Reconciling Agents of Shield and Life Model Decoys For Your Old School Super Hero Campaign

Here's where  things might possibly get interesting in Marvel Agents of Shield And some of the alien technology that has become like the IPhone in The Marvel Universe. 

So tonight's episode of Agents of Shield F.Z.Z.T.s  has the agents in the deadly cross hairs of some sort of telekinetic menace and one of the team gets caught in the crossfire. 

Tonight we get a little deeper look into Agent Coulson who might be an LMD 

What I'm about to say may shock you. 

Life Model Decoys are alien android  technology and they've been around for a very, very, long time and are deeply connected with some of the funkier edges of the Marvel universe.
According to Wiki:

LMDs first appeared in Strange Tales #135 (August 1965), in which the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. created LMDs of agent Nick Fury to use as decoys for an attack by HYDRA.

 

Basically The LMD has some very interesting abilities: 

A Life Model Decoy (or LMD for short) is a S.H.I.E.L.D.-designed robot that takes the form of a living person thus making a recreation of that person. The owner can see through, speak through, and control everything the Life Model Decoy does. Nick Fury's Life Model Decoys are probably the most common in the Marvel Universe.

It is designed to function as an exact body double for VIPs. Their design is such that they mimic the subject's outer appearance (i.e.,fingerprints, hair, all details of the skin), speech patterns, scent, iris and retina patterns, body language, thought patterns (to fool telepaths), and any other biological indicators. Aside from any invasive procedure or strong EMP, they are indistinguishable from the original.

They can be created with super human abilities as well: 

As an android, a Life-Model Decoy possesses all of the various superhuman attributes:

• Superhuman Strength - As an android, a Life Model Decoy is super-strong and possesses strength beyond the human limit.

• Superhuman Speed - As an android, a Life-Model Decoy can run and move at speeds that are beyond the physical limits of the finest human athlete.

• Superhuman Durability - As an android, a Life-Model Decoy's construction makes him very durable.

• Superhuman Stamina - As an android, a Life-Model Decoy can exert itself well beyond the human limit.

• Superhuman Agility - As an android, a Life-Model Decoy's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.

• Quick Repair - The nanites in his body give a Life-Model Decoy a form of self-repair similar to a Healing Factor.
   
  The Zodiac Key To LMDs 
  
  
  
  Everything begins with Jake Fury. Who might you ask is Jake Fury?
  Here's the wiki short version
  
  Jacob "Jake" Fury, the brother of Nick Fury, was born in New York City. As a young man, he came to resent his brother Nick.^[1] As the original Scorpio, he operated as a spy, terrorist, and criminal. Using his secret identity as Scorpio, he first battled Nick Fury at a Las Vegas S.H.I.E.L.D. base.^[2] He again battled his brother in Manhattan, then disguised himself as Nick Fury to infiltrate the New York SHIELD base, although his real identity was then discovered by his brother.^[3] Nick Fury later went undercover as Scorpio, and took his brother's place in the Zodiac, who battled the Avengers.^[4]Disguised as Jacque LaPoint, he played a minor role in the Zodiac's attempt to kill all Manhattan residents born under the sign of Gemini (save for Zodiac's Gemini).^[5] He attempted to kidnap Kyle Richmond, and battled the Defenders.^[6] Scorpio constructed a set of android Zodiac members to serve him, in his base at Belleville, New Jersey. However, his plan was thwarted by the Defenders, and he committed suicide through self-inflicted gunshot wound in despair.^[7]
  In the final arc of the Secret Warriors series, it was revealed that Jake's death and much of his villainy was all part of a long-game plan of Nick Fury's. In 1961, Jake Fury was duplicated by ancient technology (which would later be developed and modernized as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s LMD program); the evil Jake would go on to be the agent known as Scorpio. The real Jake, however, was in deep cover within HYDRA, co-opting the identity of the high-ranking agent known as Kraken and infiltrating the highest rungs of the organization and helping his brother bring about its destruction.^{[
   A really good break down of Jake Fury can be found right over
  HERE}
  
  

Everything really gets weird with the appearance of the Zodiac criminal cartel appeared  in 1970. They were criminals whose appearance tied in deeply with Scorpio and the Zodiac Key an object  of extremely alien origin and cosmic significance. The original human zodiac were replaced by alien modified LMDs in 1977. 

 The key was able to rejuvenate Jake Fury's body many times until it finally created an LMD android body for him. The key is powered by the forces of both Law and Chaos. The artifact is tied to the Inbetweener entity and many of the LMD's created by the thing were imprisoned at the 1970's and 80's version of Project Pegasus. 

