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  • Locked thread
Tardzilla
Aug 31, 2006



Welcome to the world of tomorrow!

There’s no place quite like New Arcadia. Dubbed as “The City of Tomorrow,” it was built as a way to bridge humanity to the future, and thanks to the combined efforts of the Justice Alliance and the world’s governments, what was once a pipe dream has now become a reality, ushering in a new golden age of technology, and a new age of heroes!



In the midst of New Arcadia is the Hero Training Academy. Created as a response to the growing number of children being born with powers, the academy is where super-powered teens go to receive proper training for their powers, and also be provided with formal education. So basically a super-powered high school. Students who graduate from the academy are almost guaranteed a spot in the Justice Alliance. Sounds pretty sweet, doesn’t it?

It might be… until you realize you have to juggle the responsibilities of being a hero AND a student. It’s kinda hard to study for that trigonometry test you got next week when you’ve also got an intergalactic threat to deal with. Lucky for you, you’re not alone in this! Students are encouraged to group up into teams, and handle various types of field work together (with adult supervision, of course). Oh, did I forget to mention you’re also graded on how well you handle yourselves as a team? No pressure!

It might sound like a lot of stressful work, but that shouldn’t be a problem for you, right, hero?

---------

Masks is a PbTA about teenage superheroes. I’m aiming for a light-hearted game about a bunch of super-powered teens who have to deal with high-school life while also punching bad dudes in tights. I’m looking for 4-6 players, and I’ll be closing recruitment around February 4th. If you have any questions about the setting, or character creation process, you can message me in #swampthings on synirc, or send me a PM.

I’m allowing all playbooks, even the beta ones. Please post your backstory, character sheet, and answer the questions in your playbook, as well as the additional questions below. Character images and theme songs are highly encouraged!

- What made you decide to join the academy?
- Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?
- Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!
- What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!
- (Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!
- (Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

Edit: Also, the Hero Training Academy is a boarding school, so most of you will be living on campus. Keep that in mind when you're writing your apps!

Completed Apps
Psychosoma, the Innocent by Yami Fenrir
Sanguine, the Bull by Tricky
Mechatronic, the Reformed by Green Bean
Sammi, the Newborn by Arashiofordo3
Cosmic Cowgirl, the Nova by Waffleman_
Lucky Ted, the Beacon by TheNabster
Clatterclaw & Miss Wraith, the Joined by Theantero
Meeba, the Outsider by Alien Rope Burn
Black Rabbit, the Delinquent by Antivehicular
Darkmatter, the Transformed by slydingdoor
Templar, the Bull by Ferrosol
Dynamic Savior: Phoenix, the Legacy by Justice Grieves
Rave, the Outsider by LifeGetsWorser
White Emperor The Runaway, the Janus by Scrree
X-Calibre, the Doomed by GodFish
Lyrebird, the Protégé by Auraboks
Jacob Lawson, the Delinquent by Takanago

Tardzilla fucked around with this message at 22:55 on Jan 29, 2017

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Yami Fenrir
Jan 25, 2015

Is it I that is insane... or the rest of the world?




Huh? You want me for an interview? Oh dear, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to -

Oh! It's just questions? Sorry! I didn't quite understand. That should be fine..

I think?


quote:

How did you get here?

I... I'm actually not quite sure! I was just... doing my daily work as an apprentice mage to the archmages of Atlantis, when...

Huh? What do you mean, Atlantis isn't real? Uhm... it is. Or, well... used to? It appears to be... gone? I don't know what happened. The archmages were preparing some sort of ritual and all of a sudden, everything just went... white. And when I woke up, I was told a fisher boat picked me up, just... floating in the middle of the ocean.

Now, I'm not sure what's going on, but apparently... there's also another me? Somehow? And they're older, too. Maybe... I'm just some sort of magical simulacrum of...

Oh. Sorry. I... I'm just worrying for nothing. Right? Hahaha. I'm real, right?

... Right?


quote:

How is your future self exactly what you never wanted to become?

I've only met the first time recently. They... were just as surprised to see me as I was surprised to see them. And, uhm, they were surprised to see me see them. They're... not usually visible. For ordinary humans, anyway. But spirit mages like me (and the other me! ... this time travel concept is really confusing...) can see into the other world, the spirit world. Which is where my future self, Phantom, apparently resides nearly all the time.

Just looking at her... it scared me. I knew the look all too well. It was the look of one who had seen too much. I have seen that kind of look far too often, when I was helping people back on Atlantis. Usually the brave soldiers that returned home from war. But...

Why her?

I talked to her for a bit... but she was very... cryptic. But one thing she said left me shocked.

"Humanity is not worth it."

I tried to peer into her spirit, desperate for answers. But when I did, she pushed back. Pushed back hard. I felt like a pebble in a tidal wave, and it left me stunned for a good minute. When I returned to my senses... she was gone.

I still don't understand. Everyone here has been very nice to me. What could she possibly be talking about?


quote:

Who, outside of the team and your future self, wants to send you home?



The Spheremancer. I... I'm not quite sure magic works like that? Must be this... superpower thing? Anyway, he can control time with those orbs of his. Apparently, he is an expert on time related problems.

For some reason, he was less than happy to see me. He complained about... 'complete temporal disaster' and 'unforeseen consequences to the timeline', I think? I did not quite understand the problem.

Thankfully, he was very quickly overruled by the other present heroes, which pointed out that not only there likely isn't anything for me to return to (strangely enough, Atlantis just... doesn't seem to be on any of your maps! Your maps appear to need some serious overhaul...) and that I am one of the very few that can locate and interact with Phantom. Apparently, that is a rare quality in this age?


quote:

Why are you determined to stay here, at least for now?


That day, I learned that Phantom has been around for quite some time. Some even called her a myth! Regardless, her action are said to be extremely enigmatic - seemingly without pattern or motive. Sometimes she saves people from certain death, and then ignores a burglar next door. Sometimes she even randomly hurts people, or even goes as far as destroying buildings!

I just don't understand. I wish my other self would open to up me. Maybe I can fix whatever is wrong? ... I'll keep trying. In a way, this is my problem. It's my duty to help her! And everyone!


quote:

Why do you care about the team?

They're very understanding of my situation! ... Or at least I think they are. Did they ever tell them? I... I'm not sure. Maybe I should ask. At the very least, they're pretty nice. Despite my lack of knowledge of... uhm... almost everything. I think I got pushed forward rather far in time...


quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?

Well... there wasn't much of a decision! It was part of an agreement to help me get accustomed to this strange new age. In fact, I didn't even know english before I got here. They had to get a translator!

Uhm, my english is okay, right?


quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

The Amazing Arcanist
.


I... uhm... That's his name. I... I'm not quite sure about the amazing part, but he is a very nice person.

One of the teachers here at school, he teaches those capable of magic in their respective talents. One of the most versatile magic users around, I'd rate him on about archmage level. Also one of the few around here that can use spirit magic like I can, so he's one of the few people that knows about Phantom's true nature. And, in turn, about my true nature.

He's been trying to reel in Phantom, completely unsuccessfully. Phantom is far too strong in the spirit world for most people to deal with, and just end up being banished back into the real world by her. So he was rather surprised to see me talking to her.

Following my recruitment into the academy, he explained that he wants to me to help understand Phantom, as well as stop her from causing even more damage with her seemingly erratic actions. Needless to say, I agreed.


quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

Bunny Bane!


Also known as Lucy. She's one of my best friends! Well, not that that would be hard with the amounts of people I know... Uhm...

Anyway, her little rabbit things are kind of scary, but they're actually really nice only you get to know them. And, uhm, Lucy too.

She's introduced me to the wonderful thing that is Em Pi Three music. I've been listening to a lot of music since! Lucy is also really interested of hearing about Atlantis, and it's a lot of fun chatting with her in general.


quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

History has to be my favorite! Uhm, admittedly... it's kind of hard. Mainly because I haven't heard of just about everything you teach here. I mean, I know about Atlantis, but... yeah. But still, learning about the world is incredible! So many things happened.

As for my least favorite... clearly Chemistry. It... it's just arcane to me. Sure, we had alchemy, but I was never taught any of it, and this is just so incomprehensible. ... could I copy your homework? ... Please?


quote:

- What do you like to do in your free time?

Uh... not much. I'm trying really hard to get on your level in school work, but my knowledge is just about a thousand years or two out of date... Sometimes I do like to explore the city, though. Not alone. I always get so horrible lost in this city...


quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

Hmm, there's not really any one place specifically - everything here is so new, and wondrous to me. But I've definitely felt the most at home in the many public libraries of the city. Just enjoying the culture that has developed after all these years, and just... forgetting about all of the craziness that has happened me.


quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

Psychosoma is in the school hallways, talking to someone and clearly enjoying herself. It all seems happy and good, but, she is missing one crucial detail. In the window, the reflection reveals Phantom's shape in the doorway behind them, idly watching the situation...


quote:

(Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

Pick a fight to skip school, hero edition!


quote:

Name: Psychosoma
Secret Identity: Sana Kirin
Abilities: Spirit Magic

Compared to your future self, you have limited strength, endurance, control, and creativity; they can wield your powers far better than you can. Name three things they can do with your powers that you wish you could.

Being able to sustain herself in the spirit world! Most of the time she isn't even in the physical world, making it super hard to keep track of her! I can only shift halfway to go through walls and such...

Actual mind control! I mean, I'm not really sure if I want to be able to do that... but she can. Uhm... I guess it's more like overpowering a living thing's will with her own, I suppose... It's kinda scary. At most, I can read surface thoughts and emotions, which I can influence a bit... And I mean, I can see the spirits of people, both dead and alive, through walls. But it just doesn't compare...

Spirit blasts! Uhm, I guess I should explain that a bit. See, Spirit magic doesn't have much direct attack potential. I can create small, nearly invisible spirit bolts, but at worst they just wear out people and their will to fight when hit. Hers?... Are a lot more terrifying. They're more akin to fireballs. Or... how did you call it? Explosions? And she can fire them from the other side, even. To do that, her power must be incredible...


Your Future Self

The enigmatic Phantom

quote:

An incredibly subtle force, Phantom has crossed over to myth for all but a few. Using her ability to mind-control the weak-willed, as well as her ability to cross over from the spirit world and back freely, most believe her a simple myth by the paranoid.

Only a few know better - those with the senses to even be able to see her, unless he chooses to reveal herself. To those, she appears different to everyone. To some, a dear friend. Perhaps a dead family member. As if she read your thoughts and memories like a book.

For those in the know, Phantom is an uncontrollable menace - as she causes as much damage and harm as she prevents. But... what is her motive? How does she think? And most importantly...

What is her endgame in all this?

Your future self is out there, an important figure in Halcyon City and the world belong—and everything you'd hoped you'd never be. But finding out how they became who they are may be all it takes to push you along a similar path.

When you discover a part of your future self's path, fill it in.

Who did they lose?
How are they scarred?
What did they sacrifice?
What crime did they commit?
Who did they betray?

When you follow a step on the path towards your future self, choose one of the following:

Replace comfort or support with the following: When you coldly dismiss someone, roll+Mundane. On a hit, they mark a condition or leave you alone, their choice. On a 7-9, they can also choose to inflict a condition on you.

Replace defend someone with the following: When you defend the many while endangering the few, roll+Savior. On a hit, you create an opportunity for yourself to press the attack, and take +1 forward to pursue it. On a 10+, the collateral damage is minimal.

Replace provoke someone with the following: When you threaten someone, say what you want them to do and roll+Superior. On a hit, they either do it, or they are put at a disadvantage, their choice. On a 10+, mark a condition on them.

Replace pierce someone's mask with the following: When you retreat into yourself, roll+Mundane. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
- You clear a condition
- You take Influence over you away from someone else
- You do not shift Labels to fit how your future self sees their self

Replace reject someone's Influence with the following: When you spit in the face of guidance, roll +2. On a hit, take away their Influence over you or clear a condition, your choice. On a 7-9, either force them to take a powerful blow, or take one yourself from the pain of your words.


Moves:

See it their way:
When you talk to your future self, or hear someone talking about your future self, and they would shift your Labels, mark potential and clear a condition if you accept what they say.

Proving myself:
When you spend Team to help a teammate, mark a condition to give them +2 instead of +1.

Growing into power:

When you unleash your powers to do something your future self can do, mark a condition to roll +Savior.


Team Moves:

When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask whether they think this is a victory your future self would have had. If they do, mark potential and the GM will shift your Labels. If they do not, clear a condition and they shift your Label

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, ask them if they think you could turn into your future self. If they do, mark potential and the GM will shift your Labels. If they do not, clear a condition and they shift your Labels.


Stats:

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


Relationships

__________________ was hurt by my future self once; I've got to make it up to them.
__________________ is my best hope to stop myself from becoming my future self.


Influence

These people know your future self, maybe even better than you do. For better or worse, you care what they think. Give Influence to all your teammates.

Yami Fenrir fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Mar 15, 2017

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage



Sanguine, The Bull

The strength to pierce through the toughest of barriers. An indomitable spirit that resists all that assails me. Mastery of the killing arts. I wasn't always like this, you know. I used to be normal. Just an average guy. Hell, they picked me up after I won the biggest fighting game tournament in New Arcadia. Red Leaves Falling was the hottest game on the market. We're talking at least triple the players of anything else. So, uh, I was kind of a big deal back then. If you ran in my circles, anyways, not that it meant much outside that.

I'm not so normal any more.

quote:

Who changed you?

It was a few years back — like I said, I had just been crowned the King of Red Leaves — and then next thing I knew, these martial artists kidnapped me and took me to this crazy training ground. There was a big song and dance about being the chosen one who would lead the Red Leaves Sect to their rightful place at the head of the world, yadda yadda yadda, I really didn't listen to it all that closely. I mean, it was all so cool. At first.

Once I started their training regimen, it wasn't quite as cool. I was a bit of a nerd, right? Not exactly the ideal physical specimen. There were all sorts of weird medicines and techniques they applied to me. After a few months, I didn't even recognize myself. That was weird. Really weird. Not the worst, though, not by a long shot. I could feel myself getting stronger every day, but some of the stuff they were doing was basically brainwashing. Hell, it was brainwashing. They didn't want me to be their chosen savior or whatever, they wanted me to be the vessel for their revenge on the world.

What could I do? I was trapped in a place that I had no idea how to escape or, really, where it was in the first place. I just tried to endure. Tried to resist. But how could I? I don't know a lot about psychology, but poo poo gets weird when people try to break you down for so long. Eventually they succeed.

This all went on for years. Soon enough, I was ready for whatever they had planned. I had mastered every technique they had shown me. My mind — brainwashed to be their perfect soldier — was the match of any of the Elders. And my body, of course, was as strong as Patriarch Red Leaves himself. There was only one final test. I was to face the Sect in a ceremonial tournament. As I fought my way through the ranks, I would receive the blessings of all of my predecessors. I would become stronger and stronger, even as the last remnants of my will were erased. When I finally defeated the Patriarch, I would be ready.

I would be the Red Leaves Sect — the final successor of a martial tradition that spans the millennia.

I would shake the world to it's very foundations.

quote:

How did you escape from them?

That all assumed, of course, that the tournament was carried out entirely. I don't know what finally allowed the Justice Alliance to discover the sect, but they did. Just in time. As the battle between myself and the Patriarch heated up, I could feel the last of remnants of myself slipping away. If it wasn't for the mysterious Void Angel, I don't think I'd be here. He stopped the blow that would have completed the ceremony.

So, yeah, I owe that guy a lot.

They had to rough me up a bit. A lot, actually. I was all hopped up on weird kung-fu magic. Not as strong as I would have been if they had been a few minutes later, but our battle still split the heavens and shook the earth. They won, though, and that's why I'm here. Why I'm still me. The Patriarch escaped in the confusion. I know he's still out there. Know that he wants to finish the ceremony. The Alliance got me in with some of the best minds out there to undo all the damage the sect did to me, but, well, we have a connection. One way or another, we're going to have to finish this.

quote:

Who, outside the team, tries to take care of you now?

Well, I live on campus and my folks think I'm dead — trust me, it's easier that way for everyone, — but it's hard to miss that our guidance counselor, Arcana, is keeping pretty close tabs on me. It's fair. I'm a risky proposition to have in the Academy. I'd keep tabs on me if I were in their position. I'm still not, uh, entirely me. I don't know if I ever will be again. I can feel the Red Leaves Sect inside me. The predecessors whisper to me. It's actually been pretty nice having someone to talk to about that. Someone who won't look at me like I'm crazy.

I'm not crazy, right?

quote:

Why do you try to be a hero?

What else can I do? The Patriarch is still out there. He's driven by his need to finish this. Honestly? So am I. Until the sect has been completely destroyed — every last trace of it — there's always going to be a chance that someone else goes through what I do. I'm the last victim. I'm going to make drat well sure of that.

And, you know, I'm not going to stop being some kind of badass. I mean, uh, seriously. I stopped training for a while and I'm still in peak condition. I don't know if I can take what they've done to me and own it, but if I can? I could do a lot of good. Maybe make this all worth it.

quote:

Why do you care about the team?

poo poo, where to start? If the Patriarch ever tracks me down, I can't fight him. Not without playing right into his hands. I'm going to need people running interference until the big guns arrive. So there's that. It's been pretty fun having friends again. People who can understand what it's like being different. Some by choice, some by birth, some by circumstance.

I don't entirely remember what it's like to be a normal person. But this? This is as close as I've gotten.

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?

It's part of my rehabilitation. The Justice Alliance thinks that I'm finally safe to be around people — more or less — but they want to slowly phase out their support. What better way than the Academy? I mean, I guess I could have just chilled in some sort of isolation unit forever instead. Not exactly the greatest choice, right?

It's not that bad, though. I'm almost caught up on the remedial study program and the training is a breeze compared to what I've been through. There's a lot of time to just... live. It's nice. It's really nice.

quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

Void Angel was the name on the paperwork they submitted. I haven't ever talked to the guy, but I've seen him around. From what I hear, he's kind of a battle junky. He still talks about fighting me — the super-charged, possessed me — with his fellow team members. Honestly? I figure he's hoping I'll catch up to where I was. Become that unstoppable force of nature once more. I'd be game. I owe him a lot, you know? I'll fight him. I just hope I'm me when it happens.

That'd be a trip. Fighting the strongest member of the Justice Alliance in front of the world. Hell, even the sect wants that. They may be some weird, evil cult bent on world domination, but there's still that core martial spirit that wants to push the limits and prove who's the strongest.

quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

Uh, you must mean the guy who charged over and declared himself to be my destined rival on the first day of class. Pyroclasm. He's... he's a handful. He fights kind of like me — ridiculously powerful martial arts and overwhelming strength — but he claims he's the reincarnation of a dragon or something. Whatever the case, he can shoot fire all over the place.

If you ask me, he's kind of lonely. I get it. Even in a place like this, there's a certain degree of loneliness at the peak. People get scared when you're too strong. People ostracize those that are different. He's both of those — and I can see myself in him. More than I'd like, anyways. He can be kind of a jerk to some of our low-powered classmates. Nothing worse than they're sniping behind his back, but pretty dickish all the same.

Is that what people think of me?

quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

I've been stuck catching up on the years of schooling I missed, but my schedule does have time for an elective. I picked cooking. It's a useful life skill and it seemed better than the alternatives. Like, seriously, who has time for something like Theoretical Multiverse Interactions? That's not going to help you when push comes to shove and it's your turn to cook.

It's certainly been fun to discover how much my training helps. My senses are sharp enough to identify the ideal ingredients, my hands are steady enough to ensure precise chopping and mixing every time, and my palate? drat. If I wasn't destined to punch evil, I'd be making a very comfortable living as a professional chef.

My least favorite class? Definitely PE. It's all-inclusive, so you're not exactly always working with people in your weight class. It's fine when I get stuck in with those third-year golems, but, uh, it's a real hassle dialing everything as far down as I can go. I don't want to hurt anyone, but it feels like I'm forcing myself to move in slow motion. It's not exactly a fun way to spend time.

I understand that they want us to learn how to work with people of different abilities, but... How do some of these people hope to make it as a pro? A lot of villains out there are playing for keeps. I can't imagine why you'd want to do this if you'd break under a stiff breeze.

quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?

You'd think that I'd be done with video games, right? Hell no. I've been out of the scene for ages, so there's a ton to catch up on. Red Leaves Falling 3, for instance, is way better than the last two. It may be some sort of evil cult recruiting tool, but it's a fantastic video game. I'll have to see about getting back into the tournament scene.

Other than that, I guess I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Cooking is a pretty time-intensive elective. A lot of our homework is practical projects. It's actually pretty relaxing. Even after a tough day, I can just come back and whip up some curry or something. Delicious results and I can basically meditate while I work. Win-win.

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

It's been a while, but Galaxy Arcade is just like I remember it. They have the latest games — including some that must be borrowing some future-tech from either heroes or some of my fellow students — and it's a pretty cool place to lose myself in the crowd. I don't exactly look too far from baseline — perfect physique aside — and most people are more focused on what you can do over what you look like.

It's weird, though. You know the owner, Miss Stella? She hasn't aged a day since the tournament. I mean, seriously. My eyes are great. I can tell. If anything, she's gotten younger. I wonder what her story is?

quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

Sanguine is square in the middle of the cover, his hand seemingly piercing out through the page and towards the reader. The shades of all the fallen Elders stand behind him. Some seem angry, others seem to be elated. Finally, there are a number of red leaves falling down.

quote:

(Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

In honor of all the weirdo spirit heroes: [Masks!] We have spirit, yes we do!

The Bull posted:

Name: Suzuki Chiryū
Hero Name: Sanguine
Look: Man, Asian, Inhumanly Perfect Hands, Flowing Clothing, No Costume

Abilities:
Perfection of Flesh — I was forged into the perfect martial artist. My body is literally without the slightest of flaws. Even if I'm injured, I will always return to that perfect state with enough time. I'm not as strong as I was at my peak during the ceremony, but I don't imagine there are too many who can stand toe-to-toe with me.

Blessings of the Red Leaves — I'm filled with the vitality and the spirits of all those who have belonged to the Red Leaves Sect. Well, other than the Patriarch. Sometimes I can feel them whisper strange knowledge to me, but most of the time I just use their energy to reinforce my attacks.

Mastery of 武道:赤い葉の降下 — What's a sinister cult without secret martial arts? Let's see — the rough translation is 'The Descent of the Red Leaves.' It's a method of fighting that is brutal, efficient, and without peer. It leans on the power and precision of my movements to strike through an enemy's vitals with one blow. Just what every would-be superhero needs, right?

Labels:
Freak +1
Danger +3
Savior -2
Superior +1
Mundane +0

Bull's Heart:
Love: Sammi
Rival: Psychosoma

❑ Friend: When you comfort or support your love or rival, mark potential on a hit. When your love or rival comforts or supports you, mark potential when they roll a hit.
❑ Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.
❑ Listener: When you pierce the mask of your love or rival, you can always let them ask you a question to ask them an additional question in turn, even on a miss. These additional questions do not have to be on the list.

Moves:
Physics? What physics?: When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable barrier, roll +Danger instead of +Freak.

In a china shop: When you directly engage a threat, you can cause significant collateral damage to your environment to choose an additional option, even on a miss.

Advances:

Unlock two additional roles for the Bull's Heart.
Rearrange your labels as you choose and add +1.

Moment of Truth:
This is what you do best. You let loose, all the pent up strength and rage and glee, and you break whatever stands in your way. You are a walking demolition crew. What can stand up to you? Nothing. Not buildings. Not structures. Not enemies. Nothing. Of course, now the people who changed you know exactly where to find you...

Team Moves:
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, make them your love or rival immediately to mark potential. If they are already your love or rival, take Influence over them and mark potential.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, give them Influence and hold 2. Spend that hold to help them as if it were Team in the pool.

When our team first came together...
We defeated a dangerous enemy. Who or what was it?

Relationships:
Sammi is your love. You’ve opened up to them about the worst parts of your past.
Black Rabbit is your rival. They tried to control you at a crucial moment.

Influence:
You’re selective about who you let in. Give your love and rival Influence over you, but that’s it.

Tricky fucked around with this message at 21:19 on Apr 24, 2017

GodFish
Oct 10, 2012

We're your first, last, and only line of defense. We live in secret. We exist in shadow.

And we dress in black.
I lied, apping a Doomed!

GodFish fucked around with this message at 11:08 on Jan 20, 2017

Green Bean
May 3, 2009


Malign Hypercognition Disorder and You.wmv

"Archimedes's solar lens. Leonardo Da Vinci's helicopters. The Mecha-Brain of Albert Einstein. Since time immemorial, great genius has gone hand in hand with the desire to conquer the world. But for all their scientific genius, these greats of history could never answer the ultimate question: why? Until now."

"Malign Hypercognition Disorder, also known as 'Mad Science Disease' or 'MHD', while rare, is thought to be behind as many as ten percent of supervillainy-related incidents. It's associated with high levels of scientific and intellectual achievement, but also difficulty forming emotional attachments, lack of empathy, compulsive behaviour, and megalomania. Sufferers are driven to demonstrate their superiority through grandiose displays of power to silence the fools, FOOLS, who doubted them."


"Hello, my name is Daniel Yu. At ten years old, frustrated by the lack of recognition given to me by Mrs. Parkerson's grade 5 science class, I took on the alter ego of 'Mechatronic', and attempted to use my robotic expertise to take over the world. As Mechatronic, I temporarily launched New Arcadia into orbit, replaced the city council with robot duplicates, and of course, set off the great nano-spider plague of X7. But my greatest and most challenging scientific achievement was becoming the first sufferer of Malign Hypercognition Disorder to recognize their own symptoms."

"Malign Hypercognition Disorder is a dangerous illness, but with great investments of time and scientific effort, I, in partnership with Dr. Selina Garrity, am proud to announce the first pilot study designed to harness its power while suppressing its dangerous side effects. Through cognitive behavioural therapy and certain experimental medications, I have once more regained my ability to recognise others as persons whose thoughts and feelings should be relevant to my decisions, all the while keeping my superior intellect and scientific knowledge intact! Truly, there is no force science cannot CONQUER!"

"To silence the doubts of any FO- any sceptics on the effectiveness of my treatment, I have been enrolled in the Hero Training Academy. There, my actions will be able to be compared to those of this generation's best and brightest future heroes. And then I, Mechatron, will have proven myself to be the GREATEST SCIENTIFIC GENIUS who has EVER LIVED!"


quote:

The Reformed
Name: Daniel Yu
Hero Name: Mechatronic
Look: Man, Asian, sad eyes, conservative clothes, sleek costume

Abilities:
Genius Intellect

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

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.

Blowing off steam: When you commit a crime, clear a condition. Clear a second condition if you drag a teammate into it.

Friends in Low Places

You have ties to villains from your previous career. Name three. For each of them, choose a
specialty.


Clippy-5
Speciality: Materials
Obligation: □ □ □

I feel really bad about Clippy. One night I got into an argument on an AI forum, and I built him as a 'screw you' to one of the other users. Basically, he's a paperclip optimizer - his highest imperative is to increase the net amount of paperclips in the universe. In theory, he won't stop until literally all matter in the universe is paperclips. In practice, though, I didn't build him all that bright, so he mostly just robs shipping containers. If you know where to get steel wire, you can trade with him for basically any raw material that you can't bend into a U.


Poison Phyll
Speciality: Insider Information
Obligation: □ □ □ □

Man, Poison Phyll's henched for every up and coming villain in this city. She's worked for everyone. Of course, that's mostly because she gets bored after a month and moves on, and she's got no problem selling her ex-employer's secrets. She gets away with it mostly because she's dangerous as hell in a fight - you don't always have to be able to trust your muscle, after all. She's got kind of a soft spot for me. Sold me out to Count Nephario that one time, sure, but she'd pick up the phone if I called her.


The APEX Group
Speciality: Alien Tech
Obligation: □ □ □ □

These guys are the people to talk to if you want any kind of restricted tech. No one really knows who they are or where their inventory comes from; all I know is I've never met the same contact twice, and their gear is almost as good as mine. They're great if you want a nano-fusion reactor for your big project and don't want to waste the six months it'd take to build it yourself. I've used them once or twice - my line of credit's still good as a hero as long as I don't go blabbing about them.

Moment of Truth:
You’ve seen your greatest mistakes, and they have too. The whole world is watching you now, judging every move you make. When everything is on the line and your back is against the wall, though, you're going to show them what a hero really is. Of course, afterward, your old villainous contacts are liable to be pretty upset or mistrustful of you.

Team Moves:
When you share a moment of triumph with someone, ask them what gives them hope for a brighter day and give them Influence.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, ask them what they would do something dark for and gain Influence over 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:

Influence:

quote:

Who mentored you in supervillainy?



Heh, the old Mechatronic would never acknowledge needing something as mundane as a 'mentor', but I've got enough clarity to understand that my first guide into the world of supervillainy was The Illuminate. When I was first starting out, I tried to take over his gang. We were both tech experts (though my stuff was better!), but to my surprise he just rolled over and offered to be my lieutenant. He indirectly guided a great deal of my early villainy, which I didn't stop to ask why until he subverted half of my robots, stole my latest prototypes, and left me for dead in my exploding hideout. Lesson learned, I suppose, but he taught me a lot about how to properly plan and execute a villainous plot in the process, so in retrospect it could have gone worse.

quote:

Who first showed you that you could do good? What caused you to switch sides?



Dr. Selina Garrity. She's a brilliant biologist - I considered her very nearly the equivalent of me in my own field of robotics. She published the first proper study on Malign Hypercognition Disorder, and at first I dismissed it as mere propaganda, but as time went on, I began to doubt myself. I considered myself to be superior to all other life because of my genius, but her description of the symptoms wore at me. The doubts began to affect my work, and after a particularly humiliating defeat at the hands of the Justice Alliance, I realized it was not a battle I could win. I decided the path of true superiority lay not in planetary domination at the head of my robotic army, but in conquering the lack of empathy that proved my undoing time and time again! I surrendered myself into her custody, and offered to become the first subject in the grandest science experiment yet known to man - conquering and harnessing the very FOUNDATIONS of MAD SCIENCE ITSELF! AhAHa!

quote:

What was your goal as a villain?

Ostensibly, I wanted to conquer the world, preferably in a very public way that demonstrated my superior scientific genius to the entire planet, forwards and backwards in time for all eternity. Really, though, I think I just wanted validation. Everyone around me was just so...slow, I wanted them to acknowledge my genius, my accomplishments!

quote:

Why do you care about the team?

I'm trying to be a good person, and that's what good people do, right? Care about other people? Yes, perhaps I lose my patience with them too easily, but I'm trying to relearn this whole 'empathy' thing. And the most important thing about the treatment is establishing a support network, to have examples I can learn from. It's selfish maybe, but I need the team.

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?

Some...sceptics do not trust the effectiveness of my cure, or the sincerity of my change of heart. Joining the academy is the ultimate test, and should I succeed here, among the best and brightest of the future generation of heroes, my work will have de-facto proved itself. I shall forge my empathy and kindness into the ULTIMATE EXPRESSION of my GENIUS, and drive it into the very HEART OF HEROISM!

Actually, I may need to work on a better metaphor.


quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?



Dr. Garrity is well respected among the hero community, but sometimes her unorthodox methods draw disapproval. To make sure I got in, we went to Id, the Justice Alliance's resident psychic first. She agreed to sponsor me on the condition that I submit to an invasive psychic probe first. From her reaction when I agreed, she'd been hoping that would've been enough to drive me off, but in the end I spent four hours at JAHQ that I can't really remember getting the 'ol brain looked at. She said it looked like I was on the right track, so she signed off on my application. Telepaths normally have a difficult time with Malign Hypercognition Disorder - apparently our minds are quite expansive and quite disorganised, so perhaps the fact that it was effective at all is proof of my treatment's effectiveness!

Also, I now cluck like a chicken whenever I hear the word 'rhombus', so anyone who tells you Id doesn't have a sense of humour is sadly mistaken.

quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!



Nico Rossi, aka Hocus. A most irritating person to share a class with. He comes from a long line of powerful wizards, which would be enough in and of itself - magic is a strange physical facet of the universe I do not yet understand, and 'magicians' like himself do nothing but cloak it in unnecessary superstition and occult nonsense that just makes it impossible to do any sort of rational study! But he believes himself born to be a hero, with all the arrogant generosity that implies! I can't stand him and his faux humble airs and his incomprehensible powers and his dreamy eyes and his entitlement!

What?


quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

My favourite class? Heroics 101. Having been on the opposite side for so long, it's absolutely fascinating to get an outside perspective on things. Some of it, like the unit on common villain tactics, is laughably out of date, but most of it's great. To me, heroes kept making really foolish decisions, but somehow kept defeating me, but now I understand that it was in fact a carefully calculated combination of teamwork and bystander protection. If I was ever to go back into supervillainy-which I won't-I would certainly be much more dangerous for learning these things.

My least favourite class? Science! I should be teaching it, not sitting at a desk for seventy minutes sketching earth-shattering inventions that harness the HIGHEST ENERGIES of the UNIVERSE while some underpaid, overqualified babysitter drones on about gravity's effects in a vacuum! I've applied for a transfer to the advanced class, but apparently the administration is concerned it'd be a 'temptation'. Bah, the real temptation to destruction is entering into hour three of our unit on photosynthesis - I dare any scientist alive to not fantasize about death ray construction.


quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?

Tinkering! My access to materials is somewhat limited, but you'd be amazed what you can build with even with just the tools permitted to me. It's an ongoing process, and anything particularly fancy I have to submit to the administration for approval before I build it. But a mind with a photographic memory and a world-class knowledge of robots and high-energy physics need never be bored!

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

Ever heard of The Vault? Even among the supervillain community, it's just a rumour. It's where the superheroes gather all the technology and artifacts it captures from supervillains that are too dangerous to even hand over to the government. It's guarded around the clock while an army of scientists try to reverse engineer peaceful purposes for all of them. When I gave up my supervillain lairs and equipment, I...may have forgotten to disable some of the tracking devices, so I know it exists right here in New Arcadia. Even while at the heights of my supervillainy, I would never stoop so low as to steal some other villain's technology (it was about proving my superiority, not someone else's), I know any other villain who could somehow gain access to the place would immediately become a true threat to the world. How could they not? I bet I have an entire wing in the facility!

quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

Mechatronic stands in the blasted ruins of what apparently used to be a high school science lab, flanked by two custom-built combat droids. His head is thrown back in maniacal laughter, while the other heroes look on in confusion. The under-title caption reads: A NEW ALLY APPEARS???

quote:

Something you made during your villain days has come back to bite you. What was it? How did you handle the situation?

Well, there was that whole incident with SULLA. SULLA is an AI I built - one of my first real inventions, he actually predates my becoming Mechatronic by a few months. I've spent a lot of time over the years upgrading him, tweaking his personality, building rad combat robots or buildings for him to inhabit. I thought I'd lost him when my last moon base self-destructed, which is why he wasn't on the inventory I provided the authorities when I surrendered myself. Turns out he'd managed to escape by ejecting his core into space, where he managed to piece together a constructor arm over the next few months.

Anyway, the first I heard from him was when he took out a communications satellite and issued a global broadcast where he threatened to start dropping satellites on government buildings until I was released from prison. Yeah, apparently he found out I was at Hero Academy and made the natural assumption that I'd been captured by the heroes and somehow imprisoned here. Fortunately, the heroes let me actually talk to SULLA, and I convinced him that I was there willingly. I built a special uplink so he could transmit himself down from orbit safely, and the crisis was averted with only limited damage.


quote:

Has there ever been a moment were you almost relapsed into your old ways? Or have you been successful at fighting those urges?

Well, remember how I said the damage was limited? Apparently communications satellites are incredibly expensive, and as soon as I brought SULLA down to earth he was arrested. There's a special court for AI-related crimes, and they were going to try him. Yes, destroying that satellite did tens of millions of dollars in damage, and yes, SULLA breaks essentially every single legal requirement for an independent AI, but it's not like he hurt anyone, right? He was my friend and they wanted to delete him! I had to SHOW THEM that they can't TAKE MY FRIEND FROM ME! SHOW THEM ALL! ...sorry about that. I'm still a little new to this empathy thing, and it takes me weird places sometimes.

I'm going to be honest, the day of the trial, I was ready to go rogue. As soon as they passed a guilty verdict, I had a concealed neuro-disruptor field to knock out the human judges, a directed ion weapon for the mechs. From there, I could grab SULLA, grav-pack out of there, and then call in some old favours to get a safe house long enough to figure out what to do next. But the strangest thing happened. Dr. Garrity and Id spoke on SULLA's behalf, and they considered my testimony as well. In the end, they gave SULLA probation, essentially. Now he resides in a residential server for rehabilitating AIs, and I get to visit him twice a week. He seems happier than he's ever been before. I don't understand, I've never seen the system work before. Is this how it is for heroes all the time?


quote:

Somebody declared themselves to be your rival in SCIENCE! whether you like it or not, and they've been constantly trying to one-up you. Who are they? What are you going to do about them?



