Meriquai Falls – The Music

It just occurred to me that I never did post last Friday like I was supposed to do. So, tonight, I’m going to pull a quick and dirty. It’ll be Thursday once most of you read this, so I’ll just say I’ll get myself back on schedule by posting “tomorrow,” as well.

I’ve been trying to put together a playlist of music evocative of Meriquai Falls and this is what I have so far. I could definitely use some opinions, yay or nay, on it and some suggestions to expand the list and round it out.

I’m specifically looking for music that evokes a “superhero” atmosphere. Music that has a Native American undertone or at least sounds like it mistaken for Native American is especially welcome as suggestions.

Disc One – The Omega Legion

Atlanta (Bond)
Everyone Get Down (Tiffany)
Feels Like A Prayer (Meck feat. Dino)
Heartbeat (Robby Romero)
My Vision (Jakatta feat. Seal)
Proud Warrior (Brian Davis)
Sweet Harmony (The Beloved)
Those Human Ways (Brulé)
True Faith (Liz Kay)

Disc Two – The Imperions

Beautiful Killer (Madonna)
Club Villain (Your Favorite Martian)
Demon Speeding (Rob Zombie)
Dragon Rider (Two Steps From Hell)
Get Up (Korn feat. Skrillex)
Magika (Two Steps From Hell)
Super Villain (Powerman 5000)
This Is How I Disappear (My Chemical Romance)
Ultimate Power (Epic Score)

Disc Three – Fall From Grace

Bring Me To Life (Evanescence)
Dreamtime (Daryl Hall)
Dream Weaver (Erin Hamilton)
Edge & Flight (Solar Fields)
Hero (Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott)
Live To Tell (Lucrezia)
Street of Dreams (Blackmore’s Night)
Time After Time (Inoj)
Try (Deborah Gibson)

Meriquai Falls – The Legend Force

The heroes watched as the landscape around them changed. The utter devastation that surrounded them quickly and magically undid itself. Shattered streets pieced themselves back together and closed off seams. Demolished buildings erected themselves, shattered glass and concrete flying back into place. People thought to be dead or mortally wounded began to wake up and stand up as if nothing had ever happened.

The awe-inspiring scene was soon overshadowed by a brilliant flash of light. The heroes turned to see the fey overlord, Auberon of Arcadia, hovering over them like kingly phoenix, smiling proudly down upon them.

“You mortals are champions beyond compare, even in Arcadia,” Auberon intoned. “Lady Falcon, ever a thorn in my side yet as noble of heart and great of beauty as you are beautiful. Blood Shadow, weakest of your ilk in body yet strongest of them all in intellect and cunning. Shotgun Rider, blessed by spirits so that your fate is as yours to command as your aim with a weapon. Prairie Maid, vested with mighty magic and the wisdom to weild with heart and soul. Deejay, a stout champion of your people as none I have ever beheld before. Doc Bionic, as much machine as you are man, yet more human than any other alive today. And Tethys, goddess of the sea and beautiful guardian of goodness and right.”

“You have risen above all odds and achieved the impossible,” Auberon continued as the rebuilding of Meriquai Falls continued apace. “By uncovering Crystalon’s complicity in the disappearance of my beloved Tytania and bringing my wife safely to me, you seven have done what no other mortals have done before. You have earned not only my respect, but my gratitude as well. You are to be commended, heroes. You are truly a legendary force to be reckoned with. The wicked should ever fear you as I respect you.”

With that, Auberon rose his scepter and flew off into the sky, disappearing among the clouds. The heroes gazed around and saw that Meriquai Falls had returned to how it had been before Auberon had ordered the Arcadian invasion of the Middle World. It was as if the last twenty-four hours had never occurred at all.

“So, um, what now?” Doc Bionic asked, turning to look at the other.

“We return to our lives,” Blood Shadow replied, absently adjusting his cowl. “Just because Auberon’s threat has over doesn’t mean our work is done, not by any stretch of the imagination.”

“Indeed,” Tethys agreed, leaning her trident on her shoulder. “Auberon was but one threat that this city shall have to face. More threats will surely come.”

“I’m down with that, cats,” Deejay added. “Too much going down in Northtown for me to be chillin’ like it ain’t no thang. Gotta get back to work.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Shotgun Rider ventured, still staring at the scenery around him.

“What’s that, lover?” Prairie Maid asked, turning to her husband.

“I think we can all agree that no single one of us could have pulled off what we did today, right?” Shotgun Rider asked, turning to the others.

“That seems pretty obvious,” Blood Shadow agreed. “This was something we all needed to work together to get done. Wait, are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”

“I like the idea,” Lady Falcon finally said. “For years, I thought I was the only one of my kind… the only person possessed of super abilities who could face off against the growing number of villains in this city. The last couple of years have proven me wrong, thank goodness. Now is a great time for us to start showing a united front against these villains.”

Blood Shadow didn’t respond. He simply looked at Lady Falcon, then to Shotgun Rider, then to the others.

“I’m in,” Doc Bionic added. “I think my keepers will appreciate that I’m not throwing myself at danger without backup. I mean, it takes a pretty dime to keep me spic ‘n span, ya know?”

“And we can call on each other for whenever we need help,” Shotgun Rider said, looking around at the others. “Each of us has our area of expertise that the others don’t have. Pooling our skills together will make us a better unit.”

“That is your military background talking, Rider,” Blood Shadow pointed out.

“I do have my own misgivings,” Tethys replied, eliciting a surprised glance from Blood Shadow. “I am a goddess and I am used to handling my problems on my own.”

“And I work best when I’m not hindered with having to watch out for others,” Blood Shadow concurred.

“Of course we shouldn’t work as a team all of the time,” Prairie Maid said, offering a gentle hand in agreement. “Some of us, like my husband and I, make a perfect team while others, like our dear friend Blood Shadow work best alone while in the shadows. But the good that we did today should not be ignored. We should stand ready to do this again, if the threat calls for it.”

“Okay, I can accept being on the group Rolodex, so long as it isn’t abused,” Blood Shadow conceded.

“Fair enough,” Tethys replied, nodding to Blood Shadow. “I shall make myself available for assistance in such future emergencies as warrants my aid.”

“Cool,” Deejay smiled, slapping his hands together. “MC and I are in, too. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with lending a helping hand when needed, right boy?”

The large bulldog standing next to Deejay barked excitedly.

“Great!” Doc Bionic added. “I’ll have a talk with McLane, then. I’m sure he won’t mind pulling some strings and getting us some team resources… you know, for when we need them and all.”

