Editing Brick City SPOILERS (section)

===issue #1===
:  ''M&M presents:'' ''' "tGSVC, part I" ''',  September 12, 2007.  '''GM: KEVIN'''   <br> RECAP:  ???  <br> Issue ROSTER:  ??? <br> 

::: '''GM ONLY Notes''':  <br>  ''For several months, the anti-social activities of many of the world's most powerful villains have been on the decline.  This has been seen in many quarters as evidence that the constant vigilance of the world's costumed champions of justice has been more successful of late; however, some fear that this observed decline is merely an indication that some greater evil is marshalling its forces for a grand assaunt on humankind.

:::  ''Those fears are correct. <br> Hidden deep beneath the semi-toxic waters of one of Brick City's chemical factories lies the secret citadel of ''' ??? ''', the mysterious villain whose very existence is still unknown.  From this sub-terra stronghold, the mastermind has sent forth his emissaries of evil to make contact with the most powerful villains of all.  He has offered them an opportunity to prove once and for all which among them is the deadliest threat to the forces of law and order.  Their immediate objective will be to embarrass, defeat, and ultimately to destroy the superheroes of Earth.  Their final goal will be Power Absolute.  <br>  To the final victor in the struggle for supremacy the mastermind has promised  ''' ??? '''...''

::  '''PHASE 1''' - ''the qualifying round''  
::*  Mastermind begins contacting villains, thugs, crooks and other seedy elements, telling them of the contest and its prize, instructing them to begin assailing superheroes and passing the good word to their villainous allies.  To participate they must simply respond with accknowledgement.  He doesn't mention that every villain on Earth is a contestant - even villain totally ignorant of the contest will be evaluated so long as word of their deeds reach the mastermind.
::*  GOAL:  Gain points by battling, defeating, and humiliating heroes.  The more formidable the hero the more points are awarded for his defeat.  Conversely, the more villainsthere are attacking a hero, the fewer points there are to go around.  This is to weed out would-be competitors who are unfit to be a supervillain and to evaluate the supervillains abilites and powers.  Villains who consistently lose to heroes, or who are too stupid to take advantage of their opportunities, or who are too psychopathic to control themselves under stress, will likely not do well enough to reach the second phase of the competition.  The purpose of the contest is to determine the most powerful supervillains (and heroes) on Earth. The object of this initial phase is to weed out would-be competitors who are unfit. Villains who consistently lose to heroes, or who are too stupid to take advantage of their opportunities, or who are too psychopathic to control themselves under struss, will liely not do well enough to reach the second phase of the competition. <br> At this stage of the competition there is no interest in causing any deaths. The goals is learning the relative strengths of the heroes and villains.

::  '''PHASE 2''' - ''the round of doom''  
::*  ???

::  '''PHASE 3''' - ''the round of death''  
::*  ???


----

====Issue #1 OPEN====
====='''PRELUDE'''=====
*  Aid Mark with character building.
*  Hand out handouts!
**  Brick City folder
***  pencil & pocket
***  maps & pix of Brick City
*  Offer the players for someone to "chronicle" quotes for the game. = +1 HP per session.

====='''reoccuring themes'''=====
*  Therapy sessions:  with PCs talking about their Heroic Motivation
*  Wren narrates  "and that's how it happened..."  (note to players that it might NOT have happened that way according to continuity, but that's what he remembers...)

====='''GAME ON - confusing opening'''=====
*  '''''NOW @ ...''''' ''a SIDEKICK speaks...'' A confessional style talk from '''Howard "Howie" Gilbert''' [formerly "Wren" of Firefox & Wren] wants into the PC super team. He's met them at the free counseling therapy meetings offered by C.H.O.R.E. (the Commission for Heroic Operations Reward Endevor) system. 
*  '''''MEANWHILE @ ...''''' '''[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Brick_City_SPOILERS#EARS EARS Group Therapy]''' office:  '''Dr. Bloom, M. Ed., LMHC'''
*  '''''PREVIOUSLY #1 @ ...''''' Individual buttkicking  ('''Roll Initiative!''': Allow Players to choose their location based on initiative roll.  Roll 50/50 to start scene to see if PC is doing good/bad to open)
::*  GUS THE DIMENSIONAL: a pawn shop owner, whose pawn shop seems to be a place where interesting gadgets and artifacts find themselves. He has 4-5 of these at any given time.
::*  CORN-STAR: with the power to talk to corn, no one thought he could be a hero - especially in Jersey... He's since learned to animate corn and use corn as weapons.
::*  THE BEFUDDLER: criminals and friends alike fear getting unwanted tunes looped in their head, causing Confusion and sometimes Nausia or even Draining Will...
::*  RED SHIRT: cursed by a gypsy when fighting over the last action figure at a "Space Trek" convention - he now dies and comes back moments later, each time with a random power/ability. 

