Fjur’s Environment Archive!

Greetings, forumites and roleplayers!

This is a thread in which I will be posting some Sentinel Comics RPG environments that I have created.

I just made these environments on a lark, not for use in any specific issues or stories. Some of them are incredibly generic and can likely be used in many different kinds of stories, whereas some of them are ultra-specific locations.

I expect to be able to post roughly one environment per week, but that number may slip up or down occasionally.

I expect to post approximately eight environments here. That number may go up or down if I get an idea for another environment, or give up on one of them. Once I’ve posted my initial eight, I may occasionally return to this thread to post any new environments I have created.

Environment Quicklinks:

• Deep Space
• Gang Hideout
• High-Tech Laboratory
• Lair of the Architect
• Lair of Trickery
• OblivAeon
• Orbo
• Polluted Fey-Realm
• Psychic Plane
• Pyrotechnics Factory
• Realm of Fantasy
• Spirit Island
• Swamp Ritual Site
• Time Cataclysm
• Urban Metropolis
• X-TREMEVERSE!!!

Permission is (of course) granted for any GM to use, adapt, or remix any of these environments.

Here is the first (and probably most generic) of my environments. It’s a real disreputable nest of criminality!

Gang Hideout

Every gang needs a headquarters, and this is certainly one of them. It is filled to the brim with unscrupulous criminals, along with their ill-gotten goods and surpluses of weaponry.

Beyond that, though, this environment can be used to represent the HQ of many different kinds of gangs — it could be a dilapidated hideout in the seedy part of town, a secluded safe-house in the woods outside town, a dockside base disguised as a warehouse, or the high-tech compound of a corrupt celebrity.

Gang Hideout
Loads of Weapons
Lots of Crooks
Stolen Goods

Green
Minor Twists

• Hapless Crook: One of the gangsters has stumbled upon the characters. Introduce 1 Mean Streets Wrecker minion (see page 415 of the Core Rulebook) to the scene.
• Stolen Super-Tech: Someone’s found some of the gang’s stolen technology and has decided to use it. Roll the environment dice. Boost one target with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Sentry: One of the crooks has spotted the intruders, and rushes to raise the hideout’s alarm.
  Prevent the sentry from raising the alarm
  Challenge timer
  Triggered: Advance the scene tracker by one space.

Yellow
Minor Twists

• Coterie of Crooks: A group of crooks show up to defend their home base. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Mean Streets Pugilist minions (see page 414 of the Core Rulebook) to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• Suppresive Fire: The crooks present unleash a torrent of gunfire, pinning down any intruders. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all non-crook targets with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Metahuman Mercenary: A superpowered mercenary employed by the gang steps out to fulfill their contract, powering up before engaging. Introduce 1 lieutenant to the scene. Then, roll the environment dice and Boost that lieutenant with the Mid die.

Red
Minor Twists

• Firefight: The crooks open fire on all intruders in their base. Roll the environment dice. Attack all non-crook targets with the Mid die.
• The Big Gun: The crooks have somehow gotten ahold of a very large and very powerful cannon.
  Disable the cannon
  Roll the environment dice and Attack one target with the Max die. Repeat this Attack on every environment turn until the above challenge is completed.

Major Twist

• This is Our Turf!: The crooks are determined to defend their turf. Roll the environment dice. Defend and Boost all crooks in the scene with the Mid die. That bonus is persistent and exclusive.

Next Environment: Deep Space!

Looks good!

Thanks, @Chief_Lackey_Rich!

Now onto my second environment: SPAAAAAAAAACE!

Deep Space
Distance from Earth: ≈20 light-years
Number of Planets: ≈350
Number of Planets Inhabited by Life: ≈190
Number of Planets Inhabited by Intelligent Life: ≈120
Number of Titanic Space Monsters: 1

For one reason or another, the heroes have boldly gone to a galaxy far, far away. The sector of space that they have ventured to is populated by myriads of planets, the majority of which are home to strange alien life-forms. Several alien civilisations also ply the spaceways in sleek, retro-futuristic starcraft. Unfortunately, many such aliens will be hostile to the heroes. Additionally, cosmic phenomena such as asteroids, solar flares, and cosmic rays are extremely hazardous to spacefarers.

Deep Space
Alien Life
Airless Vacuum
Cosmic Phenomena

Green
Minor Twists

• Alien Fighters: A squad of hostile alien fighter ships encounters the characters. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Alien Fighter minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Min die.
• Cosmic Rays: Cosmic radiation bathes one character, changing them in most fantastic ways. Roll the environment dice. Boost one target with the Mid die, and Attack them with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Alien Cruiser: A titanic, hostile alien spaceship arrives at the battle. Introduce 1 Alien Cruiser lieutenant (see below) to the scene.

Yellow
Minor Twists

• Asteroid Storm: The combatants are pelted by a storm of asteroids. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets with the Min die.
• Imperiled Refugees: Spacecraft carrying alien refugees become threatened by cosmic hazards or hostile aliens.
  Save the refugee ships
  Challenge timer
  Triggered: The innocent refugees meet an untimely demise, and the heroes are disheartened by their failure. Roll the environment dice and Hinder all heroes with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Space Beast: A gigantic, slumbering alien monstrosity has been awoken, and it wastes no time in finding its next meal. Introduce 1 Space Beast lieutenant (see below) to the scene. Then, roll the environment dice and Attack the tastiest target with the Mid die.

Red
Minor Twists

• Solar Flare: Energy from a nearby sun lashes out at some of the characters. Roll the environment dice. Attack two targets near each-other with the Mid+Min dice.
• Star War: Two massive fleets of alien ships are engaged in an intense battle, and the characters are caught in the crossfire. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in the scene with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Black Hole: The characters become caught in the gravity well of a supermassive singularity! Roll the environment dice. Hinder all targets in the scene with the Mid die. That penalty is persistent and exclusive.

Deep Space Threats

Alien Cruiser
Lieutenant

Description
A very large spacecraft like this one is usually the flagship of an alien starfleet. It possess advanced energy-projection weaponry and has dozens of deployable fighter ships onboard.

Abilities
Fighter Deployment Hatches: At the end of its turn, the Alien Cruiser can add 1 Alien Fighter minion (see below) to the scene.
Photon Barrage: When the Alien Cruiser Attacks, it can Attack multiple targets in range.

Tactics
The Cruiser is large but slow. However, what it lacks in manoeuvrability, it more than makes up for in firepower.

Alien Fighter
Minion

Description
These single-pilot ships are sleek, small, and fast, and make up the bulk of most alien starfleets.

Evasive Manoeuvres: Alien Fighters have +1 to their save rolls.

Tactics
The Fighters work best when they’re flying in formation, as each one’s individual firepower is fairly weak.

Space Beast
Lieutenant

Description
This cosmic monster is truly colossal, and its primordial might is of cataclysmic proportions.

Gigantic Maw: If the Space Beast rolls its die’s maximum value on an Attack, the target of that Attack is swallowed by it. A swallowed target’s actions can only affect itself, the Space Beast, and any other swallowed targets. A target can escape when either the Space Beast’s die degrades or when a successful Overcome action is used to free it.

Tactics
The Beast angrily attacks whoever has woken it from its millennia-long slumber, along with anyone else who dares to draw its ire.

Editor’s Notes
This environment does not represent one specific sector of space. Instead — much like the Gang Hideout above — it can be used for many different cosmic locations.

Also, when using this environment, feel free to replace the unnamed aliens in it with specific alien species or cultures of your choice.

The Airless Vacuum trait is only a small , because honestly, it doesn’t seem to usually be too much of a problem in comic books. Superheroes (and villains) are usually assumed to have some excuse for why they needn’t breath air, wether it’s plain ol’-fashioned spacesuits, a more sleek super-science gadget, magic, or a non-human nature.

The Cosmic Rays twist is of course a reference to the Fantastic Four. It even echoes the lyrics of the theme song of that team’s excellent ‘90s animated TV show.

And the Space Beast was actually inspired by a monster that the Legion of Super-Heroes once fought, that cost Lightning Lad his right arm in one of my personal favourite Legion stories — The Super-Moby Dick of Space. Yes, that was really its name.

Speaking of the Space Beast, I am very happy with its Gigantic Maw Ability. It seems quite flavourful, to me.

Next Environment: Time Cataclysm!

Gigantic Maw is indeed flavorful, but:

Unlikely as it is to happen, I think I’d let a swallowed target affect anyone else who’s also been swallowed. I guess the thing could have multiple stomachs (Giant Space Cow?) though.

Also, the fact that it only triggers on a max die roll makes it more likely to happen as the beast gets weaker, which feels kind of backward. Maybe have it trigger on an 8+ roll instead?

The Alien Cruiser is also neat, but given how effective Photon Barrage is, it’s probably not going to want to use Fighter Deployment Hatches often if ever. Maybe make FDH just a free minion creation thing that pops out whenever it gets to act? One per round isn’t all that scary, but the PB sure is.

Other than those quibbles, looks great. Space in comics is always busy.

Oh, absolutely. I hadn’t thought of that.

My reasoning was that, as the creature gets more wounded, it becomes more desperate and feral.

Hmm, yeah, I can see your point. 1 Minion for an Action isn’t that great. (On the other hand, that is comparable to what Minion-Maker heroes usually get.) Your solution could work. Another option I’m considering is letting it roll its die twice and add fighters equal to the lower roll.

That could work. The metric for minion deployment is totally different between heroes, villains and lieutenants anyway. A villain can easily put out 10 or more minions with one action and a good die roll (or bonus support) and lieutenants that do minions as their schtick can create half their die roll worth (as a villainous vehicle upgrade, anyway - could be the full roll for the regular type if you wanted, but that might be too much). With Photon Barrage being so strong the minion creation thing either needs to be potent too or act as a rider effect to doing something else.

Well, now I’m curious as to how many minions minions in the Core Rulebook can make. Let’s see:

• An Alien Teleport Beacon (p. 150) can add minions.
• A Minion-Maker Clone (p. 289) can add a number of minions equal to half its die roll.
• An Ember Shaman (p. 411) can add a number of minions equal to the lower of two of its die rolls.
• A Demonoid Insect (p. 413) can add a number of minions equal to its full die.

Reading the Villainous Vehicle Upgrade’s Minion Deployment ability, I think that you might’ve misread it. It says to add minions “equal to half (rounded down) the vehicle’s current die size.” {Emphasis mine.} So, if it was a , it would always add 5 minions. It wouldn’t roll its die for anything.

Anyway, I’ve decided to go with your original suggestion of letting the Alien Cruiser add 1 new fighter minion every turn.

Oop, you’re right, misread the Villainous Vehicle minion deployment option.

Certainly is a varied lot of mechanics for lieutenants that put out minions, isn’t it?

um… why does it say ‘round down’ on the villainous vehicle upgrade? Die size is always an even number, right?

Hmm…if there are mods in effect, they apply to the number of minions created, but unless they get applied before halving that wouldn’t matter - so I guess they probably do apply before you halve the total (which could get you an odd number to halve and round down)? Kind of a weird situation already, since there’s no actual die roll so you wouldn’t normally apply mods, I think.

The full text of the ability in question reads

Add minions to an existing group equal to half (rounded down) the vehicle’s current die size. Those minions are of a size equal to the highest die size already existing in that group. If the vehicle has a bonus or penalty, adjust the number of minions created by that amount and then remove that mid.

Yes, that logic is sound, but the ability specifically says to adjust the number of minions created, not the effective die size.

So, if a vehicle with a -3 penalty uses the ability, what I think would happen is:
12 ÷ 2 = 6
6 - 3 = 3 minions

Not this:
12 - 3 = 9
9 ÷ 2 = 4.5, rounded down to 4 minions

There’s clearly something not quite right in the ability, regardless. Guessing it went through some revisions before publication and wound up with some text left over from an earlier version(s) where there was either a die roll or the mods were applied after halving.

Different from the monsters that gave Lightning Lad and his sister their powers and probably different from the Space Whale that gave Ultra Boy his powers.
Ultra Boy who got his powers from being inside of a whale is named Jo Nah

On the subject of space whales, you folks have seen Pinnochio In Outer Space right? I hesitate to call it a good movie, but the ruined Martian cityscape is pretty impressive artistically and the scene with the mutant crabs fighting each other has stuck with me for nigh on to half a century now. Got a bit of a Mars and Beyond vibe to it, albeit with lower production values despite being nearly a decade later than Disney’s effort.

And don’t forget their villainous brother Mekt, alias Lightning Lord! (Gosh, how many people can you retcon into being at one super-empowering accident?) : )

Yeah, I always found that funny. The other bit of Legionnaire wordplay that comes to mind is the fact that Matter-Eater Lad is from the planet Bismoll. : D

No, I have not.

Not really a retcon, but my SCRPG campaigns have consistently had a big concert as part of their history where a super-musician accidentally gave a big chunk of the audience and crew powers, some of which wore off, some of which didn’t. So far that one incident has spawned eight different villains, three NPC sort-of-heroes, two PC heroes, and an indeterminate number of other folks who slipped through attempts by the government to identify and (if possible) de-power concert-goers.

There were no lightning monsters or even a giant space whale involved, though.

It’s time for our next environment. And this time, it’s gonna be a good one!