“Adrian McLane from McLane Industries?” Lady Falcon asked. “Not a bad idea.”

“Of course, the Conestoga Base and Conestoga Mobile are available, too,” Shotgun Rider added proudly.

“Indeed,” Prairie Maid smile. “This is getting me excited.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Blood Shadow pointed out. “Remember, this isn’t a full-time team. Tethys and I are on-call only.”

“Fair enough,” Prairie Maid smiled, apparently undeterred.

“So, what do we call ourselves?” Doc Bionic asked.

“I guess anything with the word ‘justice’ is out of the question,” Deejay said, scratching the back of his head beneath his afro.

“Auberon already named us,” Lady Falcon pointed out.

The others looked at the paragon heroine curiously as she smiled.

“We are a legendary force to be reckoned with,” she repeated from Auberon’s earlier speech.

“THE RECKONERS!” Deejay, yelled pumping a fist into the air. The others simply looked at Deejay, who shrank from the glares. “What?”

Lady Falcon continued to smile at the others. “I’m thinking more along the lines of….

Legend Force

In 1984, Lord Auberon of Arcadia invaded the Middle World after banishing the cosmic imp Robin Goodfellow from his court. Seven heroes banded together to take on the threat. Proving themselves heroes who could think outside of the box, they routed out the source of Auberon’s wrath and fixed it rather than take on the forces of Arcadia directly. In gratitude, Auberon repaired all of the damage he had inflicted, welcomed Goodfellow back into his court, and returned to Arcadia.

The heroes, seeing what they had done, decided to remain in contact with each other. They formed a league of sorts; a means of quickly coming back together in the event of a threat greater than any single one of them. This league became known as the Legend Force. And it was one of the greatest hero teams in the world.

For 16 years, the Legend Force protected Meriquai Falls from all sorts of villainy. But the death of Prairie Maid in 1996 and the retiring of Lady Falcon and Deejay to start their own family took a toll on the team. On New Year’s Day, 2000 CE, most of the rest of the team died at the hands of the vicious Wolf Pack as they enacted their threats on the city during the Great Meriquai Falls Massacre. Only Lady Falcon and Shotgun Rider survived… and only after the two of them collapsed an entire warehouse building onto the villains, allegedly killing the Wolf Pack. The Legend Force officially disbanded that day, to be replaced by the Omega Legion a couple of months later.

The Members

Lady Falcon – The defacto leader of the team, Lady Falcon is the oldest standing superhero in Meriquai Falls, even today. Her Phalkyran heritage gave her super strength, super toughness, and winged flight, all of which she put to heroic use. Prone to act first and ask questions later, she still won the public’s approval due to her gentle heart and striking good looks.

Blood Shadow – The behind-the-scenes brains of the team, Blood Shadow was a brilliant strategist and detective. Possessing no superpowers of his own, Blood Shadow made up for it with skill, cunning, and the many gadgets he carried. He preferred to work alone against the organized crime families infesting the city, but he never failed the team when they needed someone who could think things through quickly.

Shotgun Rider – An excellent marksman with trick shotgun shells who seemed to have more luck than any one man could ever possess, Shotgun Rider was a thrillseeker and an adventurer in his day. Today, he is more refined, wiser, and pragmatic, but he is still prone to taking great risks knowing that his luck will usually carry him through.

Prairie Maid – Shotgun Rider’s wife, Prairie Maid was a Meriquai shaman of no small water. Her magic and her wisdom protected Meriquai Falls time and time again against all sorts of threats, both mundane and magical. Her death at the hands of the Totem member Coyote saved hundreds of thousands of lives that day.

Deejay and MC – This African-American man and his pet bulldog gained the ability to manipulate light and sound from a freak discothèque accident. He focused on street crime, battling the rising drug problems of the streets of North Meriquai Falls. But he was also one of the most enthusiastic members of the Legend Force.

Doc Bionic – A former construction worker who lost most of his body in a work accident, McLane Industries scion Adrian McLane had Samuel Blacksmith rebuilt as a cyborg. While primative by today’s standards (what with current Lyncon Technologies nanotechnology and Winters Industries cyberprosthetic technology), Doc Bionic was cutting edge for his day. His strength and superspeed made him a great asset to the team.

Tethys – A greek demigod of the sea, Tethys somehow found herself bound to the juncture of the Missouri and Meriquai Rivers. She protects her prison-home like she would have her true home in the Aegean Sea. She lends her aid to the team because she feels it is the proper and just thing to do.

State of the Union

I promised myself I would write every week, on Friday, on this blog concerning Meriquai Falls. I’ve already broken that promise once, so I’m reaffirming that promise and writing here today.

Just to let everyone know, work on Meriquai Falls still progresses on schedule. It’s not my ability to work on it that’s currently in question… it’s my ability to RELEASE that work that’s currently in question. And since the answer to that question is a tentative “probably,” I’m continuing to write so that I’m prepared if the answers turn out to be in my favor.

So, What’s Going On?

Those of you who follow my personal Facebook page may have seen Jason Walter’s post on my wall on Monday. Some of you among those people may be wondering what that was all about and why it was important. So, here I go with an explanation as to how I understand the situation.

DOJ, Inc., Acquires Meriquai Falls

When I first published my Meriquai Falls articles (in 2002 and 2006), I signed a contract stating that everything that DOJ, Inc., published belonged to them, no questions asked. This was an important part of DOJ’s business model. See, back when the Big Three (George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Ray Greer) and Bruce Harlick were running things, they were far more relaxed about IP ownership. Many of the characters that Hero Games published were still owned by their creators.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, if a particular character appears in more than one place, it becomes an issue. As was the case with the villain, Icicle. Many Champions fans saw her as an iconic villain, so of course DOJ wanted to use her. They even secured permission from her creator to use her. However, Heroic Publishing called shenanigans on that (my personal opinion being that they were still miffed about how Bruce Harlick pulled the Marksman and Foxbat out of the Heroic Publishing universe) by pointing out that they had by contract exclusive rights to the use of the Icicle character. DOJ created the villain Snowblind to replace Icicle and moved on with their lives.

Given that scenario, it is easy to understand why DOJ would want to possess full control over ALL of their IP. And given my personal anger at the whole Icicle debacle, I wholeheartedly agree. So, I thought nothing about signing the rights to Meriquai Falls over to DOJ. They were still giving me the freedom to continue creating it via the Digital Hero fanzine anyway, so as far as I was concerned it was business as usual.

