[AniMasks OOC] Roll + Superior to Pose

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [AniMasks OOC] Roll + Superior to Pose

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

I'm still setting stuff up for the game, of course, you'll get a Gdoc for setting and NPC info which you'll help me fill out, but this is the thread for TEAM TWO in Animasks. You'll all get the rest of your questions Soon, along with a special surprise: Of course, by all of you, I mean

Beta, the Newborn!
Noriko, the Protege!
Eleos, the Doomed!
Ankensatsu, the Reformed!
Nameless, the Outsider!

Get your relationships set up, as well as your 'when we first met' and influence. As well, answer me these three questions, as a group, or if you don't want to I will assign answers.
What Zone are we primarily based out of?
What's our League Base like? For this team, this might be best answered by Noriko, since it comes from her mentor.
What's our Team Name?
Last thing, as part of the 'when we first met' questions, Nameless: Answer the Bull's, Eleos: Answer the Nova's, both in addition to your own.
Vote for Team Captains, too!

Setting Doc
NPC Doc
Influence Sheet
IC Thread

Nea fucked around with this message at 06:17 on Aug 28, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 08:06

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 01:56

jimmydalad: Sep 26, 2013; My face when others are unable to appreciate the

AGDQ 2018 Awful Block Survivor

quote:

quote:
Name: Beta

Real Name: Subject P150-2

Playbook: The Newborn

Look: Man, White, Human Skin, Plain Clothing, No Costume

Abilities:

Thermal Control � My skin is able to secrete a cooling agent that freezes air around it in a distance of about two meters. Through training, I�ve been able to form ice constructs to use in battle as well as create ice paths to travel on through interfacing the cooling agent with my mind or create a mist around me by cooling the air with the agent. Unfortunately, I have difficulties in creating constructs at further distances and any ice that I create automatically dissipates once I go outside the radius of my cooling agent. The mist also only stays within the two-meter zone.

Sonic Bursts � My hands and feet have been outfitted with high quality sonic blasters. They work by sending out high pressure blasts that can either propel me if I aim at the ground, or blast enemies far distances with a heavy impact slam. They don�t distinguish friend or foe though and stop at the first target they hit. They also only travel in straight lines.

Stats:

Freak � 2
Danger � 2
Saviour � 0
Superior � 1
Mundane - -2

Moves:

A Mind of Their Own: Your powers evolve and mutate. When you are facing an obstacle or threat that your powers would not be able to deal with, you can mark a condition to have your powers adapt to the situation and manifest in a new and unprecedented way. You do not retain these new powers once the danger is gone.

Meet Your Maker: When you approach your creator or caretakers with a problem, tell them what obstacle you face or what you need to achieve, and they will offer you something you need. The GM chooses one:

- Secret information
- A way to temporarily boost or expand your powers
- Access to instruments, weapons or resources
- Official and explicit backing.

If you accept their help, they will rewrite one of your lessons for you.

A New Life

Blank Slate: You were created with basic understanding of the world. When you learn something that helps you make sense of the world, write it down as a lesson. Fill in two lessons when you create your character; fill in the other two when you've learned those lessons during play.

- I am created to showcase my powers to others.
- Never stray from the task at hand.

When you embody one of your lessons, shift 1 label up and 1 label down, your choice. If you cause misunderstanding, collateral damage or unintended consequences, mark potential.

When you reject one of your lessons, reject its influence as if it were an NPC. If you choose to have it lose Influence over you, erase that lesson and write a new one.

Regeneration:

When you�re taken out, you can trigger an emergency regeneration process. If you do, your body undergoes an unpredictable transformation, and in mere moments, you�re back on your feet and ready to fight. Clear three conditions, and choose three from the list below:

- Change your gender identity or presentation
- Change your physical appearance
- Forget all your lessons
- Lose an important memory of a teammate; they lose Influence over you
-Swap an ability with another one from the Newborn playbook

Hello there, I am Subject P150-2. Were you expecting me to look different? That be suboptimal for becoming a hero. After all, my creator, Dr. Ritsuko, said that people would feel more comfortable if I looked human. Though I may be an artificial construct, I have been optimized for being a hero and not looking human could scare people.

My name is confusing? I was told that I should introduce myself formally to indicate respect. It is my identification code and Dr. Ritsuko had no problems with it. A name that is not my identification code? If that is the case, you may call me Beta. That�s what I have been instructed to tell people. Dr. Ritsuko said that people might get confused about my name, but I didn�t believe her. It looks like she was right again.
Dr. Ritsuko is my creator who I live with. Her lab is in the higher levels of Island Tower Zone. She tells me that she is famous. You haven�t heard about her? Odd. She�s only the most accomplished, amazing, wonderful, beautiful, and intelligent hero scientist in the entire known universe that has existed or will ever exist. That�s what she tells me at least. I haven�t had that many opportunities to see the world for myself. All that I know is what Dr. Ritsuko has told me.

I was only created around 2 years ago. Dr. Ritsuko tells me that she created me as a proof of concept. The concept was that artificial lifeforms could emulate powers that are even stronger than the powers that stronger humans claim to have. She tells me that she wanted to �rub it in their faces� and that �they all thought that she was crazy�. I was the result of years into the study of technology and its capabilities.

What does that mean? Well my body is organic, but it isn�t like a human. For one thing, I am able to secrete a cooling agent from my skin that interfaces with my mind to freeze the air around me. I can create constructs, reduce temperatures around me and make ice cream. Dr. Ritsuko was particularly proud of that last achievement, though I do not know how it is relevant towards the act of being a superhero.

Dr. Ritsuko also incorporated technology that is symbiotic with my organic components. Once such technology is the sonic blasters that can extend or retract into my skin depending on whether I need them or not. Additionally, there are circuits that have been incorporated into my skin that can allow me to regenerate. Dr. Ritsuko, however, said that it was only a last resort since the last time the regeneration was attempted, it had some unfortunate side effects. I wonder what they were.

Through my time with Dr. Ritsuko, I found that the illogicality intrigued me. Why are humans illogical? What causes them to do so and does it have an evolutionary benefit? I feel that is only something that can be found if I were to interact with others and spend time with them. After all, Dr. Ritsuko tells me she is the most logical person in the world. I can�t rely on her to learn about human�s illogicality.

quote:
1. What made you decide to become a hero? After that, why did you join the league, rather than staying unregistered?

It�s what I was built for. Dr. Ritsuko wanted to see the potential that technology had in emulating superpowers. She probably had always wanted me to try being a superhero, if not to demonstrate her intellect. Additionally, I had started to want to learn more about humans and expressed an interest in doing so to Dr. Ritsuko. She told me that being a hero would allow me to interact with all sorts of people and that she was going to get me to be one anyways whether I wanted to or not. In a way, it means that I became a hero of my own free will.

quote:
2. What hero sponsored you to join the league's trials, if any? Or, did you take the hard route and stick it out on your own? If you did, what extra challenges did this throw up for you?

That was Dr. Ritsuko. Once I had expressed interest in being a hero, she flew towards the phone to get in contact with The League. She said to me that she used to be a prominent member of The League, but had recently stepped down from full hero obligations to focus on her research. Some of her devices are still used by the League to this day, which she loves to mention.

The call lasted for some time and afterwards, Dr. Ritsuko said that she was successful in getting me to participate in the trails. She didn�t seem too happy though and started to complain about how almighty Panopticon was and how she would should Panopticon just how awesome she was through me. She then started to drill me about how I needed to always remember the task at hand and fulfil them to the best of my abilities. There have been very few times that I have seen her as emotional as she was at that moment. Maybe Dr. Ritsuko is not as logical as I thought?

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3. What's your mundane like life? What do you do in your free time?

Free time? I don�t feel I am familiar with that term. Every day is the same with Dr. Ritsuko. I help her with her experiments, do tests to see how my powers are manifesting and clean up after her messes. I don�t have much else to do. Dr. Ritsuko wouldn�t let me go outside until recently and she doesn�t get many visitors around her lab either.

You mean apart from that? Well, sometimes I like to read. Dr. Ritsuko has many books in the lab and if I don�t need to help Dr. Ritsuko clean up after an explosion or make ice cream for her after a particularly difficult day, I just like reading. Most of the books are scientific books, but there are some that Dr. Ritsuko calls romantic novels. While I certainly didn�t understand what was going on in them, they did get me interested in humans. After all, this was something that I couldn�t understand just by reading. It was exciting.

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4. Of the four general categories of the league's trials, Physical, Mental, Practical Challenges, and Moral, which did you excell in? Which gave you difficulty? And for you, personally, what form did those challenges take?

The easiest by far was the physical challenge. They had me race against 5 other candidates in an obstacle course through a quarantined area within the Shining Shield Zone. Using my sonic blasters in an optimal manner to propel me in the beginning and then ice roads to glide on for the rest of the challenge, I was much faster than all of my competitors. Some even tried to use their abilities on me, but it was only a minor inconvenience that was dealt with through building ice walls to deflect the attacks. I am surprised they didn�t put up a better fight.

I don't believe them, but people tell me I didn�t do as well in the Moral challenge. I was presented with a situation where I could either save a group of people from a collapsing building or capture a villain that was escaping. Supposedly, the correct answer was to let the villain go and save the people. However, there was a brief at a beginning saying that we couldn�t let the villain get away. I was told to never stray from the task I was given, so I obviously went after the villain first.

I still managed to find enough time to save the group of people, but people kept on giving me odd looks. I still don�t understand what I did wrong. I completed the task of stopping the villain and saved the people. I thought that completing the task was the most important thing to that. That�s what Dr. Ritsuko told me to do. Maybe this is the illogicality of humans in action.

quote:
5. What zone are you from?

As I said before, Dr. Ritsuko and I live in Island Tower Zone. Known as one of the zones with the highest level of innovative technology, it would only make sense for a scientist with the calibre of Dr. Ritsuko to live there. As her creation, I also have access to the privileges given to those who are able to live on the higher levels. I hear from Dr. Ritsuko that the lower levels are basically slums. I�m glad that I don�t have to live there.

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6. What's your character's theme song?

I do enjoy listening to this song quite a bit.

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7. What does your character do in the anime opening?

The scenery is shrouded in mist. As I walk forward, the camera zooms in on my skin, which shows miniscule holes through which the mist is being released from. Zooming out, an ice wall suddenly appears to my left and deflects some bullets that were flying towards me. As an enemy approaches from my right, I create an ice hammer and smash them away with it. I then turn to the camera, extend one of my hands outwards and shoot a sonic burst at it, causing a transition.

quote:

Neopie posted:
What human custom is just, the coolest thing, even though your creator doesn't seem to dig it so much?

Well, through the reading of the "Romance Novels", a common theme that appears throughout is this concept called "school". Apparently, human children and teenagers go to a facility to learn and interact with fellow humans of their age. It is run by older humans called teachers who apparently give the information to the children and they can be very mean or really boring. Then they do things like have school festivals, sports competitions and spend time together in rooms called "classrooms". I don't really get to see many people and judging from some of the pictures on the front of the cover, the people in the book look around to be the age of my body. I never even knew such a facility existed and the thought of being able to interact and spend time with other humans doing fun things was something that exhilarated me.

When I told Dr. Ritsuko about wanting to go to a School, however, she just laughed in my face. She continued to laugh for 20 seconds before realizing that I was being serious. She then told me that what was written in those Romance Novels were not real. Schools existed, but they weren't fun or interesting. She even said that her time in school was the worst time of her life! I was shocked. How could she say that about such a place? I believe she said it because she didn't want me to go to one. I mean, if Romance Novels were not real, why were they with all the other books? It's not like all those books were are fiction either.

Neopie posted:
Is there anything that perplexes you about her, even compared to normal humans?

Dr. Ritsuko is a very interesting person and I enjoy working with her very much. She claims that she is the most logical person in the world, but for some reason, she acts completely different when other people are around. With me, while she is brash and rude, she's still nice. Well, she does complain a lot, but I learned to just nod in agreement. Even with her complaints, she is still the most logical person in the world and doesn't let any mistake get past her. She's meticulous in her work and she tells me all sorts of amazing stories of her times as a hero and how her technology helped all of her allies.

When other people come around, the logical side of her completely disappears. She makes mistakes she would never normally make and becomes more irritable, not letting anyone tell her if she's doing something wrong and will harshly critique me if I make even one mistake in front of them. With most people who visit, she's curt and never smiles. She puts off an air that is much harsher than what she is like with me which makes me feel uncomfortable and has trouble communicating how she feels to others. In fact, she pushes them away.

A common theme I noticed from reading Romance Novels is that a lot of problems come from a lack of good communication between the people in the books and that people work better when they are friendly to others. I thought that if I told her, she would change her behavior around other people. When I told Dr. Ritsuko of this finding, however, she scoffed at me. She said that they didn't appreciate or understand her genius and that she needed to prove that she was better than them in order for them to understand. I thought that didn't make sense. Surely if she was clearer about her abilities and demonstrated it to them, they would understand her genius. After all, I've seen her work in action. She does amazing stuff. She even created me. I want to understand why people don't see that. Why people make Dr. Ritsuko act so illogical.

Neopie posted:
Have you ever snuck out of the lab or gone somewhere without her permission? Do you have any cool human buddies?

Source

Out of all the people who visit, one person who Dr. Ritsuko doesn't become illogical is another hero called Dracolina of the Burning Flames. In terms of personality, she's similar to Dr. Ritsuko, though, Dr. Ritsuko doesn't like admitting that. They both enjoy making fun of others and when they are together, they make fun of each other all the time. She also enjoys spending time with me and doesn't look at me with the strange look that others do. From what Dr. Ritsuko has told me, it's because she's naive and "dumb as bricks", but it certainly is refreshing to know that she treats me like everyone else.

Dr. Ritsuko normally has us spar with each other in order to gain test results. At first, she completely destroyed me with her flame prowess and ability to fly. With each battle, however, I have started to learn her patterns and optimize my strategies to gain the upper hand. She still defeats me even when I gain the upper hand. It's something she likes teasing me and Dr. Ritsuko about. Through those matches, she and I spent more time together. We even talked about subjects such as what Dr. Ritsuko does in her spare time and their time together when they were on a superhero team. These conversations normally don't last very long since normally I'm trying to slice her with an ice sword or she's trying to shoot fire breath at me.

However, I found out that Dracolina is also mischevious and loves doing things that annoy Dr. Ritsuko. One time, she even convinced me to go against Dr. Ritsuko's orders. Up until then, Dr. Ritsuko never let me go outside. She told me that she wanted to be the one to reveal me to the world and that she didn't want her secret getting out. As much as I respect Dr. Ritsuko, I felt more and more curious about the outside world. Those feelings only became stronger when I started to read Romance Novels. Dracolina noticed this during our sparring sessions and during one session, she told me that she'd show me a school if I snuck out in the evening. How could I say no to an opportunity like that?

That night, I snuck out while I thought Dr. Ritsuko was sleeping. It was so late that nearly no one else was outside. I met up with Dracolina and she took me to a real life school! It was called Island High School and there were buildings and sports fields just like in Romance Novels! I was disappointed that no one else was there, but Dracolina said that it was because everyone was asleep. Even with that disappointment, though, there was something wonderful about being able to see something that I have read about in real life. As if I was experiencing something that I never knew I was missing.

I'm sad that moment couldn't last forever and when we got back, Dr. Ritsuko was waiting, awake. Turns out I wasn't as quiet as I had thought I was and the look she gave us made me wish I was dead. The two of them then started arguing about me and how I wasn't allowed to be outside. Dr. Ritsuko shouted about Dracolina just wanting to interefere with her research while Dracolina argued that it was overly harsh not to let me outside to experience the world. Dr. Ritsuko eventually conceded to letting me go outside. She did set the rules that it had to be late at night, no one could see me and that I had to be accompanied by Dracolina at all times. At the time, I didn't know who was right. I still don't know who was now. Though I definitely enjoyed the time I had outside, I felt bad for hurting Dr. Ritsuko. Was I being illogical?

Neopie posted:
What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels?

I don''t really see much outside of the laboratory. Even when I go outside, I do so when no one else is there and with Dracolina by my side at all times. Of the times that I have been outside, my favorite place apart from Island High School would most definitely be Island Tower Park. It's this huge area filled with trees and grass and all sorts of life. I had never seen so many things alive in a single area. It was almost twice as big as the lab! Dracolina tells me that the park normally has lots of people enjoying the atmosphere and spending time with each other. I've only seen parks mentioned once or twice in the Romance Novels, so I didn't know what to expect when I first came.

The park was so calm and relaxing. There was a beauty about the place that I don't think even Dr. Ritsuko could ever replicate in the lab. Everything just seemed to be in tune with one another. From the leaves billowing in the soft wind, to the flowers and the grass. It felt like everything had a place, a reason to be here. Whether it was to fill the place with life or provide humans a place to sit. It made the world I had been so used to, the lab I was born and grew up in, feel so small in comparison. Though my initial motivation to become a hero came from wanting to understand the illogicality of humans, I find that with each passing day, I find out just how big the world is outside and I want to learn more.

Neopie posted:
Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you?

Dr. Ritsuko has a sister called Sonya. Though I have never had the privilege to meet her in person, Dr. Ritsuko always speaks very highly of her, saying that she has been one of the only people to support her the entire way. I have spent so much time with Dr. Ritsuko that I have noticed that whenever Sonya comes up, her voice becomes more melodic and happy. She smiles more and she has a bounce in her step. She's told me that she sometimes sends over some of her gadgets to her to help out with home life. Though she won't tell anyone else, one of gadgets Dr. Ritsuko is most proud of was a machine that worked out the exact amount of calories and nutrients present in a piece of food. She only created it because Sonya was going on a diet at the time, but when she heard how happy Sonya was with the gadget, she couldn't stop smiling for a week.

I've only ever heard Sonya's voice when she talks to Dr. Ritsuko on the phone. Dr. Ritsuko likes to update her on her projects, so she knows that I exist. I even have had one or two conversations and she seemed to be a very nice lady. Whoever can make Dr. Ritsuko happy is a good person to me. Though I have never met her in person, I consider Sonya to be one of the most important people in the world because she can be there to support Dr. Ritsuko in ways that I cannot. I don't think I ever have seen her have the same reaction to me as she does to Sonya. I'd put my life on the life to make sure she stays safe. After all, it's what Dr. Ritsuko would want.

quote:

quote:
What's the most important part of being a hero?

To make sure the task at hand is completed for the betterment of society. Whether it would be through saving the lives of people or defeating villains, it is all done for the good of the people. Even if it does mean that things get destroyed in the process. Dr. Ritsuko told me that that was basically part of the job, though. When I think about it, Dr. Ritsuko was the one that told me what heroes were meant to do. I guess having a former hero to tell you helps you understand that.

Though, I have some thoughts about it. They probably aren't correct. After all, Dr. Ritsuko said nothing about it. However, I just have this feeling inside me. That being a hero would allow me to interact with others and see the world. I've been in the laboratory for my entire life. I want to see the world that is portrayed in these Romantic Novels and showcase my powers to demonstrate Dr. Ritsuko's genius. Fight people to become friends with them. Things that I got to do with Dracolina, but just bigger. Am i being illogical? Do humans have that effect on me?

quote:
What's your favorite anime?

Anime? I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the term. However, there was something really cool. Apparently, one of the Romance Novels got adapted into a movie! It's called "Days in the Life of these Schoolchildren" and it focused on the first book of the series in particular, where the two main characters meet and then grow closer together because of the school festival. Being able to see all the things in the book be brought to a visual medium was fascinating and exhilarating! I didn't enjoy the fact that they changed the events in the book. In fact, there were some things that were not even in the book that were introduced that confused me and annoyed me. How could they interfere with the material like this?

quote:
What's your favorite part of being you?

Well, I get the wonderful opportunity to work with Dr. Ritsuko. There have been quite a few times where she has mentioned to me just how lucky I was that I got to see her genius in action. I do admit that she might have a point. She does fantastic things and she created me. Seeing what she comes up with next and being there for her successes and failures has been a lot of fun, especially when something blows up in her face. Which is more often than not what happens. Dr. Ritsuko calls it overambition due to technology not being able to keep up with her magnificent mind.

Apart from that, however, I do admit that having powers is a lot of fun. My favorite thing to do with my powers is either soar through the air with my sonic blasters or make fun ice constructs. I found out about the former through spending time with Dracolina. She took me to an abandoned warehouse near the lab and helped me use my sonic blasters. There's something exhilarating about propelling oneself through the air like that and it's something that I've been perfecting and optimising every since that day. As for the latter, Dr. Ritsuko conducted thousands of tests about my ability to interface with the cooling agent. I've created hammers, chairs, swings, abacuses, swords and even ice cream. It's fun to experiment with my ice powers to see what I can build. Dr. Ritsuko always enjoys seeing what I can create, which just makes the experience even more fun.