Time Cataclysm
Date: Varies
Location: Varies
Time Since the Cataclysm Began: Inapplicable
Time Until the Cataclysm Ends: Inapplicable
Times Currently Colliding: 2230, 2101, 2029, 2023, 1940, 1883, 1604, 1341, 117,
Quantum Superimposition Flux Coefficient: 6.437Δ ± ∞

Someone broke time. Again.

Wether they were caused by a scientific doomsday device, a chrono-magical ritual, a meddling Singular Entity, or a temporal pirate captain, most Time Cataclysms look roughly the same.

Dozens or even hundreds of conflicting histories, alternate presents, and divergent possible futures collide together in a big wibbly wobbly, timey wimey mess. Time, space, and even reality begin to break down. People from all eras of history and futurity are pulled to the temporal epicentre. Alternate universes seep into this one.

If the heroes can mobilise quickly enough, and work together well enough, they might have a chance at stopping a complete chronol implosion.

But whatever happens, worlds will live, worlds will die, and time will never be the same.

Time Cataclysm
Colliding Futures
Conflicting Pasts
Reality Fractured

Green
Minor Twists

• F.I.L.T.E.R. Agent: The multiversal organization F.I.L.T.E.R. has dispatched one of its agents to investigate the temporal fluctuations in the area. Introduce 1 F.I.L.T.E.R. Agent minion (see below) to the scene.
• Time-Displaced Combatant: Someone from the past or a potential future has been flung into the present. Introduce 1 Time-Displaced minion (see below) to the scene.

Major Twist

• Temporal Variant: An alternate version of one of the heroes has been shifted into this reality. Introduce 1 Hero Alternate lieutenant (see below) to the scene.

[color= #ffcc00]Yellow[/color]
Minor Twists

• Time-Displaced Conflux: A myriad of different people have all been torn from their native times and appear in the present. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Time-Displaced minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• Timeline Fluctuation: Ambient temporal energies replace one hero with an alternate version of themself. Select one hero. Replace that hero’s highest Power and highest Quality of your choice with a different Power and a different Quality, either chosen by you or determined randomly. The Power and Quality stay replaced until the scene’s zone changes.

Major Twist

• Deteriorating Reality: The very fabric of the space-time continuum is breaking apart! Advance the scene tracker by one space.

Red
Minor Twists

• Fixed Point in Time: This moment is a fixed point in time, and time itself resists any changes to it. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all targets in the scene with the Mid die.
• Lost in Time: A hero is being pulled into another time! Roll the environment dice. Hinder one hero with the Mid die. That penalty is persistent and exclusive until the below challenge is completed.
  Prevent the hero from becoming lost in time
  If the scene tracker reaches its end before this challenge is completed, that hero is stranded in another period of time.

Major Twist

• Time Falls Apart: Time and reality are being shattered! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in the scene with the Max die.

Time Cataclysm Threats

F.I.L.T.E.R. Agent
Minion

Description
This agent of F.I.L.T.E.R. is a highly-trained operative assigned to investigate the current temporal anomalies.

Abilities
Tranq Gun: When the F.I.L.T.E.R. Agent Attacks a target, it may also Hinder that target with the same roll.

Tactics
Although the agent’s primary goal is to gather intel on the timeline, they will not hesitate to take this opportunity to collect some superpowered specimens.

Hero Alternate
Lieutenant

Description
A version of one of the heroes from a disparate reality has arrived!

Abilities
Super-Schtick: The Hero Alternate has +3 to [one basic action or save rolls].
Temporal Instability: If the Hero Alternate rolls a 1 during an action, reduce its die by one size.

Tactics
Despite hailing from another universe, this hero has the same ideals as their counterpart native to this timeline. If you like, you may give control of this lieutenant to the player of the hero whom it is an analog of.

Time Cataclysm Threats: Time-Displaced Minions

Android
Minion

Description
This futuristic robotic facsimile of humanity is unwavering in carrying out its orders.

Abilities
Adaptive Algorithms: After the Android rolls a damage save, it Boosts itself using that roll.

Tactics
For more advanced than today’s crude robo-forms, the Android is able to process complex stimuli and calculate the optimal course of action.

Cyber-Trooper
Minion

Description
Hailing from a not-too-distant possible future, this soldier has been fitted with so many cybernetic enhancements that it is now more machine than man.

Abilities
Technological Interface: The Cyber-Trooper has +2 to Overcome and Hinder actions targeting mechanical targets.

Tactics
The Cyber-Trooper tries to use its techno-organic implants to interface with technology in order to achieve its directives.

Gunslinger
Minion

Description
Hailing from the American Old West, this Gunslinger has remarkable aiming skills.

Abilities
Dual Six-Shooters: When the Gunslinger Attacks, it may Attack up to 2 target in range.

Tactics
The Gunslinger relies on its wits and guns to get it out of trouble.

Knight
Minion

Description
This mounted warrior has been trained by the best and uses the best armour and weapons.

Abilities
Plate Armour: The Knight has +2 to save rolls.

Tactics
An expert with the blade, the Knight is adept at dueling a single adversary.

Mutated Survivor
Minion

Description
In one potential future, Earth has suffered a tragic nuclear armageddon. From that world hails this wretched, mutated being.

Abilities
Radioactivity: After the Mutated Survivor rolls a damage save from an Attack at close range, it Hinders the attacker with that roll.

Tactics
This once-human monstrosity feebly flails at any potential prey.

Primitive Hunter
Minion

Description
What some would incorrectly dub a “caveman,” this human from prehistoric times is nonetheless a fierce brute.

Abilities
Fight, not Flight: After the Primitive Hunter is Attacked, it gains a +2 bonus to its next Attack action.

Tactics
The hunter is likely very confused from being flung into this time, and will likely go berserk and madly start attacking.

Roman Legionnaire
Minion

Description
This soldier is a member of the legendary Roman legions, feared for their martial prowess.

Abilities
Shield Wall: The Roman Legionnaire has +1 to save rolls for every Roman Legionnaire nearby, including itself (up to a maximum bonus of +3).

Tactics
Romans are used to fighting in formation, and will do so if they can. However, a lone legionnaire will still do its best to fight for the glory of Rome.

Space Explorer
Minion

Description
In the potential future from which this fearless space explorer comes, humanity has dared to venture up through the stars, going where no man has gone before.

Abilities
Stun Phaser: The Space Explorer has +2 to Hinder actions.

Tactics
The Space Explorer tries to peacefully interact with the natives of the strange new world it now finds itself in, while trying not to contaminate its society with its advanced technology.

Swashbuckler
Minion

Description
This scallawag has sailed the high seas and crossed cutlasses with many ne’er-do-wells.

Abilities
Flynning: The Swashbuckler has +2 to Boost actions targeting itself.

Tactics
The Swashbuckler is equally adept at dueling a single opponent and holding off many foes, as well as making creative use of the environment.

WWII Flying Ace
Minion

Description
An expert pilot and an expert shot all rolled into one.

Abilities
Aerial Acrobatics: When making a save roll while flying, the WWII Flying Ace can roll its die twice and use the higher result.

Tactics
The pilot prefers to stay high above the fight, raining down bullets on those below.

Editor’s Notes

This environment has a fair number more allusions to other works of fiction than most. Can you spot them all?

And yes, I know that Sentinel Comics does not have as many temporal catastrophes as some other comic book companies do, but I figured that there was still a considerable amount.

If the Lost in Time twist activates and its challenge does not get completed, it could be the basis for a whole other issue or issues.

I particularly like the Timeline Fluctuations twist. I think that the Power- and Quality-switching was quite a clever way to represent a hero being transformed into their own alternate.

The Time Cataclysm is probably going to have the most minions out of all of my environments, with a whopping twelve. Speaking of minions, each of the Time-Displaced minions more or less matches up with one of the years listed in this environment’s infobox.

Next Environment: Realm of Fantasy!

I liked Time Cataclysm so much it inspired me to write up a supervillain specifically to be used with it - and then another potential world-breaking disaster that he could also show up for.

Johnny Crisis

Wow, thanks! Johnny Crisis does look neat.

Thanks. Look forward to seeing you next environment. They always take me more effort than villains or heroes do.

Johnny’s a first for me, a villain who just about never uses his own dice for anything in an action scene. Showcases how atypical Domain archetype villains can be. Also the only Creator approach baddie I’ve done that has no inherent way to produce minions, since he’s meant to be used in environs that can generate them with twists he can trigger. Makes him even more of an aberration.

Yes, I have seen similar views expressed by other Game Moderators who’ve run the Sentinel Comics RPG. I suspect that this is because Environment creation is significantly less structured. You basically have to create everything from scratch (more or less), compared to the option-choosing that Hero and Villain creation is.

I don’t think that I personally find Environments more difficult. Although I have not actually created many Environment for use in games, so my data may likely be skewed somewhat.

This sentence has given me the tangential idea of making a Villain that has no Action Abilities, full stop. Maybe I’ll do that eventually.

You need not look forward any more, intrepid reader! For here it is!

Realm of Fantasy
Government: Feudalism
Law Enforcement: Knights
Majority Occupation: Farming
Technology Level: Pre-Renaissance
Mana Level: 300%

This is a land of magic and monsters. At first glance, it appears similar to Europe during the Middle Ages, but further inspection will reveal that it is in fact quite different.

Here, magic is commonplace. It has largely eclipsed science as humanity’s primary tool. Additionally, savage and fierce monstrosities prowl the dark night and the deepest dungeons — Dragons, Trolls, Goblins, and more. But all in this land is not evil; for there are companies of shining knights, chivalrous and true, who patrol the countryside and mete out justice to any vile evildoers who would threaten their liege lord’s peasantry.

Realm of Fantasy
Fantastic Beasts
Land of Magic
Medieval Society

Green
Minor Twists

• Ambient Mana: This land is flush with magical energy. Roll the environment dice. Boost all targets taking actions using magic with the Min die until the next environment turn.
• Scientific Antithesis: This land is innately very resistant to science and technology. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all targets taking actions using scientific principles or technological devices with the Min die until the next environment turn.

Major Twist

• Champions of Chivalry: A company of noble knights have arrived to do battle with any evil knaves present. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Knight minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Min die.

[color= #ffcc00]Yellow[/color]
Minor Twists

• Goblin Raid: A pack of goblins thinks that the heroes will make an easy target for burglary. They are likely wrong. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Goblin minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• Suspicious Villagers: A group of local peasants mistake the heroes’ superpowers for witchcraft, and form an angry mob around them. Each hero must complete the following challenge individually.
  Escape the mob
  Until the above challenge is completed for a hero, that hero cannot affect or be affected by anything outside of the mob.

Major Twist

• Troll’s Bridge: The villain(s) have fled across a bridge, but when the heroes try to pursue, they are stopped by a hulking Troll that tells them that they must answer three riddles before they can cross his bridge. Alternatively, they could simply fight their way past the troll, or find another way across the river.
  Answer the Troll’s three riddles to cross the bridge
  -OR-
  Fight the Troll or find another way across the river
  If a hero attempts to Overcome the second option, the first option becomes unavailable. Additionally, when a hero takes a minor twist while Overcoming the second option, also Attack that hero with the single Fantastic Beasts die.

Red
Minor Twists

• A Helpful Wanderer: A robed, white-bearded stranger approaches the heroes. He dispenses some helpful advice, a useful trinket, or a minor charm before wandering away again. Roll the environment dice. Either Boost one hero with the Max+Min dice or Boost all the heroes with the Mid die.
• Dark and Tangled Woods: The battle has temporarily strayed into a thick forest, making it harder for the combatants to hit each-other with their attacks. Roll the environment dice. Defend all targets being Attacked by ranged attacks with the Mid die until the next environment turn.

Major Twist

• The Great Wyrm: With a thunderous roar, an ancient Dragon awakens from its years-long slumber to once again terrorise the countryside. The Dragon soars into the sky and exhales a blast of its fearsome breath weapon upon the land below. Introduce 1 Dragon lieutenant (see below) to the scene. Then, roll the environment dice and Attack all other targets in the scene with the Mid die.

Realm of Fantasy Threats

Dragon
Lieutenant

Description
Thought to be related to lesser reptiles, Dragons inhabit diverse ecosystems, including forests, tundra, mountains, deserts, swamps, and the sea. All Dragons are equipped with a destructive breath weapon and an aura that projects fear upon their foes.

Abilities
Breath Weapon: The Dragon has one of the following abilities:

• Cold Breath: When the Dragon Attacks a target, it may also Hinder that target with the same roll.
• Electric Breath: The Dragon has +3 to Attack actions.
• Flame Breath: When the Dragon Attacks, it may Attack up to 3 targets within range.
• Poison Breath: When the Dragon Hinders, the resulting penalty is persistent and exclusive.

Draconic Presence: Targets near the Dragon have a -1 penalty on all actions.

Tactics
Dragons fear no one, and so attack with impunity. They can slash and bite and smash their ways through entire armies with ease.

Goblin
Minion

Description
Goblins are small, humanoid monsters that often raid and pillage small settlements.

Abilities
Pack Tactics: A Goblin has +1 to Attack actions while it has at least one nearby ally.

Tactics
Goblins work best in groups. Individually, they are quite weak, but together they know how to overwhelm considerably larger foes.

Knight
Minion

Description
Knights are chivalrous nobles who have trained themselves in the arts of combat and horsemanship, and have sworn to defend the innocents of the land.

