Relayer
Alias the Scarecrow...
I'm interested in running an RP based on the 1999 movie Mystery Men. The story would pick up about two years after the events of the film. Players would create new characters to pick up the mantle of the Mystery Men to battle evil, defend the city, and find a decent taco place!
I'm hoping to find at least three players. More than three would be awesome.
The tone of the game would be similar to the movie: a humorous but faithful homage to classic superhero comic books. Things get silly sometimes, but there are very serious undertones.
Player character heroes would be of similar stripe to those of the movie: heroes with no actual powers who use a particular (not neccessarily useful) skill to fight crime, or heroes with actual powers that are extremely limited in some way.
So what happened since the end of the movie?
First of all, many of the events of the movie are unknown to the general public (including your characters). Here's what the public thinks they know, in chronological order:
- Casanova Frankenstein was released from the sanitarium.
- There was a resurgence of gang activity in Champion City.
- The sanitarium blew up.
- Captain Amazing disappeared.
- Some kind of reality-disturbing effect briefly radiated from a neighborhood where Casanova was known to have had a residence. The mansion then imploded.
Since that time, no one has heard from Casanova, Captain Amazing, or the various gangs that had re-appeared in the city. The popular hypothesis is that Captain Amazing became aware that Casanova was planning something evil. He went undercover, infiltrated one of Casanova's gangs, and gave his life to sabotage whatever diabolical machine Casanova had built. (The footage of the on-the-scene news report taken after the Mystery Men emerged victorious from the rubble was never broadcast). In the implosion, Casanova and his henchmen also died.
Champion City has since been in decline. After the disappearance of Captain Amazing, it didn't take long for various supervillains to realize that the city was ripe for the plucking. For the better part of a year, a supervillain turf war turned the city into a battleground. Eventually, the nefarious Dr. Panic won out, and remains a force of evil in the city. Various superheroes came to Champion City to defeat him, but Dr. Panic and his henchmen, the Crazy Eights, killed (or worse, humiliated) each one. Crime is rampant, and the corrupt local government has bankrupted the town's coffers. Things have become so bad that Champion City's professional basketball team recently moved to Jackson, Mississippi.
Even Dr. Panic has trouble to deal with: a new villain called the Iron Shadow is attempting to carve out territory in Champion City. Citizens live in dread of a second gang war.
Most of the original Mystery Men are no longer active in the hero game.
Mr. Furious – went undercover a few months before the start of the game, and has not been heard from since.
The Shoveler – retired in 2001 after receiving an injury fighting The Crazy Eights.
The Blue Raja – retired in 2001 after getting married (his wife won't let him fight crime any more).
The Bowler – retired in 1999 to go to grad school in Washington state.
The Spleen – retired in early 2000 after his powers faded. He is now trying to build a career as an agent for up-and-coming heroes.
The Invisible Boy – disappeared sometime in 2000.
The Sphinx – left the city soon after Casanova Frankenstein was defeated.
Dr. Heller – abruptly cut off contact from the world in 2001. Is presumed to be holed up in his lab at the abandoned amusement park.
So, any Mystery Men fans out there?
I'm hoping to find at least three players. More than three would be awesome.
The tone of the game would be similar to the movie: a humorous but faithful homage to classic superhero comic books. Things get silly sometimes, but there are very serious undertones.
Player character heroes would be of similar stripe to those of the movie: heroes with no actual powers who use a particular (not neccessarily useful) skill to fight crime, or heroes with actual powers that are extremely limited in some way.
So what happened since the end of the movie?
First of all, many of the events of the movie are unknown to the general public (including your characters). Here's what the public thinks they know, in chronological order:
- Casanova Frankenstein was released from the sanitarium.
- There was a resurgence of gang activity in Champion City.
- The sanitarium blew up.
- Captain Amazing disappeared.
- Some kind of reality-disturbing effect briefly radiated from a neighborhood where Casanova was known to have had a residence. The mansion then imploded.
Since that time, no one has heard from Casanova, Captain Amazing, or the various gangs that had re-appeared in the city. The popular hypothesis is that Captain Amazing became aware that Casanova was planning something evil. He went undercover, infiltrated one of Casanova's gangs, and gave his life to sabotage whatever diabolical machine Casanova had built. (The footage of the on-the-scene news report taken after the Mystery Men emerged victorious from the rubble was never broadcast). In the implosion, Casanova and his henchmen also died.
Champion City has since been in decline. After the disappearance of Captain Amazing, it didn't take long for various supervillains to realize that the city was ripe for the plucking. For the better part of a year, a supervillain turf war turned the city into a battleground. Eventually, the nefarious Dr. Panic won out, and remains a force of evil in the city. Various superheroes came to Champion City to defeat him, but Dr. Panic and his henchmen, the Crazy Eights, killed (or worse, humiliated) each one. Crime is rampant, and the corrupt local government has bankrupted the town's coffers. Things have become so bad that Champion City's professional basketball team recently moved to Jackson, Mississippi.
Even Dr. Panic has trouble to deal with: a new villain called the Iron Shadow is attempting to carve out territory in Champion City. Citizens live in dread of a second gang war.
Most of the original Mystery Men are no longer active in the hero game.
Mr. Furious – went undercover a few months before the start of the game, and has not been heard from since.
The Shoveler – retired in 2001 after receiving an injury fighting The Crazy Eights.
The Blue Raja – retired in 2001 after getting married (his wife won't let him fight crime any more).
The Bowler – retired in 1999 to go to grad school in Washington state.
The Spleen – retired in early 2000 after his powers faded. He is now trying to build a career as an agent for up-and-coming heroes.
The Invisible Boy – disappeared sometime in 2000.
The Sphinx – left the city soon after Casanova Frankenstein was defeated.
Dr. Heller – abruptly cut off contact from the world in 2001. Is presumed to be holed up in his lab at the abandoned amusement park.
So, any Mystery Men fans out there?
