Cue bored Booth Body Double: “By the Staff of Ra, what a savings…”
5 Likes
It’s my birthday, and my present to me is another environment. So let’s go ahead with…
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options are:
- Minor: Defend One (Mid), Attack All (Min), Add a Minion, Create a Simple Challenge
- Major: Two Actions (Mid and Min), Add (Min) minions
I know exactly what I want to do already, and this lines up, so we’re going to take Attack All (Min) and Create a Simple Challenge for our minor twists, and Add (Min) minions for our major.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, our options are now:
- Minor: Hinder One (Max), Boost All (Min), One Target (Mid + Min), Hinder One (PE, Min)
- Major: Two Actions All (Max one one, Min on the Other), Advance Scene Tracker
We’re going to take a Mid+Min action alongside a wide-area Boost, and for our major we’re hitting everyone with two actions!
Step 3: Red Zone
We’re looking at:
- Minor: Two Actions One (Max, Hinder PE), Two Actions One (Max and Mid, Hinder PE), Two Actions One (Mid, both PE), All Targets Mid
- Major: All Targets (Max), All Targets 2 Actions Mid (PE)
I’m going to cheat. It’s my birthday, I can do that. Specifically, I’m creating an entirely new Major Twist: Reduce Scene Tracker.
But for our Minors, I guess we’re hitting someone with two actions! Let’s go ahead and take Two Actions One (Mid, both PE), and All Targets Mid.
Step 4: Where Are We?
Welcome to Wager Master’s birthday party!
balloons, streamers, wild applause
How did your heroes get here? What are they after? Who are they up against? That’s all up to you! Maybe they’ve been hired as entertainment (well, stolen, but you know) or maybe they scored an invite to try and recover something, or maybe they’re trying to deal with a supervillain who got an invite and is trying to gather cosmic energy from the cosmic prankster. Whatever the reason, things are about to get… chancy.
pause for applause
crickets
Okay, fine, whatever. Wager Master’s Birthday Party has the traits “Partygoers” d8, “Impossible Physics” d10, and “Wager Master” d12.
Step 5: What Do We Do?
Just have a good time!
Hahah, no, that’s not it. Actually, in Green, you’re going to be looking at Wager Master setting off confetti cannons that blast everyone in the eyes with glitter, attacking the whole area, and the sudden appearance of party games that make everything difficult until someone wins them. Partygoing Wagelings come out of nowhere to cause intense chaos. Everyone’s having fun!
In Yellow, the party really pops off. People get pulled into dance chains, applying massive but temporary Hinders to them. Wild music roars, invigorating tired partygoers with a rush of power. Wager Master tosses gifts everywhere, giving people boosts but also hitting them in the face (he’ll only do that once, he’s not made of gifts. Yet.)
Finally, in Red, everything is getting out of control. Right at the top, Wager Master declares that the PARTY NEVER ENDS and dials the scene back to Yellow. Once it hits red for real, he starts zapping people with drunkenness beams, both invigorating and hindering them, and drunken partygoers start stepping on toes and dancing even more wildly.
Wager Master’s Birthday Party
Traits:
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Confetti Cannons. The party’s confetti cannons are pointed right at you! Attack every target at the party with the Min die.
Minor Twist: Party Games! Wager Master declares the start of a party game. Treat this as a simple challenge. While it is in play, all Overcomes take a -2 penalty. Whoever successfully resolves it gains a +2 bonus to their next action.
Major Twist: Wageling Party! A group of wagelings joins the fun! Add (Min die) d8 Wagelings with the following ability:
Random Chance: Whenever a Wageling rolls a 4 or less, apply an extra -1 penalty. Whenever it rolls a 5 or higher, apply an extra +1 bonus.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Dance Chain. A random hero gets grabbed by party-goers and forcibly added to a dance chain for a few minutes. Hinder that hero with the Mid + Min dice.
Minor Twist: Rock and Roll: Music swells and fills everyone with dancing energy that they can’t ignore. Boost everyone with the Min die; they need to be appropriately active and energetic to claim their bonus.
Major Twist: Present time. Wager Master grabs presents and starts throwing them into the crowd. Attack everyone with the Min die, and then Boost everyone with the Max die as they grab a one-time party gift, popper, or fun mallet that they can use to their advantage.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Drunkenness Ray. Wager Master picks the target who seems to be having the least fun and blasts them with cosmic drunken energy. Boost and Hinder that target with the Max die. Both the bonus and penalty are persistent and exclusive.
Minor Twist: Party Stampede. Wagelings start a massive rush for the snack table. Attack everyone with the Max die.
Major Twist: THE PARTY NEVER STOPS! As soon as the scene tracker hits Red, Wager Master refuses to allow it. Reverse the scene tracker by one step.
Aftermath:
It’s my birthday, I can do what I want to.
In all seriousness, I think I love this chaotic mess of an environment. I might need to write a full story for it.
7 Likes
Cue Hellfyre in the background, offering everything they can think of to the heroes to end this party, they’ve already done this $#!* already, c’mon!
2 Likes
Oh, this is great, I love it. 
1 Like
blows the dust off The thread continues to sort of slowly shamble onwards, with the addition of our seventh environment…
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options are:
- Minor: Hinder One (Mid), Hinder One (Mid), Hinder All (Min), Boost All (Min)
- Major: Two Targets/Two Actions (Mid then Min), Increase Existing Challenge Difficulty
… huh. Well, there’s gonna be a Hinder. Let’s take a Hinder One (Mid) and Boost All (Min) for our minors, and for the majors… let me see if I can do anything with increasing an existing challenge’s difficulty. That’s going to be an odd one, because it means there has to be a challenge attached to this environment.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, we end up with:
- Minor: Hinder One (PE, Mid), Mid and Min against one, 2 Actions using Mid against two, Hinder All (Min)
- Major: Action One (Mid+Min), Add simple challenge + effect
… let’s be challenge-focused! For our two minors, I’m going to go with hitting one person with a Mid effect and a Min effect, and hitting two people with two Mid effects. For our major, an extra simple challenge and effect!