Abilities
Plate Armour: Knights have +2 to save rolls.

Tactics
Knights fight fiercely from atop their brave steeds in their never-ending quest to vanquish evil.

Editor’s Notes

Just for your edification, the “Mana Level: 300%” thing in this environment’s infobox was just my way of saying, “This place is super magical.” Universe 1 might have a “Mana Level” of 100%, possibly?

I think that the two Green zone minor twists are nifty. I wanted a way to show that magic is simply stronger here, and that technology doesn’t seem to work very well here, for some reason. One would probably get he most out of these twist if the heroes’ ranks included both magic-users and technology-users.

I also like the Troll’s Bridge twist. It is a challenge with two different branches that the heroes could pursue. One of them is shorter, but pursuing it will likely incur the troll’s wrath. And, of course, if you start fighting the troll or trying to find a way around his bridge, he’s not going to let you or your allies hear the riddles.

I’ll admit that the Goblins and Dragon in this environment are based upon how those creatures are depicted in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, especially the Dragon’s fear aura and different breath weapon choices.

Also, the Knights’ stats are basically identical to the Knight minions from my Time Cataclysm above.

One could use this environment in the very unlikely event that one would like to set a game in my Sentinels of the Realm setting. (Although I would likely modify it before doing so.)

And, lastly, you may notice that a few things are missing that you might expect to be in a fantasy setting — Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits Halflings, Orcs, Wizards, Clerics, or Rogues, for instance. Well, that is because I was going for a more “classic” fantasy setting with this environment — just knights, dragons, et cetera — compared to a “modern” fantasy setting. I suppose that I may have some desire to make something out of the latter, though.

Next Environment: Swamp Ritual Site!

Looks good. Would work well for a straight Arthurian environment as well, albeit perhaps with the goblins being reskinned into brigands. Expect the Champions of Chivalry might be best dealt with through Overcomes to convince them that our heroes are not, in fact, evil knaves. Like the fact the dragon’s breath weapons will potentially have some interaction with hero energy powers - and the Toxic material power for poison breath. If there’s a Domain or Titan archetype villain in the scene that can activate environmental twists you can bet they’ll be waking the dragon up ASAP - which could be round three for Domains.

IIRC I managed to do at least one with only a single Action ability, everything else being Inherents (or Innate? never recall which the I stands for) and Reactions, but that was more accident than intent.

Agreed. Although I would likely make an entirely different environment for Arthurian Britain with more appropriate twists.

True, that could definitely work, although there are two possibilities that you may have overlooked:

1. The Knights need not necessarily be hostile to the Heroes. Some environment twists are allowed to be entirely advantageous for the Heroes. If I were running this environment, I think I’d have them be friendly.
2. However, if we are going with the misunderstood-knavery angle, the Heroes could still deal with the Knights with Attack actions, but have them made with, say, Presence + Persuasion, rather than Strength + Close Combat.

Yes, as do I. A Dragon trying to freeze Absolute Zero is a bad idea. I would go so far as to make sure that, if the any of the Heroes have powers that interact with energy types, the Dragon would have a matching breath weapon.

Yeah, I try to do that pretty regularly myself when there are PC abilities in play that care about energy types. Not 100% of the time, but often enough that they don’t always have to use Overcomes to bring them into play somehow. No objection to (say) the heroes ripping down a power line so they can heal off their Electricity damage inversion trick, but sometimes they deserve to get some benefit for free.

The twist on that one is usually a big bill from the local utility company for gratuitously damaging their equipment, or angry citizens showing up later to protest the latest supers-induced blackout.

And now for something a little different . . .

Swamp Ritual Site
Location: Outside Rook City
Wildlife: Crocodiles, mosquitoes, herons, zombies, tree monsters
Terrain: Mixture of mud, vegetation, and toxic waste
Frequent Visitors: The Cult of Gloom, goth teenagers
Purpose: Performing foul rites of unspeakable magicks, picnics
Refreshments: IPAs

The villainous Cult of Gloom is at it again. Their members have congregated in a foul swamp, gathered the necessary mystical ingredients, and have begun another one of their trademarked evil rituals.

What are they up to this time? Are they once again attempting to free their dark lord and master GloomWeaver from his imprisonment in the extradimensional Realm of Discord, or are they attempting some other mysterious, arcane rite? Either way, our intrepid heroes will have their hands full dealing with all the cultists, stopping the ritual, and navigating the hazardous mires of the swamp.

Swamp Ritual Site
The Cult of Gloom
Dark Magic
Swampy Terrain

Green
Minor Twists

• A Sticky Situation: Someone stumbles into a previously-unseen sinkhole. Roll the environment dice. Hinder one target with the Mid die.
• Lost Relic: Someone finds a magical artefact that has been lost in the swamp’s murky depths for years. Roll the environment dice. Boost one target with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• The Grove That Walks Like a Man: The lumbering, magic-infused mass of vegetation known as Man-Grove wanders into the fray. Introduce Man-Grove (see below) to the scene.

[color= #ffcc00]Yellow[/color]
Minor Twists

• Gathering Cult: Members of the Cult of Gloom arrive to fight back against the heroes. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Gloom Cultist minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• Risen Dead: The present cultists use their dark powers to raise some of the many corpses that lay rotting in the foul swamp as undead servitors. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Zombie minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Max die.

Major Twist

• Hasten the Ritual: The cultists of GloomWeaver redouble their arcane efforts. Advance the scene tracker by one space.

Red
Minor Twists

• Aura of Power: The Cult’s infernal ritual charges the air with magic. Roll the environment dice. Boost all magic creatures and magic-users with the Mid die.
• Necromantic Wave: The dark ritual generates a devastating pulse of infernal energy. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in the scene with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Extraplanar Portal: The ritual conjures a swirling portal to the Realm of Discord, which immediately pulls several people through. Select up to four targets, and move them to the Realm of Discord.
  Escape from the Realm of Discord
  If the above challenge has not been completed when the scene tracker reaches its end, the portal closes and those characters are trapped in the Realm of Discord!

Swamp Ritual Site Threats

Gloom Cultist
Minion

Description
These misguided souls have, for one reason or another, joined up with the Cult of Gloom.

Abilities
Fanaticism: Gloom Cultists have +1 to Attack actions, Hinder actions, and save rolls while a higher-ranking cultist is nearby.

Tactics
The Cultists’ devotion to GloomWeaver drives them to do everything they can in service to their dark master.

Man-Grove
Lieutenant

Description
Man-Grove was once a simple grove of trees. But now, thanks to toxic waste and dark magic, it is a hulking mass of writhing vines and creaking limbs that walks like a man.

Abilities
Strength of the Swamps: As an action, Man-Grove can increase its die by one size (maximum ).
Swinging Limbs: When Man-Grove Attacks, it can Attack up to 2 nearby targets.

Tactics
Man-Grove is more instinctual than logical, and it is not inherently hostile, so it only engages characters who try to harm it.

Zombie
Minion

Description
These undead servants were originally corpses that were animated by dark magicks.

Abilities
Walking Dead: Zombies have +2 to save rolls.

Tactics
Being mindless servitors, zombies typically shamble towards whomever their masters direct them to.

Editor’s Notes

The first four environments that I’ve posted in this thread have been fairly generic — Gang Hideout, Deep Space, Time Cataclysm, and Realm of Fantasy. They don’t really have much story attached, could represented several different locations, and could be utilized in a range of different issues.

This environment, however, breaks that trend. It is a specific place with a specific event and story tied to it. Now, of course, that does not mean that one could not use it for other similar locations, but the distinction remains (in my mind, at least).

I do expect that the remaining environments that I shall post here will be more like this one than the previous ones.

Now, I do realise that making more specific environments is somewhat less useful for other GMs out there, but if I’m being honest, I’m doing this thread to share the environments that I want to make.

Anyways, speaking of plots, this environment should likely be accompanied by one or more Challenges for the heroes to thwart the Cult’s magical machinations.

Here’s a fun fact: this environment was actually the first of these that I came up with.

I was original going to include a couple of twists about the swamp life (crocs, bugs, etc.), but I was short on room, so I opted to cut them in favour of what I think are more evocative twists.

So, I may have overused the “grove that walks like a man” line just a little bit, but it’s my environment so shush. And as is mentioned in Man-Grove’s Tactics section, it only really attacks those who harm it. (I’m unsure as to wether this is canonical or not, but it’s what I decided to go with.) This means that it could enter the scene and not attack anyone because no one has attacked it, but then the heroes could try to persuade it to help them, which I think is cool.

On the topic of Man-Grove, his Strength of the Swamps ability took me literally forever.* It went through many iterations, including some in which he could increase his die size when taking Boost, Defend, and/or Attack actions, and some where it happened in response to succeeding in a damage save. I think that the version that I ultimately ended up with is properly balanced.

I am aware that the Extraplanar Portal and Aura of Power twists are somewhat similar to the Lost in Time and Ambient Mana twists of my Time Cataclysm and Realm of Fantasy environments, respectively. But, what can you do? There are only so many possible twists.

Regarding the minions in this environment, I was originally going to have two varieties of cultist — spellcasters and non-spellcasters — but, as you can see, I changed that. Also, these Zombie minions are virtually identical to the Zombies that I posted over in my Iron Five thread.

Well, that seems like all for today!

*Figuratively speaking.

Next Environment: THE X-TREMEVERSE!!!

about the Swamp environment-
Remember in DC comics Slaughter Swamp outside of Gotham City has so much bad magic associated with it that most evil supervillain wizards stay out of Gotham

Looks good, and I don’t think it’s as “specific” as you say - I could easily re-skin elements for use as an arcane ritual outside of a swamp, for ex.

Man-Grove’s Strength of the Swamps seems about right to me, and questing for “balance” always seems a bit futile anyway. Style-wise I suspect it should have “(Max d12)” appended to it - it’s kind of obvious you can’t grow beyond the biggest die in the game, but the rulebook is pretty consistent about calling that out specifically.

I was aware of Slaughter Swamp — mainly for its role in the creation of Solomon Grundy — but I haven’t heard that fact about it before. The more you know!

True, I do see your point. I suppose that the Sticky Situation and Man-Grove twists are really the only ones that necessitate the swamp’s presence.

Good point. I’ll go and append that now.

Even those are easy to re-skin without mechanical change. Sticky Situation could just be a totally generic “Mystic Ward” or “Bad Feeling About This” or “Cursed Sigil Trap” or something. “Man-Grove” could show up as a some kind of strange other-dimensional intruder attracted by the ritual, not initially hostile but happy to feed on the ambient energies being stirred up. Or just have Man-Grove itself show up through the portal they’re trying to open when some arcane short-circuit momentarily connects the ritual location to its swampy home.

Great ideas, @Chief_Lackey_Rich! Alternatively, Man-Grove could be replaced with a Portal Fiend.

THE X-TREMEVERSE!!!
Annual Casualty Rate: Twice that of Universe 1
Most Popular Music Genre: Heavy Metal
Most Manufactured Products: Chains, spikes, pouches, guns, explosives

This is a reality different from Universe 1. A more X-TREME REALITY!

The world of the X-TREMEVERSE is indeed far different from the one you know. Here, everything is over-the-top in the most radical ways. Violence is prolific, and it appears that the world’s fashion, music, and culture have not moved on from the 1990’s.

This universe is home to the X-Treme States of America, much of which is a dusty wasteland crisscrossed by lonesome highways. The country’s largest city is the Neon City, which is a mega-city that definitely lives up to its name.

THE X-TREMEVERSE!!!
NINETIES AESTHETICS!
X-CESSIVE VIOLENCE!
X-TREME RESIDENTS!

Green
Minor Twists

• VIOLENT REALITY: This universe is much more X-TREME than most! Roll the environment dice. Boost all targets with the Min die.
• X-TREME CIVILIAN: A relatively normal civilian enters the fray for no discernible reason! Introduce 1 X-TREMEVERSE Civilian minion (see below) to the scene.

Major Twist

• UN-X-PLAINABLE FIRES: For some reason, everything is one fire! Roll the environment dice. Attack one target with the Mid die and another target with the Min die.

Yellow
Minor Twists

• RAT RAGE: Several of those sick Road Rats ride up to the fight! Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Road Rat minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• WICKED FIGHTING: This reality is naturally suited to spectacle! Roll the environment dice. Boost all targets with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• SPIKES EVERYWHERE: Why are there so many spikes? Roll the environment dice. Attack two targets using the Mid die.

Red
Minor Twists

• X-PATRIETTE BIKERS: A gang of X-Patriette clones arrive at the battle! Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of X-Patriette Biker Clone minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Max die.
• X-TREME CULMINATION: The X-TREMEVERSE is an intrinsically AWESOME place! Boost all targets with the Max die.

Major Twist

• IN-X-PLICABLE X-PLOSIONS: Everything is exploding! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in the scene with the Max+Min dice.

Road Rat
Minion

Description
These savage rodents inhabit the inhospitable wasteland that is much of the X.S.A.’s Midwest!

Abilities
GROUP FIGHTER: A Road Rat has +1 to Attack and Hinder actions while it has at least one nearby ally.

Tactics
The Road Rats prefer to do combat on the open road and in a group.

X-Patriette Biker Clone
Minion

Description
These clones of the ruthless X-Patriette prowl the sprawling Neon City.

