment of Your Character as he/she Grows into their Super Powers!

Although the Back Drop of Book I is World War I and the Back Drop of Book III is World War II, the Similarities of History with 'Our World' of 'Real Life' and this 'Alternate Earth' will Become Vastly Different from the Point of Time in this Alternate Earth History when the Earth's Atmosphere is Bathed in the Zurga Rays from the Mysterious Meteor Showers encompassing the Southern and Far Northern Hemispheres in the mid 1890s storyline!

Both World Wars on this Alternate Earth will include the 'Zurga Patriots' fighting in behalf of their respective countries, alongside and in addition to the types of Soldiers and Weapons comprising the Ranks of the 'Norms' or Normals from the Non Super Powered Population of the Warring Countries!

Here are the Datelines for Prospective Players to Consider when Creating and Developing a Character:

Zurga Patriots: Book I 'Coming of Age' begins on (Saturday) April 10, 1915 with Power Level 3 Characters [after the Addition of Bonus Power Points!]

Zurga Patriots: Book II 'Border Brigade' begins on (Monday) May 5, 1930 with Power Level 5 Characters [after the Addition of Bonus Power Points!]

Zurga Patriots: Book III 'Uber Force' begins on (Sunday) June 2, 1940 with Power Level 8 Characters [after the Addition of Bonus Power Points!]

This is a 25 Year Time Span and Your Character will Age According to this Natural Time Line!

Please Include the Date of Birth in Your Character Descriptions, because over the course of time during this adventure we might include Birthday Party Interludes!

Your Character is Either from America or Canada, so Your Parents or Grand Parents may Possibly have been Immigrants from Another Country (subject to approval by the Game Master!)

However, Your Character was Native Born in Either America or Canada, even if Your Parents are Immigrants from Another Country!

How Your Character has Arrived in Coast City, California is a Vital Part of Your Opening Post and will Help Determine How Many Bonus Power Points are Awarded for the Opening Origin and Back Story!

Please Include At Least 2 and NO More than 3 'Complications' with Your Character Concept Proposal Submission for this Adventure!

NO MAGIC and NO OUTER SPACE ALIENS or TRANS DIMENSIONAL BEINGS Exist in this Alternate Earth Adventure!

Story Telling and Role Play are the Main Emphasis of this Particular Adventure, Rather Than an Intricate Knowledge of the 'Mutants & Masterminds' Third Edition Game Mechanics!

As a Power Level 3 Character, You as a Player have 45 Power Points to Create a Super Hero in the Developing Stages of the Awakening of Your Super Powers!

Please Consult the 'Mutants & Masterminds Third Edition Hero's Handbook' for Creating Your Power Level 3 Super Powered Character!

Important Note I Strongly Advise that Players Spend 6 Power Points on Stamina (Rank 3) to Provide a Toughness Rank 3 for Your Character!

Players are to Be Aware that Dodge & Toughness and Parry & Toughness cannot exceed twice the series Power Level so Agility (Dodge Defense) cannot exceed Rank 3 and Fighting (Parry Defense) also cannot exceed Rank 3 with a Stamina (Toughness Defense) Rank 3, as the Power Level for Your Character is Power Level 3 and Twice the Power Level is 6 for Book I of this Adventure!

Also, Stamina at Power Level 3 (Fortitude Defense) and Awareness (Will Defense) cannot exceed Twice the Power Level or 6; so by Creating Your Character with a Stamina Rank 3 (Toughness & Fortitude Defense) then Agility (Dodge Defense), Fighting (Parry Defense) and Awareness (Will Defense) are all limited to a Rank 3 Maximum Ranking!

However, after much consideration as to the War Aspect and Death Possibilities that Your Character may Potentially Face over the course of this adventure, I have decided to implement a 'Home Brew Rule' for Beefing Up the Toughness of Your Character!
In Addition to Creating Your Character with a Stamina Rank 3, I have decided to include an 'Enhancer' along with the Bonus Power Points that Players Gain for Characters via the Opening Post Back Story!

Each Character will be subjected to an 'Enhancer Beam' (Zurga Rays) that will Impart a 'Permanent Protection Power' of One Rank Above the Created Character Power Level as follows:
Protection Power Rank 4 (+4 to Toughness) for the Power Level 3 in Book I 'Coming of Age'.

Protection Power Rank 6 (+6 to Toughness) for the Power Level 5 in Book II 'Border Brigade'.