Step 3: Red Zone
For Red we have…
- Minor: Two Targets (two actions Mid & Min), Two Targets (two actions using Min, PE), add stronger lieutenant, fully heal lieutenant
- Major: Heal all minions/lieutenants, advance scene tracker
So, uh… hadn’t really noticed this, but there’s a red minor twist which is weaker than a yellow minor twist. I think the yellow version is meant to hit each person with a different one of two actions, while the red hits both with both, but there’s no actual indication of this.
Oh well.
For our minor, I’ll just go with two different ways to hit two people, because it’s late for a minion, especially since I want to advance the scene tracker on a major! This red zone doesn’t last long…
Step 4: Where Are We?
Welcome to the Proving Grounds!
This ancient facility was once, long ago, home to a reclusive sect of mage-warriors, and served as their final challenge before accepting their sigils and taking their place among the ranks of their fellows. The sect was wiped out centuries ago, but the magic of the Proving Grounds lingers, centered on the ancient crystal at its heart.
Curator Varras is seeking that crystal, attempting to solve the Proving Ground’s challenges and claim the prize. He knows that simply blasting through the challenges will cause the crystal to overload as it tries to defend the location; only passing the trials will defuse it safely. The heroes can pursue him, trying to take him down, or work to resolve the Proving Grounds before he can.
The Proving Grounds generally have a series of simple challenges that must be resolved to advance. The heroes can resolve their challenges as a group; Varras and whatever lieutenants or minions he has brought can do the same.
The Proving Grounds are potent but unpredictable, with the traits Mystical Wards d12, Ancient Traps d8, and Baffling Puzzles d6.
Step 5: What Do We Do?
Getting through the Proving Grounds is simple, but not easy.
In the Green Zone, the Grounds deploy mystical barriers to slow down anyone that’s breaking the rules by starting fights with other competitors, applying Hinders to their actions. If everyone is playing along, the wards actually empower both sides, providing a minor Boost through physical empowerment to encourage them to get a move on. Of course, that only gets you through the first challenge. If you clear it while the scene is still Green, the Grounds compensate by making the second challenge more difficult, speeding up traps or adding layers of puzzle.
In Yellow, the Proving Grounds begin to actively oppose the challengers, unleashing radiant energies against random targets. If someone is insistent on cheating, the Grounds will attack them with Infernal power and use that power to Boost their target. At some point, a new ward rises up out of the ground, spraying forth a poison fog until it is disarmed.
If the Grounds haven’t been resolved by the time the situation goes Red, they’re unlikely to be. Sections of the trial begin to collapse onto unwitting heroes, and mystical energies begin draining rapidly. If someone messes up a challenge badly enough, it can advance the scene tracker immediately, likely resulting in a summary loss for all parties and the permanent destruction of the crystal that powers the location!
The Proving Grounds
Traits: Mystical Wards d12, Ancient Traps d8, Baffling Puzzles d6.
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Enforcement Spell. The Proving Grounds target someone who is cheating by attacking competitors or bypassing traps. Hinder that target with the Mid die.
Minor Twist: Fair Play. The Proving Grounds enact their early power, giving all competitors a chance to start moving. Boost all participants with the Min die.
Major Twist: Layers Upon Layers. The heroes have moved too quickly. The Proving Grounds adds an extra challenge box to a single challenge in play. Do not use this Major Twist against the first challenge of the Proving Grounds; they won’t respond that early.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Radiant Burst. It’s critical to keep an eye out for enemies. The Proving Grounds attacks a random target. Use the Mid + Min dice to total the damage of the Attack.
Minor Twist: Enforced Opposition. The Proving Grounds target a participant who is intent on cheating. Attack that participant with the Mid die, and then Boost whoever they were attacking or undermining with the Min die.
Major Twist: Poison Fog. Black wards spark to life along every passageway, and purple mist begins to leak out. Attack every participant for 2 irreducible toxic damage. Each environment turn, increase the damage of this effect by 2 and then attack again. Succeeding at an Overcome to disable the wards stops this effect.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Maze Collapse. Sections of the Proving Grounds flare, sending rocks collapsing down onto unsuspecting participants. Choose two nearby participants. Attack each one with the Mid die, and then Hinder them with the Min die.
Minor Twist: Mystical Devastation. The mystical energies of the Proving Grounds lash out, draining unsuspecting targets even as they bind them. Hinder two participants twice using the Min die – once from the physical bonds slowing them, and once from the magical energies tiring them. Both penalties are persistent and exclusive.
Major Twist: Aggressive Failure. While trying to resolve a threat, someone makes a terrible mistake. Advance the Scene Tracker immediately. If this ends the scene, one more character may take an action before the trials are failed. This twist should only be used in response to an Overcome against one of the Proving Ground’s trials.
Aftermath:
Okay, I wasn’t sure where I was going with this at first, but I think I got there. The Proving Grounds want to test people, and they’re willing to mess with them to do it.
You don’t need Curator Varras for this one, obviously. Any villain who is sufficiently beefy should do the trick. You definitely do need a sufficient multi-step challenge to be part of the action scene, though, or else the Proving Grounds won’t make a lot of sense.
2 Likes
Hi, everyone! This project is still going. We got a kitten recently, and if you’ve ever gotten a kitten you’ll know that they take up a heck of a lot of time that you might otherwise intend to use for things like good-natured writing. Between that and a project that I’m vaguely hoping will see the light of day some time next year, but only if I finish editing it, it’s been busy!
But I am committed to getting our last seven environments finished up. With half of our environments complete, I have a vague idea of something that I want to try, but let’s see if I’m able to get there…
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options are:
- Minor: Hinder One (Mid), Hinder One (Mid), Defend One (Mid), Attack All (Min)
- Major: Attack One (Max), Add Lieutenant
Okay. Definitely going to take a Hinder One and a Defend One for our minors, and then go with Add Lieutenant for major. I think this weird idea might be doable…
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, we’re looking at the following options:
- Minor: Hinder One (Max), Mid + Min One, Action All (Min), Add Multi-Step Challenge
- Major: Action (Max) + Mid Effect, Advance Scene Tracker
Okay… hm… let’s take an area-effect Attack and a multi-step challenge for our minor twists, and for our major we’re just going to advance the scene tracker. This area doesn’t stay in yellow for long.
