TEXT: VIGILANCE PRESS COMICS GROUP PROUDLY PRESENTS
  By: Jason Tondro
  & Dan Houser
  The Field Guide to
  Super Heroes, Volume 4
  T H E  F I E L D  G U I D E  T O
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  1
  Paulina: I like your silence, it the more shows off  
   
  Your wonder. 
   
   
   
   
  The Winter’s Tale V iii
  The Field Guide To SuperheroeS Volume 4
  Writing and Design: Jason Tondro
  Editing: Nathan Kahler
  Art Direction and Graphic Design: Ruben Byrd
  Interior Art: Dan Houser
  Cover Art: Dan Houser and Ruben Byrd
  Publisher: James Dawsey
  ©2012 Vigilance Press
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  2
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  3
  The Sidekick was trained by a veteran hero and usually has powers similar 
  to that hero. He may be young and still in training, or else ready to go off on 
  his own.
  A Spin-Off Heroine is a female hero who is based on a male one. This gives her 
  an ally and a reputation, but also a self-image problem.
  The Super Cop is a public servant – usually but not always a policeman – who 
  has become a superhuman or who is armed with high-tech weaponry.
  The Super-Patriot wears a costume based on the flag. He personifies his na-
  tional virtues and is highly respected, even though he has few powers.
  The Super Weapon is an ordinary person who has either been given or has 
  found vast cosmic power. Now he has to figure out how to use it.
  The Ultimate Hero is one of the greatest heroes on the planet. He has many 
  highly effective powers, but he is also forced into a leadership role and must 
  abide by a strict moral code.
  An Undersea Hero is at his best when in the ocean, exploring the depths or 
  protecting it from exploitation by ignorant surface dwellers. He may be human 
  or a resident of Atlantis. 
  The Woman Warrior is a very physical-minded heroine who eagerly exchang-
  es punches with male musclemen. 
  The Weapon Master seldom has powers, but makes up for it by his mastery of 
  one type of weapon, often laden with high-tech gadgets.
  The Young Hero is a teenager with powers that he is just learning to control.
  5
  9
  13
  17
  21
  25
  29
  33
  37
  41
  Table oF ConTenTS
  
  4
  We have come at last, together, to the final volume of the Field Guide to Super 
  Heroes. Finally, we finish off the last ten of forty superhero archetypes, with all 
  the usual analysis, dynamic art, character creation help, sample heroes, story 
  hooks and adventure seeds you need. Each of the ten heroes gets the treatment 
  you have come to expect in previous volumes:
  A brief introduction to the archetype, touching on some of its most recognizable 
  characteristics.
  Some examples from comics to help you identify the sort of characters that ar-
  chetype includes.
  Related archetypes, since these are not hard-and-fast categories—many he-
  roes drift in and out of their archetype.
  The bulk of the archetype discussion is designed to aid in character creation. The 
  “Qualities & Challenges” section will give you specific ideas for aspects like Con-
  nections, Motivation, or even Catchphrases. Likely enemies, personal and social 
  problems, and weaknesses for each sort of hero are also explained. All of this 
  will help you figure out what you can tag in play and what the GM will be able 
  to compel.
  Abilities are briefly discussed. Archetype often has influence over a character’s 
  Abilities, especially scores that are super-powers of their own.
  Of course, no examination of archetype would be complete without a discussion 
  of Powers. That being said, the emphasis in this book remains on the character’s 
  origin and motivation rather than his or her specific powers. A character like the 
  Young Hero is identifiable because of his or her age; that same character could 
  have almost any power, from Wizardry to Swinging.
  “Specialties” is often the final section in the archetype discussion. It touches on 
  all the skills and talents that a given archetype is likely to display.
  Not every character has stunts, but if the hero does have them, they are listed 
  last. Stunts are specialized applications of a character’s powers or skills. In play, 
  heroes acquire stunts by spending a point of Determination, but the stunts listed 
  on the sample character sheets usually don’t require Determination to use—
  the hero has successfully used that trick often enough and spent the Determina-
  tion to rely on it all the time. For more on Stunts and gaining them, see pages 
  80 and 93 of ICONS.
  Once the archetype is discussed, you get a fully developed sample hero who fills 
  that role. These characters are all part of the Worlds of Wonder setting which 
  was introduced in the first volume and expanded in subsequent volumes. You 
  don’t have to make these into Player Characters to get a use out of them; each 
  character comes with multiple stories that can bring a group of original PCs into 
  the character’s unique story. Moreover, if you don’t like the Worlds of Wonder 
  setting, you certainly don’t have to use it. Its primary purpose is to create some 
  sort of context for all these heroes and their enemies to inhabit.
  We at Vigilance hope you have had as much fun reading the Field Guide as we 
  had working on it, and we also hope you find it useful in your games regard-
  less of system. Whether you are a player looking for a way to make your Super-
  Weapon a little different, a game master looking for some quick NPCs to re-skin 
  as villains, or just a superhero enthusiast who loves to nerd out on anything 
  comics related, this book in all its volumes was written for you. Use it as you 
  see fit.
  Comments, questions, and feedback are always welcome! You can visit Vigilance 
  Press’s podcast blog at vigilancepress.com, Jason Tondro at doctorcomics.blog-
  spot.com, or email the publisher at the address listed on the credits page.
  inTroduCTion
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  5
  Every knight needs a squire; the Sidekick is squire to the superheroes. As one of 
  the less-powerful archetypes, the Sidekick works at a disadvantage, holding his 
  own against opponents much tougher than he is. His mentor is never far away, 
  even when the Sidekick is making a name for himself as a solo hero.
  Examples: Altar Boy, Bucky, Jimmy Olson, Rick Jones, Robin, Squire, Tawky 
  Tawny, Toro
  Related Archetypes: Descendant, Spin-Off Heroine, Young Hero
  Qualities & Challenges: Traditionally the sidekick is a young and na-
  ive character who idolizes a particular hero and longs to work beside 
  him; consider Challenges like “Hero Worship” to represent the nega-
  tive side of this obsession, and “Has Studied All of Mentor’s Moves” to 
  represent the positive. As the Sidekick aids his mentor in the battle 
  against evil, he also refines his skills, often with the goal of becoming 
  an even better and more effective hero than the mentor himself.
  If the Sidekick has powers, he received them in an accident at 
  which the mentor was present, and the older hero takes the 
  youth in out of a sense of responsibility. This can lead to a 
  Challenge for the Mentor (“Sense of Guilt”) or an En-
  emy for the Sidekick (“I’ll Kill the Man Who Killed 
  My Parents!”).  Because the Sidekick has 
  been introduced to the hero commu-
  nity at large, and is well known and 
  trusted thanks to his mentor, he 
  may have Qualities like “Has the 
  All-Americans on Speed Dial” or 
  “Name Dropper”.
  Being a sidekick is tough work: it requires unfailing dedication and a thick skin, 
  a good excuse for the Sidekick’s large pool of Determination. The mentor is a 
  very tough teacher and slow to grant praise or respect. It can be difficult to play 
  a working mentor-sidekick relationship in a game, because the mentor will 
  always be better than the sidekick. It is easier for the sidekick to “go solo” or 
  join a team without his mentor, allowing him to show his merit without being 
  overshadowed. A team composed solely of Sidekicks and other Young Heroes is 
  also a traditional theme. Although the Sidekick does not specifically dream of 
  one day adopting the mentor’s identity after time or tragedy has left the older 
  hero dead, this is often a silent assumption (“Big Boots to Fill”). Sidekicks who 
  do covet the spotlight often end up turning into villains with Complications like 
  “Passed Over” or “Frustrated Heir”, but the heroic Sidekick usually fights to main-
  tain his individuality when the mentor becomes oppressive. Adopting a new 
  identity, he passes on the Sidekick name and outfit to the next generation.
  There are advantages to role-playing the Sidekick. He has great potential for 
  growth; far more than any other character type. While Ultimate Heroes and 
  Weapon Masters tend to stay the same from one month (or decade) to the next, 
  the Sidekick is always learning new skills, mastering new equipment or fight-
  ing techniques, and using his powers in new ways. A Sidekick character should 
  always have at least one Quality that re-
  flects his constant training – something 
  like “Quick Study” or “Nights in the Danger 
  Room” – so that, at any given moment, he 
  can spend a point of Determination and describe 
  some Stunt that his master taught him for this very 
  situation. The Sidekick is dynamic and invigorating, 
  which is why the mentor refuses to let him “graduate.” 
  Mentors rely on their Sidekicks more than they admit, 
  and sometimes the Sidekick is their only friend.
  There are a couple of variants on the Sidekick. One is the Hero’s 
  Pal archetype: a normal human being without costume or pow-
  ers who hangs out with the hero, watches his back, and helps out 
  while also getting into trouble from which he must be rescued. As 
  corny as he may sound, the Hero’s Pal is actually a good fit for modern 
  games that emphasize the mundane aspects of superheroic life. Many 
  gamers associate superheroes with clashing colors, stupid costumes, 
  and clichéd dialog; these players might enjoy playing a character who is 
  basically normal, but who – through Determination – can still be effective 
  and even do things more powerful heroes cannot. In contrast, the Super Pet ar-
  chetype is an animal, often intelligent and able to speak, which accompanies the 
  hero on his adventures and lends comic relief. While the Hero’s Pal is a more realistic, 
  grounded version of the Sidekick, the Super Pet is more retro, at least in appearance. 
  Despite its outlandish look and outright silliness, however, the Pet can be used to tell 
  stories that are poignant, humane, and touching.
  Abilities: The Sidekick is usually inferior to his mentor in every trait except Coordina-
  tion. Because the Sidekick is younger, he is often more nimble and quick. Intellect 
  might also be high; many mentors pride themselves on picking a Sidekick smarter 
  than they themselves.
  Powers: The Sidekick usually has powers similar to, but weaker than, his mentor. He 
  may have a single power, weapon, or technique that his mentor does not have, in an 
  effort to maintain his individuality or because his uncontrolled powers are what led 
  him to the mentor in the first place.
  Specialties: Again, the Sidekick will have the same Specialties of his mentor, but at 
  lower level. 
  Stunts: The Sidekick has few, if any, Stunts written on his character sheet. However, 
  he can manifest a host of one-off Stunts tailor-made for the story in which he finds 
  himself, explained away as lessons taught by his mentor during grueling training ses-
  sions. Because the Sidekick has few or no powers, and his Abilities are not high, he 
  should have plenty of Determination to use for these Stunts.
  SideKiCK
  
  6
  Archetypes: Sidekick, Young Hero
  First Appearance: Searchlight #34
  eSquire
  Acrobatics, Athletics, Criminology, Investigation, Law Mastery, Martial 
  Arts Expert, Stealth
  SPECIALTIES
  Best Wingman Ever, Has Worked with Everyone, Wonder Lawyer
  QUALITIES
  Lost Boy, “I pull my own weight”, Has Everyone’s Rogues Gallery
  CHALLENGES
  Teamwork (Prowess) Esquire can spend a point of Determination to 
  give his mentor hero a +2 on one action. 
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  8
  5
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  5
    STRENGTH
  4
    AWARENESS
  5
    COORDINATION
  5
    INTELLECT
  5
    WILLPOWER
  4
  POWERS
    EQUIPMENT*
  10
  • INVULNERABILITY 1
  • SWINGING 2
  • BLAST 4 (MINI GRENADES)
  • BINDING 3 (BOLOS)
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  *see FGtSH Vol.1, p.23
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  7
  The life of Jeffrey Warren Belmont III was highly regimented. From his earliest 
  memory, his parents had planned his Ivy League education. They selected his 
  girlfriends from among the daughters of their wealthy and powerful friends. 
  They bought him a sleek sports car. They screened his private tutors. Through 
  lavish donations (and the occasional “special gift”) they ensured that no matter 
  how bored he became with his classes, how frustrated he became at his law 
  school training, all his grades were As and all his letters of recommendation 
  glowing. Thus it was that on his sixteenth birthday, Jeffrey walked out of his 
  parent’s house and never looked back.
  He had realized, years before, that he had never earned a single thing in his life. 
  True, he had a life of ease, but it had been handed 
  to him on a silver platter – often liter-
  ally. He had lived under the 
  shadow of his parents 
  long enough. From 
  now on, if he 
  succeeded 
  in 
  life, he could at 
  least take the 
  credit, and if he 
  failed, he would 
  take the fall. Of 
  course, what Jeffrey had 
  always wanted to be, ever 
  since he was a boy, was a Wonder. 
  Therefore, he used the substantial trust fund set 
  aside for him to finance a rigorous regimen of self-improvement. He lived in the 
  poorest of conditions and found his trainers on the rough-and-tumble streets. 
  Initially, his trainers laughed at the rich WASP trying to “play hero.” In time, his 
  dedication, resourcefulness, quick intelligence and unwavering confidence won 
  them over. He fashioned a uniform for himself, and chose a name that reminded 
  him of the upper-crust life he had forsaken forever.
  Esquire’s big break came several years ago, when Everest the Man-Mountain 
  was beating the costumed crimefighter known as Searchlight to death. Jeffrey 
  managed to distract the villain with a convenient tear gas grenade, then lure 
  him close enough to a gasoline tanker truck that Everest was KO’d in the ensuing 
  explosion. Wisely, Esquire gave Searchlight all the credit, and when the gasoline 
  company later sued Searchlight for damages, Esquire defended the hero in court 
  and won. Searchlight, who may have been getting old but was no dummy, gave 
  the kid a job. Jeffrey became a sidekick, and spent the next three years drag-
  ging his well-meaning but aging and stubborn partner out of embarrassing and 
  sometimes unbelievable situations. By the time Searchlight grudgingly retired, 
  Esquire had networked with the entire Wonder community and had a reputa-
  tion as a kid who could make even an idiot look good.
  Although he could have gone solo, Jeffrey was so good at the sidekick business 
  he decided to stick with it. He offered his services to the 2007 winner of Who 
  Wants to be a Wonder?, showing a novice hero the ropes for a year before leav-
  ing to defend the Champ from a murder charge. In the time since, he has drifted 
  from one hero to the next, careful to never abandon a partner when his skills 
  might be needed. Two years ago, he was offered a six-figure annual salary to 
  sidekick for a well-heeled Wonder, but Jeffrey refused, tasting the bitter lure of 
  his family wealth once more on his tongue. Instead, he lent his investigative and 
  street-smart talents to an up-and-coming hero who was down on his luck.
  Now Jeffrey Belmont is 26, and it is getting increasingly hard for him to keep 
  up the sidekick routine. He’s getting too old to be second fiddle; he’s already the 
  same age as the inexperienced heroes who benefit the most from his skills. He’s 
  debated creating a new identity for himself, but the life of a sidekick has be-
  come, for him, something of a crutch. After all, if you’re always the sidekick, then 
  no one looks to you for leadership. If the villain gets away, it’s not your fault. As a 
  sidekick, he’s a valuable commodity that veteran 
  Wonders fight over. As a solo hero... 
  Jeffrey would be just another 
  costumed crimefighter. 
  Even Jeffrey real-
  izes that maybe, 
  even 
  though 
  he walked out 
  of his parent’s 
  house ten years 
  ago, he’s still liv-
  ing life with a silver 
  spoon in his mouth; but 
  giving that spoon up is prov-
  ing to be awful hard...
  Abilities: Esquire is a well-trained martial 
  artist, an athlete, and a criminal investiga-
  tor who specializes in keeping his partner out of 
  trouble and looking good. He doesn’t hit as hard as more physically focused he-
  roes, but he doesn’t see that as his primary role. He’s more likely to use his Team-
  work stunt than attack a villain directly, and uses Determination to produce the 
  right piece of equipment from his utility belt. Jeffrey’s most valuable skills may 
  be those of the courtroom; he’s an expert on criminal and Wonder law and is a 
  master of subtle courtroom dramatics.
  Appearance: Jeffrey is a good-looking man with curly blonde hair, gray eyes, 
  and a face you can trust. Of course, it’s usually hidden behind a mask, but nev-
  ertheless. His uniform includes a loose black jacket, gloves, and boots, the shirt 
  underneath decorated with a bold white cross.
  Stories: A band of young heroes ask Esquire to not just to join their team, but 
  lead it! Of course he refuses, but when the team is hammered by foes that are 
  more experienced, finding itself out of its depth, guilt and a sense of responsibil-
  ity compel Jeffrey to organize a rescue of the captured team members, defeat 
  the bad guys, and help the group get on its feet. One possible tactic Esquire 
  might employ: picking another team member to be “leader”, then mastermind-
  ing the group under cover of being “just another teammate.”
  Before he left his parents’ house, Jeffrey’s early attempts to flail out against his 
  family led him to do some especially reckless things. He finds out that he has a 
  ten-year old daughter, engendered on his prep school girlfriend, who has been 
  “Your honor, I maintain that my client is  
  the victim of malicious space-time distortion, and his exem-
  plary past has been rewritten into that of a serial murderer 
  as part of a clumsy attempt at revenge. I would like to intro-
  duce the time platform you see before you 
  as defense exhibit A.”
  
