DC Universe: Dinosaur Island (WIP)

[Bone2pick]

The following is a fandom roleplay concept I'd like to expand on and flesh out. I decided to make it public in case anyone would like to chime in with their ideas or criticisms, either is welcome.

Type: Group Roleplay

Tone: Pulp adventure, Hannah Barbera-esque, Johnny Quest meets the DCU

Thematic Elements: Dinosaurs (obviously), the occult, environmental threats, combat, mystery, investigation

Number of desired participants: 3 - 6

Briefest of Summary: An island off the coast of Africa (possibly Réunion?) has been overtaken by rampaging Dinosaurs. They came from jungles; the velociraptors struck first. Then the pterodactyls soared overhead, followed by triceratops and ankylosaurus' below. By the time the Tyrannosaurus stalked the island all the locals had wisely fled. Where the monsters came from is unknown. More pressing still, how will the modern world respond to an island full of dinosaurs?

Edit: Here's some initial concept art

 

[Bone2pick]

A villain that likely will make the roster for this roleplay will be none other than Pamela Isley.


AKA Poison Ivy

She'll bring giant carnivorous plants, strangling vines, and toxic spores. Dinosaurs won't be the only threat in the jungle. And as a bonus, her being from Gotham can provide a possible motive for a player coming from the same iconic city.

More to come on why she's on the island when I cover the main antagonist.

 

[Bone2pick]

I think I've found my primary antagonist, the villain responsible for the dinosaur revolution...


Sargon the Sorceress

She's wicked, powerful, and magically active — everything I need for this roleplay. A villain like her might inspire players to try their hands at one of DC's magical heroes: like Swamp Thing, Zatana, or Constantine. A GM can only hope.

I'll need to work out the How. She could have discovered a ritual that can pull the beasts straight out of their homeland 65 million years ago, or maybe she made a deal with a demon who can access another world full dinos. As of now it's to be determined.

I've worked out her motivation, but it's the one aspect I won't be revealing. I'm happy with it, and I'd like to have something to actually surprise my players with.

 

[Bone2pick]

And next up on the villain roster for dino island...


The Mad Hatter

Adding TMH provides a perfect solution as to why the dinosaurs don't try and kill the supervillains exploiting them — mind control collars. Each beastie is fitted with a diabolical piece of Mad Hatter tech and bingo bongo, dino slave.

He's also another villain from Gotham (the last one I swear) who can provide an angle for players hailing from there.

 

[Bone2pick]

Here's a sweet one for yah!


Weather Wizard

Oh yeah. I'm excited to say that filling out the next villain roster spot will be Weather Wizard. He's a legit force to be reckoned with, and his powers will add to the elemental dangers of this adventure. Between his nasty weather, Ivy's murderous plants, and Hatter's mind controlled dinosaurs, the island is really shaping up to be a horror show. Not to mention his classic look and dated namesake are exactly what I had in mind for this roleplay.

Update: I've worked through the specifics of how Sargon is populating the island with dinos. I've decided to keep that info in my notes for spoiler reasons, but the takeaway is that it's all taken care of. Also it looks like Réunion island is a fine location for dino island; check out the pics below!

Réunion Pics

 

[Bone2pick]

What kind of supervillain cabal would try to pull off something as epically sinister as dino island and not have teams of henchmen? Surely not my supervillains. Allow me to inrtoduce to you...


Dino Cultists

Former pirates of varying nationalities, these ruffians now zealously serve Sargon the Sorceress and her under-villains. The cultist outfit themselves with crossbows that can kill with a fraction of the noise of barking firearms. Each one carries a miniature bolt for their weapon coated in a neurotoxin (courtesy of Poison Ivy) that temporarily paralyses its victim. This is mostly used to tranquilize smaller dinosaurs whose control collar has been compromised.

The cultist patrol the island on ATVs alongside raptor packs, through the air mounted on Pterodactyls, or on motorized rafts supported by Suchomimus.