Step 3: Red Zone
Well, yellow and green are taken. What about Red?
- Minor: Action One (Max+Min), Two Actions One (Max and Mid, one Boost PE), Two Actions One (Max and Mid, Hinder PE), Add multi-step challenge.
- Major: Heal all minions, activate Doomsday Device
Well.
Okay, then. New plan. We’re going with one powerful action (Max + Min) and two actions against one target (Max and a Mid Hinder), and then activating a Doomsday Device because I need to do it eventually and there aren’t many minions and lieutenants to heal. Which means changing my plans, but not that much, because….
Step 4: Where Are We?
We are in The Hurricane Generator!
Doctor Tarralok designed his Hurricane Generator to clear a coastline of human habitation in preparation for larger-scale terraforming. He’s set up a massive device that will create the largest hurricane in human history, and it has already begun to work. Can the heroes disable the device in time, or will the region be devastated by the storm of the century?
The Hurricane Generator has the traits “Gale-Force Winds” d8, “Deadly Shrapnel” d10, and “Alien Machinery” d10.
Step 5: What Do We Do?
In the Green Zone, as the Hurricane Generator begins to spin up, gale-force winds kick up around the area, either knocking people over (and thus Hindering them) or swirling around them (and Defending them.) The Generator also deploys a basic defender – an aerial robot that uses the winds to its advantage to attack anyone trying to turn the Generator off.
In the Yellow Zone, the Generator’s winds kick up in force and begin rising upwards. They buffett everyone in the facility for minor damage, and the locked-in controls become much more difficult to shut down. The Yellow Zone is shorter than usual, which is… dangerous.
Finally, in the Red Zone, the wind begins to expand beyond the facility. With only a few actions until a devastating hurricane attacks the surrounding area, overwhelming winds knock heroes head-over-heels, sometimes slamming them into walls with terrible force and sometimes just making it impossible for them to move. At the worst possible moment, the Hurricane Generator deploys its power, destroying the facility and sending the hurricane to wreck the region.
This is a fast-paced and nasty environment. There’s a good chance that any villains trapped inside are either sacrificing themselves to keep it running, or have gotten stuck inside and are desperately trying to escape. Heroes should be working to shut the Doomsday Device down and prevent the hurricane from being properly generated.
Doctor Tarralok’s Terrible Hurricane Generator
Traits: “Gale-Force Winds” d8, “Deadly Shrapnel” d10, “Alien Machinery” d10
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Blast of wind. An early gust of wind from the heart of the generator knocks someone sprawling. Hinder a target with the Mid die.
Minor Twist: Hurricane Shield. Winds swirl around a target, shielding them from incoming attacks. Defend one target with the Mid die.
Major Twist: Aerial Custodian. Drawn by the chaos, the generator’s Aerial Custodian deploys to the fight. This robot is a d10 Lieutenant with the following traits:
- Reduce penalties from Wind or Weather by 2.
- +2 to damage saves against Wind or Weather.
The Custodian primarily targets anyone directly interfering with the Hurricane Generator, secondarily targets anyone attacking it, and goes after general trespassers if no one else is a key target.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Pulse of Wind. A blast of wind rises from the central gyroscopes, knocking everyone over. Attack all targets in the generator with the Min die.
Minor Twist: Locked In. The Generator completes its calculations and begins deployment. Create a two-step Challenge called “Locked In Systems”. Until this challenge is solved, the Doomsday Device cannot be targeted with Overcomes.
Major Twist: Firing Sequence Underway. Lights flash purple and the Generator’s platform begins to rise. Advance the Scene Tracker.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Pinning Winds. Winds from the platform press down on an unlucky target. Hinder one target with the Max + Min dice.
Minor Twist: Deadly Debris. The generator picks up debris and scrap that has been lying around and throws it into someone with terrible force. Attack one target with the Max die, and Hinder them with the Mid die. If they take damage from the attack, this Hinder is Persistent and Exclusive as the debris sticks them to the wall or floor.
Major Twist: Hurricane Season. The Hurricane Generator activates, unleashing a full-force hurricane against the region. If the generator is shut down before the end of the scene, heroes can limit the damage to a moderately catastrophic hurricane covering a fifty-mile radius around the generator. If the generator is not shut down by the end of the scene, the hurricane will be an overwhelming and self-sustaining disaster a hundred miles across that will travel hundreds of miles and do untold damage.
Aftermath:
My doomsday device is complete!
Do not mess with a hurricane generator, y’all. You will be blown away. Ahah.
My original idea was to just have a fight during a massive downtown storm, with wind and rain and whatnot, but the doomsday device shot that to heck. So I merged my ideas into the Hurricane Generator, and I think it turned out okay.
4 Likes
These are really slowing down, huh? Sorry about that. But I only have six more to do, so I’m going to see if I can do a heroic push and get everything out and be exciting!
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options are:
- Minor: Attack One (Mid), Attack All (min), Hinder All (Min), Add a Minion
- Major: Attack One (Max), Two Targets 2 Actions (Mid + Min)
I have a lot of “Add a Minion” options left on my board – three out of twelve. So I’m using one here, plus an Attack All (Min). For our Major, I’m going to take Two Targets 2 Actions (Mid + Min) which is at three out of six choices, so you’ll be seeing it a lot going forward.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, we’re looking at a shrinking array, but it’s mostly all unique options. This time around, I get:
- Minor: Boost One (Max), Defend One (Max), Two Mid (two targets), Hinder All (Min)
- Major: Target Two (Mid), Add Stronger Lieutenant
In the interests of not keeping things the same from phase to phase, I’m going to go with a Defend One (Max) and a Two Mid (two targets) for my minor actions, and Add a Strong Lieutenant for my Major. Things are a bit spicy here!