Cryptic Studios Acquires the Champions Universe

In 2007, the video game studio that gave us City of Heroes, Cryptic Studio, had seen their latest project get canceled by the publisher. It was supposed to be a MMORPG set in the Mighty Marvel Universe (Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, et. al.) and Cryptic had the coding foundation for the game already set. Now, cancelations of this sort happen all of the time in the video game industry (far more often than many of us would be find comfortable), so Cryptic shrugged their shoulders and moved on with life. But they weren’t content to see their hard work on the MMORPG coding framework go to waste. They knew they had a worthy challenger to their former child if they only had a superheroic universe in which to set the game.

This is where the perfect storm coalesced. Cryptic needed an superheroic setting and just happened to be Champions fans. DOJ had a well fleshed out superheroic setting twenty years in the making that wasn’t beholden to some larger corporation and just happened to be in a position to see the benefit of the influx of capital that cutting a deal with Cryptic would bring. Cryptic, being as savvy in the IP department as DOJ was, knew that they would benefit best if they had full control of the Champions Universe IP. And so a deal was cut, contracts were signed, and Cryptic bought the IP for the Champions Universe and the Dark Champions Universe from DOJ. Only Steve Long’s personal character, the Harbinger of Justice, didn’t make the transition. DOJ would continue publishing books on the Champions Universe under contract from Cryptic Studios.

Where the Confusion Lies

When I wrote the original articles for Meriquai Falls in 2002, I wrote them as though Meriquai Falls were an unofficial part of the Champions Universe. There were even references to VIPER, PRIMUS, and other elements of the Champions Universe within the articles. However, when Steve Long and I sat down to plan a Meriquai Falls setting ebook in 2003, we both agreed that Meriquai Falls should be separate setting, one that could easily be inserted into any other setting, including the Champions Universe. The ebook never saw the light of day (having been canceled following the abysmal performance of the adventure Shades of Black), but when I wrote an update article on Meriquai Falls in 2006, I noted all of the changed made to the setting in light of the decision to separate it.

Shortly after that article was written, Cryptic Studios bought the Champions Universe.

So, which holds precedence? The original articles in 2002 stating that Meriquai Falls was part of the Champions Universe? Or the update article in 2006 stating that Meriquai Falls was not part of the Champions Universe?

Jason Walters is looking into the answer to that as we speak (on top of everything else he has in his very hectic schedule). I imagine part of the process is Jason getting in contact with the legal gurus at Cryptic Studios to find out if Meriquai Falls was part of the deal in 2007 or not. I am waiting for Jason to get back with me on that. Until then, I’ll continue writing, like I said before, to make sure I’m still on schedule if the answers come back in my favor.

Worst case scenario: I turn over all of my notes to Cryptic Studios and give them seeds for what could possibly become a very kick-ass expansion to Champions Online and I move on to my other properties, like Elmenar and Lushei. Best case scenario: DOJ still owns the rights to Meriquai Falls and we all move forward as though this discussion never happened.

It’s a win-win, in my book.

Meriquai Falls – Aaaaaand, It’s A Go!

If you are friends with me on Facebook, you may already know this. Verbal permission from Jason Walters, General Manager of Hero Games, has been granted for me to publish Meriquai Falls! While I will still draw up contracts for Jason and I to sign, based on his templates, in order to make sure everything is legally covered, for all intents and purposes we are a go on this project. This is wonderfully timed, as now I can focus on getting material together for the 10-year Anniversary of Meriquai Falls’ original publication in Digital Hero #2 (way back in July/August 2002).

Thus far, I have the following documents on the queue…

• Meriquai Falls: Crimson-Hawk (free; May) – This will be a teaser document, presenting some basic history of the city as it pertains to Crimson-Hawk, plus details about Crimson-Hawk himself. It will discuss how he rose to superstardom only to lose it all during the Fall From Grace and how he rose back from those ashes only to make the ultimate sacrifice in the Battle of the Myste.
• Meriquai Falls: The Imperions (price pending; June) – In the original 2002 article, the Imperions, led by the enigmatic Galvakar, were lauded as the most famous and dangerous of the villain groups in Meriquai Falls. The truth is far more complex than that. While other villain groups exist and can be just as dangerous, the Imperions move with a sense of purpose unlike any other. For what villain could be more dangerous than a man determined to become a god?
• Meriquai Falls: Primer to the City of Spirits (price pending; July) – In time for Meriquai Falls’ 10-year Anniversary, this document will consolidate all of the general information about Meriquai Falls, apply all known errata, and modernize the setting for 2012. In addition, full character sheets and backgrounds will be provided for 14 heroes and 14 villains of the setting, giving value to the book regardless of whether you intend to use Meriquai Falls as a setting or not.

Other books are planned for further down the line. There is so much about Meriquai Falls to discuss: the Totems of Retribution, the Servants of Darkness, FENRIS, the Genetech Network, Count Dredmaus, and much much more. Stay tuned as plans are solidified.

Meriquai Falls – Count Dredmaus

Last week, I discussed a villain team that is integral to the Meriquai Falls setting, the Imperions. Since they won’t be included in the Primer (they will instead be featured in their own supplement), I chose to at least discuss them and their history here on my blog. In doing so, I hope to drum up interest in Meriquai Falls.

This week, I’m doing it again. This time, it’s a master villain. In fact, he is considered the most powerful and most dangerous villain in the Meriquai Falls setting. He is Count Dredmaus, the Mystic Lord of Weather. Imagine if you will if you took Marvel Comics’ Doctor Strange, gave him Storm’s powers, then gave him Doctor Doom’s mindset. Yeah, you’re getting pretty close to Count Dredmaus.

But who is Count Dredmaus? He appeared from out of the blue in the year 2000, mere months following the Great Meriquai Falls Massacre. At that point, he was every bit as powerful as he is today. Only the fortuitous presence of the mentalist Amethyst, the metamorph Masquerade, and the martial artist Silver Phoenix, along with the tactical genius of Major Brian Davenport (who was piloting the R.E.V.E.R.B. mecha suit), prevented the master wizard from inflicting more damage than he did. Even then, Count Dredmaus merely chose to quit the battlefield… he was not actually defeated.

Why then did he not appear sooner? As terrifyingly powerful as he is, he would have surely moved to conquer mankind long before now, right?

You have no idea just how right you are.

The Kingdom of Meriquai

The truth is considered beyond belief by the scant few individuals who know it. Count Dredmaus is a fey courtesan who was born more than thirteen millennia ago.

