Whether it’s newspapers, social media, podcasts, or anything in between, in the world of Absolute Overpower, the news is controlled by two rival conglomerates: the Daily Planet and the Daily Bugle. And like the two at the top of both, they could not be any more different.
Both serve the players in the same functional ways: they will provide updates on goings-on across all Overpower campaigns, they can act as information gatherers and brokers, they will provide downtime and active bounties and achievements that can be traded in for additional Karma, and even give global side quests and alert players of potential Raids and Super Dungeons.
Narrators of all campaigns can contribute to either—or both—of the news conglomerates various boards, deciding which provides the best synergy or challenge to not only their players but all players of Absolute Overpower.
The Daily Planet
The Daily Planet believes in the power of objectivity and truth in reporting. They’ll choose Pulitzers over clickbait.
News
The Planet will only post news stories that can be verified or confirmed without much or any doubt. They believe in honest accounts, real stories, and real heart from real people. Reality is stranger than fiction, so why make it up?
Narrators who are ready to share finished quests and campaigns with the rest of Overpower’s players, and want to pose accurate macguffins rather than mystery or misdirection should choose The Planet. All stories posted by Perry White’s team can be verified by eyewitness accounts or trusted sources.
Information
Players can build Connections with various staff of the Daily Planet to use their information-gathering resources.
Bounties
The Planet offers bounties in return for sources. Whether during downtime or active sessions, parties can choose to either recount events and gather evidence on-record themselves as sources, or make connections with NPCs who can also do the same. Doing so will reward them with additional Karma.
The Daily Planet assigns judgment of powered individuals according to the results of their actions. Heroes who act valiantly are portrayed as such, and villains who create danger or perpetrate harm are labeled accordingly.
Quests
Side Quests can be given by the individual staff members listed below. These are usually working on a story lead for the various reporters that require the intervention or help from superheroes.
These are useful for players or parties that have a need to run a side quest, or want to make up a session while missing players, etc. They can also offer the opportunity to put characters in scenarios unlike what they face in their home campaigns.
Any Narrator can create side quests from any staff member, but they should be themed around the individual collection of traits and tags.
Daily Planet side quests generally require players to act heroically or disrupt corruption.
Achievements
Achievements are cool or noteworthy in-game feats that players and parties can take on and try and complete.
Daily Planet achievements usually revolve around narrative and non-combat feats.
Example Achievement
Gossip Girl: Through any means players have determined they were being lied to and used the truth for a confrontation twice in a single session.
Staff
Below is the current staff of the Daily Planet. Included is a brief description of their current position, their subject matter expertise based on Tags and Traits (5), as well as the connections and sources (3).
Lois Lane
Lois is the investigative journalist by which all others are measured. Her hard-hitting but earnest approach to journalism has garnered her the respect of massive audiences, and more than a few superheroes.
Tags: Alien Heritage, Dependents, Heroic, Leader, Powerful
Traits: Audience, Determination, Font of Information, Investigation
Connections: Military, Aliens, Heroes
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is the young upstart photojournalist for the Daily Planet. He is accordingly brash, fearless, gullible and naive, but extremely talented and people just love being around him.
Tags: Early Bloomer, Heroic, Rich, Streetwise, Young
Traits: Debate Champ, Fearless, Glibness, Gullible, Sneaky
Connections: The Streets, Heroes, Photojournalists
Cat Grant
News is war, and while the Daily Planet has always been above tabloid practice, Cat Grant was originally hired as a socialite gossip columnist to put some fear into the Daily Bugle. This quickly segued into an NYC lifestyle column.
Tags: Heroic, Linguist, Public Identity, Rich, Secret Identity
Traits: Audience, Beguiling, Dealmaker, Famous, Infamous
Connections: Socialites, Hollywood, Politicians
Lana Lang
Lana Lang holds down the Business section of the Planet. She’s extremely knowledgeable on all the NYC movers and shakers and has deep connections to every magnate inclusive of the Waynes and Starks of the world.
Tags: Alien Heritage, Heroic, Powerful, Radioactive, Rich
Traits: Connections, Dealmaker, Fresh Eyes, Legal Eagle, Quick Learner
Connections: Magnates, Reporters, Aliens
Ron Troupe
Early in his career, Ron failed to get a job at the Planet under the previous editor-in-chief, waylaying a lifelong dream. So he actually went and took a job with the Bugle to stick it to the place that spurned him. He made a name for himself as being a legitimate and earnest reporter amongst the Bugle rabble, and was quickly brought to the Planet once Perry White took over. Ron uses his six degrees as the Planet’s primary political correspondent.
Tags: Authority, Leader, Mentor, Obligation, Powerful
Traits: Abrasive, Fearless, Font of Information, Honest, Pundit
Connections: Politicians, S.H.I.E.L.D.,
Miguel Montez
Miguel Montez is an intern for the Daily Planet and interns know everything. He may also have superpowers. If there’s anything you need to know about The Daily Planet, believe that Miguel has heard it all.
Tags: Early Bloomer, Mentor, Mysterious, Supernatural, Young
Traits: Determination, Honest, Magic Item Reliance, Quick Learner, Small
Connections: Daily Planet, Teen Heroes, Magic
Perry White
Perry White is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet. He doesn’t come from money, and a rough part of town, exposing him to institutional racism, and systemic violence. It became a rallying cry for him as a reporter, and he made a name for himself exposing the truth and fighting corruption. As he rose up the ranks, those around him followed his lead and now as the editor-in-chief of the Planet, his whole organization mirrors Perry.