You can find a boat load of information about the key right over HERE 

The Key was originally created by the alien 'Brotherhood of the Ankh' who were far more dangerous then their appearance might suggest HERE
 I have also seen some suggestions that the key might also have ties with Mister Zodiac HERE
 In 1977 the Defenders broke into the 'Theater of Genetics' a facility for the creation of LMD's of the  original Zodiac Cartel. The plan was foiled and Shield went over the remains of the facility.
More details on the Theater right over HERE
 The product of that facility are right
HERE

What the hell does this have to do with Coulson? Well we know that the Marvel movies love to borrow and give little nods to various bits of the comic universe. We've seen the appearance of  the 'Eye Of Amagetto', the Cosmic Cube, and various other bits of Marvel artifacts reconned into Asgardian treasures and whatnot.

 So whose to say that there isn't a Zodiac Key that Odin's been keeping in the old vault and its made its way to Earth and creating LMD's?
Details about some of the contents of  Odin's treasure room
HERE
 There were a ton of LMD's of Nick Fury(old) running around the Marvel 616 universe. Could Mr.eyepatch himself be an LMD? Stark or some other Avenger after all might be an LMD after all  the Theater of Genetics is a magical place.
 All of this information is available for download in the Gamers Handbooks of the Marvel Universe
Right over
HERE

Review and Commentary On Tim Snider Man's One Year In The Savage AfterWorld From Savage AfterWorld Blog For The Mutant Future Rpg And Old School Post Apocalyptic Campaigns

Week after week and every few days Tim Sniderman Snider puts out quality post apocalyptic content on the Savage After World blog. Ever since I started into the OSR and getting back into retroclones, post apocalyptic gaming, and Mutant Future his is one of those blogs that always delivers the goods.
He's put out monster filled mutant books of mayhem, weird weather tables, and a cache of radioactive goodness that is all bunker fresh quality.
 Books like the Deviant Database available over HERE have provided a butt load of trouble in my Mutant Future campaigns.
Well now he's taken up the cause with a huge number of collected mini adventures with full stats, encounters, and everything built in and ready to roll.
 GET IT RIGHT
HERE 

WHAT IS '
ONE YEAR IN THE SAVAGE AFTER WORLD'

This is one hundred and eight pages of original Mutant Future material!
Encounters, monsters, treasures, and everything all ready to roll right out of the pock marked gate! Seriously this is a solid quality book and well worth the six dollar asking price.
The book carefully lays out everything you need for an evening's entertainment or an extended mini campaign of  post apocalyptic horrors in the wasteland.
The book covers everything from simple encounters to full on full ufo base weirdness in the desert as well as every single thing in between.
The encounters are well balanced, entertaining, and done in the best of the old school tradition. Some of the encounters look to be expanded a bit here and there. With a bit of padding upon the DM's part there are almost a year or more's worth of  gaming.
Even though all of the monsters are statted up and everything fully fleshed out I'd grab my trusty,rusty copy of the Deviant Database as well before running these just to add a bit more drama between encounters.
The graphics, layout, and everything else in the book is carefully laid out and easy to read. There are several encounters that might be TPK's if the DM isn't careful but that's post apocalyptic gaming for you.
 Many of these fifty two encounters could easily be used as part of a side track and there are at least two or more that could be turned into full spring boards for campaigns.

Fully supported with additional material from the blog
 The Savage After World
Right Over
HERE

I have to say that the author has out done himself and this is one of his best efforts so far!
Highly Recommended  For All Mutants and Marauders!
 Even though this material is aimed at Goblinoid Games Mutant Future Rpg there isn't any reason why this material with some adaptation could be used with any post apocalyptic or fantasy retroclone! 

A Quick Appendix For Some Of The Most Influential Lady Authors Of Sword & Sorcery Fiction

Cover chosen for added irony. ;-) 

Swords and Sorcery fiction has always sort of been the odd man out in the realms of science fiction and fantasy. Despite the trappings of magic, myth, and legend the pantheon of fiction has its genes in many realms such as both science fiction and fantasy. It seemly belongs in both worlds as well as others. But I've heard sword & Sorcery fiction last night over a gaming table described as the refuge of misogynistic writers and reprobates. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The fiction of Sword and Sorcery has at its roots attracted some of the most incredible lady writers seen.