Count Syllus Dredmaus was a minor noble of the Empire of Arcadia at the time that the Kingdom of Meriquai was at its height. Like many fey, Dredmaus was fickle and shallow. But few even amongst the fey knew how dark Dredmaus’ heart was. He had designs. Grand designs. He intended to rule the Empire of Arcadia as its rightful emperor. Even the upstart Prince Auberon would not be able to deny him his destiny.

Dredmaus, being the immortal creatures that fey were, patiently watched as the Kingdom of Meriquai slowly descended into decadence. The silly humans were so predictable. The natural spirits of the Middle World thought so highly of the creatures who couldn’t survive even a full century before dying of old age, let alone by natural dangers or even violence. So the spirits had given all of these gifts to the humans. And how did the humans thank the spirits? By exploiting the spiritual magic for their own selfish ends. Dredmaus couldn’t help but laugh… not only were humans every bit as bad as fey (or even worse), but humans also possessed the power to destroy their own world… something the fey did not have.

Without the Middle World to anchor them, both the Spirit Plains and Arcadia would spiral out into the multiverse and possibly into oblivion. Dredmaus saw his chance. If he could conquer the Middle World, he could claim he was preventing such a catastrophe (who knows, it could be true). Then, as a hero of Arcadia, he could claim the imperial throne for himself. And everyone would support him. Even that laughable buffoon Auberon.

With that goal in mind, Dredmaus began to slowly set all of the pieces into place. Turning certain powerful humans to his cause was so incredibly easy that Dredmaus almost grew bored with the play. But he entertained himself with the antics of one young human boy, Hania Spiritheart, and his erstwhile allies. Playing a cosmic chess game with Hania while the boy hero journeyed to defeat the terrifying Myste was just the sort of intellectual release Dredmaus needed.

But all good things must come to an end. So it was with Dredmaus’ game with Hania. The boy hero had tracked Dredmaus to his lair on top of Mount Darksky, just as Dredmaus was enacting a ritual to draw the Myste to him. Hania and his allies faced off against the Dredmaus, but the fey count’s incredible command of weather magic was more than they had bargained for. Hania and his allies were easily defeated. However, before Dredmaus could land the killing blow, something incredible happened. Dredmaus suddenly disappeared into a dark vortex of energy, never to be seen again. Hania and his allies simply assumed that Dredmaus’ attempt to control the Myste backfired and the Myste destroyed him.

For over thirteen millennia, there was no proof to otherwise.

Reappearance

In the year 2000 A.D., the recent Great Meriquai Falls Massacre had drawn the attention of national and international peacekeeping forces. The United States commissioned the formation of an ultra-elite anti-terrorist military unit called the Lambda Force. Lambda Force, in turn, jointly commissioned IRON and Impulses Unlimited to develop a powered armor suit that the Lambda Force soldiers could use against supervillains. In a record-breaking two months’ time, they presented the R.E.V.E.R.B. prototype. Plans were made to demonstrate the prototype to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a glad overlooking the Meriquai Falls itself (at the time far from any developed part of the city).

As Major Brian Davenport was demonstrating the basic mobility functions of the suit, a mysterious man with the powers of flight and weather control inexplicably attacked the gathering. To this day, the public at large assumed that the villain, who was later revealed to be called Count Dredmaus, had taken the opportunity to attack the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the hopes of crippling the American military and to squash the public image of the nascent Lambda Force. If not for the three heroes who had secretly been in attendance, along with Major Davenport’s leadership, the villain would have surely succeeded.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the truth wasn’t as clear-cut as that. In reality, Count Dredmaus had just emerged from the dark vortex that had stolen him away from the fight against Hania Spiritheart. Something, or someone, had pulled Count Dredmaus out of time. The good Count, unaware that he had been pulled over thirteen millennia into the future, assumed that a rival fey noble had teleported him away from victory. When Dredmaus did not recognize his surroundings, he lost his temper and lashed out at the world around him. He just happened to be near the R.E.V.E.R.B. demonstration when he did this.

After spending a few moments venting his frustration on foes who were admittedly competent, though nowhere near powerful enough to defeat him, Dredmaus quit the battle to cool down and think about the situation.

The Throne of Arcadia

Eventually, Dredmaus pieced it all together. He then traveled to Arcadia to find that the “upstart Prince” Auberon was now the Emperor. To add insult to injury, the ever-radiant Countess Tytania, who Dredmaus had been courting, had married the buffoon… and stood proudly at Auberon’s side when Dredmaus attempted to reclaim what was rightfully his. Dredmaus declared war on Auberon’s court and enacted a ritual intended to destroy Auberon’s palace. Only the timely sacrifice of the court wizard, Nastarius, prevented a cataclysm the likes of which Arcadia had never seen.

To Present Day

Count Dredmaus cut his losses and fled. During the Multiverse Wars, wherein the heroes of the Middle World sought the pieces of the Staff of the Phoenix in order to save reality itself, Dredmaus found a pocket dimension that had been left unclaimed. Naming it Cumulonymba, Dredmaus built a tiny kingdom he could rule as a base of operations while he conquered the Middle World, the Spirit Plains, and Arcadia.

For the most part, Dredmaus has contented himself with seeding plots within plots in order to undermine the heroes of the Middle World and to weaken the political power of Auberon and his loyal nobles. A few times, Dredmaus has committed more direct acts of villainy against the Middle World; these have always been feints and tests, not only to gauge the progress of his work, but also to misdirect heroes away from what he is really doing. More than once, Dredmaus has allowed heroes to believe they had defeated him so that he could fall back, reconsider his strategies, and reappear much to the surprise and consternation of heroes everywhere.

One day, Dredmaus will rule the multiverse under his iron fist. It is his destiny as rightful heir to the throne of Arcadia.

And when he discovers who pulled him away from his victory over Hania Spiritheart, so many millennia ago, there will be Hell to pay.

Meriquai Falls – The Imperions

Meriquai Falls – Primer to the City of Spirits will include 14 example heroes and 14 example villains (well, 15 villains, actually, but Flipside is just the villainous version of Vixen and is discussed in a sidebar in Vixen’s background). These are not the entirety of the Meriquai Falls pantheon, to be sure. In fact, the sample villains are unaffiliated to any villain group, except for Night Sparrow who is a master villain and commands the street gang alliance known as the GeneTech Network.

As such, the plan for the future is to produce eminently affordable supplements detailing the various groups and organizations found within Meriquai Falls. One of those groups will, of course, be the Imperions.