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Do you worry about how you'll be perceived by the outside?

I do have to admit that there have been times where I have been worried about how others perceive me. It's hard not to notice the weird looks people gave me when they visited the lab. Dr. Ritsuko has explained that they were merely curious about my abilities, but there was just this bad feeling that came from them. Like that they didn't like me, even though I had never talked to them before. Dr. Ritsuko reassured me that so long as I did well as a hero and completed the tasks that I have been instructed to do, then people will like me and not look at me negatively. Maybe if I get people to be really comfortable around me, they can explain to me why they make such illogical decisions at times. I''m sure that if I communicate my intentions well about wanting to help and learn more about humans, they'll be happy to reciprocate.

quote:
Do you ever worry you aren't a real person or is that just the stupidest question to ask- of COURSE you are!

As I said when I introduced myself to you, I am an artificial life form that was created by Dr. Ritsuko. I am not human. After all, humans don't have the ability to create ice constructs unless they are superheroes and even then, it is very unlikely. I have only been alive for 2 years. If I was a human, I'd still be a baby. I'm aware that I am not like other people. So in that way, it can be argued that I am not a real person. However, just because I am artificial does not mean that I am not like other humans. I feel things like other humans do. I think. At least, Dr. Ritsuko says I do. I think I feel happy, worried and sad similarly to other humans. If that what qualifies a person, I believe I have the necessary capabilities to be considered a person too. This is a hard question... I've never had the need to consider such a question up until now.

quote:
What does it mean to be a hero?

What does it mean? Well, Dr. Ritsuko has told me that heroes are an ideal, something to be respected and admired. Because of the power that they wield and the qualities that they stand for, they represent what people should aspire to be in their everyday lives. At least, that's what I managed to understand from her. I haven't really thought about it too much. Dr. Ritsuko said that it was a chance for me to interact with humans and understand their irrationality. From what I understand, heroes have encounters with a lot of people during their time as heroes and thus, have an increased amount of time socializing and understanding each other. Considering all the questions I have been asked up until now, I feel that for me, being a hero means a chance to expand my boundaries and really understand the world and the humans that live in it. I can try to understand their irrationality and see places that I would never get the chance to if I decided not to become one. I can also use my powers for more than just amusing myself and testing and can finally demonstrate to the world just how amazing Dr. Ritsuko's research is.

# ? Aug 21, 2016 08:25

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

The Reformed posted:

Real Name: Hattori Kouzai
Hero Name: 暗剣殺 (Ankensatsu)
Mask: The Reformed
Look: Man, Asian, Shadowy Eyes, School Uniform, Tattered Costume
Abilities: Shin Hattori-Ryu Ninjutsu, Super-Speed

Labels
Freak +2
Danger +2
Savior -1
Superior +0
Mundane +0

Conditions: None.

Moves

□A mirror darkly
When you are faced with a mistake from your past, carry +1 forward to correct it. If you fail, mark potential.

□What the hell, hero
Once per session, when you call out an injustice that a hero has perpetrated that counts as taking advantage of Influence over them, whether you have it or not.

Friends in Low Places

Sakurai Benkei [Weapons]
Obligation: XX□□

An eccentric. He runs a black-market weapons operation. I have personally seen everything from masterwork blades to surface-to-air missiles in his possession. Top quality gear.

Mikinao Kouta [Insider Info]
Obligation: X□□□

He has been invaluable in infiltration assignments. I typically lean on him for security details and classified layouts, but he has ears everywhere. I'm sure he can find out just about anything I would need.

Nihei Hiroko [Cosmic Artifacts]
Obligation: □□□□

Benkei recommended her when I needed a charm to break through a target's protective formation. It worked, but I find her personality repugnant. I prefer to find solutions that do not require her assistance.

When you come to them for help with your problems, mark obligation on them and they'll help out within their specialty. If all their boxes are full, then they will not help you until you help them.

At the beginning of each session roll +highest obligation. On a 10+, they come crashing into your life with a crisis. On a 7-9, they call for a favor. On a miss, they don't come knocking yet, but mark obligation with them -- the debts are getting heavier.

When you help them with their problems, erase 2 obligation on them.

When our team first came together...

When the team formed we fought a terrible evil and they lost something precious. Who was it and what did they lose?

Relationships

I follow ______'s example of what a hero ought to be.

I did something terrible to ______ once. I hope they can forgive me one day.

Influence

Do you talk openly about your days as a villain? ~~If so, give each team member influence over you.~~ If not, just give influence to the one teammate whose example you most closely follow.

Background posted:

Who mentored you in super-villainy?

My father, Hattori Hanzo, I suppose. The expectation is that all heirs to the Hattori clan are instructed in the way of the Ninja. The work we did was necessary, he said, for we were the blade that cut through that which caused stagnation. It was not my place to question him. It was also quite unwise. I have seen many become examples of that fact.

He was very distant, though I look back on our time together fondly. He taught me how to be strong. How to survive. And, admittedly, how to kill in a staggering number of ways.

I will uphold our clan's legacy. I will take it from the shadows and reveal it to the world. The Hattori name shall live once more.

Who first showed you that you could do good?

Shirogami. I was on my way back from a successful mission. Her sword skills caught my eye. There was a certain beauty to her movements. I sat and watched her fight a small band of broken. I could have let her die. I did not. A broken was in her blind spot and about to strike. I struck first.

We did not exchange words that night, though she saw me.

There were other times that we met. Each time I would find myself intervening in the fight, then disappearing into the night. I am sure she realized what I was, if not who, but my actions kept surprising her. They certainly kept surprising me.

What caused you to switch sides?

My family was slaughtered while I was out on a mission. They had become... inconvenient. The precision and specific manner of the kills suggests Panopticon, but I am not aware of anything that would have driven her to act personally. My first duty was to avoid that same fate. I found Shirogami and asked her to remand me to the League's custody. It would be an understatement to say that she was surprised. I believe that she had always assumed that she would one day be forced to take me in.

I have been in custody since. My behavior is excellent, according to the guards, and they have since come to respect me. Perhaps not like, but respect. They have been very willing to grant increased privileges, such as access to training facilities and chaperoned trips outside. The ability, even, to participate in the trials.

What was your goal as a villain?

My goal? I must admit I had never thought about it. It was simply who I was. What I was born to do. If I must state the underlying concept? Something to the effect of "satisfying my familial duties" would be serviceable.

Why do you care about the team?

It has been something of an oasis. They are all a bit naive, to be sure, but they are skilled. The world is literally insane. We live and die by the whims of a mad goddess, though she may not realize it. Most don't. As the threats to her rule wither and die, I am forced to consider the potential future in which I may be forced to stand up to her.

I would prefer not to do it alone.

Additional Questions posted:

1. What made you decide to become a hero? After that, why did you join the league, rather than staying unregistered?

It is a matter of pragmatism. I believe that I will be safest by being entrenched in the league. The opportunity to act in a manner that is not dictated by the head of the clan, yet retain authorization for my activities is also a pleasant concept.

2. What hero sponsored you to join the league's trials, if any? Or, did you take the hard route and stick it out on your own? If you did, what extra challenges did this throw up for you?

Shirogami sponsored me. She -- and I, to be honest -- had hoped that my willingness to be reformed and my age would excuse many of my prior actions. It did not, sadly, but this trial presented a new opportunity to the both of us. I can't imagine getting permission for me was an easy fight for her. I owe her a debt. I will pay it back to her.

I will not waste this chance.

3. What's your mundane like life? What do you do in your free time?

Currently, I am in League custody. I read quite a bit, train to the extent allowed, and rarely am allowed to go to different zones.

Before? It was rare to leave the village. It was primarily for the purposes of jobs. I snuck out once. There was a meteor shower. I remember it well. The stars cut through the sky like blades. I met someone there. I don't remember her face. She was... Hm. She was probably the first person I met who wasn't of the clan.

4. Of the four general categories of the league's trials, Physical, Mental, Practical Challenges, and Moral, which did you excel in? Which gave you difficulty? And for you, personally, what form did those challenges take? This will be gone into more detail in future questions, so don't feel like you have to be all encompassing here.

The physical trials were naturally quite easy. They reminded me of the training grounds back home. Jumping between platforms, dodging horrific traps, and escaping detection from the examiner all the while. My scores were adequate. Were it not for the fact that I haven't been keeping my skills fully polished, I'm sure that I could have easily reached the maximum score possible.

The mental trials were more challenging, since the criteria for success were unclear. The most memorable was a contest of riddles. I claim no mastery of those, but suspiciously all of the answers seemed to relate to shadows and other things that I feel quite comfortable with it.

My lowest scores were in the moral trials. A holographic simulation of some sort. Hostage situation. The examiner was evidently not impressed by my decision to prevent casualties by assassinating the villains. He said that it was a test of character and that my actions proved I had none. Admittedly, he was correct. Character was not a factor in my decision-making. I had the ability to subdue the villains non-lethally. It would have added an unacceptable level of uncertainty, however, so I decided to pursue a more optimal plan. I believe that I must have either passed on a technicality or that someone pulled some strings.

On the other hand, my practical scores were off the chart. These challenges were part of the same holographic system as the hostage situation. Foiling a bank robbery. Some sort of team exercise against a cosmic threat. A broken assault in the midst of a city. Protecting a VIP. In all cases, my decisive actions led to positive outcomes. Minimized variables kept the situations clean and relatively chaos-free. The larger simulations were harder to optimize.

5. What zone are you from? Feel free to make up a new one or use one from the OP.

Sacred Valley Zone - Reverse Side

People talk about the Sacred Valley like it's just a city. An idyllic, unified construct. Incorrect. When the MCEA was formed, space and even, perhaps, time were ripped and torn to create it. It was never completely repaired. My home is proof enough of that. There are some streets and alleys where, if you take a very specific route with a specific pace, you end up somewhere... different. The reverse side. My home.

Such a location draws many who seek shelter from society, though my clan was here from the formation itself.

6. (Optional) What's your character's theme song?

Gun X Sword OP.

7. (Optional) What does your character do in the anime opening?

The screen goes mono-chrome as Kouzai zips between shadows towards a broken. It spots him, eyes glowing red, as he jumps out and slashes with his katana. It's claws seem to pierce through him, before that Kouzai is revealed to be an afterimage that fade away. Kouzai cuts through the broken from behind and lines slash the image into countless pieces as it transitions to the next scene. Kouzai stands dramatically on a cliff, the wind blowing his costume around. He looks upward and clenches his fist as the camera zooms in on it.

Round 1 posted:

quote:
What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels?

Sacred Valley Zone - The Caves of Infinity

I found this area while laying groundwork for a previous job. It offered no tactical advantage at the time, so I spent little time there. I came back after the job, however, though I still am not sure why. Something about the odd, twisting perspectives and the otherworldly colors spurred my thoughts in new directions. Something there spoke to a need that I had not realized I had.

I would like to go back there when all is said and done.

quote:
Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you?

The ramen chef. He likes to go by "Boss" -- I think. He speaks Russian, which is not something I have been trained in. I don't pretend to have a deep connection with the man. He makes enjoyable food. I used to stop by from time to time after a job. Before this. Before--nevermind. I can sometimes order food -- easy choice. If there is anything better than Boss's shoyu ramen, I am not aware of it.

quote:
It's a long trial on your way to being a hero, huh..? Still, is it worth it?

I am alive. That was my initial goal, so I think it is safe to say that things are going well so far. Progress could be further, true, but it has not yet halted. I must admit I do not understand why some that I have met do what they do. Prior to this, motivations were simple to divine. Villains wear their driving forces like they wear a costume. Sonic Boom, for example, turned to crime because he wasn't considered the fastest hero. He wanted to show up his rivals and prove to the world he was the faster than anyone. Shirogami? I cannot fathom why she does the things she does. She regularly corresponds with me and visits when she has time and permission. We have fought together, certainly, but that is not uncommon. There were occasions where I fought together with various villains. I have not kept in contact with them.

I sometimes regret the lack of freedom inherent in my current circumstances, but it has given me the opportunity to think and reflect. That is something that was not encouraged in the clan.

quote:
What did your old buddies think when they heard that you went legit?

Hiroko's feelings are irrelevant, though I am sure she hates the very thought of working with me. I have enough data hidden away to ensure her continued cooperation. She can either provide services or the League will find anonymous sources that would allow them to cripple her supply chain and take her into custody. Either way is fine. As mentioned, she is unpleasant to the extreme.

Kouta is an interesting case. I'm sure he has a full dossier worked up and ready to sell to the underworld when I go official. I'm also sure that it is riddled with subtle errors and inconsistencies that I will be able to exploit. I have been a regular patron of his services for years and that comes with certain benefits. He likely thinks that this is some sort of long con or ruse. He may be correct. That is what I thought it was. Recently, I have begun to wonder.

Benkei, I'm sure, doesn't care either way. Some would call him a profiteer. He sells weapons to those who need them, regardless of affiliation. I trust that our relationship will continue to be productive. Even if I am a hero, I will need weaponry. Some sort of non-lethal ordinance. I only brought a sword with me to the league. I assume it is still in storage. It would be reassuring to have access to some of my ninja tools as well. I'm sure Benkei could facilitate that.

quote:
Did anyone else survive the slaughter of your clan, because of circumstance, or luck?

I received an anonymous letter several days ago. The identity of the sender is still unknown, but certain clues and phrases in the letter point towards it belonging to my younger sister, Hattori Sachiko. She did not take to the ways of the clan as I did. One day, she simply disappeared. I had assumed her to be one of my father's pointed lessons, but it seems that it may not have been the case.

If it is her, she would have been positioned to survive. She would not have been at the clan nor would any records have pointed towards her. This bears further research as circumstances allow.

quote:
What does the league officially think of all that business, anyways?

Officially? No statement. Nothing at all. This is to be expected. Why report on a mass slaying of a ninja clan that few know of who live in a location that fewer can access? It would raise questions that I am sure they would not care to have asked.

Unofficially, I've heard a couple of common themes. There are those like Shirogami who regret the deaths, even of a clan of assassins. There are those like Deadeye who consider it to be just. A comeuppance. The latter outweigh the former. I have no desire to meet with Panopticon and hear her take. Not yet, anyways.

quote:
So I know what your family believed, but what do /you/ believe? What are your morals? What drives your heart?

This is something that I have spent time thinking on. I believe that the Hattori code does hold some merit. I -- we -- should be spurring civilization further. There are people who do need to be removed from the path of progress. I am not so sure, however, that unilateral assassinations are the proper answer. Not any longer. Could they not change, given a chance? While assassination solves the problem quite definitively, it also eliminates the possibility for growth.

Perhaps this is selfish thinking. I may simply have come to believe in redemption because I am in a situation where that is my desired outcome. There is something there, however. I have been shown kindness that I do not deserve. That has shown me a new path. A different path, no longer full of blood and shadows. I am not sure where that path leads. Not yet, anyways. But I would like the chance to find out.

Round 2 posted:

quote:
What's the most important part of being a hero?

Living and fighting with intention. The heroes who I see living up to this ideal are rare, to be sure. There are many who fight on a whim or for something fleeting like fame. It is laudable to dedicate yourself to a cause and devote your entire being to it. I am used to such an existence, though to truly become a hero I will have to hone my intent to a razor's edge and dedicate myself to this new path.

If there is something that I respect Panopticon for, it would be this. Her intention is evident in her every action.

quote:
What's your favorite anime? (Could be a real IRL anime or a fake one- preferably the latter, though.)

I don't watch much, though I do follow the manga running in Weekly Leap. There is one that one of the guards, Kaiya, recommended. I have been watching it recently.

Mukoshiroku: Keitou Ragouken

It follows a lone warrior as he struggles to find meaning amidst a dying world. The animation is top-notch and very distinctive. The music choices evoke an appropriate mood. Also, the sword techniques the warrior uses seem very familiar. I need to study this more and see if there are any applications to my own techniques -- I feel the seeds of a decisive strike. I shall dedicate myself to bringing it to fruition.

quote:
Optional: How do you feel about cute girls and cute boys?

I have not had much experience in this realm. My father would have almost certainly arranged any pairings to maximize potential abilities in my offspring. Such is the duty of the clan's patriarch and of its heir. I believe I have been attracted to "cute girls" to this date. I am not positive, but that is likely the cause of my actions in rescuing Shirogami. There is currently no data suggesting any preference for "cute boys."

quote:
Tell me about how you fight, about your schools of martial arts, about your weaponry and your sword...

Shin Hattori-Ryu Ninjutsu is an amalgamation of many techniques developed over the course of the clan's storied history. They range from the mundane, such as techniques for masking your presence from the target, to the fantastic. Some clan members have developed techniques that let them fight as an army or move between shadows. I do not have the proper affinity for those elaborate methods, however. My gift is that of pure speed.

Records indicate that no members of the clan before me, nor our targets, were able to match my movements. To this end, I have refined my fighting style to incorporate deadly strikes from stealth, misdirection, and afterimages. The most appropriate weapon for my fighting style is the katana, though I have found opportunities in prior combat to supplement my attacks with kunai or delayed explosives.

My katana is called Saiha. It is a humble weapon, but constructed perfectly. It is easily able to handle the stresses of high-speed combat. I am unsure what it is made out of, to be honest, but it is not steel. It has faced situations that would shatter a normal sword and come out unscathed. I view it as an extension of my own body -- as important to me as my arms themselves. I hope that I can see it once more.

My style of swordplay is currently nameless. It is not yet complete. Nothing but a collection of movements that mesh together with my own. Not worth the name. If my suspicions are correct and I truly can divine a finishing technique from Mukoshiroku: Keitou Ragouken, then I will name my style after it. The Calamity Blade.

quote:
Tell me about the greatest tales of your fallen legacy, the dreams and stories they wove through the ages.

The origin of the Hattori clan dates back to the far past. The Sengoku era. Our clan's founder and matriarch, Hattori Kagura, is believed to have been one of the first to awaken to their gifts. Her gift was that of foresight, visions of the futures that might be. She saw disaster hiding behind benign facades. The peace promised by unity led only to disaster. She knew that the Hattori must become the blade which cuts through those inviting calamity. For a time, we -- my ancestors -- were. No man or woman is immortal, however, and Kagura passed into death. This left our clan adrift, without an anchor to hold us to the proper course. Leaders stepped up, to be sure, and we have successfully navigated a future that avoided many of those pitfalls and disasters that Kagura spoke of in the records. Until now. Perhaps Panopticon has access to a vision of possible futures.

Perhaps the Hattori were standing in the way of her desired future. Perhaps it even leads to the best possible future.

I doubt it.

It is a double-edged blade, seeing the future. Belief in possibilities seems nonsensical when you can see how those possibilities play out. I am not Kagura, however, and I cannot see the future. I can only act in the moment. I do not believe I would have it any other way.

quote:
Tell me about the meaning of the scars you've earned, and which lessons they taught you.

Scars? I have many. With one exception, they were all acquired during my training in the killing techniques. Father was a tough master. He expected perfection in all things and his training was the same way. One notable method of training was The Hall of Blades. Those who have a gift of speed often suffer in terms of reaction time. This training was designed to counteract this failing. I would be required to dash through a series of swinging blades spread over the better part of a mile, destroy the target dummy, and dash back through the blades. It was easily the hardest thing I have ever done. I was forced to push my body to the limits and my mind even further. I could not let up for even a fraction of a second. If -- when -- I did, the blades would strike into my body. Never enough to be lethal, of course, but certainly enough to scar.

Ankensatsu motions toward his bare torso, criss-crossed by dozens of long scars.

The first time I completed the course unscathed was one of my proudest moments. Father gave a slight nod, then ordered me to complete the course again. Faster. Ever faster. This taught me the importance of never being satisfied. I must always strive to better myself, no matter how difficult the trials are that face me.

Ankensatsu then points at a faded burn scar that spirals up his left arm and stops directly over his heart.

This taught me the importance of unwavering will. It was the night of my first assignment. I was still but a child, though I had passed all of the tests that my father put together. It was my opportunity to serve the clan, to turn my theoretical skills into a concrete result. Have you heard of Inferno Snake's death? Yes? That was me. I am not sure why he was chosen as a target. It was not my place to ask, only to act.

The infiltration of his base was a simple matter. His security provisions were primitive and hardly worth mentioning. This is somewhat understandable. Inferno Snake was one of the strongest flame controllers on record at that time. Only a fool would seek to challenge him directly. Fool or not, that was my duty.

Defenses bypassed, I found him sleeping. My sword struck home, but did not finish him. At the last moment I had seen something -- a picture of him and a small child. I did not understand at the time, but hesitation stalled my blade. He struck back, awakened by the sword, and a construct of flame nearly took my life. The snake spiraled up my arm and was about to devour my heart when I finally was able to finish him. Father was not pleased by my performance that night.

quote:
You were raised by those society denies, taught to break down corrupt hegemonies, lived your life by the blade's edge- Tell me, who is Ankensatsu?

