Super-Villain Academy School Background

NOTE:
Please do not read this page until the Game Master asks you to

Overview of the School

Super-Villain Academy is a “special” trade school for young adults, but will accept older students. It started out in the early 20th century as a henchmen training program run by a prominent crime family, and flourished during the Pulp Era (1930’s) and Super Era (1940’s). The curriculum has expanded such that the school is now a viable alternative to an accredited university for many aspiring criminals.

The Campus

Since the 1960’s, the Metropolitan Institute for Livestock Freedom (MILF) is the front for the school’s physical campus. All the authorities know is an abandoned dairy farm on the outskirts of the City was purchased and renovated decades ago by a “private foundation.” The secure fence, well-protected grounds, and aging mansion façade hides the operations of the school from public scrutiny, not to mention the law. The campus has four regions.

The upper floors contains student dormitories, lounge areas, and classroom space. Each House has its own floor, except for the Henchmen, who get whatever room is left. The Masterminds get the top floor, so they can look out upon the world which will one day be theirs.
The main floor houses the common areas: administrative offices, library, auditorium, cafeteria, trophy room, hospital wing, and more classrooms. There is also a multi-purpose function space, where the alumni cocktail reception, i.e., the game, takes place.
The lower floors go very deep, and include larger classrooms, laboratories, storage, and the deathtraps. Each faculty member is protective of his/her turf down here.
The barn and out-buildings behind the mansion once housed legitimate milking equipment; now it is mostly used for maintenance and storage.

Recruitment & Admission

New students are by referral only, although historically there was a substantial recruitment presence amongst the prison population. Enrollment has been drying up in recent years due to the Moore Act – a law requiring super-criminals to wear a tracking collar, and permitting execution of repeat offenders. Now either they don’t survive capture, or they are capable of leading the authorities directly to the school’s front door. However, villains still get married and have kids, ensuring at least a minimum supply of students for the foreseeable future.

A referral is the only admission requirement, although once admitted, attendance is mandatory. For security reasons, the school has a Zero Drop-Out Policy, which is enforced by the school’s Ninja Master, or worse, The Black Widow.

It is traditional that each incoming student adopt a super-villain name.

School Organization & Curriculum

School academics and day-to-day operations are overseen by the Headmaster and his Vice Chancellor. The students are organized into five “Houses”:

Mad Science – for students with a brain; classes focus on Mad Science and technology, and are taught by Hotwire, the Mad Science Instructor. Deathtraps is a special and popular class taught by Professor Perfect.
Mastermind – for students with more than one brain; classes focus on ruling the world, and include topics such as Terrorism, Politics, and Finance. The Mastermind track is taught by the mysterious Purple Phantom, who never announces when and where classes are going to be held – they are hidden, and it is up to the students to be clever enough to find them.
Ninja School – for students with a flair and toughness for combat. Unarmed combat is taught by the Crimson Cobra.
Costumes and Capes – for students possessing a demonstrable power, who care to make the headlines with style. Besides classes on how to effectively use super-powers, there are also classes on Handling the Press, Costume design, and public speaking, i.e., “monologuing.” Classes are taught by Fabooo!, who hails from someplace exotic.
Henchman – for students who could not qualify for the other houses, due to lack of brain, toughness, or super-power. Classes are taught grudgingly by whomever Vice Chancellor The Darkling can dig up, and include such blue-collar topics as Firearms, Safecracking, Swindles & Cons, and Arson. In many ways the henchmen are second-class citizens; they can only audit non-Hench classes if there are empty seats (and there never are), and they tend to be the target of other Houses’ scorn.

Students are placed into houses, according to their abilities (or lack thereof), and adapt to the curriculum tailored to their house. Students who qualify for more than one house can attend any classes of all houses they qualify for.

Occasionally a student or wanna-be cultist will attend the Academy in search of practicing the Dark Arts. While there is no official place for these unnaturals in the school curriculum, the few that have attended over the years have found various degrees of success either fitting into the existing house structure (for instance, if they had a Costumes-and-Capes-like ability of some kind) or made their own path, much to the discomfort of their fellows.

Graduation

Due to the draconian Zero Drop-Out Policy, graduation is mandatory from the school. There are several ways to graduate, and each student gets to choose the method.

Exhibit Your Power – the easiest way to graduate, but only open to those who possess powers. Some consider this the “sports scholarship” method of graduation.
Run the Gauntlet – typically chosen by students from Ninja House. Those who survive, graduate.
Build a Project – typically chosen by students from Mad Science House.
Pass the IQ Test – typically chosen by Mastermind students. Occasionally a very clever student bypasses the exam by hacking the system, and this is permitted.
Servitude – typically the path taken by Henchmen, who have no other avenue open to them. If you can find a sponsor at the school (typically a Mastermind/Costumed student, or even an Instructor) and serve them faithfully for at least two years, and get them to write you a Recommendation Letter, you can graduate. Technically, it’s at the discretion of the sponsor, but traditionally it’s been two years. The Henchmen graduation ceremony is second-class and is held separately (and often shamefully). Some unfortunate students remain henchmen for years before they finally graduate (or are just put out of their misery by the Ninja Master).

Post-Graduation

All graduating students, even henchmen, must join the Alumni Association. Annual dues and other donation checks are sent to MILF. Only graduates currently employed by the school are exempt from annual dues.

The Future Villains of America (FVA) and the Golden Era

Twenty years ago, Super-Villain Academy experienced a “Golden Era” – a time when young villains were thriving, and nobody embodied the twisted hopes and criminal dreams of that time more than the gang known as the Future Villains of America (FVA). For a tumultuous four-year period, the Academy was rocked on its heels by the legendary antics of a small tight-knit group of students. The FVA consisted of Doctor Spin (a Mastermind), Siren (a Costumed beauty), Scarlet Shrike (a Ninja), Splicer (a Mad Scientist), and The Finisher (a Henchman).

The FVA started out with small but memorable enterprises, such as mail-order pesticide fund-raisers, and exotic meat pot-luck banquets. In no time they became the “rulers” of the school, terrorizing and extorting the villains of lesser abilities, including The Darkling (who would go on to become Vice Chancellor), as well as all four members of the Marauding Five. It is widely believed the FVA is behind the murder of The Stain, an under-classman with a questionable super-power, however nothing could ever be proven. Not that proof would matter – for some reason the Administration turned a blind eye to even the worst of the FVA’s activities.

After graduation, the FVA unexpectedly split up. Dr. Spin and Siren launched their respective solo criminal careers. The Finisher became a successful gun for hire. Splicer’s research consumed his time, making him more of a recluse, and Scarlet Shrike dropped out of public view.

Tonight’s Agenda

The Graduation cocktail reception is an annual tradition at Super-Villain Academy. The first 2 hours are the actual cocktail reception, followed by the speeches and special demonstrations:

Introduction (Headmaster)
Keynote Speaker (Doctor Spin)
Presentation of class projects (Edifice Rex, Tinkertoy, The ReJuvenile)
Presentation of the Faculty Mad Science Competition (Hotwire for New Science vs. Professor Perfect for Old Science)
Presentation of special honors to House Valedictorians (Vice Chancellor)
Closing Remarks (Silver Spider)