The Imperions were first introduced in Meriquai Falls (Digital Hero 02). Led by the enigmatic shapeshifter Galvakar, the Imperions have attempted one master villain plot after another for nearly three decades. But why do they do so? What motivates them and why has their membership changed over time?

In The Beginning

The idea for the Imperions actually began over a decade before their official introduction to the world. In 1974, the city’s first recognized supervillain, the Manitou, used his own group of villains, the Totems of Retribution, to assault the Silver Mines in an attempt to drive the white men off of Meriquai sacred land. Gregario Petropoulis, the majority shareholder of Lyncon Technologies, was present for the attack. During the chaos, Buffalo made a vague comment about “Grandmother Spider’s heart,” which promptly got him punished by the Manitou.

This got Gregario’s mind to thinking. What was this “heart” and why was it so important that its mention would prompt the villain to punish his men? For nearly ten years, Gregario researched for answers. Finally, in the early 80s, Gregario stumbled onto ancient Meriquai tablets that hinted at the answers. An ancient artifact that actually contained the essence of a goddess? And it could possibly be hidden somewhere in the Meriquai Falls region? Gregario knew he had to possess this power. To transcend humanity and become a god? What sane man did not wish for this… to possess the power to change the world for the better?

So, for five years, Gregario quietly assembled a team of villains who would be absolutely loyal to him and assist him in finding and acquiring this power. Along with his wife, the were-spider known as Arachne, Gregario found two solo villains sympathetic to his cause. The first was the super-strong photokinetic, Incandentus; his near animal-like intellect and pet-like loyalty made him a perfect servitor. The second was the gadgeteer Tripwire; while Tripwire was a bit more independent than Incandentus, his brilliant mind for technology nearly matched Gregario’s own vast intellect and made for a perfect match for the team. Gregario commissioned Tripwire to construct an android to round out the team. Thus, the beautiful archer-android, the Huntress, was created.

The Imperions made their official debut caper in 1987, attempting to construct a super laser weapon capable of destroying the world. After a hard-won struggle and several minor defeats, the hero team Legend Force managed to defeat the Imperions right before they could fire the laser off into space towards the moon. The Imperions all escaped except for Tripwire, who was rescued from jail shortly thereafter.

The Team Implodes

While the Imperions enjoyed quite a bit of success when compared to other villains, the team was not without its problems. Gregario and Arachnes, being husband and wife, were utterly devoted to each other and Incandentus was quite loyal (like the family dog), but Tripwire and the Huntress were still wild cards. Tripwire possessed ambitions of his own, which occasionally put him at odds with his teammates. The Huntress was programmed to be utterly loyal to Gregario… which may have been her (and the team’s) undoing.

As time went on, Gregario entrusted more and more missions to the Huntress. Gregario trusted her because she was emotionless, competent, utterly loyal, and hardly ever failed. His wife, Arachne, however, saw the Huntress’ flawless physical beauty and assumed less savory motivations from her husband. Arachne’s jealousy grew to a point that she decided to have the Huntress destroyed.

Simply destroying the Huntress would not do, though. The Huntress would have to be destroyed in such a way as to force Gregario to realize the folly of having another similar android created. So Arachne embarked on what was to possibly be the worst decision of her immortal life.

Over  the course of weeks, Arachne seduced Tripwire. It was very subtle at first. She did not want Gregario suspecting her activities. But as time went on, Tripwire’s resistance to Arachne’s overtures faded. Finally, Arachne felt the time was right and made her move. She confessed to Tripwire, lying to him about her unrequited desire for him. But she felt that the Huntress posed a danger to their affair, capable of reporting their dalliances to Gregario. So Arachne asked that Tripwire reprogram the Huntress to be loyal to Arachne rather than to Gregario. Tripwire, his resolve completely gone and desiring Arachne madly, readily agreed to Arachne’s demands.

That night would be the last night of the original team’s existence.

Tripwire tricked the Huntress into a “routine maintenance” session and quietly began to reprogram her. Unfortunately, the Huntress’ original self-evolving programming proved to be Tripwire’s magnum opus… and his end. When the Huntress realized what was really going on, she turned on Tripwire. She interrupted the reprogramming in mid-session, which caused some catastrophic code relooping that caused her to go beserk. She killed Tripwire and gravely injured Gregario and Incandentus before escaping into the night. Arachne got the two surviving villains medical attention, but never spoke of her involvement in the ordeal.

The Imperions, now down to three members, went on hiatus.

Rebirth

By the year 2000, Lyncon Technology’s research into nanotechnology had reached the point that it was able to save the life of Gregario’s daughter, Mellisa (albeit at a cost of some of her humanity). Heartened by the success nanotechnology had in giving Mellisa back her mobility, Gregario used specialized nanotechnology to transform himself into a genetic shapeshifter. Now calling himself Galvakar (after the Italian physicist Luigi Galvani), Galvakar felt he was ready to rebuild the Imperions and be a more hands-on leader.

Now with Arachne, Incandentus, and his daughter Cyber Dreamer, Galvakar reached out to more potential members. He found two who fit the bill perfectly.

The first was Walter Cameron. Walter was found blown clear of Count Dredmaus’ assault on the REVERB demonstration, nearly three miles downstream from the Falls. Walter had recently been rejected by a woman he had loved and now believed that the rest of his friends had abandoned him. Cyber Dreamer, smitten by his rugged looks and his fierce determination to live, convinced her father to give Walter some nanotechnological treatment of his own. Walter gained enhanced strength, speed, and claws, becoming Cougar.

A month later, a mutant named Tommy Flannigan inadvertently discovered his ability to create portals that could teleport anyone or anything over vast distances. Hearing that the Imperions were reforming, Tommy tracked who he thought was the leader down (Arachne) and petitioned for membership. After a series of grueling tests that Tommy barely survived, Galvakar begrudgingly allowed Tommy to join, dubbing him Nexus.

Up To Today

Over the course of the next decade, the Imperions enjoyed a string of successes and failures the likes of which they’d never enjoyed. The Imperions were instrumental in thwarting FENRIS’s first attempt to take over the city. But they were also the catalyst to the Multiverse Wars, where heroes and villains alike had to hunt down and reassemble the pieces to the Staff of the Phoenix in order to prevent reality itself from collapsing upon itself. The Imperions have made several attempts to assemble and activate one doomsday weapon after another. Although they have always failed, they have always succeeded in getting one step closer to realizing Galvakar’s true goal.

