Vigilance Press releases: Public Enemies: From the USHER Dossiers!

Modern20 and Supers20 author Charles Rice has created the ultimate villain sourcebook for Supers20 called U.S.H.E.R. Dossiers: Public Enemies!

The worst of the worst are incarcerated in U.S.H.E.R.'s Rock City prison on Alcatraz Island. These are the most dangerous men and women alive, criminals only one jail could hold.

Learn the secrets behind Earth's Mightiest Villains and why your heroes should pray they never escape!

Armory: a psychotic weapons master capable of forming any weapon from the power of mystic crystals brought to Earth by the dreaded Scion.

Atrocity: the result of a failed WWII super-soldier program, he is raw savagery and unstoppable power wrapped in an immortal body.

Brainstorm: one of the smartest men alive, a man who believes he is destined to use his genius to rule the world.

Garotte: this hired killer uses his elastic form to enter any room and silently choke his target to death.

Equinox: for decades a mad scientist conducted experiments on his four children to turn them into heroes, when he finally succeeded however, he was the first victim of children traumatized by a lifetime of painful tests and treatments. They are masters and mistresses of the elements.

Ground Zero: a great scientist turned into a living nuclear bomb by a freak accident, his uncontrollable powers led him to beg for incarceration in Rock City.

The Hollow Men: they claim they are heroes from a future where overpopulation has doomed the Earth but their proposed solution made them enemies of the world. Led by super-genius Walter Frazier, this team of fanatics is determined to reduce Earth's population by 90% by any means necessary.

Omega: she is the world's greatest assassin, armed with weapons, sensors and body armor of her own design. She could be a great hero but she loves only money.

Shillelagh: The owner of a mystical Irish staff, this madman seeks to rend the veil between dimensions permanently, allowing the beasts of legend dominion over an earth that once was theirs.

Skullcap: no one knows what the motivation of this silent killer is but his psychotic rages are legendary.

Stigma: once a great hero, this superhuman brute has sworn himself to Brainstorm, content to protect him until his inevitable conquest of Earth.

Tower: the mightiest robot ever constructed, this relentless machine of terror was initially designed to serve as a new body for the Savant. When the transfer of his consciousness was interrupted by USHER agents, the body somehow became self-aware and is determined to wipe out all organic "viruses" infesting Earth, replacing us with its new progeny. First it will kill its creator, then the rest of humanity.

Stranded ends

Ok, so looking at the date and the amount collected, I've cancelled the Stranded on a Distant Star project and begun the process of repaying all contributors.

Thanks to those who supported the project and sorry it couldn't happen.

If you will look to your right...

You will see a new Public Enemies cover.

This cover has been modified for your comfort and in an emergency can serve as a flotation device.

She's the very best at what she does. (Public Enemies)

Omega

Lisa Carpenter was recruited into the CIA while still in college and was quickly assigned to fieldwork overseas. In time, her duties consisted more and more of “wetwork”, which she excelled at. She was quiet and even in plain sight had a talent for not being noticed. People would remember a nondescript waitress at the club but not her name or her face. Usually though, disguises weren’t required, as Lisa was an expert sniper. Then she simply disappeared altogether, never reporting for her next meeting with her handler.

Since her capture and interrogation by U.S.H.E.R., it has been learned that Carpenter had been growing unhappy with her government work for some time and when she found a collection of high-tech weapons and armor in an abandoned lab in India, she took them for herself, going freelance and giving herself the name “Omega”.

Despite the fact that Lisa Carpenter had disappeared almost the same month as Omega appeared, no one had made the connection between the two until Omega was captured and interrogated. Indeed, no one even knew Omega was a woman. It seems Lisa’s talent for fading into the background is very effective indeed.

Omega (Speedfreak 20): HD 20d8+60; HP 180; Init +8; Spd 30 ft; Defense 38, flatfooted 30 (+8 Dex, +20 Class); BAB +15; Atk +28 melee (1d10+12, three-section staff), or +28 ranged (2d8+13 +5d6 on called shots, OMW in sniper rifle configuration); SQ Need for Speed, 3 DR/piercing; AL none; SV Fort +12, Ref +20, Will +6, Rec +9; Rep +12; Str 13, Dex 26, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8.

