For tone, I'm playing it straight. I want Neo-Silver Age superhero adventure, similar to what DC was doing in the 00s and Marvel is doing now. Embracing the tropes of comic book superheroes without irony, camp, or deconstruction.
To give my players some background on the setting, I built a loose timeline for the campaign world that includes some of the important figures and events in super-history.
TIMELINE
Names marked with an asterisk (*) are public domain characters repurposed or this campaign and its history.
1930s
1930s
The Clock* (“The Clock has Struck!”) begins operations in New York City and becomes the first masked crime fighter of the Modern Age. The Woman in Red* starts operations in Los Angeles shortly thereafter.
Lady Fairplay* begins operations in Legacy City, the first super-powered crimefighter of the Modern Age. She focuses primarily on corrupt political and corporate figures.
Lady Fairplay* begins operations in Legacy City, the first super-powered crimefighter of the Modern Age. She focuses primarily on corrupt political and corporate figures.
Stardust the Super Wizard* comes to Earth and begins his war against crime, dishing out horrific and violent justice to gangsters and fifth-columnists.
The Justice Union forms:
- The Flame* (fire elementalist)
- Black Cat* (acrobat and martial artist)
- Lady Fairplay (“Goddess of Chastisement”)
- Silver Streak* (speedster)
- Music Master* (magical Pipes of Death)
- Black Terror* (brick)
- Yarko the Great* (a wizard)
Stardust joins shortly afterwards.
World War II begins.
World War II begins.
Yarko leaves the Justice Union and spends years in the Astral Plane, protecting America from Axis magical attacks.
The Justice Union mostly focuses on homeland defense, but members each take turns in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.
For reasons unknown, Stardust refuses to involve himself with the war, continuing to focus on gangsters, thugs, seditionists, and the occasional mad scientist.
Yankee and his arch-nemesis, Marschall Deutschland, die in an explosion. Neither body is found.
Nazi scientists place Hitler's brain into a chimpanzee and smuggle him out of Germany with the Berlin Circus. Monkey Hitler sets up operations in Antarctica.
World War II ends.
The Justice Union travels to the moon to fight the Lunezons and close the Infinity Gate. Stardust does not return and is never seen again.
1950s
Yankee and his arch-nemesis, Marschall Deutschland, die in an explosion. Neither body is found.
Nazi scientists place Hitler's brain into a chimpanzee and smuggle him out of Germany with the Berlin Circus. Monkey Hitler sets up operations in Antarctica.
World War II ends.
The Justice Union travels to the moon to fight the Lunezons and close the Infinity Gate. Stardust does not return and is never seen again.
1950s
USApe is sent to Korea to fight the Communists.
Blue Bolt* banishes the Green Sorceress* from the Hollow Earth, retires to civilian life.
Good Citizen starts operations in Legacy City.
1960s
Blue Bolt* banishes the Green Sorceress* from the Hollow Earth, retires to civilian life.
Good Citizen starts operations in Legacy City.
1960s
USApe prevents Monkey Hitler from gaining access to Elder Thing technology at the Mountains of Madness.
Archaeologist Peter Donovan finds the alien Ascension Rod and becomes the hero Donovan. Around the same time, an unknown individual finds the alien Atrocity Gauntlet and becomes Adversary.
Soviet sorcerers banish Man of War to realms unknown.
Generation Love begins operations as a counter-culture superhero team:
Archaeologist Peter Donovan finds the alien Ascension Rod and becomes the hero Donovan. Around the same time, an unknown individual finds the alien Atrocity Gauntlet and becomes Adversary.
Soviet sorcerers banish Man of War to realms unknown.
Generation Love begins operations as a counter-culture superhero team:
- Professor Prana (life force magics)
- Baron Feedback (sonic energy projector)
- Trip Chick (psychedelic illusions)
- Earth Mother (nature elementalist)
- Lovewurm (giant psychic alien worm)
Donovan prevents the assassination of John F Kennedy by a mind-controlled Lee Harvey Oswald.
The Superhero Protection Act is passed, protecting the rights of metahumans and costumed crimefighters.
S.A.M.S.O.N. (Special Affairs: Metahuman Support an Operations Network) is formed by the Justice Department.
The Superhero Protection Act is passed, protecting the rights of metahumans and costumed crimefighters.
S.A.M.S.O.N. (Special Affairs: Metahuman Support an Operations Network) is formed by the Justice Department.
1970s
Adversary slaughters Generation Love. Only Trip Chick survives, her sanity shattered.
Adversary activates the Reality Hammer in Colorado, threatening to unmake all Creation. Donovan and Adversary clash in a battle that spans the entire world. In the end, both are destroyed, utterly, as are the Ascension Rod and the Atrocity Gauntlet. Reality is saved.
The meta-security prison known as Tartarus is built in Adversary's former base in the Rocky Mountains.
Black Magnet begins operations in Chicago.