Into The Future

In Vixen’s future, the Imperions actually succeed. Galvakar finds the Heart of the Grandmother Spider. He kills Crimson-Hawk when the hero attempted to preserve the secrecy of the Heart’s location in one last desperate stand. Jackson Sullivan then leads the rest of the Omega Legion against the Imperions to prevent them from harnessing the Heart’s power. But the Legion is too late; they arrive to find the Imperions have already absorbed the Heart’s power and have been driven insane by its sheer intensity. The Legion is slaughtered to the last member, except for 12-year-old Vixen, who is somehow snatched by some unknown force and thrown back into the past.

Meriquai Falls - Inspirations

As any roleplaying game designer can tell you, a campaign setting is never created in a vacuum, not even one as "small" as the City of Spirits. Many people have inspired me, either by their impact in my life or by example through their writing. Many of these examples have translated directly into characters within Meriquai Falls.

Today, I've decided to compile a list of certain characters in Meriquai Falls and discuss briefly who inspired each one.

• Crimson-Hawk: Darren Davenport represents all of the positive traits I possess, magnified suitably for a superheroic campaign, with a sprinkle of my humility and low self-esteem.
• Backdraft: By contrast, Drake Roberts represents all of my self-centered egotism and need for attention, along with the desire to "do the right thing" in order to gain that attention.
• Reverb: Brian Davenport is based on my brother, William, in that he is more athletic than Darren, joined the Air Force, and is a natural leader.
• Shotgun Rider: Ronald Davenport is based on my father, Don. An adventurous soul with a gritty, get-things-done attitude, Both Ronald and my father share a past in the military as a small arms expert.
• Prairie Maid: Technically, Jasmine Davenport (nee Owlspeaker) is inspired by my mother, Jackie, though I took some creative liberties in constructing Jasmine's ethnicity and background. Jasmine does, however, share my mother's caring personality, determination to succeed, and the willingness to lay down her life for those she loved.
• Vengeance: Jackson Sullivan is inspired by the Silent Knight, a character created by Jody Slyman based loosely on himself. While sharing similar motives and skills, Vengeance and Silent Knight utilize vastly different tools and backgrounds.
• Amethyst: Lyssa Sullivan (nee Kellerman) is inspired by the Mind Mistress, a character created by Jody Slyman. Mind Mistress herself was originally based off of a person Jody knew, but since I have never met this person, it is safe to assume that Amethyst is completely fictional.
• Vixen: Trina Sullivan is based off of a what-if question... I'd asked Jody Slyman if he had a daughter, what would he name her? Then I constructed another what-if scenario... What if Jackson Sullivan and Lyssa Kellerman had a daughter, how would she grow up and what powers would she have. Vixen quickly grew to become a centerpiece character in Meriquai Falls.
• Nastarius: The fey archmage, the closest thing that Meriquai Falls has to a "Sorcerer Supreme," is based off of a character created by one of my best friends, James Rankin.
• Gracelynn Willow: Gracelynn Johnson is inspired by the mother of my sons, Dee Waugh, right down to her spitfire personality and never-say-die attitude.
• Phalanx: The powered armor wearing current head of IRON, Kristoff Jameson, is inspired by one of my best friends, Chris Jennings.
• Sworddancer: Kristy Angela Morales is based very loosely off of a girl I knew in college. Christine was a Wiccan priestess, sharp as a whip, and very easy on the eyes. Although I haven't seen Christine is quite a few years, her impact on my life continues on in the form of Meriquai Fall's resident mystical anti-hero.
• Live-Wire: For his birthday, I created a character for my cousin, Trevor. Based loosely on the hero of the Infamous video games, Cole MacGrath, Trent MacDailey is a survivor of the attack of the  Con Rắn Cháy on North Meriquai Falls in 2008.
• Professor Epoch: Professor Epoch is a gender-bending cross between the Timemaster from Classic Enemies and Tempus from Champions Presents.
• Refractor: To emulate Refractor's terrifying ability to alter reality around him, I drew inspiration from the character sheet of the Infinite Man, from Scott Heine's supplement, Alien Enemies.
• Short-Circuit: The cyberkinetic villain, Eddy Watts, is based off of a character created by one of my best friends, James Rankin.
• The Totems of Retribution: The concept of the Manitou and his spirit-imbued followers, Coyote, Eagle, Buffalo, and Bear, along with the concept of Grandmother Spider, are lifted nearly whole-cloth from the pages of Dean Shomshak's excellently written supplement, Creatures of the Night: Horror Enemies. I did take the liberty of modernizing the concepts... the Manitou has lived for centuries, resurrecting himself in a new body after each death, to become a much more cosmopolitan villain and the Totems themselves do not transform into beast-men, making them even more dangerous in that they can disguise themselves easily.
• The Black Dragon Clan: The Inner Circle of this mystical Vietnamese assassin clan with a blood feud with the Korean warrior Rising Moon clan is based loosely off of Yooso, the villain group created by Aaron Allston for his beloved 1990 supplement, Ninja Hero. The clan's leader, Shadow Fang, is inspired by the Classic Enemies villain, Black Claw (with a little bit of Dragon Master sprinkled in).
• The Mythos: The Celtic gods of the Mythos (Taranis, Lugh, Mabon, Mannanán, Morrigan, and Rhiannon) are adapted from the Pantheon from Scott Heine's supplement, Alien Enemies.
• Many Villains: Many of the villains in Meriquai Falls owe their existence to the many authors who have written for Green Ronin Publishing. More specifically, I drew inspiration from the many generic archetypes that were published for Mutants & Masterminds. Did I have an Unscrupulous Billionaire? Okay, let's create Sigmund Winters and his assassin daughter, Dominique Winters. Did I have an Evil Robot? Yeah, that's already covered by the Huntress, the android who went rogue from the Imperions. Did I have a Sinister Simian? Let's get creative, make him a powerful mentalist and call him Doctor Marmoset. Yeah, I said it... Doctor Marmoset! Grovel in fear at the superior intellect of Doctor Marmoset, you pathetic humans!

Meriquai Falls - The Writing

I've been spending the last week really cranking into my writing on Meriquai Falls.  Well, more appropriately, I've been sinking my teeth into learning MS Publisher so that I can make Meriquai Falls look halfway professional. I know people will insist that I should be using PageMaker or InDesign or Quark or whatever. But I'm jobless and "real" DTP software doesn't come cheap. MS Publisher is a lot less expensive (since I already own a copy) and is a lot easier to use than Scribus (the freeware DTP software).