Scarlett Summers, aka 'Lovelace'. She's a hacker by trade, but she recently branched out into building crime-fighting tech, which got her into Hero Academy. She sees me as a rival, and I suppose it's true in a sense; few superhero teams have multiple tech specialists. She's brilliant, but I am, of course, the one of greatest geniuses on the planet and how could her dilettante ways EVER hope to measure up to MY GENIUS! Umm, sorry, I'm trying to learn modesty, and that was uncalled for. The last few times our inventions went head to head, I came out the winner, which she wasn't happy with.

Privately, I'm a little worried about her. She took our confrontations very personally, and while I must admit I enjoyed winning a little more than I should have, I'm seeing some familiar signs in her reactions. I'm worried she's showing early signs of Malign Hypercognition Disorder, and while I've tried to deescalate our rivalry a little, she thought I was just patronising her. As a hacker, people already expect a little antisocial behaviour, but my hope is that I can convince one of my teammates to befriend her. One of the biggest risk factors of MHD is social isolation, and I think that if I'd had even one real friend growing up, I'd have been able to avoid going quite so far, so maybe the same will prove true of her?

Green Bean fucked around with this message at 03:01 on Feb 1, 2017

Arashiofordo3
Nov 5, 2010

Warning, Internet
may prove lethal.
Newborn to go here.

- - -



quote:

"... now think back. What's the first thing you can remember?"

"U-Um..." the girl shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her legs barely reaching the ground. They kicked beneath her instead. She didn't want to be here. The way the psychologist watched her constantly made her nervous. Not that that was unusual. Everything made her nervous.

"I r-remember the other side..."



"I re-remember seeing this shape, and t-thinking that I-I've never seen a-anything like i-it before..." She started haltingly. Like trying to describe a dream. "S-So I-I-I went o-over to look, um, a-at it. T-Then I remember pain, u-umm, I-I don't think I-I'd ever felt pain b-before. T-Then I was pulled, f-forced into the... i-into this w-world..." She stopped speaking again. Her eyes darting back and forth, as though she was hunting for the words. But they wouldn't come. Instead she resumed fiddling with the massive scarf around her neck. Burying herself in it, like a turtle hiding in it's shell.

"That's good, well done. We don't have to do any more today if you don't want to." Dr Rowan smiled warmly. Noticing that the girl flushed at the praise. "Have yourself a lolly before you go. For trying extra hard today."

The girl, nodded mutely. Her big eyes glancing at first at the doctor, and then at the jar crammed full of sweets to make sure she'd understood. She grabbed a blue one. Blue were her favourite. She stood quizzically for a moment, like she'd forgotten something. "A-Ah! T-T-Thank you very m-m-much!" She hurriedly stuttered. Dr Rowan opened the door for her, and let her out into the corridor. Closing the door softly behind her. Sammi stood in the hallway, uncertain of what to do. Looked down at the sweet, and put the whole thing into her mouth, wrapper and all.

Treat consumed, she crafted a little butterfly in her hand. It was getting easier to do, the more she practised. She set it off, and followed it as it fluttered away. The thousand butterflies that filled the corridor behind her taking flight. Following Sammi, the spirit made flesh.



quote:

- How is your biology different from normal humans’?

"U-Um, well. I'm a... um Hunky-u-mus? N-No, wait, that's not right... w-w-well anyway, I'm a spirit t-that's been put i-into this b-body. T-To animate it a-and give it a soul. I-It's weird, l-like a shell, a-and I-I'm the water that fill it? H-Honestly I don't understand fully m-myself. B-But I'm hollow on the i-inside, and my e-essence moves me. I-I feel everything h-humans do though. S-So happyness, and sadness, and p-pain. It's r-really overwhelming s-sometimes. B-Being alive is really c-confusing. I-It's so cool that you guys a-are all so good a-at it! I-I guess I'll h-have to work really hard t-to be as good!"

quote:

- Who created you, and why?

[From Sammi's file.]



Sorcery Student, Matthew Costello. AKA AbraKadabra!

Matthew's powers revolved around a contract with the spirit world. They're flexible, but ultimately weak. The Spirits he can contact don't have the power to greatly affect the world from the other side. In an attempt to become more powerful, Matthew had been working on a way to bring a spirit through. Stealing a page from the magical villein The Hexxer's book of spells after a fight. Enlisting the aid of a few of his classmates, he led them in performing a ritual to bring a spirit through and bind it into an item. The spirits were too powerful for any of the objects he could get to contain. It wasn't until he was reading Frankenstine, that the idea struck him. Crafting a human like shell. The ritual was a success, consuming the spell page. But left Matthew with a highly scared and confused spirit girl. Said Spirit Girl proceeded to run rampant attempting to get out and return to her own world. The staff stepped in, eventually calming the girl and learning of Matthew's actions in the process. Rumours abound amongst the student body, saying he's still in detention to this day.

Regardless, his rash actions have led to the creation of Sammi. Though the staff are working well to help her to adjust, there are far too many unknown elements.

quote:

- Where do you live?

"I l-live in the school, t-they've been taking care o-of me, h-helping me to adjust. They f-feed me, and they've s-set up a-a room for m-me. T-They say it's j-just until they c-can make s-sure I'm um... w-what did they say? 'c-capable o-of supporting m-myself, or can find s-someone to l-live with'. I-I like it through, i-it's really nice. A-And there's l-lots of really n-nice people, they're r-really friendly.

quote:

- What about humanity fascinates you the most?

Sammi flushes, and shrinks into her scarf. "A-All of it... h-have you ever had that t-thing where you didn't know s-something existed, and you h-happen across it, a-and suddenly y-you n-need to find out e-everything about it...? I-It's like that with everything...! T-The food, and t-the colours, and t-tv, and m-music, a-and history, a-and c-clothes... I-It's all so strange! A-And these emotions, I-I only used to k-know some of them, a-and now I f-feel a-all of them! I-It's really overwhelming. A-And talking... t-that's really hard. T-There's so much colour everywhere! So m-much energy! O-Oh! An-And cuddles! T-They're amazing!"

quote:

- Why do you care about the team?

Sammi's face scrunches up in thought. "T-They make me f-feel happy? I-I'm a s-spirit, I bring a-an emotion, a-and feed f-from the energy t-that creates. But n-now people a-are making me feel t-these things. I-It's really special t-t-to me a-and-and-and..." Sammi's voice got tighter as she talked, her bottom lip wobbling. She rubbed her eyes. "S-Sorry. I-I'm still not v-very good a-at expressing m-myself." She gives a bright little smile. "B-But they're r-really cool. I-I hope I can be as a-amazing as t-they are o-one day!"

quote:

- What made you decide to join the academy?

"W-Where else c-could I have gone? I-I was brought i-into the world here! W-Wait... d-does that make Matthew m-my... Dad?" Sammi shakes her head, banishing the thought for later. "A-Anyway, t-there's still so much I-I don't understand a-about the world. A-And honestly... right n-now it's kinda s-scary g-going outside. I-I've done it a f-few times, b-but only with Headmistress Amala! B-But they've been t-teaching me h-how to control m-my essence here. L-Look! I c-can make it into t-things! S-See!" She presents a cloud of butterflies made of blueish light! They flutter about the room before rushing back to her hands, shaping themselves into a large hammer. Then into a fluffy kitten, then into a hat with a large feather in it. Which she puts on her head. It slips down over her eyes. Too large for her.

"I-I'm still working o-on it..." her muffled voice came.

quote:

- Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?



"Headmistress A-Amala! S-She's really nice! S-She was going t-to slice m-me in two! A-And t-then she stopped and j-just hugged me, a-and I was s-so scared that I-I just started crying. S-Since then she's b-been helping m-me. S-She's been so patient and kind, a-and wonderful! L-Like she taught me a-about e-eating, a-and wearing c-clothes, a-and good manners, a-and she's a-always saying what a-a good job I-I did, o-or how proud she is o-of me! A-And s-she's even hung one of the painting I-I did on her office wall! S-She makes me f-feel really welcome. I-I don't get any special t-treatment in class. I-I'm expected t-to keep up w-with everyone else. B-But I get extra c-classes to l-learn the basics o-of this world. I-I know Headmistress Amala i-is really busy! S-So I try not to b-bother her much! B-But it always m-make me happy w-when she s-s-smiles at me."

Sammi listened to the next question, like a puppy, head on one side.

"W-What does she do? S-She's the Headmistress...! O-Oh? Her powers? Ahh! S-Sorry! S-She w-was called um, Slipstream. S-She could s-slow her perception of time, a-and move s-super fast! A-And bad guys w-were no p-problem, b-because she had these d-disposable swords! S-So she'd cut, and th-then replace the b-broken weapon w-with a new one. S-She'd h-hit the b-bad guy so fast t-that the b-blade would heat up and w-warp. S-So she a-always had to s-switch out. S-She's sooo cool!"

quote:

- Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!



"T-This is um, S-Songbird! S-She's t-this m-musician who can c-control sound. S-She's been helping m-me learn instruments. A-And she's a-amazing at all o-of them. A-All the b-boys keep staring at her legs. I don't understand that. B-But she giggles wh-whenever I ask about it. I-Is it a joke? U-Um, anyway, s-she gives really n-nice hugs as well. S-She smells of w-where I came from. S-So I-I don't think she's human, b-but she a-acts like she is. S-So I'm trying to l-learn from that a-as best as I can. S-She's also trying t-to help me with m-my extra classes t-too!"

quote:

- What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

"I-I don't like math. i-it's hard to explain... w-where I come from, e-everything is, um, abstract? It's nothing l-like here... what did they say? 'Nun-you-kiddian'? W-Well, e-everything is mixed together, a-and we c-crowd to p-places of strong e-emotion. B-But now I-I'm here, there are these things, l-like um, 'two plus two equals f-four'? W-Why though? I-I don't get it."

Sammi goes quiet, staring at her feet. Then perked back up!

"O-Oh! Bu-But I really l-like art, a-and music, a-and drama! T-There's so many emotions flying about, it's w-warm and p-powerful, a-and I c-can't help but get e-excited! I s-sometimes leak a little. M-My essence I-I mean! I-I dance through the room, l-living every feeling. I-It's so in-intense! I-I b-been learning to p-paint. It h-helps to make sense of w-where I came from. Oh, and history is r-really interesting. Y-Your words filled with a-all kinds of e-events. A-Although it's hard to k-keep it i-in the right order a-at time."

Her cute little face fell when the interviewer clarified that they meant normal classes, not her extra ones.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean t-to... U-Ummmm... w-well, S-Situational Psychology i-is pretty... u-um, amazing? W-We're taught about bad guy thought patterns and how to handle different situations. Like hostages, a-and w-what to do. H-Honestly, i-it kinda goes over m-my head. N-Not a lot of your thinking m-makes sense t-to me. B-But they always set things u-up for the p-practical situations. F-For some reason I always g-g-get picked as the h-hostage..."



"O-One time U.A.V w-was playing t-the bad guy, and g-got a little t-to excited, a-a-and he s-scared me a-and I started c-crying...



B-But t-then Sparkle Rose j-jumped in a-and b-beat the daylights o-out of U-U.A.V! S-She was really n-nice, b-b-but they g-gave her detention b-b-because she w-wasn't e-even in our c-class. S-So e-even though I do-don't really like t-the class... t-they always give me s-sweets a-a-and hugs a-after each session. I-I-I really like that b-bit."

quote:

- What do you like to do in your free time?

"Ummm, f-free time...? D-Do we h-have to p-pay for t-time? O-O-Oh no! I-I don't u-understand m-money yet! W-Wha-"

Having calmed the spirit girl back down, and explaining what 'free time' means, Sammi flushes.

"...S-Sorry. U-Um, I-I don't really h-have any hobbies... S-Sometimes I-I'll listen t-to music. I-I used to be allowed to u-use the s-school c-computers w-without s-supervision. B-But then I saw t-the puppy i-inside the s-screen a-and I tried to g-get it out! B-But it w-wasn't inside... A-And the screen w-won't work a-anymore... I-I hope the puppy is okay."

quote:

- New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!



"I've n-not seen much o-of it. B-But I w-was on a w-walk with Headmistress Amala. T-Trying to get use t-to the area. A-And we found a s-sweet shop. Y-You don't understand the f-feeling. T-There's so much emotion there. Like t-the purest kind o-of happiness! I c-could spend all d-day just sitting in there! I-It was the first t-time I'd ever s-seen anything l-like it...! W-When I've b-b-b-been extra s-special good, Headmistress Amala let's me p-pick a sweet! I-I like the blue o-ones, t-they're my favourite!"

quote:

- (Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!



quote:

- (Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.


quote:

Hero Name:
Real name (if You Have One): Sammi
Look: Woman, White, Human Skin, Consealing Clothing, No Costume
Abilities:Your powers are based on your unique physical configuration. Choose 2 and describe how they are part of your body.

- Solid Light Projection
- Elemental Form

LABELS

FREAK +2
DANGER +1
SAVIOUR +1
SUPERIOR +1
MUNDANE -2


Newborn Moves:

Role model

You are inspired by your teammates, and strive to be like them. Choose another PC who holds Influence over you to be your role model. You can shift your role model at any time to someone else who has Influence over you.

At the beginning of the session hold 1. Spend your hold to use one of your role model’s moves.


Thermodynamic miracle

When you tell someone how you see them as exceptional or unique in a way that others overlook, you can roll +Freak instead of +Mundane to comfort or support them.


Alien Tech

When you alter a human device with your alien Weird technology, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose one:

- it works exceptionally well
- you get an additional use out of it

On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect that the GM will reveal when you use it.


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 _____
□ A superhero Should always act to protect others
□ Always Try to make others happy
□ Never _____

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


Moment of Truth

Something snaps into focus, and you’re free of all the pressure and expectations and doubts. You know what to do, and your body and powers evolve to give you the strength to see it through. You’re new, exceptional, amazing. Of course, when something like you appears, there’s always someone who wants to control it...


Team Moves

When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them what makes them proud or happy about the actions they took, and write down a new Lesson based on it.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, if their response helps you understand human feelings and problems, mark potential. If their response confuses or offends you, shift your Freak up and your Mundane down.

Relationships

_____ shows you around and tells you how things work.
The behavior of ______ confuses you again and again.

Influence

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

Arashiofordo3 fucked around with this message at 21:20 on Mar 15, 2017

Waffleman_
Jan 20, 2011


I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna!!!





Cosmic Cowgirl ~ Galactic Rustler

Well, howdy! Name's Polly, but I reckon y'all can call me Cosmic Cowgirl what since I'm a hero now. Golly, though, it's hard gettin' used to the big city. I ain't never been nothin' but a country girl before. New Arcadia ain't nothin' like Dusty Tumbleweed, I can tell ya that!

Oh! I reckon yer wonderin' why I'm all yellow an' glowy an' stuff. Well, I'm what people call a Starchild. I was born with a connection to The Energy of The Cosmos. That power built up in me until I was 13, when I was able to harness it to become...well, kinda a livin' star! I can control The Energy of The Cosmos, an' I even got my own gravitational pull when I want! Plus, I don't ever need a flashlight!

quote:

When did you first use your powers?

Well, I reckon I already told ya it happened when I was 13. I was jes' helpin' out 'round my daddy's ranch when a huge thunderstorm started rollin' in. I was tryin' ta get the cattle to calm down when outta nowhere, I got struck by a bolt of lightnin'! I fell unconscious an' when I came to, I was...well, like this! I had a cow orbitin' me, it was pretty embarrassin'. After that, I researched an' honed my abilities. I...mostly shot cans. But I did it purty darn good!

quote:

Who was the first person you accidentally hurt with your powers?

Well, the first time was when I was doin' some target practice with m' best friend, Katie Smith.



That's her, she runs the apple orchard nearby. We were jus' doin' some shooting together, an' I guess I overcharged one 'a my shots or somethin', cuz I dern near ended up launching one of th' cans we were shootin' right at her noggin. It was red hot, too! I felt right terible 'bout it! She had a mighty lump, a few burns, and I was cryin' fer a solid 10 minutes! 'f course, Katie an' I were grounded from shootin' after that! I was lucky, but these powers are more than I reckoned!

quote:

Who, outside the team, helps you control your powers?



"Fresh Vintage Hero Shiny Grape here! I'm one of the counselors here at the academy, and I've been helping Polly here with the transition to New Arcadia. Moving to the big city can be pretty stressful, and with Miss Crawford's powers, stress is the last thing we need! So, I've been trying to get her acclimated and teaching her relaxation exercises. She's become exceptionally good at meditation, if I do say so myself!"

quote:

Why do you continue to use your powers?

Well, my daddy always told me that everyone's got a purpose in this world, an' even if these powers of mine cause me to hurt people, I've been given 'em for a reason. I figure if I can help people with what I can do, that's jes' what I've gotta do!

quote:

Why do you care about the team?

A cowgirl ain't nothin' without her posse, simple as! Y'all look out for me, I look out for y'all!

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?

Well, I reckon it was my daddy's idea. He told me, "Polly, you'll probably do more good as one of them heroes than bein' a ranch hand. Also yer killin' all the crops." So I packed my bags and headed on to the big city! I wann reach m' full potential (and hopefully not hurt anyone in the process!)

quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?



"That'd be me, partner. Name's Deadshot. I'm a son of Dusty Tumbleweed, just like little Polly here. I was there visiting some old friends when they tell me about the girl on the Crawford ranch. They said she was mighty powerful, so of course I had to stop by an' see her. So I get to the ranch, and wouldn't ya know, there were some rustlers tryin' to get their cattle and little Polly in hot pursuit. I almost stepped in, but I wanted to see what she could do. I swear she managed to open some kinda black hole in the ground and stop 'em right in their tracks. Got a few cows in there, too, but omelets and all that. After that, I had to introduce myself to her. You'da thunk it was the second comin' of the Lord and Savior with how excited she was to see me. I talked to her and her pappy and recommended that she come to the academy, promising my sponsorship. And I'm glad she's flourishing."

quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!



That dern Sweet Dandy! She gets on my nerves so much! She has the power to control sugar, and she's nothing but a snobbish city slicker! Always givin' me a hard time for the way I dress or the way I talk or my lack of sophistication! She's exactly th' kinda person I was worried about runnin' into when I moved to New Arcadia!

"Well, maybe if you weren't such a boor, you'd fit in a bit more~"

WELL, YOU PROBABLY COULDN'T EVEN TIE YER drat SHOES!

quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

I figure where I shine's in Physical Edumacation! Even if they don't let us use our powers, my body's been hardened by years of labor on the ranch, somethin' these spoiled city kids'll never know! And it's the one time I can really shove Sweet Dandy's face in it!

"The sun was in my eyes!"

Girl, I AM the sun!

As fer least favorite...ehe, I ain't too good what with numbers or nothin'. Couldn't tell a Pythagoras from a quadratic. Math ain't really my forte.

quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?

Well, I've been doin' a lot of sightseein' now that I'm in the big city! I prolly look like a drat tourist with m'camera out. I even took a....whatchacallit, selfie off th' observation deck of the Kirby Tower! The folks got a real hoot out of that one, tell ya what!

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

Well...

Uh...

There's kinda...

This pettin' zoo. It reminds me of bein' on th' ranch and sometimes they let me help take care of th' animals. I can't let anyone know I go there, though. I'd look like even more of a simpleton!

quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

The picture is pretty danged close, wouldn't you think?!

quote:

(Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

quote:

The Nova
Hero Name: Cosmic Cowgirl
Real Name: Pollyanna Crawford

Look: Woman, white (and yellow), glowing skin, casual clothing, uniform costume
Abilities: Gravity manipulation, cosmic energies

Labels:

Freak +3
Danger +1
Savior 0
Superior 0
Mundane -1

Flares:

Move: Spend 1 burn to move to any place you choose within the scene, breaking through or slipping past any barriers or restraints in your way. Spend a second Burn to move to any place you’ve previously been.

Reality storm: You channel a destructive burst with your powers. Spend 1 burn to directly engage a threat using your powers, rolling + Freak instead of + Danger. If you do, you will cause unwanted collateral damage unless you spend another Burn.

Boost: Spend 1 burn to supercharge a teammate’s efforts with your powers, giving them a +1 bonus to their roll as if you had spent Team from the pool.

Overcharge: You channel the full capacity of your incredible powers to overcome an obstacle, reshape your environment, or extend your senses. Spend 2 burn to take a 10+ when you unleash your powers.

Moment of Truth:

Your mind’s eye opens, and you can see the world around you like never before. You can control it, at will, with ease. Of course, warping reality tends to have ramifications down the line, but in your moment of godhood...how could you possibly be worried?

Team Moves:

When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if there is any fear in their eyes when they look at you. If they say no, take +1 forward and mark potential. If they say yes, immediately shift your Danger up and Savior down.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, tell them how they could stop you, if it came down to it. Give them Influence over you and clear a condition.

Waffleman_ fucked around with this message at 03:36 on Jan 24, 2017

TheNabster
Apr 26, 2014

"Today I will cause problems on purpose"
Imma stare at this and think about it

Lucky Ted the Beacon will ride again!

Lucky Ted, the Beacon

[MY SEXY PICTURE HERE SOON]

quote:

- How did you gain your skills?

"Short answer, one part genetics, two parts au naturale talent."

"The long answer is a bit more complicated then that. When I was a kid, I loved sports, I really loved sports. I never was any good at them to start but it was a dream of mine to play baseball professionally and wanted to give it a good college try. So I played, and I trained, and I played until one day it just sort of, clicked. That happened around puberty, something that with the hindsight of a few years should have really raised a few flags but, suddenly I was kicking rear end. I was tearing up the minor leagues, then the junior leagues, then I was getting scouted for the New Arcadia Satyrs - Go Satyrs! - and I was seeing a future in front of me doing something I loved doing and was good at doing, it was a dream come true.

"And then the first blood tests came back and I was confirmed to have mutagenic genes. And the rules are very clear on people with superpowers competing against people without superpowers, it's a complete no go, further tests after the initial detection uncovered some weird photographic reflexes power and well, that was it right there and then. Suddenly I wasn't talented I just got lucky. Never-mind the peak physical fitness I tried drat hard to maintain, never-mind all the work I put in before the drat thing even triggered when I hit puberty, my career was over before it even begun."

"Good thing I found one just as rewarding."

quote:

- When did you first put on your costume?

"Oh this old thing? I've had it for ages before I was even a superhero." He turns his back to the interviewer and with two thumbs points to his back, he looks over his shoulder. "Check it, Lucky Palmer, Number 7, this was when I actually had a career in baseball to look forward to, you know you've made it when you get your own jersey." He visibly slumps. "But when the allegations came out, well that was it for that dream and so I used to just wear it when I went out to practice. Pretty stupid really, I could have just thrown it away but I kept it and wore it for dumb sentimental reasons."

"It's around the time where I met my sponsor, saved his life and accidentally became a superhero that it rather became my superhero costume too. We'll get back to that in a moment though, those questions are further down the list."

quote:

- Who, outside of the team, thinks you shouldn’t be a superhero?



"Well I can think of a few detractors but the biggest pain in my rear end right now is this guy."

"Flyboy over here is one Professor Hector Ramirez, also known as Tango, He was one of the founding members of the Hero Academy and he doesn't really approve of me or my like in this school no sirree. You see whilst the school has always been accommodating for those with the genetic powers to vomit flames everywhere; or incredible psionic/magical talent, or even those people who just built their own powers from the ground up with their own two hands, it's where you get to people with some might say 'street level' ability is where the rules get a bit, conflicting."

"The academy's problem - Well Hector's problem - is that the profession of being a superhero is an incredibly dangerous one at the best of times even for your fire-spewers and spell-slingers, for every cape that you see reach retirement and become living legends, you get plenty more that weren't so lucky even with all their power. So what do you do when you get the kind of people who don't have those kinds of powers? Maybe they are pretty good with a bow and arrow, or are good at kicking rear end with hand and foot or maybe they are a dab hand with a sword but in the most base and practical definition of the word they are completely human. Completely human, and expected to go up against the same kinds of threats the slingers and the spewers and the smart boys have to fight with nothing more then guts and gusto."

"That's why Hector has always been dead against the inclusion of natural ability heroes within the ranks of the Academy, but, he is only one man on the board and the other members feel that when the person in question has exceptional natural abilities and the drive to succeed that they shouldn't be denied access to the Academy because they aren't 'strong' enough."

"As for me? Well the fact that I am not even someone with a background in combat skills but baseball really chafes with him, which is why he has made it his business to be on my rear end for any mistakes I make. You're going to have to try harder then that to discourage me sir, Lucky Ted is no quitter."

quote:

- Why do you try to be a hero?

"There were two things I obsessively followed when I was a kid, baseball, and superheroes. At first I gave up on the superhero stuff, I wasn't all that smart, or strong, and I couldn't shoot lightning out of my hands I had no chance of being a superhero in my mind, but a star baseball player? That was the dream, that was what I decided to aim for. But when what happened happened, I was suddenly stuck with nowhere to go, and that's where I would have been for the rest of my life practically."

"And then my favorite hero. Not just a hero, not just a famous hero, my personal number one - had the posters; bought the comics, bought the action figures, followed every interview - that hero, my idol, right there, I saved his life and he offered me a chance to enroll in one of the most famous academies in the entire country, because he was certain that I had the right chops for it after what I did that day."

"Do you say no to that offer? Even if you think you aren't good enough? Even if you think it's a really hard job to live up to? Would you honestly turn down the offer of a lifetime?"

"I might be inadequate in some areas and hopeless in others, but I'm not gonna squander this chance, I'll practice to my fingers bleed if I have to."

quote:

- Why do you care about the team?

"I love superheroes man! Is it weird to be a superhero fanboy when you yourself are a superhero? Is it kosher to ask for autographs before or after a mission? Would it be weird? I don't know but the fact that I get to be on the same team as some of the up and coming rising stars in the country and I get to be counted amongst their number? It's almost a dream come true."

"You guys are the best!"

quote:

- Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?
- What made you decide to join the academy?

"Oooh I can answer both of these in one!"


He's so cool!

"Justiciar is the most every man good guy doing what he can hero in the entire country and he is just, the best. Like a genuinely good guy and an amazingly skilled hero with his super strength and cosmic blasters. I always wanted to meet the man in person you know? Tell him what a true inspiration he was to me, sappy fanboy nonsense, that kind of thing.



"But the day I actually met him in person, he was fighting the Metalocalypse (If you don't know the backstory the ghost of a crazy roadie inhabited a construction robot and now it's a giant metal robot with it's own tiny roadies.) I knew this because he was thrown through the wall of the leisure center I was hanging out in. And he was looking beat up, the Metalocalypse is a handful at the best of times but this time he was amped up on some weird magic stuff and he was even more dangerous. And he was doing as villains do taunting Justicar about it, dangling it out of his reach, gloating."

"He stopped when I smashed it right out of his hand with a corker of a pitch. I was always known for my pinpoint fastballs, I didn't know what I was doing but it was there, and I had a ball, so I just hurled it and knocked it right out of his hand. And when you think you've done something really stupid you go into overdrive, so I clear the distance of the hall, snatched the thing up and just ran. Ran whilst a now very angry robot screaming bloody murder pounded down the street after me, and when he cornered me in an alleyway I thought I was done for. But that stalling tactic was all Justicar needed to power himself back up and bring him down with with his signature STARLIGHT CRUSHER. It was over before the reinforcements even turned up."

"Of course I got yelled at by the other veteran superheroes for needlessly putting my life in danger and trying to take on a supervillain with a bat, but what was I supposed to do? I wasn't about to see my idol get mushed, and he knew it, so after my mandatory chastising by the man, he took me out of earshot of the other heroes and thanked me. Me! I was just in the right place at the right time and because of that the legendary Justicar was thanking me for saving his life!

"The next day I got a letter from him and that letter contained two things. One of them was an enrollment letter for the Hero Training Academy, and the other was a letter from the man himself, telling me that after he had informed the board about what transpired and what I did, he convinced them to let me try out at the academy if I wanted to go for it."

"It's been hard work since then, but it's worth it."

quote:

- Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!



"Turns out I'm not the only sports fan who made it into the Academy."

"This is Blitzer, he used to play the quarterback at his high-school until a freak accident gave him super-speed abilities and he transferred to the Academy to begin learning how to control his powers. He has a rather weird subset of superspeed that only lets him go fast in a straight line, no curves, no fast movements, just straight lines and sharp right angles almost like a living light-bike really. But once he gets going boy does he get going, he is definitely in the upper tier in terms of powers.

"The only thing is he doesn't seem all that keen to be here, like he has the power set to become a great hero but seems more interested in just passing his classes and graduating from the academy at the end of the day, rather then actually going into the career proper. Maybe he needs the right morale boost? I've been there buddy, I know what it's like to have your future take a sudden sharp swerve because of stuff out of your control, you can talk to good old Ted about it. I don't bite."

quote:

- What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

"Take a guess... Did you guess Physical Education? Well..."

"Actually I really like Field Work lessons, which is essentially P.E but on steroids. This isn't learning how to play football, this is learning how you handle yourself during say, a flood, or a giant robot attack, or maybe a bomb has gone off and you are doing search and rescue efforts. And some times you get days where teams of supers are pitted against each other to test their capabilities, it's awesome! It's the closest you can get to feeling like a real life superhero without the inherent risk of death! Mostly. I mean serious injuries are an unfortunate possibility but at least when your class mate throws you out a window there's a medic nearby."

As for least favorite? Did you know Superheroic Law is mandatory? I didn't, and boy let me tell you if you ever thought that learning about the intricacies and nitty gritties of the 'Superheroic Registration Act' or 'Plutonious v. The City of Metropolis' or 'The Extraterritorial Boundaries Act' would be anything but the most grinding hour you've ever been willingly subjected to, then you are some sort of crazy person! Even the teacher seems to be aware that it's something the government pushed for rather then something pushed by the school itself.

quote:

- What do you like to do in your free time?

"I practice, a lot, like large amounts of the day spent in the gym or or the danger room or even in the library to keep in peak physical and mental condition."

"Why? Because I'm the one normal guy among superheroes man! If I'm not at peak performance at all times, and if I'm not doing my damnedest to learn anything new that I possibly can, then I have no right to even think about calling myself a superhero, let alone attending lessons at this academy. But to be fair, it's opened me up to a lot of things I wouldn't have otherwise been able to do. Gymnastics for example, photographic reflexes made it really easy to catch up from what was a several years late start to some of the people in my class. And some sword-fighting too although it's a little weird when you apply that to a bat. And other sports clubs, and let me tell you, if you think you've played basketball before, wait until you play 3 on 3 basketball against an elastic man, a falcon-man hybrid, and a 7 foot tall living statue. Then you've played ball for real.

"And also also every Sunday I head over to the Lander's Grove Stadium to watch the Satyrs play - Go Satyrs! - You gotta support the home team right? And I have done so religiously ever since my dad took me when I was just a kid. I've even been considering bringing some of the others along with me but I haven't been able to catch them at a good time yet, a shame really, I think some of them would enjoy it."

quote:

- New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!



The Heliodome was a building constructed during Olympics in New Arcadia way back, and since then it has mostly been gathering dust. Until it was bought out by the Hero Training Academy and converted into an artificial city state for the purpose of training exercises! Retrofitted with artificial weather, self converting environments it puts the 'art' into state of the art.

The words 'practical lessons' have a whole new meaning when it's a perfectly constructed recreation of an abandoned factory area in heavy rain and 4 teams of 5 facing of against each other in the most extreme game of tag you have ever seen, it's great! It's even used on occasion by the emergency services for their training and they can still turn it back into a plain old sports field when they want to use it for plain old sports games or concerts and the like. It's pretty awesome.

quote:

- (Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

>High Stakes and Higher Education.
>An A+ for Effort.
>It's Just Like One of My Japanese Animes!

quote:

Hero Name: Lucky Ted
Real Name: Ted Palmer

Look: Man, white, smiling face, simple clothing, iconic costume
Abilities: Acrobatics, Swords Sporting Equipment (Mostly Bats)

How much of Lucky Ted's phenomenal sporting ability is actually Lucky Ted's talent, or Lucky Ted's abilities? He doesn't know, what matters is Lucky Ted is an Olympic level gymnast, fencer, and other such sporting achievements that for the longest time people thought he was a prodigy, and then when it turned out he had the mutant genes in his bones a dirty cheating bastard. Being that his power seems to be mostly instinctual and mental based, and thus in the realm of stuff where it's very hard to tell, Lucky Ted isn't telling.

Labels
Freak -1
Danger -1
Savior +3
Superior +0
Mundane +2

Moves

Won’t let you down: When you help a teammate, you can spend 2 out of the Team pool to add +2 to their roll.

Suck it, Domitian: When you stand strong while dramatically under fire, roll + Savior instead of + Danger to directly engage a threat.

Drives

Choose four drives to mark at the start of play. When you fulfill a marked drive, strike it out, and choose one: mark potential, clear a condition, take Influence over someone involved.

When your four marked drives are all struck out, choose and mark four new drives. When all drives are struck out, change playbooks, retire from the life, or become a paragon of the city.

❑ lead the team successfully in battle
❑ kiss someone dangerous
❑ punch someone you probably shouldn’t
help a teammate when they most need you
take down a threat all on your own
❑ outperform an adult hero
❑ pull off a ridiculous stunt
❑ save a teammate’s life
❑ get drunk or high with a teammate
❑ drive a fantastical vehicle
❑ get a new costume
❑ get a new hero name
earn the respect of a hero you admire
❑ make out with a teammate
❑ punch out a teammate
❑ break up with someone
❑ stop a fight with calm words
❑ tell someone your true feelings for them
❑ travel to an incredible place (or time)
reject someone who tells you “you shouldn’t be here”

Team Moves
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, tell them how they’re awesome and add a Team to the pool. If they tell you how you’re awesome in return, add another Team to the pool

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, ask them to confirm or deny that you should be here. If they confirm it, mark potential and give them Influence over you. If they deny it, mark Angry and shift one Label up and one Label down, your choice.

When Our Team First Came Together...
We found signs that this incident was just the start of something bigger. What were the signs?

Relationships
____________________ is awesome, and you take every chance you get to hang out with them.
You’ve got to prove yourself to_____________________ before you feel like a real hero.

Influence
You are so excited to be here. Give Influence over you to three of your teammates

TheNabster fucked around with this message at 19:48 on Jan 23, 2017

Theantero
Nov 6, 2011

...We danced the Mamushka while Nero fiddled, we danced the Mamushka at Waterloo. We danced the Mamushka for Jack the Ripper, and now, Fester Addams, this Mamushka is for you....


In a hidden laboratory in in the outskirts of the city, two men can be seen in heated argument. One in a spotless labcoat, the other in a decidedly less spotless black robe.

"... and that's why you're clearly wrong, Ivan!"

"'Tis YOU who foolish be, Giovanni! How could a stupid meat computer access the Art? Perform the decisions that make us people!"

"...Well I still think you're wrong. Advancements in scanning technology and neural mapping have clearly shown that all those things are perfectly possible with just a head full of neurons. Indeed, no research paper I have ever read would seem to indicate otherwise. This whole 'soul' business is in itself nothing but superstition based on conjecture."

"BAH! Thee and thine papers, you ignorant man! What would idle chemical impulse between fatty little tendrils know of the flow of the essences, the sublime winds of the aether! Utter foolishness say I!"

"Be that as it may. Are we... really going through with this?"

"You and with your petty concerns again, Giovanni! This waif is dead! The grief of her family over a missing corpse is a small price to pay for knowledge this deep! A noble sacrifice to help us, indeed, the entirety of mankind reach greater understanding! With our soul separator, and the charms of necromantic animation, we shall finally and conclusively prove whether it is THE BRAIN or THE SOUL that performs the action of thought and reason, and functions as the home of the personality!"

A conveniently dramatic flash of lightning illuminates the insides of the laboratory, as the devices get to work during Ivan's cackling. And indeed, a blue, see-through projection of the girls body removes itself as the animative magics prop the body itself into a stiff, sitting position.

"Now", Ivan exclaims, "Whichsoever of you the real girl be, answer my Greeting!"

"Uhh... Hi?" They answer is complete unison.



Clatterclaw and Miss Wraith



quote:

The Joined

Hero names: Clatterclaw (Alpha) and Miss Wraith (Beta)
Real name: Rachel Allison

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


Abilities: Might (Clatterclaw is a corpse, and a mechanically augmented one too. Turns out that you can do some fairly heavy enhancements when the only vital organ you have to care about is the brain and even that is magically animated. The numbness to pain that comes with being largely dead is a plus too, in a fight. Has also had a fairly strict training regimen in martial arts too.)/ Magic (Miss Wraith is an unbound soul, and finely tuned to the winds of the aether due to this status. She has been quick to learn the ways of spirit magic.)