  8
  disowned by her family and is barely making it. Jeffrey is faced with a serious 
  choice: he knows he should give up his adventuring life and be a responsible 
  father, but being a sidekick is the only thing he has ever been good at. Is the boy 
  who refused to grow up ready to become a father?
  An imprisoned super-villain appeals to Esquire, asking the young hero to take 
  charge of his legal case. The convict insists he was framed, that although he was 
  guilty of many crimes in his life, of this charge he is innocent. Jeffrey decides, 
  after much soul-searching, that the villain is telling the truth and he success-
  fully re-opens the case. Suddenly he is a pariah on the heroic scene, as Wonders 
  across America brand him a traitor taking his thirty pieces of silver. Meanwhile, 
  the real murderer is trying to get Esquire (or his client) killed, and all the evi-
  dence is starting to point to one of the good guys being the culprit.
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  9
  The Spin-Off Heroine is a female version of a famous male hero (or villain). This 
  gives her name recognition and a set of powers, but she has a hard time escap-
  ing the shadow cast by her inspiration. 
  Examples: Batgirl, Hawkgirl, Ms. Marvel, Mary Marvel, She-Hulk, Spider-Girl, 
  Spider-Woman, Supergirl, X-23
  Related Archetypes: Sidekick, Ultimate Hero, Young Hero
  Qualities & Challenges: Because she is living in another hero’s shadow, the 
  Spin-Off Heroine has the same problems as the Sidekick or Descendant—the 
  heroine must live up to the legendary name she bears while at the same time 
  struggling with questions of self-identity and self-worth. Is she more than a 
  token? Who is she when her male equivalent is not around? 
  These issues are resolved by giving the heroine unique powers, personal prob-
  lems, or membership in a team, while the male hero usually works solo. Her 
  most rewarding stories are those in which she confronts her nature as a Spin-Off 
  directly. Her relationship to the hero that inspired 
  her is very important: she may revere him, re-
  spect him, or be related to him, but she also 
  might resent him or try to prove herself by 
  using tactics he would not approve of. She 
  may have gotten her powers in an accident 
  where the male hero was present (like 
  a Sidekick), or she may have the 
  same origin as he, being from 
  the same distant world or 
  governmental training 
  program. 
  Because the Spin-Off 
  Heroine is one of the 
  few archetypes by defi-
  nition female, she often 
  grapples with issues of 
  womens rights and the 
  balance of family to career. 
  Because super heroes almost 
  never have children of their 
  own, the Spin-Off Heroine has 
  a young protégé and a circle of 
  close friends who stand in for 
  family, and whose needs she 
  is forced to juggle along-
  side saving the world 
  and keeping her day 
  job. These are not plots 
  unique to the Spin-Off 
  Heroine, but rather common to female heroes in general; the Spin-Off just gets 
  her fair share of them.
  In comics, the Spin-Off Heroine has a hit-and-miss record of accomplishment. 
  Though she may be successful for a time, she is never able to break out of the 
  shadow of the male hero who is her inspiration. Nonetheless, some of the most 
  beloved and popular female heroes have been Spin-Offs, and they have become 
  role models to generations of female readers and fans.
  Abilities: The Spin-Off Heroine usually has Abilities within 1 point of her male 
  counterpart. Her Perception. Coordination, and Willpower may be slightly high-
  er, while her Strength and Prowess are slightly lower.
  Powers: If the Spin-Off Heroine has the same origin as her male counterpart, 
  her powers are nearly identical to his. If she was somehow exposed to his pow-
  ers through a blood transfusion or strange 
  accident, or if she is self-made out of a 
  desire to emulate the hero, her pow-
  ers will be similar, slightly weaker, 
  but with an unusual twist to help 
  distinguish her.
  Specialties: Spin-Off Heroines 
  often differ wildly from their 
  male counterparts when it comes 
  to Specialties, as this reflects back-
  ground and a mundane life where 
  the heroine struggles for individuality. 
  A common trend is for the heroine to be 
  CEO of a successful company or an outspo-
  ken advocate for equal rights, perhaps a 
  journalist, cable news analyst, or blogger.
  Stunts: The Spin-Off Heroine is likely to have 
  one or two stunts in common with her male 
  counterpart, which are tied to his distinctive 
  powers. Otherwise, she relies on Determina-
  tion and creativity.
  Spin-oFF heroine
  
  10
  Archetypes: Spin-off Heroine, Alien Hero, Ulti-
  mate Hero, Psychic Hero
  First Appearance: Victor #63 (as The Void), 
  Victor #75 (as Victoria)
  ViCToria
  Everyone Deserves a Second Chance, Fan Favorite,  Project Atlas
  QUALITIES
  Cult of the Void, Psychic Lobotomy, “Who am I really?”
  CHALLENGES
  Mental Switchboard (Telepathy): Victoria uses her psychic powers to network all her allies together. This allows them to communicate silently and at the 
  speed of thought, even over great distances. She can link up to eight allies in perfect communion in this way, but can extend the switchboard to a vastly larger 
  number by reducing the depth and clarity of the link.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  16
  1
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  7
    STRENGTH
  8
    AWARENESS
  6
    COORDINATION
  6
    INTELLECT
  5
    WILLPOWER
  8
  POWERS
    ESP
  4
    INVULNERABILITY
  6
    LIFE SUPPORT
  10
    MENTAL BLAST
  7
    MIND SHIELD
  6
    SUPER SPEED
  6
    TELEPATHY
  8
    FLIGHT
  8
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  11
  In 2003, after an extended campaign that saw the murder of an entire star sys-
  tem, not to mention the death of several hundred members of an alien legion, 
  the intergalactic criminal known as the Void was at last defeated and brought 
  before the Parliament of Stars for judgment. The greatest danger posed by the 
  Void was her insatiable telepathic hunger, which led her to absorb the minds 
  and souls of countless innocent victims. Even a planetary blockade had failed to 
  stop her, since after absorbing enough mental energy she became capable of in-
  dependent travel through hyperspace. Nevertheless, some members of the Par-
  liament saw in the Void a potential weapon, and before she could be destroyed 
  there was a successful motion to have her subjected to psychic dissection, in the 
  hope that the nature of her abilities would be understood 
  and, eventually, mastered.
  However, the Void was not 
  without allies. In her 
  brief but violent 
  war against sen-
  tient life, she 
  had attracted 
  the adoration 
  of certain cult 
  groups who saw 
  in her the culmina-
  tion of a prophecy that 
  detailed the end of the universe. 
  One of these cult cells managed to infil-
  trate the psychic surgery chamber and, in the midst of 
  an intense firefight, make off with the Void’s body. Fortunately for the universe, 
  most of the dissection had already been accomplished, and additional trauma 
  was inflicted when the Void was disconnected from her life support equipment. 
  The insurgents smuggled the body to a waiting starship and attempted to flee, 
  but as they were making the transition to hyperspace, they were intercepted by 
  a naval patrol and their ship was destroyed.
  Amazingly, the Void survived. Placed in an emergency life pod by her rescuers, 
  she careened through hyperspace on a random trajectory until quantum drag 
  brought her down to sub-light velocities and NASA scientists detected her on 
  the outskirts of Earth’s solar system. Victor, who had often cooperated with the 
  US government on missions of this sort, was sent to investigate and brought the 
  space capsule back with him to be opened in a secure environment. The mo-
  ment it was, however, the mind of the Void instantly reached out and brushed 
  Victor’s own, filling in the vast gaps within its own memory with those of the 
  android Wonder. Encouraged by the flood of images and sensations, the Void 
  expanded its mental probes to include other scientists at the base and, eventu-
  ally, much of Earth.
  What could have been a disaster ended instead with hopeful surprise, when the 
  being once known as the Void arose from her space capsule and announced her-
  self as Victoria. She had no memory of her previous life and little knowledge of 
  Earth culture, but she seemed sincere in her desire to help mankind and began 
  an intense educational program (with the help of NASA scientists, YouTube, and 
  the Fashion Channel). Within weeks, she had donned a uniform reminiscent of 
  her namesake and made a name for herself as a brave, tireless Wonder dedi-
  cated to the preservation of human life.
  Years later, Victoria learned the truth of her origin when a Parliamentary Recov-
  ery Team arrived on Earth to investigate rumors that the Void had been sighted 
  on the planet. She learned that she was responsible for the extinction of every 
  inhabitant of the planet Anabraxis, and the full litany of the tortures – both 
  physical and mental – she inflicted on those who were unfortunate enough to 
  come under her power left her horrified. Nevertheless, she insisted that she no 
  longer was that person and had committed herself to a life of service to others. 
  The argument had little merit with the alien soldiers, but when 
  it was put to them more directly by an alli-
  ance of Earth Wonders, they were 
  forced to retreat. She is still 
  harassed by ever-es-
  calating retrieval 
  expeditions 
  mounted 
  by 
  the intergalac-
  tic community, 
  and has even 
  confronted 
  the 
  cult that worships 
  her former self.
  Few on Earth know the truth behind 
  Victoria’s sudden appearance; because she 
  and Victor had a brief affair, most think she 
  is an “ex-girlfriend” who somehow managed 
  to gain a portion of his abilities. Victor’s intensely 
  competitive nature and her own self-loathing forced the pair apart, but Victoria 
  has since found a home for herself working with Project Atlas, an established 
  team of Wonders whom she hopes will keep an eye on her should the lure of the 
  Void ever rise again.
   
  Abilities:  Victoria demonstrates many of the powers of her namesake, though 
  her abilities are psychic in nature and therefore unlike her robotic counterpart. 
  She is incredibly strong, fast, and relatively invulnerable. Most noteworthy, 
  however, are the telepathic talents that survived her psychic lobotomy. She can 
  communicate over millions of miles, and often finds herself acting as a “psychic 
  switchboard,” allowing her allies to communicate easily and securely even in the 
  midst of battle.
  Appearance: Victoria is a statuesque woman with black hair and a uniform 
  clearly based on Victor (though far more fashionable). She wears a cape, boots, 
  and gloves and her torso is marked with a deep V pattern.
  “Sometimes we don’t notice the 
  light until it gets very, very dark.”
  
  12
  Stories:  Stories starring Victoria typically center on her alien nature, her crimi-
  nal past, or her relationship to Victor himself.
  The citizens of New Anabraxis – an artificial planetoid colonized by those An-
  abraxians who were off their home-world at the time of the disaster – cry out 
  for vengeance and are eventually able to bring enough pressure to bear in Par-
  liament that definitive actions must be taken. A few weeks later, a naval fleet 
  invades the Earth system and announces its intent to bombard the planet with 
  hyperspatial missiles unless the Void is handed over. Players can be involved in 
  many ways: in the pre-invasion period they might be able to de-rail the An-
  abraxian effort, or somehow persuade the Parliament that aggressive action 
  will cause more harm than good. Of course, if there is an invasion, there will 
  be plenty for the heroes to do, but this may be the least interesting possibil-
  ity. Should Victoria surrender (likely in order to avoid a war), the heroes might 
  have a role in a second trial, giving testimony or even serving as Victoria’s legal 
  counsel. In the end, they will have to face a difficult issue: no matter how good 
  Victoria is now, does that earn her immunity from the crimes she committed 
  years ago?
  The Cult of the Void rejects Victoria as their leader, insisting that the “spirit of 
  the Void” is trapped within her body and must be released into a new vessel so 
  that their apocalyptic prophecy can come to fruition. Using alien mind-reading 
  equipment, they take Victoria by surprise and quickly “distill” from her some of 
  the original mental patterns of the Void before fleeing. The agenda of the Cult is 
  clear: they will attempt to find the next “incarnation of the Void” and then beam 
  the psychic fragments at this hapless victim, hoping to recreate the Void. Who 
  will they choose? Might some villain, hungry for power, try to manipulate the 
  cult for his own ends? What if the transfer process has unexpected results? What 
  if it succeeds? What will the aftereffects of the alien procedure be on Victoria, 
  and what relationship will she have with the new Chosen One?
  Victoria’s psychic powers begin to grow unexpectedly, and she fears that the 
  Void is returning. She tries everything to bring the new abilities under control, 
  but nothing works, and she is forced to place herself in an isolation tank lest 
  harm come to those she has sworn to protect (leaving the heroes to pursue the 
  investigation). Use this story as a way of probing the origin of the Void and in-
  vestigating the nature of Victoria’s psychic abilities. Where do they come from? 
  Who, or what, was the Void anyway? It is only after she comes to truly under-
  stand who she is and where she came from that Victoria can begin to master her 
  own powers, and once she does that she can stand up and take action against 
  whatever force is secretly conspiring against her.
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  13
  The Super-Cop brings “serve and protect” to the superhuman stage. He is a public 
  servant, often with no powers of his own, who has been transformed into a hero 
  or given high-tech equipment he can use to battle larger-than-life criminals.
  Examples: Captain Metropolis, Judge Dredd, New York Guardian, Robocop, Sav-
  age Dragon, Silver Avenger, Top Ten
  Related Archetypes: Defender, Super-Patriot, Super-Weapon
  Qualities & Challenges: The Super-Cop is a blend of two distinct genres—the 
  cop show and the superhero comic—so when it comes to making your own 
  Super-Cop, think back on cop shows which you like. Perhaps your Super-Cop is 
  the loose cannon who knows what’s best, constantly berated by his boss, the 
  Naïve Lieutenant or the Captain Who Is Cowed By The Mayor. Maybe he lives “by 
  the book”, insisting on a methodical approach to crime fighting. Alternatively, 
  she’s the One Girl In The Boy’s Club, a policewoman who has to struggle to 
  be accepted, doing twice the work for half the pay. Like most police-
  men, the Super-Cop struggles to be there for his family while also 
  chasing criminals. He works long hours for low pay, his health is 
  in constant danger, and he brings his work home with him. 
  Unlike other superheroes, he is usually married, though 
  the marriage is strained. As part of an organization, 
  the Super-Cop can have a whole host of Qualities and 
  Challenges related to that group, from “Friends on 
  the Force” to the “Policeman’s Code”. Vigilantes who 
  take the law into their own hands are a constant 
  source of enemies. The Super-Cop’s partner is either 
  a Sidekick or a Connection, if he’s heroic; a Rival or 
  enemy, if he has turned to vigilantism; or a ghost who 
  haunts the hero, and who is a recurring symbol of the 
  hero’s failures.
  Because policemen are so closely identified with a par-
  ticular city or neighborhood, the Super-Cop is a close rel-
  ative of the Defender archetype. Indeed, the Super-Cop 
  can sometimes have a role as the city’s official spokes-
  man, protector, and symbol. This means his weapons, 
  powers, and tactics are influenced by and symbolize 
  his city. His helmeted face may be on billboards all 
  over town, warning criminals to think twice.
  One common variant of the Super-Cop is the 
  Space Cop, which is rooted in “Doc” Smith’s 
  pulp-era Lensmen stories and which ma-
  tured in comics as the Green Lantern Corps. 
  The Space Cop is a metaphor for the 
  Super-Cop; oppressed aliens fill in for 
  oppressed minority groups, exotic worlds 
  replace the urban metropolis, slum, or 
  suburb, and inscrutable cosmic beings replace the By-the-Book-Commanding-
  Officer. Indeed, the Space Cop has proven so successful in the medium that it 
  overwhelms the more mundane Super-Cop in the public eye. In recent decades, 
  an overall shift towards more human, “gritty” protagonists has brought the 
  Earthbound Super-Cop back to the fore.
  Super-Cops do not always have to be policemen. The key element is their nature 
  as public servants, employees of the city who are still bound by the chain of 
  command. The Super-Cop has to punch the clock and listen to orders, even if he 
  chooses not to obey them.
  Many superheroes were policemen but left that career when they became 
  superheroes (the Spirit, the Cape, various incarnations of the Vigilante); these 
  characters have elements of the Super-Cop, but since they are no longer obliged 
  to obey commands, they are closer in spirit to archetypes such as the Dark 
  Avenger. If the Super-Cop is actually a soldier, not a policeman, he is prob-
  ably a Super-Patriot.
  Abilities: To preserve their nature as sympathetic characters with 
  whom the reader can easily identify, the Super-Cop usually has 
  abilities in the 3 to 5 range. His best ability is probably Prowess or 
  Coordination, but Willpower, Strength and Awareness are also im-
  portant. Intellect is probably his lowest ability score.
  Powers: Super-Cops stand out among heroes as one of the 
  few archetypes likely to carry a gun. Advanced versions of 
  other police hardware, such as billy clubs, handcuffs, 
  and surveillance gear, are also common. The 
  Super-Cop usually has an armed and 
  armored squad car; use the Vehicles 
  power in the Field Guide’s second 
  volume to represent this. 
  Specialties: The Super-Cop re-
  lies heavily on his training and is 
  likely to have strong specialties, es-
  pecially Criminology, Drive, Investigation 
  and Weapons (pistol). Athletics, Law, Leader-
  ship and Stealth would not be out of place. 
  Narrators might encourage a Law Enforcement 
  Specialty, which does for police officers what 
  Military does for soldiers.
  SuperCop
  
