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 "Felicitous Greetings and Salutations, Talents of Kyrdania! You are gladly welcomed to the heart of our proud nation, the glorious factory from which the bounty of all lands is manufactured into miracles, Empire City!" Inspired by all the other games of Masks running around I have decided to make my own. Heroes of the Empire is a game set in the capital of the largest empire of its world, albeit with a development path modified by the continuous presence of superheroes to the point where the general technological level is entirely skewed from that of our own. Talents (the Kyrdanian name for unusual phenomena beyond the definition of science as currently known) are a relatively common part of life, to the point where even the average citizen has some kind of abnormal ability. However the name Talent is also used as an appellation for those individuals with particularly strong powers or the wit and cleverness to apply their powers in a way that sets them apart from the rest of the citizens of the Empire... You will notice I did not say for good or ill. This game of Masks is going to have a particular theme defining it: Ambiguity. Qualitative, rather than quantitative differences are what separate individuals from their fellows, which leads to a very confused perception in general as to the nature of boundaries in general in Kyrdania. They've TRIED to quantify Talents, but there's always somebody who doesn't fit neatly into the Imperial Chart of Unusual Phenomena. Since time immemorial, noble families have tried to claim that superior breeding results in superior powers, but the only real advantages they seem to hold are social capital and money. The hierarchies of any Kyrdanian institution seem more of a suggestion rather than a set of strict guidelines, and the actual org charts have driven people mad. As such, it's somewhat of a cultural fixation to be open to a large variety of tastes and experiences in public, to the point where in "high society" even going to two different balls with the same partner is considered a social faux pas, and the one unquestioned rule of street gang honor (except for those explicitly formed to contradict it, of course) is "family's family, no matter what." The Empire at times has declared its strongest Talents "enemies of the state" or "heroes of the empire" depending on political circumstances, practical benefits received, and the tendency of the Talent in question to send mechanical spiders into the slums to harvest organs. In a few rare cases, this has happened simultaneously. Even the nation itself is a neither an unqualified good or ill for any of its subjects, although there are certainly braggarts who think that Kyrdania can do no evil and victims of its tyranny that think it can do no good. The part where Kyrdania is literally harvesting the land under its control to strategically redeploy elsewhere for more useful purposes serves as the primary visible demonstration of this tension: citizens argue furiously as to whether it is the most monstrous possible affront to the planet and the rights and dignity of people who live in proximity, the salvation of millions who otherwise would lack food, a regretful but necessary course of action weighed in the balance of multiple interests of the citizens of the Empire, or all of the above. However this sense of ambiguity does not mean that right and wrong do not exist. Just because the aforementioned spider guy thinks he has a legitimate answer on how to extend human lifespan through experimentation doesn't mean he's not terrorizing the streets at night. Just because colonials and individuals of lesser economic means are treated as categorically equal under the law to more advantaged people does not mean that in practice justice is extended fairly to all citizens or that the Empire isn't sucking the colonies dry for everything they're worth. That is where you come in: - This is a play by discord game. Post characters here, then head to Discord once decided. The Discord is here, for those of you who would prefer to discuss the concept even before applications are complete. - I expect to be taking 5 individuals. - The spin is pretty heavily set towards technological based powers (at least in Kyrdania, though this is not universally true for the world), but the whole point is "unidentified phenomena", so magic users are free to apply but if you are both powerful and magic-based, that marks you as very different, with all the accompanying positives and negatives. - I'm going to be relatively flexible on applications because of the theme here, and this may go to darker places than some other games of Masks, but I would still like this to have some measure of lightheartedness. Please do not app a 100% all the time sad/serious character who is incapable of interacting with other teenagers. - Generate a complete character sheet except for the questions relating to team and bond. Additionally, answer the following additional backstory question: "What do I refuse to allow to contain me?" - this should have an answer separate to the elements core to your character but not destroy the role's inherent tension (so no fair playing a Janus and saying you refuse to let your secret identity contain you, or whatever). - Complete character sheets due this Friday, September 21st at 9:00 AM EST. Jossar fucked around with this message at 15:44 on Sep 15, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 15:30
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A Soldier will be here.
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Sep 15, 2018 17:21
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 Gladius the Protégé How did you frst meet your mentor? I first met Centurion when I was eight. He rescued my family and a dozen others from our homes during the Dock Street fires. I'm sure you remember that. I first met the person behind the mask less than a year ago. He wasn't happy that I found him. When and why did you choose to train with them? My family runs a small workshop. They make precision tools, and not a lot of them. Its barely profitable, but it keeps us from starving. It also keeps us from having to work in the factories, which seem to produce as many injuries as they do parts. But me? I can't. Or I can, but I refuse. There are more important things than machining tools for other people's profits. I knew with Centurion's guidance, I could be better than this. I had the plan to track him for years, but it only recently became viable. Why did they agree to train you? Again, he wasn't happy that I found him, but I think he was impressed. I'm a telepath and I didn't always have control of which thoughts I heard. But once I did, I just had to wait for a sighting. The attack at the station was exactly what I needed. I got there just as the situation was resolved, then followed his thoughts back to a hideout. After some questioning, he tried to send me away, but I begged. I insisted, I bargained. I eventually noticed the Centurion suit was damaged and talked him into letting me help maintain it. Later, I convinced him to teach me to fight too - turns out the key to getting good quick is mind-reading your opponent. He's reluctant