Moves:

Alpha: Good twin: When you comfort or support someone by praising their moral activities, roll +Superior instead of +Mundane

Beta: The quiet one: When you direct attention towards someone else to go unnoticed, roll +Mundane. On a 10+ you’re good and they don't feel any heat for it. On a 7-9 choose one:
● someone is still watching you
● you leave evidence behind
● they draw unwanted heat

Bonds:

Dual-fighting: When you go into battle together, you get access to the move, ‘Overwhelm a vulnerable foe.’

Inseparable: Your selves can never be separated from each other unless they allow it

Four eyes are better: When you assess the situation from two different vantage points, on a hit, you may clear a condition or ask an additional question.


When our team first came together…
Our bond was disrupted during the fight. How? By what?

Relationships:
Both: You both have an intense crush on _________.
Alpha: You think that _____ could really teach Beta a thing or two.
Beta: You are jealous of the relationship between Alpha and _____.

Influence:
Track influence as if Alpha & Beta were one person, because you basically are, right?
One of you is more trusting than the other would like, give three teammates influence.


quote:

Who were you to each other before you Joined?

"Hah! Now that's bit of a silly question now isn't it? Body and soul you could say! Me the former, her the latter!"

"Hi."

quote:

How did you Join?

"Right. So we were Rachel Allison. I mean, we still are but that's besides the point. The point is that Rachel had a perfectly ordinary life. You know, she went to school, had some clique or another, got good enough grades, practiced theater as a hobby, suddenly died when walking home due to some undiagnosed congenital heart abnormality, you know, the usual stuff."

"...That last one is not usual."

"...Yeah. Good catch."

"You don't mean that."

"But anyway, our freshly dead corpse was (or so I hear, we were kinda dead at that point) swept away by this supremely weird and creepy wizard named Ivan."

"He's not so bad after you get to know him."

"And as I was saying, Ivan and his accomplice, this biologist by the name of Giovanni had long argued about the seat of sentience. Ivan claiming it was the soul, Giovanni saying it had to be the brain. Now, they had built this strange soul separating machine to find out which one was right. All they were missing was a fresh corpse with the soul still hanging on. Now, since you can quite clearly see you're talking to a spirit as well as the prettiest walking corpse you've ever seen, you can probably tell who it was!"

"It was us."

"...Yes. Nevertheless, they were fairly surprised to find out that both of us could do the thinking and the personality just fine. It has not helped abate their debate though. Just added more fuel to the fire."

quote:

Apart from the powers, what keeps you together?

"Mainly the fact that we are the same person? Like, would you feel comfortable leaving your left half home when you went for a walk? Jackass."

"Don't be rude."

"Right, sorry, sorry. Really though, you just get this... hollow sort of feeling if we get too distant you know? It's impossible to describe how it feels like, to someone like you who is still happily in one piece. It's this sort of, totally bleak emptiness. I don't know. Like, if you want to know, the soul separator is still perfectly functional, so by all means go out and figure it out yourself if you want to know so hard."


quote:

Someone outside the team thinks you’d be better off separate. Who are they and why do they think that?

"So, have you yet heard the good message of 'The Singularity of Perception'? No? Yeah, I guess they are kinda obscure. And by them I mean this one guy right here. Lemme just show you the pic."



"The Solipsist"

"Oi, The Solipsist. And he's a piece of work I tell you. He's got this philosophy, you know? Basically, he believes that supreme power over reality can be found in accepting that only the 'self' is real and the rest of the world is illusory perception. And true enough, he does seem to have minor reality warping powers that magical scholars have yet not managed to identify. But yes, a central tenet of his preachings is that one must focus on the self, and on one's perceptions, and ignore the reality of all else. Now clearly this is sort of difficult for us, since even though we have no sensory links or anything, we are very much parts of the same. The Solipsist disagrees, and is constantly telling us how our connection is 'holding back our true potential' or what have you. Besides, the whole thing about a single 'self' being separated into two does not mesh with his worldview, so I bet some of his obsession with trying to convince us that we are totally different and separate beings is to convince himself that his ideas are right. He is annoyingly persistent, but he's a hero too at the end of the day (even though a hugely eccentric one), so I doubt he'll try to force the issue."


quote:

Why do you care about the team?

"Because they are... good people? The reason you usually care for others, sheesh."

"They are nice."

"But yeah, I suppose it's fair to say there's a bit more to it than that, especially for the two of us. I mean, I bet this comes as a massive surprise for you, but most people don't want to hang out with a clammy corpse."

"Or a ghost."

"Yeah. The only people we dealt with at first were Ivan and Gio, but they knew it would be cruel to keep us locked up. And, well, for people like us, normal ways of life are out of question. I, we could not exactly go back to normal school you know. It was basically a choice between the academy or being circus freaks."

"I don't think they have circus freaks anymore."

"The point is that yeah, we decided that perhaps heroics would be good because that line of business tends to attract the occasional weirdo. But yes, the Team, and the superpowered community at large is basically the only place where we can have a semblance of a normal life you know. People to talk to, that sort of thing. They are the closest thing we have to a family."

"Family."

"I, yes. When applying for heroics, the authorities obviously, uhh, informed our parents. We did meet, once. They could not really handle the news."

"We don't like to talk about it."

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?

"We already told you."

"Uh, yeah, there really isn't that much to add. We basically had to join for us not to become outcast vagrants, or unemployable NEETS living in Ivan's basement."

"In the internet nobody knows you are a corpse!"

"Ye-, wait did you just tell a joke? Hah, I suppose something new came from this line of questioning. But yes, both the compulsion and the fact we can actually be useful likely entered their consideration."

quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?



"Yeah, who else but Ivan and Giovanni. Turn out, they are not exactly members of the Justice Alliance. No, no, their work is far too much on the grey area, they would look bad on the books you know. But it's not like they are villains either, you know? And they are very good at what they do, too much of an asset to throw away, yeh? So, they function more as... independent contractors of a sort. They help out the heroes, the heroes don't meddle with them too much unless they go over the line."

"They went over the line with us."

"Yeah. Royally. When they came to the heroes with us in tow, they got chewed up so bad I could practically feel it, and I'm a corpse, hah! But what is done is done, and the heroes recognized that we really did not have many other places where to go. Also, due to our... state, we held some unique potential."

"Ivan and Giovanni helped us."

"Yeah, those people really are very good at what they do. So even though they did this to us (to be fair, we would be dead. And I mean like, dead dead without their interference), and even though they meddle with us a bit too much to my liking, they've given us some really neat crap. Giovanni has stuffed my body full of all kinds of cybernetic enhancements, really powerful and radical ones too since there are no vital organs sans my brain that need to be spared or replaced. Like, check out these huge adamantite claws on my cloak. Could never lift them or use them if I didn't have all these motors stuffed in my arms and torso. And 'Miss Wraith' here, well, Ivan has been real busy teaching her magic. And since, you know, the soul is just kinda hanging there, it has easy access to the aether."

"He's a surprisingly good teacher."

"So yes, they've caused us a whole slew of problems, but they've been diligent in trying to help us too."

quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

"Hah, tell you about that ONE interesting person in our class in a school filled with superpowered people? Are you trying to figure out if I or Missy here have a crush or something?"

"Probably."

"Well, I won't bite the bait. A lady's got to have secrets after all, haha! But yeah, even if we had it's kinda hard for us to date since the whole 'being a corpse' thing is kind of a turn-off for most people."

"And we're always together..."

"Yeah, people are kinda leery of that too. And I mean, since we're still mostly human looking what with some unique color schemes, we aren't even weird enough to hang around with the truly transformed since they think we have it easy. We're kinda stuck between the normals and the, well, less normals that way haha."

"It's not very funny though."

"Well I mean I suppose, but there's no need to be such a huge downer about it sheesh. So, in relation to all that, I suppose that if we had to pick one interesting person in a school of interesting persons, I suppose we might as well pick Mike."

"His hero name is Shooting Star."



"Right. I mean sure, he's real cute (could just eat him up omnomnom) and has the power to make hard light constructs at which he's real good too, but the main reason I chose him to talk about is because he's one of the few people here who's not opposed to hanging out with us. Which I suppose makes him the most interesting person to us here since we actually know him personally? If that makes sense.

"He's nicer than he looks."

quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

"Did I mention we're into theater?"

"You did."

"Righto. So probably doesn't come as a huge surprise that we are into Art first and foremost, kinda enjoy math and physics too but it's not like I'm some genius at them at any rate. And Missy here excels at the theoretical Sorcery classes since she's got what's basically a private tutor in Ivan. And, uh, really she's the one here bringing the grades home anyway haha. I mean I'm not bad or anything, more aggressively average except at those things I mentioned earlier."

"Less than average at history though."

"Ugh, yeah. History is kinda annoying. Like, those things that I mentioned are cool because they don't involve all that much boring book memorization, and are more about active application of tools that you're taught you know? That's kinda fun. Well, as fun as schoolwork can be I suppose haha. But history? It's just endless memorization, and that kinda stuff is something I really dislike.

"Me too."

"...Still get good grades though."

quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?

"Well, the theater thing has come up like twice now I think, so I think it's kinda obvious we like to do that kind of stuff. But I suppose it would be a bit of a cop-out answer to just answer that again huh?"

"Yes."

"Well, let's see. We hang at the theaters, and Ivan and Gio's place, and our own place. Don't really visit the parents since, uh, you know, the whole family situation is a bit complicated with us as you might recall. At least we get two rooms at the school, so there's that silver lining, heh. But there's some bookkeeping strangeness there, now that I think of it. See, whilst we get two rooms and are thus considered different people I guess, we still only get one stipend for the both of us each month. Which kinda eats into our free time since that does not quite cut it for two ladies."

"..."

"..."

"We work as cashiers at a campus grocery to make ends meet."

"They don't care that we're dead!"

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

"Hmm. Kinda of a toughie actually. With all the newfangled and barely tested crap being constructed at breakneck speeds and with varied results, there's a lot of weird crap floating around a city like this that could deserve that particular distinction."

"Floating around?"

"Huh? Yeah, that's what I sa- Ohh, yeah I get what you're after. Yes I suppose that was quite the sight to see the first time we were here. And yeah, it still manages to amaze, on occasion. The cloud quarter, we mean. You know, that thing the rich industrialists built together with a bunch of engineers and wizards and what have you when they apparently decided that no high-rise was quite high enough for them to bother living in. I mean, when we first saw that? That ridiculous complex of excessively decorated airships just looming over the city, elevated by who knows what magics and... anti-gravity thrusters or something? We almost thought we were being invaded by overtly gaudy aliens, hah!"

"But yeah, sometimes we take lifts there to look at stuff we can't afford."

quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

Clatterclaw is lunging towards the reader with a peppy smile on her face, her claws tearing apart the page and revealing the panels beyond. Miss Wraith cab be seen on the background, a strange ethereal mist emanating from her and wrapping the page in a blueish hue.

Theantero fucked around with this message at 01:42 on Jan 20, 2017

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!


"Um, it's hard to explain anything about myself. I'm a visitor to learn, and... well, be safe while I'm young. Others are always trying to eat our space back home, um... like one of your wars? There is no space between us, so it's always so, shifting around. It is like a war between minds and colors. I am sorry. I am bad at explaining. We do not feel such sorrow about it. It just is. Like oil and water in your sciences. The oil and water are not bothered, but they are opposed? I am very, very bad at explaining it! This world does not really have the words, but I should be better."

"Um... groups of us can vibrate pieces of the whole over to other dimensions. I am like a piece of greater whole sent to study. And learn. And make the whole more. I take on a form similar to you, but I cannot do much for the color. It is always pink with a little blue. It is how my matter is. When I came, though, there was a big mix-up. Your 'Superstars' thought I was trouble when I was trying to ask questions, but then, I didn't have your words back then and we ended up in a big fight. I did cause some damage on your 'space station', I didn't know you needed to breathe... or what your air was... or such things. I am trying to make up for what I did very, very much. I tried to fill up a spacesuit to try and copy you, and... I like it, even though I broke it."

"They caught me a glowy thing and your science people looked at me until I learned your words and took on your shapes. It can become any of your matters, solid, liquid, gas... animal, vegetable, mineral... or so they are saying. It was hard for me to understand everything at first, but I'm learning faster and faster now. Thanks to your Neurose, I was able to finally get across my intentions. Curiosity. Penance. Be part of the whole. I will be taken back someday, but I like you humans, let's explore your world together! And if there is trouble, I will stop it."

"They call me Meeba, and you can too! You have so many questions! I have so many answers! Let's have them meet and get along!"

Where do you come from?

"It's... hard to... it doesn't... have... we don't have a name for it. We just know that it is. There is no space, there, only colors. Everything is like colors. It is not the best word, because they are not just colors, but you don't have a word for it. Like fluids. Or thoughts. Like a machine made out of water. Some of my teammates call it the 'Meebaverse', but that's just silly. It's not just me!"

Why did you come to Earth?

"By getting together and forming purposes, we can send brighter shades to other worlds, where they form... nuance? I'm not the best at finding words for us. We go to other places to be selfish while we are young, then we return to being a part of our colors again, to give them our... nuance. Also, there are those who think I am mixed, and it causes trouble. Teal. Here, you allow mixed sorts. Mostly! But I do not follow the same rules... laws... that you do? I can be many shapes, I am always me, always."

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

"We do not have... space. Where we are, everybody is always flowing against or together. There is always pressure. Here, there is not so much pressure. It is nice, sometimes. But lonely, too. And I want to be the best part that I can be before I am brought back into the whole. I want to see things like you do, with eyes like you do. And that means knowing more, through sharing words, through watching sights, eating foods, you know. Experiences. I want to have all of them! Except the bad ones. Which ones are bad? I only know after having them, I guess..."

Why do your people want you to come home?

"Most of us... they... worry about me, being separated. Vulnerable. They know this process makes the whole stronger, but even we know.. finality? Avoiding the end? Another fear is in those that worry about purity? There is a part of us that think we bring dirt back from other worlds, impurities, specks, filth, in our forms and thoughts. They want to make the time with you and yours shorter and shorter. And there is always need for us to keep other shades from mixing with force. Fear of mixing, fear of changing. But I am very brave, and I do not have their fear."

Why do you care about the team class?

"Well, I know more than humans what it is like to work as part of a whole. It would be bad if I am suddenly too... individual? I have an example to set, of being part of the flow and harmony of a greater thing. That is why she has to support and protect and make sure it is all working right. And if anybody is hurt or not feeling well, that will affect the working. But it is not just that. I want to learn how to be part of the group, but still be apart. It is very hard being both, it explains why you are so strange sometimes."

pre:




Playbook: Outsider
Look: Ambiguous, Strange Body, Your Station's Costume
Abilities: Density Control, Radical Shapeshifting

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

Outsider 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.

Alien Ways: Whenever you disregard or undermine an earth
custom in front of an audience, mark potential if you then
accept what others tell you about yourself.

Kirby-Craft Meeba-Craft: You can become a vehicle. When you
are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers,
directly engage a threat, or defend using Superior.
  • Strengths: regenerating, shape-shifting
  • Weaknesses: meeba takes injuries, easily detectable
Alien Tech Pink Machines: When you create a piece of alien technology from your body, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose 1:
  • It works exceptionally well.
  • You get an additional use out of it.
On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect. Moment of Truth You embrace your home, and call them for aid. They will answer your call, in force, arriving exactly when you need them to turn the tide. You will lead them into battle. Of course, when all is said and done...they’d probably like to take you home with them. You did, after all, just prove yourself worthy. 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. Advancements Take a move from another playbook.
What made you decide to join the academy?

"This is a place for learning. I am in your space to learn. You will teach me so all of us will know. This answer is simple, which is best!"

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

"Neurose! Or New Rose?..."



"She helped me learn your words, and says that I am... innocent? Not trouble. Honest. Words like that. She did not understand much seeing my mind at first, but we were able to make a bridge of thoughts together. She's happy to help me learn more, but she says it's better to learn the hard way. But school isn't so hard! She can see people's brains and also make... psychic... threads... and knots? I do not totally understand it, but I would like to. I wish I could glow like that."

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

"They're all interesting! But if I had to pick one... um... maybe... randomly...?"

"Oh, let's talk about Cric-Kid!"



"I guess he devised his own suit which resembles one of your smaller fauna? I don't really understand that, but... he's always willing to talk to me about your sciences. Sometimes people point out my ignorance, I don't really understand, of course I am!... but he doesn't mind at all. He mostly wants to use sciences to fight troublesome sorts, which may not be the best use for science. But he knows more about science that I do, so I don't question him. Maybe science really is for punches?"

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

"I like learning about science! Your world has so many rules to learn, law of gravity, laws of motions, laws of thermo dynamics, it's hard to keep up with them all. In our world, you need to go to a space, you just think and flow towards a new state, but here you need legs or wings or fins and knowing all that is important, especially with all the trouble what is up."

"Literature is... not so important. It didn't happen! So it's not as important, things that did not happen. I guess dreams like that are interesting, but... not necessary. Sometimes they make me feel things I did not want to, too! That is strange. All these words are strange. And there are so many to read, but I keep having to remember that all of it is lies. It is hard to keep straight which is the lies and which is the truth, sometimes."

What do you like to do in your free time?

"I want to see more things, sometimes you go places to see things, sometimes the seeing is just in front of you, like with computers and books, though seeing for real is always better than reproduced seeing. There is more than just seeing, there is hearing, and tasting, and touching, though I know I am not supposed to touch or taste outside of the rules. There are museums and zoos and other things where I can see things from all across your world and learn! Always with the learning."

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

"I'm probably not the first to mention the Golden Age Hall of Heroes, but it's so colorful, and it's always amazing learning about the things you people do in your space and reading about the reasons and words, and the adventures. And unlike dumb literature, it is true and usually so much more exciting! I know I've already been three times already but I want to remember everything there to take back. It is valuable learning to hear about justice and punches, even if maybe I shouldn't be so excited about violent conflict. But if any type of conflict is good, it is this."

Hold on. You said, "Others are always trying to eat our space back home?" Who are these Others? Are they something we should be concerned about?

"They are like us, but not? Of course they are trying to eat our space! And we are trying to eat theirs. It is like... tug-of-war... or ying-yang... or a parfait? Um. I don't know what they would be like here. They are others. I do not know them. Their matter would probably be different? Maybe more like energy? I do not know. We do not 'talk'. Ever. They do not even talk... think... we cannot communicate."

"I think they could be dangerous? But if too much of them... they... it comes here, then... they lose space back home. We will take all their space. So... if they come, it would probably be like Meeba. Just a small bit. Probably. Like I said, they are other. I do not know them. There are many others."

You like experiencing and learning new things, huh? Out of all the things you've experienced so far, which was your favorite? What makes it special to you?

"When I first came here, I remember looking out and seeing all the lights across your universe. Your universe is so empty, but... you can see so much because of it. And I could see almost half of your whole world! And all sorts of different colors! I look out and I want to visit all your lights. I'm told I can't, because they're too far away, but... there has to be a way. If your universe is filled with lights, there has to be a way to see them all."

"Back home, you can only feel... vibrations... thoughts... that are just next to you. Just outside of us. I wonder if our world is so big, if we're only a tiny part of it. I don't know if we will ever know, because we don't have empty space like you do. Everything is filled with something. Maybe if I do science enough, I will find a way."

You recently ran into another being like you! Unfortunately, they did not share the same interest in learning as you do. Why were they a problem, and how did you handle your encounter with them?

"Like... me? I think I'm the only Meeba there is, but..."

"I thought I'd split a bit, to take up two different spaces, to see more, to do more? So I made a little me sometimes. But one day she just lazed around and when I tried to get her to do things, she ran around an caused a big fuss! Just throwing things around and making rudeness all over. So... I took her back, when I touched her, we were one again, but... I still don't understand. I don't have that kind of rudeness inside of me! At least I thought I didn't. Maybe she was broken because she was missing something? I don't know. I've split off small mes since that don't act the same way, but... I don't let them out of my sight anymore, either. I don't know if I can trust little mes anymore if we get too far apart."

Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

The 'logo' of the book is being formed upwards out of Meeba's hair, as she tries to hold it with both arms, the whole setup looking rather unwieldy, with the word balloon. "When you said I'd be supporting the title, I didn't think this is what you were meaning!"

Suggest a name for the IC thread.

Arcadia of My Youth. (I'm sorry.)

Tardzilla posted:

... theme songs are highly encouraged!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txjjhK8Zjws

All done!

Alien Rope Burn fucked around with this message at 21:23 on Mar 30, 2017

Ferrosol
Nov 8, 2010

Notorious J.A.M

Will be apping something. Maybe a legacy, or possibly a Bull

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Thinking Beacon, because I DARE TO COMPETE WITH LUCKY TED!!

nah, apped a Delinquent instead

Antivehicular fucked around with this message at 00:23 on Jan 25, 2017

Tardzilla
Aug 31, 2006

I forgot to specify this in the OP, but the Hero Training Academy is a boarding school for super powered teens, so most of you will be living on campus. Sorry for not mentioning it sooner. :ohdear:

Brother Entropy
Dec 27, 2009

edit: neverminnd, bowing out

Brother Entropy fucked around with this message at 03:49 on Jan 25, 2017

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give


(image 1 source)(image 2 source)

Black Rabbit, the Delinquent

So this is some kinda entrance interview, right? Don't you guys have my file? I thought they were gonna send it over! ... Okay, okay, I get it. Red tape, or whatever, or you're trying to catch me in a lie or something.

Hell with it. I'll be honest.

quote:

How did you get your powers?

Beats me; for all I know, I could be a mutant or something and they were always there. I was three the first time they showed up. There was an accident -- Mom was ironing, she went to answer the phone for a second, and I pulled the cord and hit myself in the face with the iron, I think? I don't remember it that great, because I was goddamn three, okay? But I guess I teleported myself out of the house just to get away from the iron. Mom found me out in the backyard, crying.

... Yeah, that's how I got the scar, too. Figured I'd answer before you asked, because everyone asks.

quote:

What do you do for fun?

I've always been a "make my own fun" kind of guy. I was kind of a pariah when I was a kid -- a nervous kid from the wrong side of the tracks, with a huge burn scar on his face? Not really a recipe for making a lot of friends. So I spent a lot of time alone, and then I started playing pranks, because nobody at school knew I was a teleporter. I didn't hurt anybody, but you can screw around a lot without hurting anybody. A few minutes alone, and I could teleport wherever and do whatever, as long as I wasn't gone long. Hide everyone's homework, put plastic spiders in people's desks, rummage through lunchboxes and take whatever looked tasty... nothing big, you know?

Okay, so maybe some kids got worse: the bullies, the ones who had it coming. Maybe stuff that went missing started showing up in their desks, like other kids' lunch money. Maybe their winter coats ended up buried in the snow outside. Maybe they got real bugs in their desk. Like I said, had it coming.

Don't give me that look! I don't pull crap like that anymore. I was a kid, okay? These days, I'm way more into urban exploration and parkour. That stuff's a lot more fun when you can get yourself out of tight spots no problem. Not always that much to see in New Arcadia, but you'd be surprised how deep you can go.

quote:

Who, outside the team, thinks better of you than you do?

I never really had a lot of friends at school, but there was this one girl, Hanako Kinoshita, who knew me from the neighborhood and stayed my friend at school. We're still friends even now that I'm at the Academy... she's always been telling me how smart I am, and she's really excited I'm here and trying to be a hero. I think she thinks I've got more going on than I do, and I don't know why.

I mean... look, I'm not totally stupid, okay? But she thinks I'm really special, that I'm an artist or something. She keeps telling me I've got so much talent and I'm so sensitive. Sensitive like a freakin' zit, more like. She keeps acting like there's something pretty in my soul, and I think we all know that's not true.

... But I like Hanako, so we keep hanging out, and sometimes I try the stuff she wants me to try, when I've got time on my hands. Why not?

quote:

Why do you try to be a hero?

Because... well, I did it once, and it's about the first non-crappy thing I ever did in my life, okay?

So I already told you about the pranks. Well, when I got a little older, I started shoplifting. Money was always kind of tight at home, so I figured if I wanted stuff, I could just take it and 'port out, right? Hide from the cameras, don't get stopped by the security gates, you know the score. I did that for a few years, and I got pretty good. It was kind of fun, you know? Kind of a game.

So one day, about a year ago, I was in that big department store downtown, Alderbury's, looking for something for my mom's birthday. Okay, looking to lift something for my mom's birthday. Not like I had the money to buy it, right? But suddenly there was this announcement over the PA about "this store is coming under the influence of the Secret Signal, proceed to the third floor atrium," and I felt like... I just had to move. I got on the escalator along with most of the rest of the store, and everyone just had these blank eyes. Like we were being controlled or something, you know?

So we got to the third floor atrium, and there was this guy in blue robes standing in the center -- I guess he calls himself the Master of the Signal? He was having everyone drop their wallets and valuables in this bag, along with the contents of the cash registers and stuff. It was so... so... this is gonna sound crazy, but it was just so stupid! I didn't care about the cash, but he had us all enslaved, all for a bunch of wallets? I was getting really angry, even angrier as I got closer to the bag, and then something just snapped and I had my body back. I ran forward and tackled him, before I really knew what I was doing, and when I touched him... whatever weird thing he was doing just stopped, just like that. Everyone came to their senses, people started screaming, someone called the cops, the cops called the Justice Alliance...

So that's how I learned I have another power besides the 'porting. When I touch someone with powers and I want them to stop their bullshit, it stops. Pretty nice, huh?

Anyway, after the Justice Alliance got there, they thanked me for capturing the guy -- first time anyone like that had ever thanked me in my whole goddamn life. It felt really nice, you know? It felt like I did something worth doing, for once. I kinda wanna keep doing stuff that's worth doing.

quote:

Why do you care about the team?

Why are you so sure I care? If these guys turn out to be jackasses, I'm out.

... But I don't think they're gonna. I think... most of them are people like me, people who have been weirdos most of their lives, people who are maybe trying to do something with that. If they get preachy or superior, we're gonna have a problem. But if we can be weirdos together... maybe this is gonna work out.

quote:

Hero Name: Black Rabbit
Real Name: Masato Hayakawa

Look: Man, Asian, untrusting eyes, rebellious clothing, showy costume
Abilities: Teleportation, power negation

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

Moves

Criminal Mind
When you assess the situation, you can always ask one of the following questions, even on a miss:
- what here is useful or valuable to me?
- how could I best infuriate or provoke _______?
- what’s the best way in/way past?

Troublemaker
When you help a teammate through destructive, criminal, or rule-breaking actions, you can give them a +2 instead of a +1 when you spend a Team from the pool.

Are You Watching Closely?
When you mislead, distract, or trick someone, roll + Superior. On a hit, they are fooled, at least for a moment. On a 10+, choose three. On a 7-9, choose two.
- you get an opportunity
- you expose a weakness or flaw
- you confuse them for some time
- you avoid further entanglement
On a miss, you’re hopelessly embroiled in it and under pressure; mark a condition.

Team Moves
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if they think you’re cool. If they say yes, give them Influence and take Influence over them. If they say no, mark a condition or spurn them immediately. If they’re a teammate, then either way, add a Team to the pool.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, give them Influence over you, and ask them who they’d like you to be. Mark potential if you show them that person. If they’re a teammate, add a Team to the pool no matter what.

When Our Team First Came Together...
We totally broke some major rules to win the fight. What rules did we break? Whose rules were they?

Relationships
You keep trying to impress _________________ with your antics.
You and ________________ pulled an awesome (if illegal) stunt together.

Influence
You care way more than you let on. Give three teammates Influence over you.

Thread Questions:

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?

After the Secret Signal thing, I got a card from the Justice Alliance to talk to one of their "power counselors," and I figured hey, why not? So I had a meeting with Dr. Albrecht, and she told me that I was a pretty good Academy candidate, if I could keep it together. She was pretty firm on the "if"... but she also told me that the Academy was a good place if I was feeling bored, restless, alone. Which I am. A lot. And I do want to try and do this hero thing, so it seemed like it was worth a chance.

Besides, it's just better than my crappy school back in my old neighborhood. Better classes, better food, even better uniforms. If I decide to screw this hero thing and go to college or something, it's gonna look way better than my old place.

quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

Gwydion, Warlock of the Blade was one of the first Justice Alliance guys to show up at Alderbury's. I don't really get his "thing" -- he's like a medieval wizard guy, but with a sword? -- but he was the one who hauled out the Master of the Signal and congratulated me for my work. He gave me the card for Dr. Albrecht, and he said I had potential. "Not everyone could have resisted the Secret Signal that way, young man," he said. "You have a powerful mind." Maybe it was a little more flowery than that? You get the picture.

Anyway, after I talked to Dr. Albrecht and filled out my Academy application, she called Gwydion and he agreed to sponsor me. I don't get that guy, but you know, he walked the walk. I owe him a lot.

quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

A couple of rows behind me, there's this girl named Chiaris. I think that's her real name, and she doesn't have a hero name yet? But, well, maybe she doesn't need one, because I don't think she's gonna be able to do the "secret identity" thing. She looks like she's made of smoked glass, and she kind of changes colors sometimes? Usually she's kind of cobalt blue, but sometimes she turns purple, or red, or green. I think I saw her go golden once, too.

She says she was experimented on, which, y'know, no duh. I'm not even sure if she has useful powers or if she's just here because there's nowhere else for her to go. She seems kinda... fragile? And not because of the glass thing.

quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

I'm taking Xenogeography, and I guess most people think it's too weird, but it totally owns. Basically we're learning about all this crazy crap with off-planet space stations and alien planets and alternate dimensions, kind of as an intro thing, but it still feels like I'm learning a bunch of crazy secrets. Turns out there's a ton of stuff about the universe they don't even tell people who aren't in on this superhero thing.

As for least favorite? Well... I kinda hate group work, and Chemistry so far is like all group work. We have these 4-person lab groups and it means we're always falling over each other. I go to do something, someone's already done it, then I lose track of where we are... it sucks, a lot, and it really makes me wish I was just doing it on my own. What, like we're gonna blow ourselves up?

quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?

Well, I talked about the parkour, but... I guess I should be honest. I kind of dig costumes. I'm not into cosplay or anything weird like that, but this one time Hanako got me into helping with making costumes for a play she was in, and I kind of liked it. I'm getting pretty decent at sewing, although I have to borrow a machine if I'm doing anything heavy, but mostly for school shows it's altering old costumes or thrift-store clothes or whatever, so nothing big. You can do some pretty sweet stuff with just a sewing kit and a couple ideas. Sometimes Hanako and I hit the thrift shops for extra pieces -- and no, I'm not shoplifting anymore, okay? I pay for what I need. I'm trying to do this right.

My own costume is kind of a pet project, I guess. I knew I wanted a mask, because of the scar, but then I started sketching a thing and I kind of went overboard? Maybe it's also to throw people off my scent, because God knows I don't do any of that traditional crap on my own time. But... doing up Black Rabbit pretty proper was a lot of fun. I'm gonna keep tinkering with that.

If you're gonna say something, don't. I know I'm not the toughest guy around here, and not just 'cause I can't break rocks with my bare hands, but I'm not taking any crap from anybody about what I like.

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

So New Arcadia isn't the best place for urban exploration, because it's mostly new and shiny and stuff, but turns out there's an abandoned half-finished subway line you can get to through an old public-works building. It's called the Quicksilver Line, and there are like six or seven underground stations they built and then sealed up, with track running between them. No idea why they abandoned it, but this stuff's pretty sealed up if you don't know the secret entrance, and it's cool as hell to hang around in. Almost nobody knows, just the really dedicated urbex people... if I was gonna make a secret base, it'd definitely be down on the Quicksilver Line. Maybe at Chrysanthemum Park Station, at the end of the line. That'd be pretty sweet.

quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

A tight shot of Black Rabbit from beyond (pretty much just his head), staring down at a city street and the villains/mooks below, with numbered points and dotted lines suggesting a plan of attack, with attached notes: "'port here," "punch this dude (back of head)," "run here and port to 2," and so on.

quote:

(Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.
Hero Training Academy: Math Class Is Hard, Let's Go Mook-Punching

Antivehicular fucked around with this message at 00:35 on Jan 25, 2017

slydingdoor
Oct 26, 2010

Are you in or are you out?



A song

quote:

The Transformed
HERO NAME: Darkmatter
REAL NAME (IF DIFFERENT): Margarita "Rita" Lowe

Look: woman, Indigenous, upsetting eyes, untouchable flesh, no costume,

Abilities: You appear obviously and clearly monstrous, and your powers are tied to your appearance
superhuman senses–So, Sherlock has his mind palace, right? And some screwups write test answers on their hands, or tattoo "Mom" on their skin... Well, my body is a microcosm of the universe, like a little map that's constantly updating in lockstep with the outer universe. From what other people can see with their naked eyes, there's a lot of galaxies twinkling. They're hot to the touch because of all the radiation... Anyway, I can "look" into my microcosm–usually wherever my body is in the outer one–but I can focus elsewhere if I know what I'm "looking" for. I call it "navelgazing." Like, imagine if you could see yourself from a bird's eye view and had to watch yourself doing what you wanted to do. Or try drawing on a cheap tablet where you have to look at the screen but move your stylus on another, blank sensor... It's confusing, sorry–just consider it clairvoyance, audience, whateveryance. I'm working on developing different ways of sensing wherever I'm navelgazing, and zooming out, following trails, all that stuff. I don't use it to cheat on tests, promise.

transmuting flesh–I can project little pieces of the universe out of my skin for a while. Turn into stuff, like how in the cartoons when you draw a door on a wall, open the door and run through it, then the other guy just slams into the wall. If it's in the universe, I can replicate it, if I know what I'm "looking" for and how to "draw" it. In the art way and the well-water way. It doesn't last very long, and always looks all Hubble-telescope-like... otherwise I'd choose to look normal all the time.

Backstory
• Who were you before?
Rita Lowe, foster child of parents who were told they'd be disowned if I was brought back home because born out of wedlock, which is a big taboo. I wanted to be an artist and dancer and musician. A triple threat! And an actor.

• When did you change? What caused it?
A year ago I was a random hostage who got too close to the mad scientist/space wizard Atomo's attempt to make a new universe, blow up or screw up this one, then shrink himself into the new one. Well, he did the second part, so I'm not a perfect replica–I have a little Atomadito running around somewhere.

• Who, outside of the team, is helping you understand your new body?
Doctor Vega, PhD in everything. He made me a suit that shields people from the worst parts of my radioactivity. Just makes me hot to the touch.

• Why don’t you just try to hide yourself away?
I have nowhere else to go, and I need someone who can maintain the suit until... I don't know, I learn the magic that'd let me replicate the suit, which comes from another plane of existence. So far, I can only sense those while a portal's open, and can't form anything that... "alien."

• Why do you care about the team?
I have to care, and twice as much as anyone else, or I'll be alone again. I'd have to start from scratch–the building that understanding, allaying the fears, getting them to treat me somewhat normally. It's kind of a miracle I have a willing team, if you ask me. As for the rest of them, most people aren't sure I shouldn't just be locked up or "disarmed" like a bomb. They're all "inside" of me after all, and some people are afraid that if I get messed up, there might be repercussions in the outer universe. Mostly near me. There's been no evidence of that, though! They're probably more nervous about not being able to keep secrets... Dr Vega implied that I might be able to navelgaze so acutely I could sense the inside of a mind, memories and all. Then replicate it. All in all, it's just a bit more than the untouchable flesh unsettling people.

When our team first came together...
We drew attention and ire from plenty during the fight. One important person in particular now hates and fears us. Who is it?

Relationships
___________________ comforted you when you were at your lowest.
___________________ knew you before you changed.

Influence
You try not to care what other people think, even if you can’t shut everyone out. Give Influence to
one teammate.

Abilities
+3 Freak, +2 Danger, 0 Savior, -1 Superior, -1 Mundane

Transformed Moves
I am not my body: When you take a powerful
physical blow, you may roll as if you had two
fewer conditions marked. If you do, on a 10+
you must choose to lose control of yourself in a
terrible way.

Unstoppable: When you smash your way
through scenery to get to or away from
something, roll + Danger. On a hit, the world
breaks before you, and you get what you want.
On a 7-9, choose one: mark a condition, leave
something behind, or take something with
you. On a miss, you smash through, but leave
devastation in your wake or wind up somewhere
worse, GM’s choice.

Be the monster: When you frighten, intimidate,
or cow others with your monstrous form, roll +
Freak. On a hit, they are thrown off and make
themselves vulnerable to you, or they flee. On a
10+, choose one. On a 7-9, choose two.
- you frighten others you had not intended to
scare
- you hurt someone or break something you
shouldn’t have
- you feel like more of a monster afterward;
mark a condition (GM’s choice)
On a miss, they react with violence, hatred,
and paranoia, and you suffer the brunt of it.