Abilities
HECKA POWERFUL AMMO: X-Patriette Biker Clones have +3 to Boost actions targeting themselves.

Tactics
The X-Patriettes use their tricked-out guns, sharp aim, and grit against their opponents.

X-TREMEVERSE Civilian
Minion

Description
Even the normal Joes of the X-TREMEVERSE are X-TREME!

Abilities
X-TREME EVERYMAN: The X-TREMEVERSE Civilian has +2 to Attack actions and save rolls.

Tactics
An X-TREMEVERSE Civilian is likely to aid the heroes against their enemies.

Editor’s Notes

I may have gone a touch overboard with the CAPITALISATION, X’s, and X-CLAMATION POINTS!!! Oh well.

So, I do fear that this environment may be somewhat, well, bland. It was very tough thinking of ideas for twists. As you can see, each GYRO zone basically has an Attacking twist, a Boosting twist, and a minion-adding twist.

Oh, and if you have no idea what this environment is about, check this out.

Next Environment: Spirit Island

One might even say you’ve gone to X-TREMES there.

Seems fine as a generic “somewhere in the X-TREMEVERSE” environment - the minions could be reskinned into something else easily enough if the scene is somewhere other than the XSA/Neon City. More specific locales (eg the sewer/underground raceways under Wreck City) would probably have different twists, but I rather like the idea of a set of amping up global Boosts throughout any scene to reflect the inherently over-the-top nature of the universe.

Not possible! TURN IT UP PAST 11!! Heck yeah, mother hecker!!
Prayers for the voice of the GM who leads a session in this environment.

Spirit Island
Area: ≈50,000 square kilometres
Spirit Population: Numerous and uncountable
Dahan Population: ≈3,600
Invader Population: ≈10,000
Invaders’ Arrival: 10 years ago

The Island has existed far longer than humans have lived there.

The Spirits of the Island are many and diverse: thronging wisps of breeze, strange half-seen shadows across still water, the sunbeam which forms perfect patterns even through tangled deadwood. Most do not fight the Invaders: the smaller Spirits are too weak; the greatest ones too slow or so strong they’d destroy the Island. Not every grove or gully has a Spirit — but there are certainly more Spirits than Dahan.

The Dahan were the first humans on the Island. They immigrated centuries ago. Their lore spoke of Spirits, and they expected their new home would have some, but were greatly surprised by the Spirits’ numbers, vitality, and intensity of manifestation.

The Invaders found Spirit Island a decade ago. Early coastal contact with the Dahan was fairly peaceful. The Dahan saw these new seafarers as analogues of their those-who travel, and offered them appropriate hospitality. The Invaders saw a fertile, sparsely-populated island, and brought word home of a land ripe for the taking.

The first colony ships arrived five years later, bringing both settlers and an onslaught of foreign diseases which tore through the Dahan. Spirit assistance helped many Dahan survive — but even so, they are just regaining their footing, mourning their dead, and discovering that these scourges were not the act of angry Spirits. They are divided on what to do: some see the Invaders as a menace to drive away, while others still think of them as “our new neighbors”, or are fascinated with their lifestyle, tools, and beliefs.

But the Invaders spread impossibly quickly, with more and more colony ships arriving each year. In the blink of an eye there were nearly as many Invaders as Dahan, methodically reshaping the land, destroying Spirit and Dahan alike in their heedless, swarming expansion . . .

Spirit Island
Dahan Clans
Foreign Invaders
Nature Spirits

Green
Minor Twists

• Dahan Warrior: One brave Dahan villager steps forth to defend the island. Introduce one Dahan minion (see below) to the scene.
• Treacherous Wilds: The island’s flora and terrain are far more difficult to traverse than is usual. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all targets with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Exploring Invaders: Foreign explorers arrive at the scene. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Invader minions (see below) equal to the Min die.

Yellow
Minor Twists

• Savage Beasts: A pack of wild animals smell the blood of combat. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Beast minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Min die.
• Second Wave: Even more invaders arrive. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Invader minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Mid die.

Major Twist

• A Spirit Appears: A relatively weak Spirit manifests a physical form in order to protect the land. Introduce 1 Minor Spirit lieutenant to the scene.

Red
Minor Twists

• Hazardous Badlands: The Spirits of the island have transformed it to be very deadly to humans.
  Remove the hazardous terrain
  Until the above challenge is completed, all Attack actions have a +1 bonus.
• Wracking Diseases: A strange plague is cast upon the Invaders. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all Invader targets with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Devastating Ravage: The Invaders will stop at nothing. Roll the environment dice. Attack all non-Invader targets with the Max die.

Spirit Island Threats

Beast
Minion

Description
These creatures are nothing more than wild beasts, although they may have been commanded to fight on a Spirit’s behalf.

Abilities
Feral: While a Beast is smaller than a , it has +2 to Attack actions.

Tactics
Due to their low intelligence, Beasts mainly stick to chomping on targets until they’re dead.

Dahan
Minion

Description
These native islanders live in harmony with the land and the Spirits.

Abilities
Friends of the Spirits: Spirits have +1 to Boost, Defend, and Recover actions targeting Dahan, and vice versa.

Tactics
Dahan will fight desperately to protect their island home, even against the overwhelming odds posed by the Invaders.

Invader
Minion

Description
These newcomers to the island have no respect for it, the Dahan, or the Spirits, and only care about their own interest.

Abilities
Ravagers: Invaders have +2 to Attack actions and destructive Overcome actions.

Tactics
Invaders favour slash-and-burn strategies, and ruthlessly destroy any opposition.

Minor Spirit
Lieutenant

Description
This is but a relatively weak Spirit. There exist many larger and more powerful Spirits, but they are also much slower, and lack the precision needed to make a difference in a human-scale skirmish.

Abilities
Elemental Nature: The Minor Spirit has one of the following abilities:

• Air: Whenever the Minor Spirit takes an action that targets itself or another character, it may move that target to another location.
• Earth: The Minor Spirit has +3 to Defend actions.
• Fire: The Minor Spirit has +3 to Attack actions.
• Water: As an action, the Minor Spirit can roll its die. Either one nearby target Recovers that much Health, or that many nearby minions each increase their dice by one size, up to a maximum of their starting die sizes.
• Plant: The Minor Spirit has +3 to Boosts actions.
• Animal: As an action, the Minor Spirit can roll its die and add a number of Beast minions (see above) to the scene equal to half its die roll (rounded up).
• Moon: As an action, the Minor Spirit can change any penalty into a bonus or vice versa.
• Sun: When the Minor Spirit takes the Boost action, it may make the resulting bonus persistent and exclusive.

Tactics
The Spirit’s tactics will differ greatly depending on which element it is attuned to.

Editor’s Notes

This environment is, of course, inspired by Greater Than Game’s fantastic cooperative board game of the same name, Spirit Island. And yes, I know that the Nexus of the Void is an already-existing Sentinel Comics environment that is also inspired by Spirit Island, but the Nexus is very loosely inspired by it, while my environment here is straight-up Spirit Island, complete with Invaders and Dahan.

I have no idea in what situation a GM would actually use this environment; Spirit Island is canonically set in the 1700s, so temporal shenanigans are likely to be involved. Beyond that, I assume that the overlap between SCRPG GMs and Spirit Island players is very small, so this environment is likely of little interest to most.

Nonetheless, I still made it, mainly because I really like the game. I bought and played Spirit Island years before Sentinels of the Multiverse, let alone the Sentinel Comics RPG. It is what led me to discover Sentinel Comics, so I would not be here without it.

The opening description for this environment is an edited version of lore found in the Spirit Island rulebook. The area measurement is based on a comment made by the game’s designer saying that it is around the size of Viti Levu. The Invader and Dahan populations are entirely baseless guesses.

Next Environment: [REDACTED]

Looks good. Love the roster of spirit power abilities.

I’ve had loads of functionally immortal PCs and villains in my games. Some of them could have “time-travelled” through the 1700s the way most people do - one day at a time in order. I could use it in a flashback for an earlier encounter between folks like, say, FourEver and Ymum where 300 years is roughly equivalent to last week for mere mortals.

OblivAeon
Height: Varies
Weight: Varies
Hair: None
Eyes: Varies, usually purple
Birthplace: The Destruction of Preservation and Entropy
Power Source: The Cosmos, The Shattering of the Timelines
Occupation: Singular Entity

“It’s Coming.”

The Heroes of Earth and beyond have fought against the effect of an unknown cosmic power for a long time, and each time they managed to prevail. However, other realities and timelines have not been so fortunate. The goal of this cosmic entity’s encroachment upon the Multiverse is the collapse of all realities and timelines into a singularity which will self-implode, leaving naught but OblivAeon, the true heir to nothingness.

OblivAeon itself has manifested on Earth in this timeline to put an end to the pitiful resistance. If it succeeds, everything will be destroyed. However, if the heroes are able to stop OblivAeon, the cracks which run through all realities will be repaired as the cosmic power that created them is destroyed, effectively cutting the timelines and realities off from each other.

One way or another the Multiverse, ends here.

OblivAeon
Destroyer of All
The End Has Come
Terminus of All Realities

Green
Minor Twists

• Aeon Attack: OblivAeon conjures another squad of Aeon Men. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Aeon Men minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Min die.
• Disrupt Spacetime: OblivAeon tears a hole in reality and sends some heroes hurtling through it. Roll the environment dice. Attack two targets with the Mid die. Move those targets to another location.

Major Twist

• Temporal Fractures: OblivAeon continues its ravaging of reality. Advance the scene tracker by one space.

Yellow
Minor Twists

• Absorb Energy: ObilvAeon destroys some of its Aeon Men, reabsorbing their essence into itself. Destroy any number of Aeon Men minions.
• Unbracing Smite: OblivAeon unleashes a focused blast of devastating energy. Roll the environment dice. Attack one target with the Max die. Destroy all bonuses on that target.

Major Twist

• Focus of Power: ObilvAeon creates a crystalline conduit for its cosmic power, in order to further its plans of destruction.
  Destroy the Oblivion Engine
  Challenge Timer
  Triggered: Advance the scene tracker by one space. Then, roll the environment dice and Boost all Scion and Aeon Men targets with the Mid die.

Red
Minor Twist

• Global Devastation: There is nowhere that OblivAeon’s power cannot reach. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in all locations in the scene with the Mid die. Destroy 1 bonus on each of those targets.
• Impending Doom: OblivAeon prepares to unleash an annihilating attack of cataclysmic proportions.
  Disrupt the attack
  Challenge Timer
  Triggered: Roll the environment dice. Attack all non-Scion targets with the Max+Mid+Min dice.

Major Twists

• Summon Scion: OblivAeon summons another one of its servants to the battlefield. Introduce 1 Scion villain (without Upgrades or Masteries) to the scene.

OblivAeon Threats

Aeon Man
Minion

Description
Aeon Men are the mindless thralls and vassals of OblivAeon. They form from the excess Aeon energy that constantly leaks out of OblivAeon’s form.

Abilities
Aeon Energy: If OblivAeon destroys an Aeon Man, first roll its die. Boost, Recover, or Attack one target with that roll.
Cosmic Warrior: Aeon Men have +1 to Attack actions.

Tactics
Aeon Men are essentially mindless automatons, and know only the most basic strategy. They are most often encountered in groups.

Editor’s Notes

That’s right, it’s OBLIVAEON!

I really like that dice pool. : )

The infobox and environment description were taken from OblivAeon’s wiki page.

Okay, so I may have made some of these twists a little bit more powerful the the book suggests, but hey, it’s OblivAeon. If anything deserves to be overpowered, it’s him.

Part of my inspiration for creating this “environment” was that the Bullpen chapter of the rulebook states that environments can be used to represent truly massive, powerful entities in addition to locations.

Now, obviously this “environment” is of negligible usefulness to anyone, as I doubt anyone will be running the OblivAeon Event any time soon. Regardless, here’s my advice for doing just that:

Due to the epicness and sheer scale, I would recommend using a scene tracker that is some mix of Prolonged and Epic trackers. Something like 2 Green spaces, 4 Yellow spaces, and 5 Red spaces.

This environment represents OblivAeon protected by his shield. Thus, he lacks a Health rating, so the heroes cannot damage him. So, of course, you’ll need a hefty challenge (likely 5 boxes) to let the heroes disable OblivAeon’s shield, which will then transform him from environment stats to villain stats (likely with many Upgrades). Alternatively, one could just use one (or several) Defence Shield Upgrades to represent his shield, but then you wouldn’t be using this environment at all.

There would, of course, also be many Aeon Men minions, Scion villains, and, to help the heroes out with all of this, Mission challenges.

Oh, and by the way, this is the penultimate environment.

Next Environment: [REDACTED]

Looks good. I kind of doubt the Scion from the Red Major Twist is going to get much time to act before scene end, and activating that twist might actually be a merciful choice for the GM compared to starting Impending Doom or Global Devastation.

Just to confirm, is the intent on Global Devastation is that any Aeon Men destroyed by it are being done in by OblivAeon and therefore trigger their Aeon Energy ability? Or does that only happen with Absorb Energy?

Yeah, OblivAeon and things on a similar power level are probably better as a combination of environment and multiple challenges than a villain, even a very powerful one like a multiple-upgrade Ancient Titan or something. I haven’t tried anything quite that potent yet - the ultimate form of Infernovox is as close as I’ve come to date, and even it’s a long way short of a reality ender on its own. Perfectly content to just loaf around wearing the sun like an old pair of pajamas.