to help me build my own suit, but I know he'll come around eventually. Who else, outside of your team, knows about your training? My father does. I came clean during an argument over the shop. He hates it. Hates that I'm doing it, hates that I won't tell him who Centurion is, hates that its slowing down his orders. I know our relationship is straining, but eventually he'll understand this is for the greater good. Why do you care about the team? Working with Centurion is great, but suffocating. He treats me like a child and questions my every move. The team are more mercurial, less set in their ways. They don't know everything already and that is a strength he doesn't have. "What do I refuse to allow to contain me?" My public perception. Before I learned to hide my talent, it marked me as intrusive and threatening. Kids at school avoided me, like the range of a classroom would stop their thoughts reaching me. Teachers too. A lot of the financial trouble my family has had is a direct result of clients with secrets avoiding me. It probably has me on a dozen lists as a potential asset or threat. But I'm not a creep, or a rat, or a spy. As Gladius, I can show them what I truly am. quote:Hero name: Gladius Not Operator fucked around with this message at 15:26 on Sep 16, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 17:21
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 Tiamat, the Bull • Who changed you? They called themselves H.O.A.R.D. I don't know what it stands for, honestly, and I don't much care either. Hell, the only reason I know it's an acronym at all was the fancy logo they had on everything. As far I can tell, they were some sort of black-ops thing in the Imperial Kyrdanian Army. Now, okay, look at me. White hair? Red eyes? You better bet I'm not from Empire City originally. I'm Escadian and drat proud of it. When the Kyrds rolled in and "invited" us to join the empire, at gunpoint, we made them work for it. Hard. I... alright, here's the deal. Most of the past few years? A bit of a blur. I remember a raid on my hometown, a bunch of kids like me getting captured and then... things are fuzzy. Experiments. Less and less of us, even as I got stronger and stronger. I'm not sure what exactly they did to me, but it amped up my talent like you wouldn't believe. I used to be able to grow scales. Not the most impressive power, I know, but it was pretty handy as a rough-and-tumble kid. Now? Now I can turn into an honest-to-god giant dragon. Giant-ish, I guess, but I bet I could get really big if I didn't hold back at all. • How did you escape from them? Well, in between all the tests and the procedures they'd run on me, I guess I finally just exceeded their expectations. I don't remember what set me off, exactly, but there wasn't anyone with me when I finally made a break for it. I get the feeling I'm forgetting something, something I really shouldn't forget, but what the hell do you want from me? I turn into a dragon. I don't have some sort of super-genius talent. Anyways, I punched through a few walls, fried some really expensive looking machines, and then the secret base or whatever it was just went absolutely crazy. There were alarms, people were running every which way, and, honestly, I don't even think they noticed I left until I was gone. There must have been some really wild poo poo down there if their pet dragon kid's escape snuck under the radar. When I popped out, I was in the slums downtown. People there don't really ask a lot of questions. I dig that. Especially since the kind of questions I'd get asked don't have a lot of good answers. I was on the streets for a bit, as you might expect, but I'm not the type to just keep my head down. Whether it was mechanical spiders, kid-snatching gangs, or masked talents having a bit of anonymous "fun" in the depths of Empire City, I took 'em all on. Got something of a rep, I guess, not that I gave a poo poo about it. • Who, outside the team, tries to take care of you now? There were some perks to being well-liked by the downtrodden, sure. I wasn't short on couches to crash on and hot meals were a helluva lot easier to come by. Didn't take too long before Ink got word of what I was doing for the place and offered me a more permanent housing solution. She's pretty chill. Minor talent, she can move her tattoos around, but she's the closest thing that the people I fell in with have to a leader. She may not be as strong as me, but she's just about as much of a stubborn idiot. I mean... wait, nevermind that. She's stubborn as hell. Let's put it that way. It was an easy enough life, doing a little bit to make things better, but I'm not about to stop there and call it good. H.O.A.R.D. still has to pay. • Why do you try to be a hero? First off, I don't like the h-word. I do what I do because it makes me feel good, I don't like the other guys, and because I want to. I don't buy into any of that high-concept bullshit. You've seen the way they talk up the big-name talents. Half the time the only difference between being branded a hero or a villain is whether they've lined the right pockets! But, setting that aside, I do this thing for one reason: so what happened to me isn't gonna happen to anyone else. It sucks, unbelievably so, to lose your people. Your family. Your home. Nobody deserves that, not even the Kyrds. • Why do you care about the team? They're alright. I mean, poo poo, I'm not gonna take down H.O.A.R.D. alone. I don't have a lot of other friends with powers... or friends in general... and, sure, maybe a couple of them are even people I'd have wanted to know before all this mess went down. And the rest? Hell, fight with me long enough and I'll name a kid after you. Figuratively. I don't plan on having any, it's kind of a traditional Escadian thing in the first place... you know what, forget I said anything. That'd be a family full of screwed up names, especially if they insist on the whole hero name thing. Hell, I wouldn't even have one myself if the slum kids didn't mash my name together 'cause they couldn't pronounce Mattos right. • What do you refuse to allow to contain you? My heritage, I guess? Not like I'm ashamed of it or anything, hell, just the opposite. It's just all people see when they look at me. Either I'm the face of a nation that bloodied the nose of the empire, or... well, poo poo. You know how the nobles get. It doesn't get more exotic than parading a tame Escadian around one of those fancy parties. I've seen more than a few all dolled up in those ridiculous dresses. Honestly, if you ask me, I prefer the glares to... that. I've chased off a few "agents" who specialize in getting things that the nobles want. I don't think I'm going to be quite so nice to the next few, maybe they'll get the hint. The Bull posted:Hero Name: Tiamat Tricky fucked around with this message at 06:01 on Sep 18, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 17:29
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nvm. Redacting. Can't get this idea to work and not getting new ones right now.
Yami Fenrir fucked around with this message at 18:50 on Sep 17, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 17:34
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You do a Masks, you get a me.
