Cast
Amar Gupta aka The Iron Sikh (played by Christian): Brick. Taxi Driver. Ass-Kicker. Sikh. Tagline: “Being a man of faith means to live it.”- Amie-Belle T. W. Lee aka Whisper (Played by Curtis): Cold War era super-soldier/spy that got put in the Freezer, because she got poisoned. After getting thawed out and cured she tried to back to work, and was given an “adjustment period”. Uncle Sam called 2 years later, with work… because once you’re in, you’re in for life. Tagline: “In and out without a whisper.”
- Beauregard K. “Bo” Ratnam aka Wirerat (Played by Brice): Technopath, inventor, and hacker. He specializes in co-opting enemy systems and tech assets. Tagline: “Nice tech – I’ll borrow that.”
- Rafe Hanlon aka Nyx (played by Chris D.): An umbrakinetic petty thief still on work release several years later, on his way to becoming a true agent and hero. Tagline: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
- Vincenzo L. dePrezzo aka Threshold (Played by Rory): Doctor, Mathematician, and Scientist (yes, capitals) and Spatial Manipulator. Threshold can bend space like a pretzel, teleport, obliterate things, and has extraordinary senses. He’d rather be in a research lab than fight. Better known for his work with Doctors Without Borders, the United Nations, and disaster relief than famous battles. Tagline: “I can be there in a snap!”Derrick K. Ratnam aka Ledgerdemain (NPC Ally): Spin doctor and media liaison for Project VANGUARD. Twin to Bo. Tagline: “Well, actually that’s not how it happened…
- Jodie R. Swann aka Surferboy (NPC): Dude. Aero- and Hydrokinetic. Really laid back, but wants to make a difference. Has a advanced glider/drone he rides on. Tagline: “Like. Let’s just chill, dude.”
- Layla A. de Blackburn aka Nox (NPC): CIA-trained child assassin all grown up to be Daddy’s Little Monster. Maybe a little mad. Argues with her shadow often. Tagline: “No, we shouldn’t do that…should we?”
- Stainless Steel Rat aka “Sir” (NPC Ally): Bo’s best friend and assistant. A sentient drone in the shape of a stylized shiny metal rat mindlinked to Bo. Specialties are rapid repair construction and modifications. Imagine if K-9 and R2D2 made a baby and it looks a bit like a rodent. Tagline: “Repairs and upgrades in progress”
- Tierney M. Ward aka Rush (NPC): Speedster and former member of the Bullet Hell Brigade. Tagline: “Was that fast? I thought that was fast.”
- Zubayr Sajjad Marou aka Five Stars (NPC): Driver. Pilot. Klubbe gig worker.. From N’Djamena, Chad. Used to go by Darryl Bell to sound more American. Tagline: “I can get you there in time.”
Vanguard to the Rescue!
India is in a record heatwave (summer of 2019) and people are dying due to extreme heat, electrical outages, and lack of water. We fly over in our "totally not a quinjet" and upon landing are greeted by Prime Minister Modi is there to greet the team as they land and thanks us in advance for our help. No pressure there! Threshold as team leader demure's diplomatically and tells him lets wait and see before congratulations but we will do the best we can.
Nyx and Nox team up and power stunt Control Visible Light 2 with a 1,500 mile radius that will last for a week. This provides shade and helps to cool the entire region.
Bo gets to work on the electrical grid, winds up finding and giving plans on how to fix a lot of the weak points and computer crashes. Over the next week he also invents some TL9 electrical generators to help power things and sets up satellite internet (hijacking old satellites, many of them Russian) bringing the internet and power to many rural areas.
Whisper and Nyx spend time escorting Bo around, entertaining the children and doing humanitarian things such as getting supplies where they need to go.
Threshold talks to green supers group and members of Doctors Without Borders that are already on the scene, meeting at least one old friend. He then works out a plan with Surferboy and some of the green heroes who are earthmovers.
A small lake is created in New Delhi. The earth movers and threshold dig a really big hole. Bo puts together a submersible drone that Threshold teleports to the ocean and it goes deep and provides live underwater video. Threshold, Nyx, and Nox (each of whom has Warp and the same power source, though not focus) link up and power stunt a permanent portal to the ocean. It brings 800 gallons of water per second (and only water) to the now filling up lake. This cost 7 wildcard points, lots of FP, and significant skill penalties - though we spend all day for bonuses from Time Spent.
Surferboy then sets up a permanent water filtration system and very fancy animated water fountain so our creation looks pretty and will be a pleasant new landmark.
The earth movers from the greens start building aqueducts and the group and a lot of volunteers start carrying fresh water out from the lake. Threshold spends the next week teleporting all over the country, possibly even outside to a few remote villages. He gets video feed from a cell phone with Bo and the government coordinating things and telling Threshold where to go that is most urgent.
Threshold then warps in, asks for some volunteers and starts making portals back to the lake. He needs to spend no FP and just a few seconds to do each portal, though they only last a few seconds he can simply reopen another one (No Strain and Reliable 10 on Warp). People ferry water and any other supplies back and forth for a few hours then he moves on to the next location.
Threshold knows Hindi, Kashmiri, Nepali, and Tibetan as well as CF: Indian so can make himself understood in most of the country, significantly speeding communication and organizing, especially with his Charisma and leadership skills. He uses this to spread the news of what is happening while creating portals and resting between. He tells all the locals the shadey sky is the work of the heroes Nyx and Nox to help cool things off and it will only last a week, So the farms should not suffer more than they are from the drought and there is no reason to be scared. he also tells everyone about the lake he and his friends made in New Delhi so everyone knows that fresh water is coming. The govt is also broadcasting news and advisories to the population.
Summary
This was a great humanitarian mission. No combat so not an exciting session but everyone got to meaningfully contribute - most in more than one way and the GM made sure everyone had a chance to explain what they were doing. As team leader I also tried to give suggestions and make requests so everyone had plenty of good stuff to do. I doubt the group (or the GM) would be happy with this as a steady diet but it was to me at least a refreshing change form combat and showing just what a team of powerful GURPS supers can do to make the world a better place.
High point abilities, power stunts, Godlike Extra Effort, and Impulse Points made a meaningful impact.
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