Protection Power Rank 9 (+9 to Toughness) for the Power Level 8 in Book III 'Uber Force'.

Using the 'Enhancer Beam' Plot Hook accounts for the Bonus Power Points that are Awarded to Your Character from the Quality of Your Opening Post Describing Your Character Origin and Back Story!

Remember that Abilities cost 2 Power Points per Rank and include Strength, Stamina, Agility, Dexterity, Fighting, Intellect, Awareness and Presence (see pages 55 – 56).

Remember that Skills cost 1 Power Point per 2 Skill Ranks (see page 63).

Remember that Advantages cost 1 Power Point per Advantage Rank (see pages 80 – 81).

Remember that Powers will Vary from Power to Power and costs range anywhere from 1 to 8 Power Points per Rank (see pages 94 – 95).

'ZURGA PATRIOTS' RECRUITMENT IS NOW OPEN!

Page references are for the Hard Copy of the Mutants & Masterminds Third Edition Hero's Handbook.

Below is the web address for a pdf copy and I think pages may differ (I ended up buying the Handbook for another game, rather than using the online pdf just because I like an actual 'Book' in my hands when reading and I can carry it places that I do not take my laptop, like laying in bed and reading!)

http://cs.selu.edu/~cpierson/Files/Mutants%20and%20masterminds%20Core%20Rules%203E.pdf

Since there has been no interest whatsoever during the past week, this game (Zurga Patriots) is probably over before it even got out of the gate!

I do have Another Option that can go one of two ways!

Using the 'Emerald City' setting from Mutants & Masterminds, which is located in the Pacific Northwest, interested Players will create a Level 10 Super Hero utilizing 150 Power Points:

http://cs.selu.edu/~cpierson/Files/Mutants%20and%20masterminds%20Core%20Rules%203E.pdf

Emerald City is a haven for Super Villains who have secreted themselves throughout the city. At times some of the bolder Super Villains have been eliminated by other Super Villains, in an effort to make sure the presence of so many Super Villains remains under the radar from Law Enforcement, as well as from any Super Heroes who may be snooping around as Bounty Hunters.

On the East Coast near Atlantic City is Freedom City, probably the most heavily populated Super Hero area in America.

Therefore, many of the Super Villains have migrated to Emerald City to lay low and enjoy the spoils of their ill gotten gains they have acquired from other areas of the country.

I have two game scenarios using Emerald City as a setting for a Mutants & Masterminds Super Hero Adventure, recruiting 5 to 8 Players:

1. We can play out the Emerald City Knights adventure titled 'The Silver Storm' which is set in Emerald City in the present day, about 6 months prior to how the setting appears in the 'Players Guide to Emerald City' and the 'Emerald City Map' pdf (which I will Email to participating Players).

2. Or we can fast forward to 8 months after 'The Silver Storm' adventure and begin play with the scenario that a Super Villain named the 'Time Twister' has somehow removed the Super Heroes who banded together during 'The Silver Storm' and trapped them somewhere in Time.

Therefore, the present day Super Villains in Emerald City are now involved in a power struggle for control of the criminal underworld, due to the absence of the Emerald City Knights.

Enter a New Group of Super Heroes who are needed to battle against these Super Villains!

In the first scenario, we would be following the plot outline from 'The Silver Storm' in 'Emerald City Knights' but I think that the second choice leads to countless possibilities that will result in a much more entertaining adventure!

Either way, it will take some time to get Player Characters developed and ready, so let me know if there is enough interest to play in a Super Hero adventure in Emerald City, while I do some more reading and preparation to compose an entertaining adventure!

Ah, I have always wanted to try out this game system.... I am leaving today, be back tomorrow, and will flip through the book. if there is still room, I am so in, assuming you'll have me, and show patience as I learn to build my character. (Doesnt even know what dice system this uses yet. )

I have decided to go with the Level 10 Characters (150 Power Points creation) and will take the next few weeks to prepare for the setting in Emerald City.

Salvator Navaar you are welcome to join this adventure, in an Emerald City setting, but I just have not decided exactly what the exact setting will be for this adventure ???