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Sep 15, 2018 17:35
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 Hero Name: The Facade Real Name: Robert Damsky When did you first learn of your doom? If only I hadn't decided to help out my teacher, Mr. Krazowitz, with his experiments. A once renowned scientist, he had been rejected from academia circles for his fringe theories. According to him, with our limited five senses, we only perceive a small part of reality. That theory became his obsession. Honestly, I didn't put much stock in it, but he was a minor noble. He promised me access to resources, I never could obtain on my own. One fateful day, he called me to his lab. He had made a breakthrough, and it was time for all his efforts to pay off. Sitting in the center of the lab was a strange half-glass, half-metal, spherical device with pipes jutting out everywhere from it. A strange purple fluid bubbled inside it. He looked at me, "prepare to witness history in the making." He pulled a lever on the side of it. That was when everything went wrong. Lights of strange colors, I have never seen before, began to fill the room. Then there was a loud bang. it appeared. An amorphous, many-hued, constantly changing entity. It engulfed Mr. Krazowitz before he even had time to react. Frozen in terror, I could do nothing as it came toward me and also started to engulf me. I felt as though some part of myself was being drained away from me. Oddly enough, I also felt as though those parts were being replaced by something else, something alien. Just as I felt myself fading away, a loud crackling noise came from the spherical device, and the lights faded. When this happened, the entity disappeared. I had hoped it was the last time I would encounter it, but that was not to be the case. It turns out the entity had not killed Mr. Krazowitz. I found him slumped on the floor, mumbling nonsense to himself. As far as the doctors could tell there was nothing physically wrong with him. However, he had become completely mentally unhinged. Last I heard, he sent to a special sanatorium designed to handle extreme cases. I too have been changed since the incident that day, I no longer feel like myself. There is an otherness inside of me. With that otherness also came strange powers, and a realization. The flesh is merely a facade for one's true self. Transforming your body is as simple as tapping into another aspect of your being. Why do you oppose your nemesis?  A few months after the incident, I was walking home, when I encountered a woman. Or perhaps, I should say something in the shape of a woman. As soon as I saw them, I knew what they truly were. It was the entity from that day. It instantly recognized me too. At that moment, I knew we were inherently linked. It had taken something from me to manifest in this world, but it needed more to be complete. It simply nodded at me, an evil gleam in its eyes. While it would eventually need me, the need was not immediate, and it could afford to be patient. After a few discrete questions around town, I found out that they are currently identifying themselves as Miss Baldridge. Apparently, she had already somewhat established themselves in the criminal underworld. Knowing that my newfound powers are inherited from the entity, I have very little faith that I can actually defeat her. However, its not just me that is in danger, I feel that "Miss Baldridge" is a potential threat to humanity itself. I must take it down, whatever the cost. Who, outside of the team, is crucial to defeating your nemesis?  The estranged daughter of Mr. Krazowitz, Alicia Krazowitz. Until the incident, she never believed in her father's theories. She now feels its her duty to help clean up her father's mess. She is currently working on a doctorate degree in science.  The most unexpected ally in the fight against "Miss Baldridge" is No Luck Louie. A small time crook, he has been finding it very hard to operate with her around. Where did you get your sanctuary?  Just as I was transformed, so was Mr. Krazowitz's laboratory. I think it has become partially connected with wherever that entity came from. After the incident, I practically had to drag the authorities to its location, and even I got a little bit lost. Not wanting to return to the lab herself, Alicia has given me permission to use it. Exploring it after the incident, I have become convinced that it has been fundamentally changed. I keep on stumbling upon weird devices, that I know weren't in the lab before. Even stranger, when I look upon them, I feel as though I have a vague sense of what their purpose is. Also, one day while wandering the lab, I suddenly found myself at school, which is miles away. Part of me thinks I should stay as far away as possible from the lab, but I think its too useful to abandon. Why does the team matter to you? While I have been changed by the entity, I still am mostly myself. My friends help keep me grounded, and remind me that I can still have fun. What do I refuse to allow to contain me? My common birth. The nobility thinks it has the right to step over the common folk, and that they should have access to special privileges. I deny that they should have access such rights. The backbone of the empire is the so called common folk. The Doomed posted:Labels: IShallRiseAgain fucked around with this message at 23:03 on Sep 15, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 17:38
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 Mockingbird, the Delinquent "Who am I? Oh, please. You already know who I am. I'm the stylish and cool hero that everyone's talking about, Mockingbird! I don't usually do interviews, but I'll make an exception, just this once~ After all, I'm sure your readers are dying to know more about me~" quote:• How did you get your powers? "As much as I'd like to say that it's all my natural talent, that is, unfortunately, not the case. Everything I know, I learned from my grandpa. Grandpa is the kind of man who loves tinkering with machines, and there'll be times when he'd spend all day in his workshop, building and creating whatever idea was on his mind at the time, and I guess his love for tinkering and machines rubbed off on me. I'd watch my grandpa as he worked on his projects, and even helped him out from time to time, and I ended up picking up a lot from. You see all those devices over there by that workbench? All built by me~" "Ah, but being smart, talented, and cool aren't the only skills I've got. I also have this," Scarlet removes the glove on her left hand, revealing a symbol on the back of her hand, "See this? I was born with this. It's some sort of magic seal. I've got no idea why or how I've got this, but I can siphon other people's Talents by touching them with my left hand. That's right, my special Talent is "borrowing" other people's talents, and making them my own~ It's only temporary, of course. I can only hold onto someone else's Talent for a few minutes, and the amount I take depends on how long I manage to keep physical contact with them." quote:• What do you do for fun? "I really like building things, just like my grandpa. I love taking things apart, just to see how they work, and then rebuild them using parts from something else to make something new. Unlike my grandpa, though, I like to add a little more 'flourish' to my designs~" "Working on machines isn't the only thing I do, of course. I like to do whatever strikes my fancy, like eating sweets, going on fun joyrides, or even messing with some high-and-mighty noble~ Sure, society might not approve of some of the things I do for fun, but I don't give a drat about any of that. I do whatever feels good, and if you don't like that, then too bad for you~" quote:• Who, outside the team, thinks better of you than you do? Scarlet's smile quickly disappears, replaced with a deep frown, "Really? You're going to ask me about her? Really? Can't we talk about, I don't know, literally anything else?" "Ugh. Fine. If you want me to talk about her so badly, then I'll talk." "Raven and I used to be close, like sisters, but things started... changing with us, after a while. She started getting a lot more uptight, a lot more preachy, and a lot less fun to be around. She'd disapprove of me breaking a few silly laws or two, and we'd get into a lot more fights than we usually do. And as if that wasn't enough, she mentioned to me, one day, that she was planning on joining Imperial Kyrdanian Army, and she had the nerve to ask me to join her. She knows I have my own personal issues with the army, but she asked me