Background: Military

Occupation: Assassin: Perks 4+4 power stunts (Called Shot, Disguise, Greater Mastery, Precision Strike; Darkvision, Enhanced Sight, Gliding, Swinging)

Hobby: Athletics

Skills: Athletics 4 (+5), Crime 23 (+25), Engineering 4 (+6), Firearms 23 (+31), Perception 23 (+43), Power Control 23 (+26), Stealth 23 (+31), Unarmed 4 (+5), Vehicles 4 (+12), Weapons 23 (+24)

Feats: Career Advancement x2, Enemy (target): Omega treats anyone she was hired to kill as her enemy, Critical Strike: +3 bonus damage from this feat, Enhanced Senses: worn device (PL +1), Loner, Martial Supremacy (firearms and melee weapon attacks), Power Control x10, Sharpshooter x2, Sneak Attack: +1 damage against flat-footed targets, Sniper Shot, Superhuman Dexterity, Unique Weapon- Omega Rifle: held device (PL +3)

Access/Contacts/Followers: Top Secret Access, Supply Contact: Omega Weapons Caches (Wealth 30 military equipment)

Wealth: 22

Possessions: Light Undercover Shirt, Three-Section Staff, Omega Modular Weapon

Character Disadvantages: Enemy: U.S.H.E.R. (DSR 5), Nemesis: Omega Syndicate (DSR 5)

They are the worst of the worst: Public Enemies (coming soon)

Moving

I've decided it's time for me to move.

Where and when are kind of up in the air, though I'm going to take at least a year to get ready I think.

So that said, anyone know anyone hiring and/or looking for a roommate?

Please keep it in mind, especially the folks in Florida, as that will likely be a prime destination for me.

Supers20: Public Enemies spotlight on Ground Zero, the human bomb

Ground Zero was once Dr. Milton Chaba, a genius physicist who worked for U.S.H.E.R. R&D designing a new generation of radiation treatments. During one of these experiments, Chaba was consumed in an explosion and transformed into a creature of pure radiation. He emits lethal doses constantly, killing anyone who comes into contact with him. Worse, every few hours the energy builds up and he must release it in an explosion killing anyone nearby.

After accidentally killing the saboteurs that caused the explosion Milton fled into the Arizona desert, where his only contact was with Atrocity, a creature who seemed both immune to his powers and strangely calm in his presence. During the Scion invasion, when it seemed all might be lost, Ground Zero came out of the desert and stood with Earth’s heroes to defeat the mad galactic emperor.

After receiving a promise that he would never be used as a weapon, Ground Zero turned himself over to U.S.H.E.R. agents for voluntary incarceration in Rock City. There he renewed his strange friendship with Atrocity, during brief periods when the creature is wakened, Ground Zero is always present to keep it calm. To date requests by U.S.H.E.R. scientists that Atrocity be awakened permanently in the hopes that Ground Zero would be able to return the creature to a semblance of sanity have been rejected as too dangerous.

Don't make him angry (Supers20: Public Enemies)

Wondering what Public Enemies might have to spring on your poor players? Wonder no more!

Atrocity (Tank 30): HD 30d12+480; HP 720; Init +0; Spd 50 ft, Leap 400 ft; Defense 31, flatfooted 31 (+0 Dex, +22 Class, -1 Size); BAB +22; Atk +38 melee (2d12+16, Unarmed), or +22 ranged (9d4+16, thrown object of 15 tons- a bus in urban areas- a boulder in the desert); SQ Resilience, 22 DR vs. physical, 20 DR vs. energy, +10 saves vs. Cold, Heat and Radiation; AL none; SV Fort +33, Ref +13, Will +11, Rec +33; Rep +15; Str 42, Dex 10, Con 42, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 12.

