Chillin' Like Villains

[The Bobby Llama]

Hey guys, there has been some talk about fostering redside play but nothing has really become of it. As of this thread, I hereby appoint myself NUL's Redside Czar*, because I'd like to see more redside play myself.

In order to facillitate this, we'll need to come up with a good villain group to get everyone into. Here is my proposal, but everyone is encouraged to weigh in with criticism, improvements, or proposals of their own.

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Black Flag (working title)[/i]

The Concept: A Grandville technology firm (name TBD) seeks to expand and consolidate its business in the Isles and beyond. Sometimes the measures that must be taken to do this are illegal even by Rogue Isles standards, or will have unfortunate political repercussions.

To this end, the company keeps a band of misfits on a secret (and well-laundered) retainer to take care of its dirty work. They're not the company's A-Team. They're not even the company's Dirty Dozen. These guys are so far removed from the company's official channels that plausible deniability doesn't even need to be on the table.

To the outside world, they look like any other group of villains who have banded together. In order to maintain this cover, the company does not concern itself with the day-to-day operation of the group as long as it does not conflict with the company's interests.

The Hook: Characters can end up in Black Flag for several reasons:

• Stability is good for business. The character has been taking local problem groups down a peg and the company wants to make sure they know which team they should be playing for.
  
• The character may have worked against the company's interests in the past, but the company eventually won their loyalty (however tenuous) by making a better offer. In other words, the character is considered too dangerous an enemy to be left alone. Keep in mind that a 'better offer' can entail virtually anything.
  
• Black Flag is not publicly linked to any other entity. Characters may join the group without knowing where the objectives and overall direction originate.
  

Additionally, as a technology company, the company is a competitor to Wolfetech, which lays a convenient pretense for interaction and/or hostility between NUL and the new villain group.

Potential Problems: This concept favors characters with a somewhat more mercenary perspective. More principled characters may have trouble figuring out how to fit.

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Other things: I'm the leader of a VG with a fully functional base, so once we figure out what we want, we can coalition up and be set on teleporters to start. Also, I have a rarely played alt by the name of Rex Mundi (SS/SR Technology Brute) that could easily be changed to fit whatever kind of bossman NPC (in effect) we may need.

*: Void where prohibited. Title only valid in my own fevered imagination. Don't try this at home kids, I'm not a role model.

[drjackwolfe]

Hmm, Flag Industries led by Thaddaus Flag. Based in Grandville for tax reasons Flag inc leads the world in exoctic tech research despite what the poser Wolfe says. A chartible company whose goal is bringing technology to the REST of the world, not just those Wolfetech and the "free" world deem acceptable. Hmm, I like it.

I've never had level 50 villian, never run a villian SF despite having several mid 20 to 30 villians. I have several possible "members" including a new madam lily gung-slinger DP/traps corrupter who is 21, needs a meat shield, has no planes for world domination, and loves money. Lots of money (Sex too) but mostly money. I'd also be willing interested in maybe starting Thad Flag as an anti-Jack (hmm Dark Dark Brute?..Ngry Will power? Maybe somethign subtile like a Psy/pain dom?)

[mattbrp]

This concept actually fits very well into my only villain 50 (who is now a rogue) story. You could even use his company as the parent company if you like, and we could write up something about him being the subtle link between the parent company and the Black Flag.

The company is named SynCor Technologies. My dominator, Havok Prime, aka Scott Ramsay is actually the decapitated head of the former head (puns? no one?) of the Rikti Weapons Reseach and Development department, placed upon the body of the android he was building. He still has some pretty deep pockets and ties into the company, which dabbles in pretty much any kind of technology it can sink its cash flow into.

And I mean, what better use for a department head that has laser cannons and a mind altering device than to have him operate within a covert group?

[Warp Factor]

I like it, it's a cool idea. And I'm kind of wanting to take a break from running TFs all the time, so I'm definitely not complaining about someone else taking on running activities. I'm down.

[The Bobby Llama]

I didn't mean to let this thread wither on the vine, but my playtime has been a little sporadic of late. However, as NUL's Villain Czar™, I hereby decree Sunday afternoons to be known as Sinister Sunday, which means they are the time to bring out your villain alts for teaming.

I don't know if I'll be able to be on much during that time tomorrow, but I still encourage you all to do stuff redside. Hopefully next week I'll be able to be online to make it a proper event of sorts.

[evilbenfranklin]

Actually, a tech company would fit right in with Arx Machina's M.O. Could be interesting.

[The Bobby Llama]

All right, let's try to get this back on track. Before we can make anything work, we'll need to come up with a VG name. Black Flag is taken, and likely has been for some time.

So, we've got a bunch of misfits ostensibly banded together for mutual mayhem. I was hoping for something that perhaps made them out to be anarchists or freelancers or something, but I'm drawing a blank.

[mattbrp]

I think the Fraternity of Malevolence is still established...well, active. Not really sure as I think I have one villain left who might be in it, and she has not been logged in for a few months.

On that note, I'm in the process of migrating over a couple of former heroes.

[shadewing]

It's in no way active. I just said we still had it as Grimwing is still a part of it, so it sure isn't going anywhere. I'm pretty sure some of us still have characters in it, too.

[The Cheshire Cat]

Instead of Black Flag, is "False Flag" taken? The idea of running your operations under the guise of another group fits the concept.

[evilbenfranklin]

Hmm. "False Flag Operations, Inc." might be a good variant of that, given that a "false flag" op usually involves pretending to be the enemy or some other agency.

Of course, there's always the tongue-in-cheek thing that popped to my mind, since pirates used to -- and still do -- run under false flags: Corsairs for the Advancement of Revenue, Intense Negotiations, and Gains. (CARING)

[The Bobby Llama]

I didn't really want to use the term 'false flag' directly, I was hoping for something a bit more subtle than a name that makes us out as fakes from the start. I tend to be a raging perfectionist about this kind of thing because you can't change your name once you pick it.

Something like "No Flag" is a possibility (i.e. it's not taken), if we want to run with the flag theme.

[shadewing]

Right now all I can recommend is to stay away from any "flag" names if you want to avoid the False Flag term.

[The Bobby Llama]

So, it seems that "Black Hats" isn't taken. How's that one sound?

[drjackwolfe]

I like black hats. Though I like some of fla ideas too, the ones that would lead people to believe we serve no flag our own