anyways because "We should start doing something worthwhile with our lives, something that actually matters."" "You better believe I was angry. The girl I considered my sister, who I used to trust with my life, wanted us to become goddamn tools of the army, the one thing I never wanted to be. We got into a huge fight, and that's when we just... broke it off. Me and her? We're not friends anymore. She's part of them now, and she still thinks my talents are 'better suited' with them. Raven can think whatever she wants, I refuse to be a drat dog for the empire." "There. Now you now. Can we please change the subject to something that isn't infuriating to talk about?" quote:• Why do you try to be a hero? "Now that's a better question. Like I said, I do whatever feels good, and nothing makes me feel better about myself than taking down some high-minded jerk who's full of themselves~ But more than that? I hate bullies. I hate those who push around those weaker than themselves, and think they can get away with it. If I see some big-headed jerk abusing their Talent to make things worse for the folks around them, then I'm going to take them down, and I'll do it my way. Yea, sure, I might have to "ignore" a few laws to do it, but you know what they say about breaking a few eggs~" quote:• Why do you care about the team? "As much as I hate to admit it, someone as good as I am can't possibly do everything herself, and it's nice to have a gang you can depend on. Oh, sure, a few of them are a bit on the stuffy side, but I'm sure I can help them loosen up a bit~" quote:• What do I refuse to allow to contain me? "Do you even need to ask? It's society. They say the laws are there to preserve 'peace' and 'stability' in the empire, but we all know it's to suppress 'poor' lower class folk like us. Well, too bad for them, because I don't care about following those rules~ I'll do whatever I want, whenever I want, and I'll be a hero my way, and I'll look good doing it~ I won't let anybody clip these wings of mine down!" quote:Hero Name: Mockingbird Tardzilla fucked around with this message at 18:37 on Sep 20, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 17:38
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 Sergeant Lucas Kolwassi. AKA Exemplar, the Soldier Reporting for duty, sir. You wanted to review my file. What tragedy or disaster led to you gaining your abilities? That'd be just before I was recruited, sir. My father was an infantryman at Luxor during the Taichek Rising. We were on base at the time of the attack. As you're aware, sir, I had volunteered for medical experimentation as part of the efforts against malaria in the region, because my, ah, my ability is...was a hypereffective immune system. Very little of note, sir. When the Taichek forces attacked the Luxor base, they slaughtered us. The forces there were totally unprepared. My fathered died in the fighting, and my mother went missing. My sister, Jenna, and I were trapped in the labs, and that's what they came for. Taicheck scientists were trying to use the malaria research to create a bioweapon, sir. I became their test dummy for that and...a number of other cases. I regret to say I didn't fight them, sir, for fear that they would hurt my sister. Their doctors - well, the Mad Doctor Taichek in particular - was less interested in the bioweapon and even the cause he'd promised to his followers. He wanted to see the edges to which our bodies could be put. My sister, sir, she only has the ability to make iron rust with her saliva, sir. They tested it. Just iron. To keep them away from her, I let them do what they liked to me. Seems that there's a lot you can do with a body that won't give up. Taichek's experiments...well, the reason the few forces he has left, sir, aren't like me is because they don't have my ability to start with. He found out how to artificially increase our powers, but the only reason I survived is that immune system I started with, sir. All of his other experiments have failed that I know of, sir. ...I ask the intel teams to keep me updated on his movements, so I can be on hand when we arrest him, sir. That's - that's the other reason. If AEGIS hadn't located and taken down his main hideout, sir, I shudder to think what would have been done with what he planned for me. What inspired you to official join AEGIS? The rescue, sir. Even with Luxor fallen and the Taichek rebels and terrorists running rampant, you came for us. For my sister and I. Well, Captain Lancelot did. I owe him more than I can repay, sir. So I - well, it did come out that I lied on my age to get in, sir. said I was seventeen. I was sixteen at the time, sir, when I signed on two years ago. Bu you're better than the Army. My father died not knowing what he was doing. You've taught us more than that. AEGIS is a police force, not an army. We're more than warriors. We're soldiers and detectives. That inspired me, sir. That - pardon my language, sir, it inspired the hell out of me. I want to be like Captain Lancelot, sir. Not just a good fighter, not just strong, but smart, too, and honorable. What does AEGIS do for the world that no one else can? Sir! We are the first, last and only line of defense against the dark underbelly of the world! When nobles plot and scheme for petty gain against the Empire itself, we are there to stop them! When terrorists aim for innocent lives, we are there to stop them! When enemies of the Empire threaten to destroy the safety of the people and the peace of the world, we are there to stop them! We bring justice, law and comfort to the masses! We, above all other groups, have no loyalty but to the true heart of the Empire! We serve not the Emperor but the Empire! Captain Lancelot taught me the motto of his family, sir. "Orau tarian, cyfiawnder." The best shield is justice. It's Cymric, I think? Well, that's what we are. AEGIS, shield of the people. Justice for all, no matter who they are. Though the Empire trembles, we stand strong. That's what we do for the world that no one else does. And I am proud, sir, proud to bear that burden. Who, outside of AEGIS and the team, connects you to the civilian world? That would have to be my sister, sir. She's my anchor, since Ma and Pa-ah, Mother and Father died. She's going to that fine school now, sir, thanks to my paycheck, and she is the light that keeps me going. I know I must be embarrssing to her when I go and attend the school events, sir, but I'm so proud of what she made for herself. Jenna's a good girl, sir, bright as brass and smart as a whip, if you pardon my expression, sir. She'll go far, and I'm backing her all the way. Just wish those at her school would be more polite, like, about the, ah, circumstances of our birth. If you'll pardon my saying so, sir, we're common as muck and they're not all rightly pleased by that. I will not, however, allow such feelings to affect me in the course of my duties, sir. Why do you care about the team? We're all in this together, sir. Just like me, they want to bring justice and peace. We may not all agree on the best way to do that, but none of us, sir, none of us doubt that it is possible. They have proven to me that while I may not agree with their politics or what they do, they each follow a code, sir, a code they hold dear. They are honorable people, and I trust them to do right. I agree with them on a lot, sir. There are many people taking advantage of the Empire, making it worse for all our people to better themselves. And that, we all agree, cannot be abided. What do I refuse to allow to contain me? That would be corruption, sir! I was born common as muck and I have seen firsthand the corruption and the evil that can be perpetrated by those whose bloodlines place them at the top. If the nobility will not maintain the duties that they are required by virtue of their station, sir, then I will not allow custom to contain me in my enforcement of the law against their corrupt deeds! Likewise, sir, I will not allow myself to sit idle while crime runs rampant, while corruption cuases people to lose faith in our system, while graft and villainy make it so that even the foundations of our society are questioned! We are no better than the worst of those in power, sir, and so we must ensure that we, that all who bear the Imperial seal, strive to be our best! Justice is for all, sir! quote:Look: Man, mixed race, trained body, simple clothing, military uniform
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Sep 15, 2018 18:17
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Dropping, I can't really think of anything.