Step 3: Red Zone
As things get nasty, let’s see what the big finale actions are likely to be.
- Minor: 2 Actions vs One (Max, Hinder PE), Two targets Hinder PE (Mid), Two Targets (two actions, PE, Min), All Targets (Mid)
- Major: All Targets 2 Actions (PE, Mid), Add Stronger Lieutenant and effect
I’m trying to lean into choices that I have multiple times on the board still, so I’m going to take an All Targets (Mid) effect, and I’ll add the Two Targets, two actions, PE, Min complicated one. For our Major, I’m adding a second Stronger Lieutenant with a secondary effect.
Step 4: Where Are We?
Let’s take a minute to visit The Wretched Hive, the (in)famous bar in Rook City! The bartender is safe behind three inches of bulletproof glass, the tables are designed for ease of shattering, and things are… not great.
This is not a good place for heroes to be, and as soon as the local patrons realize what’s up, they are going to flip out. Unfortunately, some of them are flipping out at the heroes, some are flipping out at each other, some are just running for the doors and things are a mess.
The Wretched Hive has the following traits: Assembled Goons d10, Breakable Furniture d8, and Lots of Weapons d8.
Step 5: What Do We Do?
In Green, a brawl breaks out and things get chaotic. The shifting crowd catches heroes and villains alike off-guard, thugs break away from their own fights to get involved with the heroes, and fires start to break out.
In Yellow, some goons assemble to protect the guy that’s paying them, more punches are thrown, and a minor supervillain emerges from the mess to try and make a name for himself by bagging a hero or overthrowing a villain.
Finally, in Red, the damage starts to cave in the ceiling, punches are flying in all directions, and a more serious supervillain emerges to try and get rid of the fight so that he can go back to drinking in the corner.
The Wretched Hive
Traits: Assembled Goons d10, Breakable Furniture d8, Lots of Weapons d8
Green Zone:
Minor Twist: The Brawl. Fights break out everywhere, and it’s almost impossible to avoid the blows. Attack all targets present with the Min die.
Minor Twist: Dance Partners. A couple of grunts break away from the party to focus on the heroes. Create a pair of d6 minions who will primarily target heroic characters, trying to grab or punch them.
Major Twist: Automatic Fire. Someone with a machine gun stands up, and gets a spray off before someone else pulls them down and takes their gun away. Target two characters. One takes an Attack with the Mid die as the bullets richochet around them, and the other is Hindered with the Min die as patrons dive for cover into them.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Paid Protectors. A team of goons throws chairs and tables in the path of an attack, helping out a friend. Defend one Minion or Lieutenant present with the Max die.
Minor Twist: Stabby stabby! A group of goons pile on the more aggressive fighters, and slow them down. Choose two heroes or villains. Attack and Hinder them with the Mid die.
Major Twist: Bravo. A man in a cloak, with a pair of shimmering energy blades and a wide-brimmed hat, kicks over a table and charges at the most dangerous opponent in the room, laughing cheerfully. Bravo is a d10 Lieutenant whose powers allow him to charge at enemies unheeded. He deals physical or energy damage, and any attempt to Hinder him physically has the final penalty reduced by 1.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Sprinkler System. The bartender triggers the sprinkler system, and a mild but foul-smelling acid sprays out over a particularly active area of the bar. Target two people in a busy part of the bar. Attack and Hinder them with the Min die; the Hinder is persistent and exclusive until the acid is neutralized.
Minor Twist: Vicious Fighting. The brawl is only intensifying as the weaker members flee or fall. Attack all targets in the bar with the Mid die.
Major Twist: Afterburn. The door to the bathroom is kicked off its hinges, as the villain known as Afterburn emerges into the fight, hands wreathed in wispy ghost-flame that burns without consuming. He targets whichever character is doing the most damage to the bar itself. Afterburn is a d10 Lieutenant with the following trait:
Ghost Flames [R]: Whenever someone in the room uses an Elemental Power, Afterburn may give himself a +2 bonus to his next action.
Aftermath:
So, reasonably it would probably be easier to stat up The Wretched Hive by just adding a set of minions to the battle to represent brawlers, but this is more fun, and it gives me the chance to create a three-way fight. I quite like messing around with minor supervillains, and I enjoy how this turned out.
And, of course, if you aren’t in Rook City but there is a potential supervillain or supermercenary bar where you are, it’s easy to move.
4 Likes
Late’s better than never.
Of course The Wretched Hive has an acid sprinkler system!
“Bravo?” “Afterburn?” Who are these guys? I suppose they could merely be random mini-villains you just thought up, but I feel like there’s a story here.
1 Like
If they feel like there’s a bigger story, I have done my job!
In all seriousness, there is not. I grabbed a couple of names off a list I drew up for a campaign a long time ago for if I needed a hero or villain in a hurry, gave them some flashy descriptions and a role at the bar, and that was that. But they could have bigger parts to play, especially if players take a shine to one of them!
1 Like
Wow, this one is definitely gold, I love the idea of having a superhero bar brawl. I’m currently writing a SCRPG campaign to run after my current D&D campaign, and I’ve already “appropriated” a couple of your environments to stick in my notes (the oil rig environment and the mad scientist lab). This environment definitely makes me want to put a bar brawl in my story somewhere.
2 Likes
Only five environments left. My choices are getting increasingly narrow, and my duplicates are rapidly vanishing. Let’s get started with…
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options are:
- Minor: Attack One (Mid), Defend One (Mid), Attack All (Min), Hinder All (Min)
- Major: Attack One (Max), Hinder One (Max)
Okay, so. A very, very standard array of choices for Green. I’m going to go with Defend One (Mid) and Hinder All (Min) for my minor with Attack One (Max) for Major, so that all three are doing different things at least.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, we are looking at a slightly more robust set:
- Minor: Mid + Min One, Hinder 2 PE (Min), Boost 2 PE (Min), Add Multi-Step Challenge
- Major: Action One (Max) + Mid Effect, Target Two (Mid)
Okay, hm. So we’re looking at an environment that starts things off standard, and then goes woobly. Let’s take a Boost 2 PE to speed things up and a multi-step challenge to slow things down for minors, and I’ll add an Action One (Max) with a Mid effect for the major.