Tags: Leader, Obligation, Poor, Powerful, Streetwise
Traits: Debate Champ, Determination, Fresh Eyes, Honest, Interrogation
Connections: Reporters, Community Workers,
The Daily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a sensationalist tabloid that made its mark with incendiary op-eds and scandalous hit pieces.
News
The Bugle is fine with conjecture and even thrives on it. They’ve got a battery of libelous script doctors to help fill in the gaps. After all, that’s why God made retractions.
Triple J wants scoops and doesn’t concern himself with accuracy, so if there’s something in outer space that walks like a duck and talks like a duck, he’s not gonna check to see if its name is Howard. He’s gonna call the thing Duck-Man and print it.
If Narrators want to post red herrings, or quest recaps that are light on details, they should use The Bugle. The Bugle will also run stories recounting things that cannot be verified within reason. Things that happen in outer space or other dimensions are all fair game. Think of all those grocery store rags and their stories of Bigfoot and Nessie.
Information
Players can build Connections with the Daily Bugle’s network of shady information brokers and staff.
Bounties
The Bugle offers bounties for scoops. During downtime or active sessions, parties should look for moments that can be turned into salacious fodder. Photos, recordings, and secrets all have value, with or without context. Doing so will reward them with additional Karma.
The Bugle’s attitude toward heroes, vigilantes, mutants, or anyone with powers or abilities is equally unfavorable.
Quests
Side Quests can be given by the individual staff members listed below. These are usually working on a story lead for the various reporters that require the intervention or help from superheroes.
These are useful for players or parties that have a need to run a side quest, or want to make up a session while missing players, etc. They can also offer the opportunity to put characters in scenarios unlike what they face in their home campaigns.
Any Narrator can create side quests from any staff member, but they should be themed around the individual collection of traits and tags.
Daily Bugle side quests generally require players to skirt their morales, or confirm suspicions around public figures which may include other heroes.
Achievements
Achievements are cool or noteworthy in-game feats that players and parties can take on and try and complete.
Daily Bugle achievements usually revolve around combat feats.
Example Achievement
Strike Three: Players have combined to eliminate three enemies in a single battle using Fastball Specials.
Staff
Below is the current staff of the Daily Bugle. Included is a brief description of their current position, their subject matter expertise based on Tags and Traits (5), as well as the connections and sources (3).
Robbie Robertson
Robbie has worked for the Bugle for a long time, in just about every position imaginable from a mob beat, to his current role as city editor. This gives him varied connections and understanding of traits.
Tags: Authority, Heroic, Leader, Linguist, Streetwise
Traits: Dealmaker, Debate Champ, Font of Information, Glibness, Pundit
Connections: Criminals, Superheroes, Politicians
Ben Urich
Urich works the crime beat for The Bugle which puts him in the constant path of criminals and the vigilantes that hunt them. He’s seen everything and is shrewd to understand the world exists not in black and white, but an infinite shades of gray.
Tags: Black Market Access, Blind, Hunted, Secret Identity, Streetwise
Traits: Abrasive, Determination, Fearless, Infamous, Skeptical
Connections: Criminals, Vigilantes, The Streets
Sally Floyd
A writer whose focus is on mutants and mutant affairs, it’s an assignment that’s personal for Sally Floyd. Her child was a who died because of her de-aging mutant powers which threw Sally’s life into turmoil.
Tags: Backup, Hounded, Mental Health Conditions, Mutant Associate, X-Gene
Traits: Famous, Loner, Monster, Public Speaking, Weakness (Alcholism)
Connections: Mutants, Law Enforcement, Captain America
Betty Brant
Betty Brant started as JJJ’s secretary, but quickly shot up the ranks as an investigator thanks to her determination and unrelenting pursuit of the scoop. Her husband Ned Leeds—a noted villain presumed dead—has been feeding her info on a global conspiracy.
Tags: Convict, Deceased, Mysterious, Streetwise, Villainous
Traits: Eidetic Memory, Gearhead, Inventor, Quick Learner, Tech Reliance
Connections: Villains, Vigilantes, The Goblins
Irene Merryweather
Merryweather got her start investigating the mutant secret society, the Hellfire Club which made her a target. Cable intervened which put Irene on the path of becoming his war reporter.
Tags: Authority, Hounded, Hunted, Villainous, X-Gene
Traits: Abrasive, Battle Ready, Combat Expert, Infamous, Loner
Connections: Hellfire Club, Mutants, Cable
Norah Winters
Winters was another Bugle reporter who managed to fall for a Hobgoblin acquiring her with costumed villains. She continued on this path, starting up an internet news column funded by the imprisoned Chameleon before being bought out by the Bugle. Her latest assignment is a post covering Arkham Asylum.
Tags: Convict, Hunted, Mentor, Mysterious, Villainous
Traits: Abrasive, Bloodthirsty, Clueless, Infamous, Sneaky
Connections: Criminals, Villains, Arkham Asylum
J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson, the infamous editor-in-chief of The Daily Bugle. Originally used his organization as a mouthpiece against Spider-Man before morphing into a tabloid running hit pieces on basically all heroes and vigilantes. He’s a man who will do anything to prove his instincts on powered people is right.
Tags: Enemy, Hunted, Obligation, Public Identity, Rich
Traits: Abrasive. Bloodthirsty, Clueless, Leverage
Connections: Reporters, Politicians. Sinister Six