Senior Scarybagels fucked around with this message at 04:37 on Sep 16, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 19:19
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Interest check. Maybe a Legacy will go here - - - -   As long as the Empire has existed. So have the Sparks. Or so the stories go. What "The Spark" is, is hard to define. It's a... sentient power source, marking individuals to become part of it's collective. We're marked by blue tattoos. Our powers are pretty consistent, but display themselves in different ways. Everyone moves the air in their own way, Spark-steps in their own way. We work as a organised force. With assignments handed out by the Collective Council, or the Spark Council. We're partly a military force, law enforcement, and in a couple cases. Bodyguards to the Emperor's palace. But that's only the Elite. It's a garenteed way to get put on the Council afterwards. A cushy job, you know? I am not on that assignment. Sparks are... to the best of my knowledge, modified people. Some kind of change is put through our bodies, that we can generate and hold this energy. But the modifications aren't perfect. We can move so fast, that we go blind. It's kinda terrifying the first time. So we're taught to feel the world around us through the air. That then becomes moving the air. Then ends up with us hurling bolts of concentrated wind at our enemies, or weaving it into a weapon, a sword, or a spear. I've seen Sparks run on the air, make storms. I've seen them be paragons of the city. I've seen them be brutal oppressors. Sometimes, a little evil is needed to do good. quote:• When did you officially become a part of your legacy? Well... I was a street urchin. No family that I know of. I was part of this little gang. We'd go robbing, pick pocketing. Anything to survive. I was a natural, fast fingers. We'd haunt the kind of places the rich would like to hang out. We'd make a score, fence it. It was... rough, but good. Until we picked the wrong target. We picked a Spark. I picked a Spark. He had my hand faster then I could blink. The others scattered. But there were more of them! I've never seen someone move so fast. It was terrifying. I had to get away! I had to! I just- I don't know what happened but I ran. I found myself miles away. I'd dragged the Spark the whole way there. He lifted me up into the air. I didn't know what had happened, nor why he was smiling so much. I started training with them about two weeks later. Five years later, I was honoured with my first assignment. An official member of the Spark Collective. My childhood taught me that good and evil aren't black and white. There sometimes you've got to get your hands dirty and bend the rules to survive. Some of the other members look down on me. I hear the whispers. I'm the "thief boy". Something goes missing, I'm the one they come to. But I don't let it get me down. I've got a lot to prove! And you better believe I'm going to do it! quote:• What’s the greatest accomplishment of your legacy? God, which one do I pick? The don't hesitate to tell us all about the heroic acts of our legacy! The Battle of Bogsworth Hill? The Seven's final stand? The revolution of the Yellow Fever? There was that time that Sparks solved a huge drought (they don't mention that they caused a flood afterwards). But to be honest. I always comes back to the Lightning Strike. The Empire was under attack. And impossibly, they were losing. Facing an enemy the likes of which they've never seen. Beaten at every turn and forced back to the Capital itself. A siege. It went on for months. But as it dragged on food ran low, moral too. The city was on the brink of breaking. But this storm started to gather. Holding above the city, waiting, the air charged. Finally, as the enemy gathered to strike the gates. The lightning bolts fell. The Spark. It picked it's champions, empowered them. They used their powers. Shattered the assault before it could bring down the gates. Then they lead a charge into the heart of the enemy! Slayed the leaders and the day was won! The Sparks were presented before the Emporer. He declared them heroes. Legends. Statues were built in their honour. You can still see them, they're kept in as close to pristine condition as possible. The Square of the Siege. There's a little market there once a week. It's fun, you should check it out. Just... keep an eye on your purse. quote:• How does the public perceive your legacy? Depends on who you ask. The more ahh... "lawless" elements, fear and hate us in equal measure. The working class.... hard to call. Depends on how patriotic they are. Or pro our current Emperor. The rich? They love us. Probably because they control the council through funding and sponsorship. We're looked on as an elite force. Few other groups has as wide a membership as us, or as large a public presence. We're hardly the common guardsmen, but those of us assigned to the military tend to have leadership roles as standard. Frankly, it's a mixed bag. It would be a lot easier if our collective wasn't so wrapped up in politics. We've been accused of maintaining the status quo. Ironic right? The guys who move faster then anyone else! Keeping everything else standing still. quote:• How does your legacy tie into your reasons for being a hero? They gave me the training to use these powers. The powers they gave me. I want to make something of this! This opportunity is like nothing I could have ever dreamed of! I'd be a thief... or dead. So I want to use this to help people who were like me! Make a real change! Maybe take some of our members off of their high horses. Because, geez, we've got some egotistical Sparks. quote:• Why do you care about the team? It reminds me of my days of being in a gang. I've honestly missed the feeling. Plus, it's nice to get away from the collective for a while. quote:LEGACY NAME Tempest Arashiofordo3 fucked around with this message at 22:57 on Sep 20, 2018 |
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Sep 15, 2018 21:45
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Interest-posting. Thinking a Beacon?
