The second Shadow, Sword and Spell game book deals with what happens as adventurers gain experience, influence and power. It has rules for leading groups, cities and armies including economies, labor, trade and warfare. Plus some fun stuff on scheming, politics and other underhanded non-sword slinging type conflicts. Magic, alchemy advanced, relics and tomes and there’s also some creatures, which include the mythological and the Lovecraftian. A fine game, continued.
The FATE of The Authority
Apollo
High Concept: The Sun King
Trouble: Bioengineered killer street orphan
Aspect 1: Definitely not a leader
Aspect 2: World’s Most Powerful Man
Aspect 3: Optimistic adventurer
F: Incredible (+4)
A: Monstrous (+6)
S: Shift Z (+10)
E: Unearthly (+7)
R: Good (+1)
I: Good (+1)
P: Excellent (+2)
Resources: Poor(-1)
Popularity : Amazing (+5)
Contacts : Good (+1)
Physical Health: 5
Mental Health: 3
Con: 2 2 4 6
Karma: 10
Other Skills
Sun King Power Array
Unearthly (+7) – Heat Vision, Flight, Acrobatics, Resistances [Aging, Heat, Breathing, Eating, Disease, Poison, Radiation]
Amazing (+5) – Regeneration, Recovery [Limitation: Only In Sunlight]
Incredible (+4) – Body Armour
Excellent (+2) – Heightened Senses, Danger Sense
Limitation: After 12 hours out of Sunlight, Sun King Power Array Ranks will reduce one rank per hour. At 0, they are unusable. Recharge at a similar rate.
Excellent (+2) Military Science, Navigation
Midnighter
High Concept: Night’s Bringer of War
Trouble: Bioengineered killer street orphan
Aspect 1: Already fought this fight a million times
Aspect 2: Pessimistic grim bastard
Aspect 3: Touch my husband I rip out your spine
F: Unearthly (+7)
A: Amazing (+5)
S: Incredible (+4)
E: Monstrous (+7)
R: Remarkable (+3)
I: Unearthly (+7)
P: Amazing (+5)
Resources: Poor (-1)
Popularity: Remarkable (+3)
Contacts: Good (+1)
PH: 5
MH: 5
Con: 2 2 4 6
K: 10
Other Skills
Night’s Bringer of War Power Array
Shift X (+8) – Martial Arts B, Danger Sense, Precognition [Limitation: Personal Fights]
Unearthly (+7) – Luck [Each use for reroll per session reduces one rank]
Monstrous (+6) – Acrobatics, Shoot[Guns, Thrown Weapons]
Amazing (+5) – Martial Arts C, Tracking
Remarkable (+3) – Body Armour, Regeneration, Recovery
Excellent (+2) – Heightened Senses, Danger Sense, Slashing Missile
Limitation: If his Fight Computer enhancements are shut down, all powers and superhuman ranks go, but the various Martial Arts and Weapons skills will still be usable at the reduce human limits.
