Super-hero(ine)s
- Thread starter kafka47
- Start date
Iron Man would look cool with Battle Dress, a Grav Harness, and an FCMP.
Here's what mainstream sci-fi has given us:
Psionics gives you your Jedi-analogue. Incredible powers and virtual demigod status, combined with a humble philosophy of self-sacrifice and service to the greater good. Dodging bullets is easy when you can teleport.
Genetic Engineering gives you your Kahn-analogue. Superior physically and mentally to baseline humanity. He's smarter, faster, stronger, and if he's good he'll use his traits to help all of humanity.
Robotics/Cybernetics gives you your Arnie-as-Good-Terminator-analogue, or Robocop. This one laughs at bullets, but in a sedately robot-like fashion. An outsider, humanity's most stalwart protector without being human.
Baseline humanity gives you Flash Gordon-analogue. No innate talent other than being an above average male (or female) human. Main claim to fame is that they're insanely lucky.
Psionics gives you your Jedi-analogue. Incredible powers and virtual demigod status, combined with a humble philosophy of self-sacrifice and service to the greater good. Dodging bullets is easy when you can teleport.
Genetic Engineering gives you your Kahn-analogue. Superior physically and mentally to baseline humanity. He's smarter, faster, stronger, and if he's good he'll use his traits to help all of humanity.
Robotics/Cybernetics gives you your Arnie-as-Good-Terminator-analogue, or Robocop. This one laughs at bullets, but in a sedately robot-like fashion. An outsider, humanity's most stalwart protector without being human.
Baseline humanity gives you Flash Gordon-analogue. No innate talent other than being an above average male (or female) human. Main claim to fame is that they're insanely lucky.
archhealer
SOC-12
Super-man's powers would still be impressive. Of course, only in systems with yellow suns, and fusion reactions that happened to hit the same light spectrum could power him too...
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
I've always wondered if SF would still exist in a Traveller-like future. If not, what would replace it?
P
Pickles
Guest
Why, stories set in an mythical age sufficiently advanced for its technology to seem like magic to a TL15 audience, of course.
jfetters
SOC-14 1K
Interesting thread, Kafka.
I have actually been casually looking at finding ways of making DC's Legion of Super Heroes "work" in the Marches/Regency setting.
LSH is DC's "far future" setting (for lack of a better term) where everyone on the team has a special power. The way to get most of them to work in Traveller is through either psionics (telepathy, telekinesis) or high-tech specialization (grav belts, neural processing, Ancient artifact, yada yada).
Then the skill level has to be amazingly high for it to be considered "super heroic." In CT/MT that is just set by a high skill level. In TNE, you can get away with a lower skill as long as the controlling attribute is high (which is nice in that it gives a younger character potential in the area).
Finally, there has to be something actually heroic about them. In the case of LSH, it is a number of people from diverse backgrounds coming together for common cause (in my short story, they save the life of an industrialist/senator/patron), but a far-future superhero has to inspire people from many worlds and make larger-than-life actions (and deal with those consequences).
The Science Fiction of tomorrow and also superhero fiction would very much be that of yesteryear. I can only see a resurgence of the pulps as escapest fiction would titilate large audiences even at a TL 15 level. What might change is the form, in which stories become even more fantastic or just the everyday is transformed into something sinister.
Of course, there is always the Fading Suns approach in which the future becomes a Passion Play. Which is good except, I prefer my Greek tragedies or even Shakespeare to the Passion Plays of the medievel world.
Legion of Superheroes in the Marches, eh? Interesting. Hopefully, you will share more, as it materializes.
Of course, there is always the Fading Suns approach in which the future becomes a Passion Play. Which is good except, I prefer my Greek tragedies or even Shakespeare to the Passion Plays of the medievel world.
Legion of Superheroes in the Marches, eh? Interesting. Hopefully, you will share more, as it materializes.
Superman would have to come from a different Universe, as he couldn't be made of normal matter. One idea is to use nanotechnology to the hilt and have a character called nanoman. Then put a D&D Wizard with the ability to cast spells in the Traveller Universe. Wizardry is something that is not typically found in the marches, but with superheros anything is possible. One idea is a god, how about putting Thor in the Marches with his Hammer?
jfetters
SOC-14 1K
Yeah, I got the bug about a year ago to retell the origin in a Traveller setting, so I wrote it down. It takes place on Mora in 1199 or 1200 and goes about 35 pages, and is still unfinished (I left out some of the external description of the Giiyachi arcology because I didn't have time).
WHenever I get my website together on VZ, I'll post it there.
Superman can just fly through space, as could supergirl. Peronally I'd just drop the Sun thing and say they both came from a different Universe where the laws of physics are somewhat different, Krypton was of that Universe, and Superman has his super powers anywhere he travels in the OTU, unless he encounter's Kryptonite. Now lets lay those down as the groundrules for the purposes of a Superman/Traveller campaign.