  14
  Archetypes: Armored Wonder, Master of the 
  Elements, Super-Cop
  First Appearance: The All-Americans #257
  maJor raGer
  Athletics, Criminology, Investigation
  SPECIALTIES
  Smoke Jumper, Decorated for Valor, The All-Americans
  QUALITIES
  Always Coming in Second Place, Brings His Work Home, Publicity Stunt, 
  Weakness: Immunity to Affliction only works against Smoke.
  CHALLENGES
  Fire Extinguishing Foam (Binding): Major Rager can use his Binding power to attack any fire and he gains a +2 bonus on the roll. Translation Program 
  (Intellect): Major Rager can spend a point of Determination to communicate with any civilian he is trying to rescue, regardless of language. Hose It Down 
  (Binding): Major Rager can spend a point of Determination to make use of Binding and attack every target in an area.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  12
  1
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  4
    STRENGTH
  7
    AWARENESS
  5
    COORDINATION
  4
    INTELLECT
  4
    WILLPOWER
  5
  POWERS
    ABILITY INCREASE (Strength)
    IMMUNITY (Heat)
  1
    INVULNERABILITY
  3
    LIFE SUPPORT (Breathing, Heat)
  2
    RESISTANCE (Blinding)
  6
    STRIKE
  6
    SUPER-SENSES (Radar)
  1
    BINDING
  6
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  15
  In the years after 9/11, government money was suddenly available for virtu-
  ally any project imaginable, as long as the project had some application to do-
  mestic security. In this slush-fund feeding frenzy, the nationwide association 
  of firefighters successfully petitioned a former weapons lab to develop a set of 
  firefighting equipment capable of acting in the super-heroic environment. This 
  “Perfect Firefighter Project”, as it came to be called, envisioned a single man 
  who was the equivalent of an entire fire station – able to move rapidly and safe-
  ly from one edge of a fire to another, able to enter structurally unsafe buildings, 
  and not only rescue those trapped within but also contain the blaze.
  The PFP took two years to complete and saw 
  immediate field-testing in sea-
  sonal California wild fires, 
  where it performed 
  above 
  expecta-
  tions. Nick Ban-
  ning was the 
  seasoned fire 
  professional 
  who won the 
  right to wear the 
  equipment in a na-
  tionwide competition; 
  his fellow firemen christened 
  him “Major Rager”, taking the name 
  from firefighter slang for a big, dangerous fire. 
  A building collapse in early 2010 broke Banning’s leg and, although he emerged 
  from the fire on his own two feet, higher-ups decided to select a new Major 
  while Nick healed. The equipment and title was given to Mark Santori, who had 
  come in second place to Banning in the original selection process.
  Santori is now trying to adapt to a super-heroic role while still keeping his eye 
  on his priorities. He is, above all, still a firefighter. He lives in New York and still 
  takes part in the firehouse routine; he particularly enjoys his visits to schools and 
  youth centers in the New York community. But when the alarms ring, he dons 
  the golden helmet and cuirass of Major Rager, and he can be directed anywhere 
  in the country on a moment’s notice. Mark is finding that being Major Rager 
  is not all that it is cracked up to be – his superiors have a depressing amount 
  of control over his activities and personal life, and the constant pace of on-call 
  duty is wearing him thin. Even now, Mark is fighting with the Department of 
  Homeland Security, which is interested in placing him on the All-Americans, a 
  federally sponsored super-team. While it is exciting to be a publicly recognized 
  hero, the government sometimes seems more interested in using him as a mo-
  bile publicity stunt. The Gulf Oil Spill proved to be a perfect example of this, as 
  Santori was obligated to interrupt his usual work to accompany the President on 
  a tour of the region while cameras rolled.
  Just as Mark started to think he got his feet underneath him, he has become 
  haunted by the legend of Nick Banning. After his forced retirement from the po-
  sition of Major Rager, Banning went back to his old firehouse, where he enjoyed 
  a position of respect and authority. He has since been promoted, and has be-
  come a regular “analyst” on cable news shows. Mark has yet to make the media 
  splash that his predecessor did, and all of Major Rager’s most renowned exploits 
  happened on Banning’s watch. There have been quiet rumors that the Major has 
  been “watered down.”
  Mark Santori isn’t laughing.
  Abilities: The Perfect Firefighter Prototype is an advanced battlesuit design 
  specialized for the fire environment. Its wearer is immune to heat and flame 
  and has a recycled air system to resist smoke. A mini-radar system allows per-
  fect navigation in any environment. Although the 
  golden armor was designed to repel 
  falling walls, trees, and the 
  occasional ceiling, it also 
  does an excellent job 
  against bullets. In 
  the armor, San-
  tori is capable 
  of lifting almost 
  ten tons and, 
  with the benefit 
  of high-power hy-
  draulics, can leap 175 
  feet down from a moving 
  plane. Perhaps the most amazing 
  piece of hardware is the molecular assembler 
  on his right arm, which synthesizes firefight-
  ing foam out of trace elements in the air. This 
  foam can smother virtually any fire in seconds, and 
  Mark has used it to effectively immobilize everything from rioters and looters 
  to hordes of faceless minions. The helmet protects its wearer from intense light 
  and sound, and even has a state-of-the-art translation program installed so that 
  the Major can communicate with victims in any language. Even the firefighter’s 
  “irons” have been considered: Santori carries an axe made of a high-tech alloy 
  which is capable of extending hooks and pry bar heads as necessary. While he 
  has yet to become comfortable using this axe on living foes, he’s had to do it 
  often enough.
  In addition to the diverse capabilities of the PFP, Mark Santori is a veteran fire-
  fighter trained in arson investigation and with impressive physical abilities. In 
  any dangerous situation, his priorities are civilians first, his fellow firefighters 
  second, and anything else a distant third. In his unspoken effort to equal the 
  reputation of Nick Banning, he’s begun pushing himself harder and farther than 
  any man has a right to; it’s been the cause of more than one argument with his 
  long-term girlfriend, and the two are not currently speaking.
  Appearance: Major Rager wears a gleaming golden battle suit that has a basic 
  similarity in appearance to a firefighter’s traditional turnout coat, helmet, gloves 
  and boots. A tool belt clamps securely around his waist and a back bracket holds 
  his iron when it is not in use. An oxygen mask covers his face and flash-resistant 
  lenses obscure his eyes, giving him a somewhat disturbing and inhuman ap-
  pearance, so governmental handlers have worked hard to present the Major’s 
  “I’m goin’ in.”
  
  16
  media image in a positive and child-friendly way. Outside of the uniform, Mark 
  is a strapping New Yorker of Italian ancestry, clean-shaven with short black hair 
  and dark eyes.
  Stories: The government decides that since the Major is such a public relations 
  boon, it would be good for Washington if he were on a super-team. Naturally, 
  they pick the PC team for this “honor” and begin exerting pressure (of increasing 
  degree) to get Santori “invited” on to the roster. The Major doesn’t want to be 
  on the team any more than the heroes want him there, so the best way to get 
  out of this may be for the PCs and Mark to collaborate on a covert way to defuse 
  the situation.
  Nick Banning may seem like he’s perfectly happy in his new desk job, with a fat 
  pay raise and lots of TV time, but the truth is the loss of the Major Rager identity 
  is torturing him like a worm in the gut. He decides he has to get it back, probably 
  by staging a dangerous fire which wounds Mark and forces him to step down. 
  While Banning will not initially intend the fire to be deadly, it’s hard to gauge 
  the threat level when dealing with something like Major Rager, and “it’s best 
  to be sure.” PC investigators get wind of the arson, but do not learn of the at-
  tempted murder. Alternately, the PCs may factor into Banning’s plan, as the way 
  to deliver info to Mark and get him to the set-up on time.
  Tall, handsome, broad-shouldered and heroic, Mark Santori is the kind of guy 
  many girls go for. This only becomes a problem when the girl in question is the 
  romantic interest of a PC, who is rescued by the Major and can’t stop thinking 
  about him. This is particularly good for PCs who conceal their secret identity 
  even from their SO; in this way, the hero knows that if he revealed his secret, his 
  girl would know him for the hero he is, but can he risk putting her in danger?
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  17
  Also known as the Flagsuit, the Super Patriot identifies himself with a 
  particular nation, whose symbol he proudly wears. He obeys a strict 
  moral code and is considered one of the pre-eminent heroes in the 
  world, at least by his own people. Provided he lives up to his obliga-
  tions, he is revered by his nation. One false move, and the wrath of an 
  entire country can come down on him like a hammer.
  Examples: Captain America, Captain Britain, 
  Guardian (James Hudson), Rocket Red, Star-
  Spangled Kid, Uncle Sam, Union Jack
  Related Archetypes: Armored Wonder, Defend-
  er, Super-Cop
  Qualities & Challenges: As a living symbol of his nation, 
  the Super-Patriot should embody his national ideals to a su-
  perlative degree. Of course, people within a country can argue 
  and debate what those ideals are, leading to multiple Super-
  Patriots who embody different national agendas. When a nation 
  goes through a crisis, that crisis manifests in the men and women 
  who wear its colors, prompting some Super-Patriots to quit, go under-
  ground, or be replaced by more pragmatic and “modern” versions who 
  sacrifice ideals in the name of results. Each generation may have its own 
  incarnation of the Super-Patriot, making him into a Descendant.
  History is a wonderful source of inspiration for the Super-Patriot, who may 
  use national slogans (“These Colors Never Run”, “Don’t Tread On Me”), be 
  named after famous individuals, or whose powers are themed off of na-
  tional icons, symbols and objects like the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty’s 
  torch, or Mount Rushmore. All of this can make the Super-Patriot a bit corny, 
  even among other superheroes, and so he is often perceived as old-fashioned, 
  conservative, and as an authority figure worthy only of derision and disrespect. 
  The Super-Patriot overcomes all this by holding to a strict moral and ethical code; 
  he always tries to do right, and is thwarted in this effort only when, as a soldier in 
  the command of his nation, he is ordered to act against his principles. The player 
  of the Super-Patriot lives for these moments, when he is forced to choose between 
  honor and duty. If the hero chooses duty and obeys commands, he loathes himself 
  for it and struggles in the days and weeks that follow to make amends for his mis-
  take, to somehow “set things right.” If he chooses honor, and refuses to obey a bad 
  command, he is punished, forced to resign, or flee his masters in order to continue 
  the good fight. Eventually his country needs him again, and all is forgiven.
  The Super-Patriot’s military and political connections give him many potential 
  Qualities like “Let Me Speak to the President”, “I Don’t Need A Requisition Form”, 
  or “Yes, I’m Really A Captain”. At the same time, he is a victim of “Red Tape”, “That’s 
  Not How We Do Things In My Office” or “Diplomatic Niceties”. In a generation in 
  which military heroes are increasingly covert forces, snipers, and other black ops 
  groups, the Super-Patriot may feel like “A Man Out of Time” or be isolated from 
  his commanders because this is “On A Need To Know Basis”. However, because the 
  common people of the nation adore him, there is “Always A Fan In The 
  Crowd” or a fellow marine ready to follow our hero into peril with a shout 
  of “Semper Fi!”
  At his core, the Super-Patriot is an everyman charac-
  ter; he represents every citizen of his nation, and 
  for this reason he often has no powers at all. This 
  makes him an underdog who fights awesome 
  and terrifying foes with little but muscles and 
  guts. However, if he does have powers, he might 
  be a mystical incarnation of his country, empow-
  ered with traits that symbolize his nation. He may 
  gain power when the people have faith in their na-
  tion, and lose it when the country hates or despises 
  him. Alternately, he represents the nation’s ingenuity 
  and resourcefulness as the result of a “Super-Soldier Pro-
  gram”, a highly dangerous but strangely ubiquitous system 
  for creating superheroes, of which the Super-Patriot is the best 
  – but far from only – example. Other victims of this process act 
  as rivals or enemies. Speaking of enemies, the Super-Patriot’s gal-
  lery of foes is made up of Super-Patriots from rival and enemy na-
  tions. When political considerations mix up this relationship into 
  something more ambiguous and complex than simple antago-
  nism, the hero and his former nemesis often find themselves more 
  alike than different.
  Because he is so recognizable and because he answers to political au-
  thority, the Super-Patriot is often placed on teams, where he becomes 
  the natural leader. In this way, he acts as a watchdog for the group, en-
  forcing his own moral code on the rogues and loose cannon heroes who just 
  want to get the job done. Alternately, he finds a home on an international team, 
  where everyone is a Super-Patriot.
  Abilities: The traditional Super-Patriot has Abilities in the human range, usu-
  ally 3 to 5. His Willpower and Prowess are likely to be his highest scores. A super-
  natural Super-Patriot, or one who has been armed with a battlesuit, will have 
  Strength of 7+.
  Powers: As noted, the Super-Patriot usually has no powers at all, but he may have 
  a battlesuit his nation built or a weapon representative of that nation. Mystical 
  champions have traditional superhero powers such as Flight, high Strength, and 
  Invulnerability. Sometimes their powers are stronger when they are on their native 
  soil; this is actually represented with a Complication.
  Specialties: The Super-Patriot is a soldier with Military and Leadership special-
  ties, but may have others as well, including Martial Arts, Weapons, Athletics, Driv-
  ing, and Piloting.
  Super paTrioT
  
  18
  Archetypes: 
  Archetypes: 
  Descendant, 
  Super-Patriot, Master of the Martial Arts, 
  Woman Warrior
  First Appearance: The All-Americans #252
  all-ameriCan Girl iii
  Martial Arts Expert
  SPECIALTIES
  The All-Americans, Studied Under the Dragon, Down to Earth
  QUALITIES
  Never Knew Her Real Family, Politics and Heroes Don’t Mix, Just A Girl 
  At Heart, Weakness: Invulnerability is 6 only against slow projectile at-
  tacks, like arrows or thrown objects; otherwise, it is 2.
  CHALLENGES
  Knife-Hand Slash (Prowess): AG can make a Martial Arts attack and choose to blind rather than do damage, just as if she had Blinding 4. Sticky Fighting 
  (Prowess): AG can immobilize a foe with a Martial Arts attack, just as if she had Binding 4. She usually uses the target’s clothing to ensnare them, but it still 
  requires at least one hand and if she leaves melee reach the Binding effect ends. Rapid Strike (Prowess): AG can spend a point of Determination to gain Fast 
  Attack 6 and attack three times in one turn. Lighting Fast (Prowess): AG can spend a point of Determination to make an attack so fast that it is effectively 
  invisible to anyone with Awareness of less than 6. Counterpunch Stance (Prowess): When AG is in her counterpunch stance, she has an effective Aura 4; she 
  cannot use any of her other Prowess stunts when she is this stance.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  9
  2
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  6
    STRENGTH
  4
    AWARENESS
  5
    COORDINATION
  6
    INTELLECT
  4
    WILLPOWER
  5
  POWERS
    CHAMELEON
  6
    INVULNERABILITY
  6
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  19
  Maggie Sawyer was born in Wisconsin in 1924. She watched her father go off to 
  war, and did her best to help out around the farm, but what she really wanted 
  was to be out on the front line, fighting for her country. Such a thing seemed 
  out of the question, but by 1943, the Seven Wonders were deep in the middle of 
  Europe and Africa, and criminals back home were taking advantage of the situ-
  ation. Police departments were strapped, and the country was worried about 
  an attack on American soil by Wonders either working for the Axis or out for 
  nothing but their own gain. Thus, it was that President Roosevelt put out a call 
  for volunteers to defend the home front. Maggie showed up wearing a costume 
  she sewed herself, and became known as the All-American Girl.
  Although Maggie had no superhuman 
  powers, she was brave, quick 
  thinking, and – thanks 
  to years of farm work 
  -- had a hell of a 
  right hook. She 
  instantly be-
  came “Amer-
  ica’s 
  Sweet-
  heart”, and a 
  photo depicting 
  her in Victor’s arms af-
  ter V-E day made the cover 
  of Life magazine. She continued 
  to serve her country even after the war was 
  over, eventually retiring in 1954 to raise a family. However, 
  the government did not let her legacy die—after the breakup of the Seven 
  Wonders the nation needed a new organization to represent America in the 
  struggle against Communism. At Maggie’s retirement celebration, the President 
  announced the formation of the All-Americans, a new team of Wonders “whose 
  first allegiance would always be the Pledge of Allegiance.”
  Doris Sawyer was born a year later, in 1955, and although Maggie missed her 
  youthful life of adventure, she tried to fit in to her new career as a housewife 
  and mother. Doris grew up a troubled girl, pressured by the reputation of her 
  famous mom and the alternative culture of the 1960s. Maggie, also frustrated 
  by the confinement of her new life, dreamed that her daughter would carry on 
  the name of All-American Girl. She pushed Doris into the role, leading to the ap-
  pearance of the New All-American Girl at the nation’s bicentennial in 1976.
  However, Doris was a poor fit for the brightly colored uniform of “AG”, as she had 
  become known. In public, she became a celebrity, hanging out with rock stars 
  and political figures; in private, she bounced from one drug to the next and her 
  Wonder career was nothing but a string of humiliating failures covered up by 
  other heroes and an increasingly unhappy White House. In 1981, she retreated 
  from public life, and was found overdosed in a hotel room in the winter of that 
  year. Although she died, her unborn child was saved, and eventually given up 
  for adoption.
  Thus it was that Heather Sullivan grew up ignorant of her true family. She was 
  loved by her adopted parents, she went to high school, she broke up with her 
  boyfriend, and she got a job waiting tables at a well-known local diner. How-
  ever, when she turned 21 the records of her adoption were opened to her, and 
  she discovered that her grandmother, who had died in 1997 at the age of 73, 
  was the All-American Girl. There was a small inheritance set away for her, but it 
  wasn’t much—just enough, Heather decided, to travel on.
  The journey she took was one of self-discovery. She hitched a ride whenever she 
  could, slept on floors and in the back of vans. She found her grandmother’s cabin 
  on the shore of a Wisconsin lake, and saw Maggie’s statue in the headquarters of 
  the All-Americans. She found the man who claimed to be her father sitting be-
  hind a Plexiglas wall at state prison. Somewhere along 
  the way she decided that the only way 
  to understand the woman who 
  was Heather’s mother was 
  to step into her shoes. 
  She would be an 
  All-American 
  Girl.
  The next few 
  years 
  saw 
  Heather 
  leave 
  the country, and she 
  used her grandmother’s 
  notes to find retired Wonders 
  who were masters of unarmed combat. 
  Impressing them with her determination and 
  courage, she convinced them to train her, and 
  she was an apt pupil. She longed to serve the US 
  in uniform, but her sensei convinced her she was not 
  yet ready. Two more years of training followed, and when the right moment 
  came Heather debuted as the third All-American Girl.
  Now a member of the team named after her mother, AG is considered a young 
  but promising Wonder. She doesn’t have the flashy powers of other heroes, but 
  her mastery of Asian martial arts allows her to hold her own even against major 
  villains. She’s also begun intensive training into criminal investigation and the 
  other skills related to Wonder work. When not in training, Heather makes public 
  appearances and occasionally sneaks off to visit her adopted family or her few 
  non-Wonder friends. The red, white, and blue uniform of All-American Girl now 
  dominates her life, and she has become a professional costumed crimefighter.
  Abilities: The All-American Girl is a master of multiple eastern fighting styles, 
  including Shao-lin kung fu and Okinawan karate. Some of her skills, such as her 
  knowledge of Buddhist healing arts and the amazing quickness she displays 
  when in a Zen state, border on the supernatural. She can pass unseen at will, 
  deflect arrows or hurled objects, and leap up to 18 feet with a running start.
  Usually, though, she relies on her wide array of fighting styles to keep her foes 
  off-balance. Her signature moves include a knife-hand slash past the foe’s eyes 
  (temporarily blinding him), “sticky” fighting techniques that allow her to im-
  mobilize a foe without harming them, and punches that strike so fast she can 
  hit multiple foes at once, hit too fast for the human eye to see, or instantly react 
  “I’m just the girl next door.”
  