Incredible (+4) Military, Law Enforcement
Martial Arts A, D, E
Swift
Shen Li-Min
High Concept: Winged Huntress
Trouble: Buddhist pacifist seedling hatchling
Aspect 1: Not really as tough as the others
Aspect 2: Ex-Stormwatch Black secret agent
Aspect 3:
F: Incredible (+4)
A: Amazing (+5)
S: Excellent (+2)
E: Remarkable (+3)
R: Remarkable (+3)
I: Monstrous (+6)
P: Incredible (+4)
Resources: Typical (+0)
Popularity: Remarkable (+3)
Contacts: Excellent (+2)
PH: 4
MH: 4
Con: 2 4 6
K: 8
Other Skills
Winged Huntress Power Array
Unearthly (+7) – Danger Sense, Heightened Senses [Sight, Hearing], Tracking
Incredible (+4) – Flight
Remarkable (+3) – Claws, Luck [Each use for reroll per session reduces one rank]Precognition, Resistance [Breathing, Cold], Sonic Attack [Limitation: Requires top speed flight],
Monstrous (+7) Acrobatics, Pilot, Shoot[Guns], Stealth,
Amazing (+5) Martial Arts B,
Incredible (+4) Drive, Electronics, Geography [China, Tibet], Geology, Military, Sociology, Law, Languages [Tibetan, Mandarin]
Martial Arts E
Jack Hawksmoor
High Concept: God of Cities
Trouble: Multiple Alien Abduction Childhood Upgrade
Aspect 1: Rural is painful
Aspect 2: Ex-Stormwatch Black secret agent
Aspect 3: I talk to walls (and their buildings)
F: Incredible (+4)
A: Incredible (+4)
S: Incredible (+4)
E: Monstrous (+6)
R: Remarkable (+3)
I: Monstrous (+6)
P: Incredible (+4)
Resources: Incredible (+4)
Popularity: Remarkable (+3)
Contacts: Excellent (+2)
PH: 5
MH: 4
Con: 2 2 4 6
K: 10
Other Skills
God of Cities Power Array
Unearthly (+7) – City Control, Heightened Senses[Night Vision]
Amazing (+5) – Leaping, Wall-Crawling,
Incredible (+4) – Resistance (Aging, Disease, Hunger, Poison, Sleep)
Remarkable (+3) – Precognition
Good (+1) Body Armour
Limitation: Outside cities reduce Power Ranks by one per hour. Powers become unusable at 0. They can be recovered at a similar rate. Reduce ranks by 3 in minor cities, 5 in large towns and 6 in small towns.
Monstrous (+7) Acrobatics, Pilot, Shoot[Guns], Stealth,
Amazing (+5) Acrobatics, Burglary, Martial Arts B, Pilot, Stealth,
Incredible (+4) Law Enforcement, Tracking,
Martial Arts A, D, E
Engineer
Angela Spica
High Concept: The Maker
Trouble: Nanotech blooded superhero fan
Aspect 1: Pinch me, I really am doing this?
Aspect 2: Information, I have it all
Aspect 3:
F: Excellent (+2)
A: Excellent (+2)
S: Good (+1)
E: Excellent (+2)
R: Monstrous (+7)
I: Remarkable (+3)
P: Incredible (+4)
Resources: Incredible (+4)
Popularity: Incredible (+4)
Contacts: Excellent (+2)
PH: 3
MH: 4
Con: 2 4 6
K: 5
Other Skills
Maker Power Array
Unearthly (+7) – Nannotechnology Omnipower
Incredible (+4) – Body Amour, Resistance (Aging, Disease, Poison)
Remarkable (+3) – Precognition, Weapons, Shoot[Guns]
Unearthly (+7) Biology, Computers, Electronics, Engineering, Medicine, Mechanics
Remarkable (+3) Acrobatics, Pilot
Doctor
Jeroen
High Concept: Earth’s Shaman
Trouble: Junkie Loner
Aspect 1: Dot-com billionaire breakdown
Aspect 2: Whole Garden of Predecessors
Aspect 3: Freezes under pressure
F: Typical (+0)
A: Good (+1)
S: Typical (+0)
E: Good (+1)
R: Incredible (+4)
I: Monstrous (+6)
P: Unearthly (+7)
Resources: Incredible (+4)
Popularity: Good (+1)
Contacts: Remarkable (+3)
PH: 2
MH: 5
Con: 2 4 6
K: 3
Other Skills
Earth’s Shaman Power Array
Shift Z (+10) – Earth’s Shaman Sorcery
Unearthly (+7) – Danger Sense
Amazing (+5) Business, Computers, Law, Occult, Mystic Origin
Jenny Sparks
High Concept: Spirit of the 20th Century
Trouble: Ran out of 20th Century
Aspect 1: Evil Magnet
Aspect 2: Yes, I knew them
Aspect 3: Really Bad Nightmares
F: Excellent (+2)
A: Excellent (+2)
S: Good (+1)
E: Typical (+0)
R: Remarkable (+3)
I: Monstrous (+6)
P: Unearthly (+7)
Resources: Incredible (+4)
Popularity: Monstrous (+6)
Contacts: Incredible (+4)
PH: 2
MH: 5
Con: 2 4 6
K: 16
Other Skills
Spirit of the Twentieth Century Power Array
Shift Y (+9) – Luck [Each use for reroll per session reduces one rank], Reincarnation [Limitation: Every 100 years, as infant]