*  '''''PREVIOUSLY #2 @ ...'''''  At the C.H.O.R.E. offices (city hall) an angry ex-Hero shows up peeved at C.H.O.R.E. The PCs can choose to fight or talk him down.  The man is - "TINY SAMPSON" [PL14 hulk/tom thumb-like hero]  one time member of the Exemplars in the mid/late eighties, he is upset that they're not rolling over his 401k plan now that he's fully retired from heroing. 
*  '''''MEANWHILE @ ...''''' '''EARS Group Therapy''' office:  '''Dr. Richard R. Nash, M. Ed., LMHC'''

====='''the Mob Plot'''=====
:  Brick City's local Don's, '''Don Carmine Cesario''', darling daughter '''"Cindy"''' is having her sweet sixteen and her senior prom this weekend. 
::*  NOTE - 16 year olds are typically sophomores in high-school, not Seniors. Cindy is on her first date with the star quarterback, who is a senior.
::*  NOTE - this is Cindy's chance to elevate her social standing rather than hang out with her peers, her pop's gotta understand that...
:  Unfortunately, the Don's rival, '''Don Julio Vespucci''',  has made some unwise comments about how it would be unfortunate if ''"something were to happen"'' to his pride and joy there...  <br> So Don Carmine has "generously" offered to send a few "chaperones" to the prom. About a dozen of them, actually. 
::'''the Cesario Thugs'''
::*  8 "Thugs",  2 "Gang Leaders":  The Don's men lack super-powers (he doesn't think that's 'fair,'), but be well-armed and experienced. 
: So the senior prom, already a festive event, is 'policed' by a dozen of the Cesario's made men, hardened criminals packing concealed weapons all, doing their level best to "look inconspicuous", since darling Cindy has put her foot down and insisted that "daddy" doesn't "make a scene".  <br> It turns out that the rival, Don Julio, wasn't just blowing smoke and he's hired from '''NinjaCo''' (a fledgeling franchise of assassins) to show up to "make a scene", not "tipping his hat" to show for sure it's from the Vespucci family yet...   
::*  The heroes are stuck in the middle of a senior prom turned gang war, with a petulant mafia princess freaking out that "daddy" has ruined her senior prom by dragging his "work" into her very special day. 
::*  "Daddy's" men will, initially, try to keep things quiet, but once guns, or superpowers, start appearing, they will cut loose with the hardware while students:
:::a) flee screaming into the line of fire
:::b) "chivalrously" try to shield their dates and get themselves into even worse trouble
:::c) sit back and make smart arse comments.
::*  NOTE - Cindy may brain a bad-guy, screaming about how he's ruined her evening (or gotten punch on her dress, or mussed her hair, or scared off her date...).
::'''the Vespucci Thugs'''
::*  13 "Ninja", 1 "super":  The rival's men consist of thugs from NinjaCo and a super-powered thug, attempting to use their powers to muscle in on the Don Carmine's criminal empire through fear and blackmail.
::**  Super???


'''WHY THE HEROES ARE THERE?'''
:*  '''GUS''':  as one or more prom attendees raid his shop for accessories (how weird that Gus has the *perfect* prom dress in stock, and one of the made men stopping in to pawn something he kiped sees it and mentions it to princess Cindy, which puts Gus in position to hear about the upcoming dance and potential gang war stuff...).
:*  '''CORN-STAR''':  was tagged to run a popcorn stand (thus giving him plenty of kernels as potential weaponry)
:*  '''THE BEFUDDLER''':  could be the Prom's DJ
:*  '''RED-SHIRT''':  could live up to his name and simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time.


'''The FAMILIES (The Mob)''' <br> Mob operations are run from the top down by the city's three ruling families: the Cesarios, Maggios and Vespuccis.