  20
  to any hostile blow.
  AG wears an armored uniform provided to her by the US government, and usu-
  ally carries a small communications device that allows her teammates on the 
  All-Americans to contact her.
  Appearance: Heather Sullivan is a pretty blonde who just turned thirty. She is 
  incredibly fit, a condition which is only accentuated by her skintight costume of 
  patriotic colors. A pair of “A” symbols, nested one atop the other, serves as a chest 
  emblem. The All-American Girl has blue eyes, like her mother and grandmother, 
  and can switch easily from her usually serious and thoughtful expression to the 
  open, honest smile that the public demands.
  Stories: Stories involving the All-American Girl usually end up being about her 
  family legacy, her role as an American symbol, or her Asian connections.
  Heather’s former sensei turns up wounded after being attacked by a star pupil. 
  She is obligated to track down the treasonous student and prevent him from 
  using the master’s secrets for evil. Unfortunately, this comes at a time when her 
  country needs her for a covert mission in the Middle East. She must choose be-
  tween loyalty to her mentor or loyalty to her country, between a personal quest 
  for vengeance and the greater good. Inevitably, the two stories end up being 
  linked, as the rogue student is working for or with another mastermind who is 
  secretly funding the Middle East target.
  Heather has her grandmother’s notebooks, which contain all kinds of juicy se-
  crets and gossip about other Wonders from the 1940s and 50s. She might learn 
  something embarrassing about another hero, or perhaps find some vital bit 
  of knowledge that another hero really ought to know about himself. This puts 
  Heather into a tough spot, since she has to decide how much to reveal, espe-
  cially if the secret risks major change in the other hero’s life. Alternately, some 
  old foe of Maggie’s may know about the journals and try to steal them, knowing 
  they include vital data on a super-weapon now lost.
  Spurred by a mother, whose son’s last letter praised All-American Girl as a sym-
  bol of “everything we fight for”, a protest group zeroes in on the All-Americans 
  as symbols of the country’s flawed foreign policy. They hound Heather’s private 
  life, picket outside the All-Americans’ headquarters, and go on television urging 
  Wonders to speak out against the current administration. Meanwhile, the White 
  House is ratcheting up pressure in the opposite direction, asking Heather and 
  the other All-Americans to voice their support for the President and his deci-
  sions. Where does Heather stand in this controversy, and how does she choose 
  to handle the public attention, the conflicting demands on her loyalty, and the 
  intense following she has among the nation’s men and women in uniform?
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  21
  The hero with a Super Weapon is an ordinary guy who has been given or has stumbled 
  across an item of incredible power. Although he tries to use his new power for good, it 
  is difficult to use or control, and it has abilities he is not even aware of.
  Examples: Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes), Dial H for Hero, Greatest American Hero, Green 
  Lantern, Johnny Thunder, Star Brand, Witchblade
  Related Archetypes: Descendant, Super-Cop, Ultimate Hero
  Qualities and Challenges: A hero armed with a superhuman weapon reflects the 
  basic dichotomy of the superman. On one hand, he has vast power in the form of his 
  weapon; on the other hand, he is just an ordinary guy. Conflict arises when the de-
  mands of the weapon intrude on the personal desires of the bearer. The bearer is con-
  stantly forced to choose his priorities: will he live the ordinary life he craves, and can he, 
  when the weapon allows him to help the innocent and defeat evil? Ultimately, giving 
  up the weapon is a selfish choice, and keeping it is a selfless act. This paradox works 
  because the weapon can be more trouble than it is worth.
  Traditional options for the weapon are alien science or ancient occult mysteries. In 
  the first case, the weapon has a legacy out among the stars. It was designed and con-
  structed by inscrutable alien masters, and might have had previous bearers. It might be 
  given to an Earthling, so that Earth can be protected from an imminent cosmic threat, 
  or as a test—if the hero abuses its power, the test is failed and the aliens will destroy 
  humanity. The second case is a weapon that has an ancient, magical history; it 
  may even be legendary, like Excalibur or the Holy Grail. The weapon, 
  passed down from generation to generation, now finds itself in 
  the hands of the hero, and its amazing pedigree is explored 
  through history and globetrotting. In either case, previous 
  bearers of the weapon might become rivals, enemies, 
  or allies (with the mystical super-weapon, there is a 
  greater chance that previous owners are related to the 
  hero by blood). The weapon may have “siblings”—
  other weapons which rival it in power and are wielded 
  by its enemies.
  The bearer of the weapon might not understand how the 
  weapon works, represented by Challenges like “Is This Thing On?” 
  and “How Do You Stop This Crazy Thing!” He must learn how to use 
  it, and, in the process, learns about himself, maturing as a person. 
  A hero who learns to use the weapon with skill and control has also 
  found a way to balance his life and personal needs with the obli-
  gations of duty and honor. The super weapon is often activated by 
  a magic word or code phrase recorded on the character sheet as 
  a battle cry. There may be a code of conduct associated with the 
  weapon; the hero must learn what this code is, then face the task 
  of living up to it.
  The super-weapon can represent temptation, with the bearer ex-
  perimenting with the weapon for self-gratification or to make life 
  easier (“Why Walk When You Can Fly?”). The hero may want to get rid of the weapon, 
  but it is bound to him. He cannot ignore innocent people in peril, so when danger 
  threatens and the weapon offers itself to him, he always finds himself taking it up 
  again. Enemy organizations may covet the weapon, seeking to appropriate its magic or 
  technology. These enemies embody the opposite of what the super-weapon embodies 
  (if the weapon represents courage, its enemies are fear; if the weapon is only usable 
  by women, the men who hunt it represent a patriarchy). Those seeking the weapon 
  are not always evil; they may sincerely believe the weapon is in the wrong hands and 
  needs a more fitting bearer. Nevertheless, the hunters’ use of violence and cruelty vin-
  dicate the hero’s selection. In time, these hunters come to understand that the hero is 
  the proper bearer, and may become allies or leave him alone.
  The Super Weapon has enough power to handle any situation; the man behind the 
  weapon is the question. Can he figure out how to use his powers in time to save the 
  day? Will he refrain from abusing his abilities? He may not want the Weapon, but can-
  not rid himself of it or let it fall into evil hands. The Super Weapon is often one of a set, 
  and the hero’s allies or enemies hold the rest of its “siblings”. Character growth is an im-
  portant element of this Archetype. The hero barely knows how to use his powers when 
  he first appears, but learns quickly, manifesting new powers never before suspected, 
  and eventually becomes one of the most powerful beings on the planet. As he grows, 
  he is threatened with more powerful enemies and temptations.
  Abilities: A bearer without his super-weapon is usually 
  ordinary. His abilities will be in the 2-4 range. A hero cho-
  sen to bear the weapon will have one ability score, which 
  “fuels” or empowers the weapon, of 6 or better, vindicat-
  ing his possession of it.
  Powers: The weapon may grant any power imag-
  inable, or even every power imaginable! It 
  manifests new powers frequently, mak-
  ing some form of Wizardry an obvi-
  ous choice. It is important to 
  decide how it functions, what 
  it takes to steal the weapon, 
  and how someone else 
  might usurp it.
  Specialties: 
  Heroes with a 
  super weapon 
  are typically every-
  man characters. They might have no Specialties at all, or one in a field of little 
  use in traditional superheroics (Art, Business, Law, Performance, Psychiatry).
  Stunts: The Super-Weapon begins with no stunts at all, but as he learns the weapon, 
  he spends permanent Determination to acquire tricks and add them to his character 
  sheet.
  Super Weapon
  
  22
  Archetypes: 
  Super-Weapon, 
  Gadget 
  Guy,  
  Super-Cop.
  First Appearance: Journey into Wonder #152
  The Temp
  Drive, Investigation, Martial Arts, Military
  SPECIALTIES
  Green Beret, Good Benefit Program, Underestimated, Time2
  QUALITIES
  Daddy’s Little Copilot, Breadwinner, Overworked and Underpaid
  CHALLENGES
  Back Pocket (Time Control): Jake can store anything he can fit into 
  his pocket into an extra-dimensional space. Implant (Intellect): 
  Jake can speak any language spoken at any time on Earth, though 
  sometimes it takes him a minute to find the right one.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  10
  3
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  5
    STRENGTH
  5
    AWARENESS
  4
    COORDINATION
  4
    INTELLECT
  4
    WILLPOWER
  5
  POWERS
    PARALYSIS (Close Range)
  10
    SUPER-VEHICLE*
  10
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  *see FGtSH Vol. 2, p.49
  Strength 6, Super-Speed 5; additional powers: Flight 5, Life Support 
  10, Time Control (Time Travel only) 10; passenger space for six
  THE COMPANY CAR
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  23
  Jake Arbalest spent hours every day going over want ads, both the newspaper 
  kind and online, as he nursed a hand-me-down computer so old it qualified 
  for Medicare. He’d never gotten much of an education, and while it was easy 
  enough to live a life on the road, paying your bills through handyman jobs and 
  the occasional back-alley brawl, when you had another mouth to feed things 
  got a lot more complicated. Jake had just discovered he had a daughter, age 6, 
  and the girl’s mother was in no shape to take care of anyone. So, Jake clicked 
  refresh on Monster.com. Again.
  He signed up with a “temp” agency, 
  which kept him in barely 
  enough work to give his 
  girl Alison decent 
  meals and a dry 
  apar tment. 
  The 
  agency 
  mostly 
  sent 
  him construc-
  tion work, which 
  was fine with him, 
  since the Marines had 
  left him in good shape and 
  he didn’t want to lose his edge. One 
  day, though, without warning, he got a new as-
  signment: some kind of corporate work. He didn’t understand it, but he 
  thought that maybe he was moving up a little. Whatever “Time Management 
  Inc.” was, it probably paid better than the grunt work he’d been doing.
  The address on Jake’s work sheet steered him to a massive corporate tower 
  where he could have sworn there used to be an empty lot. Unfazed and blam-
  ing long hours for his spotty memory, he showed his assignment to the front 
  desk and was whisked into an interview room where he was asked the most 
  bewildering set of questions. A physical exam was next, and Jake couldn’t help 
  but notice that if they were looking for drugs they were sure being thorough. 
  That night, Jake went home with a stack of manuals to read, but he found they 
  were mostly history books. He realized that, despite spending a whole day at 
  TMI, Jake still didn’t know exactly what the company did. At least, he noted, the 
  bonus pay was even better than what he had expected. He might be able to give 
  Alison a decent Christmas, at this rate.
  When Jake arrived at work the next day, he was ready to ask some direct ques-
  tions, even if it meant revealing his own thick-headed ignorance. Instead, he 
  was ushered into the private office of Frank Bacon, one of TMI’s board members. 
  (Poor guy, Jake thought. Named after a breakfast food.) Bacon revealed that Time 
  Management’s name was not a ruse; the company was in fact directly respon-
  sible for managing ... all of time. There were plenty of Wonders, alien artifacts, 
  super-geniuses and armored tyrants running around, and they had a distressing 
  habit of traveling backwards or forwards in time, manipulating history for their 
  own ends. Add in the occasional reality-changing Crisis, and it was clear that 
  time was too important to be left unprotected. At some point (whether it was 
  in the distant past or far future was sort of relative in this business), the powers 
  that be decided to outsource the task of timeline policing to TMI, which was 
  now a multi-temporal conglomerate with offices in a hundred major timelines 
  (though not always the same ones, as the buildings moved). Jake was asked to 
  fill a supervisory post for his home timeline, which had been particularly active 
  and had driven the last Temporal Manager to resign with clinical depression and 
  carpal tunnel. Of course, there would be a “probationary period” of one month, 
  and health benefits wouldn’t kick in for ninety days, but Bacon seemed confi-
  dent that Jake would stick around.
  It was a lot to take in, but Jake answered fast. He 
  had a stack of bills to pay, an empty 
  gas tank, Alison needed new 
  clothes, and he was 
  down to his last 
  twenty bucks. Be-
  sides, if he didn’t 
  take the assign-
  ment, someone 
  else would, and 
  that would mean 
  somebody 
  else 
  would be in charge of 
  Jake’s time. That made him 
  worry; he’d always been the kind of 
  guy to take charge of important work himself. 
  So he agreed, and signed on the bottom line, 
  and became a Temporal Manager, or Temp (as 
  they were known about the office). He was whisked 
  off to Corporate Headquarters, where he received additional training, some very 
  expensive equipment (replacement parts would come out of his pay), and a cor-
  ner office ... in a pocket dimension.  
  That was two years ago (more or less). Jake now works out of TMI Field Office 
  #2 (or Time2), a skyscraper-sized building floating in a temporal pocket isolated 
  from the regular time stream. There, usually over coffee, he monitors time travel 
  and the use of time-altering powers by various Wonders or their ilk. Personnel 
  shortages being what they are, Jake works more or less on his own, though he 
  has a modest budget for the hiring of “consultants” or other specialists for par-
  ticular cases. The hours are long, but he can always zip back to Earth ten seconds 
  after he left, so that’s okay. He gets to spend a lot more time with Alison now, 
  and he keeps few secrets from her. She finds his new job interesting and has 
  promised not to tell anyone, as long as she gets to sleep in another dimension 
  once a week. She doesn’t go to regular school any more, since she can get far 
  more interesting tutors in Earth’s past or future.
  Jake’s responsibilities are enormous. Whenever history is altered, the result is a 
  new timeline, a “branch” off the central trunk that is Jake’s assignment. Usually 
  he allows these branches to exist, but if they pose a danger to other branches 
  or to the primary timeline, machines in Time2 allow him to “prune” branches, 
  eliminating them or merging them with others. He spends a lot of his time 
  monitoring a handful of very active time-travelers. Some of them are careful 
  not to alter history, thus avoiding the creation of the new timelines that make 
  Jake’s job more difficult, but others either aren’t aware of the ramifications of 
  “I’ve quit better jobs than this.”
  
  24
  their temporal leaps, or don’t care. These rogue time travelers usually hide out in 
  the primary timeline, where they can be detected by TMI but not directly threat-
  ened. In these cases, Jake has to do a lot of covert fieldwork, investigating hot 
  spots to find out why a particular traveler went there, what he was after, and 
  whether or not that act poses a danger to the timeline itself.
  Underneath all the high-tech hardware and grand responsibilities, however, 
  Jake remains a normal guy. He likes to watch NASCAR and he doesn’t get along 
  well with animals. He thinks Sean Connery was the best Bond ever and he still 
  measures his day by Earth time, even though he spends much of it in another 
  dimension. Once every couple of weeks Mr. Bacon comes by and buys him lunch 
  while Jake gives a run-down on the latest activities. He’s asked for some vaca-
  tion days, but TMI is chronically understaffed, so his hours keep getting longer 
  and his days more tiring; but in this economy, he knows he’s lucky just to have 
  a steady paycheck.
  Abilities: Jake Arbalest is a former Green Beret: tough, fast, and good in a fight. 
  He’s been trained in covert operations, which means he knows how to be quiet 
  on the move and survive in the wild. In short, he’s something of an action hero, 
  which partly explains why he was selected for his job.
  It may seem that Jake is sorely underpowered considering his responsibilities. 
  This is intentional, and reflects TMI’s philosophy that its agents must remain 
  essentially human lest they be corrupted by the awesome power at their com-
  mand. After all, when you can eliminate an entire universe with the touch of 
  a button, it’s easy to think of yourself as God. By choosing not to grant their 
  agents superhuman powers, TMI hopes to keep them not only humble but also 
  manageable in the case of rogue activity. Jake is aware of this philosophy and, 
  frankly, it doesn’t bother him. He’s never needed super-powers to handle things 
  before, and most of these time-traveling warlords are nothing but trailer trash 
  in a fancy outfit. He’s faced down people who could disintegrate him in an eye-
  blink, but triumphed through resourcefulness, cunning, and the occasional right 
  hook.
  What TMI does offer is a small arsenal of useful and potent devices that make 
  Jake’s job easier. First, a translator has been implanted in his skull, allowing him 
  to speak every known language. His field office, Time2, is fully equipped and can 
  monitor the use of time-travel or time-altering powers from across the universe 
  on all Earth-derivative timestreams at once. Machines there can send up to five 
  people through time, returning them to Time2 when necessary. One should 
  note that, although Time2 can glimpse the past and future via precognition and 
  postcognition, it cannot be used as a “remote viewer” to watch a given moment 
  in time. For that, Jake must go in the field.
  For most missions Jake takes his “company car”, a flying time machine that can 
  adopt the shape of any vehicle no smaller than a four-door sedan. The car can 
  be controlled remotely via Jake’s “Timecard”, a credit card-sized object that also 
  allows him to communicate via temporal wave with Time2. For self-defense, 
  Jake is armed with a “Freezer”, a pistol-shaped weapon firing a stasis beam that 
  isolates the victim from the natural time flow, resulting in paralysis. Jake is sel-
  dom without his “back pocket”, a rectangular device about the size of a pack of 
  cigarettes. He literally keeps it in his trousers, and can reach back into a small 
  dimensional pocket where he stores various tools and weapons.
  Appearance: Jake Arbalest is a handsome, rugged, man whose military experi-
  ence is obvious to anyone with a clue. He likes to say that, in his office, “Every 
  day is casual Friday”, and he typically dresses in loose and comfortable cloth-
  ing, like khakis and a short-sleeved shirt. He has a favorite leather jacket that 
  he is almost never without, especially in the field, but when he expects a visit 
  from Bacon or some other TMI representative, he usually squeezes himself into 
  a white shirt and tie.
  Stories: The Temp can be used to facilitate cross-time stories. In addition, be-
  cause he is frequently outgunned on a case, he makes a good recruiter.
  A time-traveler is stealing famous art treasures, but only after they have already 
  been lost to history. Thus, he’s not harming the timestream and he’s not creating 
  alternate timelines. Officially, there is nothing Jake can do about the crime spree. 
  Still, it rubs him wrong. He’ll need to investigate the crimes, find the culprit, and 
  get some non-TMI personnel to handle the matter (unofficially, that is).
  An armored megalomaniac, brain in a jar, evil robot, mad scientist, master of 
  energy, or sinister simian learns of TMI’s corporate profile and decides to stage 
  a hostile takeover. A temporal disaster is staged in the past, luring Jake out of 
  his office so that the villain can slip in and take over. Jake, stuck in the past, 
  must somehow get a message to heroes who know this particular antagonist 
  (the PCs), giving them directions to Time2. Meanwhile, the bad guy is using the 
  awesome powers of TMI to “prune” away timelines that he disapproves of, and 
  merging alternate timelines with the real past in order to create a present more 
  to his liking.
  Jake learns of terrible crimes perpetuated by his unit back in Desert Storm. He 
  has always blamed the memory loss from that conflict on Gulf War Syndrome, 
  but now he knows that the government brainwashed him to keep him from 
  talking about what he has seen. To ordinary people, this would be a crime and 
  a tragedy, but Jake has the power to do something about it. He might create 
  an alternate timeline in which the culprits are brought to justice or prevented 
  from completing their task, then try “merging” that branch with the primary 
  timestream, thus changing history. Less dangerous would be recon missions, 
  observing events in the past and using that knowledge to get justice in the 
  present. But what will his supervisors say when they learn Jake has been using 
  company equipment for personal reasons? Could the Temp finally be out of a 
  job? And who might replace him? 
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  25
  The Ultimate Hero is one of the greatest heroes on the planet. He pays for this 
  great power with even greater responsibility. The Ultimate Hero lives by the 
  strictest of moral codes, and must sacrifice his personal life out of obligation to 
  use his abilities for the greater good.
  Examples: Buckaroo Banzai, Captain Marvel, Doc Savage, Icon, Omni-Man, 
  Plutonian, Samaritan, Superman, Tom Strong
  Related Archetypes: Master of the Atom, Spin-Off Heroine, Super Weapon
  Qualities & Challenges: The superhuman Ultimate Hero is the comic-book 
  heir to the pulp adventurer who was master of every field of human endeavor. 
  These were men who knew a dozen forms of martial arts, who spoke twice as 
  many languages, who could play a piano concert in the morning, 
  engineer a flying car in the afternoon, and finish up the 
  night by performing brain surgery on themselves 
  using a mirror and a pair of tweezers. In the 
  decades since the pulps began to wane, the 
  superhuman Ultimate Hero has been de-
  fined by incredible strength, invulnerabil-
  ity, and the power of flight. Everything else 
  is extra, but there is usually a lot extra.
  The Ultimate Hero is so powerful that his 
  biggest limitation is that he can only be 
  one place at a time. He may have a particu-
  lar weakness which makes him temporarily 
  powerless or which his enemies exploit; this 
  takes the form not only of physical vulnerabili-
  ties to things like fire, magic, or Styrofoam, but 
  also his unbreakable moral and ethical code. For 
  example, the Ultimate Hero avoids lying and go-
  ing back on his word, he always puts innocents 
  before himself or even capturing the villain, so 
  the villain often ensures that he has a hostage or 
  twenty to keep the hero distracted long enough 
  for a getaway. The Ultimate Hero usually has a 
  strict rule against the taking of life and against 
  using his powers for his own benefit. Sometimes 
  his powers go out of control, which is especially 
  dangerous because no one else has the power 
  to stop him. Basically, the more power a super-
  hero has, the more strict his ethical code needs 
  to be, and the Ultimate Hero is the ultimate ex-
  pression of this rule.
  In recent decades, there have been many examples of 
  postmodern Ultimate Heroes who wield all the power 
  of their archetype but have none of the moral and ethi-
  cal limitations. At their best, these characters simply fight the good fight in a 
  non-traditional way; they are anti-heroes who might lie, cheat, and kill but who 
  continue to serve the greater good. At their worst, these characters are parodies 
  of the Ultimate Hero, self-serving gods who use their abilities for personal grati-
  fication and who are, in fact, Ultimate Villains with good PR.
  The Ultimate Hero is known and recognized around the world; everyone wants 
  to be his friend and he often inspires others to become heroes. This can result in 
  an Ultimate Family made up of a Spin-Off Heroine, a Super-Pet, and a Sidekick 
  or four. He may have connection Qualities like “Recognized as a Sovereign Na-
  tion”, “Household Name”, or “I Don’t Need An Appointment”. His enemies should 
  also be very powerful, though not always in the same arena as the hero himself. 
  That is, if the Ultimate Hero is incredibly strong, his enemy might be incred-
  ibly smart. If the Ultimate Hero has dozens of powers, 
  but his mundane identity is a “nobody”, his enemy 
  will be lionized by mundane society, yet have no 
  powers at all. If the Ultimate Hero is on a team, 
  it is the biggest, most important collection of 
  superheroes in the world, and he is probably 
  the leader. Represent your headquarters with 
  a Quality like “Keys to the Supervillain Mu-
  seum” or “Ultimansion”.
  Abilities: Strength will usually be 8+, with 
  Prowess and Willpower tied for second at 6+. 
  Coordination may be his worst ability score, but 
  nothing will be less than 4. This is all for super-
  human Ultimate Heroes. For Ultimate Heroes in 
  the pulp adventurer mode, every ability should 
  be 5-6.
  Powers: The superhuman Ultimate Hero has 
  Flight and Invulnerability. Super-Speed and 
  some kind of sensory power allowing him 
  to find those in need are also common. The 
  power to kill people by looking at them is 
  customary, though more as a threat than 
  an actual weapon in combat. 
  Specialties: A superhuman Ultimate 
  Hero doesn’t need specialties other than 
  Leadership, but often has one to represent 
  his mundane life. The pulp adventurer Ulti-
  mate Hero is also good at everything thanks to his 
  strong abilities, but will also have as many Specialties 
  as he can because, well, he’s good at everything.
  Stunts: The Ultimate Hero may have a finishing move or special 
  punch which he has a name for. 
  ulTimaTe hero
  