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Sep 15, 2018 22:27
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 Powerplay, The Nomad Well, I guess I'm back. If being from a place you never actually knew counts as "back". Who took you from Kyrdania when you were younger? My dad. Dr. Kranzius Lieboviz. He was working on a project for the military. Transportation. They wanted to build a teleporter to the moon. He wanted to get out. So we did. Teleported right out. Past the moon. I still think we crossed dimensions at least once, but he said we were just some 17.8 billion light years out. What farscapes did you explore? Well, first place we landed was nice enough. Except for the giant insects, and the lack of anybody to talk to. Stayed there for a few years, I only have a few memories of Chrysalis. Went back to visit once. It's super pretty. Again, aside from the giant insects. Next jump was better. Kantos. Real feudal, but nice people. Had 3 moons that did neat stuff to the tides. Dad set himself up as a wizard, even grew out the beard. Learned to fight there, swords, shields, bows, that sort of thing. Stayed there 'til I was about 8. There was a war coming, dad didn't want us involved in that. Then we bummed around some other places for a 2 years or so. Sionarad, Kapru, couple others. Finally we ended up in the Rusnova Empire on Litvania-7. Slipstream, The City Of Lights. Interstellar waystation. People coming and going all over. That's when he started taking on jobs, building a home. We took jobs all over Rusnova. Who was your favorite traveling companion? Aside from Dad? I never really made friends on Kantos. Once we were living on Litvania-7 I had a few. Well, a whole team. And there was a girl, Rulana. Real nice, purple skin, had wings. Couldn't fly or anything, but still. Wings! Her dad was out of the picture, so our parents took turns taking care of us. We spent a lot of time together. Went to school together, played on the kricket team together... first kiss, that sorta stuff. I hope she's okay. I didn't even get to say goodbye. What brought you back to stay (for now)? After we 'ported, first thing he'd do was program the rift generator back to Kyrdania. My aunt Lydia's penthouse. Something went wrong with one of Dad's jobs. Slipstream had traders from all over, but also pirates, smugglers, you know the sort. He needed a second set of hands on a lot of these, setting up cloaking rigs or programming wave generators to fake content scans. We got into a couple standoffs over payments, that sorta thing. Nothing major though. So one day he missed my kricket game. Hardly ever happened. Few hours after the game, he came home hurt, looked like a grenade went off. Not fatal or anything, just singed and scuffed up. But he was also scared. This was a man who defied the Kyrdanian army and stole House Ziviris tech. I saw him singlehandedly fight off a flanarbeast with just a lazknife. This was the first time I saw him scared, like that. He told me to grab a few things, then he set us up to 'port back. Then he said he needed one more thing, stepped away... he never intended to come with me. I saw it in his eyes. He just looked... sad. Then he was gone. And I was here. Not even at Aunt Lydia's. Apparently they renovated that building into a biofarm for growing meat. That sucked almost as bad as leaving dad. Why do you care about the team? So, I don't really know this place. I've read the books and heard dad's stories, but I'm new here. I know why he said he left, but I need to see for myself. And family isn't blood, it's who you choose to share your life with. What do I refuse to allow to contain me? My heritage. I know I'm technically a noble 'cuz my mom was from House Ziviris, but I don't owe them ANYTHING. And I'm not taking any favors, either. quote:Hero Name: Powerplay Relentless fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Sep 17, 2018 |
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Sep 16, 2018 04:31
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 Daemon the Janus • When did you first put on the mask? Why? So, I got this intern job at the Imperial Gazette. Doesn't pay much, but it's a good place to work while I'm studying for my degree even though my mom and dad think me going into journalism is useless. They'd rather have me go to the Civil Academy like dad once did and become a bureaucrat and mayor like himself, but that's not happening ever. But the thing is... If the Gazette goes under, I'm pretty boned and they can use it to force me. And man, their sales have been going really downhill lately. The editor sticking to pro-government jingoism helps with the censors and what business advertise it but people don't care about uplifting stories about the empire. And that's where my talent comes to help. Nothing like a mysterious vigilante that flouts the rules of the Empire while taking on bad guys to get some sales... Not to mention it's a good way to stick it to dad. • Why do you keep a secret identity? It'd be too much of a freaking bother if people found out I'm a vigilante hero, for starters! Not to mention this could get me fired, or worse, maybe even arrested if things went wrong, and I'm not risking that! • Who, outside of the team, knows about your dual identity? My pet cat of course, ha ha. Other than her... Well, this whole secret identity ordeal would be kind of a big source of trouble for me, my family and my job, so it's better it be known by as little people as possible. • Who thinks the worst of your masked identity? Mr. Armand, the editor in chief I guess! But even then he knows better than to get my articles out of print since he knows what sells and what doesn't, ha! • Why do you care about the team? Because we are in it to win it, I guess? I mean we are on a team. If one falls, the other will probably fall too, and I'm not letting myself be dragged into this! • What do I refuse to allow to contain me? Everyone else's expectations. I might not be the shining hero that people expect or not be the dream son that my parents expect, but I know what I want and what's better for myself, and not them. And that's what I'm going to do. quote:Hero Name: Daemon Plutonis fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Sep 17, 2018 |
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Sep 16, 2018 16:18
