Crossover Earth '98
FAQ for alt.supers.survivors
alt.supers.survivors FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Last Modified : 12/08/97
Version : 2.3
Welcome to alt.supers.survivors, the supers newsgroup for the rest of us. If you've lost loved ones to a battle between supers this is the place to find both emotional and legal support. If you simply want to discuss the issues surrounding civilian casualties, you're also welcome.
Please, though, supers (anyone that would fail the Fair Competition blood tests, for our purposes) please show due respect in your postings.
Contents of this FAQ:
1.0 General
1.1 How do I avoid becoming a casualty?
1.2 I'm near a battle and can't get away
1.3 Is Golden Gate to blame?
1.4 You keep using the term 'civilian'
2.0 The Aftermath
2.1 I've lost someone...what now?
2.2 Where can I find a support group?
2.3 How can I get even?
3.0 I'm a super
3.1 How can I use my powers responsibly
3.2 Is there anything I can do to help?
4.0 Danger ratings
1.1 How do I avoid becoming a casualty?
Picture yourself in the middle of Central Park and you see a confrontation shaping up between two youth gangs. Both gangs have lengths of chain, broken bottles, and pipes, and are shouting obscenities at each other. In this situation, the best way to avoid becoming a casualty (or a survivor of other casualties) is to move directly away from the conflict.
It is amazing, then, that in the analogous situation, that of two or more supers squaring off for a confrontation, that most people crowd around for a better view. Sure, it's more exciting to watch two supers fire beams of light at one another than it is to watch two gangs bash each other with pipes, but it is no less dangerous. The sheer scale of power used by supers is equivalent to those street gangs armed with bazookas.
The best action in either case is to play it smart; stay away from the action and read about it in tomorrow's newspaper.
1.2 I'm near a battle and can't get away
In the event that you can't get away from the battle, for heaven's sake take cover under something sturdy and try to avoid attracting the attention of the participants.
1.3 Is Golden Gate to blame?
This question is actually a metaphor for the entire question of super responsibility. The Golden Gate/Reflection battle is the most highly publicized case of civilian casualty, but it is not the only case. Many civilians over the years have been injured or killed either intentionally or by accident.
The majority of the participants on this list believe that with great power comes the responsibility to use it safely. Yes, Golden Gate was attempting to prevent Reflection from escaping with millions in savings from a large bank. However, he failed to take the responsibility to use his powers at a safe distance from onlookers, and civilians paid the price.
1.4 You keep using the term 'civilian'
Was that a question? ;-)
The term civilian is used very deliberately. Once a super puts on a costume and elects to use his powers in some manner, he has become part of a battleground between heroes and villains. The rest of us are merely bystanders in that battle.
2.1 I've lost someone...what now?
The period of time immediately after losing someone in a super battle can be devastating. All of us that have lost loved ones have gone through the same stages; at first you blame yourself, later you blame the supers involved, and eventually you grieve. You are not to blame, anymore than you would be to blame if a common mugger had killed your family.
The most important step you can take is to find a support group of people who have gone through the same events.
2.2 Where can I find a support group?
The newsgroup alt.supers.survivors is one such group. You'll find other people who have gone through the same loss as you, and can help you through this time. An excellent resource is "Survivors", a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the survivors of battles between supers. The "Survivors" home page can be found at www.survivors.org. They have a list of local support chapters that cover most major cities.
2.3 How can I get even?
You're obviously in the stage where you blame the supers involved. Do not, I repeat DO NOT, attempt to take revenge on the supers. Not only will you likely become a casualty yourself, but such an action is highly illegal. If you are successful you'll likely end up in prison.
You do have options, however. One option is the "Survivors Legal Defense Fund", a charitable foundation that will review your case and provide legal counsel if you have a case. Their first goal will be to obtain a criminal ruling against the supers involved. If that fails, a civil suit will be brought for damages and emotional distress. For more details, see www.survivors.org/sldf.
3.1 How can I use my powers responsibly?
If you are a super, then please commit these points to memory:
1) My powers do not make me better than everyone else
2) I have the same responsiblities as a super that I had as a civilianMany supers forget point (1). They believe their powers make them somehow better than everyone else, which makes everyone else less valuable in their mind. This contributes to a lack of respect for civilians.
Point (2) is also something that many supers ignore. The same people that, in their secret identity, would not dream of running over a pedestrian with their car, would easily toss a car into street surrounded by civilians in order to stop a bank robber. The basic responsibilities that every human being has do not stop when you don your costume. Cultivate a basic respect for property and life.
3.2 Is there anything I can do to help?
Many supers have donated to the Survivors Legal Defense Fund, contributing funds gained through sponsoring products or even personal savings. These are supers that typically behave responsibly in any case, but their attitude is appreciated.
4.0 Danger Ratings
What follows is a list of supers rated by the amount of danger to a civilian in the area. The numbers have been generated by examining all known battles for the super, determining the number of civilian casualties generated by that super's actions and dividing that by the total number of civilians in the area. What results is the percentage chance you have of becoming a casualty when this super is around.
Note:
Supers are included on this list whether they are currently active or not.
Any rating higher than 10% should be considered high risk.
Any result between 0 and 1 percent is rounded up.
Team ratings are not given.DO NOT use this list as a guarantee of safety. See question 1.1 on how to avoid becoming a casualty.
Super Danger Rating
Angel 35% Note 1
Anomaly 0%
Armature 1%
Beguile 0%
Brainstorm 0%
Buttress 0%
Captain Infinity 0%
Carver 95% Note 2
Chariot 0%
The Conjunction 0%
Dr. Cronos 0% Note 3
Crystal Melody 0%
The Epee 5% Note 4
Flagstaff 18%
Golden Gate 1%
Greyskull 5%
Hadron 3%
Halftrack 0%
Hammer 1%
Hammer and Tongs 5%
Klash 12%
Lightning Girl 0%
Lightstar 0%
Mortician 0% Note 5
Photon 0%
Prism 0%
Psichon 2%
Pyrotechnician 10%
Red Dagger 1%
Reflection 3%
Skag Hooper 0%
Skein 38%
Spectre 0%
Vivian the Sorceress 0%Note 1: Angel is extremely dangerous. Her danger rating would be much higher except that she seems to operate mostly in crowded conditions, and can only kill people one at a time.
Note 2: The Carver typically operated out of the sight of crowds, and the vast majority of people who witnessed his atrocities were also his victims.
Note 3: Dr. Cronos does not operate in the open, and so cannot be directly linked to any civilian deaths. If attacks that are attributed to his machinations were included in the calculations (such as the supernaut attack on Washington D.C.), this rating would be much higher.
Note 4: The Epee has no compunction about killing, but rarely does so during crowded battles. He seems to work as a paid assassin.
Note 5: The Mortician has never logged a single civilian casualty, but the casualty rate of his opponents is extremely high.
[GM Note: This list will be updated as the game progresses, and can be thought of as a destruction index. PC statistics will be added as the game progresses, and updates to this FAQ posted periodically.]
Acknowledgements:
We thank Survivors for their emotional and legal support of many of us over the last several years. While no amount of support can bring back a loved one, the folks at Survivors do their best to make certain that you're not alone.
Author: Francis Michaelson
Significant Contributors:
Sherry "Survivors" Northwell
Jerry Thomas of the online support group
Sun Tzu for his excellent advice on avoiding battles when necessary
Permission is given to reproduce this FAQ in its entirety for non-profit use.