Adversary activates the Reality Hammer in Colorado, threatening to unmake all Creation. Donovan and Adversary clash in a battle that spans the entire world. In the end, both are destroyed, utterly, as are the Ascension Rod and the Atrocity Gauntlet. Reality is saved.
The meta-security prison known as Tartarus is built in Adversary's former base in the Rocky Mountains.
Black Magnet begins operations in Chicago.
1980s
Astronaut Jack Paladin lands on Mars and defeats the Nevermind. Paladin breaks the seal on the Oubliette of Eternity, freeing the Martian city of Katherei from time-lock. Jack Paladin becomes Champion of Mars and proclaims the planet off-limits to Earth and its nations.
Turbo Red becomes the first and only costumed hero to host Saturday Night Live. In the middle of a sketch where Turbo Red plays a fast-talking delivery-man, the villain Skullmonger attacks. In the ensuing battle, both Turbo Red and Joe Piscipo are killed on live television.
Discoman becomes the first superhero to die of AIDS.
Some children, born after the death of Donovan, hit puberty and manifest powers similar to the Ascension Rod (and, occasionally, the Atrocity Gauntlet). This is called, by some, the “Donovan Spark.”
Turbo Red becomes the first and only costumed hero to host Saturday Night Live. In the middle of a sketch where Turbo Red plays a fast-talking delivery-man, the villain Skullmonger attacks. In the ensuing battle, both Turbo Red and Joe Piscipo are killed on live television.
Discoman becomes the first superhero to die of AIDS.
Some children, born after the death of Donovan, hit puberty and manifest powers similar to the Ascension Rod (and, occasionally, the Atrocity Gauntlet). This is called, by some, the “Donovan Spark.”
1990s
The Power Corps forms, promising “Extreme Justice for the world!”
- Deth Mettle (cyborg powerhouse)
- Tracer (trick guns)
- Machinegun Sally (cyborg, with like, guns for arms)
- Shiv (blade elementalist)
- Revengeance (psychic ninja)
- Yarko the Great (working under the alias Magi)
Yarko quits the Power Corps in disgust and is replaced by the sorceress, Sabbath.
Yarko leaves Earth for the Outer Realms.
Yarko leaves Earth for the Outer Realms.
2000s
Millennium Bug attempts to hold Legacy City hostage. Is shocked and disappointed when his plans fail to manifest.
With the turn of the century, Masonic wizards are able to summon Man of War back to Earth.
After 9/11, Project Patriot is launched as federally-sanctioned superhero initiative. Anthem is Project Patriot's first hero. Man of War joins soon afterward. USApe works as their liaison with S.A.M.S.O.N.
The Power Corps begin black-ops missions for military.
Dr. Mythos becomes Earth's Magnum Magus.
Fred Parrish, formerly the hero known as Blue Bolt, elected president of the United States.
Scarlet Specter begins operations in St. Jerome, at first as a crimefighter, but switches to monster hunting as incursions from the Monster World continue to grow in that city.
Awesome Dave begins operations in New York, but eventually moves to Chicago.
With the turn of the century, Masonic wizards are able to summon Man of War back to Earth.
After 9/11, Project Patriot is launched as federally-sanctioned superhero initiative. Anthem is Project Patriot's first hero. Man of War joins soon afterward. USApe works as their liaison with S.A.M.S.O.N.
The Power Corps begin black-ops missions for military.
Dr. Mythos becomes Earth's Magnum Magus.
Fred Parrish, formerly the hero known as Blue Bolt, elected president of the United States.
Scarlet Specter begins operations in St. Jerome, at first as a crimefighter, but switches to monster hunting as incursions from the Monster World continue to grow in that city.
Awesome Dave begins operations in New York, but eventually moves to Chicago.
2010s
The Vhaun invade Earth.
The Power Corps are destroyed.
Beowulf awakens from suspended animation to help repel the invasion.
The Vhaun are defeated thanks to a temporary coalition of heroes and villains.
Jackson Wade (formerly Deth Mettle) becomes coordinator of S.A.M.S.O.N.
Maiden America joins Project Patriot.
The Journeymen begin operations in Chicago:
The Power Corps are destroyed.
Beowulf awakens from suspended animation to help repel the invasion.
The Vhaun are defeated thanks to a temporary coalition of heroes and villains.
Jackson Wade (formerly Deth Mettle) becomes coordinator of S.A.M.S.O.N.
Maiden America joins Project Patriot.
The Journeymen begin operations in Chicago:
- Mr. Magnet (son of Black Magnet, brother of Black Magnet II)
- Freebird (grandaughter of Baron Feedback)
- Track Star (grand-niece of Silver Streak)
- Awesome Dave (world's most popular superhero; son of Discoman and Ms Adventure)
- Hellbender (moody loner who works with everyone anyway)
The Dynamic Defenders (our Player Characters) begin operations in Legacy City
- Cobalt (alien mystic-tech power armor, daughter of Yarko)
- Bastion (living stone knight)
- Kajika (shapeshifting immortal shaman)
- The Grizzly (man-bear!)
- C.H.E.S.S. (gravity-controlling rescue robot)
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