  26
  Archetypes: Ultimate Hero, Super Weapon, 
  Astronaut
  First Appearance: Journey into Wonder #144
  miSS uniVerSe
  Athletics, Leadership, Performance
  SPECIALTIES
  Aced the Personal Interview Round, Miss Universe Creed, Miss  
  Photogenic
  QUALITIES
  Pleasing the Judges, A Long Way From Home, Heavy Lies The Head
  CHALLENGES
  Warp Speed (Flight): Once she is out of the atmosphere, Miss Universe can travel faster than light, flying to any star system in about a page. Ambassador 
  of Galactic Peace (Intellect): Miss Universe can speak any language in the universe, but she cannot use these languages to say anything crude or vulgar. 
  Interstellar Navigation (Detection): Miss Universe can rely on her “Universenses” to navigate between stars or in the depths of space.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  18
  1
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  5
    STRENGTH
  9
    AWARENESS
  6
    COORDINATION
  5
    INTELLECT
  4
    WILLPOWER
  9
  POWERS
    DETECTION (Cosmic)
  6
    INVULNERABILITY
  8
    LIFE SUPPORT
  10
    FLIGHT
  9
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  27
  Angel Walker’s great beauty was noticeable even as a child, and after she suc-
  cessfully auditioned for a television commercial at the age of 5 her parents 
  decided to give up their own careers to manage their daughter’s. Dental sur-
  gery corrected a gap between her teeth and laser eye surgery allowed her to 
  avoid glasses, making little Angel the perfect blonde beach girl. She entered 
  beauty pageants throughout her teenage years, and as she gained experience, 
  she began to win more often than she lost. At the age of 20, she became Miss 
  Melbourne, and then won the coveted title of Miss Australia. In truth, she had 
  never imagined anything greater than this honor, and 
  it seemed that her life had reached its 
  peak. Nonetheless, she went 
  on to enter the Miss Uni-
  verse pageant, held 
  that year in Rio. To 
  her own amaze-
  ment, she won. 
  But even as 
  she was taking 
  her victory walk 
  down the aisle, a 
  bouquet of roses in 
  hand and the crown upon 
  her head, Angel learned the hard 
  way that being “on top of the world” is largely 
  a matter of perspective; a mile-wide flying saucer floated over 
  the pageant and whisked Angel away in a beam of light.
  It was then that Angel learned about the REAL Miss Universe Pageant, a com-
  petition that took place across the entire cosmos. As Earth’s duly chosen contes-
  tant, Angel was obligated to enter. The winner would wear the Universe Crown, 
  an object of great cosmic significance, and would serve as a representative of 
  peace and civilized culture throughout all the galaxies. Confused, alone, and 
  seemingly unable to convince her captors that she was just an innocent beach 
  girl from Melbourne, Angel did not so much agree to compete as fail to escape.
  The Miss Universe Pageant turned out to be a grueling drama including contes-
  tants from a thousand worlds. Angel endured the constant scrutiny of galactic 
  media, strange alien customs, and the hazards of a synchronized dance number 
  in zero-g. However, she found friends in her fellow contestants, as alien as they 
  might be, and through a combination of luck, stubbornness, and Earthling in-
  genuity she captured the hearts of the Judges and was crowned Miss Universe 
  ... this time for real.
  As the reigning Miss Universe, Angel has been granted enormous power and is 
  expected to represent the values of the Pageant to worlds across the cosmos. 
  She travels constantly, making public appearances in galactic hotspots where 
  she tries to negotiate peace and, when necessary, lend a strong hand to those 
  who have no other defender. During the Pageant, she made many enemies, 
  including the former bearer of the title (who was bitterly disappointed by her 
  loss). Angel did not find out until after her victory that the true Miss Universe 
  pageant is not held on a regular schedule, but rather whenever the Sacred Lilac 
  blooms in the Great Desert the Judges call home. Sometimes the Lilac does not 
  bloom for decades – so Angel is working on the assumption that she’ll have this 
  job for a long time. Nevertheless, she has come to like it, and she is proud of 
  what she does. She sees herself as a symbol to women throughout the universe, 
  and an ambassador of integrity, courage, and strength. Being Miss Universe, she 
  is quick to inform her detractors, means being a lot more than a pretty face.
  Abilities: The powers of Miss Universe are great, but Angel’s inexperience means 
  that she is less effective in a fight than her vast strength and toughness would 
  suggest. Instead, she prefers to rely on her social talents 
  to resolve conflicts before tempers flare. 
  Unfortunately, super-villains be-
  ing what they are, she’s 
  found violence to be 
  far more common 
  than she likes.
  Miss Universe 
  has enormous 
  strength 
  and 
  stamina, enough 
  to fly carrying a 
  cruise ship or shrug off 
  the beam weaponry of a star-
  fighter. Her flight speed is fast enough 
  to make escape velocity, and once she reach-
  es space she can travel at hyper-light speeds. 
  She is utterly at home in space, immune to the 
  hazards of that environment and able to navigate 
  the galaxy instinctively using her Universense. In order to facilitate her mission 
  as an ambassador of peace throughout the galaxy, she can speak and read any 
  language, but the Pageant Judges have censored her vocabulary database to 
  prevent her from saying anything that breaks their rules.
  While less spectacular in nature, Angel’s personal talents have helped her to 
  resolve many situations in which her powers were useless. She is one of the 
  most beautiful people in the universe, and a lifetime spent in the public eye 
  has trained her to appear poised and confident even when confronting the Gut-
  Eating Kings of Kraal or the Verminocracy of Flort. She is well versed in a variety 
  of intellectual subjects by virtue of her training for the Pageant and its infamous 
  “Personal Interview” round. Angel is also a competent soprano, though the Tal-
  ent Competition remains her vulnerability. Growing up on the Australian coast 
  has made her perfectly at home in the water, and she recently swam across the 
  Godsea of Hellacron in order to resolve that planet’s latest dynastic crisis.
  Miss Universe can call on the Judges of the Pageant for various forms of logis-
  tical support. They keep her abreast of developing crises around the cosmos, 
  provide food and housing whenever she requires it, occasionally intercede with 
  planetary governments, and provide relocation services for refugees or politi-
  cal prisoners whom Angel rescues from harm. They also criticize her choice of 
  swimwear, which they consider “dangerous.”
  Appearance: Angel Walker is a breathtaking blonde, five feet nine inches tall. 
  She’s very conscious of her weight and figure, though since being awarded the 
  “I think I’d have to say ... 
  galactic peace.”
  
  28
  Universe Crown she has found it difficult to put on pounds even when she wants 
  to. She is extremely comfortable in virtually any fashion, from bathing suits to 
  evening gowns, but when on her own she prefers to relax in casual clothing 
  with bold, bright colors that appeal to her eye. As Miss Universe, of course, she 
  is attired in a black body suit adorned with a star pattern. Across her body, she 
  wears the white Unstained Sash that is the mark of Miss Universe across the 
  cosmos. She seldom wears the Crown, due to its relatively awkward size, but 
  has a smaller “tiara” version for public events; even this is a fabulous treasure, 
  decorated with gemstones born in the heart of stars.
  Stories: Drusilla v’Kleek, former Miss Universe, has discovered Earth and its 
  large superhuman population. She believes that with a little help from a plant-
  controlling hero, a magician, or super-scientist, she can get the Sacred Lilac to 
  bloom again, ending Angel’s reign and giving v’Kleek another shot at the title. 
  She concocts a story designed to lure the hero she needs off planet, but she’s 
  perfectly prepared to enforce cooperation when the truth comes out.
  Angel falls for a male hero in the campaign. Unfortunately, the Judges frown on 
  “licentious” behavior that might tarnish the image of Miss Universe, so the star-
  crossed lovers have a problem. They can ignore their growing feelings, or carry 
  on in secret. The galactic media and other aspiring Misses Universe would all be 
  eager to see Angel forced to resign.
  After meeting the heroes on an adventure, Angel decides that one of the female 
  characters would make a good “protégé” and Miss Universe candidate. After all, 
  the Sacred Lilac could bloom any time, or something might happen to Angel, so 
  it’s best to be prepared. She begins to keep an eye on the young heroine, encour-
  aging certain kinds of behavior. Soon she arranges for a professional Pageant 
  Coach (alien, of course) to supervise the potential contestant. Naturally, other 
  Earth women (read: super villains) are also interested in the title and the powers 
  it grants, so the heroine has a reason to compete.
  Isn’t Batman A ... Animal Hero? Gadget Guy? Martial Artist? Dark Avenger? 
  Ultimate Hero? Yep. All the best heroes actually fit into more than one ar-
  chetype. This is a phenomenon we call “Archetypal Drift.” It happens when 
  a character grows and matures over time, gathering complexity and sub-
  plots. It also happens when a new creative team comes to a character and 
  takes him in “A Bold New Direction.” Writers, artists, and editors put their 
  own spin on an old hero, and he slides into another Archetype. A hero may 
  even be one Archetype while he works with a team, and then another 
  when he appears in his own monthly book! Our advice: don’t get hung up 
  on which Archetype is the best label for a given hero. The examples are 
  provided solely to stimulate discussion. They are not the be-all and end-
  all! And if your own character could be two, three, or more Archetypes all 
  at once—so much the better! Just pick the one you want to emphasize 
  right now (there will be plenty of time later to change your costume and 
  supporting cast!).
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  29
  Most heroes work together to protect one-third of the Earth’s surface. The Un-
  dersea Hero works by himself to defend the rest. Though derided or ignored by 
  “surface dwellers”, the Undersea Hero is a proud being who loves and respects 
  the ocean he dwells in.
  Examples: Aquaman, the Man from Atlantis, Marrina, the Sea Devils, Stingray, 
  Sub-Mariner
  Related Archetypes: Animal Hero, Astronaut, Defender, Gadget Guy, Master of 
  the Elements, Mythic Hero
  Qualities & Challenges: The Undersea Hero can be broadly divided into two 
  groups: the Atlantean, a resident of the underwater world whose powers are his 
  birthright, and the Undersea Adventurer, a human being from the surface world 
  usually armed with a submersible or suit specializing in underwater work. The 
  former is a proud warrior, often a leader of his people; 
  the latter is a hero who explores the mysteries of 
  the ocean. Because the stories of Atlantis are so 
  diverse, and so few heroes have any awareness or 
  experience of it, the Underwater Hero can invent 
  any version of Atlantis that suits his character and 
  purpose, contributing to the game setting and pro-
  viding plots for himself and other heroes. Atlantis can 
  be a ruined civilization from thousands of years ago, its 
  people lost and scattered, its technology and magic buried 
  by time; it might be a living, vibrant society trying to stay 
  alive in an increasingly polluted ocean and plagued by an-
  cient enemies. Whatever its nature, it is a great source for 
  Qualities and Challenges. A savage, sword-and-sorcery 
  Atlantis might produce a King whose “Justice is Final” and 
  an Atlantean with animal powers with feral qualities like 
  “Keep Moving Or Die”. Atlantean heroes who need water 
  or lose their powers represent that with Challenges like 
  “Fish Out Of Water”. Underwater Heroes that only breathe 
  water and not air get the Aquatic power free.
  The oceans are never fully explored, and the Undersea 
  Hero likes to travel. Always on the move, he swims to 
  the deepest trenches, investigates sunken wrecks, and 
  takes joy in the discovery of new animals and plants, even 
  when they try to eat him. A Quality like “Salvage Rights” 
  might represent the Undersea Hero’s ability to retrieve an 
  endless array of treasure from beneath the waves. Because 
  there are so few heroes who concern themselves with the 
  sea, the Underwater Hero has many hats—a warrior, a king, 
  an explorer, a scientist, a diplomat, a public servant. To 
  the people of the sea, he is the Ultimate Hero, but to 
  surface dwellers, he is an also-ran. With most ad-
  ventures on land, not in the ocean, this relationship 
  with air-breathers is a source of many Challenges such as “Small Fish In A Big 
  Pond”, “We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat”, and “All I Get Are Fish Jokes”.
  Ideally suited to living and fighting in the ocean’s depths, the Undersea Hero is 
  less useful on land. His abilities are unimpressive when compared to other he-
  roes, but because of his long list of powers, he does not have the Determination 
  that Sidekicks or Young Heroes have. To keep the Undersea Hero from feeling 
  useless, Narrators should give him strong subplots that tie Atlantis or the ocean 
  into the larger plot. Perhaps Dr. Nix has a secret undersea base, or the Ubiquitous 
  Snake Villains are moving their super-weapon on a massive cargo ship. Add brief 
  interludes to a larger story that allow the Undersea Hero to rescue sinking sub-
  mersibles, retrieve leaking chemical drums from the bottom of the lake, or per-
  suade the reluctant NPC with a seaside stroll and a stirring tale of underwater 
  discovery. In extreme cases, the Undersea Hero is made the leader of the team. 
  While done with good intent, and the idea plays to the Atlantean’s 
  nature as king of his people, the Undersea Hero’s reputation 
  as a third-stringer keeps him from being taken seriously 
  as a leader of Ultimate Heroes and Super-Patriots.
  Abilities: Prowess, Strength and Willpower are 
  traditionally 5-7. Aquatic provides a bonus to 
  Coordination and Awareness while in the wa-
  ter, so these scores do not have to be above 
  average. Undersea Heroes who have built 
  their own vehicles or suits of armor will 
  have high Intellect.
  Powers: Aquatic is the defining power 
  for Undersea Heroes, providing a bonus 
  to Coordination and Awareness and a fast 
  swim speed. Animal Control (Sea Creatures) 
  or Elemental Control (Water) is common, as 
  are weapons such as tridents, providing Strike. 
  A low level of Invulnerability, explained as “tough 
  enough to survive the ocean depths”, is possible. 
  High-tech Undersea Heroes might have the Super-
  Vehicle power from the Field Guide’s second volume.
  Specialties: Underwater Combat. Athletics is common, 
  though the Undersea Hero may be so strong or fast he does 
  not need it. If he is King of Atlantis, Leadership is appropriate. If 
  he wields one, Weapons. Undersea Heroes from a magical Atlan-
  tis may have Occult. High-tech Undersea Heroes will have Science 
  and Pilot.
  Stunts: To have a specific undersea creature you always call up or commu-
  nicate with using your Animal Control, do that with a Stunt. Some Atlanteans 
  use Animal Control to explain all kinds of psychic abilities, from Telepathy to 
  Mind Control, and these can be replicated as Stunts due to their rarity.
  underSea hero
  
