The Indies: Men, Mutants, and Monsters - Season 1
PremiseThe Indies: Men, Mutants, and Monsters is set in a world where the characters of independent comics (IE those not appearing in Marvel/DC books) can share a world. This will work similar to the One Universe games we’ve had in the past, though with more GM oversight. Considering how vast the choices are for a game of this type, I’ll be making sure character choices fit in well with the overall narrative structure of the game. I’d like to stick to western-style comics (IE no Manga) unless you give me a concept that really blows me away.
Everyone can play up to three characters, though I’d appreciate it if you only picked up three if you’re definitely sure you can handle them.
In-Universe Historical EventsVictorian Era: A covert team of adventurers known as the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen work covertly for the British Crown to ensure stability. This even includes humanity’s first run in with an extraterrestrial force when forces from Mars mount a small invasion of the British Isles. The incident is covered up as a military test gone wrong.
World War II European Theater: FDR forms the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, a covert unit tasked with combating the Thule Nazi Occult Society. On their final mission during the war, the BPRD stops the Nazis and the Russian mystic Rasputin from ending the world. In the process, BPRD leader Trevor Bruttenholm adopts a red demon that crossed over into our world, naming him “Hellboy”.
World War II African Theater: Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones prevents the Nazis from obtaining the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail.
1954: The gargantuan monster GODZILLA rises from the Pacific Ocean, leaving a path of destruction in its wake, leaving Japan burning in radioactive fire. Godzilla is eventually killed by the mysterious Dr. Serizawa and his powerful Oxygen Destroyer, but Serizawa is lost in the process. There have been no giant monster, or “kaiju”, sightings since.
Cold War: During the tensions of the Cold War, the superpowers of the world struggled to create superpowered soldiers to gain the upperhand in the nuclear stagnation.
From the shadows emerged the terrorist group known as SPECTRE. Through terrorism, extortion, and coercion, SPECTRE becomes the most powerful criminal organization at the end of the Cold War.
Late Cold War/Post Cold War: The age of the “superhero” arrives. A band of heroes that call themselves the “Guardians of the Globe” appear and begin to fight a growing batch of supervillains. The new explosion of superpowers changed the world as it was. The super powers of the world no longer worried about one another when a man could level a city.
The increasing cycle of superpowered battles and collateral damage eventually lead the governments of the world to decide that superheroics were too dangerous and expensive to allow to go unchecked. They began fighting supervillains and crime syndicates themselves with programs such as MI6’s 00 Program, America’s GI JOE, among others. America’s BPRD, active as covert agents since WWII, were the world’s first line of defense against mystical threats. The mysterious “Men in Black” did their best to conceal any extraterrestrials that happened to make landfall.
As for the world’s superheroes, they were given a choice: Fall under UN supervision and give up their secret identities or retire. Nearly all took the latter, and the world felt almost normal again.
Modern Times: As the spies and soldiers of the world fought Cobra Command and SPECTRE, the superheroes of the decades prior were dying one by one under mysterious means. But even then, a new generation of hero was on the rise. One that had no intention of sitting by while evil consolidated its power.
This is the world of Men, Mutants, and Monsters. Will you help save it? Or will you bring it to its knees?
In-Universe Organizations
Global Defense Agency - The world's leading covert agency, the GDA monitors super-powered activity in order to keep it under control. The secret group also gives the orders to the GI Joe team, a team of elite soldiers tasked with fighting the terrorist agency known as Cobra Command.
Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense - Covert agency designed to deal with paranormal and mystical threats.
Men in Black - The world's most secretive organization. Believed to be mere myth, they deal with alien threats.
Cobra Command - A terrorist group bent on world domination.
SPECTRE - Crime syndicate built to profit off of human misery and chaos.
The Foot - A mystical band of ninja assassins that do the bidding of their master, The Shredder.
(More will be added as needed)
Rules
I. This is our game. Everything is up for a discussion. I want to make this a living breathing universe, and I definitely can’t do that alone. Work with your fellow posters. This kind of Universe will take a ton of cooperation, so let’s give it a go.
II. Any character, as long as they fit stylistically, have had a comics series outside the Big Two, and have a well written character sheet, can be played.
III. This is a technically an Ultimate-type game. You’re free to make changes to the characters, though I’d prefer nothing too dramatic.
IV. Keep it clean. I’m fine with some cursing here and there, but there’s no reason to go overboard.
The Indies: Men, Mutants, and Monsters RP application:
Name:
Originating Comic Series and Publisher:
Alignment:
History:
Supporting Cast:
How does the version of your character fit with the overall universe?:
Post References:
Captain Uni
Eddie Brock
Master Bruce
Sep
Cyberlad