[Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

[Phantasm]

I'll be honest, it was Quesada who is indirectly responsible for inspiring me to start this project in the first place back in '06 or '07 ("One More Day", "Decimation"... it's been so long I forget what else he was responsible for back then which made me think "Reboot: the Final Solution"). I figured what better way to commemorate his influence than to name a top-tier cosmic entity after him? :)

[Phantasm]

Altering bios for a few of the older characters with changes pulled in from some more modern sources and takes.

Mary Jane Watson - replaced her part-time stage actress gig with part-time indie band singer (for the Half-Baked Potatoes; I really suck at names).

Thrud - Added in information on a team of Valkyries, but due to the character limit per post I had to remove most of her design notes.

Gwen Stacy - Removed her part-time modeling career, and added events that will ultimately have her going Spider-Gwen.

[Culture20]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

the Half-Baked Potatoes; I really suck at names

That might be their official name, but the fans probably call them MJ and the Tigers! :)

[Flyndaran]

Mary Jane and the smoke machine?
Midnight Tokers?

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Midnight Tokers?

That one sounds like a Steve Miller tribute band. :)

Anyway, I've been inundated in the last few days with all sorts of suggestions, and at least 2/3 of them are along the same lines as yours. Perhaps the most blatant suggestion was "420".

[Phantasm]

Seems I had planned this one but never wrote it up years ago when I did the FF.

NEGATIVE ZONE
The Negative Zone is a universe with laws of physics that are very close to our own. There are stars, planets, galaxies, and life much along the same lines as ours. There is one major difference: everything in the Negative Zone is composed of antimatter; that is, matter composed of subatomic particles that have the opposite electrical charge (positrons instead of electrons, anti-quarks instead of quarks, etc). Since matter and antimatter react explosively with each other - the explosive force of a few grams of antimatter reacting with regular matter is often said to be equal to a few tons of TNT - it is incredibly difficult for any person or object to enter the Negative Zone without precautions.

The existence of an antimatter universe has been theorized for decades. It wasn't until an explosion nearly destroyed the Large Hadron Collider during a routine experiment that direct physical evidence was obtained. As one of several dozen scientists asked to examine the data obtained, Dr. Reed Richards (who was given the data while working for NASA as he worked on his Fantastic Voyage project) of the Fantastic Four came to the conclusion that the explosion required a greater amount of antimatter than could be produced by the particle accelerator, and that the experiment must have opened a temporary aperture to an antimatter universe (see Fantastic Four; Mister Fantastic). Inspired by this conclusion, Richards wondered how one might explore such an almost certainly fatal universe. It was an off-hand comment by the least educated member of the Four, Johnny Storm, that shut Reed in his laboratory for three days to develop a means of turning matter into antimatter - and vice verse - during the dimensional transition without the expectant destruction (see Human Torch).

At first the Fantastic Four sent unmanned probes through a stabilized portal Richards set up in the Baxter Building, which when returned to Earth revealed a universe not unlike their own (see Baxter Building). Inspired to do some first-hand exploration, Richards installed a Negative Zone projector on their starship, the Fantastic, and the Four for the first time visited the Negative Zone (see The Fantastic).

It was on this first visit that they encountered Annihilus, a tyrannical alien despot native to the Zone who sought to conquer or destroy all life in the Zone (see Annihilus). A subsequent visit also netted them them the emnity of Annihilus's rival Blastaar (see Blastaar). Both Annihilus and Blastaar have sought to conquer Earth, seeing it as a useful source of slave labor. As a result, Richards has sealed the now-permanent portal in the Baxter Building behind a door of solid adamantium (see Common Technologies).

Officially Richards and the Fantastic Four have handed off further exploration of the Negative Zone to NASA and other space agencies, who have mostly decided on a very conservative approach, producing only a handful of unmanned scientific probes to explore it. The Four remain the acknowledged experts on the Zone, however, and receive copies of all data gathered. They also occasionally venture into the Negative Zone during the course of investigations or when asked to provide more information on the hostile forces there. At the same time, various manufacturers have quietly obtained examples of Annihilus's technology and are working to reverse-engineer it.

According to Richards's research, multiple antimatter universes are possible; the one designated the Negative Zone is the only one charted so far.


------
Not the best entry, and probably needs work, but I think it covers everything. Unlike the Ultimates imprint, which attempted to establish Earth-1610's Negative Zone as being the same as Earth-616's and Earth-Zombies' Negative Zone, despite Ultimate-Annihilus not recognizing the Ultimate Fantastic Four as counterparts of the mainstream FF, I'm establishing that there are likely more than one Negative Zones in existence, just as there are multiple regular-matter universes.