 Many of the ladies of Sword and Sorcery's work is available through the Internet Archive
HERE
 A bit of quick background on Sword and Sorcery fiction, we owe the term to Michael Moorcock and a certain Mister Fritz Leiber  who coined the term in 1960.
According to wiki: 

The term "sword and sorcery" was first coined in 1961, when the British author Michael Moorcock published a letter in the fanzine Amra, demanding a name for the sort of fantasy-adventure story written by Robert E. Howard. He had initially proposed the term "epic fantasy". However, the celebrated American sword-and-sorcery author Fritz Leiber replied in the journal Ancalagon (6 April 1961) suggesting, "sword-and-sorcery as a good popular catchphrase for the field". He expanded on this in the July 1961 issue of Amra, commenting:

I feel more certain than ever that this field should be called the sword-and-sorcery story. This accurately describes the points of culture-level and supernatural element and also immediately distinguishes it from the cloak-and-sword (historical adventure) story—and (quite incidentally) from the cloak-and-dagger (international espionage) story too! (Fritz Leiber,Amra, July 1961)

From within the pages of AMRA came the birth of the a whole plethora of stories and writers. 

 
Starting with C.L. Moore whose Jirel of Joiry needs no introduction.


Andre Norton's Witch World series 

The following is part of the list of impressive writers who paved the way for others to follow.
In no particular importance of appearance are:
C.J. Cherryh 

Jane Gaskell 

Barbara Hambly 

Katherine Kurtz 

Tanith Lee 

R.A. Macavoy 

Sherri S. Tepper 

Joan Vinge 

Patricia Wrede 

This is a very quick list off the top of my head and by no means I'm an authority on the subject but this is the best I could do on short notice. The list also reflects only the first wave of Sword and Sorcery writers there have been many,many, others since.
But that is a blog post for another day.  

Review and Commentary For The Free OSR Resource Phonomicon Ex Cultis From Wedge the Halfling Under the Door! For Your Old School Horror Campaigns On The Dark Corner

Have you ever needed a diety for a cult, a menace at the bottom of the well, a thing under the door, and have you ever gotten stuck for one? Say no more we've got a free resource that allows you to make up deities, demons, and divine things on the fly! We've got the Free OSR Resource Phonomicon Ex Cultis From Wedge the Halfling Under the Door!
Right over
HERE

Five Miraculous Cauldrons and The Horrors Behind Them For The Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea Rpg On The Dark Corners Blog

Come oh traveler bath within the waters of our cauldron. Restore your virility, youth, and more to our god or goddess. Gaze into the face of madness or gain the true wisdom of the ages
Right over
HERE *

*The author is not responsible for cosmic insights, insanity, geas, hair loss, weight gain or any medical conditions that may result in the use of these magic cauldrons. As always please consult your local pandimensional expert or mage. Use cauldrons only as recommended. As always avoid cults who guard such esoteric items. 

Reconciling Agents Of Shield And The Fantastic Four Legacy For Your Old School Super Hero Campaigns

When floating bodies turn up, Coulson and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D must hunt down an elusive killer. No one is safe--not even the team.

Will this episode be more mirrors and shadows with no hint of a cape or super villain? Well this be something brand new in wake of Thor Dark World because new developments are going to be taking place in the wake of the movie. 

Well its official that Agents of Shield will follow in the foot steps of Thor Dark World and word from my friends and family who have seen the movie are that its awesome and epic in scope.
'More fun then the first Thor.
We're going to possibly be seeing a hell of a lot of alien/Dark Elven technology left on Earth in the wake of Thor The Dark World. More Asgardian technology as well. This does not bode well for the movie Marvel universe. 
Like it or not this technology could cripple or propel Earth's tech axiom up a few notches. Well the Marvel movie Earth that is. 

You see with the return of the Asgardians to Earth and the whole Captain America WWII attention that the Red Skull focused on Earth. The Earth of the Marvel movies along with Agents of Shield got really complicated really fast.  

You know who really be handy to handle some of this alien technology and whose got a really friendly face as the first family of super heroes for the public?
A family run corporation that has seen more alien invasions, Latvian megalomaniacs, and matters of cosmic importance? The Starks perhaps or maybe the Banners? Nope not them either.
Back in 2005 they made their appearance upon the world stage of one of the Marvel Movie universes. Then disappeared. The Fantastic Four has been there and done that more then the Avengers with whom they have had a more then checkered history with going all the way back to the 1960's. 