Background: Blue Collar

Occupation: Perks 2+4 power stunts (Flurry, Power Leap; Bulletproof, Resistant to Cold, Resistant to Heat, Resistant to Radiation)

Hobby: Influence

Skills: Athletics 23 (+35), Influence 20 (+21), Outdoorsman 10 (+11), Streetwise 2 (+3), Perception 20 (+21), Power Control 23 (+39), Unarmed 23 (+35)

Feats: Absorption, Armor, Combat Martial Arts, Die Hard, Growth, Life Support, Permanent (Growth): lower than maximum power level (capped at PL 8), Power Level x20, Soldier On, Superhuman Constitution, Superhuman Strength, Superleap, Unstoppable 1, Whatever Doesn’t Kill You

Access/Contacts/Followers: None (see disadvantages)

Wealth: None (see disadvantages)

Possessions: Improvised weapons for throwing, as heavy as he can find. On occasions when Atrocity has escaped into the desert, he will gather enormous boulders, the largest he can carry, keeping them within easy reach of whatever shelter he finds or makes for himself.

Character Disadvantages: Sub-human: no access or wealth (DSR 5)

Background: During World War II, American scientists worked deep in the Arizona desert at a top-secret installation, attempting to duplicate the success of the Nazi eugenics programs. The best their so-called “Vigilance Force” had been able to come up with was a bunch of kids and the army wanted men- soldiers specifically.

Everything was on the table: genetic tampering, radiation, introduction of alien DNA into the human genome and more. No one knows what went wrong but the entire installation was destroyed in an enormous explosion. There were only three survivors: Dr. Clair Starling, who was doing preliminary tests on insects joined Vigilance Force as Hornet; Sgt. Max Morley, base security, who joined Vigilance Force as Marauder and the head of the project, Dr. Stanley Nikitas.

Dr. Nikitas was transformed into a 16 foot tall giant, a creature of pure rage. Vigilance Force’s first action was to find and subdue Dr. Nikitas, dubbed an “atrocity” by one of the scientists who attempted to study him before he was placed under indefinite anesthesia. During the war plans were occasionally floated to drop Atrocity into populated areas as a sort of “living bomb” and he was actually on board a ship off the coast of Japan for just that purpose when it was announced that the Japanese had surrendered.

Unfortunately, his use as a weapon of last resort was an idea that would not ever be forgotten. During Scion invasion, Atrocity was not only woken to aid in the war effort, he has the subject of further experiments, with alien armor being grafted onto his skin, rendering him even more invulnerable than before.

During these procedures devices both to anesthetize and kill him were also implanted. For unknown reasons his body rejected and nullified these devices, but not the armor grafted to his skin. Following the Scion invasion Atrocity again escaped into the Arizona desert, where he lived for over 3 years before once again being returned to Rock City, where he resides today in an unconscious state.

Quote: “Get away from me! Haven’t you done enough?!?”

Note: Since PL 20 Growth is really big, Atrocity’s size has been capped at a lower power level, in this case PL 8.

Note 2: This image is from a legally purchased copy of LPJD Studios Image Portfolio series, #9 and if copyright to them, used per their license, etc etc harumph mumbo jumbo.

Bundle-mania!

Got a lot of bundles folks might be interested in:

First, the Vigilance Old-School Mania bundle. All 6 of our old-school fantasy products, bundled together at a savings of 30%.

Second, the Arthur Lives bundle, bringing the player's and narrator's guides together at a savings of 30%.

And third the Wargames Bundle, bringing all 4 of Mike Lafferty's M&M products together at a savings of 25%.

Vigilance Press Top 5 for February

In what I hope will become a regular thing (read: assuming I remember) I'm going to post my top sellers list for each month, starting with February:

1. Old-School Psionics (OSRIC)

2. Wargames 1: Superhuman Threats of the Cold War (M&M)

3. Supplement #1: The Alchemist (OSRIC)

4. Mecha Omega (Modern20)

5. OSRIC Unearthed (OSRIC)

Major villain expansion on the way for Supers20

Modern20 and Supers20 author Charles Rice has a villain sourcebook on the way for Supers20 called U.S.H.E.R. Dossiers: Public Enemies!

The worst of the worst are incarcerated in U.S.H.E.R.'s Rock City prison on Alcatraz Island. These are the 22 most dangerous men and women alive, criminals only one jail could hold.

Learn the secrets behind Earth's Mightiest Villains and why your heroes should pray they never escape:

Armory: a psychotic weapons master capable of forming any weapon from the power of mystic crystals brought to Earth by the dreaded Scion.