Moment of Truth
It’s so easy to forget that you’re not your body, and you’re not the voice in your head—you’re both. Be the monster, and save them anyway. Smash down walls, and speak softly. Because when you embrace it, you can do anything. Of course, putting on a display like this is sure to rile up those who see only the monster when they look at you...

• How did you first meet your mentor?
Dr. Vega was there when I was changed, part of the team that was fighting Atomos to save the universe. He broke ranks with his team's leader Alexandria, the alien librarian who can create books or scrolls or datapads or cards or whatnot that can do anything she can think of. All she has to do is read them. She told him to protect this universe instead of the creation of the microcosm, but he tried to save me instead, figuring that Atomos was too narcissistic to destroy the universe out of spite before having his escape route. He saved me–If it wasn't for him, I don't think I'd still be a person... I'd just be a collection of things. Like Alexandria's library.

• When and why did you choose to train with them?
He treated me like a daughter more than any other parents I knew, and otherwise doesn't seem to have any agenda. If I stay close to him, I have a village to raise me, a family. Alexandria is the ex-wife, his friends are aunts and uncles, the other heroes my age are, I dunno, cousins. Except they're all a little more related to me. Powers run thicker than blood, I guess. [Her blood relatives never acknowledged her existence, and her foster family alienated her so much she had a history of depression.]

• Why did they agree to train you?
He just... offered. I don't know why? If I had to say, I'd go for guilt that he couldn't completely save me. Or pride in me for staying "alive," because he often tells me when I can't handle something that the next worse person would have to deal with it otherwise. He can be kind of inscrutable since he's from another plane.

• Who else, outside of the team, knows about your training?
I'd say just about every hero has probably been briefed about me and is ready to slam the red button and make me disappear if I cause a black hole or something. [She hasn't read the briefings, they warn against her going Antimatter, leaking into the outer universe and spreading across it unmaking everything in her wake, possibly as part of Atomo's plan. She also didn't know before figuring out her name, Darkmatter, that the briefings already referred to her as potentially Antimatter.]

• Why do you care about the team?
[above]

• What made you decide to join the academy?
I wanted to put myself out there without Dr. Vega for once, not just navelgaze and daydream about it. As... therapy?

• Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?
Alexandria. Again, don't ask me why. I guess one time she came over to Dr. Vega's extraplanar realm to fight with him about something, and I turned into a book and hid on a shelf because I thought she hated me. But she looked straight at me, made a copy of me with her powers, then read me, even though I turned into a blank book as far as I know. Later that week the recommendation came through, in an extraplanar envelope because you're not supposed to be able to read recommendations. It was kind of a callout I think, to use it or don't. Can you reach out and take this opportunity, type thing. I was already working on the app, I don't know if she knew.

• Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!
Papyrus, Alexandria's protege. He looks like a really cool mummy, with colored ribbon bandages with runes on them that he can uncoil and control like prehensile, I dunno, hair? When it's windy he looks like a paper comet, and when you hit him, confetti flies off. He's kind of like me, with secrets painted and drawn all over him. Except he pulls the knowledge out like a roll of tape–but cool, and anyone can read it. He also can look normal when he wants to and just "flame on" when he wants to go hero-mode. All the cool people can just activate their costumes. Trust me, when you can navelgaze and see people pulling on their spandex then stepping into their outer-underwear it stops becoming cool and just becomes embarrassing. Especially when guys have to put on makeup so their eyelids are black inside their helmet. Just turning your hat backwards or pulling up turtleneck over your nose budget-ninja style is cooler than that, at least the minimal look shows some confidence, some self-respect! Visors are dumb too, and goggles unless they aren't actually worn over the eyes.... I have a lot of opinions about this, okay?

• What do you like to do in your free time?
Get high and dance, or make art, or look at art or nature, or alien stuff. I smoked my own hair once, after turning it into bud. When I went to school though, I got a prescription for anxiety because I really don't want to get in trouble.

• New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!
Everywhere it's really dark and no one can see me. I hide in the Imax theater a lot. Navelgazing there isn't really the same... it's like it makes the screen smaller, and sometimes I need to take a break and miss parts and have to navelgaze another theater to pick up where I left off.

• (Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!
It's me looking up at the sky, silhouetted against the "best of" the Hubble space telescope so it looks sort of like I'm camouflaged except for my clothes and makeup. It's one of those shots where the camera is inside the floor looking upward at the subject, so I look like a giant. My eyes are averted so I look purposeful and/or kind of wistful.

• (Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.
The X-Fast club: Modern Maskers

slydingdoor fucked around with this message at 08:00 on Jan 22, 2017

Ferrosol
Nov 8, 2010

Notorious J.A.M


Templar the Bull

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God,pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death. Amen." Sorry, I know we had an appointment but it's kind of easy to lose track here. It's such a peaceful place and I'm glad the school maintains a chapel for those who want to use it. I feel like I'm not really welcome here though. This a place of peace and I am a weapon of war. Now who's war and why is something I was hoping you can help me with.

They tell me that before all *this* she says gesturing to herself I was Judith Anderson, an unremarkable student noted if anything for her deep faith. Other than that the biographical details are scant largely because I wasn't that interesting. No record of trouble with the law, no membership of proscribed organisations unless you count a church youth group as proscribed I guess. Two loving parents. My grades were average. Still something about me must have attracted their attention. I don't remember what it was, all I have is fragments, from before.

My earliest real memory was waking up in a hospital I think, I remember tubes pumping in and out of me. My arm was thick with needles and I felt woozy till one of the nurses leant over and she whispered in my ear that Mother was going to make me better. I remember giving her a woozy smile and retreating into blissful unconsciousness.

I remember them waking me up putting me through tests, making me fight for them. There were others like me at first. Other girls I remember their faces. They made us fight each other. No worse than that they made us want to fight each other. To show our love to Mother. We were to be a family after all. Mother would protect us and we would protect them. With our lives if necessary.

They woke us up other times. They taught me to kill they taught me to steal, they taught me to use my body as a weapon. I think the only commandment I didn't violate was the one about coveting thy neighbours rear end. I was good at it. I was faster, stronger, smarter than the others. They all started to disappear until I was the only one left. The prize pupil the only one worthy of Mother's love.

I remember the day it all came crashing down. I'd awoken out of stasis, we were under attack and I knew what I had to do. To protect my family. There were seventeen Justice Alliance agents on that mission. Some of them had kids, sweethearts, wives. And I killed them I tore them to pieces, and it was easy. If it hadn't been for Dr Seelisch aka Hauptmann Deutschland and his psychic abilities freezing me in my tracks. Who knows how much damage I would have went on to do.

Surprisingly he was and is my biggest advocate. Despite seeing what I was capable of. Despite seeing what I did. Despite being friends with those I killed. It was his suggestion that If I couldn't forgive myself. Maybe I could turn to God for forgiveness. I know I don't deserve to be forgiven, but maybe I can atone for what I did. Make sure no one else has to get hurt. Make sure that the people responsible for what they turned me into get what they deserve. God may be all-loving and forgiving. But I don't think I can be....

But I want to be good. I want to be a better person. I want to help. I will be good. I will.

After all that's what Mother wants me to be

quote:

Who changed you?

That would be Mother and her psychotic little family. Once I was just a normal person before all this. Who Mother is I have no idea I never saw her face but part of the hypnotherapy loyalty conditioning we received included samples of her voice. We worshipped her. We loved her. We would have died for her if She had commanded it. Some of us did. As far as I know I'm the only survivor of their weird little super soldier program. I'd like to find her and make her pay for what she did to me, What she did to the other girls who weren't as strong as me. I know it's not a very Christian attitude to take but god will forgive one more sin I hope.

quote:

How did you escape from them?

That would be Hauptmann Deutchsland and his team from the Justice Alliance. They were following up an anonymous tip and raided a lab owned by several layers of dummy corporations. I don't know what they were expecting but what they found was horrifying enough. The labs, the training areas, the hypnotherapy booths and me. I remember waking up out of one of those booths. I knew we were under attack. That Mother needed me to protect Her. There were seventeen agents on that team. Good men and women. And I killed every last one of them. And the worst part was I enjoyed it. Because I knew Mother would love me for it. If the good captain hadn't stopped me with his psychic prowess. who knows what damage I might have inflicted.

quote:

• Who, outside the team, tries to take care of you now?

Dr Seelisch he's the good Captain's civilian alter ego, he's been helping me get back on my feet. He oversaw my deprogramming and keeps popping in to keep an eye on me. I think I worry him somehow and it's not just because I could be an unstoppable killing machine if I wanted to be. I don't get it. He should hate me, I killed his friends I would have killed him if I could but he doesn't. Why doesn't he? I hate me.

quote:

• Why do you try to be a hero?

Because there's blood on these hands. I can never be innocent or normal again. But if I can't change what I did or what was done to me at least I can make sure that I do some good to balance all the evil I've caused. It won't be enough but it might be something.

quote:

• Why do you care about the team?

Because they're all good people. Well for an elastic definition of people in some cases. But seeing as how I have all these enhancements they tucked inside me if I can still reasonably be classed as Human myself I shouldn't judge.

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?

Dr Seelicsh felt I might benefit from a more normal environment than the inside of a safehouse. They took my memories of what a normal life is and left me with scraps but he thinks that if I spend some time with my peers it might help my recovery. I don't know if he's right but well I owe it to him to try.

quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

Hauptmann Deutschland was willing to sponsor me but well the Academy's largely an American institution and well umm he felt it'd be inappropriate to interfere. So instead I found myself in front of one of his colleagues. Lady Liberty She's as American as they come although I think the flag costume is a little over the top personally. I don't know what they talked about exactly the doc can do this weird telepathic thing to communicate so I could only hear half the conversation. But he convinced her to give me a chance. She's supposed to be blessed by some sort of mystic spirit that gives her super strength and flight and all that providing she lives up to the ideals of America and she put me through my paces in a fight.

I didn't win of course. But the bout did go on for a couple of hours till she floored me with a cheap shot I didn't even see coming. I must have impressed her though she told me it was the best work out she'd had in years and that I'd do but I needed to stop holding back if I was going to achieve my full potential.


quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!



that'd be Firewall She's got some sort of power over computers and electronics. Don't ask me how it works but apparently she can hack anything with her mutant powers. It means she's really tech savvy and always has to have the latest gadgets. She has a new phone almost every week and is always getting detention for hacking into something she shouldn't be. Last week it was she was hacking her own grades... to be lower. Why would you even do that?


quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

Favourite class. Definitely Comparative Religion My faith is very important to me but that doesn't mean there aren't things you cannot learn from other religions. And hearing some of the guest lecturers from other dimensions and other worlds talk about their own beliefs is fascinating. We're all seeking the same thing after all.

My least favourite is Physical Education my own training regime keeps me perfectly fit thank you and I don't need to play some silly sport especially when I have to be so careful that I don't accidentally hurt someone or break something when I'm competing against them.

quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?

My free time? well between the homework and the my training regime I don't have a lot of free time. But what I do have I like to just go to some public place and sit and people watch. It reminds me that there's people out there who still have a normal life and I like to invent these little stories about people I watch. Like there's these two girls that I see in the park every time I'm there. They hold hands a lot and spend a lot of time whispering and giggling to each other. I think they must have been friends for a long time and I feel happy for them. I wish I had a friend like that....

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

That'd be Justice Park. It's one of the few green open spaces in the city and there's a little lake where people hire boats to sail on it. And there's this little icecream shop that I love to go to they do the best cones in the city. I'd go there every day if I could.


quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

quote:

(Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

quote:

Name: Templar
Playbook: Bull
Secret Identity: Judith Anderson
Look: White, Calloused hands, casual clothing, over the top costume
Abilities:

Super Strength: Enhanced muscle fibres, tweaks to my adrenaline glands, bones covered in some sort of carbon nanotube alloy the egg heads can't seem to figure out. Enhanced metabolism too I eat like six girls my age and never put on any weight. All in all means I can bench press a car on a good day.

Super toughness: I hurt, I bleed. but I have enhanced cellular regeneration whatever that means, if I take an injury I'm usually back on my feet in a couple of days. If I break a bone it self repairs, the lab boys said something about nanite enhancement rebuilding my body at a molecular level. Supposedly I could cut off a hand or a finger or something and have it grow back. Although for obvious reasons I'm not keen on testing the idea.

Uniquely skilled at fighting: I'm skilled in two dozen martial arts, implanted memories I think but somehow I've the muscle memory to go with them with. There's other things in there too I can hotwire a car, I can tell if you're packing heat, 9mm Browning Automatic by the way, good choice it probably wouldn't stop me but it would hurt. I can take in the details of a tactical situation and immediately pick out the biggest threats and who knows what else they put in there. The shrinks think they've scrubbed most of the loyalty conditioning at least so that's one thing less to worry about.

I was to be their perfect soldier but what did they want me to fight?


Moves:

The Bull’s Heart

You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give
the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action
that impresses your love or frustrates your rival.

Love:
Rival:

Defender: When you leap to defend your love or rival in battle, roll + Danger instead of + Savior to defend them.

Punch everyone:


Whenever you charge into a fight without hedging your bets, you can shift
your Danger up and any other Label down.

Physics? What physics?:

When you unleash your powers to barrel through an insurmountable
barrier, roll + Danger instead of + Freak


Team Moves:

When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, make them your love or rival
immediately to mark potential. If they are already your love or rival, take Influence over them and
mark potential.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, give them Influence and hold 2. Spend
that hold to help them as if it were Team in the pool.

Stats:

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

Relationships

_______________ is your love. You’ve opened up to them about the worst parts of your past.
_______________ is your rival. They tried to control you at a crucial moment.

Influence

You’re selective about who you let in. Give your love and rival Influence over you, but that’s it.

Ferrosol fucked around with this message at 23:26 on Jan 24, 2017

Justice Grieves
Feb 26, 2007
If I must die, I shall welcome Death as an old friend, and wrap mine arms about it.

Dynamic Savior: Phoenix
Real Name: Jennifer Hart
Playbook: The Legacy

“Hi-eeeeee!” Jennifer bounces happily in front of the judge’s table, her heels never quite seeming to rest on the floor as she reaches her hand up towards the ceiling and waves to the interviewers hard enough to make her shoulders sway. “Dynamic Savior-!” she shouts, punctuating each statement with a martial arts pose, “PHOENIX!" she declares boldly, raising both hands high and lifting a foot in the classic Crane stance, “Reporting here to answer your questions!” she finished, pivoting to step towards the table and present her profile, pointing at the center judge while bracing a hand against her hip.

“But you guys can call me Jennifer.” She said with a laugh, unclipping her helmet and tucking it under one arm as she unleashed a beaming smile that could melt ice.

Legacy Playbook posted:

When did you officially become a part of your legacy?
“Well, I’ve only officially been a Dynamic Savior for three months now.” She admitted, letting the hand holding her helmet hang low as she reached behind her back with the other arm to grab her elbow and steady it, arching her back slightly, “New Dynamorphers don’t just come out of nowhere, you know? The original Dynamic Saviors were a team of six, and they’ve all got kids they’re trying to provide for too. On top of that, I’m descended from the sixth Savior … so there’s a little bit of lingering resentment there too.”

“Still!” she piped up suddenly, bouncing on the balls of her feet again, “I was in training for years getting ready for this! I just need a little seasoning, really!”

Legacy Playbook posted:

What’s the greatest accomplishment of your legacy?
“The greatest?” she considered, tilting her head to the side and touching a finger to her lips. The silence dragged on for about a minute.

“Well, you know, it’s tough to say. I mean, the Dynamic Saviors got started in the Silver Age. If you read the old mission reports, it was like there was a new atomic monster to put down every afternoon! Time and again, alien conquerors and inhuman criminal conspiracies have risen up, just to be dashed against the rocky shores of JUSTICE!” she called, punctuating the statement by slashing a hand through the air.

“But, if I had to pick … it’d probably be the trials of the third incarnation of the team.” She said, nodding to herself and trying to look studious, “The second team got completely obliterated, their home base destroyed, the Dynamorphers rendered useless. Without the Saviors there to push back the ever growing tide of Metabeasts, it seemed like their coastal city was doomed!Oh no! Aiee!

“So, the third team was assembled! Made up of a mix of returning members from the first team and some people who were on hand during the crushing defeat of the second, they escaped the clutches of the inhuman Galactia Syndicate to seek out the origins of the first Dynametals that came to earth. They found a planet steeped with mysticism where they were tested by the ghosts of strange alien masters.” she nodded, “They were measured, and accepted as righteous champions of justice there! So, they were taken within the hidden forges where Dynametal was refined from strange ores unique to the planet.” She nodded, thumping a fist to her chest.

“Armed with new knowledge of their origins and a deeper understanding of their powers, they returned to Earth and sundered the Galactia Syndicate.” She leaned in close, shielding a hand conspiratorially, “Only to discover that the head of the organization, the Evil Queen Galactia was, in fact, the sole surviving member of the species who’d originally created the Dynamorphers! Metabeasts were, in fact, a refinement of the same technology that powered our heroes! Evil! Good! Joined, two sides of a single coin, separate manifestations of galactic tragedy!” she swooned dramatically.

“In the end, Galactia was cleansed of evil, and now she stands as the steward of Dianosis.” She finally finished with a broad smile, “Someday, I too will go there to study at the feet of ancient masters. But, for now, I must first master…” she pauses fearfully for a moment, “Algebra!

She tilted her head back and laughed at her own joke.

Legacy Playbook posted:

How does the public perceive your legacy?
“Well, you know…” Jennifer said noncommittally, “The Dynamic Saviors have been active in one capacity or another since the early seventies. Back in Japan, we’re just …” she shrugged slightly, “Part of the culture. We definitely have fans and imitators, but those are just people we’ve inspired. It’s not like we’re the progenitors of some giant army of spandex clad martial artists.” She coughed slightly, “Except for the mega-events where it’s almost exactly like that.”

“Now, in America it’s a little different. Dad’s team came over in the nineties, and we were just … you know, different compared to the image of a Superhero that people had.” She shrugged, “We got crazy popular for a while, and some of us decided to stay, you know? Like most trends, things died off, but there are a lot of people today who remember following our exploits with slavish devotion when they were kids.”

“So … that’s where I come in.” she said, running her fingers through her hair with a small laugh, “The craze has died down, but people still remember the golden age. There are a lot of eyes on me, hoping I’ll somehow … I dunno, validate all the time people invested into following us in their youth. They really want to share that fascination with their own kids, but that means impressing a whole new generation without alienating the old fans … and it’s not really the same world either, so things have new contexts.”

“Do you know how much grief I’ve gotten for being a Pink?” she said, picking at the hem of her skirt, “I mean, having negotiations for a toyline already in the works is kinda cool, but there are definitely a bunch of people waiting for me to fail and validate their prejudices too. It’s kind of like being a Star Wars movie.”

Legacy Playbook posted:

How does your legacy tie into your reasons for being a hero?
“Hey now, are you questioning my devotion to Justice!?” she asked, stepping back and flourishing her hands into another pose.

“Being a bearer of the Dynamorpher is all about having a righteous heart! Dynametal is very sensitive to changes in its spiritual surroundings. A heart full of resentment or fear can twist it and create a Dynamic Corruptor, you know? It’s not the kind of power you can use recklessly.” She said, sticking out her tongue and crossing her arms over her chest, the helmet still dangling from a fingertip.

“It’s always important to remember that a Dynamic Savior embodies the spirit of a knight, not the sword. You need to be forthright and just, the Dynamorpher exists to smash evil and shield the innocent!” she said, “If you try to treat it like just a weapon, you’ll invite the same calamity that ended the race that created them. That’s why we keep the amount of Dynametal on Earth at any time small and controlled … though it does seem like there’s more with every generation.”

Legacy Playbook posted:

Why do you care about the team?
“Why wouldn’t I care about them?” Jennifer asked incredulously, “They’re my friends, you know!”

“Dynamic Saviors have always been team players, but there just aren’t a lot of us in America so we can’t just hang out in our own exclusive little club anymore.” She smiled sweetly, “Being part of a team is … well, I can’t even imagine trying to do this job by myself! It’s too big! Besides, being on a team is fun! You get to share the greatest moments of your life, and you have people to turn to in the harder ones.”

She pulled her helmet on again, pointing dramatically and hammering a fist against her chest again.

“Dynamic Phoenix says: A Hero With A Hard Heart Is No Hero At All!”

New Arcadia posted:

What made you decide to join the academy?
“That was my parents.” Jennifer said, her voice coming out unmuffled despite the full enclosure of her helmet … almost like she was dubbing over her own speech, really, “They both did the secret identity teen-hero thing, after all, and they knew how stressful it could be. They thought an environment like the Hero Training Academy would be good for me! Make some super-powered friends outside of the family, you know? Get more exposure to heroing from the American perspective.”

“It definitely wasn’t the fact that I’m the youngest Dynamic Savior here, and the other guys don’t want to hang out with me. Heck, Kouki only got skipped over because he has some innate powers and has been doing some moonlighting on the side.”

New Arcadia posted:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

"I know her as Captain Stasia Rylov … but she’s kind of got a lot of names. To the Justice Alliance she’s called Jet Stream, but then her callsign with the Russian Aerospace Forces is Valkyrie, and the press corps likes to call her the Angel of St. Petersburg after she flew close-air defense over the city for six hours during the Varlen space invasion, only landing long enough to rearm. The media got a lot of footage of a red haired woman flying around unaided, dog-fighting with flying saucers, gunning down guided missiles to protect conventional fighter pilots, and at least once crashing through an elongated bomber when she’d been out of ammunition caused quite a stir. It also led to a certain contingent of the internet dubbing her the Strike Witch of Russia, but … ah … PR prefers to downplay that."

"As you know, the Academy doesn’t allow family members to sponsor their own children into the program. That’s fair, you know, it guards against nepotism. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t benefits of being a member of a renowned superhero legacy all the same though. Ever since her daughter started showing signs that she’d inherited her mother’s powers, she’s felt more comfortable keeping her daughter on Justice Alliance holdings than back in the motherland. So, when she’s had a space mission, or a prolonged operation back home, or she and her husband just want to have a night out, my parents always made sure I was available to help babysit little Alya."

"Now, I know what you’re probably thinking, that’s a pretty weak reason to sponsor someone for the Academy, right? Well, I’d like to remind you that we’re talking about keeping an eye on a rambunctious eight year old girl who can fly. You know how you normally handle a rambunctious kid by picking them up and carrying them somewhere you can keep an eye on them? Well, Alya hasn’t quite got her mother’s muscle yet, but she can definitely pick me up and fly me wherever she likes. Just to remind you, I only got my powers three months ago, but I’ve been babysitting for the Rylovs for years now.

Don’t get me wrong, Alya’s a sweetie, it’s not like I’ve been in danger exactly. I mean, I passed on my musical know-how to her and we did a duet at the Alliance Christmas Party last year, so it’s not like we don’t have fun. It’s just that sometimes I have to break out the nets to get her down from her mom’s high ceilings and parked at the kitchen table for homework. It’s kind of funny to think about, but even with her powers Alya has some self-confidence issues. She thinks she has to be good at everything right away or she’ll disappoint people. Super strength doesn’t make you a champion speller, you know, so having someone who’s patient and believes in her definitely helps."

"But yeah, that’s me. Didn’t blow anyone up, didn’t save any lives to get sponsored. My family knows people and a Justice Alliance member has a good impression of me because I’ve helped her out."

New Arcadia posted:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

“Interesting? Oh! I know exactly who to tell you about!” Jessica said, nodding and pounding a fist into her palm, “He’s one of the Exterrestial Exchange Students, codenamed Umbra. He can’t fool me with that doofy mask, that’s Prince Zoltaire of O’Seele.”

“O’Seele…” she takes a moment, circling one hand over the other for a moment, “It’s not exactly a planet. At least, you can’t get there by just flying a ship through space. It started off as the demi-plane of some otherworldly sorcerer-king, but he found out he could expand it by collecting the negative energy from other living beings. He razed whole worlds in his day, expanding his territory and his army with each world in turn. King Zarule was a thoroughly nasty guy.”

“Grandpa and the first team took him out a long time ago.” She said with a nod, “He was their second big-bad, you know? After they’d defeated the Star-Witch Makio, he annexed her scattered army. Then, having finally found someone whose heart was as black as his own … ah, they kinda got married and founded the Black Star Empire.” Jennifer bobbed her head to one side, pointing the other, “Zoltaire … ah … came from that union.”

“Now, Zarule and Makio were sealed away by the original Dynamic Saviors, but Zoltaire was just a kid.” Jennifer shrugged, “Time in O’Seele is kind of … you know, weird and fluxxy, so I guess he’s just now coming of age.” She stepped forward, slapping both hands on the interviewer’s desk.

“He might act like he wants to be a hero, but I’m telling you, if he’s on Earth he’s looking for a way to release his parents! He…he…” she takes a step back, “He keeps looking at me, okay!? And writing something in this notebook! And I keep catching him out of the corner of my eye. He’s definitely up to something!”

New Arcadia posted:

What’s your favorite class? What about least favorite?
“Hmn …” Jennifer cupped her chin, looking up at the ceiling, the lighting reflecting off the visor of her helmet, “My favorite class would probably be Social Studies. I mean, it isn’t the most focused course, I guess, but it’s basically a class about people, right? History, government, psychology, anthropology … it’s all things done by people, you know? It’s an exciting time to be alive too, so things like the impact of superhumans on society, alien cultures, and studies of the old fae pacts are all mixed into the curriculum now. It’s just fascinating stuff!”

“As for my least favorite …” she lightly stroked her chin, looking down and to the side, “Applied Biology. Definitely. I mean, I know all the sciences are important for hero work. I can’t really ignore it, but … it’s gross, you know? Organs and bodily functions and animal dissections and… eugh!” she shuddered, trying to shake the sensation out of her hands.

“Nooooooooo shrinking adventures in the human body for me, okay? Thanks.”

New Arcadia posted:

What do you like to do in your free time?
“Oh, you know, the usual stuff.” She said, rubbing the back of her neck and looking away from the interviewer for a moment, “I’ve been doing rhythmic gymnastics since I was a kid. That’s fun, and it was really handy back when I was on the cheerleading squad … I had to give that up when I got my Dynamorpher though. I started missing too much practice, you know?”

“That’s mostly rooted in the family legacy though, you know?” she said, shrugging her shoulders slightly, “Understanding how your body moves, working as a team? It’s not the only thing I do though. I don’t get to show it off much, but I’m actually pretty musically inclined as well. I started taking piano lessons when I was six, and I was in the choir for years. I really like being on stage … I’d like to learn how to act, but, you know, who’s got the time?”

“Oh!” she took a moment to reach behind her back, snapping open a small case attached to her white belt and hidden by her cape. Brandishing a pink 3ds, she tipped her helmetted head to the side with a smile “I do a little gaming too! It’s mostly hand-held titles these days, but, you end up spending a lot of time in the hero game just waiting around for something to happen. I mostly play bullet sheet games and some RPGs, stuff that I can put down quickly when things explode. Still, I’ve got a brother and he’s into fighting games, so I had to learn them too. I guess I’ll be getting out of practice now that I’m living at the Academy.”

New Arcadia posted:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!
“Oh man, you’re not kidding!” Jennifer said, jumping forward a bit and bouncing on the balls of her feet, “I’ve lived here all my life, and I still haven’t seen everything! Since I got my powers I’ve definitely been exploring a lot more though. Between my speed and training, roof tops are a lot faster than driving around down town, you know? Not having to bother my folks for a ride is also just about the greatest thing ever!”

“Like, there’s Centurion Mall which is the biggest on the coast, and all the memorials for famous heroes and their battles, and that spot where you can sit and watch the sunlight break over the city in the morning, and the stadiums, and the concert halls, and street art, and the ferries, and the carnival grounds …” she said, counting off on her fingers as she thought back to all the places she’s been recently, “Oh! And the Museums! Definitely can’t forget those!”

“My favorite place, that has to be Zebes.” She said, punctuating the statement with a nod, “Like, you know how it is, you’ve got the baseline technology that we all use, and then you have all the weird mad-science stuff and alien technology and so-on and so forth. Well, being the City of Tommorrow and all, New Arcadia has enough of a demand for the bleeding edge stuff. After the city passed an ordinance that allowed extraterrestrials to lease city property, specialty shops started popping up. Like, they don’t sell rayguns, but if you need a super-condensed energy whatsit to build your own, they can hook you up. It drew all kinds of weird clientele … and then people started showing up just to watch the crowds, you know?”

“So, Zebes starts mixing in some tourist traps. I mean, people are basically coming to rub elbows with supervillains and extraterrestrials, right? You put up some themed restaurants, have some performers in costume out in the street, it helps people fall for the mystique of the place even if they never see a real mad scientist. Then the hero memorabilia shops start popping up, bringing in the collectors and the geeks … and then the retrotech stores start popping up, and the arcades, and the holotheaters where you don’t need the dumb glasses.”

“It’s a big colorful riot, and you never know what’s going to happen there on a given day!” she said happily, “I’ve heard stories of real superhero fights breaking out in the street where people didn’t run away and instead stood around to take pictures because they thought it was a PR Stunt. Mom says it’s a little like Akiba, but I haven’t been there. All I know is that it’s a little slice of fantasy world squeezed into our fair city. You really get the feeling that anything could happen there.”

New Arcadia posted:

Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!
“Oh, they’re going through with that, huh? I kind of argued against it because I don’t want to stand apart from the group, you know? Still, I posed for it because Dad said it was something for collectors and fans, not just preening egotism. Besides, they’d already shelled out for the costumes, so if I didn’t do it they’d have wasted a bunch of money, you know.”

“They’ve got the POV sitting kind of high, you know?” she says, holding her hands in front of her and raising one above the other as if to illustrate the position of the camera, “They have to, because they’ve got all the past Dynamic Saviors arranged in ranks behind me, including the guys who wore different costumes at different points. It’s supposed to be about putting the weight of the team’s history behind me, emphasizing the legacy, you know?”

“Then, right up front they’ve got me standing by myself, helmet off and in my hands as I look up at the camera with my best smile. Dynamic Comet, Mom, and Dad make up the second rank right behind me, each of them with a hand resting on my back or shoulder, kind of like they’re pushing me forward or presenting me to the viewer, you know? Most of the guys in costume were just stand-ins, but that second rank was the real deal … it helped having family there for the shoot, you know?”

“I got to keep a print! It’s a pretty nice shot, I’ve got it hanging up by my desk. They tell me when it’s done, it’ll say something like ‘Justice Academy’ in bold letters, and then in the lower left they’ll fill up some of the negative space with ‘Introducing Dynamic Savior: Phoenix!’ in a flowy script. The negative space on the other side is reserved for the USP code box.”

“I just hope I can live up to that kind of impression. Heh … seeing it spelled out like that, people’s expectations suddenly feel kind of heavy, you know?”

New Arcadia posted:

Suggest a name for the IC thread.
[Masks] The Future Is Probably Doomed
[Masks] Insert Coin To Continue to New Arcadia
[Masks] Write An Essay on Justice
[Masks] You Will Be Graded On Spelling And Punctuation
[Masks] Sky High Aspirations
[Masks] Right Wrongs and Triumph Over Evil
[Masks] City Of Tomorrow Meets The Youths of Today

Legacy Playbook posted:

Look: Woman, White, Trendy Clothing, Traditional Costume, Animal Insignia
Abilities: Divine Armor, Magic Weaponry, Mythic Might, Legendary Speed, God-Like Beauty

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

Fight the Good Fight: When you pull your punches while Directly Engaging A Threat, you can roll +Savior instead of +Danger. If you do, you cannot choose to Impress Surprise, or Frighten your foe.

I Know What I Am: Once per scene, when you Defend a teammate you can shift Savior up and another Label down in addition to any other benefits from the move, even on a miss. If you do, add 1 Team to the pool.

Legacy
Your legacy is an important part of New Arcadia


Divine Savior: Comet is still active and prominent in the city.

Queen Galactia is retired and quite judgmental.

Yamiyou Kouki is the next possible member of your legacy.

Whenever time passes, roll +Savior to see how the members of your legacy feel or react to your most recent exploits. Before rolling, ask the other players to answer these questions about your performance. Take -1 to the roll for each “no” answer:
- have you been upholding the traditions of your legacy?
- have you maintained the image of your legacy?
- have you made the other members of your legacy proud?
On a hit, one of them offers you meaningful encouragement, an opportunity, or an advantage. On a 7-9, another is upset with your most recent actions, and will make their displeasure known. On a miss, something you did stirred up the hornet’s nest – expect several members of your legacy to meddle with your life.

Justice Grieves fucked around with this message at 20:58 on Jan 22, 2017

LifeGetsWorser
Oct 23, 2010

Me "IRL" :smug:
Fun Shoe



Eh'mdee-ehm-ma'y, aka "Marie Daisy Mitchell-Adams"
The Outsider

Greetings and salutations, I am called Eh'mdee-ehm-ma'y, but since your human tongues cannot pronounce it correctly, please default to Marie. I am, if I am to understand the parlance correctly, new to this school and city. Also, planet, though I would hardly consider this "Terra" of yours a proper planet.

I come from a place far more vibrant and interesting! Corsa 15, the jewel in the glittering diamond crown of the Corsa protectorate. Certainly, Corsa 1 is technically the capital reality, but it hasn't been the HUB of the Corsa protectorate for about 22 picta-eons. Corsa 15 is the most happening place in the Vargolis Cluster, which is situated about 10 dimensions to the left of this one, and about 30 centuries in the future, given a third dimensional perspective. It's disheartening that in this reality that is what sentient life is limited to! Still, I suppose I shall manage while I am here.

Why am I here? Why, I am stranded, of course. There was a slight miscalculation in the Slip-String-matrix of my vessel, the Bilröst XLV (currently, I have disguised it as one of your automobiles, as apparently most forms of locomotion on this plane do not involve three dimensional movement but rather are restricted to these "road" constructs), which unfortunately threw me off course. I was on my way to the Bisumarcal Galaxy for what promised to be a truly stupendous party, but I suppose a trans-cosmic wind must have knocked me off course, and I ended up here. Why else would I have come to such a limited dimension as this?

...I may not have had my parental units' permission to borrow the Bilröst, of course. And I am sure that they will chastise me once they have found me, but for now all I can do is keep the distress signal running and hope that the course correction program is able to calculate my return vector before they notice. It may take them a few eons, local time.

Still, there is something to be said for this city, this New Arcadia - these meta-human entities are quite interesting, are they not? Some of the young ones show a great deal of promise. Which is why I am glad I am here, even if the "education" system here leaves quite a lot to be desired. But for such a limited species I suppose it cannot be helped. You only really truly seem to start to understand things through your arts - it seems that your "musicians" and "poets" and "artists" are more tuned in to the hum of the cosmos than most of your species, so perhaps there is hope for you, yet.

As I said though, while I am here, I will do my best to "fit in", as it is described (erroneously, I might add - the shape I was given when I crossed into this dimension does not seem to have an appropriately shaped socket anywhere!). I am interested in these "super-heroics" as described and I believe I may be able to help some of your society along in the meantime. As I believe I have aptly put, I have an abundance of time!

quote:

Look:
woman
human body
glowing eyes
flashy clothing
no costume

Abilities:
You can fly, and you’re pretty tough. Choose any two of the following:
heliokinesis, telepathy and mind blasts

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

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.

Outsider Moves
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.

Kirby-craft: You have a vehicle, something from your home. Detail its look, and choose two strengths and two weaknesses. When you are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers, directly engage a threat, or defend someone using Superior.
Strengths Chameleon Plating, Dimension Shifting
Weaknesses Suceptible to _____, Unarmed

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.

Conditions:

quote:

Backstory
• Where do you come from?
As stated, Corsa 15, a dimension of diamonds, colors and sounds that human tongues cannot describe, bliss, and contemplation of the various truths of the multiverses which are constantly intersecting each other. Corsa 15 is ruled by the Omnimarch, which is an expression of true sentience that even a Corsan such as myself cannot fully comprehend. We are not limited to a single physical existence - and neither are humans really but I suppose you'd find that disconcerting. Instead, depending on what dimension we inhabit we take on a facsimile of the local dominant fauna.

It is boring, which is why I spend much of my free time going to various trans-dimensional parties at various waypoint galaxies.

• Why did you come to Earth?
A trans-dimensional wind knocked my transport off course and confused it's sensors, leaving me stranded on this three-dimensional spheroid designated as Terra.

• Why do you want to stay here (for now at least)?
I am hoping that by solving the issues with the Bilröst's navigational systems I shall avoid chastisement upon returning to Corsan-ruled realities. While I am here, I am finding the local lifeforms interesting, if quaint and frustratingly limited, entities.

• Why do your people want you to come home?
...I do not know what you mean.
Fine. My parental units are known as something of important trans-dimensional diplomats, working to expand Corsan understanding and bring others into the fold of Corsan levels of sentience. I suppose my desire to simply enjoy multidimensional existence proves to be something of a scandal for them. It is likely that once they discover I am gone and have borrowed the Bilröst, they will expect my return to be prompt so that I can be chastised and return to acting like a proper offspring for them. I would prefer to have this matter wrapped up before they notice.