Step 3: Red Zone
Finally, in Red, we are looking at the following possibilities:
- Minor: 2 Actions One (Max and Mid, Boost PE), Two targets Hinder PE (Mid), Add Stronger Lieutenant, Add Stronger Lieutenant
- Major: Heal all minions/lieutenants, add stronger lieutenant and effect
Okay, hm. For minor, we’ll add a strong lieutenant, and a two-target Hinder since we’ve already got a persistent/exclusive Boost going on. For our Major, we’re going to heal any lieutenants that have already appeared, just to make the situation seem unwinnable. So that just leaves…
Step 4: Where Are We?
Welcome to a Crashed Zebrexian Prison Transport!
This alien prison-ship was brought down during an ill-fated escape attempt, and your heroes have arrived on the scene. Are they responding to a distress call? Is a villain there trying to round up some particularly dangerous new helpers? Perhaps your heroes were themselves prisoners; the Zebrexians are not known for their kindness to strangers…
The Crashed Zebrexian Prison Transport has the following traits: Wardens d10, Overloaded Fusion Core d10, Collapsing Metal d8
Step 5: What Do We Do?
In Green, the prison ship attempts to maintain its systems as things begin to shut down. It’s possible that there are already wardens on the ship, in which case they should be portrayed by a group of hostile minions, or they may have all been incapacitated in the crash. In the mean time, delayed concussion cushions deploy to protect heroes from impacts, coolant leaks flood corridors and slow everyone down, and a handful of warden systems open fire on intruders or escaping prisoners.
In Yellow, as the ship’s systems overload, dangerous fusion reactions threaten trapped prisoners with death. Particularly quick symbiont prisoners try to bond with heroes, offering help in exchange for escape, and a lone warden emerges with a powerful but one-use attack.
Finally, in Red, the actual dangerous prisoners begin to emerge, willing to fight anyone to escape. As they gather in force, restriction systems attempt to bind them and the heroes back into their cells, and desperation drives them to increasingly deadly focus.
Crashed Zebrexian Prison Transport
Traits: : Wardens d10, Overloaded Fusion Core d10, Collapsing Metal d8
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Concussion Field. The inertial dampeners that kept everyone alive in the crash are continuing to deploy at unpredictable intervals. Defend a random target with the Mid Die, protecting them against the next physical or concussive attack against them.
Minor Twist: Coolant Flood. Pipes groan and burst, sending coolant flooding major corridors. Anyone in those corridors is Hindered with the Min die until the coolant runs off the next turn.
Major Twist: Security System. A hidden warden activates a defensive system against the intruders. Attack one hero with the Max die, using cosmic energy.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Prisoners in Danger. The overloading reactor, flooding corridors, or a spreading fire is threatening a group of helpless or semi-conscious prisoners. This is a multi-step challenge. Three successes are required to avert the danger, or two successes are required to free the prisoners. If neither is accomplished, at the end of three more turns or if the scene ends the prisoners are killed.
Minor Twist: Symbiont Prisoners. A pair of bug-like symbionts skitter out of the malfunctioning life-support cell they were trapped in. They each choose a target and attempt to bond to them, telepathically offering support in exchange for letting them escape. If a player accepts this help, Boost them with the min die; this is a persistent and exclusive boost. If they do not, the symbiont will attempt to reach someone else on the next turn, and if they fail they will pass out and begin to die.
Major Twist: Warden Assault. A lone warden emerges from hiding with a massive weapon, unleashing it at the largest hero. Attack that Hero with the Max die. Generate a minion based on the result of the Mid die: a d4 for 1-3, a d6 for 4-7, or a d8 for 8+.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Prison Break. The system’s defense systems have collapsed to the point that a prisoner from the Maximum Security section successfully breaks out! Each prisoner who escapes is a d10 Lieutenant. Choose a primary and secondary Ability for that lieutenant. They have the following ability:
Whenever this lieutenant takes the primary Ability action, they may also take the secondary action with the same result.
The prisoners may or may not work together; their primary goal is escape, and they will do anything to achieve it. No more than three of these prisoners should be out at once.
Minor Twist: Restraining Cells. Cables and energy whips lash out at heroes or escaping prisoners, trying to corral them back into their cells. Pick two targets, and Hinder them both with the Mid die. This is a persistent and exclusive penalty.
Major Twist: Burst of Desperation. Seeing freedom slip away, all of the escaping prisoners give off a burst of terrified energy. Heal any prisoner who has not been incapacitated back to d10.
Aftermath:
I really wasn’t sure where I was going with this until I got to the ending and its “multiple lieutenants may break out at once and get healed, depending on how many twists get spawned.” That let everything else sort of retroactively come into place; before that, I had a vague idea of a science fair? Maybe?
It wasn’t an easy one, is what I’m saying.
Only four environments left! And I’ve conveniently got four major villains / villain groups left, so we’re going to see if I can link my remaining options to them. Fingers crossed!
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As I read this, I realize one problem I have with making environments.
These have mostly been really fantastic. And I feel like they’re getting more fantastic as you run out of options.
Which is neither a criticism nor a bad thing, fantastical environments are awesome! But when your campaign is taking place in, like, Megalopolis. A regular place, exceptional though it might be. When your fight is taking place on a rooftop or in a bank or in an abandoned building, there’s just not that much room for making interesting twists. Oh, something might crumble. Maybe the cops show up. Maybe there’s traffic. 
I feel like you’ve really got to move off Earth to do anything interesting.
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This is true, but also - not every action scene needs to be an active environment. If the scene itself isn’t in some way wild and interesting, you’re probably better off having some bigger scene challenges in place to reflect whatever is going on, and then the twists can be about the challenges themselves.