I've been having a lot of fun learning how to work with text boxes, pictures, master pages and a lot more. But I know I could be doing a lot more. I kinda wish I could afford to take a class on DTP software, but... ah, well.

Now that I have the MS Publisher document set up the way I want, it's now time to buckle down and do the actual writing. And now that I've officially quit World of Warcraft, I can focus on that writing.

Right? Right?

Ooooooh!  Pretty butterflies!

Superhero RPGs

It's been a long while since I've posted here.  Too long.  I need to quit slacking and get to writing.

That being said, I'm going to try to ween myself back into writing by talking about the various superhero RPGs.

First off, I'll point out that, despite the almost generic use of the term "superhero" across much of the gaming industry, as well as the fan base of both the gaming and comic book industries, variations of term "super hero" are jointly trademarked by DC Comics and Marvel Comics.  This is true in spite of some contention from legal experts throughout the decades [quote].  But since the term has such a pop culture significance, there are few other terms to label the genre that can truly fit.  Thus, "superhero" and "superheroic" are terms generically used to describe the genre of these games.

Without further ado, I now present the games... in order of my favorites first.

Champions

First published in 1981 by Hero Games, Champions distinguished itself with its point-buy system for balancing characters as well as its use of character flaws (then called Disadvantages, currently called Complications). The system off of which Champions is based, the Hero System, has since been adopted as a universal system, applied to various other genres such as fantasy, espionage, pulp, science fiction, cyberpunk, horror, post-apocalyptic, and western. Champion's fourth edition, heralded by editor Rob Bell and an insane amount of playtesting, truly brought the game into the limelight of the gaming industry. During the latter days of the game's fourth edition, writer Steve Long would emerge to become one of the company's most reliable and consistent go-to writers.

After splitting with publishing partner Iron Crown Enterprises, Champions publisher Hero Games drifted during the 90s. For a short time, Hero Games partnered with R. Talsorian Games; the resulting brainchild RPG system, the Fuzion System, continues to enjoy a love-hate relationship with Hero System fans to this day. Online dot.com concern Cybergames then bought Hero Games (including the Fuzion-based Champions: The New Millennium), but saw little success, despite improved graphic presentation and Hero System stats for its iconic characters.

The turn of the new millenium saw a new renaissance for the Hero System. Steve Long, along with Darren Watts, Jason Walters, and a few other investors who chose to remain anonymous bought the assets for Hero Games from Cybergames and incorporated themselves as DOJ, Inc. (named after one of their pet RPG superhero teams, the Defenders of Justice). Steve Long, acting as Line Developer and primary author/architect, then heralded in the fifth edition of the Hero System. The fifth edition saw a grand amount of improvement from even the fourth edition as well as a mind-boggling amount of rules clarifications and rulings. The fifth edition proved very popular, in spite of the economic recession post-9/11, and enjoyed the success of several dozen supplements (the majority of which were for Champions).

Most recently, the intellectual property for the default Champions setting (centered on the fictional city of Millennium City) was bought by Cryptic Studios for the Champions Online mmorpg (when Sony left Cryptic Studios in the lurch by canceling the Marvel Online game). DOJ, Inc., heralded the mmorpg by publishing a sixth edition of the Hero System and a few Champions supplements to update the setting to match the mmorpg. The economic recession has finally got the better of DOJ, Inc., sadly, and it has had to ask Steve Long and Darren Watts to step down from direct employment within the company (although both continue to be co-owners of the company), leaving Jason Walters as the sole employee of the company. However, projects continue on, as Jason Walters has offered a royalty-free license to third-party publishers, of which individuals such as Steve Long and Dave Mattingly take advantage.

Mutants & Masterminds / DC Adventures

What happens if you add a point-buy character creation system to the d20 System (the system on which third edition Dungeons & Dragons is based) and then adjust the whole thing to account for the fact that you should only ever need one twenty-sided die for the whole game? You get Mutants & Masterminds.

The brainchild of game designer Steve Kenson, Mutants & Masterminds took the gaming industry by storm at a time when it had generally been conceded that it was impossible to use the d20 System for superheroic roleplaying. Other attempts had been made, to be sure. Most had kept to the formula of classes, levels, and hit points while trying to shoehorn superpowers into the mix. But Mutants & Masterminds didn't constrain itself that way. Steve Kenson took only the parts of the d20 System that he liked and then embellished it with elements inspired by other RPG systems, like Champions, GURPS, or MEGS. The result was elegant, awe-inspiring, and powered by the economic might of Green Ronin Publishing. Did I mention that Mutants & Masterminds benefited from some of the best artists in the gaming industry, since Green Ronin was willing to print its books in full-color?

Mutants & Masterminds is currently in its third edition. The second edition of Mutants & Masterminds enjoyed a spectacular run similar to the Hero System's fifth edition, with many useful and informative supplements detailing various eras of comic book history. And, like the Hero System's sixth edition, Mutants & Masterminds' third edition heralds a licensing deal. This time, the system is being used to present the latest iteration of roleplaying in the DC Universe.

DC Adventures is a four-book license that Green Ronin is masterfully playing out to its fullest. The core rulebook is exactly the same as the Mutants & Masterminds Third Edition Heroes' Handbook, except it includes sample characters and brief histories of the DC Universe. It will be supplemented by two books detailing a huge number of DC Universe's best and brightest as well as a fourth and final book detailing the DC Universe setting in and of itself.

MEGS

MEGS, which is short for the Mayfair Games Exponential System, is most famous for being the rules system off of which the first iteration of roleplaying in the DC Universe was based. The concept of the rules was deceptively simple. If your Strength was 3 and your friend's Strength was 2, you were twice as strong as your friend. And if your girlfriend's strength was 4, she was twice as strong as you. This simple "doubling per tick" concept was used for everything, from speed to time to weight to money to... well, everything. And skill contests used an easy to reference chart that used two dice to compare to two values being contested.

The DC Heroes Roleplaying Game enjoyed three editions (each with various and minor improvements) before DC Comics canceled Mayfair Games' license. A protracted legal battle ensued; Mayfair Games wanted to continue using the MEGS system to publish other games, but DC Comics believed that by license the MEGS system belonged to DC Comics. DC Comics eventually lost the legal battle, but by then it was too late. Mayfair Games, for various reasons including the legal battles, was forced to file bankruptcy and go out of business. Other companies have tried to use the MEGS system for their own game, but none of the games have enjoyed the level of success that DC Heroes enjoyed.