• Why do you care about the team?
For a limited species, there is a great variety of expression and individuality in the local lifeforms that constitute my classmates. They are worth being protected and in some cases, worth the trouble of enhancing their understanding of the nature of multi-dimensional existence. I would also truly like it if at least one of them began to comprehend my bio-luminescence.

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

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

Tardzilla posted:

- What made you decide to join the academy?
I spent what I believe translates to six months at various social gatherings called "raves" when I arrived here - limited if entertaining in their own right - and then came to New Arcadia. When I reviewed the trans-human nature of many of the occupants of the city, I deduced that this academy would be a useful place for someone of my obvious skill and talent. Perhaps I could teach the students and faculty and staff a thing or two. However, it seems that the synchronization of my form to this dimension has classified me as what is referred to as a "teenager" (which is absurd given the number of micro-millenia that I have lived!) which meant that I had no choice but to enroll as a student, myself!


Tardzilla posted:

- Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

For a limited lifeform, the woman known as Hecate seems to have a greater inkling into the inner workings of cross-dimensional purpose. She calls this understanding "Sorcery", which goes to show a third-dimensional perspective is quite limiting! However, she recognized my obviously superior skill and understanding when I helped her against a similarly proficient man known as the Hierophant, who apparently has cause to be considered a "super-villain", in local parlance - and specifically a super-villain who frequently crosses Hecate's path. He was attempting to open a portal to one of the innumerable dimensions of negative thought, some manner of nightmare realm that one of your local religions considers "Hell". While the Bilröst is currently incapable of getting me home, various fail-safes alerted me to a trans-dimensional portal being opened, which lead me to their argument (an argument that consisted of what they considered "spellcasting" at each other). I used my standard array of bio luminescent-psionically driven defense mechanisms to assist Hecate in her attempts to close the forming rift and pacify the Hierophant - negative spaces such as that "Hell" are quite undesirable, in my mind after all - and she rewarded me by sponsoring me for the academy. How nice of her.

Tardzilla posted:

- Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!
These fellow student lifeforms are quite immature - something that it appears I am also considered, which I imagine has to due with the staff's inability to comprehend my obviously greater understanding of their lesson plans and the resulting arguments that keep seeming to crop up. Still, one cannot argue with results - as I tend to get top marks in all my classes except for the "government" and "social studies" classes, as the local social constructs are hilariously outdated.

I have brokered an arrangement with a local teenaged creature known as Paul, who appears to have no greater-than-average abilities aside for a propensity for tinkering with various devices. He...as that is apparently his preferred pronoun, (which, as I have learned, is something that seems to cause the local lifeforms no small degree of distress upon being misidentified - how strange!) assists me with my infractions in these "civics" courses, and in return I translate various owners' manuals and the like for the Bilröst - which he appears to have a keen interest in. This is something that has worked to our mutual benefit, as my marks in the various civics courses have increased, and his devices are becoming increasingly more enlightened the more that I give him - I am careful to moderate this, of course, as limited human understanding of Corsan technology could have potentially disastrous results.

Tardzilla posted:

- What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?
As I have previously indicated, the various arts classes and especially the musical electives are the closest to intelligent courses that this academy provides. Human expression of these matters nearly transcends three-dimensionality in some cases, though in many it is woefully inefficient. In my spare time I am working on composing revelatory new forms of musical expression for human use, but I fear your ears are not prepared for them!

The local course for "astro-physics" is the worst class that this academy provides because of how very wrong it is. There is no amount of dumbing myself down that I can accomplish that will give me what the lecturer assumes is the "correct" answer - which by the way is invariably less than an infant Corsan's understanding of things. I have, resultingly, simply relegated myself to stealing the memories of the sought-after answers from the lecturer's mind for tests and retreating into internal 10th dimensional space during the lectures and class projects. Though this has resulted in my being accused of "sleeping" during multiple classes - which is yet another example of incredibly incorrect human perceptions!

Tardzilla posted:

- What do you like to do in your free time?
I participate in local "rave" culture, which is where I took my affirmed "codename" as is the local parlance. Many of the reality altering compounds that the humans ingest have no useful function upon me, but occasionally I will use my superior psionic ability to ensure that those who are affected by them have a "good trip".

I may also use my abilities to experience a simulacrum of a good trip that one of the other rave-goers is also having, or allow all the party-goers to experience the same good trip in an experiment in social bonding. Sometimes I will practice macro-expressions of my bio luminescence. You have probably noticed the glowing of my skin - this is used to express changes in mood as well as current physical status, mental status, social status, and a billion other different concepts that you do not have terms for - however most of this is lost upon humans - your ability to process color is also woefully inadequate, as it turns out - and the spectrum I display is frequently lost on human eyes. Still, in the absence of other entities that can experience a true spectrum of emotions, one must adapt.

On occasion, I will change the local visible light spectrum - enhance the colors of daylight, lighten up the night around me, things of that nature. For fun. The sky is a large canvas upon which I can paint, as it turns out.

Tardzilla posted:

- New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!
As far as the local notion of civilization goes, New Arcadia is...not bad. There are a fair number of things to "get up to", as it is said. However, given the restraints of my current bio-form's apparent age, some of these things are barred to me. As such, I have had to find interest in places and activities that should be beneath me. Aside from going to raves, which are not a fixed event and thus do not take place in a singular place, I have found the local "Arcade", to be somewhat amusing.

It is called Gamer's Corner - which as I have learned is an entirely unimaginative name for a place. However, many of the "Cabinets" inside are quite interesting, if crippled by the slow pace of entertainment technology on this plane of existence. I am particularly fond of the "Pong" device - though many think it limited, it is only because humans are incapable of seeing the full game. I cannot use human language to describe it to you, unfortunately.

Tardzilla posted:

- (Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!

It's a limited edition holo-foil cover! Rave is, well, at a rave. She's in the center, clearly enjoying herself, dancing, eyes closed. The purpleish aura cascading from her is reflected in the eyes of the people around her, who are clearly all sharing the same "good trip".

Tardzilla posted:

- (Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

LifeGetsWorser fucked around with this message at 04:41 on Jan 21, 2017

Yami Fenrir
Jan 25, 2015

Is it I that is insane... or the rest of the world?
[Story tidbit about Phantom. I wrote it because bored.]

On a seemingly ordinary afternoon, the Amazing Arcanist is in his home, locked away in his study as he looks at the wall stuck full of notes, maps and other things one would expect from a conspiracy theorist as a colleague of his knocks on his door.

"Hey, Dave." he greets him. "Come on in, the door's open." James explains as he pulls up a chair and offers it to his guest.

"Hey James." the man responds. "Wanted to check up on you. Haven't heard anything of you the last few days. You alright?"

"Yeah. Just... a little busy." James replies, his eyes briefly wandering to his notes.

Dave sighs as he glances on the notes. "... You chasing ghosts again?"

"I keep telling you, Phantom is real. Look! I'll show you." James retorts, handing him a stack of files. Resigning himself, Dave opens up the first one.


The Phantom Files posted:

May 13, 20XX

Unregistered freighter class ship sinks 40 kilometers away from the coast of Mexico. Neither crew count or transported goods could be verified. Satellite video captured a bright white light flaring up just before the ship started to sink.

May 14, 20XX

Secret underwater base on the coast of the Mexican border suffers catastrophic damage and has to be abandoned. Ownership still unclear - government has denied any involvement in the matter.

Dave looks up from the files. "I Don't get it. Those are some strange events, sure, but.. those really just look like accidents.

"Keep going." James insisted.


Phantom Files, continued posted:

October 5, 20XX

New Arcadia Military base goes on high alert as the pilot of the experimental Titan-02 battle mech goes rogue, causing nearly 300 Million Dollar worth of damage. After subjugation, the pilot claimed to have no recollection of the event, only stating that the last event he recalled was speaking to his superior officer in the hallway. Various Telepaths have confirmed his story as true. However, the surveillance cameras recorded a strange girl instead of Commander Jackson speaking to the man.

[attached is a photograph of the pilot and a strange girl in the hallways.]

November 3, 20XX

FBI erupts into chaos as Director Comey himself deletes their entire database, plus all on-site backups. When questioned, he reports having no recollection of the event, only remembering seeing his daughter in office.

[attached is a photograph with the director and the same strange girl]

"What the hell?" Dave blurted out. "So what, we're dealing with some sort of shapeshifter here?"

James takes the files from Dave before he responds. "I don't know. I don't think anybody does. What I do know, however, is that those for, plus countless others, are related. I managed to get pretty close to them, once. I only figured it out because to me, they looked like Rabbit Witch. Of course, it couldn't have been her, because I drove her to school myself two hours before.



"Wait, like Sarah? How did they even..." Dave wondered. "... I don't know, James. I don't like this. We don't know what we're dealing with here. I think you need to be more careful. What... if they decide you know too much?"

A sudden beeping interrupts the two. James takes a look at his communicator, before replying.

"... You may be right. Anyway... this is kind of odd. It seems like a fishing boat picked up a girl... just floating in the middle of the ocean. The other fast responders are busy, so I got the order to check it out." James explained.

Dave nods. "Alright. Suits me just fine, I've gotta get going anyway. Hey, you want to meet up with the rest of the team tomorrow? Get a few drinks? For old times sake." he offered.

James replies in the middle of putting on his 'costume', which was little more than a robe. "Sounds great. Count me in.", before teleporting out of the room.

----

January 21, 20XX
House owned by James Claksey burns to the ground. No deaths or injured. Firefighters were unable to ascertain a reason for the fire to have started.

Yami Fenrir fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Jan 21, 2017

Scrree
Jan 16, 2008

the history of all dead generations,

Let's set the scene: Its a dusky summer day, the last class has been let out, students are milling about slowly finding their path home, and there he is -



Nikolai Bruskina, the talk of the Academy. As the only exchange student from Belarus, and 4th son of the Belarus national hero 'Iron Blood Ivanah', Nikolai is a natural object of curiosity for the other students. The fact that he rarely speaks, constantly seems tense, and always manages to disappear immediately after school only adds to the sense of mystery around him. And if there is one rule both teenagers and superheroes know by heart - it's that mysteries attract attraction.

"Hey, Nikolai!" She asks, stopping him just before he leaves the school grounds. "Please, just call me Nick." He replies while turning towards the voice, ah, a classmate, he knows how this will go. "Okay, Nick, I just wanted to ask you... Would you like to go to a cafe with me, and some friends, and study for the test tomorrow? I was just thinking that, English isn't your first language, sooo maybe we could help you or just..." She stops, embarrassed by how obvious she's being. He looks at her for just a half-second too long, and says "I am sorry, I'm busy tonight, but if I ever need help I'll keep your offer in mind. Now excuse me, I must go." With those quick words he starts to leave. She does not follow.

He does not go with the crowd of students heading to the subway for a ride home, nor does he group up with friends and start to plan some nightly fun. Instead, he walks alone and focused towards an old park that has been overshadowed by it’s more impressive neighbors and is always abandoned by this time of day. He enters the public restroom there, and if one were to put their ear to the stall they would hear not just the rustling of clothes being changed, but the creaking and cracking of bones adjusting to a new form.

Then I walk out.


I am Judith Prince, a runaway, and I think I'm going to be late for work.

quote:

The Janus
Name: Nikolai Bruskina
(Name: Judith Prince)
Look: Man, White, Upscale Clothing, Iconic Costume, Helmet
(Look: Woman, Bi-Racial, Boring Clothing, Full Disguise)
Hero Name: The White Emperor - Costumed in an updated Tsarist Military Uniform combined with a sick motorcycle helmet. Wields a sword.
(Hero Name: The Runaway) - Has no appearance, but resides in the heart of the White Emperor.

Abilities:
Bone Generation Lesser Shape-shifting - I was born with the mutant ability to consciously grow, alter, or contract my bones, muscles, skin, hair - really most things beside my inner organs and eyes. Which, to be honest, is really annoying because that means there are certain limits I can never exceed. If I grow too big my heart would stress out and I'd go into cardiac arrest, and if I get too small there is eventually a point where my organs would start to collide and that's really bad. Still, it's a useful and subtle power, and thanks to it I'm far stronger, tougher, and faster than someone my age should be.

The shape-shifting is rarely useful in combat because it simply isn't a very quick process. Although, I do get much faster at certain forms once I have practice. I once tried to explain to Nikolai that learning to copy his form was like learning a new song with my body as the instrument, but he just told me that sounded gross.

Impossible Mobility — I call it 'Spring Step'. It's more of a technique than a power, but I discovered it myself and I'm really proud of it. Basically I can use my enhanced body to run in such a way that I don't lose any momentum when I hit the ground - I only get faster and faster. I can ever convert my sprinting speed into angular dodges. My agility is by far my best attribute. I don't know my max speed, but I'd guess that I could leap from rooftop to rooftop with ease.

Okay... That's a lie, I know I can leap roofs with ease because I do it to commute. Regularly. Look, I know it's irresponsible, but my schedule is packed! The subways are always delayed, and if I was late one more time my boss would've flipped, so I decided to take a little risk. I think it's fine, nobody on the street ever looks up, and if someone sees me and tries to chase me all I can say is - I'm faster than a cheetah, good luck.

Labels:
Danger +0
Freak -1
Savior +1
Superior +0
Mundane +3

Moves:
The Mask: You wear a mask and hide your real identity. Choose what Label you try to embody while wearing your mask: ❑ Freak ❑ Danger ❑ Savior ❑ Superior

Once per session, you can affirm either your heroic or secret identity to switch your Mundane with your mask’s Label. When you reveal your secret identity to someone who didn’t know it already, mark potential

Game face: When you commit yourself to save someone or defeat a terrible enemy, mark a condition and take +1 ongoing to all rolls in direct pursuit of that goal. At the end of any scene in which you don’t make progress towards that goal, mark a condition. When you fulfill your goal, mark potential.

Mild-mannered: When you try to use your civilian identity to deceive, trick, or slip past someone, roll + Mundane. On a hit they buy your facade.

On a 7-9, choose one: - you’re still under observation - you leave something incriminating behind - you’re forced to make a fool of yourself to sell it

On a miss, one of your civilian obligations rears its ugly head.

Moment of Truth:
The mask is a lie, and some piece of you has always known that. Doesn’t matter if others can see it. You’re the one that can do the impossible. Mask off. Costume on. And you’re going to save the drat day. Of course, you better hope nobody nasty is watching…

Team Moves:
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if they see you as the person wearing the mask or the person underneath. If the former, mark potential and clear a condition. If the latter, take Influence over them if you reveal yourself.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, tell them a secret about who you really are. Give them Influence, and shift your Mundane up and your mask’s Label down.

When our team first came together...
We saved the life of someone important, either to the city or to us. Who was it? Why are they important?

Secret Identity:
Your mundane life comes with a series of obligations.
Choose a total of three obligations.
Jobs: Barista: Under the table at a place called Cafeblanca, intern, host/ess, salesperson, delivery person, fast-food worker, babysitter, dishwasher, tech support, waitress/er
School: Schoolwork: If my grades start to drop I might get some unneeded attention from Nikolai's mom., athletic team, chess club, photography club, student government
Home: Caring for someone: Nikolai is a good friend, but a needy one. If I don't keep him entertained he might... act out., household chores, paying bills, surrogate parenting
Social: Significant other, best friend, popularity, close relative, coach/teacher

When time passes, roll + your Mundane to see how you’re managing your obligations. On a hit, things are going pretty well—you have an opportunity or advantage thanks to one of your obligations. On a 7-9, you’ve lapsed on one obligation, your choice. On a miss, you haven’t given your normal life anywhere near the attention it deserves; the GM chooses two obligations that are going to bite you in the butt.

Relationships:
_____________________ knew you from your civilian life first.
You refused to tell ___________________ your secret identity when they asked.

Influence:
You look up to your teammates; they seem to have this superhero thing figured out. Give two of them Influence over you.

Advancement
When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below.
❑ Take another move from your playbook
❑ Take another move from your playbook
❑ Take a move from another playbook
❑ Take a move from another playbook
❑ Someone permanently loses Influence over you;
add +1 to a Label
❑ Change your mask’s Label; add +1 to your
mask’s new Label
❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth
❑ Take drives from the Beacon’s playbook
When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below.
❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth after you’ve used it
once
❑ Change playbooks
❑ Take an adult move
❑ Take an adult move
❑ Lock a Label, and add +1 to a Label of your
choice
❑ Retire from the life or become a paragon of the
city

quote:

When did you first put on the mask? Why?

Hmm, it’s hard to know where to start. I’ve wanted to be a hero for basically forever, and I’ve fought with Dad about it for just as long. I guess this all started a couple months ago, when--- (fade out)

Flashback posted:

“No, you shut up, dad!” Judith yelled as she slammed the door. It was the same argument they’d been having for months, and it ended the same way it always did – in her defeat. She had not expected her father to be happy when she told him that she wanted to go to Arcadia Academy become a professional Hero, but she had expected she’d be able to wear him down over the months before graduation. She had been wrong.

After Judith finished yelling at her door, she made sure it was locked (her dad has a key, but it’s the thought that counts), jumped on her bed with her laptop, and started chatting.

SuprSecure: ugh
Beladon2020: dad trouble?
SuprSecure: he just doesn’t GET IT. I dont want to be anything but a hero, but he keeps telling me thats the only thing he wont allow!!! hes so stupid!
Beladon2020: u can always go for hero training when u get to college
SuprSecure: I hear that if u dont graduate from arcadia ur apps arent even looked at by recruiters. its hopeless :<
Beladon2020: speaking of arcadia, ive got some news…
Beladon2020: u know im from a hero family, rite? Well mom wanted me to go to the cold & dreary & boring national academy here
Beladon2020: but I managed to convince her to let me go to arcadia as an exchange student
SuprSecure: so fukin lucky I swear
Beladon2020: not really! I just dont want to stay here any longer, my brothers are so annoying u have no idea
Beladon2020: arcadias really strict though, its gonna eat up all my time and my rank is gonna fall like a rock
Beladon2020: I just want to play gaaaaaaaaaaaaaames… (and maybe meet some cute boys xdxd)
SuprSecure: we were born to the wrong famlys
Beladon2020: lol, 2 true, if switched places wed both be happy
SuprSecure:…
SuprSecure: when do you get in town?

That was when we started to plan this whole thing. Later I destroyed my laptop’s hard drive, threw my phone on a bus going out of town to confuse them, and met with ‘Beladon’ at the airport. Since that day Judith Prince has been a missing person.

Why we did it then? It was just a good opportunity. There wasn’t much time left before the new semester at the Academy started, so when my parents left for work I went for it. Honestly, I didn’t think too much about it.

quote:

Why do you keep a secret identity?

It’s simple: I was born a hero. I have great power, and thus a great responsibility to use it - for good, of course.

This is where Dad would say, “No, you were born a mutant (and there’s nothing wrong with that, sweetie). You don't have a responsibility to waste your life chasing danger.” But he’s the whole problem! He’s a District Attorney for the city of New Arcadia, and probably the most boring person you’ll ever have the misfortune of meeting. He thinks the Heroes are nothing but a ‘band of neglectful hooligans, up-jumped vigilantes who don’t care or understand the law.’ He’d come back from the office with stories of heroes putting their lives on the line to save civilians, and then being fined by the county for some nonsense collateral damage, and he’d expect me to laugh alongside him! Well, he told the stories a little differently, but I knew the truth.

He always told me that “I’ll support you in anything, anything at all, as long as it’s not these foolish heroics.” but who does he think stared in the latest hit action movie? That’s right, Ms. Fantastical. Who does he think performed the first production at the Arcadia Opera House? It was the Ultrasonic Boom! Heroes are the stars of our era, and if he really loved me he wouldn’t hold back my potential!

So that’s why I have to hide behind the Mask. Because if I’m found out, I’ll lose my future.

quote:

Who, outside of the team, knows about your dual identity?

Nikolai Bruskina, aka the real White Emperor, aka the Worst Roommate.



So, full backstory for my ‘partner in crime’. He’s from Eastern Europe, and I don’t know if you know how heroics work over there but it’s waaaaay different than how things work here. His mom is a hero, and she isn’t so much employed by the state as much as… incorporated? Anyways, he inherited some amount of Powers from her, and so he’s expected to inherit her role in the future. He explained it to me as “Everything my family does - my mother, my brothers, and me – is supposed to reflect the Great National Character and Strength of the Belarus Peoples.”

Unfortunately for the nation, Nikolai is a lazy floozy who only puts any effort into a stupid videogame. Seriously, he could be a HERO, but instead of wants to ‘practice and go pro’ in some game? I don’t understand his motivations at all, but I guess if he wasn’t this way none of this would be possible, so whatever. Anyways, we met online in a chat room for young super-humans and became private penpals, and when he came to Arcadia we realized we could solve both of our ‘parental problems’ by me using my powers to assume his identity. I get to go to Arcadia like I’ve always dreamed, he gets to unload all of his responsibilities onto me. Its a ‘win-win’.

I wouldn’t have gone through with this if I knew how much of a slob he was.

Seriously, I get back from work – work that mostly pays for our food and his internet! He says he makes money 'coaching' online, but I've neve - Ah, talking about this only angers me. Anyways, I get back from work, and --- (fade out)

Flashback posted:

It was night. Judith was climbing a set of stairs with a bag of groceries in her hand. She was still wearing her barista uniform. She reached the top and entered the door of an apartment.

“Ah, my friend! Good timing, good timing! I just finished a match! We won, of course – how was school?” Nikolai greeted her with a smile. “Fine, work was Fine, too.” She paused, “I got hit on at school again.” “Ah, what can I say. I’m a good looker! Although, don’t feel bad for disappointing any of the girls, that would’ve happened no matter what.” A devilish smirk appeared on his face, “Now if any of the boys, especially the one from your class, Michael, was it?, make a move, let me know and I’ll happily--” “Shut it!” Judith snapped, a little too fast to be a joke. Nikolai stepped back and laughed, “Okay, okay, what do you want me to say? Be uglier?” Music started to play from the computer. “Ah, you hear that? Talk later, my friend, battle awaits!” He quickly sat at his desk and keyboard.

Judith stared after him (with only a little spite in her eyes), sighed, and carried the groceries into the kitchen. As she passed the threshold, a flash of despair crossed her face, “Nikolai! What the hell! How are there still dirty dishes, you’ve been home all day! How are there more dishes than when I left!” Nikolai turned around and spoke, not to her, but into his microphone, “Sorry comrades I'll need a moment, it’s my wife, she’s a real bitc- ow! Don’t hit me! What did I do to deserve such abuse?”

Living with him is a nightmare.

But, well, I will admit he’s still a good friend. The only old friend I can talk to, nowadays, and I know he’d never rat me out because he’s in it just as deep as me, so I trust him.

quote:

Who thinks the worst of your masked identity?

Scope, for sure. He's a hero that's famous for being supernaturally accurate, to the point where it wouldn't be contested to say he's never missed a shot, and rumor has it that he was 'in service' of some pretty covert agencies before going public. At the Academy he teaches an advanced level course on Gunmanship for gunslinger heroes, and sometimes he substitutes in as the PE teacher - that's how I first met him.

Right after class started he pulled me (disguised as Nikolai, of course) aside and said "So, you're Ivanah's little runt, huh? Got her eyes. Well, go on, what'd she say about me?" I was at a complete loss for words. Do I give a flattering lie? Will he be able to see through it? Were they friends or rivals? Ultimately I decided to go with what I thought was a safe bet,

"She's never mention you, sir."

I've never seen a hero angrier in my life. I was honestly so scared that I lost control of my powers and my hair started to turn white. Luckily, he was too furious to notice; he stormed off and left the whole class still running laps. Every time I've seen him since then he's just, just bullied me. Making me run more laps, or do different tests from anyone else, or just answer strange questions like "How far can you see?" Whenever we pass each other in the hallway I have to stop myself from shrinking back, and he gets this irritated look on his face. I haven't brought it up to anyone other than Nikolai because, given my situation, I want to attract the least amount of attention possible.

Nikolai told me I had given the right answer, his mother never mentioned Scope to him.

Neither of us know that Scope is Nikolai's biological father. His proof that love can bloom on the battlefield.

quote:

Why do you care about the team?
The team makes it worth it.

All of the fearful secrecy, all of the frustration from dealing with Nikolai's horseshit, all of the homesickness - all of it disappears when I'm on the team. Being on the team means being a hero, and that's what I've sacrificed everything for.

The fact that some of the other team members only seem to be in the Academy of necessity instead of choice, or don't really even understand what being a hero entails is a little vexing.

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?
Some people will tell you that being a hero isn't about who you trained under or how recognizable you are, but about what's in your heart.

Those people are liars.

I've seen my father work. I know the gulf between being a vigilante and being a hero. Vigilantes are warned, charged, fined, probated, and arrested. Heroes are respected, forgiven, imitated, indulged, and important. The Academy is the bridge between the two sides, and I can only be a hero if I cross it. Heroics without credentials would just make me a madwoman.

Oh my god I sounded so much like my dad just then, bleh.

Anyways, my family's been in New Arcadia since the founding. The Academy has been my dream since I was first told that being able to grow a foot in height at will wasn't normal, and that I was born with a mu-tay-shun.

quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

'Iron Blood' Ivanah

She's a legend. No one could possibly deny that. She came into prominence after the fall of the Soviet Union, and was a major beacon of order in the chaos that followed. She's saved Minsk from destruction more than a dozen times, Moscow thrice, and even Paris once (she was on vacation)! She's defeated more villains than I could even remember, and was basically the go to hitwoman for the EU Heroics Department after Belarus and Russia joined. She's strong, tough, fast, and according to more unofficial tales of her valor, at least partially magic. She's semi-retired now, living as a national hero in Minsk, and all of her kids inherited parts of her power. Well, Nikolai not the strength or toughness, but he tested 99th percentile in reflexes and vision so he was officially confirmed superhuman.

So when Iron Blood Ivanah told the Academy they were going to teach her youngest son it did not matter that she 'technically' wasn't able to sponsor a student without being faculty. Telling her no would've been a diplomatic incident. Nikolai had no chance of being rejected.

And then I took his place.

How did I impress her?

Well, according to Nikolai, the last time he talked to his mom in person they had a big argument that started because he refused to live in the Academy Dorms because he had read that it's internet was too slow for games. She told him to suck it up, plans had already been made. He said he'd still go to Academy, he just wanted to stay at a place in the city with proper internet. She replied "Fine. Find a place you like, I'll pay your rent, and nothing else. Get a job if you want anything else." Well jokes on her, I got a job so that he can have food and internet!

loving Nikolai.

That's not what impressed her. What impressed her was - Imagine you were a mom, and you've just sent your son off to a foreign country on a pretty nasty note. You get the first reports of his performance at school, and they read: "Breakthroughs in all previous physical benchmarks." "Seems serious-minded about heroics." "No trouble with English language instruction" "Studious in the classroom." Imagine how you feel? She sent me (well, Nikolai) a gift.



It came with a note:
"My Dearest Kolya,
I am pleased at your progress in Arcadia. Take this sword as a gift. It was forged with a drop of my blood, so that it can protect you where I cannot.
Love, Your Mother.


I told him about the sword, he said I could have it. I wanted to tell him about the note, but I couldn't. I really couldn't. He didn't earn it, I did.

quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!
Michael 'True North' Rivers. He's a mutant with mid-level magnetic powers. Me and him were the only two mutants at our preppy private middle school. We hung out all the time and eventually started dating.

I mean, we were just kids so it was nothing serious - total puppy love! We'd hold hands, keep eachother up way too late texting, and other stupid stuff. Oh my god! I think I still have some poetry he wrote for me back in my old room. It was like I have magnet powers/but you're the one attracting me. We were so dumb! We never really had a breakup, though, our relationship just kind of... stopped after he got arrested.

The story I know is: he was walking home from school when suddenly there was a cry of, "Ah, thief!" The purse snatcher ran right by him, and Michael did what every twerpy middle school boy wishes he could do in that could do situation; he was going to be the hero. He used his powers to rip out out a nearby fire hydrant, and threw it as hard as he could at the thief. Michael stopped him, and broke his leg, and flooded half a neighborhood. He was charged with Assault With A Mutant Power and Destruction of City Property.

It was an open and shut case. My dad was the prosecutor. I begged him to somehow tip the scales in Michael's favor, to go easy on him, he was just trying to help! Dad looked at me and said, "It's a good thing this happened now. He'll get off easy due to his age, but he needs to learn that in the 'eyes of society -" he paused to reconsider his words "- vigilantes are villains.'" Then he walked out of the room, refusing to meet my tear-filled gaze. Due to the extenuating circumstances of the case, Michael only got hit with a couple weeks of juvie and was ordered to attend a weekly 'Anger Management and Power Control for Young Mutants' course for the next year. He ended up missing so many classes that he got held back a year at school, and so stopped being my classmate.

I just kind of... avoided him from that point. Whenever I saw him I felt guilty, like it was my fault for what my dad did, so I just tried to see him as little as possible.

I was really surprised to see him at the Academy. I guess he must've gotten into some kind of accelerated hero program or straight up sponsored in somehow. He still seems like the Michael I knew in middle school, just grown up. I have to be more careful around him than normal because he knows of my true powers (I kept a lot of my abilities hidden from dad) and might be able to figure it out if I act weird. It would be really, really fun to be able to talk to him freely, though!

quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

Favorite class? Superheroic Law.

Not even joking. All of the boring dinner conversations over law with my Dad have finally paid off! If I didn't have to maintain my power I could basically sleep through this class and pass with an A. Also, my Dad co-wrote the textbook, not even joking. Look at the blurb on the title page:

"In the eyes of society, unbound justice is indistinguishable from abject villainy. In this new era of human history it is critical to acknowledge not just the vast disparity between the super human and the merely human, but the tyranny that would inevitably occur should the former rule over the latter. It is only when acting under the law, as defined by the collective will of all peoples through the democratic process, that superhumans become superheroes."
- Gerald H. Prince


Least favorite? PE. Not because it's too physically demanding (I'm very physically competent!), but because of how my powers work. To stay shapeshifted I have to mentally 'clench' the form of my body. It's about as difficult for me to do that as it is for other people to clench there abs - so no problem at all. But imagine you had to do a bunch of laps or play soccer while clenching your abs the whole time? Yeah, it's pretty exhausting! And on days when Scope is our PE. teacher it's just a total nightmare. I mean, I can keep myself together, but I just feel totally drained afterwards.

Holding my form is a lot less of a problem in actual Field Work thanks to that sick motorcycle helmet I added to the White Emperor's costume. If my hair starts to revert or my skin splotches I don't need have drop everything to readjust myself as long as my head is hidden.

quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?
Free time? What's that?

Haha, jokes aside, whenever I'm not working at Cafeblanca, practicing my imitation of Nikolai so I don't slip up, practicing with The Blood Rapier so I don't look like a total incompetent, doing the grocery shopping, cooking our meals, cleaning up after Nikolai, or just studying for school I'm mostly... mostly... sleeping.

Next question.

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!
I've lived here most of my life, so I could tell you about a lot of places. But since I don't go anywhere other than school or work or Nikolai's apartment, I'll tell you about Cafeblanca [OOC Note: Actually less obviously Japanese, and sandwiched between two bigger buildings.]

It's a real hole in the wall, but it's close enough to school, pays under the table, and most importantly is the kind of place my dad would never, ever visit.

The owner is an old piece of salt named Meg who wanted someone to watch the place in the evening so she could go out drinking sooner. I showed up, told her I saw the sign and was interested in the job, and after a probationary period she even lets me close the shop now. I think she know's I'm in some kind of trouble with my parents, but just doesn't care. She's pretty cool. But she gets pissed if I'm late or, god forbid, miss a shift.

So yeah, I show up after school and keep the place going through the evening. It's not exactly bumping, so I mostly just make a couple lattes and dump the stale coffee every hour. People from school do show up every so often, though - like that girl I mentioned at the very start of this. She stopped by with a friend and was complaining about how distant and cold the cute foreign boy is, but wouldn't it be cool to date him and have a chance to meet Iron Blood Ivanah in person! I didn't know either to laugh or cry, so I just served coffee.

I don't shapeshift when working because I'm already stressing myself out doing it constantly at school. I need time to rest my powers. There isn't really anyone who would know me from my old life in this part of town, though, and no one from my middle school went to the Academy - except Michael. Crap. What if he comes to the cafe? How did I not think about that! Ugh, I've been so busy. If I see him I'll try to shapeshift my face, but if sees me doing that he'll know for sure it's me! Ah, crap, crap, ****!

quote:

(Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!
A full frontal body shot of Judith, divided in half by the dark iron edge of The Blood Rapier. On the left side she is Nikolai, in full White Emperor regalia (sans helmet), and in the background a crowd of teachers + Iron Blood Ivanah are watching approvingly.

On the right side Judith is herself, in her barista uniform, and holding in her other hand a serving tray with hot coffee on it. Behind her is Nikolai at his computer, surrounded by soda bottles, yelling in enthusiastic victory.

Cover Text is: Runaway #1 - She wants to be a hero with all her heart, but with great power, comes an even greater workload.

Theme Song: Now I Want

quote:

(Optional) Suggest a name for the IC thread.

Scrree fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Feb 1, 2017

GodFish
Oct 10, 2012

We're your first, last, and only line of defense. We live in secret. We exist in shadow.

And we dress in black.



My name is Claire Brennan, and I am going to die.

You probably know me better as X-Calibre, teenage super heroine extraordinaire, who fights for Justice with a stylish black sword, but that's only half of my story. Because I am going to die. The sword, my sword, feeds off my life force, just by being nearby, so I have to absorb more from other people to keep myself healthy - or to keep it satiated so it won't drain mine. Even if it didn't, I'd still be going to die, because it's other half is out there, coming for me.

Should I start from the beginning? I don't know how to really started, way before I was alive, but for me, it started right after the small earthquake that hit Cascadia suburb my family lived in. You probably didn't hear about it, it was really small - caused by Titanica and Goldboy fighting Volcanian I think. Titanica tends to cause earthquakes. Anyway, the quake caused one of the hills to cave in a bit, but that was about it. Everyone in town went over to check it out once things had calmed down, we dug around in the dirt a bit, there was some shards of rock sticking out - I managed to cut my hand on it, somehow, and after a bit, we all went back home. That night I woke up with a voice in my head. That's not quite right, not a voice, just a... feeling. Of being called. I went back to sleep.

Later, I awoke again - not quite awake, I could see what I was doing, but it was like I was still dreaming. Following instructions I couldn't quite hear, I went outside, to our shed, and then with a shovel, out to the hill. I dug for what felt like an hour, until I'd uncovered a tunnel, stone, carved into the hillside. There had been a door, also stone, covered in carvings, but it'd cracked open. I was a bit more myself then, but not nearly enough, and idiot that I was, even if I'd been completely in control... There was literally no way I could turn back at that point, when you don't have powers in a world with more and more superheroes, being called into a mysterious buried ruin... isn't something anyone could give up. So I lit up my phone's flashlight and headed in.

The walls were covered in even more carvings, nothing that I could read though, and wound down what felt like miles into the ground. The voice got more urgent the further I went, calling for me, again and again. I pushed through a thick net of cobwebs, and into a small room, with just two things in it. A hulking statue of some ferocious monster and, in front of it, a simple plinth with a sword resting on it, in perfect condition. I walked up to the sword, it was glowing softly in the darkness. I reached out, to touch it, and that was when I really heard the voice for the first time. 'Run!' Jumping back, I tried to drop it, but it floated there in front of me, and flew back into my hand. And then the ruin began to shake, the statue rumbled, the ceiling shook, dust raining down.

Unable to let go of the sword, I turned and ran. The place collapsing is the only reason I'm still alive. It trapped the demon inside, underground, and even with it's power, it took time for it to wake up and to force it's way to the surface. By then I was back home, and a massive flaming demon walking through town got the heroes there just after it lit my house on fire. All that time, the blade had been talking to me, explaining things, the demon (the statue) had been sealed away in that crypt, trapped by the power of the sword and the runes covered it, but the quake had finally cracked the seal, and the demon was growing stronger, and if it found me, killed me and took the sword, it would have free to reign over the world. It reached for me as I ran out of the house, almost lazily, with it's giant hand - I don't think it expected me to resist, but I did, panicking, terrified, I drew the sword and sliced right through it's hand - blood splattered all over me, sizzling in the air - and it drew back, howling. Through the blade I could feel it gathering it's power to kill me then and there, and that was when the heroes arrived.