Fair enough. I do see your point, but using a non-standard scene tracker that has more red spaces than usual (like I mentioned above) would increase the Scion’s length of stay.

Correct. Aeon Energy is triggered whenever an Aeon Man is destroyed by OblivAeon, wether it happens from a “destroy Aeon Men” effect or damage from an Attack from OblivAeon. Impending Doom would also count.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that all the different forms of Infernovox you made are, in my opinion, quite cool. : )

Why thank you, sir. I suspect the villain in question would object to being called “cool” though. Makes Heat Miser look like a piker.

They were among the first few villains I created way back when I first started seriously messing around with the creation system. Actually yet to use the radioactive version, although all the others have seen outings. The ultimate one only cropped up in a one-shot where the main goal of the scene was nabbing a time travelling villain who was in negotiations with Infernovox about granting it timeline access in exchange for limitless energy and then getting the heck out of dodge (and their own future) before they got fried. So that one’s also yet to be defeated, although it certainly isn’t impossible to do so. Maybe not so much with a four-hero zero-collections team though.

The blog post itself is a bit of a text wall, though.

Behold — Orbo, the living planet!

Orbo
Location: Orbiting the Enclave of the Endlings
Species: Satellan
Diameter: Approximately that of Earth’s Moon
Crust: Crimson
Eyes: Orange
Tentacles: Numerous, never counted

“Orbo hungers . . . He cannot be trusted. I preserve him as I do all Endlings, but a time will come in which he will surely betray us.”
— Jansa Vi Dero, the Terminarch

Orbo is a living planet, the Last Satellan, and a consummate jerk.

Orbo is the last of his race, and because of this, he was taken by Jansa Vi Dero, the Last Varusiod, and preserved in the extraterrestrial Enclave of the Endlings. All the members of Orbo’s ill-fated species were titanically large organisms — creatures the size of planets. However, their immense size necessitated that they consume vast amounts of sustenance. Orbo is no exception, and will take any opportunity to feed, including devouring any hapless intelligents that he finds on his surface.

Orbo
The Last Satellan
Living Planet
Orbo Hungers

Green
Minor Twists

• Bludgeoning Tentacle: Orbo slams one of his tentacles at a potential meal. Roll the environment dice. Attack one target with the Mid die.
• Ensnaring Tentacle: Orbo grabs someone with one of his tentacles. Roll the environment dice. Hinder one target with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Ensnared Spacecraft: Orbo has grabbed a spacecraft full of innocent aliens, and is pulling it towards his maw!
  Free the spacecraft from Orbo’s grasp
  Challenge Timer
  Triggered: In addition to the alien passengers of the spacecraft being devoured, their ship explodes when Orbo’s maw tears it apart! Roll the environment dice, and Attack all targets with the Min die.

Yellow
Minor Twists

• Tentacles!: Several of Orbo’s tentacles writhe forth to menace the heroes. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Satellan Tentacle minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• Unflinching Grasp: Orbo wraps his tentacles around two targets, and this time he’s not letting go. Roll the environment dice. Hinder two targets with the Min die. Those penalties are persistent and exclusive.

Major Twist

• Growing Hunger: Orbo’s hunger grows. Advance the scene tracker by one space.

Red
Minor Twists

• Inescapable Grapple: Orbo is very determined not to let this meal get away. Select one target.
  Free the target from Orbo’s tentacles
  The selected target has a persistent penalty equal to the above challenge’s number of unchecked boxes. Additionally, at the start of each environment turn until the challenge is completed, roll the environment dice and Attack that target with the Mid die.
  If the scene tracker reaches its end before this challenge is completed, the target is swallowed by Orbo! Their allies will have to venture into the belly of the beast in order to retrieve them.
• Powerful Grasp: Orbo grips two targets with his tentacles, both restraining and constricting them. Roll the environment dice. Hinder two targets with the Mid die and Attack them with the Min die.

Major Twist

• The Maw of Orbo: Orbo’s maw gapes open, attempting to devour anything near it. Introduce 1 Satellan Maw lieutenant (see below) to the scene. Then, roll the environment dice and attack one target near the maw with the Max die.

Orbo Threats

Satellan Maw
Lieutenant

Description
The maw of Orbo is brimming with gigantic teeth, and is eager to devour any who stray too near.

Abilities
Biological Feedback: When the Satellan Maw is destroyed, the Orbo environment receives a persistent -3 penalty on all its future rolls.
Insatiable Hunger: The Satellan Maw has +3 to Attack actions. If it destroys or incapacitates a target, that target is swallowed by Orbo, and their allies will have to venture into the belly of the beast in order to retrieve them.

Tactics
The maw does not hesitate to feed on any targets within its reach.

Satellan Tentacle
Minion

Description
The tentacles of Orbo are many. They range in thickness from less than a meter to several dozen.

Abilities
Alien Strength: Satellan Tentacles have +1 to Hinder actions.
Biological Feedback: Whenever a Satellan Tentacle is destroyed, the Orbo environment receives a -1 penalty on its next roll.

Tactics
The tentacles of Orbo grab any targets they can reach and drag them towards his awaiting maw.

Editor’s Notes

Those hacks Christopher and Adam couldn’t make a living planet environment, but I could!

Yep, the entire reason I made this environment is because of that joke. C&A said in one of the podcast episodes that, back when they were still working on Sentinels of the Multiverse, they were running out of environment ideas. They tried to make a living planet environment deck, but it didn’t work out. They eventually got the concept out of their systems by making Orbo a single card in the Enclave of the Endlings environment deck, from which Jansa’s quote is taken.

Anyway, I made a whole Orbo environment and they didn’t. (Yeah, the SCRPG is a different game than SotM, but my point still stands.)

I think that it’s a testament to this system’s flexibility (and my own skills, but I don’t mean to brag) that I was able to get seven whole twists just from “tentacles.” I think that they are all pretty distinct; there’s Attacks, Hinders, Challenges, and Minions.

I say that the allies of anyone swallowed by Orbo will have to retrieve them, but really, the swallowed target could escape on its own. The point of that twist and ability is really just that the target’s escape will require another scene, if not a whole issue.

I quite like the Biological Feedback abilities of the maw and the tentacles. They give some extra incentive to defeat them. I know that penalising an environment’s actions is something that nothing else in the rules does, but I think there’s not anything wrong with it.

And thus ends my initial nine-environment lineup! I’ve had fun, and I hope that folks have found these useful. If I ever make more environments for any reason, I’m very likely to post them here. And sometime in the future, I want to make a Villain Archive. Until then, keep on saving the Multiverse!

Looks good as always.

The omniverse really needs a crossover where Orbo, Ego, Unicron and Mogo meet up. Maybe they could watch Star Wars and criticize the Death Star(s) for being wimps.

“Hmmph. Never see me getting blown up because I left a clear path open to my core.”

“That’s not what K.N.Y.F.E. said…”

wheeze.jpg

I’m dusting off the ol’ Archive for this special day. Below you’ll find an environment that I hope will make fools out of your players.

Lair of Trickery

Many villains of the Multiverse are masters of trickery, misdirection, and deceit—Miss Information, Glamour, Biomancer, Apostate, and others have confounded brave heroes with their fiendish wiles time and time again. This environment is designed as a lair for such devious masters of deception. This perilous locale features all manner of devious deceptions, ranging from a familiar face with a hidden agenda to a twisting labyrinth of reflections. Whether it’s used as a headquarters for a villain’s nefarious schemes or a death-trap to lure the heroes into, this environ will surely baffle and bewilder any costumed do-gooders foolhardy enough to enter.

Lair of Trickery
Can You Trust Your Own Eyes?
Subtle Misdirection
Twisting Layout

GREEN
Minor Twists

• Bewildering Distractions: Raucous lights and noises impede the heroes’ efforts. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all heroes with the Min die.
• Tempting Treasure: One hero finds a useful-looking item that is secretly rigged to backfire after being used. Roll the environment dice. Boost one hero with the Mid die. After that hero uses the resulting bonus, they gain a penalty and take damage equal to the value of the bonus.

Major Twist

• A False Ally: A good, trusted friend of the heroes appears, claiming to have either been abducted by a villain or come to aid the heroes. This “friend” is actually a facsimile loyal to the heroes’ enemies. Introduce 1 False Friend lieutenant (see below) to the scene.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

• What Do You Fear?: The heroes’ greatest fears materialise in front of them. Roll the environment dice. Hinder each hero with the Min die. The resulting penalties are persistent, and can only be removed by the completion of the below challenge.
  Face your fears
  Each hero must Overcome this challenge individually, and doing so removes that hero’s penalty.
• Why Don’t You and Them Fight?: Be it through visual illusion or mental compulsion, two heroes are tricked into clashing against each-other. Two heroes each roll their highest power die as an Attack against each-other.

Major Twist

• Maze of Mirrors: One or more villains have taken refuge in a maze of reflections. Until the below challenge is completed, heroes cannot Attack or Hinder those villains.
  Smash the mirrors
  -OR-
  Detect which villains are the real ones
  Overcome actions taken to complete the second option take a -2 penalty.

RED
Minor Twists

• Foes from the Past: Replicas of enemies the heroes have previously faced appear to menace them. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Facsimile Foes to the scene equal to the Max die.
• Obscuring Architecture: The villains use the lair’s baffling features as cover. Defend all villains with the Max die.

Major Twist

• A Decoy All Along: It turns out that the heroes have only been fighting a decoy of a villain the whole time, and when the decoy is defeated, the real one makes itself known. Note one villain’s current health. When that villain is reduced to 0 health, restore it to the noted health value.

Lair of Trickery Threats

Facsimile Foe
Minion

Description
These all appear to be enemies that the heroes have faced before.

Ability
Replica: The Facsimile Foe has +2 to Attack actions, but -1 to save rolls.

Tactics
These foes attempt to swamp the heroes with their numbers.

False Friend
Lieutenant

Description
This person appears to be a trusted friend of the heroes, but is actually an agent of villainy.

Abilities
Deceptively Helpful: The False Friend has +1 to Boost actions targeting heroes.
Shocking Betrayal: On the first Attack action that the False Friend takes against any hero, it rolls its die twice and uses the higher roll. The False Friend then Hinders all heroes with the lower roll.

Tactics
The False Friend comes along with the heroes, aiding them in their endeavours. However, at a suitably dramatic moment, it will reveal its true allegiance by attacking the heroes.

Editor’s Notes

My intent for the False Friend lieutenant is that it is added early in the scene (likely in the Green zone), and stays with the heroes for most of it (likely ‘til Red or the end of Yellow), before revealing its true colours. Also, the Hinder from its Shocking Betrayal ability is meant to represent, well, the heroes’ shock at its betrayal.

The actual means by which the various deceptions and misdirections of this environment come to be depend very much upon which villain or group of villains has constructed it. The False Friend, Facsimile Foes, and Villain Decoy could be robots, illusions, shapeshifters, energy constructs, mystic golems, just really good disguises, or any of many other possibilities—but it’s a good idea to figure out which one. Likewise, the What Do You Fear? and Why Don’t You and Them Fight? twists could be magical, chemical, technological, psionic or something else in nature.

That’s all. I hope you’ve enjoyed this, and have a good (and safe!) April Fools’ Day!

Looks great. Could easily be tweaked into Murderworld with a few more deathtrap twists or set challenges.

Even outside of the environment I’d be tempted to use some False Friends as fill-ins for PCs whose players have missed the session, letting the players who did show up run them (without seeing the Shocking Betrayal ability) until their, well, shocking betrayal. Clearly the PC hero was a fleshchild all along, or a Mirror Universe baddie who was smart enough to conceal their anomalous facial hair, or an android/gynoid/LMD or something.

Maybe run the “absentee” players through a similar routine before your next regular session, then have both sets of players meet up and try to figure out if they can trust one another now…

In celebration of Earth Day, here’s a thematically-appropriate environment! (Yes, I know that Earth Day was yesterday; I meant to post it then, but things happened.)

Polluted Fey-Realm

The realm that contains Earth is but one of a multitude of planes that exist alongside one another. The mortal realm of Earth is one of crossroads; beyond it, though, there exist realms of emotion and apathy, of torment and madness, of the unknowable and of endless destruction. There also exists the Realm of the Fey.

Home to the monarchs of the fey, the Dagda and the Morrigan, as well as their trusted advisors and numerous courtiers, the Fey-Realm is a place of both unbridled nature and and deceptive danger. The realm contains many idyllic glades and sylvan woods, but its inhabitants are as powerful as they are cunning. You would do well to avoid it altogether, but sometimes fate is not kind enough to provide that option.

Dr. Benjamin Garner was a brilliant scientist who wanted nothing more than to solve Earth’s energy crisis. A series of unfortunate events, however, led to his transformation into a grim reaper of death known only as Necrosis. Necrosis possessed the unique ability to harvest the very life-force from creatures, drawing it into himself and leaving his victims mindless husks.

If Necrosis somehow managed to come to the Fey-Realm and begin harvesting the vitae of its native inhabitants, the energy he would reap would be great, and the husks created powerful. Unfortunately, that is precisely what has happened.