Yet while everyone has been focused on the X men Days of Future Past news and the Captain America Winter Soldier news. This little piece of old news turned up in one of my Marvel related searches. According to wiki: 

"In August 2009, Fox announced plans to reboot the Fantastic Four franchise, with Michael Green and Jeremy Slater writing, Seth Grahame-Smith polished the film's script and Akiva Goldsman and Matthew Vaughn producing.^[27] Since the release of 2012'sChronicle, Josh Trank was linked to the reboot and in mid July 2012, he was officially announced to be director.^[28] The film is currently under scripting and filming should start mid September 2013.^[29][30] The film will be independent from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.^[31][32][33] The Fantastic Four reboot will be released on March 6, 2015.^[34]" 

This is the important part of the statement,"The film will be independent from the Marvel Cinematic Universe."So basically the team whose comic books have sold 150 million comics will not be part of the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe.'
I don't want to sound like the giant comic book nerd that I'm but it sounds lame.   

The Fantastic Four Legacy and your old School Super Hero Campaigns 

The Fantastic Four are like royalty of the Marvel Universe. Seriously they were a game changer and started a trend that hasn't stopped. The not so perfect comic book super hero family. 

Here's a very short overview according to Wiki : 

The four individuals traditionally associated with the Fantastic Four, who gained superpowers after exposure to cosmic rays during a scientific mission to outer space, are: Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), a scientific genius and the leader of the group, who can stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes; the Invisible Woman(Susan "Sue" Storm), who eventually married Reed, who can render herself invisible and later project powerful force fields; the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Sue's younger brother, who can generate flames, surround himself with them and fly; and the monstrous Thing (Ben Grimm), their grumpy but benevolent friend, a former college football star and Reed's college roommate as well as a good pilot, who possesses superhuman strength and endurance due to the nature of his stone-like flesh.

Ever since their original 1961 introduction, the Fantastic Four have been portrayed as a somewhat dysfunctional, yet loving, family.

Things weren't always harmonious between the FF and the Avengers.
The epic battles between the Hulk and the Thing were the stuff of legend. 

Then there was of course the Thing and Thor battles were were epic and incredibly cool. 


The FF always put a human face upon the whole of the Marvel universe. In many different games I've run the Fantastic Four were part of the cultural and historical landscape. They really were mortals who dealt with cosmic threats and survived to tell the tale. As always the FF were New York based and allowed a DM when the original Marvels Super Heroes game to connect the city and New England right into the comic book landscape.
The FF has iconic appeal allowing a DM to instantly pull from the roaster of foes for any group. 

Reed Richards connections with Stark and Shield just can't be ignored going all the way back to the 60's. Couple this with the outings with Thor, Hawkeye, and more. Well you get the idea.

Did I happen to mention the locations, the foes, the peoples like the Inhumans, the Baxter building.
 Don't get me started on the Black Panther and of course Galactus. 



How about this for a premise for a game of MSH? The PC's are agents handling the loose ends of the Avengers or the Fantastic Four. Everyday they have to pick up the loose ends of the various FF story lines Hell you could set in the 1960's and add a Man of From Uncle element.
For this style of game I highly recommend (again)  from the basic set New York, New York and Concrete Jungle  along with Gates of What If which if used right will allow you to create and alternative Earth to operate on with impunity.
All available right
HERE
 The book with all of the FF secrets is of course the Fantastic Four Compendium. Out of date yes but with oh so much retro flavor. 



Available right over
HERE

The modules which really star the FF are the So called Negative Zone trilogy.
We really see the Negative Zone in a heavy hitter kinda light with the intro of this one.
According to Rpg net :
" Part One of the "Negative Zone Trilogy." 

A powerful cosmic device has been seen on Earth and the players must investigate. 

Warlord of Baluur contains a 32-page adventure book which details the player characters, the non-player characters, and the story itself. You should also have a cover that features various maps designed to help play run smoothly.

 We get into the deep end of stuff with the technology from the Negative Zone really tapping the PC's heads and some really nasty NPC's. Again according to Drivethru: 

The Cosmic Control Rod Trilogy continues as the FANTASTIC FOUR ventures into the Negative Zone to face off against ANNIHILUS, the Rod's creator. Agents of SHIELD are lost in the anti-matter universe of the Negative Zone, and it's up to you heroes to save them. Once inside the Zone, you must face the wrathful return of the evil artificial intelligence QUASIMODO. The final conflict on Annihilus' planet shows that, even weakened, the despotic Spore of Arthros and Terror of the Negative Zone is still one of the most dangerous and powerful villains ever seen. The adventure contains a surprise ally who makes even ANNIHILUS quake as he approaches. 

