Anyway, here's my first broad strokes at a superhero setting:<br/><br/>It is a scientific fact that there is something immortal, and indivisible within every human being, and many animals as well.  When this atomic soul is assaulted, whether through hardship, intense training regmens, or the fury of battle, the human organism becomes more powerful, and gains additional abilities.  One force, however, affects the atomic soul more than any other; nuclear radiation.  As Neitzche said before he was tossed into the pit to the earth's core he dug from his island fortress "What does not kill me makes me stronger."<br/><br/>The bombardment of the atomic soul has created remarkable heroes throughout history; Alexander the Great, Benjamin Franklin, and of course Le Homme-Corbeau of France, whose most famous incarnation was Napoleon Bonaparte.  The first modern atomic hero was Marie Curie, and we all remember the pictures of her flying above Verdun, raining down fire and ice upon the German forces.  With the help of Madame Curie and the Petites Curies, the allies decisively defeated the Central Powers in the first world war.  As allied nations began to give doses of radiation to their heroes to create remarkable leaders, and effective soldiers, the mysterious villain Ragnarok took control of Weimar Germany at the head of the National Socialist party, begining a massive economic reform program.  Meanwhile, the French government appropriated Curie's atomic technology, and began to replicate the conditions of her experiments to produce a new generation of atomic heroes.  The end result of project Orleans was Madame Guillotine, who, along with Captain Maginot, will live in infamy for their betrayal of France.<br/><br/>In 1939, Ragnarok invaded Poland, followed by swift invasions of Denmark, Sweeden, Norway, Finland, and France.  In the begining, the French looked ready to decisively defeat the German army, but the appearance of an army of Frost Giants, followed by Madam Guillotine and Captain Maginot lead to the swift surrender of France, and the formation of a new, collaborator government in the Summer of 1940.  The winter of 1940 was defined by vast and vicious battles in the air between the Ice Dragons of the Ultimate Reich and Nikola Tesla's flying fortresses.  Meanwhile, the Japanese invaded many countries with the blessing of the Goddess Ameterasu, and the support of dozens of mystical ninja clans.  The United States responded with an embargo of oil and nuclear materials to Japan, raising tensions between the two nations.<br/><br/>On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the US Navy at Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into the Second World War.  The costumed adventurers of the United States threw their all into the war effort, including Lady Liberty's fourth incarnation, General Lee's second incarnation, and Demagog.  Over the next few years,  the Manhattan project worked to develop the Ultimate Weapon, while America's forces fought against Ragnarok, Madame Guillotine, and Ameterasu.  At the same time, the soviet army fought a desperate battle against the Frost Giants in the darkness of winter, supported by Nikola Tesla's armored titans, and led by heroes like "Mad" Ivan, Captain Kalashnikov, La Femme Nikita, and the second through fourteenth incarnations of Hero of the People.  The war was incredibly destructive, and was joined eventually by the American atomic hero Briarpatch, who helped hold back Ragnarok before going to France to support the D-day landing.<br/><br/>With the help of the Petites Curies, the latest incarnation of Homme-Corbeau, and a mysterious ghost called Dybbuk, the invasion of Germany was successful, enabling the Soviet Union to advance using their new Titan Legion, led by Tsar Bronevoj.  As World War II in Europe drew to a close, the Trinity Tests of July 16 changed the world forever, creating a new generation of atomic heroes, such as Captain Trinity, Kid Quantum, Lord Protector, and the fifth incarnation of Lady Liberty.  The atomic explosions at Hiroshima and Nagisaki bathed Japan in atomic radiation, giving hundreds of people throughout the country superpowers, and creating alarming numbers of gigantic monsters, including the vicious King Kaiju.  The trauma was so destructive to Ameterasu that she split into two beings; her more merciful and forgiving half, and her hate filled and vicious portion Oni-Sama.  As Japan collapsed into horrifying Kaiju battles and ancient horrors came out of the woodwork, the Emperor surrendered, and World War 2 came to a close.<br/><br/>The years after the war were not kind to Japan.  Many atomic powered teenagers were conscripted to fight battles against the evils threatening the nation, often wearing brightly colored costumes, and using giant robots to defend the cities.  Technology advanced rapidly throughout the nation, leading to the creation of the atomic robot Astro Boy in 1949, and the formation of the Western Atomic Hero Mutuality Organization later that year.  With the Soviet Union's expanding nuclear arsenal,  WAHMO now works to contain its Soviet counterpart, SERPENT, with the majority of violent actions taking place in Asia, where open war in Korea started earlier this year.<br/><br/><br/>WAHMO is organized into a series of councils, underneath a global council that deals with global threats.  Each continent has a coucil of five atomic heroes, who help organize the fight against the problems of that continent, under the direction of a member of the global council.  The North American council is supervised by the third incarnation of General Lee, a nuclear powered hero that can call upon the ghosts of the dead.  Your PCs will be members of a team assigned to defend Salt Lake City, and the state of Utah under the greater direction of WAHMO.  You'll have to deal with people given atomic powers by nuclear tests, soviet sabeteurs from SERPENT, Oni and Kaiju sneaking into the country from Asia, and aliens coming to make unfriendly contact.  Membership in WAHMO is voluntary, though the organization provides financial stipends and legal representation to its members.  Those who refuse to join WAHMO are still listed as organizational assets if they don't openly attack the organization.<br/><br/>As far as optional rules go, each power will need to have at least one descriptor, and each hero will need to have at least two complications.  I will allow players to design custom equipment, but all custom equipment requires GM approval, save for vehicles.  Lethal damage is a one point flaw that can be added to any damaging power, or affliction power which causes incapacitation.  The standard equipment will be rewritten to accomidate this flaw.  A power with the lethal damage flaw inflicts the dying condition upon anyone incapacitated by the attack, and only inflicts half knockback unless the effect rank of the lethal effect is 9 or higher.  Most lethal items can have the lethal flaw bought off as a feature for one equipment point.   The knockback rules from the GM's guide will be in effect, but characters must opt in to cause knockback, and knockback damage always equals the knockback result of the attack.