  30
  Archetypes: Undersea Hero, Woman Warrior, 
  Mythic Hero
  First Appearance: Journey into Wonder #1
  The lady oF The laKe
  Leadership, Occult, Science (Oceanography Expert), Stealth, Weaponry 
  Expert, Underwater Combat Mastery
  SPECIALTIES
  Magic Mirror, Renaissance Woman, Protector of the Waters
  QUALITIES
  Sword of Truth, Woman of Two Worlds, Rejects the Ordinary
  CHALLENGES
  Crossing the Faerie Veil (Aquatic): By submerging herself in water, Ig-
  raine can Dimensional Travel to Avalon.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  13       
  1
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  8
    STRENGTH
  7
    AWARENESS
  5
    COORDINATION
  7
    INTELLECT
  4
    WILLPOWER
  6
  POWERS
    AQUATIC
  6
    RESISTANCE (Magic)
  7
    STRIKE
  9
    SUPER-SENSES (Darkvision)
  1
    REGENERATION
  5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  31
  When Arthur Pendragon was mortally wounded by his son Mordred, four 
  queens came to escort him across the faerie veil that led to Avalon, a magical 
  realm beneath the sea. There, the Lady of the Lake tended his injures, and slowly 
  the mighty king regained his strength and vigor. Over time, he came to love 
  the Lady, who was queen of that land, and when vitality had returned to him, 
  he asked for the Lady’s hand in marriage. The two became co-rulers of Avalon, 
  and in time, they had a single child, a daughter, who was named Igraine after 
  Arthur’s mother.
  The centuries passed, but time 
  seemed not to touch the 
  inhabitants of Avalon, 
  who were faerie 
  creatures differ-
  ent from mortal 
  man. 
  Igraine 
  inherited 
  her 
  father’s courage, 
  strength, and skill 
  at arms, learning to 
  hunt, to ride the tamed 
  creatures of the sea, and to 
  wield a blade. At the same time, she 
  had her mother’s intuitive wisdom and sense of the 
  mystical. She found the lore of Avalon easy to master, and sometimes she could 
  feel magic pulsing in her blood. Her mettle was tested in wars with other mystic 
  lands: she dueled the giants of Formoria and commanded Avalon’s armies in 
  crusades against the infernal host. Always she felt the eye of her mother and 
  father upon her, but she rose to their measure and was acknowledged the hero 
  of the realm, heir to the throne.
  Igraine had always dreaded the day when she would ascend to the throne. 
  Prophecies told that a day would come in which mankind faced its greatest 
  challenge, and on that day, Excalibur would rise again in the world of man. That 
  day, the day of Arthur’s return, would be Igraine’s coronation. She observed the 
  mortal realm through her magic mirror – a gift of her mother’s – and watched 
  with grim sadness as a British army escaped the coastal town of Dunkirk, fleeing 
  the German horde. When the skies above England darkened with the wings of 
  the Luftwaffe, and bombs began to fall on the great city of London, she knew 
  that the day of reckoning had come. Her father the King summoned her to the 
  court and she responded obediently, her heart already heavy with the weight of 
  the crown, and a father lost.
  Igraine did not expect what happened next, for the king announced that the 
  years had grown too heavy on his mortal frame. There was no longer enough 
  strength in his arm to throw off this Goth invasion. Yet the words of the prophecy 
  must be fulfilled, and so with a solemn oath he bequeathed Excalibur upon his 
  daughter, and charged her to leave Avalon and lead the defense of England in 
  this, its darkest hour. In one moment, Igraine’s heart was torn in two, for she 
  dreaded this parting with her family and the land she loved even as her spirit 
  soared at her sudden pardon from a lightless life of administration and tedious 
  rule. In the end, she met the Nazis with a smile on her face.
  The world first 
  met Igraine Pendragon, the Lady of the Lake, in 1938 when she 
  rallied the defense of England and helped turn back the German invasion. 
  Due to her British heritage, she was not counted among the original Seven 
  Wonders, all of who were American, but such niceties were lost on the rank 
  and file of the Allied troops who worshipped the Lady as a hero and savior. 
  Wielding the sharp blade of Excalibur, Ygraine fought in Europe, Africa, and 
  farther abroad, helping to thwart a number of Axis 
  war schemes. Even considering the 
  horrors of the Holocaust 
  that were later re-
  vealed, Igraine 
  a l w a y s 
  t h o u g h t 
  the great-
  est crime 
  of 
  the 
  Nazis was 
  their corrup-
  tion of innocent 
  children 
  into 
  the 
  deadly super-soldiers known 
  as Wunderkinden.
  When the war ended, the Lady of the 
  Lake withdrew to Avalon once more, to 
  be lauded as a hero. She tried to return to her 
  former role in court, but she found that she longed for the excitement and 
  unpredictability of man’s world. After a time, she could not help but beg her 
  parents for leave to return, so that she might carry her father’s justice and 
  her mother’s peace and healing to the wider world. Reluctantly, knowing 
  they had all but lost their daughter to a life of constant peril and danger, the 
  rulers of Avalon gave her leave to go.
  Igraine returned to the mortal world in the 1960s, and has been a more or 
  less constant figure since then. She is one of the most famous of Wonders; 
  there is hardly a man or woman on Earth who does not know her name. Her 
  strength, speed, and agility have made her justly renowned, but she relies 
  primarily on skill at arms, and for this reason many people find her more 
  human and sympathetic than figures like the high-flying Victor or the mys-
  terious Veil. In her role as protector of the waters, Igraine is highly active in 
  environmental policy, and has proven quite telegenic, often accomplish-
  ing through debate and politics things that she could never have managed 
  through force. Despite the love which ordinary people hold for her, Igraine’s 
  closest companions are all Wonders themselves – she seems to relate bet-
  ter to the fantastic and unnatural than she does to the mundane.
  The gates of Avalon are always open to Igraine, and she lives now as a 
  woman of two worlds, traveling back and forth as time and necessity dic-
  tates. However, each visit home reveals to her keen eye a father more bent 
  by age than he was previous, and she can hear the weariness in Arthur’s 
  noble voice. In these moments, Igraine realizes the truth: that while she 
  “No matter if thy evil be as cold as winter, as 
  strong as the mountains, as deep as the sea or 
  as implacable as time itself, still shall the Heir to 
  Pendragon stand in thy way.”
  
  32
  has escaped the obligation of her royal blood for a time, destiny has a very long 
  arm. Igraine can sense the end of her youth on the horizon, and each missive 
  from Avalon makes her hand tremble, lest it be the summons that signals her 
  eternal bondage to the throne.
  Abilities: Half mortal and half faerie, Igraine has modest superhuman strength, 
  speed, and endurance. She can see in the faintest of light and she is at home in 
  the water as a human is on land. To travel to Avalon, all she need do is submerge 
  in water – a bathtub will do the trick, if necessary.  Thanks to many tutors, a lust 
  for diverse experience, and a keen interest in the mortal world, she is widely 
  versed on a variety of subjects: she can just as easily forge a sword as she can re-
  cite Shakespeare or identify the countless creatures of the sea. Foremost among 
  Igraine’s talents, however, is swordsmanship. 
  Her parents have given her several potent weapons to serve her in man’s world. 
  The first and most famous is Excalibur, the sword of kings, sharp enough to cut 
  through solid steel. Its blade can also deflect spells aimed at its user. However, 
  Excalibur will not suffer just anyone to use it: the wielder must be honest and 
  truthful at all times. Anyone who tells a lie while holding Excalibur is immedi-
  ately subject to excruciating and lethal pain. Igraine has often used this power to 
  verify the testimony of eyewitnesses or to prove the innocence of the accused.
  Excalibur is accompanied by a magical scabbard once belonging to Arthur, then 
  lost, and now recovered again. It keeps Igraine from bleeding so long as it is 
  worn. Finally, Igraine owns a magic mirror crafted by a mortal woman centuries 
  ago and used to spy upon Lancelot, the Lake’s Champion, when Arthur was king 
  in Britain. The mirror is kept in Igraine’s chambers in the palace at Avalon, but 
  with it, she can spy upon any person or place in either the mortal or faerie realm. 
  The mirror also occasionally shows visions of the past or future, but these visions 
  always seem to be omens of doom; seldom does the magic mirror reveal good 
  news.
  Appearance: Igraine is a faerie beauty, with pale skin, elfin ears, and hair that 
  blends her father’s russet brown and her mother’s blonde into a reddish-gold 
  the color of sunset. Her build is powerful yet graceful, with the muscular frame 
  of a warrior tempered by the softer curves of a princess. She stands nearly six 
  feet in height, and usually goes into battle clad in a suit of plate and chain armor 
  that sacrifices complete coverage in favor of mobility.
  Stories: Igraine’s stories revolve around her protection of the sea, her mystical 
  heritage, and her experiences in World War II.
  Seers in Avalon discover that one of the lost treasures of Arthurian myth (per-
  haps Lancelot’s ring, which had the power to break spells, or the Sword in the 
  Stone) is in the hands of a villain. Igraine is charged with questing for it and 
  returning the item to Avalon, where it cannot be used for evil. Quests typically 
  take their charges all over the world, each step providing clues to the next, with 
  plenty of guardians to be fought along the way. How did the relic come into the 
  hands of this villain in the first place? Could one of Avalon’s other enemies (the 
  giants or even Hell itself) be responsible? If so, could Igraine’s quest have been 
  anticipated? Could this all be an elaborate trap?
  A renegade Nazi scientist announces that he has successfully combined the 
  Lady of the Lake’s genetic material (captured in World War II) with that of the 
  Wunderkind to create a new generation of Wonder: Igraine’s “daughter”, whom 
  he has named Sif. There are many questions here. Can Sif’s origin be verified? 
  Can she be made into a weapon for good, or will she be a victim of her genetic 
  masters and a cruel upbringing? How will Igraine, who loathes the responsibil-
  ity of adulthood, suddenly react to being made a mother? Moreover, what will 
  Arthur and the queen do when they learn that the royal line has been extended 
  another generation? Will they accept this vat-grown crossbreed as an heir to 
  Avalon, or will they reject her, and will the tragedy of Camelot strike anew?
  The oceans are home to many monstrous creatures better left asleep. One by 
  one, these beings begin to awaken and attack nearby settlements: offshore oil 
  platforms, Atlantean outposts, isolated islands, and so on. Igraine suspects a 
  conspiracy at work; someone or something is waking up these sleeping drag-
  ons and using them to create dissension among the undersea community. Each 
  victim is aggressively arming itself against future attacks and accusing its neigh-
  bors of recklessly rousing the creatures, or else waking them intentionally as an 
  act of terror. Igraine has to work fast to uncover what is really going on if she 
  wants to avoid all-out war under the sea, and the attacks themselves should put 
  heroes around the world to the test.
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  33
  By focusing himself on the mastery of a single weapon, this hero manages to 
  battle superhuman foes and triumph. Bows, swords, whips, guns, and martial arts 
  weaponry are just a few examples of the Weapon Master’s focus.
  Examples: Arsenal, El Aguila, Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Katana, Quarrel, Swords-
  man
  Related Archetypes: Gadget Guy, Master of the Martial Arts, Super-Weapon
  Qualities & Challenges: The choice of weapon goes a long way towards de-
  termining your hero’s style and traits. An archer taps into the Robin Hood theme 
  and is a wisecracking vigilante, a hero with a katana considers himself a modern 
  samurai, while fencers are swashbucklers in the Three Musketeers mold. One par-
  ticularly American version of the Weapon Master is the Gun Guy; he might have a 
  single pistol or specialized weapon which he uses all the time, but he is more likely 
  to have an enormous arsenal of firearms.
  The hero was trained by one or more masters of his chosen weapon, often requiring 
  world travel and long years of practice. He will be very knowledgeable in whatever 
  specialized culture he dwelled in to learn his weapon, be it carnies, the yakuza, or 
  prison. Like the Master of the Martial Arts, the Weapon Master has a relationship 
  with his former mentor, fellow students, and the Former Best Student Who Is Now 
  Second. Sometimes the Weapon Master combines his incredible training with a 
  particularly potent example of his weapon, one with a legendary 
  pedigree or superhuman powers; this makes him a Super-Weap-
  on archetype as well.
  At first glance, the Weapon Master seems very limited; after all, 
  he’s just a man with a sword, a bow, a whip, or a gun. However, 
  like other Everyman heroes, he is perpetually underestimated. 
  His weapon is crammed with high tech devices that allow it to 
  be electrified or which make it sharp enough to cut through 
  anything; perhaps it can shoot entangling webs, flame, 
  freeze rays, or explosives. Sometimes this arsenal of tricks 
  verges into the absurd (Handcuff Arrow, Boxing Glove Ar-
  row), but it’s all in good fun. Represent this with Qualities 
  like “There’s An Arrow For That” or “What Does This But-
  ton Do?”, which you can then tag to manifest just about 
  any power you might need.
  When his weapon proves ineffective, as it occasionally 
  does, the Weapon Master demonstrates excellent hand-to-
  hand fighting skills and incredible resourcefulness. Although 
  dismissed by others as the weakest hero on the team, the he 
  often ends up saving the day. This is because it is boring when 
  the Ultimate Hero, Mythic Hero, or Avatar saves the day—such 
  incredible feats are expected from such high-powered char-
  acters; but, when an Everyman like the Weapon Master, 
  Master of the Martial Arts, or Super-Patriot defeats a god-
  like foe, the underdog triumphs. Readers like to be surprised—they want the un-
  derdog to win—so the Weapon Master remains popular and effective.
  Despite his success, the Weapon Master feels he has something to prove. He has a 
  chip on his shoulder, surrounded by demigods and legends, and adopts the role of 
  social critic or rebel. He is seldom the team leader; instead, when the leader comes 
  up with a plan, the Weapon Master is the first to criticize it. Although he resents the 
  leader, he also idolizes him, and the leader in turn respects the Weapon Master’s 
  independent spirit. He takes incredible risks and is something of a loose cannon, 
  abrasive to the more conservative members of the team, who also end up being 
  the ones whose powers greatly overshadow him. In other words, he has a bit of an 
  inferiority complex, something villains are sometimes able to prey upon, but the 
  Weapon Master always comes around in the end, usually just in time to fire the 
  shot that saves the world.
  Abilities: Prowess or Coordination are key, depending on the choice of weapon, 
  and should be at least 6. Otherwise, all other abilities will be in the 3 to 5 range. 
  Powers: Most Weapon Masters begin with either Strike or Blast, but then use bo-
  nus powers to pick common tricks like Binding, Blinding, or Affliction. A Weapon 
  Master might wear light body armor, get across town on a swing line, and carry 
  a number of other minor pieces of gear. Be-
  cause these powers are all very low level 
  and mundane in nature, they are perfect 
  for the Equipment power, described in the 
  Field Guide’s first volume. The archetypal 
  Weapon Master has very few powers in 
  order to keep a large reservoir of Determina-
  tion.
  Specialties: Obviously, the Weapon Master 
  needs the Weapons specialty, preferable at Ex-
  pert level or better, but there are many other 
  useful choices, including Athletics, Acrobatics, 
  Stealth, Martial Arts, Investigation, Criminology, 
  and more. Although they often have gadgets built into their weapons, 
  the Weapon Master is not usually a scientist or engineer. 
  Stunts: Like the Master of the Martial Arts, the Weapon Master relies 
  heavily on stunts. One approach is to take stunts for all the different 
  tricks the weapon can be used for, with the condition that each 
  Stunt can be used once an encounter for “free”, without requiring 
  Determination. If the hero wants to use his Glue Arrow more 
  than once, he has to spend Determination to do so.
  Weapon maSTer
  