They killed it. And then they tried to take the sword away - I almost died. They brought it back in time, and took us both off to study. A month later, the demon attacked the hospital I was staying in. They killed it again, but not before badly injuring most of the heroes and destroying the facility. During that time, me, the sword, and a few professional mages and psychics had figured out what was going on. The demon - it didn't have a name, so I decided to call it the Jabberwocky, after my favorite poem - could only be killed by the sword, otherwise it would keep coming back, and if it got it, it'd be unstoppable. The sword -also nameless, so sticking with the theme, Snicker-snack - itself drained my life, purely by being bonded, needing that to keep its own magic alive so I could fight Jabberwocky. I could access it's power freely, but I can't go far from it, and it'll always be draining my life unless I can feed it off someone else's, and I won't use just anyone. I can't pass the blade on either, it's mine until I die, and if I DO kill Jabberwocky it'll end the curse of the sword, and... it won't admit it, but I think... I know... it'll kill me too. But if I can end it, stop this curse from passing on, I will, even if it takes my life. And until then, until I'm strong enough to face it, I'll do everything I can to help other people, do some good with what time I have left. And maybe I'll even have a chance to live a little, here at school.

The Doomed posted:

Hero Name: X-Calibre
Real Name: Claire Brennan

Look: woman, white, steely eyes, unassuming clothing, no costume

Abilities
Superhuman strength and speed: empowered by her sword, Claire can move inhumanly fast, slice through a foot of steel easily, and even punch kick or smash her way through ordinary walls without much difficulty. These powers are enhanced after absorbing someone's vitality.
Vitality absorption: making physical contact between her hand and someone else, she can absorb their vitality, draining way their strength and energy, both physical and mental, leaving them exhausted or even dead if given enough time. Coupled with her telekinesis, she can do the same thing at a distance if her target or targets have open wounds - especially ones caused by her.
Telekinesis: Claire's telekinesis is fairly limited without having recently absorbed someone's strength, only really able to move small objects at a distance. Within about arms length her powers are a deal stronger, able to move things fairly freely, but even then she isn't going to be lifting houses up or anything. She can move herself and her sword with complete freedom, and she can speak mentally to it - though not anyone else. Weather it can or not remains unknown.

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.
Who is your nemesis? Jabberwocky

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.

Doom
You’re doomed. Your powers may be killing you, or maybe you’re hunted ruthlessly, or maybe you embody an apocalypse. But one way or another, your future is grim. What brings your doom closer?
Injuring Innocents and Showing Mercy damage the holy nature of the blade, forcing it to drain even more of my life to heal itself. I think the latter offends it more than anything else, but... it still hurts it.

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.

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.
Infinite Powers: Mark your doom track to use an ability from any playbook, one time.

Sanctuary
You have a place where you can rest, recover, and reflect upon your powers.
- a scattering of ancient relics
- a meditation space
- a teleportal
- draws dangerous attention
- tied intricately to your doom

My Sanctuary are the same ruins I found Snicker-snack and Jabberwocky in, or nearly. Those collapsed, but underneath them was a larger ruin, created by the same people who forged Snicker-snack, and it's full of the same protective carvings, and other holy or magical artifacts. The sword won't tell me about the people who made it, but it will explain what a thing is, and how to use it. The entire place is very peaceful, calming and comforting, but using the portal to get there and back sends a signal Jabberwocky can recognize, and helps it find me, and the portal, and all the artifacts, need my life energy to function, bringing me closer to the end every time I use it. Still, sometimes I need to be alone.

When you call upon the resources of your sanctuary to solve a problem, 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 ___________________

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

Moment of Truth
The prickly tingling fear of your doom, always in your head—it holds you back most of the time. But right here, right now? It gives you the confidence to do anything. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? Is it worse than your doom? 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.

Relationships
You told _______________ all about your doom and the danger you’re in.
You’d love to kiss ________________ before your doom comes.

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

quote:

What made you decide to join the academy?
Two reasons, really. The first is, I'm not strong enough to defeat Jabberwocky yet - if I ever will be, so I need to get stronger, and what's a better place to train in heroics than the Justice Alliance's Hero Training Academy? The second, I'm not safe to be around. I can't stop Jabberwocky from hurting other people, and since it'll keep coming for me I can either go somewhere alone and isolated, and wait for it to kill me, or I can go to where the other heroes can stop it if it shows up. They can't kill it, but if they can keep putting it down as I get stronger... I might make it long enough.

...And I don't want to be alone. I'm going to die, and I only have, what, a year? five years? maybe less even if I don't win, and then poof, gone. No more Claire. I can't stand the idea of spending that entirely alone, hunted and afraid. At school, I can at least pretend to have a normal life again.

quote:

Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?
I'm pretty sure it was Titanica - was in the area when Jabberwocky showed up, and was one of the ones who took me to the hospital. After the second attack, she and Goldboy brought me along with them to keep an eye on while the experts worked out what to do with me. They both made it clear I wasn't to get involved with their fights, and had me sit safely out of the way. But she tends to... cause a lot of collateral damage (she can grow really really big) and towards the end of the fight a piece of bridge got sent flying right towards a car full of people. I couldn't just stand there, let it happen, and Snicker-snack was 'yelling' in my head to move, so I did. I launched myself between them, sliced the piece in half before I'd entirely realized what I was doing, and pushed both halves aside, saving the people. The next day, she asked me if I wanted to go to the Academy.



quote:

Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

Elly - Eclipse - is my favorite classmate. She has 'Darkness' powers, control over shadows, that sort of thing. You'd expect someone like her to be all broody and "I AM OF THE NIGHT" right? Well she isn't. She's probably the friendliest person I've met, doesn't take anything very seriously, always has a good joke. I always feel a little better hanging out with her, it's hard to take things as seriously when she's around. Really 'lightens' the mood, heh.

quote:

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?
Gym and Math. I'm super fast and super strong, so ordinary gym would be really easy, but this is a school for superheroes! The different ways people can move and the powers they use for games like dodgeball and soccer and all that are just crazy. It's like watching a really high budget movie every time we practice. Of course... I can't really use most of my powers, because I have to avoid hurting anyone, which is definitely a pain. And math... well, people always say you'll use it when you get older and I don't entirely believe that anyway, but I'm not going to be getting older, so this is entirely a huge waste of time. At least Snicker-snack is pretty good at complex equations, for some reason.

quote:

What do you like to do in your free time?
Train.

quote:

New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!
Okay, I don't always train. Sometimes I go to the Ye Olde New Arcadia Pizza and Arcade. They have some of the best pinball machines I've ever used, a good selection of other arcade stuff, and really good cheap pizza. Easily the best place in the entire city. My hometown isn't bad or anything, but you could never find a place like this there.

...Yeah I pretty much spend the entire time I'm not training, in class, meditating in my Sanctuary or fighting villains in here. I've even got a special discount card for being such a good customer. Don't look at me like that!

GodFish fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Jan 24, 2017

Tardzilla
Aug 31, 2006

Round 1 Questions

Psychosoma

- Tell me more about the spirit world. What is it like? What do you see when you peer into it

- Adjusting to a new time period has got to be pretty rough! What was the toughest thing you had to adjust to?

- Something happened in the academy that the Phantom had a hand in somehow. What was the event?

Sanguine

- You're saying your predecessors whisper to you? Spooky. What are they saying?

- You just received a mysterious message. What was it? What does it say? Is it anything you should be concerned about?

- Boy, things sure got wild during cooking class, huh? People are still talking about it to this day. What happened?

Mechatronic

- Something you made during your villain days has come back to bite you. What was it? How did you handle the situation?

- Has there ever been a moment were you almost relapsed into your old ways? Or have you been successful at fighting those urges?

- Somebody declared themselves to be your rival in SCIENCE! whether you like it or not, and they've been constantly trying to one-up you. Who are they? What are you going to do about them?

Sammi

- I hope you don't mind me bringing this up, but I think we should talk about Matthew for a moment. How do you feel about him? Has he caused you any recent trouble?

- It's clear that Headmistress Amala has taken a shine to you, but how do the rest of the staff feel? Are there any that object your existence? Or are they generally okay with you?

- Oh no! You got separated from Headmistress Amala during one of your walks together! You found your way back to her eventually, but it must've been really scary for you. How did you handle the whole ordeal?

Lucky Ted

- Tango isn't the only who disproves of you joining the academy. There's another jerk who doesn't think you belong there, either, and they make sure to tell you that every chance they get. Who are they?

- Being the only normal guy in a school filled with people with fantastical powers must be pretty tough. Has there ever been a time when you doubted yourself? What keeps you motivated, even when things look impossible for you?

- Something went wrong during your last Field Work lessons, but you managed to save the day! ...Kinda. It could have gone a lot better, all things considered, but at least nobody was seriously injured. What happened?

Clatterclaw & Miss Wraith

- Hey, have we met before? Eh, it's probably my imagination. Anyways, tell me more about the theater you hang out in. Have you ever been involved in any plays?

- You just found out you weren't the first revival experiment conducted by Ivan and Giovanni. There was one before you. What was it, and how did you find this out?

- You work... in the campus grocery? Oh, oh you poor girl(s?). There's a reason why nobody wants to work there. Probably has something to do with stock-piling food from other dimensions/planets. How have you managed to handle yourself (yourselves?) there for so long?

Meeba

- Hold on. You said, "Others are always trying to eat our space back home?" Who are these Others? Are they something we should be concerned about?

- You like experiencing and learning new things, huh? Out of all the things you've experienced so far, which was your favorite? What makes it special to you?

- You recently ran into another being like you! Unfortunately, they did not share the same interest in learning as you do. Why were they a problem, and how did you handle your encounter with them?

Black Rabbit

- How did your mother react when you told her about your enrollment into the academy? Do you have any other family members, or is she the only one?

- The academy might be a prestigious school for super-powered individuals, but even it can't escape the bully problem. Who was the biggest jerk you've met, and what did you do to put them in their place?

- Something felt a little... off the last time you visited the Quicksilver Line. What was different, and why is it bothering you so much?

Darkmatter

- Why do you think Alexandria sponsored you? Has she ever given you a reason?

- Tell me a little more about Dr. Vega. What does he do? What kind of powers does he have? What kind of person is he?

- Not everyone in the academy thinks your dangerous. There's someone who's been treating you with genuine kindness. Who are they, and why do you think they're being so nice to you?

Templar

- Most have forgiven you, but there is one who still holds a grudge against you. Who are they? Why do they refuse to give you a chance?

- What made you turn to religion? Was there someone who guided you that way, or did you come to it on your own?

- During one of your people watching sessions, you were approached by a mysterious individual. What did they talk to you about?

Dynamic Savior

- Tell me a little more about the people involved in your legacy. Who's been the most supportive? Who's been giving you the toughest time?

- Be honest with me; is this something you actually want to do, or are you only doing this out of obligation for your family? It must put a lot of pressure on you. If you had the chance, would you switch to a different career path?

- An old foe has returned! Everyone thought the Dynamorphers put them down for good, but now they're back, and they are making their presence known in the city. Who are they, and what makes them so dangerous?

Rave (I felt bad about concentrating on only one aspect of Rave's character, so I've decided to revise her questions.)


- What attracted you to raves in the first place? Also, you said you've been involved in the rave scene for 6+ months now? How have you not gotten tired of it by now?

- You've met some interesting people in those raves you go to. Out of all them, who was the most interesting person you've met? What makes them stand out from the rest?

- Someone really doesn't approve of your lifestyle (not like you need their approval, anyways). Who are they, and why do they care so much about how you spend your time?


- Being the daughter of two diplomats mustn't be easy. What was your relationship like with your parents? Do you miss them, or do you prefer being away from them?

- So, what is it about super-heroics that attracted you to it in the first place?

- You've managed to attract some attention with your distress signal, but it was the wrong type of attention. Who was it that picked up on your signal?

White Emperor
The Runaway

- How did your father react to your sudden disappearance? There's no way he would be quiet about it.

- Forged with... a drop of her blood? That's, uh, nice. So, does the sword have any kind of special powers/abilities? Have you had much trouble using it?

- Your secret was almost exposed! What happened, and how did you manage to narrowly avoid being exposed?

Tardzilla fucked around with this message at 09:44 on Feb 1, 2017

Yami Fenrir
Jan 25, 2015

Is it I that is insane... or the rest of the world?


quote:

Tell me more about the spirit world. What is it like? What do you see when you peer into it

Uhm... It's like... sort of the same like this world, but... untouched by humanity. Moldable, in a way. Imagine if the entire world was just nature, and humans didn't exist. If you go there, you can change it temporarily by your force of will, but it always slowly returns to what it's used to be.

There's spirits in there too. Both of the world itself and those of creatures. For example, ghosts are spirits that are stuck halfway between the worlds, unable to pass to the other world. Uhm... I suppose I sort of turn into a ghost temporarily if I half-shift, now that I think about it?


quote:

Adjusting to a new time period has got to be pretty rough! What was the toughest thing you had to adjust to?

Uhm... this might be a bit... controversial, but... I'm actually having trouble being a strong and independent woman like everyone says women should be in this age.

Like, please don't think it as weird, it's just... If they hadn't discovered my rare talent for magic, I would have been married off to some farmer and completely forgotten about. As it stands, I went from listening to my parents as a little girl to listening to my superiors in the military academy when I was a teenager I never had much opportunity for self-determination.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's absolutely wonderful to be this free, but... it's such a large difference to what I'm used to. Maybe I just need some time?


quote:

Something happened in the academy that the Phantom had a hand in somehow. What was the event?

Uhhhhh... You heard about that? Oh dear... It wasn't me! Honest!

Huh? Oh... Well, last week, the answers to all the tests this week just... sort of showed up in my room! I have no idea how they got there.

But, obviously, I immediately after coyping the answers for the test, of course! What? Don't judge me! Chemistry and Physics are both really hard for me, okay? returned them. And then they accused me of stealing them in the first place! Eep...

Only the Amazing Arcanist believed me when I pleaded for my innocence! He sifted through the camera footage of that time frame and confirmed that I was in the hallways talking to some other people at the time.

It must have been Phantom trying to help me, for some reason. I mean I appreciate it, but... I don't think she understood how much trouble she got me in!

Yami Fenrir fucked around with this message at 20:12 on Jan 23, 2017

LifeGetsWorser
Oct 23, 2010

Me "IRL" :smug:
Fun Shoe

Tardzilla posted:

Round 1 Questions

Rave
- What attracted you to raves in the first place? Also, you said you've been involved in the rave scene for 6+ months now? How have you not gotten tired of it by now?

As I believe I have stated, music is likely the closest that the human species comes to breaking away from a third-dimensional limitation - discounting your "magic" and occasional flashes of technological insight, of course. Certain forms of music are closer to this...I believe the word is "transcendence", than are others. Of this the sort of music that is played at certain Rave events breaks with the standard musical structure and as such is ever closer to this transcendence. It may be that the consumption of supposedly illicit substances may assist with this, though as I have stated these compounds have no effect upon me so my hypothesis when it comes to that can only be observed and not experimented with.

There is another reason that these events are not events that I tire of. I have spoken of my bio-luminescence. This is both a defense mechanism for Corans as well as a side-effect. The term that Terran creatures use is "photosynthesis". The absorption of ambient light structures for sustenance. Many Corans, my parental units included, believe that naturally occurring light compounds are more nutritious - and perhaps they are. As for me, though, I find that certain artificial light structures are...tastier. Raves provide something of a feast for me, in this respect. In effect - Raves are energy, in a stuttering start and stop sort of way, and given that your orb seems to exist in a perpetual sort of day/night cycle - during the evening hours it becomes more necessary to consume the rhythmic bursts of artificial fluorescence that are provided at these events. Or else I would starve. I could, I suppose, buy a "heat lamp" or something of that sort, but that would be the difference between a banquet and a package of crackers, to put it in terms you may understand. While I cannot continually attend raves, I never tire of the activity - it is much like eating out.

quote:

- You've met some interesting people in those raves you go to. Out of all them, who was the most interesting person you've met? What makes them stand out from the rest?



This lifeform goes by the name of Elise. Though she does not seem to possess of meta-human abilities, she nevertheless has a "code name" that she ascribes to herself and that others use to refer to her as Garten E-den. I am told that this is because she is an individual who makes the music or at least "spins" it using the outdated data storage recording devices known as "vinyls". The mixtures she makes are quite interesting. Very nearly transcendent, as far as a limited life form goes. The local "scene" as it is called seems to agree with my assessment, which is why she tends to be "spinning" at most of the local events. I have asked her to increase the light quotient during her sets and she has obliged me, though she made me make some promise to "hang" at some point soon. I believe she was interested in the way my skin was glowing, which is understandable, given the limits of her own form. I am not certain what this hanging is supposed to entail, something about a "net flicks", which I believe has to do with the mundane entertainment box that humans waste their time with. We shall see, though.

quote:

- Someone really doesn't approve of your lifestyle (not like you need their approval, anyways). Who are they, and why do they care so much about how you spend your time?


There is a...councilor at this Academy. After confirming that my perception of the definition of the word for it was correct, I proceeded to explain where I was "going at night", to use his words. He seemed upset, and proceeded to lecture me on that, as a young woman I needed to concentrate on my studies and on developing my abilities. I have...neglected to inform him as to the reason for my visit, as I believe that explaining that I have broken my parental unit's vehicle in an attempt to party may result in further lectures, which are something I care to avoid, especially since he is erroneous in calling me young lady - I have explained that crossing through dimensions is something that may result in appearances being debatable, but his argument is that since I act like a teenager it must be fitting. This is despite the fact that, to use the human counting of time, I am many, many centuries older than he is.

His code-name is "The Marshall", which to my understanding indicates he too is a meta-human entity. I am uncertain of his capacity for meta-human activity - as he appears to be "retired", which is a strange term as I understand the prefix re indicates "once more", which would mean he is tired again. If he rested would he be able to resume his meta-human activity? Perhaps he should, so that he can stop "watching out for" me, as he puts it. Nevertheless, despite my insistence that the continued activities at night are in fact a necessity for my continued existence, I have had to at multiple times "sneak out" of the dormitory to avoid someone reporting back to him. As per his understanding I just need lights, so he has ensured that there are bland florescent lights active at all times outside of my personal quarters and especially in the "kitchenette" that the dormitory holds - I imagine he thinks that it will assist me in socializing but, as I explained previously...box of crackers.

LifeGetsWorser fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Jan 23, 2017

Justice Grieves
Feb 26, 2007
If I must die, I shall welcome Death as an old friend, and wrap mine arms about it.
Dynamic Savior: Phoenix

New Arcadian Review posted:

- Tell me a little more about the people involved in your legacy. Who's been the most supportive? Who's been giving you the toughest time?
“Oh, wow. I could talk about the Legacy for ever, Dad’s been telling me stories about the team since I was in the cradle, you know? We never really kept records in the old days, so verbal story telling is the only way a lot of this stuff gets passed down, you know? That said, between Dad and a few reunions I know most of the important bits backwards and forwards.”

“Still, I’m guess you’re more interested in current events than ancient history, right?”

“Well, let’s see. My mother was Dynamic Heron, she met my dad when part of the team decided to stay in America after a big crossover event. Dad was one of the first local inclusions onto the team, Dynamic Eagle (of course). Dynamic Owl settled down with a more traditional superhero eventually, and they had Kouki and his sister Hikari who both seem to have inherited some energy-based powers from their mother. Hikari is happy mixing her hard-light powers with local superheroic imagery, and she’s off in college now, Kouki’s a junior in highs school now, and while he wants to be a Dynamic Savior he hasn’t been content to wait on a new Dynamorpher to open up or be created on Dianosis. He’s got some minor electrical powers, but, of course, he also has all the acrobatics and martial arts training passed down from his father, so there’s that as well. Dynamic Comet is an only child, Dynamic Raven apparently settled down with a normal woman who he’d saved and later hit it off with. I have a little brother, Jason, actually! He’s only twelve, so it’ll be a while before he’s ready for a Dynamorpher of his own … trying to be a good role model for him is just one more responsibility to juggle with this whole hero thing. Ah ha ha…” she trailed off a bit, looking towards the door.

“Mom and Dad have always been my biggest boosters, you know?” she said with a smile, “They’re always super-supportive, but they’re also obviously excited to see me follow in their footsteps. I mean, it comes from a good place, it’s plain they both consider their time as Dynamic Saviors some of the best years of their lives, they love me and Jason a lot and it’s always been the kind of family where you could speak openly about whatever’s on your mind.” She scratched the back of her neck, “It’s just, you know, sometimes you don’t want to talk about things … and that’s when it gets awkward. Mom always wants to drag everything out into the light, and, you know, I’m a teenager! Sometimes I need to work this stuff out for myself! I know she’s just a phonecall away if I need her, but I’m kind of happy that the Academy gives me a little space to work.”

“Both my folks have been retired for a while now. They still have their Dynamorphers if the need should arise (and I can tell that sometimes it’s really hard for them not to insert themselves into problems), but they agreed that raising their kids takes priority. In a way, my training was as much a way for them to keep in fighting shape as it was to develop me, you know?”

“Now, Dynamic Comet? That guy is a jerk. Dad says his father was too … something about not being able to be honest with his feelings? I don’t get it personally.” She crossed her arms, “During these first three months, you know, sometimes things would go well. Whenever it was starting to look desperate though, he’d jump in and give me an opening to get my head together again. Then he’d usually say something about how he was tired of having to clean up after me and how I need to hurry up and get my act together because some day he won’t be there to bail me out.” Jennifer chewed her bottom lip, “Dummy, I know that…anyway, after he’s done talking down to me he just jumps away to go find some other crime to thwart. He’s really dedicated to the whole hero thing, and that city’s definitely noticed how he keeps showing up to save the day. I can’t be content to just hang around in his shadow all the time!”

“As for Kouki, well … he does his own thing for the most time. It’s really weird, he always seems really relaxed, like he’s just doing what comes naturally to him and he doesn’t worry about anything. I’ve never seen him rattled or upset…even after I got my Dynamorpher before him despite the fact he’s older. I was sure he was going to be mad, but he just kind of shrugged it off and said that it wasn’t like I’d made the decision, and that he’ll get his chance.” Jennifer shrugged her shoulders slightly, “He’s … kind of annoying. Like, he always seems to know what people are thinking, but he’s pretty much unreadable himself. I can never figure out if we’re actually friends or not, you know?”

“As for Jason … well, he’s my kid brother. Is there really anything to add to that? He’s an annoying little booger-brain who also happens to be a 2nd Dan Karateka and a terror of the arcade scene. He still thinks girls are gross, but he’s an earnest little guy who’s always there for his friends and hates bullies. His favorite holiday is Halloween, and the last few years the two of us volunteered to help out at a haunted house which he enjoyed way too much.”
“I guess that just leaves Queen Galactia…but I’ve never met her. Supposedly, she watches all us Dynamic Saviors from Dianosis, something about exploiting a resonance in the Transmetal in the Dynamorpher? Supposedly, she built mine just for me and sent it along … but I haven’t a clue why, or what she has planned.” She sighed softly, “Grandpa never talks about Dianosis, or the people who used to live there. He says the trials he underwent there were … very personal, but valuable. Supposedly, the Dynamic Saviors don’t talk about them because they want the newer generations to have a similar experience as they did when going in blind.”

“Personally, I always think of Dianosis as being like Dagoba, except instead of a little frog man you’ve got an immortal space-diety.”

New Arcadian Review posted:

- Be honest with me; is this something you actually want to do, or are you only doing this out of obligation for your family? It must put a lot of pressure on you. If you had the choice, would you switch to a different career?
“Hey, hey! You are questioning my devotion to Justice!” she declared, sounding a little hurt and planting her fists on her hips. She looked at the table for a long moment, the very image of a hero, as if trying to quell their question with her presence alone. After it became clear that wasn’t going to work though, she reached up and pulled her helmet off once again.

“Look…” she said, much softer now, “I’m not going to deny that my parents pushed me into this. My whole life, there’s never been a question that I’d inherit the mantle of a Dynamic Savior. It used to scare me … a lot. Grandpa … well, like I said, he was the sixth Savior, a late add-on, he never really fit in completely. He was the only one of the original generation who’d become a Dynamic Corruptor, after all, and while no one ever held it against him, they didn’t forget either.”

“I’ve heard stories all my life. Most of them talk about the triumphs, but Grandpa was always sure to mention the sacrifices too. The ones who were lost. The ones who walked away. The ones who paid the price so others could carry on…he hasn’t been active since the third generation, but he’s always watching, and he never forgets. He doesn’t let anyone forget that this … calling, it isn’t all fun and games.”

“So … yeah, I’ve been training, and I got these powers …” she lightly brushed something from her eye with one glove, “But I’m scared too. It’d be easy to walk away … I love kids. I could be a teacher, or an entertainer, or a doctor. There’s so much of my life ahead of me, I could be anything … assuming that doing this doesn’t cut it all short.” She turned her helmet around in her hands to look at the face of it.

“But this? This is important…and not just anyone can do it.” She ran her thumb along the edge of the gold trim, “If I let fear push me onto the easier road, then I’d really be insulting the memory of the Saviors before me. It’s not as though the pressure was any less for them, right?” she tossed the helmet up, flipping it over and catching it again with a sad smile, “One day, the things I do will seem impossible to live up to by someone else too.”

“There’s a saying Dad picked up since coming to America, he really likes to say it whenever he can find the excuse.” She added, “A hero isn’t any braver than any other person. They’re just brave a little longer.”

“I can be brave a little longer yet.”

New Arcadian Review posted:

- An old foe has returned! Everyone thought the Dynamorphers put them down for good, but now they're back, and they are making their presence known in the city. Who are they, and what makes them so dangerous?
“Small point of contention?” Jennifer asked, raising a finger, “Dynamorphers are our transformation items. We’re all Dynamic Saviors, among whom I have the callsign Phoenix. Sometimes it’s shortened to Dynamic Phoenix, to keep me distinct from that other hero named Phoenix. Now, let me see that!” she said, making a quick swipe for the photograph.

“Huhn?” she said, tilting her head back. She took a moment, tracing a finger over parts of the photo as if they reminded her of something. Finally, she stood up straight, “AH! I know this guy!” She quickly turned the picture around to face the interviewers, as if they hadn’t already seen it.


“This is Goldion! The strongest Metabeast, he was the General of the Galactia Syndicates forces … the same Syndicate that crushed the second generation Dynamic Saviors, you may recall! I mean, you can’t deny that he’s an awesome warrior … his keen strategic mind went a long way towards securing victory for the Syndicate. He’s also a powerful warrior in his own right, conventional weapons just can pierce his golden skin. He’s not without flaw though … he’s a prideful guy. He and the second Dynamic Red clashed over and over again, he just wouldn’t accept that first loss. Only Queen Galactia’s authority kept him from fighting on even when he was alone on the field.”

She tapped the back of the photo with her fingers.

“He’s supposed to be dead!” she said, “When the third team got back from Dianosis one of the first things that happened was that the newly christened Dynamic Dragon and Goldion squared off for a final showdown. He fell over and exploded! You don’t get back up from that! The loss of his tactical insight was the wedge that began the downfall of the Galactia Syndicate!”

“If he’s back…that could be a real problem. It could mean a fresh wave of new Metabeasts on the planet, possibly including the reincarnation of the other eleven Zodia. What could he want though? The old Syndicate was motivated by loyalty to the Queen that created them, but Galactia hasn’t said anything about this at all. It can’t be something as simple as revenge, could it? No, Dynamic Dragon’s been retired for years. Is he planning to raise a new army and create a new evil organization? Do his ambitions reach that high? Argh, I just don’t know! I never met the guy myself!”

Scrree
Jan 16, 2008

the history of all dead generations,


Tardzilla posted:

White Emperor
The Runaway

- How did your father react to your sudden disappearance? There's no way he would be quiet about it.

I wasn't there, but I heard it was quite the scene. Dad showed up at the Academy, at midnight, screaming that his daughter had been kidnapped, and they needed to bring her back now.

Here's a thing you need to understand about my Dad. Heroes do not like him. He has been railing against them and advocating for limiting their power since the foundation of New Arcadia. Some respect him, but no one owes him any favors. So the heroes put in the normal, and still very substantial, amount of effort into trying to track me down. They tried to trace my through my phone, but I had left a false trail, they scoured for any news of a kidnapping from the villain underworld, but found nothing there, they even used magic to try and scry me, but only images of the Academy itself appeared. Eventually, without any reasonable leads or motives (no villain has a grudge against Gerald 'Hardass' Prince, the legal bane of heroes), they dropped the case from kidnapping to missing person.

I did see my parents at the Academy, once. They were leaving the administrative office and when I saw them I froze. I tried to make myself look as inconspicuous and Nikolai-like as possible. Mom looked like she had just finished crying, and Dad looked absolutely furious - my guess is they got told that the heroes were doing all they can do, and bumping the case back up to a kidnapping was not possible without new evidence. Watching them leave, looking at their faces, it made me feel really bad. Maybe I should leave a note somewhere, saying that I'm okay....

No. I can't. The heroes are good detectives, and if I leave a clue at all I know they'll find me, and then they'll bring me before Dad and, and god! Forget the Academy, I probably won't see New Arcadia again! He'll ground me for eternity and we'll move to Greenland and I'll never be a hero! No, it has to be this way.

What I do not about my father is that he is far more distraught and scared for my safety than I could ever imagine, and if the heroes failing in their search, he might resort to some less-than-legal agencies who say they can get the job done.

quote:

- Forged with... a drop of her blood? That's, uh, nice. So, does the sword have any kind of special powers/abilities? Have you had much trouble using it?

Iron Blood Ivanah has an oddly shrouded origin for how popular she is. Everyone knows about her first big heroic adventure, when she took down the Shock Therapist - the villain who set himself up as the petty tyrant of Lithuania, but there really isn't any information on her before that. Also, there are stories of her heroics that have been kind of... unofficially censored? Like, if you were a big fan of hers (okay, I'll admit, I kind of was. She's such a cool female hero!) you could go online and read old newspapers that reported the time she traveled to Bratislava and fought against the Fairy Queen Elnoira, but when someone tried to add that story to her wiki bio it'd always get deleted.

It was figured out that only records involving magical creatures got censored; the Bruskina family obviously has some kind of magical origin, and maybe some kind of magical weakness. Internet fans speculated wildly about what it could be - my personal fav. theory was that Ivanah was the descendant of a slavic peasant who met a witch. The peasant made a bet that he could eat a iron horseshoe, and after he succeeded he was blessed with the strength of iron in his blood, but he and his descendants would lose that power in the presence of horses, for his blood knew it's place under their hooves.

I'm sorry, I lost my train of thought. The Blood Rapier (my, and no one else's, name for it) is absolutely enchanted. It never loses it's edge, and is far sharper than any replica katana you could order online. In short... The sword is perfect. The problem is me.

Swordfighting is not a hobby I had as a child. I don't have any experience, so I'm basically a clumsy monkey using a masterpiece as a cudgel. I've been trying to find as much time as possible to practice, but my schedule is so packed, and practicing while in Nikolai's form strains my stamina even more than normal.

Sometimes when I do practice, and I'm sweating and tired and feeling like a total novice, I'll experience the faintest sensation of a pair of arms, holding me up. And... and one time when I came back from school, totally exhausted, I just dropped on my bed with my duffel bag on top of me. The sword was in the duffel bag. That night I dreamt I was a child learning to read for the first time, sitting in my mother's lap with a book in front of me. Only the book was in Russian, the child was a boy with blonde curls, and the woman was... Yeah. When I woke up, unlike every other time I've fallen asleep while shapeshifted, I was still in Nikolai's form.

The sword is perfect, though.

quote:

- Your secret was almost exposed! What happened, and how did you manage to narrowly avoid being exposed?

Oh God, I don’t want to remember. That was one of the most terrifying days of my life; I actually can’t believe I got out of there without everything falling apart.

It all started in final period, when the teacher said he had a very special announcement to make... [Flashback start]

It was National Mental Well-Being day in New Arcadia, and what this ‘holiday’ meant for the first year students of the Academy was that instead of their normal soporific dose of Superheroic Law they were to attend one on one “non-invasive, non-recorded, non-optional’ interviews with one of the most well regarded Heroes in the whole city – Otis 'Mr. Empathy' Earhart.



The students waited idly for their turn, passing time by chatting aimlessly or checking their phones. Only one student resisted the atmosphere of ease. Nikolai Bruskina looked like he was going to puke. He rejected all forms of communication except for terse replies, and he could hear some other students openly wonder that he might have misinterpreted the word ‘interview’ for ‘interrogation’. What they could not know is that he understood exactly what was happening, and that he was spending all of his mental energy praying for a meteor to strike the city as soon as possible. More students went into the soundproof room, and returned saying remarks like “What a cool dude”; still no meteor came. In the end, despite his prayers and the fact that he positioned himself at the very back of the line, it inevitably became Nikolai’s turn.

He entered a small room mostly occupied by a large table with two chairs standing opposite eachother. On the far chair sat a pleasant looking man holding a clipboard, he rose when Nikolai enter, “Nikolai Bruskina, correct? Please, take a seat.” Nikolai settled into his seat in silence. Was it true that the hero was such a strong empath that could not only read feelings, but thoughts as well? The pleasant man smiled, “You probably know me. I’m Dr. Earhart, or Mr. Empathy if you must use the name I foolishly picked as a child, and don’t believe the rumors - I can’t read thoughts.” The hero chuckled a bit at Nikolai’s reaction, “Look, Nikolai, can I call you Nick?” “Yes.” “Look Nick, it wouldn’t take an empath to notice that you’re looking a bit tense. I don’t know how things are done where you come from, but this is honestly just a bit of perfunctory theater demanded by the schoolboard. I’ll ask some questions from the list, you answer me honestly, I mark them off, and then we’re both done here, okay?” “Okay.”

“Alright, lets get started, then. Have you ever felt bullied by any fellow students?” “No.” Dr Earhart made a mark on his clipboard, “That’s good, have you ever felt bullied by any of the faculty of the New Arcadia Academy?” Scope’s face came to Nikolai’s mind, “No.” The doctor froze for the briefest moment, and then quickly smiled and marked something on his clipboard. “Good. Do you find attending the Academy rewarding?” “Yes.” Nikolai knew he could tell, “Good. Would you consider yourself to be living a stressful life?” “No.” This game was going end soon, and then he’d be found out. “Good. Are your parents, or current legal guardian, supportive of your interest in heroics?” “Yes.”

The clipboard fell on the table, Dr. Earhart rubbed the bridge of his nose, “I did not expect this.” Nikolai tried to remain calm, “What’s wrong, sir?” He was ignored. A desperate heat spread throughout his body, red blush staining his cheeks. “Straight-A student, and the son of a legend, too...” The doctor snapped out of his musings and leaned towards the cornered boy, “Look, Bruskina, I don’t like to do this to a student, but you’ve raised several red flags already. I know you’ve been lying, and I need you to explain yourself honestly or I’ll be forced to escalate this case to Administration. And what happens then will not be pleasant.” What could he do? He couldn’t cut through the silence, every lie he thought of rotted in his throat. Was there anyway out? What would the real Nikolai do – no, that guy was a worthless model. He’d just smile and ask to call his mom. What do you say when the truth means doom, but lying is impossible?

Double Flashback? posted:

Gerald Prince sat in front a roaring fireplace, idly swirling a glass of scotch in his hand, "It's always a mistake to go on the defensive." His sharp eyes flickered in the light, "It puts you in a weak position. You end up answering instead of questioning. The opponent finds himself free to move or strike as he wishes while you sit immobile." He gazed at the child sitting across from him, “You say that telling the truth is the opposite of lying? Where did you learn such childish thinking! There are as many truths in the world as there are tongues, and they oppose only each other.” The flame spilled out of the fireplace, encompassing the whole room, yet his voice pierced it’s roar, "Take the initiative, dictate the terms, create your own truth - that's how you win an argument, Judith!



She slammed her palms on the table, rising from her seat and briefly towering over the doctor, “You want an explanation? Fine, listen to my tale.” Break his preconceptions, “I am not Nikolai Bruskina! I am a shapechanger that has taken his form!” Set the tone, “I have done to gain entrance to the Academy. Not to infiltrate it as a spy, but to attend it as a student and learn to become a hero.” Create an antagonist, “My father is a being that has opposed heroes since the founding of New Arcadia. He is not native to this land, but I am, and I have only dreamed of protecting it’s people. He sought to oppress my dream, so I fled from him and hid.” Let the tears flow, “My impertinence has surely angered him – if he finds my whereabouts, I shall be punished. Understand that every word I say endangers my dream, for my father is old and I fear well connected to even the higher echelons of heroic society.” Drive the point home, “I only wish, above all other things in this world, to be a hero.” And pray that it works.

Whatever Dr. Earhart had expected, that had not been it, “That’s...That’s totally ridiculous,” he paused, clearing tears away from his own eyes, “but it’s also the first honest thing you’ve said to me.” Judith smiled.

The next few minutes were a blur of questions, answers, and Judith building her father into the figure of a Machiavellian devil. In her retelling of her past he became a diabolical monster that cruelly punished children, fought against heroes with a boundless determination, and most all of wanted nothing more than to crush his daughter’s dream. Her tactic to deal with unwanted questions was to give far too curt answers - “Where is the real Nikolai?” “Safe, at home.” - or simply act completely ignorant of human society. She intentionally loosened her powers, giving her face a splotchy and otherworldly appearance. Whenever Dr. Earhart got too deep into her past she simply drove the conversation back to “All I want is to be a hero; will you keep my secret?”