Atrocity: the result of a failed WWII super-soldier program, he is raw savagery and unstoppable power wrapped in an immortal body.

Brainstorm: one of the smartest men alive, a man who believes he is destined to use his genius to rule the world.

Garotte: this hired killer uses his elastic form to enter any room and silently choke his target to death.

Equinox: for decades a mad scientist conducted experiments on his four children to turn them into heroes, when he finally succeeded however, he was the first victim of children traumatized by a lifetime of painful tests and treatments. They are masters and mistresses of the elements:

• Brimstone: her touch is a fiery death, her breath the poisonous smoke of an erupting volcano
• Gale Force: a living creature of air, he can generate a wind to knock down a building or steal the breath from your lungs
• Permafrost: like the arctic she can kill you slowly or in minutes
• Sculpture: the man of granite

Ground Zero: a great scientist turned into a living nuclear bomb by a freak accident, his uncontrollable powers led him to beg for incarceration in Rock City.

The Hollow Men: they claim they are heroes from a future where overpopulation has doomed the Earth but their proposed solution made them enemies of the world. Led by super-genius Walter Frazier, this team of fanatics is determined to reduce Earth's population by 90% by any means necessary.

• Lunatic: a man with the strength and ferocity of a feral beast, he hunts by night and humans are his favorite prey.
• Throttle: as fast and deadly as a bullet, anything he can't fly around he can fly through.
• Aura: beautiful and deadly, this alien lives off the lifeforce of sentient creatures and Dr. Frazier has promised her more than she could ever consume in the bloated race of humanity.
• Grotesque: a gargoyle made flesh, this relentless killer claims to be a mystical creature. Regardless, his sadistic pleasure in the death of the living makes him a terror no one wants to confront.
• Dr. Walter Frazier: this time traveling genius from the future has concluded that only the most radical solution can save humanity from itself.

Omega: she is the world's greatest assassin, armed with weapons, sensors and body armor of her own design. She could be a great hero but she loves only money.

Shillelagh: The owner of a mystical Irish staff, this madman seeks to rend the veil between dimensions permanently, allowing the beasts of legend dominion over an earth that once was theirs.

Skullcap: no one knows what the motivation of this silent killer is but his psychotic rages are legendary.

Stigma: once a great hero, this superhuman brute has sworn himself to Brainstorm, content to protect him until his inevitable conquest of Earth.

Strongarm: not the brightest criminal in the world, still, his seemingly limitless might and invulnerability brought him within a hair of uniting half the world's organized crime families under his control.

Tower: the mightiest robot ever constructed, this relentless machine of terror was initially designed to serve as a new body for the Savant. When the transfer of his consciousness was interrupted by USHER agents, the body somehow became self-aware and is determined to wipe out all organic "viruses" infesting Earth, replacing us with its new progeny. First it will kill its creator, then the rest of humanity.

Stranded on a Distant Star: update

So we're up to 9 donors, 22% of the way there.

Thanks to everyone who's chipped in!

Stranded on a Distant Star: placeholder cover

It's been suggested I make a placeholder cover. I've decided this is a great idea.

So here we go.

Thinking about old-school magic

So my Old-School Psionics book was pretty well received, and I've been thinking lately about something much more radical: designing a new magic system for D&D.

My basic starting point is to eliminate spell slots, and replace them with something a little less certain- meaning that spells won't be "fire and forget" like SAMs.

I think such a system would be better suited for low-magic games, something I am a long-time proponent of.

Of course, this includes most of my favorite fantasy settings, such as Hyboria and Thieves' World.

Vigilance Press releases Critical Mass for M&M Superlink

The heroes are called in to stop a terrorist raid on an experimental nuclear power plant Just another day at the office for super-powered vigilantes, right?

But then the unexpected happens -- and the situations spirals dangerously out of control...

Can the heroes contain the chaos?

This quick-playing M&M Superlink Adventure is designed to make the GMs job easy and has been thoroughly playtested to ensure your players get into the thick of superheroic action the minute they sit down.

Explosive Runes by Sean Nokes

I'm pleased to announce the release of Explosive Runes, a collection of fantasy short stories by Sean Nokes.

You can purchase Explosive Runes now here.