[Phantasm]

ZAREK

Real Name: Zarek (full given name unknown).
Occupation: Politician, Imperial Prime Minister.
Identity: Zarek's identity as the Prime Minister of the Kree Empire is publicly known to the greater galaxy; his existence is unknown to the general populace of Earth.
Legal Status: Citizen of the Kree Empire.
Other Aliases: None.
Place of Birth: Imperial City, Hala, Pama system, Kree Empire.
Marital Status: Married.
Known Relatives: Wife (name unrevealed).
Group Affiliation: Kree Empire.
Base of Operations: Imperial City, Hala, Pama system, Kree Empire.
History: Prime Minister Zarek's full past life is currently unrevealed, but the following can be inferred from conversations he has had with both the Kree Supreme Intelligence and Ronan the Accuser (see Ronan the Accuser; Supreme Intelligence). Zarek comes from a family whose members have served at various levels in the Imperial government for at least fifty generations (roughly thirteen hundred years). Zarek is not the first of his family to become Prime Minister, which is the highest position any Kree can achieve in the Empire (only the Supreme Intelligence, the artificial ruler of the Empire, outranks him), but he is poised to become one of the most notorious. It is believed that Zarek served several terms in the Imperial Parliament before being selected as the Prime Minister.

As Prime Minister, Zarek has led the Kree Empire on the political front against their millennia-long enemies, the Skrull Empire (see Skrulls). However, Zarek's ambition outstrips his current rank: he wants nothing less than to rule over not just the Kree Empire but the Skrull Empire, Shi'ar Empire, Charter Confederation, and all the known smaller polities, unifying the entire known universe under his rule (see Shi'ar). To this end, he has entered into an alliance with Ronan the Accuser, the most powerful person in the Empire after himself, to overthrow the Supreme Intelligence.

As part of his scheme, Zarek personally selected a White Kree war hero from the Imperial Army, Captain Mar-Vell, as a spy to an otherwise insignificant planet that lays at a hyperspace crossroads between the various interstellar empires and which had in the past repelled an invasion by the Skrulls (see Captain Marvel). He assigned Vell to a cloaked espionage vessel, the Hala, and ordered the ship's science officer, Minn-Erva, to grant Vell the ability to blend into the superhuman population, intending to set Vell up as a traitor to either Earth or to the Kree Empire (see Doctor Minerva). To this end, he and Ronan Zarek planned to use the publicity surrounding Vell's treason to speak out against the Supreme Intelligence, who had instituted several policies the blue elite disagreed with.

When Vell was finally caught disobeying a direct order from the ship's commanding officer, Colonel Yon-Rogg, Zarek was certain his scheme was proceeding as planned, if a bit ahead of schedule (see Yon-Rogg). While Mar-Vell's escape from imprisonment prior to the trial was unexpected, Zarek has confided to Ronan that the action could still work in their favor.

Most recently, Zarek met with Emperor D'ken of the Shi'ar Empire, Emperor Dorrek VIII of the Skrull Empire, and the Chancellor of the Charter Confederation in regards to the spy programs in place around Earth and concerns about the planet's superhuman population (see D'ken; Dorrek VIII). Zarek was tight-lipped about Kree efforts, saying only that the Kree were being more discreet than the Skrulls about their efforts, citing multiple instances where Skrulls had come into conflict with Earth's superhuman adventurers.
Height: 6' 2".
Weight: 250 lbs.
Eyes: Brown.
Hair: Bald, black facial hair.
Skin: Blue.
Uniform: Kree Imperial Parliamentary garb.
Strength Level: Zarek possesses the normal strength of a Kree man his age, height, and build who engages in little exercise. Due to the differences between Kree and Human physiology this roughly the same as a Human of the same age, height, and build who engages in regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: None.
Other Abilities: Zarek is a skilled administrator and politician, but most notably he is a long-range political schemer.

447 points
Attributes: ST 12 [-20*]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs.; HP 12 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 12 [-12*]; Basic Speed 5.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: Kree (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Kree Empire [0].
Advantages: Administrative Rank 10 [50]; Business Acumen 4 [40]; Blue Kree [67]; Charisma 2 [10]; Extra Life 1 (Copy, -20%; Requires Body, -20%) [15]; Foresight 3 [30]; Smooth Operator 4 [60]; Status 7 [5†]; Versatile [5]; Wealth (Multimillionaire 2) [100].
Disadvantages: Compulsive Rhetoric (9) [-7]; Dependent (Wife; No More than 25% Point Value; Loved One) (6) [-10]; Duty to Kree Empire (9) [-5]; Intolerance (Total) [-5‡]; Overconfidence (9) [-7]; Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5]; Selfish (12) [-5].
Quirks: Ambitious [-1]; Consummate Schemer [-1]; Horrible Hangovers [-1]; Proud [-1].
Skills: Administration (A) IQ+3 [1] – 15§; Body Language (Kree) (A) Per+2 [8] – 14; Current Affairs/TL11 (High Culture) (E) IQ+1 [1] – 13#; Current Affairs/TL11 (Politics) (E) IQ+1 [1] – 13#; Diplomacy (H) IQ+3 [4] – 16¥; Economics (H) IQ+2 [1] – 14§; Intelligence Analysis/TL11 (H) IQ+4 [20] – 16; Law (Kree Imperial) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 12; Leadership (A) IQ+5 [1] – 17¥¶; Market Analysis (H) IQ+6 [12] – 18§; Observation (A) Per+0 [2] – 12; Politics (A) IQ+4 [2] – 16¥; Propaganda/TL11 (A) IQ+6 [8] – 18§; Psychology (Kree) (H) IQ+2 [12] – 14; Public Speaking (A) IQ+5 [1] – 17¥¶; Research/TL11 (A) IQ+4 [16] – 16; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ+4 [1] – 16¥.
Starting Spending Money: $40,000,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