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 Felix "Still" Dunn, The Transformed Outside of the reports, you probably never heard of Twin Finch Brewery. Used to be the pride of Galloway. Then the main vat ruptured. The big one. Then another. And another. In all, we lost over 300,000 gallons, but a filthy river of wort and hops and a whole lot of future welding work weren't the half of it. We lost good folks. Too many. We lost Herbert Finch. I tried to help as many as I could. I tried to be as strong as they all needed me to be. But it was just too much. I remember steam. I remember darkness. When I woke up in bed, my mother was watching over me. She doesn't understand what happened or why. Nobody does. Some "unforeseen structural flaw." Same for me, I guess. But Frank Finch needed my help. He didn't care that I was... different. He sympathized, sure, but he never made me feel bad about it or anything. Not like some of the others. We cleaned up the streets. Scrapped what needed scrapped. Rebuilt what needed rebuilt. Helped those we'd inadvertantly harmed. Then we focused our attentions on the brewery itself. What remained of it, anyway. Less than a year later, Lone Finch Brewery opened. Frank took us in. Me and my mother. I'd been working for him and his brother for a while, but this was different. Ma came to work at the brewery too. We ate meals together. It was like... Anyway. They pushed me. "Can't hide away in some slum forever, kid. Not someone like you. Shining brighter than a still." So I helped more people. Anyone who came calling. I know Ma's not entirely happy about some of the stuff I've done, but most of it's harmless. Lots of looking intimidating without ever really feeling it. So long as I can keep hoods like Red Morris and the rest of the Galloway Rats at bay, I think we'll be all right. Some of those offers, though... Why do you care about the team? Ma and Mr. Finch are great. I'm not meaning to complain. They do their best to listen, but you can tell they just don't... get it. Having folks who don't need explained to and aren't looking at me in a constant state of worry is a bit of a relief. What do you refuse to allow to contain you? I may not come from money. I may not come from fancy stock. But I wasn't an ignorant before I got turned to walking copper and I'm not one now. If someone underestimates me, it's on them. quote:Man Inkspot fucked around with this message at 04:54 on Sep 17, 2018 |
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Sep 16, 2018 16:35
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 Anarchy the Reformed quote:Who mentored you in supervillainy? quote:Who first showed you that you could do good? quote:What was your goal as a villain? quote:What caused you to switch sides? quote:Why do you care about the team? quote:What do I refuse to allow to contain me? quote:Hero Name: Anarchy Ferrosol fucked around with this message at 19:09 on Sep 17, 2018 |
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Sep 16, 2018 20:42
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Okay, got most of my app up. Just a couple more questions to answer.
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Sep 19, 2018 23:24
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 Zindra Allinra the Where do you come from? The Yallora Polity....wait, do your history books still call us an empire? Sheesh. That was centuries ago! We might have had a couple civil wars since then. It's not as if the Empress runs everything herself anymore or leads fleets to....oh, sorry. So right, the Yallora Polity! That's home. It's a group of three hundred and fifty islands in the Far Western Ocean, some of the most beautiful climate you'll ever see, home to fabulous cities and charming villages. We have the best engineers and the most advanced scientists. I mean it would be fair to say we're the most advanced civilization in the world. What, no, I'm not bragging! Do you want me to lie to you? Why did you come to As a gesture of good will! Before the War of Glorious Isolation, our nations weren't really....friendly. I mean you did lead the Grand Western Alliance against us. Against Mad Empress Bartilla. Ugh. She sucked. But our current government doesn't! The Engagement Front won control of the Parliament in the last election. We're ready to be part of the world again. What better way than forging alliances with an ancient enemy? Why do you want to stay here (for now at least)? I want my mission to succeed! And... ...things are different here. There's an energy to the place. Yallora doesn't change a whole lot - I mean sure, we changed governments not so long ago, but that took a long time coming, and it's still happening. It's like...Yallora moves like an airship, slowly and ponderously. Kyrdania moves like a scout ship. It's exciting! Why do your people want you to come home? Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellll.....the Yalloran Home party isn't thrilled about this whole project. "Why send one of our best young talents to waste her time with savages?" And let's not get started on the Restorationists - they're pissed I'm from the wrong caste, as if those are still in force. "Oh, an Allinra? They're supposed to be builders, not diplomats or soldiers!" But I'm not that worried. The Prime Minister and Empress themselves saw me off! Why do you care about the team? I really want to do right by my people, and the team's the best way to do that. I believe what the Prime Minister says, that isolation has taken us as far as it can, and it's time to participate in the world again. And the team's fun! Everybody's different here! There's so much to learn and do, and...well, it's nice to have friends. What do I refuse to allow to contain me? Expectations. The Kyrdanians who see me as a zealot. The people back home who see me as a traitor. I'm not going to play into it. I'm not! This will work and be amazing! quote:Hero Name: Platonicsolid fucked around with this message at 03:47 on Sep 21, 2018 |
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Sep 20, 2018 18:19
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Finished my app
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Sep 20, 2018 22:58
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 (image source) Aetherine, the Nova quote:When did you first use your powers? I was... four, I believe? Young enough that the memories are a touch hazy around the edges. It's one of the first things I remember, in fact. I was in the playroom at the orphanage, having some sort of squabble over a toy -- a wind-up elephant, I think -- and when I grabbed it from her, I wished her away so hard that my Talent put a wall between us, a wall of shimmering semi-solid heat. I remember it being translucent, like jelly, and blazing hot but not burning. I screamed, of course. So did my friend, and so did most of the rest of the children. One of the attendants swept me away and took me to a private ward, the one where they kept the "early Talents," as they called me. It wasn't a very cheery place, but I didn't stay very long; little children with strong Talents end up adopted quickly, by the nobility or by the Empire. Once the word of my Talents filtered out, Mama and Papa arrived to take me home. Rather lucky, isn't it? I don't even remember the orphanage well now. Heaven forfend I'd stayed any longer. quote:Who was the first person you accidentally hurt with your powers? ... Ah. That's the unlucky part. My friend, Anja, with whom I had the squabble? She touched the wall in her panic. Her hands were burnt quite badly. They never told me the extent of things, but when they told me she was hurt, I cried all night. I didn't really have many friends at the orphanage, you understand, and Anja was dear to me. When I was seven, Anja wrote me a letter. She was still at the orphanage, but going to school and doing well, and she wanted me to know that she forgave me. It's a strange feeling to be forgiven for something like that; I felt grateful and somehow freshly ashamed at once. We were pen pals for a few years, until her own Talent manifested -- the stimulation of healing factors in the body, something like a "miracle healer?" It was all very exciting, and soon the Imperial service came to offer her training, and she went off to that life. I do hope she's doing well now. quote:Who, outside the