The Story of origin goes something like this: Superman and Supergirl teamed up with Lex Luthor, or perhaps they were fighting one of Lex Luthor's minions. That Minion got out of control of Lex Luthor, maybe it was a demon, or robot or something, So Lex used one of his inventions to get rid of it, unfortunately that invention had a side effect of transporting the trio to a parallel Universe, specifically to Terra in the Solomani Rim. In the confusion, Lex Luthor made his escape, booked passage on a starship, stoled away or whatever, he has a pile of American dollars in his wallet, which turn out to be worth something to collectors on Terra, and with that he buys a ticket, perhaps moves to the Spinward Marches or whatever. Superman and Super girl will probably be unfamiliar characters in the OTU. Kryptonians don't need vac suits, they fly around as if they had reactionless drives built into them, and they don't even need jump drives, they can fly from star to star.
My question is, in the OTU, how fast can they fly through space? Apparently it was established in the comics that they can fly faster than the speed of light, so would you give them the equivalent of Jump 6 or maybe jump 7. With jump 7 its a parsec per day, and that makes the math quite simple.
Superman as a man-sized target in space is very hard to hit with a space ship weapon, just to be fair, I'd make him have to travel to 100 diameters before he can fly through space FTL, otherwise he accelerates just like a tiny spaceship (missile?) with a reactionless drive.
Superman is going to have a high AR, and after deducting that, he's going to have alot of Stamina points, and treat them as Strutural integrity points on the Starship scale. People are going to be quite amazed that such a small thing could be so hard to destroy, even nuclear weapons won't do him in, at least not unless they make a direct hit. Some people in the OTU might not be so pleased about some superpowered do-gooders flying around the OTU. Of course number one on their agenda would be catching up with Lex and perhaps getting him to build something that would take them back to their own universe, but in the meantime their would be plenty of challenges for them in Charted Space.
The Story of origin goes something like this: Superman and Supergirl teamed up with Lex Luthor, or perhaps they were fighting one of Lex Luthor's minions. That Minion got out of control of Lex Luthor, maybe it was a demon, or robot or something, So Lex used one of his inventions to get rid of it, unfortunately that invention had a side effect of transporting the trio to a parallel Universe, specifically to Terra in the Solomani Rim. In the confusion, Lex Luthor made his escape, booked passage on a starship, stoled away or whatever, he has a pile of American dollars in his wallet, which turn out to be worth something to collectors on Terra, and with that he buys a ticket, perhaps moves to the Spinward Marches or whatever. Superman and Super girl will probably be unfamiliar characters in the OTU. Kryptonians don't need vac suits, they fly around as if they had reactionless drives built into them, and they don't even need jump drives, they can fly from star to star.
My question is, in the OTU, how fast can they fly through space? Apparently it was established in the comics that they can fly faster than the speed of light, so would you give them the equivalent of Jump 6 or maybe jump 7. With jump 7 its a parsec per day, and that makes the math quite simple.
Superman as a man-sized target in space is very hard to hit with a space ship weapon, just to be fair, I'd make him have to travel to 100 diameters before he can fly through space FTL, otherwise he accelerates just like a tiny spaceship (missile?) with a reactionless drive.
Superman is going to have a high AR, and after deducting that, he's going to have alot of Stamina points, and treat them as Strutural integrity points on the Starship scale. People are going to be quite amazed that such a small thing could be so hard to destroy, even nuclear weapons won't do him in, at least not unless they make a direct hit. Some people in the OTU might not be so pleased about some superpowered do-gooders flying around the OTU. Of course number one on their agenda would be catching up with Lex and perhaps getting him to build something that would take them back to their own universe, but in the meantime their would be plenty of challenges for them in Charted Space.
Made, as in Androids? Or genetic engineering where different traits could become dominate at different moments in time. Without venturing to far into mutant discussions, it would be interesting to have Grandfather's superbeings as having some purpose...perhaps, law enforcement hence the desire for justice built in.
For my part, I've been mulling over what might exist in terms of popular hero archetypes IMTU, and then maybe building superheroes in that context.
I imagine that there would be Spacer heroes, ur-scouts and ur-merchants, about whom super-tall-larger-than-life tales might be told:
The Merchanter hero who arrives insystem with nothing but the ship on his back and a sackful of beans, and leaves with his ship bursting at the seams with a world's riches, and the world's wealthy somehow thinking they got the better end of the deal.
The Explorer-world-settler falling somewhere between Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan, taming wild worlds for the waves of feckless colonists following after.
I think that given a TU where psionics were viewed with such suspicion as LBB3 seems hardwired for, Superheroes with such powers as that might be unpopular - although if we look at our own society, alhough fictional heroes with Vast P0werz of teh Brane are common currency, folks what actually claim to have them are looked at askance. Not burned at the stake generally nowadays, but telling someone that you really can read their mind is a good cue for changing the topic.