Ankensatsu is that which strikes from your unlucky direction. The blade that slays in the night. The name of a peerless assassin.

Yet, that is not what it -- what I -- can truly be. I will cut through the darkness. I will become the light which heralds the dawn.

Perhaps one day I will no longer be called this. Until then, however, I will work to define it as a tool for the good of all.

Tricky fucked around with this message at 19:28 on Aug 21, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 09:00

TheNabster: Apr 26, 2014; "Today I will cause problems on purpose"

Character Sheet posted:

Nameless, The Outsider

[What is home?]

[Is it where you lay your head to sleep? Is it where you are born? Is it where you choose to die? But when you have not been given that choice, it has been made for you is that home?]

[And where is home?]

[When you have been cast out because they dare not kill you lest they rise the ire of the people, but they seek to deny you your birthright. When they send you into the deep wastes far from home against your will, and all you have left is what you could carry, where is home then? 'The Emperor has decreed that the Crown Scion Sha'La'Shas'Kah shall hence forth be Nameless. If you wish to keep your life and those of your family then leave this place Nameless. You will go into the wastes and you will seek the great civilization of the Soft-Skinned people, and there you will remain as our envoy, and if thou wishes to rebel then your kith and kin will be slain in the darkness. This will be known, it has been made certain, leave Nameless our eyes are forever upon you.']

[May Shaarj eat their eyes! They slay my kin, they put my father to the sword, they tear his name out of the amber and they throw his last scion to the four winds to fend for himself. 'Ambassador to the great 'Meega Ceetee' of the soft-skinned people' they have declared me, that I have willingly given my rightful sovereignty to the throne to serve as the lap dog of a usurper but what may I do from this point? To resist them now at this point would see me die a lonely death far from home and the death of the rest of my family in shame, the knives of the usurper are always at my back, I can never truly escape them even here. Enemies in the dark have left me nothing but bones in this one's home of old, the Dread Wastes are a ghost of the past.]

[But here in this, 'Meegah Ceetee' the soft-skinned people are strong, their rulers have been kind to this Nameless one they have allowed this one to join their ranks of their great warrior caste of 'Hee-ros', paragons of justice, enemies of disorder. To escape the shame of my past, and to be offered a new future among these people has left me conflicted. If I choose this to be my home, then what does that make my lands of old?]

[To my smiling enemies, I will be the obedient servant for the false emperor in the homeland. But to my adopted home here, I shall become a 'Hee-ro', I shall grow in strength, I shall gather the allies from my new home and I shall prepare. And maybe one day, those who have banished me will regret the day they deigned to try and control the last son of Klaxxi. The fist of Shaarj will see them dashed on the rocks.]

quote:
� Where do you come from?

[You may refer to it as The Dread Wastes, this one refers to it as The Radiant Empire of the Klaxxi. It has a reputation of being a blasted and inhospitable wasteland to most, and you would be mostly correct but hard circumstances breed harder people, and although the temporal shattering was not kind to our people we have survived and continue to thrive.]

[At least this is what one had assumed, this one was not aware of the petty power struggles that divided us until the day that everything this one knew was taken from me by usurpers. I am told they squabble over the throne even now in their moment of victory, it would be laughable if it didn't make one's blood boil.]

quote:
� Why did you come to the Mega City Exclusion Area?

[When the Fiends from the Outside came, we have heard many troubling tales. Some attempted to fight them and did not succeed, some only had the option to run and hide, and others - Shaarj forbid - attempted to appease the broken things with sacrifices. And yet we have heard of only two places that have fought the Broken Things and won, the Klaxxi Empire and the soft-skinned 'Human' people in their steel fortress of 'Meegah Ceetee'.]

[The Usurper knows not what to think of beings such as these, they have no great army, no famous warlords, no subject nations and yet these fleshy beings with maybe one ounce of psionic potential across 100 'Humans', and their soft weak bodies have taken the greatest threat to have ever beset the empire and defeated it handily? So in order to force the rightful heir out of position and to learn more about these strange people with their 'Hee-ros' and huge hive structure they have sent me as Envoy to the great Klaxxi Empire]

Nameless spits

quote:
� Why do you want to stay here (for now at least)?

[One does not have a choice in the matter the Usurper has me in his grasp. If I return now my family dies, if I run from my assigned post my family dies, if I do not obey my family dies. I am forced into an impossible situation and my only recourse is to keep one's head down and bide my time.]

[And yet this is not as much as a penance as I first assumed. When I had first arrived at the great walls of the 'Meegah Ceetee', the strange soft-skin people welcomed me. They have treated me, an outsider of no status here in this alien society as an equal. Kindness is not a commodity I am entirely used to, even in the glory days of the Empire the routine of day to day life was a harsh one of the strong battling the strong, perhaps there is more to these people then mere physical attributes supply.]

quote:
� Why do your people want you to come home?

[Between the petty squabbling of Warlords causing untold damage to everything my father has built, and the Usurpers seeming inability to control them, choosing instead to scheme and plot against themselves, the People are crying out for salvation before these fools wreck everything I stand for, the dynasty that represented 1000 years of a strong and enlightened rule has been overturned by adventurers and replaced with a foundation of sand. In this world right now, the collapse of the empire might just mean not just the death of our nation, but the death of our people.]

[But one can't come back, not yet, not until one is strong enough to crush this false regime. This one is not ready to fight just yet, not whilst one is untested in combat.]

quote:
� Why do you care about the team?

[My culture values strength, not merely the physical strength of the body, but strengths in other disciplines. My comrades in arms, they are strong in these ways, they are strong in other ways, and this one is starting to suspect that there is such thing as 'Strength of Heart'. This one is uncertain what this entails just yet, one would like to find out.]

quote:
� What made you decide to become a hero? After that, why did you join the league, rather than staying unregistered?

[This one wishes to join the great warrior caste of heroes! It will elevate one's status in his new adopted society one is certain, and with this position comes the opportunity to test one's might against great beasts and fiendish villains. It is the perfect training, it is the perfect opportunity. This one will seize it with alacrity.]

quote:
� What hero sponsored you to join the league's trials, if any? Or, did you take the hard route and stick it out on your own? If you did, what extra challenges did this throw up for you?

[In our culture, we do not have 'patronage' if you need someone else's help to stand, it is assumed your abilities are not sufficient. I set out to prove myself to these Humans on the merit of my training and royal education.]

[Those things did not matter however, when I ran into the immediate and somewhat mundane obstacle that one had considerable trouble with. Being unable to speak, read, or understand the language of the humans. This one found this small thing to be an immediate and pressing problem on entry, for although one's 'retainers' are capable of this feat this one was not. One had decided that one perhaps needed some assistance after all.]

[This is how one met the humanoid twins known as The Mercier Twins to assist one in this matter. The siblings between the two of them form one capable Omniglot. The 'brother' Roberto is capable of speaking all languages, even those that should not physically be possible to replicate on the human tongue but cannot understand meaning, whilst the 'sister' Marianne can read and instinctively understand all languages but cannot speak any but her native tongue. Between the two of them they were of great help in constructing the translator that one now wears around his neck in the company of the soft-skinned people. In return they have asked my assistance on their numerous 'archaeology' projects, for the 'Meegah Ceetee' is old, and the things it contains are many. They are some of the first companions I have made in the city.]

quote:
� What's your mundane like life? What do you do in your free time?

[The path of Y'Sharrj, does not end when you leave the Dojo. This one must train his body and mind to ensure he remains in the perfect physical condition to crush his opponents. Although perhaps maybe, one allows oneself just a little bit indulgence of the soft-skinned people's entertainment customs, one is fascinated by it's range of foods, and the mall of many shopping places of which to purchase things, this is a concept that I have not seen before and would like to engage in.]

[But, I cannot forget why I am here, or what I intend to do.]

quote:
� Of the four general categories of the league's trials, Physical, Mental, Practical Challenges, and Moral, which did you excel in? Which gave you difficulty? And for you, personally, what form did those challenges take? This will be gone into more detail in future questions, so don't feel like you have to be all encompassing here.

[The Physical challenge was of no consequence, the members of one's species are in possession considerable strength and stamina gained from the harsh circumstances of our upbringing, after all you do not survive out in the Dread Wastes if you are not at the peak physical fitness. And one has taken one's body and honed it into a finely tuned weapon of personalized destruction at the hands of the Monks of Y'Shaarj, so a routine of 100 Push-Ups, 100 Sit-Ups, 100 Squats, and a 10km run in in the span of one day were well within my abilities.]

[The Moral challenge confused me, I did not seem to get any of the questions correct even though I gave the right answers. A thief who steals from those in dire need is lower then the worms, is it not right to tear their arms off so they may never steal again? And a murderer is not blinded, crippled, and left in the deep desert to die even if he has committed the crime of crimes to his fellows? Nothing destroys the mutual trust in a tribe faster then a thief or a murder among the kith and kin, so we operate on the maximum amount of deterrent, with a minimal of re-offending.]

quote:
� What zone are you from? Feel free to make up a new one or use one from the OP.

[After a long and arduous journey through the deepest wastes, this one had arrived within the boundries of the Ancient Metropolis Zone. And this is where one has chosen to stay whilst he resides in the lands of the Humans. For it is sufficiently tranquil and there are not many distractions to interrupt one's training.

[And... It reminds this one of his homeland, one feels out of place in the towering structures of metal and glass that are common place in many zones within the 'Meegah Ceetee', but this one has grown up around and has always preferred the simple homely comforts of walls of brick and floors of stone, it meets all of one's needs as an ascetic traveller. And it is within short walking distance of the store of many conveniences.]

quote:
� (Optional) What's your character's theme song?

Guilty Gear Xrd REVELATOR OST - The Tuner (Kum Haehyun's Theme)

quote:
� (Optional) What does your character do in the anime opening?

The previous scene is dented as a fist impacts on the frame, it is followed up by many more fists in rapid succession as the camera pans around, to reveal Nameless pummeling a rogue mining robot into scrap with his bare claws. When more drones drop behind him, he wrenches the rivets out of their fallen companions with his psionic powers and fires them towards the incoming mob, shredding them to pieces on impact. As more drones approach from off-screen, Nameless leaps towards the cameraman!

quote:
� (Optional) Thread titles?

>Roll +Superior to Pose!
>Report Angst to your nearest moral officer
>Can we be heroes? Just for one day?

quote:
Hero Name: Nameless
Secret Identity: Sha'La'Shas'Kah
Mask: The Outsider
Look: Shifting, Animalistic Body, Bizarre Eyes, No Human Clothing, Your People's Uniform.
Abilities: You can fly, and you�re pretty tough. Choose any two of the following: Alien ~~Weaponry~~ Martial Arts, Telepathy and Mind Blasts.

Y'Shaarj, The Fist of the Dread Wastes: Psionic Power and physical strikes combined into a force that can break down even the staunchest defenses, the practitioner uses every advantage his physical and psionic strength can give to defeat his opponents utterly and decisively. The style has been modified slightly by Sha'La'Shas'Kah to allow for a practitioner with an extra set of limbs.

Labels:
Freak: +1
Danger: +0
Savior: +0
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0

Moves

❑ Belong in two worlds: You have the resources that come with your station. Whenever you contact your people, roll + Superior. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. On a miss, hold 1, but your people make an uncomfortable demand of you. Spend your hold 1 for 1 to:

- receive a useful piece of alien technology that will allow you to use any ability from another playbook once (choose the ability when you spend the hold).
- consult your people�s knowledge to ask the GM a question about the current situation.
- clear a condition through the comfort of contact with your home.

❑ Alien ways: Whenever you openly disregard or undermine an important Earth custom in favor of one of your own people�s customs, shift Superior up and any other Label down.

❑ Not so different after all: When you talk about your home, roll + Freak. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one. During the conversation, you:

- confess a flaw of your home; add 1 Team to the pool
- mislead them about your home; take Influence over them
- describe the glories of your home; clear a condition

On a miss, you inadvertently reveal more about yourself than you planned; tell them a secret or vulnerability you haven�t shared with Earthlings before now.

Team Moves
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, take Influence over them if you show them meaningful affection, physical or emotional. They decide if it�s meaningful.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, they tell you what you should do to fit in more. Take +1 forward to do it, and mark potential if you do.

When our team first came together�

We didn�t trust each other at first, but that changed. How? Why?

Relationships
You�ve been learning about Earth by spending time with _____________.

You have a crush on ________________ but you keep it under wraps.

Influence
Choose your demeanor: haughty or ~~cheerful.~~

If you�re haughty, you think you�re better than them. Give no one Influence.

Round 2 Questions posted:

Neopie posted:
Animasks: Truth and Love Prevail Over All Edition
Questions: Round 1!

Everyone: What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels?

[Shambali's Grey Market in the Ancient Metropolis Zone is a place this one is informed is that will exist in a location that lies on the crossroads between many different planes. The reason for it's existence is simple, the procurement and sale of substances gained from outside of the walls of the 'Meegah Ceetee' is not something that is wholly 'illegal' as such, but nor is it looked upon particularly favorably especially within the more higher class zones. So it has ended up on the far outskirts hidden from view but not entirely difficult to find. Recently however, the area has seen increased security presence after a number of incidents involving dangerous artifacts that were thought to have been brought into the city itself through the Grey Market. As it is right now, the ruling caste of the Meegah Ceetee tolerate it's continued existence.]

Neopie posted:
Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you?[/b]

[And'Zel'Ia, is a member of the noble caste who was one of the members of the party dispatched with this one to the Meegah Ceetee with some of the more disagreeable members of the Usurper's arm. Unlike my 'guard escort' they have remained loyal to this one in my extremis, even though this one is no longer of the emperor caste thanks to the machinations of the Usurper. In practice they are the one who maintains dignitary functions within our embassy, when this one is otherwise occupied with one's Hee-Ro duties and this is a role that they have served well in. For one thing, they actually remembered to learn the language first before attempting to interact with the human population at large, and as such has adopted their customs in order to put them at their ease.]

Neopie posted:
Nameless: What old thing from home are you slowly running out of , that you can't imagine living without?

[I am sadly running out of the ingredients to make Klaak* and I am having issues acquiring the necessary ingredients even within the Grey Market. When one was but a larvae my hive matriarch used to brew refreshing Klaak for one before one's morning lessons, for there is nothing like a refreshing bowl of Klaak to start one's day off right, put the pep in one's step and fill one with all the zip, zing and vinegar to continue the day forward, and possibly the afternoon also. One has tried to substitute it with the human equivalent of 'Coffee' but it is just not the same.]

_{*A mixture of desert flower petals, wild herbal ingredients and natural extracts stewed in boiling water and served in a pewter bowl. A drink that would be very refreshing for humans, were it not for the fact that the desert flowers are incredibly poisonous if not prepared right, the wild spices and herbs are powerful hallucinogenics, and the natural extracts are from of the glands of various incredibly venomous insects and lizards. It was the kind of drink served to members of the hunt, that would allow them to wake from an early morning call to hunt, and be ready for combat the myriad beasts of the Dread Wastes in less then a minute.

To the Klaaxi, it is a refreshing morning beverage even better then a strong coffee to get the day started, to a human consumption may result in unfortunate side effects unless consumed in small amounts.}

Neopie posted:
What do you think a Hee-ro is?

[A Hee-Ro, is a pillar of strength that draws all towards it, a Hee-Ro is a warrior of great power, a Hee-ro can face down even the most dangerous of enemies to protect what is theirs. To become a Hee-Ro it seems is the human equivalent of becoming an Immortal]

[From the dark ages of the empire, after the shattering of worlds had brought the old order of kings to it's knees and left the descendants fighting among-st themselves it was the First Emperor who reunited the scattered tribes into one wholly united front that had allowed us to stop running from the Outer Fiends, and drive them back into the void. And he accomplished this with mere 12 warriors. Immortals they were called, and they were without any peer the Klaaxi's finest. For to have been named an Immortal is to have achieved one thing, it means that you had fought against a broken thing in single combat and won. This was before we had properly developed our technology and our tactics against them, when all you may have had to hand is what ever weapons you could have created from the landscape and with them achieved what was thought to be an impossible feat.]

[To have survived an encounter with a Broken Thing is to be lauded, to have defeated one as a group is to be celebrated. But to have defeated one by yourself is to become a person of legend. And it is the descendants of the First Emperor, and the 12 Immortals that rode with him who all collective form the ruling class of the entire Klaaxi empire. And it is from the lineage of The First Emperor that my family had descended from for thousands of years ruling fairly, ruling justly. And then... And then...]

Neopie posted:
How did it feel, not even knowing the coup was coming until it happened?

Nameless gives the questioner a stare of a thousand yards. This was not the right question to ask, this was not the right question to ask at all. Nameless looks absolutely wretched.

[What do you wish for me to say? What answer can I possibly give that would describe the feeling, to have utterly failed to protect what was mine, to have lost the battle before I even knew there was one, to hold your dying father and know 'I did nothing to stop this'. To lose everything, and know that there was absolutely nothing you could have done to prevent this.]

[There are no words. There are no words to describe this, the mere thought causes my powers to flare dangerously. I have kept a lid on it so far, but one would ask you sincerely not to bring it up right now. And one will only ask once.]

Neopie posted:
Who of the soft-skins has treated you the best, and which has given you a dire insult?

[When I had first come to the city I had felt hopeless, bereft of purpose, I had just lost everything and my future looked bleak. And then this one had met the small humanoid Lil Bub. 'Why don't you try out as a hero?' He had said to this one, 'you wanted to protect people right? You can protect lots of people when you're a hero! And, It might be better for you then getting all wound up over what happened and never moving past it.' That little nervous speech was the moment of clarity one was so desperately seeking.

[This one had lost everything, taken by adventurers and traitors who would assume that this one would roll over and accept defeat, but if one gave up now, a descendant of the First Emperor conceding in the face of his greatest trail, then I would bringing even greater shame upon one's noble lineage. So I channeled my anger into becoming a Hee-ro, threw myself into studies and training to become the 'Hee-Ro' my people needed. Those noble houses would spit on the memory of the Immortals with this betrayal? They will be reminded as to why those warriors swore allegiance to the Emperor in the first place.]

(Picture Here)

[My negative experiences with the softskins have been few and far between, one suspects this might have something to do with how one is a head taller then most humans and well developed from a life of martial training, to the point that he can bench press many times his own weight. Most humans understand this fact and afford me reasonable space, but most humans are not Titus. The humanoid Titus appears to be a humanoid with the characteristics of a statue from an ancient human culture, towering, imposing, made of a substance harder then regular stone. This affords him a level of durability that not even my honed body could touch, his lineage is supposedly of a God's, and he dared to insult the lineage of my forefathers as a result.]

[I do believe the exact words were 'Can one even compare a king of bugs to a god of men, an emperor of worms to a sovereign of kings?' It was a fortunate that his compatriot was an empath, he felt this ones desire to claw his eyes out and diplomatically intervened.]

[To have your culture and history be so callously dismissed in such a manner, it struck at the very core.]

Neopie posted:
What do you think about pizza?

[Oh Pizza! Yes, of all the human foods that this one has tried during his tenure within the Meegah Ceetee, the human delicacy of the pizza has fascinated this one most of all. One had been raised for the longest time on a diet of simple meats and rice, but how does one describe the sharp taste of cheese the robust smell of tomatoes and the delicate softness of bread, when combined all together with many toppings of choice! It is as if an artisan had taken the best components of many foods and combined them into one, concentrated dish. To eat the pizza of cheese with the shavings of meat is an experience to savor, and that this ambrosia can be delivered to almost every part of the Meegah Ceetee within a moment's notice for a price that even the regular humans can afford it? It is a blessing from Shaarj to be sure!]

Round 2 Questions posted:

Neopie posted:
Animasks, Rubies are not crush edition
Questions: Round 2, Part 1

Everyone: What's the most important part of being a hero?

[One would assume the most important part, is that you cannot surrender to the darkness. Even if you know that the situation is grave and this battle may be your last, even when you are on your last legs against a dangerous foe, even when all seems lost you must fight on. For there is no greater shame then a Hee-ro who turns his back on his duty when he is needed the most, for the Hee-ros of the Meegah Ceetee are the first and last line of defense against the things that seek to destroy it and if they fail utterly what is left? To fail after you have done everything you could is a tragedy, but to willingly turn your back on the people under your protection because you just didn't try? There can be no greater disgrace.]

Neopie posted:
What's your favorite anime? (Could be a real IRL anime or a fake one- preferably the latter, though.)

[Anime is, something this one is not used to seeing, stories passed down through oral tradition and inscribed on scrolls is one thing but pictures to convey a story is rather novel. But one has been very interested of a series known as The God Hand for it seems rather similar to the early legends of the First Emperor.]