Unearthly (+7) – Precognition [Limitation: Only to tell where she needs to be]
Amazing (+5) – Electrical Control, Heightened Senses [Limitation: Requires Electricty], Immunity [Electricity]
Incredible (+4) – Regeneration [Limitation: Requires Electricity], Recovery [Limitation: Requires Electricity]
Excellent (+2) – Resistance (Disease, Poison)
Incredible (+4) Administration, Language [German], Military
Remarkable (+3) Acrobatics, Climbing, Drive, Guns, Martial Arts B,
Martial Arts A, D, E
Jenny Quantum
High Concept: Spirit of the 21st Century
Trouble: Just a kid
Aspect 1: I Have An Evil Twin
Aspect 2: My friend is a baby universe
Aspect 3: Landlord for my ancestors
F: Typical (+0)
A: Good (+1)
S: Typical (+0)
E: Good (+1)
R: Excellent (+2)
I: Amazing (+5)
P: Unearthly (+7)
Resources: Remarkable (+3)
Popularity: Remarkable (+3)
Contacts: Remarkable (+3)
PH: 2
MH: 4
Con: 2 4 6
K: 4
Other Skills
Spirit of the 21st Century Power Array
Shift X (+8) – Luck [Each use for reroll per session reduces one rank], Reincarnation [Limitation: Every 100 years, as infant], Teleportation
Unearthly (+7) – Precognition [Limitation: Only to tell where she needs to be], Dimensional Travel, Flight, Quantum Power, Reality Manipulation
Amazing (+5) – Regeneration , Recovery
Remarkable (+3) – Resistance (Disease, Poison)
Excellent (+2) Acrobatics, Climbing, Drive, Martial Arts B,
Martial Arts E
The Villainomicon – Excellent fun badness
A full colour Icons supplement with the same cartoony art style detailing a list of highly entertaining four-colour style villains with plenty of fun homages among then. Also includes several adventure hooks for each one. This is really well done, continuing to highlight Kenson’s talent as a superhero game designer.
The Secret in the Swamp – Wants All the Water
Apparently a fan with no game shop, Wieck mail ordered all the modules for V&V before trying his hand at writing one….a good way to be favourably looked upon, I am sure, being a valued customer. This one is very solid, too. A colourful cast of villains, including a take over the world megalomaniac and bunches of science fantasy in Seminole country. Well worth a look for some ecological mind control mastermind mayhem.
FORCE – Megalomaniac religious and political terrorist robot!
A megalomaniac supervillain – the good kind – but is a multiple persona running a church and a small army in their political terrorist shenanigans. Add a military bad guy with a deadly virus and heroes have plenty to do.
Assassin – Deteriorating Android
A sequel to FORCE as the deteriorating android has a Central American army banana republic scheme…and political android replacement plans with yet more supervillains working for him. The heroes get a mysterious government agency and super agent to work with, Also a backup mini adventure plot bonus with Phantasm from the previous module.
Battle Above the Earth – Tough Lizard Men
A good old invasion by tough lizard men. So encounters with those and with a group of supervillain hirelings in a space station…the interesting part. Especially if anyone wants a space station map. Just ok otherwise.
Shadow, Sword & Spell: Threats – Solid adversary tome
A solid tome of adversaries, from vampires and dragons to bandit lords. Undead mummy lords, Lovecraftian entities, demons, devils and abilities to give your own creations flavour.
The Dawn of DNA – Dodgy pill
Module with a supergenius villain with a motley crew who has invented a zombie-making pill of dubious effectiveness.
From the Deeps of Space – Capellans
A small Capellan force invades the home of the heroes, cutting it off…or Midville. e.g. avoid the USA, zombies and alien invasions, no problem.
Wolf-reptile centauroids no less. So try and put a stop to this, hope a gravity random encounter doesn’t get you sucked into a black hole and take the fight to the Capellan system. Which is the interesting part, with several alien races, subjugated and otherwise.