I imagine that there would be Spacer heroes, ur-scouts and ur-merchants, about whom super-tall-larger-than-life tales might be told:
The Merchanter hero who arrives insystem with nothing but the ship on his back and a sackful of beans, and leaves with his ship bursting at the seams with a world's riches, and the world's wealthy somehow thinking they got the better end of the deal.
The Explorer-world-settler falling somewhere between Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan, taming wild worlds for the waves of feckless colonists following after.
I think that given a TU where psionics were viewed with such suspicion as LBB3 seems hardwired for, Superheroes with such powers as that might be unpopular - although if we look at our own society, alhough fictional heroes with Vast P0werz of teh Brane are common currency, folks what actually claim to have them are looked at askance. Not burned at the stake generally nowadays, but telling someone that you really can read their mind is a good cue for changing the topic.
jfetters
SOC-14 1K
Really good points, Imperium.
I recently read a Traveller essay (I think it was the "Grand Exploration" concept essay) where one of the people in the history section was a "renowned scout" who was also a knight famous for his exploration of space and his role in expanding the frontier.
But regarding psionics, that was exactly one reason that I set my LSH story in the Regency, since they are legalized. So you get a nice mix of approval plus uncertainty and fear.
I recently read a Traveller essay (I think it was the "Grand Exploration" concept essay) where one of the people in the history section was a "renowned scout" who was also a knight famous for his exploration of space and his role in expanding the frontier.
But regarding psionics, that was exactly one reason that I set my LSH story in the Regency, since they are legalized. So you get a nice mix of approval plus uncertainty and fear.
archhealer
SOC-12
I like the idea of some of good ol' grandpa's 'inventions' still running around. Maybe an android mastermind (Asmiov, anyone?) running things from the background for thousands of years... (The shadowy figure behind the Imperial throne).
Greetings and salutations,
How about this as an idea?
I cannot recall what faction of the Solomani (I thought of setting it during the birth of the 2I) it is, but in the course of doing there research of Terra's past, a scientist comes across a collection of comics and/or movies depicting the hero(ine)s/superhero(ine)s of today. In his thinking (especially if he only has access to the movies), he wonders why there are no more of these beings and researches this intensely. This research leads to him collaborating with other scientist in several fields. They decide that Humaniti could use a few supers and decide to create some.
These new supers are genectically altered (starting at conception or later in life), uplifted animals, and androids. A few would bare the names of the heros in the movies.
Movies used for inspiration:
</font>
Another idea is that a scientist and his rival scientist created Jedi and Sith. Yeah, you can slap me later. Timeline would be any time before the Pacification Campaign.
There is great potential for this subject in the OTU and YTU. Now all we need are catchy battlecries.
How about this as an idea?
I cannot recall what faction of the Solomani (I thought of setting it during the birth of the 2I) it is, but in the course of doing there research of Terra's past, a scientist comes across a collection of comics and/or movies depicting the hero(ine)s/superhero(ine)s of today. In his thinking (especially if he only has access to the movies), he wonders why there are no more of these beings and researches this intensely. This research leads to him collaborating with other scientist in several fields. They decide that Humaniti could use a few supers and decide to create some.
These new supers are genectically altered (starting at conception or later in life), uplifted animals, and androids. A few would bare the names of the heros in the movies.
Movies used for inspiration:
</font>
- X-Men Trilogy</font>
- Spiderman Series - Movies and Television</font>
- Superman Series - Movies and Television</font>
- Batman Series - Movies and Television</font>
- Ultimate Avengers - Yes, it was a cartoon, but the scientist theorized it was done in that medium more for the "children" than anything else.</font>
- Hulk</font>
- Green Hornet</font>
- Flash - TV Series</font>
- Various Cartoons from Television - Remember, the scientist thinks it was done in this format to inspire and entertain the "children".</font>
Another idea is that a scientist and his rival scientist created Jedi and Sith. Yeah, you can slap me later. Timeline would be any time before the Pacification Campaign.
There is great potential for this subject in the OTU and YTU. Now all we need are catchy battlecries.
That's Fusion Cannon - Man Portable. Then again, we can always just call it BFG.
An Ancient-created superhuman. She is part human part technological, has a build in reactionless drive, and a field which enhances the intermolecular forces between the atoms of her body in relation to the surrounding universe, that way making her immune to personal firearms, she takes damage from starship weapons as if she was a starship, but she is medium-sized on the creature scale. We'll call her supergirl, in addition her eyes have the ability to see in x-rays, zoom in with telescopic vision, and doubles as a laser emitter inflicting the damage of twin laser rifles. Her super strength is inhanced by tractor beams with a zero range on point of contact with her hands, that and her built in reactionless drives allow her to manipulate objects many times her mass, powering this is a matter converter which converts matter into energy with almost 100% efficiency and this energy is channeled into her various superpowers. Her name is Kara Zor El, or so she's been programmed to believe by her maker, she doesn't know how she got here and has only vague memories of her previous life, all fictional, her personality is designed to emulate that of an ancient comic book character, and Grandfather found reproducing her abilities to be somewhat of a challenge.
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