* Includes +4 to ST and +5 to FP from Blue Kree.
† Includes +3 from Administrative Rank and +3 from Wealth (Multimillionaire).
‡ Upgraded from Intolerance (Skrulls) from Blue Kree.
§ Includes +4 from Business Acumen.
# Defaulted from Research.
¥ Includes +4 from Smooth Operator.
¶ Includes +2 from Charisma.

Role-Playing Notes:
Zarek is a political schemer on the level of Emperor Palpatine (of Star Wars) and David Xanatos (of Disney's Gargoyles), particularly in his ability to plot out every possible outcome and maneuver situations so that he cannot fail outright, only have varying levels of success (a Xanatos Gambit), and adapt quickly to new factors he could not account for to turn them to his advantage (Xanatos Speed Chess). He is also a consummate politician, convinced that the political machine and bureaucracy exist to serve his needs, not the Empire.

In addition to all this, Zarek is a racist, believing wholeheartedly in the idea that the blue-skinned Kree are superior to the pink-skinned White Kree, not to mention all other species in the known universe.

Note that it takes a very special kind of player to pull off a Xanatos Gambit from start to finish; it's easier for a GM to pull off, as the GM has more leeway to add details to the plan retroactively (it's not really cheating, per se). More players are better at Speed Chess, adapting to changing situations. The Foresight advantage certainly helps maintain the illusion of both.

Design Notes:
1. This build, and the High TL trait in the Blue Kree racial package, assumes a campaign TL of 8, as would be encountered on modern-day Earth. In any cosmic campaign, the campaign would be considered a TL 11 setting, reducing his point cost by 15 points and increasing his Starting Spending Money to $150,000,000 (20% of his Starting Wealth).

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Role-Playing Notes:
Zarek is a political schemer on the level of Emperor Palpatine (of Star Wars) and David Xanatos (of Disney's Gargoyles), particularly in his ability to plot out every possible outcome and maneuver situations so that he cannot fail outright, only have varying levels of success (a Xanatos Gambit), and adapt quickly to new factors he could not account for to turn them to his advantage (Xanatos Speed Chess). He is also a consummate politician, convinced that the political machine and bureaucracy exist to serve his needs, not the Empire.

In addition to all this, Zarek is a racist, believing wholeheartedly in the idea that the blue-skinned Kree are superior to the pink-skinned White Kree, not to mention all other species in the known universe.

So... how much is he like Zarak? ;)

Aw, c'mon, Marvel not only used to hold the license for Transformers, but they helped create the mythos for Hasbro. XD I would not object to a homage to this other villain (usually an alien) with a name just one letter off. :D

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Otaku

So... how much is he like Zarak? ;)

Aw, c'mon, Marvel not only used to hold the license for Transformers, but they helped create the mythos for Hasbro. XD I would not object to a homage to this other villain (usually an alien) with a name just one letter off. :D

Y'know, I'm not actually sure which came first at Marvel: the Kree or the Nebulon. I never actually read the Headmasters limited series, so I'm not familiar with Zarak. (Mind, I'm also not all that familiar with Zarek, either; I built him the way I expected to encounter an ambitious self-serving career politico, which seems to fit both Zarek and Zarak.)

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Y'know, I'm not actually sure which came first at Marvel: the Kree or the Nebulon. I never actually read the Headmasters limited series, so I'm not familiar with Zarak. (Mind, I'm also not all that familiar with Zarek, either; I built him the way I expected to encounter an ambitious self-serving career politico, which seems to fit both Zarek and Zarak.)

I guess what I am saying is... do you really need an excuse to work in at least a token (possibly transforming) scorpion-themed machine of death? Or even a Quirk level fascination with scorpions and/or robotics for extra flavor? Well, if you did, I'd like to think this provids it. XD

The Kree (and Zarek) definitely predate the Nebulons; Zarek himself first appeared in 1967 according to a quick Google search, so unless he was a blank slate for 23(?) years, he was definitely first.