Polluted Fey-Realm
Fey Inhabitants
Sylvan Realm
Vile Pollution

GREEN
Minor Twists

• Otherworldly Flora: The terrain of the Fey-Realm is both enchanting and hazardous. Roll the environment dice. Hinder one target with the Mid die.
• Primeval Courtiers: A group of fey appear to protect their realm from any interlopers. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Fey-Courtier minions to the scene equal to the Min die.

Major Twist

• Bonds of Power and Servitude: The heroes are offered the chance to enter into a bargain with powerful fey. This deal will provide you with power now, but at what cost? Roll the environment dice. Boost any willing heroes with the Mid die. These bonuses are persistent and exclusive.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

• Necrotic Husks: Husks created by Necrosis shamble into view. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number Husk minions to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• Oppressive Smog: A choking haze fills the air, making acting difficult. Hinder all targets that need to breath with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Helpful Advisor: One of the Fey-Monarchs’ advisors appears to either give advice or engage in battle. Introduce 1 Fey-Advisor lieutenant to the scene.

RED
Minor Twists

• Corrosive Waste: Necrosis’s assault on this realm has brought acidic materials that burn like fire at the slightest touch. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets with the Mid die.
• Repulsive Sludge: Muck produced as a byproduct from Necrosis’s actions hinders movement. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all targets with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Payments Exacted: The time to repay the fey’s generosity has come. Roll the environment dice. Hinder or Attack each target with a bonus from the Bonds of Power and Servitude twist using the Max die.

Polluted Fey-Realm Threats

Fey-Advisor
Lieutenant

Description
Elder Ogma, Champion Lugh, and Trickster Puck are all advisors to the monarchs of the fey, but they are also willing to aid the heroes . . . for a price. Choose one of the below abilities for the Fey-Advisor.

Abilities
Lugh’s Might: As an action, the Fey-Advisor Attacks a willing hero at -2, then Boosts that hero at +2.
Ogma’s Wisdom: As an action, the Fey-Advisor destroys one bonus on a willing hero, then Boosts that hero at +2.
Puck’s Caprice: As an action, the Fey-Advisor rolls its die. On an even result, it Boosts a hero target, and on an odd result, it Hinders a hero target.

Tactics
When not striking bargains, a Fey-Advisor will likely defend its home alongside its kin.

Fey-Courtier
Minion

Description
Salamanders, will-o’-the-wisps, leprechauns, pixies, and many other sorts of beings call the Fey-Realm home.

Abilities
Emissary of the Fey: A Fey-Courtier has +2 to Boost actions targeting a target with a bonus from the Bonds of Power and Servitude environmental twist.

Tactics
Fey-Courtiers usually refrain from acting against anyone who has struck a bargain with the fey, but they will likely regard any other strangers as enemies.

Husk
Minion

Description
These shambling forms are what remain of Necrosis’s victims after he’s drained them of all vitality.

Abilities
Putrefying Demise: When a Husk is defeated by damage from itself, Necrosis, or the Corrosive Wastes environmental twist, it first Attacks at +2 or Hinders, making the resulting penalty persistent and exclusive.
Unstable Underling: When a Husk Attacks a hero target, it also Hinders that target at -2 and Attacks itself.

Tactics
Husks follow Necrosis’s subconscious demands unerringly, although they lack the intelligence needed to do any relatively complex tasks.

Editor’s Notes

For anyone who’s not already aware of these characters:

• The Fey-Court
• Necrosis

When I first decided that I wanted to do an Earth Day environment, my first idea was simply “Wilderness taken over by Akash’Bhuta.” I though that that was a touch too predictable, though—plus Akash’Bhuta isn’t even around anymore in the RPG Era.

I also thought about simply making the environment be “The Wilderness,” but that’s not exactly exciting, is it? I then thought of, individually, the ideas to make a Necrosis-caused-pollution environment and a Fey-Realm environment, so I decided to combine the two!

I quite like how I’ve worked the Bond mechanic into the environment, really; there may’ve been a better way to do it, but I think mine’s quite adequate.

I didn’t originally plan on giving each of the canonical advisors their own ability, but, in the end, I did. Speaking of which, though, Puck’s was rather tough to decide on. One of my other ideas for it was to have him swap mods betwixt two characters. I’m also not sure whether I’m happy with the one I ended up with.

I do realise that the environment does seem—to me, at any rate—like the seed for an adventure issue. I may get around to writing that sometime in the future. We’ll see.

Looks good. Necrosis getting into the Fey Realm would likely be a disaster for everyone involved, lot of power to harvest there that probably isn’t quite as safe against his abilities as the Court might like to believe. Some thoughts:

Puck appears to be the only one who doesn’t care if the hero is willing to play along or not. Assume that’s intentional. The way the even/odd split works should bias the results to be more beneficial to the target than not - and could get really interestingly twisted if a hero chose to Boost Puck before they get capricious.

The Husks are really nasty. If one Attacks a hero, they could roll 8 damage, Hinder for -2, most likely melt itself and then immediately deal another potential 10 damage or add another -2 penalty with P+E. That’s a lot, even if it’s pretty unlikely and removes the Husk from play. More average result would be 4-5 damage, a -1 penalty, and if it kills itself (a bit under 40% of the time) 6-7 more damage and another -2 P+E penalty. The heroes really need to kill those things before they get to act or they’ll be hurting badly.

At least they’ll be struggling with a possible Hinder from Oppressive Fog some of the time.

I think the Bond and Payment mechanic ought to work out well. Does the P+E bonus from Bond remain in play after the Payment comes due? I suppose the Hinder option might offset it anyway, and there’s only going to be a turn or two where it matter under normal circumstances.

What are your thoughts on Necrosis as a villain writeup? He could be very nasty with this environment as a Domain approach baddie who can selectively trigger twists in his favor. Or a Titan I suppose, if he’s had a serious growth spurt from devouring half of Elfland.

Also I’m kicking myself for not using the Green Queen as a villain for Earth Day, we actually ran yesterday and everything. Oh well, maybe next year. Or Arbor Day.

Yes, that’s very much the point. If the heroes ignore the Husks in order to focus on other threats, the Husks will eventually take care of themselves, but at great cost to the heroes. But if the heroes spare some time and effort to defeat the Husks before they self-destruct, they’ll be in much better shape.

Yes, it does. My thinking is that the bonus is what the heroes get out of the bargain, and the Hinder and/or Attack is what they have to pay for it. As an analogy, I wouldn’t sell you something and then demand the thing right back after you pay for it.

(However, I suppose that one could see it more in terms of a bank loan: the fey loan the heroes power, and then demand it back with interest. Either interpretation is logical; the first is simply the one I’ve chosen to use.)

Hmm, Necrosis. I think his Approach would likely be one of Creator, Dampening, or Leech, and his Archetype could be Inhibitor, Overlord, or—as you mention—Domain or Titan. The latter two likely wouldn’t work for his standard operating procedure, but I think they make sense for this situation. I do like the idea of him becoming some sort of gigantic pollution-monster powered by fey-magic, and his status challenge could even represent the heroes siphoning that energy away from him.

Yeah, one nice thing about the SCRPG is how the same villain can easily morph between Approaches and Archetypes based on the situation.

Urban Metropolis

For every adventure that a group of mighty superhumans has in deep space, extradimensional realms, living planets, or alternate timelines, they often have at least twice as many in more mundane locales. Most costumed good-doers call a large city their home, whether it’s Megalopolis, Rook City, San Lazarus, New York, London, Tokyo, or someplace else. And when a nefarious villain rises to threaten their hometown, those heroes will fight that much harder to protect the inhabitants of their city.

Urban Metropolis
Crime and Super-Villainy
Crowded Population Centre
Sprawling Infrastructure

GREEN
Minor Twists

• Civilian Crowds: Crowds of innocent citizens have been caught in the crossfire.
  Evacuate the civilians
  Until the above challenge is Overcome, heroes act in the Green zone for the purpose of status dice and access to abilities.
• Livewire: Some electrical lines have been damaged and are showering sparks and electricity everywhere. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in this location with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Imminent Collision: A tanker truck carrying highly explosive oil is on a collision course with something.
  Prevent the collision
  Challenge timer
  Triggered: The truck hits, the driver is killed or severely injured, and the oil explodes in a fiery conflagration. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in this location with the Mid die.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

• Opportunistic Criminals: A band of crooks have taken this opportunity to try to profit from the heroes’ struggle. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Mean Streets Shooter minions (see page #415 of the Core Rulebook) to the scene equal to the Mid die.
• The City’s Finest: A squad of police officers have arrived on the scene. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Police Officer minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Minor Villain: A lesser evildoer makes a bombastic entrance. Introduce a Minor Villain lieutenant (see below) to the scene. Then, roll the environment dice and Attack one target with the Mid die.

RED
Minor Twists

• Collapsing Building: The battle has taken a toll on the city’s architecture. Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in this location with the Mid die.
• Deus ex Machina: A friendly hero has arrived to aid our protagonists. Introduce one Hero Ally lieutenant (see below) to the scene.

Major Twist

• Endangered Schoolbus: One of the heroes’ foes has taken an entire bus full of school-children hostage and is dangling them over the edge of a bridge! Select one villain or lieutenant in the scene. That target is immune to damage until the below challenge is Overcome.
  Save the schoolbus

Urban Metropolis Threats

Hero Ally
Lieutenant

Description
One of the many stalwart heroes of the world has come to help out.

Abilities
Principled Defender: The Hero Ally has +1 to Overcome Actions and to damage save rolls.
Super-Schtick: The Hero Ally has +2 to one of Attack, Defend, Boost, or Hinder actions.

Tactics
Every costumed crime-fighter possesses a unique fighting style.

Minor Villain
Lieutenant

Description
The underbelly of super-villainy contains countless costumed crooks and numerous nefarious ne’er-do-wells. Choose one of the following abilities.

Abilities
Equity — Unsettling Gaze: When Equity takes the Attack or Defend action, he can also Hinder one target with the same roll.
Heartbreaker — Escalating Insanity: After Heartbreaker takes the Attack action on his turn, he also Boosts himself with the same roll.
Professor Pollution — Toxic Fumes: When Professor Pollution takes the Attack action, she can Attack up to 3 nearby targets.
The Radioactivist — Surplus of Power: The Radioactivist has +3 to Attack actions. When he Attacks a target, he also Boosts that target with the same roll -3.
Tantrum — Deflective Shields: When Tantrum succeeds on a damage save roll, she also Attacks the attacker with the same roll.

Tactics
The tactics of the world’s various villains are as varied as their vile visages.

Police Officer
Minion

Description
These officers run the gamut from upstanding paragons of integrity to corrupt cops lacking in any morals.

Ability
Cuff 'Em: Police Officers have +1 to Hinder actions.

Tactics
Usually, cops will fight against any villains present. However, if there is significant anti-hero sentiment in the populace, they’re just as likely to make trouble for both heroes and villains. Furthermore, there is the possibility that a villain has paid them off to solely fight heroes.

Editor’s Notes

As any astute reader will likely perceive, there is significant thematic overlap betwixt this environment and the Megalopolis environment featured in the Core Rulebook’s Archives, as well as some minor mechanical overlap betwixt the two. In fact, I encourage mixing-and-matching the twists of the two environments if one wishes to do so and perceives the need for such variety. (Perhaps, for example, one is running a lengthy scene with a prolonged scene tracker of 11 spaces (see page #188 of the Core Rulebook).)

Part of the genesis for this environment was me thinking that Megalopolis isn’t a generic city environment, what with the giant magic tree and all. Plus, I thought that any city full of supers ought to reflect that in its environment. What’s more, I felt it somewhat strange that the Megalopolitan Police were represented simply as a single Attack action rather than minions. Also, while it makes sense that Megalopolis the Perfect Shining City of the Future doesn’t have much crime, the same is usually untrue for most other cities.

Oh, and by the way, the name “Urban Metropolis” is simply an entirely generic name that means “a large, important city”; it’s certainly not an allusion to any city in particular.

For a brief time I considered simply directing readers to use the Megalopolis Police Officer minion stats from the “Conspiracy of Clones” adventure issue (page #272) in the Core Rulebook, but I ultimately decided that since the name, Description, and Tactics didn’t fit with this environment, I should go ahead and steal their Ability while rewriting everything else.

For the Minor Villains, I just looked at the Mini-Nemeses page on the Wiki and chose some that fit with the role. There were, of course, several that would decidedly not make sense in this capacity, such as Zhu Long or Revenant (who are too major to just be an environmental twist), Omni-Blade (which no longer exists), or Rahazar or Balarian (who are relatively athematic). And, of course, several others have graduated up to full Villain-status (e.g. most of the Slaughterhouse Six and almost all of the villains in The Guise Book). Additionally, it should go without saying that a GM is free to use another minor villain of their own devising, or just Char—sorry, I mean Firearm (page #414) or Seer (page #416).

Looks good, although you could maybe use another Yellow minor twist or two for variety in the longest zone. That Red major twist is going to be brutal coming up so late in the scene - at least two actions to clear and a third to hopefully drop the villain can be a big ask if some of the PCs are Out.

Part of the genesis for this environment was me thinking that Megalopolis isn’t a generic city environment, what with the giant magic tree and all.

Aside from the giant magic tree, Megalopolis also has a truly excessive number of monorails despite the well-known hazards of operating the fool things. So yeah, the core book environment for it is a poor fit for Generic City.