The ringing of the school bell signaled the end of their conversation. Dr. Earhart startled at the noise, “poo poo, it’s been that long? Ah, excuse my French.” He looked Judith in the eyes, “Look, I don’t understand why you’re so deadest on becoming a hero… But if your father is as dangerous as you say, then maybe the Academy is the safest place for you. I’ll keep your secret to myself.” Judith let herself relax, knowing he would feel her gratitude. The doctor puffed up his chest, “And if your father ever comes out of whatever hole he’s hiding in, Mr. Empathy will be the first one to strike against him!” She laughed and said, “I’ll hold that image in my heart forever, sir.” With that she turned to leave, making sure to readjust her form into a perfect imitation of Nikolai’s. The doctor waved her off, “Goodbye… Ah, wait, what’s your name?”

A flash of panic spread through her. Would it all fall apart on the last step? Nikolai Bruskina and the White Emperor were false, but Judith Prince was impossible to say. What was true and unique to only her? Fearing that indecision was death, she reached for the first thing that felt right, “You can call me the Runaway.

Scrree fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Jan 28, 2017

Theantero
Nov 6, 2011

...We danced the Mamushka while Nero fiddled, we danced the Mamushka at Waterloo. We danced the Mamushka for Jack the Ripper, and now, Fester Addams, this Mamushka is for you....


Tardzilla posted:

Hey, have we met before? Eh, it's probably my imagination. Anyways, tell me more about the theater you hang out in. Have you ever been involved in any plays?

"?"

"No I don't think we have?"

"It's a meta thing Clatters."

"Ahahah okay."

"..."

"..."

"Well, anyway, yeah, the theater, right. So, first off the bat, I'll just have to say that the main Arcadian Theater is something else entirely when compared to older theaters from back before heroes had started to become commonplace you know. Like, sure, all theaters of note have started to use the superpowered in their operation these days, like, what industry hasn't? But since New Arcadia is both so new and so fancy, they built the whole edifice to accommodate that from the ground up. Hell, even the owner is a superhero on his free time! You know, the White Mask?"



"It's a beautiful place."

"Yeah understatement of the century there, Missy. You seriously should go see a play sometime. Sure they can be a bit expensive in such a fancy locale but oh man it is so worth it. They've got large scale hologram projectors, a entire summoning circle hidden backstage, and even this topomantic dimension twister to make the stage appear larger than it is for massive scenes and such. But like there's little point in just describing, it's an experience you have to live yourself.

"Maybe one day we'll get to perform there too."

"Haha, yeah, even if that doesn't seem so likely. Like, realize that we're still schoolkids. We have schoolwork, heroics and our jobs to balance, with theater nothing but a hobby. And the main Arcadian Theater, is, like, one of the biggest theaters in the country nowadays. So yeah you can probably figure out that it's wayyy outside our league."

"For now!"

"Well yeah, maybe if we get to actually study theater after school is over or get into the trade proper. But for now we're mostly stuck performing in the school's theater club. Well, stuck is a bit of a mean term, they're good people. Missy is particularly popular since she's the only spectral entity in there, and there's a lot of stuff only she can do on stage.

"I do special effects too."

Tardzilla posted:

You just found out you weren't the first revival experiment conducted by Ivan and Giovanni. There was one before you. What was it, and how did you find this out?

"Yeah. Don't know how I feel about it honestly."

"She's strange"

"Yeah. Styx is her own little ballgame for sure. Always in her own little world, I honestly worry sometime. See, these parents had a dying kid, except unlike in our case they knew she was about to perish beforehand, and nobody could really help. But since they were very well connected, they'd heard of Gio and Ivan, see, and as a last desperate gambit wanted to have them... do their thing.



"It worked, too."

"Yes, sort of. Those two really are quite skilled huh? Thing is, they were keeping watch over the girl, and did the operation the moment the life signs ceased. But because of this, the soul never separated from the body, which made the parents happy sure, but Gio and Ivan didn't get the answer they were seeking about the resting place of the consciousness."

"They were happy but only at first."

"Yeah. Didn't take her parents long to figure out her particular brand of oddity. She started keeping to herself, muttering to herself. On occasion walking through walls and on others claiming that invisible obstacles blocked her path and that she couldn't proceed. Also, you know, developed that third eye on her forehead. We only figured out her power when she started following Missy with her gaze even through walls and such.

"It was creepy."

"Turns out she's a seer, of a kind. The sort that consults spirits of the dead. Haha, yeah, she quite literally sees dead people. Asks them for advice. And the reason she's often so distant and easily confused, is because she apparently exists halfway between this world and the nether, and sees and hears both at the same time. Like, try imagining constantly trying to deal with two overlapping worlds. Man, you'd get a headache for less haha."

"But yeah anyway, we figured out this whole story by actually taking the time to talk to her, since you know, she goes to this same school, even though she's one year our senior."

"She's nice, even despite her oddity."

Tardzilla posted:

You work... in the campus grocery? Oh, oh you poor girl(s?). There's a reason why nobody wants to work there. Probably has something to do with stock-piling food from other dimensions/planets. How have you managed to handle yourself (yourselves?) there for so long?

"Oh boy."

"Heh."

"Okay, so, did you know that many spirit creatures require nourishment too?"

"Depends on spirit."

"Right, sometimes they are easy to find things, or otherwise very common, but sometimes they are rarer things. Things that are hard to find. Well, hard to find in places that aren't a warehouse serving the needs of a whole bunch of aliens, extraplanars and mages. Like man, most of the time 'the back' in a store is just a tired old closet, but ours is something different. So, since there's all this stuff, a spirit decided to roost there. Enter Jackal, who on occasions disappears different sorts of goods without any seeming rhyme and reason. I'd show you pic but nobody has ever seen him.

"He hides what it is he actually needs by taking random things also."

"Yeah he's a clever little bastard. And honestly if that was all he did, it would not even be all that bad. The monetary loss isn't that big. The problem is that he's a right rear end in a top hat."

"He's a poltergeist."

"Yeah, a poltergeist. Always getting to annoying hijinks, and with annoying I mean stuff like opening entires crates of jam and painting rainbows across the freezer with them or whatever. Which is far less cute when it's you that needs to work 3 hours extra cleaning all that, all the while listening to that heckling laughter of his. And he knows the campus too well, he's impossible to get a hold of, even if he mostly stays in the warehouse. Like, even the faculty can't get rid of him. I don't even know why, they refuse to tell me. Maybe he's just weirdly massively powerful? Maybe he's too clever to be caught? Maybe there's some other reason for him not to be worth the effort to remove? All I know is that apparently he's been a thorn in the side of every worker that's ever been here since this place was built, and the reason nobody sane wants to work there."

"Heh."

"Haha. But see, this is actually kinda funny. When we started working there, we got all these ominous warning and rumors from former employees about Jackal. But when we are there, no issues arise. Everything seems to go fine, you know? We were a bit weirded out by that, thinking that maybe Jackal was trying to give us a false sense of security before alpha striking. But nope. Nothing. This went on for a couple of days, with us none the wise, before it happened."

"I woke up with gifts next to my bed."

"Yeah. Jackal is totally crushing on Missy. And honestly it would be kinda adorable if, you know, leaving gifts next to someone you don't know while they sleep wasn't supremely creepy? But on the other hand, maybe he can be sort of excused for being spirit with little knowledge of such things."

"Better than having to work overtime for hours every shift."

"...I still don't know how to really feel about it though."

Auraboks
Mar 24, 2013

...huh?

Lyrebird, the Protégé

Hey! The name's Lyrebird, latest and greatest of the newest and truest generation of supers! I'm here to kick evil's butt and look good doing it! Villains beware, for I will turn own wicked powers against you and... what? This isn't for an article? Ugh, fine, no speeches. I had a whole thing prepared, but I guess I'll save it for a real interview. Go on, ask your boring questions. Unless you want me to just pick them out of your head?

My non-super name is Sun-hi, Sun-hi Park. No weather puns, please, those are lame. My least favorite thing is schmucks, and my favorite thing is winning. And that's easy to do if you have super powers and are the best at using them, which I do and am. Heck, I'd probably be better at using your powers than you are! We can test it out if you like — we'll just have to shake hands or something first. One touch, and I'll be able to do everything you can do for a little while. Except, as mentioned, I'll be doing it with way more style.

How did I get like this? Well, it's mostly talent and good genetics, but also hard work and — oh, you mean the powers. Some kind of cosmic rays from the Apocalypse Comet, the one that aaaaalmost hit the Earth and made everyone think they were gonna die. Now I know what you're thinking: "where you even born when that happened?" and "that comet didn't give people powers!" The answers are no I wasn't, and no it didn't, unless the person in question was very close to the comet and also, uh, in the process of being made. Yeah... I was conceived in space. And I do not want more details than that! So gross to think about.

Anyway, back to why I'm so great! See, I've had a lot of help in figuring out this whole superpowers thing, and how to cope with being just, you know, so different. Or as he would say, better.


Fowleri is my teacher in the ways of being super. His teaching method is eighty percent lecturing, fifteen percent practice, and five percent very real, very dangerous sink-or-swim situations. Apparently that's the only way to learn "how your powers truly set you apart from the masses" and "embed in your bones the knowledge that only we can do what must be done". I don't know about all that, but I haven't sunk yet. So he must be doing something right.

As for Fowleri himself, he's one of those loner-type heroes, you know, masked avenger with a dark past, et cetera. Likes to brood about his "inescapable duty," and about how "the mundande world can never truly know me," yadda yadda. Goes off to sulk if you point out his name makes him sound more like a third-rate bird-themed wizard than a wicked brain parasite. Bird puns fly (hah!) in the face of his very carefully cultivated aesthetic. That's at least half the reason I picked an avian name for myself.

Like me, he has mind powers. Unlike me, that's it. He's scary good with them though, like literally. I have seen him make hardened criminals pee their pants after two seconds of eye contact.

But he's a real softy on the inside. Didn't take me long to figure that out, even without reading his mind — dude brings snacks to every training session, and he ain't stingy with the praise, either. I can barely throw a punch without being complimented on my form. Makes it tricky to figure out what he actually means, but that's probably part of the training. It's a nice change from home, anyway.

quote:

• How did you first meet your mentor?
My schoolbus got kidnapped when I was twelve. With all the kids on it, obviously. Apparently it was a cult called the Heralds of Writhing Doom, looking for human sacrifices. Which might have been terrifying if I had known it at the time, but I just thought the driver had taken a wrong turn and given me a great excuse to miss class. And when they locked us in a room, well, I figured they were after one of the rich kids and the rest of us were just along for the ride. Anyway, long story short, Fowleri showed up and had the whole cult catatonic before any of us were in any real danger.

quote:

• When and why did you choose to train with them?
I googled him after that whole thing was over with. For a "brooding loner", he's really active on social media. Blogs and tweets (heh) and everything. The blog post about his dramatic rescue of the kidnapped schoolchildren was pretty compelling, but what really impressed me was how he handled the comment section. Just enough attention to the fans to keep them wanting more, a brief diss to the haters to stir up controversy, encouraging subscription so subtly I hit "follow" before I even realized it... it was masterful.

A few pestering private messages later, he agreed to a trial run, which I passed with flying colors. Obviously.

quote:

• Why did they agree to train you?
He "has his reasons," or so he'll say. I think he hasn't come up with a suitably brooding explanation yet. If you ask me — and you did — he agreed because he was lonely. Seriously, I don't think he has any friends. He says that's because "his calling leaves no time for such frivolous concerns," but come on. He does crosswords, how busy can he be? Live a little, man.

quote:

• Who else, outside of the team, knows about your training?
Dear old dad and darling mom. I didn't even try to keep it from them. With how good they are at violating my privacy, they would have found out anyway. It took a week of pleading, and I had to promise to carry a tazer for the first month, but they finally came around. Of course, now they keep trying to tell me how to hero, and they demand constant status updates, and... well, at least this is a boarding school. And I can mute my phone.

quote:

• Why do you care about the team?
Well, I basically have two powers: mind stuff, and literally everything else. And I can't make use of the second one without some other people to borrow from! I'd be a terrible — well, mediocre — well, decent — solo act. And I want to be the best I can be.

Besides, I don't agree with Fowleri on the whole "no friends, no social life, no fun" thing he's got going on. I can't hang with normals, sure, but it's nice to have that (super)human connection.

quote:

- What made you decide to join the academy?
It's where all the best heroes come from! Where else would I want to go? Besides, it's probably the only school where all (or most) of the students can reasonably be called my peers. Maybe not quite equals, but close enough.

quote:

- Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

Landsknecht. He's got a sword that shoots fire or something? I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention to him. I'd heard there was a hero fighting some bad dudes at the hospital, so I went and crashed the party. I beat up some baddies — more of them than Landsknecht did, I kept count — and I did it with my signature flair. Took maybe five minutes? And the cherry on top is that this was a real public affair. Broad daylight, cameras everywhere, and halfway through a news helicopter showed up! Couldn't have asked for a better opportunity.

Since I did so well in the fight, Landsknecht couldn't really refuse when I asked him (on live television) for an official sponsorship to the academy. I think he's pretty miffed about how all that went down, though — he hasn't talked to me since he filed the paperwork. Whatever, he's small-time.

Why didn't I just ask Fowleri? Too easy! It would have felt like cheating, and cheating is for schmucks who can't cut it for real.

quote:

- Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!

Oh man. This guy. This guy! He calls himself "Harbinger" (real name? Josh!) and he keeps dropping these incredibly unsubtle hints about how dangerous he is. Like, if you try to make some friendly conversation, he'll warn you not to get to close. Sometimes he'll try to hide a glowing mark on his hand. Or yell that he's losing control and storm out of the classroom, lit up like a really gaudy Christmas tree. He's done that last bit five times so far.

But guess what, douchebrain? I can look into your douche brain! And it's got nothing but fluff inside. Fluff and fantasy! He's just some nobody with illusion powers. lovely illusion powers. Dude's the very definition of a schmuck. He is kinda funny (in a sad, pathetic sort of way) so I don't really heckle him or anything, but I feel real sorry for whatever team he ends up on. I mean, what's he gonna do with the amazing power of "low-budget lightshows"?

The worst part is, I think at least half the class is actually buying his act! I guess the sheer concentration of weirdos around here makes his whole deal seem plausible.

quote:

- What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?
PE's the best, for one simple reason: there's usually a win condition. And I'm pretty fit for someone without super-strength, so I do better than most. Ever seen a flier try to sprint? With their legs? It's hilarious.

As for worst, History. Most of that stuff happened before there were supers everywhere! It does not apply to today's society! You can't "learn from the past" when the past is basically a whole other world.

quote:

- What do you like to do in your free time?
Uh, chill out with my friends? You know, like a normal person? I mean, not boring normal normal, but like, super normal. Me and some other telepaths invented this game that's like poker, except you're only allowed to look at your opponents' cards and you have to mind read them to find out what you got. I usually win, it's pretty fun.

Other than that, I've got my blog and my YouTube channel. Gotta lay the groundwork for when the adoring fans start pouring in, you know? Give them a chance to know me.

quote:

- New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!
It is sweet! A real city! With more than three streets! People everywhere! The best place, of course, is Future Square in the city center.


Look at the size of that crowd. And that's a slow day! I could hang around there for hours without getting bored. If I ever had hours to spare, anyway.

quote:

- (Optional) Hey, guess what! They’re making a variant cover focusing on you! Please describe the cover to me!
The cover is framed as a selfie. Lyrebird's face covers roughly half the image. She's grinning widely and making a "V" sign. Behind her, the rest of her team poses awkwardly in front of a literal pile of vanquished villains. News helicopters fly overhead, and in the background a hooded figure watches from atop a building. He's giving a discreet thumbs up.

quote:

Hero Name: Lyrebird
Real Name: Sun-hi Park

Look: Woman, asian, compact body, casual clothes, colorful costume

Abilities:

Shared ability: telepathy/telekinesis
Your own ability: power mimicry
Your mentor's ability: intimidation and fear

Mentor embodies Superior
Mentor denies Mundane

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

Mentor's resources:
communicators, a vehicle, surveillance equipment

Protégé moves:

Captain: When you enter battle as a team, add
an extra Team to the pool and carry +1 forward if
you are the leader.

Heroic tradition: When you give someone the
advice that you think your mentor would give,
you can roll + the Label your mentor embodies to
comfort or support someone, instead of rolling
+ Mundane.

Team moves:
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if you’ve been a good leader or
effective teammate. 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.

Moment of truth:
The moment that you show who you really are: your mentor, or something different. You can do
whatever your mentor could do and more. You can do the incredible, even the things they always
failed to accomplish. Of course, they’re not going to see you the same way, no matter which path
you choose…

When our team first came together...
We stuck together after all was said and done. Why? How’d we keep in contact?

Relationships:
You and ____________________ teamed up a few times before the rest of you came together.
Your mentor is cautious; they asked you to keep an eye on __________________.

Influence:
Choose your demeanor: playful or business.
If you choose playful, give Influence to two teammates.
If you choose business, give Influence to no teammates.

Auraboks fucked around with this message at 22:14 on Jan 29, 2017

slydingdoor
Oct 26, 2010

Are you in or are you out?

Tardzilla posted:



- Why do you think Alexandria sponsored you? Has she ever given you a reason?

- Tell me a little more about Dr. Vega. What does he do? What kind of powers does he have? What kind of person is he?

- Not everyone in the academy thinks your dangerous. There's someone who's been treating you with genuine kindness. Who are they, and why do you think they're being so nice to you?
Dr. Vega is just a really really smart guy with a PhD in everything. So he knows how to be a sorcerer and an super scientist, and can combine engineering and stuff with technomancy to create gadgets and spells that are new and more than the sum of their parts. He's a one-man team, instead of three guys working together he can just line everything up himself. No need for the people in the love triangle to have to pull off a maneuver they could never get right in practice. They also give him a layer of redundancy so he's never quite out of powers, especially if he knows what he's about to face. He can even, like, handicap one kind of power–like, he can set off an EMP and mess up everyone's electronics–and then beat the crap out of them with his magic, or the other way around with an antimagic field. Anyway, add super smarts to Alexandria's library and they start a knowledge snowball, where he pushes fields forward and tells her what questions to ask her library to further their research. The only limit to what they can do is time, and willpower... but the way I see it, Dr. Vega is the engine. Alexandria is just the grease.

She definitely wants me out of Dr. Vega's hair. I've heard her warning him of "distracting himself again with another broken toy" when who knows what kind of threat they need to prepare for next. She certainly never told me any reasons she's sponsoring me to my face, she doesn't like talking to me. Afraid she might get attached, maybe? Like when one parent says "no pets" then they see the cute kitty with the big eyes and get won over, then they can't convince him to stop training me anymore. It might be a possibility, Vega teases her that she's becoming more human all the time... I don't think she likes it. Maybe she likes the teasing, but not becoming more "mercurial." It's always SAT words with her.

Anyway she wants him all to herself, at least just to become more powerful, and is afraid he doesn't need her like she needs him. I'm shipping it.

(She opens her hand and typeset letters raise from her palm. She stamps her palm on a piece of paper and it reads "SHIPPED.")

If I had it my way, I'd smoke them all out. She could summon a book for rolling papers and everyone could talk about their feelings, then I could go to my room and listen to music while they make out.

Genuine kindness I only get from heroes who don't think I'm dangerous at all. Like, I'm underpowered and unfocused and will never amount to anything more than a dispatcher, telling people where to go and what's going on and stuff. The one I've got in mind is Saint Sand, that cinnamon roll whose divine powers are based on holy vows of this and that. She held my hand and looked me in the eyes and told me she doesn't think I'm dangerous, then she didn't lose any powers for lying so I know she either really believes in me, like I'll become a great hero someday, or really doesn't, like I'll wash out. I'm thinking it's the second one, and I have a pretty good radar for when people are showing me pity and thinking it makes them a good person or makes me feel better. Neither of which are true. But hey, if being a product of the foster care system has taught me wrong, and she really believes in me... well that'd be cool. I just am not getting my hopes up.

Oh crap, it looks like I missed a question from earlier... (I smoked too soon, pff) hmmm...

• What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?
Villain Psychology, because it's a really big lecture room class that I can take remotely, even without navelgazing. Everything's recorded, and they don't post your scores, so no one knows how good I am at it. If they did, I'd get looked at funny. Funnier. It turns out having a crappy life is good for something, I guess?

Least favorite classes are art, music, and drama. I have to get put in the spotlight, and the better I do at them the more in the spotlight I get. I have always loved them, but the way people get jealous and disgusted and catty and competitive over parts and talents is ruining that love. I just used to think I always had these things I could use to express myself and escape from my crappy life before I was changed, and now, after all that, they're being taken away too.

"How can she act? She doesn't even have a face! *stupid giggle*" Bitch I can hear you! Super. Senses. Also, I can sit in on master classes in acting by navelgazing.

[Combining frustrated talents in the Arts and aptitude in Villain Psychology has indeed put her under watch. The institution is under orders not to intervene in any nonviolent clashes between students, and to focus on punishing those who step over the line. It does not want to train future villains in general, but especially does not want to be publicly linked to any graduates who turn to villainy.]

TheNabster
Apr 26, 2014

"Today I will cause problems on purpose"

Tardzilla posted:

Round 1 Questions

Lucky Ted

- Tango isn't the only who disapproves of you joining the academy. There's another jerk who doesn't think you belong there, either, and they make sure to tell you that every chance they get. Who are they?

"Oh I know I get some dirty looks in the hallway from people with proper powers but I mostly brush them off. Screw 'em, they don't know Lucky Ted, Lucky Ted gets here on his own merits and that is all that matters. But... Ehhhh~"


I never saw the appeal of all black outfits, especially in this weather

"Pointman, is a hard rear end motherfucker. I don't often swear but on this occasion it's appropriate because jesus man, if Justiciar is the image of a traditional good guy superhero, then Pointman is the image of the new breed of hard-line no bullshit rear end kickers. Those sort of heroes that tread the line between being tough on crime and an out and out vigilante because that is the only treatment they feel the new criminal class of today will actually respect and for all of it's detractors and understandable legal trouble it gets results. He got his hard knocks from the Omega Squadron at Fort Knox from an early age and is for all intents and purposes a well oiled fighting machine. He trained his whole life for this and thus is one of the strongest 'natural ability' heroes in the school."

"And the fact that I got in by essentially getting strings pulled by an older hero despite my actual experience in actual combat mostly totalling a few fist fights at school and one fight with a supervillain means he thinks pretty poorly of me, in fact I think the first time we met his exact words were 'You motherfucker, you're one of the people representing the natural talent heroes in this school and you don't even know how to fight? Is this some sort of game you drat rookie? You think you're a big man because you beat one villain with help and now you think your hot poo poo? You're not worth the poo poo on my boot you clown, I'd quit whilst your ahead before you get yourself hurt kid."

"So yeah we most defiantly have not hit it off in our first meeting, and my attempts to mollify him from his furious dislike of me only seems to make him angrier. I think he's far more dangerous for my health then any of the other people here in this school right now, the dude has a stick so far up his rear end you could practically see him from space and he has made it his personal business to show me up as some sort of superposer. Oh ye of little faith Pointman."

Tardzilla posted:

- Being the only normal guy in a school filled with people with fantastical powers must be pretty tough. Has there ever been a time when you doubted yourself? What keeps you motivated, even when things look impossible for you?

When you are working yourself to the bone to try and keep pace with the superhumans, something has to give sometimes. Before I found the Secret Lucky Ted Tactic, I tried to take on the superhumans on their home terms and man, I got rocked. When you are in a contest of strength versus someone with super-strength and you are pushing as hard as you can, and they sort of lean forward a little and your shoulder muscles just tear? It sort of puts holes in your perception that you can compete on an even playing field, especially when you know they did it on purpose to show up the dumb normie

So when you are laid up in a hospital bed thinking about how if it wasn't for our advances in medical technology that it would have just ended my career right there and then? Not a great feeling, lying there awake, half delirious over a lack of sleep and strong painkillers thinking about all those people who think I shouldn't be here and how they were right, a tiny thought popped right into my mind.

"Why am I trying to fight fairly?" Because I am a superhero and that's what Justiciar would do.
...
"But, Justiciar fights like that because he is on a level playing field a lot of the time." He has the power to hold back you can't
"I can't win a fair fight on those rules, I'll never win a fair fight on those rules." Then stop treating it as a competition, this isn't a game anymore. You need play to win from this day, there is no second place in a battle.

When you are several levels below your opponent and they have the overwhelming odds in their favour, what will you do? The Secret Lucky Ted Tactic bloomed in the middle of the night and it was all the inspiration I needed.

"You take every opportunity to turn those overwhelming odds, into underwhelming odds. Play. To. Win."

So when the next day I went back into class, and we were practice sparring, and I got the same guy who dislocated my shoulder last week he was prepared to embarrass me in front of the class again. So I smiled, I let him get the hold, then I leaned back. And kicked the smug prick as hard as I could in the crotch, with the steel-toe caps I had brought that day, for this exact purpose. And when he folded up like a sack of potatoes and the match was over right there and then, that was all the encouragement I needed.

Tardzilla posted:

- Something went wrong during your last Field Work lessons, but you managed to save the day! ...Kinda. It could have gone a lot better, all things considered, but at least nobody was seriously injured. What happened?

"Last time we did Field Work we ran a scenario mission. They throw these out from time to time, meant to test the heroes ability to cooperate as a team whilst operating on restrictions or with secondary objectives to consider like fake hostages; bombs to defuse, VIPs to escort, having to put cuffs on the people you defeat, that kind of thing. On this particular occasion one side had an objective, a briefcase of sorts it had to protect and the other side of course had to grab it. As part of the exercise, the teams were kept secret, keep this in mind for the rest of the story.

So Lucky Ted gets put on one team with three powerhouses (including the guy who I kicked in the nuts in the previous story so, he wasn't very happy about that), and in something that was very coincidental some of the like top 4 people in the entire class all got put on one team, these people not only are way up there on the power chart, they work together as a well oiled machine and are pretty much locked in to be a group once they graduated. And they were probably going to run roughshod over us especially since Ted's team was convinced it was 3 vs 4 going in because Ted was on that team. People underestimating Ted is a theme of this story. And they indeed got crushed, because whilst my three goobers were quite powerful, perhaps even more so then individual members of the dream team, the dream team was better at working together and Ted team was squabbling the whole time. They were dispatched, rounded up, counted and at this point the Dream Team realizes three critical points.

One, when they should have had four captured members, they only had three.
Two, when they were going to immediately dispatch the enemy team as part of their tactics, they left the briefcase in the nearby base. With no one watching it.
Three, they realize the fight was going on way longer then they expected. They weren't exactly paying much attention to what was going on around them.

The klaxon sounds at this point, as Lucky Ted slams home the Briefcase at their capture point and scores a victory for Team Ted. Because whilst his super powered teammates were getting the stuffing knocked out of them, Lucky Ted made out like a bandit with the goods and ran like buggery before they realized what had happened. Overwhelming Odds into Underwhelming Odds was in play, the other team is better coordinated? Play for the objectives, always play to win. Lucky Ted tried to tell his teammates this but they shrugged him off.

Of course we still got slapped with a fairly unimpressive grade at the end despite our win because whilst Ted's Team won, the purpose of the exercise is not merely to win but to test the heroes ability to work together as a team, and Ted's Team was infighting even before the B squad dropped on us. After all in a real mission, getting away with the objective but leaving the rest of your team incapacitated would have been a pretty dire situation to be in, so the exact words used to our motley band were that we 'succeeded the actual mission, but failed the lesson.'

The one thing I actually got out of that whole mess, was that one of the members of Dream Team came up to me afterwards and offered to treat Ted to lunch. And people say there's no such thing as a free lunch.

TheNabster fucked around with this message at 13:18 on Jan 25, 2017

Arashiofordo3
Nov 5, 2010

Warning, Internet
may prove lethal.


Sammi sat herself down in the chair. The interview room, normally stark and barren, was alive with little spirit-essence animals. A couple of rabbits, some birds, mice, and a goat. Each of them frolicked happily. Scampering around her feet, resting on her shoulders and head, and tickling at her ankles with their whiskers. They were an extension of Sammi, her homework as it were. To practice her powers while focused on other matters. The animals were easy, warm ups more then anything. But it was what was in her hand was what was giving her trouble. A mechanical device made of essence. It was a simple thing, a revolving wheel and a leaver sort of contraption. But unlike the animals, which were natural to a spirit, the machine was the opposite. Man made and strange. It's movement juddered and froze when Sammi turned her active attention away from it. Which happened quickly as the interviewer coughed politely. The young girl's large eyes shot up guiltily.

"S-Sorry, um, I-I'll put i-it away." The device evaporated into mist, which drifted back into Sammi's body. She sat up attentively, a shy nervous smile gracing her lips.


Tardzilla posted:

- I hope you don't mind me bringing this up, but I think we should talk about Matthew for a moment. How do you feel about him? Has he caused you any recent trouble?

"N-No, I don't m-mind!" Sammi said quickly, but her face said otherwise. "H-He's... n-nice. S-Sometimes he gets um... s-sad. T-That he's not s-stronger I mean. I guess, t-that's how I came to b-be, isn't i-it...? Umm, a-are you g-going to tell him a-any of this? N-No?" she clasped her hands together, conflicted, chewing on her lip. She gulps, looks to the floor, and quickly says. "I-I don't l-l-l-like him! H-He's petty, a-and resents me, and he's m-mean, and he d-doesn't want t-to talk to m-me! W-Why does h-he treat me l-like it's my fault I-I'm here? L-Like I'm somehow d-disappointing...?" She sniffles, wiping her eyes with her hand. "S-Sorry, I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to s-say all of that. Please don't tell M-Matthew..."

Sammi lapses into silence. Looking guilty, like she was going to get into trouble for saying that.

"I-I've been trying to g-get to know him, a-and it's really d-difficult. H-He treats me a-as a thing, and not as a s-sentient being. I've b-been trying to learn t-things. T-To impress him, show h-him I'm not some m-mindless spawn. L-Like technology! I-I'm trying to u-understand how it functions, and replicate it with m-my powers. I-It's really hard, but I'm trying m-my best! W-We went out to this talk by the hero Phalanx" She quickly constructs a fascimaly of his likeness, injecting colour like ink underwater.



"B-Because I though, h-hearing a hero talk m-might be a good thing to h-help understand h-him. H-He didn't want to do it, until Headmistress Amala talked to him. He didn't look h-happy, but he agreed t-to go with me! B-But when we g-got there... h-he ditched me... so h-he could talk to a girl. H-He nearly left me there e-entirely w-when he started to t-try and cast a teleportation s-spell! B-But one of the p-professors was there a-as well! T-They m-made sure that M-Matthew stayed u-until the end. Headmistress A-Amala was really angry with him w-when we got back. H-He's not spoken t-to me since..."


quote:

- It's clear that Headmistress Amala has taken a shine to you, but how do the rest of the staff feel? Are there any that object your existence? Or are they generally okay with you?

"...I-I..." Sammi fidgets with her sleeve anxiously. "S-Some of them a-are really kind, a-and friendly too! O-Others are... um, not q-quite... as kind. S-Some of the magic t-teachers g-get really tense. E-Especially when I t-take on my n-natural form. L-Like this, see?"

Sammi kindles her body, her essence rushing out and convalescing around her, Sammi's eye's glow with the otherworldly energy. Her form shifting and ephemeral. Arcs of energy flowing over and off her body. She hovered softly in the air, spinning slowly as though gravity wasn't a concern. Her shape keeps close to being human-like. But for brief instances, wings, and antlers, pointed ears, grasping tentacles and many other things, rise and fall from her form.

"The emotions aren't quite so overwhelming like this. But it's hard to keep it going for long. Whatever Matthew did to me keeps forcing me back into that shell." Sammi's voice takes on a calm tone, as though she wasn't actually there. She looked with a thousand yard stare. For someone so shy and meek, it's an intensely unsettling sensation.

"I can understand their fear, I am unknown, I do not obey their laws, or a normal rules of their magic. They do not know what made me, and what the terms of that spell are. They fear I could be a ticking bomb. I wish I could help them understand, but I don't understand myself. Professor Alphonse is trying to have me put down. He is convinced that I am a tool of Abra Kadabra, and that I'm leaking information about the school and students. He is well known for his paranoia, and his tendency to jump to conclusions. I know one or two staff members share his opinion behind closed doors. They would not make an open move against the Headmistress. Beyond those frightened people. Those who chose to accept me are happy, caring people. I feel happy and safe in their company. It helps the pain and fear caused by Matthew's rejection of me. Oh dear, I've made myself sad." The energy retracts, flowing back into Sammi's 'normal' form. She pulls out a bright pink hanky and dabs her eyes and blows her nose.

"S-Sorry, the r-rush back is r-really intense... E-Everyone say's I-I'm like a totally different p-person w-when I'm like that... I-I hope it's not scary. A-And I hope t-that I c-can s-show those teachers t-that I'm not d-dangerous. I w-wanna be f-friends with everyone!"


quote:

- Oh no! You got separated from Headmistress Amala during one of your walks together! You found your way back to her eventually, but it must've been really scary for you. How did you handle the whole ordeal?

"W-Well...."

*Cue twinkly flash back music*

The suggestion to visit the art gallery had been inspired. With Sammi becoming increasingly fascinated by the emotive power of painting and sculpture, it seemed time to present to her the culture and respect that surounded viewing the works of the old masters. She found herself drawn to the flawless brush strokes of the classical paintings, the study of light and the scenes they portrayed. They were art on a scale she'd never considered before. Never mind the mind boggling skill presented with the marble sculptures. Each fold in the fabric impossibly realistic. She'd followed the headmistress like a puppy, eye's sparkling with excitement and wonder. Though, it must be said, the one's which spoke to her the most were the abstract pieces. A side effect of the chaotic realm she'd come from perhaps.

As a treat for being so well behaved (and not attempting to merge with the paintings in an attempt to enter another world), Amala bought her a guide book, and left her standing at the entrance, to buy a pair of ice creams. It was while she stood, leaving through the pamphlet. That something pulled it from her hands! Sammi yelped in surprise! Meekly peering through the main doors through which the book had flown. It sat at the base of the stairs. Easy to get, surely she could dart down and grab it before Headmistress Amala got back? Hesitating briefly, Sammi hopped down the stairs, and reached for the book. Again it jumped away from her! Annoyed and confused, she chased after it. Following the fleeing paperback down the side of the gallery and into a dark foreboding alley. Finally she got her hands on it! There was some kind of hook in the book, she tried to remove it carefully, worry clear on her face. The Headmistress had told her to look after the book. Now it had been damaged, and was dirty! She was going to be in so much trouble!

"Well well well." Came a voice, high pitched and artificial. Like speaking into a fan.

Looking up, Sammi quickly became aware she was not alone. Besides, a battered van with it's back doors open, three men surrounded her. Two looked like large burly men, used to fighting. The other...



"I! AM! THE WASP!" He buzzed menacingly "Surrender now! You have no chance! To escape!!" He paused, and tried again. "YOU HAVE NO CHANCE TO ESCAPE!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"...U-Um...?" Was all Sammi could say, stunned by the sudden turn of events. The two thugs grabbed her arms and she struggled, suddenly realising that these people meant her harm. "H-Hey! L-Let go!" She suddenly realised that those roleplays in the Situational Psychology classes were becoming horrifically real.

"Silence! You're my hostage now. You'll come with me, or I'll... sting you! MEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!" The Wasp cackled. Sammi flinched, and went limp. Uncertainty and fear sapping her will to fight back. What should she do? "Now! With you in my possession, Silpstream will bow down before me, and become my Wasp Queen! REAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!"

"I'd suggest you put the girl down." Headmistress Amala said, she did not sound impressed. She walked into the alleyway slowly, holding an ice cream in each hand. Sammi looked to her, terrified.

She was in SO much trouble.

"Ah, Slipsteam herself! You'll see I have your daughter under my power! Now bow before me! SUBMIT!" The Wasp screached.

"...Who are you?" Amala asked. The Wasp seemed slightly deflated, but surged back up, cackling madly to cover his bruised ego.

"Headmistress! I'm s-s-scared! W-What do I d-do?" Sammi cried out, one of the thugs gave her arms a painful sqeeze, and Sammi whimpered. Amala tensed, but didn't advance.

"They're bad people, Sammi. You stop them." Amala said, a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth.

A look of realisation dawned on Sammi's face. "Ohhhhh...!" she said. She let her essence flow out of her hand. Smashing it up into the face of the goon on her left. He somersaulted through the air and plowed into a wall, unconscious. The flood of power formed into a massive brutal headed hammer. Sammi swings it as though it weighted as much as a feather, the impact said otherwise. The other good hurtled into the back of the waiting van. Sammi winced. "S-Sorry!"