[It revolves around a warrior of unmatched power residing in a world after a terrible war, where all order has broken down and cruel and vicious warlords pray on the weak and frightened, but The Lone Warrior stands for the people who cannot stand for themselves, and brings justice to an unjust world. It seems to involve a lot of exaggeratedly evil humans with strange powers being hit very hard until they inadvertently explode, but between these tails of bad things happening to bad people there are powerful warriors who at first seek to fight the lone warrior, but later join him. I am only partially way through the first 'volume' but it is already rather interesting.]

Neopie posted:
Optional: How do you feel about cute girls and cute boys?

[What is a 'cute'? Is it another human foodstuff?]

Neopie posted:
Nameless: What's your Ｆｉｎａｌ　Ｔｅｃｈｎｉｑｕｅ？

Nameless squints their eyes at the questioner. [I'm not supposed to tell people outside of the order information of that nature human, it's strictly forbidden.]

But in order to actually answer this question, the narrator will step outside of the narrative, and do that explaining for them.

The Fist of Y'Shaarj is a hard path of mental and physical perfection similar to what the First Emperor went through in order to unite the scattered kingdoms under one banner. And one must understand that to his people the first emperor was not merely a famous emperor, he was a god-emperor, a mythical figure, and in his twilight years it was said he had developed his style to such a point that it went past the realm of the physical and mental, and into the realm of the spiritual; the conceptual, the realm of deities and within that study had developed one technique.

What it is called in Nameless' own tongue is extremely complicated, but the rough translation is 'The Final Answer, the Summation of the Earth and the Heavens in the Perfected Flower of Y'Shaarj', for the Emperor had accomplished a feat that to this day no one within the empire, even among-st it's most powerful Immortals and respected martial artists has ever achieved since.

A blow that could literally change reality. And with this the Emperor strode out to the very edges of his empire, and against an army of ten thousand Broken Things, reduced them to dust and ascended to godhood himself. Today, even those within the inner sanctum of the monastery of Y'Shaarj are not entirely certain the story was true, however, the efforts of some of the strongest of their number had come close to perfecting blows that whilst not changing reality could do near miraculous feats all by themselves. Nameless doesn't even know when to start to come anywhere close to this level of skill however, so he will stick to just hitting people and blasting them with mind bullets.

Neopie posted:
Which of your entourage isn't even hiding the fact that they're a plant?

[The Usurper's are not fools, they would not send me to a foreign land as their envoy if they didn't have a contingency plan in case of, 'disobedience'. And they were not so complacent enough to send just one plant, they are aware even in their arrogance that this one has the blood of the First Emperor in his veins, to send just one assassin that may be defeated would be folly. They sent two, scions from the current council of Immortals to watch this one's actions carefully.]

[Cou'Cul'Lain, a being barely short of a raging beast, but the rage of the beast has been tempered with martial skill in Blades of C'Than to create a berserker of dangerous ability. Compared to the Y'Shaarj it uses the psionic energies of the mind to slice and pierce rather then bruise and batter, Cou'Cul'Lain towers over this one in stature, and in raw strength and they know this. They hold this one in unveiled contempt, and one would suspect that were it not for the orders given, they would have gleefully slaughtered this one a long time ago for mere sport.

[They descend from from the the Immortal known as The Fury who once was mere drone that had grown to unnatural size and strength. When a Broken Thing attacked his village, they set about it with maw and claw regardless of the consequences, and later they were found by the Emperor within the remains of a Broken Thing they had torn apart in a state of uncontrolled rage. It took the Emperor defeating them in combat to bring them to their senses and this was not a mean feat for although unskilled The Fury was supernaturally strong for a Klaxxi. When other Immortals resorted to cunning, and others to pure martial skill, The Fury defeated the Broken Things through pure brute force, their fists could shake the earth, and their rage was said to sear the flesh off of the bones of any who strayed too close. Off of the battlefield he was said to be a slow and gentle giant, but when needed could enter a state of Warp Spasm that even made the mindless Broken Things flee before him.]

[Nyx'Ner'Rhub, is the polar opposite of Cou'Cul'Lain. Cold, calculating, emotionless, whilst his compatriot roars in plain sight with all the subtlety and guile of an erupting volcano, Nyx'Ner'Rhub prefers to lurk in the shadows within the thoughts of his prey and strike at their moment of hesitation. They are a member of the Saronites, cultists in possession of dangerous psionic ability and unbending malice, for whilst the Blades may cut and the Fists may break the black arts of the Saronites are said to attack the mind itself, reducing their victims to burnt out husks, physically alive but with a broken mind.]

[Such cruel and unusual arts came from the immortal known as The Nemesis, a mad and deranged lunatic it was said, thrown out into the deepest wastes with no eyes for heinous crimes against his tribe, but they received whispers from the god Saron-Sothoth and was changed by the experience into a psionic horror that stalked the wastes in search of 'converts' for their new found god, and after they had hunted down and slain a Broken Thing that evaded even psionic detection was sought out by the Emperor to join his growing army. The Emperor had wandered the desert for days on end seeking out this dangerous being, and The Nemesis in kind sought out this brazen madman who would seek an audience with such as they and when they met, the battle between minds was said to have melted the sand surrounding them in a cataclysmic display until they had both awoken on a towering spire of twisted desert glass, The Nemesis swore allegiance to the Emperor right there and then. Ironically this one supposes, he was one of the First Emperors most stalwart supporters.]

Neopie posted:
What concept do you have from home that humans don't have a word for?

[The philosophy of the empire, is the idea of Hansho. It is the concept that regardless of your station, whether you are a meager one name drone, or possess the full five names of the Emperor himself, that one must strive for perfection in every day life, for to perfect your work is to achieve worth, and to achieve worth is to be recognized among-st your peers. Pride, is not a sin, should the not craftsman take pride in his work? the general in his army? The worker on a job well done?]

[There is no action more worthy then the mastery of your chosen path, and there is no greater tragedy then a being who does not achieve his full potential. Our culture has developed this way for a variety of reasons, the desire to survive in a harsh landscape, the innate desire to build a better life for your kith and kin, but one thinks the most important one is that the life span of the Klaaxi is normally much shorter then that of a humans. We age to maturity much faster then humans yes, but the average lifespan of a healthy Klaaxi is around 30-40 years, so all Klaaxi strive as hard as they can in the little time they have available. And those who truly achieve excellency are elevated through the caste system, ensuring that not only do they rise in society but their descendants as well, there are a number of noble and respected three name scions who owe their prosperity to the hard work and dedication to fathers and grand-fathers with mere single names.]

Neopie posted:
So, you're all alone, here. you've got your buddies from home, but they can only help so much, and you've got to become a hee-ro. There are Immortals here too, by your count, a good drat deal of the heroes- are they /better/ than your people? Are they luckier, are they tougher, more creative?

[Better? No, better is not the correct word one thinks. Different maybe, I have seen the city many of the Hee-ros owe their powers to different sources; magic, gods, technology, psionics, even extreme athletic capability and skill with weapons has presented an extremely versatile breed of warrior. But the average human is fairly unimpressive compared to the Hee-ro caste, and this is because they are not required to combat the Broken Things, that is left entirely to the Hee-ros to do, and the Hee-ros of this city are many and so this is how the people of the Meegah Ceetee have developed in their fight against the Broken Things, from where this one stands.]

[But for us, the emergence of the Immortals during the age of strife was a once in a lifetime thing, developed as a result of extreme times causing for the desperate heroism required to unite the empire under one banner. But today we've changed our tactics, for whilst a Hee-ro may be stronger then the average Klaaxi, the average Klaaxi is far stronger then the average human, in physical strength and psionic potential. So our tactics have been built around the notion that very few Klaaxi will ever become Immortals, and now rather then the use of singular mighty warriors fighting in small groups, we've resorted to well-trained but mundane (by our standards anyway) warriors fighting in large groups, it appears to have worked well for us so far.]

Neopie posted:
Why do you think they've been able to do better than your own people against the Broken?

[This is something one can be more certain about, for the answer is simple. They have the technology, they have the resources, and they were wholly united against the threat that was out to destroy them. The First Emperor had to unite the warring states together before he could combat the Broken Things directly, and even then had access only to what I assume to humans would be 'medieval technology'. We have been making further strides since those days, but compared to the 'Meegah Ceetee?' We are very much behind and it is hoped by the Usurper that one may inform them about the technology of the humans]

[But this one is very uncertain that the intentions of the Usurpers are entirely based from altruism, and so this one has been 'dragging one's feet' as it were, with handing some of the more advanced technology over to them. ]

TheNabster fucked around with this message at 19:32 on Aug 28, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 09:30

Roland Jones: Aug 18, 2011; by Nyc_Tattoo

quote:

Noriko Ametsuchi

Daughter of the hero Panopticon (though some rumors suggest otherwise) and an unknown father, Noriko Ametsuchi inherited much of her mother's powers, though not a lot of her attitude. Besides the infamous dark portals, Noriko possesses the mental capacity to utilize them effectively, being capable of making rapid calculations in her head (useful for, say, using a series of portals and momentum acquired by free-falling to send oneself flying through the sky over the city and eventually land without breaking every bone in one's body), keep track of the location and linkage of numerous portals at once, and perfectly recall any location she's been to and create portals there regardless of her current location. Additionally, she has been augmenting her powers with more mundane means, such as close-combat training to compensate for her lack of offensive power, plus a collection of various things she can pull through portals when needed, whether useful tools applicable to the situation, or merely an extremely large object with which to break something.

However, while her mother's record is marked by controversial "ends justify the means" decisions and some sinister rumors, even about the creation of the Exclusion Area, Noriko's heroic efforts thus far have been rather upstanding and idealistic. Making a point to focus on saving and helping people and making sure that her criminal takedowns don't leave lasting damage, she's attempting to distance herself from her mother's history and be what she calls a "true hero", even as, perhaps somewhat ironically, all her heroic activity up until now has been outside the League and thus technically vigilantism.

quote:
Look: Woman, half-Asian half-White, athletic body, casual clothes, simple costume.

Abilities
Shared Ability: Portal creation.
Your Own Ability: Gadgets, tools, martial arts.
Your Mentor's Ability: ???

Mentor: Panopticon
Embodies: Freak
Denies: Mundane

Freak: 0
Danger: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +1

Moves
Been reading the files: You�ve learned about the superhuman world through your mentor�s resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll + Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you�ve learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge; the GM will tell you why.

Venting frustration: When you directly engage while you are Angry, you can roll + the Label your mentor denies and clear Angry.

Be mindful of your surroundings: When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Mentor's Resources
A hidden base, communicators, security systems.

Team Moves
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if you�ve been a good leader or effective team mate. If they say yes, your mentor loses Influence over you and you mark potential. If they say no, your mentor gains Influence over you, and you take +1 forward on using the Label your mentor embodies.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, tell them a secret about your mentor (including your feelings towards them). Give them Influence over you and add 1 Team to the pool.

quote:
Backstory
� How did you first meet your mentor?
"We're related. I've known her since literally before I was born."

� When and why did you choose to train with them?
"The better question would be when am I not training with her. In a way she's been training me my whole life, instructing me about my powers, imparting 'useful knowledge', ensuring that I excelled in everything, academics, athletics, extracurriculars, and otherwise. Most of it was subtle, really, but it was pervasive; after I realized it, I could look back and see so many ways she'd been 'training' me.

"After that, I started avoiding it when I could, spending a lot of time out of the house, exploring the other Zones, even the ones people aren't supposed to enter. My mother's reaction has been... Difficult to decipher. That mysterious, aloof persona she has in all her appearances? That doesn't turn off at home, that's how she actually is. She might even be amused by me; for all I know I've been playing right into her hands. Given what's happened since, I wouldn't be surprised."

� Why did they agree to train you?
"Again, it was her idea, her plan. I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe she thinks it's important that I be a hero like she is, or that I . Maybe it's just how she keeps herself entertained now that she's retired.

"...Maybe it's her way of trying to be a good mother. I don't know what she's thinking most of the time."

� Who else, outside of the team, knows about your training?
"Various important people at the League are aware, having witnessed my training when visiting our home on official business, or when I accompanied her into Shining Shield City. I'm sure more know simply because she or others have told them. It's not like it'd surprise anyone that her daughter was learning to be a hero too."

� Why do you care about the team?
"Besides the importance of what we do? They're, well, some of the only people who 'get' me, as cliched as that sounds. See, most of the other people my age in the Villa are... Well, sheltered, shallow, or spoiled, to be blunt. Some are nice, but it's still hard to really connect with most of them.

"A lot people I meet elsewhere in the City, meanwhile, I meet during my heroics, rescuing or helping them or their friends or family, and even those that I don't tend to see me as Panopticon's daughter first. It skews the relationship. 'Hi, I'm the daughter of the woman holding our world together, and I probably met you saving you/your friend/your family. Let's have a normal friendship, okay?' It's not going to happen; things are too imbalanced, and there's too much for most people to get past. And that's those who don't buy into the weird theories about my mother.

"The others in my team, most of that isn't there, particularly those who themselves grew up among heroes. There was still some initial awkwardness, but, I feel like I've managed to really connect with most of these people."

Questions
1. What made you decide to become a hero? After that, why did you join the league, rather than staying unregistered?
"As I said before, after I started rejecting my mother's training I began exploring other Zones of the City, even the dangerous parts. Especially the dangerous parts, really. Doing that, it wasn't exactly difficult to run into people who needed help, whether in the immediate sense or in more long-term ways, frequently both. And I, well, helped them. I stopped muggers and thieves and other criminals, I rescued people from dangerous situations, I tried to help get them what they needed to survive. I was just doing the right thing; I didn't even think of it as heroics until I happened to see an Internet article about 'Panopticon's Daughter Taking Up Her Mother's Mantle'.

"Yeah, yeah. I wound up becoming a hero while running away from being a hero. What, was I supposed to not help those people, just because I wasn't happy with my mom?

"Anyway, after some time of doing that, I realized I'd need to be official to really help, or at least to get other heroes to cooperate. While it's not like anyone could stop me from going where I wanted, they could still focus more on reprimanding me and being obstinate instead of actually helping after the fact. Besides, being part of the League comes with other benefits, and there are some things that would be difficult to do without membership."

2. What hero sponsored you to join the league's trials, if any? Or, did you take the hard route and stick it out on your own? If you did, what extra challenges did this throw up for you?
"This is where you'd expect something like me saying that I did it on my own, to make some statement of independence or show that I can do things on my own or whatever, some inspirational story of defiance. On some level, I'd like to say that's the case.

"But, no. The true, boring answer is that my mother sponsored me. The day I decided I needed to join the League to keep doing what I've been doing, I came home to discover she had already registered me to attempt the trials. I hadn't even told her about my decision. I don't know how she knows these things sometimes."

5. What zone are you from? Feel free to make up a new one or use one from the OP. (Moved up for reasons.)
"My mother retired from hero work to the Sunshine Villa Zone, a luxurious place for rich, important people to live, safe and isolated from all the problems, and the people, elsewhere in the City. I frequently accompanied her to Shining Shield Zone on her business while growing up, and lately I've been spending as much time as possible elsewhere, but I'm still from the Villa, I suppose."

3. What's your mundane like life? What do you do in your free time?
"Well, I'm assuming you mean 'free time' as 'my time spent not doing heroics', which is what I consider my free time from training, lessons, and so on. Besides roaming the City and helping people, though? Well, I read. Explore the City just to see it, whether on foot or 'flying' over the landscape. Sometimes I see a movie or something. I have my own independent training regimen. And I have... Some, friends.

"As for my home life outside of training, well. People frequently come and visit my mother, but otherwise things are... Quiet. It's a large house, and it's just me, my mother, and the people who take care of the place there most of the time."

4. Of the four general categories of the league's trials, Physical, Mental, Practical Challenges, and Moral, which did you excell in? Which gave you difficulty? And for you, personally, what form did those challenges take?
"The Mental and Practical Challenges trials were both easy; many times I was able to find quick solutions even without using my powers, which often trivialized things when I did utilize them. The Physical trials were not too bad either; while not superhuman in that regard, I exercise and keep myself fit, and was able to give what I believe to be an acceptable performance. Obviously using my powers would have gotten around many of those tests, but that seemed against the spirit of things.

"The Moral trials... I answered and acted as I believe a true hero, a decent person should, and for the most part I believe my actions should have satisfied the judges. However, more than once I had a scenario where I was supposed to make a choice with no good solution, where either option would result in someone not being saved or something bad happening to someone, or some people being sacrificed to save more. Choosing which group of people to save, or dealing with a situation where killing the villain was the only way to save those they threatened, and so on. In these situations, I nevertheless did my best to save everyone, despite that clearly being against the intentions of the scenario. More than once, thanks to my powers and quick-thinking, I was able to do so. But sometimes I wasn't.

"Nothing I've done in my heroic efforts thus far has been like that, and while it was just a test, those failures nevertheless affected me deeply. I don't know what those trials were meant to judge, and they almost feel more like they were meant to make a point than to evaluate me. I'm still thinking about them; I'm don't know if my actions were the 'correct' answers, but more importantly, I'm not sure if they were the right ones."

6. (Optional) What's your character's theme song?

7. (Optional) What does your character do in the anime opening?
Using her portals to do things like launch herself through the air, summon objects and tools, and other things along those lines. Also probably a shot of her looking broody, juxtaposed with Panopticon being her mysterious self.

quote:

In progress; tired, but I want to post what I have written before going to sleep

Neopie posted:
Animasks: Truth and Love Prevail Over All Edition
Questions: Round 1!

Everyone: What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels?

"Lunar Outpost 02-B28-C. One of the abandoned science stations based on the- What? You're wondering how I got there? Well, okay.

"Basically, it started with me wondering whether I could make portals outside of the Exclusion Area, given the dimensional boundaries and other factors. It seemed like it'd be worth knowing, but at the same time, most areas outside of it are... Dangerous, to put it mildly. However, then I remembered the outposts. You hear people talking about wanting to 'recover' them in the news now and then; they were science stations built on the moon prior to the Broken Things attacking. After that, they were abandoned for safety reasons, but most of them are still intact; while getting them suitable for research again would be difficult, most are still intact and should have their various systems still operational or able to restart with minimal repairs. Of course, that's not enough to get the program restarted; the risk of a Broken Thing attack is high enough that they would need full-time hero protection, and emergency evacuation would still be nigh-impossible, so the risk is considered too high to get any major official support. And that's not getting into the costs and resource requirements, between new equipment, transport, repairs, people...

"That doesn't stop some people from holding out hope, though; it was really easy to find information on the outposts and which were most likely to still be functioning, their coordinates, and so on. Armed with as much information as I could muster and a supply of old devices that use satellites to track their location (of questionable use inside the extradimensional Exclusion Area, but still functional outside it), I found a safe, isolated area, focused on my task at hand, and began my tests, tossing the trackers through small, 'stepped' portals and tracking where they emerged. Eventually, I found my mark; after confirming that the portal opened inside the outpost and not, say, in the middle of space, I put several objects through to test and make sure the temperature and oxygen levels were safe. Once I was sure that the place wouldn't kill me, I opened a wider portal and stepped through.

"The outpost was an... Interesting place. The lights were out, so even though the reinforced windows allowed the sunlight in the level of darkness combined with its abandoned state made the place rather eerie. Despite being abandoned for decades, the place was almost pristine, having been perfectly sealed prior to my arrival, but it was dark and empty and quiet.

"The view, though... Out one side, I could look over the gray landscape, and see the stars in the sky. The real stars in the real sky, not the false skies inside the Exclusion Area. And out the other... I could see the Exclusion Area itself from outside. The barriers, physical and otherwise, the spatial distortions, the ruins of the old world floating around it, and the whole thing being so, so much smaller compared to pictures of the old Earth taken decades before.

"I've only been up there the once; the danger, both of Broken Things and of something as simple as an equipment failure or accidentally opening the portal there ten feet in the wrong direction, has me reluctant to try again for no reason. But it was a profoundly moving experience, seeing what's been closed off to us, a glimpse of how vast what's beyond the Exclusion Area is. Thinking about how, a generation ago, we were exploring all of that, and how so many people still alive today would remember the world before it was destroyed. I can't blame those who want to reactivate the outposts; it'd be foolish, but the idea of having had the whole universe open to us, to be pushing out our boundaries further and further, only to have it taken away and for us to be forced into such a small area to survive... I can understand their feelings."

quote:
Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you?

"Karissa. A friend of mine; I've known her since we were kids. I know what I said before about other kids from the Villa before, but while Karissa can be naive, she's also, unlike a lot of other people, actually willing to listen; when I tell her about what I've seen elsewhere in the City, like the awful things down in the Scrap Zone, and rather than dismissing them or asking 'well why don't they just do this', she sympathizes. She's open-minded, and understands that not everywhere in the City is like it is up in the Villa.