  34
  Archetypes: Weapon Master, Descendant,  
  Minority Hero
  First Appearance: The Fox #1
  “The FoX”
  Athletics, Acrobatics Expert, Investigation, Stealth Expert, Weapons 
  Master (Blades), Weapons Expert (Whips)
  SPECIALTIES
  Tornado, The Mark of the Fox, Member of the Quorum, The Lair  
  Of The Fox
  QUALITIES
  Copyright Infringement, Separated From His Heart, “I Laugh  
  At Danger”
  CHALLENGES
  Quick As A Fox (Coordination): The Fox can spend a point of Determination to add +2 to all his Dodge rolls for one page. Fox’s Cunning (Willpower): 
  Joaquin gets a +2 on all rolls to lie or seduce.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  9
  4
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  6
    STRENGTH
  4
    AWARENESS
  4
    COORDINATION
  6
    INTELLECT
  4
    WILLPOWER
  5
  POWERS
    FAST ATTACK
  6
    STRIKE (Slashing)
  3
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  35
  Joaquin Vega was born in Southern California, and as a boy he listened to his ag-
  ing father tell stories of a hard life as a migrant farm worker, fighting for decent 
  pay and working conditions alongside Cesar Chavez and an entire generation 
  of Mexican-American men. When Joaquin was only twelve, however, his father 
  succumbed to his life of toil and died in his bed. With no one to look out for him, 
  it seemed the laughing, curious, handsome Joaquin was going to have to join 
  a gang and begin a life on the streets, but at the last moment a man appeared 
  claiming to be Cesar de la Vega, his distant cousin. Joaquin was at once wooed 
  by the man’s obvious wealth and class, but also 
  skeptical and he showed all the stub-
  bornness a teenage boy could 
  muster. With implacable 
  calm, however, the 
  elder de la Vega 
  packed Joaquin 
  up and brought 
  him to Spain.
  There, Joaquin 
  was introduced to 
  a culture of Old World 
  sophistication. He was 
  cleaned up and forced to attend 
  an exclusive preparatory school, where he 
  discovered girls clever enough to hold their own against 
  his considerable charms. He also found himself spying on his “Uncle Cesar,” 
  for the elderly gentleman was often entertaining mysterious strangers in the 
  household late at night, and he would disappear for days or weeks at a time, 
  claiming “business affairs.” It was during one of these absences that Joaquin’s 
  girlfriend Lolita casually revealed to him his family’s illustrious heritage: the 
  19th century ancestor who, dressing in black hat, cloak, and mask, armed with 
  a flashing blade and a lightning-fast whip, had fought for justice in California 
  against both Spanish and Mexican tyrants alike. When Uncle Cesar returned, 
  Joaquin confronted him with the truth, demanding to know why he had not 
  been told of this earlier.
  Cesar, implacable as always, was unmoved. The history of “the Fox” and his rela-
  tionship to the de la Vega family was a matter of public record, he told his young 
  ward, but it had been a hundred years since a de la Vega had fought injustice. 
  Without an active defense of the family legacy, the name and image of “the 
  Fox” had been purchased by American media corporations, who trademarked 
  the identity and aggressively defended their right to it in court. Dozens of black-
  clad avengers had been inspired by “the Fox” over the years, and these Wonders 
  owed their crime fighting style to the de la Vega family, but it was now illegal for 
  anyone – even a de la Vega – to slash a Z with three quick cuts of a blade, unless 
  they did so at the behest of corporate masters. 
  Joaquin was furious. His family legacy had been stolen by high-priced execu-
  tives, as greedy and heartless as the old overlords ever were. That night, Joaquin 
  felt close to his father for the first time since the death; he appreciated his fa-
  ther’s humble struggle to put food on the table, and he understood how his 
  father was exploited by the rich and powerful. In the months and years that 
  followed, Joaquin was possessed of a new seriousness. He dedicated himself 
  to his studies, and persuaded Uncle Cesar to introduce him to a legendary fenc-
  ing master in Barcelona. The maestro’s instruction was a difficult one: Joaquin 
  rightly sensed the old man was especially hard on him due to his family name. 
  Nevertheless, the results were worth it, for the boy proved a natural student.
  As Joaquin became a man, Cesar shared more of the truth with him. The elder 
  de la Vega’s secret meetings were not with business partners, but with Wonders 
  who belonged to a secret society known as the Quorum. A 
  de la Vega had been a member of the Quo-
  rum for two hundred years, and 
  the organization was ded-
  icated to the princi-
  ples of justice and 
  freedom 
  from 
  oppression. 
  They operated 
  in secret, how-
  ever, 
  because 
  sometimes justice 
  was not in the best 
  interest of those in power; 
  while the poor and downtrod-
  den considered them heroes, entire gov-
  ernments had declared them outlaws. Cesar 
  de la Vega, while he was a man of peace who 
  had never donned a costume in his life, served as 
  “Q”, a vital administrator of the Quorum, coordinating the activities of members, 
  organizing safe houses and exchanging information, helping to fund relief ef-
  forts and providing vital intelligence that guided Quorum activities.
  However, the enemies of the Quorum were many, and Joaquin was only twenty 
  when those enemies caught up to his beloved uncle. An investigative reporter 
  managed to eavesdrop on one of the Quorum’s meetings, and soon television 
  and newspapers were blasting this “secret conspiracy of Wonders bent on world 
  domination.” The common people that had heralded the individual members 
  of the Quorum as heroes the day before became a mob in the streets calling for 
  their destruction. Police were conspicuously slow to arrive, and Joaquin, Lolita, 
  and Cesar put up a valiant defense against the riot that broke down their doors, 
  smashed their windows, and poured into the ancient Spanish manor like the 
  wrath of God.
  Cesar de la Vega died that night, in the burning wreckage of his ancestral home, 
  and Joaquin and Lolita fled one step ahead of the mob. The next few days they 
  spent in hiding, hatching their plan. It was heartbreaking for the two of them, 
  but they kissed their farewells and separated. Lolita remained in Spain, to pick 
  up the pieces of the Quorum there, while Joaquin returned at last to America. He 
  had in his possession the last gifts of Cesar de la Vega: a Spanish blade, a leather 
  whip, the mask, hat, and cloak of “the Fox,” and the deed to the family’s uncared 
  for and long-neglected American estate. Reaching America, he donned the uni-
  form and began making a fool out of those in power. Other Wonders, members 
  of the Quorum, found him and he reclaimed his family’s position in that group, 
  “If I tell you who I am, you may end 
  up with a restraining order. But I 
  can show you...”
  
  36
  not as an administrator, but as an agent.
  Immediately, the corporation that owned the rights to de la Vega’s costumed 
  identity began to pursue him, threatening Joaquin with legal action. However, 
  a clever deception on his part convinced them that he and “the Fox” were sepa-
  rate people. Instead, he offered a counter-proposal: for a modest salary and a 
  seat on the company board, Joaquin would become a public spokesman for the 
  corporation and wage an outspoken war against this imposter who was soiling 
  the de la Vega name. Joaquin’s charm prevailed, and he won his deal. With his 
  cover now in place, de la Vega has the opportunity to travel. Wherever he goes, 
  “the Fox” seems to follow, dispensing justice with a laugh and mocking the very 
  corporation that claims to own him. Joaquin often endures withering criticism 
  at the monthly Radiant City board meetings for his inability to deal with this 
  “criminal,” but despite his apparent incompetence, his ironclad contract has kept 
  his position secure.
  This is the role Joaquin has trained for his entire life. Greedy corporations may 
  own the legendary name of his family, but this will not stop him from providing 
  aid to the weak and oppressed. Governments may have succeeded in turning 
  the people against the Wonders who seek to help them, but this will not keep 
  Joaquin de la Vega from laughing in the face of bumbling tyrants. The wealthy 
  and powerful may have cowed the common man into submission, but Joaquin 
  de la Vega will show these self-proclaimed masters of the world that they still 
  have one thing to fear ... the three bold lines that mark the return of “the Fox.”
  Abilities: Joaquin de la Vega is one of the greatest swordsmen that have ever 
  lived. While he is also skilled with a whip and a thrown blade, he has never met 
  anyone good enough to get past his guard. His incredible skill helps compensate 
  for the fact that his weapons are entirely mundane, with no special properties 
  of any kind. He uses his black cloak for defense, swirling it around his body as he 
  runs, leaps, and fights.
  He dwells now in a seaside California estate not far from Monterey and within 
  easy travel distance of both Los Angeles and Radiant City. The old grounds have 
  been abandoned for decades, but the remnants of a Spanish fortress in the Mis-
  sion style remain, and Joaquin is working hard trying to renovate it. Without 
  much money or help, however, going is slow. Beneath the fortress is an exten-
  sive network of caves, “the lair of the fox,” which he has made his headquarters.
  Soon after he arrived in California, the local Indian tribes presented him with 
  a magnificent horse, which he of course named “Tornado.” Tornado is a black 
  stallion of unusual intelligence. He is fearless, is an accomplished jumper, and 
  has a fierce temper. The two are still working on their relationship, and Joaquin 
  spends the occasional afternoon nursing a sore backside when Tornado proves 
  especially stubborn.
  To successfully play “the Fox,” Joaquin relies as much on cleverness and trickery 
  as he does on swordplay. He is a masterful liar and expert seducer, and these are 
  two weapons he enjoys using. 
  Appearance: Joaquin de la Vega is a rakishly handsome Mexican man in good 
  shape, with a cultured and sophisticated manner of speaking. Lately, since arriv-
  ing in America, he has come off as something of a fop, and this has handicapped 
  his public efforts on behalf of his corporate masters. When in public, he is usually 
  dressed fancifully and acting in a flamboyant, non-masculine fashion.
  When dressed in his black outfit, however, Vega practically oozes sensuality. His 
  manner becomes bold, rash, and impetuous, and he’s seldom without a laugh 
  or a smile. The (literally) trademark uniform includes a wide-brimmed black hat 
  decorated with silver embroidery, a mask that ties around his head, a loose black 
  silk shirt and tight black trousers, black leather riding boots with silver spurs, 
  black fencing gloves, a pair of knives secreted about his person, his silver rapier 
  and black bullwhip.
  Stories: Joaquin de la Vega’s costumed identity has been an inspiration to every 
  black-clad crime fighter to appear since Douglas Fairbanks. He is useful in sto-
  ries that pit the common man against the rich and powerful, and in stories that 
  spotlight the Quorum or the One World Conspiracy.
  Vega has his uniform, his horse, and his run-down estate, but he really needs 
  some more help to make his war against injustice more effective. In particular, 
  he needs agents able to gather information for him and occasionally provide 
  cover for de la Vega by doubling as “the Fox.” The best recruits may actually be 
  friends and loved ones of the player characters, who would become suspicious 
  when people they know start acting strangely, disappearing at odd moments, 
  or meeting with wealthy strangers. Joaquin’s charm could mean trouble when a 
  hero’s girlfriend starts falling for the competition.
  As an agent of the Quorum with an excuse to travel and make public appear-
  ances, de la Vega is a perfect recruiter for the organization. Under cover of his 
  mask, he approaches a well-known Wonder and offers the chance to “become 
  part of something larger than yourself.” Before a hero can join the Quorum, he 
  must be trusted, so de la Vega will pass on intelligence to him relating to crimes 
  and injustice, then wait to see what the hero does with this information. Each 
  success will bring the hero that much closer to the Quorum, until he begins to 
  meet with other members (all masked to preserve their identity).
  Joaquin discovers that the media corporation that he nominally works for is 
  guilty of serious corruption, and has waged smear campaigns against Wonders 
  using fabricated evidence. He must make those responsible pay, but he cannot 
  take action himself since his position inside the company would make him an 
  instant suspect. Instead, he leaks the evidence out to chosen Wonders and, in 
  public, takes on the role of vigorous defender of the corporation. If he’s clever 
  enough, de la Vega could end up in a position of even greater authority within 
  the company, enabling him to clean it up and get his family legacy back.
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  37
  There are many female superheroes, but the Woman Warrior is one who is both 
  willing and able to slug it out with men in violent battle. She is also an outspo-
  ken proponent of women’s rights.
  Examples: Big Barda, Ms. Marvel, Power Girl, Thundra, Winged Victory, Wonder 
  Woman, Zealot
  Related Archetypes: Minority Hero, Spin-Off Heroine, Ultimate Hero
  Qualities & Challenges: The archetypal Woman Warrior comes from a hidden 
  or alien culture where women rule or, at the very least, can engage in military 
  activity with men on an equal basis. She may have once been in bondage to a 
  man, as either a slave, a trophy wife, or a gladiator. As regulations against wom-
  en in the military slowly erode in the face of the realities of 21st century combat, 
  more Women Warriors are ordinary girls from down the street who nevertheless 
  enlisted in the armed services and have gone on to prove themselves stalwart 
  and dangerous fighters. The Woman Warrior is a symbol of feminism and equal 
  rights for women; this puts her at the center of a media and culture war that she 
  must carefully navigate. Successful Women Warriors avoid the camera and make 
  their point through their actions; when a Woman Warrior tries to stand in front 
  of the camera and use persuasion, the results are ineffectual at best and tragic 
  at worst.
  Since she is 
  both a beauty 
  and a badass, 
  the Woman War-
  rior is very popular 
  with the media, the 
  government, and male 
  heroes, all of whom see 
  her as both a fantasy object 
  and a veteran commanding 
  great respect. She works on 
  a team made up of prominent 
  heroes, and although the jokers 
  in the group refer to her as the 
  secretary, she is in fact one of its 
  core members and a potential 
  leader. Unfortunately for the 
  Woman Warrior, who wants 
  to lead, she is usually forced to 
  play backup to the team’s Ul-
  timate Hero or Super-Patriot. 
  Heroes brag about using X-Ray 
  Vision on her, or shapechanging 
  into her swimsuit costume. Team-
  mates who have proven themselves on 
  the field of battle are allowed to make 
  such remarks and she does not resent them, treating them as brothers-in-arms, 
  but less bloodied heroes get a clenched fist in payment for their jests. When 
  on her own, however, the Woman Warrior displays great leadership, not only 
  of civilians on the street but of an army of women who come from her hidden 
  homeland and who will follow her into battle without question.
  The Woman Warrior works hard to present a very moral and heroic image free of 
  the rampant sexuality seen in lesser heroines. To this end, her costume will be 
  more modest in appearance, and she will avoid romantic entanglements, pre-
  ferring to stick with one man if she loves at all. When questioned about her lack 
  of romance, she claims that, with all the responsibility of being an ideal heroine 
  on her shoulders, she just doesn’t have time for a personal life. But, from the 
  perspective of writers and creators, giving the Woman Warrior the same steady 
  stream of lovers that male heroes have becomes problematic. Not only is a sexu-
  ally active female hero subject to prejudice not inflicted on male heroes, it’s 
  challenging to create a male romantic interest who is interesting but who does 
  not eclipse the Woman Warrior in importance. Boyfriends who are regularly 
  held hostage by villains tend to be unpopular.
  Abilities: Strength and Prowess are paramount, and should both be 6+. The 
  Woman Warrior is often a little bit faster, but not quite as strong, as her male 
  rivals. The Woman Warrior combines masculine fighting prowess with grace 
  and beauty, so should also have a good 
  Willpower score, usually 5+.
  Powers: Flight and Invulner-
  ability are common, as are 
  weapons represented with the 
  Strike power.
  Specialties: Anything which re-
  inforces her physical strength and 
  fighting skills is appropriate, 
  especially Martial Arts 
  and Weapons. Athlet-
  ics, Acrobatics, Military 
  and Leadership are all 
  appropriate.
  Woman Warrior
  
  38
  Archetypes: Defender, Comic Relief, Woman 
  Warrior
  First Appearance: Galleria #1 
  Galleria, The Superhero oF The Super mall
  Business
  SPECIALTIES
  The Super Hero of the Super Mall, MILF, Fashionista
  QUALITIES
  Desperate Housewife, Lawsuit Waiting To Happen,  “I Broke A Nail!”
  CHALLENGES
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  14
  4
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  5
    STRENGTH
  8
    AWARENESS
  5
    COORDINATION
  4
    INTELLECT
  4
    WILLPOWER
  6
  POWERS
    DANGER SENSE (Only in mall)
  8
    INVULNERABILITY
  4
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  39
  The land now known as Paradise Hills was once the home of a Native American 
  tribe, whose name for the place gave tribute to the rich bounty of the land. With 
  plentiful water, lush meadows, and plenty of local game for hunting, the quiet 
  little corner seemed indeed a paradise on Earth. When the white man came, 
  he first built only a little town so far away it took a whole day just to reach it. 
  Then more came, and more, and the town soon boasted a fort, and a ramshackle 
  slum for their slaves and servants. Farmers came and settled the land around 
  the town, building fences and laying wire that divided the rolling countryside 
  into purchased territory.
  The natives were long gone from Paradise 
  Hills by this point, and settlers 
  built another town there, 
  a smaller town, liv-
  ing in the shadow 
  of the young 
  city 
  growing 
  nearby. How-
  ever, this land 
  was still sacred, 
  and power lin-
  gered here, protect-
  ing those who dwelt on 
  this land even though their 
  skin was another color and the people 
  had no knowledge of the past. In time, the nearby city 
  grew so large that it swallowed up the towns that surrounded it, making them 
  into suburbs, and the quiet district of Paradise Hills became the home for upper 
  middle class white folks who commuted into the city to work. Many schools and 
  grocery stores were built, and neatly trimmed lawns of green flanked the tree-
  shrouded roads. Since property values in the city were high, and business taxes 
  in the suburbs were low, it was Paradise Hills that was chosen for the site of the 
  Crystal Palace Galleria.
  Enter Grace Tyler. Her husband Dave was a division vice-president for a nation-
  wide banking chain, while her daughter and son were in high school and junior 
  high, respectively.  This left Grace with a lot of afternoons, money in her purse, 
  and nothing to do. Not surprisingly, she started shopping – shopping for Dave, 
  for Andrew and Tam (girls fashions change so quick these days). There were 
  presents to buy, wardrobes to change, not to mention plenty of ways to spruce 
  up the house. There may have even been a need to keep up with the Joneses, 
  especially after Dave got that promotion and they moved into a three-story 
  mock Victorian. She could have done it all online, or with cable television, but 
  Grace was a people-person at heart and liked the energy and bustle of the mall. 
  Besides, it kept her walking, and what good was having all these new clothes if 
  you never got to wear them?
  She’d already been shopping in the mall for two years when the White Wizard 
  tried to rob a couple of jewelry stores. The Wizard was a career Wonder-criminal 
  from nearby Radiant and was trying to leave town, but he needed travel cash 
  and Paradise Hills was far enough from downtown that he figured he’d have 
  time to grab some merchandise before heroes showed up. Mall security was 
  mostly concerned with keeping mall patrons out of harm’s way, figuring that 
  the Wizard wouldn’t hurt anyone if he just took what he wanted and left, but 
  a particular vagrant woman whom Grace had often seen wandering the mall’s 
  concourses slipped past the rent-a-cop blockade and tried to jump the Wizard 
  from behind a counter. His instant reaction was a bolt of lightning that sent the 
  woman into cardiac arrest.
  Even as the robbery continued, the woman was drug to safety by mall security, 
  and Grace, who happened to know a little CPR, jumped in to try to save the 
  woman’s life. This was the fateful moment in Grace’s existence, 
  for the strange vagrant was the last bearer 
  of the ancient power of Paradise 
  Hills, and she had used it to 
  defend the people that 
  dwelled here for as 
  long as her worn 
  out body would 
  manage. Just 
  before her body 
  released its grip 
  on her soul, the 
  mysterious 
  woman 
  passed her power on to 
  Grace and charged her to “take 
  care of them.”
  Grace wasn’t sure what the woman meant, 
  but she felt different somehow, and when the 
  Wizard began to lose his cool after the jewelry store 
  employees refused to comply with his demands, she knew what was happening 
  without seeing or hearing it. When the White Wizard began hurting store em-
  ployees, Grace leapt into action, her appearance changing in a flash of light. It 
  only took a couple of punches and the Wonder-villain was down for the count. A 
  shopper with a digital camera took a picture of her running in front of a Galleria 
  wall advertisement, and when the photo showed up in the newspaper the next 
  day it cemented her name and image.
  Grace Tyler did not ask for this power, but now that she has it, she intends to use 
  it right. Every day, after sending the kids off to school and Dave to work, she goes 
  to the Crystal Palace mall. Most of the store employees know her face, if not her 
  name, and she buys enough stuff to keep her on the good side of mall staff. No 
  one suspects her true identity as Galleria, though the manager of the mall has 
  had his hands full dealing with the press. Galleria is considered something of 
  a mixed blessing at the mall—the employees like her, and traffic at the mall 
  has skyrocketed (with tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the super-heroine), 
  but store managers grumble at the property damage caused by super-battles, 
  and liability suits have been filed against the Crystal Palace by people injured 
  in attempted crimes. Despite this, and the sight of her new “name” and face on 
  t-shirts and signs around the mall, Grace is determined to continue her good 
  work, looking out for the people of Paradise Hills, and protecting them from 
  whatever harm comes their way.
  “A hundred and sixty dollars for
  this blouse? Now that’s a crime.”
  