This module contains... 

• New technology from the Negative Zone and equipment for the FANTASTIC FOUR including the powerful Astral Command Staff! 
• A surprise "voluminous" guest star! 
• The return of two of Marvel's greatest villains in one adventure! 
• The chance for you to be the first on your block to save the Earth from total destruction!

The final part brings the action home to the PC's in this one. 

Part three of the "Negative Zone Trilogy." 

The players confront the true force behind the events detailed in the two previous adventures. 

Stygian Knight contains a 32-page adventure book which details the player characters, the non-player characters, and the story itself. You should also have a cover which features various maps designed to help play run smoothly.

Running these the DM might have to bring on some of the bigger Super Agents of Shield. The Blue Diamond, Orignial Human Torch, perhaps the Vision prewhite out, or even just use the FF.
All of them are available for free download right over
HERE
I've run these over and over again. My best advice is to always run this batch before running something like the Comsos Cube adventures where the truly cosmic seems to happen. I'm a bit disappointed that the FF movie won't have an impact upon the Movie Marvel universe but that doesn't mean that it can't on your own Marvel Supers game! 

A Deeper Look Into The Free PDF -Mandate Archive: Transhuman Tech From Sine Nomine Publishing For Stars Without Number

Get It Right Over

HERE

This is one of those really odd little books that can in fifteen pages take a campaign and make it incredible or wreck it in a fiery pin wheel of science fiction death.
 Trans Human tech isn't so much about the weird transhuman psychology and movement as it is about totally new directions for an SWN campaign.

According to the blurb in the Drivethrurpg site:

This mini-supplement to the free Stars Without Number sci-fi role-playing game offers optional mechanics and guidelines for introducing some of the favorite tropes of transhuman science fiction into your campaign.

• Swap your old body for something new with the guidelines for gengineered Hulls
• Explore a post-scarcity world with the cornucopian wonders of matter compilers
• Get guidelines on status-based economies and loot in a post-material world
• Grow your own ideological zealots with guides to transhuman faction generation

..all wrapped up with advice on building a transhuman campaign, tips for developing conflicts in a world without material need, and a convenient one-page player handout on the default Threshold Sector setting. Get it now to add some posthuman spice to your campaign!

Now let's really look at what this means. The whole concept here is that the economics of the sector where this technology is found still retains some of the tech level four and five stuff.
The transhuman technology in the book allows one to adapt consciousness and mind into entirely new forms suited for working the wicked SWN universe.
A review by Joseph M sums the issues of this book up nicely at the end. 

So if you want to use Rep economies in a standard SWN game, or pull out the "hull" bodies in a game that uses money...be careful!

  He's not kidding this technology changes everything about the game if let into a standard (if there is such a thing SWN) campaign. 

The old economics of monitory based PC buy and sell will go right out the window faster then you can say Star Trek Next Generation economics. Not to mention the effects of this stuff upon the PC's. 

Using Trans Human Tech 

In Your Old School Stars Without Numbers Game 

If your going to use this one with the players make sure that its either a mixed party of PC's from this sector or an entire party of PC's who can use the materials presented in this book. This is just my small opinion on the matter. Use it how you'd like but this book is a bit of a game changer literally in my opinion.

The book however is very well thought out and the material well presented to add to your favorite old school space based game. With it we get a much more alien humanity that has been isolated since the 'Scream' and lots of potential for some really serious exploration of deep space.

Add in some of the hazards of real science with a space crew with access to this technology and you've got the makings of a very interesting and some what nasty campaign.

 There is more adventure potential if the addition of terraforming were added to this book but the regular SWN has that in spades in the world creation guidelines.

A very nice little fifteen page free piece of SWN material and highly recommended. 

Three Masks Of Weird And Potent Circumstance For Astonishing Swordsmen And Sorcerers of Hyperborea On The Dark Corner

Its November Second surely Halloween is over. But not on Hyperborea where three weird and dangerous types of mask have manifested themselves.
High weirdness and danger in the old school tradition
right over
HERE

Commentary And Review Of The Free Horror Setting - Jack Shear's Slithdale Hollow PDF Available For Download On The Dark Corner Blog

Find yourselves in Jack Shear's Slithdale Hollow
 Right over  HERE

There is a weird and woolly neighborhood that's just appeared upon the rpg block. A place that is just downright disturbing where friends, family, and the neighbors just aren't right at all. The shadow of Jack Shear's Slithdale Hollow has extended its grasp into your world right now.

 Go download it for free now!