"Besides that, though, she's just really nice. Like I said, we've been good friends since we were both really young. We go out and do things together pretty often, or just meet and hang out while we're both free, or talk online. She doesn't accompany me when I'm out looking for trouble (her power is that she can make her fingertips glow different colors and she's not exceptionally athletic, though she doesn't have the inclination or desire to be a hero anyway), but she loves to listen to me talk about my exploits, which is nice. I listen to her too, but she finds my 'heroics' more interesting than her relatively normal days. But I appreciate hearing about those, as much as I do having someone to talk to. It's nice to just be normal sometimes."

quote:
Noriko: Do you have a hero name?

"Not yet. My heroic efforts weren't really planned, so I leaped into things without a hero name. Or a costume, actually; I've been doing things in my street clothes. For a while I figured it's not really a big deal, since it's not like it'd protect my identity anyway; portals aren't exactly a common power. And even if I do choose something, the reports will probably still be calling me 'Panopticon's daughter' for a while.

"But besides physically rescuing people and stopping villains and Broken Things, heroes also serve as a symbol to the people, giving them hope and peace of mind. So I've been thinking, trying to decide on a name that fits the kind of hero I want to be, that makes a statement, that says who I am."

quote:
Has anyone tried to treat you like your mom before, and how did you respond?

"Well, in a way, it happens all the time; I tend to get a lot of respect that wouldn't be offered to someone my age otherwise, among other things. And I keep all my social media accounts private, because sometimes creeps who blame my mother for everything wrong in their life decide to take it out on me.

"But a specific incident..." [Second guessing my answer here and going to sleep, so posting the mini-answer in the meantime.]

quote:
Is it even possible to surprise your mom, and if so, how did you do it? If not, how does it feel having someone like /that/ lording over you?

"It's difficult, at least. This is a somewhat silly anecdote, but when I was really young, like... Four or five? Six maybe? I had gotten a grasp on using my powers and wanted to show my mother, so I thought I'd surprise her. While she was sitting and reading, I, across the room, opened up a tiny portal in front of myself and another behind her, reached through to tap her shoulder... And felt something touch me from behind. Jumping in surprise, I turned around to see my own hand emerging from one of my mother's portals. Then I felt something atop my head, and looked up to find my mother standing there, smiling down at me. And before you ask, it wasn't a sneering smile or anything, it was... Nice. I remember laughing afterward, and she led me into the living room with her so I could show her what else I learned.

"I'm telling that particular story because, well, while I'm admittedly rather frustrated with her sometimes I feel like 'lording' is too strong of a word. I mean, I did say her influence was thorough before, but at the same time it wasn't all bad. I mean, I enjoyed a lot of things at the time, and something, like making sure I knew how to use and be responsible with my powers from a young age, were really important. It's just... Sometimes I need my own space. And, if nothing else, she's been giving me that lately."

quote:
I see your mom's given you some files- what are those /like/? Did she give them to you, or did you find them? What's in them that shocked the hell out of you?

"I 'found' them, but in a way that makes me rather sure I was supposed to find them. They're rather amazing; besides her own notes, she has files from numerous other League members as well, dating back from before the Exclusion Event to today. They're... Very detailed. Besides a comprehensive coverage of all the public data on various villains and incidents, there's a lot of stuff from heroes and others directly involved and other information most people wouldn't know.

"The most shocking thing, though, would be the amount of data she has on other current and former heroes. I mean, not her having it; that might seem paranoid to some, but, well, it makes sense. But how much secret information on them she has, including sometimes things linking them to crimes or other unheroic activity. The amount of corruption among heroes, even the League is... Horrifying, in a way. Sometimes something is done about it; I said 'former' heroes for a reason. A number of them have been arrested, while others are dead, whether by another hero or an accident or something, or simply 'missing', as the files put it. The info on what happened to those is... Not there; I don't know why. I don't know how she got some of this information, either; while some of it probably came from League contacts or something, there's no way some of this information was just given to her.

"I'm not sure what the purpose of letting me see these things is. Is it a lesson? A warning? Given how much effort she's put into teaching me to be a hero I doubt she's trying to dissuade me from becoming one now. But, whatever reason she gave these to me for, I'm sure they'll be useful. Maybe eventually I'll be able to clean things up sometime."

quote:
... Do you have a dad? Another mom? What's up with the parent situation? You weren't like, born out of void or something, right?

"Ha, well, if you believe the conspiracy theories, I was kidnapped from my real parents as a child, was made in a government lab, am a clone of my mother, am my own mother from the past, or am a Broken Thing she captured and tamed during her mission to their home. Possibly all at once. Though, as far back as I can remember always I lived with her, so at least some of those can't be true.

"More seriously, my other parent, whoever they may be... Has never been in the picture. It's always just been me and her. There aren't really any clues as to who it might be, either; she hasn't had any public relationships, and while there were rumors of her being involved with someone in her old hero team, they all died thirty years ago.

"It's not really important to me, anyway. Like I said, it just being my mother and me is how it's always been; growing up, I didn't know that it was supposed to be a strange thing, and while I briefly wondered about it a while back, now... It's not a big deal to me. I mean, it's not like growing up with only one parent is a particularly unique experience. It could be nice to learn more, I suppose, but if I don't... I'm okay with that."

Roland Jones fucked around with this message at 02:40 on Aug 22, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 09:43

Roland Jones: Aug 18, 2011; by Nyc_Tattoo

Also, our "When We First Met" questions are as follows:

1. Bull: We defeated a dangerous enemy. Who or what was it?
2. Nova: We destroyed our surroundings in the fight. Where was it? What did we destroy?
3. Outsider: We didn�t trust each other at first, but that changed. How? Why?
4. Doomed: We paid a high cost for victory. What was it?
5. Prot�g�: We stuck together after all was said and done. Why? How�d we keep in contact?

Plus the two other playbook ones, which aren't listed in the core book's order; Reformed seems like it'd go after or replace the Bull's, while the Newborn's could be wherever, being more personal.

Reformed: When the team formed we fought a terrible evil and they lost something precious. Who was it and what did they lose?
Newborn: They found you, and you saw the outside world for the first time and helped in the fight. Where and how did they find you? Which one of them gave you your first nickname?

I'm probably going last here, so I'll let everyone else take care of their answers for that first.

For our zone, I like the idea of our base being in Shining Shield Zone but I'm pretty open here, really; based on our answer here I might change a few base details (given its source it could easily be wherever we decide on). Team name, hm. Neopie suggested "Outsiders" in IRC and that does work, though I'm also up for more suggestions.

I think I've decided on my relationships but I wouldn't mind chatting with people on IRC a bit more first still.

# ? Aug 21, 2016 12:38

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

Background

quote:

I follow Noriko's example of what a hero ought to be.

While most of my experiences with heroics involved Shirogami, there was one opportunity where I saw Noriko. She was traveling alone through some darker recesses of the zones. There was something interesting about the way she conducted herself. She would stop for the smallest of infractions or incidents and do her best to help. I did not understand then. It seemed a waste of time to spend so much effort for so few people.

It was a shock to learn of her heritage.

quote:

I did something terrible to Beta once. I hope they can forgive me one day.

Ah, yes. The incident with Dr. Ritsuko. The order had come down for her termination. Apparently she was experimenting with artificial power replication. This would naturally lower the caliber of the average hero in the long run and promote dependency on an outside source. Unsustainable. This was my first experience with failure in the field. I failed to properly account for the man that was with her. Instead of choosing the rational path of self-preservation, he threw himself in front of the kunai. It is fortunate that I struck from a concealed position. I do not believe that Dr. Ritsuko knows that I was the assassin, though I am sure she has connected the attack to my clan. I will need to demonstrate caution around her and Beta.

Influence

It is against my nature to reveal much about my past. Though the Hattori are gone, the clan's teachings still resound within my being. I have taken to watching how Noriko conducts herself. I figure that my optimal route towards being considered a valuable league resource would be to conduct myself in a manner similar to that of my foe's daughter.

Leader

I'll vote for Noriko as well. I wish to see what the daughter of Panopticon can do and who she truly is. Power is the true test of character.

Other Team Questions

What Zone are we primarily based out of?

I feel most at home in the more archaic zones -- Sacred Valley or Ancient Metropolis. It would be nice to be near the clan grounds.

What's our League Base like?

There is a large dojo and training facility where I spend most of my time when not on missions. My room is spartan, yet I would not have it any other way.

The camera pans around Kouzai's room, largely bare, before revealing a shamefully large collection of sword-based anime and a larger screen against the wall.

What's our Team Name?

I, too, am in favor of The Farsiders. We are apart from the average hero, to be sure, yet we serve the same purpose.

Tricky fucked around with this message at 17:40 on Aug 22, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 17:40

TheNabster: Apr 26, 2014; "Today I will cause problems on purpose"

Gonna set up the framework again

Relationships

For Sale

Nameless, The Outsider SOLD posted:

You�ve been learning about the Mega City by spending time with Beta.

[The unusual humanoid Beta has been very kind to this one in showing one various parts of the city in his spare time, and taking one into his confidence. Perhaps it is all these tomes of strange knowledge he shows me of 'Romance', or the information he gleans from the Noriko human and passes back to me afterwards that makes him so very knowledgeable of the Meegah Ceetee.]

[His permanent ground level state of excitement to simply be in this city is very infectious, and he has made very clear his desire to do battle with this one in for 'fun' as he describes it. This one was rather, surprised, one not see him as the sort to be very informally direct with such personal matters, or perhaps he is unaware that 'battles for fun' is how this one's species goes about its 'romance'. Perhaps it would be for the best if at a later point, this one should take him aside and explain him 'the greeliks and the zaraks' of our culture, before he accidentally propositions to someone within the embassy. That would be rather an unfortunate diplomatic incident.]

Nameless, The Outsider SOLD posted:

You have a crush on Noriko but you keep it under wraps.

[Courtship in the empire operates on a singular rule, 'If your partner isn't your equal, it will not work'. If you are not evenly matched in a test of strength, or a test of wits, or any other test the partnership is doomed to failure. It encourages potential mates to seek those stronger then themselves to test strengths, for how can you find your limits if you never seek to push them?]

[This one feels that the humanoid 'Noriko', daughter of the great empress Panopticon is the singular member on this team who could equally match one in status and combat ability. For she was the first true hero one had made acquaintances with after encountering the 'Lil Bub' human, and from co-operation on small matters before we joined the league proper, and their willingness to discuss their strange culture with this one, they have caught one's personal interest. So, this one in the finest traditions of courtship wishes to test strengths together if are receptive to such an idea, purely for instructional purposes of course, nothing untoward about it, merely 'educational'. It is not as if one feels our individual species are truly 'compatible'.]

Interested in Buying

Will browse and get back to you on that.

Influence

quote:

Choose your demeanor: haughty or ~~cheerful.~~
If you�re haughty, you think you�re better than them. Give no one Influence.

Haha, no strings for you!

When our team first came together�

I'm partially agreeing with Roland here, I am not sure we need the Bull question when we have the Reformed question, since they both pretty much cover the same thing.

The Outsider posted:

We didn�t trust each other at first, but that changed. How? Why?

[The truth of the matter is, we did not arrive in the Crystal Spire Zone as a singular hero group, we were brought there for myriad circumstances and were acting as entirely solo agents during the calamity. In fact we weren't the only 'Hee-ros' to be there on the scene in the first place.]

[But when the Main Spire was destroyed by the robot, we five heroes as a group were the only heroes in the right place at the right time to combat the mechanical beast directly and in those circumstances, you no longer have the luxury of avoiding co-operation with people you do not know or trust, it was join or die. So, we choose to live and our efforts as one unit turned the tide of the beast's attack on the Crystal Spire zone, and drove it back to whence it came without it's jewel.]

[Lives may have been lost beyond our circumstances, but our combined efforts prevented further loss of life.]

Leader Vote

[The Noriko humanoid is the of the highest status among-st the rest of the party being the daughter of the Empress Panopticon, she deserves to lead this one and the others.]

+1 Noriko

Other Team Questions

quote:

What Zone are we primarily based out of?

In regards of this team being a bunch of weirdo outsiders, I would plug for something in the Ancient Metropolis Zone. We're a bit on the grubby side for a big posh place in the Shining Shield Zone I think.

quote:

What's our League Base like?

For this team, this might be best answered by Noriko, since it comes from her mentor.

Fair enough, I shall cede that to her. Though we should probably wait on what zone we are in so we can match the aesthetic.

quote:

What's our Team Name?

I liked the suggestions of The Outsiders, or The Farsiders for a different spin on it. Perhaps something slightly 'darker' since it seems that everyone here flubbed the gently caress out of the Moral challenge in our entry exam. Any ideas?

TheNabster fucked around with this message at 21:56 on Aug 24, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 17:44

jimmydalad: Sep 26, 2013; My face when others are unable to appreciate the

AGDQ 2018 Awful Block Survivor

Relationships for Beta

quote:

_____ shows you around and tells you how things work.

Noriko has been very kind in showing me around the exclusion zone and demonstrating things to me that I had never even seen before. She approached me one day and asked me what I knew of the outside world. When I talked about all the knowledge I had gained from Romance Novels, I was very perplexed by the look of horror that spread across her face. She immediately insisted that I spend time with her so that I could see what the world "really was like". I'm not really sure what she meant, but I have definitely enjoyed the time that I have spent with her.

quote:

The behavior of ______ confuses you again and again.

One of our teammates, Eleos has displayed extremely odd behaviour ever since I first met him. He always seems to be feeling sad, depressed and just negative all together. Whenever I ask him what the problem is, though, he always makes statements such as "it doesn't concern you" or "I can't tell you" and "just leave me alone". I don't know why he thinks not telling everyone his problems would help him feel better. Romance Novels have taught me that communication is the key to happiness and avoiding problems. Maybe if I show him some Romance Novels, he'll understand that and open up to everyone.

Influence for Beta

quote:

You�re receptive to how people think and behave around you. Give influence to all of your teammates.

Influence for everyone!

When Our Team First Came Together...

quote:

They found you, and you saw the outside world for the first time and helped in the fight. Where and how did they find you? Which one of them gave you your first nickname?

I actually arrived later to the first mission than everyone else since Panopticon wanted to talk to me. She had a task for me. Watch over Noriko and make sure she stays safe, but not tell her. I probably looked a little confused because she gave me a wink and told me that it was just something mothers do. I don't know why she didn't want me to tell Noriko, but it didn't seem like a bad task, so I didn't question it. I probably confused my teammates when I arrived late and asked Noriko for commands while they were fighting the giant robot. Panopticon quickly came on our communicators and told the team who I was and that I was certainly an ally. After that, I had a lot of fun fighting against the giant robot. I've never had the chance to fight against something so big like that!

Leadership Vote

Judging from all of the members of our team, I personally believe that Noriko would be the optimal leader. Her mother is Panopticon and she is very accomplished in her own right from what I have heard. Out of all of us, I believe she would be the one who can lead us the most effectively.

What Zone are we primarily based out of?

Due to it being from Noriko's mentor, I believe it would make sense for it to be based in Shining Shield Zone. Additionally, it's close to the home base of the organization and I honestly believe a team like ours would probably be put under close supervision due to how crazy/odd/weird our members are.

What's our League Base like?

Gonna cede that to Noriko, but it'd be nice if it had some decent/good technology.

What's our Team Name?

Outsiders is cool, but I'm not sure if it sounds too heroic. Farsiders sounds nice too. Either one of those is good to me, though I do personally have a preference for Farsiders.

jimmydalad fucked around with this message at 07:39 on Aug 23, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 20:05

TheCog: Jul 30, 2012; I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

quote:

You might of heard of me. I'm Five, or if you prefer Eleos

I'm dead. Oh, I don't look it on the outside. I breath like you. I move like you. My heart beats like yours. I even talk and walk and pretend like I'm a real person, but its only a matter of time. She's on to me. She must know by now, that I'm feeding on her powers. That I'm taking what's not rightfully mine, and worse, I'm using it for goals that she wouldn't approve of. I'm... being selfless.

Its... complicated. I wasn't born. Not really. I was decanted from a tube. Outside of Mega City. In a bubble in space. When I was "born", I was already an adult. We... my pod, were an experiment from Abraxia, you might know her as The Golden Doom. She was human, once, and made us in her image. I don't remember that much about the Facility. Oh, it was in a fragment that was... not quite right, it was white, and shiny, and the scent of medicine covered every surface. I don't remember my birth, exactly, but the first thing I ever saw was Abraxia in all her glory. You may not have seen her before, and pictures don't do her justice. They might capture the golden wings, or the single scar from her eyebrow into the cloudlike billows of her robe, but it can't capture her inhuman gaze, when her golden eyes lock with yours, or the way she moves with a perfect, fluid grace. She looks like a person, but after seeing her even my movement seem... clumsy, impossibly slow and lacking grace. Her voice... she could make you believe anything. She raised us, the six of us, with stories, terrible, wonderful stories, of humanity, of their terrible rise to glory, and their more terrible descent away from the glory of truth. Of how they had to be punished. How mankind could only be restored to their former glory in one way, if their way of life was utterly destroyed. We learned too, of the tyrant, Panopticon, and how she had, in her arrogance, thought to preserve mankind from their fate and rebirth. How she must be ended and her precious order torn down.

We were made, in her image, with access of her powers, because one... demi god, can't be in many places at once. We were imperfect of course, we didn't have the same powers, the same abilities, we could never equal her. But we could fight for her. We didn't have names, I was simply Five. I don't know how long it took before we were ready to fight, I simply know that our training was harsh... and that we loved her. Three was our leader. Like Abraxia, he had high standards for us, but unlike our mother, he had compassion. It was he who led us into our first mission, a minor raid, into an area held by Broken Things an old lab, where we could "magnify our powers". I don't like to talk about it. Four... four died. Two was hurt, mauled beyond recognition, we had to carry him. The survivors, the five of us, fled to the lab. We expected mercy. Compassion. Instead Abraxia... was beyond furious. I have never seen rage like that before. She flayed Three's flesh from his very bones, the lab she smote Two into ruin, she gave chase, across the wasteland, mile by mile, we died, one by one. I remember only fear, perpetual fear, and then... pain. When I awoke, I was buried in rubble. It took days, days for me to dig myself out from the rubble.

When I did, finally, painfully, emerge I was no longer Five, I was Eleos. I ran into her then, Deadeye, inspecting the source of the explosion. It turns out we weren't that far from the Exclusion Zone the whole time. I was too wounded to fight, even though I knew he was evil, but in her I saw something I'd only seen in Three. Compassion. She half pulled, half dragged me to the city. As I healed, she visited me, she didn't ask about my past, not much, anyway, and I appreciated it. I researched. Intensely. I have always been good at learning. Abraxia. The history of the city. The nature of mankind. I learned, a lot. Little by little. I visited the lab again. I knew enough about Abraxia then to know that in her arrogance she would discard it, never return to the site of a failure. Still, I discovered how to power its engines, I moved it. She could find it, if she really wanted, but The Lab became my hiding spot, my sanctum, and the wondrous technology within is just another tool in my arsenal. Because I'm going to avenge myself on Abraxia. I'm going to avenge Three, and all the others who died. I am going to prove that humanity doesn't need to die. That no one, no one, needs to suffer. That Abraxia is wrong.

I am Eleos, the shield of mercy. I will gather the fragments of the Spear of Gungir, I will protect my new family, more importantly, I will show that mankind deserves to live.

1. What made you decide to become a hero? After that, why did you join the league, rather than staying unregistered?
Answered in backstory.

2. What hero sponsored you to join the league's trials, if any? Or, did you take the hard route and stick it out on your own? If you did, what extra challenges did this throw up for you?
When I expressed interest in becoming a hero, for real, Deadeye sponsored me. She... I dunno why, but she seems to have taken a shine to me. I don't understand why. I'm hardly a good person, or worthy of it, but there we go.

3. What's your mundane like life? What do you do in your free time?
I spend the majority of my time reading. There's so much I didn't know. That I missed out on. Plus uh... knitting. It's relaxing. Not that I'm embarrassed, but uh... heroes don't knit? I try to avoid people for the most part, I... I don't want them to get hurt when she comes after me.

4. Of the four general categories of the league's trials, Physical, Mental, Practical Challenges, and Moral, which did you excel in? Which gave you difficulty? And for you, personally, what form did those challenges take? This will be gone into more detail in future questions, so don't feel like you have to be all encompassing here.

I struggled with the Moral trials. Not because they're hard, I knew almost immediately what the answer was *supposed* to be, but it went against my every instinct to *do* those things. We were taught to be selfish, to place ourselves above the team. That the weak should die. So when the challenge featured throwing myself in the path of a meteor to save a building full of civilians, my brain was ready, but my body resisted...