Any interested Players may begin constructing a Super Hero character from the Third Edition Players Handbook (this is a d20 system and I will be doing the die rolling as the Game Master).

http://cs.selu.edu/~cpierson/Files/Mutants%20and%20masterminds%20Core%20Rules%203E.pdf

This morning I was considering an adventure in Emerald City that does not include 'The Silver Storm' storyline from 'Emerald City Knights' with an explanation from the 'Emerald City Map' pdf (that I will be sending to all Players) that the Giant Robot is from a Sci Fi movie built at one of the Emerald City Universities and being used as a landmark.

Again, a vast majority of the Super Villains in Emerald City are hiding out, but their criminal nature will cause them to reveal themselves sooner rather than later!

So the Origin of your Super Hero and how he/she got their powers is pretty much wide open and as for your Back Story, your character could be a Bounty Hunter searching for a particular Super Villain, or just hunting some Super Villains.

Regarding Level 10 Power Level Character Creation Power level is a value set by the Gamemaster for the series as a whole. It places certain limits on where and how players can spend power points when creating or improving their heroes. Power level imposes the following limits:

Skill Modifier: Your hero’s total modifier with any skill (ability rank + skill rank + advantage modifiers) cannot exceed the series power level +10. This includes un-trained skill modifiers using only ability rank, and so sets an effective limit on all abilities associated with skills.

Attack & Effect: The total of your hero’s attack bonus and effect rank with that attack cannot exceed twice the series power level. If an effect allows a resistance check, but does not require an attack check, its effect rank cannot exceed the series power level.

Dodge & Toughness: The total of your hero’s Dodge and Toughness defenses cannot exceed twice the series power level.

Parry & Toughness: The total of your hero’s Parry and Toughness defenses cannot exceed twice the series power level.

Fortitude & Will: The total of your hero’s Fortitude and Will defenses cannot exceed twice the series power level.

Series Power Level is 10 which makes the +10 a limit of 20 (any combination) in the above areas.

I will post a New Recruitment probably sometime in November, after I have decided exactly what setting scenario that I will develop using Emerald City, so all prospective Players can either post here or PM me to let me know that you are Joining the Adventure!

You can go to the Q&A Threads and look at the 'Zurga Patriots QnA' for Character Sheet details and remember you are creating a Power Level 10 Character with Super Powers!

While prospective players are developing a Level 10 Power character (150 Power Points)from the Third Edition Hero's Player Handbook found at:

http://cs.selu.edu/~cpierson/Files/Mutants%20and%20masterminds%20Core%20Rules%203E.pdf

Prospective Players can also voice their vote for one of the 3 possible Emerald City Setting Scenarios:

1. We can play out the Emerald City Knights adventure titled 'The Silver Storm' which is set in Emerald City in the present day, about 6 months prior to how the setting appears in the 'Players Guide to Emerald City' and the 'Emerald City Map' pdf (which I will Email to participating Players).

2. Or we can fast forward to 8 months after 'The Silver Storm' adventure and begin play with the scenario that a Super Villain named the 'Time Twister' has somehow removed the Super Heroes who banded together during 'The Silver Storm' and trapped them somewhere in Time. This will necessitate a New Group of Super Heroes to curtail the Crime Sprees in Emerald City.

3. Or we can disregard either of 'The Silver Storm' scenarios altogether and choose to develop an Adventure that accounts for the Robot on the pdf map of Emerald City as a monument from a Sci Fi Film from the University (or however I choose to explain it) and concentrate on some type of Crime Spree or Criminal Cartel Power Struggle that gets the attention of a New Group of Super Heroes.

Interested Players can PM me with their Thoughts or Questions, as there is no rush to get Characters Created.

I have decided that 'Emerald City: Silver Storm' is the Best Scenario for beginning this adventure!

There are a number of NPC Supporting Characters and Setting Intros for Emerald City that by choosing Option One, it will provide the least amount of Preliminary Foundational Work for me as the Game Master, which in turn allows me to quite possibly have a New Recruitment Thread posted in the next few days!

Option One is also More 'Lurker' Friendly for any Inn Mates who may want to create a character and play at a later date!

By choosing Option One, it allows me as the Game Master to provide a plausible explanation for Option Two [whenever we conclude the 'Silver Storm' adventure] to remove PC Characters who have been left abandoned as NPC's (without Killing Them Off if a Player chooses to return at a later date) or for Current Players to Create a New Character to embark on a totally different 'Crime Spree' or 'Criminal Cartel Power Struggle' adventure with any additional New Players who want to join us in a New Super Hero Adventure!

interested!

and it looks that we might have my friend "Alethia" as well.