For specific cities you could modify the size of the dice. Albany NY would barely rate a d8 for Sprawling Population Center, and it drops to an d6 at night when all the state workers have commuted home. Only gets to a d8 Sprawling Infrastructure thanks to the Empire State Plaza, which might as well be from Mars for how out of place it is compared to all the 2- and 3-story buildings that make up most of the city sprawl. Crime level’s about right at d8 though, and all the politicians might as well be super-villains.

The Radioactivist — Surplus of Power: The Radioactivist has +3 to Attack actions. When he Attacks a target, he also Boosts that target with the same roll -3.

So that’s Attack at +3 and Boost at -3 on the target? Interesting ability.

True, although a Hero Ally would help out if one is present. Also, it says to “Select one villain target” (emphasis mine), but my intent with that was that the target could be a villainous lieutenant (or even a minion, but heroes are rarely, if ever, going to waste two Overcomes to get at a minion), not just a Villain villain. I admit I could have phrased that better; I’ll go and rephrase it now.

Also, I feared that a challenge requiring only a single Overcome wasn’t really major enough to be a Red zone major twist.

Great idea! I hadn’t thought of that.

Quite right. I don’t think it’s broken in any way; the bonuses shouldn’t get too big, and I don’t think the extra Attacking power is inordinate—the rulebook recommends minion and lieutenant abilities give +2 bonuses on average, with +3 as the maximum.

My inspiration for the ability is from The Radioactivist’s quote on his SotM: EE card:

“Energy? Power? These are things you crave? You shall have both in full!”
— The Radioactivist, Exordium #1

So, now, obviously that’s just a quippy one-liner that he’s firing off before engaging some pesky heroes, but it got me thinking about the possibility of it being more literal.

Ah, good point.

That is probably true, although there’s usually so little time to deal with things in Red any challenge can be hard to handle, especially if there are a few PCs Out.

Oh, I think it’s fine. Was just having trouble parsing it at first - but of course I haven’t done any archery since I was in high school either.

Oh, well in that case—what change do you think would make it more readable?

Maybe this?

Not that original was all that hard to work out anyway. Very minor confusion.

And here we have yet another environment. This one’s fairly generic, and can likely be found within the previous environment. (In fact, I originally planned to include some of this one’s twists in that one, but decided to flesh them out into their own environment instead.)

High-Tech Laboratory

Science and technology are cornerstones of society in many worlds throughout the Multiverse. Most such worlds possess technology that is far in advance compared to the timeline that we call home.

The technological and scientific feats of those worlds are of kinds that the scientists of our universe could only dream of — fully autonomous robots, conclusive evidence of extraterrestrial life, extensive biological modifications, immensely efficient nuclear fission, and the manufacture of exotic subatomic particles are only some of such worlds’ achievements.

All of these technologies and more have been utilised by stalwart heroes in their pursuit of justice. But many nefarious malcontents have also gotten their wicked hands on powerful tech, and use it to further their own heinous schemes.

This laboratory is one place where those miraculous inventions and innovations take place. Here, brilliant scientists and engineers work tirelessly on various scientific projects. Must such laboratories do their work for the betterment of humankind, although others do conduct their experiments purely for greed, or strive towards some other, less savoury goal.

This lab is filled to the brim with highly-advanced machinery, devices, gadgets, exotic energies, test subjects of all stripes, and those aforementioned hard-working scientists, all protected by some of the best security measures.

Whether this laboratory is a civilian establishment that a villain has broken into, or a villainous lab that the heroes mist infiltrate, it will certainly make any conflict much more interesting.

High-Tech Laboratory
Bleeding-Edge Tech
Hazardous Experiments
State-of-the-Art Security

GREEN
Minor Twists

• Lab Security: The commotion has garnered the attention of one of the lab’s security personnel. Introduce 1 Lab Guard minion (see below) to the scene.
• Robotic Rampage: Either a villain has hacked one of the lab’s advanced android prototypes to fight the heroes, or collateral damage has simply caused the robot’s circuits to malfunction and make it start attacking! Introduce 1 Humanoid Robot minion (see page #410 of the Core Rulebook) to the scene.

Major Twist

• Intruders Detected: The lab’s automated defence systems come online and begin targeting all unauthorised personnel present. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of Auto-Turret minions (see page #409 of the Core Rulebook) equal to the Min die to the scene.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

• Endangered Scientists: A number of scientists are in imminent danger from either one or more villains or the hazards of the lab!
  Rescue the scientists
  Challenge timer
  Triggered: The scientists are severely injured or killed.
  Completed: A scientist aids their rescuer. Roll the environment dice. Boost the hero who overcame the above challenge with the Mid die.
• Extraterrestrial Specimens: Aliens that the lab has been studying break free. Roll the environment dice. Introduce a number of alien minions found on pages #404-405 of the Core Rulebook equal to the Mid die to the scene.

Major Twist

• Containment Breach: The devices containing one of the lab’s test subjects have failed! Introduced 1 Giant Lab Specimen lieutenant (see below) to the scene.

RED
Minor Twists

• Cutting-Edge Gadgetry: A villain has gotten ahold of some of the lab’s most advanced technology. Roll the environment dice. Boost one villain target with the Max die. That bonus is persistent and exclusive.
• Radiation Leak: The fight has damaged one of the lab’s atomic piles, spewing dangerous Kirby Radiation that both harms and empowers! Roll the environment dice. Attack two targets close to each-other with the Mid die. Then, Boost those targets using the Min die.

Major Twist

• Quantum Reactor Meltdown: The lab’s highly experimental quantum energy reactor has been damaged in the fight, and is now in danger of going critical!
  Stabilise the reactor
  Challenge timer
  Triggered: The reactor overloads in a catastrophic explosion of exotic energy! Roll the environment dice. Take an action using the Max die on each target in the scene, determined by rolling a . On 1-2, Attack. On 3-4, Hinder. On 5-6, Boost.

High-Tech Laboratory Threats

Giant Lab Specimen
Lieutenant

Description
This is a normally-small animal that has been enlarged to truly monstrous proportions by the lab’s experimentations, in addition to gaining some other abilities. The specimen could be a rat, mouse, guinea big, lizard, snake, spider, dog, ape, or other animal.

Abilities
Frightened Animal: Heroes have +2 to Attack and Hinder actions to calm or tame the Giant Lab Specimen. Additionally, the Giant Lab Specimen’s die can be reduced one size by a successful Overcome action to calm it.
Variable Mutation: The Giant Lab Specimen has one of the following abilities.

• Destructive Breath: When the Giant Lab Specimen Attacks, it can roll its die twice and use the lower result to Attack multiple nearby targets.
• Destructive Rampage: As an action, the Giant Lab Specimen can activate an environmental minor twist of a zone one step closer to Green than the current zone. The Giant Lab Specimen can only use this ability once per zone.
• Energy Immunity: The Giant Lab Specimen is immune to damage from [Element/Energy].
• Enhanced Intelligence: When the Giant Lab Specimen Boosts itself, the resulting bonus is persistent and exclusive.
• Eye Beams: The Giant Lab Specimen has +2 to Attack actions.
• Healing Factor: When the Giant Lab Specimen Defends, increase its die by one size, up to a maximum of a .
• Scaly Hide: The Giant Lab Specimen has +2 to damage saves against physical Attacks to harm it.
• Titanic Swing: When the Giant Lab Specimen Attacks, it can Attack two targets close to each-other.
• Venomous: When the Giant Lab Specimen Attacks a target, it Hinders that target with the same roll -2.
• Wings: Once per turn, the Giant Lab Specimen can move to another location in the scene without spending an action.

Tactics
This monstrous specimen stomps about, destroying everything in its path.

Lab Guard
Minion

Description
Labs that are as advanced as this usually hire the best in the security business.

Ability
Subdual Weaponry: When a Lab Guard Hinders a target, it also Attacks that same target using the value of that penalty.

Tactics
Guards will almost always fight to subdue rather than to kill, but may attack more lethally if their own lives are at stake.

Editor’s Notes

Why yes, this laboratory does work on robotics, study aliens, experiment with mutation, create high-tech gadgets, and experiment with radiation and “quantum energy.”

In regards to the Endangered Scientists twist, I initially considered adding an all-hero, morale-based Hinder to the consequences if it wasn’t completed in time, but then I decided to do the exact opposite and reward the hero who completes it with a free Boost. I figure (and hope) that preventing the scientists from being wounded/killed is incentive enough for heroes to save them, even without any mechanical consequences for failure (save being deprived of the reward, of course.)

Oh, also, it is, of course, left to the GM’s discretion whether the scientists are merely injured or outright killed. This decision will be influenced by the tone of the campaign, naturally. If I were to run this environment, I would almost certainly favour the former result.

Regarding the Extraterrestrial Specimens twist, you’ll note that it specifies alien minions, so naturally Dymkharn is not a valid choice, as he is a lieutenant. Also, the aliens introduced by this twist can all be the same type or different types, as the GM sees fit.

The Giant Lab Specimen is actually one of the primary reasons I wanted to make this environment, as I especially like its Frightened Animal ability. This lieutenant also joins the ranks of being one with a variable ability, much like the Minor Spirit, the Fey-Advisor, and the Minor Villain. If you’re pressed for time and simply can’t be bothered to choose its Variable Mutation, I suggest Scaly Hide or Titanic Swing as defaults.

I’m not sure if the Destructive Rampage ability is balanced. It is certainly quite weaker than the two villain abilities that cause environment twists, but it should be, as it’s only a lieutenant ability.

Looks good. Nice medium difficult environment with some mixed results for heroes. I tend to go too hard on my players with my own environs.

Given the available twists (and assuming you don’t use some from beyond the environment) it’s pretty mild. The worst it can do in Yellow is pop out a single minion, or Min die turrets if the Green Major didn’t come up already. In Yellow it can probably get the most impact out of Mid die minions, although Endanger Scientists could put some time pressure on the heroes in the critical Red zone of the tracker. It also only to gets to use the ability twice at most, assuming it comesout in Yellow and lives to reach Red. OTOH, it doesn’t care about the critter’s die size, so you could use it as a last gasp d4 action just as well as when you’re still at d10.

Don’t think it’s an issue of too weak or too strong. The other abilities will mostly hurt the heroes more, but that just makes the ability choice into a dial for the GM to turn when they activate the twist. Pick Rampage if you want to give your heroes a slightly easier time of it, or (say) Eye Beams or Breath if you want to apply some more damage pressure, and Healing or Scaly if you want a damage sink for the PCs to deal with.

Might want to check on phobias or empathies before you choose the critter type. I’ve played with folks who have panic attacks if you even mention spiders or snakes, while others will go ballistic at the idea of harming a fictional dog. No sense in drawing an X card when you can avoid it.

Indeed, although the exact difficulty will depend upon whom the laboratory is aligned with. If it’s a friendly lab that knows the heroes, the Lab Guards and Auto-Turrets will only attack villains (and escaped aliens, rogue robots, and Giant Lab Specimens). Inversely, if it’s a villainous installation, they’ll fight the heroes. And if it’s a neutral civilian laboratory, they’ll likely simply engage any unfamiliar intruders.

Also, I suppose that the escaped aliens could actually be friendly towards the heroes, especially if they were treated poorly by the lab and/or are Mentally-Empowered Humanoids, who seem the most-peace-inclined of the Corebook’s aliens.

Oh, absolutely. It should be fairly easy to simply ask everyone at the table right before introducing the lieutenant, as the creature type really has no effect besides cosmetics.

I try to keep such things in mind when designing things, but they do unfortunately slip my mind at times. When/if I start posting villains (or adventures) on here, I want to try to remember to put content warnings before each post, which is something I’ve seen GTG themselves do with products.

Today is Independence Day in the U.S., so here’s an environment thematically inspired by that! It can also be used for other occasions, of course, although the number of possible scenarios in which it could prove useful is admittedly rather small.

Pyrotechnics Factory
Explosive Materials
Factory Workers
Fireworks Show

GREEN
Minor Twists

• Dazzling Display: An incredibly bright sparkler explodes right in someone’s face, temporarily dazing and/or blinding them! Roll the environment dice. Hinder one target with the Mid die.
• The Show Begins: A number of fireworks are lit and explode in a shower of brilliant light! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Endangered Workers: One group of factory workers is still present in the building, and they are likely to get hurt! Add 1 minion to the scene. That minion never takes actions. A successful Overcome action safely evacuates the workers and removes the minion from the scene. If the minion is destroyed, roll the environment dice and Hinder all heroes with the Min die. Then each Hindered target takes damage equal to the value of their penalty.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

• Continued Pyrotechnics: Dozens of fireworks continue to be set off by the combat! Roll the environment dice. Attack one target with the Mid die, and the rest with the Min die.
• Weaponised Fireworks: One combatant gets the idea to wield some of the fireworks to attack! Although they will likely get singed in the process. Roll the environment dice. Boost one target using the Max die. When that target uses the resulting bonus, also deal them damage equal to its value.

Major Twist

• Choking Smoke: The myriads of fireworks that have gone off have clouded the factory with a heavy layer of smoke. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all targets with the Min die. Those penalties are persistent and exclusive, and remain in play until a successful Overcome action clears the air.