5. What zone do you live in? Feel free to make up a new one or use one from the OP.
I have a tiny little penthouse in the Sunshine Villa right above the library, which is where I spend the majority of the time when I'm not spending training or doing hero things. Its calm and peaceful. I like the feel of books, and just being quietly away from the world.

6. (Optional) What's your character's theme song?
This

When did you first learn of your doom?
During the trials. I noticed that when... if, I pushed to hard, I could almost feel her there, watching over my shoulder. Abraxia. I'd always know my powers were the results of a connection between me and her, that one day it might be rekindled, but I never realized that it was a latent, living thing. That I had to be careful. I don't *think* she's fully aware of it, not yet anyway. But once she knows, I'm as good as dead.

Where did you get your sanctuary?
Its the lab where I grew up, I went back and... stole it, from Abraxia. Its mine now.

How is your nemesis tied into your doom?
Abraxia is for lack of a better term my mother. Who hates humanity. Once she finds out what I'm doing, she's going to find me, and kill me, and there's nothing I can do to keep her from doing that.

Who, outside of the team, is crucial to facing your nemesis?
Gungir. He's an ancient AI. Part of a defense grid. He's buried deep in a mountain range. He's... broken, his main core personality was broken into pieces and hidden. From everything I've read he's powerful enough to help me fight Atraxia. She mentioned him, offhand, once, as an enemy she banished long ago. Ever since, I've know that he's going to be instrumental in my fight

Why does the team matter to you?
I've lost my team before. People I grew up with, die one by one as I stood by helpless to save them. I won't let that happen again. My team is my family, and I will protect them, at any cost.

quote:

Hero Name: Eleos
Real Name: Five
Look: Haunted Eyes, Man, White, Grim Costume, Unassuming Clothing.

Abilities: Super Human Strength and Speed. Telekenisis.

Stats
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +0

Moves

Doom
You're doomed. Your powers may be killing you, or you may represent some horrible fate waiting to spill out and break upon the earth. But one way or another, you're doomed. What brings your doom closer?

Overexerting yourself, Showing mercy

Whenever you bring your doom closer, mark one box on your doom track.
Doom Track: □ □ □ □ □
When your doom track fills, clear it and take one of your doomsigns

Nemesis

You have a nemesis, an epic and powerful enemy representing and embodying your doom. It's going to take everything you have to take them down in the time you have left.

Your nemesis is Abraxia the Golden Doom

At the end of every session, answer the question: Did you make progress on defeating your nemesis? If the answer is yes, mark potential. If the answer is no, mark your doom track.

Sanctuary
You have a place where you can rest, recover, and reflect upon your powers. Choose and underline 3 features of your sanctuary:
a powerful computer; a power enhancement system; healing equipment

Choose and underline 2 downsides of your sanctuary:
Draws dangerous attention, tied intricately to your doom.

When you call upon the deeper nature of your powers in your sanctuary, you can solve impossible
problems. Say what you want to do. The GM will give you one to four conditions you must fulfill
to complete your solution:
- First, you must _____
- You'll need help from _____
- You and your team will risk danger from _____
- The best you can do is a lesser version, unreliable and limited
- You'll need to mark one box on your doom track
- You'll have to obtain _______

Doomsigns
These are abilities that come to you with your approaching doom. Once you have taken all five doomsigns above the line, you must take �Your doom arrives� the next time your doom track fills. Choose one doomsign you already hold at character creation.

- Dark Visions: Mark your Doom Track to have a vision about the situation at hand. Ask the
GM a question; they will answer it honestly.
- Infinite Powers: Mark your Doom Track to use an ability from any playbook, one time.
- Portal: Mark your Doom Track to appear in a scene with anyone you want.
- Burning Bright: Mark your Doom Track to ignore one of the GM's stated requirements when
you call upon the deeper nature of your powers in your sanctuary.
- Bolstered: Mark your Doom Track to use an Adult Move one time.

- Your doom arrives; confront it and perish

Moment of Truth
The only thing stopping you from unleashing the full extent of your power is your fear of your
own doom, always looming over your shoulder. But right here? Right now? You don't care. You'll
let it loose and do impossible things. Do anything. But mark a Doomsign after you're finished.

Team Moves
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, give them Influence over you and
spend 1 Team from the pool to clear one box on your Doom track.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, give them Influence over you and
ask if they honestly think there's hope for you. If they say yes, mark potential or clear one box of
your Doom track. If they say no, mark a condition or mark your Doom track.

TheCog posted:

What do you look like, under the mask?

I'm uh... not too comfortable taking it off. Its not that I'm uncomfortable with how I look, but I was pretty hurt when I got hit by Abraxia. I'm a little... disfigured. I don't really care for my own sake, even though its weird not recognizing my own face in the mirror, no its more the looks of... pity, horror and other emotions I'm not used to. I don't mind being considered odd, I still don't cope all that well with personal interactions, but it makes meeting people for the first time... difficult. They don't say anything of course, but its easy to spot the expressions. The half concealed revulsion. Avoiding looking into my eyes. Or the opposite. Regardless, it makes having a normal interaction more difficult. The mask is helpful when I have things to do. It keeps me focused. It keeps the people around me focused. It reminds me of... another time, other battles.

I'm sure there's cosmetic surgery I could get, if I were so inclined, but I never want to have a chance to forget what happened. Compared to what happened to the others, its a small price to pay. Plus, there's a part of me that wants her to see it. To see how far I've fallen from her ideals.

Has it been hard, adjusting from a life with no one around you to the full, vibrant, Mega-city life?

Yes. It's been brutal. Before I came here, I knew six other people, five of which I interacted with regularly. Now in the time it takes me to run an errand I can see vast oceans of people. I didn't think i could be overwhelmed like this, but its a sensory overload. The smells are the wo... most intense. I'm used to the sterile smell of a lab, or the harsh acid scorch of the outside. The smells... the smell of humanity pushed together, or the flowers in the park, or the library, there are so many, and they are so intense. I'm not used to it. Then there's the noises. I'm used to the howl of the wind, or the calm silence of the isolation chambers. Here? There's nothing like that. The first time I got back to the lab and sat in perfect silence, I wept, for there was a peace there that doesn't exist in Mega-city.

There's also stuff like... currency. Basic social niceties. Small talk. ATMs. Uh... there's a lot of things we didn't have in the lab. I'm a quick learner, but I constantly worry I'll trip over a social land mine. Its difficult, because until I left, I'd never heard the word "please" uttered before. Its not something we were taught.

The best part though is the sheer variety of things to do. Parks. Buildings. Restaurants. Museums. Anything you might want to do. I had never gone to an opera before. I went on a whim. It was... I have never experienced anything like it before. It was one of the most moving things I have ever seen.

What was it like, living in a place that shouldn't exist, in the borders beyond 'real' reality?

It was quiet. Strange. Isolated. It was desolate. Out there, it felt like it was us, and death, alone in the world. Like we were some final cosmic chord echoing in the vast silence.

I don't think people here can appreciate it, not really, but they are a tiny spark in a firmament of nothingness. A mote on the cosmic writing of the universe.

Things were... weird, too, ruins that were there but vanished if you tried to get to close. Places where the faster you walked the longer it took to arrive. One particular area where colors that don't exist painted the rocks.

I think thought, that people here would benefit from seeing it. Not the howling sandstorms that rip flesh from bone, or the areas of perpetual darkness,, but the barren, desolate hellscape. Because its easy to forget, here, where there's always someone at arms reach and everything is clean and green and lovely, that out there is a dead world, and that this utopia only exists because someone fights for it.

Tell me about Gungnir- what are they like?

Gungnir is... how do I explain this in a way that makes sense. Gungnir is brilliant and stupid, wise and foolish. Gungnir simply doesn't see the world like we do. They is the correct term by the way, its personality matrix has at least three different "identities" that I've identified. I call them "The Crone" "The Warrior" and "The Child". This is based on their diction and the personality shifts I noticed.

They see a lot, through their sensor net, but they hardly understand most of it. Their memory core is damaged, I'm pretty sure, as they forget key facts, that would let them understand, but at other times analyze things with perfect clarity. They're not... reserved, I think they get lonely, trapped inside their own skull, so to speak. They just don't dumb things down, and many times what they say is meaninglessly precise or far too broad. Its like talking to a baby god, in some ways. They also don't "get" feelings. They try, they have game theory projections, but they don't get it. Well. With one exception. Gungnir can hate. I don't know if this was coded in, or if it evolved naturally, but I've heard it, once, speak with hate. Not the mimicry it makes of other emotions when it's trying to ply me, but real, actual, self destructive hate.

They also have an agenda. They think I don't know. That I don't understand. But I've heard enough from them. They have an "objective" and figuring it out will no doubt give me the tools to direct Gungnir.

What do you care about, when everything you've been told is a lie?

I don't believe in truth anymore. Not really. The more I read, the less I believe in it. There are three, different, conflicting accounts of the formation of the exclusion zone. The more you delve in history, the murkier truth becomes. Oh there are facts, but the lens of time makes them so distorted as to be meaningless. No, I don't believe in truth, or history, anymore. I believe in people. When truth and dogma and history failed me, people were there. Ideals... ideals can be poisonous. They fill people with fake passions, with misplaced thoughts. They push them to die and be unhappy, for nothing.

I care for people. I care for people being happy. I believe in individuals. I think that any one person, really, has the power to choose their own destiny, to be happy, and its the job of me and people like me to fight to allow them to be free from ideology, to pick their own way. We must cast down the tyrants who shackle people with false promises and fabricated truth. I don't fight for truth, or for justice, or for the exclusion zone. I fight for people.

TheCog posted:

What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels?

The Ruins of Amelak. I found these, once, patrolling the area around the lab. The were huge, spawning, massive. Its hard for me to really give you a sense of how big these ruins were. I got lost in them, for hours, each destroyed building more complex than the last. Temples to god's I couldn't identify, what obviously had been a bath house once, a massive domed building with a single spiral path running through it. It was... utterly fascinating, if creepy. I could just imagine voices whispering on the edge of hearing. There were no bodies, no, leftover artifacts of civilization, just.... buildings, in disrepair, but not collapsed. The place felt like it was waiting for something or someone... but I don't know who or what.

I haven't been able to find it since, although I looked. They certainly aren't were I found them. I thought they might have been buried by a sandstorm, but all I found when I dug a little was sheer rock....

I wish I had spent more time there, it feels like with just a little more information I could puzzle out what was going on.

Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you?

Alphonse and Mei

This is Alphonse, he's the librarian, and my landlord. Looks like a quiet little bookmouse right? Nothing could be further from the truth though, he's loud, boisterous, and exceedingly social. If it were up to him, the library would be more like a bar than a library, and he'd have a loud, multi-hour conversation with every patron. Fortunately, he's kept in check by his assistant Mei. Mei *is* the quiet bookish type, but for her the library is Serious Business. I've seen her shush a patron so hard he lost his voice for the rest of the day. She's also the only person who Alphonse seems to be... afraid of? If not afraid, he certainly does what she says, especially in regards to keeping quiet in the library.

When I first moved in, they were basically the only people I interacted with, and they really helped me get out of my shell, Alphonse taught me how to casually approach social interactions, and a lot of what *not* to say to people, via example. Mei... she's kind of shy, but she would have meals with me, every day, even when I told her it wasn't necessary. They're good people. The kind of people worth fighting for.

I wish I had a way to show them how much they mean to me, how much they've done, before the end.

What's the most important part of being a hero?
The most important part of being a hero... well, others would tell you that its upholding values, defending some phony ideology. Being a hero is about one thing, and one thing only, being strong enough to protect those that can't protect themselves. There are elements to that. Knowing how to fight, when to run, supporting your team, knowing when it is time to die, but at the end of the day, everything a hero needs to know is this. Defend those that can't defend themselves. Its a futile battle, endless, a wall against a raging ocean of threats. But as long as one hero remains to fight, he or she doesn't have a choice, they must rise and fight.

What's your favorite anime?
I don't watch anime. I don't have time for entertainment like that. I *certainly* haven't stumbled upon the libraries manga collection and started to work my way through, and if I had, Valleys and Hills a charming little manga about the realities of attending a farming school in pre-fall civilization, in which the protagonist struggles with the issues of identity and the value of animal life, while dealing with the whirlwind emotions involved in being a teenager in social situations, along with upholding the virtues of hard work and commitment, would most *certainly* not be my favorite. Hikari-chan... I mean... uh... next question. I don't read manga.

How do you feel about cute girls and cute boys?

How do I? Uh? What kind of question is this? Did I walk into the wrong interview? Uh...

They're fine I guess?

In this world of infinite options, how do you define yourself?

Oh good, a question I'm actually qualified to handle. Options seem infinite, but when you take the reality of being superpowered they sort of fall away. With power comes responsibility, and people like me have exactly three choices. The first, to abandon our powers. Conceal them. Live as normal folk, a day to day mundane existence, escaping the responsibility we've been born into. A coward's choice, but not one I can blame anyone for taking. The second, to abandon all responsibility, but use your powers anyway, in the pursuit of some selfish goal or ideal. To fall, and become a villain, a monster, a horror beyond imagining. It doesn't matter how... haughty the principles, however "good" the reasons. To fight for ideals is to ultimately lose sight of what is worth fighting for.

The final path is the path I walk. To be a hero. To fight for the right of others to choose. To fight on. This is how I define myself. I am a hero. I fight so that others may live, and I will for them. That they may live.

I think it may be a bitter path. I will not turn away.

What makes you different than her, and what makes you the same?
I have nothing in common with with her. NOTHING. THAT MONSTER AND I HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON. Oh she looks like me, in a lot of ways. She may have raised me, but she's... I am nothing like her.

Everything I do, everything I am, is anathema to what she is. Every day, I strive to drive that wedge deeper. Her genetic code may be ingrained in my every cell, my powers may be hers, but my mind, my mind is mine, no matter how hard she conditioned me, she did not break me.

You think I don't worry about this? Every time I must make an action in the field, that I let instinct win, I have her watching over my shoulder, mocking me. MOCKING ME. When I see the disgust in their eyes, when they see the scars, she's there, mocking me. "Oh, is that what your valued mercy gets you? Sneered at by scum that should be dead."

I am nothing like her. One day, she will know exactly how little I am like her.

And don't you dare suggest otherwise.

What did Gungnir speak of which such revulsion?

Echo Project. I don't know that much about it. It looks like all the files related to it were deleted. Destroyed when the end approached. But from what I can tell it was a project to... merge minds. Sort of. I don't know what it involved exactly, but Gungnir spoke with it with such a tone that it struck fear in my heart. I was convinced he'd cover the world in nuclear fire, if it were in his power, to stop Echo Project.

I need to look into it, it might be a weapon I can use.

You're a clone, you've been brought up by a supervillain, your best 'friend' is a computer... what does it mean to be a person?

I never said I was a person.

I'm a hero. That's all that matters. I'd like to live a normal life, but I know that's impossible for me. Yes, I'd love to get to make the little choices. Have a relationship. Live a normal life. Have friends that aren't constantly in the line of fire. To live. But I was not born into such a fate.

All I hope is that my death has meaning.

TheCog fucked around with this message at 02:06 on Aug 22, 2016

# ? Aug 21, 2016 20:21

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

quote:

When we first came together...

We fought a terrible evil and they lost something precious. Who was it and what did they lose?

We were deployed in response to an incursion from an entity from outside the Exclusion Area. It's affiliation and identity are currently unknown, but it was assigned the codename "Nightshade." I can only describe it as some sort of giant bio-mechanical robot. A mecha, if you will. Its sheer size and unconventional armaments made fighting it a dangerous prospect, but we were able to work together and dislodge the large blue jewel in its forehead. The mecha was severely weakened afterwards and forced to retreat.

The League was very interested in the blue jewel and has assigned a task force to research it.

# ? Aug 21, 2016 21:10

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

Questions: Part Two, Round Two

Everyone: What's the most important part of being a hero? What's your favorite anime? Optional: How do you feel about cute boys and cute girls?

Noriko: What's the nicest thing Karissa's ever done for you? Why do you think you were assigned onto this team, in particular? What kinds of cool gadgets do you have? ... What do you think really happened with your mom, before the Zone...? And lastly, what gives you hope for a bright and shining future?

# ? Aug 21, 2016 21:57

TheCog: Jul 30, 2012; I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

Relationships
For Sale

quote:

You told _______________ all about your doom and the danger you're in.

Anyone want this? I have no strong preferences at the moment.

Come enjoy some existential brooding!

Sold to Ankensatsu. Fluff will go here!

quote:

You'd love to kiss ________________ before your doom comes.

Noriko. She's... uh... anyway, its not like I'm going to get to, but it'd be nice you know? She's so smart and pretty, and she's human. Which is nice. Not that I have anything against Nameless, but I'm not even sure he has a gender. Or uh... lips.

Anyway, its not really going to happen. I have to focus on the jobs at hand.

There's no way she'd be interested in kissing me of all people. Not with Hattori on the team.

Interested in Buying

Nameless posted:

You�ve been learning about the Mega City by spending time with _____________.

The asocial shut in doomed guy has also gone through getting used to the city! He'd totally be up for giving the grand tour. If that's ok with you!

Influence

quote:

These people matter for what you need to do. Give Influence to two of your teammates.

Beta, I don't know why, but Gungnir insists that he is... Key, essential at some fundamental mathematical level they can't quite express. He's important somehow and I need to keep him in my camp.

The Nameless. He's not human. He's... something else. Something she hasn't seen before. A potential ace in the hole. I have the hope that his different way of thinking will give me an opening, some way in which we might potentially defer her inevitable vengeance.

Leader Vote
There is only one right vote here. The scary alien. The Nameless

When Our Team First Came Together...

We paid a high cost for victory. What was it?
We destroyed our surroundings in the fight. Where was it? What did we destroy?
I screwed up.

Oh, I was far away. It wasn't my fault. But I screwed up.

The battle was furious. The mecha, whatever you want to call it, its main power was a beam of solid energy. A matter reshaper. It cut through brick and mortar and iron like nothing else. We fought in the Crystal District. A wonderful place, full of spires of glass. It could be better called the sand district now. I don't think they can ever rebuild it, it was the work of Crystal, The Glass Singer and he hasn't been heard of since he wandered into the wastes.

Worse, while most of the place evacuated, the Main Spire was not. It held three hundred students. I... I couldn't stop it. The beam. It hit the tower. It went down, in a cloud of shrapnel. I can still hear the screams, in my dreams. It was... a terrible thing. A small price for victory, but the death of innocents... for me, its the ultimate failure.

If I could, I would trade myself for them, but that's not the way of the world.

Other Team Questions

What Zone are we primarily based out of?
I second (or third) the idea of the Shining Shield Zone. Seems like the ideal place to be when inevitably things go badly!

What's our League Base like?
All Eleos wants is a good computer, and comfy couches he can read on.

I'm imagining something very cutting edge and futuristic, but I leave that to the parties responsible for furnishing us with a base!

What's our Team Name?

I like The Farsiders

TheCog fucked around with this message at 19:02 on Aug 22, 2016

# ? Aug 22, 2016 02:15

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

TheCog posted:

Relationships
For Sale

Anyone want this? I have no strong preferences at the moment.

Come enjoy some existential brooding!

Ankensatsu? Brooding? Sounds like a natural fit! :v:

# ? Aug 22, 2016 17:20

TheCog: Jul 30, 2012; I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

Tricky posted:

Ankensatsu? Brooding? Sounds like a natural fit!

Sold!

# ? Aug 22, 2016 19:01

Roland Jones: Aug 18, 2011; by Nyc_Tattoo

Relationships

quote:

You and Nameless teamed up a few times before the rest of you came together.

"When I heard there was an alien diplomat living in the City, I thought that I should learn more; while some people regard anyone from outside the Exclusion Area with suspicion and hostility, I think it's important to work with and understand our neighbors, so to speak, several times I went to meet with the 'nameless' alien. Our meetings, due to the nature of this city, more than once resulted in us also dealing with some local threat or incident. He's clearly extremely well-trained and competent (one of several factors that have me thinking there's more to him than just being a diplomat, but that's another subject), but his personality and attitude can be... Rough."

quote:

Your mentor is cautious; they asked you to keep an eye on Eleos.

"While everyone on my team is... Suspicious to some degree, there's only one my mother specifically directed me to watch out for. Looking at her data makes it clear why: There's almost nothing on him. Deadeye apparently found him (outside of the Exclusion Area?), and after he recovered from his wounds he sought to become a hero. While his actions after that have been mostly upright, it's still strange; compared to all the other members of this team, he's a wild card. I would certainly like to trust him, but..."

Influence

quote:

Choose your demeanor: playful or business.
If you choose playful, give Influence to two teammates.

Giving Influence to Beta and Ankensatsu; former because Noriko trying to teach him about the real world has them spending time together and she wants her... Not exactly "student", but close, to approve of her and like her, latter because of past encounters and other factors. Nameless and Eleos she'd like to be closer to, but the former's philosophy and focus on strength is a bit concerning to her, while the latter's still mostly an enigma.

