Getting started

Either way, it is time to discuss matters that arise as play progresses.

Any campaign begins best with an "origin adventure," the scenario that establishes its premise, introduces its characters (and, if necessary, the players) to one another, and explains why these heroes are banding together.

Origin adventures can have unusual power, because they evoke a sense that these characters' lives are changing forever... that nothing will ever be the same again. An ongoing campaign can't sustain that feeling, and shouldn't try. Players would soon get worn out!

When you design an origin adventure, aim for a dramatic statement of the campaign's essential peril, the danger that the heroes have joined forces to combat. A major plot by the campaign's master villain is an obvious and excellent choice.

The PCs may not be together, and perhaps they even don't know one another, as the adventure begins. In any case, a beginning adventure (unlike most comic-book stories) does not have to start out with a dramatic incident. It's better to spend a leisurely 10 or 15 minutes per PC, establishing the character's current life, attitudes, and perhaps powers. This nonthreatening "trial period" helps a player get the feel of the PC before the real action begins.

In the origin adventure you can play around with players' expectations in a way that takes them by surprise. For example, if the player wants the PC to have a dependent in the campaign, you might establish one early in the origin-but then the master villain disposes of that dependent in horrible fashion!

The adventure later presents a new dependent, the one you intended all along. Meanwhile, the PC has formed a royal personal grudge against the bad guy.

But be careful. Avoid sheer ruthlessness... unless that's the campaign tone your players expect.

Subplots

Here are several intriguing kinds of subplots.

Mysterious appearances: Enigmatic notes in the mail or messages on the answering machine at HQ. Enigmatic manifestations of psychic power by a dependent. Enigmatic weather, or animals lurking in an alley, or surveillance drones. The common element is mystery. You need not have a culprit in mind when you introduce the mystery. Listen to the players speculate, and try to pick up on what they find most intriguing. Then, several episodes later, it turns out they were right-sort of! Throw in a devious twist to keep the players off guard.

Relations with the law: Some new inspector or precinct captain has it in for super-powered vigilantes. The official makes life hard for the heroes in their every criminal investigation, and attacks them in the media. But does the official have an ulterior motive in the attacks? Is there some darker figure behind the scenes, manipulating public opinion?

Increasing insanity: This tricky and risky episode requires a player's cooperation if you want to initiate it; or the player's character may already be heading overboard, and you decide to capitalize on the mounting craziness. The hero begins to part ways with the group. The PC's attitude becomes dangerous. At last a specially designed adventure faces the PC with the worst consequences of this new attitude. Probably the hero gets the opportunity to kill a hated foe, or the foe discovers the hero's secret identity and ruins his or her life. At this critical juncture, the hero either gives way to base impulses, or refuses to do so, thus setting the stage for a dramatic return to sanity. If you want to keep the PC in the game, make very sure the player in question is inclined to choose recovery. Otherwise, the corrupted PC should be phased out of the campaign or become a villain's henchman

Criminal trials: A valued NPC (or even a PC hero!) is on trial for some frame-up. While the trial proceeds, good guys search for evidence to clear the accused, and bad guys plant more. The verdict is by no means certain. If the accused goes to prison, the heroes may consider drastic actions to free him or her. When this subplot is resolved, the campaign may head in a new direction, with the heroes (at least for a time) on the wrong side of the law.

Player characters: A story is inherent in almost every good character conception. Does the character have a particular goal, such as vengeance or atonement, or wiping out a given organization? Has the PC been troubled by an ongoing psychological problem, such as a fear of intimacy or a berserker rage? Is there some mystery in the PC's past, such as his or her origin, or the identity of the character's parents? All of these imply an eventual resolution to the problem, over the long term of the campaign. The PC achieves the goal, overcomes the psychological hangup, or solves the mystery. The conflict is resolved. For example, the Human Torch, after years of dead-end romances, finally found true love with Alicia Masters and married her. The Silver Surfer found a way to leave Earth and return to the universe at large. Doctor Strange became Sorcerer Supreme. When a PC achieves the culmination of his or her story, that doesn't mean it's time for the character to retire. By that time, the PC has probably become so entrenched in the campaign that he or she takes on a kind of "elder statesman" role as an experienced hero, perhaps a leader, although his powers shouldn't be out of balance with the other PCs. Over the course of the campaign, try to develop the PCs' stories. You won't ever have time to resolve them all, but their ongoing progress will give your stories the appeal of the Marvel comics and the players the feeling that they really matter to the campaign.

NPCs: These, too, can develop in stories. The boyfriend breaks up with the heroine and leaves town, or dies, or marries the PC. The sidekick gets corrupted by the master villain, but redeems himself with a dying gesture that defeats the bad guy. The helpless sister learns to fend for herself, opens a business, and becomes a financial success and a respected citizen. Generally, such an NPC, unlike a PC, exits the campaign at this point. The character simply doesn't inspire stories any more. But he or she may return for guest spots now and then.

Villains: One of the most interesting aspects of the campaign is the gradual metamorphosis of the heroes' opponents. Master villains are reduced to annoyances, while minor henchmen take over and grow strong. Organizations are destroyed, but their agents go freelance and make further trouble. Just as your PCs have stories, the campaign villains also pass through life-changing events and emerge from them changed. You need not worry about this for the first year or two of play, but don't overlook these possibilities as the campaign progresses.

Aging

Campaign Problems