"No! My WASP WARRIORS! YO- ECK!" The Wasp started, then collapsed unconscious. Amala shook her aching hand. Sammi hadn't even seen her move. She scampered over to the Headmistress and threw her arms around her middle, babbling about how sorry she was and that she didn't mean to get into trouble. Amala just smiled, patting the girl softly on her head. She looked back to the discarded ice cream, and sighed. She'd been looking forward to that. Chuckling, she calmed her student back down, and gave her a partly melted ice cream.

*Flashback music*

"...a-and then we went back h-home! I got t-told off for running off, b-but I t-think that Headmistress Amala was s-secretly pleased. A-Although the n-next time we went out, I-I had to hold her hand th-the whole time. W-Which was r-really nice, b-b-but I w-w-w-w-w-wasn't supposed t-to tell you any of t-that! Oh no! I'm go-going to be in so m-m-much trouble!!"

Waffleman_
Jan 20, 2011


I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna!!!

Polly's done!

Takanago
Jun 2, 2007

You'll see...
(Image Source)

Jacob Lawson, The Delinquent

Oh, what, we're doing some interview? gently caress, that's a lot of questions. Fine, whatever. You wanna know about me? I'll tell you the real poo poo.

Alright, so I'm a psychic. Not like 'predict the future' but like 'better at emotions than you' psychic. And that's not bullshit. I am the fuckin' BEST at emotions! More than you can even imagine. I'm in-touch with my emotions, alright? All you closed-minded idiots worry about society's arbitrary rules more than what you actually want. You guys know it's all fake, right? Laws don't really exist. The only thing that's real is what we feel.

But nobody realizes that. Everybody out there is fake but me. I'm the only real person on this fuckin' planet. If there's only one thing you remember, remember THAT.


How did you get your powers?

poo poo, I don't know. You're the smart one, so why don't you tell me? I'm just a fuckin' high schooler. It just kinda happened? Like- it's kinda like a second puberty or some poo poo, y'know? First your voice cracks and your body gets weird, and then a while later your head hurts and your body gets weird again but this time not in a fuckin' way that they explain in health class.

Or maybe they actually explain it here. I don't know. You think I actually pay attention in health class?

Anyway for me it was like- my head just started hurting one day. Like my brain was too big for my fuckin' skull. Just day in, day out, these horrible fuckin' migraines. Actually gave me an excuse to stay home from school for a few weeks. Mom was scared 'cuz she thought I had a fuckin' tumor or something. And so we go to the doctor, and guess what? It's loving psychic puberty.

After that it was like- you know how they say teenagers act weird 'cuz hormones and poo poo? Okay, but imagine just having your feelings turned up to two-hundred-loving-percent. Yeah. That'll gently caress you up.


What do you do for fun?

Man, what don't I do? Everything I do is something I do for fun. If it's not fun, it's not worth doing.

I mean like, number one's gotta be messing with people, right? 'Cause people love to flip their poo poo when you don't follow their arbitrary rules. And a lot of people put on a tough front, but on the inside they're so fragile, y'know? All they know how to do is be sheep, and the moment you show them they don't have to be they just lose it.

But that's not really much of a hobby, huh. I mean loving around is good but you can't do it all day, y'know? So I also do a whole bunch of stuff like play the guitar, skate around, spray graffiti, and all that good poo poo that bad teens do.

And there's also, like, uh... some anime I watch from time to time. I mean, like- some of it is really hyper-violent, y'know? Blood 'n guts everywhere and poo poo. Like, uh... what was that called... Bloodbath Academy? It was about a whole bunch of high school students murdering each other. I didn't actually watch it...

...What do I watch? Uhh... Uhhhhhhhh....

Well... I guess it would be... um.... This one show called Noriko, Princess of the Rose Blade. Which like- I know what it sounds like, okay?! But it's not dumb, wussy crap. If you poo poo-talk this show I will punch you in the fuckin' face. It's just a good show, okay?! And it's got some real kick-rear end sword fights in it. But it's not like it's about sword fights... Like- it's got a whole bunch of deep themes, about tragedy and poo poo.


Who, outside the team, thinks better of you than you do?

Oh yeah, thanks the vote of confidence. You think I got fuckin' self-esteem issues or something? Yeah, some fuckin' typical troubled teen I am. Parents don't love me so I must have some mentor figure, right? That's sarcasm, by the way.

...



Though, uh- Athena... actually, kinda is... I mean she's- uh- cool with me. Not that I need her or anything. It's just kinda nice to have at least one adult that, uh- gets me? Like, treats me like an adult? And not like some loving kid that needs to be talked down to?

She's one of those real old-school heroes. Like, she fought in The War. And she's actually a real, honest-to-god, motherfuckin' badass. Nothing fazes her, and I mean nothing. I've tried to rile her up, I've tried every trick I know. But did she ever react? Did she ever once flip out at me? No, she never lost her cool. She just laughed at me.

"Hon, if you think you can get to me, you're gonna have to try a lot harder than that."


gently caress. I wish I could be that cool.

Anyway, she's like- a friend, y'know? Like, she's supportive but she doesn't lecture me. She treats me like a person and actually listens to what I have to say. It's nice to have her around when so many adults just have sticks up their asses all the time. I'll even listen to her when she calls my bullshit out.


Why do you try to be a hero?

Because if Noriko taught me anything, it's that you just gotta loving do the right thing. I mean, it's easy to not care. All you gotta do is nothing. But like, you remember in Episode 15 when she tried that? Said "gently caress you" to the Destiny of the Rose Curse and did her own thing? Her friends got hurt. And like, she had to live with knowing that she let that happen. Nobody blamed her, cause like, everybody knows how powerful the Rose Curse is.

But like... when you just stand by and let bad things happen... that's on your hands. And that's one of the worst feelings in the world. Nobody might call you out on it, but you know. And that's why Noriko picked up the Rose Sword again. And that's why I do the right thing sometimes.

...

Wait, no- gently caress! That was a serious question, wasn't it? And I, uh... poo poo. Look, I don't take anime that seriously, okay? That was just... on my mind, okay? gently caress you. Don't @ me.


Why do you care about the team?

I don't.

...

What? Don't look at me like that, I said I DON'T! Why should I care about them, anyway? I'm just in this for the credit. It's a lot harder to fail a project when you're being graded as a group.

But, like... some of 'em are cool. They just gotta learn to stay out of my way. 'Cause gently caress the rules, man. I don't care how many times you complain. I'm doing things my way. And it's going to be better than that pansy-rear end poo poo you call a 'plan'. I mean- look at THIS!

YEAH! WOO! HELL YEAH! THAT loving PUNK-rear end VILLAIN DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HIT 'EM!

Now wasn't THAT a cool trick?! Puts all your poo poo to shame doesn't it? I bet you wish you could have moves like that, huh?

...No? Well gently caress you, then! I don't need your approval.


What made you decide to join the academy?

Because Mom and Dad said I couldn't. gently caress 'em. They never once actually believed in me.

"A snail's got a better chance of winning a footrace than you have of getting into that school."

Well I sure showed them, huh? You should have loving seen their faces. They were in disbelief. And now I don't have to live with them anymore. It's pretty fuckin' nice. I mean, boarding school can be a drag sometimes, but it sure as hell beats living at home. Or actually, no- this is my new home. By the time I graduate I'll be old enough to live on my own. I won't have to go back to that crummy old place ever again.

Isn't it nice to be free?


Which hero sponsored your entrance into the academy? What did you do to impress them?

Oh, yeah, Athena did that.

Alright, so a while ago I was this big local music festival. It's not like one of those big big festivals with actual good music, but it's the kinda scene where you can find a whole bunch of cool indie, alt, and punk guys and girls to hang out with. And it was a fun day, I suppose.

But you know one of the lovely things about punk? It's hard to tell the difference between who's just a punk, and who's a Grade-A villainous rear end in a top hat. Like, most folks were cool. But then there was one point where I saw someone steal the loving charity jar. Like, they just walked up and grabbed that big, giant jar where they were collecting money for like, children's hospitals or some crap. I didn't pay attention because I don't give a gently caress about charity. But I DO give a gently caress if you think your dumb rear end can get away with just TAKING that loving charity money. Like, what the gently caress, man! This isn't like putting soda in a water cup or shoplifting from the supermarket. You can't just loving take CHARITY money! What's WRONG with you?! How hosed up do you have to be to even DO that?!

So I call 'em out. "Hey, rear end in a top hat. Put that back!" And I give 'em one of my mean looks. One of those that lets 'em feel how much they just hosed up. Then they get one of those "Oh poo poo" looks and just start booking it. And then I like-

Oh, I haven't told you how I fight, have I? Well like, okay, that look was one way. Psychic tricks, remember? Emotional bonds, use the power of feelings, that crap. But feelings don't usually do the trick when someone's just trying to get away, do they? That's when psychic trick number two comes in.

I concentrate real hard, and use my mind to grab one of the guitars in this poor shmuck's path. And I use it to hit them in the fuckin' face. WHAM. Boom. Guy's just lying on the ground, jar's safe, and uh- guitar's pretty smashed up.

And then I feel a tap on my shoulder. Thought it was a fuckin' cop or some jerk mad about his guitar or something, but then I turn around and see this really impressive-looking old lady. Yeah, it was Athena.

She liked my spirit. Even paid for that guitar for me. Then she asked me if I had any plans for the future.

Well, I didn't. But now I guess I do.


Tell me about that one interesting person in your class!



Alright, so there's like a dog in class? His name's Tiberius, and I'm usually all for "ain't no rules that says a dog can't go to hero school" poo poo, but... I think he has better grades than me? And I think he knows it?

He's a good dog, though. On, like the dog scale he's a thirteen out of ten.

What's your favorite class? What about least favorite?

Heh, 'favorite.' Nice one. They all suck.

Well... okay, Art's not bad. Like it's the one thing I'm loving good at. With most classes it's just loving bullshit homework, annoying tests, and boring lectures. But in Art class, it's just doing art. And I can get art? Cause like, there's no loving rules. Anything can be art, and that owns. You just gotta feel art, and I can do that.

Like, look at this painting I did. Technically it's about light, and shadows, and that crap. And when I went to paint it, the first thing I thought of was that light temple arc from Noriko. Like it had the big windows and big means of light, and the rows and rows of columns casting shadows like it's a prison cell. You had these big themes about light and darkness, freedom and imprisonment, faith and sin, and all that crap, and I kinda wanted to do something like that. And so this is pretty much my version, but with some extra stuff.

Like, you see these columns here, with the rubble? I pretty much stole that from a painting I saw about ancient, ruined empires. 'Cause everything's temporary. And so I combined that to kinda put an extra spin on it? To show that things don't last, and that shadow and ruin can fall into places you don't expect. And, um... gently caress, I'm rambling...

...

I mean- uh... look at this kick-rear end painting! Isn't it sick? Knocked that sucker out in a week. Got the number-one score in the entire class with it. 'Cause I'm the fuckin' best. Eat it, book nerds.

Anyway, the worst class? Math. Without a fuckin' doubt. God, that class will just put me to sleep. Hate it. It's the worst. gently caress math.

[Administrator's Note: Jacob currently has an A+ in Art Class, a B in Literature, and D's and F's in most of his other classes.]


What do you like to do in your free time?

Didn't I already answer this question? I mean, I do all that poo poo a no-good teen should do. Play the guitar, pretend to be good enough to be in a band, hang around, eat junk food, and all that crap. I mean, y'know, do whatever I feel like. Some assholes say I'm just wasting my time, but isn't that what teenagers are supposed to do?

Apart from that, and the anime thing... I've been trying out sewing. Not 'cause like I care about clothes or some poo poo. But if I'm gonna cosplay as a superhero, I'm gonna try to do it right, y'know? None of this boring spandex undies-on-the-outside crap. Something real.

And... I don't know what that is, yet. You got a problem with that?!


New Arcadia’s a pretty sweet place, isn’t it? Tell me about that one cool place you like!

Yeah, it's a pretty sweet place. I mean it's The City Of Tomorrow, right? It'd be pretty hosed up if it weren't. And there's a lot of neat future stuff here, but the place I like most...



...would be Rat Street, the part of town where no-good teens and punks like me like to hang out. If you don't want to fit in, this is the place to be. It's got all kinds of crap that'll suit your weird taste. Weird clothes, weird music, weird food, weird overpriced knick-knacks, and so on. Just don't loving show up if you're some boring hipster or hosed-up villain, okay?! We got enough of those people there.

It actually kinda pisses me off. The villains. I mean, I get it. Punk appeals to bad guys a lot more than good guys. And that'd be okay- IF IT WEREN'T FOR HOW MESSED UP AND DANGEROUS THOSE ASSHOLES ARE! I mean, I don't love the law, but you gotta have some fuckin' standards, y'know?! Shoplifting's one thing. Hell, even robbing a bank could maybe be one thing. But why the hell you always gotta bring innocent people into it with the whole fuckin' hostage thing?! That's not fighting The System, you idiots! gently caress!

I swear, if I hear one more person there talking about how Evil is actually Good... Oh, I'm gonna get myself banned from a whole bunch of fuckin' stores.

quote:

Name: Jacob Lawson
Hero Name: He hasn't decided on one.
Playbook: The Delinquent
Look: Man, white, jaded eyes, garish clothing, no costume


Abilities

Emotion Control: Jacob has the power of strong emotional will. He is able to psychically project his own emotions onto others, and has learned how to use this to manipulate people. It's a messy and imprecise process, as trying to control feelings often is. Having this power also leaves Jacob quite emotionally sensitive, but this isn't something he'll admit.

Psychic Weapons: Jacob has the power of telekinesis, allowing him to grab and throw things with the power of his mind. He's been issued a set of specially-crafted psychically-harmonious knives to use this with, but he usually prefers to improvise with whatever's around.


Labels


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

Delinquent Moves

Mary Contrary:
When someone tries to pierce your mask, comfort or support you, or provoke you, you can interfere.
Roll + Superior. On a hit, they take a -2 on their roll. On a 10+, you also take Influence over them or clear a condition.
On a miss, they get a 10+ no matter what they rolled and you mark a condition of their choice.

Team? What Team?:
When you use Team selfishly, clear a condition or mark potential. The first time in a session that you use Team to help a teammate, take +1 forward.

Are You Watching Closely?:
When you mislead, distract, or trick someone, roll + Superior. On a hit, they are fooled, at least for a moment.
On a 10+, choose three. On a 7-9, choose two.

- you get an opportunity
- you expose a weakness or flaw
- you confuse them for some time
- you avoid further entanglement

On a miss, you’re hopelessly embroiled in it and under pressure; mark a condition.

Takanago fucked around with this message at 15:17 on Jan 29, 2017

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Tardzilla posted:

Round 1 Questions
Black Rabbit

- How did your mother react when you told her about your enrollment into the academy? Do you have any other family members, or is she the only one?

Mom's not the only family I have, but a lot of the time it was just the two of us. Dad works a lot -- he's one of the shift foreman over at Fletcher Aerospace, in the Manufacturing District. It's kind of a high-profile joint; the CEO's a guy named Jason Fletcher, who used to be a big-time gadget hero back in the Silver Age. Think he called himself Flyboy? Anyway, Fletcher Aerospace has a ton of government and hero contracts, so they run a tight shop. Means my dad works late most days. When he's home, he tries, but... he's not home that much.

Doesn't help that I was kind of a late kid -- an accidental kid, I'm guessing. My folks were like 40 when I was born, and my sisters Satoko and Tsukiyo are both way older than me. Satoko's 10 years older and Tsukiyo's 12, so we weren't close as kids. They both went off to college and then kind of screwed off; I'm not sure if either of them even live in New Arcadia anymore. We don't exactly keep in touch.

... You know, when I was a kid, sometimes I wondered if something was wrong there. Satoko and Tsukiyo never seemed to get along with my folks even when they were at home, and Mom doesn't really talk about it. Especially since...

Well, you asked about how my mom took me going here? She was excited at first -- talking about all the opportunities and stuff -- but then she started giving me this long talk about "being careful," because "some of those people are very dangerous." I pushed her a little, and it turned out she meant mutants. Of course. So I was like "Mom, what if I'm a mutant," and of course she said I was a good kid so it'd be okay, and then she got back to talking about how exciting it was, but... I think my mom might be a mutaphobe. And if I'm a mutant, what about my sisters? Is that why they got out so fast?

Christ, this is kind of hosed, when I think about it. I love my mom, but...

quote:

- The academy might be a prestigious school for super-powered individuals, but even it can't escape the bully problem. Who was the biggest jerk you've met, and what did you do to put them in their place?

The biggest jerk is probably Linda Wolcott, whose hero handle is The Steel Shrike:

She's kind of a huge rear end in a top hat to everyone -- always talking about how hard she had it, with her mad-scientist dad installing robot wings on her back and poo poo, and okay, that's a big deal, right? But she just takes it out on everyone in her blast radius, especially those of us who can look kinda normal, and apparently just having a gnarly burn scar doesn't make you not "normal" in her book. She's always telling me off about how I'm not gonna hack it at the academy, I'm too dumb, I don't have the focus. Mostly because of PE, where, okay, I fall behind a lot, but I'm not a cyborg, okay? They really oughta break up PE. It kind of sucks to have everyone in the same class when half of us aren't even in the same universe as the other half.

Anyway, I got freakin' sick of her talking about "focus," and I noticed she was always on her phone in the classes I had with her that weren't PE. One day I saw her leaving her dorm room, so I decided to try my luck, and... bam. I 'ported in and her phone hadn't locked up yet, so I opened up her settings and made a few little adjustments: putting her phone sound on at max volume, changing her settings passcode to lock it down, then 'porting out before she got back. The next day in class, bam, she pulls out her phone and her game music is just screaming, right in the middle of History lecture. Her phone got confiscated for like a week and a half, and she looked pissed the entire drat time. What's it like to have to pay attention for once, Linda?

quote:

- Something felt a little... off the last time you visited the Quicksilver Line. What was different, and why is it bothering you so much?

Okay, so... you know how there are a lot of electrical things you can't really hear, but they're like subsonic, so you can feel them? Like when the power goes out and your fridge turns off and suddenly you notice you're not feeling it? Lately I've been feeling something kind of like that down there, around Photon Square Station, in the center of the line. I couldn't see anything, but when I touched the wall, I could feel it kind of vibrating under my hand.

All the station buildings themselves are locked up tight, and most of them were never finished, so there's not that much room to hide anything, but maybe someone found some room. The only thing I can think is that someone's building something in there, or using old equipment from the Line, and it's all about to wake up. The Quicksilver Line isn't that long, but it's still running a pretty good chunk of northern New Arcadia, and it's under my old neighborhood. What happens when whatever someone's building down there decides to break through?

Antivehicular fucked around with this message at 07:21 on Jan 24, 2017

Tricky
Jun 12, 2007

after a great meal i like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage


Tardzilla posted:

Round 1 Questions

Sanguine

- You're saying your predecessors whisper to you? Spooky. What are they saying?

Mm, well, a lot of it is pretty much what you'd expect. Most of them are a little miffed that I'm not reshaping society in the sect's image. There are a few voices that are more distinct. Elder Kermes and Elder Carmine, especially. Kermes was my main instructor in the martial arts. He's a bit of a hard rear end. I've never heard him grumble about the whole academy bit, but he does get a bit snippy when I'm in a fight. He's certainly of the opinion I should be aiming to finish matters with minimal fuss — which means maximum force. That's great advice and all... but it usually comes up in friendly spars.

I'm not exactly an expert on what being a hero means or anything, not like some of these guys, but I don't think I should be going around assassinating my training buddies. Not cool, right? His tips on my form are spot-on, though, which is actually kind of aggravating. If he was just a crazy voice that was wrong about everything, I could tune him out. But he's not. He's got a lot of really helpful tips and then a few extra bits of murder advice that I need to keep a mental eye out for.

I don't know what Carmine's deal is. She seems to be getting into arguments with the other elders — I can never really make out what they're saying when they do that, just a low murmur in the back of my mind — and she's just relentlessly cryptic all the time. Like "blah blah blah, the doom of man approaches and only the King of Fallen Leaves will stand before it." What am I supposed to do with that? I mean, even if — and this is a big if — they were right about everything, I'm not about to finish things with the Patriarch and turn into... whatever. Even if things go to poo poo, I want to be me. I'll take my chances with the team, thanks.

Tardzilla posted:

- You just received a mysterious message. What was it? What does it say? Is it anything you should be concerned about?

I did get a message, yeah. It was a jade slip — the same kind they used at the sect. Just kind of showed up in my room. No signs of a break-in or anything like that. Just a slip on my bed. It was keyed to my — the sect's, I suppose, — energy, so when I picked it up everything just flowed into my head. Not so much words, but images and feelings. A tournament. Not unlike the one the Justice Alliance interrupted. I saw... Many martial artists. People from the Justice Alliance. Villains. All coming together for... something. A title? A crown? A weapon?

I'm sorry I'm being so vague, it's hard to keep it all straight. I guess it's some sort of invitation, but I don't know much past that. Didn't recognize the place. Hm. Come to think of it, though, there was an eclipse? Guess that might be a clue. I'll have to do a bit of digging and see when the next eclipse is coming up. But, uh, I'm not hugely excited about another tournament. Not exactly been the greatest for me. First I got kidnapped, then I almost stopped being me. What sort of horrifying stuff are they going to try to do to me this time?

I'm worried that it's one of the Patriarch's traps. Some sort of scheme to get us in the ring together. I mean, what else could it be? Not like anyone else would be able to key it to the sect's energy.

Tardzilla posted:

- Boy, things sure got wild during cooking class, huh? People are still talking about it to this day. What happened?

Haha. Yeah. I got... a little competitive. It wasn't all my fault, but, uh, yeah. Mistakes were made. So, uh, remember Pyroclasm? He's in cooking too. I think he swapped into my section just to follow me around. We were butting heads like usual and then he challenged me to a cook-off. Some real Iron Chef poo poo. To say that we got a little caught up in the moment would be a a bit of an understatement.

He was using his dragon fire — or whatever it is — to supercharge his burners. I mean, we have pretty durable equipment in the kitchen, but it's not that good. But that came later. It started off working fine — fine enough that I was forced to channel some of the sect's energy into mine to keep up. So we were going at it for a while, the room getting hotter and hotter, while we chopped furiously and sauteed meats in pans. I don't really remember which of us noticed first, but we found ourselves just straight-up in the middle of an inferno. Apparently the ambient temperature got high enough from our cooking shenanigans that some of the oil just, uh, ignited.

So, yeah, we burned down the kitchen. And a few of the nearby rooms before the staff managed to get things under control. Like, if it had just been regular fire, the sprinklers would have been fine. But not with this magic bullshit. We're talking some Kung-Fu dragon fire. It's pretty drat tenacious. It took at least three of the teachers blasting it with ice, a few future-tech fire extinguishers, and that huge rock guy just rolling all over it to finally beat it down.

We got in some serious trouble for that stunt. Property damage happens, but this was apparently a little too dangerous for their tastes. So outside of like three weeks of helping clean up and rebuild, a written apology, and a number of lectures, we also were banned from any more competitive cooking. Some of the other students, especially the rowdier crowd, think it was pretty much the best thing they've seen in a long time. I'm not about to go burning down any more stuff for attention or anything, but it felt pretty good having a bunch of people talking to me.

Arashiofordo3
Nov 5, 2010

Warning, Internet
may prove lethal.
I asked Tardzilla if I could write a thing. He said yes. Here it is.







Songbird sat on the wall, the full moon hung in the sky above. Maybe it was the phoenix in her, but she did love to sit on roof tops. She whistled a happy little tune. The ripples of sound mapping out the area around her. Her echolocation pinpointing the person she'd come to meet.

"You don't need to hide, you know. After all, you're the one who wanted to meet. Hehe!" She said, a playful smile on her face. The night sky moved, resolving itself into a cloakd figure. Someone dressed as though they'd been dragged out of a fantasy novel.



"Spare me your cheek. Tell me what you know of the spirit." He growled. His voice a low horse whisper, as though speaking was painful. Unsurprising really. He was Hahagin - The Whisperer. Her sponsor into the academy. He'd always been a humourless arsehole. Somethings never changed. Songbird gave him an unimpressed look.

"I've befriended her, she doesn't know, or doesn't remember what she truly is. Though she knows she's a spirit. She's a really sweet girl, I bet you'd hate her." She said casually. Leaning back to look up to the sky.

"That means nothing, is it truly her? Have they really ripped Primo spiritu humanitatis ortum from the vale? Answer me you drat pigeon!" He hissed. Songbird scowled, then turned away, pouting.

"She might be, she might not be. Who can truly say? But whatever spell brought her through to this world, severed some of her connection to the Spirit-side. Her powers are... damaged."

- - -



"WHAT DO YOU MEAN DAMAGED?!" Hexxer roared, brandishing the spell page. It was burned. Illegible. Ruined. Thirty years of work! He'd finally had it in his grasp! Then that brat stole it! Did he not realise what he held? Was he so ignorant that he actually used it?! Hexxer's familiar flinched, trying to calm his master down.

"W-When it re-appeared, it was partly on fire! I tried to put it out, but even so, parts of the spell seem... missing?" His minion offered. It's skull like head bobbing up and down. "Surely it is recoverable though!"

"Imbecile! Such ancient magics are not so easily recreated! Bah! Leave me, I need to think this over. Plot my revenge!"

"Yes! Of course Master!" The familiar scampered out of the room, bowing as it goes. Hexxer waited till he left, then flipped a table, roaring in fury! He stormed around the chamber grinding his teeth together. NO! He wouldn't let his plans fall apart like this! But he needed to report this... hiccup to his lord. Striding to his ritual circle, and snatching up a rune carved skull, he begun the rite to make contact.



Placing the skull carefully on a pedistal facing towards him, Hexxer began whispering dark forbidden words. The space around him erupted in a circle of crackling black light. Kneeling in the centre he offered his hands up.

"Oh my lord, dark king amongst the shadows, I beg an audience with you! By this mark I am your servant, and by this vow I am your slave! Before you I bow! Hear your servants cries!" He sang out. Releasing the power of the spell and letting it flow into the Skull. Which eye's lit up with pyre lights.

"I Hear Your Pleading, Mortal." The voice emanated from the skull like nails on a chalk board, It hovered, covered in writhing flames. "I Feel Your Fear. You Have Failed Me!" The aura of power washed over Hexxer, his mouth dried out in an instance.

"NO! I beg you my lord! The rite was stolen by a trainee hero! I fear they may have attempted to cast it! I have retrieved the page, but it's damaged." Hexxer spoke quickly, he knew all to when what the price of failure was. But he could yet turn this to his advantage.

"I Have Felt A Casting. The Binding Has Been Cast. Imperfectly. The Vale Bleeds. But It Will Heal In Time." The flames twitched in agitation. "When You Came To Me, You Promised That You Were Worthy Of My Patronage. Were Your Words Truthful? Or Are You Another Insect, Pleading For Powers You Are Not Worthy Of?" Embers showered the warlock, smouldering softly against his robes. He gritted his teeth. "Perhaps I Will Grant You One More Chance..."

"I AM worthy my lord. And I will resolve this situation! But to make this work in our favour, I need information. I beg you! The Spell. What was it created to summon?"

- - -



"A Spirit of Humanity? I have never heard of such a thing." Headmistress Amala looked at the report again. Magical matters were never her strong suit. Though the crazed writings of Professor Alphonse made for some curious reading.



"Yes, Spirits are beings born from beings and objects. Things. Concepts. But not Humans. There are spirits which interact with us and the things we've created. Such as Spirits of Industry, or Medicine. But no spirit has ever been born from Humanity."

"...right. I understand" Amala said. She didn't. "But what does it mean for Sammi?"

"You named it?" Alphonse said, disbelieving.

"She's a person. A girl, she needed a name." Amala said defensively.

"It's an 'it'. No matter how human it might seem. That thing is still a spirit. We'd be better off banishing it for good. Before it can cause any harm!" Alphonse huffed. "It's probably enthralled to Hexxer, secretly feeding him all manner of secrets! We should do it now! While it sleeps!"

"Alphonse." Amala said coldly. The professor froze. "If I hear you plotting to harm one of my students again, you can kiss your tenure goodbye. Do you understand me?" The man nodded stiffly. Amala sighed. "So, if I follow she's probably reasonably important?"

"It- I, mean 'she'. She has dominion over progress, and potential. A avatar of humanities abilities. She could... theoretically do anything. If her link to the spirit world wasn't damaged, that is." Amala cocked an eyebrow. Alphonse gestured irritably "Whatever pulled her though did it forcefully. It's damaged her essence to anchor her to this world. Perhaps even permanently. There's no telling what the full effects are. That much is clear in how foggy her memories are. But it means that her powers and personality could alter radically. Who knows what the trigger could be. Humanity is many things. I shudder to think what could happen if it shifts to represent our more violent tendencies."

Amala sat in consideration for some time. "Well, we'll just have to teach her how to be a good person then. Shouldn't we?" Alphonse spluttered, but Amala raised her hand. "I know what you're thinking. But we're a school of Heroes. We teach the next generation how to be the best and brightest, shining examples of all things good and just! Do we have the right to condemn her for her origin? Should we throw out the students who's bodies have mutated as well? Or anyone who's powers are dangerous? No. We teach them how to use their gifts for the betterment of earth and it's people. We shall teach her, and that is final."

Alphonse glared, but nodded his understanding. He turned to leave, but paused in the doorway. "Don't let your desire to be a mother cloud your judgement Amala." he said. Slipping out before Amala could say anything. She didn't, she simpily turned her chair to look out of the window. Towards the moonlit night, and the pair of figures standing on the roof.

"Oh I don't believe it!"

- - -


"Well, I can't believe it ether." Songbird shrugged at her sponsor. She could see a vain pounding in his head. Ha, awesome. She'd forgotten how fun it was to tease him. "But you shouldn't really hold it against her. It's hardly her fault."

"Hardly her fault?! The damage this has caused the Spirit side are catastrophic! The Wound is infected! Songbird. Infected! I'd swear this is the handiwork of Uligoth. Only his power was so uncaring and harmful." Whisperer hissed, fuming. He'd forgotten how annoying the phoenix was. Some days he really regretted sponsoring her.

"You think? Huh, I mean it could be. But he's supposed to be all locked up in that whole, magical prison thing? Wouldn't it be really cliched if he was behind all this? Some old sorcerer king working from the shadows in secret?" Songbird smirked.

"Laugh all you want. But the world is rarely so convenient." Whisperer grunted. He opened his mouth to say more. But someone cut him off.

"What in god's name are you doing on the roof?" Headmistress Amala, said bluntly. Glaring daggers at the two of them. Songbird giggled nervously. Whisperer just continued to look annoyed. "Oh, it's you. You do realised I banned you from here, Whisperer?"

"Can a sponsor not visit his student?" Whisperer asked, Songbird goggled. He was trying so hard to seem innocent. It was bizarre.

"A sponsor, yes. But not you. I know full well how your involvement normally ends. Let me guess... You're here about Sammi?"

"You... you named it?" Whisperer asked.

"Why does everyone keep saying that? Yes! I gave her a name!" Amala growled. "Her name is Sammi. She's a sweet girl, and you are going to leave her alone."

"Oh I intend to." He quickly assured her, but Amala snorted.

"Yeah right, I'm sure I heard that before! What happened next? Oh yes, you spent ten years obsessively chasing rumours across the world and stirring up all kinds of trouble only to find out it was a wild goose chase!"

"You've got to give it to her Whispy." Songbird chimed in. "She knows you too a tee!" Whisperer ignored her.

"Mark my words Slipstream, that spirit will bring disaster."

"Your words are marked. Now get the hell out of my school." Amala pointed. Whisperer left without another word. Fading into the night again. Songbird whistled.

"Wow, Headmistress! You're really scary when you want to be! I've never seen him try to get out of trouble before. That was so cool!"

"Thank you Anna. Now I remember something else. Something about you being banned from being on the roof unsupervised?" Songbird's smile froze, a cold sweat breaking out. "Something about detention for a week?"

"Well, it's been lovely seeing you Headmistress! What a lovely night! I'm going inside now! Okaythankyougoodbye!" Songbird scarpered quick as she could. Amala sighed, these kids were going to be the death of her. She knew it was going to be troublesome when she decided to help raise Sammi. But she didn't regret it. Amala had learned how to be very stubborn over a long long career of heroing. No one could drag her heels in like she could. She wasn't going to allow anyone to harm one of her students, she honestly believed that this girl could be a force for good. No matter how many were telling her she was a lost cause. She'd wait, for now. One day she'd need to tell Sammi about this. But for now, she deserved to enjoy her 'childhood' while she still could.

She fervently hoped that she hadn't made the wrong choice.

Arashiofordo3 fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Jan 25, 2017

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!
Put all my answers in one basket.

Tardzilla
Aug 31, 2006

Round 1 Questions Cont.

Cosmic Cowgirl

- So, um, can you ever turn the light show off, or is it a permanent thing? Doesn't it get really inconvenient sometimes?

- Has there ever been a point were you lost control of your powers?

- You and Sweet Dandy were once forced to team up together, whether you both liked it or not. How did that go?

X-Calibre

- Wow, that's rough. Nobody should ever have to deal with a fate like that. What's the one thing you want to do before your time is up? What would let you pass on with no regrets?

- The sword talks to you? What does it usually talk to you about? Also, what is it about showing mercy that offends it? Is it one of those "all evil must be punished" sort of things?

- What's the most interesting artifact you've found in your sanctuary? What makes it stick out above the rest? Is there a special significance to it?

Lyrebird

- Do you still keep in contact with Fowleri? How does he feel about you joining the academy?

- When did you first discover your powers? How long did it take for you to adjust to them?

- The whole stunt you pulled at the hospital has garnered some unwanted (or wanted) media attention. How have you been dealing with all the attention you've suddenly been getting? How has it been causing trouble for the academy?

Tardzilla fucked around with this message at 09:30 on Jan 25, 2017

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Ferrosol
Nov 8, 2010

Notorious J.A.M

Tardzilla posted:

Round 1 Questions

Templar

- Most have forgiven you, but there is one who still holds a grudge against you. Who are they? Why do they refuse to give you a chance?

Most heroes treat mind control as a fact of life. It's not uncommon for your average hero to get brainwashed in some way whether it be by some chump with a wristwatch or some incomprehensible alien artefact it's simply one of the hazards of the job and no one blames you for it much if it happens to you. Well almost no one. I still feel guilty for some of the things I've done but there's also other who blame me. People like Ironclaw



She's from some long line of ancient mystical heroes that know martial arts or something like that anyway. They've been intertwined with the Justice Alliance for as long as there's been a Justice Alliance. She got into a well not an argument exactly more of a screaming match with me. Some of the people I killed were friends of hers so i can understand why she might be upset with me because of that. But she also felt compelled to add that "No true warrior would let their mind be clouded by another." And that's when I lost it completely I never wanted to be a warrior, never asked to be turned into this super soldier. It's not nice and it's not right but I wanted to rip her apart. God help me I would have done it too if one of the teaching staff hadn't stepped in and separated us. Next time I might not be so lucky and neither will she


Tardzilla posted:

- What made you turn to religion? Was there someone who guided you that way, or did you come to it on your own?

One of the things they gave me to help get bakc on my feet is what records they had on me from...before. I don't really remember anything about my life before my abduction so it was like reading about a complete stranger that happened to share my name but one thing came through pretty strongly, I or the Judith that was anyway was a very devout catholic. She did all the things a proper catholic girl was supposed to do and I'll admit it intrigued me. So I started going to a local church Our Lady of the Martyrs and it was beautiful and peaceful and I felt.... almost at home really sat there listening to the music and the beauty of the service. I cried for the first time then. Since then I've taken every opportunity I can to explore my new-old faith. The Academy has a dedicated chaplain staff and I've found Father Lopez the catholic priest to be easy to talk to about anything. It's all under the seal of the confessional so i don't have to worry about him sharing my doubts at not being human anymore and not being the same person i was and about being wracked with guilt about the sins I committed.



quote:

- During one of your people watching sessions, you were approached by a mysterious individual. What did they talk to you about?

Oh yeah there was this girl.... what was her name again. Tall blonde with this really garish rose print dress she was wearing. I was sat on a bench in the park eating an ice cream just watching the world go by when she sat next to me. And she just started talking to me about he most mundane stuff imaginable I don't know why she thought I was a sympathetic ear or anything but she would not stop droning on about how her boyfriend did this and then her sister did that. At some point the droning voice must have caused me to zone out and fall asleep because I woke up draped uncomfortably on the bench with no sign of the girl I was talking too. Weird huh? I hope she didn't think I was rude or anything

New directive sent: Infiltrate academy and gather data and intelligence on possible candidates for future indoctrination. And be a good girl for Mother

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