When Out Team First Came Together...

quote:

We stuck together after all was said and done. Why? How�d we keep in contact?

"After we defeated the biomechanical 'Nightshade', emotions were... Mixed. Our victory was tempered by loss; hundreds died, the Crystal District was irreparably destroyed, and the entity managed to escape, so while objectively we saved thousands more and prevented potentially far worse damage it was still hard to be too happy. Recovering from the battle, those of us who came together to defeat it wound up consoling each other and making sure that everyone was okay, while confirming that the being was nowhere to be found and searching for any other survivors or casualties. While specialists came in to survey the damage, we wound up talking and commiserating. Proper introductions were made for those of us who hadn't previously encountered each other, contact information was shared, and eventually we went our separate ways.

"Several days later, we found out that the League had assigned us to a team. So, whether or not we'd have kept in as much contact as we'd said (some of us admittedly don't seem like the type), we were now going to be working together a lot more going forward."

Leader Vote
Having trouble writing the IC text here, so summary in the meantime is a vote for Nameless while secretly being glad she won, assuming I counted it right as 3-2.

Other Questions

quote:

What Zone are we primarily based out of?

I mentioned earlier that I like Shining Shield Zone, though Ancient Metropolis does work too; either could be nice. I like the potential of both, really. Between most of this team being really fast if not having outright superspeed and Noriko's portals, the team can probably get wherever they need to go in the City pretty easily either way.

quote:

What's our League Base like?

I have the same general idea for either place we wind up, so I'll write up the general stuff I have. Building would be a multi-story one, not a huge skyscraper of course but something with a few levels at least, in the style of whatever Zone we're in (so, sleek futuristic building in Shining Shield, versus a pagoda of some sort or something in Ancient Metropolis; either could possibly be a former hero base and/or something Panopticon owns/ed). Accommodations include on-site lodgings, a rec room, a kitchen and dining area, and other things. Also computers and Internet access, of course. (Not supercomputers, as I didn't take that resource, but pretty good personal ones.)

Beneath the building, meanwhile, would be a few sub-layers of basement; arguably the "real" base, in addition to being far more secure (while there are security systems above-ground too, it's admittedly far easier to lock down the subterranean levels, and their very entrance is hidden and requires a code) there's a second set of (safer but less comfortable) lodgings, a large meeting room, and multiple reinforced rooms that can be completely locked down if needed. An example one would be a large room that Noriko would very much appreciate the others not messing with, full of various tools, gadgets, and other objects arranged very precisely for her to summon (she targets locations when creating portals, not the items themselves, so stuff being moved would interfere with her ability to pull it out as needed). Basically, while the upper levels are "nicer", the lower ones are more secure and can probably be used for weirder or more important stuff without issue, and, outside of the group, Panopticon, and maybe a few others, aren't even known to most people.

There are a few spare rooms both above and below-ground, so things like Ankensatsu's training room can be in either, and while the general decor probably depends on the building (sleek modern if we're in Shining Shield, more classical-Asian (but still well-equipped with modern equipment and technology as needed) for Ancient Metropolis, fairly spartan and metallic for the secure basement areas), everyone can add their personal touch, particularly in their own rooms. There's also definitely more space than a new hero group of five people needs; you could run a small business out of the above-ground building alone. But it's room for the group to grow into at least, and means that they're not short on space when it's needed. Other players are welcome to contribute too, whether things they'd OOC like to have, or IC changes their characters made.

quote:

What's our Team Name?

I like both Outsiders and Farsiders, though from an IC perspective "Outsiders" is a weird thing to call yourselves. It's a perfect name from an OOC perspective, though.

Neopie posted:

Questions: Part Two, Round Two

Everyone: What's the most important part of being a hero?

quote:

What's your favorite anime?

"Well, for the most part I've been watching slice-of-life series that are cute, funny, or both lately; it's kind of simple fare, but it's entertaining and cheers me up.

"One series I've really liked for a while, though, that isn't that particular genre is Hero � Hero. It's about several characters wanting to be, well, heroes, though in their world what a hero does is a bit more... Broad than ours. It's a bit more... Graphic than most series aimed at its particular audience, but I think the most notable thing about it how clever it can be. The scenarios and plotlines it has are amazing, and the power usage in it is extremely creative and clever; more than once it's inspired me to think of new ways to use my own abilities.

"It's a shame it's on hiatus again. Hopefully this one will be shorter than the last..."

quote:

Optional: How do you feel about cute boys and cute girls?

"I, well... They're nice? I mean, I don't really have any romantic experience personally, but, eventually, maybe?"

quote:

Noriko: What's the nicest thing Karissa's ever done for you?

quote:

Why do you think you were assigned onto this team, in particular?

"That's something I've been wondering myself, actually. I'm sure the incident in the Crystal District had something to do with it; we worked together effectively to defeat the attacker, after all. But I think there's more to it than that; the others on this team are all... Different in some manner. They're all outsiders in some way, with the least abnormal being a reformed criminal. They all have... Nonstandard moral codes, whether due to their past, their culture, or simply a lack of knowledge and experience. And they're all considerably stronger than the average hero, at least in terms of their powers and abilities. Perhaps the League is hoping that I will help them feel welcome and guide them down a different path. Or maybe they just want me to keep them in line. Possibly they see me as similar to the others as well.

"Whatever the reasons may be, I believe that there is more to this group than they may have assumed. It's not what I expected when I planned on joining the League, but we're going to make a great hero team."

[Note: I'm assuming that, having access to Panopticon's files, Noriko knows about the Hattori Clan (but not who/what is behind their deaths, because her mother wouldn't just write down "yeah I killed these guys" or whatever if she was the one behind it). If Tricky would rather she not know that, though, I can change that.]

quote:

What kinds of cool gadgets do you have?

"Well, most of them aren't really 'gadgets' exactly; a lot of it is just useful things I've collected over time. I have a lot of simple tools and nonlethal weapons (though the definition of 'nonlethal' can vary depending on the target), for example, to try to be prepared for different situations. I have a pair of energy pistols I collected from a crook I stopped at one point, but I found that using them doesn't really suit me. One thing that has been particularly useful, though, are some, well, effectively they're smoke grenades; dropping one in the middle of something right before it goes off causes a lot of confusion and creates ample opportunities.

"Oh, and I have some rope. It's proven surprisingly useful at times."

quote:

... What do you think really happened with your mom, before the Zone...?

"That's... Well. I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it before. Her story is all we have to go on, but it's understandable that people would wonder if that's the whole truth. And some things have me thinking, like back when I attempted the tests to join the League, my Moral Trials had those moments where I clearly wasn't supposed to be able to save everyone or had to choose to save some people at the expense of others. While those seem like they were meant to be some sort of lesson or to challenge my views, given what happened to her team in the attack I wonder if... There's more to it than that.

"...But anyway, I actually do believe what she's said overall. Her team entered the Broken Things' realm, her team fell in the assault, and something she found there gave her the knowledge and power to save what was left of the world by creating the Exclusion Area. The specifics might be different, but reality seems to prove that much at least."

quote:

And lastly, what gives you hope for a bright and shining future?

Roland Jones fucked around with this message at 02:19 on Aug 27, 2016

# ? Aug 24, 2016 01:33

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

Made a setting doc- feel free and please do edit it and make it all shiny, add your setting info, unique locations, fun stuff. NPC doc and more on the setting doc will happen tomorrow.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JhS0xsYNuoIZ1eLma5QE5k7wzOOfOkgcpLKHshxlmuA/edit

Based on the voting, seems like you guys are in the Ancient Metropolis Zone.

# ? Aug 25, 2016 05:31

Tricky: Jun 12, 2007; after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage

So what all is on the to-do list still?

# ? Aug 26, 2016 03:33

Roland Jones: Aug 18, 2011; by Nyc_Tattoo

I still need to get my round 2 questions and one bit of relationship fiction done (sorry, went to the dentist today, then passed out for a few hours). Other than that I think we're good?

# ? Aug 26, 2016 04:17

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

Made an NPC document, please throw your NPCs on there.

IC thread will be up today.

# ? Aug 27, 2016 00:58

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3788210

Threa'ds up.

# ? Aug 28, 2016 06:17

TheNabster: Apr 26, 2014; "Today I will cause problems on purpose"

The Angel is getting pummeled forever in the frozen time.

Will this brutal asskicking ever stop? Find out next time on ANIMEHEARTS ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

# ? Sep 13, 2016 17:57

TheCog: Jul 30, 2012; I AM ZEPA AND I CLAIM THESE LANDS BY RIGHT OF CONQUEST

I feel like a dick doing this, but I don't think I have the time to continue to play this game

I really like Eleos and the entire team, but its very obvious to me that my lethargic posting rate is keeping a good game down, so I'm gonna drop out

# ? Sep 29, 2016 13:19

TheNabster: Apr 26, 2014; "Today I will cause problems on purpose"

Nothing wrong slow posting, I'm waiting on posting until I see what Noriko does and I really should post more but what can you do?

# ? Sep 29, 2016 13:24

KittyEmpress: Dec 30, 2012; Jam Buddies

Hirata Eiko - Yurei

I was normal, once, I lived a normal life, with normal friends, and normal dreams. I wanted to grow up to be a veterinarian, not a hero. My power wasn't even that useful - I could touch the minds of others, and read emotions... which sounds like it'd be great, except that it only worked on things that weren't human. Dogs, cats, ants, bluebirds, I could read all of them, I could find out why they were acting certain ways. I loved it, and it inspired me to be who I was, surrounded by animals, surrounded by happiness, surrounded by everything a person like I could ever want. And now I have none of it, and I cannot ever have it. All due to the Broken Things... and the Exclusion Event.

Eiko, you say, the Exclusion Event was long ago, the initial incursions fought by our fathers, our mothers, not us, how can you blame it for your existence? And that reason is simple - I died in those events, long ago. I remember when the Broken Things came, when the world was in chaos, before the Mega-City. I remember death, destruction, and then nothing, nothing for so long. I was there, first hand, and I watched them killing others, and then turning them into creatures like them, Breaking them, as you might call it. And I tried to understand them, I reached out to touch their minds, hoping it would work, praying I could reason with these creatures, to make them understand us and not hate us.

Unfortunately for myself... I believe I got what I wished for, and touched to their mind successfully. And yet... there is nothing in my mind of what I touched. I do not know what happened to my family, I do not know what happened to my town, I do not know what became of my friends, of those I loved and cared for. I was aware of nothing for a long time, nothing but a quiet feeling of malice, of sickness, eating at my spirit, eating at my mind, and eating at my body. It told me I wasn't human any longer, that I should join it, embrace it, and though I tried to fight it... It wore at me, it changed me - or perhaps there is no me. I finally awoke, as if from a dream, thirty years post the last memory I held, in the middle of... chaos.

It was just like when I fell into my sleep, Broken against Man, but these Heroes stood up successfully to these Broken, they did not back down, they did not falter, they fought and knew what to do. They spotted a civilian in the fray - me - and one of them moved to protect me, grabbing my hand to lead me to safety... and I almost killed her for it. I almost took the life of someone trying to save me, because I had become something different. She collapsed as we ran, and I could see death in her face, the color drained, like a corpse already. I ran away. I ran away, because I was scared, because I thought I had killed someone, and because I knew what I had become. Because I had seen what the Broken were, through her eyes.

I am Hirata Eiko no longer - I am Yurei, a ghost of the past, a monster in human form. I can feel them still, in my mind, in my skin, I can feel the Broken still, when I use these abilities. I'm not human, even as I pretend to be one, I have been changed, been altered, been Broken. They eat away at all that I am, and I can feel myself getting closer, touching to... to something else, something I know I shouldn't touch. But I'll never be a normal person, even if I ran away and ignored it, it'd just hurt more. I tried some stupid things, I tried to... cease existing, but... it doesn't work. I'm tough, very tough - weapons the bounced off my skin, fire was not even felt, poison did not even sicken me... It was maddening. Everything I touched seemed to wither away and die, and yet I could not. Weeks, this went on, until I tried something drastic, climbing to the highest building's roof, in all of the Zones... and jumping.

I never hit the ground, instead as I closed my eyes... I was no longer in the Zone at all. I don't believe I was in the Mega-City. I was... Somewhere Else. I looked into the sky, and I could see what I saw in my dreams, everything and nothing, the Broken, I could hear the voice shouting at me as I ran, panicked through the buildings. There was no one else there, but I felt so right to be there - and so wrong at the same time. I felt so safe there, and so vulnerable, as if something couldn't reach me, but knew I was there, and was watching me more closely for doing so. I blacked out that day.

I woke up back in the Island Tower Zone, as if it was just a dream... and then She found me, Shining Blade, the heroine I had almost killed when I first awoke. I still don't know how she did it - I didn't ever tell anyone my name, I couldn't buy anything, nor did I need it... I spent weeks living completely underground, and yet she found me. And she asked me who I was. I don't know why I did it, but I told her almost everything. About who I used to be, when I was born, where I was born, about what happened to me so long ago, about how I woke up, having felt so changed. About how I had been trying to kill myself since I hurt her, and failing. I even told her about the feelings I felt, and voices I heard as I slept... all I hid was that it still continued, whenever I acted. I don't know if she really believed me, but she smiled, and nodded, and asked me questions, she cared about me, even after I hurt her.

And then she said I should become a Hero. That I should apply to the exam, and attempt to make a life for myself, to turn this curse I've been put with into something useful. Because even though all I can do is hurt things, that doesn't mean I can't save people too, doesn't mean I can't stop the Broken from hurting more people like they did me. And... so I did. I took the examination, with her blessing, and it was... it was difficult, because everyone else seemed so confident, so comfortable with their powers, and I freaked out every time someone wanted so much as to high five me. And I felt so scared of hurting anyone... but I did pass.

quote:

1. What made you decide to become a hero? After that, why did you join the league, rather than staying unregistered?

I had nothing left as an option for me. My touch was poison to any living creature, and even organic matter in general. Whispers in my head told me I would destroy everything around me eventually. I couldn't die, I couldn't live a normal life, and everything I touched hurt... so what else could I do, but become a hero? I am a good person... I don't want to hurt people, I don't want to be a monster, and... maybe I can find a way to fix it? To stop the voices, to stop the thoughts, the feeling.

The League is the best chance of that. I've... hidden a good bit of what I am, what I deal with from them, but one day, one day I hope to meet Panopticon herself, to tell her the whole story, and see if she can help me, if she can fix me. After all, she helped everyone else, she fixed the world to something we can live in. Why couldn't she help one person like me...? Meeting her isn't easy though, she's.. always busy. But until then, the League is nice and all... they provide me clothing entirely made of synthetic polymers, so my clothes don't fall apart anymore. I have a home due to them, too, though I have to be careful to not touch anything organic in it... a few too many pieces of wooden furniture have had me accidentally kick them before I put on socks in the morning, and started to rot away.

quote:

2. What hero sponsored you to join the league's trials, if any? Or, did you take the hard route and stick it out on your own? If you did, what extra challenges did this throw up for you?

Shining Blade is an A-Rank Heroine whose powers are actually not too impressive - she has no great ability to call fire, nor does her name represent her shooting light beams or the like. She simply possesses what has been quantified as the 'largest store of inner energy recorded in human history'. If a normal human's energy is akin to a cup of water, and a hero's akin to a garden pond, Shining Blade's is more like the ocean itself. What this means is that she is capable of harnessing technology nearly indefinitely that even other heroes would find tiring after minutes of use, including the iconic wing styled flotation pack, that allows her to keep the image of the angelic savior. Otherwise she is known for her strong sense of justice, and extreme swordsmanship, one of the few non-super strength possessing heroes to go into melee against the Broken.

3. What's your mundane like life? What do you do in your free time?

Ha....haha. My mundane life consists mostly of me browsing the news via a computer or the like, or reading electronic books or what not. I'm honestly afraid of going outside - I have an outfit for it, well, three or four, that cover every bit of skin, especially when I put on my mask, and I always wear them when I go out, so no one accidentally touches me... but it's still a little intimidating. I know a bit about the world now, from people I've touched, accidentally and on purpose... but it's still a whole different world, or feels like it at least.

I think the worst thing is that I don't even eat food any more. Any time I try to eat I am physically sickened by the thought, to the point of throwing up should I ever put it in my mouth, or be forced to. I cannot even taste it when it's done, my body simply rejects it. Instead I gain my nourishment through touching organic matter... or living things. I shall never again taste delicious noodles, pizza, or... anything.

quote:

4. Of the four general categories of the league's trials, Physical, Mental, Practical Challenges, and Moral, which did you excell in? Which gave you difficulty? And for you, personally, what form did those challenges take? This will be gone into more detail in future questions, so don't feel like you have to be all encompassing here.

The Physical challenge was, perhaps, the easiest of them all for me. I had the simplest of testing criteria - an in depth physical examination of our speed, power, and endurance, against twenty other candidates. Through a circuit we performed a dozen exercises, while also using special grip strength, punch strength, and long jump measuring machines. I was, perhaps, not as enthusiastic as the others, and thus quickly fell behind in matters of speed, and only cared to do the minimum for all exercises. However, as we approached the grip strength machine, I rather... impressed the examiners, by crushing the handle meant to hold up to most medium level super strength's. This was then corroborated later when I caused the destruction of three punch testing machines, before they could receive an accurate read out on the level of force.

The Mental challenge was.... easy, but not as easy as the Physical challenge. We were presented with a problem relating to a disaster level event in case of a worst-case scenario attack by Broken on a Zone, and required to come up with what we would organize ourselves into doing, were we present. As part of this, we were randomly assigned four other partners, to create a team, and told to make a plan together, utilizing us to the best of our abilities. I was paired with Ivy - a plant controlling girl, Drake - a boy who could breathe fire, Max Power, - a girl with super strength that she could super charge for extra impact (at the cost of self injury), and The Officer - a man who self styled as a master of military arts, with the ability to project his voice to glass shattering levels. Utilizing their powers we created a plan that got eight out of ten points from the proctor - who was a little upset that we were willing to allow Max Power to risk her life fighting a powerful Broken hand to hand, despite it being her idea.

The Moral challenge wasn't difficult so much as confusing. Their questions included loaded ones such as 'You are fighting a Broken when you notice a child collapsed under fallen building. You could save the child, but this Broken has already killed dozens, and will likely get away if you don't stop it first. What's more important, stopping it from making future victims, or saving one?" I would obviously choose to defeat the Broken if you specify that dozens more will potentially die if I let it get away. But then when we answered one way, he'd criticize it no matter what way we answered it. The examiner just wanted to see us realize that hard choices had to be made sometimes, and that there probably wouldn't be a right answer always.

Now... the Practical challenge I... technically passed with flying colors, unfortunately. See, it was a mock combat, a villain versus a hero, roles randomly selected. I was selected to be the hero, much to my surprise, and... then the test began. I remember it very vividly, from two points of view. Jackie Rena was chosen as a villain, a girl with peak human capabilities in all ways, mentally, physically, even artistically. A real perfect girl. I saw how she grew up, you know. Because she did something stupid, because we weren't told what each other's powers were. She didn't know what would happen, as she ripped off my mask, and then brought me into her exposed knee. She didn't realize what was happening as my skin touched hers, and she started to wither. She froze up, and held me there, I couldn't get off her, I had to shove her away from me, hard.

She's still alive, but I don't think she'll ever be a hero now. I think I took away her dream, when I was taking away some of her life. I wish I could just apologize to her for it, but how do I say I'm sorry for nearly crippling her?

------

Tohu-Wa, the Shapeless Broken
??? Class Threat

How long have the Broken truly been around, how long have they existed? Many may guess, but none know for certain. None except their own. Bohu-Wa comes from a time before the Broken had opened any portals, before they had left their extra-dimensional space. In no way a leader, this Broken is known as the Shapeless - one who has never been seen entering a realm of structure and rigor, but often seen in the portals that other Broken flood from. He watches, he waits, he teaches, he sings a song of welcoming, and lures in the new. He whispers in my mind, within my dreams, he tells me of a life free of fear, free of risk, one where I can be me, and not worry about lesser things.

Tohu-Wa has never acted aside from to bring others into being Broken, and his capabilities are a mystery. However, I assume he has some form of mental command over other Broken, judging by his own ability to speak to me over any distance, across even the dimensions themselves.

quote:

Hero Name: Yurei
Real Name: Hirata Eiko
Look: Woman, Asian, Haunted Eyes, Adaptive Clothing, Adaptive Costume

Abilities: Strength/Speed/Toughness, Memory Absorption, Vitality Absorption

Stats
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +0

Moves

Doom
You're doomed. Your powers may be killing you, or you may represent some horrible fate waiting to spill out and break upon the earth. But one way or another, you're doomed. What brings your doom closer?