Like, if I was just having a fight with four heroes against a villain on a Crowded Megalopolis Street, I would probably take the following scene elements:
- The villain, probably with an upgrade if the scene is moderate difficulty
- A set of minions for the villain, possibly with lieutenants if it’s appropriate and I didn’t upgrade the villain
- A 3-4 step challenge involving getting civilians to safety before they’re trampled or caught in the crossfire. Twists either reflect what the heroes are doing, or reflect partial success through damage and people getting hurt (or killed, if you’re going dark.)
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So, looking at my upcoming options, I’m going to have some… weirdness. Specifically, these last four environments are all going to be extremely minion-heavy.
See, thanks to the vagaries of random chance, I have eight options left for each minor twist, and four left for each major twist. In Green, two of my eight minor twists are minions, so two out of four environments. That’s not so bad. In yellow, I’ve got two minor twists and a major twist for minions – three out of four environments, probably. Finally, in Red, I’ve got a minor twist each for minions and lieutenants, and a major twist for a lieutenant.
That’s a total of eight twists remaining that generate minions. Which means that, on average, every remaining environment will be doing that in one to three zones. Should be… fun? Let’s see what I can do.
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options this time around are:
- Minor: Hinder One (Mid), Defend All (Min), Add a Minion, Add a Minion
- Major: Hinder One (Max), Action One (Max)
Let’s save that free action for later. I’ll grab Defend All (Min) and Add a Minion for my minors, and Hinder One (Max) for my Major.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
Having gotten the ball rolling in Green, let’s see what Yellow has to offer.
- Minor: Hinder One (Max), Hinder Two (PE, Min), Hinder All (Min), Add Min Minions
- Major: Boost or Hinder One (Max, PE), Add Min Minions + effect
Well, apparently Yellow has Hinders and minions to offer, huh.
Okay, let’s see. I’m going to take Hinder Two (PE, Min) and Add Min Minions in Yellow, and then Boost One (Max, PE) as a major twist. I think I now know where I’m going with this.
Step 3: Red Zone
As we enter Red, what are we looking to do?
- Minor: Two Targets Hinder PE (Mid), Add Max Minions, Fully Heal Lieutenant, Add multi-step challenge
- Major: All Targets 2 Actions Mid (PE), Advance Scene Tracker
Boy, that is… that is just a lot of Hinders. Can’t heal a lieutenant when there isn’t one (going to try to keep those two options together) so it’s time to make things complicated. We’ll add Max Minions and really minion up this place, plus a last-minute multi-step challenge. For our major, an all-target action will Hinder some people and boost others with the Mid die, persistent-exclusive.
Step 4: Where Are We?
We are in the depths of The Bloodstone Catalyzer! Located behind a popular new nightclub that has been attracting patrons like magic, the Catalyzer drains partygoers of their life energy as they party, siphoning it to the techno-fae of the Court of Vicissitude. In the heart of the machine, the effect is amplified, and heroes will have to contend with their life energy draining away and creating dangerous manikins, monstrous banshees, and empowering the Court themselves.
The Bloodstone Catalyzer is very much a Hostile environment. Nothing here is likely to make the heroes’ lives easier, and they will need to be careful to survive.
The Catalyzer is another highly random environment. It has the traits Blood Magic d12, Corrupted Leylines d8, and Strobes and Sirens d6
Step 5: What Do We Do?
In Green, the Catalyzer is still drawing on the stored energy of the club as it adapts to the presence of the heroes. Digital banshees spawn to sing dubstep at their foes, the catalyst’s energies defend the Court from harm, and blasts of ley energies weaken foes.
Starting in Yellow, the Catalyzer moves to draining any non-fae targets present. Circuit-glyphs draw on the heroes’ power, weakening them, and spawning groups of wire-and-circuit manikins. Eventually, the stored power is dumped into a key Court member, massively boosting their power.
Finally, in Red, everything dials up to eleven. Hordes of manikins take form, and the converter begins a process to drain the club’s patrons to death, which the heroes will need to find a way to stop. At the worst moment, every hero is drained of energy and every Court member is boosted, giving them the energy for a final push.
The Bloodstone Catalyzer
Traits: Blood Magic d12, Corrupted Leylines d8, and Strobes and Sirens d6
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Banshee. Sound and magic spin together to create a banshee of musical power, which screams club music as it strikes at the heroes. The banshee is a d8 minion which suffers a -2 penalty to saves against sonic or magical damge.
Minor Twist: Good Vibrations. The Bloodstone Catalyzer pulses, and energy washes over the fae. Defend all fae characters with the Min die.
Major Twist: Sap Strength. The Catalyzer targets a hero, lashing out with corrupted ley energy. Hinder one hero with the Max die.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Drain Lifeforce. Circuit-glyphs whir to life, and pulses of anti-power draw in the life energy of the Court’s enemies. Hinder two heroes with the Min die. This penalty is persistent and exclusive.
Minor Twist: Manikins. Foot-tall goblins made of circuits and wire spring to life, crawling from their hidden spaces to attack. Add a number of d6 minions equal to the Min die to the room. These minions get +1 when attacking an enemy who has been Hindered by the Catalyzer.
Major Twist: The Life Fantastic. The Catalyzer pulses, sending the power it has gathered into one of its champions. Boost a villain target with the Max die. This Boost is persistent and exclusive.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: The Digital Horde. Mankins and banshees begin to spawn from all directions. Add a number of banshees equal to the Min die, and a number of Manikins equal to the Max die minus the Min die.
Minor Twist: Closing Time. The Catalyzer boots to full power, draining a terrible amount from clubgoers. Create a two-step challenge: Save the Clubgoers! This can be resolved by getting clubgoers to safety, magically or technologically blocking the catalyzer’s effects, or straight-up physical sabotage. If the challenge is not resolved by the next environment turn, some clubgoers die and all of the fae present are Boosted with the Min die.
Major Twist: Your Power Is Mine. The Catalyzer focuses all of its power on the room. All non-fae targets are Hindered with the Mid die, and all fae targets are Boosted with the Mid die. These bonuses and penalties are persistent and exclusive.