'''The Cesario Family''' <br> Carmine Cesario has been don of the Cesario organized crime family since the passing of his father "Big Nicky" Cesario some 15 years ago. Under Carmine's leadership, the Cesarios are currently the top-ranking of the city's three families. Carmine has no known powers, unless a vast network of henchmen, bribed city officials, and near-impenetrable resistance to prosecution count as powers. (They do.) Legally, Carmine is CEO of the Cesario Import/Export Concern, which operates down by the docks. His younger brother Salvatore, known for his impeccable gray suits and silvered sunglasses, serves as his primary enforcer.
*  '''Cesario Import/Export Concern''':  with Carmine as CEO this "front" business operates down by the docks.
*  '''<strike>Don "Big Nicky" Cesario (deceased)</strike>''': The old Big Boss...
*  '''Don Carmine Cesario''':  The big boss...
**  '''Cinderella "Cindy" Cesario''':  Don Carmine's darling daughter is sweet sixteen this year...
*  '''Salvatore Cesario''':  lead enforcer

'''The Vespucci Family''' <br> Julio Vespucci is the don of the Vespucci family, third member of the Mob's ruling council. The Vespuccis run numbers rackets, casinos, and just about anything else designed with an eye toward separating the obsessive-compulsive from their paychecks. Julio Vespucci's headquarters is the Vespucci Cardhouse, a large bar and gambling establishment (all entirely legal, of course) on the west side of town.
*  '''the Vespucci Cardhouse''': a large bar and gambling establishment (all entirely legal, of course) on the west side of town.
* '''Don Julio Vespucci''':




====='''EARS'''=====
''(Empathy, Assistance, & Referral Service)''
:: A Center for Counseling & Support (hypnosis optional)
:: '''"Relieve Your Monkey Mind"''' <br> Psychotherapy groups offer a particularly powerful opportunity for positive change. A therapy group is a safe environment in which one can experiment with new behaviors and new ways of looking at one's super heroic life.  <br>  <br> Through the '''C.H.O.R.E.''' program EARS offer these free and confidential groups allowing heroes (and recovering villains) as well as gay, bisexual, and questioning individuals a safe space in which to explore issues of heroic actions, hero worship, sexuality, homophobia, coming out (both secret identity and homosexuality), family, loss, religion/spirituality, intimacy, race/ethnicity, and relationships and dating - all with a super heroic definition.
:: *  '''''Confidential''''':  When you meet with EARS, your confidentiality and anonymity are assured.
:: *  '''''Certified''''':  You will meet with a Certified Group Psychotherapist of the American Group Psychotherapy Association.
:: *  '''''Free''''':  EARS support is offered to heroes of Brick City at absolutely no cost through the C.H.O.R.E. program.
:: Peer Groups are a powerful venue for growth and change. Not only do hero (and recovering villains) receive tremendous understanding, support, and encouragement from others facing similar issues, but they also gain different perspectives, ideas, and viewpoints on those issues. Most heroes, though somewhat apprehensive at first, report that the group experience was helpful far beyond their expectations. <br>   Members learn how they can achieve more happiness and more effective crime fighting pressence in general, forging  truthful, just, meaningful and supportive relationships with villains and civilians alike.  Groups typically meet weekly on an ongoing basis, so that new members are invited to join as openings are created by those who leave. Reasons for joining a group can include all the usual reasons for entering therapy, such as depression or anxiety, but groups are particularly helpful in improving interpersonal heroic tactics. <br>   We offer groups because they works for heroes familiar with team dynamics. We are convinced that the group format is one of the most effective tools for addressing issues common among super-powered individuals. <br>   Learn to manage wandering or obsessive thoughts. The process and structure of the group atmosphere helps members learn how to be mindful about their thoughts as well as remaining mentally-focused and physically on-task. The group is designed to provide encouragement and support in order to lessen the feelings of isolation so common in this stage of super heroic development. . You will learn and practice deep breathing, stretching exercises, understanding your monkeys (thoughts), Buddhist meditation practices, etc. to help you manage anxiety mindfully. <br>  Working effectively with heroes (and recovering villains) who are experiencing a wide variety of difficulties, with specialized training in many types of therapy - feeling passionate about helping you find what you want and need in the super heroic lifestyle you've chosen. Listening with compassion and respect, no matter your super hero grade, working diligently to help you build on your strengths, find hidden resources in yourself, downplay your weaknesses and vulnerabilities - arriving at the answers that are right for you. Many true heroes already have what they need to solve their problems, but feel stuck.  EARS will help you improve your arrest rate, feel more in control, learn to reduce your worries, and live a full, joyful heroic life. <br>  The EAR philosophy of practice is “The problem is the problem; you are not the problem”. It is EAR's role to assist you in disentangling yourself from the dominating influence of criminal element and help you regain control over your life.