Creating a Homebrew Supers Setting

One of my favorite parts of creating a story is the creation of the world.  What you come up with is a mash up of ideas that end up being a type of Frankenstein's monster. Bits and pieces here and there brought to a cohesive whole.

I am working on a setting to run for my kids. My imagination has been in overdrive fleshing out a world.  I know I wanted to use the Savage Worlds Supers Companion for a game.  I didn't want superheroes just empowered beings.  I really like Rifts and post apocalypse settings in general.  I wanted less desert atomic wasteland and more of a there just aren't a lot of people around any more.  Ruins of cities with verdant forests surrounding them.  City states and kingdoms as the main civilization centers. 

The players play mutant heroes  while the bulk of humanity fills the adversary, stole that from X-Men.  I love the idea of getting your powers by going through an actual chrysalis stage. When the character emerges from the cocoon they are transformed and now their true self, knicked that from the Inhumans and Agents of SHEILD.

Now how to destroy the world so I can rebuild it.  I am reading the 5th wave with my daughter.  I love the idea of a massive plague taking down the bulk of humanity.  The catalyst for the change is caused by an Eco-terrorist group that creates a super bacteria that wipes out humanity, stole that from 12 Monkeys.  Then I have to figure out a way to dispose of the bodies and create a planet over run by forests and wild life, watching the History channel show The Days after Humans helped fuel this.

Then Wikipedia and Google searches to learn more and research all the various ideas I have come up.  The best part is the stumbled across information that fills the gaps of ideas I was having hard time tying together.

Now I have the basic ideas for my desired setting.  Now I insert them all into the creative centers of my brain stir it, seal the lid and let the fermenting process begin. This is what I got after letting the process sit for a bit.

I think I'll call the setting Imaginals, or the Chrysalis Event. I don't know still hashing that one out


In the year 2018 Earth took a dramatic change.  A mysterious terrorist organization called the Green Corp created and released a super bacteria upon the world.  They believed that humanity had ruled for too long and abused Earth in their tyrannical reign.  The called the bacteria Gaia's Vengeance.  It caused the infected human's body to break down at a rapid rate.  With in weeks of infection the victims body would begin a rapid process of decay. Ultimately the entire body would end up as nothing more than a mass of nutrient rich matter.  The remains became an excellent fertilizer.  Plant life would be able to grow in a more stable environment, allowing and ensuring, the plants to retake the planet.

Two unforeseen situations came from the spread of Gaia's Vengeance.  There were actually humans that were resistant to the bacteria.  They watched as millions of their fellow humans dissolved.  With in a decade millions upon millions of humans perished.  A year after the last reported death the Chrysalis Event happened.  Thousands of humans began to fall into coma like states.  Their bodies exuded a thick liquid that hardened into a cocoon. After roughly a month of being in the cocoon they emerged. They were no longer human.  They emerged as a form of mutated human.  Some how the bacteria had interacted with the DNA of these humans and mutated and changed their entire genetic code. 

All were drastically physically transformed: Some looked like animals or insects; others had multiple or less limbs; other simply had different colored skin and maybe a horn or two.  All of the mutants had developed some sort of super human ability. The ability to change shape, psychic powers, create blasts of energy or matter, the list goes on and on.   

It has been one hundred years since the release of Gaia's Vengeance.  Those that have changed have called themselves the Imago, or the Imaginals as many of the younger generation call themselves.  The Imago race is a viable species. When an Imago child is born they appear as a perfectly normal human child.  At a point in their pubescent period they create their chrysalis and emerge a fully formed Imago.  It is possible, yet difficult, to determine if a child is human or an imago.  An Imago child has various Imaginal Cells throughout their bodies.  A blood and tissue screening can possibly determine the presence of Imaginal cells.  Many of the screenings provide a false negative in determining the presence of the Imaginal Cells leading parents and doctors to believe the child is a human.  It is guaranteed that two Imago parents will created an Imago child.  A human and Imago coupling still has a good chance.  There is still even a chance that two humans can create an Imago child.   Some human societies have made the mutant screening test mandatory for all newborns.  Some of them will give the child to Imago parents to raise. While others will exterminate the child.

The majority of Humans and Imagos live in agrarian or nomadic societies.  Those that do not flock to the larger cities.  Humans have made their cities centers of technology and advancement.  The larger cities have advanced technology.  Even going as far as creating robotics and cybernetics as a way to level the playing field with the inherent abilities of the Imagos.  There are many Imago established cities.  While some enjoy the fruits of technological advancement they do not have the same level of robotics and cybernetics.  The humans have made a point to keep those advancements to themselves.. Also Imagos are unable to sustain cybernetics.  Something about the physiology will always reject the implant.

 Some cities have been established that are quite tolerant of both species.  While some completely forbid the rival species from existing in their space.  As of yet there has never been a full scale aggression between Humans and Imagos. There have been many heated skirmishes and attacks, but never a war.  The majority of the Earths population simply wants to just exist, rebuild and survive in the wilds and ruins of Earth.



Now for the Setting Rules.

All the Setting Rules in the Supers Companion except for Death and Defeat and Finishing Moves.
Blood and Guts
Jokers Wild
Critical Failures

Character creation use Rising Stars rule. they start with 10 power points
The Power limit is set at 15 points per power. 

Other than that characters start as a normal human.

Super Karma has been modified

Each Imago has some sort of physical sign that they are an Imago.

Each Imago begins a modified version of the Distinctive Appearance Hindrance at either the minor or major level.  This hindrance is taken in addition to standard hindrances.

Both levels give the Imago a -4 charisma when interacting with humans.  At the minor level the Imago is able to conceal their appearance in some fashion.  At the major level the Imago is not able to conceal their appearance at all.

If a character takes the minor version they gain an additional 5 power points at character creation.  If the hindrance is taken at the major level they begin with 10 additional power points.  As per the Super Karma rule this does not increase the power limit for a power.

Disallowed powers

Copycat

Invent

Super sorcery

Construct

Undead


Well that is all i really have to share about this setting for today.  I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions or comments feel free to let me know.








 
                                                    
“This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.”