Aftermath:
Well, that was appropriately nasty. This is not a good place to be, although a fae hero can mitigate just how nasty it is by sneaking in on the receiving end of some of the benefits, and the right heroes can pull apart the Hinders pretty quickly. I think it’s about the right level of “hostile environment.”
I’ve also slightly defused my heavy-minion situation by having minions at every stage of this environment. Only five minion/lieutenant slots left for the last three, which means nothing this robust is likely to appear again.
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All I need are the words “techno-fae”, and I’m there. 
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TakeWalker have you read Mercedes Lackey’s SERRAted Edge series?
Living in America the Fey tradition of dueling at crossroads at night evolved into the races of moonshiners that evolved into NASCAR so the “elves” make money making racecars and use it for good deeds
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We’re into the home stretch! With only three environments left to go, this is the last time that I will be making random choices; after this, every remaining option will be a choice for #13, with the remainder assigned to #14 (so I’ll kind of be making both of them at the same time.)
I’m descreasingly certain that I can get my last three villains to three reasonable environments, but let’s see how I do…
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options are:
- Minor: Attack One (Mid), Hinder One (Mid), Hinder All (Min), Boost All (Min)
- Major: Two Actions (Mid and Min), Two Actions (Mid and Min)
Well, I guess I know what my Major Twist is. For minors, let’s take Hinder One (Mid) and Boost All (Min). Gives me a bit of variety. The major can round out as an Attack/Defend.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, we are looking at the following choices:
- Minor: Hinder One (Max), Hinder One PE (Mid), Mid + Min One, Hinder All (Mid)
- Major: Target One (Mid+Min), Target Two (Mid)
Uh… huh.
Well, two interesting things developing. First, I’ve managed to dodge three different minion-generating effects, so I guess those last two environments are going to be minion-y. Secondly, I’ve hit every Hinder option remaining in Yellow, so this environment is going to be wildly Hinderous. I don’t know what that means, precisely, but it’s interesting.
Let’s take an area Hinder All (Mid) and target one person with a Mid and a Min effect. For our Major, I’ll take a Target Two (Mid) and let it be an attack.
Let’s take a Hinder All (Mid) and One
Step 3: Red Zone
In our final zone, I think I know what’s going on and how to tie it to an existing villain, but there’s room for things to change. My options are:
- Minor: Two Targets Hinder PE, All Targets Mid, All Targets (Max one Mid others), Fully Heal Lieutenant
- Major: All Targets (Max), Advance Scene Tracker
So, yeah. I have successfully dodged being able to take a single minion or lieutenant generator, leaving five for the last two environments, and I have hit every Hinder on the board. I’m going to go ahead and take All Targets Mid and All Targets (Max one mid others) for my minors, and then Advance Scene Tracker for the major; things can get bad in a hurry right at the end.
Step 4: Where Are We?
Let’s take some time to visit the Daniel Montgomery Memorial Science Fair! Named in honour of a rich and civic-minded industrialist, the fair celebrates the newest inventions of college students looking to bolster their reputations and develop new tools and devices for the good of the world. Since its inception very recently, the fair has already provided winners and runners-up with lucrative contracts, and created some tangible good in the world.
So of course the Ultramind (or some similar villain) is going to crash it this year to steal some particularly valuable goods.
The Science Fair has the traits Prototype Devices d10, Overly Earnest Students d8, and Jittery Security d8.
Step 5: What Do We Do?
In Green, people become aware that the fair is under attack. Some students try to use their devices to save the day, with decidedly mixed results. One student uses a grappling ray that may or may not hit who they’re aiming at, while another tries to give them heroes a hand and accidentally coats everyone in strength-boosting nanoswarms. Security does their best to provide support and protect anyone in trouble.
In Yellow, fair devices start to interact with each other in unpredictable ways. Malfunctioning devices slow progress, a prototype psychic emitter pulls people’s nightmares out of their heads to act as their own minions, and a particularly powerful laser drill goes off.
Finally, in Red, things are out of control. Devices are exploding or deploying barricades that do not help at all, and things are heating up rapidly; the situation won’t be staying this contained for long…
The Daniel Montgomery Memorial Science Fair
Traits: Prototype Devices d10, Overly Earnest Students d8, Jittery Security d8
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Grappling Ray. A student attempts to slow the villain down with his prototype rescue device, but his aim is terrible. Hinder a random target with the Mid die.
Minor Twist: Out-of-Control Nanoswarm. Another student attempts to deploy his rehabilitative nanoswarm to help the heroes, but they spread rapidly. Boost everyone in the room with the Min die for their next physical action.
Major Twist: Security Forces. Security troops deploy, trying to help people. Attack the most threatening-seeming target (probably the villain, but who knows?) with the Mid die and Defend the most harmless-seeming target with the Min die.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Construction Webbing. A device to hold concrete in place long enough to set begins spraying the area with sticky webbing. Hinder everyone nearby with the Mid die.
Minor Twist: Psychic Emitter. An emitter designed to help people deal with their inner demons goes off, yanking nightmares out of people’s minds. Attack a target with the Mid die. Then give them a d6 minion who acts on their turn and can only take one action; decide what that action is based on that character’s deepest fears and insecurities.
Major Twist: Laser Drill. A laser drill detonates, sending a burst of crimson energy careening through the space. Attack two targets near to each other with the Mid die.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Cascade Explosion. A device damaged in the fighting explodes, setting off a cascade of explosions that rips through the area. Attack every target in the zone with the Max die.
Minor Twist: Auto-Barricades. The building’s anti-fire measures go off, deploying barricades meant to isolate dangerous elements. With everything that has been happening, they can’t tell misfiring devices from battling superheroes. Attack whichever character is doing the most damage or using the most elemental powers with the Max die, and Hinder every other character with the Mid die.
Major Twist: Overload. All of the devices remaining in the fair begin to overheat, threatening to blow up the whole facility! Advance the scene tracker.
Aftermath:
I almost didn’t do this one, because it felt kind of similar to Freedom-Con stylistically. But I think it’s just different enough to work, and it gives me something for the Ultramind to attack. You could also use this for a large supertech company’s experimental labs, without much in the way of change.