Fuzion System

As mentioned above, the Fuzion System came about while Hero Games as partnered with R. Talsorian Games. The Fuzion Labs Group, which at the time included the best and brightest designers from both companies, created the Fuzion System in an attempt to meld the best elements of both the Hero System and R. Talsorian Games' Interlock System together in a cohesive whole. The result was both elegant and flexible.

R. Talsorian Games went full-throttle into the Fuzion System, cranking out games licensed from popular mecha-based anime franchises such as Bubblegum Crisis and Armored Trooper V.O.T.O.M. as well as the insanely popular Dragonball Z. Hero Games attempted a renaissance of their own intellectual property with Champions: The New Millenium, trying to update their setting to the more mature sensibilities of the 90s.

While the Fuzion System enjoyed some success, it was not to last. The primary architect of R. Talsorian Games, Mike Pondsmith, took up full-time employment at Microsoft in order to pay the bills and Cybergames bought up Hero Games shortly thereafter. When Pondsmith finally did publish a Fuzion System-based version of his company's intensely popular Cyberpunk game, it met with poor reviews... Pondsmith attempted to update the flavor of the setting to modern sensibilities, which essentially killed the dirty, gritty, dystopian feel that made the Cyberpunk genre so popular. It didn't help that Pondsmith attempted to save money on artwork by photographing toy action figures instead.

Cortex Plus / Marvel Heroic Roleplaying

Okay, this one took me completely by surprise. So much so that when I adamantly confessed my confusion to graphic artist Fred Hicks, he nearly game me up as a lost cause in understanding the game's flavorful elegance. In essence, there are no "primary attributes" or anything like that. A hero's capabilities are an eclectic mix of circumstances, abilities, and fate. In essence, the hero feels like a comic book superhero rather than like a fantasy adventurer.

As mentioned, there are no "primary attributes." If the character is known for his superhuman level of agility, such as Spider-Man or Nightcrawler, of course it's noted in his power sets and can be used in die pools if appropriate. But if he only has an average amount of agility, it's never noted anywhere on his character sheet (known as datacards in this game) and is never bothered with. It is, however, extremely important how well he performs solo, with a buddy, or with a team. And distinctive traits, like Reed Richards being the smartest man on Earth, can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the circumstances. And a metagaming currency known as Plot Points is spent and traded freely like poker chips in Las Vegas (in fact, poker chips might prove a useful way of keeping track of Plot Points).

The most interesting part of the game (which is either damning or liberating, depending on with whom you game) is that there is no structured guidelines for character creation. If your chosen hero has a particular ability, just give it to him and don't worry about whether it balances with the other heroes in the game. The balancing factor comes not from the rules system itself, but from the sense of responsibility displayed by you and your party mates. If your friends are telling you that you're just being stupid, odds are they're right.

The game is just in its infancy, having just been published by PDF a couple weeks ago and still awaiting physical shelf life. But the Basic Game includes some very interesting sample characters, including my beloved Shadowcat, and so its gearing up to be a great game.

BASH

Now, here's a pretty little game that deserves more attention. BASH is short for Basic Action Super Heroes. The mechanics are simple. Your attributes are rated as a multiplier. For a skill test, you roll two six-sided dice and add them together. You take that result and multiply it by your attribute's multiplier rating. You then compare that result to a chart to determine how well you succeed at the task. Thus, if you have a Brawn of 3 and you roll an 8 on the dice, the result is 24 (8 x 3); you succeed at a Tough (20+) task.

BASH takes a minimalist approach to character creation. There are only three attributes (Brawn, Agility, and Mind) and the list of powers is fairly short and inclusive. While attributes and powers are bought with points, how many skills you have is dependent on your Agility and Mind. What this all means is that given familiarity with the system, it's fairly quick to create a character and get adventuring. Fights tends to be speedier than other systems, as well. On top of that, the top-notch artwork of Moretti and Chiaramonte makes the book simple yet gorgeous, giving off a well-designed "Animated Series" feel.

I sincerely hope this system gets some more well-deserved attention. It's a gorgeous game.

Tri-Stat System

Speaking of minimalist systems (or at least systems that should have remained minimalist), I can't forget to mention the Tri-Stat System. First published in 1999 as the anime RPG, Big Eyes Small Mouth, it was extremely minimalist. As its name implies, the system has three stats, Body, Mind, and Soul. All checks are made against those three stats using two six-sided dice. You want to roll under the stat's value, so the higher the attribute and the lower the roll, the better off you are. Characters are further customized by Attributes, super powers like those seen in popular anime series.

While the game was an unprecedented success at GenCon 1999 (where Mark MacKinnon ran out of copies), it saw super-stardom when licensed versions of the game were published for Sailor Moon, Dominion Tank Police, and Demon City Shinjuku. The Tri-Stat system saw even more success when the system's publisher Guardians of Order partnered with anime distributor Pioneer for licensed versions of Tenchi Muyo! and el Hazard, where graphics designer Jeff MacIntosh truly got to flex his muscles with glossy full-color presentation.

The beginning of the end occurred when MacKinnon chose to enter the ring of western superheroic roleplaying. The Tri-Stat system got restructured for the Silver Age Sentinels roleplaying game, adding a level of complexity that was conducive to western superheroic roleplaying but was anathema to Tri-Stat System fans. While SAS saw some moderate success, even being featured in a crossover adventure module with Hero Games' Champions RPG, MacKinnon's ambitions soon outstretched his pocketbook. After a minimally successful showing of a Tri-Stat System presentation of G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire setting, Guardians of Order had to file of bankruptcy and sell most of its non-IP properties to White Wolf Game Studios.

If you do wish to use the Tri-Stat System for superheroic roleplaying, I actually recommend the iteration of the rules set presented in either the Tenchi Muyo! Role-Playing Game and Resource Book or the el Hazard Role-Playing Game and Resource Book. Game designer David Pulver did a fantastic job of balancing simplicity with flexibility and stability with these two books.

Other Games

There are other superheroic games, of course. The classic Villains & Vigilantes is known for it old-school level-based goodness and Jeff Dee's exquisite artwork. GURPS Supers, in any of its iterations, can't be forgotten. Aberrant, White Wolf Game Studio's attempt at dark and adult superheroics using a version of the Storyteller System, is a fine choice if you want to play a superhero in a losing battle with himself. And there are many others. I might get into them at another time.

In the meanwhile, I've rambled on long enough. Thank you for reading.