team, helps you control your powers? That would be Mama, of course! She studied astronomy at the University before she was married, and she's the one who told me that my Talent bore all the hallmarks of drawing from the luminiferous aether, the very stuff between the stars! She's tought me a great deal about the aether I conjure and how I can keep it tame. Walls and barriers are the easiest for me, and she says that's because aether naturally lends itself to fortification and containment. Besides, it's safest. Solid aether in a wall or bubble is how we understand it. Aether moving quickly is... well, we don't know, really. Or Mama doesn't know, in any event. She says we may have to begin experiments. Papa helps too, in his way. He's not a scientist -- he's some sort of financier, which seems mostly an excuse for parties -- but he's lent me his books on meditation and philosophy from outside the Empire. A great deal of it is poppycock, but there are some grains of real truth there, and things to think about to help cultivate self-control. quote:Why do you continue to use your powers? Why do you think I have a choice? Let's be honest for a moment. As dearly as I love Mama and Papa, I know very well that the Doranovs didn't adopt me just for want of a child. They already had two sons -- Theobald and Thaddeus, my twin older brothers, who've done everything in their power to ignore me -- and two children is plenty, isn't it? No, they adopted me because I had my Talent, and because it was powerful and useful. Mama sees me as a research project. Papa sees me as a curio. Both see me as an investment, I think, to improve the Doranov fortunes via fame, glory, or at bare minimum a profitable marriage. If I decided to seal my Talent away... well, then I'd just be the little guttersnipe who ended up at the orphanage in the first place. This is all I have to distinguish me in this world, and it's all that keeps me a daughter of House Doranov and not a disowned disgrace. It's dangerous, and it's frightening sometimes, but it's all I have in this world, really. For now. quote:Why do you care about the team? I've never really had friends my own age, and I haven't even had much company my own age after I left the orphanage. My brothers ignore me, and I always had private tutors for my classes. I didn't even really have a social debut, as a Talent of my level would have a different path in life... and now I've found it. This team has a taste of the wonders, the burdens, the fear -- what it is to live my life. How could I not adore them? quote:What do I refuse to allow to contain me? My parents' expectations. They've always been very vague before now, but I know they expect me to bring some kind of wealth and glory to the household. That's all well and good, and if what they want and what I want align, all the better... but I won't let them cage me. I've got talent, and I've got a duty to myself to blaze my own way. quote:Hero Name: Aetherine
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Sep 21, 2018 03:37
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 Cantrip, the Outsider Good day! I feel very welcome in your city, I'm so excited I can hardly sleep, particularly with all the clanging and noises about. And so few distractions! The lack of color helps keep one focused, yeah? And the cold is certainly a testament to your national constitution. Um. Oh, yes, I'm Ihina, representative of Sāmrājya. Cultural exchange is a wonderful thing, isn't it? I'm certain I'll stop missing home any moment now. Duty, duty. Where do you come from? I come from Rājya, a suzerainty in the land of Sāmrājya... I... is it really interesting to you? We aren't as superstitious as you've heard, honest it's true, it's just- well. The spirit world is part of our way of life. You have your machines and we have our magic. There are rules to follow. Just like you mind the gap. You know, at the train? It's part of your travel ritual, yes? Why did you come to Kyrdania? Duty, duty. And it helps me fulfill one of the stations of advancement. If I can just handle this, I've only got two more, and then, ahehe. Huh? Maybe you haven't heard? It's important for a young person of potential to volunteer for national service. And if you can fulfill enough stations, well. More opportunities, maybe even imperial appointment! You should think about that too!... wait, no, I guess you're just stuck with where you were born, hm? Well, I guess it's a testament to your country's... well-organized... mm. I wouldn't say it's not right, but if I thought it, would anybody know? Why do you want to stay here (for now at least)? Well, it's all about duty, duty, did I say? If you fail a station, you fall back two. That cannot happen. So I have to put forth a good face here and represent my nation, even if your country presents an, um... inviting challenge? Benevolence, politeness, and unanimity, those are the values I carry with me in my heart. And you have so many troubles! It's quite the prospect! I can hardly decide which one to start with... if you'll excuse my doing so. Why do your people want you to come home? Mother is worried about me being so far from home, and father couldn't agree either, but I don't know if I agree with fighting the Michê, even if it might move me up two stations. There's trouble back home, and it's more respectable to join the Sanrakṣaka - ah, soldiers - but is it right? I mean, the Michê fighting means there's some serious spiritual disharmony going on, or they wouldn't- um. Sorry. I shouldn't be sharing our troubles with you, it's not your burden. Also, if you could forget I mentioned it, it would be wonderful! Why do you care about the team? Well, obviously they could use my help. There's so much I have teach... and learn from them. It's an important part of cultural exchange, a display of unanimity between our two nations! And- ah- I'm not as used to the isolation you bear with such aplomb. I'm just not as used to being alone. And though I could learn... I would rather not. Cultural exchange goes far, but let's not take it too far! What do I refuse to allow to contain me? ... this is not something I am saying aloud. Kyrdania. You have your rules, your laws, and it is my duty to obey them, but isn't benevolence more important? I don't want to lose my station, but what kind of representative of my country would I be if I just let your troubles go on? What about when my heart calls upon me to act? What if people are not fed, or injustice appears before me? I... I... don't want to fall back, especially after taking this on, but suffering calls upon us to act. Please don't ask me to choose. pre:
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Sep 21, 2018 07:05
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Real Name: Ihina Ray Code Name: Cantrip Playbook: Outsider
Abilities: Magemight, Springsteps, Forcewalls, Prismatic Splash
Danger -1 Freak +2 Savior +0 Superior +2 Mundane +0
Outsider Moves
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And done. Selected players are Cantrip, the Outsider (Alien Rope Burn), Aetherine, the Nova (Antivehicular), Exemplar, the Soldier (Mors Rattus), Tiamat, the Bull (Tricky), and Mockingbird, the Delinquent (Tardzilla).
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Sep 21, 2018 14:40
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