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Also, it’s a memorial to Daniel Montgomery, and he deserves that. :B
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Yeah, but it seems different enough mechanically.
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Okay, we’ve only got enough elements for two scenes, which means that we know exactly what we’re getting. Let’s run through #13 and see what that means for us.
Step 1: Green Zone
The final four Green Zone options are:
- Minor: Attack One (Mid), Attack All (Min), Hinder All (Min), Add a minion
- Major: Action One (Max), 2 Actions (Mid + Min)
I don’t want all-attacks, so for our first area we’re going to go with Attack All (Min) and Add a Minion for our minors, and 2 Actions against 2 Targets using Mid then Min for our big and complicated one.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, our final options look like this:
- Minor: Hinder One (Max), Boost One (Max), Hinder One PE (Mid), Add Mid Minions
- Major: Add Mid minions + effect, Action One (Mid+Min)
We want those Hinders and those Minions to not show up in the same place, so for this side I’m going to pick Hinder One (Max) and Boost One (Max) for my minors, and then Add Mid minions + effect for my major. I know exactly where I’m going, and I think I can make it work.
Step 3: Red Zone
Finally, as we approach Red, we’re looking at the following:
- Minor: 2 Actions One (Max, Hinder PE), Add stronger lieutenant, Two targets Hinder PE (Mid), Fully heal lieutenant
- Major: All Targets (Max), Add stronger lieutenant and effect
Once again, we want to make sure that we don’t stock up on lieutenants. I don’t think I want “spawn lieutenant” and “heal lieutenant” to be on the same environment’s minor, because that’s pretty repetitive, and I don’t want two persistent-exclusive Hinders in the same place, so let’s take 2 Actions One (Max, Hinder PE), and Add Stronger Lieutenant for my minors, and then All Targets (Max) for my major.
Step 4: Where Are We?
It’s a Kesonee Mob War!
Things have reached a boiling point, and two factions are slugging it out in the streets. Both sides have access to experimental alien-derived weapons and a handful of powered individuals, and both sides want to resolve this once and for all. Is the Expansionist clearing the way for total control? Has a war broken out between two of the factions of her gang? Depends on the story, but this is the result.
The Kesonee Mob War has the traits Armed Goons d8, Experimental Alien Weaponry d10, and Civilian Targets d8; the risk of people getting caught in the cross-fire pushes heroes to dangerous places.
Step 5: What Do We Do?
Well, first off, this is an environment that probably needs something else. My thought is that rather than having (H) challenge elements, you are going to be dealing with two groups of (H-1) enemies, who will fight each other as much as the heroes. Maybe one side has the Wasteland and his partners, and the other side is made up of a couple of lieutenants and a gang of minions, or maybe each side has one villain and their henchfolk. But there are a lot more people in the background; this is a climactic battle that will likely shatter the power of one or both groups if the heroes can stop them.
In Green, sprays of gunfire target everyone in play, as various mobsters on both sides open fire on whoever they can see. Individual grunts break away from the fighting to get involved in the main event, and occasionally a group will target individual heroes with energy weapons that wrack their bodies with pain.
In Yellow, collateral starts to be a thing. Suppressing fire brings buildings down and flips cars onto heroes, while goon squads provide support for the villains of their choice. At the height of the conflict, one side begins to take the advantage, freeing up a squad of minions to support their chosen villains.
Finally, in Red the battle is all but won, and the heroes are running out of time before one side crushes the other and emerges victorious. Goons start targeting heroes with high-power energy weapon attacks that cause their blood and muscles to spasm, and key mob enforcers enter the fray on the winning side. A massive hail of gunfire targets everyone on the losing side, and if the situation reaches the end the mobsters on the winning side have killed or scattered their opposition and the heroes will be forced to retreat…
Kesonee Mob War
Traits:
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Spray of Gunfire. A lot of people are shooting at a lot of people right now. Make a physical attack against every target in the scene, using the Min die.
Minor Twist: Hired Goon. Someone with more bravery than common sense breaks off from the surrounding battle and comes at the heroes. Add a d8 Armed Goon minion to the battle, and decide which villainous side they belong to. When they Attack, they can also Attack a second target for half the damage rolled on their attack.
Major Twist: Pain Grenade. An alien grenade gets tossed into the middle of a fight. Pick two targets close to either other, as long as they aren’t from both villainous sides. Attack them both with the Mid die, then Hinder them with the Min die.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Collateral. Stray fire threatens a civilian, brings down architecture, or otherwise creates a serious hazard that a hero gets caught dealing with. Hinder that hero with the Max die.
Minor Twist: “Got Your Back!” Seeing their bosses in trouble, some minions move in to provide support before returning to the general fray. Boost one villain on the currently-losing side with the Max die.
Major Twist: The Tide Turns. As the Yellow Zone draws to a close, it is starting to become clear that one side is winning, and they’re able to send a group of minions to help out. Add a number of Armed Goons equal to the Mid die result, choosing whichever villainous side is now stronger, and Boost all of that side’s existing villains and lieutenants with the Min die.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Interpolation Blasters. Stolen blasters lance out at dangerous targets. Attack and Hinder one character with the Max die. The Hinder is persistent and exclusive until the target can heal the energy spasms through their muscles.
Minor Twist: Helping The Boss. As the winning side mops up the opposition, their best fighters come to help. Add a d10 Mobster Lieutenant. Whenever this Lieutenant takes an action, they may also Boost one of their allies with the result.
Major Twist: Mopping Up. There aren’t many enemies left on one side, and the other side takes advantage, opening fire into the fray. Attack all heroes and all villains on the losing side with the Max die.
Aftermath:
I think this might be a mess and a half to run, but it would be an entertaining mess.
Having the heroes wading into the middle of a nasty all-out war on the streets of their town to try and shut both sides down before things get entirely out of hand seems very superhero. I don’t know if the challenge suggestions I put in place are good, but I think they give a lot of levers for the GM to adjust the battle’s difficulty by having villains mostly focus on each other if the heroes are getting too beaten up.
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