  40
  But she’s not looking forward to Christmas.
  Abilities: The mystical mark Grace got from the former defender of Paradise 
  Hills grants her phenomenal strength and bulletproof skin. She can lift about 
  100 tons (though she’s never lifted near that much and has no idea how strong 
  she really is) and jump fifty feet from a standing start. Even a point-blank shot-
  gun blast does nothing more than ruin her outfit.
  More importantly, however, Grace has a supernatural sensitivity to danger 
  within the mall. She cannot be surprised there and can tell when bad things are 
  happening, usually giving her enough time to duck behind a planter or into a 
  dressing room and change into Galleria. The transformation takes place instant-
  ly and is accompanied by a spectrum of rainbow-colored light; this, along with 
  the fact that Grace’s facial features are slightly different when in her costumed 
  identity, has allowed her to keep a secret identity in a mall where everyone is 
  always under surveillance.
  Appearance: Grace is a stunning thirty-something woman who has not gotten 
  used to the fact that her son’s friends call her a MILF. She has mid-length golden 
  blonde hair, an athletic figure, and she’s always dressed in fashionable clothes 
  purchased from the many stores in the Crystal Palace Mall. She prefers knee-
  length skirts, creamy blouses, heels, and her big purse; she is never without 
  her smartphone. When she transforms, Grace’s outfit changes, but even these 
  clothes look like they could be found in the mall if you just looked hard enough: 
  her super-hero uniform could be anything from lycra workout gear to chic con-
  temporary wear, a sleek clubbing minidress, or a business suit. Once she trans-
  formed and was wearing a rented tuxedo. Only one item is always the same, 
  no matter her identity: the golden “G” necklace she was given as a graduation 
  present years ago by her grandmother.
  Stories: Man’s World: Grace fails to catch a criminal in the mall, and must pursue 
  him when he flees downtown. There, she is out of her element, surrounded by 
  strangers, and unable to make progress in the face of savvy, streetwise crooks. 
  Manipulated into foolish mistakes that ruin her reputation and, worse, threaten 
  her ability to do her job, she is forced to look for help.
  This Land is Our Land: Though the Native American tribe which once lived in 
  Paradise Hills has long since been assimilated to modern culture, a select few 
  remember the ancient legends and know that the power of their sacred guard-
  ian has been stolen by the White Man. They come to the mall, determined to 
  take the power back.
  Christmas in July: Everyone has to shop, but when everyone’s shopping even a 
  girl like Galleria can have her hands full. She may recruit other heroes to help her 
  for a limited time, putting them in situations they don’t normally handle. Catch-
  ing crooks without damaging property or injuring crowds of civilians, negotiat-
  ing problems non-violently, and keeping the goodwill of local workers will be a 
  challenge for many heroes.
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  41
  The Young Hero is a kid who has suddenly become a superhero. In addition to all 
  the normal problems of going to school, dealing with parents, siblings, 
  and dating, the hero also has to master his new powers before he 
  blows up the family car, the gym, and his best friends.
  Examples: Changeling, Cyborg, Jolt, Legion of Super-Heroes, 
  Nova, Invincible, Outsiders, Raven, Secret, Shadowcat, Speed-
  ball, Spoiler, Starfire, Static Shock
  Related Archetypes: Sidekick, Descendant
  Qualities & Challenges: The Young Hero is differentiated 
  from the Sidekick and the Descendant by the fact that 
  he has no formal relationship with another, older or 
  retired, hero. He is usually found on a team full of 
  other heroes his own age, and this team spends 
  as much time on high-school romance and 
  teen angst as it does saving the world or 
  fighting crime. Like many other younger 
  characters, the Young Hero struggles first 
  to understand his own powers and then to 
  fully control them. His uncontrolled powers 
  may, in fact, have resulted in some family 
  tragedy that set him on a path of redemption. 
  His need to learn how to control his powers is 
  the main reason he gives for being on the team, 
  though inwardly he craves the company of people 
  who understand what he is going through.
  The Young Hero may be naive, cynical, or an “angry 
  young man”. His heart, however, is in the right place 
  and he is as brave and determined as heroes twice his 
  age. His lack of a connection to an older hero might 
  makes him something of a loner, or at least remote. 
  While Sidekicks and Descendants are out learning 
  from their mentors, the Young Hero is hiding in his 
  bedroom trying not to let his parents discover he 
  can light himself on fire. In the cafeteria, he is the 
  one sitting by himself. Even without a mentor, 
  the Young Hero still has parents, siblings, school 
  friends and romantic interests, resulting in a 
  large and well developed supporting cast. He 
  spends a lot of time rescuing these people 
  from danger, hiding his secret identity, 
  and trying to squeeze a social life be-
  tween heroic exploits.
  Many famous heroes in comics today 
  began as Young Heroes. Characters 
  like Spider-Man and the X-Men started off worrying about school, dating, and 
  the responsibilities of growing into an adult, but eventu-
  ally settled into their maturity and started worrying about 
  work and family instead. Heroes that began as Young 
  Heroes often end up mentors to the next generation. 
  Because they know what the costumed life is like, they 
  make excellent teachers and parental figures, even if 
  they don’t always sympathize with the current genera-
  tion’s changes in tactics and tastes.
  Abilities: The Young Hero can have very modest 
  abilities, usually in the 2-4 range. He may have 
  one ability that is high, however, such as 
  Strength, Intellect, or Coordination.
  Powers: The Young Hero typically has 
  only one or two powers. Although 
  this power can be used for mul-
  tiple effects, he spends Determi-
  nation to do this.
  Specialties: The Young Hero is 
  usually too inexperienced to have 
  Specialties. If he has one, it is some-
  thing he is in school to master, such as 
  Law, Business, Art, Medicine, or Comput-
  ers.
  younG hero
  
  42
  Archetypes: Young Hero, Focused Hero
  First Appearance: Young Wonders #2 
  G-man
  Drive Expert
  SPECIALTIES
  Grease Monkey, Fearless, It’s All In The Reflexes, Young Wonders
  QUALITIES
  You Never Really Leave The Gang, The Kind Of Boy Mom Warned You 
  About, Driving With The Lights Off
  CHALLENGES
  Whirlwind (Super-Speed): G-Man can spend a point of Determination to create a whirlwind around an opponent and immobilize him as if he had Air Control 
  8. Suffocate (Super-Speed): By running around a victim and creating a vacuum, G-Man can suffocate an enemy as if he had Affliction 8. Lightning Fast 
  (Super-Speed): By spending a point of Determination, G-Man can gain Fast Attack 8 for one page, granting him 4 attacks. Wake (Super-Speed): G-Man can 
  spend a point of Determination to leave a supersonic wake behind him as he runs. This lasts for one page, and anyone he moves past is attacked by his Super-
  Speed. This attack can slam, but does not actually do Stamina damage. Supersonic Punch (Super-Speed): G-Man can spend a point of Determination to make 
  his supersonic punch, which hits with Strength 8.
  POWER STUNTS
  STAMINA
  DETERMINATION
  8
  3
  ABILITIES
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
    PROWESS
  4
    STRENGTH
  3
    AWARENESS
  4
    COORDINATION
  5
    INTELLECT
  3
    WILLPOWER
  5
  POWERS
    SUPER SPEED
    (Defending, Surface Speed)
  8
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  43
  Mario Ortega grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles. For him, school was a place 
  to hook up with girls, hang out with friends, and sneak off to smoke a cigarette. 
  He had a talent for cars, and got a job at an auto parts store so he would have 
  the money to work on an old Dodge. The muscle car was old news now -- all the 
  best cars were being re-built for performance. They were called “g-cars” for the 
  g-forces they were able to pull in test drives around the nearby desert.
  When Mario’s cousin Gilbert showed up in the desert with a fancy new ma-
  chine, Mario was instantly suspicious. The mysterious car looked 
  too expensive for Gil to have bought, and it 
  used some new kind of engine that 
  Gilbert frankly wasn’t smart 
  enough to build; but 
  it had the horses, 
  there was no 
  arguing with 
  that. In just 
  a little test 
  drive, it outper-
  formed anything 
  the boys had seen.
  Word spread about Gilbert’s 
  new g-car, but he refused to drive 
  it around town. Rival gangs, led by Raymond 
  Ortiz, began to suggest the car was a fake, just an old heap with a 
  new paint job. Cops, and later men in suits, started to show up in the neighbor-
  hood, asking questions. Gilbert managed to elude them with the help of family 
  and friends, who all played dumb, but to answer Ray’s challenge, he insisted 
  on taking the new car out to the desert. By now, Mario was pretty sure the car 
  was stolen, and he confronted his cousin, who finally confessed. The g-car was, 
  in fact, the escape vehicle for some costumed Wonder criminal. When a hero 
  showed up to take the guy out, the door to the car was left open and the engine 
  running; on impulse, Gilbert had jumped in and gunned it. Now he was sorry, 
  as the feds were closing in, and he was certain he’d be facing a decade in prison. 
  Still, his honor was at stake in the desert races, and the sting of this humiliation 
  was as bad as the threat of prison.
  Mario understood; he too wanted the respect of his peers. He made a deal with 
  his cousin: they would drive the car this one last time, and then turn it in to the 
  authorities. Maybe the cops would leave them alone if they had the car back. 
  Gilbert agreed, insisting that Mario drive the car in its final performance trial 
  against Ortiz. Everyone was watching as the two vehicles took off down an im-
  provised course. Ray had to push his car to the absolute limit, but he was a better 
  driver, and it was only because of the speed of Mario’s car that he was able to 
  stay ahead. However, something began to go wrong. Mario’s car would not slow 
  down, and strange sounds began to come from the engine. The car blazed with 
  light, and a shrill screaming began to build. Mario could barely control the car, 
  which seemed to be steering itself. At the same time, all of Ray’s driving skills 
  could not allow him to keep up with the new machine. Desperate to win, he lost 
  control of his car and Mario realized the two cars were about to crash.
  The next few seconds moved in slow motion. Somehow, even as the two cars col-
  lided in a furious fireball, Mario was able to leap free, snatch Raymond Ortiz from 
  his own driver’s seat, and run to safety. The explosion sent both boys flying, and 
  to those watching in the crowd, it seemed like a miracle that the two drivers had 
  survived. Mario knew better; he knew that something had happened to him.
  In the days and weeks that followed, even after the two cousins explained ev-
  erything to the FBI, Mario tested his new abilities. Whatever super-engine had 
  been built into the g-car to make it go fast was now having the same 
  effect on him: he crossed town in seconds, and 
  was so fast he could run over water 
  or up sheer walls. Only Ray 
  Ortiz knew the truth, 
  and the two rivals 
  became sudden 
  friends, 
  with 
  Ray helping to 
  cover for Mario 
  when he was 
  out doing “Won-
  der stuff.” The two 
  of them pieced together 
  a uniform out of ordinary 
  clothes, and soon Mario was the local 
  superhero – G-Man.
  Abilities: Mario’s super-speed is highly adapt-
  able; his many stunts mean that he will almost cer-
  tainly run out of Determination quickly. His whirlwind represents Mario running 
  in a tight circle around a target and blowing it up into the air; suffocate draws 
  the air away from a target inside the whirlwind. The “supersonic punch” knocks 
  his enemies for a loop, while his supersonic wake knocks over a large number of 
  foes, making them easy prey for his allies. 
  Beyond his powers, Mario’s skills are those of a hard-working teen who likes cars 
  and girls. His good looks, friendly manner, and cleverness often get him farther 
  than others expect. He’s resourceful and willing to keep a low profile when at-
  tention would put his friends and loved ones in danger.
  Appearance: Mario Ortega is a 20-year old Latino with thick black hair, a slen-
  der face, and long limbs. His “costume” is nothing but stylish club gear that he 
  has pieced together, with a G logo painted on the back of his jacket. He wears a 
  small domino mask to conceal his identity.
  Stories: Stories involving G-Man usually relate to the trials and tribulations of 
  the Young Hero, or else to the specifics of his origin and his particular powers. 
  His family and friends are often placed in jeopardy, and he’s searching for other 
  Wonders whom he might identify with and share experiences.
  Mario may be able to run at supersonic speed now, but he’s still obsessed with 
  high-performance machines. He goes in search of the ultimate driving vehicle, 
  one which can react to his superhuman reflexes and which can draw on his own 
  energy to go even faster. This might lead him into stories involving the Road 
  “Let me show you some real 
  Fast and Furious.”
  
  44
  Scholar, or other inventors such as iHero, Moonshot, or even Codex. Villains may 
  like the idea enough to use poor G-Man as a fuel source, powering some nefari-
  ous engine by means of a treadmill. 
  The villain who created the g-car that gave Mario his powers gets out of prison 
  and comes looking for him. While monitoring G-Man, the villain spots his cousin 
  Gilbert, whom the villain recognizes from the theft of the car. The criminal marks 
  Gilbert for vengeance, and Mario will have to find a way to save him without 
  blowing his identity. Along the way, he can try to learn more about the g-car 
  and the source of his superhuman speed.
  Financial pressures in the Ortega family lead Mario to make some product en-
  dorsements as G-Man, mostly for things like tennis shoes and energy drinks. 
  All the products are designed to appeal to young audiences who live in the LA 
  area. The money comes in, but other heroes (and even his friend Ray) take a dim 
  view of such commercial enterprises. Soon, Mario is busier making commercials 
  than he is fighting crime. Can any hero possibly get him back on the path of the 
  straight and narrow? What happens when he has to choose between putting his 
  life on the line for someone he doesn’t know, and collecting a nice fat check for 
  doing next to nothing?
  
  The Field Guide To Super heroeS, Vol. 4
  45
  OPEN GAME LICENSE 
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copy¬right 2000 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
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  date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open 
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  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an 
  indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, indepen¬dent 
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  indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark 
  in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed 
  in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered 
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  a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Iden-
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  Product Identity.
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  License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial 
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  13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with 
  all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the 
  breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termina¬tion of this License.
  14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforce¬able, such pro-
  vision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  Fudge System Reference Document, Copyright 2005, Grey Ghost Press, Inc.; Au¬thors 
  Steffan O’Sullivan and Ann Dupuis, with additional material by Peter Bonney, Deird’Re 
  Brooks, Reimer Behrends, Shawn Garbett, Steven Hammond, Ed Heil, Ber¬nard Hsiung, 
  Sedge Lewis, Gordon McCormick, Kent Matthewson, Peter Mikelsons, Anthony Rober-
  son, Andy Skinner, Stephan Szabo, John Ughrin, Dmitri Zagidulin.
  FATE (Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment),
  Copyright 2003 by Evil Hat Productions LLC; Authors Robert Donoghue and Fred Hicks.
  Spirit of the Century, Copyright 2006, Evil Hat Productions
  LLC. Authors Robert Donoghue, Fred Hicks, and Leonard Balsera.
  Icons, Copyright 2010, Steve Kenson, published exclusively by Adamant Entertain¬ment 
  in partnership with Cubicle Seven Entertainment, Ltd.
  The Field Guide to Superheroes Volume 4, Copyright 2012, Vigilance Press, Author Jason 
  Tondro
  Open Gaming Content
  Designation of Product Identity: The following terms are designated as product iden-
  tity as outlined in section 1(a) of the Open Gaming License: All artwork, illus¬tration 
  or graphic design including any text contained within such artwork, illustra¬tion or 
  graphic design.
  
  Permission is granted to photocopy these pages for personal use. Characters and images are copyright Vigilance Press, 2012
  
  Permission is granted to photocopy these pages for personal use. Characters and images are copyright Vigilance Press, 2012
  
  Permission is granted to photocopy these pages for personal use. Characters and images are copyright Vigilance Press, 2012
  
  Black Chapter
  The Library is an ancient order dedicated to controlling arcane knowledge. 
  They stand a constant vigil against forces they believe could rise up to de-
  stroy the world without warning. To deal with these dangerous threats, 
  they have created the Special Collections teams.  The most dangerous 
  of these teams is Black Chapter.
  Written by Jack Norris and featuring art by Denise Jones, 
  Jesse Justice, and James Dawsey, Black Chapter brings 
  a new organization to your Superhero Roleplaying 
  game setting. Not only does it feature stats and 
  art for the Black Chapter team, but the orga-
  nizational structure for the Library itself as 
  well as perks for membership (should your 
  players wish to join their ranks). Of course, 
  when dealing with monsters take care 
  lest you become a monster yourself…
  Black Chapter will arrive soon, for Print 
  on Demand and PDF download! 
  Due Vigilance Issue 2: Black Chapter 
  is Copyright 2012 Vigilance Press. All 
  rights reserved. 
  C O M I N G  S O O N ! 
  ISSUE 2:
  Publisher of Fine Role-Playing
  Game Supplements
  vigilancepress.com
  
  SIX GUN!
  COMING SOON FROM VIGILANCE PRESS:
  Featuring a team of six cybernetic mercenaries armed to the teeth and 
  ready to challenge your heroes! Deadeye, 3chelon, Camo, HeadCase, Ma-
  rauder, and their mascot “Spot” are fully detailed and ready to mobi-
  lize. Trained and equipped to handle combat in any arena, Six 
  Gun are a deadly set of foes for your players. 
  The supplement also includes background 
  material on the sinister Orion Private 
  Securities and guidelines for adding 
  the feel of real-world modern Private 
  Military Contracts in your Superhero 
  campaign.
  Written by Rick Jones and featuring art 
  by the amazing Yad-Ming Mui!
  Six Gun and all characters and images are copyright 2012 Vigilance Press. 
  Publisher of Fine Role-Playing
  Game Supplements
  vigilancepress.com
  
  Publisher of Fine Role-Playing
  Game Supplements
  vigilancepress.com
  Know your Heroes!
  From comics scholar Jason Tondro, the Field Guide to Superheroes is a series of 
  volumes dedicated to helping players and GMs of Superhero Role-Playing games 
  spot the many different kinds of heroes found in the genre. With an in-depth 
  analysis of each heroic Archetype, and an example character for each one, the 
  Field Guide is your go-to source of information on how to capture the magic of 
  comic book heroes in your tabletop games!
  With this fourth installment of the Field Guide to Superheroes, Vigilance Press 
  delivers another 10 Superheroic Archetypes for the ICONS roleplaying game. 
  From “The Sidekick” to “The Young Hero” the Field Guide helps to illustrate the 
  different kinds of personalities found in the most popular superhero comic 
  books. Featuring art by the Dynamic Dan Houser, the Field Guide is a must-have 
  addition to any collection of ICONS supplements. 
  Now Available for the first time in Print 
  on Demand, The Field Guide volume 4 
  also includes 20 color character stand-
  ees for you to photocopy and use in 
  your tabletop games!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/FATE (fudge) [multi]/Icons/Icons - Field Guide to Superheroes/Field Guide To Superheroes 04.pdf