So, I know I kinda disappeared for a while from the forums, but now with the RPG kickstarter just a few weeks away, and the advent of the livestream for the RPG, I'm kind of reinvigorated to revisit my idea for running a sentinels RPG game, and setting it up. So, I've workshopped it a bit and here is my idea for the first major story arc of the campaign. There is one problem: I don't think I can fit it into multiples of twelve (a 'trade.') But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I'd appreciate some input.
Firstly let me say that the basis of the new campaign will be that the PCs are part of a new supergroup being mentored by the older superheroes like Finest Legacy/Heritage, Tachyon, etc. They will have a mystic NPC named 'the Scarlet Apprentice' as their 'man in the chair.' His backstory is that he was a former cult of gloom spellcaster whom Nightmist saved and set on the right path. However, she couldn't mentor him (too busy with Harpy and superheroing at the time) and so he traveled the world learning all sorts of different magic, but always intending to return to be fully trained by Nightmist. And then she 'died.'
1)So the first part of the story arc involves the child of a RevoCorp scientist finding a serum that is an attempt to create synthetic isoflux alpha. The result is 'Isoflux Beta,' a similar serum that gives someone superpowers for 20-30 hours, but then there are painful withdrawls and it can kill you. The powers are also not all that great, low-level stuff. The power she gets is 'intuitive understanding' and is able to use her father's research to create more. This allows her to become the supervillian "The Pusher" and starts granting disaffected youths superpowers in return for loyalty to her gang. Heroes fight and defeat her. I think I can make this story into a six-issue (session) 'trade.'
2)The citizens of the Sun are trying to forcibly recruit a girl who has perminantly gained powers from isoflux beta. Her ability is to transform any non-living material into any other non-living material, though the process is slow. They essentially want her to help build the infrastructure of the new citedel of the sun. Can't see this going more than two or three sessions/issues. In the end, when the PCs rescue her, Scarlet Apprentice takes her away and supposedly puts her in some sort of witness protection with her family, but unknown to him, kidnaps her and forces her to start making materials for him.
3)The Scarlet Apprentice finds a book that's recenlty been unearthed in the rubble of a museum that was wrecked in the OblivAeon fight, and says it's very dangerous, and that the PCs need it. The PCs have to keep it away from both Cult of Gloom after the book, and also the reminants of F.I.L.T.E.R. who think they can use the book to regain access to the Block. Again, can't see this going more than two or three 'issues'(sessions). In the end the U.S. government demands the heroes hand over the book, but Scarlet Apprentice secretly hands over a fake and keeps the real thing.
4) Possibly something about an OblivAeon Shard? Still working this one out.
5)Endgame. Starts with the Pusher bing broken out of prison, and the PCs are led on a wild goose chase. PCs are further stumped by several thefts from high-tech labs and mystical artifacts. It is finally revealed that the Scarlet Apprentice has used the book (about accessing alternate dimensions), his magics, the intuitive understanding of the Pusher, and the Kid ("Citizen Crafts?") to create an infernal machine designed to reconstitute Nightmist. The machine is dangerous to reality and threatens to break reality apart, but the Scarlet Apprentice refuses to listen to reason. Still working out the specifics of this one, but it could probably be stretched into 6 issues/ a trade.
Thoughts?