Hurting innocents, frightening loved ones

Whenever you bring your doom closer, mark one box on your doom track.
Doom Track: □ □ □ □ □
When your doom track fills, clear it and take one of your doomsigns

Nemesis

You have a nemesis, an epic and powerful enemy representing and embodying your doom. It's going to take everything you have to take them down in the time you have left.

Your nemesis is Tohu-Wa, the Shapeless Broken

At the end of every session, answer the question: Did you make progress on defeating your nemesis? If the answer is yes, mark potential. If the answer is no, mark your doom track.

Sanctuary
You have a place where you can rest, recover, and reflect upon your powers. Choose and underline 3 features of your sanctuary:
a teleportal, healing equipment, a scattering of extra-dimensional relics

Choose and underline 2 downsides of your sanctuary:
Draws dangerous attention, tied intricately to your doom.

When you call upon the deeper nature of your powers in your sanctuary, you can solve impossible
problems. Say what you want to do. The GM will give you one to four conditions you must fulfill
to complete your solution:
- First, you must _____
- You'll need help from _____
- You and your team will risk danger from _____
- The best you can do is a lesser version, unreliable and limited
- You'll need to mark one box on your doom track
- You'll have to obtain _______

Doomsigns
These are abilities that come to you with your approaching doom. Once you have taken all five doomsigns above the line, you must take �Your doom arrives� the next time your doom track fills. Choose one doomsign you already hold at character creation.

- Dark Visions: Mark your Doom Track to have a vision about the situation at hand. Ask the
GM a question; they will answer it honestly.
- Infinite Powers: Mark your Doom Track to use an ability from any playbook, one time.
- Portal: Mark your Doom Track to appear in a scene with anyone you want.
- Burning Bright: Mark your Doom Track to ignore one of the GM's stated requirements when
you call upon the deeper nature of your powers in your sanctuary.
- Bolstered: Mark your Doom Track to use an Adult Move one time.

- Your doom arrives; confront it and perish

Moment of Truth
The only thing stopping you from unleashing the full extent of your power is your fear of your
own doom, always looming over your shoulder. But right here? Right now? You don't care. You'll
let it loose and do impossible things. Do anything. But mark a Doomsign after you're finished.

Team Moves
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, give them Influence over you and
spend 1 Team from the pool to clear one box on your Doom track.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, give them Influence over you and
ask if they honestly think there's hope for you. If they say yes, mark potential or clear one box of
your Doom track. If they say no, mark a condition or mark your Doom track.

quote:

6. (Optional) What's your character's theme song?

The sound's getting louder and louder and louder and louder and louder

quote:

7. (Optional) What does your character do in the anime opening?

The camera pans up to a skyscraper - Yurei (with normal eyes and skin color) stands on the edge, looking down. She looks up as her mask falls off, and then lets herself fall off the edge. The scene turns into a tunnel, Tohu-Wa appears in the background as she falls into the tunnel, her face turning porcelain white and eyes blood red as a tendril touches her.

KittyEmpress fucked around with this message at 22:04 on Oct 16, 2016

# ? Sep 29, 2016 23:55

KittyEmpress: Dec 30, 2012; Jam Buddies

Background Questions

quote:

You told _______________ all about your doom and the danger you�re in.

Ankensatsu is so... dark, mysterious, his past is full of things I don't know, and he probably wouldn't talk about. And it's very easy to talk about ones own darkness to someone like that. I... I haven't really looked him in the eyes since then, and I just hope he doesn't tell anyone.

quote:

You�d love to kiss ________________ before your doom comes.

Noriko. Too bad I want to not kill her too.

quote:

Why do the team trust you enough to let you in?

I first acted as a solo hero for a brief time, to establish my appearance and the fact that I was in fact a hero. These were minor things, simple criminals, only one of which had powers, but enough to get me into the League system once or twice, such that they might run across me while checking on other things. This was in part to establish capability to them as well - though I ensured I pulled punches quite heavily on each and every one of the criminals I stopped. Then I made my plan for how and when I would go to meet them, sending a message through League systems announcing the day and time three days ahead of time, to ensure their readiness.

I approached their base in midday when I knew there would be no disasters requiring their attention. I wore my best fully covering outfit, and a mask with holes to allow vision of my eyes, so they would not be turned off by my hiding them - after all, hiding your eyes is the sign of a deceiver in many cases. When I was answered and greeted at the door, my response was to bow my head deeply, and request a formal meeting with the team. I made certain my D-66 were displayed during this time - of course - and explained I wished to join the team. I told them a bit about me, though not the specifics that I told Shining Blade in full - she holds some of it secret, even from the League, after all. I was, thus, given a probationary membership. I hope to earn their trust in the act of saving others, before I tell them the full tale, and shall simply pray that they do not take this as a betrayal.

quote:

Why this team, over any other?

I mean, look at them. An alien delegate, a reforming criminal, and a non-human created being? Where else would I fit in, in this world? I only seem like a freak in comparison to them, not a monster to be put down - or at least I so hope it will turn to be, should I inform them the full... extent of what I am. Regardless, it seems simple enough that if any team should accept the odd and different, it is them.

quote:

Give influence to two team members.

Giving Influence to Noriko and Ankensatsu, because they're the most 'normal human' of everyone on the team, and thus she views them differently than herself, Beta, or Nameless.

quote:

What Does The Team Know?

Her powers cause her to be super tough, super strong, and super fast. When she touches anything organic, she drains its energy, killing it or turning it to dust.
She cannot turn her powers off.
The league provides full body synthetic outfits, including gloves and a mask, that she wears at almost all times.
She 'lost her family' to the Broken.

quote:

What Does the League Know?

She's 50 years old, and spent 35+ years unconscious and unaging.
Her powers have completely changed since her re-awakening.
She survives purely off draining organic energy, and cannot eat.

quote:

What does Shining Blade Know?

The entire time she was unconscious she heard the voice of Tohu Wa.
When she touches living beings, she gains their memories, the longer the contact the more memories she takes.

quote:

What does Ankensatsu know?

She still hears Tohu Wa's voice sometimes, when pushing her powers.
She has changed quite radically in appearance since before touching the Broken, skin turning porcelain white, eyes turning blood red, and nails naturally growing pointed into claws.

quote:

What does no one know?

What her family was like, what her old powers were in specific, what she used to dream of being, anything about her old life besides the day of the Exclusion Event.

quote:

KittyEmpress I'm not sure if I made it obvious btw, but Yurei is like, very small. Much shorter than average. A super strong-fast extradimensional memory vampire.

23:59 KittyEmpress She will punch you through a wall while not being five feet. Especially if you mention that she's not even five feet.

KittyEmpress [[I do this because I like to make all my threatening/intimidating characters teeny, and all my kind and cuddly and protective ones tall/muscular]]

00:00 KittyEmpress [[because I am trash]]

KittyEmpress fucked around with this message at 08:02 on Sep 30, 2016

# ? Sep 30, 2016 04:14

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

The sad times are over- it's time for the long belated

YUREI QUESTIONS!!!

What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels? Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you?

How does your vitality absorption work? You were able to totally depower a hero, you said? Do you have any friends who stick with you, see past what you've become? Do you really think that there's hope for you? What organization, hero, or famous figure just has it out for you? How do you feel about your height? Why do you still keep fighting, despite everything, despite anything?

What bright and shining joy still propels you forward through the tough times- and when was it inable to?

# ? Oct 10, 2016 04:30

KittyEmpress: Dec 30, 2012; Jam Buddies

quote:

What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels?

Well, when I felt like I was without hope, I traveled a lot. And my little... sanctum outside reality is helpful for that, because I can basically get anywhere from it - every door opens to a new place, and some of them, I don't even think are Zones. One of my favorites is what I've decided to call the Enchanted Forest. I think, but I'm not certain, that it's actually part of a world that was destroyed by the Broken, but some of it somehow survived. There's little creatures there, pitch black and scarcely as tall as my ankle, whose eyes are like glass, reflecting all they see - they do not talk, and I cannot ever catch them, so I do not know their truth... but they have never hurt me. The glass eyed men appear to be the only non-flora life within the forest, though my explorations have been rather limited, since I do not wish to risk damaging what little life is left in this place.

quote:

Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you?

Lucy Haru is a fashion designer slash tailor slash mask maker slash basically everything, and she's the best? See, all the materials of my clothes are provided by the League, but getting something made was like, kind of up to me, and I just happened to find her - she's still in school technically, but her stuff is like, top notch, so when I approached her and was like 'I need clothes. Lots of them', she jumped at the chance to dress a hero up, and to work with expensive materials. She's never really been afraid afraid of me - like, she wont touch me, but that's just good sense. She's even super cheap with what she charges me, since I'm so low ranked right now. She says I can pay it back by getting famous and putting her on the market as the tailor for a big shot hero. It's pretty funny.

quote:

How does your vitality absorption work?

Uhm, basically, when I touch anything with my skin that is alive, or was alive, or whatever, I think I just start... draining its energies. In things that are already dead this is very quick, and if I accidentally like, brush my hand on a tree, I can cause it to look like someone took an axe to it for thirty minutes. On living beings, it depends a little more - basically, part of what my power does is drain inner energies first, then vital energies, and well, by the time it gets to that things will probably be dead, but I kinda don't wanna test it? I don't really know the specifics, but I basically steal other people's life force and get stronger due to it - it's like, super nourishment... I guess kinda like a touch-vampire? I know that the more vital an area I touch, the more quickly I drain people, and the same for the more skin on skin contact I had. So if I like, grab someone over their heart they'd probably die really fast, compared to if I touched my finger tip to their toe.

quote:

You were able to totally depower a hero, you said?

Oh, no, I don't really 'depower' people... I mean, I do, sort of, but it's just because when you're nearly dead and out of inner energy, it can be hard to use for awhile... If you mean Jackie Rena, I didn't so much depower her as I caused her something akin to PTSD. See, I was kinda vague about it, but she was strong - peak human strength is pretty strong, especially when it's seizing up on you and is unable to let go. So I had to hit her, and was panicking, and I think I used a bit too much strength, and she basically... well, she hit the wall, and I'm lucky she was both as durable as she was, and the League had medics on hand, because I think more of her bones were broken than weren't. I hear she doesn't even leave her room now, because she's so scared of everything - her whole sense of superiority was shattered in a moment, and now she realizes that she's weak and vulnerable and almost died.

quote:

Do you have any friends who stick with you, see past what you've become?

I mean, Shining Blade is my friend, or at least I count her as one. She knows so much about me, and she always just wants to encourage me, to make me feel better, to get me out there to save lives. Whenever I tell her I'm a monster, she even pulls off my mask and flicks me in the forehead, even though it hurts her to do so, because it annoys her so much! So I mean, she's a friend who is sticking by me, but she also didn't know me before I was a monster. I don't think anyone really did... I think my whole town was... you know. Gone. So I don't think anyone who could know me and how I've changed is still around.

quote:

Do you really think that there's hope for you?

Do I hope that there is hope for me? Yes - I want to be able to have Panopticonjust tell me this isn't as serious as I made it out to be, to just wave her hand and remake me as normal. Do I actually believe that there is hope for me? No. I think that I am doomed, to turn into a monster that my team will have to destroy one day. I think that the only hope I actually have is that I leave a legacy of goodness behind me, from saving lives and being a good hero, one powerful enough that once I become a monster, I am still remembered as a hero, not a dangerous Broken. That is my hope, that is why I fight - because what other hope do I really have? Encourage heroes to tackle an incredibly powerful and reclusive Broken, on its home turf? That will clearly never happen...

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What organization, hero, or famous figure just has it out for you?

Silver Phantom, aka Nikolai Rena an A-Rank hero is the uncle of Jackie Rena, and was one of the witnesses to the practical exam on the day that happened, there to cheer on his niece. I crippled her, I turned her into a nervous wreck, and he will never forgive me for it, he will never forgive me for what I've done, and he has made it known. He advocated for me to fail the practical on grounds of excessive force. He advocated for me to be assigned to excessively dangerous zones. He wants me dead, buried, gone, punished for what I did to his youngest brother's daughter. I am lucky that Shining Blade is advocating just as much for keeping me, or I would assuredly be out of the League, and left on my own.

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How do you feel about your height?

Wow. Just wow. Like, I am a literal monster, and yet you wanna know about my height? I wear a legitimate demonic mask, and cover myself in black robes, but people wanna point out my height? You know what I feel about my height? I hate that everyone focuses on it, like first thing, whenever someone sees me. IT's always been that way! I've always been short! I was the only girl who wasn't taller than the boys when I started puberty, and I barely grew at all. I've always been the shortest person around, because my dad was 5'2" and my mom 4'11", and yeah, that means I am pretty short, even a little bit shorter than my mom, but it's just like... why does everyone focus on that. I think the only good part of all these changes the Broken made in making me a monster is that I can now lift elephants over my head, and most people stop caring about height when you do that.

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Why do you still keep fighting, despite everything, despite anything?

Because I want to protect people from horrible fates. My existence is cursed, is terrible, but I can do something with it now. I can make other people lead happy, healthy lives, I can leave the world behind, better than it was when I came. I keep fighting because if I don't fight, I have no reason to exist, except to wait for my doom to come. I keep fighting because my mother taught me that a good person is one who takes care of others, and that it doesn't matter what you look like, what you have or don't have, that anyone, from any situation... can be a good person. I miss her so much, but she was right - I have to be a good person, because she was a good person, and she expected me to be a good person, and I would never want to bring shame to her.

# ? Oct 10, 2016 20:06

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

Yurei Questions: Part Two
What's the most important part of being a hero? What's your favorite anime? (Could be a real IRL anime or a fake one- preferably the latter, though.) Optional: How do you feel about cute girls and cute boys?

What's your relationship with the Outside like, now that you're, uh, part Broken? Have you noticed anything with what the mainstream thought of what the broken... /are/ is just, uh, wrong? What has Tohu-Wa whispered to you, in the night? Who's /more/ interested in you now that you're... like this? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? What villain did you do something terrible to? What's your family like?

# ? Oct 12, 2016 07:01

KittyEmpress: Dec 30, 2012; Jam Buddies

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What's the most important part of being a hero?

Beating the bad guys and saving people is the most important part of being a hero. In that order. If you beat the bad guy, you save not only the current lives, but the ones they might hurt in the future. And yeah, that means that maybe some people you could have kept from getting hurt will maybe get hurt, but that's why we're put into teams. I know well enough that going solo doesn't work out perfect - I mean, the League frowns on it for a reason that... well, I'll get into it later, but lets just say I do understand why having many heroes who believe many different parts are the 'most' important is... well, a good thing.

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What's your favorite anime? (Could be a real IRL anime or a fake one- preferably the latter, though.)

I mean, I don't really watch TV often... if I'm not actively involved in heroics, I like to hang out at my Sanctuary and study a bit, since it's got so many interesting books... I mean... I guess my favorite anime would be that one about being trapped in a video game, you know the one that everyone was obsessed with for awhile? I don't know why I can't think of its name, but it was pretty great - lots of neat characters, and cool powers and stuff, and in the end tons of relationship drama to tie everything up in a neat bow. I know the name started with an H...

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Optional: How do you feel about cute girls and cute boys?

I feel like if I tried to touch one, they'd die.

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What's your relationship with the Outside like, now that you're, uh, part Broken?

I don't know what my 'relationship' with it is, but if you mean 'can you go into it without being invariably destroyed and twisted', then yeah, kinda that's what it's like. I have touched it once or twice, on accident mostly... and most people it's... well, not painful, but weird - but to me, it just feels... almost empowering, like I'd just gotten done draining something dry. I feel stronger, tougher, faster, even smarter when I'm touching the Outside. But I also hear the voice of Tohu-Wa more clearly than ever, surrounding me, from every direction, unable to be stopped, unable to be silence. I'll be honest - maybe the Broken would ignore me, if I didn't attack them, but I haven't found out yet... every time I've seen one, no matter where I was or who was there, I jumped into punching them. So it doesn't matter if they do like me - I hate them, more than I hate anything else.

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Have you noticed anything with what the mainstream thought of what the broken... /are/ is just, uh, wrong?

Uh, yeah. A few things, but I mean, I don't know if they'e wrong wrong, since I haven't like sat down and studied the Broken but... okay, first of all I know some of their history, or at least, I know Tohu-Wa's, because he whispered it to me as I slept for those thirty five years. The Broken are not a new phenomenon, they have not just suddenly broken into the worlds all at once. Tohu-Wa has been aware of existence since the first time life was born in our realm of existence. It, and many of its kind, have been watching, existing in an endless nothing for an eternity to them, where time did not obey the laws it would here, where physics were an illusion. They're old, and they've been making breaches for eternities, just none as... large as this.

See, this brings me to another problem with the mainstream thoughts, this one on the Outside - like, everyone knows it's crazy, and weird, and doesn't work like the 'real' world does... but it's so much different from what it used to be. See, to touch 'stagnant' matter like us, they have to change to a form that fits into our world. In the Outside, they can keep forms that aren't even what we would call forms - colors, sounds, thoughts, they didn't need to be physical to exist. It has changed due to touching us, just like we change if we touch it.

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What has Tohu-Wa whispered to you, in the night?

It'd be easier to ask what ithasn't. Whispers of a better existence, free of want, whispers of hate and despising of form, whispers of true freedom from worldly attachment, whispers of where I would belong, whispers of where my family died, whispers of my failures to save them, whispers of how I have already lost, whispers of how I will act as the first of the new age, whispers of how I'll be the harbinger of my world's doom. Its voice rings in my head every night, and I see myself before it in my every dream. It shows me all it can offer, all it has taken, all I will take, it turns these images into things so real, that sometimes... sometimes I fear they are real, and that the time when I am awake is the dream.

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Who's /more/ interested in you now that you're... like this?

Everyone? I mean, I was a normal person before, my family cared about me and I had some friends, but I wasn't a super popular person, I wasn't the kind of person everyone loved and wanted to hear about. But if you mean who is most interested in me due to what I am? That would probably be The Moon Blade, an unregistered... 'hero' who is known for her uh, extreme ultra violence. No one knows for sure what her powers are, but she only ever appears at night, and leaves villains crippled in her wake. I've met her, twice, and she took... particular interest in my powers, and especially in... well, the story is to come, but in a particular action I took to save some people. She thinks that my powers are interesting, and has told me that I should 'quit the league, and come be hers'.

I'm not sure if I'm happy or creeped out by how she feels about me.

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What villain did you do something terrible to?

The villain Biohazard is uh... odd. His powers basically allow him to grow these organisms that he uses as armor, fusing them to his body as a form of super powerful ultra-tough armor that makes him super strong, super fast, and so on. He's pretty scary actually, and generally goes up against B-rank heroes one on one, and wins sometimes. I'm kind of a... hard counter to him though, I guess. See, I caught him stealing from a League facility while on my way to pick up more materials for more clothes, and... well, decided to stop him. It turns out when you drain the life of anything you touch, and someone willingly fuses themselves into a living organism... touching them has some bad effects. The armor was connected right to his nervous system, and when I suddenly grabbed it with my hands and started killing it, he felt the death himself, and uh.

Well, it was a longer battle than you'd expect - it's not like I kill things instantly, but by the time Moon Blade showed up, he was already on the ground, curled up in his dead 'pet', sobbing for his mommy. When the police showed up to arrest him, they had to lift him off the ground, because he physically couldn't move - the armor had entered rigor mortis, and trapped him inside it. The League had to have their experts cut him out, where they found him still to be sobbing. He's locked up in a mental health facility meant to keep him safe from himself now, because he chants about how he's dead, how he already died, how I killed him. Moon Blade thinks it's hilarious and what he deserves. I feel... conflicted.

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What's your family like?

Dead.

My mom was in her early teens when she had me, but she kept me anyways. My dad was her older brother's best friend, so.. I mean, that says a lot about that, but while he apparently ran off for the first few years of my life, he showed up again around when I was five, and married my mom. He'd gone to college, gotten a degree in accounting, and then came back for her. She loved him, even if those years without him were such a struggle. But he made our lives better, and I grew up with a mother and father. When I was eight, my mom got pregnant again, and I had two little sisters come nine months later. They were beautiful and I loved them so much - I often took care of them to help my mother while she cooked, or cleaned, or worked, and I told them bed time stories, and was the model older sister.

Now I'm not.

# ? Oct 12, 2016 21:31

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 01:56

Nea: Feb 28, 2014; Funny Little Guy Aficionado.

I'll be honest, it seems like everyone's interest has been flagging a bit, and that includes mine, and between that and being out of the house for at least eleven hours five days a week, I've not been feeling up to updating things/running games. I am afraid I am going to have to cancel this game. Sorry friends.

# ? Oct 24, 2016 04:42

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [AniMasks OOC] Roll + Superior to Pose

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