Giant Size Super Spectacular #1

The Gamemaster and Players said, "Let There Be Supers", and there was Supers, and it was good.

This past Saturday, I ran the first session of a new campaign of the perennial favorite Superhero RPG ,Champions.

Entitled 'Champions: REBIRTH', the game is set in my personal variant of the universe created by my friend William C., which he used to run a Champions campaign that lasted from 1981-82 to 1993. This new campaign is a direct sequel to one I ran about three years ago. That one, as I've mentioned in a recent, previous post, did not end well.

This time out, we are embarking on our crusade against the forces of evil with a much larger team of Players and PCs, but without Marcus. I asked him not to come and he did not. It was the first time in 36+ years of gaming that I have ever kicked someone out of a gaming group of mine. In truth, I haven't really kicked him out of the group, just thing campaign. I haven't decided what to do about him in our Traveller game. I only knew that I didn't want or need him disrupting this Champions campaign, and I do not regret my choice of not having him there.

That said, the game went extremely well.

It was my friend Hans' last game with us as he will be moving away before months end. All hope is not lost however, as he may return if his current situation changes. I, and all of us, wish him the best and will miss him as a Player and as a friend.

As it turned out, my friend Jeff came for the game, as did his nephew Eric and Eric's friend Mark. I would later find out that for Mark (whom I did not know at all prior to Saturday), this was his first table top RPG of any kind, ever. Hooray for Champions and Superheroes as someones introduction to gaming! He was great too. Awesome character and the bane of henchmen everywhere!

So, here's the premise...

About 35 years ago, the world's premier Superhero team, The Champions, disbanded following a tragic mission that left their leader dead, one member badly injured, another unable to ever use their powers again at the risk of hurting everyone around him and one member quitting the team even before the mission took place. Public opinion turned against the Supers and they were suddenly considered more a danger to the world than a benefit.

A few years went by, and new heroes surfaced and some old ones returned, attempting with all their might and wits to gain back the public trust. After a few major public wins by a former teenage member of the Champions (now all grown up), the United Nations Tactical Intelligence League (UNTIL - Think UN sponsored SHIELD) connected with this hero and asked him to help lead Project: UNITY.

Project: UNITY was a concentrated move by UNTIL to coordinate the efforts and resources of Superheroes all across the globe. By setting up teams of Superheroes in various cities and countries around the world, the organization could respond to anything from a tidal wave to a Supervillain menace with the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

This worked well for some years and public relations efforts made the heroes of the time more popular than even their Golden Age counterparts ever were. However, as time pased, politics and a new breed of deadlier Supervillain made UNITY's leadership feel that they could use more help.

The point was hammered home when an alien invasion nearly decimated the superhuman population. Many Superheroes (and several villains) were injured, depowered and killed defending the Earth from the extraterrestrial threat.

Time marched on and new heroes appeared to fill in the ranks, but numbers were still light and many of these heroes were young and reckless or poorly trained. The remaining old guard took the rookies under their collective wing. Once its team had reestablished itself, and the cities of the world healed a bit from the 'Invasion: Earth' War, UNITY pushed forth the idea of a separate alliance of heroes who were capable of handling major threats without being bogged down by the red tape that sometimes hindered UNTIL's heroes.

A new, dedicated, but independent team that could act with more freedom was what was needed. They envisioned a team that was supported by UNTIL, PRIMUS (the United States SHIELD, which is not especially warm toward Superheroes) and other government and law enforcement agencies, but unlike UNITY, was free to do its own thing.

Now, five years after the alien invasion, an all new, all different team of Champions has been formed. True to their namesake, this brave and bold group of heroes is driven to win out over the forces of evil, and champion the cause of peace, justice and freedom!

Next up...Meet the New Champions!

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