RED
Minor Twists

• Explosive Finale: An excessive amount of fireworks explode once again. Roll the environment dice. Attack one target with the Max die, and the rest with the Mid die.
• Support Beam Collapse: The barrage of fireworks has weakened the structural integrity of the building! Roll the environment dice. Attack two targets near one another with the Mid die, and Hinder them both with the Min die.

Major Twist

• Imminent Conflagration: All of the fighting has set off a truly gigantic store of fireworks. If they’re not dealt with soon, the entire factory will be blown sky-high!
  [ ] [ ] Either neutralise the fireworks, or flee the factory
  [ ] Challenge timer
  Triggered: Check off all the remaining spaces on the scene tracker.

Editor’s Notes

Curiously, I think that this may be my first environment that doesn’t add any minions (save for the Endangered Workers twist, but that doesn’t really count). Instead, it’s almost exclusively simply basic actions, with some challenges thrown in too.

I’m reminded of an old Feng Shui adventure that included a scene in a Hong Kong fireworks factory. To put it mildly, it was not a safe space for gunplay to break out, much less for eunuch sorcerers to start hucking fireblasts.

It’s been awhile, but here’s one more environment!

The Psychic Plane

Beyond the realm of physical reality, there exists a space inhabited only by thoughts. It is a domain of pure psionic energy, where one can encounter one’s greatest fears, hopes, and dreams.

When one of their own is possessed by a maniacal telepath, or knocked into an inescapable coma, or experiencing severe psychological distress, groups of heroes have been known to venture into this strange, psychedelic realm.

The Psychic Plane
Malleable Surroundings
Mental Energies
Realm of Thoughts

GREEN
Minor Twists

• Manifestation of Id: A manifestation of one of the heroes’ Id has materialised. Add 1 Id Manifestation to the scene.
• Manifestation of Superego: A manifestation of one of the heroes’ Superego has materialised. Add 1 Superego Manifestation to the scene.

Major Twist

• Vast Mindscape: The psychic plane is a truly vast domain. Divide all the characters present in the scene into a number of different locations, as you see fit. Characters must spend a Boost or Defend action to move to a different location and unite with the others, as usual, unless a character has a Intellectual or Psychic power, in which case they may move to another location for free on their turn.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

• Villains from the Past: A villain or villains who the heroes have faced before materialise in front of them! Add either 1 Bad Memory lieutenant, or roll the environment dice and add a number of Bad Memory minions equal to the Mid die.
• Visions of Fear: One character experiences horrific visions of one of their worst fears!
  Overcome the fear
  Until the above challenge is completed, that character cannot affect anything else in the scene save this challenge. Other characters can also attempt the challenge, as normal, but they must suffer a -1 penalty whilst doing so.

Major Twist

• Visions of Paradise: One character is trapped within a false illusion in which they’ve achieved all of their greatest wants.
  Escape the illusion
  Until the above challenge is completed, that character cannot affect anything else in the scene save this challenge. Other characters can also attempt the challenge, as normal, but they must suffer a -1 penalty whilst doing so.

RED
Minor Twists

• Friends of the Past: Psychic constructs of the heroes’ allies materialise to add them in their time of need! Add either 1 Ally Memory lieutenant, or roll the environment dice and add a number of Ally Memory minions equal to the Max die.
• Manifestation of Ego: A manifestation of one of the heroes’ Ego has materialised. Add 1 Ego Manifestation to the scene.

Major Twist

• Planar Control: One character has seized control of the very fabric of the Psychic Plane! Now and on each environment turn hereafter, the character with control can choose one basic action. Roll the environment, and the environment takes that basic action using the Max die against any number of targets of the character’s choice. A different character can wrest control of the Psychic Plane at any time by succeeding on an Overcome action.

Psychic Plane Threats

Ally Memory
Minion or Lieutenant

Description
The Psychic Plane can call up the memories of past friends and allies from within heroes’ minds.

Ability
Super-Schtick: The Ally Memory has +2 to Overcome actions and to one other type of basic action.

Tactics
Ally Memories emulate the tactics and fighting styles of the staunch friends that they represent.

Bad Memory
Minion or Lieutenant

Description
The Psychic Plane can call up the memories of past foes from within heroes’ minds.

Abilities
Nefarious Nemesis: The Bad Memory has +1 to actions against one specific hero.
Super-Schtick: The Bad Memory has +1 to one type of basic action.

Tactics
Bad Memories emulate the tactics and fighting styles of the ne’er-do-wells that they represent.

Ego Manifestation
Lieutenant

Description
This entity is an external reflexion of one hero’s Ego—their organised, conscious mind.

Ability
Moderation: Whenever the Ego Manifestation rolls a 1 or the maximum number on its die, reroll its die.

Tactics
The Ego Manifestation seeks to moderate any behaviour that it identifies as particularly influenced by id or superego.

Id Manifestation
Minion

Description
This entity is an external reflexion of one hero’s Id—their most primal, instinctual wants and desires.

Ability
Instinctive Retaliation: After the Id Manifestation is Attacked or Hindered by an opponent, it rolls its die and deals that much damage to its adversary.

Tactics
The Id Manifestation seeks out the primal wants of the hero who it is an aspect of.

Superego Manifestation
Minion

Description
This entity is an external reflexion of one hero’s Superego—the part of them that seeks to fit in with society.

Ability
Societal Order: The Superego Manifestation has +2 to Defend actions, and whenever it Hinders, the resulting penalty is at least -2.

Tactics
The Superego Manifestation will seek to quell any particularly disruptive behaviour.

Editor’s Notes

This is basically just an environment made to facilitate Journey to the Centre of the Mind or Battle in the Centre of the Mind-type stories.

All the information that I used when designing the Id, Ego, and Superego twists just came from this TV Tropes page. Also, I want to state that, as the linked page says, Freud’s conceptualisations of these psychological concepts are “largely discredited today.” Nonetheless, they’re a fairly recognisable motif, and so are useful when designing fictional dreamlands.

Regarding the Vast Mindscape twist, I was originally going to say that only characters with Mobility powers could move around for free (as that’s how the rules normally treat it), but then I though better and changed it to the Intellectual and Psychic powers that you see now.

Also, just to be clear, the bonuses from the two abilities of Bad Memories are cumulative—if one of them uses their special type of action against their nemesis hero, they get +2.

Looks really good. The relatively friendly Red twists are a particularly nice touch.

I’m amused by the fact that the Ego is noticeably weaker than the Id and Superego. So much for moderation.

Well, it is a lieutenant, whilst the other two are only minions.

This environment is a perilous place designed to be used in conjunction in the Domain villain known as the Architect, who’s posted over in my villains thread.

Lair of the Architect

The Architect is a renowned designer of deathtraps and secret lairs in the supervillain underworld. His creations are famous throughout supervillainy; there is simply no-one better to turn to if you want a quality headquarters, or want to dispose of your nemesis in a fashionable manner.

The Architect’s varied creations usually have similar dastardly hazards planted within them, including swinging blades, gouts of flame, poisoned darts, crushing walls, electrified floors, poisonous gas, and menacing robotic automatons.

This environment can be used to represent any of the deadly structures that the Architect has designed, though if it’s been commissioned for use by another villain with their own gimmicks, it’s recommended to flavour things to reflect that.

Lair of the Architect
Lethal Layout
Mechanised Automatons
Tricks & Traps

Green

Minor Twists

• Guardian Automatons: Robotic defenders of this place are deployed to face the heroes. Roll the environment dice. Add a number of Guardian Automaton minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Min die.
• Scything Blade: A concealed weighted blade swings down at a hero! Roll the environment dice. Attack 1 target with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Separated!: Through the use of cunning trapdoors, revolving walls, or other artifice, all the heroes become separated from one another! Move each hero to a different location in the scene. They can regroup using the normal movement rules.

Yellow

Minor Twists

• Flame Burst: A gout of fire erupts from a wall or floor! Roll the environment dice. Attack 2 targets with the Mid die.
• Poisoned Darts: A volley of poison-tipped darts is launched towards the heroes. Roll the environment dice. Hinder 2 targets with the Mid die.

Major Twist

• Crushing Walls: The walls of the room begin to slowly slide together!
  Escape the room or stop the walls
  Timer
  Triggered: Everyone in the room is squashed flat, and restrained by the walls! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in the room with the Mid die now and on each subsequent environment turn that they remain squashed. In addition, while restrained, targets can’t take any physical actions other than making an Overcome to free themselves, and possibly others.

Red

Minor Twists

• Electrified Flooring: The floor of the chamber becomes charged with electricity! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets with the Mid die, and each target damaged this way gains a -1 penalty.
• Slayer Automaton: A mecha-machine designed for effecting the efficient elimination of enemies is deployed. Add 1 Slayer Automaton lieutenant (see below) to the scene.

Major Twist

• Poisonous Gas: As hermetically-sealed doors slam over all the apertures to the room, poisonous gas begins to be pumped in! Roll the environment dice. Attack and Hinder all breathing targets in the room with the Mid die. Repeat this action on all subsequent environment turns until the below challenge is complete.
  Plug the gas or escape the room

Threats

Guardian Automatons
Minions

Description
When the Architect is in the employ of another villain, he’ll usually dress up these robots to comply with his client’s gimmick. Otherwise, their default forms are simple, blocky humanoid robots crafted from shining silver metal.

Ability
Sturdily-Built: Guardian Automatons have +1 to damage saves.

Tactics
These bots are plenty strong, but usually lack any other weaponry besides their mechanical limbs, unless they’ve been given such by the Architect’s client. They usually engage heroes toe-to-toe in fisticuffs, Attacking and Hindering them. If a villainous VIP is around, though, they may also Defend them.

Slayer Automaton
Lieutenant

Description
Similarly to the Guardian Automatons, unless decked out in themed attire, this robot will possess a silvery metallic humanoid form, although it’s quite sleeker and lither than it’s robotic brethren, as well as about a foot taller.

Abilities
Deadly Weaponry: A Slayer Automaton has +2 to Attacks.
Stalker: When the Slayer Automaton Boosts itself, it also Defends itself using the value of the resulting bonus.

Tactics
Usually, this bot will stalk its prey for a round by Boosting and Defending itself using its Stalker ability, before closing in to Attack. Unless given thematic weaponry, it possesses sharp razor-claws with which to fight, making it rather deadlier than the less sophisticated robots utilised by the Architect.

Editor’s Notes

Depending on how difficult you want to be to your players, you could add a rule to the scene that moving betwixt any locations within this environment requires a successful Overcome, instead of using the normal movement rules.

That’s some serious alliteration going on there.

Lovely array of classic “trapped lair” elements there.

Yeah, it started out accidentally, but when I noticed it, I decided to go all in!

That is precisely the idea! Thanks.

Huh. Nothing newer than 2023? What pulled this back up the new posts ladder? We have another spambot drive-by and it got banned before I even saw it?

Nice to be reminded it’s here, regardless.

How did I miss the opportunity to have them all orbiting Solaris the Tyrant Sun so I could drag another celestial-body-sized character into this? There’s a weirdly large number of them out there.

Yeah, I do regret that I’ve not had enough free time to do more projects of this sort, but c’est la vie.

That being said, I have recently begun my first actual honest-to-goodness long-form, not one-shot/limited series SCRPG game, so there’s some chance that I may post some of the things I make for that.

Hey, I just read All-Star Superman for the first time recently! (Funny when you learn of something and then it feels like it’s everywhere.) It liked it; maybe I should read All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder next…

Late to the party, aren’t you? Best of luck, hope it goes well for you.

My morale shattered a while ago and I’m not even making token efforts to game any more. The real world presses in like a vice these days.

IIRC Solaris was actually introduced in the old 90s DC One Million event (which I rather liked, despite a general distaste for that sort of huge company-wide story), and I don’t think it’s shown up much outside of there. All-Star Superman (which I absolutely love) is the only one I can think of offhand, but there’s probably some I’ve missed.

I would recommend some caution about reading All-Star Batman. It was written by Frank Miller well into his decline into becoming a big bundle of hatred, and has been pretty steadily panned since it came out. His version of Batman is unpleasant, to put it mildly. If you go in expecting the kind of celebratory homage to the character’s history that was at the heart of All-Star Superman, it’s going to be like biting into a chocolate candy and having a pair of stainless steel bolts spring out and plunge straight through your cheeks. I strongly suspect that the poor reception of Miller’s work was in part responsible for all future “All-Star” projects being dropped and the entire imprint being terminated.

But hey, at least we got All-Star Superman out of it.

Thanks! And yeah, I got the game several years after it came out, and then I sat on it 'cause I had my plate full DMing D&D.

Yeah, I’ve not read DC One Million,* though I’ve heard that All-Star Superman and it have a good deal of cross-pollination, due to both having been written by Morrison.

And yes, I was already aware of All-Star Batman’s infamous reputation; my prior mention of it was pretty much just a joke, hence the ellipsis. : )

*Though I think I did read the 2007 Booster Gold series’ tie-in to the event, though I’ve no idea why that exists given the rest of the event was apparently in the '90s. Time travel, I guess.

I’m still annoyed that Miller’s dreadful work there probably led to the premature shutdown of the All-Star imprint, which cost us at least the Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Green Lantern mini-series. They probably wouldn’t have lived up to A-S Superman (which really was something special) but we’ll never know now, will we?