 

[Bone2pick]

So what role will the players have in this roleplay? I'd like them to select a DC Universe (preferably comic verse) canon character, and then work out a reasonable motivation to clean up Réunion Island of its dinosaur infestation. Standard Justice League characters (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman, & Cyborg) will be off limits. The Justice League will be tied up in another corner of the galaxy, and the people of Earth will suffer the consequences of their absence.

I stated that I would "like" players to select canon characters, but original characters will not be ruled out. I will, however, be selective with original characters. So if a player wants to pitch an OC for dino island, I recommend he or she be appropriately scaled in terms of abilities, as well as have a nicely developed concept and background. Below is a list of canon character recommendations, but many other DC characters could work.

Animal Man
Batwoman
Black Canary
Deadman
Frankenstein
Green Arrow
Grifter
Hawk & Dove
Hawkman
Hawkgirl
John Constantine
Katana
Nightwing
Swamp Thing
Vixen
Zatanna

A few unsavory characters who might could be angled into being a "team player":

*Catwoman
*Deathstroke
*Etrigan
*Vandal Savage

 

[Crow]

If this revs, I kinda want to try SHAZAM or if multiple characters are permitted, an additional Deadman.

Since Poison Ivy is generally considered a Batman villain, and dinosaurs... well... you should know the roborex that once inhabited the Batcave... someone might play Batman. As such, I ask - which Robin are we at during this time?

Also @york if you need a place to test your Batman skills here they are

EDIT: Oh, alrighty. I reread. No Batman, but I'm guessing Teen Titans are OK.

This also means no SHAZAM, right? But Deadman is OK as seen from the list.

If multiple characters are permitted, I might play Red Hood if someone goes for Nightwing.

 

[Bone2pick]

If this revs, I kinda want to try SHAZAM or if multiple characters are permitted, an additional Deadman.

Since Poison Ivy is generally considered a Batman villain, and dinosaurs... well... you should know the roborex that once inhabited the Batcave... someone might play Batman. As such, I ask - which Robin are we at during this time?

Also @york if you need a place to test your Batman skills here they are

EDIT: Oh, alrighty. I reread. No Batman, but I'm guessing Teen Titans are OK.

This also means no SHAZAM, right? But Deadman is OK as seen from the list.

If multiple characters are permitted, I might play Red Hood if someone goes for Nightwing.

Shazam is off the table due to power level, otherwise his magical nature would be an ideal fit. I'f prefer to keep Superman class characters (Martian Manhunter, Supergirl, Shazam, ect), as well as speedsters out of this roleplay. A good rule of them is if a T-Rex, Dino Cultists, and carnivorous plants don't pose a threat to your character, then he or she probably won't be approved.

Two characters might be permitted if they're being pitched as an interesting duo: Hawkman & Hawkgirl, or Nightwing & Damian.

I'm slowly constructing this roleplay so it's going to take a while before it's ready for an interest check.

 

[Crow]

My plan-to-play list expanded a little so before I round it down when the RP comes, will Olive and Maps be plausible characters? Considering that they're pretty much more of spinoff-based civilian characters...

... is 'camping trip gone wrong' a possible reason to be at Reunion Island?

 

[Bone2pick]

My plan-to-play list expanded a little so before I round it down when the RP comes, will Olive and Maps be plausible characters? Considering that they're pretty much more of spinoff-based civilian characters...

... is 'camping trip gone wrong' a possible reason to be at Reunion Island?

They're certainly acceptable characters. Their youth and civilian status might even provide interesting motivations for the other heroes, as in trying to protect them at all cost.

Camping trip gone wrong is a possibility, but it has the condition that the two would need to be there (at Réunion) before the dinosaurs revealed themselves. This would mean they (Olive & Maps) have been running around on dino island a length of time before the rest of the players show up. You may or may not desire that.

Alternately they could survive a plane crash, a boating accident, or some other mixup that would land them on the island. Maybe they headed there intentionally (foolishly?) to rescue an exchange student classmate who went home to Réunion over the summer?